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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pogre" data-source="post: 1092913" data-attributes="member: 6588">Episode 19Pesky PortalThe group held its collective breath and moved slowly back up the hallway. Finally, when the opening to the dragon’s chamber was but a blue speck in the distance they exhaled.Inga spoke first, “I think it is safe to say that is a dead end.”“Perhaps you missed that huge pile of treasure?” Gerhardt queried.“Please Gerhardt, this is reality, we’re talking a 40 foot wyrm. It is way beyond us,” Inga replied.“It has nothing to do with our mission,” Hilde stated.Gerhardt pulled his coin bag. “It has everything to do with my mission sisters.” He jangled the bag as he spoke.“Would you please shut up?” Quarion begged.“Oh, he cannot hear me. It has probably been asleep for several generations. Right Gjord?”“Tough to say, but possible,” Gjord whispered. “We would be wise to leave it that way.”“I agree, but if I were to run in there and grab a few items…” Gerhardt was quickly interrupted.“You are mad as an alchemist,” Quarion snapped. “One swipe of its claw and you’re dead.”“It has to hit me first,” Gerhardt retorted.Gjord rolled his eyes at Gerhardt’s comment. “Look, the thing has been sleep for a long time. If we finish our job here it will still be around. Then we can make a plan, concentrate on the lizard and do our best.”“It will also allow me to get a few miles away from here first,” Quarion noted.“Fine,” Gerhardt was pouting. “He better be there or you will owe me a treasure horde Gjord.”…..The group slowly made their way to the hallway of the dreaded guardian door. They had armed themselves with oil, pitch, coal, and alchemical fire from an abandoned storeroom. A plan was made; a sheet of fire would be placed on the door with all retreating beyond the pit trap for protection if necessary. Gerhardt took point with a large sack of pitch and coal.<a href="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0707_back_to_the_door.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0707_back_to_the_door_th.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Gerhardt burst from around the corner and before the door even attempted to speak he threw the sack at it – and missed. “By Olfader!” he cursed.Inga had been cued to take action as soon as Gerhardt made his move. She jumped out and threw alchemical fire at the guardian door. A bit of the explosive chemical splashed back to Gerhardt’s missile and caught the bag on fire. Quickly a large bonfire erupted in the short corridor.<a href="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0708_flaming_door.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0708_flaming_door_th.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Thick black smoke choked the area as other party members chucked oil at the door. This dark cloud was added to by the door’s emission of a black poisonous mist. Gerhardt was immediately affected by the mist and nearly collapsed. Fortunately, the roaring fire kept the guardian door from advancing.The place was growing hotter by the second. No one could really see and there was general confusion about what was happening. Oxygen was rapidly being depleted. “We have got to go!” Inga shouted at Gerhardt.Gerhardt did not respond. The black mist had stunned him completely. Inga began to drag the fighter away when another door in the four-way area opened.<a href="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0709_undead_attack.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0709_undead_attack_th.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>“Who invited them?” Inga yelled. “We’ve got company!”The billowing black smoke combined with the roaring yellow flame made the place appear as a private hell. A fiery-hot, hard coal furnace hell, opening its maws for sinners and the lost, and desperate action was occurring on all fronts. Gerhardt’s head was swimming and he dimly sensed his time might have come. The shambling undead corpses moved into the chaos of the battle. The newly opened door momentarily sucked some smoke out of the passage, but the breeze created a billow that fanned the flames just as quickly. He could not move, but Gerhardt was fairly sure his eyebrows had just burnt off.Inga smashed at the undead and called out, “Sister!” She stepped back out of the corridor and screamed into the infernal scene, “By the power of Opheria I turn thee!” The Zombies shuffled back from the area. Quarion jumped into the void left by the undead and confronted their master, Morgang.<a href="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0710_Inga_turns.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0710_Inga_turns_th.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Gerhardt breathed it all in. His lungs were burning. Filled with smoke and acid they brought him no relief. His skin was numb and his mind continued to reel. He was fairly certain the creature in front of him had nailed him with a weapon. The pain was so miniscule compared to the burning in his chest he barely took notice. Quarion stabbed at the enemy and hit home, drawing blood. Morgang turned to face the elf. It was a reprieve Gerhardt desperately needed. Almost simultaneously, the corridor began to clear some and the thick black stuff started thinning. The Guardian door had burned through and created a new egress for the foul cloud.Gjord put away his bow he had been vainly shooting with and tumbled past Morgang to take up a flanking position.<a href="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0711_Gjord_tumbles.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0711_Gjord_tumbles_th.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Morgang, whose position had seemed so unassailable just moments before realized he was now in trouble. His ferociousness increased and he brought a painful blow down on Quarion.The thinning smoke allowed Gerhardt a real breath. The breath was the rejuvenating bolt the fighter needed and he recovered his senses. He was hurt, badly hurt, but something had to pay for his pain. He swung his weapon madly at Morgang and nearly broke the blade as it passed the enemy and crashed into the flagstone floor.Morgang was fighting on too many fronts and he knew it. The previously stunned fighter’s renewed efforts made his course of action obvious.<a href="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0712_morgang_in_trouble.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.compet-edge.com/story_hour_2/0712_morgang_in_trouble_th.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Morgang’s words of surrender never passed his lips – Gjord’s blade stuck through his chest. A bubble of blood came trickling from Morgang’s mouth, he dropped his weapon and sank to his knees. The end was very quick and his lifeblood abandoned him in seconds. The group retreated back down the hall and away from the remaining smoke.The sisters said prayers over Gerhardt and tried to bring him back to health. They were sure of their success when he spoke up, “You know, I really expected more out of that Morgang fellow. Following what Viziona told us I assumed he would be a worthy opponent for me.”“You are mad,” Quarion sighed.To be continued…Zombie 1 posted in the <a href="http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?t=60236" target="_blank">miniatures and models thread.</a></blockquote>

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