 Dreams, Truths, Beliefs By: Tigguhr Two stout dwarven guards stood vigilance over Tigguhr as he lay on a stone slab in a holding cell deep within the Mount. Dreaming, he sweated and rocked, chafing against the bindings that held him. Once Nystramo saw the Drow crossbow that D1 had recovered off the young dwarf's body, extra precautions were needed, thus the bindings. Tigguhr dreamed of the drow priestess and his mission to assassinate the Rorn Gor.... "...so he returns as chief does he? Fine! The half folk grow in number like never before, polluting the surface and underground both. Prosperous now under his guidance? Ha! Use this sleep poison and then call me, Speck! I will torture him for all eternity. Then, perhaps the pirate will become head of the stinking foul dwarves. Perhaps the pirate...yes.." Tigguhr awoke with a shudder. Senses and feelings flooded into him at once: Burning on his face and head, bindings bit at his legs and hands, guards watched him attentively. In a distance, a babe cried. He felt an emptiness across his chest...THE BOW WAS GONE! "I must have done the deed then," his mind screamed. "I'm prisoner...I ha' kilt the chief! Tha kin ha' bound me 'n taked me beard!" The babe continued to cry, getting louder, cutting out all thought from Tigguhr's mind. He focused on the sound, little but so loud, and helpless. No doubt one of the many dwarven couples had a new child, but what hope was there with no chief?. Anguish and remorse filled him, he could barely take a breath (and at that moment he shook off the drow spells, but he did not know it). "Tha whelp...." moaned Tigguhr. "I ha' kilt tha chief a' the beckonin' o' a drow priestess!" he exclaimed. The guards looked at each other and one ran out off the room. Moments later, the lady D1 came into the room with a cleric and the guard. "Dear lass!" shouted Tigguhr. "I ha' caused nae end o trouble fer ye an' now I ha' kilt tha chief! It be dark magic o' the drow. In yer cellar she cames ta me! I ha' pullt tha trigger! They wanted tha chief ou' tha way 'cause tha kin gittin too prospress! I foughts wi' all me soul, but I kinna..." D1 looked on the young dwarf with pity, realizing that some of the exuberance of Tigguhr would be gone forever when he was healed and learned the truth. "Healer, puts tha lad ta sleeps. He be needin tha rest, an' now we knows tha truth. I guess it be time ta move tha shop eh?. Drow priestess be poppin in my cellar???" The cleric slept the young dwarf. He detected no magic on Tigguhr now, so he ordered the bindings removed. The lad posed no threat now and he would rest better without the straps around his limbs. Gaglug's Plan By: Gaglug Humming an off-key tune, Gaglug the goblin shaman rooted deeply in his bag of foul-smelling herbs. "Aha!" he cried, as he drew a fistful of the rotting plants out of the sack. The goblin cooks near him winced as Gaglug tossed the handful of herbs into the stewing pot. Gaglug then began to shout and prance around the bubbling stew. The other goblins stepped back to avoid being inadvertantly struck by the wildly flailing shaman. "Mak-uk lob gitty ur splut!!" shouted the shaman in glee, "Bakk tor nuk kam-del rik-ta dak!" The appalled cooks looked on as Gaglug began to froth at the mouth. "KEKK BAL ROK-TOK SHUM IKKY DIT!!!" Another handful of herbs splashed into the goblin's dinner. The crazed shaman's dancing reached a fever pitch. His flailing limbs blurred as he spun around the bubbling stew. "AAAAIIIIEEEEE WOKKA!!!!" he shouted triumphantly, and spat an immense glob of saliva into the simmering kettle. Too stunned to speak, the other goblins gaped at their insane shaman. Puzzled by their stares, Gaglub explained "Majik makes goblins strong! Kills many dwarfses!". Still not convinced, the cooks brought out a bowl, scooped the now-rancid stew into it, and held it out to Gaglug. The shaman grabbed the bowl without hesitation and downed it in a single gulp. Half of the stew spilled down his face and on to his well-stained robes and furs, but he swallowed a good deal of the sickening slop. The cooks peered at him for several long moments, and when he did not fall over dead from the foul