Prologue:

For many Bematha’s (Wet-Seasons) the century-wards have kept watch over the world, keeping evil at bay, acting as the beacon of hope for each declining zone. However, recently, there has been no need for such, as the elves have been settling many new forests. But now, more evil have sprung from the earth, and a new century-ward must come. With evil, once more about, the human petition for another hero to aid them in their conquest for the defeat of evil. A’Sitari meets their demand, and the next century-ward is born.

The Epic Of a’Sitari Gold-Ward

I, daughter of the Golden-SwordBow have finally begun to venture forth to the vast expenses of the world away from Thala Forile. There, I was considered amongst the most gifted in the art of war, and was elected as this century’s ward against evil. The obligation spurred my training forth, and soon I became the strongest warrior Thala Forile had seen in many generations. In the training that ensued after the council’s decision I became a very agile, tough, and focused spear elf.
Like most elven soldiers, I was trained for dodging the enemy’s blows, and then killing them shortly after.

6th Moonstone, 505
In the start of my journey, I lost myself on the path to the human fortress where I would be basing my beginnings until I was well-known enough to start my own company of warriors and purge the evil from the landscape. Now quickly took inventory of my equipment, and found that everything was in order.

The elders had equipped me with a mango wood spear, a leather coat and standard rope-reed clothing. They also insisted I carried a shield, though unskilled in its use. It was certainly a nice shield from the wind. I was also wearing a rope-reed backpack and a leather water skin. Inside it were three drinks of water, and a large-copper dagger was in the backpack, as well as five meals worth of lungfish. I immediately removed the dagger, should the fighting get too close for my own spear, and in case I needed to commit the appalling deed of butchery.

I wandered into the nearest hamlet, and then walked into the nearest hut. In the hut were at least five to ten humans. My first action was to start a conversation with a human to discover my surroundings and find my first mission. If necessary, I will gain permission to stay the night, as I wasn’t yet confident in my abilities to ward of hordes of bogeymen, and rid the world of such. That would be later. In any event I began talking to the foreign human, and it was immediately clear we were much different.

The main difference was that he lived in a wooden hut, constructed of my ancestors’ bones. Those ignorant humans! They must now not that when we die; we become the tree, our spirits inside. To end a tree is nigh worse than to strike down a “living” being. And, he and his companions have no sympathy for the other plants. They trample them, kill them, rip out their roots, and devour them like hungry beasts! While of course, we need food; they need not farm them in such a disrespectful way.  I wonder how much they would like to be forced to grow in a small space, then killed and eaten. Bah, I would try it one day, if I weren’t supposed to be the bane of evil, not the evil itself.

But also, more elusive things came from this human. Those dirty, tree-killing bastards! And then they have the audacity to think I am the evil one. Their stares almost made me want to rip their filthy human guts out. The humans tone, now that. They speak to me as if I am a forgotten beast, one to be cast off and chased with torches. Oh, I will show them all!

After this inner outrage, I proceeded to question him about surroundings, obtained permission to stay for the night, and then asked for a task that needed completion. He told me of a fearsome beast, Elide IdataTwilights, who had slain Apug SlaughterDabbling, no doubt a human, as no honorable elf would have such a name. The human agrees to travel with me, though I doubt his usefulness, a companion is always welcome.

Before killing Elide IdataTwilights, I shall traverse the distance to the nearest fortress, recruit the remainder of my current band, and then start my quest to end the tumult and strife of this evil world!

At the fortress, I recruit a spearman, a mace man, and a swordsman. While they are only human, I wish not to be ambushed by anyone with aid, and so recruit them regardless. Now I set of to rid the world of this vile creature of the night.I check the stars, and it appears I shall oppose Elide IdataTwilights in the night, when it is most powerful, but alas, I shall strive forth! I step into the consort’s cave, and the rancid smell of death assails me, and swarms of large roaches are stirred up.

A good spear throw away, Elide is clearly visible, its deathly laughter fills the cavern as a drum beat. As Elide’s tail swishes back and forth,I stride to meet the creature, my companions to my rear. It holds a meat cleaver, streaked with crimson blood, and appears to be soon searching for its next victim.

I charge the beast for the glory of Thala Forile! I attempt to stab the beast in the lower body, but it parries my blow and counterstrikes. Elide misses, and I stab its head, but missing, but it misses as well. My spear then finds its into Elide’s upper right arm, but I only inflict a minor injury. It charges me, but finds my training more than a match for itself. I continue to stab the consort, and my companions charge in to my aid. My swordsman slashes furiously at the beast, and twists his sword around in the beast’s flesh. Such is the reward of evil! However, my other soldiers are not as helpful, and are little more effective as fighters than meat shields. I made an inner promise to recruit true elven soldiers after this sorry display of the lack of finesse these humans’ possess.

My companions are being torn apart, but I am prevailing. I do not want to damage their morale, and because a human is better as a companion as no companion. Besides, a human is by comparison far better a companion than a dwarf.I almost laugh at their clear lack of battle prowess, and soon death shall be the beast’s reward. The beast and I exchange a flurry of blow, and I am smote in my left hand, and lose my spear. Despite this, I pull out my dagger and continue the battle. Within a few more blows, I am able to slice the consort in half, ending its fell reign.

7th Moonstone 505
I then rest till dawn, in hopes of healing my hand. It is slight better, but not as good as it used to be, and it probably never will be.  I then search the cave, and pick up a leather bag, and my spear. In my search of the cave, I discover a shield, a gemstone, and I pick up the beast knives, should I ever need them. And with that I race forth from the lair.

Feeling the air upon my hair, I laugh, and run my way down to the fortress. My first of many victories against evil! I have finally discovered my purpose in life, and vow never to let a single being of evil exist and long as I still draw breaths from the air of Avafi!

THE JOURNEY TO THE FORTRESS

As I reached the fortress, I realized that these human had decided to build it from stone, not wood, and I commend them for this. However, these humans appear just as useless as before, but alas; they wished to know about the success about my mission. In this way I shall humor them, and I prepared to walk down the tranquil snowy path to the unruly fortress, and meet the dirty humans.

Standing near the entrance to the fortress was a human crossbowman. I despise crossbows, for they are unearthly, and should not be used. Any good, honest person should own a bow, and for such I simply go past this man. A few minutes later, I encounter a real bowman. I tell him of my deeds, and he agrees to join me. This human also asks me to kill an outlaw.

What a fractured race these humans are! Inside themselves they have brigands, and outlaws. Band of them, covering the maps, wars waged between themselves, cities, countries, and towns, and individuals. I shake my head at the violence, but accept the mission nonetheless; for there is no doubt that these humans are far more evil than my previous encounters with this disgusting race.

I proceed to gather more companions, and I see an axe man, wielding a battle-axe, weapon of the tree killers. I shudder and turn my back on him, then venture farther into the fortress, looking for a swordsman or some other more dignified human. I pass more primal soldiers, even including a lasher. They call him a soldier!  I only manage to get one more companion, a swordsman, and then I leave the fortress, with the others refusing to join me. They want glory. Bah! They would obtain their share if they would traverse the land with me.

