The Great North - Adventures Of Gottfried

Chapter 1 - In The Beginning
Gottfried was a simple person with not many needs. He was born one sunny day near a small lake. At first he was thrilled over this new feeling of moving around but after awhile he felt that something was missing. Someone to talk to. He didn't find much company in the lands occupants consisting mainly of mooing cows, oinking pigs and quacking ducks. And he especially didn't find any friendliness from the creatures of the night. Which mainly consists of bony guys with bows and green slow creatures which seem to have an fetish for heads. 


Time passed and Gottfried got better at making new things and finding solutions to a wide variety of challenges that appeared. He dug a mineshaft which gave a lot of materials so he could make better tools and build better and stronger buildings. A massive tower was raised which worked as a beacon so that if any strangers came passing by they would come to visit our lonely Gottfried. He erected greenhouses and irrigation systems which fed all his crops with nourishment. There were not that many dangers in this time except a few creatures sneaking past his inner defenses. They were quickly taken care of. 


After building his latest construction. A giant temple in the honor of a particular sheep. He gazed over his hard labor and felt tears reaching the corner of his eyes. Gottfried had pushed himself so hard to forget the fact that there wasn't anyone to keep him company. 


As he stood there he started looking out over the ocean behind his fortress. What was behind it? He didn't know. He had never been very far from his base of operation. Thats when a whisper caught his ear; "leave.". Gottfried turned but didn't see anyone, other than a flock of pigs below him. He turned around and thats when he decided. He was gonna venture north!


With some quick touring around the complex being sure every door was closed and locked. He then gathered the essential equipment he would need to survive the wilds. Food and weapons was his primary concern but he also brought some things for the future like seeds. He made leather armor from some newly slaughtered cows since they were not used to Gottfried ever doing anything to them. But those times had changed. Gottfried had a fire burning within him that no man or creature could tame. Lastly he took out his broad sword. This large two handed beast of a sword never really got to see much action anymore. Now it gathered dust in one of his storage rooms. 


Gottfried stood at the dock behind his home and felt the cold breeze from the ocean being swept over him. He was finally leaving. He had built a boat which he now with shaky legs entered. It was hard to start but eventually he got paddling. A new adventure had begun, a new world was waiting just for him!


Chapter 2 - Exploring and dangers
Gottfried set out from his home in the morning. The sea was calm and he didn't have any problems crossing to the other side. He often looked behind him trying to see his large light tower. It had left his view a long time ago. Slowly the landscape altered itself. There was more trees and some of the rock formation was just a pure defiance of nature. 


When the sun started to set he decided that he should make a beacon so that he could find his way back. He docked his ship and made sure it couldn't drift off. Then he started walking along the shore. At first he got afraid that he wouldn't find the most essential thing he needed, wood. But his doubt ended when he saw one of the biggest trees he's ever seen. Gottfried almost felt sorry when he took out his flint and tinder and ignited one of the branches. The fire quickly spread and soon the whole tree was up in flames. As he had expected before doing this some few logs didn't burn up. After his successful and flaming result he went and got his boat. He docked at the large flaming beacon and noted where he'd came from. He thought of the danger at traveling at night but decided that he would continue.
It went slowly since Gottfried didn't want to lose his track in the dark. He was careful about any holes in the ground.


Suddenly he felt that something was watching him. He looked around but the dark was consuming his vision. His breathing increased and he felt afraid. Then he heard a sound behind him. As he turned, he could make out the shape of three shadows. He couldn't identify the beings but he knew that he had to run from them. At the same time they spotted him and started to sprint towards where he was.


