The Traveling Gnome - A Fanfiction

Prologue

He walked swiftly down the cobblestone pathway to the shire’s small tavern.  It wasn’t a particularly big building, just a little hut built into the hillside.  He cautiously opened the door and walked slowly through.  His eyes, one sapphire blue and the other jade green, merrily twinkled through his gold framed glasses as he gazed around the room.  It was hard to tell how old he was; his silvered, wily hair looked as if some experiment had gone awry and blown up in his face.
There was a scar across his left cheek, his hands; calloused.  There were also strange runes on his hands; of what origin, no one knew.  He wore a suit of armor that looked like it had been to the depths of hell and back.
As he slowly made his way through the tavern, the younger Halflings gave him reproaching stares.  He smiled and then stepped up to the bar.  There was a half-finished stein to his left, so he finished it off.  As he set the stein down, the bartender took a moment to look up and see who had just come in.  His eyes widened with surprise and he started to chuckle.  “My, my, my,” he exclaimed.  “If it isn’t Kukaishi Mitzurugi!”  
He reached beneath the bar and withdrew a steaming pastry.  “The Great, I might add,” he said, chuckling lightly again. “Please, have some baubleberry pie.  My wife baked it just an hour ago!”
The gnome shrugged, and then eyed the empty stein.  “I suppose.  Do you think I could have a bit more brew though?”  Nrumba arched his brow, and pondered the request a moment.  “Ahahaaa…perhaps, and you know what?  I’ll keep it comin’, but only if yeh tell us of your adventures.  Deal?”
“Done.” Kukaishi speedily replied.  “Fill ‘er up, and slide me a slice of that pie while yer at it.” “Now, where shall we begin…”

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It was a cool, breezy day in the hilly grasslands outside of the great city of Qeynos.  The few lone trees that were present towered above the fields.  They stood still as rocks, their branches gently swaying in the wind.  
     Birds sang their songs and flitted among the branches and over the nearby pond.  
     Kukaishi sighed.  “What a great day.  Thank the Gods I ain’t got nothin' to do today.  Might as well take a nap."
He dozed off under a tree and dreamt of his homeland of Ak'Anon, his family, and most importantly, how good it was to be away from the city for once.  He was just about to play a game of kick the bloat-sac when, suddenly, he felt someone tapping on on his shoulder.
"Nyehhh," he grunted.
"Wake up sleepy-heaaad!"  
The woman had a smile on her face.  Her golden fur rustled in the wind, and her pink nose twitched as she looked around for a moment.  Her purple cloak was stitched with magical golden symbols.  
      There was something that didn't seem right though, he thought.  He was still half asleep, but he managed to notice that the person standing over him didn't have a cat-like look, but a-
His eyes shot open.  "You!  A Ratonga? In Qeynos?!  Vile Freeportian!"  He whipped his iron shortsword out of its sheath, and readied for combat.  The Ratonga narrowed her eyes, and then motioned her hand towards him.  There was a loud crack, and then a loud BANG!
A lightning bolt shot out from her hand.  He had planned to charge her, but as he looked down at his hand, his sword was gone.  He looked around and noticed his sword was now laying ten feet away.  
      "Wha...?"   
     His mouth dropped down in disbelief.  She had to be some sort of wizard.  He held up his shield in defense.
"Shh, hush hun.  I'm no trouble to you, and I don't intend to hurt you.  Now just stand there a moment, and let me explain myself."
"B..b...but," he stuttered.
Quiet.  You are right about one thing.  I was born in Freeport.  And indeed I did grow up there.  A few months ago, I was recruited by some Qeynosian spies.  Lord Lucan's Guard discovered what we were doing.  The other spies refused to release any information and were immediately executed.  But," and she raised her finger, "I wanted to live."
"So you...?"
"I released what little information I had been given, and I chose exile from Freeport.  I decided to come here and see if the good queen would take me in.  Being the loving and great woman she is, she accepted." Kukaishi nodded.
"So you see?  I won't hurt you,  I serve the Queen Antonia, just like you.  Friends?"
"Umm, I guess so," he replied.  "My name's Kukaishi."
"Pika.   Mind if I call you Kuki?  It's shorter and easier to pronounce, at least for me."
"Sure.  So, why exactly did you wake me?"
She paused for a moment, but then quickly replied, "We're-well, I mean me and my caravan-were looking for just one more adventurer, and I guess the big guy thought you looked like you had it in you."
Kukaishi thought for a moment.  He wasn't really sure if he wanted to go.  Then again, it would be a difference from the boring life he had in the city.  "Sure!  I'll take the job!"  He grinned and then asked, "So where's the rest of the caravan?"
"They're...around," she said slyly.

