…continues from Book #01, Chapter #02, Scene #03

Synopsis

The 12th Day of Ches in the Year of the Sudden Journey
While Kireth studies, Celestia looks for enlightenment at the temple, and Zero entrenches himself in the inn, Khalin and Tradden have agreed to assist one of the villagers, the elf smith Caldring, in looking for iron ore in the swamps to the southeast bey ond the lake.

The group headed into the marshes where Caldring spotted an iron cartwheel. As she tried to pull it out she fell into the swamp with a splash, but resurfaced with skeletons not far behind!

The group managed to despatch the skeletons, but not without Caldring using her runic magic, causing a mist to descend on the group. When the mist finally cleared Caldring was nowhere to be seen. But then her shouts were heard some way off in the swamp and when Tradden and Khalin arrived, she was being attacked by ghoulish figures.

With great difficulty the ghouls were vanquished, but Caldring fared badly, being knocked unconscious. Tradden and Khalin now look for some nearby shelter to get the elf warm and let her recover.

Cast List

Scene Length

This scene starts on Friday 26 November 2010 and is expected to be completed by the end of Monday 29 November 2010.

Players are expected to be able to post at least once a day.

The pair walked slowly through the marshes, the dwarf going first testing out the ground every now and again in front of him with the haft of his hammer, skirting around pools and any ground he was unsure of. Tradden followed behind closely, starting to tire with the weight of the limp elf over his shoulder.

‘At least the rain is starting to ease, Khalin,’ muttered Tradden.

‘Aye, m’lad. It’ll be dawn soon, too,’ replied the dwarf. ‘We’ll be able to see more clearly then, and we’ll find somewhere to get warm, you’ll see.’

Then, out of the gloom Khalin spotted a slight rise in the marsh, a small mound rising up out of the pools.

‘There might be something up ahead, lad,’ whispered the dwarf. ‘Let’s be careful now.’

Tradden carefully laid Caldring down by the side of an old blackened tree stump and joined Khalin’s side, drawing his swords as he did so. Khalin hefted his warhammer, and the pair slowly advanced towards the mound.

As they approached they could see more details on the mound. It was a grassy rise, but surrounded by a ring of stones. Facing towards them was a dip leading into the mound, covered by a roughly hewn stone slab.

They listened for a little while near the slab, but couldn’t hear anything. Grabbing hold of one side they rolled the slab back to reveal an entrance leading down into darkness. Khalin peered down, his eyes keener than Tradden’s in the dark.

He sniffed the air and then whispered back to Tradden. ‘Smells a bit funny , but at least it’s warm and dry down there compared to up here. Not sure I’d want to spend too long down there, though.’

With a nod from Tradden the dwarf slowly edged down the slope and into the mound, carefully looking about him as he went, trying to tread as softly as he could.

After some moments in the darkness, Khalin clambered back up.

‘Well, it’s dry and safe for now. Not sure what that smell is, but we’ll just have to live with it. Pass me a torch and I’ll get the place lit — you go and get the elf.’

Tradden did as he was asked, and when he returned with Caldring he ventured down into the mound and looked about in the torchlight.

The mound led down into a central corridor which seemed to be carved out of the peat from the bog, with three chambers leading off from it — one to the left, one to the right, and one at the end of the corridor.

The chamber to the left was fairly small and apparently unused, some of the peat walls scuffed and scattered on the uneven floor.

The one to the right was larger and contained a great stone trough with a foul smelling liquid or goo within it; a couple of old tin bowls or plates nestled at the bottom.

The final chamber was also large and looked as though it had been recently used, with straw and matted reeds on the floor. Tradden set Caldring down upon one of them and started to check her injuries — binding what he could and cleaning out cuts.

As Tradden dozed off, Khalin kept a watch on the entrance, chuckling to himself at the youngster’s lack of stamina.

But, within a few minutes of the young fighter dozing off, Khalin found himself succumbing to a deep slumber…

Something approached quietly from out of the darkness…