A Land Far Away

Posted: **Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:10 pm**

The old man actually grinned as he ribbed the Uthgardt barbarian as they made camp, "Hells Cona, whatever agreements you made with the Lord, you best keep them. The way electricity shoots from his fingertips, you will find yourself crisped like a duck if you cross him."

Cona only nodded slowly, Neither in agreement nor in dispute, just a long slow nod.

Blacke was in a fair mood for a man who rarely finds himself in a fair mood. He rambled on about the evenings work. "That was a nice bit of battle. Tactically, very well done, indeed. All the bloody little things that were attended to, made the work, go very well indeed." He pauses and recants the specifics.

"First, we had a well organized battle order. Hate to say it, but that worrisome bleeding heart Master Samuel did fine work organizing the patrol... could have turned into a friggin disaster with all those big headed men walking about. But he did good work to keep it straight... still, a worrisome bastard, but he did well."

"Second, that gnome proved to be as good scout as I have seen of late, what was his name... Rerin, that's it. He turned out alright. Was a bit worried at first, when we marched into that first bloody ambush.... yet, after that, he keep us straight."

"Third, the shield wall.... damn that was nice bit of work. Between you (Cona) and that tough fella Leif we held very well. Never a crack in it... Leif is the finest swordsman I seen work and" pauses to look at Cona "You (Cona) held his right as well as any trained solider. Friggin unbelievable, next, you will be polishing your helmet and boots and looking for a job as a captain of the guard in some fair city with pretty lasses."

Cona grumbles "Blacke, go find a bee's nest and stick your part in it."

Blacke scoffs "It'll remind me of your sister."

Cona punches Blacke hard in the chest "Next time, that will be in your old sour mouth, and I will be aiming to remove the few teeth you got less"

Blacke shakes his head "Got to learn, boy, you got to learn to control that temper. Like with the big orc bastard. You didnt have much use for him. What was his name?" He mutters "Frig, was it Reck, or Freck, I forget, but he did well. Held nicely and kept the ranks safe... you were worried at first, but he did well, even that pretty lass Tha'is did well... thought for sure with her looks some of the men would behave like boys, but they kept focus and she did her part."

Blacke continues "However, got to say that in addition to Leif, that part fish man and the Lord dd more than their part. Zyrus... wasn't that the fish man?" Shakes his head in disbelief "That son of a bitch was nasty with his tools of war. Ate up those undeaders. And the Lord Drake, told you he wasn't to trifle with... don't think one of the undeaders got to us that wasn't sparking and sizzling like they just touched a lightening rod."

By this time, Cona has rolled over and gone to sleep.

Thanks HEEGZ!

Feel free to add, change, revise or otherwise improve!

Posted: **Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:31 pm**

((It was Freck, but mis-remembered names happen))

Posted: **Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:27 am**

(Thanks to Heegz for enabling the adventure)

Freck walked into the Silver Salmon looking for the cap’n. And right into a right old party. Warriors and idiots both left, right, and centre, polishing weapons, tightening buckles, and talking soldier talk like “ranks” and “tactics”. Even more than that, right in the middle of it all was the cap’n. Freck walked over to the bar, and asked what was going on, learning of an upsurge in nasty magic out of the MacSheen ruins that was stirring up things that were better left undisturbed. Even more relevant to Freck though, was the reward on offer for dealing with it. He turned his attention to Drake, who was putting boot to arse, getting these people moving.

He called on Freck to fall in. Freck played the dutiful crewman and did so, talking with Rerin on the way. Rerin had picked up a ridiculously large shield from somewhere, and was trailing it along the ground behind him. The masked little gnome imperiously commanded him to take the shield and carry it for him. Recalling the pecking order of the ship, and the beating his legs had taken last time he crossed Rerin, he did so, sticking it under one great arm.

There was one solider there, Samuel who was barking orders like a right old fishwife. Form up! Ranks! Wait! Go! Move Here! Don’t Move! Freck had been given the role of guarding the flank and healers, who seemed to be Tha’is , and Samuel himself. He lazily shrugged, knowing his place. Besides, being here, four steps behind Cona gave him a nice few of the back of Conas ugly head. Freck gripped his spike metal club comfortingly, remembering the insults and tussle they had traded some days earlier.

The group stopped as Rerin reported back from his sneakery. Shadows ahead. Shadows? The night was full of them. So what? He mentally shrugged wondering what it all meant.

He was soon to know, as they moved ahead as one... and shadowy figures moved towards them in return. Freck had been in fights before, not many, enough to count on his fingers, but this was unlike any other. For one, his club found no satisfying flesh to crash into, which often put him off balance. Even worse, his leather armor, and wooden shield offered little if any protection against the shadows in return. It was a terrifying experience to feel the shadow swing its arm through his shield, arm, and into his chest. It was as cold as he had ever felt, and stole the breath from his lungs for a dozen terrible heartbeats. He swung his own mace in return for this slight upon his nerves, and was rewarded when it dispersed the shadow into inky threads which dispersed into the night.

It looked like Lief had also felt the touch of darkness, as he spoke of it loudly. Freck simply shivered and remained silent, not wishing to draw attention to his weakness.

Onwards they pressed, to the ruins ahead. Again and again they met with huddled groups of things that were meant to be dead. Ghosts and such, shambling figures, and ones that ran with all the grace of an elven warrior. The group if nothing else, was filled with capable warriors who battled well. Freck played his part well, pushing back against any who came near Samuel and Tha’is, his sheer size working as an effective foil. At one point he found himself pressed by a pale man, who fought with savagery, landing two painful strikes on Frecks shoulder and and arm while he battered the thing back with his club. He fought with strength and more than a little desperation, holding his own for a few moments, until he was joined at either side by flashing weapons. The odds quickly turned poor for the dead man who was was again returned to the ground.

Methodically they moved, checking buildings and ruins, at one point entering a ruined tower where Freck saw the most obscenely large mushrooms. He was vaguely reminded of his own ”Uncle Habby”, though he kept that jest to himself. At one point Cona and he traded glares and spits, and promised violence with their eyes, though Freck had little intention of provoking the savage to violence while he had weapons in hand.

And then it was done. The ruins cleared, and the rewards to be claimed. Freck reflected back from beneath the haystack he had crawled under to sleep off the chill of the shadow.

It had been a terrifying night, overall, but the rewards, intangible or otherwise had been worth it.

Posted: **Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:13 pm**

Nice Post... good read!

A Land Far Away

The Undead - IC Last Night's Action - Read if you were there

The Undead - IC Last Night's Action - Read if you were there

Re: The Undead - IC Last Night's Action - Read if you were t

Re: The Undead - IC Last Night's Action - Read if you were t

Re: The Undead - IC Last Night's Action - Read if you were t