The Curse of Calamus

[Quiet_Cool]

The Bridge

They slowed as they approached the large structure, then stopped as they neared its entrance. It appeared larger from where they stood than it had atop the hill.
"It appears safe," Boguras said. "But appearances..."
We shall go in two groups," Penindar said, "Since we must go. Briomen, you and the elves shall go first, save DaSanda. I want her with Barriste until he is well. The rest of us will follow. That way, we have enough in each group to fight, but not so many as to restrict our movements."
Briomen nodded.
"Perhaps a third group," Boguras began, but Briomen flashed him a look that silenced him. He nodded, but reluctantly.
The elves pressed forward, moving toward the structure, which bore thick walls and far too many planks laying and pressing in various directions to just be intended to support the structure.
Boguras and Tellion glanced to one another, as if they foresaw what would happen and felt powerless to stop it.
They made it halfway across the bridge, their bodies only silhouettes against the bright light from the other side, before anything happened.
The old wizard was beginning to think his concerns were unwarranted when the large wooden frames came crashing down on over either entrance, trapping the elves between them. The horses kicked back some, startled by the sudden sounds, then settled again when they ceased.
"Are you alright?" Pennindar shouted into the structure.
"Yes, but we're trapped," Briomen returned.
"Now, how to get them out?" Pennindar muttered to himself.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Enter: Bob

"An old man has many stories to tell, I'm certain," a voice said from above. "But perhaps I might tell you one today."
Pennindar looked up and saw the troll standing on top of the bridge's peaked wooden roof. Talbot struggled to see what was going on outside the bag, pulling himself up to peer out.
"There was once a group of travellers, elves and humans and all," it began. "Then the elves found themselves in a mess, and risked a very great fall."
The troll reached over to a wooden leaver to its right and tapping the handle lightly. The fall fro the bridge to the water was a log one, perhaps thirty feet, long enough to kill the horses on contact, as they woud fall gracelessly. The elves would be swept away, some possibly drowning, carried into new dangers, possibly not to return.
"I'm not much of a poet I know, but you do understand the story, old man, don't you?"
"Yes, I do," Pennindar returned, thinking through his most used spells for something that might easily take care of the pest. He had one in mind, and raised his hands before him.
"I wouldn't do that," the troll replied, tapping a charm hanging from a chain about its neck. "I wouldn't feel it much anyway."
Magical vestment, Pennindar thought. It might just be a show, but then again, it might not be.
"What is your name?" the wizard asked.
"I have several that I've been called, not all of them nice ones. You may call me Bob," it replied.
"Perhaps Bob doesn't realize that we could easily chop our way through that wooden cage of his," Barriste said. He was only half with it, the day's trials making him drowsy and light-headed. No doubt, he knew nothing of the lever.
"The barbarian would make that wood splinters in a matter of minutes," Barriste added.
"I could easily burn through the wood," Pennindar explained, "as we could chop through it, but not before he dispenses of our dear friends inside."
"SO what is it that you want, Bob?" The wizard asked.
Bob grinned.
"On with the story," he said. "I require your assistance in an endeavor. Are there any objections to this?"

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

* Sorry, had to leave town quickly for a few days*

Jurax solemnly took the sword from Kyleen's hand, and bowing his head flicked his wrist quickly and nicking her ear, he drew a small flow of blood. Putting the edge to his tounge he tasted her blood, salty and with a warmth he was surprised to feel. Sheathing Gorefiend he intoned also "The first and last of your blood is tasted. The first and last of your blood is drawn. The fuel that burns the fires of your heart. May it know fulfillment, May it know courage, May it know peace, May your kin be bound also in this blood rite. I offer you my blood in return, mine and that of my ancestors, and my decendants. I offer you a taste, and the recognition of your sword."

And with that they were now joined as Horde/Battle Leader and Sworn Sword. The rest of the trip they traveled quietly together, he all the while now watching the surronding terrain in an effort to catch any surprises aimed at her, for she was now in his protection. When the incident happened at the bridge, he had drawn Gorefiend without a thought and had moved in front of Kyleen and her mount, sword level and ready for action. As the three way conversation between Barritssomekindaname, Old Man, and the Bob Troll, he had moved forward slightly to keep an eye on the troll, a tough and hard foe to slay. He knew this from the days of his youth when his clan had fought many trolls during the bitter winter months for food in far north. Turning his head slightly to Kyleen he spoke "Ise can keepum Troll occ... umm.. busy, and youse can take hims if wees needs too."

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen

Glancing to Jurax Kyleen signalled him to wait, but stay alert. Perhaps this Troll would have similar goals to their own. Kyleen thought to herself it was probably too much to ask, but she prefered to keep her blood running in her veins than to pursue a fight that may not be necessary.

