Stories (Continued...)
My first adventures at the lake of Ill Omen, a place I was to come to know very well over the years.
At The Lake
Iztariani stood on the shore of the vast lake, gazing out across its wind-ruffled waters towards the distant sunken towers. The breeze teased her hair, gently billowing the filmy veil that protected her head from the fierce morning sun. The nearby icy-cold spring-fed creek chuckled and burbled as it ran over the sun-warmed stones and emptied itself into the larger waters.
She stretched, cat like, then did an easy series of limbering exercises, her axe hissing as it cleaved though the air. She effortlessly swung and stepped from pose to pose, slippered feet near soundless in the pale sand.
Only a faint crunching sound warned her of the approaching goblin. Swiftly, she turned, her massive axe making swift work of the dangerous foe.
As she stood cleaning her weapon with lake water and handfuls of grass, a figure emerged from the nearby bushes. A tall barbarian shaman, neatly outfitted in darkened armour, a large pack slung casually across his back, emerged on the shore, and raised a hand in casual salutation.
"Good morning, fellow traveller," he said. "That was a lovely fight...too bad I only saw the very end of it."
"Thank you," Iztariani replied, bowing gracefully in acknowledgement of the compliment. "Tell me, are goblins very common here? I am new to these lands, and have little understanding of local conditions."
"Yes," he said, lowering his well-worn bag to the ground, "They are quite common, as are a creature known as Sarnaks, which hold a fortress on the far shores of this lake. There are also many sabertoothed tigers. And the undead walk here as well."
Iztariani nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like a dangerous land for one unfamiliar with its denizens," she replied. "I don't suppose you would be willing to travel together for a time, until I am familiar with this place?"
"Certainly," he replied, smiling easily. "My name is Jealer, and I am a shaman of eighteen seasons."
She dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Iztariani," she replied, "A paladin of the twenty-first season."
Clasping hands, they sat down to discuss local conditions.
They had been working their way along the shore for several hours, killing skeletons and goblins as they went, when they reached the ruined buildings.
"Be careful of there," Jealer said, gesturing towards the crumbling walls, "I have heard a nest of goblins occupies those dwellings."
"Okay," Iztariani responded, "I shall be cautious."
Slowly working her way into the ruins, Iztariani managed to locate an isolated goblin. A momentary use of her bow, a fast run to lead it into ambush, and the goblin was dead.
"That was easy," she smiled at Jealer, and headed back. Near where she had spotted the first goblin, she spotted another. A momentary use of her bow...and two goblins sprang through the doorway towards her. She ran back to the lakeside, thankful that Jealer had blessed her with the Spirit of the Wolf earlier.
Together, they attacked the goblins, battling fiercely. But the goblins were too strong for the two of them, and seemingly more intelligent then the northern goblins she was familiar with, as they focused their attacks on Jealer, soon rendering him unconscious. Iztariani barely managed to finish them off, then sank to the sands beside Jealer's unmoving body, frantically sorting through her packs for bandages to staunch the blood flow from their many wounds.
"Let's not do that again," Jealer sighed as they sat by the rapidly cooling ashes of their campfire the next morning, moving stiffly from healing wounds.
"Aye," Iztariani agreed, wincing as she stood. "That was rather less then pleasant."
After dumping lake water on the ashes to make sure they would not return to life, she and Jealer returned to their hunting place of the previous night. Again, Iztariani cautiously entered the ruins, creeping around in search of an isolated goblin.
As she passed an open doorway, a fierce-looking goblin stepped through it, saw her, and screamed a battlecry. Another goblin emerged as well, and they both attacked her.
Swearing under her breath, Iztariani ran back to the lakeside, calling out a warning to Jealer, as the goblins swiftly pursued her.
Again, they fought valiantly side by side to vanquish the goblins, and again Jealer was knocked unconscious before the battle ended. Iztariani prayed frantically as the goblins concentrated their attacks on her...and suddenly felt the hand of her god blessing her with healing. Somehow, she managed to slay both the goblins, though she was nearly fainting with exhaustion when she finished.
Again, she sank down on the sands by Jealer and began pulling bandages from her backpack.
