Hello,
Hope everyone is doing well at the end of the year and for some end of the decade.
In WOW the big news lately has been patch 3.3 and especially the LFG tool, looking for group tool.
Lets step back before patch 3.3 for 5 years of WOW all players would of course either go into instances/raids with guildies or use the chat channels (the trade chat for some reason) and the previous useless lfg menu option. An additional fact with WOW has always been PUG - pick up groups or you can imagine any other variations you wish. Basically people dreading to group up with any other players on their server to complete the dungeon dailies or trying to complete a raid and down another boss.
Before 3.3 pugs as I stated were the stigma and pretty much everyone I know/knew/read/listened to hated doing pugs but it was/is a necessity. You basically had to at some point do a pug and the few lucky thousands that were in a guild did not have to worry about it and could not understand what the big deal is. WOW in my opinion has always been interaction with other, such as life. No matter if you are a loner, guildless, outcast or just someone that does not want to play with others to people that live, strive for the people interaction within a guild and would not play because of that. I think one big fact we all forget playing this great game is that on each of our servers, there are thousands of people we are interacting with and majority of the people you are playing with you do not know (or did not know). What that means is that all these strangers have to interact, mesh together their play styles and personalities. No matter if you agree or disagree, each of us plays a different way even slightly and our personalities shine through our characters.
Take me, I am pretty laid back in game and out of game; I am also patient with how people are in instances with either how they attack the mobs, strategy or how they greed on silly loot like they will never get into the dungeon or just because they are greedy.
Taking all of the different personalities and play styles, than you need to take into consideration that some people just do not know how to play WOW like others or they just have bad gear and are trying to gear up (and you need to remember that like it or not!). What I mean about that is that (before 3.3 and now as well) some people are good tanks some are not and same for dps and healers.
The first 2 weeks of 3.3 I really was enjoying the few times I or my guild had to use the LFG tool to pug the last dps spot or which ever spot. No issues, we are well geared and paired up with similarly geared players from other servers. Some people say hello and do not say a word after that until the last boss is down and say a goodbye. Other or chatty cathys or interact some in chat. In all the experience had been ok, I would even say to my surprise pleasant.
Until the last few days and a few pugs I was paired up with in LFG. One the tank started before I (as healer!) and one dps were loaded in to the instance; he/she was already at 50% downing the first pair of mobs and from there did not stop. I mean REALLY did not stop, for mana, food, buffs, coffee, for anything!
So to my self I was says: " REALLY!!!!" but I was willing to giving the tank the benefit of the doubt and go with the flow and after a few mobs, almost to the first boss I was able to buff the group as well as another person was able to throw their buffs and we of course sat to get our mana up at lest to 70%.
Personally with 70% as a priest healer I can pretty much heal a well geared group with no issues even on a boss. BUT....
There goes the tank onto the other group as we were not even up to 50% mana! REALLY!!!???
So from there please tell me what you would do, I really would like to know. Of course I could let the tank die and most likely wipe the group or just deal with it like I had been and heal him and try to get mana up some way.
Well I went with A, I did not heal him and just stood back, healed the dps a bit. Tank dies, and repeat it one more time just before the boss and the tank actually says: " heals?"
REALLY!?!?!?!
I usually keep myself in check but this time I could not, I say: "feel free to wait for us to get our mana up or let us know if you want to solo this place"
Was that harsh, I think not but let me know, Please.
So what happens, we all res come back mana up, buff up, and tank is waiting, waiting, we say we are ready and we are waiting.....ZZZzzzzz
REALLY!!!!
The tank asks: "ready?"
WOW! YES we are ready!
Than we continue and tank goes back rushing through the instance so I just had no choice to deal with it and left as soon as the instance was done and did not even care about the loot.
Just a few thoughts, I really would like to know what else I could have done and what you all would have done.
I could have left but in the beginning before i was locked in the instance but I don't think that is very productive; get into pug after pug and leave just because of some people basically being idiots in my opinion.
I could have just let the tank die and try to make him/her understand but that would be a waste of time as many things in life you cannot make everyone understand common sense (or at least to keep other group members in mind and not to be selfish).
So please let me know because I encountered other tanks like that and even dps in other groups that just would not wait a second for the tank. I am all for hurrying up but does it really hurt or kill you to wait a few seconds. Just like while we are all driving and I have been guilty, when we race drive, cut people off to than stop at the stop light.
I believe people are in a rush because they are trying to finish all the heroic instances to get all the badges they can each day. Also, in WOW, not just in pugs, I think game wide people just don't consider the other players in the game; many have the " me me me" mentality, just as in life. I say the people that are open minded and considerate do need to deal with it because we are not going to change peoples minds. I can not heal and let the tank or dps die but as I said that is not production and proves nothing. Perhaps for a few seconds it may satisfy you but I truly think that is not the way.
For my instances perhaps I could have said in the group chat to hold up, and I did not. I don't think that would have changed the tank or dps and how they played. But never know, I can try it the next time because I think it will get worse in some instances and I will also have more awesome LFG/pug experiences.
I hope your gaming is fun and please keep others in mind. We are all playing online with others and it is no different in real life; where you would keep a door open for a person you can also wait a few seconds for your group members or greed something that clearly should not be needed!!! oh wait that is another blog post.
Have a great week,
Happy Holidays,
Happy New Year!
--
Mo
Wednesday, December 30
Friday, December 25
Nothing like a spell to protect the thief… (Original Fiction by Xan)
“STOP!” The shouted order came into the room like a roaring wind. The frightened guard that had retreated only minutes earlier now seemed to have an air of power about him. His pride outweighed his order as Zander continued towards the fireplace without hearing the order. Many more guards flooded into the room but they kept their swords sheathed. They looked to one another questioning their ability to bring the giant down without a combined use of force. They all let out a yell in unison and began to jump and grapple at the giant.
“Rats!” Zander belts out a curse as another guard grabs onto his leg. “I don’t see why you insist on grabbing onto me. You will only serve the purpose of scuffing this nice marble floor.” He takes another step, dragging two guards from his legs and one over his shoulders. Another guard swiftly latches onto one arm, and then another on his other arm.
“Come on!” Beasley yells from his hiding place.
“I am trying; this is among my heaviest load I have ever had to carry.” Zander’s brow furrows as yet another guard grabs him around the waist. “Six guards and two treasure chests, let’s see you carry such a burden!”
“Well met, friend. But why drag others behind me when I can escape without facing them.”
As yet another guard latches to the legs of the guard around Zander’s waist. “True, but you could never dream to carry away to hoard I carry on my shoulders.” He continues to take steps, each one slightly more labored than the last. The large mass of bodies makes its way finally to the fireplace. Zander drops the first chest to the ground and kicks it towards the opening. Beasley makes short work of pulling it into the tunnel.
Like a dog emerging from a pool of water, Zander shook and each guard in turn fell to the ground. “I have had enough of this foolishness.” Shaking the last guard off his shoulders, “By Othr’s protection your lives have been spared. Please take my advice and leave.” And with that, Zander drops to his knees and like amole pushing a rock in front of him he slinks into the tunnel with the chest in front of him. Disappearing into the ash waste tunnel, the guards are shocked by the power if the giant. They watch as his feet disappear into the blackness.
“FOLLOW HIM!” The guard from the first battle barked, still standing at the door. “He has our master’s effects. It will be all our heads if they escape.” With that threatening order, the guards in all their armor clattered into the hole after the thief and his packhorse.
“Rats!” Zander belts out a curse as another guard grabs onto his leg. “I don’t see why you insist on grabbing onto me. You will only serve the purpose of scuffing this nice marble floor.” He takes another step, dragging two guards from his legs and one over his shoulders. Another guard swiftly latches onto one arm, and then another on his other arm.
“Come on!” Beasley yells from his hiding place.
“I am trying; this is among my heaviest load I have ever had to carry.” Zander’s brow furrows as yet another guard grabs him around the waist. “Six guards and two treasure chests, let’s see you carry such a burden!”
“Well met, friend. But why drag others behind me when I can escape without facing them.”
As yet another guard latches to the legs of the guard around Zander’s waist. “True, but you could never dream to carry away to hoard I carry on my shoulders.” He continues to take steps, each one slightly more labored than the last. The large mass of bodies makes its way finally to the fireplace. Zander drops the first chest to the ground and kicks it towards the opening. Beasley makes short work of pulling it into the tunnel.
Like a dog emerging from a pool of water, Zander shook and each guard in turn fell to the ground. “I have had enough of this foolishness.” Shaking the last guard off his shoulders, “By Othr’s protection your lives have been spared. Please take my advice and leave.” And with that, Zander drops to his knees and like amole pushing a rock in front of him he slinks into the tunnel with the chest in front of him. Disappearing into the ash waste tunnel, the guards are shocked by the power if the giant. They watch as his feet disappear into the blackness.
“FOLLOW HIM!” The guard from the first battle barked, still standing at the door. “He has our master’s effects. It will be all our heads if they escape.” With that threatening order, the guards in all their armor clattered into the hole after the thief and his packhorse.
Friday, December 18
Exploring the pinhole… (Original Fiction by Xan)
After moving the two worm-like creatures off to the side of the pit, the two adventurers got back to the adventure at hand and looked back to the tunnel. Beasley just smiled and winked as he strolled back into the hole, Zander groaned like an old man as he hunched down onto his hands and knees once again and began to shuffle his way back into the constricting tunnel. He pushed his way down the hole with a small light in front of him silhouetting his small friend in front of him.
“Is something burning?” Beasley yelled back to the slow moving giant.
“I smell ash, but it is cold in here.” Zander rubbed along the damp dirt walls. “I think this was once a fire pit.” Zander lifted up his hands and noticed the black muddy ash on his hands.
“Oh, end of the line my friend.” Beasley knocked on a white marble tile-like door. He waved the torch around to look for switches or tripwires. He placed the torch on the damp ground. The torch sputtered as it touched the wall but due to the enchantment placed on it, the torch continued to burn. Beasley dropped to his knees and began to tap on the door. “I don’t think it is trapped.” He pushed the door open slowly as to not make any sound. He winced at the light; Zander also held his hand in front of his face as the bright sunlight flooded into the tunnel.
Beasley examined his surroundings and noticed they were, in fact, inside an ash chute for a very elaborate fireplace. The white marble tile had a slight stain of ash and tar but it looked as though it was cleaned to a sparkling shine after every use, the ash pushed into the hidden tile door, which Beasley was now standing in. He took in his surrounding with his jaw on the floor. The elaborate room spanned out in front of him, the spacious room was tiled with the same marble in the fireplace that sparkled in the sunlight. An elaborate canopy bed decorated the far end of the room; silk sheets decorated with a fire theme flowed over the bed and onto the floor. The orange, red, and yellow sheets made the bed look as though it was on fire. On either side of the elaborate bed were two ornate chests with a carving similar to the dragon emblem embossed on the tavern marauders armor.
Beasley immediately ran for the chests as Zander wormed his way towards the entrance.
“What do you suppose they have in here?” Beasley jumped onto one of the chests on the right hand side of the bed and began fidgeting with the lock. As he replaced his silence with grunts and curses as he tried to break the lock, four guards entered the room from doors on the left and right walls.
“HALT!” The first guard ran into the room and went directly towards the halfling as the small thief dove under the bed. All four guards drew their swords and focused all their attention on the halfling; none of them noticed the half-ogre emerging from the fireplace.
The guards began to slash under the bed, Beasley shrieked. “Zander, I need a little help.”
Zander stood hidden in the darkness of the fireplace and began to pray to Othr. A golden badger appeared and fizzled on the bed. “Damn!” Zander cursed as his summoning seemed to fail; he drew his hammer and prepared to charge into battle.
Beasley jumped out from under the bed and slashed at one of the guards, their shin bracers deflected his initial attack. The guard turned to attack the small rogue but Beasley dove back under the bed for cover. All four guards started to slash at the thief once again; one froze in place as Zander stepped out from the fireplace. “Leave him alone. I may have frozen one of you in place, but I swear by Othr if you continue your attack you will regret your actions.”
Seizing the opportunity of Zander’s distraction, Beasley attacked one of the guards. This time he slashed at the back of the guards’ knee placing a large gash through the leather of his armor. Then Beasley dove back under the bed and shouted. “Could you have waited any longer, I could have been skewered!”
A glowing hammer appeared next to one of the other guards and knocked him squarely on the head, the guard fell to the floor not expecting such a sight. Zander laughed as he stepped towards the bed and the two guards unhindered moved towards him. Beasley leapt out at the limping guard and slashed at his other leg, the guard dropped to the ground in pain. Zander began swinging his hammer with both hands, moving like a tornado while his glowing hammer swung viciously at the other guard. The glowing hammer landed on the frozen guard as Zander followed it and finished off the frozen guard. The uninjured guard yelled for help as he ran out the door. As they stepped over the three downed guards Beasley went right back to the chests. “We have to block the doors and get these out of here. Quick, tie the knobs together!” Beasley makes for the rope in his small pack.
“They open in, Beasley!” Zander said frustrated. “The guards will be here soon, what shall we do?”
“Well,” Beasley stops to think for a moment. He grabs one of the chests by the handle and begins to drag it towards the fireplace. “Are you going to help me or what? We can take these chests and they won’t be able to follow if we hurry.”
Zander just shakes his head and hefts the large chest over his shoulder. He then walks over to the second and throws that one over his other shoulder. He seems to carry them as a baker carries two sacks of flour over his shoulders. The weight of the enormous chests barely seems to encumber this giant of a man as he turns toward the fireplace at the far end of the room. Beasley was already in the small tunnel opening. “Hurry!”
“What if they should come while I carry these? I could be skewered like a wild boar on the run!”
“Don’t you have a spell or something to protect you? I have heard of clerics who can bring safety to those on the run. Those who have an aura of safety.”
“YES! Sanctuary, I remember asking Othr for his protection this morning. I shall remind him.” Zander started walking towards the fireplace, his lips moving but the words were inaudible. A light glow seemed to radiate from the half-ogre as he casually smiled and walked towards Beasley who had already disappeared into the tunnel.
“Is something burning?” Beasley yelled back to the slow moving giant.
“I smell ash, but it is cold in here.” Zander rubbed along the damp dirt walls. “I think this was once a fire pit.” Zander lifted up his hands and noticed the black muddy ash on his hands.
“Oh, end of the line my friend.” Beasley knocked on a white marble tile-like door. He waved the torch around to look for switches or tripwires. He placed the torch on the damp ground. The torch sputtered as it touched the wall but due to the enchantment placed on it, the torch continued to burn. Beasley dropped to his knees and began to tap on the door. “I don’t think it is trapped.” He pushed the door open slowly as to not make any sound. He winced at the light; Zander also held his hand in front of his face as the bright sunlight flooded into the tunnel.
Beasley examined his surroundings and noticed they were, in fact, inside an ash chute for a very elaborate fireplace. The white marble tile had a slight stain of ash and tar but it looked as though it was cleaned to a sparkling shine after every use, the ash pushed into the hidden tile door, which Beasley was now standing in. He took in his surrounding with his jaw on the floor. The elaborate room spanned out in front of him, the spacious room was tiled with the same marble in the fireplace that sparkled in the sunlight. An elaborate canopy bed decorated the far end of the room; silk sheets decorated with a fire theme flowed over the bed and onto the floor. The orange, red, and yellow sheets made the bed look as though it was on fire. On either side of the elaborate bed were two ornate chests with a carving similar to the dragon emblem embossed on the tavern marauders armor.
Beasley immediately ran for the chests as Zander wormed his way towards the entrance.
“What do you suppose they have in here?” Beasley jumped onto one of the chests on the right hand side of the bed and began fidgeting with the lock. As he replaced his silence with grunts and curses as he tried to break the lock, four guards entered the room from doors on the left and right walls.
“HALT!” The first guard ran into the room and went directly towards the halfling as the small thief dove under the bed. All four guards drew their swords and focused all their attention on the halfling; none of them noticed the half-ogre emerging from the fireplace.
The guards began to slash under the bed, Beasley shrieked. “Zander, I need a little help.”
Zander stood hidden in the darkness of the fireplace and began to pray to Othr. A golden badger appeared and fizzled on the bed. “Damn!” Zander cursed as his summoning seemed to fail; he drew his hammer and prepared to charge into battle.
Beasley jumped out from under the bed and slashed at one of the guards, their shin bracers deflected his initial attack. The guard turned to attack the small rogue but Beasley dove back under the bed for cover. All four guards started to slash at the thief once again; one froze in place as Zander stepped out from the fireplace. “Leave him alone. I may have frozen one of you in place, but I swear by Othr if you continue your attack you will regret your actions.”
Seizing the opportunity of Zander’s distraction, Beasley attacked one of the guards. This time he slashed at the back of the guards’ knee placing a large gash through the leather of his armor. Then Beasley dove back under the bed and shouted. “Could you have waited any longer, I could have been skewered!”
A glowing hammer appeared next to one of the other guards and knocked him squarely on the head, the guard fell to the floor not expecting such a sight. Zander laughed as he stepped towards the bed and the two guards unhindered moved towards him. Beasley leapt out at the limping guard and slashed at his other leg, the guard dropped to the ground in pain. Zander began swinging his hammer with both hands, moving like a tornado while his glowing hammer swung viciously at the other guard. The glowing hammer landed on the frozen guard as Zander followed it and finished off the frozen guard. The uninjured guard yelled for help as he ran out the door. As they stepped over the three downed guards Beasley went right back to the chests. “We have to block the doors and get these out of here. Quick, tie the knobs together!” Beasley makes for the rope in his small pack.
“They open in, Beasley!” Zander said frustrated. “The guards will be here soon, what shall we do?”
“Well,” Beasley stops to think for a moment. He grabs one of the chests by the handle and begins to drag it towards the fireplace. “Are you going to help me or what? We can take these chests and they won’t be able to follow if we hurry.”
Zander just shakes his head and hefts the large chest over his shoulder. He then walks over to the second and throws that one over his other shoulder. He seems to carry them as a baker carries two sacks of flour over his shoulders. The weight of the enormous chests barely seems to encumber this giant of a man as he turns toward the fireplace at the far end of the room. Beasley was already in the small tunnel opening. “Hurry!”
“What if they should come while I carry these? I could be skewered like a wild boar on the run!”
“Don’t you have a spell or something to protect you? I have heard of clerics who can bring safety to those on the run. Those who have an aura of safety.”
“YES! Sanctuary, I remember asking Othr for his protection this morning. I shall remind him.” Zander started walking towards the fireplace, his lips moving but the words were inaudible. A light glow seemed to radiate from the half-ogre as he casually smiled and walked towards Beasley who had already disappeared into the tunnel.
Wednesday, December 16
Momoment #18
Hello all,
it has been some time since I have had a chance to make another blog post for many reason.
And that is why I am curious what everyone else has been doing in wow!
So...what have you been doing in wow?
I have noticed that my time has decreased dramatically (compared to years past) because of work (getting home late or needing to get to sleep earlier to get to work earlier), real life things like Thanksgiving and other life events, sickness. When you have coughing up a lung or 2 even wow is not something that can be tolerated at least by me :)
And, at least for me, other games. I have checkout Aion (which I have already cancelled my subscription), played new xbox games like call of duty modern warfare 2 ( very fun game! Im mohalen on there, send a group invite if you want to be a crappy shooter like me :)) and of course my favorites Madden and Civilization IV on the pc.
