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| Author | A thief’s tale |
|---|
Prelude: https://www.lordswm.com/forum_messages.php?tid=1847036
It was on a nice spring morning, Lord Andre’s office was flooded with the warm light of the rising sun, which came through the large windows of the room, even the birds outside had started to sing their songs. The only thing that was not fitting into the scenery was Lord Andre’s lifeless body on his escritoire and the dark clad person behind him.
Attracted by a strange thud and a bad feeling the Lord’s daughter knocked the door open, only to find her father dead and his murderer leaping at her, she barely managed to grab one of the swords that decorated the office’s walls to deflect the dagger that was racing for her heart. She wielded the sword with such a power that her opponent stumbled backwards and in a fierce counter she cut his hand so that the dagger fell to the ground. Finding himself suddenly disarmed and facing an angry armed girl the assassin jumped backwards, broke one of the windows and escaped.
Lord Andre’s daughter, seeing that there was no point in pursuing the assailant in her nightdress, now turned to her father. He almost looked like he was just sleeping, but the painful expression on his face, his pale skin and as she touched him his cold hand clearly stated otherwise. Although he was slain just moments ago, his entire life force was gone, a clear indication that some dark magic was at work, further backed up by the fact that the murderer was of Dark Elven kin. He did not even bother to conceal his face during the fight so it was deeply burned into her memory in great detail.
She quickly made her mind to pursue this Dark Elf and bring him to justice no matter what. As she stepped on the hallway she ran into her father’s assistant, the house’s most trusted servant, this man in his fifties, with little hair on his head, dressed in a pompous robe, gazed in shock at the girl.
“You are … unharmed, milady?” he stuttered.
“Yes, though not by lack of attempt, this bastard killed my father and tried to harm me as well. I have to hunt him down and have my vengeance. I’ll have to leave soon before his trail gets cold.” She said passionately, before she was interrupted.
“But, milady you should not peril your life any further and you are needed here.”
“It is not only my duty, but my will to take him down and I’m sure I can leave things here in your capable hands for a few days.” With these words she turned around and walked away to get dressed.
“Godspeed, milady.” He shouted hesitating. | After she got dressed and donned her armour and sword, she made some inquiries at the local inns and at the city gates and thus she figured in which direction her prey was heading.
She mounted her horse and set out. As she had left the Capital it was surprisingly easy to follow the trail, she had expected some more care from the assassin.
In the afternoon, when she granted her horse and herself a break, she was approached by three disguised men.
“Now, what would a little chick like you do all on her own out here in the wilderness.” One of them shouted while she calmly got up from her meal and faced them.
“Yeah and look at all the heavy stuff she has.” another continued.
“Perhaps we should help you carrying it.” The first thug offered laying his hand on the hilt of his short sword, indicating that she had not much of a choice.
“As much as I appreciate your offer, I really don’t want to inconvenience you.” She replied obviously mocking them, but she still didn’t take a combat stance.
“And I really thought you were smarter than this.” The thug leader threatened as he unsheathed his sword and his companions also drew their daggers and tried to surround her.
She now took a defensive stance and laid one hand on the scabbard and the other on the hilt of her sword, she focused her attention on the third thug, who hadn’t said a word yet and was shaking with fear as he tried to sneak into her back with his worn dagger.
Before she was completely surrounded, she drew and leapt at him, hitting his dagger so hard that it simply broke in his hand and then sheathed her sword again. He stumbled backwards in fear and as she turned towards the remaining two thugs she knocked him out with her elbow.
Now she started to circle the leader such that his companion was always behind him and no immediate threat for her. As he attacked her, she shifted her weight backwards and dealt out a painful kick, which send him sinking to the ground.
“Um, boss?” the last standing thief was irritated, but when he met her gaze he dropped his dagger and ran for his life. The thug leader first crawled then ran away as fast as the searing pain let him. | Now that the threat was gone, she kneeled next to the thug she knocked out and removed his mask. He was a boy, even younger than she was, his face slightly bruised from her elbow. As he slowly regained his consciousness he noticed that the person who knocked him out was uncomfortably close to him and he tried to back away.
“Easy boy, I don’t want you to faint again.” She said smiling slightly. The boy’s breath became steadier and he took a more comfortable position.
“You won’t hit me again?” He asked with a shaking voice.
“Not unless you point a dagger at me, but tell me why would someone like you attack me or even be with such scum?”
“They promised to give me some food, when I help them and you in your fancy armour looked like worthwhile prey.”
