Post by delkar on May 12, 2006 0:41:37 GMT -5
Regnir awoke to the melodic sound of the dawncallers signaling the coming of the morning sun. He slowly sat up in his tent and stared ahead in silence letting his mind slowly pull itself together. After a few moments he got up and left his tent and began to make his walk to the flowing river fed by a hot spring. He slowly waded into the river allowing the heat to sink into his body and loosen his sniff joints after a long night’s rest.
He stood at the deepest parts of the river and yet it barely passed his shoulders, he was truly tall, taller even then most goliaths at eight feet and six inches. Everyone had said that at a young age he had eaten the seed of a redwood and that it was responsible for his extraordinary height. Regnir simply smiled at them and shrugged his shoulders, “The gods will what the gods will.” He would reply. His height however did not leave him completely out of proportion, his body was heavily muscled through natural ability and constant activity, not to mention the victory of many contests and feats of strength that other goliaths had challenged him to.
Today was to be a good day, dwarves where to be visiting the small tent city and Regnir would be in charge of the negotiations he was the only one fluent in the dwarven language within his tribe since his grandsire had passed away two summers previous. The dwarves had been visiting the tent city for at least four generations bringing special orders from the city or supplies that the camp traded for.
They had even forged a specially made hammer for his grandsire many summers past when they had first made peaceful contact with one another, a hammer had that stayed with the family passed down to the eldest son. He remembered when his father passed the hammer down to him before he succumbed to a vile disease known as rotgrip. “May the Ram-Lord watch their souls.” Regnir muttered as he quickly dressed himself in various furs and a thick cloak, he also took the hammer with him.
The dwarves had already arrived by the time Regnir arrived, they where quickly unpacking their wares as they had done hundreds of time before while a few younger goliaths milled about to see what the fuss was with the dwarves coming to town.
“Oy’ reggie ya be getting taller everytime I see ye, did ye just help yourself to another poor tree or what now?” And old white haired dwarf barked with a wicked laugh.
“My, friend Haelgar it is good to see you too. How are them ankles? They still giving you problems?” Regnir said with a beast of a smile while taking a seat in front of the caravan, so that the dwarf did not have to stair at his shins while he spoke.
“Oh those darn things gave up on me a few tendays ago…I can’t walk as much without them getting swollen, bah! Some old dwarf I am!” Haelgar said.
“A nice dip in the hotsprings will do your body good old drawf!” Regnir teased.
“That it may…but unfortunately we are on a tight schedule…there have been problems of late in the wild.” Haelgar said with a dull tone.
“Problems? In our mountain? How so?” Regnir asked.
“Well…I dunnae know that. There have been many a caravan heading to Narfell recently…but the goblin and gnolls have been taken it a time to expand their holdings. There have been skirmishes and attacks all over the roads…they seem smarter then usual, they attack in bursts…hit and run…to tell ye the truth I was afraid to make the journey here.” Haelgar explained.
“I shall hear no more of it.” Regnir said “I shall personally escort you all down the mountains and ensure you safely get to your home.”
“Oy, you dunnae know how that makes me feel Reggie, I could definitely use the help…my beard has gone all white from the worrying over the years.” He finished with a laugh.
“Then let us finish our business and we can leave right away!” Regnir said with another smile and began explaining to the dwarf on what the camp needed and what they had to offer.
At midday the caravan was set to leave and Regnir had obtained the chieftain’s permission to leave the camp, only after he insisted to take two other warriors with him for additional protection. Needless to say Regnir agreed, he was eager to see more of the surrounding mountain.
The travel down the mountain path was smooth and without any problem, twice they stopped, thinking they had heard something scratching behind them. They traveled through the night and into the next day the arrived within sight of the city.
“I’m afraid my friend Haelgar we will not be able to stay, Swifteye, Quickfoot and I must be heading back to the tent city, we are to be picking up camp and moving down into the plateau the morning after next and we do not want to be left behind.” Regnir said.
“Nay my boy, I understand. I thank ye for taking us this far. The city guards have us in their sights now and me guards are a fine bunch, they can see us through any brigands should any come before the door.” Haelgar said. “See ye next year my friend. Hopefully I can stay a while yet and rest my poor ankles in them hot water of yours.”
And so they left with a hurried goodbye, the three left back to their mountain home at a quick pace, hoping to make the trip in one day so they had ample time to prepare for the journey.
They immediately noticed something was wrong as they approached the camp, for one there where too many fires that dotted the tent city from a distance. Only one was usally lit, in the centre pit. Swifteye however could spot at least four, they knew some sort of trouble was about.
