Chapter 10:A series of Finishing Blows
Lord Tom continued the tale, and the details came out. The initial injury, the request for aid, and the party’s arrival. As the tale of the gate being breached continued, the Knowet-all cut in again as the mage raised his eyebrows at the accounting,
“A group of silver-striped Tomb vermin breached your gate? In a giant rolling ball formation?”
Lord Tom nodded curtly and replied,
“Captain Lowry was at the gate with my men and me as it happened. One of the strangest sights I’ve ever seen.”
The large arrogant administrator looked nervous at this and said to the mage at his side,
“Rod, when was the last time the kingdom’s dungeons were checked for ambient overcharge? What about a count of the higher-tier bosses? Mobs outside the main dungeon shouldn’t have that kind of group magic available.”
It was the mage’s turn to stroke their chin thoughtfully and respond,
“At the last quarterly review. We weren’t due for cleansing for another six months at least. I’ll send some of my boys to do the rounds as soon as we return.”
Zubadiah nodded and waved at Lord Tom again, impatient to hear the rest.
Lord Tom related the rest of the cleanup in the town after the breach and passed the story back to Nixen.
At Nixen relating the interlopers using deceit poorly, he was cut off again by Grand Master Brisco,
“Tactics? From the mobs? Are you sure? When was your last language eval?”
Cato looked to pipe up with another comment on the number of interruptions, but Omara put a hand over his mouth with a punch from her other hand into his short ribs. The rogue looked more hurt by the hand over his mouth but kept his thoughts to himself.
Nixen nodded thanks at her and replied,
“Thirty days ago. I’m sure of what I heard, Grand Master.”
The dwarf in black plate shook their head,
“That’s not a level of mob your novices should handle yet, Nixen. Why didn’t you fall back?”
Nixen looked at the other dwarf and said calmly,
“I’ve had these Novices for two months, and I’ve been training others for five years, Donnie. The mobs had only shown delaying tactics to that point.”
Nixen looked at the covered stretchers nearby. He observed the forlorn-looking owlet grieving while she perched on one of them and said,
“Mistakes were made.”
Grand Master Brisco saw the glance and nodded, dressing down mistakes by a team leader should be done out of sight of their team. The gruff guild master knew a team member was missing from the witnesses present based on the initial quest briefing.
The dwarf suspected she was on one of the stretchers, probably the one with an owl trying to get under the blanket covering it. He was not insensitive to losing a team member. As a commander, he would be lax in not addressing it now that it had been breached, though,
“Mistakes…These two don’t seem too banged up. What happened to your third?”
Nixen moved to one of the covered stretchers, coaxed Pellet onto one of their arms, and motioned their guild master over with the other two guild leaders. Omara and Cato started to move over, but the dwarf motioned them back toward Lord Tom’s party.
The dwarven paladin spoke quietly as they uncovered Winnie,
“This is why I called for all of you. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Winnie was lying on the stretcher, almost unrecognizable. The leaves that had started to sprout from her mostly bald head and grown into a sheet of greenery that flowed down her scalp. Pellet let out another sad hoot, trying to get back to Winnie. Nixen held her in place with ease so the guild masters could have an unobstructed view.
Winnie’s clothing had deteriorated, the patches from where her wounds began scabbing with bark after the battle had grown. Little of her natural skin that could be seen remained except for her face, still tinted a faint blue.
Two of the guild grand masters hissed at the sight, with the mages guild master grabbing the Knowet leader by the arm and dragging him slightly back from the woman. The Knowet, for his part, raised his eyebrows, then calmly withdrew a small journal from the satchel at his belt. Beckle started flipping through the pages quickly. Brisco paled, though it was difficult to tell under that magnificent bush of a beard.
Brisco cleared his throat significantly at Beckle, trying to get the man to do something. At the knowet all’s blank stare he rallied his words and addressed Nixen,
“I was unaware your novice druid knew how to nature shape.”
Nixen replied in an equal tone of grim news as they allowed Pellet to retake her station atop Winnie’s chest,
“She doesn’t. Master Ragweed, I take it from your reaction you have an idea what is happening?”
Ragweed nodded numbly and responded in a soft voice,
“I may. Tell me the exact circumstances. Leave no detail out.”
