The Butcher of Gadobhra

It was a cold night, even if warmer than the one before. Suzette didn't feel uncomfortable, though. Gaining resistance skills for both Ice and Cold meant normal cold didn't affect her. As she climbed through the ruined halls and chambers of the Crystalthorn Academy, she noted that the outer rooms were far colder than the air outside. Ice and snow still lingered inside where Winter had spent so much energy to invade. Some of it was even sentient and twice she was attacked by Ice Horrors. For someone who roamed Gadobhra killing ghouls and meat daemons, they almost looked cute. A double shot from her staff shattered them, and their attacks were inconsequential to her now, their claws unable to penetrate her Silverthorn Armor.

What was left of the building wasn't going to last long. So much of it had been shattered by the Cyclone's attacks that it would have collapsed long ago if there wasn't so much ice holding it up. While everyone else slept or prepared to leave the next day, she explored where she could, intrigued by glimpses of the once grand magical college. While most of the tower was destroyed, each room was a potential scavenger hunt for hidden treasures. Red velvet drapes embroidered with raging flames, carved oak desks, tables, and chairs. One hidden room was occupied by four gorgeous and comfortable leather chairs and several bookcases full of what was either artwork or pornography. Her finicky storage ring accepted the furniture but rejected the books. "Definitely pornography then."

The limitations of the ring were a 20'x20' library. She had to arrange things correctly or risk the ring rejecting everything. If she stood still, she could 'enter' the ring, and direct the furnishings as she wished. Everything she'd taken from the old Duchess was stored in her realm and her ring had been empty when she arrived. It would be full when she left. She started with the contents of the hidden room. Then added four stylish oak sea chests. Once moved to her ring, the enchantments on the locks faded and most of the contents were dumped back out, judged as 'tacky and ordinary' by the ring. This gave her room to fold and pack away draperies and small treasures that she found in the college.

When she found bookshelves or libraries, she left it up to the ring to take what was valuable or enchanted. The exceptions were two sets of beginning spell books for Tier one and Tier two Fire Mages. The Sedgewick Mage's guild was still level 0, despite all the work done by Belerianne to acquire the needed texts and upgrade it to a higher status. Belerianne was exceedingly frustrated. She saw much potential in the people of Sedgewick and the Hamlets, yet only had cantrips to offer them. Suzette was working tonight to fix part of that problem. Golden candlesticks, crystal decanters, wine glasses, and a lovely collection of novelties and enchanted nicknacks were accepted by the ring and placed into tall glass display cases along the walls. Her fairies were a great help, darting here and there, finding 'treasures', some of which the ring took, and some it didn't. She saw that they wanted some things for themselves and she urged them to take what they liked, as long as it would not injure them, or explode at a later date. One fairy sadly put back a beautiful crystal bottle with angry eyes that cursed in several languages.

A set of teakwood doors carved with twining dragons had resisted the Ice Horrors' attacks with only one or two scratches. Instead, the horrors had broken through the wall only to find a boring dining room. Suzette entered that way, unlocked the doors, and added them to her ring. She wondered where the doors, placed on a blank wall by the ring, would lead to, but now wasn't the time to investigate. Not when such exquisite china and silverware were sitting on the tables. The china was decorated with a flame pattern and inlaid in gold. The goblets were of solid silver. She took a teakwood china cabinet, 48 place sittings, the candelabras, tablecloths, silk napkins, and anything else that added to the set.

One of her fairies told her that the floor was making noises in another room. Curious, she found a kitchen filled with bright copper pots. The ring was dubious about them. They compromised by only taking the cookware with runes and enchantments. She loved the huge clay ovens, but they were far too large and cumbersome. Behind the kitchen was a pantry, and a noisy floor. She found the room sheathed in six inches of ice, blocking a door set in the floor from opening. The voice yelling for help sounded human. Her Frostblaze spell provided enough heat after a dozen castings to melt the ice over the door, which slammed open to reveal an old woman and several youths, dressed in aprons and wrapped in blankets.

The old woman held a caste iron skillet in her hands that started to glow red with heat. "Friend or Foe? And don't think I can't fight!"

