The Hallowed Halls of Archenjuld

(text-style:"bold","underline")[THE HALLOWED HALLS OF ARCHENJULD] [[START->Intro Slide 1]]

On a serene, summer’s afternoon, Ozthrum sits in his favorite chair in the University library, reading a book about advanced teleportation theory. Being a lecturing professor at the Arcane University of Archenjuld is quite rewarding, but Ozhthrum loves nothing more than cozying up with a good book. Such is the nature of Halflings. Ozthrum grabs an apple off the table in front of him, and goes to take a bite… But his teeth smack down hard against one another. The apple flickers in and out of view, and tangibility, in his hand. “OZ!!!” A voice booms from the door of the library. [[''Continue...''->Intro Slide 2]]

Something happens, as Ozthrum turns his head, that can only be described as reality crackling. The walls of the library switch back and forth, between clean and dusty, in a revolving, lightning shaped power. The door flies open and in steps Haruk J’a. The elf is also experiencing reality cracking. Her garb flicks back and forth between a set of guard’s heavy armor, and the light leather armor and sashes of her home, the deserts of Kunenrah. Instantly upon seeing Haruk, a sinking feeling drops to the pit of Ozthrum’s gut. Everything’s wrong. He’s not a professor at the school, he’s never taught a day in his life. And Haruk isn’t a guard here. He wasn’t supposed to be here, and neither was she. Not in this capacity, at least. [[''Continue...''->Intro Slide 3]]

The ground trembles as reality begins to further fall apart around the two. Chunks of the stone masonry begin to crash to the ground, disappearing into purple dust, or morphing into strange, otherworldly shapes. Bookshelves fall into glowing cracks forming in the floor. Haruk sprints to Ozthrum, and hoists him in the air by his collar. “OZ, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER!” She screams into his face, “REMEMBER WHY YOU’RE HERE!” “I REMEMBER, NOW PUT ME DOWN! WE HAVE TO GO!” Haruk drops Oz, and turns tail towards the door. Ozthrum wastes no time following her lead as the library seemingly implodes in on itself. [[''Continue…''->Intro Slide 4]]

Haruk and Ozthrum book it down the hall. Oz struggles to outpace the chaotic wave of destructive-entropy growing in his wake, but Haruk has no trouble at all. Just as doom seems to be closing in, Ozthrum remembers. The saferoom. Outside the perimeter of… Well, whatever the hell this is. A quick blink, and the pair would be out of harm's way. But, there’s something else he remembers. They aren’t supposed to be just a pair…They’re supposed to be a trio... The party’s brave warrior is missing. “A blink would be really great right about now, Oz!” Haruk yells, all the while dodging flying debris, and leaping over giant holes in the floor that open up to the seemingly endless space of starry skies. “But where’s Bjobelfall?” Ozthrum shouts before misty stepping over the holes. “Shit! Bjob! But this place is falling down around us! But- Damnit!” [[''Blink to the saferoom…''->Saferoom Slide 1]] -OR- [[Look for Bjobelfall…->Look Decision Slide]]

Ozthrum shoots his hand straight above his head, and mutters a strange, guttural word from an ancient arcane script. Undulating green runes twist to form a polyhedron around the pair. Just as the hallway is about to collapse upon them, the runes flash to a bright white then- Calm. The creaking of wooden floor boards. Wind gently rapping against the glass pane of a window. The blink worked, they’re in the saferoom. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 2]]

Two paths remain available as the very world around our adventurers is twisting in an arcane fury. [[''Look for Bjoebelfall in the barracks…''->Barracks Slide 1]] -OR- [[Look for Bjobelfall in the cellar…->Cellar Slide 1]]

Ozthrum and Haruk duck into the first hallway they can find. “This goes to the barracks, I think!” Haruk yells as she yanks open a wooden door. Ozthrum isn’t so much thinking about where he’s running, he’s just focused on running, so he follows her right in. They are greeted with the sight of two men in full guard armor. The men are walking in a small, repetitive patrol pattern, stone faced, and yet tears are flowing down their cheeks. For this brief moment, the barracks seem far more put together than the madness they had just escaped in the hallway. Then, just as it had before, reality cracks. The beige stonework that make up the walls and floor of the room break off into asteroid like chunks, and take a similar listless flight. The armor the two men bore before instantly takes the form of the tattered robes of the professors here at the school, and they begin fully weeping. “Please, Gods, make it stop!” One of them screams, dropping to their knees. The other leans on their staff, which was formerly their spear. His knees shake and buckle and he pants for air. “We’ve been marching like that for two da-” Before he can finish his sentence, the room snaps back to the barracks, and the professors are once again armored and on patrol. “Gods above, they can’t stop marching.” Haruk says as she looks on in horror. Ozthrum stands by, unsure of what to do. “We… We can’t just leave them… Can we?” Haruk’s shaking voice conveys her inner struggle with the situation. These men clearly need help, and yet, Haruk and Ozthrum still need to find Bjobelfall, before it’s too late. [[''Put the “soldiers” out of their misery…''->Barracks Slide 2a]] -OR- [[''Ignore the “soldiers” and move on…''->Barracks Slide 2b]] -OR- [[''Knock the “soldiers” out…''->Barracks Slide 2c]]

