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Hello folks!  Lord Baldrith here with the Second part of Once Upon A Time Lord.  Written by Gabriel Nightshadow and Time Lord.  Narrated and produced by Lord Baldrith.  Amber Raine is the voice of Chariya.  Hope you Enjoy!

Here is the text of the story:

Thurmann Cove, Lake Travis

April 18, 1981, 1:00 PM

It was a warm, sunny, spring day in Austin, Texas and Time Lord had decided to take his girlfriend, Chariya, to Lake Travis for a romantic picnic lunch. He found it hard to believe that after six months, this lovely, young woman was still with him and had rejected the advances of other men on numerous occasions.

The both of them were sitting on a red-checkered tablecloth which had been spread out on the ground under a shady tree. Since this a very special occasion, Time Lord had gone to great lengths to prepare this lunch from scratch, which had consisted of Thai salad with peanut sauce, followed by charbroiled Thai sesame beef and Kang Phet chicken with brown rice, and finally, mango layer cake for dessert. An oriental music CD played in the background.

Time Lord popped the cork on a full-bodied red wine and made a toast to his beloved Chariya. Once they finished consuming the wine, Time Lord turned to her and spoke from his heart…

“Let me read to you dear Chariya, from some elements of Time, for you are much sweeter than any could find.

I’ll read it from an old book while we sit here drinking wine, forever in your beauty I’m most for to dine.

I’ll read to you about freedom and how my wings do soar, as my heart sings to you loveliness, the you I adore.

The tale has many endings with a deeper finality at its core, you for you my dear listener, I do in love’s implore.

It’s a tale from my homeland of how corruptions can tear, and rip from freedom’s soul it’s every breath of air.

Yet all is well now, that I am far away from such care, sitting here with my one, that’s beauty’s most fair.

In the life of Time’s True Freedom, there once in my homeland was Primal Unity, where Lord’s first began to have names.

The Lord of the south sea was Abrupt, The Lord of the north sea was Sudden. From Time to Time, Abrupt and Sudden got together in the territory of Primal Unity, and Primal Unity treated them well.

Abrupt and Sudden planned to repay all of Primal Unity’s kindness.

They said, “People all have openings, through which they see, hear, eat and breathe, yet Primal Unity has none. Let us make openings for Primal Unity in return”.

So every day they gouged out a hole in Primal Unity, and after seven days, Primal Unity died, along with her unborn child, “Unknown Freedom”.

Soon I’ll be travelling to a distant and very different Time in space, where Primal Unity is struggling, in Time’s fate.

I want you to come with me Chariya far and beyond Time’s gate, and aide me in what I must do, before it’s too late.

I’ll be travelling there in a spacecraft that can win any race, yet now you search your heart keeping track of its pace.

Fore it is that you, within your heart, that I wish so to embrace, and think not the worst of whichever be the case.

Yours is the dearest heart I wish for all Time, no matter what the cost because to me your heart’s beats are mine.

Just give to me some wink of what you wish for in a sign, while we bathe in this picnic of our hearts so entwined.

It’s truly my inner soul I wish for you to carry, some part of our love to be deeply known we can soon forever ferry.

I know from our sweet days together so merry, that to you, I’m the only one that you ever have wish for to marry.

Now touch softly my soul with what any reply has to say, for I never wish to forget this most perfect glorious day,

The day we took from life what’s so heartfelt and gay, and made our way forward with our hearts giving way.

So I’ll ask but once, for our hearts to become we, and then tread on together to wherever, Time takes us to see.

Both into and out of the deepest, most vast void of sea, the question that only hearts answer, is will you marry me?”

Time Lord pulled out a dazzling diamond heart engagement ring and presented it to Chariya.

“Of course, I’ll marry you Martin!”, said Chariya, slipping the ring on her finger.

“Wait, before you accept my marriage proposal, there is much I need to tell you about myself….”, said Time Lord.

