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The Heroes of Althai
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<blockquote data-quote="Camelot" data-source="post: 4948865" data-attributes="member: 82617"><p><strong>Chapter Two: Rat Infestation</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Ren led the five adventurers into a small room behind the counter. He pointed to a trapdoor on the floor.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“This here leads down into the basement,” he said. “I’ll be up in the tavern when you’re done. I keep a lot of food and stuff down there, so when you’re killing the rats, please try to avoid damaging anything. If you don’t come back within ten minutes...well, good luck.” With that, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“That was reassuring,” Ekemon said sarcastically. He then turned to the rest of the group. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I’ll sneak in first, surprise them, and then the rest of you...” He stopped talking as he realized that he was the only one left in the room, the trapdoor opened at his feet. He sighed. “I’ve got to take more initiative next time...”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea walked down the stairs first. It was very dark in the room below; the only light came through the cracks in the floorboards on the ceiling from tavern above. Being an eladrin, she could see fine in this light, but she waved her wand and created a light so that the others could see as well.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Okay,” Althaea said, “where are these rats?” She then cringed. A rat the size of Talia squeezed out from under a row of crates that was stacked in the middle of the room. Althaea screamed, making Kriv, who was standing next to her, to jump and cover his ears. She then furiously waved her wand, and a huge fireball blasted from the tip, scorching the rat as well as the crates and the walls, which were covered in shelves holding jars of pickled vegetables and canned meats. A few cans clattered to the ground, and one jar fell, smashing on the scorched wooden floor.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv ran past the wizard. “Relax,” he said. “They’re not that big.” He walked down the stairs and between the two rows of stacked crates. He stopped dead. “Holy Bahamut,” he said. In front of him were two rats, one the same as the one Althaea just killed, but another that would have been almost as tall as Kriv if it stood on its hind legs was behind that. Glancing around, Kriv saw that there were also rats on the crates to either side of him. He gulped and pointed his axe at the giant rat directly in front of him. The rats saw the glinting metal and attacked.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">There were even more that swarmed in from all around. Before he knew what was happening, Kriv was surrounded by at least five giant rats, all gnawing and gnashing their teeth at him. “A little help, guys!” he shouted as he began to swing his axe around.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia leapt down the stairs to aid Kriv, with Benn close behind. She shot an arrow at close range into one of the enormous rat’s heads, causing it to lash out violently at her. However, she nimbly performed a cartwheel to avoid it, backing up against the wall and cocking another arrow in her bow. The rats took notice of her and began to attack her. One bit her elbow as she held her bow.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Benn pushed through the rats to get to Talia and Kriv. He noticed one of the gigantic rats rearing up on its hind legs to attack Kriv while his back was turned. “Kriv, behind you!” Benn shouted.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv swung around with his axe to cleave the rat through its belly. It hissed and squealed, squatting back down onto all fours, but didn’t back off.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“These things are tough!” Kriv shouted. “How the heck did they get in here?”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">A rat saw Althaea standing at the top of the stairs and skittered towards her. She screamed again, but Ekemon came up behind her and threw a dagger at the rat. It grazed its fur, distracting it long enough for Althaea to summon up her will to teleport away. She appeared about twenty feet away and cast another fiery explosion that scorched three more rats.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Ekemon stared at her in disbelief. “You can teleport?” he said.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea shrugged. “It’s an eladrin thing.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Lucky,” Ekemon said. “All I can do is get angry.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv sliced at more rats, but the darn things were so slippery that they kept dodging his axe. “Stay still!” he shouted, but it didn’t help. He finally gave up with his weapon and opened his mouth. “Duck, Benn!” he shouted before unleashing a blast of fiery breath. Benn took cover behind the crates as Kriv killed one rat and severely burned another. Of course, he also burnt the crates that Althaea had already scorched, leaving them falling to smoldering pieces.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">The force of the flames coming out of his own mouth caused Kriv to fall backwards into the crates behind him. An enormous rat bore down on him and bit his arm hard. Kriv growled in pain, and the rats started to swarm all over him.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia used Kriv’s dragon breath as a distraction to slip to the side and plunge an arrow into a giant rat.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Benn moved closer to the wall, where the rats couldn’t swarm him as easily. “Stay behind me Talia,” he said to the halfling as he killed a rat with his longsword.