Introducing a new Chain Story

An explanation of what a Chain Story is can be found here: Introducing Chain Stories! Interactive Fiction Writing

This post kicks off a Chain Story between @zakludick and @fromage, each of which will be taking turns to write a part of the story. There is minimal planning as to regards to the handing off of the story which will make it interesting and a challenge.

As each of the writers makes their contributions their names will light up when it is their turn. Each of the parts in this series will be called a "Chainlink".

The Autumn Keep - What mystery will be discovered in this new story? Join us and let us see how the story is revealed!

Chainlink 1

The woods were dark.

Strange sounds echoed under the dense canopy. It might have been noon on the other side of the overlapping branches that made up the ceiling high above the narrow path. On either side of the trail were closed in low growing bushes. Occasionally there were little clearings that were strewn with mushrooms growing in the dim light.

Griffin whipped his head to the right as he heard a rustling sound.

He searched the trees and brush for danger, one hand placed on the grip of his sword. In the other, he bore an ornate lamp of surprising quality he had purchased yesterday. The merchant had been poor and a grocer by trade.

When Griffin had told the merchant that he needed food for his journey through Damor Woods, the old man had insisted that he purchase the lamp. The lamp seemed to be made of silver, but that would have been a steal at the price the man had been willing to accept for it.

What was also impressive was that the candle inside the glass had never gone out since Griffin had gotten it, nor did the wax seem to have shrunk. He had a few spare candles in his backpack, though none of them were of the same red wax variety that the lamp currently held.

Could it be that the lamp was enchanted? Griffin shook his head. He did not want to think about it right now. Something was making a noise in the forest before him. It was consistent and the sounds were… swift.

Nothing attracted his eyes close to the ground so he cast his sight higher up into the tall trees. Sure enough he spotted the source of his distraction. Some small woodland rodent was scampering up the bark of one of the nearby trees. It was almost invisible against the brown o the bark, yet its movements gave it away.

Griffin relaxed and released his sword. He checked the straps of his backpack and continued up the path. The pack was not too heavy. It contained a few changes of clothes, his food, a map and a leather jerkin that he would wear if he thought he needed to fight.

He supposed that he would need to get used to wearing the damn thing. It was expected of him. He was an Ochtendzwaard after all, son of a Knight of Renown. Sir Ichard Ochtendzwaard was a man that was known from Gacot in the north to Sheaford in the south.

It was sometimes hard to have grown up in his father’s shadow. Griffin missed that shadow now though. Sir Ichard was dead. Though Griffin had trained under his father when he was young, he had never completed any of his training enough to officially become a Squire.

He needed to get through the Damor Woods to reach a town called Tamor. His uncle on his mother’s side had agreed to complete Griffin’s training. Great expectation weighed on his mind.

Although his father had accrued great wealth when he had been alive, the funds had been diminished greatly since his father’s passing. Griffin’s mother had sold much of their assets, including horses to keep the household provided for while Griffin grew up enough to leave the house.

He hoped that she was alright on her own now. At least she had Ekrid and Henu to keep her company, even if they were not human beings.

Griffin’s train of thought was interrupted by another sound. He stopped dead in his tracks. A chill ran up his spine. This time it was not the mere scurry of a rodent that had caught his attention. There had been a growl - it was unmistakable.

The pathway dipped down away from him before him. The sound had come from ahead of him somewhere, it had been deep and fierce. Griffin imagined the sound over and over, trying to place the sound and estimate the creature’s size.

Slowly, Griffin drew his blade. The sword was double-edged forged by a master blacksmith. It was one of the last items of actual worth that his mother still kept. It was a little heavy, Griffin was not yet used to its weight.

He considered his options.

He could wait and see what manner of creature was before him on the path. Did it know that he was here? Could he wait until the creature had wondered off? Should he bull forward and try to startle the creature into flight?

His hesitation cost him the advantage of choice.

There was a loud crack on the pathway behind him as something snapped. Griffin remembered that he had stepped over a dry branch on the pathway a moment before.

It was behind him! It was massive!

A growl sounded again, from behind him.

Another growl answered the first, this one still ahead of him on the path.

Griffin gripped his sword tightly and looked in either direction, still unable to see either beast.

“Oh Gods.” He whispered to himself, sweat running down his cheek. “I’m being ambushed.”

Chainlink 1 completed!

Now the torch is passed on to @fromage to add in Chainlink 2 of the story!