Abberthorn

An Angel of Mercy

After leaving the catacombs and closing up all of the secret doorways in an attempt to remove any trace of them having been there, aside from the door which Aramore destroyed while attempting to gain entry to the tower. They all headed south west towards Seven Peak Mountain. They left the sanctity of the forest and proceeded into open land in search of the hidden door of the Unknown Trail. As they approached the foot of the mountain, they saw that a large part of the base of the mountain had been carved away, from what appeared to be natural causes. Making their way closer they saw a large stone door, which was so blatantly obvious and yet so brilliantly concealed. The door stood nearly triple their height and looked as though it were no more than rock face while at the same time clearly appearing as though it were a door.

'This is so obviously a door. How is it that no one has found this place before?' asked Bellathor.

'Simple Bellathor, the door seems to be so obvious to us because we know of its existence. However, to anyone who was looking for it, but did not know exactly where it was, this would simply appear to be part of the rock face' replied Aramore.

'Well that is true, I guess. I mean as we walked up it did appear to be no more than a simple rock face. It was only as we came closer that I was able to see it as a door.'

'So how do we open it, again?' asked Leakly looking up at the large door.

'You mean, you don't know?' asked Aramore.

'What do you mean Aramore? I had assumed that we simply push it open' said Bellathor.

'Strange that the Secret Keeper saw fit to give only me the knowledge of how to open the door.'

'What are you on about Aramore, are you saying that there is some special way to open the door?'

'Well of course there is Bellathor. You don't honestly think that the Secret Keeper would simply leave the door unlocked? Allowing anyone to simply happen upon something that he has been trying to conceal, since before your people found their way to this land?' asked Aramore.

'Well when you say it out loud. It does sound kind of stupid!' said Bellathor.

'The way to open the door is a simple one, but one that only a wizard, or one who knows the tricks of wizards, can perform' said Aramore stepping back from the door.

'And that would be?' asked Leakly, as both he and Bellathor apprehensively followed Aramore's lead and stepped back.

'Do you see that round white stone, up there in the key stone of the archway?' asked Aramore.

'Yes, it looks sort of like a Tartarus stone?' said Leakly squinting to look up at it.

'That's the one, and actually you're right. It is a Tartarus stone. They are as I am sure you already know, an extremely powerful rune stone that can be used to lock anything that you do not wish to be opened. If you were able to get a closer look at it, you would find a carving of the sun on it' said Aramore impressed by Leakly's knowledge.

'And I suppose that that has some significance as to how to open the door?' asked Bellathor taking a stab in the dark.

'Correct Bellathor. Each of these Tartarus stones has a separate and very specific way in which they can be opened. The only way to open this door is to shine an artificial light as bright as that of the sun, directly on that stone' said Aramore.

'And you are able to do this?' asked Leakly.

'Of course, I can. Although the last time I did that, it drained me quite badly. I was unable to do even the simplest of charms for several days' said Aramore.