My Account of the Quest to the Witch-Kings Garden
By Corrigan Grimmir
Some time after the being known as Cass had stolen the young Crown Prince and the story with him had been read and analysed, I was approached by his highness Prince Cadarn Pendragon. Around him where the best and bravest of the nobles of Albion and I believed I was to run an errand for them. Instead I was asked to lead the quest to the Witch-Kings garden, This was because of my status as the youngest of the nobles in Albion rather than any skill I possessed, Prince Cadarn ordered Gycell of the Host to aid me in selecting a team to go. I was approached by several people who either volunteered or wanted to give me advice and I was overwhelmed at first but I finally managed with the aid of Gycell and others to select a party.
My next task was to gather the last pair of ingredients a hair from a Fey mixed with the laughter of a princess, but first I approached Queen Elspeth, Cass had been a guest of the Watchers of Darkwood and he had fooled us, this guilt along with the honour her majesty had bestowed upon me by restoring my House colors made me decide to swear my allegiance to her majesty and House Pendragon thus House Grimmir became a patron of House Pendragon.
I then approached a Fey who was one of the Tuatha de Dannan that were staying with the Harts. Sinking to my knees I beseeched his aid and was rewarded by him giving me a strand of his hair. I then approached the Princess of the Lios Alfar and her laughter was the sweetest sound I had ever heard thus the last ingredient was mixed into the potion and all was ready.
My Party was assembled they included:
Myself Corrigan Grimmir of House Grimmir and the Watchers of Darkwood
Corina Shyne the former Green Mage
l’Urch one of the pack of Beastmen
Scipio Warleader of the Hireath
Jasper Bodyguard to Queen Elsepth
George head Ritualist of Albion
Brogar also Body Guard to Queen Elspeth
Matt Luhan Leader of the Blackwood Rangers
Tig of the Order of the Eagle
Amreial Deputy Minister arcane in all Albion
Alaric Warrior of the Blackwood Rangers
Suhailmin Zahn
v’Ar of the Beastmen
Brother Darius of the Hireath
Rastin
Xerxes of the Quinodite Order
Before the quest began Alistir Crowlee the leader of the Watchers of Darkwood bade me drank from the flask in his hand, the flask held the sap of the ancient trees of the Darkwood and so armed with the Watcher’s Blessing I joined my companions in the Beastmen’s tent.
Once inside the Beastmen’s tent we arrayed ourselves on the floor and each drank form the cup containing the potion I was the first to do this and seconds after I did I fell into a deep sleep. I found myself dreaming: I was outside the Grimmir Hall, the place of my youth, my Long dead Father Caledinn Grimmir stood beside my Mother Seren in front of the hall he approached me told me to bring honour to House Grimmir again and then my brother Logan who died at the Gathering of 1098 appeared he said nothing and only presented me with a mask, then I was pulled to another place.
I was stood at the border of a great wood, all of my companions where there and if I hadn’t have known better I would have thought this reality to be real life. From the wood we heard the cries of cats and as we ventured into the wood we saw large black feline creatures in the trees, several jumped down from the trees to challenge us in a territorial manner, on closer inspection they looked much like Sir Hunter Stryker but they lacked his intelligence, We moved as quickly as we could through the forest not wanting to engage the felines in combat and we passed through until the threat of the large group of cats behind us became intolerable, Corina cast a mass fear spell that sent the felines running back up the trees.
We then came upon a clearing where there was a stone four pillar stage. On this stage all alone was the flower that was the goal of our quest. The Flower was guarded by a large Troll gardener and two humanoids. I pleaded with the Troll to give us the flower as a young babies life was at stake, after this didn’t work Corina decided to try and appeal to his vanity and get him to show us the flower, she was successful and he was about to show Corina the object of our desire when he struck some of our group who “weren’t on the path.” After a short fight his two human companions were felled, the Troll however was a different matter, even when his huge axe was shattered he uprooted small trees to fight us with, finally with great difficulty he was put down.
I sprang onto the platform to grab the flower, but as I reached for it cut into my hand. several other attempts where made to free the flower including cutting it with a number of magic weapons and trying to pluck it while holding the golden idols that where found around the surrounding area, all the while we were assaulted by invisible creatures that struck us as we struck back and hit thin air, thankfully l’Urch could see the movements the creatures made on the grass and the creatures where kept at bay. Finally the mages of the party shattered the stone around the flower and it was freed. After fighting our way past the invisible creatures and the newly regenerated Troll we retreated back towards the heavy wood but we stopped by a sight that made my blood run cold.
Ahead of us were fields of the walking dead. As they advanced Jasper and Brogar took the brunt of the fighting with myself, Scipio and Alaric also in the front line, the rest of the party supported us or hit the flanks of the undead where two ghouls shot at us with arrows dipped in their paralyzing venom. As we destroyed the first wave of creatures new zombies appeared from the mists or even out of the ground in front of us. Finally we dispatched the last of the unliving and after healing everyone that had taken wounds we once more ventured into the woodland territory of the giant cats. Although we moved even swifter than before the cats leapt at us through the foliage and cut through our armour. Finally we battled to the gate of the wood, I was to be the last over however while I watched the backs of my comrades I did not watch my own and a cat sprang on me from behind and tore into me and then there was darkness.
When I awoke I was healed and outside the wood, present among us was a witch named Vorax, she was the sister of the Witch-King and she seemed quite amused that we didn’t know how to get home. She offered to take us home in exchange for a heart and a face. At first myself and Jasper each offered to sacrifice both, then l’Urch bravely offered himself as he regenerates. Vorax agreed to take the Beastman’s heart but not his face so I pulled my rank one last time and made it clear it was my face that would be given as a sacrifice. I watched l’Urch’s heart being pulled out and stared in horror as he didn’t regenerate, I bade Jasper knock me out quickly and take my face so we could got back and save l’Urch and so the last thing I saw of the Dream-Realm was the Witch looking on greedily as I was dropped to the floor.
I then felt like I was in some kind of dream being chased away from the light by a dark and evil presence. I ran further and further into the darkness until finally I awoke lying down in the Beastmen tent once again Chi’Nyan was knelt over me keeping me in a zone of sanctuary, an Iron mask was over my bloodied face and I learnt later that the Beastmen had done me the honour of giving me the mask of a Wraith Lord they had killed to wear. I rose and stumbled out into the Harts camp half delirious from pain and exhaustion I quickly found out everyone was alive and their patterns had safely returned to their bodies but all had been scared by horrendous nightmares like myself. Most of us were put inside the Hireath tent for own protection until t’keen was finally able to rid us of the fears that plauged us.
And so the Flower was snatched from the Witch-King and he came to reclaim it and so he was defeated by the noble Harts faction and Edward Cai Pendragon was saved. And I thank the fates I was able to play such a pivotal role in this story.