Ronin dug into his pack as he walked alongside Sir Erikson’s warhorse, looking for his map. “By the nine boy what are you doing?” Sir Erikson asked.
“I’m looking for my map.” Ronin replied.
“Why do you need a map? There’s not but one road between us and Llorkh.”
“I want to know how far we are, you asked me to stop pestering you every five minutes so I want to figure it out by myself.” Finally finding his quarry, Ronin pulled the slightly crumpled parchment from his pack with a triumphant “Ah ha!”
“I see your packing skills have not improved since we began our little excursion.” Sir Erikson commented. “If you hadn’t forgotten your parchment tube that map would be in far better condition.”
“Yes sir, but as I said when we left, if we weren’t in such a hurry I’d have remembered to grab a great many things. Like my bedroll, which I sorely miss.” Ronin replied, rubbing his stiff neck for emphasis.
“Consider it penance for your forgetfulness. Once we reach Llorkh we can get you a new bedroll, your old one was beginning to smell of mold anyway.”
Ronin unrolled his map, quickly finding Waterdeep then following the road east found the stretch of road they currently tread upon between Loudwater and Llorkh. This was the third day of their travels and was well past mid-day. He measured the distance using a notched stick he’d rolled the map around and figured they were now more than an hour’s travel from the town. Something niggled at the back of his mind, a sense of wrongness. He looked up from his map in the direction of the town, something was missing.
“Smoke.”
“What’s that lad?”
“We’re only a few miles from town and the wind is none too strong. We should be able to see smoke from people’s hearths and the smithy above the trees. But there is none.” Ronin said as he looked to Sir Erikson.
“Aye, right you are lad.” A look of concern spread over his aging features. “Right you are.”
“Before we left, you said you had a friend in Llorkh. That our haste was due to a letter he sent you.” Ronin hesitated before continuing. “If I may, what was in that letter?”
Sir Erikson stared at the smokeless sky, stroking his greying beard in thought. “It was a request for my aid. He’s the cleric in Llorkh, he’d been feeling a something foul emanating from the mountains to the east. He feared for the people of Twiddledale on the other side of the mountains, he was loathed to leave his town. So he wished that I come and check Twiddledale’s safety on his behalf.” A grim look passed over Sir Erikson’s face that Ronin had never seen before.
Sir Erikson lent down in his saddle, offering Ronin his hand. “Come, we make haste for Llorkh.”
Ronin stuffed the map back into his pack before accepting Sir Erikson’s hand. He pulled Ronin up into the saddle behind him. “Hold on boy.” Was all the warning Ronin got before the massive warhorse took off at a full gallop toward Llorkh. Ronin held on for all he was worth as the steed flew over the road. After only a few minutes the gates to the town were visible, once they were close enough Ronin noticed the lack of any guards on the wall and the gate was open.
Sir Erikson slowed the mount to a stop as they reached the gate. From there they could see the town and all its buildings. A great sense of eeriness settled over Ronin like a wet blanket, it seemed to press in on him. No smoke rose from the chimneys, no adults hurrying about their business, no children playing and no ringing of the smithy. Not a soul stirred.
The warhorse breathed heavily beneath them as Sir Erikson called out, “Towns folk of Llorkh, I am Sir Erikson. Paladin of Helm and friend to your cleric, Grothby. I’ve come to give aid, please let me know of your presence so that I may render aid unto thee.”
His voice seemed to be echo among the homes. No reply came forth as they waited, the heavy breathing of the warhorse the only sound they heard. After a moment Sir Erikson stirred. He reached behind him, offering his hand once again. Ronin took it and Sir Erikson help lower him to the ground off the massive warhorse.
“Leave your pack with Amorachus.” Sir Erikson said as he dismounted, his armor clanking as he stepped to the ground.
As Ronin strung his pack to the saddle Sir Erikson drew forth his bastard sword from its sheath on his back. Ronin followed suit, unslinging his shield from his shoulder and placing his left arm under the strap and holding the handle in that same hand. Once it was secure he draw his short sword from its home in a sheath at his left hip, making barely a sound as it left the leather. Ronin felt the adrenaline and fear mixed within him, he’d never had to actually fight someone. Sure he’d sparred with others but the most danger that ever came of that was nasty bruise or broken finger. He’d never faced real danger and the fear was gnawing at him, trying to claw its way through his mind like a wild animal.
“Lad, stay at my back. Amorachus, stay.” The warhorse nickered in reply as Ronin fell in behind his master. “Keep your eyes and ears open boy, mine aren’t what they used to be.”
“Yes sir.” Ronins voice wavered as the fear seemed to settle in his belly, making his breath rapid and shallow. His eyes darting around.
