Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Realms of Enlightenment: The Grey Companions
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 4377831" data-attributes="member: 2323"><p><strong>[PLAIN][Realms #443] The Vanishing Staircase[/PLAIN]</strong></p><p></p><p>Anania motioned for Ahlear to retreat a ways back down the staircase, which he did, removing the Ring of Invisibility as he went. Then the scout stepped in close to hiss into his ear, "Ahlear, everything seems clear to this point. Use the <em>Ring of Communication</em>, tell them to proceed to the spiral stairs and move up slowly. We will report every twenty heartbeats or they should advance cautiously as we may have encountered trouble." Ahlear nodded and did as the elf had bade him.</p><p></p><p>"We are advancing on," he told Huzair. "Move straight in to the spiral stair."</p><p></p><p>"Sure, try to grab all the glory for yourself, Ahlear,"the wizard's voice snapped back at him. Before the druid could respond, Huzair spoke again. "We're on our way," he said in a slightly less belligerent tone.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"Boss, one of these giants up here has got two heads," Sparky commented over Huzair's telepathic link. "Is that important?"</p><p></p><p>"Could be, little buddy," the mage thought back. "You stay safe and keep an eye out for little details like that. I'm going in to save Ahlear and Anania."</p><p></p><p>"You're so brave, boss," the familiar chirped into Huzair's mind. "They're so lucky to have you with 'em." The mage smiled at the sentiment.</p><p></p><p>"I don't ever get tired of hearing that," he said aloud, his voice all but swallowed by the waterfall.</p><p></p><p>"What?" Morier asked, cupping a hand to his ear and Huzair shook his head.</p><p></p><p>"Nothing," he replied. "Ahlear says it's all clear."</p><p></p><p>"Good. Let's get moving," the albino said and moved toward the tunnel where Shamalin was trying to decipher the words carved around the entrance.</p><p></p><p>"Any luck?" he asked her and she sighed, turning toward him to shake her head.</p><p></p><p>"I recognize some of the characters as being the same or similar to the gnomish alphabet, but they don't make any sense. And they're almost worn away; I'm not even sure that I'm seeing what I think I am," she confessed. "If we could wait here until morning I could pray for a miracle that might allow me to translate it tomorrow." Morier was already shaking his head.</p><p></p><p>"No," he said. "Anania and Ahlear have already said that the way's clear. We're going in now." She nodded and bent reluctantly to retrieve her shield and helmet.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Anania and Ahlear pressed on, creeping upwards toward the sound of fighting. Before too long Anania suddenly held out her fist again, signaling for the druid to stop. They froze, listening and all at once, Anania turned, her face pale in the torchlight.</p><p></p><p>"Run!" she shouted, and began bolting up the stairs.</p><p></p><p>At that moment, Ahlear heard it too: the CHUNK! CHUNK! CHUNK! sound of the stairs retracting into the central column. It was coming from below and he wasted no time with thought as the sound grew steadily - and swiftly - closer. He ran, but not fast enough and before he'd made it five steps, the stairs disappeared beneath him.</p><p></p><p>And he fell.</p><p></p><p>He dropped the torch, his fingers clutching at the wall for purchase - and miraculously finding it. He found a narrow ledge wide enough to grip with both hands and he did so, desperately. He glanced down and saw the elf maid plummeting into darkness with their torch following her down.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>She fell in stoic silence, watching as the druid somehow managed to grab the wall and cling there with his dire rat clinging frantically to his boots. There was nothing for her to do but adjust her landing as best she could to mitigate the impact. She did what she could, but striking the ground still splintered the bones in her foot and dislocated her knee as she tumbled.</p><p></p><p>And then she did cry out as the pain threatened to overwhelm her consciousness entirely.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"What in the hells was that?" Morier cursed as he helped Shamalin navigate the narrow ledge around the pit trap that Anania and Huzair had discovered on their first foray into the tunnel.</p><p></p><p>"Sounded like somebody falling," the cleric offered and Morier nodded, drawing Stoneblade.</p><p></p><p>"THE SCION OF STONE AWAKES!" the weapon announced.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Ahlear hung as still as he could, allowing the panicked Nibble to climb up his body to the relative safety of his shoulder. The animal was trembling with fear and he frankly couldn't blame him. He was about to whisper some soothing words when he heard the sound of a door opening some distance above him in the utter dark.</p><p></p><p>"Somethin' triggered the stairs," a male voice observed in undercommon.</p><p></p><p>"Maybe them giants sent their gnolls 'round to the back door," a second voice grunted and then let out a low tittering laugh. "But they're paste now, I reckon."