The Band of Four (The Village of Oester)

[Hairy Minotaur]

Tharhack tears into the venison with a determination of someone with a purpose in life now. Prior to eating, Tharhack had noticed the witch's breathing becoming labored, so he reached over and slapped a cure minor on her. Gothmog devoured the cooked meat like a starving child. Ripping the meat off the bone chewing once and then swallowing whole. Tharhack sat and watched Gothmog eat, as the sun dipped below the tree tops, Tharhack noticed the flames of the fire didn't reflect off of Gothmog's armor.

"What kind of metal is your armor made of?" Tharhack asks

"Rock that Gothmog make into armor" Gothmog responds

Tharhack decides to reword question, "It doesn't gleam like metal, what kind of metal is it?"

"Not metal, rock. Touch." Gothmog reaches his arm out towards Tharhack. Feeling the plates, Tharhack realizes that Gothmog is telling the truth. His whole armor is made from stone, polished to make it appear as though it was some kind of metal.

"Where did you find this?" Tharhack asks admiring the workmanship.

"Gothmog makes. Before Gothmog has to leave cave." comes the response

"That's impressive Gothmog, how does it hold up in battle?" Tharhack asks

"Gothmog hold it up. It heavy but Gothmog like it." Gothmog replies

"I'm sure it is. Has it ever been broken?" Tharhack asks

"No, Gothmog makes good. You want Gothmog make you stoneplate?" Gothmog answers with a question

"I don't think I would be able to walk with it on. Why did you have to leave your cave?" Tharhack asks

Gothmog stares at the fire for awhile, watching the flames lick at the horizon.

"Gothmog daddy is chief. Tell Gothmog to leave." Gothmog responds

"Why would your father tell you that? Did you do something terrible?" Tharhack asks

"Gothmog not like daddy, Gothmog use fire, Gothmog talk like little people, Gothmog makes things. Gothmog daddy not like different, tell Gothmog to leave, so Gothmog leave." Gothmog replies

"That's too bad, how long have you been wandering these forests?" Tharhack asks

"Gothmog walk for many suns, then find orc man with little boy. Gothmog follow, hear voice in head. Go kill witch. Now Gothmog eat deer with orc man, TharHACK." Gothmog says with a wide smile that trickles juices out the sides of his teeth.

"You voice didn't say to kill the witch, and somehow I believe we're going to be heading for the same destination." Tharhack says

"Gothmog need to focus." Gothmog says getting up from the fire, and walking over to a tree about fifteen feet from the fire. Gothmog reaches in-between two plates of stone on his chest, and pulls out what appears to be a small book.

Confused Tharhack watches as Gothmog turns pages, and begins to cry halfway through the book. Tharhack wants to help out, but avoids sticking his nose into a place that would irritate a man that could bite Tharhack's head off literally. Tharhack turns back to the with who's face is swollen and caked with blood. Tharhack feels a ping of sorrow at his actions, kneeling in the snow near the fire, Tharhack retrieves the large emerald from his pouch, and asks Kord for forgiveness, and then for assistance in dealing with the gem.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Tharhack and Gothmog work out their watch arrangements, choosing to do four hour shifts and then get a move on after the last four hour shift. Gothmog takes first watch, and except for the occasional wolf his four hours are uneventful. He did get some enjoyment out of prodding the witch with his foot, but the fun of that died down when as the witch was unresponsive. Tharhack takes next watch, his watch begins boring, but soon turns for the worse.

About three in the morning, Tharhack replaces some wood on the fire. He notices that a squirrel has come close to the camp, even climbing on top of Gothmog. Tharhack smiles at the squirrel and throws it some pumpkin seeds he got from Thumble. Tharhack even gets the squirrel to eat right out of his hand. Finished with the last of his seeds, Tharhack reaches into his belt pouch, and hears the sound of fabric ripping. Confused Tharhack looks down at his pouch, but there's nothing wrong with it, he looks over at the witch and sees a lonely stick.