Sir Erikson turned and faced Ronin. “Ronin, slow your breathing. Remember what I taught you, Take deep, slow breaths.”
Ronin nodded, forcing his breathing to slow and take in more air. It help a little but the fear was still there, gnawing on his insides.
“You scared lad?”
Ronin nodded.
“Good, being afraid can be useful. It tells us when to hide, when to run and when to fight.”
“But you’re not afraid.” Ronin said.
“Aye lad, because I know when to hide, when to run and when to fight. I don’t need fear to tell me when to do these things anymore.” He placed a large armored hand on Ronin’s shoulder. “One day, you will know these things, and on that day you need not listen to fear. But for now, listen but do not let it control you. For fear does not control you unless you let it and fear does not think, it simply acts.”
Ronin nodded, he closed his eyes for a moment and focused. Not on removing the fear, but just making it quieter. When he opened his eyes he still felt the fear in the pit of his stomach, but it was no longer trying to claw its way out, just making him more cautious and alert. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Sir Erikson nodded and stood, facing into the town a moment. He closed his eyes for several second before slowly opening them. He slowly scanned his gaze across the town before closing them and letting out a breath he'd been holding in concentration. "Something evil happened here. But if there are any evildoers here I cannot see them. Let us move cautiously."
As they moved inward Ronin began to notice things that about the state of the village. There were no signs of struggle, no bodies in the streets or blood on the walls of the buildings. It was just empty.
"Cloud it be disease sir? That would explain the absence of destruction."
"Yes but the livestock is usually one of the first things destroyed as it is usually the origin of such catastrophes." Sir Erikson said, nodding in the direction of a pen of pigs.
Ronin noticed that the pigs he saw looked half starved. "Sir the pigs-"
"Yes, they look to have not eaten in days. Three if I were to guess."
"Sir, if I may. What is it we search for?"
"The stables lad. If the people have indeed fled this town then that is where they would have been headed before leaving. Perhaps there we will find a clue as to what has transpired here."
"Alright." Ronin followed Sir Erikson farther into the town. Watching behind the to make sure nothing attempted to sneak upon them. After what felt like an hour to Ronin but was only a matter of minutes before they came upon a large stable. As they opened the door Ronin was assailed by the stench of horse manure, a smell he was quite familiar with from his time spent caring for Amorachus. But this was worse, coughing a little from the stench they pressed inwards. In most of the stalls there were horses, but all were skinny and weak from lack of movement in the stalls, and they hadn't been cleaned in days.
"Well it appears they didn't take the horses, and if it was an attack they would have killed or taken the animals." he pulled on the latch holding one of the stables closed. "Let us free these beasts." Sir Erikson opened the stall and began gently coaxing the horse from the stable, grabbing a bail of hay as he passed.
Ronin followed suit, slinging his shield over his back. He opened the nearest stall and he too led it out into the fresh air. He also went to the wall and retrieved some water from a well and poured it into the nearby trough.
"You stay with the horses while I check a few of the homes." Sir Erikson ordered before walking in the direction of a nearby house.
Ronin unslung his shield and waited, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings. After another few minutes that felt as though they were hours passed before Sir Erikson returned.
"Did you find anyone?"
"Nay, the town is deserted. But it is as though everyone just up and left, food left on plates and ale still unfinished in the mug. But not a single sign of struggle." Sir Erikson exclaimed, frustrated.
"So what do we do?"
Sir Erikson stood for a moment pondering, his brow furrowed in frustration. He sighed before saying "Grothby said he sensed something east of here and that he was worried for the safety of another town. He wished me to see if some evil fate had befallen them, so I shall honor his wishes. But if that town has befallen the same fate, we make for Waterdeep and tell them everything that's happened." Sir Erikson sheathed his sword across his back and made for Amorachus, gesturing for Ronin to follow.
They once again mounted the large horse and took off through the town, heading east towards the near by mountains.
They rode for several minutes, the unease Ronin had felt long behind them, before he felt compelled to ask, "Sir, I know you wish I not ask this question but I feel it important.
"How long will it take us to get to this other village?"
"Little less than two days if we only stop to sleep and let Amorachus get his strength back."
"Can he run for that long?"
"As I've told you before, Amorachus is no common warhorse." As if in response the massive horse seemed to pick up more speed as they made thier way uphill.
For hours they rode, only stopping long enough for Amorachus to catch his breath before they were off again. As they made it farthere into the hilly pass that ran between the two larger mountains the vegetation began thinning and a foul wind made its way through the pass.
"Ah, there must be a bog on the other side of the pass. "Sir Erikson commented."
They had made it to the other side of the narrow mountain range before it became too dark to risk continuing. They pulled a small ways off the path onto some dry ground.
