Fire, Ashes & Destruction

[Dezza]

*The following are extracts of conversations heard between the hulking brute Massanissa and others:

Brandin Fleetfeet: How are ya Mate?

Massanissa: I no happy wif dis Dragon Mon!

B: What? *looks around expecting to see one*

M: Dis Dragon Mon! De one who brings me here to dis place.

B: What are ya talking about Mate? Come on, cheer up! We can go kill some things if that’ll make you feel better. *Makes a throat slitting motion with his finger across his throat*Just like the other day!

M: I jus’ killed all de lizard men in de swamp Mon….got de leaders head too *smiles revealing pearly white teeth* He tinks he was so good wif his shamans using bad juju Mon! *chuckles* I showed dem Mon…I killed dem all! *his melancholy mood begins to lift recalling the experience*

B: *looks impressed* Wow your remembering stuff then hey?

M: *the melancholy look returns tinged with annoyance* Dis bloody Dragon he brings me here and no ask me if I wan come….*growls in his throat menacingly* If he ask me Mon and say I can come and kill tings and get gold then I woul’ most likely say yes. But he no say to me dis. Dis gives me much anger Mon. Worse ting Mon is that when he takes me here he make me forget all dis fighting tings I learn from the kobolds and fire giants from my homeland Mon….I NO LIKE DIS……I remembering dis slowly Mon. I will fight dis Blood cause de shamans from de temple say dis Blood wan to kill de God and our dragon on de mountain. But I no happy wif de golden dragon and if he come near me when I have remember all my tings Mon…..well he better watch out.
B: *takes a step back seeing the danger signs rising in his unpredictable mountain of steel and muscle* Well…..no sense crying over spilt milk me Old Man used to say..Just gotta rolls with the punches, and the kicks, and the head buts…*pauses and frowns* In fact ya gotta roll with a lot of things. Just gotta get up and keep going and get everything you can from it. *grins* I do!

M: *looks up at the irrepressible scamp of a Halfling that had attached itself to him lately. Seeing him standing there casually flipping a dagger in his hands and a silly grin on his impish features seemed to draw him out of his melancholy* You got any gold Dogboy?

B: Yep! *grins* A whole lot!. You know that group of halfwits we travelled with yesterday into the Greypeaks?

M: *growls* Dey all got killed cept us Mon…de not strong like Massa. I tell dem I get the leaders head for dem for gold but dey wan’ come….dey in de spirit worl’ now Mon. *grins*

B: *grins* Yeah well when things were going bad and you were fighting all those ogres one of the gave me all the gold we had collected so far and told me to keep it safe. I mean how stupid can you get? Giving a Halfling the treasure to keep safe!

M: *grins* Fire n Ashes you still got de treasure Dogboy?

B: Sure have Mate….dead people don’t need gold now do they *winks*

M: Dis Good Mon. I like dis…We go buy healing Juju and den we go kill dead things in de spirit house in Krandor Mon…

B: Spirit House?...oh you mean the crypts!

M: Dis what I say Mon!

B: Yeah, right. *laughs happily* Come on, Come on!

M: *Standing up he picks up his huge tabletop shield adorned with teeth from conquered enemies, adjusts the massive bastardsword over his back and the one at his hip and puts on his blood red battleragers helm. Looking down he sorts through the various shamanic amulets and totems hanging around his neck for one made of finger bones of undead. Holding it and making a warding gesture he strides off after Dogboy.* Fire n Ashes lets make some dis destruction Dogboy.

B: Now.Why didn’t I think of that! *grins happily at the thought of following this juggernaught of destruction into battle and collecting the gold that falls out of the pockets of the dead leaves behind* Here comes Halfling death!

[Dezza]

A heavily muscled dark skinned man sits in a chair in the Wild Surge Inn. The chair creaks and threatens to break under the weight of the man as he leans across the table to grab a hunk of meat from a platter the serving girl puts down. In between mouthfuls of meat he talks loudly to a rascally looking Halfling across from him.
"You don' know what you talkin' bout Dogboy. Dis always bein de way its done Mon."

The halfling, hairy topped feet propped up on a chair beside him and a smaller hunk of meat in one hand and a mug of ale in the other grins.
"Massa you got it all wrong mate. Your thick heads got your brains all twisted.  They are scared of you but they fight with you because they are scared of you. Get it?"

