NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Haraash Saan" data-source="post: 4058276" data-attributes="member: 46615">Dark and dank, it wound downwards. It was cruder than the other passage and at points it narrowed so that only one of us could squeeze through at a time. Eventually it lead to another Rat Troll lair, thankfully with none of the monsters lurking there. It did, however, have something even more remarkable, dwarfs. Unconscious, pale and near death, four of the cave dwellers lay in an unceremonious pile, trussed and gagged. In short time they were free of their bonds and with the aid of Mortec’s god (I am not sure which one), they were brought to consciousness.Whilst they were wary to begin with, they were certainly less aggressive than Grisha, the dwarf wizard from Sorcerer’s Isle. Three of their party were escorts to the one female, Rokana Silverseeker. They had been travelling in the Spine (the great mountain range that split the north and south of Anka Seth) when they were ambushed by Dark Elves. I glanced at Stravarious and saw him pull the wrap covering his face a little higher. Some of their party were slain, but the four had managed to find reprieve from pursuit by entering a ruin. They ventured down further into the ruin and it became evident that it was a temple to Gerech that they entered. Eventually they found a circular chamber with twelve doors.  One door was open. It was at that point that they heard their pursuers clambering down the stairs. With little choice left to them they scrambled through the door. Momentarily free of the Dark Elves they caught their breath and walked for sometime before eventually appearing in a similar chamber. At that point their story began to corroborate Steefal’s. They too encountered, battled and fled from a red eyed demon and worked their way upwards before, exhausted, they succumbed to the Rat Trolls. It was an astounding tale. How could they have travelled so quickly under ground from the Gerchian temple in the Spine to the one here in the Barony of Yorath? Not only did a sea separate them but so did thousands of miles! Whilst they spoke Moxadder rooted about in the refuse of the Rat Trolls lair, turning up the dwarfs gear; various hardy yet dented and worn armours, shields, weapons and one amulet of a scythe, the symbol of Muhbelung, God of Toil. Seeing this last item the eldest of the dwarfs, Togale, snatched it with glee, looped it over his bald pate and began to murmur some prayers.The day had been a long one. We had fought feral Gerechians, a terrible beast, and finally Rat Trolls. We all agreed that it would be best to take rest. We fortified the one of the rooms on the top level as best we could and rested uneasily, trying to sleep as best we could.My rest was dreadful. The stone floor had wracked my back, causing it to ache and lancing my shoulder with pain. The ever cheerful Argonne did not make the new morning any better.“Wakey, wakey your highness.” He said as he leered over me. “Plenty more exploring to do today.”Insufferable bloody peasant! However, he was right. We had to get moving, no-one knew how long it may be before we find another exit to this damned temple. It was that or brave the rodents outside the front gate.Our new companions looked refreshed and recuperated. Obviously we could not offer them comfortable beds and quilts but for the first time in days they had been able to rest without the fear of rat troll fangs.We suited up for war. Armour and weapons were prepared and checked. The dwarfs were fearsome in their specially crafted gear. They looked more like boulders of steel with sharp protrusions than the stout and stocky men, and woman, that they were.I felt much more the warrior with my small buckler strapped to my arm. Usually I held shields in disdain as they were cumbersome and more importantly inelegant, but on this occasion the sombre mood of my companions inspired me to be more cautious.Clanking and clattering echoed through the vacant corridors and halls as we moved through them until we stood once more in the bathing room facing the double doors Stravarious assumed the lead, as had become his wont of late, and pulled the large tarnished ring on the door. The door groaned with strain as it opened. Before us was yet another hall, this one furnished for dining. There were several Gerechians seated at long tables. Each looked to be enjoying its meal of brambles and thistles, no doubt farmed by the peasants that we had seen outside the temple. I saw several rat trolls lurking in the shadows of the room staring at us intently. Suddenly a troll’s arm shot out and dragged a Gerechian off his place on the benches and then the pack was upon him! The rat trolls piled on top, screeching in pleasure as they tore him to shreds. I looked away from the gruesome sight. Not even half-live Gerechians deserved such brutal treatment. I think the worst thing was the man had not made a sound; no scream of terror, no cry for help. It was as if he had accepted his fate, although having seen these men and women before, I wondered if they even knew what was happening to them.“Close the door!” Argonne shouted, wisely fearing that we were next on the menu. He shouldered the door closed with such force that the boom resounded about the room.“Why did you do that? We could have strolled right passed them. They have enough food to last a while.” huffed Strav.