tradepaperback - Tumblr blog

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I might've added the BG3 Art Book to my dnd assets stash

It' 100% does not have things like the 5e players' handbook + 5e’s character sheet, several gm guides, critical role's explorer's guide to wildmount, baldur's gate and waterdeep city encounters, 101 potions and their effects, volo's guide to monsters, both of xanathar's guides, a bunch of other encounters, one shots, and class builds

In no way are there any pdf’s relating to any wizard who may or may not be residing on any coast

(Edit that I’ve moved the folder to the new link above! So if you catch a different version of this post that link won’t work anymore!)

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forbidden knowledge

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Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III

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Short Haired Keylth (revised)

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Combination of Katar Dagger & Flintlock Pistol

Dated: probably 18th century

Culture: Indian

Medium: steel, brass, gold

Source: Copyright © 2016 Historical Arms & Armor

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A ‘Were’ of your Surroundings (pt 1)

“Faster…Lunge, attack, dodge. Half pirouette, thrust, dodge, Balance. Wrong. Feet. Follow through with your sword arm, no don’t..!” Alex sighed and covered her face, turning from her table covered in books and dusty old scrolls. Her ‘students’ were practicing and doing so very badly. She was trying to be kind, she knew how it was when she first started. But then…she’d already lived long and survived on her own. These two were but children. 

Topsy and Turvy, dressed in leather that was too big and wielding a sword each that Alex had from her escape from prison, turned to Alex and bowed as she’d showed them, sheathing their swords on their back. the deep gnomes were so small, what would be a one handed sword Alex could dual wield, each held with two hands in a manner that she did with her own. The twins fidgeted nervously as Alex stared, and towered over them. She dropped to a squat before them.

“You’re holding it like you’re afraid its going to cut you. If you hold it like that. It will. Your sword should be an extension of you. It is not a weapon or a tool. It should be a part of your arm. Your body. To act as a shield to protect you and those around you as well as to strike, only when needed, at those that oppose you. you both hold it as if its a scary piece of metal.” She stood and drew her own sword, stepping back a few paces to stand in a strong form and hold her sword, moving slowly, with practice and ease. Showing how her sword was more than just a stick of metal. 

“Firstly, your feet. Are you afraid of them as well? How can you expect to learn to make something a part of you if you can’t deal with what literally is a part of you. Balls of your feet, angled. No. Further apart….too far. Look at mine. Good. Now, cross. Good. Slow now, pirouette. Good.Dodge. Thrust, half pirouette, lunge, attack. Balance. Good. Again. practice slow. Let your body feel the motions. Then build up the speed.” She sheathed her sword, set them across from each other and turned to walk away, back to her table. “Good. Now. Again.”

As the two started grunting and hacking, dodging and lunging at each other, Alex slid her glasses back to the edge of her nose and tied her hair back then kicked out a chair, setting her feet on it and reading contentedly. 

The…people…she’d been travelling with had all gone off to gods know where, probably dead, as she’d elected to stay behind and continue her research of the compound from the stone drow and learn what she could about the rest of the state of the city of Blingdenstone. The last she’d seen, or heard, of the party, it had appeared that the half ogre and the smallest of the drow women had…mated. How that was physically possible, she had not really wanted to ponder, and the few moments she did ponder made her grin. Perhaps his brain was not the smallest thing about him. She’d dismissed herself from that unfortunate ritual to keep an eye on the twins, who rarely left her side, and to enjoy some quiet downtime. The twins were not as patient or collected as she was, and she decided that training them would give them something to do and would allow them the right and skills to defend themselves, as she deserved and as they deserved. She’d grown empathetic to them. even perhaps grown to care for them, like a mother and strays.  

She yawned and looked away from her current book, scanning the shelves of the library around her. Several holes were visible in the shelves and she decided her current books had been read thoroughly and should return back to their home. Gathering her books, she made her way around the library, putting them back as best she could, keeping an eye on the twins. As she rounded a corner she felt a curious sensation. Magic. Her skin tingled as she followed the sensation to a book that she could have sworn was not there a few minutes ago. And no one else had entered the room. She looked up to the twins and around the room again then back to book. 

“Thats enough for today. sheathe your weapons and reflect on your lesson. As always, be on guard.” The twins bowed and did as told. She wondered if maybe she was too hard on them. But then again…the world would be harder. She turned her focus again to the book. 

As she touched it, clarity and deep thoughts filled her mind. And a smell of pine and cinders. She lifted her nose, following the trail around the library archives again. Standing in another row, skimming the shelves for something was an elf. Not a drow, or maybe. It was hard to tell. She’d never seen an elf like this before. Deep violet hair, flowing robes, soft gentle features but a woman who had seen more than she let on. 

“Now where did I put you…” She mumbled almost sing songy and cheerful. The elf wriggled her fingers and magic glistened from them. She turned around, her fingers inches from Alex’s new book, and blinked. A slow smile crept across the pretty elf. 

“Ah. Here you are.” The elf bowed. Alex raised a single brow and clutched her book tighter, casting a worried glance to her twins. Heh. Her twins. “I mean them no harm. I was simply looking for my book. And it seems I’ve found it. It good hands I trust?” She smiled sweetly, but Alex didn’t trust her. 

“Perhaps.” Her tone was ice cold. 

“Ah. Well, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zenna -”

“How did you get in here and what are you doing?” Alex tensed, stepping around the elf and in front of the twins protectively. 

“Oh. I was following my book. But I wasn’t supposed to be here. What year is it?”

“wha…?” Alex raised a brow. “The year of Three Ships Sailing. About mid year.” This elf confused her, and seemed rather ditzy. Not likely a threat, unless it was a ruse. She held her ground, tense and ready to draw.

“Oh? Soon then.” She smiled. “Soon then.”

Suddenly there came a knock at the door. 

“Oiy, broody, you in there?” The twangy metallic voice of the gunslinger, Alistor, called from the door. 

Alex turned to the elf who held a finger to her pursed lips and smiled.

“When you see my husband, tell him I’ll be home. For good. Soon.”

“and your husband is…?”

“Sheikaris Alar’Zien.” She bowed and winked with a knowing look as Alex’s face furrowed in confusion and yet again another brunt of eagerness to find this elusive elf man. 

“Who ya talkin’ to? Oiy, let us-”

Alistor and Thrass tumbled through the door, landing on each other and squirming to get up. Alex turned and scanned the room. A lingering smell of cinders and pine, the strong sense of magic hovering around her. She turned to her book with furrowed brows. 

“Someone in here with ya?” Alistor looked around, blinking, and sniffing the air. He caught a wiff and turned to Alex. 

“Nope. just me and the twins.”

“You need ta work on your lying, mate.”

Alex simply shrugged and cast a look of indifference. 

“Fine. Won’t push your buttons.” He looked around though, mostly sure of himself about who was just here. 

Thrass stood up and dusted himself off, clearing his throat and towering above everyone else in the room. Silky white hair, well tailored armour, stunning purple eyes. The epitome of drow class. Alex made an annoyed grunt and turned away. 

“Excuse me, blood hunter, can I have a word with your wards?”

“They’re not mine. They’re sentient creatures. and they’re standing behind you. Ask them directly and pay them respect. I’m not their keeper.” Alex kicked a chair out from under the table again and almost sat down. 

“Oh hey, uh…mate, I gotta give ya…look it would be easier if I had a name to call you. bought time, don’tchya think?’

