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A Lonely Path: a Shackled City Story Hour (the old version, see last post)
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<blockquote data-quote="hbarsquared" data-source="post: 2301215" data-attributes="member: 4550"><p><span style="color: deepskyblue"><strong>Chapter One, Part Seven</strong></span></p><p></p><p></p><p>A bustling dwarf with a neatly trimmed beard and the flowing robes of Enlil hunched over a desk, pouring over various papers and jotting down notes in quick, spasming strokes, as Jenya and Abrina stepped through the door. Handel glanced up briefly as the two entered and dismissively returned to his work, leaving Abrina’s mouth open in a greeting she did not have the chance to give.</p><p></p><p>“Handel, this is Abrina, a cleric of Ninurta,” Jenya introduced, though the dwarf did not look up from his papers. Jenya continued, unfazed. “She will help you in the coming days, she has offered her help to find the missing children and bring the kidnappers to justice.”</p><p></p><p>“Indeed,” replied Handel with the characteristic dwarven grumble. “I doubt there is more that she can glean, but she can sort my notes, if she likes.”</p><p></p><p>Abrina’s eyes narrowed, insulted, but Jenya simply ignored Handel’s comment and turned to her. “Only last night,” she said, “I consulted an artifact on our temple, and asked a simple question of Enlil: <em>Where are the children who were abducted from the Lantern Street Orphanage?</em> I received a reply, though a cryptic one. Handel has been studying the riddle ever since, as well as the little information we have gathered about the kidnappings. I’m afraid he has so far made little progress.”</p><p></p><p>At this, the dwarf looked up from his desk and straightened. “Nonsense!” he blustered, waving his notes in the air. “Enlil has provided us with a great deal. Here, here, allow me to shoe you.” He reached over, scattering various drawings, diagrams, and scraps until he found a parchment with six lines of small, precise letters.</p><p></p><p>“This,” Handel exclaimed, waving the paper in Abrina’s face. She flinched, backing away from the accosting dwarf. “This is Enlil’s riddle.”</p><p></p><p>Jenya neatly plucked it from Handel’s fingers, to his chagrin, and began to read aloud the words she had written the previous night.</p><p><span style="color: white"><em><p style="text-align: center"></p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em>The locks are key to finding them.</p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em>Look beyond the curtain, below the cauldron,</p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em>But beware the doors with teeth.</p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em>Descend into the malachite ‘hold,</p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em>Where precious life is bought with gold.</p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em>Half a dwarf binds them, but not for long.</p></em></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: white"><em></p><p></em></span>Handel grabbed it back from Jenya, clutching it in one hand. Abrina wondered for a moment why Jenya, obviously a cleric on high standing and the current head of the temple, accepted such treatment from the dwarf. The thought quickly fled, however, as Handel loudly proclaimed his conclusions.</p><p></p><p>“We know the orphanage has barred windows and excellent locks on all the doors. The orphanage has two large bedchambers on the second floor, one for boys and one for girls, and two children from each were kidnapped. No windows were broken, no doors damaged, and no one at the orphanage, including the staff and the other children, heard anything. They simply disappeared.</p><p></p><p>“But this,” he continued, holding the parchment in the air and returning to his scattered notes, “This gives us some clues. The riddle says, <em>Look beyond the curtain, below the cauldron</em>. This must refer to some place beyond the city walls, the curtain, and below the cauldron of the mountain. The doors with teeth obviously refer to the portcullises of the wall, so one of the guards either knows something or is part of the kidnappings.”</p><p></p><p>“What about this malachite hold? Or the locks? Or the half-dwarf?” asked Jenya.</p><p></p><p>Handel waved away her questions as he sat at the desk. “I am not sure. Yet. I will get to that, and will notify you what it means when I find out.” With that, he bowed his head over his notes, retrieved a quill pen, and began to write some more notes on another scrap of paper. Jenya gently touched Abrina’s arm and pulled her into the hallway.</p><p></p><p>“I trust Handel, but I think it might be better for you to inquire at the orphanage yourself. Someone had to have gotten into the orphanage, and if they bypassed the locks on the bedchamber doors then I am afraid it might have been someone with access to the keys. If that is true, then the children are still in danger.”</p><p></p><p>Abrina nodded, remembering the first line of Enlil’s riddle, <em>The locks are key to finding them</em>. That would be her first question. She would have the rest of the night to think of what her second question might be.