"I personally didn't pay that much attention in class, so I don't know much about Kassen himself.
She walks over to the statue Calden is looking at.
"Although now I am certainly regretting that. He seems like he was a great man."
After putting her tools away and picking her bag back up again, Shirzon breathes out heavily, still feeling weak from the shadow's touch. She leans against the western wall of the room, letting the others go down the stairs while she takes a breather. "Well we just came through a hallway with sword-wielding Kassens. Maybe one big one with shields means that something isn't trying to kill us for once."
She reads the "home" and "family" inscriptions on the shields, and starts daydreaming about Kassen - the town, not the man and namesake. I hope Asina's doing all right. And Jimes and Rylka are probably a little understaffed. Not like there aren't a few people back home who are glad to have a break from seeing me, though. I'll show them when we get the Flame back... Shirzon looks over the statue again. "Do you think this thing has anything to do with the Everflame?" she calls down to the others from her resting point.
"Well, I suppose it has something to do with the Crypt, if not the flame. Everything we've seen so far has been a means of preventing people from entering. I don't suppose they'd just carve a statue like this to look pretty, and let us walk right into the next room through the door over there."
Calden stands in front of the statue, looking from one shield to the other. "Well, if you think about the village... I've never heard anyone mention being related to Kassen, so family doesn't make a lot of sense. But he has given a lot of people a home." With that, Calden raps his knuckle to the shield marked 'home', knocking on it three times.
As soon as Calden, Merephel and Korech approach the statue, the wooden Kassen suddenly comes to life. Its wooden limbs seem to move autonomously as the statue slowly steps away from its pedestal, its enourmous shield swinging in the air. As soon as the statue leaves its original position, stepping towards Calden, the pressure plate once sustaining it is released, and the steps leading to the lowered floor individually rotate 45 degrees, turning the stairways into two long slides.
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- Shirzon
- Korech
- Calden
- Merephel
- Kassen's Statue
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Acrobatics Check:
Intelligence Check:
Merephel falls down the slide, and hits the bottom with a thud.
She stands quickly, and pulls on her shield.
"Be careful! It probably doesn't feel any pain!"
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Korech stares at the wooden statue in complete astonishment for a moment. He then looks down at his bow, and back up at the statue quickly realizing that his bow is not going to do too much to something like that. Throwing his bow to the side, the big half-orc whips out his greataxe before taking a swing.
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Shirzon is only barely surprised when the statue springs to life. She draws her bow and launches an arrow at it from the high ground, but doesn't make a significant contribution.
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Calden is surprised, but his wits are still with him. Backed into a corner as he is and with the stairs turned into a slide, Calden puts all his effort in avoiding the statue's attacks, trying to communicate between dodging and diving.
Don't bother hitting it. It's a wooden statue! I think we have to shut it down, there's a keyhole in its back. Use the key we found from the pool!"
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Shirzon's arrow misses the statue. Korech, who is an experienced woodcutter, hits the statue: had it been a chunk of wood, he would have split it into two, but unfortunately this strange animated statue is much more resistant than a log. However, Korech's swing has cracked the statue on the legs area.
In the meantime, Calden has risen his defenses expecting for the statue to attack him, while Merephel has managed to get back on her feet again and pick up her shield.
Kassen's statue focus his attentions on Calden, trying to hit him with both of his large shields, but the Kassenite is able to defend himself and manages to avoid the first shield slam and parry the second one crossing his arms in front of his face.
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- Shirzon
- Korech
- Calden
- Merephel
- Kassen's Statue
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hp /46
As Calden parries the second shield and sees the statue's arm retreating, he takes his opportunity. Coming from a low crouch he pushes off and tries to grab hold of the statue with both arms, to climb on its shoulder. Who would have thought all those years catching sheep would come in useful one day...
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Merephel draws her shortspear and moves up to aid the party. She tries to distract the statue, in hopes that it will lose it's focus on Calden.
"Way to go Calden! Get it!"
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Korech sets his feet and imagines himself in the place of a logger.
His weakened arms aching, he swings his axe regularly, and at the same spot again, and and again.
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"Shirzon, the key!"
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Shirzon drops her bow and pulls the key from her pocket, watching as Calden wrestles with the automaton. She moves toward Calden, weighed down by her gear, and jumps down the ledge to reach him. "I've got it, I'm coming, Tigg!"
Once off the ledge, Shirzon holds out the key to deactivate the giant Kassen.
