Trouble in the workplace
Leg strikes, missy, leg strikes! If you disregard that, they'll slice you down to ribbons!But he's so small!That'll only get worse as you grow up, now focus!Your sparring partner, Tommen, makes use of your distraction and strikes your ribs. The wooden training sword won't cause much more than a welt, but it still hurts. You focus, and attempt to strike at his legs. he jumps back, and attempts a rushing stab, which you block with the plank attached to your other arm. You return the favor as he recoils, striking him on the ribs. He winces, and you take another strike at his upper thigh. You back up quickly before he can retaliate. He attempts another charge, with an overhead sword strike, but the leg you struck makes him slightly slower. You dodge his strike, and strike with your stinger. You stand on your four hind legs and stick your abdomen through. You strike square on the chest, and you knock him down. You have a leather cover over your stinger, of course. Still, you knock him on his behind with the force alone.
Enough! Tommen, you were too aggressive again. Keep yourself collected in battle, or it will consume you. Or she might, given the opportunity!Uncle Liam laugh heartily. You stomp on the floor with four of your legs as you say:
Uncle! Don't tell people that I go around eating people! People might believe it!I-i don't think you eat people.... Tommen says. Whenever he's not fighting, he's honestly a real wallflower. He doesn't talk and never even knows anything of what's going on in the village. You tried getting him into some social graces, but even surrounded by people he never talks. You don't understand it.
It's probably why you like him so much. The one person you can't quite figure out in the whole village. Still, you don't know him THAT well, he mostly just serves as a sparring partner for you.
I'm pretty sure nobody's going to think you eat people if some crazy old man goes around saying it. Anyways, That'll be enough for this week. I'm expecting you to practice with those bolas I gave you. Remember, it's all in the throw. Technique over power, or else I'll just have you throwing rocks.Got it, uncle. you say, as you take off the protections for your front knees and the helmet. The rough leather is uncomfortable, but it's better than breaking something. Tommen does the same, and runs off. He's never one for talking after training. You don't mind, however, you need a secluded spot anyway. You move further into the forest while uncle Liam begins to clean up the place. When you find yourself sufficiently secluded(which required you climbing up a large tree) you take off your tunic and remove your binder. Finally, you can breathe easy!
Puberty is not kind to the female warrior. At least you don't have to deal with periods, which sounds positively ghastly. You slip your tunic back on and begin the walk back home to the inn. Father said you needed to cook today, anyways, and there's hell to pay when you don't do your chores.
The walk back was uneventful, and you reach your village soon. The proud statue of its founder still stands stoically, forever peering with its silver-encrusted eyes. You never found out why he was important enough to warrant a statue, but you didn't really care enough. You wave to some of your friends in the distance as you continue towards the inn. The largest home in the village, it has enough room to house all of the townsfolk, and then some. It was a lot smaller, back in the day, but your father worked on the expansions whenever it wasn't tourist season while you worked the bar. You still got the occasional traveler coming to see the local drider bartender, of course, but mostly it's just the townsfolk coming in for a drink. Adventurer parties gather here as well, which was the main reason the expansions are divided in rooms instead of making a giant hall. More shadowy corners for idiots to remain in. We started asking extra for those, which worked to great effect. You'll never be able to afford one of those quantum inns, of course, in which the whole thing is made up of "dark corners away from everyone else". fancy stuff. The number of travelers has increased since about four years ago, and you can't quite figure out why. You love it, though, all the more people to tell of what's happening in the world. The legendary twinkle in your eyes is a popular attraction for travelers with stories to tell.
You can't wait until you're old enough to go adventure yourself. Slaying monsters, saving damsels, making the most amazing friends...
Until then, however, you clean the counter and serve drinks. You enter the inn, and see your father cleaning a glass behind the counter. The massive wall of all manner of drinks is as impressive as always. The inn appears empty for now, but as lunch is approaching, that will change in very little time.
Hey, puddin'. Get your butt to the kitchen, we've got people incoming.Almost as on cue, the door opens as you crawl over the counter. It's uncle Liam, shouting:
I'll be taking my payment, Alibert! In the form of a cold glass of Green Bliss!You go inside the kitchen as your father begins to pour.You pull your favorite leather apron off a hook and put it on. The pots and pans were washed yesterday, and you get to work on the Mutterstew. It's the most complicated thing here, but it refills a mage's mana by a heck of lot. You start by taking a bottle of your poison, pouring into a special pot and putting it in the oven to boil. This will prevent it from actually poisoning someone. You can peel the vegetables while it works. By the time you finish everything you are likely to need for today (you can peel really fast when you've got pedipalps to help cut) the first order comes in. Fortunately, it's not Mutterstew, just some chicken with applesauce. You pull a chicken out of the larder, taking care not to get blood on you (A spell is used to keep the meat fresh, but it's a little too fresh, sometimes.) you put the apples in a bowl, attach some pestles to your pedipalps, and multitask the chicken preperation and the apple crushing. Spices for the chicken here, sugar for the applesauce there...
You're finished in ten minutes. As no other orders came in, you decide to bring the meal yourself. You put it on a platter and walk into the inn itself.
as you enter, you see three men at the counter. They look grubby, and each of them wear green hoods. Uncle Liam looks wary and your father looks at them with disdain.
Aaah, look at that! Looks like you WERE holding out on us, old man. You do have something interesting in here. the one at the front says with a gravely voice. He sounds like he gargles tar for a living.
If you wanted chicken, you should have just asked. Your father says through clenched teeth.
Nah... I'm thinking of some different meat. Hey, spidergirl! he points to you.
I saw you in the forest earlier. I was gonna crack your skull open for wandering in our territory, but then, hoh hooo. You gave me quite the show there.You face flushes red as you put down the tray of food. This pervert! Peeping on you like that! You crawl over the counter and wander closer to him. This little puke smiles at your furious approach. If looks could kill, you would have disintegrated him. You are at equal height, so you stretch your legs a little to appear larger.
He just laughs.
What?! You tryin' to intimidate me? I'm not scared of some spider, especially when half of it so pretty.Your blood feels like it's positively boiling! Your father and uncle share the sentiment. Uncle Liam already pulled out a small club, and you know your father keeps his old hook just below the counter. These idiots are also armed, though. you see two sheaths on each of them. You are unarmed, apart from your stings and bare hands.
What do you do?
Stats:
Level: 1
HP: 15/15
Mana:
Equipment: Comfy tunic, leather apron(heat resistance)
Skills:
Poison Stinger (Mostly non-lethal)
Minor experience in blocking and swords.
Climber
Also of note, ballooning is impossible for driders, as they are far too heavy.
Author
Topic: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure (Ended) (Read 170887 times)