Day 35 - Deaths Final Embrace.
Journal Entry of Tyson Harcord.
Corensday, Mycius 16th - Year 867;
We spent the night gathering information about the surrounding area and the goings on in Sworn. We were here to do a job after all.
Sworn was significantly smaller than Alaspar, hardly larger then the numerous smaller villages we could have stopped at on the way here. The only difference with Sworn was probably the Warriors Guild, which at the moment stood empty near the large keep in the city.
While the group was out finding information from the locals I went to the city guard, a man named Elmo - such a peculiar name, almost as if it should have been the name of a children's puppet instead. Elmo was able to furnish me with a key to the Warriors guild after I let him verify my copy of the Warriors guild contract, which I had conveniently concealed between my buttocks during the Court/Jail/Flying Ship situation.
I bid Elmo adeu and made my way over to the Warriors guild and searched it for clue or treasure, both equally valuable. I found neither. The place had been left as if everyone had simply walked out one day and never came back. There were clothes in the drawer, food in the cupboards, and supplies readily available. In fact Elmo had stated that HE was the one who had locked up the guild when it had been found empty. With all of this confusion I decided to go seek out the group and find out what they had found out.
Upon finding the group at "The Welcome Wench" the better of the few Bar/Inns in town I learned that they had went out to the Millhouse by the river, apparently Owla's family owned the Mill and she wanted to visit. Unfortunately they found the place vacant, without sign of her family, though they did find evidence of squatters, and from the look of their belongings they may have been a part of this "Cult" we are supposed to be looking out for. Owla was visibly shaken, and the clues didn't look promising if we are to believe the rumors we've heard about town. After some time we decided to call it a night, and resume our endeavors in the morning. I went back to the Warriors guild and spent the night in the Chapter Leader's room (He had an exquisite taste in Telmarine Wine). I believe the group paid for and stayed at the Inn, or slept on Captain Dash's Ship.
_________________________________________________________________________
The morning rose and the group came together in the Inn of the Welcome Wench. Our questions from the previous night had peaked the interest of one of the tavern inhabitants, A certain Male Human individual named Chatrilon. The man was gruff, and he had an uneasy sense about him, perhaps it was the faint scent of filth that came from him as I'm sure he did not bath often, or perhaps it was something more sinister. My group however did not seem the slightest bit bothered by the man as he immediately offered to show us the way to the Moathouse in person. In fact they were so at ease with him that they accepted without so much of a question to his intentions or motivations. With the group so accepting, who am I to question or complain, I'm sure everything will be alright.
We gather our equipment, our guide, and our wits, and proceeded to the Royal Pardon, Captain Dash's airship. We boarded the ship and stowed our gear. Zahara, Aura, and Owla went about the basic ship duties Dash had shown them while Balarion, Gwenyth, and Layla went below decks to begin studying and memorizing the magic spells they would require for the upcoming events. Roth pretty much immediately set about the larders looking for food and drink, Dwenicko set to grooming his giant bat mount (Who had taken a liking to perching on the rigging, hanging there like a great black flag.), Toh Yah sat himself on the foredeck to meditate, whilst Ranvier tended to cleaning his weaponry while being subjected to the constant chatter of Arredondo, the Tinker Gnome. I went and sat with Dash at the Helm as he went through his pre-flight checklist and reviewed navigation with Chatrilon, however my attention was not on the events at hand, but more so on Altus -that Lost Ranger- as he appeared to be having an argument with his Bow. He had leaned it against the mast at the center of the ship and was having a very animated discussion with it, sometimes verging on yelling and crying at the bow... I'm going to have to keep an eye on that one, I think the responsibilities he's taken upon himself may be wearing him thin.
After Chatrilon and Dash had worked out Navigation we cleared launch with the Dry dock and made our way to the Moathouse, Dash making minor course adjustments at Chatrilon's guidance. After some time in the air we could see the Moathouse in the distance. I gave a call to the ship for the group to come above deck and to ready themselves, as we were unaware of what we would be getting ourselves into.
Dash landed the ship a short distance away from the Moathouse and the group readied themselves to scout out the Moathouse, noticing that Roth and Leyla weren't amongst the group I went below deck to find Roth passed out in one of the bunks, it appeared he had eaten his share of the larders and drunk more then his share of the beer. Layla was there kicking at the big sleeping half orc yelling, cursing and crying. From what she was saying it appears he ate the contents of her spell component pouch along with a few more valuable components she was going to need for the events.
