Chapter 3

“Meeting with Marcus”

10-15-2007 Edited by Chrisy Demaroney

10-31-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm

12-8-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm

(Old chapters 8)

            It was mid afternoon when Aiken had returned to The Dragonstooth. Inside, he was sitting at a small round table with his longtime friends, Dredskif, Dorlum, Torto, and Kane. Aiken had met the four of them whilst a member of the Mercenaries guild.             Dredskif Bolthorpe was a member if the half man half bull Minotaur race, standing near eight feet tall with horns nearly a foot and a half long. He wielded a two-handed Longsword, a mace with a longer-than-average handle, and a machete.

            Dorlum Buhrodar was a four and a half foot tall Mountain Dwarf with  black hair and a long black beard, characteristic in appearance of Mountain Dwarves. Dorlum had a short, double-bladed battleaxe on his back along with four throwing axes which hung from his belt with small leather loops. Dorlum also had a hand crossbow with a quarrel of poison darts on his right thigh.

            Torto Syrkyst was a Hill Dwarf from a clan in Palaxis, a Hill Dwarven city. He was shorter then Dorlum measuring in at four feet tall, though he had broader shoulders, with red hair and a long red beard. Torto wielded a heavy war hammer, a machete and a spear which would be short for a man but average length for a dwarf.

            Kane Duam Fisthir was a Crimson Elf that had known Aiken’s mother and father for over two decades. Kane was a Ranger that worshiped Feldan, God of the Hunt. Feldan lived on the first level of the second red moon of Purgatory. Draxis, god of Blacksmithing, god of the third level of the First Red Moon, lord of the first red moon, and lord of Souls, sired Feldan and Victor with the Goddess Claudia, Goddess of Beauty who ruled the fourth level of the Second White Moon. Though he was a ranger and lived quietly in the woods miles from anyone, he was devotedly religious in his worship of Feldan and he respected all gods, understanding his place in the order of things and living subserviently to the will of the gods as the prophets told it. His Armor consisted of a Grey Chameleon  Robe (blends in with surroundings upon request) which had the innate ability to allow the wearer to move without making noise, and studded leather. A one-handed longsword hung from his left hip, and a shortsword hung from his right hip. On his back was a Heavy Recurve Bow with a quiver of 24 flight arrows.

            At a Table beside Aiken, Dredskif, Dorlum, Torto, and Kane sat the four mercenaries that Aiken had hired. The Guild-master had assigned Draven as the senior mercenary of the four. The other three were Appius Hortensius Serpentis, and his two brothers, Aulus Granius Serpentis, and Lepidus Servius Serpentis.

            “Sweet nectar of the Gods.” Aiken said after taking a swallow from his pint of ale.             “I’ll bet that big bag of gold is burning a hole in your pocket,” Dredskif said.

            “How much do you have there, anyhow?”  Dorlum asked.

            Aiken smiled. “1500, and 1500 is what I’m going to have when I go home. I have another thirty-five pieces of iron for the rest of the time we’re here. Drink your fill, once that’s gone, were heading for the homestead,” Aiken said.

            Kane stood and walked over to the bar. Kane had lived in Greendale for 30 years and had been on a first name basis with the bartender, Otic, for a long while. “Otic,” the ranger said, “how about a plate of hot spiced potatoes, some steak, and another pitcher of ale.”
            “Aye, it‘ll be ready in a bit, Kane,” said Otic.

            Torto came up to the bar, which met him at eye level, and said, “same for me.”

            Otic nodded, turned, and walked into the kitchen to relay the message to the cook.

            Kane and Torto went back to the table and sat while they awaited their meal.

            “Sorry to hear about the death of your father,” Kane said.

            Aiken was silent for a long moment, without responding he took a large swill of his pint of ale.

            “You ok Aiken?” Kane asked.

