Medriev's FR Keep on the Shadowfell - Concluded Nov 7

[Medriev]

Chapter 5 - Bonds of Blood (Part 1)

Three dwarves and two dragonborn walked solemnly through Winterhaven’s gate under the pale sunlight of the winter evening with the setting sun in their faces but they paid the glare no mind. They had come a long way to bury a friend and they cared only for the grim task ahead, though the sun sinking slowly behind the mountain called Helyr in the tongue of the dwarves who came to the small village in the Thunder Peaks.

They were led by a dwarf who looked grim even for this grim looking dwarf. A scar crossed his left eye and his hair was black as night. His beard was long, as dwarven beards often were, and forked in two at about the breastbone. Each fork was bound by several iron rings at its end and all had been made from the swords of defeated rivals. Beside the black haired dwarf walked a dwarf maid, a stern woman of plain features and long blonde hair that hung in braids down her back. She was clad in dark blue robes over a leather jerkin and pale blue breeches and at her belt hung a rune-carved hammer. Behind them walked another male dwarf with white blonde hair and a long, straight beard. At his belt he wore a warhammer and his armour was of deer hide trimmed with fur. A crossbow was on his back and a small quiver of bolts hung on his belt opposite the hammer.

Behind the dwarves came the two dragonborn. Both were dark scaled as Erlmoor was but one had a long horn like crest that resembled long, flowing hair and the other had a shorter crest. The long crested female wore a leather jerking and breeches, had a huge morningstar at her belt and a crossbow strapped to her back. She had dark eyes and a fierce look on her face. The male, meanwhile was clothed in a fur trimmed, hide jerking, a long, fur trimmed cloak and deerskin trousers. At each hip hung a longsword and over one shoulder was a short hunting bow. A quiver hung on the other shoulder and his pale eyes darted back and forth.

Mandratan stepped forward to introduce himself but even as he did so, a man, bloodied and wounded pushed past the dwarves and the dragonborn and sank to his knees just inside Winterhaven’s gates. The male dragonborn rushed to his side and began checking his wounds.

“Kobolds are attacking our wagons,” the man gasped then. “Just down on the East Way. We need help.”
“You lot there,” came a voice from behind Mandratan. The wizard turned and, looking over his shoulder, he saw the dark haired and bearded Lord Padraig striding down the street past the inn. “Will you go forth and search for survivors and rescue them if need be.” All could see that he was gesturing to Mandratan, the dwarves and the dragonborn.
“We are here to bury a kinsman of our friend here, “spoke up the female dragonborn who was called Dau Dolviir. “We have no interest in hunting kobolds.”
“I could banish you from here if you choose not to help us,” answered Lord Padraig. “What of you wizard?”
“There is no need for banishment, Lord Padraig,” said Mandratan, turning to the dwarves and dragonborn. “You have to go after the kobolds. They have Erlmoor and the others.”

Dau’s eyes grew stern then and she reached for the wand at her belt. She made to draw it but Lord Padraig raised his hand.
“Save it for the kobolds, dragonborn,” said the Lord and he turned away from the gate, heading back through the village to his hall.

Dau turned away, furious as much at Lord Padraig’s treatment of her as the news that her brother was a prisoner.
“I know where the kobolds lair,” said Mandratan. “I can take you to them once we deal with these raiders.”

The stern dwarf maid, Gila Goldfriend, sister of Deloak, turned away after Dau but the other dragonborn, who was called Audin and was Erlmoor’s brother, paused.
“How come you survived and weren’t taken, wizard?” he asked Mandratan. Dau stopped and turned back, interested in the answer. The other two dwarves, scarred Falain and blonde haired Belrin, waited to see what would happen here.
“I fell and was thought dead,” said Mandratan. “But Erlmoor’s prayers saved me from death and allowed me to escape unnoticed. I could not save them without aid. There were too many.”

Audin turned away seemingly satisfied as did Dau, after fixing Mandratan with a piercing stair. Falain and Belrin shrugged and joined them and Mandratan hurried after them The kobolds who refused to be beaten awaited them.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 5 - Bonds of Blood (Part 2)

The six companions made their way hastily along the East Way until they came to a place where the worn dirt road curved to the southwest, bounded by an increasingly steep escarpment on the east and southeast. A large copse of birches clustered east of the road, and barrels and bags seemed to have tumbled from two wagons that had been overturned. The horses that once drew the wagons were nowhere to be seen.
“I hear whispers behind the wagons,” said Mandratan softly.
“Me too,” Audin hissed back.
“Kobolds,” said Belrin. “I go left with Audin and Dau. Falain, take Gila and the wizard to the right.”

