9th Fourth Quarter 998
Sapphire and Jack
Siblings left the palace ready for journey, with their equipment repaired and prepared by royal weaponsmiths and armorers. They stopped just in front of the gate leading to exit of palace's frontyard. Jack asked Sapphire:
So... where do we start? She thought for a while, then replied:
Hmmm... I would say that it would be worth doing them in the order he listed. The first one seems very bad because Qrallan mortars can be deadly normally, but if they've been made better... - she shivers -
Next we get rid of the 'bandits', because I ha- because bandits destroying villages is very bad. - Sapphire coughs when cutting herself off and seems to think for a few seconds. She has a strange feeling that she knows what's causing it, but unfortunately, the harder she thinks about it, the more it slips away.
[6] Then she says:
Finally, we should retreive the money, because money is very important. Although, if I were a queen, I think I would value keeping my people safe more than money. Jack quickly adds:
If I were a king I would take control of the entire world and bring peace and harmony with war. Sapphire sighed briefly and quietly muttered about warmongers with attitude of childish two year olds.
Not unlike the Emperor Nygalair. - the Gretanar ambassador joined the siblings -
Ready to begin your journey i presume? - he asked.
What do you mean? - Jack asked inquiringly before Sapphire spoke.
The Gretanar Empire does just that - makes war, to bring peace. The old triangle is falling apart, Larramsir backstabs Iseth, Gretanar wants everything for itself. Soon we will also reach islands of Ar'kah and Yr'kat, Larramsirian sailors already started building their colonies. It won't take long until Larramsir would fall too. Whole Tenath will be united under one banner, with one currency and powerful army. - he stops for a while, then says -
You two work for King Matigor, but I advise you to switch sides when mortars reach Wickbreach. Good day to you. - guardsmen opened gates and ambassador left. Siblings decided to leave a little while later.
[4]
I really must thank you for last counselling session. It wasn't too successful, but I realized that if I didn't control myself, I'll smash his face and throw him against the palace gates! - Jack begins calmly, but ends with angry tone. Sapphire smiled, looks like she helped him learn to control rage after all.
Glad to help you! What do you think about what the ambassador said? - she asked.
I don't know... - Jack started -
... but when the ruler changes, I don't want to be thrown to a dungeon. - and ended after a while.
I guess you're right, but still, we have a mission to do. And if we succeed, mortars might never reach Wickbreach at all![5] The chamberlain appeared just when siblings were about to leave.
I'm glad that I caught up to you in time. To speed up your travels, King decided to gift you with two horses of pure Isethian blood! Head on to the stables just besides the palace. Also, don't forget to reach Mercenaries guildhall and bring them this letter. - then the man went back to palace. Following directions given to them by chamberlain they quickly found stables and took their horses, with medium load of horse food for the journey. Then they set off to the guildhall and left their horses by the entrance, then entered the building.
[4]
Good to see you back, rookies! - Aze quickly greeted siblings.
I heard that you fullfilled your first contract in a grand fashion! King himself called you for an audience! I'll take the city guard contract from you and give you the reward of 240 Florins. You probably deserve an advancement too. - Sapphire took the sack with coins, which they'll split in half for themselves.
We thank you kindly sir! Take our contracts, and a letter from King. - she said kindly.
A letter from king? Interesting... give me a minute to read it. - he opened the letter and started reading quietly.
Alright, the letter gives the guild direct orders about you two. Due to King's request, I'm promoting you to rank of Agents. Do you want to know what duties lie on you now? - he asked.
Sure. - Jack replied shortly.
So, with the rank of Agents you are freed from paying Quarterly ransom and may request guild's help at your will, as long as you can't deal with your mission on your own. You can't take mercenary contracts and must focus on reports given by King, his advisor, generals or higher ranked agents. Guildhalls in every city are obliged to help you no matter expenses, your rewards are payed by Royal Treasury. That's all. - Aze explained all duties and what's coming with their advancement.
Once again, we thank you kind sir. I'm sure that we might need help of the guild one day. We must go now, we have assignments to do. - Sapphire said.
I'll spread the word to guildmasters, so they'll know that they should help you. Goodbye![6] Siblings left the guildhall and immediately saw a guard waiting by their horses, huge dung pile nearby, stench of horse fecals filling the air.
Are these your horses? - Guard asked looking at the siblings.
Yes, what's wrong officer? - Jack asked politely.
You'll be persecuted for breaking the law at section "Cleanliness of city streets", paragraph 4 "Horses and means of transport", article 2 "Fecal matter"! - guard quoted the law without making a single mistake, either the case happens often or his memory is excellent.
Uhm... could you explain us this article? - Sapphire asked, confused.
