The Curse of Calamus

[Quiet_Cool]

Bob and the Stone

Bob eyed the item wearily. It'd been too easy in the end, and something didn't seem right.
He watched the woman approach, offering him the stone, and he eyed the group behind her, curious. SOmething was definitely different, but what...?
He gripped the side of the bridge, climbing down the wooden frame and reaching for the stone.
He stopped, his eyes watching the woman's face for any sign that things weren't as they should be. WHen he saw nothing out of the usual there, he snatched it item and ran to the top of the bridge again.
He looked through them then, wondering, should I let them live, or have them all killed.
The item around his neck glowed brightly then, and the stone in his hand returned to the rock it was before Pennindar tampered with it.
Bob glowered down at them.
"Decieve me?" He asked, towssing the false stone off the bridge into the water. "My patience is gone with you. Hand over the real stone, or I'll be through with you!"

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

As Bob roared over the change of the stone from crystal to rock, Jurax was already charging. A moment later he was tackling Kyleen from behind and rolling along the ground with her clasped in his arms as arrows thudded into the turf right where she had been standing. Looking at her he chided...
"Trolls no stupid when rocks it comes too."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Bob...just Bob this time

As the arrows pierced the ground, he growled at them, but waved his hands above his head. Immediately, the arrows stopped. Oddly, a place or two in the trees where arrows should have exited from remained passive as the attack took place.
Bob considered this for a moment, wonderng if the Dragon Hunters had taken to help this group en mass.He eyed the lever, wondering if he should simply throw the damn thing and let the elves drown.

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard--Idle Chatter

He sat back on the tree, looking at the two and chuckling softly to himself. "Dwarf territory? Boys, I'd hate to tell you this, but this isn't dwarf territory anymore. Maybe at one point, but it looks like the goblins have taken over this little niche in the dragon's lands. If I were you, I'd find a safer place for lunch. Besides, I don't think you should be eating goblins rations. Most of what they eat is lichen or rodents."

His ears perked as his head turned at the sound of arrows. Across his back was a quiver of arrows and a bow he'd stolen from one of his targets. Pulling an arrow, he took careful aim through the branches, firing a shot that hit the dirt seconds after the others, and a few seconds before some of the slower shots.

"Well, damnit. Could you boys do me a favor? There should be about thirty-six archers still about. I've been jumping a few groups in case something like this would happen. Could you go 'round there,..." He pointed in the direction he'd come from before adding, "And take down the ten I've left behind? Five groups of two. If you do, tell yeah what, I'll tell you where you can binge to your hearts content. Thanks."

Without waiting for a reply, he strung another arrow and jumped from his perch to another tree, racing quickly through the branches as he moved along towards his next kill, an eye towards the troll at all times. One move towards that lever, and he'd be dead on his feet.

 

[Firesprite]

"Trolls no stupid when rocks it comes too." Jurax chided.

Pushing him off her she muttered angrily back "Well you could have told me!" Drawing her sword, she waited to see what would happen next, the moment tense.

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

With a chuckle he got to his feet and said "no ask me did thee?" as he pulled out Gorefiend and took up position next to her....

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Creeping along the rock ledge, Uwef searches for a good hiding place. This thief doesn't want to become a dwarf-kabob. Eventually, Uwef finds himself quite lost in a forest of four-foot bushes. Crashing through a few more, he falls through one particularly stubborn bush. Looking up from the ground, he sees a pair of ugly monsters with bows. The one looks more confused than the first. Each of them pulls back the thin strand of his bow. Uwef shuts his eyes tightly as he hears the pair of sharp twangs...

 

[bobo_daclown]

Avidity and Hanker:

"Why certainly, my darkly clad friend."
"Indeed, Hanker, we should see about those goblins or trolls or whatnot."

As soon as they clear the small ledge, Hanker told giggles to his cousin, "That poor man doesn't realize that these beast have most definitely stolen these rations from humans." Licking his lips, he strode forward with his cousin.

The two stalk out the first pair of archers and easily overcome the inattentive duo. After that, the next three pairs are quite unfulfilling as the true danger is lost on the small dwarfs.

Crawling around a large boulder, the two spy the last pair of archers. Unfortunately, they are sitting, looking toward the boulder and not away from it. As the two dwarves try to devise a plan silently, the snapping noise of breaking branches draws their attention and that of the two archers. Eight eyes now stare at a dwarf laying face-down on the ground. As Avidity and Hanker recognize their cousin, the archers draw back their bows.

The two dwarfs slip behind them and throw rope over each archer's head. The arrows fly unaimed toward the bushes while the two attack-dwarves strangle the archers to death.

Avidity taps Uwef on the top of the head and drags him to his feet. Like schoolboys, they chatter all the plesantries and kiss one another joyously. "Come come, cousin Uwef, you should meet our new friend. Umm. Avidity, what was that chap's name?"

"Well, cousins, I can't say that I remember what he called himself. Let us go see if he will remind us and introduce himself to Uwef. Right?"

With that, the trio of mismatched dwarves route themselves back to Richard and his lonesome ledge.

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

Carefully, he looked around the tree, once again staring into it's eyes. Richard didn't know what it was, but it was huge, and ugly. It was at least three feet taller than Richard himself, and wore loose, mismatched armor, chains wrapped around his body led to broken links on the ground. There were four goblins lying in a bloody heap at it's feet. Gulping, Richard ducked behind the tree again. He'd been trying to go around it, but every time he moved from the tree he was behind now, the thing would start forward.

Richard had tried several arrows, but the thing didn't blink as it snatched them from the air, snapping their shafts. Richard had thought of overloading it, but after it took care of four at a time, he was unsure he could do it. Now, he waited for the thing to make it's move, which it seemed it had no mind to do.

There were twenty archers left, more than enough to take down the group, and here he was, trapped. Or was he? Taking a deep breath, Richard perpared to run, and looked around the tree. The thing was gone. He moved out, looking nervously in each direction. Where was it, where did it go? Was it even there to begin with?

Deciding to skip the rest of the archers, he made his was as stealthilly as he had left the group back to it, reappearing there a few moments later. He gave a yawn, and looked at his companions. "Are we still here? Good lord, just give the ugly little troll it's rock, and let's get going! Need I remind you what happened last time? That was not fun, I can tell you."

 

[Firesprite]

Stalking back to her her horse, Kyleen retrieved the stone, muttering about not being told important things. It was probably because he'd been itching for a fight. Stubborn men!

Kyleen took the stone and bounced it in her hand for a moment. Was it worth any more deaths? She decided not, and, turning to Bob, threw the stone to him, forgetting for the moment the strength and accuracy she'd built from using her sling. In her frustration, she'd aimed the stone directly between his eyes.

The moment it left her hand she gasped in horror, her hand reaching out to try and grab it back but it was already flying through the air...

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Bob and...welll, the stone again.

Bob winced as the stone hit, then fell back, clumisly groping at the air as it bounced upward slightly. His fat fingers wrappeed around it and he pulled it down to his chest.
He sat up, at first as though he intended to throw it bck, then it dawned on him that he held the item he'd wanted so badly, and his face went slack.
He forgot about having been pelted in the face with the item and stood, holding it as though it were a baby.
"Your promise, Bob," Pennindar insisted. "Release the elves."
Bob shifted his eyes through the group, finally resting them on Holgen and Gallion. A battle would be won here, but a war would be fought over the deaths of these soldiers. However, should the group not be attacked until they reach the other side...
He tucked the stone safely away in his pants and quickly pressed down a lever, drawing up the cage-like barricades as he sprinted across the top of the bridge and hopped down to the ground, taking off into the trees.
"Quickly," Pennindar shouted, pointing to the bridge. "Get across to Rock Face."
The elves hurried out the other side of the bridge as the group filed in, the soldiers turning and heading away, back toward their camp.
Until they reached the other side, no sign of resistence was shown. THen, once the soldiers were well out of harms way, arrows began to fly again. The goblins from the woods behind rushed from the trees, lining up along their rear to keep them from recrossing the bridge.
"Ride!" Pennindar shouted. "As fast as your horse will carry you!"

 

[Firesprite]

In one powerful leap Kyleen mounted her horse. Wheeling it around, she paused for Jurax before kicking it into an all out gallop across the bridge and hot on Pennindars heels.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Avidity and Hanker and Uwef:

The three dwarves return to the ledge where they had left Richard. Unfortunately, the darkly clad man is gone.

"What, good cousin, should we do?"

Uwef is happy to answer, "Well, I was with a group and they were going to meet some dragons..."

"Sounds more likely that they are going to become dragon's meat."

"Yes yes, Hanker, I do hate dragons."

The trio agree that dragons are no more than a large menace. They backtrack to some tall grass where Avidity and Hanker had left three mountain goats grazing.

