[https://em.wattpad.com/ca76868d1459a9bda7402ea11c991218817a5fd1/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f776c504e446f56307042593672413d3d2d3731343034373536372e313561366466646330306333353833633838353435373536373333392e6a7067]
https://bobandsuewilliams.com/explore/village-fantasy/
New Quest Objective
- Acquire supplies
You’ll be playing Grey Steel, a minotaur with a burning desire for vengeance against the creatures that destroyed his life.
***
Grey had to admit the last couple of days he had spent trying to recover from his wounds had been tumultuous at best and most of that had been by his own doing. The loss of Amaryllis had stung him more than he was want to admit, but if what Dusk said was true they would to be taking her somewhere else to be used and the thought of that alone filled Grey with a cold rage that would not die (Full health restored.)
Which was why at the first opportunity, Grey had boarded a ship bound for Aquila. The small seafaring vessel captained by Hargan and his boys, who made their living by traveling through the Golden Ring, trading with the various inner towns and cities before ending up back in Shadow's Bay.
Sprayed by the sea water that crashed up against the bow of the ship, Grey took his place at the prow, and stared outward towards the clear blue sea, his thoughts as ever directed towards the golden horizon. The rich fertile banks of the river busy with women cleaning clothes and fishermen hauling in nets. The sleek dwarven vessel designed to use the raw energy currents of the world to steam forward, while it's huge black sails directed the ship. The puffing smoke that throttled out from behind, coming from the stern of the ship where the dwarven contraption was located.
Passing close to the shoreline, the few fisherman they saw on the river called out to them in greetings, Hargan waving his arm up and blessing them in turn. Their voices torn away by the gusts of wind as flocks of mellow-hearts circled the air and winged their way towards the setting suns. The warm glow of dusk soaking them all in a majestic golden light that drew forth memories of Grey’s argument with Sky.
Quick learn of Grugold’s betrayal from the town's folk, Sky had been adamant that they should steal the gold owed to them by the gnome. Which had infuriated Grey who believed it was beneath them to do so, only to later find out Sky had gone off anyway.
...“I told you we would find another way!”growled Grey.
Sky scowled back darkly, “And I said we needed the gold he owed us, and now we have it,” he said, holding out the heavy pouch filled with gold pieces.
Face flushed a deep red, Grey knocked the pouch out of Sky’s hands. “That’s not the point! You dishonored us both! We didn’t need the gold! We could have found another way!” (+1,500 Gold Pieces. - 5 Honor.)
Dark eyes shining hotly, Sky snarled and thrust Grey in the chest. “What other way, Grey?! Amaryllis is gone taken by that witch, Grugold has the guards out there hunting us, and now you want us to chase after Lord Colmar with nothing but your sense of honor?! Why, Grey?! Because you think, Amaryllis is with them?! By the light, she’s dead already. And if what Calain says is true, that is probably for the best.”
Stung by his words, Grey found his blood boiling with rage, Sky meeting his hard look with one of his own.
The usually cheerful minotaur continuing on in a much more somber voice, “You know it’s true. A part of me hoped we would find her down there with us, but this…” he said waving his arm up in the air…“This, what we’re doing right now, is sheer madness. You know as well as I do if she were still alive then the chances are she is one of those things we saw down there, or she soon will be.”
Blood pounding inside of his skull, Grey roared back, “Then why are you still here, Sky?! Why? If you are so sure she’s dead?! Why haven’t you left and gone back home?! The guards are after me, not you.”
Head tilted to the side, Sky let out a harsh bitter bark of laughter, “Why else, Grey? Because I am your friend. And because I need you understand things aren't that simple anymore. You need to be ready when things go bad...Anyway I've said my piece, and we've got the gold now, so let’s just be off already.”
And just like that everything changed.
Grey had wanted to stay mad at Sky, but he couldn't. His friend had only spoken the truth, and difficult as it may be Grey had come to accept some small measure of it. But that did not mean he could not hold out to hope.
The very next day they had boarded a ship bound for Aquila, and set sail up the river. Hargan, the bluff faced Captain and his three sons, Torlan, Daroy, and Wigrum proving themselves to be amicable company on their journey north. While Calain spent most of his days lurking below decks. Sky on the other hand, choosing to make new friends with the crew who had taken to listening to his wildly embellished tales of adventure. The flame that grew inside of Grey's heart, grown larger still everyday they drew closer towards their goal.
He would find Amaryllis, no matter what, and if she had been turned...he would...he would do what must be done. He just hoped he would not be too late.
