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The Doomed Bastards: Reckoning (story complete)
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3946484" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Oh, he's... around. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> </p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 316</p><p></p><p>THROUGH THE GATE</p><p></p><p></p><p>They followed the stream path for several hundred yards. The tunnel curved slightly to the right, but otherwise remained unremarkable. They occasionally had to duck to avoid rock formations that jutted from the low celing, but for the most part the stream tunnel was smooth and the trail easy to follow. The wizards had no difficulty at all, drifting casually under the power of their <em>overland flight</em> spells. Honoratius indicated markings on the tunnel walls that indicated where the water level had risen in the past, which likely explained the lack of obstructions. There were no tracks to indicate that others had come this way recently, but they knew enough about Rappan Athuk by now to know that this observation did not necessarily mean anything. </p><p></p><p>As they pressed on, the stream grew swifter and deeper, and Alderis’s guardian had more difficulty keeping up. Finally, Honoratius cast a spell upon the construct that allowed it to rise up above the surface of the water. The spell did not grant it any power of lateral movement, but with its weight effectively neutralized by the archmage’s magic, Alderis was able to easily push it along, hovering behind it with his <em>overland flight</em> spell providing enough propulsion for both of them.</p><p></p><p>The <em>levitation</em> spell only lasted a short time, but before it faded they identified a breach in the side of the tunnel that indicated a possible exit ahead. The river path ended at that point, and as they crept forward they could see that there was in fact a passage beyond. They started in that direction, but before they could reach the opening, Nelan clutched at his head and sagged against the tunnel wall. </p><p></p><p>“Nelan! Are you all right?” Allera asked. She began to summon her powers, but the cleric waved her off with a hand. </p><p></p><p>“No, I’m all right.”</p><p></p><p>“What happened?” Dar asked. </p><p></p><p>“A surge of power... I don’t... wait, my <em>find the path</em> spell, it’s been broken. I cannot sense the correct direction any longer.”</p><p></p><p>Honoratius cast a spell and scanned the area. “There is definitely a tangible aura of magic and evil in this place,” she reported after a few moments. “It grows stronger ahead.”</p><p></p><p>“Before you were hit... the spell was guiding you that way?” Dar asked, pointing to the breach.</p><p></p><p>The cleric nodded. “Then I guess that’s where we’re going,” the fighter said. “Carefully, and quietly. Alderis, keep that clunking heap of yours back aways; we’ll never surprise anything with it stomping around. Alexion, you’re on point.”</p><p></p><p>The knight took the lead again as they moved as quietly as they could into the passage. The tunnel beyond was narrow and rose slightly as they made their way through it. It had a low ceiling, and the shield guardian could fit only with great difficulty; Alderis fell behind as he escorted it through the tunnel. Glancing back, Dar gestured for Zahera to keep an eye on him. </p><p></p><p>After about fifty feet or so the narrow tunnel opened onto a wide passageway that split off to the left and right. To the left, the passage sloped steeply down, and it looked as though it might even pass under the stream they had just traversed. In the other direction, the passage forked after just a short distance, and it was that way that they headed after a few moments’ whispered exchange.</p><p></p><p>The stonework here was very rough and very old. The clerics looked very uneasy, and their hands stole frequently to their holy symbols, as though the silver torches could drive back the foreboding that filled this place. All of them could sense a cold malevolence in the air here, along with a faint sizzle of power that prickled the skin and sent icy chills down their spines. </p><p></p><p>At the fork, they briefly paused to shine Nelan’s light in both directions, and to listen for noises. The tunnel to the left twisted and appeared to dead-end about eighty feet ahead, but a quick probe by Alexion revealed an iron door set into the stone at its finale. The companions went that way, the shield guardian warding the fork behind them.</p><p></p><p>The door was of solid construction, its hinges recessed into the stone lintel, and it had clearly had been kept in good condition, bearing signs of recent use. There was a latch with a keyhole, but the mechanism was such that they could not see through the small opening into the space beyond. Dar carefully tried the door and was not surprised to find it locked. </p><p></p><p>“Well?” Nelan asked, his voice low. </p><p> </p><p>“Doors like this one aren’t installed to guard empty rooms,” Dar said. “There’s <em>something</em> important behind it.”</p><p></p><p>“It will take time to force it,” Alexion said, “Time and a lot of noise. Even with your strength, general.”</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps we can eschew brute force for once,” Honoratius said. She reached into her magical pouch, her arm sinking up to the elbow into the extradimensional space within. She had no difficulty finding what she sought, a small, tightly wound parchment scroll marked on one end with a label that indicated its contents.