Suzette considered the question. "I'm not someone who underestimates a cook. I am Fae, the Silver Sorceress. I can be either friend or foe, but currently, I am allied to Duchess Claudia, and here to escort the people of this college to warmer lands." Small cheers erupted from the cellar. The old woman climbed up the ladder first and bowed her head slightly. "I'm Amelia. Used to be head cook for this place. Looks like that job's ended. Those potato heads behind me are Jimmy, Joe, Abe, and Burns. Related to me one way or another, and somewhat useful in a kitchen."

"Burns? An odd name. He seems unhurt."

The boys laughed, except one, who looked embarrassed. The older woman pointed a thumb at him, "Short for 'Burns Water'. The boy shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a stove, but he's quick as a wink when it comes to scouring pots and pans. You said you're getting people out of here? We were ready to go a long time ago. Didn't think anyone knew we were still here."

Suzette decided she'd had enough of looking for treasures for the night. She and her fairies led them out of the ruined building and back to the camp where they were placed in a warm and comfortable wagon with plenty to eat and large mugs of hot cocoa. The boys curled up in the blankets and were fast asleep immediately. Amelia stayed up, listening to people talk, and finally wrapped a blanket around herself and sat by the fire next to a half dozen burly workers who were enjoying the night and telling stories.

The next morning, as the sun broke over the horizon, everyone in the camp was assembled at the hundred-foot-tall Ash tree that had grown in the crater where the Ice Devil had died. Large packages were placed beneath the boughs wrapped in white paper with blue ribbons. All around the tree were rack after rack of long spears and light lances, similar to those used by the Red Company. Directly in front of the tree was a sword, glowing blue with electricity running up and down the blade, stuck point down into the soil.

Ben was happy to see his sword. It had been too cold to pick up after the battle and lay in the shattered remains of the Ice Devil's core. Delbert had been the only one able to approach the shards of the core. He'd used tongs made of ice to put them into a hollowed-out cube of ice that he sealed and placed in a wagon. The wagon was so cold he had to remove it from the camp. Glitterspark he left where it was after an attempt to pick it up had left him with frostbite and electrical burns. "Says it ain't my sword. I'll leave it be."

Ben had taken both Ice and Cold resistance, and was wearing a large heavy leather glove of Sedgebull hide that he'd borrowed from Jorges. It was big enough that he could wear another glove inside. Reaching out and grasping his sword didn't hurt him, but it took all his effort to pull it free and he couldn't resist holding it up in the air, dramatically. The sky rumbled, but to his surprise, he wasn't struck by lightning, this time.

Glitterspark, Legendary Scintillating Sword of the Last King of Pittsburgh

'...and when the last king comes to claim his own, his right hand will be filled with lightning and his left with cold fire...'

Storm Enchanted Silverite Estoc - The Bane of Winter

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Thrusting Damage: 400 + 5 additional points for each point of DEX or STR over 10. This weapon negates 300 points of mitigation when thrusting, breaking armor, and shattering natural protection.

Blunt Damage: 100 points plus 5xSTR.

Storm Magic Channeled through Glitterspark and into a foe will be twice as effective.

This sword has pieced the heart of a great Elemental Champion of Winter and stolen its power.

The wielder gains +100 Elemental Mitigation and takes only half damage from Wind, Cold, Ice, and Water.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Harmony yelled loudly as did the rest of House Franklin. Harmonia was more thoughtful but smiled happily after a moment. Ben picking up his sword signaled the start of the looting and people surged forth in an orderly manner, unit by unit. The ash wood spears claimed by the cavalry were ten feet long with the last two feet ending in wickedly sharp lance heads. The infantry spears were also of ash wood, slightly thicker and 14 feet long, ideal for a close-formed unit. All of the weapons were similarly enchanted.

Leaves of the Child of Yggdrasil

Grown from a descendant of the legendary World Tree, this tree's branches fall to the ground as enchanted spears when battles are fought around it.

Each spear shaft is flawless and will not break when used in battle by a trained soldier. The spears, lances, or pikes will do an extra +5 points of damage per level of their wielder. The wielder gains +20 mitigation from Cold, Ice, Wind, and Water.

Themis, Claudia, and Harmonia found spears that called to them. Themis smiled as she held hers, a fitting replacement for the weapon that had cracked as she strove to kill the Ice Devil. "This will do just fine." She held the 12' ash spear into the air and the soldiers cheered. Claudia and Harmonia received similar weapons, tailored to their abilities.

          Thorn-Runed Spear of Deadly Ground

Base 60% to hit. Base 350 damage.

