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="Sniktch" data-source="post: 477581" data-attributes="member: 7704">The story continues...Welby woke with a start, rising so quickly he bumped his head on the underside of the wagon.  Long ago they had modified the wagon, building a small space underneath that was just large enough for a halfling to stretch out.  Originally intended as an ambush platform for the diminutive barbarian, he had quickly taken to sleeping on it.  He had been sleeping there this night when the scream cut into his dream.  It sounded like it had originated from the inside of the wagon, right above his head.  He rolled off the platform and scooted out from under the wagon and found Malobar hurrying in his direction.“What was that?” the elf demanded.Welby felt the bump on his head tenderly, “Dunno, sleeping.”The door to the cart opened and Artimas stepped outside.  “What was –?” the elf started again but stopped as he saw the answer to his query.  Behind the mage the still form of the dark elf was stretched out on the necromancer’s bed, the imprint of his hand seared into her flesh.  Malobar pushed his way into the wagon, kneeling to examine the body.  He found no pulse, and when he held a mirror under her nose the glass remained clear.  He stood and faced Artimas, crossing his arms over his chest as he awaited an explanation.“Yes, I killed her,” the mage stated calmly.  “Don’t pretend to care about the fate of a dark elf, Malobar.  It was the easiest way to question her, and now I know a lot more about the enemy we face.  I had believed our task completed with the destruction of the band we faced, but it turns out they were refugees, driven from their homes by the true raiders.”“Woke up for this?” Welby complained and crawled back under the cart.“You are correct, mage, I care not a whit what becomes of a priestess of Lolth, and I, for one, am happy to have more information about our foes.  Just you pray that the dwarves do not react differently to your deed.  “We will speak further in the morning.”  The elf wheeled and paced away, failing to notice the mischievous spark that gleamed in the necromancer’s eye.*****It took a while before they even noticed.  The companions had eaten breakfast and were breaking camp when Jack suddenly stood and called, “Right, where’s the bleedin prisoner?”“Oh, I killed her,” Artimas answered cheerfully, “it really made interrogating her much easier.”The activity in the camp ceased as all heads turned to view the dwarf’s reaction.  Jack stood in open-mouthed amazement at the wizard’s boldness for several seconds, then shook his head and asked, “Well, when’re ya gonna let the rest of us in on what ya’ve learned?”“But he killed her, Jack, he killed that girl!” Quinn voiced in shock, surprised at the look of acceptance she saw on her surly companion’s face.“As I stated, it made the process of questioning her much quicker and easier.  I ask myself, what is the price of one dark elf to learn more about the task ahead?  Besides, I have never had the opportunity to, ah, work with a drow before,” said the mage.Jack’s face colored at the last statement and he shot the wizard a look of pure venom, then explained to Quinn, “While I canna agree with the wizard’s methods, in this case I’ll no’ argue with the results.  Quinn, she weren’t a girl, she were a viper, and I’ll no’ cry over a dead drow, no matter how it happened.”  He turned back to face Artimas.  “Ya’ll not be raisin her, though.”“Oh, no, nothing of the sort.  And I have no time for anything like that, assuming we are headed back into the crypts.  I have simply cast a spell of preservation upon the body so it will be available to me for future endeavors.”Seeing the dwarf’s anger rising again, Malobar interrupted, “Well, are you going to tell us what you’ve discovered before nightfall?  My blade is thirsty for drow blood.”“Yes, yes, we should be on our way.  The dark elves we faced yesterday are also victims of the raiders we were sent to deal with.  According to our captive Lolth has fallen silent and her followers are being wiped out.  Below us lies the drow city of Szith Morcane, where the followers of Kiaransalee, the dark elf goddess of death, now hold sway.  Apparently, the White Lady, as she is called, has judged that it is time for the surface world to pay for their ‘crimes’ against the drow people, and they are responsible for the attacks on Lord Bryson’s citizenry.”“A city o’ dark elves, y’say?” Jack asked, running his thumb down the razor sharp blade of his axe.  “We better get ta work.”Coming soon:  Szith Morcane</blockquote>

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