Difference between revisions of "ASCII art reward/M-S"

to the ground sputtering. Rognar had been born into a world of

summit of the corpse mound and surveyed the carnage. The siege had

been broken. Here and there, a wimpering slave of darkness put up

battlefield. Rognar smiled. It was a great day to be a dwarf.

He would never let the fiend escape again. That was what Neandar the

after the skulking kobold thief. For many seconds they fell, time

Fortress Guard. Wet matter slammed into the dwarf's face and gave

way. The dwarf smashed through a dozen giant spider webs and hit the

A huge standing ring of fire dominated the floor of the chasm. The

kobold made for the hell portal with all speed. Neandar stopped in

his tracks. It was one thing to plunge to certain death in order to

retrieve a granite puzzle box. It was quite another to cast oneself

into a dimension of ultimate evil. Yet these kobold cowards could not

be allowed to run about as they pleased. Lifting his axe over his

them. Shizenbubin was the tracker of the group, always hot on the

trail of danger. Shizentubin was her sister, skilled in the ways of

the blade so that no enemy neck was safe. Azoul Buck was the leader.

This would be a short quest indeed. A party of goblins had ambushed

the prince on his way to the castle. All the heroes need do is return

him unspoiled. It would be easy to intercept them then on their way

to the Black Fortress, given Shizenbubin's incredible skill. However,

time was not on their side. Goblins grew bored easily and might make

sport of the prince's bodily members. Azoul set the pace, a quick

trot through the woods. She smiled at the easily-won glory that

block which he had just slid into place. Ever since the Baron had insisted

rats. It couldn't be helped. Gold was gold after all, but it was just

The dwarf laid down on his bed and began to think about the next project. A

puzzlebox, perhaps, something challenging. Just as Doran was drifting off

"Ha! Keep trying you little demons," the dwarf chuckled. The scratching

continued. It was irritating, but the dwarf could block it out. Then there

was a grating scrape as the block moved an inch. The dwarf sat up and

stared at the wall in amazement. Impossible, he thought.

The block slid forward further. Small, clawed fingers worked their way

stabbing downward. The tool grazed the hand, leaving a spatter of blood on

the stone. There was a shriek, and the bleeding hand disappeared into the

hand. After a moment, the scratching began anew.

"Leave me be, you fiend!" Doran yelled, his chisel held toward the stone

block. The scratching became louder and more persistent.

crack. The beast had learned. The slab of granite was being pushed

directly from behind, and it glided slowly toward Doran. The dwarf backed

The block stopped sliding. There was now enough space to allow something to

not see behind it. For a long moment, nothing stirred. The craftsdwarf

At once, a creature leapt from behind the block and faced Doran. It was a

patchy-furred flesh stretched tight over its starved body. The thing

The dwarf stood, a vial in his hand. The ratman lunged forward and Doran

hurled the vial at the beast's face. The glass shattered, and the creature

clutched its black protruding eyes as they steamed. Doran rushed forward

"Pity about that. I was going to ask Mul to do some etchings for me."

pausing to take another swig of whiskey. "I can't believe how much trouble

replied. "Kogan's child was taken not long ago."

Meanwhile, Kogan stood with his axe by the chasm bridge. Ever since the boy

spiders. He would not be satisfied until the depths were devoid of life.

A foul wind blew up from the chasm. Kogan leaned to the side and peered

down over the edge of the bridge. The impact was sudden and the dwarf was

knocked on his back in the middle of the bridge. Kogan heard the sound of

"I am innocent of these crimes!" cried Fuglin as he was dragged away. Sitting in the dungeon cell, he could recall the cheers of the dwarves as the judge pronounced the verdict. It wasn't fair.  The adamantine wasn't his.  He was just holding it for somebody. Now in prison, he was left to rot. A guard stopped by his cell and poured a cup of gruel on the cold stone floor. Anger and despair were all he felt now.  From now on he dared not hope.

It had begun as such a small thing. Fuglin and the goblin had known each other since the construction of the fortress.  Fuglin was young then.

One day Fuglin visited the goblin, this time locked in the stockade.

"You know the path through the stone?" said the goblin.  "The one we built as children? You must go there and bring me what you find. It is the key to my release."

<pre>,.,.,.,.,@|#######&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

The space was not built for more than a child, a narrow, twisting tunnel winding its way through the foundations of the fortress.  At the bottom, Fuglin saw a light, a silvery glowing rock at the end of the tunnel.  This must be it, thought Fuglin, a bribe to set the goblin free.  Hastily, Fuglin took up his pick and chiseled off a piece of the silver metal.

Something lay beyond the tunnel.  A hole the size of a dwarf's fist opened where Fuglin struck.  He could hear a strange howling within, no doubt another subterranean jungle.  The dwarf didn't stay to find out.  He squirmed as fast as he could, finally reaching the exit where he found the goblin, free from his bonds.

"You survived," said the goblin. "Keep the adamantine as a token of our friendship."

"Wait!" cried Fuglin, but the goblin had disappeared.

 

 

What happened next was hard to say.  There was a lot of smoke and fire.  Dwarves ran screaming through the fortress.  Captains shouted orders to soldiers they could not see through the clouds of burning vapor.  Fuglin was scared beyond reason.  He tried to follow the others, ducking when the monsters swooped down.

