Abberthorn

The Ancient City

The towering walls of the Necropolis with its scattered guard towers and fortified gates seemed like a forbidding place as the group drew near. Unsure of the secrets that lurked within, Durane approached the main gate with caution, pausing before laying his hand flat against it. The creeks from its rusted hinges echoed throughout the dead city, sending shivers down Daemon's spine. Scanning his surroundings, he hoped that he would find nothing looking back at him. As they crossed the threshold into the city Magnatheena halted and exclaimed. 'The Lost city!'

'What lost city?' asked Durane.

'This place, it is called The Lost City.'

'No, it's called the Necropolis Maggie' said Durane.

'No Durane, I don't mean by the locals. I mean by the Dwarves.'

'What do the dwarves have to do with this place?' asked Zodirah.

'We built this city' answered Magnatheena.

'What do you mean?' asked Zodirah.

'Look around you, does this style of building not look familiar to you?' asked Magnatheena looking around.

'You're right, I knew that there was something familiar about this place, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Now I see it, this place reminds me of the Hollow City' exclaimed Daemon.

'Exactly Daemon, this city was built by the Dwarves. My great grandfather sent out a legion of men to colonise this island centuries ago. After a few years word got back to him that the mission was a success, and that a city had been built. My great grandfather boarded a ship soon after and made his way out to the island. Sadly, when he arrived, he saw nothing but an empty city. It was as though a terrible storm had blown through the streets and stripped them of any signs of life. He left the city at once and returned home to the Hollow City. He quickly ordered the expedition to be erased from all records and the story to be forgotten. But it was already too late, most of the people had heard of the disaster that had befallen the new outpost. The story has since been passed down through the generations of the Hollow City for centuries, but until now no one knew where the fabled city was. So, the story quickly grew into legend, and became nothing more than a bedtime story for children' said Magnatheena excited to finally be standing in the fabled city.

'Okay so what exactly happened here? We know that the banshees didn't do this, because they only arrived here after the first chief of your people had found this place. So, what could have been powerful enough to wipe an entire city out, practically overnight without leaving any trace of itself or its victims?' asked Durane.

'That is something that we may never know Durane, because sadly that is not why we are here. We are only here to see what we can learn about the banshees, if anything at all' said Zodirah.

'True but I am afraid that if we really wanted to learn more about the banshees, then we would have to see and interact with them. And from what you have told us Zodirah, these are not like the ones that I have come in contact with in Abberthorn' said Durane.

'Remind me again, what makes the ones in Abberthorn so very different from the ones here?' asked Zodirah.

'Quite simply, the banshees in Abberthorn pay no mind to living beings, unless provoked. But from what you have told us, these ones seem to mount unprovoked attacks on innocent people. This is very uncharacteristic for banshees in my experience' said Durane.

'So, we need to put it to the test?' asked Zodirah.

'And just how do you suppose we do that Zodirah?' asked Magnatheena uneasily.

'Simple, we wait for one to show itself and see if it attacks us!' answered Zodirah.

'That is a really bad idea! I don't mean to offend you, I just mean that I have no intention of dying here today, if I don't have to' said Filia.