Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - The Chronicles of Merick -- part I

Rockstar · 04-14-2007, 10:06 PM

CHAPTER 3
ACT V
Tarzok’s Messenger

Merick was still holding his throwing axe in his hand as the door flew open. He walked inside to find when he saw a scruffy man with knotted hair, wearing tattered green robes frantically packing his things into a backpack. The man turned around yelled at his intruder. “Get out! You can have this room in a minute.” Merick replied bitterly. “Keep the room. I want answers, Tranzig.” The man turned out to be a mage with some skill. He began to cast a blue ball of energy between his hands. Merick threw his axe at the mage, but Tranzig used his ball of energy to raise a small, blue, circular field between his hands that blocked the attack. Merick drew his sword and charged. Tranzig cast a red globe of energy then concentrated it at Merick as a thin jet of fire, similar to the effect of Merick’s ring. Merick tried to stop the fire with his sword but the sword flew from his hand and the fire scorched his right arm. Tranzig went to cast another red ball of energy but Merick was quick enough to run up to him and punch him hard in the face. Tranzig’s red ball of energy flew into the air and dissipated into sparks and dust as he fell back into the wall. The mage’s nose and mouth were pouring out blood and before he could regain his stance. Merick slammed him hard against the wall. The man grunted from the impact. Merick saw a dagger on the mage’s hip. Merick held the slouching man’s throat against the wall with his left forearm and snatched the dagger with his right hand and twisted it into Tranzig’s thigh. Tranzig screamed loudly. Merick’s right hand and forearm were saved from the fire by his gauntlet, but his upper arm was bloodied and charred, just strong enough to torture a man.

Tranzig now had sweat beads running down his bloodied face as he pled, “Ok. No more. Please. I’ll talk, I promise.” Merick eyed his victim expectantly before Tranzig started speaking. “This – this was my first job. I don’t know much. All I know is I was meant to deliver this letter to somebody called Mulahey in the Nashkel Mines.” Merick was not satisfied and asked a rhetorical question to see how honest this man was being. “Who do you work for?” Merick yelled in his face. Tranzig was quick to say, “Tarzok. His name is Tarzok. I don’t know any thing else.” Merick twisted the dagger deeper into his victims thigh. “Argh! Ok! Please stop! He associates with bandits. I was told to meet him at the current bandit base to deliver any news after I gave Mulahey his letter." Merick yelled in Tranzig's face, "Where is the bandit camp?!" Trazig pressed against the wall in pain and terror as he answered, "The base is northeast of the Peldvale forest.” Merick had one more question. “Do you know a tall man in dark armor?” Tranzig shook his bloodied head, his eyes full of terror but seemed to show the truth. Merick pulled the dagger from Tranzig’s leg. Tranzig looked greatfully at Merick and barely had enough time to say “Thank you.” before Merick drove the dagger into his chest. Merick left Tranzig to slide down against the wall as he left the room after he took the letter that Tranzig was meant to deliver from his backpack.

The letter was from Tarzok to Mulahey. It seemed that most of the letter was Tarzok scolding Mulahey again for not being able to control his kobolds from killing the occasional miner. However, the letter did make a short reference to Tarzok being just north of Peldvale to complete organising a large bandit raid to raid a heavy incoming convoy of iron carrying caravans. It seemed that all the information that Merick got out of his torture victim checked out and now he could only hope that Tarzok would still be in the bandit camp.

Merick made his way downstairs and avoided drawing any more attention here by legitimately purchasing some throwing axes, giving him a total of five. As Merick exited the inn, he noticed that people made way for Merick and stood well out of his path. This was just a small taste of the power Merick had drempt of. He would head north towards the Friendly Arm Inn but then stop short and head east to the forest of Peldvale, where the letter specified a rather large convoy of iron caravans is passing through. From there he would search the northern outskirts to find the camp where the bandits were preparing their raid, and in there, Tarzok.

