"They're dead." Valrym had sat me down, I had made Rosettia in a fairly fast time and was inquiring after where my wayward companions had got off to, to find out that they had both been killed. Its a bit shocking, even for someone who deals in death all the time, who kills people for very minor things, finding out my friends (and someone who I was developing a bit of love for) were dead. It shocks me less now, but it still hurts when someone I knew personally and didn't want to kill (so not you Morley, though you continue to live as a matter of incovenience to me) dies.
They didn't even die honorably or heroically. Lorissia had her throat slit while she was sleeping (she's always been kind of a deep sleeper), Malcyr had his food poisoned and died at a healer unable to stop his insides from turning to mush. This was retribution for the bandits they had dealt with earlier (thank whatever dark god for it not being something I did). Malcyr's body was shipped off to Ronerawth to be dealt with in some weird military custom. Lorissia was originally buried in a poor persons pit, but I paid money to have her moved to outside her original Fire God Temple. I planted some strangle flowers on her grave and to this day make sure they are properly trimmed. I also have a small inscription of "Gone But Not Forgotten", and she hasn't been to this day.
After I took care of the burial stuff I kind of drifted away. I didn't exact my revenge on the bandits, there wasn't a point life would take care of them eventually. I didn't go on a crusade to stamp out evil, I just kind of withdrew. I spent my time initially seeking out Valrya's old store houses to try and find out if she found a way to bring back the dead (ok so I didn't handle losing both my friends very well) after that failed I just spent my time in a cave waiting to die I guess. I ate minimally because I didn't want to die of starvation, but the hurt was too much. I figured it was best to die alone, having not inflicted myself on others, I would leave my cave from time to time for simple errands, I went back to Duvein and helped people read and write letters still, though thankfully reading and writing had become more popular since I last visited so over time they needed me less and less (much like everyone else).
I grew a pretty long beard as well, it turned grey naturally and I didn't bother to shave it. Somewhere along the way I also lost my hair, I don't know if that was age/magic, or just because I shaved it so much it gave up. And so it was that a hundred years passed by and the world forgot Trezlan Lorentino (not that it really knew me to begin with). I'll go over the events that I missed next entry, I feel a bit drained writing about the death of my friends, I mean its been a long time since they died, but I'm still kind of hit by it, its like an old injury that just when you forget about it, the rains hit in just a way that the joints ache from the memory.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Alas Poor Lork I Knew It Well
Lork the former capitol of illicit gambling, drugs, and whatever else was a city under lock and key. An apparent uprising had started from Lork and been crushed shortly thereafter leaving the city under the direct control of The Red Hand (where as previously it was kind of independent of the Red Hand despite being in their territory). This surprised my companions, which told me someone in Zorn didn't bother to check and see if Lork would be the same city they were used to traveling to (can't really blame them honestly who would assume someone would use a gambling city to plan strikes on other parts of the world from!)
Unfortunately since there were no idiot gamblers looking for magical trinkets we were kind of out of luck offloading our wares to these people. Which cut into our profits, there was talk of going to Regor to try and sell them, but no one in Regor has any money, certainly not enough to afford magical trinkets at marked up prices. Defeated by government we found our way to one of the few inns left open (the rest were shut down pending investigations, these investigations I heard took years to actually come about).
We decided in the morning to set out for Rosettia hoping that someone there would be interested in the magical trinkets and other baubles or at the very least someone would point us in the right direction (there are other cities out there, but traveling to them with our wagons required paths and less dangers on the road, which eliminated a few of the options right away). And so it was that we set out for Rosettia without the money we were hoping for, and for me it was the last time I set foot in Lork or Zorn for going about a hundred years. Why is that? What could possibly happen that would make me do that? Tommorrow little journal, as always I'll tell you tommorrow.
Unfortunately since there were no idiot gamblers looking for magical trinkets we were kind of out of luck offloading our wares to these people. Which cut into our profits, there was talk of going to Regor to try and sell them, but no one in Regor has any money, certainly not enough to afford magical trinkets at marked up prices. Defeated by government we found our way to one of the few inns left open (the rest were shut down pending investigations, these investigations I heard took years to actually come about).
We decided in the morning to set out for Rosettia hoping that someone there would be interested in the magical trinkets and other baubles or at the very least someone would point us in the right direction (there are other cities out there, but traveling to them with our wagons required paths and less dangers on the road, which eliminated a few of the options right away). And so it was that we set out for Rosettia without the money we were hoping for, and for me it was the last time I set foot in Lork or Zorn for going about a hundred years. Why is that? What could possibly happen that would make me do that? Tommorrow little journal, as always I'll tell you tommorrow.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Insure This
"So you see we offer insurance on your wagon train, should you be attacked and lose your cargo we'll reimburse you for the money you lost!" The trade caravan hadn't even left Zorn when we were beset by a man with two bodyguards who claimed to be an insurance agent. Now I'd heard of insurance previous, usually some kind of scam protection money you pay a fellow like this who's planning on robbing you if you don't pay him. But normally in that case the man doesn't do it flat out in the open dressed in a business suit. I couldn't make out what the caravan leader said (the insurance guy shouted, the caravan leader tended to talk in hushed tones) I could kind of guess from the defeated look on suit man that he said no.
We didn't really talk over what happened, just moved on, it was early and the sun felt like it was right above our heads already. We made good time because the roads were mainly dust, in spite of the heat sapping away my desire to do anything (I prefer weather to be overcast and moderate, that way it effects me not at all, in either direction too much and I'm annoyed). I was just starting to get into good spirits when the smell of burning hit my nostrils, up ahead past a bend in the road there was a makeshift barricade on fire. Beside it were men with bang sticks (6 to be exact), apparently that insurance thing was a good idea. Duz moved forward bow already at the ready.
"There is a toll on this road, and you shall pay it or die!" I like those kind of options, they always sound so optiony.
"We will not stand down for some bandits, step aside we are protected by the Red Hand." Duz was either bluffing, thought I was a member of the Red Hand, or the caravan was keeping secrets from me.
"Then you'll..." The lead bandit of the six took an arrow through his throat, his companions went to fire their bang sticks but were dead before even a single shot could be fired. Duz smiled back at me, like sharing a secret with someone else (so I wasn't the only magical person on this particular journey). We cleared the burning barricade and buried the bandits in it. It wasn't very surprising to see that one of them had been with the man in the suit earlier, apparently bandits were now trying to extort in style instead of just idle threats on roads.
Kind of a sad thing really, insurance is a very real practice now and it even was back then, but like anything good for making money, its usually corrupted by jerks. Stupid jerks. We made Lork without future incident, though Lork itself was another story altogether. One I'll tell tomorrow!
We didn't really talk over what happened, just moved on, it was early and the sun felt like it was right above our heads already. We made good time because the roads were mainly dust, in spite of the heat sapping away my desire to do anything (I prefer weather to be overcast and moderate, that way it effects me not at all, in either direction too much and I'm annoyed). I was just starting to get into good spirits when the smell of burning hit my nostrils, up ahead past a bend in the road there was a makeshift barricade on fire. Beside it were men with bang sticks (6 to be exact), apparently that insurance thing was a good idea. Duz moved forward bow already at the ready.
"There is a toll on this road, and you shall pay it or die!" I like those kind of options, they always sound so optiony.
"We will not stand down for some bandits, step aside we are protected by the Red Hand." Duz was either bluffing, thought I was a member of the Red Hand, or the caravan was keeping secrets from me.
"Then you'll..." The lead bandit of the six took an arrow through his throat, his companions went to fire their bang sticks but were dead before even a single shot could be fired. Duz smiled back at me, like sharing a secret with someone else (so I wasn't the only magical person on this particular journey). We cleared the burning barricade and buried the bandits in it. It wasn't very surprising to see that one of them had been with the man in the suit earlier, apparently bandits were now trying to extort in style instead of just idle threats on roads.
Kind of a sad thing really, insurance is a very real practice now and it even was back then, but like anything good for making money, its usually corrupted by jerks. Stupid jerks. We made Lork without future incident, though Lork itself was another story altogether. One I'll tell tomorrow!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
In The Company of Morons
"You ask him." Short haired, looked about fifteen maybe sixteen at the most, male with a bashful looking expression. His skin was also way too white, like the sun was just something he heard about but never really saw.
"No you're the leader you ask him." Longer haired girl she looked to be the sort that got into fist fights because of her looks and desire to be one of the men, she looked like she had bigger muscles than the first boy. There were four of them total, all arguing about bother me while I ate some grainy mush that I'm sure was fine for keeping me fed, but tasted slimey, felt slimey, and generally wasn't super appetizing (as if the description of slimey made it sound super appetizing). Their arguing continued, with the two I hadn't described (one short and fat, the other tall and lean) offering their meek support to their prefered person (short fat backed the girl, tall lean backed the boy).
"Why don't one of you four idiots ask me something before I dump whats left of this dreary meal on your faces?" I had been eating outside, hoping the sunshine would brighten my mood, as you can see from what I said, it did not. The pale boy turned, looked a bit sheepish and extended his hand, I didn't shake it (strictly speaking as a magic person, you never ever shake someones bare hand with your bare hand, its inviting death).
"Sir we, my friends and I, that being have been selected on a matter of most important."
"Congratulations someone wants you to be their errand boy, welcome to the world I know." The pale boy looked a bit annoyed by my lack of respect for their task.
"Errand? Good sir we are tasked with stopping this world as you and we know it from being annihilated by a most foul sorcerer." I cocked one eyebrow and yawned.
"So when is the world set to be annihilated so that I can get my affairs in order?" As you can probably guess I'm not one for thinking they stood much of a chance.
"Sir my friends and I may not look it, but we have been chosen by an ancient master who..."