“I see and did you get some food?”
“Naw, just this dull dagger.” Hearing this words she got to her horse and threw some food to him.
“Thank you.” He stammered, before greedily devouring everything. She flashed a smile and then started to question him about her prey. He could provide some information about his direction and his mount, because they saw him, but let him pass, due to his somewhat disturbing aura. She packed up her belongings and bid him farewell.
“And about this coin you snatched from my purse.” She said facing him again, making his heart skip a beat. “Keep it if it sates your hunger and prevents you getting killed.” She smiled and rode off. He flushed and felt bad at the thought that he probably had but to ask yielding the same result.
She reached a small village at nightfall and spent the night at the local inn. As she woke up in the morning she decided to stash her armour at the inn and get something more appropriate, a light leather armour. She found that certain elements in the tavern were more willing to talk to her in an unofficial garment, than they were the night before. After she had done her inquiries she left and continued her pursuit. The following days it was much harder to keep track of her father’s assassin, but finally after some days an old man at the local tavern gave her the clue, that a Dark Elven cultist, worshipper of the Goddess of death, had his hideout in the woods near the town, so she decided to leave her horse in the town and searched the forest.
When the sun had set she still hadn’t found this hideout, but ever since she had entered the forest she felt a dark presence just behind her that told her she was close. Despite her tiredness she set up her bedroll under a tree and stuffed it with some twigs. She then climbed up the tree, laid on a strong branch and waited. | In the middle of the night, when the forest was only lit by the dim light of the stars she suddenly heard the sound of an arrow flying and soon after saw it hitting her bedroll, completely piercing through it and hitting the trunk of the tree she was on. After the arrow came a dark figure that warily approached the campsite, she readied herself to engage. The pointed-eared figure kicked against the bedroll where he expected a lifeless body. At that very moment she jumped down and dealt a hard blow, which the Dark Elf could barely deflect with a hastily drawn dagger. She continued, dealing out blow after blow, which he parried with one dagger, while attempting to place counters with another. She chased him through the forest and finally they came to a clearing. Both of them were beaten up badly, she had taken several cuts at her forearms and even one at her cheek that barely missed her eye, he also took some cuts at his forearms and the chest part of his leather suit was completely torn.
All of a sudden he leapt backwards far enough that she couldn’t reach him in a step. She warily checked her surrounding giving him the time to speak.
“At this rate the both of us will die.” he said breathing hard. He sheathed his daggers, but kept his hand at their hilts.
“If this is what it takes to bring you to justice I’m ready to pay the price.” She replied angrily at his appeal to her will to live.
“Justice?” He sneered “What kind of justice seeks to punish the tool instead of it’s wielder?”
“I saw you killing my father and you tried to slay me as well, don’t dare mocking me.”
“This is true, but unimportant. The Goddess granted me a gift and I offer it to those who are willing to pay for it. I make use of it for Her glory.”
“You lie.” She shouted, her voice filled with hatred.
He laughed in contempt “Why should I, do you think a Dark Elf has nothing better to do than breaking into a highly secured mansion and kill someone for free, while there is much paid work waiting for a skilled assassin like me?”
“Even if you speak the truth, that doesn’t mean you are not responsible for your ill deeds.”
“Apparently you don’t get the point, you can either punish me and die here or you can bring justice to the person behind this.”
“I rather take my chance to kill you and survive this.”
“That’s not how it works, you see there is a strong poison on my daggers and it should be in your entire body by now. This poison kills even the strongest men after a short time, but you are still standing, it didn’t even slow you down, that means for some reason obscured to me my Goddess favours you as well as She favours me, so if one of us were to kill the other, the punishment would be death.” | She finally sheathed her sword, but let her hand still rested on its hilt.
“Who paid you then?” She inquired impatiently.
“In my branch you don’t ask for names, but the old man who hired me had barely any hair left and always wore these silly dresses.”
“This can’t be.” Her eyes widened in shock. It never occurred to her, but it all made sense, if she and her father were dead, her father’s assistant would temporarily assume her fathers position and as head of the Imperial treasury he would have the opportunity to defraud a great amount of gold.
“He didn’t paid what was promised to me, so I’m no longer bound to secrecy.”
“I have to take my leave then.”
“Do you even know how to get out of this forest?” She shook her head, she had totally lost her bearings, during the fight.
“Then I’ll bring you to a path that will lead you back to the town. Follow me.” With this words the Dark Elf walked away and she followed him in a safe distance. When they reached the path, he pointed her in the right direction and she set off without another word.
