Alternate Introduction

The day was nice as I walked through the woods. The sun was warm but a cool breeze blew through the air. It was a nice change of pace compared to the long winter we had this year past year. I had been traveling for well over a week now. As much as I loved the small town I grew up in I wanted to see more of the world then the woods around it and the nearby towns. I had saved up every coin I could and left before the flowers had started to bloom good. I figured I would have time to settle down and enjoy a simple quit life when I was older and had lost my wonder lust.

I hadn't much to my name. A hunting bow that had seen me through the last few seasons. Several handmade arrows on my back in my quiver. A rusty hand ax for chopping firewood on my hip and a knife in my boot. What few clothes I owned were in my satchel along with a coin purse which I knew better than to keep on my hip. The last thing I needed was some cutpurse to come along and take it off me. It would suck to have to turn back and head home the same month I had left.

As I came over a hill the forest cleared and a smile crossed my lips as I saw endless fields as far as the eye could see and at the center of it lie my destination. The city of the crescent moon or crescent city. I had left the small village where I had grown up with no particular destination in mind. I figured the capital city was a good a place as any to start.

Large towers surrounded the city with gate houses placed around the city to defend it along with a large moat built around it to defend against siege towers and such. Roads ran outward in ever direction as merchants came and went. Even from here it's walls looked tall compared to the hundreds of buildings I could see within. I saw hundreds of buildings within and wondered who many people lived inside. Easily had to be in the thousands or tens of thousands. On one side of the city was a large lake that was with in the city walls that gave the city its moon shaped appearance and its name. Small merchant ships sat inside the lake having come up river from the ocean miles away to do trade. At the heart of the city on a hill overlooking the lake stood the castle. Home to the king of these lands though it looked more like a palace then any castle I had ever seen. It was made from white stone.

I heard a commotion behind me and glanced back to see several horsemen and horses coming my way. They all wore armor bearing the royal crest. I stepped aside off the road to let them pass. I saw a carriage following behind. Royalty of some type, if I had to guess. As it passed I caught a glimpse of one of the passengers. A lovely young woman with wavy red hair. Her sparkling green eyes caught mine as a smile crossed her soft lips. Sadly it was only for a second or two as the carriage went on its way toward the city followed by a few more knights leaving me in the dust as I brushed myself off. I wondered who the woman had smiled at me was.

The city seemed to get larger as I walked. Farmers were busy tending their small plots of land for the planting season. The small farmhouses seemed to be built of timber that had been cut down to clear an area for farming and stones dug up from the fields. Though there was still enough trees to provide shade for the small homes and to the merchants traveling along the roads. Ditchers worked along the roads clearing the ditches for the coming rain to help keep the fields and roads from flooding no doubt from the coming spring rains.

As I walked the city walls seemed only to get taller and not closer. When I finally reached the walls they towered overhead. A draw bridge led over a deep moat that was more then long enough that it be difficult for siege towers to reach it. The gatehouses were pushed back from the main wall. Guards watched from above on either side as people came and went. Perfect place to fire down on the enemy from above as they bottled necked into the center if trying to take the gate though that would be pretty hard to do with the drawbridge up and large portcullises lie within the gate houses.

As I passed through the gatehouse I was overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the city. Dirt roads gave way to cobble stone streets. There were more people on one street then my entire village. The buildings were made of wood timber frames and white plastered walls between. Many overhung on the second floor slightly allowing for more living space upstairs as well to create some shade from the midday sun.

Vendors yelled at passerby's trying to get their attention as they peddled their wares. A nearby blacksmith pounded away at hot metal working it into shape. People moved about browsing what they could buy. I saw clothing and fabrics dyed in a variety of colors. People from different races and cultures passed by me. Humans, elves, gnomes, and a variety of others. Back home this would have been a bizarre sight to behold but here it seemed to be commonplace. I was a little overwhelmed not being sure where to go first.

I perused the markets as I went stopping to browse a little before I figured I should look for a tavern to stay the night. Nightfall was still a ways off but I could use something besides water to parch my thirst and I was sure that the taverns here where probably first come first serve with this many people. I could always sleep under the stars but I would prefer a bed for the night.

Finding a tavern was fairly easier then I thought. I actually had my pick of places. I was told I could find one at around almost any of the gatehouses. I found a nice little tavern that sat on one of the town squares near the north gate. Despite the early hour I could hear the typical commotion of people inside the tavern that most places on experienced at sunset. Probably people like me just looking for a drink or food and a place to rest from the heat of the midday sun. I entered the tavern to see all manner of folk sitting, talking, and laughing. Several humans, a couple of elves, a few gnomes which one might expect but I also saw an orc sitting in a corner enjoying a meal.

