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The growls of the trolls echo through the night, their sound chilling you to the bone as you continue to race through the forest. Scraping yourself against tree branches and stumbling over rocks in your haste to get away.
Sweat drizzles down the side of your face, your lungs burn like their on fire and you gasp for each breath that you take as exhaustion and hunger begin to set in.
Hearing the cries of the trolls growing louder and louder behind you, you picture a whole host of the filthy swamp beasts chasing after you, when you glimpse a Citadel through the tree branches up above you.
Heart soaring with renewed hope at the sight of the imposing structure, you push your wooden legs forward, scampering across the rough,rocky terrain and up the hill towards the Citadel and feel your heart sink back down into your chest.
The citadel made of white stone walls has long since decayed with cracks in its smooth white surface and gaping holes in its walls. Tattered blue pennants lie still atop turrets and the gatehouse easily the size of a fully grown giant has been smashed inward by a ram that has been left behind in the debris, along with the broken steel gates that lie bent and rusted on the ground.
As you approach the gatehouse you read the words, "Toth Kon Rel." Engraved upon stone above the steel gates, which if translated means. "Bastion of the Honor Blades."
With no other choice but to go inside. You pick your way through piles of rubble that lie just outside the citadel's walls and step into the courtyard with its overgrown weeds to see a gigantic monolithic stone building ahead of you that reminds of a temple made of the same white substance as the walls. The two massive double doors that lead into the grand building have dozens of large black eyes carved into the surface that watch you as you make your way inside. Making you want to draw your weapon, when you notice the howls of the trolls have become silent, heightening your sense of danger.
Not liking this place at all, you ask, "What is this place?"
Lorna joins you in the courtyard, her hazel brown eyes gazing around at the smaller buildings neatly positioned to either side of the imposing temple and thoughtfully presses a finger to her lips. "Hmmm, I do believe this place to be Tothkanon, the first Citadel of the Honor Blades and final resting place of Ice Eyes. It seems strange that the Honor Blades would simply abandon this sacred site..."
Licking your lips nervously at her words, you search the courtyard hoping Lorna was mistaken, but this place did seem more like a graveyard than a castle. Which meant there may be spirits residing here who may not like your intrusion. Spirits with enough power to scare away the trolls.
Shivering at dark thought, you continue deeper into the courtyard passing the skeletal remains of those who have died long ago in battle, their rusted plate armor and weapons lying scattered about the courtyard. With dozens upon dozens of burial mounds with large white stones planted on top of them standing not too far from you.
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Gorrack resting his battleaxe against his broad shoulders, moves towards one of the grave stones to read the words inscribed upon the stone. "We are the Honor Bound, we gave our lives in service to the light and we shall forever dwell here to protect our homeland."
As the last words slip free of Gorrack's lips, you feel the night air around you becomes colder, the weeds swaying side to side and the stench of death permeating the very air you breathe.
Eager to be away from here, you open your mouth to speak to Lorna, when you hear a whisper across the breathe that sounds like your name.
Spinning around, you search for the source of the sound, but see nothing, just the starlight winking above to shower you in a eerie white light.
Lorna stares at you strangely. "You see something?"
You shake your head, but you can't help but feel like you are being watched from the shadows. "We should leave this place. We should leave right now."
Lorna raises an eyebrow up at your fear. "No, that would not be wise, the trolls could be waiting for us outside. We must find another way to leave this place. I've heard rumors that many of the citadels such as this one had underground passages built below the surface in case of a siege. We should search this place for one."
You open your mouth to argue with her, but she simply ignores you and walks away, making her way towards the great big double doors at the far end of the courtyard where she links up with Gorrack.
Annoyed, frustrated and angry, you take a step towards them, when you notice one of the burial mounds has been partially dug up, revealing a glimmer of something shiny.
Wincing at the disgusting smell, you cover the body back up.
Quickly moving to catch up with your companions, you watch as the big orc thrusts his shoulder against the great big door and with a grunt of effort slowly begins pushing it open. The hinges of door squealing open to release dust gathered from years of disuse up into the air.
After creating a large enough gap for them to fit through, Gorrack grips his battle axe and enters first followed by Lorna.
Taking a moment to still your rapidly beating heart at the thought of what's inside. You take a deep breath and squeeze your way in through the gap to see a massive open space, paved with slabs of stone. The roof above your head curved in a sort of dome to show two large blue eyes staring down at you with huge stone statues of Minotaurs leering down at you from both sides of the room to stand watch over a stone sarcophagus that rests upon an alter at the center of the room.
Lorna staring in wide eyed fascination takes a step towards the stone sarcophagus, when you hear a faint click.
Lorna unable to believe how close to death she had come whispers her thanks, while you study the slabs of stone to try and see the trap she triggered. Only then do you realise that there are faint images depicted on the slabs of stone along with another inscription. "Only the worthy may enter my halls."This has to be some sort of test for the Honor Blades.
You gaze at the thousands of holes that dot the walls to either side of you, before looking back down at the five images depicted on each of the stone slabs below you: a sword, a mouth, a bow, a spear and a greatsword. (To learn more about Ice Eyes, click the link below to help you move forward.)
3. Do you step on the stones only depicting the bow?
Deciding it must be the bow stones that are safe, you take a step forward and hear a distinctive click.
Panicking at your mistake, you cover your arms up around your head and sprint across the room towards the sarcophagus, darts grazing and stabbing into your body, before collapsing by the alter in a twitching heap. Agony coursing through your veins as the poison in the darts takes effect, burning through your veins.
Battle Results
- 80 Health points with another - 5 Health points for the next five turns from the poison that is now in your blood.
Loot
None