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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7480945" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Thanks, HubHacken.</p><p></p><p>* * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 194</p><p></p><p>“All right, your turn,” Xeeta said.</p><p></p><p>Bredan looked into the bucket and gagged, “Gods, that’s foul.”</p><p></p><p>“Hey! This was your idea. If you can’t handle it, I’ll smear it on you myself.”</p><p></p><p>Bredan shook his head and then reached into the bucket. It looked as though it took a significant effort to keep his lunch down as he took a handful of raw gunk and rubbed it onto his legs and arms.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t forget the chest,” Xeeta said helpfully.</p><p></p><p>They were standing in a small stone anteroom. Bredan was wearing Xeeta’s magic amulet, but he hadn’t yet activated its power. Xeeta likewise had left her <em>alter self</em> spell for the very last moment, since she could only maintain the casting for an hour. The dwarves assured them that it shouldn’t take them that long to reach the site of the trolls’ excavation and get back, but they all knew that anything could happen to throw off the best-planned timetable.</p><p></p><p>“How are the eyes?” Xeeta asked as Bredan reluctantly spread the foulness from the bucket onto himself. It was not something any of them would have wanted, but from what Akhenon had told them about troll noses, absolutely necessary. There had been plenty of raw material left behind after the assault on the Darkfall Gate.</p><p></p><p>“It’s still a bit weird,” he admitted. There was no light in the room, but the dwarves had provided a wizard whose <em>darkvision</em> spell had temporarily granted him the ability to see. That would be essential where they were going, where even a small light would bring the dwarves down on top of them. “Is this how you see all the time?”</p><p></p><p>“Only in the dark,” she said.</p><p></p><p>The door opened and Darik and Koron came in. “Ah, I see ye’ve already gotten started without us!” Koron said. He reached into the bucket with a bare hand and slapped a generous dollop of troll waste onto his belly. The others watched with distaste as he smeared it in.</p><p></p><p>The dwarves had turned in their heavy armor for garb more suited to stealth, with dark cloaks and soft boots. They wore breastplates over cuirasses of boiled leather that would give them at least some protection from attacks without making too much noise. Bredan’s had been hastily altered so that it would fit over his elongated frame. It was good work, but he still missed the reassuring bulk of his mail hauberk.</p><p></p><p>Darik applied his own masking scent with the same grim determination that he applied to all of his work. “Come on, they’re waiting for us,” he said.</p><p></p><p>They made their way out into the hall, then down a long corridor. There was no casual traffic in this part of the dwarven complex. They had already passed through two locked doors to get this far, along with another deadfall trap that could seal the passage in case of assault.</p><p></p><p>They ended up in front of yet another door, this one a steel disk set into a deep niche in the surrounding stone. A dwarf stood sentry there, his nose wrinkling in protest as they approached.</p><p></p><p>“They’re waiting inside,” he said as he operated the door’s complex latching mechanism and swung it open. They all had to duck to fit through, even the two dwarves.</p><p></p><p>The space beyond the door looked like a natural space in the rock that had been expanded slightly to make it larger. A roughly round tunnel in the far wall descended at a slight angle.</p><p></p><p>Akhenon and Quellan were waiting for them inside. The half-orc looked unhappy even before he caught a whiff of the stench. “I still think I should go with you,” he said.</p><p></p><p>“We’ve been over this,” Xeeta said. “Even if we could come up with some way to disguise you, sneaking around has never been your strong suit.”</p><p></p><p>“And there’s no time for the dwarves to adjust a suit of armor to fit you,” Bredan pointed out. “We’ll be fine. We’re just going to take a quick look and come back.”</p><p></p><p>“And we all have healing potions in case something goes wrong,” Xeeta added.</p><p></p><p>“It is time,” Akhenon said. The elder cleric seemed able to ignore the stink through an effort of will. “Gather around.”</p><p></p><p>The dwarf priest chanted the words of a spell. He held his holy symbol in one hand and a small patch of fur in the other. As he finished the spell he touched each of them with it in turn. Bredan blinked as he felt a surge of <em>something</em> pass through is body.