PlaneShift
Fan Area => Roleplaying (Communitive Storywriting) => Single Author Stories => Topic started by: Stronith on November 06, 2005, 07:58:42 pm
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(http://img332.imageshack.us/img332/3926/stonith14gg.gif)
As he approached the gates of Hydlaa, Stronith said to himself, ?Well, here I am, there?s no turning back.?
The long journey from the underground kingdom he was raised has come to an end. He has heard much of the great fortified city and until now had never imagined he would venture so far from home to see it in person. With all his belongings in a sack slung over his shoulder, he looked one last time at the road leading to his home. He strode with purpose through the gates, only to be stopped by a human, Remant. After slipping a few tria to him, he was given directions to the plaza. The Plaza in Hydlaa, he has heard much of this place. It was rumored among the Kran that the plaza was a meeting place for all walks of life, a good location to obtain information.
Along the road to the Plaza, he was stopped by a creature of a sort he had never seen. His skin was the color of the trees in the forest, and there were wings upon his back. Claws tipped his fingers with a point that implied that they were used for tearing flesh, or at least could be. He looked into his eyes in an effort to judge the creatures motivations, studying the expression on his face and his stance. He was unarmed, or appeared to be, not a threat to this Kran. He nodded.
The creature said, ?Good Sir, are you lost??
?Not exactly?, Stronith replied, ?I am taking in the sights as I make my way to the Plaza.?
The creature introduced himself as Kraith and offered to show the way. Not in any rush to get there, but also curious of the good-will displayed by this gesture, he agreed to follow him to the Plaza. The creature led Stronith through the streets, down a set of stairs and continued on. Once Stronith entered the Plaza, he stopped in his tracks. There was a huge statue and a fountain in the center, with stairs leading down to it. To the left, he could see the most magnificent building he had ever seen.
(http://img332.imageshack.us/img332/1403/temple0dk.gif)
Thinking back to the rumors he has heard of Hydlaa, he quickly realized that that must be the famed Laanx Temple. He made a mental note to visit the temple and see what all the fuss was about. Realizing he was standing alone, he scanned the crowd for Kraith. His guide gestured to him with a wave and Stronith answered by catching up to him.
?This is the Plaza, my friend,? he said. ?There is much more to see in Hydlaa, but I must make haste, as I have guild business to attend to??
?Guild business,? Stronith asked looking perplexed, ?Please explain what you mean.? The term ?Guild? was not familiar to the Kran. At home, groups of Kran would stick together for sporting events, mining for food and such. Perhaps there were more of this creature?s kin in Hydlaa, and that is what he meant.
His guide explained to Stronith the need for citizens to find others who have a similar standing on politics and other issues. ?Strange things are happening in Yliakum as of late. The lands beyond Ojaveda Road have become dangerous for a lone hunter.? He went on to describe the Trepors, Consumers and the infamous Ulbernauts.
Instantly, Stronith recalled a conversation he had with Alteran, a fellow Kran back home:
?I bet you get squished by an Ulber?, Alteran had said to Stronith in an effort to scare him out of leaving the underground. Stronith taken that bet, stating that he would return home in 1 year?s time with an Ulbernaut skin rug to give to Alteran.
?I?m sorry, Sir. I was thinking of home. You reminded me of something I must not forget to do,? he said to Kraith in response to the concerned look on his face.
He went on to explain his plan with the Ulbernaut rug, but stopped his story short when he seen a look he did not understand come across his guides face. There was a grin on Kraith?s face and a slight flutter of the massive wings mounted on his back. His guide smiled and was about to speak when Stronith suddenly understood. There would be much training necessary for an Ulber hunt, the Death Realm is not somewhere he planned on visiting.
Taking the advice of his guide, he made his way to the blacksmith?s shop. Busy as it was, he was able to purchase some weapons from the smithy. Harnquist had much to sell, but nothing notably strong. A weapon would be required to make a living, as he was told, because the economy in Yliakum was mainly for trophies of battle with the vile monsters that had begun to spread across the land.
