The Chronicles of Runic #3

We last left Runic as he was about to find the Browerk Burun Chief. His mission: track down the mysterious dillo rustlers...

It was a little windy, standing on a slimy rock at the crest of the Sanctuary waterfall. Behind us, the ruins of an ancient building stood watch over the world. Ahead was a deadly drop into the sea. Water billowed up in a mist, obscuring what lie directly below.

"It's safe," said my tumerok friend.

She arched into the air and twisted into a graceful dive, falling into the mist. I did not hear a splash. Her giant tumerok friend gave a sidelong glance. "Go ahead," he said nervously.

I vaulted off the rock, hanging for a moment over the mist below. The cold water smacked against my face, hard and sudden. It was turbulent under the falls, pushing me deeper than I liked. I struggled and kicked my way to the surface.

"Where are we headed?" I said, breathless.

She pointed to the distant shore north of the falls. She had to be kidding, I thought. The dumb tumerok brute flopped into the water beside us and surfaced cursing in his own tongue. We started swimming.

It was a swim that would have wiped out a moarsman. We reached the shore exhausted and coughing saltwater onto the sand. My lungs felt like they'd been run through a wringer. "You guys are nuts," I muttered.

But we were alive and I was soon following my crazy guide further north into the swamp. Where could we find the big chief? Our answer came in the form of a Browerk Burun.

Let me tell you, these beasts are like one big muscle, tiny heads and an upper body built to take a barrage of Lugian boulders. Well, he didn't like the smell of my two Tumerok companions and came stomping our way looking for trouble.

"Tumerok!" he said in surprise. "Leave this place."

Me and the lady 'Rok wrestled the big fella to the ground. He kicked and thrashed a lot, cutting the Tumie lady with blade-like claws. "This is OUR land, frog," she said bitterly.

A territorial dispute. This wasn't something I wanted to get in the middle of. Nevertheless, I was here and charged with a mission. "Where's the Chief," I said, growling.

The Burun hissed and my other Tumie friend worked him over once. "I think he's with your mama," the Burun spit.

I cracked his head against the ground with a deft shove. "You gonna help us out or do we have to start getting mean?"

His eyes rolled around aimlessly and he foamed a little at the mouth. "I think you whacked him to hard there, hooman," said the lady.

I shrugged. "If this Chief character sees the light of day, we'll find him."

We left our Burun friend lying stupid, but not before the lady gave him a kick to the ribs. She muttered something incomprehensible and we pressed deeper into the swamp.

A stench invaded our senses making it hard to breathe. The swamp smelled like it could choke an Immortal. Through the fog and pressing darkness, we saw signs of the Chief. Tiny hovels were tucked amongst the trees, glowing eyes peering out. They darted nervously in the dark, disappearing when we passed by, reappearing when we were farther away. There was fear here, pervasive as the foul smell of the swamp.

"Hey," a squeaky voice called out to us from the darkness. "This place is off-limits to anyone but the Chief."

"I am the Chief," rumbled the giant Tumerok beside me.

A Ruruk stepped forward, sharp teeth glinting in the low light. "And I'm a Gurog Emissary, lizardbreath."

He cried out a cackling call and drew a blade that looked like it wasn't just for buttering bread. A pair of Broodu stepped out of the rickety hut behind him, eyes growing excited at the sight of my Tumerok friends.

"So, you want to rumble, do you?" I said.

And rumble we did.

Oh cruel fates! How could I leave you hanging like that? What dastardly ploy is this, that I should save the conclusion to this episode for another day?? If you want to find out what happens, send me a note expressing your interest, preferably on the back of a hundred dollar bill or deed to major MMORPG company or perhaps the publisher of such a game. Muahahahahahahaha!

See you next week.

Gurog Grunts appears every Wednesday here on AC2 Warcry. The opinions expressed here belong to the gruntmaster himself, Theiss. If you wish to grunt about his grunts, grunt to Theiss at editor@warcry.com. Oh cruel fates?? Who SAYS that any more?