Mythous
Registered User
Posts: 1
(3/11/04 1:26 am)
|
Tavern Tales: Deja Vu
Tavern Tales: A bard’s stories
Revised: 3/11/2004
“Déjà vu”
Rythem Songangel walked up onto the stage of The Wayside Inn and Tavern as the crowd slowly stopped their conversations and turned their attentions to the well-known bard. She was the reason they were all there, normally the town was not visited much and the inn only received a handful of patrons in one day’s passing. The town was avoided by many for its history of unnatural events that had plagued it in the past. Events that had finally stopped only recently thanks to two local heroes. The tale of the two heroes and the events were a popular story. The people all gathered not just to hear the tale but also experience it being told by the young bard.
“I have come before you all tonight to regale you with a tale not of sorrow, but of joy. It is a story of your town and the threat to its way of life. It is a tale of two brave souls and their fight against an evil so profound that it seemed unstoppable. It is a conte of the two wandering strangers with kind and courageous hearts. The strangers known as Poodedoo and Faelin Eastwind,” Rythem continued. The soft music of her lute began to fill the air as her magic intertwined with the notes and chords she so carefully played. The patrons and employees of the tavern began to become entranced as the pleasant and familiar surroundings of the tavern began to slowly leave their vision and become replaced by the scenery of the town as it had stood over forty years ago…
* * * * * * * * *
Poodedoo was a young, blue eyed and white haired gnome. He was closing up the magic shop he owned for the last twenty years. While his mind wandered remembering the time he first took over the shop a smile crossed his face. He walked up to the door to lock it when a young wood elf female startled him. She had carelessly stumbled through the door, quickly closing it behind her. Not only did the act of her rushing through the door surprise him but her beauty did as well. Her long blond hair was draped carelessly over the shoulders of her slender frame and her care filled; deep blue eyes made his heart skip a beat.
Looking at her and the way she came through the door reminded him of the time when he first arrived at the shop twenty years ago, when Argathos had operated it. “It is about that time,” he spoke softly to himself. She looked down at him, her face and clothing speckled with blood.
“An old man told me I could find help here. I met him in the forest after I found this,” she held out an ivory cube that was about the size of a marble. The gnome smiled when he saw the cursed cube again. It was the same item that brought him to this very shop seeking Argathos’ help twenty years ago. “Shortly after I spoke with the old man demons started chasing me,” she finished.
“Ah that accursed thing. Yes, I can help you but realize that both our lives are in danger along with the very world we live in,” he said with a caring and calm tone.
The way he spoke caught the wood elf female off guard. There was something about him. The way he spoke and looked at her seemed to tug at her heart, yet she did not know why.
Poodedoo spoke, “We should have about a day to prepare before they catch up to you. You did follow the old man’s instructions and come here through the cave systems to the north?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Are you injured? Your clothes are torn and covered with blood,” he asked with a look of concern on his face.
“I was but I used my magic to heal the injuries I had. I am fine now,” she replied as her heart began to warm.
“Very well go get some rest. You can sleep in the room in the back.”
“Wait just a moment. You mind telling me what’s going on here? I have yet to understand the situation. I was traveling with Twen Orcsbane, a traveling companion of mine, and orcs attacked us. We were separated during the battle and while I was looking for him I found this cube on a tree stump in the woods. Next thing I know, there is an old man, who I don’t even know, telling me to come here. Then I’m being chased by a manner of creatures I have never seen before,” she blurted out all in one breath.
“Go rest,” Poodedoo suggested to her. “The answers will come in the morning.”
With a look of protest, she walked into the back room and found a cot within. She took off her traveling equipment and placed it under the cot, which she laid down on as sleep quickly claimed her.
