NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/alt/pub/dragons/4581

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-25 | 3.9 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!math.fu-berlin.de!news.th-darmstadt.de!rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de!guido
From: [e-mail] (Guido Roessling)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: Gernodt
Date: 25 Jan 1993 08:32:55 GMT
Organization: TU Darmstadt
Lines: 51
Sender: [e-mail] (guido roessling)
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: rbhp25.rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de



Midnight was approaching and the wind was still howling furiously outside the
pub. The heavy downpour which had begun in the early afternoon was just starting
to slacken and some customers were starting for the door.Suddenly,with a tremen-
dous clap of thunder,there was a heavy pounding at the door,as if someone was
kicking it hard.
Having reached the door first,a dwarf opened it - only to find himself standing
in front of a human's back of truly astounding dimensions. The legs of this
human,who obviously seemed to be a fighter of some sort,a barbarian perhaps,were
heavily muscled and clad in only soft leather. It was only after a few moments
that he recognized the reason why this stranger had not entered the tavern on
his own - he was bleeding slightly from a crossbow bolt in his right leg,just
above his kneecap, and was engaged in a furious melee with two humanoid beings.
Before the dumbfounded dwarf could do more than blink his eyes a few times,the
first of the attackers fell to the giant's mighty blows of his two-handed sword,
followed by the second,who fell victim to the weapon's next blow. Instead of
falling down and dying,as should be expected of any human beings,however,they
turned a misty color and shrank until only a small piece of skin remained of
them.
Panting hard,the stranger turned,cleaning his massive sword with a few swipes.
Grunting slightly,he stooped and,with a fast movement,pulled the bloodied bolt
out of his knee.Blood streaming freely from the wound,he did something with his
hands and the bleeding stopped as if there had never been a wound. Looking up
at the dwarf,he smiled at him.
The dwarf failed to check a gasp when he saw the man's face - it was bereft of
any hair and seemed to consist primarily of scar tissue. Smiling at the dwarf's
gasp,the giant said "Sorry to shock you with my looks.My name's Gernodt. I'd like
to thank you for opening the door for me,so if you could find a place and a few
tankards of ale...". Placing his massive sword in its shield on his back, Gernodt
ducked slightly to pass through the door. He was,the dwarf realized,not a giant,
but a human who could be easily mistaken for a giant - he must have been roughly
7' tall and had broader shoulders than the dwarf had ever seen before.
Taking a seat at his former table and ordering two mugs of ale,he askingly
looked at the man called Gernodt...
"So,who are you ? I've never seen someone like you before ...?",he said.
"Well,as I already mentioned,my name is Gernodt,Gernodt T'Slorung,in fact.I was
born a normal man,but certain troubles with mages as well as other unpleasant
things I'd rather not talk about",Gernodt said,touching his scarred face for a
moment,"made me the way I am today... I've come here in search for a job as well
as some information - perhaps you might be able to help me... I'm a trained
fighter,as I'm sure you've noticed,experienced with most types of melee and
missile weaponry.However,I'm also a small dabbler in healing magic. I'm presently
searching for a job - I was told that someone wanted to meet me
here tonight and I hope he hasn't already gone.I'm also looking for all kinds
of information about a certain Qelrik,a dark mage who's been plagueing me for
years now.". He paused for a moment to look expectantly at the dwarf,as well as
at all others sitting nearby. Some of them seemed to have been listening to his
story,while others were still trying vainly to take their eyes from his hulking
frame and scarred,bald face....