Gottfried turned and ran for his life. He got hit at the back of his head. Panicked and with a bloody taste in his mouth he reached the foot of a mountain. Still with the pursuers after him. He never thought he'd be able to continue up the mountain side but the desperation drove him upwards. With a combination of blood and dirt under his fingernails he reached the top. He spotted a large tree and started running towards it. He jumped, his heart skipped a beat when his leg didn't hit anything. In the last second he managed to grapple himself on the branch and pull himself up. His pursuers raised their hands after him but they couldn't reach him. How could he have been so stupid and ventured so far from home? Then he was enraged that he had been caught of guard. He stood up and looked down at his enemies. "Curse you I do!" he yelled at the top of his lungs while waving his fist. The three creatures looked at him. They showed no emotion. After a couple minutes he decided that he had to kill his three new "friends". After a little chopping he could reach the mindless freaks with his sword without them being able to reach the precious insides of his head. It was time for revenge! The battle that ensued was almost like a slaughter. Gottfried trusted his sword into the head of the first when he jumps of the tree. As quickly as possibly he swings the large broad sword and cleaves the skull of the second one in two. The third didn't even hesitate when it came forward. It would never again chase after another victim. He stood over his victory or whatever you would call it. He smiled and went to sleep in the safety of the tree. 


The next day Gottfried woke with a headache. He felt the back of his head with his right hand. The cut was not that deep but it hurt. After some searching around the hill he quickly discovered more ocean to the north. He went back to the spot where he had climbed the hill and was almost embarrassed by how small it was. He went down and around the hill where his temporary shelter had been. A hundred meters later he reached the beach. On this side in difference from the other it was very few trees. Seems that he had trekked trough a large forest last night. Creating a small floating dingy went fast and soon he was off again. 


The trip took longer than his last and when he saw land he had been sailing for quite some time. The makeshift boat was poorly built and fell apart almost the instant it hit an shore. The new terrain looked really interesting. Instead of deep lush forest there was plains which went up and down in smooth hills. As long as the eye could see. He traveled along these plains, only seeing some large ravines and a few herds of animals. He felt tired and started thinking of where to spend the night. After some more walking he came over a mountain. The mountain went almost straight up on all side except one where there was a ledge. That would fit our dear Gottfried well. As he started to climb the hill up to the ledge he passed a big forest. It seemed quiet but he didn't dare to walk in with the daylight slowly fading away.


When he reached the top he could see a small flat space where he could set up a small hut. Thanks to his experience with creating buildings Gottfried quickly raised a small hut. He gathered some grass and lay it on the floor. That would do for the night. He turned around and looked at his small but cozy home. He was finally not regretting going north. Tomorrow he needed to find a stable source of food he thought while he laid himself on the floor. Sleep quickly came and Gottfried fell asleep.


Chapter 3 - Theft by pigs

Gottfried woke the next morning by weak sounds. At first he didn't give it any attention since his trip had tired him out. It wasn't until he understood that it came from inside his hut that he sprung up and looked around. What he saw was something that he could never imagined. Three pigs was searching trough his backpack with their snouts. One shivered as he took out his pork and threw it away. The other was quite happy that it had found some seeds. The third was going trough his tools but didn't seem to find anything useful. The pigs didn't seem to mind Gottfried as he stood there with a dumb look on his face. He gathered himself and yelled. "HEY! What do you think you are doing?!" The pigs turned and looked at him while he was staring at them. Then suddenly the pigs darted out of the hut like it was their last day alive, in Gottfried's raging red eyes, it was.


Before Gottfried's chased after he took up his broadsword and with his bare chest and his long blond viking hair he ran after. The hut was situated at a large ledge with a small field in front of it. The only way down was a steep hill on the right side. He went over the ledge and could see the pigs almost halfway down running the fastest their little stubby feet could carry them. They were much faster then he could recall normal pigs of being able to run. But still he gained on them. Right of the hill a forest grew which went all the way to the water. 


It was fully understandable that the pigs would run there since to the left it was only flat ground and Gottfried could easily catch them there. As he reached the woods he could still see the pigs but as soon as he started running over roots and stones the thieving pigs started disappearing. It only got worse when the pigs split up. One of the pigs was running slower so our hero decided to go after the weakest prey. 


The hunt went on for what felt like an hour, this mostly because Gottfried was a little out of shape. He was gaining more and more on his target. Suddenly the pig stopped and Gottfried seized the moment and charged with his broad sword raised above his head. With a warrior shriek he launched himself forward. His war cry was cut in half when the pig opened his mouth. "Oy! Would you stop with that god damn yelling!"