I have heard other people have grown tired of wow and quit or others that need to quit for personal life reasons. For the first reason, I understand but for me I take a break and have done so many times. This may not be for everyone but quitting cold turkey not sure if that is productive in my opinion.
So please let us know what else have you been doing as we prepare for patch 3.3 to ruin our Tuesday. I am glad that I do work during the day as I know I would go crazy if I was at home and trying to get in wow. Oh and yes I am one of those that cries over addons not working, but dont worry I dont cry too much.
Happy wowing.
--
Mo
it has been some time since I have had a chance to make another blog post for many reason.
And that is why I am curious what everyone else has been doing in wow!
So...what have you been doing in wow?
I have noticed that my time has decreased dramatically (compared to years past) because of work (getting home late or needing to get to sleep earlier to get to work earlier), real life things like Thanksgiving and other life events, sickness. When you have coughing up a lung or 2 even wow is not something that can be tolerated at least by me :)
And, at least for me, other games. I have checkout Aion (which I have already cancelled my subscription), played new xbox games like call of duty modern warfare 2 ( very fun game! Im mohalen on there, send a group invite if you want to be a crappy shooter like me :)) and of course my favorites Madden and Civilization IV on the pc.
I have heard other people have grown tired of wow and quit or others that need to quit for personal life reasons. For the first reason, I understand but for me I take a break and have done so many times. This may not be for everyone but quitting cold turkey not sure if that is productive in my opinion.
So please let us know what else have you been doing as we prepare for patch 3.3 to ruin our Tuesday. I am glad that I do work during the day as I know I would go crazy if I was at home and trying to get in wow. Oh and yes I am one of those that cries over addons not working, but dont worry I dont cry too much.
Happy wowing.
--
Mo
Monday, December 14
Reflections of Patch 3.3
Patch 3.3
What an awesome patch! I will have to say I am still learning all the things that there is to be had about this wonderful new patch, but lets go go over what Ol' Xan has experienced since patch day.
Whining - there has been an awful lot of whining from those that I run in the same circles with. These folks complain that their addons aren't working correctly anymore, or the game has been made too easy. What, do you ask, is my reply? I say one thing: It is a game, if it is no longer fun for you then stop playing. I honestly believe the game gets better with every patch and expansion and I continually love to play it.
The new LFG option within the game - FABULOUS! My gaming experience to this point was solo adventuring because my hours were at odd times server time and sometimes I didn't have the time to wait around while someone in trade chat spammed "N1M (Healer/Tank/DPS) for ~Insert Instance Here~ then GTG" Now what do I get? I click a few key things in the LFG tab and 5 - 10 minutes I am running an instance! WOW! RIGHT ON BLIZZARD! Now if we can just make the window of opportunity from battlegroups to something like two or three battlegroups then we would REALLY be in business! I might finally be able to see the inside of NAXX or heaven forbid ULDUAR!
New badge system - OK, OK, OK... folks complain about how easy it is to get the great gear. No longer is it a JOB to get the items needed to be geared properly for those raids and such. To me I say, THANK YOU BLIZZARD! Again, my time being limited I find it more difficult to find the time to work at the virtual "job" that is WoW and my real life pulls me away from 'gear runs' or this, that and the other where I may not be able to get gear upgrades normally. "Random Heroic Instances" with the badge reward is AWESOME!
So Blizzard, from a player to the game designer... THANKS!
What an awesome patch! I will have to say I am still learning all the things that there is to be had about this wonderful new patch, but lets go go over what Ol' Xan has experienced since patch day.
Whining - there has been an awful lot of whining from those that I run in the same circles with. These folks complain that their addons aren't working correctly anymore, or the game has been made too easy. What, do you ask, is my reply? I say one thing: It is a game, if it is no longer fun for you then stop playing. I honestly believe the game gets better with every patch and expansion and I continually love to play it.
The new LFG option within the game - FABULOUS! My gaming experience to this point was solo adventuring because my hours were at odd times server time and sometimes I didn't have the time to wait around while someone in trade chat spammed "N1M (Healer/Tank/DPS) for ~Insert Instance Here~ then GTG" Now what do I get? I click a few key things in the LFG tab and 5 - 10 minutes I am running an instance! WOW! RIGHT ON BLIZZARD! Now if we can just make the window of opportunity from battlegroups to something like two or three battlegroups then we would REALLY be in business! I might finally be able to see the inside of NAXX or heaven forbid ULDUAR!
New badge system - OK, OK, OK... folks complain about how easy it is to get the great gear. No longer is it a JOB to get the items needed to be geared properly for those raids and such. To me I say, THANK YOU BLIZZARD! Again, my time being limited I find it more difficult to find the time to work at the virtual "job" that is WoW and my real life pulls me away from 'gear runs' or this, that and the other where I may not be able to get gear upgrades normally. "Random Heroic Instances" with the badge reward is AWESOME!
So Blizzard, from a player to the game designer... THANKS!
Friday, December 11
An unexpected surprise… (Original Fiction by Xan)
With Beasley in the lead, they ventured into the small tunnel. Zander had to crawl on his hands and knees; his broad shoulders rubbed the sides of the tunnel as he shuffled along. A short distance ahead of him the small halfling stood upright and casually strolled along whistling and often making comments about the ease in his walk. After a few moments of grueling work to pull himself along, Zander noticed a strange odor. He looked up to see that Beasley had also noticed the smell and was frozen. With an alarming whisper, he ordered the giant behind him, “Back up, back up, back up!” Beasley turned and started pushing the giants’ shoulders. “Hurry, we don’t want to be in here when it reaches us.”
“What reaches us?” The giant queried of his small companion. Nevertheless, before he could answer a sound of sloshing like a wet mop on a stone floor could be heard, the acrid smell of rotting flesh filled their noses. “What is it?”
“I don’t know, but it definitely isn’t friendly!” Beasley started to panic because his large associate was having a hard time backing up in the small quarters.
They reached the opening from the collapsed floor trap just as eight green tentacles started to snatch at them. Zander quickly jumped to his feet and pulled out his hammer. As he did so, the green beast slapped him with its many tentacles. All of his muscles seemed to burn and turn to stone all in the same motion, he could not move as he watched helpless as his small friend dove behind him in an attempt to distract the monster. The thing had eight tentacles and smelled of a rotting corpse. It looked like a green worm with a large mouth and mandibles like a large insect, with the tentacles protruding just above its mouth. Beasley jumped out from behind his tense friend and stabbed at the worm-like creature. He connected and the monster shrieked as it flailed its tentacles in a counter attack but missed the small target dancing around evasively. Finding another opening, the rogue dashed in again and slashed at the worm monster again, this time connecting a little harder. The creature writhed in agony; just then, Zander was able to move his body again and wasted no time finishing off the beast with a staggering slam of his hammer.
“Nothing takes away my ability to move and gets away with it!” Zander wiped the gore from the crushed worm from his face and winked at the thief.
“You need to stop coming to my rescue, I almost had him finished.”
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun dispensing this foul creature, now can I Beasley?” Zander laughed, went to put his hammer away and was struck from behind by another tentacle, this one pulling him off his feet. He fell to the ground with a thunderous crash and his hammer slid to the far end of the hole and just out of reach. The sticky creature tried to hook him and inject its paralyzing sticky film covering its body. Beasley leapt in and began to slash at the monster slapping at Zander’s back. Stabbing and slashing the green slimy creature, all the while Zander scrambled to regain his footing but with both his friend and the beast dueling on his back he could not stand, only grasp for his hammer. Beasley stepped over the monster and let out a cry of anger as he took his short sword in his hand and buried it deep in the monsters head. The monster flopped after having the blade into its head as Zander yelped in pain. Zander leapt up and grabbed his posterior.
“You got your beast and my sensitive spots you fool!” Zander belted out in a spark of broken pride.
“Would you rather…” Beasley laughed. “Would you rather I let it stun you again and eat you for breakfast?”
“Next time watch where you poke that thing.” Zander grumbled. “I will have a hard time walking with a blade through my rear. Let’s remove these things and continue down the tunnel, they cannot be more of these putrid things.” Zander kicked the impaled worm.
They pulled the two beasts from the tunnel by their tentacles away from the opening. Zander scoffed as they dragged the carcasses aside.
“What’s so funny?” Beasley said labored by his efforts.
“It was nice of the creator of these beasts to give them such easy hand holds to drag them away by.” Zander winked at his small friend and the two compatriots laughed together.
“What reaches us?” The giant queried of his small companion. Nevertheless, before he could answer a sound of sloshing like a wet mop on a stone floor could be heard, the acrid smell of rotting flesh filled their noses. “What is it?”
“I don’t know, but it definitely isn’t friendly!” Beasley started to panic because his large associate was having a hard time backing up in the small quarters.
They reached the opening from the collapsed floor trap just as eight green tentacles started to snatch at them. Zander quickly jumped to his feet and pulled out his hammer. As he did so, the green beast slapped him with its many tentacles. All of his muscles seemed to burn and turn to stone all in the same motion, he could not move as he watched helpless as his small friend dove behind him in an attempt to distract the monster. The thing had eight tentacles and smelled of a rotting corpse. It looked like a green worm with a large mouth and mandibles like a large insect, with the tentacles protruding just above its mouth. Beasley jumped out from behind his tense friend and stabbed at the worm-like creature. He connected and the monster shrieked as it flailed its tentacles in a counter attack but missed the small target dancing around evasively. Finding another opening, the rogue dashed in again and slashed at the worm monster again, this time connecting a little harder. The creature writhed in agony; just then, Zander was able to move his body again and wasted no time finishing off the beast with a staggering slam of his hammer.
“Nothing takes away my ability to move and gets away with it!” Zander wiped the gore from the crushed worm from his face and winked at the thief.
“You need to stop coming to my rescue, I almost had him finished.”
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun dispensing this foul creature, now can I Beasley?” Zander laughed, went to put his hammer away and was struck from behind by another tentacle, this one pulling him off his feet. He fell to the ground with a thunderous crash and his hammer slid to the far end of the hole and just out of reach. The sticky creature tried to hook him and inject its paralyzing sticky film covering its body. Beasley leapt in and began to slash at the monster slapping at Zander’s back. Stabbing and slashing the green slimy creature, all the while Zander scrambled to regain his footing but with both his friend and the beast dueling on his back he could not stand, only grasp for his hammer. Beasley stepped over the monster and let out a cry of anger as he took his short sword in his hand and buried it deep in the monsters head. The monster flopped after having the blade into its head as Zander yelped in pain. Zander leapt up and grabbed his posterior.
“You got your beast and my sensitive spots you fool!” Zander belted out in a spark of broken pride.
“Would you rather…” Beasley laughed. “Would you rather I let it stun you again and eat you for breakfast?”
“Next time watch where you poke that thing.” Zander grumbled. “I will have a hard time walking with a blade through my rear. Let’s remove these things and continue down the tunnel, they cannot be more of these putrid things.” Zander kicked the impaled worm.
They pulled the two beasts from the tunnel by their tentacles away from the opening. Zander scoffed as they dragged the carcasses aside.
“What’s so funny?” Beasley said labored by his efforts.
“It was nice of the creator of these beasts to give them such easy hand holds to drag them away by.” Zander winked at his small friend and the two compatriots laughed together.
Friday, November 27
After a time of resting and practice… (Original Fiction by Xan)
“Zander!” Beasley nudged the dozing giant quietly. “Zander come on! Let’s go!”
“W-what’s the matter?” Zander groggily rubbed his eyes.
“Shhh!” Beasley placed a small finger to the huge lips of the cleric. “I wanted to go exploring on my own a bit. But I figured I’d include you on the fun.” He peeked to the others, still dozing. “Let those two sleep a little longer, heaven knows Solcloud can be a party pooper if I have to liberate a jewel or something.”
The giant shuffled to his feet trying hard not to make any noise as he slung his giant trunk onto his back. “Besides,” Zander tried to be as quiet as he could when he spoke in his thunderous baritone voice. “You’ll need my help if you should get into trouble, or need to carry something.” He winked at the small halfling and they both snickered silently.
They preceded down the tunnel they had burned the assassin in earlier, the smell of charred flesh and cloth still seemed to cling to the air. Zander plugged his nose and waved his hand in the air to try and part the smell before him. His eyes seemed to sting with the toxic fumes of the fabric burned his nose. He kept his eyes closed for a bit, as they continued to walk; the smell slowly dissipated to a lighter smell and eventually was gone. As the smell vanished, the room seemed to open up into a large cavern, large enough that the torchlight from Beasley’s torch didn’t touch the far wall.
“Wow!” Beasley didn’t even attempt to be silent any further as they were several yards away from their sleeping companions. “Look at the size of this cavern!”
“It’s not that big.” Zander let out a laugh.
“Funny.” Beasley shot the giant a glare. “Be careful about those size jokes, besides, I am the one who is supposed to tell jokes.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” Zander continued to look around the cavern. “Hey, what’s that over there?” Zander spotted a large pile of bones on the edge of the torchlight. He walked towards the pile and before he stepped more than a half a dozen paces, he heard a click. Like a flash of lightning, Beasley sparked the distance of twenty feet in a single bound just as a plume of green smoke enveloped Zander. His eyes and lungs seemed to burn like an acid was tearing him from the inside out. Beasley threw off his cloak and began to fan the thick gas away from the giant. Zander fell to his knees trying to get fresh air close to the ground.
“Othr help me, what was that?” He coughed out every word.
“You set off a trap, you big oaf!” Beasley continued to fan the noxious gas away from them. “If I hadn’t been here, you would have been the next pile of bones.”
Now that the plume of gas had dissipated, Beasley took his time to investigate. He saw the trigger tile on the ground a foot or so away from where Zander had collapsed. With a simple rock in the shape of a wedge, Beasley disabled the tile by removing a small spring mechanism underneath it.
“So much for that.” Beasley stood up and dusted off his hands in victory. “You OK?”
Zander just finished a prayer to Othr. “Othr has given me strength to continue. He has also blessed me with a gift in a small package. Thank you my friend.” He patted the small man on the back. “Is it safe to look through those bones? I have a feeling there is something they may be hiding.”
“I have a better thought!” Beasley winked at his large comrade.
He began to whisper in Zander’s ear a devious plan. Zander snickered at the halfling’s humor and sense of practical jokes and of course went along with the suggestions. After a few hours of searching and setting up, they found nothing in the pile of bones so Beasley took the torch and searched the room further. He stumbled over some stones piled in a corner and cursed. Zander, after hearing the curse in halfling moved towards the pile.
“Looks like a cave in.” Beasley said auOthritatively.
“No, they were out here deliberately.” Zander looked around. “I watched many stone workers who worship Othr discard stones with less precision.” Zander got down on his knees and examined further. “They lead up to something.”
Beasley hopped on Zander’ shoulders while he was on all fours and clapped him on the head gently. “Well get me up where I can see what’s at the top!” Zander stepped out and with almost no effort stood back up as if no weight had been placed on his enormous shoulders. However, Beasley seemed to need to catch himself without falling off this enormous moving platform.
“Stop, there!” Beasley pointed to the wall in front of him. “I think I see some light.”
“I see nothing.” Zander stood up on his toes to try to see what Beasley was looking at.
“Wait; go back to the flats of your feet man!” Beasley waved the giant down. “I can’t see it now.” He pulled out his tools and began to scrape the wall. Light appeared to glint in the little rogue’s eyes. He pulled out a long wire with a small hook on the end, fished it through the crack, and then turned it a quarter of a turn.
With a grunt, Beasley yelped. “I got it!”
Light started to glow eerily in a square pattern on the rock wall. Beasley pushed just above the horizontal line of light lowest to the ground. It was about waist high to the little man. As the door opened, a click was heard and before the halfling could duck a small dart flew from an unknown source and hit him between the eyes.
“OUCH!” Beasley yelped by the sharp pain of the small dart pricking his head. He pulled the dart out, climbed up to on the ledge, and signaled Zander to follow. “Come on up, I think that was the only one.”
Zander pulled his large form up to the ledge and in the hidden doorway and closed it gently behind him, but left it open just a crack. “What kind of dart was that? Obviously it was a trap.”
Beasley was examining the dart in the torchlight. He smelled it, twisted it in his hands, rubbed the tip and smelled the residue on his fingers.
“It smells like the blue pumpkin.” Beasley began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Zander dusted his hands off as he sat next to his tiny friend.
“I was part of a joke a long while back for one of my cousins on his wedding night. His brother, a few others and I slipped some spice made from a blue pumpkin in his wedding cider. The blue pumpkin seed, when crushed and added with alcohol or certain ciders has a very interesting side effect.” He snickered again.
“What does it do?” Zander was very curious. “I hope you didn’t try to kill your cousin on his wedding night.”
“Well, yes and a resounding no.” Beasley tried to keep a straight face as he continued with his tale. “I haven’t the bard’s tongue for tales, but we did ‘kill’ his… how should I say it? We killed his drive to be with his wife.” Beasley could not contain his laughter anymore as tears began to run down his face. “We told tales of his inability to consummate his marriage for weeks. It seems we put in a little too much pumpkin seed in his cider, or perhaps he drank too much.” He fell to the ground in laughter.
“I will have to remember that next time I am back at the Broken Horse or any other Inn while I am drinking with you.” Zander chuckled.
“It seems whoever rigged this trap had a sense of humor as well. This would have made you numb in your…” Beasley coughed. “You get the idea. You would be numb for weeks. But as it hit me in the forehead, it had no effects.”
Zander cleared his throat. “Considering the traps we have encountered, I would suggest you take the lead my small trap-finder.” Zander groaned as he came to his feet. “Shall we continue?”
“Yes. But I should want to keep this dart; it would make a wonderful trick to play on…” Beasley winked.
“Yes, but let’s do it at a more jolly occasion, where there is cause to celebrate something.” Zander tried to contain a smile.
The two adventurers began to walk down a hallway that seemed to have been carved out of pure rock into some extraordinary brickwork. The hallway seemed to have been built rather than carved.
“We have definitely stumbled onto something here.” Zander spoke softly.
They kept walking down the hallway a few more paces and reached another door. Beasley examined the door carefully, covering his head with his hood for some protection. Zander stood back a few steps. The door seemed to have no traps on it or a locking mechanism. Beasley swung the door open and stood there for a moment, wincing, waiting another dart. Nothing came from the darkness so Beasley stepped through the door. Just as both feet crossed the threshold of the doorway, a large glowing hand appeared in the darkness. Beasley grabbed his short sword but it was too late, the hand grabbed him, threw him to the other side of the doorway again, and slammed the door.
“Hmmm, not a trap, but it definitely doesn’t like us going that way.” Beasley rubbed his backside as he stood up. “All the more reason to enter, wouldn’t you agree my big friend?”
“I suppose.” Zander cleared his throat. “Let me have a look.” He approached the door with caution, examining it carefully. He looked at the door and saw a sign covered with years of dirt and mud. He rubbed the sign gently but due to years of rot in the wood, the sign disintegrated partially only leaving a few characters. “It’s written in giant. It is hard to make out but I think it says ‘knock.’ Shall we try it?”
Beasley jumped up and stood behind one of Zander’s legs as he reached with the hilt of his sword and tapped the door. He closed his eyes half expecting another explosion of poison gas.