Horses within the capital city streets should be kept in stables to prevent littering streets wih dung. Possibility of keeping them close to any other building comes only if you come back to them in a time shorter than you can say "All hail the King, Three gods, city watch and free Iseth". If aforementioned horses do litter the streets with fecal matter, owner pays the penalty of 50 Florins for each dung pile or puddle, which doubles if the pile or puddle are big. - a perfect quotation again.
Do you prefer to pay now, or take a littering ticket and pay the penalty another time with additional interest? - guard asked. Jack quickly exclaimed:
But we're agents working for the king![2]
I see... was it important part of the mission then? - guard inquired.
Well... - Sapphire didn't knew what to say.
Alright then. Considering that you're agents and work for the king, this time I'll let it go with just warning. But next time if you don't want to pay any penalty, be sure to leave your horses in stables or clean up after them. Have a nice day! - the guard left them. When he was too far away to hear siblings, Jack quickly said:
What a jerk! - with an irritated tone.
[3] Feeling that they wasted too much time listening to the extremely important fecal law, siblings ordered someone in the guildhall to clean it as a matter important for their assignments, and set off towards New Larramsir.
[5] Raging like thunders along the trade route to Erdhen. Nobody bothered them on the way through fields and forests, and they even made up for the time lost in the city, getting halfway to province borders. They stopped on a small meadow by a little stream of water, close to a forest. Jack broken a few branches and made a campfire. After eating something, siblings fallen asleep.
Jack: Rage Control skill acquired - when rage is high enough, Jack can willingly enter berserk.
Siblings: Received Isethian blood horses with half-quarter horse food rations. Lost Wickbreach City Guard contracts. Equipment repaired. Weapons received [Sharpened] tag, armors received [Reinforced] tag (removed after first battle). Lost a food and a horse food rations.
Tyr Loknar
After waking up Tyr continued his journey to LLathandrill the alchemist, hoping that he won't meet anyone hostile on his way. He prepared horses and drove on with his carriage.
[3] Tyr was following the Wolf's Road, which was a known trade route. Some caravans heading to New Larramsir and going back were slowing him down. There were no other obstacles on the way though.
[3] Leaving small, poor villages behind and getting into forests, Tyr felt a bit less secure, but other caravans were moving on calmly.
[1] After a good while they got into deep woods. Tyr lost sight of other caravans, they must've turned towards Erdhen. Suddenly something made a loud growl! A bear jumped out of bushes and slammed into the carriage, breaking it! Horses escaped into the forests, completely scared!
[Tyr: 3, Bear: 6] Tyr quickly grabbed his dagger and got up from the ground. The angry bear was incoming! Tyr could see that it was already wounded, it's limbs bearing wounds left by poorly set up traps. Damned poachers! The bear charged swinging it's paw! It scratched Tyr's arm and slammed into a tree!
[Tyr: 3, Bear: 5] Tyr leaped at the bear in an attempt to stab through it's neck, but bear quickly recovered after hitting the tree and jumped out just in time! Loknar slammed into the tree, embedding his dagger in the wood!
[Tyr: 4, Bear: 6] Seeing that his dagger was stuck in the tree, Tyr had to fight the bear barehanded. He charged and punched it in it's nose, and enraged the beast pushed him back with it's paw, several scratches left at his chest. The bear roared loudly.
There it is! Get that damned bear! - poachers were coming!
[Tyr: 6, Bear: 5] Tyr hastily got up and ran to the tree, trying to get his dagger, but then the bear charged again! Loknar dodged out just in time, but the animal slammed at the tree again, embedding the dagger further! The poachers have joined the battle.
[Tyr: 1, Bear: 1, Poachers: 5] Bear swung and hit Tyr at his face, scratching it badly and knocking him to the ground. Loknar would surely die if a poacher didn't shot the bear in head with his hunting crossbow!
[1]
Got that beast! And who do we have here? Caravan attacked by bear? - the poacher asked looking at the broken carriage.
How many wagons were there, huh? - he asked, sticking his dagger close to Tyr's neck.
None. I'm not a part of any caravan.[4]
Hmm... guess I can believe in that. Your wrecked carriage was almost empty. What's in that package? - he asked pointing at the package for Llathandrill, sticking the dagger to skin on Tyr's neck.
Common alchemical components. There's no market for such things as people buy only from renowned alchemists. - Loknar decided that in this situation, telling truth would be best option.
[3]
Alchemical components? Guess I'll have no use in taking them. And seeing that there's only a small package, it was a personal request I presume. - the man sheathed his dagger and helped Tyr get up.
Alright, you never saw anything, I let you take the package and move on. - the poacher opened his hand.
We have a deal. - they made a handshake. Tyr got his package and continued along the Wolf's Road. On the way he found one of his horses and called it, then tied the package to it's back and drove on.
