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Windhammer, Copyright Wayne Densley 2008 All Rights Reserved
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497
 For a moment you back away from the rockfall and consider your predicament. You have no digging equipment that can help with this task, and all you can rely on is your bare hands. But you have no choice, without your equipment it will be impossible to finish your quest, and you need no reminder of the metal collar that grips firmly at your throat.
Quickly you tear a few strips of cloth from your shirt and bind your hands as a protection from the jagged debris. In the gloom you begin, dragging at the dirt as you pull away broken stone and mounds of loose earth. As you work you realise that the trap was far more cunning in its design than you might have anticipated. Not only did the roof collapse, but it did so along a good third of the length of the passageway. It was only luck that had you lunging forward to avoid the fall. If you had hesitated, or had fallen backwards, there would have been no escape. Luck was indeed on your side, however you have no time to dwell upon your good fortune. Your pack cannot be too far from the edge of the debris but the stone is sharp, the soil and powdered rock a heavy blanket that must be uncovered before you can retrieve it.
For some time you work at the rockfall, and are rewarded with the recovery of your bag and all its contents. Quickly you check your equipment and find no damage. At least in this regard Providence has given you some relief, but the reclaiming of your pack has come at a cost nonetheless. In the darkness you can feel your hand wet with traces of blood, and as the minutes pass it is evident that regardless of your precautions you have indeed sustained an injury. Although you did not feel it at the time you must have cut it against the sharp stone that lay within the mounds of earth. Carefully you flex your sword arm, squeezing your hand to test its strength. As you do so blood runs from between two of your fingers. Quietly you curse into the darkness as you realise that you have lost some of your ability to grip hard. In combat this will cost you.
(The injury to your hand will take one point from your combat value for the remainder of this quest. Your strength attribute must be reduced by one point as well to take into account the effects of this wound.)
There is nothing that can be done to improve the condition of your hand at this time, but there are other matters to attend to. Dust from the trap lingers throughout the passage like a thin grimy fog. Breathing is difficult and your clothing is full of the remnants of the filth that previously covered you. As the dust settles you decide it is best to get as clean as possible before continuing, and if you have any left, eat some of your dwindling rations. There appears to be no chance of pursuit, but you realise you are in no state to defend yourself anyway. After getting rid of as much of the dirt from your clothing as you can you sit down for a short meal and rest.
(The food and rest will restore 6 points to your endurance rating. Remember that you cannot exceed your initial endurance value though. If you do not have any food or Nahla Bread in your possession restore only two points to your endurance. The rest may not be much, but it does allow you to recover somewhat from the effects of the trap. Record this on your character sheet before continuing).
After resting you prepare to move on. In your pack you still have a number of the torches you picked up from the passageway entrance. Taking one of these in hand you ignite it and, raising it above your head, continue on eastwards.
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This book, and its associated books and other documents in the Chronicles of Arborell series are the intellectual property of the author, Wayne F Densley, and all rights are reserved by him. Windhammer is best viewed at 1024 x 768 resolution. Any questions regarding the Chronicles of Arborell can be answered by emailing the author at densleyw@shoal.net.au
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Windhammer, Copyright Wayne Densley 2008 All Rights Reserved
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