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Shirzon tries to get to Calden to hold out the key, but her attempt to jump down the ledge is a tad clumsy, and the half-orc falls to the lower floor without any grace, not even able to avoid falling prone. Stubborn and resolute, she gets back on her feet and holds out the key to Calden. Kassen's statue, however, feels Shirzon proximity and tries to slam its shield against her as soon as Shirzon stands up. The big wooden shield hits Shirzon in the face, causing her a shooting pain and an hurtful bump on the forehead.
In the meantime, Korech's axe hits the statue again. Calden takes his chance at the right time and manages to grapple the statue somehow, despite his size being considerably smaller. Merephel moves forward, providing a useful distraction for Calden to maintain his grapple.
Kassen's statue soon manages to get rid of Calden though, and you have to start over again. The statue has been partially damaged by Korech, but it's still hard for you to imagine how to put the wooden statue down.
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- Shirzon
- Korech
- Calden
- Merephel
- Kassen's Statue
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Shirzon mutters a string of curses in mixed Orc and Common, holding her hands over the quickly swelling lump on her head. "Hurry up with that key, Tigg!"
Shirzon waits until the statue is distracted by Calden's attempt to grapple it, and tries to grab on to help.
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Merephel follows Shirzon's lead, and attempts to help with grappling the statue.
Aid Another:
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Calden takes the key from Shirzon and puts it between his teeth. Then he tries again to mount the statue, taking advantage of the fact that its attention is turned to Shirzon and Merephel. He leaps once more, trying to scramble up and get a good hold of Kassen's neck.
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Shirzon tries to help Calden, and in the very moment in which the guy is preparing to grapple the statue again, Korech does something amazing: with a supernaturally powerful blow he manages to split the statue in two, at it was a simple chunk of wood. The unexpected burst of strenght leaves everyone (including Korech) speachless. That was the hit of a God, not the swing of an half-orc!
The statue soon crumbles to the ground. The chamber is silent. No one dares to speak. Not yet.
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hp /46
Shirzon stares in silence, trying to comprehend Korech's feat of strength. Eventually she nudges the splintered remains with her boot as if to confirm that she's really seeing the statue's utter destruction.
"Well," she finally says, "I guess we'll be good on firewood for a while."
Korech looks down at his hands, at the axe, and then at the statue.
"Uh. I... guess it had weak point."
Somewhat shakily, he picks his bow back up and then looks at the point of this room.
"So was there secret puzzle to room? Or did we just hit it until it go away?"
Once the wooden Kassen has been dealt with, you take your time to recover before proceeding. When you’re ready to move on again, your eyes soon points to the door to the south. Before Shirzon can even extract her lock-picking tools, however, Calden holds her out the magical key found in the pool by Merephel. As expected, the magical key opens the door, revealing a small chamber beyond.
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This small chamber has a table on the opposite side of the room. On top of this table are a number of items, each with a small note attached.
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All of the items are assorted in such a fashion that it’s clear that they were left here for you. Each group of items is separated from the others and bears a note with your name written on it.
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Calden: There are two potions for you, along with a parchment note reading: “May these potions guide you through the path of enlightment and direct your steps towards the trail of wisdom, young Calden. Ilimara.
Korech: There is a single masterwork longbow made of yew for you, along with a parchment note reading: “May this bow serve you well in the odds you will face. I made it from the wood of the tree you always failed to hit during our training. Arnama.
Merephel: There are an hickory wand and a scroll for you, along with a parchment note reading: “May these aids help you in your deeds, dear Merephel. You were not the most attentive student, but you have a pure heart and the inclination to help others. Father Prasst.
Shirzon: There are two potions for you, along with a parchment note reading: “Oh, these were some of my best “changes” ever, if you know what I mean. Take them. You deserve them Shirzon. Good luck. Jimes Iggins.
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Korech sits down, and spends a very long time puzzling out the text on the note, speaking quietly to himself as he figures out the words. He snickers a little at the end, but says nothing, pocketing the note before he leans back, staring at the ceiling while the others puzzle over the gear provided to them by their own mentors.
This has all gone horribly wrong. It was supposed to be difficult but safe. Nothing here here is safe. Everything is trying to kill us. Well, we are up to the task. We get along, we hit hard, and we all have something to contribute. Even me.
With a groan, Korech pulls himself to his feet. He reverently cradles the longbow before testing its pull, nodding to himself.
"Good bow. We go to wailing now?"
Merephel explained to Calden that his potion was essentially the same thing as one of her cure spells, and told the group that her wand did the same as well, ten times.
"I feel much more secure knowing that we have more magical healing on hand. In fact, I have another potion like Caldens. It may do more good in someone else's hands...who wants it?"
She looks over at Shirzon and Korech.
