The Company, 3rd Song
Episode Four
"Athgnor"
The Company stands before the massive entrance to the Dwarven ruin known as Athgnor. The doors tower over 80 feet above them. Some of them have received the gift of the Old Elves. The others, especially the Clerics, have not been given such gifts due to the Clerics usurping the faith in the Old Gods.
At the Entrance, Zig realizes the fruit of the blessing: a green trail of light shows him the safe passage through the ruins. He moves ahead of the Company, hoping to stay twenty feet ahead as the group's scout. Hollis who takes the role of the group's Quartermaster as they undertake the perilous journey, ponders over the connection Gaius and Cassandra seem to share in their past. Gaius, on the other hand, wonders about the truths behind the Old Elves, which he know understands to be more than myth. He realizes he know understands there is fact behind the faith in the Old Gods, but he still has very many questions. Zig, on the other hand, is deeply bothered that the Old Elves, especially those who are of the Water, can sense deception and lies.
As they move through the ruins, they marvel as the size of the place. The corridors are wide and sadly in a terrible state of decrepitude. There is no denying the beauty the chambers once had. Hollis finds himself staring for a moment at the young Elf who seems to stand close to Gaius the whole time. He feels bothered that a new companion has so easily joined the group, and in some ways would have preferred if the Elf was present to guide them. But instead, he was with them in order to "Earn his name." Surprisingly, Gaius seems to have learned to speak in Elven, which was something he didn't seem to know how to do before. Liadan walks alongside Hollis, amused at how the Elves viewed the Clerics the way they viewed her - a Heretic. Hollis defends his faith, despite Liadan's prodding about how the Clerics believe the Orders are corrupted versions of faith in the Old Gods. Hollis stares back at her with some contempt.
Gaius notices Cassandra attempting to reach out and hold her hand a few times, making her affections clear. But he gently removes her hand each time and walks ahead, focused more on the possible dangers ahead. Cassandra says nothing of this, but there's no denying she feels hurt by his unwillingness to show intimacy.
Zig notes movement ahead, and he stops to wait for the Company to warn them. The thing he caught sight of has rushed ahead and vanished into the darkness. While there have not been any evident traps, Zig seems concerned that the thing he glimpsed might be the same threat that had decimated the dwarves outside the ruin.
The darkening tunnels continue to wind ahead of them, and soon, the new residents of the long abandoned chambers is revealed. As they reach a deeper portion of the ruined deep, they find numerous hanging lairs and homes of what seem to be some goblinoid race. At this point, the group ends up splitting up as the multiple passageways offer confusing turns. Gaius even glimpses an old monstrosity, the shark-like thing which he had faced before in Angerona. Hollis and Zig even notices that the polished stone floor suggests living things have been keeping the place tidy.
Gaius sends Alv to scout ahead and scan for what he can see. Zig opts to accompany the elf. The Alv admits he can see in the dark and when Zig admits he cannot, the elf ignites his glow stick for light. Zig raises his concern that the light would make him noticed, but Alv admits the word "cautious" does not exist among his people. "Fear we understand. The word for fear is a word we best not say." Alv shuts the glowstick and the two continue foward. But Zig and Alv end up confronting a number of goblins in the darkness of the passageway, who use their ability to attack despite being in the darkness. Zig tumbles backwards and catapults away to dodge the incoming spear. He ends up bumping into even more goblins when he lands. Alv rushes back to tell Hollis and Gaius that the thief has found some creatures. Chaeron sends Gaius and Hollis to go ahead to help while he watches over the others. Cassandra seems to impose more and more her needs of attention from Gaius.
The battle is short-lived, with the group quickly dispatching the goblins before they can raise an alarm. Zig is nearly grappled down by the goblins, but he successfully slips away by twisting. One grabs his bow, however, and as Zig somersaults out of the way, he ends up having to leave the bow to escape. The goblins, chanting, "Juda" begin scattering. Gaius and Hollis hear the chanting as they approach, and continue to approach as stealthily as possible. Neither are able to see as much given the darkness. Hollis asks if Alv knows what the chanting means, and Alv explains it means, "Prey." Zig's leap however miscalculates and he ends up hanging over an edge. Hollis and Gaius quickly make mincemeat of the goblins, unaware that Zig has slid down the edge to what he believes is safety.
Seeing the possible danger of the goblinoids detecting them, the other half of the group tries to sneak past the goblin warrens. But the camp has already been alerted. Among the goblins are some kind of larger figure. The thing is tall by goblin standards, with huge arms and the ability to cast magic. The thing begins casting, and so Hollis attempts to disrupt it with his own spells. The battle they have is short-lived, as the group easily sees it would be wiser to try to run than fight against the whole horde.
The Company eventually finds themselves amidst what was once the center of the Dwarven City of Athgnor. The splendor of the ruin is lost, though a chamber filled with treasures remains unsoiled. Though Hollis opts not to give in to his urges, Gaius and Zig slip inside to find what treasure they can get. Gaius finds an ancient shield, shinier than steel but not quite silver, with a bull's head on its face. Zig is on the ground, making angels in the gold. He finds an ancient dagger. Both seem to resonate some level of magic. The word "Vieta" comes to mind and when uttered, a bull formed by magical force emerges from the shield to ram at anything on the other side.
Against the ancient horror, the Company pours out their strength. Injuries come generously as the thing seems to strike without fear and unwavering strength. The thing is like a dark oil that moves like an incoming bull. Gaius strikes powerfully, but the things liquid boy seems to take the brutal punishment without any effort. Zig sadly drops the gold he is carrying to focus on the battle and watches in horror as many members of the group are in various states of injury. Hollis pours out all the healing he can muster to help those he can, but while the group forces the door to escape, all wonder how they can stop the thing from following them outside!
The group finally flee the ruins of Athgnor, forcing a way through the last door and shutting it behind them for safety. And now safe, the group finds a moment of respite. Ahead, they can see the Port City of Onodol at last. But for now, they have their wounds to heal and their lives intact.
Alv turns to Gaius, asking if he has finally earned his name. Gaius nods and considers what name to give the elf.
No comments:
Post a Comment