Episode 48 – The Journey Begins
| The Assassins |
Azareth - Wizard 4th Level LE (PC) Creighton - Fighter 4th Level LE (PC) Craven - Fighter / Rogue 2nd/3rd CE (LE suppressed) (PC) Keldirk - Rogue 5th level NE (PC) |
| Locale | Just outside Del Mord |
| Date | 23rd Planting, 582 CY (Common Year) |
| Time | Sunrise. |
Craven stepped out of the old woman's house and into filth choked Hollyhock Road. The dirty street was typical of Del Mord's Old City - narrow, poorly maintained and odoriferous.
The stark contrast of bright early morning sunlight to the perpetual twilight of Crossroads forced the young swordsman to shield his increasingly sensitive eyes. As he walked he idly rubbed his neck. The two puncture marks in his throat had all but healed; the twin pinpricks itched slightly but no longer caused any real discomfort. Everything was better now. Just as he had felt after his first encounter with Natasha, Craven felt whole. Complete. As if somehow Natasha's tender caress breathed life into his weary soul. And without her, he was nothing.
He left the Old City behind and walked through the streets in the direction of the River Snag Hostel. The River Snag was a pathetic little hovel but, until the renovations at The Whistler were complete, it was home. The thought of The Whistler made Craven change his course slightly. It had been a while since he had checked on the tavern and he was keen to see how Simpkin's renovations were coming along. The sooner they were out of the River Snag the better as far as Craven was concerned.
The slight morning mist cleared as the sun's warm light asserted its authority on the new day. The increasing brightness became more of a distraction to Craven and the swordsman was forced to stop and purchase a wide brimmed hat to shade his eyes.
Craven's thoughts were scattered by the sound of a barking dog - in fact the sound of several barking dogs. Out from an alley they came, four mangy strays that showed their displeasure at Craven's presence with bared teeth and low growls. The young duellist immediately moved away from the animals and crossed the street. But they followed him, saliva and froth drooling from their jaws. Craven had had enough. He turned on them and took a step forward; his eyes set in a challenging glare. Mentally he screamed "Go!" and, miraculously, the hounds spun about and fled, their tails between their legs.
| Craven | (scratching his head, bemused) That was interesting. |
Craven resumed his walk, a bit quicker now. The sun's rays intensified and it wasn't long until Craven pulled the brim of his hat down a little lower and wrapped his hands under his cloak. The sun was hot today and it felt as though it could easily blister his exposed flesh.
A short while later the stood by the rear door of The Whistler. It was still early and from the look of things the work-crews were yet to arrive. With a shrug Craven decided to take a look around.
Craven picked the lock with surprising ease and he made a mental note to have the crude mechanism replaced. As he stepped in through the kitchen he noticed that much had changed since his last visit. Large canvas tarpaulins hung from the ceilings and piles of wood lay strewn about the room. The kitchen had already been gutted in preparation for the refitting. Without the various cupboards and benches the room looked enormous.
Craven moved through the kitchen and into the common room where he had met the ghost so many nights ago. Suddenly, as if on cue, the spirit rose up through the stone, it's vaporous robes billowing in the non- existent breeze.
| Craven | (steps back, surprised) Varashar, I was just thinking about you. |
| Varashar | I trust you have been doing far more than that. |
| Craven | (not understanding) Sorry? |
| Varashar | I have permitted your labourers to work unhindered as I promised. What have you done to uphold your end of the bargain? |
| Craven | (laughs nervously and steps back involuntarily) What have we done? Um, good question. And let me answer you by, um, telling you that things are proceeding well. Yes, things are going according to plan. We hope to have the, um, the staff for you shortly. Anytime now, in fact. |
| Varashar | Do not think me a fool and do not lie to me. We have a deal. (floats toward Craven and reaches out its non-corporeal hands) |
| Craven | (eyes wide with fear) We just need more time. What are a few weeks to a creature that has waited for centuries? |
| Varashar | The weight of those years threaten to drown me in despair. Hear me, human, when I tell you that I will not wait out my days in silence. If you do not bring me the Cardass Staff soon I will exact my vengeance upon all living souls that dare intrude upon my wretched solitude. |
| Craven | You will have your staff. Please, be patient for just a little longer. |
| Varashar | I will wait a short while longer. But I grow weary of this world. |
Varashar floated back and away and stopped hovering some ten feet from Craven. From this position the ghost peered at Craven intently. Craven grew increasingly nervous as the ghost continued it's study and he had to literally force himself to breath under Varashar's intense scrutiny. Suddenly the ghost flew forward it's face scant inches from Craven's own.
