Broccli_Head
Explorer
Is Zurmack alive or dead?
Northern Tales (Kalamar)
- Thread starter Wicht
- Start date
Wicht
Hero
Black Waters – Part 4
The companions hurriedly moved back away from the water. Zurmak splashed out, his armor still smoking from the acid breath of the small dragon. Once away from the water’s edge, they stood and stared in stunned silence at the once more calm black waters of the lake.
“I thought dragon’s breathed fire,” said Minlion.
“Different dragons have different weapons,” said Durunak knowledgeably, “Obviously small black dragons breath acid.”
“And can live in water,” said Leesarel.
“Do you know what we need?” asked Durunak.
“What?” replied Zurmak.
“Sheep!”
Leesarel, Minlion and Zurmak all stared at Durunak.
In the brief silence that followed Hulmar’s voice suddenly rang out, “Do you know there is no ‘k’ in the elven tongue.” Leesarel turned to look at her cousin. He was standing about 3 yards behind her, involved in some conversation pertaining to linguistics with Bo.
Leesarel rolled her eyes, “Will you two pay attention, we need a plan,” and then to Durunak, “What would we do with a sheep?”
“Use it as bait,… push it out into the lake and then when the dragon comes to eat it we get ‘em.”
“We could throw more rocks in the water to get their attention,” said Leesarel, “that seemed to get a reaction the first time. If that doesn’t work then we can try to get a sheep.”
“Alright,” said Durunak, “I have an idea, get me some rope,… wait I have rope in my pack, let me get it.”
They watched the shaggy dwarf open up his pack and pull out his rope. Then, hefting the rope on his shoulder he began to look around the shore line. Finally he found a rock that seemed to please him and proceeded to tie the rope securely around the rock.
“What are you doing?” asked Leesarel.
“A fishing line of sorts,” grinned the dwarf through his shaggy brown beard.
“You guys keep your eyes open on the water for anything,” commanded Leesarel as Durunak walked closer to the water. The shaggy dwarf hefted the rock and then dropped it on the ground. He grabbed the rope a little ways from the rock and proceeded to start spinning it. Then when it had achieved enough momentum he cast it out into the lake, the rope trailing behind it and through his hand. It landed with a plop in the black lake waters and immediately started to sink, dragging the rope down with it. When he judged the rock to have hit bottom he began to pull the rope back in.
“I see eyes,” shouted Hulmar, rapidly drawing the string back on his bow.
“I see them too,” shouted Zurmak excitedly.
“Well I did see them,” said Hulmar, for the eyes, which had been just out of the water had quickly dissapeared back under the surface of the lake, “It was the dragon, about fifty feet away from the shore watching us, just his eyes above the surface of the water.”
Durunak finished reeling in his rock and hefted it now in his hand, wondering whether or not fishing for dragons with a rock would really work.
“What we need is a boat,” said Hulmar.
“You can do that yourself,” said Durunak, “I ain’t getting in no boat, especially not with a dragon ready to attack me in it and no where to go.”
“Let’s get a sheep,” said Leesarel, “Who wants to go get one.”
“I’ll go,” said Minlion, “I can probably find a shepherd, buy a sheep, and be back within a few hours.”
“I’ll go with him,” said Zurmak.
“Alright,” said Leesarel, “We will wait for you, don’t be long.”
Minlion set off northward, Zurmak following along behind him. The other four companions watched them crest the hill and then disappear from sight.
“Now what?” said Hulmar.
“We watch and wait,” said Leesarel sitting down upon the ground.
They waited. Durunak stood about thirty feet from the waters edge, casting stones into the lake and watching them dissapear. Bo stood a little closer and did the same. Hulmar stood silently nearby, bow in hand, his sharp elven eyes scanning the calm, black lake surface.
Time passed slowly. Durunak gave up on the rocks and sat down watching the lake. Bo, somewhat bored, began to practice skipping stones across the water.
Suddenly Leesarel jumped to her feet and drawing her bow in the same motion fired an arrow out over the water. She had seen the small dragon head break the surface of the lake, watching them. Her arrow hit the water near the head and skipped up and then shot down into the water. She had missed. The dragon’s small head disappeared.
