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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carnifex" data-source="post: 1347009" data-attributes="member: 227">Just a short little post to help set the scene for the first proper SH update to this thread, but don't worry, there'll be more hefty ones to follow over the next week <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />The party, now consisting of both Ecurius's band of mercenaries and the Drakkath scholars with their hirelings, headed for the rise that angled up before them, the rugged landscape steep and difficult. Jarvis, the Naserian pathfinder, was already perched up there, signalling that it was safe for them to come up; as they approached, Sebastion skirted slightly ahead to check for anything dangerous that might be awaiting them in the gullies of the slope. After their encounter with the solar beholderkin, they had realised that it paid to be cautious in such mountainous terrain. Glad to be moving again - not personally, but as a group - Sebastion appreciated the slightly more difficult target they now presented as he wondered whether the cluster of scholars and students would be an aid or a hindrance in the event of an ambush. I wonder how many of them are wizards? he thought idly, trailing up the hill slowly on horseback. I wonder if any of them are better than Mel? That was probably a question that would stay in his mind, he decided, rather than make the trip to his tongue.When they finally all made it up to the top of the rise, the valley below was revealed, the vista rolling away to be framed against the clear blue sky. * * *A grassy slope spread away ahead of them, the valley stretching before them lengthways, caught between two more ridges. The lower part of the valley was rocky and broken ground, but trees studded it nonetheless. And there, some mile or two away, the tower broke up out of the ground. It looked almost... organic in nature. A melding of metals and stone that seemed to naturally spear up from the rock rise it stood on, the dark structure curved and wound upwards, the bulk of the central structure punctured by gloomy receses and swirling daughter spires. The lower third was a cacophony of protruding pipes and outlets, twisitng amongst each other and venting out a drool of liquids and vapour. And here and there more recent construction was apparent. Rusted metal and rivets seemed to have been used to tack on new little balconies and vanes, the very top of the tower bearing a crown of copper spikes. Yet the tower seemed quite, quite dead. No movement nor noise, no light nor sound. Johan gave a wry smile. "Oh yes, this is Umbral, but not what I expected exactly. See that bulge in the main structure about two thirds of the way up? Probably indicates a large chamber within, specially crafted and formed. This is a war tower."...to be continued...</blockquote>

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