by: Papi (Ramon Ortiz)

The storm passed and the New Townland citizens were still struggling to claim land far into the monster’s territory. With the strongest caster Tyrrin headed to the Black Tower, and the others waiting on Knute’s return from his Blacksmithing quest, the defenders of New Townsland grew concerned that the town was left undefended.  

There was just a small barracks of defenders to guard New Townland.  They had held off attacks against the monsters before, but at what cost? Shelter and supplies grew short, and the battle groups were stretched out thin. 

A young mage surveyed the land, looking to gain a better position for the town’s light defenses. Taking watch with an archer named Ciara, he discussed plans to create an improvised wall to slow the monster’s advancement. They gathered the town defenders and began construction on a rope wall across the main entrance to the town. As primitive as it seemed, it was a simple solution to help aid them with their dwindling numbers. 

Ciara noticed, in the distance, a pack of monsters approaching the gate; everyone gathered for the assault on New Townland. The archer knocked her arrow and, with clarity and finesse, aimed for the lead monster and fired! The projectile landed a killing blow, driving the beast to the ground, lifeless. The victory was still far off  as the wall came under siege by the remaining foes; Mages from New Townland began casting spells of fire and magic, creating a barrier of spells to protect  one another. The battle raged fiercely, but as the monster’s front-line dwindled the larger, more powerful monsters stepped forward in their place. Defenders struggled against the growing onslaught, falling back to safety as a few stayed at the front to keep the hoard distracted while the rest escaped.

“Fall back!” The command echoed across the battlefield as a fresh beast charged over bodies of the fallen into New Townland to shatter the wall and get into the town. . “Papi, fall back!” The command was coming from Orellius, who had just struck down another creature pressing through the front line. 

As a monster advanced on Papi. He lifted his large hammer over his head while casting a spell of protection around himself.  Knowing he could not defeat the beast on his own, Papi began to fall back.  Papi made it to the fleeing caravan striking down evil creatures along the way. 

The Monster’s eyes roamed the town looking for other dangers.  With no one to stop him the beast made it’s way to the town’s protective Shield, taking it for his own. 

Now that the shield was lost Papi knew he must safeguard the caravan at all cost. There was nothing left to do but wait for the fire and smoke to clear. 

As the sun rose to the peak of the midday sky, the defenders regrouped and returned to the town.  The monsters had all cleared out and returned, with the shield, to their lair. Papi dropped to the ground in disgust, emotions riding on the line of anger and depression seeing his new home raided. The battle was over, and the town was lost, but there was a glimpse of hope.  Their strongest mage, Tyrrin, was still out there heading to the Black Tower, and Knute had returned with reinforcements and information. Not all was lost for the defenders of New Townsland. The battle was lost, but they would work together to secure a victory and enable the safety of the leadership of New Townland, elsewhere in the land.

Papi was becoming more and more familiar with the tragedy of combat and war but understood that if he had stayed behind during the onslaught he would have died on the field, which was not his destiny. He looked at the hammer he had wielded in combat, dry blood smeared across each end; Papi whispered the words, “Misery, your name is Misery,”. He spoke sadly to his weapon, now baptized in combat, and bathed in the blood of fallen monsters. The Six Higher Powers of Myth’ Gar blessed a mage sworn to magic and a hammer forged for war that day. Papi and his hammer understood  that nothing but death and suffering would follow them. 

After that day, Papi made his  home in New Townland, rebuilding the walls that were once protection for them and learning to improve his magic to help defend himself and others when the beasts return. Papi leads his life primarily alone and he turns to no one,  but Misery enjoys company and she chooses Papi to share that with. The best gift a hammer can give to a lonely mage that wants peace, but is prepared to fight a war to obtain it.

Arah 14th, 10th year of King Jerwin the Rotund’s reign.

    Two years of study, and I’m not sure I’m ready to try this “ley line” travel yet. However, I’ve studied the texts nearly to the point of memorization. At this point, I’ve nothing more to gain by reading. Time to take the leap. I’ve located what I believe to be a line a few miles into the wood, north of the castle. There’s a path that meanders for a while, then runs straight east to west for several hundred yards. Going to try just before sundown. We’ll see what happens!