She moved closer to the water in case it should resurface.
“Do you see it,” she asked, “I saw it and then it was gone.”
“I see a dragon,” said Hulmar, “but it’s a different dragon.” He pointed out and up into the sky. Leesarel looked and saw it. Durunak and Bo strained to see it but could make out little more than a black speck that could have been a bird.
“It took off from the other side of the lake about when you fired at the one dragon,” said Hulmar, “And now I think it is coming our way.”
The companions hurriedly moved back away from the water. Zurmak splashed out, his armor still smoking from the acid breath of the small dragon. Once away from the water’s edge, they stood and stared in stunned silence at the once more calm black waters of the lake.
“I thought dragon’s breathed fire,” said Minlion.
“Different dragons have different weapons,” said Durunak knowledgeably, “Obviously small black dragons breath acid.”
“And can live in water,” said Leesarel.
“Do you know what we need?” asked Durunak.
“What?” replied Zurmak.
“Sheep!”
Leesarel, Minlion and Zurmak all stared at Durunak.
In the brief silence that followed Hulmar’s voice suddenly rang out, “Do you know there is no ‘k’ in the elven tongue.” Leesarel turned to look at her cousin. He was standing about 3 yards behind her, involved in some conversation pertaining to linguistics with Bo.
Leesarel rolled her eyes, “Will you two pay attention, we need a plan,” and then to Durunak, “What would we do with a sheep?”
“Use it as bait,… push it out into the lake and then when the dragon comes to eat it we get ‘em.”
“We could throw more rocks in the water to get their attention,” said Leesarel, “that seemed to get a reaction the first time. If that doesn’t work then we can try to get a sheep.”
“Alright,” said Durunak, “I have an idea, get me some rope,… wait I have rope in my pack, let me get it.”
They watched the shaggy dwarf open up his pack and pull out his rope. Then, hefting the rope on his shoulder he began to look around the shore line. Finally he found a rock that seemed to please him and proceeded to tie the rope securely around the rock.
“What are you doing?” asked Leesarel.
“A fishing line of sorts,” grinned the dwarf through his shaggy brown beard.
“You guys keep your eyes open on the water for anything,” commanded Leesarel as Durunak walked closer to the water. The shaggy dwarf hefted the rock and then dropped it on the ground. He grabbed the rope a little ways from the rock and proceeded to start spinning it. Then when it had achieved enough momentum he cast it out into the lake, the rope trailing behind it and through his hand. It landed with a plop in the black lake waters and immediately started to sink, dragging the rope down with it. When he judged the rock to have hit bottom he began to pull the rope back in.
“I see eyes,” shouted Hulmar, rapidly drawing the string back on his bow.
“I see them too,” shouted Zurmak excitedly.
“Well I did see them,” said Hulmar, for the eyes, which had been just out of the water had quickly dissapeared back under the surface of the lake, “It was the dragon, about fifty feet away from the shore watching us, just his eyes above the surface of the water.”
Durunak finished reeling in his rock and hefted it now in his hand, wondering whether or not fishing for dragons with a rock would really work.
“What we need is a boat,” said Hulmar.
“You can do that yourself,” said Durunak, “I ain’t getting in no boat, especially not with a dragon ready to attack me in it and no where to go.”
“Let’s get a sheep,” said Leesarel, “Who wants to go get one.”
“I’ll go,” said Minlion, “I can probably find a shepherd, buy a sheep, and be back within a few hours.”
“I’ll go with him,” said Zurmak.
“Alright,” said Leesarel, “We will wait for you, don’t be long.”
Minlion set off northward, Zurmak following along behind him. The other four companions watched them crest the hill and then disappear from sight.
“Now what?” said Hulmar.
“We watch and wait,” said Leesarel sitting down upon the ground.
They waited. Durunak stood about thirty feet from the waters edge, casting stones into the lake and watching them dissapear. Bo stood a little closer and did the same. Hulmar stood silently nearby, bow in hand, his sharp elven eyes scanning the calm, black lake surface.
Time passed slowly. Durunak gave up on the rocks and sat down watching the lake. Bo, somewhat bored, began to practice skipping stones across the water.
