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Message: <blockquote data-quote="VicsHacienda" data-source="post: 9859886" data-attributes="member: 6965574">"Are you from Ragesia?" asks Jorrina, one of the gnomes. "Or are you here to explore the castle, as we are?"[ATTACH=full]429722[/ATTACH]Viggo telepathically speaks in our heads, warning us not to tell them of our true intent. Trevor spits on the ground at the mention of Ragesians, so our allegiances likely seem obvious. "We are treasure hunters," Viggo says."We hoped to explore it, and there seems to be a break in the weather,” she says, not noticing. “This is part of Sindaire's royal palace, and the emperor himself was here. We are sure there are fantastic objects here to behold and liberate. I believe there will be enough for us all to find something of worth. If you need aid, we are happy to help, and hope that you will be happy to aid us."[ATTACH=full]429724[/ATTACH]"We already aided you," Fafnir says, scratching his bloodied chin. "You'd have died without us." The armored gnome, Grellfin, glares somewhat at him."We'll be happy to help keep ye safe," I say."Perhaps you take the left, we take the right," Jorrina says."Let's meet at the end, so we can barter," Fafnir offers."Or we all travel together, and we pool what we find," Trevor says. "We can fight together, and some are better at finding traps."It looks like we are splitting up. Hopefully we find the Torch before they do. If not, hopefully we can convince them we need it. They seem amenable to reconnecting with us to barter our finds.Trevor notices that the large cages seem made to hold large beasts, and that there are scratch marks and blood on the inside. Viggo grabs a sample to analyze.<h3>Into the Castle Korstull Skull</h3>We gather before the giant stone teeth of the skull-shaped keep."Please," Jorrina says with a gracious wave. "After you.""You were here first, you should have the honor of opening the threshold," Fafnir chuckles. The paladin snorts at him. The gnomish party brings their wagons and beasts under cover, moves across the great landing, and into the mountain. We follow. The paladin snorts at us again."Do you have a cold?" Osnald asks.Inside the arch is a massive half circle chamber, with many skeletons lying strewn. The walls are covered with symbols of Ragesian and Sindairese glory, of Coaltongue and the flaming torch putting down enemies, marching in victory. The figure of Leska is seen with him, flames erupting from her hands. I look up at her, at her blackened hands and cowl.[ATTACH=full]429725[/ATTACH]This is the woman who murdered my parents.Her name is Leska. The same Leska. I never knew that this was the same woman that Trevor hates for eradicating his family.We exchange looks. "I won't fight ye for the opportunity when we run into her, but we'll both make sure she dies," I say.Trevor nods. "Our goals will align."Tall sandstone statues of the goddess Lugh flank a small door straight ahead. As we look upon them, they turn their great heads to look at us, and come to life. Stone golems. The gnomes notice, and ready themselves.[ATTACH=full]429726[/ATTACH]Osnald lights one up with faerie fire. I fit an arrow to the string, waiting for any aggression. They stand still, observing us.Doubtless they don't intend to let us pass. One of the gnomes slips behind them with a ring of keys. The eyes of a golem glow, and the gnome suddenly moves in slow motion as if trapped in mud.Viggo, never one to care about initiating violence, casts bane.Grellfin clanks up before one of the golems. Fafnir steps up to the other. "In the name of the King of Sindaire, let me pass!" he intones. It does not react except to gaze down at him and raise their massive rocky fists. Fafnir takes that as a hint, and lets Einherjar swing with booming blade. A thundercrack echoes in the chamber. He concentrates, trying to move the construct with his mind.Well, that's it then. Gnomish bolas and bolts fly to small effect. Jorrina casts magic missile. Somehow a bola wraps around a golem's legs, holding it. I draw and fire, sending a longbow shaft deep into the golem's torso. "That's how it's done, I reckon."Grellfin swings with his own warhammer in both fists. He looks at Fafnir and snorts. Fafnir yawns. "Took you two to do what I did in one."The golem before the gnomish paladin leans down and slams a stony fist into the gnome's plate armor. The paladin grunts.Osnald steps forward and hurls Tandrial. chipping away stone. A skeleton at Viggo's feet suddenly rises. I glance at him, then send two arrows at the lit-up golem, but the arrows ping off their armor. I had concentrated too much on delivering maximum damage, and reduced my efficiency. Won't happen again.The golem above Fafnir swings its fists, unable to connect. A gnomish flail connects against its feet.Trevor, doing better than I, slides to a halt before the golem, snaps Aquiline Heart around its neck, and yanks off its head in a crack of rubble. He unwinds the leather, winds it around his own neck, and steps up to the other golem, blades hissing in fast stabs. It, too, falls, one of its arms shattering. Impressive, he is.[ATTACH=full]429723[/ATTACH]Between them, the slowed gnome, Oller, works at the small door with thieves' tools. "It's unlocked but I can't push it open. It's stuck." Jorrina joins him.More skeletons rise, near Viggo. He must be wearing some kind of undead-attracting cologne. It misses with a shortsword swing. Another dead warrior rises near Osnald, hitting him with a rusted blade. (He, I know, is wearing undead-attracting cologne.) Viggo blasts the one by Osnald with a ray of frost, staggering it, then moves out of the paladin's aura as if uncomfortable. Fafnir finishes it off, smashing it into the earth in a shower of bones. "Is this stupid thing bothering you, Osnald?"The paladin surrounds himself with a holy aura and slays one. Another gnome, Verane, cracks her flail over another.I step around and draw my new scimitar, hacking at a skeleton. I don't yet have Trevor's facility with dual blades, but my shortsword helps bring down the skeletal warrior, though it needs Osnald's luck. I nod to them both.More skeletons rise and attack. The gnomes retaliate with flails.Trevor moves to the door and looks it over. Oller nods and aids him, and the door cracks open. "The door's open, fellows, let's go!""We're still doing chores out here, Trevor," I answer, dodging a skeleton's blade. Grellfin downs another with one blow. One of Viggo's rays of frost cuts the air; he steps through the door. Einherjar hums and bones crack. Fafnir walks off, ignoring a skeleton's strike.I casually hack off the last skeleton's head. Disappointed in myself, I collect spent shafts, wincing at the bent and blunted arrowheads.</blockquote>

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