GoodDoug: Enemy of the Corruptor, Act 1

[GoodDoug]

I should have taken more time to edit my story, but glad I was able to get it up today.

I have been running and did 2 5K runs this week. I surprised myself with my times on both runs, the last being under 28 minutes, which is close to my fastest pace ever. Not bad for slacking on running this challenge.

 

Today was lifting day, mostly squats and chest. I moved over 6 tons, which was good. I am hopeful this means I won't be too sore and tired. And I finally feel like I am back into a lifting routine.

 

And alienjenn, Act 1 is ending next week and then I can start Act 2, which is where I really get into trouble.

[Eirlys]

Donkey braying?  Wow, you are living in a very different place to me!  I have the screams of drunken teenagers/tourists and loud vans with inconsiderate drivers who make loud bangs as they load/unload stuff as my excuse

 

Anyway.  I had fun reading about your battle with the necromancer, and am glad to see the guild(s) coming to assist you against him & the Corrupter!!

 

Well done with your runs, it's always great to be feeling close to your best!!

 

Hope you've had a great weekend!

[cryptomancy]

Great work on the 28 minute 5k and don't feel bad about not editing your story, we love reading the stories nonetheless dude! I can't wait to read about all of GoodDoug's adventures in the Necromancer's domain!!! 

[GoodDoug]

Listryx the necromancer felt a rush of relief. The gates were down and he was through. The half-ogre was unlikely to catch him and he now had the entire town of Cliffbridge and its dead with which to raise another army and impose the will of his master, the Corruptor. He didn't notice the small shape watching him as he ran.

 

GoodDoug the half-ogre swore, he didn't want to lose the necromancer now, when he was so close. With the help of the other guilds, he had almost reached him before the walls had been breached. Now, it would take all they could muster to keep the townsfolk safe while the necromancer escaped. Quickly, he lead the charge through the open gates, crushing the mindless undead before him. The other guild members worked hard to keep up with the fury of the half-ogre.

 

They fought hard for half an hour, searching out and destroying pockets of the undead inside the town walls. The scouts and rangers leading the warriors and monks to the heaviest infestations of zombies and skeletons. Always on the lookout for one of the hulking brutes. The druids followed behind, healing and helping where they could. The assassins had organized the townsfolk, getting them fortified behind barriers and ready to fight.

 

GoodDoug was tired, but glad for the distraction. The halfling assassin popped up in front of GoodDoug suddenly, "I've followed the necromancer as he came into the town, I know where he is hiding."

 

The ranger guild leader looked over at the two of them and said, "Go quickly with the assassin, GoodDoug, capturing the necromancer is your only priority, the rest of us will continue this work."

 

GoodDoug didn't need more convincing, with a quick smile, he followed the tiny assassin as he ran through the town. They ignored the few straggling undead as they raced, hoping the necromancer hadn't moved.

 

Listryx considered his options. He had taken refuge in the house of a huntsman and his family. They were now his undead slaves, following his directions to fortify the dwelling and gather the hunting trophies the huntsman had gathered over the years. It wasn't much to work with, but he could animate them enough to be his eyes and ears out in the town. They could also be his protection until he could find the supplies he would need to create an arcane portal out of here.

 

The Corruptor had said that he would be safe once he got through the gates. "Oh no, my dear servant," came the voice of the Corruptor into his head, "I said I needed you to get him through the gates with you. My plans for him rely on that."

 

Listryx felt and then heard the half-ogre pounding on the door. He quickly summoned up a great force of necrotic energy, waiting only for the half-ogre to burst through the door.

 

GoodDoug and the halfling found the house quickly. The assassin surmised that nothing had changed, the necromancer was likely still inside. GoodDoug thought he could smell the stench of undeath inside and quickly got to smashing the door down. Once he got inside, he had to react quickly, the necromancer had been ready for him. GoodDoug got the hammer up in front of his chest just before the black magic hit him in the chest. The necrotic energy fused with the hammer, saving the half-ogre.

 

A disembodied laugh rang out as the necromancer looked at the hammer. He dropped to his knees and said, "I yield. You will be my master soon." Alive, the necromancer could shed some light on what was going on. But there was a part of GoodDoug that wanted to kill this necromancer for all of the pain and death he had caused. GoodDoug was trying to rationalize killing him, "He's too dangerous to let live. Look at what he has already done, look at what he did to the family here."  

 

"I am just one of the Corruptor's necromancers. He will overwhelm you in the end. My master has plans for you."