Now I set out for the bandit’s camp, to make more humans join forces with me and vanquish the evil.

Having traveled for over a day, I finally decide to make camp, and wait for dawn. I settle down, and begin to gratefully rest. Having rested, I resume the journey, and after a many houred hike, I see the camp in the distance. I set for it, again with my faithful companions to my rear, ready to assist me in my battle against evil. We now travel more cautiously, and slowly approach the camp.

8^th Moonstone 505

Upon growing near to the camp, the outlaw we were sent to hunt has appeared, shouting his name like an acolyte. He is a bowman, and has no armour, just standard clothing. Just now I realize I have been wrong.  It is a she, not a he. Upon closer inspection, I noticed her large girth. She also has very long hair, a long nose, sunken blue eyes, and low eyebrows. Her skin is extremely pale.

I approach her, ready to blow arrows at any moment. Fortunately, my bowman shoots first, and tears the skin of the upper body of the outlaw. I aim a stab at her upper body, which should be fairly easy to land. I miss, and she shoots one of my companions. Now I rush into the fight, and fight all the harder, and attempt to strike the deathblow.

The outlaw’s arm is bruised, but that is better than nothing. My swordsmen now set to work, and are now slashing the commander with mixed results. I continue stabbing her, and then attempt to slash her with my dagger, should I be able to end the fight quickly. She tries to dodge away, but I quickly catch her I slash her upper body with my dagger, and tear her left lung. That is what all evil deserves! My next blows are less effective, but the outlaw is already heavily damaged, and should soon fall to our blades.

Now she is almost dead, and dropped her weapon. We should be able to fall her soon, without to many injuries. Surprisingly, the peasant I recruited from the hamlet strikes the deathblow. I commend him on his bravery, and now I go to finish off the rest of the outlaws. Our bowman is already firing at the rest of the outlaws, and is having mild success.

Currently I am exchanging blows with human spearman, and my companions are beginning to join in the brawl. Now there are two humans and while they are dodging my blows at first I begin to gain the upper hand in our fight. I end the lasher coming after me, and go back to the spearman. The spearman is more skilled than the lasher, but I am winning nonetheless. My companions have ended the lives of the other outlaws in a futile struggle, and allow me to kill the enemy more easily. The spearman is one of the stronger foes I have encountered, and my blows seem not to have much effect, nor do the combined force of all five my companions.

After a long exchange of blows, I succeed to kill this outlaw as well, and I now scour the battlefield for items. I pick up the commanders arrows and bow, and the bow is a noble weapon, not to be left on the battlefield, and I may try my hand at it myself. I also pick up a spear for throwing, and move onward. All of my companions still walk among the living, and I go to the fortress to report my success.

On my way to the fortress, I see a different fortress, and decide to venture to this one instead. Also I see a bandit camp just to the north, and that is likely where my next mission most likely resides.

THE DWARVEN CONFRONTATION

I enter the fortress, hoping to see more interesting human than the previous rabble that greeted me. Upon entering this fortress as well though I see another crossbowman, and spit, disgusted, at his feet. I pass by the human, and once more see a bowman, surrounded by a lasher, hammer man, and axe man. Nearby I also spot a spearman and swordsmen.

I walk up to the bowman, and report the success of my mission. However, before I could tell him, he tells me that life is all about suicide. By Avafi, these disgusting humans. Is that whom they worship? Do they worship gods of suicide and murder? Malice and Hate! Death and Killing? I realize that with what I have seen, I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am utterly shocked. I move past the man, and would have slain him there if his companions weren’t watching. And that human deserved to die, not to live as he was granted by the grace of Avafi.

The swordsman however, welcomes my news, and agrees to join me. I also recruit a spearman, both of whom gladly agree to travel with me. I also meet yet another spearman and he also agree to come with me. I then set off, and attempt to get my next mission. As I predicted, the mission is to go to the outlaw camp, just north of my current location.

I agree, but first rest, and will set out at dawn.

9^th Moonstone 505

After a half-day hike, I don my weapons and armour, pull out my shield, and prepare my spear. I do not know what to expect from the brigands, but I hope that they are just as weak as the previous bunch. However, I do know it is wise not to underestimate your opponent, lest it fool you into making a foolish mistake.

With the camp to my west I set off, ready to face them and vanquish this force of evil, no matter how minor they may seem.

It appears that these brigands are dwarves, but I wish to make certain before I commit acts of homicide on the innocent. It appears that they are indeed the outlaws, and I commence the stabbing.

My first strike goes through a dwarven swords dwarf’s left lower arm, and tears the muscle, however, it is stuck, and I decide to twist it in the fool’s arm. Now my companions rush into the fighting, and we begin the exchange that is becoming all too familiar to me. The dwarf’s companions also join in, and the injured dwarf jumps away. I now stab the dwarf in the upper body, causing many wounds, and causing him extreme pain. This time the spear has stuck in his flesh once more, and I twisted it again.

His allies are now coming about towards me, but before that I stab the dwarf in the lower body, tearing his guts, causing him to vomit. My allies are now in the thick of the fray, stabbing away. A dwarven wrestler comes up to me, and now I begin to fight him, as he is uninjured, and is a larger threat. I succeed to stab the dwarf’s hand off, and he is now bleeding heavily.

For the next several minutes we exchange an angry bout of blows, and my companions fall upon the dwarves, and are now hacking them to bits. However, now the rest of the dwarven outlaws come, but we are still tearing them to shreds at the moment. After a few more stabs from my spear, I successfully kill the dwarf wrestler, and move on to my next opponent. It seems though that my allies need no help, and I see another one who successfully stabbed off his opponent’s hand.

Now I am after the axe dwarf, and I severe many of his nerves, and tear a ligament. My next blow shatters the dwarf’s skull, but he continues to fight on. I proceed to eternally ruin his internal organs. Another dwarf is struck down without so much a single casualty on my side. I tear apart the axe dwarf’s brain, and this time he dies. By Avafi these beasts, they are much worse than the humans, and they defy the laws that you have set down. By your power, I say, banish these foul beasts back to their mountain homes and never return!

Now, after seeing so many of his fellow warriors fall, the chieftain finally shows up to end up, but I know he will find us a more difficult fight than all his other victims. In the background, my spearman keeps stabbing the dwarves’ hands off. As the chieftain approaches me, I stab his left hand off, and he does not lose anything but is now heavily bleeding. Now I stab the chieftain’s right hand, and he loses it, as well as his steel war hammer.

After a few more minutes, my companions succeed in tearing him apart, and the deathblow is struck by my spearman. Now we move on to the last dwarf, a crossbowman. I feel pity for him, as he has to go up against six trained humans with the intent to kill, and then there was me. In an attempt to end his misery I tear his brain with a quick blow to the head with my spear. Now I scour the battlefield for items that could be useful to me, and after that, I go to the fortress to report my success.

In my search of the battlefield, I find a spear, and short-sword, which I plan to eventually change how I fight with the sword and bow, instead of the spear. I also plan to start throwing spears, or maybe just keep one and drop the rest. Overall though, my search was relatively fruitless, though I did pick up some coins in case I needed to buy something from a human town.

