Rise of The Runelords Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

The Companions have dealt with threats untold, and fought their way to the realm of one of the most noted of the Runelords. They have beheld countless horrors, and now they are all that stands between Karzoug and his fresh conquest of the lands he once ruled. But though the Runelord invited them to test their mettle against his, he is no fool. There is yet one more challenge the Companions must overcome... the barrier surrounding the heights of Xin-Shalast!

 

For those who need to catch up:

- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
- Chapter 3: The Sin Pit
- Chapter 4: Tussles in The Tangle
- Chapter 5: The Assault on Thistletop
- Chapter 6: Secrets Behind The Curtain
- Chapter 7: Murders At The Mill
- Chapter 8: Halflings and Ghouls
- Chapter 9: Fox in The Hen House
- Chapter 10: Something Rotten in Magnimar
- Chapter 11: The Crumbling Tower
- Chapter 12: Demonbane
- Chapter 13: Trouble at Turtleback Ferry
- Chapter 14: The Taking of Fort Rannick
- Chapter 15: Water Over The Dam
- Chapter 16: Mad Lovers, And Lost Captains
- Chapter 17: The March of The Giants
- Chapter 18: The Taking of Jorgenfist
- Chapter 19: The Secrets Beneath Sandpoint
- Chapter 20: At The Gates of The Runeforge
- Chapter 21: Storming The Halls of Evocation
- Chapter 22: The Bowels of Necromancy's Tomb

- Chapter 23: The End of Runeforge

- Chapter 24: Preparation For The Final Journey 

- Chapter 25: The Hunger in The Mountains 

- Chapter 26: The Gateway to Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 27: The Path of Temptation

- Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 29: Crossing The Barrier of Greed

- Chapter 30: The Fall of Karzoug

 

Lastly, if you want to stay up-to-date on this and all my other stories, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter so you don't miss anything!

 

Now that you're caught up, to continue the adventure...

A Dying Empire, And An Impassable Barrier

After all the legends the Companions had heard of Xin-Shalast, and all the tales of its beauty and grandeur, the sight that greeted them upon their arrival was not what they had expected. Carved from the side of the mountain, the city had clearly been a place of splendor and aesthetic perfection once upon a time.

That time was long passed, though. What was left behind was a cancerous place, quickly falling to ruin and rot; an apt reflection of the soul of its master.

This place is dying... but still dangerous.

Xin-Shalast was far from lifeless, however. The lower districts swarmed with the rabble, all of them ducking away and shying from the mere sight of the Companions. Above that was a place of petty nobles and ragged gentry, each with their cadre of slaves in tow. A merchant district sold any and everything, with ancient relics and strange technologies changing hands for souls, promises, delicacies, and blood. There were traders from Leng, stone giants, strange denizens from the outer planes, and three dozen other varieties of creature the Companions had never seen before. Greed pumped through the veins of the city, giving it life even as it forms a scabrous carapace, calcifying its lifeblood.

The Companions felt a dozen different emotions climbing through the city. Sorrow at the state of the people, disgust at the casual brutality, rage at the callous disregard for humanity, and at the last a cold determination to cut the head from the serpent and be done with this.

That was when they encountered the barrier. The upper reaches of Xin-Shalast where Karzoug dwelt were held behind a dome of power. A dome that could only be bypassed by those who had the proper key. There were three such keys, each held by someone of power. It seemed one reason the Runelord was as confident as he was because the Companions were on the other side of the shield from him.

The Dragon, The Tyrant, and The Devil

Perhaps one of them will make a deal with us?

Upon learning of the conditions they needed to pass the barrier, the Companions first approached the tax collector of Xin-Shalast... she who is draped in gold. They entered a colossal hall of wealth, with coins and jewels stacked on every side. The collector sat upon a dais at the end of the approach; a towering magma dragon with melted gold encrusted on her scales. She was a sight to behold... but even the most nimble of silver tongues was barely enough to still her irritation at being disturbed from admiring her form. When it was clear she was in no mood to discuss anything, the Companions left with as much grace as they were able before they would have to test their steel against her flames.

