Gnolls be Dumb...

 Actually thinking that our camp was unguarded. I mean, really!

The two Gnolls that came across our campsite obviously thought that we were that foolish, but appearances were deceiving. After a short melee, the Gnolls lifeless bodies put to rest any notions that we were unaware. Of course that knowledge will no longer be of benefit to them.

I will say this though, these particular Gnolls are much stronger and hardier than any I have previously crossed blades with. If all of the gathering Gnolls that are answering the summons of this Carrion King that we are sent to investigate are of similar ilk, we are in for a steep challenge. After all, there are but the four of us, one of which is my beloved. No, these new Gnolls have me greatly worried.

Will we be able to thread the needle as it were, penetrating the army of these beasts that cover the mountainside? Which is also the way to the House of Beasts that is reported to be where this so-called Carrion King resides? Well, we shall shortly find out.

o0o

Zayifid, of SpaOhm

Enjoying the pleasant, cooler Autumn air, (you know, when the desert drops from 50 to 40 degrees) Kiril, Connie and I were nearing the end of our turn on watch when a loud horn sounded from up in the north district.

Grateful for the horses, we spurred them to a fast trot and arrived a scant quarter-hour later, in front of a squalid little pub, well known for the interesting clientele it already boasted. Handing the reins to the boys out front, warning them to watch the mounts well if they expected anything when we returned, we entered the thriving place, the object of our interest a massive giant, two fingers taller than Kiril, and he was sittin' down! hailed us, and waved us over.

He proudly and fearfully explained his presence and piously belaboured his trials as he crossed the desert heat after the frozen mountain passes to bring us the tale of a Carrion King, a creature amassing a vicious gnoll army, ready to strike at Kalmarane.

We took his word to Almah, who, with a few wise words of her own, blessed us to discover the location of this army and if the rumours of an imminent attack carried merit. "After all, what do we know of this man, Zayifid?"

Now, a week into our trek into the Pale Mountains, in search of the Carrion King and his minions, we can report that it indeed appears that there is unrest, evil and Gnoll activity. We shall continue forward, seeking the army we have been informed of, while hoping the barely-trained sentries we left to guard the city are worthy of the battle they may see in the weeks ahead, and if they are prepared to sacrifice their lives.

We hope we can keep the battle from reaching the streets of the newly re-built city. I look to my love, my husband of but a few short months, my worry clear, I do not want him to fall as much as he does not want me to fall, but we will both attend to our jobs, and protect the city as best we can - if this means giving our lives, we must be prepared to do so… The sun warming my back I can only shrug the feeling of unease aside and pay attention to the present besides, I am itching to try out my new spell, the one that took me nearly a year to perfect! Scouring Sand, I may have created it to make it simpler to clean the cooking pots, but that test against the drunks a few weeks ago show it has a lot of promise to confuse and injure...

o0o

I knew it...

I knew it! I just knew my parents would love her.

My father had joined me the morning before the wedding while I was checking the water wheel to verify its alignment. As I breathe a sigh of relief, as well as satisfaction, he waded out to stand next to me.

“Kiril, my son,” he said seriously, “you have made your mother and I so very proud. You have done a great thing in aiding to liberate this city. I, we, always expected you to have an impact in the world. It is nice to see the results with our own eyes. And Son, your chosen, all I can say is, well done! Spring is charming, beautiful, and obviously intelligent. After all she said yes to your proposal,” he says with a silly grin. “No, seriously Son, you chose well. And your mother couldn't be happier, either. Not that you need it, but you have our whole heartfelt approval. I do hope that your lives become somewhat calmer though. All of those new scars you've managed to acquire speak all to plainly on just how dangerous your life has become.”

“Oh, and I had sent word on to Jessaril abour what you have done here, and about your impending nuptials.”

“You did?” I say. “Was there any word from her?”

“Yes. She also is proud of you, as well as happy that you have found someone to love. I am to express her sadness at her inability to travel here at this time, but to tell you that she hopes to see you once again, and that she would love to greet your 'verme'. Bu the way. What is a 'verme'?”

A smiling Kiril says. “Wife. It's Elvish for wife. It's too bad she couldn't make it. I would have loved to see her again, and even more for her to meet Spring.

His father looks at Kiril a moment before responding. “Son, would that be so very wise? I never asked, but I think that you and Jess got pretty, uhm, close there at the end. Am I right? And if I am, wouldn't that be a potential problem?”

