Tales from Storm Keep

Hues finished his alchemical notations and calculations on this, his greatest work to date and the hell of it was- it was commissioned work. Had he known it was going to turn out so exquisite Hues mayhap would not have used the exotic components from Adolmus, but such compounds were necessary to complete the order; and to add insult to injury it was for one of the Agundar boy’s sidekicks, Danrly Bladesemmer. Oh how Hues despised the Agundar boys, hell the whole lot of the Samular Shits. Hues would serve his purpose for now- the alternate would be to favor the wrath of Baerom Thunderstaff.

The alchemist was shaken from his reverie by a surge of energy that seemed to crawl up his legs like electric insects. He nearly barked out laughter, it kind of tickled. Then a rumble began sending ceramic potion vials and flasks of alchemy shattering to the floor. Hues fell to his hands and knees, cutting both on glass fragments; blood mixed with unknowable mixes of urgents and potables. Hues crawled under his alchemy table, which was considerable, and waited for the tremors to abate. From outside his Storm Keep workshop came shouts and calls of alarm and after a moment or two, a deafening crash. Hues’ last thought was how he would like to put a bullet in Bordane’s smug face.

The first two individuals to arrive at the impact were Adolmus Gladstone and Danrly Bladesemmer. From the roof of the top level, down to Hues’ alchemy lab; the damage was extensive, but nothing catastrophic- unlike Hues.

“It is amazing no one else got hurt.” Danrly pointed out kicking the destroyed table aside. He seemed to be looking for something.

“Yes unfortunate indeed.” Adolmus smiled wryly. “but fortunate for some.”

That drew a grin from Danrly. Adolmus surveyed the scene before approaching the damage; as he did three magic gemstones floated silently in his wake. His mastery of rocks and stones was perceptible.

“We should have someone examine this… whatever this is.” Danrly gestured toward his subject and continued to look around the debris until he finally discovered what he sought and picked it up. How fortunate indeed, he thought.

“Ahem.” Came a call from the door, it was Lormo dutifully arriving… right on time Danrly thought. “What in Damian’s name happened here?”

“Is it not obvious?” Danrly said; he enjoyed testing the Agundar Butler more than a little, but before more was said on the matter more personalities came to investigate the disturbance: Belgora Agundar, Ambrose Stormweather, Captain Arina as well as others- adding their voices to scene.

Several blocks away in what was once the Temple of Mysteries, the Skeletal One snapped from its reverie with the knowledge that the object of its desire has surfaced. Black pools began to swirl in the Skeletal One’s eye cavities while its teeth became noticeably longer and pointed. Shadow surrounded it like a nimbus about and inside its skeletal body making the nightmarish form appear whole in some areas and gaunt every where else. The undead skeleton sent out its will, summoning willing undead to its unspoken commands.