Gringsnaket the Sorcerer

1 Gringsnaket the failed shapeshifter

Sorcery was a talent that was fairly common to see in the Steppes. Sorcery was, however, not a talent Gringsnaket possessed. It wasn't that he just didn't have an interest in it, he actually liked it a lot. But it did not like him at all.

Gringy walked out of his castweave tent. All sorcerers were required to have a strong skill working with castweave, a type of magical cloth that had been past down and researched by generations of Magicians. This school, to which the ground he now stood on belonged, was run by one of the finest sorcerers in all the Steppes. That was what Gringy wanted for himself, a butt load of bank, a massive castle and all the power anyone could possibly imagine. He had left his family to do it, but what they didn't know was if he didn't pass the test he'd be presented with this morning, which was a likely outcome, he'd be failed out of school for good.

Gringy couldn't afford this. Of course, he lacked the physical funds to be able to pay for himself another semester, but also he couldn't afford to take such a huge hit to his street rep. He could only think of one way to save both of these things: run away.

The scent of the cool air was... well really a bit of a let down, he didn't smell much of anything. It was too early to smell breakfast from the mess area, and he was surrounded by dormant oak trees. Nurnzstale was one of the few forested areas in the Steppes, but that didn't really matter this time of year when the leaves had fallen and the snow followed close behind. It was certainly unfavorable weather to be deserting in, but deserting had to be done.

And it would be done! Gringy picked up his backpack, thrust it over his shoulders, took up his staff (which he had raided from a convenience store) and headed out into the cold. What was he looking for? He wasn't sure. A way out of here, this horrid place, that was the prime motivator for him. Overall he had no great quest, though he would soon find one.

A ways out into the sleeping forest, he came across a small bear looking creature. It's face was turned, all Gringy could see was it's back. Paralyzed with fear, he realized the Forest wasn't particularly dense here and he could easily be spotted by the bear. This would especially be bad if it were seeking a meal. Quickly, he tried to recall some shapeshifting spells, the only thing he was ever decent at. Hopefully, if he was successful in changing his form, maybe into another bear, the bear a few yards away wouldn't think much about him.

See, Gringsnaket was neither a great sorcerer, nor great under pressure. Perhaps this is why, when he thought he had remembered the correct spell, recited it aloud, and threw his palm up to the sky, a ball of fire materialized above his palm and shot up to the sky, striking a tree branch and cracking it in half. Suddenly, it occurred to Gringy that this was likely a fireball spell, and not a shapeshifting spell.

This got the bears attention. Or was it a bear? When it spun its head around to assess the potential threat that had presented itself behind him, Gringsnaket saw a rather humanoid face.

Gringy was terrified, and as it happened so was the animal across from him. Almost simultaneously the two fell on their knees and screamed for their lives. Moments of this passed, until Gringy noticed the animal was doing it too. He summoned the courage to talk to it.

"You there! Bear looking creature! Who are you!" He asked loudly, threatening him with his staff. The creature was still frightened.

"I mean no harm, I was scavenging for berries, please don't hurt meeeee!" It yelled.

"I may show mercy and not hurt you but I must know what exactly you are," He asked again.

"My name is Panko, I'm part of the Araani tribe to the west! I got lost a ways back and now I've been forced to scavenge for food," he explained. Gringy had heard of the Araani tribe, a group of monkey-bear like people in the Sunforge Jungle, but had never seen one. It was certainly strange that one of them would have gotten so far lost.

"Very well then, I suppose I'll let you go about your business," said Gringy, arrogantly brushing off his nails.

"Actually, now that I've found someone, I was wondering-"

"Careful foolish Araani!" Gringy exclaimed, waving his fingers about to remind the bear-man of his abilities. "With a snap of a finger, I can smite you into but a pile of ash!"

Panko cowered under his arms again. "I only meant to ask, since you're such a powerful wizard, might you be able to escort me back to my family?"

"And whhhhhat exactly would be in it for me?" Asked Gringsnaket.

"Why, my family is very wealthy, they would pay you well! My father owns a ruby mine near the jungle, he could give you all of the rubies you could ever want!

Hmmmmmm. Gringy thought about this. He had never seen a ruby, but here in front him was a promise to be able to own all of the rubies he could want. How much money was a ruby anyway? It had to have been at least a million gold doubloons.

What an opportunity this was! Already he had been given the chance to make a name for himself, AND be rich. What were the risks? Well, Gringy has heard of the monsters and rogue warriors and pickpockets around the Steppes, but he had long supposed those were myths anyway.

"I accept your quest. We shall leave immediately. Where is it your family lives, Panko?"

"Dalesbrad, in the Jungle." Answered Panko. Strange, one would think the name of the town would be after the lord, and Pankos father surely must've been the lord if he were so rich.

Perhaps they're all rich in Dalesbrad! Thought Gringsnaket.

"Then off to Dalesbrad we will go. And we will not scavenge for berries. We will go to town and buy some food. I have some money that will cover us. Soon you will be fed, and as will I. Follow me!"

And so the two set off to find the nearest town, Gringy with his staff and Panko with... well not much of anything really.