Medriev's FR Pyramid of Shadows - Concluded Nov 1

[Medriev]

Chapter 13 - The Inner Chambers (Part 4)

“It has to be here,” Vyrellis insisted once the companions had searched the whole of the chapel. “I sense it.”
“Perhaps it is only nearby,” said Erlmoor as he looked around the chapel one more time. “It is not here.”
“And we have tarried here for long enough,” said Enlishia. “It is time that we moved on.”

The others nodded their agreement and slowly, the companions left the chapel while Vyrellis continued to try and persuade Lavren to remain and seek the shard of her life force that she was convinced was in the room. He paid her no mind and instead followed the others out of the chamber and into the southern passage. The corridor turned eastward after a short distance and then led into a wide but plain room with two open doors in the far wall and a strange bronze panel to the left of the passage entrance.
Telkya was the first to start forward, moving cautiously toward the northern doorway. It opened onto a short and narrow passage that led into an empty, square chamber that she crossed quickly. As she reached the far end, she saw that another narrow passage led out of the room at the far side and at its end, an door led into another, torch-lit room. She stopped as the torchlight fell across the form of a man sitting on the ground with a crossbow resting on his crossed legs. He was chewing on some dried meat but as he senses the priestess’ movement, he reached for a bolt from the quiver at his belt and began to crank back his weapon.
“More bandits!” Telkya called back to the others and Lavren came running.

The warlock crossed the square room quickly and rushed into the narrow passage ahead of his wife, shielding her from any crossbow fire that might come from the room beyond. Erlmoor rushed into the square room next and moved past Telkya toward the passage entrance. The crossbowman rose to his feet and levelled his weapon at Lavren while calling something inaudible to unseen companions.

Back in the entry chamber, Enlishia rushed toward the southern door and found a narrow passage within that led to an open door at the far end. In the far chamber, Enlishia saw three men in chainmail armed with long halberds, arraying themselves into a battle line hastily. She raised her bow and loosed an arrow and then another toward the bandits. Both shafts drove into the right leg of the man in the middle of the battle line and sent him reeling back.
“More in here!” she called back to others.

Dulvarna and Thorn rushed into the passage together, the druid already changed into his black wolf form. They ran the length of the narrow hallway and burst into the far chamber to charge at the bandit battle line. One of the men thrust out with his halberd and scored a gouge along the flank of Thorn’s wolf form while the others braced and held firm as Dulvarna rushed at them with her blade. The warrior woman fell back for a moment, frustrated by her enemies but then, as a halberd drove painfully into her right leg, she came forward again with renewed fury.

Lavren regretted his advance into the western corridor at once as crossbows clicked and deadly bolts flew toward him. One drove into his shoulder, another into his right thigh, and a third pierced his left arm, below the elbow. He cried out in pain and reeled back against the left wall of the passage, snapping the bolt in his left arm painfully as he did so. He cried out again but as he did, Telkya pulled him back gently and rushed past him, her blade and her amulet in hand. She darted to the right and charged at one of the crossbowmen, her blade slashing out into the man’s shoulder. He spun away and as he did, Lavren forced himself to rush into the room behind his wife. He turned toward the other two crossbowmen and as he raised his wand, he realised that he recognised one of them as the man who had escaped from the battle with the werewolf. The warlock uttered a powerful curse and watched with satisfaction as purple bolts of energy lanced out to strike the two bandits, sending them reeling.

Erlmoor rushed into the chamber next and recognised the crossbowman that had fled, as Lavren had done. He roared and charged at the line of bandits, letting searing acid spray from his mouth as he reached the men. He lashed out with his blade but the man before him leapt back beyond the reach of the dragonborn’s blade.
“Still a coward then,” Erlmoor growled and then stepped forward after the man.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 13 - The Inner Chambers (Part 5)

Enlishia loosed more arrows from her bow, one driving into the chest of the bandit in the middle of the line and the other flying over the man’s head. On the right of the line, a bandit drove its halberd into the flank of Thorn’s beast form as the druid-wolf leapt at him and with a whimper, Thorn fell against the north wall of the chamber. Dulvarna faught back and forth with the two foes she faced but still she had been unable to wound them. Both stabbed out at her within a heartbeat of each other and she hesitated for a moment as she decided which to parry. Her delay allowed both weapons to drive into her hips, one each side and force her back from her enemies. She cursed her own indecision through the pain of the wounds and then rushed forward once more.

In the northern chamber, the archers retreated, loading their crossbows as they did and it was then that Telkya noticed that they shared the chamber with their companions. A barricade of ruined furniture, crates and barrels divided the northern half of the chamber from the rest of the room but the sounds of battle were unmistakeably loud. Her companions were nearby, she realised, and her hope for victory soared. Only when a crossbow bolt clattered off the armour that she had taken from the dragonborn bandit leader, did her mid return to the battle. Another bolt flashed past her left arm and struck the wall close to Lavren behind her and then a third missed Erlmoor by inches.

The elf maid steeled herself and then rushed at the bandit before her. The man ducked as she swung out her blade and the steel struck the stone wall above the man’s head. A bolt of black energy flashed out from behind Telkya and struck the shoulder of the furthest crossbowman, the one who had fled the werewolf, and hurled him back into the wall. Erlmoor followed up, a prayer on his lips and as his blade sang out it glowed brightly. The sword drove into the man’s side and threw him into the barricade of debris.
“You should have kept on running,” the dragonborn growled at the man. “We don’t spare bandits.”

Enlishia loosed an arrow that flew over the head of the bandit in the middle of the line and then loosed a second a moment later that drove into the man’s shoulder. He fell back but as he did, his companion on the left lunged forward and drove the halberd he held into the shoulder of Thorn’s wolf form. The druid retreated finally and shifted form back into his bestial, but human form. He raised his totem stick and uttered an incantation that called forth an icy whirlwind around the bandits. They ducked and evaded the worst of the icy blasts but the distraction was enough for Dulvarna, who darted forward and lashed her blade into the side of the left leg of the bandit before her. The man stabbed his halberd at her and she dodged to her right only for the other bandit to stab his own weapon into her side. She fell back, wounded and bleeding.

