- Posting Speed
- Speed of Light
- Writing Levels
- Douche
- Preferred Character Gender
- No Preferences
With distractions from Mallow and Garrick, the killing blow had been made. The Bugbear crashed down, inches from Jace, and Darius placed his foot on its chest. His hammer was ready to strike if the beast stirred again. But the only sound was laughter. He saw the monster's throat, torn open by the Cleric's blade.
It was over.
He gripped Jace's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Your god smiles on us." They turned together, in time to catch Mallow as he passed out. The Dwarf was bleeding and exhausted. And as he fell, they heard the chattering in the other halls. The goblins in the feeding rooms had rallied, perhaps under the leadership of an Orc or Hobgoblin, and they were heading this way. Shadows loomed in the tunnels to the north and west and dogs were barking.
"Time to go!" Lindon shouted and vaulted the railing as the first spear sailed past him. He sprinted to the elevator and reloaded his crossbow. Behind him Jace and Darius, needing no further prompt, seized Mallow by the belt and dragged him swiftly to the platform. In his free hand, Jace took the Bugbear's shield, which was carved from exquisite, lightweight wood. [Darkwood Heavy Shield]
"Garrick, let's move!"
The halfling was fumbling with something on the Orc's body. [size=+1]"Easy now! I'm a-comin'!"[/size] He turned and held aloft a finely carved instrument which had been slung to the greenskin's back. [Masterwork Mandolin] Garrick grinned triumphantly, then swore as a second spear whistled past his ear. He leapt the railing, landing in a roll, and fetched up his javelin.
And as he made it to the elevator Darius tugged the fifth rope to signal the crew above. The platform shuddered, just as the room began flooding with soldiers. Faces leered, dogs howled and Ogres hurled rocks. Darius tugged the cord again. Better they deal with the crew above than the horde below. The lift accelerated and Darius dragged Mallow to the centre, shielding him from the projectiles.
"Get down!" Lindon pulled Garrick into cover then reached for Jace, to get his fellow cleric clear. But as his arm extended a javelin crossed the space between platform and cavern roof. The spearhead sliced his forearm and he recoiled, falling down with a cry. "Lindon!" Jace fell on top of his comrade, pinning him as the last javelins sailed overhead. They rose into darkness, and the goblin squawks faded.
[360XP each]
[size=+1]"Now this is my kinda feed!"[/size] Garrick yelled as they ascended. After Lindon shoved him he had landed against the single sack which the Bugbear left on the platform. It was spilling with coins. [94gp each]
"Everyone okay?" Darius asked while tearing bandages for Mallow.
"Lindon's out." Jace was checking Lindon. The arm wound was foetid, the veins around it turning black. "I think he's poisoned!"
"So much for your god," Darius muttered, a dark joke as the remaining three pulled together. Garrick readied his crossbow and javelin, while Jace and Darius brought up their shields. The sunlight was growing brighter as the elevator neared the surface. They could see the silhouettes of the lifting crew, peering down at them. "Jace, guard Lindon. I've got Mallow. Garrick, fire everything you have."
His heart ached. His pulse quickened. Darius could almost taste his wife's kisses, almost hear the voices of his children. If there was an army waiting up there, he would tear through it. If there was an ocean he would swim it. If he had to abandon the others...
The light struck their faces. They clenched their weapons. They drew in breath and bent their knees.
And... with a choral cry of shock... the lifting crew recoiled.
Darius found himself staring into a man's face - a man old and broken and perplexed. There were another two behind him, then a pair of women and a clutch of children, dressed alike in rags.
They were human.
And behind them was no ocean... only further walls... the canyon sides rising like mountains to touch the clouds.
The lift crew cowered, mothers clutching children, old men removing shawls and kneeling to grovel. Others simply stood, at the edge of the village nestled in the canyon, utterly confused by the sight before them.
