Author: marc schiermeier

Svart thought back and remembered his dream and the events afterward.

The White Rabbit and others had come to him with knowledge of the thing he would need to win against the witch and her minions. As she tried to tell Svart where it was, the woods grew dark and the witch approached and which caused her to flee. The White Rabbit who always spoke the truth was very skittish. The birds of the forest, led by the Great Owl, told Svart they would leave clues to where the thing Svart sought would be. It would be hidden in the wilderness inside their eggs and he should search their eggs. That was all they could say before the darkness ended his dream and Svart woke up.

That morning was as close as Svart can remember to being his birthday. Not sure which one. Somewhere over fifty perhaps by a year or two. Svart was born in that shack. The shack mother had me in and we lived afterwards. The shack Svart still lives in. It is much better now than it was. Svart has repaired it. Svart has nice bedding now. Nice soft smallclothes. Fine boots. A rug. A foldling fan. All that Svart has made.

Svart is better than when lived with mother. Svart is a man now and good at being hardworking and dependable. Just as mother told him to be. Svart still gets up early to clean the tavern and see if people had thrown away any items on the ground just as mother made me do. Till I do that, and head to the fields or woods to gleen what I can there, the day just doesn’t feel right. His mother would be proud to have all the items he had now.

Even then, the past never lets things feel right. His Love is gone. Killed by the Witch and her bandits obviously. Svart sometimes wishes she was just taken prisoner, but it has been so long. When Svart becomes King, it will never be as it should. His marriage and queen will have to be for strategy and politics.

Then something had happened before market. A sickness had come over Svart and all the people of Runeheim. A mark had also appeared on everybody including Svart’s head. The mages certainly had something to do with this. Fire mages particularly since it was their symbol. It was an ill omen.

Still, Svart had a treasure to find. Svart went into the woods. Searching all the places I know where to find bird eggs. There was nothing unusual with most of them. Most looked normal. Others were had a strange shininess to them. I broke them open but found only yolk. Still, Sart felt he was getting closer. Finally, a strange egg I did find. Shiny like gold. I broke it open and searched the insides. The yolk poured through my hand and left teeth. Wolves teeth. I knew where the treasure was, but to far to go today. Svart returned to the forum.

However magic spirits attacked that night. They attacked and walked invisible among us infecting people’s minds with magic. The spirits attacked and the sickening magic built up in Svart until it couldn’t be restrained any more. Svart began to vomit out the magic. Svart was forcing it out when I heard somebody say “Don’t ask the magic monsters any questions. They know the answer to any question but it just makes them stronger.” Svart tried to get up to tell them to be quiet, but the urge to get the magic out of my body was too strong. Svart could not do anything but vomit and think of how they had just told the traitors and spies in Runeheim how to find out all our secrets.

The vomiting was stopping but it was too late. Svart laid there thinking about how everything he might keep secret from the Witch was now known. His love was gone. Svart’s allies would be killed or worse. She knew everything and it drove Svart into Despair. There was nothing I could do. All hope was lost. To save himself, I’d have to go into hiding. Give up my birthtright as king and my duty to his allies and friends. Others would die without Svart there. Runeheim might not even survive. Svart felt that this is what he would have to do to to survive for his own benefit. His friends in the wilderness. His subjects and allies in Runeheim. All have to be sacrificed for him to survive.

NO! No, Svart told myself. Svart would not be afraid! I was a man now. Nobody could make me do what I didn’t want to do. Svart was not a child now and could kill any who would try to make Svart do what he didn’t want to do. He could run and then extract vengeance as he did in the past. Svart could not abandon his friends and allies. The Witch could only feed off Svart giving up. Without him, there was no hope for the world against the Witch and her masters, the Witch Kings. Svart would not give up! Svart would fight. Svart would win or die! If Svart dies, my blood will go back to the land and give it power.