The second place they went was the gambling den run by a fiend. None seemed to know his name, but all obeyed the rule of his establishment. A rule that seemed to say most desires were legal, and all debts had to be paid. The fiend smiled at Zhakar, addressing him by name, and welcoming the son of such a prominent devil to his establishment. He was more than happy to bargain the marked coin he held as his key to the wall of greed... but the price he set was high. A child of Zhakar's bloodline, fathered on one of his own servants. Not so high a price, he said, with the soft whisper of the infernal that Zhakar knew all too well. It might even be a price he would enjoy paying.

Mastering his urge to try to slay the fiend, and keeping a tight control of his tongue, Zhakar assured the keeper of the house that he would consider the offer, and inform him of his decision soon.

It was the third holder of a key that elicited both pity and fury in equal measure. Above the city came the constant crash of thunder, and flash of lightning. A dozen giants lay dead on the ground, fallen from a great height. In the clouds stood the towering figure of a storm giant, his flesh slowly turning black and stony as he dipped deeper and deeper into the well of power Karzoug had given him. Rebuilding an ancient sky citadel, he planned to raise his people back to the power and grandeur they had once had... no matter who he had to kill to do it. And despite all that Karzoug had done to him. and the hold over his soul the Runelord had, he would not even entertain the idea of parting with the ring that would allow him to bypass the wall. For it was his ring that gave him power, and allowed him to accomplish what so many considered impossible.

Which Will They Choose?

With the three guardians of the keys known to them, the Companions face a choice. They must acquire one to enter the upper city... but who will they choose? And how will they go about it? For every moment they wait, more suffering goes on all around them. And worse, if they hesitate, it might be the only edge Karzoug needs to enact whatever plan he had for dealing with them.

Stay tuned, and I'll see you next time on Table Talk!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. Or, to check out books like my hard-boiled cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

Rise of The Runelords Chapter 27: The Path of Temptation

The Companions stand upon the doorstep of the hidden realm of Xin-Shalast. Many foul creatures, ancient evils, and terrible monsters had stood in their way, but soon they would face Karzoug on the steps of his own realm. As they turned to watch Shepherd lead his charges back home toward the south, they could hear the yawning void within the cave. They knew not what lurked beyond, but according to Mirelinda's harrowing it could be nothing good.

 

So they went, prepared for anything... except, perhaps, what they found. For those who need to catch up regarding this adventure, previous installments are below!

- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
- Chapter 3: The Sin Pit
- Chapter 4: Tussles in The Tangle
- Chapter 5: The Assault on Thistletop
- Chapter 6: Secrets Behind The Curtain
- Chapter 7: Murders At The Mill
- Chapter 8: Halflings and Ghouls
- Chapter 9: Fox in The Hen House
- Chapter 10: Something Rotten in Magnimar
- Chapter 11: The Crumbling Tower
- Chapter 12: Demonbane
- Chapter 13: Trouble at Turtleback Ferry
- Chapter 14: The Taking of Fort Rannick
- Chapter 15: Water Over The Dam
- Chapter 16: Mad Lovers, And Lost Captains
- Chapter 17: The March of The Giants
- Chapter 18: The Taking of Jorgenfist
- Chapter 19: The Secrets Beneath Sandpoint
- Chapter 20: At The Gates of The Runeforge
- Chapter 21: Storming The Halls of Evocation
- Chapter 22: The Bowels of Necromancy's Tomb

- Chapter 23: The End of Runeforge

- Chapter 24: Preparation For The Final Journey 

- Chapter 25: The Hunger in The Mountains 

- Chapter 26: The Gateway to Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 27: The Path of Temptation

- Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 29: Crossing The Barrier of Greed

- Chapter 30: The Fall of Karzoug

So what lies ahead? Only the darkest secrets of the soul...

Through The Nexus

 

As the Companions entered the cave, the wind gave way to something else. The stone around them began to crack, and through the cracks they could see far-away lights. The smells of the material plane fell away behind them, and there was only the empty scent of a vast gulf. Light came from everywhere and nowhere, but it did nothing to illuminate the cavernous blackness as the walls fell away. Their paths floated untethered in a void... a void that seemed to respond to them strangely.