“Indeed. not calling you her, Blood Hunter, Wolf or passive pronouns would be much easier.” Thrass folded his arms lightly.

Suddenly everyone was staring at Alex. And it made her very uncomfortable. The brooding cold face melted away to that of a scared child almost. She nervously wrung her hands, her new book tucked cozily under her arm. Her face rose with colour, and she realised her hair was still pulled up in a pony tail.The two men looked at each other in confusion, and almost laughed at the sudden change. 

“y-you can…I suppose you can…Alex. Just…Alex.” She cleared her throat and squeaked more than spoke, suddenly finding her legs far too jittery to sit. Instead she walked past the men to her alchemy table to find her note book and confirm her thoughts. 

“Fine enough. Young friend, come here, I’ve a question to ask of you.” Thrass knelt down and waved over the twins. They stopped and looked to Alex in confusion, asking permission or perhaps if she trusted this elf. Of course she didn’t. He was a drow. But given his reputation the last few weeks, she figured he wasn’t much a problem. His mate maybe. She gave a nod and a nudge then turned back to her table. 

“You wanted something, gunslinger.” She removed her glasses, tucking them in a pocket of her reading robes and undid her hair, tousling it lightly and covering her face. 

Alistor leaned with his back and butt on the table, staring at her, trying to peer behind her tousled curtain of ebony raven hair. He crossed his arms, after setting down a pouch, and shook his head at her, smile wide as ever. 

“Need to give ya this back. Too powerful to use. nearly took me arm off.”

“It did take your arm off.” Thrass murmured back up to the conversation. 

“oiy. shut it pretty boy.” Alistor chuckled then turned back to Alex. “ya can keep the money, paid ya for it anyway. Too dangerous to use. Maybe you can refine it a bit more.”

“I told you.”

“Yeah. well butter me in curiosity.” Alistor chuckled as Alex turned with a very confused look at his…comment.

“Here. Try this.” She undid a few phials and pouches and carefully poured another substance before handing it over to the gunslinger.

“Whats this then?”

“The other half.” 

“other half?” drawing more than three words from this woman was exhausting. 

“When I extracted the substance that was volatile, the remaining substance was this. Where the agitated substance creates powerful and deadly explosions, as seen in our destructions of the inn and nearly ourselves, this other substance seems to almost be a cure. I’ve yet to use it on a live specimen, but I’ve diluted the essence and combined it with a now innate and dormant form of the explosive as well as a few Blood Hunter ingredients…that I could find. Which was not easy here. This should be less destructive, however, in some cases, especially towards an elemental not of its own free will, should act like holy water and ‘exercise’ the corrupted elements. With the Blood Hunter ingredients, which are deadly in the combination to normal living beings, you should have an interesting reaction. I would suggest a silver casing, or if you can find it a birch or ancient oak. The woods are powerful magic conductors. and holy. and also have a habit of splintering, making the wound more severe. filling a silver capsule would mean the bullet itself would be a hollow point.”

Alistor blinked, grinned then whistled. 

“I was just going to ask if you could help me fix my arm.”

“I’m not an engineer.”

“if you say so. Could use a hand though.”

Before Alex or Alistor could argue, tiny hands tugged at Alex’s armour. She turned and knelt. 

“we want to help.” Topsy and Turvy spoke in unison. Alex looked up to Thrass who stood, walking slowly with hands resting at his waist. “can we?”

“I never said you couldn’t help. You stuck with me, I never kept you. Your will is entirely your own. Though I wonder if you trust, or know, what you’re getting into.” She turned her eyes to Thrass incriminatingly. 

“We want to help. But we need your help too.”

“With what?” She folded her arms and stood now, not intimidated by the skinny but taller drow.

“We’ve been asked to make a mission of diplomacy to the Goldwhisker clan.”

“The wererats?” She looked to the twins who shuffled nervously around her legs. “And this diplomacy, does it involve tripping over your shoelaces and burning down half their homes after accidentally getting an ogre stuck in a hole?” her tone was cold and even Alistor grumbled at her harshness. 

“No. I’d like to take you, the twins and a small group, hopefully leaving Lug asleep. But we must move quickly if that is to be the case.” Thrass ushered her towards the door. 

“Not interested.”

“in helping those of a similar situation, to which you of all people would understand?” Thrass grumbled at her.

“I don’t do politics. This is a personal squabble between two races who need to learn to solve their own problems instead of hiring others to do it for them. Let alone a drow. Do you really think they’re going to let a group of drow, tieflings, and a surfacer monster like me wander in for a spot of tea and peace talks?” Her accent, usually well hidden came out and both men blinked for a minute. 

“Go with em, mate. They could use the hand.” Alistor nudged her side. “I’ll keep your books company. in good hands. Besides, they could use a fighter, if something does go wrong, since the big Lug won’t be going with.”

“Ah. I see you need me to smash things. That’s not all I do.” she sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“Well, now’s the time to prove that. Off you get then, I got an arm to fix.” Alistor gave them all a nod. 

The twins smiled and bubbled excitedly around Alex’s feet. Thrass bowed to Alistor and rolled his eyes as the gunslinger gave him a wink. 

“I want to say thank you, for staying with the group, and helping us. I know you have much to keep close to your chest as we all do, but giving us a name is a sign of trust and I hope-” Thrass turned to see Alex, glasses at the tip of her nose and eyes darting back and forth between the lines as she read her book. 

“nevermind…” Thrass sighed and continued on, leading back to the cleared out cavern where Hot Springs had been found and where construction of the new and improved Foamy Mug was underway. 

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so i was on buzzfeed when this article came up about great american responses

and

i

am

in

fucking

tears

like these are so accurate

too

accurate

and

not

even

an

exaggeration

about

how

we see ourselves

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Surprises

Crack. Tink. Tssss.

“No. No not bloody now! you’re fucking kidding me!”

As the party gathered their things and their shocked and unconscious mates, eyes and heads ducked then turned to watch as the gunslinger fiddled with his arm, marking unnatural noises. Alex wanted to roll her eyes and move on, to be out of this damn lava pit, to be halfway to Gracklestugh by now. 

But Alistor had saved her.

His arm had caught fire and nearly broken because he saved her. She folded her arms and let him fiddle away, popping and relocking strange mechanisms. She felt guilty. and yet, not. She was really just fucking done with this damned Underdark. After a defeated sigh and a curse in what sounded like dwarvish, Alistor popped his arm off with a loud steaming hiss then plundered forward to catch up with the group. 

The group walked in silence a short while, Clarity the Cleric once again riding on Lug’s horns, Eldeth, Sareth and the others following around the middle of the group and Zendalure, lugging around her unconscious mate, Thrass, with aid from a few others. Thrass grumbled himself awake.

“Wha-…what a horrible dream.” He reached a hand up to his mate, t hadn’t entirely awoken or opened his eyes. “Dal, I had this horrible nightmare. You were…”

“Hush, dear. It was just a dream. We’re alright now.” Dal cooed and held her hand around Thrass’s.

In the front of the group, a wicked plot had stirred. Alistor gave a nod to Eldeth and a nudge to Alex with a devilish grin on his face. He turned back, panic and pain in his face, and waved around his half missing arm, emitting steam. 

“Wasn’t a dream, mate. They took my bloody arm!” He feigned a scream. Thrass’s eyes went wide as he looked up to the front of the group. 

