BrokenShade/ChapterNine
Krod and Archer spent a fairly uneventful day and night in the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile's keep. It was slightly creepy though, with strange chills and torches that gave off a pale light that emphasised the darkness rather than removed it.
Early the following evening, the Maiden returned with two figures in articulated plate mail. On inspection their armour was found to be made of all five magical materials. There was not much time for inspection however - it was time to strike! Seven large crates of arrows were provided for Archer, carried to the battle by zombie troops.
As the group moved towards the edge of the black chase, more and more zombies joined them. The zombies who joined the front ranks all shambled and mumbled as they walked; but those who joined the rear ranks had intelligence glinting in their eyes, and Krod and Archer had the distinct impression that ghosts were flittering past them as they walked.
In the mean time Shada, still a mortal, was travelling blissfully towards lookshy when she walked right into a Realm army advancing Eastward. To silence her (and because she looked capable with the hook sword and shield she carried, family heirlooms) she was conscripted. She spent days marching across dismal swamps, camping at night without light so as not to give away the position of the Peleps legions.
Reaching the silent, dark camp, the Maiden signalled a halt, then sent out her ghosts to wake and alarm the legions. The Seventeenth moved forward, 2500 strong, only to be mown down in seconds by Archer and the Maiden as lightning struck from cloudless skies. In the hushed silence that followed, 20 Dragon Blooded advanced followed by the Nineteenth Legion. Again, lightning struck, and in moments many of the Nineteenth had fallen to the earth. One however parried the arrow effortlessly, and a huge golden Maple Tree swayed in the nonexistent wind as golden light spread to all four horizons! Shada had exalted!
As the Maiden moved forward, the dead rose again ... and the Twentyfirst Legion were surrounded and killed to a man. The DragonBlooded were left to combat the Anathema, and did a fairly good job of it, only losing three of their number before the circle fled. The appearance of a mouse-man, rising up to take a blow intended for Krod, saved him from going down as Shada's blade was deflected into him at the last.
Fleeing the scene, the mouse creature introduced himself as Riftdancer. This time he had brought cheese - which he shared out in the morning, after a few hours rest. He explained part of the Maiden's plan (to extend the Black Chase westwards by decimating the three legions, raising the troops as zombies, and anchoring the hungry ghosts in the area) and questioned the circle's motives.
With the disappearance of the Maiden, the circle resumed their goal of preventing the summoning of Ligier, and circled the Black Chase on the east. A week later, they arrived at the demon lands, a bleak landscape of black brass, stone and (in the distance) magma.
Forward they pressed, with Riftdancer and Shada blending in to the stark shadows and Archer using his everyman armour to masquerade as a vitriol elemental without a tongue. This worked admirably, passing the group through a huge gate of black brass into the immense inner circle. Here the ground turned to brass, and Decanthropes played their mournful tunes as huge jade wasps buzzed in cadence overhead.
Onward and onward, until the brass itself began to crack beneath their feet at the proximity to what lay ahead. Then down into a canyon, where Riftdancer pointed at a smaller black brass door in the side of the rock face. Four creatures in articulated plate stood silent guard.
Archer hatched a plan. Throwing his captive (Krod) to the ground, he lifted him up and tossed him at one of the guards, just as Riftdancer distracted them by opening the door a crack, unnoticed. As Krod spun forward, his daiklave whipped out and slashed at the closest guard while arrows arched forwards.
The battle did not last long. The creatures however, although exceptionally tough, were not wearing armour at all - it was a chitinous sheath, and pincers reached out from the carapace to rend and tear. Riftdancer was grappled and enclosed by one of the creatures, freed as Krod cut it into tiny pieces.
The black gate beckoned, as heat issued forth from inside in waves ...
10 XP Each
- Back to BrokenShade/InvisibleFortress
- On to BrokenShade/ChapterTen
