Hasan said “the strength of the Elyria shall be with you, dwarf,” to the slouching dwarf and the two elves returned to the chamber below the altar room. The others followed.
Feldard watched as Nicolai and the elves left him, and once they were out of sight, he let himself surcome to the seriousness of his wounds. He slumped in his sitting position against the wall. His movement left a scarlet smear of blood against the wall where it seeped through his bandages. He could feel how he was on the very edge of passing out. It took near everything he had to not slip across that threshhold. His wounds may be bound but he was far from being capable of anything more than mere consciousness. There was no choice of it, he would need the gentle healing of the cleric before he could move again.
The dwarf was too far gone to even grimace at the thought of being so helpless yet again. Perhaps he should have taken the Siswa Hasan’s advice and run or better yet worn the damn robe? “Bah..”
* * * * *
“Fool elf!” said Miklos backing off with his staff posied to fend him off. “If I wished you slain, dead you would be!” Keeping him at a distance with the staff but not actually attacking him the mage backed to the open doorway. He grabbed at the handle and slammed the door in the groggy Siswa’s face. He lent against it with his weight to block it. Then, just for good measure, he cast Wizard Lock on the door.
The group returned below to see Miklos finishing up his enchantment on the door. They exchanged information: the elves were still under the influence of the charm spell, the Siswa upstairs had disappeared, and Feldard, who was seriously wounded, stubbornly chose to remain behind rather than don one of the Siswa robes to get past the guardian safely.
“If the enchantment is not broken, what is to be done now?” Saeth asked in confusion. “Is there yet another sorcerer hidden in these Dwarven halls?” Had she been more introspective, Saeth would’ve been glad Feldard was not there to hear.
“I think it is the ‘New Masters’ that the Rahib was talking about now controlling the Siswa. I doubt he would allow another sorcerer within these walls. Perhaps it is this Opal Eye we have heard about?”
13 Comments
September 27, 2007 at 1:18 pm
The priest rolled his eyes, the stubborness of that dwarf was going to get him killed, or at least captured. Well with all this bickering over his head it was impossible to concentrate on his meditations. A flicker on anger passed his otherwise serene face. He sighed deeply, rubbed his calloused palms over his face, stood up and stretched. Again the armour bore down on him but he shrugged his shoulders to reposition the plates more comfortably. “That dwarf is more obsinate than Patriach Beud.” Seeing the incomprehension on is friends faces he grinned, “Never mind, does he think I have any choice but to go and get him? Mighty Halav would demand nothing less.” He made his way toward the stairwell.
September 27, 2007 at 1:21 pm
“Wait, Maruc.” said the mage, “The guardian won’t let him passed. It would attack you even if you are carrying him I sure. He’ll be safe a while yet.”
September 27, 2007 at 1:26 pm
“Like the group of Siswa we left bound? They said they’d gone. This is not up for discussion, if I must I shall carry him back to the village to be healed. What do you think will happen if the Siswa get hold of him? He’s a Dwarf for Halav’s sake they’ll make dwarfmince of him.” railed the priest.
September 27, 2007 at 1:27 pm
“It was his choice, you are not his keeper.” the mage riminded him.
September 27, 2007 at 1:31 pm
“Give me your cloak, Miklos. I will fetch him down here and heal him myself. If he complains I’ll knock him out for his own good. I doubt the guardian would be able to tell if he was alive anyway.”
September 27, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Shaking his head Miklos could see that the priest would not be disuaded. Heh, hamstringed by morals, that the clergy for you. He pulled of his cloak and handed it to Maruc.
September 27, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Maruc bundled up the cloak and marched up the stairs and across the Temple Chamber he threaded his way passed the the corpses and stopped at the Siswa. He said a swift prayer and then removed the robe from the body, he made his way to the door and pulled it open.
(if Feldard is still there)
“Right.” Maruc said very firmly, “We can do this with good grace and we shall donn these robes and return to the others or,” Maruc paused for effect “I render you unconsious for your own good, wrap you in a robe like a child and carry you. Whats it to be? Halav knows what Saeth would say if I arrived carrying you.”
September 27, 2007 at 1:53 pm
(If Feldard is not there)
Maruc glanced up and down the empty corridor panic growing inside him. ‘Halav’s teeth!’ he groaned inwardly. He checked either end of the corridor. Whoever had taken him must be close so it was pointless over exposing himself to the danger. Too late he ripped his helmet off to listen intently for the sounds of running feet.
Nothing.
Bodies just vanish in this acursed place! “No!” he cried as he hammered his fist into the nearest wall. “I will find my friend and then Iwill find you! I will release the Siswa! You will not escape retribution, you have my word!” The priest burned with anger and he turned on his heel and marched back to join the others.
September 27, 2007 at 2:39 pm
As the priest left, Saeth looked at Miklos with a shrug. “It would serve the stubborn Dwarf right if something happened to him. Still…” She glanced around, trying to figure out the lay of the place. “it would be nice to have his subterranean talent in a place like this. Where do you suppose they are from here?”
September 27, 2007 at 3:17 pm
“Well, at least we know where one Siswa is,” interjected Hasan. “Miklos, can you show me the one you found? Maybe I would have better luck speaking with him. We need to figure out why he is down in this part of the temple. In all my life, I didn’t even know that a place that hosted such terrors as these …” he bitterly kicked a skelatal remain … “existed below the corridors we walked each week when we honored Ilsandral.”
September 27, 2007 at 5:29 pm
“Lead on then”
September 27, 2007 at 9:02 pm
“I don’t like the idea of releasing him. He is secure in there until I raise the enchantment I have placed on the door. Besides which I would prefer Maruc to be here before we investigate further. I didn’t like the mood he left in. You never know he might do something…clerical.” Miklos shook his head. “And another point is we are underground, and with the maze that this place is proving to be Feldards uncanny sense of direction might prove vital. But still, there are three of us and we all speak elvish. We are also armed. Whats the threat he poses? OK. I’ll lift the spell.”
When everyone is ready and prepared Miklos will lift the spell on the door.
November 14, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Saeth: 10xp
Maruc: 10xp+10xp
Miklos: 10xp
Nicolai: 10xp
Feldard:
Hasan: 10xp
TOTAL:
Saeth: 8135/16000
Maruc: 8370/12000
Miklos: 8360/10000
Nicolai: 7750/9600
Feldard: 8335/8800
Hasan: 7710/8000