Time Lord took a deep breath and then told Chariya everything about himself. He told her he was over 5,000 years old and was one of three founders of an advanced society which had mastered the forces of science and magic. Having devoted his life to the study of science, he had overseen the construction of the great floating space city of Ghidara, with which his people had fled the destruction of their home world. As the inventor of time travel technology, he had created the quantum temporal drive which allowed their city to travel through time and space. Time Lord did not agree with the ruling council’s decision to change their policy of helping lesser species develop to one of enslaving lesser species, and resigned his position in protest. He went into self-exile aboard his personal time ship which he named Tanken-ka (Japanese word for “explorer”). He told her that he had been with many women in his lifetime but none that he wanted to share his life with. He also told her that if she didn’t agree to go away with him today, she was destined to die in a tragic chemical explosion in the University’s biochemistry lab later that evening! He could not prevent the explosion from occurring because it was a fixed point in time.

When Time Lord finished talking, he awaited for Chariya’s response. He was afraid that he had scared her off by revealing the truth about himself.

Her response surprised him.

“You know, I sensed there was something different about you the first time we collided with each other in front of the library.”, said Chariya, “I just have one question for you, Time Lord…”

“What is your true name?”, asked Chariya.

Time Lord leaned over and whispered it in her ear.

“That’s a rather long and difficult name to pronounce.”, replied Chariya, “Do you have a shorter version, a nickname perhaps?”

“I am known to my people by the name

Nystal.” , replied Time Lord.

“Nystal it is, then.”, said Chariya, “I will marry you and join you on your travels through time and space! But if we must depart today, when will I have time to pack and have a wedding ceremony?

“That’s all taken care of, my dear!”, replied Time Lord, pulling out a small device. He pressed a few buttons and then put the device back into his pocket.

“What did you just do?”, asked Chariya.

“I just teleported all of your belongings aboard my time ship.”, replied Time Lord, ” As far as the wedding ceremony goes, help me pack everything up into the car. There’s someplace we have to go.”

“OK…”, said a curious Chariya.

Twenty minutes later, they found themselves in a rather familiar field. All of their SCA friends were assembled for their medieval wedding! Her dad and mom were there too, dressed in attire befitting a Duke and Duchess.

“But, we’re not dressed in appropriate attire!”, exclaimed Chariya.

“Not a problem!”, said Time Lord, as Chariya was taken away by her female friends to a nearby tent where her wedding gown lay waiting for her.

After another twenty minutes, Chariya emerged. As her father walked her down the aisle, she heard her good friend, Maeve, singing a song, “By My Side”. It was not a medieval wedding song, but Time Lord had chosen it because it expressed his feelings perfectly.

Chariya was surprised to see Shamino (Richard Garriott) standing next to Time Lord and serving as his best man.

After they exchanged their vows and kissed, a flock of doves was released. They all flew off to the east, but one suddenly peeled off and headed west. Unbeknownst to all those below, its eyes briefly glowed.

Several hours later, as the wedding festivities were coming to an end, Time Lord and Chariya were approached by young Richard Garriott.

“Professor, I was so sorry to hear about your ailing father!”, said Richard, “To have to suddenly quit your position mid-semester and return home to Cardiff, Wales to tend to him must be difficult.”

“I appreciate your concern, Richard, but family always comes first.”, replied Time Lord, “My dear mother passed away five years ago, and I have no idea where my no good younger brother has disappeared to. He’s always getting himself into trouble and only pops up when he needs money!”

“And what of you, Chariya?”, asked Richard, “What about your studies?”

“I’ve already submitted both of my Master’s thesis.”, replied Chariya, “If need be, I can always return to wrap things up. I’m used to long international flights!”

“And what are your plans for the future, Richard?”, asked Time Lord.

“Well, I’ve been working on this computer game set in a fantasy world, but which also has elements of science fiction.”, replied Richard.

“Science fiction, you say?”, said Time Lord, “What sort of science fiction?”

“Time travel!”, answered Richard, “The protagonist must eventually make his way up into space and find a time machine so he can travel back in time to defeat the main villain before he becomes immortal! Do you believe in time travel, Professor?”

“Of course, I do!”, said a grinning Time Lord, “Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity suggests that an object traveling close to the speed of light would physically alter time by dilating it. Any relativistic traveler would find his time running slowly than any one at rest on earth. The effect of which when he landed, would be himself too distant in the future. The people his age when he left would have aged a couple of decades his senior. So, you see, Richard, time travel is theoretically possible. It is just a matter of someone building a spacecraft that can travel close to the speed of light.”

