The rowdiness of the Stone Rose tavern was in full swing as the patrons sat around the various tables. Some were singing songs of merriment. Others were quieter. Somber even. Some of the adventurers here were currently riding on a high from a successful journey. Others were dealing with grief in its various stages. The dangers of out in the wilds did not pull any punches.
The barkeep. A large hairy bear of a man was filling up tankards with ale and mead as well as taking coin, when the door of the tavern swung open with a slam as a gaggle of children ran in. Quite a few of them were the Barkeep's children as he was already hollering, but they pretended to be unable to hear him over the din of adventurers and drunks as they made their way to a roaring hearth. The man's eye twitched as he was ignored but only sighed as he saw where they all stopped. He couldn't get away from the bar right now but just wait. He knew they would not be moving for a while anyways.
The young children all ranging from eight to twelve years old had stopped in front of a cloaked man who was drinking whole heartedly from his mug of black coffee. He set it down when he noticed an audience had gathered around him. Not much could be seen of the man's face other than the large bushy beard that fell from the opening of his hood. The children all looked at him with eager expectant eyes. He even noticed more than one adventurer that had gotten quiet around him but seemed to be playing at not paying attention to what was going on.
He chuckled. His voice was gravelly but he spoke with elegance.
“Well children.” He looked at each of them.
“This seems to be a new record for you all at finding me when I come back into town.”
All of the children began to talk at once and the gentlemen threw his hands up shushing them with his gesture.
“Yes. Yes. I know you want a story.” He grinned.
“Well, you are in luck because I have just the tale for you.”
He leaned back in his chair and pulled a long wood pipe from his pocket and pushed a bit of snuff into it. He looked up at the children as he lifted his index finger of his other hand, and a small flame appeared at the end of it. The tiny orange flame danced about his fingertip before he lit his pipe with it. Taking a deep puff, he blew a smoke ring and looked at the children.
“Well. I was recently reminded of a very important fact for you future adventurers. Sometimes things go bad, but there is usually always a silver lining...”
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There was once a large human kingdom that went by the name of Zeiss. They were often plagued by monsters and wandering beasts. Most were sent by their neighboring nation. A kingdom of united creatures. Most that we would recognize as orcs, hobgoblins, ogres, and the like! They were often in skirmishes and great battles as the two kingdoms hated one another. It was one such day that a fearsome ogre general rose up to power. He wielded a literal tree trunk of a mace and wore black plate armor. He amassed a great force and went out to destroy the kingdom of Zeiss.
The king of Zeiss gathered his army and had his son lead it. Not because the king was cowardly, but because the king was old in age and his son. Prince Geoff had been picked by a deity to receive its blessing. Geoff was blessed by the Goddess of Wind. Allowing the man to move with such swiftness it was like he was dancing around the battlefield, and he did not tire out as quickly as a normal man.
The two great armies met on the plains separating the two kingdoms. A massive battle ensured. Everywhere that Geoff went, the enemy was cut down with many not even realizing where death had come from. Yet, on the same token everywhere that the Ogre general went. Men was squashed or launched into the air crashing to the ground. Soon it became very obvious to the two that they needed to be the focus of the other.
The swift swordsmen vs the lumbering brute. Their battle alone waged for several hours. Long after all the humans and other creatures had perished in the aftermath of their fight. While the ogre general could not catch Geoff, Geoff could do little other then make the ogre suffer minor injuries. It was at the end of this fight that Geoff had put on a brave face and had his sword at the ready eyeing down the ogre, that the ogre placed the giant mace upon his shoulder and with his free hand balled into a fist he pounded it on his black breastplate three times.
Geoff was confused momentarily, but as the ogre general turned and marched away, he could do nothing. As Geoff's legs were already threatening to buckle out from under him. He had barely the strength to hold his sword up, while the ogre calmly walked away giving him mercy for the great fight.
The kingdom of Zeiss was spared, but the price was great.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Storyteller leaned forward looking at each of the children, who had been quiet for quite some time. Some of the younger ones had excited expressions on their faces, while the older ones looked more thoughtful trying to piece together the implications of the story.
“The world outside respects the strong. It might not be fair, but it is true.” He closed his hazel eyes briefly before opening them again.
