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Maissen: Shades of Grey [UPDATE 12/12, post 199]
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<blockquote data-quote="Beale Knight" data-source="post: 2163690" data-attributes="member: 7033"><p><strong>06 02 The Bridge</strong></p><p></p><p>On the far side of the chasm a short, cloaked woman stepped out. She flung back her hood to reveal a face once elegant but now twisted with evil, and shouted words lost to the wind blowing over the bridge. Only one word was plain to the ears of the Heroes of Vaunth-on-the-Lake, “Master.”</p><p></p><p>The woman waved her arms and chanted as Aneirin and Ren kept crossing the bridge. A moment later there was a red flash and from nowhere a devil of slime appeared between the two heroes. On the far side of the bridge a hoard of goblins rushed out from behind the rocks to join the summoner. </p><p></p><p>Aneirin and Ren reacted almost as one. The warrior wheeled around, slicing the slime devil through with his sword in a powerful swing as the hunter plunged an arrow into the monster. It vanished in a puff of red smoke and sulfur. </p><p></p><p>The wizard was prepared for the quick slaying of her summoned devil. As Aneirin turned to face her again she pointed at him.</p><p></p><p>He stopped. Frozen in place. </p><p></p><p>Killian and Madge had already begun to run toward the unexpected fight. Madge deftly squeezed by Bessie, who was keeping the horse behind her calmed. Killian however, had grown too used to his original dwarven stride. Rushing in human form for the first time in over a week threw him off and he landed face first on the rope bridge. </p><p></p><p>Chaos overwhelmed the scene. Goblins surged onto the bridge. Ren shot at them, killing one and then another from the middle of the bridge. Madge made her way to the paralyzed Aneirin’s side, fighting back the goblins closing in on the warrior. Killian got to his feet and stood at Ren’s side, casting fire and bolt magic at the surge of goblins. From the rear, Bessie launched crossbow bolts while keeping the horses from panic. </p><p></p><p>At last Aneirin broke free of the spell that held him still. He and Madge began to push their way through the sea of goblins to their master. The tide had turned, and the wizardess knew it. Her next move was one of escape. With a spell she brought a cloud of fog up around herself and the goblins closest to her – including those on the last yards of the bridge. </p><p></p><p>With plenty of goblins still in sight, Madge and Aneirin held their ground. The others continued to support them from down the bridge. </p><p></p><p>Then one of the bridge’s support ropes snapped. Cut. Everyone all held on, even the one horse on the bridge. Bessie promptly got him back to the island. Ren made another last shot and joined her. Aneirin, Madge, and Killian continued to fight the goblins they could see. </p><p></p><p>It was a fateful decision. The next moment the other two ropes were cut. The far end of the bridge fell, plunging the three party members to the valley below. Many of the wizard’s goblins went with them, testimony to her callous evil. Of their lives and fate, she couldn’t care less.</p><p></p><p>From the rock island, Ren and Bessie gazed in open mouth horror as their friends and comrades-in-arms disappeared into the trees below. The heavy thwap of the bridge slamming against the tower of rock shocked them back into action. Ren grabbed hold of the ropes dangling down and began to climb to the valley floor. Bessie followed right behind him. In moments they were down and gazing over a horrific scene.</p><p></p><p>The goblins had scattered as they fell. Their still and twisted bodies were all over.</p><p></p><p>Killian had landed on a large stone and was little more than red and brown ooze, splayed over a wide area. He was recognizable only by his gear, most of which had been broken into bits, even the wand that he’d only just used for the first time. </p><p></p><p>Madge was in one piece, partially covered in leaves and branches, but her limbs were bent the wrong ways and her eyes wide open but unseeing. </p><p></p><p>By the blessings of the gods, surrounded by the tree branches he had smashed through on his way down, branches that had clearly slowed his fall enough to keep it from being fatal, was Aneirin.</p><p></p><p>He still drew breath.</p><p></p><p>But so did the evil wizardress and many of her goblins. They were climbing down the vine encrusted cliff wall, determined to slay the rest of the party. It was not to be. The vines they clung to were not nearly as sturdy as the rope bridge. When they were but halfway to the valley floor the vines stretched and then snapped. Like the victims of their bridge cutting, the wizard and her goblins plunged to the valley floor. </p><p></p><p>Though her goblins died, the wizard woman lived – but only long enough to stand up. As she got to her feet, one of Ren’s arrows neatly pierced her forehead and she fell again. </p><p></p><p>When she did, her body shimmered. The wizard's clothes fell to the ground as her body became a swarm of bees and other insects. They dissipated, probably throwing curses at her slayers in voices too high pitched to hear.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly the valley was still. In the quiet, the enormity of what had just happened began to weigh on the surviving heroes. Bessie and Ren stared quietly at each other for a long moment, silently wondering what to do next. A distant growl spurred them to action. </p><p></p><p>“No time for letting sadness stop us right now,” Ren said. “Scavengers are going to catch the scent of death and get her before too long.” </p><p></p><p>Bessie nodded. “I’ll put my magic to healing Aneirin.”