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 There was a rustling in the tree above him, and out of nowhere dropped a wood elf.  He was about twice as tall as Kukaishi-still shorter than a human though-and he looked to be a few years older than Kukaishi, but elves live for much longer than gnomes, so it was hard to tell.  
     He had leather armor, a quiver full of iron arrows on his back, and a large oaken bow as well.  "Hi-oh bud!"  He took a few quick looks around, and then deftly jumped up to the lowest branch in the tree, about eight feet off the ground.
     "That's Okeek," Pika said.  "He's a Ranger, also our lookout and bowman.  Pretty fast, isn't he?  You probably won‘t be seeing him a whole lot.  He prefers to converse with animals and forest-folk."  She waved her hand around her head clockwise twice, and counterclockwise three more times.  Then she snapped her fingers.
     A huge barbarian and a slender wood elf seemed to step out of thin air.  The barbarian was easily four times the size of Kukaishi.  He flexed and his muscles bulged, looking as if he could turn boulders to dust.  He wore an iron cuirass emblazoned with what was probably his family crest, a set of iron greaves, and steel toed leather boots.  He had a large steel claymore at his side, which most would need two hands to wield; and a tower shield hanging on his back.  A band on his forehead that went all around his head kept his unruly dirt brown hair out of his face.
     The wood elf was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen.   She had shimmering brown hair, blue-green eyes that were as deep as the ocean, and slightly blushed cheeks.  Her skin was tan, like that of most wood-elves.  The set of chain link armor she wore looked as if it was so heavy, it could crush her.  "It's mithril," she said in a soft voice, as she saw the look on his face.  "It has the durability of heavy armor and the lightness of leather.  It was designed for me." She smiled.  She, as well, had a short sword at her side.  It was carved with many elven battle symbols.  The hilt was adorned with silver imprints of leaves.
     Pika grinned.  “Did they scare you?  I’ve been working on a little invisibility spell, pretty neat huh?”  The barbarian tapped her on the shoulder.  “Oh? Shoot, sorry,  I forgot to introduce these two.”
     “The big guy there is our Warrior.  He’s the brute strength in our caravan, as well as a pretty darn good armor- and weapon-smith.  His name is Howl.”
      “That wood elf there-yes, I see you staring-is our Provisioner and Alchemist.  She studies any new plant she can get her hands on.  She can also make healing salves out of many kinds of herbs.  The armor she’s wearing is so that she can fight next to Hal.  Don’t underestimate her.”  Pika winked.  “Her name is, well, she‘s never told us her real name.  We just call her Cookie.”
      Kukaishi shifted uncomfortably.  "So, what are we gonna do?  D'ya think I could get some armor?"
"Sure!  We've just got to find it first," said Pika.
"Find it?"
     "Yea, we're adventurers.  For the most part, we've salvaged these armor and weapons from ruins.  And of course we also kill gnolls and goblins.  They usually have decent sized stashes.  We have yet to run into trolls and orcs, but I’m sure we’ll come upon them in our adventures some day.”
      Howl stepped forward.  His low, rough voice scared Kukaishi at first.  "Ya-harrr.  Let's be off to the gnoll stronghold, Blackburrow.  That should be a good test of our abilities.” 
“But,” Pika began.
“We’re going,” Howl said firmly.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
A few of the Halflings began to perk up when Blackburrow was mentioned.  Kukaishi just laughed.  “Yes, yes.  My first adventure was to Blackburrow, and a fun one it was, even though I wasn‘t conscious for most of the battle.”
Nrumba jumped up from his stool, walked over to the gnome, and whispered something in his ear.
Kuki gave a puzzled expression.  “Say, you kids don’t know what gnolls are, do you?”
The whole room got quiet.  A few of the Halflings walked over to their friends to see if they knew the answer, but no one could figure out what a gnoll was.
“Ohohohohoho, eh, heeheeheee,” Kukaishi wiped a tear from his eye.  “You kids don’t get out do ya?” 
“Well, a gnoll looks kind of like a wolf.  Except for one thing!  It walks in a hunched over position on two legs.  They’ve got razor sharp teeth, and claws like steel.  They’re also capable of somewhat rational thought.  They’ve all got the sense to make sorts of armor, but tend not to use weapons.”
“And Blackburrow,” Nrumba began, “Is basically tha gnollish headquarters.  Their Shamans and Battle-Captains reside there.  It’s also their breeding ground.  Kuki, you think I migh’ tell them what lives in the caves below?”
“No, most certaintly not.  I’ll get to that in my story.”  He smiled maliciously.  “Now let me continue.”

_________________________________________________________________________________
  "OKEEEEK!" Howl roared.  The wood elf quickly jumped down from the tree and snapped to attention.
  "Yessir, what can I do fer ya?"
  "Okeek, we need to find a way into Blackburrow."
     "Well, there's a side entrance, but that's swarmed with packs of gnolls.  The secret entrance is deep within a mountain, and supposedly some big sort of earth rumbler lives in there.  I think it's just a big worm with armored plates.  Maybe a snake? Oh well.  Our best bet is the front entrance.  The most we'll have to deal with there is a group of maybe five or six gnolls.  Follow me!"
  They traveled down the beaten cobblestone path which seemed to be falling apart in most places, and past two great guard towers of old on either side of them.  A couple of deer crossed the path.  Their shadows lengthened as the sun set in the distance.  The shattered moon, Luclin, was becoming more visible as the skies darkened.  One by one, the stars started to flicker into the sky.
Kukaishi spoke up, "Shouldn't we be finding a place to stay for the night?"
"I agree," said Cookie.
Okeek sprinted off as fast as a cheetah, zigzagging as he went.  After about five minutes he came back to the group, hardly out of breath.  “There’s a cabin about half a mile ahead, just around the other side of the big rock stickin’ up there.  It’s right on the edge of the forest.  The light is on, looks like it could be a traveler’s inn."   
“Ya-harrr, hold it righ' thar,” said an unseen voice.

