Where to begin....

I could tell you of my youth ....... but that was so long ago. I was born in the North, I can almost even remember my parents’ names. I must have been about 3 or 4 when my tribe was slaughtered. Drow poured down on my people without warning from every direction, with spell and sword. My people where unprepared, but fought to the end. My mother was one of the first to fall, with her last efforts she tried to hide me underneath her body to escape the horror.

Pinned as I was I was forced to watch the brutality. To this day I can see no reason for the attack. I swear I heard laughter in their cruel voices as they destroyed my people. Yes it had to be that, for there was a evil smirk on the face of the one who picked me up; with a wave of her hand I was unconscious.

Some time later I awoke in a dark and horrible land. I was a prisoner, along with many others of different races; all where about my age. On occasion they gave us food, but mostly they kicked and abused us. After a few weeks, I and some of the others that survived where taken through a portal of some kind, and the darkness we had become so used to was vanquished by brilliant light. Before I could adjust to the quick change, I found I was in chains. A Halfling had purchased me in a slave market. I soon learned his name was Philian, and I also learned he was the cruelest creature to ever walk the world.

Philian purchased me to join his troupe of fighters for pit fights in Calimsport. I was taken to his home and placed in the ‘training room’ with 4 others that he purchased. It was a large octagon with 20’ walls and cages above. Philian ordered us to fight, and that only one will be allowed to live. I was nearly knocked off my feet before I responded; it was a quick and violent battle. The elf girl killed the dwarf and human boy in seconds, then turned on me as I came out of the stunned feeling from the shot she gave me to the back of my head to start the whole thing off. She was strong and nimble, and to this day I can only wonder if I was better off for winning this fight or not. Time will tell.

Soon after I was put into a underground complex that was the housing for Philian’s fighters. There were about 30 of us, ages and races varied, but they where hardened fighters. One thing will never leave my mind, the look of sadness they had when I arrived, for they knew the path my life would follow.

Most of them had no time for me, not expecting me to survive, why should they bother getting to know me? One man did, a nearly-blind Dwarf by the name of Dorin. The two of us soon became the closest of friends, and often fought together in the arena. In truth there was an alliance of four; we stuck together and kept each other alive. Gauset was a male Human, and Liace, a female Moon Elf, completed our group. But Dorin was my closest friend, he taught me to fight as his people did, he taught me the tactics of the arena and how to survive the politics of the battles too.

One day, many years later, we had traveled to a large place to take part in a festival of battles. This large complex held hundreds of warriors of every size and shape. It was here that Liace found our way to freedom. She found what must have been a forgotten trap door in the practice arena, and she also had the plan. One day when there was about 100 of us in this arena getting ready for the day’s fights, She opened the door, and we all made a break for our freedom. Liace said with so many escaping we had a better chance, and besides we had our weapons and armor and it could be our only chance for freedom.

This door was not forgotten by the slave owners, they kept creatures there to make sure no one would escape. They didn’t plan on our numbers though. Into the tunnels we went, fighting at every corner, I kept Dorin by my side. Liace and Gauset where ahead of us. We must have been in part of the sewer systems for the tunnels led us out into many areas of a market. It was the market that seperated us, it was a new chaos that I had never imagined. Gauset took advantage of the confusion and led us out of the town, along with a few pouches of gold that he liberated on the way too.

After reaching the edge of town, we decided to seperate and try to return to our homes. We all took Dorin to his people in the Great Rift first, then headed out on our own. It has been nearly two months and I still am not sure if I am going the right way. I miss Dorin and my friends. I wonder if I will ever see them again.

Character sheet: Kor’tac [Mountain Orc Fighter]

Cause of death: really big explosion.

I have found some people who need my help, and they are going north. They are funny looking, but have not been mean to me, so I will stay with them a while. I think we are going north, hmmm. Anyway, they are paying me, I can’t believe it. They are paying me to go the direction I wanted to go. True I have to fight now and then, but I would have had to anyway.

They have a healer, that is a good thing. There is a guy in pajamas, thinks he is sneaky. He is ok though, specially when he talks funny. Umm that is about it.... no wait there is more. There is a bird thing, pajama boy likes her, and I think it is a her. That rounds out the group. Oh, and a fighter without armour or weapons. Yea, that is all I will say about him.

And the guy who pays me, he hides at night, but he pays me ok. Did I say he pays me to go the way I wanted to go? We traveled a couple of days, no real problem, except for that shapeshifter. Those I have fought before, and to say we are alive is a tribute to how nice this groups fights.

The fighter, the one without armour, yea, he don’t look so good. May have to put him out of his misery soon. Cleric can’t help him. I would be doing him a favor. I need an ale and some good food.

We have continued to travel, I have decided to believe my companions know where they are going. I am having some fun as we travel anyway. They are a funny group to watch. After watching their fighting skills, I find myself wondering how they are still alive. There was a small skirmish one night, and I could see panic is some of their eyes when they where faced with a larger foe.

The guy in pajamas has a good fighting heart, he just needs to learn how to fight a group. I believe one on one he would be a very dangerous man. Well, at least we have been spared a real battle so far. I fear the loss of several of my comrads if a tough fight fell upon us.

