Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-17114085-20200103190855/@comment-17114085-20200131185156

"The one in Gondorin will. Not all wayshrines are built like that." Yslenor replied. "These ones in Ilinhame remain stationary."

Karyor could see numerous deactivated wayshrines in the Nexus. All of them were above ground just like the one in Godorin when it was activated.

Yslenor oversaw the treatment of the injured. She headed to Nesiro, who was being healed nearby. "Where is Enwe and Admar?"

"I saw her getting blasted by lightning by one of the humans. Admar...he tried to kill their leader, but was cut down before he could do so." The curate replied.

Yslenor sighed. "Their souls are in Aetherius now. Auriel watches over them in the Eternal City."

Nesiro nodded and said a prayer under his breath.

Their losses had been serious, but with the evacuation successful they were able to retreat with about half their manpower still intact, though almost all of their mages and archers had been killed in the fighting on the walls.

"We will check the whole keep, they must be hiding or going through some secret passage to escape. We will not let them." Jarl Harald affirmed.

The Atmorans scoured the fortress, looking for the Snow Elves and looting as they went from room to room, but found no one left. Not even a secret passage was discovered. Harald even sent some scouts into the surrounding wilderness to see if there were no signs of the escaped elves. Ultimately, as the sun was starting to set, the Atmorans had to call off their search.

They camped in the fortress, with the army leaders and more senior members taking residence inside the keep, while the others set up tents in the surrounding courtyard.

--

Arch-Mage Gauldur, as per his agreement with Harald, claimed ownership of any magical artifact that was discovered in the fortress. Everything from magic scrolls to soul gems to books were all taken by the mages. This angered the soldiers that had looted the items initially, but they were still forced to give the items over.

Geirmund found his master in the underground part of the keep, studying the golden shrine in the back chamber. "Master, still up at this hour?"

Gauldur looked over his shoulder at the young mage. "Quite so. The Snow Elves are quite fascinating in their design. I sensed a good deal of magic coming from this room, but all I discovered was a religious shrine of some kind. No runic inscriptions give away its purpose, but I am eager to study it."

"And the guards outside?" Geirmund asked.

"Jarl Harald's men. Just there to make sure the riffraff don't bother me. They were quite cross when I claimed their spoils of war." Gauldur explained.

"Indeed." The apprentice joined his master in studying the golden star shrine under the magelight.

"That is a good point. I will assemble a crew to accompany you back to Elisiv." Randagulf stated.

Within a few minutes Lars and Kal were approached by Captain Bodvar and his crew of the Ylgermet. "The Harbinger says you are to escort us to some elven trap upriver."

Kal recognized the many of the men, having fought alongside them before.

"He says we are to expect trouble." Bodvar said with a grin. "So let's not dally. I'm eager for a fight."

--

The Companions and Lars headed back upriver and arrived at the location of the elven trap.

Everything seemed as they had left it, just with a handful of barrels now sitting outside the water.

Jofrodr was sitting down against a tree, resting to replenish his magicka. He was quite exhausted from the work and even so he was nowhere near done. "Fucking elves. I'm going to kill ten of them for every fucking barrel that I have to remove from this damned river. The Void take them all." He cursed angrily under his breath.

"You should stop cursing and focus on resting, Jofrodr. There is still much work to be done." Elisiv told him. She was keeping watch to the east in case any elves show up.

"I damn well know that! Just let me do as I please during my break." Jofrodr yelled at her. Having to undo this trap had left him in a very foul mood.