Elves in the Temple - a Co8 FanFic and partial walk thru

Very well done! Professional writing!

 

This is very entertaining .

 

Part the Eleventh: Gnome Man’s Land

From the Journals of Jack B. Swift, Professional Adventurer, published 585, Greyhawk Press

My heart was pounding like a loud, fast pounding thing. This was it, I thought. We’d found the Princess!

I stepped forwards, and started to go into a full kneel. Then I looked more carefully.

The two gnomes were muscular, battle scared little men, wearing little more than rags. The Elf was pretty enough, under the dirt and bruises. Blond haired and pale, wearing tattered clerical garb, she was clearly not the Princess Tillahi.

“Hello,” said the Elf girl, eyes unfocussed, her voice a flat monotone.

Dio and Perry swept into the storage room, offering the prisoners water and tending their wounds. Kate hovered close while Bar and Reynard checked the Ogre’s corpse.

I straightened up and looked at the older of the two gnomes. He’d been beaten badly.

“Who are you?” I asked him. He was sipping from Dio’s canteen, his hands trembling. Dio was whispering a prayer, and the bruises covering the gnome’s skin were fading.

“Nybble,” he said. His voice was weak. “My name is Nybble. My friends are Gleem and Chanda.” He took a breath. “Thank you for freeing us.”

“What were you doing down here?” I saw Kate trying to get a response from the Elf girl.

Nybble got carefully to his feet. “We were tracking some bandits. After they hit a caravan heading out from Verbobonc., we were one of a few teams sent out to find them.”

He looked at Chanda’s slack features, and at Gleem’s broken expression. “We were lucky,” he said.

“How did they catch you?”

He shrugged. “We tracked them to the Moathouse. We found a secret door into the place and a second hidden door that lead down here. That’s when the Ogre caught us.” He paused briefly. “We fought, and then Chandra just stopped. Without her we didn’t have a chance. We surrendered.”

His eyes met mine. I didn’t know what to say.

He looked away and continued. “Bandits came and went for a while, wearing cloaks like you’re wearing now. The ogre let them pass. He’d come in here and play with us when he was bored.” He stopped again for a moment. “I think he was going to eat us.”

“You’re safe now,” I said. I didn’t know how to deal with this. I’d learned how to scare people, to trick them, to get information or be diplomatic. I’d never learned how to give comfort. I pushed on. “Have you seen or heard anything about other prisoners? Or about who’s running this place?”

“Nothing” he said. Dio helped him up. He pulled a ring off of his finger and handed it to me. “The ring marks you as a gnome friend. It may be useful.”

I accepted it.

He looked at Chanda and Gleem. “We’re heading back to Verbobonc.”

We gave them water and some frog meat, and told them where we’d left the weapons of the bandits we’d killed in the courtyard. They left. Kate came to me.

“Do you think they’ll be OK?” she asked.
“They have a clear path to the courtyard” I answered, “and there’s a pile of leather armor and rusty swords out there. They have a chance.”

“We could have escorted them back to Verbobonc.” said Kate.

I shook my head. “We need to find the princess. The gnomes aren’t our responsibility.”

Kate was frowning. I wasn’t used to that. “Chanda is broken inside. The other two aren’t much better.” Her eyes locked with mine. “That could happen to us.”

I held her gaze. “It won’t.” I had to make her, and all of us, believe it. “We’re going to find whoever leads these bandits. We’re going to kill him, and we’re going to find the Princess.”

She took my hands in hers, squeezed them, and then rejoined the rest of the team.

I’d said it. Now I had to make it true.

End Part the Eleventh

 

I think it time to suggestion all three of them!

 

Part the Twelfth: Bugbear Knights

Torgar, son of Gorback, Seventeenth Sub-Battle Chief of the Temple, Bugbear among Bugbears, puffed out his barrel chest and let out a Hoot of Affectionate Challenge.

Trogdorella, female bugbear warrior, affected not to notice him, and continued on her patrol.

Torgar sagged slightly, emitting a pensive whine, but perked up again at the sight of Trogdorella’s mighty, leather clad hind quarters. The girl was truly all an ambitious, up and coming bugbear could want. Her fur thick and shiny, her fangs gleaming, and her powerful muscles bulging in ways that haunted Torgar’s nights. Torgar would have written poems about her, if bugbears had a written language and a tradition of love poetry.

Actual bugbear poetry mainly consisted of rhythmic battle chants, with the occasional clan history or bit of herbal lore thrown together by rare Bugbear intellectuals.

Torgar eyed his underlings, the huge berserker Grumashsen, killer and forager. The wily Headsmashedin, known to have once read, or at least to have held, a book. The twin archers Vril and Vrilya, deadly Bugbears of the Bow. Two more bow-bears guarded the outer chamber, Torn and Tous, both hard veterans. A fine company of warriors, and sorry luck indeed that had seen them sent from the Temple to squat here in the swamp, waiting on the whims of a mad human.

