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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8461432" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p style="text-align: center">Morte d'Cannith</p><p></p><p></p><p>I ran towards a pillar, putting my shield over my head. Sage did much the same, but his shield was far larger, and was able to provide cover for both Adrissa and Rosa. I saw the Blade was behind another pillar, and was ducking behind it, and loosing a shot at the metal construct across from him. Glancing over I saw that his arrow struck it, and now was spinning in a circle, as the device spun, and continued to spray out more bolts across the room.</p><p></p><p>Looking back across to Doxx, I saw the old woman pressed against another pillar, seemingly safe from the constructs, when I noticed something. The device that was on Doxx’s pillar made a hissing noise. The top then elevated upwards, raising the body up on a thin stalk. Then I saw the body fall forward, until the body was at right angles compared to the ground, and it began to spin up again.</p><p></p><p>“Doxx! Above you!” I yelled. The woman looked up and mouthed something and rolled towards the middle pillar. Following him, barbed metal bolts followed her in a line, embedding deep into the floor. She continued to run, attracted more bolts from the other three contraptions.</p><p></p><p>“Just stop already,” Adrissa said between gritted teeth, as she leaned out and shot a pair of arrows, piercing the metal of one of our assailants. Inside there was the hideous sound of grinding gears and metal. I reached inside for a pair of strands and manifested a pair of violet bolts of energy, and I threw them at the same one. They both struck home, and the contraption fell over sideways, while the middle section slowed, and then stopped spinning.</p><p></p><p>I smiled a moment, and I heard the noise of a spinning construct grow louder. I barely had time to raise my shield up over my head, as number of bolts bounced off the metal. The impacts caused my arm to ache as I held it in position. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a cold white beam from Bookshelf, streaking overhead, I saw chunks of ice fall to the ground, after bouncing off my shield. Meanwhile The Blade fired two more arrows at the same device, as he ran to the middle pillar for new cover. As he did so I heard the sounds of broken springs snapping apart followed by a grinding noise which quickly stopped.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t these things have a limit to the number of barbs they can shoot at us?” Rosa asked as she crouched low beneath the Juggernaut.</p><p></p><p>“An excellent quest—ARGH” Doxx responded, as she batted a barb out the air with her staff, only to have one lodge into her arm. Sage stepped out a moment, and from his forearm the three yellow crystals spun around it, each launching a bright bolt of light, and each unerringly striking the construct. Adrissa followed up with a pair of arrows from. The pair pierced the metal skin and disappearing inside, causing it to stop rotating. The sounds of whirs and clicks and broken springs faded, along with the echo’s of hundreds of the barbed projectiles, tumbling around on the floor.</p><p></p><p>“Anyone else hurt?” Rosa asked as moved to tend Doxx’s wounds.</p><p></p><p>“I believe…the rest of us were lucky and avoided harm,” I said surveying the others. Lowering my shield reluctantly, I walked over to the center pillar to examine the levers. Looking at the trio, the right most one was down, and the other two were up. “Adrissa, which lever did you pull?”</p><p></p><p>“The right one,” she answered.</p><p></p><p>“Let’s not pull that one again then,” Doxx said rubbing his healed shoulder.</p><p></p><p>“Of course not! The middle one is the obvious choice!” ‘The Blade said as he reached past me and pulled the lever. Too late, I slapped at his hand away as I heard the sound of metal-on-metal grinding, echoing throughout the room.</p><p></p><p>“We should probably refrain from pulling levers until we do a cursory examination,” Sage pointed out as he placed his shield in front of himself, and pivoted, watching the tops of the pillars again.</p><p></p><p>“Why would anyone build a set of levers where, two of them trigger the same trap?” The Blade admonished. “That would be insane.”</p><p></p><p>“What about a different trap?” Bookshelf asked calmly.</p><p></p><p>The Blade blinked and was silent for a moment before shaking his head, “That doesn’t even make sense. A second trap is worse than the first by definition. You obviously use your best trap in a room. So, there isn’t a point to having a second.”</p><p></p><p>“Let’s just not pull the third, until we know what that one did,” I said turning my head to listen. It wasn’t long, when I turned to the sound of metal sliding against each other, as the portcullis descended deeper into the rock, and opening up the rom beyond. As the rods sunk in level with the floor, Sage and I with shields in front of us stepped inside, with the others close behind. All except ‘The Blade’ who remained by the pillar.</p><p></p><p>Sage pivoted his shield, causing the light to sweep across the ground. There, on straw mats, lay the bodies of men and women, perhaps eight in all. As Sage kept watch around me, I knelt over to look at one.