</p><p></p><p>"Maybe," the first voice said more cautiously. "But maybe not. We'll settle 'bout the prisoner later. Suit up and let's head down. There's bound to be some good eatin' if nothing else."</p><p></p><p>And then Ahlear heard the door click shut again.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 4377831, member: 2323"] [b][PLAIN][Realms #443] The Vanishing Staircase[/PLAIN][/b] Anania motioned for Ahlear to retreat a ways back down the staircase, which he did, removing the Ring of Invisibility as he went. Then the scout stepped in close to hiss into his ear, "Ahlear, everything seems clear to this point. Use the [i]Ring of Communication[/i], tell them to proceed to the spiral stairs and move up slowly. We will report every twenty heartbeats or they should advance cautiously as we may have encountered trouble." Ahlear nodded and did as the elf had bade him. "We are advancing on," he told Huzair. "Move straight in to the spiral stair." "Sure, try to grab all the glory for yourself, Ahlear,"the wizard's voice snapped back at him. Before the druid could respond, Huzair spoke again. "We're on our way," he said in a slightly less belligerent tone. "Boss, one of these giants up here has got two heads," Sparky commented over Huzair's telepathic link. "Is that important?" "Could be, little buddy," the mage thought back. "You stay safe and keep an eye out for little details like that. I'm going in to save Ahlear and Anania." "You're so brave, boss," the familiar chirped into Huzair's mind. "They're so lucky to have you with 'em." The mage smiled at the sentiment. "I don't ever get tired of hearing that," he said aloud, his voice all but swallowed by the waterfall. "What?" Morier asked, cupping a hand to his ear and Huzair shook his head. "Nothing," he replied. "Ahlear says it's all clear." "Good. Let's get moving," the albino said and moved toward the tunnel where Shamalin was trying to decipher the words carved around the entrance. "Any luck?" he asked her and she sighed, turning toward him to shake her head. "I recognize some of the characters as being the same or similar to the gnomish alphabet, but they don't make any sense. And they're almost worn away; I'm not even sure that I'm seeing what I think I am," she confessed. "If we could wait here until morning I could pray for a miracle that might allow me to translate it tomorrow." Morier was already shaking his head. "No," he said. "Anania and Ahlear have already said that the way's clear. We're going in now." She nodded and bent reluctantly to retrieve her shield and helmet. Anania and Ahlear pressed on, creeping upwards toward the sound of fighting. Before too long Anania suddenly held out her fist again, signaling for the druid to stop. They froze, listening and all at once, Anania turned, her face pale in the torchlight. "Run!" she shouted, and began bolting up the stairs. At that moment, Ahlear heard it too: the CHUNK! CHUNK! CHUNK! sound of the stairs retracting into the central column. It was coming from below and he wasted no time with thought as the sound grew steadily - and swiftly - closer. He ran, but not fast enough and before he'd made it five steps, the stairs disappeared beneath him. And he fell. He dropped the torch, his fingers clutching at the wall for purchase - and miraculously finding it. He found a narrow ledge wide enough to grip with both hands and he did so, desperately. He glanced down and saw the elf maid plummeting into darkness with their torch following her down. She fell in stoic silence, watching as the druid somehow managed to grab the wall and cling there with his dire rat clinging frantically to his boots. There was nothing for her to do but adjust her landing as best she could to mitigate the impact. She did what she could, but striking the ground still splintered the bones in her foot and dislocated her knee as she tumbled. And then she did cry out as the pain threatened to overwhelm her consciousness entirely. "What in the hells was that?" Morier cursed as he helped Shamalin navigate the narrow ledge around the pit trap that Anania and Huzair had discovered on their first foray into the tunnel. "Sounded like somebody falling," the cleric offered and Morier nodded, drawing Stoneblade. "THE SCION OF STONE AWAKES!" the weapon announced. Ahlear hung as still as he could, allowing the panicked Nibble to climb up his body to the relative safety of his shoulder. The animal was trembling with fear and he frankly couldn't blame him. He was about to whisper some soothing words when he heard the sound of a door opening some distance above him in the utter dark. "Somethin' triggered the stairs," a male voice observed in undercommon. "Maybe them giants sent their gnolls 'round to the back door," a second voice grunted and then let out a low tittering laugh. "But they're paste now, I reckon." "Maybe," the first voice said more cautiously. "But maybe not. We'll settle 'bout the prisoner later. Suit up and let's head down. There's bound to be some good eatin' if nothing else." And then Ahlear heard the door click shut again. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Realms of Enlightenment: The Grey Companions
Top