Ozthrum quickly looks down the hallway. He points at the second archway down the hall. “There!” He shouts, “The cellar!” Ozthrum immediately takes off down the hallway, and Haruk quickly matches his speed. “Well, if there’s anywhere we’re likely to find Bjob, that’s it!” The pair quickly turn through the second archway, duck down the stairs, and burst through the wooden door far down at the bottom. [[''Continue…''->Cellar Slide 2]]

The saferoom isn’t much, but at this point, it seems like a godsend. Oz had spotted it on the way into the university, and had taken a quick blink up there to make sure it would be a good safe spot to retreat to. A small, modestly furnished bedroom, made mostly of a pale white wood, hastily poised on the top of the university’s East wing. It was obviously a last minute addition, constructed with shoddier workmanship than anything else here. Oddly, the room has no door. Most likely, it was the bedroom of one of the school’s professors, accessed only by blinking or a dimension-door. The perch-like structure offers an incomparable view of the University. A large stone rectangle with roofs of forest green, the school stands as an aesthetically sterile monument to the pure pursuit of higher magical education. The entire building is encased by a large, transparent, dark pink bubble. It’s somewhat mushroom shaped, with cracks of gold energy crackling across its surface. This little bedroom, jutting out from the main building on its rickety wooden foundation, is the only part of the university not encased in the bubble. Safely out of that magical bubble, both Ozthrum and Haruk had full command of their memories back. And now, they fully remembered why they had come to this Gods-forsakened place. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 3]]

Slide 3 - A few days ago, Ozthrum, Haruk and Bjobelfall, an experienced adventuring party who were newly arrived to the city of Duhren, responded to an emergency contract issued by the Baron. A mage at the local arcane university had lost control of a spell, and the whole building was under some unknown magical effect. The Baron was offering a small fortune to anyone brave enough to enter the university and take care of the rogue mage, one way or another. No local mercenaries were brave enough, save for the adventurers from out of town. The trio entered the magic bubble, to find a horrific scene. The very laws of Nature had gone awry under the effects of the spell-gone-wrong. Cats flew through the air, bottles of potions spoke in riddles to anyone unfortunate enough to walk by. The very ground refused to obey gravity and was floating in large chunks all around. Some students were floating in place and couldn’t get down. A group of professors was stuck to the ground, unable to move. Sense had clearly left the building, literally. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 4]]

The trio was able to navigate through the madness further into the school and figure out what had happened. They learned from a professor’s assistant that one of the Gnomish wizards, a senior staff member at the school, had been conducting experiments on a mysterious orb they retrieved from a recent expedition. This man had lost his son to the war up North last year, and he had become increasingly reclusive ever since. The Mad Mage, as the Baron referred to him, attempted to psychically commune with the orb, but it back fired. There was some sort of malevolent spirit living in the orb, and it took possession of the Mage’s body. This isn’t a spell gone wrong. A powerful spirit has possessed one of the most experienced wizards in the land. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 5]]

Ozthrum suspects that the mage’s subconscious must have detected their presence as some sort of threat around this point, because that’s when everything changed. The illusory world that we entered our story upon went up around them. The trio’s memories, along with those of everyone in the confines of the school, were suppressed and their new lives came to them as naturally as anything. In his mind, Ozthrum was a lecturer, had been for years. And Bjob and Haruk were the Captain and Lieutenant of the Academy Guard, respectively. Everyone acted out their part in a macabre, forced charade of academic life. Until earlier, in the library, when everything began to crack. The Mad Mage must be growing weary, but who knows what effect the spirit inside him could still have on the school, let alone, the Realm. Haruk sits on the edge of the bed and lets out a sigh, “I know we still need to go get Bjobelfall, or… Shit, at least try to get him. But I need to catch my breath after all of… That!” Ozthrum sits on a chair and collects himself, “That’s quite alright,” He said in between catching his breath, “I need to do the same. Then we should blink to the cellar. I have a sneaking suspicion that’s where Bjob was when everything started to come apart.” The two sit for a couple minutes, take a drink from their waterskin, and set off to rescue their fellow adventurer. [[''Go to the cellar…''->Cellar Slide 2a]]

The pair stand in silence for a while, watching the silently weeping guards execute their endless marching orders. Eventually, Haruk sighs, wipes a tear from her cheek, and pulls her rapier from its sheath. She silently stalks up behind one of the guards, and thrusts through a weak point in his armor. The soldier’s sword drops to the ground with a “Clang!”, which grabs the attention of the other guard. Before he realizes what has happened, Haruk sneaks behind him, and puts him down the same way. Ozthrum stares at the bodies in front of him in shock. “I’m sorry,” Haruk says with a lump in her throat, “But I couldn’t let them suffer like that. I know our time here wasn’t actually real, but in my head, in some strange memory… I served with these men, in the guard, I mean. A-And I-I just couldn’t-'' Ozthrum puts a reassuring hand on Haruk’s arm, “It’s okay, Haruk. I don’t envy the position you’ve been put in today. We really do need to move on, though, I’m afraid. We must find Bjobelfall.” [[''Continue to the cellar…''->Cellar Slide 1]]

