Chapter 1 - Blackstone Valley I
The forest was ablaze with the sounds of running as six adventurers converged on a clearing, chased by a band of goblins. A red haired woman motioned to them and sat in the centre of the space, “I need time, keep them from here!” The other five shouted back in affirmation and moved back to meet the goblins at the edge of the clearing, engaging with their enemy in combat.
A man in black leather armour dashed forward in front of the group, already panting from their prior engagement he met the first goblin head on with his greatsword. He parried an attack and in the same movement flicked his blade over top of the goblins guard slicing into its neck. Another one approached him from the left and he swung a wide arc, catching it in the hip and sending it instantly to the ground.
“Narissa! How long until those trees give you an answer!?” his voice shouted out over sounds of steel meeting steel. A high pitched squeal came from a body being flung overhead as it hit the nearby river running parallel to the fighting. “‘Cause if you can’t tell we are going to be outnumbered very shortly!”
“Two minutes, that’s all I need!” Narissa responded. She sat in the middle of the clearing focusing her magical energies into a weave for the forest. Green lights fluttered around her as they took the shape and form of butterflies circling around her before descending down into the earth, imbuing themselves within it.
“Two fucking minutes!?” The man’s voice rang out again, a goblin to his right approached before being cut down by his greatsword, nearly cleaving the body in half with the swing. “Tohr’on has truly forsaken us today hasn’t she!?”
“Narissa, ignore Levin, we’re fine!” a more cheerful voice shouted over the commotion as a man in full plate armour with a spear and shield pushed back against three goblins attempting to close the distance. He thrust the tip of his spear into the chest of the middle goblin before leaping forward and smashing his shield down on the left one.
The goblin to his right raised its sword and the man could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he dived out of the way. Culminating energies crackled in the air as a woman’s voice shouted “Vadiren!” before a surge of lightning struck the goblin and ended its life.
“Phillip, watch your back!” a darker skinned woman shouted at the spearman as she held a book radiating magical power. Her hand imbued with magical energies hovered above it as she channelled spells from within herself. She cast her hand out again and with a “Vadiren!” hit a goblin archer attempting to climb a nearby tree.
“Knew you had it Xanya!” Phillip shouted as he wrenched his spear free from the goblin’s innards before blocking an incoming attack. He parried sideways before bringing the shield back around and smashing the goblin in the face with the edge of his shield. The creature was knocked backwards onto its back before he thrust the spear down into its chest.
Levin’s greatsword arced downwards, taking the head clean off a goblin before pulling it back into himself and blocking an attack from another. He grabbed the creature and forced its hand back onto itself, driving its knife into its shoulder. He kicked the goblin away before stepping backwards.
His breathing was heavy as his legs buckled, dropping to a knee for a moment he looked up and saw a pack of heavily armoured elder goblins approaching. Sighing, he stood back up using his greatsword for leverage before lifting it and pointing it forward. He shouted over the commotion, “we got more company!”
A towering figure with white ashen skin that appeared cracked, as if it was a moving rock, rushed past Levin. Charging forward into the group of elder goblins, it jumped up and launched its foot forward into the nearest one, crushing its chestplate inward. Levin could only look on in amazement before following after his krugg friend. Watching the krugg roar with rage as they pummelled the elder goblins armour in before grabbing another and tossing it back into a nearby tree. Krugg strength really is something else, Levin thought to himself.
A goblin sprinted up to the krugg and attempted to stab it, finding it’s blade just bouncing off the beings hardened skin. A foot kicking at its head sent the goblin sideways into the under brush.
The krugg known as Terhal pulled back and joined Levin and turned to grin at him, “strong, yes?” Levin could only chuckle and nod before a stick snapping beside him made him turn and see a knife approaching him.