“Nothing happened.” Zander said shocked as well. “Well, only one way to find out if it worked.” Zander grabbed the rusty door latch and pushed the door open, and apprehensively took a step forward and braced for the ghostly hand.
“It worked!” Beasley barked. “I must find out the spell for that one, it’s amazing!” He pranced on through the doorway without fear and did not notice the crack in the tile flooring. Without warning, the floor dropped out from underneath the tiny bandit his hands waived in the air, clawing for handholds that were not anywhere within reach. “ZANDER!”
“Beasley!” Zander jumped to save Beasley, skidding across the floor with his immense arms outstretched. “I gotcha!” Zander lay on the floor in a cloud of dust holding Beasley by his hood. The little halfling dripped the torch when he fell, it now lay about one foot below Beasley on the ground. “Let me go Zander, I think I’m OK.” Zander released the small bundle, Beasley simply dropped half his height, and with a soft thud, he landed with both feet and picked up the torch. He looked up to see the pit he had fallen into was a little more than the height Zander one and a half times over.
“Come on down Zander! You can get us back up this hole with a little climbing.” Beasley looked around and saw at one end of his small pit there was a tunnel about his height. “Hey, there is a tunnel down here. Let’s see where it goes.”
Zander made his way down the pit and onto the ground. He dropped to his knees to examine the tunnel. “You had better hope it stays this size, or I am going to get stuck and then we are really in trouble.”
Beasley began to walk down the tunnel and smugly remarked over his shoulder and laughed. “Well then, don’t get stuck.”
“W-what’s the matter?” Zander groggily rubbed his eyes.
“Shhh!” Beasley placed a small finger to the huge lips of the cleric. “I wanted to go exploring on my own a bit. But I figured I’d include you on the fun.” He peeked to the others, still dozing. “Let those two sleep a little longer, heaven knows Solcloud can be a party pooper if I have to liberate a jewel or something.”
The giant shuffled to his feet trying hard not to make any noise as he slung his giant trunk onto his back. “Besides,” Zander tried to be as quiet as he could when he spoke in his thunderous baritone voice. “You’ll need my help if you should get into trouble, or need to carry something.” He winked at the small halfling and they both snickered silently.
They preceded down the tunnel they had burned the assassin in earlier, the smell of charred flesh and cloth still seemed to cling to the air. Zander plugged his nose and waved his hand in the air to try and part the smell before him. His eyes seemed to sting with the toxic fumes of the fabric burned his nose. He kept his eyes closed for a bit, as they continued to walk; the smell slowly dissipated to a lighter smell and eventually was gone. As the smell vanished, the room seemed to open up into a large cavern, large enough that the torchlight from Beasley’s torch didn’t touch the far wall.
“Wow!” Beasley didn’t even attempt to be silent any further as they were several yards away from their sleeping companions. “Look at the size of this cavern!”
“It’s not that big.” Zander let out a laugh.
“Funny.” Beasley shot the giant a glare. “Be careful about those size jokes, besides, I am the one who is supposed to tell jokes.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” Zander continued to look around the cavern. “Hey, what’s that over there?” Zander spotted a large pile of bones on the edge of the torchlight. He walked towards the pile and before he stepped more than a half a dozen paces, he heard a click. Like a flash of lightning, Beasley sparked the distance of twenty feet in a single bound just as a plume of green smoke enveloped Zander. His eyes and lungs seemed to burn like an acid was tearing him from the inside out. Beasley threw off his cloak and began to fan the thick gas away from the giant. Zander fell to his knees trying to get fresh air close to the ground.
“Othr help me, what was that?” He coughed out every word.
“You set off a trap, you big oaf!” Beasley continued to fan the noxious gas away from them. “If I hadn’t been here, you would have been the next pile of bones.”
Now that the plume of gas had dissipated, Beasley took his time to investigate. He saw the trigger tile on the ground a foot or so away from where Zander had collapsed. With a simple rock in the shape of a wedge, Beasley disabled the tile by removing a small spring mechanism underneath it.
“So much for that.” Beasley stood up and dusted off his hands in victory. “You OK?”
Zander just finished a prayer to Othr. “Othr has given me strength to continue. He has also blessed me with a gift in a small package. Thank you my friend.” He patted the small man on the back. “Is it safe to look through those bones? I have a feeling there is something they may be hiding.”
“I have a better thought!” Beasley winked at his large comrade.
He began to whisper in Zander’s ear a devious plan. Zander snickered at the halfling’s humor and sense of practical jokes and of course went along with the suggestions. After a few hours of searching and setting up, they found nothing in the pile of bones so Beasley took the torch and searched the room further. He stumbled over some stones piled in a corner and cursed. Zander, after hearing the curse in halfling moved towards the pile.
“Looks like a cave in.” Beasley said auOthritatively.
“No, they were out here deliberately.” Zander looked around. “I watched many stone workers who worship Othr discard stones with less precision.” Zander got down on his knees and examined further. “They lead up to something.”
Beasley hopped on Zander’ shoulders while he was on all fours and clapped him on the head gently. “Well get me up where I can see what’s at the top!” Zander stepped out and with almost no effort stood back up as if no weight had been placed on his enormous shoulders. However, Beasley seemed to need to catch himself without falling off this enormous moving platform.
“Stop, there!” Beasley pointed to the wall in front of him. “I think I see some light.”
“I see nothing.” Zander stood up on his toes to try to see what Beasley was looking at.
“Wait; go back to the flats of your feet man!” Beasley waved the giant down. “I can’t see it now.” He pulled out his tools and began to scrape the wall. Light appeared to glint in the little rogue’s eyes. He pulled out a long wire with a small hook on the end, fished it through the crack, and then turned it a quarter of a turn.
With a grunt, Beasley yelped. “I got it!”
Light started to glow eerily in a square pattern on the rock wall. Beasley pushed just above the horizontal line of light lowest to the ground. It was about waist high to the little man. As the door opened, a click was heard and before the halfling could duck a small dart flew from an unknown source and hit him between the eyes.
“OUCH!” Beasley yelped by the sharp pain of the small dart pricking his head. He pulled the dart out, climbed up to on the ledge, and signaled Zander to follow. “Come on up, I think that was the only one.”
Zander pulled his large form up to the ledge and in the hidden doorway and closed it gently behind him, but left it open just a crack. “What kind of dart was that? Obviously it was a trap.”
Beasley was examining the dart in the torchlight. He smelled it, twisted it in his hands, rubbed the tip and smelled the residue on his fingers.
“It smells like the blue pumpkin.” Beasley began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Zander dusted his hands off as he sat next to his tiny friend.
“I was part of a joke a long while back for one of my cousins on his wedding night. His brother, a few others and I slipped some spice made from a blue pumpkin in his wedding cider. The blue pumpkin seed, when crushed and added with alcohol or certain ciders has a very interesting side effect.” He snickered again.
“What does it do?” Zander was very curious. “I hope you didn’t try to kill your cousin on his wedding night.”
“Well, yes and a resounding no.” Beasley tried to keep a straight face as he continued with his tale. “I haven’t the bard’s tongue for tales, but we did ‘kill’ his… how should I say it? We killed his drive to be with his wife.” Beasley could not contain his laughter anymore as tears began to run down his face. “We told tales of his inability to consummate his marriage for weeks. It seems we put in a little too much pumpkin seed in his cider, or perhaps he drank too much.” He fell to the ground in laughter.
“I will have to remember that next time I am back at the Broken Horse or any other Inn while I am drinking with you.” Zander chuckled.
“It seems whoever rigged this trap had a sense of humor as well. This would have made you numb in your…” Beasley coughed. “You get the idea. You would be numb for weeks. But as it hit me in the forehead, it had no effects.”
Zander cleared his throat. “Considering the traps we have encountered, I would suggest you take the lead my small trap-finder.” Zander groaned as he came to his feet. “Shall we continue?”
“Yes. But I should want to keep this dart; it would make a wonderful trick to play on…” Beasley winked.
“Yes, but let’s do it at a more jolly occasion, where there is cause to celebrate something.” Zander tried to contain a smile.
The two adventurers began to walk down a hallway that seemed to have been carved out of pure rock into some extraordinary brickwork. The hallway seemed to have been built rather than carved.
“We have definitely stumbled onto something here.” Zander spoke softly.
They kept walking down the hallway a few more paces and reached another door. Beasley examined the door carefully, covering his head with his hood for some protection. Zander stood back a few steps. The door seemed to have no traps on it or a locking mechanism. Beasley swung the door open and stood there for a moment, wincing, waiting another dart. Nothing came from the darkness so Beasley stepped through the door. Just as both feet crossed the threshold of the doorway, a large glowing hand appeared in the darkness. Beasley grabbed his short sword but it was too late, the hand grabbed him, threw him to the other side of the doorway again, and slammed the door.
“Hmmm, not a trap, but it definitely doesn’t like us going that way.” Beasley rubbed his backside as he stood up. “All the more reason to enter, wouldn’t you agree my big friend?”
“I suppose.” Zander cleared his throat. “Let me have a look.” He approached the door with caution, examining it carefully. He looked at the door and saw a sign covered with years of dirt and mud. He rubbed the sign gently but due to years of rot in the wood, the sign disintegrated partially only leaving a few characters. “It’s written in giant. It is hard to make out but I think it says ‘knock.’ Shall we try it?”
Beasley jumped up and stood behind one of Zander’s legs as he reached with the hilt of his sword and tapped the door. He closed his eyes half expecting another explosion of poison gas.
“Nothing happened.” Zander said shocked as well. “Well, only one way to find out if it worked.” Zander grabbed the rusty door latch and pushed the door open, and apprehensively took a step forward and braced for the ghostly hand.
“It worked!” Beasley barked. “I must find out the spell for that one, it’s amazing!” He pranced on through the doorway without fear and did not notice the crack in the tile flooring. Without warning, the floor dropped out from underneath the tiny bandit his hands waived in the air, clawing for handholds that were not anywhere within reach. “ZANDER!”
“Beasley!” Zander jumped to save Beasley, skidding across the floor with his immense arms outstretched. “I gotcha!” Zander lay on the floor in a cloud of dust holding Beasley by his hood. The little halfling dripped the torch when he fell, it now lay about one foot below Beasley on the ground. “Let me go Zander, I think I’m OK.” Zander released the small bundle, Beasley simply dropped half his height, and with a soft thud, he landed with both feet and picked up the torch. He looked up to see the pit he had fallen into was a little more than the height Zander one and a half times over.
“Come on down Zander! You can get us back up this hole with a little climbing.” Beasley looked around and saw at one end of his small pit there was a tunnel about his height. “Hey, there is a tunnel down here. Let’s see where it goes.”
Zander made his way down the pit and onto the ground. He dropped to his knees to examine the tunnel. “You had better hope it stays this size, or I am going to get stuck and then we are really in trouble.”
Beasley began to walk down the tunnel and smugly remarked over his shoulder and laughed. “Well then, don’t get stuck.”
Friday, November 20
Putting it to better use… (Original Fiction by Xan)
“Very well.” Solcloud reaches for the ring with a false air of contempt. “But I think stealing from the dead isn’t right.”
“We’re not stealing,” Beasley looked up from his examinations. “We are putting them to better use.” He looked to the paladin and then over to the half-ogre who was trying not to smile.
Not doing a very good job of holding back his excitement for nice things, Mayvn jumps into the search. “What else did you find, my diminutive friend?”
“Stop crowding me!” Beasley tries his best to fight off the grabbing thin man. “Don’t worry, we’ll find you something pretty.”
Zander walks up, grabs Mayvn by the coattails, and pulls him back. “If you keep crowding him, he may not find the ‘good stuff,’ understand?”
“Y-y-yes, s-s-sorry.” Mayvn sits on the closest rock. “My apologies, friend. Just make sure you can find me something worth while.”
“DONE!” Beasley reaches up with a pendant in his hand. “By the looks of it, it seems to make you move a little faster. Might be good if you ever get close enough to someone to try and use the small sword you have hidden in that fiddle of yours.”
“Fiddle! How preposterous…”
“You want it or not? I am sure Zander could use it.”
“Oh, my apologies. I will certainly take such an endowment.”
“Thought you would.” Beasley smiled, winked, and went back to searching the next body. “And what do we have here?” Beasley pulled on the wizards’ gloves. “They will fit you well Mayvn.” As Beasley pulled the gloves off the wizard, he noticed the wizard’s complexion became a little more… geographical. “Hmmm, seems to me they make you better looking.”
“Don’t encourage him, small one.” Solcloud walked over with his arms folded. “He is already a peacock.”
With a smug look on his face, Mayvn fidgeted with the gloves and they slid on with a perfect fit. Everyone noticed Mayvn’s teeth got a bit whiter when he smiled at their fit. “Beautiful!” Mayvn shrieked as he picked up his lute and began to strum a happy little tune. The music seemed to be better than before. “It sounds like my playing has improved.” He smiled at the party once again.
“Put those away, your smile is almost blinding.” Solcloud shrugged, “Seems they make you more charismatic.” Beasley and Zander looked at him like a curious set of dogs looking at something making an odd noise. “It made him prettier and his music better.” The paladin just shook his head. “I am glad intelligence wasn’t wasted on everyone.”
“Oh! Perfect!” Beasley shrieked with glee as he held up a pack of playing cards that seemed to shimmer in the torchlight. “I have heard of these! They’re great for parties!” He eagerly stuffed the deck of cards back into one of his many hidden pockets and went back to pawing through the bodies like a hyena.
“What is this?” Beasley seemed as though he was pulling on something off one of the ogres, but nothing was in his grasp. “Zander, could you help me please, it seems to be stuck!”
“What is?” Zander observed Beasley standing very stiffly with one foot on the ogres face and the other on its chest pulling at thin air.
“Just come and help me!” Beasley demanded. He obviously was a bit frustrated at his small size and the need to ask for help.
With one large hand, Zander gripped the small halfling in his colossal hands and lifted him off the body. He was shocked that the halfling cleared the ground but his hands stayed in position, still gripping the invisible object. “Pull harder, but don’t pull my legs off!” Beasley hesitantly ordered. With a great pull, Beasley yelped as he barely budged when Zander pulled at him.
“It’s still under him.” Solcloud kicks the dead ogre body and as it rolls to the side, Zander and Beasley fall to the ground. Beasley was holding a black and white cowhide. Beasley shakes the cobwebs out of his head from the impact and his eyes went large.
“This is a vanishing hide!” Beasley looked at the enormous size of it and sighed. “It’s too big for me. Zander you can have it. It disappears when you put it on. It can be worn right over your chain mail.” Beasley rubbed his head and rear end as he stood up, examining the bodies.
“What else did you find on that assassin, thief?” Mayvn piped up greedily.
“I am not…er…I found this hood. Well on me it’s a cloak, I suppose.” Beasley twirled. “I found it quite by accident. I dropped the torch on the assassin’s body and he did not light up. I noticed the hood protected him a bit.”
“He took it,” Zander’s nose began to curl. “You can still smell the burnt remains after Beasley lit the body after he took the cloak.” The half-ogre rubbed his nose. “I would have preferred to haul the body back to that chasm we threw the ogres and the spider into. At least then the smell would have taken longer to reach us.”
“I saved you the trouble of hauling him back up here.” Beasley said with a grin. “Besides, you’d never find the body if you just find a pile of ash.”
“What is that token on your left hand, thief?” Solcloud stated his accusation while waiving towards Beasley.
“Oh yeah, and this ring.” Beasley gave the ring a twist and vanished. His voice seemed to come right from Mayvn’s shoulder, “Isn’t it great? I am like those disappearing lizards down south. I love it!” With a flash, Beasley appeared next to Mayvn with his hands crossed over the ring. “Zander found a ring lying on the ground on our hike back; it has a dog or something on it.”
“Give it a twist.” Mayvn said excitedly. Zander shrugged and twisted the dog towards his palm and he too vanished.
“What happened to you?!?” Zander’s voice echoed as if he were a ghost. “You are all blurry!”
“It is not us, my dear friend.” Solcloud chuckled, “You have found a ring of the blink dog. You go to an alternate plane that is parallel to this one.”
“I have heard of those!” Mayvn said ominously, “They are very rare! Good in a fight though, you blink in an out of this plane all the while you can attack and still not be seen. Amazing!”
Zander blinked back into their vision. “I feel sick.”
Beasley laughed. “Looks like you and I will need to practice with our new jewelry.”
“It’s getting late; we had better just stop here.” Solcloud sat down; putting his ring with the troll head on his left hand, he breathed a great sigh as his muscles relaxed from the effects. “I need to rest.”
“I think we all do!” Mayvn dusted off his rock with his hat, sat down and leaned against it. “That fight took a lot out of us all.”
“Agreed, besides I want to look around.” With a wink and a nod, Beasley twisted his ring and was gone. His voice echoed from a far distance in the cavern. “I will be back before my turn at watch!”
Zander shook his head while caressing his ‘dog ring.’ “I’ll take first watch,” he said. “I’m not tired.” With a twist of his ring, he too vanished. His voice echoed ethereally, “I got to get used to this feeling.”
“We’re not stealing,” Beasley looked up from his examinations. “We are putting them to better use.” He looked to the paladin and then over to the half-ogre who was trying not to smile.
Not doing a very good job of holding back his excitement for nice things, Mayvn jumps into the search. “What else did you find, my diminutive friend?”
“Stop crowding me!” Beasley tries his best to fight off the grabbing thin man. “Don’t worry, we’ll find you something pretty.”
Zander walks up, grabs Mayvn by the coattails, and pulls him back. “If you keep crowding him, he may not find the ‘good stuff,’ understand?”
“Y-y-yes, s-s-sorry.” Mayvn sits on the closest rock. “My apologies, friend. Just make sure you can find me something worth while.”
“DONE!” Beasley reaches up with a pendant in his hand. “By the looks of it, it seems to make you move a little faster. Might be good if you ever get close enough to someone to try and use the small sword you have hidden in that fiddle of yours.”
“Fiddle! How preposterous…”
“You want it or not? I am sure Zander could use it.”
“Oh, my apologies. I will certainly take such an endowment.”
“Thought you would.” Beasley smiled, winked, and went back to searching the next body. “And what do we have here?” Beasley pulled on the wizards’ gloves. “They will fit you well Mayvn.” As Beasley pulled the gloves off the wizard, he noticed the wizard’s complexion became a little more… geographical. “Hmmm, seems to me they make you better looking.”
“Don’t encourage him, small one.” Solcloud walked over with his arms folded. “He is already a peacock.”
With a smug look on his face, Mayvn fidgeted with the gloves and they slid on with a perfect fit. Everyone noticed Mayvn’s teeth got a bit whiter when he smiled at their fit. “Beautiful!” Mayvn shrieked as he picked up his lute and began to strum a happy little tune. The music seemed to be better than before. “It sounds like my playing has improved.” He smiled at the party once again.
“Put those away, your smile is almost blinding.” Solcloud shrugged, “Seems they make you more charismatic.” Beasley and Zander looked at him like a curious set of dogs looking at something making an odd noise. “It made him prettier and his music better.” The paladin just shook his head. “I am glad intelligence wasn’t wasted on everyone.”
“Oh! Perfect!” Beasley shrieked with glee as he held up a pack of playing cards that seemed to shimmer in the torchlight. “I have heard of these! They’re great for parties!” He eagerly stuffed the deck of cards back into one of his many hidden pockets and went back to pawing through the bodies like a hyena.
