Stackman's Adventures (Chapter nineteen)

[bsftcs]

Nearing the Top

Being the nineteenth chapter of Stackman’s adventures

In which the barbarian receives a divine sigil and in which the party contributes to the evolution of bungee jumping.

From Hephaestus’s small hovel a path wound northwards. A few metres inside was a small chamber (room L on the Dragon Spire map at Xignal’s Site) made from granite boulders possibly hewn from somewhere else inside the Dragon Spire. Seemingly the structure was very old. A clear indication that also the lower parts of the Spire had been inhabited by someone else than the thousand year old dragon and his gnome companion.

In the ceiling of the stucture there was a hole, and descending from the hole were several ropes holding a lift. The party climbed the wooden tray and started pulling themselves upward through the ceiling. Once through the ceiling the lift continued its motion far up into the darkness extending throughout the upper regions of the large cave.

Eventually the lift came to a halt by a peculiar machinery in another cave. The valkyrie led the party through a small corridor which ended abruptly in a hole. The party jumped down and found themselves in another corridor. From where they had landed the corridor extended to the north and the south. The warlock cast the create portal spell and the party trudged northward.

After having walked half a kilometre the party found themselves by an underground pool (room N). A pack of dartha eels lay in the surface poised for attack. At least until the bard dispersed them with an accurate icestorm spell.

Walking into the icy water the cold sent convulsions through the party members. Before long they had almost grown numb, and they were more or less drawn towards the bottom of the pool. At the bottom a hole descended further into the dark, murky depths below. Suddenly a creature curled and writhed its way towards them. It was the Crystal Colanth. This creature was the fabled inhabitant of the depths of the Dragon Spire, and it was very old and unique. Soon after it was exctint. The barbarian swung his axe and killed the snake-like creature. Its fabled diamond eye dropped to the bottom of the pool very close to a nightblade.

Having secured the gem, the party swam upwards again. But they were baffled. There were two holes above them. They took the easternmost and ended up in a small cave (room N). Behind a ring of fire stood Urthdala, the oracle of Earth. The statue spoke to the party of Kol, and of the boulders that blocked their path. Eventually the oracle gave the barbarian a divine sigil.

Warmed by the magic fires next to the oracle, the party swam back to the surface of the pool. From there they swam to the other side of the pool and through a new corridor. Here there was another pool – but this time of lava (room O). The warlock cast the lavawalk spell, just in case. And the party then spanned the fiery chasm by jumping on the pillars that had supported a dilapidated wooden bridge.

They then came to a veritable maze of corridors. After having fought several of the local eight-legged inhabitants including the great Taranta Queen the party found another green crystal shard in a treasure chest (room P). The party then teleported back to their portal.

From there they walked south and came to another room with a lava pool. Disposing of the fuming fauna of the cavern, the warlock cast the lavawalk spell and the bard walked through the lava pool and looted the treasure chest at the end. They then walked up the gangway which wound its way upwards in the middle of the cavern.

Walking a few metres through another corridor the party crossed a stone bridge (room Q). Below a hefty current gushed through a hole in the cavern wall. On the other side of the bridge was a room with a shield containing a heraldic depiction of a dragon’s head. But judging from the indentations in the shield it was obvious that something was missing. The warlock placed the two green crystals they had found in the shield and they fitted perfectly. But one was missing.

The party walked back onto the bridge and the warlock created a new portal. The party then climbed the railing of the bridge and jumped into the water below. Note: This was in the early days of bungee jumping before the introduction of the elastic chord.

The current flushed the party through a hole in the wall (the barbarian led the way to make sure the party would not get stuck (as explained in a previous topic)), through one of the waterfalls and onto a stone bridge below (room J). Here they had been earlier, from here a path wound up towards the fallen boulders. By the boulders the barbarian drew forth the divine sigil and touched it to the stone that slowly receded into the ground. Behind it was a treasure chest. The bard easily picked the lock and retrieved the last dragonshard.

The party teleported back to the bridge and placed the dragonshard in its place on the shield causing a door to the west to open. Through this room the party came to yet another room. This contained a lever. The zenmaster flipped the lever and they waited while the “loading” icon appeared before their eyes.

[bsftcs]

Better late than never.

The summer holidays have ended and I have not had much time to write lately. And ast weekend, when I had the time, my cd-rom drive collapsed. But here is another chapter at last.

I hope it will be as well received as the previous. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 09-14-2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: bsftcs ]

[macoati]

Fabulous!!!

[moiraine sedai]

Another brilliant chapter, bsftcs. It was worth the wait.

I always wondered why the colanth only dropped one crystal eye. Shouldn't there be two?

Oh well. Can't have everything my way.

Cheers,

Moiraine Sedai

[Wyvern]

YAY!!!

I always love the opening lines such as this: "In which the barbarian receives a divine sigil and in which the party contributes to the evolution of bungee jumping." They always make me chuckle!

Bungee jumping WITHOUT the elastic cord - there's a thought for you! Simply Smashing!

Wyv