| Varashar | You have the mark of undeath upon you. |
| Craven | (reels) I do? |
| Varashar | Your life force flows from you, I can feel it. The cloak of undeath has wrapped itself about you. Be wary, Craven, lest you spend the remainder of your days living in a constant state of decay. An eternity of unlife is no life at all. |
| Craven | Unlife? (rubs his neck subconsciously) Are you sure? |
| Varashar | (nods solemnly) Resist it, Craven. It promises much but delivers only pain and suffering. |
| Craven | (gulps) I understand. |
| Varashar | I don't think that you do. (starts to sink into the stone) Remember, Craven, bring me the Cardass Staff. |
Craven was shaken. He stumbled back to the kitchen and collapsed against a wall. He sat there unmoving for a long while, Varashar's words echoing in his mind. A narrow beam of sunlight streamed through a crack in the wall and Craven watched as it moved inexorably toward him. He leant forward and tentatively placed his hand into the light and watched on in horror as, almost immediately, his skin began to bubble and blister.
Craven pulled his hand back and shuffled aside. He knew then that the ghost was right. He decided then that he would never return to Natasha. Vampirism may seem like a romantic notion but Craven knew that as long as blood flowed in his veins he would be all right. He would not permit her to complete the transformation. Instead he would keep her dark gifts a secret for the remainder of his mortal life. He knew deep down that he was being poisoned by Natasha's tender touch...
Natasha, gentle, loving, beautiful Natasha. As soon as Craven's thoughts turned to Natasha his fears began to subside. He pushed Varashar's warnings aside as the ramblings of a bitter, twisted soul. Craven was in control, he knew it. He felt stronger than he had ever felt. Wounds that would normally take days to heal were healed in hours.
With renewed resolve Craven rose to his feet and left The Whistler. He re-locked the kitchen door, wrapped his cloak tightly about his body and proceeded back to The River Snag Hostel.
His time with Natasha was now a pleasant memory. A memory, he knew, would forever remain a secret. Craven guessed that the others wouldn't understand his special relationship with Natasha and that it was far simpler to keep all knowledge of the affair to himself. To them, his visit to Crossroads would be viewed as a pointless indulgence and he knew that it would be best if they remained ignorant of the facts surrounding his whereabouts over the last few days. He decided that he would confound his colleagues with a lie, and what better lie than one with a kernel of truth.
Craven smiled as he thought of Keldirk's obvious reaction and a part of him hoped that the brash young assassin would cross the line. Oddly, he felt that a physical confrontation with his hotheaded colleague wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
He entered the River Snag Hostel just as the city began to stir. The comparative darkness of the interior was an immediate relief to Craven's sun-sensitive eyes. He continued to imagine engaging the antagonistic Keldirk in mortal combat as he climbed the rickety stairs. The thought of bloodshed caused the young swordsman's heart to race and he had to steady himself against the wall lest his fantasy take hold. Even so, Craven's hand fell to the pommel of his sword as he opened the door to his room.