The crossbowmen in the northern half of the chamber threw down their crossbows and drew clubs from their belts. They came forward as a furious wave but Telkya was ready and parried the clumsy club blows of the man before her easily. The other two men clubbed at Erlmoor, striking his arms and forcing him back a step but the dragonborn roared and lashed out with his sword to keep his enemies at bay. Telkya uttered a healing prayer and lashed out with her sword, the blade glowing brightly with divine radiance. As it struck the hip of the bandit in front of the elf maid, a ribbon of golden light snaked out and touched Lavren, healing some of his wounds and restoring his strength. The warlock stepped forward an raised his wand to loose a black bolt into the bandit in the middle of the line. The man fell back against the wall and as he did, Erlmoor surged forward. He plunged his blade into the belly of the bandit he faced and the man fell back against the wall behind him, dying.

Enlishia loosed another barrage of arrows from her bow, one flying past the bandit in the middle of the line and the other driving into his hip. Again, the man fell back but again the line came forward fiercely, one bandit stabbing his long halberd into Thorn’s belly. The druid fell back, bleeding, but still managed to chant an incantation and call forth another whirlwind of icy gusts. One of the bandits reeled away from the wind but another ducked, holding his arms above his head, and evaded the blasts of ice and cold. Once the winds had passed, the bandits came forward ferociously, stabbing their halberds at Dulvarna. She parried one but another drove into her side and she fell back as blood poured from the wound.

Erlmoor reeled back as the bandit before him struck his right wrist with his club. He faught through the numbness and pain of the blow and raised his blade to keep his enemy at bay. Across from him, Telkya surged forward, slashing her blade into the hip of the man that she faced. He reeled back into the wall and the priestess pressed her attack. As she did, Lavren loosed another black bolt from his wand that struck the man before Erlmoor and as the man reeled away, the dragonborn rushed forward, lashing his blade out high toward the man’s neck. The enchanted sword cut through the bandit’s neck easily and beheaded him, his body falling against the wall and his head rolling away to the left.

Enlishia loosed two more arrows that flew past the man in the middle of the line and knew that Dulvarna was in trouble. As she watched helplessly, the ranger saw another halberd stab out and pierce the warrior woman’s side. She gasped, cried out and then fell at the feet of her enemies. Thorn raised his voice in another incantation and called forth a dark storm cloud above the bandits that loosed lightning at the men. They ducked and dodged and remained unharmed before coming forward at Thorn with their halberds in front of them. One man stabbed his weapon into the druid’s chest and with a whimper, the big man fell back against the wall behind him and collapsed, blood pouring down his body. The other bandit rushed down the narrow hallway toward Enlishia, stabbing out with his pole arm as he reached the ranger. The blade of the weapon drove into Enlishia’s right thigh and she fell back, pain filling her head. Desperately, she retreated toward the eastern chamber with her bow raised and an arrow nocked to the string.

Telkya swatted aside the club of the man before her and then lashed her blade toward his chest. The bandit dodged to his right and avoided the elf maid’s sword but as he did, a bolt of black energy lanced out from Lavren’s wand and seared into the man’s chest. He fell back into the wall behind him and as he did, Erlmoor came forward and plunged his sword into the bandit’s ribs. The man gasped and then slumped down the wall to die beside his companions.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 13 - The Inner Chambers (Part 6)

Enlishia loosed an arrow quickly as she retreated but the shaft flew over the head of the bandit who pursued her. She reached for another arrow, nocked it and fired again, this one driving into the man’s shoulder but still he kept coming forward. Enlishia fled then, rushing back into the eastern chamber and then running north into the other passage that Erlmoor, Telkya and Lavren had taken. She looked behind her with an arrow nocked to her bow and saw no pursuit but she fled onward anyway, hoping to reach her companions and safety.

In the northern part of the chamber, Erlmoor, Telkya and Lavren moved toward the barricade but as they did, one of the bandits that wielded a halberd moved to the other side of the barrier and thrust his weapon over the top of the structure. Another appeared toward the western end of the barrier and beyond them, Telkya could just see Dulvarna lying on the floor of the southern part of the chamber. The elf maid loosed a bolt of golden energy at one of the men and threw him back from the barricade for a moment Lavren loosed a bolt of black energy into the same man and sent him reeling but still the bandits held the barricade. Erlmoor loosed a ribbon of light from his sword that flew past the other bandit and it seemed that the men would hold their barrier and keep the companions from their wounded. Then, Enlishia entered the chamber from the east and the battle turned. The ranger looked back over her shoulder and then loosed one arrow and then a second toward the man at the western end of the barricade. The first shaft flew over his head but the second drove into his throat and he fell back to the floor beyond the barrier, dying.

The other man raised a loaded crossbow and let fly a bolt that flew past Lavren and disappeared into a dark opening in the north wall of the chamber. The remaining bandit crossed the square room and rushed at Enlishia who still stood in the entrance to the eastern passage. He thrust his halberd at her but she ducked to the right to avoid the stab and then leapt back beyond the reach of the weapon. Telkya looked toward the eastern passage and then toward Dulvarna and made up her mind. She closed her eyes for a moment and disappeared in a shower of light. She reappeared in the southern half of the chamber beyond the barricade and the bandit stood there. She looked over at Dulvarna and extended her left hand, uttering a healing prayer as she did. White light enveloped Dulvarna and she opened her eyes cautiously as Telkya’s heart sang. The priestess turned and loosed golden light at the man at the barricade and as he realised he was surrounded, panic filled the bandit’s eyes.

