It Starts in a Village in a Clearing - Active IC Thread

[Anivar]

Vane rises early and sets off into town to search for a smith that may be able to break the lock on the chest from the friar's basement.

If he is successful in locating a smith, he will explain to the smithy that he lost the key, offer 3 gold peices for the service, and will act very happy to have access to the contents of the chest again (stifling any surprise), no matter what is inside. Once his business is concluded, he will rejoin the group.


edited for clarity

[Fearghus]

Allathurion

Vane departs the longhouse at sunrise as many of the village sleep away the effects of the revelry. He follows the clang of the blacksmith's hammer and comes upon the middle-aged craftsman and his apprentice. Finding Vane to be unassuming and his story believable, the blacksmith consents to opening the lock. He accepts the gold without a word, but seems a little uncomfortable, perhaps doubting the wisdom of his involvement with the task. The assassin departs company before the blacksmith can find his tongue and ask questions.

Kargoth enters the Chapel of the Sword. The friar stands before the altar with his head bowed in prayer, but looking over his shoulder as the dwarven acolyte enters. Gilseax welcomes Kargoth. Although his means are modest, the friar is able to aid the dwarf. "Kargoth, your cause is just and I have the means to fulfill your request. Should these meager items prevent the loss of life of to you and your allies, then I ask you return to this holy place and give worship and donation to the Sword in service to the Light".

He walks to his cell and opens the foot locker. From within he removes three small clay bottles topped with cork and wax. "I carried these when I journeyed with Lord Lorendiac and the Magician. I held onto them thinking I would one day bring blade to bear against the enemies of this realm, but now my place is to look after this chapel". He holds the vials out for Kargoth, "Take them. Go and walk in the Light". With a well-fed and recovering Drog, Kargoth returns to his companions.

Gutram visits the blacksmith shortly after Vane's exit, and is able to secure whetstone's for reasonable price. "Good journey", is the blacksmith's only parting words to the ranger. Gutram makes a cursory inspection of the duergar, going over his boots, cloak and clothes. The deep dwarf says something that sounds rude. Gutram, however, is able to glean knowledge from the remnants of the underground left on the deep dwarf's clothing: traces of filth, dirt, and stone dust.

Brezebar reviews his magical text and enchants the duergar. The deep dwarf seems agitated as the magic-user casts the spell, but his mood lightens at the completion of the incantation. It watches with curiosity at the pantomiming and then blurts out, "Belok due arok, shmek doz? BWAH HAW HAW"! He nods good naturedly, but then points at the ground and shrugs as if to say, "No promises in the deep".

Eldrek gathers his equipment and stands ready to continue this expedition.

The Tunnels Below

The lot of you return to the chapel cellar where it is assumed Brezebar lights his lamp. The duergar takes the lead with Eldrek and Gutram following, thus allowing the ranger an opportunity to observe the duergar in the tunnels. The slaver follows the tunnel carefully, taking precaution in movement as if there might be hostile intent from the passages ahead. You pass the fallen Pariah and duergar, causing your guide to look back at Brezebar before continuing. Before long, you stand underneath the tower of the Magician, looking at the tunnel that leads to the area where you captured the slaver and defeated his morlocks. The stench of filth, mold, and rotting bodies is strong.

Gutram's inspection of the duergar: [1d20] = 5
Duergar's save: [1d20] = 9

Actions!

[thirdkingdom]

Brezebar the Magician

"Let us continue on!"

Fearghus, I don't believe Brezebar ever got the scrolls promised him by the other magician.

[Anivar]

Keep going! Lets get this over with! Vane snaps, being in a foul mood ever since realizing he is probably carrying around the tithe box from the church.

[Grognardsw]

Kargoth / subterrania

Kargoth of Clangeddin's Wrath says a quick prayer for guidance and luck in the upcoming travails.

As he steps once again into the underground, the dwarf feels at home but also cautious. His dwarven bones feel the pulse of the earth; his nose the smells of dirt and rock; his eyes the cut and contour of tunnel stone.

Yes, it is natural and beautiful to those old eyes, yet dangerous, for in the underworld crawls the Evil that they must vanquish. The bright lands of Alluthurion must not be blighted by Dark.

