-------------- Tales of the Raptors – Second Level

The stairs down from the first level of Old Calladon seemed to go on forever. They’d long since lost sight of the top of the stairs. Below them was only darkness. Though the ice and frost had disappeared from the walls and the bare stone of the steps themselves was clear, the temperature was not significantly higher than the frozen level above. It was a good hundred feet down and out of the chamber at the base of the stairs before the temperature climbed back to a tolerable level. They lost the cold weather gear and changed into lighter clothes.

The cold fog, rime ice and permafrost above were now replaced with something more common for the ancient halls of Old Calladon. The stones everywhere were old, dusty and worn. Cobwebs hung in most rooms. Curtains and drapes hung in tatters, moth eaten, blackened with fungus and rotten. In a few places, rooms were in sterling shape, but those were usually special tombs or diabolic traps. Shang’s ancient magics were more obvious here, less affected by the transient rulers of the other levels of Old Calladon.

This was the second level, known everywhere as the source of Old Calladon’s other name, the Adventurer’s Graveyard. Here, if it was cold at all, it was from the negative energy of undead. Here, they’d spend all their time hiding behind Kami and Erelae’s divine, holy magics. Here they’d press onward and not stop to investigate every minor stash of coins lest they be swarmed by undead drawn to their life force. Worse still, to defeat all the undead and dally too long would beg a visit from one of the ancient ones; Lord Orlagnor, Marshesa Esquilanza, Aerrdinae, or perhaps Xullraethe himself. IT was said that when Princess Aura came to her father’s nightmare to seize control, she brought the soul-stones of not only the great Death Knight, but that of his draconian ally as well. To face the horror of Lord Glypterris on the first level was one thing. To face the undying Dracoliche remains of a Grand Elder Red Dragon created by Shang himself? That was a horror of a different color.

-------------- Credits

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