“Do you think that will happen in our lifetime?”, asked Richard.

“Maybe not in our lifetime, Richard, but I’m confident it’s just… a matter of time!”, said a grinning Time Lord.

Chariya did a facepalm when she heard that last remark.

“I think you’re on to something, Richard.”, said Time Lord, “I suspect fantasy computer games will be very popular in the future. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor!”

Time Lord shook Richard’s hand.

“I do hope that we will meet again someday, Professor!”, said Richard.

“I’m sure we will!”, answered a smiling Time Lord.

Richard took his leave.

As Time Lord and Chariya walked to their car, somebody called out to them, “I don’t suppose it’s too late to congratulate the bride and groom!”

Time Lord recognized the voice instantly as he and Chariya turned around.

“Mingo, you made it after all!”, said Time Lord excitedly, “Chariya, let me introduce you to my cousin, Mingo!”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mingo!”, said Chariya, as she shook his hand, “I was hoping someone from Nystal’s family would show up!”

“Sorry I missed the ceremony and reception.”, replied Mingo, “But you know how busy I am…”

“Indeed I do, cousin…”, said Time Lord.

“You really are a lovely woman, Chariya.”, said Mingo, as he took a good luck at Time Lord’s new bride, “Quite frankly, I never thought that my playboy cousin would ever settle down!”

“Mingo…”, an embarrassed Time Lord said.

“I brought a little wedding gift for the both of you!”, Mingo said, handing Chariya a small white box.

“That is so kind of you!”, replied Chariya, as she opened the box and pulled out a glowing blue cube, “It’s beautiful! What is it?”

“It’s a Radozan mind cube!”, exclaimed Time Lord, as he took the cube from Chariya and examined it, “These things are extremely rare. I believe there are only three left in existence. Where did you happen to find it?”

“I found that in an abandoned temple on Sherzan 7.”, replied Mingo.

He leaned over and whispered in Time Lord’s ear, “Carry it with you, always!”

“OK…”, replied a rather puzzled Time Lord, as he placed the cube in his belt pouch, “Thank you very much, Mingo!”

“You’re welcome, Nystal.”, said Mingo, “I must be going now…”

“So soon?”, said Chariya, “You just got here…”

“Unfortunately, the forces of Chaos are always hard at work trying to disrupt the natural order of things.”, said Mingo, “I…

Mingo suddenly vanished into thin air!

“Where did he go?”, asked Chariya.

“I’m not sure, but don’t worry, he does that a lot!,”, said Time Lord, “Now let’s get ready to start our new life together!”

Time Lord drove Chariya to a nearby empty field. He pushed a button on his handheld device and his time ship’s camouflage field deactivated. Time Lord and Chariya boarded the sleek, silver time ship and strapped themselves into the pilot and co-pilot seats. After Time Lord activated the ship’s systems, he and Chariya held hands.

“Are you ready to travel to the stars?”, asked Time Lord.

“Yes, my darling.”, said Chariya as she smiled at him.

The time ship slowly rose from the ground and then soared off into space.

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5/9/2024 Update:
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Hello, Lord Baldrith here with an awesome Story about the Founder Knights house.  I will include the text of the story plus the pictures here so you can follow along if wanted 🙂

Also, Here is the link: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/my-name-is-founder-kights-house-and-i-have-a-message.9694/#post-167664

My name is „Founder Knights House“ and i feel like it is time for me to speak up.

But before I do this I will have to enlighten you about the history of my life as some of the newer ones might not have a clue what I went through.

This is one of my earliest pictures, the day I was born.

I was a proud, a new fresh building. Everyone did love me as not many houses did exist back then. I was Richard Garriott´s favorite house.

He used me in plenty of his demonstration videos.

I also was special because I had been reserved for only a very special limited amount of players.
I did know them all by the name, as it had not been many.

