Remnant Adventure (Dusty)

Quietly the shadow slipped in behind the warrior as he walked through the threshold. A flip of a psychic switch and the powers of the ‘gene joke’ on piano would have no effect. His emotions would continue to be his to command. Sliding into a corner booth as smoothly as water flows over glass it settled in for the night, lowering the heavy woolen cowl sewn in as part of the wanderer’s cloak fastened across the slight shoulders of the newcomer. As the person shimmered into the visible wavelength, Giron noticed Phae momentarily hesitate his counter patrol, but continue on as before.

“See, know he will I said,” whispered the small figure sitting lithely on her steed’s shoulder. Absently rubbing her lower ankle the faere settled in and watched as Phae went about his normal barkeep routine.

Flipping the towel down from his shoulder Phae was wiping down the bar when a slight presence tip-toed across his consciousness. Hesitating momentarily he resumed the never ending job of keeping things going for the lost souls that frequented the Serendipity.


Sipping the flagon of ale Dusty slipped back to that fateful day that he had first encountered the young human male that would become the only human he ever felt worth his effort.

Gently the great battleship, Miarason, drifted in the wind. Dusty gazed out over the endless snowy barrens that populated the northern boundary of King Geishlahan's empire. Behind, eleven other wind ships identical to this one drifted, only the sound of timber creaking and ropes whipping in the winds could be heard. Sailing through the canyons of Marlahaim province this task force was running silent toward an encounter with a recently completed fortress of the Mountain Trolls. The elves had two major concerns with this development. The first was the proximity to the northern elfish settlements of a troll stronghold and the fact that the fortress only took two months to be built. That short a time frame meant that majic had to have been involved.

Dusty scanned the horizon for any sign that the elven plan had been uncovered. It was well known that the Mountain Trolls were not typically adept at wielding majics, which just added to the trepidation surrounding the new fortress at Gatshimtol Pass. So the chances that they had divined the nature of the elves mission was remote, but the Gnomes had been getting rather cozy with the trolls of late and the gnomes were much in tune with ley lines. The elves were also known to employ Gnome healers to supplement the elfish priests so as part of every ships contingent there is a supplemental healer. This added another level of concern as the true loyalties of the gnomes were unknown to their elven associates.

Flying true west the Battleship formation would reach the stronghold a little after dawn which would put a fresh sun directly behind them. In the distance Dusty noticed storm clouds boiling to the west, directly in the flotilla’s path. Curiously the wind was at Dusty’s back.

“Dragon Storm, Dragon Storm!” Dusty yelled running toward the signaler on the aft of the ship. “Batten down the hatches!!”

Suddenly every ship in the task force was swarmed over as the soldiers each ship carried began the task of preparing to ward off the oncoming Dragon attack. Slowly each ship slowed its progress and began to descend onto a small cirque that had been chosen to fortify. As each ship landed a formation of two concentric circles took shape as each ship completed its link in the ‘chain’ the soldiers scrambled to hook and fasten the boats together as well as fastening wooden shields and bulkhead sections so as to form shields for the men and ships themselves.

Slowly Dusty’s ship landed in the very center of the fortified formation finalizing the shielding. As soon as the soldiers completed battening each ship’s compliment of battle mages began to chant protective wards over the flammable aspects of the defenses, men included. The end result resembled a huge turtle tucked away in its shell with the outer lip of the cirque providing cover to prevent anything getting up underneath the shell. Just as the round of incantations was finished the first wave of dragons swept over the ships unleashing volley after volley of dragon flame attempting to ignite anything in view. The living flames found nothing to adhere to and so ended pooling at the outermost edges of the elven fortifications and dripping down over the rocky ledges onto the surrounding mountainside down below.

“Stand fast men. Their mounts are only good for three runs each and then they’ll hafta refuel. When that happens the soldiers will landed and go hand to hand. Look for their gnome companions and take them out as soon as you can. For any a ya that have not been trollin’ afore listen up. When a troll is cut by elven blades the flesh that is cut starts to mineralize so avoid their blows while you hack away at their legs. Eventually they will be held fast cause they can’t move their legs when they get like that move on and then we’ll go back and cherry pick’em. Archers aim for those pitch black pits they call eyes, if’n they can’t see us we’ll be harder to hit When your quivers dry up go after the frozen ones with yer sabre’s” Dusty bellowed to his troops aware that the same directions were being given by the other commanders to each boats compliment of foot soldiers and archers.

“We won’t have the benefit of our own ‘chanters’, they’ll need to rest also.” Dusty learned long ago that elven majic was tied into life force and so as the majics were used up the wielders need time to rest as one would from physical exertion, too much exertion leads to torpor until said individual was replenished. The wards over the boats did an excellent job driving off the dragon fire but at a huge cost to those casting, in fact three soldiers from each ship had to be assigned to guard the depleted mages.

Wave after wave of dragon storm swept over the impromptu fortress. Just when the smoke and stench increased to almost unbearable levels the muted world outside the elven fire protective wards silenced much like that beheld in the ‘eye’ of storms. Breaking a seam Dusty peered into the soot smoke and checked the horizon for any signs of movement. Seeing no immediate threat he ventured out and climber atop the protective hatches of the nearest ship.
“Alright boys they’re gone and them flamers won’t be back until tomorrow. Lets pack up and head on.”, Dusty barked as he started to survey the condition of the ships. Two thirds of the way around the cirque the mountainside opened up for the last third and gave an unobstructed view of a small plain several hundred feet below. Dusty watched as the plain filled with a small army of trolls and other sundry forces.

‘Damn’ Dusty thought to himself taking a moment to try to estimate the forces gathering against them. ‘Looks like takin’ off is gonna be a pleasure.’