</p><p></p><p>“Now remember, the blessing will only last for an hour,” Akhenon reminded them.</p><p></p><p>Koron smacked his arms together, though Bredan noted that he was careful not to make too much noise. “That’s what I’m talking about!” he said with a grin.</p><p></p><p>“Be careful,” Quellan said. “I prepared something extra for you,” he added, turning to Bredan. He touched his holy symbol to the warrior’s forehead. “This warding will resist fire,” he explained. “Just in case Xeeta needs to cut loose.”</p><p></p><p>“Thank you,” Bredan said. “We won’t be long.”</p><p></p><p>Darik led them down the corridor. It was a bit of a tight fit for Bredan, another reminder that bringing Quellan with them would have been a mistake. From what the dwarves had told them the trolls could not follow them back even if they did learn of the secret route, but he could not help but think of what might happen if he had to return this way while being pursued. The slant of the tunnel helped a bit, but that only meant it would be that much harder on the return trip.</p><p></p><p>The tunnel finally deposited them in another small, natural chamber. The only feature of note was a small winch bolted to one wall and a gaping hole in the center of the floor. Another dwarf sentry was waiting here, watching the hole. “No sound, no movement,” he reported.</p><p></p><p>“Time for your disguises,” Darik said.</p><p></p><p>Xeeta cast her <em>alter self</em> spell once more, while Bredan concentrated on the amulet the way that she had instructed. He’d practiced with a mirror, but it still felt strange as he looked down to see his hands shimmer and twist into a troll’s claws. Fortunately, these deep trolls were not as large as their surface cousins; even so they would be a bit on the small side.</p><p></p><p>Bredan judged the success of his effort by the way that the dwarves looked at him and Xeeta. “Shall we lower the rope?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>“No need,” Koron said. He edged over to the rim of the hole with a grin.</p><p></p><p>Bredan went over and took a look. “That has to be at least twenty-five feet!”</p><p></p><p>“You need to have faith, kid,” the dwarf said. Without waiting for a response, he dropped into the hole. He hung onto the edge with one hand for a moment before letting go.</p><p></p><p>Bredan looked down after him, expecting to see the dwarf splatted on the ground below, or at least clutching his broken legs. But Koron had landed smoothly and was waving up at him. “He’s crazy,” Bredan said.</p><p></p><p>“Yes, but he’s not wrong about this,” Darik said. “The enchantment that Akhenon put upon us gives the body enhanced agility, including the ability to absorb falls.” He jumped down after Koron, and this time Bredan could see how he dropped into a roll upon impact and came up into a crouch a few feet away. Despite the armor he wore and the gear he carried, the whole event made barely more noise than a heavy step would have.</p><p></p><p>“We can lower the rope, if you want,” Xeeta said.</p><p></p><p>“No, if this is the worst of what we have to face, I would be quite content,” Bredan replied. Even so he lowered himself as much as he could before letting go of the edge. He resisted the urge to close his eyes as he fell. At the last instant he feared that his legs would lock up, breaking them regardless of whatever magic coursed through his veins, but before he knew it he was down and rolling. Apparently, the magic didn’t need his help in keeping him alive.</p><p></p><p>Xeeta was down almost before he was back on his feet, landing in a light crouch that made the men seem awkward by comparison. “Shall we, gentlemen?”</p><p></p><p>Bredan took a quick look around. The vision granted by the <em>darkvision</em> spell was monochrome and shallow, almost as if he was looking at a picture instead of a three-dimensional landscape. But he had adjusted to it enough to make out the general details of their surroundings. They were in the center of a broad cavern, maybe sixty or seventy feet across. The shaft through which they’d entered was directly above them, the rim well out of the reach of even a formorian. But one of the giants could probably toss a troll up there pretty easily, Bredan thought.</p><p></p><p>There were multiple exits visible around the perimeter of the cavern, but there was little doubt about the way they needed to go. A faint but constant sound of stone being struck was clearly audible. Bredan took a few steps toward the passage where the sound seemed loudest but was interrupted by Darik’s hand on his arm.</p><p></p><p>“That’s the fastest route, but we know a way that might help avoid detection,” he said. “Maybe give us a vantage on what they’re up to.”</p><p></p><p>“All right,” Bredan said. “Lead on.”