Post by Raistlin on Nov 10, 2008 1:55:24 GMT -5
A New Home
The seas were violently crashing against the hull of the ship. A few passengers hung over the rails sick to their stomach, but a lone elf sat at the bow enjoying the breeze. As the ship docked in town he kept where he was until all passengers disembarked. Pulling his hood over his head the elf grabbed his great bow and slung it over his shoulder with care. The docks were busy and noisy. The elf slipped through the crowds to the town's weapons shop. Bill Smith gave a quirked smile as the elf entered. The elf set a bundle of gear on the counter. Bill looked it over and smiled at his patron.
"Done a bit of questing in Shangri-La, have we."
The elf stared at him through the shadow of his hood. "Just identify it as usual and I'll be on my way." Bill checked everything and gave him a fair price for what was sold to him. The elf kept a couple items that were decent. Then the elf snatched his newly filled coin pouch and slipped out the door. Bill Smith just sighs.
"He was much more cheery before leaving his clan."
Silas Tavern was as crowded and noisy as ever. Getting to the bar unnoticed wasn't an easy task. Every patron that bumped into him he expected to be the one that would try to start a brawl. Not to mention he was now a wanted man. Desertion was frowned upon in most clans. Maybe someday he'd be a clan leader and make his own rules. NO RULES. That would be the number one rule. Just quest, have fun, enjoy some camaraderie, but who was he trying to fool. Being a clan leader was one of the most unobtainable goals he could have. Anyways, it's time to drown some sorrows. Making it to the bar was relieving, but finding an empty stool was a stroke of luck. Silas stepped approached the elf.
"What'll it be, pointy ears?" He asked the elf.
"A drink, then a room." That was all he would say.
Silas slid him an ale and looked through the shadowy veil over the elf's face. He stared daggers at Silas.
"You know," Silas began his idol rumors and conversation, "they say an elf ran out from his clan and deserted them just before he was to be put on trial."
The elf looked at Silas then took a swig from his mug.
"Don't believe everything you hear. Just get me a room and shut up." He took his mug and turned away from Silas. Another mug slammed down on the bar as a gruff dwarf hopped into a stool.
"Make it a suite for us," he bellowed, "and fill my mug while you're at it." The elf heard the voice and right away knew who it came from.
"I don't need charity from you, JC. I'm fine with what I've got." The dwarf, AntonyJC, just grumbled and took a drink of his newly filled mug.
"I'm not offering anything, SForce," JC grunted, "but if you are gonna do anything with your life I think you should hear what I have to say. I just think it best if we have a good sized room to have our meeting in."
SForce looked his friend in the eyes. The concern and seriousness was quite apparent causing SF to lower his head. He looked at the bar, saw the room key and swiftly snatched it up. He stood from his stool and went to the stair. As he made his way to his room he said to JC over his shoulder, "Fine, then. Just talk and be on your way."
JC staggered. "But wait. I still haven't finished my ale!" He took up his mug and slopped down the rest of his drink. The haste of his drinking sent it straight to his head. When he got off his stool the bar began to move on it's own. Fortunately a skilled dwarf easily compensates for ale induced sight. "I'm right behind ya!" JC was staggering through the crowd and bumping into everyone on the way.
After several shouts of drunken dwarf and surly snot JC made it to the suit. His head had cleared by now and he was clear headed enough to talk coherently.
"Well, JC," SF started the conversation off, "what is it that just has to be talked about now?"
JC settled himself down in a chair across from SForce. "I was wondering what you had in mind for what is to come for you. Have you heard the latest about your situation at the Seek & Destroy castle?"
SF sighed. "The rumors are an arrest warrant has been issued for me. I smell the slimy fingers of Viper in that."
"It's true. Viper convinced the Council that you attacked his group and vowed to kill anyone else who comes after you."
"Of course he did. He won't be happy till he's dragged my name through the mud. I expected as much though."
"SF, do you remember talking with MadScientist and me about making a clan?"
"Well, yeah. I guess so."