"We'll mount here and go the long way beyond the dragons. No need to look at those overgrown devils."

Avidity, Hanker, and Uwef ride east toward the next bridge over the impassable river.

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He took off after the others, glancing in the direction the troll had ran off in. Suddenly, there it was, again. He stopped, rubbing at his eyes. He came to just as a good amount of arrows came towards him, jumping to the side, he rolled to his feet, and took off running after the others. Pushing their horses so hard, he found it difficult to keep pace with them, especially with his worries running through his head.

Was he seeing things? Had to be, but,...it seemed so real. Why was he seeing things? Was it because of,....

Realizing he was losing ground to the others, he added a burst of speed, his legs moving as fast as they could go as he tried to keep them in sight.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Pennindar on the run

The old wizard had few options. Racing like they were, they were an open target, and no spell he knew, at least not one he could perform in such distracted haste, would protect even a few of them from the affects of the arrows.
Now, making it harder to hit them would be another story. He looked ahead, muttering a few uick words under his breath, then raised his hands high, trusting DaSanda, who'd jumped on the back of his horse, to balance them both, and poised his fingers to point far ahead.
When he dropped them and gripped the reigns again, he could see the smoke rising from the ground ahead, masqing their figures as they rode through it. That would make it hard for the enemy to aim for them.
The elves, however, had gotten too far ahead of them too quickly, their lighter forms riding more gracefuly on horseback than those of the group that followed them. They would only be protected for a moment before being ahead of the smoke and out in the open.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Destiny and the goblins

The goblins were well-hidden on the side of the bridge and travellers exited from, and he had a good bit of trouble finding his prey from there.
Until the arrows began to fly that was. They came in what looked like a humongous swarm, bussing toward the group that was somehow larger than he'd expected. Several elves populated the first half of the group, with the second half consisting of a mix-match selection of races, from elf to giant, but mostly humans. AS he looked down, a sudden burst of smoke hid their figures, but that didn't last long for the elves, who rode back into the open a moment later.
The arrows did a lot of damage before he could react. The second half of the group seemed unscathed, but the first half, the elves, were nowhere near so lucky. Bodies fell from horses, being trampled all too often by the horses that followed.
One swift attack was all he allowed the little demons to get in. He swept down toward the treetop, letting loose a strong burst of fire from his mouth and saturating the trees with flame.
The goblins shrieked with pain and fear as they leapt from the woods, into the open, where he swept even lower to spit fire on them again. Their burnt corpses fell over, some actually burnt to the bone.
The arrows from the other side of the woods ceased thier attack, as goblins leapt to the ground and ran back toward the bridge or ran off to hide deeper in the trees.
He held back on the urge to burn them as well. Too much work for Fargwyn to put out so many fires when the water dragon's skills will be put to use.
He moved over to the road between the trees an dlowered himself down in front of the group, hovering about thirty feet from the group, his large form sending a shadow over the remaining elves as they can to a halt there, met seconds later by the second group.
Once all were halted, he took in a deep breath, as if he intended to burn them as well, then yelled down to them.
"Follow me to Rock Face!" WIth that, he took off toward their destination.

 

[Gragon]

Daneil Gray

When the shit hit the fan the rest of the dragon hunting party had ran for their lives leaving the adveturers to thier fate but I felt quite safe consealed from view, from everyone. When the dragon showed up no one was really around to see except those adventurers and of course me. THEY seemed like an interesting group and I'd probably get to fight alot more worthy, no worthy is not the right word dragons are far from unworthy, more deserving, yes, opponents deserving thier deaths. Slipping from my hiding place I pursued the group stealthly being sure to avoid being seen by the dark one, by anyone. Pateince Daneil no need to rush you will catch up to them when they rest.

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen slowed down as she entered the smoke Pennindar had created, waiting the few moments for Richard to catch up.
"Grab the stirrup!" she called. With him holding on the side and Jurax sitting behind her they would be a little slower, but to get away it would be worth it.