The pair stand in silence for a while, watching the silently weeping guards execute their endless marching orders. “Haruk, I know this is hard to ignore, but we really must go find Bjobelfall.” Says Ozthrum. Haruk wipes a tear from her cheek, “I know, it’s just… No, of course. You’re right, let’s go” [[''Continue to the cellar…''->Cellar Slide 1]]

The pair stand in silence for a while, watching the silently weeping guards execute their endless marching orders. Eventually, Haruk sighs, wipes a tear from her cheek, and goes to pull her rapier from its sheath. Before she can pull the sword out, Ozthrum points his mangled wand at the soldiers and gently flicks his wrist. A pale blue cloud floats over the soldier’s heads. They slowly cease their patrol, drop their spears, and fall to the ground, asleep. Haruk’s shocked face remains as she puts her sword back, and turns to Ozthrum. “I- I- … Thank you. I couldn’t stand to see them suffer like that. I know our time here wasn’t actually real, but in my head, in some strange memory… I served with these men, in the guard, I mean. A-And I-I just couldn’t-'' Ozthrum puts a reassuring hand on Haruk’s arm, “It’s okay, Haruk. I don’t envy the position you’ve been put in today. I’m glad I could be of help. But, we really do need to move on, I’m afraid. We must find Bjobelfall.” [[''Continue to the cellar…''->Cellar Slide 1]]

The momentum the two heroes rush into the room with is quickly forced to come to a stop. The first few stone steps leading into the cellar remain… But they are about all that remains of it. Before the pair is a massive, black void, like space with no stars. Floating in all different directions throughout the vast void are large, pink slabs. They look opaque and jagged, like big slabs of pink salt multiple yards long. They float past each other, forming potential pathways to navigate the void. A series of the slabs is regularly passing by the crumbled staircase that the pair find themselves on. Far out in the black void is a jagged, floating island, made of the same rocky material. Some sort of fight is going on there, but it’s too far to see. A series of the slabs is regularly passing by the crumbled staircase the pair find themselves on. “That must be Bjob out there!” Oz shouts over an ominous wind that seems to be coming from nowhere, “But how do we get there?!” [[''Use athletics as Haruk…''->Cellar Athletics Slide]] -OR- [[''Use perception as Ozthrum…''->Cellar Perception Slide]]

Ozthrum throws his hand up again, and the same green runes form. In another flash, the two find themselves transported down to the cellar of the university. The first few stone steps leading into the cellar remain… But they are about all that remains of it. Before the pair is a massive, black void, like space with no stars.Floating in all different directions throughout the vast void are large, pink slabs. They look opaque and jagged, like big slabs of pink salt multiple yards long. They float past each other, forming potential pathways to navigate the void. Far out in the black void is a jagged, floating island, made of the same rocky material. Some sort of fight is going on there, but it’s too far to see. A series of the slabs is regularly passing by the crumbled staircase the pair find themselves on. “That must be Bjob out there!” Oz shouts over an ominous wind that seems to be coming from nowhere, “But how do we get there?!” [[''Use athletics as Haruk…''->Cellar Atheltics Slide a]] -OR- [[''Use perception as Ozthrum…''->Cellar Perception Slide a]]

Haruks takes a brief moment to look at the pink slabs, and maps out a route she can jump across to get to the island. “Oz, do you trust me?!” Oz looks up at his companion and sternly nods “Always,” He responds factually. Haruk holds out her hand, and he takes it. She hoists the halfling up on her back, like a pack, and takes off running, hopping from slab to slab. After several expertly executed leaps, the pair land on the floating island, and find their Gnomish comrade fighting flying, shadowy wraiths. [[''Continue…''->Cellar Slide 4]]

Ozthrum takes a brief moment to study the pink slabs. There must be some sort of pattern to their movements. And after a moment, sure enough, there it is. “Every other slab is floating towards the island. If we just hop on…” Oz waits for one more slab to pass, then takes Haruk’s hand, and the duo jump on to the next one. They ride the large, pink rock to the center island, and leap down. The pair land on the floating island, and find their Gnomish comrade fighting flying, shadowy wraiths. [[''Continue…''->Cellar Slide 4]]

Ozthrum takes a brief moment to study the pink slabs. There must be some sort of pattern to their movements. And after a moment, sure enough, there it is. “Every other slab is floating towards the island. If we just hop on…” Oz waits for one more slab to pass, then takes Haruk’s hand, and the duo jumps on to the next one. They ride the large, pink rock to the center island, and leap down. The pair land on the floating island, and find their Gnomish comrade fighting flying, shadowy wraiths. [[''Continue…''->Cellar Slide 4a]]

Bjobelfall stands at an intimidating 3.5 feet tall. He hefts around what in most creatures’ hands would be a normal sword, but in his is a towering great sword. His bright green, perfectly manicured mustache seems to be the only hair on his small, round head. As one of the black-cloaked wraiths swoops down on him, Bjobelfall slashes his sword through the specter, dispelling it, but only for a moment. “My friends! It is ever so good to see your beautiful faces!” [[''Fight!''->Cellar Slide 5]]

