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Watch For Falling Meteors [4E KotS] Updated Weekdays!
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<blockquote data-quote="Xorn" data-source="post: 4401867" data-attributes="member: 61231"><p>“So was that Valthrun guy exaggerating maybe just a little?” Percy asked aloud as they made their way along the overgrown King’s Road, leading them northward away from Winterhaven. “A horde of the most vile and merciless undead you could imagine will spill into this world, and…” the hafling quoted the prophet mockingly, pausing before the finish to take a breath for his big finish, “CONSUME the land!” His arms were raised over his head with stubby digits curled into finger-talons to accentuate his ridicule.</p><p></p><p>“In truth,” Vrax replied, several paces behind the rogue, breathing heavily but making a decent effort to conceal the fatigue he was feeling, “the old sage was being rather conservative with his estimated result.” Percy looked at him with a smirk and raised eyebrow, obviously doubting the substance of the dragonborn’s claim. “The Keep did not just guard a rift between this world and the realm of shadow. No, the portal that was sealed below the fortress led into the heart of Orcus’s domain! While such a meager gate is unlikely to draw the demon lord’s attention directly, were it to be opened, it would only be a matter of time before he used the gateway to enter this world, and that would quite simply be the end of things, for us, anyway.”</p><p></p><p>“Do ye not think the gods would oppose tha lord o’ the undead?” asked Omar. He was leading the front of their march, as usual, with unwavering dwarven strides.</p><p></p><p>“The First Dragon would,” added Daichot, “I’m sure of that.”</p><p></p><p>“As am I, brother,” replied Vrax, genuinely, “but the war between those beings would destroy these lands, and all around them—so the result is the same.”</p><p></p><p>“Well if this damned portal is so dangerous, why don’t they guard it? I thought the keep is abandoned!” Percy felt the obviousness of his question shouldn’t need to be pointed out.</p><p></p><p>“The legends behind the keep and why it was abandoned are shrouded in mystery, Percy.” Daichot, who had an interest in the history of the land, knew much of the landmarks in the Nentil Valley. “A hundred years ago, during the fall of the Nerath empire, the keep was one of the last bastions of that age to fall.”</p><p></p><p>“Daichot is correct,” Vrax assured them, “but in my time talking with Valthrun, I did learn some things about the keep, a little more recent than Kran’s History of the Valley, which was until now the accepted authority on the events of this land.”</p><p></p><p>Daichot looked intrigued at the mention of the history, and Percy smiled at one of his favorite past times. “Sounds like a story is coming…” he hoped out loud.</p><p></p><p>Vrax smiled, the same odd toothy crease in his snout they had seen in the tower. “A hundred years ago was the last time the keep was occupied; that much is correct. The garrison stationed there was a troop of knights led by a paladin of the Platinum Dragon; his name was Sir Keegan.” The wizard drew a ragged gulp of air as he tried to talk and walk at the same time, an activity that was proving more taxing than most might have anticipated.</p><p></p><p>“Centuries before they guarded the keep, the rift was opened once before, and a terrible battle of blood and shadow erupted across the Nentir for months. Finally, at a significant cost of family and fortune, the lords of the Nerathian Empire succeeded in driving what foul spawn came through the portal back into the shadow world, and sealed the gate behind them. So many wizards were lost during that time, they built a temple around the gate dedicated to controlling it, so that the younger wizards that would take their places as they moved on to their next destinies could keep the portal closed.”</p><p></p><p>“Why not destroy it?” asked the halfling.</p><p></p><p>“They didn’t know what would happen, so they thought it best to just keep it from opening again.”</p><p></p><p>“I can relate. Sometimes it’s better to just know how the trap on a wizards trea… err… door… works, rather than try to disarm it…”</p><p></p><p>Vrax shook his head and continued, “So for two centuries various lords saw to the maintenance and occupation of the keep, until the mantle of leadership was passed on to Sir Keegan.”