2 Flaurmont 1000 AC - Return to the Halls of Grandeur

Wearing a new shirt and trews, healed by the village healer, and having washed properly, Broneslav made his way back to the temple feeling much better. There was still much to do and he needed to solve the riddle of the elven woman who appeared to be aiding the Rahib.

Returning to the corridor near the cells, Broneslav pushed through the door to the south. He was in a small hall with doors to to each side and one ahead of him. Listening at both doors revealed nothing. Both rooms appeared to be silent. Mentally he flipped a coin. Heads, so he headed east. As he stepped through the door, a huge red dragon belched flame at him. Broneslav screamed as fire engulfed him, and collapsed senseless to the floor.

His eyes opened again some time later. The dragon was still there, but it seemed more insubstantial now. Carefully, he stood up. The dragon belched flame again, but this time it washed around him. He realised that the dragon was an illusion and that none of his clothing was indeed burnt. Harrumph!

There was another exit from this room. He listened again and heard nothing. Opening the door, he peered in. It was another empty room, except that one wall of this room was a curtain of coruscating red light. It lent the room and eerie, hellish glow. There was a door in the wall opposite the one he entered by. Broneslav moved up to the glowing wall and pushed at it with his torch. The torch passed through easily. He waved the torch around and felt no resistance. Ok, no time to be a wimp. Closing his eyes despite himself, he stepped into the light and found himself in an identical room from that which he had just left. His back was to the curtain of light. There were two exits here. He opted for the left one.

Entering the new room, he beheld a huge pile of gold against the far wall. He felt an unreasoning desire to dive head-first into the treasure and start loading his backpack up. Giving in to temptation he did just that and cracked his head hard against a hitherto unseen wall [Failed saving roll]. Fortunately his helm protected him from damage but he felt distinctly dizzy after this. Closing his eyes against the onset of a headache, he felt around. It felt like there was a solid wall here. It had the texture of stone. Broneslav surmised that the treasure must be an illusion.

There were two doors in this room, both in the same wall. He entered by the one on the left, the one he had not entered by, and found himself in a short corridor. There was a door to his left and a door ahead of him. Broneslav hrrmed to himself suspiciously. Cautiously he opened the door and was engulfed once more in dragon flame. It did not burn and it did not hurt.

So, he was right. He had walked into the wall of light and come back out into the same room. He returned to the wall of light and tried sticking his head far enough in to see through. Unfortunately, all he could see was light. He would have to enter it to test its effects. He tried running into it, but wound up back in the same room. He tried hopping, skipping and jumping into it, but all to no avail. Then suddenly he thought to try walking backwards.

He stepped through the wall of light into a laboratory. Two tables covered in alchemical equipment occupied the centre of the room. The shelves were filled with dusty jars, and there were two alcoves in the east wall. On a peg between the two alcoves was a large hat with a big pink feather. It looked curiously out of place here which piqued Broneslav's curiosity. He went over and picked the hat up. It looked ordinary enough, so what was it doing here? Maybe the old wizard just liked to be flamboyant. Who knows? On a whim, he put the hat on top of his helm [Oracle says Yes to Broneslav putting the hat on]. He laughed. It was a shame there was no mirror there, but he knew he must look ridiculous. Maybe he could return to Specularum one day and make hats with big pink feathers fashionable. He could corner the market on big pink feathers beforehand, just to ensure that he profited properly from it.

Reining in his thoughts, Broneslav began to search the laboratory. There might be something of use there, he hoped. He found nothing among the alchemical equipment. The alcoves were odd, because they contained nothing, so he thought he had better check for secret doors. There was nothing in the northern alcove, but as he checked the southern alcove he felt the world move around him.

He found himself standing in small room that opened into a bedroom beyond. The hat was no longer on his head ...

The Halls of Grandeur

Character
Broneslav Torenescu (S16, D14, C15, I12, W10, Ch14, F1, HP 9, AC4, Sword 1d8+3, Bow 1d8)
Human (Traladaran)

Traits:
Torenescu Family Member 1
Hunter 1
Keen Vision 1
Good Education 1
Empathy with Animals 1

Goal: Prove that he is an adult following the Shearing Ceremony
Goal: Slay a red dragon
Quest: Deliver a parcel to Merisa in Gray Mountain Village
Quest: Rescue Sylva and Merisa
Quest: Undo the greater evil under Kota-Hutan Temple

Allies

Roll of Honour
Alki (Level 2 elven warrior brutally slain while helpless by the Rahib)
Baik Telor (Level 4 human warrior from Ylari. Murdered by Merdiz the wizard)