"Look kiddo if I wanted to hear the whole story I'd pay a bard to sing me a song, just skip to the point of why you are interrupting my day." I give people a bit of time to explain themselves, when they continue to talk about who they are, and not what they want, I get a bit agitated.
"We need someone of magical talent to be our mentor and guide!"
"No."
"No? Sir we need you to help us stop the world from crumbling."
"Yeah and you guys look like you have about a gold coin amongst you, I'll take my chances with whatever errand you have been assigned to be grossly overestimated, or in the off chance the world is in danger well I belive the phrase is ignorance is bliss." With that I got up and walked off, the group of children sat their stunned. I believe they had gone over every scenario in their head except the correct one (more proof they could not possibly save the world). Mainly it was the money, the caravan company may have been one hard dirty slog through well worn trails and with utter days of boredom, but they paid consistently! Adventuring is a fools game, where the only guarentee you have is that you'll come out poorer than you went in. Trust me on this one little journal!
"No you're the leader you ask him." Longer haired girl she looked to be the sort that got into fist fights because of her looks and desire to be one of the men, she looked like she had bigger muscles than the first boy. There were four of them total, all arguing about bother me while I ate some grainy mush that I'm sure was fine for keeping me fed, but tasted slimey, felt slimey, and generally wasn't super appetizing (as if the description of slimey made it sound super appetizing). Their arguing continued, with the two I hadn't described (one short and fat, the other tall and lean) offering their meek support to their prefered person (short fat backed the girl, tall lean backed the boy).
"Why don't one of you four idiots ask me something before I dump whats left of this dreary meal on your faces?" I had been eating outside, hoping the sunshine would brighten my mood, as you can see from what I said, it did not. The pale boy turned, looked a bit sheepish and extended his hand, I didn't shake it (strictly speaking as a magic person, you never ever shake someones bare hand with your bare hand, its inviting death).
"Sir we, my friends and I, that being have been selected on a matter of most important."
"Congratulations someone wants you to be their errand boy, welcome to the world I know." The pale boy looked a bit annoyed by my lack of respect for their task.
"Errand? Good sir we are tasked with stopping this world as you and we know it from being annihilated by a most foul sorcerer." I cocked one eyebrow and yawned.
"So when is the world set to be annihilated so that I can get my affairs in order?" As you can probably guess I'm not one for thinking they stood much of a chance.
"Sir my friends and I may not look it, but we have been chosen by an ancient master who..."
"Look kiddo if I wanted to hear the whole story I'd pay a bard to sing me a song, just skip to the point of why you are interrupting my day." I give people a bit of time to explain themselves, when they continue to talk about who they are, and not what they want, I get a bit agitated.
"We need someone of magical talent to be our mentor and guide!"
"No."
"No? Sir we need you to help us stop the world from crumbling."
"Yeah and you guys look like you have about a gold coin amongst you, I'll take my chances with whatever errand you have been assigned to be grossly overestimated, or in the off chance the world is in danger well I belive the phrase is ignorance is bliss." With that I got up and walked off, the group of children sat their stunned. I believe they had gone over every scenario in their head except the correct one (more proof they could not possibly save the world). Mainly it was the money, the caravan company may have been one hard dirty slog through well worn trails and with utter days of boredom, but they paid consistently! Adventuring is a fools game, where the only guarentee you have is that you'll come out poorer than you went in. Trust me on this one little journal!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Zorn Again
There was a squad of soldiers waiting for the caravan outside of Zorn. We were tired, covered in caked mud (the rain had stopped and blistering heat had begun so the mud went from being wet and sticking to us, to dried on evil). When I saw the outfit waiting there I tensed up, I gripped the hilt on my sword and made ready to have to murder some people.
"Halt you have a dangerous fugitive in your care." The lead soldier didn't look to be a judge of any kind, just some regular soldier of the red hand, which made me wonder if I was the guy they were looking for. We all stood still as they picked out one of the other guards made some choice words about his parents and clapped him in irons. I breathed a sigh of relief and we kept on our way to Zorn. Once in Zorn the caravan master paid out our wages (a pittance compared to what I felt I was worth) and told us to meet back up in a few days. I found the nearest inn that advertised having a bath and paid the exhorbitant (any price to me is exhorbitant) rate and got a bath and my clothes washed. Feeling clean once again I made my way to the merchants with what was left of my wages, it was while I was picking through what appeared to be a chain made out of melted metal insects that I was approached by a Judge of the Red Hand.
"Mr. Lorentino its nice to see you again." I tensed again no one ever says that they are happy to see me.
"Is this a social call?"
"Relax Necromancer, if I was here to take you in I wouldn't have said anything." He smiled, he was shorter than I was, had blonde hair and tanned skin.
"So I take it I'm no longer wanted for crimes?"
"Well we never really wanted you anyway, but no after your incident with the woman you claimed you didn't know at all we rooted out some corruption and things are better, I was actually coming to thank you."
"And so you have, now get lost." I'm not much of a conversationalist with someone who can clap me in irons and lock me away for years. The blonde haired judge smiled, did a little wave and disappeared back in the crowd. I negotiated some magical purchases of my own to sell in Lork and made my way to my inn room. If I was going to be stuck traveling in mud/heat/god knows what else I wanted to have a good night of rest or three behind me. A rarity for me if there ever was one!
"Halt you have a dangerous fugitive in your care." The lead soldier didn't look to be a judge of any kind, just some regular soldier of the red hand, which made me wonder if I was the guy they were looking for. We all stood still as they picked out one of the other guards made some choice words about his parents and clapped him in irons. I breathed a sigh of relief and we kept on our way to Zorn. Once in Zorn the caravan master paid out our wages (a pittance compared to what I felt I was worth) and told us to meet back up in a few days. I found the nearest inn that advertised having a bath and paid the exhorbitant (any price to me is exhorbitant) rate and got a bath and my clothes washed. Feeling clean once again I made my way to the merchants with what was left of my wages, it was while I was picking through what appeared to be a chain made out of melted metal insects that I was approached by a Judge of the Red Hand.
"Mr. Lorentino its nice to see you again." I tensed again no one ever says that they are happy to see me.
"Is this a social call?"
"Relax Necromancer, if I was here to take you in I wouldn't have said anything." He smiled, he was shorter than I was, had blonde hair and tanned skin.
"So I take it I'm no longer wanted for crimes?"
"Well we never really wanted you anyway, but no after your incident with the woman you claimed you didn't know at all we rooted out some corruption and things are better, I was actually coming to thank you."
"And so you have, now get lost." I'm not much of a conversationalist with someone who can clap me in irons and lock me away for years. The blonde haired judge smiled, did a little wave and disappeared back in the crowd. I negotiated some magical purchases of my own to sell in Lork and made my way to my inn room. If I was going to be stuck traveling in mud/heat/god knows what else I wanted to have a good night of rest or three behind me. A rarity for me if there ever was one!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Hog Wild
We were stopped in the middle of the muddy road, the lead guard/tracker of the group had his bow strung up (fun fact you normally don't keep your bow strung unless you're about to be in combat, it breaks the bow and string otherwise, I didn't know its not like Lorissia went over that fact with me or anything). It was raining and dark, so visibility was just about a couple feet from the road, but the tracker smelled something he didn't like and so we sat, the mud getting nastier every second we waited. I hate waiting as I've mentioned many times, so I crouched my way up to the guard, a man named Duz.
"What is it bandits?" It was my first guess, I mean what else could have us all crouching in ankle deep mud while rain soaked the rest.
"No, at least I don't think so, something smells off and I can't quite place it." I bit back my reply, we all smelled off, we'd been traveling for three days in the rain and the mud and probably half the valley could smell how terrible we were. I was about to go back to my position on the caravan when I saw something move to my right, what I was about to say got caught in my throat as the creature lunged from the shadows and attempted to impale me. If not for Duz being a strangely observant it might have got me, as it was I sidestepped and brought my sword through the hogs body cleanly, the force of its charge impaled itself on the blade, unfortunately it also took my sword with it as it crashed off to die feet behind me in the mud.
"HOGS!" Duz called out for the rest of the group and there looked to be five or six more of the bastards. I had no idea how you usually dealt with a bunch of murderous charging beasts, but I knew how I planned on doing it. I was in the middle of a rainstorm which hindered my powers a bit (damn water from the sky), but the hogs were large enough targets and it had been a while since I last used any fire so I was a little charged up as it were. I lashed out with a fire wave that scorched the crap out of our hog attackers, and the surrounding vegetation (thankfully the water quickly put out any small fires that sprung up).
"Who wants bacon?" I smirked and the rest of the caravan laughed a little bit, even Duz clapped me on the shoulder and told me good work. It was good feeling useful for a change instead of maligned for my tendency to make a bad situation worse (totally not my fault as always). Unfortunately we couldn't eat the hogs, something about a worm or disease they had, so we just had to deal with the smell as we continued on (damn things stunk even when burned up, you think they'd smell nice, you'd be wrong).
The merchants were in high spirits, we were making good time to Zorn, we hadn't really run into any problems and aside from the weather things were going pretty good. Of course that meant something horrible was waiting for us just outside of Zorn, but that is a tale for next time little journal, too much adventure and you start to get all clingy.
"What is it bandits?" It was my first guess, I mean what else could have us all crouching in ankle deep mud while rain soaked the rest.
"No, at least I don't think so, something smells off and I can't quite place it." I bit back my reply, we all smelled off, we'd been traveling for three days in the rain and the mud and probably half the valley could smell how terrible we were. I was about to go back to my position on the caravan when I saw something move to my right, what I was about to say got caught in my throat as the creature lunged from the shadows and attempted to impale me. If not for Duz being a strangely observant it might have got me, as it was I sidestepped and brought my sword through the hogs body cleanly, the force of its charge impaled itself on the blade, unfortunately it also took my sword with it as it crashed off to die feet behind me in the mud.
