The Chronicles of Merick -- part I

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT II
The Lighthouse, The Book and The Siren Queen

Merick followed a dusty, stony road that had led him straight from the tall buildings of Beregost. The sun was setting and Merick decided to simply take the main road south to Nashkel as the distance between Beregost and Nashkel was nowhere near as long as the distance he had to cover when traveling between the Friendly Arm and Beregost and the cover of night could defend him from any opposition.

Merick trudged down the straight and dusty road until he saw a junction in the road with a sign with arrows pointing out several landmarks. Merick examined it and his eyes widened when he saw one word, “lighthouse”. This was ‘the’ lighthouse he had read about when he was younger. There was said to be a cave nearby which concealed a tomb of great power. “That book will belong to me and me alone!” Merick spoke to himself. He headed directly west from where he was, toward the lighthouse.

Merick had to wade through a deep but empty forest only to find that he would have to travel through another forest, this one as empty as the last. Finally, and to his amazement, with no encounters he saw the top of the lighthouse in the distance above the forest tops. Merick pushed onward and saw a monster jogging towards him. Merick drew his blade only to a moment later discover that the monster was a lightly built women, unfittingly wearing chain mail and baring a sword. The women wore a look of desperation and plead, “Please help me. Only you can help me.” Merick did not look amused and grunted “I don’t do damsels in distress.” She gasped as he ran his sword through her stomach and snatched her purse of gold off her before she fell. Merick loved the freedom of the forest as bodies would not be found for days or even weeks later with no sign of the killer.

Merick was getting closer and closer to the lighthouse when all of a sudden he heard. Something similar sounding to a succubus! They must have already detected that there was somebody in their forest. Merick frantically searched his potion sack for any potion that would do something more than heal wounds. “Yes!” Merick thought to himself as he found his last invisibility potion. Merick drunk it down and watched his limbs disappear in front of him. He pressed through the woods and saw at least four Siren’s, beautiful, blue skinned women with the ability to charm their enemies under their control with a combination of seductive songs and lustful gazes. They could not see Merick and Merick kept his mind focused on something else as he made his way toward the lighthouse, so that the songs would not take his mind. Merick reached the lighthouse. Merick looked around to find a pile of small, loose boulders in front of a smallish opening. “This must be it.” Merick grinned.

Merick moved the boulders and made haste inside. Merick found a series of tunnels that all led to one big empty room with a lake. Merick wondered if he had been beaten here. Then a thought struck him. He put his hand inside the lake and felt around until he touched something. Merick pulled out a almost ancient looking book. The book must have been enchanted to not be effected by the water, but he did not want to open it until it was dry, just incase. Merick’s heart sank as he heard the sound of singing right outside the cave. The Sirens had noticed the moved boulders. Merick dropped the book in his backpack and bolted back the way he came. Merick charged out of the cave’s entrance and straight past two siren’s on both sides. Merick’s invisibility was wearing off and he was now easily identifiable. He ran as fast as he could, he could hear the voices of Siren’s as he passed. He saw two more in the corner of his eye as he kept running till he was clear of them all and could here no more singing. Merick stopped and leant against a tree to catch his breath. He then turned around and saw a Siren wearing a light blue, satern dress and more beautiful than any other siren. Merick’s drew an arrow with one hand but he found his other hand by his side, paralyzed and unable to reach for his bow.

His vision blurred around the Siren and her red locks blew in the wind as she invitingly said “Hello there young stranger. I am Sil, the Queen of the Siren in these parts. You look weary there.” She smiled sweetly “Let me take you in.” Merick had greater resistance to these spells than most as he was dwarf and was naturally stronger against magicks, but he happily began walking towards the women. Merick blinked and realised what was happening to him. He began to clench the arrow in his right hand. He was less than ten meters away from Sil but he could not do anything. Merick used all his mind and strength to raise the arrow in his hand. Merick screamed loudly as he quickly plunged the arrow into his own shoulder. The pain was enough for him to break the spells focus as he fell to his hands and knees.

Merick quickly scuttled to his feet, looking only in the distance and ignoring the singing behind him. An arrow soared by Merick’s head, missing him by only an inch but he managed to get into dense forest before the Siren Queen could fire another arrow. “Bitch!” Merick thought vengefully. “I will be back for her… and she will have nothing to sing about when I cut her tongue from her vile mouth!”

Merick made his way south-east through the forests to save time getting back to Nashkel. In just over a day’s journey of tangled vines, giant spiders and diseased gibberlings, Merick saw the lights of Nashkel across the night time sky. He finally enjoyed a peaceful walk with no further interruptions.

[ 04-08-2007, 11:32 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT III
Nashkell, A Town With Troubles. Part I

Merick entered the town over a small bridge. Although it was nightiime, he could see that this town was much smaller, simpler and more primitive than beregost. There were more individual houses with straw roves as opposed to large buildings with individual rooms, like Beregost. “A simple town of pathetic fools and peasants.” Merick muttered to himself. This town only really served as a base for weapons and food for the nearby mine site and was a place for miners to go and share an ale. The town’s population, despite the huge mine nearby, was still very small as most miners at the actual mines but the town was renoun for having a well trained and organised soldier barracks. Merick’s wounded shoulder was pestering him and he was now hungry and in need of an ale.