Svart finished vomiting and stood back up. The monsters had stopped their attack and were no longer to be seen. Our enemies had made use of them and lured them away asking questions of all our secrets. The bandits, the witch, the other countless enemies of the people of Runeheim were using them against us. The speed which the traitors in Rune Hime had worked was astounding. It was obvious that they must be ferreted out and killed as until they are, the Witch will always know everything.

The next morning, Svart left Runeheim. Svart went to where I needed to go, far away. The hilltop was wooded but empty. Svart looked all over. Going round and round the area to see if there was anything I had missed. But there was nothing there. It was gone. The thing the White Rabbit had sent him after was gone. Had they managed to move it before the witch got here, or did the witch get it? That is the question.

Svart’s Journal – Game 15

What’s going on in Svart’s head:

Should have taken direct actions sooner. We have retaken Runehime and our enemies are fleeing. Morale is high.

Gothics were Njords that moved south. Benalius must have been descended from the Snow Lions clan. The Best Lions. He brought back true Njord culture. It’s so obvious. How easily the deeper revelations of the universe reveal themselves to Svart once he realized that he and the land are one.

Town cheered for Svart for helping feed them and providing salt. Malachi even said so. Vart must continue to strive to feed the town. Without me, the enemy would starve the people.

My spies have found where the witch is. They revealed its location in the warfare meeting. It and its coven are to the east, surrounded by woods filled with its bandits. The bandits that have always plagued Svart are in the woods protecting them. They’ll have to be dealt before attacking the witches and Lodi. First, Svart needs to find the spies in Runeheim that are informing the bandits and deal with them. The mages are suspect, to be sure, but for some reason, the church has been lured into trusting them. Still, I am sure there are others.

Probably mind magic. They have been very clever lately with their attempts to ensnare Svart. The Color Wizard has made attempts to be friendly towards Svart. Apparently, its name is Clemmens. The one that calls itself Java keeps insisting on joining in on community projects such as the Wise events. It bothers Svart to see her try and infect them with Wyrd magics. When Father Erasamus came in with the rings and the oath of community, she tried to edge her way into it.

I worry about Vernon. After Cnut, he is Svart’s oldest friend who has not died, been killed, abducted, or disappeared mysteriously. With the forces that have removed Cnut from the playing field still in play. Their next step would be Father Erasamus. Svart needs to protect him. I warned him of such but he is strong and says he can handle it, although he is grateful for Svart’s concern. He is probably trying to put himself between Svart and Svart’s enemies, but it is time to take a stand and prevent those enemies from gaining any more ground.

We marshaled our forces and marched on the forces of Sven, the friend of Cnut’s who was turned into a vampire. We did fight many vampires and hurt them drastically. Svart went into battle bravely and struck down vampires himself. I jumped and dodged so quick they could not strike me. Then I had to bandage some of the other warriors.

This Santiago merchant seems too nice and too good with a sword. Svart will need to keep a close eye on him to see if he is an ally or a plant by the bandits to get an assassin close to Svart. They try these things sometimes, but Svart is too clever for them to work.

Bandages. We need more bandages. Svart should make all his people bandages. Everybody gets bandages so everybody has bandages. Svart could make little pouches with bandages. They could all go on the very back of the belt so people know where to find them. People shouldn’t use their own bandages on themselves, as those are for them. Others will apply the bandages. Svart will give them to the most trusted and worthy first.

Svart’s Journal – Game 14 – Time for Action

It has come to the time to take action.

The Witch which had been placed here by Lodi, to watch and hinder Svart. They are served by bandits that lay in the woods and the Witch and its bandit minions have moved against Svart by attacking not just him, but his friends, and the city of Runeheim that I live in. Knut’s friend Sven was corrupted and House Fenris used to attack Runheim to get at Svart. Knut’s fate is still unknown. If only Svart had acted directly earlier, they all could have been saved.

There is now momentum and time to take it. Svart’s general has retaken Runeheim. He shall have his spymaster seek out the bandits and their witch master, so they can be located and destroyed. They could be anywhere, and certainly have some agents in the city. Working with the mages, no doubt. He and his assassin will cut them down for what they have done to Svart and the Njords.