I make it back to the fortress before dark, and I prepare myself for the ordeal of the next meet with the humans.

THE CHRONICLES OF UMIMPORTANT MISSIONS

At the fortress, the normal human signs are present, and after my search for an honest soldier, I come across a swordsman, and a true bowman. As I talk to the swordsman, I introduce myself by name, and he recognizes me shouting, “Bless A’Sitari, the Tapered Mire!” The other soldiers notice his exclamation, and begin to praise me. Maybe these humans aren’t so bad.

Slenshi is the swordsman’s name, and I share my news with him, and he agrees to join me. Despite my obvious reputation, no one else was willing to join me. As such, I ask around for a new mission, and my call is answered by yet another creature of the night.

Ah, there is nothing quite like the thrill of beheading a consort. All the fighting and the threat of death create quite a thrill. What fun! If only my victory was not so assured. But, I accept the task regardless and plan to set out the next morn.

10^th Moonstone 505

An early start is the best way to start an adventure! With all of the fresh air in my face, I quickly move out, with all seven of my companions in tow.

Now, almost upon the lair, I order the spearmen to do a sweep of the area to find any ambushes or other sorts of unpleasant surprises. Not that there are really too many pleasant to me. With naught a thing discovered I called them back. I opened the door to the consort’s lair.

Amoya Fishcarry, the dark consort stands before me with its copper carving knife waving murderously in the low light. I anticipate a tough fight, because it never pays to underestimate your opponent. My bowman looses an arrow and tears the foul beast’s scales. Now I take over, lashing out twice for every one of its blows.

My next blows attempt to damage an organ of the beast, but I end up opening an artery in her hand instead. Now her right hand is almost useless.

My companions chase Amoya as she runs away, but when backed into a corner, she succeeds in carving up my spearman and swordsman. She tore their flesh apart. Now, with the creature back in my grasp, the fight begins to turn in our favor. As our weapons find their target, another servant of evil is left in a bloody heap. The body has guts coming out, organs torn and bruised, and limbs incapacitated. After another few minutes of a severe beating, the brute consort is dead in a head of limbs, guts and blood. Although it is unclear who struck the fatal blow, I am sure the scholars will come up with a solution.

Now I begin the standard search of the battlefield, and this time I find some armour. I pick up and wear a willow helm, which will be helpful should I be struck in the head. The pile of loot also has another willow spear, leading me to believe Amoya struck down another elf.

After that uneventful match with the brute consort, I go back to the fortress, and hope for a more interesting quest, as the last one was rather lacking in interest. Now though, the residents of the fortress are now praising me, and despite our racial difference welcoming me into their groups. After that, I ask for service from the lord of this fortress, but he refuses, and one of his soldiers asks me to kill some more outlaws.

Maybe if I rid this world of the bandits and brigands then I can actually get to defeat more important people, such as the personal servants of evil. I dare not utter the name of the Creatures. Creatures that frighten the most hardened warriors. Creatures are the pure being of evil.

But alas, for now, I must go to the camp of the bandits. As the camp is a mighty day’s hike away, I sleep before I traverse the wide expanses between here and there.

12^th Moonstone

The sentry says that we may be ambushed, but seeing no monsters, I am doubtful. However, I put on all my gear and stand up, cautiously ready to continue towards the camp. It turns out the sentry spotted nothing, so I finish my sleep, and then continue on the way.

When the camp comes into sight, the sun is leaving for the day, and we begin to go cautiously towards the camp. It turns out that this is yet another dwarf camp. I did not know that the dwarves had so many bandits, but now I see. A pike dwarf and a swords dwarf come to me, and we begin the fight.

Their commander announces himself to my party as we near the dwarves. My first blows find its way into the pike dwarf’s lung, and the swords dwarf’s attack is dodged. The pike dwarf moves away, and now my spear continues to wreak havoc on the dwarves organs and limbs. All blows directed towards me are either parried or dodged. After a short while, it appears that the dwarves have no other soldiers besides these two, and they are quite literally being torn apart.

That is until a bolt from the blue comes in and kills one of my men. The pike dwarf then is quickly dispensed, and a new dwarf appears, ready to join the fray. More arrows now fly into the clearing, and the swords dwarf must be quickly finished before their arrows and bolt can wreak too much havoc on us. A lasher comes to us in a fit of fury and stabs my spear through his head. I watched his crumpled body collapse to the ground.

Now I go back to the swords dwarf and stab off his hand. After the long beating, the swords dwarf must have only wanted relief, and now that it is dead, it has gotten its wish. Now I go towards our man who is facing against two dwarves. One of them is the commander, and he is like me, a spear warrior, and also of much skill. He is human despite his dwarven allies and is now fighting a 3 v 1 battle against one of my number. In a fit of rage, I charge into the battle.

The commander jumps back, and this means my spear arm gets to have a little fun. In fact, it is now my sword arm, as I switch weapons from the spear to sword. The spear dwarf is struck down, and now I move onto the commander, but he is well trained and able to block many of my blows. More dwarves come into the fight, but now we are just destroying them, and they aren’t able to do much, and are being hacked apart.

Now, seeing a lucky blow, my spear goes throw the human commander’s skull, killing him instantly. Now I go to the other dwarves, but see the crossbow dwarfs, and go to them instead. Now, wielding my sword to almost as great an effect as my spear, I slice of the bow dwarf’s right arm, and it falls limp to the ground. My next blow kills, and there are only a few dwarves left. I one hit kill the crossbow dwarf, and then go to the remaining mace dwarf.

My companions kill him before I can reach him though, and I scour the battlefield for items, as is customary. Just then, a few more dwarves appear from nowhere. I slay one with a slice that severed a hammer dwarf in half, then go to the rest of the remnant.

My mission complete, I now set off for the fortress once more, hoping for an interesting mission this time.

THE VANQUISHING OF MINOR EVIL

13^th Moonstone 505

Now that I am refreshed, my companions and I begin the long hike back to the fortress, and hopefully to a real mission. Instead, a goblin force ambushes me. As they took us by surprise, our sentry must have fallen asleep, because we are being torn apart.

A deathly blow from my hand shatters the goblin’s skull, killing it. Now that we have killed a couple goblins, the situation is back under control. Two swordsmen are teaming up on a goblin bowman, and I join them. After being hacked with both of my weapons sticking in the goblin, the deathblow is finally struck, and the goblin joins the legions of the dead.

The battle is now over, and I begin to assess the damage we have taken. It seems that we lost four companions. Today, I mourn their loss. As such, I decide to burn the trees of this foul zone of death. Even though this shall hurt me, I am sure the ancestors incased in these trees wish not to have so much death lingering around them, and as such they shall be spared from their misery.

The journey afterwards is not at all perilous, and it is completed. However, when I reach the fortress, I notice that yet another two of my companions have mysteriously disappeared. I have no time to mourn them, but I suspect the goblins that ambushed me are behind it.

Now, though, the lawgiver of the fortress in which I have based myself is about to give me a quest, a real quest. This shall be my opportunity to smite the greater forces of evil, and be able to defeat it once, and put an end to this terror.