“What is this?” Beasley seemed as though he was pulling on something off one of the ogres, but nothing was in his grasp. “Zander, could you help me please, it seems to be stuck!”
“What is?” Zander observed Beasley standing very stiffly with one foot on the ogres face and the other on its chest pulling at thin air.
“Just come and help me!” Beasley demanded. He obviously was a bit frustrated at his small size and the need to ask for help.
With one large hand, Zander gripped the small halfling in his colossal hands and lifted him off the body. He was shocked that the halfling cleared the ground but his hands stayed in position, still gripping the invisible object. “Pull harder, but don’t pull my legs off!” Beasley hesitantly ordered. With a great pull, Beasley yelped as he barely budged when Zander pulled at him.
“It’s still under him.” Solcloud kicks the dead ogre body and as it rolls to the side, Zander and Beasley fall to the ground. Beasley was holding a black and white cowhide. Beasley shakes the cobwebs out of his head from the impact and his eyes went large.
“This is a vanishing hide!” Beasley looked at the enormous size of it and sighed. “It’s too big for me. Zander you can have it. It disappears when you put it on. It can be worn right over your chain mail.” Beasley rubbed his head and rear end as he stood up, examining the bodies.
“What else did you find on that assassin, thief?” Mayvn piped up greedily.
“I am not…er…I found this hood. Well on me it’s a cloak, I suppose.” Beasley twirled. “I found it quite by accident. I dropped the torch on the assassin’s body and he did not light up. I noticed the hood protected him a bit.”
“He took it,” Zander’s nose began to curl. “You can still smell the burnt remains after Beasley lit the body after he took the cloak.” The half-ogre rubbed his nose. “I would have preferred to haul the body back to that chasm we threw the ogres and the spider into. At least then the smell would have taken longer to reach us.”
“I saved you the trouble of hauling him back up here.” Beasley said with a grin. “Besides, you’d never find the body if you just find a pile of ash.”
“What is that token on your left hand, thief?” Solcloud stated his accusation while waiving towards Beasley.
“Oh yeah, and this ring.” Beasley gave the ring a twist and vanished. His voice seemed to come right from Mayvn’s shoulder, “Isn’t it great? I am like those disappearing lizards down south. I love it!” With a flash, Beasley appeared next to Mayvn with his hands crossed over the ring. “Zander found a ring lying on the ground on our hike back; it has a dog or something on it.”
“Give it a twist.” Mayvn said excitedly. Zander shrugged and twisted the dog towards his palm and he too vanished.
“What happened to you?!?” Zander’s voice echoed as if he were a ghost. “You are all blurry!”
“It is not us, my dear friend.” Solcloud chuckled, “You have found a ring of the blink dog. You go to an alternate plane that is parallel to this one.”
“I have heard of those!” Mayvn said ominously, “They are very rare! Good in a fight though, you blink in an out of this plane all the while you can attack and still not be seen. Amazing!”
Zander blinked back into their vision. “I feel sick.”
Beasley laughed. “Looks like you and I will need to practice with our new jewelry.”
“It’s getting late; we had better just stop here.” Solcloud sat down; putting his ring with the troll head on his left hand, he breathed a great sigh as his muscles relaxed from the effects. “I need to rest.”
“I think we all do!” Mayvn dusted off his rock with his hat, sat down and leaned against it. “That fight took a lot out of us all.”
“Agreed, besides I want to look around.” With a wink and a nod, Beasley twisted his ring and was gone. His voice echoed from a far distance in the cavern. “I will be back before my turn at watch!”
Zander shook his head while caressing his ‘dog ring.’ “I’ll take first watch,” he said. “I’m not tired.” With a twist of his ring, he too vanished. His voice echoed ethereally, “I got to get used to this feeling.”
Friday, November 13
An unexpected twist of fate… (Original Fiction by Xan)
“Shhh…” Beasley cautiously made his way back up the winding slope of the cave back to the adventuring party who were lumbering down the slight incline. “There are at least three of them just about fifty yards down. Looks as though we have a wizard and his bodyguard.”
Zander pulled his hammer out of the strap on his belt and strapped his large wooden shield to his left arm. Solcloud tried to pull his sword out without it singing as it cleared the scabbard; he too had his shield out and at the ready. Mayvn just shrugged his shoulders and made sure his crossbow was loaded and his lute was tuned. Beasley extinguished the torch in order for the entire party to sneak up on the unsuspecting wizard. He began to creep back down the cavern towards the slight light now emanating from the other unsuspecting group.
As they all rounded the bend, a light could be seen and standing on the edge of the light was a man looking their direction. “They’re just down this tunnel.” He whispered back to the other three in his group. “We shouldn’t dally; one of them has sneaked up on us and knows we’re here. All except for me. I walked right past him. We must get them before they get us. It is, after all, all about winning.”
Beasley signaled his group to stay put with an extended finger over his lips. He could see the wizard already had something in his hands to quickly cast a spell. His bodyguards consisted of two very large armored ogres. Beasley made his way down the tunnel once again trying to be very quiet as to not alert the other rogue again of his presence. He made it to the wizard and his bodyguard and ran past the thief. With a slash, he cut the rogues leg, just under the knee. He let out a yelp of pain as the others in the party turned towards the noise.
Zander and the others rushed into battle, catching the rest of the party with their backs to them staring at the downed rogue. Solcloud, with sword in the air charged at the first ogre. Before the ogre could block the swing, Solcloud buried his sword deep in the ogre’s right arm. It just winced and looked at the paladin with a glare and threw his arm to the side, flinging both the paladin and his sword against the cave wall. Zander mightily hammered the ogre in the shoulder, but the strike hit the armor and glanced off. The ogre roared, with his great sword swung, and connected. Zander’s shield was too slow to deflect the sword. It cut Zander’s arm straight to the bone on his left side. Zander grimaced, did not hesitate, swung his mighty hammer again at his kin, and made a huge dent in the ogre’s shoulder plate knocking the big thug to the ground with a thud. Mayvn stood at the edge of the battle, lobbing bolts with his crossbow into the fight while composing a song of the ensuing battle. One shot held true and dropped the ogre that had so ferociously threw Solcloud like a rag doll. Mayvn cheered at his accomplishment, looking for the fallen paladin, but he was not where he was thrown. Solcloud had closed the gap on the wizard and began to swing with his sword. Zander, after several attempts to drop his kin, finally landed a solid hit to the ogre bodyguard’s chin, breaking its jaw and sending several teeth flying as it fell to the ground like a mighty oak tree.
“Where’s the halfling?!?!” He bellowed to the others.
Solcloud was preoccupied with attacking the wizard and did not answer.
Mayvn looked around and shouted out, “Where is the other dark fellow?”
“DAMN!” Zander shouted as he ran down the tunnel, following a trail of blood presumably left by the rogue after Beasley had slashed him in the leg. He rushed down the tunnel with the din of battle fading behind him; he heard the panting of his small friend growing louder along with clashes of daggers. “I’m coming Beasley, hold on!” With renewed vigor, Zander ran towards the battle.
“Zander!” Beasley shouted back towards his friend in complete panic. “Help me!”
The giant rounded a bend and saw Beasley and a man dressed in black locked in a fight to the death. The man had one hand on his gash bleeding on his leg and the other hand had a dagger in it, slashing at the poor halfling. Beasley was countering all the assassin’s moves but he was tiring quickly. Without hesitation, the large man swung his hammer at the assassin while his back was turned. With lightning reflexes, he pulled out a separate short sword with his bloodied hand and countered the mighty swing of the giant. The unknown assailant looked back to the giant and glared through his black mask. “You won’t strike me down that easy, half-breed!” His eyes went wide and he let out a groan. He looked down and noticed that he had let his guard down and let Beasley have the opportunity he needed to stab him through the chest.
“Don’t ever insult my friends!” Beasley scowled at the assassin as he fell to the ground. He spit at the dead body on the ground, panting with exhaustion. “Now that is what I call an equal in battle. Zander, if you hadn’t come to distract him we could have fought for hours.”
The giant smiled with a look of consolation. “I’m just glad you are OK. Let’s check on the others.”
“Wait! Give me a second to see if he has anything of worth on him.” Beasley greedily looked to Zander. “A man that good should have a whole clutch of great gear.”
“I thought you weren’t a thief.” Zander chuckled. Beasley just smirked and went about searching the body.
The two opposite friends walked back up the cavern towards where Mayvn and Solcloud were awaiting their arrival. Mayvn was searching the bodies.
“Let me do that sir.” Beasley shouted to the bard. “After all, I am the thief.” The thief started with the wizard and found a great ring with the head of a troll biting an emerald. He smiled and started searching the wizards other pockets. “I think we shouldn’t go too far right now. I just found a Ring of Trolls on this wizard!”
Solcloud walked towards the body of the wizard and kicked him. “That would explain why he was so hard to kill.”
“Exactly!” Beasley pointed to Zander. “I gave him the one I found on the black one back there. They give you healing abilities just like trolls. The large gash in Zander’s arm from that ogre will be gone within an hour after wearing that ring. I suggest you have this other one.”
Zander pulled his hammer out of the strap on his belt and strapped his large wooden shield to his left arm. Solcloud tried to pull his sword out without it singing as it cleared the scabbard; he too had his shield out and at the ready. Mayvn just shrugged his shoulders and made sure his crossbow was loaded and his lute was tuned. Beasley extinguished the torch in order for the entire party to sneak up on the unsuspecting wizard. He began to creep back down the cavern towards the slight light now emanating from the other unsuspecting group.
As they all rounded the bend, a light could be seen and standing on the edge of the light was a man looking their direction. “They’re just down this tunnel.” He whispered back to the other three in his group. “We shouldn’t dally; one of them has sneaked up on us and knows we’re here. All except for me. I walked right past him. We must get them before they get us. It is, after all, all about winning.”
Beasley signaled his group to stay put with an extended finger over his lips. He could see the wizard already had something in his hands to quickly cast a spell. His bodyguards consisted of two very large armored ogres. Beasley made his way down the tunnel once again trying to be very quiet as to not alert the other rogue again of his presence. He made it to the wizard and his bodyguard and ran past the thief. With a slash, he cut the rogues leg, just under the knee. He let out a yelp of pain as the others in the party turned towards the noise.
Zander and the others rushed into battle, catching the rest of the party with their backs to them staring at the downed rogue. Solcloud, with sword in the air charged at the first ogre. Before the ogre could block the swing, Solcloud buried his sword deep in the ogre’s right arm. It just winced and looked at the paladin with a glare and threw his arm to the side, flinging both the paladin and his sword against the cave wall. Zander mightily hammered the ogre in the shoulder, but the strike hit the armor and glanced off. The ogre roared, with his great sword swung, and connected. Zander’s shield was too slow to deflect the sword. It cut Zander’s arm straight to the bone on his left side. Zander grimaced, did not hesitate, swung his mighty hammer again at his kin, and made a huge dent in the ogre’s shoulder plate knocking the big thug to the ground with a thud. Mayvn stood at the edge of the battle, lobbing bolts with his crossbow into the fight while composing a song of the ensuing battle. One shot held true and dropped the ogre that had so ferociously threw Solcloud like a rag doll. Mayvn cheered at his accomplishment, looking for the fallen paladin, but he was not where he was thrown. Solcloud had closed the gap on the wizard and began to swing with his sword. Zander, after several attempts to drop his kin, finally landed a solid hit to the ogre bodyguard’s chin, breaking its jaw and sending several teeth flying as it fell to the ground like a mighty oak tree.
“Where’s the halfling?!?!” He bellowed to the others.
Solcloud was preoccupied with attacking the wizard and did not answer.
Mayvn looked around and shouted out, “Where is the other dark fellow?”
“DAMN!” Zander shouted as he ran down the tunnel, following a trail of blood presumably left by the rogue after Beasley had slashed him in the leg. He rushed down the tunnel with the din of battle fading behind him; he heard the panting of his small friend growing louder along with clashes of daggers. “I’m coming Beasley, hold on!” With renewed vigor, Zander ran towards the battle.
“Zander!” Beasley shouted back towards his friend in complete panic. “Help me!”
The giant rounded a bend and saw Beasley and a man dressed in black locked in a fight to the death. The man had one hand on his gash bleeding on his leg and the other hand had a dagger in it, slashing at the poor halfling. Beasley was countering all the assassin’s moves but he was tiring quickly. Without hesitation, the large man swung his hammer at the assassin while his back was turned. With lightning reflexes, he pulled out a separate short sword with his bloodied hand and countered the mighty swing of the giant. The unknown assailant looked back to the giant and glared through his black mask. “You won’t strike me down that easy, half-breed!” His eyes went wide and he let out a groan. He looked down and noticed that he had let his guard down and let Beasley have the opportunity he needed to stab him through the chest.
“Don’t ever insult my friends!” Beasley scowled at the assassin as he fell to the ground. He spit at the dead body on the ground, panting with exhaustion. “Now that is what I call an equal in battle. Zander, if you hadn’t come to distract him we could have fought for hours.”
The giant smiled with a look of consolation. “I’m just glad you are OK. Let’s check on the others.”
“Wait! Give me a second to see if he has anything of worth on him.” Beasley greedily looked to Zander. “A man that good should have a whole clutch of great gear.”
“I thought you weren’t a thief.” Zander chuckled. Beasley just smirked and went about searching the body.
The two opposite friends walked back up the cavern towards where Mayvn and Solcloud were awaiting their arrival. Mayvn was searching the bodies.
“Let me do that sir.” Beasley shouted to the bard. “After all, I am the thief.” The thief started with the wizard and found a great ring with the head of a troll biting an emerald. He smiled and started searching the wizards other pockets. “I think we shouldn’t go too far right now. I just found a Ring of Trolls on this wizard!”
Solcloud walked towards the body of the wizard and kicked him. “That would explain why he was so hard to kill.”
“Exactly!” Beasley pointed to Zander. “I gave him the one I found on the black one back there. They give you healing abilities just like trolls. The large gash in Zander’s arm from that ogre will be gone within an hour after wearing that ring. I suggest you have this other one.”
Friday, November 6
Breakfast conversation… (Original Fiction by Xan)
“NO!” Beasley jumped from his slumber after a terrible nightmare. “I sure hope we don’t face anything uglier than that spider.” He smiles at everyone who was already awake.
Zander was cooking some bacon and ham on a skillet over the fire. Solcloud was leaning against the wall, still nursing some stiff muscles in his chest and arms. That spider did a lot more damage to him that the party had realized. He grimaced as Beasley came over to take a look at the dressings on the wounds. Even though Zander had healed him, the two puncture marks on Solcloud’s chest will probably never truly go away. Mayvn was, of course, tuning his lute and singing a sweet song of morning and sunlight. The party listened to his sweet soft tune and reminisced over what the sun looked like and they all smiled. It was truly hard to tell if it was day or night in the caverns, they just assumed it was daytime and did not think twice about it. The sweet smell of maple cured ham and bacon made Zander’s stomach rumble with ferocity.
“Everything tastes better with maple.” Zander spoke while poking at a ham steak sizzling sweetly in the pan. “There is plenty for everyone in my box.” Zander pointed with the greasy fork at his large makeshift chest of holding backpack. “I am quite the cook you know.”
Everyone looked at the meat, smelled the sweet sugary smell and furiously dug through their packs to find their bowls and forks. Zander served the meat up to everyone and then went back to his box. He rummaged around in the bottomless chest until he found some bread; some baguettes Jenny had given him for his adventure.
It seemed like so long ago that they spent the night drinking and exchanging stories. Jenny had expressed an interest to go, but was worried about the Inn and the Innkeeper if those soldiers should return. He had found the tankard she had given him and he smiled as he placed it back in the chest and brought the bread to the cooking fire.
Everyone was eating the food as though if they did not it would vanish right out of their bowls. Beasley finished first and was anxiously awaiting another serving. The giant just looked to the little one and chuckled. A couple more pieces of bacon and that is all, we must conserve our resources. I have brought us some bread as well eat some of that. Solcloud let out a small chuckle followed by a grunt of pain as he grabbed his chest.
“Are you all right to continue, Brother Genus?” Zander looked up from his smoky pan in a look of genuine concern.
“I will be fine, Mother.” Solcloud moved his arm around, testing his movement. “I have never seen a giant care so much for others as you do. You act like a nursemaid, but in the thick of battle, you are a bear. You are a strange creature Zander.”
The half-ogre smiled at the appraisal. “I am, as you say a bear. Have you ever seen a bear with its cubs?” Zander took on a glow of the priest giving a great oratory. “I too am like that bear. I defend those that are smaller than I, as they may not have the ability to defend themselves. I care for those who are in need of protection. And I am slow to make friends, but those that gain my trust I will defend with my life.”
“Yeah, you can sleep like one too.” Beasley poked fun at his huge friend as he picked at a piece of bacon and dropped it into his bowl and licked his fingers of the sweet maple glaze. “But, you sure can cook!” He munched on the sweet bacon and hummed with contentment.
“Zander the Bear,” Mayvn mused as he strummed a low chord on his lute. “That will definitely have to be placed into my memoirs!”
“Along with that rubbish about our adventuring party… what did you call us?” Solcloud abruptly interrupted.
“What was wrong with, ‘Silent Scales of The Singing Storm’? Is it too strong?” Mayvn queried.
Solcloud and the rest of the party fell to the ground laughing. “Are you sure you are just a musician? That is comedy!” Solcloud wipes his face of the tears. “Too strong, too strong, how about too long! How about not being clear? How about…”
“That’s enough, Solcloud.” Zander cleared his throat. “I think it is ‘interesting.’ Tell me Mayvn, how did you come up with it?” The giant stood up and patted the bard on the shoulder as he started putting the cooking utensils back into his box. He stopped rummaging when Mayvn didn’t begin to talk. He peeked up over the lid, “Go on and tell us, I am sure it has a ‘strong’ meaning.” He winked at the embarrassed man.
“Well…umm… it came to me when I was thinking about our party.” Mayvn apprehensively spoke up, toying with his bowl to place it back in his satchel. “I thought of our small friend, the thief; ‘Silent.’ I thought of our just paladin; ‘Scales of judgment.’ Of course, I had to be part of our tales so I chose the ‘Song.’ Then we have our ‘bear’ that worships the ‘Storms of Othr.’ And thusly we get the ‘Silent Scales of the Singing Storm!” Mayvn stood and with a flip of his hat swung his body low with a great bow as though he had performed a great couplet.
“Well met.” The paladin begins to applaud as he places his saddlebags into Zander’s box. “You are good for entertainment, peacock. I think that was a great choice for a name.” Solcloud claps the bard on the shoulder with a mighty slap. “Perhaps you are good for something.” He draws his sword, walks to the crevasse, and examines the depth of it by tossing a rock down.
“I like it!” Beasley pokes his head from around the chest after tossing his bedroll inside. He bolts down the tunnel to scout ahead of the ‘noise’ of the rest of the party and do what he does best.
Zander takes the mighty chest and slings the cracked leather straps over his broad shoulders. “As do I, my twiggy friend. Come, let us be off to more adventure and to dispose of that evil cult and their so-called god.” He slung his immense arm over the slight man, who nearly buckled by the weight of an arm that was nearly as much as he weighed. He managed a smile and a pat on Zander’s arm as the both began to walk to catch up with Beasley and Solcloud.
