NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="seasong" data-source="post: 881296" data-attributes="member: 5137"><a href="http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=682013#post682013" target="_blank">Chatham's first appearance</a>, for those coming in late. He's a seven foot, good-looking orc with an erudite tongue... when he's not drunk.Road to TuomaThe first day of travel, the trio and Chatham hiked... east. A bit north. Everyone figured Chatham knew what he was doing, so no one said anything, until night began to fall, and they found themselves in as deep a wilderness as could be imagined.Merideth spoke up first, "Chatham, uh, did you know there's a ROAD to Tuoma? It's not complete, but it goes through, uh, friendlier areas."Chatham nodded, so Greppa chimed in, "So where exactly are we going?"Chatham was an immense, muscular orc. His shoulders were broad enough to support both of his questioners, his hands large enough to crush their heads... he smiled at them in a manner more at home in an effete Theralis academy of actors, "Mostly, my small friends, I am awaiting the cessation of my payment to Dianas, upon whose teat I spent the past week. And in the meantime, a good, slow walk did well for my constitution. In the morning, we shall travel as swiftly as you could hope for, like an arrow loosed for the city you seek."Bellos just grinned. He, like Chatham, felt more at home away from the crowded masses... although spending money and making beer were both also good.Chatham failed to mention that the northern civilizations were taking a dim view of orcs at the moment, and that a orcish gentleman such as himself might be taken amiss. No need to worry the young heroes with the dooms of his people.-The next morning, Chatham had his three foot diameter wardrum out and tucked under an arm. "So, my fine heroes, once upon a time you ran with me; or rather, you ran beside me while I passed gently through the mother forests. Today, however, you are in even more luck!"At this, Merideth and Greppa groaned as quietly as they could. If Chatham meant for them to run as fast as he could..."For just recently, I have mastered an ancient drumming, one not often used in our crude modern age, one suited to the plains of our ancestors, and the coverage thereof. I shall play as we run, and I think you will find the poor beats of an aging drummer to be uplifting this morning!"And as they began to jog (and Greppa flew), he beat upon his drum, a stocatto, rolling march that drew one in as fatigue set in and cradled one from the pain of the body. Greppa, to his consternation, began to find himself falling behind in the air. He pushed the magic, but was finally forced to land and start pelting after the others.In time, the beat esconced him as well, and enraptured with sounds that were heard by orcs a thousand years ago or more, they ran. And ran. And ran.The days swelled and fell away like leaves. The ground passed beneath them. The mountains were mere hills, to be crushed underfoot as they travelled north. In a matter of days, a journey of weeks was passed with only the faintest of fatigues, although all three noticed how ravenously they ate each night.Finally, they arrived at a highway, with a steep, mountainous ridge that it passed over to the north. "Beyond that ridge, my young friends, shall you find the city you seek, if the maps you shared with me are accurate. I will remain here for a week to await your return, and you will find me thus." And with that, Chatham made a square of twigs, and carefully wove it into the bark of a tree. "May your path find you safe, and your hunt fruitful."The trio left the oddball orc in the wilderness, and set upon the highway. Greppa noted, glancing at the road they walked upon, that it was a significantly more expensive endeavor than the best highways of Theralis. He wondered what these cities looked like, so far north, that they could afford such a highway...The ridge beckoned, and they went.</blockquote>

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