"Then I need you to come with me. In the mornin' we'll head out and I'm gonna take you home."
This news struck SForce soundly. What could his friend mean by home?
"Where are we to go? Am I just leaving this life behind me to blindly follow you to some secret 'home’?”
AntonyJC looks at his friend and quirks a smile.
"Yeah, SF. I couldn't imagine you'd want to leave all this behind you."
SForce sighed and looked at his pack. It still had the few items left from his questing in it. He had planned to place the gear in storage, but it seemed as if he was going to be adding to his pack now.
"When do we leave?" SForce asked. JC smiled and patted his friend on the shoulder.
In the morning they awoke and packed everything they had. When they descended to the common room they saw Silas speaking with some men.
"SF," alerted JC as he poked him in the ribs, "look on the breast plates."
There was no mistaking the emblem of the Seek & Destroy clan.
"We need to leave and quietly." SForce said this as he dragged JC back around the corner. Just as he made haste he saw Silas point to the stairs. Most likely they dropped a couple marks on the bar and he spilled the beans, so to speak. They went for the back door to find it being watched by S&D Guards.
"Damn it," exclaimed JC, "how are we supposed to get out of here now?"
"That's how." SForce pointed at a horse pulled wagon next to the guards. The wagon had the S&D symbol on it which meant it had their supplies in it. SF pulled out his regular great bow and an arrow. From the doorway JC held the door open a bit while SF drew back his arrow. "Sorry about this, old girl." He said as he let the arrow loose. It struck the horse in the hind end. The horse reared up yelling out loud. It took off running with the wagon full of the guard's supplies attached. The guards had to chase after it.
With the guards gone SF and JC slipped away. They headed for the forest, but ran into a dead end. More guards were coming out of the forest into the fields.
"There's nowhere for us to hide, SF. Where are we supposed to go from here?"
SForce looked around and saw what he wanted.
"I'm gonna hate this," he explained to JC. SF took him by the arm and headed for a mound of dirt on the fringe of the fields. There was an opening blocked by a wooden gate. A voice came scratching through the wood as if trying to splinter it at the same time.
"What da hell you doin' here, elf?"
"My friend and I," came his response, "we look to venture in the mounds here."
"Hmmmm. Why might we let a slimy woodland creature such as you in here?"
Then JC stepped forward and grunted. "Enough of this." Then JC swung his axe with such might it crushed the gate in on the goblins killing them. They rushed in and JC collected the crossbow that the goblins at the gate dropped. In the dark of the mounds nothing was visible. SF searched through his pack and brought out a torch. The area was massive. They had both been down there before, so it didn't cause the awestruck it once did. Now they just needed to find a way out other then the way they came.
"So, SF," AntonyJC worried. "You got us in here. You got any idea how to get us out?"
"I've heard rumor that the Goblin Queen knows of a secret in these mounds. We just have to find out what she knows."
They moved through the Warrens and into the goblin Treasury. There they got the map to the throne room from a guard. It didn't take them long since this wasn't their first time, but it's still not easy. Then they charged at the throne room looking to get what they wanted. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be as easy as they would have preferred. Standing guard to the gates was a Champion. His sword was lighting up the area as the flames jumped from the blade. His eyes were darkened by the shadows the flames created. They wouldn't have a chance of getting by without confronting him first.
"That's alright, SF," JC said with confidence, "I'll just take him out while you got take care of the queen."
No sooner that he finished speaking then came three more Champions from the corridor. That made things a bit more difficult.
"Aww
, SF. How we gonna get rid of that many without tipping off the rest?" JC was looking around for anything that might help them out. Just then a giant worm burst forth and roared from behind them."JC," asked SF, "you have anything that's glowing?"
"Nothing. Why?"
"Just watch this."
SForce chucked the torch they were carrying just behind the worm. It turned and dropped straight down on it swallowing it whole. Then it was gone.
"You get it JC?"
"You want I should throw torches at worms?"
"Something like that."
