Hammer of Brell

The Kidnapping of Kissiria Munderswump
Told through the eyes of: Olbin Munderswump, Reynor Shein and Kissiria Munderswump
OOC- Ive attempted to put these stories in order, but seeing as they were posts on a message board this wasn't easy and some of the stories here take place at the same time but are viewpoints from different people. -Thori

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There in the dark of his home in Kaladim the weary Thane looked up from his desk. A note he had memorized after the first reading lay crumpled on the floor. Tears streamed down the gruff dwarfs face.

A slight knock on the door snapped the dwarf out of his sorrow for but a brief moment.

The door creaked open and in strode a powerful figure, cloaked in tha might of BRell himself, gold armor gleaming. He stood proud before the Thane.

"Olbin brudder...snap outta this melancholy trance!", Grim scolded, "How ye expect ter be gittin Kiss back iffn ye be whinin like a lil gobbo?"

Grim walked over and began to rummage through the chests and coffers that sat around the edges of the room. With a nod he pulled out the Thanes blue platemail out of a chest. Then he pulled out a steel box made by tha best dwarven craftsmen which contained the Leader of the Hammer of Brell's finest equipment. With a prayer to Brell the combination snapped open and there before Grim lay Olbins most prized possesions, his weapons.

Another chant and glowing strands of Brells blessing surrounded Olbin like a blanket..having all the blessings of Brell bestowed upon him..

Olbin looked up..no longer teary eyed, no longer mournful..only one emotion that Grim could see stood in the dwarfs eyes...HATE...a hate so strong as to come from the inkers themselves.

Grim whirled around and closed the door, but not before he heard his Thane mumble

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reynor ran to the largest Iksar and took his burden gently, laying it on the grass outside Firiona Vie.

"Masterfully done, Moordred. You and your band have earned a great reward. I shall hand the stone over to Zebis when we reach the Tower. By tomorrow, there will be more dwarves in Firiona than in Kaladim."

Moordred hissed his reply, 'Let them come to the Tower, ssoftskin, they will never reach you. You are ssafe ssso long azz you are with uss.'

Reynor pulled the cloth away from her mouth and felt lightheaded just from the tiny whiff of whatever the lizards had used to keep her asleep through her abduction. Kissiria was as lovely as he'd ever seen her and looked so delicate and frail he checked her again, but knew she was fine.

'I could stand it no longer', he whispered softly. 'Sweet Tu...gods...what have I done?'. He scooped up Kissiria in his arms and held her close to his chest so he could feel her breathing and tried to match pace with the powerful Iksar already disappearing into the swamp.

Taelic Felhound looked up at Reynor with sharp green eyes and wondered how far they would fall, but knew they'd fall together in any case, two hounds loping into the dark swamp following dark paths. He sniffed the air and tried to grab at Reynor's sleeve, but he was striding ahead steadily. Looking around he could not see what was making the hair stand up on the back of his neck, but something was there nearby. As the group silently disappeared into the brush he ran off still looking for certain tracks and sniffing for old enemies.

'Did you hear what I heard?' Porgy hissed at a scaled wolf digging for grubs. Porgy helped it dig and together they found some nice fat grubs that the wolf greedily devoured, drooling yellow guts happily and moving its scaly head under Porgy's claw to scratch.

'Grubs for you, but elf meat for Calcoss and Porgy tomorrow. Taelic will not hunt Ikssar anymore.' Not after Porgy found the dwarfs looking for an elf woman anyhow. Porgy Beastmaster crept silently to the river and swam toward Firiona Vie.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The last thing Kissira saw was her husband's loving face as her eyes slowly drifted closed to the sound of his harsh dwarven snoring. Her dreams were strange this night and filled with unfamiliar, harsh, voices mixed with voices she knew quite well.

Kissiria's moans where the first to alert her party that she was coming to. The air was dry and much hotter than she was used to, and she coughed because of it. She began to blink, trying to bring her surroundings into focus. "Ol-?" Her words were cut short by another bout of coughing. It was obvious that whatever had been used to keep her sleeping was far too harsh for her fragile wood elven system to handle. "Olbin?" As her eyes began to focus she gasped and her voice was scratchy as she spoke. "Where am I?" Her facial expressions were that of a woman guarding her emotions. A familiar voice brought her gaze to Reynor Schein, a beloved and dear friend to both her and her husband, and confusion flooded her face as he spoke. Reynor said, "All will be explained in time." and as he said this he ran a hand across her forehead and into her hair. "Sleep for now the drug hasn't fully worn off." Still thoroughly confused, her brows furrowed. "Is Olbin near?" Her lids were heavy now, and began to close on thier own as Reynor answered grimly, "Soon."

