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
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Travels through the Wild West: the Isle of Dread
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="Lazybones" data-source="post: 100600" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Book III, Part 20</p><p></p><p>“KAEL!” Elly screamed again from Lok’s grasp, as she watched the pteranodon slam into the bridge, knocking both Benzan and Horath free into the open air. The bridge rocked dangerously as the creature hit and clumsily untangled itself before leaping back into the air. Lok held onto the railing with a grip of iron, holding the sobbing woman against him with his other hand. Each of the companions watched in disbelief, each feeling the same stab of sudden terror as their two friends tumbled away from the bridge, seemingly slowly at first, and then faster… faster until they were just specks vanishing below. </p><p></p><p>“Benzan,” Delem said to himself in disbelief, still staring at where the tiefling had disappeared. The pteranodons had vanished into the western reaches of the gorge, and whether they would return was anyone’s guess. Lok carried Elly back to the security of the bridge’s end, and behind him came Varrus, who all but crawled the remaining distance. Wisely, the Tethyrian kept silent. </p><p></p><p>“I can’t believe they’re gone,” Dana said, her face betraying a dozen emotions all at once, her veneer of control very thin indeed at that moment. They all felt numb at the sudden loss of two companions, seemingly at the slightest whim of fate. </p><p></p><p>“Perhaps not,” Cal said. “Benzan knows the spell of feather falling, as I do. If he kept his wits about him…”</p><p></p><p>“What about Horath?” Maric said, grasping for the slightest shred of hope. But Cal shook his head, dashing his hopes as rapidly as they had been kindled. </p><p></p><p>The companions remained there in silence, by the bridge, staring into the depths of the gorge as if their very will could bring their comrades back to them. </p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p> </p><p>Benzan was falling fast.</p><p></p><p>He had the spell of feather falling, and almost spoke the word that would summon the magic. At the last instant, though, he hesitated, realizing that if he cast too soon, the spell would expire quickly and then he would be in the same situation as before. </p><p></p><p>All of these thoughts took place in the span of a heartbeat, for the walls of the gorge were rushing past, and he had no idea how close he was to the ground. In that gap between thought and action he reached for his sword, grasping the hilt without conscious realization. Later he would wonder at that, but for the moment he felt a tingle of power flow into him, and he felt the momentum of his fall easing. With wonderment he came to a stop, just hovering there in the air, and realized that with a little concentration he could even control his position, rising up or sinking lower with just a thought of each. </p><p></p><p>He held the sword tightly as he descended lower, uncertain of the potency of the magic but needing to test its scope. He knew that he should return to his companions, high above, but he had to know for certain, tormented by the image of the empty bridge. </p><p></p><p>It did not take him long. He was already near the bottom of the gorge, wreathed in a mist born of the numerous waterfalls that cascaded from high above into the river at its bottom. He spotted Horath’s body nearby, crushed atop a jumbled pile of rocks just a stone’s throw from the chill torrent of the river. Either way, Benzan knew that Horath would have been killed, but somehow the sight of his smashed body so near the water seemed a wry twist of fate to the tiefling. </p><p></p><p>Still gripping the sword, Benzan landed on the rocks nearby—apparently, the levitation granted by the sword allowed travel only straight up-and-down—and quickly crossed to where the elf’s body lay. He quickly gathered up the elf, lifting his body over his shoulder, and carefully picked his tracks back over to the near cliff. He could not even see the bridge high above, but knew that he hadn’t fallen far from it. </p><p></p><p>He willed himself to rise, and could feel the magic respond, but he did not lift off of the ground. Sighing, he respectfully placed the body of the elf down at the base of the cliff. </p><p></p><p>“Sorry, chum,” he said to the dead elf. “I wanted to take you back to the others, but something tells me I’m already pushing my luck.” He quickly and methodically searched Horath’s body, taking his magic ring of water walking and the arrows left in his quiver, as well as a few other useful or valuable items. He did not lack in respect for the brave elf captain, but Benzan was first and foremost a practical sort, and Horath would no longer have a use for any of those items. Once finished he grasped his sword again, and levitated up the cliff face. </p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>The companions set up a temporary camp a short distance away from the bridge. They