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| | | From: Stormcrow (Original Message) | Sent: 8/31/2004 6:35 PM |
The caravan of only three wagons was only a few minutes down the road from Elmshade when they first saw it approaching. They immediatly pulled the wagons over, and the hired mercs protecting them drew their weapons. They all looked up in horror as the giant 7 1/2 foot tall black minotaur approached. He was huge, with massive bulging muscles and covered from head to toe in black fur. It wore a white puffy shirt and black studded leather armor vest over that. It had a thick black leather belt, and black tight leather beaches which went down to the knees of the things bovine rear legs. Its black hooves had silverlike horseshoes on them, which matched the silver studs on his armor. The creature wore a long bow and quiver across his back, along with a giant two handed long sword as well. It looked dressed like a seaman of sorts, but was far from any open waters.  Riddik stopped as he saw the warriors with weapons out and looking at him. He shook his great horned head and kept going, staying opposite the road than the wagons. He eyed the nervouse men with caution... "Ye just stay on your side, and Ill stay on mine. I just want to get by and go to the village beyond you." The men looked at each other confused a moment and let the minotaur pass by without incident. Once he was by they all quickly remounted and continued down the road. They occasionally looked back to the huge black form in curiosity, many of them having never seen a minotaur before... let alone one that could talk. Riddik soon turned down the road that led him into the village. It didnt look like it had changed much since his last visit here. He was sold here as a slave last time, and forced into servitude. He had even accompanied a Selinni to an old farmhouse to battle undead. It is then he broke away and left after aiding the Selinni and heading back to the village. Instead he went looking for his ship, and the men who captured him. In a nutshell he found his ship, and dealt harsh punishments on the men that enslaved him. After a few months aboard ship, and finding a new sword and equiptment, he had decided to return to Elmshade and pay off his debt to them. It had bothered him for months that he up and left them after thay had payed for his release as a slave. He had made enough gold now to repay them, and would lighten his conciousness once it was done. He had docked his ship at a port named Darokin Port, and left his first mate in charge till his return. Riddik walked through town, getting stares as usual, and made his way twards the Temple. Thats where the Selinni lived, and where he would repay his debt. |
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| Riddik walked through the market, center of the village itself. he noticed not many were around, and even the merchant stands were shut tight and vacant. The odd thing was, it was the middle of the day and usually the market was bussling with activity by now. Strange indeed. He rubbed his bovine chin and scanned around. he noticed a lot of people gathered a short ways down the Temple road, all pointing and gabbing to each other with concerned looks on their faces. His eyes went past them and up into the air. There he saw the black plume rising from the forest canopy... right about the same spot as the Temple stood. "Oh no!" The words fell silently from his lips as he drew his great sword from his back. Within a couple powerful strides, he passed the onlookers and ran up the Temple road to see what was going on. |
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((...from Restoring the balance: Enemy in their midst...)) As Melanie and Hi’el left the shadows of the Twisted Root’s interior, they could immediately tell that something strange was happening. There seemed to be a veritable flock of people down the road in the central merchant area of the small town. There was a general commotion that reached the two friends’ ears, the quiet buzz of a large group of excited people. Concerned, Melanie gave the Silenni a quizzical look. "It looks like the whole town’s out!" she remarked. "I wonder what’s going on?" The priestess picked up her pace to a fast walk until she reached the edges of the crowd. As the young woman carefully wove her way through the throng of people, her attention was soon drawn to the pointing fingers and worried murmurs of those conversations she could make out. Her brown eyes filled with fear as she noticed the large, black column of smoke coming from the direction of the Alliance of the Faiths Temple...her home! "Oh my Goddess!" she exclaimed, looking around for her companion. "Hi’el! The temple’s on fire! We have to go, Come ON!" Melanie pushed past a couple of farmers and paused only briefly as she brushed by a .... minotaur?! What in Mielikki’s holy name was a minotaur doing here in Elmshade?! She blinked and kept going, her walk turning into a sprint as she raced down the road towards the Temple. |
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((...also from Restoring the balance: Enemy in their midst...))  Like the others, it didn’t take Tessa long to discover what the excitement was all about. She caught snatches of conversations and frowned deeper with each piece of information gleaned in this way. "...some sort of monster." From a farmer’s wife: "...and they ain’t even been able to stop it yet, even with the tree-folk helpin’ em!" One of the younger guards, "...we’re not sure about where the Cap’n is, but we’re gonna find him and help those poor people at the temple!" Tessa’s mind whirled in consternation as she made her way through the crowd. As the debutante got to the front and the road to the temple opened up in front of her, she spied a large, familiar figure moving quickly into the distance. There was no mistaking the shaggy bull-head and the rippling tower of muscles that had been her first introduction to the minotaur race. "RIDDIK!" she yelled, running towards him.
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His large bovine head swung around just as his black hooves skidded to a stop. Riddik looked back to see the approaching woman, sticking his two handed long sword into the ground. He smiled as he recognized Tessa approaching, finally able to see a familiar face around here. His deep voice answers her back, his large hand resting on the pommel of his sword... "Hey Tess! Long time no see." He chuckles a moment before thumbing behind him tward the Temple. "What the hecks goin on at the Temple? Is Hiel there?" |
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The next morning....  Riddik sat up in the pile of hay rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking around. He could barely remember the night before. Chaos reigned as villagers and guards ran around the destroyed Temple. Apparently there was a big battle there, people died and the temple was destroyed in the fight. Riddik helped where he could, hauling large carts of books and scrolls... a small portion of items they were able to save from the rubble. One of the local farmers recognized him, and gave him a spot in his barn to sleep for the night. Which was why a chicken was roosted on his right horn. He shook his large bovine head as he stood up, and dusted off his shirt and leathers. He heard a rustle in the corner, and saw the farmer enter with a large basket. Riddik stretched, and yawned wide... his senses smelling fresh baked pastries. He looked down to the five foot tall human and grinned... "Mornin Bill! Yer wifes been cookin again hasnt she?"Bill laughs and sets the basket at the feet of the seven foot black minotaur... "Mornin Riddik. Yep, she heard ye was here, and made a big breakfast fer ye." Riddik pats the man on the back and laughs.. "Well I'll have to thank her before I go." "Where ye off to? Ye know I'll give ye the best rates ifn yer lookin fer work!" Riddik smiles as he leans down to peel back the cloth covering the basket. Inside is fresh rolls, fruit, and juice. He reaches for a warm roll and holds it up under his nose, sniffing deeply... "Ahh. Smells good." He looks over to Bill... "No my friend, not this time. Im here on buisness only. My field work days are over. Ive got me a new ship and crew waitin for me off the eastern coast. Been runnin the shipping lanes with cargo." The farmer smiles and nods... "Ahhh! I see. Ye always did talk of doin that, and now I guess yev gone and done it. Well good luck to ye Riddik, yer always welcolm here." The old man turns and leaves the Minotaur to his privacy. A few minutes later, a cleaned and now full, Minotaur walks outside of the barn and over to the farmhouse window. He looks inside and waves... "Thanks Bettey! I'll come see you two later." He then turns and walks down the road leading to the village. He still hadnt found the elusive Selinni he was looking for. Heil had to be around here somewhere. |
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