Oh fuck, was all that went through is mind before a dagger flew past him and into the approaching goblins neck sending it careening into the grass. A blue tinged half-orc in a black cloak appeared from the shadows and darted to grab his knife from the corpse before throwing another dagger at an elder goblin. The knife bounced off its armour and it cackled at him before the half-orc smiled as Levin closed the distance with it and severed its head with a clean slash.
“Derwin, thanks!” Levin’s shout sounded exhausted as he fell back swapping places with Phillip. Looking behind him he could see Narissa in the clearing as energies gathered around the red haired woman and descended into the earth.
C’mon, c’mon how much longer Narissa, Levin’s thoughts getting a bit more desperate as he turned again and saw the oncoming wave of goblins, twenty? Thirty? Fuck!
Terhal and Phillip stood at the fore as a makeshift vanguard against the goblins, holding them back as best they could against the treeline. Terhal now picking up large rocks and logs, throwing them at their foes to keep distance and Phillip thrusting out with his spear.
A rattle of chains could be heard approaching them through the forest, prompting Derwin to climb a tree and search it out before shouting “forest troll!”
Shit, just what we need, Levin thought to himself as he ran up to Derwin. “How far away!?”
“Fifty yards, maybe less!” Derwin said as he descended the tree to regroup with Levin. “No less than fifty goblins headed this way too!” His breath came unsteady as he looked to see Phillip and Terhal slowly becoming overwhelmed.
Levin groaned before a hand placed on his shoulder from behind prompted him to look behind and see Xanya who simply said to him, “fall back to Narissa, I’ll buy us some time.” Before she stepped past him, arcane energies manifested through her as she channelled through her tome.
“Terhal, Phillip! To Narissa!” Derwin shouted to them before pulling a piece of parchment from his cloak and unfolding it. He nodded to Xanya who started coalescing her energy from within.
“Niirehnahiia!” Derwin shouted and the parchment in his hand shone a faint blue light before transforming into a cloud of smoke and surging forth towards Phillip and Terhal, expanding as it did.
In an instant the entire area around the krugg and spearman was engrossed in a thick haze of grey smoke as Levin shouted, “this way, follow my voice!” before shooting a questioning look at Derwin who simply smiled and remarked “a small trick I’d been saving for desperate times.”
Xanya walked forward towards the edge of the smoke as the two others ran out past her, Phillip patting her on the back and giving her a thumbs up before running towards the clearing the others were now converging on. The crackling of manifesting energies surged from her tome as she cast her hand out and spoke in a calm tone resonating with power from within, “chasheir vortun nadaruna forti.” A wave of magical power surged out from her and into the forest and for a few moments came silence of confusion, followed by screams of horror among the thick grey smoke cloud.
“That should hold them back for a bit!” she ran back towards the group before a roar of anger erupted from the forest, “or I guess not…”
The sound of chains quickly grew closer as the troll now emerged from the smoke, having broke free from its handlers. It saw the group of six in the clearing and charged towards them. Hunched over running on all fours it closed the distance between itself and the group before rearing up and releasing a guttural roar at them.
“Xanya, I think you just pissed it off more!” Phillip yelled over the trolls' roar as he moved in front of Xanya, holding his shield up and preparing to strike with his spear. “What in the fourth circle did you do to make this thing so mad!?”
“I just… cast a little hallucination to distract it,” she responded. “I’m only an apprentice, I don’t have the power for those incredible weavings that the master does!”
Levin placed a hand on her shoulder and reassured her, “it’s fine, you’ve done enough, we only have this one left to deal with.” He stepped past her and stood in line with Phillip as they readied their weapons.
He took the time to examine the troll now in front of him, seeing it stand at well over eight feet, dwarfing his own massive frame, he noted the horrific stench emanating from it and saw its green almost scale-like hide. Two cuffs hung from either of its arms with chains that dragged along with it. Three tusks lined either side of its jaw protruding outwards, large eyes with cat-like slits gazed at him with nothing but fury.
