eight_mages

In the courtyard behind the refectory, Grignr sat against one of the sun-warm walkway columns and leaned his solid bulk against the wide, worn wooden stairs. Muscles rolled under his shoulders as he worked, and the scrape of whetstone against the graceful curve of his greataxe was the only sound in the sandy courtyard.

Behind him, in the sprawl of the Chapter House, daily business continued. Asphodel was saving lives somewhere. Declan was causing trouble who-knows-where. Francois was... the wolf could be anywhere.

Grignr scowled, and sneezed. The stink of the city crowded in. He redoubled his efforts with the stone, as if its rasp could drown out the noise of people and commerce that seemed louder every day that he stayed. A rumbly voice interrupted him.

( Smells like the steppes, no? )

Our heroes mounted their horses in the yard. They left the farmhouse in the midafternoon light, garden-soil still clinging to their hands and knees. Each dwelled in his or her own thoughts, puzzling through the news and events and artifacts that they carried, but all of them shared one image: the twin mounds of earth that lay newly-planted beside the copious, overgrown kitchen garden.

They followed the main road due North, walking easily, meeting no resistance or impediment, until they reached a small wayside tavern that served the infrequent custom of the road.

Saving queries and conversation for the morning, they avoided the taverners desultory questions. They made meals of the colorless stew -- though Francois took his supper out-of-doors -- and drifted upstairs, quietly. They took to the thin pallets and uneven mattress-ticking without complaint.

They were fully asleep by nightfall. And then each of the five travellers ( had the same dream )

[rest and recuperation for all in the ruined tower room; broaching the cask, and a taste of Mareval Amber]

[the gravelled parapet, and beneath a cover of wood branches, a circular green metal table; the black book catches fire in the sunlight, charring and writhing strangely, its pages charring to crumbling ash]

[shared tales, and much talk with Bastian Pelors: a fountain in Mareval, and a wizard's marsh-map and a quest to the Promontory to find... what, exactly? Bastian can't remember; a lingering imperative: three friends in peril; the need to rest]

[descent through the silent tower, kobold and orc bodies piled and stiff; beneath the blacksmith's shop, descent into the dungeons; an arched entryway, dank smells of death; runemarks over the arches that divide rooms; Asphodel maps the way, relieved that the marks are consistent room to room]

[dark distances and many open doors; rooms full of shadows, flickering by the light of found torches; a torture chamber, and a lingering kobold for killing; a corridor of oak-and-iron-doored cells; collapsed (or battered?) walls between two; locked doors expertly handled by Declan]

[in three cells, three skeletons, still shackled to the walls: a human fighter named Mirian, a gnome illusionist named Carlian, a dwarven fighter named Min; Bastian's companions, killed in that order, about 6 months apart; how long was Bastian kept here? he is consumed by grief and implacable; Asphodel and Grignr are thoughtful; what happened, for so long? the decision is made: the adventurers will journey North to the Pelor Chapter House in Roduvai, and return to the dungeon later, with reinforcements]

[ascent to cleansing daylight, and a journey south to Ygor's for rest; Ygor's clothes fit Bastian well enough; he gifts Bastian with those, and with a Great Mace of his own design; then he visits Barkshead for other supplies; Cleo meanwhile keeps the adventurers -- particularly Grignr -- entertained with stories of her ninja exploits]

[the adventuerers depart with glad hearts, and wary news that Declan's father has stepped up the security of his shop; everyone decides to go on to Roduvai]

[detour to the Farmhouse for unfinished business... following Francois' interest and tail-swashing, Asphodel searches the garden; discovers a skeleton of a human stretched across the middle of the strange, broad-leafed ground-cover; the skeleton's hand clutches a silk bag with a familiar six-pointed leaf design]

[in the barn, the zombie kobold paces restlessly; Bastian rubs his hands, breathing on them like a dead-lift strongman before a heft, and then blasts the zombie into pieces; the barn is briefly searched, revealing the zombie's silver collar and the skeletons of many dead cattle; the barn is burned]

[a careful search of the house reveals more details; butter-churns stacked in the common room; clothes and blankets in the stores, and bottles of beer and cleaning oils; in the bedroom, an ebony-handled dagger is removed from the skeleton's chest; the dagger's blade etched in chased curlicue designs; Grignr carefully carries the skeleton downstairs to the yard]

[outside again, the adventurers dig graves and for the skeletons. they depart before nightfall]

After the battle at the chasm, our fearless foursome caught their breaths and surveyed the expanse of sand and rock between their melee and the tower. The rising sun was just beginning to limn the edges of the cliff's edge and the four-walled gray stone structure above it. By dawn light the tower seemed almost benign.

MORNING

Asphodel needed to spend a quiet hour of meditation in order to regain her strength for the coming challenges. Francois lay down beside her, snout resting on his forepaws watchfully, and Grignr took the opportunity to instruct Declan on the proper use of his borrowed short sword. The two circled, feinted and struck at each other, wearing a broad circle in the sandy ground. Once or twice, Grignr let Declan scratch his arm.

By the time the sun had crested the cliffside, Asphodel's balance was restored and the adventurers were ready to proceed.

( They walked steadily but warily, )

to be continued...

Declan, a young locksmith's apprentice, burst into Mortise's Tavern and announced to the company, "The blacksmith's daughter Clio has gone missing! It's been all morning already... she's only six years old, she'll never last through the night! Who'll help me look for her??"

There was a stir, and a murmer of interest, and then most of the assembled company turned back to their food. Except three hardy souls:

Asphodel, gnome druid and her companion wolf, Francois
Grignr, half-orc barbarian
Nathaniel, halfling illusionist

THE HAUNTED FARMHOUSE

( Responding to Declan's summons, )

Fin - for now.