</p><p></p><p>It was a woman, with dirty blond hair. She lay curled up on her side in a fetal position, her face contorted in pain. Her skin was pulled taunt, and her eyes were sunk deep into her sockets. Her stomach was distended, and her limbs were painfully thin. Her arm showed signs of being cut multiple times, and the stain of blood covered her forearm. This was a face of death I was familiar with, and it was an unpleasant way to die. But then noticed in the straw, the edge of a book. I first, closed her eyes with my hand as I whispered “Please ensure her passing beyond was uneventful. I then slowly pulled the text away, sliding it out of the straw and out from underneath her. Standing I opened it and started to read the contents.</p><p></p><p>“What happened to them?” Doxx asked me.</p><p></p><p>“They weren’t fed or watered or watered much,” I said choking on the words. “So, they were starving. It’s a hard way to die, but that’s not all. She’s been bled and then left here to…well.”</p><p></p><p>“These also look like they were bled nearly dry,” Rosa said examining the others. “Treated like animals,”</p><p></p><p>“Less than,” Bookshelf corrected, before the warforged moved over to me. “What’s the book?”</p><p></p><p>“Well…assuming that these words are months…it’s a journal. It says…”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I looked at the others confused, “When is ‘Olarune’?” I asked.</p><p></p><p>“It’s the current month,” Sage answered. “Today is what, the 17 th ?”</p><p></p><p>“It’s’ the 18th,” Adrissa said somberly. “I kept track.”</p><p></p><p>“This happened when we under your ranch then,” Doxx said thinking for a moment.</p><p></p><p>“Finn…Morrigon Finn. He’s been planning this a while.” Rosa said quietly.</p><p></p><p>Bookshelf turned to look at the diminutive druid, “These druids, or at least that one knew you. What’s going on?”</p><p></p><p>Rosa’s eyes widened in alarm, “They…they’re wrong. I don’t know them. I don’t know why they claim to. And I certainly don’t know anything about this. This is…evil. There isn’t another word for it.”</p><p></p><p>I looked at Rosa my brow furrowed, “I believe you when you say that. But you do know something don’t you?”</p><p></p><p>“Just that Finn was a member of a tolerant group of Children of Winter.”</p><p></p><p>“Not anymore,” Sage said dissatisfied.</p><p></p><p>“I never met him…ever…my…friend did though, and she…had a relationship with him a long time ago.”</p><p></p><p>“So, what? They drifted apart?” I asked.</p><p></p><p>“Yes…but…she mentioned he got married I think…but it’s been a while. But that’s all I know!” Rosa said defensively, speaking faster and faster in desperation.</p><p></p><p>“I’m..I’m sorry. I just feel we are missing something,” I said frustrated. “But there is only one thing to do.” As I looked at the others. “We need to get that door open.”</p><p></p><p><strong>Session notes:</strong></p><p>Yeah...the light wasn't the problem. Levers though? Should have had a sign that said 'Wet paint' But we begin to see the edges of a plan and a direction to go. But first...down.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 8461432, member: 6971069"] [CENTER]Morte d'Cannith[/CENTER] I ran towards a pillar, putting my shield over my head. Sage did much the same, but his shield was far larger, and was able to provide cover for both Adrissa and Rosa. I saw the Blade was behind another pillar, and was ducking behind it, and loosing a shot at the metal construct across from him. Glancing over I saw that his arrow struck it, and now was spinning in a circle, as the device spun, and continued to spray out more bolts across the room. Looking back across to Doxx, I saw the old woman pressed against another pillar, seemingly safe from the constructs, when I noticed something. The device that was on Doxx’s pillar made a hissing noise. The top then elevated upwards, raising the body up on a thin stalk. Then I saw the body fall forward, until the body was at right angles compared to the ground, and it began to spin up again. “Doxx! Above you!” I yelled. The woman looked up and mouthed something and rolled towards the middle pillar. Following him, barbed metal bolts followed her in a line, embedding deep into the floor. She continued to run, attracted more bolts from the other three contraptions. “Just stop already,” Adrissa said between gritted teeth, as she leaned out and shot a pair of arrows, piercing the metal of one of our assailants. Inside there was the hideous sound of grinding gears and metal. I reached inside for a pair of strands and manifested a pair of violet bolts of energy, and I threw them at the same one. They both struck home, and the contraption fell over sideways, while the middle section slowed, and then stopped spinning. I smiled a moment, and I heard the noise of a spinning construct grow louder. I barely had time to raise my shield up over my head, as number of bolts bounced off the metal. The impacts caused my arm to ache as I held it in position. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a cold white beam from Bookshelf, streaking overhead, I saw chunks of ice fall to the ground, after bouncing off my shield. Meanwhile The Blade fired two more arrows at the same device, as he ran to the middle pillar for new cover. As he did so I heard the sounds of broken springs snapping apart followed by a grinding noise which quickly stopped. “Don’t these things have a limit to the number of barbs they can shoot at us?” Rosa asked as she crouched low beneath the Juggernaut. “An excellent quest—ARGH” Doxx responded, as she batted a barb out the air with her staff, only to have one lodge into her arm. Sage stepped out a moment, and from his forearm the three yellow crystals spun around it, each launching a bright bolt of light, and each unerringly striking the construct. Adrissa followed up with a pair of arrows from. The pair pierced the metal skin and disappearing inside, causing it to stop rotating. The sounds of whirs and clicks and broken springs faded, along with the echo’s of hundreds of the barbed projectiles, tumbling around on the floor. “Anyone else hurt?” Rosa asked as moved to tend Doxx’s wounds. “I believe…the rest of us were lucky and avoided harm,” I said surveying the others. Lowering my shield reluctantly, I walked over to the center pillar to examine the levers. Looking at the trio, the right most one was down, and the other two were up. “Adrissa, which lever did you pull?” “The right one,” she answered. “Let’s not pull that one again then,” Doxx said rubbing his healed shoulder. “Of course not! The middle one is the obvious choice!” ‘The Blade said as he reached past me and pulled the lever. Too late, I slapped at his hand away as I heard the sound of metal-on-metal grinding, echoing throughout the room. “We should probably refrain from pulling levers until we do a cursory examination,” Sage pointed out as he placed his shield in front of himself, and pivoted, watching the tops of the pillars again. “Why would anyone build a set of levers where, two of them trigger the same trap?” The Blade admonished. “That would be insane.” “What about a different trap?” Bookshelf asked calmly. The Blade blinked and was silent for a moment before shaking his head, “That doesn’t even make sense. A second trap is worse than the first by definition. You obviously use your best trap in a room. So, there isn’t a point to having a second.” “Let’s just not pull the third, until we know what that one did,” I said turning my head to listen. It wasn’t long, when I turned to the sound of metal sliding against each other, as the portcullis descended deeper into the rock, and opening up the rom beyond. As the rods sunk in level with the floor, Sage and I with shields in front of us stepped inside, with the others close behind. All except ‘The Blade’ who remained by the pillar. Sage pivoted his shield, causing the light to sweep across the ground. There, on straw mats, lay the bodies of men and women, perhaps eight in all. As Sage kept watch around me, I knelt over to look at one. It was a woman, with dirty blond hair. She lay curled up on her side in a fetal position, her face contorted in pain. Her skin was pulled taunt, and her eyes were sunk deep into her sockets. Her stomach was distended, and her limbs were painfully thin. Her arm showed signs of being cut multiple times, and the stain of blood covered her forearm. This was a face of death I was familiar with, and it was an unpleasant way to die. But then noticed in the straw, the edge of a book. I first, closed her eyes with my hand as I whispered “Please ensure her passing beyond was uneventful. I then slowly pulled the text away, sliding it out of the straw and out from underneath her. Standing I opened it and started to read the contents. “What happened to them?” Doxx asked me. “They weren’t fed or watered or watered much,” I said choking on the words. “So, they were starving. It’s a hard way to die, but that’s not all. She’s been bled and then left here to…well.” “These also look like they were bled nearly dry,” Rosa said examining the others. “Treated like animals,” “Less than,” Bookshelf corrected, before the warforged moved over to me. “What’s the book?” “Well…assuming that these words are months…it’s a journal. It says…” I looked at the others confused, “When is ‘Olarune’?” I asked. “It’s the current month,” Sage answered. “Today is what, the 17 th ?” “It’s’ the 18th,” Adrissa said somberly. “I kept track.” “This happened when we under your ranch then,” Doxx said thinking for a moment. “Finn…Morrigon Finn. He’s been planning this a while.” Rosa said quietly. Bookshelf turned to look at the diminutive druid, “These druids, or at least that one knew you. What’s going on?” Rosa’s eyes widened in alarm, “They…they’re wrong. I don’t know them. I don’t know why they claim to. And I certainly don’t know anything about this. This is…evil. There isn’t another word for it.” I looked at Rosa my brow furrowed, “I believe you when you say that. But you do know something don’t you?” “Just that Finn was a member of a tolerant group of Children of Winter.” “Not anymore,” Sage said dissatisfied. “I never met him…ever…my…friend did though, and she…had a relationship with him a long time ago.” “So, what? They drifted apart?” I asked. “Yes…but…she mentioned he got married I think…but it’s been a while. But that’s all I know!” Rosa said defensively, speaking faster and faster in desperation. “I’m..I’m sorry. I just feel we are missing something,” I said frustrated. “But there is only one thing to do.” As I looked at the others. “We need to get that door open.” [B]Session notes:[/B] Yeah...the light wasn't the problem. Levers though? Should have had a sign that said 'Wet paint' But we begin to see the edges of a plan and a direction to go. But first...down. [/QUOTE]
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