A Bards Tale

[crazedgoblin]

The red garbed bard is sitting in the goblin wastelands writing songs and talking to himself about ideas and adventures
  Jamesan puts quill to paper again. By Sword by Song by Note by Tune, Yeild! for i will send thee to their doom!. A perfect song to strike fear into my enemies.
  He jumps to his feet unsheathing his sword which he then drops he walks over to the sword and pulls it from the ground
  hmm yes i think it might need a bit more work. He begins jumping around swinging his sword as if fighting an imaginary enemy.
  Haha got you... yes right so by song by sword by bow by spear... nah by crossbo...... by magic missile. He frowns. Unknown to him a small goblin archer is leveling his bow on his back from the hill behind, he aims and fires.
  Jamesan is jumping backwards and forward chanting to himself about battles and songs and trips and falls backwards over his bootlace flinging his sword backwards.
  Haha and take that villain! and you...whoaaaaa oofff. The goblin falls down the back of the hill after being hit by the flying sword.
  that hurt, ... laces never stay tied anyway, i think Hlint will be safer for mythoughts, less bootlaces trying to kill you all the time!  

[crazedgoblin]

You turn to the section entitles memories to remember*
  Today i found a smashing place for a good fine drink, the Freelancers Tavern behind the bar was a fine sir called Quillwem was behind the bar. Anderiathe was serving drinks and making sure we did not become thirsty at all, the bar was not full but it was a small pleasent company apart from the extremely underdressed lady who was hanging around the bar, Quill told her to leave many times. A fine lady called Kel i did not get her full name, Allgo who was also in the bar bought some fine rings which I'm sure had magical properties, near to when i was about to depart i was helping to tune a violin which i hope was successful i had to make my leave on my way to the docks i found my good friend Han we talked for awhile and then returned for another drink were i told him about my run in with trolls earlier that day. A very good inn i thought i will be returning there soon!.

[crazedgoblin]

  In this part of the book entitled "Atlas" there is a note on Velensk, you turn to were the note refers you to
  Fort Velensk Arena, a wonderful place it has a fine set out with benches, water kegs combat dummies and a bar! *there is a stain here which smells of ale* me and Alythralundar traveled to this place to have a bit of a spar we started with a warm up which went quite alright he is a fantastic sword fighter had me on the ropes a few times but my sturdy sword overpowered his rapier even though i now have a hole in my jacket!
  I'm sure my bow needs a re-tune or something when aiming for the combat dummies it missed and hit the oil lamp! burning oil went everywhere setting fire to a couple of tables one arena wall and the combat dummies, i also found out that water on oil fires is a fantastic display, if you are a long way from it! we managed to use the other table cloths to put out the fire and we went back to practicing, later Dulan and what looked like the entirety of Hlint came here! we had a few more dules which Dulan and Berriford did well in, after a good drink and a little conversation we decided that our skills were best tested on Ogres!
 

[crazedgoblin]

you flick through the book until you see Stories and Memories and you notice a certain story
  We set off from Hlint to meet at Velensk to hone our skills once more. Me, Dulan, Alythralundar, Karana and Mizu we sat outside the town Velensk discussing what to do, we decided on a cave packed with ogres they seem to defend that place we met their forward guard and beat them back although they did some damage to us but we fought around their little cave clearing the corners, Velensk should not be bothered by these beasts for awhile.
 
  After a short rest outside we headed into the felled forests were undead golems live and shades, although we saw no spiders the undead must of scared them away, i counted about 5 golems in the wood, not very nice things look like they have been stuck together by some evil magic it allways baffles me how the undead fail to expire properly after a quick rest we went to fight the mountain giants which were tough but we overcame them it was there we met with a dwarf called Ketilbjorn who bolstered our numbers more. we then after moving back through the woods were attacked by a band of halflings and dwarfs who seemed to be lead by money alone, on our passing back to Velensk we saw the entrance to a swamp full of trolls who attacked us on sight, after fighting through the attack parties to the temple were we had seen action before, our group fought through them and defeated their cheiften, we also found a cave that had much rubble around its entrance that if failed to see before, inside Aly spotted Slaads which weren't that bad until the grey ones started casting spells on us we had to flee the underground crypt after a rest we returned to Velensk to rest for while