            A single tear slid down Aikens cheek and he sat quiet for a moment before saying “If I hadn’t been messing around with the wagon with Dekari on our way back from town we would have gotten to the ranch on time and could have possibly saved our father. If Dekari and I had been there we could of fought and father would still be alive. We could have helped so it wasn’t many man against father at one time, if we could have at the very least kept some of them buisy Father would have been able to go on the offensive rather than fighting defensively against so many.”

            New tears streamed down Aikens youthful face as he raised the full glass of ale to his lips, drank for a time and set the glass down empty. 

            “You cant blame yourself Aiken, you cant change the past,” Kane said. “You could look at it this way. If you hadn’t been messing around and you and your brother had arrived there on time its possible that the three of you would have been killed.”

            “You might be right,” Aiken said

            “Another round for Aiken,” Kane said to Otik.

            “Coming right up,” Otik said. Otik took a clean glass, filled it with a pint of ale and took it over himself to Aiken.

            “There you are, the drink will dull your pain,” Otik said

            “Thanks,” Aiken replied.

            “Without Bruce around, are you and Dekari going to sell the ranch?” Torto asked, changing the topic, after a large gulp of ale, which spilled onto his long thick red beard and soaked into his stained shirt.

            “Not likely,” said Aiken. “Have to talk it over with Dekari. Knowing him, he’ll probably want to work it until the day he dies. My father died at 335 Years. He had a quarter blood from the gods. I wonder what my life expectancy is with half of his blood. Could be that Dekari wants to run the ranch and see if he can live to 200!” he said and leaned back in his chair comfortably with his left forearm resting on the pommel of his sword and his right holding a mug of ale.

            “You? As much trouble as you start, I’d be surprised if you lived to your twenty-third birthday.”  Dorlum said as he tugged on his long black beard.

            “I envy those who can enjoy and aspire to live a simple life,” Kane said. “It has been my experience that the more complicated life one strives to live the harder it is to enjoy the simple pleasures.”

            “Like a plate of Steak, potatoes and a pint of ale?” remarked Otic.

            Kane chuckled and walked to the bar with Torto in tow. The two retrieved their plates and went back to the round table, where they sat with Dredskif, Aiken, and Dorlum.

            “Another round,” Dorlum said in a half drunk voice loud enough for Otic to hear.

            Otic nodded and sent a serving wench over to the table with five mugs of ale.

            “Same here,” Draven said to be met with another nod from Otic. Otic sent the same bar wench over to the second table and giving Draven, Appius, Aulus, and Lepidus each an Ale.

            Appius, Aulus, and Lepidus were brothers, sons of Nicholas Forge Hell’goth Serpentis. The fourth brother and eldest was warlord of the serpent clan and King of Hell’goth.

            “Any of the three of you Serpentis kids ever going to take the throne of the Hellgoth Nation?” Dorlum said

            “When my elder brother dies or I can manage to kill him, I will,” Appius said.

            “A toast! To Manius Serpentis, may he live to a ripe old age,” Dorlum said

            “Careful little dwarf, the long life of dwarves is dependent on death being of natural causes,” Appius said.

            Dorlum let out a drunken cackle and yelled for another round.

            Several hours later, as the sun was setting, Aiken picked up some supplies and headed out to the ranch with Dredskif, Dorlum, Torto, Kane, Draven, the three Serpentis brothers, and the ten ranch-hands.

            They reached the summit of the hill before the ranch and looked down at the homestead where Dekari and Aiken had been raised.

            “Damn. That’s a lot of people,” Dredskif said.

            “Looks to be around 100,” Kane said as he reached his hand into his pack and pulled out his spyglass. “Well, good news for you Aiken and bad news for whoever killed Bruce. Marcus Ironfist and his two sons Talon and Duncan Ironfist are down there. Looks like about Eighty Del’goth Heavy Infantry as well as some Crimson Elves.”

            “Guess Marcus already found out,” Torto said.

            Aiken pulled the wagon up alongside the barn and hopped down.