Merick followed the signs and went to the only inn in Nashkel. On his way there an odd looking man in his mid twenties came up to Merick and introduced himself as Noober. Merick did not reply. Without being asked any questions, Noober started filling Merick in with how nobody likes him, his interests, life in general and what he thinks of the townsfolk. After five minutes of being followed, Merick could not take this any more. He asked Noober to follow him around the back of the bar, where nobody could see. Merick saw a dagger on Noober’s belt. Merick told Noober to take out his dagger then hold the blade towards his heart. “Now kill yourself.” Smiled Merick evilly. Noober began to cry and plead to Merick. After a minute of two or persuasion, Merick realised that Noober would not do it so he struck the handle of the dagger with his open palm and sent the blade straight into Noober’s heart. Merick walked around and into the bar laughing to himself, “It’s not my fault the dear boy killed himself because nobody liked him.”

Merick entered the bar. The moment he walked in a rather well built women’s eyes and mouth widened at first glace. Merick sat down at the bar, next to the roaring fire, and ordered a plate of chicken and some fine ale. The women came and sat next to him with a friendly hello. Merick said hello back in a sleazy dwarven accent. “Is your name Merick per chance.” Asked the women sweetly. Merick replied with a smile. “If it was, you weren’t planning on running that there dagger through me were ye?” The women’s eyes widened. In an almost instant series of actions, Merick swiped the dagger out of the women’s hand (that she had subtly kept out of Merick’s view) and run it upward into the underneath of her jaw. The women twitched a moment and Merick subtley took her purse off her before she slumped off her stool dead. Merick looked in the purse and saw a piece of paper. Another bounty from an anonymous sender! This time at 680 gold. “I’ve appreciated in value.” Merick laughed to himself before scrunching it up and tossing it in the fireplace.

A well built soldier in red and grey armor, a Nashkel Guard, was having a quiet ale on the other side of the room and quickly ran up to Merick. “What in the name of the gods have you done?!” Demanded the soldier. Merick was clearly already a wanted man and had to chose his enemies wisely for now. “I was attacked and defended myself against this foolish tart.” The soldier seemed to believe Merick. “Alright, but I’ll need you to come back to the barracks and fill out a report.” Merick rudely snapped. “I have not the time for petty paperwork!” The soldier threw his hands in the air in a stress. “Why this town! Why raise my family in this town? Our mines are going barren, there is a bounty on our captain’s head.” The word pricked Merick’s ears as he interrupted, “Bounty you say?” The soldier nodded his head biting his lip obviously confusing Merick’s greed with concern. “About three weeks ago Captain Brage, head of our barracks for many years, just completely changed. He was a holy man, loved his wife and child and protected the townsfolk until one day he just… snapped. There’s rumors that the stress from the iron shortage caused him to stress out... He killed some of his own townsfolk... Also heard a bizzare rumor that his wife may have been disloyal or somethin’ because he killed her! He murdered his own wife and child!” Merick looked at the ceiling pondering on what the man was saying and asked. “Where is your Captain now?” The soldier replied. “Well, he was seen fleeing the murder seen and heading into the forests west of here.” “anything else?” Merick enquired impatiently. “Uh, yes.. actually. I knew the Captain personally and … he could never do something like this? He changed when he got a new sword. It is large and ancient looking and-“ Merick stood up and walked upstairs to a room before the man could finish.

[ 04-09-2007, 11:12 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT IV
Nashkell, A Town With Troubles. Part II

After some much needed sleep Merick walked down and put down half the gold he owed the in keeper and walked straight out. Merick walked down the main road and over a bridge when he ran into a man who was clearly another Red Wizard of Thay. “Greetings stranger. My name is Edwin, but you may call me, Sir.” Merick did not look impressed as the wizard continued “I would require you muscle on a task that need-“ Merick butted in. “Save me your words wizard. I have already killed four of your kind on my way here.” Edwin’s eyes lit up and foolishly lost his patients to a warrior within a sword’s reach. He began to cast, only to be slashed diagonally up his body before being kicked in the chest and tumbling over the railing into the lake. It was early in the morning and nobody saw, and even if they did, it was another self defense.

Merick continued down the street looking for the bounty collector to see whether this bounty was worth his time or not. Merick stopped when he saw a large temple on his left. This building was the only modern looking building in the town, built of limestone instead of straw and wood. Merick walked in and spoke to the priest about the tomb he had found in the lighthouse. The priest examined it. “I had read much about this book, but never had I thought that I would see it. There is a spell in this book which when cast can allow one’s wounds to regenerate overnight!” Merick stroked his beard intrigued and replied “So the legends were true… Can you cast it on me.” The priest nodded excitedly “Yes, sir. With your dwarven fortitude you should be nearly infallible! Remember the spell can only be cast once ever!” Merick looked at him impatiently “Just cast it…”
The priest cast the spell on Merick which surrounded him in a cloud of blue and white energy which absorbed into his skin. Merick did not feel any different but maybe the effects would show later. Merick paid for identifying the book, left the book on the table and walked out.