stew, pronounced the food fit to eat. Gaglug watched his men...for he thought of them as HIS men...eat the stew. What did that stupid chieftan know of leading troops? The shaman knew that he would be able whip the goblin horde into a frenzy within the next several days. He knew that the chieftan would still get the credit for the great victory, though. But perhaps...perhaps the chieftan would get killed by the dwarves. Yes, that could certainly happen...if it wasn't for the fact that the chieftan led from the rear. But a stray bolt or weapon might catch the chief unawares. Gaglug grinned as he began to formulate a plan. He was lost deep in thought as the goblin horde ate the stew...the stew that had begun to affect them mentally. Within days, the horde would be his to command! A Whirl of Information... By: Nystramo Nystramo looked in frustration at the gnome in front of him. "Many big feet! Yes yes! One... one... one... lots!!" he was saying. "I sees and smells! And I tells! Yes yes! Warn under-over of bad unders! Sparklies!!" "Aye lad, ye done goo' by Axepeak," Nystramo replied, and tossed the gnome a bag of gems. Grinning, jumping, and bowing, the odd gnome took his leave. It had taken some time, but the gnome had finally gotten the warning across to the chief. Goblins, and many of them, were marching on the Lonely Mountain. Nys had no idea how many, but best to be prepared for the worst. He shouted out to Mergaroth, who was on herald's duty at the moment. The grunt entered quickly. "Aye, Nys? Wha' ya be needin', eh?" "Finds Moradinson an' tells 'em I needs 'em an' I needs 'em an hour ago." Mergaroth nodded and set of to find the Rrin Kuld. "Goblins, duergar, drow...." Nystramo muttered. "All o' tha Underdark be movin' agin' us it be seemin'." He looked up as Mergaroth entered, Moradinson just behind. "Ach, tha' wa quick," Nys observed. "Now sees if'n ya kin finds HiuFang. Tell 'em I needs somethin' done, an' I kinna thin' o' a better Kuldar fer tha job." Mergaroth ran off once again, wondering if heralds were always kept this busy. "Aye, Nys?" Moradinson asked. "Wha' be so urgent, eh?" "Goblins," the Olor Kuld replied. "An' lots o' 'em. Marchin' on tha mount, by all reports." Moradinson grimaced. "Dwy ha' a'ready lef' wi' 'is team. There only be four." Nystramo nodded. "Aye, I ken. Sends a runner af'er 'em an' tells 'em go nae further. I needs ya ta organize a war party, an' does it double quick. We needs it big an' we needs it now. I nae ken 'ow many goblins there be, so we plays it safe. An' sends a few priests, a' well. Ya'll be leadin' 'em yerself, Morad. We kinna affords ta be takin' chances. I wants tha bes' Kuldar in thi' war party, startin' wi' ye." Moradinson nodded. "Aye, Nys. We be leavin' yes'erday." With that he set off, already running through the names of the clan Kuldar in his head. Nystramo took a quick ale break, thinking. So much happening so quickly, and none of it good. To add to his distraction, D1amond had set off on some mysterious personal business. He shook his head. No time to worry about that now. Where the blazes was Mergaroth with HiuFang? Nystramo's Summons By: HiuFang Li Mergaroth the dwarf, grumbling in slight impatience, knocked with gentle vigor on the Dun Gor's stout iron-bound door. "Dun Gor.. HiuFan'?" he grunted, hoping he did not catch the silken-clad dwarf at the wrong time. Placing his ear close to the edge of the door, Mergaroth strained to hear any sound of activity within the room. After a few silent moments, he heard a voice.. but not one coming from the other side of the door. "What is it that you wish of me, good brother?" whispered a muffled voice from behind him. Whirling about in sudden surprise, he saw a figure swathed in black, two narrow eyes glittering in the dim shadows. "Clanggedin!! I.. is tha' ye, Dun Gor?" ejaculated the dwarf. Pulling down a raven-black mask of cloth about his face, the figure uttered in a more familiar voice, "Have no fear, friend.. 