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The Shard ( Fantasy )

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Travelling
1. On the Road ( at last )
2. Durman's Barricade
3. Under Hope's Shadow
4. Knocking on the Gates
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donalfall@yahoo.com

The journey up the gully is tense and nervous, with the raindrops getting fatter every minute. Any ambush here would devastate your little group, killing you all with no hope of your bodies ever being found by anything more civillised than crows. More than a few times during this day, the fifth day out from Durman Town, you look up at shadowey ledges in fear & anticipation.

It all comes to nought. By the late afternoon, you are ascending the gully to the gates of the Castle of Hope. The gates should have been massive and imposing, nearly 20 foot of seasoned, iron-bound timber. They were originally put there to "hold the North at bay" but now incongrously stand half-open, as though inviting the North in. Graffitti and filth show the obvious signs of orcish habitation.

Either side of the gates stand the four story towers that were meant to mount guns and cannon for the defence of durman county and all of Kurnull. Running up the steep slopes from those towers are unfinished curtain walls, huge gaps left when all the builders were slaughtered along with the Emperor and his retinue.

As you face the gate, facing North, on your right and built on top of a cliff like escarpment, stands what Hilsen referred to as the "minor keep". This is a 3 storey edifice that looks more like a barn than a castle proper. Its large windows gape North and only its doors stand facing south. Ascending to its entrance would be difficult, even by the walls, which run most of the way up to it. But they look dangerous and crumbling in places and climbing the slope may be the safer option by far.

Turning left, you have to squint through pouring rain to see the "major keep" - the one facing south. This is built on more conventional lines and more recognisable as a castle proper. It is also the most complete of all the structures here. Hilsen told you that, like an the icebergs the people of Pir speak of, there is more below the surface than above in that building. A proper road, although near destroyed by abuse and neglect, runs up to its mouth. Even through the deepening storm, with lightning flashing all around, you can see the doors. Once, they were destroyed, torn off their hinges by the demon lord who lead the Orcs south. Crude replacements of rotten timber now bar the entrance.

All around you seems vast and silent. There is no sight or sound of orcish presence. You have arrived at the castle of hope and you will leave here richer or not at all...