Shamutanti Hills… Again. Day 6 and Victory

I remain baffled as to how my character is surviving. My starting rolls were abysmal: skill 5, and my luck of 8 and stamina of 17 won’t really make up the difference. I’ve been expecting to just drop dead at any moment, but random chance seems to be on my side, as I am slowly healing stamina one meal and one campout at a time.

Day 4 ended in a fairly squalid village called Torrepani. I can’t afford food nor an inn, so I go to camp out and eat the last of my food. The meal and sleep do me some good, but strange as it sounds, being kidnapped by the locals is even healthier for me.

Mainstream medical literature really glosses over the health benefits of being kidnapped and imprisoned. But here in Kakhabad, well, things are a little different. I sleep soundly through the night because there aren’t any wolfhounds nor werewolves out there, and they even have breakfast for me. This is great! I’m back to my full 17 stamina.

I’ve been “called here” by the chief of the village, to rescue his daughter from a dungeon. You know that manticore on the cover? Yeah, it’s a tough, hungry hombre and it’s my job to go kill it. Fortunately, I’ve failed this book enough times that I know which magic spells will do the job quickly and easily.

In I go!

I descend into the darkness at the end of a rope, reciting the Litany Against Fear a few dozen times on my way down. I find the scared little girl right away, as well as the monstrous beast that’s holding her.

DOZ! As the beast leaps into the air, it becomes drowsy and flies less steadily. HOT! A ball of fire injures and enrages the creature. WAL! As the monster circles around, half dazed from the pain and the sleep spell, I trap it in the far side of the cave. It howls and claws, as we bravely skedaddle back to the surface.

And that’s it! I’m a hero to these svinn, and they promised me anything I want. My journey through the Shamutanti Hills is over, and I set my eyes on Khare.

Not bad, for a dope with 8 luck and 5 skill!