Wondering where to start, he asked around. There were a few mentions of an arena of sorts, but something about taking on Gladiator with a pitiful broadsword was not settling too well with Stronith. It was then that he heard of a rodent infestation underground. That was where he must go, practice some swordsmanship and collect some trophies of his battle. Harnquist had offered to buy such things, and now Stronith knew where he could get some; earn some tria and gain some fighting experience.
The sparring he had done with his friends back home usually amounted to not much more than hand-to-hand horseplay and sometimes stone clubs. Alteran had found a small tree-trunk stashed somewhere (Stronith hadn?t fully understood what it was until he emerged from the underground to see the forest) that packed quite the punch when he?d swing it at Stronith. Swords were not overly familiar to this Kran, but he realized that flesh and blood creatures such as the sewer rats he was going to hunt might appreciate the sharp edge. It would take much practice to wield these weapons effectively against much more than these sewer creatures.
After spending some time in the sewers, searching for an exit he was once again helped by his new friend, Kraith. Although his eyesight was keen in the dark, he could not figure out which way he had come from. His guide sought him out in the depths of the sewers and led him back to the surface. Showing Kraith what he had looted from the rats, he was pointed back to the blacksmith. Although Harnquist?s specialty was dealing in swords and other weapons, he did purchase the loot from him and this put some more tria in his pocket.
It was then that he overheard a voice that sounded familiar. Looking behind him, he saw the speaker. It was the accent of a Kran that sounded familiar, but the face was not. This Kran had an air of importance about him, his face having expression of natural confidence that Stronith revered immediately. Hesitating only for a moment, he then made his way though the crowd to the Kran that was selling swords, all of them having interesting sounding names.
?A fire broad sword?? Stronith thought to himself, ?I wonder how much he would sell it for??
?Hello, good sir. Are you interested in a Fire Broad Sword?? the Kran asked and also introduced himself as Talad. Stronith was handed the blade to inspect it. The steel was warm to the touch, much warmer than it should have been ? given the temperature in the air. Intrigued, Stronith purchased the sword from this Talad fellow, not realizing until much later that the sword was worth ten-fold what he had paid.
Thinking nothing more of the encounter, he thanked the Kran and bid farewell. There was much to explore, but always being on-purpose, Stronith made his way to the temple.
?to be continued?
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I love it Stronith but you know that seeing as I got to read it before anyone else.
/me can\'t wait till our storys merge
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It makes me sad that not many have come to see what a great story teller you are stronith. I was hoping you would have had more support from the PS community for I feel your story is like ten times as good as mine. Whats with the double posting you all ask...I am hoping that someone will notice how much this story adds to the PS community by putting it to the top of the list.....
/me walks away unhappy with the lack of support
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wow, what a great read... please keep it coming.
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Very Very nice story , I love the situation when stronith met Talad ....
I want to add : it is was easy for me to read, i read without dictionary , pleasant to read ...
maybe the best for the moment for me
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Superb!
Your story has inspired me Stronith. Magnificent!
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There was little activity in the temple itself, in fact it was complety deserted other than a couple of folks who had little to offer of interest to Stronith. Outside, though there was a couple of dwarfs quarreling. This proved to entertain for a few moments, but that was it.
Deciding that there was no better time than the present to explore the wilderness, Stronith set off for the gates of Hydlaa. Remant was on shift again, so Stronith stopped to say hello.
?I trust you located the Plaza without much trouble, Sir.? Remant had said, nodding slightly.
Stronith said he had, and thanked him. Remant went on to ask where Stronith was heading. ?To the forest, and then to explore the land beyond. I hear there are some unwelcome creatures that lurk in the valleys??
Remant laid his hand upon Stronith?s forearm. ?Sir Stronith, I cannot recommend proceeding with that plan unless you are?? He then noticed the broadsword on his hip. ?Nevermind, I see you have gotten that taken care of.? Stronith nodded and grinned. ?By chance, if you happen to come across a simple broadsword in your travels and return to Hydlaa, I would be grateful if you would sell it to me. You see, my sword is worn, and with the rumors of rogues and bandits in the area, I cannot leave my post.? Remant explained.
