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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: 4526358" data-attributes="member: 21864"><p><strong>Chapter 17 - Hunters in the Dark (Part 3)</strong></p><p></p><p>“Will they return?” asked Thira once the last of the skeletons had fallen. “We should seek the trigger for the foul magic that dwells here.” She led the way to the eastern end of the chamber where silvery-white light from above suffused a wider section of the crypt. A dome depicted a radiant sky with a set of vivid silver and blue eyes gazing down. The eyes were surrounded by six equidistant silver points of light with a single larger point of light above the eyes. Surrounding the radiant image were dark tiles while altars inscribed with elaborate script stood on either side of the wide area. Relief images of soldiers in plate armor on their knees in prayer appeared on the walls behind each altar. Erlmoor made his way over to the northern altar and found Thorass runes carved into the stone:</p><p></p><p>In the light, life thrives, perseveres, and endures against the darkness. Our Lady of Silver, give us strength to stand against the darkness and face the night with vigilance and bravery. </p><p>“It is an altar to Selune,” said Erlmoor to the others.</p><p>“As is this one,” said Dulvarna. “We should leave. I have an ill feeling about this place.”</p><p>“Should we not offer praise to Selune as we have disturbed her crypt,” said Kel.</p><p>“Selune no longer watches this place,” answered Dulvarna. “It is cursed by something darker.” There were double doors at the eastern end of the crypt and Dulvarna pushed them open.</p><p></p><p>Within was another crypt, this one with a raised dais at the far end which held a single coffin. Carved on the lid of the coffin was a warrior in plate armour with a sword laid across his chest, the point toward his feet. Dulvarna drew her sword and the others drew weapons as the doors swung shut behind them.</p><p>“There is nothing here,” said Kel after a few moments. “We should leave.”</p><p>“No arguments from me,” said Erlmoor.</p><p>“Me neither,” said Thira.</p><p></p><p>Together, the six companions turned back toward the doors but as they did so, a loud noise of breaking stone behind them turned their attention back to the coffin. The lid had exploded in a flurry of dust and from it rose a humanoid skeleton girded in plate armour. It held aloft a longsword.</p><p>“The rift must never be re-opened!” it croaked. “State your business, or prepare to die!”</p><p></p><p>“We are adventurers seeking to thwart the plans of a being named Kalarel,” said Erlmoor. “Does he seek to reopen this rift you speak of?”</p><p>“I know nothing of this Kalarel,” replied the skeleton. “And yet I am sworn to defend the Keep. Is he what brings you here? Is the rift to be reopened?”</p><p>“Perhaps,” answered Erlmoor. “We know not his true purpose but know only that the shadow dragon Shadraxil has something to do with it.”</p><p>“Shadraxil,” the skeleton all but spat. “He has been the bane of my existence since first I confronted the wyrm. A plague on him. And you,” he turned to Thira then, his mind clearly jumping to something else. “Who protects you when you venture into the dark? Are you true to the god you serve?”</p><p>“I am,” said Thira then, surprising the others who had never seen her at any religious devotions. “Mystra guides me and protects me and I serve her faithfully.”</p><p></p><p>“Good,” answered the being, “that is good. And a ranger guides you unless I am much mistaken.” Enlishia nodded her head to the creature. </p><p>“Tell me ranger,” the skeleton continued. “If you trust your senses, what do you see before you?”</p><p>“I see a tortured soul doomed to undead existence,” answered Enlishia.</p><p>“No!!” the creature cried out. “I am Sir Keegan who once was lord of this keep. I was trusted to keep the Shadow Rift sealed and prevent terrible Shad¬raxil from breaking free to unleash a reign of terror upon Cormyr.” Sir Keegan calmed a little. “Now I am but a shadow of what I was.” He paused then.</p><p></p><p>“I pray that you are strong if you are truly who you say are,” Sir Keegan resumed after a few moments, turning to look at Dulvarna. “The warrior woman who leads you wears a fiercesome demeanor. Are you truly as formidable as you look, warrior woman?”</p><p>“I am strong enough,” answered Dulvarna fiercely. “Already I have faught through many perils to get here.”</p><p></p><p>“Strong enough!” Sir Keegan answered, his voice rising shrilly once more. “You know not what you truly face here. There are perils yet to face that you cannot even imagine. Unnatural forces abound in this place. Are you truly equipped to overcome them?”</p><p>“We are equipped and we are strong,” answered Thira. “We have braved terrible dangers to come here and would brave much worse to thwart the enemies that lurk here.”