Andor's Trail Lore - Tell your tale (In Character)

[Wyrmspawn]

Armed with only a wooden club, I face off a giant cave rat almost as large as I am. My wooden club suddenly seems inadequate for killing a rat. Odair must really hate me if he sent me to kill this... monstrosity.

With a gulp, I lunge at the rat, swinging my club in a straight downward blow, which the rat evades with almost no effort. I try again, with a sidewards blow that would have knocked out any normal-sized rat. With a snarl, the enraged rat leaps at me, and I barely manage to move out of its way. Since when did rats snarl like this?!

Gathering myself, I send my club crashing onto the rat's skull with two jarring blows. The rat definitely snarls at me as it shakes its head and leaps at me again, teeth gnashing and claws swiping. These are battle wounds that I definitely won't be showing off... scarred by a rat. Hardly sounds impressive. Cursing the fool who let a cave rat grow to the size of a large dog, I land one blow on the rat, overbalancing myself slightly. With a shriek of triumph, it leaps onto me again, crashing into my side in a flurry of bites and scratches. With a roar, I abandon the wooden club, and with my left hand, I reach around to my right, and grab its neck, choking it until its eyes bulge out. With my right hand, I send the club crashing down onto it before throwing it out of the cave, wounded and fainting. If anyone sees me like this, they'll laugh their heads off. How on earth can a fight with a rat be so difficult? Andor's good with a blade, he'd have no problem at all handling a trained warrior, let alone a mere rodent. With a sigh, I wonder for the umpteenth time how Andor got so much better at bladework than I am before heading home. I'd have to clean up before finding Odair again... I can hardly meet him like I just fought in a battle.

[Elyon]

I walk in and the Gargoyle Trainers start shifting nervously across the cavern floor. They know what I'm after. These monsters eye me with looks of freight on their faces. One of these fiends has it. I can sense it. I leap into battle with the closest Trainer instantly leaving him lifeless. Blood splatters. "Who's the trainer now?! I holler. The trainer around me seeing his fallen comrade flees in the opposite direction. I catch up to him in an instant, easily dispatching my foe with one stroke. He is no match for me. Suddenly a Trainer appears behind me as if from thin air. Swinging at my arm and splitting my skin. The sharp pain sends nervous chills through my body. At the sight of blood, the trainer stops swinging as if surprised to see blood trickling from my arm. Battle Rage fills my bones as I swing at this hideous beast instantly ripping his arms from their sockets. Another victim. I chomp at the meat that's on them. A jolt of life rushes in as I take another bite. My life of fighting has forced me to learn and adapt to many barbaric ways.
The monsters keep coming and I keep fighting. One after another they fall. Some more easily than others. I had not planned on being here so long. Days mix with nights. And the sky and sunshine become naught but a distant memory. From the corner of my eye I see a shadow flying towards me. The shadow turns into a trainer and nearly cuts my hand off. I barely sidestep and kill my attacker. He caught me dreaming. The blood on my clothes is damp and cold. Bloody stains cover the cavern floors. I stagger towards the wall, while struggling to free the cobwebs from my head. Suddenly a chuckle splits the air. Who could that be I wonder? Looking up I see him. It is a Gargoyle Master, coming to toy with his prey. Wearing a red robe and holding a fierce jagged blade. A lifetime in this cave having made this man a monster. He comes closer, and I can smell the air around him pulsating with death and rotten flesh. His face disfigured. His eyes red, as bright blood. I attempt to back away but my body is weak. The fighting has drained near all my energy. He begins to yell and point at all his fallen friends! Cursing loudly and yelling obscenities. His threats begin fading as I stare at my enemy in a blur. My vision hazy. My mind.. somewhere far away. Why am I here? I have been here for so long I have forgotten. I lean on my sword and begin falling into the blackness that is starting to surround me. Yet.. something, somehow is holding me back. A vision appears in front of me: the countless days and nights of fighting, searching, hoping, disappointment, frustration, despair, yet steadfast commitment fly past my eyes. The hacking and slashing, looting and killing, float by. It seems like hours and days pass as I return to the sound of cursing and yelling. But the dream was only an instant, only a moment in time. My vision returns with the sight of a sword pressed into my belly. My eyes move to the creature. The beast begins motioning wildly for me to get up and fight! I attempt to move my arm to no avail. No strength.. no life. Suddenly my eyes fall to the shimmering and glowing ring on his finger. My eyes light up! My memory returns. This is it! Finally! What I've been searching for is right before me! I leap up and grab my sword. The beads of sweat become hot on my forehead. My sword becomes light in my hand. I have found my purpose. "AT LAAAST!" I yell with all that is in me. The Gargoyle Master is slightly taken aback by the sudden ferocity in my voice and the fire in my eyes.
He lunges at me, and metal falls upon metal as ashes fall from the collision of our swords. With rage and brute strength the Master attempts to dispatch me from my weapon. But to no avail. I sidestep and duck as he unleashes a flurry of swipes at my head. I swipe at his thigh making his blood gush. The freak roars and the fighting rages on. Back and forth we go. Until I take a step back and feel a wall right behind me. Despair attempts to seize me but I brush it away. "Can't nothing stop me now!" I holler. The mad-man chuckles as he readies to end me with a blow. He gathers his strength and swings but I duck and roll under his blow. With his blade wedged in the cavern rock, I seize my opportunity and thrust my sword through his back. The next instant, his knees buckle and I unite him with his friends on the floor!
My wounds and pains are a distant feeling as I take the legendary treasure off his unworthy hand. At long last!! Battle tested and tried, I run over the bodies and make my journey to the entrance of the cave. I stagger into the sunlight, admiring the magnificent Ring of Lesser Shadow. I hold it up to the sunshine and watch it shimmer and glow. As I put it on, I am immediately infused with the power it provides. The calm after the storm. The sunshine beams on my face as I stare out into the beautiful wilderness. Never did I think the sight of an anklebiter could be so pleasant.

