Before I tell you this story it might be good to start out with some good advise.
When someone offers you free drinks for an entire night, It is never a good idea to accept the offer.
- Sigfread
The story began on a calm afternoon at the Thalanduin estate in Raddon.
Gerwolf and Sigfread were, as usual, just talking with each other about their loved ones. ''Addiel is the love of my life. I would not trade her for the fairest of all. For she is the fairest of all'' So Gerwolf spoke towards Sigfread
''Aye, I think the same about Utdred'' Sigfread spoke ''Ever since she and I confessed our love for each other, my world has been brighter'' A smile would appear on their faces. The thought of their girls sparking up their hearts. For when a man truly loves a woman, he would feel her warmth even if they are not standing aside of them.
After a while of unimportant blabbering between Gerwolf and Sigfread, Gerwolf came up with an idea. He had heard recently that the Forsaken Inn was holding an ''All night free drinks'' day. And he also knew Sigfread would be up for the challenge.
''Sigfread'' He spoke ''How about we head east, towards the Forsaken Inn. If we ride out now we could be there just after sun-down''
''Why'' Sigfread replied
''Well'' Gerwolf said ''Tonight is an all free drinks night at the inn. Perhaps we could have ourselves some fun! And I can finally prove you that I am the stronger drinker''
Gerwolf smirked at Sigfread knowing he would not let such a challenge pass.
''You are on brother'' Sigfread replied while returning the smirk towards Gerwolf.
And so they went up on their horses and rode over towards the Forsaken Inn.
Not long after sun-down they arrived at the Inn. Ready for a strong night of drinks and fun, they would head inside.
''Hello! And welcome to the Forsaken Inn'' A voice spoke.
Turning towards the voice Sigfread and Gerwolf looked upon a man with short hair and a weird goatee.
It was Anlaf, the Inn-keeper.
''You two must be here for the free drinks all night'' Anlaf said
''Yes sir!'' Gerwolf spoke in excitement '
'' Go right on over to the counter and I shall pour you your first drinks'' Anlaf happily walked over to the counter and started pouring two tankards full of mead.
A bar filled with happy folk, drinking and dancing.
That is the last Gerwolf and Sigfread would remember of what happened that night. But it was not until the next day that Sigfread and Gerwolf would learn of the mistake they made.
''Uuuuuugh. Where are we.'' The loud moan of a hangover came from Gerwolf, who woke first on the floor of the Forsaken Inn. Looking around he would notice Sigfread laying passed out on a table not to far from where he stood.
''Wake up you lazy bastard!'' Gerwolf yelled at him before flipping over the table with Sigfread still on it.
A loud thud would be heard followed by a grumpy moan of yet another person waking with a hangover.
''You bastard'' Were the first words to come out of Sigfreads mouth.
''Where the hell are we, what did we do!'' Sigfread spoke towards Gerwolf.
'' I have no clue'' Gerwolf replied ''But I have a feeling some great stuff happened yesterday. To bad we can't remember it''
Suddenly before Sigfread could replay, Anlaf walked up quite angered.
''You two! Your two are in a world of trouble!'' He said angrily
''Good sir, we have no memories of yesterday'' Sigfread replied
''Ofcourse you haven't'' Anlaf spoke even more angered ''Look what you did to my Inn!''
Anlaf pointed upwards and the two barely awake warriors followed the hand.
To their shock they found out a part of the roof was missing and there were tankards up in the construction of the damaged roof.
'' Ow...... damn'' The two spoke synchronized.
'' You handle this one Gerwolf, for you are the one with the big deep pockets'' Sigfread said with a smirk.
'' Yeah yeah'' Gerwolf said '' Someone has to pay up and I could not expect a poor person like yourself to do it can I now'' He replied with a smirk towards Sigfread.
Sigfread walked off to take a moment, trying to remember things while Gerwolf talked with Anlaf.
Not long after, Gerwolf rejoined Sigfread by some barrels.
''So what now'' Sigfread said.
''Well we need to check out something for Anlaf in a partial repay for all the trouble we caused'' Gerwolf said with a sigh
''Is it about that Irritating noise I am constantly hearing?'' Sigfread asked Gerwolf with an expression only made by those with a huge hangover.