[crazedgoblin]

You flip through the book to a recently written page which looks like it is written in much excitement.
  we are hunting for alys shadow, it had taken us everywhere, all the way up to Leilon from fort hope!, just outside Leilon we stopped and got directions from some nice traveling folk.
  the next section looks very choppy as if the writer were rocking from side to side.
  well we have a lead and it is taking us to point harbor, this is a very interesting quest i cannot wait to find alys shadow, i wonder if it is talkative. we have just pulled up in point harbor lets see what awaits us here!.
  The tidy writing is simerler to the first with the exemption of a big leaf and some soil on the page.
  we are just about to help a caravan weve been told its under attack! a nice lad has come to help us, Serg is his name he seems very apt at the magical arts we are preparing now. we just heard a scream we must go to their aid.....
  you turn the page to find alot of sand and wonder were they could of gone to write this.
  i don't know were to start! after we saved the caravan apart from the man who was rather rude to Aly! we moved into the hills were after a group of bugbears attacked us we met the bellowing brothers my fellow actors! they had been attacked and needed us to help them! i cannot believe it they were really there they must of escaped and fled here. so we headed out and looked for the gold than they asked but there was no sign of them!, we returned but they were not there, they must of been chased off or something but there was no one there at all so we headed on to the next hillside were some very strange people were camped, it was interesting to say the least they all talked in a wield way, we walked into a shadow and we were gone!
  the next text is very hesitated
  i don't know what happened for sure... but we went to a very strange place with strange things there were shadow demons and dogs and than merchant again, im very confused about what happend but Aly found his shadow!

[crazedgoblin]

Jamesan is sat outside east hlint sitting by the walls of the town going through his backpack removing all the items and emptying dust and leaves from it. He puts his finger through a tear in the fabric were an orc archer had got lucky and impaled his lunch with an arrow, he sighed and rummaged around in his pockets for some spare fabric, needle and thread he started to place the fabric over the tear then remembered the nasty cut he had got from the last time he had tried to sew a hole in the backpack and put the needle and thread away.
  Many items lay strewn across the grass, a bow, sword, arrows, a few locked boxes and a big red book, but as he came to the end of his pack he found something he had forgotten, two large hefty tomes which he had rescued from the bandits hidden library with Aly, he started to look through the smaller and lighter of the two, it was a manual on gardening for brownies written by someone whose name he could not pronounce, he quickly flicks through it wondering about how to get brownie sized gardening tools easily, after a quick read he puts it down and turns to the bigger, bound blue book, it is locked by a catch, if only Aly were here he though im sure his masterful skills could open this book in seconds, he glances around he notices a small metal rod which had fallen from his backpack, it was the old rod of acid arrows he had. I'm sure this will open the lock! he places the book by the wall and aims the wand at it, the wand fired with green sparks hitting the book which managed to do all of nothing, the summoned arrow vanished into it, with a frown he bent down and picked up the book which to his suprise snapped open and started flapping.
  After about 40 seconds the book had settled down and was sitting there. this book now follows Jamesan around and sometimes helps him in combat as even a possessed spell book is useful. but has a tendency to get bored and telleport to his backpack.

[crazedgoblin]

you look to pages entitles heroes of the world, the first entry is headed with a sketch of a woman dressed in chain mail, looking ready for war and the caption. you skip ahead and see there is room for more poems.
  Karana of Elksoul Tribe
 
  In the field of battle, in the fog of war. Deep within is the mighty roar. The cry is shrill its purpose is set. Her weapon is fixed to face the threat.
  Ahead of the line, ahead of the advance. Karana smashing passed sword and lance. Her rage is her weapon, the bane of her foe. Nowhere to run nowhere to go.
  The battle is won the foe is struck down. The inner strength at heart won't be beaten down. The loot collected, the group is marching away. In battle and fear they whisper in the fray.
  Karana of Elksoul tribe they will say.

