Post by acgold171 on Aug 13, 2014 19:41:52 GMT -8
Otto took first watch that night, letting Avallach and Lot get some much needed and well deserved rest. The three had been in constant battle since sunrise, and even though fatigue and their mounting injuries had been nagging at them for hours now, they had just recently found what seemed like a reasonably safe place to make camp. Avallach and Lot had very little trouble falling asleep; indeed, it almost seemed like as soon as their weary, war torn bodied hit their sleeping rolls they were snoring. Not having the skill in magery like Avallach or the aptitude in necromancy like Lot, Otto found, at least to his own perception, that he had to almost take a back seat against the more powerful denizens of the forest and dungeons that were tingling with potent magical energies of their own. While he was a proud and powerful warrior, he knows that swords and axes cannot stand against very powerful magic and a skilled practitioner of the mundane arts. While his brothers fought an Ancient lich and its Lich lord underlings, it was up to Otto to destroy the zombies, mummies, re-animated skeletons, and rotting corpses who sough to disrupt the two's magical offensive. After stumbling into a dragon's den and awakening the Ancient wyrm within, Otto had to protect his brothers' flanks from drakes and wyverns while Avallach and Lot met fireball and poison attacks from five dragons and one very angry wyrm. Stepping into an ambush by fifteen brigands and five eager dark mages, it was up to Otto to clang steel to steel until his brothers had dispatched the mages. They made short work of the rest of them, with Avallach turning one into a talking pig and Lot re-animating another as a zombie and sending them both, the only survivors of their group, on their way to serve as a warning to any other highwaymen. Otto smiled to himself as he thought about their trip into Yew to grab something to eat before venturing out again. Much to Lot's chagrin, Grizelda the hag had taken a liking to the necromancer and would stop at nothing to get him to stay with her for the night in her hut. After composing himself from roaring laughter, Avallach was kind enough to cast an invisibility spell on Lot just as Grizelda had gotten up to get them some ale. Thinking he had left, she ran outside to chase after him while the trio snuck out back and into the tree line. Afterwards, Lot swore that he would never go back to Yew again.
Just at that moment, Avallach rolled over and muttered "corp por," no doubt dreaming about his experiences today, which snapped Otto back to reality. He grabbed his axe and oil cloths and started cleaning and polishing his gear. He knew from experience that clean, rust-free weapons and armor were far superior in every sense than the oft neglected ones he constantly came across that others wore. There were two other brothers that were not sharing in this adventure: the originally and ironically named Lot II and Bro, respectively. The two of them were a few years younger than the trio, and for the most part chose a much different path in life. While both the younger brothers were hardy, but by no means expert, fighters, they were nonetheless very successful in their own right. Lot II was a legendary tailor and was able to create an almost unbelievable array of both plain and dazzling durable clothing and leather armor. Bro was a master blacksmith, so great at his craft that by the age of sixteen he had driven all of his competition out of business (they now work for him), and by age nineteen caught the attention of Lord British himself who commissioned Bro to make armor for the entire royal family. It is said that no sword or arrow, nor crackle of lightning or fireball can pierce anything Bro has had a hand in making. His weapons are powerful enough to pierce the toughest dragon hide, yet so light and balanced a young lad can wield them. Indeed, Otto, Avallach, and Lot owed a great debt of gratitude to those two for the weapons and armor that had saved their lives too many times to count.
When Otto had finished cleaning his gear, he stoked the fire and went to a nearby bush to pick berries. It was nearly the end of his watch, but he was determined to hold out for as long as he could to let his brothers rest. After all, casting magic and defending against it was far more taxing than swinging a sword. Before Otto sat back down with his berries in hand, he grabbed a bandage that had been enhanced with a healing salve. He rolled up his sleeve and removed the old bandage, thus exposing the deep gash given to him courtesy of the daemon that had been harassing the Yew country side before the trio were hired to destroy it. Otto had been foolish to go into battle without his arm guards and had paid the price. "You live, you learn" he muttered to himself. He replaced the bandage and instantly his arm felt better. He was lucky to have bartered with that wandering healer earlier in the day for the enhanced bandages, and was thanking his lucky stars that he had done so.
His eyes were growing heavy, but Otto decided to give Avallach one more hour of sleep before laying down himself. His thoughts wandered to the journey ahead, to the strange and dangerous town of Umbra. Lot had heard that there was a wizened old practitioner of necromancy there who had a quest for anyone brave (or foolish) enough to do it. The reward was said to be substantial, but even though it paid well no one had been able to actually complete the old man's quest. What had captured Lot's interest was that a Power Scroll was rumored to be part of the prize for carrying out and completing the mission. And with that the trio was off to the land of Malas.
