The Significant Side Adventure of Killian the Red
The following was presented to Caarad Surestrider by Killian the Red during their interview on 4 Rua 1509. It is an account of Killian's travels and adventures after he was seperated from the Bryhn adepts on 27 Mawag, 1508. After Killian's return, the weaponsmith dictated his tale to Gort, who transcribed it separately from his main journal. According to Killian, the document was sent to him by Karagian, elder of the Dragon's Neck Liferock, after the death of Gort. Feeling that the journal would be better served in a library, Killian graciously donated the work to us. Presumably, it was written sometime after Killian's return to the Bryhn adepts on 9 Gahmil, 1508 and before Gort's death on 28 Gahmil, 1508
Vardin Silvertongue
The Significant Side Adventure of Killian the Red
Day I - Twenty-seventh day of Mawag, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day III of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
As Gort and Dag raced through the pass, Killian awoke from his unconscious daze. When he regained his bearings, a burst of anger and adreneline caused the dwarf to jump off the cart. He unceremoniously rolled into some brush. Gort and Dag, concentrating on navigating the pass at high speeds, did not notice the departure of Killian.
The severity of Killian's wounds hit him then, and under the cover of brush he spent some time recovering. Some hours later, Killian heard a gread deal of sound from back in the pass. He found some high ground, and slowly made his way back the way he came. The dwarf came upon two large groups centered around a pair of orks. One was Darvis Trollsbane, and he was arguing with the other ork. From what killian could hear, the other ork wanted to organize a pursuit into the pass, but Trollsbane was denying him. Trollsbane's counter-argument chilled Killian to the bone. Trollsbane claimed that their mission was complete, and that mission was to start a war between Iopos and Throal. Eventually, Trollsbane quelled the anger of the other ork and took the majority of his troops north. A small group of five was left to guard the pass. Killian, knowing that something major was happening, decided to ambush the camp in the night so that he could interrogate one of them.
During the night, a monstrous storm arrived seemingly out of nowhere. As Killian moved to attack the first ork, the soldier staggered backwards. A flash of lighting revealed that his throat had been torn out. The shadow of a large creature appeared in another flash. Killiean moved back to watch as other shadowy forms moved into attack. No sooner had he begun to back off than he was confronted by a huge, black wolf with white stripes down its side. Although he kelpt his weapons down, Killian continued to back away only to find himself confronted by another wolf.
The wolves herded him back to the killing ground. Killian, while keeping an acute awareness of what was going on, began to observe certain gestures and sounds from the wolves. In a desperate maneuver, the weaponsmith began to copy these gestures. To his relief, the wolves responded positively. After Killian proved he had no evil intent, perhaps even passing some test, the lead wolf came over to him. She was a huge female, and as a gesture of peace she laid her head in Killian's lap. To the dwarf's amazement, all his wounds were healed! Overwhelmed by the events of the day, he collapsed into sleep.
Day II - Twenty-eight day of Mawag, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day IV of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
Late the next morning, Killian woke up to find one of the orks was still alive. He tied the ork up, and nursed him back to a stable condition. Once the ork awoke, Killian introduced himself. As he talked, he began to sharpen his axe methodically. While scratching his knotted beard, Killian discussed his barbering skills at length. After that, he asked the ork some questions. When the ork refused to answer, Killian boiled some water for a shave. When Killian's lathering of the ork's face did not loosen the prisoner's tongue, the dwarf made a few attempts to shave the ork with his axe. At that point, the ork talked. Killian was disturbed to discover that Darvis' Iopan soldiers were not from Iopos but members of his own mercenary band. The biggest discovery, though, was the knowledge that Trollsbane paid his soldiers in Theran currency.