I look him straight in the eyes and then nod. “Yes father, we became lovers. But remember that she is an Elf. There world view is totally different from ours. I would never be more than a brief interlude in her life. I was aware before it happened, and she took great pains to reinforce this as it happened. I will always have love for Jess in my heart. She was my teacher. Mentor; friend, and briefly my lover. She, in a very real way, finished what you and Mother started; making me into the man I find myself as today. And I have told Spring everything about Jess. I have no secrets from her. And Father, there is truly no comparing my feelings for Jessarill with the love I have for Spring. Now, would Spring still have an issue with a former lover of mine? My only other lover I might add. I don't know. Perhaps. I would hope not, but I don't know. I would hope that my love for her is clear enough for her to realize that I would never, could never, stray. And that she has regained enough of her Elvish heritage to know that Jess would never attempt to lure me away even if she was so inclined. It just isn't part of her culture to intrude between lifemates. But there would never be a choice. Spring is where my heart, my future reside. She is the only choice, and, in a day, we marry!"

The next day, the entire city turned out to see Spring and Kiril, two of the heroes of the
city, marry.The third and final hero and liberator, their good friend Connie performed the ceremony. Connie even performed a, mostly, Elven Wedding ritual - in High Elven at that - with translators throughout the crowd for their benefit. That last bit was taken care of by the thoughtfulness of Almah.

All in all, a grand day was had by all.

And so, Kiril was wed to Spring. Kiril's parents stayed on an additional fortnight, but reluctantly left to return home.

And now, here it is about a year after we defeated that foul demon that was trapped under the, now fully reconsecrated and restored church, of Serranrae. My life with Spring is as wonderful as I could ever have wished for. But can things stay this way? There are more, ever more, reports of Gnoll activity in the mountains. I fear that this idyllic time was but an interlude from our lives of violence. I do so pray that I am wrong in that regard. Yes, I pray I'm wrong.

o0o

Well Earned Rest...

Now, that was one journey I do not wish to make again.

My heart coiled ready to tear this creature apart with my bare hands. Watching the pincers pierce Penladan was awful. As if in slow motion. Having to ignore his lifeless body as we struck the evil daemon repeatedly, leant strength to my castings, Dan’s spirit guiding my simple jabs deeper.

It has been only a few days and still I shake as I recall the horror. Penladan’s final gasp bringing tears to my eyes, my gut souring.

When the exoskelton turned on my beloved I have never felt more helpless. Too far away to do anything more than watch and pray as Kiril tumbled and fell – the terror that gripped my throat choked the air from me as the daemon scorpion bloodied and left him for dead.

Begging Kiril to retreat even as I taunted Xuloth(?), my explosive fury and wrath – calling up all that had been resting, waiting for its chance to emerge – and blasted the beast repeatedly, weakening it, justifiably allowing my champion to thrust the final, painful rent into the creature’s hide.

The joyful tears as I held him afterward, briefly squeezing so tightly Kiril complained, soon turned to mournful ones as Connie shook her head, “He’s too far into the afterlife, my potions will not bring him back.” Tears fell, too, from her eyes as she closed Penladan’s sightless eyes. I felt Kiril’s guilt, that he had used that last of Connie’s healing potions. I hugged him tightly thinking that could have been him as well.

The journey to speak with Almah was heavy and she was moved by the sacrifices we had made, two members, Valrose and now Penladan. Two good men, cut down in their prime. It was/is kind of her to place a statue commemorating his bravery and selfless forfeiture of his life so that the town may grow and prosper.

And grow and prosper it is! Caravans filled with any and everything one could imagine arriving daily – hourly! The long and arduous journey from Katapesh, and even further, not daunting sellers of goods, their stories of Gnoll invasions and other horrors reaching us as they enter through the gates, as we make a point to greet each caravan’s head-master and arrange for them to speak to the correct diplomat. Almah has had to hire many of these newcomers as the town grows, the once simple task of tallying a day’s sales becoming too much for her scribes and accountants to take care of.

Our daily, and nightly excursions along the borders and through the streets themselves, we have found very little trouble, most of the folks just happy that this great Mecca of trade and meeting is open again! This is good, as it has allowed us to pursue other interests.

One of which is the wedding. I cannot believe how calm and at peace I am. I certainly hope Haleen will return for it, but I understand if she doesn’t. It will be nice to meet Kiril’s parents, although I admit to having more than a few butterflies in my stomach over that.

 

I have ordered the material for the dress. The ladies at the new shop were thrilled they would be

making the gown, as, they assured us when we went to pay and they refused to accept even so much as a Drachma, they would earn much renown for creating the gown of the one who helped reopen the city for business! I had to smile, but who am I to argue?

