A Job that is Not a Job - Repost
A Story Written By Chris Stevens with a Few Edits and Additions by Mark:
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Many years ago. Years before our main tale:
Dry dirt hung and swirled in the hot air hanging over the small broken town in the Great Barrens. The townspeople were either huddled in their buildings, or rushing from building to building, their cloaks pulled closely around their faces. The town had been called Vertnus, and then later Calstone, but lately nobody called it anything at all.
The town's only claim to fame, was it tolerated a Temple to Rukin, in his form as a psychopomp. Inside the Temple a huge Ogre, swarmed by an infestation of bugs, stood hat in hand asking for a job.
The Priest answered, "Executioner? That job is filled. We have one that requires pain. Do you know how to inflict pain?"
Frightal-lok the Ogre says, "You might say that is my specialty."
"We need a traveling Punisher. Someone who can instill fear into the countryside."
At that moment, beetles emerged from under the Ogre, "Aye, I can do that." He tucked a beetle away as it poked its head out from behind his violet colored ear.
"Right, here's your journal of offenses and their locations. This job requires restraint. No decapitations! More scary and less maiming. Make them remember that Rukin is waiting for them all."
The ogre held his hat with both hands in front of him, trying to contain his excitement and shook his head in understanding.
