Returning back into the oldwalls catacombs, there seemed to be no end to the Banes lurking in forgotten hallways and behind ancient statuary. Between Eb’s magic and my artifact blade we were able to make short work of them, but more than once we had to stop our exploration to bind wounds and recover after a particularly brutal assault. Barik and Verse did their best, and their zealousness certainly contributed, but we were all looking for weapons that would help them be more useful in the dark passages.
As we sought the keystones that would help advance our cause, Barik stood at the front of our formation, he and I having the heaviest armour. Verse stayed near Eb, and in that way we made sure each pairing had a tried-and-true means to kill Banes, as well as supplemental offense. We didn’t see much in the way of strategy in the creatures’ fight, certainly not possessing the forethought to set an ambush, and as such we tried to concentrate our attacks.
Resting for several moments near a stone dais, Verse had a confused look on her face. Following her gaze, she seemed to be staring at the wall. “Do you see something?” I asked lightly, hoping the stress of our subterranean explorations hadn’t gotten to her.
“That wall is different, newer than the rest,” she suggested, pointing out minute differences in the stones’ wear patterns. As the rest of us looked closer, we could see she was right – something had been hidden here, the room artificially shortened to make a disguised alcove. Pulling an iron rod from our stores, Barik and I took turns chipping away at the rocks, Eb and Verse keeping a careful eye out for any Banes that may be drawn to the sound of our labors.
Our efforts paid off when the last brick crumbled, a mighty strike opening a sizable hole in the false wall. Peering inside, a torch raised high, we saw a small, simple altar, with a mighty longbow placed carefully atop it.
“The Gravebow!” whispered Eb, excitedly. None of the rest of us knew the reference or what she implied. “It’s the bow that slew thousands of Banes in centuries past. A great archer took it upon himself to rid these oldwalls of their fell spirits,” she explained finally. “The stories about this weapon are truly remarkable.”
Looking to one another, we silently agreed that Verse, the most talented archer among us, should possess the bow. If Eb’s stories were true, it would give us another powerful weapon against the foes we would yet come across in our exploration. Even if not, it would be a substantial improvement over her salvaged Scarlet Chorus bow she had carried with her since our first meeting.
Heartened by the discovery, we pressed on into the depths of the oldwalls.