       Everyone looked around.  Suddenly, a lantern-light flared up.  It was a rugged looking dwarf.  He carried his double edged battle axe in his right hand, and with his left hand he drug a deer behind him.  His beard, matted and full of twigs and leaves, hung down to his waist.  “Adventurer sorts yar?  Da, dats mah cabin thar.  I’ll let yerselves stay if yeh 'elp me take mah kill home, and 'elp me make dinna.”
“Surely, I think we could do such.  I can do the cooking,” Cookie said with a smile on her face.
Pika stepped out from behind Howl.  “Say, you look like about the same size as our buddy Kuki here.  Got any spare armor?”
“Yea, but yeh’ll hafta fix’er up yerself.  It’s battered and broken, havern’t used 'em in years.  In fact, it migh' be too rusted to repar, even."
“No problemo bud, we’ll get Howl to see if he can do anything.”
"Sounds good," he grunted. "Now off to mah cabin, we'll cook us up a good dinna, and yeh can leave yer adventurin' til tomorry."

_________________________________________________________________________________
When the gnome woke up, it was a bright sunny day.  There were clouds floating lazily in the sky and a light warm breeze.  Okeek and Cookie weren't to be found, but the smell of eggs and bacon floated through the air.  Hal and Pika were still asleep, so he decided he'd let them be.  Relying on his nose to lead him to the delectable smell, he made his way around to the back of the cabin.
"G'mornin' bud!  Where is everyone else? Still asleep I'ma guessin'," Okeek said.
Kuki nodded sleepily.  "Say, where did you get those eggs?"
"Well, I got up real early, and went huntin in the forest for some food.  I jumped aroun' in a few trees and found a coupla' nests."
"And the bacon?"
"Oh, the dwarf left us a note saying there were dried meats and vegetables in the cellar over there.  While I was out gettin' eggs, Cookie gathered up some of it and started makin' breakfast."
"Ah, well,  I guess I'll go get Howl and Pika up."
He slowly made his way back into the cabin.  "Pika! Howl! Breakfast!!!" he yelled.  Pika lifted up a hand and shot a spark at him.  "Yikes!"  He ran back outside.  "I'd give 'em a few minutes to wake up, Pika just shot a lightning bolt at me."
Cookie giggled.  "Hehe, sorry I didn't tell you.  They're not morning people.  Maybe you could see if there're some coffee beans in the cellar.  They should be more willing to get up if there's some coffee."
He made his way back to the cabin, and opened the cellar doors.  He climbed down the creaky ladder.  It was dark, save the small beam of light coming through the door a few feet above.  "Ultravision," he muttered.  "I guess there is some advantage to bein a gnome, other than being finger-food for those vicious ogres.  Good to be able to see in the dark."  
Everything was now tinted light and dark shades of violet and purple, but at least he could see in the dark.  There were a few shelves to his left and right, giant slabs of meat and bunches of garlic hanging from the ceiling in front of him.  There were many burlap bags in small piles in different parts of the cellar.  Many were unmarked, but a few said 'FLOUR' and 'SUGAR'.  Well, looks like I'll have to go through these bags by feel, he thought.  Ten bags later, he finally found one with coffee beans in it.  He grabbed a cup, a mortar and pestle, and a pan off of some nearby shelves.
He climbed up out of the cellar and found a stump on which to set the items on.  Noticing he didn't have any water to make the coffee with, he walked a few feet back to where Cookie was hard at work over the cauldron.  "Hey Cookie, do you know where I can get some water?"
"No hun, ask Okeek."
"Okeek?"  The wood elf was busy carving staves and various other wooden objects, but he took a moment to answer the gnome.
"Yea, bud,  I saw a stream running through the back end of the forest over there.  I think there's a spring coming out of the rock face of the mountain where you can get some good clean water."
"Oh, ok."  
He headed down the grassy slope, and then back up a hill into the forest.  The leaves crunched beneath his feet, and there was an earthy smell in the air.  Mushrooms and soft mosses covered the bottoms of the trees.  The tall oaks seemed to be miles above his head.  He jumped over a log and saw the stream trickling into a small sandy pool.  It was surrounded by arrowroot and cattails.  There were even a few faeries flitting around, no doubt gathering the soft down from within the cattails for their beds.
The stream slithered around between and under trees and roots, until it came to a giant rock face.  There, water flowed down from a hole about the size of Kukaishi's hand into the stream.  Soft moss covered the rocks and trees near the spring.  Radiant blue and pink flowers seemed to give off an almost unnatural light.  As he neared the spring, he noticed there were strange runes carved into part of the rock.  The flowers shone brighter, and the runes began to glow.  They seemed to stand still, but at the same time they were moving.  Kukaishi reached out to touch them.
A blinding light.  Then, darkness.  Nothingness.  A voice!