</p><p></p><p>“A <em>knock</em> spell?” Allera asked. </p><p></p><p>The archmage nodded. “It often pays to keep a few extra copies of utility spells, against just such a need.” She turned to Dar. “It is highly likely that the spell will alert anyone behind the door, assuming that our presence has not already been detected.”</p><p></p><p>The fighter nodded, and gestured for everyone to prepare themselves. The archmage unrolled the scroll and read the spell, speaking in soft but clearly audible words that thrummed with magical power. There was a gentle click from the door, and then Dar thrust it open, driving his shoulder into the hard metal. </p><p></p><p>The chamber beyond was of considerable size, perhaps fifty feet across and eight feet long. The stone of the floor, walls, and ceiling alike had been cut and polished to a fine sheen, and bore streaks of black and red within that formed natural, twisting designs in the rock. The door opened in the center of one of the longer walls, and appeared on first glance to be the only exit. </p><p></p><p>The place had been decorated with a gruesome décor. Upwards of a dozen panels decorated the walls around the perimeter of the chamber, relief carvings that depicted scenes both abstract and grotesque. Two rows of pillars ran down the length of the chamber, and through them they could see an altar of sorts at the end of the room to their right. Gold glinted in their lights upon a pedestal of stone, which rested atop a dais accessed by three broad steps of black marble. </p><p></p><p>But their inventory of the place was interrupted by the fact that they chamber was occupied. A half-circle of gaunt, humanoid creatures stood in a half-circle before the dais, clad in long gray robes that obscured the details of their forms. They turned as Dar thrust the door open. As the light from Nelan’s shield spilled over them, the companions could see that these things were in no way human. Their skin was a blotched violet-gray, and glistened faintly with slick moisture. Their eyes were milky orbs, their fingers long and sinuous. But the worst thing was the lower half of their faces, their chins replaced by a nest of long, twisting tentacles that dangled down several feet, probing before them as if tasting the scent of them on the air. </p><p></p><p>“Illithids!” Honoratius warned, even as the first of the creatures unleashed a <em>mind blast</em> upon them. </p><p></p><p>The wave of mental power was devastating. Alexion and Zahera screamed and crumpled, followed a moment later by Marcus, who slumped against a pillar before sagging to the floor. Dar managed a step forward, <em>Valor</em> trembling in his hand. “Get... out... of... my... mind!” he growled, his jaw tight with the effort of resisting the mind flayers’ potent mental abilities. But then another of the illithids hit them with another <em>mind blast</em>, and the fighter, overcome, fell to the ground, his sword striking the stone with a loud clang.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 3946484, member: 143"] Oh, he's... around. :) * * * * * Chapter 316 THROUGH THE GATE They followed the stream path for several hundred yards. The tunnel curved slightly to the right, but otherwise remained unremarkable. They occasionally had to duck to avoid rock formations that jutted from the low celing, but for the most part the stream tunnel was smooth and the trail easy to follow. The wizards had no difficulty at all, drifting casually under the power of their [i]overland flight[/i] spells. Honoratius indicated markings on the tunnel walls that indicated where the water level had risen in the past, which likely explained the lack of obstructions. There were no tracks to indicate that others had come this way recently, but they knew enough about Rappan Athuk by now to know that this observation did not necessarily mean anything. As they pressed on, the stream grew swifter and deeper, and Alderis’s guardian had more difficulty keeping up. Finally, Honoratius cast a spell upon the construct that allowed it to rise up above the surface of the water. The spell did not grant it any power of lateral movement, but with its weight effectively neutralized by the archmage’s magic, Alderis was able to easily push it along, hovering behind it with his [i]overland flight[/i] spell providing enough propulsion for both of them. The [i]levitation[/i] spell only lasted a short time, but before it faded they identified a breach in the side of the tunnel that indicated a possible exit ahead. The river path ended at that point, and as they crept forward they could see that there was in fact a passage beyond. They started in that direction, but before they could reach the opening, Nelan clutched at his head and sagged against the tunnel wall. “Nelan! Are you all right?” Allera asked. She began to summon her powers, but the cleric waved her off with a hand. “No, I’m all right.” “What happened?” Dar asked. “A surge of power... I don’t... wait, my [i]find the path[/i] spell, it’s been broken. I cannot sense the correct direction any longer.” Honoratius cast a spell and scanned the area. “There is definitely a tangible aura of magic and evil in this place,” she reported after a few moments. “It grows stronger ahead.” “Before you were hit... the spell was guiding you that way?” Dar asked, pointing to the breach. The cleric nodded. “Then I guess that’s where we’re going,” the fighter