The Midnight Watch

It was the dank hours of dawn and Finn knew he needed to leave his current location but he couldn't help it he was so close. He heard a slight crunch and looked down at a chip in the bottle, he quickly threw it at a tree. He breathed in a sigh of relief as the tree fell over with a loud crack. "Damn it, that was my last one." He couldn't help feeling a bit hopeless over the past few weeks he'd gone from a citizen to a fugitive thanks to the real criminals and that monster that paraded around as captain of the militia which was really just a few thugs framing people.

He began to think of the past before the town was abandoned completely by Cove, they still had problems but nothing like this, the shamblers were the least of his worries now, they'd become part of his daily routine he'd go out in the dark of night to get ore and smelt it to iron for his project inevitable he'd attract four or five, but he'd developed a new sword that would make quick work of them without much hassle it'd slice the head off and it'd be done. If anything his time as an outlaw had given him an abundance of free time to perfect his crafts, he remembered his first outing with his father into the mine at the age of nine, he was probably more a hindrance than help but his father never complained and continued to correct him in the use of the pick, if his father saw him now he'd roll over in his grave. Finn laughed, "At least he has the luxury of a grave."

Finns thoughts came back to the present, he had no idea why he returned, he'd made it to Britain without so much as a scratch, he'd seen the sprawling city with guarded bridges and outpost that put anything in Blackwell to shame. He'd also seen the East side of Britain left unguarded by any fortification, people walked around at night with little more than daggers just in case with guards stationed on the outskirts in armor the whole town of Blackwell wouldn't be able to afford. After two days in town Finn knew he'd be going back he didn't know why, he could have easily found work the premier blacksmiths seemed to have dozens of apprentices and he was sure they wouldn't mind another, he'd even done some of the blank work for meals while he was there, the old man was nice enough offering him a position but it didn't feel right something had nagged him. His thoughts always turned to Blackwell, he'd finally left the town but it was on the wrong terms he couldn't leave with that monster around, more people would get hurt, more people would be put on the chopping block if he weren't stopped. On his way out of Britain he met with a group heading north to find work in some of the outskirts, He'd met a healer, a carpenter, and a rather odd mage who he'd warned would probably get burned up north due to the churches influence but the man shrugged off his warning and said he'd deal with it if the time came.

Finns thoughts turned to his work as he spun a few gears he watched the sun rise cloaking both Felucca and Trammel in it's brightness before they disappeared from the sky, he finished his work and packed the kit he'd made in a bag with a few others, "I guess all those years hunting and trapping animals will finally pay off if these work", Finn Laughed knowing that with the rise of the sun he'd be heading back into the woods to find a place to hide out until night came.

It had been two weeks since Finn had met The Squirrel he'd come to call "Boo". He still couldn't believe it, that a small squirrel held so much power. All he could think about is repaying the creature with kindness and trying to learn from it.

It had been a cloudy day as Finn set out from his hut the day before he'd worked the north mountain after he'd noticed the mine was getting dangerous, he dreaded the walk and it was always the same thing, He'd see a lone orc wandering the mountain side before it saw him and he'd have to put an arrow in it's head, the idea that killing a creature that was so close to human but as far from as intelligent had been dulled after the first few times and now it was more going with the motions than anything else. As he thought about this Finn decided it was time for a change, He went south of town past the brigands strong hold knowing that they'd lost a leader recently they'd be in to much disarray to bother him as he made his way to the rock face.

An hour into his work Finn heard shuffling of feet and murmurs, as he looked up he saw the group of people two women and three men all with weapons pulled out, they hadn't seen him yet but in the open field next to the rock face there would be nowhere to go. Finn knew he'd most likely die right then, he'd been hacking at the mountain for a good time and his arms were tired but he drew his damaged sword, he'd left his shield and mace at home knowing they would just burden his load when hauling back the ore to smelt behind the Inn. As the bandits approached they spotted him, with a gruff voice one of the men grunted, "Oi, e's minin' our ore, les' carve es' face boss." A slightly taller and robust man step out from behind the rest and spat on the ground as he started to speak, "Boy you just made a big mistake, I'm the executioner an' yer gonna pay fer this with yer life."

As the Executioner raised his axe Finn prepared his sword to block in a futile attempt as the sword rattled even with Finns unshaking grip. Right before the axe came down A squirrel ran down the lone great tree in the field charging at the giant hold the axe. The squirrel climbed up the mans leg and around his back biting him at the base of the neck sending the man into a convulsion of pain and causing him to drop his weapon, Finn wasted no time and used the opening to slit the mans throat. As the man dropped the other four bandits rushed Finn. The squirrel jump to the ground and weaved between the bandits feet  and up ones leg getting into there face right as they were about to swing their weapon giving Finn an opening the squirrel jumped to the next bandits hand biting a finger and running up his arm across the back and down his other arm before jumping to the next bandits back. The squirrel climbed up the woman's back onto her head and used it's claws to scratch her eyes out. As the squirrel was making the openings Finn wasted no time exploiting them using his rickety scimitar to land blows on the distracted bandits until there was only one woman left with a bow, she saw what the squirrel was doing and took aim at it, before Finn could flung his scimitar with all the force he could muster at the woman to knock the bow out of her hands, he then pulled his kindling knife from his pouch and charged her stabbing her in the gut a few times before backing off.

Finn stood in shock as the squirrel sat on one of the dead bandits faces looking up at him. It had saved his life and done something no one would ever believe. All Finn could manage to do is pull out a small apple he'd gotten from the orchard and drop it for the squirrel, who picked it up and ate it readily. As Finn walked home in a state of confusion the squirrel followed him keeping no less then three paces behind him.  The next morning Finn saw it sitting on his outside window waiting, he realized the squirrel was here to stay.

I urgently need to talk to you on several matters please contact me as soon as possible.

~Finn Herrik

The mine has become unstable and is closed for repairs until further notice, Go to the mountain!

~Finn Herrik