We need to be human smart, not orc smart, just as we were when the Njords took this land from the Jötunn brood.

Then Dunns are seeking help from Svart for their freedom just as the Njords do. Their leader came and talked to Svart. Svart could see that he recognised Scart for who is really is and was begging for his help for his people. Svart has always been a friend to the Dunns, and they to him. There are people who will work against them because of this.

The Witch still corrupts the wilderness where Svart and the land are one. It is time to come out from directing from the shadows and act directly. Hunt those that tormented Svart as a child. Svart is a man now. They can’t hurt Svart as they hurt me when I was a child. Svart won’t allow it. Svart is strong now. Svart can keep them from hurting him any more. Time to hunt and torment them now. Time to make them afraid.

So says, Svart, True King of the Njords, Protector of the Dunns.

Svart’s Journal – Game 13

Svart remembers back to the events of Lord Rennet’s Party…

Svart had heard of the party Lord Rennet was throwing. A party where everybody pretends to be a vampire. Svart was excited to make a costume for this party. I had collected and put together lots of cloth. Applying my great needleworking skills, I wrapped myself skillfully in dark rags as that is what vampires wear.

There are a lot of new people in town lately. No doubt that many of them are bandits here to spy for the witch. That or they are more Gothics here to take over Njord lands. This party will be a good opportunity to study people.

Along the way, I met a woman who was not feeling well surrounded by dark figures. Svart greeted them according to his disguise.

“Hello fellow humans. Are you going to the party of Lord Rennet where people dress up as vampires.”

The woman replied, “I was going, but I feel too weak all of a sudden. I was going to take this bottle of mead. If you are going, will you take it there for me?”

“Of course. It is no problem” and Svart took the bottle of delicious mead from the woman and addressed the figures around her, that darted back and forth like smoke covered in dark rags.

“Are you going to Lord Rennet’s party, my fellows?”

They hissed “No, we will stay here with the woman. Knut is at the party, and we fear to go there. You must be brave if you are going there.”

Svart replied, “I am brave as well as clever. Knut will be no problem for me”, and I left the group for the party, having outwitted even other vampires.

Svart arrived at the ‘Everybody pretend to be a vampire’ party dressed in his carefully crafted outfit. He drifted through the party pretending to be a vampire pretending to be a human. People cowered in fear, as Svart was so convincing that everybody thought he was a vampire. He could hear people cower in fear from him as murmurs went though the party.

To the side, Knut took the cigarette from his mouth and said “Eh! It is only Svart dressed in one of his magnificent outfits” in his husky, manly voice. Knut is Svart’s longest living friend left in Runeheim. Helgi, Rolf, Shanahan, Ms. V, and Victor, all dead or missing due to the Witch or her spies manipulating events against Svart’s allies. Svart hopes the Witch does not notice how he is friends with Svart and that nothing bad happens to Knut.
Eventually, he turned over the bottles over to the party, both his and the one he picked up from the woman along the way. The mead the woman had was quite good. Sweet and spicy!

Svart glided through the crowd just like a vampire would have. He looked after Graham winning money from some poor sucker that obviously didn’t know who he was dealing with! Then he came across the other needleworker I had met today, Tuva’s son. Svart stopped to admire the finely crafted outfit he had spoken of earlier. It was nice. Very nice. Svart wonders how he managed to cheat enough of his customers to get the resources to make such a garment.

While at the party, a man asked for everybody’s names. Svart made up a stupid human Rogalian name to give as still pretending to be a vampire pretending to be a human. When Dvart asked for his name, the seated man announced that he was Lord Rennet, in disguise! Svart, not wanting to miss a good opportunity for business, threw off his disguise and revealed himself as actually Svart, who is hardworking and dependable. Lord Rennet was impressed with Svart’s disguise and ability.

After that, the mead was growing low, and Svart returned home.

Svart does not like the spirits of the dead wandering around. Svart decided to go into the woods to get away. I like it better in the woods. Thinking is better in the wilderness. Whatever they want to do with the walking dead of the Dragomir, or its live walking sister, Svart would rather just not be a part of it.