''Aye we.....'' Gerwolf would not finish the sentence. He instead ran over to one of the barrels and emptied whatever was in his stomach into it.
''Haha! You weakling!'' Sigfread laughed ''Whats the matter, could not.....'' Payback came swift for Sigfread as he himself emptied his stomach content all over the mead soaked floor of the Inn.
''Lord! Why did we do this!'' Gerwolf asked
''No idea!'' Sigfread replied.
Shortly after they were done making the place more filthy, they decided to follow the noise. It lead downstairs towards an old bookcase.
''Is it coming from behind it?'' Sigfread asked
'' Only one way to find out'' Gerwolf said back. He placed himself behind the bookcase and pushed it aside to reveal a huge tunnel heading down and underneath the Forsaken Inn.
Before they went down, they spoke one last sentence to one another.
Sigread spoke with an sarcastic tone ''Free drinks he said''
Gerwolf simply replied with the same tone ''All night he said. Damn Anlaf''
And so they walked down the path into the caves, soon stumbling upon a weird door and an even weirder man.
''Hello there'' Sigfread said to the man.
The man jumped up and looked behind him spotting the two standing side by side.
''Hello'' He said. ''Are you the back up Anlaf sends me?'' The man would clearly not waste time by stating his name towards the two.
''We are, I guess'' Gerwolf spoke while holding one hand on his forehead.
''Well lets go then!'' The man said.
And so the adventure began
First up was a door engraved by a riddle. One that was Easley solved by Gerwolf and his mastery of riddles.
The door opened and they stepped inside.
Before them lay a room, just an ordinary room. They would have steps into it boldly if it was not for Sigfread and his shape eyes.
''Hold up'' Sigfread said ''Look at the floor very carefully, its filled with spike traps'' He pointed towards a couple of very small, almost unnoticeable holes within the rooms floor.
''Step around them'' Gerwolf said returning a thank full nod towards Sigfread.
Carefully walking around the traps they managed to reach the other end of the room.
Walking on they came upon another riddle door but again this one was no match for the riddle skills Gerwolf possessed and he managed to open the door within the blink of an eye.
Now, laying eyes upon what was beyond gave them chills within their bones.
Large rooms filled with spike traps and pressure plate traps that would activate a series of large blades extending from what seemed to be turnable pillars of wood.
Carefully and watching their every step they tried to move through the trap contraptions but, they did not for-see what awaited them within the maze.
Out of nowhere the ground split open and a creature crawled out of it. A stench of death filled the caves and the bone thin creature took up its position.
The undead had awoken to protect whatever laid within the caves.
The ones within the maze themselves were not to hard to take down. It were the ones in the room beyond the maze that formed a problem.
The second challenge was one of Combat. Upon entering the room after the trap-maze they found themselves surrounded by tombs. Endless tombs.
''Look a lever! So easy!'' The strange treasure-seeker said as he pulled it.
''Don't!'' Sigfread and Gerwolf yelled out almost simultaneously. But it was too late! Tombs cracked open, and dozens of the undead creatures came rushing into the room.
''Sigfread! To arms!'' Gerwolf yelled out as he unsheathed his sword and ran into the mass of undead. The blade swinging like a leaf through the wind, it hitting one undead after the other. Sigfread was rather amazed by the skill Gerwolf so clearly possessed when it came to combat by blade.
''I got your back!'' Sigfread replayed as he quickly reached for his bow and laid in an arrow within the blink of an eye. The skill Sigfread possessed with a bow could be matched with Gerwolfs skill to swing a blade and within no-time arrows would fly throughout the chamber striking down the hoards of undead heading towards a strong fighting Gerwolf who was still fighting off anything that got past Sigfreads arrows.
It all lasted about twenty minutes. Sigfread had ended up fighting with his sword as well, and both he and Gerwolf took only some damage to the armour they were wearing.
''Free drinks, he said'' Sigfread said as he started to retrieve his arrows from the corpses of the undead.
''All night he said'' Gerwolf said as he took a moment to catch his breath.
''The door has been opened! And look there it is!'' The man said. And he rushed off into another chamber, walking upon a corpse of a boat captain, sitting in a throne.
