*Crack* The sound echoed through out the cavern. *Crack* It came again, the sound of a pick-axe hittng stone. *Crack* Deep, in the darkest corridors of those giant caves an advance team of dwarves were searching out a new place to mine, looking for a vein of gold, to rip from the earth. *Crack* the hit the stone wall again, causing it to give way and reveal yet another room in the cavern. Taking there torches before them the entered and looked about. The chamber was massive, and obviously more than just a cave room. The walls were carved with intricate designs and glyphs, in the center of the room was a raised platform, with stone steps leading up to it. And on the platform was a great sarcophagus, bearing the bust of a dragon. The dwarves were in awe, even their magnificent halls were nothing like this. One, the oldest of them walked forward and examined the walls, while the other five approached the sarcophagus. The old one leaned forward and carefully looked the glyphs and symbols over, using his white beard to dust them off.
"These are ancient runes, arcane ones." He said to the others. "I can read a few of them, like this here. It's a passage in old dwarvish." Squinting his eyes he read, "Here in lies Oberell, wielder of magics and destroyer of the cursed worm." He stood up and and frowned. "It looks like there are many languages here, Elvish, human, even a few demonic ones." He turned to look at his commrads who were now nearing the sarcophagus. "Do you know where we are? This is the hidden tomb of Oberell the wise!" The others were now looking the tomb over with interest. The old dwarf hurried up the steps after them and was struck by the beauty of the carvings on the stone lids face. They all stood and simply looked for a moment, then one started forward and grabbed the lid.
"Come on then, lets open it." Some of the others started forward but the old dwarf stopped them.
"We can't defile his tomb like that, what's the matter with you!?" He scolded them. The one who had made to lift the lid scoffed.
"There might be gold inside." If dwarves loved anything, it was gold, and that was all the persuasion they needed. All gathering on one side, the heaved and sent the lid toppling off to the floor. Inside was an ancient skeleton in robes of faded blue, a decaying staff, and a talisman of gold clutched in the skeletal hands. The talisman was beautiful, forged with inticate designs of a winged dragon, curled into a circle. With out a seconed thought the dwarves took it and made off with their treasure, chuckling to them selves. As the made their way out of the cavern the heard a sound in the darkness. Raising their lanterns the peered into the blackness. "Hello?" One called, only to recieve silence in return. Feeling uncomfortable they hastened toward the lift that would take them out. Soon after they started moving they heard another sound, the sound of heavy foot steps comming closer. The dwarves were spooked now and ran for the lift, but found it needing to be lowered down. Quickly they pulled the ropes, bringing the lift to them, all the while the foot steps were getting closer. They pulled faster whilst the sound echoed around them, the person was right on top of them it seemed. The lift reached the ground and they hurried onto it starting their assent, but the lift suddenly stopped. Looking over the edge the saw a huge man had grabbed hold of it and halted its movement. With a heave, he brought the lift crashing down and grabbed the dwarf with the talisman. Wrentching it from his grasp, he them crushed the little man's throat and tossed him to the side.
"I am Charcon, The Dragon Lord! And you are finished!" He rushed forward and took out three of the other dwarves with a single swing sending them flying into the walls of the cave, smashing their heads against the stone. The old dwarf had fell off the lift and into the shadows when it was thrown down, and so escaped notice. The large man then entered the lift and it began moving, leaving the dwarf alone in the darkness.
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