Kissiria's eyes came open and focused in on the sight of a magnificant building. Kurns Tower. Reynor's face popped into veiw, "It's really a beautiful place." Her nose wrinkled as reality started to sink in. Something was wrong with Reynor, something very wrong. "Where am I?" was the frist question that popped into mind. As Reynor explained where she was Kissira sized up the party they were quickly moving to join. Fear began to sink in as the leader of the group spoke, "Where'ssss the ssssoftssskin?" Moordred sized up the load he'd stolen in the night and grinned when he smelt her fear. Shoving a bottle of potent ale at Kissiria he demanded, "Drink!" Kissiria narrowed her eyes and then turned her head stubbornly. "I'll do no such thing." Moordred's anger rose, "Drink or answer to Ykesha!" Her eyes fixed on Reynor as she drank slowly from the bottle to appease the Iksar. She knew his time would come. She was then pulled deeper into the tower.

In a guarded room deep in the castle Reynor sat close, whispering softly in elvish, "Kissiria I have loved you for so long, but kept quiet because of your marriage to my friend, but I can stand it no longer. I did not choose it, I was ambushed by it. Is Marr a 'good' god? I think not, Kiss. I beg of you, stay with me. When you saved me at the druid circle I had been infatuated with your beauty but when you nursed me back to health and I saw your gentle nature and how gifted you were with your arts, my feelings blossomed. How my heart broke when I learned of your marriage to Olbin. How could you be married when I knew we belonged together and I could tell you felt for me as well. No, I have been plagued with self-loathing for my love for you and thought we could never be together but we can. I know that we just needed to be away so I could tell you what I've kept hidden for so very long." As he spoke tears began to steam down her face. This was not the Reynor whose friendship she had cherished for so long. "I love you dearly as a friend, Reynor. You know that because of this we will never be able to see one another again? Never hunt, never talk." Fear began to sink in further. Now that he knew her feelings, would he care if she lived or died? She gazed into the cold eyes of the friend she'd known for so long, "Am I going to die here, Reynor?" A nearby Iksar broke in to force Kissiria to drink more. Her refusal was met with a swift kick and a plea from Reynor to drink more. As she drank Reynor assured her weakly that she would be ok. Fear and anger making her shake she glared at Reynor. "You told me you could protect me better than my husband, but you let these beasts harm me?" Shame crossed his face as he turned to reprimand the Iksars.

The shout, "Hammers High!" coming from her husband, Olbin Munderswump, made Kissira's heart flutter. Her hero had come! With that shout Reynor visibly tensed and left the room screaming, "Olbin's mine!" The fighting was fierce, Kissira knew, because all were too busy concentrating on it to notice her slip from the room to watch. It pained her to see her husband get hit, even once. Quickly closing her eyes she prayed for Tunare and Brell's help. Almost instantly Olbin's wounds were healed significantly, and a shield of brambles sprang from his skin. Reynor was suddenly falling to the ground in a horribly bloody pile. Fortunately, Kissira wasn't able to linger on his death as Olbin whisked her away and into his large and protecting arms. "I'll never let ye outta me sight again, love. Never."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The field of Bone was exactly as Olbin had pictured it, a desert of nothing. An incredibly hot wind blew across the sands that would sear exposed skin.

A small group of travelers worked their way through the terrain, some stepping lightly, as for the others, heavy footsteps and the loud chink of metal alerted those in the shadows of heavily armed and armored passerbyes.

The tower in the distance was barely visable through the sands that the wind kicked up yet unmistakable..Kurns Tower. It was here that the Iksar guides led the dwarves and their companions. Here was the hostage site of Olbins greatest and most valuable treasure, the one he loved above all, and everything else, his wife Kissiria.

The party made there way up the steep ramps that led to the entrance of the tower and prepared for battle.

Grimcrag Gobsmusher, First Leftenent of the Hammer of Brell knelt to the ground and began to pray for Blessings.

Oceana of Mystic Decree along with a young rogue named Biguss who had befriended Olbin years ago were gracious enough to lend their support here.

Doing what they were trained to do, Olbin paid them no head. His only thought was to save his wife and pay back his once good friend with death.

