Send a spelling or grammar correction to: Tracy Johnson
This site sponsored by Agenda Games LLC
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
Day was coming to an end, and the ranger still slept. Harald had
been carried away from the carnage and now the group, grown larger
by two dwarves, had gathered themselves by the edge of camp that was
furthest from the path.
The bags of the giants had been plundered. Any loot that caught
the eye was snatched up, but Nyradir and Galar took away only their own
possessions, taken from them by the giants, and that of their slain
companions. The bodies of Nyradir's warriors were carried away with
reverence and solemnity by the two dwarves.
It was a cheerless and grim circle, all were hurt or weary, save
the halfling, and he had put himself on watch, a little distant from the
others.
"We go, Nosnra's Hall." said Nyradir in broken common. "What
news?"
"Can't you speak their tongue Ghibelline?" asked Talberth.
"Nyradir, he speaks better common than I speak dwarven."
Ghibelline confessed.
"That is no dwarven tongue I have heard before." said Ivo. "I
thought I knew them all well enough. And yet it is a little like all the
languages of the dwarves I have learned or heard."
"We have been to Nosnra's hall." said Telenstil. "Ghibelline and
one other we took from the dungeons, but we left behind two of our own. We
saw no dwarves."
"They kept Ginnar chained to the forge, unless they had him out to
work widening the tunnels and the chambers below the hall." added
Ghibelline.
"You friend Ginnar?" asked Nyradir.
"Yes." said Ghibelline firmly. "I would call him friend, but he
was a greater friend to another, and Jalal was like kin to me."
"Jalal?" Nyradir turned and spoke to Galar in their own tongue.
The dwarven priest raised his hands and shrugged.
"A man," said Ghibelline, "not of war, but a braver spirit I have
never known. Most of what I know of Ginnar comes from him, and he is why I
live now." the elf lowered his eyes to the ground and Gytha put her arm
about his shoulders.
The two clerics could barely sit without swaying. They had
expended all their strength and the healing bounty of their gods on the
injured. Gytha even more so than the dwarf. She smiled, a wan, tired
smile. Her face was lined with care, and her flesh was shrinking, pulling
tight across her muscles and her bones.
The cadaverous look of Ghibelline nearly matched her. The two, as
they sat leaning against each other, looked like male and female of some
species that was neither man or elf
Galar's eyes were red, but wide awake. Any news of his brother
stirred up the fires within his spirit. He would not sleep or rest till he
had heard all that there was to tell.
Ghibelline spoke quickly of his capture, but little of his time
within the dungeons, only telling what little he could of Ginnar. When he
finished, the light of day was failing and twilight would soon be upon
them.
"Time for talk be done." said Nyradir, looking at the sky. "We
go Nosnra's hall. Any here go too?"
"I go." croaked out a voice. Harald had been set near to Gytha,
his body was bruised and hurt. Fresh scars and even open cuts, that were
beyond Gytha's present strength to heal, could be seen on his face and
arms. Beneath his clothes the wounds were just as bad.
"You can't even walk!" snapped the little thief.
"Then I'll crawl." growled Harald. "But I won't run anymore."
"I will go as well." said Ghibelline. He released Gytha's hand,
but she caught it again.
"I would go with Ghibelline, but I will abide by Telenstil's
decision." she said. "I will not break my oath."
Telenstil sat for a moment. Everyone watched him silently.
"All oaths are ended here." said Telenstil. His words at first
came with a great pain and weariness, but as he spoke them, a weight
dropped from his spirit and he smiled. "We have wrecked great havoc among
the giants. My queen has been given the answers to many questions, and
through her, those you have made your pledges to as well. We have done
what we could. I would do more, and if I could have it so, I would have
all of us strong and rested. I would have the giants scattered or asleep,
or in their cups. But I see no rest for us now, and what strength we have
is perhaps more than we will have a day from now."
"This is madness." said Talberth.
"No." Telenstil raised his hand, palm forward, to the mage. "This
is best. Nosnra has seen us run, will receive word of our flight, of
this..." he gestured to the camp filled with the bodies of giant dead. "He
might suspect that we will return, but I doubt that he will know for
certain. This is best, but each is free to make their own decision.
Nyradir, I will go with you." Telenstil said, and his hand dropped to his
side.
"Then I go with Ghibelline." said Gytha.
"What of Little Rat?" Harold objected. "I can't leave him here. I
agree with Talberth, this is madness, but I'll go. But I'm not leaving
him," he gestured to the young orc, "like we left those others back in
that cursed cave."
"I will carry him if I have to." offered Ghibelline.
Gytha smiled. "Listen. He snores now, his arm is healed, though it
may be a little weak. His feet should be fine."
Harold narrowed his eyes as he stared at the young orc. "Why that
little..." said the halfling. He reached over to give Little Rat a shake.
"No don't wake him." said Gytha. "Let him sleep while he can."
"That leaves me." said Ivo. "No need to ask, I'll go."
Talberth gave a deep sigh. He cast a quick glance at Gytha but
quickly looked away. "I should have stayed in that 'cursed cave'. I
have given my word." he pulled his shoulders straight and gave a small
wince, though the pain in his chest was only a memory. "I will go."
"Good." said Nyradir. "Good." he looked again toward the sky.
"Rest little now, then go."
"Rest." said Talberth. "Maybe it will clear some heads." but he
knew in his heart that they were bound once more for Nosnra's hall.
* * *
(The End For Now...To Be Continued in,
The Hill Giant Chief - The Hall of the Mountain King)