Traveler.  You have discovered my shrine.  If it were any other, they would have been struck down.  But you...you are the one I shall bless.  Take this armor, shield, and blade.  They are yours with which to vanquish any enemy that stands in your way.  One more gift is yours.  I give you the power of magical healing.  You can heal any wound, resurrect any fallen friend in battle, and cure any poison.  You shall be my holy warrior, my Templar.  Later in your travels you will come upon more shrines.  At these I will tell you more.  Farewell, brave Templar.

Kukaishi woke up on a patch of soft moss near the spring.  He vaguely remembered a flash, and some voice.  Now, in place of the spring, was a statue of...some goddess.   Water flowed out of a hole in the bottom of the giant slab of stone she was sitting on.  She sat in a cross-legged position, holding a suit of armor towards him.  A runed sword and shield lay against the side of the statue.  He unconsciously touched one of the runes on her hand.  Suddenly, he was wearing the armor.  The shield was on his back, and the sword; at his side.
He looked down at his hands.  There was a rune on the back of each of his hands, similar to those on the statue.  
“Huh...,” he said, “Interesting.”  
He clasped his hands together, put them on the ground.  As he slowly lifted them up, a jug of water and a loaf of bread materialized out of nothingness.  He snapped his fingers, and they disappeared.  He thanked the goddess for the gifts, and began to make his way back to the cabin.  As he neared the hill the cabin was on, he felt a rush of wind past his face.  It was Okeek.
"Say bud, where ya been?" he exclaimed.  "It's been hours since you went out to the woods this morning.  Say, nice suit of armor.  Really shiny."
"Hours? Really?"
"Yea, we didn't know if you were kidnapped, or killed maybe.  But about that armor...well, nevermind, you can tell when we're with the group.
"Righto.  I think for now I'll put this armor away in my pack."

_________________________________________________________________________________
Back at the cabin, the rest of the group were hard at work.  Cookie was smoking meats and preparing food for later.  Howl was repairing armor and weapons, and Pika was meditating near the campfire.  
"Hey-o!" Okeek yelled, "I'm back!"
Pika opened one eye, irritated that Okeek interrupted her meditation period.    But then she saw Kukaishi walking next to him.
  "Kuki!"
  She ran full speed, and nearly tackled him with her hug.
  "I'm so glad you're back!  Mornin' bud!"  She had a big smile on her face.
"Oof," he grunted, "Nearly knocked the breath out of me."  He gave a crooked smile back.
"Sorry.  I'm just so glad you're back.  I thought you'd left us."
"Naw, I'd never leave you guys.  I do have an interesting story, a reason why I was gone so long.  Sorry I didn't make coffee."
"It's okay, you can make me some later.  But this story sounds interesting," she said as she clapped her hands together.  "Come-ooon.  Sit down.  Tell!"

"Well, I was walking through the woods, heading to the spring Okeek told me about.  I found the stream, and then followed it to the spring.  There were glowing flowers, and a rune on the wall.  Last thing I remember is touching the rune.  When I woke up there was a statue where the spring was, and armor and a weapon on it.  My hands also felt weird too.  They've got these runes on them."  He put his hands on the ground and brought them up.  Water and bread appeared.  "And I can summon food and water now.  It's pretty cool."
"I've heard of this goddess!  I think it's Tunare, but I didn't think the gods had come back!" Pika exclaimed.  She pulled out a dagger, and quickly cut her arm.
"Dear Gods, why did you do that?!"
"Trust me! Yowch! Put your hands over the cut, and focus on healing it.  Quick!"
He put his hands over the cut on her arm, and the runes on his hands started to glow with a blue-white aura.  Pika felt a cooling sensation on her arm as the pain subsided.  "Kuki! Look!"
"Wow!  The cut is gone!"
"This'll come in handy Kuki.  Did you get anything else from her?"

He pulled the armor and shield out of his pack, and unwrapped the cloth surrounding them. "I got this armor, and there was also a shield and sword on the statue too.  I didn't even pick them up.  They were just sort of, well, on me when I touched one of the runes on the stone."
The barbarian stepped away from his work to see what all the fuss was about. "Heh, that's nice armor.  Toughest stuff I've ever seen.  And that blade, Magical.  Nice," Howl said.  "Let me see the sword a minute."

       "Well, ok."  Kukaishi handed the sword, still in its sheath, over to Hal.  As soon as it touched his hands, he fell to the ground.  
  "Jeez kid," he grunted, "Either you're really strong, or it’s bound so only you can use this damn thing.  Here, take it back."
  Kukaishi gently lifted it up, pulled the sword out, and swung it around a few times.  "Haaaaa!" he yelled.  "Hehe, feels light enough to me.  Almost has a mind of it's own."  He slid the blade back into the sheath.  “This shield is also pretty tough, too.  It’s covered in runes, so I think it has magical resistance as well as physical.”
  “No doubt, kiddo.  Have fun with that.”  Howl returned to fixing his tower shield, replacing a few bolts and welding some cracks.  "I'm gonna finish fixing up our stuff.  After I'm done, we'll head to Blackburrow.  The entrance is actually just a bit past the mountain spring."