</p><p></p><p>“Actually, we should probably go first,” Xeeta said. “In case we run into some of them.”</p><p></p><p>“A good idea,” Darik said. He indicated a smaller tunnel mouth a bit further up along the wall of the cavern. “That way to start, then.”</p><p></p><p>The four of them set out in that direction, creeping slowly over the bare rock until they disappeared one at a time into the dark tunnel.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7480945, member: 143"] Thanks, HubHacken. * * * Chapter 194 “All right, your turn,” Xeeta said. Bredan looked into the bucket and gagged, “Gods, that’s foul.” “Hey! This was your idea. If you can’t handle it, I’ll smear it on you myself.” Bredan shook his head and then reached into the bucket. It looked as though it took a significant effort to keep his lunch down as he took a handful of raw gunk and rubbed it onto his legs and arms. “Don’t forget the chest,” Xeeta said helpfully. They were standing in a small stone anteroom. Bredan was wearing Xeeta’s magic amulet, but he hadn’t yet activated its power. Xeeta likewise had left her [i]alter self[/i] spell for the very last moment, since she could only maintain the casting for an hour. The dwarves assured them that it shouldn’t take them that long to reach the site of the trolls’ excavation and get back, but they all knew that anything could happen to throw off the best-planned timetable. “How are the eyes?” Xeeta asked as Bredan reluctantly spread the foulness from the bucket onto himself. It was not something any of them would have wanted, but from what Akhenon had told them about troll noses, absolutely necessary. There had been plenty of raw material left behind after the assault on the Darkfall Gate. “It’s still a bit weird,” he admitted. There was no light in the room, but the dwarves had provided a wizard whose [i]darkvision[/i] spell had temporarily granted him the ability to see. That would be essential where they were going, where even a small light would bring the dwarves down on top of them. “Is this how you see all the time?” “Only in the dark,” she said. The door opened and Darik and Koron came in. “Ah, I see ye’ve already gotten started without us!” Koron said. He reached into the bucket with a bare hand and slapped a generous dollop of troll waste onto his belly. The others watched with distaste as he smeared it in. The dwarves had turned in their heavy armor for garb more suited to stealth, with dark cloaks and soft boots. They wore breastplates over cuirasses of boiled leather that would give them at least some protection from attacks without making too much noise. Bredan’s had been hastily altered so that it would fit over his elongated frame. It was good work, but he still missed the reassuring bulk of his mail hauberk. Darik applied his own masking scent with the same grim determination that he applied to all of his work. “Come on, they’re waiting for us,” he said. They made their way out into the hall, then down a long corridor. There was no casual traffic in this part of the dwarven complex. They had already passed through two locked doors to get this far, along with another deadfall trap that could seal the passage in case of assault. They ended up in front of yet another door, this one a steel disk set into a deep niche in the surrounding stone. A dwarf stood sentry there, his nose wrinkling in protest as they approached. “They’re waiting inside,” he said as he operated the door’s complex latching mechanism and swung it open. They all had to duck to fit through, even the two dwarves. The space beyond the door looked like a natural space in the rock that had been expanded slightly to make it larger. A roughly round tunnel in the far wall descended at a slight angle. Akhenon and Quellan were waiting for them inside. The half-orc looked unhappy even before he caught a whiff of the stench. “I still think I should go with you,” he said. “We’ve been over this,” Xeeta said. “Even if we could come up with some way to disguise you, sneaking around has never been your strong suit.” “And there’s no time for the dwarves to adjust a suit of armor to fit you,” Bredan pointed out. “We’ll be fine. We’re just going to take a quick look and come back.” “And we all have healing potions in case something goes wrong,” Xeeta added. “It is time,” Akhenon said. The elder cleric seemed able to ignore the stink through an effort of will. “Gather around.” The dwarf priest chanted the words of a spell. He held his holy symbol in one hand and a small patch of fur in the other. As he finished the spell he touched each of them with it in turn. Bredan blinked as he felt a surge of [i]something[/i] pass through is body. “Now remember, the blessing will only last for an hour,” Akhenon reminded them. Koron smacked his arms together, though Bredan