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Sniktch's Story Hour Prelude - From the Beginning (UPDATED 04/22)
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<blockquote data-quote="Sniktch" data-source="post: 431270" data-attributes="member: 7704"><p><strong>The Forges, pt. 2</strong></p><p></p><p>The Royston Crow had been standing alert, crossbow loaded, when the noises started, and he heard them too. A soft squishing sound, strange, reminding him on one hand of a bat in flight and on the other of some deep sea creature. Funny, he thought as he squinted futiley into the gloom above, I don’t remember who I am or where I come from but I remember the noises that flying rodents and swimming squids make. Funny, he continued to think, but that looks a little bit like a flying squid coming down at me.</p><p></p><p>“Yaaaaa!” he came out of his reverie with a shout when he saw the beast coming towards him. It was too dark to make out details, but it did look like a great and shadowy squid with webbing between the tentacles was floating down toward him. He squeezed the trigger to his crossbow reflexively, but he was pitched into absolute darkness before he could see if he’d hit anything. He reloaded frenetically and fired another shot into the air above himself where he’d seen the beast. He was rewarded by hearing a wet, meaty thunk just above his head, and then the slimy tentacled weight crashed into him, bearing him to the floor.</p><p>____________________________________</p><p></p><p>Artimas and Eli were a few strides behind Jack when they saw him disappear, engulfed in a globe of impenetrable darkness. Artimas threw himself to the side and between two of the buildings, and then he was surrounded by darkness, too. He heard the whirring passage of some flying abberation behind him, followed by a loud smack. The elf’s voice cried out in pain.</p><p></p><p>“Jack, help, it has me! Jack, -- “ Eli’s voice broke off in a high-pitched, rattling scream. Artimas stumbled along the wall, away from the noise, and soon cleared the darkness. He staggered a few more steps from the wailing elf, hidden from his sight by the wall of darkness, and collapsed shaking to the ground, eyes darting all about searching for another attacker.</p><p></p><p>He heard Jack bellowing, and the mailed tread of his boots growing rapidly closer as the screaming subsided.</p><p>____________________________________</p><p></p><p>Stumpwater Jack put his head down and charged forward when the darkness fell. He heard something whistle towards him, felt something solid smack against his chainmail, and then he cleared it, scooting to a stop on the other side. Whirling around, he heard Eli’s cry for help and then his howl of agony.</p><p></p><p>Jack bellowed his rage, calling upon Clangeddin to imbue his axe with holy might. The blade took on a magical silver glow as he plunged back into the globe of darkness, speeding in the direction of his friend’s fading cries. Once again something attacked him as he ran, and once again he ignored the hit he received and continued past. He came out of the globe of darkness for the blink of an eye before entering a second one. </p><p></p><p>Just ahead now he heard the elf’s gurgling moans and another sound, a tearing, wet... chewing. Jack’s eyes widened in horror and he lashed out with his axe in the direction of the noise, swinging it parallel to the ground and praying his friend did not lie in its path. A shock ran up his arm as he hit something with brutal force. His axe was torn from his grasp and he heard a body strike the floor.</p><p></p><p>Jack dropped to his hands and knees and searched the darkness. He found Eli’s body, and even without seeing he knew his friend was horribly ripped and torn. However, a low rattling hiss continued to issue from the elf as he labored to draw breath.</p><p></p><p>Ignoring the sound of the other beast bearing down upon him, Jack fell into prayer, calling upon the power of his god to save his friend from death’s door.</p><p>_________________________________</p><p></p><p>As he crossed the doorway Ike slipped in something wet and sticky and fell, taking the halfling with him, as he still held Welby’s shoulder tightly. The barbarian gave a startled cry of pain and was wrenched from his grasp suddenly, and Ike heard something moving back into the building they had just exited.. He spun about and moved after the noise, readying his mace as he moved.</p><p></p><p>He banged painfully into the anvil and heard the noise shrinking away, above him now. He climbed onto the anvil and stood, extending his arms toward the hole he knew to be there. Jumping, he was able to reach the ceiling, and hoisted himself through the opening to the roof. </p><p></p><p>When his he came through the hole he broke through the darkness, and saw another choker, one of the strange beasts that had ambushed him on a higher level, grasping a struggling Welby and leaping to the next rooftop. The halfling was foaming at the mouth and raving, and he had managed to pull his dagger from his boot and hacked at the tentacle wrapped around his midsection, caring little whether his blows landed on the choker or himself.