were largely silent save for Elly’s continued sobbing, holding their thoughts private until they could work through the reality of what had just happened. Dana held Elly, her ability to comfort the distraught young woman allowing her to keep her own clashing feelings in check. None of them had known of the depth of the connection between Elly and the captain, but they respected the woman’s grief and allowed her the time she needed to express it. </p><p></p><p>“We need to get down there, and find out for certain,” Delem finally said, punching his fist into the palm of his other hand in a clear gesture of frustration. </p><p></p><p>“I have a spell that can ease me down, but I’d have no way to get back up,” Cal said. </p><p></p><p>“I’d have to take a closer look to be sure, but I’d say those cliffs are unclimbable,” Lok said, “at least with the equipment we have at hand.”</p><p></p><p>“What if Benzan’s down there, alive, but can’t get up to us?” the sorcerer persisted. “We can’t just leave him down there!” </p><p></p><p>“How much rope do we have?” Cal asked.</p><p></p><p>“About a hundred feet,” Lok replied.</p><p></p><p>The slipped into silence again, needing answers that were not forthcoming. </p><p></p><p>“There must be a way,” Cal said. “We’ve figured out tougher stuff than this before—what about the Cyricist plot in Elturel? Heck, you guys figured out a way to bring me back from the dead…. Ruath, what about a summoned creature—a bird, perhaps? Maybe we could get a message to him.”</p><p></p><p>The halfling shook her head. “The spell only keeps the creature here for a brief while—half a minute at most. Enough time to aid in battle, but hardly enough for most other tasks. Plus, while the celestial creatures are more intelligent than their mundane ilk, the spell does not grant the means to convey complex directions.”</p><p></p><p>“Maybe we could just drop a note, tied to a rock,” Delem suggested. </p><p></p><p>“With our luck it’d hit him in the head,” Dana said. “Not that it would do much damage to the thick-headed numbskull.” Despite her words, though, it was clear that she shared the same concerns as the others. </p><p></p><p>“There’s too much empty space down there,” Cal said. “We’d need some way to get his attention.”</p><p></p><p>“How about a light spell, on the rock?” Delem said. </p><p></p><p>Elly had finally composed herself some, but neither she nor Maric seemed to want to engage in the debate, their own sense of grief over the deaths of most of their crewmates now overlaid by the painful loss of their leader. Varrus, for his measure, sat a short distance away, his thoughts hidden behind a clouded expression. </p><p></p><p>“That could work,” Cal conceded. He unslung his pack, and started digging around inside it for some writing materials. </p><p></p><p>“What could work?” Benzan asked, as he strode into the camp.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 100600, member: 143"] Book III, Part 20 “KAEL!” Elly screamed again from Lok’s grasp, as she watched the pteranodon slam into the bridge, knocking both Benzan and Horath free into the open air. The bridge rocked dangerously as the creature hit and clumsily untangled itself before leaping back into the air. Lok held onto the railing with a grip of iron, holding the sobbing woman against him with his other hand. Each of the companions watched in disbelief, each feeling the same stab of sudden terror as their two friends tumbled away from the bridge, seemingly slowly at first, and then faster… faster until they were just specks vanishing below. “Benzan,” Delem said to himself in disbelief, still staring at where the tiefling had disappeared. The pteranodons had vanished into the western reaches of the gorge, and whether they would return was anyone’s guess. Lok carried Elly back to the security of the bridge’s end, and behind him came Varrus, who all but crawled the remaining distance. Wisely, the Tethyrian kept silent. “I can’t believe they’re gone,” Dana said, her face betraying a dozen emotions all at once, her veneer of control very thin indeed at that moment. They all felt numb at the sudden loss of two companions, seemingly at the slightest whim of fate. “Perhaps not,” Cal said. “Benzan knows the spell of feather falling, as I do. If he kept his wits about him…” “What about Horath?” Maric said, grasping for the slightest shred of hope. But Cal shook his head, dashing his hopes as rapidly as they had been kindled. The companions remained there in silence, by the bridge, staring into the depths of the gorge as if their very will could bring their comrades back to them. * * * * * Benzan was falling fast. He had the spell of feather falling, and almost spoke the word that would summon the magic. At the last instant, though, he hesitated, realizing that if he cast too soon, the spell would expire quickly and then he would be in the same situation as before. All of these thoughts took place in the span of a heartbeat, for the walls of the gorge were rushing past, and he had no idea how close he was to the ground. In that gap between thought and action he reached for