Greetings to you! Makwi here this month with some tips you may need if you’re ever on a serious fantasy quest. If you’re on a trip, especially through troll territory, you’ll need some basic items and skills. It goes without saying, but poor planning and training leads to disaster. Supplies go without saying, but there are others you’ll find handy in a pinch, even if it’s a well-honed skill.
1. Good boots are not just a fashion statement – they are a crucial piece of equipment for any adventurer. Whether you are traversing rocky mountains or soggy swamps, a sturdy pair of boots will protect your feet and keep you moving forward on your quest.
Mid-day arrived and Hastra sent Makwi and Ralda to gather everyone to a back room out of the way of idling travelers. Here the Withling meant to inform them of the journey ahead. Limbreth came in wearing new walking boots, the two dwarves beaming in her wake.
Makwi beamed to everyone. “We have bought her new boots since we must walk.”
Limbreth hesitated at the attention, suppressing a scowl. She felt like a prize pig. Weren’t dwarves supposed to be dour? Really, fawning over her like the newest, prettiest girl in a village. She looked to Athson for support in her confusion, but he smirked. The ranger had abandoned her to these two maniacs. Limbreth stifled the urge to stick out her tongue at him. The dwarves raved over her assisting a comrade but completely ignored Athson’s bravery. She resisted growling.
Still, the boots were nice. Walking would be no fun. Tordug acted like it was swimming. As long as they stopped mooning over her “death grip” like boys over a big catch while fishing.
2. A sharp ax is not just a tool for chopping wood while on a fantasy trek; it can also be a lifesaver in times of danger. Keep a sharp weapon handy for any unexpected encounters with mythical creatures or enemy forces – you never know when you might need to defend yourself or chop your way out of a sticky situation.
Limbreth charged into the fight. She slashed several times, and kobolds and goblins dropped into gurgling heaps. The enemy didn’t realize she had arrived for a few spare moments – moments she used to kill three more trolls.
“Hail, Axe-Maid! It’s a good day – fighting trolls.” The dwarf showed little concern over the numbers arrayed against him. He whirled and dodged Ralda’s staff yet covered the giant’s back.
Limbreth’s swords sang. The trolls realized she slashed among them. Goblins turned on her, and she parried awkward attacks from jagged short-swords. She wove a deadly lace of blood through the goblins. But her left arm reacted slower and she struggled for smooth steps on sore feet.
She kicked a kobold high in the chest, gasping in pain. Her foe fell into two goblins.
Makwi’s axe strokes dealt out quick death. The dwarf laughed and hewed another goblin that leapt screaming at him. Ralda grunted as he bludgeoned small trolls with short strokes of his own.
3. Blending in with your surroundings can be a matter of life or death. Don’t be afraid to disguise yourself when necessary to elude enemies or gain the element of surprise. A good disguise can be the key to navigating dangerous territories unscathed.
Soon they stood at the entrance to the dark maw of a cave. Makwi halted them, and they each removed their secret to infiltrating the Troll Neath without alerting the trolls to their presence. Cloaks, helmets, and gloves taken from dead trolls three days earlier served well as disguises, and they hoped to enter the Troll Neath undetected.
Makwi draped his disguise over his clothing. “If we can get in far enough, we will come to the Well – stairs we dwarves built long ago to make the way easier to traverse. It will be hard going. There are no rails to hold, and with our small pocket in this magic…” He did not finish, but they understood what he meant.
They donned their troll garb and concealed their incriminating appearance within their crowded refuge of blessing. Athson, Limbreth, and Gweld played the parts of hobgoblins while the dwarves and Hastra impersonated goblins and Ralda fit as an ogre. Those imitating hobgoblins even carried whips scavenged from the dead. The stench of troll clung to the garb, and they put on the gear with frowns.
4. Rope may seem like a simple tool, but on a quest across Denaria, especially in enemy territory, it is always handy to have on hand. Whether you need to scale an unused ventilation shaft, truss up a captured foe, or fashion a makeshift bridge across a chasm, a length of sturdy rope can be a versatile and invaluable asset in your adventures.
Athson’s heart thudded from the sudden action and sweat beaded his brow. That was too close. He helped Tordug drag the kobold over to an air shaft that ran straight through the floor. They dropped the body into the shaft and ignored the distant noise of its landing.
Tordug held his lantern into the upward shaft and signaled for their escape. The ropes lowered again, and the two men sped through fastening themselves into makeshift harnesses for the lift out of the room. The dead troll might be missed by an officer. Athson grasped his rope and hoped for a swift trip up the shaft.
5. Staying alert to your surroundings is equally important on a quest. Danger lurks around every corner, and ambushes can happen when you least expect them. Stay alert and keep your wits about you at all times – you never know when you might need to evade an enemy attack or spring into action to defend yourself and your companions. A vigilant mind and quick reflexes can mean the difference between success and disaster in the fantastical world of adventure and peril. Most of all, never assume you’re safe from an ambush while on a quest into enemy territory.
They rode through the lengthening gloom of evening. Night birds held their songs. Few other creatures uttered a sound aside from the snorts and hoof-falls of the horses. Tension grasped at them from the forest shadows. If only they could reach Marston’s. He strained for the sight of lights shining in the distance, but nothing twinkled before them. Even the wind held its breath.
Gweld whistled a warning.
Athson murmured, “Gweld saw something cross the trail.”
Ralda twisted his head and checked their back-trail again. Athson passed Spark. The mountain hound crouched and then dashed into the forest.
Athson sensed movement among the trees. He relaxed rather than tense for action, inhaled and exhaled. Weariness faded against the tautness in the air. Tight as a drawn bowstring. That was it! “Duck! Arrows!”
That’s all for this month. I hope you find these tips useful on your next fantasy adventure!
Until next time, may your blades never dull and your axe strokes always sure,
Makwi
