The man, the myth, the legend

Pollentius Slaughterer of Mount Titan

Easing slowly down onto the bench, Pollentius let out a long sigh. More like a groan, really, a wheezing, rasping sort of affair. Once settled, he picked up his pint and drained it in one long pull, mead trickling out around the edges and down his dark beard.

"That's more like it! Barkeep, another if you please."

Pollentius surveyed the mead house, mostly filled with his young compatriots at arm, still giddy after emerging from the caves with life and limb intact. Later as the mead pulled them into deeper waters he knew that they would be crying, mourning their fallen brethren, but for now the mood was high and the laughter flowed faster and thicker than the famous mead.

Santolious the Younger plopped himself down next to the grizzled veteran. "You never did tell us how you got your name, Pollentius - "Slaughter of Mount Titan", that is quite the mouthful! You promised to tell us the story if we came out alive..."

"Well, yes. Ahem. 'Slaughterer' may be a bit of a misnomer. More like 'summiter', although I didn't quite make the summit. Almost, though, for sure - I could tell it was just over that next ridge. In any case no one in my village had ever climbed so high up Mount Titan and the nickname stuck."

Santolious looked disappointed. "Really? You climbed... mostly up a mountain? And that is your epic deed that earned your namesake?"

"Well, truth be told, I didn't quite climb it myself. But I did talk to a fellow who climbed most of the way up it. He told me enough details to convince the elders back home I had attempted the journey myself."

Santolious looked incredulous. "What? You didn't even climb it yourself? And what of the brace of dragons you killed in the Thorn Woods?"

"Ahah. Yes, I can see why you had that impression. But no. Not me. Although the dragons wouldn't have stood a chance, if I had ever ventured into the Thorn Woods."

Santolious looked worried. "Pollentius, when you recruited us on this mission we joined because of your fame and history of valiant deeds! Today we lost half our men on the first expedition into the caves and you stayed at the rear the entire time! Tell me truthfully, do you have any experience at all leading men on an expedition such as this?"

"Ahem. Well yes, I did lead an expedition into the catacombs underneath the Red Wizard Capitol. It took quite some convincing to talk those country boys into those spider infested corridors!"

Santolious looked uneasy. "Not the infamous doomed Party of the Pooped Pants?"

"Oh you have heard of that! Well yes, the same. Don't believe everything you heard though, boy, it was a rousing success if I do say so myself. Why this bag of gold I am buying mead for you boys came from that same expedition!"

Santolious looked thoughtful. "Successful for you, I wager, but not for those poor country boys who ended up face down in the sewers, and certainly not even for those who returned home with their lives but forever a laughing stock for soiling themselves and running in the face of danger!"

Pollentius grew tired of this line of questioning. After all, was he not the man who had conquered the legendary Mount Titan? Slapping another gold coin on the counter, Pollentious signaled the bar keep to bring another round out for the boys.

"You are young, Santolious, and perhaps not wise to the ways of the world. Just remember, he who lives to tell the tale, can tell it however they want. And he who buys the rounds of drinks, is always right. Isn't that right, boys?"

The boisterous crew clanged cups together and cheered. "For Pollentius! Hooray! Hooray!"

Heaving himself up with all the grace and alacrity of an ogre falling on its face, Pollentius the Slaughterer of Mount Titan left the young men to their drink and stepped out into the night.

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