The Ruin of Envy

“The Ruin of Envy”
Rise of the Runelords episode
Episode no.	Episode 86
Date	2009
Game Master	Abbe
Characters	Honeypot Nathaniel Nell Velicia
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "The Gate to Runeforge" "The Illusion of Pride"
Rise of the Runelords chapter list

In this chapter arriving at Runeforge the heroes look through their first part.

The Ruin of Envy

When we exited the gate we found ourselves in a room with a domed ceiling high above. Around us seven statues stood about ten feet in front of seven out of eight corridors leading from the room. In the middle, just behind us, there was a fountain who's water was collected in a pool below. A fine mist covered our skin and it felt strangely hot and cold at the same time. I jumped away from it as soon as I felt the effect and kept my distance. Honeypot and Velicia got very interested and Velicia even took out a bottle and brought some for later study. I looked at the statues instead. They turned out to be the runelords and runeladies. It was easy to recognize them when the statues was as good as new and very well done. I immediately felt compelled to look closer at one of them, Karzoug. Even though it felt welcoming I thought that if Karzoug was about to come back we better see if we could find any clues to what this place was before meeting his forces. Across the room from there was the corridor without statue. I walked along the wall passing other statues and corridors along the way. They weren't at all as welcoming and the first one, gluttony, was even repulsive. Passing wrath and pride I went to the corridor without statue. Nathaniel stopped admiring the statue of wrath and joined me, and finally Honeypot and Velicia did too. We all went down that corridor. It turned out to lead to another round room, but smaller. It had an inactive gate in the middle. At least that's what the others told me it was. We had come to something they called a small plane that we had to use the gate to get out from.

Returning to the big room we discussed what to do. All of us felt some dislike for one corridor or other and liked one specific. Velicia thought that we all should go down one corridor each. All we others thought that sounded stupid and decided that we all should stick together. We thought that envy wasn't that bad so we agreed to head down that way. The corridor turned out to lead to a room with simple stone walls with blast marks and traces of battle. There were even bones in heaps of ash. It was human remains. Otherwise the room was empty except from a metal rod set firmly into the stone floor of the room. It emanated electrical sparks that built up to a big flash. Velicia studied the obviously magical effects. She said that it was something that canceled all magic in the area. It might even destroy magical items. Thinking on all the beautiful gold I had spent on my magical things I knew I couldn't risk them, but someone needed to scout that area. I started taking off everything I had on. All equipment, but even my clothes since they were enchanted. I shot Nathaniel a look and he looked away keeping guard down the corridor we had come. I turned my back to him and took it all off, quickly putting back on my newly bought short winter coat that wasn't magical. Armed with only a silver dagger we found a year ago I stood next to Velicia. She was still studying the rod and hadn't had eyes for anything else. She said;
"The discharges are at random intervals but have yet to come directly after each other."
"So if I run in right after a flash I might avoid it?" I asked.
"Yes. But that is an awful risk." she answered.
"Not if I'm dressed like this."
At that moment the rod discharged and I flipped through the room ending up at the wall next to a crude corridor leading further in to the complex. I slipped around the corner and stealthily headed down the corridor. There were some corridors ending in cave-ins and a room that didn't look finished. It was very strange. Velicia was very curious and wanted to know more. I tried to explain but she answered:
"Why should you be the only one to see it? I want to see it too."
Soon a naked and unarmed Velicia came up to me, looking at the walls. I went back and cartwheeled through the room with the rod and out into the corridor on the other side. It looked the same there. The whole envy part had been destroyed and looted already. I wished I had been in on the looting. I was on my way back out when I saw Nathaniel, wearing only a shirt and breeches, joining Velicia so I followed him instead. He looked at the walls and together with Velicia they concluded that everything was falling apart, being absorbed by chaos. Since the keepers were gone the tunnels and rooms would disappear completely over time. Not being really interested I hung back and checked out Nathaniel.

Honeypot complained about being the only one who couldn't enter due to her magical tattoos. She wanted to see for herself too. Then I realized that she was alone outside with all our magical items. Not only had we left all our magical things with a faun, she was alone if the ones who had attacked envy came back. They might attack Honeypot or perhaps steal some things from right under her nose. I really wanted to get back out there and make sure that everything was still there. Especially Chellan! My dagger! I waited for another discharge so I could get back out. It took until forever before the rod discharged again and I ran through the room. I was very relived to see that nothing had happened out there. I quickly put everything on. Then Honeypot and I had to wait for a while before the other two came back. I think Nathaniel's looks have improved. I can't remember him being that attractive before.