"Troll!" she shouted "If you require our help, threatening our companions is not the way to ask! We come to free the land from darkness and evil, surely that is as good a warrent for civil behaviour as is required? Free our friends and let us across. We will listen to you then as an act of good faith. Tell us your story, then ask if there are objections!"

 

[The GrandMage]

A theif, a knife, and a troll

Richard looked up at the ugly little thing. Trolls, what a bother. His hand slowly drew his Fang, hidden in the confines of his cloak. A pillar of black within the small group, he watched the troll, slowly perfecting his aim.

"I've got a story for you, Bob. Once, a long time ago, there was a man name Theodore. Theodore kidnapped a hunter's wife, and forced the hunter to do him a favor. The hunter did the favor, and got his wife back. Later that night, after much celebration over getting what he wanted, theodore fell to sleep, only to wake up an hour later, gutted like a pig. The moral of the story is: don't piss off people to try and get your way. More often than not, you die a horrible death. Now, I suggest you really think about what you do next, and where you're going to hide if it pisses me off. Because I'll hang you from your toes, skin you, and watch you bleed to death as I poke you with a sharp, flaming stick."

Still watching the trool, he spoke softly towards the old wizard. "I can take him from here. Imbed my Fang right in his ugly little throat."

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

From the bridge, Uwef eyes the ugly troll. Dwarves throughout the ages deny any common ancestery with these nasty creatures. Imediately, his heavy axe is at ready as Uwef waits for the signal to use it in a merciless manner.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Bob's story

Bob smiled down at them all. They didn't realize, he was certain , what would happen next, should they choose a physical confrontation.
"I see you are all eager to please," He returned. "But I assure you, battle is not in your best interests, or in the interests of your friends on the bridge at all. You see, my friends and I...yes, I have friends as well...will not be pleased with the thought of physical warfare at this point."
An arrow flew from the trees behind them, piercing the wood of the bridge before them. THe old man looked back more in reflex than anything. As he did, the high-pitched sound of another approaching arrowcame ot his ears from in front. He turned to see it bearing down on him. He leaned to the side, letting himself fall from the horse to avoid being hit. The arrow barely missed his horses hindquarters, and found the ground a few feet behind it.
From the ground, sitting on his buttocks, which might very well have been bruised in the fall, Pennindar looked up, surprised.
"I do apologize. Their eyesight is not the best in the sunlight. They wouldn't have aimed for you on purpose, not with you having not even set out on this retrieval of ours," Bob said. "However, should we be forced to kill you...that's a different story altogether. And they could kill you all from their hiding places, safely hidden from the bright sun, but still well within attack distance. Time is wasting..." He reminded.
Pennindar looked at the arrow that stuck in the ground behind his horse, then crawled over and pulled it from the ground. The shaft was plain wood, not too finely crafted, and the tip was merely burnt, possibly only once. Hard enough to puncture skin, and probably more than capable of piercing thin armor, but not much stronger than that. What had fired it though, would be a greater match in battle than just the arrows.
"Goblins," the old man whispered to Richard. "In the trees around us. There could be hundreds of them."
Pennindar climbed to his feet.
"Tell us your story, but in haste, as the day grows old." He shouted to the troll.
Bob grinned down at them.
"It seems a man who lives not far from here, did, not so long ago, steal an item of great importance to us. An item left in a dear friend's keeping. While this friend has long since been...well, he has passed, we shall say...the item still must be recovered, as it bears a great...personal value to myself and my associates," Bob explained. "If this item is brought to us, then we shall release your friends and go about our business. Surely, the dragons will make short work of you ahead aynway, but that is your difficulty."
Pennindar looked to Richard, whispering, "They must be here on behalf of the Witch, but I doubt they realize who we are, or even know what the witch is up to. If they only care about the stone, they will probably let us pass.""If you have so many friends, why do you need our help?" Pennindar asked Bob, speaking in his regualr tone now.
"He has caused us much trouble in the past...," Bob replied. "The encampment is to the West of here. Good luck in this venture."
"Then, I suppose we must go," Pennindar said.
"Oh, no," Bob replied. "Not you...you will stay here. They shall go alone...what say you friends?"

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

Looking from the Troll to Kyleen, Jurax slid before her to keep the troll in sight. When the arrows started flying he shoved her back to the side of her horse and stepped in front to block any that might hurt her. When Bob Troll spoke of them doing a service to be allowed to continue he looked at Old Man and said "I willum do job if theres be nos others way."

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He slowly turned, scanning the area around them. Tossing his Fang in the air, it caught the sunlight before his fingers curled around the hilt again, sliding it back in it's place within his cloak. He turned to the old man. "Hundreds? Really now. I'd say fifty-seven, give or take a few. Of course, that's only on this side of the bridge. More likely there's more on the other side, but that's not important at this point. And what do you mean, stone? All Mr. Ugly's said so far is 'item'."

