Chapter 2
The air was crisp and chilled as Nis walked outside, it was time to deliver the message. He walked along the snowy streets looking for the lodge, a large stone building with a wood and thatch roof. The streets were covered in a blanket of snow, still mostly untouched, as most of the population was still preparing for the day. After a few streets he saw it, standing proud among its humble neighbors. It looked almost like a castle, aside from the slanted roof, at the front were two heavy looking wooden double doors. Two men stood guard on either side of the doors, they were armored in brushed steel plate and held staves. Or rather, half stave, half sword. The guards crossed these as Nis approached, "Halt! what business do you have with the lodge master?"
Nis stopped short of the staves, "I come bearing an urgent message for him, I have traveled from the shadow of the bone mountains to bring it."
"Wait here!" One of the guards ordered, the other who hadn't spoken turned and disappeared through the door. Nis did as he was instructed, he waited, and wondered; he had never seen the lodge master before, and he wondered what it would be like. After a short time, the guard returned, "The second of the lodge master will hear you now, enter." The second, this was not who he was supposed to be talking to, perhaps the drunk man had some truth in him after all, he entered through the open doors.
Inside the lodge was warm, the walls made from polished wood. The floors of granite bricks covered with a carpet, Torches burned on the walls. This main room looked like a great hall, or almost reminiscent of a throne room, save for there being no throne, nor a king to sit upon it. Instead there was a large table made from pine in the middle, and a stone chair at the head. There were also smaller wooden chairs on either side of the table. There were several men, guards from the look, standing by the walls. And there was a man standing by the stone chair, he was peculiar looking.
The man was quite gaunt, yet he was dressed like one who had never missed a meal in his life. His hair was as white and as wild as a blizzard, and his eyes... His eyes were hard, golden, and calculating. Nis had a feeling this man had seen much more of life than anyone should ever have to see, he also doubted very much that this was the lodge master. "I have a message for the lodge master, I must speak it directly to him." Nis stated with as much confidence as he could muster, the man's eyes seemed to be boring into his very soul.
"I don't know who you are, and I don't know where you've come from. We've have several attempts made on the lodge masters life the past few months. You understand that I cannot allow you to speak with him without questioning you first." The man's voice was unusually deep, and had a rumble in it of boulders crashing down the side of a mountain. "So tell me then, who are you, and where do you come from?"
"I am Nis, from Stirm, in the shadow of the bone mountains. Do what you must with me but I must speak with the lodge master."
"Hmm, shadow of the bones you say? Wait here, I will return in a moment." The gaunt man turned and left the hall through a small door towards the back. After only a few minutes, he returned, "You have been granted an audience, but under one condition, guards, strip him to his skin."
Nis was given robes to cover himself and was led by the gaunt man into the door he had seen the man disappear into for a few minutes. There was a stone spiral staircase leading downward into the darkness. the stone was cool against Nis' bare feet, they had taken even his boots from him. There must have been some very serious attempts on the lodge master to warrant this, things must have gotten worse than they have thought possible in Stirm. He hoped he had not come too late.
At the bottom of the stairs there was a dimly lit corridor, at the end was a single wooden door, with a carving of scales, one lower than the other. The gaunt man opened the door and revealed another chamber, much better lit than the corridor. There was a small table here, similar to the one in the main hall, yet smaller, more personal. The the head sat a bear of a man, the lodge master had very muscular, fury arms. His skin was tan, and looked to be as rough as the bark of a cedar. His hands sat unfolded palms down on the table, they were massive; Nis guessed that one of them could encompass his entire head. The man's face was covered in a well kept yet long beard. his hair was brown like freshly baked bread. His eyes were piercing, but yet, there was a warmth to them. As though this man knew everything about you, yet he would share his table with his enemy if they were in need.
The man stood as the entered, and his massiveness was confirmed, "Hail traveler from the Shadow of bones, what brings you so far from home?" It sounded as though thunder has clapped the building, the man's voice was a deep bass, and it was loud enough that it made men and objects alike shake with the vibrations.
"Master, I come with grave news," Nis swallowed, this was difficult, he hadn't thought relaying this would be so hard, or frightening, or upsetting to him.
"Well, out with it then dear boy!" Boomed the lodge master.
"The north seal has been beached lodge master... And Stirm..." He couldn't bring himself to let the words fall from his lips, it would mean accepting the truth. The north seal was destroyed, and all he knew, Stirm, his family, all of it was now dust. "Strim is lost..."
The room was silent, Nis was trembling. The lodge master's eyes were boring into him with such intensity that he felt he would be cleaved in two. The other man was leaning against a corner, his eyes on the stonework at his feet, his arms folded, and his face had become a shadow; every feature darkened with expression, he looked as if her was about to run someone through with a rusty dagger.
"This is indeed grave news traveler," The lodge master's voice shattered the silence like molten glass being poured into an icy river, "Please. excuse us, I must take counsel with my second as to a course of action. Where will you be staying?"
"I am not rightly sure, there was an inn that I stopped at on the way through town..." Nis could hear his own voice trembling. He could not recall reading the sign post for a name, it had been too dark, and it had not seemed that impotent at the time.
"Sounds like the Lucky Rung master Gimbles place." The man in the corner said coolly. The name rang a bell, that was the place.
"Yes, that's where I'll be, please, I realize that you are a busy man, but my home is gone, please what ever you must figure out, do it quickly." That was not the right thing to say, thought Nis, now they definitely won't help you.
"As I said, we will do what we can, now please go and wait for us to send for you." The lodge master did not seemed bothered by the disrespect at all.
Nis was led back upstairs, he was given his things. He put his clothes back on and headed out through the double doors. The air chilled him again, his body adjusting from the warmth of the lodge. Snow was falling again, and people were starting to come out and head about their business. He walked till he found the inn, sure enough, the swinging sign had carved on it in block letters, "Lucky Rung" He pushed open the door and walked inside.