The newcomer spares a glance for the retreating woman.
Take heart! You are not alone!
He sings a song in a strange tongue that resonates with the magic within all of them. Seeing the two in peril near the abbot, he interposes himself between them and their enemy.
Shandara pulls fire from the sword again, this time clutching it to her breast.
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Orntorias struggles to get out of the hole that is crumbling beneath him, but his armor continues to restrict his movement too much.
Norowas suddenly arrives, helping the Inheritors to rally together. Even so, with Shandara healing herself elsewhere and Altair trying to help his friend the party is on the defensive. The ground does not relinquish its grip on the knight Orntorias. However, the Abbot is still cautious in attempting to approach him having already felt one of his tremendous blows. He elects, instead, to keep his distance and let another explosion of rocks batter his trapped foe.
Another pillar appears just behind the party. With three pillars now taking up space the already small basement is becoming even more claustrophobic...
Norowas steps around the pillar, chanting. The hum reverberates, shaking the already weakening foundation and coalescing into a beam of light that he fires at the Abbot.
Return to your rest and harry us no longer.
" Orntorias, I think defeating the Abbot will make this much easier. I shall be back in one moment. Do you have any miracles to strike him from here?"
Altair then rapidly moves behind his summoned wall of fog and fires off a soul arrow seeming unhindered by the chocking smoke.
Shandara comes back down the stairs, orients on the deacon and pulls a strangely green looking cloud of mist up before throwing it at the deacon.
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Orntornias tries to muster his magical might, muttering softly as a black smoke begins to ooze from within his armor, much like when he was empowering his weapon. Suddenly the darkness evaporates and Orntorias sighs heavily.
He is still trapped in his hole.
Between Altair and Shandara, only Altair's attack is able to connect. Shandara's orb sails wide and lands harmlessly on the stone floor where is sizzles shortly before dissipating. Orntorias remains trapped and unable to aid his fellows.
It is the newcomer Norowas who is finally able to deal a telling blow to the Abbot. His lightning spear strikes unerringly, tearing a massive chunk of putrid flush out from the Abbot who falls to a knee. Somehow, despite all odds, he is able to rise again into his stance. The chanting dies around the room with a final echo and no further pillars appear.
Shaking violently, and with ragged breath, the Abbot chooses to fight on. This time he chooses Altair to target with his stone explosion but in his dying state he misses wildly.
Altair nods earlier suspicions confirmed as the abbot tosses a bolt at him through the concealing fog. The ringing chime of soul arrow again echoing through the room.
Orntorias tried to focus his powers again, this time glowing with a silvery light. He mutters a few words but suddenly his breath catches and the light dies away.
Why do you fight against the inevitable? Lay your soul to rest--it is much deserved.
Norowas throws another pulse of light at the Abbot, but his aim is distracted by his admiration for his foe's tenacity.
Shandara scowls prettily, trying again with much better effect!
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Both Altair and Norowas' attacks miss. Shandara's, on the other hand, connects causing an explosion of searing acid to consume the Abbot who proceeds to collapse to his knees writhing in agony. Eventually the spasm stop leaving nothing behind but a burned and battered corpse.
Well done, everyone! I am Norowas, of the Atlantean Kingdom. Though in truth, I don't know where I am now. I thought I was alone until I happened upon this place and the giantess sent me to your aid. It is a welcome relief that there are others like me. I take it you...bear the mark as well?
" that I do friend, it is good to meet another in this land that still holds tight to their mind. I am Altair and your help was much appreciated." Altair responds as he disperses his cloud walking over to Orntorias to help him out of the hole. A rod on his belt melting and reforming into a saw to remove the more problematic chunks of floor barring the armored mans escape.
You all manage to eventually aid Orntorias in escaping his earthly prison.
"I am Shandara, a fire keeper. A little battered and bruised, but otherwise well. Pleased to meet you."
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"Thank you. The beast pulled a trick that I was unable to handle. I apologize." Orntorias gives a sheepish laugh.
"Well met Norowas - thank you for your assistance with the beast."
"I am Shandara, a fire keeper. A little battered and bruised, but otherwise well. Pleased to meet you."
The pleasure is mine. I can see to your wounds...well, they seem to have disappeared. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
"Thank you. The beast pulled a trick that I was unable to handle. I apologize." Orntorias gives a sheepish laugh.
"Well met Norowas - thank you for your assistance with the beast."
Beast now, yes, but he was once a man. All I can hope for is that a stranger would give me the same kindness, if I suffer a similar fate. Tell me, what brought you to venture forth into this evil place?
Altair nods glancing to Shandra and gives a small smile to the white knight " Your lunge also dealt him enough damage that he was uninterested in entering your weapons range again. I know for certain with as much armor as you wear I'd be hard pressed to escape a hole like that. I hardly even grazed the man, seeking arrow of raw magic or not."
" Once we have had a moment to ready ourselves I intend to return to the giantess and ask if she knew the Abbots religion so he might have a proper burial. He guarded this room for quite some time, even if he was mad his devotion is admirable." Altair responds after Norowas speaks
" As to our reasons, we never did get around to sharing much before. I seek a cure to a curse that has no indications of releasing its bearer in any capacity but death."
Norowas searches for any signs of danger or any clues about where the tunnels may lead or what may lurk therein.
The abbots body was originally laying atop a metal grate. Upon examination it looks like it can be removed with enough space for a person to lower themselves down.
Altair nods glancing to Shandra and gives a small smile to the white knight " Your lunge also dealt him enough damage that he was uninterested in entering your weapons range again. I know for certain with as much armor as you wear I'd be hard pressed to escape a hole like that. I hardly even grazed the man, seeking arrow of raw magic or not."