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Fine by me,” she said, taking cover behind Benn and cocking another arrow in her shortbow.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">The rats were starting to panic, realizing the strength of these adventurers. The smaller ones started scrambling away to the dark unlit far corner of the room. Althaea tried to chase after them and cast a scorching burst on the entire corner of the room. She then turned towards the rats around Kriv.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Scorching...” she started to say.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Hold on!” shouted Kriv. “Don’t use that fireball! I’ll get burnt too, you know!”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“You have fire breath,” Althaea responded. “Shouldn’t you be resistant to fire?”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Although that would make sense...no.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea shrugged. “Ray of Frost, then!” A beam of ice shot from her wand and drove into one of the rats. She continued with this spell instead of the scorching burst.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">The three largest rats continued to fight. They were still gnawing at Kriv. Ekemon leapt down the stairs, jumped over the side, and ran past Talia and Benn, throwing a dagger at the rat that bit Kriv’s arm. It sliced one of the rat’s legs, causing the rat to squeal in pain and fear for its life.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv regained his composure and shouted, “By the mighty hand of Bahamut, I challenge thee!” at one of the rats. It hissed and sneered in response. Kriv then swung his axe at two rats, the first dodging but the second getting his axe right in the side. Dark blood spilled out from the rat onto the floor, but it still continued to attack, angered by Kriv’s challenge.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">The three rats continued to attack Kriv, but he seemed to be in some sort of rage, moving his shield to defend each of the attacks on him. The rats couldn’t breach his defenses. Still, Kriv was weakening.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia turned and plugged away some more arrows. Her hunting skills really came in handy, especially at this close a range. Benn worked together with Ekemon to flank one of the rats. They both attacked at the same time, killing the huge rat.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea killed a rat with her ray of frost, leaving just one left. Kriv brought his greataxe down on it with all its might, but the beast refused to give up. It bit Kriv’s leg, causing him to fall back against the crates again.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">The rat reared up on Kriv. It screeched in victory, then plunged it’s fangs down on Kriv.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv closed his eyes, but didn’t feel any pain. He opened them slowly to see the rat still above him. It then toppled on its side, one of Talia’s arrows sticking out from its neck.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“You’re welcome,” Talia said, hooking her bow on her back.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv slumped down onto the ground. “Wow,” he gasped. “Those were some strong rats.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia sat next down next to him. “The biggest ones were dire rats,” she said. “They’re giant rats that have been mutated by disease, and their bite might spread illness.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv looked at the gaping wound on his arm. “Great,” he said.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea looked over to the corner where the other rats had gone. She couldn’t hear any sounds. It was as though they had disappeared. She brought her magical light over to the corner to investigate.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Benn sat down across from Kriv, next to a puddle of rat blood. “What was all that about Bahamut?” he asked.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv sighed, still out of breath from the battle. “I’m not just a regular warrior. I’m a paladin.” He took out a gold medallion from underneath his armor that he wore around his neck. It had a dragon head carved into it. “I serve the Platinum Dragon, Bahamut, destroying his foes in order to protect justice. By calling on Bahamut, I can challenge my foes into staying to fight.” He put the medallion away, and sheathed his axe as well. “At least that’s what paladins are supposed to do. I just like killing stuff, and I figured being a paladin would be more interesting than a normal fighter.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Wow, deep,” Benn said, rolling his eyes.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Hey, guys!” Althaea shouted from the corner of the room. Benn and Talia went over to see what she wanted while Kriv rested and Ekemon picked up the daggers he had thrown.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">They came to the corner to see Althaea sitting cross-legged on the ground, a pile of coins spread out in front of her. “Check out what I found!” she said. “Treasure!”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Ekemon appeared between Benn and Talia. “Did you say treasure?”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Yeah! I split it up into piles of all the same value.” Ekemon groaned. “I also found this,” she added, holding up a corked vial containing opaque green liquid.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Benn took it to examine it. “It’s a potion of healing,” he said. “This’ll come in useful. Mind if I hold onto it for now?”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“So you can horde all the magical items for yourself, eh?” Ekemon said. “I don’t think so.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“I think that’s something you would do, actually.