[ 04-14-2007, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

04-14-2007, 10:06 PM	#22
Rockstar Zhentarim Guard Join Date: January 4, 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 300	CHAPTER 3 ACT V Tarzok’s Messenger Merick was still holding his throwing axe in his hand as the door flew open. He walked inside to find when he saw a scruffy man with knotted hair, wearing tattered green robes frantically packing his things into a backpack. The man turned around yelled at his intruder. “Get out! You can have this room in a minute.” Merick replied bitterly. “Keep the room. I want answers, Tranzig.” The man turned out to be a mage with some skill. He began to cast a blue ball of energy between his hands. Merick threw his axe at the mage, but Tranzig used his ball of energy to raise a small, blue, circular field between his hands that blocked the attack. Merick drew his sword and charged. Tranzig cast a red globe of energy then concentrated it at Merick as a thin jet of fire, similar to the effect of Merick’s ring. Merick tried to stop the fire with his sword but the sword flew from his hand and the fire scorched his right arm. Tranzig went to cast another red ball of energy but Merick was quick enough to run up to him and punch him hard in the face. Tranzig’s red ball of energy flew into the air and dissipated into sparks and dust as he fell back into the wall. The mage’s nose and mouth were pouring out blood and before he could regain his stance. Merick slammed him hard against the wall. The man grunted from the impact. Merick saw a dagger on the mage’s hip. Merick held the slouching man’s throat against the wall with his left forearm and snatched the dagger with his right hand and twisted it into Tranzig’s thigh. Tranzig screamed loudly. Merick’s right hand and forearm were saved from the fire by his gauntlet, but his upper arm was bloodied and charred, just strong enough to torture a man. Tranzig now had sweat beads running down his bloodied face as he pled, “Ok. No more. Please. I’ll talk, I promise.” Merick eyed his victim expectantly before Tranzig started speaking. “This – this was my first job. I don’t know much. All I know is I was meant to deliver this letter to somebody called Mulahey in the Nashkel Mines.” Merick was not satisfied and asked a rhetorical question to see how honest this man was being. “Who do you work for?” Merick yelled in his face. Tranzig was quick to say, “Tarzok. His name is Tarzok. I don’t know any thing else.” Merick twisted the dagger deeper into his victims thigh. “Argh! Ok! Please stop! He associates with bandits. I was told to meet him at the current bandit base to deliver any news after I gave Mulahey his letter." Merick yelled in Tranzig's face, "Where is the bandit camp?!" Trazig pressed against the wall in pain and terror as he answered, "The base is northeast of the Peldvale forest.” Merick had one more question. “Do you know a tall man in dark armor?” Tranzig shook his bloodied head, his eyes full of terror but seemed to show the truth. Merick pulled the dagger from Tranzig’s leg. Tranzig looked greatfully at Merick and barely had enough time to say “Thank you.” before Merick drove the dagger into his chest. Merick left Tranzig to slide down against the wall as he left the room after he took the letter that Tranzig was meant to deliver from his backpack. The letter was from Tarzok to Mulahey. It seemed that most of the letter was Tarzok scolding Mulahey again for not being able to control his kobolds from killing the occasional miner. However, the letter did make a short reference to Tarzok being just north of Peldvale to complete organising a large bandit raid to raid a heavy incoming convoy of iron carrying caravans. It seemed that all the information that Merick got out of his torture victim checked out and now he could only hope that Tarzok would still be in the bandit camp. Merick made his way downstairs and avoided drawing any more attention here by legitimately purchasing some throwing axes, giving him a total of five. As Merick exited the inn, he noticed that people made way for Merick and stood well out of his path. This was just a small taste of the power Merick had drempt of. He would head north towards the Friendly Arm Inn but then stop short and head east to the forest of Peldvale, where the letter specified a rather large convoy of iron caravans is passing through. From there he would search the northern outskirts to find the camp where the bandits were preparing their raid, and in there, Tarzok. [ 04-14-2007, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]