'tis I, HiuFang." Peering at the dark garb and the lengthy hair bound behind the Dun Gor's head, Mergaroth sputtered, "Now wha' wou' all THA' be in aid of?! Ye plannin' ta be someone's shadow?! Well, ne'ermin' all tha'.. the Chief be lookin' for ye in 'is chambers." With a frown and a nod, HiuFang turns down the carven hallway, moving swiftly. "'ey, wait for me!" Mergaroth calls after him, running down the hall. But the Dun Gor seems to have melted into the dim-lit halls, naught but the a whiff of jasmine to betray his previous presence. A Stinky Passage... By: Darugh (Two days prior to Nystramos meeting with a gnome) Deep in the myriad caverns and tunnels under the great crage of Lonely Mountain, a small creature peers intently at a large outcropping of glittering emrald. The roaring sound of the great underground river, drowns out the sharp ringing sounds of the gnomes hammer and drill. This is the fabled source of the magestic Neverwinter River, heated by still glowing hart of the quiescent volcano...Lonely Mountain. A large nodule of emmrald breaks from the main outcropping and falls to the ground, with a bark of delight, the Gnome, Darugh Dundergem grasps it up quickly and peers intently at the green glowing hart of the raw gem. The heart of the gems glows brightly to the small gnomes infravision. "Yes, Yes, Yes!!", Darugh, hopping around in a circle swinging his arms about vigerously chants to himself over the roar of moveing water. His hobnailed boots strike sparks as they react with the traces of flint in the floor and his whirling dervish dance of glee. "Good! best! better! not bad!! Yes! No, yup!! yup! yup!! It is..It is.. I know, I do, I dooo!!", the dancing gnome chatters to himself, as he pauses his whirl to take up his hammer and drill again. Muttering to himself. "Many, many...one,one...LOTS!! Sparkleys!! Har!!", Before again begining his drilling of the rich outcropping, he lovingly hugs the large outcropping of emmrald stone. His knobby features...a moment ago..screwed up with glee at his rich find...calmed suddenly as his ear rested against the stone outcropping of emmrald crystal. Lifting his ear from the stone.. he listens carefully to the roar of the river passing thru this small cavern. Placing his ear again against the emmrald crystal.. he screws his face into a frown..and mutters.. "Bad, bad, ungood, yup..yup..It is." as he listens to the rhythmic thump of many feet passing. He quickly stuffs his many tools into a clever leather belt at his waste. Then carfully putting the large raw emmrald into his leather satchel. He listens once again to the crystal outcropping. Nodding to himself he pauses to make a mark on a piece of light leather, then he slips into a side passage, in search of the sound. Darugh peers down at the still glowing traces of heat marking the floor of the passage from a smallish side tunnel. It is quite evident even to the not very intelligent gnome that many creatures hand just recently passed this way... And in the Deeps, even Darugh knows that its better to know what is around you than let it sneek up and eat you. The small gnome peeks into the passage, left and right, and sniffs the air, he makes a foul face as a pungent aroma assaults his olfactory sense. Uglys! big foot under uglies! and lots too!! He thinks to himself, as a fit of gagging takes him. After a moment, his stomach tires of the dry heaving, and settles to its fate...a dull ache. The heat traces are dimmer to his dark sight, to the left and brighter to the right...running back up the side passage thirty feet or so, the gnome takes a deep breath then runs back to the intersection and turns left. Holding his breath and following the fading traces of the passing horde. One...One...One... WOW! Lots!! By: Darugh Darugh holding his breath did not have far to go up the passage, at the first leftward bend it opened up into a large cavern. Just outside the cavern he bowled into a pair of goblin sentrys, all three went down in a tumble of flailing limbs and weapons. His breath woofed out of him as he slammed into the sentries, and fell into a tumble with the two, big flat footed green skinned goblins. Darugh, found himself sitting on top of one goblins chest, looking down into its uglie face. "WOW!!!" he exclaimed down at the goblin whose compainion was squirming under them both, "See