Merick walked down the street to find a fat man standing next to a wall with white posters of bounties for collection. Merick approached the man, who smiled with delight the moment he saw Merick. The man spoke, “Ah, you must be Greywolf. You must be here to collect your bounty…. Have you taken care of Prism?” Merick replied “In due time, may I please have my bounty.” The stupid collector gave Merick 200 gold just as another man joined the two. The stranger carried a spear and wore light chain mail and introduced himself to Merick as the Mayor of Nashkel. “Finally” The Mayor said with delight. “A warrior capable of solving the riddle of our decaying mines. What was your name sir dwarf?” Merick replied in a low tone “Merick.” The collector’s face screwed up in disgust but he held his silence in the presence of the Mayor. The Mayor continued. “We are the only mine in the southern half of the Sword Coast and have enjoyed unrivaled income from the mines. Well that was until the mines all of a sudden started producing dirty weak iron. We can’t use even half of what we harvest out of it, and what we do use is still of very poor quality. It’s funny that not long after we started experiencing problems with our mines that the northern mine of Cloakwood began having the exact same problems. There is obviously another force at work here but miners have gone missing and nobody dares go down there and” Merick had head enough and asked the simple question “What is my reward?” The Mayor replied sternly “Your reward will be a small fortune by anybody’s standards.” Merick turned and walked away and yelled out. “Hold on to ye gold… I will be back for it.

Merick walked and pondered. “Two rewards in the same town… Funny a how troubled town of weaklings can have it’s uses when they are willing to pay a substantial amount to have their problems solved.” Merick wanted nothing more than to slay the town and take it’s gold, but he still had to keep his reputation low for now and would play by the book. Captain Brage seemed like a good place to start. The Captain had been seen fleeing to the west, probably to seek the cover of the forest. The sword he had found was clearly cursed some how and the man probably was not responsible for his actions, but to Merick money was money. Merick headed west out of the town after Captain Brage.

[ 04-09-2007, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT V
Captain Brage

Merick muttered to himself in impatience at having to head west out of the town, back the way he came, but this time he would journey exactly west. He pushed through the forest for over a day, searching for his bounty. He was no ranger and was really relying on a bit of luck to track his enemy. Merick finally had some luck when he saw a boot print in the ground that nobody could miss. He knew that not many would venture into these woods as there was basically nothing to hunt in here. It had to be the captain.

Merick came to a clearing where a main road ran. This was a road that travelers took to get to and from the Sword Coast from the south. Merick looked around when he saw three overturned caravans thrown into the bushes on the side. Merick investigated.

Arrows were scattered around the road. There had been some resistance by the caravans. These were caravans from distant towns carrying in much needed iron supplies, but the iron was gone, the drivers killed and the wagons thrown into the forest. Merick found something very interesting. It seemed that the wagons had managed to take down one of their attackers. In the bushes was also a body of a bandit! “So the bandits are the ones behind the caravan raids… but to stop iron caravans from the north and south would require a lot more organisation and numbers than what bandits would usually have.” Merick thought to himself. He headed over the road and deeper into the forest.

It was now the middle of the night and Merick was starting to get weary, but he knew that his target would probably be resting now, so it was a good chance to strike. Out of the shadows a man in a dark cloak came out with a look of terror on his face. Merick drew his bow and arrow but let the man speak first. “Good sir. Do not head this way. I have seen him. The General Brage. He is possessed by some evil and I cannot let you pass… I will stop you if I have to.” Merick smirked “No you wont.” An arrow went right through the stranger’s heart. Merick stepped carefully until he came to a clearing. There he saw a man sitting next to a fire, holding large sword in blue robes surrounded by thick chain mail.

General Brage took his sword and stood about fifteen meters away from Merick. His eyes were white. He uttered in a deep voice. “I am the head of the dead and all the only thing that stands when one has fallen… what am I?” Merick thought hard for a moment, trying not to faulter under pressure. “A tombstone!” Merick said. The man fell to his hands and knees breathing heavily and the sword left his hands and hit the ground with a hard thud. Brage, still on his hands and knees looked up at Merick and smiled. “Thank you hero. You have saved others and myself from the evil holding me." Brage began to cry “By the gods what have I done? My poor wife and child.” Merick eyed the kneeling Brage from a distance and spoke coldly “Regardless of whether or not I have saved you there is still a bounty on ye head.” Merick drew his bow and aimed it at Brage’s head. Brage’s eyes lit up with tears of rage. “You are nothing more than a selfish bounty hunter!” He grabbed the sword off the ground and charged at Merick. Brage’s eyes went white as the curse was renewed.