SForce laid out the plan to AntonyJC quietly. When he was finished he went around the right side of the entrance to the throne room. JC got out his crossbow from the gate guards. Now that they had no torch lit they wouldn't be seen as easily, but the Champions had flaming swords that gave light all around them. Being a dwarf made it easy for AntonyJC to take aim. He shot off a couple arrows at one of them knocking it to the ground. The others looked puzzled till they saw something moving. The rest gave out a roar as they charged forth.
With the champions gone SF was clear to slip through the gates into the throne room. The only trouble he encountered was a thief lurking about in the shadows. SF slipped around in the darkness of the chamber, which goblins found so suiting to them, and snuck up on him. Quietly he put his hand over the thief's mouth and shoved a dagger through his back. The thief jerked for a second in his grasp just before falling limp. A weird knife slipped from the thief's hand.
"Well, well. Looks like you might have had the same idea."
SForce went to pick it up to find it was a silver knife. Stowing it away in his pack right away he continued down the hall.
Outside the champions rushed towards what they saw moving. Getting there they found it was a magic robe hanging from a pike stabbed in the ground. Confused at how a robe without a body could have shot one of them they looked around. They swung their flaming swords to light up the area. The ground beneath their feet began to rumble. They looked to each other questioning what was going on. Worms spewed forth from all around attracted to the glow of the champion's flaming swords. They tried to fight briefly, but the worms thrust down on top of each one crushing them and swallowing the sword whole.
During all this AntonyJC sat over a nearby hill watching it all go down. He began to chuckle when the light from the swords started to blink out one by one.
"Man. I can't believe his plan actually worked. Smart ass elf."
AntonyJC just shook his head when the last fire was extinguished, then he went for the throne room to join SF.
SForce was now at the queen’s chambers hidden in the shadows behind a stone pillar. He saw a thief sneaking up on her. Just as it got close to her she whipped around and her rod in her hand flashed in his face. The thief screamed in horror. He shook to the very bone and ran in terror. Another goblin, a berserker by the looks of it, was staring her down as she sat on her throne. It roared as it charged at her in a rage. That rage dies though with the slightest wave of the queen's hand. It stopped in it's tracks. She smiled at him and said, "Be a dear and take a walk off a short cliff would you."
"Yes, my queen." Was all he could say as he bowed and walked out of her chambers. SF watched and thought how to best approach her. He stepped out from behind the pillar with his head bowed down and arms outstretched. The goblin queen saw him approach the steps to her throne, but didn't react right away. She held her rod up ready to strike if needed.
"My Queen," he began, "I come to you with only one thing on my mind."
"What is it, elf?" Her question was spat out at him like the very words were distasteful.
"Just to be given the opportunity to gaze on true beauty."
The goblin queen was confused. "You speak unlike other elves from the surface world."
"Yes, but only because I have ventured around the kingdom and saw all kinds of beauty. None captures my breath quite like you."
"Aww. Yer quite the charmer, huh." She began to blush.
"I wouldn't dare try to deceive such an intelligent being. I've heard how knowledgeable you are. They say you know of things that only those select few can know."
"Well, he he. I might have a trick, or two that isn't public knowledge."
"I would be most honored to know more, but alas. I am just a mere simpleton. I am not pray to hold such greatness as you would have. Maybe I could simply get a token from you. To prove to those doubters that you are the wisest and most attractive of all."
"Aww heck. A cute thing like you. Here." She reaches back behind her throne and brings out a scroll. "This is a map to the vortex. It's a secret area within the mounds that have special powers. Only the most skilled can go there though. An evil knight patrols the area. I would ask you to keep away from there. I would hate to see something happen to you, my little pointy eared poopsie."
"I wouldn't think of it. You honor me with such a gift. I must go now. I have sent too much time in the light of your beauty."
While bowing to the queen SF slowly walk back down from the throne. The queen was all gushing and giggling as he walked away. As he passed a few stone pillars he heard some heavy laughter. SF drew his blade and turned towards the sound. A creature was rolling on the ground in the shadows. SForce crept up to it and grabbed it while putting the tip of his blade to its throat. Looking in its eyes SF realized what it was.