Zubadiah cleared his throat roughly and eyed the surrounding people who did not need to know suggestively.
“Perhaps sensitive information should be discussed…delicately, I am enacting Oberon’s folly clearance for this.”
Brisco snorted,
“More belatedly sharp hindsight. Great job, Beckle.”
Tom spoke up,
“What’s Oberon’s folly?”
Ragweed looked at Lord Tom, his retainers, and the two novices. He nodded reluctantly at this late-arrived wisdom. Then, he murmured under his breath while gesturing towards the three guild masters, paladin, and two stretchers. Lord Tom spoke up with more aggression in his voice,
“Damn it, Beckle! As lord of this cou-”
The Lord of Adder County was interrupted. A shimmering circle appeared around the group, cutting sound off from Lord Tom’s and the novice’s parties. As the Mage finished his incantation, a semi-transparent dome appeared over the group from the circle. Blurred figures could be seen inside, with difficulty.
Sighing at the political backlash that Zubadiah was causing on this short trip, Nixen began their story again from where they had left off. Relating how the sweep job had gone after the initial ambush by the first mobs took little time until he got to the magical shenanigans caused by the interlopers. Ragweed and Beckle exchanged significant glances before saying both saying,
“Show us the mobs.”
Nixen calmly uncovered the stretcher holding the sacks of trophies and the unconscious monsters with caplaces around their necks.
Little interest was shown to the silver-striped tomb vermin, but all three guild masters sucked air through their teeth at the two small, white-furred creatures. The antennae on their heads twitched slightly as the dwarf recovered the stretcher.
Nixen noted the reaction and asked,
“You know these mobs? I haven’t encountered them before, and they aren’t listed in the regional compendium. In my time at the guild, that hasn’t happened often. You didn’t seem to recognize them at farmer Jenkins’s description.”
Ragweed spoke,
“They are known, and your novices have earned quite the bonus for their capture. They are a valuable and rare species. Certified interlopers. They are known as Goom currently. Consider your party… lucky. Depending on the evaluation Master Beckle will conduct when we return to Purpolis, they will not lack funds soon.”
“Currently?”
Nixen asked with arched brows.
Beckle tried to divert the dwarf,
“We did not think a farmer NPC would give an accurate description, so we dismissed it. We expected an odd coloration of Vermin cubs, at best. Whiskey is a known factor in creative license this far out in the sticks.”
“These haven’t been seen in our country for several years. Tell us more about the events that led to their capture.”
Ragweed and Beckle questioned the dwarf closely during their story, firing questions and demanding more detail as fast as Nixen could answer them. Brisco looked on, not willing to interrupt the flow of questions in favor of getting answers. He did toss one in for form, however.
“What do you mean the eyes were glowing?”
Asked Beckle.
“How many of the Vermin had the odd coloring?
Fired off Ragweed.
“What magical effects did the interlopers display again?”
Badgered Beckle.
“The simulacrum killed only the one?”
Confirmed Ragweed.
“What was the total number of interlopers and Vermin in your encounters?”
Mildly contributed Brisco.
“How long had your novice had that summoning running?”
Complained Beckle.
“What did you say to Novice Omara when she used that ‘applesaucery’ spell? Stupid name, by the way,”
Commented Ragweed.
Zubadiah waited for this answer with poorly concealed impatience and an added comment of his own,
“Yes, cognitive control. Terribly stupid to let that happen. We’ve warned everyone against that.”
Nixen looked more frustrated with each question posed to them and said scathingly in reply,
“I warned her it was not to be used on fellow sapients. By your decree, Master Beckle, we refrain from discussing philosophy on the existence of self-awareness in monsters until journeyman rank. Something I and my church disagree with.”
“Master Ragweed, by your decree, I can’t warn her more about the dangers until she knows how her magic works, or it will stunt her growth as a mage. What do you two suggest I should have done differently about that? And can we please focus on what has happened to her?”
The last sentence came out with a shout and a shaking finger pointed at the novice on a stretcher attempting to imitate a shrubbery. Master Ragweed looked chagrined at this while Beckle stared the dwarf down and responded.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“If you would like to take over the running of this kingdom’s information network and guild safety procedures, kindly apply for the position and demonstrate your competence to do so at the next aptitude evaluation. Then gain the confidence of the other guild masters, the nobles, and approval from the King.”