Merick was quick to act and fired three arrows into Brage’s in the chest, but each shot only staggered him and he kept charging at Merick as if unwounded. The sword obviously sent the holder into a berserk rage and was deadly in the hands of a captaining soldier. Merick quickly dropped his bow and drew his sword as Brage came in with a flurry of slow, but heavy shots. Merick was on the back foot, able to block Brage’s hard blows but unable to get any offense of his own in. Merick took a glimpse behind him and saw that he was about to walk backward right into the campfire. The Captain came in with a hard overhead shot, which Merick barely managed to take the force of. The blades were locked and the berserk captain managed to press Merick down onto one knee. Merick’s arms were at full length trying to push Brage’s blade away, which was slowly but surely getting closer to Merick’s head. Merick saw the fire only a meter behind him and knew it was do or die now. Merick quickly rolled to the side and behind Brage and slashed both his legs right behind the knees. Brage’s leg tendons were cut and he had no choice but to fall on his hands and knees. Merick scrambled to his feet and quickly shoved the Captain in the backside with his boot and sent him straight into the campfire. The Captain crawled along the ground out of the fire, still burning, unable to move his legs below the knees. He was still holding onto his sword, but only to be pressed hard to the ground by Merick’s boot. The arrows in Brage's chest sunk right in but was still burning so Merick had to be quick. Merick held his blade upside down with both hands and ran it rapidly in and out of the Captain’s back rapidly half a dozen times. Stuck flat on his face, Brage tried an blind, uncoordinated swing at Merick but Merick blocked it and stood on his right hand so he could not move his sword. Merick raised his blade in both hands and brought it down on the Captain’s neck.

Merick fell on his back exhausted and had to rest for a few moments before collecting the Captain’s head and heading back to Nashkel. Merick enjoyed no interferences on his walk through the forest and pondered on his first near death experience before reentering Nashkel.

[ 04-10-2007, 04:59 AM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT VI
Journey To The Nashkel Mines

It was night time when Merick set foot back in Nashkel. Whether or not it was the effects of the tomb that had been cast upon him, he did not feel weary as he should after a long fought battle and felt he had a whole day of energy still to use. Regardless he went to the Tavern to hire a room and sleep until the sun rose.

That night Merick did not sleep well. He had a dream unlike any other he had ever experienced. It was almost as if a supernatural presense had drilled into his skull and planted the dream in there. He found himself back in Candlekeep and relived the events as Gorion walked with him out of Candlekeep and to the forest. It was almost as if a demonic play as it played out right until Gorion's dark, armored murderer ran his sword right through his foster father's back. When Gorion fell down dead, Merikc saw the vision again. Then again and again and again, until Merick's eyes became used to the sight of it. The only thought that emerged in Merick's head was that soon he would have the power of Gorion's slayer, and as foolish as Gorion was, Merick would avenge his death. Merick awoke in his own sweat, but somehow he felt stronger than before. As if something inside of him was slowly waking.

Merick strapped on his armor and sought out the fat bounty collector immediately to find him just where he was before, standing in front of a building with ‘wanted’ posters, behind a simple wooden table. Merick dropped the bloodied, burnt head on the collector’s table without saying a word. The bounty collector squirmed backward and pressed himself against the wall, his eyes open in horror, staring at the severed head. He quickly regained his composure and placed the head in the basket. “You… you startled me.” explained the collector “I’ve seen many a severed head but … not the one of our beloved Captain Brage.” Merick eyed him impatiently “Where’s my bounty?!” The collector looked at Merick angrilly and passed him a purse. “There’s only 150 gold in this purse!” The collector showed no intimidation “That is the payment for your dishonesty earlier… Merick.” The fat collector went on, “I was absent the day the real Greywolf came and told a relief collector that he would return later to collect that bounty. Greywolf has continued to business with us none-the-less and headed to the mines to collect some stolen gems.” Merick reached for his blade but contained his rage remembering there was still a bounty to be collected for the mines, one that the collector probably would not have on him. Instead Merick grabbed the collector by his shirt and held him close. “Don’t you ever… ever cross me again! … and hold on to your bounties because they belong to me!” The collector was shaking as Merick walked away, walking out the eastern exit of the small town, towards the neighboring mine site. “This town will fall first…” Merick muttered to himself under his breath.

The walk to the mine was only a couple of hours with nothing but gravel and the occasional tree. Merick stopped when he saw a giant recess in the ground hundreds of meters wide. This was the mining pit. There were carts on rails leading from the primary mine entrance to a processing area where the iron was bagged up and put into caravans to be shipped off. However, the pit looked unusually bare with not even half the workers on the outside as he would have expected. Merick went to find a scaffolding to climb town into the pit with when something caught his eye. Over on the opposite edge of the pit, his dwarven eyes saw a man dressed in blue. Merick bolted over to the other side of the outside pit to meet the man.