Those few founder knights loved me and had a lot attention on me and wanted the best for me.
They had the feeling that my interior is not good enough and requested upgrades like better flooring and a door to prevent the rain from coming in. They wanted a new wall and protection from falling down the stairs. Some wanted more windows from me to get the warm sun in.

I loved all those knights with the attention they had for me and all those good intentions.
So I did it. I did fulfill all the requests, because I had so much love for them.

I felt special, very special for this little group of knights.

I was kind a sad that after I did change so much of myself in the interior that it was not enough.

My good friend the Benefactor Knights House showed up, and all felt suddenly I needed to be better than him. I was still not good enough.

But I loved them and I did as they wanted from me. I changed my outside inside out. Again!

I changed my roof, I did ad a balcony, I did provide more room inside. I ripped of my whole entrance and made a nicer door.
All because I was looking forward to be that special house all my knights had dreamed off.
I made it.

Finally every Knight was happy with how I had changed myself for them.

This is me today. I know… you did not notice me at first… not much left of how I was as a baby.

But there is more to come. On a bright sunny day something happened. The Founder Pledge Gifting System arrived.
Suddenly one part of my beloved little group of Knights instantly forgot about me. They forgot all I did for them.
They did see only the 25$ Reward and focused all efforts to become a Lord.

All I did and I went through just for them did not count anymore.

And the other part of the Knights did not find me special anymore. They looked at me sad and with every new Founder Knight arriving they thought I am less special. Not rare enough anymore to be proud of.

I was now head to head with my good friend the Benefactor House. But he did not have to go through all the hassle I did. He could just be like he was.

Just as I thought all is fine and I was getting to know all the new Gifted Founder Knights ( the ones with the blue shield, not the white, all so confusing) my brother came out of the ocean. The Founder Lighthouse!

Again I was forgotten. All did envy him. Of course he was taller then me..and oh , wow, he had a flashlight he had with him… sigh. I am happy for him. He also was left alone. Some wanted more stones around his basement, but else they did leave him alone.

Well after going through all this suffering I thought I am finaly, finaly at peace with my live. .
No more new Founder Knights are coming in since 8 th April. Some have left to start all over with what they have done to me to my good friend : The Founder Lord House.
I warned him. More I could not do for him.

But as now the doors are shut to become a Founder again, the new gifted Founder Knights are starting to look at me again. I am scared.. what do they wan´t from me again. It looks like they want to pull off some of my skin!!!

Please, please let me be… let me alone… I just want to be what I once was.
If I look in the mirror I do not notice my image anymore. I do not know what and who I am.

I wan´t to return to be the one Richard loved so much.

So here is my short message for you all out there.

I am what I am and when will you start loving me and stop changing me?

So i ask you.

Is there anyone out there who would love to stay with me just the way i was?

Maybe if enough of you are out there they will ad me they way i was created to the ADD ONS STORE!

If you accept me as i once was just vote YES in the Poll and maybe one day i will be available for you just the way i was intended to be.

Please be aware that my SQUARE METERS are smaller then the current pledge level Founder Knights House. So i would not interfere with that rule!

Your original Founder Knights House.

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Hi All, Lord Baldrith here with a story by Archaaz.  This story was Featured on Community Spotlight ~ Tales of the Underworld from last year.  Excellent story by the way Archaaz.  Two female voices, hmmmm, hope you can tell them apart :)…My versatility in Female voices are fairly small.   Here is the link:  https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/?p=25589#more-25589

Here is the text of the story:

The Expedition

Noor sat silent and still upon a high outcropping overlooking the town ofNiverale, nestled in the distant valley below. The sun had not yet pierced the horizon, and the world was still bathed in the gray miasma of early morning. A sudden late autumn breeze whistled down from the mountains above, and she pulled her woolen cloak tighter against the chill.

Her perch afforded a splendid view of the town, spread out along both sides of the narrow valley, split by the gentle river Vuryn- a river that would slow to a frozen trickle with onset of the winter snows, and swell to a raging torrent with the spring thaw. Smoke from a hundred chimneys curled upward, dissipating wistfully into the pale, predawn sky.

