Chapter I: Adventures begin
Our story begins at Pagal where our heroes are about to meet for the first time.
It's midday at Pagal the port city of Bastia. The market is filled with people selling and buying goods from all around the kingdoms. Ships are docking and leaving. One of the ships,"The dessert maiden", arrives at the docks. People start disembarking the vessel: merchants, politicians, tourist, travelers and adventurers. Two of the passengers are Sylara a half-ling rogue on the run from the desert kingdom of Gutunia and Luna a human sorceress from the kingdom Aistalia. Chatting along they decide to find a place to stay. One of them overhears a local person speaking of a nearby inn called "The Flaming Rats Inn". They agree to check it out.
The sound of a fire place, sounds of people talking, cards slapping on the table, knocks of chess pieces hitting the board, the smell of fresh food and ale is filling "The Flaming Rats Inn". In one of the corners Avalach one of the local hunters of the kingdom is writing in his journal while sipping beer, every once in a while lifting his head. With a glance through the window he notices two foreign women who are about to enter the inn. Avalach immediately gets up and goes to chat with them. Passing by some young men talking and swearing about a strange map they have spread out at the table. The elf busy listening to their conversation doesn't notice that his "targets" are already at the bar speaking with the owner, Siutia. A moment passes and he stands at the bar.
-Don't raise the prices,-says Avalach,- they're locals.
-I don't raise prices you know,- says Siutia immediately starting to blush.
-So is it possible to lower the price?-asks the human.
-Well the best I can do is three gold for two nights.
-We'll take it.
-Okay I'll go get the key for you,- with that the owner leaves to the back room.
-So why did you decide to help us?-asks the half-ling sitting on one of the bar stools.
-I can see that you guys are not from around here and I figured that you might need a guide.
-And how much will you charge us for your services?-asked the human.
-We can decide the price when the time comes.
Luna walks away from the bar she's intrested in a map that a few of drunk men have on their table. She approaches the most sober looking one and asks:
-That's an interesting map you have there.
-You look pretty *hick*,- say the drunkest of the bunch as he passes out on the table.
-Don't mind him,- says the sober one,-he just thinks that this weird map will bring us fortune and fame the poor fool.
-Well if it's useless I'd be happy to take it,-nicely says Luna.
-Well I'm afraid I can't give it to you but feel free to look at it.
Evening a ship docks, people disembark one of them is Gondor a dwarf from the kingdom of Ainia. After asking the locals where a good place to stay would be he's pointed to a nearby Inn. The dwarf aproches the inn he sees wooden sign, a rat inside a flame, below the sign is writen "The Flaming Rats Inn". Gondor opens the door and steps inside, as he's looking around he notices an elf staring at him. The dwarf approaches the bar looking for the owner, he's stopped by the same elf who was staring at him. The elf speaks:
-Hello friend I see that you're not from around here perhaps you need a guide?
-No thanks,- says Gondor.
As Gondor sits down at the bar he sees an elven women coming from the back room.
She looks at him with a smile and asks:
-I believe you sir would like a room.
-Yes madam I would,-nods the dwarf.
-Well a room would cost you around six gold for two nights.
-Why are the prices so high?-asks Gondor
-Well there is only one room left and I also need to pay my supplier,- she say's as she points at the elf by the bar, the same elf whose services Gondor turned down.
-Well how about you stay with me,-says the elf.
-Avalach!-shouts Siulia,-How many times do I have to tell you. Stop stealing my customers.
-Okay fine I'll give you your cut,-says the elf as he throws a gold coin at the owner, hitting her right between the eyes.
-And stop throwing things at me!
Time passes Avalach pulls his new companions to another table and introduces himself. They speak of what brings them to the kingdom of Bastia: knowledge, adventures, culture and other things.