you, me....Yuk!, PEE-U!!, Uglie under stinky!!" holding his nose and caughing he jumped to his feet quickly, standing on the goblins face, he peered into the chamber behond.... where the goblin horde milled about at camp. "WOW, WOW, looket!", pumping his legs up and down furiously as he trys to count the assembled goblins. "ONE, ONe, one...LOTS!!" about that time, the goblin, his face torn and mashed by the vigorous gnome, rolled out from under the prancing lilliputian. Tumbling onto his back, Darugh hits hard, the air woofing out of him again "OOPH!" Gasping for breath, Darugh crawls away from the goblins and climbs to his feet. The goblins now have taken this opertunity to gain thier big flat feet also, and scramble to gather thier weapons. They bend over at the same time and soundly rap thier heads together. Stumbling back and cursing each other. By now the clatter of arms and curses have attracted the notice of some of the goblin horde. Several see the gnome standing looking wide eyed into the cavern and roar the alarm. Desideing that its time to go, Darugh, runs off down the passage back the way he came with the goblins hot on his heels. The goblins chase the gnome all the way back to the cavern with the river running thru it. Darugh skids to a halt near the edge his hobnails strikeing sparks. Then turns back to see, one,one.one....lots!! of goblins boiling into the small chamber. Squeezing his eyes closed and pinching his nose shut, Darugh jumps into the river...and is washed away with the fast moving water.... Spitting up water, and caughing, a soggy gnome climbs out of the Neverwinter River in the east central portion of the Neverwinter woods. Lieing on his back drawing in great gasps of air, the battered and brused gnome..mutters. "WOW" Sparklys!! And a Smelly Pipe By: Darugh (Later in the Dwarven Stronghold..Darugh meets with Nystramo) Darugh, after standing still for two minutes, was ready to exsplode.. why couldnt dwarves understand the simplest things? Taking a deep breath, the gnome tried again to make it as simple as possible for the granite headed under-overs. Running circles around Nystramo to emphasize, his point, he launched once again into his tale about finding a large sparkly, the emmrald crystal telling him a secret, the smelly passage, how many pebbles where dislogged in the same passage, what he thought of smelly passages, holding his breath, how Darugh was known for being able to hold his breath longer than any other gnome back home, his home never smelled bad, did Nystramo know the neverwinter river was warmed by his own forges?, how loud the river was if you put your head in it?, has Nystramo ever sat on a big footed uglie under's chest?, it smells worst then it looks.... lots of uglie unders under the mount, swiming in a underground river is hard, you have to hold your breath a lonng time, did he know darugh could hold his breath longer than any other gnome back home?... he could!! Draugh holds his breath to prove it.... Darugh shuffled back and forth around and around, throwing up his arms for emphisis, and jumping up and down at the good parts. Till finally the underover got the idea. Darugh peered into the pouch, "WOW!! one, one, one,.... LOTS a sparklys!". ....Later as Nystramo sat at an ale break he reachs into his belt pouch for his pipe, only to find it missing. After ferously searching his person and desk, he remembers something the gnome said as he was leaveing.... "WOW whats this!?" Scouting Party Discovers Goblins By: KAGIS Kagis, stood quietly listening to the rythmic vibrations humming through the stone all around him. Dwyvern and the rest of the scouting party waited less than 100 yards behind the grizzled veteran. He furrowed his brow in thought, allowing the stone to speak to him. "Well over 10 score of hum'noids... marchin'... righ' a' us... Damn!" Kagis heaved himself up from leaning against the stone and raced back to the rest of the group. Rounding the corner Kagis nearly bowled over a concerned Dwyvern tapping his foot impatiently. "Ach! I be sorry Dyvern, buh I wa' listenin' ta da stone, and by me own reconin' deres a' leas' 200 hum'noids marchin' right for