Lavren loosed a bolt of black energy at the man but he ducked down behind the barricade and evaded the spell. Erlmoor roared and rushed at the barricade, leaping atop it only for it to collapse beneath him, trapping him amongst the debris, crates and barrels. Enlishia retreated into the northern half of the chamber, loosing arrow after arrow at the man who advanced down the corridor behind her. Two drove into man, one in his left hip and the other into his left thigh, forcing him back a step for a moment but still he kept advancing. Meanwhile, the other man turned his halberd around and stabbed at Erlmoor only for the blade to strike the remains of a table in front of the dragonborn instead. Then Dulvarna climbed unsteadily to her feet and rushed at the man from behind. She lashed her blade out, drawing it across the base of his back, and spun him into the barricade.

The man before Enlishia advanced down the narrow corridor and stabbed out at her with his halberd. It drove into her shoulder and forced he back into Lavren who stood behind her. Enlishia looked to the right and saw a golden bolt of light strike the other man and throw him against the barricade again.
“Finish him,” she hissed to Lavren. “I’ll hold this one here.”

Lavren retreated toward the north wall to give Enlishia room to fall back herself and then turned to loose a bolt of black energy from his wand. The bolt struck the man in the shoulder and threw him off the barricade towards Dulvarna. With a roar, Erlmoor leapt from amongst the wood and debris and lashed out with his blade. Desperately, the man brought his halberd up two-handed above his head as though it were a quarterstaff, and parried the paladin’s blow. The man slammed the haft of the weapon into the side of Erlmoor’s head and sent him reeling to his right but as he did, a burst of black fur leapt on him from behind. As the recovered Thorn brought his wolf jaws down on the man’s neck, Dulvarna plunged her blade into the bandit’s back and he slumped forward, collapsing onto the barricade to die.

In the northern half of the chamber, Enlishia retreated across the room, loosing arrows as she did. Both shafts drove into the man’s chest but still he found the strength to continue his advance. He rushed into the chamber and stabbed his halberd into Lavren’s thigh. The elf fell back and felt the fever of the previous night return suddenly and threaten to overwhelm him. He staggered back before realising that the dark opening in the north wall contained a stairway and desperately, he reached out an arm to steady himself. As he did, Telkya rushed forward to the barricade and loosed a bolt of golden light from her amulet that flashed past the man’s shoulder. As the man looked toward the barricade, Lavren retreated along the north wall and cursed the man, loosing black energy from his wand. The bolt flashed past the man and struck the wall next to the passage entrance. Unexplainable panic seized Lavren as the man raised his halberd again but then Erlmoor roared and leapt back across the barricade. As the dragonborn struggled through the barrier, Enlishia began firing again, two arrows flying past the advancing man. Then he stepped forward, snarling at Lavren.
“We thought Ference had got you,” the man sneered. “Never thought you’d survive against a werewolf but here you are.”

The man levelled his weapon to strike but as he did Thorn, now in human form once more, began to chant an incantation. An icy whirlwind engulfed the man and as he staggered, struggling against the chill wind, Dulvarna clambered over the barricade and leapt down beside the man.
“Well we did survive,” she snarled at the man. “And we’re glad of it.”

She drove her blade into the man’s side and he fell to the stone floor, dying.

Next.......Eaters of Knowledge

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 14 - Eaters of Knowledge (Part 1)

The stairway leading from the northern part of the chamber led down into the water chamber where the dead lizard folk still floated in the dank, blood-stained water. The companions made their way carefully through the chamber, avoiding the pipe entrance at the foot of the stairs and the other scattered throughout the chamber. Torches taken from the bandit lair lit their way and more were tucked into the belts of the companions as they made their way forward. They turned north again when they reached the north-south passage from the pit of the dead and they ignored the side door on the left, passing on to the double doors at the end of the long hall. Dulvarna and Erlmoor pushed open the doors and each of the companions took a sharp intake of breath as they beheld the great chamber within.
“The library!” Vyrellis said from the orb, her voice hushed. “Heed not the whispers!”

Shelves packed with books lined the walls and stands to the sides of the wide chamber with barely the height of two men between the tops of the shelves and the ceiling. In the centre, a grassy square surrounded a proud statue of a moon elf princess. At first, the chamber appeared to be deathly quiet but then the companions began to hear faint whispers. They began as barely audible sounds but then grew louder and began to press upon the minds of each of the companions – an unintelligible jumble of words in many languages, like a thousand voices murmuring at once.

Erlmoor led the way into the room, moving right toward the nearest stand of shelves while looking closely at the statue. As he moved forward, he found himself drawn toward the shelves by the whispers and as he moved on, he had to exert real effort. As he reached the end of the bookshelf, he saw movement ahead of him and a hairless grey-skinned humanoid emerged from behind a stand of shelves in front of him. The creature wore dark, flowing clothes but also had pieces of spiked armour strapped to its shoulders and legs. It held a curved scimitar in its right hand and rushed at the paladin, swinging the blade in low.

Erlmoor retreated and brought his blade down to parry but he only succeeded in deflecting the scimitar away from his belly and into his thigh. He staggered and limped back as Enlishia came forward, nocking an arrow to her bow as she came. She loosed an arrow that drove into the creature’s right leg and then fired again, but the second shaft flew wide of the mark and drove into the end of a stand of shelves. The ranger staggered as something else beyond the whispers assailed her mind and as she saw Erlmoor do the same, she knew what they faced here.
“These are eaters of knowledge, oft called the Brood of Shar,” she called to the others. “And the one we see is not the only one.”

As if to emphasise the ranger’s point, there was sudden movement on top of the shelves that stood against the east wall of the room. Another of the creatures moved into view there with a longbow in its hands and as the companions looked, it reached for an arrow to nock to the string. Thorn started toward the creature high on the shelves, throwing down the torch he carried in his left hand and drawing forth his totem stick. He chanted an incantation and gestured at the creature, calling forth an icy blast of wind that threw the archer back against the wall.

