Enter the Tiger - Revision history

ShadowWolf: add {{universe}}

2009-02-14T18:20:03Z

add {{universe}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:20, 14 February 2009
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	[[Category:Metamor Keep]]		[[Category:Metamor Keep]]
	[[Category:Oberon]]		[[Category:Oberon]]
	{{editing requested}}		{{editing requested}}{{universe\|Metamor Keep}}

	By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]		By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]

Oberon at 05:46, 16 January 2008

2008-01-16T05:46:23Z

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Oberon at 19:11, 18 October 2007

2007-10-18T19:11:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:11, 18 October 2007
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	[[Category:Oberon]]		[[Category:Oberon]]
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	~~{{universe\|[[Metamor Keep(setting)\|Metamor Keep]]}}~~

	By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]		By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]

Oberon at 19:10, 18 October 2007

2007-10-18T19:10:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:10, 18 October 2007
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	[[Category:Oberon]]		[[Category:Oberon]]
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			{{universe\|[[Metamor Keep(setting)\|Metamor Keep]]}}

	By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]		By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]

Oberon at 16:55, 9 October 2007

2007-10-09T16:55:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:55, 9 October 2007
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	{{author note\|These Metamor Keep stories are best read in order beginning with Enter the Tiger, followed by Claws of the Tiger, Hot Under the Collar, Castle Fever Cat, A Pointless Patrol, A Good Time, A Bad Time, The Bandit King, Conversations, A Visitor in the Night, Joy of the Hunt, The Trial, The Raid, and finally A Swing at the Mule.}}

	By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]		By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]