After tightening the straps and buckles of his armour, Olbin reached into his pack and pulled out his sheathed weapons. Fastening his two Short swords of Ykesha to his sides, he pulled out his newly aquired sword that would serve to turn the tides in the fight. Strapping the huge Nathsar Greatsword to his back, Olbin looked over his troops.

Grimcrag's face was grim as ever, as if he knew an outcome none of the others did.

Krazii Brellson, Leftenent of the Hammer had a crazed look in his eye. Grinning broadly at his Thane he said.."lets kill them bloody lizzies, gimme tha word!!"

Breadly was the Hammers newest recruit, a young lad armed remarkably similar to his Thane just nodded and said.."ready when you are."

Olbin looked at his small troop of rescuers then to the Iksar guides, and nodded, "lets be gittin me wife..."

As the group moved through the entrace one of the Iksars hissed.." remember..Taelic isssss oursss!!"

Walking through the tower was like walking through a tomb..the smell of death and decay permeated the air. Olbin felt that this was a likely place to hide..for the smell reminded him of a coffin...Reynor's coffin...

Making there way through the corridors as quietly as they could the party slowed to a stop...something wasn't right.

Without warning hisses were heard everywhere and Iksar's jumped out of hidden nooks and crannies surrounding the party and attacking those within reach.

Olbin bellowed a war cry that would wake the dead and relentlessy hacked at the largest of the lizzards..the air had taken on a red sheen as mists and sprays of blood filled the halls.

The dwarves and their friends were outnumbered two to one but it did not sway them. Screaming insults at their foes the battle raged on. The creature Olbin was attacking was merely an obstacle to get to his wife, and the battle was in his favour when a dark glowing mist surrounded the Iksar and his wounds dissapeared..and he stepped aside as someone shouted "Olbin is Mine!!!!"

It was a voice Olbin once recognized as friend, was now a voice Olbin hated more than anything.

Reynor Shein, once valued friend and ally now an enemy who would die this very day...

From out of the dark strode Reynor Schein, with a wolflike grace he stepped gingerly aside from the battle fray, and advanced upon Olbin.

With weapon drawn and blood drenching his armor and face, Olbin smiled, a smile filled with hate and death.
Screaming for all he was worth Olbin bellowed into tha chambers " Fer me Wife!! Fer Kissiria!!", and charged.

Reynor welcomed Olbin into the dance of death, as one who was well trained, he knew how to counter most maneuvers, and reigned down upon Olbin light hits that would eventually wear down the toughest of opponents, yet for some reason they did not seem to affect the enraged dwarf and his couter attacks hit with a ferocity that Reynor had never seen, heavy blows that would cleave him in two if he had been a second slower.

Tha battle raged on and quickly both opponents were weary, Olbin had the upper hand and charged in to finish the deed when Reynor was surrounded by a that same dark mist that saved the Iksar. Filled with renewed stregth, Reynor turned the battle. When the outcome looked pale for the dwarf and when he was startin to feel that he had failed, a hot wind surounded him straight from the forge of Brell, and a second wind filled his lungs.

Through the battle clamour Olbin heard " Long live me Clan an Ki.....aarrghh!!", Grimcrag had fallen to save his Thane and queen.

With another death to add to his hate Olbin turned upon Reynor with a whirlwind of steel, hammering blows upon the weary elf. Relentless swings that seemed to have no end carved and sliced through the armour that once had protected Reynor. Severly wounded Reynor summoned roots that burst through the floor and entwind Olbins feet rendering him immobile. Reynor stepped back and summmoned heals from his once goddess...yet found that the power he once contained seem to be incredibly weak. He looked up in time to see Olbin break free of the roots and his swinging blade..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Driiink or ansswer to Ykesha!" The powerful Iksar hunched over Kissiria's frail form, his broad scaled shoulders contained muscle that could rip the elvish woman apart, but still she kept her mouth shut and shook her head, glaring at Reynor and the dark elf women around him. How like and unlike her dear friend he was. In a gentle voice Reynor begged her, "Please Kiss, they just can't have you casting and trust me when I say this was the best compromise we could hope for." Kissiria grabbed the bottle from Moordred and drank deeply, eyes never leaving her elven captor's. She had winced, expecting a harsh liquor but it turned out to be a sweet though not surprisingly strong mead. Moordred nodded to Reynor and hissed orders to his lizards who darted into the dark doorway to clear the way for their charges. The great lizard hissed into Kissiria's face, "Inssside, Ssoftsskin!" Kissiria flashed him a smile and fell to the ground into a seated position, arms crossed petulantly. Reynor groaned and shook his head and Denilera's eyes narrowed and she looked at Kissiria dangerously, mystical energies crackling from her fingertips. Kissiria had noticed a male teir'dal among the Iksar and almost found it funnier than strange, but she definitely wasn't feeling right at all anyhow and the tower spun around her as the lizards dragged her into the darkness.