They ran quickly to the city and found an immensely painful sight to behold. Scores of Goliaths had been killed, along with bodies of gnolls…and strangely enough goblins…a kobold too…and various other strange creatures Regnir didn’t know. He could see though that there where at least four dead for every goliath killed…at least they put up a fight Regnir thought…
In an instant Regnir saw them, at least twenty of them surrounding the cheiftan’s hut, the chieftain stood there, guarding the door to his hut. Regnir couldn’t see inside clearly…he thought that even more wounded was inside. He couldn’t stand by and do nothing. He lifted his massive hammer and began a freverant charge into the circle. Quickfoot and Swifteye followed not even half a pace behind him.
The first two – their backs to Regnir’s furious charge never found out what killed them, the sides of their heads merely disintegrated as Regnir swung his giant hammer. He could see Swifteye and Quickfoot cut deeply into the enemy ranks, decimating one after another with pure rage in their eyes taking hits and repaying six more in kind.
The events of that battle Regnir could never remember fully. He bashed in more heads then he could count, he even grabbed a poor goblin by the face and used him as a club to beat others with until he realized he was just holding the head in his hand. He saw Swifteye fall first, he was simply overwhelmed yet he fought valiantly…further then his body could allow and fell to the ground dead. Quickfoot evaded the blows for the longest time, but in a daring act of heroism he sacrificed himself to protect the chieftain.
After Regnir had defeated the last of them he could barely stand, he was bleeding from more then a dozen wounds. He slowly looked over to the chieftain who was leaning on a wall bleeding intensely from a wound on the chest breathing heavily and made his way to him.
“Listen…” he whispered. “Some escaped…they fled to the east…to the Narfell lands…the women…the children. I see…I…I saw what you did today…you must survive…it is my will that you be Chieftain after me…my son…dead. I leave no other...you are now the Thunderlord…carry the name proudly…you must find them…goes…now…someone…behind…” he finishes just before the wounds take his toll on him and he passes away.
“How completely PITIFUL, I cannot believe a simple tribe of savages could put up such a fight! I am SURROUNDED by INCOMPETENCE!” A tall shrouded figure said turning to a corpse on the ground...perhaps one of his lieutenants. “Bloody idiots! I am going to have you raised from the dead alone so that I can kill you once more for your incompetence! And you! You shall pay for what you have done here…yes…I shall break you.” He finished staring at Regnir.
Regnir huffed, more like grunted…he was in no condition to have another battle. “Leave us…we have much mourning to do…” Was all he could manage.
“Mourning? MOURNING?! I am surprised you filthy creatures even have a language!” He said pointing a finger at Regnir with a jagged black beam emerging from the end of it striking Regnir fully in the chest and having him slump down in a pile out cold.
An unknown time later…at an unknown place later Regnir awoke…he awoke to the touch of a strange looking man…one kind that Regnir had never seen before…his vision was still clouded…then he heard...
“…my name is Urthur the Wounded. You are alive. Welcome to Hell…”
He stood at the deepest parts of the river and yet it barely passed his shoulders, he was truly tall, taller even then most goliaths at eight feet and six inches. Everyone had said that at a young age he had eaten the seed of a redwood and that it was responsible for his extraordinary height. Regnir simply smiled at them and shrugged his shoulders, “The gods will what the gods will.” He would reply. His height however did not leave him completely out of proportion, his body was heavily muscled through natural ability and constant activity, not to mention the victory of many contests and feats of strength that other goliaths had challenged him to.
Today was to be a good day, dwarves where to be visiting the small tent city and Regnir would be in charge of the negotiations he was the only one fluent in the dwarven language within his tribe since his grandsire had passed away two summers previous. The dwarves had been visiting the tent city for at least four generations bringing special orders from the city or supplies that the camp traded for.
They had even forged a specially made hammer for his grandsire many summers past when they had first made peaceful contact with one another, a hammer had that stayed with the family passed down to the eldest son. He remembered when his father passed the hammer down to him before he succumbed to a vile disease known as rotgrip. “May the Ram-Lord watch their souls.” Regnir muttered as he quickly dressed himself in various furs and a thick cloak, he also took the hammer with him.
The dwarves had already arrived by the time Regnir arrived, they where quickly unpacking their wares as they had done hundreds of time before while a few younger goliaths milled about to see what the fuss was with the dwarves coming to town.
“Oy’ reggie ya be getting taller everytime I see ye, did ye just help yourself to another poor tree or what now?” And old white haired dwarf barked with a wicked laugh.
“My, friend Haelgar it is good to see you too. How are them ankles? They still giving you problems?” Regnir said with a beast of a smile while taking a seat in front of the caravan, so that the dwarf did not have to stair at his shins while he spoke.
“Oh those darn things gave up on me a few tendays ago…I can’t walk as much without them getting swollen, bah! Some old dwarf I am!” Haelgar said.
“A nice dip in the hotsprings will do your body good old drawf!” Regnir teased.
“That it may…but unfortunately we are on a tight schedule…there have been problems of late in the wild.” Haelgar said with a dull tone.
“Problems? In our mountain? How so?” Regnir asked.