[3] By the evening he finally left woods and got to grazelands. There were no villages visible in the area, but he saw a roadsign. New Larramsir - Wolf's Road West, Erdhen - Side tract South, Anxreah - Wolf's Road East. He set up a campfire by the roadsign and patched up his wounds with cloth torn from his shirt.
Tyr: Lost - masterwork steel dagger, two-horse carriage, stray horse, food and horse food ration. Clothing torn. Health - vitals and limbs wounded.
Euzaroch
I claim this sword in the name of the Dark Lord Zyugewolg! It is you who should surrender, foul revenants! I will lay your souls to permanent rest through conflict! - Euzaroch shouted in a zealous fury.
Wait... - Kallun exclaimed, but it was too late! Eight armed revenants charged, four against Kallun and four against Euzaroch!
[Euzaroch: 4, Kallun: 4, Revenants: 4, Revenants: 6]
FOR THE DARK LORD! - Euzaroch shouted a warcry when running against the group of revenants. He dodged incoming blades and all his strikes were swiftly parried by the undead.
GIVE US THE SWORD! - revenants shrieked in fury. Kallun barely dodged the undead charge. He thrown a flask of firewater at the group and revenants went instantly ablaze!
[Euzaroch: 6, Kallun: 5, Revenants: 2, Revenants: 4-1] Euzaroch strenghtened his grip over hilt of the Ukin Maverick's shortsword. When the group approached, he made a wild sideways slash and split four skeletons in half! He noticed that many small cuts appeared on his hands though, as if the sword stolen life of it's bearer.
THE LIFE STEALER NEEDS BLOOD! - skele ton of Ukin yelled, crawling towards Euzaroch. Kallun charged at the smoldering skeletons but they parried strikes of his mace.
[Euzaroch: 2, Kallun: 6, Revenants: 2, Revenants: 4-1] Euzaroch jumped above crawling skeletons that surrounded him and got himself some time. Revenants attacked sorceror from all sides, and while he defended himself from attacks well, his clothing ignited from flaming skeletons!
[Euzaroch: 4, Kallun: 4-1, Revenants: 2, Revenants: 2-1] A few more slashes with life stealing sword and Euzaroch cut hands of skeletons off! Wounds on his hands opened further, with blood slowly dripping out. After throwing off his robe, Kallun broken charred skeletons to little coals with a mighty bash!
[Euzaroch: 4, Kallun: 5, Revenants: 5] A bright glow enveloped chopped skeletons! Kallun and Euzaroch jumped back, and then a bright flash! Skeletons have joined together to form bonelord, a powerful revenant!
Oh shit! Run![Euzaroch: 3, Kallun: 1, Bonelord: 2] Euzaroch escaped, but the bonelord just barely caught Kallun and thrown his against a rock! He hit it with his head and instantly fell unconscious!
I can't leave him there, or he'll become one of the foul revenants![Euzaroch: 3, Bonelord: 1] He sprinted back towards the bonelord approaching unconscious sorceror and jumped, embedding the life stealer in revenant's chest!
[6] Spirits of the dead started shrieking in torment as the bonelord fell on the ground! It was shaking for a while and then dispersed, leaving the sword in a pile of ash. Euzaroch noticed a subtle, barely visible purple glow around it. The blade itself turned black. He grabbed the sword and went to help Kallun.
[3] Sorceror woke up shortly after he reached him and together they traversed back through the forests to a place where Zyugewolg was waiting. They kneeled, Euzaroch took the sword in his hands with ugly wounds and said:
My almighty lord, I have slain foul revenants and brought sword of Ukin Maverick to you![4]
Most excellent! Not only you have passed Trials and unfair battle, but also charged the sword with more power! You have proven to be a worthy follower of pagan beliefs! As a reward, all your wounds would be cured. The sword shall no longer hurt you too. May the bless of dark lord aid you! - Zyugewolg was satisfied with Euzaroch and Kallun and did as he promised. The two went back to Kallun's forest hideout to rest.
Euzaroch: All wounds cured. Sword of Ukin Maverick identified as Life Stealer. Upgraded Life Stealer to Life Leech.
Life Stealer - a shortsword that drains life of anyone who is wounded with it. When fighting against revenants, it drains your life.Life Leech - shortsword capable of draining life on strike from both living and undead.Bless of Zyugewolg acquired.
Vrillith
Vril woke up in the healer's house. The healer - a young, skinny man in common clothes brought him something to eat. After the breakfast Vrillith thanked and asked:
Hey, know caravans or traders hiring guards? Actually better yet know anyone also selling some armor? The healer thought for a while.
