You proclaim that you will personally slay the beast!
The courtiers seem aghast of your decision, but nobody stops you. The Orcs follow you to ascertain that you perform the duel as it should be.
A week later, you arrive at the troubled province of Albarra. Its not hard to learn where the Salamander is, and even if you didn't ask around, the trail of burnt down fields and devastated villages points it out for you.
The large reptile is about five horses long and at least two and half horse tall. It's rugged scales and pointy spikes at the back give it a fearsome appearance. It's beaked mouth is currently busy ripping apart an unfortunate traveler that became its victim today.
Seeing you, it roars and lunges to attack!
4
The big lizard turns out to be quite fast! You dodge its bloodied beak as you try to poke few holes in its tough scale with your spear. It is like a small pick poking at a thick lard, but you make it bleed.
Hundreds more and it should fall over dead...
4
Tiring as it is, you continue to evade the blows of the beak, or the swipe of its stout forward claws, and continue to poke it. However, you already feel your lungs burning and your legs heavy.
You must either strke where it hurts, or you simply will be the one to die today!
5
Finally! You plunge your metal spear into one of its eyesockets. The Salamander roars out loud and reels to the side, purple blood gushing from the damaged eye! The reptilean beast changes its attacks, now more on the defensive. Truly, it has tasted fear, perhaps first time in its life.
4*
However, despite the loss of its eye, the Salamander remains a tough opponent. It guards itself from another crippling attack, and its claws swipe at you more than before. You are tired and you several times barely escape losing your head, the large nails of the beast nonetheless scratching your face. You feel the pain and warmth of the blood leaking through damaged skin.
4*
The battle now goes on for what, half an hour? An hour? Two hours? You lose the perception of time, and you don't even know where your Orcish bodyguards are anymore. You are tired, nearly exhausted, whilst the beast remains constant in its attacks!
2*
The beast snaps at your left leg. You scream and yell in terrible pain as you suddenly topple to the side, not feeling the leg anymore. Everything goes red and black as pain overcomes you.
You notice that the beast sleazily walks away, but then the Orcs fall upon it and crush its head with skull. Some of them are maimed in the process, and that's when you see darkness. The last thought that passes your head is that if not for the Orcs, the Salamander would've gotten away, or worse, devoured you as a snack.
Late Autumn, 450 AEC
You open your eyes, and you see the familiar ceiling of your bedroom. Your wife is diligently rubbing your forehead with a stained towel, before she notices that you're awake. She is overjoyed, kisses you on the lips, and then leaves to bring in the healers, with the Advisor in tow.
"Welcome back, my liege. You've been asleep for nearly three weeks." You stir and get startled as you cannot feel anything below your left knee. The healers help you sit and then you realize that you no longer have both legs.
"How's the lizard?" You ask weakly, and the Advisor bows his head.
"You've bested the Salamander, my liege, and the Orcs then dealt the killing blow."
Congratulations! King Matin gains
one-legged trait!
Winter, 450 AEC
You return to your duties after a month more of resting and healing. Your court medics take great care to ensure that no infection sets into the leg, and they succeed in that task.
The meat of the beast has become a delicacy amongst your nobles, and the glass-like nails are shaped into mementos and pearl-like cameos. Out of the body of the accursed Salamander, comes wealth into your Treasury. Not only that, your subjects are in awe of your deed, some believing that with you at the throne, no ill can befall Kastoria.
The money sent by the gold mines arrives not long after.
Midwinter, 450 AEC
News arrive from Maestrimar; the old, crippled King has died, and his son became King Ionu I.
End of the Year, 450 AEC
As you sit behind the desk while the Advisor lays down the Scrolls of Kingdom Status, you wonder if the leg was worth it...
Better not dwell on it too long.
Happiness: 5
Population: 4
Economy: 5
Army: 3
*Navy: 4
"Your Majesty, all that our prosperous Kingdom lacks is an Army to proper guard it from outside and inside threats. Shall we draft some peasants to fill out the ranks?"
A) "Sure thing!"
B) "How about mercenaries instead?"
C) "Nah, we don't have to."
Poll
Author
Topic: SPAMKINGDOM 3! King Matin of Kastoria! (Read 109129 times)