From alt.pub.dragons-inn Mon Feb 14 13:32:13 1994 Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!olivea!sgigate.sgi.com!sgiblab!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!paperboy.amoco.com!hawkings!apctrc!msc.edu!news.gac.edu!news.gac.edu!usenet From: Thorr-kan, the White Minotaur, and Horde Father-Confessor Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [Roaming] Interception Date: 13 Feb 1994 23:43:28 GMT Organization: Gustavus Adolphus College Lines: 137 Distribution: world Message-ID: <2jmdv0INN3hn@news.gac.edu> Reply-To: mcutter@nic.gac.edu NNTP-Posting-Host: flash.gac.edu Once again, the cloak of night covers Nexus. With her comes coolness and a sense of relief. It has been a hot day, the sun combining with humidity to sap the energy from every living creature. At the edge of the Great Forest, a grim and battered half-elf appears. His chest heaving, he leans back for a moment, intent on catching his breath. For several minutes, he remains motionless reveling in the quiet. Abruptly, he straightens, an ear cocked to the wind. Faintly, from the distance, a howl begins to rise. The half-elf shakes his head resignedly and starts off at a trot. They have found him again. *** The wolves had come upon him just before noon. Thaddius was breaking camp and leaving when something made the half-elf duck. Claws and teeth raked across his back. Turning his stumble into a roll Thad turned to his foe. It was lupine, but white and scaly with an odor. "Wolf!" whispered Thaddius Farsinger, awed. Such creatures were rare in his homeland. With a frustrated howl, the creature turned to face Thad. Answering growls echoed around him, sending him into a crouch. Swinging his staff to gain a moments time, Thad sidled towards the fire. 'If I can keep the fire behind me,' Thad thought, 'I have a chance!'. There, he called upon Chan-Da'all for for protection. Cold settled around Thad. With a glance to the wolf, he stepped into the fire. The three wolves in the clearing pulled up, seemingly confused by the disappearance of their prey. The half-elf took the extra seconds to attempt communication with them. 'Brother, why do you assault me?' he thought. 'pprreeeeyyyy...,' came the reply. 'yyyoouuu aarrrreeeeeee ffffoooooeeee ooff tthhhhhee mmmmmassssterrrr......' 'Indeed?' answered Thaddius. 'Then it seems we have a problem. I do not plan on being any creature's meal this day.' He crouched lower in the flames, feeling the heat build. The protection was failing; Thad would have to make a move soon. He began concentrating. Outside the fire, the four more wolves joined their companions. The seven circled nervously, waiting for something to happen. Finally, two gathered their courage and risked the flames. BOOM! A clap of thunder sounded as the two entered. From the far side of the blaze, the half-elf emerged. Three other wolves attacked, knocking him off his feet and inflicting massive wounds. But then the image wavered and faded. Confused, the three turned to howls rising from the flames. Their two companions were frozen inside the fire and being consumed. And Thaddius Farsinger was sprinting from the clearing under the distraction his illusion and magic had caused. With howls of anger, the five remaining pack members gave pursuit. The pursuit immediately ran into problems; specifically, the thorns Chan-Da'all raised behind her priest. These delayed the wolves long enough for Thad to put his escape plan into action. While the wolves tore at the brambles, the bard preyed for Chan-Da'all to remove any trace of his presence. Then, reaching deep inside himself, Thad called forth his touch of Power. He shaped it carefully but quickly. In a little bit of time, a mist appeared and coalesced into the form of a horse. Thad leaped astride and galloped off. When the wolves arrived, he was gone. No matter to these creatures. The master had given them a directive. Whatever the prey was using to shield himself would fail eventually. And then, they would be there to find him. *** 'And ride fast and far, I did,' comes the thought to Thad. 'Throughout the heat of the day I rode. When my magic failed, I took flight on foot. But it seems all this was for nought. They have found me at last.' This chase had taken Thaddius racing under the treetops of the Great Forest. Nothing moved, nothing bothered him. It was almost as if the Forest was awaiting something with held breath. When his mount disappeared, Thad took several minutes to locate water and then continued in the oppressive heat, finally coming to rest at dusk on the edge of the Forest. Here, in the open, he would make his stand. The half-elf slid to a stop in the site he had chosen for this stand. It was along the edge of a gully, above some small falls. Thad turned back to the Forest. Almost as if cued, the five wolves burst forth, covering the gound in massive strides. Realizing he needed a distraction, Thad concentrated. A phantom sprang forth from his outstretched hand and raced towards the lead wolf. It went down snarling. Its packmates spread out to avoid it. Again Thaddius concentrated summoning several balls of light that went spinning towards his foes. Two more wolves were distracted long enough for Thad to brace himself for combat. The final two wolves close, breaking to attack from opposite sides. Thad cracked the first across the jaw. Yelping it retreated. Its companion, foiled by the gully, tried attacking from the other side. It, too, was struck by a whirling quarterstaff that broke jaw and leg and bruised ribs. Only the timely arrival of its comrade saved it from death. The half-elf met this rush head-on, using his staff to fling the wolf into the gully. Snarling, it hit the river below and was swept over the falls.. Turning again, Thad struck his second attacker on the skull, killing it instantly. But no time remained for mourning lost life. The three survivors had overcome their distractions and were closing for the kill. Concentrating a final time, Thad brought forth the smell of rotten eggs. Then he called on Chan-Da'all again, asking that the Seeker open the eyes of her creatures. Snarls erupted as the back wolf started nipping at the heels of his companion. The closest leapted, knocking Thad to he ground and ripping at his shoulder and chest. Over and over the two rolled, along the edge of the gully. Kicking out, Thad shoved the wolf away. It scrambled momentarily, but could not catch its grip on the crumbly earth. Howling, it fell into the falls. In the distance, Thad could she the final wolf finishing its treacherous comrade. Eyes watering, he then turned and vaulted across the gully to the other side. Meanwhile, the remaining wolf was brought up short. Between the stench, the treachery, and the gully, it seemed to confused to think clearly. Thad took advantange removin his sling and several bullets. He quickly dispatched it. Praying to Chan-Da'all for forgiveness, he began jogging to the west, towards his next confrontation. *** All through the night, minions of Thorne scoured the land for the threat he had been alerted to. But no matter where his ravens flew, what his wolves attacked, or where his rats scurried, no trace of the half-elf could be found. It was as if he had disappeared off the face of Nexus. -Thaddius Farsinger "It is the quiet, unobvious threats that need watching out for." ******************************************************************************* Sometimes, those you love most are the ones you have to leave behind. Matt Cutter, e-mail to mcutter@nic.gac.edu OR mcutter@vax2.gac.edu Gustavus couldn't afford my opinions if they wanted them! *******************************************************************************