Massanissa thoughtfully takes another bite, chews then swallows before answering all the while admiring the serving girl walking past him.
"So you say dey scared of me cause I kill dem tings ver easy and cause dey scared they no wan be killed by me so dey fight wit me instead?"

Dogboy takes a swig of ale, burps loudly and with a satisified sigh turns to his buddy.
"You are pretty rude and uncultured my friend, and you yell a lot and well....you look mean. Last time I checked that was pretty much grounds for a rocky start to a relationship." He grins and tosses a piece of bone at a drunk wandering past.

Massanissa sips from his glass of rum, his eyes seem distant as if he is considering the halflings words. Suddenly they harden and he growls low in his throat before responding.
"I jus wan fight Mon...I wan kill dis Blood so he no kill our Dragon and den I wan find dis bloody Dragon dat bring me here and I wan tell him I no happy wif him."

Brandin sighs, "Not this again Massa, you got to get over it mate. Aint nothin' you can do about it now. All of us have been brought here. We just gotta look at this as an opportunity. Look at all the gold we made so far. Look at us, sittin here all right an proper. Good food, good ale, we can buy any women we want, do whatever we want whenever we want. How much better does it get?" He swigs his ale again, burps and sits very pleased with himself.

"You right Dogboy, we can do what we wan'." Suddenly he stands up and begins gathering his things.

Brandin looks on gobsmacked. Massanissa is hard to keep up with sometimes, fickle in his nature, changing his mind and such.
"Where do you think your goin' Mate? We just ordered lunch! And Suzie promised to meet us here with a friend for you. Massa! I had this all planned!"

Massanissa looks down at his friend sitting comfortably across two chairs, ale in one hand, meat in the other. Several expensive rings glittering on his hands and a fine amulet hanging over his expensive shirt and jacket.
"Come on den Mon. You no wan get fat and lazy. Fire n ashes we go make some destruction, den we go to de Scamps mug and find de women for me. You stay if you wan but you no get gold dis way. You wan people to fight wit us den you get dem I don care bout dem unless we need dem to stay from going to de spirit worl' Mon. Besides I got to get dis woman for big Juju Shamans, de Paladin from Lucinda Mathilda. I get good money for dis one." With that he grins revealing pearly white teeth, turns and strides out of the Inn.

Brandin curses but hurriedly picks up all his own stuff, grabs the flagon of ale on the table and a handful of meat and stuggles out after his partner in crime.

[Dezza]

A darker shape moved within the shadows of several tall trees, a light breeze pushed its way through the forest creating the sound of a wave crashing on the shore. A second smaller shape huddled at the base of a ruined wall thrusting up form the forest floor. Nearby through the trees can be seen similar ruins of some vast city that once used to stand tall and proud. Now it’s just a ruin of a bygone era inhabited by orcs aboveground and much worse below.

A short whistle sounded from the handsome Halfling crouched in position watching an underground entrance to a ruined dungeon. Only moments ago the emaciated elf, powered by negative energy had withdrawn into the darkness of the underground cavern system.

Seconds later the huge shape of his mate Massanisa crouched down beside him, he could smell the scent of fresh cinnamon and sweat from the big man.

Massanissa nodded to Dogboy who had turned as he approached and with a deep bass rumble spoke to him.
“De spirit elf gone back in dere Mon?” When Dogboy nodded to him he looked back to a nearby copse of trees to call over another companion. A lightly armoured elven woman, her beautiful ageless face hidden behind a helm of iron sprang lithely from the cover and darted to the low wall crouching down behind them. Her tall shield bearing the symbol of the lady of love held firmly beside her.

Massanissa grinned revealing pearly white teeth.
“Dis goin to be good Mon. Fire n Ashes we goin make some destruction here.”

Brandin, aka Dogboy chuckled, and a light, slightly unsure laugh issued from the woman.

“You really think we can do this Massanissa?” The woman’s voice, like spring in a forest spoke.

Brandin looked over at her and chuckled. “This is Massanissa Luv, of course we can. I reckon he could do it all by himself while you and I spend some time here in the shadows of the forest.” He winked cheekily at Ranewin whose soft laugh indicated she didn’t think so.

“The rats were pretty big Massanissa and those undead elves are not to be taken lightly, who knows what lies deeper down.” Her tone carried a slight note of worry.

Massanissa turned to the woman, he found her highly attractive, like most woman he met, but so far she had rejected his offers of payment for her. He shrugged his massive shoulders “Den we will find out woman, dese rats no problem and I have wards against the spirits” he gripped several suspect amulets around his neck.

