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Lazybones's Keep on the Shadowfell/Thunderspire Labyrinth
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 4866457" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 61</p><p></p><p></p><p>“This ritual seems designed to put us at a serious tactical disadvantage,” Gral said. </p><p></p><p>“I am certain that was the intent,” Vhael responded. The dragonborn seemed distracted.</p><p></p><p>“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Carzen ventured. “We’re still pretty beat up—no offense to that needle of yours, Gral, but I’ve had doublets with fewer stiches than you’ve put into me over the last few days. It might be a good idea to fall back again, recover our strength, before pressing on.”</p><p></p><p>They were gathered in the blackened, scored passageway that connected all of the chambers where they had overcome the trials created by the original occupants of the Well of Demons. Vhael had his back to the others, his stare fixed on the heavy stone doors that warded the only part of the complex they had not yet explored. Behind those doors lay their final destination. They had already tried more traditional means of forcing a way through, with no success. </p><p></p><p>Without turning, Vhael responded, “Our time has run out. Can you not feel it?”</p><p></p><p>The others exchanged a look, but said nothing. </p><p></p><p>“Gral, am I right?” Vhael prompted. He did turn, now, and they could see how tired he looked, a first for them, who had gotten used to the warlord’s masterful concealment of his feelings. Dozens of scars, new and old, covered his body, and his armor showed a half-dozen rents, places where he’d taken damage that couldn’t easily be repaired in the field. They were all like that, clothes and armor and weapons and bodies beaten and battered, held together by thread, wire, and will. </p><p></p><p>They all looked at the wizard, but it was Surina who spoke. “I can feel it,” she said. “There is a power building here. I do not know where it is coming from.”</p><p></p><p>“I do,” Vhael said. He turned back to the doors. </p><p></p><p>Carzen surprised himself by being the next to break the silence. “All right, if we’re going to do this, let’s get it done with, so we can leave this hellhole.”</p><p></p><p>They made their preparations quietly and efficiently. Once they were ready, Vhael distributed the four items of power needed for the ritual, and they split up to bring them to their assigned places. The ghosts had told them what was needed, and they had already marked the rune circles, faded and covered in dust, situated in the outer halls around the edges of the blackened central corridor. They left the connecting doors open, so they could hear each other, and act together on Vhael’s signal. </p><p></p><p>Vhael lingered, with Surina. The two dragonborn entered the chamber in the center of that rectangle bounded by the black corridor, the one dominated by the dark shaft that seemed to go down forever, and which radiated a certain cold malevolence. They knew too from the dead adventurers that had come before that this was where the Guardian would come, once the ritual was completed. </p><p></p><p>“You don’t need to do this,” Vhael said. “Remain with me, and we will fight the thing together, all at once.”</p><p></p><p>“We discussed this before,” Surina responded. “Your plan to reunite in the entry hall is a sound one, but unless someone delays the Guardian, it will fail.” </p><p></p><p>Vhael looked at the pit, now almost completely obstructed by the barrier they had rigged at its mouth; using the remaining table from the gnoll quarters, weighed down with rubble taken from the destroyed minotaur statue, they had blocked off about two-thirds of the opening. They had also moved the heavy stone altars that had originally occupied this place, stacking one upside-down atop the other and siting them right along the edge of the shaft. “We could do more, maybe tear up the chairs and bunks the gnolls used, construct a more significant barricade…”</p><p></p><p>Surina touched his arm. “As you said yourself, we do not have much time. The enemy will not wait.”</p><p></p><p>Vhael nodded. He walked to the nearer exit, then paused, and looked back. “Remember. Delay, then fall back to the rendezvous. A needless sacrifice will benefit no one, least of all the hostages. I suspect we will have another big fight ahead once we get that door open.”</p><p></p><p>Surina nodded. As Vhael departed, she turned back to the pit, and walked over to the edge of the dark opening. A faint breeze stirred from below, stinking of decay. </p><p></p><p>Vhael made his way to his assigned position, not far from the sealed doors. The rune circle was on the far side of a rubble of humanoid bones. When they’d first found this room, the skeletons had been intact, shackled to the walls. The skeletons had been inanimate, but the companions had taken a minute to smash the bones into dust, just in case. </p><p></p><p>He took out his artifact, the golden bell. Surina had warned him not to grasp the handle, so he held it by the body. He lingered for a few moments, then turned to face the door. </p><p></p><p>“Ready!” he shouted. </p><p></p><p>“Ready!” came Gral’s voice. The dwarf was nearest, in a room decorated by several small pools lined with colored stone. </p><p></p><p>“Ready!” came Carzen’s voice, fainter. </p><p></p><p>“Ready!” shouted Gez. </p><p></p><p>“Ready!” came Surina’s cry, the last of them. Vhael nodded to himself, and held the bell over the circle. </p><p></p><p>“NOW!” he cried, and lowered the bell to the ground. He imagined the others doing the same with their artifacts, at the rune circles scattered around the complex. </p><p></p><p>Everything happened all at once, as he had expected. What he hadn’t expected was they way all their careful plans were thrown into chaos in that first second.