Zander was cooking some bacon and ham on a skillet over the fire. Solcloud was leaning against the wall, still nursing some stiff muscles in his chest and arms. That spider did a lot more damage to him that the party had realized. He grimaced as Beasley came over to take a look at the dressings on the wounds. Even though Zander had healed him, the two puncture marks on Solcloud’s chest will probably never truly go away. Mayvn was, of course, tuning his lute and singing a sweet song of morning and sunlight. The party listened to his sweet soft tune and reminisced over what the sun looked like and they all smiled. It was truly hard to tell if it was day or night in the caverns, they just assumed it was daytime and did not think twice about it. The sweet smell of maple cured ham and bacon made Zander’s stomach rumble with ferocity.
“Everything tastes better with maple.” Zander spoke while poking at a ham steak sizzling sweetly in the pan. “There is plenty for everyone in my box.” Zander pointed with the greasy fork at his large makeshift chest of holding backpack. “I am quite the cook you know.”
Everyone looked at the meat, smelled the sweet sugary smell and furiously dug through their packs to find their bowls and forks. Zander served the meat up to everyone and then went back to his box. He rummaged around in the bottomless chest until he found some bread; some baguettes Jenny had given him for his adventure.
It seemed like so long ago that they spent the night drinking and exchanging stories. Jenny had expressed an interest to go, but was worried about the Inn and the Innkeeper if those soldiers should return. He had found the tankard she had given him and he smiled as he placed it back in the chest and brought the bread to the cooking fire.
Everyone was eating the food as though if they did not it would vanish right out of their bowls. Beasley finished first and was anxiously awaiting another serving. The giant just looked to the little one and chuckled. A couple more pieces of bacon and that is all, we must conserve our resources. I have brought us some bread as well eat some of that. Solcloud let out a small chuckle followed by a grunt of pain as he grabbed his chest.
“Are you all right to continue, Brother Genus?” Zander looked up from his smoky pan in a look of genuine concern.
“I will be fine, Mother.” Solcloud moved his arm around, testing his movement. “I have never seen a giant care so much for others as you do. You act like a nursemaid, but in the thick of battle, you are a bear. You are a strange creature Zander.”
The half-ogre smiled at the appraisal. “I am, as you say a bear. Have you ever seen a bear with its cubs?” Zander took on a glow of the priest giving a great oratory. “I too am like that bear. I defend those that are smaller than I, as they may not have the ability to defend themselves. I care for those who are in need of protection. And I am slow to make friends, but those that gain my trust I will defend with my life.”
“Yeah, you can sleep like one too.” Beasley poked fun at his huge friend as he picked at a piece of bacon and dropped it into his bowl and licked his fingers of the sweet maple glaze. “But, you sure can cook!” He munched on the sweet bacon and hummed with contentment.
“Zander the Bear,” Mayvn mused as he strummed a low chord on his lute. “That will definitely have to be placed into my memoirs!”
“Along with that rubbish about our adventuring party… what did you call us?” Solcloud abruptly interrupted.
“What was wrong with, ‘Silent Scales of The Singing Storm’? Is it too strong?” Mayvn queried.
Solcloud and the rest of the party fell to the ground laughing. “Are you sure you are just a musician? That is comedy!” Solcloud wipes his face of the tears. “Too strong, too strong, how about too long! How about not being clear? How about…”
“That’s enough, Solcloud.” Zander cleared his throat. “I think it is ‘interesting.’ Tell me Mayvn, how did you come up with it?” The giant stood up and patted the bard on the shoulder as he started putting the cooking utensils back into his box. He stopped rummaging when Mayvn didn’t begin to talk. He peeked up over the lid, “Go on and tell us, I am sure it has a ‘strong’ meaning.” He winked at the embarrassed man.
“Well…umm… it came to me when I was thinking about our party.” Mayvn apprehensively spoke up, toying with his bowl to place it back in his satchel. “I thought of our small friend, the thief; ‘Silent.’ I thought of our just paladin; ‘Scales of judgment.’ Of course, I had to be part of our tales so I chose the ‘Song.’ Then we have our ‘bear’ that worships the ‘Storms of Othr.’ And thusly we get the ‘Silent Scales of the Singing Storm!” Mayvn stood and with a flip of his hat swung his body low with a great bow as though he had performed a great couplet.
“Well met.” The paladin begins to applaud as he places his saddlebags into Zander’s box. “You are good for entertainment, peacock. I think that was a great choice for a name.” Solcloud claps the bard on the shoulder with a mighty slap. “Perhaps you are good for something.” He draws his sword, walks to the crevasse, and examines the depth of it by tossing a rock down.
“I like it!” Beasley pokes his head from around the chest after tossing his bedroll inside. He bolts down the tunnel to scout ahead of the ‘noise’ of the rest of the party and do what he does best.
Zander takes the mighty chest and slings the cracked leather straps over his broad shoulders. “As do I, my twiggy friend. Come, let us be off to more adventure and to dispose of that evil cult and their so-called god.” He slung his immense arm over the slight man, who nearly buckled by the weight of an arm that was nearly as much as he weighed. He managed a smile and a pat on Zander’s arm as the both began to walk to catch up with Beasley and Solcloud.
Friday, October 30
Beasley’s watch… (Original Fiction by Xan)
The sound jostled Beasley to awaken, crossbow in hand. “What was that?” He whispered.
“Just a spider, my miniature rogue.” The paladin smirked, “But now that you are awake, I will retire and you may begin your shift.” He stood up and made his way towards his bedroll.
“Well then,” Beasley kicked his blanket off himself with a grunt. “I guess I don’t have any choice do I?” He sniveled all night as he found a small rock to perch on as everyone else slept. Zander continuing to make quite a racket with his snoring, Beasley just turned his back on the party in spite. He saw something moving like a line of ants across the wall. He stood up to examine the phenomena before him on the wall and it was not ants, but lines of spiders crawling up the wall. “What a peculiar sight,” Beasley spoke to himself. “I have never seen so many spiders” He spotted the spiders continuing on their path up the wall. He slowly followed with his eyes, the miniature march of these spiders as they continued into a hole about ten feet off the floor. A large tree root began to move as the spiders collected around it. Another root moved, and then another, Beasley began to back up realizing that those were not tree roots but rather legs of a large spider.
“Oh Hell!” Beasley yelped in warning as he drew his crossbow and let loose a bolt into the spider’s large beady eyes. “Time to wake up fellas!” Beasley kicked Solcloud on his way in backing up and fell onto Zander. As he fell, he let loose another bolt that crashed into the roof of the cavern above the spider.
The spider pawed its way out of its lair as smaller spiders fell to the ground. Solcloud drew his sword and began to curse the fact he could not sense this large spider. The spider dropped, leapt at Solcloud, and with lightning reflexes sank its fangs into his chest, piercing his armor like tin under a hammer and spike. With a startled look on his face, the paladin’s eyes rolled back into his head and dropped like a rag doll. By this time, Beasley had reloaded and fired another bolt at the aggravated spider.
Zander watched his associate of the cloth fall and with a roar of anger, he flew into a rage. Flailing his hammer in the air and with both hands, he slammed the hammer square into the back of the giant arachnid, a crash of thunder echoed through the tunnels as the spider landed to the ground with an empty thump. Gore from the spider dripped from his hammer as well as his armor, Zander panted as he fell to a knee in exhaustion.
Mayvn still slumbering rolled over and put his back to the party. Zander and Beasley spent the rest of the night on watch together after mending Solcloud of his wounds and stripping him of his armor so he may sleep more soundly. Zander pounded out the puncture holes in the paladin’s armor.
“That was quite an amazing feat, my large comrade.” Beasley had to talk to calm his nerves. “How did you do that?”
Zander, hunched over the armor and a rock as an anvil, solemnly spoke. “I don’t know. You have seen me do it before, it just happens. I have a mighty temper and when people are in danger I can think of nothing else than protecting them.
Solcloud was dying and would need healing right away, no time to waste. I felt the only way to save him was to quickly dispatch that dreadful spider.”
“That could really come in handy.” Beasley traced a line in the dirt as he continued. “It can also be a hindrance when we need you the most. You are as though a mindless juggernaught. What happens if we all need a spell from you?”
“That is why I am ashamed, it is my ogre blood.” Zander continues to hammer at the breastplate. “I am sorry.”
“No, don’t be.” Beasley walks over and looks Zander in the eye. “Don’t be ashamed of your ancestry; use it to your advantage. Goodness knows I have.” With a smile and a pat on the back, Beasley sits down and lies back on the rock Zander is sitting on and pulls up the blanket and looks up to the giant makeshift blacksmith. “You all right?”
“Yes, thank you, my friend.” Zander grins apprehensively. “Go to sleep, Othr watch over you.” He pats his friend on the head as Beasley slouches down and closes his eyes for a few more hours of rest.
“Just a spider, my miniature rogue.” The paladin smirked, “But now that you are awake, I will retire and you may begin your shift.” He stood up and made his way towards his bedroll.
“Well then,” Beasley kicked his blanket off himself with a grunt. “I guess I don’t have any choice do I?” He sniveled all night as he found a small rock to perch on as everyone else slept. Zander continuing to make quite a racket with his snoring, Beasley just turned his back on the party in spite. He saw something moving like a line of ants across the wall. He stood up to examine the phenomena before him on the wall and it was not ants, but lines of spiders crawling up the wall. “What a peculiar sight,” Beasley spoke to himself. “I have never seen so many spiders” He spotted the spiders continuing on their path up the wall. He slowly followed with his eyes, the miniature march of these spiders as they continued into a hole about ten feet off the floor. A large tree root began to move as the spiders collected around it. Another root moved, and then another, Beasley began to back up realizing that those were not tree roots but rather legs of a large spider.
“Oh Hell!” Beasley yelped in warning as he drew his crossbow and let loose a bolt into the spider’s large beady eyes. “Time to wake up fellas!” Beasley kicked Solcloud on his way in backing up and fell onto Zander. As he fell, he let loose another bolt that crashed into the roof of the cavern above the spider.
The spider pawed its way out of its lair as smaller spiders fell to the ground. Solcloud drew his sword and began to curse the fact he could not sense this large spider. The spider dropped, leapt at Solcloud, and with lightning reflexes sank its fangs into his chest, piercing his armor like tin under a hammer and spike. With a startled look on his face, the paladin’s eyes rolled back into his head and dropped like a rag doll. By this time, Beasley had reloaded and fired another bolt at the aggravated spider.
Zander watched his associate of the cloth fall and with a roar of anger, he flew into a rage. Flailing his hammer in the air and with both hands, he slammed the hammer square into the back of the giant arachnid, a crash of thunder echoed through the tunnels as the spider landed to the ground with an empty thump. Gore from the spider dripped from his hammer as well as his armor, Zander panted as he fell to a knee in exhaustion.
Mayvn still slumbering rolled over and put his back to the party. Zander and Beasley spent the rest of the night on watch together after mending Solcloud of his wounds and stripping him of his armor so he may sleep more soundly. Zander pounded out the puncture holes in the paladin’s armor.
“That was quite an amazing feat, my large comrade.” Beasley had to talk to calm his nerves. “How did you do that?”
Zander, hunched over the armor and a rock as an anvil, solemnly spoke. “I don’t know. You have seen me do it before, it just happens. I have a mighty temper and when people are in danger I can think of nothing else than protecting them.
Solcloud was dying and would need healing right away, no time to waste. I felt the only way to save him was to quickly dispatch that dreadful spider.”
“That could really come in handy.” Beasley traced a line in the dirt as he continued. “It can also be a hindrance when we need you the most. You are as though a mindless juggernaught. What happens if we all need a spell from you?”
“That is why I am ashamed, it is my ogre blood.” Zander continues to hammer at the breastplate. “I am sorry.”
“No, don’t be.” Beasley walks over and looks Zander in the eye. “Don’t be ashamed of your ancestry; use it to your advantage. Goodness knows I have.” With a smile and a pat on the back, Beasley sits down and lies back on the rock Zander is sitting on and pulls up the blanket and looks up to the giant makeshift blacksmith. “You all right?”
“Yes, thank you, my friend.” Zander grins apprehensively. “Go to sleep, Othr watch over you.” He pats his friend on the head as Beasley slouches down and closes his eyes for a few more hours of rest.
Friday, October 23
Momoments - Hallow's beginnings?
What is your favorite holiday?
In game or out of game? I know you have been asked this so let us know. Mine is Halloween, in game and out of game. It is just fun and candy and costumes, what more can you ask for!?
I was thinking about the wow achievements; how much of an achiever are you in wow? And are there people still trying for the meta-achievement, completing all the holiday achievements.
I have not been a achievement person in game but when I have time I do try to get some done because at times the achievements make you go back to Azeroth - Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdom and even the Outlands to revisit some areas you have not been to in a long time or for me (horde heavy) some alliance areas I have never been too. For Hallows end, one of the achievements is to visit different Inn's in the game across all lands on your side (meaning alliance or horde).
This is a great way for your alts or if you are new to the game to not only get experience, discover all the zones, but also more importantly to get the fp's.
However one things I would suggest, well one of the things, is to do this at level 20 so that you either have a mount or you have your races speed buff (hunters get the Aspect of the wild, believe it is, and Shammans get wolf form, etc...)
Also, definitely checkout the podcast World of Warcast: A World of Warcraft Podcast, no by @Alachia and @starmike and the previous regular host and now special host? not sure the official title for the very knowledgeable @renatta they are all very knowledgeable. As I have stated before, perhaps not in this blog but on Twitter, they are the Harvard of podcasting in my opinion. It is truly AWESOME, wonderful to see their passion for raiding in game and other things about the game we love!
My last question was, are any of you still going for the special mount for completing all the special/holiday achievements? I am curious because if some people are just starting, that means 1 year of making sure they do not miss one achievement or it will be all for a loss. I think it is great the dedication some give to their game playing.
Happy gaming and please let us know, Thank you
--
Mo
--
In game or out of game? I know you have been asked this so let us know. Mine is Halloween, in game and out of game. It is just fun and candy and costumes, what more can you ask for!?
I was thinking about the wow achievements; how much of an achiever are you in wow? And are there people still trying for the meta-achievement, completing all the holiday achievements.
I have not been a achievement person in game but when I have time I do try to get some done because at times the achievements make you go back to Azeroth - Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdom and even the Outlands to revisit some areas you have not been to in a long time or for me (horde heavy) some alliance areas I have never been too. For Hallows end, one of the achievements is to visit different Inn's in the game across all lands on your side (meaning alliance or horde).
This is a great way for your alts or if you are new to the game to not only get experience, discover all the zones, but also more importantly to get the fp's.
However one things I would suggest, well one of the things, is to do this at level 20 so that you either have a mount or you have your races speed buff (hunters get the Aspect of the wild, believe it is, and Shammans get wolf form, etc...)
Also, definitely checkout the podcast World of Warcast: A World of Warcraft Podcast, no by @Alachia and @starmike and the previous regular host and now special host? not sure the official title for the very knowledgeable @renatta they are all very knowledgeable. As I have stated before, perhaps not in this blog but on Twitter, they are the Harvard of podcasting in my opinion. It is truly AWESOME, wonderful to see their passion for raiding in game and other things about the game we love!
My last question was, are any of you still going for the special mount for completing all the special/holiday achievements? I am curious because if some people are just starting, that means 1 year of making sure they do not miss one achievement or it will be all for a loss. I think it is great the dedication some give to their game playing.
Happy gaming and please let us know, Thank you
--
Mo
--
First night in the depths… (Original Fiction by Xan)
The first watch fell on Mayvn, everyone seemed to think that if something should happen during his watch they would be the most at their ready. Mayvn played a sweet song on his lute as everyone prepared their bedrolls. Zander pulled up a pile of rocks, threw his head down with a crash, and was out like a light in a storm. Solcloud knelt in supplication to St. Cuthbert before he too fell victim to slumber.
Beasley tossed and turned, rolling around like a fish out of water. The noise made by Zander snoring was like that of a mighty thunder on the horizon. “Couldn’t he worship a god of rabbits or Olidammara? At least that way his snoring would be silent.” Mayvn chuckled softly as he continued to strum his lute and sang the poor halfling to sleep.
The night wore on and Mayvn’s eyes began to droop as he started to slouch over his lute. He snorted to a start as a small spider not larger than his thin fingertip crawled across his face. “Oh, thank you little one.” He mumbled with a groggy tone. “Best to wake up the second watch.”
Mayvn stood up and made his way over to Solcloud. Mayvn had to take a second look as it looked as though there were two people where the paladin slept. It was in fact just the paladin lying next to his neatly polished and laid out armor. Mayvn nudged the soldier awake and smiled. The paladin did not speak a word, as he knew his duty and didn’t want to wake the others. Mayvn pulled up a soft silky pillow he had laying in his sack and swiftly went to sleep.
The evening seemed most uneventful through Solcloud’s watch. He spent most of the time sharpening his sword and polishing his armor to the best of his ability in the firelight. As he sat there, he mumbled to himself about lying his head down in slumber when there was evil looming all about him. His focus being lost as the entire cavern seemed to radiate evil. A few hours passed without incident either, but again another small spider crawled across the floor in front of him. With a swift movement of his boot, Solcloud crushed the small vermin into the rock floor.
Beasley tossed and turned, rolling around like a fish out of water. The noise made by Zander snoring was like that of a mighty thunder on the horizon. “Couldn’t he worship a god of rabbits or Olidammara? At least that way his snoring would be silent.” Mayvn chuckled softly as he continued to strum his lute and sang the poor halfling to sleep.
The night wore on and Mayvn’s eyes began to droop as he started to slouch over his lute. He snorted to a start as a small spider not larger than his thin fingertip crawled across his face. “Oh, thank you little one.” He mumbled with a groggy tone. “Best to wake up the second watch.”
Mayvn stood up and made his way over to Solcloud. Mayvn had to take a second look as it looked as though there were two people where the paladin slept. It was in fact just the paladin lying next to his neatly polished and laid out armor. Mayvn nudged the soldier awake and smiled. The paladin did not speak a word, as he knew his duty and didn’t want to wake the others. Mayvn pulled up a soft silky pillow he had laying in his sack and swiftly went to sleep.
The evening seemed most uneventful through Solcloud’s watch. He spent most of the time sharpening his sword and polishing his armor to the best of his ability in the firelight. As he sat there, he mumbled to himself about lying his head down in slumber when there was evil looming all about him. His focus being lost as the entire cavern seemed to radiate evil. A few hours passed without incident either, but again another small spider crawled across the floor in front of him. With a swift movement of his boot, Solcloud crushed the small vermin into the rock floor.
Friday, October 16
Into the unknown… (Original Fiction by Xan)
After, what seemed to be an eternity in darkness the group reaches the bottom. “Seems a bit dark down here.” Mayvn points out the obvious. “I’m not too fond of the dark.”
As if remembering he had a thousand gold pieces in his pocket Beasley jumps with a start. “Oh, excuse me, I have the torch.” He laughs sheepishly.
The room is filled with smoke and light as the torch slowly illuminates the dark cavern they found themselves in. Above them, they see the pit; it was nothing but a hole, just tall enough to be out of reach of even the tallest of men. Zander looked up, stretching with his arm to touch the opening but he could not.
