You follow the wizard outside, where a scene of utter panic and chaos has just errupted.  People are running around, screaming their lungs out, and hitting at a swarm of rats that are just about completely covering the entire area.  The rats bite and scratch at everything that moves, tiny claws and teeth not much to fear individually but in a group this large, are painful and frightening.  They jump and bite, jump and tear at exposed skin, sinking teeth into necks and arms.  A woman with a broom swipes half a dozen away from her, only to be replaced with twice as many.  The sound of squealing and screaming is a cacophony of panic to your ears. 

Then, charging through the crowd of panicking villagers fighting off the rodent swarm, come over two dozen goblin raiders, spiked shortswords raised high, voices a bloody scream in the night.  Before your eyes, they begin cutting down every person they see. 

One runs up the steps towards you, shortsword brandished high, crying murder in its native tongue.  It almost reaches the halfway point, before being blown to chunks by a well-aimed flaming arrow spell from Kemvar's staff. 

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A basic, typical fantasy style story with all the classic elements - elves in the forest, dwarves underground, old wizards in towers and the like. It's largely just to experiment with the form more than anything, although the idea formed ages ago before I got depressed.

The idea is that about a dozen characters meet each other along the way on a perilous journey north into the heart of evil/darkness/symbolic force thereof.

Arrith and co head north-west to the capital, Pasaveer, a day or two out from their home town of Terris. Kemvar accompanies them. They are looking for information about a cursed armour, shield and weapon that one of the goblin leaders mutters something about. On your trail is the men with wolf tattoos, and behind them is the rouge Hailyn has been waiting like a lover for.

updated Jul 8 by UltimaDan