Ancient Transport System
Ozzob leads the way into a hidden subterranean chamber of the keep. The room is small with a single door opposite the steps the group entered through; a slender, waist high podium stands alongside the door. The top of the podium is flat and engraved with what appears to be a nondescript hand.
Ozzob walks to the podium, “This place was built in ancient times, many of these places were built across the land. They are interconnected in a spider web pattern and they allow you to travel from point to point with great speed.” The sorcerer reaches up and places his hand on the podium. “The travel points are protected by a magically fortified entrance, this marker will recognize me and open the door.”
Leone inquires, “How do you about this place, and why will it open for you?”
Ozzob utters, “Because I helped them build it.”
Suddenly a grinding sound fills the room; the door slowly slides open. A series of long tubes hang parallel from the ceiling; each tube emits a glowing light.
The room is filled with perfectly intact equipment. Five tables are arranged throughout the room each covered with an array of curious objects and drawings. Ozzob ushers the others over to one table dominated by a large contraption that looks like some kind of alchemical workstation. Ozzob picks up a small cylinder object that is rounded on both ends. He places the object on a pedestal and threads a curious silver cord along its side. The forces of gravity take over when Ozzob releases the object and it shoots down the cord, along the length of the table, and back up the cord to a second pedestal where it stops.
“This was the design room for a transport system that blended magic and science. We developed a system that would allow people to travel to key points in the world quickly. The people that began here had been living underground, and as there population grew so did there city. They eventually discovered that the ground we walk on has a finite depth; and that there was only a void beneath this depth. They had penetrated the sub surface of the world. Once I learned of this discovery I was able to help them design and build the system.”
Ozzob again held the small piece that glided down the silvery cord a moment ago.
“People would ride on these… carts, for lack of a better word. They would travel through this void that existed beneath the surface of our world. This can get us back to your temple with haste.”
Leone’s vision shifts from Ozzob to some sort of device sitting in the back of the room. It is a huge chunk of brassy metal carved and trimmed with silver markings. Leone picks up one of the little objects Ozzob was holding and puts it in his view beside the large tin can at the back of the room; they look very similar.
Ozzob ushers the others to the back of the room and exhibits the riding canister; he pulls on a handle that runs vertical along the side of the craft, it opens a door to reveal the interior. Six standing slots are built inside the craft, harness straps dangle about the bright brassy interior. The awe of Leone is broken by a shifting light just beyond his vision. He circles around the craft and looks at the animated painting.
Dedrick asks “What is the significance of this painting? It looks like a child’s game where you connect dots in various combinations…”
Ozzob, inspecting the cans interior for wear, replies, “It is a map that shows the different points of travel.”
Leone asks, “And what is this glowing dot… it moves?”
Ozzob rushes out and over to the others, “It is a transport in motion, and it is coming here.”
Leone gives a shallow look then turns to a dark corner of the room.
#
A confidence and superiority surrounds the Tribal Leader of the Knolls. He is adorned with a multitude of simple objects that hang from all parts of his clothing. A crowns worth of gold is woven into his rugged greaves, matched with a single steel shoulder plate; next to him in the standing harness is a mighty wooden maul that has been trimmed with barbs and a steel handle. The head of the maul is stained with the blood of hundreds of foes that have fallen under its might. A rotting hand dangles from the leaders belt, mixed among the other possessions.
Five other knolls accompany the leader on this trip. They encircle the walls of a tiny room, each strapped into symmetric positions. Each knoll is armed with the brightest blade and best piecemeal armor to be found, this group is a war party—on its way home to celebrate a victory. A chunky metal bang sings through the interior of the transport pod. Locking mechanisms have been set in place, the craft has arrived. The knolls, having traveled this path many times before, exit the pod with little caution and make there way for the door.