Svart thinks Alar-Rick has given him some good information. He reminds Svart of Victor. Similar jaw line, but not as funny. Victor was always funny, and a good employer. Alar-Rick is neither of those things. I wonder what an Alar is? Some predator like a wolf perhaps, just like Wolf-Rick. What is a Rick? Something that can have the qualities of a wolf or an alar.

He did alert Svart of the woman that is in town trying to corner the market and make it a monopoly. I can picture her face, but not remember her name. That something would affect Svart’s perfect memory is a sign of witchcraft. Is she a servant of the Witch, or is the Witch trying to hide her from Svart? It could also be the mages using their wyrd magic for their own evil purposes. They often attack Svart and affect his memory with constant sustained psychic attacks. I will have to find and test her to see if she is an ally or foe to Svart.

It is good that Ragnar and the new guy, Gram, are the Master of Coin now. Ragnar is probably the only man with the reputation and dedication to get the job done. Gram wants to create a market and take over business in Runeheim area. He has a good head on his shoulders. We should arrange on a market, if just to promote our own businesses. People need their items repaired, and we need to sell things.

Calls came out from the woods in the distance. Men shouted commands as beasts growled.

“They are out hunting the Skogerblodi.” said the Old Fox on Svart’s left. The Old Fox had lived in the woods for a long time. It was missing one eye, and had lived so long it had two tails. Svart’s mother had told him about him when he was still a child.

“He wants to die.” said the Skogerblodi Monster on Svart’s right. The Skogerblodi Monster looked something like an Alar. His eyes shined with reflected light even though the sky was moonless.

“That is their duty to do. My knowledge of the woods is deeper and my duties lay elsewhere.” I inform my forest companions.

“What is that?” asks the Old Fox.

“Searching.”

”For Treasure?”

“I have found Treasure in the woods: gems, precious metals, and rare woods.

Still, those are not what I am searching for. That is something even more important and more valuable.”

Svart had been in the woods searching. First, to find the blocked paths. He had gathered what he could, and then returned to find the rest of the stones needed for repair of the broken cairn. They cairn couldn’t be fixed without Svart. Svart wondered if those were what THEY had told him to seek, but he did not think so. There was still something else to find. But first, he would rest.

Svart got up from my rest. It was time to go to court. He usually misses court, but he needs to fulfill his duties and know what is going on in his city. He gets up from his bunk and puts on his best tunic, and dons his regal wolf-bear cloak. Satisfied that he is looking his best he heads to court.

He tries to enter without making any sound and stands in the back. Still, when he enters a hush spreads through the room as the various factions realize Svart is there. Those that followed the Witch’s orders knew fear and began to worry. Others wondered what it meant. Knut, Svart’s friend and ally, gave a nod to Svart knowing he was there to support him in court. The room tried to regain its composure and continue with its conversation.

The Mages tried to befuddle his attention. They had been casting spells on Svart to keep him between markets from remembering that they are mages. However, Svart is overcoming their enchantments and is able to remember now. The green mage had switched to a blue outfit to try and enhance his magic, but Svart saw through his attempts. Svart was becoming immune to their spells and remembering who they were.

Various issues were brought up on monster hunting at court. The mages wanted to be put into a position of handling this as they could manipulate it for their own advantage. Knut saw through their lies and made it a matter for the fighting men like us. The matter of the Master of Coin was brought up. Ever since Victor had been manipulated by the Witch to make bad decisions, nobody else had been able to handle the city’s coin as well as he could. Svart has always paid his taxes. Svart is hardworking and dependable. Others, like the Gothics must not be pulling their share. Looks like they might have Ragnar work things out. He’d sort things out. He’s a good Njord with a sensible head on his shoulders.

Severin stands at the grave of his wife, who died tragically, but of completely natural and explained unavoidable occurrence that did not result in a malefic apparition nor any dark secrets, just three years previously. He thinks to himself in a manner that seems to him as if he was speaking to her.