It was several days before they were healed enough to move on again. Jealer grew increasingly bitter over the enforced inactivity...he was clearly only happy when active.
"I will understand if you do not wish to continue hunting together," Iztariani said, feeling ashamed that she could have so badly failed a companion. "But I would hope that we can overcome this poor beginning."
Jealer scowled at her from where he sat by the fire, then sighed and shook his head. "I am willing to take another chance," he said, "but not in this area. Our luck here has been too foul for my liking...it leaves a bitter taste."
"All right," Iztariani agreed. "Then we should move on. And I think it would be wiser if you sought our prey, as you are more familiar with the area and know what you can and cannot handle. Better that I find some battles too easy then that you find any more battles to be too difficult."
Jealer's scowl lightened further. "Aye, that is true," he said. "Come, I know a good hunting place further along the shore."
Gathering their belongings, they left the place, never looking back towards the goblin-haunted ruins. Silently, Iztariani promised herself to one day return and avenge her companion's wounds of body and spirit on the goblins dwelling there.
It was a long trip along the shore to the place where Jealer desired to hunt. Along the way, he pointed out many of the local features and points of interest, his good nature slowly resurfacing as they travelled.
"Here is a good place to hunt," he finally said, gesturing towards the ruined structures that littered the eastern shoreline. "There are many things here that we can safely deal with. You wait here, and I'll go find something for us."
Nodding, Iztariani set about organizing their camp site while Jealer ventured inland in search of prey.
The remainder of the day passed very well, with many of the local Goblins and Sarnak falling beneath their blades.
"I hope we can share a hunting ground again some time," Iztariani told Jealer as she packed her bags and prepared to move one. "Apart from our rocky beginnings, our partnership seemed to work well."
"Aye," Jealer grudgingly agreed, "as your progress into your twenty-second season has proven. Perhaps some day we shall meet again."
"Best of luck in your future," Iztariani wished him, "good hunting and bright sunlight in your travels."
"Good hunting to you, as well," he responded, nodding his head.
Waving in farewell, Iztariani headed off along the shoreline, towards the distant Sarnak fortress. She had received word that an old companion was there, and looked forward to hunting with him once more.
At The Lake
Iztariani stood on the shore of the vast lake, gazing out across its wind-ruffled waters towards the distant sunken towers. The breeze teased her hair, gently billowing the filmy veil that protected her head from the fierce morning sun. The nearby icy-cold spring-fed creek chuckled and burbled as it ran over the sun-warmed stones and emptied itself into the larger waters.
She stretched, cat like, then did an easy series of limbering exercises, her axe hissing as it cleaved though the air. She effortlessly swung and stepped from pose to pose, slippered feet near soundless in the pale sand.
Only a faint crunching sound warned her of the approaching goblin. Swiftly, she turned, her massive axe making swift work of the dangerous foe.
As she stood cleaning her weapon with lake water and handfuls of grass, a figure emerged from the nearby bushes. A tall barbarian shaman, neatly outfitted in darkened armour, a large pack slung casually across his back, emerged on the shore, and raised a hand in casual salutation.
"Good morning, fellow traveller," he said. "That was a lovely fight...too bad I only saw the very end of it."
"Thank you," Iztariani replied, bowing gracefully in acknowledgement of the compliment. "Tell me, are goblins very common here? I am new to these lands, and have little understanding of local conditions."
"Yes," he said, lowering his well-worn bag to the ground, "They are quite common, as are a creature known as Sarnaks, which hold a fortress on the far shores of this lake. There are also many sabertoothed tigers. And the undead walk here as well."
Iztariani nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like a dangerous land for one unfamiliar with its denizens," she replied. "I don't suppose you would be willing to travel together for a time, until I am familiar with this place?"
"Certainly," he replied, smiling easily. "My name is Jealer, and I am a shaman of eighteen seasons."
She dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Iztariani," she replied, "A paladin of the twenty-first season."
Clasping hands, they sat down to discuss local conditions.
They had been working their way along the shore for several hours, killing skeletons and goblins as they went, when they reached the ruined buildings.
"Be careful of there," Jealer said, gesturing towards the crumbling walls, "I have heard a nest of goblins occupies those dwellings."
