Of course I'm posting this w/o the author's prior permission, but if he has any problem with it, he is welcome to visit me in the States and we'll discuss it over some form of alcohol...
A Story of A Young Dwarf... Dragons.
The very word the epitome of terror, of fear...and of what being an adventurer is about.
Dragons.
Our world is home to several of them - in the far North in her frozen Palace, the Lady Vox, cold lady of terror, plots and schemes against the lesser beings of Norrath. On the no-longer-lost continent of Kunark, many Dragons have made their home - maybe even Veeshan himself abides there, the bards tell us.
And in his fiery lair in the Lavastorm Mountains, the hatred of the great Lord Nagafen burns with bright and terrifying fury.
He was our goal. The call had gone out from the Keepers of the Elements that no longer would Lord Nagafen be allowed to roam this world. And from every corner of Norrath, great adventurers came. Some were lured by the promise of the Dragonhoard, legendary treasures to sate the appetite of even the greediest of usurers. Others were there for the glory, a prize even more blinding than gold. And still others were there for the Cause - the fight against Dragonkind, against still-breathing relics of a bygone age.
What reason did I have for joining my friends on this foolhardy mission? None, save that they were my friends.
Led by the Captain, Rizz Wulfgard of the Keepers of Elements, we formed ranks. The Sorcerers weaved their art, the Clerics bestowed upon us their wards and blessings. Fey energies crackled in the air, and the Captain called out his units for the battle against the beast. Along with the Enchantress Togashi and other of his fellow Keepers, Rizz had cleared the way to the heart of Nagafen's lair, routing the host of Fire Giants that the Dragon kept as his personal guard. But there was no telling how long it would be before the Giants would return...time was of the essence.
Rarely has such a band of noble warriors been gathered in one place! I must admit, to my great shame, that I was frightened. No, I was terrified. But the steely resolve of my companions, the fierce look of dedication and the cool confidence of our Captain served to bolster my faith in myself and my skills, honed for years fighting every manner of foul fiend in Norrath.
"If that wyrm is going to try and shove us around, he's going to have to try hard!" I said, speaking my thoughts without realizing it. I got a look of approval from my fellow Dragonhunters. Noone smiled, though. All knew that what we faced was an ordeal many of us might not survive.
Led by Pynfold Uberhobbit, a warrior from Rivervale, our group was formed. Along with my longtime friend Palwen Plantagenate of the Phoenix Trading Company and three other brave souls, we were cast in the role of auxillary infantry, to engage the Dragon after the bravest and most skilled of our fighters had attracted its attention. I did not know our group leader well, and I suspect that under different circumstances, I would have avoided him. He was abrasive, boastful, and rude and discourteous to the female adventurers who fought alongside us. But it is true, as they say that War forges strange bonds between men. We were companions now, brothers in arms, and nothing, not even his rakish manners and irreverent sarcasm could break the bond formed by our common cause.
The Captain called the charge. What happened next I know not for sure. I heard the warcries of the greatest of Norraths champions, the sound of steel, the chanting of the battle healers... and then there was the roar.
I cannot begin to describe it. Every fiber of my being cried out for me to run, flee as fast as my legs could carry me, anywhere, just away from the source of that horrible sound. How could we possibly hope to survive this? We were fools, fools sent on a fool's errand by a vain Captain who only sought his own glory and a place in the annals of Norrath. My terrified mind cursed Rizz Wulfgard and his companions, who had done nothing but ensure us all a quick death and a watercolor epitaph.
But somewhere, I found the resolve to stand firm. I searched deep in my heart, and aided by the blessings cast upon me by our Clerics and the sacred talismans of Clan Steingrinder that I carried, I found the strength of faith to engage the foul beast. And with all my skill I rushed across the bridge to the attack, wielding Holy sword and shield, my battlefury shining like a star.
How does one kill a mountain? That was how it felt. The Dragon Lord was far larger than I had dreamed. I hacked at the beast's scaly side as my companions surrounded it and increased the fury of their attacks. Lava rained down from above, blistering my skin, but I felt no pain. I did not notice the fire in my hair and beard, so intent was I upon my opponent.
Too late did I notice the flicker of movement to my right. Suddenly I was hit with incredible force and flew across the bridge. The beast had flung its tail at me as were I a gnat on a warm summer day. My ribs were shattered, and I soon passed out.
I awoke to see my friend Boroque Lifegiver standing over me, drenched in sweat and blood. "He'll live," he said, "who else needs my attention?"
We had been routed. The Captain had called a hasty retreat to give us to time to regroup for the second sally. Some of our companions had fallen. Many were gravely injured.
Caring for the wounded and enabling them to fight once more was rapidly draining the strength of our healers, and I noticed that even the calm and collected Captain looked harried and worried.
I soon understood his fears. The Fire Giants would not remain in hiding forever, and though they were no challenge for our company one by one, a large contingent of them would cause us problems and further sap the strength we would need for our assault on the Dragon.
There was a commotion at the rear of our lines. Past the injured and the dead strode a small group of adventurers as seasoned as I have ever seen - the Captain had called in reinforcements! He quickly gave his orders, that we of the main company would rest, and the new squad would handle the Fire Giants, should they return.
The new troops bristled with battle-hardened confidence as the Giants attacked. Orders from the Captain were barely audible above the booming shouts of outrage from the monsters, and everything seemed a shambles. Chaos was everywhere as magic and steel flew through the air.
My tutors at the Temple of Underfoot spoke of this phenomen, the Fog of Battle, and I was told that few had the clarity of vision to pierce it. This is a skill one is born with, it cannot be taught. It is what distinguishes the commander from the bully sergeant, the victor from the loser....the living from the dead.
The Captain must have been blessed with this skill at birth. He commanded his troops masterfully, and the reinforcements from The Fires of Heaven laid waste to the Giants like an October storm topples saplings.
It was time. If we did not move now, we might never get the chance again. The Dragon would fall before us - or we would die trying.
I know not if Lord Nagafen but toyed with us when we first engaged him, like a cat will play with a mouse before eating it - but there was no pardon for our trespass this second time. Lava rained down and a fiery red inferno of tooth and claw met us as we rushed forth.
One of the first to fall before the ancient beast was Pynfold Uberhobbit.
As I said...I do not know if we would have been friends, had we met under different circumstances. But now the thought that I should never feel the friendly barb of his irreverent humor again was almost too much to bear.
Through tears I attacked, blindly, madly, seeking to punish Nagafen for taking away a friend before I even knew him. With no regard for pain or death I charged the beast. I remember no more.
As I write this, I sit in my bed in the monastery of Solusek Ro. I can eat other foods than gruel these days, and the Solusekian priests assure me that soon, maybe already in Spring, I shall be able to wield a sword again. I must. For I have a debt to pay, in blood. One day, Lord Nagafen, one day.
Drolgin Steingrinder,
Dragondancer par excellence!
Also known as Fnort Pnort, Swamp Thing Mojomaster
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