He turned to the troll. "Speaking of which, what do you mean by encampment? That denotes the presence of troops. And what the hell is this 'item'? And why the fuck do we all have to go? And what makes you think we can do what you can't? What the fuck do we look like? The miracle team of supertravelers? And what makes you think your friends will help you should I choose to kill you? We'll both be dead, that's all. Don't think you can act like you can nullify my threats by insinuating that I won't live if I kill you. Do I look stupid enough to think an ugly fuck like you wouldn't have backup? Why do you think I didn't kill you first off? Because you'd have to have friends, no way you could handle all of us. ARe you really that stupid as to think I didn't know their was someone else, or do you just feel the need to remind them so they don't wander off because they don't give a fuck about your ugl-"

He sidestepped, his eyes turning to the sound of an arrow cutting through the air, imbedding itself in the ground. "Your friends are poor shots by the way. Why you keep them around? They ugly enough to make you look good?"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Bob and the bridge

Bob waited while the man rolled through one sentence after another. Questioning everything. Demanding answers to questions which left no reason for answers. Did he realy think this? Did he really think that?
"This one talks too much," Bob told the wizard.
"I've noticed," Pennindar replied, though not at all irritated, as he would have been a few days earlier with Richard's rambling. "Now the item in question, as our friend as asked you of."
"In fact 'stone' was more accurate, as it is a crystal of sorts," the troll explained.
Pennindar glanced to Richard, an expression on his face that stated, rather blandly, "I figured as much."
It only made sense in his perspective. The witch would probably have these creatures protecting some magical item, and crystals and stones were noted for their magical importance.
"It is not mine, but is in my care; I'm holding it for a friend, we shall say," Bob continued. "And what I meant by the encampment, is that the crystal was taken by a man in armor, accompanied by other men in armor. The dragon-slayers have it. Being humans, you stand a much better chance of getting near enough to the item to steal it; whereas myself and my goblin friends cannot just walk up and speak with them. That is why I ask that you go. Now the question remains: Will you go? Or will you let your friends perrish, and most likely perrish yourselves?"

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He looked around at the others, and shrugged before slowly looking around. He sighed, and started off. Then, he stopped, looking up at the troll, and then at the old wizard, then around at the others. "Does anyone actually trust the troll? But, given the circumstances, I think I'll go take my anger out on the infidels."

He shrugged, and wandered off towards the encampment. Dragon-slayers, and trolls and goblins working for the witch. Of course, the troll would probably kill them all anyway, why he hell not? Once they had the crystal, they were just more people, and the witch seemed to enjoy sending the ugly minions of darkness out to kill.

It was a horrible day. And he had a feeling it would only get worse.

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen

Eyes roaming around the area Kyleen caught glimpses of the positions of a number of the archers. Protected from their sight by Jurax on one side and her horse on the other, she held her own bow and arrows ready.

Kyleen thought to herself if the troll was set to guard this crystal stone by the witch, then it might be something of use in this quest.. Hopefully the wizard is wise enough to realize it!

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Straining his eyes, the dwarf tries to identify all of the trolls opposite the travellers. As he scans the rock face, he notices that one-by-one, trolls seem to be disappearing. Uwef looks at his companions and thinks that neither they, nor the other trolls see the individuals disappear.

Uwef looks up at the wizard, impatiently. If the dwarf was running things, that troll would be dead by now--so would the small group, undoubtably.

Glimpsing back to the opposite rock face, Uwef's eye catches the shine of a weapon sweeping down on a troll. Was that... Could it be... That shape reminds Uwef of his cousin's sharp tool named Ohave.

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

He cared nothing for talking, talking didn't accomplish anything in his mind. When Richard began walking away, he was surprised, but not really. That one seemed to have a death wish of an amazing scale. Glancing back at Kyleen with a look of "please give me orders", he hoped she would give him something to do... anything...

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen

Kyleen saw Jurax was getting anxious. It seemed they were at an impasse. Lightly touching his arm she whispered to him "Be ready"
She saw some of the trolls disappearing, their companions paying no attention. Turning, pretending to straighten something on her saddlebag, Kyleen saw shapes moving up the path behind them, the trolls had them surrounded.
Whispering again to Jurax, she murmered "Behind us"

Hearing a twig snap nearby, Kyleen spun, crouched, identified a troll about to grab Uwef and sent an arrow spinning into its head, stopping it dead.

Uwef seems strangly fixated on the opposite rock face, hardly aware of his close call.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Hoping for a second sign that his cousin is nearby, Uwef keeps his sights set on the opposite rockface. "Huh, what? Did you say something, Kyleen?" he asks the woman without turning toward her grunt.

