Chapter 1: Introduction

Xana heads towards the stone steps, only this time something seems to fizzle and sparkle in front of the wall. The magical glow grows stronger and soon forms a portal. On the other side, the gnome sees a place that resembles a cellar, barrels and crates lining wooden shelves in a dark room made of stone.

Chailin follows behind the two and a second later, the portal fizzles out.

Tarandar can't see much in the new area, but the air is thick with moisture and the smell of cured meat. His other two companions, thanks to their darkvision, see that the place is made of stone, hewn in large slabs and flagstones. Both walls have wooden shelves, upon which barrels rest. There's also shelves with sacks of flour, cheese and other food items. Several sausages and smoked meats hang from hooks coming out of the ceiling.

Tarandar takes a look around, but can't really find any obvious exits. The only thing that looks like something is a stone arch jutting out of the wall, right behind the spot where the portal that brought everyone here was. This fires up his imagination as he starts to feel the wall around, looking for something that might trigger any secret doors, but nothing happens.

Xana takes a stroll around the cellar, her height saving her from the dangers of slamming head-first into various charcuterie items hanging from the meat hooks. Barrels aside, the shelves are stocked with jars of pickled food, cheese heads, sugar, flour and various exotic items she doesn't recognize but look delicious. When she checks under the wood constructions however, she spots something that looks like breadcrumbs. Sticking her arm under the shelves, she grabs a handful and pulls them out to discover it's actually cheese scraps and some small bites of salami. Vermin tend to eat what they find where they find it and there's no space down there for any food to be stored. Either somebody wasn't careful when sweeping this place or someone hastily hid the remains underneath.

Xana closes her eyes and calms her breathing to the point where her heart rate drops a bit. Completely focused, she thinks she can hear an odd sound from somewhere behind some barrels. Something between a liquid dripping and slight electric jolts. Looking closer between the barrels as she tries to locate the origin of the sound, she notices something's amiss. There's a hint of smoke coming from somewhere, or maybe mist. She comes closer to smell if there's anything burning, then something hairy jumps at her face!

Tarandar and Chailin hear her squeak and turn around to see Xana fall on her back. A large rat the size of a dog jumps off her chest to the stone floor, then two more jump out from between the barrels.

The rats look left and right for a split second, then start hissing in the air. Somehow you feel like they're hissing at each other, maybe a bit at you as well. Seconds later, a metallic clanging noise mixed with a grunt is heard. Checking to locate its point of origin, you see a heap of flesh and armor stuck between the barrels, where the rats jumped out of.