Warden

"What are you doing?" Warden asked. His frame, just under seven feet tall, cast a long shadow over the old man. His face was concealed by metal and a scaly ball rolled in circles around his feet. Kingsley yelped once more, startled by the gigantic, armor-clad figure. He nearly spun around, but stopped when he realized that drops of acid continued to spill from the skeletal dragon's jaw. Kingsley cleared his throat. "Working." Beneath his helmet, Warden furrowed a brow. "On what?" "Gate maintenance." "You're a maintenance worker?" "Yes." Warden noticed the emp

Familiar Name: Minzi Description: Minzi is a desert pangolin, who found Warden hiding out during a sandstorm. His body is covered in dark brown scales that act like armor. He is slow in his normal form, but capable of curling into a ball and rolling at higher speeds. He finds comfort resting in Warden's helmet, and enjoys eating a variety of insects. Found In: Suits of Armor Familiar found on Post 15 Familiar tamed on Post 16

The three day trip back to Fortaleza was avoided with a teleport crystal. The five raiders that hid in their camp, far from watchful eyes, were one of many, Warden discovered. He pillaged their site, defeating them one-by-one, but left the greater mass for another day. A group effort would be required to defeat the entirety community of El Paso del Diablo raiders. He needed numbers. For now, he returned to the gypsy traveler and handed over the remainder of the familiar food. He showed her the pangolin he had encountered and she looked impressed. "My, my. I can't say I expected you t

"The loot inside of the cart," Warden told the couple. "It's yours. Find a way to take it with you, wherever you're headed. Use it to make some extra col." "What about the rest of the trip?" The boy asked. Without answering, Warden abandoned the pair, leaving them to dig through the crates of treasure, food, water, and so much more. He moved on alone, determined to find and destroy the camp of raiders. --- He discovered them a few dozen kilometers from Saharda. It was a small camp, with what looked like four or five raiders total. It could not have been their main base of o

Before they could judge whether or not half a day was a good estimate, they were interrupted on the road. A distant wagon approached, and Warden only recognized it when they passed each other. Brief eye contact between him and the drivers led to swords being drawn and transportation being dismounted. "You again!" The older caravanner scowled. Warden would not have spoken had he been given the chance. The younger of the two camel riders charged at him, but Warden saw it coming. He knocked the NPC back and watched as he was trampled by a terrified horse. "One down," Warden said fr

The couple looked to each other nervously. They hesitated, the boy even shaking his head, but the girl eventually spoke up for the both of them. "Yes, in exchange for some col." Money was always the answer. Invisible to them, Warden rolled his eyes, paying them a small fee. "We ride in the morning." He camped in an extra tent that a traveler had. He stripped off his heavy armor for the first time in days, leaving his helmet out for Minzi to sleep in. With an exhausted sigh, he dropped onto the sleeping mat and drifted away. Sleep took him faster than ever, and morning came even

When the sandstorm passed, they moved along. Minzi, who found it difficult to sit atop the horse, took comfort in Warden's armor. It curled up into its ball form and hid inside of his chest piece, where it fit perfectly. That was the benefit of a small body. They rode to the next rest stop, where they would take shelter for the night. This time, there were fewer people. The further the travel, the less NPCs they would encounter. It was a dangerous road through the canyon. Not everyone would make it to the end. By a fire pit, he spoke to a young couple as they shared a meal. "We've a

It nibbled at the food pellet, appearing to enjoy it thoroughly. The beast tamer had not mentioned what the items were made from, but he supposed it didn't matter. If it worked, it worked. He reached out another ball after the pangolin was finished, this time keeping it in his palm. The creature stepped forwards cautiously, sniffing his hand for a moment before indulging in the snack. As it finished the food pellet, a quest prompt appeared before Warden. The pangolin had been tamed. He had successfully found his familiar. Cardinal requested that he chose a name for his new friend. "Minzi,

Its shell was spikier than an armadillo; it had scale-like armor that covered the majority of its body, the perfect defense against predators. It stood there, staring at Warden, and through his helmet, he stared back. He could not tell what the creature was thinking, nor why it had rammed him. Accustomed to the arid climate, the pangolin was capable of maneuvering the sandstorm. It could roll up into its ball form and move around endlessly, without worrying about injury or attacks. Its shell was impenetrable. Warden realized that it was the familiar he had been searching for. A beast with

His contents of his canteen had been reduced to drops. He stroked the mane of the seated horse, and fed it the last of his water. It needed the drink far more than he did. The sandstorm picked up, and Warden could barely see a thing. It was good that they had stopped while they had the chance. They would not have made it much further in the storm. From the depths of the unexpected weather came a little ball, rolling through flying rocks and sand. Warden squinted, trying to get a good luck at what it was. A boulder, maybe? But it was rolling too quickly. It approached him, and he lift

The desert wind picked up. He wondered if more of the Otho's raiders were nearby, or if they really were long gone. No more had ambushed him in the cave. He was in the clear, for the time being. Staying on horseback gave him an advantage, at least. So long as he had shade, he and the stallion could continue to race through the canyon. According to his map, he would arrive at another rest stop by midnight. They could take shelter there for the night and continue their search in the morning. On the surface, a sandstorm brewed. He was safer than he would have been outside, but still, it forc

The cursor above the NPCs head passed right by the orange that Warden donned and settled on bright red. He was a raider, Warden realized, who probably hid out on the cliffside waiting for a straggling passerby to stop for shelter. It was no wonder they hadn't passed on the road. He hadn't seen Warden's tracks at all. Their blades were locked together, and the raider out leveled Warden by a small bit. In a desperate attempt to take control of the fight, he headbutted Otho, dazing him with his hard iron helmet. Then, he gave him another smack with the front of his shield, knocking him down.

The sun sank lower and the shadows of the canyon returned. Warden conserved his energy, resting at the back of the cave. Otho, who had been making himself comfortable near the entrance, seemed to be preoccupied with his own gear. They didn't speak, mostly because Warden wouldn't answer. Unbeknownst to Warden, Otho’s intentions had shifted. He had been watching Warden closely, waiting for the right moment to reveal himself. Under the cover of darkness, Otho quietly approached, his movements careful and deliberate. He reached for a small blade hidden within his tattered cloak, the glint of

Warden rode on, the canyon's twists and turns becoming more familiar the further he traveled. The sun continued to rise, casting a golden glow over the canyon walls and making the shadows retreat. The temperature began to climb, and Warden knew they needed to find shelter soon. As they rounded another bend, Warden spotted something unusual up ahead. A narrow opening in the canyon wall, almost hidden by a cluster of desert shrubs. It looked like a cave. He approached cautiously, scanning for any signs of recent activity. The rattlesnakes from the night before had emerged from the canyon wa

Warden galloped through the canyon upon the stolen horse, the sound of hooves echoing off the towering rock walls. The canyon was narrow and winding, with sheer cliffs rising on either side, casting long shadows in the growing light of dawn. The sleek black stallion, snorted and tossed its head, quickening its pace. The route ahead proved difficult, littered with rocks and loose sand. Warden's eyes scanned the narrow trail, searching for both signs of danger and of potential familiars. A sudden rustle of pebbles to his right made him tense. Warden’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of