The Chronicles of Tain

[Tain]

I have enjoyed myself since I recently arrived in the Lands. I have met
some interesting people and have found things to challenge and improve my skills. I prefer to use pole weapons and was having difficulty locating
good ones. A nice chap named Jagg noticed that I wasn't using just the normal sword or mace like most starting fighters and gave me a poleaxe to encourage me in developing my skills. I promptly went out and shattered it, much to my disgust. I shattered quite a few weapons a first (about six or seven I think). I finally refined my skills enough that I don't shatter weapons quite as frequently any more.

A while later, Jagg observed that my skill had improved and also noticed that I wasn't using the poleaxe he gave me anymore. He inquired about it and got a good laugh when he heard that I had shattered it. Being the generous fellow that he is, he gave me another weapon, an adamantine poleaxe this time. That is a mighty fine weapon. I tried it out and marveled at how much better it was than anything else I had used. I decided to save it for a deserving foe and tucked it away in my gear.

I soon had an opportunity to use it. I was progressing rapidly in my training and ran into an obstacle. The Sword Master decided it was time to truly test my skills. He wanted me to defeat a large bore worm and told me that they could be found near the slagheap at the refinery in Coral. I decided that this would be a foe worthy of the adamantine poleaxe Jagg had given me.

I headed over to the slagheap and eventually discovered an ominous looking hole leading down into the earth. The stench was terrible, but I wasn't going to let some smell stop me from achieving my goal. Seeing how dark it was in the hole, I dug out a silver torch I had persuaded a theater usher to give me. I finally got it to produce some light. (This magic stuff isn't as easy as I first thought. The first time I cast a rumble spell, it smashed into a stall holder and killed him immediately. I thought that magic would be easy, but I have only been that successful a couple of times since, but I have had a multitude of failures. Beginner's luck I guess.)

I started down the tunnel and was having trouble keeping my feet. I thought I am making a lot of noise and I don't care about sneaking, so I sat on my shield and just slid down to the bottom of the slope. It kicked up a lot of dust and made a lot of noise, but nothing was waiting for me at the bottom. As the dust cleared, I saw another hole.I paused and could hear sounds from inside. I paused and made sure that I had my armor
and weapon ready, then I headed into the hole. Sure enough, there was a large bore worm. I saw lots of teeth at one end and a large leathery body. It attacked immediately as I entered. I quickly struck it with my poleaxe as it approached me. It ripped through the side of its body like a hot knife through butter. This adamantine poleaxe is a finer weapon than I thought. I didn't have long to think though as the worm sank its teeth into my leg.
I can see how this thing can eat through stone. The pain was excruciating. I tried to use my circling skill, but the hole was too small and the worm just slammed the side of its body into me knocking me against the wall. I used a healing spell the Patriarch at the chapel taught me to repair some of the damage and then I attacked in a frenzy. The poleaxe kept ripping through the worm's body. The worm kept twisting around trying to get at me, but I held it at bay while slicing it up with my poleaxe. Soon, it stopped moving and was dead. The Sword Master had mentioned trying to recover the skin as it was magical. Alas, I had sliced the worm up so bad that there was not enough of the skin left intact. Still, I had defeated the foe the Sword Master wanted to test me with. I heard more rumbling sounds headed my way, so I decided to depart tired as I was. I headed back up the tunnel to light and fresh air. (I did return later to try and recover a skin. I used an iron staff the second time and was able to smash it to a pulp and recover a skin that time.) The Sword Master was pleased I completed my task so quickly and I continued with my training.

Well, enough for now. Storytelling can be thirsty work. I will continue later.

[jagg]

*groan*
Did yer hav ter tell EVRYWUN I giv u a wepon or two?
People be finkin I Santa an all wantin presents if u do dat. It not Christmas yet, all u lot!

[Tain]

Jagg said

*groan*
Did yer hav ter tell EVRYWUN I giv u a wepon or two?

How about if I also mention that you have sold me some weapons as well. Does that make it better?

[jagg]

Yer, an if u tell 'em I charge u big bags of gold fer dem, dat 'elp even more. Fanks!