A cute gnomish woman smiled as she made her way past carrying a few drinks. Her nice large ample tits bouncing as she walked which caught my eye. Gnomes, sometimes called dwarves or halflings, though never in polite conversation and technically neither, were slightly shorter than humans standing around four foot tall give or take. True dwarfs, also known as dvergr or duergar, were slightly taller. What the women lacked in stature she more than made up for in volume. Especially in her case as her breast bounced with each step she took as she walked. They were pushed up high by her bustier that made them the first thing you saw. I had never seen a gnomish woman who was flat-chested or had breast even being close to small but this one had more then her fair share. She gave a smile and a wink as she passed me. I was sure she knew what I was looking at. I couldn't help but admire her ass as she went which had a nice roundness to it that was even noticeable through her dress.

I saw another woman at the counter pouring a drink for one of the patrons and laughed at something they said as she touched his hand. She was young looking human woman with reddish brown auburn hair and stunning green eyes and light freckles on her cheeks. She wore one of those lace-up bodices that pushed her nice full tits up which were bigger then the gnomes but none the less attractive. Her white shoulder-less chemise was cut low showing off her cleavage. I couldn't help but smile as they jiggled slightly as she cleaned the counter. She looked to young to be the owner being around my age. She smiled as I came over and I took a seat at the bar. She had a beautiful smile with lovely luscious soft pink lips.

"Hello stranger, what can I get you." She said placing her hands on the bar top and leaned over showing off her large tits as she smiled. I was sure it was probably why the Tavern was so full this early in the day. For some reason milk was the first thing to pop into my mind.

"Something to drink would be nice. Whatever is cheapest." I smiled reaching in my bag.

"We don't carry anything cheap sugar but you are new so this one is on the house." She reached under the counter to grab a mug giving me a better peek of her breast and her cleavage between. She pulled out a mug and walked over and poured me a drink from a cask. She brought the drink back and handed it over to me.

"Thank you." I smiled and took a drink chugging about half of it before taking a breath. "This is really good." I smiled as I wiped off the foam from my mouth.

"I am glad you like it. Gnomish ale from up north." She smiled. "Plan on sticking around or just passing through?" She smiled.

"Depends if I can find work." I nodded. I didn't know much about city life.

"No shortage of work around here handsome." She smiled. “I am guessing your hunter? From the bow and arrows on your back.”

“Tax collector. Some times they try and make a run for it.” I smiled and she laughed making her breast jiggle slightly. "How much is a room for the night here?"

"Three copper. Not counting food and drink." She said wiping a spot where some of the mead had split.

"That cheap?"

"Um-huh. Three for a night or eighteen for a week." She smiled. That meant one night was free if I stayed the week. I was certain they kept the rates low to get people in the door. The drink was good enough to get people coming back or just to visit after a long day's work.

“If you do stay or just want to stop in for a drink my name is Fiona.” She smiled.

“A pleasure to meet you Fiona.” I smiled and raised my glass then took a drink. I saw another women come out from the back drying her hands on a towel she wore. She was older but with the same auburn red hair, green eyes and large tits in a corset she wore over her dress.

“Oh hello. Haven't seen you here before.” She smiled at me.

“And this would be my mother Astrid.” Fiona smiled. I could see the family resemblance.

“Ma'am. Nice place you have here.” I smiled and raised my drink.

“Thank you kindly dear.” Astrid smiled. “We try. New in town?”

“First stop in the city.”

"Astrid." A voice called. I turned to see a lovely young elven woman coming over with the serving wench beside her. She was quit beautiful with long strawberry blonde hair. More lithe like I expected an elf to look like but she was what I would call busty for an elf which would be average on a human woman having two nice nice handfuls about the size of apples.

"What is it Alyssa?" The barmaid said to the younger elven woman.

"She just talked to Ysolda and her father and said Torvald left Stonehills early this morning at first light but she didn't pass him on the road. He should have been back by now." Helga shook her head.

"He could have just gotten turned around or stopped to see one of his friends. You know your brother dear." Astrid shrugged.

"I don't think so, I can feel something is wrong." The elf Alyssa shook her head. Elves had a connection to magic and the supernatural that I didn't really understand but when they spoke of bad omens it was usually smart to listen or so I have been told. The only ones I ever meet back home was one passing through the town on there way to Storm Haven or from stories my dad told me back when he served in the army during the Trow War which had taken before I was born. "We should go looking for him or hire someone to do it." The elf said.

"Dear, that is a lot of road to cover." The barmaid touched her hand.