Mandratan was the first to see the kobolds that crouched behind the wagon and no sooner had he seen them than they leapt from cover to the attack accompanied by the sound of scrabbling and hissing. He began hurling silvery bolts that struck the wagons as well as the kobolds. Gila came to Mandratan’s side and began firing crossbow bolts at the kobolds. One kobold fell, hurled back amongst its companions while from the other side of the wagons, Audin began loosing arrows into the kobolds. One of the kobolds returned fire, hurling clay pots at the ranger that burst on the grass and amongst the trees, setting turf and branch aflame as they burst. The kobolds came forward at Gila and Mandratan, stabbing at them with short spears. The two ducked back

Dau hurled crackling, black, eldritch energy from the left at the kobold hurling the pots and then Belrin surged past her with his hammer in his hand and his shield on his arm. At the other side, Falain waded in amongst the kobolds and began smiting them down with the huge, two-handed hammer he wielded. A burly kobold with a long pike came forth then and stabbed the weapon into Falain’s shoulder. The dwarf cried out and fell back but then swatted the weapon away with his maul. Gila drew her hammer and fought beside her brother while Mandratan drew back and resumed his barrage of silvery bolts. Another kobold came at the wizard from the right and he was forced to put away his wand and raise his staff to defend himself.

On the other side of the wagons two kobolds had moved to defend the hurler but they fell quickly to the onslaught of arrows and black bolts that Dau and Audin were raining down on them. Belrin charged the hurler then and set about it with his hammer. The kobold fumbled for its dagger and fell back before the dwarf. Audin drew shouldered his bow and his two swords from his belt before charging to aid the dwarf while Dau came with him, hurling black, crackling energy as she did so. Belrin smashed at the creature with his hammer and felled it with a mighty blow. Together, he and Audin leapt over the fallen kobold and rushed to aid the others.

Mandratan was stabbed by another short spear and fell back, loosing a fierce burst of flame from his hands that scorched the nearby kobolds and felled another of them while Gila and Falain faught on next to him. A sly looking kobold with a short sword darted after him and again he drew back, seeking room to loose his spells. He retreated towards Falain, who was bloodied and sweating now and loosed another silvery bolt that flew wide of the kobold. The kobold darted forward again, pursuing the wizard but then Audin and Dau and Belrin rounded the wagons and attacked the kobold from behind. A kobold fell to Dau’s eldritch blast While Audin and Belrin came at the kobold with the pike from behind and drove the kobold towards Gila. Falain lashed out with his huge maul and felled the pike wielder and then all turned on the last of the kobolds. The kobold broke and fled, pursued by another of Mandratan’s silver bolts and struck by Gila’s hammer as it darted past her. Moments later, the kobold had disappeared into the long grass to the south of the road.

“No signs of survivors,” said Belrin while the others tended to the various small wounds they had suffered.
.”Or bodies,” said Falain as he bandaged a cut on his arm.
“So, someone took them,” said Dau sternly.
“Most likely to the kobold lair,” said Mandratan through clenched teeth as Gila stitched a wound to his leg.
“Then we head there,” said Gila without breaking concentration.
“Sounds good to me,” said Audin. “Looks like we go kobold hunting.”

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 5 - Bonds of Blood (Part 3)

Mandratan led them eastwards back along the East Way past Winterhaven until they came upon the trail to the kobold lair that led south into the wooded slopes of the southern part of the vale. The day was cold, even as noon approached with only pale sunlight shining down on the travelers. Suddenly, Mandratan stopped just at a point where the overgrown path meandered through the forest and revealed a stone promontory abutting the road.
“I hear weeping from the woods on the right,” he hissed to the others as they halted.
“As do I,” said Gila.
“And there,” said Audin. “The branches are bent back as though someone passed that way recently.”

Dau moved off the trail at once but even as she did so, low grunts in a growling tongue came from ahead of the group further down the trail. Then, the grunts escalated to shouts when the companions’ attackers — big, brutish goblins — were sure they had been seen.
“Hobgoblins!” Belrin spat as the creatures broke into a charge. “They live for war and battle!”
“So do dwarves!” shouted Falain from the back of the group. Then the first of the hobgoblins reached the companions and battle was joined.

The hobgoblins came forward in a strong phalanx with shields before them and swords or spears or flails slashing down over the barrier. Three surrounded Belrin and forced him back just as Dau burst from the trees. The dragonborn loosed a ribbon of twisting darkness from her wand that struck the nearest hobgoblin, searing into its heart and felling it while all the while making her stronger. The hobgoblins surged towards her then too but as they did so, her armour began to pulse with energy, protecting her and at the same time driving the hobgoblins back with the intense reverberation. Mandratan began firing silver bolts from his wand as Audin danced forward to join the battle and plunged both his blades into one of the hobgoblins, felling it. Another took its place, swinging a flail at the dragonborn and wounding him with its chains. He fell back a step beside his sister just as Falain joined the battle at last and the tide steadied.

Dau retreated before the hobgoblins, loosing black energy from her wand as she did so and felling one of the hobgoblins. Beside her, Gila healed Audin with a powder that she blew on him to mend his hurts and as she did so Mandratan unleashed flame upon the hobgoblins that scorched them and forced them back. The wizard smiled for a moment but then an arrow lanced down from the rocky promontory and drove into his shoulder spinning him away from the battle. On the other side of the trail, Falain scythed into the hobgoblins with his hammer, felling one with a blow that split its helmet and driving another back. He faught beside Belrin and the dwarves drove the hobgoblins back before them.