#
A single swift blow from the shadows drives a dagger through the neck of one knoll, a mortal wound that severed the creatures spine. Reactions are swift as weapons flash in the hands of the knolls, but before they are able to retaliate Ozzob unleashes a thick lightning bolt that flies across the room. The bolt of energy speeds through the air and forks around Leone striking a knoll to each side. The wave is undaunted as it travels through each knoll and strikes a second, smoke and searing flesh mark the entrance and exit points on every knoll. The two disparate bolts travel through there second targets and strike the knoll leader in unison, thrusting him to the floor in a daze.
Grabbing hold of a fleeting opportunity, Dedrick rushes forward at a foe. The spirit blades of the master psion have little trouble slicing apart the flesh of the knoll. Seeing his companion fall under the slicing of this human the Tribal Leader launches forward, grabs Dedrick around the neck with his mighty claw and throws him across the room. Dedrick skids across some old wood planks and slips directly over the pit that runs down below the surface of the world. Ozzob dives at Dedrick as is able to grab him just before the fall.
Reinvigorated by there leaders show of strength the knolls assault Leone in a bullish melee. Daring and quick Leone whirls about and is able to dodge most of the haphazard swings, but there are simply to many and after a few seconds a blade makes a clean slice across Leone’s thigh. Immediately following the strike that sends him to his knees Leone parrys two more blows, but a third blade thrusts forward unchecked and penetrates Leone’s shoulder. In a last desperate attempt to kill one more foe Leone lurches forward and stabs a knoll in the face; the act tears open his shoulder that is still lodged with the knolls blade.
Crippled by the wounds he has received, Leone can do nothing but fold under the might of the Tribal Leader’s maul. Dedrick and Ozzob return to there feat just in time to see Leone’s body crushed. Ozzob begins to jitter, he turns to the transport pod and rips a chunk of the brassy metal free from along the top and side of the vessel. The sorcerer’s body shakes in an unearthly fashion, it appears as though there are a hundred copies of him performing the action, all slightly different in nuances, and only one is visible in a given instance. The sounds of a blacksmith hall fill the room—echoed and ghostly.
With there attention turned on the sorcerer’s spectacle, the knolls barely notice Dedrick moving in for the attack. One knoll breaks open and rushes at Dedrick, sword in hand. A diving stab is easily deflected by the powerful spirit blades; the pounding of metal on metal grows louder as Ozzob is barely able to contain the force, he jitters and jerks wildy—the sight of a madman. More knolls join the melee in moments but all there strikes fall amiss. The spirit blades form a perfect defense, even when outnumbered and outmaneuvered. Suddenly, at a deafening pinnacle, the pounding of the ghastly blacksmiths cease; attention returns to Ozzob.
The sorcerer stands alone, only now he wields a brassy cleaver sword. In there moment of awestruck disbelief Ozzob rushes forward; with a single swing he cleaves one knoll in half. The Tribal Leader of the knolls takes a moment to consider there chances as he looks at his warrior laying on the ground in two places; that moment proves fatal. With a second mighty swing Ozzob brings the blade down atop the tribal leaders head, the speed and force are only stopped when the weapon clinks on the floor.
The final knoll, horrified, with his morale broken, flees to the door. One final act seals the knolls fate; Ozzob spins around, blade in hand, and looses it in the direction of the knoll. The sorcerers aim is true as the weapon penetrates the back of the creature, the force pushes on his chest from the inside and dose not break through until it carries the knoll to the nearby wall. The magical weapon becomes lodged in the stone; the final knoll hangs limp, dead.
Ozzob stands over the mangled body of Leone; human blood covers the floor. Dedrick approaches after making sure the other knolls were dead.
“Are you able to save him?”
“I can mend his body, but his spirit has already left.”
Ozzob turns a stern eye at Dedrick.
“He is not beyond help, but it will take a sacrifice on your part.”
“I will let no man die in my service.”
Ozzob knells down beside the body, “Very well.”