us... down dis very corridor!" "Wha?!" bellowed Dwyvern. At this point one of the other scouts came into the room from a side passage and reported. "Dwyvern, over 300 goblin marchin' righ' fer us.. an' tha mount righ' affer us." "Goblin?!" The assembled dwarves all asked as one. I nod my agreement to the assesment, "Yep. Nae drow'd be makin' dis much noise, and the critters aren't makin' enough noise ta be duergar. Only a hand full o' odders coul' be so bold or stupid... an' goblins be da stupedes'." Dwyvern rubbed his chin in thought, looking over the assembled dwarves in his scouting party. Except for Kagis, they were all young and eager for battle... especially if they could fight goblins. Kagis was eager too, but for different reasons... his were much more personal. There was an entire clan (Ironpeak) he needed to avenge for their wrongfull deaths 12 seasons gone by now. As Dwyvern thinks over his options, Kagis pipes up. "I sees only one opshcion fer us. Dere's only a handfull o' us 'ere and we nae be goin' ta fight da smelly buggars an' win by ourselfs. We still a full day o' hard marchin' from da mount. I thinks wes should send a message back ta da mount, and da res' o' us busy ourselfs by playin' hide an' seek wit da goblins." I hold up a hand to stall any comments, "We ken dese 'ere tunnels better den anyone. If'n we werk tagether and coord'nate, an' hit dere front scouts, den gets away 'fore da whole bunch come affer us, we migh' slow 'em down an give more time for Nys ta prepare da defenses. What's ya say Dwyvern?" I turn to allow Dwyvern ta decide, done saying my peace. The Lost Patrol is Found... By: Dwyvyrn Dwyvyrn chafed inwardly as his small band continued to move slowly through the seemingly endless twisting caves that extended down into the underdark below Lonely Mountain. For three days they had been searching every inch of these caves, looking for some hint of the duergar forces which had slain their clansmen. On the first day they had found the remnants of a few duergar campsites, and thought themselves on the trail of the foul dark dwarves. As they travelled further into the Underdark however, the signs of duergar presence had slowly disappeared, leaving them to wonder whether the group of greyskins that attacked the Axepeak patrol had acted alone. But why would a group of only a dozen or so duergar assault a stronghold of over 100 dwarves? Perhaps they were the last remnants of Clan Crakskull, which had vowed to take Lonely Mountain from the Axepeak dwarves or to die trying? No, Dwyvyrn thought, they weren't Crakskull. This was fairly evident in that none of the equipment found on the dead duergar or in any of the abandoned campsites depicted the familiar skull-splitting pick which was the symbol of that clan. Strangely, what Dwyvyrn found more convincing was that none of the duergar bodies showed anything faintly resembling the fierce pride that a Crakskull displayed, even in death. Dwyvyrn shook his head to clear his thoughts. There had been far too much time for thinking on this journey. His small hunting party had turned into little more than a mapping expedition. The group was running low on supplies and would have to turn back in the next day or so, with only a detailed map of the caves beneath Lonely Mountain to show for their efforts. A long sigh of frustration escaped his lips as Dwyvyrn reflected on his ill luck. He had been certain this trip would bring him many glorious battles, or at the very least a glorious death. The gods seemed intent on denying him even that small measure of satisfaction. Just as he was beginning to resign himself to his fate, events took a sudden turn. Kagis came rushing back from his forward scouting position and told of several hundred humanoids in front of the party, heading in the direction of Lonely Mountain. Another scout soon returned from his post and confirmed the report. A buzz of excitement encircled the dwarves as they began readying weapons and laying plans. Dwyvyrn listened intently as Kagis set forth his idea of random, quick strikes intended to attrite the enemy forces and slow their advance toward the Axepeak halls. Although intrigued