Shrinleyland (DnD story)

The Shrinleyland River consisted of nine parts and only one person stayed alive long enough to cover all nine parts. Shrinleyland was a beyond massive place. Some parts being like any place, beautiful and terrifying. 

Mina had no real purpose besides the quest she chose to endure herself on for a couple of silvers to survive off of. 

She was walking up to a tavern in the middle of Shrinleyland wood in the Cooper area, when she heard a couple of men’s voices from a distance to her left. The tavern stood straight ahead of her, being a brown wooden place with a few standing lights on inside. She was going to ignore them until she faintly heard a man’s scream before which sounded like he became muffled. It was in that heat of the moment that struck her curiosity to investigate. She slowly walked through the tall trees and orange leafs on the ground, trying not to make too much crumple noises as she did. When she reached the top of the hill she peaked down seeing three ogres messing with a little hemmling. Two had a hold of his wrist while the other was punching his stomach periodically. 

This angered Mina to witness but she knew she was out numbered by three ogres and the hemmling would be useless after enduring such a beating. She was going to walk away but as soon as she went to turn her back she quickly turned around and leaned over the hill sliding down it on her side before jumping up and kicking the ogre who was punching the hemmling in the face, knocking it down to the ground. 

The two ogres standing were confused and shocked by Mina’s entrance, which gave her time to punch the ogre standing left to her and high kick the one standing right to her. The hemmling when he was finally let go, dropped to his furry knees grabbing his stomach. Mina gently grabbed the hemmling shoulders and pulled him away from the ogres. By now the ogre that Mina had jumped kicked in the face had stood back up, picking Mina’s whole body up from behind above its head, but before he could throw her into the trees, he felt a horrid pain appear in his left leg. The hemmling had used its two huge teeth in front to bite down on the ogres leg all the way down to the bone. The ogre dropped Mina out of pain, herself landing on her stomach in the dirt. She quickly got up, pulling out her long blade from her back pack, chopping the ogres head off. 

The hemmling let go of its legs and slowly backed away as the body thudded to the ground before them. The hemmling was a three feet tall creature that had had a hard like crocodile tale and was furry all over. Had a long snout and black beady eyes. 

“Thank you, kind woman.” The hemmling told her. 

“Where are the other two ogres?” Mina asked looking around. 

“After that, I imagine they ran away.” 

“I do say your right.” Mina replied. “What were they beating you up for anyway?” She asked. 

“Well I suppose I do owe you one for saving my life don’t I? I’m quite embarrassed by this but I owe them from a card game and I simply did not have it. You thankfully cut the guys I owe head off. Thank you again for that.” 

“So I saved a criminal who was rightfully getting his ass kicked? And here I thought they were just picking on the little guy.” Mina turned and starting walking up the hill towards the tavern. 

“May I please join you. I’m hurt pretty badly?” The hemmling called out behind her. 

“Your a criminal, your lucky I just did what I did.” Mina continued to walk away. 

“I am not a criminal and I am appalled that you would call me such a thing. It was a measly card game!” The hemmling took major offense to being called a criminal but still wanted to join her so he tried to keep his cool with her. 

“Card game or not, you know what parts your around and I know you know people around here take their card games very seriously. But ill tell you what?.” Mina stopped and turned around, “the first three rounds are on you and you can join me. Final offer.” 

The hemmling thought hard, wanting to call her bluff but they both knew the hemmling had plenty of coin to spend being a criminal. 

“Deal.” Yelled up the hemmling to Mina. 

They continued together up the hill for a couple minutes before reaching the top and headed towards the tavern. It became a little darker out now, and all they heard around them were owls. They walked in the tavern to have everyone stop and stare at them for all of seventeen seconds before going back to whatever they were doing. This put the hemmling a little more at ease once people looked away. He did not like any attention on him. 

Inside the bar were a mixture of people and creatures. A couple humans, one being an attractive female. Two kiolos- ( A average height blue/white scaled male/female, with either yellow, green or red eyes. Red eyes are very rare to impossible because that means power and only one family has red eyes among them, The Burnendales.) four male Frondos- (twelve/ fourteen feet tall humans but with a twist. They have horns the grow out of their shoulders and swoop down in front of them to attack with. And are nothing but muscle. Very intimidating things.) 

The bartender was an eight feet tall rat that was well acquitted in his language standing on two legs, wearing a sleeveless tuxedo vest. 

“Good evening, what can I get you?” He asked ever so politely. 

The hemmling looked up at Mina wabbling up to the stool, hinting he was going to need her help getting up on the stool. Mina looked down and laughed a loud turning her head. She couldn’t help herself, it was an adorable furry little creature to her. 

“Well don’t be rude my dear, help your friend.” The rat told Mina, looking down at the hemmling. 

“Oh I will. I definitely will. Just soaking in the moment is all.” 

“Nevermind you, you fool.” The hemmling told her huffing his hands up at her. 

“No, no no. I will help you. Come here.” She grabbed his furry small rat like body and placed him up on the stool, patting his head after she did. 

“Get out of here woman!” The hemmling threw his arms around in annoyance at her. 

“You two been friends awhile ay? Can see the closeness.” The bartender said smiling. I’m Rodnut” he added extending his hand out to Mina first to shake. 

“Rodnut? Why did you pick that name? Kind of humiliating don’t ya think?” Mina asked giving him a weird look. 

Rodnut noticed the dismiss of his handshake to a proper introduction and gave her a light smile. “My dear, my name is my name but does not define me. Now if you could ever be so kind and tell me what you and your pal here would like to drink.” 

“But it does define you, it’s your name.” Mina replied leaning on her arm in the counter top. “ I mean, truly no harm to you, Rodnut but it’s how you carry your name which is how it defines you and that name my friend is an insult to yourself. That’s all I’m saying.” 

“Let the name go.” The hemmling leaned over to Mina and whispered. 

“We are not friends, while you made that clear when rejecting my introduction of a simple handshake. This will be the last I ask what you two would like to drink?” Rodnut was getting annoyed but still kept his composure in tact. But I wouldn’t poke the rat to far, for while he has patience within him and exquisite mannerisms, the rat is quite deadly when provoked. 

“Okay, okay. My apologies Rodnut. I mean you no harm. We will have two of your finest taps.” Mina slapped the hemmling on it’s back laughing. 

“Good choice.” The hemmling lightly chuckled. 

They grabbed their drinks and sat there talking about one another for the other to get to know. After the fifth round and then being drunk, they started telling the truth. 

“Haha, so I told that ugly Flin, to scram or his hands would be next.” 

“What did the Flin do?” The hemmling asked excitedly. 

“What do you think, he ran. ha-ha.” They both laughed out loud being quite obnoxiously. 

“What is your name little hemmling?” 

“Oh wow, now you ask me.” He joked with her. “My name is, Brino.” 

“I like that. Brino.” 

“Thank you. Family name. My father’s and father’s before him. Iy was my son’s name as well.” 

“You have a son? Wonderful.” Mina shocked, went to cheers him with her beer. Brino cheered her and slowly sipped his beer looking away. 

“Why are you alone, Mina?” 

“Me? Oh, well. It’s always been that way.” 

“Really? Never no one around at any time?” Brino continued to ask. 

“I mean, once. But that wasn’t long and it doesn’t matter.” 

“What happened.” Brino asked.