“Finally, I would remind you that Master Ragweed has been our Mage Guild head for coming up on a century now and knows the headaches and dangers of magic far better than a….”
Beckle looked up and down Nixen's thicker stout frame and continued,
“Paladin, who comes up short in that department.”
“A short joke. From you?”
Ragweed motioned Nixen to stop advancing on the Knowet with murder on their face and responded to the dwarf’s original question bluntly,
“I suspect that something very similar to what happened to Master Ian has happened to Novice Winnie. She will continue this transformation unless it can be slowed, then reversed, at the Mages guild.”
Nixen slowed their advance and then stopped. Brisco looked disappointed…in a professional way.
“We will do everything we can for her, but she will be lucky to retain her sense of self and memories. So I will call ahead and arrange a recovery sanctum for her. We need to start the attempt to cure her of this immediately.”
Master Ragweed pulled a crystal tablet from his robes and began tapping quickly at various points on its surface. He muttered quietly while he did so, focusing on his task,
“Containment circle, draining field, some nutrient-rich soil for the predicted failure, pruning shears, and some weedkiller in case we succeed, what else?… Why is she blue? Nixen, Did you use divine favor to slow the condition’s progression?”
Nixen nodded numbly at the elf’s question. They did not like the continued implication that Winnie couldn’t be saved. As Ragweed continued muttering, Nixen’s anger melted away as they put together old rumors. The shock was slow to cover their face,
“That wasn’t just a rumor? Was Master Ian transformed? How many others has this happened to? Why hasn’t this been passed to the journeymen ranks so we can protect our novices from it?”
Brisco spoke up at this last,
“That was my call, Nixen. Recruitment would suffer tremendously if it got out that you could be turned into a monster while fighting them. It only happens every few years anyway.”
Nixen’s flabbergasted expression lent a visual match to a doubting tone in their voice,
“Only every few years?”
Beckle chimed in with an extra emphasis on Nixen’s title,
“Yes, Journeyman Nixen. It was voted to be of little benefit to the guild if that little secret reached the masses of Npc’s. Panicked Npc’s rioting throughout the country would disrupt everything we do to maintain our monopoly of our country’s dungeons.
Our military strength would be diminished. Besides, those affected directly by this transformation, and their families, are compensated handsomely. I didn’t miss that all three of your novices also managed a capture on this quest. Congratulations on your promotion to Master Rank.”
Nixen glowered at the Knowet-all,
“I’m a dwarf, not a rabbit. Don’t jam a carrot down my throat.”
Beckle spat,
“Better a carrot for you and your novices than a much larger stick and the lack of ability to complain.”
Nixen grew very still as they took in the Knowet-all’s words. Their body relaxed, and a casual grip was placed upon the dirk at their belt. Nixen spoke in a soft voice, calm as a lazy winter wind at night,
“Master Zubadiah Beckle, are you threatening a journeyman of our guild and the novices they have been charged to protect?”
Zubadiah’s smile turned vicious as his hand crept into the satchel at his waist, and he replied,
“No, acting Master Nixen, I am warning of the consequences of breaking guild secrecy put in place to protect our country.”
Brisco looked less than impressed at the grandstanding while Ragweed backed up to the dome’s edge. That section darkened, separating them from the sight of potential witnesses.
Brisco spoke up, baffled at being the voice of reason,
“Can you two gits calm the fuck down? Nixen, I can and will stop you from endangering this guild. The troops aren’t ready for this information.”
At the smug look and relaxed posture of Beckle, he added thoughtfully,
“Probably not before he takes yer’ ugly head from its shoulders, Beckle. Incidentally, since you’re handing out poisoned lollipops without asking your fellow Grandmasters anyway, I approve the promotions. I might as well get a useful master into the ranks. Gods, this is a mess.”
This last bit about his potential success brought a smile back to Nixen’s face, causing Zubadiah’s arm to tense inside his satchel before relaxing. The Knowet-all made one more statement on the subject with a sharp smile,
“You’d be surprised how well I can defend myself from angry Dwarves, Brisco.”
“I imagine you’ve got practice. How about angry gods? Attack a paladin defending their charges often, do you?”