Stronith assured Remant that he would keep an eye out for the weapon, going on to say, ?I have had enough of the sewer dwelling annoyances, and am looking forward to assisting with ridding the area of these rogues.? With that, the two bid farewell, Remant remaining still and alert at the gates and Stronith passing through them towards the forest.
The short walk from the walls of the city to the edge of the forest was uneventful. There was a few travelers that passed, none-of-which said hello. This was fine, as Stronith was not keen on idle conversation. He was used to spending time with a select few of his kin, not mingling much at all - even at the party that was thrown to see him off on his journey, he had spent most of the evening with Aridon and Alteran swapping stories.
Not far into the forest he could hear the sounds of swords clashing. Quikening his pace, curious as to what was happening, he rounded a corner and was able to see the source of the sounds. There was a human and a rogue dueling near a fork in the road. The human was parrying blow after blow from his opponent but seemed to be losing ground. The rogue was forcing the fellow towards a rock face speaking some words Stronith could not hear clearly through the mask of sorts he was wearing. Only his eyes were showing, but that was enough for Stronith to assess the rogue was fighting with the confidence of a well-seasoned combatant.
The human took a slash on the shoulder of his sword-arm, dropping his weapon. In his other hand he had a wooden shield. Stronith evaluated that the wooden shield would not stand up to the force of the blows that the sword had been warding off, and no sooner did he unsheathe his own sword to assist, he observed the losing fighter raise the shield at a sharp angle and catch the rogue in the chin. A cry of sudden pain was clearly heard from under the mask the rogue wore and he stumbled back a few steps. In that opportunity, the human picked up his sword and lunged at the rogue with a downward slashing motion. At that moment, the rogue stepped back and tripped on a small rock protruding from the road. It was that stumble that saved the rogue, as the slash missed its target. With obvious skill, the rogue then countered the attack with a kick to the shins, bringing his opponent to his knees. Stronith was almost upon the two of them when the rogue brought the hilt of his sword down directly on the human?s unprotected head. With the battle won, the rogue eyed the sword of his enemy, sheithing his own and reaching for the fallen human\'s. A trophy of battle, Stronith knew, and at that moment he was on the rogue to avenge the murder of the human.
Stronith swung his sword in an upward arc, catching the rogue under the chin. A scream escaped his lips as he fell dead, next to the human he had slain moments before. It was only then that Stronith realized he was not alone. There was a female of the Enkidukai race sitting on a rock nearby. She was sharpening a short sword while watching the action. Stronith acknowledged her with a silent nod, and an awkward grin.
The Enki smiled and introduced herself as Zorbels.
...to be continued...
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I will say the same thing than my first post here ... You have a talent for writting story
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I can\'t wait to see more writing from you.
Dylia wait under a tree for Stronith to post the next one. :D
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Wow Stronith I love the story and the way you introduce me. :D It is exactly how it happened when I first joined PS. I envy the way you discribe things and events......
/me bows to Stronith and looks forward to more.....
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great story Stronith i can not wait for the next part
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Must... resist... addiction... to... your... story...
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When Lady Zorbels stood, and extended her paw for a proper greeting, Stronith naturally gripped it in his massive hand and shook it heartily as he had the other citizens he had met in his travels. Zorbels produced a look on her face that made him second-guess what he had just done. Perhaps this female expected something other than a handshake when she put her paw out in front of him. He awkwardly released her from his grip and asked if he had done something wrong. He had much to learn about the customs of those outside his kinfolk. Zorbels appeared about to say something, and change her mind.
?Do not worry, Good Sir. Nothing is the matter,? she had said to him. There was a twinkle in her eyes, and a slight smirk that told him perhaps he did miss something, but decided not to press the issue.
Stronith regained his composure and introduced himself. ?My name, Lady Zorbels, is Stronith. I am new to this land, and am pleased to have made your acquaintance.?
