Sound Terror

SQ-Wauk! The sound echoes through the jungle terrifying the advanced scouts to the mysterious sound. Mesmerized by the sound the native scouts flee back into jungles. Concerned for what the mysterious sound was a cry to arms was sent by the

native people to the Warden Circle. The Warden Circle serves as the lone lawmen of the

jungle frontier.

News soon arrived at the Warden Circle as Captain Syn ta turns to his top warden Quint Bering and his unit of wardens. Syn-ta a leonine from the northwest looks over the half- giant with scar on his face. He is joined by Elisa a Water Gensai and a new rookie leonine known as Thad a local panther man. 'Quint, news just came out of the eastern frontier about a mysterious earth-shaking sound and the citizens are scared, They were hoping we could send a bunch of scouts to look into it.”

“Are they sure it is not a dinosaur just munching on some bones, Captain?” comments the Scarred half giant known as Quint Bering.

“The scouts claim it was an unholy scream and not a dinosaur munching on bones, Warden.”

“What do you want us to do with it, Captain?” questions the young panther man

“Do what you feel must be done. Contain it if necessary.

“We can be on the eastern ridge my mid morning. Which town is the cry for help from?”

“Eastern Reaches its an upcoming town but it still has a few years before becoming like our home port of Fort Derringer.”

“I'll get our mounts and head out after we pick up the necessary gear, Captain.”

“Good hunting wardens.”

Twenty Minutes later

Quint and his team ride the rocky jungle roads on large birds known as Awks. The birds caw between themselves as the Wardens ride out into the jungle pastures. Traveling pass merchant caravans heading for the fort there is a few rain clouds in the distance. “so what are we to do about these sounds, master?” comments Thad

“Just Quint, Thad as for the noise we will just have to see what lies before us.” Comments Quint as he turns to Elisa. “What do you make of it Elisa?

“The sound is new to me Quint, but give me a minute and I will sort though my scrolls concerning odd sounds.”

“You have a scroll of odd sounds, that is amazing.” comments the young panther man

“Thad take point, while Elisa and I stand towards the rear.”

“Yes Master.” replies Thad as Quint shakes his head on those words.

The caravan travels for a few minutes as the scrubs around them start to shuffle. Drawing their weapons the Wardens prepare for the inevitable.

Moments later the green scaled Kobolds charge out of the woods with their weapons drawn at the Wardens. The tallest of the Kobolds steps forward and speaks broken common.

“Give up....Caliber orders it.”

The Wardens smirk at the Kobolds as they surround the caravan. Quint balks at the Kobolds.

“Caliber is it...what can the Wardens offer you.”

“Wardens...” Caliber looks at his band and directs them to lower their weapons. “Wardens...did not know....do not harm us.”

“Thanks maybe we can barter information.”

The tallest of Kobolds shakes his head to the Wardens. “ Information cost but barter good. Good wine for information.”

Quint looks over to Elisa who magically has a wine bottle appear in her hands. “Grand Berry, Caliber.” replies Elisa

“Grand Berry good. What know Wardens?”

“Have you heard the loud sounds that echo through this jungle, Caliber?”

“Yes sound not nature. Evil sound. Sound like dragon. Why ask?”

“We are looking into it Kobold.” irritated tone of voice comes out of Thad.

“Good hunting sound six miles that way.” replies caliber as he points his reptilian like hands towards the east. “ My people run from sound. Bad for hunt.”

“Garudas scared too ” replies the other Kobolds.

“That's what we are hear to find out Kobolds. Enjoy Kobolds.”

“Kobolds will enjoy wine. Good travels.

Moments later the Kobolds carry their bottle of wine and return to the jungle forests.

“I do not understand, master why trade with the Kobolds?”

“We are all part of this land, Thad. Even if we have to deal with annoying but clever Kobolds”.

“One of many ethics of the land we need to keep, Thad.” replies Elisa

“I still do not understand but ethics I will need to study.”

“Chauntea made us all, Thad and even though we may be different we are still part of his land.”

Two hours later

Quint and his team approach the area directed by the Kobolds concerning the odd and loud sound. “SQWAUK.” echoes in the land as the Wardens get off their Awks. Drawing their swords the heroes hide in the jungle lands. In the distance a bipedal hawk-lie humanoid swings is spiked chain against a slain and maimed rhino. The carcass is surrounded by two other hawk-like humanoids who also swing their weapons on the maimed rhino.

Whispering softly Thad looks at Quint. “I take it these creatures are not on Chauntea home turf.”

“V-rocks they certainly are not on the home turf.”

“How in the world did these things get here, Quint?” questions Elisa

“My guess they came though a portal on the Abyss and wound up here.”

“We are not going to talk to these things are we Master?”

“Certainly not, Apprentice. Open for ideas Elisa got any.”

“Bring me over your weapons so that I can bless them for the upcoming fight.” comments Elisa as Thad and Quint hand her their weapons. Moments later she speaks an ancient tongue

and the weapons both battle axes glow blue and white. “This should hold for a little while. I need to memorize several spells against the daemons.”

On those words, Quint and his apprentice prepare to flank the daemons but first place some wax in their ears to avoid any more odd sounds. Then the two strike as one attacking the beasts with their enchanted weapons. Elisa places wax in her ears and begins to recite words against the daemons.

The V-rocks caught off guard are quickly struck by the heroes with their enchanted weapons and magical words cast by Elisa. Striking the larger V-rock with his battle ax Quint strikes at it several times. It screeches in pain by the blessed battle ax. Meanwhile Thad strikes one of the smaller V-rocks with his blessed spear which also screeches in pain. The third V-rock is

struck by Elisa by large magic missiles since her studies explains that the beasts are resistant to certain spells of greater damage.

The largest daemon swings its spiked chain at Quint who parlays it with his battle ax. The creature yells loudly but seems to not scare off the heroes with the wax in their ears. Thad and Elisa is signaled by Quint to force the beasts in a circle where Elisa can cast a more damaging spell. The bladed weapons continue to glow for a few more moments and the daemons are

forced into a flanking circle.

Touching the ground enveloping a circle around the daemons. Elisa mumbles several ancient words that forms magical tentacles to hold the daemons in place as she casts a specific spells known as banishment. A mystical blue and white portal opens above the circle and sucks in the daemons like a vacuum cleaner. Screaming an agonizing screech the daemons start to disappear into the heavens above with the largest one being the last to enter the mystical portal.

The jungles are safe again by the disappearing daemons and the heroes stand by the carcass

of the rhino. As the blood and gory actions of the daemons are gone. Removing the wax from their ears the jungles sound back to normal days prior to the arrival of the daemons from the Abyss. A slight rainfall falls on the heroes as Elisa performs a ritual to free the rhino from its tormented fate at the hands of the daemons.

Thad searches the grounds and finds a parchment written in Abyssal tongue. “Elisa do you think you could decipher this parchment?”

“My Abyssal is off but perhaps I can cast a decipher spells to see what these creatures were doing.” She soon mumbles a few words and simple words are released. Elisa reads the words and turns to her companions.

“It seems the V-rocks were hired guns looking for someone name Asa. That is all I cold break the code we probably will need to take it to the Temple of Chauntea for the Bishop to translate more for us.”

“Agreed than we can find out who this Asa is and warn them.”

“Than we better head back before anymore heavy rains fall upon us Master.”

“Please stop calling me that Apprentice it makes me feel old.”

“Yes Sir.”