"HOGS!" Duz called out for the rest of the group and there looked to be five or six more of the bastards. I had no idea how you usually dealt with a bunch of murderous charging beasts, but I knew how I planned on doing it. I was in the middle of a rainstorm which hindered my powers a bit (damn water from the sky), but the hogs were large enough targets and it had been a while since I last used any fire so I was a little charged up as it were. I lashed out with a fire wave that scorched the crap out of our hog attackers, and the surrounding vegetation (thankfully the water quickly put out any small fires that sprung up).
"Who wants bacon?" I smirked and the rest of the caravan laughed a little bit, even Duz clapped me on the shoulder and told me good work. It was good feeling useful for a change instead of maligned for my tendency to make a bad situation worse (totally not my fault as always). Unfortunately we couldn't eat the hogs, something about a worm or disease they had, so we just had to deal with the smell as we continued on (damn things stunk even when burned up, you think they'd smell nice, you'd be wrong).
The merchants were in high spirits, we were making good time to Zorn, we hadn't really run into any problems and aside from the weather things were going pretty good. Of course that meant something horrible was waiting for us just outside of Zorn, but that is a tale for next time little journal, too much adventure and you start to get all clingy.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Wheels on The Caravan
Trade Caravans are like a long stinky group of people who get together to be long and stinky together. The one I'd signed on with was no exception. There were four pack animals towing four huge trailers, six merchants, and about ten hired hands/guards (of which I was one since I didn't really have what it took to be a merchant seeing as my money supply had taken a hit with the failure at Toebeck). I'd joined on with this group of dirty people because I felt like staying in Rosettia was counter to my goal of moving on with my life, and my feelings were kind of hurt by Malcyr and Lorissia not believing me (I have such fragile feelings). And that's how when a group was asking for anyone who had some experience with a sword to help them set out for Zorn I was all ears. Technically I don't have a lot of experience with a sword, I mean I use one, but I'm not exactly a master swordsman. But thankfully with a small demonstration of fire magic I got my spot.
I didn't tell anyone I was leaving, again my feelings were hurt and I wanted out. Also I wanted to actually see Zorn without being imprisoned there (dangerous I know with my history of being locked up). I should have known right away this was a bad decision. We all had to walk next to the wagons, which wasn't such a pain except that the rainy times had just hit and the roads were covered with mud, so in no time up to my knees were just a dirty brown. And the drudgery of it, my numbing how boring it is walking along side slow moving carts while the merchants chatted. At least I learned something from their never ending stream of babble (and not just that a lot of merchants never shut up).
Apparently we were trading spices in Zorn, where we were going to get magical artifacts of some kind to trade in Lork to idiots for straight coin and then back to Rosettia to buy more spices and start the whole thing over. It was a pretty solid plan, I had to give them that much, apparently thats how this particular trade company made a lot of money, though I also caught wind that they didn't normally hire this many guards and we were unique in that respect, which kind of got my hackles a little bit up, but I let it slide, because I thought whats the worst that could happen? Yeah never ever think that, because the worst always happens right after everytime.
And so it was that I joined another trade caravan, though this one had a lot better life expectency than the last one I was on. Mostly. And I'll write more about the first leg of our journey tomorrow, today I have to finish labeling some stuff in the shop so a certain nosey captain of the guard doesn't try and confiscate all of my supplies.
I didn't tell anyone I was leaving, again my feelings were hurt and I wanted out. Also I wanted to actually see Zorn without being imprisoned there (dangerous I know with my history of being locked up). I should have known right away this was a bad decision. We all had to walk next to the wagons, which wasn't such a pain except that the rainy times had just hit and the roads were covered with mud, so in no time up to my knees were just a dirty brown. And the drudgery of it, my numbing how boring it is walking along side slow moving carts while the merchants chatted. At least I learned something from their never ending stream of babble (and not just that a lot of merchants never shut up).
Apparently we were trading spices in Zorn, where we were going to get magical artifacts of some kind to trade in Lork to idiots for straight coin and then back to Rosettia to buy more spices and start the whole thing over. It was a pretty solid plan, I had to give them that much, apparently thats how this particular trade company made a lot of money, though I also caught wind that they didn't normally hire this many guards and we were unique in that respect, which kind of got my hackles a little bit up, but I let it slide, because I thought whats the worst that could happen? Yeah never ever think that, because the worst always happens right after everytime.
And so it was that I joined another trade caravan, though this one had a lot better life expectency than the last one I was on. Mostly. And I'll write more about the first leg of our journey tomorrow, today I have to finish labeling some stuff in the shop so a certain nosey captain of the guard doesn't try and confiscate all of my supplies.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
And I'm Back
"So then I got the ghosts to make me a raft before the fire engulfed the island and with some luck at sea I was able to be back in Regor within a week and I got on a trade caravan up here. Oh I also helped the ghosts resolve their issue that kept them rooted to this world so they got to move on, can't forget that." I was back at Val's bar, I had enthralled Malcyr and Lorissia with my tale of heroism, well they looked kind of bored, but you know I waited for them and they didn't return, the least they could do is listen to me talk for a bit!
"Trezlan you could just admit you got drunk and fell into a ditch for a couple weeks." Lorissia totally believing me.
"Yeah so we were a little bit overdue those bandits were entrenched, that's still no reason to get drunk and make up a story." Malcyr showing the same bit of respect I'd come to expect from my friends.
"Yeah sounds like a lot of bullshit to me." Valrym checking in with his opinion on the matter.
"Look screw you guys, go to Toebeck island yourselves you'll find the burned bits of what remains there." I tell you no matter how many crazy things I do, no one ever believes me. Malcyr and Lorissia wrote it off and Valrym snorted with a laugh and left me where I was. Malcyr and Lorissia left me there as well. So there I was the returning hero drinking alone in a dingy booth in Valrym's tavern. Its a pattern that has repeated itself many times let me tell you.
"Trezlan you could just admit you got drunk and fell into a ditch for a couple weeks." Lorissia totally believing me.
"Yeah so we were a little bit overdue those bandits were entrenched, that's still no reason to get drunk and make up a story." Malcyr showing the same bit of respect I'd come to expect from my friends.
"Yeah sounds like a lot of bullshit to me." Valrym checking in with his opinion on the matter.
"Look screw you guys, go to Toebeck island yourselves you'll find the burned bits of what remains there." I tell you no matter how many crazy things I do, no one ever believes me. Malcyr and Lorissia wrote it off and Valrym snorted with a laugh and left me where I was. Malcyr and Lorissia left me there as well. So there I was the returning hero drinking alone in a dingy booth in Valrym's tavern. Its a pattern that has repeated itself many times let me tell you.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Epic Showdown on Toebeck Island
I had a crazy plan (so about normal for my plans), what remained of my ghost army spread out from the cave and rushed the village (that wasn't the whole plan before you start judging!) I had enchanted them with fire (in so much in that I set them on fire and because they are undead ghosts they just kind kept living). My hope was that their spectral essence combined with my fire would slip by whatever enchantment the spider queen evil thing had done to stop my magic.
I was walking behind the initial assault (because ultimately someone was going to have to see if this plan failed, and it might as well have been me). From a distance I could see the village had changed in the time I was out, huge spider webs were out in the open, and apparently spider creatures of all sorts were on them (I couldn't make out exact details, but it appeared that the man spider I had seen earlier was one of the prettier ones). As my burning ghost army approached the spider webs I was a bit worried they'd just get picked off without standing a chance, but fate or whatever luck I have was with me. As the burning ghosts hit the webs I could see the fire leap up and spread, and because of how the spider webs were layed out in the village it quickly turned the whole thing into an inferno. I lost sight of how my ghost army faired as the village lit up. I was trying to get closer when my father showed up holding my sword.
"You've ruined everything, just like you did when you were a child." I feel that was a bit harsh, I mean I was hardly around as a child.
"What can I say father ruining things is what I do best." Its the truth, you want something preserved send someone else. He came at me with my own sword, I bet he felt it was irony, or some kind of well deserved end. He was not a very good swordsman, and with a quick kick to his groin I disarmed and beheaded my father, as his head went flying I creatures came scurrying out of the neck hole in an image that still kind of haunts me.
Back in the village I heard a roar and the spider queen emerged from somewhere, the fires were now spreading from beyond the village to the few trees that were nearby. The queen was burning, covered in ghosts who were litterally ripping her apart and yet she kept coming. I made myself ready with my newly aquired sword, but it was really for nothing, the beast barely made it out of the village before it collapsed and was ripped apart (for what purpose I have no idea, but ghosts on fire have their own minds for these things).
The sun was just starting to get to the high point for the day as the fires raged and the smoke blacked out most of the island (thankfully the wind was blowing away from where I was so I didn't immediately have to take shelter). It would be hours later before I saw the ghosts again, their numbers once again reduced. But for then I savored the victory over my father and his spider wife/creature/thing. I still was kind of stuck on toebeck, but I had a plan for that as well, there was always a plan, even when there wasn't.
I was walking behind the initial assault (because ultimately someone was going to have to see if this plan failed, and it might as well have been me). From a distance I could see the village had changed in the time I was out, huge spider webs were out in the open, and apparently spider creatures of all sorts were on them (I couldn't make out exact details, but it appeared that the man spider I had seen earlier was one of the prettier ones). As my burning ghost army approached the spider webs I was a bit worried they'd just get picked off without standing a chance, but fate or whatever luck I have was with me. As the burning ghosts hit the webs I could see the fire leap up and spread, and because of how the spider webs were layed out in the village it quickly turned the whole thing into an inferno. I lost sight of how my ghost army faired as the village lit up. I was trying to get closer when my father showed up holding my sword.