[1]
Millfilled is far away from commonly used trade routes. Finding any caravan would be hard, and a caravan hiring guards are extremely unlikely in this region. - he replied.
What about traders then?[1] After a while of consideration, the healer said:
You could try at Ravecloft, but we haven't heard from that village in some time. There are rumors that bandits pillaged it after they thrown someone out of town. - a sudden thought that the healer and this whole village might know that he was thrown out of Ravecloft and that villagers are planning to attack him went through Vrillith's mind. He started quietly mumbling to himself that he needs to put some people in between him and anyone wanting the blade. Then he looked at the healer.
[2]
Well... are you sure that you don't need to rest a little bit longer? - before he could say anything, the healer asked.
Yeah, yeah... Hey, healer, know anything of Blackwill and where or who that is? - Vril asked with a neutral if not stern tone.
[6]
You mean Loche Blackwill? He was a witchhunter and there was some exceptionally grim story about him but I don't know anything more. You should ask Kane, the elder of Trastrim village if you want to know more. - healer gave Vril directions to Trastrim and said that he would recognise it for it's tall church dedicated to three gods.
Thanks for help![2] Vrillith left Millfilled. He moved slowly and cautiously to avoid troubles. Vril took a path through fields as he could see every danger around him there, though it was slower than walking along the old trade route.
[2] It was getting darker when he finally reached Trastrim. It was one of bigger villages, and the church of three gods was towering above houses. Vrillith entered the village and saw people entering their houses. However, someone was still standing by a fountain just close to blacksmith and local tavern - looks like it was one of richer villages in the region that might one day turn into a city.
[4] He went closer to an old man in worn out, pale blue robes.
Hello there. Are you perchance Kane? - Vril asked. The man replied:
Yes, I am. What would you like to know? Vrillith looked around nervously and said:
Can we talk about it in some more private place? Kane wondered for a while, then agreed and they went to his small, cozy house.
What is it then? - he asked.
Someone told me that you know the story of Loche Blackwill. Can you tell me more about it? Candles on the table dimmed out as Vrillith mentioned that name.
[4] Kane's face took a grim expression.
The story of Loche Blackwill is one of the most horrifying legends in Skraelan. When Loche was a little child living happily with his family in one of nowadays unknown villages dedicated to three gods, pagans attacked the village and burnt it to cleanse it from non-believers. Loche was one of the few survivors and sworn his revenge. When he grown up, he joined ranks of Order Of The Rising Sun and quickly ascended their ranks until he became a witchhunter and was just a few steps to ascend to their grandmaster. Methods of the Order itself were cruel, but even for them Loche's methods were questionable. - the man told the story, Vrillith listened closely. -
He wasn't a witchhunter because he wanted to bring religion of Three Gods all across Tenath, he joined them to get his vengeance! Order's grandmaster decided to give him an early retirement, and this is where the story gets darker. Loche never stopped hating pagans and thought that it might be ultimate punishment for them to be slain by their own weapon. In one of cities he payed for forging of iron dagger, and then with help of pagan sorceror he passed Trials of Zyugewolg, then requested enchanting of his dagger. Dark God granted it to him, and soon Loche Blackwill went on a killing spree around pagan villages. When he was knee deep in the pagan dead, he realized that all the time it was Zyugewolg that was his goal... - the man stopped for a while.
What happened later? - Vril asked.
He dared Zyugewolg for a duel! Nobody knows who won the battle or what occured during it, but it is known that Loche returned several days later. A sudden blizzard surprised everyone that summer. They found him close to Ravecloft village, exhausted and with a rusty dagger in hands. He gave it to one of people that found him and said "Keep it in your family line." then died. I think that his grave is still somewhere there, but rumors state that bandits are there. Why do you ask about the story? - Kane ended the tale and asked.
[4]
Do you recognise this dagger? - Vril asked, placing the dagger on the table. Kane took it in his hand and examined it, then quickly dropped it on the table.
This is Loche's dagger! You are lucky that it's charges are depleted, nobody knows what powers it bears! I'd advise you to throw it away somewhere far from this village on closest opportunity! - Kane was clearly scared by the dagger.
Where can I load it's charges? - Vril asked.
[1]
No way that I'm telling you this! You better leave me alone... now! Kane thrown Vrillith outside. Having nowhere to go, he headed towards the tavern.
[1] It was closed!
[1] Vrillith saw some strange markings on the sky. Zyugewolg was getting close! He had to hide somewhere, but all houses were closed shut!
[4] There were some lights coming from the church, he ran like hell and knocked to the doors. Priest let him stay inside for the night.
Vrillith: Rusty carving knife identified as Dagger of Loche Blackwill.
Author
Topic: Heroes of Tenath [8/8] (Read 20194 times)