"JC? What's going on?"
"Oh please, Mr. Charmer," he said while spitting out laughter, "don't hurt me. You wouldn't want the light of your queen's beauty to shine down on such a brutal scene. BWAHAHA!"
"Oh, give it a rest. I got what we needed. Now get a move on."
SF tossed JC to the ground and sheathed his blade. As he walked for the door JC called out to him.
"Right behind you, ya pointy eared poopsie. HA!"
They left the Throne Room and stopped in at the Goblin Inn. There they had a mug of goblin ale. Seeing movement in the liquid made neither one of them dare venture the attempt at drinking any. SForce pulled out the map and sprawled it out on the table.
"Look here," he said while pointing out the location. "Looks like it's just north of the Warrens. We should be able to get to it if we head north west of here."
Just then a smelly thief slithered between the two of them and leaned over their table.
"Would you look at that. Looks interesting. Too bad it's an old version."
"What you sayin', slime?" JC was already upset about not getting good ale, now this.
"Well you see that place has moved now. If you look over there behind the bar you'll see..." He stopped talking when SF and JC both looked away to the bar. When they looked back to their table the thief and map was gone. Seeing the thief running for the door SF went to draw an arrow.
"We don't have time for all that." JC hollered as he launched toward the door. In an unbelievable move JC vanished in the crowd. Just as the thief opened the door JC lunged up with an upper cut slash. The thief was nearly split in two vertically. When it fell to the ground the map he had stolen rolled from its open hand. SF stood up and walked to the corpse. JC looked around and the eyes of the patrons, who were now looking at him, turned back to what they had been doing. SF bent down and picked up the map. A few filthy creatures swarmed the body after and stripped it of all its belongings.
"Interesting trick there, JC. Where you pick that up from?"
"A samurai taught it to me. Ya take a good beating to learn it, but it's worth it in the end."
"Ah, yes. I do know what you're talking about. Just never seen you do it before."
"Well, come on now. Let's get a move on before something else tries to relieve us of this."
They took the quickest route they could as shown on the map. It wasn't till they were practically on top of it that they were able to see it. The Vortex. It swirled with all shades of blue. There was no telling where it went, but they knew it wasn't here. That was enough for them. Just when they were almost at the portal a large, armored knight steps in their path.
"Halt!" He commanded. "I will not let you pass without either a fight, or you have to solve my riddle."
SF and JC just looked at each other. They looked at the knight. His outfit consisted of a full plate armor and a bill hook that he gripped tightly with both hands. SForce made his decision.
"Give us the riddle then."
"There's something in my pocket, but there's nothing in my pocket. What's in my pocket?"
SF thought for a moment and said, "There's a hole in your pocket."
"Arrrrg! Correct!" The knight roared in defeat and stepped to the side. The two companions walked up to the vortex. SForce touched it gently and saw it ripple a bit. He looked at JC, but he just shrugged his shoulders. SF took a step and vanished into the swirl of blue. When JC tried the knight reappeared.
"Did you think you would go unchallenged?"
"I hoped so."
"Fight, or riddle?"
"Riddle, I guess."
"It goes through an apple, it points out the way, it fits in a bow, then a target to stay."
"Hmmmm.... Ummm.... Oh crap."
"Wrong! Arrrrgh!" The knight screamed as he launched himself at AntonyJC.
SForce was floating through an array of blue color and swirling about. When he came to a bright light it opened up into a busy market place. SF looked around with wonder in his eyes. He had never even known this existed, but here he was walking among other noblemen. He wasn't sure what to make of it all. He stopped the first person he saw.
"Excuse me," he asked, "but where is this?"
The gentleman just quirked a smile and asked, "First time here, huh"
"I've just never seen this before. What is it?"
"You are in the Dragon Champions district. From here you can access every place for communion with others. This here is a special access point only available to those who've faced the evil knight. Over there you’ll find the road sign that will lead you to anywhere you want to go around here."
