Aegis and Back Again

[Hobbs_Burrows 497]

 

 

I have been asked if we know all that there is to know about the Tankard of Terror, but clearly we don't know all of it. What I know is that this afternoon, I could not resist it. I heard it calling to me, and as I finally descended down into The Gaffer's Lair, I grabbed it without hesitation.

 

 

I fell completely unconscious and everything went black. When I awoke, I simply could not believe what my eyes were showing me. Everything looked different, from the grass right up to the sky. I turned my gaze upwards and read the welcoming sign. I was back in Dunwood, the original Halfling settlement in the ancient land of Aegis. 

 

 

As I walk through the village a deep dread begins to settle within the pits of my stomach. The initial elation at my new whereabouts and a desperate anticipation to explore it subsided, as all about me were ghosts. Old Halflings who life and history had forgotten stood perfectly frozen in time as though they were statues. There was Brian behind the bar in the Ale Garden with a drink in hand, while Bishop Sturdyfoot sat nearby on a stool presumably in the middle of lecturing about God.

 

 

I reach the crest of a small hill and look back at the picturesque landscape and wonder what kind of trouble I've got myself into. Is this truly time travel? My friends back in Dunshire will never believe this. Thinking about the friends I have brings a new sadness upon me. I think about all the ghosts in Dunwood and realise they were just like me, with friends and lives of their own. Where are they now? What happened to them? I'll be sure to drink for them when...if...I return home to Dunshire. I turn and find the Petting Zoo and know that even the animals, the fabled Big Bess among them, were a part of the life and soul of Dunwood Village.

 

 

I glance the name of a Halfling I once knew, 'Petyr Brandybuck', and peer into his burrow. I see him working at his study on a book. I creep closer to look at the title, 'A History of Halflings', and smile a little to myself. I then trudge down the path over to Rosethorn Hill, which I now know as the burrow of Kip Took. I look through the windows and see a splendid burrow fool of bookshelves and paintings by other Halflings. Only a Took would live so glamorously, and Kip was the grandest of all Tooks. I read that he built the village alongside Len and Gimblo, and I'm sure my friends back at Dunshire would appreciate the details of village and burrow-building that have passed down many generations from Dunwood to Dunshire.

 

 

I stroll about the village, being careful not to disturb the ghosts of past Halflings, when I set my eyes upon the beautiful mountain of Elduren. I read that the Halflings of Dunwood were very territorial and protective of what they considered their sacred mountain. In fact, a poem in our Dunshire Library comes to mind, the 'Ode to Elduren'. I walk along the mossy cobbled paths winding through the village and begin to climb. I already know what I have to do before I reach the summit, and when I reach it the view does not disappoint.

 

7 elven years ago, this was the heart of Halfling life. Where it all began, if you will. The Halflings of Dunwood may be ghosts of history now, buried below heaps of memories and time. But from this vantage point I can almost see them moving now. There's Petyr coming out of his burrow with book and quill in his hand, Brian being chased by a resident squid of Lake Dunwood during a swim, and Bishop Sturdyfoot laughs and jokes from his seat in the Ale Garden tent. But as my hairy foot steps out over the edge of Elduren's cliff, everything fades to darkness again.

 

 

The world returns to normal, and I'm back in Dunshire. I look over my shoulder at The Gaffer and know that the powerful Tankard of Terror still lies within its evil, twisted roots - and now even capable of time travel. I turn and make my way towards the Drunken Duck Inn, and drink to all the Halflings of the past.

[NotEvilAtAll 10906]

((Good job with this! I love all the images you used of Dunwood!))

Madeline Applefoot would blissfully smoke her long, cherry-wood smoking pipe while sitting on a bench in Dunshire, completely unaware of all the ancient halflings of the past, apart from the odd story of old glories here and there.

[Hiebe 2493]

Back when halflings were all old undead players ******* around

[Hobbs_Burrows 497]

11 minutes ago, Hiebe said:

Back when halflings were all old undead players ******* around

 

I can speak from experience, when you constantly play the villain, get into fights, kill people, be killed, argue with people, you eventually want to get as far away from that as possible. That's why I feel so many old undead players moved over to Halflings. That's why Charlie4vb and MrZombez arranged to die along with MrPerea in the attack on Al'khazar, so they could retire and create the Halfling race. I know I'm grateful for it, and it's good to revisit these old memories and old places.

 

Since I know you loved Aegis too Hiebe, I can send you the map download if you'd like.

[Royced 3]

34 minutes ago, Hobbs_Burrows said:

 

I can speak from experience, when you constantly play the villain, get into fights, kill people, be killed, argue with people, you eventually want to get as far away from that as possible. That's why I feel so many old undead players moved over to Halflings. That's why Charlie4vb and MrZombez arranged to die along with MrPerea in the attack on Al'khazar, so they could retire and create the Halfling race. I know I'm grateful for it, and it's good to revisit these old memories and old places.

 

Since I know you loved Aegis too Hiebe, I can send you the map download if you'd like.

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[MunaZaldrizoti 8037]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

If you feel this is a mistake, please contact myself or any FM and we'll restore it.