"By Clangeddin the Rock of Battle! Let us put foot to path, and mind to how we will crush evil underfoot!" exclaims Kargoth.

"Woof woof," barks Drog with a wag of tail.

[Blazeguard]

Eldrek, Fighter (HP 13/16)

Back in his element, Eldrek is fairly chomping at the bit to explore deeper. He has to rein himself in so as not to trample their duergar guide. "Well, come on. Wat'cher waitin' for." He will start heading back down the passage to the intersection, keeping a keen eye out for any enemies. He will also closely examine the floor to see if he can determine whether there has been any new traffic since they were last here.

[Fearghus]

Decisions

Three passages are before the party. All of them seem like a good direction as long as they lead away from the stench of decay, rot, filth, and mold. From your left is where the duergar and his slaves attacked. He says in passable dwarven to Eldrek and Kargoth, "I don't say this out of any love for you two, but I can't help but feel my fate is tied to this human". He looks at Brezebar for a moment before continuing back to the dwarves. "With that being said, I do not recommend you fools go any farther. I have been allowed a certain amount of discretion by the King of the City Below. But, should you encounter his Pickmen, and I guarantee they are marching, I cannot guarantee what end you shall encounter".

The duergar offers more lore with the hostile edge removed from his tone, "We are not far from the chamber of the dead Magician. Perhaps we should go there and discern if there is any correspondence that will answer questions which I was unable".

He looks down each of the three passages before continuing in dwarven to Kargoth and Eldrek, "These three passages end at the same tunnel. I suggest we split into three groups to make sure nothing passes us and makes it back the village above. I'll go with this one", he says motioning to Brezebar. He taps his chin as if thinking hard, "This fellow and I will take this left passage as I am fairly familiar with it. Play to our strengths. Tell the rest of them to split into two teams and move through the center and right passages".

He looks to Brezebar and motions for the magic-user to follow.

WhichPath.png (41.04 KiB) Viewed 393 times

Actions!

[Blazeguard]

Eldrek, Fighter (HP 13/16)

Eldrek turns to the rest of the party, "Our 'guide' suggests that we split up into three teams and explore the three tunnels at the same time. While I am loathe to completely trust him, if the tunnels do come back together as he claims, it would prevent anything from slipping past us and reaching the town."

He turns back to the duergar, "How far until the tunnels meet again?"

He will attempt to translate as best he can if anyone else has any questions and will then move to the entrance of the middle tunnel. "I'll take this tunnel. Who wants to come with me?"

[Anivar]

Vane pulls Brezebar off to the side, out of ear shot of the duergar. How does this magic work? Can its loyalty be tested?

[NJWilliam]

Gutram, Ranger

Gutram checks the area and the mouth of each of the three passages for signs of any tracks, especially ones that are more recent than the party's last trip here.
While he's examining things he mutters, "I don't like the idea of splitting up. If something is in a tunnel, I'd rather meet it full strength than one third. . . "

[Fearghus]

Gutram's Inspection

The ranger's inspection of the dusty ground reveals tracks coming only from the left tunnel (the direction the duergar prefers).

At the mouth of the center passage, Gutram must sidestep many piles of filth. Also, the moldy smell is stronger here. A few steps in, at the edge of the torch light, he can see a large shape in the center of the 10 foot wide passage. A man-sized mushroom.

The passage to the right is calm. Gutram takes a few steps in to get a better view, seeing only stalagmites rising from the floor, and stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

[NJWilliam]

Gutram, Ranger

Gutram speaks up for the whole party to hear, "Nay, if we split up, the Duergar and Brezebar must take the center tunnel, there is action in the left tunnel and we need some fighting prowess there." He then turns to the Duergar, "So would you please draw and describe the left tunnel to us, I know you deep dwarves are very observant about tunnels and such."

[Grognardsw]

Kargoth / tunnels

"Split up!?" exclaims Kargoth incredulously at the duergar's suggestion. "You must think us addle-brained. We face the unknown together so as to overcome any challenge. These tunnels will likely open to warren of corridors; we cannot keep creatures from getting past us. I just hope Leothric sets guards or collapses some of these tunnels."