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 4866457, member: 143"] Chapter 61 “This ritual seems designed to put us at a serious tactical disadvantage,” Gral said. “I am certain that was the intent,” Vhael responded. The dragonborn seemed distracted. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Carzen ventured. “We’re still pretty beat up—no offense to that needle of yours, Gral, but I’ve had doublets with fewer stiches than you’ve put into me over the last few days. It might be a good idea to fall back again, recover our strength, before pressing on.” They were gathered in the blackened, scored passageway that connected all of the chambers where they had overcome the trials created by the original occupants of the Well of Demons. Vhael had his back to the others, his stare fixed on the heavy stone doors that warded the only part of the complex they had not yet explored. Behind those doors lay their final destination. They had already tried more traditional means of forcing a way through, with no success. Without turning, Vhael responded, “Our time has run out. Can you not feel it?” The others exchanged a look, but said nothing. “Gral, am I right?” Vhael prompted. He did turn, now, and they could see how tired he looked, a first for them, who had gotten used to the warlord’s masterful concealment of his feelings. Dozens of scars, new and old, covered his body, and his armor showed a half-dozen rents, places where he’d taken damage that couldn’t easily be repaired in the field. They were all like that, clothes and armor and weapons and bodies beaten and battered, held together by thread, wire, and will. They all looked at the wizard, but it was Surina who spoke. “I can feel it,” she said. “There is a power building here. I do not know where it is coming from.” “I do,” Vhael said. He turned back to the doors. Carzen surprised himself by being the next to break the silence. “All right, if we’re going to do this, let’s get it done with, so we can leave this hellhole.” They made their preparations quietly and efficiently. Once they were ready, Vhael distributed the four items of power needed for the ritual, and they split up to bring them to their assigned places. The ghosts had told them what was needed, and they had already marked the rune circles, faded and covered in dust, situated in the outer halls around the edges of the blackened central corridor. They left the connecting doors open, so they could hear each other, and act together on Vhael’s signal. Vhael lingered, with Surina. The two dragonborn entered the chamber in the center of that rectangle bounded by the black corridor, the one dominated by the dark shaft that seemed to go down forever, and which radiated a certain cold malevolence. They knew too from the dead adventurers that had come before that this was where the Guardian would come, once the ritual was completed. “You don’t need to do this,” Vhael said. “Remain with me, and we will fight the thing together, all at once.” “We discussed this before,” Surina responded. “Your plan to reunite in the entry hall is a sound one, but unless someone delays the Guardian, it will fail.” Vhael looked at the pit, now almost completely obstructed by the barrier they had rigged at its mouth; using the remaining table from the gnoll quarters, weighed down with rubble taken from the destroyed minotaur statue, they had blocked off about two-thirds of the opening. They had also moved the heavy stone altars that had originally occupied this place, stacking one upside-down atop the other and siting them right along the edge of the shaft. “We could do more, maybe tear up the chairs and bunks the gnolls used, construct a more significant barricade…” Surina touched his arm. “As you said yourself, we do not have much time. The enemy will not wait.” Vhael nodded. He walked to the nearer exit, then paused, and looked back. “Remember. Delay, then fall back to the rendezvous. A needless sacrifice will benefit no one, least of all the hostages. I suspect we will have another big fight ahead once we get that door open.” Surina nodded. As Vhael departed, she turned back to the pit, and walked over to the edge of the dark opening. A faint breeze stirred from below, stinking of decay. Vhael made his way to his assigned position, not far from the sealed doors. The rune circle was on the far side of a rubble of humanoid bones. When they’d first found this room, the skeletons had been intact, shackled to the walls. The skeletons had been inanimate, but the companions had taken a minute to smash the bones into dust, just in case. He took out his artifact, the golden bell. Surina had warned him not to grasp the handle, so he held it by the body. He lingered for a few moments, then turned to face the door. “Ready!” he shouted. “Ready!” came Gral’s voice. The dwarf was nearest, in a room decorated by several small pools lined with colored stone. “Ready!” came Carzen’s voice, fainter. “Ready!” shouted Gez. “Ready!” came Surina’s cry, the last of them. Vhael nodded to himself, and held the bell over the circle. “NOW!” he cried, and lowered the bell to the ground. He imagined the others doing the same with their artifacts, at the rune circles scattered around the complex. Everything happened all at once, as he had expected. What he hadn’t expected was they way all their careful plans were thrown into chaos in that first second. [/QUOTE]
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