The StormWatch Chronicles
As seen through the eyes of Drano Battlehammer
Part 5
Update: 31/03/1998 to drano
July 7, 596
I've been rather busy that past month. Cynesra has been tutoring me in the
ways of the Eighth Circle of
Magic in the Bahamas [Cynesra's Note: A tiny, obscure island to the south of
Ravenholt]. After a good long
sip from something with a small "umbrella" in it, I told her of an
urgent message from Koryon, stating
something about him rescuing his long-lost daughter. I set the cool drink down,
rubbed some lotion an the
poor, pale kitty-woman, and promised to return shortly. The message stated that
Koryon would be in the
town of Ashbury for a few days before he left for the land of Niman. . . .
I was almost to Ashbury when I noticed the change in climate. It was hot and
humid. The air teemed with a
mystic energy that you could almost touch. Then I remembered -- I HATE going
to Ashbury! The last time
I went, my spellbooks became unreadable, my earth magics reformed within me,
giving more power in the
low Circles of Magic and less in the High. My natural immunities felt depleted
and the magics I work took
solid form in my brain -- I could no longer call the spell I needed to the fore,
but had to implant the
particular spell power in my head. How annoying! I passed through the mystical
barrier thinking, "Boy,
Koryon had better appreciate this! Go to Ashbury, they said! See the world,
they said! FINE, FINE. . . ."
Then it happened again. I was just getting used to the feeling of the change,
when I noticed a gathering mist
ahead. "Must be the heat," I thought, as I trudged further up the
path and into the mist. It was then that I felt
an odd sensation. My natural immunities kicked in as I breathed the choking
mist. "Hmmm . . . some
poisonous cloud," I muttered, and continued on in my usual stubborn way.
"It'll take more than a little 'ol
poison cloud to stop this dwarf!" Then I noticed the other part. The poisonous
gas was not only unhealthy
to breathe, but corroded all metals and wood as well.
I passed through the cloud with nothing but my long-johns and my previously
memorized spells! Hoo boy!
This was annoying. I proceeded to where I thought the Stormwatch cabin should
be as per Delahr's
instructions, but I only found Northstar. He was friendly enough and proceeded
to fill me on the details of
the mist. It appears that the mist was a time barrier of some sort, so we were
about a hundred years in the
past in some troll-war or something. Northstar then proceeded to help me get
re-equipped. He brought me
to some merchant and purchased armor, sword, and shield for me, a favor I'll
not soon forget. Thus
equipped, we headed across the field to find the members of Stormwatch.
About halfway there, we spotted a large group of trolls heading for the local
tavern. These trolls were BIG,
and the force almost equaled the one the townsfolk were sending out against
it. They looked our way, but
whether it was my baleful glances, or Northstar's posturing bravado, they cowed
from us and concentrated
on the town. We met up with them then, and were reunited with Stormwatch. Koryon,
Delahr, and Tempus
were there, as well as members of Dragonshire. In particular, I saw the one
named Squire Martimus (or
Squire "Beef", as we refer to him -- DAMN, he's biiiiig!), who quietly
and bravely watched over me for the
next hour. Every time I turned around, he was within sword's reach, watching
my back vigilantly. I've
never seen such willing sacrifice, unasked for, in a human before. This will
also not be forgotten.
We fended off the horde of trolls and proceeded to the tavern to discuss matters
with Koryon. Come to find
out, he's located his long-lost daughter in Niman and intends to go rescue her
-- alone. I cannot allow this,
and told him so. I intend to wait outside town after completing training, and
accompany him on this
mission. The first good-natured human I've met, I'm not about to let the boy
run off into trouble unattended.
Bishop was there, as well, arriving only hours before me. In that short time,
though, he'd managed to get
himself beat up pretty well, and needed quite a bit of healing. After the bleeding
was stopped, we prepared
to hold the tavern from the next wave of nastiness. We stood in front of the
tavern and met Lord Aloryn
and Nunsa. With this force, we felt ready for anything.
Then, they came. . . .
They are called "Panther Geasses," I believe, and they target a particular
race. First was the elven one, it
hosed down a good four elves before it was spelled into next year. I healed
one of the poor lads, a relatively
young one of his kind, who seemed to be travelling alone -- thus the idea that
he's young, 'cuz he sure
wasn't powerful! Then the dwarven one arrived. Panic isn't what I felt, but
there was a great sense of fear in
the air. Two other dwarves, from clans I don't recognize, went down to its claws.
It was headed my way,
when a woman from the Ducal household stepped between me and it. Whether it
was another dwarf closer
to it, or the considerable eclipsing effect of this considerate woman that sent
the geas off in another
direction, I'll never know. But I was glad I didn't have to raise my blade to
it. It was soon dispatched, again
by spell-casters.
It was then that we heard the giggling. . . . The maniacal giggling of some
insane child. Figures came out of
the haze toward us and we were hit with a tangible smell -- the smell of the
undead. The necromancers
were throwing death spells like they were going out of style, the zombies were
pounding townsfolk with
rotted limbs, the greater undead were resisting most normal blades, and the
raucous giggling got louder,
and louder, and LOUDER until they were in and among us.
Bishop, Koryon, and I flanked off to the right . . . three of them came at
us -- two greaters and a giggler.
The giggling ones were only being affected by magic weapons -- most of which
were lost in the mists. . . .
Bishop squared his shoulders and barreled into the closest one. Koryon drew
the attention of the other one
in an attempt to stall until someone with magic could smite them down. With
my plain old sword in hand, I
knew that to confront these was my doom. It was then, that I saw my chance.
. . . Bishop and his walking
corpse were battling back and forth, Koryon was being forced back by the other
advancing undead warrior,
and the "giggler" was preparing to flank him. It seemed to not really
see me there. So, gathering my magic
powers about me, I strode towards it. I actually got within arm's length of
it -- I could smell its fetid breath -
- its laughter was a hammer in my ears! But apparently it didn't know I was
a dwarf, since when did
"hammering of the ears" affect me?! I reached out -- almost touched
it -- it turned and saw me just in time
to hear, "I CALL UPON THE EARTH TO HARM UNDEAD!" My spell leapt from
my fingertips and
engulfed the monstrosity. The healing magics of the earth ran rampant upon it
and it fell with a dull thud to
the earth, dying once and for all. The others fell quickly, as the townsfolk's
combined might prevailed.
The rest of the short time I was there was spent healing others; Koryon's poisoned
blood was fixed, the
Ducal woman was released from her fear of undead, and the Dragonshire men were
healed to full. I then
paid Northstar some money found off the creature I'd slain, in return for his
generosity, and bade farewell
to my friends. I had to head back to the tasty drink with the little "umbrella"
-- Cynesra tells me they're an
important component for some great magic. . . . [Cynesra's Note: Long story.
Do not ask. :]