Candylemons ~Bah. My leg is bleeding out again.
That bleedin' roc took a sizable chunk off me, and I barely snuck by a troop of cyclops who were too busy arguing amongst themselves, bless their thick skulls. It seems as though the whole host of darkness is descending upon our mountainhome, no doubt commanded by that foul goblin scourge Ostsnot. I do not see how we can survive such a battle. But perhaps I am a coward for leaving them behind.
I've arrived at Candylemons, and in shock I bear witness to a scene of devastation. The landscape is atorch with flames, with the smell of char lingering heavily in the air. There are refugees everywhere, dwarves, humans, elves; this war has clearly taken its toll on us all. I recognize a few faces from Uristolon, but we avoid meeting each other's eyes. No doubt they harbour the same festering guilt that I have - the guilt of the reluctant survivor.
Yet I wander through the wreckage, struggling to grasp what had happened here. Afterall, Candylemons was said to be the second grandest fortress after the mountainhome, with a defence to rival any sieging force. Who, or rather
what, could have brought such damnation upon this site?
The sound of rushing water greets me as I stepped into the fortress. Gentle mist arising from the artificial brook within worked to soothe my nerves ever-so-slightly.
It was only later that I understood the price they paid to build it.
The guard tower was abandoned (well colour me surprised). Judging from the overturned racks and stands, they must've left here in a hurry; nothing here now but dusty emptiness and a lingering smell of cheese.
Candylemons was founded in the year 2 - as a number of engravings around the fortress tells me. Other artworks such as statues and artifacts continue to depict events up to the year 5. After of which, presumedly the whole fortress turned into a blazing ball of fire.
I wandered absentmindedly through the dining room, still dissatisfied with the whole affair. If this were a crime scene, there would've been a decided lack of evidence for the detective to follow. No dead goblins, no shattered armor, no battle stains. Beady pairs of eyes tracked me across the lever room - various exotic creatures, all kept for the amusement of their dead masters.
So, deeper then. There were mysteries still hidden in the depths. A quick return to the main stairwell, pausing to break the lock on a set of floor hatches blocking my way. I descended into the darkness below-
-and realize too late, that I have doomed us all.
[[I got rekt]]