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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3873022" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Yeah, that ravenous ghoul is a tough customer. But even "regular" ghouls can present a challenge to a high-level group, in sufficient numbers, as our DBs will find out this week.</p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 287</p><p></p><p>AN UNCERTAIN REDOUBT</p><p></p><p></p><p>There wasn’t much to the old mill, a stone rectangle maybe ten paces by twenty, with the heavy wooden waterwheel jutting out into the stream on one end, and a squat stone silo attached to the building on the other. </p><p></p><p>Dar had to admit, the place looked sturdy, if worn by age. There were only three small windows, more like arrow slits, and the entire construction was of stone blocks, with a roof of heavy wooden slats. There was only one narrow door that he could see, although it was possible that there might be other exits on the far side of the building, or other points of access where the wheel mechanism entered the building. The entry was surrounded by a small courtyard ringed by a low stone wall, with a gap containing a wooden gate facing the road. An old wagon, missing a wheel, and some weathered barrels occupied the court, which was otherwise packed dirt broken with occasional weeds.</p><p></p><p>“This used to be the frontier,” Letellia said, echoing his thoughts. “The buildings of that era were built for security as well as durability.”</p><p></p><p>“Get everyone inside,” Dar said. Nelan had pounded on the door as soon as they had arrived, but the place appeared to be unoccupied. If they were wise, the owners of the mill had already fled. Or maybe they had been in the village during the attack. If that had been the case...</p><p></p><p>Dar thrust those thoughts aside as irrelevant. He hadn’t gotten a good count back at Derber’s Point, but he’d seen enough to know that what was coming was going to be anything but pleasant. He reflexively loosened <em>Valor</em> in its scabbard.</p><p></p><p>Nelan finally got the door open, forcing the lock without seriously damaging the door. He led the frightened villagers inside. </p><p></p><p>Dar went in, but only took a quick look before returning outside. The interior was dominated by the wheel and gear mechanism for the mill. The wooden devices were set into large sockets crafted into the floor. The interior was entirely stone, save for wooden braces for the roof, and a loft accessed by a ladder. There was some furniture, tables and chairs and a heavy wooden dresser, enough for a basic barricade. The gap between the main shaft that connected to the waterwheel was a problem; the space between the wooden shaft and the surrounding stone was tight, but a determined invader could probably squeeze through. </p><p></p><p>Nelan was trying to direct the farmers; his calm, commanding voice helped overlay their fear. Dar left him to it. A few of them looked at him, their expressions laying responsibilities upon him that he did not want. The women were helping the children up the ladder into the loft, the most secure location inside the place. Not that it would help them any, if the ghouls got inside. </p><p></p><p><em>Damn it, this place isn’t a castle,</em> Dar thought, returning to the courtyard outside. He looked down the road, which was quiet in the early morning chill. It wouldn’t remain so for long, he knew. </p><p></p><p>Allera came out to join them. “I can keep them at bay, at least for a time,” she said. “The spell is the same one that Alderis used in the lower temple, in Rappan Athuk.”</p><p></p><p>Dar nodded. He almost asked why she hadn’t used it on the road, but he knew the answer. That was also why he didn’t suggest leaving, while Nelan’s <em>wind walk</em> spell was still in effect. A year ago, he wouldn’t have given it a second thought; he would have fled the moment he’d had the chance. He was no coward, but there was a difference between bravery, and stupid lingering in the face of insane odds. </p><p></p><p>A year ago, it wouldn’t even have been a question. </p><p></p><p>But a lot could happen in a year. </p><p></p><p>His hand stole to the hilt of <em>Valor</em>. Then, as if realizing what he was doing, he angrily pulled it away. </p><p></p><p>“This is going to get messy,” he said. </p><p></p><p>“I know,” she said, coming up to him from behind, folding herself into the crook of his arm. He wrapped his arm around her, and the two watched the road together, waiting for what was coming. </p><p></p><p>They did not have to wait long. </p><p></p><p>They heard them coming long before they could see them. The collective, hungry hissing from a thousand ghouls sounded like the buzzing of a horde of locusts. </p><p></p><p>The companions had done what they could to prepare. Dar had moved the broken wagon to block the gate, but it wasn’t likely that the four and a half foot wall surrounding the small courtyard would seriously hinder the ghouls. Nelan stood in the doorway of the mill. They would fall back into the structure, that was inevitable, but Dar wanted to bloody the ghoul army first. And he was worried about the monstrous thing that had so effortlessly destroyed the stone building in the middle of the village of Derber’s Point. </p><p></p><p>Letellia was at the highest of the three windows. She had broken one of the clouded panes of thick glass set into the narrow gap, giving her both a clear view of the road and enough space to use her magic. Farmers stood at the other windows, clutching their weapons in obvious fear. The lower windows had shutters rather than glass, but those wouldn’t long stop a determined adversary. If they were lucky, the ghouls wouldn’t be able to fit through the narrow slits in the stone walls. </p><p></p><p>Dar had unslung his rarely-used longbow, and grunted as he strung the weapon. He had almost left it behind; he was glad he hadn’t, although he would probably only get off a few shots before the ghouls reached their redoubt. He extracted a handful of white-fletched arrows from his magical quiver, and laid them out in a row atop the wall. “These shots had better be as potent as Alzoun said,” he muttered. </p><p></p><p>Allera came up and touched him, laying a magical ward upon him. “You’d better get inside,” he told her. </p><p></p><p>“My spells will be more effective out here,” she said. </p><p></p><p>He started to respond with something harsh, then he saw the look in her eyes, and nodded. </p><p></p><p>“I love you, Corath Dar,” she said simply. </p><p></p><p>He nodded, although Allera noticed that his hand fell once more to the hilt of his sword. “I love you too, angel.”