Dau and Mandratan circled around the battle to try to reach the archer, loosing black bolts and silver ones at the hobgoblins as they picked their way through the trees. Gila joined the battle line as the wizard and the warlock left, swinging left and right with her own hammer to keep the hobgoblins at bay. Mandratan emerged from the trees onto the grass next to the trail and heard a sudden whoosh as an arrow came from his right. It drove into his side, spun him around and felled him where he stood.

Dau leapt over the fallen Mandratan and darted forward and out past the trees before lashing out with her wand and blasting the archer with black, crackling energy. The hobgoblin reeled back and away from her but then steadied itself and fired an arrow that drove into Dau’s shoulder. She snapped it free and roared her anger, starting towards the rocky outcropping. Behind her, her brother roared and breathed acid while spinning his blades around him, slashing at the hobgoblins. They seemed to shrink back before the wrathful dragonborn but then one struck him with a flail and slowed his deadly dance. He roared again and came at his enemy with both swords before him. Falain and Belrin and finally Gila took up the roar and the companions surged forward as one.

The biggest of the hobgoblins leveled its spear as the charge came at him and Belrin saw the deadly point too late. The force of his charge drove him onto the spear and it drove through him, emerging from his back, tearing flesh and armour before it. Belrin gasped and fell as the hobgoblin tipped his spear forward to allow the dwarf to slide to the ground. Beyond the battle, Dau blasted the archer again with dark energy and then put away her wand, drawing instead the huge morning star she carried on her back. She charged the hobgoblin then with a roar and it wavered, throwing down its bow and reaching for a sword at its belt. Behind Dau, Gila cast more restorative compound into the air and created a cloud that was infused with arcane energy to bolster her and the others. Belrin and Mandratan both woke and rose while the others gained new strength. Only Dau, fighting on the rock with the hobgoblin archer was beyond its power. Mandratan moved away into the trees and turned back to the battle, hurling silvery bolts at the hobgoblins.

On the rock, Dau cursed the archer before her and lashed out with her hammer, striking its shoulder and forcing it further back. Behind her, Belrin rose with a roar and lashed out with his hammer, striking the big hobgoblin in the chest. Gila came forward with him as did Falain and Audin. The big hobgoblin reeled as a silver bolt struck him in the back and then Audin saw his chance, driving both his blades into the goblin’s belly. He fell, gasping and gurgling to the blood soaked trail and beside him fell Audin the dragonborn as another hobgoblin brought its flail down on his head. Falain roared his anger and surged at his own foe and the hobgoblins wavered. The phalanx was broken at last, and they were vulnerable.

The end was swift but fierce. Dau felled the archer with a blast of black energy as she retreated back towards her companions. Belrin struck down one of the two hobgoblins with a mighty hammer blow and Mandratan felled the last with a hail of silvery bolts of force. Quickly, Gila tended to Audin, who was now close to death and the others made their way to the crying sounds that had first drawn them off the trail. Behind the rocky outcropping, Belrin and Falain found two merchants and two men at arms who had been with the wagons on the East Way. Belrin gave them food and water and bade them wait where they were until they returned.
“We’ve kobolds to slay,” he said and turned away from them.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 5 - Bonds of Blood (Part 4)

The outside of the kobold caves was quiet as the companions drew near but they entered with weapons drawn. No sooner had they done so than two kobolds emerged from the shadows. One gave a single blast on a hunting horn and from elsewhere in the cave, other horns answered.

Kobolds came from the darkness to the right and Dau hurled black, crackling energy at them while two more, armed with shields made from dragon scale came from the front. Mandratan began to hurl silver magic missiles from his wand and Audin and Falain burst forward to meet the charge from the right. Behind the kobolds came a burly, battle-scarred goblin armed with a huge battle axe A great tattoo of a skeletal ram’s head marked his face and he wore a wolf fur cloak over a chain shirt. Mandratan knew him and was afraid but he knew Mandratan too.
“The sneaky wizard,” snarled Irontooth the goblin. “Come back to join your friends have you?”
“Come back for you, I have,” answered Mandratan with a conviction he didn’t feel but then Gila spread a cloud of healing infusion around the cave entrance and strength surged through all six of the companions and Mandratan found himself smiling.

A robed kobold next to the goblin raised his hands to the cavern ceiling and uttered a mighty exhortation that spurred the kobolds forward. The kobolds were met with steel and black flame and they faltered quickly. Only the goblin Irontooth came on with any ferocity and he came at Belrin with his axe, slashing and hacking at the dwarf until he bled from several wounds. Audin became a whirlwind of steel, slashing at the kobolds around him and keeping them at bay. The robed kobold priest joined the fray, cackling to himself but then Falain saw a chance. With a mighty swing of his hammer he swept the legs from beneath one of the dragon shield kobolds, dropping it to the floor and then he stepped over it and crushed its skull with his hammer. He laughed his own maniacal laugh then and the kobold priest cowered back as the dwarf came for him.

