"Out of the Frying Pan" - Book II: Catching the Spark (Part Two) - {complete}
Nemmerle,
Excellent updates. What exactly are those monks up to, hmmn.
I get the feeling that Martin's quest has something to do with the monks of Anubis and the pit of bones. I mean because everbody knows that animating those skeletons up out of the ground then commanding them to properly bury each other would be so much quicker and much less work than all that excavating. I'm sure a Cleric of Set would, uhm, "volunteer" to do a similar favor.
Excellent updates. What exactly are those monks up to, hmmn.
I get the feeling that Martin's quest has something to do with the monks of Anubis and the pit of bones. I mean because everbody knows that animating those skeletons up out of the ground then commanding them to properly bury each other would be so much quicker and much less work than all that excavating. I'm sure a Cleric of Set would, uhm, "volunteer" to do a similar favor.
Thomas the Squirrel
First Post
Those monks are bad bad men.
But Martin is brave and strong. He will defeat them single-handedly!!!
Everyone knows that masters are made from an aspect of their familiar's personality - so I take all the credit!
But Martin is brave and strong. He will defeat them single-handedly!!!
Everyone knows that masters are made from an aspect of their familiar's personality - so I take all the credit!
Nemm, compadre, as you already know, tomorrow I go on vacation for four weeks, so maybe this is my last bump for a while.
Please, go on writting, when I come back I will love to find lots of updates to read
Your story brought me to the story hour forums. Your story transformed me in a Story Hour addict. Go on, amigo, go on!
Please, go on writting, when I come back I will love to find lots of updates to read
Your story brought me to the story hour forums. Your story transformed me in a Story Hour addict. Go on, amigo, go on!
handforged
First Post
Wow, Great job Nemm. Stepping out of lurkville to say congrats. And I really hope that Beorth is coming back to the spotlight, he was my favorite character until Ratchis came along, and now BAM! It is a tough choice, and Thomas the Squirrel is desparately trying to keep Martin up there. The others are doing a great job roleplaying, but don't interest me as much. great job.
and boy am I hoping that the Golden Ram is Beorth's mount.
~hf
and boy am I hoping that the Golden Ram is Beorth's mount.
~hf
Beorth and Beasts
Hey, HF.
thanks for the pat on the back. I enjoyed roleplaying those sessions very much.
There are many interesting events in the upcoming updates, especially for Beorth. Some very good, and some VERY VERY bad.
But you have to experience the darkness so you can experience the light, n'est-ce pas?
Never a dull moment in Aquerra, that is for sure. Let's just say that it is a very good thing that your god never deserts you, unless you desert your god...
And a second chance at life can REALLY change a person's character. Eh, Jeremy?
Hey, HF.
thanks for the pat on the back. I enjoyed roleplaying those sessions very much.
There are many interesting events in the upcoming updates, especially for Beorth. Some very good, and some VERY VERY bad.
But you have to experience the darkness so you can experience the light, n'est-ce pas?
Never a dull moment in Aquerra, that is for sure. Let's just say that it is a very good thing that your god never deserts you, unless you desert your god...
And a second chance at life can REALLY change a person's character. Eh, Jeremy?
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Session #31 (part II)
“I hope they find the amulet,” Kazrack said, as he took logs from Jeremy’s arms and tossed them into the forge fire. “if it were not for this geas I would have gone myself.”
Ratchis looked up from where he was cleaning three rabbit that the Bear had brought earlier, “I just hope there isn’t any trouble for them.”
And as if to dash his hopes, Thomas appeared leaping up on the half-orc’s shoulder.
Ratchis was taken aback.
“Hey Thomas is here,” Ratchis said, standing. Jeremy and Kazrack stopped what they were doing and looked over.
“Can you understand me?” Ratchis asked the squirrel holding up the little tree-rodent in huge palm. “If you can understand me shake your head. Is Martin in trouble?”
Thomas chittered, and wiped his face with his paws and then looked to the northwest, and then back to Ratchis.
“Does he have the amulet?” Jeremy asked.
“We should return him to Martin,” Kazrack offered.
“I think Martin’s in trouble,” Ratchis said. “I see no other reason for Thomas to come here to us.”
“We need to return to camp then and get our weapons and armor,” Kazrack said.
“Can you lead us to Martin?” Ratchis asked Thomas, and the squirrel leapt off his hand and began to scurry towards the entrance to the glade.
“I guess we’ll have to talk to the Bear,” Kazrack said, as the three of them walked to the exit.
They arrived at the entrance to the Glade where Thomas waited beside the huge Bear, who stood as the three companions approached.
“We need to return to camp, and then go seek out our companions,: Kazrack said, flatly.
“Mmmm. Are you done for the day?” the Bear asked.
“We’re mostly done. We may need to come back later,” Kazrack replied.
“If you leave you may not come back today,” the Bear said.
“We’re done for the day,” Ratchis inserted.
“Then I will lead you back to you camp so you can assist your companions in extricating themselves from the danger they have stumbled into,” the Bear replied.
“What danger is that?” Kazrack asked.
“You know the price for answers to questions that are not directly involved in your completion of the sickle,” the Bear said.
The dwarf growled, and looked to Jeremy. Ratchis looked to the Neergaardian as well. Jeremy looked back and forth at them, and scratched his chin. The soft golden peach-fuzz on his face was growing into a beard.
“A fingernail,” was all Ratchis said.