Still, thought Torgar as Trogdorella passed through again and this time favored him with a playful snarl, things could be worse. Sooner or later the human would let them out on a proper raid, and meanwhile there was always plenty of rat in the pot.

There was an unexpected sound from the outer hall, almost like Elves singing.

Trogdorella ran from the outer hall back into the main barracks, letting out the Call of Warning, and then twirled to face the largest Human female Torgar had ever seen. The invader was well over ten feet tall, a glowing wooden shield on her left arm and a sword burning with white light clutched in her fist!

Hooting with delight, Torgar charged forward. Action at last!

Past the giantess and the glorious Trogdorella spun a radiant ball of flashing feathers and clucking fury. The battle chicken’s beak darted forwards, punching a bloody hole in the side of Trogdorella’s leg. Howling, Torgar slashed his blade down towards the avian menace, only to see it bounce away in a shower of sparks from the fierce fighting fowl!

Torgar head a rushing of air from behind him, and a heavy blow nearly knocked him from his feet. Spinning, he saw a spectral hammer shining in the air. As Torgar gaped, an enormous black bear materialized beside the hammer, claws and fangs tearing into the unprepared Grumashsen. Blood drenching his torso, Grumashsen let out a bellow of berserk fury and struck back, nearly separating the bear’s shoulder from its body.

A second black bear appeared beside Grumashsen.

The air was filled with chanting, and more gigantic figures were moving into sight. Torgar watched helplessly as the giant female brought her burning sword down upon Trogdorella. The agony of his heart blinding him, Torgar leaped forwards, aiming a blow at the human giantess that bounced harmlessly from her glowing shield. A hammer blow struck Torgar’s back, and another.

Two spectral hammers now floated above and behind the Seventeenth Sub-Battle Chief of the Temple. An arrow pierced his shoulder. With a sizzling sound, the giantess’ terrible glowing sword nearly disemboweled the mighty Trogdorella. A heavy spear plunged through Torgar’s chest.

The ground was very close now. Torgar turned his head; his sword was still in hand, though he could not feel it. He still had a chance. He …

Torgar looked up into the eyes of the chicken.

Barbara leaped nimbly over the fallen she-bugbear, and switched from sword to glaive in hopes of catching one of the two bugbear archers. Behind her, Meleny’s chicken was clucking above the body of a bugbear in a chain shirt, and the rest of the team was finally free to come into the room.

The remaining bugbears died shortly thereafter.

Bar was pulling a small bottle filled with murky liquid from the belt of one of the archers when Dio approached her. Bar gave the naturalist a friendly smile.

“Those bears were pretty impressive” said Bar.

Dio smiled in return, helping to check the bugbear’s body. “Thanks” she said, “only one was mine.”

Bar raised an eyebrow.

Dio looked uncomfortable. “I gave a few scrolls to the farm girl. She used one to call a bear.”

Bar said nothing for a while as the two women continued stripping the dead.

“Was that your way of apologizing over the lizard?” asked Bar.

“No,” said Dio, “not exactly.” Dio tasted a drop of one of the bugbear’s potions and then slipped it into her pack. “Maybe a little. She was feeling useless. I thought the scrolls might help.”

Bar nodded seriously, and then took a round wooden shield from her pack. To the two women, the faint hum of magic was audible, trapped in the wood. Bar passed the shield to Dio.

“Where did you get this?” asked Dio, examining the shield.

“After we killed the lizard, I checked the body. It had swallowed the shield.” Bar smiled and moved away. ”Like Jack says, always check the bodies.”

Dio slipped the shield over her arm, got up, and re-joined the rest of the team.

End Part the Twelfth

 

Elaine?

Anyway, thanks.

 

I sure as hell would have loved to play the PNP version of this game and had you OB1 be the DM. Man I thought that I was good but you make me feel like an amateur. Well anyways great writing there.

 

That's no ordinary chicken out there 'mongst those Elves in the Temple...GO 'COCKS!!

 

:evil_laug :evil_laug :evil_laug :evil_laug :evil_laug ROFLMAO

 

The ground was very close now. Torgar turned his head; his sword was still in hand, though he could not feel it. He still had a chance. He …

Torgar looked up into the eyes of the chicken.

HeHeHe..........sentence, death by chicken.

Great job, certainly a good read.

 

You're doing great, Mr. Book. Entertaining AND useful!

