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<blockquote data-quote="Feir Fireb" data-source="post: 4830233" data-attributes="member: 14074"><p><strong>An excerpt from "The Unscholarly Journals of Darren the Senalline": Downward Spiral</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>WE DESCENDED INTO</strong> a maze of passages beneath the Imperial Palace, as I have attempted to describe in my map. It should be fairly accurate, as the delay between our journey and my first recount of it was not too long, but I make no guarantees. The ability to see clearly via the amulet did not negate the complexity of the passages. We made several semi-educated guesses where the passages branched, but when given the chance we went down, reasoning that the palace was high above the city and any hope of descending to a lower tier would rest in finding either the base of the palace or a subterranean connection. We also attempted to stay close to the outer edge of the palace, but it was not long before we lost even the scant predawn light of the moons. Estimating our direction and how deep we were beneath the level of the Gardens was relatively easy; estimating where we were in relation to the level of the base of the city became difficult, as it had been over ten days since we first got our bearings while climbing the Imperial Stair. </p><p></p><p>I would expect the guards that we had encountered were more trustworthy than highly trained; we benefited from the fact that the side passages within the Palace were hidden and scantly used. But used they were, and not so secret that they were unpatrolled, more's the pity. Several levels down, at or near the point checked in red on the map, we saw another set of guards approach us from down the hall. Atrix cursed again. We had little opportunity to surprise them this time and I was in no shape for another fight. Before their torches could illumine us, I squeezed into the darkest shadows of the corners and Atrix made ready to dive into their midst.</p><p></p><p>Once again he moved with marvelous skill, this time doubly armed and with proper weapons that would bring his full deadly grace to bear. But as he cut a path through them, nimbler than any man I've ever seen, he took spears to the leg and side before killing a pair of guards. I pounced upon another, jamming into his ribs the dagger that I'd taken. I immediately felt a painful jab in my arm as another spear hit bone, probably saving me from it biting through to my ribs and heart. I watched Atrix tear into my assailant, twin blades flashing as I dropped my own knife, gripped the bleeding arm and succumbed to fever and blood loss.</p><p></p><p><strong>I CAME BACK</strong> to consciousness with a torchlit Atrix carefully shaking me awake. If it had been anybody but Atrix, I'd have said he looked a bloody mess. But I don't know that Atrix <em>can</em> look a bloody mess, however torn full of holes he may be. </p><p></p><p>"Darren? Darren? Thank Ii."</p><p></p><p>"How long was I out?" Makeshift bandages made from guards' sleeves dressed my side and arm, and Atrix as well. </p><p></p><p>"Not long, my friend. But long enough that we shouldn't stick around." Nor did we. As we left this time, he leaned upon me for support almost as much as I leaned upon him. I had never imagined that I would miss the unsettling glare of Brother Meeshak so much.</p><p></p><p>The sputtering torchlight that receded behind us would be the last true light we'd see for far too long a time. Because of the poison, Atrix remained the stronger of us still. He moved bravely forward, half carrying me while taking my directions to ensure he didn't blindly bump into a wall or trip on a step. It was then that I saw the first trap of these hallways. A broad pressure plate -- probably another needle trap, though I could not tell where the needles emerged, nor did we have much time or energy to disarm it. But we could carefully sidestep the plate, which we did. We encountered other such traps as I have marked on my map, disarming the easier ones and managing to bypass the others before the sensations of the dwarrow amulet began to overwhelm my human mind and the growing pain in my skull forced us to rest a little.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Feir Fireb, post: 4830233, member: 14074"] [b]An excerpt from "The Unscholarly Journals of Darren the Senalline": Downward Spiral[/b] [B]WE DESCENDED INTO[/B] a maze of passages beneath the Imperial Palace, as I have attempted to describe in my map. It should be fairly accurate, as the delay between our journey and my first recount of it was not too long, but I make no guarantees. The ability to see clearly via the amulet did not negate the complexity of the passages. We made several semi-educated guesses where the passages branched, but when given the chance we went down, reasoning that the palace was high above the city and any hope of descending to a lower tier would rest in finding either the base of the palace or a subterranean connection. We also attempted to stay close to the outer edge of the palace, but it was not long before we lost even the scant predawn light of the moons. Estimating our direction and how deep we were beneath the level of the Gardens was relatively easy; estimating where we were in relation to the level of the base of the city became difficult, as it had been over ten days since we first got our bearings while climbing the Imperial Stair. I would expect the guards that we had encountered were more trustworthy than highly trained; we benefited from the fact that the side passages within the Palace were hidden and scantly used. But used they were, and not so secret that they were unpatrolled, more's the pity. Several levels down, at or near the point checked in red on the map, we saw another set of guards approach us from down the hall. Atrix cursed again. We had little opportunity to surprise them this time and I was in no shape for another fight. Before their torches could illumine us, I squeezed into the darkest shadows of the corners and Atrix made ready to dive into their midst. Once again he moved with marvelous skill, this time doubly armed and with proper weapons that would bring his full deadly grace to bear. But as he cut a path through them, nimbler than any man I've ever seen, he took spears to the leg and side before killing a pair of guards. I pounced upon another, jamming into his ribs the dagger that I'd taken. I immediately felt a painful jab in my arm as another spear hit bone, probably saving me from it biting through to my ribs and heart. I watched Atrix tear into my assailant, twin blades flashing as I dropped my own knife, gripped the bleeding arm and succumbed to fever and blood loss. [B]I CAME BACK[/B] to consciousness with a torchlit Atrix carefully shaking me awake. If it had been anybody but Atrix, I'd have said he looked a bloody mess. But I don't know that Atrix [I]can[/I] look a bloody mess, however torn full of holes he may be. "Darren? Darren? Thank Ii." "How long was I out?" Makeshift bandages made from guards' sleeves dressed my side and arm, and Atrix as well. "Not long, my friend. But long enough that we shouldn't stick around." Nor did we. As we left this time, he leaned upon me for support almost as much as I leaned upon him. I had never imagined that I would miss the unsettling glare of Brother Meeshak so much. The sputtering torchlight that receded behind us would be the last true light we'd see for far too long a time. Because of the poison, Atrix remained the stronger of us still. He moved bravely forward, half carrying me while taking my directions to ensure he didn't blindly bump into a wall or trip on a step. It was then that I saw the first trap of these hallways. A broad pressure plate -- probably another needle trap, though I could not tell where the needles emerged, nor did we have much time or energy to disarm it. But we could carefully sidestep the plate, which we did. We encountered other such traps as I have marked on my map, disarming the easier ones and managing to bypass the others before the sensations of the dwarrow amulet began to overwhelm my human mind and the growing pain in my skull forced us to rest a little. [/QUOTE]
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