Suddenly Leesarel jumped to her feet and drawing her bow in the same motion fired an arrow out over the water. She had seen the small dragon head break the surface of the lake, watching them. Her arrow hit the water near the head and skipped up and then shot down into the water. She had missed. The dragon’s small head disappeared.
She moved closer to the water in case it should resurface.
“Do you see it,” she asked, “I saw it and then it was gone.”
“I see a dragon,” said Hulmar, “but it’s a different dragon.” He pointed out and up into the sky. Leesarel looked and saw it. Durunak and Bo strained to see it but could make out little more than a black speck that could have been a bird.
“It took off from the other side of the lake about when you fired at the one dragon,” said Hulmar, “And now I think it is coming our way.”
Elder-Basilisk
First Post
A big dragon would mean big trouble for the young adventurers, what will happen next? Tune in--hey, when can we tune in to get the update?
Broccli_Head
Explorer
Big Dragon for inexperienced adventurers = TPK
Wicht
Hero
Black Waters – Part 5
The elves watched the new dragon as it drew closer. It was, they decided, about the same size as the first dragon. Its black wings scarcely moved as it floated through the sky. Finally it began diving and gracefully landed on the island in the middle of the lake.
The two elves watched it as it walked up and down the island’s beach for a few moments and then it dived into the water and disappeared from sight. The party was so intent on watching this new dragon that they did not notice the small eyes of the other dragon once more watching them from only about twenty yards away.
The eyes rested just above the surface of the water, the dragon floating like some dark crocodile with wings. The wings, unseen above the water, were actually outstretched, serving to balance the dragon’s narrow body and keep it afloat and steady. The dragon watched the four companions for a few moments longer and then, before it could be spotted and shot at, it flipped its wings and with a serpentine flick of its tail, it propelled itself under the water to find its sister.
The dragon’s name was Xar’Kalt, a name it had given itself. It meant Black Killer, and though it was not a very original name, it was apt enough. Five years back, a lone female black dragon had laid a clutch of seven eggs on the bottom of the lake near a small natural hot spring. Then, uncaring, the mother had left, having done her bit for the continuation of the species. The eggs had hatched a few months later and the seven infant dragons had lived for a while on worms and fish. The largest of the litter, Xar’Kalt had, within a year, killed off his other siblings, all of them that is, except for one sister. Some primitive but strong part of his draconic mind had hinted at the need to keep one female alive. He had called his sister Drixarkar, meaning little black fang and the two of them had lived quite peaceably under the black lake waters together, constantly growing and constantly eating.
But now that peace looked to be about to be spoiled and Xar’Kalt was not too happy about it. But in his pride he imagined that with Drixarkar’s help he could chase the intruders away.
It was about an hour later when Xar’Kalt returned to see what the intruders were up to. With some amusement he saw that they were struggling to force a sheep into the water. Xar’Kalt knew what the sheep was, he had killed several of them and found their taste appealing, even more so when bits of the animal had been left buried in the mud for a week or two. But he was not sure why the intruders would be forcing the animal into the lake against the animal’s will. Filled with curiosity he moved closer to the intruders and adjusted his ears in order to hear them better.
“Stupid sheep!”
This was from Minlion who was at the moment singlehandedly trying to push the animal toward the water. Despite Minlion’s assessment of the animal’s intelligence, the sheep knew what it smelled on the water and was with a determination borne of mind-numbing fear, kicking and struggling to go the other way. Durunak, who had initially been the one trying to get the animal into the water, but who also had since given up, watched on with some amusement. The sheep had a length of rope, Durunak’s rope, to be exact, tied around its neck, and Minlion was trying to use this to steer the sheep. But while Minlion could get the front half of the sheep to cooperate, the back half of the sheep was determined to fight.
“I say we wound it and throw it in. Then when the dragon comes to munch it we can get it.” Thsi was from Durunak.
“No!” protested Leesarel, “Using it as bait is one thing but deliberate cruelty to it is another. That’s mean! Brutal!”
“Just pick it up by the legs and throw it in,” said Hulmar.