Dulvarna rushed to aid Erlmoor, her blade singing out as she reached the creature he faced and driving into the eater’s right leg just below Enlishia’s arrow. The creature grunted and staggered to its left. Telkya moved forward to aid Thorn, throwing down her own torch and raising her amulet. A bolt of golden light lanced out and struck the archer creature just as it began to recover from thorn’s icy blast of wind. Then Telkya heard a shout from Lavren behind her and as she turned, she saw that another of the scimitar-wielding creatures had emerged from behind a long stand of shelves to the left and was advancing toward Enlishia’s back. The warlock moved into the room and rushed to stand beside Thorn but as he reached the druid, he turned around and raised his wand. He uttered a curse and a bolt of black energy crackled out to strike the creature in the chest and hurl it backwards. It jerked its shoulders as though loosening its muscles once it had stopped retreating and then it raised its blade to resume its advance.

Telkya looked back toward the archer high on the shelves and as she did, another eater of knowledge, this creature dressed in long, flowing robes, emerged from behind the stand of shelves in front of her. The creature raised both its hands and uttered something unintelligible at Thorn. The druid suddenly staggered as a terrible pain filled his head. He reached up his left hand to try to block out the agony and reeled to the left and right as the pain refused to leave him. Then, as suddenly as it had been summoned, the pain was gone but the druid was left dazed and confused by the attack.

Suddenly, Lavren cried out again as an arrow drove into his left shoulder and threw him back. He and Telkya both looked around for the second archer and spotted the creature atop the shelves that stood against the west wall of the chamber. Lavren cursed under his breath, snapped the shaft off in the wound and then raised his wand to face the warrior closest to him.
Erlmoor roared and sprayed acid at the eater before him only for the creature to duck and shield its body with the armour on its arms. The dragonborn surged forward before his enemy could recover and lashed his blade in from his right to drive into the hip of the creature before him. It spun away to its left and then turned around to let out a terrible scream from its mouth that pierced the minds of Dulvarna and Erlmoor and threw them back. Enlishia rushed forward to the foot of the statue and loosed an arrow into the side of the eater. She reached over to her quiver and drew forth another arrow that she nocked to her bow and released straight away. This shaft flew wide of the creature and drove into a book on one of the shelves against the eastern wall.

An arrow struck the floor in front of Telkya while beside her, Thorn shifted into his wolf form and leapt at the robed creature in front of him. His teeth seized the creature’s arm and dragged the eater toward Lavren and Telkya for a moment before the creature shook the wolf free. Telkya looked back desperately toward the other creature that advanced toward them with its scimitar in hand but as she caught Dulvarna’s eye, she realised that the warrior woman had seen the creature two. She spun on the spot, lashed out with her blade and beheaded the creature before her. Then she twisted away and moved to meet the new foe that came from the western side of the room.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 14 - Eaters of Knowledge (Part 2)

Telkya turned her attention back to the archer on top of the shelves, loosing a golden bolt of light at the creature that struck the wall above its head. She cursed silently and as she did, she sensed movement behind her. She half turned and then felt the searing pain of a blade driving into the left side of her back. She cried out, reeling away, as blood began to pour down her side.

The robed eater drew a scimitar from its belt as it shook Thorn from its arm and drove the blade down into the flank of the druid’s wolf form. Thorn retreated with a whimper and Lavren looked around to check that the druid remained able to fight. Satisfied, the warlock raised his wand and cursed at the creature that had wounded Telkya, loosing crackling black energy into its side. The creature reeled right into the wall and Telkya turned around with her blade in hand to face her enemy. Then an arrow lanced out from the archer atop the western shelves and drove into Lavren’s leg. The warlock gasped and fell back as again, the fever that had plagued him since the battle with the werewolf, rose in his body again.

Erlmoor rushed past Lavren as he reeled from the arrow in his leg, and charged at the creature that battled Telkya. He swung his blade out with a prayer on his lips and as it glowed, it smashed into the hip of the creature, slamming it into the wall of the chamber again. Enlishia’s bow sang a moment later and an arrow drove into the creature’s shoulder. A second shaft flew forth and clattered into the wall next to the eater of knowledge but still it faught on. Another bow sang on the eastern shelves and this time, the arrow flew true and drove into the back of Telkya’s right leg, pitching her forward. Her enemy snarled but before it could strike, she leapt back out of its reach as Dulvarna charged in from its left.

Dulvarna rushed into the creature and plunged her blade forward, driving it into the side of the eater’s chest. The point found its heart a moment later and with a gasp, the creature slid off the end of the warrior woman’s sword and fell to the floor of the chamber. Dulvarna smiled at the others and then pushed her way between them as she rushed to join Thorn against the robed creature.
“Take care of the archers,” she called back to the others and without any further bidding, Telkya started toward the western shelves.

Telkya vanished into a shower of light a moment later only to reappear atop the shelves against the south wall. She raised her amulet and with a prayer, called forth a column of searing light that descended on the far archer and burned its grey skin. It gasped and cried out but still it managed to raise its bow and nock an arrow to the string.

The robed figure retreated as Dulvarna rushed at it and then it opened its mouth and let forth a terrible howl that sounded like thousands of voices screaming for aid in every language that had ever been spoken on Faerun. Thorn reeled back and away from the creature as the terrible sound reached into his mind and caused him terrible pain. Dulvarna paid the howl no mind and stepped forward with her blade before her. To her left, Lavren disappeared into light as Telkya had and reappeared next to his wife atop the shelves against the southern wall. He raised his wand and loosed crackling black energy at the archer against the western wall but the creature ducked to its left and the blast struck the stone behind where it had been standing. The creature raised its bow and loosed an arrow but the shaft drove with a thud into the books on the shelves below the two elves. The two smiled at each other and started forward, toward their enemy.

Erlmoor rushed past Thorn’s wolf form with a roar and charged at the robed eater of knowledge. He lashed out with his blade but the creature brought its scimitar across and parried expertly before retreating a step before the paladin’s furious charge. Beyond the creature, the archer atop the shelves raised its bow and loosed an arrow that drove into Dulvarna’s shoulder, throwing the warrior woman back. Behind her, Thorn shifted back into human form and stood for a moment, dazed and breathless. Dulvarna looked back at the druid and once she was satisfied that he would survive, she rushed furiously at the robed creature before her. Her blade sang out and drove into the eater’s left side, sending it reeling away to her left. The creature spun around, snarling at Dulvarna and the warrior woman stepped forward, raising her blade to strike again.