Without skipping a beat, Haruk and Bjobelfall step into a formation with one another, standing back to back and moving around in a deadly sphere of blades. Whipping his wand from side to side, Ozthrum begins hurling pale green Eldritch blasts at the wraiths. The blasts actually succeed at destroying the spirits, and the trio makes quick work of their opponents. Haruk turns to the resident warlock and shouts, “Oz! Blink! Now!” Ozthrum produces green, sickly, angular runes from his outstretched hand, and the adventurers are enveloped in a blinding light. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 1a]]

The flash of light dissipates, and the trio find themselves back in the safe room. Haruk sits on the edge of the bed and lets out a sigh, “I’m getting really sick of this whole up-is-down, down-is-up, topsy-turvy bullshit!” She lays her torso down on the bed, exasperated. Bjobelfall leans against his (relatively) enormous sword while he grabs his waterskin. “I couldn’t agree more. By the by, friends, thank you ever so much for the rescue back there. If not for your fortuitous timing, I’d be quite dead presently.” Bjob raises his waterskin in salute to his companions, then downs a large gulp. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 6]]

Calm. The creaking of wooden floor boards. Wind gently rapping against the glass pane of a window. The blink worked, they’re in the saferoom. The saferoom isn’t much, but at this point, it seems like a godsend. Oz had spotted it on the way into the university, and had taken a quick blink up there to make sure it would be a good safe spot to retreat to. A small, modestly furnished bedroom, made mostly of a pale white wood, hastily poised on the top of the university’s East wing. It was obviously a last minute addition, constructed with shoddier workmanship than anything else here. Oddly, the room has no door. Most likely, it was the bedroom of one of the school’s professors, accessed only by blinking or a dimension-door. The perch-like structure offers an incomparable view of the University. A large stone rectangle with roofs of forest green, the school stands as an aesthetically sterile monument to the pure pursuit of higher magical education. The entire building is encased by a large, transparent, dark pink bubble. It’s somewhat mushroom shaped, with cracks of gold energy crackling across its surface. This little bedroom, jutting out from the main building on its rickety wooden foundation, is the only part of the university not encased in the bubble. Safely out of that magical bubble, the adventurers had full command of their memories back. And now, they fully remembered why they had come to this Gods-forsakened place. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 2a]]

A few days ago, Ozthrum, Haruk and Bjobelfall, an experienced adventuring party who were newly arrived to the city of Duhren, responded to an emergency contract issued by the Baron. A mage at the local arcane university had lost control of a spell, and the whole building was under some unknown magical effect. The Baron was offering a small fortune to anyone brave enough to enter the university and take care of the rogue mage, one way or another. No local mercenaries were brave enough, save for the adventurers from out of town. The trio entered the magic bubble, to find a horrific scene. The very laws of Nature had gone awry under the effects of the spell-gone-wrong. Cats flew through the air, bottles of potions spoke in riddles to anyone unfortunate enough to walk by. The very ground refused to obey gravity and was floating in large chunks all around. Some students were floating in place and couldn’t get down. A group of professors was stuck to the ground, unable to move. Sense had clearly left the building, literally. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 3a]]

Ozthrum suspects that the mage’s subconscious must have detected their presence as some sort of threat around this point, because that’s when everything changed. The illusory world that we entered our story upon went up around them. The trio’s memories, along with those of everyone in the confines of the school, were suppressed and their new lives came to them as naturally as anything. In his mind, Ozthrum was a lecturer, had been for years. And Bjob and Haruk were the Captain and Lieutenant of the Academy Guard, respectively. Everyone acted out their part in a macabre, forced charade of academic life. Until earlier, in the library, when everything began to crack. The Mad Mage must be growing weary, but who knows what effect the spirit inside him could still have on the school, let alone, the Realm. Haruk sits on the edge of the bed and lets out a sigh, “I’m getting really sick of this whole up is down, topsy-turvy bullshit!” She lays her torso down on the bed, exasperated. Bjobelfall leans against his (relatively) enormous sword while he grabs his waterskin. “I couldn’t agree more. By the by, friends, thank you ever so much for the rescue back there. If not for your fortuitous timing, I’d be quite dead presently.” Bjob raises his waterskin in salute to his companions, then downs a large gulp. [[''Continue…''->Saferoom Slide 6]]

“We need to figure out how to get to that mage, and fast.” Ozthrum says. “Already done, Oz, my friend” Bjoebelfall replies. “Those big pink rocks, they lead to the mage. He’s been using them to ferry food and water to his quarters from the cellar. The black void is like… Like a shortcut in space up to his room, on the top floor.” “We could use that as a means to get to him. Hide in one of the barrels, jump out and ambush him?” Ozthrum suggests. Haruk sits up, and ponders, “Is there another, more direct way to get to him? Like, in real space? He’s here up on the top floor, right?” Bjobelfall nods, “I still have a memory of the patrol patterns,” He say as he looks out the window at the building, “I’m all but positive the hallway leading to the Mad Mage is just on the other side of that wall there. A quick blink would get us there no problem. Though, Gods know what he has guarding the halls.” “Well…” Haruk says after a beat, “How do you want to do this?” [[''Ambush the Mage in the barrels on the pink slabs…''->Ambush/Attack Decision Slide]] -OR- [[''Fight through the halls to get there…''->Hallway/Attack Decision Slide]]