“Well, lose another one if you want,” Jeremy said, shrugging his shoulders.
“They’re not going to take mine,” Ratchis said. “They already have one.”
“I’m not giving these monsters anything,” Jeremy retorted with a look of disgust.
“So your friends who bled for you…” Ratchis’ own disgust was cut off.
“We do not have time to haggle,” Kazrack said, angrily.
“All right! All right!” Jeremy said, with a sigh.
“Do you want me to pull it off for you? It might be easier that way,” Ratchis offered.
Jeremy clipped a bit of finger nail off with a knife and offered it to the Bear.
The Bear snorted. “You should know by now not to play games.”
“You mean you want the whole thing?” Jeremy asked.
The Bear did not reply.
“Will you stop playing and just do it, just as the rest of us have,” Ratchis said.
Jeremy grimaced and then cut the whole nail off his right index finger.
“Here,” Jeremy held it out to the Bear, gritting his teeth. The Bear licked up into his mouth.
“You companions followed the great beast that led you into the Circle of Thorns,” the Bear said. “They have left the circle and have come into conflict with the bugbears that live there. If you follow the trail out of your camp to the north you will find their trail and come to a place where you can leave the Circle. You will see a hill with a ring of trees atop it about a half a mile from the wall. You will find them there.”
The Bear led them back to their camp, where they gathered their weapons and donned with armor, and then took off down the trail, following Thomas as he leapt from tree to tree.
“Maybe it was because Thomas is an animal, but he was allowed to leave and return, but I’m not sure we will be able to get through,” Kazrack said. “Didn’t they say something about if we left we could not come back until the full moon?”
“We can only hope we will allowed back in,” Ratchis said.
“This place stinks,” Jeremy said, sucking on his bloody finger.
The three of them moved up and over a hill and around another coming to where there was the narrow passage through the enormous thorn wall. The made their way through and came to the area of fewer trees. They immediately saw two bugbears lying hogtied on the cold ground and struggling to get free.
“I guess we came the right way,” Jeremy said, going forward as Ratchis checked the bugbears’ bonds, making sure they were tight.
“They will get free eventually, but that should keep them from coming up behind us too soon,” Ratchis said.
Jeremy found the naked hanging man.
“And every time you turn around there is another reason to hate this place,” the Neergaardian said, cutting the dead man down.
“We don’t have time for this,” Ratchis said. “Leave it be. Beorth will know how to handle it best when we find him.”
“I was just cutting him down,” Jeremy said. “Wasn’t planning on burying him right now, just seemed disrespectful to keep him hanging up there.”
“Well, it might keep animals from getting to the body before we get to inter it,” Kazrack said.
“Well, too late now,” Jeremy said.
“Jeremy will you load this for me?” Kazrack asked, handing him his light crossbow.
“You know gimp, it really hurts to load this thing with a raw and bloody finger,” Jeremy said, as he pulled back the string. “I doubt you’ll even hit anything since you have to fire with one hand.”
Kazrack just smirked and took back the crossbow.
Ratchis spotted the hill with the ring of trees and led the way.
As they came to the bottom of the hill there was a flash of gold that erupted from the ring of trees and came barreling down the hill to the right.
“Look! It’s the ram that Beorth was talking about!” Ratchis said, pointing. “Let’s follow it.”
“It seems to be running away from something,” Kazrack said, as it disappeared from their view and into a narrow ravine north of their position. “Let’s check the clearing at the top of the hill first.”
“Maybe the ram is what hurt the others,” Jeremy suggested.
“I doubt it,” Ratchis said, growing tired of Jeremy’s foul mood.
The dwarf and the human climbed the hill, with the half-orc leading them. Ratchis breached the ring of trees and saw the bier of stone just off center. Atop it he saw Martin’s unconscious hog-tied form.
“Martin is here,” Ratchis said, walking into the clearing.
“Let’s move in,” Kazrack said to Jeremy, doing just that, but the Neergaardian decide to check the perimeter. He crept along the outside of the ring of trees, trying to move as silently as possible and staying low.
Ratchis began to pull the rope from around Martin’s wrists and ankles, as Kazrack crossed the clearing. The dwarf stopped and looked back seeing that Jeremy had not followed.
“Where the hell are you going?” Kazrack called, annoyed. Jeremy did not reply, but must have been sufficiently distracted.
As he walked past on fir tree, he was surprised by movement on his left. A figure in brown and black robes leapt out slashed deeply into Jeremy’s shoulder with a strange weapon. It was short shaft of wood with a short scythe-like blade on one end.
“Son of a…” Jeremy cried out, spinning around to put his two swords between him and the monk. This monk was medium build and had short spiked dark hair and olive skin. He had a permanent smile on his face.
Jeremy had barely gotten his swords up when the monk, bouncing like rabid animal, let loose with a flurry of swings from his strange weapon.
“Guys! I have wild one here! Ambush!” Jeremy called to his companions, over the din of clashing blades. He backed away through the trees and into clearing. Kazrack came running past him towards the trees, to approach the ambushing monk from his right.
“I’ll deal with this one. See if there are any more,” the dwarf yelled as he went by, his flail a blurry circle above his head.
Jeremy thought he heard something and looked to his left, just in time to see the foot of another flying monk connect with his face. The Neergaardian stumbled back from the blow, feeling the side of his face already begin to swell up. This monk was short and stocky, strong-looking, but had dreadful purple bruises all over his face. The three companions did not know this, but he was named Lomax.