</p><p></p><p>“A convincing answer,” Sir Keegan said, more softly now. He turned back towards Erlmoor. “Or at least one convincingly given. Can you attest to the truth of your comrade’s claim?”</p><p>“I can,” Erlmoor rumbled in his deepest baritone. “We have stood together and faught together, the six of us, against terrible enemies here and elsewhere. We are true to our intentions here and would bring down the enemy that dwells in this place.”</p><p>“Then in that case, I wish you well,” said Sir Keegan, hiss voice finally softening. “I only hope that you do not fail as I did. Shadraxil’s power was so great that the wyrm was able to extend his influence from beyond his shadow prison and consume me with madness. I became possessed and in a rage, I slew my wife and then moved through the keep, killing my men one by one even as they stood stunned. I became a murderous fiend!” Sir Keegan’s empty sockets stared down at the stone floor of his crypt then as though grimly remembering his own terrible deeds.</p><p></p><p>“How came you to be here, Lord?” asked Erlmoor quietly.</p><p>“Finally the alarm went up,” Sir Keegan answered, without looking up from the floor. “What remained of the legion banded together against me. Even in my rage, I realised that I could not best them all, so I fled into the crypts to hide from vengeance. Only then did the madness lift. I realised what I had done and despaired. I had killed my love and broken my oath. More than that, I had done so with my sword, Aecris, a blade given to me by King Tharyann when I was made a knight. The remnants of my legion sealed the passage and trapped me here. I selected this as a fitting place to spend eternity.”</p><p></p><p>“There must be something we can do to aid you,” said Dulvarna. “Name it.”</p><p>“I am past redemption,” Sir Keegan answered, finally raising his empty eye sockets to look at Dulvarna. “But perhaps I can grant you aid. I cannot leave this crypt, but Aecris can. Perhaps this elegant weapon, unlike me, can be redeemed. I give it to you that you might purge Shadowfell Keep of those who work to open the rift. Seek Selune’s boon at the altars outside and perhaps she too will grant you aid.”</p><p></p><p>Dulvarna stepped forward as Sir Keegan held out his sword and took it from him reverently. She took out her own sword and gave it to the knight.</p><p>“So that you may rest more easily with a blade still in hand,” she said. Then she replaced her blade with ancient Aecris in the sheath on her back and bowed her head to the knight. The others did likewise before all six retreated from the chamber.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Medriev, post: 4526358, member: 21864"] [b]Chapter 17 - Hunters in the Dark (Part 3)[/b] “Will they return?” asked Thira once the last of the skeletons had fallen. “We should seek the trigger for the foul magic that dwells here.” She led the way to the eastern end of the chamber where silvery-white light from above suffused a wider section of the crypt. A dome depicted a radiant sky with a set of vivid silver and blue eyes gazing down. The eyes were surrounded by six equidistant silver points of light with a single larger point of light above the eyes. Surrounding the radiant image were dark tiles while altars inscribed with elaborate script stood on either side of the wide area. Relief images of soldiers in plate armor on their knees in prayer appeared on the walls behind each altar. Erlmoor made his way over to the northern altar and found Thorass runes carved into the stone: In the light, life thrives, perseveres, and endures against the darkness. Our Lady of Silver, give us strength to stand against the darkness and face the night with vigilance and bravery. “It is an altar to Selune,” said Erlmoor to the others. “As is this one,” said Dulvarna. “We should leave. I have an ill feeling about this place.” “Should we not offer praise to Selune as we have disturbed her crypt,” said Kel. “Selune no longer watches this place,” answered Dulvarna. “It is cursed by something darker.” There were double doors at the eastern end of the crypt and Dulvarna pushed them open. Within was another crypt, this one with a raised dais at the far end which held a single coffin. Carved on the lid of the coffin was a warrior in plate armour with a sword laid across his chest, the point toward his feet. Dulvarna drew her sword and the others drew weapons as the doors swung shut behind them. “There is nothing here,” said Kel after a few moments. “We should leave.” “No arguments from me,” said Erlmoor. “Me neither,” said Thira. Together, the six companions turned back toward the doors but as they did so, a loud noise of breaking stone behind them turned their attention back to the coffin. The lid had exploded in a flurry of dust and from it rose a humanoid skeleton girded in plate armour. It held aloft a longsword. “The rift must never be