Mandratan unleashed flames from his wand then and the kobolds and their goblin leader were scorched and burned. At the same time, Audin breathed acid on the kobolds around him and as they reeled and burned, he slashed out with both swords and then plunged them into the belly of a kobold, felling it. The kobold priest withdrew from the battle to hurl orbs of flame at Falain but the others faught on. Desperately, Dau loosed a wild blast of dark energy and then charged one of the kobolds, breathing acid as she came. The kobold and the goblin fell back before the onslaught and as they did so, Mandratan uttered an incantation and became a blur of movement. He darted through the battle, rushing out along the waterfall to the right and then he turned back towards the kobolds. Then he began hurling silver bolts at his enemies and they cursed his power.
“I need healing,” Falain called out as the goblin struck him with his axe.

Gila turned toward him, blew her healing dust over her brother and his wounds closed. No sooner had his hurts been mended than Falain was struck by another orb of blue flame hurled by the kobold priest. He reeled backwards, burned and wounded anew. Behind him, Audin cut down another kobold, desperate to aid the dwarves against Irontooth but unable to reach them. He turned on his last foe as Mandratan readied another magic missile behind the kobold. Belrin struck at Irontooth and retreated from him, drawing back and away. The goblin turned toward Falain and the other dwarf saw his doom. A heartbeat later a fiery orb struck him in the side of the head and he fell at the feet of Irontooth, who sneered. Irontooth roared his anger then and charged at Belrin. His axe swung out and clove open the dwarf’s chest, felling him beside his brother.

Audin plunged both his swords into the chest of the last kobold he faced and then looked around, knowing the situation was desperate. Dimly, he felt someone kick his leg and looking down he saw Belrin open one eye and smile for an instant before feigning death once more. With a glance over his shoulder he darted off to the nearest of the rocky walls that divided the cave into chambers.
“Hey goblin,” he called out. “Looks like I’m getting away.”
“Get him,” growled Irontooth to anyone who would listen.

The kobold priests darted around the other end of the wall and met Audin with an orb of blue flame that he dodged. Mandratan looked from the priest to the goblin and with an uttered spell and a wave of his wand he called forth a ball of glowing flame that darted at Irontooth and struck him while burning all who were near it. The goblin roared in anger then and with blood red eyes, it fixed Dau with a terrifying gaze and charged at her. He swung out with his axe and wounded her but then from behind him, the goblin heard a dwarf’s voice.
“You’ll find that dwarves don’t drop so easily,” said Belrin and he charged the goblin’s back.

Behind Belrin, Mandratan’s flaming sphere struck the last kobold warrior and drove him back against the cave wall and there, Gila struck him with her hammer and felled him. She turned on Irontooth then and struck at him and the great goblin warrior should have become fearful as he was all but beaten and surrounded but his blood rage sustained him and he struck down Dau with a powerful axe stroke. He turned on Gila then but she would not be felled and struck back at the goblin, wounding him again and again until finally, he sank to his knees, still refusing to be beaten. At that moment, Mandratan emerged from the deeper caves having chased down and slain the priest with Audin and at his back came Erlmoor, Dulvarna, Enlishia and Lavren. They were angry and sought revenge and the goblin turned and saw that his doom had finally come.
“Kalarel and Mistress of Night, prepare my way,” he called out and then a silvery bolt from Mandratan’s wand seared through the side of his head and felled him.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 6 - Death at the Keep (Part 1)

The day after the battle was even colder and it was then that Deloak and his brother, Falain were entombed together beneath Sister Linora’s temple of Chauntea against the west wall of Winterhaven. The wind from the east was strengthening and chilled the mourners to the bone as they stood over the fallen forms of the two dwarves. Sister Linora blessed the two and then Gila and Belrin broke into a funeral dirge that the wind seemed to amplify and make even more mournful. As the dwarves and the dragonborn moved away, Mandratan moved to stand beside Brother Gevarn, whose plight in Arabel had first brought them to Winterhaven. Irontooth had carried a message on a scroll that the wizard could not decipher and he wanted the priest’s thoughts. He unrolled it as he drew near and read it again:

Irontooth
My spy in Winterhaven suggests we keep an eye out for visitors to the area. It probably does not matter: in just a few more days I’ll completely open the rift. Then Winterhaven’s people will serve Shar or else feed Shadraxil’s empty stomach.
Lord Kalarel of the Keep

Mandratan wondered who Shadraxil was and if the Keep was truly the ruined keep to the north of Winterhaven. He hoped that Gevarn or Sister Linora could tell him.
“Brother Gevarn,” said Mandratan quietly. “Would you look at this please? I found it on the goblin chief who led the kobolds.” Gevarn examined the note and seemed to read it two or three times before he spoke.
“I know not who or what Shadraxil is but this Kalarel must be the cult leader if he claims to be lord of the keep,” said Gevarn. “We must go to the keep as soon as we can. I will guide you there.”
Mandratan looked surprised and Gevarn seemed put out.
“I am not the fearful acolyte you met in Arabel,” said Gevarn by way of explanation. “I have sought Chauntea’s guidance and learned the ways of battle. I will not fail you.”