by the plan, his one point of concern was ensuring that the messenger sent back to Lonely Mountain arrived safely. His mind was eased as he set his eyes on Sunderfist. The deep gnome had shown throughout the expedition that he could travel faster and with more stealth than any of the dwarves. More than once in the past few days Dwyvyrn had jumped at the sound of a rock speaking to him, only to turn and see the svirfneblin no more than three feet away. Sunderfist would have no problem avoiding any enemy scouts, and if he happened to encounter a cave fisher or any of the other dangerous inhabitants of the Underdark, he could summon an elemental to battle the creature while he made his escape. As he was giving final instructions to Sunderfist before sending him back to Lonely Mountain, a startled cry filled the small cavern. The dwarven party turned to see a single goblin at one of the entrance passages, a look of shock frozen on his face. The goblin quickly recovered from his surprise and turned to flee, but before he got even one step Gilgina's hammer struck him squarely in the back of the head and he fell into a motionless heap. The priestess quickly recovered her weapon and dragged the goblin's body into an alcove. An air of tension filled the room as the dwarves quietly searched the nearby passages for any sign of additional foes. Finding none, Dwyvyrn sent the deep gnome back to the Axepeak halls, and gathered the remaining dwarves around him. A Plan is Put into Action... By: Dwyvyrn Dwyvyrn carefully explained the plan. They would split into two squads of three dwarves each. Dwyvyrn, the priestess Gilgina, and Nalvor, the youngest of the warriors would form one squad. Kagis would lead the other two warriors as the second squad. The squads would operate independently of each other, sticking to the side passages and avoiding the main body of goblins. As the dwarven squads prepared to separate, Dwyvyrn pulled Kagis aside for a final word. "I ken ye be lookin' fer revenge agin' da goblins lad," Dwyvyrn spoke, "bu' dinnae lets it clouds ye 'ead an' makes ye does somethin' brash. I'm sure'n ye'd be 'appy to takes da lot of 'em strait on, bu' I be 'oldin' ye responsuhble fer dem two lads." Here Dwyvyrn pointed to the two warriors Kagis would be leading. "Dinnae gets dem killed jes' to extracks revenge. Keeps yeselves alive an' da clan wi' helps ye to get vengeance." With that, the two dwarves joined their respective squads. Gilgina handed Kagis a pouch containing her healing herbs and balms. Dwyvyrn's squad would rely on her supernatural healing abilities. As the dwarven warriors whispered calls of "Findar Torst!" and "Raugh Ar Dun!" to their departing comrades, the two squads melted into the black recesses of the Underdark. A Dangerous Mission... By: Nystramo "You wished to see me, my king?" Nystramo nearly leaped out of his chair at hearing HiuFang Li's voice. "Ach, Hiu, I dinna 'ear ya enters." To this HiuFang responded only with an enigmatic smile. Nystramo shifted in his seat, somewhat uncomfortable. While he liked and respected the unusual dwarf, Nystramo found his mannerisms disconcerting, and he never particularly cared for being called "king." Still, he understood the dwarves unusual code demanded such formalities, and he accepted them for his sake. Nystramo frowned then, noting Hiu's unusual garb. The black cloth clung to the dwarf, who was not quite as stocky as his other kin. His hair was done up in a pony-tail, another unusual affectation for a dwarf. "Ya be plannin' somethin', Hiu?" Nystramo asked. Before Hiu could answer, Nystramo continued. "Well'n, l gots somethin' ya may wants to consider 'afore ya 'eads out, eh?" HiuFang raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Indeed, my king? And what might that be?" "We gots evidence tha drow be involved in tha attacks on tha mount. We be needin' ta ken wha' be goin' on, wha' they be plannin'. It be some trickery, I nae doubts." He grinned at Hiu, then. "An' who be better'n ye a' sneaksin' abouts an' findin' secrets, eh, kin?" He leaned back, waiting for Hiu's reply. The Preparations... By: KAGIS I tie the pouch containing Gilgina's herbs