The mage shook his head in silent regret at the carnage of knowledge displayed yet again before him. Each time he came across a ruined tome his sadness was renewed afresh as if reawakening an old painful memory. Such a waste. Sorrowfully he sifted amongst the ruins with a vain hope that something or some clue might have survived.
The priest’s eyes swept the room, a brief moment of doubt crept over him as memories of the fire at the cloister flashed across his vision. He shook the thought out of his head and with steely determination he followed the dwarf toward the only exit from the room.
Nicolai drifted across the room like a ghost, despite the dust of ages none stirred at his passing. He nodded at the dwarf, who stood aside for him and indicated an indistinguishable patch of wall. Lightly he traced with his fingers the outline of the secret door that Feldard had pointed out. He struggled to hide his admiration for the dwarf, this door was cunningly concealed. Dwarf-make no doubt. Using his professional knowledge, he felt for the tell tales of needles and hair triggers…
Satisfied, he released the catch that Feldard had found and opened the door. The dwarf immediately stepped through.
Hasan and the others followed the party forward, though his guts and heart longed to stay behind to search the library of Elyas. “Some other time,” he counseled himself, but having spoken aloud, in reassurance to the party. ” Some other time we shall more closely search this, the Elyan lore. But now—alas! Hasten, my friends.”
Cobwebs lined both the walls of an old, but ornate staircase which led down into darkness.
6 Comments
March 17, 2008 at 4:45 pm
“Down we go, then? With these undisturbed cobwebs, is anyone likely to be down there?” Saeth’s vision from the rear of the party was far from perfect, but she wasn’t about to let that didn’t stop her from making suggestions.
March 17, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Feldard peered into the darkness, and then to the cobwebs. The elf had a point. They were looking for the elfmaids and the Eye, not dungeon-crawling for adventure and gain. He turned to regard the party. “Miklos, you seem to be the expert on Sisters Three and the Tower here… is it worth our time to search below? Or shall we backtrack to the collapsed hall and check one of the other routes?”
March 18, 2008 at 11:56 am
Hasan stepped forward into the stairway. “Saeth’s instinct is probably right, but i have tracking lore that may help me see any recent movement more easily than you, Master Dwarf, ifyou would yield your place in line.” And with that, the elf moved down the stairway, no more than a dozen yards, searching for signs of recent passage.
March 18, 2008 at 8:18 pm
As Miklos started to answer Maruc cut in. “The undead, for so I believe we are facing, may pass without disturbing dust. Do you not recall our encounter with Sevastian? Webs were srewn before his door, yet he dwelt beyond. Also I do not trust that things are what they seem down here in this darkness.” He turned back from the door. “There must be a purpose for this passageway, a secret purpose, else why place it here? I for one would like to minimise the surprises in store for us. Knowledge is our ally against the Sisters and the designs of the Darkers. My vote would be the swiftly investigate this staircase and return if we find nought of interest.”
March 18, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Miklos flashed an angry glance at the priest cut across him, as he finished he muttered, “Nice sermon.” He turned to Feldard, “I saddens me that I agree with Maruc. Leave no stone unturned in our hunt for the Sisters. He is quite correct in that spirit forms move through the Ether therefore not not affect the material world in the traditional sense. It maybe that we might gain an edge with this passageway? Onward Feldard.”
March 18, 2008 at 8:41 pm
(posted in Nicolai’s absence)
“Miklos, may I have one of you lightstones?” Nicolai said producing a small leather pouch. It stil had the slit in it when he had relieved it from the possesion of the fat merchant in Specularum. Now sadly empty and never one to discard the useful he accepted the proffered stone and placed it in the pouch, he tied it. Stretching the pouch around the stone the slit allowed a little light to pour forth. Satisfied he silently held up his hand stopping the dwarf. “Give me a few moments, I shall be faster. If I do not return within a hunderd breaths, follow.”
Allowing a few moment for his eye to becom accustomed to the dark he allowed a trickle of light illuminate the stairs he crouched and ran his hand over the cold stone. He didn’t get the feeling that it was trapped. Waving back the others he stalked quitely and swiftly downwards into the darkness, the pale beam his only solsitice…