“I hope that each of you is able to grow and become powerful in your own ways so that one day you will have stories that can be told of you, by people like me.” The Storyteller grinned.
The barkeep. A large hairy bear of a man was filling up tankards with ale and mead as well as taking coin, when the door of the tavern swung open with a slam as a gaggle of children ran in. Quite a few of them were the Barkeep's children as he was already hollering, but they pretended to be unable to hear him over the din of adventurers and drunks as they made their way to a roaring hearth. The man's eye twitched as he was ignored but only sighed as he saw where they all stopped. He couldn't get away from the bar right now but just wait. He knew they would not be moving for a while anyways.
The young children all ranging from eight to twelve years old had stopped in front of a cloaked man who was drinking whole heartedly from his mug of black coffee. He set it down when he noticed an audience had gathered around him. Not much could be seen of the man's face other than the large bushy beard that fell from the opening of his hood. The children all looked at him with eager expectant eyes. He even noticed more than one adventurer that had gotten quiet around him but seemed to be playing at not paying attention to what was going on.
He chuckled. His voice was gravelly but he spoke with elegance.
“Well children.” He looked at each of them.
“This seems to be a new record for you all at finding me when I come back into town.”
All of the children began to talk at once and the gentlemen threw his hands up shushing them with his gesture.
“Yes. Yes. I know you want a story.” He grinned.
“Well, you are in luck because I have just the tale for you.”
He leaned back in his chair and pulled a long wood pipe from his pocket and pushed a bit of snuff into it. He looked up at the children as he lifted his index finger of his other hand, and a small flame appeared at the end of it. The tiny orange flame danced about his fingertip before he lit his pipe with it. Taking a deep puff, he blew a smoke ring and looked at the children.
“Well. I was recently reminded of a very important fact for you future adventurers. Sometimes things go bad, but there is usually always a silver lining...”
---------------------------------------------------
There was once a large human kingdom that went by the name of Zeiss. They were often plagued by monsters and wandering beasts. Most were sent by their neighboring nation. A kingdom of united creatures. Most that we would recognize as orcs, hobgoblins, ogres, and the like! They were often in skirmishes and great battles as the two kingdoms hated one another. It was one such day that a fearsome ogre general rose up to power. He wielded a literal tree trunk of a mace and wore black plate armor. He amassed a great force and went out to destroy the kingdom of Zeiss.
The king of Zeiss gathered his army and had his son lead it. Not because the king was cowardly, but because the king was old in age and his son. Prince Geoff had been picked by a deity to receive its blessing. Geoff was blessed by the Goddess of Wind. Allowing the man to move with such swiftness it was like he was dancing around the battlefield, and he did not tire out as quickly as a normal man.
The two great armies met on the plains separating the two kingdoms. A massive battle ensured. Everywhere that Geoff went, the enemy was cut down with many not even realizing where death had come from. Yet, on the same token everywhere that the Ogre general went. Men was squashed or launched into the air crashing to the ground. Soon it became very obvious to the two that they needed to be the focus of the other.
The swift swordsmen vs the lumbering brute. Their battle alone waged for several hours. Long after all the humans and other creatures had perished in the aftermath of their fight. While the ogre general could not catch Geoff, Geoff could do little other then make the ogre suffer minor injuries. It was at the end of this fight that Geoff had put on a brave face and had his sword at the ready eyeing down the ogre, that the ogre placed the giant mace upon his shoulder and with his free hand balled into a fist he pounded it on his black breastplate three times.
Geoff was confused momentarily, but as the ogre general turned and marched away, he could do nothing. As Geoff's legs were already threatening to buckle out from under him. He had barely the strength to hold his sword up, while the ogre calmly walked away giving him mercy for the great fight.
The kingdom of Zeiss was spared, but the price was great.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Storyteller leaned forward looking at each of the children, who had been quiet for quite some time. Some of the younger ones had excited expressions on their faces, while the older ones looked more thoughtful trying to piece together the implications of the story.
“The world outside respects the strong. It might not be fair, but it is true.” He closed his hazel eyes briefly before opening them again.
“I hope that each of you is able to grow and become powerful in your own ways so that one day you will have stories that can be told of you, by people like me.” The Storyteller grinned.