| Craven | (steps into the room and sees Creighton examining a well made scimitar) How did it go last night? |
| Creighton | Craven! Nice hat. (laughs) Anybody who buys a hat like that oughta get a free bowl of soup to go with it. |
| Craven | (glares) |
| Creighton | Oh, but it looks good on you, though. |
| Craven | How did it go last night? |
| Azareth | (blinks) It went well, The Undertaker is dead. Where were you? |
| Keldirk | (sits up in bed, his head bandaged) Yes, oh glorious leader, where were you? |
| Craven | (offhandedly) I spent the last few nights in prison. (yawns) I'm pleased the hit on Selczek went well. |
| Keldirk | No thanks to you. |
| Azareth | Fortuitously the three of us were equal to the task. |
| Craven | Any witnesses? |
| Azareth | A few guards happened by but our faces were obscured by the leather masks. Though Keldirk unfortunately lost his mask during the combat. |
| Keldirk | Bah! We've already discussed that, mage. The blood from my head wound make it damned near impossible for anyone to identify me. It is a non-issue. |
| Craven | So you left the guards alive? |
| Azareth | We had no choice. They had blown their signal whistles and we thought it prudent to depart the scene before reinforcements arrived. (pauses) Did you say you were in prison? |
| Craven | Yes. I had a slight altercation with one of the people at the Angel's Junction. The charges were eventually dropped but I did have to spend two unpleasant nights as a guest of the city. |
| Azareth | A 'slight altercation', Craven? Is there anything we should know? |
| Craven | (shakes his head) No, the matter is now closed. Forget about it. I have. (approaches his bed) Now, if you don't mind, I feel like I haven't slept in days. I'm tired and I need some sleep. |
| Creighton | Sleep? It's breakfast time. |
| Craven | For you, maybe. (unbuckles his weapon's belt and prepares for bed) |
| Keldirk | (incredulously) That's it? That's all the answer we get after you disappear for two days? |
| Craven | (fixes a steady gaze on Keldirk) Yes. |
| Keldirk | You owe us more than that. You were supposed to be here and you weren't. And why weren't you here? Because, as always, you allowed your libido to rule your life. (snorts derisively) I find your lack of discipline unacceptable. |
| Craven | (dangerously) Accept it Keldirk. And get over it. I'm tired. |
| Azareth | Craven, before you sleep there's something we should discuss. |
| Craven | (angrily) Make it quick. |
| Azareth | Creighton and Keldirk purchased the map to the crypt of Finn Thrommel and we figured it was a good time to get out of town. We planned to leave tomorrow morning. |
| Craven | Fine. (slides into bed and pulls his blankets up) |
| Azareth | (clears his throat) We really should make preparations before you go to sleep. I'm sure you'll want a say in the details. |
| Craven | While I'm resting you three can purchase the food and equipment we'll need for the journey. And we won't be leaving tomorrow. |
| Azareth | We won't? |
| Craven | No. We leave tonight. |
| Keldirk | (sneers) Tonight? |
| Craven | Yes, tonight. We leave at sunset. |
| Keldirk | (shakes his head) The depths of your idiocy astound me. |
| Craven | (rolls over) |
| Keldirk | (to Azareth) Tell him mage. |
| Azareth | Tell him what? |
| Keldirk | (exasperated) Tell him that we'll move quicker if we do it during daylight hours. Tell him that it's safer to travel by day. Tell him that it makes no sense whatsoever to leave the city at sunset. Tell him that to do so will attract undue attention. |
| Azareth | (pleadingly) What Keldirk says is sound, Craven. |
| Craven | (angrily) I said we're leaving at sunset. Now get out and let me rest. |
Keldirk, Azareth and Creighton left Craven to sleep and ventured out into the street.
| Creighton | Craven seems pretty upset about something. |
| Keldirk | Screw him. He's an idiot and he's really starting to piss me off. Did you hear that son-of-a- bitch? He didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed that he missed the hit. |
| Creighton | Maybe he's tired. He's been in prison for a few days. When I was arrested in Chathold it I wasn't overly cheery when I got out. Prisons aren't exactly comfortable, you know? |
| Keldirk | Bah. I'll meet you later this afternoon. (starts to walk away) |
| Azareth | What are you planning to do? We should coordinate things. Someone needs to organise a guide and we have to work out what supplies we require. |
| Keldirk | I'm sure you two can handle the preparations. I've got better things to do. |
| Azareth | Like what? |
| Keldirk | I'm going to pay Slick a visit and see if the news about The Undertaker has hit the streets. Then, well, we'll see. (walks away) |
Azareth watched Keldirk's back as he strode away. It was becoming increasingly apparent that Craven and Keldirk's animosity would one-day flare into violence. And if that were to occur then Azareth knew that the group would never be chosen by the Marque de'Ahb. Far from bringing the group together under one banner, Craven's leadership seemed to be driving them further apart.
| Creighton | What's up? |
| Azareth | Nothing yet, but I think we are going to be in for an interesting trip. |
| Creighton | (raises his eyebrows) You do? |
| Azareth | Come on. The stores have opened and we should see about the supplies. |
Keldirk stormed away in a foul mood. Creighton and Azareth's easy acceptance of Craven's failings was starting to grate on the young assassin's nerves. Keldirk knew that if he had been the one who missed the hit on The Undertaker then he would never hear the end of it. He wondered, too, why Craven was adamant that they leave for the journey under the cover of darkness. Perhaps Craven was simply testing the boundaries of his newly won leadership, to see just how far he could go without sparking an open rebellion.