“Hey!” he shouted, she turned around and caught a dagger he was throwing just before her nose. “This is for you.”
“Are you trying to kill me at last?”
“Have you forgotten, as much as I like I can’t. I thought you might like the enchantment on it. I bet any able craftsman can copy it to your entire equipment, but make sure you wash off the poison, before giving it to someone else.”
“Why should I want to use any enchantment your vile goddess of death have to offer?”
“You got it wrong again, death is but an aspect of Her, She covers all that changes, but then again what was I expecting from someone who was raised with the lies of your conservative church. Use it or not, I don’t really care, the enchantment won’t help you killing, but it will make your movements swifter and more graceful. You have potential, don’t sacrifice it to some silly principles.” Having said this, the assassin returned into the forest and left her standing alone on the path.
When she returned to the town it was already dawn and the first thing she did was seeking out a priest to mend her wounds and to purge the poison from the dagger and from her, just to be safe.
Despite the fact that she was tired and her body was aching she decided to saddle up and ride home. It took her just two days to return to the first village she came along when she left the Capital. There she spent the night and got her armour with the insignia of her house back. | The next morning she returned to the Capital, but as she demanded passage at the gate and the guards figured who she was, she found two spears pointing at her throat. Although she could have probably defeated the guards, that wouldn’t have helped her to stop the traitor and so she didn’t put up any resistance. All her belongings were taken away from her and she was imprisoned like a common thief.
Later that day she had a somewhat unexpected visitor. The door of her cell swung open and the captain of the prison guard entered and announced “Her Imperial Highness, the Empress.”
As the Empress entered the prisoner bowed to her knee and she realized that if she was facing the Empress now, the Emperor who ruled, by her departure must have passed away.
“Your Highness, I share your loss and I’m deeply troubled, may your rule be as wise and benevolent as that of your father. I pledge my life to you as my father and I did to your father.”
“How dare you insolent we…” The guard-captain interrupted her until the Empress gestured him to silence.
“You had to endure a loss as well that I share and I accept your pledge, but that is not the reason I am here. Please stand up.” The Empress said softly.
“Captain you may wait in front of the cell.” She ordered.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I fear for your safety when I leave you alone with this dangerous criminal.”
The Empress sighed and faced the prisoner again. “I am here to present you the charges that were brought up against you during your absence. You are charged with the murder of Lord Andre and with theft from the Imperial treasury.” The Empress said with a sad expression.
“If I did not know you for years, the evidence presented to the court would surely led me to believe that you are guilty of these severe crimes.” With this words the Empress hugged the prisoner tightly and whispered “I will arrange your liberation.” And with this words the Empress left. | After the guards were changed in the evening two men wearing the armour of the Imperial guard entered her cell.
“I’m here on Her Highness’s behest.” One of them stated and she nodded.
“Lie down!” The guardsman ordered to his companion, who did so without delay. He then produced a piece of parchment and spoke some incantations that seemed to belong to a disjunction spell and the armour on the ground collapsed.
“What did you do to him?” She asked irritated.
“This was an enchanted armour, able to follow only simple commands and that’s the way I get you out of this unworthy cell. You want to put it on?” The armour of the Imperial guards were heavy plate armour so it was nearly impossible to see who was inside or whether someone was inside at all.
She started to put on the armour and he put off his chain gloves and helped her.
“Can you walk with this?” He asked when they were done.
“I rather take my chance in this tin than staying here any longer.”
“Hey careful, I’m pretty proud bearing this tin.”
They both left the cell and he locked it, they made it out of the prison untroubled, because nobody wants trouble with the Imperial guard. He lead her to a small house near the prison, there was ranger equipment prepared for her, which allowed her to walk unnoticed. She changed, the guard returned her sword, her dagger and her purse and when she was about to leave the guard said “Her Highness wants me to tell you not to forget to feed the cat. Any idea what that means?”
“Of course I do.” She smiled, saluted briefly and disappeared into the night.
She went to a small solitary park near the palace. There she sat on a bench produced a small fish, laid it beside her and waited. After some time a black cat jumped next to her on the bench and devoured the fish. She petted its head while feeding it another fish and then she searched its collar for a message and found one.
The message described what had transpired during her absence and especially why everyone would think that she had killed her father. She wrote a short response stating what really happened and showed her gratitude. After that she put the message in the collar, gave the cat a third fish and left the park. | In a small alley she was approached by another ranger.
“I was looking for you.” The ranger said, which made her wary and reaching for her sword.