Gottfried freezes in his tracks. He looks around trying to find out where the sound came from. Did the words come from the pig in front of him? The pig looks like a normal pig, pink skin, a snout and a curly tail. It's then he notices that the pig is breathing heavily. So much it almost feels like the pig is gonna kneel over with over exhaustion.
"Did you just talk?" Gottfried asked.
The little pig breathed for about 5 seconds until he opened his mouth.
"Yes I certainly did you overgrown buffoon!" He sighed, it looked like he was gaining a reasonable pulse.
After the short and unfriendly conversation a awkward silence occurred. Gottfried was certainly not gonna break it. This was the first creature he had met that did not make the same sound when he tried interacting with it. Was he going crazy? Had all those days of loneliness finally broken his mind?


Gottfried sat down and didn't say nothing for a while. The pig moved nearer.
"Hey buddy it ain't that bad. We didn't steal THAT much" He said with sympathy in his voice. Gottfried looked at him and spoke.
"You are a pig! You cant talk! You are food or a reliability who stomps all my crops!" This time his voice cracked. He was sure of it now. He had gone crazy.
"Calm down. I understand. Well first of all let my introduce myself. My name is Terry, and you my friend have lost yourself in the north. As you can see us northern pigs differ from our more retarded southern cousins, which I am assuming you came from. But now tell my about yourself!"
Gottfried hesitated at this new friendliness that the talking pig Terry was showing. But now his doubts about his sanity had been replaced by curiosity. 
"My name is Gottfried Lord of Gottfried land" He said this with much pride. When he was met with silence he looked at Terry the pig and he could see the pig smirking from ear to ear. The pig was laughing at him! The rage Gottfried felt just wanted to strangle the pig right then and there but he sucked it up.
"What are you smiling about?" He said with a offended tone.
"Hehe, its just that I've never met no lord. Only lord I can think of is Chief Torgrim and him you don't want to meet." Suddenly the sound of the trees and leaves was abruptly deafened by a horn of sorts coming from where Gottfried's shelter was. The pig froze in place and looked really terrified.
"We have to go." He said. His voice was shuddering.
"What about my ite-"Gottfried started but was quickly interrupted.
"NOW!" Terry yelled and started running. Gottfried didn't understand why the pig had reacted the way it did. But it sounded like the pig truly was afraid:


They ran trough the thick and lush forest, it felt more cramped than most other forests. Something he soon discovered and which scared him a little was that there wasn't a sound to be heard. Nothing. He didn't see or feel anything else but the wind and the back of his guide Terry.


Right before dinner time they arrived at their destination. Terry looked almost half dead compared to the first time when Gottfried stopped him. In front of them was a cave with a small entrance, it wasn't lit.
"In you go." Terry said and was almost pushing Gottfried in.
"Hold on for a minute! Why should I believe you that this wont kill me?"
"If you go back or stay outside for the rest of the day and tonight you are dead!" Terry hissed and started pushing Gottfried again.
"I'll tell you everything tomorrow but please go down there and find somewhere to sleep. It is truly safe." Terry begged. Gottfried could not believe it when he nodded and started climbing down the hole. As he reached the bottom he felt more relaxed, the cave wasn't that dark as it had looked from above. But then he saw it. Minerals. All over the walls. Gold and iron which gave light to the whole cave. He was stunned at the sight. He sat there for a couple of minutes and then he felt how tired he was. What Gottfried lacks in endurance he makes up in pure strength. But today had totally tired him out. He lay his head on some soft moss growing inside the cave floor and nearly passed out. He didn't wake up by the shuffling sounds outside when the moon was at it's highest.



Chapter 4 - The unknown

Gottfried hadn't gotten much sleep as he woke before dawn. His thoughts was circling around his home and he was worried about how or if at all he would return. The cave went on for as long as he could see and he didn't want to risk his life just for the sake of exploration. He lifted himself of the mossy bed and went up the left wall. The surface of the cave wall was littered by minerals. This gave the cave almost a magical glittering look. He wished that he had a pick so he could exploit as much as possible. It was not that he felt a reason to destroy something beautiful but more of an instinct. He shook the thought out of his head and started thinking of what had happened yesterday. Gottfried made a decision not to classify himself as insane quite yet. Maybe the pig really could talk? And could also his two other companions talk? And who blew that horn that made the pig so afraid? All kind of different thoughts razed trough his head. After a while he said. "Well enough of this." and started moving towards the cave entrance. 


