2011-11-10
Part of the Story So Far, this is an excerpt from the writings of Izzard the Psion.
"…having stripped their flattened opponent of his gear and distributed it amongst themselves, our intrepid band made their way back up through the ruined buildings to the base of the ladder used to gain access to the roof top. Ignoring the hole we had taken the ladder from we made our way across the ramp to the next building. Creeping through the corridor we discovered a gaping hole in the wall and a temple of sorts in the center of the building with an open ceiling supported by columns.
Immediately wary of the rather grotesque statue standing atop the altar, we stood just outside the doorway while Keldren explored the tunnel further, finding that it ended in a small alcove with a ladder leading up to what we surmised was the roof. Keldren carefully removed the ladder from its resting place and brought it back to us, a move that turned out to have no extra advantage as our foes turned out to have more flexibility than anticipated in entering the building…
Once Keldren returned and let us know what had happened, Tyrus took it upon himself to step into the room, expecting Troglodytes to come slithering out of the walls at any moment. As the scrabbling coming from the roof became louder he began to think Troglodytes might be a relief.
It was at that moment that the Gargoyle came screeching in the hole in the outer wall of the building, landing right next to Paz.
Brannock Genji was quick to react, charging the stony monstrosity with his axe in hand, landing a powerful blow which sent sparks flying as it screamed into his face. The monster swung at him with wickedly sharp claws but they skittered off the surface of his armour harmlessly.
Meanwhile, Keldren stood behind a pillar, a silver-tipped arrow drawn back tight against his ear as he dared the statue on the altar to reveal itself to be another monster as he feared. His wish was granted when a trio of glowing celestial fire beetles appeared around it – a staple of Tyrus’ strategies – and began viciously gnawing at the figure. Sure enough it flinched back from their bites, and Keldren’s ready arrow found the hard grey flesh faster than conscious thought, shearing its horn off cleanly, dark ooze pumping from the wound.
A blast of red light and an unearthly wail from the corridor told Sero Flek that Paz had landed a powerful hit on the beast locked in battle with Brannock Genji as he moved into position near the closer foe, drawing on arcane powers to quicken his reflexes. No sooner had Tyrus smashed his mace into the side of the creature then he stabbed his rapier at its tough hide, noticing Paz back into the room, eldritch fire streaming out the door from her fingers and hearing what surely must be the death-throes of Brannock Genjis dancing partner. He swore under his breath as he felt his rapier almost bounce off it’s flesh.
Despite having been almost encircled by foes, the twisted features of the Gargoyle leered as it charged out of the crowd of opponents, making a bee-line for Paz and raking at her with it’s talons, needle-sharp teeth gnashing bare inches from her face. Too late her companions realized their mistake and charged after it to encircle it again, this time directly interposing between the beast and their caster, Brannock Genji charging in from the corridor to menace the creature with his axe. Realizing that another body to block its way would be more useful than the steel of his rapier, Sero Flek summoned another beetle, twin to any one of those Tyrus commanded, and noted with satisfaction the flash of holy light as it clamped it’s mandibles around the limb of his towering foe.
Paz scrambled around the nearest pillar and hustled towards the centre of the room, magical missiles flying from her outstretched fingertips to strike with uncanny accuracy, the arcane energy sinking into the Gargoyle’s flesh and making it scream in frustration. It glared balefully at her and tried to charge straight through Sero Flek, but he held his ground, pushing back with all his might to keep it where it was. It bellowed it’s frustration as more magic projectiles flew, Brannock Genjis axe carving a deep gouge into its flesh and Tyrus’ mace caving in its side… finally it fell under the flurry of blows, pumping ichor and twitching feebly. Tyrus rushed to tend to his companions, channelling the holy power of Nephe to invigorate them, in Paz’ case wounds visibly closing where the stony claws had slashed at her face.
Examining the corpses, Keldren found a simple key and pocketed it, before moving to examine the altar. Finding nothing else of interest, the companions moved to the walkway spanning the gap to what appeared to be the final building in the atrium. They noted with some interest that a door filled the arch of the entry to this tower, and Keldren made short work of opening it softly and quietly. He gestured for Brannock Genji to join him and peer into the darkness while the rest of the group waited next to the door, and suddenly both the dwarf and half-elf turned with wide grins to beckon their party members forward, slipping into the darkness.
If asked at that moment, any one of them would have happily agreed that it had been worthwhile as they gazed hungrily at a heap of coins, weapons and objects d’art. They wasted no time distributing the load amongst themselves and hauling it back to the portcullis, which Brannock Genji held aloft while until the last moment, letting it crash to the ground again as he stepped back through.
They returned to the market unmolested, and went about the process of selling what they had no use for. There were some mutters when Tyrus gave a statuette of Ith to one of his fellow priests at the Temple of Fortune for 500 golden pieces less than they had been offered by a merchant, but all quickly agreed that without her intercession they may well have not survived their time together. Keldren chuckled and muttered into a glass teardrop as they left the temple, drawing odd stares from a couple of passers by…"
