The Magic Urn
In the realm of Pyridian there are many
different types of monstrosities. There are the goblins that dwell in the dark reaches of
the forest and griffins that roam the skies until nightfall. Here we also have golems,
both good and bad, elves, dragons, whose breath can be fatal, and even dwarves and
fairies.
Back at his cabin, Baan set down to eat the
wolf that he slaughtered, when he heard a noise. It was close; he could feel it. Then the
ground started to tremble beneath his feet as the dishes fell from the shelves crashing
against the floor making a terrible racket. Baan, looking around, ran outside and to his
amazement he saw the largest hole he had ever seen. Tying the rope he grabbed to a nearby
oak, he threw himself into the void with only an ax for protection with the walls of the
tunnel leading him.
As he descended, he noticed a very peculiar
light on the sides of the passage. Going farther, he discovered more of the substance,
which was much like a dim torch that gave off no heat, and decided to take some with him.
By doing so, it lit up enough of the area so that he could distinguish shape and distance.
Baan, clutched his wool cloak evermore closely, becoming colder and colder the farther he
went, but still he ventured farther.
Just then he saw some sunlight shining at
the end of the tunnel. Racing to the end, he ran out of the opening to bask in the warmth.
Suddenly he heard someone yell. "Hullo!" the voice said in a cheerful tone.
Baan responded by saying, "Well, who
are you and where are we?"
The gentle voice called to him saying,
"I am over here in the tree, and if you come in to get a nice drink and something to
eat, we will talk."
Baan agreed to go into the abode of the old
man. While they talked and had a hearty dinner, they also spoke of what had happened. Baan
clearly noticed that the man was a retired Elven warrior who helped in the defeat of the
ogres and Orcish horde. "I am known as Koln," the old man stated. "And what
you have been tracking is the great landwurm of Vels, the mage in the temple just over the
ridge," said Koln.
Baan wanted to pay Vels a visit and in doing
so took a few rations and Koln's lance and shield. The next day he departed, traveling
over the ridge to have a little chat with Vels. Arriving there in little under an hour, he
banged on the huge wooden door. Waiting for a tedious amount of time, he decided to look
around. Surprisingly enough he found an area covered with vines. As he cut them down, his
hopes arose catching a glimpse of the hidden cave.
Walking through the twisting corridors, he
came to a staircase. Ascending them, he came to an iron gate that led into a large den. It
was the home of the great landwurm. Slowly creeping into the room as not to disturb it, he
found that it was sleeping almost soundly, with the only noise coming from Baan's fast
beating heart. As he crept around it, he found another set of stairs and went up them to
find that it led into a giant hall filled to the ceiling with tomes of magic spells and
such. At the far end of the room was Vels' throne and behind it yet another room.
Baan walked up to the room, slowly creaking
open the broad door to reveal the mage Vels asleep in his small single bed adorned with a
silken wizard's robe. As Baan looked even more discriminately he noticed an unusual
looking vase sitting on a pillar. Tiptoeing up to it with his shield raised, he heard Vels
move and, suddenly, a fireball bounced off of his shield igniting one of his beautiful
tapestries. Vels bellowed a resounding utterance, "You shall die for violating my
privacy, you fool! This is the end of your pitiful existence!" Just then the enraged
Vels let out a whistle that sent the landwurm hurrying toward them. "Now you will get
what is best to come to those who sneak," remarked Vels.
The landwurm burst through the large front
doors with its mouth gaping and many razor sharp teeth gleaming. Baan fought for only
minutes with the beast but to him they seemed like hours on end. Baan was bleeding but he
had gotten in a few good hits himself. Knowing he couldn't defeat the landwurm, Baan
retreated to the bedroom. He glanced at the urn once again realizing now that it was the
source of Vels' power because he recognized the symbols from the ones on the large tome on
the big table in the hall.
Realizing this he picked it up
smashing it asunder with his ax. With Vels now screaming in terror, Baan looked back to
see that Vels had lost control over the great landwurm, which was devouring him, slinging
blood and innards around the room in an almost intricate pattern. Then disappearing as
quickly as it came, the landwurm was never seen again...
