Hello
Mr Bones
7/15/10,121 - Kest-I-Mond's Tower
Girded for a fight the four quietly slip back down to the cellar with illumination from Tharla's fingertips.
As they approach the bone guardian's chamber the flickering green light from the sorcerous braziers goes out however when Illyra again edges across the rope bridge the performance of earlier is repeated.
Carrying out a more extensive search than earlier Molin realises that the iron grillage is not as first thought, the bars are obviously magical in nature as there is no visible lock & the bars themselves do not touch floor or ceiling but hover in midair,the bars themselves are to close together to allow even the thinnest of them to squeeze through.
Kilite & Tharla take a look at the silver veined obsidian panel within the arch, hoping that maybe the key to what they assume is some sort of door is the staff or sword from above; regretably no matter how much they poke, push or lay the items against the stone nothing happens. Exasperated they turn to the plinth on which the silver platter sits, with a glance at the waiting skeleton, hands on weapons, Tharla lifts the platter, silence. Fingertips are run across the plinths surface but nothing is uncovered, turning the plate over there is a delicate depiction of a rose on the underside.
Frustrated Molin turns again to the hovering bars & reaches forward a hand & touches their shimmering form, behind he hears the others gasp & draw weapons, spinning around he can see the skeletal figure has raised sword & shield as if to attack but then stopped as if waiting for something to happen.
Not wishing to face the boney guardian just yet they return to the tower above to discuss matters further. Resting in front of a roaring fire, with half an eye on the cellar steps, they conclude that the silver platter must be the key in some way. Yet again Kest-I-Mond's quarters are taken apart & an hour or so later a cry of exultation comes from Tharla as she withdraws a small glass box from behind a small panel within the frame of Kest-I-Mond's bed. Within the box is a beautifully wrought silver rose & a piece of torn parchment describing an amulet reportedly giving immortality. Shoving the parchment into her pack the four head below with the key.
As before the bone guardian has returned to his place on the throne, standing only & challenging when Kilite steps of the bridge. Tharla carefully places the silver rose onto the platter atop the plinth, instantly the sorcerous bars disappear & Mr Bones retakes his seat, however the braziers remain lighted. Molin disappointedly notes that the obsidian wall is unchanged.
Entering the side corridor Tharla provides magical illumination against the darkness, the walls & floor of the passage beyond appear unworked, to the left a second passage slopes down & the sound of rushing water echoes up to meet them. The main passage opens out into a large cavern with several natural pillars of yellow veined stone joining floor to roof. Around the walls are soot stained torch holders & there is a large piled of rush lights stockpiled of to one side of the cavern as well as coal & firewood. On the left of the chamber the floor again falls away & the glint of flowing water can be seen, alongside the waters edge are several barrels & buckets. On the opposite wall there is a small locked cell door & a grillage of sliding steel bars outside of which is rough table & chairs as well as a sleeping pallet & the remains of a cooking fire.
Impatient, Molin decides not to consult with the others & uses brute force against the cell door, almost to late he realises that whatever lies beyond the door, somebody doesn't want him to find it, hurling himself to one side three quarrels fly from small holes within the door jamb at knee, hip & chest level. Despite his contortions Molin is struck in the calf but it is onlyfortunately a flesh wound. As Tharla administers to his moans, Illyra & Kilite peer into the opening beyond. Across the threshold is a brass pedestal about three feet high, further in there is a blue shimmer some eight feet across roughly central to the cave, to the right is a ornately carved wooden chair.
Entering the room Illyra edges forward towards the shimmering circle of light, feeling no danger she boldly steps into the light & instantly feels refreshed, all aches & pains washed away, even the dull ache of her missing limb. Smiling she encourages the others to join her & soon all four are bathed in the soothing light, all sign of even the most recent wounds, including Molin's calf, are completely gone.
Refreshed the four approach the barred area, Molin, although now healed, is suspicious of further traps. Through the bars they can see assorted armour, weapons & other paraphernalia strewn in the dirt. Listening, a low groaning & pleas for help can be heard. Suspecting a trap the gates are carefully inspected however they appear to be nothing more than well made & locked.
After several minutes of bludgeoning the padlock, the four are able to pass through the grillage, the moaning heard earlier has risen in volume as if in answer to the noise made by their entry. A second, but less secure, gate is negotiated revealing what can only be a prison cell. Five figures are secured in manacles to the rock face, three appear semi-conscious, two, both orc, are dead. Releasing their chains the three unconscious prisoners, one dwarf & two more orc, are dragged to the cell containing the healing light, the dwarf & orc's are soon much refreshed if not considerably thirsty.
The dwarf is reluctant at first to speak, however after food & water are provided he confesses to having been imprisoned by Kest-I-Mond's retainers for theft, of course he explains it wasn't really theft, just a misunderstanding, but mistake or not he found himself incarcerated here, the orc's already being in the cell. As far as he is aware he's been in here about three weeks but for the last 10 days or so no body, despite their shouts, brought any food or water.
Communication with the orc's proves difficult, the orc's do not appear to speak any of the common tongue & none of the four speak any orcish, the dwarf admits to knowing a few haltering words, however the orc's mistrust of the dwarf & their rescuers keeps them silent.
Under guard the three are lead back to the surface, the orc's gradually realising they are, amazingly, not to have their throats cut immediately, begin to cooperate & sit quietly in the corner, grateful for the food & blankets. Late into the evening the four discuss what they are to do, there is much here they do not understand & their task, of sorts, is completed, the flask is delivered even if Kest-I-Mond can't accept it.