With
more blood outside than inside, the mangled body of Leone lies motionless and
pale. The vibrant hand of Ozzob reaches down and passes across wounds; flesh is restored as easily as it was butchered. In moments the blood
has receded and
Ozzob breaks the gaze short of killing Dedrick and looks down at Leone; he is breathing.
#
Leone rests against a wall as the others skulk about the room looking for answers.
Dedrick questions, “How were the knolls able to gain access to this place?”
“That is what I have been trying to determine… and I believe I just found the answer.”
Ozzob reaches down to the Tribal Leaders corpse and plucks a trinket from amidst the creatures elaborate dressing. Turning to present the item to Dedrick reveals a rotted hand; grizzly and decayed the hand has been treated to remain intact and fashioned with a steel loop. The icon of ancient death still bears a ring.
“This ring bears a crest of the Dulann family. We did not consider this possibility when the system was built. They have been using this decayed hand to open the doors.”
Ozzob places the hand inside one of his belt pouches and walks over to the pod that carried the knolls into the room a few minutes ago. Dedrick helps Leone inside and begins to latch him into the harness. Ozzob steps to the side of the pod and pushes a lever that reset when the vessel arrived. A conflagration of gears begin to turn as the lever is released; a small steel rod inches closer to the pods locking clamp. Ozzob steps into the craft and secures the door.
The resident expert quickly inspects Dedrick’s harness to ensure that it is securely fastened. Moments later Ozzob fastens himself into a harness directly across from his companions.
“How long?”
“Moments.”
“What will it be like?”
Ozzob reaches up with each hand and takes a firm grip on some loop handles that stick from the wall; identical handles are positioned at each harness. Dedrick swaggers a curious nod and reacts by grabbing handles as Ozzob demonstrated; Leone follows suit.
“Don’t let go.”
#
The feeling is timeless,
I can make no distinction between a second or a minute as I freefall
forever. Magical energy shrouds this
craft and turns its vertical course to a horizontal one; something in this
darkness pulls at my flesh. Needles
dance on my spine as I live in Infinity.
This construction is such a monumental
creation that it should be my legacy; what of my legacy? I have nothing left
that I can remember. It has been such a
great long time since I stood in the flows of the old river. What have I done to deserve this existence,
what can I do with it?
I have lived in this world for so long that
I can no longer tolerate its limitations.
This world no longer lives for me, and I no longer deserve it. One day when this place is tainted and dead,
when I have no home or family, I shall look beyond—to my next life. This image I cannot shake, a blood-soaked
angle.
#
Locking clamps slam home; the transport pod skitters to a halt above a pit at the other end of the line. The three quickly remove there harness straps and within moments have opened the door and exited the craft. A series of ever burning light tubes hang from the ceiling and illuminate the room.
Seven pits line a curved wall around the room; each pit is fitted with a familiar silver cord and locking clamps. This point is a junction of paths connected via the transport system. Four transport cans are locked into place above pits, five more stand in the center of the room. Very little can be found in the room apart from the essentials required for the system to function. A nondescript stone door and archway is the single feature along the only flat wall.
Ozzob and Dedrick step under the archway; both glance at there feet in unison, a subtle shift was felt in the floor. A thundering groan of scraping stone overpowers the sense of hearing—concentrated by the small room and rocky alcove. It takes less than a minute for the door to slide open and reveal a pitch black crypt.
Ancient, dust covered cobwebs envelop the room. The carved podium that allows access to the room is barely visible. Aged stone coffins line the walls of the room, this is truly a place of honored dead. Glyphic stonework is visible everywhere; everything is covered with an age of abandonment. Ozzob snakes a path through the room dodging coffins and coffers, he quickly leads Dedrick and Leone through a bronze doorway into a common hall that is not decrepit with the passage of time.
“I know this place, it is the burial site we still use.” Dedrick points down the long hall. “My father is down there in a tomb on the left… the exit is this way.”
#
The speech of resolute logic dominates the sky. “There is more substance to this human than we have seen. He dose indeed carry the power to destroy us.”