Oliver snapped awake with a jump. The sun was shining on another Jalldoon morning as the birds sang outside his window, but the Gatonian was still troubled by his nightmare. All of Gato was engulfed in flames as he stood by helplessly watching it burn. Shocktroopers working for Baron Dracktholme ran Gatonians down, killing with no remorse. Even though it was just a dream he couldn’t help but think it was more of a portent than something he should brush off. It all felt so real, so clear. Either way here and now was real, and soon he’d need to be at the Faulty Compass to start preparing the tavern for the day. He ran his claws through his black fur as he cleaned his sharp fangs in the mirror before slipping on a clean tunic and his apron.
As he stepped out into the sunny streets of Karnok he locked his door, and hooking the keys to his belt set off towards the Faulty Compass. The streets were busy with the morning activity of the great city, and Oliver started to let the gloom of his dream fade as the sun warmed his fur. He passed Thulf the Cityguard walking home from his night watch shift, and with a smile, he asked “See you tonight at close Thulf?” as he shook his friend’s hand. The Cityguard took off his helmet “ Ay Oliver, I’ll be there with bells on me shoes!” he said with a laugh. The friends parted ways, and Oliver made his way to the Faulty Compass. Arriving at work he unlocked the door to the tavern, and looking up saw Jon Lott pouring over maps on the balcony of his room. Oliver called up to the elderly long-term tenant of the Faulty Compass Inn “Eh Jonny! Care for a pot of Grape Weed this morning?” he asked with a smile. Putting down his magnifying glass Jon Lott clapped his hands together and replied “ Yes my boy! Bring it on up.” with a grin. As he opened the door the smell of cooking hit his nose “ Kareen! What’s up buddy?” he yelled out into the kitchen. The cook popped his head around the door to the kitchen “Oli my man! How we doing today, brother? Want a plate? “ he asked. Oliver’s stomach grumbled, Kareen was an amazing cook…for a human that is “ You know it man! Pile it up!” he yelled back as he walked over to get the fire going for the day. After lighting the fire, and all the lamps Oliver quickly ate the mound of food Kareen had made for him. Dropping his plate in the kitchen sink he prepared a pot of Grape Weed for Jon Lott and brought it up to the old explorer’s room.
As Oliver entered Jon Lott sat at his table covered in maps, papers, and books. Jon looked up from his work “Ahh Oliver, good to see you, my friend! Pull a chair, and pour us a couple mugs. I’ve got something very interesting to show you!” The old man said, trembling with excitement. Oliver filled up two mugs with steaming grapeweed and gently pushed some papers off the spare chair before sitting down. Oliver’s whiskers twitched instinctively as the steam from the mug tickled them, and after taking a long sip he put the mug down on the table. Jon pulled out a map Oliver immediately recognized his homeland of Gato “This as you know is the nation of Gato, but if you look at this ancient map I have here you’ll see something interesting” the old explorer said as he pulled out another map this one showing Gato again, but this time there were three areas marked in red. Oliver stroked his whiskers “Yeah, an ancient map of Gato. Cool, but what’s so special about it?” he asked. Jon laughed “ My boy! These red areas based on my research are the resting places of the fabled Skeleton Gems. Just one could help anyone take control of a region, and there are three in Gato alone! That’s big…no it’s huge!” the old explorer took a long sip of his Grapweed as he leaned back with a smile. Oliver’s tail twitched “Skeleton Gems? What are those?” he asked Jon. The smile dropped from Lott’s face “Explaining that would require a day or so long history lesson my boy, but basically during the great war many ages ago which formed the Covenant of Crowns the dissenting armies who were vanquished in battle had their souls magically trapped inside Gems. These gems could be wielded by any magic user with enough knowledge to understand the spells locking them, which would bestow an army of near-unstoppable skeleton soldiers upon the caster. Very few individuals here on Jalldoon know of these Gems, and that’s by design believe me. Could you imagine those of ill repute scouring the Planet for these Gems? With unheard-of artifacts resting in Gato I need to alert someone about this, but who can really be trusted with such power?” Jon’s frown grew as he ran his fingers through his beard. Oliver sat stunned, he was just a simple barkeep, how was he involved in something like this? He had no idea where to take this information, but he knew someone who likely would “ I know someone who may be able to help with this problem.” he said as the visions of Gato in flames from his dream flooded his mind. Oliver grabbed a bit of parchment, and after writing a short note rolled it up and sealed it with a bit of string. The Gatonian opened the window and whistled the tune of the courier service. A few moments later a hawk swooped out of the sky and snatched up the parchment from his outstretched hand. The courier hawk would fly back to the offices where it would be sent out to its destination…a small keep located in Frogmire Marsh.