Mandratan nodded and looked down at the tombs of the two dwarves. There was no failure, he mused, only death. He turned away from the tombs and as he did so, it began to snow steadily.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 6 - Death at the Keep (Part 2)

Outside Winterhaven where the East Way met an old trail that led north, the group stopped and the dwarves and dragonborn turned aside, intending to head west back down into Cormyr.
“We must take the grave news back to Eveningstar,” said Audin, embracing Erlmoor his brother.
“But snow is coming,” answered the younger dragonborn. “You could at least winter here and share some of the spoils of the keep with us.”
“We cannot,” said Belrin. “Our kin will want to know what happened here and your kin have keen blades and spells that will see us safe to Eveningstar.”
“Now keep yourself safe brother,” said Dau, embracing Erlmoor. “It is cold up here in the mountains. Make sure you need no more rescuing until spring.” Erlmoor nodded and his brother and sister turned away, starting on the long road back to Cormyr. Dwarves and dragonborn turned and waved before they turned a corner in the road and vanished from sight. The road before those that remained was altogether shorter but much darker and for a moment they lingered as if loath to start out upon it. Eventually they turned north on an old and worn trail that led to the Keep on the Shadowfell.

They came to the keep less than an hour later, the narrow track widening into a clearing. Great piles of shattered stone blocks and scorched timbers dominated the clearing, sprawling out from the centre to the edge of the woods. No plants grew among the ruins or within the clearing leaving the ground, as bare dirt now covered in a layer of snow. The forest had begun to reclaim the trail leading to the clearing but it had not intruded into the ruins of Shadowfell Keep, yet clearly someone had tampered with the ruins. In the centre of the debris, stone blocks and timbers had been gathered into a pile. Someone had cleared a path through the rubble and pulled aside the wreckage to reveal a stone staircase. The stairs descended into darkness.

Mandratan conjured light and then turned to Gevarn.
“You have led us this far, Brother Gevarn,” he said. “There is no need for you to venture further.”
“But I must,” answered Gevarn. “I have trained hard in the ways of battle and Chauntea is with me. I will come with you.”

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 6 - Death at the Keep (Part 3)

They descended the stairs with weapons drawn and spells ready and found that the stairway consisted of finely crafted stone, perhaps the work of dwarves. A breeze chilled the companions to the bone as they took each step down and at the bottom of the stairs, the flicker of torchlight spilled from a wide chamber with four pillars supporting its ceiling. From across the room a goblin began taunting the group almost at once, making obscene gestures and waving the spear it held at them.

Mandratan strode into the room, circling to the right and hurling silver bolts of energy as he went. Gevarn rushed after the wizard but instead of circling to the right, he strode straight at the goblin, drawing his morningstar as he advanced. He had barely walked a dozen spaces when the floor beneath him, which was merely a stone coloured canvas, gave way and he plunged into a pit below. Loud squeaks came from the pit then as rats surged from the walls to seek out the new food that had landed in their domain. Gevarn lay prone and stunned as the rats scuttled towards him. Enlishia strode to the edge of the pit and started firing arrows at the goblin at the far side of the room. Lavren circled the pit to the left and hurled crackling black energy at the goblin. It shrank back and began to look around nervously as though seeking allies. Dulvarna crossed the room behind Lavren, her sword in her hands and the goblin grew more desperate. A crossbow bolt flew out of the corridor behind the goblin then and drove into Lavren’s shoulder. The goblin beamed, leveled its spear and charged the elf, driving the point into Lavren’s thigh. He staggered and teetered on the edge of the pit behind him.

More crossbows flew out of the corridor to the south and Dulvarna fell back wounded. Mandratan strode up to the goblin who had taunted them all and held forth his wand, loosing flames that filled the corridor and sent the goblins back, reeling and burned. Dulvarna also fell back, burned as well as wounded by a crossbow bolt and she glared at Mandratan angrily. Gevarn scrambled desperately out of the pit and immediately began to pray softly. Pale white light emanated from him then and bathed each of the companions except Erlmoor who was beyond its reach. Gevarn came forward then and struck the taunting goblin huge blow with his morningstar that split its skull with a bright burst of radiance. He uttered a prayer and the power of the blow healed Dulvarna even as the goblin fell before him. Arrows and black and silver bolts flew down the corridor, keeping the goblins crouched against the wall and then Dulvarna charged them, her blade scything left and right. The goblins fell back before her, firing their crossbows still but no bolts struck her and she followed the retreating enemies.

Mandratan filled the corridor with flame and drove the goblins back further and then Gevarn surged past him and struck down one with the large morningstar he wielded. Behind him, Enlishia rushed to aid Erlmoor, shouldering her bow and drawing forth her sword. Lavren rushed past Dulvarna, drawing his sword and slashing at the last goblin in the corridor. He drew blood and the goblin shrank back, fear in its eyes. The goblin retreated further and fired its crossbow again, driving a bolt into Lavren’s thigh. The elf staggered and Dulvarna came past him, her sword swinging out. She struck the goblin through its shoulder and it fell at her feet with a cry of pain and despair.