The man in blue stood in front of a rock face chiseling away at the rock face, forming what appeared to be the face of a young women. Sitting on the ground next to the man were some carving tools and some very expensive looking gems. Merick realised this must have been Greywolf’s current bounty. The man in blue turned around when he heard Merick approaching behind him. The man was visibly stressed and spoke in a tired, defeated tone “I suppose Greywolf has sent you, hasn’t he? I knew it was only a matter of time. All I wanted was to finish my masterpiece…” Merick looked at the jewels on the ground and knew that they would sell for far more than what the bounty collector would pay for them and without a word advanced towards the man and his gems. Out of nowhere, behind the rock face, appeared wearing bronzed leather armor that covered his torso and upper thighs. The man was only of average height and build but was heavily ripped and Merick could already tell this man was a professional killer. He was Greywolf.

[ 04-11-2007, 06:47 AM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT VII
Greywolf

Greywolf looked at the man in blue and spoke with a cheeky grin “Prism, I thought I would never find you.” Greywolf turned and looked at Merick. “And you. You wouldn’t be the foolish dwarf who stole my bounty are you?” Merick knew he was lucky to have won his last fight and that this opponent would be as difficult, but none the less, he refused to show any weakness and replied, “Aye, that was me, and I’ll be taking this one off you as well.” Greywolf’s eyes burned with hatred as he drew a single long sword from behind his back. The sword looked amazing. The hilt was made of gold and the blade glowed a light blue, covered in a fine layer of frost. Merick drew his blade as the two moved in towards each other.

The two warriors ran in and clashed blades. Greywolf stood a foot and a half taller than Merick, but it seemed to prove little advantage. Sparks flew as the swordsman spun and clashed their blades in a series of flurries and aggressive blocks. Merick managed to gain the offensive advantage and got Greywolf on the back foot, with some aggressive head level strikes, but the advantage did not last long. Greywolf executed a quick sweep at Merick’s feet which caused Merick to jump back and raise his guard in time to get pushed back by a series of hard swings. Merick managed to get some decent swings in but found he was gradually getting pushed backward towards the rock face. Merick saw the rock face was within arms reach and knew that he was done for if he was cornered. He tried a hard overhead shot at Greywolf, but the mercenary saw it coming and kicked Merick hard in the chest against the wall. Greywolf brought his blade back by his side and thrusted it at Merick’s chest. Luckily, Merick predicted the follow through and pivoted to the side to see the blade sink deep into the rock. Greywolf leaned back to pull his blade out of the rock but fell backward as Merick drove his sword right through Greywolf’s thigh. Greywolf rolled on his back screaming in agony.

Merick heaved as he pulled the Greywolf’s icey sword out of the stone and examined it closely. Merick stood over Greywolf, who was about to remove the sword from his leg until he saw Merick standing over him. Merick taunted “Thank you very much for your blade and ye bounty” before driving the sword downward into Greywolf’s skull. Prism stood trembling against his rock sculpture, too frightened to say a word as Merick approached him and slashed him across the stomach and took his gems. Merick left Prism too fall to the ground, holding his wound, which was frosen around the outside edges of the cut, as a pool of blood built around him.

Merick could avoid any allegations against him as Prism had been killed with Greywolf’s blade and Greywolf could have attacked Merick first. Merick smiled at his ability to cover his own tracks as he made his way to the entrance of the Nashkel Mines.

[ 04-11-2007, 06:05 AM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 2
ACT IX
The Secret Of The Mines

Merick entered the enclave and straight away saw two entrances, but one of them was vailed with a purple curtain. Merick’s foot stung as his wound was collecting the black dust on the floor and was getting more and more infected every step. He held his bow and arrow together in front of him, ready to take down any more kobolds that he may encounter. Merick followed the short hallway until he reached a brightly lit room. The rocky walls were lined with candles and kobolds had engraved markings all over the wooden pillars that supported the mineshaft. Beside a couple of large chests was a throne with a half-orc sitting in it, and in front of him, four kobolds bowing before him.

Merick wasted no time and shot the first two kobolds in the back before they knew what hit them. The other two drew bows and fired at Merick but Merick rolled to the side and fired another arrow to kill another kobold. The final kobold froze in terror and watched Merick fire an arrow into its skull. Merick lowered his bow by his side and eyed the half-orc, who had not moved from his throne while watched his kobold companions slaughtered. Half-orcs always stood taller than a normal man and always carried a stronger, more solid build but generally bared the lower intellect of their orc kin. This half-orc seemed slightly shorter than the average half-orc but was probably smarter than the later, running a mine sabotaging operation. He seemed to be a cleric of sorts and wore thin metal armor covering most of his limbs and his tusk filled jaw was screwed up in fury at the sight of his intruder.

The half-orc stood up, unarmed and spoke in a deep, but unusually fluent half-orc accent. “I am Mulahey. And no doubt you were sent by Tarzok.” Merick wondered what information he could draw from this man and thought of his reply carefully before saying. “Yes. Now reveal your treachery to me and perhaps I will be merciful…” Mulahey yelled in rage. “Not a single measure of iron leaves these mines unspoiled and still he sent you!” The half-orc snarled. “I have no intentions to betray Tarzok! Bah, I even have proof! And you… you will regret ever coming here!” Merick heard the stretching of a bowstring behind him and dropped flat to the floor.

