Mithril Mayhem
Awdz clutched her bow as she neared the mithril fields. The entire area had become quite hazardous since the Withered Aegis started creating golems from the ore in the canyons. Awdz was not quite sure how the Withered Aegis spell worked, but she wanted to do her part to make Istaria safer for all peoples, gifted or not, by eliminating some of the mithril golems threat.
Running onto an upper ridge, Awdz spotted a fighter engaged with the worst of all the mithril golems, Mhedon. A healer stood nearby trying to patch the wounds the fighter sustained from the monster?s beating, but it looked like the battle was going in Mhedon?s favor. Wanting to help but not wishing to interfere in what might be a test of the fighter?s prowess, Awdz stayed nearby and cast additional healing spells on him.
Alas, it was not to be a winning day for the fighter. With a sudden flurry of fierce blows, Mhedon flattened him? and the healer ran out of the area. While Awdz contemplated casting resurrection on the fighter, Mhedon turned toward her.
Suddenly under attack, Awdz loosed her arrows in a tight rain upon the huge mithril golem. Using all of her gnomian prowess and every battle trick she could muster, she fended off the golem?s attacks. The healer returned to the scene and cast healing upon her, else she would have fallen under a flurry of blows similar to the ones the last fighter had. Finally, Mhedon fell, leaving Awdz panting and grateful that the last fighter had weakened the golem so much before she had to fight it.
The healer swiftly resurrected the fighter as Awdz proffered many thanks for the timely healing.
?Think nothing of it,? the healer replied.
The fighter, now alive again, stared in disbelief at the young gnome. ?You were quite impressive, taking Mhedon out with your bow!?
Awdz blushed, stammered thanks, waved goodbye and headed deeper into the mithril fields. A farewell cry floated behind her: ?Good luck on your hunt!?
Trotting along a narrow ridge, Awdz spotted a fair-sized canyon with only a couple of mithril golems in it. Readying her bow, she targeted the smaller one and got his attention with an opening long shot. He hollered in alarm, turned and came to attack her.
An intense battle began, but Awdz maintained the upper hand and was confident she would defeat this enemy. Circling, she had him pinned against the wall as she poured arrows into him. Suddenly she felt a tremendous series of blows from behind. A weight too intense for her to move beneath settled on her, and she was unable to recover as more blows fell, killing her.
As a gifted, Awdz was able to send a call for help even when dead. An answer came that a resurrection would be cast on her if she stayed put, so she did not use her ability to recall to life again immediately. And although dead, she was aware of her surroundings; she watched in disbelief at the scene unfolding around her.
Three more mithril golems had come up behind her during the battle to assist the smaller golem. Now they stood about, patting the young golem on the back and congratulating him on surviving a battle against this vicious foe who had even defeated Mhedon. Standing in a ceremonial circle, they proclaimed the young golem a hero of the Withered Aegis, and took turns stepping onto Awdz?s head to push her face further into the dirt.
At least dozen more mithril golems were now in the canyon behind them, beginning a celebratory feast. They chanted the name of the young golem and carried him on their shoulders to the seat of honor atop a mother lode of mithril. Cries went up for the tale of the battle, and the young golem proceeded to tell an embellished story of what happened.
Periodically one of the other golems would wander over to where Awdz lay dead and kick more dirt onto her still form, or to sneer at her in disgust. Apparently only those who had actually fought against her were allowed to step on her head; only one of them returned to do so again.
Some of the golems in the canyon began to make screeching and groaning cries at regular intervals; it was not until Awdz saw the golems in the canyon stepping in time to the screeches and groans that she realized she was hearing golem singing. She was still watching in stunned disbelief when suddenly a regenerating light pulsed through her and she floated back to life.
Scurrying out of the canyon, she thanked her rescuer profusely.
?I would have rezzed you sooner except that the golems did not seem to want to leave you alone,? the healer from earlier replied, ?though I?m surprised that you had trouble with them.?
?I was fine until they mobbed me from behind,? Awdz explained, and waved farewell as the healer left again. Finding a safer hunting spot some distance away from the golem party, Awdz lined up her next target and began whittling away at the Withered Aegis once more.
