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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Plane Sailing" data-source="post: 825787" data-attributes="member: 114">It is going to be a two day trek through the tunnels to reach the stairwell of fear, so they load up with a suitable supply of dwarven hard-tack and water before setting off. The first few hours of walking are through relatively well travelled and well lit regions, with many side tunnels, all beautifully carved. Apart from the strange looks they receive from the dwarves they pass by, the journey is as easy as any they have undertaken.By the afternoon, however, the corridors have become far quieter. They rarely see beetle-hauled wagons or guard dwarves, and side tunnels or rooms become rarer too. Kazrak announces that it is time for an evening rest, and they gladly sink down to hot meal and a snooze.Starting off early the next morning (is it morning?), after Arilyn completes her spell preparation and Dala his meditation they follow deeper into the mountain. They have not been travelling long when they are alerted by a clicking, clanking and buzzing sound from a doorway a little further up the corridor. Suddenly four small metallic spidery creatures burst forth from the room. Three silvery ones dash towards the party with fierce little saws buzzing where their mouthparts might be. A golden one hangs back and unleashes a bolt of lightning which sears into the party. Trajan and Kazrak leap in to engage the creatures, while Anne-Marie tumbles behind them to attempt to flank them – without success as it happens. It seems that whatever one of the creatures knows, they all know. The silver constructs alternate firing small darts with striking with their razor sharp saws – but despite their cunning and power, the little clockwork horrors are soon destroyed. Kazrak has been quite badly hurt, but none of the others have sustained serious damage. They bind up Kazraks wounds, wait for a couple of hours, then head on.Kazrak is still limping slightly from the wound he took, and inadvertently reveals that the harsh dwarvish language is ripe with expletives. Trajan does his best to charm the dwarf and learn some of the basic rudiments of their tongue; surprisingly Kazrak agrees.By mid afternoon on the second day, they are aware of a flow of air moving past them and into a large space ahead of them. Kazrak breathes out the words softly “the staircase of fear”.Broad stairs spiral up around a central column that must be fifty feet across. The walls are carved with the faces of dwarves, all crying or screaming. Kazrak seems to be torn between staring brazenly at the faces and turning his gaze away from them.“None of our people have ventured here and returned in generations” whispers Kazrak. “None”.</blockquote>

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