Square Coins
Franz and his companions had reached the city of Greyhawk well past the closing of the gates.
A cluster of fifty wagons burdened with firewood were huddled together on the well compacted turf on the north side of the road. Their animals had been un-harnessed and were simply restrained by short ropes. Many drivers sat huddled around fires. Others dozed in or under their carts.
“Finally!” Exclaimed Franz as he staggered up to the gates.
“Damn! We have missed evening-gate.” His words stirred something and he was instantly confronted by a guard stepping out of the shadow of the wall.
“No entry after evening-gate!” Finn Wildworth stared at the scruffy guard. Other noises and movement came from the shadows.
“Then we will wait with the merchants.” Finn turned his back and Franz pushed past him.
“Excuse my young companion. He knows not how things work.” Franz dropped a sack of fifty gold coins into the guard’s hand.
Kepio examined the contents and pushed the sack into his tunic. He rubbed his chin before banging twice on the gate. It cracked open enough for the companions to enter. Light spilled into the shadow to reveal a second guard with a young girl up against the stonework. He was riding her hard with a hand gripping her undergarments.
The guard who had palmed the gold went back to join his associate in their evening of sexual gratification.
Franz led his companions through the gap and a third guard, ugly and almost Orcish smiled.
“If you want a taste, it will cost fifty gold coins for the evening.” He looked out at the other two guards and licked his lips.
“No, we have to visit the markets. No time for pleasure.” Franz shook his head and pulled Finn along behind him.
“Ah! You’re Shieldlanders. Hah!“ He made a crude gesture that was Orc for males having sex with young boys.
“Damn! We have missed evening-gate.” His words stirred something and he was instantly confronted by a guard stepping out of the shadow of the wall.
“No entry after evening-gate!” Finn Wildworth stared at the scruffy guard. Other noises and movement came from the shadows.
“Then we will wait with the merchants.” Finn turned his back and Franz pushed past him.
“Excuse my young companion. He knows not how things work.” Franz dropped a sack of fifty gold coins into the guard’s hand.
Kepio examined the contents and pushed the sack into his tunic. He rubbed his chin before banging twice on the gate. It cracked open enough for the companions to enter. Light spilled into the shadow to reveal a second guard with a young girl up against the stonework. He was riding her hard with a hand gripping her undergarments.
The guard who had palmed the gold went back to join his associate in their evening of sexual gratification.
Franz led his companions through the gap and a third guard, ugly and almost Orcish smiled.
“If you want a taste, it will cost fifty gold coins for the evening.” He looked out at the other two guards and licked his lips.
“No, we have to visit the markets. No time for pleasure.” Franz shook his head and pulled Finn along behind him.
“Ah! You’re Shieldlanders. Hah!“ He made a crude gesture that was Orc for males having sex with young boys.
”You call this Civilization?” Finn was rabid with a need to kill all three guards. The child couldn’t have been twelve.
“Ay! And it has all aspects of Civilization, even the ones you despise. Now stay alert.” Franz led them down through the streets.
Kayand who had remained silent during their entry whispered now.
“Off to your left.” He stepped into a shadow invoking his Shadow-door spell and vanished. A choke and a quick struggle came from the Alley ahead of them and Kayand stepped over the bodies and rejoined the group.
“Just the Two.” Others cowering in the shelter of the alley fell on the corpses for all they might have had.
A Scream at the end of an alley as a young man was held and pack-raped by a gang of five very large and nasty bulls.
Finn gripped his farm-sickle and Franz stopped him.
“By Cuthbert, the Paladins should have this City put to the impaling pole.” Franz pulled the young farmer down the street to avoid drawing attention.
“Just shut up and keep moving. My enemies will do much worse to us if they find us here after morning-gate.”
“Ay! And it has all aspects of Civilization, even the ones you despise. Now stay alert.” Franz led them down through the streets.
Kayand who had remained silent during their entry whispered now.
“Off to your left.” He stepped into a shadow invoking his Shadow-door spell and vanished. A choke and a quick struggle came from the Alley ahead of them and Kayand stepped over the bodies and rejoined the group.
“Just the Two.” Others cowering in the shelter of the alley fell on the corpses for all they might have had.
A Scream at the end of an alley as a young man was held and pack-raped by a gang of five very large and nasty bulls.
Finn gripped his farm-sickle and Franz stopped him.
“By Cuthbert, the Paladins should have this City put to the impaling pole.” Franz pulled the young farmer down the street to avoid drawing attention.
“Just shut up and keep moving. My enemies will do much worse to us if they find us here after morning-gate.”
They reached the markets. Sellers peddled from hand carts and barrows. Cooked Meat that looked more like the flesh of young children abducted from the streets and their homes than any herd animal Finn had ever encountered.
He was no longer hungry.
Franz pushed a salted sausage into his hand.
“Eat this! It’s a spiced fish sausage.” Kayand nodded and chewed at his own as he handed over a selection of coin for all of them. Franz whispered to the vendor and handed over other coins. Strange square coins with the symbol of Tharizdun on them. The Vendor hurriedly pocketed the coins. He passed Franz a small wicker bundle wrapped in twine. It looked like a doll.
