Vasko's Luck
By Anthony W. Roberson
Vasko staggered drunkenly along the leather and bone walkway. His luck had been unbelievably good. When he had first seen the huge spotted seal, he thought he was dreaming. When he came closer to it on the shore of the warm pool and saw clearly that it was dying, he knew that he must be. Only when he had thrust his harpoon home into the beast’s heart did he truly believe what was happening. Only then did he drop down to his knees and give thanks to the Ice Mother for his good fortune.
The dwarf trader had fingered the spotted hide for what seemed like an eternity before finally looking up at Vasko. "This is quite a remarkable find that you have here. It does not appear dyed. I am prepared to make you an offer. Do you have an idea of what you would like to get for this fine treasure?"
The haggling had taken only a few minutes. Vasko had marveled at how quickly the dwarf had agreed to his price and counted out the stack of golden hammers. Vasko had immediately gone to the finest hostel in the middle city and paid for a month in advance. He had spent the next several hours drinking and wenching. Now he staggered back towards the hostel, the bag of gold jingling at his belt.
Vasko felt sick. Too much good drink had gone to his head. He leaned over the edge of the walkway and retched. His head swam. He reached out to steady himself on the leather rope - and missed. He toppled over the edge of the walkway into the crevasse. His mouth opened to scream and no sound came, his throat choked with vomit.
Vasko’s head struck the granite wall and his world went black. Five hundred feet down, his body hit the bottom of the crevasse. The bag of hammers burst as he hit, scattering gold in all directions.
Red eyes glowed in the darkness of the crevasse as something moved towards Vasko’s body. Hundreds of feet above, a fat member of the Shipwright’s Guild haggled with the dwarf trader over the price of a beautiful spotted seal hide....