Isherwood sits at his plain wooden desk at the Rofirein Temple at vehl and contemplates his training and recent quest.
He had journeyed to the crypt of Storan not far from Fort llast with some foreboding. He knew that he had the skills to both turn the undead and fight them on their own ground having many times vsited the crypts of Krandor and Vehl to cleanse them of their infestations but somehow this crypt seemed darker by far.
Whilst walking with some trepidation towards the valley in which lay the crypt he heard others talking as if they had just met. One sniggering and the other talking loudly and with excitemnt as if they had not met for some time. Turning the corner he recognised the two as old friends, long unseen, Keppli Quickhands, a halfling ranger from Whitehorn and Master Tod Fellow, also a halfling and a gatherer, fixer, tailor and adventurer of some renown.
He approached them with a grin spreading across his face. Just seeing them made him laugh as they jumped about gesturing wildly and exchanging stories of their recent past.
He had coughed, and then bowing deeply had made himself known.
"Isher!" they had cried and ran over to him, obviously pleased to see him.
"well met both of you" he had responded and then brought them up to date with his questing and his fervent desire to become a slayer.
"I'm heading into the Storan crypt to test my mettle he advised, Would you care to aid me. I fear some proof of my intentions are required. Perhaps a few bodak teeth will suffice as evidence"
Tod, taking out a blade twirled it a few times whilst balancing on one foot and responded " Sure thing Isher, but you'll be needing some expert help. I've been in there in he past and you wont manage without us"
Keppli jumped up and down " yeah Ish, I'm coming as well" She made a great flourish and a rather spectacular bow appeared as if out of nowhere.
Isherwood concentrated on a few spells, one turning his armour to a wooden appearance and the other calling blessing upon them and then led them into the valley.
Immediatelt Tod racd off and was seen battling with a skeleton in ragged armour and helmet. catching up with a fireblade in his hand Isherwood joined the fray but the undead creature fell, its head piereced by a green fletched arrow before he could strike.
" great shot Keppli!" cried Tod racing to the next apponent. Isherwood chased after but laden in full plate he moved slower and the next skeleton was missing an arm by the time he could strike it. Arrows pinged of his shoulder but two in quick succession took the skeleton in the ribs and then with a mighty stroke Isherwood cleaved the creatures head.
they surveyed the bones scattered about and then quickly made their way to the entrance. Isherwood calmed himself though his pulse was racing and having concentrated long enough to mumble some basic chant he waved his hands in the intricate pattern needed to cast the death ward on his allies whilst quietly chanting the appropriate prayer. The wards swirled around them all like the souls of the lost seeking bodily warmth and then settled as a dim glow around them. Isherwood cast protections for them and then said the prayers of blessing before they entered.
In the corridor they entered the cold was apparent from the first, an eiree mist settling just inches off the floor hid the scuttling of spider and beetle out of their way. Their breath apparent the small group made their way to the first turn.
Isherwood stopped and prayed, calling on a gaurdian to aid them and a bright shield appeared at his side, floating at shoulder height and with a crest of Rofeirin upon it. It bobbed in the air almost eager to do its duty and they approached the door.
Tod pushed againt it with some force and ran headlong into the room. Standing there somewaht agog at the range of creatures that ran towards Tod the brightly clad cleric stood dumbfounded. So many undead. Their stink pulsated in waves towards him. With a cry from behind a series of arrows whizzed past his ear breaking the spell of fear and crying out a battle oath Isherwood raced himeslef into the throng of battle. He raised his arms and shouting powerful prayer turned only two of the creatures now surrounding Tod, at least 4 shadows stood their as well as two men in armour with a deathly appearance and bodaks numbering three.
As more arrows arched over his head into the mass of bodies Isherwood called down the hammer of the gods on the masses. Two slowed their movements and one immediately fell as Tod seized his opprtunity and struck with deadly force. Raising shield to his face Isherwood faced two of the shadows. They reached out to touch him, their eyes a malevolent red and their moved hissing in some dark tongue. Isherwood struck the arm of one with his fiery blade but the other brushed his arm. Isherwood felt a blast of cold run from elbow to shoulder and his sword felt heavy in his hand. The creature had somehow drained his strengthand Isherwwod realised that to be touched again could be deadly. He hacked at the creature with more urgency and Tod, turning from three felled creatures turned to his aid. The halfling was a blur of blades and the shadow fell at Isherwoods feet.
