Bane the Barbarian – Session 15

THE NEXT FEW DAYS

I was still in good spirits when I arrived in Brindinford a few days later, and my mood was improved even further when Halgar returned Tangrel’s sword to me. The blade gleamed and the magical flames licked hungrily along its length. I was pleased. It would seem that the enchantments he had weaved had imbued the sword with even greater power.

My colleagues were almost ready to depart but Muratis said that there were still a few items that needed to be divided among us. As a consequence I was given a ring that provided magical sustenance, so that I could go without eating for many days and required little sleep each night. I was also given some potions; one of healing, one of invisibility and one that blurred the air around me so that it was difficult for others to see exactly where I was.

All this magic was a little bewildering really, I had never had that much to do with sorcery before and now it seemed that I had gathered a vast array of magical items. My sword and armour, an amulet of protection, two rings, a cloak, potions… In fact even my boots were magical! I kept forgetting that I had been given a pair that enabled you to walk on walls. What next I wondered?

I was still a little distrustful of it all and would much rather have put my faith in courage and steel, but against the foes we had been facing recently, that had not always been enough. In the end, every little advantage helped.

Two days later we left Brindinford and set out for Rastor and the mines. The journey would take us six days because Muratis had insisted on taking a cart with us. Although the pace was ponderous, I reminded myself that I had recently reaped considerable benefits from my share of the loot, so I did not complain.

DAY 79

It was a full month after we had left the mines when we finally returned. We skirted round Rastor and made camp for the night a few hours away from our destination.

As was usual on our travels, the others retired to the rope-trick while I found a place a short distance away where I could keep watch over the cart and horses. The region was fairly barren and there was little cover to be found but in the end I picked a spot that lay in a slight depression in the lee of a rather spindly looking bush.

There was a cold wind and as dusk came, thick clouds rolled across the heavens and covered the moon, plunging the landscape into darkness. Wrapped in my cloak, I lay awake and listened to the night sounds.

Some time later I was startled by a loud screech from high above and was instantly alert. I crouched down by the scrub and readied myself in case there was trouble.

The horses were acting spooked and I was just about to go over to them when there was a flapping of leathery wings. Suddenly I flattened as a huge shape passed low overhead. Then one of the horses screamed and there was a great commotion as the animals reared and wildly pulled at their tethers.

Feeling a little exposed but not knowing what else to do, I leapt to my feet, drew my sword for illumination as much as protection, and sprinted over to where the horses were. I wasn’t sure whether the light would deter or attract the creature but I had to do something.

The horses were panicked, thrashing around with their mouths frothing and eyes rolling. I tried to steady them while keeping one eye on the darkness for signs of the winged creature’s return. It was not easy. Then one of the horses staggered and collapsed. When I knelt down beside it I could just make out a wicked looking welt on its hindquarters. The animal was dead, poisoned. I had seen such a thing once before and it meant that in all probability the creature in the skies above us was a Wyvern.

By that time my colleagues had descended from the rope trick to join me, and we spread out around the cart and faced the darkness. We waited ready to defend the remaining horses and ourselves. At any moment the Wyvern could swoop down and attack again.

Time passed…

Sweat dripped from my brow as I strained to see anything in the gloom.

After long minutes had gone by it seemed that the Wyvern had departed and we relaxed.

The remainder of the night was uneventful.

DAY 80

The next day we approached the mine. While the rest of us halted in the rocks where we had watched the entrance from previously, Sol went ahead to scout.

We waited for a long while until there was a loud bang from up at the mine. It was a fair bet the little guy was in some kind of trouble.

Leaping down from the rocks I ran as fast as I could up toward the entrance.

Before I had got very far, I saw Sol roll out into the daylight and stagger to his feet. He appeared disorientated and uncertain which way to turn. I called out to him just as a huge winged creature emerged. Towering over Sol, the Wyvern unfurled its wings.

Arse! I was still a long way off. Too far to do anything to help and I was easily the closest. Though Muratis and Halgar had followed, I had rapidly out paced them and left them behind.

“Sol, Get down!!” I yelled in desperation. It was all I could do at that point.

I’m not sure that he heard me but to my relief at that moment the little fellow threw himself sideways between some rocks and disappeared from sight.

The Wyvern ignored him and, with a beating of its great wings, took to the air, spiralling up into the sky.

I kept running, clambering up the slope toward the mine.

The Wyvern went higher and higher.

When I finally got near to the place where I had last seen Sol, I called out and after a few moments there was a weak reply. I found him some distance below, amongst the rocks where he had fallen. He was battered and bruised… and blind.

I stayed with him till Halgar and Muratis arrived, keeping a close watch on the skies. I suspected that the Wyvern would not trouble us, I thought it more likely that it had gone after the horses, but there was no sense in taking any chances.

When we were all back together again, Halgar listened to Sol’s account of what had happened and suggested that the Halfling had triggered a glyph of warding that had been left inside the entrance to the mine. Miraculously Halgar had a scroll that was tailor made for such an eventuality and after he had read it, to everyone’s relief, Sol was cured.

After our scout had taken a moment to regain his senses we very cautiously headed up toward the entrance again, and after much deliberation the others declared it safe to proceed. As usual Sol went ahead and this time I brought up the rear.

