After the long rest Mortekai wakes up and tries to sit up as his destroyed right hand remind him of his folly and a soft moan escapes his dry lips.

“Cursed be….”

The small sentence seems to wake up Jiian that lies next to him and he looks up with eyes that are ready for anything, then he recalls where he is and looks at Mortekai.

“Can you hear that?”

Jiian’s excellent hearing was way out of Mortekai’s reach so he just shakes his head.

“What is it?
Jiian listens carefully for a moment, closing his eyes to focus on hearing.

“Drums…and tools.”

He looks up puzzled.
“…and something else…a snarling sound? like a dragon with a cold?”

Mortekai stands up with his other arm that is not as badly wounded and curses loudly.

“They are repairing the bridge, and they have Gargoyles with them….”

He quickly moves toward the door.

“Well…we must get this door open, or they will catch us here like rats. Someone give me some light, my eyes betray me tonight.”

He tried to read the ancient writings on the door without actually touching it, knowing all to well the danger this door represent. Beyond it is the spiral and then…T’’Chais cavern…not the best place to be, but better than facing the blood sucking Gargoyles.

(more…)

Ten years had passed since he died and another five since the day he was returned to life by his friends. After his resurrection and brief period of rejoice for defeating Baal and his minions he learned of the dark fate of his people who now wandered aimlessly without purpose after the destruction of the worldstone.

He had left his friends quickly after the defeat of Baal and returned home, only to find that the city had been destroyed and all its inhabitants had been slayed by Baals forces. Heartbroken with sorrow he returned to the arachnoids to fulfil his promise only to find the halls of the spiderpeople as hollow and empty as his former home. None was left alive to which he could honour his promise.

He wandered for a few years, trying to make sense of the world again, taking jobs where he could find them and eventually ended up in Talmein, a small town in the northern dreadlands where he joined his old brother in arms Jiian to run a successful school dedicated to the art of bow and sword. For a while he was almost happy.

On a warm winterday he got a visit from a few old friends from westmarch that spent the winter training with their former ally and Mortekai started to feel whole again. Sentarius and Trebain filled the days with laughter and Graywinds riddles kept them awake many nights pondering the mysteries of life, or just where the key to the food was hidden so they could fill their stomachs again.  Morkai tought them all new moves that he had learned from his journeys to the east and Cedron showed them the way of the mystic energies late at night.

Then came the sunny springday when they returned to their duties in westmarch once more and in the days following their departure he felt hollow and sad. The feeling continued as the days went by and slowly turned into a foreboding sensation that he just could not shake. His dreams were filled with darkness and death and he grew impatient and irritated from lack of sleep and inner calm. Then one night he received a message.

A squire from westmarch arrived early one morning with an urgent letter from his old friend Teolas that lived in the village Ambera by the shores of the frozen sea just a weeks journey to the north of Talmein. The message was cryptic as the man that wrote it, but the words made Mortekai shiver as is his spine had turned to ice.

“A Brother has fallen to Darkness. I travel to Xiansai, meet me there”

From behind the camp from the woods movement is suddenly observed. Fearing yet another attack the babrarians and the Amazons try to organise in this direction. The woods is silent and only the cries of the wounded when they are tended by the healers are heard.

Then a man comes out of the woods.
(more…)

Kergh stands next to his brother as the demon hordes attack. He lifts his mighty axe one more time, cutting down yet another foe, but his arms are tired after a long battle as is his brothers he is sure. He looks around and see how the demons finally break through their defenses and send their people into a full blown retreat where they are cut down from behind by demons or struck down by arrows and spears. He realises that the battle is lost and he pull his brother away from a mighty blow from a grinning demon and strikes the demon down with one mighty strike.

(more…)

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Seeing Harrogath besieged, battered and scorched a tear wells up in Mortekai’s eye. Standing high above Harrogath, surrounded by the mighty hills he call home he starts to sing. One by one his comrades join in until a hundred barbarians stand above Harrogath, watching their enemies, singing calmly. It unites them and the land itself appears to listen as the soft song flows down to Harrogath where soon voices join in, few at first, then more and more voices join in until it drowns out the sound from the battlefield…

In these mountains I was born
under these clouds I drew my first breath
no matter where I end up
no matter what fate I suffer
I am bound to you

(more…)

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts