Into the (Not Silver Tower) Depths, Narratively

(Note: Yolig is here represented by a slightly smaller miniature. It can be assumed that he is ducking, on account of the low ceiling in the tunnels that they are exploring. The tunnels that i must assure you are not Silver Tower)

 

To be honest, Yolig wasn't sure why they were helping the dwarf. But he did know what the song of the stones told him and the stones were telling him that this was the right way to go. They liked it better when he was deep under the ground anyhow. His tiny wizard friend seemed less happy, especially after he broke down a loose brick wall and found what lay beyond.

 

 

 

Strangley carved and brightly lit metallic corridors confronted them. Some strange creatures also confronted them, a bit more directly than the walls did. The walls didn't have swords, after all. The bird man let out a hideous shriek on seeing the companions, and charged. He didn't account for Yolig's fist. Telek, not wanting to leave Yolig fighting alone, chanted a few words, and the humans began to scratch themselves furiously. It was... not quite what she intended to do, but it seemed to help.

 

The oddly garbed humans babbled something about "the golden orb" before Yolig smashed them into paste. Telek filed it under "probably important, and probably bad". Yolig filed it under "gold is shiny." They ventured on.

They next found a much more cozy cave, at least in Yolig's opinion. The stones sang well here, and they seemed to be telling him that a cure for the dwarf was not far away. Sadly, the spiderlike grots who lived there couldn't seem to hear the song, and they poked tiny sticks at Yolig in no uncertain terms.

They regretted doing this, briefly.

There was another large door leading out of the cavern, back into the strange, sharp edged tunnels. Three of the vicious birdmen waited here, along with more of the spidery warriors. The birdmen were stirring a cauldron, and filling bottles with the glowing liquid, but they quickly raised their weapons and squawked out something about the sacred sun, before moving to attack.

The fight that followed was one of the most savage that Yolig had been in. The birdmen were fast and clever, and one of them swooped under his arm as he brought up his trusty rock, and slashed him badly. It might have gone badly for him if Telek hadn't managed to pull off the itching spell again, causing her to stare at her own hands and shake her head. Yolig wasn't sure why, the spell seemed to be a blessing from the stones.

 In the end, they triumphed. Telek stepped over the prone bodies and picked up one of the full bottles, holding it as far from her body as she could. This seemed to be what the stones were telling him would cure the dwarf, but there was only one way to tell. Yolig picked up another bottle, and before Telek could stop him, he smashed it over the unconscious dwarf's head.

(To be Continued)

Narrative Time: Into the Basements of Destiny

 A record of the Journey of Yolig and friends into the basements of the Ruined City, and the wonders they found therein:

The furious dwarf revealed himself as the sole surviving inhabitant of the ruined city. In his fury at the beasts of the mad god who had destroyed his home, he had thought them to be more of the god's servants. After the brave Yolig explained "No, we the good ones," his rage calmed, and after some discussion, he agreed to help our heroes on their quest. It seemed that the dwarf knew of the gates to the heavens that they sought, and that the secret lay in the catacombs from which he had emerged.

 Boldly forth did the adventurers go, into the haunted depths. And haunted they truly were. By ghosts. That being how hauntings usually work.

Their journey quickly became perilous as shrieking phantoms descended from every dark corner of the ruins, bent on havoc. Telek proved that her newfound magical talents would not go to waste, as she cast a spell to make the bodies of the ghosts itch most furiously (which enraged the spirits further, as they did not have bodies, and should not have been able to itch). Yolig and the dwarf made short work of the confused and distracted ghosts.

There were other more powerful spirits in the depths, however. The largest of the rode a bone steed, and the dwarf knew it well, for it was the beast that had slain his companions and stolen the secret. Without waiting for his new companions, he charged,

This proved to be foolish, and while brave Yolig and also mostly brave Telek were bound in battle with other phantoms, the dwarf was felled.

Yolig was not pleased, and with a roar he dispatched his foe, and turned to the ghostly rider. The dwarf had managed to wound the creature before falling, and Yolig brought his well trusted stone over its skeletal frame, and smashed it into the ground. The catacombs grew still.

Telek approached the dwarf, and found that he still breathed, though his wounds were sore indeed. Of the secret, there was nothing to be found. It seemed that the heroes had gained nothing from their adventure, and lost much, but Yolig with his keen eye spotted a grate, leading further down. Carrying the dwarf with them, with the hope of healing him, the pair ventured further into the depths, into the sub basement of destiny.

(Hey, if gw can write in a faux epic style, so can i!)