</p><p></p><p>A cry from above drew their attention back to the road. The light was still poor enough to leave long shadows strewn across the crude path in the distance, but it was enough to distinguish the movement of dark forms moving in their direction. </p><p></p><p>Many dark forms.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 3873022, member: 143"] Yeah, that ravenous ghoul is a tough customer. But even "regular" ghouls can present a challenge to a high-level group, in sufficient numbers, as our DBs will find out this week. * * * * * Chapter 287 AN UNCERTAIN REDOUBT There wasn’t much to the old mill, a stone rectangle maybe ten paces by twenty, with the heavy wooden waterwheel jutting out into the stream on one end, and a squat stone silo attached to the building on the other. Dar had to admit, the place looked sturdy, if worn by age. There were only three small windows, more like arrow slits, and the entire construction was of stone blocks, with a roof of heavy wooden slats. There was only one narrow door that he could see, although it was possible that there might be other exits on the far side of the building, or other points of access where the wheel mechanism entered the building. The entry was surrounded by a small courtyard ringed by a low stone wall, with a gap containing a wooden gate facing the road. An old wagon, missing a wheel, and some weathered barrels occupied the court, which was otherwise packed dirt broken with occasional weeds. “This used to be the frontier,” Letellia said, echoing his thoughts. “The buildings of that era were built for security as well as durability.” “Get everyone inside,” Dar said. Nelan had pounded on the door as soon as they had arrived, but the place appeared to be unoccupied. If they were wise, the owners of the mill had already fled. Or maybe they had been in the village during the attack. If that had been the case... Dar thrust those thoughts aside as irrelevant. He hadn’t gotten a good count back at Derber’s Point, but he’d seen enough to know that what was coming was going to be anything but pleasant. He reflexively loosened [i]Valor[/i] in its scabbard. Nelan finally got the door open, forcing the lock without seriously damaging the door. He led the frightened villagers inside. Dar went in, but only took a quick look before returning outside. The interior was dominated by the wheel and gear mechanism for the mill. The wooden devices were set into large sockets crafted into the floor. The interior was entirely stone, save for wooden braces for the roof, and a loft accessed by a ladder. There was some furniture, tables and chairs and a heavy wooden dresser, enough for a basic barricade. The gap between the main shaft that connected to the waterwheel was a problem; the space between the wooden shaft and the surrounding stone was tight, but a determined invader could probably squeeze through. Nelan was trying to direct the farmers; his calm, commanding voice helped overlay their fear. Dar left him to it. A few of them looked at him, their expressions laying responsibilities upon him that he did not want. The women were helping the children up the ladder into the loft, the most secure location inside the place. Not that it would help them any, if the ghouls got inside. [i]Damn it, this place isn’t a castle,[/i] Dar thought, returning to the courtyard outside. He looked down the road, which was quiet in the early morning chill. It wouldn’t remain so for long, he knew. Allera came out to join them. “I can keep them at bay, at least for a time,” she said. “The spell is the same one that Alderis used in the lower temple, in Rappan Athuk.” Dar nodded. He almost asked why she hadn’t used it on the road, but he knew the answer. That was also why he didn’t suggest leaving, while Nelan’s [i]wind walk[/i] spell was still in effect. A year ago, he wouldn’t have given it a second thought; he would have fled the moment he’d had the chance. He was no coward, but there was a difference between bravery, and stupid lingering in the face of insane odds. A year ago, it wouldn’t even have been a question. But a lot could happen in a year. His hand stole to the hilt of [i]Valor[/i]. Then, as if realizing what he was doing, he angrily pulled it away. “This is going to get messy,” he said. “I know,” she said, coming up to him from behind, folding herself into the crook of his arm. He wrapped his arm around her, and the two watched the road together, waiting for what was coming. They did not have to wait long. They heard them coming long before they could see them. The collective, hungry hissing from a thousand ghouls sounded like the buzzing of a horde of locusts. The companions had done what they could to prepare. Dar had moved the broken wagon to block the gate, but it wasn’t likely that the four and a half foot wall surrounding the small courtyard would seriously hinder the ghouls. Nelan stood in the doorway of the mill. They would fall back into the structure, that was inevitable, but Dar wanted to bloody the ghoul army first. And he was worried about the monstrous thing that had so effortlessly destroyed the stone building in the middle of the village of Derber’s Point. Letellia was at the highest of the three windows. She had broken one of the clouded panes of thick glass set into the narrow gap, giving her both a clear view of the road and enough space to use her magic. Farmers stood at the other windows, clutching their weapons in obvious fear. The lower windows had shutters rather than glass, but those wouldn’t long stop a determined adversary. If they were lucky, the ghouls wouldn’t be able to fit through the narrow slits in the stone walls. Dar had unslung his rarely-used longbow, and grunted as he strung the weapon. He had almost left it behind; he was glad he hadn’t, although he would probably only get off a few shots before the ghouls reached their redoubt. He extracted a handful of white-fletched arrows from his magical quiver, and laid them out in a row atop the wall. “These shots had better be as potent as Alzoun said,” he muttered. Allera came up and touched him, laying a magical ward upon him. “You’d better get inside,” he told her. “My spells will be more effective out here,” she said. He started to respond with something harsh, then he saw the look in her eyes, and nodded. “I love you, Corath Dar,” she said simply. He nodded, although Allera noticed that his hand fell once more to the hilt of his sword. “I love you too, angel.” A cry from above drew their attention back to the road. The light was still poor enough to leave long shadows strewn across the crude path in the distance, but it was enough to distinguish the movement of dark forms moving in their direction. Many dark forms. [/QUOTE]
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