He says that I must kill Olith Throwerstable the HUMAN BANDIT! Bah, how ignorant. Is that really a worthy task for someone as I, a great warrior? I go forth to the quest anyway, but first I must recruit many new soldiers. After many new recruits join my band, Olith must die. I shall be the warrior of greatest renown!

But first, we relieve ourselves of our drowsiness, and then move out with the camp only a short walk from our fortress. Well, technically, it’s not ours, but I believe we can call it that now that we have done so much.

The camp is in sight, and I do say, it is the largest camp I have seen in all my life. I count eight humans, and that is not even inside the camp yet. With a yell, I charge into their camp, determined to vanquish this evil that fate has presented me with.

The arrows fly from their bows, as do the blows from my weapons. Now I slash the nearest human, and his arm is cut off. After a few more blows are exchanged, I receive my first blow in a long line. It is though, quite literally just a scratch.

The battles start a huge exchange of blows, but most in our favor. Now after fighting the swordsman, I change opponents to a mace man charging at me. The mace man lasts about as long as most, about two strikes before being skewered on my spear. Bah, and they hope to oppose us! It would be better for them to hope to live.

But alas, even that minor hope is not to be. My sword shatters skulls, and my spear pierces them. I am the bane of evil, arc of destruction, killer of death, and the destroyer of lives. This is all in the name of preserving good, though. Not once when growing up in Thala Forile did I think my life would be like this. I have killed seventeen in my quest for good, and there is no doubt there shall be more. After chasing down the final human, I return to the camp to search for goods.

Ah… Once more, the dead servants of evil lie before me. My quest is a success. Now I run back to the fortress, hoping for a real mission. “Do they not realize that I am the killer of evil?” I thought. “Not some mercenary for hire. I will show them one day, I will.”

At the fortress, I receive the quest to strike down a faint shade. Sighing, I accept the quest. Those ignorant fools!

SHADESLAYER

14^th Moonstone 505

At first dawn my party starts to move out. We are going to the faint shade, and then were told to obtain a mission from a certain Aquos. In about a half-day we reach the shade’s layer.

Inside the creature’s layer, before I had a chance to inspect it the shade introduces itself, naming all its kills. While I am tempted to respond in kind, I hold my tongue, and let loose with my spear.

In the fight that ensues, it is able to land two blows on me. I now see I was foolish to call it weak. This is the mission I was made for! I cannot fail now! I launch a few of my own blows, as do my companions, but they all miss. That is until I swing my sword in an arc of destruction, cutting the fell beast in half!

The beast cave lasts for a while, and I discover all of the victims the shade spoke of. An elf! An elf! A dead elf! Anger boiled up inside me. I hadn’t known that there was an elven victim.  We are the epitome of death, slayers of evil. I think there be only a few more missions before I can move on to the next area of evil.

Today I rest in a new fortress; ready to accept all the missions this area can come up with for me. I shall sleep till dawn in this fortress, and then go accept my new quest and recruits. I meet Aquos, and he beckons me saying “A’Sitari, Shade slayer!”

Then, he assigned me to kill the vile horror. Ha-ha, another true servant of night! This one shall be dead, just as the shade. My band now number 16, and there is doubt anyone can defeat us in battle.

On my way down to the horror’s layer, I notice an eleven retreat. That will be my next stop after I kill the vile horror. This one too has killed an elf. This beast shall be in excruciating pain before I let it die. It shall feel pain, and slowly bleed to death. See how it likes it!
But no, I fear this could be my end. Both of my hands are defeat, so I move to kicking the monster. It ends up retreating after some hard blows from my companions, and I get the confidence to rest, and my hand is healed. With my equipment back in my hands, I go back to the Horror. I do not find it, and scoured the hills for it. Fearing I have just unleashed that Horror onto the lands, I turn back to think out a plan. As the cave grows closer, I noticed a distinctly non-human corpse. It is it!

Sighing, I conclude it must’ve bled to death while I slept.

THE AMBUSH SERIES

Now I journey away to the fortress for yet another beast to slay.

The rearguard cries out “Ambush” as we go past a certain forest. Inside the forest comes a shout “Shlofogojrarbus brifisarus.” This is a recognizably kobold phrase, and kobolds are never friendly. While none are seen out in the clear, it is sure they are lurking in the snow laden forest around my part.

My archer catches sight of one and loses an arrow into the creature’s chest. Over to my right, my swordsmen find another to practice upon. In the distance northward, another kobold is making its way towards us. The swordsmen go to work with their swords, slicing the kobolds. However, I disapprove of their targets, as most of them are attacking the enemies’ toes.

Already, the kobolds’ bodies littered the ground, as did the numerous spilling of blood. I leave the group for a short while to chase a bowman. I slash him, and then spot a swordsman coming around my rear, hoping for a surprise attack. I skirt away from the danger, and the bow kobold bleeds to death. Right after they are all defeated, I decide to make camp, and heal the wounded.

During our rest, about 17 kobolds come back to ambush us again, and we take major damage. Although many of us are sliced by kobold blades, we end up coming about and soon kill a small number of the kobolds. Though vexing as they were very agile and could dodge many a blow. I kill a kobold with a quick stab, then move on to help a swordsman that is being attacked by 4 kobolds. My sword and spear spin in a flurry of blows around me as we defeat the kobolds.

With both my sword and spear stuck in a target, it is downed and I take the opportunity to bash its head in with my shield, killing it. Another kobold lay on the ground next to me, this one’s head I take off. The battle rages on with many severing and light wounds. Some of them come from the kobold forces, but most are from my own. I find an opportunistic blow to a kobold’s lower body, and slash it open with my sword.

Despite my best efforts, one of my swordsmen is being cut apart by three kobolds. My sword is lodged in the spine of a kobold, and I continue with my spear. My spear also sticks in the wound, so I pull my sword out. I slice an artery and my sword once more sticks in the wound.  One of my swordsmen bleeds to death, and another is being surrounded by the buggers. One of them runs away and I spear the other through the head.

Another one of my soldiers bleeds to death. We suffer other minor wounds from their assault, but mostly are winning, and about half of their number dead. Another kobold was struck down in our conquest, while a group of them appears to be lurking in the background, waiting for the right time to strike. Another kobold falls to my relentless assault and is cut in half with a swift blow from my sword.

My sword the slices through nervous tissue and the kobold literally loses his senses. The kobold is quickly finished after that, and I move on. The visible remaining number of kobolds is only seven. A few more blows find their way to my companions, but most are deflected by armour, the rest being minor. A kobold is knocked down by a quickly blow to its lower body, and I slash it open. With a fell blow, it looses its head, and the limp body collapses to the ground.

I move on to my next enemy, and the situation is now under control. Most all of the kobolds are defeated now, and we now travel to the fortress for a safe rest. As we walk, I feel uneasy, and refuse to relinquish my weapons. Only now do I notice that the sun is almost completely down, and that the battle must’ve taken nearly all day.

The first thing I do inside the fortress is sleep off all the days battles.

19 MoonStone 505

I wake up and then immediately fall back asleep. My companions manage to wake me inside the hour however, and I continue on with my journey.