“Easy, I mean you no harm. I have a proposal for you.”
“How do you know who I am and how I look like?” She inquired still wary.
“My little brother had a small encounter with you and described you in great detail and it was not this hard to figure out who he ran into.” He smiled broadly. “I’m glad you didn’t hurt him too much and made him come home.”
“I’m glad he’s fine.” She replied calming down. “What is this proposal you came with?”
“I bring information about the new treasurer.” He said the last word with great disgust. “Your sudden reappearance quite stirred him up, so much in fact that he left the capital with a heavy loaded caravan that is bound westward.”
“So, he’s deserting.”
“Yes and it seems like he’s taking the empires gold with him.”
“But that would wreak havoc all over the empire.” She exclaimed in disbelieve.
“And would hurt your house’s reputation.” He stammered, fascinated by the fact that she cared more for the first than the later.
“He has to be stopped, we must warn the Empress.”
“That is were we can help each other. He is on an official trade mission, if you were to convince the Empress that he is a traitor and she send some forces.”
“Than they could bring the gold back.” She continued. “But even if I can convince her, he’s a full day ahead they never make it in time.” She objected.
“That’s where we can help you, I command a small force of outlaws, all of them decent men and women, who just got a bit bad luck, but I trust all of them.” He encouraged her as she winced at the word outlaw. “And they all have an excellent military training.”
“And they can make it in time?”
“There getting ready as we speak, I even send a scout team to survey the area, where we plan to strike.”
“I see, I have to send the message then and I have to call in a favour. Where do we meet up?”
“Outside the western gate, at the forest.” With this words both of them departed. | She headed for a small shack and knocked at the door. After some time a grumpy voice mumbled from within.
“It’s closed, come again tomorrow.” She knocked again.
“Go away, I serve no customers in the middle of the night.”
“And how about a friend?” She finally replied.
The door opened and a tired white-haired man looked outside. “Hmm, you? Really sad thing that happened to your father.”
“Yeah, I want set some things straight.”
“What can I do for you, dear?”
“I need your help old man. Can you copy this enchantment?” She asked handing him the dagger.
“Oh really nice thing, excellent quality, I can see why you want more of it, I think I have the reagents to copy the effects.”
“In fact I need many copies.” She confessed.
“Yes then I get the reagents tomorrow at the market, good night dear.” He yawned and tried to close the door.
“You can get them on the way, now hurry and pack up everything you need.”
“Where are we going to in the first place?”
“We’re going to stop a deserter with the Empire’s gold.”
“Gold is always a good thing to have.” He nodded.
“By the way do you have a fish for me?” She asked.
“Fish is also a good thing to have.” He agreed and gave her one.
“And don’t forget to pack up.” She shouted as she returned to the park.
It took quite some time till the black cat showed up, because it was still full from the last meal, but ate the forth fish nonetheless. She wrote another note explaining the newest developments and attached it to the collar.
As she returned to the shack all the old man had done so far is getting dressed.
“Are you ready to leave?” She asked impatiently.
“I can’t find anything in this chaos.” He said pointing at the shack “You know what.” he said finally “I just take it with me.”
“The shack?” She asked in disbelief, but he had already taken a small bag from his belt, which blew up to a size that the shack fitted inside, he simply put the bag over the shack and the bag shrunk to it’s original size and he attached it back to his belt.
She locked at the old mage in amazement.
“I just hope all the shaking doesn’t add any more chaos to my chaos. So were are we going now.” She shook her head and then the two set out to the meeting point. They had no trouble passing the gate, for it was just opened as the new day dawned.
“Good you’re here, we’re ready to leave, you can have this horse.” The ranger urged.
“Who is this?” he asked pointing at the old mage.
“He’s a friend, he will help us.”
“Won’t he slow us down?”
“I slow you down?” the mage mumbled “You slow me down.” The mage drew his wand and spoke a few incantations.
“I hadn’t brought him with me, if he were a burden.” She replied with a grin.
The old man had summoned a phantom steed and slowly crawled on it’s back.
“What are you young people waiting for, I’m not getting any younger.” The mage urged as he finally sat comfortable in the saddle. | The group made haste to reach a river the caravan had to cross, scouting reports indicated that they had but a half day to prepare the ambush when they arrived at dawn after three days. The original plan was to ambush the caravan, once it was on the main bridge, but she argued against it and so they decided to block the main bridge and thus forcing the caravan to take a narrow passage between the river and a forest, so that there was no fast way to turn around.