Spell: Frozen Thorns. Mana Cost 300. The spear casts forth a spray of projectiles in a 30-degree arc, 50' long doing damage as a longbow to anyone in the area of effect. Wounded creatures also take +100 Ice damage.

Spell: Deadly Frozen Ground. Mana Cost 500. Casting Time: 5 seconds. Duration: 10 minutes. One area of ground equal to a square acre sprouts sharp, icy thorns that cut through boots and injure hooves. Troops moving through the area will take 100 damage to their feet for each 10' they advance into the Deadly Frozen Area and soon be unable to move, as their bloody feet freeze to the ground. Cavalry charges will be stopped. Smart mounts will refuse to enter the area.

Wind Master's Lance

Base 60% to hit. Base 250 damage.

Perk: Control Winds. Your Calm Winds and Mage Wind spells last twice as long, and have twice the area of effect.

Spell: Wind Lance. Mana Cost 300. You may throw your Lance at any creature within 1000 feet doing double your normal damage. The Lance will return thirty seconds later.

Ashen Spear of Authority

Base 60% to hit. Base 200 damage.

Perk: Defending my Lands. The base damage of your weapon is increased to 500 in the lands that you rule. When leading a unit or company in your lands, all soldiers armed with spears or lances gain +100 damage.

Perk: Conqueror of Winter. +100 Mitigation to Ice, Cold, Wind, and Water. You may forego this protection for a day to grant +25 Mitigation to Ice, Cold, Wind, and Water to all troops under your command.

Caldrius was highly pleased to gain a snow globe that gave him access to a Frost Shield spell, equal to his Heat Shield. Rastfian and Baron Orlo gained the same. All of them enjoyed shaking the globes and watching the little whirlwind inside storm around the miniature scene angrily as it tried to break the globe. All of the other mages received similar items, granting them protection from Winter or enhancing one of their fire-based spells. Myrna happily began cooking again after finding her gift of a glowing iron spoon that added Heat and Spice to anything that she cooked. Everyone but Ozzy was worried about the eye-watering steam coming from her wagon.

Rolly and Squirmie each received the gift of a fifty-gallon barrel filled with a frozen mixture of cream, vanilla and maple extracts, sugar, hazelnuts, and blackberries. The barrels would refill with the tasty frozen mixture once a month if placed in a cold area. Bets were placed on how many hours it would take for each of them to finish.

House Franklin, in addition to a spear or lance, received a warm and snug Snarlfang Cloak with high fur collars. While not magical, per se, they were good protection against extreme cold. Harmony Franklin also gained a large book that gave details on the lines of horses descended from Legendary Steeds and how to raise them. Thoughtful, she inspected Mudhead to confirm that wings weren't the only thing the Stallion had recently gained from his Legendary status.

The Contract Workers each gained a pair of ash-handled adze with blue crystal heads. These hefty weapons were far better than the basic tools many of them had to make do for weapons. Each did a base of 80 points of damage, instead of 10, with additional damage to creatures of winter.

Suzette, in her guise of the Silver Sorceress, walked across the snow to the tree, not seeing any package. As she neared, the tree shook and a dozen cuttings from branches fell to the ground, already beginning to sprout roots. Jon and Cham helped her place them in small pots of bark for the trip back to Sedgwick.

The two Forest Princes had gained enchanted adze like the other workers, but also a surprising message that explained the dark stains on their bark.

Burned by Fire, and Blessed by Smoke.

It's dangerous for tree folk to stand too near a bonfire or Butcher. Without the protection you wore, this would be a much sadder story and we'd be explaining the meaning of the word 'Fire Wood'. Instead, you endured the pain and were engulfed in Smoke. Wood doesn't burn in the Great Smokey Seas, imbued with that element. And now, neither do you.

Your Smoke-Imbued hides now give you the Fire Resistance skill, as well as negate your natural vulnerability to fire and flames.

Ozzy took the last package and opened it up to find a small book with two short chains and hooks on each end of the spine. It was made of thick, blue-scaled leather with a strap and clasp.

Tasty at any Temperature: Cold Smoking Recipes for the Versatile Butcher.

This handy guide attaches to a Butcher's Belt or Apron, granting +7 DEX and +7 WIS.

He looked at some of the recipes for cold-smoked shoulder of Snarlfang, dried sausages, and slow-cured bacon, smiling, and making plans.