Keldirk headed to the Foreign Quarter and tried to locate his informant, Slick. He doubted he would find the rat-faced man around at this hour but was pleasantly surprised when he spied Slick walking out of the Warhorse, his two companions close behind.
| Keldirk | (approaches) Hey Slick, you're up early this morning. |
| Slick | (yawns) It's morning? (blinks) |
| Keldirk | (chuckles) Can I have a word? |
| Slick | Sure. (turns to his companions) I'll catch up later, boys. This shouldn't take long. |
| Howie Long | You sure? |
| Mr Jones | (appraising Keldirk) You don't want us to hang around? |
| Slick | (laughs) No. This one's harmless. |
| Mr Jones | Alright. Come on Howie. |
Once Slick's companions had departed Keldirk ushered Slick into a nearby alley.
| Keldirk | Harmless? |
| Slick | No offense. (smiles) What can I do for ya, Val? What happened to your head? |
| Keldirk | Just the result of a spontaneous outburst of violence, nothing to worry about. I was just wondering what's going on. Any news of late? |
| Slick | A bit of this- |
| Keldirk | A bit of that. I know. How much? |
| Slick | For you? A silver. |
| Keldirk | (hands over a coin) For a silver it'd better be good. |
| Slick | (hurt) My information is always good, Val, you know that. |
| Keldirk | Spit it out. I'm not in the mood for your banter. |
| Slick | (pockets the coin) Very well, I'll keep it brief. Remember I told you about some kidnappers a while back? |
| Keldirk | (nods) |
| Slick | Well they've struck again. This time they kidnapped the wife of a tavern owner. |
| Keldirk | Which tavern? |
| Slick | Dunno, some place in the Garden Quarter. It seems the fella was smart and paid the ransom. The wife was returned the next day, a little battered and bruised but in one piece. |
| Keldirk | How many people have they kidnapped? |
| Slick | Assuming it's the same people doin' the kidnapping, three. Two dead, one returned alive. All the victims have been from wealthy families. |
| Keldirk | That makes sense, I suppose. |
| Slick | Sure. What else? (scratches his goatee) There's been a bit of trouble out of town. Seems that a few of the people in the outlying villages are sick and tired of the taxes and a rebellion, of sorts, has arisen. The Prelate sent out a few soldiers to 'negotiate'. Poor bastards. |
| Keldirk | Where's the rebellion? |
| Slick | West. North. Somewhere out that way. (waves his hand and points vaguely) |
| Keldirk | Damn. |
| Slick | What? (looks around fearfully) |
| Keldirk | Never mind. What else have you got for me? |
| Slick | The Butcher of Del Docks, remember him? |
| Keldirk | Yes. |
| Slick | Well it's dead. Some adventurers killed it in its lair and claimed the reward a few days ago. |
| Keldirk | Who were the adventurers? |
| Slick | I don't know. They declined a public presentation. I can find out pretty easy if you want? |
| Keldirk | No, don't bother. Anything else? |
| Slick | Let me think. (scratches his head) Oh yeah, how could I forget? Somebody whacked a city official the other night. |
| Keldirk | A city official? Who? |
| Slick | The Undertaker. Selczek Something-or-other. A nasty man by all accounts. No great loss. |
| Keldirk | Do they know who did it? |
| Slick | Nope. But they've asked Benhi the Leech to look into it. |
| Keldirk | I see. Anything else? |
| Slick | The underbelly of society is getting ready to emerge from their enforced hibernation. From all accounts The Inquisition is set to return to Chathold in a day or two. And that means that the guilds will be able to swing back into full operation. |
| Keldirk | So what happened there? Did The Inquisition find who they were looking for? |
| Slick | The Prelate held a service in the cathedral the other day and I hear that The Inquisition officially declared the city safe from demonic infestation. I don't know if they caught their man, or not, but they are claiming victory over evil all the same. Or some shit like that. |
| Keldirk | Go on. |
| Slick | (yawns and stretches) That's it, I'm afraid. And if you don't mind I need my beauty sleep. |
| Keldirk | In that case I suggest you don't wake up until Richfest. |
| Slick | (laughs) Humour? From you? (laughs) |
| Keldirk | (walks away) Bye Slick. |
Just before the sun began to set everything was ready. Creighton and Azareth had purchased food and equipment for the journey and hired a guide to lead them to the ravine shown on the map. The guide said that the journey would take approximately seven days, depending on the condition of the roads and trails. The assassins gathered in their room, gave their equipment the once-over and concluded their preparations.
