Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Member created stories, poems, & other creative work.
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

Hully soaked in the warmed dark water of his bathing tub, only one dim candle illuminating the room in the only inn of this small underdark trading post they called Barren Rock. His mood was as dark as the many black and purple bruises that covered his trunk, neck, legs and arms. The underdark water that the svirfneblin had drawn had a scent of minerals and left a not unpleasent tingle on the skin, but Hully was sullen. What a difference from just a short time earlier.

When he and the elves Elenaril and Korlar along with Jonathon had set out just a day prior, the halfling had thought they would be soon be on the surface, and be able to make for Baldur's Gate. Although the underdark was inhospitable, Hully had felt mostly comfortable and secure here. Still, however, it was so foreign, so queer a place that Hulurin Tosscobble was ready to make for the world of grass and sunlight and pipeweed, and eggs and roasted goose once again.....


The elves had learned the location of passage out, a portal that lay within the lair a band of orogs. They were supposedly led by some sorceror of sorts, but the intellignece gathered had suggested that their leader and many liuetenents were out roaming the far underdark on some mission. Now should be a good time to make easy passage out through what light sentries would be left guarding the gate.

But it all had gone horribly wrong.

Hully frowned deeply, gnawing on the stem of the duskwood pipe and wishing once again for some pipeweed.

The four asceneded the stairs to the lair, hidden within an illusory column of stone work off a minor tunnel of the Underway, to find scores of orogs present. They were alert and well armored, with tight ring mail, crossbows and sharpened axes.

It all happened so quickly that Hully recalled the slaughter as no more than a blur. The orogs held guard outside a heavy metal door. Elenaril, always one for the vanguard of a fight, had charged, hoping to break the ranks of the sentries and push through the door to the portal beyond. Korlar and Jonathon followed while Hully fired as many arrows into the beasts as possible from behind the cover of a low stone.

The halfling watched in horror as the tide quickly against the four surfacers. Elenaril was surrounded and though his elven longsword deflected the majority of the axe blows and his magical armor rejected even more, he could not stand long against the swarm of the cruel chopping exes. As Lynx fell, the orogs broke for the remaining three. Jonathon turned around a corner and as he disappeared from Hully's sight he was standing back-to-wall fighting three orogs.

Korlar was similarly surrounded and bleeding from many wounds. Four crossbow bolts stuck from his belly and a large axe gash had opened his left shoulder from neck to bicep.

Hully frowned and stepped out from his cover to aid the others but was quickly swarmed by five brutish orogs. The halfling grunted as two blades grazed him. Then another cut near to his groin, opening a deep wound that bled heavily. Hully would die within a moment if he didn't flee. He dragged his foot into a broad patch of blackness to his right, spun, and let the shadows wrap him, disappearing from view. At the same time he ducked and rolled between the legs of one of the orogs just as a might axe blow came through where his skull had been jst a moment before.

Though Hully was safe, his act merely had served to enrage the orogs, who turned upon Jonathon and Korlar with bloodlust.

Hully picked his way through the mass of swings blades and running feet and reached Korlar just as another axe blade hit the elf in the gut. Korlar was faltering, Jonathon could no longer be seen, and Elenaril was paces away lying still in his own lifeblood. This battle was lost.

The halfling laid a hand on Korlar and spoke a healing chant to bind the worst of the elven's wounds. "Flee! We are dead here." Hully spoke in a loud whisper.

The two survivors had at least some of the Trickster's blessing as they were able to withdraw to the stairs and exit the orog lair.

Elenaril and Jonathon however had not had such luck. They were left to the orogs.....

Korlar was stoic as the two surivivors made the slow trek back to Barren Rock through the quiet of the underdark. They limped their way through the utter darkness in morbid silence.
---------
The bathwater had cooled and the candle burned low in his as Hully returned from the painful memory. Two companions lost.

Today the underdark seemed quite less welcoming than it had just a day before.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

After finally exiting the Underdark after a series of adventures, Hully felt himself to be more than ever a "halfling in between".