Poodedoo looked around the shop and smiled weakly as all the memories of operating the shop came back to him one by one. “I can’t believe it’s time already,” he spoke softly to himself with disbelief in his tone. It had been twenty years since Argathos had helped him in the same manner that Poodedoo was helping the female now. The thought of Argathos saddened him as he remembered Argathos getting pulled through the portal the demons had been forced through. The words Argathos had shouted though the portal before it had closed, still echoed in Poodedoo’s head. “Take care of the shop and do what I had done. The world is counting on you.”
After a few moments he walked behind the counter of the shop. Laid down on the cot that was there and slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning came and Poodedoo slowly opened his eyes. Rubbing the sleep from them he slowly sat up. He looked around to see that his guest was already awake and standing at the front window looking out it with concern. Poodedoo stood up, walked over to her and looked out the window in the same direction she was looking. It was as he had expected. There was a menacing storm to the north and it was heading right for the town; just like it had twenty years ago.
Faelin asked, “They are coming aren’t they?”
“Yes they want that cube. It will allow them free passage between their world and ours. As long as it is kept out of their possession they can only enter our world once every twenty years and try to claim the damnable thing,” Poodedoo said grimly. “There is a way though, using that cube, to send them back. It involves an incantation that the barer must recite in their presence while holding the cube.”
“Oh, is that all,” Faelin replied sarcastically. “And I suppose they are just going stand there and let me do this? They sure didn’t stand around when they were trying to kill me.”
“No I will detain them while you recite the incantation.”
“You can hold them off long enough for me to do what is needed?”
“Yes.”
“Hopefully it will work,” she added doubtfully and paused. “Also who was that old man in the forest?”
“I am not quite sure of that myself. I only saw him once and it was under the very same conditions that you met him. I haven’t seen him since.”
“Interesting. By the way who are you? My name is Faelin Eastwind. I am a druidess.”
“My name is to long and uncomfortable for the tongue to pronounce. The children in town call me Poodedoo for short and because of them so does everyone else,” he sounded agitated. “I am a master of the arcane arts. A wizard.”
Faelin giggled and felt the tug at her heart again. “Cute name,” she commented as their eyes met and both got lost in the moment. A light rumble of thunder broke though the pause in time they both experienced. They turned and looked out of the window at the approaching storm as reality started to settle back into their hearts and minds.
“We have work to do. They will be here by nightfall,” Poodedoo stated as his voice broke the silence of the moment. “And we have to eat. I am hungry.”
“Me too.” Faelin paused and thought a moment. “How do we prepare for this?”
“You simply need to memorize the incantation,” Poodedoo informed her. “Follow me. This will take a while and I will not be able to operate the shop while we prepare. So it is best if we do this in the back room.”
The day had passed quickly. Faelin had spent most of the time reading and memorizing the incantation at the shop while Poodedoo carefully prepared the arcane markings on the ground to the north of town.
Later that day Poodedoo and Faelin had finished their tasks and were making final preparations. Poodedoo stood on the edge of the marked ground and Faelin sat facing him as they discussed their plans.
Poodedoo spoke with a serious tone, “When they arrive I will defend you while you hold the cube and speak the incantation with your eyes closed. Do not let anything distract you. You must speak it perfectly and cannot fumble the words, nor hesitate. Do you understand?”
She rose up on her knees, leaned forward and kissed him. Poodedoo stiffened but then returned the kiss and after a few moments their lips parted. Their gazes were locked, both of their eyes shined with joy and happiness, but once again the intimate moment was interrupted as the wind started to pick up and lightning etched its mark across the sky above them. “Yes, I understand,” she responded to his question.
“Good, because it is time,” he informed her as he moved to the center of the markings on the ground. Faelin stood up, moved to his side and took the cube out of her belt pouch. She looked ahead to see the demons approaching from the forest that lay about two hundred paces before them. With the cube in her exposed palm she extended her arm in front of her and closed her eyes.
“Just tell me when to begin,” she said with a hint of fear in her voice.