| Azareth | (shrugs on his backpack) We had better go, they close the gates soon after sun down. |
| Keldirk | I'm ready. |
| Creighton | Let's go. |
| Craven | (looks around the room and sees that Creighton had left the scimitar behind) Hey, Creighton, aren't you going to take that? |
| Creighton | (shrugs) Nah. |
| Azareth | Are you sure about that Creighton? It is a magical blade after all. |
| Creighton | Yep, I'm sure. I'm more comfortable using my longsword. Scimitars just don't feel right in my hands. |
| Keldirk | I'll have it then. (reaches for the weapon) |
| Craven | Now hold on there. I will be able to make better use of that that weapon than you. It's mine. |
| Keldirk | (suddenly angry) What! You weren't even there when we got this. If dumb-arse over there doesn't want it then it's mine. |
| Craven | I am the leader of this group and I say you don't get it. I am better trained in the use of the weapon and it will serve the four of us better in my hands that it will in yours. You tend to stay out of combat and resort to the use of thrown knives. What use is a magical weapon that remains in its scabbard? |
| Keldirk | But- |
| Craven | (angrily) The decision is made. The scimitar is mine! (picks up the sword and slides it into his belt) Let's go, before we get stuck in this dump for another day. |
Keldirk remained in the room as the others walked out. He collected his thoughts and tried to get his anger under control. After several moments he gave up and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
The four walked in silence toward the North Gate. Craven noticed that despite the fading light he could see with surprising clarity. And, as the light faded, his strength seemed to increase, fatigue slipped away and his body seemed to fill with energy. Craven smiled, excited at the prospect of a life with super-natural powers.
They arrived at the North Gate just as the guards were preparing to close the massive portcullis. The Duty Sergeant barked orders to his men to assist a farmer whose hay-laden cart had lost a wheel. As the assassins approached the guards, a man in a brown woodsman's cloak stepped out of the shadows and raised his hand in greeting. He passed some papers to Azareth and introduced himself as Llyam, their guide. Before long the party of five were ushered out of Del Mord by gate guards eager to finish their shift.
They walked in silence for about an hour before the guide tapped Craven gently on the shoulder.
| Llyam | Excuse me, but I must query your decision to travel at night. The Del Forest can be a dangerous place and darkness will make it difficult for us to spot signs of potential danger. |
| Craven | (smiles) You worry about brigands? |
| Llyam | (nods) Among other things. |
| Keldirk | (walks over) Good question, Llyam. So, Craven, why must we travel by night? |
| Craven | (ignores Keldirk) Let me ask you this then, what time of day do most people travel? (hurries on, answering his own question) During the daylight hours, of course. So when would brigands most likely lay in wait? When the roads are busy? Or now when they are quiet? Remember that brigands must sleep too. |
| Llyam | It is my experience that brigands attack most often in the early hours or late afternoon. But it's not just brigands we have to worry about. There are goblins and other humanoids to think about as well. |
| Craven | Those who travel the roads by day make camp at night, correct? |
| Llyam | Yes, they do. |
| Craven | Well, as I see it, goblin hunting parties would find stationary prey more inviting than a group of travelling adventurers. |
| Llyam | Goblins tend to find any prey inviting, sir. |
| Craven | But if we travel by day we make camp at night and our campfire will attract humanoids as a moth to a flame. You see travelling under cover of darkness does more to serve us than to hinder us. |
| Llyam | That is sound reasoning. But the real danger of travelling at night, good sir, is that we could easily stumble into goblin territory. I know these parts fairly well and I know what signs to look for, but those signs are difficult to spot when my vision is hampered by darkness. |
| Craven | (annoyed) Well see to it that we don't stumble into goblin territory, that's what we pay you for. |
| Llyam | True enough. (coughs nervously) Even so, I feel compelled to tell you that I might easily miss the telltale signs of goblin presence if we continue to walk during the hours of darkness. |
| Craven | Then you'll just have to be careful, won't you? |
| Llyam | (looks to Keldirk for help) |
| Keldirk | (waves the guide's silent plea away) Don't look at me. Craven is the one with the grand theories. It is painfully obvious that he won't listen to sensible objections. |
| Llyam | (nods and hurries on ahead, scanning the roadside for trouble) |
| Keldirk | You're going to get us all killed, you know? |
| Craven | Bah! Your continual complaints make you sound like a housewife. Keep your concerns to yourself. I don't want to hear them. We are travelling by night and that's all there is to it. Understand? |
| Keldirk | Yes, oh leader of men, I understand. |
After several miles the group was approached by two mounted soldiers in the livery of the Almorian army. They signalled the party to halt. One man dismounted, handed the reigns of his horse to his companion, and strode forward.