            “You can stay put for now,” Aiken said to the eight Mercenaries and ten Laborers.

            He strode over to his brother, grandfather and two uncles.

            “Hey, Marcus. Surprised to see you here. Hello, Duncan and Talon,” Aiken said.

            “I explained earlier to your brother, that your father’s death has set into motion a chain of events for the two of you,” Firatri said.

            “Sorry, we haven’t met. I’m Aiken,” he said and put out his hand.

            “Firatri Amainaravin.”  Firatri said as he shook Aiken’s hand firmly. “I’m a Paladin from Rockport. A Cleric of Paial and myself will be staying here after Marcus and your two uncles leave. We will be training Dekari to be a Paladin. What do you think you‘ll be doing, now that your father has died?”

            “Not sure,” Aiken said “I reported the assassination to the sheriff of Greendale and he said that our mother was there at dawn. She was leaving for Del’goth and signed over the house to me and Dekari. If Dekari wants to stay and keep up maintenance on the farm, I’ll stay for a time. If not, I’ll probably travel and look for adventure and try to make my fortune.”

            “Bruce lived a long time,” Firatri said, “335 years, and during that time he was involved in many campaigns for the republic. Dekari has decided that he wishes to stay at the ranch and live here for the time being. I will be staying and living here as well as Ancus, the cleric.”

            “Hello, Aiken. My name is Ancus Didius Cato I’m a Monk from the temple in Rockport. I’ll be staying here to assist Firatri in the training of your brother.”

            “Hello,” Aiken said.

            Firatri taller and stronger than most, though average build for a member of his barbarian race wore his white platemail while Ancus wore the grey robes that most monks wore.

            “Bruce also had something in his will for you, Aiken,” Marcus said.

            “Yeah?” Aiken said

            “Bruce left a magic item to you as well as one for your brother,.” Marcus said.

            “Who are the eighteen men you brought with you, Aiken?” Marcus asked.

            “Ten farmhands and eight mercenaries,” Aiken said.

            “Do you plan to dismiss them?”  Marcus asked

            “No.” Aiken said. “The farmhands will be put to work here while we see to matters concerning my father and mother. The others will be guards of the estate for now. I was a mercenary in the same guild as they for a time, and I’m friends with 5 of them.”

            “Ancus and I will be staying also,” Firatri said.

            “I went to the sheriff today and told him of the tragedy here,” Aiken said. “He said something about a thorough investigation, but somehow I doubt he’ll get very far.”

            “I divined a piece of information a few hours back,” Marcus said.

            “Do tell us,” Dekari said.

            “I have some ability to see past, present, and future, “Marcus said. “An ability the Draxis blood in my veins is responsible for. I’ve had some visions of the night my son died, and there were nearly thirty men. Bruce had some dealings in Mohawk a while back and made some enemies. The thirty men were members of an Assassins Guild in Mohawk. I had a vision of the night it happened and bits of conversation, but I don’t know where the guild is in Mohawk. Dekari and Aiken, I would like the two of you to avenge your father’s murder. Go to Mohawk and find out who ordered the murder and deal with them accordingly.”

            “I’ll bring my eight mercenaries,” Aiken said. “The two of us and the eight of them, as well as Firatri and Ancus, will make a party of twelve. We’ll find this guild, infiltrate it and bring about swift retribution.”

            “Very well,” Dekari said. “My father had a friend who lives near here on another ranch. I’ll ask him to oversee the ten farmhands and see to the maintenance of the farm while were gone.”

            “Firatri has a way of getting a hold of me if I’m needed. Farwell, my two grandsons,” Marcus said. Marcus shook hands with Dekari and Aiken and gave them both a nod.

            Marcus said a word of magic and a portal opened before him. The eighty Elite Del’goth Heavy Infantry, Duncan, Talon and their escorts entered the portal. Firatri and Ancus, as well as the brothers and their entourage watched them disappear.

Add a subplot from the past looking into Bruce’s life HERE

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