and balms to my belt. "Less be 'opin' we wont be needin' any of dis stuff." With that said, I turned to my two dwarven kinsmen. Kelvan and Dedrac are stout middle aged dwarven warriors much like myself, with a strong sense of what's right and what's wrong. Kelvan carries a strong broad sword and a sturdy crossbow. Dedrac prefers a massive war hammer and also carries a crossbow. These aren't your average crossbows, but Clan Axepeak crossbows specially fitted with a "rapid-fire" trigger. A small lever placed slightly under the trigger bar allowed the wielder to quickly re-cock the crossbow with the flick of the wrist. Also, a long thin box containing 10 spare bolts sits underneath the firing bar. Inside the box carefully callibrated srings provides just the right amount of pressure so that a new bolt is pushed up when the swing lever re-cocks the weapon. In close range combat; in tight quarters the weapon was devistating. I grinned. "Dis gonna be fun!" Without anything further to add we set off. I talked quietly to my two kin while we traveled as fast as possible. "I gots me an idea. Now goblin nae be 'ticularly bright fellas, but dese nae stupid neider. De knows juss 'nough 'bout battle tactics to know nae ta let yer enemy behind ya." I grin broadly. "I know exactly where ta hits em firs'." We take one of the smaller passages, knowing that the larger force of goblins wouldn't be using it. The passage takes us past the goblin hoard and re-merges with the main corridor less than 50 yards behind the rear guard. I scan the area. There are three other side passages that lead off from the main corridor, all of them small enough to force single file movement. I quickly have Kelvan and Dedrac examin two of the passages while I check out the third. A few minutes later we gather back together in the main corridor. "What's down da firs' passage Kelvan?" "It runs 'bout 30 yars den ends in a small room strewn wit rubble." "And da second passage, Dedrac?" "Pretty much da same ting." the kinsman responds. "Goo'. Da third passage opens up back on dis tunnel 'bout 100 yard back. So we have ta come back to da original passage." I remove my pack, fish through it until I find what I'm looking for. I pull out a beat-up old cloak, and some old crossbow bolts. I tear of some of the cloak and place a strip near the first passage that leads to a dead end. I then place the old bolts near the entrance, and scuff up the ground with my boots, so that it looks like some folk ran through it. After finishing my misdirection, I replace my pack, heft my axe in one hand and my crossbow in the other. I grin at my two kinsmen as we begin marching to catch up to the goblin rear guard. I can hear Kelvan wisper softly, "Dis gonna be fun..." The Attack... By: KAGIS A short time later I bring my two kinsmen to a halt and sniff the air. My nose wrinkles in disgust. "De are close now. So da time fer silence begins." Kelvan and Dedrac nod in understanding. "Ok, we hit da rear guard, kill some goblins den backtrack to da original side passage; da one dat don't end in a dead end. One more ting, be sure dat a few o' dem gets away to tell da odders dat da dwarves are behind 'em. I wants 'em ta know we are here." Again they nod in agreement. With that said, we move quietly up behind the goblin rear guard. As we round a corner I can see the outlines of goblins ahead in the dark. There looks to be at least a score of the smelly beasts. And, as usual, they aren't paying very much attention to watching the rear of the group. I lift my crossbow, aim and fire. "Thunk!" I catch on right in the base of the scull. It drops with almost perfect silence. An instant later, my two kinsmen open fire, launching one bolt after another into the rear ranks of the goblins. One, Two, Three fall within seconds. The remaining turn and stare in surprise. One of the goblins squints back down the corridor at us and then yells... "Dwarfs!!!" Another volley of crossbows slams into the goblins... two more down. The squinting goblin grabs one of his fellows and points down the corridor to the main body of goblins. "Go! Tell!" he screams at the scared youngling. The messenger takes