"You've ruined everything, just like you did when you were a child." I feel that was a bit harsh, I mean I was hardly around as a child.
"What can I say father ruining things is what I do best." Its the truth, you want something preserved send someone else. He came at me with my own sword, I bet he felt it was irony, or some kind of well deserved end. He was not a very good swordsman, and with a quick kick to his groin I disarmed and beheaded my father, as his head went flying I creatures came scurrying out of the neck hole in an image that still kind of haunts me.
Back in the village I heard a roar and the spider queen emerged from somewhere, the fires were now spreading from beyond the village to the few trees that were nearby. The queen was burning, covered in ghosts who were litterally ripping her apart and yet she kept coming. I made myself ready with my newly aquired sword, but it was really for nothing, the beast barely made it out of the village before it collapsed and was ripped apart (for what purpose I have no idea, but ghosts on fire have their own minds for these things).
The sun was just starting to get to the high point for the day as the fires raged and the smoke blacked out most of the island (thankfully the wind was blowing away from where I was so I didn't immediately have to take shelter). It would be hours later before I saw the ghosts again, their numbers once again reduced. But for then I savored the victory over my father and his spider wife/creature/thing. I still was kind of stuck on toebeck, but I had a plan for that as well, there was always a plan, even when there wasn't.
Monday, July 18, 2011
So What's The Good News?
I was confused why when I emerged from my necromancy that I was not caught in a spider web or being drained from a bunch of little uglies (to be honest I always kind of wonder that to be sure, I mean I'm kind of wanted dead by... everyone). I did have a pain in my stomach like a knife slowing dragging itself along my insides. My mind told me it was because of the poison I'd ingested (Rondo had intended on killing me with poison while I was sailing his ship off the island, that way I'd never have an ability to warn people about the hold). Despite the necromancy the poison was magical, and slow acting, so it hadn't started hitting me till after I'd killed Rondo. Only his essence probably kept me from dying there in that cave, though with the utter pain I was in, that wasn't much of a "win".
The cave felt too small, my head and insides too big. I crawled along to the spring in the cave and drank like I hadn't drank in two days (so exactly how long it had been). With the water in my stomach I immediately began throwing up, at first it was dry, and then it was a green ichor looking like fluid, with each retch I felt better temporarily (such is the nature of throwing up). This went on for a couple hours from the amount of vomit I accrued. Eventually I finished everything I'd ever eaten in the history of time. I took a sip from the water again and rested hoping not to throw it back up. It was while I was resting I came face to face with the horde of ghosts that had made their way into the caves.
"Crap." I was weakened from throwing up the poison, from spending days without eating, and from the stupid bits of necromancy, so I wasn't exactly in fighting shape.
"Master?" The ghost called out in that over dead tone ghosts tend to use.
"Uhh of course." When in doubt always play along with the dead. Especially if they think you are their master.
"We have been waiting for you Master, are you well?" He had no jaw, yet he could speak, it was odd to say the least.
"Oh you know things are going as I expect."
"The Spiders turned on us sir." I made my feet, and saw they were all around in the cave, ghosts thankfully don't take up much space.
"Why would they do that?"
"You look taller sir, are you feeling better?" They thought I was Rondo, it was odd to say the least.
"Yeah feeling great actually, so what are we doing?"
"That's what we came to you for sir, they've destroyed over half our force."
"Well thats not very good news." I was looking around, half of them were villagers, the other half looked like pirates.
"And what will we do sir?"
"Attack, my servants. No one crosses me and lives." It was true, no one ever crosses me and lives, though sometimes its accidental more so than on purpose. But I had a record I had to keep up to, and an army willing to fight for me, even if they weren't really alive or dead (which made them perfect if only confusing for fighting status). Things were better than when I woke up, though throwing up a poison that almost killed me makes that a pretty low bar. Now I just had to figure out a way to kill the damn spiders without using my magic, or at least help my ghost army before the spiders destroyed them like so much used up ghosts (ok I didn't have a metaphor that fit there), but the war was on. Toebeck Island was about to have its first recorded conflict ever, well even after everyone was dead. So I guess its not really, never mind ok just lets go with this.
The cave felt too small, my head and insides too big. I crawled along to the spring in the cave and drank like I hadn't drank in two days (so exactly how long it had been). With the water in my stomach I immediately began throwing up, at first it was dry, and then it was a green ichor looking like fluid, with each retch I felt better temporarily (such is the nature of throwing up). This went on for a couple hours from the amount of vomit I accrued. Eventually I finished everything I'd ever eaten in the history of time. I took a sip from the water again and rested hoping not to throw it back up. It was while I was resting I came face to face with the horde of ghosts that had made their way into the caves.
"Crap." I was weakened from throwing up the poison, from spending days without eating, and from the stupid bits of necromancy, so I wasn't exactly in fighting shape.
"Master?" The ghost called out in that over dead tone ghosts tend to use.
"Uhh of course." When in doubt always play along with the dead. Especially if they think you are their master.
"We have been waiting for you Master, are you well?" He had no jaw, yet he could speak, it was odd to say the least.
"Oh you know things are going as I expect."
"The Spiders turned on us sir." I made my feet, and saw they were all around in the cave, ghosts thankfully don't take up much space.
"Why would they do that?"
"You look taller sir, are you feeling better?" They thought I was Rondo, it was odd to say the least.
"Yeah feeling great actually, so what are we doing?"
"That's what we came to you for sir, they've destroyed over half our force."
"Well thats not very good news." I was looking around, half of them were villagers, the other half looked like pirates.
"And what will we do sir?"
"Attack, my servants. No one crosses me and lives." It was true, no one ever crosses me and lives, though sometimes its accidental more so than on purpose. But I had a record I had to keep up to, and an army willing to fight for me, even if they weren't really alive or dead (which made them perfect if only confusing for fighting status). Things were better than when I woke up, though throwing up a poison that almost killed me makes that a pretty low bar. Now I just had to figure out a way to kill the damn spiders without using my magic, or at least help my ghost army before the spiders destroyed them like so much used up ghosts (ok I didn't have a metaphor that fit there), but the war was on. Toebeck Island was about to have its first recorded conflict ever, well even after everyone was dead. So I guess its not really, never mind ok just lets go with this.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Pain, My One True Friend
As I mentioned yesterday an angry sould rip is dangerous. An angry soul rip while you are hurt? Even worse, and to top it off an angry soul rip of another magic user with the rest of that stuff going on? Major problems. When I passed out it was partly from the pain, and partly from the flood of bad emotions and dark energy. I felt the energy washing over me like mud, the memories of Rondo were dark, chaotic and full of venom (not the actual venom kind, more like the kind I constantly give other people). Because of my hurt I wasn't able to make sense of what I was seeing. I could vaguely see Rondo discovering the spider egg, and then he was hit with something that corrupted him and turned him into what I found.
Now that I think of it, it was very strange I didn't get anymore of Rondos memories, even now his memories aren't really a part of me. Its kind of a blessing and kind of a loss, I would have really liked to have known how the egg transfered magical ability, but on the hand I probably don't want to know what exactly happened inside Rondo's mind. I do know I was out of it for a couple days and when I came to, well things got a lot more weird (as if that was possible).
Real Authors Note: I just got out of surgery yesterday and thats what accounts for a smaller entry. I promise on Monday normal entries will resume. Surgery was successful and I'm perfectly fine, so no worry about the blog stopping.
Now that I think of it, it was very strange I didn't get anymore of Rondos memories, even now his memories aren't really a part of me. Its kind of a blessing and kind of a loss, I would have really liked to have known how the egg transfered magical ability, but on the hand I probably don't want to know what exactly happened inside Rondo's mind. I do know I was out of it for a couple days and when I came to, well things got a lot more weird (as if that was possible).
Real Authors Note: I just got out of surgery yesterday and thats what accounts for a smaller entry. I promise on Monday normal entries will resume. Surgery was successful and I'm perfectly fine, so no worry about the blog stopping.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Grand Betrayal
Needing someone to provide a better plan than burn everything I see (which while it would have caused a lot of smoke and fire it wouldn't have done anything except make it impossible to actually be on Toebeck island) I sought out Rondo again (this was also because I wanted to hide out for a bit you know let my act of destruction blow over). The cave felt off when I entered it, I couldn't exactly place what was wrong, but I worried the spider people had found Rondo and set up a trap, well I was half right.
"You blew up the ship." Rondo was behind me causing me to do a double take. I mean I know I'm not the smartest guy but I can normally recall when someone is in one place over another. And there wasn't like an extra entrance I missed.
"Yeah it was filled with eggs! Also I can't really pilot a ship..." I was cut off mid sentence, a force that felt like getting hit with a sledgehammer drove me forward and into the cave wall behind me.
"You damn fool, I gave you a simple instruction to leave the island, I had that ship rigged up and everything and you BLEW IT UP!" I could see Rondo was glowing, this was entirely unexpected by me. Damn shorty magic users, its like giving magic to a rat, completely wasted opportunity. He smashed me against the wall again, I felt blood spill over my eyes from a headwound, woozyness started to set in.
"My my Rondo what a little bastard you turned out to be." I was tossed from my current wall to the other one, I felt my right leg get trapped and snap in an unhealthy way (as if theres a healthy way to break a limb).
"It was a simple plan Trezlan, no one else left here could negotiate the reefs, not the ghosts, not your damn idiot of a father, not any of the spider people, you were the only one who could get that damn boat moving, and you failed me. You are now useless to me, I won't even let you become an incubator, your corpse will just feed my minions!" I could feel him winding up to deliver a knock out blow (or a crushing finale or whatever) I decided I'd try a kind of go for broke move.
"If you kill me you'll never get off this island, I can show you the way." I could feel the bones in my leg twisting as he snatched me up in his magical fist and drug me roughly across the cave (which felt great). He held me close to his face, I could smell the stink of death and decay on him, I wondered how I missed it before, probably because I just mistook it for my own body odor (hey you go a couple days in this heat without showering, you smell awful too).
"Tell me everything." His deep voice was gone, now there was some kind of weird death rattle behind it (like wind rustling over leaves). I snatched him by the jaw with my right arm and started to drain his miserable soul immediately. There is nothing more dangerous than an angry hurt necromancer (well ok there are several things, but hey we are up there damn it!) normally necromancy can be done kind of painlessly, I've killed people who didn't even know they were dead until they collapsed. This was not one of those moments, I violently ripped Rondo's soul from his little body. As the power swapped places we trade positions, my right leg snapped back into position and I went from being held in the air to Rondo being held up by me. His eyes grew lifeless and body thinner and thinner, by the time I was finished he was nothing but a skeleton with sallow skin. I cast his corpse aside like so much used up garbage and was immediately hit with his memories.
Thats the dangerous side of being a vindicitive life thief, you aren't prepared for the feedback as it were. As I slumped to the floor into unconciousness, I wondered for a moment if the spider people would eat me or welcome me as their new master.
"You blew up the ship." Rondo was behind me causing me to do a double take. I mean I know I'm not the smartest guy but I can normally recall when someone is in one place over another. And there wasn't like an extra entrance I missed.
"Yeah it was filled with eggs! Also I can't really pilot a ship..." I was cut off mid sentence, a force that felt like getting hit with a sledgehammer drove me forward and into the cave wall behind me.
"You damn fool, I gave you a simple instruction to leave the island, I had that ship rigged up and everything and you BLEW IT UP!" I could see Rondo was glowing, this was entirely unexpected by me. Damn shorty magic users, its like giving magic to a rat, completely wasted opportunity. He smashed me against the wall again, I felt blood spill over my eyes from a headwound, woozyness started to set in.
"My my Rondo what a little bastard you turned out to be." I was tossed from my current wall to the other one, I felt my right leg get trapped and snap in an unhealthy way (as if theres a healthy way to break a limb).
"It was a simple plan Trezlan, no one else left here could negotiate the reefs, not the ghosts, not your damn idiot of a father, not any of the spider people, you were the only one who could get that damn boat moving, and you failed me. You are now useless to me, I won't even let you become an incubator, your corpse will just feed my minions!" I could feel him winding up to deliver a knock out blow (or a crushing finale or whatever) I decided I'd try a kind of go for broke move.
"If you kill me you'll never get off this island, I can show you the way." I could feel the bones in my leg twisting as he snatched me up in his magical fist and drug me roughly across the cave (which felt great). He held me close to his face, I could smell the stink of death and decay on him, I wondered how I missed it before, probably because I just mistook it for my own body odor (hey you go a couple days in this heat without showering, you smell awful too).
"Tell me everything." His deep voice was gone, now there was some kind of weird death rattle behind it (like wind rustling over leaves). I snatched him by the jaw with my right arm and started to drain his miserable soul immediately. There is nothing more dangerous than an angry hurt necromancer (well ok there are several things, but hey we are up there damn it!) normally necromancy can be done kind of painlessly, I've killed people who didn't even know they were dead until they collapsed. This was not one of those moments, I violently ripped Rondo's soul from his little body. As the power swapped places we trade positions, my right leg snapped back into position and I went from being held in the air to Rondo being held up by me. His eyes grew lifeless and body thinner and thinner, by the time I was finished he was nothing but a skeleton with sallow skin. I cast his corpse aside like so much used up garbage and was immediately hit with his memories.
Thats the dangerous side of being a vindicitive life thief, you aren't prepared for the feedback as it were. As I slumped to the floor into unconciousness, I wondered for a moment if the spider people would eat me or welcome me as their new master.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Things that go Boom
I left Rondo's cave hideout before he woke up. I didn't want him to get murdered for what I planned on doing (despite not liking the guy its not exactly his fault I was going to do something risky). With food, water, and some sleep in me I felt a lot better, and with feeling better came the stupidity that entails. My first problem was the ship sitting in port. While true it was the only way off the island currently (outside of building some crappy raft and just hoping for the best), it was also preventing any other ship from arriving and its not like I could get the rigging to get it out of port anyway (I'm a terrible sailor, even today I spend anytime on the ocean below decks trying not to throw up). My only hope was that the ship had the black powder they were using to fire those big cannons out in the open (black powder weaponrys adoption has been a boon for fire magic users, though to be honest this also lead to us being targeted first by any one with half a brain ever).
I was surprised no one was waiting for me outside the cave. Rondo had chosen to hide out on the far side of the island. It was kind of secluded but I swore I remembered my father mentioning how at one time it had been a den of thieves, so he clearly knew about it, but for some reason decided to give Rondo a pass. I could only assume that my father just didn't care about the shorty and was content with letting him live his life out in that cave, the final survivor of his madness. It was still dark out and I made good time through the somewhat dense foliage. I noticed no small animals as I went, so they were either all in hiding or they'd been eaten (which I guess begs the question how long were they actually going to remain on the island). Once in the village proper, I managed to get to the ship with no issue whatsoever (didn't even see a ghost). On board I could see that things had gone poorly for the pirates/privateers that had dared bring that weird object to my father. Blood was splattered everywhere, pieces of bodies still laid on the deck from when they had been hacked off. I made my way below decks and found the cannons and their powder, which had coveniently been left out for me (how nice of them).
I went one deck lower to see if there was anything else explosive and had to catch a scream in my throat. Eggs, untold numbers of them were down below. I surmised that clearly they were intending on leaving sometime soon (perhaps my little roast had got them moving). It just made me all the more strong in my belief the ship had to explode. I got a barrel of the blackpowder and started to leave a trail of powder back out of the ship (because I'm crazy I'm not going to explode black powder while I'm standing right next to it, and just setting a fire on the ship might not actually destroy it before the spider people got there). I was just about to the gangplank when I bumped into the spiderman creature from before. I dropped the barrel and spun around with fire in my hands, I tried to toss a couple bursts of flame, but they just passed harmlessly over the creature. It grabbed me by the throat and hurled me down the gangplank. I landed with a crash.
"Foolish Trezlan, your magic can not harm me." He stood at the top of the gangplank, I could see the barrel of blackpowder I'd been pouring right next to his feet, I didn't have time for a witty retort (like "Yeah but I'm taller") I just ignited the barrel and sent the spider person into the next world screaming. The explosion blew through the top part of the ship and so my trail of black powder was for nothing as that ignited the below decks and exploded the ship in a wave of fire, wood, and fried eggs (the smell alone will haunt me for years).
I made sure to run back into the jungle before the rest of the creatures/ghosts could find me. I'd struck my first blow against my father, and had to plot out my next move. I was kind of kicking myself afterward for not stealing more black powder, especially after the spider creature had some kind of immunity to my fire (thats the problem with magic unlike say actual black powder or bullets, someone strong enough can dissipate your spells). I had to plot out my next move carefully, and not just haphazardly like blowing up a ship with some fire and hoping for the best. Obviously this meant I had to find someone else to make my plans.
I was surprised no one was waiting for me outside the cave. Rondo had chosen to hide out on the far side of the island. It was kind of secluded but I swore I remembered my father mentioning how at one time it had been a den of thieves, so he clearly knew about it, but for some reason decided to give Rondo a pass. I could only assume that my father just didn't care about the shorty and was content with letting him live his life out in that cave, the final survivor of his madness. It was still dark out and I made good time through the somewhat dense foliage. I noticed no small animals as I went, so they were either all in hiding or they'd been eaten (which I guess begs the question how long were they actually going to remain on the island). Once in the village proper, I managed to get to the ship with no issue whatsoever (didn't even see a ghost). On board I could see that things had gone poorly for the pirates/privateers that had dared bring that weird object to my father. Blood was splattered everywhere, pieces of bodies still laid on the deck from when they had been hacked off. I made my way below decks and found the cannons and their powder, which had coveniently been left out for me (how nice of them).
I went one deck lower to see if there was anything else explosive and had to catch a scream in my throat. Eggs, untold numbers of them were down below. I surmised that clearly they were intending on leaving sometime soon (perhaps my little roast had got them moving). It just made me all the more strong in my belief the ship had to explode. I got a barrel of the blackpowder and started to leave a trail of powder back out of the ship (because I'm crazy I'm not going to explode black powder while I'm standing right next to it, and just setting a fire on the ship might not actually destroy it before the spider people got there). I was just about to the gangplank when I bumped into the spiderman creature from before. I dropped the barrel and spun around with fire in my hands, I tried to toss a couple bursts of flame, but they just passed harmlessly over the creature. It grabbed me by the throat and hurled me down the gangplank. I landed with a crash.
"Foolish Trezlan, your magic can not harm me." He stood at the top of the gangplank, I could see the barrel of blackpowder I'd been pouring right next to his feet, I didn't have time for a witty retort (like "Yeah but I'm taller") I just ignited the barrel and sent the spider person into the next world screaming. The explosion blew through the top part of the ship and so my trail of black powder was for nothing as that ignited the below decks and exploded the ship in a wave of fire, wood, and fried eggs (the smell alone will haunt me for years).
I made sure to run back into the jungle before the rest of the creatures/ghosts could find me. I'd struck my first blow against my father, and had to plot out my next move. I was kind of kicking myself afterward for not stealing more black powder, especially after the spider creature had some kind of immunity to my fire (thats the problem with magic unlike say actual black powder or bullets, someone strong enough can dissipate your spells). I had to plot out my next move carefully, and not just haphazardly like blowing up a ship with some fire and hoping for the best. Obviously this meant I had to find someone else to make my plans.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Toebeck Island Revolutionary
*Smack* I felt the slap, the sound of flesh on flesh resonated in my ears. I woke up things were spinning a little bit, I was in a cave, I could hear water dripping in the background and it echoed, which at least spoke to being someone deep. I opened my eyes and saw a very haggard looking Rondo and no one else. He appeared to have been living in the cave with a small assortment of food and clothing nearby.
