The various characters contained in these writings are copyright 1998 by Mychael Roy. Any resemblance to any persons or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. Copying and/or distribution of these tales is permissible only under the sole condition that no part of them will be used or sold for profit. In that case, I hope you enjoy them...
Mychael Roy [email protected] The Travelers
I :The Beggining
The group of friends rode fast, for the sun was setting, and woe to the man who walks the streets of Waterdeep in the black of night. Dust flew everywhere as the horses galloped faster and faster, speeding towards the city of splendors, and to shelter. Finally they arrived. By then it had gotten dark, but the horses were already at the stables, so the group decided it was time for some refreshments, namely ale. They were in a seedy part of town, but they hadn't worked for quite some time, so it couldn't be helped. They came to the closest tavern possible, not wanting to happen upon a band of rogues, and stepped onto a disturbing scene.
"Here wench! Whashoo need is a real man. Lemme tayou to an inn for the nigh. C'mon...."
"No, let go of me you filthy scum!!" Cried the woman as the drunken man continued to paw at her. Suddenly, one of the members of the group walked up. "The woman asked to be left alone."
"Who askedshoo? You wanna fight then? C'mon, I'll takeya, you don scare me!" The man drew out an axe and walked towards the stranger. It became clearer, now that he was in the light, that the man had orcish blood running through his veins. The stranger, instead of drawing a weapon, took the man's challenge and stepped forward. He could now be seen clearly in the light as well. He was tall and well built, wearing a full suit of silver plated armor, bearing his god Tyr's symbol, the balance. Everyone in the tavern froze except for another bunch of men in the corner, who looked just like the other drunk. They ran up to defend their comrade, drawing a miscellany of weapons. One particularly large man stood up and walked to the front. He was clearly their leader. He was also a huge orc probably also part ogre. He carried a giant brass club, stained with the blood of many.
The ogre grinned and approached the stranger, thinking that he could easily flatten this lone inconsequential human. But this was hardly the case. Away from the darkened door stepped the other members of the group. One, an elf dressed in bluish robes began chanting. Then the notching of a bow could be heard and out stepped another elf. This one had greenish skin and twin khopesh swords at his side. The ivory bow never moved from its intended target, the ogre's skull. A short, stocky bearded man also stepped into the fray. He carried a large hammer in his hand, and wore a horned helmet. This fellow was clearly a dwarf. Then out walked another man. He carried a mace with various runes etched into it, and a shield sporting the symbol of the goddess Tymora, a gold coin. Finally, a little man jumped from behind them all, sporting twin daggers at his side and wearing red clothing, and landed right in front of the brutes. The leader took a swing at him, but missed and hit only air. He looked around for the miniscule man, but could not find him. Then suddenly the lttle one ran right between the ogre's legs, jabbing upwards with his daggers into the ogre's groin. Doubling over in pain, the large humanoid fell to the ground in pain. He then past out and lay dead from the pain and loss of blood.
The orcs charged at them then, but the heroes were more than ready for them. The elven mage Salvin finished his chant and fired dual magical missiles at two of them, which bore into unsuspecting orcs pushing them into the bar. Mykael the halfling thief was busy relieving the ogre's corpse of all it's valuables. Blane the priest and Gunthor the dwarvish warrior worked as a team, overpowering the orcs with their mighty weapons. Trevrin, who had been loosing arrow upon arrow, dropped his bow and ran to the heart of the battle, moving swiftly with his twin swords hacking and slashing left and right. Finally, the silver plated paladin Wilias removed his massive sword from it's scabbard. The fine blade whistled through the air and cleaved the head right off the last orc. Mykael gleefully stripped the last corpses of their loot, and pocketed it in a large leather pouch.
The fight was over. Chairs lay broken and strewn about the tavern floor, and broken glass was all over the bar. Wilias walked up to the angry bartender. "We will pay for the repairs. Sorry about the disturbance."
"You're durn right you'll be payin'! You'll be paying when the captain of the guard gets here and hangs your scrawny neck from a rope at the galleys!" "This should be quite enough to repair your bar sir." said Wilias, holding up a large blue sapphire to the bartender. The bartender's eyes widened at the sight of it. He slowly took the jewel from Wilias's hand and put it in his pouch, with a huge grin plasterd on his face..
"Thththank you oh so much. If ye be needin' anything, you make sure to come back. Next time, drinks are on the house." Soon, the adventurers had disposed of the bodies and left the tavern. "What'd you do that for Wilias?" asked Mykael. "That was our last gem! Now we have to survive on the stuff we got from the orcs."
Patience Mykael. We are, after all, in Waterdeep the city of splendors!! Work shall come, as we shall soon pay a visit to Majesto," Wilias responded.