"Okay," Iztariani responded, "I shall be cautious."
Slowly working her way into the ruins, Iztariani managed to locate an isolated goblin. A momentary use of her bow, a fast run to lead it into ambush, and the goblin was dead.
"That was easy," she smiled at Jealer, and headed back. Near where she had spotted the first goblin, she spotted another. A momentary use of her bow...and two goblins sprang through the doorway towards her. She ran back to the lakeside, thankful that Jealer had blessed her with the Spirit of the Wolf earlier.
Together, they attacked the goblins, battling fiercely. But the goblins were too strong for the two of them, and seemingly more intelligent then the northern goblins she was familiar with, as they focused their attacks on Jealer, soon rendering him unconscious. Iztariani barely managed to finish them off, then sank to the sands beside Jealer's unmoving body, frantically sorting through her packs for bandages to staunch the blood flow from their many wounds.
"Let's not do that again," Jealer sighed as they sat by the rapidly cooling ashes of their campfire the next morning, moving stiffly from healing wounds.
"Aye," Iztariani agreed, wincing as she stood. "That was rather less then pleasant."
After dumping lake water on the ashes to make sure they would not return to life, she and Jealer returned to their hunting place of the previous night. Again, Iztariani cautiously entered the ruins, creeping around in search of an isolated goblin.
As she passed an open doorway, a fierce-looking goblin stepped through it, saw her, and screamed a battlecry. Another goblin emerged as well, and they both attacked her.
Swearing under her breath, Iztariani ran back to the lakeside, calling out a warning to Jealer, as the goblins swiftly pursued her.
Again, they fought valiantly side by side to vanquish the goblins, and again Jealer was knocked unconscious before the battle ended. Iztariani prayed frantically as the goblins concentrated their attacks on her...and suddenly felt the hand of her god blessing her with healing. Somehow, she managed to slay both the goblins, though she was nearly fainting with exhaustion when she finished.
Again, she sank down on the sands by Jealer and began pulling bandages from her backpack.
It was several days before they were healed enough to move on again. Jealer grew increasingly bitter over the enforced inactivity...he was clearly only happy when active.
"I will understand if you do not wish to continue hunting together," Iztariani said, feeling ashamed that she could have so badly failed a companion. "But I would hope that we can overcome this poor beginning."
Jealer scowled at her from where he sat by the fire, then sighed and shook his head. "I am willing to take another chance," he said, "but not in this area. Our luck here has been too foul for my liking...it leaves a bitter taste."
"All right," Iztariani agreed. "Then we should move on. And I think it would be wiser if you sought our prey, as you are more familiar with the area and know what you can and cannot handle. Better that I find some battles too easy then that you find any more battles to be too difficult."
Jealer's scowl lightened further. "Aye, that is true," he said. "Come, I know a good hunting place further along the shore."
Gathering their belongings, they left the place, never looking back towards the goblin-haunted ruins. Silently, Iztariani promised herself to one day return and avenge her companion's wounds of body and spirit on the goblins dwelling there.
It was a long trip along the shore to the place where Jealer desired to hunt. Along the way, he pointed out many of the local features and points of interest, his good nature slowly resurfacing as they travelled.
"Here is a good place to hunt," he finally said, gesturing towards the ruined structures that littered the eastern shoreline. "There are many things here that we can safely deal with. You wait here, and I'll go find something for us."
Nodding, Iztariani set about organizing their camp site while Jealer ventured inland in search of prey.
The remainder of the day passed very well, with many of the local Goblins and Sarnak falling beneath their blades.
"I hope we can share a hunting ground again some time," Iztariani told Jealer as she packed her bags and prepared to move one. "Apart from our rocky beginnings, our partnership seemed to work well."
"Aye," Jealer grudgingly agreed, "as your progress into your twenty-second season has proven. Perhaps some day we shall meet again."
"Best of luck in your future," Iztariani wished him, "good hunting and bright sunlight in your travels."
"Good hunting to you, as well," he responded, nodding his head.
Waving in farewell, Iztariani headed off along the shoreline, towards the distant Sarnak fortress. She had received word that an old companion was there, and looked forward to hunting with him once more.