The sun shone right at his face as he peeked his head out the cave entrance, it was dawn. He now felt how cold he had been all trough the night. More needs came as he started moving around outside the cave. Food, sleep and warmth would really make his day better. When he got the chance he had to return to get his supplies. As he had noted yesterday the forest was really lush and thick. He couldn't see the ocean which he knew wasn't far from where he was now. He decided to wander off and see if he could find some water. The broad sword laid where he had left it, near the cave entrance. Gottfried looked around to find some point so that he could find his way back. And then he vanished in behind the trees.


As he passed a small glen in the forest he heard something. It was silenced by the wind smoothly brushing the leaves but he could still locate the source. He went down the glen which had trees on both sides. On the other side of the glen he could hear the sounds better. He crouched down and started moving slowly up towards where the sound was coming from. Right in the middle of a circle of trees not far from where he now raised his head stood two large skeletons. These had big chests and looked more grim and brute than the ones he had encountered back home. And these didn't have bows but large axes. They were talking in some kind of coded language with clicking and tapping of their bones. It looked like they were having an argument. Gottfried tried and tried to maybe figure out some of the weird language but to no avail. 


After a while the skeletons turned and walked away from Gottfried. He got up to follow them but as he stood up something jumped in his back and held him down. The skeletons turned at the sound and looked over where he was. He could almost feel their stare. Then they turned and went on like if nothing had happened. He turned around and looked at Terry the pig. 
"Good morning." He whispered lowly. Gottfried nodded and they went back from where they both had come from. On the way back Terry started to let Gottfried in on what was going on. Things obviously weren't like it should be. Firstly the reason why he couldn't return to his little shelter was that The Grim clan was roaming the countryside for loot and they would have eaten him for supper. They are a nasty bunch of skeletons that tame spiders which they use as mounts. While Terry was telling his story it struck Gottfried.
"They didn't burn!" He almost yelled. Terry stopped talking and looked up at his confused companion.
"Of course they don't burn. Why would they?" Gottfried told Terry about the simple minded skeletons down south and that the sun hurts them. At first he was quite intrigued by this but soon he was back to telling his story. It was a dull tale with a lot names such as Terry's grandfather, Gustav. Who to Terry was a hero. Gustav had fought of many skeletons and he was the biggest and bravest of all pigs. But he ended his days when he didn't watch his step and fell down a 60 feet long shaft. Gottfried soon understood that Terry and his pig friends were a long way from home. His home was to the north while the skeletons came from the east. The reason why Terry and his friends were down south was to spy on The Grim clan to see if they were up to something. The Grim clan had been more active the last couple of months. 
"This land have had peace for a long time. They have stuck to their territory and we stuck to ours. Well they don't know we have a territory but nonetheless it's our turf and we keep it safe."
Next on the list was where Terry had went the night before. He quickly told that he had to find his two friends which they would meet up with shortly, had stood watch and looked for any intruders on shift trough the whole night. It was now Gottfried finally learned of the value of the cave he had slept in. The cave looked abandoned and pitch black but because of the special lighting you did not see the minerals before you got really close. It was their secret hideout. 


They entered a little opening in the forest in front of the cave. Terry made a quick and loud noise but after a couple of seconds of silence he got nervous and started looking around.
"Where are they!" He hissed and looked really nervous. They both started searching the surrounding area but did not find a soul. Gottfried went over to Terry.
"Hmm, I wonder where your friends are." Gottfried said.
"Yeah I'm getting anxious here." Suddenly they heard yelling and two pigs rushed out of a nearby bush. Terry turned to them and let out a oink that could only mean "There you are!". Gottfried turned but didn't notice that they were gunning for him. When they got nearer he could see the determination in their eyes, they were attacking! The last thing Gottfried see is a pink hairy forehead aimed right for his nose. Then everything was black.