[Wyrmspawn]

Nice to see that there are other storytellers in the Fallhaven Tavern. For some time now, I was the only one who bothered to tell the tales of his travels in here. *takes a gulp of mead*.

Did I ever tell you all about the time I almost got killed in Blackwater? It's a bad place to visit, and I wouldn't want to live there. I had thought that I'd have all I need with me, having brought twenty boneme.... *coughs violently* Ahhh, Major Vials of health, *chuckles nervously*. Where was I? So, I had umm, twenty major vials of health, and I decided that I'd have a try at the infamous mountain. I was twelve then, and I had enough skills to block most blows from the anklebiters. I thought it would be easy to go up, but then I almost got lost in this dark underground cave, used about a quarter of my potions before I got out.

By the time I was halfway up the mountain, I was three quarters of the way through my stash of potions. Then came a wooden cabin. I rested in it for a while, before continuing on my way, up the mountain, convincing myself that I'd be at the top of Blackwater soon enough. I couldn't have been more wrong. I got caught by two strange humanoids wearing dark robes, and worst of all, the sword from Flagstone had little effect on them. I got defeated, and sent back to the little abandoned cabin in the mountains. Well, no big deal, you might think. I thought so too, until I realised that I had no way back down the mountain, and no way to continue on either, seeing as I can't kill the two wyrm trainers. In the end, I was saved by this, *holds up blackwater brew*. It gave me the strength I needed to barrel right through the Gornaud beasts, and revived me a good deal too. The monsters up in the mountains, and the Gornaud beasts both dropped them. I gathered about twenty, and started the trip down the mountain. *takes another gulp of Blackwater brew*

You don't tell anyone about this, you hear? I'd get laughed out of the tavern... yeah, don't tell anyone...*plops onto the table, asleep*

[Piggy the Slayer]

The search for my brother has so far been fruitless. All I hear is rumour and wispers of dark deeds. I'm worried that Andor is mixed up with some bad fellows and may already be dead but I must keep searching for him. Months and months I have been on his trail but that trail now seems cold. When I started I had no skills or armour but now I am rich and very well armed. I can cleave through multiple foes and eat their flesh to regain my heath. By now Feygard must know of my crimes. At night I sleep the sleep of a hunted animal. Andor is in my dreams his face pale and his hands drip with blood. He talks in riddles about a shadow creeping over the land. Where will this end? I fear many more lives will brutally end before I find an answer.

[Elyon]

Nice to see that there are other storytellers in the Fallhaven Tavern. For some time now, I was the only one who bothered to tell the tales of his travels in here. *takes a gulp of mead*.

Haha nice way to put it Wyrmspawn. You inspired me with your tales of adventuring. I went exploring across AT, creating tales of my own.

[Wyrmspawn]

Looks like I'm the only one left... This thread has been quite quiet for a while.

The last minotaur in the cavern snorted at me. This one looks stronger than the others. It also has a hammer. With a snarl, it rushed at me, swinging the hammer in a wild blow that landed somewhere to my right, smashing into the floor with surprising force.