“You try grabbing its legs!” said Minlion with some heat as the animal tried to kick him again.
“Just break its legs!” shouted Durunak.
None of them, caught up as they were with the sheep, noticed the small dragon creeping closer and closer to them. Xar’Kalt, after listening to the companions argue, had managed to deduce the sheep was meant to distract him and put him off his guard. With a cunning sense of humor the small dragon realized the plan was perfect, perfect for himself that was. None of the six companions were paying any attention. The sheep had distracted them and put them off their guard. Xar’Kalt scanned the group and chose his target. The smallest of the six had its back to him. With a flap of his wings and a slight hiss, Xar’Kalt reared from the water and breathed a line of acid straight at the halfling, Bo.
It was probably the sound of the splashing water that saved Bo from being burnt worse. The small halfling turned just as the dragon reared out of the water and dived aside as the caustic venom flew through the air at him. The acid struck Bo’s legs as he rolled aside, but the majority of it missed him and though the acid burned slightly the fabric of the halfling’s pants was the worst victim of the attack.
Hulmar was the first to react. The elf drew and arrow and fired it at the dragon all in the space of a heartbeat. Unfortunately the arrow flew wide and missed the dragon by some five feet. Zurmak also reacted quickly, pulling out his bow and preparing an arrow. But before Zurmak could fire Durunak was charging through the lake water towards the dragon.
The water slowed the dwarf down some, but the dragon was not far out, being only about ten feet from the shore. With a roar of dwarven fury Durunak was upon the dragon, his massive ax cleaving through the air. The dragon moved with reptilian fluidity but not quickly enough to entirely escape being bruised as the axe head, angled slightly, smacked into him with the top half of the weapon.
The dragon bit and tore at Durunak with claws and fangs and then propelled itself backwards through the water, away from the dwarf.
As Durunak moved to follow the dragon he noticed the water to his left moving. Moving entirely on instinct the dwarf propelled himself backwards just as a second small dragon head crested out of the water and breathed a line of acid across at him. The acid singed Durunak’s beard, but did little else.
Bo, his bow now in his hands, had been aiming at the first dragon, but upon seeing the second rise up from the water adjusted and fired at the new danger. His arrow narrowly missed the small draconic head, the arrow skipping once off the surface of the dark lake.
“No!” shouted Zurmak and fired at the first dragon. His arrow was the first to make contact, the steel arrow-head ripping through one of the dragon’s wings.
“May the Great Huntress Bless us,” called Leesarel loud and clearly. The companions felt their limbs grow stronger and smiled as new confidence flowed into them. Despite the divine blessing he could feel empowering him, Durunak still chose to move back and away from the first dragon. He sensed the dragon was trying to draw him out into deeper waters and knew that he, a dwarf with no great love of swimming, would be far easier prey out there.
And then Minlion was in the water, his sword drawn. The human fighter had moved around to the side of the second dragon and then when close enough had charged through the water. The dragon, focused as it was on Durunak, noticed Minlion too late. The fighter’s sword stabbed into it’s lithe body, drawing forth a blood nearly as dark as the dragon’s scales.
Bo fired again at the second dragon, but in attempting not to hit Minlion, he fired too wide. The dragon bit at Minlion and then, copying the example of her brother, she swam a further five feet out into the water. Unfortunately for the female dragon, her movement made her an easier shot for Hulmar and Leesarel who both managed to clip her with an arrow.
Durunak, having moved even further away from the first dragon was busy swapping his ax for his crossbow. But Xar’Kalt was not about to offer himself as a target. With a flip of his body, the small dragon turned and dived under the water and out of sight.
Durunak, his crossbow pre-loaded, turned from the spot where Xar’Kalt had been and aimed instead at the other dragon. The bolt was just a little too high and flew over the dragon’s head. Paniced, and not having quite the guile of her brother, Drixarkar, did the only thing she could think of, she charged forward once more at Minlion. The fighter fended off the small dragon with his shield and moved quickly back and away from her attacking form.
There was a whirr and a thud and then the dragon stopped moving. Bo had sunk his arrow into her chest. The long body floated atop the water, only the tail still twitching, black blood dissapearing into the black water.
