The StormWatch Chronicles
As seen through the eyes of Drano Battlehammer
Part 6
Update: 07/04/1998 to drano
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August 11, 596
Well, another weekend down. This time I found myself arriving late. You see,
I was to meet Koryon to help
him on his trip to Niman -- to rescue his daughter, but he tried to ditch me
at the last minute. Being the
persistent individual I am, I went to Niman on my own to meet up with him. Unfortunately,
he was stopped
at the border and sent packing, so I missed him. Then, I met Delahr, who reminded
me that Squire Gabriel
and Lady Chastity were getting married this weekend. So I trudged my butt up
to the stronghold in the
mountains to get a gift from my secret stash of stuff... I thought a brass candelabra
with fine chasing would
do nicely, but the trip delayed me and I arrived a day late in Ravenholt.
No sooner do I get there, than I meet Tempus and Bishop. The two were miraculously
transformed - Bishop
from a human to a dwarf (couldn't happen to a nicer guy) [Cynesra's Note: We
are going to have to change
the team name to "DwarfWatch" if this keeps up. . . ;] , and Tempus
from barbarian to human. With all that
said and done, I went to the cabin where I met Koryon and Chastity. The newlywed
was pleasantly happy
about her new status and I presented my gift, though I was sorry I missed the
ceremony itself.
Come to find out, young Borax managed to get a hold of a magic pole-arm that
bestowed great power upon
the wielder. He gained experience and the ability to cast the ninth circle of
earth magic in one great boon.
Poking his new toy at me, he explained that some form of "shadow creatures"
were terrorizing the town.
Lord Aloryn better explained that the creatures took a series of blows, then
went berserk and could only be
felled by a mighty sword blow or spell. Thinking I'd found my element, I prepared
for battle.
Little did I realize, Borax had taken my place. As a fully operational healer,
he had sublimated my position
on the team, and proceeded to aid the fighters in battle against the shadow-wraiths.
I didn't feel needed, and
a little putout by my younger cousin, so I stayed in a "rear-guard"
position. Lucky I did, because suddenly,
they were all about, trying to surround us.
My meager talents came into play as one of them went berserk in my vicinity.
With a competence Koryon
had seen before, I stepped up to the berserked wraith and intoned the incantation
to a mighty earth spell, "I
call upon the earth to Destroy Undead!!!" The thing stood stunned, staring
at me a moment, before its
hellish being disintegrated into a pile of diamond dust.
Later that evening, I overheard Bishop and Tempus, wallowing in their new bodies,
doing what dwarves do
best -- get drunk. After putting a good buzz on, they decided to "go taunt
the baddies." The following is
what I heard happening outside the cabin:
"Nya, nya! You're not so tough!!!!"
-- battle, battle . . . fight, fight . . . grr, grr . . . clang, clang . . . thud! --
"TEMPUS IS DOWN!!!! TEMPUS IS DOWN!!!! We could use some help!"
-- battle, battle . . . fight, fight . . . grr, grr . . . clang, clang . . . thud! --
"BISHOP IS DOWN!!! BISHOP IS DOWN!!! Get Gabriel!"
I then watched as the spectre-like form of Gabriel, rose from his bed and new
wife, grabbed his sword, and
with nothing but his trousers, glide out the door . . . .
-- battle, battle . . . fight, fight . . . grr, grr . . . clang, clang . . . thud! --
"And don't think that I'll come outside and get your sorry butts off the
ground again if you choose to stay
out here!"
With that, Gabriel drifted, almost as serenely, back to be with his love and
lady. I eased back into slumber,
hearing only the sounds of Snoryon . . . ahem, Koryon in the night.