Jeremy was not caught completely off guard this time, blood still running down his left side from the first blow.. Using the flat of his long sword, he slapped the stocky monk in the side of the head and then followed up with a punch from the hilt of the Right Blade of Arofel. Lomax staggered and fell unconscious.
Kazrack burst through the trees looking for the monk that had attacked Jeremy, but ran right past him, only noticing the figure after he felt the bite of the monk’s blade. The monk’s speed was alarming to the dwarf Kazrack felt the curved blade try to hook his ankle and pull him off his feet, but he was able to stand his ground.
Jeremy hurried back towards where he had been ambushed and slapped his sword against the back of the monk’s head as he and Kazrack now flanked him.
“If you’re a follower of Anubis you should put down your arms,” Kazrack said to the monk that attacked him, but received no reply.
On the stone bier, Martin stirred as Ratchis removed the last of the rope about the watch-mage, and taking hold of his holy symbol placed his other hand on him.
“Nephthys, give me your power so that I can heal this wizard, and we can get to the bottom of this mystery,” Ratchis intoned, and Martin felt the soothing healing warmth of divine power go through him.
“Martin, what is going on?” Ratchis said, helping the watch-mage to sit up.
“The monks of Anubis…” Martin coughed out. “Where’s Beorth? Where’s Jana?”
“I don’t know,” Ratchis replied.
“We freed the ram,” Martin began, but his explanation was cut short by a yelp from Jeremy back in the trees.
As he positioned himself to keep the young monk flanked, he was surprised by another figure running out of the underbrush and striking him in the side with a flying kick. This monk was tall and wiry, with a black pony-tail in the rear center of his bald head. It was Vander.
Jeremy grew angry. “All right, that settles it!”
The smaller, quick monk struggled to strike Kazrack, but the dwarf was able to fend off his blows at the cost of connecting with his own.
Jeremy spun with all his strength, spying an opening in the guards of both monks that now flanked him. With incredible speed, his short sword went down delivering a deep puncture to Vander’s shin and foot, cutting clear through muscle. In the next instant his came back up, the full sharp edge of his long sword catching the smaller monk on the side of the neck and with a sickening snap, sent it toppling off.
The monk’s headless body hung there at an awkward angle for a moment and then collapsed as blood exploded in a torrent from the frayed neck.
“Ah, so we have a seasoned warrior!” Vander said, holding up his injured foot to keep from applying too much weight on it, but still kicking with it, which sent blood flicking in all directions.
“Uh, no! Wait!” Jeremy protested, amazed at his own feat.
Martin hobbled off the stone, as Ratchis drew his masterwork warhammer and charged into the fray. “Watch out backs!” the half-orc called to the Watch-mage as he disappeared into the trees.
Martin looked around, and noticed something tucked under a tree on the opposite side of the stone bier from the battle. He wandered over and saw Beorth’s unconscious and bloody form (but bandaged) bound and laying on his stomach.
Meanwhile, at the fight, Vander ducked Ratchis blow deftly, and with a quick motion pulled his staff from his back and made the half-orc taste both ends of it before thrusting it at Jeremy, who knocked it out of alignment with his short sword.
“You’ve betrayed your gods, and so you will fall!” Kazrack said to the monk.
“It is you who have helped your friend betray Anubis,” Vander replied.
“I trust my friend’s wisdom over yours!”
Kazrack moved to help surround the skillful monk, but his flail failed to find its mark. Jeremy’s swords were kept at bay by Vander’s nearly-inhumanly fast stick-work, but Ratchis’ strength won out. The half-orc slammed his hammer down on the monk’s forehead. There was a crunch sound as blood began to fill Vander’s eyes. The monk spun around confused by the haze of pain, allowing Kazrack to finally strike a telling blow. Vander collapsed into a bloody pile of robes in the snow.
“I found Beorth,” Martin called.
“Is everyone alright?” Jeremy called out, looking down at the bloody monk’s head a few feet away from him.
“Where’s Jana?” Kazrack called.
“Nephthys, please stabilize this man so that we may discover what evil has transpired here,” Ratchis said, kneeling beside Vander, and laying a hand on his head wound.
“Jana!” Jeremy called, his voice echoing through the nearby hills. “Jana! Can you hear me?”
“Keep it down!” Kazrak admonished. “There could be others around.”
“Or more bugbears,” Martin added weakly.
Ratchis walked over to where Beorth lay, and knelt beside him, granting the paladin Nephthys’ healing blessing as well.
“Obviously, they did not want him to die or else they would not have bound his wounds,” the half-orc said.
Jeremy began to wander the general area searching for Jana.
“I got help! I got help!” Thomas squealed, running into the clearing and leaping onto Martin’s shoulder.
“Yes, you did a great job, Thomas,” Martin said, patting his familiar on the head. “Now, do you smell Jana around?”
Thomas sniffed the air. “All I smell is pine and blood,” he crinkled his nose.
“She’s over here!” Jeremy called from the other side of the clearing.
Hanging from a tall branch, was Jana wrapped in a blanket and tied up tightly. Martin, Beorth’s and her gear were tied up there as well as ballast.