 

It seemed it would never end, then Fuglin came rolling out of the fortress gate just as another fire blast rocketed overhead. As it was, the demons could not, or would not set foot outside the fortress. What few dwarves that were left gathered at the hills below.  Fuglin recognized a blacksmith which with he had apprenticed.  Before he could speak the blacksmith pointed his finger.

 

"He is the one!" the dwarf cried.  "Look!  He still has the rock in his paw!"

 

Fuglin looked down, having until now forgotten the adamantine in his hand.

 

 

 

It was the goblin, dressed in a dark cloak.  Fuglin had blamed his

 

bite down with your teeth.  Death will come swiftly."

 

The goblin dropped the pill into Fuglin's open hand.  The fluid in the

green glass capsule looked black and foreboding.  Still, it beat a

saying another word.  Fuglin put the pill in his mouth and bit down

hard.  A moment's dizziness was all he had time to experience.

"Where am I?" asked Fuglin.

"Quiet," said the goblin. "We are in the catacombs.  The dwarves

 

"But I did commit suicide," mumbled Fuglin.

 

"You can take that up with your deity later," said the goblin.  "For

are discovered."

They called him Fish-Dwarf. He was the only worker in the outpost willing to brave the depths of the cave river in order to service the floodgate mechanisms when they became clogged with the seasonal muds.

It was that time again. The farming gates weren't operational, and the planting had to begin immediately. Fish-Dwarf had his tools, and the special fins he had manufactured were secured to broad feet. Everything was ready. The frightened faces of the onlooking children would not dissuade him. Fish-Dwarf understood that this was his calling. He was the only one that could save the outpost. The dwarf inhaled, and his chest swelled to nearly double its original size. Clearing his mind, the dwarf dove into the water.

Fish-Dwarf swam down the narrow tunnel to the gate mechanism. The water was murky and even with his superior vision he could only just see his hands sweeping ahead of him.

The upper portion of the mechanism appeared suddenly before him. The dwarf inspected the machinery quickly, mindful of his air, yet confident that he had at least a few minutes left. The top assembly was clear, so the mud must have worked itself into the lower gears. Fish-Dwarf pushed his way down.

The swollen rotting face of a lizardman greeted him, twisted into the gears. Not again, Fish-Dwarf thought, dejected. It would take at least three trips to dislodge all of the chunks. The dwarf removed the chisel from his tool case and began working it into the sticking jam.

pulled his way up on to the bank. He had finished his last cleaning

amaze us. You are a hero," the Mayor Kogan said, offering Fish-Dwarf

motion. "If only the river waters were whiskey, my life would be

Fish-Dwarf pondered a moment. "Indeed. Yet the search for the

crowd dispersed. As the others left, the mayor pulled Fish-Dwarf

"-- and yet, I fear you cannot stay long. I've received word from

King Dorazar. He has heard tell of your talents, and our liaison from

"My presence? Surely the engineers of the Mountainhome can manage the

waters. This was the Lake of Columns, the source of life for

Fish-Dwarf fit the blades into place on his fins. The citizens of

Fish-Dwarf. King Dorazar had charged him to slay the lurking threat,

and that is what he would do. Still, the nature of the creature

eluded him. It had been years since his last combat with an aquatic

occasionally harassed his own community. Steelpoint would not have

sent for him over such a triviality. Hefting his mighty trident,

There! Nestled between three columns was a gigantic bloated form on

the lake bottom. Fish-Dwarf swam closer, almost drifting. What

manner of beast was this? Great tentacles it had, and a toothy maw

as he sank slowly toward the sleeping fiend. As he prepared to

his arms to his chest. A force stronger than any he had ever

mouth as the breath was squeezed from his body. Fish-Dwarf

purple ribbons of the foul beast's tainted blood. The monster's grip

loosened and Fish-Dwarf was able to free his arms. His sight had not

deep into the creature. The monster's body convulsed and it raced

suddenly in the back of his mind arose a strange sensation... it was

the need for air, such as he had not experienced for many years. A

bottom, unmoving. Fish-Dwarf jammed the trident into it a few times;

the thing was dead. Now, the surface! Fish-Dwarf pulled his weapon

from the monster and swam upward, but he stopped immediately. As far

greeted him. The monster had fled into a great crack in the lake

longer visible.   Just the endless water and rock of the submerged

Suffering blighted the land with cruel hunger. Wagons brought foul

fungus from the dwarven mountains. It was barely enough to sustain

those base enough to eat such filth. The rest died. Paldadar rested

against the hilt of his great sword. He looked over his shoulder at

the dark stone castle. Turning his back on mud brick huts, the knight

wooden throne and the troubled king that sat upon it. The old man

brew unto the stone floor. A herald in a mud-smattered tunic rushed

"You were not summoned, Sir Paldadar," spit the herald. "Go ask the

The herald jumped away like a whipped dog. The king motioned the

"The gods have abandoned this place," said the king. "Only through

their glory will the days of bounty return. It is for this reason you

The knight ground his teeth. This was obviously High Priest Igland's

doing. But perhaps there was wisdom in punishing the arrogant

Farthlings for their many insults. Death by the sword was much

faces. He was still a knight, even if he represented the most

wretched of kingdoms. A frail sissy approached from behind, leading

two horses. Paldadar swung around, drawing his sword. There stood

Paldadar prayed to the gods for mercy. Would that a Farthling's bolt

find his heart soon that he be saved from further tortures. Together

majesty. All around the temple, peasants scrambled to snatch at the

scraps donated by the monks that poured rotten food down the hil