The Mis-Adventures of Quinn Silverthumb (Episode 4)

"Do you see the tower up there Sizrit? It feels like we've been walking for hours." Quinn said, exasperated, and out of breath from the trek through the old forest. The floor of the forest was uneven and littered with wet leaves and fallen branches that made the simple task of walking a challenge for the little Halfling.

 "I see it!" Squawked Sizrit from above the thick leaves of the canopy. “It’s just a little farther now."

 "I wish it was a little closer." the Halfling grumbled." Can't you teleport us the rest of the way?"

"If I could I would have teleported us back to Waterdeep. I used the last teleporting  spell I had following you here." explained Sizrit. Quinn grumbled on under his breath and looked dejectedly up at the steep incline standing in his path. He regretfully began his clumsy ascent root by branch as he grabbed for the closest hand hold. The ground was soft from fresh rain so the climb was slow and tedious as Quinn searched for solid places to put his feet. He reached the top, which seemed like miles to him, and as he crested the top he found he was face to face with a strange creature with a dirty face, blood red dreaded hair, and razor teeth smiling maliciously at him. Quinn let out a yelp and released the root that was holding him and began tumbling back down the rise.

"Ow!" Quinn said when he hit the bottom. He looked up to see the creature leaning over the edge, staring at him hungrily. In an instant the creature leapt from the ledge at him. The creature was maybe two feet shorter than Quinn but he didn't want to see what kind of damage those teeth could do. He rolled to the left as the creature came down on him and the beast hit the ground where Quinn was lying moments before. Quinn scrambled to his feet and reached for the dagger in his shoe. The creature's head snapped up in a feral snarl and it leapt with hands outstretched for Quinn’s neck. Quinn put his hands up to shield himself from the blow.

 "Caw! Caw! Back off!" Sizrit appeared from the canopy, streaking down for the creature with talons bared. His sharp claws sliced into the face of the rushing creature and it let out a howl of pain. Quinn jumped back and raised his dagger into a defensive stance as he watched Sizrit flap wildly at the face of the small creature. The creature batted at the bird with clawed hands that were filthy and caked with crusted blood. It seemed that same blood was used to dread its hair. Quinn reached for his crossbow while the creature was still distracted and loaded a bolt.

 "Sizrit watch out!" He called as he leveled the bow at the little creatures face. He cranked it back and let it fly as Sizrit flew quickly up. The creature looked up as Sizrit flew and then looked towards Quinn again. A moment of shock washed over the face of the beast and it snarled at the incoming missile before it struck him square between the eyes. The creature fell, twitched once, and then lay still on the forest floor.

 "What, in Mystra's name, was that?" Quinn asked aloud standing over the dead creature and looking down at its maliciously frozen face.

 "That was a Redcap. Malevolent faeries that hunt for blood and raw flesh. I think this one thought you an easy target." Sizrit explained.

 "Well he thought very wrong this day." Triumphed Quinn. "First lake hags and now redcaps! I just want to go home to the streets, nice warm beds, and mugs of Barnaby's finest ale." Quinn slumped down defeated.

 "Come now. Don't give up. The tower isn't far now. You'll see. It's just over the rise there." Quinn looked up at the hill he had just fallen down and sighed.

 "These Witches better know what they're doing. This forest wasn't built for a little Halfling like me. Give me a good old grimy sewer any day. This nature stuff's for the birds." Quinn said as he reached for the first root to begin his second ascent.

"I resemble that remark!" Sizrit crowed and took off past him to set on a tree at the top. He waited patiently for Quinn to make the climb. Gloating over the fact that he had wings and Quinn had not, the whole way up.

To be continued.......

The Mis-Adventures of Quinn Silverthumb (Episode 3)

Everything began to blur as the cold grip of the lake water began to take hold...

Quinn shook off the sensation, struggling to regain consciousness. The slimy lake hag still had a strong grip on his ankle and was pulling him farther from the surface. His air was running low and the hag, despite his attempts to break her hold, was still pulling him to his doom. Sizrit meanwhile was frantically circling above the surface, helplessly watching his Halfling friend disappear beyond his sight into the lake below.

"Dear Mystra help us" He said as he flapped frantically searching for something, anything to help. Suddenly there was a splash as if something large hit the surface of the water. Sizrit cried out in alarm.

Quinn reached for a hidden dagger in the cuff of his shirt and with a sharp, quick flick of his wrist he sent the tiny dagger deep into the shoulder of the astonished hag. The hag released him and he began to swim frantically for the surface. His lungs burned as they squeezed the last of his air into his flailing muscles as he swam towards the surface. The hag recovered from the shock of her prey's stinger and began to bolt after her lost quarry.

He was nearly there when he looked back to see the hag gaining on him at an incredible speed. He pumped his arms as fast as he could to escape the rapidly approaching predator. Suddenly something burst past him like a rush of spray and he turned back, his gaze following the strange shape that swam past him.

What looked like a giant lizard made out of clear glass and effervescent bubbles, with strong claws and giant wings came up under the chase. The hag looked back and let out an audible, gurgled wail as the massive dragon's head opened wide and engulfed the shrieking hag. She disappeared inside as if the creature was as solid as flesh or scale.

The dragon swam to Quinn and lifted him gently out of the water. Quinn touched ground gasping for air, wide eyed in astonishment at the dragon before him. It looked as if it was made out of pure liquid and it seemed to be grinning slightly on its amorphous face. Sizrit shrieked and flew for cover in the nearest tree.

