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Medriev's FR Keep on the Shadowfell - Concluded Nov 7
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<blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4492202" data-attributes="member: 21864"><p><strong>Chapter 2 - Answers and Questions (Part 2)</strong></p><p></p><p>The companions rested for a little then and took care of their hurts while Dulvarna and Lavren made a pyre of the kobolds. They followed the trail onward then until finally it lopped around a rise in the ground and turned back northward towards the shores of a high lake and there a steep-sided crater punctured the wilderness. Near the centre of the depression, several humanoid figures clustered around a collection of bones while two small, dragonlike creatures stood alert near the crater rim. They stared at the approach of the newcomers.</p><p></p><p>“You can’t fully appreciate what we’ve uncovered from up above,” called out a small and slender gnome with long pointed ears, dark eyes and grey skin. “Come down towards the dragon bones and see what the workers have discovered.”</p><p>“This seems no cult,” said Dulvarna. “They seem simply to dig at the bones there.”</p><p>“It seems so,” agreed Mandratan. “Perhaps Sister Linora has misjudged things here.”</p><p>“Or perhaps the cult is elsewhere,” said Lavren. “It seems that they are not here.”</p><p>“Let us see what occurs here then,” said Erlmoor and at that, the companions started down into the crater.</p><p></p><p>They began their descent but no sooner had they got close to the four-legged, dragonlike creatures than the gnome barked a word in his own tongue and the creatures sprang forward to the attack. The nearest ran at Deloak and leapt at him, teeth tearing at his throat before he could push the creature away. He drew forth his hammer but his breath was ragged now and blood welled in his mouth.</p><p></p><p>“Honourable warriors never fall!” Deloak cried out and the others took up the cry though blood came forth from the dwarf’s lips as he called out to them.</p><p>He brought his hammer down hard on the back of the dragon creature and it scuttled back a step before darting back in. The men surged forward then with clubs held before them but Erlmoor was ready and met them with his blade. Dulvarna moved forward to aid Deloak, stabbing her sword into the flank of the dragon beast and forcing it further back. Alongside her, Lavren cursed the other beast in elven and then loosed black energy at it, striking the creature on the snout and forcing it to recoil. The creature came forward then, rushing at Deloak as the other had done. The dwarf was ready now, though, and he ducked back as the creature snapped at him. The gnome moved along the edge of the bone pit and then fired his crossbow at Enlishia. The bolt drove into the archer’s shoulder and drew a cry of pain from her but still she drew her bow and fired back at the gnome. The arrow pierced the gnome’s leg and almost at once he began to fade from sight. A heartbeat later he had vanished and was nowhere to be seen. Erlmoor swung out at the men who faced him then while calling forth to Lathander in his own tongue. The men leapt back but another came forward, charging through the bone pit to reach the dragonborn. Mandratan met this new foe with his stave and held him there, beside Erlmoor.</p><p></p><p>The dragon creatures darted at Deloak once more and he retreated this time, knowing he needed to bind the wound at his neck. He stepped back and as he did so, he recognised them for what they are.</p><p></p><p>“Guard drakes,” he called to the others. “Some keep these as pets for they are fierce guard beasts and hunt many beasts in the wilds.”</p><p>Dulvarna held the drakes at bay with her blade while Lavren hurled more dark, crackling energy at the beasts. They darted away from blow and spell alike, keeping themselves from hurt for the moment. The men, meanwhile, struck at Erlmoor with clubs, bruising arms and legs but doing little serious hurt. Enlishia shouldered her bow and drew forth her sword before moving to aid Dulvarna while Erlmoor slashed out with his blade, trying to keep the club men at bay. Just behind the drakes, the gnome reappeared, a smug smile on his face as he surveyed the beleaguered companions.</p><p>“It seems you should have stayed at home,” he called out.