 

GoodDoug lifted the hammer, slightly blackened by the evil energy it had saved him from. He wanted to kill this necromancer. But something held him back. Some small bit of compassion stayed his hand. At that moment, that moment of heistation, the necromancer's eyes turned a sickly green. Before GoodDoug or the halfling knew what was happening, the necromancer's head caved in on itself as if deflating. The corruptor had taken back his power, and with it, much of the necromancer.

 

Cliffbridge was saved. The guild memebers all gathered in the heart of the city, tired, but satisfied. The war wasn't over, but this battle was won. The ranger guild leader reached up to clap the half-ogre on the back, "Nicely done. I knew there was a hero in there."

 

The townsfolk held a celebration the next day for the guilds that had saved them. They enjoyed the day, who knew what next week would bring.

 

==

Get strong:

I actually took it easier this week and did a short session with squats and bench presses to move a total of just over 6 tons. I am almost into a routine. A

 

Eat well:

Did well enough, but my son's birthday meant way too much cake. I gave in to temptation too much this weekend. I think my next challenge will be about dealing with temptation somehow. And it will fit into my story. B

 

Sleep:

Kinda like last week, not bad but not great. I'm calling it a B. 

 

Running did well, I did two 5K runs this week. Both with good times, the second close to my best time. Not bad for not having done real 5K runs in a while. I think I am getting a routine for each week with running and lifting. I will try and work that into next challenge. 

 

I will do a full recap later. But this has been a good challenge for me. I needed it after not doing so hot in the last two challenges.

[alienjenn]

YAY!!! 

 

you killed the necromancer....

 

 

welll.... .... 

 

sorta!

 

I can't wait for the next installment

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

You did wonderfully. Glad to see you finally got your legs and broke that nasty challenge streak.

 

Looking forward to reading more of your story GoodDoug, it makes following your progress as entertaining as it is encouraging.

[GoodDoug]

Corruptor Act 1 Recap

 

The celebration was part happiness at their deliverance and part wake for those that didn't make it through the siege of the undead. GoodDoug the half-ogre ranger was enjoying the mental and emotional rest that came from not having to worry about basic survival. He knew he was going to have to head out into the fray again soon, but he was taking advantage of the respite.

 

The ranger guild leader came up to him, handing him a beer, "How are you feeling?"

 

"Right now? Strong, and accomplished," GoodDoug paused, "I feel really good about what I accomplished here. It wasn't always the most direct route, but it got stuff done."

 

"I agree, you've done a good job here." This was as effusive as the normally dour ranger leader could be.

 

"Rest a few days, reflect and we'll have you back in the field sooner than you'd like."

 

"Too soon isn't soon enough. Though I know I need the rest. I want to build on this momentum while I can." GoodDoug took a long drink and continued, "Any ideas on what we're going to do next?"

 

"I have some ideas, but you just concentrate on getting rested up. And enjoy this celebration."

 

That's what GoodDoug did.

 

==

 

Get strong:

A/B+/A-/A+/A+/A

 

Average A

+3 Str +2 Sta

 

Eat well:

B+/B/D/A/A/B   That week 3 slump...

 

Average B+

Con +3 Sta +1

 

Sleep:

A-/A/A/A-/B/B

 

Average A-

Wis +3 Str +1 Cha +1

 

What did I learn?

I need more help on diet goal. I should have been a bit more specific. Next time I will try for a more specific goal with diet. The IF part worked well for me, and most mornings I waited until noon to start eating, but I needed to be better about what I was eating. The sleep goal happened whether I tried or not. There was no night that I thought, "Oh, I'd better get to sleep for my NF challenge!" but I still got a great grade. This challenge really got me back into a lifting routine. Having a goal for each week made sure that I wouldn't slack off for an entire week, and drove me to push myself a little harder than I would have otherwise. This week in particular, I made sure to hit my target, at the very least. I have the soreness and extra muscle tone to prove it. Though my BF% moved quite a bit, it ended up down and I feel good about that. I also feel I know what works to get it down.

 

I also found that I missed having a running goal. I will definitely incorporate a running goal this next time. Diet and lifting are great, but running is what makes my body feel and look better. The problem is, running will let me be more lax on my diet. I think I will focus on eating cleaner and running more, being less careful about how much I put in. Though I hope to continue with the IF even if it is not an explicit goal for the next challenge.

 

I've set a decent baseline, now to reflect a bit more and work on my next challenge.

[Eboncat]

Great job this challenge!  You were kinda down at the beginning of this challenge from having trouble the previous ones.  I am so glad to see your success!  And I enjoyed reading your story.

[Mel The Hangry]

Awesome challenge, sounds like you have had some good progress and you already have a good plan for your next quest. I loved your story, I don't read much because it take a bit to keep me interested and your story kept me very interested.