Noor had come to this town, to this world, a little over a year ago, by her calculations. She reflected on the world she had left behind- friends, family- lost to her now. The recollection brought with it the faint ache of mourning, for in that bygone world she had loved and been loved, had harbored great dreams for the future, had amassed an endless collection of cherished memories. Yet, the longer she remained in this new land, the dimmer those memories became, the weaker her ties to that previous existence. She was happy here. As strange as the notion seemed, she belonged here. She thought of that first day, the day of her sixteenth birthday, when she had gone to sleep in one world and awakened in another, and, as always happened when she recalled that time, her thoughts turned to the old gypsy woman-

“You’re early.” The words roused Noor from her reverie. It took her some moments to recognize the voice of her friend Jansa, dressed in the soft brown robes that marked her as an apprentice of the Mages’ Guild.

“I wanted to watch the sunrise.” said Noor.

“Wish granted.” said Jansa, gesturing toward then horizon as the first blinding sliver of sunlight broke above the distant mountains. The two friends stared in rapt wonder as the golden orb made its leisurely ascent, igniting the clouds in a dazzling conflagration of violet, crimson and orange.

“Any trouble getting away?” asked Noor.

“None whatsoever. My studies are finished, for a time at least. Two blessed weeks of freedom.”

“And what do they teach you, all cloistered away in that tower?” Noor had not seen her friend in the three months since she had been inducted into the Mages’ Guild, and was curious about her new life.

“Magic, of course.”

Of course, thought Noor. But Magic? Real magic? The idea was too ludicrous to entertain- her own situation, and the events that had brought her to this world notwithstanding. “Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat?”

“A rabbit from a hat?” Jansa‘s eyes widened a bit as she rubbed her chin in contemplation. “That is indeed powerful magic, though of perhaps dubious practical use. I am afraid we have yet to begin our lessons in conjuring. Is this what the wizards of your homeland practice, then? Rabbit summoning? Yet you are no mere Rabbit Summoner, Noor of the Southlands, but a warrior, born and bred. ”

“Me a warrior? Hardly. Why would you think that? You know I am but a poor farmer’s daughter.”

“What’s this then, at your side?” said Jansa, indicating the scabbard affixed to Noor’s belt.

“Oh, this.” Noor blushed. She had forgotten the sword. “If you are determined to go through with this insane plan, I thought I should have at least some form of defense.” She had borrowed the blade from her foster father, Estan Burwood, the blacksmith of Niverale, though she had neglected to tell him quite yet, about either the sword or this little adventure. Under his guidance she had even assisted in its forging. It was a fine, sturdy blade with few frills, but balanced and keen.

“Prudent, indeed,” said Jansa. “But a sword is only as useful as she who wields it. Have you any experience with such a weapon?”

“I have been practicing with Roderic in the evenings, when his duties are finished.”

 “A finer teacher could not be hoped for,” said Jansa. Noor thought she could perhaps detect a hint of jealousy in the young mage’s tone, but could not be certain.

“That’s what I keep telling her.” A man’s voice. “For her sake, I hope she doesn‘t believe me.” The pair turned to find Roderic himself ascending the trail toward them, his strong, broad-shouldered frame clad in a lightweight suit of chain mail. His own sword, far superior to Noor’s, hung at his side in a fine scabbard.

“Ah, Sir Roderic.” said Jansa. “The final member of our little excursion.”

“Not sir,” said Roderic.” Not yet. Just a humble squire.”

“Humble…hrmph. Speaking of lessons perhaps you could stand a few on humility from your pupil.” Noor blushed at the praise and stared down at her shoes.

Roderic smiled at Jansa’s teasing and Noor‘s embarrassment. “I would no doubt benefit from such tutelage. Alas, my duties are many, and the days are short. And besides, I have other qualities that might be hindered by the addition of humility. Do you have the map?”

“Aye, that I do.” Jansa produced a scroll from her robes, and unfurled it to reveal a map, copied in her elegant, meticulous script. “It was no small feat procuring this copy. The High Mages do not readily part with their knowledge. The original was secreted away in a forbidden section of the library. Fortunately, a young scribe owed me a favor.”

The map revealed that the distance was not long, but the way was steep. It took them some time to root out the trailhead, which was had long ago fallen into disuse and was overgrown, nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding forest.