Luna notices that the drunk men who were talking about their so called useless map are about to leave. One of them struggles to put the map in his backpack. The sorceress quickly gets up and pulls it out. Just moments later Sylara stands up and follows them outside. As soon as the men leave the building she manages to swipe two of their coin purses and then returns to the table. The companions chat away. Avalach informs them about the rumors that are spreading around the city, a supply wagon carting medicine to Grainpeak city has been attacked. The medicine has gone missing and the wagon was damaged beyond repair. When he finishes he remembers that on his way to Pagal he noticed a cave.
-You guys wanna go spelunking?-he asks
-Sorry to interrupt your conversation but would you like the keys to your room?-asks the the innkeeper.
-Oh I just remembered!- said Avalach,- when will you pay me?
Siulia picks up the coin he threw at her and throws ir back at him. The coin cuts his eyebrow.
-Keep the change,- says Siulia while trying to keep herself from laughing.
The party agrees to go to the cave, As they leave they pick up keys to their designated rooms.
Late evening. The smell of mold and damp air is filling a cave. Avalach stand in front of a tunnel, he sees what appears to be two goblins. He gestures his comrades what he see ahead. Pulling an arrow he takes aim at one of them. He fires. The arrow fly through the tunnel hitting the goblin right in the eye pinning him to a door behind him. The site sends the other one running. Sylara runs after him stabbing him in the back. The goblin is hurt and the shock from being stabbed dropping him to the ground but he's still trying to escape through the door in front of him. Avalach runs in to the tunnel after Sylara. He takes aim at the goblin but misses the arrow hits the door down the tunnel. Gondor runs into the tunnel, he jumps on Sylaras shoulders but she is unable to hold him. They both fall to the ground. Luna enters the tunnel she sees the goblin on the ground. She pulls out her crosbow take aim and fires but misses. Sylara gets up and tries to throw a dagger at the goblin but fails and misses, the dagger lands on the ground. Avalach aims another arrow trying to kill the goblin, missing yet again. Gondor gets himself off the ground he picks up his axe and swings at the goblin chopping his hand off. Luna cocks her crossbow and fire another arrow at the same goblin but misses. The goblin gets up and runs through the door. Inside the room he's seen by three other goblins. One of them shouts in goblin tongue:
-Intruders! Call the Butcher!
Another goblin pushes his one handed friend to the wall, breaking his neck and killing him instantly. The he proceeds to to attack the dwarf in front of him. Swinging his morning star he slips on his friends puddle of blood tripping and falling on his weapon. The goblin who was shouting flees through a door to the north of the room. The third goblin approaches the entrance pulls out his javelin aims it at Gondor head and throws it. Gondor quickly ducks. The javelin comes flying at Sylara who quickly doges out of it's way, Luna jumps to the side to avoid being hit. The javelin hit Avalach in the shoulder.
The battle goes on but in the end our heroes manage to clear the room. Avalach tells his party that he heard the goblin who fled the room shouting about some kind of butcher and tells them to be ready, not a moment passes and two more goblins enter the room from the door to the west. They begin attacking our heroes. As the fight goes on three more goblins enter the room. One of them is a big cleaver wielding goblin his face looks like a mixture of a goblin and an orc, he has a white blood covered apron.
-FRESH MEAT!-he shouts scaring Sylara.
The party recognizes him to be the one the goblins called the butcher. A huge fight breaks out Sylara get's cornered trying to use Gondor as cover but is still attacked by one of goblins, with another one behind him throwing javelins, she rolls under the one attacking him hitting him in the nether region and bringing him to his knees. The butcher attacks Gondor.
-DWARF SOUP!-he shouts swinging his cleaver at Gondor who manages to jump out of its way.
Another goblin attacks Luna hurting hurting her badly. Avalach fires an arrow at the attacker killing him. Luna stand injured and covered with goblin and her own blood. Barely standin she attack the Butcher. She manages to injure him. The Butcher turns to her:
-HUMAN STEW!-he yells and hits her knocking her unconscious.