Now I take stock of my possessions which are as following:

Rope Reed Fiber Clothing

3 Block of Ice

5 Servings of Lungfish

A decorated Spiny Dogfish leather bag

2 Copper Meat Cleavers

A Large Sardonyx

A Valuable Large Punk Tourmaline

11 Gold Coins

8 Silver Coins

55 Copper Coins

2 Copper Carving Knifes

A Blue Shark Leather Bag

A Saguaro Rib Shield

A Large Copper Dagger

A Large Bandfire Opal

A Pine Crutch

A Large Jelly Opal

A Copper Boning Knife

A Bronze Bow

A Mango Wood Spear

A Donkey Leather Quiver

30 Bronze Arrows

A Willow Helm

A Muskox Leather BackPack

My next stop will be to a town to sell off my things for a more efficient bundle of coins. Now, during my quest I have slain Twenty-Seven EvilDoers. My Companions number 11 and I must gather more, and then go find a man/lady by the name of SellRose.

With the news reported, I move on to a new fortress, as this one has run out of recruits.

On my way to the new fortress, I am ambushed by a party of goblins. Though only four show their slimy faces, my senses tell me more are hidden.

Quickly working, I send a goblin to its death. My companions are able to parry the blows of the goblins, though the goblins are not so lucky. One goblin mace man is doing very well in the fight, despite being cornered by me and two swordsmen.

I knew it! Just below the terrace I was on are at least 18 more goblins. Three more goblins fall in just three blows from me. In the distance I notice another bowman corned. I charge over to help him, but are blocked by a goblin bowman. After an exchange with a goblin bowman blocking my way, the body falls to reveal I was too late in my rescue attempt.

Two goblins engage me and I gladly accept their challenge. We keep fighting and neither one seems to gain the upper hand as the goblins are armoured. Obviously though, I kill them and move on to the last pocket of goblin resistance. We are able to end them without an issue, and resume our travel.

Once the sea is in sight, I decide to rest, knowing the fortress I seek is nearby. Unfortunately, my navigator informs me that we will need to travel around the entire sea to get there, and as such I change my mind. Instead, we go to a nearby town to exchange our goods for money. Now that I have money instead of so many goods, I go to buy a bronze long sword.

In the store, however, I notice an iron long sword, and decide to buy it instead. The sword itself costs only 10 royals, but I give him all my money as thanks. Now I go to the nearest elven retreat so I can find some real elves. Oh, it seems so long since I have met one.

I sigh. Not more distractions. A pack of wolves is attempting to kill us, and so we quickly slay them.

THE GOBLIN ARMY

At the retreat everybody seems to be dead, and no bodies are there, so I move on to search the vicinity, and a another goblin army is present, but this one seems to be severely depleted. After nearly a day more of battles, I move on to the old fortress I used to be at. The law-giver there asks me to slay a hydra. A might hydra. One that has likely been around longer than I. I gladly accept and move to gather support for the upcoming battle.

I look around and see that none of my companions are with me. How peculiar. With my companions number restored, we rest, the move on the hydra layer. The layer is nearly two days, away, and my navigator tells me it is behind mountains, and will take even longer. The first day’s hike complete and uneventful we sleep till daybreak.

By Avafi he was right! It is already the second day, and we now need to travel around mountains. This might even turn into a weeklong trek. I awake to an unwelcome surprise. A huge goblin force has ambushed us, and I fear this time it may be my last day.

We are being torn apart by the goblins, and there is not much I can do. While I try to kill some of the goblins, these are very fast, and as such are difficult to hit. As the battle rages on, it appears we are on the losing side, and that they are far more difficult to kill than I anticipated. Even with a strong spear to the head, they are not dead, though heavily bleeding. As we are being defeated, the goblin commander finally shows his ugly face, and declares us his property.

I will not stand for this transgression, and so begin my attack doubly as a hard. Soon, I am surrounded by 14 un-harmed well armoured an well-train goblins. I manage to kill one and block at least 50 blows to myself. But now, I am dead. An unnamed goblins swordsmen had slash me through my head, and through all of my protection. Now I now the emptiness of death. The sadness of being extinguished.

I AM ALIVE again, brought back to a living tree. A towering redwood in the very center of the Thala Forile.

The High Priestess now resides within me, and it is by her power that my tale has been written. Only after much persuasion have I presented this information, because I can still feel that arm wound, those beating the maces of the goblins hit, and slice to my head. But, now you have been told.

“Veni, vidi, victus”

“I came, I saw, I was conquered.”

-Kytuzian (adapted from Gaius Julius Caesar)

As the fire crackled in the pine-log cabin, the dread of the bogeymen now safely avoided; Adol Gusilustir sat down with the human labourers and thanked them ever so dearly for letting him stay overnight, as to not let him face the cackling horror outside.
“So what’s your story?” one of the children asked the dwarf, His bewildered eyes suggested he’d never seen a Dwarf before. “Me? I’m known as Adol Coppercrow… I’m the Militia Commander for the Holy Spears, in service of the dwarven fortress of Firetomb. My story is… A fresh wound.”

The newly founded group known as ‘The Imperial Hammer’ was a decisive move that the royalty of The Paints of Wealth had planned on for years. The idea was for a fortress to be made in the far-flung ends of the world, to forge and create large amounts of wealth for the rest of the Dwarven kingdom. In the year of 275, after training the craftsdwarves and the Metalsmiths that were necessary to this project; seven brave dwarves ventured into the wilderness, to ‘Strike the Earth’.
After 2 years of digging into the mountainside, the newly-found fortress of Firetomb had already created roughly 1,000 worth of goods, ready to be sold to the caravan that was arriving soon. Just as the caravan had been spotted across the horizon by the military who sparred in the courtyard- ready for any stealthy invasions of baby-snatchers or the thievery of wealth by the pests known as Kobolds; a humble soap-maker had one of those ideas; one of the ones you can’t shake. He stormed out of his recently obtained bedroom towards the craftdwarf’s shops. Being that the Masons and Bone carvers were working furiously in the crafting shops, the manager almost fell out of his chair when he heard about the Soap-maker’s recent endeavour. The Soap-maker darted in and out of the stockpiles, grabbing cut Blood-stone, Wolf Bone, Chalk and some recently smelted Steel.
After the merchants departed, the Broker being quite pleased with selling most of the stone crafts for large amounts of alcohol, armour, weapons and some extra wood; the Soap-maker finished ‘Sashafrasha’, a Wolf Bone Sword. It was quite a sight, encrusted with spikes of Bloodstone and steel, and banded with chalk, engraved with a picture of a fabled dwarf battling a hydra.

