imported_Song
27-07-2007, 01:26 AM
Grisgarts severed head skittered across the floor and tumbled slowly down the steps of the platform. The shattered corpses of his drake minions lay slain at the feet of the kinsmen from Precept.
'And now my friends' smile Barathor, wiping his blade clean across his thigh, 'I shall explain how we are to slay the beast Thorog with just a hat'
Puzzled looks crossed the faces of his gathered kinsmen as he rummaged in his backpack searching for something. A glint in his eye and he pulled out a very colourful item and plopped it on his head with a grin.
Despite the gore and viscera surrounding them in the Ice drakes hold not one kinsmen could contain his or her laughter as Barathor addressed them in his comical attire. The hat was of cloth and some sort of leather, dyed in a variety of colours, it rose straight up from his head and ended in a flat top, the brim was cut away into tiny squares. He looked like a jester.
'And so', struggling to keep his composure now he continued 'we go to slay the dragon, follow me'
'Wait a moment friend Barathor' Talryn the quiet hunter stepped forward, 'we slay this dragon with just a hat?'
'Aye indeed Talryn, all will be revealed', and with a wink he led the companions back through the icy halls into the area where they would engage the dread beast of Helegrod.
Gathering his kinsmen close Barathor began explaining the strategy they would utilise to fell the beast, and after some time they broke off and assumed their positions. The minstrels, led by Song and Kaywyn began their joyous melodies whilst the captains bowed their head in prayer. The champions and guardians sharpened their blades and the hunters merely sat quietly by their campfire. The burglars practiced their vanishing tricks and whispered their riddles and the sole loremaster summoned forth her minions in preparation for the fight.
'Kellie' Barathor cried, 'summon the Deathsayer'
Kellie climbed the platform and using the items gathered from the denizens of the Keep began the chant with which to summon the Deathsayer the keeper of Thorog himself. Slay him, legends said, and Thorog would soon follow.
A great light emanated from the coffin as Kellie finished the ritual and the Deathsayer burst from his coffin, a foul stench emanating from his resting place.
'Who daress wakess me' he hissed through his shattered jaw, his paper like skin stretched taut across his skeletal frame he glided across the platform as violet beams of light shot out of his hands stunning the gathered companions.
Kraggax the mighty, yet soft of voice, dwarf yelled his battlecry and battle was begun as Heph sunk his battleaxe deep in the thigh of the creature.
A great cry of agony rung out across the area echoing through the buildings and caverns of Helegrod.
'Theres more where that came from laddie!' cried Heph.
The burglars appeared from the shadows burying their slender daggers deep in his back, slicing and slashing and bringing him further agony. Opaline and Ragrin dodged in and around his ankles occassionally jumping up to attack his knees, whilst Eilella, Harall and Herburt slashed at his back trying to eviscerate him.
Soon, peppered with arrows and slashed to pieces, a foul black ichor leaking from every wound the Deathsayer cried out 'CEASE' and as one the companions backed away. This was the moment, the one they had read about in the legends, the demise of the Deathsayer would make way for the dread creature Thorog and the chance to return Mirdanat to it's rightful home.
A fell screech erupted from the skies and a gale blew up kicking up snow and dirt from the ground as the beast erupted from the clouds above in a hail of fury. It landed with a massive crash on the platform, shattering several of the foot thick slabs of granite.
'I sure hope your hats up to this' winked Song as he plucked a gentle melody on his lute soothing the souls of his kinsmen.
'Heh I've little doubt this hat will do the trick my friend' grinned Barathor, 'shall we then?' he questioned
As one they cried 'THE POWER OF THREE' and ran in to engage the beast.
Once again Kraggax and Heph lead the charge, their axes renting huge gouges into the dragons tough hide, 'HA! the beast bleeds at least' cried Kraggax, his falsetto tone bringing a smile to the faces of his companions.
The champions engaged with great fervour and frenzy, bloodlust upon them, Srren, Barathor and Skaggi the dwarf cut hacked and slashed at the beasts hackles, whilst Nicoras, Turmereth and Ardaion dodged in and out evading the giant dragons wings and nicking at his fleshy underbelly.
At that moment, just as Nicoras went in for another daring attack the dragon turned his attention from Kraggax and blasted Nicoras with the full fury of his wrath. The champion staggered in the face of the blast, acid and dark magics covered him from head to toe in a dark smoky miasma and he stumbled and fell to his knees weeping with terror.
The minstrels then stepped up to the front, Kaywyn and Song began the melody and Raendoos, Marmawise, Smimli and Thorir added to it, a rapturous sound of joy and love surrounded the fallen champion, the darkness seeped away from him and a resolve lit his eyes from within.
He rose to his feet a smile on his face, the fervour returned, and leapt back into the fray.
The beast tried in vain to damage the companions and soon he took off to lick his wounds.
'HA!' cried Kraggax 'He retreats so soon!'
