Terridol took a moment while the grey’s settled down in their seats. He then gathered his
thoughts and took a deep breath. Once he was sure he had the full attention of
the room, he began his tale.
“Many months ago”, he began, “I received a letter from an old friend, a
dwarf named Moardok. He was in a little trouble, so I
decided to leave to go help him. Because Moar is
always getting into some type of trouble, I did not think it important enough
reason to tell anyone about it because it was probably some little thing that
could be solved with a few kind words, some coin, and a tankard of ale. So, I made my way to the
“I reached the home of my friend, after a week worth of travelling. I found old Moar in
the back of his home, working on his aim with throwing axes. We greeted each
other and he treated me, to a lovely feast.
Afterwards, I asked him about his trouble and then he laid it out for
me.”
“About a month ago”, he said “A stranger arrived near the frozen bay to
the north. All seemed fine until the wildlife around started disappearing. Then some of the human folk who live near the
bay began to disappear. Course, we dwarves didn’t think anything of it ‘til
some of our own started disappearin’…
“Twenty have gone missin Terr,
and nobody knows what ta do bout’ it.” I’ve been
meaning to go have a looksey meself,
but I don’t want ta go up there alone, and no other
dwarf round here seems to give a care about it neither. Will yea help me out old friend? Help me
discover what devilry is going on near the bay.
“After hearing my friend’s plea, I agreed to help. Two days later we made our way north to the
Frozen Bay of Forochet. We walked with a purpose; I
had not felt this way in a while. Moardok and I have
had many similar adventures in the past, but this one seemed different. I put
those thoughts behind me, it had been an age since Moardok
and I walked side by side on the road, and I wanted to enjoy it while I still
could. Though, I was not able to enjoy the company of my friend for too long,
for halfway through the first day, we were ambushed by goblins.
Twelve of them came at us; we barely had enough time to draw our
weapons. I did not have time to use my bow, so I pulled out my sword and Moardok, his hammer.
We met the goblins head-on. Moardok fell two
with a single powerful blow. I leapt into the fray, slicing at the rabble. One
fell quickly as my sword swept thought the air and connected with its head,
cleaving it in two; I then spun on my heels and pieced the chest of another.
Somewhere I could hear the dwarf shouting the curses of his people, and the
sounds of his hammer impacting upon his foes. The bashing seemed to intensify
as the fight wore on. One after another
died by my hands, yet they continued their attack. “There was only twelve of
them right?” I thought to myself, “Yet I know I have felled more than half, and
the dwarf has killed just as many if not more, yet more still wave in upon us.
Where are the others coming from? We cannot hold out much longer if this
continues.” I then noticed the dwarf, his movements where slowing. He wouldn’t
last much longer, a few minutes was all he had left I estimated. I would then
surely by overrun and would meet my end.
But, I was sure that if this was the end, I would take as many of them
with me before I die.
At that very moment, when I had accepted the inevitable, a horn blasted
loud and echoed thought the mountains and the land. The goblins then began
their retreat to whatever dark hole they had magically
seemed to crawl out from under. Once they were all gone; I made my way over to
my friend. He was slumped over his hammer breathing heavily. “Bagh!” he said as
he spat blood from his mouth. “Damn cowards, runnin
away just when it t’was getting fun. Guess they went
to get more of their friends; wised up they did. Knew they couldn’t beat the
two of us, and with that he blasted into laughter though I know he was just
hiding behind it. He knew just as I that we had almost perished. “Come” I said,
“We must get moving before the goblins return with those friends of
theirs.” We then began our slow march
down the road again, but this time we kept ready and watched for goblins as we
continued north.
Terridol then spun to get another drink from his
tankard. As he did his cloak waved about him reveling two identical swords
hanging on each hip….