"The son returns I see." Rondo had a weird deeper voice than his short body would really seem to indicate. He also had a very large knife that he was prepared to use.
"Rondo nice to see you still have your bedside manner, did you really have to drag me all the way down here, I can feel bruises in places I'd rather not have bruises in." I really could, if you've never been dragged a long distance you find injuries months later that really just perplex you.
"Well I could have left you up there to become captured and impregnated by the queen spider I'm sure that would have worked out well for you." Rondo showing that respect that he and I had cultivated from when I was a small boy.
"Point taken, so its just you then?" It was obviously just him, but you know he could have had secret stealth warriors hiding ready to take over the island in bloody revolution. Ok not really, but a man can dream.
"Just me, everyone else is either food, was food, or will become food."
"What the hell happened here?" It was the obvious question, I mean I had theories, but you never know I could be completely wrong (which never happens ever).
"Your father traded for what he thought was a precious jewel, turned out to be an egg, egg spawned that monster that is probably still in the basement of your former house, everyone was killed or enslaved to make more of those monsters." He rattled it off in a dead tone, I guess losing everyone you knew kind of damages you. Well other people I've lost every friend I've ever had and I'm still mostly ok, mostly.
"And the ghosts?"
"Some kind of sorcery, the spider creature isn't just a spider, I've seen it conjure spells and enslave the dead amongst other things."
"Whats the plan?"
"I'd suggest you leave, but the only boat still on the island is the former ship of the people who traded the gem, they were amongst the first to be murdered, occasionally I hear its guns going off so I know others have joined them in the mean time."
"And you? What will you do?"
"Die eventually I'm sure, look Trezlan I didn't really get along with you as a kid and I frankly don't care, you should never have come back here and you should find a way out of here, there's nothing you can do." It was kind of depressing how Rondo had given up. He fixed me some small food items which I devoured like I hadn't eaten for days,(which I obviously hadn't). I also got some water and slept. I didn't exactly know what I would do, Rondo wasn't giving me a lot of help and his demeanor was not a positive one. It was kind of sad he was the final fighter on the island and had no desire to fight, it just meant I'd have to deal with my father myself, somehow. It had nothing to do with not wanting to leave, I just knew I stood no chance of getting out of there with him alive, also I kind of hated what he had let happen and just hated him in general. And like the saying goes, "Hate makes you capable of murdering your entire family." I'll admit its not a very good saying.
"The son returns I see." Rondo had a weird deeper voice than his short body would really seem to indicate. He also had a very large knife that he was prepared to use.
"Rondo nice to see you still have your bedside manner, did you really have to drag me all the way down here, I can feel bruises in places I'd rather not have bruises in." I really could, if you've never been dragged a long distance you find injuries months later that really just perplex you.
"Well I could have left you up there to become captured and impregnated by the queen spider I'm sure that would have worked out well for you." Rondo showing that respect that he and I had cultivated from when I was a small boy.
"Point taken, so its just you then?" It was obviously just him, but you know he could have had secret stealth warriors hiding ready to take over the island in bloody revolution. Ok not really, but a man can dream.
"Just me, everyone else is either food, was food, or will become food."
"What the hell happened here?" It was the obvious question, I mean I had theories, but you never know I could be completely wrong (which never happens ever).
"Your father traded for what he thought was a precious jewel, turned out to be an egg, egg spawned that monster that is probably still in the basement of your former house, everyone was killed or enslaved to make more of those monsters." He rattled it off in a dead tone, I guess losing everyone you knew kind of damages you. Well other people I've lost every friend I've ever had and I'm still mostly ok, mostly.
"And the ghosts?"
"Some kind of sorcery, the spider creature isn't just a spider, I've seen it conjure spells and enslave the dead amongst other things."
"Whats the plan?"
"I'd suggest you leave, but the only boat still on the island is the former ship of the people who traded the gem, they were amongst the first to be murdered, occasionally I hear its guns going off so I know others have joined them in the mean time."
"And you? What will you do?"
"Die eventually I'm sure, look Trezlan I didn't really get along with you as a kid and I frankly don't care, you should never have come back here and you should find a way out of here, there's nothing you can do." It was kind of depressing how Rondo had given up. He fixed me some small food items which I devoured like I hadn't eaten for days,(which I obviously hadn't). I also got some water and slept. I didn't exactly know what I would do, Rondo wasn't giving me a lot of help and his demeanor was not a positive one. It was kind of sad he was the final fighter on the island and had no desire to fight, it just meant I'd have to deal with my father myself, somehow. It had nothing to do with not wanting to leave, I just knew I stood no chance of getting out of there with him alive, also I kind of hated what he had let happen and just hated him in general. And like the saying goes, "Hate makes you capable of murdering your entire family." I'll admit its not a very good saying.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Resisting Urge to Vomit
I'll admit at first I thought I was going crazy from the heat. You start to see things when you're too hot, under thirsted, usually the things you want, food water, shade. So it was a bit weird to see a walking man spider (head of a man, middle legs spiderish, human legs, all freaky), it was neither water nor food, but I couldn't rule out my brain had finally had enough and had just given up. The man spider approached, gave me a look over with its creepy spider arms/legs (I really don't know which they were supposed to be) and then spoke.
"Still with us Lorentino?" Normal voice, mouth appeared human, so it was just the arms jutting out of it, I thought for a moment that maybe I was hallucinating the arms.
"For the time being freakshow, though its hot, I'm hungry and thirsty probably not going to last much longer." Wasn't much of a life, though I'm sure I could have asked nicer than freakshow.
"Don't worry soon enough you'll be full forever." I'll admit I haven't heard a creepier threat/promise of food ever. Ghosts appeared almost out of nowhere and undid my bindings, I felt a sense of heft as they lifted me up at the spiderpersons direction. I was drug toward my fathers house, which appeared to have more spiderwebs on it than just from misuse. Once inside I saw more webs and even cocoons of some villagers, their abdomens looked ripped out (at this point despite being hungry and delerious I was terrified). I was taken beyond the main hall into the basement (never ever go into a basement, they are a terrible place full of awful). Inside the basement I saw my father snuggling up with a huge freaking spider. I moved beyond terrified straight into if I had anything in my bowels I would have left it right where I stood, there were other people nearby, I saw them as the survivors of the boat wreck (thankfully none of the adventurers had apparently made it to this gruesome place) they all had swollen bellies, the huge spider creature had some kind of stinger/impregnator on the end of its abdomen so it where the swollen stomachs and burst abdomens from before became bloody obvious.
"Son!" My father called out to me, I wanted no part and I'd seen enough, with a burst of fire my ghostly captors were deatlt with (I had been positioned perfectly for this, with my arms draped over the "shoulders" of the ghosts I was able to direct fire right into their faces). The spider person leading me sprang up, all his arms extending out in a display of I dunno rage? I was weakened, a prolonged fight with spider people would not be a good thing for me as a person (more likely to get corrupted from power usage when you don't have much physical strength). I decided flight better than fight and shot fire upwards, the fire ignited the floor boards of the house and presented a more concentrated threat to the spider queen/female whatever more than I currently was. Both my father and the spider person sought to deal with that threat and it allowed me to get out of the house as fast I could.
I ran until my legs didn't feel like running, I knew the island and pathways pretty well from when I was a child and fleeing bullies, even with that I was tired, hungry, and probably dying from thirst. I didn't hear anything pursuing me, and so I let my pace slack for just a bit. In doing this I got knocked right out. I didn't even see the blow, just one minute I was standing, the next knocked out (in a way it was pleasant I mean I at least got some rest). And that's where I'll leave off, till tommorrow my little journal, again you need not worry clearly I survived how else would I write this?
"Still with us Lorentino?" Normal voice, mouth appeared human, so it was just the arms jutting out of it, I thought for a moment that maybe I was hallucinating the arms.
"For the time being freakshow, though its hot, I'm hungry and thirsty probably not going to last much longer." Wasn't much of a life, though I'm sure I could have asked nicer than freakshow.
"Don't worry soon enough you'll be full forever." I'll admit I haven't heard a creepier threat/promise of food ever. Ghosts appeared almost out of nowhere and undid my bindings, I felt a sense of heft as they lifted me up at the spiderpersons direction. I was drug toward my fathers house, which appeared to have more spiderwebs on it than just from misuse. Once inside I saw more webs and even cocoons of some villagers, their abdomens looked ripped out (at this point despite being hungry and delerious I was terrified). I was taken beyond the main hall into the basement (never ever go into a basement, they are a terrible place full of awful). Inside the basement I saw my father snuggling up with a huge freaking spider. I moved beyond terrified straight into if I had anything in my bowels I would have left it right where I stood, there were other people nearby, I saw them as the survivors of the boat wreck (thankfully none of the adventurers had apparently made it to this gruesome place) they all had swollen bellies, the huge spider creature had some kind of stinger/impregnator on the end of its abdomen so it where the swollen stomachs and burst abdomens from before became bloody obvious.
"Son!" My father called out to me, I wanted no part and I'd seen enough, with a burst of fire my ghostly captors were deatlt with (I had been positioned perfectly for this, with my arms draped over the "shoulders" of the ghosts I was able to direct fire right into their faces). The spider person leading me sprang up, all his arms extending out in a display of I dunno rage? I was weakened, a prolonged fight with spider people would not be a good thing for me as a person (more likely to get corrupted from power usage when you don't have much physical strength). I decided flight better than fight and shot fire upwards, the fire ignited the floor boards of the house and presented a more concentrated threat to the spider queen/female whatever more than I currently was. Both my father and the spider person sought to deal with that threat and it allowed me to get out of the house as fast I could.
