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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1259627" data-attributes="member: 1210">Our Heroes Formulate a PlanThree hours later Captain Cave-Dwarf, Federico, and Thelonious find themselves approaching Bellhold for a final assault against the villagers.  The morning sun stands minutes away from its highest point in the sky.  A cool, westerly breeze chills the sweat on their bodies in anticipation of the cold sweat that will follow them into the village.  Small bands of villagers linger around, listlessly watching until the party moves into view.  Then, they slowly amble forward.Captain Cave-Dwarf is the only remaining conscious party member that is not out of breath.  His legs ache, but remain resolute.  He remembers what he decreed minutes ago out in the corn field where the exhausted bodies of Triana and Airhead Ed lay.  I know ye be hurtin’, and I know you be wanting to run, but we canna leave Nature unbalanced in such an evil and chaotic manner, and I’m damn sure not leaving without OUR BELL!They laid their unconscious and exhausted friends in a farmer’s cornfield outside of town.  This was a last resort, only taken after Thelonious could carry them no further.  He and Federico had collapsed, hopeless and crying, in that cornfield.  After barely escaping down the mountain side that led from the Dragon’s chamber, they tried circling back to the mines entrance.  “We will meet up with our wolves”, stated the Captain, “and they can take our friends to safety while we run with the Gem!”“You will fall from exhaustion and be trampled to death if you do not surrender!” thunders a powerful voice in their minds.  “My followers know no limits and will hunt you ‘till you surrender or die!  I will tell them where you are and they will kill you all.”Alas, no wolves, and no way to get back into the mine.  Over 100 villagers guarded the mine shaft and many more likely waited below.  Returning to Velea was no longer an option.  “You will die!” thundered the voice again, “You will never defeat me.  I am immortal and cannot be stopped.  Surrender or be slaughtered!”“I know who could appreciate this Gem’s dark and gloomy view of the world,” yipped Frederico.  “Let’s take it back to that Priest of Bleak as his tax payment.  Hey, don’t look at me like that!  Where else are we going to go?”Off they ran, friends under-arm and fatigue in their legs.  They pushed themselves to not stop running until the got to town but that proved too much and they rested until the villagers from the mines came into view.  The sight of the mindlessly savage townsfolk was enough to keep them at a healthy pace ‘till Bellhold.  “You fools! My revenge will be complete now that you have brought me here!”This was the voice of the gem as the party entered and barred the doors to the church of Bleak.  They had dodged several masses of villagers on their way in, but suddenly found themselves in a church surrounded by fanatics.  A heroic escape was the only way out when the windows were broken by the bloody hand of villagers intent on cold, careless violence.  Thelonious covered them with bow fire while the others charged through rakes, picks, and scythes.  Amazingly, all escaped without a scratch, and fear kept them running to the outskirts of the town.  They stopped at Othic’s farm, where they enjoyed their first meal in Bellhold, and the villagers were not far behind them.  Their own death’s were not far off and all pushed wearily into the cornfield for shelter.  Frederico could not hold himself out a hero any longer and began to cry.  Thelonious fought the tears back but eventually collapsed, raised to his knees, and wept into his hands.  “We must leave the Gem and retreat with our friends!" he cried. "I don’t want to loose anymore of my family.  Enough have died already, . . .”It was then that Captain Cave-Dwarf looked at his fallen companions and spoke the words that brought them back from hopelessness and eminent death.  “I know ye be hurtin’, and I know you be wanting to run, but we canna leave Nature unbalanced in such an evil and chaotic manner, and I’m damn sure not leaving without OUR BELL!”They left their fallen friends in that cornfield and sheer will brought them back into the village.  After pulling themselves together, Federico remarked that their solution lay in the maw of their tormentors.  “Remember the Bell in the center of town?  It's killed a few drunk people that were wandering around too close to it.  That’s got to be loud enough to crack the Gem!”So back they went.  Thelonious tied the gem in his cloak, fashioning a handle so that it could be easily carried and thrown.  Captain Cave-Dwarf volunteered to steward the gem and Thelonious agreed to watch his back.  Federico would distract them as best he could and try not to get squashed...Next Time: The finale!!!</blockquote>

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