Another few years on, the Military had swelled to a full 10 soldiers, seven of them already Legendary in their art of combat. The dwarf known as Adol Coppercrow had started sparring and fighting with ‘Sashafrasha’, and had grown accustom to using it. He would be seen everywhere with it. One particular account states that he was fending off the trolls in the under-caverns whilst the masons constructed a fortress into the cavern. Three of them against Adol, wearing only Bronze armour and a recently claimed copper helm (off the dead goblins, who attempted to raid the fortress annually) He was seen managing to dodge the swipes and grabs by the large hands of the Trolls. He sliced an arm off one troll, then a leg. As the troll slipped in and out of consciousness, Adol managed to punch one troll in the face, jamming the skull through its own brain. Then he managed to swing around to face the other troll, just as it grabbed him around his neck and began to strangle him fruitlessly. Adol stabbed the troll in the chest, tearing apart his intestines, causing the troll to throw up onto the floor, and Adol. The dwarf took his chance, and cut off the arm that was strangling him. As the troll unleashed a cry of sheer pain, Adol ended it with a swift stab into the face. The remaining troll who had been slipping in and out of consciousness swiped at Adol with what ounce of strength it had left, but Adol dodged the hand, and sliced the troll across the torso, causing it to sail off in a bloody arc. Adol stood there, in the bloodbath for a minute or two, then head back to his squad, to group up.

It was a winters eve, as the miners of Firetomb found a large menacing castle deep underground. The militia were tasked with scouting this anomaly. As the soldiers slowly stepped inside, they saw shifting figures inside, moaning endlessly. One of the dwarves stepped on a large pebble and tripped over. Just as the thud sounded, all of the figures turned around towards the dwarves- A horrid sight of blood and gore, Slugmen, Tigermen and Snailmen all shambling towards them with flesh dangling out of their ‘Mouths’. The braver soldiers advanced forward, screaming like banshees as they charged into the pack of seemingly undead beasts. All that was to see was bloody arcs of arms and heads flying around the room. Two soldiers lost their lives as the Militia cleared the castle from floor to floor.
It was just as the militia stood at ease, making sure there were no more moans were within earshot. One of the more recent recruits, a spear dwarf, noticed an almost holy weapon in a mantelpiece as he spun around. It was an Adamantine Spear, So beautifully crafted, so well conditioned. He slowly caressed the spear in its mantle, and began trying to force the spear out of the stone. He pulled with all his might, and it slid out, causing him to stumble backwards. “Hey- Hey guys! Check this out!” he yelled profoundly, trying to show off his find. A glyph started to carve its way around his feat as the dwarves all stood around him, all in awe of this spear. The Glyph stopped, and it begun to glow brightly. The dwarves noticed the glowing floor, and all stepped away from it. As they took a few steps back, the floor collapsed into an abyss. The dwarves all looked at each other confusingly, before a braver Mace-dwarf slowly stepped towards this hole. As he peered into the hole, a pair of large tentacle-like arms shot out of the hole and wrapped around his head, and pulled him in. Then demons began to flood out of the hole and descend towards the hardened dwarves. Several of the dwarves managed to escape, and darted out of the castle towards the exit. As the soldiers regrouped in the Mine shafts, they saw the beasts still hot on their trail, many with fresh blood coating them. The soldiers all ran towards the mine entrance, in the heart of the fortress.
The Fortress of Firetomb was designed with the help of the most brilliant of architects. It was designed to be able to still continue existence even if it were locked up for 10 years, and able to be one giant death-trap to any invader from the outside. It was also designed with the knowledge that the caverns deep below the surface are filled with dangerous beasts like Trolls and Blind cave ogres. So the fortress was designed around the mines, in a way to avoid any of the general public getting slaughtered by anything if it ‘were’ to incur from the deep.
As the soldiers regrouped, they signalled for the gates to be shut and the traps to be armed- but they were too late. Many beasts that call the caverns home cannot destroy a gate, but if they can, they will be caught in the crossfire of traps. But this onslaught of constant demons were not fazed by the traps. The Militia charged into the demons to buy the rest of the populace time to figure out a Plan B.
The alarms were sounded to evacuate, the population of Firetomb all rushed for the front gates of the fortress. Among them was Adol, who had managed to escape the clutches of the demons. Only 37 of the total 98 dwarves who called Firetomb home got to the front gate. The rest were assumed to be dead, as the constant screaming and roaring would suffice as evidence. The front gates closed tight, and walls were built around them to stop the demons pouring forth into the countryside.
At that moment, squad of goblins had amassed in the horizon, all seeking revenge for their fallen comrades. Adol tried to defend the citizens, slashing and stabbing at the goblins, until the Goblin Commander whom was riding atop a troll, swung his mighty War hammer into the chest of the Dwarf, causing him to fly backwards and pass out.
Adol woke up later that evening. His eyes slowly adjusted to the setting sun, scanning the landscape for any sign of goblins. Nothing was there, No goblins, No dwarves… Nothing.
Adol stood up, wincing in pain as he breathed. He called out, but to no avail. Stood there for a while and attempted to recall anything that he learned about his surroundings. He remembered that there was a human settlement only about a day’s travel away…

“And that’s how I came to be here, in your hospitality.” The dwarf muttered, sorrow in his tone.
“Well… If you’d like to stay with us for a while, we could use a little muscle around here… Got some outlaws causing us some mischief…”

- Se7en

Just a quick story I thought I’d type up. A tad rusty on the authoring side of things, but hey.
Most of it is true, exception to the whole Township thing. Just assume Adol went there after I abandoned the Fortress.
If you’re wondering how I got the speardwarf to collect the spear, I quickly made him ununiformed, and got him (being the closest there) to remove the spear. Then I selected him to use the spear just as I noticed the floor next to him give way.
This was my first underground ‘goodie’ fortress, I knew that the glowing floor probably was a bad sign and all, but I wanted that spear, Hehe.