The group ascended the narrow trail, following Jansa’s map. As they climbed, the dense forest gradually turned to scrub, and finally the landscape grew barren, dotted only with sparse clumps of grass and the occasional lichen-covered boulder. Roderic took the lead, playfully slashing away at invisible enemies as he practiced the various attacks, parries and feints of his craft. Still more boy than man, thought Noor as she admired the strength and precision of his movements.

At length the path evened out and crossed a stone bridge above a precipitous chasm before rising again on the other side. Jansa stopped at a small grouping of stones, the ruins of an ancient shrine. She knelt, placing one hand on the shrine. The other she brought to the small pendant she wore on a simple length of string around her neck. She appeared to utter some words, though Noor could not make them out, and then rose and followed Roderic across the bridge and up the sloping path. As she passed the crumbling monument, overgrown with the weeds of neglect, Noor saw that it was marked with a series of unfamiliar runes, worn smooth by time and the barely remembered caresses of untold pilgrims.

At last they came to the narrow mouth of a cavern. A well worn stone stairway lead down into impenetrable darkness.

“I don’t like this,” said Noor, peering into the gloom.

“Sir Roderic, make note of the Lady Noor’s trepidation.”

“Trepidation noted.” said Roderic, not bothering to look up from his work. He had laid out three torches from his pack, and was busy lighting one with his tinderbox. After some strikes of flint on steel, the torch flickered to life. He handed a torch to each of his companions and lit them with his own.

“Remember, Noor,” said Jansa. “You are a warrior.” With this the mage disappeared into the cave and down the stairs. Roderic trailed her. Turning back to Noor, he mouthed the word ‘warrior’ with as serious a look as he could muster.

Noor sighed and followed her companions into the narrow grotto and down the staircase into the bowels of the world.

The stairs descended some hundred feet, ending in a long passageway, which in turn branched into a number of winding tunnels. Jansa marked the walls with various runes, thus leaving them a path back to the surface.

As they meandered through the snaking cavern, Noor’s thoughts returned to the day of her arrival in this strange new land. She awoke in a dewy meadow, the morning sun still low in the sky. Disoriented, perhaps still thinking herself in the throes of a dream, she cast about for any sign of habitation. The wind carried the faint strains of music. As if in a trance, she followed the sound, through the meadow, across a dusty road, and into a copse of pines. There, in a small clearing, she found a camp of brightly painted, covered wagons. The music drew her to the largest of the wagons, which she entered through a small door.

Inside the wagon, at a small table, her face illuminated by a single candle, sat an elderly woman. She beckoned Noor to sit and offered her a cup of tea. In a voice like faded parchment, she explained to Noor that her old life was over, and that she was never to speak of it to anyone. She announced that they would invent for her a new past. She had been the daughter of farmers from the far south whose homestead had been overrun by bandits. Noor had been the only survivor.

Noor accompanied the caravan north, to Niverale, where the old gypsy introduced her to Estan and Stredda Burwood, who took her in as if she were their own child. In parting the woman kissed Noor on he forehead with thin, velvety lips, reminding her silently of her promise to keep her past to herself.

Since that day, Noor had thought on more than on occasion that she recognized something familiar in the face of a passerby, a secret connection, though she had kept her promise and not once revealed her true history. She recalled the ranting of a man some six months ago, claiming to have come from another world. He was never seen in Niverale again.

Noor’s thoughts returned to the present as the group rounded a tight bend, and the passage opened onto a broad platform. Closer inspection revealed it to be a ledge overlooking a vast abyss. What they saw next struck the three of them mute with awe. In the middle of the void, suspended by unknown means, floated the remains of an ancient fortress.

A cursory examination failed to produce any means of bridging the gap between the ledge and the fortress. Further inspection was delayed as a terrible cry rent the still air of the cavern. From out of the gloom emerged a creature Noor could not have imagined in her most horrifying nightmare. A great bloated head rested on a squat, powerful torso, its hide matted with coarse, black fur. In one knobby hand it held an enormous club riddled with cruel spikes. With a fierce roar the creature raised its mighty weapon and lunged at Noor.

