Town Crier Stanley

UP: Europa

    The evening had progressed as it had many times before. After work, Mayor Jonathan walked to The Shattered Skull for an ale from Sheldon, the Tavernkeeper. This time though upon finishing his ale and brief conversation with Sheldon, the Mayor was invited to a nearby table to help in finishing off a pitcher of cider by a tamer named Nostardo. Not one to turn away from refreshment, Mayor Jonathan took the seat offered him. As the two chatted; the cider did flow and their mugs barley did touch the table. Sheldon, shaking his head, then saw the two carousers leave the Tavern in fine spirits. Just as they exited he noticed the man had left his crook and rushed it out to the duo. As he returned to the shop he noticed his hands were blackened a bit as if the crook was burned....a Dragonmaster!

    The next evening Sheldon poured an ale in preparation for the Mayor but he did not come. This was peculiar indeed so he ventured next door to the Town Hall only to find that the Mayor had not come to work at all. Sheldon could not remember a day when Mayor Jonathan had been absent; from the Tavern that is. As Sheldon returned to his Tavern he re-thought the evening prior, and as he glanced at table where the two sat he saw a paper hanging from under the table. He grabbed the paper and read it.

    Mayor Ransom 500,000gold....Dragon Isle tonight...or Skara Brae will be leveled.

    Sheldon raced word to me and I spread word to fellow Town Criers in hopes to form a rescue party of warriors. Word spread quickly and as luck has it a few warriors traveling by Destard did chance upon beasts being herded by one named Nostardo. Soon their location was known and a hearty band of horsemen, mages and knights did travel to Dragons Isle bridge upon which Nostardo stood surrounded by Drakes.

    Nostardo stood with no emotion as he received the response to his demands in the form of a Blade Spirit offered by one of the rescuers now circling his pets. He dispelled the whirlwind of blades and commanded his "pretties" to destroy the warriors. As the battle raged back and forth, several horsemen took runs at the chest that the Drakes seemed bent on protecting as well as their master. Nothing was found within the chest, but still the drakes defended this area. Blood began to stain the ground, and the small body of water under the bridge began to boil from the blasts from the Drakes. Finally one Drake fell and this enraged Nostardo who then dispatched 2 rescuers in seemingly seconds. Nostardo began to attempt to heal his Drake pets and took wave after wave of energy sent into his body by the mages. Dispelling and healing in desperation he looked less to defeating the rescuers and more to his pets wounds. The Drakes were inflicting damages and deaths but not enough to turn the tide, one by one they all fell. Nostardo then was encircled and cut down most soundly by the knights’ swords.

    Upon his death; Mayor Jonathan appeared from within the chest thought empty!! "I’m FREEEE!!!!!" he yelled.

    After briefly thanking his saviors he asked all to join him in rounds of ales on him back in town as a measure of his appreciation for his freedom. Many an ale was poured and Sheldon on multiple times did have to leave to restock from his supply room. A fine evening all did have as the Mayor described what he had been through and heard. It seems that Nostardo had sought to stop the harvesting of Drakes and Dragons from Destard by destroying Skara Brae, the city of rangers and tamers. Nostardo had planned on hiring a mercenary army with the ransom gold to augment his Drake forces and then level Skara Brae. As a wise Sage might say...."Timing is everything" and perhaps if those first travelers had not chanced upon Nostardo who knows how large his forces would have been...or whether they would be stopped if at all.

    What did stop is Mayor Jonathan's evening; as a trio of travelers helped him to the Falconer's Inn to sleep off his celebration of freedom. Perhaps that feeling of freedom will change in the morning when he meets his wife talons at the ready in the doorway of "home sweet home".

    Maybe I should call for another rescue party to form for Mayor Jonathan....hmmm.

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Tuesday, April 13th 1999