The rest of the day Oliver was lost in thoughts of Gato, and he was on autopilot doing his duties until he closed up for the night. That night he had the dream again, but this time the dream made sense. Baron Dracktholme must be planning to sack Gato for these gems, and there was no way Oliver would let his home be destroyed only to let the Baron get his hands on tools of evil. After a fitful night tossing and turning in bed morning had broken, and Oliver groggily made his way to the Compass lost in thought. As he walked up he saw a black furred Gatonian in a hood leaning against the locked door “Grar! My brother! Good to see you.” Oliver said, shaking hands with his littermate. Grar smiled showing his fangs “ You too brother, but I wish it was under better circumstances. We got your letter at Hawkstorm, and coincidentally Prince Algor has already found one of these gems during his adventures so we are familiar with them. Three of these things being on Gato cannot be good, but there are pressing issues keeping us here at the moment. Evil spreads across the lands like a plague, and we’ve been assembling a team to fight it. I’d say we should send a message home to warn them, but what if those of ill repute see it? We’d be setting Gato up to be destroyed. No. Someone needs to go and warn them, but my responsibilities keep me here for the moment so it looks like the burden is on you brother. I’ve some business to take care of here in Karnok today, but what say we meet here tonight after closing, and we figure it out?” Grar said, pulling his hood up. Oliver’s tail swished through the air “Yes brother, that sounds good I will see you tonight. May Gato bless your day.” he said as the two Gatonians shook hands.
The day passed insufferably slow as Oliver waited for closing time to meet Grar. Jon Lott in rare form had camped out at the end of the bar to wait with his friend. Finally, it was closing time, and as Oliver cleaned up the tavern Grar entered. He walked down to the end of the bar and took a seat next to Jon Lott who lit up “Grar the famed Gatonian thief I presume?” the old man asked as Grar took his hood down. The Gatonian smiled “Yes, and you must be Jon Lott? Pleasure to meet you friend” he said, shaking the old explorer’s hand. Jon smiled wide “The pleasure is all mine sir. Why you’ve been at the center of some VERY interesting stories. Oliver pour one for our friend here!” Jon motioned for a drink as he stood up and finished his own. Their talk went late into the night, and it was decided that Oliver would travel to Gato, warn the King and Queen, and return home. The rulers of Gato would then hold the Gems until Grar could get them delivered to the Slime Elder Magi for safekeeping, or to the vaults at Slime City. Oliver was anxious about the trip, travelling to Gato by himself with such important information was daunting. The Gatonian sighed “ A lonely trip to Gato isn’t the way I imagined I’d be seeing home again brother, but for the sake of the planet I’d travel a million miles alone.” Oliver wished Grar was traveling with him, but his littermate had other important business here. Jon Lott finished his ale in one big gulp “ Lonely my boy? Never! I’ll be making the trip with you!” the old explorer said with a grin. Oliver was stunned, Jon Lott had barely left the Faulty Compass much less the City of Karnok in years, and now he was planning on making the trip to Gato. A trip that even in the best of times was relatively dangerous, but during a time when evil was running rampant across the planet? Oliver shook his head “Jon, you can’t my friend? At your age? It’s too dangerous.” the Gatonian pleaded. Jon Lott laughed “I was traversing this Planet when you were just knee-high to a Grandab. Why once Boshak Dahn and I…obviously before his fall to evil… charted all the caves under Transmeria in one week’s time. So don’t tell me I’m too old to accompany you or I’ll bop you one with my cane boy!” he poked his finger into Oliver’s chest as he said this. The two Gatonians and humans laughed and spent the rest of the night planning the trip.