“Must be an enchantment,” Mayvn again points out the obvious. “It felt like we were descending for hours, when in fact this pit is nothing but a small hole not more than about twenty feet or so. Well doesn’t that just figure?” He turns to step off the lift and is struck in the face by an unknown object.
GONG! The sound of the low toned bell echoes in all directions.
“I found the signal bell.” Mayvn rubs his face.
The voice of the innkeeper echoes down the hole. “Ring the bell again when you want to be lifted back up. But I warn you, if something is chasing you, I won’t be able to crank fast enough to save you.” His laughter fills the hole and the tunnels as the lift slowly moves up.
Mayvn looks to the lift longingly. “Well, I suppose we are stuck down here for now. Which way?” The silky man walks five feet to the left and then five feet to the right. “Seems we could also get lost down here too.”
“You think so? I wonder if that’s why they call it a labyrinth.” Beasley rolls his eyes at the gangly man.
“Well, I must take an accounting of my surroundings. You know, make a mental note for my memoirs.” Mayvn begins to puff up with pride. “I will write my adventures, I mean, I will write our adventures and they will be legend throughout all the land!”
“If you make it out alive, peacock.” Solcloud quickly deflates the haughty bard. “Pride can be thought of as evil. Be careful not to tread that line bard. It is a slippery slope that leads to evil.” He looks to the halfling, “Isn’t that right, my little burglar?”
Beasley just shrugs at the insult and starts walking down one of the tunnels to the right of the lift. The stone walls seem to be a natural tunnel, probably caused by years of water and wind erosion. There is a distant sound of dripping and the echo of their voices seems to go on for eternity. The sound of three sets of footsteps echoes down the corridor. Beasley only shakes his head, as the three other members can’t seem to be quiet to save their lives.
“You know, you couldn’t even sneak up on a deaf and blind owlbear in hibernation!” He barks in aggravation. “Can’t you three be quiet?”
Solcloud takes another step, his plate armor clangs and chatters with every movement. Zander turns at the waist, his chain mail shirt rustles like metal leaves blowing in the wind.
“What are we trying to sneak up on?” Mayvn queries.
“And would you please keep your mouth shut?” Beasley throws his hands up in the air, and turns to continue down the corridor. “Honestly! How is a man supposed to hunt creatures when he can’t even sneak up on them? There are probably no monsters within miles because of you three.” He continues to walk down the path backwards as he reprimands his boisterous companions. Without warning, he runs into what felt like a wall. A gurgling growl began to fill his hears. His eyes went wide; his knees began to quake as he reached behind himself to feel what he had run into. This wall was wearing tattered pants and smelled like rotten fish. Beasley grimaced and apprehensively looked up to see a dreadful sight. It looked to be three larger and much uglier versions of Zander. “OGRES!” Beasley shrieked as he ran back towards the safety of the party.
Mayvn gulped and chanted a quick poem, behind the ogres sprouted a spring of large hairy spiders. They immediately spread out in all directions, overwhelming the ogres. They swung their arms in a futile attempt to beat them off themselves all the while provoking the spiders to bite them. The ogres’ thick hides prevented the spiders from poisoning them, but the distraction was what the group needed to gather their senses and prepare for a battle.
Zander closed his eyes and began to offer up a prayer to Othr to help them in their battle by slowing their attackers further. He pointed a finger in the direction of the smaller ogre, the ogre seemed to be distracted for a moment but shook off whatever the prayer was aimed to do. The paladin immediately drew his sword and jumped into the thick of battle slashing for the largest of the three ogres. He began slashing at the mid-sized ogre standing in the front; the tunnel opening was only big enough to have the ogres attack single file. With their extremely long arms, the ogres can reach over one another to grasp at the adventurers standing in their path.
Solcloud takes the point making sure as to not let the ogres continue to advance. Zander closes in behind the paladin; he too having the long reach gifted by his ogre blood and can also swipe at their attackers. Beasley and Mayvn take to the rear, firing shots with their crossbows as the long smelly arms attacked the front line. The ogres looked to Zander as an unfit cousin fit only to die at their hands. They roared and clawed at Zander as he laughed at their futile attempts to attack him. They clawed at the air, landing only minor blows as they reached over Solcloud. Solcloud taunted the ogres for their stupidity as he slashes at their arms taking major cuts to their limbs. Mayvn was composing a song of the adventure as it unfolded, inspiring his companions to greater deeds of valor and strength. Beasley fired bolt after bolt into the openings that Solcloud left for him. One bolt landed true finishing off the first bloodied up ogre. His larger companion advanced into the opening and took up attacking their cousin once again. Zander crushes its hand as Solcloud in turn hacks the arm off at the elbow. The ogre roared is pain but continued its advance with its other arm. Zander grasped the arm with one hand as Solcloud dropped to one knee and plummeted his sword all the way to the hilt into the belly of the beast. It dropped to the ground as the third, smaller ogre leapt onto the bodies of its fallen comrades and let out a shriek in attack. It jumped towards Solcloud but in mid-flight, it changed direction and fell to the ground with an empty thump.
“HA!” Mayvn shouted and jumped like a child. “I knew I’d figure out the aim on this silly contraption.” He waived his crossbow in the air in triumph. “This will definitely go into my memoirs.” He hooked the crossbow back to his belt and straightened his silks, proud of his minor victory. “Where are we going now, Mr. Beasley?”
The small man, still dazed by the amazingly lucky shot performed by the bard, looked up at the party and shook his head. “Well, I suppose we should go the way they came from.” Pointing back to the mass of ogres lying on the ground he continued. “But let’s proceed a little more quietly, including myself. But I figure we all need a bit of healing as well as a bit of rest.”
Zander chuckles under his breath. “You are right, my little companion.”
The paladin points to a crevasse and a small cavern to their left. “I suggest we send those brutes back to the abyss down there, and we can make camp in that cavern.”
Beasley curled his nose up at the smell of the bodies. “But I can’t lift them.”
The half-ogre grabbed the ogres by the hair and began to drag them towards the seemingly bottomless pit. “I can get rid of my half-kin lad. Don’t you worry about that?” He threw the smaller one into the ravine, followed by the middle-sized one that he had slung over his shoulder. “But I suggest you begin cooking our meal for the night and figure out who is going to be on watch.”
As if remembering he had a thousand gold pieces in his pocket Beasley jumps with a start. “Oh, excuse me, I have the torch.” He laughs sheepishly.
The room is filled with smoke and light as the torch slowly illuminates the dark cavern they found themselves in. Above them, they see the pit; it was nothing but a hole, just tall enough to be out of reach of even the tallest of men. Zander looked up, stretching with his arm to touch the opening but he could not.
“Must be an enchantment,” Mayvn again points out the obvious. “It felt like we were descending for hours, when in fact this pit is nothing but a small hole not more than about twenty feet or so. Well doesn’t that just figure?” He turns to step off the lift and is struck in the face by an unknown object.
GONG! The sound of the low toned bell echoes in all directions.
“I found the signal bell.” Mayvn rubs his face.
The voice of the innkeeper echoes down the hole. “Ring the bell again when you want to be lifted back up. But I warn you, if something is chasing you, I won’t be able to crank fast enough to save you.” His laughter fills the hole and the tunnels as the lift slowly moves up.
Mayvn looks to the lift longingly. “Well, I suppose we are stuck down here for now. Which way?” The silky man walks five feet to the left and then five feet to the right. “Seems we could also get lost down here too.”
“You think so? I wonder if that’s why they call it a labyrinth.” Beasley rolls his eyes at the gangly man.
“Well, I must take an accounting of my surroundings. You know, make a mental note for my memoirs.” Mayvn begins to puff up with pride. “I will write my adventures, I mean, I will write our adventures and they will be legend throughout all the land!”
“If you make it out alive, peacock.” Solcloud quickly deflates the haughty bard. “Pride can be thought of as evil. Be careful not to tread that line bard. It is a slippery slope that leads to evil.” He looks to the halfling, “Isn’t that right, my little burglar?”
Beasley just shrugs at the insult and starts walking down one of the tunnels to the right of the lift. The stone walls seem to be a natural tunnel, probably caused by years of water and wind erosion. There is a distant sound of dripping and the echo of their voices seems to go on for eternity. The sound of three sets of footsteps echoes down the corridor. Beasley only shakes his head, as the three other members can’t seem to be quiet to save their lives.
“You know, you couldn’t even sneak up on a deaf and blind owlbear in hibernation!” He barks in aggravation. “Can’t you three be quiet?”
Solcloud takes another step, his plate armor clangs and chatters with every movement. Zander turns at the waist, his chain mail shirt rustles like metal leaves blowing in the wind.
“What are we trying to sneak up on?” Mayvn queries.
“And would you please keep your mouth shut?” Beasley throws his hands up in the air, and turns to continue down the corridor. “Honestly! How is a man supposed to hunt creatures when he can’t even sneak up on them? There are probably no monsters within miles because of you three.” He continues to walk down the path backwards as he reprimands his boisterous companions. Without warning, he runs into what felt like a wall. A gurgling growl began to fill his hears. His eyes went wide; his knees began to quake as he reached behind himself to feel what he had run into. This wall was wearing tattered pants and smelled like rotten fish. Beasley grimaced and apprehensively looked up to see a dreadful sight. It looked to be three larger and much uglier versions of Zander. “OGRES!” Beasley shrieked as he ran back towards the safety of the party.
Mayvn gulped and chanted a quick poem, behind the ogres sprouted a spring of large hairy spiders. They immediately spread out in all directions, overwhelming the ogres. They swung their arms in a futile attempt to beat them off themselves all the while provoking the spiders to bite them. The ogres’ thick hides prevented the spiders from poisoning them, but the distraction was what the group needed to gather their senses and prepare for a battle.
Zander closed his eyes and began to offer up a prayer to Othr to help them in their battle by slowing their attackers further. He pointed a finger in the direction of the smaller ogre, the ogre seemed to be distracted for a moment but shook off whatever the prayer was aimed to do. The paladin immediately drew his sword and jumped into the thick of battle slashing for the largest of the three ogres. He began slashing at the mid-sized ogre standing in the front; the tunnel opening was only big enough to have the ogres attack single file. With their extremely long arms, the ogres can reach over one another to grasp at the adventurers standing in their path.
Solcloud takes the point making sure as to not let the ogres continue to advance. Zander closes in behind the paladin; he too having the long reach gifted by his ogre blood and can also swipe at their attackers. Beasley and Mayvn take to the rear, firing shots with their crossbows as the long smelly arms attacked the front line. The ogres looked to Zander as an unfit cousin fit only to die at their hands. They roared and clawed at Zander as he laughed at their futile attempts to attack him. They clawed at the air, landing only minor blows as they reached over Solcloud. Solcloud taunted the ogres for their stupidity as he slashes at their arms taking major cuts to their limbs. Mayvn was composing a song of the adventure as it unfolded, inspiring his companions to greater deeds of valor and strength. Beasley fired bolt after bolt into the openings that Solcloud left for him. One bolt landed true finishing off the first bloodied up ogre. His larger companion advanced into the opening and took up attacking their cousin once again. Zander crushes its hand as Solcloud in turn hacks the arm off at the elbow. The ogre roared is pain but continued its advance with its other arm. Zander grasped the arm with one hand as Solcloud dropped to one knee and plummeted his sword all the way to the hilt into the belly of the beast. It dropped to the ground as the third, smaller ogre leapt onto the bodies of its fallen comrades and let out a shriek in attack. It jumped towards Solcloud but in mid-flight, it changed direction and fell to the ground with an empty thump.
“HA!” Mayvn shouted and jumped like a child. “I knew I’d figure out the aim on this silly contraption.” He waived his crossbow in the air in triumph. “This will definitely go into my memoirs.” He hooked the crossbow back to his belt and straightened his silks, proud of his minor victory. “Where are we going now, Mr. Beasley?”
The small man, still dazed by the amazingly lucky shot performed by the bard, looked up at the party and shook his head. “Well, I suppose we should go the way they came from.” Pointing back to the mass of ogres lying on the ground he continued. “But let’s proceed a little more quietly, including myself. But I figure we all need a bit of healing as well as a bit of rest.”
Zander chuckles under his breath. “You are right, my little companion.”
The paladin points to a crevasse and a small cavern to their left. “I suggest we send those brutes back to the abyss down there, and we can make camp in that cavern.”
Beasley curled his nose up at the smell of the bodies. “But I can’t lift them.”
The half-ogre grabbed the ogres by the hair and began to drag them towards the seemingly bottomless pit. “I can get rid of my half-kin lad. Don’t you worry about that?” He threw the smaller one into the ravine, followed by the middle-sized one that he had slung over his shoulder. “But I suggest you begin cooking our meal for the night and figure out who is going to be on watch.”
Wednesday, October 14
Xyliaa needs a relationship...
A few weeks back I had a poll regarding creating a new toon healer for my guild. As a result of the poll which was focused on what race my priest should be, I was overwhelmed by the responses about the various healing classes I was missing out on.
The result of that poll was a Draenei Shaman named 'Xyliaa.' As I am always a fan of the relationships of my toons I need some help as to what her relationship is to Xandarr. So I have set up a poll that will be open until October 24th. Please take a moment to vote.
After the poll is complete I may start a new fiction section with her adventures, so please vote and let others know to vote.
The result of that poll was a Draenei Shaman named 'Xyliaa.' As I am always a fan of the relationships of my toons I need some help as to what her relationship is to Xandarr. So I have set up a poll that will be open until October 24th. Please take a moment to vote.
After the poll is complete I may start a new fiction section with her adventures, so please vote and let others know to vote.
Tuesday, October 13
Momoment #17 / MoContest #1
Hello,
For all WoW players, from day one of playing the game no matter if it was when the game came out or if you just are getting into the game, game security is/has/will always be important to all (even to Blizzard!).
What do I mean by game security? Well, for one I think it is important we read!!!
Read you say? Yes read! It is a skill we are all lacking.
How many times you install a game, program, complete an application, anything and there is a TOS (terms of service agreement) that we (not all of us but I think a major majority, I say 70% of us) just click the box that states we have read it and understand it. Why do we do this? Well I think it is a combination of laziness, impatience, AND, not caring, and I am sure many other reasons, to many to list all of them.
Now before I upset all of you/us, I know I am generalizing but please prove me wrong; tell me that I am wrong. It will be hard to prove this wrong but until that time I believe that I am correct (maybe wrong in the percentage but I know it is more than half of us MMO players). So how does not reading the TOS make our game/account security vulnerable? Yet again the answer is lengthy but pretty much not knowing how your account can be canceled or suspended in my opinion is a security risk.
For WoW, the major security risk has been account hacking and that has been part of the game almost from the beginning I believe. For the first few years of the game, the only way to make sure our account was safe was to change our password often and make it as difficult as possible. Did/were you doing that? I think not. I did not do that! :(
Thankfully Blizzard came out with the authenticator and that started security more accounts; well people that would get the authenticator. Than the iPhone application came and and even more people made sure their accounts were secure.
The latest work of Blizzard is the Battle.net site for all of their games; I call it their hub, union station for players of their wonderful games. If you play a Blizzard game or are playing WoW, you go to the site, register, enter your WoW account info and you are in Battle.net! Some people for their own reasons do not want to do this (I personally do not know of any negatives, please let me know of some cons of doing this). Until recently, registering your WoW account on Battle.net was not mandatory until the news came out this week that Battle.net will be mandated by November 11th. Now I do not know all the details but I believe if you are not on Battle.net you will not be able to log into the game.
Why do you think Blizzard is doing this?
In my opinion, we are playing their game and if they require this as part of logging in, well we have to do it no matter what we think; it is their product, if you don't like it don't buy it and play it! A more thoughtful reason could be that it is additional security for them and us. Think of it as a good big brother aspect, where Blizzard will know all of their 12 million+ ( of that is the true number of players on WoW, which I do not think so) and help prevent the account hacking and spamming. I am not kidding when I say I do not know of any negatives and please let me know of some. Also, this will possibly allow interaction of wow players and players of Diablo and StarCraft possibly. Or even a Blizzard gaming achievement system in the near future. And the big one of them all, when ever the new WoW expansion and the next Blizzard MMO comes out.
The main point is, sign up for Battle.net, get an authenticator (if you can or try to win one) and also let me know why one would not want to do these things.
Thank you very much, and stay safe! In game and out of game!
--
Mo
--
Hello Gamers....
This is Xan. It has come to my attention that MO has a couple of authenticators he would like to give away in a contest. In order to make this interesting and to help emphasize the point of needing an authenticator I am posting this contest -
1 - Please respond to this post with an AUTHENTICATOR HORROR STORY of someone you know or even a story about your own account being hacked and the devastation it caused to you and perhaps your guild.
2 - One more contest is a LINKING CONTEST. This contest is one that will have you linking to us all over the internet. Your link should be this: The Experienced Noob, Your Friends and Guides in World of Warcraft, with a link to http://theexperiencednoob.blogspot.com/. These can be on your guild forums, your blog, WoW or gaming related forums, as long as it's not spamming or against the rules of the forum. If you want to write your own words around the link, feel free to. If you create a site solely for this contest, it will be disqualified. There should be real, useful content at the site.
Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, and other social networking sites are also allowed to be used. If you twitter, an @Xandarr2112 or @Mohalen is recommended, with a preferable #TEN at the end. If you Facebook, a link to the site would be appreciated. Any other social networking sites, just link back to the TEN website. Once again, spamming will get you disqualified. If we hear from a webmaster, guild leader, or otherwise from someone complaining, we will disregard any entry.
In order to let us know about your submission, send us the url to the site you linked to us on. If you can include a screen shot, that would be even better. The winning link will have to be verified on submission and on completion of the contest. Links on the WoW forums are discouraged, and can get you banned or suspended from forum posting privileges, therefore use them at your own risk.
THE PRIZES: Two (2) Authenticators from MO drawn randomly from the entrants. The winners will be drawn on November 11th (one entry from the authenticator horror story and one from the linking contest) and will be posted to the blog and will need an email from the winner to Xan at TheExperiencedNoob@gmail.com as to where the prize will be sent.
DONATIONS - If you wish to donate a prize for further contests, email Xan at TheExperiencedNoob@gmail.com
For all WoW players, from day one of playing the game no matter if it was when the game came out or if you just are getting into the game, game security is/has/will always be important to all (even to Blizzard!).
What do I mean by game security? Well, for one I think it is important we read!!!
Read you say? Yes read! It is a skill we are all lacking.
How many times you install a game, program, complete an application, anything and there is a TOS (terms of service agreement) that we (not all of us but I think a major majority, I say 70% of us) just click the box that states we have read it and understand it. Why do we do this? Well I think it is a combination of laziness, impatience, AND, not caring, and I am sure many other reasons, to many to list all of them.
Now before I upset all of you/us, I know I am generalizing but please prove me wrong; tell me that I am wrong. It will be hard to prove this wrong but until that time I believe that I am correct (maybe wrong in the percentage but I know it is more than half of us MMO players). So how does not reading the TOS make our game/account security vulnerable? Yet again the answer is lengthy but pretty much not knowing how your account can be canceled or suspended in my opinion is a security risk.