"I can take the horses and go look." Fiona said looking at her mother. I

"Absolutely not. If something did happen I don't want you out there. Any of you" The barmaid shook her head and looked at the two of them.

"I can do it," I spoke up and finished my drink. I knew well enough that no good deed goes unpunished but I wasn't the type to leave a woman in distress and here where three of them. I am certain it would be the of me one day.

"We can't ask you to..." the Barmaid began to speak.

"I am a hunter by trade. I know how to track huamn and animal." I shrugged. "I take it he was traveling by wagon?" There was no other reason to go to Stonehills than trading. It was a mining town just off the north road. I had been to Stonehills a few times with my friend who's family runs a mill to drop off lumber they would use for support beams in the mines. If he was anything like my buddy, the gnome had stopped to stay the night at the brothel there and headed out at first light but this late in the day he should have been back by now.

"Yes. He was picking up a shipment of from up north." The inn keeper nodded. That made sense I guess. The gnomish kingdom lay to the north beyond the mountains. No doubt he was going to get more mead like the stuff I had just drunk. It was a long ways to go for some drink but well worth it I suppose.

“I will find him in exchange for a place to crash the night and food when I get back.” I shrugged.

“Fair enough.” The Inn keeper nodded.

"Here. Can you hold onto this for me." I said handing my knapsack to the barmaid.

"Sure. Of course. Thank you." The Barmaid smiled and touched my hand. "I can get you saddled with a horse."

“That will help.” I could maybe make it to Stonehill before sunset if I was lucky though I hoped I didn't have to go that far.

I nodded and headed after her through the back to the stables that housed the horses of guests staying at the tavern. Maybe a dozen horses could fit in total. Fiona told me that Torvald typically ran the stables but she knew enough to get the horse ready. The old mare looked like she had seen better days and was in no shape to pull a wagon or work the fields, which is probably why she got left behind, but I was certain she could handle a lone rider. Fiona showed me out and pointed me in the right direction for the gate he should come in.

I ran into a few travelers on my way but none of them was a Gnome nor had they seen him on the road. My luck he had already made it back but had gone to a different gate so I had missed him. If so I might still get a night free at the tavern so a little afternoon horseback ride wasn't a bad way to spend the evening and the old girl still had a little get up and go left in her.

The sun was getting low when I saw something that caught my eye. There were tire tracks from a wagon leading off the road into the brush. I got off the horse and headed off the trail and went into the woods a little way before I noticed something else and hoped off my horse. I saw a pair of small footprints in the mud. Too wide to be a kid but too short to be an adult human. Each foot had four toes.

“Shit,” I mumbled under my breath. It had to be goblins. To say goblins were civilized was a bit of a stretch. They could speak, use tools, even barter but were not the smartest of races. They could be clever at times but morality however wasn't something I would use to describe them. Their small stature made them weaker but none the less dangerous. Especially in large numbers which the tracks on the ground told me there was.

I tied the horse to a tree and followed the wagon tracks deeper into the woods until I saw smoke coming from behind a hill up ahead. That meant whoever's campfire it was wouldn't be seen from the road at night. I stopped an inch from a low hanging rope with several bones tied to it. If I hadn't noticed it I would have tripped over it and made the bones rattle, notifying the goblins to my approach. Sneaky little bastards.

I stepped over the rope and made my way up the hill to get a better view as I got closer I heard voices. Goblins chatting away in whatever the hell it was they called there own tongue that sounded like someone getting over a cold. As I peeked over I saw a gnomish man gagged and bound to a tree. There were three goblins gathered around the fire cooking something that smelt pretty good rabbit I think. The gnome had blood on his head and face but seemed to be okay. His carriage and horse was behind him tied to a tree. One of the goblins went to the wagon and poured himself a drink making Torvald upset as he pulled against the ropes and yelled through his gag.

"Where are my manners to our host?" the Goblin said, coming over and pouring a drink on Torvald's head. The Gnome fought against the ropes but they had tied him pretty well. Torvald managed to kick the goblin in the shin. The goblin hopped back holding his leg making the other two laugh at his misfortune. The goblin pulled a knife pointing it at the gnome.

I drew an arrow and nocked it ready to strike. I could feel my hands shaking a bit, it was one thing to kill a deer but another to take a life even if it was a goblin. Plus deer couldn't shoot back. I didn't see the Gnome lasting long if he continued to put up a fight. If they decided he was more trouble then he was worth keeping alive. I debated my options. I had the advantage of surprise but couldn't just them in cold blood, could I? I could wound them maybe but there were three of them and one of me. I could maybe try and talk some sense into them but keep my bow ready.