The next morning Grar provided Oliver with a sack of Gold, and the three friends got into the carriage that would take them to Hawkstorm Keep. From the keep, Oliver and Jon would travel to Bakurados Bay to catch a boat to Gato. After reaching Hawkstorm Keep they were met by Princess Ikari who had the cooks set out a splendid feast for the adventurers. Jon Lott had the Princess enthralled with tales of his exploring days, and after digesting the delicious meal the Human and Gatonian prepared to board the carriage to head to Bakurados Bay. Grar slapped Oliver on the back “Brother, be careful out there. Give my love to our mother and father.” he said as his littermate smiled “Of course Grar. Mother I’m sure will be very interested to know her son… one of the greatest thieves on Jalldoon…has his paws in saving the Planet from evil” Oliver said with a wink. Grar laughed “Brother, I doubt she’d believe that, but you’re welcome to try and convince her.” he hugged Oliver as the brothers said their goodbyes. Jon Lott looked on as Ikari approached him “Mr Lott, I have a gift for you” She said as she pulled an ornate sword from behind her back. The sword was made of shining silver and had a large gem placed in the crossguard. The sheathe had even more gems on it “My dear, this is far too much for me to accept!” The old explorer exclaimed in shock. Ikari smiled “Sir you are doing a good thing for the planet, and this enchanted blade will help you immensely. Please take it.” The Princess pushed the sword into his hands. Jon bowed to her “Princess I am honored. Thank you, and may the Gods smile upon your family” he said tucking the sword into his pack. Ikari explained the sword had been enchanted to absorb and redirect spells cast at its owner. All he had to do was “block” the spell with the blade, and the spell would be stored inside the gem. Then all he had to do was point the sword at his target and say the magic words “ Sellet Otcelfer” which would send the spell back at those wishing to do him harm, and being made of silver the sword was great against the undead as well. Jon bowed once again “Thank you again, Princess,” he said stepping into the carriage. They waved to their friends as the carriage started off towards Bakurados Bay. After a night in Bakurados Bay they headed down to the docks and boarded the boat they would take to Gato.
After a few days at sea, the winds picked up, and the boat was stuck in a storm. The endless tossing of the stormy seas made Oliver sick, but as he made his way to the top decks Gato could be seen in the distance which made him feel much better. As he looked longingly at his home and eagerly awaited getting off the tossing seas he was shocked to see a very large schooner coming through the fog. As he stood perplexed at this giant ship passing so close to them their cannons lit up, and shook the whole ship as cannonballs started raining down. The deckhand ran to alert the captain, but as he reached the captain’s quarters doorway a cloud of wood splinters and fire erased him from existence. Oliver ran below decks to get Jon and jump ship, but as they came back topside legions of beings dressed in all black with their faces covered swarmed from the schooner onto the smaller ship. Their eyes glowed green as they grabbed every living soul on the ship and chained them. Oliver and Jon were hustled to the brig of the schooner where they were tossed into a cell. The beings in black had taken their weapons, and Oliver looked around for some way to get out of this cell when a voice from the next cell spoke up “It’s no use Oliver. These cells are sturdy, and not likely to free us until these Ninja want us to be freed” the voice sounded familiar to Oliver, and how did he know his name? The man in the cell leaned forward into a shaft of light from the porthole, and Oliver saw his old ranger friend staring at him “Merrick? By the Gods man…what are you doing here? What do these…what did you call them? Ninja? What do they want with us?” He asked as the ship could be felt turning back towards Gato. Merrick shook his head “I have no idea. They sacked Hogar, and snatched us up so I can only assume they are planning on sacking Gato as well, but I’ve no real idea here friend.” he said with a grimace as he looked down at his cellmate who was sleeping on the floor his robes covered in blood “ My companion was seriously injured in the attack on Hogar, and I fear if he doesn’t receive medical attention soon he will die so hopefully we can find a way out of here” Merrick leaned back against the bars with a sigh. Oliver’s head swam. What were these Ninja? What did they want? Why had they sacked Hogar? Why were they snatching up travelers? The answers would hopefully come, but for now, he was at least glad to have an experienced ranger like Merrick here with him. He looked over at Jon, who looked back at him “Don’t worry my boy. I’ve gotten myself out of far worse situations than this, and we’re alive so that’s something!” the old explorer said with a smile. Oliver had no idea what the future would bring, but he knew it wouldn’t spell good things for Jalldoon.
doomkick.com 