Alex grinned, a low growl humming in her chest. She turned over her shoulder and winked. Bright yellow canine eyes, a half shifted muzzle and a mouth full of fangs stared back at Thrass as a growing growl drifted back to the drow’s ears. He looked up to Zendalure in a panic and saw a dried husk form of his lover just begin to fade back to normal. Alistor held his sides in laughter. Alex grinned and with held a soft chuckle. 

Zendalure was not amused. 

Thrass wriggled from her and closed his eyes tight, twisting a ring on his finger repeatedly. Mumblng over and over again that it was just a dream. Lug turned and raised a brow. 

“what wrong wit him?” He scratched his head, coloured in pretty ribbons decorated by Clarity. 

The group paused to figure out where they were going and to calm the now hysterical Thrass. Alex showed no sign of guilt. Or any emotion whatsoever. Her face had returned to its brooding blank expression as she set the pace as fast but as comfortable as she felt the others could handle. As she pressed slightly ahead of the group, Alistor and Eldeth breaking into a chat, Alex found herself in the company of two small deep gnomes. The twins, Topsy and Turvy. For several minutes they just followed at her side and didn’t speak, just stared. They made looks at each other and nudged the other forward. Alex looked down with a raised brow. 

“so. Uhm. You fight really…That was awes…uhm.” Topsy, the girl, wrung her hands. Turvy gave her a nudge and offered a shy smile to Alex. Topsy spoke once again, her eyes lowered as if in shame. Alex knew that look. An outcast. A freak. A fugitive. So young and so alone. 

A monster in one’s own eyes. 

Both of the deep gnomes shook a little, like a dog shaking off wet fur, and each turned into something between a deep gnome and a rat. It looked like a miniature version of a gnoll to Alex. She gave a nod of understanding but said very little. In truth she had no idea what to say. 

“We haven’t met many like ourselves. Its why we were kicked out of our home. Where did you learn to…” They cut themselves off, not sure how to phrase it. They were intimidated by her. Everyone was. afraid of her or wanted nothing to do with her. 

It seemed today though, everyone had a great interest in her. 

“I too have a wonder about that. I didn’t realise we had another druid in the group.” Zendalure offered a soft question to Alex. Clarity also smiled with intrigue. Eldeth gave her a look and Alistor folded his one arm before realising h only had one then gave a shrug and a smile. Everyone suddenly wanted to know about her. It was the least opportune moment to do so and it just made her more annoyed. She gave a shrug and soft mumble. 

“This isn’t druidism. I’m far from in control. Its a curse. One I can’t be rid of. I ‘earned’ it the day my family was massacred by a pack of wild werewolves and I alone survived by playing the coward and hiding. Consider this my reward…” She sighed but put on a straight face and continued forward. The group went quiet. Some insulted by her bluntness. Others in pity, which only edged her closer to breaking. The two deep gnome wererats were unphased and tugged at her chain shirt. 

“We…understand. What you did, what you do. Its…” suddenly Topsy had a finger to her lips as Alex knelt down, her eyes turning yellow from apple red and her pupils dilating. She stood and drew her sword, crossing her feet in tip toe steps. Lug and Yas’tana also stopped and looked down a corridor. Yas’tana though she heard something rattling, clinking and the sounds of flat footfalls. 

Alex knew exactly what that sound was, was intimately familiar with it.

She turned and gave a nod to Yas’tana who helped usher everyone in to the nearest alcoves or hidden places. Lug, surprisingly, was happy to play hide and seek. Alex and Yas’tana took the furthest point forward. 

Coming from around the corner was a ghostly pale white figure. An elf almost, covered in chains and slapping wet sounds from her feet as if they were bleeding. Who knew how long she’d been running. Lug took one look at the creature and shouted ghost before running back to the rest of the group. Thrass awake in poor timing from his madness to see the biggest fighter running from the front screaming ghost. He immediately went back to twisting the ring on his finger more furiously. Yas’tana however, stepped in front of the running woman, who looked terrified and exhausted. 

A drow female of high magic appeared from the shadows.

“Y-you! N-no don’t take me back! p-please! H-have M-M-Mercy!” the moon elf wriggled and dropped to her knees before trying to crawl away and run again. 

“I’m not going to hurt you. I can help.”

“t-trickery. P-please! M-Mercy”

“She’s not going to hurt you. Trust me, if not her.” Alex stepped from the shadow, her sword sheathed and her voice calm. It did little to settle the nerves of the elf. the poor frightened creature ran from the two women and straight in to Alistor’s arm. He spun around with her momentum then set her down on her feet and tried to cover her mouth before she screamed. 

But it was rather difficult to hold a squirming elf and cover her mouth with one arm. 

“Over there! Go! The little knife eared bitch ran this way!” a voice grumbled in orcish as it turned a corner. three orcs. and something else came around the corner. Without hesitating the furthest ahead threw his sword, smashing into the back of Alex who was concerned about the screaming squirming elf. Alex fell to the ground, clutching her side and narrowing her eyes, casting sideways glances to the shadows. Any who could see her were to remain hidden. 

Lug had different ideas. The ghost he couldn’t hit, couldn’t fight. But these burly armour wearing, sword wielding, loud and angry things…he would enjoy fighting. 

It was not an easy fight…

Three orcs and a beast that resembled an orc but was much bigger, nearly wiped out the entire party. If not for a few choice strikes from the Cleric, who never ceased to astound the party with her magic newspaper, and the reveal of the moon elf to actually be a tiefling bard from the Alabaster Troupe named Shiarza, the party would surely have perished. Spells flew. Big guns cranked out weapons, and the two biggest fighters of the party nearly lost their lives. 

Alex only managed to save herself by giving in to the beast fully. The beast saved her life. She had no strength to carry on. Swords and javelins speared most of her, powerful strikes from orcs. But the beast’s transformation made her skin thick and made her stronger. Enough at least to survive. The cleric got a few good whacks on an orc in front of Alex before the werewolf ripped it to pieces and collapsed, barely holding herself up. 

Alex found herself rather useless in this fight. The rest of the party, Alistor, Yas’tana, Morohtar and Zendalure fought off two other orcs. Lug and Shiarza, the bard, focused on the main enemy. 

Lug…was not so lucky. 

A spirit weapon and a powerful javelin from an enraged beast felled the half ogre. two spears stuck from the ogre as he fell with a thundering flop to the ground. Shiarza set the orcs in fear after Clarity felled another orc, a spell and a song. When the large orc was the last one remaining, after Lug fell, all eyes turned to him. Shiarza gave a single grin and pointed the bow of her violin at the creature. It turned to diamond and shattered like ice. 

The party was exhausted, broken and barely breathing. 

Everyone raced to Lug’s side and Alex simply crawled out of the way. Clarity was in tears, she thought Lug was dead. But he was breathing. All the healers put their forces into Lug. his physical wounds were cured. But his pride and his spirit were of another question. Alex found herself a small alcove and sat on her knees, palms upwards and her back straight. Blood caked on her armour, and her skin was more red than soft pink pale. Breathing hurt. But in time it would heal. This was nothing to her. The two small deep gnomes scurried over to her side and copied her pose, fidgeting with boredom but wanting to be ‘cool’ like Alex. 

“so…you do this after every fight?” Topsy squeaked at her. Alex opened one eye. “Its a trance. a meditation. Its how I heal. The others, rightfully so, are focused on someone else closer to death than myself. Reflect on the battle, my mistakes, the enemies’ movements. Learn. and rest my body.”

“C-could you teach us…to fight like you do? to be the beast?” Turvy finally spoke up with a hopeful smile. 