?Stronith, that is an interesting name, Sir,? she said to him. ?Stronith,? she repeated, ?Your name carries the tone of physical might, and by observing your quick dealings with that rogue over there,? she pointed to corpse of Stronith?s fallen opponent, ?it serves you well.?
Flattered, Stronith smiled. ?Thank-you, Zorbels. Your words are kind.?
Stronith felt there was something he should say, a compliment to pay this maiden in return. In his mind, he fumbled through things he could say. He could comment on her name, but did not know what he would say about it. He noticed her fur was shiny and her tail was long, but did not feel it was something appropriate to say. The combination of her smile and her mischievous eyes was something that intimidated him more than anything. He was at a loss for words.
Zorbels seemed to have picked up on Stronith?s feeling of being uncomfortable and saved him from blurting out something silly. She said to him, ?Stronith, would you be so kind as to meet me at the tavern later this eve? Are you familiar with Kada El?s??
He shook his head no, as he did not know of the place. He saw her face fall for a moment and realized she must have taken that as a refusal of her offer and quickly said, ?I do not know of this place, but I am at your service, milady. If you ask me to meet you at the top of the Laanx Temple I would find my way there.?
At that moment, he recalled the massive height of that structure and hoped that Zorbels would not, in fact, ask him to meet her there. There was a huge contrast between the underground home he once knew and the height if the tower atop the temple. He was relieved that she did not ask such a thing of him, but the smile she had been maintaining throughout the conversation seemed to widen, just a little bit, in response to Stronith?s offer of such a feat as climbing the tower at the temple.
Zorbels explained how to get to the tavern, but did not tell him why she wished to meet him there. He did not ask either, which was quite out-of-character for Stronith. He always knew where he was going, when and why. Something about the Enki affected him in a way he did not understand. There was a warmth in her smile, a certain gracefulness in her movements and an interest in him that he had not seen or felt before this very moment.
Zorbels reached to pick up her pack, and Stronith instantly (instinctively?) picked it up for her. The bag had some weight to it, and Stronith inexplicably offered to carry it to where she was going.
?That is quite all right, Sir Stronith. I have carried my pack for many miles, and am able to manage it. Thank-you, though.? She told him. ?I regret that I must be going; as I have business to attend to. You will see me later, will you not, Stronith?? she asked.
He assured her that he would be at Kada El?s as requested, although he was not certain what a tavern was and why she wanted him to meet her there. Stronith had lost track of his plan, forgotten where he was going (again, very much unlike Stronith). When she asked him where he was off to, he stuttered and stumbled his words, but managed to get out ?going for a walk?. Zorbels giggled as she bowed to him with practiced grace, and bid him farewell.
As she walked the road toward Hydlaa, Stronith watched her intently. He admired how the muscles in her legs flexed and relaxed as she stepped. He watched her tail rhythmically dancing behind her. Sitting down on the rock she had been sitting on only moments ago, he wondered why he noticed these things at all. It was strange for him to take interest in such things. Stronith did not understand why he was disappointed that Zorbels had departed. He reflected on this for a moment, attempting to understand these strange feelings. She had smiled at him constantly, a smile like he had never seen on any creature, smiled honestly even when he had stammered trying to answer the simplest of questions. And that, Stronith did not stammer or forget what he wanted to say; that was odd as well.
As he watched, Zorbels stopped before reaching the bend in the road. It occurred to him that he was muttering to himself. Had she heard him? Did she feel his stare and was going to confront him for his lack of manners? Thankfuly, she had only stopped briefly to fiddle with the strapping on her weighty pack. It was heavy, he knew this and he admired her strength. He considered how strange it was for him to have offered to carry her things for her. She did not want help, in fact she insisted on carrying her own pack. He watched as she made the proper adjustments to balance the weight and carried on towards Hydlaa. Stronith, relieved that his private thoughts and private mutterings had not betrayed him and put him in a position to explain his gawking, looked up at the sky to ponder these strange feelings further.
If he had not taken his eyes off of Zorbels at that moment, he would have seen her pause again before rounding the corner and look back at him, with that same smile he had yet to define the meaning behind.
