Vick Blake: Quiet times in the dark
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His hands trembled as he reached for the flask inside his vest. He cast his eyes away from his companions and took a quick guilty sip of the burning liquid. His courage seemed to return, somewhat, with that drought and he once again reached for the metal rod and shims, his hands trembling slightly less. The wedges went in first holding the taught wire in place as he carefully eased the bar across the spring loaded plate. It had been cleverly wedged against the wall and working at this odd angle made it all the more difficult. Finally the rod was in place and he shimmed it tight and carefully undid the trip wire. He stood and stepped back and looked to his companions with a nod. They looked at his still trembling hands a moment then the leader eased forward toward the door. As the last of the small group passed him he heard it, a tiny snap….He never would know if it were another trap he had missed, or if his shims had slipped. There were no screams or shouts just blinding light and pain. Fire became his world and something heavy and sickening flew back and buried him under its limp weight. And then darkness and dreams of roasting meat and devils dancing in the night....
And so begins the tale of the fate of one Vick Blake
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Dorian seemed to talk a good fight and the exotic elf with the heavy armor and huge ax seemed somehow capable, even though a bit incongruous. I waited until the sun was setting then headed for the south gate, inviting the other two along. We soon came upon the haunted old town and there the elf caught me by surprise. Showing a strength unseen in her small frame she charged into the ghostly apparitions her white hair flying about and her red eyes almost glowing in the dark. To say the least I barely got an arrow off as she danced her battle in the night. “He smiles as he remembers the scene”. It was the easiest trip I have ever made through that area. As we came to the old fortifications near the lake, the goblins met a similar fate though Dorian joined in the carnage. It was then the elf suddenly raised her head and looked north and I followed her look, straining my ears. It was the sound of a horn, and I looked to her. She said that she was being recalled and had to head back. Dorian and I decided to go on and bid her safe travels.
With only the two of us we tried a slower pace and managed to get near the cave to the southwest of the lake. There we were able to kill several of the goblin patrol before they even knew we were there, and we rushed in and finished off the last few. Maybe Dorian got a bit too cocky after that or we just moved ahead too quickly.
We continued on around the lake to the east and came upon a good sized group not far from the little bridge. Before I could scout further in Dorian had tossed a dart at one of the figures. It was then that they all charged us. I managed to drop two of the lightly armored ones before they got near but Dorian got trapped by the stream with two heavy ones beating on him with iron maces. I tried to draw them off with arrow fire but I had trouble of my own, and when he went down they all came my way. I ran through them tumbling and dodging to get near Dorian and poured a potion in his slack mouth. He immediately rolled over and tried to stumble to his feet but the goblins were all over us. I yelled at him to run and headed across the bridge trying to lead the goblins away. I think Dorian must have been too groggy from the blows and staggered in the wrong direction. I could hear his calls for aid but at that point the two heavy fighters were on me with several stone throwers working from the distance. In the end I lead them a long hard chase and managed to bring them all down. Unfortunately by the time I got back to Dorian his spirit had fled.
The trip back, dragging the body and all the heavy metal armor and weapons, was a long grueling nightmare. It took hours and I was attacked countless times by the dead and the rats in the old town. Even the horrible goblin on the hill got some sort of spell off at me but I managed to shake it off. It was dawn before I saw the gates and managed to finally stagger home. The gods were merciful that day and Dorian would rise to walk again, hopefully having learned something in the process. And she who I pay homage to, once again showed her favor on that long night.
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Lady Luck Shine on me
Vick watched the Half orcs grunt and rumble at each other around the fire for awhile and then they moved out the south gate. Why he followed he could not say, it was just an impulse. He slipped quietly down through the gates after them, staying to the hillsides then the deeper brush along the road. There was another rumble of conversation just south of the gates and another orc almost tripped over his hiding place as it joined the main group. Four of the beasts speaking a mix of half understood common and, he supposed their own bestial language. And the stench, did they not ever bathe? The lady seemed to laugh at his discomfort but the wind changed direction and he took that as an omen that she smiled upon him this day.
They eventually moved down near the old ruins and slaughtered the pitiful few goblins that were near the north end of the lake. There was much roaring and he shudders at the memory of what they did to the little bodies. One could almost pity the goblins, almost. They seemed to take much joy in their slaughter and he edged closer to the nearby group of trees and listened. More mixed grumbling and shouting. From what he could make out they were going to head further west and see about continuing their slaughter. He wedged himself in the trees where he had a good view. And behold, one of them was a female. He had not noticed such but now it was evident, maybe much of the others strutting about and roaring had to do with some sort of courting ritual. At that thought he shuddered.
The group of orcs finally headed west and Vick slid down from the tree and froze as a rock rolled under his boot. The dirtiest smelliest one of all suddenly stopped as the rest moved on. Vick held his breath and rubbed the silver coin at his belt, praying that his luck held….but it seemed to have deserted him. The ugly brute dashed at his hiding place, quicker then one would have thought. With a small bleat of fear Vick ran for a broken stone wall but the orc cut off his retreat and waved its huge axe in front of him. Vick’s eyes glued themselves to the gory instrument as flies tried to land on its still dripping blade. The orc bellowed something at him and between his fear and the odor Vick almost fainted.
When he focused again he heard the others coming back and looked quickly left and right, but his choices of escape were cut off by the old rubble. The one he thought of as the leader strutted up to the one that had cornered him and barked some questions, then it turned to him. Vick’s knees started to shake and he looked wildly around. The other brutes had surrounded him and the leader started snarling words at him. He caught the words “spy” and “followed” as he tried to stammer out a reply. “I…I w w was just scouting” was what he lamely whined out. The orc leader puffed up like some sort of wine bladder and stepped closer. Vick tried to step back into the stone wall somehow, as he did his hand brushed the coin at his waist. His mind sent a plea out Lady deliver me from this lot as his voice again stammered out a denial.
And the Lady shined down upon him in all her glory. Two fellow humans came striding around the corner of the ruins, one in the cloak of the town guard. Vick almost bolted to his rescuers but the orc leader clamped an arm around him and let out some sort of greeting to the town guard. They exchanged pleasant words, but Vick felt the threat through the orc’s arm and merely nodded and blathered inane answers to whatever was said. In the end they all accompanied the humans west to the goblin hold itself and then into the depths of the dark and dismal place. But Lady Luck had returned, and staid with him. Most of the trip was a blur of giant bugs shooting flames and gobs of acidic spit, screaming goblins and bloody axes. Through it all he walked unscathed, Lady Luck riding his shoulder. Eventually they arrived back in town and Vick melted away into the shadows of the buildings.
That night he lay quietly beneath the stars and his prayers to Tymora were more reverent than any he had spoken in a long time. It seems that this new place had brought him back into her graces, or perhaps, just perhaps he had finally been able to accept her back into his life….to believe again…to hope. …* he drifted quietly off to sleep, his hand grasping the silver coin*.