Bjobelfall stares at the floor in solemn contemplation “And when we get to him,” He says to his comrades, “Then what? How do we deal with him?” The gaze of the other two adventurers also falls to the floor when this question is posed. Haruk shakes her head a bit before she responds, quietly, “We kill him. This is getting out of hand. Right now it’s just this school, which is already too much, but where does it end? Will this strange bubble overtake the whole city? What then? It has to stop.” Ozthrum takes a step forward, and protests, “No! I- Haruk, I know we’ve been through a lot, but there has to be another way. I… I can distract him, cast some kind of spell. You two restrain him, knock him out, and I think this could all be over, with no one else having to die.” Bjobelfall twirls his mustache and tilts his head back and forth, considering the pros and cons, “I think there’s something to what you’re saying Oz, but… What if he’s too powerful? We don’t know what we’re walking into, and need to be prepared to do what needs to be done. If it comes down to it.” He looks to Haruk, who nods at his wisdom. [[''Kill the mad mage…''->Ambush/Kill Choice Slide]] -OR- [[Distract him, and knock him out…->Ambush/Knockout Choice Slide]] -OR- [[''Attempt to knock him out, kill him if it fails…''->Ambush/Attempt Choice Slide]]

Bjobelfall stares at the floor in solemn contemplation “And when we get to him,” He says to his comrades, “Then what? How do we deal with him?” The gaze of the other two adventurers also falls to the floor when this question is posed. Haruk shakes her head a bit before she responds, quietly, “We kill him. This is getting out of hand. Right now it’s just this school, which is already too much, but where does it end? Will this strange bubble overtake the whole city? What then? It has to stop.” Ozthrum takes a step forward, and protests, “No! I- Haruk, I know we’ve been through a lot, but there has to be another way. I… I can distract him, cast some kind of spell. You two restrain him, knock him out, and I think this could all be over, with no one else having to die.” Bjobelfall twirls his mustache and tilts his head back and forth, considering the pros and cons, “I think there’s something to what you’re saying Oz, but… What if he’s too powerful? We don’t know what we’re walking into, and need to be prepared to do what needs to be done. If it comes down to it.” He looks to Haruk, who nods at his wisdom. [[''Kill the mad mage…''->Hallway/Kill Choice Slide]] -OR- [[Distract him, and knock him out…->Hallway/Knockout Choice Slide]] -OR- [[''Attempt to knock him out, kill him if it fails…''->Hallway/Attempt Choice Slide]]

Ozthrum hesitates, for a moment, then sighs, “Haruk is right,” He says, with a tinge of sadness in his voice, “The safety of this city is more important than trying to spare the life of a man who’s clearly too far gone. There’s only one way to handle this.” Haruk walks over to Ozthrum and puts her hand on his shoulder. He grabs her hand in appreciation, as she consoles him, “I’m sorry, Oz, I know it’s hard. But someone has to do it.” [[''Continue…''->Ambush/Kill Slide 1]]

Haruk hesitates, for a moment, then sighs, “Oz is right,” She says, “This poor man needs help, and I wanted to put him down like a sick animal, because I’m frustrated, and scared.” Ozthrum’s shoulders relax as he hears the good news, “Great, I’m glad to hear it,” He says. [[''Continue…''->Ambush/Knockout Slide 1]]

Ozthrum hesitates, for a moment, then sighs, “Bjobelfall is right,” He says, “We can try our best to do the right thing, but at the end of the day, sometimes we can’t save everyone. And the safety of the city is more important than one mage’s life, if he truly is too far gone." Haruk walks over to Ozthrum and puts her hand on his shoulder. He grabs her hand in appreciation, as she consoles him, “Alright, Oz, we’ll try our best. You’re a good person, you know that?” Ozthrum smiles up at her, and replies, “As are you, my friend.” [[''Continue…''->Ambush/Attempt Slide 1]]

Ozthrum turns to Bjobelfall and asks, “Bjob, if I blink us to the cellar, you think you can lead us to where the barrels are kept?” Bjobelfall nods and responds, “Indubitably,” The party begins readying themselves. “Everyone ready?” Ozthrum asks as he cracks his knuckles. His comrades nod, and he throws up the green runes of the blink spell. The familiar bright flash renders everything blinding white. [[''Continue…''->Ambush/Kill Slide 2]]

The trio blinks back to the crumbled steps leading to the black void that is now the cellar. Bjobelfall immediately turns to his comrades and yells, “Do you trust me?” The other two nod and respond, “Always!” Bjobelfall turns back around, towards the ledge of the destroyed steps, “Then on my mark,” He says, “Jump!” The party leaps from the ledge and falls about ten feet down, before being caught by a floating slab. The slab rocks a bit under their weight, but is able to hold them. Ozthrum clutches his chest as he shouts, “Gods above, Bjob!” The tiny warrior lets out a hearty chuckle, but Haruk smacks both of the boys in the chest, “What part of ‘sneaking’ do you not understand?” She says quietly. The slab floats up to a large room made of stone that is still somewhat held together. The room is made of large beige bricks, floating like an oasis in the dark void. The party quietly dashes into the room, and behind a stack of crates, narrowly avoiding the gaze of a couple more shadowy wraiths, who are loading and unloading crates and barrels on and off the passing floating slabs. [[''Continue…''->Ambush/Kill Slide 3]]

