Bane the Barbarian – Session 17

DAY 80 (cont)

I was finding it difficult to imagine being in a worse position; badly wounded, huddled in an inter-dimensional bubble, suspended over a pit-trap, with a Chimera and who knows what else outside. It was only a matter of time before reinforcements arrived and once that happened we would be in even more trouble. I felt totally helpless in the rope-trick and I wanted to get out of it as soon as possible. I certainly didn’t feel that we were safe inside, which I had the impression was supposed to be the idea.

Muratis on the other hand was less than keen on departing.

We debated the issue for a couple of minutes while Halgar did what healing he could and, by the time he had finished, Muratis had consented to go with the majority.

Though Sol had no strong inclination either way, both Halgar and I wanted out, so that was the decision. A breakout would be attempted.

Hurriedly we readied ourselves.

It was Halgar who proposed that it be “Every man for himself”. I do not know if the others realised why. Perhaps I was the only one who recognized that being encumbered by heavy plate armour, his concern was that he would slow the rest of us down and maybe get us killed. As a whole the proposal did not sit well with me but I gave my consent because, for similar reasons, I thought it improved Muratis and Sol’s chances of getting out alive. As for myself, although I had to admit that with the injuries I was carrying, things didn’t look good, I had no intention of getting killed. I took out the braid of hair that Tanyara had given me and held it in my hand. Somehow having it there strengthened my conviction that I would live to see her again.

Once we had prepared ourselves, it was time to go. Muratis and Halgar went first and I followed.

I swung out into the inky blackness and my boots made contact with the pit wall. I clambered upward and out into the passageway. Carefully I crept forward, feeling my way toward the edge of the darkness. There was no telling what was out there.

Suddenly there was a commotion ahead and the air around me turned to ice. I had little choice but to dive forward into the light in order to avoid the full effect of the Chimera’s breath. I rolled and came to my feet.

There in front of me was the Dragon head. It fixed its beady eyes on me and snapped angrily in my direction. For a moment I was certain that it would lunge in for the kill but then I realised that it could not reach me because the Chimera’s other two heads were occupied mauling a limp armoured form some distance away… It was Halgar.

I could have got away at that point, it was the perfect opportunity… but the thought never entered my mind. Instead I charged.

What happened after that I do not recall exactly. I remember the Chimera clawing and biting me a couple of times. It should have killed me but I don’t think I really gave it the chance. Relentlessly I dealt it blow after blow until I cut it apart. Near the end it tried to get away but I chased it down. It made it out of the corridor into a nearby room before I gutted it and its entrails spilled out.

When I returned, Sol and Muratis were standing over Halgar’s body. Sadly my rescue attempt had failed. He was dead.

We fled from there as fast as we could. Through the Earth Temple, past the sleeping Wyvern (which had eaten our horses once again), past Rastor and out into the wilds toward Brindinford. I’m not sure how I managed to lug Halgar’s armoured body all that way, but I did.

I led the others onward into the night for as long as I dared, putting as much distance between us and the mines as I could. However exhaustion eventually overtook us and I was forced to find a place to camp. Muratis and Sol were all but spent and immediately collapsed into a deep sleep, so I stayed awake through the night and kept watch as best I could.

DAY 81

The next morning was bright and clear and Muratis seemed much refreshed after his night of rest.

“So how are we feeling about magic today?” he nonchalantly asked.

I eyed him a little suspiciously. It was rather obvious that this was a leading question.

“What sort of magic?” I asked.

“Well I have a way of healing us” Muratis replied hesitantly “but it would involve summoning some… er… creatures.”

“What kind of creatures are we talking about?”

“Healing monsters”

“Healing monsters?” I repeated a little doubtfully “Are you sure? I’ve never heard of such a thing”

Muratis looked at me hopefully.

“So what do they do pounce on you from the darkness and savagely heal you to within an inch of your life?” I added sarcastically.

“They’re insects” he added, as though that would help.

“Hmmm… Insects?” I said

I wasn’t convinced, but at the time I couldn’t afford to be choosy. My body had sustained copious amounts of damage and I did not think that in my current state I could carry the heavy body of Halgar any further. I had pushed myself beyond the limits of my endurance.

And so, a short while after, I found myself standing in a pentacle whilst eight giant ant creatures moved around me performing some complex alien healing ritual thingy. I have to admit I found the whole thing rather unnerving but I tried to ignore them and let them get on with whatever it was they were doing. Perhaps it would have been less disconcerting if Muratis had mentioned ahead of time that these “insects” were nearly as tall as a man. Foolishly I had been expecting something a little smaller! But then I ought to know by now never to trust a wizard.