He was no longer hungry.
Franz pushed a salted sausage into his hand.
“Eat this! It’s a spiced fish sausage.” Kayand nodded and chewed at his own as he handed over a selection of coin for all of them. Franz whispered to the vendor and handed over other coins. Strange square coins with the symbol of Tharizdun on them. The Vendor hurriedly pocketed the coins. He passed Franz a small wicker bundle wrapped in twine. It looked like a doll.
Franz now led his companions from the market place with a handful of food and a purpose. Kayand was burdened with a sack of flour and another smaller one of salt.
They hurried up an alley that took them into Wood-peddlers Way. There shops here all closed for the night. They sold firewood.
“The Carts outside are probably theirs.” Franz Stoped at a shopfront. Hanging above the shop’s door was a wicker bundle doll.
He pushed an iron rivet in the heavy wooden door and then waited.
The Shopkeeper appeared in the doorway to the astonishment of Finn.
“Seeking Wicker; I have coin.” Franz pushed a square coin marked with the symbol of Tharizdun into the shopkeeper’s hand and was quickly ushered in and the door closed.
They hurried up an alley that took them into Wood-peddlers Way. There shops here all closed for the night. They sold firewood.
“The Carts outside are probably theirs.” Franz Stoped at a shopfront. Hanging above the shop’s door was a wicker bundle doll.
He pushed an iron rivet in the heavy wooden door and then waited.
The Shopkeeper appeared in the doorway to the astonishment of Finn.
“Seeking Wicker; I have coin.” Franz pushed a square coin marked with the symbol of Tharizdun into the shopkeeper’s hand and was quickly ushered in and the door closed.
The Shopkeeper led them to the back and pushed open a wall-panel providing access to a stairs going down.
They found the roar of people and the smell of blood and sweat before they had entered the room. Inside a fight in a pit was underway. A selection of vermin cheered at the violence happening below them.
A black elf, naked, bruised and bloody punched at the throat of her opponent. He collapsed as a second thug bear-hugged her from behind. The greatness of his manhood slid between her thighs.
“Maybe I give you more.” The animal fell back as she tore his future children from his body.
“Maybe I feed them to you!” She was very angry.
A black elf, naked, bruised and bloody punched at the throat of her opponent. He collapsed as a second thug bear-hugged her from behind. The greatness of his manhood slid between her thighs.
“Maybe I give you more.” The animal fell back as she tore his future children from his body.
“Maybe I feed them to you!” She was very angry.
“She is here. Now you can kill all the vermin to your heart’s content.” Franz turned away from Finn and pulled a short dagger that sprang to full length with the twist of a handle. Finn pulled his sickle and began a furious harvest of heads.
An explosion of chaos as men and others, living and dead fell into the pit with the elf.
“About time you got here Franz.” She smiled as she picked up a weapon.
Finally! The relief of having a weapon washed over her.
“Sorry Kaiya, It took a while to find some damn coins…” Kaiya became a whirlwind of death as she danced across the backs of an increasingly great pile of corpses and jumped up onto the edge of the pit.
The shopkeeper burst through the door and was instantly confronted by Kayand.
“About time you got here Franz.” She smiled as she picked up a weapon.
Finally! The relief of having a weapon washed over her.
“Sorry Kaiya, It took a while to find some damn coins…” Kaiya became a whirlwind of death as she danced across the backs of an increasingly great pile of corpses and jumped up onto the edge of the pit.
The shopkeeper burst through the door and was instantly confronted by Kayand.
“I’d find you a Bathhouse but we must be out before morning-gate.” Kaiya nodded.
“There is a Small Village south. They have a nice bathhouse.” Franz pulled a heavy cloak over her naked form and kissed her head.
“Foster-daughter, are you intact?” She nodded. They hadn’t managed to violate her. Apparently the difficulty had done much to up her price.
“There is a Small Village south. They have a nice bathhouse.” Franz pulled a heavy cloak over her naked form and kissed her head.
“Foster-daughter, are you intact?” She nodded. They hadn’t managed to violate her. Apparently the difficulty had done much to up her price.
“Companions, behold my foster-daughter, Kaiya.” Kayand nodded politely. Finn struggled to stop starring at her naked beauty.
He nodded awkwardly and Kaiya smiled at his response.
“Where did you get the farm-boy and how much do you want for him?” She laughed at the young farmer’s social awkwardness as he straightened and focussed on something else.
“Veluna. He’s still learning his place in the world.” Franz growled at Finn.
He nodded awkwardly and Kaiya smiled at his response.
“Where did you get the farm-boy and how much do you want for him?” She laughed at the young farmer’s social awkwardness as he straightened and focussed on something else.
“Veluna. He’s still learning his place in the world.” Franz growled at Finn.
“Put your Sickle away boy.” Franz led his daughter out of the blood-drenched nest. Kayand looked at Finn and shook his head. He pushed the young farmer to the stairs before following up.
No comments:
Post a Comment