Killian knew he had to stop the group from going to Throal. However, he found himself at a loss concerning his prisoner. Deciding that he could use another fighter in case things got rough, he made a deal with the ork. Killian offered the ork this deal - in return for the ork's life, the prisoner would swear to obey Killian's every command. He would do nothing without Killian's permission. Failure to obey would mean instant death. In return, Killian would train the ork to become a weaponsmith and would split any treasure evenly. Other than the strict rules, Killian promised to treat the ork fairly. To Killian's surprise, the ork slit his palm and offered a blood oath. Killian accepted, and it made him much more easy about the arrangement. Setting a tough precedent, Killian informed the ork that his name was now Boy, and that he would only lose that name when Killian deemed him worthy. They took two of the horses that were still tethered, saddled up and headed into the pass. They stopped for the night at the Dragon's Head .
Day III - Twenth-ninth day of Mawag, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day V of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
The next morning, they came to the pass town of Mirik. Killian, anxious to catch up with the group, stopped to pick up some extra provisions and to see if they were there. He was told that the group was headed south. He pressed on until he came to Forriam. Arriving there in the early evening, the creeping expansion of shadows added to Killian's dread. He initially made to leave, fearing the macabre corpses would come to life in the night. However, he could not resist the curiosity to test the danger. Going into a building with only one corpse, Killian went up to the person. It didn't move. He made ready to swing his axe. It didn't move. He chopped off his head. The head fell off, but nothing odd happened. Killian's curiosity could not temper his caution, and he opted not to test fate any further.
Killian and Boy pushed their horses hard, since the sun was setting quickly in the west. A couple of hours later, they arrived at the gates of Camil. The guards seemed very anxious and refused entry. Killian's repeated requests met with increasingly hostile responses. The dwarf, of course, had no idea of the events that had taken place earlier in the day. At the point of creating a scene, Killian gave up and made south for the town of Gevin.
Day IV - Thirtieth day of Mawag, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day VI of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
They reached Gevin the next afternoon. After seeing that the group had not reached the city yet, Killian settiled into one of the inns. He went to the docks to discover when the Vainglorious would arrive. After talking with the Dockmaster, Killian left a note and a description of the party in case he missed them. After that, Killian took the opportunity to begin the training of Boy.
Day V - First day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day VII of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
The day was spent intensively training Boy in the ways of the Weaponsmith, although much of the training had to do with Boy carting Killian's keg from location to location. The first crisis of the day developed when, after a busy flurry of stern lecturing, Killian discovered his keg to be nearly empty of life-giving dwarven ale. He immediately sent Boy running back to town, with Killian meandering in sometime thereafter. Once the keg problem was solved, Killian went by the docks and uncovered the second crisis of the day - the group had arrived in the early morning and already left, northward back the way the came! Figuring that his note must have had the desired effect, Killian smiled smugly to himself. Unfortunately, it was already evening and erring on the side of a night's tavern drinking, Killian elected to pick up the pursuit in the early morning.
Day VI - Second day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day VIII of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
The comedy of misses reached its pinnacle when an exhausted Killian and Boy reached Camil, and immediately left for an inn. Killian inquired to a certain guardsman about the group. The guardman noted and insisted that the group had left some time ago, not realizing their rearrival and presence in the town that very night. Already road weary and with another day of hard riding awaiting him, Killian retired for the evening.