Beckle thought for a moment before continuing with a more agreeable smile on his face,
“Acting Master Nixen, your promotion for salvaging such a situation while ensuring the capture of potential dungeon assets by your three novices stands. Your novices shall be awarded the rank of apprentice with a twenty percent bonus to their capture rewards. You shall be awarded the rank of master, with all rights and privileges pertaining thereto. “
“Apprentice Winnie shall be given over to the care of the Mage guild for recuperation. In addition, a two-year stipend shall be granted to her family for grievous wounds taken in service to the guild and country. I’m sure we can arrange for the King to award some medal for the family to cry over as well.”
Ragweed spoke up,
“I agree to the promotions as well, Nixen. Your party has earned them. For your actions as well as your silence.”
Nixen’s smile turned shrewd,
“Not good enough, Grand Master Beckle. Five years’ compensation for Winnie’s family, and the guild picks up the tab for her treatment. I know how you like to stiff us on that kind of thing.”
Zubadiah’s smile grew strained as he replied,
“Very well, five years or until she is recovered. The family gets no details, do not test Oberon’s Folly. Shall we get these Mobs to documentation and Winnie to her treatment center?”
Nixen glowered further at the Knowet-all and said,
“This conversation isn’t over. For now, let’s get Winnie the help she needs.”
Zubadiah’s face relaxed a bit, and he waved to Ragweed,
“Bring down the dome, and I’ll deal with the brat of a noble. We need to get these mobs into documentation,”
Seeing Nixen open their mouth to comment, he added,
“And apprentice Winnie to treatment.”
Mage Ragweed complied with the request and made gestures to remove his spell. As the dome collapsed around them, Joclyn’s voice could be heard as he attempted to soothe his Lord,
“-And we can recoup the loss of productivity by requesting a larger stipend for having resident guild members, my lord. With those extra funds, we can make some of those improvements to the village you’ve been wanting ahead of schedule, sire.”
Lord Tom ignored the clerk’s persuasion attempts at soothing his ire with a visible twitch to his eye as he stared at the group revealed by the collapsing dome. Raising a hand to silence the castellan, he spoke directly to Beckle,
“Master Knowet-all Zubadiah Beckle, I am formally lodging a complaint against you for the withholding of information necessary for the safe and proper operation of Adder County. I have been inducted into the guild as an honorary journeyman. I possess secret clearance approved by your office and do not appreciate being excluded from a conversation involving recent events in my county.”
Beckle responded without hesitation,
“I sincerely apologize if you feel slighted, Lord Adder. The information discussed falls under a higher clearance, however. You have not been cleared for that. You will receive a report on any relevant information needed to continue your duties appropriately in approximately two to six weeks. An expedited request can be submitted in the next seven days, reducing this to a maximum of three weeks.”
Zubadiah casually polished his nails on his robes, calculated to be infuriating to anyone it was directed at.
“I applaud your professionalism and patience during this crisis. We expect the arrival of initiate Jenkins in the next seven day. You can send the request with him if you like.”
Captain Lowry looked ready to speak up at this but was cut off by Tom’s reply,
“Fuck you, Beckle. I still have friends in the capital. This isn’t over. Jenkins will be there within a seven-day.”
Lord Tom took several calming breaths. With the other guild masters inexplicably backing this play, Lord Tom had no way out of it without committing treason that would only land him at the headsman, even if it did make him feel better today. He would have to try for a different angle, Mistress Milligan would be mollified her boy got a chance at advancing outside of the overcrowded line of succession she was having to deal with.
“Master Brisco, could I send a second candidate to speed up this nonsense? I have a boy who would make an excellent Luciloo with some guild experience. Unfortunately, he’s ten years old.”
Brisco looked ready to start throwing heavy things at Zubadiah if only they were handy but answered tersely,
“Aye, Tom. That might be best. I’ll take care of them. Believe me. He’s too young and won’t be eligible for the accelerated program. But, we can get him trained up the safer route.”
Lowry looked startled and asked Lord Tom,
“Do you mean Robby? My lord? That seems…premature.”
Tom replied firmly,
“He’s ten, Captain. I was a squire at eight, even working guild missions around his age. Most of his two years will be eaten up by training anyway. I’ll have Marie handle informing the boy’s mother. I need to keep my Captain intact.”
