The Adventures Continue...(A note, the save file Orky sent me had him back in town shortly after his adventure killing Kobolds and grabbing Uggi's body. I decided to finish off one or two more quests in the area before heading out... It lead to much "FUN")"There was a moment, as if I felt the world suddenly split into two worlds...
I looked at my hands, touched my face.. It felt as if some new force was looking out from my eyes... Some unfamiliar entity guided me...I shook my head and ignored it… The Law Giver of this Human town had tasked me with eliminating some more troublesome Kobolds for to the North…
I set off with my companion
Ñethu and the corpse of the fallen
Uggi. Nethu thought taking the corpse with us was a bad idea, but muttered something about “Dwarves being Dwarves”
We had barely left the town however when it seemed we were once more put to the test. A great pack of dingo’s seemed to appear from nowhere and was immediately upon us.
I prepared myself for what was to come, waiting for the beasts to make the first move. Nethu however was not as patient; she charged headlong into the back and brought her axe down quickly.
All too quickly I found the beasts upon me as well. I swung my Axe wide tearing flesh and trying to strike as many as I could. I looked up to see one coming upon Nethu, I screamed out a warning and charged forth trying to save my companion.
The battle seemed over in a flash, and yet felt as though it had lasted an eternity… I checked upon Nethu who seemed bathed in blood. she clutched her arm and hand which had oozing bite marks, yet she seemed able to stand.
Once we were certain the danger had passed we fell from exhaustion.
I cursed myself for not preparing a fire… But fate was kind to us. We awoke the next morning, covered in a dusting of snow and Nethu looking better for her wounds. We tacked north for almost two full days. The late winter air cold and chilling. Rivers froze at night, and several times we were forced to melt Ice Water to keep our thirsts sated.
Eventually Nethu spotted smoke far in the distance, campfires from the bandits we were tracking. At last we had come upon our target…
We crept closer to the smoke; soon we could hear the mad jabbering of the bandits. I looked to Nethu and nodded, this was our moment. Leaping forth, the lead Kobold spotted us and snarled as we leapt forth. I dashed forward, colliding with a bandit holding a small silvery sword.
Nethu came quickly to my help as she brought her axe down as well deep into the beasts leg. It snarled and garbled as she twisted it.
Dispatching the first bandit, we looked to the others, each held crude swords and jabbered madly. We charged forward together, our axes rose high as we collided into the others. Both Nethu and I hacked upon the bandits. The Kobold under me snarled and pushed off. Knocking me to the floor for a moment, but it was not enough to save him. Nethu came quickly to my side and hacked deeply at the beasts side.=
The Kobold clutched at his body and fell over. I breathed out thinking the worse was over… Looking up, I knew I was wrong.. I watched in what felt like slow motion as a bandit with a spear appear as if from nowhere. Nethu saw the look in my face and began to turn around but it was already too late… The spear was thrust forward into her shoulder…
Nethu gave a piercing cry as the Kobold moved quickly; I felt myself pushed to the hard ground and was dazed. My companion in mortal danger I tried desperate to pick myself up. I looked up to a horrific sight.
The Bandit had brought the spear down hard upon Nethus Head! I cried out and charged. The distance between my friend and myself seemed forever as before my very eyes, Nethu bled out upon the snow. I was not about to let her die so horribly. I looked at the Kobold, still holding its spear and struck into it with all my fury.
I struck hard, biting into the bandit’s leg as we both tumbled to the ground.
The Kolbold knocked at my axe trying to deflect my blows, but I brought my shield down hard upon its arms instead.
The beast seemed stunned and I struck again and again till it collapsed, it’s spear and shield falling from it’s grip.
At that moment as I looked up, Nethu breathed her last…
All around me were the dead as I clutched at the fallen humans body.
I debated bringing her body back as well for proper remembrance, but I could not be so encumbered. Regrettably, I lit some fires, making the ground soft enough to bury the brave Warrior. Around her body I dug the weapons’ of the slain around her, trophies to her final deeds in this world.
I did take one treasure with me, a Silver sword that seemed far to fine to leave with the filth of the dead bandits.
Hefting up the body of Uggi once more, I set off, my mind ablaze with anger and rage.
No less then a few hours out from the camp, it seemed the cruel fates tested me once more. I heard a cry from above a snow-covered hill…
GOBLINSNo mere jabbering kobols, these were battled hardened warriors in their own right.
There were only three of them, two held ugly black maces while the third I saw raising a Crossbow at me. I moved quickly, my body fuelled by rage over the still fresh death of my Friend. I lashed out at the closest goblin as their leader tried to come at me as well.
then suddenly I felt my mind grow sharp, the rage reached some sort of crashing height as a new energy welled up inside me! I felt myself go into some sort of Trance. The next few moments seemed a blur, I had only a brief memory of what happened. Yet when it was over, all three laid dead before me…
I sat down in the snow, exhausted as the strange energy left me. Taking stock of the dead, I looked for anything of use. Coming to the body of the leader I gasped…
His every article of clothing seemed to gleam with gems and decorations. His clothing encrusted with what seemed the wealth of perhaps all others he had stolen from or killed. The cloths were worth more then all my possessions put together as I lifted a pair of glittering trousers:
Here was the clothing for a true Warrior I felt!
Ignoring the chill of the snow, I cast off the bloodied and torn clothing I had and donned these treasures. I cleaned the stink of goblin from them as best I could before making a small campfire and sleeping for the night.
The next two days seemed uneventful as I made my way back to the Fortress of the Humans. I would have both joyous and sad news for them as I came at least to their stronghold. I met with a Pikeman, whom I told of the loss of Nethu in battle, before telling him of the death of both the bandits and the goblins.
Soon he lead me up to the office of the Law giver whom heard my tale as well… As I finished, I made ready to leave, but both blocked my path. The Law giver seemed pale for a moment, and I could tell there was something else… I asked him quietly, what there was he needed…
I suddenly grew pale as well… A horror from the depths… a
Giant Cave Spider.
Armok protect me…