Where the hell are we, exactly?

As the Companions advanced, weapons and spells at the ready, they began to hear things... strange things. Voices of those long dead. Whispers from the void speaking of what might have happened in other places, and other times. Zhakar was in the midst of attempting to reassure his friends when he heard a familiar voice for the first time since he'd been a child; his mother's voice.

He stopped cold, the steel of his manica shrieking as spikes ran down the metal like gooseflesh. As he turned his face, a path of stones manifested, and built into a doorway. Darkling light shone through, along with screams of anguished pleasure. Shadows danced beyond, and he stepped forward, knowing as he did that he did not wish to see what lay beyond that gate.

My son... how you've grown...

As Mirelinda shouted for Zhakar to turn back, and Thokk yelled for his friend, Zhakar stared through a gateway and into a scene from hell. His mother stood there, facing the gateway. Her skin shone like burnished silver, and her hair like spun gold. She wore a simple dress of white, but it seemed wrong somehow... the white of a wraith rather than that of an angel. That was when Zhakar realized she was not alone.

Looming over her, his perfect face filled with indolent desire, was a creature Zhakar had only heard of spoken in whispers. He bore his bat wing and red scales with pride, his tunic cut to show rather than hide his corruption. The clawed hand that rested on his mother's shoulder was possessive, the claws digging into her skin. When the archfiend Belial spoke, it was the sound of a beautiful serpent, singing to distract you as it dripped poison into your ear.

"My son," the creature said, genuine pleasure in its voice. "You have made me proud."

 

Zhakar stood in horror, rooted to the stones, his control over his form slipping. His wings flared, the fire filling his eyes sparking from a coal to a blaze. Rather than seeming afraid, the Lord of Lust simply smiled wider... a parent watching its child run instead of walk for the first time.

"Come," the fiend intoned, holding out its other hand. It held Zhakar's mother tighter, wringing a gasp of pain from her. "Join us. This is where you belong, blood of my blood, and flesh of my flesh."

 

Shaking, torn between fear, rage, pain, and fury, Zhakar reached for the runeforged weapon at his side. A weapon that would be the bane of a shapeshifter, as he well knew his father to be. He gripped it until his knuckles cracked, and he stared through the portal. He held his mother's eyes. Eyes that held their own fear, and their own pain... but eyes that had once faced down the horrors of the Worldwound and kept their sanity. Eyes that had seen a thousand battles, and who understood. Zhakar gazed upon the too-perfect face of his father, and spoke with a formality none had heard from him before. The voice of a squire taking his oath.

"When my task is complete, and my deeds here done, I will come for her. I swear it upon this steel," Zhakar said. "And were I you, I would hope that day does not come."

 

His fiendish father merely grinned, and spoke the words that would echo in Zhakar's mind from that day forward. "Do as you wish."

An Oath Made, and a Duty To Be Fulfilled

The portal collapsed as Zhakar turned his back upon it. His shoulders sagging, his face open and naked. The fear was gone from his face, the hatred drained away... the man who stumbled toward his friends seemed more like the scared child that he had been when he had lost his mother the first time, and was cast out by the zealots and witch hunters that fancied themselves crusaders. Thok embraced his friend, holding him as if he meant to keep his soul from fleeing his body.

Zhakar gathered strength from that moment, standing tall once again. He was himself, but more than that... he seemed more like the man who had stood with them at Sandpoint when the goblins attacked. Like an old sword that had been sharpened and honed, it was as if the edge had returned to him... the fire in his heart that had nearly guttered growing once more.

"Let us see this done, my friends," he said, turning once again to the bright light springing into being on the other side of eternity. "It seems I have other business to attend, and do not wish to keep it waiting long."

Next Time on Table Talk!

The adventure draws toward a head! Karzoug has nowhere left to hide, and he has chosen the home territory of his mountain fortress... but will it be enough to save him from the Companions' vengeance? Stay tuned, and I'll see you next time on Table Talk!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.