The fight goes on for some time. Gondor takes his axe and swings it at the Butcher, ripping his stomach. But the Butcher is still able to fight. an arrow flies into his neck killing him. and sending the last remaining two goblins running. Gondor walks up to Lunas body and tries to get her pack on her feet. Luna wakes up to the sight of Gondr looking her in the eyes.
Sylara runs after the fleeing goblins entering the room to the north she attack one of them hurting him badly, Avalach fires an arrow from the other room killing the weak and injured goblin. The other goblins runs to the door west of the room and desperately tries to open it. Sylara attempts to subdue the now panicking goblin hitting the back of his neck with the handle of one of her daggers. While this goes on Avalach and Gondor collect the goblin weapons and search th Butchers corpse. They take the Butcher cleaver and find keys on him. They hear Sylara shouting!
-Avalach! Interrogate this one!
As the rest of the party enters the room they see a goblin in panic. Avalach grabs him by his leather tunic and yells:
-Tell me what you know!
-You can take the druid just let me live please,-cries the goblin.
-Where is she!
-She's in the kitchen, right there,-cries the goblin pointing at the door he was trieng to open,- please don't hurt me
Avalach pulls out one of the keys and and unlocks the door. The party enter what looks to be a hallway. They smell blood rotting meat, vegetables and dog hair. They proceed down the hallway, at the end of ir they reach a door. Gondor pulls out his axe and chops it down.
-Here's Johnny!-he yells
-Is Johnny a common dwarf name?-asks Sylara.
After Gondor breaks down the door the smell of rot and blood get even stronger and he throws up. Avalach enters the room. It looks like a kitchen, on a table lies a what appears to be a human leg and skull. His eye catches a cell. In the cell sits a half-elf woman she's cuddling with an eagle trying to stay warm.
-Who are you?Are you okay? What's your name?,- Avalch asks.
-I'm Laegwen, a druid, thats all I can remember.
Avalach notices a chest in the corner of the kitchen. He opens it to find basic traveling gear and some weapons.
-I'm guessing this is your,-he says.
Sylara enter the room and sees the horrific sight. She sees the half-elf locked in a cell. She quickly looks around to find anything that could be used to open the cell door, then remembers that she has crowbar in her backpack. Sylara pulls it out and gives it to Avalach. They stick the crowbar at the edge of the cell door and wtih the help of Gondor they pry it open. Laegwen grabs her things and heals her wounded eagle.
The party decides to leave. The approach the tunnel from witch the entered. Gondor stops by the door where the first goblin is pinned. The rest head for the exit. As Avalach sticks his head outside and sees the moon in the middle of the sky, he turns around and goes to Gondor. They open the door and carefully proceed through a dark tunnel. Then as he walks Gondor trips on what seems to be a step as he gets up he sees a swinging blade. Avalach enters the room. As soon as his foot touches the floor he feels it pressing down. In a split second he jumps back and with a javelin that he picked up earlier tries to keep the floor pressed down, but the javelin springs back. He aims an arrow at the opening trying to hit the swinging mechanism but the arrow misses and land on the other side of the room. From the entrance Sylara notices scratch mark where the floor and walls meet, she listens if she can hear something in the mechanism but most of the sound is muffled by the swinging of the blade. She enters the room. The floor pushes down and the blade stops. She cautiously crawls in an area where she is sure the blade won't be able to hit her. the rest of the party soon follows. Avalach picks up his arrow. They try to open the door that was on the side they are now. It's locked. Avalach uses another key he got off the Butchers body. They enter the room. Inside they seed a big bed, desk and chest. Sylara looks at the chest and easily unlocks it. In it they find some gold, medicine and letters.
-I reckon this is the medicine that was stolen from the wagon,- says Avalach.
The party gets what they can, Gondor decides to take the Butchers head as a trophy, and leave. They return to The Flaming Rats Inn. Siulia immediately recognizes Laegwen.
-Laegwen! What happened?You were missing for three days! Are you okay?
End Of Chapter I
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