</p><p></p><p>“First thing in the morning, Jenya,” said Abrina confidently, “I will go to the orphanage, and find out what I can. With Ninurta’s strength, I will bring the kidnappers to you.”</p><p></p><p>“Thank you, Abrina.” Jenya nodded, appeared to relax, and led Abrina to a small private room. She had long since dried off and the bitter taste of the tea had thankfully retreated. Exhausted, Abrina collapsed into the spartan bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hbarsquared, post: 2301215, member: 4550"] [color=deepskyblue][b]Chapter One, Part Seven[/b][/color] A bustling dwarf with a neatly trimmed beard and the flowing robes of Enlil hunched over a desk, pouring over various papers and jotting down notes in quick, spasming strokes, as Jenya and Abrina stepped through the door. Handel glanced up briefly as the two entered and dismissively returned to his work, leaving Abrina’s mouth open in a greeting she did not have the chance to give. “Handel, this is Abrina, a cleric of Ninurta,” Jenya introduced, though the dwarf did not look up from his papers. Jenya continued, unfazed. “She will help you in the coming days, she has offered her help to find the missing children and bring the kidnappers to justice.” “Indeed,” replied Handel with the characteristic dwarven grumble. “I doubt there is more that she can glean, but she can sort my notes, if she likes.” Abrina’s eyes narrowed, insulted, but Jenya simply ignored Handel’s comment and turned to her. “Only last night,” she said, “I consulted an artifact on our temple, and asked a simple question of Enlil: [i]Where are the children who were abducted from the Lantern Street Orphanage?[/i] I received a reply, though a cryptic one. Handel has been studying the riddle ever since, as well as the little information we have gathered about the kidnappings. I’m afraid he has so far made little progress.” At this, the dwarf looked up from his desk and straightened. “Nonsense!” he blustered, waving his notes in the air. “Enlil has provided us with a great deal. Here, here, allow me to shoe you.” He reached over, scattering various drawings, diagrams, and scraps until he found a parchment with six lines of small, precise letters. “This,” Handel exclaimed, waving the paper in Abrina’s face. She flinched, backing away from the accosting dwarf. “This is Enlil’s riddle.” Jenya neatly plucked it from Handel’s fingers, to his chagrin, and began to read aloud the words she had written the previous night. [color=white][i][center] The locks are key to finding them. Look beyond the curtain, below the cauldron, But beware the doors with teeth. Descend into the malachite ‘hold, Where precious life is bought with gold. Half a dwarf binds them, but not for long. [/center][/i][/color] Handel grabbed it back from Jenya, clutching it in one hand. Abrina wondered for a moment why Jenya, obviously a cleric on high standing and the current head of the temple, accepted such treatment from the dwarf. The thought quickly fled, however, as Handel loudly proclaimed his conclusions. “We know the orphanage has barred windows and excellent locks on all the doors. The orphanage has two large bedchambers on the second floor, one for boys and one for girls, and two children from each were kidnapped. No windows were broken, no doors damaged, and no one at the orphanage, including the staff and the other children, heard anything. They simply disappeared. “But this,” he continued, holding the parchment in the air and returning to his scattered notes, “This gives us some clues. The riddle says, [i]Look beyond the curtain, below the cauldron[/i]. This must refer to some place beyond the city walls, the curtain, and below the cauldron of the mountain. The doors with teeth obviously refer to the portcullises of the wall, so one of the guards either knows something or is part of the kidnappings.” “What about this malachite hold? Or the locks? Or the half-dwarf?” asked Jenya. Handel waved away her questions as he sat at the desk. “I am not sure. Yet. I will get to that, and will notify you what it means when I find out.” With that, he bowed his head over his notes, retrieved a quill pen, and began to write some more notes on another scrap of paper. Jenya gently touched Abrina’s arm and pulled her into the hallway. “I trust Handel, but I think it might be better for you to inquire at the orphanage yourself. Someone had to have gotten into the orphanage, and if they bypassed the locks on the bedchamber doors then I am afraid it might have been someone with access to the keys. If that is true, then the children are still in danger.” Abrina nodded, remembering the first line of Enlil’s riddle, [i]The locks are key to finding them[/i]. That would be her first question. She would have the rest of the night to think of what her second question might be. “First thing in the morning, Jenya,” said Abrina confidently, “I will go to the orphanage, and find out what I can. With Ninurta’s strength, I will bring the kidnappers to you.” “Thank you, Abrina.” Jenya nodded, appeared to relax, and led Abrina to a small private room. She had long since dried off and the bitter taste of the tea had thankfully retreated. Exhausted, Abrina collapsed into the spartan bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. [/QUOTE]
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