| soldier | You men are travelling a little late, aren't you? |
| Craven | (smiles) Yes, we thought to avoid the stifling heat of the day. |
| soldier | Stifling heat? At this time of year? (raises an eyebrow) |
| Craven | I have overly sensitive skin. What can we do for you? |
| soldier | You can turn around and head back to town. The road ahead is closed. |
| Craven | We have business ahead, we can't go back to Del Mord. |
| soldier | Well, you'll have to find another way through. The road is blocked, as are the immediate surrounds. We've had a little trouble with a few of the villages in the area. We should have the situation under control in a week or two, so if you're business isn't urgent I suggest you head back and wait until this is all over. |
| Keldirk | Are the villages rebelling? |
| soldier | Yes, lad, they are. 'Tis no real concern but, for your own safety, I cannot permit you beyond this point. |
| Craven | (to the guide) Do you know of another way through? |
| Llyam | (thinks) Yes. There's a hunter's trail about a mile back that will take us through the Del Forest. But it won't be easy going in the dark. |
| Craven | Settled. (turns back to the soldier) We will take our leave of you. |
Llyam took the lead and before long he had located the hunter's trail. As soon as they entered the forest they lost the scant light that the moons had provided. The guide moved forward in a perpetual crouch, intent on keeping the path. All, except Craven, had trouble negotiating the trail and before long most sported a multitude of scrapes and bruises from the twigs, branches and logs that lay in their path.
| Keldirk | (bangs his shin on a log) This is lunacy. Mage, strike a lantern. |
| Craven | No. |
| Keldirk | Yes! We'll bleed to death before morning's light if we continue on like this. |
| Azareth | Keldirk is correct, Craven. And I'm sure Llyam would appreciate the light afforded by a lantern. If we lose the trail we could walk into some serious trouble. |
| Llyam | (wiping the sweat from his brow, nods) |
| Craven | (growls) Very well. But keep it hooded, we don't want to attract any undue attention. |
| Keldirk | (snarls) Thank you, your highness. |
Where the vast Adri Forest in Northern Almor was thick, wild and teeming with all manner of life, the pine forest surrounding Del Mord was comparatively sparse and contained animal life of a more mundane nature. Still, as Llyam warned them, even the smallest forest could contain a host of dangers.
It didn't take long for the traveller's eyes to adjust to the lantern light and Llyam found the going much easier. On the few occasions when he did lose the trail he managed find it again with little difficulty.
They walked for several hours until the sky in the east began to lighten. Craven could practically feel the imminent sunrise and almost immediately began to feel fatigued. He called the group to a stop and they made camp.