I managed to keep my nerve and after a while I started to feel better. I could see the wounds closing as my body was repaired. When I felt I was completely healed the ant creatures stopped working and parted to let me leave the pentacle. After which Muratis entered to partake of the benefits of this strange experience himself.

THE NEXT FEW DAYS

Two days later we arrived in Brindinford, our journey having been hastened by the arrival of some horses that Muratis had magically summoned.

We took Halgar’s body to the temple of Pelor there and were informed by the priests that his soul had gone to Vulcanus and would not be returning. So we placed his remains on a large funeral pyre and sent him on his way as befitted the fiery nature of his divine master.

After a couple of days recuperation we came to deciding what to do next.

“So what now?” asked Muratis.

“We go back” I said, a little surprised at the question.

“You definitely want to do that?”

“That’s why I’m here” I affirmed. “His servants are at work there and they have to be stopped.”

Muratis did not look entirely convinced by this argument and it occurred to me then that my remaining companions were not necessarily as stalwart in their defiance of the Dark One as I was.

“Sounds like fun” Sol interjected “but I would suggest perhaps recruiting someone else before rushing back into the dangers that may await us there.”

I wasn’t too sure about the “fun” part but the rest of what Sol had said made sense. The only question was who?

“How about a cleric?” Sol offered “Maybe the priests at the temple of Pelor are concerned enough about what is going on to send someone with us.”

And so it was that a young devotee of Pelor by the name of Amelorn joined our group. Though Sol seemed a little less than impressed by our new companion.

“Do you even have a weapon?” Sol chided.

“Actually I prefer to fight with Pelor’s might” Amelorn replied grandly.

Sol considered the young cleric for a moment taking a long draw on his pipe.

“And that would be what exactly?” he enquired doubtfully.

One evening, a day or so later, Muratis, Sol and I returned to Muratis’s Home to find there was someone waiting for us there. An elf.

“Greetings, I am looking for the one they call Bane” he said. His eyes flicked toward me.

“I am Bane” I replied, stepping forward to face him.

“My family wish to thank you for what you did for my cousin.” he said. “And I have come to join you in your noble quest”

Tanyara. I should have known.

“What is your name?” I asked.

“Lucian… Lucian Arrowdawn”

I shook his hand.

“You owe me no debt Lucian” I assured him “What I did I did willingly, but you are very welcome to join us if that is your wish.”

“I said nothing of a debt” he corrected, “that is the way of Dwarves not Elves. I am here because your cause is a worthy one and because my cousin is concerned for your well-being.”

For some reason I suddenly felt a little wary of this Lucian. Well hidden beneath his polite exterior, there was something vaguely menacing about him. It occurred to me that perhaps Tanyara had not been responsible for sending him. Perhaps it was her family who wanted to check up on me.

“Very well” I said.

“Bane? Is there something you wish to tell us?” Muratis suggested raising an eyebrow quizzically.

“Er… The female elf we rescued from the Earth Temple was his cousin.”

“I’d gathered that much already”

“I got to know her a little better after she was resurrected” I said evasively.
“Hmmm…” said Muratis.

“So that’s why you stayed in Verbobonc?” observed Sol with a smile.

“It might have been” I replied.

“So are you holding a candle for her then?” he winked.

“That’s my business” I said.

Sol grinned.

“That would be a yes then” he laughed good heartedly.

Lucian had brought two letters for me, both from Tanyara.

The first was an introduction, confirming that Lucian was indeed her cousin and that as a child she had known him well. However Tanyara also made reference to the fact that he had been away for many years and that since his return he had been different somehow. There was a dark side to him that she was not entirely comfortable with. Whether she intended this as a warning or not was unclear.

The second was of a more personal nature. Though on the surface it spoke of nothing in particular, save for Tanyara’s concern for my safety and the fact that for the time being she had decided to stay in Verbobonc, I found that each time I read it I began searching for hidden meaning amongst her words. Were there hints of her feelings toward me there? It was too easy to see things that I wanted to see however. Things that were not there… or perhaps they were. I was none the wiser.

At the very least the fact that she had written to me was a good sign.

We stayed an extra couple of days in Brindinford while Sol investigated some disappearances in the halfling village. He and Muratis were concerned that the evil might have returned there. However in the end it turned out to be nothing sinister.

DAY 87

And so, with our numbers bolstered by the addition of both Lucian and Amelorn, we once again set off for Rastor and the mines.