Alex sighed and looked at both in the eyes for a moment then to herself and shook her head. Both heads drooped with disappointment. 

“Look at me. Broken. Emotionless. Cold. Afraid of my own self. Covered in blood and scars you couldn’t even begin to count. Is this really want you want?” Both of the twins cast a look to each other and shrugged. “My fighting comes from a different brand of training. The beast saved my life today. But it fights very different than I. I’m not friends with my beast. and I’m not a good teacher. I can probably point you to the one responsible for my training. But this is not a life I would give even my most hated of enemies. “ 

She saw the defeat in their eyes then frowned. Suddenly she found both of them hugging her. It took everything in her to not cry or shove them away. She flinched for a moment, half tempted to embrace them, but decided against it. She would hurt them. Or let them down. or they’d betray her. Like everyone else. They felt her twitch though and gave her a final squeeze before sitting on either side and trying to fall into her trance. She mumbled under her breath. 

“I can offer you a way to defend yourself at least…” She wasn’t sure they’d heard her. then she drifted off to her sleep. 

On the other side of camp, most had crowded around Lug. Breathing but very unsettlingly still. His meditation, sleep, trance…whatever one might choose to call it…was not as calm. 

Thunder boomed and wind howled. Before the half ogre stood a mountain, ascending far into the sky. A voice filled his mind, booming like the thunder. For a moment he looked around confused. 

“I gave you a gift and this is how you repay me? Death? By so small a foe? Dishonour!”

Lug blinked then looked up. Far above him, barely visible but for a shadow of something with massive multi curled horns, there stood an avatar of the one he had fought once before when he first earned his horns. He eyed the mountain then grunted as he began to climb. A few steps up, the whole mountain shook and a thunder boomed around him. He fell and smacked on his butt, staring up to the ram bleating with thunder down at him. But he would not be assuaged. He was determined. Hands and feet found themselves back in crevices, one above the other, pulling and pushing upwards. Thunder shook again, but this time he held on. 

Further and further he climbed. Rocks fell on his head, the mountain shook and the ram bleated out insults about his worthlessness, his weakness, his feeble pointless attempts. He slipped only once more but found his ground and quickly hauled himself over the edge of the mountain top. The ram was waiting and already charging with its horns. Lug bent down and dug his heels in. Head crashed into head. His arms held the massive horns and pushed back. The edge of the mountain top crumbled away under the pressure and weight, but Lug held strong and pushed back, forcing the ram backwards. He stood and gave a loud bellow roar. 

“Your spirit is strong. There…that is the spirit I first saw when I offered my gift. Take this again. But do not fail me again.” He rushed into Lug’s head again, both standing their ground as horns erupted back into Lug’s forehead. He gave a bellowing roar or approval.

and Clarity screamed awake. 

When he roared in his dream. He roared in the waking world. Startling everyone awake. Despite all the questions and hands poking and proding for his well being. Lug had one singular thought it mind. He grabbed his massive hammer, walked right over to the remains of the orcs, the shattered bloody peices of the one who had killed him…

and wailed. unceasinly, with his hammer.

Smack after smack. Thundering blows that turned flesh and bone into paste. Clarity had to turn her head to keep from vomiting. and the two deep gnome twins huddled behind Alex as she paced around, having elected to take watch. 

“great. you’re awake finally. soon as you’re done mending your ego, can we be off…” Alex rolled her eyes and stuck out a hip. Lug looked up, a slightly maniacal look on his face, but the most pleased look possible, made more confusingly terrifying by the blood splatter across his body, and the fragment of an orcish ear sliding down his leather harness. Alex rolled her eyes again. 

“We find shinies.”

“We can find shinies in Blingdenstone. Get your things.”

“Why? there be shinies here…?” Lug seemed genuinely confused at the bossy angry lady. Alex turned to Yas’tana.

“oiy. Drow warlock. Shake your tits and get your beast to move.” Alex was rather crudely blunt. Yas blinked as if mildly offended. Clarity furrowed her brows and Shiarza rushed to cover the child’s ears. 

“Tits? What are…what does that mean? Is that a drow thing?” Clarity’s sweet young innocence was adorable. and apparently hysterical. 

Alistor clutched his sides bursting into side splitting laughter. Zendalure shook her head, unsure if she should laugh or scowl at Alex. Shiarza blushed a bright purple red on her deep red skin. Lug grinned silly like.

“Dat work.” He eyed Yas’tana expectantly. Which only sent Alistor rolling on the ground harder. 

Alex let out a loud groan and decided to just carry on ahead. The twins at her side. Eldeth closely following. and the others who didn’t usually fight, who were also tired and eager for civilization

“Oiy. Goblin. Gnome…Jimjar. Can you point us along…?” That wasn’t exactly a question. Jimjar winked at her and sucked on his finger a moment before holding it out to the air in the middle of a cavern. with no wind. Alex rolled her eyes. Alistor gave a confused unimpressed face. 

“Oiy, mate. We’re in the middle of tunnels underground…”

“Hey! I know what I’m doin’. You just leave it ta Jimjar. I got yas backs. ‘s’about three hours that way.” He shuffled up to the head of the group, rather impressed with himself. and everyone quickly followed in line. A quiet quick trip had them at the iron and stone gates of Blingdenstone. Many sighed a breath of relief. Alex however felt uneasy. sounds and trouble stirred inside the city. A few others felt it too. 

“Hey! whose there! City ain’t open. Oh. Its you. The blazes ya doin’ back here?” the guard, blonde mohawked deep gnome waved to Shiarza. “And who’re yer friends?” He eyed the drow.

“Zhey are friends. Vill you let us in?”

“No can do, toots. city’s closed.”

“Hey! Didn’t I save your ass from debt. or was it that I gave you that job in the first place. don’t you owe me a favour?” Jimjar pushed his way forward and waggled a finger at the guard.

“Oh! Mister Jimjar! I…I uh. Suppose I can let you in. Syldari Silvertongue always pays his debts. Though ya aint gonna find the city all too accommodatin’ right now.” Syldari, opened the gates and the party quickly scurried in, away from the outskirts of the unknown Underdark tunnels. 

But they’re hopeful rest in civilization would be very disappointing. 

[tradepaperback]

White Eyes Blind (pt 2)

Beasts.

Everywhere.

The sound of packs racing. Running. Howling. Barking biting crying. Beckoning. A huntsman’s horn. The sounds and smell of a hunt. Wolves. Hounds. Beast.

Monsters.

They were everywhere. All around her. In the Underdark, their sound pierced her ears and her heart like an arrow through glass. Shattering. Deafening. They ran with a master. called to her. The smell. the breathing. The howls. 

They were in her dreams. Nightmares. Calling to her. Running free. Running amidst forests and stars. Unhindered. no doubt terrorizing villages and killing innocents. beckoning her to join them. practically dragging her out. calling, howling, baying. they ran beside her, nipped at her heels. In the front was a larger beast. A man disguised as a beast. Bigger than the rest. She hated him. Hated all of them, but hated him more. Terrified of him. He led them, and trapped her in this pack. 

and they were inside her. utterly and completely. Clawing behind her eyes. Biting at her heart. Her skin itched. burned. Something fought with her, against her, from inside her. Struggling to get out. The more the dreams called to her, the more these hounds, of the Wild Hunt called to her, the harder the beast bit and clawed. 