“Journeyman Nixen, your offer of services as a paladin is appreciated but not needed. We’ll care for our own today.”
Nodding with curtness to Ragweed and Brisco, with a last glare at Beckle, Tom gestured for his castellan and captain to follow to the manor house. As they entered the gate, Captain Lowry spoke to a few of his guards, and the soldiers rushed out to start breaking down the small field camp that had been set up.
Lord Tom had dismissed the offer of religious duties freeing the paladin to handle his party. So Nixen went to the new apprentices and started murmuring to them.
“Damn it, Cato. Why did you have to run your mouth? Master Beckle is an ass, but you were a novice. Master Ian will not be easy on you. I could have had him give you some good remedial training, but nooo, you had to be an ass…again.”
The rogue looked unrepentant at this and asked,
“What’s gonna happen to Winnie? Wait, were?”
Cato’s nonchalance drained from his face with the blood, leaving the rogue with an unhealthy pallor,
“I’m getting booted? Then why would Master Ian-”
Nixen cut him off,
“You’re getting promoted,”
Cato’s eyebrows drew down in confusion as Nixen looked at Omara and glanced toward Winnie’s stretcher,
“We all are. The three of you capping those mobs was the last req’ you needed for an apprentice, and I… have fulfilled the req’s for Master…evidently.”
Omara was thoughtfully looking at the stretchers containing her friend and the mobs. She murmured,
“So we’re apprentices now? And You’re a master? Then why don’t you look happier about it?”
Nixen grimaced and said,
“Yes, but there are complications with this that are… far-reaching. First, I have to get Winnie to a treatment center and do a formal debrief with the Knowets in the capitol.”
“You two are going to head back to the outpost. It should be safe enough after that vermin migration ran through the area. Omara, you will have your magical skills eval with the resident mage trainer. You’re due now that you’re an apprentice.”
“Cato, for the love of any gods you hold dear, don’t piss Master Ian off while I’m gone. He will know you’re due for punishment training through the guild seals. So try to stay alive.”
“I should be there in less than a week. Don’t flap your lips about any of this, either of you. This all falls under Oberon’s folly, so only masters are allowed to know the details. The less you say, the better.”
Cato had gathered his scrambled wits enough to recognize why pissing off an eight-foot-tall bear was bad. He squeaked out,
“Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Master Nixen.”
Nixen looked at Cato while stroking their dwarven beard in sympathy,
“He won’t murder you without cause, Cato.”
Cato’s pale expression didn’t get better,
“That’s not as comforting as you think, Master Nixen.”
Nixen sighed again. They were doing that a lot today.
“Omara, go back to the inn and take Cato with you. You two should probably get some rest and head back to the outpost in the morning.”
Omara was sympathetic to Cato’s plight and was worried about her skills eval, but grabbed Cato by the arm and tugged him toward the inn on the other side of the borough. She cast worried looks over her shoulder at the forlorn form of Pellet sitting on Winnie’s prone figure.
As Nixen watched them go, Beckle cleared his throat impatiently,
“Acting Master Nixen, shall we? Master Ragweed, please bring the mobs. I’m sure the young master wishes to see to his apprentice personally.
Ragweed looked hesitant and said,
“This much magic at my level of experience outside the boundary wards is not a good idea. I shouldn’t do any more casting outside them, for now.”
Grandmaster Brisco scoffed and said,
“OCH! Ya nambies wouldn’t get anything done without the rest of us.”
The grumpy guild master walked briskly to the stretcher holding the mobs and, without addressing anyone else, walked through the portal holding one end, letting it drag behind them. Nixen calmly walked to Winnie’s stretcher and bent carefully to pick it up.
As they straightened, Ragweed and Beckle led them through the portal towards the destruction of a way of life that had lasted decades. The portal winked shut behind them with a final crackle of energies.
Behind where the portal had been open, blocked from view with a smirk on his lips and seated at a small desk, a scribe in short pants and an odd shirt wrote with calm detachment in a large book. In the deserted yard in front of the manor house, all that could be heard was the soft scribbling of a pen upon parchment under a soft breeze.
End of Book I
Add 30 to 40k words for more character building for the adventurers and end session one here. Don’t overuse description or wall of txt anybody to death. Some foreshadowing of events in book two needed.