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Uh, yeah, but that’s beside the point.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Benn put the potion in his belt pouch and took a pile of coins. Ekemon and Talia did the same. Benn then took a pile to Kriv.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea stood up and brushed off the dirt from the floor. “Well, I guess we can go back up now, huh?” she said. Ekemon was already on the stairs, waiting for everyone else. Talia didn’t respond, as she was looking intently at the floor where Althaea was sitting. Althaea waved her hand in front of Talia’s face. “Hello? What’s up?”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“That floor looks weird,” Talia said.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Really? I didn’t notice anything. I was just looking for where the other rats went when I found the treasure.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“What do you mean where the rats went? I thought you scorched them.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“No, I missed. They just disappeared into the darkness.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia got down on the ground and moved her hands over the floor. “Or maybe,” she said, “they disappeared...” Her small fingers found a crack in the floor, and she pulled up, revealing a secret trapdoor. “...into here.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Guys, come check this out!” Althaea shouted. The others came over again, this time including Kriv, who had gotten rested up enough to continue.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“What now?” Ekemon said.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia stood up, though she was still only waist high to everyone else. Even for a halfling, she was short. “The rats went into this trapdoor. I think we should go in to see why this is here.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Wait,” Benn said. “If the rats went into the trapdoor, then how was it closed? They’re rats. They don’t have thumbs.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“I don’t think that matters,” Talia said. “We’ve got to explore this. We’re adventurers, right?”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“I think we should head upstairs and collect our reward,” Ekemon said.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Kriv stepped forward. “I’m all for going down there and killing whatever we come across,” he said.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Benn nodded. “I’m in.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Althaea shrugged. “I have nothing better to do.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">Talia looked around at all of them. “All right, then,” she said. “Let’s explore this trapdoor.”</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: white">“Heh,” Althaea said, “you rhymed.”</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Camelot, post: 4948865, member: 82617"] [b]Chapter Two: Rat Infestation[/b] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Ren led the five adventurers into a small room behind the counter. He pointed to a trapdoor on the floor.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“This here leads down into the basement,” he said. “I’ll be up in the tavern when you’re done. I keep a lot of food and stuff down there, so when you’re killing the rats, please try to avoid damaging anything. If you don’t come back within ten minutes...well, good luck.” With that, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“That was reassuring,” Ekemon said sarcastically. He then turned to the rest of the group. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I’ll sneak in first, surprise them, and then the rest of you...” He stopped talking as he realized that he was the only one left in the room, the trapdoor opened at his feet. He sighed. “I’ve got to take more initiative next time...”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea walked down the stairs first. It was very dark in the room below; the only light came through the cracks in the floorboards on the ceiling from tavern above. Being an eladrin, she could see fine in this light, but she waved her wand and created a light so that the others could see as well.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Okay,” Althaea said, “where are these rats?” She then cringed. A rat the size of Talia squeezed out from under a row of crates that was stacked in the middle of the room. Althaea screamed, making Kriv, who was standing next to her, to jump and cover his ears. She then furiously waved her wand, and a huge fireball blasted from the tip, scorching the rat as well as the crates and the walls, which were covered in shelves holding jars of pickled vegetables and canned meats. A few cans clattered to the ground, and one jar fell, smashing on the scorched wooden floor.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv ran past the wizard. “Relax,” he said. “They’re not that big.” He walked down the stairs and between the two rows of stacked crates. He stopped dead. “Holy Bahamut,” he said. In front of him were two rats, one the same as the one Althaea just killed, but another that would have been almost as tall as Kriv if it stood on its hind legs was behind that. Glancing around, Kriv saw that there were also rats on the crates to either side of him. He gulped and pointed his axe at the giant rat directly in front of him. The rats saw the glinting metal and attacked.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]There were even more that swarmed in from all around. Before he knew what was happening, Kriv was surrounded by at least five giant rats, all gnawing and gnashing their teeth at him. “A little help, guys!” he shouted as he began to swing his axe around.