 

Part the Thirteenth: The Quality of Mercy

From the Journals of Jack B. Swift, Professional Adventurer, published 585, Greyhawk Press

Fox and I were scouting ahead, which was probably a mistake. Now Kate, she could move quietly when she needed to. Fox at least didn’t wear any armor, so he wasn’t as loud as he might have been, but he still seemed to find every crunchy bit of debris in the place to trod on, and bits that made other assorted noises for variety. The rest of the gang clinked and clanked so much as they moved that I expect half the denizens of the Moathouse must have fled well before we got there.

Anyway, I had Fox with me. We’d just wiped out a nest of bugbears, nasty things sort of like a cross between humans and, well, bears. I’ll say this about them; they may look bestial, but the smart ones know their alchemy. You rarely find a bugbear without a few potions on them. Makes them profitable enemies to fight, assuming you live through it.

Not that I kill just for the loot. Those bugbears attacked us, despite the guards’ cloaks we were wearing. I just happen to appreciate good loot when I find it.

OK, maybe I do sometimes look forward to a little looting.

Sometimes I don’t like me.

The corridor lead south-west, and was in an even worse state of repair than the rest of that place. Stone blocks had fallen from the walls, and the sounds of water were faintly audible. The smell was appalling, not just the swamp and mold of the Moathouse, but also a smell like wet dog. Big wet dog. Big, flatulent wet dog.

I checked, but Dio’s dog was still back with her.

Then we rounded the corner, looked into a small, reasonably well maintained barracks, and spotted the gnolls. Big, mean, hairy hyena-men, heavily armed. I grabbed Fox and hustled him back to the others.

“Gnolls in the next room” I said. “Are we in shape for a fight?”

“We have enough scrolls for one more battle” said Kate.

“Everyone is in good health, and our protective rituals remain strong, sire” said Perry.

“Mister Chicken and Mister Dog are both protected” said Meleny, always cheerful.

I couldn’t believe she’d talked Reynard into wasting magic on the chicken.

We were as ready for this as we could be. “I go in first, Bar, Perry and Dio next, Kate, Fox and Mel at the rear. Try to keep the dog and the bird between you three and anything that slips past the first rankers.” Even the dog and the bird looked like they were paying attention. That rattled me a little.

We spread out. I took point and moved into the room. Then the battle plan changed.

The largest of the gnolls, its grey fur streaked with white, spotted me. He spoke.

“You want to talk with us?” He spoke common, the words intelligible despite a mouth and throat not well suited to them.

I might have attacked then. Instead, I brought my spear to rest position and answered. “Let’s talk.”

“You are here to kill the Master?” The other gnolls shifted anxiously about the room, and in a small cave beyond. There must have been a dozen of them.

“Yes.” There was no point in lying. Our armor and clothes were stained with blood, and our weapons were drawn. He wasn’t going to believe that we were here on a walking tour.

“Good,” said the old gnoll, his brothers continuing to shift nervously. “The Master is a bad leader. No hunting for us, no gold, not enough food.”

“So what are we going to do?” Perry, Bar and Dio were right behind me, weapons drawn. Fox, Kate and Mel were behind them, weapons at the ready.

Dio’s dog had moved into the room, snarling.

The chicken was glaring at the gnoll leader.

“You give us gold and food,” said the old gnoll, “we leave. You go kill the master.”

I brought my spear to the ready position. “Leave and live; you’ll get nothing more.” I met his eyes, and I was sure I’d have to kill him.

The gnoll looked us over, and then barked something to his pack. “We will go, but Yeenoghu will have his revenge.”

We moved into the barracks, and the gnolls moved out.

As we searched the chambers, Perry came to me.

“May I ask a question?” She spoke softly.

I nodded.

“Why did you let them go?” There was no accusation in her voice.

I thought carefully before answering. “I think it’s because he talked to me.”

She was looking at me intently.

“If he had kept pressing for gold, or if he’d attacked, I’d have killed him. Instead, he backed down. After that, I didn’t want to attack.”

Perry nodded seriously. “Thank you, sire. You reasons were good.” She went back to searching.

I hadn’t told her my other reasons. They’d looked like they had nothing worth taking, and I hadn’t wanted to waste time and energy killing them. Much later, I’d come to regret that decision.

Like I said, sometimes I don’t like me.

We moved west, and found a hallway with three branches. The sound of water came from the west. The northern branch was dark and silent. Light came from the south.

We went south.

The Moathouse was in much better repair here. Torches were in scones, the floor was cleaner and even the swamp stench was less. The air was moving; somewhere near by, there was a door out of this place.

We came to a small room, with doors to the south and to the east. From the east, I heard the sound of low conversations.

“Get ready” I ordered.

Prayers and chanting filled the air. Energy poured through us all. I opened the east doors.

A narrow, well lit hall. A heavily armored guard looked faced us. Two crossbowmen and a swordsman backed him.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked.

We attacked.

End Part the Thirteenth