Everything blurred together. She couldn’t tell reality from dream. Nightmare. Everywhere she looked, she saw them. All she saw was darkness and wolves. Dogs. Hounds. Beasts. 

Monsters.

In the darkness, there was only one saving grace. One light, small but burning bright. Amidst the group of people ignoring her or terrified of her, three weeks of traveling in this accursed place, only one light had ever shined on her. The smallest. The child.

The tiefling. 

Everything and everyone around her seemed to be against her. Afraid of her, baiting her or utterly ignoring her. The only one who had extended a light to her was the cleric. She wasn’t afraid of her. Looked after her, actually seemed to cling more to her than the others. Alex was bound by a vow, because she couldn’t keep her heart from pouring from her mouth. She had to keep that vow or face death. But the tiefling wasn’t bound by magic or honour. Genuinely seemed interested in her. 

Oh Gods and Goddess in the Sky…

She’d gone feral at the Tiefling. In her ramblings, her mad woman’s raving, her fights with the beast within, she’d lashed out at the tiefling. She’s brushed past her, pushed her aside, snarled, yelled, threatened her. Her only…friend. She’d nearly broken the poor thing with words and stares. If not for the tiefling she’d be alone…or dead.

Unless she found…him…unlikely.

She woke with a sigh. Guilt and regret hung on her shoulders as heavily as sleep hung to her eyes. The others were up, mumbling and cuddling in the morning…assuming it was morning. She was alone in a corner in the back of the cave. the cleric was near one of the drow women near the half ogre, who’d grown a pair of horns. the other two drow were making doe eyes, it made her sick. the wood elf stood in the shadows quietly watching. She didn’t trust him. For the same reason most didn’t trust her. Quiet. Deadly. Mysterious. She narrowed her eyes on him. Then turned to the slightly snoring half awake gunslinger. Giggles filled the chamber. The tiefling was fine. and occupied. 

she sighed and made her way past the group, none noticing her or stopping her. Alexandria Scarlette Knighte. The Wolf. The Night Wolf. The Knighte Wolfe. surrounded by people who hadn’t bothered to even ask her name. Not once. Why shouldn’t she leave these people here to die. She looked over her shoulder. Her eyes turning from apple red to yellow. Her fists balling and her knuckles turning white. The -only- reason she remained was because her heart was bigger than her brain and her mouth had to speak up. The damned tiefling. She probably wasn’t even her friend. No one was. Why would anyone? A mask, people always wore a mask. Got close to her to tease her then leave. Or because they needed something. She growled and turned away from the group. 

This wasn’t her. This was the beast. The monster. The freak inside her. Baiting her. Calling for blood. Boiling her from the inside-out. Breaking her. Isolating her. Casting a shadow of doubt. She nearly took off Eldeth’s head with a punch. The dwarf…she’d also been kind and genuine. She sighed at the dwarf and crossed her arms, standing watch alone while the others laughed, decorated Lug’s horns or talked about their mission. Eldeth stood with her, Alistor shortly after. At least members of the Alabaster Troupe seemed to keep an eye out for her. 

She needed to find Sheikaris. Need to find ‘him’… if she could keep her down, her mouth shut and her signet ring to herself…just a little longer….

The group was ready to leave, led by Alistor and Eldeth. the cleric was on Lug’s horns. the drow around him, turning themselves into goats to play with him. Or just keeping their eyes on the group. Alex stayed in the front, with those she trusted…at least more than the others. 

The beast was clawing at her. It took everything she had to stay in control. She was stiff, rigid and quiet. She could feel the eyes of everyone around her watching as she halfway shifted in and out. Judging her. How useless had she been the last day or so? the group had been chased and surrounded by the Wild Hunt, by a pack and a hunter so deadly, his smile alone had caused Yas’tana to faint and her necklace to nearly shatter. She’d been just as much a threat to the group as the enemies. and she’d curled herself into a ball, a pathetic crying ball of uselessness. She hated herself. Hated this beast. 

Bubbling. Off in the distance. A growing heat. The smell of sulfur and singed earth.Her eyes widened as they focused. Her ears turned to the sound. Light came from a head. an orange red light. Heat. The smell of…a lava pool. The group wandered into path. There was no other way. They knew what was behind them. It wasn’t too far a walk through the lava pits.

Except every drow in the party, save for Sareth, fell under the sweltering heat and the pain of the sudden brightness. Alex turned to raise a brow at the useless elves. It was hard to separate her distrust of elves and the beasts feral tendencies. She turned as the sound of a different bubbling broke the otherwise calm of the lava bubbles. From the bubbles emerged two strange large creatures. Made of rock, oozing of lava and whatever its last meal was. Tentacles of magma and stone lashed out as the beasts let forth a hungry taunting cry. 

Alex grinned.

Her eyes narrowed, faded to yellow, slitted pupils. Her fangs grew as she stared. Her hands were thrown to the sides as nails and fingers cracked and elongated, claws and razor sharp talons. She shook her head with an ear shattering howl then snarled, her grin wide and terrifying. Pale skin burst into fur, coarse and reddish brown. She stood at least two feet taller on backwards looking bent feet. Her ears fell to the side of her head as she growled a threat. From behind her she heard a few gasps and murmurs. 

But she didn’t care.

Either the beast would get its blood. or be killed. She was going to enjoy this. 

“Your lucky day, Zhas’uss. After you.” Her voice faded to a low growl, replaced by a lower more vicious sounding voice, playful. and hungry. finally free. Its words held a growl. The drow in the group blinked as the human, turned wolf, spoke perfect undercommon, without so much as a surfacer’s accent. and they knew what it meant. Wild One. The beast looked over its shoulder at the party then turned back to rocktopi with another ear shattering howl.

“Gladly…My claws hungerrr.”

[tradepaperback]

White Eyes Blind (pt 1.)

 Alex rubbed her temples. Her head hurt. Her eyes hurt. Her mouth felt dry. The cavern, filled with blood, the ringing sounds of battle lingering in the walls. The smell of adrenaline rising from everyone. Her teeth begged to sink into flesh. 

Her eyes flashed yellow.

Everyone around her was arguing. Over whose goddess was better, over the company they kept. Over strangers and trust issues. Down the corridors a majestic creature was injured and dying. She could feel the sickness from here. Her blood hunter senses went wild. The bracelet wriggled with magic. Something was off. Maces were raised, guns aimed. and eyes flashing back and forth. 

Her eyes twitched. Her claws cracked.

The teifling, Clarity, at her side whimpered quietly in disapproval of the petty complainings of her companions. Despite both Alex and Clarity speaking up to get attention, no one was able to break themselves from their pride and egos. Alex growled and stormed past the group. The gunslinger, who called himself Alistor gave her a raised brow as she passed but remained in discussion with Thrass over the deity of Yas’Tana. Alex neither cared nor particularly recognized the name. Clarity watched her storm off. 

Alex turned back with wide eyes and furrowed brow. 

“ENOUGH!” Clarity whimpered, stamping her hooves, almost childlike. Everyone turned immediately to the quiet child brows furrowed. suddenly she wrung her hands and looked down. After a glance to Alex she pouted then exploded at everyone. “We need to leave. Put your petty self differences aside. Someone needs our help.” she whimpered out the last syllable as everyone stared at her. Alex grinned, casting her half yellow half red eyes at the crowd of elves and an ogre, shocked at the outburst from the smallest creature who had just gotten all of their attention. She nodded to the cleric and turned to walk off. 