Merick rolled to his feet and drew his bow and arrow and shot down a kobold. He had only hit one of at least ten kobolds that were waiting at the entrance of the room. Merick fired at another kobold, but got hit himself in the shoulder. Merick grunted as he dropped his bow, ripped the arrow out of him and charged at the group with his sword. Merick weaved to the side to avoid the next bombardment of arrows but was not quick enough as two arrows hit him, one in his upper thigh and the other in the right hand side of his gut. Merick literally charged into the group of kobolds and bowled most of them over as they were pressed together as a group near the door frame. Merick rolled to his feet and sliced down the last two standing kobolds that faced him. He then did a couple of spinning flurries and carved up the most of the kobolds on the ground, when all of a sudden Merick saw something big in the corner of his eye and hit the deck!

A spiked ball on the end of a flail sailed just over Merick’s head and flew into a rising kobold. The kobold’s head and chest almost exploded on impact as blood splattered everywhere. Merick turned to see Mulahey standing over him, holding a flail in one hand and a small shield in the other. There was an arrow stuck in Mulahey’s leg where a kobold had missed and hit him. Mulahey swung his flail back and brought it down at Merick. Merick rolled to the side, and still on his back, stabbed his sword at Mulahey’s gut but Mulahey blocked it with his shield. Mulahey looked at kobold that was laying next to Merick that lay dying on the ground from a sword wound. He pointed on it and cast a quick spell. A blue trail of sparks left the half-orc’s hand and surrounded the kobold’s cut before sealing it up. In the short time that Mulahey had taken to do this, Merick had gotten to his feet and ran his blade through the kobold, which was reaching for its own. Mulahey’s diversion had worked as when Merick turned to face his opponent, the flail crushed down on his left bicep. Merick dropped to his knees and his sword fell at his feet. His left arm was shattered and hung lifelessly by his side. Merick’s vision doubled as he looked up, defeated, at Mulahey. Mulahey smiled and boasted “Give Tarzok my regards when he falls by me too.” The half-orc swung his flail in the air twice before bringing it down. As the spiked ball came down on his head, Merick's eyes burst to life. He sprung only a couple of feet to the left, enough to avoid the attack, and collected his blade of the ground. Mulahey was completely caught by surprise as Merick lunged to his feet and extended his new icy blade upward into the brain of his opponent. Merick pulled his blade from his opponent and fell on his back nursing his broken arm. Mulahey dropped to the floor in a dead heap.

Merick was in agony and didn’t know whether he would survive the trip out of the mines and back to Nashkel. Either way, he needed to search the enclave. He had saved the mines for Nashkel but that was never of interest to him. He wanted answers so he searched the large chests in the room. He stuffed all of the envelops into a sash on his side to sort through later. Now he needed another way out of here. He could not fight off any more kobolds with these injuries and looked around the lair thinking to himself, “He had to have another entrance to smuggle in those green vials and the kobolds.” When looking around he recognised a giant banner hanging over Mulahey’s throne. It was the symbol of a god, clearly one that the kobolds followed. Mulahey must have established himself as a prophet so that the kobolds would do his bidding. Merick tore off a corner of the banner and made a sling for his left arm.

All of a sudden something caught Merick’s eye. There were cracks behind one of the large chests. Merick shoved the chest out of the way and saw a rocky passage. Merick followed the rocky passage in absolute agony, but hope came when he saw sunlight peering down at him. Merick reached the surface tired, dirty and in agony, but found it pleasant to breathe clean air again once.

[ 04-13-2007, 04:33 AM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 3
ACT I
Farewell To Nashkel

Merick’s journey back to Nashkel was a long and painful one. He’d received a broken arm and punctures his foot, thigh, shoulder and lower stomach. Luckily for him, kobolds aren’t strong and their arrows didn’t penetrate too deeply past his armor. However, as agonizing as Merick’s trip back was, he was amazed at how well we as able to sustain a ready form when a weaker warrior would not have even made it back to Nashkel. Although the fortitude spell that was cast on him earlier would have definitely aided this, Merick felt as if something else was awakening inside him. Something seemed to grow with every powerful enemy that fell to him.

When Merick reached the town, he headed straight for the temple for some badly needed healing. The priest healed Merick for nearly a half hour for free and had him as good as new when Merick told him he had cleared the mines. The sun was down and the town was emptying so Merick headed straight for the Inn for a quick dinner and some much needed sleep. In his room, before he rested, Merick took out the letters he had taken from Mulahey’s lair to try and make sense of what was happening.