Chapter 5 - Ben and Fitzgerald

"Oy Terry! He's coming to it again."
"Well not thanks to you two!" Gottfried recognized the voice of Terry. And he sounded angry. He opened his eyes and stared right into the porky eyes of a pig.
"Sorry about that" Said the pig above him.
"Yeah, they thought you were gonna harm me or something" Gottfried turned to the right and saw Terry. He stood up in a sitting position and looked around. It didn't seem that he had been out that long. To his left another pig stood but he looked shy and wasn't as close to him as the two other pigs. He stood up and started feeling his face, nothing seemed to be broken but he would get a nasty bump in an hour.
"All better now?" asked the pig who had been standing over him.
"Yeah." Said Gottfried with an angry tone. Terry looked at him with a smile on his face and then spoke.
"Well I guess now is the time for introductions. The one that you've already have come in contact with is Fitzgerald. What he lacks in brain power he makes up in brute force. The shy little one over there is Ben, he's the anxious one of the bunch." Fitzgerald turned to Terry and gave him an angry look. Terry just kept on smiling.
"Now wait a minute! Lacks brain pow-" Fitzgerald didn't finish his sentence when he looked over at Ben. Never before had he seen Ben ever approach a random stranger. And Fitzgerald had known Ben longer than anyone. This large half naked, blonde man must really be nice. Ben looked up at Gottfried and said. 
"Sorry for... uhm, attacking you" He said with a shivering voice. Gottfried liked him already. After that all was forgotten of the ambush.


Gottfried stood over a log. He needed a shield now. The dangers of this land went over all his expectations. After some crafting he managed to make a square wooden plate that wouldn't stand much of a beating but it should do the job for now. He turned to his three new companions. They were standing in a ring discussing what they should do next. He walked over and they all turned to face him. Terry went forward and started to speak.
"We have decided to leave. The news of The Grim clans new movement have to reach our home as fast as possible. If I were you I would return to Gottfried lands throne." Ben and Fitzgerald almost jumped at this new information and looked up at Gottfried as he already had a crown on his head and silk on his body. This made him smile. Then Gottfried thought over what he should do next. All this had happened so quickly and he did not know what to make of it. He should return home and be happy that he had met these three extraordinary pigs. On the other hand there was an adventure waiting for him and he couldn't just say no now that he had gotten what he asked for. Even though it went over all expectations. After some more thought processing he opened his mouth and said. 
"I have decided to follow you on your quest and shield you from danger at the best of my abilities." Gottfried said with an authority in his voice that even surprised him. All three pigs looked at each other and nodded. It was settled.


It didn't take long before the four companions were on their way. All three pigs could agree that going back to pick up Gottfrieds items would be suicide. The party of skeletons that had arrived would still be there. They had set up an base camp and had been sending out regularly patrols. Therefore they would walk trough the night as well. Though this was more dangerous it also gave them the cover of night. First goal was to cross the plains of Squandi, the sea would be on their right all the way until they reached the mountain Bloody Diamond. Terry promised to let Gottfried in on some of the history of this land each time they took a break. They decided to take a long detour around the mountain where Gottfrieds hut lay. At noon they reached the edge of the forest and in front of them lay the Squandi plains stretching and twisting as far as the eye could see. 
"Come on. No time to just stand here and awe over the distance" Terry was obviously the one who had the most to say in decision making of the three pigs. The weird party started walking and Gottfried was wondering what lay in front of him. Many thoughts went trough Gottfried's mind but one still bugged him the most. Why hadn't he taken a shirt on when he went after pigs back at the hut? The leather vest he had made from a ambushed cow down the road wouldn't last long. 


A new chapter in Gottfried life had begun. What will the future bring? Find out in chapter 6!


