Soft squeaking sounds came from behind the bar. The Red Ram Inn was enjoying a slow afternoon after the typical mid-day rush before the evening bar patrons come around from their jobs. The bartender and owner of the establishment was busy cleaning mugs and getting things cleaned and ready. In the corner of his eye sat a dark skinned male adventurer. He knew the figure well enough. He’d been staying at the inn while in town. He disappeared for a while at a time, but returned before long. The bartender figured he was taking small adventuring jobs from patrons visiting the inn for food and drink. It wasn’t a bad idea. Drunk minds are more easily parted with their gold for the most mundane tasks after all. The male was named Pierce if his memory served him. As long as he paid his bills for the room and food/drink, and he wasn’t creating trouble, whatever business he did in the city was of no interest to the bartender.
Pierce sat at an empty table. He looked around at the few patrons and sighed softly as he returned to checking his bow. “I wonder what the others are up to.” he said thinking of the other three members of his party. The human druid Lielandria is probably training her wolves in the forest outside of the city, and Stacey the elf mage is likely doing research in the potion master’s library trying to find clues to reverse the unnatural aging that befell the last member of the party, the half orc thief Subrosa during their last adventure together. “I hope we can find a way to help her.” he thought before a small sack of gold hit the table in front of him and startled him suddenly.
“I take it by your dress that you’re an adventurer?” asked a male figure on the other side of the table.
“Yes, I am. I take it from the gold you dropped here that you have something you’d like to ask of me?” asked Pierce in return taking note of the few gold coins that escaped the sack upon hitting the table.
“I do. I have a friend that is in need of an Escort.” said the figure in a male voice.
“Escort? Who is your friend and where are they going?” asked the adventurer next.
“A ruin not too far from town, but with all the recent disappearances and such you can’t be too careful right?” replied the male again. Pierce looked him over. He was dressed in regular commoners clothing, nothing special.
“What’s the nature of the trip to these ruins?” asked Pierce curiously.
“Research. I head a small society studying the local history and those ruins are a gold mine of information about the past.” explained the male.
“Sure. Sounds simple enough. I’ll take the job.” said Pierce taking the sack and putting it in his backpack.
“Excellent. How soon can you be ready to go?” asked the benefactor excitedly.
“Give me a just couple of minutes and I’ll be ready.” replied Pierce picking up his effects.
“Good. You can meet my associate at the eastern city gates. He’ll be waiting wearing a brown cloak.” said the client watching the ranger gear himself up for the trek.
A short time later a cloaked figure turned to see Pierce coming up to the main gates of the capital city. “Are you the client in need of an escort?” asked Pierce as he approached.
“Yes.” the cloaked figure said as he nodded in answer and looked Pierce over. The ranger wore a studded leather armor set and had his bow, a broadsword, two daggers, and a shield on him besides his backpack. The figure smiled as he regarded the well equipped adventurer, but scowled a little at the sight of two four legged companions at his side. A burly guard dog, and a small winged cat.
“Pets?” he asked.
“Yes. Shadow is a newer addition to my group, but Kite here has been with me since I found him as a kid.” explained the ranger.
The cloaked male stood in silence a moment before turning to exit the city. “Follow.” he said simply. Pierce looked to the guard standing at the gate giving him a quizzical look.
“Weird one that one. Been giving me the creeps since he started standing here. I’d watch myself if I were you adventurer.” said the guard. Pierce nodded in acknowledgement before he turned to follow the male down the road.
The ruin the male led them to was dank, and half flooded. A lot of the actual structure was sunk into a bog forming below it. Walls had crumbled from the wetness and weather and what remained of the place had been overtaken by plants. They walked deep into the ruin and entered an area whose ceiling had collapsed long before. The figure set about looking at different rocks as Pierce stood guard. A moment later Shadow’s ears perked up at a sound before he began to growl. Pierce looked at his canine companion and followed his gaze to see another cloaked figure approaching.
“Friend of yours?” asked Pierce taking up his sword.
“Brother.” replied the figure Pierce is escorting.
Another footstep and another cloaked figure appeared in another doorway. Pierce eyed the new pair warily. “And him?” he asked.
“Sister.” replied the cloaked figure just as mysteriously. Shadow’s growls grew as a few more footsteps approached now. A few more cloaked figures entered what used to be a chamber at a steady rate.
“Are you sure you sure you know them all?” he asked taking up a defensive stance as he watched them. They were moving silently, but stopping at specific places.
“Yes.” replied the figure.
“What’s going on here?” asked Pierce seeing their formation. Each held a staff with a bone attached to the end and stood with their arms up and staffs out.
“Ritual.” came the singular word reply.
“A ritual. For what?” asked Pierce now ready to fight.
“Summoning.” replied the figure simply.
“Summoning what?” asked Pierce next. He didn’t like the way things were going.
“Mother…” said the cloaked figure as a purple tendril shot out of the water of the bog in the middle of the room and snagged Pierce’s left leg.
“What?” asked Pierce as he felt himself start to be pulled before Shadow jumped in and bit the tendril quickly. The dog let go as the tentacle shifted to pull Pierce before the ranger’s broadsword came down and cleaved straight through it. It left a green splatter on the blade as the dark skinned human moved back to regroup. “Thanks Shadow. Looks like this was a trap.” he said aloud as he pulled his shield up now ready to fight.
Coming out of the bog in front of him was one of the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. The creature had a ball shaped body and six (now five) arms. Two were tendrils like the one Pierce had already severed, and three had mouths complete with sharp teeth. Four eye stalks also protruded and swayed from the main body. Before Pierce could assess its looks more the two remaining tendrils surged forward and wrapped around his right arm and part of his shield. The ranger grunted as he began to pull back away from it as hard as he could.
“What in the hells is that thing?” asked Pierce more to himself than anyone else.
“That my dear Ranger is a Deepspawn. And you are going to be its dinner this evening.” came a familiar male voice from the doorway now. Pierce looked a second to see the same male that had approached him about this job standing there now.
“I take it this is all your doing.” said Pierce staring back at the monster now.
“Yes. I have a sort of…agreement with this monster. You see they’re not as stupid as most would have you think. I bring this monster unwary prey. Mostly foolish adventurers such as yourself, and I get to keep any valuables they happen to be carrying after they’ve died. Simple as that.” said the male smugly.
“Looks like I’ve had this pegged wrong from the get go. The monster doesn’t live in this ruin. The monster lives in the city.” said Pierce.
“Call me what you will. My pockets will always jingle as long as I keep this up. Now I must leave you to your fate. Try not to fight too much. You’ll only make things more unpleasant for yourself in the long run.” said the male as he turned to exit.
“This isn’t going to be easy. Can I even beat this thing?” asked Pierce seriously as he looked at the deepspawn before him again.
There are a lot of things in the world that can be considered dangerous. Monsters, dark magic, people, even nature itself if given the right circumstances. But even to an adventurer who lives a life fraught with danger, there are few things more potentially perilous than idle hands. Idle hands can lead one to go seek danger in ways that wouldn’t normally be considered, or overlook warning signs that would have otherwise been noticed. Pierce Brown has fallen prey to the danger of idle hands. Will he be able to escape with his life?

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A story i commissioned in conjunction with a picture i'd done months ago.

Story and Pierce Brown by  electricfox777
Deepspawn, Dungeons and Dragons and all other associated properties by Gary Gygax
Visuals by me,  fc32