Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Final Chapter)

[Deuce Traveler]

Both men stare at one another for a moment as they consider your offer. Finally the merchant shrugs and says to the other, "Why not?"

The men approach and you take their measure.

Dartis
[sblock]
The merchant is short and skinny for a Dorinthian, although he walks with confidence and wears a slight permanent grin, as if still considering a joke. He has dark black hair with the same colored eyes and a travel-worn face although his features are definitely native. His companion is quite larger in both width and height, and possesses red hair along with yellow eyes that are almost orange. Although he also has the appearance of a Dorinthian, he seems to be filled with a violent energy. You cannot see this one ever at rest.
[/sblock]

Caramip
[sblock]
The merchant is short and skinny for a gnome, although he walks with confidence and wears a slight permanent grin, as if still considering a joke. He has dark black hair with the same colored eyes and a travel-worn face although his features are definitely that of a more local Dorinthian gnome. His companion is quite larger in both width and height, and possesses red hair along with yellow eyes that are almost orange. Although he also has the appearance of a gnome, he seems to be filled with a fiery energy. You cannot see this one ever at rest.
[/sblock]

The merchant pulls out a flask and passes it around, "Well, if we are going to enjoy your company we best also share a drink." He pulls out two clay cups, fills them, and passes a shot to both Caramip and Dartis. The small amount of drink is excellent and fills your cold bones with warmth. The merchant turns back to his companion, "I'm not sure if I want to play another round. Each game ends the same anyway."

The barbarian answers angrily while unfolding a large square board, "No, we play. We play until we cannot play anymore."

The merchant takes out a pipe and shrugs. "Very well, that shouldn't be too much longer anyway." He takes a bag out and tosses tokens unto the board, straightening them out so that they a single token rests inside a single square of the board. There are board is 16 squares vertical by 16 squares horizontal. Both merchant and barbarian pick out a single pebble off the ground to use as their playing piece. You recognize this game from your childhood. Each token has a number between 2 and 12. The purpose is to get your piece from one end of the board to another. You can pick any side, and the idea is to get to the opposite side. The game is called 'Lucky Stones', but it is a difficult game. You need to roll a number equal to the number on the token you move your piece to in order to advance, however no one hardly ever wins the game, and if they do it is by luck.

The merchant makes it three squares before he 'dies' against a token bearing a 6. He resets the board and the barbarian tries, but the barbarian only makes it seven squares before also 'dying'.

"That wasn't a bad round for you."

"But it wasn't good enough. Again."

 

[Fenris]

Dartis enjoys the warmth of the drink, banishing the cold of the night and the fever from his brow, for a time.

"Thank you my friend for the drink. My name is Dartis and my friend here is Caramip. What brings you out on such a stormy night. You are far from any city or village." asks Dartis.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"We wanted to get together to play our game."

"We are fighting a great battle." The man in skins resets the board and plays again, but only lasts three rounds. For a moment he looks as if he might shatter the board, but his fist unclenches and he resets the board once more for the merchant.

The merchant scowls at the barbarian in skins and looks back towards you. "Besides, there is a village nearby though you won't find any Dorinthians there. Only the mindless plague ridden and four ettins that just moved in."

"Three ettins now. The twin-minded are not of the blood of Dorin, but at least they are of the land."

"For as much good as that is doing us," the merchant replies as he loses after the second move. He puffs at a pipe and resets the board once more.

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Caramip Ashhearth

"What happened to the four ettin?" Chimes the small Gnome as she stares deeping into the camp fire. Cooly, she sips from her drink as she half listens to the travelers story.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"The four twin-minded moved into the village to look for food and also places to wait while the storm passed. Those that were once human attacked them in ways that showed some intelligence, and now there are three of the twin-minded but many less undead."

 

[Fenris]

"How long have you two battled at this game? And how is it you know of the plague?" asks Dartis.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"The plague is affecting all of us."

"Well, especially us."

"Easy for you to say when you are not one of the infected. And the battle has gone on for longer than I remember, and may it go on for long after I will remember no more."

"We've been at it for a few days now. But neither of us has was a set recently. Not that it matters. The single victories never seem to be enough in the long run anyhow."

"She always won the big victories, and brought us more time to enjoy the hunt and conquests."

"I prefer other kinds of conquests, but yes, it was nice to have more time to enjoy them. You know, I still think of that one as a he. I never understood why some of you less city-dwelling types thought otherwise, but yes you are right. He always won the big victories. He's been gone for so long, though. Perhaps he has succumbed like the rest of us will eventually."

"No. She will come again at the darkest of times."

"Hmph. Can't get much darker. I'm tempted to call it quits, find a woman not plague-ridden, and get good and drunk. Should we bother to play again?"

 

[Fenris]

"I am sorry my friends, but I did not catch your names. And who is this person, she to one he to another that could win things. I'll take a turn at the game if you wish a break." offers Dartis

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Caramip Ashhearth

She is quickly taken back by her fellow brethrens statement about the plaque and quickly asks in a worried tone, “Wait…. The plague was only supposed to be affecting the humans. Are you saying other species are being infected as well?”

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"Others are suffering, but only the humans are suffering with their bodies. The suffering for others come in different forms."

The merchant smirks and says, "She doesn't understand. Ah well, no matter. Names are something you should earn, my kind host. So you want a go with the bones? Why not?"

The man in the skins checks the board for Dartis, and the noble chooses one of the central tokens and moves a stone that is his representative piece on top of it. Dartis flips it over and reveals a '2'. "Hmph, good start." Dartis rolls a '7', although any roll of the two dice beats or equals a '2'.

-------

Dartis and Caramip find themselves inside a small Dorinthian hut, and see a goblin breaking pots on the floor in a destructive attempt to find something of worth. He turns and see the confused-looking adventurers, draws a rusted short sword, and charges. Dartis dodges and draws his blade in the first few seconds, then dispatches the threat with a quick turn of the wrist. As the goblin falls from its fresh neck wound, the duo find themselves back in front of the campfire and game grid...

-------

The merchant flips over three adjascent tokens, although its Dartis' and Caramip's decision of where to move their stone next. The tokens onto which they can move are a '3' to the left of the stone that represents Dartis' piece, another '3' above, and a 'B' to the right which equals an '11' in value.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOO3OOOOOOOOO
OOOOO32BOOOOOOOO