Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sir Kendrik" data-source="post: 166855" data-attributes="member: 123">The saga continues................With their normal lanterns providing light, the heroes proceeded down the stairs.  Callin opened the secret door to the concealed passageway and the heroes continued to the unholy symbol of Virakus.  Before crossing the symbol, Fr Arton called upon his gift of being able to detect evil.  As he crossed the symbol this divine power granted by Pelor faded immediately as if it had been snuffed out, Arton only feeling as if he had never possessed the divine ability in the first place.Callin, as usual, moved ahead some forty feet, keeping a wary eye open for trouble until he arrived at a fork in the passageway.  He waited there for the rest of the heroes to arrive before proceeding on.  The heroes glanced briefly down both new passageways.  Each passage was decorated with elaborate mosaics, not dissimilar to the ones the heroes had seen before in other temples dedicated to Virakus.  Callin was sent ahead by Sir Kendrik to investigate the passageway that led to the left.  The wily rogue worked his way along a series of zigzagging passages.  The mosaics on the walls depicted scenes presumably from the myth-cycle of Virakus, including a great slaughter that Callin hadn’t seen before.  Finally, Callin approached an open doorway from which the flickering light of torches emanated.  Moving quietly and keeping hidden, Callin moved forward until he could see into the room.  Directly opposite him, across the open room, Callin noted a closed door decorated with the symbol of Virakus.  To either side of that door were other passageways, one to the north, and another to the south.  The floor of this room was laid in smooth black stone, blood red veins marbling its surface.  Callin could clearly hear the sound of chanting coming from the north.  Unfortunately his investigation was cut short when he saw four bi-ped creatures, the like he had never seen before, guarding the passageway the chanting was emanating from.  These large, brutish and furry beasts had cloven hooves, large bull like horns and bovine faces.  Wary not to alert these creatures to his presence, Callin carefully backed away as quietly as he could.  Callin returned quickly and reported his findings to the others, pointing out that the creatures were wearing bandoliers across their chests and bore great axes in their hands.Hoping to find another way into the room where the chanting was coming from, therefore avoiding an encounter with the large bovine creatures, little Friar Leo suggested that he try and find another route rather than the obvious one.  With the party in agreement, he grabbed a scroll from his bag and read it out loud.  Suddenly he could sense that there was a secret door nearby, just up from the intersection.  Callin used his unorthodox; some would say questionable, skills to open the door.  The air that escaped caught in the young rogue’s throat.  Clearly this room had not been opened in many years.  Callin searched it fully but found nothing but white, chalky mould on the walls.  To Friar Leo’s disappointment, no other doorways were found.  The heroes had no choice but to confront the creatures directly.Two battle plans were thought of.   Callin suggested that he draw the beasts’ attention, drawing them to where the heroes currently were, where an ambush could be laid.  Once in sight the heroes would let loose a ranged attack before entering into personal combat.  Friar Leo alternatively suggested taking the battle to the strange horned creatures after he had used a blindness spell to render them less effective.“My Lord,” Callin asked, turning to Sir Kendrik questioningly “What course of action to you suggest?“Callin,” replied Sir Kendrik “Your suggestion appears to be our best course of action.  Scout ahead and draw the creatures toward us.  We will position ourselves to attack when you pass us by.”As Callin disappeared back up the corridor the other heroes positioned themselves for the attack.  Sir Kendrik made sure he was in position to be at his most effective in the upcoming battle with Fr Arton by his side.  Marban took his position in the doorway to the secret room while Friar Leo stood behind the front line, ready to use his magical abilities if they were needed.TO BE CONTINUED.......................................... Comments on the story are most welcome, indeed greatly sought after.</blockquote>

Verification