I ran until my legs didn't feel like running, I knew the island and pathways pretty well from when I was a child and fleeing bullies, even with that I was tired, hungry, and probably dying from thirst. I didn't hear anything pursuing me, and so I let my pace slack for just a bit. In doing this I got knocked right out. I didn't even see the blow, just one minute I was standing, the next knocked out (in a way it was pleasant I mean I at least got some rest). And that's where I'll leave off, till tommorrow my little journal, again you need not worry clearly I survived how else would I write this?
Friday, July 8, 2011
Stakem and Bakem
The problem with using capture as an information gathering technique is you have to deal with being captured. Most people don't treat captives politely (nor do monsters, ghosts, just about anything that captures), in this case it meant I spent a few days tied to a stake near the beach in extreme heat (damn island climate). I tried to observe my surrounding as best I could, but after a day of roasting my observation abilities boiled down to twisting my head in various directions and singing a crazy song I don't recall the lyrics to (but I always sing when I'm getting delerious, I got the flu once and a companion remarked that I sang the oddest tune).
What I did learn was the ghosts seem mostly lost during the day (I don't know where they went at night) unlike most ravenous ghosts though, they didn't seem crazy wondering around and menacing everything. Just empty, completely devoid of where to go or what to do. They just wandered the island looking sullen, none even took the time to menace me despite my calls out to them or choice language.
So thats how I passed my time, stuck to a stake baking in the heat, starving to the point of being a raving lunatic. I contemplated just burning the restraints rushing off to find food and a ship and leaving Toebeck to whatever madness had gripped it, unfortunately before I could implement this plan, my captor finally made their appearence. And on that I will discuss with my next entry, got to drive suspense and all that, well that and I have an appointment that if I miss again the person threatened cutting of a part of my body that I want to keep.
What I did learn was the ghosts seem mostly lost during the day (I don't know where they went at night) unlike most ravenous ghosts though, they didn't seem crazy wondering around and menacing everything. Just empty, completely devoid of where to go or what to do. They just wandered the island looking sullen, none even took the time to menace me despite my calls out to them or choice language.
So thats how I passed my time, stuck to a stake baking in the heat, starving to the point of being a raving lunatic. I contemplated just burning the restraints rushing off to find food and a ship and leaving Toebeck to whatever madness had gripped it, unfortunately before I could implement this plan, my captor finally made their appearence. And on that I will discuss with my next entry, got to drive suspense and all that, well that and I have an appointment that if I miss again the person threatened cutting of a part of my body that I want to keep.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Oh Father Who Is a Total Dick
It took me one whole day to get captured, it was almost a record for the longest time I avoided capture in the midst of a situation where I was totally clueless to the situation. What caught me was my stomach, hunger the greatest destroyer of stealth approaches ever. I was starving after a day or so in the humid island climate and after splashing around like a dumb fish just wanted something to eat, so I tried to sneak into what had formerly been the food storehouse on the island. I say formerly, because upon opening the door I found where all the villagers had gone, bodies upon bodies were just tossed in there, some had been eaten, others had been violated in ways I couldn't understand (which made the ghastly ghosts I'd spotted earlier make a bit more sense). I'll admit despite being a hardened murderer my first impulse was to scream, its hard to suppress that natural urge to seeing something terrifying. I was quickly captured by some ghastly ghosts, being weakened by hunger and horror I wasn't much of a fight. The one saving grace I had was that apparently they wanted to take me alive despite evidence to the previous contrary that was not what this group normally did.
I was staked to the ground (tied to one thankfully not actually nailed to the ground though I've been that before as well) near the water. I could tell from water lines I was at least above high tide, so they didn't intend for me to drown (at least intentionally). I did notice there were no fires on the island at all, which made sense ghosts don't eat, but someone was clearly pulling the strings here and apparently they weren't eating either (ghosts like this are little more than raving loons, that they captured and subdued me spoke to someone pulling the puppets strings). I'll admit staked out in the sun the lapping of the sea my only company I was beginning to feel a bit worried. I was considerably more worried when my captor eventually arrived, it was my father, or what remained of him.
The smell was still there like I remembered it, but his body was something else, all fat in the belly and weak everywhere else, frankly I was amazed he was still able to move at all, but move he did, in a kind of gross swinging too fat legs one horrible stump at a time. When he opened his maw I could see rotten teeth, all too black and falling out, whatever he had been eating obviously was not agreeing with him.
"My son returns." I didn't recall my father talking with a lisp, but here he was with one, combined with the fat I felt a bit of sickness in my stomach.
"You look well Dad, eating all right?" Small talk trying to feel him out, I got the feeling he wasn't the puppeteer just another sap on a string.
"My cup runneth over, and now my master is allowing me to finish one of my personal failures, truely today is a great day." Personal failure? His words wounded me, not really, I mean if he died unmarked somewhere I would not have mourned the day at all.
"Nice to see you to Dad." He hit me across the mouth, despite being bulbous and fat apparently he had a bit of a smack left in him.
"Show respect for your betters whelp, you were allowed to survive to see the greatness here, do not mistreat our kindness." Master, our, he spoke as if implying more than just the ghosts and him, I'll admit I was intrigued, and hot, oh so hot, damn no shade. He waddled off, I sighed, in my capture they had taken my sword, but honestly I conjure fire with my damn hands rope, stakes, most things are nothing to the great Lorentino. Sometimes I just let myself get captured so I can assess situations easier (yeah yeah thats why it happens...) All the same it was nice to see my father was still alive, it would have been a shame for me to miss out on killing him.
I was staked to the ground (tied to one thankfully not actually nailed to the ground though I've been that before as well) near the water. I could tell from water lines I was at least above high tide, so they didn't intend for me to drown (at least intentionally). I did notice there were no fires on the island at all, which made sense ghosts don't eat, but someone was clearly pulling the strings here and apparently they weren't eating either (ghosts like this are little more than raving loons, that they captured and subdued me spoke to someone pulling the puppets strings). I'll admit staked out in the sun the lapping of the sea my only company I was beginning to feel a bit worried. I was considerably more worried when my captor eventually arrived, it was my father, or what remained of him.
The smell was still there like I remembered it, but his body was something else, all fat in the belly and weak everywhere else, frankly I was amazed he was still able to move at all, but move he did, in a kind of gross swinging too fat legs one horrible stump at a time. When he opened his maw I could see rotten teeth, all too black and falling out, whatever he had been eating obviously was not agreeing with him.
"My son returns." I didn't recall my father talking with a lisp, but here he was with one, combined with the fat I felt a bit of sickness in my stomach.
"You look well Dad, eating all right?" Small talk trying to feel him out, I got the feeling he wasn't the puppeteer just another sap on a string.
"My cup runneth over, and now my master is allowing me to finish one of my personal failures, truely today is a great day." Personal failure? His words wounded me, not really, I mean if he died unmarked somewhere I would not have mourned the day at all.
"Nice to see you to Dad." He hit me across the mouth, despite being bulbous and fat apparently he had a bit of a smack left in him.
"Show respect for your betters whelp, you were allowed to survive to see the greatness here, do not mistreat our kindness." Master, our, he spoke as if implying more than just the ghosts and him, I'll admit I was intrigued, and hot, oh so hot, damn no shade. He waddled off, I sighed, in my capture they had taken my sword, but honestly I conjure fire with my damn hands rope, stakes, most things are nothing to the great Lorentino. Sometimes I just let myself get captured so I can assess situations easier (yeah yeah thats why it happens...) All the same it was nice to see my father was still alive, it would have been a shame for me to miss out on killing him.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Ghastly Ghosts
There's always a little thrill you get out of almost being killed. Like getting hit in the testicles, after the initial pain goes away you at least take solace in that you still have them. So after I arrived sputtering out water and cursing the day I decided to get on a ship, I took a little joy in that I could still do those things. I washed up on a beach on the other side of the island opposite the harbor and ship that annihilated my former crewmates and any hope of getting paid (the most sobering thing).
I clawed my way up the shore, tired, soaking wet, and a bit smelly (when people get exploded near you, they tend to leave pieces of them on you, its just as gross as you'd expect). There were some local fishing huts that normally would have been occupied, instead all I could see were the huts looked unused and empty. I actually made it inside the first hut and rested up. When I ventured out in the morning I expected the pirates or whoever to at least be looting my former ship, but no they were not, I couldn't even see them. It was odd, why take over an island, sink ships approaching it, and just leave their supplies to rot? Where were all the people?
I took to scouting more of the island, laying low, trying not to be any more obvious than I already was. It was all in a bad state of repair, the jungle plants were retaking the huts, roads were getting overgrown from noneuse, and not a single body anywhere. Apparently the malady had struck overnight killed everyone and whisked them away! It was while I was puzzling this over that I finally saw one of the new owners of Toebeck island. A spirit!
And not much of a spirit at all really. He was all bones and and little actual there (never good for a spirit, much like people the less of the form thats there the less healthy they are, its why when you see a ghost skeleton? Run like the fires of an evil god are chasing you, whatever is there is not much of a person anymore). I almost recognized who the spirit was, but for fear of becoming the next victim to whatever got him I stayed back. It was at least a clue though, disembodied vengeful spirits would at least indicate why they killed people with little regard, but why on Toebeck island? It was a mystery I was unfortunately going to have to solve if I wanted off the damn island. Like most things in my life, I had to solve the current issue before I got screwed with the next one (Look I'm an optimist, I assumed the next one would wait, see thats optimism folks!)