"Ok.  I guess I'll practice my new spells while you're doin that."  He went over to the stump where he had earlier set the ingredients to make the coffee, and moved them back into the basement.  "There," he said as he dusted his hands off, "Now to see what I can do."
Pika walked over to him.  "Hey bud.  I figured since you had some magic powers now, maybe you could pull off some of my spells.  I know I'm a Wizard and you're some kinda priest, but I think you can do something like my lightning shock.  You know, sort of a, holy smite, if you will."
"Hm, yea maybe."

      Okay, move your hands like this."  She lifted her right hand up above her head, palm to the sky.  "Now feel the energy in your hands.  After that just-" She moved her hand down, and aimed it towards Kukaishi.  "-aim, and shoot."  She let out a small shock.  The pulsing blue and yellow lightning ball flew towards Kukaishi.  He lifted up his shield and the shock dissipated.  
   “Close one.  Thank goodness for this shield.  My turn!”  He put his hand up, palm to the sky, just as Pika had.  The runes on his hand started to glow, and he took on a shimmering blue glow as well.  His eyes turned a white-blue and expelled a blinding light.  Above the clouds, a shining object made of pure energy began to appear.  The clouds blackened and a strong wind arose.
   "Umm, K-Kuki?" Pika said nervously.  She yelled out to the others.  "Guys! Get inside, or find shelter, something!  J-just look at Kukaishi! Move!"
   The others looked up from their work.  Unanimously, they said, "Holy..."  They all scrambled for cover wherever they could find it.  There was a loud roar, and the wind began to increase.  There was a whistling sound, and a dragon flew down like a comet.  The gnome disappeared, covered by a blinding light.  He rose into the sky, as the dragon flew down.  The two combined.  In a flash, they were gone.

_________________________________________________________________________________
 The whole tavern was silent.   But then one of the Halflings decided to speak up.
"So you turned into a dragon, or something?"  
   Kukaishi nodded.  He took a swig of the brew and finished off the last piece of pie. "At least," he said as he was chewing "At least, that's what they told me happened.  I think I blacked out."
   "Huh...that's interesting."
   "Interesting?!  Just...interesting?!  I just lift my hand up, and then I‘m knocked out!  Next thing I know I'm-." He pointed his finger.  "You know?  I'll get to that.  But it's getting late.  Time for you kiddoes to be getting to bed isn't it, eh?"
  " But-"
   "Don't worry, I'll continue the story tomorrow.  Say, around lunchtime?  That'll give me some time to eat, clean up, and go for a little walk."
 
           He walked out of the tavern, and down the cobblestone pathway.  There was a small stream running through the shire, and a bridge across it that led to the rest of the town.  He crouched down, cupped his hands, and took a drink from the stream.  The minnows swam under and around rocks as he put his hands down in the water.  It was refreshing, and cool.  He sighed, and then stood back up.  He walked across the bridge to the Traveler's Inn.
  
          It was a big two story building, much bigger than any found in the rest of the shire.  The door was big enough for a human to walk through.  It still retained some Gnomish and Halfling design. Though large, it was round like most Halfling doors, but it swung open on mechanical gears due to gnomish ingenuity.
 
     Inside the building, there was a closed up fireplace to the left.  No one needed fireplaces in the shire, the weather was always pleasant.  He wondered why anyone had put a fireplace there in the first place.  

         To his right, there was a desk and an innkeeper with his head down, fast asleep.  At the back of the room past the innkeeper was a set of stairs that led to sleeping quarters.  He walked up to the desk and rang the bell several times.  The innkeeper didn’t wake up.  Kukaishi huffed irritably.
 
        “Gah.  I guess I’ll just find an empty room and pay him in the morning.  I’m sure he won’t mind.”  He patted the slumbering gnome on the head.  “See ya in the mornin, bud.”

_________________________________________________________________________________
 When he woke up, sun shone brightly in through his window.  He threw the sheets off the bed.  He lazily looked around, and noticed his equipment sitting up against the wall.  "Ehhh.  I'll get it later."  He pulled on some pants and put on a clean shirt.  He hooked his coin-purse to his belt.  As he made his way down the stairs, the innkeeper scrambled up to him.
"Sir, ahhh, sir I don't think you signed in.  Or paid for that matter.  You take care of this right now or...or...or," he stuttered, "Or I'll have to call the guards on you.  And believe me I don't want to do this to a fellow gnome but regulations-"

         "It's ok bud, here."  He gave him ten silver coins, and then walked over to the registrar.  He signed his name and then walked back over.  "Happy now?  Hey, mind if I leave my stuff in the room up there? It's the one at the end of the hall, on the left.  Looks like I'll be staying for a couple days at the least."
"Y-yes.  Perfectly fine.  That'll be, ah, um.  Hm.  Let's see."  He pulled out a pad and grabbed a quill, and figured a few numbers.  "That'll be, at five silver a night-and I'm giving you a discount here-about 30 silver pieces."
"Sounds fair.  Here y'are."  Kukaishi threw the coins on the desk. "Got any grub?"
"Oh, vittles.  Yes we've got food.  It's right over there on the dining table.  We've got a fine selection.  Many fresh fruits, steaming hot puddings and eggs, chips.  Oh!  We've also got coffee, sugar, and fresh cream if you wish for that."  He started back over to his desk, and then came back.  "Just so you know, the money you gave me covers all food expenses," he added.

