Greetings to you,
I am Limbreth of The Bow of Hart Saga. PH has graciously invited me to contribute to his blog this month. Many of you may be curious to hear my thoughts on adventuring, so I have decided to share some insights gleaned from my own journeys.
I embarked on my quest with a sense of readiness, eager to carve out a name for myself, yet as I soon discovered, the path was far more challenging than I had imagined. The trials, both physical and emotional, tested my mettle. However, I forged invaluable bonds with fellow adventurers and honed my skills in ways I had never thought possible.
Allow me to impart the first of a few lessons I have learned along the way:
It is crucial to keep track of your foes – even after they have fallen. Trolls can strike when least expected, and as an Axe-Maid, it falls upon me to tally the enemies I have defeated. This practice is not merely about boasting or maintaining a formal record, but also fostering camaraderie, particularly among dwarven companions.
A fearless kobold with shield struck with an overhead cut. Limbreth parried the blow and followed with a hard kick that hit him square in the shield. She cried out at her foot pain again. The creature fell backward, and Limbreth limped forward and aimed a precise slice at his neck. The blood spurted with seeming slowness. Her arm ached.
Howls erupted and the kobolds scrambled away. Befuddled goblins followed in their wake. Makwi laughed at them.
Limbreth blinked. “What happened?”
“You kill leader. They run. Many thanks.” The giant leaned on his staff.
“Axe-maid, you impress me.” Makwi fixed her with a hard stare and then burst out laughing again. “You go straight for the hardest pack like a hot knife through butter.”
Limbreth wheeled toward the sprawled kobold chieftain. A pool of blood broadened around its body. She had nearly beheaded it. She turned away and cleaned her swords.
The dwarf muttered and counted on his fingers. “I count eighteen. How about you, giant?”
Ralda rubbed his chin for a few moments. “Three fives and three.”
Makwi frowned at the total. “You sure?” At Ralda’s nod, he shrugged and turned away. “Must be getting slow. How about you, Axe-Maid?”
Limbreth’s left arm trembled as she struggled with cleaning her sword. She couldn’t let go and didn’t want Makwi to see. She set the right sword aside and wiped the left on the dirty cloak of a dead goblin. Had she killed this one or had Makwi? She decided it was an axe-stroke and then spoke through clenched teeth. “I don’t know.” If only she could act normal.
“A good dwarf always counts his defeated foes. You will have to remember that.”
Limbreth nodded. She struggled against her grip but covered it with her cleaning motions. Her arm trembled.
“Ralda here will make a good dwarf yet.”
The giant rumbled with laughter.
That’s all I have for now, my friends. I hope you find these examples helpful for your adventures. Of course, you may not need to battle trolls, but remember to take courage and handle whatever challenges come your way.
