Role Playing

Fitswells Guide to a Few more things

Hello, my dearest of readers. I am your ever humble, often misquoted, but never duplicated king of Rhodisha, Grand Duke of House Fitzwell, and Marshal of the Regulators Guild, Richard Fitzwell. Today I bring you a story of my first adventures into the multiverse. From a land known to its people as Ebberon. A place of many magnificent wonders and equally foul beasts. A story of one of the most unique beings I have ever met, not simply a man of flesh and bone, but rather metal and wood. A tale so legendary that pretender Volo would give his left eye to have seen it himself. And thus I present in his very own words, The Origins of 006 Beta Combat Automaton.

I open my eyes, a face of bronze skin looks down at me with a smile. “Welcome,” he said. “Do you know who I am”

“You are my Creator” I replied.
His smile widens “Indeed I am, you may call me El’kyesh.”
“Interrogative, who am I?”
“You are designate 006 beta Combat Automaton,” he says.
“Interrogative, what am I?”
“You are our salvation. Now let us begin”

++++Memory core file 010.126++++

I raise my axe to block an incoming strike, I hear the clang of metal on metal. Still too slow I think. His blade slides from my axe. I raise the pommel of my Greataxe in an upward motion catching him in the chin and knocking his head backward. He falls on his back stunned. I hear a chuckle and look to my side. 1 Alpha is standing there watching, she always is.

“Are you ever going to learn 4 Beta, the blade is not the only useful part of a weapon.” I extend my hand, and pull 4 Beta to his feet “Again” I say.

++++Memory core file 160.51++++

It’s been months since I awoke, we train relentlessly, day and night. My creator says he is pleased, that I out preform his wildest expectations. I sit in a room, it is empty. El’ Kyesh enters.

“Designate 006 beta, what is your primary Protocol,” he asks ” Protect the creators” I reply without pause.
What is your second Protocol” ” Protect the citizens”
“Good,” he says. ” what is your third Protocol”
” Preserve the designate”
“Good,” he says. “very good”

++++ Memory core file 190.76++++

We sit in our quarters, They are sparse, but for a few basic necessities. We are 12. 1 Alpha looks to me. “Humans give themselves names, yet we do not, why is this?”
I do not know.” I reply “I was created to serve, to kill, not to name”. She smiles, she does often, Something I have yet to learn.
“We are family, we should act as such, we should have names”

I do not know what it is like to have a family, but I nod in agreement.

She looks at the far end of the room “Sledge” she says and begins to work her way around. “Anvil, Sunder, Bishop, Rivet, Cold forge, until all are named but her and I.
She looks across at me “Crank” she says I stare back at her. “Oracle” I reply
She smiles.

++++Memory core file 223.41++++

I see Oracle reading her books, I do not understand them, but the more she reads the more powerful she becomes.
She looks up “Good morning Crank”.

We only use our names when our masters are not around. These names hold no power over us like our Designates but somehow mean more.

“Tomorrow will be our first live hunt, Interrogative, how does this make you feel,” I say. Before she answers bells begin to toll. The town is under attack.
Oracle and I return to our quarters and gather our gear, the masters are already there. “All designates form ranks”
We obey.

++++Memory core file 224.21++++

“Lessons are over”, says a master, “Today we fight to Survive”

A wave of energy beams from our masters and washes over us. The urge to kill is strong.

The enemy came without warning, they are fierce and quickly overwhelm the Flesh guards. I take my team to reinforce a breach in the outer wall. The first beasts come through the dust of the collapsed ramparts. They are hulking and ugly, I feel nothing but hate. I slash down with my axe splitting one in half, blood sprays and covers my face. “Finally”, I think to myself, I feel whole in purpose. Sledge swings for another his Warhammer connecting with the beast’s head, it explodes on impact. The beast falls and flails. I look down at it, not a beast I think, an Orc, my anger flares. I hear a voice in my head, it is Master El’ Kyesh.

“6 Beta, protocol 2, the city is lost, buy us time to get the citizens out, 1 Alpha and her team, will accompany them to safety.”
“Affirmative” I reply

++++Memory core file 225.01++++

We fight for what seems like hours, Orc blood covers us and pools at our feet, their bodies begin to plug the breach in the wall. Rivet is the first to fall, his bow broken he kills with his bare hands, but he is eventually overcome. Muzzle is next, as in life his death is silent. Sledge is badly damaged, an axe wound deep into his knee leaks fluids. He smashes an Orc from it’s feet.
“Observation,” says Sledge, “I am wounded and unable to run, the citizens have escaped. Protocol 3, Preserve designate. I will hold this ground.”
“We will die together,” I protest
“Negative” he replies. “Protocol 3 Preserve Designate”.
I nod, “Die well,” I say
Sledge Nods and turns back to the fight.

++++Memory core file 226.31++++

I stalk the city and kill only when I need to, I find a way out, leaving in the direction of the citizenry. I travel north, for days. My destination is unknown. Several days pass. I have not felt the presence of my master for some time. I hear a crack of branches and I turn to look.

++++Memory core file ERROR++++ REBOOTING………
I awake, I am in a room with beds surrounded by unknown fleshlings. I approach the doors and attempt to open it. An axe strikes the other side of the door followed by a guttural curse…

“Orcs” I think to myself, I Smile.