The sky had been slowly darkening all day with the smell of rain thick in the air in Briar Hills. Finally, it had begun to fall, accompanied by loud peals of thunder that seemed to roll across the landscape. The sun was hidden behind massive black storm clouds and a cold wind blew from the north. As bolts of lightning began to slam from cloud to earth and large rocks of hail began to strike the ground, the need for shelter was making itself quite clear for Lirael and Rayne, who were merely a pair of simple travelers to the common eye.
Ahead in the distance, a large tor rose from a nearby hillside, its form illuminated by the occasional lightning bolt. It seemed rocky and solid which would mean it would provide some good safety from the storm. The only alternative would be to endure the weather, but it was becoming obvious that doing so could prove fatal over the course of the night. The storm did not look as if it had any intention of letting up for at least a day or more.
“We should find shelter fast, Lirael,” Rayne called over the noise of the weather, as he pointed to the tor looming some 20 yards away.
“I am aware,” Lirael remarked. But something was troubling him, “Someone has been following us, Rayne. We need to be careful. We don’t know if he is friend or foe, or even what his motivation for following us is.”
Rayne looked around, trying to spot the mysterious lurker that he had not yet noticed. But the hail was really coming down on them. Lirael decided to make quick work of this nuisance.
“You there, stalking us! Reveal yourself at once!” He shouted out toward the nearby brush.
Without hesitation, a frightening, gangly humanoid creature with a wide and pointy-toothed grin appeared before them. The large horns on his head proved him to be a Daemon, for sure. Cautious, but unafraid, Lirael and Rayne greeted the stranger, desperate to hurry this situation along and find shelter.
“We do not wish to quarrel,” Lirael called out to the Daemon, “If you would be peaceful with us, we would be glad to share the shelter of this tor up ahead with you.”
Just then, a large chunk of ice fell from the sky, knocking the Daemon forcefully on the head. With a pained grunt (though the grin never faded), the Daemon began to walk towards the tor with them, still not saying a word.
The massive tor towered above the surrounding countryside. On the side of the hill it sat upon, a huge arched entryway sat protected beneath a narrow ledge of dirt and grass, leading into the underground catacombs of the structure. The broken remains of an immense, round stone were scattered around the entryway, suggesting that it may have once been blocked off. But luckily the entrance was wide open for the three new acquaintances. The ground just outside it sloped away from the doorway, directing the falling water out and away, which, along with the sturdy nature of the place, gave assurance that it would make a reliable place of shelter from the severe conditions outside. Eagerly, they all scampered inside.
The stone chamber beyond the entrance was large and open. Peeling paint and broken scrollwork suggested that it was once decorated with care, but only dust remained to greet Lirael, Rayne, and the Daemon. Lirael announced that he would gather whatever wood he could find for a campfire and Rayne offered him a spare torch.
After some careful rummaging, he managed to transform the tattered remains of some old furniture into firewood. Rayne lit it with the torch and they all sat around the warming flames to take the chill off.
After some careful rummaging, he managed to transform the tattered remains of some old furniture into firewood. Rayne lit it with the torch and they all sat around the warming flames to take the chill off.
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