Fwd: Nolandr's account of eve of our escape

Date: Sat, 16 Oct 99 20:17PM PDT
From: victor gonzalez Add To
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [GREYTALK] [Fwd: Nolandr's account of eve of our escape.]

Nolandr's account of eve of our escape.

Fie! Again our plans were foiled. After all our planning to overcome the orc's camp we were fooled by a leprechaun and his henchmen. Stoker levitated the man-beast beyond sight before being felled the ghoul. Being the last two (myself and Malek who had quickly recovered from the ghoul's petrifying claws) standing in our party surrounded by all sorts of foul looking beasts. We surrendered.

Stripped and interrogated. Again I won't go into the details of our torture, nor of the insignificant discussions we had with our captors. Stoker was bled and used as tygre bait. The man-beast returned and the ghoul turned out to be a leprechaun. We were duped.

Malek sought to reason with the sprite to get our freedom. I appealed to his sense of duty to release us. Afterall he had taken all our property (including that harp, oh Wee Jas what is that thing?) He wasn't to be reasoned with. I made thinly veiled threats about the capriciousness of Wee Jas and her gifts of magic. Still the sprite was resolute. Curse him. I didn't leave Shar to be a slave. So when the beasts chained us together for labor I vowed to escape; or die trying.

They took away my possessions, but not my faith. I fashioned a holy item to continue my prayers. A plan came to me during evening recitations...

Calling upon Wee Jas, I empowered Malek to break his bonds. He ran into the night seeking help. I can only hope he reaches Marya Darkeyes safely and that she will agree to help us. Much later there is a commotion near the tree I am chained to. Freddy (the vile leprechaun) stops by me to taunt me further.

"We're going to capture your friend."

"This is your last warning, free me." I reply.

"Ha" and he sped into the brush.

I quickly said the holy words and brought about Wee Jas' justice. The sprite's helm would became unbearably hot and soon he would have to remove it. I can only hope it will distract him in the midst of battle.

But lo. He doesn't remove it. He rages at the center of the camp. Shrieking at the top of his lungs. The man-beast could only stand about ineffectively.

Just then several men burst from the trees pursued by a motley group of my captors. Malek broke into the clearing. He had returned to rescue me. I gave praise to Wee Jas, and said a simple prayer of protection. Someone slipped from the melee and broke my bonds.

Guided by Wee Jas, I made my way back into the camp. With the noise of melee and the ravings of Freddy at the center of camp, I was able to pass into the sprite's tent unnoticed. I gathered our belongings into a sack, crossed myself, peered out and again called Wee Jas' fury upon Freddy. I said another prayer of thanksgiving and protection and returned to my liberators.

The stranger who broke my bonds lay bleeding only a few feet away from the broken chains. Kneeling down, I stanched the flow of blood, comforted him and thanked him for his efforts. If he is to die let his soul be guided by Wee Jas to a just reward.

Picking my way through the felled enemy I found another large man as amidst a some goblins. He was closer to death than the last man. Again I administered to his wounds and said a prayer to Wee Jas. Perhaps it isn't his time.

All about me steel clanged on armor and shields. Dust was kicked up into the bloody air. Death is not foreign to a priest of Wee Jas but I no longer wanted to stay. A ferocious man was slaying monsters left and right and shout, nay, screaming epithets at them and daring them to offer a challenge. That was when the gnolls emerged.

I vaguely remember someone putting the vile sprite out of his misery with a well placed arrow blessed by kiss of Wee Jas. I clamored onto the back of a horse and barely remember but a blur of our escape beyond that.