When on the surface, the deep dark would seem to call to him. He would occasionally make the trek back to Barren Rock through the path into the Underdark he had learned those many months back. He felt as if something in that utter blackness, somewhere, held the answer to the many questions that pressed into his mind when he was alone.

He would wander the dangerous halls and tunnels, never seen, never noticed by the denizens of the underdark. He was searching for something, but unsure of what.

Then, while reading from Volo's Guide to the Underdark from his small room in the svirfneblin's inn he stumbled across an interesting passage. It might hold a key to finding the answers to his questions ..... but he would have to travel far to find out.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

Here in Barrenrock and its surrounds it was dark. Always. There was no way to easily mark the passing of days. There was no change in the environment to suggest the turning of the seasons. It was always cool, and moist ..... and dark.

But Hully knew when the leaves changed to orange and umber and red. His bow told him.

The small bow had been a gift of the druids of Corwell grove, marking the little hin a hero of the Moonshae Isles. The shortbow was imbued with the power of the Moonwell and was itself a living thing of the isles. It was crafted of a rough gnarled limb of tree, with sprouts of leaves all along the shaft. The string appeared to be a fresh spun web of a tree spider glistening with evening dew. When the druids had granted it to him they had warned that the power of the bow came from the Moonwell, and that the weapon would need to be returned before seasons passed in order to rejuvenate its magic.

Hully looked at the bow and frowned a bit. It had been near to a year since he left the isles last and now the words of the druids came clear again. The leaves were withered and brown, the webstring frayed and dry. It no longer could shoot an arrow straight, nor could the string be pulled back to aim.

Though there was no marking of the seasons in the Underdark, Hully knew that the season had changed to winter "up topside". The bow's magic had faded and was now lost to the ages.

The dark clad halfling sighed slightly, recalling in his mind a time that seemed another lifetime back. Of Marcus Wands and
Jonathon. Of Arilis, whose lute he to this day carried with him to remind himself how rash action can lead to the death of friends. Of Father Bogo of Lowhill and the many long conversations of what it is to be halfling, and to serve the Trickster, and to know the darkness' pull.

He thought of the long nights spent balancing on river stones in the deepest of night, leaping and spinning from shadow to shadow... and as often as not falling into the river to leave himself sodden, sputtering and cursing in the cold stream water. He chuckled at that.

He thought of Trap, and ... damn it! Who was that tightarsed priestess of Red Knight who picked 'im up by his boots and shook him for pilfered coins and sausages when they were in Darkhorn?! He had known so many folk on the Isles, most now long dead. That was the way of adventuring, he figured. Friends didn't last long.


The halfling looked down on the bow once again. Now it was little more than kindling.

Hully thought that said something. What exactly, he wasn't sure.

He sighed once more, tossed the piece of wood onto a small cart in the svirfneblin market, and walked off for a few pints of mushroom ale. He'd be drinking hard today.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
Blindhamsterman
Haste Bear
Posts: 2396
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:13 am
Location: GMT

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by Blindhamsterman »

Enjoyable read, good to see he's alive, sad to see no more bow. Shall avoid being sad at lack of mention :P
Standards Member


Current PC: Elenaril Avae'Kerym of the Lynx Lodge
<Heero>: yeah for every pc ronan has killed dming, paazin has killed 2 with his spawns
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

Hully speaks of Lynx often and with high regard. Just came up the other day as a matter of fact while discussing underdark travel. :)
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
Blindhamsterman
Haste Bear
Posts: 2396
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 11:13 am
Location: GMT

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by Blindhamsterman »

Hully remains one of the most awesome characters to have existed IMO, he does the fine line thing so very well.

and it's genuinely a pleasure to see you still write about him at times (though not enough, more stories please)
Standards Member


Current PC: Elenaril Avae'Kerym of the Lynx Lodge
<Heero>: yeah for every pc ronan has killed dming, paazin has killed 2 with his spawns
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

The Light Eater

The halfling stopped as he noted the small etching marked onto the wall of the underdark passage. Normally on his treks in and out of the land of the endless night he would pass by the landmark silently and unnoticed, but this time was different.