Chapter 6 - Walking and Storytelling

The weird party of three pigs and one big blonde man had been walking for two days and one night with very few breaks. They had to rest when the sun started to set in the west on the second day. Gottfried made a campfire whilst the pigs went out to find some food. The fire crackled in the dim light of the sunrise when Ben came back with mushrooms. The pigs were smart and used small bags around their necks so they could gather and carry items more quickly. Gottfried thanked Ben who blushed and went out again, he then proceeded to make a soup containing some herbs and the mushrooms. It was almost ready when his three companions returned and settled around the campfire.
"I hate the plains" complained Fitzgerald "There's never anything to eat here but grass and mushrooms."
"Oh quit your yammering Fitz it's not like we are starving." Added Terry. Gottfried could tell that Terry was worrying about something but every time he had asked, Terry would shake his head and say it was nothing. After they had finished their meal Terry told the story of the Squandi plains. Gottfried was impressed by Terry's history knowledge, mostly because he was a pig. Before The Grim clan had come along and taken control of the plains it was occupied by a weird race of beings. They were mostly pale and were excellent miners and crafters. In difference from Gottfried's tall figure and blonde hair this lost people were short and had brown hair. Their doom arrived when they had started digging into the mountain Blood Diamond. Unknown to them a evil lay dormant inside the mountain and the moment the stone wall fell a horde of green monsters spewed out. The poor defenseless miners were slaughtered and never heard of again. It was sent out armed patrols to the mountain but no one returned. A shadow fell over the lands and all of the people here was terrified of what evil that had been released from the mountain. Some left, some prepared. One night they came. Thousands of damned souls trampled over the plains and left only destruction. That marked the end of the people of the plains. The few monsters that didn't move into the open world returned to their dark fortress and it is said that they lay within, waiting for the next time their feet will destroy the north again. 


When Terry had finished, Ben, Fitzgerald and Gottfried sat there in amazement. Gottfried had so many questions and Terry answered them at the best of his abilities. Soon when it would be dumb to keep themselves awake they went to sleep. The only one who couldn't close his eyes and thoughts was Gottfried. What kind of world had existed long before he even had set his feet on this place. He almost felt ashamed how little he knew and how shallow some of the things he had done. Finally he closed his eyes.


The next morning they started early. It was important to keep moving. Terry was still worrying and looked behind them a lot as they went. They ate lunch at noon. The leftover soup from yesterday warmed their bodies to the bone. The wind of the plains could be unmerciful this time of year Terry told Gottfried. Not long after they continued Terry walked up to Gottfried.
"Soon we will be able to see Blood Diamond. It will still take us one day to reach the mountain though."
"Why do they call it Blood Diamond?" Gottfried asked with curiosity. 
"A long time ago the mountain was rumored to contain so much diamond ore that you could take a random stone from around the mountain and it would most likely contain the valuable ore. This kind of gathering lasted for a long time until some got to greedy and started to chop right into the mountain itself. The ancestors of the people I told you about constructed a gigantic fortress inside the mountain. They prospered for around hundred years but then something happened to all the inhabitants. The official rumor is that some managed to escape and told of an evil that had attacked all the inhabitants. They also told of the river of blood that had ran trough the dark corridors. Thus the name Blood Diamond." Gottfried shivered at the story and him and Terry didn't speak for a while. But then Gottfried reminded himself of Terry's worried look.
"Are you afraid The Grim clan will come after us?"
"I doubt it but you can never be to sure." Answered Terry. Gottfried wanted more but let it be for now.


Around dinner time Ben which was running ahead as scout spotted the mountain. This monumental peak was used by many as a beacon for which direction to go. It stretched far above the skies and most of it's upper surface was covered in snow. Few had tried to reach it's top and almost none had gotten half way. Ben turned and ran back with the news. As he got back he told them and this was the first time since they set out from the forest Gottfried could see that Terry relaxed.
"Soon we will be in the forest under the mountain, a lot of good hiding spots there." He said with much enthusiasm.
After the good news they set up the pace and soon they could all see Blood Diamond. They went for a while during the night but when the terrain changed and the plains started altering itself into cliffs the party decided to make camp. Dinner was almost the same as yesterday but tasted just as good. This night though Gottfried was the first one to fall asleep. He was really exhausted.


As the rest of the group fell asleep a shadow appeared above them. Watching. He didn't like company and certainly not pigs. This new nuisance had to be taken care of tomorrow he thought as he slid back into the shadows.


Who is this creature who lurks in the shadow?