[Meanwhile Reinward was recovering from his recent encounter with the Night Parade in Fenrir's townhouse - 19 Wizard's Cut, Westgate.]
DAY 500(15th Flamerule)(july) cont ...
Reinward was woken up from his morning nap by his empty stomach demanding something was done to fill it up, so he went down to the kitchen to get something to eat.
He found that the cook, Cathy Barwin, had let in 'Jane', the girl that had helped rescue him from the Court of the Night King and was feeding her leftovers at the kitchen table.
As she sipped at a cup of tea, he saw that she only had two rings left on her wrists. After they had eaten, she indicated to Ren that she wished him to follow her.
He agreed, but first went back upstairs to retrieve her armour and weapon that he had saved for her in his bag of holding. She was happy to get her gear back and took the sword out of the scabbard to check it.
'Woah!' cried the cook. 'No swords in the kitchen now children! Off you go outside to play now!'
As they got ready to leave, Ren showed Jane the red pill he had not taken back at the Court. She rolled he eyes at him.
They left the house and Reinward followed her through the streets of Westgate to the ruined temple of Ilmater. She then led him through a secret door to a gloomy cellar. Here waited Sir Liroc Dragonscale, the Knight he had last met in his dreams.
'So lad,' said Sir Liroc, 'Progress?'
Reinward did not know what to say initially, but they then went over the prophecy together for a while. Liroc told the young rogue that he had been sent on a divine quest to help and protect him. The old man was tired though, or so it seemed to
Reinward, and was keen to get things wrapped up as quickly as possible. Reinward also learned that Jane's actual name was Keyko, that she was like Reinward, and that their was a third 'Bearer of the Stigmata of Ilmater' out in the world somewhere but that no one had been able to locate them.
As they talked, the huge feline bulk of Behemoth, one of the Demons of Westgate suddenly stepped down into the cellar to join them!
'Will you not introduce me to your friends, young Reinward?' asked the cat, twirling his cane.
Sir Liroc was having none of it though, he knew a foul beast of the Abyss when he saw one and for a paladin the only course of action was clear.
'Out!' he cried as he smited the cat. 'Out dread fiend!'
'Charming I must say!' yelped the cat as he dodged the knight's sword.
The cat hissed, clawed and scratched, terribly wounding Sir Liroc who fell to his knees.
'Run!' he gasped at Jane and Reinward. 'I will hold it off!'
Liroc called up the last of his divine magic and met the demon's claws with his blade. Reinward didn't need to be told to run twice, and he didn't stop until he got back to Fenrir's town house.
He and Keyko fell back into the kitchen and once they had got their breath back the cook made them a nice cup of tea.
Later that evening Fenrir returned from work.
DAY 501(16th Flamerule)(july)
This was the day of Fenrir's duel with Kargerth Cormariel. They met in the Gardens of Termadar, the traditional spot for young men to defend their honour in.
As well as the two combatants, Reinward, Veddic, Raz and all the mercenaries were there for Fenrir, and Kargerth had his own set of followers. This included a druid called Jackie, who was in the company of her animal companion, a great ape, who fairly steamed in the hot morning sun.
Hallis Krytel, cleric of Tyr was also their as the referee.
At first they were both loaded up with magical effects, items and weapons. Kargerth probably even more so than Fenrir. In addition to all his magical armours and effects he had a magical sword that seemed to always hit when he said the word 'Eranu'!
Fenrir was in trouble, so Veddic cast Silence on the ground where the fight was happening. He wasn't noticed, but of course the effect was. Krytel called a halt to the combat and insisted all magical effects should be curtailed before it could continue.
This was all done, except for the magical aura that surrounded Fenrir that reduced the damage of all blows to his body. He told Krytel he could not suppress this effect, but that cold iron would negate it.
So in the interests of fair play, two cold iron spears were fetched and finally the duel was resumed.
Now that no magic was involved it was all down to the duelists skill with a spear and in this Fenrir had the advantage. He certainly took hits, but he dished out more telling blows.
When Kargerth fell, blood pouring out of his side, Jackie cried out and the ape went into a rage and attacked Fenrir. Since this was a clear breech of the rules Fenrir had no qualms about using magic on it and sent it to sleep with a Painful Slumber invocation.
With one more poke of the spear Kargerth was finished, terribly wounded but not dead. Fenrir decided to not go in for the kill and stepped back to let the healers bring him back from the brink of death.
Reinward went to 'help' and managed to steal a magical Periapt of Wisdom from Dame Ednar Cormariel as they all crowded round.
Once it was all over, a cart was summoned to haul the ape away and everyone went home. It was not even eight in the morning.
Fenrir had a light breakfast and sauntered in to work. He found a dwarf watchman who had some knowledge of the Underdark who told him to go talk to a halfling called Jack Sighthill who was apparently an expert in the place.
He met him in his small house in town.
'Ah yes, do come in!' smiled the halfling. 'Welcome to my humble abode!'
As they sat and drank tea he informed Fenrir;
'Indeed, my lord, the Underdark around Westgate is stuffed full of dark elves, drow and driders. Bursting at the seams with them really! Oh, and vampires! Now - if you are talking about "ancient queens" and "spiders" then this surely must be Queen Arachnia. Even in the
Underdark they speak of her in hushed whispers and it has been so long since she has been seen that she has slipped into legend. She's real though, I assure you, and her lair lies below the Labyrinth that lies below the City of Pools.'
'I've been there,' noted Fenrir.
'Of that I am aware,' nodded Sighthill. 'I have read about your exploits in the chapbooks!'
'And a "ten-eyed crown"?' asked Fenrir.
'On that I can only guess. I know no story of Queen Arachnia possessing anything like it.'
'Could it be a Beholder's Crown?' ventured Fenrir who knew of this item from previous research.
'Perhaps my lord, perhaps,' murmured Sighthill. 'If anyone can get their hands on it, it would be you though. Just be sure to bring that druid with you like last time as according to the chapbooks he was invaluable to your survival!'
No comments:
Post a Comment