</p><p></p><p>Ike smiled grimly and gave chase, jumping the gap between buildings and swinging his mace at the choker. His aim was good and his weapon connected with a solid crunch. The choker howled in pain and threw the halfling off the roof, then turned and tore into Ike savagely. He accepted the hits and swung again, striking a glancing blow to the creature’s skull. The choker fled, screaming its rage and frustration as it hopped from roof to roof.</p><p></p><p>Ike jumped to the ground to see if his friend had made it through the ordeal intact.</p><p>_______________________________</p><p></p><p>Artimas methodically loaded his crossbow, eyes still searching every direction for any sign of movement. He heard Jack’s battle cry and subsequent triumphant shout, then the dwarf’s rising chant as he called the favor of his deity. At that instant he also caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye; a weird, flying squid-like monstrosity floating up into the inky depths overhead.</p><p></p><p>He raised his crossbow, mumbling a spell that gave him arcane insight into his next shot. A moment later the beast reappeared, speeding toward the chanting dwarf. Artimas pulled the trigger, the bolt smashed into one of the creature’s eyes, destroying its brain, and it flopped over oddly as it continued its descent.</p><p>________________________________</p><p></p><p>They had all survived the encounter, although some by inches. When the darkness cleared they found Jack weeping quietly over his stricken friend, who still needed healing and rest before he would be on his feet again. Artimas had killed one beast with his shot, and Jack had chopped the other nearly in two. </p><p></p><p>They found the body of a third creature atop the unconscious figure of the Royston Crow. His blind shot, in a moment of outrageous luck, had killed the creature as it charged him. However, the body had still fallen onto him, knocking him off his feet. Then, he sheepishly admitted, he had fainted from fright.</p><p></p><p>Welby and Ike were sore from their fight with the choker but none the worse for wear. However, the beast had escaped them and probably lingered, near and out of sight. They did not stop at this time to explore further. Ike helped Jack carry the senseless elf and the others kept a close and nervous eye out while they headed back to the staircase and left the danger behind them, for a time.</p><p></p><p>They resolved to go back to town the next morning and rest until they had recovered. This time no one remained behind, and they left their supplies in the puzzle room, trusting the bitter weather to discourage intelligent travelers and the lift to protect against any wandering beasts. The secret staircase was sealed again. In the meantime they would enjoy the fruits of their labor and live it up at Ned’s, for a couple of days at least.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sniktch, post: 431270, member: 7704"] [b]The Forges, pt. 2[/b] The Royston Crow had been standing alert, crossbow loaded, when the noises started, and he heard them too. A soft squishing sound, strange, reminding him on one hand of a bat in flight and on the other of some deep sea creature. Funny, he thought as he squinted futiley into the gloom above, I don’t remember who I am or where I come from but I remember the noises that flying rodents and swimming squids make. Funny, he continued to think, but that looks a little bit like a flying squid coming down at me. “Yaaaaa!” he came out of his reverie with a shout when he saw the beast coming towards him. It was too dark to make out details, but it did look like a great and shadowy squid with webbing between the tentacles was floating down toward him. He squeezed the trigger to his crossbow reflexively, but he was pitched into absolute darkness before he could see if he’d hit anything. He reloaded frenetically and fired another shot into the air above himself where he’d seen the beast. He was rewarded by hearing a wet, meaty thunk just above his head, and then the slimy tentacled weight crashed into him, bearing him to the floor. ____________________________________ Artimas and Eli were a few strides behind Jack when they saw him disappear, engulfed in a globe of impenetrable darkness. Artimas threw himself to the side and between two of the buildings, and then he was surrounded by darkness, too. He heard the whirring passage of some flying abberation behind him, followed by a loud smack. The elf’s voice cried out in pain. “Jack, help, it has me! Jack, -- “ Eli’s voice broke off in a high-pitched, rattling scream. Artimas stumbled along the wall, away from the noise, and soon cleared the darkness. He staggered a few more steps from the wailing elf, hidden from his sight by the wall of darkness, and collapsed shaking to the ground, eyes darting all about searching for another attacker. He heard Jack bellowing, and the mailed tread of his boots growing rapidly closer as the screaming subsided. ____________________________________ Stumpwater Jack put his head down and charged forward when the darkness fell. He heard something whistle towards him, felt something solid smack against his chainmail, and then he cleared it, scooting to a stop on the other side. Whirling