Tharhack leaps to his feet and quickly scans the immediate area. Seeing nothing, Tharhack goes to look for the witch's tracks, trying to discern in which direction the blind woman fled. Tharhack bends down to rummage through the torn rope, as he's kneeling down, long sharp claws rake down his back. Tharhack screams as he feels his flesh give and rip, blood streams from the multiple wounds. Tharhack arches his back and attempts to twist around to face the witch, but gets another claw to his shoulder. Tharhack falls to his rear, as he finally gets around to see Raziel leap back like a cat. She lands on top of Gothmog, her eyeless face seems to stare into Tharhack. Blood from Tharhack's wounds begin to turn the snow beneath him a bright crimson. Tharhack forces himself to his feet, the blood runs down his back like a river, trickling down his hamstrings and dripping to the snow.

"That's it I through with you witch. You die now!" Tharhack yells

"You'll bleed out before you ever catch me, and as for your sleeping friend here." Raziel says while tapping at a stone plate protecting his thigh. "He'll be dead if you take another step." Raziel's claws start to glisten in the fire light, and Tharhack can see something dripping from each claw.

"Gothmog not sleeping." The words are soon followed by a massive fist slamming into the witch's skull.

Raziel goes tumbling over landing face down in the snow, pushing herself up, she pauses and appears to be getting her bearings. Tharhack wondered what kind of magic this was which allowed Raziel to see without eyes. Tharhack ponders pressing the advantage for only a moment, as he decides a cure moderate wounds would be a better choice.

"Gothmog show witch what anvil feels like." Gothmog states, rising to his feet.

"Does it feel like this?" Raziel asks, then completes a summoning spell.

Gothmog's vision is suddenly interupted buy a flurry of flapping leathery wings. The black wings flap around Gothmog's face as small feet clasp the top edge of his stone breastplate. two small clawed hands grab the sides of Gothmog's face, as the sharp toothed filled maw of the biggest bat Gothmog has ever seen bite down on Gothmog's forehead. Gothmog grabs the bat's wings with both hands, and rips the bat in half like parchment.

Tharhack plants his back foot, and charges the witch. Tharhack gets an arm around the witch as he drives his uninjured shoulder into the witch's gut. His momentum carries him over the witch, they roll together. The witch comes out on top, and takes a swipe at Tharhack's face, missing it by inches. Gothmog quickly draws his greatsword and comes up behind Raziel. Gothmog raises his sword high, Tharhack can see the blade reach it's apex. Tharhack then realizes that if Gothmog attacks like that, not only will the witch have two halves, but so will Tharhack.

"Wait!" Tharhack yells

The startled Gothmog tries to rein in his blow but, instead it causes him to miss wildly and strike the ground a few feet from Tharhack's head.

"Your turn to feel fear half breed." Raziel's breath was hot on Tharhack's chest. "Your heart shall be eaten raw while your head watches on a plate."

"I think you're in serious need of a breath mint, maybe I'll have the taxidermist throw one in." Tharhack replies

"Ever have the heart of a pious man? they taste like the crap they're full of." Raziel speaks "But you, your heart will taste like a maggot. Just like the inconsequential worm that you are." Raziel licks her lips "worms"

Gothmog reaches out and grabs the back on Raziel's neck, he lifts her up to his eye level. Twisting his wrist so that she appears face first to Gothmog.

"Gothmog glad he get to kill you." The big man says showing off his massive teeth.

"Well, could you at least use your teeth, I do so love a quick bite." Raziel says laughing hysterically

Gothmog bends down to oblige the witch, and gets a face full of a yellow dust, blown from Raziel's mouth. Gothmog drops the witch, and brings his hands to his eyes. His fingers try to claw out the powder, but to no avail. Gothmog's' lungs are beginning to tighten, and his wind pipe has almost completely shut off from swelling. Gothmog grabs at his throat, and even the top stoneplate, hoping that he could get one last good breath in before passing out.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Raziel rolls to her feet, and pauses in her movement. Tharhack wants to strike her down, to end this once and for all. However his heart is drawn to Gothmog who's slowly choking to death. Tharhack races over to Gothmog, almost tripping over the squirrel on his way. Tharhack keeps his head turned toward Raziel, watching her every move. Tharhack reaches Gothmog, and sticks his fingers into his mouth, pushing pass his tongue, trying to initiate Gothmog's gag reflex. Succeeding, Tharhack rolls Gothmog onto his side and looks back at the witch.