</p><p></p><p>Deloak roared his response and surged back into battle against the drakes bringing his hammer down in a mighty strike that struck only stone as the drake darted backwards. Dulvarna stepped forward and swept her blade across the chest of the drake before her and then slashed her blade into the flank of the other beast. Behind the drakes, Lavren saw a halfling darting back and forth with sling and stone poised but he could not yet find a target. He moved to the right and Lavren moved to where he could see him. Then, from the mystic energy of the Feywild where the moon elves were born he drew a brilliant white flame and set it in the halfling’s mind and body. Rivulets of argent fire streamed up into the air from his eyes, mouth, and hands as agony disrupted his very thoughts. The halfling cried out and staggered and the club men around Erlmoor glanced at the halfling nervously. They pushed forward at Erlmoor then but he swept their blows aside. The gnome barked a command and the drakes attacked again, both leaping at Deloak. The dwarf fell as the first struck him and with its teeth the beast tore the cloth from his neck wound and opened his throat. The gnome rushed forward then, almost gleefully, and rushed at Dulvarna from behind with a pick in his hands. Dulvarna ducked back, turning to face both foes with Enlishia at her back. She stepped away from the pick blow and it struck only stone. From behind Dulvarna, Erlmoor roared his anger and breathed acid at the club men but they leapt back. He stepped forward and swept his sword downwards only to strike unyielding stone. Mandratan retreated and loosed a silvery bolt that seared through the chest of the club man he had been fighting. The man crumpled and fell to the stone floor of the crater.</p><p></p><p>Dulvarna backed away from the drakes but then they came at her. One leapt, bearing her to the floor and tearing at her belly with its teeth. Blackness took her then and she fell beside Deloak. The club men surged forward again then, despite the loss that they had suffered and again Erlmoor had to hold his ground. The halfling, meanwhile, loosed a stone at Lavren that struck him painfully in the shoulder and spun him against the steep slope of the crater. Lavren pointed at the halfling, angry now, and uttered fey words, trying desperately to summon a terrible dream into the halfling’s mind. Alas he could not, the halfling’s mind was too strong and he cursed then. A club struck Erlmoor in the chest and he fell back towards the elf and as Lavren looked around he wondered if the crater was what defeat looked like. The gnome came at Mandratan from the left while the two drakes now faught Enlishia who was defending desperately. She slashed her blade across the snout of one of the drakes and retreated while Mandratan prepared a spell. At the right, Erlmoor plunged his blade into the belly of one of the men and felled him at his feet. The club men hesitated and then Mandratan summoned a fierce burst of flame that erupted from his hands and seared drake and man alike. The gnome struck at the wizard but was too slow and flames seared his underlings despite his efforts.</p><p></p><p>The burned and wounded drake screeched and came forward once more and snapped at Enlishia but she stepped back and evaded the bite. The halfling loosed another stone that struck Lavren in the side and so he turned away from the slinger then. With a rasped curse, he loosed black energy at the gnome, who ducked under it, and then drew his sword from his belt and moved to meet him in battle. The second drake came forward then and seized Mandratan’s arm in its jaws, tearing at him until he finally pulled back and got free of the beast. The gnome came at Lavren but his swing was clumsy and struck the stone at the elf’s feet. Enlishia stepped back again from the drakes and then, drawing it on, plunged her blade into the skull of the beast before her. It screeched and then fell at her feet. Behind her, Erlmoor feinted to the right and then drove his blade into the belly of the club man before him. The man fell, clutching at the terrible wound as blood and entrails seeped between his fingers. He roared his anger and charged at the halfling then and the slinger quailed before him. Behind him, Mandratan retreated from the drake before him and hurled forth a silvery bolt that struck the creature in the shoulder. It staggered and whimpered and looked towards the gnome for a moment.</p><p></p><p>The halfling threw sown his sling and drew a dagger from his belt, darting forward to thrust it at Erlmoor. The dragonborn swatted it aside and stepped closer to the fearful halfling. Behind him, Lavren darted forward and drove his sword into the thigh of the gnome, forcing him to stagger back a step. The gnome lashed out with his pick but the elf stepped back out of reach. The remaining drake darted at Enlishia but she stepped back and slashed at it with her sword, forcing it away from her again. Still it seemed to await a command from the gnome. Alas, it had run out of time. Mandratan extended his hand and loosed another silvery bolt of energy. This seared through the skull of the drake and felled it where it stood.</p><p></p><p>The halfling came at Erlmoor fiercely and stabbed his blade into the dragonborn’s arm. He stepped back and slashed out with his blade. Behind him Lavren retreated from the gnome and sheathed his sword. Lashing out with his hand he loosed dark energy once and then a second time. The second struck the gnome in the chest and drove him to his knees.</p><p>“I yield!” he called out. “I have information that will aid you.”