          "Good. Thanks."
Kukaishi grabbed a chair and sat down.  "Hmmm," he said, "What to have, heh, guess I'll have everything!"  He stabbed a few puddings and put them on his plate.  As he chewed on some grapes, he piled up some eggs and chips.  He cut into the pudding.  "Yum.  Nice juicy sausages.  Pork I'm guessing."  He finished up the sausages and moved on.  The chips were soft in the middle and crunchy on the edges.  "Mmm, I'll sprinkle these with some salt."  The gnome enjoyed a bunch of grapes and a entire small melon.  He swallowed his whole breakfast down in a matter of minutes.

       "Aaahhh, that was good."  He burped.  "Now to get that coffee."  The gnome filled up a cup about halfway, and added as much cream he could fit without the cup overflowing.  He then added two heaping spoonfuls of sugar.  Kukaishi gulped it down, ignoring the fact that the coffee was now lukewarm.  "Mmmm, smooth and sweet.  That really hit the spot."  He walked over to the desk.
“Hey keep, make sure my room is locked.  No one gets in.  Except for me of course.  I’ve got important stuff in there.”
“Oh yes sir, yes indeed.  Locked it will be.  We wouldn’t want any dissatisfied customers, no.”
“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have a pipe and some tobacco would you?  It’s been too long since I’ve last had a smoke.”
“Uh, erm, hum.  No, I don’t seem to have any of that.  Try the Trader’s Shop.  Ah, it’s just over on the other side of town, near the entrance to the Elddar Grove.
“Thanks, bud.  You have a good day now.”  He waved and walked out the door.
“Ah, um, err, y-you too!” the innkeeper managed to stutter.
Kukaishi popped back in for one more comment.  “Eh, bud?  I think you could use a little tobacco.  You seem a little tense to me.  I think I’ll get a pipe and some for you too.”  He shook his finger at the other gnome and did a hop-skip out the door.

"Hm, lets see."  He took a look to his right, then did a sweep across the town.  The tavern was across the bridge to his right.  Straight ahead of him, across the stream, were what looked like little round doors built into the hill.  So those were the Halfling homes.  And to the left of those was-
"Aha, there's the shop."  He walked over the bridge, across the stream to the shop, and barged through the door.  Inside at the front desk was a halfling blacksmith polishing some of his prized weapons.  Through a doorway to the left was an erudite alchemist.  He was busy making potions.  The gnome figured it would be safer if he interrupted the blacksmith.
"Yea?  Whaddaya want?” he said, not looking up from his work.
“I was just wondering where I could get some general supplies.  You know, tobacco, pipes, and the like,” Kukaishi replied.
The blacksmith pointed. “Through that door to your right.  It goes downstairs.  There’s a Trader and a General Supplies Salesperson down there.  There’s also an Artisan workshop down there.  You can always find someone down there woodworking, or tailoring, or cooking.”
“And let me tell ya,” he said with a short laugh, “The cooking don’t always smell too good.  Now get outta here.” He laughed again.

Kukaishi puffed on his new pipe as he made his way back to the tavern.  He passed Nrumba, who seemed very much in a hurry.
"Hey Nrumba, whatcha doin?"
"Oh?  I've got to pick up some supplies to make more beer and ale.  Oh, and I've also got to pick up some food."
"Hey, while you're at it, see if you can round up any of the kiddoes that were at the tavern last night.  No doubt they'll want to hear more of the story."
"Yea, I'll do that.  See you later tonight."  The Halfling hurried off to the Trader's, and Kukaishi shrugged his shoulders.  He decided to sit in an old rocking chair on the porch of the pub, and wait for everyone to show up.  

          As he puffed on his pipe and made smoke rings, a few people started to trickle into the tavern.  Eventually, the pub was full and Nrumba finally made his way back, with three Halflings from the night before in tow.
He waited until everyone was in, and then slowly sneaked in through the door.  No one caught him except for the bartender.
"Hey everybody!  Kukaishi's here!  Who wants to hear more of his story?"  The entire pub turned around, most too drunk to recognize.  “It’s the storytellin’ gnome from last night guys!”  The entire pub cheered.  A few Halflings fell over their chairs as they tried to cheer and sit down at the same time. "Well, bud, looks like they want you.  Here's a drink, on the house."
"Thanks.  Now lets see, where did I leave off last night..."