Ranewin knew most of them were simply tribal in nature and useless but he believed in them and she wasn’t going to argue with him, she had seen him angered and did not wish to go there. She sighed,
“Well, I like to go exploring.”

Dogboy suddenly rested his hand lightly on her arm in a manner more akin to a very close friend than an adventuring companion. For a moment she stood there thinking that it was ironic that she was standing in the middle of a forest all alone about to descend into a world of danger with two dangerous males who desired to sleep with her. The fact that so far it had only been suggestions set her somewhat at ease and it crossed her mind suddenly that she could not be in a better position. At least it would mean she had a better than average chance they would help her if things got too nasty.

Brandin let go her arm.
“Well, Luv, you know you can stand next to me in there and we can just watch Massa do his stuff.”

Ranewin laughed lightly.
“I bet Dogboy. No, If we fight then I will aid in the best way I can. The lady expects no less.”

Massanissa chuckled and Dogboy looked up at her with his puppy dog eyes.
“I got a lot of respect for your lady and all her followers. In fact I love to love em if ya know what I mean!”

Ranewin ruffled the hair on the Halflings head fondly. He was a scamp and a scoundrel but he kept her amused.

Massanissa looked upwards seeing the descending sun and slipped on his grim helm, picked up the table top adorned with giants teeth he used as a shield and drew a huge heavy blade, fire rippling along its edges. Fumbling with several amulets against all sorts of things he always wore he muttered wards against spirits and the evil eye. At the same time Ranewin began singing soft chants until her weapons and body were infused with powerful magics.
Dogboy drew two special blades, Fire and Ice, one burning with fire the other white with ice and as a group they advanced on the opening to the ruins below ground.

Massanissa, fearsome in appearance and almost a complete opposite to the elven woman who strode confidently behind him stopped at the entrance and looked back.
“Ranewin, you give me de strength juju now and den we be unstoppable Mon.”

Beneath her helm the elven woman frowned slightly. She had to admit the walking monstrosity that was Massanisssa, a warrior from far across the world, was a ferocious warrior and had saved her life once before for reasons she did not fully understand. But he frightened her sometimes for he was unpredicatable and prone to acts of violence she did not agree with, and yet, she had agreed to travel with him and his charming but completely mischievous Halfling friend Brandin. Surely the lady worked in mysterious ways and if Ranewin was to learn to fight on behalf of the Lady she had to learn from someone. Quickly she completed the soft melody to infuse the already powerfully built barbarian with divine strength.

Massanissa suddenly growled deep in his throat, the sound eerie in the least coming from within a fire red battleragers helm.
“Alright den we go make bloody destruction.” With that he charged down the rubble strewn steps the darkness parting in a dull red glow as his sword blazed raging fire, the red glow flickering in Massanissa’s eyes.

The giant rats in the first room with poisonous breaths fell quickly beneath the fiery blade of the barbarian, as did those in the next few rooms under the combined assault of the adventurers.

Descending lower… the carnage began…..

[Dezza]

Dark eyes focused on the tall richly dressed man emerging from the trade hall across the busy street in Port Hampshire. Massanissa waited till the man stepped out from the shade from the covered walkway entry to the main commerce building and entered the throngs of people moving across the city. Without a word he saw Dogboy immediately step into the crowd losing himself with ease.

Massanissa waited a few more moments, he could not see the halfling anymore but knew he would be closing in on their quarry. Shifting the massive sword across his back he stepped into the sunlight his dark eyes focused on the back of the head of the man they sought.

People parted before the heavily muscled warrior, those who were too slow were pushed aside or felt his gauntled hands upon them dragging them out of his way. Insults and indignations were raised behind him but all these he ignored as he closed in on the target.

Up ahead the well to do merchant turned right into a smaller thoroughfare and Massanissa caught a glimpse of Brandins brown hair right behind the man. Speeding up he took several great strides to reach the corner and hurried around it. The traffic flow was lass than half of that on the main road. Up ahead the Merchant had stopped to chat to mercenaries. Dogboy was looking in the window of a shop selling candles, tallow and wax trying to seem excited by it all while keeping an eye on the merchant.

Massanissa looked both ways up the street and seeing no authorities strode towards the merchant, eyeing the men he was with Massanissa noted that they were the mans bodyguards whom Dogboy had scouted out and reported the day before.

The guards seeing him coming tensed and stood alert while the Merchant turned slowly and frowned seeing the brute approaching.