Shirzon feels the throbbing ache of the bruise forming on her forehead and occasionally squints when it gets especially bad. "I could use that, if you don't mind, Angorat. Any idea what the rest of this stuff is?"
After the team works out that the only places left open to them are the shadow's room and the wailing chamber, Shirzon shudders but swallows hard and steels herself. "Guess we're checking out that awful noise..."
---
Shirzon checks the wailing room entryway for traps, then lets someone else actually open the door.
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Merephel noticed the bruise on Shirzon's head for the first time.
"Oh, dear! Let me use my magic to correct that. Save that potion for a time I can't get to you."
Merephel walks up to Shirzon, and murmured for a few moments. She gently pulled Shirzon's head down, and kissed the bruise. When her lips pulled away, the bruise was mostly healed.
Shirzon waits for Merephel to finish her murmured spell, but doesn't seem to expect the healing kiss on her forehead. As Merephel pulls away, Shirzon's forehead is less black and blue, but her cheeks are redder. The young half-orc clears her throat a little, and quickly makes a muttered excuse to check something in her pack.
When Korech smashes the statue to splinters, Calden is left standing there in his crouching position, still ready to grapple with it. After a while, he slowly drops down to a squat, looking at the half-orc in amazement. "Well, that was..." He sighs at the sight of the broken statue of Kassen, then explains to Korech. "Yeah, I think there was a secret puzzle to it, using the key. It's a shame that we had to destroy the statue, but it's probably for the best. It might have been pretty tricky to use the key with those shields flaying about." I hope the mayor won't be mad that we had to destroy part of the crypt, and a statue of Kassen even.
--
When they find the cache of supplies left for them, Calden looks in wonder at the potions and reads the note again and again. "Young Calden"... What does that mean? I'm here to be considered adult, right? He carefully folds the note and places it in his coat pocket. He hands the potions to Merephel for study. "Well, that's useful. I'm afraid we'll need this, somewhere along the way. You don't have any idea what the other one does?" He puts both potions in his backpack.
He joins up with Korech, admiring the make of his new bow. "That's a fine weapon, Korech. I'm sure you'll wield it with just as much skill as your axe. And indeed, I guess there's nothing for it but to check out what's causing that wail. Not looking forward to it, but it's got to be better than the shadow." He shivers.
You walk all the way back to the room where the wailing was coming from.
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The mournful wailing grows louder with each step toward the door at the end of this musty hallway. There are a host of bones strewn on the floor here, many of which are cracked and broken.
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When you finally reach the door, Shirzon doesn’t find any traps, but reveals that the door is somehow barricaded from the other side. In that very moment, the wailing suddenly ceases.
It is clear that you need to push the barricade out of the way if you want to access the area beyond this door. Calden, Korech and Shirzon all try to get the barricade out of the way by forcing the door open. The shadow’s attacks hangover, however, has left Korech and Shirzon still weakened, and the only one to manage to partially pry the door open is Calden, who manages to open a crack in the door by rammaging into it.
---
As soon as the crack in the door is created, a bolt is fired from the other side. Calden gets hit to his leg, and leaves out a painful shout. It’s clear that someone is firing a crossbow from the other side. The frightened wailing has started again.
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- Shirzon
- Crossbow
- Merephel
- Calden
- Korech
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Calden tries (unsuccessfully) to ignore the wailing. Gods, could it be worse than the shadow? Or could it really be a Kassenite, who we've left here for an entire day? It sounds human...
Steeling his legs and his soul, he throws his weight into the door and feels it shifting. The moment of triumph is cut short by the bolt into his leg. Shifting his weight to his other leg, he tries to warn the others. "Aargh! Archer!" He tries to shout through the door. "If you're from Kassen, don't shoot!"
The thought of kicking in the door comes to Calden's mind, but he dismisses it immediately when he feels his leg throbbing, and oozing blood. He takes a short powerful breath in through his nose, wrinkling his forehead. He then shifts his stance, closes his eyes and throws his full weight at the door. "KIAI!"
Shirzon draws her bow, confused at Calden's cries not to shoot. What from Kassen could make that sound? "Can the undead use crossbows?" she whispers harshly to the group, looking at the bolt in Calden's leg.
=========================
"That wailing, I think Calden may be right! It sounds human!"
She glanced at Shirzon.
"Unfortunately, there are some undead that can, yes. This is probably someone who was setting up and got caught when....whatever it was that happened, happened."
She grasped her holy symbol nervously.
As Calden throws himself against the door, Korech raises his bow, training it on the door.
"I think sound like person too. WE BE FRIENDS! NO SHOOT!"