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The dark clouds lightened, and soon disappeared.  Everything returned to normal, as though nothing had happened.  The birds began to chirp again, and the trees swayed lightly in the cool wind.  The only difference was an absence of a young gnome, and a slight electricity in the air where he had been.  The energy dissipated soon enough, though.  The others came out of cover.
"What do you think just happened?" asked Pika.  Her ears and tail drooped as she fell to her knees and started to cry.  
Howl stepped up and put a hand on her shoulder.  "I don't know.  But we may as well just continue.  I don't think we'll ever see him again."
There was the distant screech of a hawk in the sky.  As soon as the sound ended, Okeek replied with a call of his own.  He turned around, his eyes alight with surprise.  "Hey guys!  It sounds like there's somethin going on at Blackburrow.  I think we should go and check it out."  The wood elf dug his feet into the ground, and then jumped off into and through the trees.  In a second, he was back.  

      "Hold on a sec, I forgot something," he panted, "I'm gonna cast a couple spells to increase you guys' runnin speed.  Wouldn't want ya fallin behind!"  Okeek shot an acorn sized ball of pulsing green energy into each of them.  "That should do it, follow me."
They all arose with renewed energy and vigor.  Even though they still weren't as fast as the Ranger, they still managed to keep up.  Leaves fluttered down to the forest floor as they bounded from branch to branch above.  Almost instantly, the forest seemed to come to an abrupt end.  There was a grassy path leading into the mountains to their left.  In front of them was the ocean.
"Alright guys, don't stand here forever.  You can enjoy the ocean breeze later," Okeek shouted.  "Pika, cast your invisibility spell, we’re almost to the entrance of Blackburrow.”  
She nodded, and quickly did the motions for the spell.  They all faded into their surroundings.  The only thing they would need to worry about was making too much noise as they moved.

     As they made their way up the mountain path, a distant yelp of a gnoll was heard.  The ranger peeked around the corner, and saw a pack of the vicious creatures running straight for the pass.  He motioned for them to flatten themselves against the rock wall.  The gnolls ran past them, clearly in a state of fear.
The caravan was puzzled as to why the creatures had run past them so fast.  They shrugged it off, and began to again make their way through the pass.  Okeek motioned that the area was clear, and Pika dropped the invisible cloak.
They entered the clearing, and noticed that there had been quite a fight.  Many a gnoll was burnt to the bone.  There were craters in the ground, and a few trees in the area were still on fire.  A stream that ran through the back end of the clearing and into another forest was red with blood.

      There was a stone door leading into the mountains, and as they neared it, they noticed the door had been blasted through.  As they neared it, a group of gnolls ran out.  The beasts stopped in front of them, but it was clear they didn't want a fight.  Their mystic pushed his way out of the middle of the group and attempted to talk to them.
"Graaar.  D-drraagerr.  Drraarrg," he growled.
"Let me try to talk to them," Pika started, "I've studied a little bit of their language."
The mystic growled and yipped incomprehensibly.  "Draaagrarrr," he grunted again.
Pika raised an eyebrow.  "I think he's saying 'dragon'.  I bet that's Kuki in there!" she said excitedly.  She barked a short gratitude to the gnolls, and the creatures ran out through the pass. 
Howl whistled.  "We-e-ell.  This'll be fun.  Us versus some giant dragon creature.  I don't think we have much of a chance."
"But maybe we could try to calm him down or something?" Cookie interjected.  “I think I can make a sedative out of some mushrooms and herbs found here in the forest.  You guys go ahead in, and I’ll work on it.”
“Ok.  Okeek?  You stay here, and watch over Cookie, maybe help her find what she needs.  A warrior and a wizard won’t have no problems taking care of anything that wants a fight.  Other than Kuki of course.” Howl wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead.
“Yessir, will do.  Have fun guys!”  Okeek smiled and waved happily.