said. “Carefully, and quietly. Alderis, keep that clunking heap of yours back aways; we’ll never surprise anything with it stomping around. Alexion, you’re on point.” The knight took the lead again as they moved as quietly as they could into the passage. The tunnel beyond was narrow and rose slightly as they made their way through it. It had a low ceiling, and the shield guardian could fit only with great difficulty; Alderis fell behind as he escorted it through the tunnel. Glancing back, Dar gestured for Zahera to keep an eye on him. After about fifty feet or so the narrow tunnel opened onto a wide passageway that split off to the left and right. To the left, the passage sloped steeply down, and it looked as though it might even pass under the stream they had just traversed. In the other direction, the passage forked after just a short distance, and it was that way that they headed after a few moments’ whispered exchange. The stonework here was very rough and very old. The clerics looked very uneasy, and their hands stole frequently to their holy symbols, as though the silver torches could drive back the foreboding that filled this place. All of them could sense a cold malevolence in the air here, along with a faint sizzle of power that prickled the skin and sent icy chills down their spines. At the fork, they briefly paused to shine Nelan’s light in both directions, and to listen for noises. The tunnel to the left twisted and appeared to dead-end about eighty feet ahead, but a quick probe by Alexion revealed an iron door set into the stone at its finale. The companions went that way, the shield guardian warding the fork behind them. The door was of solid construction, its hinges recessed into the stone lintel, and it had clearly had been kept in good condition, bearing signs of recent use. There was a latch with a keyhole, but the mechanism was such that they could not see through the small opening into the space beyond. Dar carefully tried the door and was not surprised to find it locked. “Well?” Nelan asked, his voice low. “Doors like this one aren’t installed to guard empty rooms,” Dar said. “There’s [i]something[/i] important behind it.” “It will take time to force it,” Alexion said, “Time and a lot of noise. Even with your strength, general.” “Perhaps we can eschew brute force for once,” Honoratius said. She reached into her magical pouch, her arm sinking up to the elbow into the extradimensional space within. She had no difficulty finding what she sought, a small, tightly wound parchment scroll marked on one end with a label that indicated its contents. “A [i]knock[/i] spell?” Allera asked. The archmage nodded. “It often pays to keep a few extra copies of utility spells, against just such a need.” She turned to Dar. “It is highly likely that the spell will alert anyone behind the door, assuming that our presence has not already been detected.” The fighter nodded, and gestured for everyone to prepare themselves. The archmage unrolled the scroll and read the spell, speaking in soft but clearly audible words that thrummed with magical power. There was a gentle click from the door, and then Dar thrust it open, driving his shoulder into the hard metal. The chamber beyond was of considerable size, perhaps fifty feet across and eight feet long. The stone of the floor, walls, and ceiling alike had been cut and polished to a fine sheen, and bore streaks of black and red within that formed natural, twisting designs in the rock. The door opened in the center of one of the longer walls, and appeared on first glance to be the only exit. The place had been decorated with a gruesome décor. Upwards of a dozen panels decorated the walls around the perimeter of the chamber, relief carvings that depicted scenes both abstract and grotesque. Two rows of pillars ran down the length of the chamber, and through them they could see an altar of sorts at the end of the room to their right. Gold glinted in their lights upon a pedestal of stone, which rested atop a dais accessed by three broad steps of black marble. But their inventory of the place was interrupted by the fact that they chamber was occupied. A half-circle of gaunt, humanoid creatures stood in a half-circle before the dais, clad in long gray robes that obscured the details of their forms. They turned as Dar thrust the door open. As the light from Nelan’s shield spilled over them, the companions could see that these things were in no way human. Their skin was a blotched violet-gray, and glistened faintly with slick moisture. Their eyes were milky orbs, their fingers long and sinuous. But the worst thing was the lower half of their faces, their chins replaced by a nest of long, twisting tentacles that dangled down several feet, probing before them as if tasting the scent of them on the air. “Illithids!” Honoratius warned, even as the first of the creatures unleashed a [i]mind blast[/i] upon them. The wave of mental power was devastating. Alexion and Zahera screamed and crumpled, followed a moment later by Marcus, who slumped against a pillar before sagging to the floor. Dar managed a step forward, [i]Valor[/i] trembling in his hand. “Get... out... of... my... mind!” he growled, his jaw tight with the effort of resisting the mind flayers’ potent mental abilities. But then another of the illithids hit them with another [i]mind blast[/i], and the fighter, overcome, fell to the ground, his sword striking the stone with a loud clang. [/QUOTE]
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