Day VII - Third day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day IX of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
The next day got off to a late start as Boy's horse had to be reshod. Just as they were preparing to leave, a great clamor arose from the western gates. In the distance, a column of smoke could be seen rising in the air. As the guards murmered to themselves, a few overheard comments made Killian gasp. The smoke was coming from the direction of Forriam, the town with the undead population! Soon after, a contingent of soldiers was being sent to investigate. Killian, fearful for his friends, rode with them. Upon arrival, they found the last remnants of Forriam burning to the ground. Besides the large stone wall that backed the town hall, only one stretch of wall still stood. The origin of the fire seemed to be a large pyre in the center of town. Killian explained to the soldiers what he had saw here and speculated that his friends had stacked the bodies and burned them. As they moved closer, one of the soldiers noticed something etched into the part of the wall still standing. It read,
On this day, 3 Gahmil 1508,
Rokk Krinn
Gort, Chamberlain, Akasha, Garnel and Midnight Blue found this town, destroyed by the Cult of Ristul. With help from
Rokk Krinn
the bodies of the victims were gathered and they, along with this town of the dead, were burned so that their souls may move on to the Next Life. This was a deed of Absolute Bravery and Heroism. It was recorded on this day by
Rokk Krinn
Although it explained the situation, Killian was a bit put off by the obviously egotistical nature of this Rokk Krinn. He wondered why this Krinn was travelling with the group. As they crested over the center of town and emerged on the other side, each member of the contingent gasped in shock and horror. Strewn out for at least two miles were bodies. Here and there, corpses of men and horses littered the landscape. All of the bodies were of black-clothed figures, obviously the Ristular. None of them were the Bryhn adepts, Killian thankfully noted. Unfortunately, one of the soldiers speculated that perhaps the group was captured. Not willing to accept that option, Killian convinced most of the soldiers to form a search party while the remainder travelled back to Camil.
The search party travelled west. A large number of foot and hoove prints led that way. Unfortunately, it grew dark very quickly but they pressed further before finally admitting to themselves that the search must continue tomorrow. During this time, further north, Rokk Krinn, Garnel and Akasha were returning from their pursuit of the fleeing Ristular. Neither group noticed the other.
Day VIII - Fourth day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day X of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
Most of the day was spent pursuing the Ristular. One of the guards, Ragusa, was an expert hunter and able to form a picture from the various tracks and campsites they found. In the late afternoon, he informed Killian that the group was too small and travelling too quickly to have any prisoners nor were there any signs that would have marked an obsidiman or troll's passing. Furthermore, the soldiers all agreed that travelling further west into the mountains would be a dangerous and foolhardy idea. Forced to concede and left only with the hope of his friends survival, Killian resumed his northward trek with Boy. The soldiers made for Camil.
Day IX - Fifth day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day XI of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
Early the next morning, Killian and Boy reached Basta. Although they were suspicious, bordering on frightened, Killian was able to discover from them that his friends were indeed still alive and had been there the day before. Now assured that the group was indeed heading for Bryhn, Killian was able to slow the pace down for the sake of the horses. And Boy, of course. By the evening, they reached Mirik and camped outside the walls. Killian gave Boy a short lesson on smithing before going to sleep.
Day X - Sixth day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day XII of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
The first part of the day was spent winding up the Dragon's Breath Pass and getting into the mountains. Once there, Killian gave a lengthy discourse on the role of an apprentice that required seven to eight refills of his stein. Feeling that Boy needed a lesson in discipline, Killian elected to sleep through the night thereby making Boy stay awake on watch.
Day XI - Seventh day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day XIII of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
Killian and Boy revisited their place of first meeting the next morning. Most of the remnants of the encampment and the attack by the Storm Wolves were gone. In fact, there were no bodies or remains in the area whatsoever. Killian queried Boy some more concerning the motivations of Darvis Trollsbane, but was unable to gather anything more. However, Boy did speculate that the escape of the Bryhn soldiers at the ambush would probably cause Trollsbane to act quickly and more desperately. The remainder of the day's travel proved Boy right. From across the plains and steppes, plums of smoke could be seen in almost every direction.
Day XII - Eighth day of Gahmil, 1508 (This day corresponds to Day XIV of the Oft-Interrupted Journey to Throal)
One of the victimized villages, Heode, lay near their path of travel so Killian decided to stop there. The villagers told him stories of a group of savages led by a merciless ork and a human with a sunburst tatoo around his left eye. Boy told Killian that he did not know the Name of this human, only that he was Theran and on occasion, it seemed like he was the one giving the orders. With new information in hand, Killian and Boy pressed the rest of the day, reaching Bryhn at night. After giving Boy some time to sleep, Killian stayed up the rest of the evening sharpening his axe in anticipation of the coming days. Now that he had finally caught up with his friends, he intended to settle all matters with Trollsbane once and for all.
An
Interview with Killian the Red