Tales of Fantasy & Wonder Vol. 1

XI - The Wizard and the Hunter

The Wizard and the Hunter

Game XI                                                                          December 15th, 2017.

Having entered the shadow gate of the tower, Theo felt as though his senses were missing, save for the timing of his own feet as they stepped with assurance that some kind of surface was holding them up. A diffused light opened ahead, toward which he led his reined kokosh until they emerged into a passage where the other adventurers waited to study their present location.

The passage and floor were tessellated silver bricks, seemingly held together without mortar. The source of light for the passage was disconcerting, hard to trace in the reflective glare. The light was only focused on this area, as Jerac and Theo briefly confirmed to the other that their destination would again lead them into the unseen, as the passage continued beyond its reach.

The four men and saddled beast followed its' course toward a further light and the growing thrum as though insects were trapped or working somewhere beyond. The half orc and ranger where at the vanguard as the tunnel opened onto the expanse of a great central chamber, ringed high and low beyond sight with circular platforms like the one they had arrived on, the walls detailed with pipes and features that made no sense, artistic or otherwise.

Light and sound came from the deeper levels, and on investigation there was a gargantuan statue whose visage was of some wizened man, whose single eye would be described as a great red lens, perhaps of ruby or crimson sapphire. From their height above, it was difficult to descry any further features, as they came to understand that there were no linking stairs or openings leading from the platform they now occupied.

Tethering the kokosh to one of the pipes near the entrance that had led them thus far, Theo looked up at some moving shadow descending from the platform above, a white haired ape like the others he had earlier encountered. The other travellers came together in alarm, arming themselves as six of the creatures approached from all directions, leaping from the walls and climbing over the lip of the floor from the lower levels.

Cutting down a pair of the apes away from the kokosh, Theo joined the other men in subduing the long limbed cretins, sending them back over the edge and watching them vanish howling into the unlit base of the tower, tumbling past the gilded effigy.

Catching their breath, the men concluded that there was no other course but for Jerac voluntary suggestion to climb down to the lower levels and find some new progress. Uncoiling a length of rope and hook, the half orc secured the anchor point and flicked the rest of the length over the platform's edge, after which he tightened his sword belt so nothing would slip away, weaving himself down grip by grip into the unknown.

As the remaining adventurers waited for Jerac's return, they examined the otherworldly attributes of the inner tower. Theo tested the pipes, levering a weaker one out of its joint with the butte of hisk spear, spilling water over the floor. On tasting the water, Saul and Xammy felt energised and fit, even after the fight with the apes. The Soroen tried it for himself, and felt the same reaction from the leaking pipe water.

Catching as much of the flowing water as he could in travel skins, the ranger called out for Jerac (if he could still hear them) to likewise gather any of the liquid as it spilt into the open central shaft.

More time passed without word from Jerac, or movement around them, save for the humming air, a constant drone since they had come upon their present predicament. Hoping to trigger some effect, Theo knocked an arrow to his bow, aiming at the great red eye of the statue below. The arrow split on the plating of the effigy's face, falling away into the void.