re-opened!” it croaked. “State your business, or prepare to die!” “We are adventurers seeking to thwart the plans of a being named Kalarel,” said Erlmoor. “Does he seek to reopen this rift you speak of?” “I know nothing of this Kalarel,” replied the skeleton. “And yet I am sworn to defend the Keep. Is he what brings you here? Is the rift to be reopened?” “Perhaps,” answered Erlmoor. “We know not his true purpose but know only that the shadow dragon Shadraxil has something to do with it.” “Shadraxil,” the skeleton all but spat. “He has been the bane of my existence since first I confronted the wyrm. A plague on him. And you,” he turned to Thira then, his mind clearly jumping to something else. “Who protects you when you venture into the dark? Are you true to the god you serve?” “I am,” said Thira then, surprising the others who had never seen her at any religious devotions. “Mystra guides me and protects me and I serve her faithfully.” “Good,” answered the being, “that is good. And a ranger guides you unless I am much mistaken.” Enlishia nodded her head to the creature. “Tell me ranger,” the skeleton continued. “If you trust your senses, what do you see before you?” “I see a tortured soul doomed to undead existence,” answered Enlishia. “No!!” the creature cried out. “I am Sir Keegan who once was lord of this keep. I was trusted to keep the Shadow Rift sealed and prevent terrible Shad¬raxil from breaking free to unleash a reign of terror upon Cormyr.” Sir Keegan calmed a little. “Now I am but a shadow of what I was.” He paused then. “I pray that you are strong if you are truly who you say are,” Sir Keegan resumed after a few moments, turning to look at Dulvarna. “The warrior woman who leads you wears a fiercesome demeanor. Are you truly as formidable as you look, warrior woman?” “I am strong enough,” answered Dulvarna fiercely. “Already I have faught through many perils to get here.” “Strong enough!” Sir Keegan answered, his voice rising shrilly once more. “You know not what you truly face here. There are perils yet to face that you cannot even imagine. Unnatural forces abound in this place. Are you truly equipped to overcome them?” “We are equipped and we are strong,” answered Thira. “We have braved terrible dangers to come here and would brave much worse to thwart the enemies that lurk here.” “A convincing answer,” Sir Keegan said, more softly now. He turned back towards Erlmoor. “Or at least one convincingly given. Can you attest to the truth of your comrade’s claim?” “I can,” Erlmoor rumbled in his deepest baritone. “We have stood together and faught together, the six of us, against terrible enemies here and elsewhere. We are true to our intentions here and would bring down the enemy that dwells in this place.” “Then in that case, I wish you well,” said Sir Keegan, hiss voice finally softening. “I only hope that you do not fail as I did. Shadraxil’s power was so great that the wyrm was able to extend his influence from beyond his shadow prison and consume me with madness. I became possessed and in a rage, I slew my wife and then moved through the keep, killing my men one by one even as they stood stunned. I became a murderous fiend!” Sir Keegan’s empty sockets stared down at the stone floor of his crypt then as though grimly remembering his own terrible deeds. “How came you to be here, Lord?” asked Erlmoor quietly. “Finally the alarm went up,” Sir Keegan answered, without looking up from the floor. “What remained of the legion banded together against me. Even in my rage, I realised that I could not best them all, so I fled into the crypts to hide from vengeance. Only then did the madness lift. I realised what I had done and despaired. I had killed my love and broken my oath. More than that, I had done so with my sword, Aecris, a blade given to me by King Tharyann when I was made a knight. The remnants of my legion sealed the passage and trapped me here. I selected this as a fitting place to spend eternity.” “There must be something we can do to aid you,” said Dulvarna. “Name it.” “I am past redemption,” Sir Keegan answered, finally raising his empty eye sockets to look at Dulvarna. “But perhaps I can grant you aid. I cannot leave this crypt, but Aecris can. Perhaps this elegant weapon, unlike me, can be redeemed. I give it to you that you might purge Shadowfell Keep of those who work to open the rift. Seek Selune’s boon at the altars outside and perhaps she too will grant you aid.” Dulvarna stepped forward as Sir Keegan held out his sword and took it from him reverently. She took out her own sword and gave it to the knight. “So that you may rest more easily with a blade still in hand,” she said. Then she replaced her blade with ancient Aecris in the sheath on her back and bowed her head to the knight. The others did likewise before all six retreated from the chamber. [/QUOTE]
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