I clawed my way up the shore, tired, soaking wet, and a bit smelly (when people get exploded near you, they tend to leave pieces of them on you, its just as gross as you'd expect). There were some local fishing huts that normally would have been occupied, instead all I could see were the huts looked unused and empty. I actually made it inside the first hut and rested up. When I ventured out in the morning I expected the pirates or whoever to at least be looting my former ship, but no they were not, I couldn't even see them. It was odd, why take over an island, sink ships approaching it, and just leave their supplies to rot? Where were all the people?
I took to scouting more of the island, laying low, trying not to be any more obvious than I already was. It was all in a bad state of repair, the jungle plants were retaking the huts, roads were getting overgrown from noneuse, and not a single body anywhere. Apparently the malady had struck overnight killed everyone and whisked them away! It was while I was puzzling this over that I finally saw one of the new owners of Toebeck island. A spirit!
And not much of a spirit at all really. He was all bones and and little actual there (never good for a spirit, much like people the less of the form thats there the less healthy they are, its why when you see a ghost skeleton? Run like the fires of an evil god are chasing you, whatever is there is not much of a person anymore). I almost recognized who the spirit was, but for fear of becoming the next victim to whatever got him I stayed back. It was at least a clue though, disembodied vengeful spirits would at least indicate why they killed people with little regard, but why on Toebeck island? It was a mystery I was unfortunately going to have to solve if I wanted off the damn island. Like most things in my life, I had to solve the current issue before I got screwed with the next one (Look I'm an optimist, I assumed the next one would wait, see thats optimism folks!)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Explosive reintroduction
"Trezlan get up here." I was down below trying to keep whatever I just ate (unindentifiable substances make the best meal) from becomming my next addition to the sea when I heard Farverson shout my name. I have to admit by this point everyone was a little raw on their nerves, the steady hand of management was becoming more like a whip and a curse. I came up to the main deck and could see it was actually a nice sunny day, which was suprising when I went to sleep it had been cloudy and awful.
"You rang Farverson?" I had taken to carrying my sword with me everywhere on the ship after it had gotten "Misplaced" by a crewmember.
"Time for you to earn your keep." He directed me to the captain and I sadly walked up to his position. I could see Toebeck island and to my dismay I remembered how to actually land us. I was in the process of directing captain dirty when I noticed a ship in port at a distance, this wouldn't have been a bad thing if I also didn't notice it was landed with its gun ports facing out. I tried to shout to turn around, but the cannonball hit midships halfway through "TURN". I didn't hear her scream, but I could see parts of Meg awash in the sea from the hit, we heard the boom at that point. The ship was a sitting duck, with the way the reefs blocked it in there wasn't a lot of room to maneuver and our attacker had us zeroed in. I lept overboard better to take my chances in the swirling muck of the sea then be ripped to shreds by cannonballs. Farverson was still giving orders when a cannonball exploded him. The rest of the rag tag bunch of heroes faired no better (remember how I introduced them as victims? Yeah that wasn't like accidental), they all either went down with the ship or drowned afterwards. When I splashed into the water I saw the remains of other ships who had made this journey (so one mystery solved hooray).
I've never been the strongest swimmer, and Toebeck island kind of has some nasty currents around the island (hence the need to navigate the reefs), but I tell you I swimmed like no one has ever swimmed before to avoid that fire and wreckage. I'll admit I was intrigued as to why someone just opened fire without warning or quarter, and in a way I wanted to know what happened with my father, but also someone tried to kill me and I have a strict "You try and kill me I kill you." Policy. I'll be damned if I let some island cherubs screw that up, so with a washed up resolve I came home again, soaking wet, exhausted, and ready to kill everyone on that damn island like I should have done years earlier.
"You rang Farverson?" I had taken to carrying my sword with me everywhere on the ship after it had gotten "Misplaced" by a crewmember.
"Time for you to earn your keep." He directed me to the captain and I sadly walked up to his position. I could see Toebeck island and to my dismay I remembered how to actually land us. I was in the process of directing captain dirty when I noticed a ship in port at a distance, this wouldn't have been a bad thing if I also didn't notice it was landed with its gun ports facing out. I tried to shout to turn around, but the cannonball hit midships halfway through "TURN". I didn't hear her scream, but I could see parts of Meg awash in the sea from the hit, we heard the boom at that point. The ship was a sitting duck, with the way the reefs blocked it in there wasn't a lot of room to maneuver and our attacker had us zeroed in. I lept overboard better to take my chances in the swirling muck of the sea then be ripped to shreds by cannonballs. Farverson was still giving orders when a cannonball exploded him. The rest of the rag tag bunch of heroes faired no better (remember how I introduced them as victims? Yeah that wasn't like accidental), they all either went down with the ship or drowned afterwards. When I splashed into the water I saw the remains of other ships who had made this journey (so one mystery solved hooray).
I've never been the strongest swimmer, and Toebeck island kind of has some nasty currents around the island (hence the need to navigate the reefs), but I tell you I swimmed like no one has ever swimmed before to avoid that fire and wreckage. I'll admit I was intrigued as to why someone just opened fire without warning or quarter, and in a way I wanted to know what happened with my father, but also someone tried to kill me and I have a strict "You try and kill me I kill you." Policy. I'll be damned if I let some island cherubs screw that up, so with a washed up resolve I came home again, soaking wet, exhausted, and ready to kill everyone on that damn island like I should have done years earlier.
Monday, July 4, 2011
On the Boat Again
I hate boats, I think I've written of this dislike before. As much as everyone is like "Woo the feeling of freedom." I'm like "Woo the feeling of nausea and tasting everything I ate over the last few days." That also ignores having to go to the bathroom over the rear of a ship (peeing is bad enough with the wind up, don't even think about the other kind). This ship was one of the worst I'd ever been on (as if you couldn't assume that from my previous entry which mentioned how rundown it was).
We had to sleep in ratty hammocks below decks, the whole place stinks of mold/mildew/and something I didn't ever want to qualify. The ship rocks back and forth like a messed up rocking chair, causing you to get dumped out of the hammocks roughly every hour or so (even in calm water, they managed to do this, I think specifically to annoy me). I was at least comforted by everyone on the ship was having issues with puking, so it wasn't my unique hell on that aspect.
In fact we were all so tired from puking and not getting sleep I was getting worried we'd make Toebeck island and be unprepared to face what was there do the conditions prior to getting there! Farverson said as much to me between puking bouts, telling me specifically to make sure I got rest to guide us in. I tell you its nice to have someone thinking about you, but its not so nice when its thinking of you so you can navigate them to a new hell on this world. Oh wait thats a spoiler for whats coming...
We had to sleep in ratty hammocks below decks, the whole place stinks of mold/mildew/and something I didn't ever want to qualify. The ship rocks back and forth like a messed up rocking chair, causing you to get dumped out of the hammocks roughly every hour or so (even in calm water, they managed to do this, I think specifically to annoy me). I was at least comforted by everyone on the ship was having issues with puking, so it wasn't my unique hell on that aspect.
In fact we were all so tired from puking and not getting sleep I was getting worried we'd make Toebeck island and be unprepared to face what was there do the conditions prior to getting there! Farverson said as much to me between puking bouts, telling me specifically to make sure I got rest to guide us in. I tell you its nice to have someone thinking about you, but its not so nice when its thinking of you so you can navigate them to a new hell on this world. Oh wait thats a spoiler for whats coming...
Friday, July 1, 2011
Paying The Boatman
"That was not the deal." Farverson was negotiating with a fairly unsavory looking boatman. His "ship" (and that was being polite) looked about as well taken care of as the boatman. The sails sagged, the hull was covered in a green fungus that was probably the only thing keeping it afloat, what little crew I saw looked like their last meal had been long dead rat, their sunken eyes were filled with dread. The boatman was no better, he was short, fat, and his skin color was dirt, as in I couldn't make out what color the skin was because he was so freaking dirty. On top of the dirt he barely had any hair and one eye appeared either lazy or false because it just stared off to the side the whole time. Farverson's group and myself waited by the sidelines while he argued with captain dirty.
"You said you needed ship I bring you ship. You say you need crew. I bring crew. You say you want to go to Toebeck island! PRICE GO UP!" The captain jumped when he said up. I could see the look of annoyance even from where I was, Farverson was apparently not one for idle threats. He drew his sword and held it under the boatmans chin, I didn't hear what he growled into the boatman but the smaller man got a look of fear into him, shouted something to his crew and a couple of the dirty people came out to collect our gear.
"Problems?" I asked of Faverson, he looked minorly annoyed with the whole affair as he resheathed his sword.
"Negotiations, he was under the impression deals are meant to be broken, I made sure to break him of that belief." Farverson oversaw the workers as they loaded our stuff on and I looked out across the calm water to where Toebeck Island lay. I was worried, I hadn't been back there in forever, and frankly didn't know what we would find or why they would suddenly stop talking with the outside world. But like most of my adventures, I was already past the point of no return, oh hindsight how true that statement would turn out to be!
"You said you needed ship I bring you ship. You say you need crew. I bring crew. You say you want to go to Toebeck island! PRICE GO UP!" The captain jumped when he said up. I could see the look of annoyance even from where I was, Farverson was apparently not one for idle threats. He drew his sword and held it under the boatmans chin, I didn't hear what he growled into the boatman but the smaller man got a look of fear into him, shouted something to his crew and a couple of the dirty people came out to collect our gear.
"Problems?" I asked of Faverson, he looked minorly annoyed with the whole affair as he resheathed his sword.
"Negotiations, he was under the impression deals are meant to be broken, I made sure to break him of that belief." Farverson oversaw the workers as they loaded our stuff on and I looked out across the calm water to where Toebeck Island lay. I was worried, I hadn't been back there in forever, and frankly didn't know what we would find or why they would suddenly stop talking with the outside world. But like most of my adventures, I was already past the point of no return, oh hindsight how true that statement would turn out to be!
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