Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8216029" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p><h2 style="text-align: center"><p style="text-align: center">The Pits of Progeny - 3/5/2021</p> </h2><p></p><p></p><p>Doxx didn’t think, they leapt towards the horse stalls. Landing on the wooden floor on their stomach, he quickly rolled and righted himself to see what had happened. Where the floor once stood, it now had pitched downwards, and they could just see the others tumble down into the darkness, chasing after the screaming horses that too slid downwards. As he stood there, the sounds of bow twangs sounded. Catching an arrow in a hand he dropped it and saw only two real options. Gritting their teeth, Doxx jumped down into the now open slide. Landing on the mud feet first, they kept their balance and slide down chasing after the others.</p><p></p><p>Farther down, Sage slid on his back in the darkness on slippery, muddy earth as they continued deep into the earth. It curved and spiraled, and the juggernaught struggled to find their footing or balance. Around him the others we rolling and twisting as well, and near by he could hear the sounds of the panicked horses. As the slide started to straighten out, he finally was able to right himself, and place his shield in front him. Reaching out he tried to grab the closest person he could find.</p><p></p><p>His hands grasped something, and he realized he had grasped the halfling Rosa. Pulling her close, he placed the woman behind the shield, and on top of his arm. He then reached out again and grasped a thick arm that felt like orc Mobad.</p><p></p><p>“Grab on to me, and get the others,” Sage shouted, and as he held on the orc, he leaned forward and pressed the edge of his shield into the mud and used it to slow their descent. Looking over the edge as the mud sprayed everywhere, he saw flickering orange lights ahead. Glancing behind him, he could just make out in the darkness the others were grasping onto Mobad and were no longer tumbling freely. Glancing forward, he saw that the horses had suddenly stopped.</p><p></p><p>“Hang on! This will—” and his shield slammed into a body, with the sounds of broken bone and screaming horses, and the spray of warm blood over his shield. It took all of his strength not to crush Rosa between his barrier and himself, with all the weight of the others pressing down on him, as the pile finally stopped at the bottom of the slide.</p><p></p><p>Rosa was first to emerge from the pile and she simply said, “Oh dear.” The horses had all tumbled down, and found themselves wedged on a barrier of sharpened spikes. They pawed with their hooves, slowly as their lifeblood poured out on the muddy earth, their pained neighs fading fast. But while her heart broke to see the animals die this way, her attention was occupied with what lay just beyond.</p><p></p><p>A great door, that seemed to be made of woven wood fibers, about six paces wide. And twice the height of the warforged. Near the tops of the door, were brackets that held torches, next to a small landing with an opening just shorter than Rosa herself. The door itself seem to be set into dark granite, and not earth. In fact, as she turned around, the walls and ceiling were all rock, and only the steep slide was made of mud. As she turned, she then saw Doxx, who balancing on two feet slid down and stopped just short of the group’s pile as they slowly stood up to look around.</p><p></p><p>“Where are we?” Rosa asked herself aloud.</p><p></p><p>“Underground, by at least a hundred feet,” Bookshelf said calmly, pulling out their driftglobe and setting it alight.</p><p></p><p>Rosa turned with a grimace, “Underground. Never would have guessed.”</p><p></p><p>“The depth is more interesting,” The Blade said pulling out an arrow and nocking it. “This is a bit of construction, and it isn’t completely natural; it was carved somehow.”</p><p></p><p>“The little things did this?” Mobad said shaking his head, and helping Adrissa to stand, while he looked around for his great axe. “They really small.”</p><p></p><p>“That could mean there are a lot of them. Or there are other bigger ones.” Sage said, refastening his armblade onto his right hand.</p><p></p><p>“My dad said that the hills had a lot of caves,” Adrissa said in awe as she looked around. “ One of them was supposedly equipped as a shelter during the war, in case it came up here. I saw the entrance once, but I was told there was a door and it was locked. Never did find out where my dad hid that key, and I never entered it.”