Raziel bends down and lifts the squirrel onto her shoulder, then stands upright, turns around, and takes off sprinting through the woods. Tharhack realizes how Raziel can "see" now. Waiting for Gothmog to take in some breaths, Tharhack continues to watch the departure path of Raziel. Gothmog starts to breathe, and Tharhack jumps up and takes off after Raziel.

Raziel's tracks prove easy enough to follow, the newly fallen snow frames her fleeing footsteps. Tharhack follows them into a tightly packed stand of barren trees, snapping through the branches and twigs, Tharhack emerges from the trees. He comes out near the river, it's night darkened waters make it appear as though the river is a road of obsidian. Tharhack ponders which direction the witch headed in, he doesn't recall the sound of any water splashing. Tharhack begins his search along the shoreline, looking for any trace of which direction the witch went. Tharhack searches to his right, but the ground is a little too rocky and a the water has splashed up to wash clean most of the stones near the river's edge. Tharhack turns to his right again, back to the tree line, and looks dead into the eyes of a watchful squirrel.

Tharhack tenses up, knowing the attack is coming. Even though the witch is blind, apparently she still has better vision than Tharhack. A large splash comes from the river behind Tharhack, spinning around Tharhack looks up to see the witch springing from the water. Raziel's claws tear into Tharhack's chest, cutting deep, a couple of her nails scrape against Tharhack's ribcage. Tharhack backpedals trying to open up some distance between him and the witch, looking down Tharhack sees his chest is cut to ribbons, blood is spurting from at least two broken arteries. Tharhack knows he's only got seconds left before he passes out from the blood loss. Drawing his greatsword from his back, Tharhack faces off with the witch.

"Aw, does orcy have a boo boo?" Raziel asks then cackles to herself "I've got something that will plug that up nicely."

Raziel makes sure to keep a twenty foot distance between her and Tharhack. Tharhack feels his strength draining away, unable to catch his breath now, Tharhack looks around for any sign that maybe Gothmog has followed them. Tharhack begins to get light headed, he begins to stumble over his feet now, as he tries to corner the witch. Raziel can smell that the end of this encounter is drawing near.

"You're having trouble walking orc, maybe you should lie down? I'll make sure you don't suffer long." Raziel comments

Tharhack begins to get dizzy, and drops down to one knee. Steadying himself with one hand, he looks back up at the waiting Raziel. Her claws have returned to fingers, and her teeth are no longer razor sharp. Tharhack stares into the two black holes like windows to Raziel's soul.

"Not much longer now orc, do you feel the cold chill of death's touch? Feel it taking all the pain away?" Raziel asks

Tharhack's head droops down to look at the ground, unable to support it's weight. His eyes grow weary and begin to close. Tharhack catches a glimpse of something off the side of his vision. He swings his greatsword one last time in the direction of the movement. His arms hit ground, soon followed by his head. He hears the screams of the witch but can't quite make out the words. Then a warm hand is pressed to Tharhack's chest, as he slowly drifts off into unconsciousness.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Tharhack opens his eyes, to see thousands of snowflakes falling towards him, the smell of cooked meat enters his nostrils. Tharhack determines he's lying on his back facing the sky, turning his head he sees a large fire raging under the carcass of a boar. Tharhack sees Gothmog poking a stick at the boar, looking intently at the cooking meat. Tharhack tries to sit up, but excruciating pain erupts up his chest. Tharhack falls back down with a groan.