Together, Jeremy and Ratchis were able to get her and the gear down, while Kazrack rifled through the monks’ belongings. Among them he found two glass vials (one with a yellow liquid and another with black liquid). He also found what appeared to be a holy symbol around Vander’s neck, but it was not the familiar jackal-head of Anubis, rather a lead ram’s head with a look of anger, and golden eyes. He also snagged the fine and unusually light quarterstaff that the head monk had used with such skill.
“Hey Martin, look at this,” Kazrack called. “This is a fine weapon, and here are what are likely potions of some kind.”
Ratchis tended to Jana, and then began to break up the frozen ground to bury the dead monk.
Beorth sat leaning against the stone bier shaking his head back and forth.
“So, what the hell happened?” Jeremy asked. “Where did these monks come from?”
Martin explained how they had followed the ram and then found it bound as a prisoner. He also explained how Vander had described it as a servant of Set from The Time Before (135)
“Needless to say, we did not believe him,” Martin added.
“How come?” Jeremy asked. “The thing is big and unnaturally beautiful and it led us to those awful monsters who claim to be druids. It could very likely be a servant of Set.”
“Beorth doubted their claim,” Martin said. “And that was enough for me.”
Jeremy turned to the Ghost-hunter. “I killed one of your brothers by accident,” he said. “We just wanted to talk with them, but they attacked us.”
“One of them had this,” Kazrack said, handing Beorth the ram’s head symbol.
“They claimed to be monks of Anubis, but this would not be their symbol,” Beorth said, he winced as he hefted the thing, the pain of his wounds cutting through his exhaustion.
“What’s this?” Kazrack asked Beorth holding up a belt with several small metal stars attached to it. “Toys of some kind?”
“They are weapons,” Beorth replied, looking up.
“Heh. If you say so.”
Ratchis wiped sweat from his brow, the cold having no effect on him due to his boots, and paused in his difficult digging to cast Bull’s Strength on himself.
“Who was the hanged man?” Jeremy asked.
“We don’t know,” Martin replied.
The party waited for sometime while Ratchis did most of the digging by himself as there was only one shovel. Jeremy helped a bit, by moving dirt away from the edges of the grave with Beorth’s shield. It was nearly two hours later when the monk Jeremy had subdued with his blades began to stir. By this time he had been tightly bound.
The monk was questioned by the group.
“What is your name?” Beorth asked.
“I am Lomax, Initiate of the Gate,” the monk replied, instinctually going to rub the ache out of his neck, but being unable to.
“Why were you and your companions not willing to parley?” Kazrack asked.
“Why did you attack Beorth and his friends?” Jeremy added.
“He and his two companions freed the evil creature,” Lomax relied calmly.
“I do not believe this creature is the evil you think it is,” Beorth said.
“Of course, such beauty…” Kazrack said, thinking of the sunlight sparkling on the golden fleece of the creature.
“Beauty does not equal good,” Beorth warned.
“But, why not?” Jeremy asked.
Beorth sighed, “We’ll talk about it later. Now is not the time to have a discussion on the nature of evil and beauty.”
“No! I meant, why didn’t you believe them?” Jeremy said.
“I have had visions of the ram from my god,” Beorth said. “I think I am meant to help it and it me.”
“You are being misled,” Lomax said.
“And what of this symbol?” Beorth asked the monk, holding up the ram’s head. “It is not the symbol of a follower of Anubis.”
“It is a symbol of those who follow Adder who have been assigned to seek and destroy the evil ram creature,” Lomax said.
“So, where can this Adder be found?” Beorth asked.
“I do not know,” Lomax replied.
“And what about the amulet?” Kazrack asked. “We did not find it among your things.”
“I do not know of what amulet you speak of,” the monk said.
Beorth looked up at Martin, “Could you ask Thomas about what he did with the amulet?”
Martin obliged his companion.
“He does not want to speak of it,” Martin replied after a moment. “But he did admit that he did not give it to any men.”
“Beorth, is it possible that these visions of yours came from the ram and not from Anubis? And that you are being led astray?” Kazrack asked, as diplomatically as possible.
“I know in my heart the source of the these visions, and that I am being tested,” Beorth said. “It is possible I am being led astray, but what choice have I but to follow my heart?”
Kazrack nodded solemnly.
“But as for those monks of this mysterious order,” Beorth continued. “My judgment may have been clouded in this matter, but one this is certain, anyone who would suggest that I use that amulet for any reason to control undead is no follower of Anubis.”
“So, if they do not have the amulet, what do we do with them?” Jeremy asked Martin and Jana, standing a bit away from the interrogation.
“I guess our only choices are to free them or kill them,” Martin said, with the weight of fatigue in his voice.
Suddenly the hooting of voices was heard echoing among neighboring hills.
“More bugbears!” Martin cried.
Ratchis leapt out of the nearly completed grave and moved to patrol the perimeter of the area.
Kazrack continued badgering the monk.
“How do you know the ram is evil?’ the dwarf asked.
“It’s how I’ve been told,” Lomax replied.
Kazrack sighed.
“Does anyone object to freeing this man?” Kazrack asked.
“No,” said Beorth, quietly.
Ratchis leapt back into the clearing joining Jeremy in solid “Yes.”
“I would hope you would respect my wishes in this,” Beorth said. “More bloodshed will not correct this schism. We only ask that you pledge not to trouble us again.”
Lomax was silent. “I will pledge non-interference in your other matters here, for you have already foiled us in our attempt to return the ram to Master Adder.”
“In this I will believe you,” Beorth said.