For WoW, the major security risk has been account hacking and that has been part of the game almost from the beginning I believe. For the first few years of the game, the only way to make sure our account was safe was to change our password often and make it as difficult as possible. Did/were you doing that? I think not. I did not do that! :(
Thankfully Blizzard came out with the authenticator and that started security more accounts; well people that would get the authenticator. Than the iPhone application came and and even more people made sure their accounts were secure.
The latest work of Blizzard is the Battle.net site for all of their games; I call it their hub, union station for players of their wonderful games. If you play a Blizzard game or are playing WoW, you go to the site, register, enter your WoW account info and you are in Battle.net! Some people for their own reasons do not want to do this (I personally do not know of any negatives, please let me know of some cons of doing this). Until recently, registering your WoW account on Battle.net was not mandatory until the news came out this week that Battle.net will be mandated by November 11th. Now I do not know all the details but I believe if you are not on Battle.net you will not be able to log into the game.
Why do you think Blizzard is doing this?
In my opinion, we are playing their game and if they require this as part of logging in, well we have to do it no matter what we think; it is their product, if you don't like it don't buy it and play it! A more thoughtful reason could be that it is additional security for them and us. Think of it as a good big brother aspect, where Blizzard will know all of their 12 million+ ( of that is the true number of players on WoW, which I do not think so) and help prevent the account hacking and spamming. I am not kidding when I say I do not know of any negatives and please let me know of some. Also, this will possibly allow interaction of wow players and players of Diablo and StarCraft possibly. Or even a Blizzard gaming achievement system in the near future. And the big one of them all, when ever the new WoW expansion and the next Blizzard MMO comes out.
The main point is, sign up for Battle.net, get an authenticator (if you can or try to win one) and also let me know why one would not want to do these things.
Thank you very much, and stay safe! In game and out of game!
--
Mo
--
Hello Gamers....
This is Xan. It has come to my attention that MO has a couple of authenticators he would like to give away in a contest. In order to make this interesting and to help emphasize the point of needing an authenticator I am posting this contest -
1 - Please respond to this post with an AUTHENTICATOR HORROR STORY of someone you know or even a story about your own account being hacked and the devastation it caused to you and perhaps your guild.
2 - One more contest is a LINKING CONTEST. This contest is one that will have you linking to us all over the internet. Your link should be this: The Experienced Noob, Your Friends and Guides in World of Warcraft, with a link to http://theexperiencednoob.blogspot.com/. These can be on your guild forums, your blog, WoW or gaming related forums, as long as it's not spamming or against the rules of the forum. If you want to write your own words around the link, feel free to. If you create a site solely for this contest, it will be disqualified. There should be real, useful content at the site.
Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, and other social networking sites are also allowed to be used. If you twitter, an @Xandarr2112 or @Mohalen is recommended, with a preferable #TEN at the end. If you Facebook, a link to the site would be appreciated. Any other social networking sites, just link back to the TEN website. Once again, spamming will get you disqualified. If we hear from a webmaster, guild leader, or otherwise from someone complaining, we will disregard any entry.
In order to let us know about your submission, send us the url to the site you linked to us on. If you can include a screen shot, that would be even better. The winning link will have to be verified on submission and on completion of the contest. Links on the WoW forums are discouraged, and can get you banned or suspended from forum posting privileges, therefore use them at your own risk.
THE PRIZES: Two (2) Authenticators from MO drawn randomly from the entrants. The winners will be drawn on November 11th (one entry from the authenticator horror story and one from the linking contest) and will be posted to the blog and will need an email from the winner to Xan at TheExperiencedNoob@gmail.com as to where the prize will be sent.
DONATIONS - If you wish to donate a prize for further contests, email Xan at TheExperiencedNoob@gmail.com
Friday, October 9
Within the Slaver’s Pit… (Original Fiction by Xan)
Solcloud takes the lead and walks right up to the proprietor of the inn. “My good man, I heard there is evil within this labyrinth under your inn?”
The innkeeper, shocked that a Paladin of St. Cuthbert would enter a contest such as this, turns to face the party. “Yes, there is evil down there. But take a look at this board.” He points to a large pegboard with small rings with numbers on them with other numbers scribed underneath them. “These are the ‘good men’ who have also ventured down into the labyrinth as well. Just look at our current leaders, they have been down there for close to nine hundred days!” The innkeeper shakes his head. “At least we think they are still adventuring down there. Their treasure must be a heavy burden not to return yet.”
“You mean they haven’t been up in almost three years?” Solcloud was shocked.
Mayvn gulps. “Why don’t you send down a rescue party?”
“What do you think these other rings are?” The innkeeper scoffs, “Ornaments?”
“You mean all that go down don’t come back?” Beasley cringes but continues. “What is the sport in that ‘game?”
The innkeeper leans over the podium to look down on the small man. “The ‘sport’ is exactly that. What you find down there, you keep and the longer you are down there, the more renown you get as a competitor of the labyrinth.” The innkeeper smiles an evil smile. “So, will I be entering your names into the contest?”
The party looks at one another. Zander shrugs his shoulder as he clenches his hammer’s head tightly as it swings on his belt. Beasley pulls out a dagger and twists it in his fingers to test its sharpness. Solcloud looks to Mayvn and smiles as Mayvn’s knees begin to knock together.
“I sense great evil down there, innkeeper.” We will go down, we will enter the contest.
“Very good! What shall I name thee?” The innkeeper dips his feather pen in its reservoir to write the party’s name in his ledger.
“Call us…” The paladin ponders a moment.
Nevertheless, before he could sputter out an answer, Mayvn jumps in. “Call us, the Silent Scales of The Singing Storm!”
The party winces, the innkeeper look up at the thin man in the obscenely large hat with a bewildered look on his face. “I don’t know where you came up with that rubbish, but by the sounds of your little party there, it should win you some favor, or some humor.” The innkeeper chuckles as he pulls out a ring with a number on it. “You are number thirteen hundred ninety-five. Your time begins after you reach the bottom of the pit and ring the bell signaling you have arrived. Now step on the platform please.” The innkeeper ushers them over to a small platform, with Zander’s large size everyone had to hug in close to fit. The innkeeper then went to a small-notched winch, unhooked the safety lever, and began to crank. The platform slowly edged its way into the unknown. Some time later, the cavern began to grow darker and darker. A few more minutes seemed to pass by and then the party was engrossed in total darkness, the echoing laughter of the innkeeper could be heard as he reminded the party, “Don’t forget to ring the bell!” His words echoed into the blackness.
The innkeeper, shocked that a Paladin of St. Cuthbert would enter a contest such as this, turns to face the party. “Yes, there is evil down there. But take a look at this board.” He points to a large pegboard with small rings with numbers on them with other numbers scribed underneath them. “These are the ‘good men’ who have also ventured down into the labyrinth as well. Just look at our current leaders, they have been down there for close to nine hundred days!” The innkeeper shakes his head. “At least we think they are still adventuring down there. Their treasure must be a heavy burden not to return yet.”
“You mean they haven’t been up in almost three years?” Solcloud was shocked.
Mayvn gulps. “Why don’t you send down a rescue party?”
“What do you think these other rings are?” The innkeeper scoffs, “Ornaments?”
“You mean all that go down don’t come back?” Beasley cringes but continues. “What is the sport in that ‘game?”
The innkeeper leans over the podium to look down on the small man. “The ‘sport’ is exactly that. What you find down there, you keep and the longer you are down there, the more renown you get as a competitor of the labyrinth.” The innkeeper smiles an evil smile. “So, will I be entering your names into the contest?”
The party looks at one another. Zander shrugs his shoulder as he clenches his hammer’s head tightly as it swings on his belt. Beasley pulls out a dagger and twists it in his fingers to test its sharpness. Solcloud looks to Mayvn and smiles as Mayvn’s knees begin to knock together.
“I sense great evil down there, innkeeper.” We will go down, we will enter the contest.
“Very good! What shall I name thee?” The innkeeper dips his feather pen in its reservoir to write the party’s name in his ledger.
“Call us…” The paladin ponders a moment.
Nevertheless, before he could sputter out an answer, Mayvn jumps in. “Call us, the Silent Scales of The Singing Storm!”
The party winces, the innkeeper look up at the thin man in the obscenely large hat with a bewildered look on his face. “I don’t know where you came up with that rubbish, but by the sounds of your little party there, it should win you some favor, or some humor.” The innkeeper chuckles as he pulls out a ring with a number on it. “You are number thirteen hundred ninety-five. Your time begins after you reach the bottom of the pit and ring the bell signaling you have arrived. Now step on the platform please.” The innkeeper ushers them over to a small platform, with Zander’s large size everyone had to hug in close to fit. The innkeeper then went to a small-notched winch, unhooked the safety lever, and began to crank. The platform slowly edged its way into the unknown. Some time later, the cavern began to grow darker and darker. A few more minutes seemed to pass by and then the party was engrossed in total darkness, the echoing laughter of the innkeeper could be heard as he reminded the party, “Don’t forget to ring the bell!” His words echoed into the blackness.
Tuesday, October 6
Momoment # 16 - Are U a Gamer?
Hello good people of the internet blogland and wowville!!!
A while back I had an argument with my brother (we have many!) about whether he is a gamer or not.
A quick note about him, he still likes the old school Sega Genesis games like Golden Axe and Star Control. He also likes Red Alert, yes the first few games that came out. But he is a hater of all things new (not just games, all things!) as anyone I know! He is not willing to even try some games (which can be a good thing in some ways but bad if he is just going to jump to conclusion). So I told him that he is a gamer because he does play games even though they are old! but he does play them.
But is that enough to label him a gamer?
And is that a bad thing? To be called a "gamer"?
To me it is similar to being called a raider in wow. It is not a bad thing to be called either one and also in some ways it is similar to being called a nerd or a geek. Just another word, if you will, to describe yourself (oneself).
So are you a gamer? and What does it mean to be a gamer?
In my opinion a gamer is a person who enjoys playing games; that simple.
Of course it cant be that simple. From what I have seen and read many believe that a gamer is someone that plays the more involved games like MMO's, role playing games, board games such as D&D. This can be true too but why can a console person be called a gamer? (I believe they can be if they fit your definition).
Possibly the main point can be made that in the past gamers were looked down upon similar to being called a nerd or geek. It is ok to be called or labeled a gamer in our modern day of technology as web-episodes like The Guild grow in popularity.
Such as life we all will have many different opinions and many different ways we will describe things and each other.
Gamer is one of them and there is even a movie out with the same title. From what I have seen in the previews it does not look like a good movie but I am sure I will watch it once it is out on dvd :)
Please let us know your opinion and GAME ON!
A while back I had an argument with my brother (we have many!) about whether he is a gamer or not.
A quick note about him, he still likes the old school Sega Genesis games like Golden Axe and Star Control. He also likes Red Alert, yes the first few games that came out. But he is a hater of all things new (not just games, all things!) as anyone I know! He is not willing to even try some games (which can be a good thing in some ways but bad if he is just going to jump to conclusion). So I told him that he is a gamer because he does play games even though they are old! but he does play them.
But is that enough to label him a gamer?
And is that a bad thing? To be called a "gamer"?
To me it is similar to being called a raider in wow. It is not a bad thing to be called either one and also in some ways it is similar to being called a nerd or a geek. Just another word, if you will, to describe yourself (oneself).
So are you a gamer? and What does it mean to be a gamer?
In my opinion a gamer is a person who enjoys playing games; that simple.
Of course it cant be that simple. From what I have seen and read many believe that a gamer is someone that plays the more involved games like MMO's, role playing games, board games such as D&D. This can be true too but why can a console person be called a gamer? (I believe they can be if they fit your definition).
Possibly the main point can be made that in the past gamers were looked down upon similar to being called a nerd or geek. It is ok to be called or labeled a gamer in our modern day of technology as web-episodes like The Guild grow in popularity.
Such as life we all will have many different opinions and many different ways we will describe things and each other.
Gamer is one of them and there is even a movie out with the same title. From what I have seen in the previews it does not look like a good movie but I am sure I will watch it once it is out on dvd :)
Please let us know your opinion and GAME ON!
Saturday, October 3
Back story for Xyliaa
OK, so your votes from my previous posting led me from a Priest to a Shaman instead. It also made the race choice very easy for me as I think the Draenei are my favorite race of all.
Now I find myself thinking of a background and a story for my Shaman, Xyliaa. I would also like to fill in holes for my main toon, Xandarr. This is where I would like the help of my readers.
I would like to learn more of the lore but don't know where to begin.
I would like Xan and Xy to be realted, with Xy being MUCH younger than Xan.
Progression -
Xan started as PROT but found his true calling at lvl 80in DPS/RET, however he still holds roots in protecting others.
Xy is starting out, she is finding a niche with the elements, but longs to help others in reference to trauma & on the spot healing.
I would like to use The Hero's Journey to build both stories and REALLY flesh them out. Please help.
Now I find myself thinking of a background and a story for my Shaman, Xyliaa. I would also like to fill in holes for my main toon, Xandarr. This is where I would like the help of my readers.
I would like to learn more of the lore but don't know where to begin.
I would like Xan and Xy to be realted, with Xy being MUCH younger than Xan.
Progression -
Xan started as PROT but found his true calling at lvl 80in DPS/RET, however he still holds roots in protecting others.
Xy is starting out, she is finding a niche with the elements, but longs to help others in reference to trauma & on the spot healing.
I would like to use The Hero's Journey to build both stories and REALLY flesh them out. Please help.
Friday, October 2
At the temple gates… (Original Fiction by Xan)
The party reached the temple doors just as the sun flooded down the road at their backs. Their shadows creeping ahead of them down the long dirty alley. All of them had their weapons drawn as they reached the two guards at the door. The guards shuffled their feet as they watched the figures with the sun at their backs. A giant followed closely by two men and what looked like a child approached. They steadied themselves as they performed their duty.
“None shall enter, ‘tis not time of the gathering.” One guard looked to the other for confidence as he spoke.
The other one felt the strength of their ‘numbers’ and piped up. “Yeah, be gone with ye until the gathering begins.”
A rumble came from Zander as he reached for his hammer. Beasley jumped in before the hammer could be lifted. “Hello, up there lads!” Beasley let out an uneasy chuckle as he placed a reassuring hand on Zander’s knee. “When is the next gathering?”
The guards looked down on the small man and with a matching tone of voice scalded him. “If you don’t know, then you must not care. This is for our god and his followers. You must not be a believer.” The guards fondled their swords in a small threat to the halfling not just over half their size. “Leave now, boy!” With that insult, one of them nudged him harshly with their knee. Beasley stumbled backwards.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” Beasley said in a taunt. “You’ve made my friend angry.”
Before Beasley could finish his last words of the threat before the thunder rolled as Zander’s hammer flew through the air and connected with the dragon emblazoned on one guard’s breastplate. The guard flew back off his feet, smashed into the wall, and slumped to the ground. Solcloud and Beasley jumped at the second guard as Zander walked toward the fallen guard. With not so much as a cough or a stutter to stand, the fallen guard stood to his feet and spit at the ground to Zander’s feet as he approached. The guard drew his sword and braced for the next hit of the mighty hammer.
Mayvn began strumming on his lute a mighty tune singing of mighty battles of old and Kings fighting entire nations of monsters. The words echoed through the streets, all the party felt the magic of the bard’s song reverberate in their very souls. A mighty roar followed at a perfect time in the bard’s song as Zander let his feral nature take a hold of him as he swung at the dented guard. Beasley and Solcloud began trading blows with the other guard but all their efforts seemed to deflect off the dragon armor of the second guard. The guard ducked under the mighty swings of Solcloud’s sword and reached for an open spot in the knight’s defenses, with a clang of steel on steel the guard’s sword smashed into Solcloud’s armor. He yelled out in pain as the sword of the guard connected again. The guard seemed to move like lightning and Beasley couldn’t connect with the guard but only clanged off his leg guards with his short sword.
Zander smashed into the other guard again, this time with more vigor than before. The rumble of thunder echoed in the distance as the hammer connected again, this time on the guard’s arm. The guard wailed in agony as his arm shattered like a twig in autumn. The guard swung the sword and gashed Zander across the chest, as the blade bit into Zander’s flesh, the giant just roared as he followed through with another clean blow and crushed the guard’s breastplate like tin under foot. The guard slumped to the ground, Zander turned just as Solcloud dropped to the ground. With a howl of rage, the giant lumbered toward the remaining guard.
Beasley looked up from his position between the guard and the colossus. He grabbed Solcloud by the armor and began dragging him away as fast as his strength could carry him. Mayvn too saw the lumbering juggernaught coming toward the unsuspecting guard and lunged toward the fallen knight. The two companions dragged the knight, now passed out, into an alleyway and began to give first aid. Meanwhile, Zander made short work of the second guard. Turning him into a tin spike in the street as this hammer cleanly connected with the guard with a driving force into the earth.
Huffing and puffing from sheer exertion, Zander trudged towards his companions. Grasping the gash in his chest. “Is he going to be OK?”
Beasley looked up to his friend. “I tried to tell you back at the inn, these guards are heavily armed.” Like a father reprimanding his son for not obeying him, Beasley continued his lecture. “We barely escaped with our lives. You can’t just jump into every battle before you; you must learn to pick your battles my friend. You could have had us all killed.”
Zander pulled his hand away from his wound, inspecting the blood and contemplating his tiny friend’s words. “You are right, I am sorry.” Zander hung his head in shame as he muttered a prayer to himself, thanking Othr for giving him strength and asking him to heal his wounds. A spark of lightning shimmered across his chain mail shirt, it repaired itself as well as mended Zander’s wound.
With a cough, Solcloud sputtered a little of the curative potion as he began to speak. “Did we get them?”
Mayvn spoke softly. “Well, Zander ‘got’ them.” He turned Solcloud’s attention to the guard’s helmet protruding from the street. “Our cleric friend here even gave him a proper burial.”
The adventurer’s all chucked at Mayvn’s joke as Solcloud grunted and made his way to his feet. He dusted off his now red tinted armor. “Well this won’t do. Not for a servant of St. Cuthbert.” He looked to everyone; they just shook their heads. “At least it is tainted with my own blood, meting out St. Cuthbert’s justice to the heretics.” He grimaced as he held his side gingerly. “Now, let’s say we look for a back way in. I hate to think we’ll find more guards wearing this fine armor.” He bent over the body crushed in the chest. He examined the body for anything worth selling to fund their adventure. Nothing was found, but a few rings and some nice swords. The armor was useless after the major dents, even if they were smithied out.
Mayvn piped up. “Didn’t the guard back at the tavern, consequently smashed too, mention something about a back door through the labyrinth?” The group all looked to the bard with a glint in their eye. “I like back doors.” The group all laughed at the peacock as he smiled a smile, not realizing he made a joke at his own expense. “He-he, perhaps we should ‘enter the contest’ within the labyrinth?”
“To root out the evil of this town, both below and within!” The paladin raises his sword and starts marching towards the northern inn, ‘The Slaver’s Pit.’
“None shall enter, ‘tis not time of the gathering.” One guard looked to the other for confidence as he spoke.
The other one felt the strength of their ‘numbers’ and piped up. “Yeah, be gone with ye until the gathering begins.”
A rumble came from Zander as he reached for his hammer. Beasley jumped in before the hammer could be lifted. “Hello, up there lads!” Beasley let out an uneasy chuckle as he placed a reassuring hand on Zander’s knee. “When is the next gathering?”