Arah 27th 

      Ok! That was unexpected! Got to remember to carry my journal with me on these adventures! 

     So, I started down the path at sundown. Brisk pace, headed west, when the air around me started to crackle faintly. I stopped and the crackling ceased immediately. I started again and nothing. So I went back to my starting point, and tried again. The crackling started again, then suddenly, a storm blew in out of nowhere! Everything went dark as heavy rain and howling winds battered me from every side, threatening to knock me from my feet! I felt suddenly dizzy, as though I we’re falling through a whirlwind! Then just as suddenly as it started, everything ceased! I felt solid earth beneath my feet. My head pounded, and my stomach churned. I dropped to my knees and retched. Fortunately, the headache and disorientation lasted only moments. I wiped my mouth and took stock of my surroundings. For the first time, I realized I was no longer on the wooded path! I found myself on a stone paved road, and judging by the sun, it was midday! 

     One lonely cart, pulled by a scraggly looking mule, driven by an even scragglier looking man in a tattered cloak was slowly making its way towards me. I hailed him as he approached, and his head snapped up with a look of fear and astonishment! “Saints above! Where’d you come from! I got’na money and poor ‘ole Tober here is near as old as I am! And twice as lazy!”

     “Peace friend! I’m no thief. Just a lost traveler,” I reassured him. No sense troubling the old man with the truth. “If you could just point me in the direction of King Jerwin’s castle, I’ll be on my way!” 

     “King who? Ne’er heard’a Jedwin, Jerwoo, what’err ya call ’em! These lands are ruled by Lord Balthrain. And he don’t much like travelers mister! Best git yerself gone before his goons show up! Find yerself on the wrong side of a jail cell door, or workin’ in the coal mines in Doran.” 

     “Excuse me sir, but is there a town nearby where a man could find a cup of ale and perhaps a bite to eat?” I had my suspicions, but needed to confirm some things.

     “Well, closest town would be Calder, ’bout three leagues back,” the old man said with a nod back over his left shoulder. “Best hurry if’n ya wanna find someplace ta stay before sundown. Lord Balthrain’s men don’t take kindly to people out ‘n’ about after dark. Troublemakers, they call ’em. Spies, and the like! I best be off or find m’self in a heap ‘o trouble as well! So long stranger! And good luck!”

   I pondered his words as I bid him farewell and started down the road in the direction he had indicated. Had I actually travelled to another realm? I needed information, and Calder seemed like as good a place to start as any.

     After what seemed like hours, I arrived at a little hamlet with what looked like a small stone church surrounded by a wooden palisade at the center of town, and a series of much smaller huts and shops radiating outwards. There were a few townspeople about, as well as a few soldiers, walking about in pairs, or milling around in small groups, talking, leaning on their pikes and halberds. Judging by the shabby state of their armor, undisciplined behavior, and the fear in the people’s eyes, they were little more than thugs on the local lord’s payroll. Bullies. I don’t like bullies.

   I slipped into town behind a cart loaded with firewood, and headed to what looked like a small tavern. I stepped inside and settled at a table off to one side. A short, plump, and slightly disheveled looking barmaid came up to my table. “Greetings stranger! What’ll ya have?” “Bread, meat, a chunk of cheese, and some ale to wash it down please,” I said. “And a room for the night, if there’s one to be had.” “Cheese?” she scoffed, “We ain’t had that for ages. Bread an’ stew’s best we got!” She moved in closer, “Soldiers take most ‘o’ what we got for the palace. As for a room, well, I wish ya good fortune with that! There’s none in the tavern, and folks ’round here don’t trust folk they don’t know. I’ll be back with your food shortly!” She turned smartly on her heel and was gone.

     “Stables it is!” I thought to myself grimly. Oh well. Not the first time, nor will it be the last, most likely.

     The barmaid returned a few minutes later with a wooden plate with a small loaf of dark brown bread, and a bowl of stew with a few small chunks of meat of questionable origin, and a small crock of a pale, slightly sour smelling beer.

     I finished my meager meal and left a few coins on the table.  I’m sure the guard at the front gate, whose coin purse I liberated, would be pleased to know his charity was appreciated. I then made my way quietly to the stables to find a comfortable place for the night.