Keldirk slept poorly. The sunlight made it difficult for him to remain asleep and, after a few restless hours, he decided that he might as well get up. Creighton, who was standing watch, waved to Keldirk as the young assassin emerged from his tent.
| Creighton | (smiles) Can't sleep huh? |
| Keldirk | (belting on his swords) Who could? This sun is so bright it's still light even when I've shut my eyes. I swear Craven is going mad. |
| Creighton | (chuckles) I can hear Azareth tossing and turning but Craven hasn't stirred since we made camp. Llyam seems to be asleep, which is good. |
| Keldirk | (yawns) Damn Craven! I'm dead tired and could do with a few hours sleep. |
| Creighton | Craven doesn't seem to have had any trouble adjusting to the new routine. (shrugs) Maybe in a few days it will be easier for us. |
| Keldirk | (snorts) In a few days? You're not seriously going to keep travelling at night for a few days? |
| Creighton | We haven't got much choice. |
| Keldirk | (stares at Creighton in amazement) I'm going to have a look around. You may as well go to sleep; I'll take over your watch. |
| Creighton | Nah, I couldn't sleep if I tried. I had a few hours earlier on so I don't feel too bad. (watches as Keldirk ambles away) Don't stray too far. We'll be leaving in a couple of hours. |
Keldirk left the campsite and scouted the immediate area. He walked aimlessly for a while, careful to keep his bearings but always moving further from the camp. He caught a whiff of smoke in the slight breeze and instantly he was alert. He ducked behind a tree and waited, trying to determine its source. He couldn't hear anything, but he did see a slight wisp of smoke through the trees. Stealthily he moved from tree to tree toward it. He approached what appeared to be an abandoned campsite. He searched for signs of occupation but found none. From appearances there was some kind of battle fought here, recently. Tents and a few bedrolls were visible but they were knocked down and anything of worth inside had been taken.
Keldirk sat on a nearby log to contemplate this discovery when a strange dripping sound caught his attention. He followed the sound to its source and was shocked to find a large pool of congealed blood at the base of a tall pine. Hesitantly Keldirk raised his eyes and discovered four humans suspended from a branch some twenty feet into the air, each corpse was stripped naked and sported wicked gashes along its arms and throat. They hung upside down and were bound to the limb by crude ropes tied to their ankles. The blood from their wounds dripped from the bodies and fell into the pool on the ground. Keldirk almost gagged when a black crow fluttered away angrily, the eyeball of one corpse in its sharp beak. As the great black bird flapped away, several more broke from the tree and followed the first.
Keldirk jogged back to the campsite to find the others awake and in the midst of breaking camp.
| Keldirk | Guide, I found some dead men hanging in a tree a short ways into the forest. It looks as though they've only been dead a few hours. Their throats were cut and they were pretty much left for the crows. |
| Llyam | It sounds like there are goblins in the area, (rubs his chin thoughtfully) from the Blackcrow tribe, no doubt. |
| Azareth | Blackcrow tribe? |
| Llyam | That's how that tribe like to do things. They hang their victims in the trees then call their totem animal to feed. They worship through sacrifice. It always makes for a grisly discovery. |
| Creighton | (growls) Little bastards. |
| Llyam | The Blackcrows are an aggressive tribe, I hope we don't meet them. |
| Craven | How many are there in a hunting party? |
| Llyam | It varies; anywhere from six to twelve. Sometimes more, it depends on what they're hunting. |
| Creighton | Twelve? (rubs his hands together) I could do with some exercise; how about we look for one of these hunting parties? I'd like to discuss their religious practices. (pats the pommel of his swords eagerly) |
| Llyam | No, I think it would be best if we avoid goblins. There are only five of us and goblins are a cunning breed. Remember we're in their environment and they have the advantage. |
| Creighton | (laughs and slaps Llyam companionably on the back) Don't worry so much. I think you'll find that we have the advantage. |
| Llyam | We do? |
| Keldirk | Yes. We have Creighton. He's not a very nice person when he gets upset. |
| Craven | Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's go. |
The group started again, moving quickly in the fading light. Before long, however, Azareth was forced to again make use of his lantern. The terrain was getting rougher and more difficult to negotiate, without Llyam's services the assassins would never have been able to follow the trail. Three hours later Azareth moved forward and tapped Craven on the shoulder.
