Forums / Roleplaying / The Hellav

by Septim

A villain of many forms occupied the world of Bev. The locals called him the Hellav, but that name is young, his names were quite numerous. He had been known as the Jorvosk, the Killanosk, Gerbon, and Des. Many heroes had attempted to slay him, all have been lost. The Hellav possessed the unique ability to change forms, anything from a dragon to a flea. But, all things have an end, be them seemingly immortal beasts, or an old stag, and the Hellav was no different.

Chapter 1 - The Attack

Bertilius Septim, a Horven city guard, began his day like any other. He rose from bed, ate breakfast, answered nature's call, bathed in a nearby stream, and put on his guard uniform. He made his rounds as usual, walking around the city, there was never any crime in Horven. His friend, Ernest, was practicing his archery when Septim went to the barracks to take off his armor.

"Ernie, you're never going to get any better...", muttered Septim.

"There is no room for improvement, is that what you're saying?", asked Ernest.

"Of course there is, but you always stay the same distance from the target, try backing up", said Septim.

Ernest backed up and fired, and missed the target.

"Missing means there's room for improvement", said Septim as he walked away.

As he took off his armor, a bell ran in the distance, Septim listened.

"Two rings, three seconds apart...uh-oh", said Septim, he grabbed his longsword and shield and ran outside. Ernest turned to him.

"What?", he asked.

"That isn't a church bell! C'mon!", yelled Septim.

The two ran to the center of town to see two destroyed buildings, but in the middle was a beast more terrible than the fiercest dragon. Ernest immediately fired an arrow at it's eye, but that did little. The beast brought it's arm back and smacked Ernest, he flew twenty feet, knocked out cold. Septim drew his blade and ran at the beast, but it swept Septim aside like an old rag. Septim, with three broken ribs and a broken left arm, layed there as Horven was destroyed, unable to get up. Many other guards came, many were killed, few survived.

Septim sent out word that he was looking for men to accompany him on his quest to slay the Hellav. It took a month for word to spread, but Septim was in no rush, he needed to wait for his arm to heal after all. After two months of waiting, the first hero arrived. Cloaked in fur from various northern animals, a greatsword on his back, and a rather large wolf at his side. He approached one of the farmers on the outskirts of town.

"I would like to know where the one known as Septim is at", said the man.

"He's at the Veydon Inn", said the farmer.

"Where is that?" asked the man.

"It is about thirty feet from the town gate, it has a rather large sign, you can't miss it", said the farmer.

The man nodded and walked off towards the gate, he went through and approached the inn, inside, Bertilius Septim sat by the fire. The man approached the barkeep and asked for Bertilius Septim, and the barkeep pointed to the man by the fire. The man approached, and with a booming voice said, "Storms and Honor Bertilius Septim! I am here to help you slay the Hellav! I am Ragnarr Stormguard, and this is my wolf, Greyjoy."

Septim, having nearly fallen off the chair he was sitting due to the loudness of Ragnarr's greeting, turned around.

"Well Stormguard, you are the first of many to come and ask, are you brave?" asked Septim.

"I am the bravest of my people", boasted Ragnarr.

"Can you fight?" asked Septim.

"Only Vaeskar, the King of my people, is a greater warrior than I", said Ragnarr.

"And lastly, can you think?" asked Septim.

"I have led my people into battle with the raiders of the North, which was a slaughter", said Ragnarr.

"A slaughter of whom?" asked Septim.

"A slaughter of the raiders of course", said Ragnarr.

"Well then, Ragnarr Stormguard, I am honored to be the one to allow you to join our company", said Septim, "Why don't you get a room with the innkeep, we'll need to wait at least another weak for my arm and ribs to fully heal from the first fight with it."

Later that night, another figure entered the inn as Septim was eating his meal, he wore a green hooded cloak, he approached Septim's table and sat, he then pulled back his hood, his ears were pointed, his face devoid of facial hair, and his jaw was prominent.

"Welcome elf", said Septim.

"Greetings Septim, I am Erunion Telcontar of Naergothrendar", said the elf, "And I am here to join your company."

"Wll then, I will ask the same questions I asked the first man to join, are you brave?" asked Septim.

"I am renowned amongst my people as a brave warrior, but I do not bullrush my enemies like a barbarian...I like to consider by options before engaging...", said Erunion.

"A good trait, if you are renowned as a warrior I am guessing you can fight, and if you do not bullrush your enemies, I am guessing you can think, welcome to our company", said Septim.

"My sword and bow are yours", said Erunion before walking to the barkeep and getting a room.