</p><p></p><p>“Fear like that is to keep you safe dear,” Doxx said sweetly smiling.</p><p></p><p>“I wasn’t afraid,” Adrissa said glaring at the old woman. “There isn’t much point in going someplace if you can’t open it. Besides,” and she turned away from Doxx, “I was busy hunting.” She then saw the dying horses on the ground and said sadly, “I guess they saved us.”</p><p></p><p>Rosa nodded and stepped up to the barrier that the horses had collided into. It appeared to be a series of larger thorns, that wasn’t just set in the ground, but had seemingly grown from it. Its wood was a dark, almost black color, and it twisted and coiled around like ivy around an invisible column on its side. It reminded her of tales that she had heard other druids tell, and she muttered aloud, “It’s like something out of the Gloaming…”</p><p></p><p>“What’s ‘the Gloaming’ ?” asked The Blade, unfamiliar with the term.</p><p></p><p>“It’s an area deep in the Eldeen Forest,” Rosa replied. “It’s a manifest zone with Mabar, and dark things grow and die there. One of the sects consider it sacred ground. But I’ve never been there. Just heard stories.”</p><p></p><p>“Well citizens,” The Blade said. “We are about to become stories, if those things open that door, and charge at us.”</p><p></p><p>“How do we open it?” Bookshelf asked looking it over.</p><p></p><p>“We could boost Rosa into those openings above, and she could—”</p><p></p><p>“I am not going to—” Rosa started.</p><p></p><p>“You’re right. We will send Ms. Tannoch instead—”</p><p></p><p>“You are not sending a little girl—” Doxx said angrily, wagging a finger at the masked elf.</p><p></p><p>“I can do it,” Adrissa said ignoring the old woman.</p><p></p><p>“You really should ask first Blade…sorry <strong><em>The</em></strong> Blade. That is awkward to say you realize?” Sage commented.</p><p></p><p>“It would be faster so the girl can find her dead parents,” Bookshelf said, earning him a cold glare from Adrissa.</p><p></p><p>As they were talking, Mobad moved over to the door and hand his hand over the thick weave. Frowning, he stuck part of his axe into the fibers, and then he pushed straight against the door, and to his surprise, it pushed open.</p><p></p><p>“Hey. It not barred.” He grunted, and the others went silent. After pushing a moment, he made an opening wide enough for all of them to pass, and he stepped forward. What he found was a tunnel. It seemed to be partially a natural cavern, but the floor and some of the walls showed signs of being worked. On the opposite wall, a hallway extended deeper and curved to the left, and on the walls, about halfling height, were lit torches. But the room itself was full of strange objects. Mobad took no interest in them and moved to the hallway and peered down it.</p><p></p><p>Bookshelf moved to one of the objects and tilted their head in curiosity. They were in the shape of a cylinder, with three or four bands of tough ridged wood or hardened fibers while about five or six poles were set lengthwise. Each of the poles was pierced with holes throughout the length and at different angles. Looking around they saw on the walls were pegs on which hung coils of rough twine. Most of the objects were as tall as person, but there were others smaller, and others that were much larger.</p><p></p><p>“These look familiar,” Bookshelf said simply.</p><p></p><p>“Looks like barrels missing their staves on the sides,” Doxx said scrunching up their face.</p><p></p><p>Bookshelf nodded a second and then straightened up. “No…not barrels. They remind me of gibbets “</p><p></p><p>“What's a gibbet?” Adrissa asked confused.</p><p></p><p>“A cage,” Rosa said quietly.</p><p></p><p>“For…what?” Adrissa pressed confused.</p><p></p><p>Rosa swallowed. “People.”</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]</p><p></p><p>I remember falling, twisting and sliding with Wy and the rest of the Blademarks. I saw earth give way to rock as we tumbled down together. I finally rolled onto my shield, and laid on it, and used it to ride down the muddy slide. My other hand was busy wiping away the mud that kept spraying into my eyes as I tried to see ahead. The tunnel twisted and spun us downwards, until I finally saw it open up into a chamber ahead. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when I heard Gossamer in my head.</p><p></p><p><em>--There’s a row of sharp stuff ahead of you Myr!</em></p><p></p><p>“Spikes ahead, brace your—” I started to shout, when I slammed into the barricade, and I hit my head on some of the hard wood and everything faded away.