</p><p>“Very well then,” said Lavren. “Call off your men and we will talk.”</p><p>The last man threw down his club and the halfling threw down his dagger. The battle was over.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Medriev, post: 4492202, member: 21864"] [b]Chapter 2 - Answers and Questions (Part 2)[/b] The companions rested for a little then and took care of their hurts while Dulvarna and Lavren made a pyre of the kobolds. They followed the trail onward then until finally it lopped around a rise in the ground and turned back northward towards the shores of a high lake and there a steep-sided crater punctured the wilderness. Near the centre of the depression, several humanoid figures clustered around a collection of bones while two small, dragonlike creatures stood alert near the crater rim. They stared at the approach of the newcomers. “You can’t fully appreciate what we’ve uncovered from up above,” called out a small and slender gnome with long pointed ears, dark eyes and grey skin. “Come down towards the dragon bones and see what the workers have discovered.” “This seems no cult,” said Dulvarna. “They seem simply to dig at the bones there.” “It seems so,” agreed Mandratan. “Perhaps Sister Linora has misjudged things here.” “Or perhaps the cult is elsewhere,” said Lavren. “It seems that they are not here.” “Let us see what occurs here then,” said Erlmoor and at that, the companions started down into the crater. They began their descent but no sooner had they got close to the four-legged, dragonlike creatures than the gnome barked a word in his own tongue and the creatures sprang forward to the attack. The nearest ran at Deloak and leapt at him, teeth tearing at his throat before he could push the creature away. He drew forth his hammer but his breath was ragged now and blood welled in his mouth. “Honourable warriors never fall!” Deloak cried out and the others took up the cry though blood came forth from the dwarf’s lips as he called out to them. He brought his hammer down hard on the back of the dragon creature and it scuttled back a step before darting back in. The men surged forward then with clubs held before them but Erlmoor was ready and met them with his blade. Dulvarna moved forward to aid Deloak, stabbing her sword into the flank of the dragon beast and forcing it further back. Alongside her, Lavren cursed the other beast in elven and then loosed black energy at it, striking the creature on the snout and forcing it to recoil. The creature came forward then, rushing at Deloak as the other had done. The dwarf was ready now, though, and he ducked back as the creature snapped at him. The gnome moved along the edge of the bone pit and then fired his crossbow at Enlishia. The bolt drove into the archer’s shoulder and drew a cry of pain from her but still she drew her bow and fired back at the gnome. The arrow pierced the gnome’s leg and almost at once he began to fade from sight. A heartbeat later he had vanished and was nowhere to be seen. Erlmoor swung out at the men who faced him then while calling forth to Lathander in his own tongue. The men leapt back but another came forward, charging through the bone pit to reach the dragonborn. Mandratan met this new foe with his stave and held him there, beside Erlmoor. The dragon creatures darted at Deloak once more and he retreated this time, knowing he needed to bind the wound at his neck. He stepped back and as he did so, he recognised them for what they are. “Guard drakes,” he called to the others. “Some keep these as pets for they are fierce guard beasts and hunt many beasts in the wilds.” Dulvarna held the drakes at bay with her blade while Lavren hurled more dark, crackling energy at the beasts. They darted away from blow and spell alike, keeping themselves from hurt for the moment. The men, meanwhile, struck at Erlmoor with clubs, bruising arms and legs but doing little serious hurt. Enlishia shouldered her bow and drew forth her sword before moving to aid Dulvarna while Erlmoor slashed out with his blade, trying to keep the club men at bay. Just behind the drakes, the gnome reappeared, a smug smile on his face as he surveyed the beleaguered companions. “It seems you should have stayed at home,” he called out. Deloak roared his response and surged back into battle against the drakes bringing his hammer down in a mighty strike that struck only stone as the drake darted backwards. Dulvarna stepped forward and swept her blade across the chest of the drake before her and then slashed her blade into the flank of the other beast. Behind the drakes, Lavren saw a halfling darting back and forth with sling and stone poised but he could not yet find a target. He moved to the right and Lavren moved to where he could see him. Then, from the mystic energy of the Feywild where the moon elves were born he drew a brilliant white flame and set it in the halfling’s mind and body. Rivulets of argent fire streamed up into the air from his eyes, mouth, and hands as agony disrupted his very thoughts. The