"Uh um, thank you?" Quinn as he began to recover his breath. The dragon nodded its appreciation and began to turn to leave.

"Wait! Do you happen to know where we are?" Quinn called to it as it slowly sank to the water.

“You are in Rashemar." A silvery, female voice sounded in his head. "Seek the watchtower north of here. The witches of this land will help you find your way little one." With that the song sung voice drifted under the water as the bubbling shape of the water dragon returned to its lake home.

"What in the world was that?" Sizrit called as he swooped from his hiding place to a rock near Quinn.

"I have no idea but I plan to ask the witches. We're going north. Would you mind drying me off?" Quinn asked.

"Certainly." He flew to Quinn's shoulder and the tips of Sizrit's feathers began to glow orange as he slowly dried Quinn off.

To be continued....

The Mis-Adventures of Quinn Silverthumb (Episode 2)

 "SPLASH!" The once peaceful, mirror still lake was abruptly disturbed by a small figure plummeting from the sky above. For a moment nothing but bubbles broke the rippling surface, and then the small figure started splashing around, flailing his arms wildly in a poor attempt to swim to shore.

"Cough, sputter, ugh! Help! I'm drowning!" The Halfling screamed until he realized that his feet were touching the shallow bottom close to the shore. Hoarse, hysterical laughter sounded from the white raven circling above the soggy Halfling.

"Hahaha Caw! You never cease to amuse me Quinn." The raven chuckled.

Quinn picked up the nearest stone and hurled it at Sizrit. He quickly dodged the incoming missile.

"Sizrit, if I ever see your master again I'm going to ring his neck!" Quinn threatened, shaking his fist in the air.

“Be careful what you say. Yenir can hear you. I am still his familiar" Reminded Sizrit "You know he can be very mischievous, and you tend to make easy prey."

"Don't remind me" Quinn surveyed his surroundings, taking note of the gnarled, ancient looking trees that surrounded the lake. “Don’t suppose you know where we are Sizrit? If I didn't know better, I'd think we were in the High Forest." No sooner did he say this when something cold and slimy brushed his ankle. Quinn let out a startled yelp." There's something in the water."

"It's probably just seaweed" Sizrit joked then looked suddenly horror-stricken. "Uh..uh, Q-Quinn!"

Before he could turn around the slimy thing wrapped tightly around his ankle and pulled him sharply under the water. Next thing he knew he was being dragged farther out into the lake and deeper under the water. Quinn looked down at his captor and was horrified at what he saw. An ugly hag with thin, black strands of hair mingled with seaweed was staring hungrily at him as she dragged him deeper.

Quinn, out of reflex, let out a scream and sent a stream of precious bubbles floating to the surface.

To be continued...

The Mis-Adventures of Quinn Silverthumb (Episode 1)

A small shadow slinks from building to building, disturbing great puddles of the sludge and street slime of the Dock Ward that has run together in the rain. Even still, the little figure is silent and moves unnoticed in the gloom of night and unheard in the pouring rain. The smell of the days catch mingled with the grime of this section of run down warehouses can keep even the most experienced tracker off the trail. The little cloaked figure knows these streets well and makes its way to a hidden door in an abandoned alley way. It’s warm and cozy in the room beyond the door and the Halfling is greeted by a loud “Caw”.

“Welcome home Master Quinn.” The pearl white feathered raven perched on the mantle of a warmly burning fireplace said as he entered the door, “I expect tonight’s business was successful? Shall I set the wards for you?” The Halfling stomped off his boots by the door and hung his cloak on the rack next to it.

“Yes set the wards Sizrit. I don’t plan on going out again tonight!” Quinn said with glee, “Look what I found!” Quinn reached into the pocket of his vest and pulled out a gem the size of his head that wouldn’t have fit into the vest if it wasn’t enchanted with extra-dimensional pockets. The diamond glittered in the firelight as Quinn held it up triumphantly. “Weeks of scoping out Triamere Manor finally paid off.” Quinn set the gem on the table and began drying off his shaggy damp hair by the fire. Sizrit suddenly flapped his wings in alarm.

“I wouldn’t start celebrating just yet Quinn. It seems you’ve been followed. I sense magical energies coming from outside the door. They seem to be probing the wards.” Quinn shot up quick as a snake and grabbed the gem, stuffing it back into his vest. He quickly grabbed a dry cloak and his bag that was filled with his gear.

“How long do we have?” Quinn asked as the iron door to his safe house started to glow an angry red. Sizrit closed his eyes and began concentrating. The red on the door began to glow purple and crackled with electricity.

“That should hold them off a little…” The door quickly turned back and shone hotter than before “Oh dear. I’d say less than a minute.” Sizrit flew over to where Quinn was searching in a hidden floor compartment.

“It has to be here somewhere. Aha!” Quinn snatched up a small, fragile orb the size of a marble.

“Is that one of Master Yenir’s orbs?” Sizrit asked. Quinn looked to the raven and smirked.

“Yup! He gave this to me for just such an emergency. You’d better hang on.” Quinn held out his other hand and Sizrit perched upon it. The door to the safe house shattered behind him and Quinn spun around. The force of the blast and the wind from the storm outside put out the fireplace so that all Quinn could see was the silhouette of a Human standing in the door way. Seething fury and magical energy emanated off this man.

“Give me back what you’ve stolen Halfling!” The figure roared. Quinn only smiled as lightning illuminated his face. 

“Only if you can catch me” He said and with that shattered the orb to the floor in front of him. The world lurched and the room vanished around him in a flash. Then all was spinning and then dark…

To Be Continued…