He pointed to a sign that listed every establishment in the Dragon Court Kingdom. It was easy to read and gave clear directions.
"Thank you, sir."
SForce began to walk away to explore, but stopped to turn back to the person he was talking to.
"Um, I forgot to get your name."
The gentleman smiled and simply said, "Fred," then vanished into the crowd.
With all the commotion SF had forgotten about JC. He looked around, but didn't see him anywhere. SF began to worry, but figured JC would be fine so he decided to explore his surroundings. He came to the sign post and read all the selections: Salamander Tavern, Clan Hall, Tome of History, Trading Post, War Memorial, Peasant Pub, House of Lords, Commons Square, and Infirmary.
The tavern caught his attention at the time. He followed the directions to get to the tavern, but had to go through the Trading Post first. That is where numerous patrons roam about looking for the most profit to gain. It was a wonder how anyone could get around in such clutter. He passed by the Salamander Tavern next. He figured he might have time enough to have just one drink.
The tavern was filled with faces he had never seen before. Many of the patrons kept asking questions while some stepped up to answer while having a drink. It was, for the most part, a calm atmosphere. A few here and there made frantic pleas for answers and help. SForce simply wanted a drink. While sitting at the bar he got bored, so SF decided to listen in on some conversations. Nothing of great importance was being said. A few cheers for someone making a new rank, questions about the best equipment, but then on knight asked a question SF felt he had to respond to.
The question was for the best kind of clan and if anyone new of one. Others had answers for it such as, "You need to find one with lots of power," or, "Find one that will give you some great gear." SF wanted to laugh. He had little thought of power, or gear for a clan. He decided to chime in.
"Young Knight, if you seek a clan don't be roped into a bunch of flashy gimmicks. If you want to have a clan that will last they need to be like a family. There for you and willing to even just cheer you up if you had a bad day. Sometimes the less that's offered has the most for you to gain."
The Knight felt pleased by this response. "Whatever clan you're in I want it too, lol."
"Sorry, but not in a clan right now."
Just then there was the sound of a large thump behind him. A large, armored hand clasped his shoulder. SF cringed. He thought it was over. This had to be one of the S&D knights come to take him in.
"Wonderful speech, my friend, but you have something a bit wrong."
SForce knew that gruff, deep voice. He smiled and started to turn.
"And what is it I got wrong, MadScientist?"
The large warrior smiled back as he took his hand from SF's shoulder.
"You may not be in a clan yet, but we are supposed to be working on that."
SForce looked at him with confusion in his eyes.
"How do we work on that?"
"Follow me and we will." MadScientist stood up with his hand outstretched. SF clasped his hand and stood as well. They walked out together and headed down the road.
"So where do we go from here?" SF was looking around trying to get his bearings.
"The Clan Hall. From there we will go home."
That hit SF hard. He remembered what JC had said to him the night before. Could this have been what he was talking about? When they arrived the clerk at the entry office just simply asked, "Clan name?" MS and SF looked at each other.
"We've talked about this in the past haven't we, SF."
He smiled to his friend. Taking the quill in hand he wrote on the parchment a name. The clerk looked at it and flipped through his files.
"Clan not found. Would you like to create this clan?"
SForce looked to his brother in arms, MadScientist. MS untied a pouch from his belt and tossed it to the clerk. The coins clicked together when the marks hit the table.
"Yes," he told him, "make it so."
"MadScientist, you are now the leader of the new clan, Demon Guardians." As the clerk made the announcement he sent out the dispatch to the Queen for all in the land to know. SF and MS walked out of the halls with more pride then they have ever felt. Outside they clasped hands in a strong, warrior's hand shake. SF smiled as he asked MS. "Where to now?"
"Home. I already acquired us a lot of land to work on. Every clan needs a kingdom of their own. Now lets catch a coach to what should be the start of the greatest experience of our lives."
"Yes, my friend. Today begins the rise of what will be one of the greatest clans ever to come. This is the rise of the Demon Guardians!"