Trying to make as little noise as possible I crept back up the stairs, not wanting to evoke the wrath of the neutered sorceress. I got to the top and informed the group that they would need to leave the Barbarian and the Sorceress behind dues to complications. Trying to make the best of the situation Dash volunteered to accompany the group while Arredondo and I stayed back with Chatrilon to guard the ship.
The party departed, and I watched as they made their way across a grass field and road, weapons drawn and vigilant. I lost sight of them as they crossed what appeared to be a repaired drawbridge. Though mere moments passed before I heard a terrifying Roar, and witnessed a young, yet still massive blue dragon rise from behind the walls of the Moathouse.
"That's Utreshimon" said Arredondo, point at the dragon with his dagger.
"You know that dragon!?" I responded, incredulously.
"No, his name is branded onto his side in Draconic... it's a common enough practice with farm raised dragons, though this one looks like he has escaped." said Arredondo.
I just stared at him for a bit, the things bards know... Turning my head back to the Moathouse I saw what appeared to be tendrils of stone reach up and pull the dragon down behind the wall again. Watching and listening I heard yells and screams, I saw an Owl flit about above the wall briefly and then viewed Gwenyth rise up, born aloft by her wings.
After a brief period of time the clamor of battle was over, unsure of the outcome I almost left the Airship to check on the group, the only thing that stopped me was seeing Leyla come above deck, she had the tattered remains of her spell component pouch clutched to her chest.
"I'm going to gather my components.... I don't know when I'll be back." She said in a huffy tone, with just the slightest sniffle, and turned around and walked away, off the ship and into the surrounding forest.
"Do you want to bet on whether she comes back or not?" said Arredondo.
"No, I'm sure she will, there's something more to that mage then she lets on." I replied.
Hearing a grunt I turned back to the stairwell that led below decks and saw Roth bleary eyed coming out.
"Roth, go help." I said pointing at the Moathouse. Roth nodded, pulled out his Axe and ran off towards the Moathouse. In the process passing the limping figure of Dash as he returned to the ship.
"Fucking Dragon!" Exclaimed Dash as he approached.
"Do you need me to get the Med Kits?" I said to him as I helped him onboard.
"No, I'll heal on my own without issue, just get me to my bed" said Dash softly and I guided him to his room. Upon laying him down he was out like a light. I tucked him in, put away his boots and weapons, and then left the room, closing the door quietly.
I came out on deck just in time to witness Chatrilon slice open Arredondo's neck and dump his convulsing bleeding body over the edge of the ship.
"What the Hell!, you bloody traitor.!" I shouted as I ran at him with my fists raised.
"What, me a traitor?" He said with a smirk "And how would you know who's side I'm on little Dwarf?" he said as he grabbed me by my neck and lifted me off the deck by my throat with an unhuman like strength.
"Why?" I gasped out, as my vision faded away.
"Because the Dark Lord, Tharizdun, moves in mysterious ways foolish Dwarf." he said as I felt his grip tighten around my neck.
I could feel my self fading away, my world fading into darkness. With no other choice, I closed my eyes and went limp. Shortly, barely hanging onto life I felt myself thrown from the ship. My body hit the ground and crumpled up. Opening my eyes I watched as the Royal Pardon with Chatrilon at the helm took off, flying away.
I'm was not sure how long I would live, my throat had been crushed and I was pretty sure my wrist and leg were broken from the fall. I looked over to Arredondo, and could barely make out his hand bloody, reaching upwards, as if to catch hold of the fleeing Airship.
Mustering what strength I could I started crawling my way over to Arredondo, each movement inciting excruciating pain, almost too terrible to withstand. I'm not sure how, but eventually I made it over to him. I checked his lifeless body for a pulse, but found none. his skin was white from the lack of blood, as it had escaped from the large gash in his neck and had pooled around his body in the dirt and grass.
Unsure of what to do next I started to shout for help, but stopped shortly after hearing odd moans and rustling coming from the woods nearby. The air was starting to grow cold, and the grass nearby almost appeared to wilt. I'm sure it's my imagination, but it almost seems as if even the color has been leached out of the world around me, as if even the light is dying.
...In case I die I'm writing this down, my group needs to know what happened in their absence, they need to be made aware so that when they come out they can hunt that fucker down...
...I can hear noises from the forest, it appears something is drawing them out. The air is really cold now, I can see my breath. I can't move, my leg has locked up, it's going to be tough to get out of here...
...I can't move, they are here, if I move they will find me...
...Trying to figure out something to do I started checking Arredondo's corpse... He isn't Heartsmithed...
...Was his eyes open before...?
...was he looking at me before...?
*There is some blood splattered here, mixed in with the ink, it is illegible*
No comments:
Post a Comment