Massanissa casually dismissed the guards with his eyes and focused on the tall man. "You know why I be here den don' you Mon?"

The man nodded before replying, "He sent you to me didn't he?"

Massanissa grinned revealing pearly white teeth "You be smart man and you give me de gems and den I no have to hurt you Mon."

The merchant sneered, he detested the hulking brute that stood before him, he was an ugly man, uncouth and nothing but a hired thug. He almost considered setting his bodyguards onto the brute to teach him a lesson. Smiling suddenly as a thought occured to him he turned to the large black man before him.
"Very well but not here out in the open, come into my shop, I have a private garden out the back and you can see if the merchandise is suitable for your...master."

He watched the black mans facial features cloud over as he considered, oddly he noted there was no hair anywhere on the mans face or head, nor any other exposed body part.

Massanissa shrugged suddenly and nodded. "Ver well, you go dere now."

Dogboy from his vantage point nearby strained to overhear what was being said and frowned when Massa agreed to go to the merchants place. A seed of doubt began to build in his belly as he followed the group.

The group entered a well set out jewellery store by a side entrance, the merchant giving some brief instructions to his staff then taking Massanissa through the well adorned building into an enclosed yard out the back. Massanissa was acutely aware of the guards walking behind him fanning out as they entered the garden.

Outside Brandin cursed as his mate was led into the building. Thinking quickly he ran to the alley behind the private yards belonging to the street shops. Seeing noone there he hurriedly began climbing a large tree growing in the alley near the fence he needed.

The merchant turned to face the brute and dabbed at the sweat on his forehead from the warm sun above. He noticed the heat did not seem to affect the dark skinned man who stood impassively before him.
"Here are the gems, I suggest you examine them and when you are satisfied then you may leave the gold and depart."

Massanissa tossed a bag of coins onto the table beside the pouch with the stones. "Dis be de gold for dis Mon. He reached forward and picked up the pouch without looking in it.

Hurriedly the merchant grabbed the bag and took several steps back. Testing the weight he immediately exclaimed 'There is not enough here."

Massanissa shrugged as the guards behind him loosed their blades. "Dis be de gold I was given Mon, I was told you would wan' more but de gems not dis good quality so did be all we goin' pay."

The merchant sneered but inwardly he was glad, the brute had given him a reason now for killing him. He grabbed the bag of gold and stepped to the back of the garden nodding to his main guard.

Massanissa heard the whisper of steel being drawn behind him and grinned. He only had his light armour on and had left his helmet and shield in his room at the Scamps Mug, but he drew his huge fire enchanted blade of violent steel and turned in time to deflect an attack by one of the guards. Leaping back lightly he swept his large blade back and forth to keep his attackers back enough for him to find some open space amongts the plants and bushes. Three circled to his right, two to his left while the leader came straight at him.
A viscious thrust came at his chest which he batted aside with a loud clang then smashed his mailed fist into the mans face crushing his nose. Blood splattered across the mans face and chest but he came on with an impressive display of moves and counter moves which looked good but struggled to get close to beating the heavy strikes Massanissa used to force his attacks aside.

A guard leapt at Massanssa from the left and fell almost instantly a backhand sweep from the big mans sword cleaving into his chest. The main guard continued to press his attack becoming infuriated with his inability to breach the big mans defences and also as the ferocious grin the man wore. Then the three on the right entered the fray. Massanissa growled suddenly and roared "Come on, I'll rip ya to shreds!" He leapt a row of minature roses and his blade shattered two of the swords weilded by the guards then swept back to cleave into the leg of the main guard sending him sprawling onto the ground. Spinning quickly he countered the sword of the only guard standing behind him before slashing across his chest, the flames of the blade licking into the mans garments and setting them alight. He screamed and spun away to roll onto the ground to extinguish the flames.
Massanissa turned back to the three standing guards, they hesitated to attack seeing the fiery light of madness etching into Massa's eyes.  Slowly he advanced on them while they backed away. Then from the corner of his eye he detected movement as the guards leader who had struggled to his knees tried to slash at his own legs. As he began to turn an arrow shot from a large tree overlooking the garden entering the back of the mans neck before punching out of his throat.

Looking up briefly Massanissa saw Dogboys hairy feet dangling from the tree and grinned. Turning back the three remaining guards had dropped their weapons while the merchant looked at him with venom in his eyes. Massanissa wiped his blade on the leaders jacket and returnd it to the scabbard across his back.