</p><p></p><p>I could then feel the pounding in my head, and a sharp pain in my right side. My body felt broken and beaten as I took shallow, painful, breathes. I wanted to rub my head and make the pain settle down, when I realized I couldn’t move. I opened my eyes and I saw rock, and just on the periphery of my vision, I saw slats. I was on my back staring upwards. I tried to lift my head, but I found that it was bound to what felt like a pair of poles, with rope or something around my forehead and another piece around my throat. My arms and legs seemed to be similarly bound around the ankles wrists, elbows and knees, but since I couldn’t move my head I couldn’t see. I lay there, and decided I needed another perspective.</p><p></p><p><em>Goss you there?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Yes! I’m hiding right now.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Can you see me?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Yes I can.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Ok look around me a bit.</em></p><p></p><p>I then in my mind pulled a small light strand from my eyes and cast it out to where Gossamer was, and I stared at my predicament.</p><p></p><p>I was naked lying down in a wooden cage of sorts, my limbs and head were bound fast against the ribs of wood that ran length wise. I could see I was bruised and I had several puncture wounds. Next to me I saw Wy, bound much the same in a different cage. But off the others I saw no sign. Nearby, out of reach I saw a pair of baskets, where Wy’s and my things seemed to be stashed. And of course, we weren’t alone.</p><p></p><p>In the room I saw about ten short humanoid looking things. I could smell a damp moldy smell coming from them, and they had a pallor between grey and blue. Half of them had spears and shields, while the others had bows. They said nothing, and their gray green eyes stared at myself and Wy, but none of them looked at Gossamer, who appeared to be hiding on a ramp that led into the room, while a passage led elsewhere, and a large door made of thick fibers was closed nearby. I also saw a number of the cages of different sizes scattered in the room.</p><p></p><p>I sighed, and continued to talk to Gossamer. <em>Where are the others?</em></p><p></p><p>-<em>-Um…another one they put into a cage and carried him off. The other three…they didn’t make it</em></p><p></p><p>“Wy? You awake?” I said quietly.</p><p></p><p>“Myr you’re here? Thank the sovereigns!” I heard the man said relieved. Our captors didn’t move or say anything in response to our talking. “Are you hurt?”</p><p></p><p>“I’ve felt better…but like you I can’t move. At least one other person was in a cage, and the rest…might not have made it. I’m…I’m sorry Wy.” I said choking back a tear.</p><p></p><p>“I know…I could barely see them as they carried off Tiggart in a cage. The rest…damn these things!</p><p></p><p>I wanted to console him better; with an embrace or something. But I could barely nod in agreement. “I’ll say a prayer for their souls, but I want to know what these things are, and what they want.”</p><p></p><p>“I have no---wait; some are coming.”</p><p></p><p>I cast my strand out again to Gossamer, and looked. I saw about another dozen enter the room, carrying long, thick poles. Six of them approached each of the cages, and threaded the rods through the cages framework, and then they lifted us. They slowly carried our cages towards the hallway.</p><p></p><p><em>--I don’t think I can follow you safely.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Its ok…I’m going to hide you.</em> And I pulled the strand with Gossamer attached to it, until the familiar was then a ball of light next the bundle of strands within me.</p><p></p><p>“Where are they taken us?” I asked Wyn.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know…but I expect questions; they could have killed us.”</p><p></p><p>“I guess, but I saw there were a number of other cages laying here. Seems they ask a lot of them.”</p><p></p><p>“You don’t sound confident about that Myr.”</p><p></p><p>“The last time I saw a cage like this…it wasn’t a great day for the person inside.”</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]</p><p></p><p>“You aren’t serious,” Doxx said. “Why would these things need cages?”</p><p></p><p>“They use cages like this in Graywall,” Mobad snorted. “Usually, to let stupid folk die in.”