The Darkness of the Keep
Abandoned Realms
Posts: 398
9/26/2025, 2:27:15 AM
The Darkness of the Keep begins on Sat Sep 27 01:00:00 2025, and ends on Sat Sep 27 03:00:00 2025.
Synopsis:
"See that?" Jevero's voice was a low murmur, barely disturbing the
evening quiet. He nodded towards the jagged silhouette of the Keep of D'al
Kadar, a black stain against the bruised twilight sky. "The cloud over the
fortress hasn't moved in three days. Not with the wind, not with the dawn.
It just... Hangs there."
Esilia didn't look up from sharpening her dagger, the rhythmic scrape of
stone on steel a counterpoint to the crackling campfire. "I see it. And I
saw what was crawling at its feet when we crossed the ridge this afternoon."
Jevero shivered, despite the fire's warmth. "I've never seen so many of the
shamblers in one place. They weren't just guarding the entrance. They
were... Swarming. Like maggots on a corpse." He tossed a twig into the
flames, watching it catch and flare. "The folk in Darkhaven were right.
Something's changed."
"Changed and soured," Esilia agreed, testing the blade's edge with her
thumb. She finally looked at the Keep, her grey eyes narrowed. "Xanthak is
a monster, but he was a predictable one. This feels different. Wild.
Uncontrolled."
"They said a new power had taken the Keep," Jevero recalled, his hand
resting on the pommel of his sword. "That Xanthak had not been in control
for some time. And... That cloud." He stared into the fire. "It feels
like a festering wound, Esilia. One that could poison everything."
"It does," she said softly, her gaze distant. "And when you get close
enough, you smell the rot."
A heavy silence fell between them, filled only by the sounds of the night.
"Someone has to find out what's happening in there," Jevero said, the words
hanging in the air like smoke. He wasn't looking at her, but Esilia knew
the question was meant for her.
"I know," she replied, sliding her whetstone back into its pouch. "But who
are we going to find for that?"
Synopsis:
"See that?" Jevero's voice was a low murmur, barely disturbing the
evening quiet. He nodded towards the jagged silhouette of the Keep of D'al
Kadar, a black stain against the bruised twilight sky. "The cloud over the
fortress hasn't moved in three days. Not with the wind, not with the dawn.
It just... Hangs there."
Esilia didn't look up from sharpening her dagger, the rhythmic scrape of
stone on steel a counterpoint to the crackling campfire. "I see it. And I
saw what was crawling at its feet when we crossed the ridge this afternoon."
Jevero shivered, despite the fire's warmth. "I've never seen so many of the
shamblers in one place. They weren't just guarding the entrance. They
were... Swarming. Like maggots on a corpse." He tossed a twig into the
flames, watching it catch and flare. "The folk in Darkhaven were right.
Something's changed."
"Changed and soured," Esilia agreed, testing the blade's edge with her
thumb. She finally looked at the Keep, her grey eyes narrowed. "Xanthak is
a monster, but he was a predictable one. This feels different. Wild.
Uncontrolled."
"They said a new power had taken the Keep," Jevero recalled, his hand
resting on the pommel of his sword. "That Xanthak had not been in control
for some time. And... That cloud." He stared into the fire. "It feels
like a festering wound, Esilia. One that could poison everything."
"It does," she said softly, her gaze distant. "And when you get close
enough, you smell the rot."
A heavy silence fell between them, filled only by the sounds of the night.
"Someone has to find out what's happening in there," Jevero said, the words
hanging in the air like smoke. He wasn't looking at her, but Esilia knew
the question was meant for her.
"I know," she replied, sliding her whetstone back into its pouch. "But who
are we going to find for that?"