Levin and Phillip readied to move in unison and attack before the massive figure of Terhal cut them off, moving in front of them. Terhal reared back and roared at the troll, nearly matching its size, their fractured ashen skin covered in a sheen of sweat. They swung their right fist wide towards the creature's face, catching it square on its massive jaw. They pulled back before spinning and kicking the troll in its chest, pushing it back. Creating some distance between them before it retaliated with a wild swing, the chain attached to its wrist swung through towards Terhal before Phillip’s shield came up to block it, the force nearly knocking him from his feet.
“Got you, big one!” Phillip yelled as he spotted Derwin moving quickly through the low brush behind the troll, jumping up onto its back and bringing down two daggers into its meaty neck. The knives caught skin but didn’t pierce deeply as the troll writhed, attempting to grab Derwin as he jumped off and dashed to a safe distance.
The troll roared again and swung for Terhal who ducked under the attack and ensuing chain. Terhal came up with an uppercut towards the creature, catching it on one of its tusks. Levin moved in unison with Terhal and brought his greatsword up over his head before swinging it down into the troll's arm. The sword stuck deep but didn’t sever it clean as Levin let go with a, “shit!”
“Satchel, knife!” Phillip yelled at Levin as he blocked another attack from the beast. Levin ducked under an attack from the troll and grabbed the knife from the satchel before putting distance between himself and the troll.
The hair on the back of Phillips neck stood up again as he sensed Xanya channelling powers on his location. The next attack he dove out of the way and rolled, coming to his feet to see Terhal had also jumped away as Xanya let out a “Vadiren!” casting a bolt of lightning into the troll. It froze for only a split second and seemingly shook it off, having nearly no effect on it.
Xanya stepped back as she shouted to the others, “I’m out of power, shit!” before she collapsed onto the ground beside Narissa who was still channelling natural energies into the nearby area. Levin looked over at Xanya, gave her a reassuring smile and said “you’ve done more than enough! Rest!”
“Terhal, sides!” Phillip called out to the pale skinned krugg and moved to the troll's left side as Terhal moved to its right. He struck forward with his spear baiting it around to face him, blocking attacks with his shield as Terhal moved around behind it and jumped onto its back, pulling their arms down into a chokehold on the creature. It cried out and struggled against the large presence on its back, attempting to wrench its head free from their hold.
Phillip again stuck the troll in the abdomen but barely broke skin, its thick hide too much for his exhaustion to break through. He threw his shield to the side and gripped tightly with both hands, shouting as he thrust again and finally broke through. The troll writhed in agony and flailed its arms, the chains attached to its arms flying in unpredictable directions.
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Terhal struggled against it, pulling against the creature tighter backwards in an attempt to break the creature's neck. They pressed down on the two knives in the beast's neck but the knives refused to go deeper as the trolls flexed in rage. Terhal groaned as the chains rained down onto them, the constant battering threatening to make them loosen their grip on the troll’s neck. The krugg wrapped their legs around the troll’s chest, locked in place and tightened down in an attempt to exhaust it.
Terhal looked up and saw Levin shouting and pointing to his open mouth and back to the troll as he charged towards the two entangled beings. Seeing the glint of the blade in Levin’s hand Terhal understood and changed their grip, wrapping their meaty arms around the top and bottom of the troll's head and using its tusks for leverage. Terhal forced its maw open as it flailed, the chains whipping wildly around it as Phillip thrust his spear into its abdomen as deep as he could before jumping back.
Levin focused, knowing full well that if he mistimed his jump he could get caught by one of the chains and his leather armour wasn’t going to do a lot to stop it. He breathed steady before leaping forward using the spear stuck in the troll as a step, grabbing onto one of its tusks for leverage and swiftly bringing the knife up into its open mouth. With a sickening crunch it pierced cleanly through the roof of its mouth and into its brainstem.
A single moan of pain came from the troll before it went slack.
Moments of silence descended across the group as only the distant sound of horrified goblins and exhaustion could be heard.