"I like doin dis business wit you Mon, Fire n Ashes we should do more business." With that he clasped the pouch with the gems and strode back through the shop to the street outside. Brandin raced up to him.

"Geez where would ya be without me Mate!"

"I woul' have taken dem all Mon, dey be no problem for me"

"Yeah sure, that guy almost had ya tendons cut. You would have gone down like a sack o' potatoes."

He shrugged his massive shoulders, "he no happy bout de gold hey Mon. But I be happy bout dis! How bout we go back to de Inn and see if de women from las night still be dere?"

"You reckon thats wise after what just happened? Maybe we should head over to Velensk instead...in case he reckons he wants to pick up where he left off?"

"I got nothin to hide from him Mon, he be de one who attack us and if he send more men den I jus kill dem, dis what I do Dogboy"

The halfing sighed "Yeah Massa, I know its what you do. You cant just go round killin folks but, some people think thats just not right and then it gets all complicated, you have to avoid the authorities, escape capture and all that sort of tripe."

The big man merely shrugged, "We all be dying someday Dogboy, dese people all be dead soon if dis Blood comes ere den dey will call for Massanissa to come and save dem Mon"

"and will ya?" Dogboy looked up intrigued what the answer would be.

"Fire n Ashes Mon, how else we goin to make some destruction, Dis Blood wan's to kill my dragon and de god of the temple of my lands. I no happy wif dis Mon. I goin to find him den I goin to kill him," he paused for a moment and frown clouding his face and in a low growl "den I find dis dragon dat brings me here and I goin to tell him I no be happy wif him."

Brandin rolled his eyes "Oh Mate, give it up. Always the same thing. Forget the dragon, if he didnt bring you here you would have missed out on all the destruction you have been causing!"

Massanissa growled low in his throat, "Go way Dogboy for I cut off you ears and put dem on my shield."

Brandin sighed once more at the familiar routine. "Listen mate ya gotta ease up on the dragon thing, it'll get ya killed before you can find this Blood character and cut him a new look."

Massanissa's mailed hand gripped the door handle of the Scamps Mug amost tearing it off as he ripped the door open. Looking inside he suddenly smiled. "My rum still be on the bar where I left it Dogboy."

Brandin smiled good naturedly seeing his friends expression change once more. "Well, Come on Mate, lets get into it!"

[Dezza]

“What the hell you doin Massa? You’ve been sittin here for two hours now staring out to sea!” Brandin looked at the hugely muscled, black skinned man he called his friend. He had left him hours earlier in the Scamps Mug in Port Hampshire to travel back to Fort Hope to meet a very attractive little Halfling at the Inn there. On the way he had heard of the assault on Fort Velensk by Bloods forces and rushed back to find Massa gone. Figuring he was headed to Velensk he hurried there himself to discover his large friend seated beneath a tree near the docks staring out to sea. People were mopping up after the battle. Brandin could see in his mates eyes that he was close to violence and decided not to rile him too much.

Massanissa growled low in his throat.
“Dis Blood send some men here today Mon. I no be here in time to kill dem.”

“I am sure he’s got plenty more to send mate, don’t worry we’ll get some too.” Brandin looked over to the docks where several merchant ships listed from damages caused during the battle.

“Dis not de problem Dogboy.”

Brandin frowned “Then what is it?”

Massanissa moved suddenly gripping his huge scabbarded sword in his right hand.
“I wan find dis Blood and kill him. I wan do dis for two tings Mon.  Dis Blood wan to kill my gods dragon an I no like dis so I mus kill him for dis. An’ he is all dat stands between me and dis bloody dragon dat bring me to dis place Mon. When I kill dis Blood I can find dis dragon and tell him I no happy with him.”

“Geez mate,” Brandin groaned. “Not the dragon story again. You got to get over it Mate. You love the fighting, the destruction you cause in these lands whats the big issue?”

Massanissa lauched to his feet, his shouts startling a number of people nearby. “Dis bloody Dragon bring me to dis place an he no ask me. I like de gold and de fightin Mon. But! He! No! Ask! Me!. An’ dis make me annoyed. If he ask den I would come but only cause dis Blood wan to kill de dragon of my god an so I can get some gold.”

“Alright, alright, settle down mate you’ll have the guards on us next.” Brandin rolled his eyes.

Massanissa slowly calmed down, dropped his sword onto his pack and sat once more staring out to sea.