noted that he was careful not to make too much noise. “That’s what I’m talking about!” he said with a grin. “Be careful,” Quellan said. “I prepared something extra for you,” he added, turning to Bredan. He touched his holy symbol to the warrior’s forehead. “This warding will resist fire,” he explained. “Just in case Xeeta needs to cut loose.” “Thank you,” Bredan said. “We won’t be long.” Darik led them down the corridor. It was a bit of a tight fit for Bredan, another reminder that bringing Quellan with them would have been a mistake. From what the dwarves had told them the trolls could not follow them back even if they did learn of the secret route, but he could not help but think of what might happen if he had to return this way while being pursued. The slant of the tunnel helped a bit, but that only meant it would be that much harder on the return trip. The tunnel finally deposited them in another small, natural chamber. The only feature of note was a small winch bolted to one wall and a gaping hole in the center of the floor. Another dwarf sentry was waiting here, watching the hole. “No sound, no movement,” he reported. “Time for your disguises,” Darik said. Xeeta cast her [i]alter self[/i] spell once more, while Bredan concentrated on the amulet the way that she had instructed. He’d practiced with a mirror, but it still felt strange as he looked down to see his hands shimmer and twist into a troll’s claws. Fortunately, these deep trolls were not as large as their surface cousins; even so they would be a bit on the small side. Bredan judged the success of his effort by the way that the dwarves looked at him and Xeeta. “Shall we lower the rope?” he asked. “No need,” Koron said. He edged over to the rim of the hole with a grin. Bredan went over and took a look. “That has to be at least twenty-five feet!” “You need to have faith, kid,” the dwarf said. Without waiting for a response, he dropped into the hole. He hung onto the edge with one hand for a moment before letting go. Bredan looked down after him, expecting to see the dwarf splatted on the ground below, or at least clutching his broken legs. But Koron had landed smoothly and was waving up at him. “He’s crazy,” Bredan said. “Yes, but he’s not wrong about this,” Darik said. “The enchantment that Akhenon put upon us gives the body enhanced agility, including the ability to absorb falls.” He jumped down after Koron, and this time Bredan could see how he dropped into a roll upon impact and came up into a crouch a few feet away. Despite the armor he wore and the gear he carried, the whole event made barely more noise than a heavy step would have. “We can lower the rope, if you want,” Xeeta said. “No, if this is the worst of what we have to face, I would be quite content,” Bredan replied. Even so he lowered himself as much as he could before letting go of the edge. He resisted the urge to close his eyes as he fell. At the last instant he feared that his legs would lock up, breaking them regardless of whatever magic coursed through his veins, but before he knew it he was down and rolling. Apparently, the magic didn’t need his help in keeping him alive. Xeeta was down almost before he was back on his feet, landing in a light crouch that made the men seem awkward by comparison. “Shall we, gentlemen?” Bredan took a quick look around. The vision granted by the [i]darkvision[/i] spell was monochrome and shallow, almost as if he was looking at a picture instead of a three-dimensional landscape. But he had adjusted to it enough to make out the general details of their surroundings. They were in the center of a broad cavern, maybe sixty or seventy feet across. The shaft through which they’d entered was directly above them, the rim well out of the reach of even a formorian. But one of the giants could probably toss a troll up there pretty easily, Bredan thought. There were multiple exits visible around the perimeter of the cavern, but there was little doubt about the way they needed to go. A faint but constant sound of stone being struck was clearly audible. Bredan took a few steps toward the passage where the sound seemed loudest but was interrupted by Darik’s hand on his arm. “That’s the fastest route, but we know a way that might help avoid detection,” he said. “Maybe give us a vantage on what they’re up to.” “All right,” Bredan said. “Lead on.” “Actually, we should probably go first,” Xeeta said. “In case we run into some of them.” “A good idea,” Darik said. He indicated a smaller tunnel mouth a bit further up along the wall of the cavern. “That way to start, then.” The four of them set out in that direction, creeping slowly over the bare rock until they disappeared one at a time into the dark tunnel. [/QUOTE]
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