Xon's Entry 3

Orcs.

Nasty, brutish fellows. And they never bathe.

Ick.

So, after hearing the ramblings of the kobold priestess, we continued to Travensburg. Molistead's birthplace.

What was Travensburg like? Well, let's just say it went a lot towards explaining his character.

No, that's not completely fair. Molistead certainly had his moments. Why, I remember the time he actually saved my life by-

Oh, yes. I'm jumping ahead of myself again.

When we arrived at the town, we noticed that the grainery had burned down and that there was apparently a plague infesting the town. Annu almost immediately left to go help the villagers in their time of need. As I had no arts of physical healing (emotional, yes), I was unable to be of much assistance, so I whiled away my time speaking to a lovely lass by the name of Ravensong-

Yes, that Ravensong. Well I had to meet her SOMEWHERE, now didn't I?

In any case, I was learning more about her life (quite tragic, really) when Mr. Travens, the mayor of Travensburg, walked in.

At least I think he was the mayor. Come to think of it, I don't remember if I ever did find out.

Oh, well. Anyway, he informed us that since the grainery burned down due to some fungus or something, they were nearly out of food. They had ordered more, but apparently there was a band of orcs out there and they were worried that the shipment of food and supplies might have been waylaid.

Well, certainly I couldn't let such a thing go unpunished! I immediately lept up and, gathering my companions, including Ravensong (she was confident that the orcs were part of the band that had killed her family) we set off.

About an hour later, we found a wagon being waylaid by some orcs. We dispatched the orcs, to find out that a human was apparently controling them! Or at least leading them. We knocked him unconscious and brought the lot back to town.

Well... It wasn't that simple. Ravensong left us at that point to go kill more orcs. Lovely woman. A tad bit focused on her work more so than I think healthy.

In any case, we arrived back in town, got fresh horses and followed the trail Ravensong left us to the cave where the orcs were hiding. We snuck in, dispatched several orcs, found Ravensong, dispatched several more orcs, saved Ravensong from almost certain death, (she had been captured) and explored the rest of the cave complex, which had many more orcs, a few monsters that defy description, and another human. This one appeared to be in league with the dark powers and cast several spells of power before we defeated him also.

Yes, I made it sound easy. It wasn't. Trust me on that.

In any case, having secured the complex, we saddled what we could on the horses and made haste back to town. By this time it was quite late, so we turned in.

The next day, a group of villagers and the four of us went back into the cave complex. As the villagers loaded the remaining items of importance on wagons, we found a rather loathsome monster that had wandered into the complex overnight and dispatched it without too much trouble.

We then returned to town, to attempt to sell some of our hard-won treasure and to attend the trial of the bastard who-

Oh, dear. I'm sorry about that. Here, let me get a towel for you. While I'm at it, I'd better refill my wine glass.

I tend to get a bit upset when I talk about what happened next.

Sigh.

Well.

The human who had been leading the orcs was questioned. He replied that indeed, he had been leading the orcs, and that his brother would call down terrible vengence upon us if we did not release him now.

His brother turned out to be the other human we fought in the cave complex. I informed him that I had killed his brother myself.

Did I? Come to think of it, I don't think I did. I was bragging, attempting to cow the man.

One time I sincerely wish I had told the truth.

The man stood up. He had been bound. He no longer was. He had been manacled. He no longer was. How did he do this? I have no idea.

I panicked.

I knew he was a spellcaster. I had no idea what he could accomplish now that he had been freed. I lunged forward, and skewered him on my rapier.

He cursed me as he died.

YES, THAT-

Excuse me. Yes, that curse.

I found more about it much later. All I knew a day later was that I had been cursed. Specifically, I had -

No, I won't speak of it.

I will say this. The words he whispered to me as he died:

"Thank you, brother."

I still hear them in my dreams.