With that he was engulfed in flame and fire, his beard crackling alight.
'OWWWW! put it out put it out!' he danced around the platform waving his hands around.
Ice drakes had taken the platform in Thorogs stead, summoned from the darkness to relieve their master and again the battle raged on. The hunters Berenind and Talryn's bows sang out as their arrows whistled through the air sinking shaft deep into the flesh of the creatures felling them with a single blow. Turmereth stood, a lone figure, on one corner of the platform engaging two of the beasts single handedly, cleaving one sinuous head off and spinning round to gut the final beast in one sweep of his shining blades.
Cailleach mesmerised and stunned the incoming creatures with her words of lore and whispered secrets allowing the burglars to eviscerate the addled foe where they stood.
Again Thorog landed heavily on the platform, his wounds healed somewhat and the battle again raged on. Dullahan the young captain in training took two bodily blows from the creatures tail knocking him back into a snowdrift, his vassal came running and dusted him off and pushed him back into the battle. All around were the sighs and grunts of tired warriors, the clash of blade and the howl of terror, offset by the rapture of the minstrels who kept their companions morale high and allowed them respite when their resolve fled.
Time and time again the creature tried to break the defences of the kinsmen and time and time again they threw him back until finally with a great sweep of his axe Kraggax buried it deep inside the creatures skull shattering it in one hit, the dragons eyes burst coating several of the kin in black ichor that burned through their armor and then with a reluctant sigh the dragon reared back with one final roar and fell heavily onto the platform it's final breaths leaving it's body.
A huge roar went up from the kinsmen, the beast, Thorog, was slain.
Barathor stepped up, his hat slightly crumpled and seared and scorched in places but still amazingly ridiculous, clambering on top of the beast he cried out...'And so my friends, it is ended, we have defeated the beast that has plagued Helegrod, we have ended a darkness and we shall return Mirdanat to it's rightful owners once more!'
Everyone cheered then slapping each other on the back and rejoicing in their momentous victory, the dragon lay dead it's minions also lay dead.
They returned to Rivendell amid joyous celebrations and returned Mirdanant, but that tale my friends is for another day!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well done to all of Precept for downing Thorog, we spent 3 tough weeks figuring him out for ourselves and finally hit on a plan to fell him which worked pretty much flawlessly give or take a few hiccups
I'll post up pictures of the whole event on our website as it contains alot of spoilers such as the events after you slay him and the encounter in Rivendell, I was going to add that here but it'd only spoil it , it's really well worth doing and makes you feel a real part of the world.
Once again well done to all, a great achievement and most importanly a hell of alot of fun!
'And now my friends' smile Barathor, wiping his blade clean across his thigh, 'I shall explain how we are to slay the beast Thorog with just a hat'
Puzzled looks crossed the faces of his gathered kinsmen as he rummaged in his backpack searching for something. A glint in his eye and he pulled out a very colourful item and plopped it on his head with a grin.
Despite the gore and viscera surrounding them in the Ice drakes hold not one kinsmen could contain his or her laughter as Barathor addressed them in his comical attire. The hat was of cloth and some sort of leather, dyed in a variety of colours, it rose straight up from his head and ended in a flat top, the brim was cut away into tiny squares. He looked like a jester.
'And so', struggling to keep his composure now he continued 'we go to slay the dragon, follow me'
'Wait a moment friend Barathor' Talryn the quiet hunter stepped forward, 'we slay this dragon with just a hat?'
'Aye indeed Talryn, all will be revealed', and with a wink he led the companions back through the icy halls into the area where they would engage the dread beast of Helegrod.
Gathering his kinsmen close Barathor began explaining the strategy they would utilise to fell the beast, and after some time they broke off and assumed their positions. The minstrels, led by Song and Kaywyn began their joyous melodies whilst the captains bowed their head in prayer. The champions and guardians sharpened their blades and the hunters merely sat quietly by their campfire. The burglars practiced their vanishing tricks and whispered their riddles and the sole loremaster summoned forth her minions in preparation for the fight.
'Kellie' Barathor cried, 'summon the Deathsayer'
Kellie climbed the platform and using the items gathered from the denizens of the Keep began the chant with which to summon the Deathsayer the keeper of Thorog himself. Slay him, legends said, and Thorog would soon follow.
A great light emanated from the coffin as Kellie finished the ritual and the Deathsayer burst from his coffin, a foul stench emanating from his resting place.
'Who daress wakess me' he hissed through his shattered jaw, his paper like skin stretched taut across his skeletal frame he glided across the platform as violet beams of light shot out of his hands stunning the gathered companions.
Kraggax the mighty, yet soft of voice, dwarf yelled his battlecry and battle was begun as Heph sunk his battleaxe deep in the thigh of the creature.
A great cry of agony rung out across the area echoing through the buildings and caverns of Helegrod.
'Theres more where that came from laddie!' cried Heph.