“Get it!” shouted Durunak, “Minlion, drag the body out of the water!”
Minlion moved to comply with the shaggy dwarf’s command, grabbing the tail of the now dead dragon and pulling it with him towards the shore.
Even as Minlion neared the water’s edge, Xar’kalt, enraged at the death of his sister, raised his head twenty feet away from the human and breathed a line of acid straight at him, striking him full in the chest.
The elves watched the new dragon as it drew closer. It was, they decided, about the same size as the first dragon. Its black wings scarcely moved as it floated through the sky. Finally it began diving and gracefully landed on the island in the middle of the lake.
The two elves watched it as it walked up and down the island’s beach for a few moments and then it dived into the water and disappeared from sight. The party was so intent on watching this new dragon that they did not notice the small eyes of the other dragon once more watching them from only about twenty yards away.
The eyes rested just above the surface of the water, the dragon floating like some dark crocodile with wings. The wings, unseen above the water, were actually outstretched, serving to balance the dragon’s narrow body and keep it afloat and steady. The dragon watched the four companions for a few moments longer and then, before it could be spotted and shot at, it flipped its wings and with a serpentine flick of its tail, it propelled itself under the water to find its sister.
The dragon’s name was Xar’Kalt, a name it had given itself. It meant Black Killer, and though it was not a very original name, it was apt enough. Five years back, a lone female black dragon had laid a clutch of seven eggs on the bottom of the lake near a small natural hot spring. Then, uncaring, the mother had left, having done her bit for the continuation of the species. The eggs had hatched a few months later and the seven infant dragons had lived for a while on worms and fish. The largest of the litter, Xar’Kalt had, within a year, killed off his other siblings, all of them that is, except for one sister. Some primitive but strong part of his draconic mind had hinted at the need to keep one female alive. He had called his sister Drixarkar, meaning little black fang and the two of them had lived quite peaceably under the black lake waters together, constantly growing and constantly eating.
But now that peace looked to be about to be spoiled and Xar’Kalt was not too happy about it. But in his pride he imagined that with Drixarkar’s help he could chase the intruders away.
It was about an hour later when Xar’Kalt returned to see what the intruders were up to. With some amusement he saw that they were struggling to force a sheep into the water. Xar’Kalt knew what the sheep was, he had killed several of them and found their taste appealing, even more so when bits of the animal had been left buried in the mud for a week or two. But he was not sure why the intruders would be forcing the animal into the lake against the animal’s will. Filled with curiosity he moved closer to the intruders and adjusted his ears in order to hear them better.
“Stupid sheep!”
This was from Minlion who was at the moment singlehandedly trying to push the animal toward the water. Despite Minlion’s assessment of the animal’s intelligence, the sheep knew what it smelled on the water and was with a determination borne of mind-numbing fear, kicking and struggling to go the other way. Durunak, who had initially been the one trying to get the animal into the water, but who also had since given up, watched on with some amusement. The sheep had a length of rope, Durunak’s rope, to be exact, tied around its neck, and Minlion was trying to use this to steer the sheep. But while Minlion could get the front half of the sheep to cooperate, the back half of the sheep was determined to fight.
“I say we wound it and throw it in. Then when the dragon comes to munch it we can get it.” Thsi was from Durunak.
“No!” protested Leesarel, “Using it as bait is one thing but deliberate cruelty to it is another. That’s mean! Brutal!”
“Just pick it up by the legs and throw it in,” said Hulmar.
“You try grabbing its legs!” said Minlion with some heat as the animal tried to kick him again.
“Just break its legs!” shouted Durunak.
None of them, caught up as they were with the sheep, noticed the small dragon creeping closer and closer to them. Xar’Kalt, after listening to the companions argue, had managed to deduce the sheep was meant to distract him and put him off his guard. With a cunning sense of humor the small dragon realized the plan was perfect, perfect for himself that was. None of the six companions were paying any attention. The sheep had distracted them and put them off their guard. Xar’Kalt scanned the group and chose his target. The smallest of the six had its back to him. With a flap of his wings and a slight hiss, Xar’Kalt reared from the water and breathed a line of acid straight at the halfling, Bo.