“They’re bloody rat trolls ya idiot!” exclaimed Moxadder, “They’ll save ya up for later. Just like they did with the little dwarfs and the scrawny priest.”Then the bickering really broke out. I let them be. I had no wish to enter into a petty argument, and in their mood they would not listen to my thinking in any case. The result of the angry tirade was a plan. Who would have thought that they would actually concoct a plan to deal with a problem? I cannot recall them ever having managed it before without my significant input.The plan was simple. Lure the rat trolls out only a few at a time so that we could more easily dispense with them (our confidence was high after the previous day’s victory). Then do it again until we had killed all of the rat trolls. As each troll was downed they would be tossed onto a fire that Moxadder had made from the broken furniture we had found earlier. He assured us that fire was the only way to destroy them.Kuruul, deemed to be the fastest was to run in, get their attention and lead them out the door. The dwarfs were to slam the door shut and hold it firm against the other rat trolls whilst we eliminated the ones that got through.Simple. Well I thought it was. I should have known better.We took our designated positions. Mine was beside Mortec and Strav, some thirty feet from the door, directly in front. The second door had been wedged so that it would not open. Seeking to inspire my friends I began to recount the famous tale of the fifth siege of Avinal. Where the hero, Guideon, held the wall and routed the hordes from Buramas.  He had launched an arrow blessed by Thuus himself into the oncoming masses and struck down the Dominion General, Balrus. His act had saved Avinal that day. Morgan inclined his head in appreciation, and the others all seemed to stand a little taller as they heard Guideon’s story.My final words echoed in now silent room and suddenly the unspiked door was yanked open by the dwarves. Kuruul, in his goblin like form, vanished. Literally. I am tempted to say “with a puff of smoke” but there was not even that. There was some commotion from within the room, and then just as suddenly Kuruul had returned.“There are twelve trolls.” He responded nonchalantly as he inspected his finger nails for dirt.We waited. Through the opening we saw the vacant Gerechians eating their mock meal. Mortec raised his arms and cried out in the language of the Gnomes, “Nachtigal! Vanquish my foes!” His call to his second god did not have the desired effect. Whilst it certainly attracted their attention, it failed to vanquish them as it did the day before. Even from this distance I could see that their once blank expressions had turned to hatred. And it was with that demeanour that they now began to advance, discarding their meals to try and claim our souls.“Brilliant, Mortec!” bellowed Argonne, “they were ignoring us until…”The rest of his exclamation was drowned out by the excited screams of the trolls as they burst through the open door. Arrows, including my own, slammed into the leading troll. Unimpeded it leapt over to Morgan and Moxadder, who had taken cover behind an upturned table. Several more trolls followed by the angered Gerechians entered the room. For some reason the door had not been closed. The dwarfs had not closed the door!Instead Strav ran from my flank, hurdled a rat troll that desperately clutched at his long legs and slammed his shoulder hard into the door. It swung violently shut, smashing a Gerechian in the face in the process. I saw no more as I had my own troubles.One of the trolls charged at me. I dropped my crossbow, unshouldered my buckler, drew my trusty rapier and slashed. It was a clumsy attempt, missing the beast’s head by a clear foot. In a flurry of claws and teeth it flailed at me. I dodged its claws and managed to ram my buckler into its face as it sought to bite my mine with its huge canines. It was momentarily staggered and on the back foot. I saw my opening and lunged forward. Unfortunately, my strike did not meet flesh, something grabbed me around the throat and pulled me backwards!Long talons dug into my neck sending piercing pain throughout me. Then an instant later cold, calloused fingers began to crush my windpipe.I tried to scream out and pry the steel-like grip loose but it was to no avail. In my mind I could hear my words sound clear and strong, but my ears could only hear my strangled gurgling. My chest heaved quickly, repeatedly, as I tried to breath, but again the grip firmed. All I could see now were thousands of white spots floating in a sea of pitch black. I gave one last effort, twisting my body and prying with my fingers, and somehow I was free!I staggered forward, bumping a stone column and almost falling. “’Ware lurkers in the dark!” I shouted huskily.I turned quickly and thrust into the gloom with my rapier. I had somehow managed to keep hold of it in the struggle. My strike bit nothing but air. I almost toppled as I had not expected to miss and I had overbalanced, I was sure that my assailant had been right there. In an instant its gnarled digits once again grasped my throat.This time I was not hauled backward as before, this time I was dragged upwards! The grip of the clawed hand was stronger this time, and I could feel my own weight drag on neck as I was pulled upwards. “Where is he?” I heard a frantic Mortec say, and then it was dark.</blockquote>

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