</p><p></p><p>“We should move on before—” and the The Blade cut himself off and pointed towards the hallway. Down the dark passage was visible a flickering light, moving down the hall. The elf quickly moved to the edge of the room and peered around the corner down the passage. There he spotted a pair of the little creatures. One carried a torch, and the second carried a small bundle. As they made their way down the hall, the first one pulled a sputtering torch off the wall, and dropped it to the ground. They then took another from their partner, and stuck it into the sconce, and lit the new one. Then they moved on down to the next one in line.</p><p></p><p>The Blade pulled back the arrow nocked on the string and waited. The pair moved closer one torch at a time. He then heard a soft noise, and realized that the girl was next to him, with dagger and axe at the ready. He looked down and made a soft hiss, grabbing her attention, as he shook his head. He then turned to look at the pair down the hall and held his breath.</p><p></p><p>The pair had halted their journey between two scones, and were looking straight at The Blade. They stared at the elf with two unblinking luminous pools of blue. The Blade pulled on his bowstring and was ready to loose an arrow, when the pair moved again. They moved to the last sconce on the wall, replaced the torch, lit it and then turned away. They slowly moved back down the passage, unhurried and unconcerned.</p><p></p><p>"What in the?" Adrissa asked aloud in a whisper.</p><p></p><p>“What are you two doing?” Rosa hissed, flattening themselves against the wall.</p><p></p><p>“I was about to shoot the pair…but they saw me.” The Blade said confused.</p><p></p><p>“And you forgot how to shoot?” Doxx exclaimed.</p><p></p><p>“No! They…well…Didn’t care,” The Blade finished.</p><p></p><p>“This reminds me of something they said about Warforged Titans,” Sage said.</p><p></p><p>“These aren’t titans,” Bookshelf pointed out.</p><p></p><p>“No. But Titans only follow orders they are given.” Sage replied.</p><p></p><p>“So…they are stupid, and not the Blade?” Doxx said annoyed.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t follow that.” The Blade commented. “But we might be able to walk out of here then. Let’s move.”</p><p></p><p>The group then started down the newly lit hall. As the travelled, they noticed that the floor was littered with stubs of torches against the walls, and a fine layer of ash covered everything.</p><p></p><p>“Not much for house cleaning,” Rosa said.</p><p></p><p>“This isn’t exactly a house,” Bookshelf noted.</p><p></p><p>“Keep moving,” Doxx retorted. “I want to get out of here.”</p><p></p><p>“More light ahead…I think it opens into a room,” Adrissa said grimly.</p><p></p><p>The band moved forward, and entered a large chamber, which was half natural and half worked. Larger braziers lit the room from the corners, but even their light did little to brighten it up. As their eyes grew accustomed to the dim light, they saw more of the small humanoids. There were four of them, each with a large wooden pole standing by a pit. The four pits each held a concoction of fluid, with a reddish crusty substance. The four, used their poles and stirred the liquid methodically and patiently. Across the room was another wickerlike door that closed off the room.</p><p></p><p>The four didn’t look up from their work, and continued their care of the organic stew, when Adrissa said, “What are they? And what are they doing?”</p><p></p><p>“I…might know, but I’ll need a closer look to be sure dear,” Rosa said quietly and with a note of concern on her voice.</p><p></p><p>“What? An introduction? This isn’t a social gathering,” The Blade pointed out.</p><p></p><p>“A corpse might be a better choice here,” Rosa said patiently.</p><p></p><p>“A…oh. That does make more sense. I like your thinking,” The Blade said with a small smile.</p><p></p><p>“One small problem,” Sage said.</p><p></p><p>“What’s that?” replied the Blade.</p><p></p><p>“They stopped stirring,” the Warforged finished.</p><p></p><p>The creatures had indeed stopped, and they looked at the group with unblinking pools. They said nothing, but nor did they turn to run, or move at all. They stood quietly watching and waiting.</p><p></p><p><em>Thump, thump, thump.</em> One of them started to lift and pound his pole deep into the pit in front of him slowly and rhythmically. Then the second start to do the same, followed by the other pair. Now all four pounded their poles together in unison in the same slow pace. Then the pools began to move and churn. Froth began to form as the contents of the pit splashed over the edge of the pit.