halfling cried out and staggered and the club men around Erlmoor glanced at the halfling nervously. They pushed forward at Erlmoor then but he swept their blows aside. The gnome barked a command and the drakes attacked again, both leaping at Deloak. The dwarf fell as the first struck him and with its teeth the beast tore the cloth from his neck wound and opened his throat. The gnome rushed forward then, almost gleefully, and rushed at Dulvarna from behind with a pick in his hands. Dulvarna ducked back, turning to face both foes with Enlishia at her back. She stepped away from the pick blow and it struck only stone. From behind Dulvarna, Erlmoor roared his anger and breathed acid at the club men but they leapt back. He stepped forward and swept his sword downwards only to strike unyielding stone. Mandratan retreated and loosed a silvery bolt that seared through the chest of the club man he had been fighting. The man crumpled and fell to the stone floor of the crater. Dulvarna backed away from the drakes but then they came at her. One leapt, bearing her to the floor and tearing at her belly with its teeth. Blackness took her then and she fell beside Deloak. The club men surged forward again then, despite the loss that they had suffered and again Erlmoor had to hold his ground. The halfling, meanwhile, loosed a stone at Lavren that struck him painfully in the shoulder and spun him against the steep slope of the crater. Lavren pointed at the halfling, angry now, and uttered fey words, trying desperately to summon a terrible dream into the halfling’s mind. Alas he could not, the halfling’s mind was too strong and he cursed then. A club struck Erlmoor in the chest and he fell back towards the elf and as Lavren looked around he wondered if the crater was what defeat looked like. The gnome came at Mandratan from the left while the two drakes now faught Enlishia who was defending desperately. She slashed her blade across the snout of one of the drakes and retreated while Mandratan prepared a spell. At the right, Erlmoor plunged his blade into the belly of one of the men and felled him at his feet. The club men hesitated and then Mandratan summoned a fierce burst of flame that erupted from his hands and seared drake and man alike. The gnome struck at the wizard but was too slow and flames seared his underlings despite his efforts. The burned and wounded drake screeched and came forward once more and snapped at Enlishia but she stepped back and evaded the bite. The halfling loosed another stone that struck Lavren in the side and so he turned away from the slinger then. With a rasped curse, he loosed black energy at the gnome, who ducked under it, and then drew his sword from his belt and moved to meet him in battle. The second drake came forward then and seized Mandratan’s arm in its jaws, tearing at him until he finally pulled back and got free of the beast. The gnome came at Lavren but his swing was clumsy and struck the stone at the elf’s feet. Enlishia stepped back again from the drakes and then, drawing it on, plunged her blade into the skull of the beast before her. It screeched and then fell at her feet. Behind her, Erlmoor feinted to the right and then drove his blade into the belly of the club man before him. The man fell, clutching at the terrible wound as blood and entrails seeped between his fingers. He roared his anger and charged at the halfling then and the slinger quailed before him. Behind him, Mandratan retreated from the drake before him and hurled forth a silvery bolt that struck the creature in the shoulder. It staggered and whimpered and looked towards the gnome for a moment. The halfling threw sown his sling and drew a dagger from his belt, darting forward to thrust it at Erlmoor. The dragonborn swatted it aside and stepped closer to the fearful halfling. Behind him, Lavren darted forward and drove his sword into the thigh of the gnome, forcing him to stagger back a step. The gnome lashed out with his pick but the elf stepped back out of reach. The remaining drake darted at Enlishia but she stepped back and slashed at it with her sword, forcing it away from her again. Still it seemed to await a command from the gnome. Alas, it had run out of time. Mandratan extended his hand and loosed another silvery bolt of energy. This seared through the skull of the drake and felled it where it stood. The halfling came at Erlmoor fiercely and stabbed his blade into the dragonborn’s arm. He stepped back and slashed out with his blade. Behind him Lavren retreated from the gnome and sheathed his sword. Lashing out with his hand he loosed dark energy once and then a second time. The second struck the gnome in the chest and drove him to his knees. “I yield!” he called out. “I have information that will aid you.” “Very well then,” said Lavren. “Call off your men and we will talk.” The last man threw down his club and the halfling threw down his dagger. The battle was over. [/QUOTE]
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