"Be not afraid." Darius's hand went out to them, but his gaze was fixed on the cliffs. There was sadness in his eyes. His shoulders had sunk.
He would not be going home.
As he despaired his words sounded, unconsciously, to the villagers before him. "Our friend needs help..."
It was over.
He gripped Jace's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Your god smiles on us." They turned together, in time to catch Mallow as he passed out. The Dwarf was bleeding and exhausted. And as he fell, they heard the chattering in the other halls. The goblins in the feeding rooms had rallied, perhaps under the leadership of an Orc or Hobgoblin, and they were heading this way. Shadows loomed in the tunnels to the north and west and dogs were barking.
"Time to go!" Lindon shouted and vaulted the railing as the first spear sailed past him. He sprinted to the elevator and reloaded his crossbow. Behind him Jace and Darius, needing no further prompt, seized Mallow by the belt and dragged him swiftly to the platform. In his free hand, Jace took the Bugbear's shield, which was carved from exquisite, lightweight wood. [Darkwood Heavy Shield]
"Garrick, let's move!"
The halfling was fumbling with something on the Orc's body. [size=+1]"Easy now! I'm a-comin'!"[/size] He turned and held aloft a finely carved instrument which had been slung to the greenskin's back. [Masterwork Mandolin] Garrick grinned triumphantly, then swore as a second spear whistled past his ear. He leapt the railing, landing in a roll, and fetched up his javelin.
And as he made it to the elevator Darius tugged the fifth rope to signal the crew above. The platform shuddered, just as the room began flooding with soldiers. Faces leered, dogs howled and Ogres hurled rocks. Darius tugged the cord again. Better they deal with the crew above than the horde below. The lift accelerated and Darius dragged Mallow to the centre, shielding him from the projectiles.
"Get down!" Lindon pulled Garrick into cover then reached for Jace, to get his fellow cleric clear. But as his arm extended a javelin crossed the space between platform and cavern roof. The spearhead sliced his forearm and he recoiled, falling down with a cry. "Lindon!" Jace fell on top of his comrade, pinning him as the last javelins sailed overhead. They rose into darkness, and the goblin squawks faded.
[360XP each]
[size=+1]"Now this is my kinda feed!"[/size] Garrick yelled as they ascended. After Lindon shoved him he had landed against the single sack which the Bugbear left on the platform. It was spilling with coins. [94gp each]
"Everyone okay?" Darius asked while tearing bandages for Mallow.
"Lindon's out." Jace was checking Lindon. The arm wound was foetid, the veins around it turning black. "I think he's poisoned!"
"So much for your god," Darius muttered, a dark joke as the remaining three pulled together. Garrick readied his crossbow and javelin, while Jace and Darius brought up their shields. The sunlight was growing brighter as the elevator neared the surface. They could see the silhouettes of the lifting crew, peering down at them. "Jace, guard Lindon. I've got Mallow. Garrick, fire everything you have."
His heart ached. His pulse quickened. Darius could almost taste his wife's kisses, almost hear the voices of his children. If there was an army waiting up there, he would tear through it. If there was an ocean he would swim it. If he had to abandon the others...
The light struck their faces. They clenched their weapons. They drew in breath and bent their knees.
And... with a choral cry of shock... the lifting crew recoiled.
Darius found himself staring into a man's face - a man old and broken and perplexed. There were another two behind him, then a pair of women and a clutch of children, dressed alike in rags.
They were human.
And behind them was no ocean... only further walls... the canyon sides rising like mountains to touch the clouds.
The lift crew cowered, mothers clutching children, old men removing shawls and kneeling to grovel. Others simply stood, at the edge of the village nestled in the canyon, utterly confused by the sight before them.
"Be not afraid." Darius's hand went out to them, but his gaze was fixed on the cliffs. There was sadness in his eyes. His shoulders had sunk.
He would not be going home.
As he despaired his words sounded, unconsciously, to the villagers before him. "Our friend needs help..."
END OF LEVEL ONE