The stench of carrion led us to the room beyond the crossroads where we had unloaded the cart the last time we were there. Its double doors were splintered and broken and inside the Wyvern had made its lair.

We withdrew and did our best to bar the doors to the mine. Hopefully it would discourage the Wyvern from returning, but I was not convinced that it was solid enough to hold against a determined assault. We would have reason to be careful when we came back that way again.

Resuming our journey into the Earth temple we passed along tunnels and through rooms where we had been before. Little had changed since we had departed and we encountered no sign that the troglodyte worshippers of the Elder Elemental Eye had returned.

As we went ever deeper, I began to feel a growing sense of unease, and then I realised that we were approaching the side passage leading to where the blackened cadaver had been suspended in chains. A shiver ran up my spine. There had been something terribly evil about that place. I didn’t like the fact that we were so close to it again.

We edged past the dark opening and I hugged the far wall in an effort to keep as much distance between me and it as I possibly could.

Suddenly my blood ran cold, for there was movement in the inky blackness and then five ghoulish figures in filthy black robes emerged from the tunnel. It appeared that they had once been troglodytes but now they were gaunt and hollow creatures born of dark necromancy. Their flesh was withered and decayed and they stank of things long dead.

As they came for us, a deathly chill fell upon us and froze our bones, and the air became thick with the cloying stench of pestilence. My breath came in short gasps as the icy cold numbed my body and mind.

I retched and fought to clear my head, and then they were upon us. Clawed fingers tore at me, raking my skin with deep cuts that slowly bled away my strength. I tried to fight them but some dark power threatened to drown me in weariness. It all seemed strangely distant. The light began to fade and ghostly whispers lured me toward oblivion.

Then a vision of Tanyara came unbidden to me, and I knew I must not yield.

With all my strength I fought my way back to the light and struck out at the ghoulish abominations, scattering them, forcing them away. No sooner had they fallen back a little than they were pressing forward again, but it had been long enough for me to regain my senses.

Desperately I searched the darkness for my colleagues, but I was on my own. Muratis and Halgar lay unconscious nearby and Sol was nowhere to be seen. Everything depended on me. If I was defeated then all would be lost.

At first, as the Undead troglodytes came at me again, I tried to protect my companions where they lay but very soon I was only concerned with fighting for my life. Each time one of the ghoulish creatures caught me it drained a little more of my strength and I began to wonder how long I could last.

It was clear that I would not be able to hold out indefinitely, and so I had to end it soon. Throwing caution aside, I drove forward, swinging Tangrel’s blade around in a great arc. One of the foul creatures was a little slow and I caught it full in the chest, nearly cleaving it in two. To my relief it fell and did not move. These dead things could be slain. I had a chance.

“If you want my soul come and claim it”, I spat at them, “I am waiting for you. Be assured you will pay a heavy price though.”

The other creatures were all about me then, and it seemed I fought without respite for a lengthy time. Two more solid blows and another fell, but after a while I no longer had the strength to properly defend against them and their talons raked across my armour and flesh until I was nearly overcome. Though my body shook with the effort I threw them back again and followed with a combination that took care of another one.

There were only two left by that point but I was very weak, and shivering so much that I could hardly stand. They had hurt me badly and I was running out of time.

I felt unsteady on my feet, but I gripped Tangrel’s blade defiantly and prayed that the gods would give me the strength not to fail.

Then, just when things looked at their most desperate, Sol came charging out of the darkness and stabbed one of the creatures in the thigh. It wasn’t much of a wound but when the foul thing turned on him it forgot about me and I seized my chance, striking it down from behind.

It was nearly over then and I refused to give in when victory was so near. My sword weighed heavy in my hands and I barely had the strength to wield it, but only one remained. I threw myself at it, falling into its fetid embrace as I ran it through with the blade. It clawed at me repeatedly as I forced it back against the far wall, and together we slid toward the floor. When I was on my knees I wrenched the sword free and swung it in one last effort that hacked the ghoulish head from the creature’s body. Finally it toppled and lay still.

I leaned on my sword for a moment, muscles trembling from the exertion. Somehow I had withstood the dark powers that the Enemy had sent to claim our souls and now that the last of the creatures was dead the spell was broken. I was hurting and exhausted but the unnatural chill that had threatened to overpower us all was gone.

I struggled to regain my feet and then set about the bodies, hacking them into unrecognisable pieces so that they could not return.

After a short while, Halgar and Muratis awoke from their slumber and, when they realised what had happened, they expressed their esteem for what I had done. By their estimation there are few who could have withstood that deathly chill for so long.

In truth I don’t know how I managed it myself. Perhaps it was the strength of my forefathers that saved me once again, or the favour of the gods, or the knowledge that there are things on Oerth worth fighting for, whichever it was I offered my thanks.

Shortly afterward, while Halgar treated my wounds, I noticed Sol sitting nearby looking downcast. It was quite a departure from his normal jovial nature.

“What’s up little guy?” I asked.

Sol shrugged.

“I’m sorry” he said sadly “I should have come to your aid sooner but when I saw Muratis and Halgar had been overcome and you were the only one left against the five of them I panicked.”

I looked at him differently then. It took a lot of guts to admit to something like that.

“You came through in the end though” I said.

“I suppose” he mumbled.

I offered him my hand.

“You know, you’re alright Sol” I said.