“Uncle! Uncle! Did you hear?” cried the young dwarf, running down the hall. “Uncle Lolor, did you hear? The count is rearranging the military. He’s putting the best into the Guards and giving them adamantine!”
“Yes, I had heard that,” replied Lolor Tusungdastot, militia captain of the Tin Keys and stalwart defender of the Dwarven Fortress of CityLions.
“Well, you’re the best, right?”
Lolor sighed. “Some say I’m a good fighter, yes.”
“So you’re in the Guards now?” asked the child.
“No, nephew, I am not. The Count was very apologetic. He said I’m too good. He needs me as a militia captain. He says I am an even better leader than I am a fighter. So, no. I am not a Guard.”
“You won’t get to wear adamantine?”
“No, I’m afraid not. The Guards are meant as shock troops. They are melee fighters. The militia is supposed to hang back and provide covering fire, maybe help mop up at the end, or serve as a last line of defense should the Guards fall. We aren’t meant to go toe to toe with goblins, and so we don’t need the protection of adamantine.” Lolor looked disappointed, though.
“But that’s not fair! You’re the best! You have more kills than anyone!”
“Oh, I just got lucky. In a melee, anything can happen. Even the best can die. You shouldn’t glorify warfare, Urist. Don’t look up to me, look up to your father. He is a true hero. He MADE that adamantine armor. A young dwaf should aspire to become a master craftsman, not a warrior.” Lolor was a humble dwarf. “A warrior’s life is wasted. ‘Hurry up and wait.’ Do you know what that means? It means, most of the time, a warrior is twiddling his thumbs, or hauling rock. I get the chance to be a hero maybe once a year. Your father comes home every night knowing he made something useful that very day. You sit around, you train, you sit around, you train, and then the call comes and you must run. Maybe to glory, maybe to your death. It is a hard life.”
“But all the women love a warrior, right? I mean, you must get tons of girls!” Urist asked gleefully.
“Young and stupid girls love a warrior. Women love a man like your father, who can provide for them, and who will be there for their children, and who will become a wonderful grandfather someday. What women wants a dead hero for a husband?”
Urist, looking bored with the now serious conversation, said, “Ah, you’re just bitter ’cause you didn’t get into the guards. When I’m a warrior, I’ll be a guard and kill trolls, and goblins, and dragons, and titans, and-”
“Captain! Captain! We need you! Please, sir, no one else is ready! everyone is changing their gear and heading to their new squads!” cried a young recruit running down the hall towards them. Lolor tried to remember his name, Meng, was it? He was in a different squad. He looked to be wearing spider silk pajamas.
“Slow down, lad. What is it?” asked Lolor, ignoring his young nephew, who continued to list the various monsters he would kill in the guards, “and unicorns, and, uh, rutherers, and…”
“The Count has a bad feeling. He said the framerate is dropping!”
“The carpenters are working on wooden frames more slowly than normal? That is a bad sign. Carpenters are notoriously sensitive to the presence of large numbers of Goblins. But it could just be cats.”
“No, sir, the cats are all tied up!” the recruit looked worried.
“And the Kitten Watch Posts?” asked Lolor, beginning to feel worried himself.
“Kittens one and three reporting, sir, but Kitten Watch Post two is empty!”
“What? Did no one refill it with kittens after the last raid?” barked Lolor, now quite concerned.
“No! The Count is furious! He sent that miscreant animal handler Urist McRedshirt, you know, the one who likes to wear red shirts? He sent him out to fill it. He said he doesn’t even care if Urist gets killed, it will serve him right. But then he ordered the Guards out to watch over him, anyway.”
“The Count has a notoriously soft heart. So why are you here? I’m not in the Guards.” asked Lolor.
“That’s just it!” shouted the recruit, looking a bit wild eyed, “The guards are all down in the forge room picking out their new adamantine. The rest of the squads, no one knows where anyone is, everyone is confused trying to find their new barracks and equipment. You’re the only one in charge I could find!” shrieked the recruit, realizing he might be fighting alongside the famous Lolor Tusungdastot in his underwear.
“Well, it looks like you Pajama Fighters are fully equipped,” quipped Lolor.
“Sir?” asked the recruit.
“It’s a joke, son. Go put some clothes on. I’ll handle this. It’s not as if the Count is going to realize and admit he’s wrong to send McRedshirt out there right now, and wait until the squads are formed up.”
“You’re going out by yourself?” asked the recruit, fighting to hide his obvious relief.
“Oh, it’s probably nothing. Hoary Marmots or something messing with the carpenter’s heads and killing their frame rate. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re Lolor Tusungdastot! Of course you’ll be fine, sir! I’ll go put on clothes.” said the recruit, running off.
Lolor patted the shaft of his trusty steel battle axe, checked the string on his steel crossbow, and looked down at his nephew Urist, who was still listing monsters, “and Giant Cave Spiders, and Giant Moles, and Giant-”
“See? Hurry up and wait. Now I’m out into the rain and the sun, probably for nothing, but maybe to my death. Is that glorious?”
Young Urist looked up, awed. “Yes,” he said.
“Well I was wrong about you, then. You are a dumb young dwarf who will be perfect for the military,” sighed Lolor. “Now get back home, stay away from the outdoors for a while, okay?”
“Yes Uncle!” cried the child, running off to fight imaginary trolls.
Lolor strode quickly out the fort’s trap protected south sally-port, looking for the animal handler. Walking through the damp and foggy cloud forest thickly blanketing the high mountain valley that was home to the fortress of CityLions, Lolor quickly spotted the animal handler by his bright red shirt, and his entourage of mewling kittens and noisy young dogs, destined for war training.
“McRedshirt! Ho!” yelled Lolor, “Hold up, the Count has sent me out to protect you, he says he thinks there might be Goblins about.”

And that was when Lolor heard a throaty chuckle from behind a nearby tree. “Did you hear that, boys? Their fancy-pants Count thinks there might be Goblins about! Do you boys see any Goblins?” said a fearsome looking Goblin warrior, stepping out from his hiding spot.
Five more Goblins stepped out from hiding. “Uh, aren’t we Goblins, boss?” asked one of the ugly brutes.
“Oh for the love of… you idiots ruin everything. Just kill him,” barked the leader.

Lolor Tusungdastot, Militia Captain of the Tin Keys, stood alone in the center of a circle of six Goblin warriors. Lolor drew his Crossbow, but the Goblins were too close. “McRedhirt! Run for it! Through the emergency hatch!” he screamed, worried there might be more Goblins lurking nearby.
“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!” replied McRedshirt, running right past the hatch, “It was locked just a moment ago and I can’t find a path to it!”  The Goblins advanced on Lolor.
“Don’t want to play fair and fight me one on one? Oh right, you are Goblins. You know nothing of honor. Well, it’s your funeral anyhow,” muttered Lolor, bashing the first Goblin in the legs while dodging a clumsy strike from a second. Quickly reversing into a backhand bash to the body of the first Goblin as he spun around, Lolor deflected an attack from the third with his shield, continuing his spin into a devastating blow to the head of a fourth, spattering brains all over his nice new steel crossbow. He rounded up at the first, who was clutching his leg, and bashed him in the arm, then in the guts, and finally in the head, getting more goblin brains on his crossbow. The leader struck down one of the two dogs trying to protect their master, the animal handler in the red shirt. Lolor entered a martial trance, and the world turned red. A goblin rushed him, and they tangled together on the ground. Lolor bit his toe off and spit it in his face, jumping up and away from an attack by another. Two down, four left, said the tiny part of his brain still capable of language. He bashed the Goblin writhing on the ground and holding his foot. The Goblin stopped writhing.
The two remaining foot soldiers looked to their leader. To his credit, the leader barely hesitated. Snarling, all three advanced, trying to circle behind the militia captain. That was when the second dog attacked, a furry brown whirlwind running in between the goblins, snapping at arms and legs. The dog grabbed a goblin by the hand and shook him. The leader and his henchman jumped at Lolor, one going high, one going low. The leader landed a lucky shot with his axe as Lolor deflected the attack of the other, tearing through Lolor’s steel mail and opening his arm to the bone. Stunned, Lolor collapsed to the ground. His martial training took over, and he dodged by reflex alone as he regained his wits. Once, twice, three times he rolled away from the goblins furious assault. Then he saw an opening, and leaped to his feet, inside the Goblin leader’s guard. He punched the leader in both hands, shattering the bones with his steel gauntlets. Seeing their leader drop his weapon, the final two Goblins broke and ran. Finding himself alone and disarmed, the leader did two. Pursued by dog and Dwarf, he rand for the nearby hills. Running after, Lolor remembered that his crossbow could be used for more than bashing. He shot the fleeing leader in the leg. The dog quickly tackled the now limping leader. Lolor suddenly remember that he was also carrying an axe, and cut the leader in two.
Looking back down the valley, he saw his squad forming up outside the salley port. He also saw McRedshirt, running BACK past the hatch again, screaming “They have crossbows! They have crossbows!”
Grimly looking down at his bleeding arm, Lolor Tusungdastot sighed. A militia captain’s work was never done. “Come on, boys, they are trying to rush the drawbridge! To the ramparts!”