“Is anyone badly hurt?” Phillip’s normally cheerful voice now gone in exchange for a tired tone. He watched as Terhal helped Levin out from under the troll, a position he did not envy. The stench of a troll alone is generally considered enough to turn an inexperienced group of adventurers into a panicking group of dead adventurers.
Terhal responded in a deep monotone voice, “some minor cuts and bruises. Otherwise fine.”
“Likewise, I just need a sleep,” Levin responded, exhaustion evident in his voice.
“Same,” Phillip agreed. He watched as the larger man pulled his greatsword free from the troll's arm and asked, “how’d you figure to go through the mouth?”
“Needed somewhere soft, don’t think I’ve ever run into a creature that wasn’t a golem who didn’t have a soft mouth,” he said almost to himself. He turned to Phillip, “the other option was the eye.”
Phillip cringed and shook his head, “a smaller target, not a great spot to be in.”
The sounds of horrified goblins were dying down now and a general quiet passed over the group as Xanya walked over. Her voice came out shaking as she choked back tears, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I wish I could ha-”
“It’s fine, you did your best,” Levin looked at her and smiled, Terhal and Phillip nodded along with him.
Derwin came up behind her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he said, “I’m sure your master would be proud of you for that thinking. You made today's short-lived victory possible.” As he pointed towards the forest where the smoke was now clearing up and the goblins were reforming their group as the enchantment wore off. “Looks like we’ll have company again soon though, brace yourselves.”
“No,” Narissa’s voice came from behind them. “It is done. The trees will keep us safe.” Roots erupted from underneath her, travelling towards the treeline of the forest before widening and stopping just short of it, green energy shimmered forth from them creating a brilliant wall of green light before dissipating. “We’re safe.”
A few goblins tried to approach and were repelled by a magical force, sending them back a couple of feet from the barrier. They snarled and screamed before turning back and regrouping.
Levin finally felt safe. He groaned and fell backwards into the grass, the exhaustion of the day catching up to him. He looked over at Narissa and grimaced jokingly, “two minutes, huh?”
She shrugged and winked at him, “close enough.”
He nodded in agreement, “you couldn’t be more right.” He smiled in simple satisfaction of being alive as he shut his eyes.
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Derwin stoked the fire, the sparks rising into the night. The goblins had long since left them after realising they couldn’t break through Narissa’s sanctuary, a couple remained behind watching them from the treetops but the group paid them no mind.
“I can’t believe someone thought it was a good idea to just walk right into a war goblin camp,” Phillip leaned back and sighed before shooting Terhal a cheeky glance. “I also can’t believe that same person thought walking in without a shirt on was a grand idea.”
“I did not wish to threaten them,” a low monotone voice erupted from the pale krugg before they shrugged. “If I wear no shirt, I can bear no weapon.”
“My friend, if I may be honest with you for a minute,” Derwin looked up from the fire, his blue tinged half-orc skin visible in the campfire light after having shed his cloak. “I believe with a physique like yours you’d be rather more… intimidating without a shirt on.”
Narissa added, “especially when you look like a mountain compared to a goblin.”
Terhal grinned, their blunt teeth on full display as they remarked, “me? A mountain?” Levin and Xanya swore they could see a slight blush to Terhal’s almost pale stone-like skin. They looked at each other from across the campsite and chuckled, a lot was lost on the kruggs but being compared to a mountain was enough to elicit a happy response from nearly any of them.
Xanya stood and coughed to grab everyone's attention, “my companions, I’m deeply sorry I was not of sufficient help today, I humbly apolo-”
“Enough of that, Xanya,” Levin spoke firmly. “You saved our asses, without your quick thinking to keep the goblins distracted we’d have been overwhelmed the moment that troll arrived. You’re the reason we’re here now.” He nodded to her after saying his piece and turned to Narissa.
“I also appreciate your efforts today, Narissa. You and Xanya have both made it possible for us to sit here with all our limbs intact. I speak on behalf of everyone here, thank you.” The others followed Levin's comments and gave a small cheer for the two.