142.59.33.58 at 02:34, 6 October 2007

2007-10-06T02:34:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:34, 5 October 2007
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	I looked back down the road at the caravan that was making its slow laborious way around the treacherous road to the castle that stood in the middle of the valley far off in the distance. In the cities of the Midlands I had heard many tales of this keep from common citizens and soldiers. They had said all sorts of weird things only half of which I believed. I had seen a lot of things in the past thirty years and I wasn’t about to believe a bunch of drunks at a local tavern, because I had long since learned that many nightmarish creatures that people told tales of were born in the bottom of an ale tankard or a wine bottle. I had been wandering the Midlands for the past twenty five years as a mercenary since I had arrived on the continent from my homeland after my clan had been exterminated by one of its rivals. It has been my doom, as the last member of my clan to wander the lands of the world for the rest of my long life forever exiled from my homelands. My skills as a warrior had grown much since I had left my homeland, those many long years ago but it didn’t matter since I would never be able to go back. I was an outcast and I would be killed by the first Kelmar Warrior that I met. When I had left Kelmar I had been ranked as a Swordmaster of the Black and hence a match for just about everyone that had challenged me over the past few decades. However, I knew that if I ever met another Kelmar Warrior I would probably end up dead since any warrior that would come after me would probably be a Swordmaster of the Bronze, or maybe even of the Silver and hence a much better swordsman than I was. So here I was acting as a mercenary caravan guard on some insignificant caravan into the mysterious Metamor Keep. The Keep was located in the only major route between the Giantdowns and the Midlands and hence was strategically of very high importance. If the Keep could be held against an enemy army, they wouldn’t be able to advance any further into more civilized lands where people weren’t as used to the dangers of an enemy. I use the term civilized only lightly because they had some rather interesting beliefs in the Midlands. I had been kicked out of more than one garrison job because of my faith in the Kelmar gods and my Soul Guide. The Soul Guide was something that every Kelmar Warrior possessed. My particular guide Oberon was in the form of a large black and white Snow Tiger, only one thing differentiated him from a real Snow Tiger, he had the ability to speak to me in the Kelmar Language. I looked down at him, he wasn’t visible to those who weren’t Kelmar, and noticed that he was nervous about this place for some reason. It was easy to see why this part of the road was the perfect place for an ambush. I had heard that this country was crawling with a small type of people known as lutins who were perfectly willing to kill those in the keep and those who supplied them. However, from what I had also heard that threat had been reduced of late and now we were only supposed to be guarding against the more normal threat of raiders and bandits that infested areas of roads were ambushes were possible and caravans with high value cargos passed through. This spot was certainly a candidate for that because there were rocks on one side of the road and a straight drop off on the other side. Our caravan was also a firm candidate for raiders because it was on of the early caravans of the year and hence had a great deal of things to carry that were of some value. After another look at Oberon I loosened my swords in their scabbards before I reached over the wagon that I was walking beside of and pulled my long bow from its place behind the driver’s seat. When I had first joined the caravan the master merchant who had hired me had asked		I looked back down the road at the caravan that was making its slow laborious way around the treacherous road to the castle that stood in the middle of the valley far off in the distance. In the cities of the Midlands I had heard many tales of this keep from common citizens and soldiers. They had said all sorts of weird things only half of which I believed. I had seen a lot of things in the past thirty years and I wasn’t about to believe a bunch of drunks at a local tavern, because I had long since learned that many nightmarish creatures that people told tales of were born in the bottom of an ale tankard or a wine bottle. I had been wandering the Midlands for the past twenty five years as a mercenary since I had arrived on the continent from my homeland after my clan had been exterminated by one of its rivals. It has been my doom, as the last member of my clan to wander the lands of the world for the rest of my long life forever exiled from my homelands. My skills as a warrior had grown much since I had left my homeland, those many long years ago but it didn’t matter since I would never be able to go back. I was an outcast and I would be killed by the first Kelmar Warrior that I met. When I had left Kelmar I had been ranked as a Swordmaster of the Black and hence a match for just about everyone that had challenged me over the past few decades. However, I knew that if I ever met another Kelmar Warrior I would probably end up dead since any warrior that would come after me would probably be a Swordmaster of the Bronze, or maybe even of the Silver and hence a much better swordsman than I was. So here I was acting as a mercenary caravan guard on some insignificant caravan into the mysterious Metamor Keep. The Keep was located in the only major route between the Giantdowns and the Midlands and hence was strategically of very high importance. If the Keep could be held against an enemy army, they wouldn’t be able to advance any further into more civilized lands where people weren’t as used to the dangers of an enemy. I use the term civilized only lightly because they had some rather interesting beliefs in the Midlands. I had been kicked out of more than one garrison job because of my faith in the Kelmar gods and my Soul Guide. The Soul Guide was something that every Kelmar Warrior possessed. My particular guide Oberon was in the form of a large black and white Snow Tiger, only one thing differentiated him from a real Snow Tiger, he had the ability to speak to me in the Kelmar Language. I looked down at him, he wasn’t visible to those who weren’t Kelmar, and noticed that he was nervous about this place for some reason. It was easy to see why this part of the road was the perfect place for an ambush. I had heard that this country was crawling with a small type of people known as lutins who were perfectly willing to kill those in the keep and those who supplied them. However, from what I had also heard that threat had been reduced of late and now we were only supposed to be guarding against the more normal threat of raiders and bandits that infested areas of roads were ambushes were possible and caravans with high value cargos passed through. This spot was certainly a candidate for that because there were rocks on one side of the road and a straight drop off on the other side. Our caravan was also a firm candidate for raiders because it was on of the early caravans of the year and hence had a great deal of things to carry that were of some value. After another look at Oberon I loosened my swords in their scabbards before I reached over the wagon that I was walking beside of and pulled my long bow from its place behind the driver’s seat.