</p><p></p><p>“Then see about what gear we can salvage,” Ren said. Then he sighed. “I’ll get to the graves.”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Next: Elves and Maisseners [POST 95]</p><p>Soon: Dumb Bear and the graying of truth begins</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Beale Knight, post: 2163690, member: 7033"] [b]06 02 The Bridge[/b] On the far side of the chasm a short, cloaked woman stepped out. She flung back her hood to reveal a face once elegant but now twisted with evil, and shouted words lost to the wind blowing over the bridge. Only one word was plain to the ears of the Heroes of Vaunth-on-the-Lake, “Master.” The woman waved her arms and chanted as Aneirin and Ren kept crossing the bridge. A moment later there was a red flash and from nowhere a devil of slime appeared between the two heroes. On the far side of the bridge a hoard of goblins rushed out from behind the rocks to join the summoner. Aneirin and Ren reacted almost as one. The warrior wheeled around, slicing the slime devil through with his sword in a powerful swing as the hunter plunged an arrow into the monster. It vanished in a puff of red smoke and sulfur. The wizard was prepared for the quick slaying of her summoned devil. As Aneirin turned to face her again she pointed at him. He stopped. Frozen in place. Killian and Madge had already begun to run toward the unexpected fight. Madge deftly squeezed by Bessie, who was keeping the horse behind her calmed. Killian however, had grown too used to his original dwarven stride. Rushing in human form for the first time in over a week threw him off and he landed face first on the rope bridge. Chaos overwhelmed the scene. Goblins surged onto the bridge. Ren shot at them, killing one and then another from the middle of the bridge. Madge made her way to the paralyzed Aneirin’s side, fighting back the goblins closing in on the warrior. Killian got to his feet and stood at Ren’s side, casting fire and bolt magic at the surge of goblins. From the rear, Bessie launched crossbow bolts while keeping the horses from panic. At last Aneirin broke free of the spell that held him still. He and Madge began to push their way through the sea of goblins to their master. The tide had turned, and the wizardess knew it. Her next move was one of escape. With a spell she brought a cloud of fog up around herself and the goblins closest to her – including those on the last yards of the bridge. With plenty of goblins still in sight, Madge and Aneirin held their ground. The others continued to support them from down the bridge. Then one of the bridge’s support ropes snapped. Cut. Everyone all held on, even the one horse on the bridge. Bessie promptly got him back to the island. Ren made another last shot and joined her. Aneirin, Madge, and Killian continued to fight the goblins they could see. It was a fateful decision. The next moment the other two ropes were cut. The far end of the bridge fell, plunging the three party members to the valley below. Many of the wizard’s goblins went with them, testimony to her callous evil. Of their lives and fate, she couldn’t care less. From the rock island, Ren and Bessie gazed in open mouth horror as their friends and comrades-in-arms disappeared into the trees below. The heavy thwap of the bridge slamming against the tower of rock shocked them back into action. Ren grabbed hold of the ropes dangling down and began to climb to the valley floor. Bessie followed right behind him. In moments they were down and gazing over a horrific scene. The goblins had scattered as they fell. Their still and twisted bodies were all over. Killian had landed on a large stone and was little more than red and brown ooze, splayed over a wide area. He was recognizable only by his gear, most of which had been broken into bits, even the wand that he’d only just used for the first time. Madge was in one piece, partially covered in leaves and branches, but her limbs were bent the wrong ways and her eyes wide open but unseeing. By the blessings of the gods, surrounded by the tree branches he had smashed through on his way down, branches that had clearly slowed his fall enough to keep it from being fatal, was Aneirin. He still drew breath. But so did the evil wizardress and many of her goblins. They were climbing down the vine encrusted cliff wall, determined to slay the rest of the party. It was not to be. The vines they clung to were not nearly as sturdy as the rope bridge. When they were but halfway to the valley floor the vines stretched and then snapped. Like the victims of their bridge cutting, the wizard and her goblins plunged to the valley floor. Though her goblins died, the wizard woman lived – but only long enough to stand up. As she got to her feet, one of Ren’s arrows neatly pierced her forehead and she fell again. When she did, her body shimmered. The wizard's clothes fell to the ground as her body became a swarm of bees and other insects. They dissipated, probably throwing curses at her slayers in voices too high pitched to hear. Suddenly the valley was still. In the quiet, the enormity of what had just happened began to weigh on the surviving heroes. Bessie and Ren stared quietly at each other for a long moment, silently wondering what to do next. A distant growl spurred them to action. “No time for letting sadness stop us right now,” Ren said. “Scavengers are going to catch the scent of death and get her before too long.” Bessie nodded. “I’ll put my magic to healing Aneirin.” “Then see about what gear we can salvage,” Ren said. Then he sighed. “I’ll get to the graves.” Next: Elves and Maisseners [POST 95] Soon: Dumb Bear and the graying of truth begins [/QUOTE]
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