''Its not here! Not here!'' The crazy treasure hunter would angrily kick the corpse.
Suddenly the cave above the man started to collapse, trapping him within another section of the cave complex.
''Madness has doomed him'' Gerwolf spoke, not feeling sorry for the man who has already caused so much trouble to them.
''Lets move on and get out of here'' Sigfread said. Gerwolf repliedd this with an approving nod and they went on.
Many trap chambers, and undead slaying later they finally stumbled upon a room of which looked like an exit. Only a lever to pull.
''I'll pull it'' As he laid his hand upon the lever, looking back towards Gerwolf for his opinion about it. Gerwolf just replied by nodding, knowing it was the only way.
Sigfread pulled the lever and a rumble could be heard. It was like some mechanism beyond the wall was moving, but it was not the door that opened to them.
Suddenly! The floor under their feet collapsed and they were send down into a free fall, ending up in a wild and uncontrolled stream of water. Unable to swim properly they were completely taken over by the force of the water until they were eventually until they were eventually spat out from an opening in the tunnel of which they were being dragged through. Thrown several feet in the air as they land with a resounding "SPLASH!" Looking up, Sigfread and Gerwolf noticed that a gargantuan cavern had been etched into the very stone. Swimming over to each other they were caught by a sense of wonder. Within the cave laid a ship, an entire ship. Taken by years and hidden for so long. It must have been what the treasure seeker was looking for, but he was dead...
Sigfread and Gerwolf swam over to the dock that the ship was laid to rest on and raised themselves from the cold water and onto the wooden dock.
''This might be a stupid Idea but.... there is an opening on the other side on the wall, across the ship. Lets just see if there is anything interesting on the ship worth taking and then get the hell out of here'' Sigfread said.
''Good plan and when we get out of here, I am going to have a good word with Anlaf about this all!'' Gerwolf replied as they walked up to the ship.
Gerwolf went first followed soon after by Sigfread. At first everything seemed fine until a ear bleeding laugh of madness was heard from within the ship. Sigfread and Gerwolf turned their gaze towards the captains quarters as the door opened.
'' You'' Gerwolf said as both of them turned their gaze upon the figure that emerged from the captains quarters. It was him! The treasure-seeker! His aura was dark and he wore a strange amulet around his neck.
''Yes! It is I! and I can not allow you to pass! For this is my secret, and my secret only! Now prepare to die!'' The man rushed towards Sigfread and Gerwolf though it was not the man that made them draw their weapons. It was the spirit of a giant backing up the crazed treasure seeker.
A fight erupted upon the deck of the ship one of greatness. Gerwolf would charge at the crazed man with his blade ready to take on anything the Spirit would throw at him. Meanwhile Sigfread was running around the spirit, firing arrows at him like an elf would towards an orc.
The battle lasted about thirty minutes before they finally managed to take down and destroy the amulet's power. With it, the crazed seeker dropped down towards his knees.
''I am so sorry!'' he spoke '' Something possessed me and my will was no longer my own. Now please. Leave me be to my own misery'' He spoke. Gerwolf on his turn would just walk up to the man and slam him one on the jaw before turning towards Sigfread.
''Lets go, I have had more then enough of this place'' He said heading towards the exit of the caves. Sigfread would just nod and follow him.
After some walking for what seemed like hours they finally managed to find the true exit, with also lead back to where they once went down into the caves.
Not able to even take a second of breath, Anlaf would angrily walk up to them.
'' Where have you two been! Its been hours!'' Anlaf spoke.
''Shut up'' Sigfread said, sending a cold look towards Anlaf that scared him off.
''You know Gerwolf, we better not tell Addiel and Utdred about this. I believe what they might do to us, is way worse then anything we have encountered today.'' Sigfread spoke as he and Gerwolf mounted their horses to head back to Raddon.
''Aye, and lets not tell them about the roof either. For Addiel with have my ass on a spike if she finds out'' Gerwolf replied with a chuckle.
And so they rode off, into Bree-land and back towards Raddon. Trying to learn a lesson from what they just experienced. Eventualy they summed it down towards one simple sentence
''Free drinks he said, All night he said''
The end
