Lady Ceiling's Journal
Lady Ceiling’s Journal
Sizing up the situation,
with the three packs of wolves advancing on us, Graf Silth ordered us to run to
the larger clump of bushes to our left. “But there may be dangerous creatures
hidden in there!” gasped Lady Shalaka as she ran.
“But that stump in the middle might be
an Ent!” retorted Princess Griselda.
“At least we will have one side
protected from the wolves!” declared Sir Shure.
Fortunately the approaching
wolves slowed, the left hand pack veering away left, it looked as though they
would be circling around the bushes to attack us in the rear.
“Get your Blinding Flash spell ready
Barbver! Crossbows see yon hoverers, do you loose at them!”
“Sire do you think they are not in
the Gheist Flache?” asked Cord.
“We have to hope not!” grunted the
Graf.
The first two shots by them
missed but the abigails passed the spare crossbows forward and then reloaded the
first ones. On the second volley we saw the large demon, presumably Beevil
himself flinch, and he must have been hit. The right hand pack came closer but
the one circling round had still a way to come. I thought the other two might
wait until the circlers were in position, but instead they charged.
“Blitzen!”
roared Barbver and a big flash appeared just in front of him blinding the large
wolves attacking us at the vital moment. The right hand pack swung round,
attacking our flank. Fortunately they were smaller wolves and so not quite so
dangerous. So a fierce melee ensued, with the wolves yowling and their goblin
riders shrieking. Our two crossbows in the second rank (as was Princess Griselda
and I) loosed up at Beevil, as he hovered with his two Imps above the fray. I
think he hoped to cast a spell on Graf Silth but he was fighting in the front
rank. However wonder of wonders a bolt brought him cursing to the ground. Whilst
the wolves already engaged fought on, the ones circling round halted in their
tracks. Our weapons cut better than the wolves teeth and of course they had no
armour. Our cook Melda felled two wolves with her cleaver! With all their
riders, down five remaining wolves fled from the front pack. The flanking pack
lasted longer but was reduced to a single goblin rider who then fled. Then a
figure materialised beside the two Imps who remained hovering above Beevil’s
body. I saw a sword flashing twice and they became just puffs of dust drifting
ground wards. The figure was an Amazon clad in brown armour. She called out “I
am the Fata Zena! Give my amazon regards to King Granbold!” and she vanished as
quickly as she came!
Meanwhile Graf Silth was
reforming us ready to face the remaining pack of wolves. Abigail Shapa had been
wounded with her shield shattered and her left arm broken and torn. Lady Shalaka
bandaged her with her own first aid kit, whilst abigail Meen took over the
crossbow reloading duties for Cord. But they were not needed as the remaining
pack of wolfs turned and left the field. Two of the fallen wolves were still
living and had to be dispatched. Graf Silth himself found that Beevil, with two
quarrels in him and broken bones from the fall, still breathed. So he cut his
head off. He did not turn to dust? I remembered that in the ‘Lay of Two Unicorns
Morgana’ the demon Testronitz turned to dust when she slew him. She had the
magic sword Taglier, so I guess that Zena’s sword must also have magic
properties. Graf Silth decided that he would keep the demon’s horned head as a
trophy. He ordered us to skin all the dead wolves as their pelts were valuable.
There were fourteen of them plus the bodies of six small goblins. Their swords
were only the size of daggers! They each had a small rectangular shield with
their name burnt onto the back of it in Runes. So we had killed Scart, Megob,
Jortim, Ladebak, Homun and Klingh. The Imps Zena had killed were named Sik and
Pik, for we found their clubs which each had a large spike in it. We kept all
these trophies to show the garrison at Aroar.
The Halberdiers were set to
felling the tree in the middle of the bushes that we had used. Cut up with some
of the bushes it made a funeral pyre for the bodies of the enemy. Having watered
the beasts at the pond in the wood we camped beside the great fire. At the late
dinner that night we discussed how we should approach those at Aroar. Lady
Shalaka was afraid that her affianced bridegroom, Sir Slepe son of Silo might be
affronted at her sudden appearance and try to break it off. Graf Silth said that
after losses we had had getting here, he must be made to wed his
daughter! Princess Griselda said that she thought that we must make a more
tactful approach. She suggested that we camp outside the castle and send two
negotiators to tell Sir Slepe why we were there. If we suggested the wedding be
the next day, that would be Hopeday 26th of the Fourth Moon, that
would give him time to think, and become resigned to his fate! “It is not going
to be that bad!” declared Lady Shalaka a little affronted. However Graf Silth
agreed to the plan and decreed that Sir Shure and I be the two negotiators!
The night passed peacefully
enough and in the morning we marched on to Aroar Castle. As planned the rest
pitched our camp some fifty hets from the castle, whilst Sir Shure and I went on
to the Castle Gate. As we walked I told Sir Shure, “One day we are going to have
to do some explaining about this to King Granbold so Princess Griselda has
suggested that we keep some of our cover story. Please let me do the talking?”