“Sooo, you gunna to sit here all day then?” Brandin suddenly whistled lightly at a woman passing by.

Massanissa then pulled off the metal gauntlets he almost always wore on his hand. Brandin shuddered looking upon the hands beneath. It was creepy and always reminded him that his mate was not fully human. From halfway up the forearms, down to the hands the skin was scaled like a snake or a lizards, the fingers were claw like with thick tough black fingernails.
Massanissa curled his claw like fingers then formed his hands into fists, clenching and unclenching. Finally he spoke.
“I need healing juju to fight dis Blood, and we need to see de Dragon Shaman an get some more juju. Den we come back here to find dis Blood. If he no be here den we go and hunt him den.”

Brandin gulped suddenly.
“But Massa he is too powerful for us, way too powerful!”

With a low growl Massanissa stood and began collecting his things.
“If he can bleed Dogboy den we can kill him.” With that he strode off.

Brandin sighed then followed reluctantly muttering under his breath.
“What if he doesn’t bleed. Then we got a proverbial pain in the backside to deal with.”

[Dezza]

From the shadows of a large fallen hickory tree brooding eyes looked out at the North wall and gate of Hlint. Nearby flies buzzed over the hacked and bloodied corpses of the orcs who once had set up camp within the dense forest.

To his left Massanissa could see the tower of magic rising above the trees; for hours now no one had entered or left its structure. Gazing back to the gate to Hlint he looked up to the tops of the buildings within that rose above the level of the palisade walls. Anger and frustration filled his eyes. These people had interfered with his business. Garent and his guards paid highly for trying to capture him as did those adventurers who also tried to interfere. He growled low in his throat remembering the day that they came upon him on the road to Fort Last and tried to stop him from taking his prisoner. Many had lost their lives that day in trying to capture him.

Unconsciously he half drew a huge sword from its heavy scabbard, illuminating the area with a harsh burning light of fire emanating from the blade itself. He could feel the fury building within him, soon he would not be able to control it. Quickly fearing discovery he slammed the hilt home concealing the burning blade once more.

Everyone had left him, the young priest of the Flame who had tried to aid him and gone to prison with him was gone, fled after the escape. His friend Dogboy had bid him goodbye and fled Mistone to return to his underworld on Dreger where his Old Man could conceal him for a while to escape the heat. The Dragon Shaman Ramanon was dead, killed by his own god and the Priestess of the temple fo the dead would not see him. Massanissa was left alone...alone to sit and ponder and plan.

His first thought after escaping the prison was to return and slay everyone he could find but the priest had talked him out of that as utter foolishness. Then he wanted to try and burn Hlint to the ground in raging fires of destruction as befitting the destroyer. But resources and those defending the town forced him to put aside that idea...

So now he sat, day after day, hiding away like the animal he had become planning idea after idea and somehow resisting the urges telling him to crash his way into Hlint and slay as many as possible before going to the great destroyer..

He needed allies...he could not go to Blood or his forces because he had sworn he would kill Blood because he wanted to kill his gods dragon...besides after he killed Blood he wanted to hunt down the Dragon that brought him to this place. He would have words with him....those tasks had to come first.

But Garent and those who lived within Hlint would pay...somehow...someday.

He sniffed the air suddenly sensing something amiss. Beyond the rancid smell of the rotting orcs corpses he detected something else. Then he heard talking and saw several people entering the forest from the eastern path. His huge muscles tensed as he gripped his sword hilt once more eager to unleash his fury but once again something held him back from raging. Through the trees he caught a glimpse of one of the people whom he recognised. The priestess Ranewin whom he had fought with before. He knew her strength and respected her for it..the others looked like pathetic weaklings and unworthy of her presence. He stayed silent watching from the forest as they chatted and laughed and passed into Hlint by the North Gate.

Another low growl escaped his throat as he gathered his things together. Throwing a large dark cloak over himself which barely covered his bulk nor the huge sword and shield he weilded he withdrew into the forest following a game trail he used for hunting until he emerged eventually near the base of the foreboding grey peaks. Tomorrow he would return once more and brood and consider his options...then maybe he will go find Blood and kill him so he can find the dragon that brought him to the place in the first place.

For a moment he grinned revealing pearly white teeth as he wondered if the Dragon in bringing him to this place realised that ultimately it could bring about its downfall...once he finished with Blood...then it was the Dragons turn and then....well...then it was back to making destruction once more.