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia leapt down the stairs to aid Kriv, with Benn close behind. She shot an arrow at close range into one of the enormous rat’s heads, causing it to lash out violently at her. However, she nimbly performed a cartwheel to avoid it, backing up against the wall and cocking another arrow in her bow. The rats took notice of her and began to attack her. One bit her elbow as she held her bow.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Benn pushed through the rats to get to Talia and Kriv. He noticed one of the gigantic rats rearing up on its hind legs to attack Kriv while his back was turned. “Kriv, behind you!” Benn shouted.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv swung around with his axe to cleave the rat through its belly. It hissed and squealed, squatting back down onto all fours, but didn’t back off.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“These things are tough!” Kriv shouted. “How the heck did they get in here?”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]A rat saw Althaea standing at the top of the stairs and skittered towards her. She screamed again, but Ekemon came up behind her and threw a dagger at the rat. It grazed its fur, distracting it long enough for Althaea to summon up her will to teleport away. She appeared about twenty feet away and cast another fiery explosion that scorched three more rats.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Ekemon stared at her in disbelief. “You can teleport?” he said.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea shrugged. “It’s an eladrin thing.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Lucky,” Ekemon said. “All I can do is get angry.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv sliced at more rats, but the darn things were so slippery that they kept dodging his axe. “Stay still!” he shouted, but it didn’t help. He finally gave up with his weapon and opened his mouth. “Duck, Benn!” he shouted before unleashing a blast of fiery breath. Benn took cover behind the crates as Kriv killed one rat and severely burned another. Of course, he also burnt the crates that Althaea had already scorched, leaving them falling to smoldering pieces.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]The force of the flames coming out of his own mouth caused Kriv to fall backwards into the crates behind him. An enormous rat bore down on him and bit his arm hard. Kriv growled in pain, and the rats started to swarm all over him.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia used Kriv’s dragon breath as a distraction to slip to the side and plunge an arrow into a giant rat.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Benn moved closer to the wall, where the rats couldn’t swarm him as easily. “Stay behind me Talia,” he said to the halfling as he killed a rat with his longsword.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Fine by me,” she said, taking cover behind Benn and cocking another arrow in her shortbow.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]The rats were starting to panic, realizing the strength of these adventurers. The smaller ones started scrambling away to the dark unlit far corner of the room. Althaea tried to chase after them and cast a scorching burst on the entire corner of the room. She then turned towards the rats around Kriv.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Scorching...” she started to say.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Hold on!” shouted Kriv. “Don’t use that fireball! I’ll get burnt too, you know!”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“You have fire breath,” Althaea responded. “Shouldn’t you be resistant to fire?”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Although that would make sense...no.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea shrugged. “Ray of Frost, then!” A beam of ice shot from her wand and drove into one of the rats. She continued with this spell instead of the scorching burst.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]The three largest rats continued to fight. They were still gnawing at Kriv. Ekemon leapt down the stairs, jumped over the side, and ran past Talia and Benn, throwing a dagger at the rat that bit Kriv’s arm. It sliced one of the rat’s legs, causing the rat to squeal in pain and fear for its life.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv regained his composure and shouted, “By the mighty hand of Bahamut, I challenge thee!” at one of the rats. It hissed and sneered in response. Kriv then swung his axe at two rats, the first dodging but the second getting his axe right in the side. Dark blood spilled out from the rat onto the floor, but it still continued to attack, angered by Kriv’s challenge.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]The three rats continued to attack Kriv, but he seemed to be in some sort of rage, moving his shield to defend each of the attacks on him. The rats couldn’t breach his defenses. Still, Kriv was weakening.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia turned and plugged away some more arrows. Her hunting skills really came in handy, especially at this close a range. Benn worked together with Ekemon to flank one of the rats. They both attacked at the same time, killing the huge rat.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea killed a rat with her ray of frost, leaving just one left. Kriv brought his greataxe down on it with all its might, but the beast refused to give up. It bit Kriv’s leg, causing him to fall back against the crates again.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]The rat reared up on Kriv. It screeched in victory, then plunged it’s fangs down on Kriv.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv closed his eyes, but didn’t feel any pain. He opened them slowly to see the rat still above him. It then toppled on its side, one of Talia’s arrows sticking out from its neck.