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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 4723654" data-attributes="member: 1846">The Cathedral of Blood, Part 3“So tell me, brave knight, however did you overcome such odds?’ Lady Markelhay asked, intrigued at the recent successes of the newly arrived group of adventurers.“Well ma’am,” began the Eladrin Paladin, a glass of fine wine in his mailed hand, “I have often found myself just as comfortable surrounded by my enemies as by my friends. There is a certain keenness that comes to a sure soul in the midsts of such a battle, whereupon overwhelming opposition is nothing more than a precursor to victory.”The Halfling Warlord sitting across the long dining table from the Eladrin spoke up, “Most people try to avoid being flanked, it’s a tricky position to be in, defensively speaking. Elwanen however thrives in just such a predicament. Outnumbering us was their first mistake.”“Intriguing,” spoke Lord Markelhay, the imposing patriach of Fallcrest. “How did you slay the underpriest?”“He was a bit tricky, as a matter of fact!” chirped another Halfling, who had paused from scoffing the niblets that surrounded him like a barricade. “We had to wade through near a dozen savages and just as many of those vampires!”“Our companion Fangorn, a fellow the like of which I have never seen, has a knack for making progress through ranks of villains,” elaborated Elwanen. “Using the pit to his advantage, he dispatched several of their number and before long we flanked the underpriest. Cass was instrumental in consolidating our position.”The assembled guests and hosts alike looked down the table to where a young woman was sitting, dressed as a warrior in scale mail, polished to a high shine, a chicken drumstick in one hand.“I don’t mind telling you I very nearly didn’t make it at all. There were so many of them it was hard to tell friend from foe. But we got there in the end, and the underpriest fell, though not too swiftly.”“Commendable work indeed,” praised Lord Markelhay, glancing across to another young woman who was wearing a fine white dress, sitting across from Cass. “You are examples to us all!” The finely dressed woman rolled her eyes slightly. This was Marianna Markelhay, niece to the Markelhays, a women of considerable bearing and poise, who wore a rapier at her side.“But what became of Fangorn, I see him not amongst you now?” asked Lady Markelhay.A voice was heard from the very far end of the table, where sat a dark-skinned elf with white hair, dressed in light armour. “Let’s just say he had to split.”“I see, and so what of Kalarel?” continued the noblewoman. “At what point did you face him?”“My lady,” began the blue-skinned Wizard who had been quietly sipping a glass of wine, “Kalarel was waiting for us below the very chamber in which we fought. As soon as we had gathered our breath we made haste for the final battle, in the hope that we were not too late…”DM's note: This post does, of course, offer a few spoilers as to the outcome of the fight - but it's in a fine storytelling tradition, so it's all good.It also serves as an introduction to Waylander. He is a Drow Rogue, and a direct replacement for Fangorn the Barbarian. You'll be getting a more complete introduction to Waylander within a few posts.Next time: Battling On!</blockquote>

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