his sword, grasping the hilt without conscious realization. Later he would wonder at that, but for the moment he felt a tingle of power flow into him, and he felt the momentum of his fall easing. With wonderment he came to a stop, just hovering there in the air, and realized that with a little concentration he could even control his position, rising up or sinking lower with just a thought of each. He held the sword tightly as he descended lower, uncertain of the potency of the magic but needing to test its scope. He knew that he should return to his companions, high above, but he had to know for certain, tormented by the image of the empty bridge. It did not take him long. He was already near the bottom of the gorge, wreathed in a mist born of the numerous waterfalls that cascaded from high above into the river at its bottom. He spotted Horath’s body nearby, crushed atop a jumbled pile of rocks just a stone’s throw from the chill torrent of the river. Either way, Benzan knew that Horath would have been killed, but somehow the sight of his smashed body so near the water seemed a wry twist of fate to the tiefling. Still gripping the sword, Benzan landed on the rocks nearby—apparently, the levitation granted by the sword allowed travel only straight up-and-down—and quickly crossed to where the elf’s body lay. He quickly gathered up the elf, lifting his body over his shoulder, and carefully picked his tracks back over to the near cliff. He could not even see the bridge high above, but knew that he hadn’t fallen far from it. He willed himself to rise, and could feel the magic respond, but he did not lift off of the ground. Sighing, he respectfully placed the body of the elf down at the base of the cliff. “Sorry, chum,” he said to the dead elf. “I wanted to take you back to the others, but something tells me I’m already pushing my luck.” He quickly and methodically searched Horath’s body, taking his magic ring of water walking and the arrows left in his quiver, as well as a few other useful or valuable items. He did not lack in respect for the brave elf captain, but Benzan was first and foremost a practical sort, and Horath would no longer have a use for any of those items. Once finished he grasped his sword again, and levitated up the cliff face. * * * * * The companions set up a temporary camp a short distance away from the bridge. They were largely silent save for Elly’s continued sobbing, holding their thoughts private until they could work through the reality of what had just happened. Dana held Elly, her ability to comfort the distraught young woman allowing her to keep her own clashing feelings in check. None of them had known of the depth of the connection between Elly and the captain, but they respected the woman’s grief and allowed her the time she needed to express it. “We need to get down there, and find out for certain,” Delem finally said, punching his fist into the palm of his other hand in a clear gesture of frustration. “I have a spell that can ease me down, but I’d have no way to get back up,” Cal said. “I’d have to take a closer look to be sure, but I’d say those cliffs are unclimbable,” Lok said, “at least with the equipment we have at hand.” “What if Benzan’s down there, alive, but can’t get up to us?” the sorcerer persisted. “We can’t just leave him down there!” “How much rope do we have?” Cal asked. “About a hundred feet,” Lok replied. The slipped into silence again, needing answers that were not forthcoming. “There must be a way,” Cal said. “We’ve figured out tougher stuff than this before—what about the Cyricist plot in Elturel? Heck, you guys figured out a way to bring me back from the dead…. Ruath, what about a summoned creature—a bird, perhaps? Maybe we could get a message to him.” The halfling shook her head. “The spell only keeps the creature here for a brief while—half a minute at most. Enough time to aid in battle, but hardly enough for most other tasks. Plus, while the celestial creatures are more intelligent than their mundane ilk, the spell does not grant the means to convey complex directions.” “Maybe we could just drop a note, tied to a rock,” Delem suggested. “With our luck it’d hit him in the head,” Dana said. “Not that it would do much damage to the thick-headed numbskull.” Despite her words, though, it was clear that she shared the same concerns as the others. “There’s too much empty space down there,” Cal said. “We’d need some way to get his attention.” “How about a light spell, on the rock?” Delem said. Elly had finally composed herself some, but neither she nor Maric seemed to want to engage in the debate, their own sense of grief over the deaths of most of their crewmates now overlaid by the painful loss of their leader. Varrus, for his measure, sat a short distance away, his thoughts hidden behind a clouded expression. “That could work,” Cal conceded. He unslung his pack, and started digging around inside it for some writing materials. “What could work?” Benzan asked, as he strode into the camp. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Travels through the Wild West: the Isle of Dread
Top