The guards looked down on the small man and with a matching tone of voice scalded him. “If you don’t know, then you must not care. This is for our god and his followers. You must not be a believer.” The guards fondled their swords in a small threat to the halfling not just over half their size. “Leave now, boy!” With that insult, one of them nudged him harshly with their knee. Beasley stumbled backwards.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” Beasley said in a taunt. “You’ve made my friend angry.”
Before Beasley could finish his last words of the threat before the thunder rolled as Zander’s hammer flew through the air and connected with the dragon emblazoned on one guard’s breastplate. The guard flew back off his feet, smashed into the wall, and slumped to the ground. Solcloud and Beasley jumped at the second guard as Zander walked toward the fallen guard. With not so much as a cough or a stutter to stand, the fallen guard stood to his feet and spit at the ground to Zander’s feet as he approached. The guard drew his sword and braced for the next hit of the mighty hammer.
Mayvn began strumming on his lute a mighty tune singing of mighty battles of old and Kings fighting entire nations of monsters. The words echoed through the streets, all the party felt the magic of the bard’s song reverberate in their very souls. A mighty roar followed at a perfect time in the bard’s song as Zander let his feral nature take a hold of him as he swung at the dented guard. Beasley and Solcloud began trading blows with the other guard but all their efforts seemed to deflect off the dragon armor of the second guard. The guard ducked under the mighty swings of Solcloud’s sword and reached for an open spot in the knight’s defenses, with a clang of steel on steel the guard’s sword smashed into Solcloud’s armor. He yelled out in pain as the sword of the guard connected again. The guard seemed to move like lightning and Beasley couldn’t connect with the guard but only clanged off his leg guards with his short sword.
Zander smashed into the other guard again, this time with more vigor than before. The rumble of thunder echoed in the distance as the hammer connected again, this time on the guard’s arm. The guard wailed in agony as his arm shattered like a twig in autumn. The guard swung the sword and gashed Zander across the chest, as the blade bit into Zander’s flesh, the giant just roared as he followed through with another clean blow and crushed the guard’s breastplate like tin under foot. The guard slumped to the ground, Zander turned just as Solcloud dropped to the ground. With a howl of rage, the giant lumbered toward the remaining guard.
Beasley looked up from his position between the guard and the colossus. He grabbed Solcloud by the armor and began dragging him away as fast as his strength could carry him. Mayvn too saw the lumbering juggernaught coming toward the unsuspecting guard and lunged toward the fallen knight. The two companions dragged the knight, now passed out, into an alleyway and began to give first aid. Meanwhile, Zander made short work of the second guard. Turning him into a tin spike in the street as this hammer cleanly connected with the guard with a driving force into the earth.
Huffing and puffing from sheer exertion, Zander trudged towards his companions. Grasping the gash in his chest. “Is he going to be OK?”
Beasley looked up to his friend. “I tried to tell you back at the inn, these guards are heavily armed.” Like a father reprimanding his son for not obeying him, Beasley continued his lecture. “We barely escaped with our lives. You can’t just jump into every battle before you; you must learn to pick your battles my friend. You could have had us all killed.”
Zander pulled his hand away from his wound, inspecting the blood and contemplating his tiny friend’s words. “You are right, I am sorry.” Zander hung his head in shame as he muttered a prayer to himself, thanking Othr for giving him strength and asking him to heal his wounds. A spark of lightning shimmered across his chain mail shirt, it repaired itself as well as mended Zander’s wound.
With a cough, Solcloud sputtered a little of the curative potion as he began to speak. “Did we get them?”
Mayvn spoke softly. “Well, Zander ‘got’ them.” He turned Solcloud’s attention to the guard’s helmet protruding from the street. “Our cleric friend here even gave him a proper burial.”
The adventurer’s all chucked at Mayvn’s joke as Solcloud grunted and made his way to his feet. He dusted off his now red tinted armor. “Well this won’t do. Not for a servant of St. Cuthbert.” He looked to everyone; they just shook their heads. “At least it is tainted with my own blood, meting out St. Cuthbert’s justice to the heretics.” He grimaced as he held his side gingerly. “Now, let’s say we look for a back way in. I hate to think we’ll find more guards wearing this fine armor.” He bent over the body crushed in the chest. He examined the body for anything worth selling to fund their adventure. Nothing was found, but a few rings and some nice swords. The armor was useless after the major dents, even if they were smithied out.
Mayvn piped up. “Didn’t the guard back at the tavern, consequently smashed too, mention something about a back door through the labyrinth?” The group all looked to the bard with a glint in their eye. “I like back doors.” The group all laughed at the peacock as he smiled a smile, not realizing he made a joke at his own expense. “He-he, perhaps we should ‘enter the contest’ within the labyrinth?”
“To root out the evil of this town, both below and within!” The paladin raises his sword and starts marching towards the northern inn, ‘The Slaver’s Pit.’
Wednesday, September 30
The great conundrum...
OK, Xan is in a bit of a pickle. There are a few things that have happened in ol' Xan's life that have made things a bit crazy and I would love to have YOUR help in getting those things in order.
First of all, in real life you all know about my son being born on August 8th. Late night feedings, diaper changes, etc. The life of a father, there really is nothing better. Anyway, in WoW I created a toon named after my son, Calib (Trollbane US) And I busily went on and Xan grabbed him the shoulders, chest and two swords for a rogue.
Next, some of you may have known that couple months before my little bundle of joy was delivered I lost my job. Being on unemployment is heartbreaking as a young father. Anyway I have been feverishly looking for a job and I have found on selling life & health insurance. Problem being before I can work for this great company I need to pass the state exam and get my license. I have to get a 70% and I have now taken it twice, costing me $88 I can't afford to spend. I will be taking it a third time on Friday to hopefully pass it. Money has become quite tight to say the least.
Lastly my guild is in desperate need of a good healer. I have only played a priest once before but I would like to do it again. Now my WoW time is 'nil right now because I am spending 99% of my free time studying to pass this state exam. But I have put a poll on the right hand side of the blog here to figure out which race of priest I should play.
So a couple of things I ask of my readers...
1 - What should I do with my rogue?
2 - Donate (at the bottom of website) if you care to help out an impoverished fellow gamer.
3 - Vote!
Once a race is decided it will then become time to think of a fun back story and relate her to my other toons somehow.
Thanks again!
First of all, in real life you all know about my son being born on August 8th. Late night feedings, diaper changes, etc. The life of a father, there really is nothing better. Anyway, in WoW I created a toon named after my son, Calib (Trollbane US) And I busily went on and Xan grabbed him the shoulders, chest and two swords for a rogue.
Next, some of you may have known that couple months before my little bundle of joy was delivered I lost my job. Being on unemployment is heartbreaking as a young father. Anyway I have been feverishly looking for a job and I have found on selling life & health insurance. Problem being before I can work for this great company I need to pass the state exam and get my license. I have to get a 70% and I have now taken it twice, costing me $88 I can't afford to spend. I will be taking it a third time on Friday to hopefully pass it. Money has become quite tight to say the least.
Lastly my guild is in desperate need of a good healer. I have only played a priest once before but I would like to do it again. Now my WoW time is 'nil right now because I am spending 99% of my free time studying to pass this state exam. But I have put a poll on the right hand side of the blog here to figure out which race of priest I should play.
So a couple of things I ask of my readers...
1 - What should I do with my rogue?
2 - Donate (at the bottom of website) if you care to help out an impoverished fellow gamer.
3 - Vote!
Once a race is decided it will then become time to think of a fun back story and relate her to my other toons somehow.
Thanks again!
Tuesday, September 29
Momoment # 15 - Moraider
Are you a raider?
I believe wow players are of all play types: raiders, altaholics, RP, PVPers, etc.
I think we know of all the hardcore raiders that have blogs and podcasts because there are few of them compared to the number of wow players there are (12 million plus) and many of them do have the larger voice in the wow community and there is nothing wrong with that of course.
I am, well I would call my play style casual-altaholic-wants to enjoy wow as I please. Yes that is how I would put it.
I like to see all I can see when I want to and can to see it. I do not like raiding and I like raiding. :)
Yes there are many things about raiding I have experienced that I truly hate and even thought about quiting wow but of course did not after further thought.
Since I have moved my priest Moheal to Feathermoon to join friends guild and play/instance/raid with them, I have really enjoyed all the placed in wow I have not been to.
Primarily as a healer and at times dps (when needed) we have been to all the Heroics, you know the daily grind to get stinkin badges; VOA, OS, even Ulduar! and finally I went to Naxx this past weekend. It is truly amazing the work wow has done and continues to do. I always say, they do make every penny we pay worth it, in my opinion.
I do have a point here some where...what I have noticed is as I have been used to playing with my new guildies and their play style and their good play, it has been very hard for me when I do join a pug. I really do not know how to explain it but with the guild I have cause very few wipes in my, well lets say lack of healing at times. I always we always can improve what ever we are working on, that goes for my healing. But I have been doing a good job while in guild runs.
Pugs, well...I don't think I have to say how bad pugs can get. And with all the different people in a bug in the simplest counters, I lose the group!!!
Why is that? Is it operator error on me for just not healing? (well perhaps at times but probably not)
Is it for a lack of dps? yes some people would say so but I would like to believe there are other factors.
Is it the different classes tanking (guildie is a Paladine and most pug tanks are DK's and warriors, some Druids) maybe, but also a good factor or should I say some times a bad factor.
Gear, some people just don't have a good gear and I have been there myself and not able to hold agro. This is a great reason too and a viable one. Just as when I was not geared I could not even heal Heroics let alone some of the tricky encounters.
Any input you have please let us know, let me know as I would like to understand and figure out if it is something I am not doing or if I can do anything different.
With the type of playing style I have, even with the minimal research I do and asking the community, I am not a spreadsheet person, meaning I do not make it a science as some people enjoy doing to wow.
Can you really get used to playing wow with the same people so much that when you play with different players (play styles) it is like your first time playing or entering the instance you are trying to complete?
Mo wants to know! So please provide your input.
Thank you
I believe wow players are of all play types: raiders, altaholics, RP, PVPers, etc.
I think we know of all the hardcore raiders that have blogs and podcasts because there are few of them compared to the number of wow players there are (12 million plus) and many of them do have the larger voice in the wow community and there is nothing wrong with that of course.
I am, well I would call my play style casual-altaholic-wants to enjoy wow as I please. Yes that is how I would put it.
I like to see all I can see when I want to and can to see it. I do not like raiding and I like raiding. :)
Yes there are many things about raiding I have experienced that I truly hate and even thought about quiting wow but of course did not after further thought.
Since I have moved my priest Moheal to Feathermoon to join friends guild and play/instance/raid with them, I have really enjoyed all the placed in wow I have not been to.
Primarily as a healer and at times dps (when needed) we have been to all the Heroics, you know the daily grind to get stinkin badges; VOA, OS, even Ulduar! and finally I went to Naxx this past weekend. It is truly amazing the work wow has done and continues to do. I always say, they do make every penny we pay worth it, in my opinion.
I do have a point here some where...what I have noticed is as I have been used to playing with my new guildies and their play style and their good play, it has been very hard for me when I do join a pug. I really do not know how to explain it but with the guild I have cause very few wipes in my, well lets say lack of healing at times. I always we always can improve what ever we are working on, that goes for my healing. But I have been doing a good job while in guild runs.
Pugs, well...I don't think I have to say how bad pugs can get. And with all the different people in a bug in the simplest counters, I lose the group!!!
Why is that? Is it operator error on me for just not healing? (well perhaps at times but probably not)
Is it for a lack of dps? yes some people would say so but I would like to believe there are other factors.
Is it the different classes tanking (guildie is a Paladine and most pug tanks are DK's and warriors, some Druids) maybe, but also a good factor or should I say some times a bad factor.
Gear, some people just don't have a good gear and I have been there myself and not able to hold agro. This is a great reason too and a viable one. Just as when I was not geared I could not even heal Heroics let alone some of the tricky encounters.
Any input you have please let us know, let me know as I would like to understand and figure out if it is something I am not doing or if I can do anything different.
With the type of playing style I have, even with the minimal research I do and asking the community, I am not a spreadsheet person, meaning I do not make it a science as some people enjoy doing to wow.
Can you really get used to playing wow with the same people so much that when you play with different players (play styles) it is like your first time playing or entering the instance you are trying to complete?
Mo wants to know! So please provide your input.
Thank you
Friday, September 25
The sun breaks the horizon… (Original Fiction by Xan)
The sweaty little urchin shuts the door in a huff; back to the door, sniffling and panting as though he has ran all night. As the door latch clanked shut, Mayvn jumped straight up in his bed. As though there was a spring in the bed, he jumped directly from the horizontal to the vertical without even moving to his knees. Silk bandana still tied around his eyes. “Who’s there?!?”
Solcloud, sitting next to the window was polishing his armor looked to the bony bard and could not help but shake his head. “Take off your little night blind and look for yourself. It’s our own little ‘fire.” Scorn seemed to drip with the statement, but it was still said with an air of tolerance. “Our little fire must have met with a bigger fire, yes?” He turned to the little man still gasping for breath at the door.
Peaking from under the blindfold, Mayvn blinks as the sunlight flashed into his sleep crusted eyes. “Oh, our little rogue has returned with news!”
Zander slowly rolls from his large bed and sits up, obvious to the group he stayed up late with the barmaid talking and cleaning up. “What did you discover, my diminutive humorous bandit?” He blinked as the sun flooded the room and reflected off Solcloud’s now brilliantly polished armor.
Wheezing, Beasley doubled over and coughed. After clearing his throat, he struggled to push the words out. “For being a threat to the town, this temple is not heavily guarded.”
Mayvn, pulling on one of his long boots and hopping to get it on, crashed to the floor. “Excellent,” he grunted from the floor. “Why don’t we knock on the front door?” The statement was saturated with sarcasm.
“Excellent!” The paladin straightens his breastplate, made his way towards the silky lump on the floor, and nudged him with his boot. “I am glad you are starting to feel a little more daring, peacock.”
Zander also starts to get dressed and splashes water on his face from the washbasin on the wardrobe. “I agree. No more time for questions, I believe it is time for action.” He turned and dried his hands on his robe as he smoothed his chain shirt and attached his hammer to his belt. “This day will not be silent, but rumble with Othr’s might.”
Now on his hands and knees Mayvn jeered, “Ah, someone is smitten by the classy lady in the tavern.”
Zander smiled at the bard, with a twinkle in his eye, he pushed Mayvn’s hand out from under him and he crashed to the floor again with a thud. “Othr smiles on those who recognize beauty and honor it.”
Making his way to his feet, nursing a bruised pride, Mayvn smiled. “That is true, my friend.” He picked up his beautiful lute and began to strum the strings as he slumped onto the bed to tune it. “But would this young lady prefer a sonnet, or perhaps a limerick?”
Zander dried his face on his robe but as he did so, he could not help but let out a thunderous roar of laughter. “You make me smile, little man!” Zander pulled out a large stein from his treasure chest. “You couldn’t drink a thimble of her special brew without falling to your knees in a drunken stupor. Imagine six of these full to the brim, burning their way down your throat! Now that is a man for Jenny.”
Zander flopped down on the bed next to Mayvn in a great thud, causing Mayvn to nearly shoot through the roof. Then Zander leaned in to whisper into Mayvn’s ear.
“I had ten before she told me I aught to stop. I felt a light burn in my nose, but a joy in my belly. Needless to say, I slept very well.” With a grin and a hearty slap on the shoulder, Zander stood up. “Now, what say you all? Shall we go bash some heretics?”
Beasley, now caught his breath, looked up to the towering giant standing over three times his own height. “Now wait a second! They are…” Beasley realized that nothing he could say could stop Zander from him ‘mission’ to avenge Jenny’s tavern being attacked. He hurried to catch up to his lumbering friend, the other two explorers followed down the hallway. As they made their way down the stairway, Jenny was already up and wiping the tavern tables down before the start of her business day. She looked up and gave Zander a waive and a wink, he returned her smile with a bashful look and continued out the door. The others, just waived and followed Zander with a doubled pace.
Solcloud, sitting next to the window was polishing his armor looked to the bony bard and could not help but shake his head. “Take off your little night blind and look for yourself. It’s our own little ‘fire.” Scorn seemed to drip with the statement, but it was still said with an air of tolerance. “Our little fire must have met with a bigger fire, yes?” He turned to the little man still gasping for breath at the door.
Peaking from under the blindfold, Mayvn blinks as the sunlight flashed into his sleep crusted eyes. “Oh, our little rogue has returned with news!”
Zander slowly rolls from his large bed and sits up, obvious to the group he stayed up late with the barmaid talking and cleaning up. “What did you discover, my diminutive humorous bandit?” He blinked as the sun flooded the room and reflected off Solcloud’s now brilliantly polished armor.
Wheezing, Beasley doubled over and coughed. After clearing his throat, he struggled to push the words out. “For being a threat to the town, this temple is not heavily guarded.”
Mayvn, pulling on one of his long boots and hopping to get it on, crashed to the floor. “Excellent,” he grunted from the floor. “Why don’t we knock on the front door?” The statement was saturated with sarcasm.
“Excellent!” The paladin straightens his breastplate, made his way towards the silky lump on the floor, and nudged him with his boot. “I am glad you are starting to feel a little more daring, peacock.”
Zander also starts to get dressed and splashes water on his face from the washbasin on the wardrobe. “I agree. No more time for questions, I believe it is time for action.” He turned and dried his hands on his robe as he smoothed his chain shirt and attached his hammer to his belt. “This day will not be silent, but rumble with Othr’s might.”
Now on his hands and knees Mayvn jeered, “Ah, someone is smitten by the classy lady in the tavern.”
Zander smiled at the bard, with a twinkle in his eye, he pushed Mayvn’s hand out from under him and he crashed to the floor again with a thud. “Othr smiles on those who recognize beauty and honor it.”
Making his way to his feet, nursing a bruised pride, Mayvn smiled. “That is true, my friend.” He picked up his beautiful lute and began to strum the strings as he slumped onto the bed to tune it. “But would this young lady prefer a sonnet, or perhaps a limerick?”
Zander dried his face on his robe but as he did so, he could not help but let out a thunderous roar of laughter. “You make me smile, little man!” Zander pulled out a large stein from his treasure chest. “You couldn’t drink a thimble of her special brew without falling to your knees in a drunken stupor. Imagine six of these full to the brim, burning their way down your throat! Now that is a man for Jenny.”
Zander flopped down on the bed next to Mayvn in a great thud, causing Mayvn to nearly shoot through the roof. Then Zander leaned in to whisper into Mayvn’s ear.
“I had ten before she told me I aught to stop. I felt a light burn in my nose, but a joy in my belly. Needless to say, I slept very well.” With a grin and a hearty slap on the shoulder, Zander stood up. “Now, what say you all? Shall we go bash some heretics?”
Beasley, now caught his breath, looked up to the towering giant standing over three times his own height. “Now wait a second! They are…” Beasley realized that nothing he could say could stop Zander from him ‘mission’ to avenge Jenny’s tavern being attacked. He hurried to catch up to his lumbering friend, the other two explorers followed down the hallway. As they made their way down the stairway, Jenny was already up and wiping the tavern tables down before the start of her business day. She looked up and gave Zander a waive and a wink, he returned her smile with a bashful look and continued out the door. The others, just waived and followed Zander with a doubled pace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)