Collapse Eternia

Fallen Fortress Arc (Prologue) p.1

It was a musky flame that illuminated the quiet and cold stone towers of Longar. The fortress at the far frontier, the border between the known world and the demon-scamed realm of the unknown.

Longar was a stronghold, a bastion against the darkness that threatened to engulf the world. It had stood for centuries, its walls manned by men and women who were willing to fight to the last breath for the safety of their home.

But now it was empty.

The gates were open, and the banners hung limply in the still air. The torches were unlit, and the watchfires extinguished. No one dared to enter Longar.
That musky flame came from the campfire of a few ambitious, and maybe a little haphazard adventurers that hailed from the far calmer and safer territories of the far south. It was a variety of things that drew men to the end that was the final frontier, as it was sometimes called. Be it wealth, adventure, the hunt for relics or the wish to understand a past story that had since been buried by revisionist historians and divine decrees. Regardless, the reason for travelling so far from home, were often a combination of those. But, the question remained for those few adventurers, why was such an important place abandoned; Or rather, not recaptured. The walls show clear signs of a siege and multitudes of bodies in full plate and gambeson were strewn about with weaponry in hand where the vultures couldn't reach, and rip any such memorials away.

But, regardless. The quest to this place, done in relative secrecy, all in the hopes of understanding what happened during the Buried Age. That was the reason for their journey. And they were not alone.

The wind was blowing through the open tower's window, rustling through the furs and leather that were used to insulate against the chill. The fire's heat was welcome against the chilly gusts, and the small group around the campfire had more than one fur cloak pulled up around the easily cold mage. The wind was the companion that had descended on them not long before they reached this place. The chill grew slowly, but was easily noticed as the snowflakes began to pierce through the open window. The group saw that as it stood currently continuing onwards would be the last of their worries, as freezing would come first. They packed their belongings, with the female mage sneezing as she stood up, protected by two whole fur coats. Next to her sat the trustworthy wolf-dog Ölk, the companion of the ranger. Then across from them sat the other three, the frontsman Karlplate, the aformentioned ranger Luth and the healer-sorceress Plagia.

They had packed their belongings and moved down from the tower.

"We have to find an enclosed space without a damn window!" Luth shouted through the loud wind.
"We'll get buried alive! We should head back instead!" Karlplate shouted back.
"The chance for getting buried alive or a guaranteed death through freezing?! I know which choice I'm making!"

Luth and Karlplate bickered back and forth for a moment before Plagia interrupted.

"I always love your attitude towards one another but we have to get inside quick before the storm gets worse!"

Plagia pointed to a compound attached to the walls.
"I saw earlier that there was a loose door there, we should be able to find shelter there."
"You've gotta be kidding me" Karlplate responded frustratingly
"There's a whole goddamn tower on that!" He exclaimed whilst pointing towards the fallen tower that lay on the compound.
"It's been there FOR AGES!" answered Plagia.

The mage, Maia suddenly sneezed and thus grabbed all the attention on her. Suddenly they all saw how she was shaking from the constantly colder temperature.

"Can we just go inside and get a fire going? I'm really cold" Maia said with red cheeks and a tear welling up in her eyes.

Luth and Plagia turned towards Karlplate that was looking towards Maia.