(Something a little different this time! Writing a story to go along with a few pictures that BuckDaSystem is making. <3 I really like his gnollish thief character, Snake. Art by buckdasystem! https://twitter.com/buckdasystem )

Thief and Mage

“H-Hey Snake! Something on your mind, partner?” Alkali asked. He set the mug of ale on the table and smiled at his new adventuring partner. The duo of gnolls teamed up only a few days earlier on a simple fetch quest for some potion ingredients. Now, a few gold pieces richer, they’d settled in at a tavern to spend the hard-earned coin on warm food and strong drinks. Emphasis on the drinks. The pair were half a dozen pints in, each. By now Al was starting to get a little too generous with the compliments toward Snake, and a little too happy to overshare his attraction to the thief. A fact that Snake was ready to abuse.

“Oh, y’know. I heard a rumor about you and that book of yours…” the thief said, grinning as if he knew a terrible secret. And in a way, he did. That spellbook in Alkali’s hands had some very interesting powers, as long as one knew how to make it work. He’d teamed up with the spellcaster out of convenience in the beginning, and stuck around after that based on the rumors of magical mischief that followed in Al’s wake. Stories of enormous gnolls.

“Well, my book is pretty important. Where I go, it goes,” Al replied, trying to brush Snake off. It didn’t work.

Snake put a hand up to his chin, eyeing the mage predatorially. “I’ve heard you have a thing for growth spells. And bulking up other gnolls.”

Al froze, and picked his spellbook up off the table. He held it close to his chest before asking, “Where did you hear that?”