			When I had first joined the caravan the master merchant who had hired me had asked

	“Why on this green earth do you have a full chest of things to bring with you?” I had looked at him for a second before I had replied		“Why on this green earth do you have a full chest of things to bring with you?” I had looked at him for a second before I had replied

	“I have a full chest master merchant because it contains all of my weapons and clothing that I am not wearing.” What I hadn’t mentioned was the fact that there was a false bottom about four fifths of the way into the chest that concealed a compartment where I kept my pay, since I made more money than I could normally spend. Now he looked over at me before he asked me		“I have a full chest master merchant because it contains all of my weapons and clothing that I am not wearing.” What I hadn’t mentioned was the fact that there was a false bottom about four fifths of the way into the chest that concealed a compartment where I kept my pay, since I made more money than I could normally spend.

			Now he looked over at me before he asked me

	“What’s the problem Adòn you seem a little nervous.”		“What’s the problem Adòn you seem a little nervous.”

	“Master merchant it has nothing to do with being nervous and everything to do with being cautious. This is an excellent place for an ambush and I would hate to have made you feel good just by not being prepared for the eventuality that we do get ambushed.” He looked up at the rocks in apprehension before he fumbled for the short sword that he wore at his side. ~~This man was definitely not from any place where war~~ was a ~~common thing~~. As he fumbled about with his weapon I kept my eyes on the rocks above the road. Although I did spare more than a moment to ask Oberon what he thought of road.		“Master merchant it has nothing to do with being nervous and everything to do with being cautious. This is an excellent place for an ambush and I would hate to have made you feel good just by not being prepared for the eventuality that we do get ambushed.” He looked up at the rocks in apprehension before he fumbled for the short sword that he wore at his side. He was obviously a man who wasn't used to the idea that he may have to fight for anything. As he fumbled about with his weapon I kept my eyes on the rocks above the road. Although I did spare more than a moment to ask Oberon what he thought of road.

	“I don’t know ~~sir~~ but I can tell you that there is danger in the area.” I mentally nodded my head before I looked at those blasted stones. The problem with Oberon was the fact that he could never be specific about his information because he was only an ethereal spirit and not a true person. We were more than half way through the rock garden when it happened. Suddenly the air was full of arrows raking the caravan, killing the caravan master by hitting him in the neck and wounding or killing a few of the other guards. I ducked behind the wagon the instant I heard the arrows but none-the-less I still received three arrow hits, none of which was major. The first hit my left shoulder pauldron, the second embedded itself in my right chest plate, and the third actually managed to hit flesh, on my right arm though it wasn’t all that much of a hit. I took a second to yank it out before breaking off the two that were embedded in armour before I returned their fire with my own longbow. In my own lands I had been only considered a merely adequate bowman but at the ranges at which I was firing I was able to score a hit almost every time. I had managed to kill six more bandits before they came running down the hill to meet the caravan guards and merchants who were defending their livelihoods. I dropped my bow and threw all six of my throwing knives in roughly ten seconds taking down six of them before I drew both my hand and a half long-sword and my short-sword before getting up close and personal. This was the kind of fight that I had been bred and trained for. Before they could realize that I was no ordinary country caravan guard I had killed five more of their number. Several of them stepped back and gave me some space while some of the more desperate men tried to get through to attack me. I wasn’t a cheap prize after all considering the fact that my weapons and armour could probably be sold for quite the load of money.		“I don’t know, but I can tell you that there is danger in the area.” I mentally nodded my head before I looked at those blasted stones. The problem with Oberon was the fact that he could never be specific about his information because he was only an ethereal spirit and not a true person. We were more than half way through the rock garden when it happened. Suddenly the air was full of arrows raking the caravan, killing the caravan master by hitting him in the neck and wounding or killing a few of the other guards. I ducked behind the wagon the instant I heard the arrows but none-the-less I still received three arrow hits, none of which was major. The first hit my left shoulder pauldron, the second embedded itself in my right chest plate, and the third actually managed to hit flesh, on my right arm though it wasn’t all that much of a hit. I took a second to yank it out before breaking off the two that were embedded in armour before I returned their fire with my own longbow. In my own lands I had been only considered a merely adequate bowman, but here at the ranges at which I was firing I was able to score a hit almost every time. I had managed to kill six more bandits before they came running down the hill to meet the caravan guards and merchants who were defending their livelihoods. I dropped my bow and threw all six of my throwing knives in roughly ten seconds taking down six of them before I drew both my hand and a half long-sword and my short-sword before getting up close and personal. This was the kind of fight that I had been bred and trained for. Before they could realize that I was no ordinary country caravan guard I had killed five more of their number. Several of them stepped back and gave me some space while some of the more desperate men tried to get through to attack me. I wasn’t a cheap prize after all considering the fact that my weapons and armour could probably be sold for quite the load of money. At that point a large man in fine armour with a talbard of Knight of the Holy Order of the Protector stepped out from his followers and looked at me before he asked