Taelic Felhound smiled, satisfied that even if they dodged all his snares, he'd left enough false tracks through the swamps and the Field of Bones that it would give a whole army of rangers fits. He had no idea what Reynor was up to, but he trusted him with his life since he was the only one who always believed him and would defend him to his detractors. At the very least, Rey would be going into the dark with someone to watch his backs. Taelic slipped a ring onto his finger and immediately his feet left the ground and he ran to Kurn's great tower leaving no tracks at all. He didn't have much time.

Within the tower Reynor was huddled next to Kissiria, his forehead bent to touch hers and whispering in soft elvish, "Kissiria I have loved you for so long, but kept quiet because of your marriage to my friend, but I can stand it no longer. I did not choose it, I was ambushed by it. Is Marr a 'good' god? I think not, Kiss. I beg of you, stay with me. When you saved me at the druid circle I had been infatuated with your beauty but when you nursed me back to health and I saw your gentle nature and how gifted you were with your arts, my feelings blossomed. How my heart broke when I learned of your marriage to Olbin. How could you be married when I knew we belonged together and I could tell you felt for me as well. No, I have been plagued with self-loathing for my love for you and thought we could never be together but we can. I know that we just needed to be away so I could tell you what I've kept hidden for so very long." Tears streamed down Kissiria's face and she wearily slumped further to the floor and shook her head. "Reynor, you know I have always loved you as my friend and one of my closest ones at that, but now we can never be together again. Never hunt together, never see each other." Suddenly Kissiria's face went pale and she whispered, "Am I going to die here, Reynor?" The ranger looked genuinely surprised and he insisted, "No! I would never let that happen!" But he considered all the iksar surrounding them and shot a nervous glance at Ebonygem who was watching quietly with her sister in the corner. Reynor also looked into the cold eyes of another of the dark elvish women who seemed one with the shadows and did not move, even to blink but did not find any answers there. "I just wanted to be alone with you, to show you what it could be like with you and I together. Had I just been a few months earlier you'd have been MY bride." Kissiria yelled "Olbin would NEVER let them touch me. He'd never let them shove me." Shamed, Reynor mumbled, "We just needed to be away from the Hammer, Kiss, and this was the only way. From outside, Reynor heard his guildmaster's voice.

"Rey, what the hells is going on here. Who are these lizards?" Zebis, who reeked of ancient places and dark knowledge spoke only at a whisper, but it was clearly heard by all. "Sstay awaay, Ssoftsskin. Thiss iss none of your concern. Gildurath's first thought was to rush the room he had tracked them to, but he could not leave Inoe unguarded. Keeping her behind him, he persisted. "Rey, answer me! Are you ok?" Reynor strode out with a dark elf woman Gildurath had seen before and he'd seen other small tracks he now recognized as two other dark elf women and began to understand his friend was in trouble.

"Get the hells out of here or so help me I'll cut you down myself, Gil. Don't interfere in this, just leave me alone."

"I knew there was something else to this." Gildurath fixed a burning gaze on Ebonygem but she coolly returned it and smiled peacefully.

From nearby came the sound of a wooden door being hacked down and then, "HAMMERS HIGH!"

