The Plights of Wallace Noble: A Memoir Alkenstar's Most Wanted

Chapter 4- Fugitive

I became a fugitive on the run- something I never wanted to be, but the deed is already done.

And every fugitive's question is "where can I hide now?"

As we went away in the dead of the night on foot, Tordek and I deliberated this matter on the road. For me, I had two choices- Nex and Geb. I didn't consider Nex because if I am wanted in Alkenstar (an independent vassal state of Nex), then I am also wanted in Nex. I considered Geb because it's the nearest place to go to, but my best friend told me if I wanted to stay in a place where slavery is legal and there is full of undead (because the necromancer Geb, the namesake of the land, was the one who founded it.) We had to take a stop somewhere on a nearby cave, but it so happens a giant scorpion is there (I had to emphasize the word "giant" because the Mana Wastes is the home of the strange flora and fauna.) As Tordek and I fought the crazy-sized insect, I took a sting from it, but we were able to finish it off. We later decided to use the back shell of the scorpion as a makeshift sled to pull our stuff on the way. Tordek personally asked me to train him in the art of combat, since he had no formal combat training, so I trained him in using ranged weapons.

The next day, as we were packing up for the travel to wherever we will go, a couple of Halflings with riding dogs spotted us; one of them had a wanted poster with my face in it, and the other looked really dumb. They faced me and Tordek, but we were able to finish them off, and brought one riding dog with us. After that, we went on our way.

As always, when you are treading in a desert wasteland, it's a treacherous tread. And because it's the Mana Wastes, there is a random chance of a Mana Storm- a sandstorm with random effects, and it so happens that one was cooked up for us, so we had to seek shelter, and thank the heavens that we found an old destroyed house to stay throughout the storm. We set up camp there, but in the middle of the storm, we heard a woman scream. I braved the sandstorm and on some ledge going downward, there is a woman who is about to drown on quicksand. I used Tordek as a counterweight (because Dwarves are bulky by nature), tied a rope around me and jumped down to rescue the woman. Luckily, the storm subsided and we were able to get the woman out, but there's seems to be a new problem- a band of Gnolls.

Quick information about the Gnolls: Look for a hyena, make it stand like a human and give it light weapons, you get a Gnoll. They go in groups, but they are cowards by nature.

Now, these Gnolls happen to scout the area after I rescued the woman, but thank the heavens that we were not found. We stealthily approached our camp in the middle of the night, gave the lady a healing potion, and woke up. She identified herself as Ois, but when I tried to talk to her in the common tongue of Taldane, she didn't answer. But when I talked to her in Keleshite, she responded. One thing about Ois after we rescued her is that she is a Mutant- gray skin and glowing bulging eye and all- and she said that she escaped from the same band of Gnolls we saw a while ago. She later asked us if we could free her fellow captives imprisoned on one ruin nearby. As Tordek and I deliberated this matter, she began disrupting our conversation in the Dwarven Language, which surprised Tordek because only a few humans could speak Dwarven with fluency. She said that she learned how to speak Dwarven because she used to work for a Dwarven Noble House who, after she became a mutant, treated her badly. This caused Tordek to turn in compassion to her, so he decided that he would do the favor. I joined in as well because this is my chance to help someone in need, let alone a mutant despised by society. She marked our map for location and we went on our way, trusting our stuff on a stranger we decided to help.

The ruin is so old with destroyed houses and walls, but a single watchtower stood well. Tordek decided to man the tower and provide me with ranged support, while I go on close-quarter combat.

As I went on my way in a careful fashion, I saw a man with a tattered outfit running away carefully. I asked him what's going on and he asked if I am a person sent by Alkenstar to save these people, I said "No, but I'll still save you." He told me that the prisoners are kept inside the stone mine and I had him run to safety as I deal with these Gnolls, and he introduced himself as Lom. He ran off and, to make the story short, I ended up killing all those crazy hyena-heads (with the help of Tordek, of course, who is still familiarizing himself with the crossbow.)

The stone mine is barely lit, but it is still guarded by them Gnolls. To skip the details, I killed the ones stationed inside. Later, I saw a trap door that I had to break with that handaxe with me. As I busted the door, I saw a bunch of people- a combination of humans, mutants and a few Halflings. I convinced them to go out into safety and wait for me outside as I deal with their leader- a bigger, bulkier Gnoll who, for some reason, can speak Common/Taldane. If the Gnolls under him wield spears, this guy wields a big club. I had to face this guy to finish things and, as always, Tordek is in charge of covering fire. In the end, I finished him with a gunshot in the head (did I forget to mention I have a pistol with me?) As a mark of victory, I chopped of the bulky Gnoll's head, grab a spear and when I went outside, drove the spear in the sands and drive the Gnoll boss' head on the spear tip, and the people rejoiced because they are finally free.

One by one, they thanked me with some notable people in the group showing their gratitude to me. A certain guy named Libnar with some people flanking him thanked me and he told me that he comes from Geb; with him are his servants. As a token of gratitude, he gave me a supply of food that lasts for two weeks because I told him that I have plans of turning this ruin into a settlement, since I can't live in Alkenstar anymore, let alone Martel.

Another group came to me led by Lom and thanked me. Lom and his men happen to be stonemasons from Martel and as a way of saying "thank you," they offered their services as stonemasons because they also heard of my instant plans for this settlement.

Another person came to me and introduced himself as Durmal. He told me that he ran away from his homeland of Nex (also known as the magic capital of the continent) and posed as a bard with a broken lute, but he really is a wizard. Since we are in a magic-dead region, the only services he will offer to me is lorekeeping. That suits fine, because maybe this one heck of a ruin has something good to hide.

Four people wearing Alkenstar militia garb, with one of them carrying a dead body, approached me and thanked me. They are led by a certain guy named Medel, and he told me that the dead person they are carrying is their captain. As a gift of thanks, he gave me their captain's rapier- a flaming rapier, to be exact. However, they need to bring the captain's body home, so they need something that can carry him. I suddenly remember that the scorpion shell sled Tordek and I had could do fine for them, so I excused myself and went for our stuff back at the abandoned house. The stuff is still there, including the scorpion shell, but Ois is nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, I went back and gave the militiamen the makeshift sled and they went on their way to Alkenstar.

Lastly, two Halflings came to me- I forgot their names- and thanked me for saving them. As a gesture of thanks, they offered their services as hunters, giving this new settlement of mine more supply of food.

When I counted the other captives I've freed, there are five humans and ten mutants, not counting the other notables. I asked them if they know Ois, but none of them knows. That really gave me and Tordek the chills. Really, is Ois real or is she some effect of the Mana Storm that led me to this place?

I don't need to go to Nex or Geb anymore, because I've found not just a hideout, but a new home. I don't mind living with mutants, unlike majority of the population of Alkenstar. In fact, this is a chance of mine to redeem myself.

Just a question: What shall I name thesettlement?