Little hooves scurried up to her side and hesitantly tugged at her hand. Alex offered a forced smile and led the group, cleric at her side, back to the cavern where Eldeth, Jimjar and Sareth were waiting. The party continued their tense conversations and staring contests. The gunslinger was the first to run forward. 

“Clandestine!” He ran up but skittered to a halt when he saw the condition of the unicorn. “You all…..should leave.” His voice sounded metallic, cold. 

He turned to his gaze to his left as Alex withdrew her sword from her back. He grit his teeth and held his hand out to stop her but saw she meant it no harm. Instead, she pressed the sword to the ground and dropped to one knee. She hung her head, black curtain framing yellow feral eyes. Eyes locked. 

Beast to Beast.

He understood then. Clarity understood then. The tiefling threw her arms around Alex’s leg. The blood hunter closed her eyes and nodded, muttering a prayer.

“May you always run free beneath the moon’s pale light.” 

Alistor had heard one utter that before. He turned to the others, still behind him in the room.

“Stubborn fools…You shouldn’t be here. The death of a creature so…majestic, it can destroy your heart. Your soul. I’ve been broken since birth. Save yourselves.” 

All in unison dug their heels in. 

He drew his gun and looked at the unicorn, begging for an end and apologising at the same time. Its eyes cried in pain, darkening as the wounds turned dark, fel tainted. Shadow crept where blood crept. Everything about this felt wrong. it whimpered in pain then looked to Clarity. She reached a tiny hand out but Alex looked over her shoulder and shook her head. the tiefling and the unicorn locked eyes. Words were exchanged, a promise made. 

Another vow.

Alex grit her teeth as the pale white creature darkened, flames filling its eyes, shadows and darkness slithering from its wounds. Its skin rotting and turning decrepit, its mane falling out like cancer. Its teeth cracked, feel out or sharpened. It turned its eyes to Alistor and gave a stiff nod. The gunslinger gripped his gun.

Click. Boom. Slump.

Smoke filled the cavern. The unicorn whinnied then fell. Alex closed her eyes and held her arm around the tiefling who whimpered and buried her face against her legs. Everyone, even the ogre, held their breath. Eyes welled. fists clenched. Thrass pulled Zendalure closer and held her tight. Yas’tana thumbed her necklace and backed into Lug. Alistor looked over his companions. The body of the unicorn erupted into light then dissolved, leaving only its horn which changed into a unique quill and hovered into Clarity’s hands. She whimpered and held it close. Alex stood and turned to leave. She’d wasted enough time. 

A scream brought her blade back into her hand and her feet planted in the ground, standing in front of Clarity.

Sareth, clutched his head, his face and dropped to the ground, rolling, screaming a blood curdling scream before passing out on the ground. Everyone looked at each other then back to the corpse at the ground. Alex’s bracelet wriggled gently. 

“His scars.” Zendalure spoke up, kneeling beside the downed drow. 

“Smash!” Lug raised his mace. Everyone turned to see a dazed, confused strange creature. It looked like fungus. Like a more grown form of Stool. Everyone raised their arms and spells. 

Alex stepped in front.

“killing a creature we don’t even know?”

“Its a monster. it tore itself from him. Nothing benevolent does that.”

“kill it!” Lug narrowed his brow at the creature and stepped forward.

“Not everything parasitic is evil-natured. Besides, we’ve no idea what its capable of.” Alex gripped her sword and stood in defence of the creature. whether ally or enemy she didn’t know. but it seemed sentient. and dazed and confused. Killing it could be as bad as killing a unicorn. Until it was identified it should be left alone. 

Everyone stared at her. 

She grit her teeth and sheathed her sword, moving out of the way, to the front of the cavern, Clarity not sure if she should follow or stay and help. Alistor looked weak, but remained neutral for the time being. 

Lug was the first to hit, swinging his mace and knocking the thing to its butt and stunning it. Zendalure called forth her vines, which erupted from the ground and quite easily sliced through the creature. It split in half peeling like a banana and its halves disappeared before hitting the ground. Like mist or…

Like a cloud of spores. 

Everyone backed away and Alex shook her head and watched her comrades, but made no move to help. Lessen learned. She folded her arms and watched as the spores crawled up the vines Zendalure had conjured. It ate the vines, utterly devoured them and started to crawl up her arm. the drow shook her head as voices whispered to her. Morohtar. Lug. Yastana, Alex and Clarity all heard the voice. Anyone touched by spores. or close enough to hear the high pitched screaming. 

“Zuggtmoy!” The spores screamed as they tried to work their way up and into Zendalure. 

Lug grabbed the closest thing he had and swung it. A torch, alit with fire. Several drow blinked, their infrared eyes adjusting. The spores screamed wildly. The cloud dispersed as Lug swung wildly. He turned and rather without asking, laid the torch on Zendalure’s arm. She hissed at him but watched as the spores left her arm. Thrass narrowed his eyes as Lug. 

“I help!” He offered a silly smile and put away his torch. Clarity smiled at Lug then turned to Alex. And Alistor. Morohtar too turned his ears to the opening of the cavern.

A horn and the sound of hooves. 

Everyone gathered themselves, buddied up. Yas’tana hung back by Lug, Clarity chewed her lip then was picked up by Lug who thundered forward. The elves all stuck together. Alex shook her head, something inside her felt the chase. It was growing harder to fight. she hung back by the wall as Eldeth hurried Jimjar and sareth out of the cavern. Alex blinked several times. Every time her eyes changed colour. red. yellow. red. yellow. suddenly a hand gripped hers. The gunslinger. 

“Hi I’m Alistor, what’s your name?” His accident was strange. his hand in hers was stranger still. She paused a moment then her eyes flashed yellow again. 

“Al…Wol…Doesn’t matter!”

“Nice to meet you ‘Doesn’t Matter’, Run!” He turned to her and the others left in the cavern with a very urgent nod and a tug at her hand. Everyone fled as if they were being hunted. Alex and Alistor took up the rear, pushing the others forward. Her hand ripped from Alistor’s. 

Not a hand, a very furred claw. 

She shook it off. Everyone in front of her running. The smell of adrenaline. Hearts pounding in fear. In the distance, a horse. a hunting horn. Inside her, something savage was awake. 

It wanted to hunt. 

[tradepaperback]

Mush Ado About Gnolls. (pt 2)

One.

She charged forward, blade behind her trailing but never touching the ground. 

Two.

She ducked as the gnoll swung its claws at her, hissing and spitting at her.

Three.

Her blade swung around, continuing the momentum of her roll and dodge as it slashed upwards from the beast’s belly. 

The gnoll caught her sword before she could bring it back down. But she relished the fact it wasn’t an easy kill. The beast inside her wanted blood. Violence. To be free and cause chaos. She pressed her face closer to the gnoll as it held her blade between its claws. Her face was less and less human the longer she stayed in this state. A low threatening growl rumbled from her chest. Her upper lip quivered in threat as her long fangs were revealed. She brought the blade down, the gnoll still holding it, until her own claws sat between her almost muzzle and the gnolls. It looked at her in fear. 

it knew.

The cleric, behind the barrier, stared at the gnoll who was still latched on to her with its teeth. She swatted away at it, a spectral glowing sort of…rolled up newspaper. It watched in confusion and a similar horror to its companion as the blood hunter became the epitome of her name. The gnoll that held her blade pushed her and swatted her blade away. It cackled and grinned, thinking her nothing without her blade. She rolled and ducked, grabbing her blade. Then…

one. two. three.

