AnAdventurousIntroductionToLeilm part 19

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"And fear not lest Existence closing your

Account, and mine, should know the like no more;

The Eternal Saki from that Bowl has pour'd

Millions of Bubbles like us, and will pour."

At the bottom of the stairs is a large rat-like beast, standing in the middle of the torchlight. The rat lunges forward and snaps air, Afalar, then air again. Zali'haro with a vile oath, hews into the beast to great effect. The battle rages a few more seconds when suddenly an arrow clatters off the wall. Sjer lobs a torch out to see the new threat, as the battle continues. The combatants seem able to hit naught but the floor and a flurry of misses happens all around. Afalar , Sjer, and Zali all attempt to throw oil onto the monster, but only succeed in scattering it around the room. Even torches aimed to ignite the oil only fall on dry areas of the floor. Finally, feeling a lack of game, Sjer causes a torch to rise from the floor and he floats it over to the various parts of the room and they burst aflame. The monstrous rat does not react to the fact that he is on fire. Zali'haro however, does react to the fact that he is on fire. He had came in to light a torch and throw it at the large rat. Unfortunately his sleeve caught fire at that moment. Afalar's quick thinking and sacrifice of a cloak snuffed the flames licking up Zali's sleeve. The room continued to burn and by consensus we decide to withdraw up the stairs.

Volorn, Zali'haro, and Afalar make it up to the top, but as Sjer turns to go the rodent raced in ripping Sjer's flesh and rendering him unconcious. Sjer's last anguished cry of pain and fear floated up the stairs. Volorn was the first to act. He reached the bottom of the stairs and knocked into the creature but to no effect. Zali'haro made it down second and once again began trading blows with the monster. As Volorn grabbed a neckful of Sjer and hauled him up the stairs, Zali'haro scored a gash along the monsters flank. As his sword ripped along, the rat fell apart like an old moldy doll. Seams became apparent and then ruptured. Stuffing of mixed furs and unmentionables spilled all around accompanied by the stale dry smell of animal feces. Coughing and wheezing, Zali'haro backed up the stairs and into the little room at the top. Afalar and Volorn administered aid to Sjer while Zali held the door closed against intruders. After nailing a metal dart through the door and into the jamb to keep it closed, Afalar quaffs the last of his healing potion. Afalar then moves off to open the metal gate leading to the wooden chest leaving Zali to feed the last of his healing potion to Sjer.

Just as Afalar moves into the short hallway Zali calls out, "check for traps." Unfortunately, at that point the floor opened up beneath Afalar dropping him twenty feet onto a pile of old bones and into unconsciousness.

Zali'haro and Volorn both look at each other. Volorn gives out a small whine while Zali heaves the grunt of the embattled soldier being asked to bear yet one more burden. Getting to his feet and heaving Sjer over his shoulder, Zali'haro climbs down the newly opened pit and lays Sjer down beside Afalar and another man who is resting in the bones. Just then Zali becomes aware that he is back down in the room where the large rat died but back behind a gate where the archer had been shooting from. As he looks up he locks gazes with the archer who had just stepped through the gate and closed it leaving the iron between Zali and himself. Zali threw his knife at the man, but it clanged off of the iron bars. The man drew his bow and began shooting arrows at Zali. "Mud and Filth," screamed Zali'haro! He drew his sword and charged the gate, yanking it open with a couple of mighty heaves.

He staggers out, still bleeding profusely from previous wounds and engages the beady eyed little man hand to hand.

Sjer awakens to find Afalar beside him, life spilling slowly into the pile of bones and Zali'haro trading sword blows with another fellow. He gives aid to Afalar, staunching the flow of blood and then totters to his feet, barely able to keep his balance.

Meanwhile upstairs, Volorn is facing the door that was nailed shut as someone tries to beat it down. Behind him is the other door leading up to the courtyard. The sounds of many small furry bodies and scratching of claws and teeth are coming from that direction.

Down below Zali continues trading blows with the fellow as Sjer totters closer and begins slinging stones at the man fighting Zali. Each spin of the sling draws Sjer another step closer to death. He can feel himself dying from the exertion, but feels compelled to help in any way possible as once Zali falls, hope may go with him. Then it happens. The man's sword slips past Zali's guard and the brave Mi'laran is stretched out cold. Fortunately for Sjer, at that moment, Volorn came racing down the stairs and drew the attention of our assailant. He had managed to fight his way past the man upstairs when the door had finally been knocked open. Also at that moment Afalar's healing drought had finally kicked in. He rose to his feet and made it way over to the fray. For at least six seconds it was 3 on 1. Volorn's teeth, Afalar's sword, and Sjer's menacing presence all serving to keep the fellow off his guard. Afalar delivered a few blows and then Volorn knocked the fellow to the ground. He then underwent a metamorphosis changing into a large rat. He was smaller than Volorn, but still large for a rat. He then scurried off. We all turned to his comrade and moved to engage him, but the same thing happened. He turned into a rat and scurried away. We rushed over to give aid to Zali'haro and revive him.

Alazar is the name of the man that we find at the bottom of the trap that Afalar fell through.

As we search we find many many jars, 4 bottles of excellent wine, a small box of nice paper and inks and pens.

List of stuff

box - paper and ink

three small jars - honey

Inside the metal box was the greatest treasure of all (LettersInTheRatsDen). Political information regarding the WaterBlades?, the ShadowWaterCircle, some upcoming coups planned in the city and some references to the Casral Teferact.

[next: FleeingIntoThePast]