Chapter 9: The Enemy in the Castle!
The Ninth of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----Everyone follows Sol, Raven and Sarah as they march carefully up to the open portal beneath the massive portcullis. So large is the entrance that a huge troop with war wagons and beasts of burden could issue through it before thundering down the bridge. As it is, the immensity of the structure seems a bit fearsome in the silence that seems to grip the very air. The great iron spikes that make up the vertical supports of the portcullis look rusted though in parts bits of metal still gleam. They hang overhead some ten feet above the floor like the jagged teeth of a predator.
-----"Take care, my friends," Romney murmurs behind his friends as he warily eyes the closure.
-----Uncharacteristically, Lovan even adds a bit of caution saying, "Keep your step quick across the threshold."
-----Mirian remains quiet as she stays between her two escorts.
-----Taking the heeded caution, everyone quickly clears the heavy looking closure and enters an enclosed courtyard. Before them now, the adventurers see an area that could easily house an army. The courtyard is even enclosed overhead by a stone ceiling supported by massive columns and arches that stretch from the great sidewalls. The place is illuminated by a window of sorts mounted in the ceiling, its glass long shattered from it by the evidence of the broken shards spread about the cobblestones. Vines and plants hang down slightly from the frame of the broken sky window, perhaps from plants that took root on the castle roof.
-----The large walls themselves and the cobblestone flooring are stained with slimy colors of black and green hinting that the castle may have been flooded at one time.
-----Ahead of them, the adventurers see large stairs running along each of the sidewalls up to the next level while a pair of large wooden doors is closed in the opposite wall on this level. Above the doors is a small balcony that can be reached by the stairs.
-----At one time, this courtyard must have been magnificent with imagined banners and other adornments, but now all signs of life have left giving the place the feeling of a large tomb. Even the air seems to hang with heaviness as if some unseen force holds its breath.
-----Suddenly, without warning, comes a rumbling and shrill screeching. For a moment, everyone is disoriented and some cover their ears. On reflex, everyone turns in time to see the massive portcullis slam into place effectively blocking any exit from here.
-----Even though the sun lies directly overhead in the sky, a shadow deepens in the courtyard as clouds pass by. As clouds of dust settle, a silence returns as the booming echoes of the fallen portal fade away.
-----"After all this effort t'spring a trap, let's not disappoint them," sneers the Gorian as he takes in the enormity of the structure. His eyes focused, Sol begins walking confidently towards the center of the courtyard, though perhaps his intended destination is the large set of doors on the opposite side.
-----Sarah calmly watches the portcullis drop. "Oh Good. They can't run." She says grimly and keeps walking with Sol. "They're gonna regret dropping that door, and Sol I'm fireballing the first thing we see. Keep that in mind before you charge."
-----"Save yer explosions fer groups. If it's just th' one creature or wizard that did this, I'm not waiting t'give th' sod a chance t'strike. I know ye've got plenty o' other tricks up yer sleeves." Sol replies as he continues to cross the courtyard.
-----"Sure I do, but that's the nastiest." Sarah says to Sol. She hasn't changed her mind at all, she's frying the first thing she sees.
-----Sol leads everyone to the large set of doors and, after a brief bit of testing and listening, finds that the portals are unbarred. With that, the young warrior throws the doors open whereupon an unusual reddish light that shines down upon them assaults the group's senses.
-----Looking upwards to another high ceiling, the light seems to come from another sky window, this one fully intact. Its strange translucent panes appear to be scarlet in hue casting everything below in a blood-like color.
-----The huge chamber the adventurers enter looks to be an entrance hall to the keep. Interestingly enough, the room is octagonal in shape and stands totally devoid of furnishings. Though the smooth walls and floor appear dry, a dank moldy smell permeates this area. At the opposite end stands another set of double doors.
-----Sol begins to stride towards the next set of double doors, studying the area as he goes.
-----Rinda draws forth her club and cautiously gazes into the redness above as she moves across the floor. In contrast, Raven kneels momentarily and checks the stones underfoot. With the red glow above him, he nods saying, "Many passed by here not long ago."