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    Howl and Pika walked through the dark tunnel, and deeper into the mountain.  After a minute of walking, there was a bright light at the end of the passage.  As they walked out, they both had to shield their eyes from the sun.  Once the barbarian and ratonga had recovered, they took a look at their surroundings.  There was a small grassy area, and a stream coming out of the back part of the area.  It poured down into the depths of a cavern.  The only thing visible was a bridge below, and then darkness.
There were also two tunnels that led deeper into the mountain.  The one veering left had rails and some mining carts full of stones.  As the two peered in, it seemed empty.  As they turned around, a bloody paw appeared at the entrance to the second tunnel.  It was a gnoll, still attempting to escape from the cavern.  It had sustained major injuries, and let out a final death twitch as the two approached it.
Howl coughed.  "I guess this is where we're headed."  He grabbed a necklace made of various sharp teeth off the gnoll's neck.  "This is nice.  I think I'll keep it for meself." The ratonga tapped his leg.  "Righto, lets go."
They turned a corner and slid down a steep hill.  There were claw marks and blood all over the walls.  Once they got to the bottom, a torn tent and the remnants of a campfire were visible.  The creatures that had made it were nowhere to be found.  The bridge that was visible from the area above was just past the tent.  
They crossed the rickety bridge, careful not to rock it.  On the other side were two gnoll guards.  Fortunately these were dead, just like the rest.  They lay slumped up against the rock walls on either side.  Pika took a look at them.
“It looks like most of their bones are broken.  This dragon-thing must really have a serious dislike for gnolls.  Either that or they just got in the way.”
“Got in the way?  What do you think it was after?  As far as I know there’s nothin down here but those damn beasts.”
“I dunno, come on, lets keep moving.”
Howl took a step forward, and then backed up.  “There’s two passageways.  The one to the left has glowy-things hoverin over a little pool.  Looks like the one to the right branches off into two more.”
“Well, which one goes down?  Or at least looks like it does?  My best guess is that he’s at the bottom of this cavern, or somewhere near it.”
“The left one,” Howl said gruffly, “But it looks like we might have to fight those...things.”
The two walked down the slight decline and up to the pool.  There were three or four glowing objects bobbing up and around the room.
“Wisps,” Pika whispered.  “They’re just little magical balls of light.  As long as we don’t disturb them they won’t fight.”
“Righto.”
As they passed the wisps, one of them flew down and around them.  It seemed to be bobbing back and forth in front of a pitch black tunnel.
"Hey Howl?  I think we should follow it."
"Are you sure it's not a trap?  I've heard of will-o-the-wisps leading people into dark pits and quicksand, and stuff like that."
"Nah.  But ready your sword and shield just in case."
They followed the wisp as it bobbed back and forth.  The dark tunnels twisted sharply and were ever going down.  It seemed as if they were walking for days.  Spider webs were visible, and in them were-
The blood drained out of Howl's face.  "Gnolls," he whispered.  "I...I hate spiders.  These must be as big as me."  He trembled, something unlikely for a warrior as large as he.  Not paying attention, he tripped over a large rock jutting out of the ground and into a dark pit off the path.  "Yaaaahhrrrr," he yelled.
There were loud tapping noises and a scuttling of legs.  Three of the gargantuan spiders had come over to see their newest meal.  Living underground in the dark for so long, they were snow white in color.  Their blood red eyes pierced the darkness as their mandibles clicked hungrily.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Cookie worked carefully with her mortar and pestle.  She ground up some blue mushrooms along with some redwort flower petals.  To solidify the substance she cut some fat from a nearby gnoll and melted it down over a small fire.  The solution would cool into a pasty poison with which arrows could be dipped in.  She whistled sharply to call Okeek.
“Hey Okeek?  I need you to grab some sort of small animal so I can test this sedative.”
“Ahh, but if it’s going to be strong enough to sedate a dragon, wouldn’t it kill little creatures?  I really don’t want to do that.”
“I’ll give it just a drop.  At the worst, it’ll keep the creature asleep for about a day.  Please get one for me?
“Oh, alright,” Okeek said wearily.  “I suppose.”
After about twenty minutes Cookie heard a yelp, and within another five minutes Okeek returned to camp dragging a squirming gnoll behind him.  He had it by the scruff of the neck, but the gnoll was still trying to bite and scratch him.  
"Heyo!  Found this little beastie in the forest a-sleepin.  Think this'll do?"
Cookie nodded her head slowly and then looked up at him.  "Yea that'll do."  She dipped her finger in the pasty substance.  "I'll need you to hold it's mouth open."
Okeek smiled nervously.  "Ehehehe, I dunno bout that.  Why don't you put it on his snout?"
"Well?  I didn't think about that.  Even if he doesn't lick it off, he'll have to smell it.  He won't make it more than five feet."  She dabbed it on the gnoll's snout with a rawhide patch.  It furiously licked its snout, and attempted to run away once Okeek released it.
The gnoll didn't make it very far.  After about two steps, it shook its head and started to move on, but promptly fell over.  Okeek examined it, and the beast was soundly asleep.  "I'd say it worked pretty darn well!"  He grinned.
"Righto!  Now I'll just make one more batch, and you can dip all your arrows in it."  She pondered the thought a second.  "Don't worry!  It'll dry to the arrows, and won't lose any potency," she added.  She finished rubbing the arrows, washed off her hands, and the two set off into Blackburrow.

_________________________________________________________________________________
"HYAAAAHHHHRR!" Howl roared.  He jumped to his feet and pulled two shining, massive swords out of the sheathes at his side.  His muscles bulged, and started to pulsate.  His eyes seemed to turn as black as the darkness surrounding them, and the blood rage of a true barbarian berserker began to build.  A bristly spider that was twice the size of the others sunk down to the ground, and readied itself for a jump attack.   It had barely left the ground when one of the swords flew through the air and sliced its head open.  The thick, black blood of the spider began to seep onto the rocks.
The rest of the spiders, unshaken by the felling of their comrade, began to make their way towards the barbarian and ratonga slowly.   A loud screech was sounded, followed by a roar that shook several rocks loose from the ceiling, crushing several of the furry white beasts.  Howl threw the swords like spears, slicing through two more of the spiders.  Hissing and clicking noises were heard, and whatever spiders had survived began to run deeper into the cavern.