"TharHACK wake up?" Gothmog asks

"Yes, I take it you found me bleeding by the river?" Tharhack replies

"Gothmog find you, help stick chest back together." comes the response

"What of the witch? Did I get her?" Tharhack asks

"No, but TharHACK kill squirrel good. Gothmog not know what squirrel did to make TharHACK mad, but you kill dead." Gothmog replies

"What happened to the with then?" Tharhack asks

"Fall in river, float away from Gothmog." comes the answer

"She could be stalking us as we speak, how long have I been unconscious?" Tharhack asks

Gothmog closes his eyes, and thinks "Seven suns." comes the reply

"What! I've been out for seven days? I'm never going to catch up to Xanoniel now." Tharhack says pounding the ground with his fists

"We reach old man tower tomorrow." Gothmog says

"No, we won't we're almost eight days away at least." Tharhack answers rolling over to his side, and propping himself up on all fours

"Yes, tomorrow. Gothmog saw tower today. We be there tomorrow." Gothmog replies

Frustrated Tharhack drops the subject, he would have to pray almost the whole night to regain his lost spells. Then he would have to use most of them just to be well enough to run for most of tomorrow. Gothmog tears off some rib meat and hands it to Tharhack.

"Outside little crunchy, but underneath is good. Gothmog not good cook." Gothmog says apologetically

Tharhack takes the meat and gnaws off a chunk, trying to think of a way to catch up to Xanoniel.


********************************************************************************************************************

Rebrey got up to search for the morning's breakfast, Xanoniel suggested he find some fish as they had already eaten two deer on this journey, and she was afraid of angering them if anymore were taken. Rebrey kneeled at the river's edge and waited for fish to swim by, he had caught two already and was waiting for one more to catch before heading back to camp. Looking at himself in the water's reflection, Rebrey thought he needed a shave. He planned to get Alriand's knife and ask Xanoniel to shave him once breakfast was over. Rubbing he hand through his stubble, Rebrey saw the water darken with a huge shape.

"Man show Gothmog how to catch fishys" The huge man boomed out at Rebrey

Rebrey stumbles backwards and pulls out his heavy flail. "What do you want beast?" Rebrey asks. The huge man wore a plate mail made of stone, it's brooding eyebrows extended over it's eyes, which glowed an eerie red in the morning sun.

"Gothmog want to know how to catch fishys, you show Gothmog?" Comes the reply

"Look, I don't have time to teach you. Just reach in and grab them. I've got to go back to my camp, my mercenary company has to feed fifty people." Rebrey lies, trying to intimidate the man

"You have camp, Gothmog has camp. Gothmog only have one friend there though." Comes Gothmog's reply

"Well I need to get back to my camp." Rebrey answers picking up the two fish he had caught. "Um, bye."

Gothmog waves bye, and smiles a toothy shark like smile, Gothmog bends down and looks into the river. "Maybe TharHACK like fish better."

Rebrey who was backing away quickly. wasn't paying attention to what the man was saying until the word Thrahack.

"What? What did you say? Tharhack?" Rebrey asks stunned

"Gothmog friend, named TharHACK. We go to old man tower today." Gothmog says looking up at Rebrey

Rebrey's world reeled, he hadn't seen Tharhack in almost eight days, he thought about asking Gothmog to take him back to see Tharhack. Then Rebrey wondered why Tharhack was behind them, should he be scouting in front of them? Something wasn't right, and it was enough to make Rebrey second guess himself.

"Well tell Tharhack, Xanoniel thinks he's doing a great job." Rebrey answers

"Gothmog hear that name before, TharHACK ask witch where Xanoniel take Alriand. TharHACK say he find Xanoniel then kill her." Gothmog replies

Something was definitely wrong now, Rebrey bid Gothmog good day, and sprinted back to his camp.

"I met a huge ugly orc, he said that Tharhack was talking with a witch about where you were taking Alriand, and that he's coming to kill you. What the hell is going on?" Rebrey questions Xanoniel

"He's been subverted, we have no time. We have to make it to the tower before Tharhack does, and stops us from saving Alriand." Xanoniel replies

"That doesn't make any sense, why would Tharhack not want us to save Alriand?" Rebrey asks

"The witch must've worked a spell on him just like Alriand, she's probably controlling every move he makes." Xanoniel says

"Well he's behind us, the man made it sound as though they've never been in front of us. How could he be scouting ahead?" Rebrey asks

"Hey! Who are you going to believe? Some idiot orc, or the woman who's bed you've shared the last five nights with?" Xanoniel questioned, running her hands through Rebrey's hair.