Head turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, he turned to find Hargan, in his blue tunic standing beside him. The stout shipmaster carrying more than his own fair share of battle scars that were hidden beneath a layer of dark grey fur, his gruff voice more used to barking commands than speaking softly. “We should be reaching, Haldasbre soon. If you’d like, we could stop there for a short spell. The village is quiet enough, and far enough away from the worst of the Ashen Lands that we can do a bit of trading before we head deeper inland. That is if you still want to go? There’d be no shame in turning back. The Ashen Lands are no place for young minos. Even the Honor Blades would have enough trouble surviving in a place such as that.”
Grey shook his head tiredly. No, there was no turning back for him. “No. We’ll stop at this village for supplies, and continue on our way.”
Seeing his mind wouldn’t be changed, Hargan let out a soft sigh, and nodded his head. “Very well, I pray for your sake that you know what you’re doing, boy.”
With that, the Captain moved on to bark out fresh commands, his sons, big sturdy men that should have been born warriors moving to obey as they brought down the heavy black sails. Sky joining Grey at the bow of the ship.
“What’d he want?”he asked.
Grey shrugged, and replied, “He says we’ll be stopping at a village soon.”
Sky rolled his eyes and slapped Grey on the shoulder. “Is that why your sulking?”
Grimacing in annoyance, Grey grunted back, “I do not like stopping, even if it is for a short while.”
Sky grinned wryly. “I’m sure Lord Colmar will be kind enough to wait on us. Now cheer up, this is half the reason I left home to begin with, so we could see more of the outside world.”
“And the other half?”
“Why to annoy you of course.”
Grey chuckled, and looked back out over the river, the last rays of dying light from the suns splashing across clouds in an orange halo of brilliance that reflected off the sparkling blue waters. The Sacred Isle of the Lightbearer passing to the right of them, unveiling a great mountain peak covered in thick forest with an immense white temple at the top. The place sealed off from all outsiders by protective spells that gave the mountain a light blue aura. The energy that crackled in the air around it, alive with magic that Grey could almost feel. The small village that crested to their left of them, filled to the brim with fishing nets hung up on poles, and boats thrust up on the sandy shores. The cottages ahead, formed into a tight ring with a single large stone building dominating the background. The whole feel of the small village reminding Grey of home.
Pale face pinched with disgust, Calain, as was starting to become his habit materialised right behind them. “Please tell me we’re not stopping at that backwater hovel. The stench here is unbearable. I did not think any place could stink any worse than the dungeons, but this would be a close second.”
Teeth gritted at the sound of his voice, Grey replied coldly, “We need supplies, better weapons, and armor if we’re to get where we are going.”
Calain scoffed, “And you think you’ll find that here in that cesspool of filth. You’d have better luck searching the river for lost relics than finding anything of worth in there.”
Fists clenched at his side, Grey let out a low growl, “You can remain on board the ship if you fear the smell so much. Although I would have thought parasites like yourself would have been used to wallowing in your own foul corruption by now.”
“Is that so, horn head,” replied Calain with a dangerous glint in his yellow eyes.
Grey smiled back, his face stiff with anger, a part of himself furious for allowing this thing to bait him so easily. He had thought once they were free of the dungeons that he would be free of the creature, but for some reason the bloodsucker had continued to glom onto them like a blooter refusing to let go. If not for Sky convincing Grey that they still needed him, Grey would have slain or abandoned the vampire long ago, but that choice it seemed was no longer an option for him.
“Can you two quit your bellyaching, you’re giving me a headache, and besides, Calain, I thought you wanted to see more of this land,”said Sky with a wave of his arm.
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Calain, looked away with a sneer on his lips. “I had desired to see the beating heart of this realm, not the obscene crumbs that encircle it.”
Blood all but boiling at the snide remark, Grey’s hand went to the short sword at his waist, Calain’s gaze daring him to attack, when again Sky intervened by thrusting himself in between. “I swear you two are worse than the dwarves with your bickering.”
“I am not the one who began this argument,”snapped Calain with a glare at the both of them.
Fists clenched so tightly he could almost feel the blood flow stop in his hand, Grey snapped back, “Then you should not be so quick to insult my people.”
“Bah, as if you have not stopped insulting my own.”
Eyes locked in a battle of wills, Grey could almost feel his body come alive with the same kind of adrenaline rush that came to him during battle when all of a sudden his attention was broken by the ship bumping up against the wharf. The rotten wooden planks of the dock, cracked and missing in places, forcing Grey to admit that this may not be the best place to look for the kind of gear they needed for their journey. But be damned if it was going to admit that to the vampire.
