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Forgotten Lore (Updated M-W-F)
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7487800" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Yep, I was actually calculating encounter XP early on, but switched to a variant of milestone XP as the story developed.</p><p></p><p>Time for the Friday cliffhanger!</p><p></p><p>* * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 199</p><p></p><p>The sight of trolls crawling over the toppled pews within a holy sanctuary of his god filled Quellan with rage. He let the divine energy of his patron swell in him as he opened his mouth and shouted with enough force to shake the walls, “Invaders in the Temple of Hosrenu!” Augmented by his <em>thaumaturgy</em>, the loud cry would, he hoped, bring every dwarf in this part of the city to their aid.</p><p></p><p>But they would still have to survive long enough for aid to arrive, he realized as the trolls turned toward them and leapt to attack. Some charged for the open aisle between the pews, the gap narrowed by the damage wrought by the skinhole, but most of them just leapt over the seats, taking the most direct route to their adversaries. Quellan noted that some on the other side of the sinkhole turned instead toward the far exit. At first he thought they were headed out into the dwarven city to cause havoc, but then he saw several trolls pick up one of the heavy stone pews and drag it over to block the doors.</p><p></p><p><em>What they want, it’s here</em>, he thought, but he had no chance to share his revelation with Akhenon, as the trolls were coming fast.</p><p></p><p>The half-orc rushed forward to use the frontmost pew as a rampart, intercepting the first troll before it could clear the waist-high barrier. His mace smashed it hard across the face, but he already knew that these creatures were tough, and that it would take more than that to bring one down. The troll proved his point a moment later as it lunged at him, tearing with its claws and snapping at his face with its broad jaws. Quellan got his shield up in time but the sheer ferocity of the attack drove him back, yielding the protection offered by the raised backs of the stone pews.</p><p></p><p>Flames roared up out of nothing, filling the interior of the temple. At first Quellan thought it was another attack, but then he saw that the <em>wall of fire</em> had formed a ring around the sinkhole, sealing it off from the rest of the temple. Trolls caught within the barrier screamed in pain, but as they staggered clear Quellan could see the marks in their chests glowing, whatever dark magic that was embedded in those sigils protecting them from the full force of the divine fire.</p><p></p><p>Akhenon’s magic had gained them a brief respite from troll reinforcements, but did nothing to help the embattled pair of priests against those already present. Even as the flames reached the top of the temple another troll hopped the last pew and charged toward the dwarf cleric, intent on tearing him apart. Quellan pushed the troll still pressing him off with a surge of effort and swung his mace at the other as it rushed past. His mace cracked it hard on the back of its left knee, staggering it and drawing its attention. He didn’t need to look back to know that the first troll would be coming at him from behind, or that he wouldn’t last long with the two creatures flanking him.</p><p></p><p>On the far side of the room the temple doors rattled, but whoever was on the other side couldn’t immediately shift the weight of the stone pew resting against them. The trolls there were already dragging a second pew over, adding to their improvised barricade.</p><p></p><p>Quellan thrust the edge of his shield into a troll’s face, putting all of his efforts into keeping the hideous creature at bay. The other had grabbed hold of his weapon arm and was trying to rip the limb out of its socket. He gave ground as both trolls pushed at him, until he reached the raised platform that supported the altar stone. He was barely able to keep from being toppled over onto his back, even as the trolls continued to tear at him. A sharp pain stabbed through his side as an armored plate ripped free from its moorings, and he could feel the tendons in his right arm scream in pain as they were stretched to their limit. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a third troll rapidly approaching, although its presence seemed largely superfluous at the moment. He couldn’t move as the first troll seized his shield and dragged it down; now they had both of his arms pinned. The first let out a screech of triumph and leaned forward to take a bite out of his face.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7487800, member: 143"] Yep, I was actually calculating encounter XP early on, but switched to a variant of milestone XP as the story developed. Time for the Friday cliffhanger! * * * Chapter 199 The sight of trolls crawling over the toppled pews within a holy sanctuary of his god filled Quellan with rage. He let the divine energy of his patron swell in him as he opened his mouth and shouted with enough force to shake the walls, “Invaders in the Temple of Hosrenu!” Augmented by his [i]thaumaturgy[/i], the loud cry would, he hoped, bring every dwarf in this part of the city to their aid. But they would still have to survive long enough for aid to arrive, he realized as the trolls turned toward them and leapt to attack. Some charged for the open aisle between the pews, the gap narrowed by the damage wrought by the skinhole, but most of them just leapt over the seats, taking the most direct route to their adversaries. Quellan noted that some on the other side of the sinkhole turned instead toward the far exit. At first he thought they were headed out into the dwarven city to cause havoc, but then he saw several trolls pick up one of the heavy stone pews and drag it over to block the doors. [i]What they want, it’s here[/i], he thought, but he had no chance to share his revelation with Akhenon, as the trolls were coming fast. The half-orc rushed forward to use the frontmost pew as a rampart, intercepting the first troll before it could clear the waist-high barrier. His mace smashed it hard across the face, but he already knew that these creatures were tough, and that it would take more than that to bring one down. The troll proved his point a moment later as it lunged at him, tearing with its claws and snapping at his face with its broad jaws. Quellan got his shield up in time but the sheer ferocity of the attack drove him back, yielding the protection offered by the raised backs of the stone pews. Flames roared up out of nothing, filling the interior of the temple. At first Quellan thought it was another attack, but then he saw that the [i]wall of fire[/i] had formed a ring around the sinkhole, sealing it off from the rest of the temple. Trolls caught within the barrier screamed in pain, but as they staggered clear Quellan could see the marks in their chests glowing, whatever dark magic that was embedded in those sigils protecting them from the full force of the divine fire. Akhenon’s magic had gained them a brief respite from troll reinforcements, but did nothing to help the embattled pair of priests against those already present. Even as the flames reached the top of the temple another troll hopped the last pew and charged toward the dwarf cleric, intent on tearing him apart. Quellan pushed the troll still pressing him off with a surge of effort and swung his mace at the other as it rushed past. His mace cracked it hard on the back of its left knee, staggering it and drawing its attention. He didn’t need to look back to know that the first troll would be coming at him from behind, or that he wouldn’t last long with the two creatures flanking him. On the far side of the room the temple doors rattled, but whoever was on the other side couldn’t immediately shift the weight of the stone pew resting against them. The trolls there were already dragging a second pew over, adding to their improvised barricade. Quellan thrust the edge of his shield into a troll’s face, putting all of his efforts into keeping the hideous creature at bay. The other had grabbed hold of his weapon arm and was trying to rip the limb out of its socket. He gave ground as both trolls pushed at him, until he reached the raised platform that supported the altar stone. He was barely able to keep from being toppled over onto his back, even as the trolls continued to tear at him. A sharp pain stabbed through his side as an armored plate ripped free from its moorings, and he could feel the tendons in his right arm scream in pain as they were stretched to their limit. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a third troll rapidly approaching, although its presence seemed largely superfluous at the moment. He couldn’t move as the first troll seized his shield and dragged it down; now they had both of his arms pinned. The first let out a screech of triumph and leaned forward to take a bite out of his face. [/QUOTE]
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