around, he heard Eli’s cry for help and then his howl of agony. Jack bellowed his rage, calling upon Clangeddin to imbue his axe with holy might. The blade took on a magical silver glow as he plunged back into the globe of darkness, speeding in the direction of his friend’s fading cries. Once again something attacked him as he ran, and once again he ignored the hit he received and continued past. He came out of the globe of darkness for the blink of an eye before entering a second one. Just ahead now he heard the elf’s gurgling moans and another sound, a tearing, wet... chewing. Jack’s eyes widened in horror and he lashed out with his axe in the direction of the noise, swinging it parallel to the ground and praying his friend did not lie in its path. A shock ran up his arm as he hit something with brutal force. His axe was torn from his grasp and he heard a body strike the floor. Jack dropped to his hands and knees and searched the darkness. He found Eli’s body, and even without seeing he knew his friend was horribly ripped and torn. However, a low rattling hiss continued to issue from the elf as he labored to draw breath. Ignoring the sound of the other beast bearing down upon him, Jack fell into prayer, calling upon the power of his god to save his friend from death’s door. _________________________________ As he crossed the doorway Ike slipped in something wet and sticky and fell, taking the halfling with him, as he still held Welby’s shoulder tightly. The barbarian gave a startled cry of pain and was wrenched from his grasp suddenly, and Ike heard something moving back into the building they had just exited.. He spun about and moved after the noise, readying his mace as he moved. He banged painfully into the anvil and heard the noise shrinking away, above him now. He climbed onto the anvil and stood, extending his arms toward the hole he knew to be there. Jumping, he was able to reach the ceiling, and hoisted himself through the opening to the roof. When his he came through the hole he broke through the darkness, and saw another choker, one of the strange beasts that had ambushed him on a higher level, grasping a struggling Welby and leaping to the next rooftop. The halfling was foaming at the mouth and raving, and he had managed to pull his dagger from his boot and hacked at the tentacle wrapped around his midsection, caring little whether his blows landed on the choker or himself. Ike smiled grimly and gave chase, jumping the gap between buildings and swinging his mace at the choker. His aim was good and his weapon connected with a solid crunch. The choker howled in pain and threw the halfling off the roof, then turned and tore into Ike savagely. He accepted the hits and swung again, striking a glancing blow to the creature’s skull. The choker fled, screaming its rage and frustration as it hopped from roof to roof. Ike jumped to the ground to see if his friend had made it through the ordeal intact. _______________________________ Artimas methodically loaded his crossbow, eyes still searching every direction for any sign of movement. He heard Jack’s battle cry and subsequent triumphant shout, then the dwarf’s rising chant as he called the favor of his deity. At that instant he also caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye; a weird, flying squid-like monstrosity floating up into the inky depths overhead. He raised his crossbow, mumbling a spell that gave him arcane insight into his next shot. A moment later the beast reappeared, speeding toward the chanting dwarf. Artimas pulled the trigger, the bolt smashed into one of the creature’s eyes, destroying its brain, and it flopped over oddly as it continued its descent. ________________________________ They had all survived the encounter, although some by inches. When the darkness cleared they found Jack weeping quietly over his stricken friend, who still needed healing and rest before he would be on his feet again. Artimas had killed one beast with his shot, and Jack had chopped the other nearly in two. They found the body of a third creature atop the unconscious figure of the Royston Crow. His blind shot, in a moment of outrageous luck, had killed the creature as it charged him. However, the body had still fallen onto him, knocking him off his feet. Then, he sheepishly admitted, he had fainted from fright. Welby and Ike were sore from their fight with the choker but none the worse for wear. However, the beast had escaped them and probably lingered, near and out of sight. They did not stop at this time to explore further. Ike helped Jack carry the senseless elf and the others kept a close and nervous eye out while they headed back to the staircase and left the danger behind them, for a time. They resolved to go back to town the next morning and rest until they had recovered. This time no one remained behind, and they left their supplies in the puzzle room, trusting the bitter weather to discourage intelligent travelers and the lift to protect against any wandering beasts. The secret staircase was sealed again. In the meantime they would enjoy the fruits of their labor and live it up at Ned’s, for a couple of days at least. [/QUOTE]
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