	“Why do you guard this caravan when those who are paying are working for the demons that live in that Keep? Besides they probably don’t pay you what you are worth mercenary.”		“Why in the name of Eli do you guard this caravan when those who are paying are working for the demons that live in that Keep? Besides they probably don’t pay you what you are worth mercenary.”

	“I guard it because I am being paid and because I swore that I would guard it until it reached the Keep down in the valley.” The man who had shouted his question at me shook his head almost regretfully before he yelled that he would give any man who put me down a large pile of gold for killing me. I smiled at the challenge as I brandished both of my swords and replied		“I guard it because I am being paid and because I swore and oath that I would guard it until it reached the Keep down in the valley.” The man who had shouted his question at me shook his head almost regretfully before he yelled that he would give any man who put me down a large pile of gold for killing me. I smiled at the challenge as I brandished both of my swords and replied

	“Come to me and meet my swords, they thirst for the blood of those who will serve my Kryta in paradise.” This was a battle that any Kelmar Warrior would be happy to engage in. Hopeless odds, little chances of escape, a determined enemy, and no retreat were things that any Kelmar Warrior would relish as I did. They rushed me en masse in a clear attempt to get in too close for me to do any damage but it was a flawed tactic when coming up against a Warrior of my prowess. I used my swords in concert with each other to create a whirling, singing net of steel that sprayed out bright red blood almost constantly. These bandits had numbers and desperation in spades but they had little training. However, even the most ill trained horde can eventually beat a well trained enemy given enough time and willingness to take casualties. As they pushed me back towards the cliff to the left of the road I sustained more injuries, although my armour served to protect my torso from any major damage. As they pushed me towards the cliff several of caravan guards rushed to my aid though they didn’t possess my skills in combat, but every little bit helped and our efforts were beginning to show on the bandits. I was almost at the edge of the cliff when a huge man in rough jerkin came up beside me and tried to hit me with a massive battle axe. I managed to parry his blow with my short sword but it rattled my arm to the shoulder. I ducked under his next huge blow before I thrust up with the sword and spilled his guts all over the dusty road. However, as he fell the massive axe that he had been wielding hit me in the head and I knew no more.		“Come to me and meet my swords, they thirst for the blood of those who will serve my Kryta in paradise.” This was a battle that any Kelmar Warrior would be happy to engage in. Hopeless odds, little chances of escape, a determined enemy, and no retreat were things that any Kelmar Warrior would relish as I did. They rushed me en masse in a clear attempt to get in too close for me to do any damage but it was a flawed tactic when coming up against a Warrior of my prowess. I used my swords in concert with each other to create a whirling, singing net of steel that sprayed out bright red blood almost constantly. These bandits had numbers and desperation in spades, but they had little real training. However, even the most ill trained horde can eventually beat a well trained enemy given enough time and willingness to take casualties. As they pushed me back towards the cliff to the left of the road I sustained more injuries, although my armour served to protect my torso from any major damage. As they pushed me towards the cliff several of caravan guards rushed to my aid though they didn’t possess my skills in combat, but every little bit helped and our efforts were beginning to show on the bandits. I was almost at the edge of the cliff when a huge man in rough jerkin came up beside me and tried to hit me with a massive battle axe. I managed to parry his blow with my short sword but it rattled my arm to the shoulder. I ducked under his next huge blow before I thrust up with the very same sword and spilled his guts all over the dusty road. However, as he fell the massive axe that he had been wielding hit me in the head and I knew no more.