Narissa smiled before saying, “the longest two minutes of your life though, I guarantee.”
Levin smiled, “no, that would be the night I became a man.”
Derwin, Phillip and Xanya all laughed at that and Narissa blushed before cutting herself off from another remark. Terhal spoke with a questioning tone, “I’ve missed a joke?” pouting a little as they said it.
“You’re fine mountainous one,” Derwin offered to the giant humanoid. Upon hearing those words Terhal broke out into another massive smile.
“So… Where are we exactly in relation to where we want to be?” Phillip spoke up, staring up at the stars, his blonde hair appearing almost golden in the glow of the campfire. “Last I remember we followed the river from Lum to the foots of the Blackstone Mountains, how far away do you think we are from the Blackstone Valley?”
“Hard to tell at night but that’s the eastern spire over there with the moon peeking over it,” Levin pointed towards the east side of the mountain where the moon was rising. “Judging by how far we’ve travelled thus far, I’d say about two days from Blackstone Valley if the weather permits?”
He shrugged and continued, “it would definitely be easier continuing alongside the Lum River but we’d have to deal with an entire goblin war tribe now.”
“Terhal, do you know of any cave systems through the mountains that could be of benefit to us?” Xanya asked, her knowledge of the kruggs and their ability to sense the stone coming to the fore.
“I would require an hour closer to the mountains to attune myself to them, to speak to the mountains,” Terhal offered in response. “Much like one who infuses with nature, it takes time. Mountains are not so fast to speak.”
“Nor are you,” Phillip quipped. “That’s the most I’ve heard you say all week that wasn’t a blood curdling roar.”
“Could be worth an attempt,” the apprentice magician nodded at the kruggs words, ignoring Phillip's remark. She sat back against her pack and sighed, it had been a long day for them.
Narissa stood, “I’m fine taking the first watch, while this place now protects us from most unwanted visitors it doesn’t protect us from all.” Whilst channelling her will into nature had tired her a little, she understood the struggle the others had dealt with.
“That better not be guilt I’m hearing, Narissa… You won’t hear me complainin’ though, wake me for second,” Levin said as he laid out his bedroll. The others soon followed suit, resting as well they could for the night.
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“Okay, just so we’re all clear… We’re no longer ascending into Blackstone Valley through the trail along River Lum, no thanks to a certain kruggs efforts,” Derwin spoke and shot a smile at Terhal who beamed back at him, the attention only serving to please them. “We’ll be going east and attempting to cross at Dulnath Ridge, if our information is correct we should be able to loop back around into Blackstone Valley from the top and descend down to get what we came here for: Pure Blackstone Water.”
The six gathered in a circle under the rising morning sun, packing their rucksacks and planning their journey forward.
“Terhal, we’ll be stopping around halfway up to Dulnath Ridge for an hour to give you time to attune, if you find anything you need to let us know.” Terhal nodded to Derwin.
“What exactly is the reason we’re retrieving this ‘special’ water anyway?” Phillip asked Derwin who just shrugged at him.
“That I can’t answer, our client is however a world renown alchemist and paid the coin like he was too.”
“I’d wager it has something to do with the legends about those mountains,” Narissa gestured to said mountains as she spoke. “My father told me a bit about how legends tell that the Black Heart Dragon supposedly found its final resting place in these mountains, its essence seeping into the rock and changing it from what was just a regular mountain to a place of great power. He spoke of legends about the water from here being infused with traces of that same magic.”
“There may be some truth to that,” Terhal remarked. “I have felt something speaking through the ground as we approach, a different kind of warped energy emanating from the dirt and stones that is not natural to them…”
“Whatever it is, we get what the client asked for, bring it back and get paid. Simple.” Levin said as he finished packing his rucksack and threw it to Xanya. With a simple incantation “ejorniier” she opened a pocket dimension to throw it into. Levin picked up his greatsword, sheathing it on his back. “Let’s break camp.”
