Your path leads you here

Your path leads you here
On this night your path takes you to a small village. There is not much in the village, a few run down cottages, a well that has seen better days, a half standing stable and an Inn. You'd like to keep riding, but you know your steed needs rest and so do you. You hand your reins over to a dirty stable boy, open your coin purse and toss the lad the silver bit you pulled out, telling him "one more on the morrow if my horse is well fed and brushed." You wade your way through the muddy village towards the Inn. Looking up, you see the name "The Nightblade Inn." The outside doesn't look like much, but the smells drifting out makes you think of home. Your stomach begins to talk to you and start to salivate.

Entering The Nightblade Inn

 You push open the door barely attached to the hinges, an unusual silence greets you...how uncommon for a Inn/Tavern.  You look around and s...

Monday, February 28, 2022

Vic's Story as told from Klenex



Sitting in The Nightblade Inn when all is quiet and calm I can't help but reminisce about my old adventuring days.  Reminiscing about the adventurers I've meet along the way....
 
One such adventurer was a fighter that had seen better days.  The years had washed away his youth, his ability to partake in quest, however he was left with the memories of his adventuring years, and his willingness to share such adventures.

I came across this adventurer, along the road south of Daleville.  I saw a camp so I figured I would stop feed Charmin (my horse) and possibly have a bite to eat myself.  I  jumped down off of Charmin tied her to a tree and walked over to the fire.  There he was...the old adventurer sitting there the years had left sun leathered skin, lines where many smiles were given freely to maidens, as well as scowling at the enemy. He wore a leather brimmed hat, no armor just a simple tunic with a leather vest, linen trousers and some worn leather boots that looked as though they could have been as old as the adventurer himself.  As I approached he greeted me with a hearty "well met rogue! Not a very good one are you if you're in plain sight!"  I responded, "the best rogues are the ones that blend into the crowd and out in the open, hence I'm in the open.  What do they call you friend? I am Klenex Nightblade."  The old man eyed me with humor in his faded blue eyes and said, "Friend, eh well when you're my age a new friend is always welcomed. My name is Vic. Sit, eat, the hunting in these parts are very good.  I got me a were-rabbit just this afternoon.  Cooking it up now, sit, let's eat." 

As we sat there and the fire danced on the logs and casted shadows Vic looked at me and said, "I used to be an adventurer like you, many many years ago.  I wasn't always an adventurer though...my story started on my 18th name day, I joined the Royal guard. The Royal guard wouldn't let me fight...no no they saw fit to put me in the storage kitchens.  My job was to order food, and other items.  Needless to say I was not happy and old Vic here decided I could make a quick coin.  I started to order more than what was required, and then I would sell the surplus to other guardsmen, to the locals, ah hell to whoever would buy. I knew I'd get caught at some point so I pinched what I could took my profits and fled the guard, the kingdom and my old life. For a while I roamed taking odd quest here and there, thieving, but only pinching from those that deserved to be stollen from.  You know the sort the merchants that can't be bothered to give a slice a bread or cup of broth to a starving soul. Then one day I happened upon the love of my life.  I saw her and knew she was the one, and I was ready to settle down.  By this point I still had quite a bit of coin from the Royal guard, from quest, pinching items and selling them as I went.  I decided I wanted my own Tavern and I was going to make an honest living and a good one to give my love the best life. It took just a little bit of time for her to agree to marry me.  After we got married we opened up a Tavern called "Vic's" just outside of Pionte Village.  There we lived and thrived, had 2 wonderful children.  One boy named after me you know, and one girl.  We were happy, but as time goes and life the kids grew up and moved on.  We grew old and eventually the G-ds saw fit to take my love before taking me. After losing her and with the kids gone I sold "Vic's" and well that's were you find me now...I roam with my old mare telling my tale to whoever will listen."

Vic's story stays with me, he was a colorful fellow with more stories to tell.  Of course his story ends with how all our stories will end...That's not how we are remembered though.  We are remembered by how we live our lives, the lives we touch and the stories we leave behind.

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