</p><p></p><p>“Ah get tha feelin’ that this Keegan fella’ is the flaw in tha plan…” Omar mused.</p><p></p><p>“That’s correct, good dwarf. But no one knows why. The legend is that almost a hundred years ago, one night the paladin went mad, and began to slaughter everyone inside the keep, starting with his wife and son.”</p><p></p><p>“Ouch.” Said Percy. “That’s cold.”</p><p></p><p>“As to what happened then is where the texts that Valthrun had varied in speculation. Some believe that the mighty paladin was eventually defeated by his officers. One scroll I read suggested that Sir Keegan was never slain, but only forced into the catacombs beneath the keep, closer to the portal, where his insanity claimed him and carried his soul into the Undeath.”</p><p></p><p>“A ghost?” said Percy incredulously.</p><p></p><p>“As it were, yes.”</p><p></p><p>“Pshaw!” he exclaimed. “Woooo! Careful guys, there’s a big bad ghost in there!”</p><p></p><p>Vrax shrugged. “Yes, the events are unlikely, but I can assure you that the rift itself is very real. Already I can feel the taint of that corrupted place altering the air.”</p><p></p><p>Omar sniffed audibly as he walked, and muttered something about mages that was lost on the breeze.</p><p></p><p>“After we see to this cult, we’ll go and find Douven, I promise, Vrax.”</p><p></p><p>The wizard nodded, but was busy leaning on his spear as he brought up the back of their swift march. His story of the keep had taken a lot of the wind out of him. “Father… would have wanted us… to stop the more serious threat.”</p><p></p><p>“I agree,” said Daichot, and it had been he that suggested they deal with the keep first, after they learned of the grave danger the cult represented.</p><p></p><p>“Hold.” Exclaimed Omar softly, crouching his short, stocky frame low to the ground. The others fell silent and crouched among the overgrown foliage of the road as Percy slipped up to the front of the line to see what Omar had spotted.</p><p></p><p>Rising out of the trees and bushes packed into the east face of the hillside to their right, the moonlight reflected vividly off white and grey blocks of stone that had tumbled in on themselves. The massive pile of rocks were covered with creeping vines, mosses, and sapling trees sprang through the cracks in the stone, seeking to reach up to the sky with their young limbs. Percy crept a few paces ahead and slipped into the brush, disappearing as the others expected to see movement in the grass and cover, but instead everything was still.</p><p></p><p>Two minutes passed before Percy emerged from another tangle of leafy branches that were fighting to touch the ground. As he slinked back over to them, Percy gave his report.</p><p></p><p>“When he said an earthquake brought it down, he wasn’t kidding. But there’s a pathway cleared through the rubble—I’m guessing by the goblins that elf lady told us about, by the tracks going down there.”</p><p></p><p>“Down where?”</p><p></p><p>“Into the basement, I guess. The walls and towers are ruined, but I saw a faint light down the steps. I couldn’t see anything though; the stairs go down too far. I think Vrax might be right about that portal though, I can feel it, too.”</p><p></p><p>“You can?” asked Daichot, waiting for the punch line.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, listen,” Percy turned his head to listen to the forest, as the others started to pay attention to the ambient noise around them, or lack thereof. “Nothing, right?” Percy wasn’t smiling—he seemed rather alert and cautious at the moment. “No bugs, birds, or rodents. That’s not natural.”</p><p></p><p>“Aye, is kinda weird bein’ so silent.” Omar pulled out his pouch of chewing tobacco and tore a hunk of the wad off with his teeth, and began to work the plug into his cheek. He chewed on the tacky wad of leaves for a moment before spitting a glob of brown juice onto the path and wiping his short beard, which had recently gotten a second braid, which had the tiny, cracked earring of an Orcus ram’s head he had pulled out of Irontooth’s ear woven into the hair, upside down to insult the symbol. “We just go in an’ kill ‘em? Or some’un got a better idea?”</p><p></p><p>Percy turned to speak, but Vrax answered first.