Ratchis grunted.
“This is crazy!” Jeremy exclaimed.
“We must also consider that to let them free is to have to return those items we found on their persons,” Jana said. “We cannot leave them defenseless in a wood full of bugbears.”
Jeremy was speechless with confusion. He merely raised his hands into the aired and made a soft choking noise as if he lost all ability to mouth out words.
“Then it is settled,” Kazrack said. “We will return them their things and send them on their way. And I will heal the two of them so they are safe for their journey.”
“I am sure it will Anubis’ will that we cross paths with again one day, Brother Lomax,” Beorth said. “I hope your remember our mercy.”
Lomax stood and bowed as Kazrack cut him free.
“I am sorry for the death of your companion,’ Kazrack said.
“He has already been judged,” Lomax replied, bowing again.
“This is crazy!” Jeremy managed to say again.
“Compassion is one of the many weapons of Nephthys in her battle against oppression,” Ratchis said. “I will see this as a sign to follow Beorth’s wishes.”
Jeremy grunted.
As Kazrack used the healing gifts of his gods onto Lomax and Vander, Ratchis explained that he had heard bugbear voices hooting from the north, but that more importantly he had seen enormous ram tracks heading down the hill in the same direction.
Martin laid down the potion vials and staff for Lomax to take.
Lomax bowed and looked to Beorth. “May your eyes be opened to the truth of the world,” Lomax said, as the party followed Ratchis down the hill towards the sound of bugbear cries.
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Notes
(135) The Time Before refers to the time before the First Age when it is said that the world was a sea of sand and the gods walked among the mortal lands.
“I hope they find the amulet,” Kazrack said, as he took logs from Jeremy’s arms and tossed them into the forge fire. “if it were not for this geas I would have gone myself.”
Ratchis looked up from where he was cleaning three rabbit that the Bear had brought earlier, “I just hope there isn’t any trouble for them.”
And as if to dash his hopes, Thomas appeared leaping up on the half-orc’s shoulder.
Ratchis was taken aback.
“Hey Thomas is here,” Ratchis said, standing. Jeremy and Kazrack stopped what they were doing and looked over.
“Can you understand me?” Ratchis asked the squirrel holding up the little tree-rodent in huge palm. “If you can understand me shake your head. Is Martin in trouble?”
Thomas chittered, and wiped his face with his paws and then looked to the northwest, and then back to Ratchis.
“Does he have the amulet?” Jeremy asked.
“We should return him to Martin,” Kazrack offered.
“I think Martin’s in trouble,” Ratchis said. “I see no other reason for Thomas to come here to us.”
“We need to return to camp then and get our weapons and armor,” Kazrack said.
“Can you lead us to Martin?” Ratchis asked Thomas, and the squirrel leapt off his hand and began to scurry towards the entrance to the glade.
“I guess we’ll have to talk to the Bear,” Kazrack said, as the three of them walked to the exit.
They arrived at the entrance to the Glade where Thomas waited beside the huge Bear, who stood as the three companions approached.
“We need to return to camp, and then go seek out our companions,: Kazrack said, flatly.
“Mmmm. Are you done for the day?” the Bear asked.
“We’re mostly done. We may need to come back later,” Kazrack replied.
“If you leave you may not come back today,” the Bear said.
“We’re done for the day,” Ratchis inserted.
“Then I will lead you back to you camp so you can assist your companions in extricating themselves from the danger they have stumbled into,” the Bear replied.
“What danger is that?” Kazrack asked.
“You know the price for answers to questions that are not directly involved in your completion of the sickle,” the Bear said.
The dwarf growled, and looked to Jeremy. Ratchis looked to the Neergaardian as well. Jeremy looked back and forth at them, and scratched his chin. The soft golden peach-fuzz on his face was growing into a beard.
“A fingernail,” was all Ratchis said.
“Well, lose another one if you want,” Jeremy said, shrugging his shoulders.
“They’re not going to take mine,” Ratchis said. “They already have one.”
“I’m not giving these monsters anything,” Jeremy retorted with a look of disgust.
“So your friends who bled for you…” Ratchis’ own disgust was cut off.
“We do not have time to haggle,” Kazrack said, angrily.
“All right! All right!” Jeremy said, with a sigh.
“Do you want me to pull it off for you? It might be easier that way,” Ratchis offered.
Jeremy clipped a bit of finger nail off with a knife and offered it to the Bear.
The Bear snorted. “You should know by now not to play games.”
“You mean you want the whole thing?” Jeremy asked.
The Bear did not reply.
“Will you stop playing and just do it, just as the rest of us have,” Ratchis said.
Jeremy grimaced and then cut the whole nail off his right index finger.
“Here,” Jeremy held it out to the Bear, gritting his teeth. The Bear licked up into his mouth.
“You companions followed the great beast that led you into the Circle of Thorns,” the Bear said. “They have left the circle and have come into conflict with the bugbears that live there. If you follow the trail out of your camp to the north you will find their trail and come to a place where you can leave the Circle. You will see a hill with a ring of trees atop it about a half a mile from the wall. You will find them there.”
The Bear led them back to their camp, where they gathered their weapons and donned with armor, and then took off down the trail, following Thomas as he leapt from tree to tree.
“Maybe it was because Thomas is an animal, but he was allowed to leave and return, but I’m not sure we will be able to get through,” Kazrack said. “Didn’t they say something about if we left we could not come back until the full moon?”