...to be continued?
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wow... keep it coming... cant wait.. must seek out Zorbels and ask... about the smile thing.. hehehehe
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:D The story is coming along really well Stronith. I enjoyed every word of it. Oh and thank you for writing in that I wouldn\'t let you carry my pack ..... *chuckles* you know Zorbels well......
/me bows and claps at the wonderful piece of story stronith has created
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it just keeps getting better and better :)
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Putting aside these unfamiliar feelings that had manifested themselves upon meeting the Fenki Zorbels, Stronith focused once again on the task at hand. Or, rather he focused on remembering what that task was. He was still a bit rattled from losing his composure but things were starting to piece back together for him.
Ah yes, I was going to explore the areas outside the city, he thought to himself. Deciding that since it was becoming dark, he would not travel far, as he committed to meeting this Fenki at the ?Tavern?. He got up from the rock on which he was resting and gathered his packs. There was a road leading to the left and one to the right. Deciding that since he had no specific destination at the moment he randomly decided to turn right and explore some down that way.
The forest road appeared to have been carved out of the rock itself, resembling the work a Stonebreaker. He found this interesting and made a mental note to see if this was indeed the case.
Looking ahead, he noticed a break in the tree canopy only a hundred paces ahead of him. When he reached the end of the road, he entered into a clearing. A half a dozen large boulders were scattered about the perimeter of the clearing. At the foot of these rocks there was evidence of previous mining endeavors. Small chunks of the stone, and the dust associated with pickaxe work were scattered on the otherwise vibrant green grass.
Stronith never could quite understand some had with the little green plant that sprung up and was even deliberately allowed to grow from the otherwise perfectly adequate dirt and stone surface. He noticed the abundance of the same plant within the walls of Hydlaa. Where there was not stone pathway, there was grass. Soft, useless grass.
Although grass, trees and other such frivolities were not familiar to him, he knew much of the minerals found in Yliakum. Curious as to what was previously or perhaps still mined in this particular place, Stronith walked over to the largest of the rocks to get a closer look of the composition of it. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a 3 or 4 story building, or what appeared to be a home at first glance. He saw the sign on the outside wall and although he could not read the sign from the distance he was from it, he decided it must be a shop of some sort.
Turning around, back to the rock he was now standing in front of, he examined it closely. Using only his fingertips, he broke off a small piece of the rock that jutted out from the boulders? jagged side and placed it in his mouth, tasting it. He savored the taste for a few moments and then added that piece to the pile of small pile of rubble at the base of the rock. There is gold within these rocks, one of his favorite snacks ? but he wasn?t hungry at the moment and there was, he knew more to be found if he wanted.
He bent down to pick up a piece of gold ore. Stronith placed the ore in his pack and admired the rock face once again. He liked gold, one of his favorite minerals. Stronith decided that if the shop nearby did not sell a tool for digging, he would ask the Fenki, Zorbels if she knew where to obtain one when he saw her later this eve.
Turning his attention from the rock face to the building in the clearing, he strolled leisurely towards it. It was interesting to him that the door was wide open, even as evening approached.
He thought to himself, either the rumors of much trouble outside of Hydlaa?s walls were overstated, or this area had some form of protection unseen to him.
He walked into the doorway a few steps, and saw nobody inside. He was astonished by the collection of odd items on the shelves and tables, most of which defied comparison to anything he had ever seen. There were bottles of various sizes with colored liquid inside them, some of which seemed to be animated, swirling or bubbling within the glass. Some appeared to be empty, but emitted a soft glow. These were interesting enough, but in the far-right corner he saw something that made him step back. There was a massive creature hanging in the corner, resembling a snake ? but not like any he has seen before. It was still as a corpse, but Stronith kept his distance none the less.
?Excuse me sir, can I help you?? a voice said from behind him. Stronith was so intently focused on the odd creature in the corner that he was startled to the point of reaching for the hilt of his sword. He turned quickly, only to see a slim fellow standing behind a counter. The man who had nearly lost his life, just for startling Stronith had no fear in his face, even as his eyes watched Stronith?s huge hand still on the broad sword. His face appeared to be aged beyond his years.