	“How is he Brian?” One of his assistants asked cautiously as the raccoon morph leaned over the large dark haired warrior who had been brought in with the caravan that had just arrived from the Midlands. The caravan had been ambushed by bandits just outside of demesnes of the Keep and hence was in an area that the keepers weren’t responsible for. The mercenary who had brought the man into the infirmary had said		“How is he Brian?” One of his assistants asked cautiously as the raccoon morph leaned over the large dark haired warrior who had been brought in with the caravan that had just arrived from the Midlands. The caravan had been ambushed by bandits just outside of demesnes of the Keep and hence was in an area that the keepers weren’t responsible for. The mercenary who had brought the man into the infirmary had said

Bryan: linking series together

2007-10-04T05:32:32Z

linking series together

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	That evening when I sat in my room on my knees in front of the small altar that I had set up to the gods I asked for guidance in going forward into the future. This had been a hard week and it had all started when I had first seen this castle in the distance from the road on the mountain with the caravan. I should’ve looked for something else to do instead of signing on as some caravan guard. Well as my father had once said ‘You never get anywhere by looking at what might have been.’ That was the truth and I had to get used to what I was now and live for the future not the past. Things had changed but I was Kelmar and thus bound to this fate like everyone else. With those thoughts in mind I went to bed with a somewhat clearer head. Tomorrow would be the first day in a new week and a new beginning for me.		That evening when I sat in my room on my knees in front of the small altar that I had set up to the gods I asked for guidance in going forward into the future. This had been a hard week and it had all started when I had first seen this castle in the distance from the road on the mountain with the caravan. I should’ve looked for something else to do instead of signing on as some caravan guard. Well as my father had once said ‘You never get anywhere by looking at what might have been.’ That was the truth and I had to get used to what I was now and live for the future not the past. Things had changed but I was Kelmar and thus bound to this fate like everyone else. With those thoughts in mind I went to bed with a somewhat clearer head. Tomorrow would be the first day in a new week and a new beginning for me.

			{{series bar
			\|next=[[Claws of the Tiger]]
			}}

Oberon at 22:58, 3 October 2007

2007-10-03T22:58:26Z

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	{{editing requested}}		{{editing requested}}

	~~'''~~These Metamor Keep stories are best read in order beginning with Enter the Tiger, followed by Claws of the Tiger, Hot Under the Collar, Castle Fever Cat, A Pointless Patrol, A Good Time, A Bad Time, The Bandit King, Conversations, A Visitor in the Night, Joy of the Hunt, The Trial, The Raid, and finally A Swing at the Mule.~~'''~~		{{author note\|These Metamor Keep stories are best read in order beginning with Enter the Tiger, followed by Claws of the Tiger, Hot Under the Collar, Castle Fever Cat, A Pointless Patrol, A Good Time, A Bad Time, The Bandit King, Conversations, A Visitor in the Night, Joy of the Hunt, The Trial, The Raid, and finally A Swing at the Mule.}}

			By: [[User:Oberon\|Oberon]]

	Chapter One		Chapter One

Oberon at 21:23, 3 October 2007

2007-10-03T21:23:26Z

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Oberon at 21:11, 3 October 2007

2007-10-03T21:11:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:11, 3 October 2007
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	[[Category:Oberon]]		[[Category:Oberon]]
	{{editing requested}}		{{editing requested}}

			'''These Metamor Keep stories are best read in order beginning with Enter the Tiger, followed by Claws of the Tiger, Hot Under the Collar, Castle Fever Cat, A Pointless Patrol, A Good Time, A Bad Time, The Bandit King, Conversations, A Visitor in the Night, Joy of the Hunt, The Trial, The Raid, and finally A Swing at the Mule.'''