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly a hand burst forth from the pit closest to them. The wet slick hand was the same color as the little creatures stirring them. The hand grasped the side of the pit, and a massive form started to lift itself from the liquid. It looks similar to the smaller ones stirring, but It was easily the size of an ogre. As it pulled itself upright, more hands burst forth from the other pits, and three more humanoids began to pull themselves free of the russet colored muck, and they all turned to look at the stalwart band.</p><p></p><p>“Correction. Four large problems,” Sage said grimly as he prepared for battle.</p><p></p><p><strong>Session notes:</strong></p><p></p><p>I seem to remember a Prince Bride comment here, about the Pits of Despair. And a joke about how mounts never seem to survive many adventures.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 8216029, member: 6971069"] [HEADING=1][CENTER][CENTER]The Pits of Progeny - 3/5/2021[/CENTER][/CENTER][/HEADING] Doxx didn’t think, they leapt towards the horse stalls. Landing on the wooden floor on their stomach, he quickly rolled and righted himself to see what had happened. Where the floor once stood, it now had pitched downwards, and they could just see the others tumble down into the darkness, chasing after the screaming horses that too slid downwards. As he stood there, the sounds of bow twangs sounded. Catching an arrow in a hand he dropped it and saw only two real options. Gritting their teeth, Doxx jumped down into the now open slide. Landing on the mud feet first, they kept their balance and slide down chasing after the others. Farther down, Sage slid on his back in the darkness on slippery, muddy earth as they continued deep into the earth. It curved and spiraled, and the juggernaught struggled to find their footing or balance. Around him the others we rolling and twisting as well, and near by he could hear the sounds of the panicked horses. As the slide started to straighten out, he finally was able to right himself, and place his shield in front him. Reaching out he tried to grab the closest person he could find. His hands grasped something, and he realized he had grasped the halfling Rosa. Pulling her close, he placed the woman behind the shield, and on top of his arm. He then reached out again and grasped a thick arm that felt like orc Mobad. “Grab on to me, and get the others,” Sage shouted, and as he held on the orc, he leaned forward and pressed the edge of his shield into the mud and used it to slow their descent. Looking over the edge as the mud sprayed everywhere, he saw flickering orange lights ahead. Glancing behind him, he could just make out in the darkness the others were grasping onto Mobad and were no longer tumbling freely. Glancing forward, he saw that the horses had suddenly stopped. “Hang on! This will—” and his shield slammed into a body, with the sounds of broken bone and screaming horses, and the spray of warm blood over his shield. It took all of his strength not to crush Rosa between his barrier and himself, with all the weight of the others pressing down on him, as the pile finally stopped at the bottom of the slide. Rosa was first to emerge from the pile and she simply said, “Oh dear.” The horses had all tumbled down, and found themselves wedged on a barrier of sharpened spikes. They pawed with their hooves, slowly as their lifeblood poured out on the muddy earth, their pained neighs fading fast. But while her heart broke to see the animals die this way, her attention was occupied with what lay just beyond. A great door, that seemed to be made of woven wood fibers, about six paces wide. And twice the height of the warforged. Near the tops of the door, were brackets that held torches, next to a small landing with an opening just shorter than Rosa herself. The door itself seem to be set into dark granite, and not earth. In fact, as she turned around, the walls and ceiling were all rock, and only the steep slide was made of mud. As she turned, she then saw Doxx, who balancing on two feet slid down and stopped just short of the group’s pile as they slowly stood up to look around. “Where are we?” Rosa asked herself aloud. “Underground, by at least a hundred feet,” Bookshelf said calmly, pulling out their driftglobe and setting it alight. Rosa turned with a grimace, “Underground. Never would have guessed.” “The depth is more interesting,” The Blade said pulling out an arrow and nocking it. “This is a bit of construction, and it isn’t completely