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Supernatural Wood - Last Updated September 17th
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<blockquote data-quote="GodOfCheese" data-source="post: 4936793" data-attributes="member: 19170"><p>“I’m surprised you didn’t crack your head open!” Wik scolded as they descended the cold tunnel down under Nicholas’s grove. She kept her voice down, but the natural stone of the shaft’s walls echoed. </p><p></p><p>She and Dorin each cringed with every step. The stairwell they were taking was ill-maintained and each stair seemed to have its own individualized creaking sound. It was as if they were really marching down a ghastly and cavernous xylophone with mismatched bars. </p><p></p><p>Behind and above them, Jo pulled the trapdoor shut, separating them from the surface. Surprisingly, the heavy door was not loud. Unfortunately, there was no lock either.</p><p></p><p>Dorin looked back at Wik, his eyes incredulous. “Hey, you saw it. The trapdoor was <em>hidden</em>—plants had grown over it even. We’re lucky I found it!”</p><p></p><p>Jo snickered.</p><p></p><p>“Okay, we’re lucky I tripped over it. Can we move on?”</p><p></p><p>---</p><p></p><p>“I’m confused now,” Jo said after closing the trapdoor. “Why does Nicholas have a… a dungeon in his backyard?” She hustled down the stairs to catch up with Dorin, who had the torch. The steps creaked loudly with her every footfall, but she paid them no mind.</p><p></p><p>Wik’s eyebrows knit. “Good question,” she said. “If it makes you feel better, I can rule that out though. It smells more natural than that.” She took a deep breath. “More like a cave or a deep tunnel with an opening to the outside air.”</p><p></p><p></p><p>The shaft with the stairs opened out into a cave. The air was slightly moist and the distant sound of moving water was just barely audible. Beneath their feet was a dusty mixture of stones. Nearby, a solitary brick sat upon the dust.</p><p></p><p>Dorin pointed to this and shrugged. Wik just shrugged back. Jo did nothing.</p><p></p><p>They walked quietly in the darkness; their footsteps marked by the soft crunch of sand and stones. Dorin, torch in hand, led them toward the water sounds, around natural columns and stalagmites. They walked for less than a minute before they found the body.</p><p></p><p>It was human, face-down, half-buried in sand, and covered in dust. The corpse’s legs vanished into a sheer wall that protruded diagonally from the sand. Wik inspected the body closely. “Very old… almost mummified,” she pronounced. </p><p></p><p>Jo said nothing, but held her axe a little closer to her body. “I’ve heard that terrible evils lay beneath the ground. Do you think Nicholas built that trapdoor to keep them in, or us out?”</p><p></p><p>Dorin scowled. “I don’t know about terrible evils…” he stepped gingerly around the body and brushed dust off the wall, revealing masonry. “That’s what I thought. These are ruins.”</p><p></p><p>“Millington’s supposedly built atop the ruins of a long-dead city,” he explained. “Lore has it that in the time of the War of the Gods, the inhabitants were annihilated in a catastrophe of fire. The place burned to ashes and was swallowed up by the earth.”</p><p></p><p>He waved his torch in the direction they’d been walking as he continued. “Supposedly, the only remains of this city are their great canals, which to this day prevent Millington from flooding.” By torchlight, his eyes glittered enthusiastically as he looked at Jo. “You’re from here, right? Have you not heard these tales?”</p><p></p><p>Jo shook her head, looking put off. “I’d heard that there were canals beneath the city, but nothing of a graveyard of ancient blasphemers.” She strained her eyes to see beyond the circle of torchlight. “Ugh. Do you think we’re disturbing them?”</p><p></p><p>Dorin laughed quietly. “I doubt it. They’ve been dead at least a thousand years.” He paused. “Tunnels like this must riddle the ground beneath the town,” he mused. </p><p></p><p>“Who <em>are </em>you?” asked Wik suddenly. </p><p></p><p>Dorin whirled toward her in surprise. Jo looked confused.</p><p></p><p>“No, seriously. Dorin, who are you? You know <em>way too much </em>to have gotten it through study, and you’re too smart to wander around the Lawless Lands with naught but a dagger.” He opened his mouth but she kept talking. “You said you’re looking for help, but you’re being so careful who you accept it from... I’ve never seen someone so paranoid out walking with so few provisions either, unless he’s running <em>from </em>something.”