Enlishia moved away from the statue to the southern end of the nearest stand of shelves and raised her bow to take aim at the archer atop the western shelves. She loosed a sighting arrow that struck the wall next to the creature and then nocked another, loosing it quickly but knowing that it flew true. The shaft drove into the creature’s side just above its hip and threw it back against the wall behind it. A bolt of golden light flew out from Telkya’s amulet as she advanced along the shelves and struck the creature in the chest, throwing it back against the wall. Lavren moved along the shelves behind his wife, raising his wand as he came. He cursed at the archer, loosed a bolt of black energy and watched as the blast struck the creature in the face and slammed its head back into the stone wall behind it. The creature opened its mouth and then pitched forward off the shelves to land, twenty feet below, as a broken corpse.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 14 - Eaters of Knowledge (Part 3)

Erlmoor parried repeatedly as the robed creature came forward fiercely but he knew he was a match for its skill. He lashed his own blade in low from his left, hoping to sneak it under the creature’s guard but the eater parried again and stepped back. Behind him, he heard Enlishia’s bow sing and saw an arrow strike the wall next to the archer atop the eastern shelves. A second arrow flew over the dragonborn’s head and this drove into the creature’s right leg, throwing it into the stone behind it. It raised its bow and loosed an arrow that drove into Dulvarna’s right leg, throwing her back a step. She cried out but as she did, Thorn raised his voice in an incantation. Thunder rang out above the archer on top of the shelves and then lightning struck downward, smashing into the shelf next to the creature. Dulvarna let out a guttural roar as she summoned more strength and surged forward. Her blade danced left and right and then lashed across the thigh of the creature before her. It staggered to its left but then snarled at her, showing its derision. It screamed then and lashed out with its blade, driving the scimitar into Dulvarna’s left hip. She fell into the wall as pain exploded in her hip and then inside her head. The warrior woman cried out, knowing that another attack like that would surely fell her.

Telkya paused for a moment to regard Lavren who seemed to be being consumed by the fever that had so plagued him for the last day. She uttered a healing prayer and then took his arm, leading him quickly along the top of the shelves against the western wall. Behind his wife, Lavren felt his fever abating and let his wife lead him onward. They would circle around the chamber it seemed to go to the aid of their companions.

Erlmoor roared and surged at the robed figure, his blade lashing out as he uttered a prayer. The blade drove into the creature’s right shoulder, under the plates of its armour and it reeled to its left while white light burst from the sword and engulfed Erlmoor, Dulvarna and Thorn, restoring some of their strength. Behind the others, Enlishia struggled to get away from the pain in her head that she knew was caused by the presence of the robed eater of knowledge. She circled around to the north, passing the end of a stack of shelves as she tried to find another way to attack the archer to the east. She found that she had circled around the side of the battle with the robed figure and raised her bow instead to aim at that creature. She loosed an arrow that flew just behind the creature and then loosed another that drove into the creature’s side. It staggered but then an arrow clattered into the stone in front of Dulvarna and Enlishia moved on, reminded of her purpose.

Still trying to shake off the daze of the robed eater’s howl, Thorn managed to chant another incantation and raise his totem stick. A blast of frost lanced out from the end of the stick and struck the archer in the chest, throwing the creature back into the wall and covering its limbs with stiffening frost. Dulvarna flashed a smile at her companion and then rushed at the robed creature, her blade flashing in from left and right and cutting into the eater’s legs and arms. It fell back for a moment from the fury of the attacks and then lashed out with its scimitar, the blade slashing across Dulvarna’s left cheek and spinning her into the wall again.

She pushed herself off the wall and heard Erlmoor uttering another prayer. He held up his blade for a moment and reached out a hand to touch Dulvarna’s shoulder. The hand flared with white light for a moment as new strength flowed into the warrior woman and then the dragonborn turned away with a roar and lashed his sword across the belly of the robed creature. Two arrows drove into the creature’s right side as Enlishia’s bow sang again and then the ranger was gone, moving on to pursue the archer on the shelves. Another arrow flew down from the eater of knowledge archer and tore into the side of Dulvarna’s right leg but she paid the wound no mind.

Thorn called icy wind to the heights of the shelves but the creature leapt to its left and avoided the worst of the cold. Thorn finally shook off the daze that had plagued him and retreated away from the battle, trying as Enlishia had done to get away from the terrible pain in his head. As he retreated, Dulvarna surged forward again despite the pain and lashed her blade into the belly of the robed creature. It gasped and fell back, staggering as blood poured from the wound. It reached a hand to the wound and Dulvarna stepped forward, thinking her enemy beaten. As she drew near, the creature moved suddenly and drove its blade up, driving the point into Dulvarna’s belly with a snarl. The warrior woman fell back, bleeding heavily herself as the creature snarled at its apparent victory. Then Erlmoor brought his blade down on the creature’s back and it fell to the stone floor at Dulvarna’s feet.

Enlishia moved north along the shelves and then turned, aiming carefully at the creature atop the shelves. She let fly the arrow and watched it fly straight and true into the archer’s right leg. The creature lurched to its right as it tried to raise its bow and Enlishia fired again. Her second arrow drove into the top of the shelves beneath the archer’s feet and the creature raised it bow and took aim toward Dulvarna and Erlmoor. It let fly the arrow and the shaft drove into Dulvarna’s chest, hurling her backwards. She gasped and then fell back onto the stone floor, her belly and her chest pouring blood.

