Dongle the Dungeoneeror--CLOSED--Adventure #52

[Gray Shade]

"Mm-hm," grunted the Roper doubtfully, but it didn't take any further action.

Climbing back up the stairs Dongle continued to mutter under his breath. The light sweat from the warmth of the dungeon cooled as we ascended and I had to subdue a shiver by the time we'd reached the top and stepped back out through the open "secret" doorway to the armory.

"Sir?" I said as we walked back out of the armory and into the courtyard, our grazing horses visible in the light rain. "It looks like we are left with three possible entrances: through one of two secret passages to the east, or the fire-tower."

 

[Lazlow]

"Far be it from me to leave a secret passage unexplored," he replied. "Let's head east."

We returned what equipment we had unpacked back to the horses and did just that.

 

[Gray Shade]

The ground was saturated from the weeks of drizzling rain, and the horses hooves sucked and smacked the whole way to the southern (closest) entrance. The ground in the region contained large boulders, many of which jutted out, occasionally towering twenty or even thirty feet in the air, moss and saplings growning from their sides. It was all very green, and the Twisted Forest faded into a mere thick, charcoal line on the horizon.

Following the map, we found the first entrance after about an hour of searching. What we supposed to be the entrance was nestled at the base of where chance had leaned together a rock about fifteen feet high with one about ten feet high. Sadly, though, the ten foot rock had slid down and covered what had been the entrance. However, even I, without the skilled eye of my master, could tell that there had been much activity here recently.

We dismounted and explored the area more closely. There were a few broken shovels and picks and a few mounds of earth the size of large carts. The grass was mostly gone and heavy footprints were planted in its place.

 

[Lazlow]

"Let's assess this entrance, Brabinger. I don't think 'twould be wise to make our main assault, as it were, from this locale given the spate of activity. Whoever or whatever resides inside may be waiting, alerted from all the work here. If the other entrance is relatively free of intrusion, then that's where we'll begin our descent. But first, a quick look around."

He bent down to study some of the footprints in the area. "Let's see who's been working for our rat-faced 'lord' of the keep, shall we?" And with that he set about to gleaning what information he could from the ground.

 

[Gray Shade]

The sealed entrance reveals its past

Dongle remembered that he had his Darkvision lenses in place and rotated them over to the lenses that helped him search, whatever he gazed upon being clearly magnified.

Clearly, there had been at least a dozen creatures working here. Examining the footprints he could tell that they were probably the same creatures who had been working inside the keep's walls: the orcs.

They seemed to have dug the foundation dirt up from around the ten-foot stone and then dug up the earth to the back of it. Perhaps then applying a lever, or just massive raw strength, they got the stone's base to slide backward enough that its own momentum caused it to keep sliding until it blocked what had hitherto been the entrance.

The orcs had left a clear trail ('clear' to my master's trained eye) that headed almost due north. Dongle squated and examined it. He judged that they had gone that way within the last few days.

"I wonder, master," I said, "with the prevelance of these orcs around the area, if they are an organized clan attempting to overtake the keep for themselves or if they are followers of the one who has invited us here."

 

[Lazlow]

Dongle took a pinch of mud from one of the larger footprints and rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger, sniffing at it once or twice as well. At length he responded to my musings.

"Given the roper's statements, I wonder that myself. Is this orc-lord just trying to shoe-horn himself into the keep? Is he trying to prevent another clan from doing the same? Or is he legitimately the new owner? I'm less and less prone to believe the latter." He moved toward where the opening had been and resumed his examination of the area. "A quick look at the entrance here and then we'll follow this trail north... Presumably to the other entrance."

Before he began in earnest, however, he instructed me, "Keep an extra eye and ear out, friend. I wouldn't be surprised if our host has lookouts posted to keep tabs on our progress."

 

[Gray Shade]

I hadn't considered that we were being watched. I looked about nervously."Probably."

After a pause, while Dongle examined the main stones again, I added, "it is conceivable, however, that Maurak'Gunar has bought the keep from the duke, but because of the length of time since it was occupied, whatever bureaucrat handed him the deed simply didn't know that the lower levels would still be guarded or occupied. A shame we did not think to check on this before leaving Safe Haven. The only way I can think of to check on the honesty of Maurak'Gunar would be to talk to Sir Philip." The "Sir" in Sir Philip was more an honorary title than a military one, but he was one of the Duke's closest advisors and a member of the court. What he did not know of the business of state he could uncover. He was, however, assumably back at his home in Safe Haven.

* * * *

You search the area more thoroughly, but find basically nothing more. You do notice that although the tracks of the orcs lead from this site north, there doesn't seem to be any tracks to suggest where they came from.

The entrance is totally sealed by the stone. You could try to dig behind the stones, but you suspect that even if you didn't simply hit nothing but rock, it would be slow going to get deep enough to actually hit the tunnel.

 

[Lazlow]

"True, true," he replied after he finished his search, turning up nothing further of interest. "It has been a while. But I don't see a need to bother Sir Philip - yet." He returned to his horse. "Alright then, to the other entrance."

And with a long look around the outlying area, we set off North.

 

[Gray Shade]

Trouble?

The rolling hills made for limited vision, and it was only after perhaps a quarter mile of riding that we crested a hill to find a pair of orcs wearing muddy, light armor running over the crest of the next hill. Before we could react, they were out of view again, perhaps a hundred yards ahead. They were wearing banners flying on poles from their packs. Both banners were a bright blue.

Judging by the map and our experience thus far the northern entrance would be just a hill or two away.

I drew a quick breath awaiting Dongle's order.

 

[Lazlow]

"Hold up."

Dongle spun the lenses on his Precisionating Perceptivator to better afford a look at the far hillside and scanned back and forth a few times.

"I don't like the smell of this. Surely, if the Orc-lord is being square with me, then his clansmen would know of our arrival and our business. But, in truth, they are... Orcs."

He sat for a moment, then came to a conclusion. "Let's backtrack a bit, then make a wide berth and approach this entrance from the east. If they're laying a trap, at least we should be able to see as much."