off, while the last of the rear guard turns and charges. One last volley... three more down. I then let go of my crossbow knowing it will hang from the cord on my belt, and heft my axe. Kelvan and Dedrac follow suit, and we hit the rushing goblins... now less than ten. Axe swings... blade slams home, a hammer crushes a scull. Pitifull swings of clubs follow, then the Axe, Blade, Hammer combination goes again. In less time than it took for the ten goblins to charge us, they now lay dead or dieing at our feet. "Ok! Dat was fun kin! Now lets get goin' 'fore reinforcements arrive." Me and my assault squad head back for the side passage, taking extra special care not to leave any tracks at the entrance when we go through it. After moving at full speed all the way back to the original cavern where Dwyvyrn and I parted company, we stop and catch our breath. Then, in silence we select another passage and head down it. This time I can hear both Kelvan and Dedrac whisper to each other, "Dis gonna be fun!" Nystramo's Order By: HiuFang Li "An infiltration of the Drow Temple?" Gazing upon Nystramo's solemn brow, HiuFang realized the gravity of the present situation. In the next moment, the raven-haired dwarf had no doubt what his decision was. "For the Clan, my king, I will go on to do as you request," uttered the Dun Gor with a strong conviction. Bowing rigidly, HiuFang pulled a dark mask over his face, allowing none but glittering eyes to show. Turning quickly about, he started out of Nystramo's chamber.. Re: Nystramo's Order By: Nystramo As HiuFang was leaving, Nystramo called out to him. "Hiu, be careful, eh? Dinna takes on more'n a dwarf be able. I dinna wants ya secretin' yerself in tha temple in tha middle o' a high holy," he said with a wink. "Jes' finds ou' wha' ya be able, an' dinna gits yerself killt. I kinna affords ta loses ya." HiuFang nodded and took his leave. As he watched him go, Nystramo couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. How many of his kin would he send to their deaths before this ended. "Too many," he thought, and began laying plans for the clan's next move. A Lad Awakens By: Tigguhr Asleep on a stone slab in a holding cell deep within the Mount, Tigguhr slept off the Healer's spell. In his sleep, the drow priestess again came to him. Unable to come physically through the magical barriers of the Mount, she invaded Tigguhr's dreams. "So, Speck! You broke my spells did you?" she hissed Appearing as a bodiless head with spiders crawling all over, including in and out of her mouth, the drow priestess was indeed young Tigguhr's worst nightmare. "I told you that if you failed me, your whole pathetic clan would suffer. Ha! Or should I say the will suffer more! Nystramo lives and your clan grows, but not for long. So many new young specks...how your little bunch grows. I wonder how all these new specks can fight and defend their homes." The image slowly faded from Tigguhr's mind and he began to wake up. But just before the image was gone, the vile woman chortled, "I wonder indeed if all these new specks are as they seem? HA HA HA HA...." Tigguhr woke up in a puddle of sweat on the stone slab. He sat bolt upright and noticed immediately that he was not bound but the dwarven guards, his kin, remained vigilant. "Samman..lads, eh who be Rorn Gor now? I be needin ta speak wi' tha chief." "Nystramo is a' corse! Ya indeed ar daft, lad!" bellowed one of the guards. "Kinna bee, Kinna bee....He survived tha attack, he nae be poisoned?" "Ya nae kilt da chief lad! Ya past ou in that throne room 'n that vile rat plunker ya wus holdin be in tha hands o' the chief now. Drowie magic suren be nasty!" Tigguhr's nearly bald face broke into a huge smile. "HAR DEE DOO!" But his exuberance was short lived as the words of the drow priestess echoed in his mind "...clan will suffer more...new specks, not as they seem..." "Spys! Amongst tha kin!" Tigguhr yelled. The guards eyed each other incredulously. Another silly stunt probably, but they had their orders. They grabbed Tigguhr and began the trek up from the holding cell to the throne room. Let the chief decide if the lad made any sense, they thought.
|