In one swift motion, Ozthrum draws his twisted, gnarled wand, leaps out from behind the crates, and hurls a ball of crackling lightning at one of the wraiths. The spell strikes the wraith, and the lightning arcs to the next one. The specters let out a ghostly wail as they disintegrate into piles of charred ectoplasm. “Good show, Oz! Good show!” Bjobelfall loudly whispers, and pats his friend on the shoulder. Without the prying eyes of the wraiths, each of the trio grabs an empty barrel and hops on one of the floating slabs that is passing by. They immediately jump in the barrels, and Ozthrum uses a mage hand spell to conjure a large, ethereal hand to place the tops on all of the barrels. All that’s left to do is wait for their moment to strike. [[''Continue…''->Ambush/Kill Slide 4]]

After several minutes, each of the adventurers feels their barrel being picked up by something, and carried for a few more minutes. A hazy, pink light makes its way through the cracks of the barrels, and shines on the adventurers. They must be getting close. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening. A sound like strong torrents of wind, blowing from five different directions. The cracks and crashes of arcane lightning. They must be at the epicenter of all this. They are finally in the chambers of the Mad Mage. [[''Spring the trap!''->Ambush/Kill Slide 5]]

Sitting in the darkness of the barrel, Ozthrum takes the deepest breath he can, and knocks the barrel on its side. The lid topples to the floor, and Ozthrum scrambles out of the barrel. By the time he gets up, Bjobelfall and Haruk have already rushed the Mad Mage. The crazed Gnome is much smaller than Bjobelfall in stature, though his shock of pale blue hair gives him a couple extra inches. The whites of his eyes are bloodshot, dark bags of weariness hang under them, and his irises glow the same magical pink as the bubble. His expression is a shocking mix of surprise, rage, and helplessness. This room has been blown in half by some sort of magical explosion. Where the other half of the room once was, there is another black, endless void. The Mad Mage stands on the very edge of what's left of the floor, in the dead center. Behind him, floating in the middle of the air, is a large, glowing orb. It’s emitting the same pink energy with gold lightning that the bubble is composed of, though it’s flowing out from the orb in varying swirling patterns, at an alarming rate. [[''Continue…''->Kill Slide 1]]

Sitting in the darkness of the barrel, Ozthrum takes the deepest breath, he can, and knocks the barrel on its side. The lid topples to the floor, and Ozthrum scrambles out of the barrel. By the time he gets up, Bjobelfall and Haruk have already rushed the mad mage. The crazed Gnome is much smaller than Bjobelfall in stature, though his shock of pale blue hair gives him a couple extra inches. The whites of his eyes are bloodshot, dark bags of weariness hang under them, and his irises glow the same magical pink as the bubble. His expression is a shocking mix of surprise, rage, and helplessness. This room has been blown in half by some sort of magical explosion. Where the other half of the room once was, there is another black, endless void. The Mad Mage stands on the very edge of what's left of the floor, in the dead center. Behind him, floating in the middle of the air, is a large, glowing orb. It’s emitting the same pink energy with gold lightning that the bubble is composed of, though it’s flowing out from the orb in varying swirling patterns, at an alarming rate. [[''Continue…''->Knockout Slide 1]]

The trio gathers in the center of the room, “Are we ready?” Ozthrum asks his companions. They both nod in the affirmative. The Halfling warlock throws up the blink spell one last time, enveloping them in the bright, white light. [[''Continue…''->Hallway/Kill Slide 2]]

The trio find themselves in a hallway constructed of fine dark wood and stone. Doors made of the same wood line each side of the hallway in neat, concise rows. But between every plank of wood flooring, between the cracks of each stone, a bright, pink energy is shining through. Each piece of material that this floor of the university is constructed from his shaking back and forth, just the tiniest bit, giving the whole place a feeling of constantly being slightly jostled. Near the other end of the hallway, a group of the same shadowy wraiths from before is keeping guard. Bjobelfall draws his blade, and the loud “SHING!” sound it emits grabs the attention of the wraiths. They wait for a beat, then charge down the hall. Haruk draws her rapier, and joins her tiny friend in a swirling dance of cooperative combat, so they can draw the attention of the spirits. This leaves Ozthrum to unleash a volley of magic at the spirits, dispelling them. The party continues making their way down the hallways, fighting wraiths in this same fashion. At a certain point, the way the hallways seem to be twisting back on themselves doesn’t make much sense, but the battle is too heated and demanding for that to matter. Eventually, the trio defeats the last of the spirits, and finds themselves standing before a large, ornate wooden door. The pink light is shining through this door brighter than anything else. The individual pieces the door is made of are rattling around so hard, it seems as if the door may come apart at any moment. Bjobelfall hurls his entire body weight into the door, and it shatters to pieces. The other two adventurers rush in after him. [[''Continue…''->Hallway/Kill Slide 3]]