"When you get a pair of glasses, I'll start worrying," I mutter, as I weave around it to land a few punches to the back of its head.

Roaring in rage and confusion, the minotaur swung its hammer around in a sideways blow that flew around two feet above my head. Shaking my head, I dispatch this one with a jab to the eyes, followed by a punch into its gut. Groaning, the huge, cumbersome beast finally fell.

With a sigh, I continue down the ladder. From what Andor had told me, I'd always imagined monsters to be tougher. Sure, occasionally I run into one that can last for more than a minute against me, but really, that minotaur was easier than the wild boar I fought. After I find Andor, maybe I'll change careers. Heroes get paid more than hunters, and they don't really have to do much, if all the monsters they fight are like that minotaur.

Down in the empty room, a man paces around madly, face pale and robes blackened with dirt. Muttering constantly to himself. "The treasure is mine, all mine, and no one will take it from me. No one!"

Amused, I glance around the empty room before addressing him. "Did you kill Gandir?"

After a moment of surprise, as if he had just noticed me, he said, "Hah! That fool! I only used him to dig further into the cave. Now the treasure is mine, you hear? Mine, all m..."

"Yes, yes, of course," I sigh impatiently. "Give me his ring, then."

"Didn't you hear? The treasure is all mine! No one takes anything from me! No one!"

"Give me that ring, and we might both come out alive."

"NOOOOO!!!" He shrieks, rushing at me. All right, then. I crack my knuckles as he comes close, preparing to unleash a barrage of punches to his gut, chest, chin, and finally forehead.

*The following scene is exceedingly violent. Users below the age of eighteen or the faint of heart should not read. You have been warned.

Rushing forwards, I land a blow before he can, putting in three punches in his gut before he could attack. Surprisingly, however, they all seemed to have little effect.

Laughing maniacally, he rushes at me, landing a blow to my cheek with the hilt of his dagger.

With a twist, I manage to dodge the last blow from him and retaliate with a blow to his ribcage. Again, with surprisingly little effect. That necklace of his winked at me, a light blue colour shining out from beneath the black robes.

"Fool! Did you really think you can take my treasure?" With his dagger poised, he slashes wildly at me, and I barely manage to dodge out of the way.

My reply was a kick to his groin, two fingers in his eyes, and a blow to his right temple. "Actually, I did."

Kneeling down and groaning with pain, he suddenly let fly a blow with his dagger to my gut. Surprised, I barely had time to twist out of the way before I died a painful death by disembowlment. Still, that dagger left a nasty cut on my side.

"You people never learn," I say, as I give a quick chop to the back of his neck, effectively severing his spinal cord and ending his life.

"You... you... but... the treasure..." he burbled, blood flowing from his blinded eyes.

"Oh, don't you worry, it's in good hands now. I'll take care of it for you." I almost chuckled, but the pain in my side prevented that.

"Impossible," He gasps, the last of his life's blood flowing out of him.

"Now, I wonder where I've heard that before," I say, rolling my eyes. "Oh yeah, I remember. From about a hundred men before. Incidentally, those men are all dead. Just like you," I add, as his sightless eyes finally close in surrender.

Taking the ring from him, I hesitate for a moment before taking the necklace as well. No reason to let such a good thing rot along with his "treasure". I put it on, and start climbing out of the empty room. Empty but for Irogutu's corpse. Now there's a "treasure" I don't need to see again.

[Xero]

....I ventured further into the cave... My curiosity getting the best of me. I removed my journal and wrote of my experience in case I should forget. I cannot count the number of times I have awakened only to have no recollection of events which had transpires the night before. I vowed to give up mead but alas my alcoholism seemed to best me everytime I would roll out of bed...I was always left wondering...was it a dream? But I digress, after collecting my thoughts I head into what natives have called the iquan caves....or was it iquin? No matter. I haphazardly rush into the caves when I notice I'm surrounded by many robed figures. I am not concerned. suddenly a loud frightened voice from among them, "his power limit is over 10,000!". Suddenly, their mass scrambles and they move about without propose or a sense of direction. I am not sure why I enjoy punching everything around me..perhaps its because I feel a little better about chasing down my numbskull brother, his stupid antics, and get rich quick ideas. Why does he always pick the worst times to do this?! He knows I was talking to that cute blonde up at the tavern! I get so angry when I think about it...."ahhhhhh!!" my fist finds a new home in the gut of the monster. *splat* suddenly a scratch at my back....what's this? I turn around with the back of my hand and make contact with the demons face....*splat*. something is different. I am dizzy and my swings are becoming sloppy. Each new blow to me seems worse than the last and I can feel my body deteriorating. I reach for a drink to regain my composure but I have none left. I begin to lose consciousness. I am fading from reality. Darkness...
...
"wake up! your brother has gone missing and you have to go find him!" I groan. I can't remember what happened uhhhh my head. I reach for my bag and open my journal.
....
I am moving further into the cave system. I do not know what dangers lurk ahead. My curiosity drives me further...

