The History of the Shack

[This article was originally presented in the October 17, 1996 Issue of the Dragon Fire Chronicles, entitled "The History of the Shack" by Ragarn Lazlo.]

Today, let me tell you about an old Shack that sits to the Northeast of the Town Square. It is easy to find. Simply go to the Spur's Town Square, and head Northeast untill you find a tunnel. Going through this tunnel, you will see the rotting remains of one of the first buildings ever to be built in the Spur. If you search around a bit here, you may find a trapdoor. This trapdoor leads down into the cellar of the shack. Amazingly, after all these years, the cellar has not yet fallen in on itself.

This shack was built when the Town Square was just a meeting between two roads. There was no mighty city sprawling in all directions, as there is now. This land was all part of the Rijjom nation, covered by grassy plains. Slowly though, as civilized races moved in, a city began to form. Not the beautiful city that you see now, but a city of ramshackle huts and hovels.

Many different races came to this place, hoping to find their fortunes. Their were Pentathians, Frontacians, Dragons, and all the others. There was also a small family of Psycians. This was in the days before great war when the Frontacians obliterated the Psycian homeland with their swift and terrible magicks.

These Psycians had built there home and now provided a valuable service to the many new comers to the Spur. They would, for a price, enable newly arrived citizens to contact there loved ones which they had left behind. Charging a reasonable rate, the Psycians slowly began to settle into their new home.

The Psycian family would perhaps have lived happily, and gone on to contribute much to the building of the Spur, if it wasn't for the hatred of the Frontacians. For, on that bloody day, when Frontacians used there mighty Magicks to obliterate the Psycian homeland, assasins were dispatched to slay any Psycians they could find. One such group of Frontacians were sent to the newly formed Spur. These blackhearted killers snuck into the Psycian's home and murderd the entire family. Eight souls perished that night in addition to the millions elsewhere. The Frontacians
killed everyone from the Elderly Grandfather, to the newly born 7 month old child. Mother, Father, brothers and sisters all died that night.

The next day, the people of the new Spur found out about the bloody nights work. The Frontacians had planned well though. For several months they had been spreading rumors and lies about the Psycians. Thus, when the people found out what had happened, few were ready to denounce the Frontacians. Even fewer were ready to speak out once they learned that such things could also happen to them and their famillies.

Due to the peoples fear then, and the Frontacians hatred, the bodies of the Psycian family were never laid to rest. The Frontacians left the shack standing, a grisly reminder to all those who saw it. Slowly the Spur built itself up, extending out in all directions...except one. No pathway was ever built past that shack. No other building was ever errected on that piece of land.

Years later, when the Psycians finally returned, they sensed the evil that had been wrought in this place. They knew, through there own specialized psychic abilities, what had happened here. Thus, when they formed their own guild, they built it in remembrance near the shack, and not in the Guild Square where tradition demanded it be.

And still it stands. The old Shack, abandoned by all. Its cellar now serves as a holding place for some of the thieves guild ill-gotten loot. The thieves who travel there must beware though, for it is haunted still by the skeletons of that first family of Psycians. Victims of a hatred which they could never understand.

Description
Recomended for: Newbies, lvl 4 or less

The shack itself is an uninteresting place to go. The cellar is where all the action is. Down in the cellars you will find many Rats, Rodents, and of course, the skeletons. The skeletons are by far the most difficult opponent, and the only ones with any treasure. These skeletons usualy wield Flails, Hammers, and Axes. You can get a good price for the Hammers and Flails from the weapons dealers, though the Axes do not fetch nearly as much. Each skeleton also carries with him a few silver. No matter how many times one destroys these things though, there are always
more. These Psycians seem cursed to constantly rise up again and again to attack any who enter there home.

If you look around, you will also notice many different boxes and barrels. These are all minor items which the Thieves Guild stores here for later use. There is nothing of real value here though, so searching through the merchandise will bring you nothing except possibly the anger of the Thieves, should you be caught.

The cellar itself is straightforward, and easy to navigate. Provided is a simple map of the place, although I am sure that none is truly needed.

# stands for a room

                             Shack
                   Tunnel <----#
                               |
                               |  Trapdoor
                               |
                     Cellar    #
                              / \
                            /      \
                          #          #
                           \       /
                             \  /
                               #

As you can see, there are only 4 rooms to the cellar itself. Each one seems able to generate skeletons, rats, and rodents. I hope you find the Shack a more interesting site to explore and adventure in now that you know a bit about its history. Good hunting, and good luck.

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