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To War Against Felenga (FINAL UPDATE POSTED!)
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1407777" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p><strong>The Tower of Test</strong></p><p></p><p>The cold hovers about our heroes like an omnipresent serpent. Ice is everywhere. Other than the group’s movements and hushed conversation there seems to be no noise anywhere.</p><p></p><p>The door makes a loud crack as it breaks free of ice that has frozen it lightly to the floor. The room revealed is shaped almost like a slice of pie, narrower toward the center of the tower and wider towards the circumference. The room itself is somewhat strange, for it appears to be full of pillars of iron. They stand in such thick profusion that it is difficult to see the opposite wall of the chamber. There seems to be almost no rhyme or reason to their placement; some are so close as to almost be touching, while others are far enough apart to allow passage.</p><p></p><p>“What the hell is this?” Horbin asks in exasperation.</p><p></p><p>Drelvin studies the room. “It looks like we could walk through.”</p><p></p><p>“This,” says Horbin, “has ‘trap’ written all over it in capital letters. In fact, I’m surprised my helm of subtitles isn’t showing it to me.” He frowns.</p><p></p><p>“Too bad we don’t have a rogue here,” Drelvin says wryly. “Where’s Malford when you need him?” A muffled voice comes from within his scabbard. Drelvin looks down and draws his sword with a smile. “What’s that, Shastruth?” he asks.</p><p></p><p>“I said, I might be able to trigger anything in there,” the sword says in a bright, cheery voice. </p><p></p><p>“Sure!” says Drelvin, and a <em>fireball</em> blasts into the chamber.* After the momentary roar and blast of heat- which feels quite welcome to our heroes- nothing has changed, save that much of the ice that enshrouded the room has vaporized or melted. </p><p></p><p>For a few moments more the party just kind of looks at the room; then, with a sigh, Drelvin leads the way, Shastruth out. The rest follow him gingerly, very carefully trying not to touch any of the pillars. It doesn’t really matter; as soon as Drelvin is halfway across, a pillar falls, seemingly of its own accord. And then, like dominoes, the rest start coming down. </p><p></p><p>The party springs, sprints, rushes and charges forward. A huge metal pillar smashes into Patyn and he grunts in pain; another <em>tangs</em> off of Angelfire’s back. Drelvin reaches the exit and hurls himself into the next pie-piece shaped room. The others fall, a little bloodied. </p><p></p><p>”Ow,” Horbin comments, rubbing his temple where he got clipped by a column. </p><p></p><p>This room seems empty, but another exit beckons. Boldly the group moves across to it; and there seems to be no consequence for moving across this room. The next room is nearly as unadorned as this last. However, a sliding metal panel of gleaming silver seems to be the only exit. The portal, strangely, is free of the pervasive frost within the city. Near the bottom is a handle, frozen to the floor in a block of solid ice. In fact, a bulge of ice, almost like a frozen wave, lies at the foot of the panel. </p><p></p><p>“If we can clear that ice, I can probably lift the panel,” Angelfire remarks.</p><p></p><p>“We can clear the ice!” Shastruth exclaims. “Stand back!” A moment later- our heroes having retreated a sufficient distance- a second <em>fireball</em> explodes, this one easily disposing of the ice in question. Angelfire moves up to the handle and grabs hold. It’s just big enough to grab with one hand and still hot to the touch- a sensation she can’t help but enjoy, both as a reminder that she’s no longer truly a creature of fire, and as a reminder that she once was. Her arms bunch as she tries to lift the door. To her surprise, it’s very resistant, but she redoubles her efforts and the thing slides silently upward and out of the way.</p><p></p><p>“Interesting,” Horbin muses. “Falling pillars and frozen doors. And what do we have next?”</p><p></p><p>“Weird,” comments Angelfire. </p><p></p><p>The next chamber has myriad spheres hanging from the ceiling, of both mundane and exotic colors, everything from mauve and chartreuse to red and white. They hang on copper chains, dangling anywhere from 3’ to 6’ below the twenty-foot ceiling. A faint hum is audible throughout the chamber.</p><p></p><p>“Hm,” Horbin says, looking in over Angel’s shoulder. “Looks like this demilich has a thing for circles.”</p><p></p><p>“Well, do we go in?” Drelvin asks.</p><p></p><p>“Why don’t I shoot another <em>fireball</em> in first?” Shastruth offers enthusiastically.</p><p></p><p>“No thanks, Shastruth, we might need it later. Besides, it seems that these rooms are a little more subtle than that.” Drelvin sheaths his powerful sword, a smile quirking his lips. They sure do seem to get along. </p><p></p><p>“Do you want to go in?” asks Horbin, looking at Drelvin. </p><p></p><p>The archer sighs. “This again,” he mutters. “I went first last time!”</p><p></p><p>Angelfire steps into the room. Drelvin and Horbin shut up and watch.</p><p></p><p>The hum rises in volume as Angel moves forward into the room. She retreats. As she does so, the volume of the hum decreases. </p><p></p><p>“Well,” she says, “that noise doesn’t feel good on me out there.” She smiles. “If we’re going, let’s be about it.”</p><p></p><p>“Of course we’re going!” Drelvin snorts. “We haven’t come all this way to turn back now!”**</p><p></p><p></p><p>*Shastruth, as of this update, was a ninth-level sorcerer sword.