"Do that trick with your eyes again." Rebrey asks forgetting why he was so upset

"Of course." Came Xanoniel's reply as she looked into Rebrey's eyes

*******************************************************************************************************************

"Gothmog bring back fishys to cook, also met human who said, tell TharHACK that Xanoniel think you doing good job." Gothmog says throwing the fish on a flat stone Tharhack had placed over the fire this morning so that Gothmog wouldn't char anymore food.

"Rebrey, you met him at the river? he's here? How?" Tharhack rapid fired questions at Gothmog

"Man show Gothmog how to get fishys out of water. Gothmog tell man we go to tower of old man." Gothmog relates

"I've no time for breakfast, I've got me a druid to squish." Tharhack answers quickly gathering his belongs up

"That OK Gothmog eat fishys not cooked." Gothmog grabs the fish off the stone, and kicks the stone down into the fire, then kicks snow on top of the stone and fire. "Gothmog ready help kill Xanoniel."

 

[MichaelH]

Love your story hour, HM, keep up the good work. I was wondering if you might work up a rogues gallery of the characters and NPC's?

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Love your story hour, HM, keep up the good work. I was wondering if you might work up a rogues gallery of the characters and NPC's?

Sure, I'll probebly do one at a time. Who would you like to see first?

 

[Ed Cha]

Sure, I'll probebly do one at a time. Who would you like to see first?

I'd also love to see the details on these characters.

 

[MichaelH]

I suppose Tharhack and Gothmog first. They are my favorite characters so far. I would like to see the witch, too, with a full spell list, but you might not want to put her up while she is still in the game. Thanks, btw.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

I suppose Tharhack and Gothmog first. They are my favorite characters so far. I would like to see the witch, too, with a full spell list, but you might not want to put her up while she is still in the game. Thanks, btw.

Gothmog is up here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1269757#post1269757post1269757

one word of caution though, there is a huge surprise on that thread. If you don't want the surprise ruined, wait until after tomorrow's post (which will be up by 5pm eastern) and then read it. or, if you're like me, you can't wait. I plan on getting Tharhack up there tomorrow night.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Tharhack runs as fast as safely possible. Gothmog strains to keep up with him, but soon falls back to several feet behind Tharhack. The ground becomes covered in branches and small bushes. Fallen trees turn Tharhack's sprint into more of a steeple chase. Tharhack does a good job of avoiding most of the obstacles he's sure Xanoniel placed for him. Until, jumping over a particularly large log, Tharhack lands in stride but the ground gives way. Tharhack drops only a couple of feet, but it's enough for him to lose his balance, and fall onto a pile of brambles. Screaming more out of frustration than pain, Tharhack returns to his feet and quickly begins to remove the brambles from his skin, as Gothmog leaps over the same log almost crashing into Tharhack.

Xanoniel hears the scream, smiles at first, but then realizes Tharhack is much closer than she planned for him to be. Riding on the back of the black bear along with an unconscious Alriand, Rebrey hears the shout as well. Looking over at Xanoniel, Rebrey sees the look of apprehension on her face. Realizing that with both Alriand and Rebrey on it's back, the bear will never outdistance Tharhack, nor will it make it to the Ash Tower before Tharhack. Xanoniel decides now would be a good time for a little misdirection, summoning another black bear, Xanoniel tells it to follow the black bear carrying Rebrey and Alriand for a couple of feet. Then she sends it off towards the Ash Tower in a more direct route than the one Xanoniel is currently taking. Xanoniel hopes that with only two sets of bear tracks to follow, Tharhack will chose the wrong one, and that will be her some more time.

Gothmog helps Tharhack to his feet, and brushes off the brambles off his back. Gothmog points to the horizon, where in-between two mountain peaks, a dark spire rises between them. Above the tower rolling black clouds are gathered, looking closely it appears rain or snow is falling from the clouds as the tower and sky behind the tower look hazy. The tower itself appears to be impaling the clouds above it, a chill runs down Tharhack's spine, as he thought he saw a skull form out of the clouds above the spire. Dismissing it as a trick of the eye, Tharhack looks over at Gothmog, who's been laboring pretty hard to keep up. Tharhack reaches over and grabs Gothmog's arm and says a blessing to Kord, infusing Gothmog with diving strength.

