The Necklace of Zedan
Prologue
Prologue
Zedan, a Gohwarf craftsman, finishes his latest project with a smile of extreme satisfaction.He puts away his tools. "Finally!" he sighs. "I have created a necklace of great power. My buyer will be quite pleased." Clutching the necklace into his vice-like fingers, he heads to the strong box. "This shall be safe in here" he remarks to no-one in particular. After locking it up in the box, he retires for the evening.
Two days later the Gohwarf is traveling to the marketplace and swigs on his ale flask. After wiping the residue from his lips onto his sleeve, he starts to scan the huge area set aside for the haggling and dealings of people. The Marketplace is the ideal place for any deal, shady or legal.
"He’s supposed to be the third tent on the right" he thinks to himself. His roving eyes spy the tent not too far away. "Aha! There it is!" Traveling as fast as his short, stocky legs will allow, he makes it to the tent and heads inside. There he sees his buyer awaiting him. He is sitting on an expensive, and elaborate pillow arrangement. A display of white teeth greet Zedan as he closes the tent flaps. The tall human stands up and greets him with the customary handshake.
"I was hoping you would be punctual," he said matter-of-factly. "And in that you did not disappoint me, Zedan." Zedan nods in understanding and takes a swig of courage from his flask. Motioning the human to sit, he begins his narrative of the necklace.
"This necklace will enhance a magician’s ability to use magic. If used in a fighter’s hands, then it can create special magical tricks to go with the weapon. For instance, it could allow a sword to shoot fire, or electricity. However, it’s more powerful in the hands of a mage, as it allows them to enhance what magical power they already have. It won’t cause instant death, but if you use your imagination right, people will wish you did kill them outright." All the talking causes his lips to dry out, so he finishes off his flask of ale. Quickly, he puts the empty away and opens a new one. It seems his supply of ale, is unlimited. "It does cost a person a price, it’s going to want to take a piece of you with it: it can properly channel its power. For example, it would lop off a finger and replace it with hard green crystal. I’m unsure of its magnitude or what it will want, but be warned, it will want something."
He chuckles as that was the hardest part for him to incorporate. "I am a genius!", he gloats to himself. "I have also," he resumes, "done a lot of studying on you and came to the conclusion that you’re a generous, honest, and kind-hearted man. So, it is for this reason that I am selling you this necklace. I believe this necklace should be used for the good of all races, and not for evil purposes. A weapon of this power in the wrong hands will cause a loss of many lives, and much destruction." The tall man nods in agreement.
"I have the 1000 gold pieces you requested," the man speaks. His voice is gentle yet purposeful. Zedan smiles at the purse of gold. He dreams of the life this kind of money will give him and his family. His son Vlim, only six years old, is already studying the craft of blacksmith, and axe fighting. His wife would thrive and be content with a bigger kitchen and more space in a bigger home. With one swift motion, he scoops up the money purse and hands over the necklace.
"It’s a pleasure doing business with you," the human smiles. Zedan nods, swig his ale, and then leaves with the money safely in his pack. He is a few miles from his homestead, when he spies two beggars shambling along in front of him. Their tattered remnants of clothing and dirty skin tell the tale of their life of poverty and misfortune. Feeling the strings of sympathy and pity tug at his heart, he slows his horse and approaches.
"Hello," he greets the scraggly strangers. Their cold venomous eyes stare back at him. He turns to get his money from the pack. Thoughts of generosity invade him as he prepares to give the beggars some of his fortune. These thoughts are quickly interrupted. In the split-second it takes to turn his back he is yanked off and thrown roughly to the ground. One of the beggars is already on him, holding a dagger to his throat. The other ruffian is rummaging thorough his pack.
"Whoa!" he cries out. His wicked grin spreads to his eyes as he holds out the money sack to his companion to view. Zedan tries to throw the bandit off him but he discovers he’s a lot stronger than his disguise of a beggar indicated.
"The guild will be pleased with this haul," he states. Seeing nothing further of interest they take the helpless Gohwarf off the main path and interrogate him immensely. After much torture and cruelty, he divulges all the information about the whereabouts of his money and the necklace. Satisfied, they stab Zedan in the gut with a knife, then leave him to die.
Zedan is able to make back to his homestead and relay his tale to his son Vlim before dying in his arms. This begins the strange twist of events that unfold involving the Necklace of Zedan.