Mandratan moved into the chamber at the end of the corridor and found it to be a barracks with two beds. He looked around quickly as he heard a shrill shriek from the last of the goblins. Unseen by the wizard, the goblin before Erlmoor broke and ran, fleeing to a door at the eastern end of the corridor and opening it. The goblin darted through the doorway and disappeared into the darkness beyond.
“One flees,” called Erlmoor. “We must pursue as soon as we may.” The six companions rested, tended their wounds and examined the goblin lair for a few minutes before starting after the fleeing goblin as Erlmoor had urged.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 6 - Death at the Keep (Part 4)

They heard goblin voices as soon as they had passed through the door and descended the steps beyond. The exact words were hard to distinguish but it sounded as through the goblins ahead were arguing. As the companions advanced, past another set of steps descending to the right, Mandratan managed to make out that the goblins seemed to be arguing about whether the room they were in contained treasure. One of the voices complained that he had been digging for weeks and found nothing of value while another, presumably the goblin who had fled from them, kept interrupting, trying to warn them that intruders were abroad in the dungeon. All this Mandratan translated to the others in whispers and then they readied weapons and spells and strode into the chamber.

The room at the end of the corridor looked like a disaster area. Here and there, remnants of the original floor stood like short towers protruding from a depression. Narrow wooden planks connected the patches of original floor, and a few goblins toiled in the room, attacking the floor and walls with shovels and picks as they seemed to argue amongst themselves. The goblin that had fled from the chambers to the west stood in the centre of the chamber and seemed to be demanding the attention of the others.
While the goblins were still unaware, Mandratan and Lavren strode forward to the edge of the platform on which they had entered the room. The elf hurled dark, crackling fire at the nearest goblin and Mandratan filled the depression with flame. A dragon-like creature with a crest along its back darted from behind one of the towers and surged up the ramp before Gevarn to charge the cleric. The goblins began to fire crossbows and hurl javelins from the depression while another of the dragon-like beasts charged up the ramp. Dulvarna and Erlmoor met both with their swords. A crossbow bolt drove into Mandratan’s shoulder fired by a goblin on a platform in the far corner of the room. Enlishia strode to the edge of the platform and began firing arrows down into the depression beneath the original floor of the room.
The dragon beasts surged forward and one seized Gevarn and tore at his arm. Two crossbow bolts struck Mandratan and sent him reeling back and then a third drove into his throat and felled him. Erlmoor and Dulvarna pushed the dragon creatures back with blows from their blades and kept them at bay while Gevarn retreated and began to pray for Mandratan. White light washed over the wizard and the wound at his throat closed. He opened his eyes and rose, unsteadily to his feet.

Lavren cursed out in elvish at the nearest of the goblins and loosed more black, crackling fire but the goblin ducked aside. Beside him, Mandratan stopped to get his breath back but was struck by two more crossbow bolts and fell beside the elf once more. At the ramp, the dragon beasts surged forward again and one seized Gevarn’s leg to drag him towards it. Dulvarna slashed at the beast and distracted it so that it turned from Gevarn. The other snapped at her and she ducked back as Erlmoor struck the beast with his sword. The creature shrieked and shrunk back and away. Gevarn struck at the other beast with his morningstar which now glowed with divine radiance. As he struck the beast a blessing washed over him and gave him strength.

Lavren loosed more dark fire and then looked down at Mandratan, fearful for the wizard. Suddenly he saw the wizard’s eyes open and he winked at the elf.
“You have the luck of Tymora herself,” said Lavren with a smile and then he turned back to face his enemies. Another crossbow bolt struck his shoulder then and he was spun back and away. Enlishia stepped to the edge beside him and loosed an arrow that struck a goblin in the chest and felled him. Meanwhile, behind them both, Erlmoor struck down one of the dragon beasts and then moved to strike at the other from its back.

Lavren cursed at another of the goblins and then called fire forth from within the creature that burned its skin and clothes. The goblin screeched in pain and staggered around trying to douse the flames. Mandratan rose to his feet and hurled a silver bolt that struck the goblin in the side and spun it back towards the wizard. The goblin loosed a crossbow bolt that drove into Mandratan’s belly and floored him for a third time. Behind them Erlmoor plunged his blade into the spine of the second dragon beast and felled it with a screech of pain. The dragonborn turned from his enemies then and rushed down the ramp into the depression. He turned towards the remaining goblins there with his blood stained sword before him. The goblin he had faught in the corridor to the west came forward to meet him with a spear in its hands. It leveled it and drove it into the dragonborn’s leg, stopping him in his stride and throwing him off balance to his right. The goblin on the platform in the far corner hit Lavren with another crossbow bolt that wounded him in the left shoulder He staggered but then heard Gevarn praying behind him. A warm glow of white radiance washed over him and his strength was restored. The elf turned to thank the young priest then but he was already rushing down the ramp into the depression. Enlishia darted forward again then and fired an arrow into the remaining goblin below them. The goblin fell beside its companion and died on the chamber’s new floor.

Lavren now cursed the goblin on the far platform and hurled dark fire at him. He ducked back and leveled his crossbow. Dulvarna, meanwhile, rushed down the ramp to aid Erlmoor who called a challenge to the goblin that had escaped him once and would not escape him again. The dragonborn struck the goblin a mighty blow while calling forth a glowing shield of light to protect Dulvarna. He breathed acid then and the goblin cowered back from him before stabbing out desperately with its spear. Erlmoor knocked the spear aside but it nicked his hip and drew blood. Gevarn reached the platform at the far side of the room then and began to clamber up the side of it.