The beast was fast, but Roderic was faster. In an instant he had positioned himself between Noor and the creature. Shield upraised, sword drawn, he prepared for the assault. The creature swung, even as Roderic ducked, the mighty club missing the top of his head by mere inches. Roderic retaliated, striking the creature a glancing blow to the shoulder, unable to penetrate its thick hide. Enraged the creature swung hard, splintering Roderic’s shield and sending the young squire hurtling through the air to land in an unmoving heap on the cold stone floor.

Noor cried out as her companion fell. Its attacker dispatched, the creature refocused its attention on her. She was aware of a faint chanting behind her as she fumbled for the sword at her side. The voice was undoubtedly Jansa‘s, though the words were in no language Noor had ever heard. As the beast advanced, the acrid smell of sulfur filled Noor‘s nostrils. A ball of brightly colored light exploded near the creature‘s head. It shrieked as if struck, bringing it’s clawed hands to its face to ward off the burning in its eyes. Blinded, it stuck out wildly in all directions, narrowly missing Noor with a broad sweep of its club. She at last managed to draw her sword, but stood terrified, transfixed by the flailing beast.

As its blindness wore off, the creature turned again to Noor, raising its club high over its head. Her heart sank in her chest. Her knees buckled beneath her. More spidery chanting from behind, the fetid breath of the creature replaced by the smell of garlic and a nauseous odor she could not identify. Noor closed her eyes, bracing herself for the coming blow that would, in all likelihood, end her life. The blow never came. After some moments Noor dared to open her eyes. The creature stood in the same pose, club upraised, face frozen in a snarling grimace of rage.

“That’s much better than a rabbit from a hat.” she muttered, her voice weak from a mixture of fright, awe and relief.

“Quickly,” cried Jansa, her own voice ragged with exhaustion. “Kill it! The spell’s effects are but temporary, and I do not have the energy to cast another.”

Despite Jansa’s warning, Noor hesitated. She knew that she should strike while the beast was still vulnerable, yet a certain reluctance stayed her hand. She had never killed anything, much less something in such a state of helplessness. She forgot momentarily the dangerous beast of a few minutes’ past, and instead focused on the flesh and blood reality before her.

“Damn it, Noor! What are you waiting for? Strike. Even now I can feel life returning to the beast’s limbs.”

Still Noor hesitated. Her grip on her sword tightened. She glance back at Roderic, unmoving, possibly dead. With an act of will, she quieted the pounding of her heart, stilled her mind, summoned her courage. She could hear Jansa shuffling toward her, and thought she saw the creature’s nose twitch.

“Strike!”

Noor’s indecision shattered in an instant. She thrust upward with both arms, burying her blade to the hilt in the soft flesh of the creature’s neck. Shocked by the suddenness of her action, the finality, she released her grip on the sword. Reeling backward, she slipped on a slick patch of stone and sat down hard upon the unforgiving cavern floor. She sat in the flickering of the torchlight, awaiting the gush of blood that must surely follow such a wound, yet the creature stood frozen, her sword jutting from its neck.

Suddenly the spell expired, releasing a surge of foul smelling gore onto the ground and splattering the front of Noor’s tunic. She was surprised to find that the blood was red, like her own. The creature, quite dead from the wound in its neck, and freed of the spell’s effect, lurched forward. Noor leapt out of the way, narrowly avoiding being crushed as the creature fell heavily to the ground.

With the beast slain, the two young women rushed to the barely unconscious Roderic. Jansa examined his wounds, determining that the pain in his ankle was the result of a sprain rather than a fracture, and that, while his shield had absorbed the brunt of the impact, his arm was quite bruised and swollen, not to mention a bloody mess. She fashioned a sling for his arm from a bit of her robe, and applied a poultice to his wounds.

The condition of Roderic’s ankle made walking impossible, so Jansa and Noor supported the young man between them, each offering a shoulder. Though they strained under his bulk and the added weight of his chain mail, they managed to lift him. Noor held the single remaining torch. As they passed the fallen creature, Noor spied something glinting in the torchlight. Leaving Roderic in the temporary custody of Jansa, she bent to investigate and discovered a small pouch filled with gems and gold pieces, which she stuffed into the pocket of her tunic.