"I say that we find an inn for the night." said Salvin the mage. "I know not of you, but my eyes protest to staying awake any longer. Besides, we have much to do in the days to come."
"Well said." agreed Blane.
The next morning group was winding down the roads of the great Citie of Wonders, Waterdeep. The city was marvelous, the commerce was encredibly exotic and spendid, Everything in the city was majestic but nothing compared to Castle Waterdeep, It was imense and seemed to dwarf everything below it`s huge gracefull towers. The group of adventurers seemed to be familier with the City of Wonders for they did not seemed to pay much attention to all the marvels sourrounding them, rather they seemed to be heading for a specific place. Finally after a half an hour`s walking they stoped in front of a magic shop The Ravens Eye, The dwarf was the first to enter followed by his group, As they came into view of the counter a man was standing behind it, he was a tall lanky yet strong man shrouded in the shodows of his rune covered cloak.
Then the man asked "well hello, I see you are all well, so you have finished my task. That is, well for I have another for you will you accept?"
" As long as there`s treasure to be amassed Majesto you know we will," The dwarf said in a funny tone because he is a little below average intelligence but not over the line of stupidity. "Oops can I call you Majesto?"
Majesto smirked and said to the dwarf "yes you can call me Majesto. Now to more important matters, this asignment of mine will not be a simple one for the problem is that my foolish brother, Klaton, has stolen one of my precious scrolls. Normally I would simply go back and get it, but he has placed many traps that prevent me from using my magic to enter. Therefore, I need your help to retrieve the scroll. I will pay you each 100 gold pieces upon delivery of the scroll. However, I must warn you that the hallways of fort Klatios are frought with dangers that you shall have to face. You Salvin, you are a mage and if you happen to see this rune," hands Salvin a paper with a funny looking rune on it," read this spell off this scroll."
By now the dwarf was fidling with his warhammer wich was not of good quality. This seemed to annoy Majesto but he them smiled inwardly as he made a last minute change in his plan, " Gunthor " he asked the dwarf " hand me your hammer " The dwarf looked at his hammer a little worried but handed it to the wizard. Majesto placed the hammer on his counter and waved his hands over it while saying arcane words none in the room could make out other than himself. He then touched the hammer`s hilt and then reached over the counter and touched the right hand of the dwarf. "Gunthor I have enchanted your hammer, It is now stronger and when throne it will always return to your hand but if you do not return to me with the scroll in the next 5 days it will disintergrate" as he sayd this the dwarf took his hammer and as he took it the head and the shaft became one, the metal changed and became stronger and a few runes appeared on it. The dwarf looked at it and smiled but remembered the disentergrating thing and frowned. He then hurried out of the store and was followed by the rest of his friends except for Salvin who stayed in a minute longer as Majesto gave him a ring and then left to a back room. Then he followed his compagnions out of the store.
Now the group was walking in the streets towards the market place so they could buy thier suplies and then would head to the stables to purchase fine horses. But the group soon realized that Mykael was missing. "That blasted hafling always going his own way, he makes me want to blow my top," was the only comment made by Gunthor or anybody about Mykeal they made while purchasing thier supplies. By miday they reached their destination. The tower was fairly big and looked ominous. The tower was sourounded by a mote, probably filled with alligators or such beasts. The draw bridge was big and it was held up by two strong chains, There appeard to be no gaurds inside or outside,
" O.K. now that where are here how do we get in. We have to break those chains but how?" asked Willias.
" I can use my hammer. It`ll come back remember." He swung back his arm and the hammer went flying, flying and hit it`s mark and the chain snapped and then the hammer darted back to Gunthor who made the catch rather messily. He did the same for the other chain and the draw bridge came crashing down and the wind it created blew Gunthor back a few feet.
"Hey guys wait up !" shouted the small childish voice of Mykael. All heads turned towards the diriction of the voice.
"Myke !, shut up were trying to enter unnoticed man you should know your a thief!" scolded Wilias.
"Oh yaa, sorry" Myke apologized. So now we go in, hey Gunthor go first alright." So as the group was walking across the bride a board suddenly droped from under Gunthor who fell through but caught the edge and was holding on. "Oh shit! Help guys I need help!"
"We're coming bud hold on!" shouted Blane the first on the sight and he started to pull the dwarf out of the hole."There you go just say you own me one."
The group then entered the tower to find that two hallways branched off apon entering. The group voted to go to the left except for Mykeal who opted to right because it was the _right_ way. The passaged was followed until a metal cell door wich obviesly had an electric current running through it blocked thier way. "How do we get around _that_?" asked Mykeal not all to optomistic.
NEXT: Gunthor takes a wiz!!!???