Lavren and Enlishia continued their onslaught on the far platform and as they did so, Dulvarna and Erlmoor cut down the goblin before them and rushed towards the foot of the platform. Another bolt struck Lavren and sent him reeling but it was already too late for the goblin for Gevarn was climbing up to his platform. Just as panic set in the goblin’s eyes, the side of the platform crumbled beneath Gevarn’s hands and tumbled the cleric back onto the lower floor. Enlishia loosed another arrow that struck the goblin and forced it back a step and then Lavren loosed more black, crackling energy. The goblin ducked but Dulvarna was up on the platform beside it then and slashed her sword across the backs of its legs. The goblin staggered and looked down at Erlmoor who was struggling to climb the platform. The goblin threw down its crossbow and drew its sword, turning to face Dulvarna. Gevarn fell back again as the side of the platform refused to support his weight but Enlishia found the back of the goblin with an arrow and pitched him forward. He staggered but stayed on his feet. Lavren knelt beside Mandratan and tried desperately to staunch the flow of blood from the wizard’s wounds. The wizard gasped, seemed to reach out his hand weakly to his friend and then breathed out his last breath. Lavren cursed and turned away from his fallen friend. He looked over at the far platform just as Dulvarna swept the head from the goblin there. Victory had come but it had come too late.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 6 - Death at the Keep (Part 6)

“We must withdraw,” said Lavren, once all were gathered near the entrance once more. They had found some gold and a holy symbol of Lathander amidst the ruin of the former floor and Erlmoor now wore the symbol proudly.
“Are you sorely hurt?” asked Dulvarna. “For me, I have strength to carry on.”
“As do I,” rumbled Erlmoor. “And I can pray to heal your wounds.” Erlmoor did so then and the decision was made to carry on. The companions tracked back to the stairs that descended to the south and made their way down. The finely wrought stairs and flagstones and the dungeon gave way to a wide, natural cavern. The ceiling dripped with dozens of stalactites, and the floor rose unevenly with loose rocks and stalagmites. The rocks and debris became thicker to the east and west, and both directions offered only narrow paths of unobstructed terrain. Dulvarna saw movement from the left and all heard large rats chattering from that direction and darting in and out of the shadows of the ceiling as they climbed from stalactite to stalactite.

A rat dropped to the cavern floor beside Gevarn and snapped at him. Lavren stepped to his right and hurled a black, crackling blast at the rat which darted back. It was an oversized creature with sharp, elongated teeth and vicious eyes that gleamed with hunger and malevolence. Dulvarna drew her sword and slashed down at it, cutting it in half. Erlmoor drew his own sword and moved off to the left. He slashed out at a rat on the ceiling above him and it fell with a squeal to lie unmoving on the floor. Another dropped behind him and pit painfully into the back of his leg. He roared his anger and reeled around to face this new foe. Another dropped on his shoulder then and sank teeth into his flesh there until he swatted it away. Another darted out from the stalagmites beside Lavren and Enlishia turned and loosed an arrow at the creature that clattered along the floor beside it. Another rat dropped from the ceiling next to Lavren and he shrank back, hurling more black blasts of eldritch power. Dulvarna stepped forward and cut down another of the rats to give the elf some respite.

On the other side of the cavern, Erlmoor was surrounded by rats and bleeding from several small wounds. Erlmoor lashed out with his sword and turned on the spot to keep the rats at bay. Then he darted forward, running one through and then beheading another. He moved back towards the others and the rats followed him. Another dropped from the ceiling behind him, blocking his way back to his companions and he half-turned towards it. He felt a bite tear at his left ankle and kicked out at another rat there. Lavren blasted one with dark eldritch fire and Erlmoor nodded his thanks. Behind the elf, Enlishia shot a rat with an arrow but Erlmoor felt only pain as another creature bit him. He staggered as the dizziness of blood loss assailed him. Another dropped onto his shoulder and tore at his neck and he cried out in pain. Dimly, through the pain, he saw a crimson coloured mass of undulating jelly oozing forward with seemingly menacing intentions.

Lavren seared another rat to blackened flesh with dark fire, seeing Erlmoor’s predicament and to his right, Dulvarna cut another rat in half. She looked around for a moment, to see if more were coming, and then she moved to aid Dulvarna. Her blade flashed out again and pierced a rat, pinning it against the cave floor. Erlmoor roared and breathed acid reducing a rat to smoking pink flesh and white bone before him. He slashed out with his blade and clove another in two and then he turned on the last, conscious of the ooze creature that came on behind. The rat bit at his leg and then retreated leaving the dragonborn to stagger once again. Gevarn began to pray then and new strength washed over Erlmoor as white light enveloped him. With a roar, he challenged the jelly creature and the last of the rats. He would not be beaten.

