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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
This is a first draft of a story set in the world of Greyhawk.
It is based on a home campaign so some of the people, places and things
may be different. Any helpful comments or suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks
Jason Zavoda
Harald dropped, Derue's kick sent his leg out to the side but
failed to break the thick bone. The ranger let himself fall forward.
He slammed Derue face first into the stones and brought his other knee
down hard against the scouts back. Dazed, the scout moaned and tried to
wriggle free, Harald grabbed a handful of his hair and bounced Derue's
forehead on the hard rock, knocking the man cold.
"You were right." Harald called to Telenstil. "This time I'm tying
his feet, I'll have to carry him."
"Are we ready?" Telenstil asked. There was a murmur of assent, the
little thief started off first through the vast and almost empty hall. The
orcs had gone, but they had left the bodies of their dead behind, several
dark lumps of flesh and cloth left lying by the walls and a carpet of
dead, the bodies thick, one against the other, where Talberth's magic
bolt had slain them by the score.
The group stayed together, Harald carried the scout like a sack
of grain across his wide shoulder, Ghibelline and Gytha helped Jalal keep
the pace, the old man had his arms around the elf and clerics necks. They
half carried him, but Jalal barely weighed a thing, he was only skin
stretched over bone.
Before they reached the stairs Harold came running back, he waved
to them to stop and rushed up to Telenstil.
"There are orcs ahead, a small group waiting on the stairs." Harold
reported. "They didn't look threatening, they look more like a group of
beggars in a marketplace."
"Let us proceed with care." said Telenstil.
"Let's get out of this hall," said Talberth, "and up from this
dungeon."
The ranger unslung Derue when the reached the arch before the
stairs, leaving him leaning against the wall.
"Ho there!" he called in the orc tongue, but he received a reply
in the common traders language used across the Flanaess.
"You there," the voice called out. "We wait for you, we had deal,
you lead us out."
"I had no deal with you." Harald called back.
"Not so loud!" the voice hissed back. "I come down, you no kill."
The orc dropped down the stairs and walked into the light. He was
the one called Boss, but his followers had almost all deserted him, a bare
half-dozen remained waiting up the stairs.
"I deal with that one." Boss said pointing to Derue. "He make
deal. We help, you help."
"The orc is correct." spoke up Jalal. "Your companion promised to
help them, as he promised me, and Ghibelline."
"Then we will accept their help, and help them as well." said
Telenstil.
"Help these monsters?" Harold spoke up surprised.
"There are worse than orcs about, and they are no friends of the
giants." the ranger said.
"Come, we delay ourselves for nothing." said Telenstil. "We will
honor our companions word, let us be out of here."
The ranger nodded to the orc. "We will help you, carry this one,"
Harald said pointing to Derue, "he made the offer, he is your burden."
The orc beckoned to his companions and the other orcs came down
the stairs. They had to wait for the group to climb, following last
carrying the still unconscious body of the scout.
* * *
(To Be Continued)