The Outcast's Redemption

The First Meeting with Drogan and Kooxiel

After Saghla and Gleeg had been travelling for a while, they heard some sort of commotion going on up ahead. In fact, it sounded rather like a battle.

Just then, a bizarre figure came tearing round the corner and stopped short in its surprise to see the two gnomes riding a pony. The creature was the size of a small slim adult human and dressed from head to toe in a full length black burka. Even her eyes were covered by black cloth. Around her neck was a collar, and from it dangled a rope that the creature had been reeling in. Now it stopped reeling it in as it faced the two gnomes. The gnomes were surprised and confused and asked the mysterious figure what on earth was going on. The creature did not answer, instead pointing back from where it had run from.

"Can't you come back and help?!" shouted a desperate and breathless voice from where the noise was coming. Saghla moved forward to look around the bend. There stood a human in chainmail wielding a double handed sword, trying his best to fight off no less than three ogres on his own.

Immediately Saghla joined the fight, much to the surprise of both the ogres and the human, and one of the ogres was quickly slain. The curious creature was clearly relieved that the two gnomes were more likely friends than foes. Gleeg sneaked around the back to find a way to join the fight and the strange figure produced a longbow from under its clothing, aiming it with black-gloved hands, and unleashed a pair of deadly accurate shots that felled another ogre. Gleeg's backstab finished off the third wounded ogre.

When the three ogres all lay dead, the tall warrior human was very thankful for the help of the two gnomes. He took the rope that led to the strange black-clothed creature's collar, who struggled a little and then gave up, hissing some exasperated noises. This was an odd sight indeed. Saghla wondered why the man had such a captive and what he was going to do with it. Then the man and Saghla exchanged stories while Gleeg picked the pockets of the defeated ogres, but the curious black-clad figure did not speak.

The human told them his name was Drogan Blackwood, a ranger from the north of Taur Geldor. He had recently discovered this curious creature, whom he called Kooxiel, wandering in the forest alone, apparently lost. Drogan was taking her - Kooxiel was apparently female - to an old friend in Deraheib to find out what best to do with her. She would not be safe anywhere above ground, which was why she was completely covered. It was important her true appearance was not seen.

Kooxiel was clearly not entirely happy about her situation, nor about being spoken of in the third person. She found the collar uncomfortable and demeaning and would rather have been set free. Yet she also seemed to understand that Drogan had her best interests at heart, and for want of a better plan, went along with him, even though unwillingly. Drogan, however, was not willing to just let her go or to escape. He had gone to some lengths to ensure her safety. Perhaps Kooxiel was at last beginning to trust him a little, but not enough to be let off her lead.

Saghla also assured Kooxiel, saying that Kooxiel could trust her as well. But Kooxiel merely tossed her carefully wrapped head, shrugged and turned away.

Once everyone had recovered and Drogan had patched himself up a bit, the four of them carried on together towards Deraheib. The two gnomes rode on Saghla's pony. Drogan was striding easily alongside them, with Kooxiel on a fairly short lead. She was tutting and sighing and muttering curses to herself and occasionally having to run a few steps to keep up with the others.

No Arachnophobes Here

Once the four of them had travelled together for an hour or more, the passed between two mature trees. Nobody noticed the wenning in the upper branches, but they certainly noticed when a pair of giant spiders descended on lines of webbing to attack. Gleeg slashed at one doing a single point of damage, and then Drogan wounded the arachnid for a further 13 points of damage. Kooxiel finished the creature off with a pair of deadly shots from her bow.

Gleeg then slashed at the second with her daggers. Kooxiel's arrows noth found their mark but it was Saghla who finished it off. These were rather nasty creatures and it was lucky that nobody was poisoned.

Gleeg decided to investigate the trees and climbing up discovered a stash a treasure. There was a body with a sack containing 1610 copper pieces and a golden chain necklace worth about 2000 gold. She put the chain around her neck and did the buttons of her tunic up so nobody would see it, then dropped the sack down to the others saying "Look what I found!"

The bulky coins were split between the four of them, Drogan administering Kooxiel's share. It was all carried by the pony and amounted to just over 2gp each. Better than nothing!

Horrible Hobgoblins

After pausing for some recuperation and rations, the four of them carried on towards Deraheib. Kooxiel ate in a very peculiar way, with her back to the rest of the party and a layer of her cloaks over her head like a tent so that nobody could see her skin or her hair. It was rather odd.

A quintet of hobgoblin ambushers saw the foursome approaching and demanded money, but what they actually got was shot. Saghla, Drogan and Kooxiel shot and defeated one hobgoblin each. The other two fled. The party gathered up three sets of morning stars, longswords, studded leather and crossbows, as well as 51 bolts in three quivers. There was also some money in the form of both gold and copper coins.

The Earth Moved

With the outskirts of Deraheib in sight, the party noticed a strange rmbling in the ground beneath their feet. Suddenly, a most peculiar creature burst forth from under the ground - an ankheg!

Kooxiel ducked right behind it and stabbed it with a pair of longswords she had somehow kept hidden on her person somewhere. The creature was wounded but was still alive, and now even angrier! Gleeg bravely slashed at it with her daggers and although Drogan was unable to land a blow with his sword, he was able to distract it enough for Saghla to hit twice and finish the dangerous foe.

The four adventurers had no further mishaps. Drogan invited the two gnomes to come with him and meet his friend, who lived in a tower near the edge of the city. If Saghla and Gleeg were in search of adventures, perhaps Drogan's wise friend might have some suggestions for them, as well as an idea what he could do with Kooxiel. Perhaps they could try to sell the spare weapons and armor they had gathered as well.

The next part of the story involving Saghla, Gleeg, Drogan and Kooxiel would be The Kidnappings in Ikkur (Tessa).

The next part of this story introduces a new character and is The Captain and the Squid.