Zedan, a Gohwarf craftsman, finishes his latest project with a smile of extreme satisfaction.He puts away his tools. "Finally!" he sighs. "I have created a necklace of great power. My buyer will be quite pleased." Clutching the necklace into his vice-like fingers, he heads to the strong box. "This shall be safe in here" he remarks to no-one in particular. After locking it up in the box, he retires for the evening.
Two days later the Gohwarf is traveling to the marketplace and swigs on his ale flask. After wiping the residue from his lips onto his sleeve, he starts to scan the huge area set aside for the haggling and dealings of people. The Marketplace is the ideal place for any deal, shady or legal.
"He’s supposed to be the third tent on the right" he thinks to himself. His roving eyes spy the tent not too far away. "Aha! There it is!" Traveling as fast as his short, stocky legs will allow, he makes it to the tent and heads inside. There he sees his buyer awaiting him. He is sitting on an expensive, and elaborate pillow arrangement. A display of white teeth greet Zedan as he closes the tent flaps. The tall human stands up and greets him with the customary handshake.
"I was hoping you would be punctual," he said matter-of-factly. "And in that you did not disappoint me, Zedan." Zedan nods in understanding and takes a swig of courage from his flask. Motioning the human to sit, he begins his narrative of the necklace.
"This necklace will enhance a magician’s ability to use magic. If used in a fighter’s hands, then it can create special magical tricks to go with the weapon. For instance, it could allow a sword to shoot fire, or electricity. However, it’s more powerful in the hands of a mage, as it allows them to enhance what magical power they already have. It won’t cause instant death, but if you use your imagination right, people will wish you did kill them outright." All the talking causes his lips to dry out, so he finishes off his flask of ale. Quickly, he puts the empty away and opens a new one. It seems his supply of ale, is unlimited. "It does cost a person a price, it’s going to want to take a piece of you with it: it can properly channel its power. For example, it would lop off a finger and replace it with hard green crystal. I’m unsure of its magnitude or what it will want, but be warned, it will want something."
He chuckles as that was the hardest part for him to incorporate. "I am a genius!", he gloats to himself. "I have also," he resumes, "done a lot of studying on you and came to the conclusion that you’re a generous, honest, and kind-hearted man. So, it is for this reason that I am selling you this necklace. I believe this necklace should be used for the good of all races, and not for evil purposes. A weapon of this power in the wrong hands will cause a loss of many lives, and much destruction." The tall man nods in agreement.
"I have the 1000 gold pieces you requested," the man speaks. His voice is gentle yet purposeful. Zedan smiles at the purse of gold. He dreams of the life this kind of money will give him and his family. His son Vlim, only six years old, is already studying the craft of blacksmith, and axe fighting. His wife would thrive and be content with a bigger kitchen and more space in a bigger home. With one swift motion, he scoops up the money purse and hands over the necklace.
"It’s a pleasure doing business with you," the human smiles. Zedan nods, swig his ale, and then leaves with the money safely in his pack. He is a few miles from his homestead, when he spies two beggars shambling along in front of him. Their tattered remnants of clothing and dirty skin tell the tale of their life of poverty and misfortune. Feeling the strings of sympathy and pity tug at his heart, he slows his horse and approaches.
"Hello," he greets the scraggly strangers. Their cold venomous eyes stare back at him. He turns to get his money from the pack. Thoughts of generosity invade him as he prepares to give the beggars some of his fortune. These thoughts are quickly interrupted. In the split-second it takes to turn his back he is yanked off and thrown roughly to the ground. One of the beggars is already on him, holding a dagger to his throat. The other ruffian is rummaging thorough his pack.
"Whoa!" he cries out. His wicked grin spreads to his eyes as he holds out the money sack to his companion to view. Zedan tries to throw the bandit off him but he discovers he’s a lot stronger than his disguise of a beggar indicated.
"The guild will be pleased with this haul," he states. Seeing nothing further of interest they take the helpless Gohwarf off the main path and interrogate him immensely. After much torture and cruelty, he divulges all the information about the whereabouts of his money and the necklace. Satisfied, they stab Zedan in the gut with a knife, then leave him to die.
Zedan is able to make back to his homestead and relay his tale to his son Vlim before dying in his arms. This begins the strange twist of events that unfold involving the Necklace of Zedan.
♠ ♠ ♠
Please feel free to comment