The hour was finally up, and Otto gently shook Avallach awake. While he was getting his bearings, Otto unrolled his own bed and was preparing for sleep when he looked over to Avallach. His brother was wide awake, which was strange considering he had just woken up a few short minutes prior, and was staring intently into the deep, dark forest. He looked over to Otto and whispered something into his closed hand, then opened it. The spell carried his voice to Otto's ear and he heard Avallach say "I hear the chattering of wicked voices." Avallach shook Lot and simply said "warning," their one word code to tell each other to be prepared for a fight. Otto had his axe in hand faster than a flash and started to scan the darkness. Lot was already up and had casted two revenants to go out and see what was out there and report back to him. Then they heard the deep, angry growl and the high-pitched laughing and the whispered chattering that accompanied it. It was immediately obvious that the trio were outnumbered.
The growl became closer and the chattering fully surrounded the three. They had no idea what beast was out there and what cynical machinations the creatures with the maniacal laugh had in mind, but the trio was not scared. Avallach sent a crackling ball of magical energy in the sky to illuminate the surrounding area. The cunning monsters, no longer having the darkness as an ally, wore furious expressions and screeched before charging into the make shift camp. Otto, Avallach, and Lot each roared a war cry in return and braced themselves for the coming charge. As each brother prepared a spell and readied their weapons, they could not help but smile darkly to themselves before the first of many foolhardy monsters met their end.
Just at that moment, Avallach rolled over and muttered "corp por," no doubt dreaming about his experiences today, which snapped Otto back to reality. He grabbed his axe and oil cloths and started cleaning and polishing his gear. He knew from experience that clean, rust-free weapons and armor were far superior in every sense than the oft neglected ones he constantly came across that others wore. There were two other brothers that were not sharing in this adventure: the originally and ironically named Lot II and Bro, respectively. The two of them were a few years younger than the trio, and for the most part chose a much different path in life. While both the younger brothers were hardy, but by no means expert, fighters, they were nonetheless very successful in their own right. Lot II was a legendary tailor and was able to create an almost unbelievable array of both plain and dazzling durable clothing and leather armor. Bro was a master blacksmith, so great at his craft that by the age of sixteen he had driven all of his competition out of business (they now work for him), and by age nineteen caught the attention of Lord British himself who commissioned Bro to make armor for the entire royal family. It is said that no sword or arrow, nor crackle of lightning or fireball can pierce anything Bro has had a hand in making. His weapons are powerful enough to pierce the toughest dragon hide, yet so light and balanced a young lad can wield them. Indeed, Otto, Avallach, and Lot owed a great debt of gratitude to those two for the weapons and armor that had saved their lives too many times to count.
When Otto had finished cleaning his gear, he stoked the fire and went to a nearby bush to pick berries. It was nearly the end of his watch, but he was determined to hold out for as long as he could to let his brothers rest. After all, casting magic and defending against it was far more taxing than swinging a sword. Before Otto sat back down with his berries in hand, he grabbed a bandage that had been enhanced with a healing salve. He rolled up his sleeve and removed the old bandage, thus exposing the deep gash given to him courtesy of the daemon that had been harassing the Yew country side before the trio were hired to destroy it. Otto had been foolish to go into battle without his arm guards and had paid the price. "You live, you learn" he muttered to himself. He replaced the bandage and instantly his arm felt better. He was lucky to have bartered with that wandering healer earlier in the day for the enhanced bandages, and was thanking his lucky stars that he had done so.
His eyes were growing heavy, but Otto decided to give Avallach one more hour of sleep before laying down himself. His thoughts wandered to the journey ahead, to the strange and dangerous town of Umbra. Lot had heard that there was a wizened old practitioner of necromancy there who had a quest for anyone brave (or foolish) enough to do it. The reward was said to be substantial, but even though it paid well no one had been able to actually complete the old man's quest. What had captured Lot's interest was that a Power Scroll was rumored to be part of the prize for carrying out and completing the mission. And with that the trio was off to the land of Malas.
The hour was finally up, and Otto gently shook Avallach awake. While he was getting his bearings, Otto unrolled his own bed and was preparing for sleep when he looked over to Avallach. His brother was wide awake, which was strange considering he had just woken up a few short minutes prior, and was staring intently into the deep, dark forest. He looked over to Otto and whispered something into his closed hand, then opened it. The spell carried his voice to Otto's ear and he heard Avallach say "I hear the chattering of wicked voices." Avallach shook Lot and simply said "warning," their one word code to tell each other to be prepared for a fight. Otto had his axe in hand faster than a flash and started to scan the darkness. Lot was already up and had casted two revenants to go out and see what was out there and report back to him. Then they heard the deep, angry growl and the high-pitched laughing and the whispered chattering that accompanied it. It was immediately obvious that the trio were outnumbered.
The growl became closer and the chattering fully surrounded the three. They had no idea what beast was out there and what cynical machinations the creatures with the maniacal laugh had in mind, but the trio was not scared. Avallach sent a crackling ball of magical energy in the sky to illuminate the surrounding area. The cunning monsters, no longer having the darkness as an ally, wore furious expressions and screeched before charging into the make shift camp. Otto, Avallach, and Lot each roared a war cry in return and braced themselves for the coming charge. As each brother prepared a spell and readied their weapons, they could not help but smile darkly to themselves before the first of many foolhardy monsters met their end.
