Ironworks Gaming Forum - druid grove troll mound story

At a quiet corner table in Vyatri’s Pub in Trademeet, the halfling called Apel glared across the table at the slight figure still dressed in a mottled green woodsman’s cloak as if he feared to remove it even within the security of civilization. “Tell us your tale then”, Apel growled, “or skulk back into the shadows and brood by your self”. His cloaked companion paused, either in threat or for dramatic effect, pushed back his hood and fixed the shorter thief with piercing elven eyes. “Aye”, he said quietly, “I’ll tell you my tale”. The elf took a long drink from a glass of water and placed it carefully back on the table and then looked deep into the glass. “I was scouting the woods around the Druid Grove”. His companions exchanged glances at this. Their confederation was a determinedly urban operation. To skulk around the forests was the territory of bandits or adventurers not a civilised guild operation. But the speaker, Tethis, was a wood elf as well as Trademeet’s consummate burglar and often disappeared into the surrounding countryside.

“As I said before I left, a passing Ranger told me that a group of trolls have set up home near there and I’d set to wondering if they’d accumulated any unappreciated baubles from unfortunate travellers. I arrived in darkness and hid myself to watch their comings and goings before committing myself to the job”. His colleagues nodded too each other, they would expect nothing less from the meticulous elf. “I’d been hidden for half a day or more. The creatures were the essence of chaos with no order that I could discern. They were numerous though and I had decided that there was no safe way when I became aware of the presence of another. Hidden in the low brush at the side of the track a cat was also watching the trolls intently. This was no woodland creature but a cat such as a farmer keeps or a wealthy lady as a pet. It came to me that this unusual creature looked as if it was spying on the trolls much as I was. I smiled at the idea until the cat turned and glanced around where I was hidden and I saw the fierce intelligence in it’s eyes.” The elf paused again, this time there was no doubt that it was for effect. His listeners smiled. The elf’s talk sometimes made them feel that he felt themselves above them but there was no doubt that he could turn a tale.

“The cat stalked away beyond my sight and I waited. If the creature was a wizard’s familiar as I feared there was no guarantee that the mage would be pleased to discover me in the area and it could hide as well as I. My caution turned out to be well founded when a little while later I heard the heavy footsteps approaching. I leant to see behind me and saw three armoured undead skeletons formed in a perfect line behind the very same cat. They were massive in comparison, twelve feet tall at least and swinging two-handed swords easily in one hand perfectly in time with one another. I was surprised that the trolls couldn’t hear the monsters but they were making enough noise of their own. There was a shimmering in the air around them and the swinging increased in speed”, Tethis glanced over at the militia wizard talking to the barkeep before whispering, “wizard’s work for sure.”

“As I marvelled at the eerie synchronisation of the undead’s movements the mysterious spellcaster walked into view at the head of his force. He was no wizard as I had though but a bard from the northern lands although armoured in the finest suit of elven chain I have seen since I left home.” The thief’s eyes glittered briefly and the others shared Tethis’ lust for so valuable a prize. “The man gestured and the cat crept forward leading him and his ensorcelled warriors closer to the trolls. They stopped, silent and still now as the man lifted a stringed instrument in one hand and raised another. With a gesture ten or more mirror images of the bard danced around him. And then another broader and more detailed casting sent something flying towards the trolls. As the missile hit the first troll it exploded into fragments that ripped into the monsters causing them to howl in pain and then fall quiet as they turned towards their unseen attacker. In the silence that followed the musician lifted his instrument and gently played a few notes. The sound set the hairs on my neck. It spoke of glorious battles long ago and far away. It spoke of death and destruction and victory and redemption. There was magic in it that was for sure and even dead soldiers lifted their heads higher at the sound.” The elf was quiet for a moment: locked in reflection.

“As they charged towards the trolls the man suddenly laughed with what seemed like a sudden madness and ran after them playing all the while. The skeletons although powerful were hard pressed by half-a-dozen trolls and then more shimmering trolls that melted out of the air to attack. The man laughed again and paused in his playing to gesture towards the melee and four trolls dropped dead to the ground. Drawing a bow he fired arrows of fire at the fallen creatures ensuring they would never rise again. And so it continued. Drawing a wand, he fired a cloud of poisonous vapours over the fight but I could still see the skeletons’ swords rising and falling in unison as they tore at the trolls now further weakened by the cloud. More trolls fell to die in the poison but so did the first skeleton and then another until only one still fought then it too fell to the last of the shimmering trolls. The man stopped playing then and drew a two-handed sword from a scabbard across his back, let out a mighty cry, charged at the remaining troll downing it with two mighty blows and then walked unconcerned into the creatures’ lair. A few minutes later he emerged whistling the tune he had earlier been playing and turned north towards the Grove”

Tethis leant back in his chair and took a long drink. “Well”, asked Apel, “what happened then? What’s the end of it? Did you follow him?” Tethis stared at the halfling. “Are you mad?” he hissed. “I entered the troll home and there were another eight corpses in there with no signs of the armoured warriors this time. A man like that is not a man to follow though the forest without good reason”.

“Not even for a fancy suit of elven chain?” the halfling mocked. Then turning more serious said “but it would be worth keeping an eye out – the fellow will probably pass through soon and might be more manageable in the ‘safety’ of the town”.

“Oh he’s passed through alright” the elf said with a grimace. “Passed through in a whirlwind and gone again already. In fact he was gone before I made it back to town as for I moved as cautiously as I ever have until back within the walls.” The elf paused again and smiled knowingly to himself. “I have seen him again though this very night”.

“Where?” Apel said rising to his feet. “He may be a difficult mark but we are not without resources and who knows what he brought back from the trolls”.

“Near the town fountain,” Tethis answered still smiling as the halflling started walking towards the door and muttered quietly, “he’ll probably still be there.”

(i'm soloing a skald [img]smile.gif[/img] )