Thorn saw Dulvarna fall and called forth another icy wind to envelop the archer. Again, the creature tried to take cover but still the wind bit at its skin and flesh. A golden bolt from Telkya’s amulet struck it next and threw it to its left as she and her husband rounded the north eastern corner of the shelves and made their way toward the archer. Erlmoor knelt beside Dulvarna and tended to her wounds while Enlishia raised her bow again. An arrow flew forth, drove through the creature’s throat and it fell from the shelves to land with a dull thump on the stone floor beneath.

Next......The King's Hermitage

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 15 - The King's Hermitage (Part 1)

“These may cure our fever,” said Lavren after he had searched through the library for several minutes.

He held in his hands three scrolls, two of which he knew would cure disease if the rituals written there were performed upon a sick individual. The other contained a ritual that he could not make sense of and as Thorn and Telkya looked over the scroll, they too, found it beyond their ken.
“The ritual would be taxing and dangerous,” said Telkya. “And we cannot rest here for long enough to perform it. I say we go on to the north until we find somewhere where we can rest.”
“I agree,” Thorn said in his deep baritone. “There is a risk, but the risk of staying here is greater.”
“But you are not the one with the fever,” Lavren snapped back. “I feel it consuming me when I am wounded in battle and I do not know what it might make me do.”
“You are all right,” Dulvarna said then. “But only Lavren and Erlmoor can judge this. They have the fever and we do not. We must go along with what they say.”
“But the risk is too great,” said Telkya. “If enemies came upon us here while I performed the ritual upon either of them we could all be slain.”

Lavren looked at his wife and slowly nodded his acceptance. Grimly, he gathered his belongings and started toward the ladder that led back to the top of the shelves. The doors in the north wall led out of the room from that level and all would have to climb back atop the shelves to leave the room.

The double doors opened into a rectangular chamber dominated by the stone statue of an angel with its wings folded around its body on an ornate pedestal. Cradled in its hands it held the black disc symbol of Shar pointing toward the companions. An L-shaped table and a heavy cabinet stood against the opposite wall, with a closed door between them . Another door pierced the left hand wall in the corner to the left of the cabinet.

Dulvarna led the companions forward but as she drew near to the angel, the black disk of Shar sent forth a burst of black energy. Dulvarna leapt back and Enlishia rushed forward, circling around the room away from the statue to reach the far door. She held back her bow and reached out to the iron ring that was the door’s handle, turning it and pushing open the portal. She saw the eater of knowledge within at once but it saw her at the same time. The creature drew its scimitar and began to advance.
“More of Shar’s brood,” she called out to the others.

The statue sent forth a burst of energy again and Dulvarna leapt away, rushing to aid Enlishia at the door. She moved past the ranger and rushed into the room to meet the eater of knowledge blade to blade. Behind her, Thorn rushed around the statue to the western door and pulled the portal open. Within was a square chamber with four stone pillars supporting a dome below the high ceiling. Two more eaters of knowledge drew blades within the room as the door opened but with them stood a tall man in midnight blue robes with long dark hair and the beginnings of horns jutting as little pyramids just behind his temples.
“More in here,” Thorn called. “And what might be a tiefling.”

Erlmoor roared and rushed to stand beside the druid in the doorway with his blade before him and as he did, the eaters of knowledge came forward. One rushed at the two companions and slashed its blade into Thorn’s shoulder, driving the druid back into the wooden cabinet behind him. The other creature rushed to aid its companion but the door was narrow and it could not reach Erlmoor or Thorn. Telkya and Lavren rushed to aid Dulvarna at the northern door and as they did, the eater of knowledge in that chamber charged at Dulvarna. It lashed out with its blade to the right but Dulvarna parried and the two began to trade blows, back and forth in the doorway to the room.

“There he is!” Vyrellis cried suddenly as the horned man appeared behind the eaters of knowledge in the western chamber. “A splinter of Draxius’ life force! Destroy him and find his key!”
“I know no Draxius!” the horned man roared in response. “I am Galaghard, King of Cormyr, and you will die for disturbing my studies here!”

Enlishia raised her bow with an arrow nocked, seeking a way to aim at the creature that Dulvarna fought and the warrior woman seemed to sense her dilemma. Dulvarna slashed her blade across the chest of the eater before her and as it reeled back, she darted past it to the right, putting her back up against a pile of crates and barrels. Enlishia loosed one arrow and then nocked and fired a second, both driving into the creature’s chest and throwing it back into the room. Suddenly, the horned man appeared to emerge from a curtain at the western end of the room and raised his staff. He uttered a command word and a bolt of blue energy shot forth from the stave to strike Dulvarna in the shoulder and hurl her back into the crates and barrels behind her. The eater of knowledge hissed its approval and raised its blade to come at her before she could recover.

At the other doorway, Thorn shifted into his wolf form and leapt at the creature before him, tearing at its arm and dragging it off balance. Erlmoor rushed at it at the same time and drove him blade into the creature’s hip, throwing it back from the door for a moment. The creature lashed out wildly at Thorn with its blade and tore a shallow wound across the top of the wolf druid’s back. He let go his grip and the eater came forward against both of its enemies with renewed fury.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 15 - The King's Hermitage (Part 2)

Telkya looked toward Lavren and winked knowingly before closing her eyes and vanishing into a shower of light motes. She reappeared in the northern chamber a few feet from the man who claimed to be a King of Cormyr. She raised her amulet and loosed golden light at the horned man but he dodged easily to his right and evaded the divine bolt. A moment later, Lavren appeared, his back to the north wall of the chamber and his wand levelled at the eater of knowledge. He cursed the creature, loosing a crackling bolt of black energy that seared into the creature’s back and hurled it forward, towards Dulvarna. It let out a terrible scream and as it seared into the warrior woman’s head, she fell back into the barrels and crates again.