The dwarf listens to Gutram's reconnaissance report. "An underground 'shroom of that size needs much moisture to grow and a large cavern, from my experience. Something doesn't feel right there."

[thirdkingdom]

Brezebar the Magician

"Nay, we should all travel together; the villagers are warned and wary. Would one of you tell our new friend this: that I am a king in the world above, and you all my slave bodyguards. He could not expect one of royal blood to travel without his retinue, could he? And express my eagerness to visit the chambers of the vanquished magician and add his arcane puissance to my own!" Brezebar strikes a haughty pose and snaps his fingers imperiously.

[Fearghus]

Choosing a Path

The duergar first responds to Eldrek, "It is several hundred steps until the paths join". And then in response to Gutram's inquiry translated via Eldrek, "This left passage here is plain. I prefer it since herding the slaves through there is easier than the other passages. The center and right seem a chore and there are places one could jump and hide".

At Kargoth's exclamations the duergar raises his hands in defense, "The Magician tended to this area with great care. The slaves which you summarily slaughtered hauled water and filth to this passage continuously. I had no interest in it and simply held the whip".

At Brezebar's gesture the deep dwarf concedes and says nothing more of the matter. The left passage is chose and the party continues. The cave varies in width from allowing the group to walk two abreast to single file. After some distance, not quite 200 feet, the party finds themselves at the convergence of the three paths. The converged path is nearly 15 feet wide. Far down the passage the illumination of yellow-green lights are seen. The duergar says to Eldrek, "Just the fire beetles. We keep them at the outpost for food and light".

The group comes upon a moderately sized stone-work wall with a raised iron portcullis. Just past the doorway the beetles mill around, providing an eerie illumination to the dark underground keep. The duergar speaks, "I was wondering if there would be a platoon prepared to receive us. There is likely one soon to be here since that Sorcerer you killed was ready to march above. This place is simple. Barracks there for several platoons, latrines within to gather material for the fungus grown on the opposite end of the outpost and that chamber we went around. There's a small stream running down that tunnel from which water can be fetched". He points along the tunnel past the barracks, where a narrow passage gently descends.

He then motions to a wooden door reinforced with iron bands. Iron hinges are hammered into the stonework to secure it. The face of the door bears a marking made of dark material and is the same shape as the summoning circle. "I am certain you can guess what laired beyond that portal".

He shrugs and turns to face Eldrek, "There is no gate to guard the rear as only duergar know the way". He seems to ponder those words a moment, "Are you certain you want to face the City Below with these 5 at your side?"

Actions!

[thirdkingdom]

Brezebar the Magician

"Hmmm." He motions imperiously towards one of the dwarves. "Ask our fine friend how far and how many guards lie between us and the sorcerer's lair?" He pauses for a moment. "Forgive the act, my friends, but I know that if the duergar prize anything it is strength. I, as his 'friend', can not be seen to be weak. That being said, I have no desire to delve into such a dangerous dungeon populated by dozens of deadly duergar with our current numbers. Perhaps a quick raid on the sorcerer's lair, then we return to secure the egress. Surely a few dozen men with pikes and boiling oil could hold off an assault from the deep."

[Grognardsw]

Kargoth / tunnels

"Aye your majesty, your will my words," laughs Kargoth with a mock bow. He roughly translates Brezebar's questions for the duergar. Then adds: "And for what purpose is the fungus grown?"

[Fearghus]

Answers for His Majesty

The duergar speaks to Kargoth in order to answer Brezebar's question. "That door with the marking is where the arcanist resided". He points to the iron-bound wooden door with the symbol used in the summoning. "Though I'd call anyone a fool that dared to go there. He walked with a fiend that would do his bidding without a word spoken. It flew about and sometimes sat upon his body as he lounged. Other than that demon I know of no dwarves that were willing to go beyond the door".

He then changes topic, "The fungus at the far end there is for food. It'll keep for several days once picked".

[Blazeguard]

Eldrek, Fighter (HP 13/16)

Eldrek wanders over and taps on the door with the hilt of his sword. After several taps, he stops and then listens to see if he can hear anything beyond the door.

[Fearghus]

Rapping at the Chamber Door

Eldrek is met with silence from the room beyond.