I have come to one decision, my weapons from the days of pit fighting may not be enough to survive with in this land. I will be looking for something with a little more umph to it. Besides, if that shape shifter returns, we may not be as lucky as before. I need to find me a double thudder— the kind of weapon that when you hit someone there is a thud on the enemy’s armour, and then another on his bones. It may be the only way I can keep this lot alive.

We traveled north towards a tribe of barbarians. Our patron had business with them. On the way, the guy in pajamas got killed by the cleric with a fireball from that friggin wand, I too almost died from it. The party travelled on and met the tribe. After one day of trade we started out for North Waterdeep. When we where surrounded by barbarians from the tribe we just left, they claimed we stole something. Our patron killed them with a fireball and told the cleric to kill us. Before we could understand what was going on, she unleashed an attack on the fighter who looked weak. Bird lady and I tried to stop her, it was then we realized she was going to try to kill us too. Through great shame I must say, I could not save any of them. The cleric changed her form before she died, to some strange beast I have never seen. Whatever it was it fought well.

I grabbed the bodies of my two fighter friends and as much loot as I could pack on the horses quickly and headed back to the one town with a cleric to try to get them raised. Neither was able to be brought back. I have healed up and rested a bit, and had some success in selling some of the loot. Strangely, I feel drawn to the road, not as much to my home anymore, but to the road with friends. There is something to it that I can not describe. I still wish to find my home some day, but I am not in a rush right now. As for our former patron, I will get my revenge on him soon enough, and the gold he owes me. I just don’t know how far north that North Waterdeep is from here.

I have found myself a chance to go after that werewolf that attacked me before and some strange new traveling companions. On the first part, I have not found the wolf yet, but I am on its trail. On the second part, I can only say that Tempus is teaching me again, and now it is patience. I will have to keep my eyes on these little friends if I am going to keep them alive. I have already found their fighting skills greatly lacking, they must have some other skill that kept them alive this long. Maybe I should start teaching them some combat basics, if I can.

This group offered to join me in my effort to kill this wolf, so far we have had two small fights. They are battered and brused and may need to return to town for now. I got some work to do to clean my armour while they heal. The one that talks a lot, he is funny. One has wings, makes me think of the bird lady that I could not save though. And then there is BoBo or RoRo or something like that.

Where did me leave off..... ok back to town. We started back to town when I realized that Ro was up to no good, and to keep the chatty one safe, I knocked him out. Felt good. Anyway, we found that Halfling trying to sell a map since my friends seem not up to the task of hunting werewolves. It took some time to get them moving again, and yet they still don’t seem prepared. I have tried to talk to Ro and Ro about fighting, they just smile at me like I am talking jibberish. Ro says she is fine with her bow, and Ro says his loud stick will do him fine.

The chatty one seemed to take interest in learning, then I realized it was just an excuse to talk. The little one with wings seemed to like to talk about using her bow. Seems I will be the one in front no matter what happens, at least I know where I stand. And they will all be standing behind me, silly little guys anyway. I like them.

We went to find the treasure, with one funny twist. These little people sometimes look at me like I am the stupidest creature in the realms, but today they had to hand me the map to read it. I told them what it said and now we are going north to find the treasure.

On the way we ran into a Drow patrol. Before I could move I was trapped in a magical web. Some of my friends managed to get loose and actually kill most of the Drow before I finally got free. I thank Tempus for the strength to get loose and kill two of those mangy beasts. Me and the little flying one seem to have the same hatred for the Drow. To tell you the truth, I don’t remember much of the fight, I was blinded by hatred. What I do remember is the two of us placing the pieces of the Drow in their proper places, once we marked them proper to let all other Drow know they are not welcome in the north. If they look carefully, they should be able to find all of the heads. The state they are in is of their own doing. Stinking Drow.

It took a while to figure out what was different, me and the little flying one where so busy that we didn’t notice the quiet, seems the chatty one didn’t make it. I kinda feel bad, he should have stayed behind me. My only knowledge of this battle was from what my friends have told me, as I said, I lost focus when I saw the enemey. I will have to work on that, I cannot let that happen again.

Well, Ro Ro seem to be ready to move on again. The group seems to have been hurt a little, me I have to clean the gunk off my armour again. I will have to start teaching them how to duck at least, if they don’t want fighting lessons. This place is not suitable for camping, we will have to move on....

Since entering this accursed tower I have been fighting toe to toe with vile creatures. The golem like thing took a long time to defeat. Then we found the cold room with the impy creatures and of course the fire elemental. All in all I have been near death almost since I came in this damned building. I can only thank Tempus for giving me the ability to fight these creatures and for allowing this Druid to have joined the party. If not for him I would have died a vile death. And I suppose most of if not all of the rest of the party would have followed me to the next world.

I have begun to worry for them greatly. If we are ever surrounded by a large group of fighters, I may not be able to keep them all alive. As of this far they have proven not to be close quarters fighters, and yet they have not proven to be great fighters from afar either. The little burnt butterfly girl is good with a bow, but a bow does not help if we get surounded. I must admit I am gaining respect for the Gnome and his spells though.

I am very tired and need some rest. I just hope that the others don’t try something foolish while we are in this state. I also hope the Druid doesn’t figure out that I have been wondering how his pet would taste, turned slow over a small fire, with a bit of seasoning an some potatos.