Most of the letters were between Mulahey and his superior, Tarzok, the one that Mulahey presumed that Merick was sent by to kill him. It seemed that both of them had their parts to play in starving the Sword Coast of iron. Tarzok was in league with the bandits, raiding any caravans importing iron into the area, whist Mulahey’s job was to make sure that all the iron produced by Nashkel was spoiled and near unusable. It seemed that Tarzok became displeased with Mulahey’s inability to keep his operation secretive when the Mulahey could not contain his kobold minions from killing the miners and warned Mulahey that he would be replaced if he could not do his job properly. “So the plot thickens…” Merick thought to himself. Merick read on and found that Tarzok had not disclosed his position to Mulahey, but in the most recent letter, did mentioned that he had appointed a new messenger, Tranzig, that was currently residing in Beregost. Merick needed to wrap his business up in Nashkel quickly to try and catch this fellow named Tranzig.

Merick awoke to a sunny morning and started walking towards the fat bounty collector when he crossed paths with a man wearing a dark cloak. The man in the cloak approached Merick and peering through his cloak, asked the dwarf. “Hello sir dwarf. Is your name Merick?” Merick smirked. “Who’s asking? You or Tarzok?” Merick saw the man’s eyes widen under his hood and grabbed the man’s right hand and snatched an axe he was holding. The man panicked and ran away in fear. Merick hurled the axe at the stranger’s back. To his amazement, the axe span perfectly through the air and planted itself perfectly in the cloaked man’s spine. The Nashkel Guards nearby ran up to them in time to see Merick take the man’s purse and for his own curiosity, fastened the throwing axe to his belt. Merick stared at the guards and boasted, “I saved your mines. I’ll take what I like.” A group of five soldiers surrounded the man and began to clean up the mess. Merick saw the bounty collector, and next to him, the Mayor, eagerly awaiting Merick’s findings.

Merick, in an unfathomable act of generosity, explained how the mines were being poisoned and that he had killed the master of the mines. The bounty collector unconvinced said “And what proof do you have?” Merick dropped the green vials on the table as well as the corner of the holy symbol that he had ripped off the wall of Mulahey’s chamber and used as a sling. “He got a kobolds to poison the steel with these and got them to follow him by setting himself up as a kobold profit, which the stupid creatures believed… Now where’s my reward!?” The Mayor raised his spear and called out to all nearby townsfolk, “My people! The Nashkel Mines have been saved thanks to this brave dwarf.” Merick stared at the mayor and slowly extended the upward palm of his hand, demanding payment. The Mayor smiled and gave Merick a heavy purse of gold and said “And for you Merick, 900 gold pieces!” Merick did not look impressed, looked down at the purse then up at Mayor before replying, “I want double this!” The Mayor was shocked. “I cannot give you any more than that. I’m sorry.” He said apologetically. Merick knew that he could not let them get away with this. Although it would be a bold move that he might regret, now was the time to make a stand. All the nearby guards were cleaning up the bounty hunter that had just been killed. Merick drew his blue bladed sword and cried out. “People! Gather round and watch your leader and all you stand for fall before you!” The Mayor could not believe what was happening and fumbled his spear into a ready position. The Mayor was past middle-age, too old to stand a chance against Merick. The Mayor knew this and took initiative to thrust his worn-out, old spear at Merick. Merck blocked the spear to the side, grabbed the spear near the tip, cut the top foot from the length of the spear and held it in his left hand. The Mayor, now infuriated, swung at Merick with what was left of his spear at Merick’s head. Merick blocked the attack with his sword and in the same motion ran the spear into the Mayor’s chest. The Mayor breathed heavily as a line of blood trickled from his mouth. Merick held is head close to the Mayor’s and whispered. “Your town will burn first...” The Mayor hatefully spat blood on Merick’s face. Merick replied by swinging heavily at the Mayor’s neck and watching his head tumble from his shoulders. Merick turned to face a circle of innocents that had watched their town leader fall and called out to them. “I gave you all a chance after you crossed me once. You will all taste death in time.” Merick saw a battalion of Nashkel Soldier charging at him. Merick quickly ran between the gaps between the buildings and narrowly managed to lose the guards before making his way into the forest. Merick hid behind a tree to catch his breath and thought to himself. “I’ll be back for the rest when I can afford for such actions to bring attention to me. Now it’s time to drop in on Mulahey and Tarzok’s little errand boy…”

[ 04-12-2007, 11:20 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 3
ACT II
The Hobbit Town Of Gullykin

Merick headed north to make his way back to the city of Beregost. Merick thought it would be wiser to go through the forests and stay clear of the main roads in order to get to Beregost unnoticed. When Merick last journeyed down from Beregost to Nashkel, he explored the lighthouse and the eastern forests. This time Merick decided to explore the forests west of the main road.

Merick pressed through yet another forest with little habitance. Merick did nothing but walk, besides kill and eat a fox, for a day and half. He began to ponder of how it was someone stupid and foolish to have killed the figurehead of a major town in The Sword Coast as now he would be wanted by the authorities as well as his unknown enemies, but he justified it in his own mind as he had to make a fearful stand somewhere. Hopefully Merick would have no reason to head back that way.