Three more warriors joined the party, the Hero of Kaedon, Sorank Seloc, an elf of the southern woods, Sliveron, and an ex-soldier, Corvus Shakis, but he preferred the name "Shake" for unknown reasons. And with these seven men, the Horven Company was formed.

Septim finished packing his knapsack with food, water skins, and wine skins. As he finished Ernest entered.

"So, where exactly are we going?" asked Ernest

"The loremaster said that the Hellav has a lair one hundred twenty five miles from here in a rather large cave", said Septim.

"The three surviving guards want to join, Gaius Krovis, Aesius Conwell, and Antonis Xarxes", said Ernest.

"Then let them join, I know they are all good men", said Septim.

"Alright", said Ernest.

Septim walked outside, where Ernest, Ragnarr, Greyjoy, Erunion, Seloc, Sliveron, Shake, Xarxes, Conwell, and Krovis waited.

"Alright, we are going north to Helmoth Cave, there we will fight the Hellav", said Septim, "Any second thoughts?"

Nobody spoke.

"Good, lets go", said Septim as he turned and began walking out the gates, the company followed.

They covered twenty miles on the first day, and nothing happened, but on the second night, after going a total of forty miles, a strange creature appeared in the trees, eyes as red as the fires of hell and a face to match in ferocity. Septim drew his blade, and the rest followed, with Erunion and Ernest drawing their bows. The beast dropped in front of them.

"So you wish to slay my master do you? You know not what you're in for...", said the beast.

"We know that your master will fall by our weapons, be them blade or arrow", said Septim.

"Arrow? Blade? Bah! They cannot pierce his skin! Not even dwarven mithril can pierce the skin of Master Des", said the beast.

"Well what can?" asked Septim.

"I'll tell you, for a price", said the beast.

"What's the price...", said Septim.

"I rather like that wolf there", said the beast pointing to Greyjoy.

"You'll get my wolf when hell freezes over!" yelled Ragnarr.

"Fine...", said the beast, going off into the forest.

The group prepared for their journey early the next morning, but Conwell could not be found. The group went searching, and found his body nailed to a tree, his eyeballs missing, his teeth ripped out, and one of his legs apparantly sawn off. Nobody said a word as Septim took the body down and buried it. They continued their journey without words. Nobody said anything until noon, when Krovis broke the silence.

"He was my friend...my best friend...", he muttered.

After that, no more words were said. They camped later that night and the creature approached again.

"I have decided to come back, have you changed your mind?" asked the creature.

Krovis got up and threw a rock at the creature, hitting him in the face.

"Ooof!", said the creature as it fell down and got up, "Well I guess not..."

"You killed Conwell, didn't you!?" yelled Krovis.

"Of course not! I don't kill!" yelled the creature before walking away.

Septim took the first watch, Seloc the second, and Krovis the third, but when the group woke up, Krovis was gone, only his bones were found outside the campsite.

"Septim", said Xarxes, "This journey should be called off..."

"And let their deaths be in vain...I think not Xarxes, let us complete this quest...", answered Septim.

The party, now consisting of eight men and a wolf, continued the journey. They walked ten miles before seeing smoke in a nearby town.

"Septim, do you see the smoke?" asked Sliveron.

"I do, it might be the Hellav, follow me", said Septim as he began running, the seven other warriors, and the wolf, followed. They ran for three miles before reaching the gate, they were out of breath, except for the Elves, who used lighter armor and were used to running. The eight run into the town to find the creature, along with several others of his kind, executing the surviving citizens. Ernest, Sliveron, and Erunion fire arrow*beep*ting two of the creatures, but not killing them. They turn around.

"Well, you humans sure are slow, never thought you'd get here!" exclaimed the creature in the center.

Septim took his shield off of his back and held it ready, and the creatures rushed forward, clawing wildly, one jumped on Seloc and began clawing his face, Septim smashed it off and saw that Seloc's face was ravaged. Septim turned and stabbed his blade into the fallen creature, but saw that the creature simply moved, and the blade went through the creature as if it didn't exist. Septim stepped back, and the creature launched itself forward, Septim jumped out of the way, and the creature flew past him into a fountain. The creature shrieks in agony as the water melted away at it's flesh, and then it's bones.

"Men! Use water to defeat them!", yelled Septim.

Shake grabbed his water skin and opened the top, he sprayed some onto a creature, and the creature's flesh melted where the water had landed. The others did the same, and the same happened. The battle was soon over, with the creatures dead. Septim found Xarxes, injured with three large slashes to his face and two missing fingers, Seloc was missing an eye. Sliveron and Shake helped the wounded as Septim filled the waterskins and any other containers he could find with water.