Slowly, cautiously, the three young adventurers made their way back to the surface, hoping all the while that they would not encounter another of the creatures- or worse- amid the winding tunnels. Jansa’s runes glowed a faint silver, easy to follow by torchlight, though supporting Roderic between them made negotiating the narrow passages a tedious, awkward affair. Hours passed as they inched their way ever closer to freedom.

They came at last to the staircase, and ascended into fresh air and sunlight. Relieved, they rested on the sparse grass. Jansa checked Roderic’s bindings as Noor prepared a hasty meal of cheese and stale bread she had brought from home.

“It appears you were right after all,” said Jansa. “This was little more than a fool’s gamble, born of the wild recklessness of youth. And dangerous besides. We could have- should have- been killed down there.”

Noor’s thoughts were still far below ground, lost among winding subterranean passages, lingering among the ruined glory of the underground fortress. They had survived the adventure, if not entirely unscathed, at least without permanent injuries. The treasure she had taken from the creature, even split three ways, was a small fortune. She could repay, at least in part, the debt of gratitude owed to her new foster family; a new bellows for the smithy, a heavy winter cloak for Estan, a fancy new dress for Stredda- and for Leana, her young foster sister, a new doll. She held a particularly large ruby up to the sky, admiring its radiance in the light of the afternoon sun. “Next time,” she said. “We will be better prepared.”

Her companions looked at her in surprise. “Next time?” they said in unison. The trio’s laughter followed them down the valley, toward the distant rooftops of home.

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4/23/2024 Update:
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Lord Baldrith here with another Adventure from Islug written by Sir Stile.  Awesome stuff!  I hope there are many more to continue our fun series on Islug.

Here is the text:

Written by Stile Teckel

Title: Islug has a mishap

OOC note: A comedy piece about doing timed delivery grind quests in online games as well as poking a bit of fun at in game travel methods.

Islug walks over to Minstril who is studying hard and drops some papers in front of her. She blinks and looks up. “What is this may I ask?”

Islug crosses his arms “Tis all the ways I ave ta travel speedily from place ta place, and these stupid things that various practical jokes competing taverns want ta do to each other. They want it done in an hour. I want ye to figure out how I do that.”

Minstril looks at the paper and looks back up “One at a time?”.

Islug shakes his head “nae, I want to do them all at once. I ave other things ta do ye know. Yer funding isn’t free!”.

She sighs and nods and begins working. Later she hands Islug a piece of paper “That should do it fer ye”.

Islug grabs it and runs off and begins following the instructions. At one point he realizes that she used a stable he doesn’t know how to get to and he grumbles and picks an alternate route on the spot.

Eventually he gets to the last drop-off and looks at the location and groans. “Well, I cin get ta Eastreach Gap an Ride, but I cin nae get to that stupid camp any other way. Travel rune isn’t ready yet due to that detour… Port Graff.. .. er something like that, In Drachvald.. in 17 minutes?!!!” He goes to the nearest stable outopst and begins riding fast to the north and east. He makes a left turn on the path going down some mountains instead of a right and realizes he’s at a cliff face.

“Argh.. an I ave no time to back track” After thinking for a moment, Islug takes out his cloak, spreads it out, gets on his horse and jumps….

A few minutes later he wakes up at some stones with a several broken bones and a dead horse. He quickly crawls to some stables to the north. “I need a horse, quick!”

A few minutes later he delivers the ale with a bit of time to spare. He grunts “I am going to ave to go visit that one stable so in the future I need ta know how to get there so that does nae happen again!”.

He pens a note to the Stone Mug “Please send 2000 silver to the Stableman of Eastridge Gap . Expenses incurred fer doing yer errands!”.

He pens another note to a stable in Brittany “Please send me a replacement horse. I know it’s the third one this month! Bill the Bear Tavern fer it.”

Later that night in the Tavern, Islug wrapped up all over in bandages… “Aye I tell ye, was a Troll in full plate armor!” Takes a swig of ale. “But ye see who won don’t ye? Im here and it isn’t! Ha!”