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen

Returning to her upright, alert posture, Kyleen said to Uwef "Be careful little man, one day I won't be here to watch your back"

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

Hearing her orders to be aware and then the warning about the enemy being behind, Jurax nodded and looking at the wizard said loudly. "Old Man, makeum ups our... umm... minds? Yes, makeum up mind, or me and Gorefiend start killing soon now, yes?" Reaching back with one hand he squeezed Kyleen's arm to let her know he understood her instructions. Looking at the ridges above he began to wonder how he was going to charge up it....

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Decisions...decisions

The wizard looked at the barbarian.
"I don't believe this is my choice," Pennindar replied. "It is you who must go if you choose to, and I must stay here, therefore, I cannot tell you to go. The group must decide."

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen

Hearing the wizards words, Kyleen grew worried for the first time. Surely the item the troll was ment to guard would be worth their while to aquire for their quest - was the wizard coming under the witches spell?

She decided to speak out, drawing the Wizard to her side she spoke quietly but with feeling "Wizard! are you a man or a mouse? you have called us here for a purpose, Have you lost your nerve? are you able to lead us? Richard it seems is willing to put his life on the line for your quest, and I and Jurax and Uwef are here to lend you our swords. We hunt for that which would destroy the witch. Surely this item is something that would help us. It is something the witch wanted to keep so much she has it guarded, yet something she has had to keep away from herself. That tells me it is both something needed and something that may be used to harm her. I say we find this thing and resume our quest!"

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Since the last appearance, the dwarf sees no other signs of his cousin. Turning back to the group, Uwef hears Kyleen and silently nods his own opinion.

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

Eyes worriedly scanning the area around them Jurax to nodded his head in agreement with Kyleen, more from knowing he must support his Horde Leader more than anything he actually understood on what she was talking so forcefully. Looking quickly to spot Richard he mumbled to Kyleen and the Old Man.. "Richard much fars now, dus me go or no?"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

The Old Man and the Stone

Pennindar turned to them, looking Kyleen in the eye, hoping that she would see that he was indeed himself.
"The troll has specified already that I may not gp on this venture with you. I'm not certain, but I believe that he sees the differences between you and those he's captured. We're human and Uwef is a dwarf, and they are all elves. DaSanda is not a threat to us, so should we leave and not return, he is at a loss. Don't mistake, we are at the advantage, and he knows this. I'm his insurance. He knows I'm a wizard, and that I will bear a ransom if needed from the Wizard's Council should you choose not to return. Anyway we look at this, we need to cross that bridge. I believe that striking a deal with him is our best option. We can decide after you've gotten the stone whether or not we will hand it over to him."
He looked back to the Troll, who was leaning down, trying unsuccessfully to listen in.
"But as I said. I cannot go, so the choice is yours."

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

Looking at the two, he asked Kyleen, "we goes?" and stood there, eyes roving the area, hoping for an answer...

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He turned around, and sighed as he saw what was going on. More Trolls had appear from somewhere, but the goblin archers who had been the threat were still hidden. He shook his head, and saw the female warrior shoot her own arrow at one of the trolls, like the others wouldn't get pissed and just kill them. They were only one means to a goal, and goblins didn't tolerate too much rule, even from Trolls. Undoubtably, they'd probably be happy to just kill them all and have the Troll send out the elves.

"C'mon now! Killing them, thinking they won't retalliate? Are you really that stu-" He stopped as a loud and somewhat moist 'Thuk' sounded behind him. As the volly of arrows followed, yet more sounds occured as each and every point made their mark. With a cough that brought up blood none could see, as it was absorbed by the black scarf Richard used to hide his lower face, he turned a little, looking over his shoulder. He could only see about a half of the arrows that stuck out of his cloak, some meeting flesh, others trapped against the thick material. He turned, a little of his blood hitting the ground in random drops, as his last breath of life left his lungs.

The enemy, it seems, had decided to prove their point by exchanging the life the warrior had taken with one from the group. Richard, it would seem, had been choosen because of his remarks about them, and the Troll. Undoubtably the dwarves cousins, of whoever it was, would be getting about the same treatment now, as such a group would be able to see anything the group saw, especially since they would know the placement of their own troops.

Richards body fell forward even as the last sigh of air escaped his lungs. He hit the ground with only a small buildup of dust. His eyes slowly turned cold and dead as his spirit fled from this world. He was dead before he even hit the ground, his worst dream realized. Cackling came from the trees, the rocks, the entire landscape around the group as they cheerfully celebrated the death of the man that had caused them such annoyance. Even Bob tilted back his head, letting go a good laugh at the expense of the newly dead.