</p><p></p><p>“We will cleanse this place in the testing fires of the Elemental Chaos, from which all things were created; woe is to them that stand in our path…” The wizard accentuated his point as a ball of living flame sprang to life in the palm of his opened hand, set like a flaming diamond amid the claws on his fingertips.</p><p></p><p>“Wow. I was gonna say there’s treasure to be found, but that sounded a lot cooler.” Admitted Percy.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Xorn, post: 4401867, member: 61231"] “So was that Valthrun guy exaggerating maybe just a little?” Percy asked aloud as they made their way along the overgrown King’s Road, leading them northward away from Winterhaven. “A horde of the most vile and merciless undead you could imagine will spill into this world, and…” the hafling quoted the prophet mockingly, pausing before the finish to take a breath for his big finish, “CONSUME the land!” His arms were raised over his head with stubby digits curled into finger-talons to accentuate his ridicule. “In truth,” Vrax replied, several paces behind the rogue, breathing heavily but making a decent effort to conceal the fatigue he was feeling, “the old sage was being rather conservative with his estimated result.” Percy looked at him with a smirk and raised eyebrow, obviously doubting the substance of the dragonborn’s claim. “The Keep did not just guard a rift between this world and the realm of shadow. No, the portal that was sealed below the fortress led into the heart of Orcus’s domain! While such a meager gate is unlikely to draw the demon lord’s attention directly, were it to be opened, it would only be a matter of time before he used the gateway to enter this world, and that would quite simply be the end of things, for us, anyway.” “Do ye not think the gods would oppose tha lord o’ the undead?” asked Omar. He was leading the front of their march, as usual, with unwavering dwarven strides. “The First Dragon would,” added Daichot, “I’m sure of that.” “As am I, brother,” replied Vrax, genuinely, “but the war between those beings would destroy these lands, and all around them—so the result is the same.” “Well if this damned portal is so dangerous, why don’t they guard it? I thought the keep is abandoned!” Percy felt the obviousness of his question shouldn’t need to be pointed out. “The legends behind the keep and why it was abandoned are shrouded in mystery, Percy.” Daichot, who had an interest in the history of the land, knew much of the landmarks in the Nentil Valley. “A hundred years ago, during the fall of the Nerath empire, the keep was one of the last bastions of that age to fall.” “Daichot is correct,” Vrax assured them, “but in my time talking with Valthrun, I did learn some things about the keep, a little more recent than Kran’s History of the Valley, which was until now the accepted authority on the events of this land.” Daichot looked intrigued at the mention of the history, and Percy smiled at one of his favorite past times. “Sounds like a story is coming…” he hoped out loud. Vrax smiled, the same odd toothy crease in his snout they had seen in the tower. “A hundred years ago was the last time the keep was occupied; that much is correct. The garrison stationed there was a troop of knights led by a paladin of the Platinum Dragon; his name was Sir Keegan.” The wizard drew a ragged gulp of air as he tried to talk and walk at the same time, an activity that was proving more taxing than most might have anticipated. “Centuries before they guarded the keep, the rift was opened once before, and a terrible battle of blood and shadow erupted across the Nentir for months. Finally, at a significant cost of family and fortune, the lords of the Nerathian Empire succeeded in driving what foul spawn came through the portal back into the shadow world, and sealed the gate behind them. So many wizards were lost during that time, they built a temple around the gate dedicated to controlling it, so that the younger wizards that would take their places as they moved on to their next destinies could keep the portal closed.” “Why not destroy it?” asked the halfling. “They didn’t know what would happen, so they thought it best to just keep it from opening again.” “I can relate. Sometimes it’s better to just know how the trap on a wizards trea… err… door… works, rather than try to disarm it…” Vrax shook his head and continued, “So for two centuries various lords saw to the maintenance and occupation of the keep, until the mantle of leadership was passed