As soon as her hand felt the hilt, she flipped her blade backwards and flung it behind her, stabbing into the gnolls stomach.

She turned around and ripped the blade from the beast.

In a flurry, with speeds not known to humans, she diced the gnoll. Slash. squealch. plop. Its head rolled to her left. The torso to the right and its lower body collapsed at her feet. The gnoll lay in three piles of fur and claws.

And blood.

The smell was exhilarating. Her eyes flashed brighter red. She cracked her neck and turned to stare at the remaining gnoll. Her skin was darker now, no longer soft and pale. Her nails were inches longer and thick. Like an animal, not like the gnolls, long and thin. Like a bear or a wolf’s. Her nose twitched as the smell of blood filled her head and her stomach. 

But she froze a moment. Almost as if in pain. She turned to stare at the unicorn and the cleric. The others in the door way behind her. All eyes stared at her. In confusion. In horror. 

like a monster.

She grit her teeth and pointed her sword at the ground, keeping an eye on the other gnoll. Covered in its companion’s blood, she walked to the barrier and stared. No longer like a predator playing with its pray. But with hatred. Anger. Rage. Her stare made it shudder. It turned to flee. But found its self…sitting. The cleric held out her hand. 

“Sit. Stay.”

Something inside Alex growled and turned to the small bite sized tiefling. How dare she! How dare this tiny little thing think she can tell a beast what to do. Alex shut her eyes tight and grit her teeth. The unicorn looked at her with judging eyes then turned to the Cleric. With a subtle nod from the tiefling and the mushroom atop her head, the unicorn let the barrier fade and fell to its forelegs. Alex’s breath came heavier. and shorter. each breath sounding more like a growl. She needed to move away from the blood. She dragged her sword forward, trailing behind her, hair over her face now in horror and in shame, and in rage. The gnoll took that as a threat. as well as the mystical newspaper waving around in front of it. The hold spell broke and it lashed its teeth and claws at the Cleric. 

Before it could really do anything, it found its self rather quite suddenly bursting with wounds. Deep scars and intense pain as if maces and spears and magic burst from within it. It reeled for a moment then lashed out at the Cleric. Barely a few steps from the child and it found its face being smashed in by this magical paper. Its face broken, its jaw broke its nose broke. It fell to the ground as the magical weapon continued to beat at it a few more times. 

“No body steals my friends!” With a wave of her hand the newspaper vanished and Alex turned her face from everyone. The small cleric looked at the gnoll in worry that she might have accidentally killed it. She panicked a moment and looked it over, her eyes wide in fear as she chewed her lip and wrung her hands. The gnoll seemed to twitch though. Alex knew it to be post mortem, gases and fluids settling in the body. But the Cleric thought it be the gnoll was just sleeping. Probably for the best. No need to scar the poor child any more. 

Alex paced herself around the room, as the Unicorn looked to the tiefling and she froze. The Mushroom, Stool, wriggled atop her head and nestled back into her hair comfortably. Something felt wrong still. At a quick glance, Alex saw the unicorn was badly wounded. Barely alive. But…something else, she couldn’t decipher yet. Other than the fact that a Unicorn shouldn’t be down here. Something about this whole thing felt wrong. 

She looked over her shoulder and gave the Unicorn a look, without words so as not to upset the tiefling. It stared at her a moment then shook its head. Alex turned to exit, avoiding eye contact with those standing at the doorway. The Cleric looked to Alex and chewed her lip. 

“We’ll…We’ll be right back. Our friends. We should…help them. Please. Stay here. Don’t go anywhere! I promise. Promise I’ll be right back.” The cleric whimpered to the unicorn before following Alex. 

“Don’ye worry, lass. We’ll keep an eye on it. Go find the others. Nothin’s gonnae get in here.” Eldeth gave a warm smile to the Cleric. 

The tiefling turned, a voice in her head spoke. Both Alex and the cleric were suddenly filled with energy. Haste. Their feet felt light and eager to move. They could double time it back to the others. The tiefling skirted past Alex, the tiny thing could certainly move. Alex turned a moment to sigh and nod to the unicorn before bolting after the beast. 

They tunneled through the caves, past the others waiting in the central chambers and down the path the others had taken. The smell of black powder, blood and magic came with the sounds of fighting. Loud banging and clicks, crunching bones and spells being flung. The two ran into the larger cavern and stopped. The cleric covered in mouth and tried not to gag. Alex covered her nose and looked away, her eyes and pupils dialating and her mouth watering and dry at the same time. 

Yas’tana, Lug, Thrass, Zendalure and Morohtar had entered the large cavern surrounded by a horde of gnolls. and a slightly bigger, slightly more decorated gnoll. Alex could only deduce it to be a leader of some sort. Perhaps the clan chief. Though the group seemed tired and bloody, they had been rather victorious. Spell marks burned on the rocks, vines shrivelled and crawled back into the earth, revealing crushed bodies of gnolls. Pieces of a gnoll still stuck to Lug’s club. Thrass and Morohtar wiped their blades on the cleanest cloth of a gnoll they could find before sheathing them. Zendalure dusted off her robes and took a deep breath, eyeing the others to make sure they were safe. An enchantment faded from her staff and everyone looked to each other and sighed. 

But there was one other. 

Lug stared at this stranger, who seemed overly flirty with Zendalure. Thrass rolled his eyes. Perhaps it was common. There seemed to be a familiarity in the way Thrass and this…strange looking man stared at each other. This man though, seemed the worse for wear of the group. Exhausted and sitting on his hands and knees. bloodied, and shining. He seemed…to be covered in metal. But not like armour. On his skin. His arm mostly. He tried to stand but instead found himself soaring through the air with a ringing in his head as he was smacked by Lug. The half ogre narrowed his eyes and started to charge again, when Zendalure stopped in front of him. 

“Hey there big guy…” She raised a brow and waggled her finger at him, one hand on her hip which stuck out sassily. 

The body of this man, slid to Alex’s feet. The cleric beside her stepped a few paces away. Alex grit her teeth and swallowed hard, the smell of blood filling the room and her nose. The man below her groaned.

“Alistor!” Thrass ran over to slid beside his friend’s head. Setting the black leather clad man’s head on his own lap. Thrass shuffled through his bags and found the last healing potion they’d grabbed from the priestess’s chambers. The liquids spilled down the man’s face as she chugged it.

Rarther quite suddenly Thrass found a still warm rounded cylinder under his chin. Alex tilted her head. She’d only heard stories of such things. New things. only certain types of people carried them. Like bows. or crossbows. But smaller, and the arrows were rounded metal balls. Black powder was sued to propell them in tiny explosions held within the chambers of those weapons. Guns.

A Gunslinger. 

A smile crept across her face. Do it. Kill him. The beast inside her wanted this gunslinger, Alistor, to kill the drow. Battle. Blood. the hunt.  She closed her eyes tight and grit her teeth. Turning away. 

“Why the hell ya traveling with….one of them?!” the gunslinger broke. His accent was strange to her. sounding almost dwarvish but…some country far off as well. Low and raspy but full of vigor and energy. Cheeky. but take no bullshit. A man of action. 

One of them.

Alex’s jaw clenched tighter as she turned away and walked past everyone.

A monster you mean. She sighed and turned to everyone, ready for judgement. Ready to be released from her curse, and all this weight of secrecy. She met her executioner’s eyes.

He, nor anyone, was looking at her. She furrowed her brows in confusion and followed the gazes.