[crazedgoblin]

With proverbial slowness assigned to the incredibly gifted or the incredibly drunk, Jamesan started to turn and swing the pitchfork round in his hands occasionally stumbling slightly. Perspiration appears on his brow, the drop of sweat runs down his forehead and on to his nose to hold there as if saying, "go on i dare you", Jamesan with expert skill sneezes loudly, breaking the silence and concentration.
  The bard is seen staring at the upright pitchfork impaled into the dirt, he seems to be thinking very hard and deeply about something. Occasional travelers pass this scene look on in amusement at the bard looking at the pitchfork. He stands up and walks over to the pitchfork which is still standing there waving slightly in the breeze. He stands there still in deep thought, then with no warning grasps the pitchfork and in a very swift but badly rehearsed maneuver twists it and throws it across the ground where it bounces of the side of the hill and clatters down.
  Once again he aproaches and picks it up but this time he walks back in the direction of the town, he reaches the door and pulls his helmet from his bag, he has a smile on his face

[crazedgoblin]

there is a new entry to "Heros of the World" it is simply Entitled Dulan
 
Will of steel, strong of arm. Protecting others from peril and harm. Marred by darkness, Prevailed by light. Strength and power through Toran’s light.  
His sword aglow, his shield on his arm it does rest. Time to fight and face the test. Toran’s light is glowing with pride Sword is swinging, knocking foes aside.  
On a charge the enemy charges to a clash. Dulan summons Toran’s light with a flash. Fang jumps forth his flail smashing down. The blow causing the enemy to reel.  
They hide in shadow and fear the light. For in the shadows they whisper for others to hear. Dulan of the church of Toran they say in fear.

[crazedgoblin]

*The red garbed bard walks along the beaton track, another book fling in tow behind him. This one is coverd in runes and seems almost shy to the onlooker*
  "This really isent working..." says Jamesan frustrated "I mean how hard can it be to find were he last was!"
  *the strange pair continue along the road, Jamesan is franticly looking around for something but to no avail. There is a rumble from the skies and the rain pours down splatting heavily into the dusty road*
  *Jamesan sighs and pulls out his bright green cape and covers himself from the rain, the book huddles by his knees trying to escape the rain storm, he sits down on a rock by the road.*
  "i really don't know were he got to, i mean he was just munching grass then he was gone!".
  *The book flaps round to the other side of his body and nudges him slightly. Suddenly a large object appears in the rain, it did no appear how you would expect it to appear as it seemed not to be there. The only thing that made it noticable was the fact that the rain was hitting it*
  *Jamesan grabs for his sword and rolls of the rockbackwards, the book gets knocked slightly and flaps away for cover*
  "show yourself!" demanded Jamesan half coverd in mudd and dripping with water from the puddle he has rolled in
  *The -thing- that was standing before them in the rain just stood there, it seemed to be eating the grass. Jamesan let out a big sigh and reached for his dispelling rune, the ox appeared from the invisablity spell infront of him. It stared at him with a glu,m un-impressed look on his face, munching the grass*
  "ah, so you were invisible. Well erm maybe we should head back to Hlint now..." said Jamesan sheathing his sword and smiling at the Ox.
  *Jamesan looks to the book and although it has no mouth or anything capable of showing emotion, he could swear it was laughing.*

[crazedgoblin]

*Jamesan looks up to the dark sky and puts quil to parchment*
The Dark Ages    
The Times are hard, The weather is dark. But although life maybe marred Never surrender the spark.    
The sword in its grace,  The bow in its aim.  The strength of the mace, Its power to Maim.    
The weave of the spell, Nature’s fury hits true. The demons of much hell,  Their wrath cuts straight through.    
The ash on the field,  The herd withered and thin.  Through hunger they yield,  Onlookers of evil cackle and grin.    
Strength is our hope, Faith is our glory.  Our ability to cope,  To live through the story.  
The Times are hard, The weather is dark, But although life maybe marred,  Never surrender the spark.
 *Jamesan sits there for a moment thinking then he gets up to look for the postmaster*