</p><p></p><p>She pointed her tiny finger at him. “If what you’re searching for is so important that you can’t tell us, then can’t you at least tell us where you’re from?”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GodOfCheese, post: 4936793, member: 19170"] “I’m surprised you didn’t crack your head open!” Wik scolded as they descended the cold tunnel down under Nicholas’s grove. She kept her voice down, but the natural stone of the shaft’s walls echoed. She and Dorin each cringed with every step. The stairwell they were taking was ill-maintained and each stair seemed to have its own individualized creaking sound. It was as if they were really marching down a ghastly and cavernous xylophone with mismatched bars. Behind and above them, Jo pulled the trapdoor shut, separating them from the surface. Surprisingly, the heavy door was not loud. Unfortunately, there was no lock either. Dorin looked back at Wik, his eyes incredulous. “Hey, you saw it. The trapdoor was [I]hidden[/I]—plants had grown over it even. We’re lucky I found it!” Jo snickered. “Okay, we’re lucky I tripped over it. Can we move on?” --- “I’m confused now,” Jo said after closing the trapdoor. “Why does Nicholas have a… a dungeon in his backyard?” She hustled down the stairs to catch up with Dorin, who had the torch. The steps creaked loudly with her every footfall, but she paid them no mind. Wik’s eyebrows knit. “Good question,” she said. “If it makes you feel better, I can rule that out though. It smells more natural than that.” She took a deep breath. “More like a cave or a deep tunnel with an opening to the outside air.” The shaft with the stairs opened out into a cave. The air was slightly moist and the distant sound of moving water was just barely audible. Beneath their feet was a dusty mixture of stones. Nearby, a solitary brick sat upon the dust. Dorin pointed to this and shrugged. Wik just shrugged back. Jo did nothing. They walked quietly in the darkness; their footsteps marked by the soft crunch of sand and stones. Dorin, torch in hand, led them toward the water sounds, around natural columns and stalagmites. They walked for less than a minute before they found the body. It was human, face-down, half-buried in sand, and covered in dust. The corpse’s legs vanished into a sheer wall that protruded diagonally from the sand. Wik inspected the body closely. “Very old… almost mummified,” she pronounced. Jo said nothing, but held her axe a little closer to her body. “I’ve heard that terrible evils lay beneath the ground. Do you think Nicholas built that trapdoor to keep them in, or us out?” Dorin scowled. “I don’t know about terrible evils…” he stepped gingerly around the body and brushed dust off the wall, revealing masonry. “That’s what I thought. These are ruins.” “Millington’s supposedly built atop the ruins of a long-dead city,” he explained. “Lore has it that in the time of the War of the Gods, the inhabitants were annihilated in a catastrophe of fire. The place burned to ashes and was swallowed up by the earth.” He waved his torch in the direction they’d been walking as he continued. “Supposedly, the only remains of this city are their great canals, which to this day prevent Millington from flooding.” By torchlight, his eyes glittered enthusiastically as he looked at Jo. “You’re from here, right? Have you not heard these tales?” Jo shook her head, looking put off. “I’d heard that there were canals beneath the city, but nothing of a graveyard of ancient blasphemers.” She strained her eyes to see beyond the circle of torchlight. “Ugh. Do you think we’re disturbing them?” Dorin laughed quietly. “I doubt it. They’ve been dead at least a thousand years.” He paused. “Tunnels like this must riddle the ground beneath the town,” he mused. “Who [I]are [/I]you?” asked Wik suddenly. Dorin whirled toward her in surprise. Jo looked confused. “No, seriously. Dorin, who are you? You know [I]way too much [/I]to have gotten it through study, and you’re too smart to wander around the Lawless Lands with naught but a dagger.” He opened his mouth but she kept talking. “You said you’re looking for help, but you’re being so careful who you accept it from... I’ve never seen someone so paranoid out walking with so few provisions either, unless he’s running [I]from [/I]something.” She pointed her tiny finger at him. “If what you’re searching for is so important that you can’t tell us, then can’t you at least tell us where you’re from?” [/QUOTE]
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