I can’t believe how much learning can be found in just talking to the priests and fiddling about in the alchemist’s shop; Connie has banned me from her neatly ordered vials and liquids. Grateful too that I have good teachers; else that wedding might have been another funeral pyre. I have figured out how to make a simple healing potion. I can’t use it on myself, as it contains a chemical to which I appear to be immune, but I have tested it on Kiril, and a few of the workers who injured themselves while helping Kiril build the water wheel – an amazing act of perseverance and ingenuity, if you ask me. Indoor plumbing? Unheard of before! A hot bath, or, more often an nice cool one, without having to lug buckets of water? What a luxury! – and the potion appears to heal everything, including a broken bone! I am still testing its abilities, but am hopeful that when, (for I also feel the wanderlust for adventure stirring in my bones), we find a new challenge to defeat, this potion will keep my love alive. It does have some shelf-life issues, lasting only forty-eight hours before becoming inert, and I’ve not found a way yet to re-stabilise it.

I also, after a few weeks of practising, honing and fine tuning, worked out a spell that could serve us in the future. Or should I say, nearly worked out. The last time I tried it, the new Monk came running out of his house, formerly Penladan’s, (he isn’t sure he will remain, or if he’ll chose a better suited one), the words a Monk knows these days! Still, lesson learned; maybe a little less wrist twist and a little more control of my staff. Even I thought the explosion a little too exuberant!

I do enjoy the peaceful idyllic life, getting up as the sun’s rays poke holes in my carefully sewn drapes; practising the ancient oriental arts with Kiril, before seeking a hot bath, sometimes with, sometimes without, Kiril, then meditating for an hour or so before bothering the city with my questions; I think they sent for the librarian, insisting he arrive post-haste! Helping unpack, dust and catalogue the massive tomes, before shelving them acquainted me well with the librarian who in turn, showed me ancient manuscripts, stories and legends – there is an entire section depicting ancient spells and weavings!

My dress was exactly as I planned, and then some. Without my knowledge, Kiril ordered some pearls, which he then asked the seamstresses to stitch into the bodice of the elegant gown, surprising me as I was fitted for the first time. Their lustrous gleam glowed softly under a full moon with the sun setting and the moon rising as we recited our vows in front of the many who gathered to share in our joy.

I could not have been happier with Kiril’s folks. Kind and sweet, I almost envy him, except that now I can call them mother- and father-by-law. Haleen was unable to return, but I am not saddened by that, she has her adventures to seek.

The party after our wedding, well, I hope it didn’t wake the dead, but the whole town turned out! Or, at least it felt like it! We danced and drank and ate until we could stand no more! Our slipping away to our quiet little home by the river did not go unnoticed, and we were cheered all the way until we closed the door.

Then with chuckles and ribald comments we were left to our night as husband and wife. I shall savour the precious moment of that evening for a lifetime... The way Kiril softly touched me, as if I were the most precious and fragile thing on earth; as if we were coming together for the first time.

His hands caressed down my form, even I had to giggle when we couldn’t figure out how to undo the bodice and, in our eagerness, we lifted the skirts and joined with tulle, silk and satin chafing our skin! We did figure the fasteners out and the dress was removed, and for some reason, I suddenly felt shy – it only lasted a brief moment, but I know Kiril noticed as he held me close for a long time, just kissing me. His lips soft.

I reached between us and stroked his manhood; he’d had no impediments to divesting himself of his breeches. My hand stroked the length of his granite-hard shaft before slipping to my knees, my eyes watching my lover’s, my tongue washing across his slick mushroom shaped head, before drawing it deeply into my mouth, no longer fearing that the seed within would harm him, merely knowing that this is a loving way to handle a man. Before we go too far I rise and stretch on top of his form as it reclines on our soft, fur-lined pallet, my thighs falling to either side of his hips as I rise and slide down, our joining loving, gentle, unhurried. We slept and woke through the night, our hands seeking each other in our sub-conscious sleep, as if this was our first night together. My head on his shoulder as dawn cursed its light through the undraped window, “Ci velethron nin, gi melin, melamin.”

Connie, precious cleric that she is, has managed to gain the private ear of Almah and has a great relationship with the overseers and other officials; she is well respected and looked up to, but she still won’t let me touch her vials and potions. As she, kindly and patiently, says, “One explosion was enough.”

I’ve not had much contact with the new Monk, he has been a bit of a recluse, still the few times we’ve spoken or passed in the street, he has seemed nice enough. Kiril refuses to allow me to share a watch with him yet, but I’m sure as he gets to know him, this will change, Connie hasn’t mentioned that he’s been difficult or anything.

Now, as this day comes to a close, and Kiril is out on watch, I believe I am going to fill the tub, lie back and await his return... I think I’ll even try some of that new oil the chemist’s was selling, it’s said to make your skin soft and protect from the drying effects of the sand and wind. I could sure use some softening up...

 o0o