Enlishia loosed an arrow quickly to try and silence the creature and she succeeded for the eater stopped its scream as the shaft drove into its shoulder. The ranger fired again but her second arrow clattered off the stone wall next to the creature and struck the floor in front of Lavren. Dulvarna pushed herself off the crates then and lashed her blade across the eater’s belly driving it back another step into the room. She looked toward Galaghard as she heard the man utter another command and as she looked, lightning burst from his staff and struck Telkya in the chest, throwing her back into Lavren. The bolt coursed through her and then arced out to strike Lavren and then Dulvarna and once again, the warrior woman was hurled back painfully into the crates and barrels behind her. As Dulvarna looked up, dazed and wounded, she saw the horned man turn away from the battle and vanish into the curtain without moving it aside or indeed disturbing it at all.

Thorn and Erlmoor saw Galaghard reappear behind the eaters of knowledge at the same time and at the same time they surged forward. Again, Thorn in wolf form seized the arm of the creature that faced the pair and this time, as the eater was dragged to its left, Erlmoor drove his sword into its side. It reeled back but still it lashed out and this time, its blade struck the flank of Thorn’s wolf form and slammed him into the wall to his right. The druid snarled his annoyance as he regained his feet but in his heart he knew that he could not take many more blows like that one.

Telkya loosed a bolt of golden light at the eater of knowledge in the doorway and then turned toward the curtain, thinking to follow Galaghard. She rushed over to the curtain and with some effort, moved the heavy drape aside. She looked back toward Lavren and as she did he loosed a black bolt wildly at the eater of knowledge and rushed to pass through the curtain ahead of her. As he passed the curtain it seemed to tangle his legs as though it moved of its own accord but still he passed through it with a stumble and found himself in a bed chamber with a cot against the west wall and a desk against the south, covered in books and scrolls. He looked back to see if the others followed him just as an arrow from Enlishia’s bow drove through the throat of the eater and it fell to the floor of the chamber. He beckoned to the others and they made to follow him into the chamber.

As Enlishia reached the curtain, it seemed to slip from Telkya’s grasp to fall in front of the ranger. She made to push it aside but it enveloped her and held her firmly around the waist and legs, half in and half out of the bed chamber beyond. Dulvarna came forward and moved aside the left hand side of the curtain but as she tried to pass through, the curtain again fell back and enveloped her, holding her in place. She struggled beside Enlishia but despite their efforts, neither could get free.

Thorn summoned the fury of his werewolf ancestors and leapt at the eater of knowledge with a growl. He seized the creature’s leg and clung on as it tried desperately to shake the wolf druid free. Erlmoor roared, spraying acid onto both the creatures to force them back and as they retreated, he advanced. He stepped into the doorway and plunged his sword into the belly of the eater of knowledge that Thorn had seized in his wolf jaws. The creature gasped and then collapsed, falling limply to the floor. Thorn let the creature go and Erlmoor stepped into the doorway in front of him to meet the other eater blade to blade, determined to defend the wounded druid.

Telkya tried to slip past the edge of the curtain as her companions struggled with it but somehow, a part of the drape tangled around her left leg and held her firm just inside the bed chamber. Lavren looked back to his stranded companions and for a moment found their struggles funny. Trying to keep a smile from his lips, he rushed to the around the desk to the southern wall of the room where a similar curtain hung, decorated with the same grassy field beneath a starry sky as the other was. He pulled the curtain aside, noting a blood red full moon near the horizon of the tapestry scene but as he tried to pass through, the curtain somehow entangled him around the waist and he found himself trapped, a little way into the other room. To his left, Erlmoor faught an eater of knowledge while standing over the body of another while in front of the warlock, Galaghard stood beneath a dome supported by four columns. The robed man smiled as he saw the elf’s predicament and all humorous thoughts vanished from Lavren’s mind. Then Enlishia burst through the curtain to the elf’s right and became ensnared as he was. The horned man’s smile broadened.

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 15 - The King's Hermitage (Part 3)

Dulvarna marvelled at how easily Enlishia had twisted her way out of the curtain and decided that she could do something similar. She ducked down into the curtain and with all her strength, she dragged her body out of its tangles. Pulling the curtain to full stretch with her, she reached the desk before the hanging finally released her and even then, she staggered into the chair next to the writing table and nearly fell. She raised her sword and rushed to the southern curtain, easing it to one side with her blade as she reached it. Once she had a big enough opening, she dived through but again the curtain fell back and wrapped around her waist. She found herself looking into the fierce, evil eyes of Galaghard and as his eyes met hers, the horned man uttered a word of command and a bolt of blue light lanced out to strike the entrapped Lavren.

Thorn held back for a moment, gathering his strength while Erlmoor, seeing his companions trapped in the curtain at the northern edge of the room, surged forward. The dragonborn clashed blades again and again with the creature but its guard was strong and it refused to give ground as its companion had. Still, the paladin forced his way past the creature and into the room, leaving room for Thorn to rush at the creature once some of his strength had returned.

Enlishia twisted and ducked into curtain but could only manage to free her bow. She raised it and loosed one arrow and then a second, the first nicking Galaghard’s cheek and the second, driving into his left arm below the shoulder. The horned man snarled his derision but then his expression changed as Dulvarna pulled herself free of the curtain and rushed at him. She lashed out her sword and he leapt back, avoiding the cut by mere inches while bringing his staff across to parry the next attack. He retreated between the southern pair of pillars and uttered another command word, loosing a rolling blast of thunder that threw Dulvarna into the pillar next to her and hurled Lavren and Enlishia back into the tangles of the curtain.

In the chamber to the east, Thorn heard the peal of thunder and rushed at the eater of knowledge, knowing that powerful magic had been unleashed against his companions. He lunged at the ankle of the creature and tore open the flesh there with his jaws, driving the eater back into the room and hobbling it for a few moments at least. Erlmoor surged forward at the creature a prayer on his lips that made his sword glow brightly. He feinted to his left and then brought his blade over the creature’s head and down on its left shoulder. The creature hissed at the dragonborn who swept his blade around and up toward its belly. It brought its blade down just in time and parried the blow before letting out a piercing scream.