To Yas’Tana.

[tradepaperback]

Tuk - half-orc barbarian

[tradepaperback]

Vox Logos

[tradepaperback]

Zendalure - Drow Druid

[tradepaperback]

Mush Ado About Gnolls (pt 1)

Restless Sleep. Nightmares again. and…confusing glowing moss covered half ogres. The Underdark was no place for a human. But then again…she wasn’t really human. Why was she even down here? Why’d they take her at all…and why was she still traveling with these people? Curse her weakness for children and a need to protect. Her vows to her gods, to her order, and to herself. If she hadn’t made that vow to the tiefling…She could have been gone. Somewhere else. 

Or better yet…dead.

To be put out of her misery. This curse. The darkness that followed and surrounded her. The darkness inside of her. She was happy to be rid of it. and She was happy to see her family again. Not those humans, 70 years ago that birthed her. Her family. but she made a vow. To an order. The Blood Hunters. and her gods.

She twisted her ring as she walked in silence. Her brownish red eyes flicked to her hand, the ring and the bracelet. Engraved in a white stone almost like quartz but far stronger like metal, was an odd symbol. Four points from a center point. A compass. For travel. But it was surrounded by a finely detailed circle, to fill in the space behind the compass. and around the emblem were four feathers. and on each a name in undercommon. The symbols were not drow though. Taken as a sign of insult to Lloth and most other drow. Taken from surfacer marks. 

The Arrow. The Dread Raven. The Talon Queen. The Outsider. the Hunters in the Darkness. 

Alex was dragged from her quiet contemplations by a small tiefling at her side, scaredly tugging at her scalemail armour. During their journey down the corridors which all seemed to blend into the same darkness and dark stone, Alex had left the others to chat and mingle, to catch up, or even rub glowing moss all over themselves. No one seemed interested in talking to her. Perhaps it was best. She could set a pace and finish her other vow she carried in silence. The one she had tried to be kind, had made a doll for, had shunned it. It hurt Alex more than she expected. But Blood Hunters had little to no emotion. It made their work easier. But here was the tiefling now, looking up at her with big eyes, an awkward scared smile, shaking in fear if at Alex or in general, she couldn’t tell. 

The half ogre led the group, a beacon of glowing fungus filled dirt covering his body. She gave a look to Eldeth beside her. The dwarf nodded and turned. 

“Alrigh’ ye its. Take a moment. Wee break.”

“I-I’m s-sorry about…earlier I..” the tiefling, with STool the mushroom on her head, stuttered. 

“Its fine.” 

The cleric nibbled her lip then looked down. Quietly she lifted part of her shirt. Bruised ribs, blue and black on the small purple and white creature. a child. Alex sighed and stared with emotionless eyes. The tiefling chewed her lip and stood, turning to leave. Alex rested a shaky hand on her shoulder and looked around the room. Everyone was distracted as always, paying her no mind. She lifted the back of her chained link armour. The sound the poor tiefling made almost broke her heart…if she had one. 

Her back was like an unfinished or discarded sculpture. The farthest thing from smooth. Even just the small of her back. Scars like claws and bites, swords for sure. Small divets and missing bits of her back, chunks having been bitten out or just cut out. The small of her back was only a fraction of the masterpiece her whole body shared. She let the shirt fall back down and gave the tiefling a reassuring smile before she stood and gave a nod to Eldeth to continue forward. It seemed the tiefling had decided to stay near her. But Alex had been lost inside her head the rest of the trip. To their second encampment. 

Where she slept as much as baby in the middle of a warfield. Tossing and turning, grumbling…

and growling. 

She woke when she heard others gathering weapons and rising in a panic. Her head hurt. She was sure there were sounds of laughing, coming from everywhere. but it was pounding loud, at least more so than what she’d been used to recently. Her nose twitched, the smells of stone and moss was overwhelming. To her side, the tiefling was gone. She looked up quickly. Her eyes…she couldn’t understand what was wrong. They wouldn’t focus. She saw glimpses and people moving about. and a white and purple creature. At least the Tiefling was easy to find. She grabbed her weapons and scurried after her. 

The party was splitting. Half went down one corridor. Half down the other. What was going on? She hadn’t a clue. and why did her head hurt? As far as she could tell the elf kind had gone one way, Lug, still some remnants of shiny dirt on him but mostly gone, disappeared behind them to the south. To her north, the purple and white child powered on ahead. But something was missing. The tiefling seemed shorter. She tilted her head and tried to focus her eyes. But her head cracked in pain and something inside her felt wrong. 

Gnolls.

That’s what was laughing. Demonically created half beast feral creatures. The smell of savage beasts, blood from their petty in fighting, and the smell of their dominance. It clashed with something deep inside of her. 

Woke something up. 

Eldeth gave her a nudge, sensing the woman’s frustration and pain. The dwarf furrowed her brows a moment and wasn’t quite sure what she’d just seen. Alex grinned. an evil feral grin. Her teeth seemed longer than before. and pointed? That look, the thrill of the hunt, burning in her eyes. Her eyes. Hadn’t they been more a deep brownish red? Eldeth was sure they were blood red before watching Alex charge off with vigor in her step, eagerness. Like a beast on the hunt. Stalking but excited. 

The party was split now. Yas’tana bound to Lug by madness, Thrass and Zendalure bound by hearts, and Morohtar bound to the others by honour, headed south in the direction of a strange out of place sound. The Cleric charging northwards after her beloved mushroom cat hat friend. Alex, bound by a vow, followed her. Eldeth, with Jimjar and Sareth, followed, to keep an eye on the tiefling and maybe finally get their hands dirty in the action. Shuushar, Topsy and Turvy waited at the clearing where the tunnels split. 

Alex darted into the tunnel behind the Cleric who moved with impressive speed. In the dark corridor, Alex’s eyes had finally adjusted and she finally understood why. Her ears twitched as she crept along the tunnel. She squatted to the ground. With a sniff and a touch of her hand, which Eldeth swore was more a claw, Alex found prints, strange prints. Multiple foot prints. Gnolls for sure, running to or from something. and what looked like a hook horror. She grinned at the prospect of battle. 

Of blood.

But she stood and cast her eyes down the corridor where the tiefling had run and disappeared. the crunching of bones and snacked carcasses faded, being replaced by the inhuman soft silent padding of Alex running. She came to a small room, Eldeth, Sareth and Jimjar skittered up behind her. In the room, the Cleric stood behind something that shimmered out of sight and hurt to try and focus on. a barrier of some sort. the small mushroom was atop the cleric’s head. In front of the tiefling was a unicorn, badly wounded and exhausted. in front of the barrier was two gnolls, and a strange floating glowing rolled paper. It smacked at the gnoll as Alex came into sight. The unicorn looked at Alex then to the cleric. The gnolls cackled then gurgled in threat.

Alex turned over her shoulder and grinned to those behind her before turning back to the room. She drew her sword slowly and held it behind her, her knees slightly bent, her head bowed low with her hair covering her eyes. 

She looked up, glinting blood red eyes peering through a silky ebony curtain of hair. She grinned, sharp teeth glinting eerily in the glowing mushroom lights in the corners. She twisted the hilt of her sword with a fast flick that caused the gnolls to stutter and even the cleric and the others behind grit their teeth in fear for a brief moment, her hands and fingers closer to claws and long nails, the soft pale skin darkening. 

Her grin grew slowly.

A growl rumbled in her chest. 

“one. two. three.”