The Terral Gate

Chapter 3

The day was young, the adventurers’ bodies ached and their hands burned dully. It all served as a constant reminder of yesterday’s events. The group had gotten acquainted with their escort, Thorril Branchlight and were making small talk while walking briskly through the calm forest roads.

They stopped along a creek to enjoy a late breakfast. The modest spread included some apples, toast, jam, and cured pork. Gerberkan produced a dead rabbit from his satchel and started a small fire in an awkward spot next to the rest of the food.

“Yum yum, I caught this fellow last night!” Gerberkan grinned innocently. Bud’s ears perked up and he licked his lips. Mar’Jania laughed, but did a double take looking beyond Gerberkan’s campfire. It looked like a shadowy figure was peering at the group from a couple hundred feet away, through the thicket of trees. She jumped to her feet, grabbing her staff.

“Do you see that?” Mar’Jania glanced at Thorril and the others and then back to where she saw the figure. It wasn’t there.

Lodi stood up as well. “I don’t see anything. What is it?”

“It...was nothing. I thought I saw something off in the distance. My eyes must be playing tricks on me...I didn’t sleep well last night.” MJ looked embarassed. “I actually had a nightmare about the catacombs. It was all so vivid; it felt so real.” Kat, who was sitting next to MJ, stood up and awkwardly patted her on the back.

“So did I.” she offered. “I kept dreaming of the skeletons it summoned. The way they looked...like they didn’t care about anything but killing me…”

The mood of the picnic was soured after this and caution won out. Thorril suggested they take their food on the road so they packed up and got back on the move. Lodi could tell it was right around noon because the group was travelling North through a deep valley between two steep rocky cliffs and the sun was still visible up in the sky.

“So, have any of you ever heard of Stonehaven before?” Thorril was making more smalltalk. The donkey hauling supplies that he was leading looked bored, as if it had heard this question asked a thousand times. Nobody had heard of Stonehaven so Thorril went on, “Ahh my, she’s a beautiful place- An enormous stronghold built by a proud dwarven clan several hundred years ago. They used giant limestone bricks held together with enchanted cement. The doorways are a bit short for you folks, but the monastery is actually quite large! I think you’re going to love it. It has served as a safe place for monks, clerics, and paladins to live and train for generations! Once we’re done with our work in Brecken, I’m going to request to spend some time in Stonehaven to progress my studies as a cleric!” He turned to Lodi and winked, “maybe I should move a few things in while we’re here to ease the trans-”

Thorril stopped in his tracks. The group kept walking for a few seconds before noticing he was neither speaking nor walking. When Kat turned around, she immediately yelled “Ambush!” and rolled into some nearby foliage.

With a barely audible hiss through the air, two more arrows flew towards the group to join the one nestled in Thorril’s back, having knocked him to the ground, motionless. One arrow lodged in some of the gear packed onto the donkey and the other bounced off of Lodi’s chestplate.

Mar’Jania instinctively ran over to Thorril and used her body as a shield over him while she examined his wounds. “Thorril! Are you alright? Can you hear me? Thorril, wake up!” The dwarf groaned in response, which was good enough for MJ. She placed her staff on the ground and put both hands on him around the arrow. White energy began glowing from her healing touch. An arrow sailed uncomfortably close by MJ’s head. Bud seemed to notice this and darted off into the trees, tackling what turned out to be an archer goblin.