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“You’re welcome,” Talia said, hooking her bow on her back.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv slumped down onto the ground. “Wow,” he gasped. “Those were some strong rats.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia sat next down next to him. “The biggest ones were dire rats,” she said. “They’re giant rats that have been mutated by disease, and their bite might spread illness.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv looked at the gaping wound on his arm. “Great,” he said.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea looked over to the corner where the other rats had gone. She couldn’t hear any sounds. It was as though they had disappeared. She brought her magical light over to the corner to investigate.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Benn sat down across from Kriv, next to a puddle of rat blood. “What was all that about Bahamut?” he asked.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv sighed, still out of breath from the battle. “I’m not just a regular warrior. I’m a paladin.” He took out a gold medallion from underneath his armor that he wore around his neck. It had a dragon head carved into it. “I serve the Platinum Dragon, Bahamut, destroying his foes in order to protect justice. By calling on Bahamut, I can challenge my foes into staying to fight.” He put the medallion away, and sheathed his axe as well. “At least that’s what paladins are supposed to do. I just like killing stuff, and I figured being a paladin would be more interesting than a normal fighter.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Wow, deep,” Benn said, rolling his eyes.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Hey, guys!” Althaea shouted from the corner of the room. Benn and Talia went over to see what she wanted while Kriv rested and Ekemon picked up the daggers he had thrown.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]They came to the corner to see Althaea sitting cross-legged on the ground, a pile of coins spread out in front of her. “Check out what I found!” she said. “Treasure!”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Ekemon appeared between Benn and Talia. “Did you say treasure?”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Yeah! I split it up into piles of all the same value.” Ekemon groaned. “I also found this,” she added, holding up a corked vial containing opaque green liquid.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Benn took it to examine it. “It’s a potion of healing,” he said. “This’ll come in useful. Mind if I hold onto it for now?”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“So you can horde all the magical items for yourself, eh?” Ekemon said. “I don’t think so.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“I think that’s something you would do, actually.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Uh, yeah, but that’s beside the point.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Benn put the potion in his belt pouch and took a pile of coins. Ekemon and Talia did the same. Benn then took a pile to Kriv.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea stood up and brushed off the dirt from the floor. “Well, I guess we can go back up now, huh?” she said. Ekemon was already on the stairs, waiting for everyone else. Talia didn’t respond, as she was looking intently at the floor where Althaea was sitting. Althaea waved her hand in front of Talia’s face. “Hello? What’s up?”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“That floor looks weird,” Talia said.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Really? I didn’t notice anything. I was just looking for where the other rats went when I found the treasure.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“What do you mean where the rats went? I thought you scorched them.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“No, I missed. They just disappeared into the darkness.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia got down on the ground and moved her hands over the floor. “Or maybe,” she said, “they disappeared...” Her small fingers found a crack in the floor, and she pulled up, revealing a secret trapdoor. “...into here.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Guys, come check this out!” Althaea shouted. The others came over again, this time including Kriv, who had gotten rested up enough to continue.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“What now?” Ekemon said.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia stood up, though she was still only waist high to everyone else. Even for a halfling, she was short. “The rats went into this trapdoor. I think we should go in to see why this is here.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Wait,” Benn said. “If the rats went into the trapdoor, then how was it closed? They’re rats. They don’t have thumbs.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“I don’t think that matters,” Talia said. “We’ve got to explore this. We’re adventurers, right?”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“I think we should head upstairs and collect our reward,” Ekemon said.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Kriv stepped forward. “I’m all for going down there and killing whatever we come across,” he said.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Benn nodded. “I’m in.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Althaea shrugged. “I have nothing better to do.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]Talia looked around at all of them. “All right, then,” she said. “Let’s explore this trapdoor.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white] [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=white]“Heh,” Althaea said, “you rhymed.”[/COLOR][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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