natural; it was carved somehow.” “The little things did this?” Mobad said shaking his head, and helping Adrissa to stand, while he looked around for his great axe. “They really small.” “That could mean there are a lot of them. Or there are other bigger ones.” Sage said, refastening his armblade onto his right hand. “My dad said that the hills had a lot of caves,” Adrissa said in awe as she looked around. “ One of them was supposedly equipped as a shelter during the war, in case it came up here. I saw the entrance once, but I was told there was a door and it was locked. Never did find out where my dad hid that key, and I never entered it.” “Fear like that is to keep you safe dear,” Doxx said sweetly smiling. “I wasn’t afraid,” Adrissa said glaring at the old woman. “There isn’t much point in going someplace if you can’t open it. Besides,” and she turned away from Doxx, “I was busy hunting.” She then saw the dying horses on the ground and said sadly, “I guess they saved us.” Rosa nodded and stepped up to the barrier that the horses had collided into. It appeared to be a series of larger thorns, that wasn’t just set in the ground, but had seemingly grown from it. Its wood was a dark, almost black color, and it twisted and coiled around like ivy around an invisible column on its side. It reminded her of tales that she had heard other druids tell, and she muttered aloud, “It’s like something out of the Gloaming…” “What’s ‘the Gloaming’ ?” asked The Blade, unfamiliar with the term. “It’s an area deep in the Eldeen Forest,” Rosa replied. “It’s a manifest zone with Mabar, and dark things grow and die there. One of the sects consider it sacred ground. But I’ve never been there. Just heard stories.” “Well citizens,” The Blade said. “We are about to become stories, if those things open that door, and charge at us.” “How do we open it?” Bookshelf asked looking it over. “We could boost Rosa into those openings above, and she could—” “I am not going to—” Rosa started. “You’re right. We will send Ms. Tannoch instead—” “You are not sending a little girl—” Doxx said angrily, wagging a finger at the masked elf. “I can do it,” Adrissa said ignoring the old woman. “You really should ask first Blade…sorry [B][I]The[/I][/B] Blade. That is awkward to say you realize?” Sage commented. “It would be faster so the girl can find her dead parents,” Bookshelf said, earning him a cold glare from Adrissa. As they were talking, Mobad moved over to the door and hand his hand over the thick weave. Frowning, he stuck part of his axe into the fibers, and then he pushed straight against the door, and to his surprise, it pushed open. “Hey. It not barred.” He grunted, and the others went silent. After pushing a moment, he made an opening wide enough for all of them to pass, and he stepped forward. What he found was a tunnel. It seemed to be partially a natural cavern, but the floor and some of the walls showed signs of being worked. On the opposite wall, a hallway extended deeper and curved to the left, and on the walls, about halfling height, were lit torches. But the room itself was full of strange objects. Mobad took no interest in them and moved to the hallway and peered down it. Bookshelf moved to one of the objects and tilted their head in curiosity. They were in the shape of a cylinder, with three or four bands of tough ridged wood or hardened fibers while about five or six poles were set lengthwise. Each of the poles was pierced with holes throughout the length and at different angles. Looking around they saw on the walls were pegs on which hung coils of rough twine. Most of the objects were as tall as person, but there were others smaller, and others that were much larger. “These look familiar,” Bookshelf said simply. “Looks like barrels missing their staves on the sides,” Doxx said scrunching up their face. Bookshelf nodded a second and then straightened up. “No…not barrels. They remind me of gibbets “ “What's a gibbet?” Adrissa asked confused. “A cage,” Rosa said quietly. “For…what?” Adrissa pressed confused. Rosa swallowed. “People.” [HR][/HR] I remember falling, twisting and sliding with Wy and the rest of the Blademarks. I saw earth give way to rock as we tumbled down together. I finally rolled onto my shield, and laid on it, and used it to ride down the muddy slide. My other hand was busy wiping away the mud that kept spraying into my eyes as I tried to see ahead. The tunnel twisted and spun us downwards, until I finally saw it open up into a chamber ahead. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when I heard Gossamer in my head. [I]--There’s a row of sharp stuff ahead of you Myr![/I] “Spikes ahead, brace your—” I started to shout, when I slammed into the barricade, and I hit my head on some of the hard wood and everything faded away. I could then feel the pounding in my head, and a sharp pain in my right side. My body felt broken and beaten as I took shallow, painful, breathes. I wanted to rub my head and make the pain settle down, when I realized I couldn’t move. I opened my eyes and I saw rock, and just on the periphery of my vision, I saw slats. I was on my back staring upwards. I tried to lift my head, but I found that it was bound to what felt like a pair of poles, with rope or something around my forehead and another piece around my throat. My arms and legs seemed to be similarly bound around the ankles wrists, elbows and knees, but since I couldn’t move my head I couldn’t see. I lay there, and decided I needed another perspective. [I]Goss you there? --Yes! I’m hiding right now. Can you see me? --Yes I can. Ok look around me a bit.[/I] I then in my mind pulled a small light strand from my eyes and cast it out to where Gossamer was, and I stared at my predicament. I was naked lying down in a wooden cage of sorts, my limbs and head were bound fast against the ribs of wood that ran length wise. I could see I was bruised and I had several puncture wounds. Next to me I saw Wy, bound much the same in a different cage. But off the others I saw no sign. Nearby, out of reach I saw a pair of baskets, where Wy’s and my things seemed to be stashed. And of course, we weren’t alone. In the room I saw about ten short humanoid looking things. I could smell a damp moldy smell coming from them, and they had a pallor between grey and blue. Half of them had spears and shields, while the others had bows. They said nothing, and their gray green eyes stared at myself and Wy, but none of them looked at Gossamer, who appeared to be hiding on a ramp that led into the room, while a passage led elsewhere, and a large door made of thick fibers was closed nearby. I also saw a number of the cages of different sizes scattered in the room. I sighed, and continued to talk to Gossamer. [I]Where are the others?[/I] -[I]-Um…another one they put into a cage and carried him off. The other three…they didn’t make it[/I] “Wy? You awake?” I said quietly. “Myr you’re here? Thank the sovereigns!” I heard the man said relieved. Our captors didn’t move or say anything in response to our talking. “Are you hurt?” “I’ve felt better…but like you I can’t move. At least one other person was in a cage, and the rest…might not have made it. I’m…I’m sorry Wy.” I said choking back a tear. “I know…I could barely see them as they carried off Tiggart in a cage. The rest…damn these things! I wanted to console him better; with an embrace or something. But I could barely nod in agreement. “I’ll say a prayer for their souls, but I want to know what these things are, and what they want.” “I have no---wait; some are coming.” I cast my strand out again to Gossamer, and looked. I saw about another dozen enter the room, carrying long, thick poles. Six of them approached each of the cages, and threaded the rods through the cages framework, and then they lifted us. They slowly carried our cages towards the hallway. [I]--I don’t think I can follow you safely. Its ok…I’m going to hide you.[/I] And I pulled the strand with Gossamer attached to it, until the familiar was then a ball of light next the bundle of strands within me. “Where are they taken us?” I asked Wyn. “I don’t know…but I expect questions; they could have killed us.” “I guess, but I saw there were a number of other cages laying here. Seems they ask a lot of them.” “You don’t sound confident about that Myr.” “The last time I saw a cage like this…it wasn’t a great day for the person inside.” [HR][/HR] “You aren’t serious,” Doxx said. “Why would these things need cages?” “They use cages like this in Graywall,” Mobad snorted. “Usually, to let stupid folk die in.” “We should move on before—” and the The Blade cut himself off and pointed towards the hallway. Down the dark passage was visible a flickering light, moving down the hall. The elf quickly moved to the edge of the room and peered around the corner down the passage. There he spotted a pair of the little creatures. One carried a torch, and the second carried a small bundle. As they made their way down the hall, the first one pulled a sputtering torch off the wall, and dropped it to the ground. They then took another from