Later that day, the Count came to congratulate Lolor at the hospital where he was getting his arm stitched up. “You know, Lolor, the deeper we mine that adamant, the closer we come to hell.”
“Yes, Lord,” said Lolor.
“But we can seal off the mines, you know. Hopefully our seals will hold as well as adamantine. Still, the poor fellow who is down there mining is done for. And you know how I hate to risk the lives of any of my people. That is why not everyone can have adamantine. We must not be greedy, and unleash hell upon the world.”
“Yes, Lord,” said Lolor, wondering where the Count was going with this.
“You know I used to be a simple miner, Lolor,” said the Count.
“You were never a simple miner. You founded this place.” replied Lolor.
“Yes, well, one does what one can. I think I might pull out the old pick, though. Just for old time’s sake. Can’t hurt to stay in practice. And I might just have a present for you when I get back. How do you feel about the color light blue?”

This is about how things went down. I had sent a guy out to replace a kitten I had forgotten to replace after the last raid, and I foolishly rearranged my military right then, because the last piece of adamantine armor had just been forged. I rearranged the squads, removing everyone from their squad and putting them in a more appropriate, specialized squad. Only the militia captains didn’t get rearranged. Only one was awake. The fight scene is taken right from the reports. I thought Lolor was done for. I thought McRedshirt was done for (he really was wearing a red shirt!) I thought both the dogs and the kitten were done for. Well, we lost one dog. One dog got a real name, earning it without any war training! Lolor was just a whirlwind of death. He finished off three and chased the fourth to the edge of the map. If the gobbo xbowmen had gone for him and the three guys of his squad who had formed up, it would have been a slaughter, instead they rushed the bridge and fell into the trapped outer refuse courtyard below. In this game, skill really matters. Training pays off. Keeping your militia out of harm’s way until they can handle themselves is crucial. Let them fight disarmed but still armored goblins you catch in your traps.

The Adventurer journeyed into the depths of the cavern, not knowing what he would find. But days and nights went fleeting by, and still no solace graced the forgotten man.
Against a rock he slept, in the depths of the earth, now unaware of his whereabouts. His torch still burnt, and around him the walls, slicked with water and fungus glistened majestically.
But little did he know of the horrors which awaited him, deeper into the confines of the subterrance.
When he awoke, he readied himself to move on as normal, when he heard a most uncommon, almost unnatural noise.
Just out of his distance of sight, a slight movement stirred the otherwise still darkness which sorrounded him.
A slight glint flickered from a blind corner, and the Adventurer readied his blade.
He was a skilled and proficient fighter, and was prepared for an assault, but not for what happened next.
Out of the darkness, a man, with eyes sunken into his head and skin as pale as the full moon in the clear sky, lunged at an alarming pace from the darkness.
He wore a dark, thin robe, and a hood pulled down, concealing his forehead.
In his hand, he held a short narrow bladed knife, the kind one would expect to see wielded in books, or tales.
In less than a second, he had disarmed the Adventurer, and begun maniacally slashing his blade towards the man.
The Adventurer avoided these slashes, and desperately sprung towards his sword, now lieing on the nearby ground.
He dived into it, grabbing it just in time to turn onto his back and deflect several thrusts by the hooded man.
He scurried back, until he was pinned against the wall.
The hooded man continued to lunge and thrust his blade, as though his life depended on the demise of the Adventurer.
At first, he could manage to hold his own, until the hooded man broke from his cycle, and kicked the Adventurer sharply on the bridge of his nose, fracturing the fine narrow bone, and knocking him to the side.
In a desperate effort, the adventurer swung his blade at the hooded man, who swiftly bashed it from his grip.
The Adventuter looked into the mans eyes, expecting no mercy.
But the hooded man did not strike him down; Not so quickly.
Instead, he performed a rapid strike into the adventurers exposed neck, riveting him with pain.
He then mounted him from the front, softly and gently touching the blade against his cheek.
“You are but the arrogant man, who sold his life to seek that which he can never have.” The hooded man said, in a dark, old tone.
“What do you want?” The Adventurer asked, fear struck through the chords of his words, as an overture in a choir.
“You came here to learn, did you not? What did you truly hope to find down here? Well, you may not know, but i want you to think. For days you have walked these halls, in search of something. But you dont know what it is, do you?-
You continue to persist however, and now here we are. You came here to learn. And learn you will. But in order to learn, you must be enlightened. And i shall be your catalyst.”
To the unsuspecting Adventurers horror, the man pulled back his blade, and thrust it squarely into the Adventurers left eye, twisting it, then ripping it out.
Blood flowed from the wound, and the Adventurer cried in agony and torment.
“Be silent, be silent. Soon you will understand.” The hooded man said. Still calm, and measured.
He then thrust the blade into the Adventurers left eye, twisted it, and tore it from its socket, as with the other.
The Adventurer shooked and convulsed, unable to produce a sound, barely able to breathe over the suffering.
“Perhaps you are ready.” The hooded man said. “As i am, so are you.”
But before he could go on, in a final effort, the Adventurer reached to his blade, grabbing the sharp end.
Still in pain from his lost eyes, he felt nothing.
He swung the sword back around, and while he could not see, he heard the scream of the hooded man.
From what he could feel, the blade lodged in the back of the hooded mans head.
How he was still alive was a mystery.
Blood trickled onto the Adventurers face, but he did not know this.
He was unable to feel anything.
He let go of the blade, and rolled onto his side, his hands over the empty sockets of his eyes.
He rose to his knees, still curled over.
Then it occured to him.
While he was in pain to the extent he could not feel, now he could feel.
But there was no pain.
His mind told him he was mortally wounded, but his body sung another tale.

Little is known of what transpired beyond this point.
The Adventurer walked the black halls, following some unseen path.
He learnt things along the way.
Somehow, he was gaining knowledge.
Memories.
But not his own.
Legends.
He saw peculiar writings, and felt the presence of strange creatures.
He heard the most unfathomable sounds, and somehow he understood.
He stood on the precipise of existance, and somehow he knew.
He knew so much now, but he could not understand it.
However hard he tried, he could not bring himself to speak.
Somehow, he knew his sorroundings. He knew where he was, and what was around him, but he could not identify anything.
He simply knew.

After an unknown length of time, he emerged into the daylight. The sun crossed his face, and still not knowing how, he walked to the nearby village of Ngath.
Here, the Adventurer told of things unknown to mortality, and drew things of impossible proportions and shapes.
And so, he now resides in Ngath, the blind prophet, the unknown Adventurer.

The End

End Notes: The dialogue i added in myself, but it seemed fitting. And the things he saw were actually passive enemies and engravings that read out pieces of RAW code for some reason.