“We can only hope we will allowed back in,” Ratchis said.
“This place stinks,” Jeremy said, sucking on his bloody finger.
The three of them moved up and over a hill and around another coming to where there was the narrow passage through the enormous thorn wall. The made their way through and came to the area of fewer trees. They immediately saw two bugbears lying hogtied on the cold ground and struggling to get free.
“I guess we came the right way,” Jeremy said, going forward as Ratchis checked the bugbears’ bonds, making sure they were tight.
“They will get free eventually, but that should keep them from coming up behind us too soon,” Ratchis said.
Jeremy found the naked hanging man.
“And every time you turn around there is another reason to hate this place,” the Neergaardian said, cutting the dead man down.
“We don’t have time for this,” Ratchis said. “Leave it be. Beorth will know how to handle it best when we find him.”
“I was just cutting him down,” Jeremy said. “Wasn’t planning on burying him right now, just seemed disrespectful to keep him hanging up there.”
“Well, it might keep animals from getting to the body before we get to inter it,” Kazrack said.
“Well, too late now,” Jeremy said.
“Jeremy will you load this for me?” Kazrack asked, handing him his light crossbow.
“You know gimp, it really hurts to load this thing with a raw and bloody finger,” Jeremy said, as he pulled back the string. “I doubt you’ll even hit anything since you have to fire with one hand.”
Kazrack just smirked and took back the crossbow.
Ratchis spotted the hill with the ring of trees and led the way.
As they came to the bottom of the hill there was a flash of gold that erupted from the ring of trees and came barreling down the hill to the right.
“Look! It’s the ram that Beorth was talking about!” Ratchis said, pointing. “Let’s follow it.”
“It seems to be running away from something,” Kazrack said, as it disappeared from their view and into a narrow ravine north of their position. “Let’s check the clearing at the top of the hill first.”
“Maybe the ram is what hurt the others,” Jeremy suggested.
“I doubt it,” Ratchis said, growing tired of Jeremy’s foul mood.
The dwarf and the human climbed the hill, with the half-orc leading them. Ratchis breached the ring of trees and saw the bier of stone just off center. Atop it he saw Martin’s unconscious hog-tied form.
“Martin is here,” Ratchis said, walking into the clearing.
“Let’s move in,” Kazrack said to Jeremy, doing just that, but the Neergaardian decide to check the perimeter. He crept along the outside of the ring of trees, trying to move as silently as possible and staying low.
Ratchis began to pull the rope from around Martin’s wrists and ankles, as Kazrack crossed the clearing. The dwarf stopped and looked back seeing that Jeremy had not followed.
“Where the hell are you going?” Kazrack called, annoyed. Jeremy did not reply, but must have been sufficiently distracted.
As he walked past on fir tree, he was surprised by movement on his left. A figure in brown and black robes leapt out slashed deeply into Jeremy’s shoulder with a strange weapon. It was short shaft of wood with a short scythe-like blade on one end.
“Son of a…” Jeremy cried out, spinning around to put his two swords between him and the monk. This monk was medium build and had short spiked dark hair and olive skin. He had a permanent smile on his face.
Jeremy had barely gotten his swords up when the monk, bouncing like rabid animal, let loose with a flurry of swings from his strange weapon.
“Guys! I have wild one here! Ambush!” Jeremy called to his companions, over the din of clashing blades. He backed away through the trees and into clearing. Kazrack came running past him towards the trees, to approach the ambushing monk from his right.
“I’ll deal with this one. See if there are any more,” the dwarf yelled as he went by, his flail a blurry circle above his head.
Jeremy thought he heard something and looked to his left, just in time to see the foot of another flying monk connect with his face. The Neergaardian stumbled back from the blow, feeling the side of his face already begin to swell up. This monk was short and stocky, strong-looking, but had dreadful purple bruises all over his face. The three companions did not know this, but he was named Lomax.
Jeremy was not caught completely off guard this time, blood still running down his left side from the first blow.. Using the flat of his long sword, he slapped the stocky monk in the side of the head and then followed up with a punch from the hilt of the Right Blade of Arofel. Lomax staggered and fell unconscious.
Kazrack burst through the trees looking for the monk that had attacked Jeremy, but ran right past him, only noticing the figure after he felt the bite of the monk’s blade. The monk’s speed was alarming to the dwarf Kazrack felt the curved blade try to hook his ankle and pull him off his feet, but he was able to stand his ground.
Jeremy hurried back towards where he had been ambushed and slapped his sword against the back of the monk’s head as he and Kazrack now flanked him.
“If you’re a follower of Anubis you should put down your arms,” Kazrack said to the monk that attacked him, but received no reply.
On the stone bier, Martin stirred as Ratchis removed the last of the rope about the watch-mage, and taking hold of his holy symbol placed his other hand on him.
“Nephthys, give me your power so that I can heal this wizard, and we can get to the bottom of this mystery,” Ratchis intoned, and Martin felt the soothing healing warmth of divine power go through him.
“Martin, what is going on?” Ratchis said, helping the watch-mage to sit up.
“The monks of Anubis…” Martin coughed out. “Where’s Beorth? Where’s Jana?”
“I don’t know,” Ratchis replied.
“We freed the ram,” Martin began, but his explanation was cut short by a yelp from Jeremy back in the trees.