The burglars appeared from the shadows burying their slender daggers deep in his back, slicing and slashing and bringing him further agony. Opaline and Ragrin dodged in and around his ankles occassionally jumping up to attack his knees, whilst Eilella, Harall and Herburt slashed at his back trying to eviscerate him.
Soon, peppered with arrows and slashed to pieces, a foul black ichor leaking from every wound the Deathsayer cried out 'CEASE' and as one the companions backed away. This was the moment, the one they had read about in the legends, the demise of the Deathsayer would make way for the dread creature Thorog and the chance to return Mirdanat to it's rightful home.
A fell screech erupted from the skies and a gale blew up kicking up snow and dirt from the ground as the beast erupted from the clouds above in a hail of fury. It landed with a massive crash on the platform, shattering several of the foot thick slabs of granite.
'I sure hope your hats up to this' winked Song as he plucked a gentle melody on his lute soothing the souls of his kinsmen.
'Heh I've little doubt this hat will do the trick my friend' grinned Barathor, 'shall we then?' he questioned
As one they cried 'THE POWER OF THREE' and ran in to engage the beast.
Once again Kraggax and Heph lead the charge, their axes renting huge gouges into the dragons tough hide, 'HA! the beast bleeds at least' cried Kraggax, his falsetto tone bringing a smile to the faces of his companions.
The champions engaged with great fervour and frenzy, bloodlust upon them, Srren, Barathor and Skaggi the dwarf cut hacked and slashed at the beasts hackles, whilst Nicoras, Turmereth and Ardaion dodged in and out evading the giant dragons wings and nicking at his fleshy underbelly.
At that moment, just as Nicoras went in for another daring attack the dragon turned his attention from Kraggax and blasted Nicoras with the full fury of his wrath. The champion staggered in the face of the blast, acid and dark magics covered him from head to toe in a dark smoky miasma and he stumbled and fell to his knees weeping with terror.
The minstrels then stepped up to the front, Kaywyn and Song began the melody and Raendoos, Marmawise, Smimli and Thorir added to it, a rapturous sound of joy and love surrounded the fallen champion, the darkness seeped away from him and a resolve lit his eyes from within.
He rose to his feet a smile on his face, the fervour returned, and leapt back into the fray.
The beast tried in vain to damage the companions and soon he took off to lick his wounds.
'HA!' cried Kraggax 'He retreats so soon!'
With that he was engulfed in flame and fire, his beard crackling alight.
'OWWWW! put it out put it out!' he danced around the platform waving his hands around.
Ice drakes had taken the platform in Thorogs stead, summoned from the darkness to relieve their master and again the battle raged on. The hunters Berenind and Talryn's bows sang out as their arrows whistled through the air sinking shaft deep into the flesh of the creatures felling them with a single blow. Turmereth stood, a lone figure, on one corner of the platform engaging two of the beasts single handedly, cleaving one sinuous head off and spinning round to gut the final beast in one sweep of his shining blades.
Cailleach mesmerised and stunned the incoming creatures with her words of lore and whispered secrets allowing the burglars to eviscerate the addled foe where they stood.
Again Thorog landed heavily on the platform, his wounds healed somewhat and the battle again raged on. Dullahan the young captain in training took two bodily blows from the creatures tail knocking him back into a snowdrift, his vassal came running and dusted him off and pushed him back into the battle. All around were the sighs and grunts of tired warriors, the clash of blade and the howl of terror, offset by the rapture of the minstrels who kept their companions morale high and allowed them respite when their resolve fled.
Time and time again the creature tried to break the defences of the kinsmen and time and time again they threw him back until finally with a great sweep of his axe Kraggax buried it deep inside the creatures skull shattering it in one hit, the dragons eyes burst coating several of the kin in black ichor that burned through their armor and then with a reluctant sigh the dragon reared back with one final roar and fell heavily onto the platform it's final breaths leaving it's body.
A huge roar went up from the kinsmen, the beast, Thorog, was slain.
Barathor stepped up, his hat slightly crumpled and seared and scorched in places but still amazingly ridiculous, clambering on top of the beast he cried out...'And so my friends, it is ended, we have defeated the beast that has plagued Helegrod, we have ended a darkness and we shall return Mirdanat to it's rightful owners once more!'
Everyone cheered then slapping each other on the back and rejoicing in their momentous victory, the dragon lay dead it's minions also lay dead.
They returned to Rivendell amid joyous celebrations and returned Mirdanant, but that tale my friends is for another day!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well done to all of Precept for downing Thorog, we spent 3 tough weeks figuring him out for ourselves and finally hit on a plan to fell him which worked pretty much flawlessly give or take a few hiccups
I'll post up pictures of the whole event on our website as it contains alot of spoilers such as the events after you slay him and the encounter in Rivendell, I was going to add that here but it'd only spoil it , it's really well worth doing and makes you feel a real part of the world.
Once again well done to all, a great achievement and most importanly a hell of alot of fun!