" Once we have had a moment to ready ourselves I intend to return to the giantess and ask if she knew the Abbots religion so he might have a proper burial. He guarded this room for quite some time, even if he was mad his devotion is admirable." Altair responds after Norowas speaks
" As to our reasons, we never did get around to sharing much before. I seek a cure to a curse that has no indications of releasing its bearer in any capacity but death."
I agree, we should give him a proper burial. It seems there is an entrance further into the caverns that he was guarding with his...unlife. After we have laid the Abbot to his rest we should explore the caverns. There is something worth guarding if a man's oath to protect it would keep him after death.
Altair nods at Norowas and then gestures to the kitchen to the back of the room.
"I came down here for supplies earlier. A shame really, you missed out on the stew. There were some texts he seemed to have stored for safe keeping in there as well. I'd thought he was guarding something but it is good to know for sure." The man states as he brushes dust from his pants before looking back to the stairs
" Lets go back and see our host then."
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Your group returns to the Giant, and though she is somewhat saddened to hear of the Abbots fate she is at least pleased to see you all in one piece.
When you ask of burial practice she nods slowly and explains "I do not know much of specific rites, but the practitioners of this area felt a deep connection to the land and would create mounds and chambers for their burials. Whether they where above or below depended on a persons status in life."
"Where would an Abbot such as him reside after life?"
The Giant shakes her head "I'm sorry, the rites of my people are very different than these. I could not rightly say where he should be put to rest."
He watched over the catecombs beneath the earth--let's commit him to the ground so his spirit is at ease.
"It is strange, but I agree." Shandara says. "My people committed ourselves to the fire. The idea of burying one within the earth is new to me. But if that is what it would take, let us do it."
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"Very well. He moves outside and finds a nice area of land just to the back of the Abbey that looks as if it might have once been a cemetery.
Finding a suitable location the knight works to dig a sizable hole.
Together the group manages to lay the corpse of the Abbot to rest out behind the abbey. Whoever it is that does the ceremony finds the following on his person.
Soul of the Abbot Richter
Soul of Richter, protector of the abbey.
The outer lands eventually became home to all manner of peoples and worship. Those that congregated at the abbey sought to emulate their earth-bound god. Their abbot, Richter, came closest to mastery of this principle, drawing power from the earth itself.
Consume to gain souls, or save it for some other purpose.
Do you all require more respite, or shall we explore the Abbott's catacombs?
"It would behoove us to move on." the fire keeper says. "I can light the way, should we continue past where the abbot guarded."
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After you--I bring the honor of the Atlantean people with me, to lend us courage, Norowas says, drawing forth an intricate banner and holding it in his shield hand.
"Let us move. We have spent long enough in this place." Orntorias says carefully.
Altair finishes a small prayer of his own and after ensuring the Abbots burial says little else.
I can only hope I find my answer for better or worse before I lose myself like that.
" Yes let us delve into the depths, hopefully it will bring more understanding. Sadly the tomes and books the Abbot hid in the pantry were not very revealing to the current events, only the history of this place. " With that he glances over to Shandara
" You have no reason to speak falsehood but I admit I am intrigued by your abilities to heal yourself Firekeeper. It is always useful to have one capable of such after all, Orntorias has already proven to be an asset."
The Firekeeper smiles faintly. "I commune with the fire, and keep it close to my soul. The flame can easily burn... But with care, it can also provide life-sustaining warmth."
She gestures to the bonfire blade. "The coiled sword is an implement that helps me focus on my connection to the fire."
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" It seems a wonderful gift to have. Sadly my own skills do not extend to Pyromancy." The man replies with a sad smile again shouldering his heavy pack
" I'll go first if no one objects I've a skill for danger finding me. It would be a shame if any of you were to be in its path."
Shandara follows after Orntorias heads down, letting the two armored combatants take the lead.
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Lowering himself down, Altair finds that the area below opens up into a 10 ft wide earthwork passage. The air is stagnant down here and the only light comes from Altairs spell. The passage heads in two directions. On one side it extends off past the light cast by Altairs light while the other ends abruptly in a wall about 30 ft away from where you are.
You can very, very faintly hear the sound of running or dripping water coming from far down the passage.
Altair scans the area frowning as he moves to the dead end cavern
" It seems curious construction for this cavern to end as it does I'm going to see if this conceals something more. If not then I suppose we really only have one direction to go."
Do you hear that? Dripping water, coming from that passage, Norowas gestures towards the sound.
"I hear it as well. Perhaps there is an outlet nearby?" Orntorias says.
Following the only path available the group travels about 100 feet before coming to a turn. Following to that they soon come to another, and then another after that, then another, and another still. Each turn reveals nothing more than a continuous stretch of earthwork tunnels and a growing sound of flowing water. Earlier the giant had said that these tunnels had been catacombs of some time. Apparently that's not the case.
Eventually the tunnels open up into a massive cavern. You're near the top of the cavern standing on a small pathway that hugs the wall and spirals downward until it reaches a plateau about a hundred feet below. Midway down there is a second plateau that is occupied by a handful of medium-sized structures. One of which in particular has a water wheel attached. It spins slowly, creaking as water flows through it from some underground source beyond the cavern. In the middle of the cavern is a huge basin of crystal clear water being fed from several cascading waterfalls. Light shines through the cracks in the caverns roof, causing water to glisten serenely all across the area.
Norowas tries to discern if the water is safe to drink.
"My, this place is beautiful." the fire keeper says, looking around. "Though, not catacombs. Perhaps she was mistaken?"