Xanya turned to Terhal and smiled as she pulled their shirt and tunic from the dimensional space she had control over, “here, just in case we run into any more friends.” Terhal pouted before putting their clothing back on.
Phillip stood from his rest and stretched before looking over the rest of his fellow party members.
Levin stood slightly taller than Phillip at roughly six and a half feet, thick black hair cut short and tidy with a short thick beard. His blue eyes could only be described as “filled with determination.” His basic black leather armour allowed him to manoeuvre through the battlefields with agility whilst wielding his heavy weaponry, generally a greatsword. Phillip could count the number of times Levin had ever let him down during their years together on two fingers. Due to being the oldest, at twenty one years of age, he was often looked to as the leader in the group.
Narissa was significantly shorter than both men, standing just over five feet. Her slender body was hugged tight by her dark green tunic and padded red tights. Her bright red hair hung just above her waist, generally tied back in with a braid. A bow and quiver were slung over her back, her weapons of choice for most engagements. She was slightly older than Phillip at twenty years. She had spoken at length about being raised by druids after she was found alone in the forest and how she’d learned to communicate with plants and animals alike, even having the ability to channel some druidic rituals. Phillip thought to himself, and those skills have saved our asses how many times now?
Derwin was what most would consider “short” for his race, half-orc, standing at a similar height to Narissa. His light blue-tinged skin was contrasted by his thick black hair. A clean shaven face revealed his sharper than normal canine teeth whenever he spoke, his eyes a deep shade of red. Phillip and Derwin had met on the streets of Rezon after he’d attempted to pickpocket him, being promptly caught by Phillip. He profusely apologised and requested Phillips help for a deal gone wrong with a local beater. They quickly became fast friends after finding how much they had in common and had spent the last six years together. He matched Phillip’s age at nineteen.
Terhal was a giant of a person standing at nearly eight feet tall, a krugg. Born from the mountains and built like one too. Terhal’s skin could be described as a hard stone with the appearance of white ash, cracks in the outer layer showing red underneath their skin and a complete lack of body hair. Their eyes were pure dark obsidian, a trait shared across their race. They didn’t wear armour, instead opting to use their natural gifts of hardened skin to fight their opponents in hand-to-hand combat. Grappling opponents with their superior size and strength before breaking or subduing them. They’d met Terhal on an expedition to the western coast of Hintarias where they had no memory of who they were except for a name and had since become part of the fold. Terhal’s age was currently unknown.
Xanya had been the newest and youngest addition to their group at only eighteen, having joined them only four months prior at the request of her magical master. She was slightly taller than Narissa and had short black hair tied back in a bun or high ponytail, depending on her mood. She had almost clear blue eyes. An apprentice of the magical arts under Gandomer’nin of Solun, she often blames herself for not being able to assist more, feeling she could always do better. Her self-doubts would often be met by Levin’s reassurances, generally making the point that she has provided valuable assistance. Her basic understanding of dimensional and spatial magics allows her to offload the carrying of most gear for the group. A skill we all deeply appreciate, Xanya, Phillip bemused to himself.
Phillip gave his shield one last polish and looked at himself in the reflection. An objectively good looking young man by most standards, his curly blonde hair hung just above his deep brown eyes. He stood at just over six feet tall. He fought in full steel plate armour favouring a spear and shield and acting as the vanguard of the group alongside Terhal. He trained with the palace guard of Rezon as a child, an aspiring page turned adventurer after a run in with Levin at the Sundown Markets in the capital. His father, the drill sergeant of the imperial palace, disowned him after he’d told him of his ambitions. Himself and Derwin travelled with Levin ever since.
A voice calling out to him brought him out of his thoughts, “Phillip, you coming?” Narissa’s voice came from a fair distance as Phillip looked up and saw his friends leaving without him. A pained look of shock crossed his face before he broke out into a smile and chased after them, heading eastward.
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