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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
"How do we know it's you?" demanded Harold.
"How do I know it is really you two?" Talberth objected. "This is
pointless, Harald put down that sword."
"You're just trying to confuse things." Harold complained. "What
happened to you? Where's Ivo?"
As if summoned by his name Ivo stepped through the portal still
holding the silver wire that the ranger had let fall. Blinded by the mist
he walked into Talberth and made him jump.
With a flick of his wrist Harald moved the tip of his sword aside,
the point was only inches away from Talberth's chest. The cloth of
the mage's robe pressed against the sword's keen edge and split as did the
soft shirt underneath.
"Ouucch!" Talberth's hand flew to his chest and his fingers came
away wet with blood. "Watch it!" he yelled at Harald.
"Sorry." said Harald as he lowered his sword.
"What are you three playing at?" asked Ivo. He stepped around
Talberth's legs and scowled at them all.
"Is this Talberth?" the little thief asked Ivo.
"Of course it is Talberth, and I'm me and you're you." Ivo rebuked
him. "Now let us get back to the others."
"But Ivo," said Talberth, "there is so much here that we need to
explore."
"Too much." Ivo replied. "What we need is rest, and a place of
safety. This ruin provides us with neither I'd say."
"We are safe enough now." Talberth insisted, though his hand
touched the hole in his short and the drying trickle of blood from the
scratch beneath. "Now that I know what to say, the skeleton's and the
wraith will lis..."
"Wraith!" Harold squeaked out alarmed.
"Do not worry, I talked with it. It obeyed my commands," Talberth
said to Harold but he looked from face to face, "really we are perfectly
safe."
"We need to talk with Telenstil first." said Ivo. "Talberth you
were supposed to return if you found anything."
"Well I would have," Talberth said slightly annoyed, "but I was
knocked out and manacled, I didn't get the chance."
"Before such a chance as that happens again let us be off and
back to the others." insisted Ivo. "Harold, go collect your shadow."
"Little Rat," Harold's eyebrows rose, "if he's gone to sleep..."
"But Ivo we are safe." Talberth's voice had a pleading tone.
"Talberth you know better than that." Ivo shook his head. "And
even if we are safe, what of the others?" the old gnome held up his hand
to silence Talberth's objections. "Save your arguments for Telenstil.
We are leaving, do you want to abandon us to search this ruin?"
"No, no." said Talberth. "This place is powerful, I know it."
"I do not doubt that." Ivo agreed.
"We may be the first people here in a thousand years." Talberth
mused.
"These skeletons are still lively." said Harald. The ranger
lashed out with his boot and sent a pile of bones clattering across the
floor.
"A thousand years, then the time it takes to complete our task
against the giants will be very short compared to that." Ivo said to
Talberth.
"I will be back." Talberth said to the ancient walls.
"Ivo," Harold half dragged the young orc along, "do you have
magic to help him. He wants to sleep and I'm having trouble keeping him
awake."
"I'll carry him." offered the ranger.
"Here," said Ivo, he took a small pouch from his belt and opening
it waved the contents back and forth beneath Little Rat's nose.
The orc's eyes opened wide and he gave a huge sneeze, Ivo
rescued his pouch just in time, pulling it away with a quick move of his
hand.
"Smell bad." Little Rat complained and sneezed three times,
one after another.
* * *
(To Be Continued...)