(Dutch: Het Doolhof van de Dood) (part 4)
Art by Don Lawrence; script by Martin Lodewijk
The giant creature with the multiple jaws holds back from attacking Storm and his comrades. They surmise it must be afraid of the light still emanating from Storm. It's something the monster has never seen before.
The Theocrats guards charge into the chamber. They aren't so luck. The creature begins devouring them.
Storm and friends, while somewhat conflicted about leaving the guards to their fate, realize the distraction they provide is their only hope of escape. Marduk's lackey manages to get away too, by following them.
Next they come upon a chamber full of rotting monster skins. This must be where it comes to shed. Ember notices a whole far up in the domed ceiling. They surmise the creature comes to this place so cases from decay can escape.
Storm comes up with a daring plan. Maybe they can use the skins to create a hot air balloon to fly up to the opening and escape. They cut strips of some skins and wrap them around swords and a shield to make a basket. They attach a balloon made from a large skin with similar strips.
Just as the balloon begins to rise:
The creatures tendrils wrap around Brush-head's leg. Rather than let the creature drag them all to their doom, the rebel leader cuts herself free of the balloon.
As the others rise to freedom, Ember recreates she never even knew the woman's name.
The opening is (luckily) large enough for the balloon to pass through, They kick Marduk's lackey off as they rise into the skies of Pandarve on their way to their next adventure.
THE END
4 comments:
Interesting. It's been decades since I've read comics.
A balloon? I will be sorely disappointed if the next chapter does not open with it crashing.
And the death of the rebel leader seems very unfair. (But it makes me think of a player who has to leave a campaign suddenly.)
@seaofstarsrpg: You're not the only one, Don Lawrence wanted "Bristlehead" to be the fourth companion, instead of her dying. But Martin Lodewijk felt there was no room for her in the stories. Probably he was right, as sometimes Nomad seemed to be merely filler as well.
@Anthony: it's the first time I hear this theory about Bristlehead being the fourth companion. Where did you read this? Even 3 characters proved to be difficult for Martin Lodewijk at times because in The Living Planet Nomad only has a very small part.
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