Bjobelfall hefts his mighty blade above his head, and brings it down for an overhead strike on the Mad Mage. A small circle of the pink energy appears and intercepts the strike a few inches from the Mage’s head. The energy shatters against the force of the hit. Bjob reels back, but brings his blade around for another strike. The Mage disappears in a puff of smoke just in time to avoid the hit. He reappears from a similar puff of smoke several feet back from where he was. Ozthrum thrust his wand forward, and a strange, dark circle forms on the floor beneath the Mad Mage. A pool of slick, black oil is beneath him now, and the Mage slips and loses balance as he tries to retreat. Haruk leaps from the shadows and grabs the small mage in a chokehold. “NOW!” She screams as the Gnome struggles to get free. Bjobelfall rushes over, and strikes the Mad Mage in the forehead with the pommel of his sword. The Gnome immediately falls limp, unconscious in Haruk’s arms. The pink arcane energy quickly whips around the room as it rapidly retracts into the orb, which then shatters to pieces. The other half of this room is back to normal, but the furniture is mostly destroyed. Haruk gently sets the unconscious Mage on the floor. Bjobelfall falls to one knee in exhaustion. Ozthrum falls flat on his back, also in exhaustion, and lets out a large, nervous laugh. [[''Continue…''->Knockout Slide 2]]

Bjobelfall hefts his mighty blade above his head, and brings it down for an overhead strike on the Mad Mage. A small circle of the pink energy appears and intercepts the strike a few inches from the Mage’s head. The energy shatters against the force of the hit. Bjob reels back, but brings his blade around for another hit. The Mage disappears in a puff of smoke just in time to avoid the hit. He reappears from a similar puff of smoke several feet back from where he was. Haruk leaps from the shadows and grabs the small mage in a chokehold. “NOW!” She screams as the Gnome struggles in her grasp. Bjobelfall begins to charge at them, but the Mage wrestles himself free. As he lands on the floor, he slams his palms into the ground hard. Bright pink cracks form in the floor around his hand, and splinter out towards Bjobelfall. The floor underneath Bjob cracks and buckles, and finally gives. The noble warrior falls through the floor, into the black void that surrounds this room. “NO!” Haruk and Ozthrum both cry out. [[''Attack!''->Attempt Slide 2]]

The Mage struggles to break free, but is stuck. He looks up and begins waving his hands to cast a spell, but before he can conjure so much as a single rune, the blade of a rapier emerges from his chest. His shocked visage falls still, as does his entire being. The pink arcane energy quickly whips around the room as it rapidly retracts into the orb, which then shatters to pieces. The other half of this room is back to normal, but the furniture is mostly destroyed. Haruk, stoically, but gently, pulls her blade from the body, and lowers it to the ground. Ozthrum tries, unsuccessfully, to choke down his tears. [[''Continue…''->Kill Slide 3]]

Now that the strange magic bubble had come down, several of the town's highest authority figures assumed it safe to approach. A gathering of local politicians, law enforcement, paladins, and several of the senior university staff stands outside the main gate of the school, which has been blown ajar by force. Their conversations hush as the trio of adventurers emerges from the gate. Haruk is carrying the body of the mage in her arms. The waiting delegation falls silent, save for a couple of the wizards, who begin weeping. One of the more composed wizards approaches Haruk, and she gently hands the body to him. “I’m so sorry,” She offers up, in consolation. The wizard’s gaze meets her own with a look that says he forgives her, but is too grief stricken to speak. The wizards retreat into their university. The paladins march off. [[''Continue…''->Party Lives Slide]]

Bjobelfall tucks and rolls as he hits the floor in the private quarters of the Mad Mage. Without missing a beat, he goes right into charging at the Mad Mage, screaming a battle cry the whole way. Haruk darts off into the shadows of the room, while Ozthrum takes up position by the door, and readies his wand to attack the Mad Mage. The crazed Gnome is much smaller than Bjobelfall in stature, though his shock of pale blue hair gives him a couple extra inches. The whites of his eyes are bloodshot, dark bags of weariness hang under them, and his irises glow the same magical pink as the bubble. His expression is a shocking mix of surprise, rage, and helplessness. This room has been blown in half by some sort of magical explosion. Where the other half of the room once was, there is another black, endless void. The Mad Mage stands on the very edge of what's left of the floor, in the dead center. Behind him, floating in the middle of the air, is a large, glowing orb. It’s emitting the same pink energy with gold lightning that the bubble is composed of, though it’s flowing out from the orb in varying swirling patterns, at an alarming rate. [[''Continue…''->Kill Slide 1]]

Bjobelfall tucks and rolls as he hits the floor in the private quarters of the Mad Mage. Without missing a beat, he goes right into charging at the Mad Mage, screaming a battle cry the whole way. Haruk darts off into the shadows of the room, while Ozthrum takes up position by the door, and readies his wand towards the Mad Mage. The crazed Gnome is much smaller than Bjobelfall in stature, though his shock of pale blue hair gives him a couple extra inches. The whites of his eyes are bloodshot, dark bags of weariness hang under them, and his irises glow the same magical pink as the bubble. His expression is a shocking mix of surprise, rage, and helplessness. This room has been blown in half by some sort of magical explosion. Where the other half of the room once was, there is another black, endless void. The Mad Mage stands on the very edge of what's left of the floor, in the dead center. Behind him, floating in the middle of the air, is a large, glowing orb. It’s emitting the same pink energy with gold lightning that the bubble is composed of, though it’s flowing out from the orb in varying swirling patterns, at an alarming rate. [[''Continue…''->Knockout Slide 1]]