"The spell won't last very long, but maybe it'll help with the weight of your armor long enough." Tharhack tells Gothmog

"Gothmog feel more powerful already!" Gothmog says with joy, straightening his slumped back and lifting his shoulders.

Tharhack motions him to follow, and they head off again after Xanoniel.

Xanoniel calls over a squirrel from a nearby tree, after conversing with it for a moment, she returns to the bear's side.

"I think my plan will work out fine. Looks like the zombie patrol is currently in the valley pass below the spire, we're going to go in the back door." Xanoniel says

"Zombie patrol? What? What the hell's going on?" Rebrey asks

Xanoniel angered at letting too much information slip, tries to calm down Rebrey. "Here drink this, it will make us invisible to the zombies should we meet any."

"No! not until you tell me what the hell's going on." Rebrey demands

"Oh fine. The wizards is a necromancer, and while he does have the cure for Alriand, he's not going to just give it to us. We're going to have to take it." Xanoniel explains

Rebrey sits fuming. "What else haven't you told me?"

"Nothing, there will be no more surprises, I promise." Xanoniel says with a smile.

Rebrey downs the potion, and wishes themselves good luck. Right before he falls off the back of the bear, sound asleep. Xanoniel urges the bear on faster with the reduced weight, hoping that if or when Tharhack comes across Rebrey, Rebrey will slow him down one way or another.

Tharhack's pursuit has lead him to a fork in the road. There are two sets of bear tracks, one seems to make for the tower in a direct line, the other heads off parallel to the tower. Tharhack stops and tries to out think Xanoniel. Did Xanoniel create a false one leading to the tower, or is the false one leading away?

"Gothmog, do you know what lies in that direction?" Tharhack asks pointing at the tracks leading parallel to the tower

"Mountains, high mountains." Gothmog states

Tharhack mulls it over and decides that Xanoniel would rather get to the tower as fast as possible and not delay, He motions Gothmog to follow him down the tower trail. However the trail ends in nothing about one hundred feet down the trail. Kicking the snow in frustration, Tharhack turns to retrace his steps back to the other trail.

"Where bear go?" Gothmog asks

"Back to where it came from, this is the wrong path." Tharhack states

"This right path, tower just down next hill." Gothmog states

That statement made Tharhack stop in his tracks, Gothmog had a great idea. Xanoniel wants to get to the tower first, so she's trying to make them follow her.

"Good idea Gothmog, Let's go" Tharhack says trudging through the deepening snow toward the tower. Gothmog smiles from the accolade, and falls in line behind Tharhack.

Tharhack and Gothmog walk up a steep hill, cresting the top, Tharhack feels a cold wind blow straight to his bones. Shivering Tharhack looks up at the ash gray tower in the distance. Snow blows around the tower between it's flanking mountains. Tharhack's eyes notice that there's no vegetation on the opposing side of the hill he's on, nor is there any kind of tree, bush, bird, grass. Nothing grows after the tree he's peering out from behind of.

"Death, it pervades everything is that valley. This just got much worse." Tharhack says

"No, that much worse." Gothmog says pointing his right, Tharhack looks over to find about a dozen walking corpses limping trough the snow towards them.

"Run!" Tharhack says leaping out from behind the tree and out into the open on the down slope of the hill.

"Gothmog not run from nothing, Gothmog burn no-dead men again

Tharhack looks back to Gothmog who raises his arms to the sky, and in one motion brings them down in a hard clap, clasping his hands together while shouting a strange word. Gothmog them turns his palms up, and a large ball of fire appears. Gothmog blows on it, pushing it out of his hands, and onto the ground in front of him. The ball rolls along the ground, melting snow in it's path, it reaches the first zombie and sets it ablaze.

"Unbelievable." says a stunned Tharhack