 |
| |
ENTRY # : |
35 |
| |
TITLE : |
DOG DAY'S AFTERNOON |
| |
ARC : |
A SHADOW OVER AVALON II |
| |
ENTERED BY : |
Oberon / Phoenix / Thlig's Report |
| |
DATE RANGE : |
Days of Yore |
| |
HEROES : |
|
| |
VILLAINS : |
|
| |
PEOPLE : |
Culcharin
|
| |
OTHERS : |
Avalon,
Bane,
Culcharin's Longboat,
Seelie Court,
Unseelie Court
|
|
| |
ENTRY : |
"And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action."
- "Hamlet," William Shakespeare
Chapter 2
The ship is tattered and thus we must look for supplies to mend it in town. While there we
looked into the local lordship. I have a hunch I know this time. We are in Spain, there is no
doubt there but I think I know the time. Lady Isabella will not live out the spring.
Tatiana and I were chosen to go because we look most like and are most able to blend in with
the people of this time. We should also be able to penetrate Trelayne's keep and get some sort
of information about when we are and maybe help his wife. A good deed to right a wrong by that
damn monk.
- - -
Phoenix's Report:
Oberon and his Wife off checking out the Trelayne angle, supported by Perseus and Cipher
on the edge of Town.
We began prepping the ship for repair. I brought down a tree of sufficient size and got
Hazardman and SubZero to using their combined talent to start fashioning a new mast. Culcharin
was still out. Things were progressing well when Hazardman uttered his immortal line, "Uh-oh".
Through the trees came a quartet of Dog's and two Goblin-like creatures wearing red hats and
muttering something about "munches and crunches", which indicated a lack of sophisticated
intelligence. They have apparently tracked us here and were sent. Two dogs charged SubZero
and proceeded to attack him, Hazardman tripped out one of the two coming for him and yelped
in pain as the second one scored. I positioned myself in front of the boat holding both our
downed comrade and "Bane".
The first of them (I think was called Clig or something) moved into attack range only to be met
by a bolo punch from me. Knocked back and calling me a 'Fermorian' he appeared surprised by the
force of my blow, but not in great distress. The Second one moved closer and successfully
engaged Wraith after dodging one of his spectral shots. Both Sub-Zero and Hazardman were hard
pressed by the foul beasts that assaulted them, the first red had closed again and missed with
a strike, the second moved in, evaded a strike by me but was hit by a powerful icebolt from
Sub-Zero, who paid for his aid with another set of vicious assaults from his canine opponents.
Undeterred, the second goblin came in and snatched up the Elf and moved away from the combat
area, clearly looking to enjoy our comrade as an appetizer. I moved in and knocked the elf away
only to be impaled on his spiked boot. Undeterred and evading an assault by the other Goblin,
I scooped up the Elf and leaped towards safety. Sub-Zero had at this time been eliminated from
the fight, as had Wraith. Hazardman moved to collect our fallen friend while I was swarmed by
all the creatures.
With the opportunity to make a clean break for it I realized that Bane was still in the boat.
Hazardman flung himself into the melee to buy me the time to jump to the boat and make my
escape. Hazardman and the staggering Sub-Zero used the confusion to make a getaway. I set off in
pursuit of my comrades to get aid for the heavily bleeding Elf.
- - -
"And what hast thou to report, scurrilous redcap?"
"Thlig got him, my master. Much munching and crunching of nasty elf-bones, yes."
And thy companion?"
"Poor, poor Gill. Tsk, tsk. Nasty one gots him. Much crying by me."
"The Sidhe was not alone?"
"Nay, Lord. There was a nasty one, yes, looked like a hooman, but strong as a Firbolg and
ugly like a Fomorian, yes. Very bad. And a restless spirit, a sluagh, who smote poor Gill
with loud magics. And two other hoomans, yes, there were. One nasty one with cold skin who
also used dweomer against us and hurt poor Thlig. And I smelt two others of the Light Ones,
Lord, and another hooman, and some other elf."
"The Sidhe found some aid, then. It matters not. Here on the
threshold of our enterprise, we cannot be opposed. Thou'rt certain that the Guide is dead?
Wherefore is the skull which I asked of thee? Nay - quick! the proof to prove thou to the
quick!'
"H-here, Master."
"This is the skull of the Sidhe?"
"Y-y-yes, Lord. Thlig ate the flesh, but you only asked for..."
"Dog, thou liest! Aye, well might thou grovellest
before me! This is the skull of thy comrade, Gill, else I am no Sidhe! Cretinous goblin,
even thou shoulds't know better than to try to fool the Master of the Hunt!"
"Forgives us, master! Forgives poor, lying Thlig! It was Gill's fault! Nasty Gill!"
"Thou'st mock'd me in mine own hall! I should'st scourge thee dead!
Fie on thee! Now tell me true, what befell thee and thine task?!?"
"It was the Fomorian, Master! We unleashed the hounds and set about the hoomans, but they
unleashed terrible magics upon Thlig, yes. They even hurt your hounds! Nasty short-lived
ones! The Guide was hurt, yes. He laid in his boat and didn't move. I ignored the cold, bity
magicks and grabbed him and was making off for much munchings-and-crunchings (like you promised
Lord! The spleen!) not like the nasty Gill who had already tasting the elf, yes. Took a big
bite, but nothing for poor, poor Thlig!"
"I was getting the Fair One away from the hoomans, who were getting munched by the dogs - yes,
they were - when the nasty Fomorion took a mighty leap, mighty leap indeed, Master. He wrenched
the nasty elfs away from me, he did. But I was not afraid, Lord. I remembered the task! Not
like Gill who was getting more munches in! More tasty bits of elf-meat, but none for poor
Thlig! I spiked the Fomorian with my boots, I did! But the nasty strong one grabbed the Sidhe
and leapt away, and it was too fast for poor Thlig, even too fast for the Hounds, yes!"
"The other hoomans also ran, Lord, befores we coulds gets them too. The nasty ghost tried to
stop us, and hurts Gill much, buts we spiked him but good. Evil Gill said it was my fault that
the elf got away, when it was he, Lord, who kept stealing the munches! And he wouldn't share
none with Thlig, no! Poor, hungry Redcap got nothing! So I's ate Gill, the nasty brute!"
"Enough, thou craven, greedy worm! I shall settle for the Sidhe and his
human protectors. We shall not be stopped, despite of Day and Night and Death and Hell! But
lookest thou at mine poor hounds! Thou'st led them most foully, and brought them back ill-used,
with trembling limbs and bowed backs! 'Tis well enow; they can serve me yet, and so shall
thee!"
"Yes, Lord?!?"
"Although thou hast botched the affair of the Elf King, all shall be
forgotten whence thou has led your replacements in this matter unto our target..."
|
|
| |
WRAPUP : |
The segment of the Knights who stayed back with the ship and Culcharin were
lucky to escape in one piece, having underestimated their opponents and tried to fight a
static battle around the downed Elf. As it was, although they got away, the unconscious Elf
was grievously wounded and lies on death's door. Should he pass on, the group would seem doomed
to be trapped in the past...
|
|