Hully looked back, wincing as the three longleggers moved clumsily through the darkness. Keren, the priest, Aglaril the elf blade and Feywarden Daertho all moved with varying degrees of loudness, Keren's sword blaring with a magical light so intense that Hully wondered if there were any creatures in the are that didn't mark the group's arrival.

A small pack of umberhulks had already sensed their heavy footfalls and erupted through the walls to attack the group from all sides. Those had been dispatched easily with the strength of the blades of the elves and men.

But that was not what Hully worried on. The etching on the cave wall marked that they would soon enter the "Shadow Halls", a strange area of underdark where the plane of shadows grew so strong as to roil into the underdark and steal all light.

Hully has heard the warnings. NO LIGHT. He'd heard it rumored from Rhaggot and Neisha and Snorri that any light sources used in that area would summon forth terrible creatures of the plane of shadow. "Lighteaters" the deep gnomes had named them.

"Ye'r gonna have to douse that light, Keren."

"But I need it to see."

"Then you're walkin' blind," the halfing replied firmly. "Gots it?"

Hully exhaled hard and thought a moment, finally pulling out a long piece of silk line taken off an elven sailing vessel on Gwynneth many years back. He noted it had not rotted a single strand and smiled a bit. Then he began to feed the line back to his talkfolk travelling companions. The line set, the halfing moved ahead into the blackness, his pupils dilated as wide as his eyes, the darkness seeming to take a weight as he moved ahead.

For a long stretch all went well ... at least as well as could be expected. There was some banging and clanging as the footfalls of his blinded companions fell awkwardly on a tilted cobble here or there. They had passed most of the way through the Shadow Halls and Hully nearly allowed himself a moment to relax.

Then it came.




Hully heard the creature first. It was was the sound of the Darkness made to unlife. A strange rumble of dark magic that caused the shadows to roil around the group. He felt all of the blessings that had been placed be stripped from him in an instant. He looked back to his companions... then he saw it. The Light Eater...

Image

It was as tall as two giants standing atop one another's shoulders and so black that it was difficult to make its form as humanoid, but it was. It set upon the three tallfolk with an horrific intensity. A flick of its great hand and Aglaril shrieked in terror, turning to flee into the endless dark. Keren hadn't yet even unsheathed his blade before another flick of the creature's hand leached out a bone chilling cold that caused them all to stagger.


A great fight ensued. Daertho and Keren stood to fight the great creature of Shadow, taking blade to it. The thing struck so hard that Keren could barely keep his grip upon his blade. A few moments later his sword was knocked free, skittering away into the dark, leaving him to bash at the creature with his shield as he search for another weapon. Daertho fought valiantly as well, but his blade seemed to do nothing. Hully fired arrow after arrow into the beast but knew his impotence soon as not a one of a full quiver did anything to effect the creature.

An ebon fist as large as an ale cask smashed Keren on the head and neck, forcing him to a knee momentarily. Blood was flowing like a river from the Priest's ears as Hully tried to roll into the fray to heal his friend's wound. But alas, he creature emanated some force that blocked any spell. His chant failed. His scroll disintegrated as he read the parchment with no effect.

Hully had thought that nothing they would find in the dark passage would be a true challenge to the warriors with whom he traveled. They were each of the greatest accomplishment, known through the lands for their power. Hully had thought wrongly.

The creature knocked Keren's other sword from his hand as easily as he had the first. Out of options the Priest of Lurue chanted and tried to touch the blackness. Success! The thing staggered back as the positive energy passed into it, lessening the blackness for just a moment. Despite the wounds Keren let a tiny smile as he had found the means to victory. Accepting the blows that rained down upon him by the creatures terrible black fists, Keren spoke more spells, channeling nearly all of his divine energy and passing it into the Light Eater.

In a moment of desperation the huge shadow beast called forth a number of shadows to aid, but it was too late. Keren shuddered as the last chant did its holy damage and the form of blackness dissipated into the blackness from whence it came.