their partner, and stuck it into the sconce, and lit the new one. Then they moved on down to the next one in line. The Blade pulled back the arrow nocked on the string and waited. The pair moved closer one torch at a time. He then heard a soft noise, and realized that the girl was next to him, with dagger and axe at the ready. He looked down and made a soft hiss, grabbing her attention, as he shook his head. He then turned to look at the pair down the hall and held his breath. The pair had halted their journey between two scones, and were looking straight at The Blade. They stared at the elf with two unblinking luminous pools of blue. The Blade pulled on his bowstring and was ready to loose an arrow, when the pair moved again. They moved to the last sconce on the wall, replaced the torch, lit it and then turned away. They slowly moved back down the passage, unhurried and unconcerned. "What in the?" Adrissa asked aloud in a whisper. “What are you two doing?” Rosa hissed, flattening themselves against the wall. “I was about to shoot the pair…but they saw me.” The Blade said confused. “And you forgot how to shoot?” Doxx exclaimed. “No! They…well…Didn’t care,” The Blade finished. “This reminds me of something they said about Warforged Titans,” Sage said. “These aren’t titans,” Bookshelf pointed out. “No. But Titans only follow orders they are given.” Sage replied. “So…they are stupid, and not the Blade?” Doxx said annoyed. “I don’t follow that.” The Blade commented. “But we might be able to walk out of here then. Let’s move.” The group then started down the newly lit hall. As the travelled, they noticed that the floor was littered with stubs of torches against the walls, and a fine layer of ash covered everything. “Not much for house cleaning,” Rosa said. “This isn’t exactly a house,” Bookshelf noted. “Keep moving,” Doxx retorted. “I want to get out of here.” “More light ahead…I think it opens into a room,” Adrissa said grimly. The band moved forward, and entered a large chamber, which was half natural and half worked. Larger braziers lit the room from the corners, but even their light did little to brighten it up. As their eyes grew accustomed to the dim light, they saw more of the small humanoids. There were four of them, each with a large wooden pole standing by a pit. The four pits each held a concoction of fluid, with a reddish crusty substance. The four, used their poles and stirred the liquid methodically and patiently. Across the room was another wickerlike door that closed off the room. The four didn’t look up from their work, and continued their care of the organic stew, when Adrissa said, “What are they? And what are they doing?” “I…might know, but I’ll need a closer look to be sure dear,” Rosa said quietly and with a note of concern on her voice. “What? An introduction? This isn’t a social gathering,” The Blade pointed out. “A corpse might be a better choice here,” Rosa said patiently. “A…oh. That does make more sense. I like your thinking,” The Blade said with a small smile. “One small problem,” Sage said. “What’s that?” replied the Blade. “They stopped stirring,” the Warforged finished. The creatures had indeed stopped, and they looked at the group with unblinking pools. They said nothing, but nor did they turn to run, or move at all. They stood quietly watching and waiting. [I]Thump, thump, thump.[/I] One of them started to lift and pound his pole deep into the pit in front of him slowly and rhythmically. Then the second start to do the same, followed by the other pair. Now all four pounded their poles together in unison in the same slow pace. Then the pools began to move and churn. Froth began to form as the contents of the pit splashed over the edge of the pit. Suddenly a hand burst forth from the pit closest to them. The wet slick hand was the same color as the little creatures stirring them. The hand grasped the side of the pit, and a massive form started to lift itself from the liquid. It looks similar to the smaller ones stirring, but It was easily the size of an ogre. As it pulled itself upright, more hands burst forth from the other pits, and three more humanoids began to pull themselves free of the russet colored muck, and they all turned to look at the stalwart band. “Correction. Four large problems,” Sage said grimly as he prepared for battle. [B]Session notes:[/B] I seem to remember a Prince Bride comment here, about the Pits of Despair. And a joke about how mounts never seem to survive many adventures. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
Top