As he positioned himself to keep the young monk flanked, he was surprised by another figure running out of the underbrush and striking him in the side with a flying kick. This monk was tall and wiry, with a black pony-tail in the rear center of his bald head. It was Vander.
Jeremy grew angry. “All right, that settles it!”
The smaller, quick monk struggled to strike Kazrack, but the dwarf was able to fend off his blows at the cost of connecting with his own.
Jeremy spun with all his strength, spying an opening in the guards of both monks that now flanked him. With incredible speed, his short sword went down delivering a deep puncture to Vander’s shin and foot, cutting clear through muscle. In the next instant his came back up, the full sharp edge of his long sword catching the smaller monk on the side of the neck and with a sickening snap, sent it toppling off.
The monk’s headless body hung there at an awkward angle for a moment and then collapsed as blood exploded in a torrent from the frayed neck.
“Ah, so we have a seasoned warrior!” Vander said, holding up his injured foot to keep from applying too much weight on it, but still kicking with it, which sent blood flicking in all directions.
“Uh, no! Wait!” Jeremy protested, amazed at his own feat.
Martin hobbled off the stone, as Ratchis drew his masterwork warhammer and charged into the fray. “Watch out backs!” the half-orc called to the Watch-mage as he disappeared into the trees.
Martin looked around, and noticed something tucked under a tree on the opposite side of the stone bier from the battle. He wandered over and saw Beorth’s unconscious and bloody form (but bandaged) bound and laying on his stomach.
Meanwhile, at the fight, Vander ducked Ratchis blow deftly, and with a quick motion pulled his staff from his back and made the half-orc taste both ends of it before thrusting it at Jeremy, who knocked it out of alignment with his short sword.
“You’ve betrayed your gods, and so you will fall!” Kazrack said to the monk.
“It is you who have helped your friend betray Anubis,” Vander replied.
“I trust my friend’s wisdom over yours!”
Kazrack moved to help surround the skillful monk, but his flail failed to find its mark. Jeremy’s swords were kept at bay by Vander’s nearly-inhumanly fast stick-work, but Ratchis’ strength won out. The half-orc slammed his hammer down on the monk’s forehead. There was a crunch sound as blood began to fill Vander’s eyes. The monk spun around confused by the haze of pain, allowing Kazrack to finally strike a telling blow. Vander collapsed into a bloody pile of robes in the snow.
“I found Beorth,” Martin called.
“Is everyone alright?” Jeremy called out, looking down at the bloody monk’s head a few feet away from him.
“Where’s Jana?” Kazrack called.
“Nephthys, please stabilize this man so that we may discover what evil has transpired here,” Ratchis said, kneeling beside Vander, and laying a hand on his head wound.
“Jana!” Jeremy called, his voice echoing through the nearby hills. “Jana! Can you hear me?”
“Keep it down!” Kazrak admonished. “There could be others around.”
“Or more bugbears,” Martin added weakly.
Ratchis walked over to where Beorth lay, and knelt beside him, granting the paladin Nephthys’ healing blessing as well.
“Obviously, they did not want him to die or else they would not have bound his wounds,” the half-orc said.
Jeremy began to wander the general area searching for Jana.
“I got help! I got help!” Thomas squealed, running into the clearing and leaping onto Martin’s shoulder.
“Yes, you did a great job, Thomas,” Martin said, patting his familiar on the head. “Now, do you smell Jana around?”
Thomas sniffed the air. “All I smell is pine and blood,” he crinkled his nose.
“She’s over here!” Jeremy called from the other side of the clearing.
Hanging from a tall branch, was Jana wrapped in a blanket and tied up tightly. Martin, Beorth’s and her gear were tied up there as well as ballast.
Together, Jeremy and Ratchis were able to get her and the gear down, while Kazrack rifled through the monks’ belongings. Among them he found two glass vials (one with a yellow liquid and another with black liquid). He also found what appeared to be a holy symbol around Vander’s neck, but it was not the familiar jackal-head of Anubis, rather a lead ram’s head with a look of anger, and golden eyes. He also snagged the fine and unusually light quarterstaff that the head monk had used with such skill.
“Hey Martin, look at this,” Kazrack called. “This is a fine weapon, and here are what are likely potions of some kind.”
Ratchis tended to Jana, and then began to break up the frozen ground to bury the dead monk.
Beorth sat leaning against the stone bier shaking his head back and forth.
“So, what the hell happened?” Jeremy asked. “Where did these monks come from?”
Martin explained how they had followed the ram and then found it bound as a prisoner. He also explained how Vander had described it as a servant of Set from The Time Before (135)
“Needless to say, we did not believe him,” Martin added.
“How come?” Jeremy asked. “The thing is big and unnaturally beautiful and it led us to those awful monsters who claim to be druids. It could very likely be a servant of Set.”
“Beorth doubted their claim,” Martin said. “And that was enough for me.”
Jeremy turned to the Ghost-hunter. “I killed one of your brothers by accident,” he said. “We just wanted to talk with them, but they attacked us.”
“One of them had this,” Kazrack said, handing Beorth the ram’s head symbol.
“They claimed to be monks of Anubis, but this would not be their symbol,” Beorth said, he winced as he hefted the thing, the pain of his wounds cutting through his exhaustion.
“What’s this?” Kazrack asked Beorth holding up a belt with several small metal stars attached to it. “Toys of some kind?”
“They are weapons,” Beorth replied, looking up.