</p><p></p><p></p><p>**One might note that, were Lester there, his line would have been, “Of course we’re going! We’re adventurers!”</p><p></p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> The Tower of Test continues!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 1407777, member: 1210"] [b]The Tower of Test[/b] The cold hovers about our heroes like an omnipresent serpent. Ice is everywhere. Other than the group’s movements and hushed conversation there seems to be no noise anywhere. The door makes a loud crack as it breaks free of ice that has frozen it lightly to the floor. The room revealed is shaped almost like a slice of pie, narrower toward the center of the tower and wider towards the circumference. The room itself is somewhat strange, for it appears to be full of pillars of iron. They stand in such thick profusion that it is difficult to see the opposite wall of the chamber. There seems to be almost no rhyme or reason to their placement; some are so close as to almost be touching, while others are far enough apart to allow passage. “What the hell is this?” Horbin asks in exasperation. Drelvin studies the room. “It looks like we could walk through.” “This,” says Horbin, “has ‘trap’ written all over it in capital letters. In fact, I’m surprised my helm of subtitles isn’t showing it to me.” He frowns. “Too bad we don’t have a rogue here,” Drelvin says wryly. “Where’s Malford when you need him?” A muffled voice comes from within his scabbard. Drelvin looks down and draws his sword with a smile. “What’s that, Shastruth?” he asks. “I said, I might be able to trigger anything in there,” the sword says in a bright, cheery voice. “Sure!” says Drelvin, and a [i]fireball[/i] blasts into the chamber.* After the momentary roar and blast of heat- which feels quite welcome to our heroes- nothing has changed, save that much of the ice that enshrouded the room has vaporized or melted. For a few moments more the party just kind of looks at the room; then, with a sigh, Drelvin leads the way, Shastruth out. The rest follow him gingerly, very carefully trying not to touch any of the pillars. It doesn’t really matter; as soon as Drelvin is halfway across, a pillar falls, seemingly of its own accord. And then, like dominoes, the rest start coming down. The party springs, sprints, rushes and charges forward. A huge metal pillar smashes into Patyn and he grunts in pain; another [i]tangs[/i] off of Angelfire’s back. Drelvin reaches the exit and hurls himself into the next pie-piece shaped room. The others fall, a little bloodied. ”Ow,” Horbin comments, rubbing his temple where he got clipped by a column. This room seems empty, but another exit beckons. Boldly the group moves across to it; and there seems to be no consequence for moving across this room. The next room is nearly as unadorned as this last. However, a sliding metal panel of gleaming silver seems to be the only exit. The portal, strangely, is free of the pervasive frost within the city. Near the bottom is a handle, frozen to the floor in a block of solid ice. In fact, a bulge of ice, almost like a frozen wave, lies at the foot of the panel. “If we can clear that ice, I can probably lift the panel,” Angelfire remarks. “We can clear the ice!” Shastruth exclaims. “Stand back!” A moment later- our heroes having retreated a sufficient distance- a second [i]fireball[/i] explodes, this one easily disposing of the ice in question. Angelfire moves up to the handle and grabs hold. It’s just big enough to grab with one hand and still hot to the touch- a sensation she can’t help but enjoy, both as a reminder that she’s no longer truly a creature of fire, and as a reminder that she once was. Her arms bunch as she tries to lift the door. To her surprise, it’s very resistant, but she redoubles her efforts and the thing slides silently upward and out of the way. “Interesting,” Horbin muses. “Falling pillars and frozen doors. And what do we have next?” “Weird,” comments Angelfire. The next chamber has myriad spheres hanging from the ceiling, of both mundane and exotic colors, everything from mauve and chartreuse to red and white. They hang on copper chains, dangling anywhere from 3’ to 6’ below the twenty-foot ceiling. A faint hum is audible throughout the chamber. “Hm,” Horbin says, looking in over Angel’s shoulder. “Looks like this demilich has a thing for circles.” “Well, do we go in?” Drelvin asks. “Why don’t I shoot another [i]fireball[/i] in first?” Shastruth offers enthusiastically. “No thanks, Shastruth, we might need it later. Besides, it seems that these rooms are a little more subtle than that.” Drelvin sheaths his powerful sword, a smile quirking his lips. They sure do seem to get along. “Do you want to go in?” asks Horbin, looking at Drelvin. The archer sighs. “This again,” he mutters. “I went first last time!” Angelfire steps into the room. Drelvin and Horbin shut up and watch. The hum rises in volume as Angel moves forward into the room. She retreats. As she does so, the volume of the hum decreases. “Well,” she says, “that noise doesn’t feel good on me out there.” She smiles. “If we’re going, let’s be about it.” “Of course we’re going!” Drelvin snorts. “We haven’t come all this way to turn back now!”** *Shastruth, as of this update, was a ninth-level sorcerer sword. **One might note that, were Lester there, his line would have been, “Of course we’re going! We’re adventurers!” [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] The Tower of Test continues! [/QUOTE]
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