on to Sir Keegan.” “Ah get tha feelin’ that this Keegan fella’ is the flaw in tha plan…” Omar mused. “That’s correct, good dwarf. But no one knows why. The legend is that almost a hundred years ago, one night the paladin went mad, and began to slaughter everyone inside the keep, starting with his wife and son.” “Ouch.” Said Percy. “That’s cold.” “As to what happened then is where the texts that Valthrun had varied in speculation. Some believe that the mighty paladin was eventually defeated by his officers. One scroll I read suggested that Sir Keegan was never slain, but only forced into the catacombs beneath the keep, closer to the portal, where his insanity claimed him and carried his soul into the Undeath.” “A ghost?” said Percy incredulously. “As it were, yes.” “Pshaw!” he exclaimed. “Woooo! Careful guys, there’s a big bad ghost in there!” Vrax shrugged. “Yes, the events are unlikely, but I can assure you that the rift itself is very real. Already I can feel the taint of that corrupted place altering the air.” Omar sniffed audibly as he walked, and muttered something about mages that was lost on the breeze. “After we see to this cult, we’ll go and find Douven, I promise, Vrax.” The wizard nodded, but was busy leaning on his spear as he brought up the back of their swift march. His story of the keep had taken a lot of the wind out of him. “Father… would have wanted us… to stop the more serious threat.” “I agree,” said Daichot, and it had been he that suggested they deal with the keep first, after they learned of the grave danger the cult represented. “Hold.” Exclaimed Omar softly, crouching his short, stocky frame low to the ground. The others fell silent and crouched among the overgrown foliage of the road as Percy slipped up to the front of the line to see what Omar had spotted. Rising out of the trees and bushes packed into the east face of the hillside to their right, the moonlight reflected vividly off white and grey blocks of stone that had tumbled in on themselves. The massive pile of rocks were covered with creeping vines, mosses, and sapling trees sprang through the cracks in the stone, seeking to reach up to the sky with their young limbs. Percy crept a few paces ahead and slipped into the brush, disappearing as the others expected to see movement in the grass and cover, but instead everything was still. Two minutes passed before Percy emerged from another tangle of leafy branches that were fighting to touch the ground. As he slinked back over to them, Percy gave his report. “When he said an earthquake brought it down, he wasn’t kidding. But there’s a pathway cleared through the rubble—I’m guessing by the goblins that elf lady told us about, by the tracks going down there.” “Down where?” “Into the basement, I guess. The walls and towers are ruined, but I saw a faint light down the steps. I couldn’t see anything though; the stairs go down too far. I think Vrax might be right about that portal though, I can feel it, too.” “You can?” asked Daichot, waiting for the punch line. “Yeah, listen,” Percy turned his head to listen to the forest, as the others started to pay attention to the ambient noise around them, or lack thereof. “Nothing, right?” Percy wasn’t smiling—he seemed rather alert and cautious at the moment. “No bugs, birds, or rodents. That’s not natural.” “Aye, is kinda weird bein’ so silent.” Omar pulled out his pouch of chewing tobacco and tore a hunk of the wad off with his teeth, and began to work the plug into his cheek. He chewed on the tacky wad of leaves for a moment before spitting a glob of brown juice onto the path and wiping his short beard, which had recently gotten a second braid, which had the tiny, cracked earring of an Orcus ram’s head he had pulled out of Irontooth’s ear woven into the hair, upside down to insult the symbol. “We just go in an’ kill ‘em? Or some’un got a better idea?” Percy turned to speak, but Vrax answered first. “We will cleanse this place in the testing fires of the Elemental Chaos, from which all things were created; woe is to them that stand in our path…” The wizard accentuated his point as a ball of living flame sprang to life in the palm of his opened hand, set like a flaming diamond amid the claws on his fingertips. “Wow. I was gonna say there’s treasure to be found, but that sounded a lot cooler.” Admitted Percy. [/QUOTE]
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