[Fire7051]

I wake up in bed at the Primm inn and look down at the note pinned to my chest. My head hurts and I am having trouble remembering what happened and how I got here. As I wait for my vision to clear and try to put my memories back into their rightful place, I unpin the note...

"Really?" "Again!" Look you may not have anything better to do than go running around that mountain looking for a fight, but some of us have lives. Everytime you go get yourself nearly killed I have to go up there and get you and what do I get from it? I swear I think you are getting dumber cause everytime I bring you back in here your face just has a blank look on it. It's as if those monsters are hitting you so hard you are forgetting things. Losing your past experiences. While I will still go get you, even though I am starting to despise it, I would like a little respect. When you tell me that it "Sounds like you aren't really cut out to do my job properly" I just say "Perhaps" and bite my tongue. What I would really like to say is maybe you aren't cut out for your job running up and down that mountain waiting for me to save you. You don't even thank me afterwards you just pick up your silly sword and go trudging back up that mountain like nothing happened. All I'm saying is a little thanks could go a long way.

I fold the note and put it into my red bag. "I wonder who could have written this?" "Maybe it was Andor!" He must be up the mountain. I pick up my sword like nothing happened and go trudging back up the mountain again. I mean what could go wrong?

[Wyrmspawn]

You seek power. I can see it in you. There is something that sets you apart from the others. Those who seek power have a strange... aura... about them. Do you seek to know the tale of the greatest one of all the heroes? *slams mug of mead down onto the table. Very well. I have forgotten parts of this tale, but mayhaps you shall still enjoy it.

Long ago, there was a great hero, whose name has been forgotten over the centuries. But what matters most to this is his title. He was known as the Undefeated One. He roamed the lands, seeking worthy opponents, and worthy weapons. When he was a child, he had a sword that now resides in Flagstone Prison, which could cut its way through thick stone with ease. Later on, he found a better, heavier weapon, as long as a man is tall, and as wide as my forearm and gave it the name of Deathseeker. With it, he carved his way through five miles of hard rock, creating the path to Blackwater and Prim. And all the other heroes feared and revered him as the greatest of all.

For a time, he was happy with this. Then he grew restless, as heroes would. With Deathseeker, he was invincible, and none could stand against him. Not even fighting his way north to create the great city Remgard could satisfy his thirst for true battles instead of slaughters.

So, he abandoned the Deathseeker, snapping the great weapon apart with his bare hands. But he had grown too skilled, and even unarmed, all of the heroes combined could not stand against him. He manacled himself and fettered his feet, but still he was the Undefeated One. Despairing of finding a worthy opponent ever again, he smashed a way through the trees south, and was never seen again.

But he left behind a legacy of war. The rest of the heroes, envious of his immense power, fought amongst themselves for the remnants of the Deathseeker, forging the pieces into weapons anew. From Deathseeker sprung three weapons: Devastation, Earthshaker, and Windcutter.

Devastation is the heaviest part of the legendary Deathseeker; With its might, none may take a blow from it and live. Few, however, even amongst the warring heroes, were able to lift it, much less swing it.

The Earthshaker never misses; its wielders used it to smash into the earth, creating a shockwave capable of stunning and even killing enemies with repeated blows. Again, however, none amongst the heroes could use it to the effect that the Undefeated One did.

The Windcutter was forged with little of the original Deathseeker. It was combined with another weapon, whose name has never made itself known to this world; The darkest of the remnants, the Windcutter is lighter than the wind, and yet is sharp enough to slash right through armour, and whatever is behind it. With the Windcutter, one may slash twice where others hit once. This was the most sought-after of the remnants, but be warned: The weapon combined with it was never made for man. The wielder of this unholy weapon will be cursed with the worst of deaths, and there are... whispers, of yet worse effects.

I have told you the story of the Undefeated One. May you use this knowledge wisely.

[Xero]

Sit down little one so that I may tell you the legend of natures abomination. His power was so great not even death or time could claim him. it is said many a fool gazed upon him laughing at the chubby, spikey haired boy only to be the next to fall under the crushing blow of a single finger...