The shades were dispatched and the whole of the Shadow Halls fell to silence. The talkfolk were bloodied and spent. Hully felt a moment's guilt at remaining unscathed, but quickly rid himself of that notion.

A short time later the foursome emerged from the blackness onto the Underway. They made the outpost of Barrenrock not long later. As Hully tried to rest in the small tavern later, after his nerves had been calmed with many tankards of uco and many bowls of Nexalan weed, he still could not shake the vision of the Light Eater. Hully's dark dreams were generally ones comforting to him, a sense that he and the darkness were one, that the shadows were akin to him. Now he knew truly that not all things of the shadow saw him as a friend. He would take that lesson well.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

How long had it been since he'd been "topsides"? Hully mused as pondered the question.

It was hard to mark the passage of time in Barren Rock, the small svirfneblin outpost along the Underway, a major underdark trade route.


It must have been a year? Two?


Hully had become quite comfortable with his life below ground. He could roam long stretches of the underway and knew most of the caves and tunnels so well that he could navigate easily. That his darkvision had seemed to improve over time didn't hurt either.


He had made a contact at the Zhent outpost who was able to bring in nexalan weed every ride or two. The man was as repugnant as the rest of his ilk, but it was a necessary compromise. A halfling couldn't go long without a full pipe, now could he?



Yes, Hully was mostly content. He had a comfortable room, made some trading contact, occasionally did a bit of work for Snorri or some of the deep gnomes. (Not that he needed the gold, mind you. His years of adventure had made him as wealthy as a laird. That is if his gold was still safe in Baldur's Gate).



But recently Hully's mind and spirit had begun to nag at him. He had come to this dark place following a vision after all. And that vision was one of communion with the shadows. The drow sorceress had passed the notion to him in her "mind speak" that Hully could find a path to the greatest knowledge of darkness know on this realm ... or beyond it. A shadow magic or weave or what not she had called it. He would find a oneness with the shadow realm as Brandobaris had wanted for him.


He had searched the underdark far and wide, roaming for days on end, but had found nothing. Nothing, except the patch of road where the shadow realm melded with the underdark, the home of the "Light Eater". ... And Hully dared not go there again.



So he waited, hoping that one day perhaps the sorceress would return or that somewhere in the deep darkness the answers would come. He waited, comfortable and content, but with a slow growth of a restless spirit seeking answers.

An itch that would soon have to be scratched.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

Hully's eyes winced as he stepped out into the daylight of the surface world for the first time in five years.

The full sun was was warm, but rather than being comforted by the daylight, Hully felt.... exposed. Since his self-imposed exile to Barrenrock he had grown ever more intertwined with the shadows. Darkness was something he slipped in and out of like an evening smoke jacket.

Now, with only his own shadow trailing behind him, he made his way toward the Rauvin Vale road.

Were any of his old friends still in the Marches? How much had changed?


He drew his cowl tight over his head to shade his eyes and began the long walk toward Silverymoon to find out.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
Rumple C
Bard
Posts: 3561
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:38 pm
Location: The ceiling.

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by Rumple C »

!
12.August.2015: Never forget.
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

Not a one of 'em it seemed. Dead ... or scattered to the ends of the realms ... hard to know. Not a single person Hully knew from his time in the Marches was still on the lips of the people of Silverymoon.

Not Daertho nor Keren. Not Lynx nor Korlar. No elf or man or hin that he called friend remained.

But Hully smiled a bit as beneath a big tree near the Rauvin vale, watching the late sun sparkle golden on the changing leaves. THe air was crisp and cool and always moving. It was a welcome change from Barren Rock. When the sun was high his eyes stung badly and he had to keep the dark cowl drawn tight, but this time near sunset was just perfect ... no pain and all of nature's beauty to behold.


___

And though he no old friends here in the North, Hully had already met a few new folks that seemed like they might make for some adventure up here on the topsides.

Always a bit skeptical of new longleggers, Hulurin Tosscobble had decided to follow a band of adventurers up into Silverymoon pass. The lass Jhessie had been kind enough. And the swordsman at her side if not a warm fella at least looked like he knew how to handle a blade.