“Heh. If you say so.”
Ratchis wiped sweat from his brow, the cold having no effect on him due to his boots, and paused in his difficult digging to cast Bull’s Strength on himself.
“Who was the hanged man?” Jeremy asked.
“We don’t know,” Martin replied.
The party waited for sometime while Ratchis did most of the digging by himself as there was only one shovel. Jeremy helped a bit, by moving dirt away from the edges of the grave with Beorth’s shield. It was nearly two hours later when the monk Jeremy had subdued with his blades began to stir. By this time he had been tightly bound.
The monk was questioned by the group.
“What is your name?” Beorth asked.
“I am Lomax, Initiate of the Gate,” the monk replied, instinctually going to rub the ache out of his neck, but being unable to.
“Why were you and your companions not willing to parley?” Kazrack asked.
“Why did you attack Beorth and his friends?” Jeremy added.
“He and his two companions freed the evil creature,” Lomax relied calmly.
“I do not believe this creature is the evil you think it is,” Beorth said.
“Of course, such beauty…” Kazrack said, thinking of the sunlight sparkling on the golden fleece of the creature.
“Beauty does not equal good,” Beorth warned.
“But, why not?” Jeremy asked.
Beorth sighed, “We’ll talk about it later. Now is not the time to have a discussion on the nature of evil and beauty.”
“No! I meant, why didn’t you believe them?” Jeremy said.
“I have had visions of the ram from my god,” Beorth said. “I think I am meant to help it and it me.”
“You are being misled,” Lomax said.
“And what of this symbol?” Beorth asked the monk, holding up the ram’s head. “It is not the symbol of a follower of Anubis.”
“It is a symbol of those who follow Adder who have been assigned to seek and destroy the evil ram creature,” Lomax said.
“So, where can this Adder be found?” Beorth asked.
“I do not know,” Lomax replied.
“And what about the amulet?” Kazrack asked. “We did not find it among your things.”
“I do not know of what amulet you speak of,” the monk said.
Beorth looked up at Martin, “Could you ask Thomas about what he did with the amulet?”
Martin obliged his companion.
“He does not want to speak of it,” Martin replied after a moment. “But he did admit that he did not give it to any men.”
“Beorth, is it possible that these visions of yours came from the ram and not from Anubis? And that you are being led astray?” Kazrack asked, as diplomatically as possible.
“I know in my heart the source of the these visions, and that I am being tested,” Beorth said. “It is possible I am being led astray, but what choice have I but to follow my heart?”
Kazrack nodded solemnly.
“But as for those monks of this mysterious order,” Beorth continued. “My judgment may have been clouded in this matter, but one this is certain, anyone who would suggest that I use that amulet for any reason to control undead is no follower of Anubis.”
“So, if they do not have the amulet, what do we do with them?” Jeremy asked Martin and Jana, standing a bit away from the interrogation.
“I guess our only choices are to free them or kill them,” Martin said, with the weight of fatigue in his voice.
Suddenly the hooting of voices was heard echoing among neighboring hills.
“More bugbears!” Martin cried.
Ratchis leapt out of the nearly completed grave and moved to patrol the perimeter of the area.
Kazrack continued badgering the monk.
“How do you know the ram is evil?’ the dwarf asked.
“It’s how I’ve been told,” Lomax replied.
Kazrack sighed.
“Does anyone object to freeing this man?” Kazrack asked.
“No,” said Beorth, quietly.
Ratchis leapt back into the clearing joining Jeremy in solid “Yes.”
“I would hope you would respect my wishes in this,” Beorth said. “More bloodshed will not correct this schism. We only ask that you pledge not to trouble us again.”
Lomax was silent. “I will pledge non-interference in your other matters here, for you have already foiled us in our attempt to return the ram to Master Adder.”
“In this I will believe you,” Beorth said.
Ratchis grunted.
“This is crazy!” Jeremy exclaimed.
“We must also consider that to let them free is to have to return those items we found on their persons,” Jana said. “We cannot leave them defenseless in a wood full of bugbears.”
Jeremy was speechless with confusion. He merely raised his hands into the aired and made a soft choking noise as if he lost all ability to mouth out words.
“Then it is settled,” Kazrack said. “We will return them their things and send them on their way. And I will heal the two of them so they are safe for their journey.”
“I am sure it will Anubis’ will that we cross paths with again one day, Brother Lomax,” Beorth said. “I hope your remember our mercy.”
Lomax stood and bowed as Kazrack cut him free.
“I am sorry for the death of your companion,’ Kazrack said.
“He has already been judged,” Lomax replied, bowing again.
“This is crazy!” Jeremy managed to say again.
“Compassion is one of the many weapons of Nephthys in her battle against oppression,” Ratchis said. “I will see this as a sign to follow Beorth’s wishes.”
Jeremy grunted.
As Kazrack used the healing gifts of his gods onto Lomax and Vander, Ratchis explained that he had heard bugbear voices hooting from the north, but that more importantly he had seen enormous ram tracks heading down the hill in the same direction.
Martin laid down the potion vials and staff for Lomax to take.
Lomax bowed and looked to Beorth. “May your eyes be opened to the truth of the world,” Lomax said, as the party followed Ratchis down the hill towards the sound of bugbear cries.
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Notes
(135) The Time Before refers to the time before the First Age when it is said that the world was a sea of sand and the gods walked among the mortal lands.
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