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Whoever is inside the room on the other side of the door is deaf to your calming words. Before Calden can throw his full weight at the door, another bolt is fired from the crack in the door. The bolt is aiming for Calden's heart directly, and only a suddenly move from the young Kassenite allows him to avoid the worst. Unfortunately, the bolt still hits Calden, lodging in his neck. The lad abruptly collapses, a rivolet of blood flowing out of his neck where the bolt is still lodged. "Go away angrey bones!", screams a voice from the other side of the door.
---
Korech tries to fire back at whoever managed to knock down Calden, but shooting in a crack in the door proves much more difficult then expected, and his attack misses.
---
- Shirzon
- Crossbow
- Merephel
- Calden
- Korech
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Merephel's first reaction is to push past her allies, to rush to Calden's side. Hwoever, she catches herself, and takes a deep breath.
She raises her holy symbol once more, and channels energy again.
"BREAK DOWN THAT DAMNED DOOR KORECH!" She screams, her voice high-pitched with fear and rage.
"Bones?"
Korech scowls and he grabs Calden, yanking him back from the door. Korech tries to switch places with the monk, and rather than breaking the door down, tries to pull it shut.
"See? We no come in! We not bones! We people! From Kassen! Come for test! Merephel, Korech, Shirzon, Calden! NO SHOOT WE FRIENDS NOT BONES!"
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Shirzon grabs an arrow and half-draws her bowstring back. Her lip curls in cautious aggression, her tusks poking to the side. "Whoever it is better want to talk..." she mutters, ready to shoot if the wailer charges the door.
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Calden feels feebly at his neck and notices that he's half-sitting on the ground. "Whu- Whas I out? I felt dizzy..." He lets himself be yanked away by Korech. Scrambling to his feet and leaning against the wall, he stumbles back to Merephel. Korecht is shouting their names, but it doesn't really register. He clutches at Merephel's arm. "I think it's someone we know. They must be so scared."
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While Shirzon waits fot the shooter to come out, another bolt is fired through the crack in the door. This time, it aims for Korech, but the shot is somehow inaccurate and misses.
---
Korech tries to convince whoever is on the other side of the door to stop shooting, but that doesn't happen. "“You are a trick of the dead one, the dead one who speaks!", screams the voice from beyond the door.
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While Shirzon continues to keep her bow nocked, another bolt is fired through the crack in the door, aiming for Korech again. This time, the half-orc gets hit at his leg.
---
- Shirzon
- Crossbow
- Merephel
- Calden
- Korech
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"It's no use, Korech," says Calden with a weary voice. "Whoever's in there, they must be mad from fright. There's no point reasoning now. We have to get in there and show that we are just us, not some trick or skeletons."
Looking at Shirzon and realizing how weak she still is from the shadow's attack, Calden pushes himself on his feet and limps forward past her. "On three, Korech..." Calden quickly counts off and lends his weight, if Korech makes an attempt to break down the door.
Korech yelps as he is shot.
"LISTEN. WE HAVE LIGHT. WHAT DEAD PEOPLE USE LIGHT. WHAT DEAD PEOPLE SAY OW WHEN SHOOT. WHAT DEAD PEOPLE SAY PRAY TO SHELYN. YOU SHOOT KASSEN-FOLK. YOU SHOOT FRIENDS WHO HELP."
After shouting his desperate attempt to calm the man down, Korech throws himself against the door with Calden.
After Korech's words, both the wailing and the voice go silent for a while. The half-orc is successful in his attempt to further destroy the door with Calden's help, but this time no bolt is fired. Just before you can try to pry the door open for the last time, a voice comes from beyond the door: "S-stop! S...Stop! Who are you? Calden? Korech? Who are you? WHO ARE YOU!?". You then hear a moan, and the sound of something being dragged from the other side of the door.
"Come in, quickly! The...The...Ththe...The angry bones are watching. They are...Watching! Watching, they are...They're everywhere and...and they watch. One speaks. They watch. They are...watching. Come here. COME IN! Quick! QUICKLY! COOOME IIINNNN!" says the voice beyond the door with a manic, frightened tone.
---
When you try to open the door, you find that whatever was obstructing your passage is not there anymore. The door opens, and once you can see inside you spot a familiar man: he's Roldare, who you have met recently. Some of you knew that he was tasked with "preparing" the Crypt for the Quest for the Everflame together with her sister Dimira, although there's no sign of her in the small chamber. Roldare is almost unrecognizable: his facial features are distorted by fear and desperation, his eyes frantically move everywhere and in general he doesn't look well at all. The humble and quiet man you knew back in Kassen doesn't exist anymore: what now remains is a terrified person, with dark circles around his eyes and a manic behavior.