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He continued running, colors swirling around him as he began feeling odd. As he hit the smoke, he saw the thing again, clear against the background. Richard grabbed his head as the world began to spin, dropping to his knees as a childhood memory came back to him in sharp relief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He was helping his father, copying a book he'd been given on the weapons of various races. Page 23, halfway down the page. 'Goblins, while not excellent marksmen, make use of archery for the sheer number of arrows they are able to shoot off. They are known to use many diverse poisons on the tips of their arrows, the most common being a paste made from extracts from many cave lichens and fungi, which can induce hallucinations, delusions, disorientation, paranoia, and even, in great enough amounts, cause blackouts or severe drowziness. The only known remedy for this is a rather simple-'

His father closed the master copy of the book, smiling down at him. "No need to work so hard, Richard, I'll finish this one in the morning. Now, how about some dinner?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richard shook his head, dragging himself to his feet and racing after the others. He spotted Kyleen ahead , and raced up, grabbing the stirrup as his vision jumped from where they were to a field of stones and the tattered remains on dead bodies, the thing was there, standing beside Calamus himself, who was laughing at Richard's predicament. He took in a shuddering breath, closing his eyes tight.

"I think I'm losing my mind!"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Safe for the moment.

THe dragon flew off overhead, and the old wizard looked up, never believing he would be so glad to see one of the dangerous though magnificent creatures.
"Gather yourselves together, get the wounded, and we'll head forward behind the dragon to Rock Face!" the mage shouted.
Pennindar rode a few paces ahead, meeting with the elves, at least those that remained alive. Bodies lay on the ground as he rode by, not moving or making a sound, pierced with more than one arrows as often as not. He stopped when he reached a small group stil on hrseback. Three. That was all that had survived. And one, Boguras, appeared badly injured, an arrow protruding from his gut."Boguras," Pennindar began, eyeing the other two and recognizing Tellion, but not the third, a female warrior, armed with a short sword and bow.
"Briomen...?"
Boguras shook his head. "One of the first hit. He's gone. We're all that remain, save maybe one or two who haven't passed just yet. We must get to safety, collect our thoguhts and decide what move is next."
"Safety lies with the dragons it seems," the old wizard said.
He glanced back, the smoke was dissipating, but it didn't seem to matter much. THe goblins had ceased to fire, apparently afraid of the dragon's wrath.
"Quickly," he shouted back at the other. "To Rock Face!"

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He shook his head. Things swirled in his head like a fog. He dropped to the road, pulling himself onto his side as he began to vomit, the others going on without him

Surely they wouldn't abandon this?

 

[Quiet_Cool]

The group at Rock Face

The horses slowed as they neared the stone structure. They were exhausted, sweating from the morning's events and the vicious attack on them from the goblins at the hands of Bob the troll, who'd vanished into the trees nearby.
WHen they'd finally come to a stop, Pennindar looked around, seeing his group panting, bloody, eyes distant. Too much bloodshed for just one day.
He wasn't sure if they were all there or not. It seemed Richard was missing again, and the soldiers from the camp had turned back.
With the loss of so many elves, the group had become small all at once, almost cut in half. And that was assuming that Boguras was the only one who was badly injured, his life threatened.
The old mage looked back where they had come. Bodies lay here and there across the field behind them. The trees were still burning from their tops, and some of the goblins had managed to stagger into the field, alighting some of the grass with their burning bodies as they fell dead or unconscious. Smoke rose into the air, blotting out the sky in places.
What damage they had done in such a short time. As he looked back to the dragons before him, he heard the distant sound of something heavy striking water, and was certain the fire had brought down the immense bridge that had been a prison to the elves just moments ago.
There is no turning back now; no turning back, no matter what awaits us, he thought. Fate has shown us that the path lie ahead, and to ignore fate...
"I am Pennindar, of the Wizard's Council. I come to you in peace," he announced.
"In peace," the ancient grey dragon, Melthar returned. "Pennindar, the wizard. Of men, you are no doubt great, but you are not among men. Step forth, show us your scars and make us believe. For this day has been one of many grievances for you and yours, but your true tests lie ahead, in the darkness of the unknown that awaits you..."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Exit (The Old Man at the Bar)

What was that?
Oh?
Quiet for a few minutes was I?
I hardly noticed. Alone in my thoughts I suppose. Or perhaps just carried away by my imagination.
Where was I?
Oh, yes, the dragons and the face made of stone. I have been talking for a while, haven't I. It has gotten late, and several pitchers have gotten emptied at our hands. Perhaps we should finish this at another time. Either the drink has gotten to me, or the day has worn me down. Or perhaps the curse of an old mind is taking hold.
At any rate, the story has slipped my memory, at least in its more specific details, and they're what make stories such as these all the more fun.
A little rest, and it should come back to me.
Again tomorrow night, shall we?
Good. I look forward to your company. And I pray you look for ward to mine as well.
Until then, my friend, sleep well, and live happy, and let not the days pass you by.

---END THREAD---