There were a number more of 'em ... all longleggers and all girding for battle as they crested the pass near Auvendell.

By the time Hully's little legs had caught up with the band they had dispatched a number of wyverns and dozens of orcs. And then there was a the metal-eaters ..... xorns some folks call 'em .... and the band of adventures killed those too. And that despite the fact that Hully got ensorcelled by some fey basterd and started shooting at the longleggers!

Hell, if they didn't kill him for that then they can't be all bad, eh.



At the end of it all there was some talk with a Grey Fox and Aewyn and some Amenstria or some such. Hully didn't catch the most of it as his brain was still muddied from the fey sorcery.




_____


All in all it was good to be back. Good to be up on the surface. Good to be in the North. And good to be with a group of folk he make into new friends.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
User avatar
dergon darkhelm
Fionn In Disguise
Posts: 4258
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Re: Stories about Hulurin Tosscobble -

Post by dergon darkhelm »

dergon darkhelm wrote:
Sat Nov 02, 2013 7:29 pm
Here in Barrenrock and its surrounds it was dark. Always. There was no way to easily mark the passing of days. There was no change in the environment to suggest the turning of the seasons. It was always cool, and moist ..... and dark.

But Hully knew when the leaves changed to orange and umber and red. His bow told him.

The small bow had been a gift of the druids of Corwell grove, marking the little hin a hero of the Moonshae Isles. The shortbow was imbued with the power of the Moonwell and was itself a living thing of the isles. It was crafted of a rough gnarled limb of tree, with sprouts of leaves all along the shaft. The string appeared to be a fresh spun web of a tree spider glistening with evening dew. When the druids had granted it to him they had warned that the power of the bow came from the Moonwell, and that the weapon would need to be returned before seasons passed in order to rejuvenate its magic.

Hully looked at the bow and frowned a bit. It had been near to a year since he left the isles last and now the words of the druids came clear again. The leaves were withered and brown, the webstring frayed and dry. It no longer could shoot an arrow straight, nor could the string be pulled back to aim.

Though there was no marking of the seasons in the Underdark, Hully knew that the season had changed to winter "up topside". The bow's magic had faded and was now lost to the ages.

The dark clad halfling sighed slightly, recalling in his mind a time that seemed another lifetime back. Of Marcus Wands and
Jonathon. Of Arilis, whose lute he to this day carried with him to remind himself how rash action can lead to the death of friends. Of Father Bogo of Lowhill and the many long conversations of what it is to be halfling, and to serve the Trickster, and to know the darkness' pull.

He thought of the long nights spent balancing on river stones in the deepest of night, leaping and spinning from shadow to shadow... and as often as not falling into the river to leave himself sodden, sputtering and cursing in the cold stream water. He chuckled at that.

He thought of Trap, and ... damn it! Who was that tightarsed priestess of Red Knight who picked 'im up by his boots and shook him for pilfered coins and sausages when they were in Darkhorn?! He had known so many folk on the Isles, most now long dead. That was the way of adventuring, he figured. Friends didn't last long.


The halfling looked down on the bow once again. Now it was little more than kindling.

Hully thought that said something. What exactly, he wasn't sure.

He sighed once more, tossed the piece of wood onto a small cart in the svirfneblin market, and walked off for a few pints of mushroom ale. He'd be drinking hard today.

...


Many years later.....

Hully looked at his little short bow and frowned. Yes, it shot well enough and was of the finest ebonwood, but it was not like before.


Two years now he had been "up topsides" on the surface and in recent months thoughts of Barrenrock and the underdark had become more frequent.


The magic of the Moonwell is enduring is it not? Perhaps if he could return to the gnomish outpost and, with a bit of Trickster's luck, find the old hunk of wood, Hully could eventually make his was back out to the Moonshaes and find a druid to once again enchant the weapon.


Maybe it was time to venture deep below once again.
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed

NWN2: ??

gsid: merado_1
Post Reply