The StormWatch Chronicles
As seen through the eyes of Drano Battlehammer
Part 2
Update: 10/03/1998 to drano
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May 10, 596
This time, the band of adventurers travelled forth to Ravenholt without the
aid of Tempus the Mage,
Koryon, Bishop and Scourge. Instead, Delahr, Borax and myself met Gabriel, Cynesra,
Rael, and Chastity
at the Inn in Ravenholt. The adventurers went to the town meeting to greet the
Duke and Duchess when a
traveller from Evendarr (the capital city) showed up bearing a newly minted
coin and some encoded maps
from one of the Crystalforge clan of dwarves. Apparently, these maps led to
mines wherein there might be
treasure. Delahr aquired copies of these and we prepared to venture forth when
a man named Devin showed
up.
He was a little old (some would say venerable) and senile(?) but claimed that
he would reward anyone who
would help him. His companion was trapped in the woods by the forces of evil
-- namely two Death
Knights and their minions -- in a rapidly deteriorating Circle of Power. It
was only a matter of time before
the Circle's power failed and his friend would become a morsel for the fiends
without. Some would claim
that Delahr gathered the force (what there was of it) of Stormwatch to do battle
with the denizens, though
others would say that Gabriel already had the team up and running at that point.
[Cynesra's Note: it was
actually Delahr's ego that rallied our forces.] In any case, Stormwatch was
on the move. Devin asked,
"What do you mean? You will need many more people than this -- you will
surely perish!" To his credit,
Delahr assured him that we were capable of handling the situation.
The group got to the woods in short order along with contingents from Eastwyck,
Trellheim, and
Dragonshire, as well as some others. Soon the forces of good were surrounded
on all sides by the
nightmarish monstrosities, eager to devour living flesh. We stood tall and proud
however; Cynesra and
Gabriel wielding their weapons with maniacal gleams in their eyes, Borax and
Delahr saving many with
spear and spell, and I was even seen to lift the Hammer of Thunderbolts against
the oppressive waves of
undead attacking us. Using the seldom seen Sanctuary spell, the townsfolk managed
to stave off the nasties
and free the defenseless companion of Devin.
Soon after, the six of us (Chastity had retired to the Inn), went to the woods
to see if we could assist in the
mystery of Count Gareth's murder. Apparently, he had been killed at some point
while we were fighting the
zombies and ghouls. It was warm and humid, the fog was thick and the sky dark.
We were on a path in the
woods when Gabriel called a halt and pointed to a light in the distance. "Wait
here," he said, "I will
investigate." Moving as only one of the Wolf clan of Wild Elves could,
he made his way toward the light
and discovered a group of some twelve people examining the surrounding wood.
The light moved in his
direction, and when he was only a pole-arm's length away, he spoke: "I
suggest you remove the light from
my eyes."
The twelve jumped, having been taken by surprise, and said, "Who are you?"
"I am Gabriel," he said in a voice that stated his confidence, not only in who he was, but in his abilities.
The people muttered amongst themselves a moment, and said, "Are you good or bad?"
Gabriel replied, "I'm good at what I do."
Only Gabriel's elven ears allowed the sounds of suppressed laughter from behind
him be heard. The people
spoke amongst themselves another moment, thinking they couldn't be heard, but
the words carried even to
us -- "Should we attack him? What do we do?" They then asked Gabriel,
"Are you here alone?" to which
Gabriel replied, "No, my companions are here." "Where are they?"
the townsfolk asked. Gabriel smirked
and said coolly, "They are good at what they do."
Just then, zombies rose from the nearby ground, the townsfolk drew back, afraid,
and Gabriel uttered but a
single word: "Stormwatch!"
Figures emerged from the mists all about him. The townsfolk gasped in shock,
and said, "Who's
Stormwatch?" An old dwarf in a blue and black tabard bearing the sign of
'the eye in the storm' came upon
them then, and with a wink of an eye and toothy grin was heard to say only,
"We are." Without missing a
stride, he unslung a glowing hammer and proceeded forward with his companions
to do battle with the
undead, once again . . .