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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4493930" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 3 - Shadows of Winterhaven (Part 3)Grimly, Erlmoor and Dulvarna carried the fallen Deloak into the common room of Wrafton’s Inn which was dark and all but empty.“What happened?” said Salvana Wrafton, rushing from behind the bar, turning to meet curious glances from patrons.“He fell,” answered Lavren. “In Bairwin’s cellar where dark cultists have been worshipping.”“But they are gone now,” said Enlishia quickly, glaring at the elf. “Slain at Lord Padraig’s behest.”They had left the shop troubled by more than their grief for the pews meant the shrine could hold more than the five who had fallen there and letter they had found in a hidden room showed that Bairwin served some other dark leader who planned a fell ritual at the ruined keep north of the village. Despite this, they planned to rest at the inn for the night, take Deloak’s body to the Sister Linora’s shrine at dawn and then go forth to defeat the kobolds. Only then would they turn their eyes towards the keep.“Food and ale?” Salvana asked but the companions brushed her aside.“We will trouble you now more,” said Lavren. “Our friend will rest in his room this night until he can be taken to the shrine at dawn. We will set out again then.”They climbed the stairs to the inn’s upper floor and went first to Deloak’s room to lay him upon his bed and to stand watch over him in turn, as the dwarves did for their own, until the dawn came and he could be taken to the shrine. Dulvarna opened the door with Enlishia beside her and at once, both saw an elf crouched beside the bed, searching through the chest that stood next to it. From the shadows came the click of crossbows and bolts flew at Dulvarna and Enlishia seemingly fire by figures in the shadows. One struck Enlishia in the wrist, a small bolt seemingly fire from a hand crossbow. She yanked it from her arm while Mandratan conjured light with a word. The wizard strode into the room, held forth his wand and filled the chamber with fire before him. A crossbow bolt struck the wizard in the left arm then and he cursed as he reached to pull the bolt free. The elf leapt to his feet and ran at the wizard from the shadows. The elf feinted and as Mandratan lashed out with his stave he darted back and then around, drawing the wizard into the room and darting around behind him. The elf came from the side next and it was only Lavren’s hurled eldritch blast of dark, crackling energy that stopped the elf from finishing the wizard there and then.  Erlmoor surged into the chamber then, smashing the hilt of his sword into the face of the elf and sending him reeling. Enlishia came into the room behind the dragonborn and began firing as soon as she did so. An arrow drove into the shoulder of one of the small figures and as it did so, she realised that the three were gnomes, short humanoids who dwelt in homes burrowed under the roots of trees. Dulvarna came last into the room then and as the elf still reeled she plunged her blade into his side. He gasped, staggered, and fell, his own blade clattering to the floor of the chamber.The gnomes rushed forward then, crying incoherent battle cries and clearly seeking to rush the door and escape. One hacked at Mandratan’s back with a pick and brought him to his knees while the others sought to drive their way through. Mandratan retreated from them, pushing himself to his feet and desperately trying to stanch the blood flowing from his wounds. Another came at him from the other side of the room but Dulvarna intervened, barring its path. Lavren hurled more fey energy but the gnome ducked beneath the blast and the black, crackling eldritch power seared into the side of Deloak’s bed. Erlmoor came forward praying and slashed left and right with his sword while calling forth a golden shield to protect Mandratan. Enlishia transfixed a gnome with an arrow, dropping it where it stood and then she darted around the edge of the room to the far side by the window, pulling forth two arrows from her quiver. One gnome looked back towards the archer and with a cry, surged at Mandratan.Mandratan was helpless before the gnome’s charge. It swung out with its pick, gouging into his belly and he fell in a spray of blood. Blinding agony filled his mind and then nausea and finally blackness took him. Lavren was speaking out in elvish now and Erlmoor was wrathful. He came fiercely at the gnome that had felled Mandratan. With a roar, he breathed acid on the gnome and then brought his sword down upon its shoulder. It sank to its knees and there, threw down its war pick.“Please dragonborn,” said the gnome. “I yield.”The other gnome seemed hesitant then for it was unwounded and saw no reason to yield. It eyed the door and darted for it, seeking to dive between Lavren and Dulvarna. The ebon-haired woman brought her blade down and drew blood from his back but then the gnome was gone, darting out into the corridor and turning right towards the stairs.“Let him go,” said Lavren. “These are thieves only.”“The elf is right,” rumbled Erlmoor. “We have one captive and the others will trouble us no more.” He knelt beside Mandratan and began to tend to the wizard’s wounds while Enlishia covered the captive with her bow.</blockquote>

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