Tod grinned to the larger bronze clad cleric and ran screaming across the room to a creature of dread. A sickening skeleton with bones covered in the grime of of mold and death with twin blazing green blades.
Isherwood with keppli quickly joing him ran forward and then stopped to try and turn the creature. The creature staggered some but returned to the fight with Tod so Isherwood changed tack and shouting in a harsher tongue called down a fire strike upon the creatures head. Tod leapt back briefly and then leapt into the air to deliver a deadly blow to the still kneeling opponent.
Gasping, they stood in the middle of the room surveying the fallen and their wounds. Isherwood and Tod set about bandaging themselves and Keppli and having lifted a key from a chain around the neck of the greater undead they moved back to the corridor to rest.
Having recast the wards and using a small statue to cast protection from spells the trio made their way along a long corridor to a second room. Here Isherwood waited to discuss their plan of attack.
"OH OH this might help" shouted keppli grinning widely and turned herself into a pixie. Isherwod smiled at the pretty little thing madly flapping its wings in front of him. He cast his spell to summon another gaurdian and the pixie flew across to rest on his top. Tod stood and laughed at the odd scene whilst casting a stoneskin upon himslef and chaning into another cloak of some sort.
"Im not sure you will be of much aid in that form" suggested Isherwood.
The pixie blew a raspberry in his general direction and flitted here and there in a mock attack but after several minutes seemed to become bored and with a flash keppli reappeared. She danced a little with excitement and the another flash followed leaving a large ugly troll wher she had been.
"Ilsh be ash besher helpsh to yersh insh this formsh eh" it said and waddled on overlage legs to he door.
isherwood applied the key and they burst into a second larger room that appeared filled with mummies. Isherwood counted at least eight before they attacked. Strking left and right he avoided most of their attacks but his sword, althouh aflame, appeared to do little damage to them. Standing aside from the battle he cast flame strikes here and their and turned any undead who approached. here and there the mummies turned and wandered off but three stood and fought. Tod and Keppli stood back to back in the throng weaving up and down and dodging back and forth, heir many blades dancing in the eerie light of the chamber. Isherwood cast healing spells at Keppli as she took a blow to her shoulder and then felt a mummified hand touch his back. An electric like shock racked his body and he staggered away from the evil touch. Turning his cast a hammer of the gods at the mummy and it fell to the ground.
Tod and Keppli rushed across the floor, now fighting in a syncronised dance of death they worked together felling the newcomers, more mummies from the further parts of the room. Standing alongside Isherwood varied between turning and hacking at their prey and eventually the room was quiet.
they made their way to another door and Tod tried the key but it would not open. Slapping his own head he said " weve missed a room we have, back along the corridors"
More ducking, weaving, casting, prayers and cries of oaths ganist eveil followed in this room too.The shadows who inhabited this spot fell or ran at Isherwoods turning prayers and became easy fodder for the blades of the three. Quickly they returned to what Tod described as a "difficult room" and with their blood up they charged in.
In perefect order now the three fought together, hacking here, running there with Isherwood turning, casting fire, healing and hacking by rote. His mind switched off and letting the training take over he moved in a methodical way from fight to fight whilst the halflings danced about with seeming gay abandon amongst the undeead and their corpses.
Time seemed to slow in Isherwoods head and finally he felt that his destiny was in such dark places. he would bring light to the dark and cleanse the world of such as these.
In a dream he wandered out throught the corridors and into the light.
waking with Keppli tapping his arm he looked up.
"look at this fancy ring I found" she said showing a ring with an M on it.
" we made it out alive" said Tod.
"Indeed my tanks to you both" he replied " I think this day i have found my path"
" Had yer lost it?" they shouted as they played tag on the way out of the valley