"No no no, not yet." Reynor rushed back into the tiny room as lizards poured out and the lone teir'dal male unsheathed a great two-handed war sword and strode out calmly to do battle. Dwarves poured into the hallway and were moving at a run. There was a dull thud as the furious dwarves rushed the lizards and Ebonygem smiled to Denilera, pointing at the dwarves and iksar as if identifying actors in a play in Neriak. "Of course the Iksar feel the Hate, but look at the dwarves. They are nearly maddened with it. To say her experiments were a success is an understatement." As she saw Reynor start to don his armor and weapons, Ebonygem placed a hand on his shoulder and firmly pressed him back further into the room and toward Kissiria. "Best to protect your woman". Reynor nodded, but watched outside cautiously and saw Taelic dodging in and out of combat, moving so swiftly and gracefully it seemed a dance, and though he was striking at two Iksar among a sea of others, he never struck any of the Iksar Knights by mistake and Reynor saw one of them drop and they looked at each other briefly. Taelic grinned and grabbed for a war trophy an odd fetish hung around Porgy Beastmaster's dead neck. Leaping over the fallen Iksar, he disappeared into the fray. Dwarves and Iksar both were falling and Olbin won through to Moordred who hissed a challenge at the mighty Thane, but Reynor chose that moment to come from the room and act. "Olbin is mine!" Reynor roared, and with hate in their eyes they crashed against each other in a series of slashes and blocks that left bones bruised and deep wounds in the others bodies, but a dark mist hovered over Reynor, seeping into his wounds and closing them. Grimly, Olbin fought on, seeing nothing but Kissiria behind his once-friend, now greatest enemy. Hearing his friends fall around him, Olbin threw himself against Reynor who found that dancing nimbly could stop lighter blows, but with rage as his weapon Olbin had penetrated his defenses and opened horrible wounds on Reynor's thigh and in his side and the dark mists were working too slowly. Speaking soft words that seemed to cause him pain, Reynor looked at the ground beneath Olbin's feet and roots broke through the rock to grab at Olbin's feet, but they seemed dead before they grasped very tightly and Olbin could tell that Reynor's Tunare-given powers were weakening. Dragging some roots with him and breaking others, Olbin continued forward, his work not yet done. "No, she was to be mine!" were the last words Reynor Schein uttered.

The last few seconds passed as hours, each one could be remembered by all still alive. As Reynor's life fled his body and he was falling to the bloody ground Moordred gave a high pitched shriek and his band fled our every window and doorway they could find, pursued by the exhausted dwarves who had to let them go to return to their Thane and bind his wounds. Gildurath held his weapons ready and would permit neither Olbin nor Zebis near the fallen ranger's body. Reynor saw the world tilt and blood dripped from a nasty scalp wound and tinted his world red. He saw a red-veiled Kelethin with himself as master of Faydark's Champion's. He saw Kissiria as Mistress of Druids, ruling a happy Kelethin by his side. Wearing a beautiful red dress.

Olbin's dwarves carried their dead out to take back to Kaladim and helped their Thane limp out to the brightness of day, his wife by his side and though shaken and a little bruised, still unhurt. An Iksar in the shadows among the dwarves put a claw to his scaly forehead as if he had a headache, but started to tug at the skin above his eyes and suddenly it was Biguss the rogue removing an ornately carved iksar mask. Olbin looked up wearily and said, "Reet, the other half" and tossed a pouch which disappeared as it reached Biguss's nimble hand. His only response was, "Yeah." He also had called Reynor friend. Biguss turned his back on the Thane and his wife and limped down the steps gingerly. Inside Kurn's great Tower, Gildurath wept over the body of his brother ranger and still would neither let Ebony get within sword's reach nor let Inoe take him off Reynor's corpse. Ebonygem smiled her infernally cool smile at Gildurath and said "he's not done yet, Gildurath. It is time to let me do my work, for I can call him back and mend his wounds. I can do so much with the Hate in Norrath, ranger. Just watch."

Gildurath backed slowly away as Reynor rose to his feet. Not only not dead, but not looking hurt or even tired. "You interfered with me for the last time Gildurath. If I had had more time, it would have gone otherwise. You are no longer my brother. You are my enemy. The next time I see you, be prepared."
And with that, Denilera brought her hands together and the sound of her clap was thunder. The darkness intensified in the room and a hole opened in the middle of the room in open space and buildings could be seen in the hole and streets as well. Reynor turned and walked onto a city street like he'd been born to it, followed by the Blood Coven witches. Taelic looked thoughtfully at Gildurath and Inoe then lept through the gate, pressing himself against one of the buildings and looking cautiously around. The gate to Neriak closed with the same thunderous clap.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to everyone who attended and made this a success. Both sides had brilliant strategies and you all have renewed my faith that roleplaying really can happen on Rallos Zek. Everyone kept their items, and we all parted friends, and that is rare in any event. Since it was kept mostly secret, no item gankers were on hand to be vultures and take anyone's gear.

Anyone who has any events they have ideas or the kernel of an idea for, don't hesitate to /tell me in-game and maybe we can make another successful event out of it. Thanks again, good folk of Rallos.