"No fires tonight lad. We do not wish to announce our presence this close to the bog." Sir Erikson pulled some bread, cheese and dried meat that they kept as trail rations while traveling. They ate in silence as the oppressiveness of the bog seemed to reach far beyond its shore as a heavy mist settled along the ground.
Just as Ronin finished eat, Sir Erikson suddenly roused from his seat and looked east. Ronin unsure of what was happening placed his hand on his sword, ready to draw it. "Sir, what is it." He asked, somewhat unnerved.
"I can sense something, it's not far from here. I don't..." Sir Erikson stopped speaking for a moment, the turned to Ronin. "I'm going to go see what it is. I need you to go find somewhere to hide until i return."
"You want me to hide?" Ronin was taken aback. "But-"
"Do as I say. Now."
Ronin recognized that tone, it was Sir Eriksons way of giving orders without giving an order. He nodded and grabbed his pack from the ground.
"If I don't return by morning, head east down the road to Twiddledale. If you have not yet found me, I want you to gather what supplies you can and make your way to Loudwater. Find someone who can give you a horse and ride for Waterdeep. Tell them everything." Sir Erikson untied Amorachus from the tree and mounted him. "Good luck." was all he said before taking off down the path.
Ronin hurried about, looking for a suitable hiding place. Eventually finding a group of fallen trees, he found he could squeeze in underneath one and the other formed a bit of a roof. Dense brush filled the gaps between trees making it impossible to see through. Ronin lay curled up around his pack on the cold ground. He was alone now, with some evil outside that Sir Erikson had feared was too dangerous for him to be near. So dangerous that he told Ronin what to do should he not return. With this came the fear again, it crawled through him making him shiver and turn his breathing ragged.
Ronin focused on what Sir Erikson had told him. 'Listen to it, but don't let it control you. It does not think, it only acts.' Ronin focused on his breathing, forcing himself to take deeper breaths. Then moved on to thinking, he forced himself to remember everything that Sir Erikson had told him to do and focused on those instructions. Soon the fear receded into worry.
The next thing Ronin is aware of is his eyes are closed. He opens them to see the canopy of his little hideout. Through the brush he can see a somewhat lightened sky, not quite morning but no more than a few hours away. Figuring it was close enough to morning Ronin peeked outside is his concealment. Satisfied he was alone he crawled out and headed to their camp sight from last night. Once there Ronin saw no sign of Sir Erikson or Amorachus. 'head east to Twiddledale.' Ronin steped out onto the road and could see the fresh tracks Amorachus had churned up the night before.
He followed the tracks down the road, after only ten minutes of walking he saw a shape down the road. Ronin drew his sword and stopped, standing perfectly still and listening for any sound. After several minutes Ronin began making his way down the road again, removing his shield from his back and placing it on his arm. Once he was only a hundred yards away, Ronin saw who it was.
Amorachus stood in the middle of the road, just standing. Looking for all the world as if he were simply waiting. As Ronin closed the last of the distance he began looking off the sides of the path for any sign of Sir Erikson. Once he reached Amorachus the large horse turned his head to look at him for a moment before returning to starring ahead. Ronin, worried began looking around for Sir Erikson or anything that would suggest where he'd gone. The longer he found nothing, the more a cold dread settled in his stomach.
'Twiddledale.' Ronin returned to Amorachus and was about to start leading him when he decided that riding would be acceptable. Sir Erikson had told Ronin from the start that he was never to ride Amorachus unless it was an emergency. He figured this qualified. Ronin had trouble at first climbing the massive animal. And once in place it seamed Amorachus was reluctant to continue moving, but after a bit move prodding began to move.
Ronin hadn't had much experience riding horses. Mostly just caring for Amorachus, though the stable master had shown him how to ride once or twice he'd not had enough time to fully learn. But Amorachus was used to riders and needed little in the way of steering. And so they rode for Twiddledale.
After an hour of riding the sky continued to brighten but the sun had yet to show. But now Ronin could see a wall with a gate, one that could only belong to the town of Twiddledale. The wall looked abandoned, no guards manned the wall or gate. And Ronin could see no smoke rising from chimney's. Ronin walked Amorachus closer to the gate, keeping very alert making sure nothing sneaked up on him in the dense bog as he approached the gate. He stopped atop Amorachus, the gate was closed and Ronin could see the the wall curved down either side. Meaning it more than likely encompassed the entire town.
He dismounted, approaching the gate. The gate is closed, that means someone was around to close it. These people knew something was coming, just like Sir Erikson had last night. If someone was still here that meant Sir Erikson could still be alive somewhere. He pushed on the gate, it barely budged which meant it was barred. He doubted he could scale the wall so he only had one choice left.
"Hello?" He called over the wall. "Is there anyone there?"