“My life has changed so much in the last few years. From a gatherer who spent most of his free time in the tavern to a knight of the new order serving the local Lady. Funny, my clothes are still just as patched. Still, my life isn’t the only one that has changed.

Esme is 13 and becoming a young woman. Rude things have been said about her by Yves friends. Not so rude that Yves or I would have to step in. While those boys think they are being daring, at this point they don’t know any of the concepts that would be really rude. It does bring attention that I need to have a woman talk to her. There are some things I just am not suited for trying to explain. I certainly am not ready for it. What I can do is try and make sure she gets what she needs for a better life. She has been taught the etiquette and Jovienne recipes, perhaps I can manage to get her a position in the castle kitchens?

Yves, now 11, is taking over his duties as my squire. I was worrying earlier in that day if he and his sisters might have trouble adjusting to my new status as a knight. However, with no prompting on my part, when a member of the community decided to find jobs for all the children of the village to keep them active, he declared he was going to be my squire. For now, he is managing my jerkin, boots, and other leather items. He is being taught how to care for my regular sword and bow. When I have armor, he’ll look after that to some degree and if my previous experience with knights means anything, more importantly, he’ll help me put it on and take it off.

Feyette is now 10 and corrects me, and rightfully so, when I act like she is still a younger child. She is the age now that I keep thinking Esme still is. She seems to have grown up the quickest and takes me by surprise the most in that since you have left. Perhaps I can take over my beekeeping and brewing to her, which would also mean what I know about apothecary skills also.

Finally, Bijou is now 17. First of our children as you called him. He is old for a dog, and has had a hard life at times. Especially recently with the things in the woods and trouble the kids have gotten into, that he has protected them from. He might not make it to see any of the children married even if he does not meet another troll. He has been watching over them better than I have in the years since you left.”

Svart is in the wilderness now. Searching.

Svart likes the wilderness. Svart always thinking clearer in the wilderness than in the town. The wilderness is his friend. It seems like home. Although home is Runehiem where I grew up. Svart doesn’t know about the state of Runeheim. Many things are troubling. More and more Gothics keep coming to colonize Runeheim. That there is a brothel is an example. Runeheim never had a brothel. I don’t see why we need one now. It used to be that whores could make enough money to have a house and a life where they could raise a child, like my mother did. Now they are put into a single building and expected to work like soldiers while the profits of their labors are taken from them. Svart would bet that all the women in the brothel are Dunns. Gothics seem to like to make Dunns do all their slave work.

Now that Svart had met allies in the wilderness. They have confirmed what Svart knew, and made me realize that besides Shanahan, the Witch Queen also has taken Miss V captive. She was making boots for Svart when she disappeared. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Luckily, Svart has found the Witch-Queen’s new spy in Runeheim. They revealed themselves too quickly with their hatred of Svart. Witch-Queen thinks Svart is not knowing of them, but I am ahead of her. Svart has uncovered the deep occult of mages. Through hints and cunning, Svart has determined their secret. That once their souls have been eaten by their magic as Wolf-Rik has revealed, then they stop being people, and they become witches. I could reveal this to the priests and get their help against the mages, but that would mean giving up on those who might be saved. Svart just needs to save them before the magic eats their soul and just leaves a predatory wyrd intellect in their shell of a body like the other mages in Runeheim. They cannot trick Svart.

Knut was brave this market. He killed a kuarlite all by himself. The others ran away but Knut stayed and fought. He did get hurt really bad though. Svart should have gone with him. Svart could have protected him.

The winter celebration was a success. The log was burned and was not put out by the ghosts. The ice ghost showed up. Svart led the charge to protect the Yule log. My new armor took many hits from the ice ghosts and deflected them all. Svart made good armor, and many were killed with Svart’s sword. I jumped in singing the community songs and forcing the ghosts back till they finally retreated.