?My name is Levrus, welcome to my magic shop. I stock plenty of items, and provide training in the magical arts. Are you looking for something in particular, Sir Kran??
Stronith let go of his sword, embarrassed for being so jumpy and said to the shopkeeper, ?No, thank-you.?
He was about to inquire about the monstrous snake in the corner when a sound from outside caught his attention and he glanced out the open doorway to the clearing that was empty only a moment before. A dwarf was standing with his feet shoulder-width apart and his arms outstretched in front of him. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be chanting.
As a young Kran, Stronith and his friends would sometimes ?play magic? by making up words and throwing stones at eachother. Stronith had only really seen authentic magic one time in his life and that was a traveling magician who put on a magnificent show at one Years-End party. He had put on a spectacular light show, and made Alterran disappear in front of Stronith?s eyes, only to reappear inside a cage with an angry consumer ? which of course was also an illusion. The look on Alterran?s face was worth his weight in tria.
Stronith stepped out of the open doorway onto the grass, at that moment a blinding white light shot from the dwarf?s fingertips and whizzed across the open area in which he stood. He watched as the light took the shape of a bowman?s arrow and struck it?s target. There was a human who absorbed the light without much consequence. He stumbled backwards a half a step, and laughed.
?Is that all you?ve got, Necro??, he shouted. The human raised his arms above his head, said a few words and brought both his hands down quickly in front of him. A small fireball formed at the tips of his fingers and quickly enlarged itself as it traveled with great speed back at the dwarf. The Dwarf was engulfed in flames for a moment, and then it was gone. No fire, no smoke, and no dwarf ashes, there was only laughter. It was the dwarf whom was laughing. He ran from the spot he was standing to the door of the shop where Stronith was standing.
?You want to play? C?mon, let?s see what you can do. I can take it. We?ve been practicing our new magic Levrus taught us. What can you do??, he babbled at Stronith.
As the dwarf continued to chatter at him, Stronith focused less on what he was saying and more on the abundance of energy he seemed to have. Even now that he had stopped speaking to wait for Stronith to reply, the dwarf was alternating between bouncing back and forth and rocking on his heels.
Stronith did no know any magic, and doubted that this fellow wanted him to demonstrate one of the mock spells he knew from home.
Those of flesh and blood tend to frown upon a handful of hexa sized stones thrown at their face, even if it is all in fun.
He had decided that between the awkward and emotionally confusing meeting with the Fenki, Zorbels and his jumpiness with the magic shop proprietor, Stronith had displayed enough weakness for one day.
He replied to the Dwarf, ?I have no time for such play, Short One?
The dwarf produced a rather convincing, but short-lived look of disappointment on his face.
?Sure thing, Mister Kran.? The dwarf extended his stubby hand, ?My name is Necro Glade, but my friends just call me Necro.?
Stronith gripped Necro?s hand and shook it briefly, introducing himself. ?I must carry on, I have important business to attend to.?
?Very well,? said Necro, ?We?ll have to play some magic another day?
Stronith bid his farewell and got only as far as the road leading back to Hydlaa when he heard that laughter again, followed by the whoosh of a fireball. He shook his head in wonder as he made his way back the direction that he had come from. He turned left at the fork in the road, and passing the rogue?s corpse he noticed that his boots and the short sword he?d been using were missing.
After a bit of a walk, he once again reached the gates of the city. He would now locate this Kada-El?s Tavern and brave another meeting with the beautiful Zorbels.
Funny, he thought to himself, I?m not sure I have ever used that word, beautiful. Shaking his head, he entered the city looking forward to his next encounter with her.
...to be continued...
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I do love the way you tell the story ....it\'s like i drink the words instead of reading it
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*chuckles happily* You got Necro in the story stronith, well done. I hope that one day he comes back to PS and reads these forums. I bet he will be thrilled. *Zorbels misses her little Dwarf friend*