Lavren struggled to free himself from the curtain but found himself held firm although he managed to free his wand and his sword. He raised the former and loosed a bolt of black energy that caught Galaghard in the shoulder. The horned man staggered back and as he did, Enlishia let fly two arrows in quick succession. One drove into his left shoulder and the other into his right hip, forcing him back another step away from Dulvarna. The warrior woman retreated in turn, gathering her strength for another charge and the horned man took his chance, loosing another blast of rolling thunder at the three companions.

Thorn came forward again in a snarling fury and as the eater of knowledge looked toward him, Erlmoor rushed at it from the other side. The dragonborn roared, forcing all of his strength into one mighty overhead blow but the creature raised its scimitar to parry the dragonborn’s sword. The paladin’s blade smashed the weapon in two and continued its descend, cleaving into the top of the creature’s skull and splitting it almost in two. The creature fell, broken to the stone floor and the dragonborn turned away to circle around behind Galaghard.

Telkya burst through the northern curtain a moment later but it moved back seemingly on its own and ensnared her alongside Lavren and Enlishia. The ranger looked over at the priestess and smiled before ducking and wriggling through the entangling cloth to escape its folds and move into the chamber. She moved to the right of the nearest pillar, raised her bow toward the horned man. Her bow sang once and then a second time, both arrows driving into Galaghard’s side and forcing him back toward Erlmoor who now stood ready at the man’s back. Dulvarna rushed past the ranger and lashed her blade into the horned man’s belly forcing a gasp from his lips as he fell back another step.

The man paused for a moment then, glancing over his shoulder at Erlmoor and managing to sneer at the dragonborn. Then he raised his staff, uttered a now familiar command and loosed rolls of thunder at the companions. Dulvarna ducked to her right behind the pillar and escaped the worst of the spell but Enlishia was flung back against the north wall of the room next to the curtain. Lavren was also hurled back, his head striking the wall next to the curtain and his body falling limp amongst the entangling folds of the curtain. Thorn leapt at the man then from between the two western pillars while Erlmoor rushed at the horned man from behind, slashing his blade once and then a second time into his back. Galaghard cried out then for the first time, reeling and swinging his staff out wide to try and ward of the enemies that now surrounded him.
“I ruled wisely!” he cried out. “How came I to be imprisoned here!”

Telkya watched the man’s desperation and almost felt pity for him but as she struggled against the curtain, her anger returned. She looked down at Lavren and judged that he would live, for a little while at least, and decided that Dulvarna needed her aid more. She raised her voice in a healing prayer and held her amulet out clumsily toward the warrior woman. Golden light enveloped Dulvarna and the worst of her hurts were healed. She smiled her thanks at Telkya who looked down at her husband, hoping that her assessment of his injuries had been right.

Enlishia circled around the back of Galaghard and aimed carefully before loosing an arrow that flew straight and true into the man’s back. He spun around as she levelled her bow again and her second arrow missed him and clattered into the pillar beside him. He cursed this new foe and as he did, Dulvarna rushed at him and plunged her blade into his side. The man gasped and lashed out with his staff, unleashing one last burst of thunderous power. Thorn and Dulvarna were hurled away from the horned man and Telkya was slammed against the wall close to where Lavren’s blood still stained the stone. Thorn the wolf rushed back at the man almost at once and as he did, Erlmoor rushed at Galaghard from the other side. The horned man’s staff kept Thorn at bay but the Erlmoor drove his blade into his back, forcing him to stagger forward. A moment later, an arrow drove into the back of Galaghard’s neck and he pitched forward onto the stone floor.
“I ruled wisely,” he gasped with the last of his breath. “How came it to this.”

Thus died the man who called himself Galaghard, King of Cormyr.

Next.....The Hard Way Up

 

[Medriev]

Chapter 16 - The Hard Way Up (Part 1)

“Galaghard was the name born by Draxius’ father and grandfather,” said Vyrellis as the companions made ready to leave the library where they had rested to heal their wounds. They had made camp on the tops of the shelves above the chamber to better keep watch for enemies and there, Telkya had cured Erlmoor and Lavren of the disease that had assailed them since the battle with the werewolf. Vyrellis had expected to find a chard of her life force in the statue at the centre of the library, which she said depicted her in life, but she had not. She had become agitated for several hours after that and had only now really calmed down.

“Perhaps the man was Galaghard and he too is trapped here,” Dulvarna suggested.
“No!” Vyrellis shouted. “I know who I saw and who I sensed. That was Draxius, whoever he claimed to be.”
“Then why would he claim to be his own grandfather?” Lavren questioned. “It makes no sense.”
“I know not,” Vyrellis answered, speaking more calmly now as she always did with Lavren. “I only know that what I sensed was a fragment of Draxius and no one else.”

“It is a mystery for another time,” said Thorn sternly. “We must decide our onward path now that we have defeated at least a part of Draxius.”
“We are yet to recover the shards of Vyrellis’ life force,” said Lavren. “We know the way upward through the pyramid but there is more exploration to be done here before we move on.”
“Agreed,” said Telkya. “And we should journey back to face the plant creatures. I for one would avenge my brother and perhaps bring him forth for a proper funeral.”

“Though I sympathise,” Erlmoor rumbled. “We cannot. We must go on as quickly as we can to find a way out of here. Litiraan would have wanted that and you, Vyrellis, would surely seek your freedom above all else.”
“What use is freedom without a body and a life, dragonborn” Vyrellis snarled.
“That is as maybe,” Dulvarna said with her usual calm authority. “But Erlmoor is right. We cannot linger here any longer than we have to. We must go back to the stairs and make our way upwards.”

As usual, the others slowly nodded their agreement with Dulvarna and gathered up their belongings to make their way back to the stairway upwards. When they were ready to leave, Dulvarna paused and pulled out the adamantine key that they had found in the chest in Galaghard’s chamber. It bore draconic runes that Erlmoor had translated as first in hardness, not in place though Dulvarna did not understand the phrase’s meaning. Shrugging, she put the key back into the pouch at her belt and led the companions out of the room.