Thrusting his way past Calain’s dark scowl, Grey watched the ship begin the task of weighing anchor, the gangway dropping down to allow them onto the dock and saw a group of villagers moving to greet them in clothing that had seen better days. The haggard looks on their faces, enough to worry Grey as Hargan called out from behind him. “You’d best hurry along, boy. I don’t mean to stay here along, grab what you need and head on back here. Otherwise we’ll be gone with the morning tide.”
Nodding his head in thanks, he strode down the gangway, and towards the waiting villagers. Sky who had been longing for days to be back on land, all but bumping into him from behind in an effort to reach land first, while Calain watched from the deck of the ship. Grey able to feel his hot gaze upon his back as he moved to greet the villagers.
The party that met them an odd collection of temple priests, fishermen, and the oddest of all, a plump faced warrior stuffed inside of a silver chainmail that looked just about ready to give way to his round gut. The golden chain that hung around the chubby minotaur's thick neck, crafted to resemble a burning blade. “Welcome my friends, welcome to Haldasbre, I am Codlane, Lord, and Protector of this most humble village. We’ve not had many visitors here in a long time. What with the Ash Lands to the north of us and war in the east. Can I ask from whence you came from?”
Not really liking the way they were all looking at him with hungry eyes, Grey replied back warily, “We came from Shadow’s Bay. We were hoping to trade for supplies here. Then head further north.” It was then that Grey realised that despite their drab clothing, all of them, even the temple priests were armed far too well with weapons that looked like they had been newly forged by master smiths, strapped to their hips.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, dangerous place that, but not to worry,” said Codlane with an ingratiating smile, “We have all the supplies you could possibly need and more. Come, come, I shall have, my Delana, show you where you can rest up for night, and then we can talk about business on the morrow.”
Not liking the way this was going, Grey opened his mouth to argue otherwise when Sky leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I don’t know about you, Grey, but I’m really not liking the feel of this place. I say we just grab what we need and go.”
Sky’s suggestion, pretty much mimicking Grey’s exact thoughts as he held up an arm to stop the Lord Protector from continuing any further. “Perhaps later, right now, we would really like to take a look around first, if that’s okay with you.”
Halted midway, Codlane shot them a strange look as though sensing their hesitation, and bobbed his head up and down. “Very well then, but then you must rest. I will not let it be said that Haldasbre was unwelcoming to our new guests. Delana, if you will. Please take our friends to the trading outpost,” he said with a nod of his head towards a young slip of girl with elegant pearl white horns, wearing a frayed light green dress.
The young female, who’d been standing behind her father, starting her back towards the village before pausing to wait for them.
Sky eager to be away, quickly chased after her, while Grey darted a glance back to see them all staring at him in silent still ranks, Codlane’s eyes glowing with a feverish heat.
Half shivering at the look, he swiftly moved to catch up with Sky. The woman leading them past thatched roof houses made of timber and stone. The single street taking them past dozens of homes and along a dirt path that opened up at a circle of buildings with the street diverging in several directions. One towards what looked to be a tavern with the sign. “Haldasbre Inn” The other a smithy that hadn’t been used in awhile, and the last a trading outpost with it’s sign hanging from rusted hinges that swung on the night breeze.
Pulling back a little to create a gap between them and the girl, Sky spoke in a hushed whisper, “What do you think is going on here?”
Grey shrugged his shoulders, and looked around at the all but deserted village. The only people here as far as he knew were the villagers that had greeted them at the beach. But even this late in the day, Grey knew most folks back home wouldn’t have considered turning in to bed unless they had finished their chores, and yet, that’s exactly what happened here with tangled up nets piled up on doorsteps, firewood in the braziers burnt to ash, and the flowers collected for the dawn celebration wilted away with not a single one replaced.
“Just be careful, and stay on your guard,” he said, which was as much advice for himself as well as Sky. The girl turning back to wave at them as she neared the outpost, and clambered up the two short steps through the open doorway into a dusty chamber. The trader who owned the place, squatting down behind the counter with a chest opened up in front of him when he spun around with a startled look. The merchant, a young minotaur with snow white fur, crimson red eyes, and a small frame that seemed to shake as he looked at them.
“I was told I could trade here,” stated Grey.
The boy’s eyes flickered over to the girl’s, before settling back on Grey, his thin lips and nostrils quivering a little as he asked in a timid voice, “What exactly are looking for?”
Glancing around at the bare wooden walls, empty barrels, and sword racks layered in cobwebs, Grey replied, “Anything you can spare, weapons, armor, food, potions.”
Darting another look towards Delana, the boy nervously smiled, and unlocked the door behind him, then waved for Grey to follow him inside.