It was probably the sound of the splashing water that saved Bo from being burnt worse. The small halfling turned just as the dragon reared out of the water and dived aside as the caustic venom flew through the air at him. The acid struck Bo’s legs as he rolled aside, but the majority of it missed him and though the acid burned slightly the fabric of the halfling’s pants was the worst victim of the attack.
Hulmar was the first to react. The elf drew and arrow and fired it at the dragon all in the space of a heartbeat. Unfortunately the arrow flew wide and missed the dragon by some five feet. Zurmak also reacted quickly, pulling out his bow and preparing an arrow. But before Zurmak could fire Durunak was charging through the lake water towards the dragon.
The water slowed the dwarf down some, but the dragon was not far out, being only about ten feet from the shore. With a roar of dwarven fury Durunak was upon the dragon, his massive ax cleaving through the air. The dragon moved with reptilian fluidity but not quickly enough to entirely escape being bruised as the axe head, angled slightly, smacked into him with the top half of the weapon.
The dragon bit and tore at Durunak with claws and fangs and then propelled itself backwards through the water, away from the dwarf.
As Durunak moved to follow the dragon he noticed the water to his left moving. Moving entirely on instinct the dwarf propelled himself backwards just as a second small dragon head crested out of the water and breathed a line of acid across at him. The acid singed Durunak’s beard, but did little else.
Bo, his bow now in his hands, had been aiming at the first dragon, but upon seeing the second rise up from the water adjusted and fired at the new danger. His arrow narrowly missed the small draconic head, the arrow skipping once off the surface of the dark lake.
“No!” shouted Zurmak and fired at the first dragon. His arrow was the first to make contact, the steel arrow-head ripping through one of the dragon’s wings.
“May the Great Huntress Bless us,” called Leesarel loud and clearly. The companions felt their limbs grow stronger and smiled as new confidence flowed into them. Despite the divine blessing he could feel empowering him, Durunak still chose to move back and away from the first dragon. He sensed the dragon was trying to draw him out into deeper waters and knew that he, a dwarf with no great love of swimming, would be far easier prey out there.
And then Minlion was in the water, his sword drawn. The human fighter had moved around to the side of the second dragon and then when close enough had charged through the water. The dragon, focused as it was on Durunak, noticed Minlion too late. The fighter’s sword stabbed into it’s lithe body, drawing forth a blood nearly as dark as the dragon’s scales.
Bo fired again at the second dragon, but in attempting not to hit Minlion, he fired too wide. The dragon bit at Minlion and then, copying the example of her brother, she swam a further five feet out into the water. Unfortunately for the female dragon, her movement made her an easier shot for Hulmar and Leesarel who both managed to clip her with an arrow.
Durunak, having moved even further away from the first dragon was busy swapping his ax for his crossbow. But Xar’Kalt was not about to offer himself as a target. With a flip of his body, the small dragon turned and dived under the water and out of sight.
Durunak, his crossbow pre-loaded, turned from the spot where Xar’Kalt had been and aimed instead at the other dragon. The bolt was just a little too high and flew over the dragon’s head. Paniced, and not having quite the guile of her brother, Drixarkar, did the only thing she could think of, she charged forward once more at Minlion. The fighter fended off the small dragon with his shield and moved quickly back and away from her attacking form.
There was a whirr and a thud and then the dragon stopped moving. Bo had sunk his arrow into her chest. The long body floated atop the water, only the tail still twitching, black blood dissapearing into the black water.
“Get it!” shouted Durunak, “Minlion, drag the body out of the water!”
Minlion moved to comply with the shaggy dwarf’s command, grabbing the tail of the now dead dragon and pulling it with him towards the shore.
Even as Minlion neared the water’s edge, Xar’kalt, enraged at the death of his sister, raised his head twenty feet away from the human and breathed a line of acid straight at him, striking him full in the chest.
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Elder-Basilisk
First Post
Exellent tale; I look forward to seeing how this chapter ends.
Broccli_Head
Explorer
Nice having a perspective on the young black dragon.
'Cept now I want him to win
'Cept now I want him to win
Broccli_Head
Explorer
How often do you play?
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