Searching. Must search the wilderness. Find things just like I find something every day and take back. Because Svart is hard working and dependable. Always get up early and bring back something every day. Long gone are the days where Svart would not find anything and come home with nothing and mother would beat him for not being hard working and dependable. Svart was a child then. Svart is a man now. A grown Njord Man. A great and strong fighter now. Svart always finds things to bring home.

Svart is in the woods now. There is a thing to find. Svart will find the thing.

Victor is dead. Executed by the city for selling the Stone Antlers into slavery. Although it seems he was just trying to save their lives before the city went and killed them all since they didn’t want to feed them or risk plague. I’ve heard guards say as much.

He obviously didn’t pay off the right people though. He should have found whoever the Rogalians are paying off. After all, as the Dunns all tell me, despite what they say, the Gothic Empire allows slavery. So, somebody is obviously getting their cut and angry with Victor for him not giving it to them.

That means almost all of my friends are dead or gone. Rolf, killed by an evil priest with dark rituals. Helgi died in the forest fighting the witch and her bandits to protect me. Shanahan hasn’t been around for some time now that I think about it. The longest friend Svart has that is still alive is Cnight Cnut. Perhaps the forces that are working against me by killing my friend will target him next. I will have to make sure he is protected.

He did after all invite Svart to his feast and give me the seat of honor at it. He knows Svart is hardworking and dependable and pulls the slack of the Gothics that have come and eat all our food. That and he and Svart fought together against the undead earlier in the market.

Svart will fight even better once he finishes his armor. Then I can also make armor for all of Cnut’s other warriors for which will get lots of money to add to my treasure.

However, the thing that worries Svart now is the threat of alien trade organizations. The Hestrali are seeking to come in and take all the trade away from Nord crafters and merchants. Svart needs to do something. Svart could become a nord trade organization. He has already talked to the Snow Lions and the merchants that were at court. He could buy and sell items within the Nord lands and outside, and keep the Hestrali out.

The first night of Market was revealing to Severin. He had been hearing lots of people talk about Vecatrans lately. Eventually, it was all too clear that many of those in the village of Luisant were actually Vecatrans. This had also happened after much talking about how a good Benalian should deal with such also. Perhaps now, the secret is out, and perhaps more knew much more than he did as people now openly talked about pagan ceremonies and discussion with crones and spider spirits in graveyards.

The next thing that was unsurprising to Severin that others obviously had known was that the beavers and the Naiads were fighting each other over an artifact that somebody in the village has. Seemed to him like it might be of a major importance to the village, but everybody treated such news as if they not only known it before, but that it had no bearing on the community. At this point, if nobody else was getting worked up about it, it was to the point that Severin was beginning to think everybody must know and he was the last to find out.

The new morning at least brought some semblance of normalcy to his life. Meeting up with Etienne to go look for resources and make the survey map of where they were for the community. It was fairly normal, at least until Valentine fell down a hole. It went down into the darkness and without a rope, there was nothing that could be done. Etienne would have his map and then we could rescue Valentine.

This was all well and good until the map was completed and people split up and Severin found himself fallen down a hole in the woods while getting some mining done. Luckily, Milo was there to use his magic to slam Severin up against a wall as he fell. The other option was to fall into an orifice embedded into fleshy tunnels which was filled with a pile of ‘deep meat’. Being slammed against the far wall was by far the better option. Then he met Valentine, Cadence, and Milo who were already wandering around in the tunnels.

The tunnels were a maze of confusions and obstacles. They were not all fleshy tunnels like the ones ventured into during the previous market. Some were indeed stonelike in structure. They were all fairly linear and featureless except for occasional symbols carved into the walls which made it difficult for Valentine to map. To add to things, there were pits of acid, supposedly from the digestive features of the fleshy tunnels, and half human rats, supposedly either humans, rats, or the descendents of both, that had entered the tunnels by some means and subsisted upon the ‘deep meat’. These rats were not only fighting with sword and shield, but also had their own wizards that attempted to make people change sides through mind control as well as cast spells. The rat wizards also exploded into caustic pools of gore once killed.