Not really expecting much, he crossed the squeaking floorboards and walked into the backroom, before coming to an abrupt halt. Sky bumping into him from behind as Grey gaped in amazement. The walls fully stocked with weapons and armor, and tables stacked with essential field supplies. The chests beneath them filled with a variety of potions he had never come across in his entire life, as well as sacks stuffed full of food that could feed a small army.
“By the Lightbearer,” gasped Sky, “Where’d you get all this?!”
The trader licked his lips, opened his mouth to reply, before snapping his mouth shut, and looking away. With Delana replying back instead. “Trade has been good to us.”
“I thought your father said, there hadn't been anyone else here in awhile? Who are you trading with?” Pressed Sky.
Lips pursued at the intrusive question, Delana plastered on a fake smile, “We trade with the temple novices from across the river. They have been gracious enough to supply us with plenty of food which we in turn trade to the passing armies in exchange for weapons to help protect ourselves against the monsters that dwell in the Ash Lands. Now if you would be so kind as to hurry along and complete your business here, we should be heading back to, my father. He has likely prepared a feast for us and would not be pleased if we were late.”
Perusing the wares on offer, Grey had a feeling that the Lord Protector of the village was probably unused to being displeased.
Merchant Glandrel
[https://em.wattpad.com/48c4043a041c2f7824d1e3ae41f366220d622c49/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f3448635a7961657a4976787551413d3d2d3731343034373536372e313561366466393738353837333365643136393430333839323036392e6a7067]
"What is it would like to buy?"
Ogrekan's Bane: Cost: 1,000 Gold Pieces
5 Attack Dice
Double Damage against ogres.
A unique waraxe wielded by Warlord Zarbuc. It has been used to slay hundreds of Ogres. Some say this weapon is imbued with the power of the gods.
Smoking Battleaxe: Cost: 1,000 Gold Pieces
5 Attack Dice
Added + 10 fire damage to any dice roll.
The Smoking Battleaxe, a weapon of incredible power is rumored to have been created when a clumsy ogre dropped his weapon into a volcano.
Bone Spear: Cost: 1,000 Gold Pieces
6 Attack Dice
Made from the bones of giants, this weapon is nigh unbreakable and extremely sharp.
Glowing Spear: Cost: 1,100 Gold Pieces
5 Attack Dice
+ 10 Health Points with every battle you fight.
Dipped in the blood of the sea dragon Vazkarthantas. The weapon has been granted regenerative properties.
Gorgoth's Warhammer: Cost: 1,000 Gold Pieces
5 Attack Dice
Double Damage against giants.
A weapon created to battle the giants that attacked the Red Land cities.
Staff of Pain: Cost: 1,000 Gold Pieces
5 Attack Dice
Can be used to absorb a portion of strength in exchange for life. 1 Resilience = 20 Health Points
Wielded by kings of old, the staff has been handed down for centuries.
Salazar's Robe: +12 Resilience Cost: 1,250 Gold Pieces
Robes worn by the Dark Mage Derek before he was killed by his apprentices.
Obsidian Claws: Cost: 1,000 Gold Pieces
5 Attack Dice
Imbues the wielder with 5 additional Resilience
Designed and crafted by dwarves to reward a werewolf that saved their town. It is a weapon of great power.
Potions & Elixirs
[https://em.wattpad.com/67820015a26c6e6a0c7cb92f25957965d471c5b5/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5452614a397079786b3064314f513d3d2d3731343034373536372e313561366466363734633166303337363632383739383737333632362e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Shield of the Ancestor's Potion: Reduces the overall amount of damage you receive by half(Can only be used for once)Cost: 100 Gold Pieces
Blood Reckoning Potion: Imbues the user with greater resilience for a short period of time +10 Resilience (Can only be used for one once) Cost: 50 Gold Pieces
Life's Glory Potion: Brings you back up to full health (Can be used twice) Cost: 250 Gold Pieces
Tears of the Gods: Allows you to deflect all damage in a tough fight (Can only be used once) Cost: 300 Gold Pieces
Health Poultices: Heals 20 Health Points (Can only be used once) Cost: 20 Gold Pieces
Bandages: Heals 15 Health Points (Can only be used once.) Cost: 15 Gold Pieces
Food
[https://em.wattpad.com/22e351555cb6d36c2a82ff59ea8289263a84b579/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f46715463333639794a3139506b413d3d2d3731343034373536372e313561366466393161656330313332613236373238343537333235312e6a7067]
Ration Pack: Heals 50 Health Points (Can only be used once.) Cost: 30 Gold Pieces
Water bag: Heals 20 Health Points (Can only be used five times, and purchased once.) Cost: 5 Gold Pieces
To be continued...