Gevarn rushed to aid his companions just as the jelly surged through the stalactites, molding its form around and between them until it faced Erlmoor and Enlishia and lashed out at the dragonborn. Lavren cursed at the ooze and then tried to call forth terrible dreams and hallucinations in the creature’s mind. When he reached out for the creature, though, he felt no mind and could find nothing to torment and so the spell died on his lips. Erlmoor slashed at the last rat that still bit at him while the others struck at the ooze with blade and spell and arrow. Gevarn struck at the ooze with a mighty blow, praying as he did so and again, Erlmoor was bathed in light as healing power washed over him. The jelly seemed to react and struck out at the priest, striking him in the chest with an amorphous limb. Acid burned into his chain link shirt and the cloth beneath, painfully wounding him. The cleric staggered back a step as Lavren vanished from behind him and appeared beside Enlishia on the other side of the ooze. He tried to call forth another curse but again his spell failed and the ooze was unharmed. Enlishia loosed an arrow into the ooze and it seemed to retreat from her but still it struck out at Gevarn and the priest fell to its blow this time, his face burned by acid and smoking as the liquid ate into his flesh.

Dulvarna and Erlmoor surged at the ooze and hacked at it and then the dragonborn retreated, praying as he did so. Searing ribbons of radiance engulfed the jelly and it split apart, tearing in two down the middle.
“We’ve beaten it,” said Erlmoor.
“We have not,” answered Enlishia as both halves of the creature began to move on their own.

She nocked two arrows to her bow and fired them, one lancing into each of the separate oozes. The nearest creature surged towards Enlishia and Lavren and lashed out at the ranger but she ducked back. She shouldered her bow and drew her sword while Lavren retreated and loosed more dark fire from his wand. It seared into the ooze and the creature shrank back. Enlishia strode forward and plunged her sword into the creature, and it slumped to the floor, dissolving into a red blood-like fluid.

Erlmoor meanwhile, slashed at the last rat and slew it before surging forward at the other ooze beside Dulvarna. The ooze lashed out at Dulvarna and struck her shoulder but then Lavren hurled more dark, crackling energy into the creature from the other side. It seemed to hesitate then as if it did truly have a mind and Dulvarna took her chance. She plunged her blade into the creature and it collapsed to the floor to dissolve as its counterpart had. Erlmoor rushed to Gevarn’s side then but he could see at once that the acid had burned the side of the priest’s face and one side of his neck away. He reached to feel for a lifebeat anyway though he knew there would be none. The others waited for his verdict though they too knew the truth already.
“Brother Gevarn is dead,” he said grimly and bowed his head. The others did likewise.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 7 - Winter Travelers (Part 1)

Berdar Djaler, Ambassador for the First Lord of Hillsfar looked up at the lights of the walled village and allowed himself a moment of relief. Snow had blocked the mountain passes behind him and his companions and it had fallen heavily until the previous night. The last day had been a hard slog through the knee-deep fall and his old bones were wearying of the struggle. He would not allow his companions to know any of that, of course.

“Tymora smiles upon us,” he said, turning to the two fur-cloaked figures behind him who flanked the small wagon that carried his travelling gear. “We shall rest under thatch tonight.”
“I’m so glad,” answered one with a voice that was edged with venomous sarcasm. Berdar ignored her. Kelolitha, Kel to her friends, had an acerbic wit that he had learned to tolerate.
“One day Kel will learn manners,” said his other companion. Serethira was another matter. She used what charms she had to win others over, though those she won over were frequently drunk sailors and mercenaries. They called her Thira but she rarely saw any of them more than once.
“Well I’m staying there,” he said with mock annoyance. “You two can freeze out here if you prefer.”

Berdar turned off the road and started up the barely visible sloped track towards the gates of the walled village and the two robed figures turned the wagon and followed him. No sooner had he turned aside than he felt the toes of his right foot stub sharply on something hard in the snow and he stumbled forward, falling to his hands and knees. Kel and Thira both rushed to the aid of the ambassador but he waved them back with one hand.
“Just a rock in the snow,” he said.

Kel knelt where Berdar had tripped and began scrabbling in the snow.
“This rock has a goblin attached to it,” she said then.
The ambassador turned and joined Kel in scraping back the snow while Thira calmed the jittery draft horses who had seemingly now smelled the goblin. Sure enough, Berdar and Kel quickly uncovered the top half of a goblin warrior, frozen solid and seemingly buried in the snow several days before. Clutched tightly in its left hand was the object that had caused Berdar to trip. And it was not a rock.
“A knot of wood,” said Kel warily.
“With something carved on it.

Sure enough, the knot of wood had what seemed to be a map carved onto its surface though it was no bigger than the hand of a man or a goblin. Kel prized it free, ignoring the cracking of the goblin’s fingers. Berdar visibly cringed.
“I wonder where this leads?” asked Kel.
“Maybe they can tell us,” said Thira gesturing at the walled village at the top of the trail. Two torches could be seen burning on the walls now , presumably held by shivering sentinels peering out into the winter darkness.
“Put the goblin on the wagon,” said Berdar. “If he’s from around here, whoever lives here will want to know his tribe.”
“Besides,” said Thira. “They may pay a bounty on goblin hides.” She clicked her tongue and the horses started up the trail again towards the gates of the village.