The old mage had used the breaks the other had to take for their horses to get all ingredients he needed for the enchantment and as they arrived he unpacked his shack in the forest and wrought enchantments on all items that were given to him.
Meanwhile a barricade was erected along the path to hold the caravan off till some Imperial troops arrived to claim their treasure back. On this barricade were a dozen men armed with crossbows and behind it several more archers.
As the caravan arrived and stopped before the barricade she got on top of it and shouted
“You have been deceived by a traitor, surrender now and you will not be harmed.”
“Don’t believe those filthy thieves, kill them, kill them all, for the glory of the Empire.” Shouted an all too familiar voice from inside the caravan. Finding that not being shot at was better than trying to clear the barricade at high losses, the swordsmen guarding the caravan decided to stay where they were. This way the caravan was held off till a scout reported Imperial forces on the advance.
“Imperial troops will arrive here soon and they will verify what I said.” She shouted to the bored swordsmen, who then headed for the tail of the caravan to greet the Imperial troops. The traitor however seeing no other way tried to escape over the river, but he lost hold on the slippery stones in the water, fell into the river and has never been seen again.
“Do you see this chest?” The ranger suddenly asked, grinning broadly, pointing towards a chest that was on the first cart of the caravan.
“Yes.” She grinned back.
“You think someone will miss it?”
“I doubt they will.”
“It looks heavy.” The mage observed.
“Can, I have one of your bags, old men.” The ranger asked.
“Sure.” The old man replied giving him one. The ranger jumped over the barricade, snatched the chest and returned.
“Time to get out of here.” She finally declared and the group retreated.
This was the first ambush lead by thief’s guild’s current leader, but there were many, many more. | Great story.
Now what I want to know is how do we get that initiative enchant on our weapons too. :) | Great story. And no, I didn't guess from the very first post that the main character is Thief Leader-to-be :P It explains the lack of name, though. While I wish it wasn't 'she did this' and 'she did that' all the time, I understand it was done on purpose.
I rather hope you find time and desire to write some more - I enjoy reading your stories very much :)
Now what I want to know is how do we get that initiative enchant on our weapons too. :)
You get ini bonus from TG, do you not? ;) | Now what I want to know is how do we get that initiative enchant on our weapons too. :)
You get ini bonus from TG, do you not? ;)
I consider that experience like HG bonus. In the story it was clear that the bonus was from an enchant on the weapon. :)
Poison daggers - new enchant, spell, or item like a potion to be used on daggers? hmm...
Enchanted bags - new warehouse storage method?
I like the story. Well written, good dialogue, interesting twists, new/great potential suggestions for the admin, and fits well into the game. | I'm glad to see that some people had the endurance to read through all of this and enjoyed reading it. I have to admit that I rushed the end a bit to get it done before I was away.
I guess the first line (and the threads title) are a 'little' giveaway were the story is heading. ^-^
I'm not particular happy that I have no name to refer to the thief leader, but since she is not my character it is not my place to chose one and it would be inappropriate to do so.
The enchantment refers to the enchantment on the thief artifacts and was not meant for shop artifacts. For me the initiative bonus of thief's guild is pretty much being familiar with making quick decisions and fast reaction.
Most of the mechanics like the enchanted bags and the spells used are actually from other games (for example Neverwinter Nights) and I doubt that they were original there. ^-^ | Now thats a chapter!!! not that 1 page = 1 chapter stuff...
Err couple suggestions
Use less quation marks... """""""" no! """"" is bad XD
(means we get it theyre talking u dont need that many...)
Picutres? hard to do but it would make everyone very proud of you
(myself not included... im to violent to do so... yay u anyways)
When a sentence ends make a new line
(this doesnt matter just makes it look longer and a bit better)
Paragraphs....
(a giant slab of a paragraph isnt appealing hence why i didnt read past the first one (sry) lol) | | Have to argue with DeasprateDesire here: text formating is wery well done. Keep in mind - it's a story, not a forum post. | This story is just too short to even divide it into chapters, but when I ever get to novel size, I'll break it up into chapters.
Pictures, huh? I really think it's best for everyone involved if I stick to things I can do and drawing is so definitely not among them.
Your suggestion to formating makes me really wonder if you've ever seen a book and if yes, why didn't you read it? ^-^
Seriously, it's quite common to use the format I used. | | "" is pretty common tool for direct speech. It is a grammar mistake not to use it. In my country we use slightly different tools for direct speech, but in english text I dont see any alternative. |
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