Return
to the Glitterhame
|
Diverted
from their quest for the Axe
of the Dwarvish Lords,
heroes led by elf-druid Sir Geradil Courana are drawn back to his
homeland in the jungles of Hepmona...
A chill grey mist
descends, and the going becomes difficult. Before long the mist lifts
again and air warms, considerably, however the foliage becomes denser
and wet underfoot. Fortunately though, after a seeming age, the
ground gradually rises and the heroes find themselves passing through
relatively sparse pine forest once more.
Then,
through a gap in the trees, they catch sight of a tall steep hill
that rises to a prominent fang of rock...
--------------------
RETURN
TO THE GLITTERHAME
Thorba
has waited, to no avail. Seven years have passed since Dan & the
others departed from Khundrukar – the
Glitterhame
- with splendid dwarven weapons, forged by the dwarf hero-smith
Durgeddin the Black. Yet still no word has come that they managed to
reach the human 'free' port town, Jadis - where Grindin Dyrak and the
other dwarves eke out a living in exile. Only eight others remain
with him - too few to guard the 'forge of fury' and for a proper
expedition, even if 'Queen' Nimira, Snurrevin, Ghared and the other
old-timers would leave (however, old Derga bravely volunteers). So
Thorba and he, heavy-laden with as much of the new-made mail they can
carry, set forth – down the path towards the forest, the
surrounding jungles, and – hopefully – Jadis...
Geradil
at once recognises the place of his one-time incarceration –
the Stone Tooth. He and the sharp-eyed elves of his group see the
steep narrow track that zigzags down the hillside. Once hidden but
now eroded, its course is marked by standing stones. Two squat
figures, heavily-loaded, can be seen picking their way down the path.
But, a short distance ahead of those, the onlooking elves can see
other figures, lying in ambush behind the stones and by the path –
orcs, dozens of them...!
--------------------
To
Be Continued...