Bjobelfall tucks and rolls as he hits the floor in the private quarters of the Mad Mage. Without missing a beat, he goes right into charging at the Mage, screaming a battle cry the whole way. Haruk darts off into the shadows of the room, while Ozthrum takes up position by the door, and readies his wand towards the Mad Mage. The crazed Gnome is much smaller than Bjobelfall in stature, though his shock of pale blue hair gives him a couple extra inches. The whites of his eyes are bloodshot, dark bags of weariness hang under them, and his irises glow the same magical pink as the bubble. His expression is a shocking mix of surprise, rage, and helplessness. This room has been blown in half by some sort of magical explosion. Where the other half of the room once was, there is another black, endless void. The Mad Mage stands on the very edge of what's left of the floor, in the dead center. Behind him, floating in the middle of the air, is a large, glowing orb. It’s emitting the same pink energy with gold lightning that the bubble is composed of, though it’s flowing out from the orb in varying swirling patterns, at an alarming rate. [[''Continue…''->Attempt Slide 1]]

Now that the strange magic bubble had come down, several of the town's highest authority figures assumed it safe to approach. A gathering of local politicians, law enforcement, paladins, and several of the senior university staff stands outside the main gate of the school, which has been blown ajar by force. Their conversations hush as the trio of adventurers emerges from the gate. Haruk is carrying the mage in her arms. A couple of the wizards gasp. “It’s alright!” Haruk says, “He’s just unconscious… And possibly concussed.” The Paladins march forward to Haruk and decree, “By the Divine Writ of The Order of her Holiness, the Goddess Aieru, I am demanding you place this criminal into our custody.” The wizards balk at this, and one of them cries, “This is an outrage! This will not stand!” Haruk shrugs and passes the unconscious Gnome off to the heavily armored paladins. “It’s all the same to me, we get paid either way.” She says. The paladins march off in an orderly manner, as the wizards shuffle after them, waving their fists and demanding satisfaction. [[''Continue…''->Party Lives Slide]]

The Mad Mage raises a fiery hand towards Ozthrum, but his expression goes painful as Haruk stabs her rapier into his back. Her face is a twist of rage, and she twists her blade to match it. The Mage falls to his knees and cries out in pain. Ozthrum raises his wand at the Mad Mage, and shoots an icy bolt at his heart. The Mage tenses up, then falls to the floor, dead. The pink arcane energy quickly whips around the room as it rapidly retracts into the orb, which then shatters to pieces. The other half of this room is back to normal, but the furniture is mostly destroyed. Ozthrum falls to his knees, and Haruk rushes over to him. They hold each other and weep for the loss of their dear friend. [[''Continue…''->Attempt Slide 3]]

Now that the strange magic bubble had come down, several of the town's highest authority figures assumed it safe to approach. A gathering of local politicians, law enforcement, paladins, and several of the senior university staff stands outside the main gate of the school, which has been blown ajar by force. Their conversations hush as the two remaining adventurers emerge from the gate. Haruk is carrying the body of the mage in her arms. The waiting delegation falls silent, save for a couple of the wizards, who begin weeping. One of the more composed wizards approaches Haruk, and she gently hands the body to him. The wizard’s gaze meets her own with a look that says he forgives her, but is too grief stricken to speak. She returns the same look. The wizards retreat into their university. The paladins march off. [[Continue…->Bjob Dies Slide]]

One of the remaining delegates approaches the adventurers. “I’m glad that things seem to be safe now,” The young man says, “Though, it remains to be seen what political ramifications these events have had on our city. But, what’s done is done. What say we head to the Baron’s office to square up your payment?” “That sounds fine, young man,” Exclaims Bjobelfall, “Lead the way!” The young man slowly begins making his way down the street, and responds, “Certainly, right this way,” The trio of adventurers trail a bit behind their guide, giving them a bit of room to converse in private. “Well, my friends,” Haruk says as she rubs her hands on the tops of her comrade’s heads. Ozthrum’s hair gets messed up, “Where to next?” Ozthrum smiles as he jokingly shoves her. “Well, I think I have an idea of an adventure we could go on…” He proposes. “Really? What do you have in mind?” Bjobelfall asks. Ozthrum stops in front of, and turns to face his friends. “Do you trust me?” He posits, with a smirk on his face. Haruk and Bjobelfall smile, look at each other, and look back at Ozthrum, before saying together, “Always.” The End

One of the remaining delegates approaches Haruk and Ozthrum. “I’m glad that things seem to be safe now,” The young man says, “Though, I’m sorrowful for all the loss we seem to have faced. I can’t help but notice… I’m sorry. If you’d like to take a moment for yourselves before we head to the Baron’s office for your payment, that’s quite alright.” Haruk and Ozthrum look at each other, speaking through glances alone. Haruk speaks after a moment, saying, “I think we’d like to just… Be on the way, if that’s alright.” “Certainly,” The young man says, “Right this way,” He slowly begins to walk down the street. Haruk begins to follow the man, but notices Ozthrum is stopped, staring at the university. She walks over, and takes his hand. He squeezes her hand, and looks up at her, tears in his eyes. She’s crying, too. They take one last look at the building, serving as a giant tombstone for their fallen friend. Then they walk down the street, hand in hand, trying their best to hold their heads high. The End