“Well…I dunnae know that. There have been many a caravan heading to Narfell recently…but the goblin and gnolls have been taken it a time to expand their holdings. There have been skirmishes and attacks all over the roads…they seem smarter then usual, they attack in bursts…hit and run…to tell ye the truth I was afraid to make the journey here.” Haelgar explained.
“I shall hear no more of it.” Regnir said “I shall personally escort you all down the mountains and ensure you safely get to your home.”
“Oy, you dunnae know how that makes me feel Reggie, I could definitely use the help…my beard has gone all white from the worrying over the years.” He finished with a laugh.
“Then let us finish our business and we can leave right away!” Regnir said with another smile and began explaining to the dwarf on what the camp needed and what they had to offer.
At midday the caravan was set to leave and Regnir had obtained the chieftain’s permission to leave the camp, only after he insisted to take two other warriors with him for additional protection. Needless to say Regnir agreed, he was eager to see more of the surrounding mountain.
The travel down the mountain path was smooth and without any problem, twice they stopped, thinking they had heard something scratching behind them. They traveled through the night and into the next day the arrived within sight of the city.
“I’m afraid my friend Haelgar we will not be able to stay, Swifteye, Quickfoot and I must be heading back to the tent city, we are to be picking up camp and moving down into the plateau the morning after next and we do not want to be left behind.” Regnir said.
“Nay my boy, I understand. I thank ye for taking us this far. The city guards have us in their sights now and me guards are a fine bunch, they can see us through any brigands should any come before the door.” Haelgar said. “See ye next year my friend. Hopefully I can stay a while yet and rest my poor ankles in them hot water of yours.”
And so they left with a hurried goodbye, the three left back to their mountain home at a quick pace, hoping to make the trip in one day so they had ample time to prepare for the journey.
They immediately noticed something was wrong as they approached the camp, for one there where too many fires that dotted the tent city from a distance. Only one was usally lit, in the centre pit. Swifteye however could spot at least four, they knew some sort of trouble was about.
They ran quickly to the city and found an immensely painful sight to behold. Scores of Goliaths had been killed, along with bodies of gnolls…and strangely enough goblins…a kobold too…and various other strange creatures Regnir didn’t know. He could see though that there where at least four dead for every goliath killed…at least they put up a fight Regnir thought…
In an instant Regnir saw them, at least twenty of them surrounding the cheiftan’s hut, the chieftain stood there, guarding the door to his hut. Regnir couldn’t see inside clearly…he thought that even more wounded was inside. He couldn’t stand by and do nothing. He lifted his massive hammer and began a freverant charge into the circle. Quickfoot and Swifteye followed not even half a pace behind him.
The first two – their backs to Regnir’s furious charge never found out what killed them, the sides of their heads merely disintegrated as Regnir swung his giant hammer. He could see Swifteye and Quickfoot cut deeply into the enemy ranks, decimating one after another with pure rage in their eyes taking hits and repaying six more in kind.
The events of that battle Regnir could never remember fully. He bashed in more heads then he could count, he even grabbed a poor goblin by the face and used him as a club to beat others with until he realized he was just holding the head in his hand. He saw Swifteye fall first, he was simply overwhelmed yet he fought valiantly…further then his body could allow and fell to the ground dead. Quickfoot evaded the blows for the longest time, but in a daring act of heroism he sacrificed himself to protect the chieftain.
After Regnir had defeated the last of them he could barely stand, he was bleeding from more then a dozen wounds. He slowly looked over to the chieftain who was leaning on a wall bleeding intensely from a wound on the chest breathing heavily and made his way to him.
“Listen…” he whispered. “Some escaped…they fled to the east…to the Narfell lands…the women…the children. I see…I…I saw what you did today…you must survive…it is my will that you be Chieftain after me…my son…dead. I leave no other...you are now the Thunderlord…carry the name proudly…you must find them…goes…now…someone…behind…” he finishes just before the wounds take his toll on him and he passes away.
“How completely PITIFUL, I cannot believe a simple tribe of savages could put up such a fight! I am SURROUNDED by INCOMPETENCE!” A tall shrouded figure said turning to a corpse on the ground...perhaps one of his lieutenants. “Bloody idiots! I am going to have you raised from the dead alone so that I can kill you once more for your incompetence! And you! You shall pay for what you have done here…yes…I shall break you.” He finished staring at Regnir.
Regnir huffed, more like grunted…he was in no condition to have another battle. “Leave us…we have much mourning to do…” Was all he could manage.
“Mourning? MOURNING?! I am surprised you filthy creatures even have a language!” He said pointing a finger at Regnir with a jagged black beam emerging from the end of it striking Regnir fully in the chest and having him slump down in a pile out cold.
An unknown time later…at an unknown place later Regnir awoke…he awoke to the touch of a strange looking man…one kind that Regnir had never seen before…his vision was still clouded…then he heard...
“…my name is Urthur the Wounded. You are alive. Welcome to Hell…”