| Azareth | If you intend to maintain this foolishness we're going to need more oil. I have a few flasks in my backpack, but not enough to get us to the Crypt. |
| Craven | I've got oil, so does Creighton. And no doubt Keldirk's got one or two flasks tucked away. And if we use up all our stores we're simply going to have to rely on your light spells. So make sure you've got enough spells memorised. Now, stop your complaining. |
| Azareth | (softly) Craven, is everything alright? |
| Craven | Everything is fine. |
Azareth stepped back in line and ran his mind over the recent turn of events. Azareth was by no means a fool and he knew that Craven was under the influence of someone or something. Not only did he have incredible strength, amazing eyesight, supernatural healing abilities but was now displaying the same chaotic traits that he showed prior to his therapy session with Maritai. What Azareth couldn't determine was what exactly was causing this transformation. He decided that he had best share his fears with the others but he knew that he couldn't safely do that when Craven was in earshot. He decided that he would speak to the others the following morning, once Craven had completed his watch and had fallen asleep
The shadows cast by the trees in the lantern light seemed to move with a life of their own. What would ordinarily have been a pleasant walk was made sinister by Craven's seemingly irrational determination to travel in darkness. The sounds of the night seemed strangely muffled, the oppressive air tainting the travellers' perceptions of safety. Keldirk, especially, found his thoughts tethered to his gruesome discovery that afternoon and he was unable to shake a feeling of impending doom.
Two hours before dawn a goblin hunting party attacked.
They exploded from the undergrowth and fell upon the five travellers with unbridled savagery. Being at the front of the line Llyam was in the most immediate danger and took the brunt of the attack. In a heartbeat the guide was battling for his life against four goblins, three of which had managed to land blows with their crude clubs.
The others fared much better than Llyam. Craven had seen the movement from the bushes as soon as it happened and he skewered one goblin with his rapier even as it leapt in the air toward him. Another goblin took Craven's magical scimitar in the throat and the fifteen-strong hunting party was suddenly two members short.
Creighton shrugged off the attack with ease. The four goblins that attacked him were instantly dismayed as their clubs slammed harmlessly into the warrior's armour. Creighton set upon the vicious little humanoids with reckless abandon, his twin longswords cut them down as easily as a hot knife passes through butter. The goblins' high-pitched howls had turned to death cries in a matter of seconds.
Azareth took a blow to the elbow from one of his two assailants before he had time to cast his spell. Luckily the magical missile he sent into each goblin was enough to bring them down. Both goblins collapsed to the earth and clutched helplessly at their chests where the magical bolts had struck.
Keldirk leapt aside the instant the goblins closed. He tumbled back and to the left and the three goblins that had converged on him were suddenly left without a target. Keldirk rose to his haunches and immediately threw three knives at the green-skinned humanoids. Each blade found its mark and two of the three goblins collapsed, dead. When the last goblin charged Keldirk it quickly realised the folly of its plan when Keldirk deftly stepped aside and calmly slid his short sword into its stomach. The goblin slid off the blade with barely a whimper.
Creighton and Craven quickly dispatched the remaining goblins, each warrior taking on two of Llyam's adversaries. In a matter of moments the grisly work was done.
| Llyam | (collapses to the ground, nursing a badly bruised rib) |
| Creighton | (slaps Craven on the back and wipes his sword in the grass) That was fun. I wonder if there's any more out there? |
| Craven | (a mad bloodlust in his eyes) We can only hope. |
| Keldirk | (turns away, disgusted) |
| Azareth | (goes to Llyam's aid) Are you alright? |
| Llyam | I'll be fine, I just need a moment. (looks at the fifteen goblin bodies) You guys are good. You've barely raised a sweat! |
| Azareth | We can hold our own. |
| Llyam | I can see that now. (chuckles nervously) Now I understand why he wants to travel at night. |
| Azareth | You do? |
| Llyam | Sure. He's not scared of anything. (shakes his head) Did you see him kill those last two goblins? |
| Azareth | No. |
| Llyam | (lowers his voice) He seemed to be enjoying himself a little too much, if you know what I mean. Creighton I can understand; I've seen warriors before. But Craven, Craven is different somehow. He has this brooding malevolence about him - but I can cope with that. (shakes his head) During the combat he was in another world; he had this mad look in his eye as if he really enjoyed spilling their blood. If you ask me I'd say he's a little crazy. |
| Craven | (calls out) Come on, let's keep going. We've still got a few hours before morning. |
| Azareth | (whispers) May I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself, for now. Don't let Craven hear you talk like that. He has a nasty temper and I doubt I could protect you if you angered him. |
| Llyam | (takes in Azareth's serious countenance) My lips are sealed. |
| Azareth | Very wise. |
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