Once everyone has entered the room, Roldare quickly closes it and barricades it using some broken furniture.
---
Now, you have enough time to properly scan the room: there are a number of bedrolls here, a pair of bullseye lanterns with 4 flasks of oil, 5 days’ worth of rations, and two potions labeled as “healing.”
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Merephel speaks quickly to herself, and a bright white light emanates from her hands. She gently massages Calden's neck wound, and when her hand is removed, the wound looks as if it has had days of healing.
"Hello Roldare. Thank you for admitting us. I hate to ask...but how fairs your sister?"
Merpehel looks increidibly worried.
Pissed off and limping, Korech stalks in, recognizing Roldare. He opens his mouth to lecture the terrified man, and soon realizes the foolishness of such an endeavor. Shaking his head, he simply leans against a wall.
"What happen?"
Roldare looks at you with an astonished expressione for several seconds. and then tries to answer your question. Both simulteneously: "I-I-I...Well, I was...No, no, no...Bad. This is bad. I'm alive, but this is bad, even if it's well. No, it's bad. Dimira was dragged off...The angry bones attacked. We were here for you. We w-were here for you. We were here...And they attacked. And Dimira was dragged off. We were here for you, but she's still alive. I know...I...K-know. Walking bones, in the middle of the night. You have to...You were here for you...No, no. We were here for you. And then the walking bones attacked. Midnight. We arrived here 4 days...4 years ago. Yes, 4 years ago. No, no...Maybe months. 4 months ago. And we were attacked by the walking bones and Dimira was carried away, and you have to rescue her and it was 4 years ago and one of them had the...the voice of Death...and we were here for you, to prepare the...4 days ago, we were here and the angry bones attacked, one stalked the hall in ancient mail and...And we..." Roldare shows no sign of willing to interrupt his delirious speech.
Merephel shakes her head sadly. Without interrupting Roldare, she walks up to him and hugs him. She holds him while he babbles.
Shirzon interrupts.
"Listen! We cleared out the skeletons here. You can get out. We'll go get Dimira. You could use some air and some sun - you look like hell. Leave us one of those healing potions for Calden, since you nearly killed him," she commands, pointing at the labeled vials, "then let us take care of this. We'll find Dimira and come back with the Everflame. Just wait and see."
Calden enters the room with the others, dreading who they will find. Oh, Roldare. Of course he was here. What happened...? He spares a foul look for Merephel when she immediately mentions Roldare's sister, dreading to find out what happened to her even more. Blazing hells, not now! Not right away. He's afraid the Roldare comes unhinged even more, and indeed he's silent while Roldare rambles on.
Calden tries to pry Roldae from Merephel's grip, holding him firmly by the shoulders while Shirzon speaks to him, sparing a scowl for her when she mentioned him attacking them. He then adds his own words to the tortured man, in a quiet but firm voice. "Roldare, you have to be strong a moment more. I know you can. We'll escort you outside, we can keep you safe. But we have to know where they took Dimi. Roldare, where did they take her?"
In Merephel's arms, Roldare shakes and beats his teeth by fear. It's like the man had been reduced to a poor mockery of himself, annihilated by terror, his mind filled with images of desperation and terror. Every time his sister Dimira is mentioned, Roldare sobs and gasps, as if someone was impaling his heart.
When Calden releases him from Merephel's hug, Roldare slowly drags himself in a corner and begins whining pitifully, whispering unintelligible phrases to himself.
Shirzon's words seem to wake him up for a short moment, and Roldare suddenly appears to gain a glimpse of lucidity again. His shaking hands reach out to his crossbow, a remarkable one indeed, and after that Roldare hands offer the weapon to Shirzon. "Take it. Rescue her. P-please...Please...". The short time of lucidity soon comes to an end, and Roldare starts whining again, shaken by fear and anguish.
Seeing Roldare current conditions would cause pain to every Kassenite. He's the symbol that life sometimes is unjust and evil is a force to be reckoned with, even when a quiet life in a small village seems to drive away all the worst odds. "He...It...Took here. Brought her in the lower level. He...It...The one with the voice of Death, the one...Shields...Shield and Keys...Arrows and statues...Shield, you'll need shields. And the one with the voice of Death...NO! NO! Don't take her from me! She's just a girl! Take me instead! Take me! NO! Dimira! Rescue her! Rescue the statue! No, no...Rescue Dimira...Use the statue! No, use the one with the voice of Death...No, it has taken her away from me. Use shields! Yes, you'll nead shields and keys, keys and Shields.".
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