Eventually, another group fell into the tunnels consisting of a large party of people. Banding together, the exploration of the tunnels continued and the symbols started to make sense. Members of the new group seemed to be able to draw upon other sources for information. Eventually, after many attacks by rats, the group exited the tunnels at the shrine that had been created last market by the malefic knight after the assault on Chiroproctor.

Once back in the village, things seemed to settle down a bit. Severin’s son, Yves, showed up with the family dog, Bijou, saying the dog was hungry and needed to be fed, when, in reality, it was the son that was hungry and needed to be fed. Severin had just broken out the meat and cheese when court decided to start up around them. There was a disturbance between Cruxmore soldiers acting as guards and the orders of Lady Delphine. Mostly because they were being carried out by Theo, who the guards attacked, most likely on orders of their imprisoned old commander. They also happened to attack Henri which was generally seen as a bad idea by everybody else in the village. In the end, the guards were commanded to leave the valley and go back to their own lands.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. At least it was unconcerning. There were various folkwise festivals, including the beastwise festival. They went with little complications that Severin saw other than nobody being on his side of the Beastwise game of capture the flag was in any condition to run. In the end, it all came down to the other side being able to dodge better. Dinner wound down with various groups talking about what they were going to do that night. One being a journey into the “thicket” to rescue a spirit that had apparently helped the village on the assault on the tunnels the previous market. Severin however was not a part to any of that and a quick nap turned into a night’s rest.

Almost anyway. He did wake up sometime later just in time to run into the village getting worked up to go assault the tunnels he had been trapped in earlier that day. There was a lot of people discussing the objective in groups and building up hype. They came to him as well as others and discussed if we were a community, if we would rather work together than fight, and how we should band against the rats and this wizards in this effort. Severin, having seen the rat wizards joined in the cry that rang through the village, “Fuck the Rat Wizards!”

WIth that oath on their lips, the village headed back to the tunnels together. They ventured down into them past where they were before earlier in the day. They sought out the meat tunnels and the rats for a grand melee. Then everything went to hell.

Chaos reigned. The group was attacked in both the front and the back. A magic wall sprung up in the middle of the groups separating them and preventing them from aiding each other. Rats came through the walls and attacked people who were expecting to be defended by those in the front or back of the group as a whole. Those fighters in the front and back were being tested by much stronger rat fighters and wizards than had been faced earlier. One came through a hole in the wall almost too small to see, stood taller than Severin at his tip toes, and struck him down before he could even begin to move his blade.

When he came back around, he was being bandaged and the battles was still going on. He was in the front group and many had gone forward, into a large acid pool by leaping from the islands of uneven flesh that made up the tunnel walls, floor, and ceiling which that rose above the acid. Shouts of a pregnant rat queen came back down the line along with accounts of rat wizards attempting to turn people of Luisant back on their own. With a cry of “Fuck rat wizards!” Severin rose and pushed forward. At times he had to jump onto the islands in the acid just to give those behind him room to fight the creatures that came through the walls. Then to jump back to give the warriors ahead of him more room to maneuver. In all of that, he had a hard landing and his sword slipped from his grasp and fell into the acid beyond his reach. Then another rat came through the wall and wall, sent him flying against the tunnel wall. Severin hit the wall hard and fell to the ground. The rat continued on to threaten others, not even bothering to notice if he was still alive.

Severin felt as if he had failed. His martial skills were pitiful. Without his bow which he did not have time to fetch nor the arrows to use, he seemed more of a hindrance to the group as a whole than an aid. He just laid there telling himself he was no good unless he can gain more martial skills. Eventually somebody came to his aid, and he told them he did not need help and rose on his own. There, defensless, he sought to do nothing more than take an additional blow instead of somebody else, who would continue on the fight just a little longer.

Then with another cheer of “Fuck rat wizards!” it was announced they had killed the defeated the rats, rat queen, dropped the wall preventing the groups from rejoin, and were leaving the tunnels in victory. Severin did what he could to help carry those who could not walk out on their own, and returned to the village with a more realistic vision of his current abilities.