It was late afternoon when Merick saw a miniature town filled with tents and farms, and walking around inside, hobbits. Merick ventured in to see if there was anything of use that he could pillage from these small people. Merick arrogantly strutted straight through the town as if he owned it, but he was not impressed as these hobbits were primitive and only seemed to be running farms, raising animals and crops for themselves. Merick was just about to walk out of the town when what appeared to be the leader of the town came up to him. This hobbit wore lightly plated armor and carried a short sword and small shield on his back. He spoke at Merick, “Hello there stranger. You look like a warrior of some skill. We have a problem that you might be able to help us with.” Merick needed to get to Beregost to catch the messenger and was not interested in helping anybody regardless. Merick eyed the hobbit up and down for a moment.

Merick had already tasted what it was like to strike fear into the hearts of innocents. He could not help himself. “Draw your weapons.” Merick demanded with his eyes eagerly open. The Halfling looked stunned for a moment before drawing his short sword and shield. These people were farmers, not combatants and the battle reflected this. The hobbit people looked in horror at what was happening. Merick drew his blade and went straight into an offensive flurry of spins and slices. The hobbit leader was immediately put on the back foot and could only use his sword and shield to block the shots. Merick swung heavily to the right to knock the hobbit’s shield to the side before a lightning quick slice diagonally down the hobbit’s chest. The hobbit fell to the ground dying. Merick grinned in victory and aimed his ring at a straw stable. Merick sent a jet of fire at the stable that set it ablaze. Merick walked out of the town as if he had never been in it as the hobbits frantically gathered bails of water to put the fire out. Merick knew he didn’t have the time to hunt down and kill them all, but it was spreading the fear that he was interested in. At least for now…

[Rockstar]

CHAPTER 3
ACT III
The Sword Coast’s Greatest Swordsman

Merick was three quarters the way to Beregost and was now enjoying the peaceful serenity of a quiet forest enhabited by nothing but birds and squirrels. Merick had been so fixated on getting to Beregost that he had not rested since he left Nashkel. He found a well concealed tree to rest against and fell asleep.

Merick awoke to the dawning of the sun after hearing soft footsteps. Merick scrambled to his feet when he saw a tall warrior carrying a long sword approaching him, only meters away. Merick drew his blade and regained his composure.

The man was tall with blond hair and a large jutting jaw. His torso was covered in thick leather armor and he had noticeably heavy, perfectly crafted, black gauntlets on his hands that covered his hands up to his mid forearms. The man spoke. “I am friend of the hobbits of Gullykin and I came to visit them last night to find their village ablaze and one of my friends dead. I am here to serve justice to you.” Merick laughed at the notion. “So you’ve come here to serve ‘justice’ have you?” The man kept a serious look, “I am the greatest swordsman in the Sword Coast. I reside at the Firewine Ruins and I have never seen defeat in a sword dual.” The man made Merick’s face lit up in anger as the swordsman continued. “And I will do this farum a favour by removing this phycopathic dwarf.” Merick both men drew steel. The man had an impressed look on his face when he saw Merick’s sword as he commented “That’s a nice sword you have there… finally it will get a deserving master.”

Both men charged into close quarters. Both men wielded their blades with one hand and Merick was having to aim much higher against the tall man. Sparks flew rapidly as the swords danced in a spectacular dance display of speed and technical skill. Merick’s sword abilities had advanced thoroughly since he had left Candlekeep and was holding his ground, but his opponent seemed to have such speed and accuracy in his shots that Merick did not know how long he could hold a steady position for. Neither man was backing away as they held their ground when out of the blue, the swordsman tricked Merick, who misjudged a block and saw the swordsman’s blade enter just below his left collarbone. The swordsman slid his blade all the way through, angled slightly down. Merick arched his body forward in pain but at the same time swung his blade hard at the swordsman’s extended arm. The swordsman, thinking Merick was done for, in a panic, withdrew his blade as fast as he could, but Merick’s blade was already there. Merick’s sword swept right through the swordsman’s forearm, just below the elbow, in a separation of streaming blood.

The swordsman stumbled a few steps in hysteria before collapsing to his knees holding his arm at the elbow, watching blood drip from the wound, which was half crusted with frost. Merick grunted as he forced himself to stand before the swordsman, with the blade still run through him and gloated, "Never underestimate a dwarf!" The swordsman looked up at Merick and said in a low tone. “Finish me warrior…” Merick scrunched up his face with hate and replied, “With pleasure.” before beheading the swordsman.

Merick cried out in agony as he slid the blade out of him, length by length. He spilt some healing potion on both the front and the back of the wound to stop it from getting worse and then examined the gauntlet on the severed hand that lay on the ground. Merick took both the gauntlets and put them on. He realised he had found one of the ‘greatest swordsman’s’ secrets. When he put them on his hands moved faster and his when he swung his sword, the blade went almost exactly where he had wanted it to go. “Seems there is a good return in killing hobbits.” Merick laughed to himself as he made his way through the forest. After walking another day, Merick pressed through the last few clusters of trees and could see Beregost.

[ 04-14-2007, 09:57 PM: Message edited by: Rockstar ]