He had been looking rather
grim but he replied “Very willingly! I have been told that Aroar has an
oubliette from the days when it was held by the Chaotics. I would not like Sir
Slepe to cast the two of us down it!”
When we reached the castle
the gate was open but we could see faces peering at us from the battlements
above. We proceeded on into the courtyard and there was Sir Slepe with warriors
and dvaus staring at us from ahead and from every vantage point. I started “We
wish to speak to Sir Slepe your constable?”
“I am he. Speak on Madam.”
“We are emissaries from Her Royal
Highness Princess Griselda of Neradh. She has been seeking scenes from which to
design tapestries, to sell to the humans for the enrichment of Neradh. She was
seeking to find the actual places involved in the human tale of Coerl and
Yanwen. Amongst the ladies accompanying her, are the Grafin Zilch and her
daughter Lady Shalaka. When our travels took us to a place over the border in
Hunara, the Grafin pointed out how close we were to this castle. The castle that
houses you Sir, the fiancé of Lady Shalaka. So the Princess undertook the
expense of crossing the River Eorwine to come here. We do have the Druid Barbver
with us, so it seemed a fine opportunity for your intended wedding to take
place?” Sir Slepe looked appalled as did many of his garrison, who all stood
mumchance.
Sir Shure spoke up, “This
adventure has not been without cost, as we encountered some hostile elements. In
fact we were attacked by wolves and goblin wolfriders just eleven myles from
here! Presumably that was in your estate in fact. My Lord Graf Silth, who
commanded the Princess’ bodyguard, carries the head of the powerful demon Beevil
and fourteen wolf pelts. In all we slew one hundred and sixteen enemies in our
travels. However Her Royal Highness has managed to sketch many scenes for her
tapestries!”
Sir Slepe and his people
still all remained speechless so I spoke again. “Her Royal Highness appreciates
that this may seem a little sudden. She has suggested that if it seems too soon
for you, she could leave Grafin Zilch and her daughter here until you are ready,
whilst she returns to Naug. If you do decide to have your wedding now, the Druid
Barbver has suggested around the tenth hour at our encampment tomorrow?”
“We will think about it.” responded Sir
Slepe. So I curtsied and Sir Shure bowed and we walked away towards our camp.
“That was speech straight from the dark one in Gashad Dur Lady! Perhaps Bishop
Bhorin has the right attitude to you dvaus after all?” carped Sir Shure. “How if
Sir Slepe bars the gates against us tomorrow and will not let Lady Shalaka in?”
“Then it would be for Graf Silth and the
Princess to decide what to do next. But it is not an outcome that I think at all
likely. I do not think Sir Slepe will want to upset the King’s elder sister. Nor
will he want his future mother-in-law staying longer than necessary. Especially
if he has ever met her before!”
So we reported our mission
to Graf Silth and the Princess. The Graf was uneasy, reckoning on how difficult
it would be to try to storm the castle with our scant force. The Princess had
more confidence and congratulated me on formulating an easy way to explain
matters to King Granbold, for when we returned. Nevertheless we all had a
worrying night before a messenger arrived from the castle after breakfast.
“Sir Slepe sends that he will be ready
to marry lady Shalaka around the tenth hour this morning! He is disappointed
that his parents will not be able to attend the ceremony but hopes that they
will appreciate the circumstances of his marrying in haste.”
“Thank you. We will be ready.” responded
the Princess.
So the dwarf hero Sir Slepe
son of Silo married the beautiful Lady Shalaka daughter of Graf Silth of
Khazdan, that morning of Hopeday 26th of the Fourth Moon 707 After
Talarth Narnienor. And according to the Skald’s Lay recording our adventures,
they lived happily ever after!
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Games Master’s account
When thinking up this
action I was actually afraid that the wolves might do enough damage to ruin the
saga. Hence my involving the Fata Zena. In fact I thought that she might be
needed to save the party. Beevil put himself at risk because after all his other
reverses, he wanted to inflict a curse on Graf Silth. Due the two crossbow
dwarves or more accurately Alan Hamilton’s dice throwing he was first wounded
and then crippled, falling to the ground. Seeing this halted the third pack in
their tracks. Had they charged in their nine would have been resisted by only
three warriors and an abigail. After them the Princess and Lady Shalaka would
have become involved. The blinding flash, plus the dwarves fighting superiority,
plus the usual lucky dice throwing, eventually beat off the two remaining packs.
If the flash spell had failed, the 5 cubit wolves could have done some damage
but it did not.
Thus ends this Dwarf Saga,
originally named Trouble for Aroar. It gave me and my players some enjoyable
fun. Next will come the Belmanian Civil War, caused by the unexpected death of
King Grocus. A Prophesy has indicated that he will be succeeded by a Queen but
which of his six consorts will it be?
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