What followed seemed like an eternity to Faelin. While she recited the incantation, she could hear Poodedoo speak in Ancient Draconic as he cast his spells to protect her. All around her unnatural growling sounds were made as the wind began to increase in speed. Then she heard Poodedoo give out a cry in pain as she began to open her eyes.
“FINISH IT!” Poodedoo shouted, his voice fighting to be heard over the wind. She kept her eyes closed, finished the incantation and then opened her eyes.
Poodedoo stood ten paces in front of her with a magical portal open in front of him. One of his arms rose towards the portal, his hand trembled as he tried to maintain the spell that was holding the demons at bay while the portal closed. His other arm was cradling his side where one of the demon’s claws had gouged him and blood was gushing from a large wound. She looked on with concern because the pain from his injury was affecting his concentration for the spell he was sustaining. She wanted to ask him what she could do to help or even cast a healing spell upon him, but didn’t want to distract him.
The portal was quickly closing in on itself as Poodedoo’s concentration was diminishing. The pain became unbearable as he ceased to sustain the spell and a large claw reached out of the portal and grabbed the little gnome’s robes. “NO!” Faelin screamed as she started to cast a spell, but she was too late. The claw pulled him through the portal as it closed and he was gone. She dropped to her knees weeping while repeating to herself, “No…why.”
She felt the cube in her hand get lighter as she saw it slowly fading from sight until it vanished. She continued to kneel there for several moments in disbelief until; she stood up and sadly walked back to the shop.
* * * * * * * * *
Faelin had finished closing up the shop as she started walking towards the door. It had been twenty years since that faithful night when she last saw Poodedoo. The thought of him had saddened her but she felt in her heart that he was still alive somewhere and they would see each other again. With resolve she smiled to herself.
Faelin was only a few paces from the door, when it violently swung open and in stumbled a human male. He quickly closed the door behind him and looked at Faelin with his fear filled, light blue eyes. His face, light brown hair and clothes were spattered with blood.
Faelin looked at him and smirked. “Let me see. You found an ivory cube in the forest on a stump. Then met an old man who said to come here and shortly afterwards you were chased by demons. You came here through a cave system in the mountains to the north, which the old man suggested. With the demons following you?” she asked as though she already knew.
“Yes. I am a cleric and my name is Greastok. How did you know…” he began to ask.
Faelin interrupted, “There is a cot in the back room. Go get some rest the answers will come in the morning.”
* * * * * * * * *
“And that is the tale of your town, its two heroes and how they stopped the outer planar hordes from wreaking devastation and destruction on the town and our world.” Rythem concluded.
A hooded and cloaked female patron sitting in a dark corner of the Tavern calmly asked, “What about the heroes Poodedoo and Faelin?”
“Ah yes! That is a tale for another time. Say tommaro night, perhaps,” she replied with a sly grin. The crowd began to clap and cheer which quickly turned into a standing ovation. Rythem received it with a deep bow as her face reddened because she never took praise well.
The hooded and cloaked stranger stood up from her table and began to make her way towards the door followed by a shorter hooded and cloaked individual. Rythem watched them, and something in her gut was telling her that these two were hiding something. With the gnawing feeling in her belly she began to make her way quickly towards the door trying to intercept their exit.
Her efforts were in vein as the hooded patrons were out the door before she could get to them. Rythem rushed out of the building shortly after them only to see the two strangers beginning to walk down the street.
“Hey! May I ask who you two are?” She shouted after them.
The two strangers stopped and the female turned her head slightly so that she could be heard. “We are fans. That is all, nothing more,” the female retuned with a calm and level tone and the two began to walk down the street again.
Rythem stood there and watched them depart. “Some things should be kept secret I guess,” she said to herself as she smiled and walked back into the tavern.
As the strangers walked down the road, the female slid her hood back, looked down at her companion and spoke. “She told that tale as though she was there. I think she is quite talented. Don’t you think Poodedoo?”
Poodedoo replied, “Indeed she is Faelin. Indeed she is.”
To Be Continued.........
|
Email This To a Friend
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies