Post by swingburn on Apr 25, 2010 4:15:44 GMT -5
It was a crisp cool night, a Sentry's lamp flickered and danced as the wind carried up and over into lord Brennan's courtyard. A faint moan could be heard on the wind but was quickly drowned out by the sounds of horses approaching the front gate.
A tall man dressed in a long black trench coat stepped out of the carriage as it came to a halt. "Open the gates!" the sentry shouted to the other guard below. With a glance at the guard and the flash of a small metallic badge the tall man was escorted to the servants entrance.
The light from a single chandelier was barely enough to make out the paintings on the walls as the tall man made his way to the wine cellar.
"Its just down there to the left doctor!, but watch your step those stone stairs are treacherous" the guard belted out just before he sauntered back to his post.
The moans that could be heard earlier soon tuned into screams as they echoed up the spiral stone stairs. As the doctor approached the bottom of the stairs another scream was released, but this time is was in orcish.
"hang in there Grenicsh the doctor is almost here" said Belderon, son of Lord Brennan.
There, lying on a makeshift bed was a pregnant orc servant in labor.
"Move aside!" the doctor shouted as he rushed into the room, almost losing his balance on the last step.
"Are you doctor Rumrin?" Grenicsh squeaked out.
"Yes thats right, now be quiet and let me do my job, everything will be ok, I'm an old friend of Lord Brennan" the doctor said.
A large black bag that he had been concealing under his jacket came flying out at remarkable speed. The tools and equipment inside rattled about as he rummaged around inside of it.
The doctor plunged large syringe into a small vial containing a clear liquid.
"Grenicsh, take a deep breath. i am going to give you somthing to relax." the doctor said.
"ouch!" Grenicsh yelped.
As she looked around the room the lanterns that had been keeping the room bright started to dim. Grenicsh's eyelids involuntarily started to close and shut as if they were attached to small weights. Grenicsh looked up at Belderon and took his hand.
"Don't worry Grenicsh, I'll be right here when you wake up"
Belderon said.
The orc servant's pain subsided as she slipped into a deep slumber. The doctor worked tirelessly throughout the night. soon after the sun had just started to peek through the cellar shutters a new baby half-orc child was brought into the world.
The child would be raised behind the estate walls in secret, and all who were employed by Lord Brennan were sworn to secrecy as the child was his only grandson.
Soon after the birth of the child, Belderon was slain in the wilds by a mysterious creature unknown to any codex or book. Lord Brennan would spend a mass of his fortune on extravagant hunting partys to find the beast that had brought down his son, but none were successful.
Lord Brennan was a wealthy man who made his riches off the trade and sale of fine pelts and furs from the wild beasts that stalked the wilds. Only the most elite hunters in all of Jörd dare travel as deep into the forests as Lord Brennan did, giving him access to the most desirable and rarest of animal pelts.
During a trade between Lord Brennan and another merchant thirteen years ago he acquired a young orc girl slave by the name of Grenicsh. Feeling no hatred towards orcs he took her in and let her work in his estate under the title of servent girl.
The Lord's son Belderon was only a year older then Grenich and they soon became fast friends. Soon they would grow into young adults together and shared many nights together on the estate walls staring up at the stars. Belderon fell fast in love with Grenicsh and she for him. The relationship was forbidden by law but Lord Brennan could see that his son cared for Grenicsh with all his heart.
The relationship was kept hidden and they were soon married in secret by Lord Brennan himself. Within a year Grenicsh was with child.
The half-orc child would soon grow into a strong young boy, and the walls of the estate would not hold his curiosity of the outside world much longer.
On the child's 6th birthday he was clothed in bandages to conceal his appearance and smuggled into hunting party's lead by Lord Brennan. The child learned fast and soon adapted the ways of the ranger. The orcish strength soon started to arouse suspicion amongst the other hunters and the now 14 year old child would have to hunt on his own.
It was now summer and the boy would soon be fifteen years old. It is the age of passage into manhood and much needed to be done.
"Gorbash, come here a moment. Your mother and I have something we need to discuss with you." Lord Brennan shouted from across the courtyard.
Gorbash sprinted over from where he was sitting and jumped into the air, landing on the estate walls just above.
"what is it grandfather!?" Gorbash shouted with a childish grin of sharp teeth.
"Come down here this instant Gorbash!, you do not have you bandages on!, what if somebody sees you on my wall?. How would I explain that to the authorities?" Lord Brennan says panicked.
"Mother can you please explain to grandfather that I am not afraid of who I am!" Gorbash says again with a sharp toothed smile.
"Gorbash I love you but your grandfather is right, come down here this instant we need to discuss something very important with you" Grenicsh explains.
Surely but slowly Gorbash slinks down the wall like a scolded ooze monster and tromps over to sit down.
Lord Brennan hands Gorbash a rolled up piece of parchment sealed with a wax brand.
"Whats this?" Gorbash says.
With a quick flash of the wrist Lord Brennan cuts the seal on the scroll with a concealed dagger, the parchment unravels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The parchment reads:
Son of Belderon, heir to Brennan Estate. You are invited to test you metal in the coming of age event. The Young Adventurers Competition. Should you choose to accept this challenge please have this parchment return via servant with your signature for registration.
Signed: Sir Levix VIII
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gorbash's eyes begin to well up with tears as hides his face.
"Is this some kind of joke?, you want me to compete?, I will be murdered by hordes of dwarfs if I show my face anywhere near the arena!!"
Gorbash picks up a nearby rock and whips it into the ground.
"You will compete with your disguise on. I have already made the arrangements, you have nothing to fear. Your father, and myself before him have competed in this coming of age event and so will you" Lord Brennan says with a comforting smile.
Before his mother can hug him Gorbash sprints into the house with unnatural speed. Moments later Gorbash sprints back out with dried eyes and a smile on his face and says.
"what should I pack?!!"
As the day turns into night so does Gorbash's excitement turn into nervous energy. His armor is fitted, his weapons sharpened.
It is morning now and Gorbash is now fifteen years old. A small gift is found on his bed as he wakes. It is in brown paper wrapped with green ribbons.
Gorbash wastes no time unwrapping the present. Slowly he pulls away the last ribbon and the sun catches something metallic.
The reflection is too great for him to see what he holding right away, but as he wipes the sleep from his eyes the object starts to take shape.
Its an arrowhead.....
A proud grumble pipes up from behind the bedroom door as it slowly creaks open.
"That is the arrowhead that managed to pierce the beast that killed your father. It will bring you luck and perhaps help you track down the creature when you are strong enough" Lord Brennan says.
The room fills with a silent sadness.
Gorbash looks up at the stained glass skylight and stares into the light.
"I will avenge my father some day grandfather, but first I'm going to start by winning this competition" Gorbash says in a clam voice.
"I know you will Gorbash" Lord Brennan says.
Gorbash and his grandfather sit in silence for a moment then head downstairs. Gorbash says his goodbyes to his mother and finishes wrapping his face in bandages.
Gorbash arrives late in the day to the Arena, parchment in hand he slams it down on the registration table.
The stringy elf at the table shoots him a dirty look and proceeds to say.
"Welcome stranger, and whom may you be?"
Gorbash looks the Elf right in the eyes and says.
"My name, is Basche Brennan. Son of Belderon...sign me up"
A tall man dressed in a long black trench coat stepped out of the carriage as it came to a halt. "Open the gates!" the sentry shouted to the other guard below. With a glance at the guard and the flash of a small metallic badge the tall man was escorted to the servants entrance.
The light from a single chandelier was barely enough to make out the paintings on the walls as the tall man made his way to the wine cellar.
"Its just down there to the left doctor!, but watch your step those stone stairs are treacherous" the guard belted out just before he sauntered back to his post.
The moans that could be heard earlier soon tuned into screams as they echoed up the spiral stone stairs. As the doctor approached the bottom of the stairs another scream was released, but this time is was in orcish.
"hang in there Grenicsh the doctor is almost here" said Belderon, son of Lord Brennan.
There, lying on a makeshift bed was a pregnant orc servant in labor.
"Move aside!" the doctor shouted as he rushed into the room, almost losing his balance on the last step.
"Are you doctor Rumrin?" Grenicsh squeaked out.
"Yes thats right, now be quiet and let me do my job, everything will be ok, I'm an old friend of Lord Brennan" the doctor said.
A large black bag that he had been concealing under his jacket came flying out at remarkable speed. The tools and equipment inside rattled about as he rummaged around inside of it.
The doctor plunged large syringe into a small vial containing a clear liquid.
"Grenicsh, take a deep breath. i am going to give you somthing to relax." the doctor said.
"ouch!" Grenicsh yelped.
As she looked around the room the lanterns that had been keeping the room bright started to dim. Grenicsh's eyelids involuntarily started to close and shut as if they were attached to small weights. Grenicsh looked up at Belderon and took his hand.
"Don't worry Grenicsh, I'll be right here when you wake up"
Belderon said.
The orc servant's pain subsided as she slipped into a deep slumber. The doctor worked tirelessly throughout the night. soon after the sun had just started to peek through the cellar shutters a new baby half-orc child was brought into the world.
The child would be raised behind the estate walls in secret, and all who were employed by Lord Brennan were sworn to secrecy as the child was his only grandson.
Soon after the birth of the child, Belderon was slain in the wilds by a mysterious creature unknown to any codex or book. Lord Brennan would spend a mass of his fortune on extravagant hunting partys to find the beast that had brought down his son, but none were successful.
Lord Brennan was a wealthy man who made his riches off the trade and sale of fine pelts and furs from the wild beasts that stalked the wilds. Only the most elite hunters in all of Jörd dare travel as deep into the forests as Lord Brennan did, giving him access to the most desirable and rarest of animal pelts.
During a trade between Lord Brennan and another merchant thirteen years ago he acquired a young orc girl slave by the name of Grenicsh. Feeling no hatred towards orcs he took her in and let her work in his estate under the title of servent girl.
The Lord's son Belderon was only a year older then Grenich and they soon became fast friends. Soon they would grow into young adults together and shared many nights together on the estate walls staring up at the stars. Belderon fell fast in love with Grenicsh and she for him. The relationship was forbidden by law but Lord Brennan could see that his son cared for Grenicsh with all his heart.
The relationship was kept hidden and they were soon married in secret by Lord Brennan himself. Within a year Grenicsh was with child.
The half-orc child would soon grow into a strong young boy, and the walls of the estate would not hold his curiosity of the outside world much longer.
On the child's 6th birthday he was clothed in bandages to conceal his appearance and smuggled into hunting party's lead by Lord Brennan. The child learned fast and soon adapted the ways of the ranger. The orcish strength soon started to arouse suspicion amongst the other hunters and the now 14 year old child would have to hunt on his own.
It was now summer and the boy would soon be fifteen years old. It is the age of passage into manhood and much needed to be done.
"Gorbash, come here a moment. Your mother and I have something we need to discuss with you." Lord Brennan shouted from across the courtyard.
Gorbash sprinted over from where he was sitting and jumped into the air, landing on the estate walls just above.
"what is it grandfather!?" Gorbash shouted with a childish grin of sharp teeth.
"Come down here this instant Gorbash!, you do not have you bandages on!, what if somebody sees you on my wall?. How would I explain that to the authorities?" Lord Brennan says panicked.
"Mother can you please explain to grandfather that I am not afraid of who I am!" Gorbash says again with a sharp toothed smile.
"Gorbash I love you but your grandfather is right, come down here this instant we need to discuss something very important with you" Grenicsh explains.
Surely but slowly Gorbash slinks down the wall like a scolded ooze monster and tromps over to sit down.
Lord Brennan hands Gorbash a rolled up piece of parchment sealed with a wax brand.
"Whats this?" Gorbash says.
With a quick flash of the wrist Lord Brennan cuts the seal on the scroll with a concealed dagger, the parchment unravels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The parchment reads:
Son of Belderon, heir to Brennan Estate. You are invited to test you metal in the coming of age event. The Young Adventurers Competition. Should you choose to accept this challenge please have this parchment return via servant with your signature for registration.
Signed: Sir Levix VIII
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gorbash's eyes begin to well up with tears as hides his face.
"Is this some kind of joke?, you want me to compete?, I will be murdered by hordes of dwarfs if I show my face anywhere near the arena!!"
Gorbash picks up a nearby rock and whips it into the ground.
"You will compete with your disguise on. I have already made the arrangements, you have nothing to fear. Your father, and myself before him have competed in this coming of age event and so will you" Lord Brennan says with a comforting smile.
Before his mother can hug him Gorbash sprints into the house with unnatural speed. Moments later Gorbash sprints back out with dried eyes and a smile on his face and says.
"what should I pack?!!"
As the day turns into night so does Gorbash's excitement turn into nervous energy. His armor is fitted, his weapons sharpened.
It is morning now and Gorbash is now fifteen years old. A small gift is found on his bed as he wakes. It is in brown paper wrapped with green ribbons.
Gorbash wastes no time unwrapping the present. Slowly he pulls away the last ribbon and the sun catches something metallic.
The reflection is too great for him to see what he holding right away, but as he wipes the sleep from his eyes the object starts to take shape.
Its an arrowhead.....
A proud grumble pipes up from behind the bedroom door as it slowly creaks open.
"That is the arrowhead that managed to pierce the beast that killed your father. It will bring you luck and perhaps help you track down the creature when you are strong enough" Lord Brennan says.
The room fills with a silent sadness.
Gorbash looks up at the stained glass skylight and stares into the light.
"I will avenge my father some day grandfather, but first I'm going to start by winning this competition" Gorbash says in a clam voice.
"I know you will Gorbash" Lord Brennan says.
Gorbash and his grandfather sit in silence for a moment then head downstairs. Gorbash says his goodbyes to his mother and finishes wrapping his face in bandages.
Gorbash arrives late in the day to the Arena, parchment in hand he slams it down on the registration table.
The stringy elf at the table shoots him a dirty look and proceeds to say.
"Welcome stranger, and whom may you be?"
Gorbash looks the Elf right in the eyes and says.
"My name, is Basche Brennan. Son of Belderon...sign me up"
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