The Heroes Three (Point Five): Keep on the Borderlands - Cancelled

[Insight]

And One Makes Four - Part Two

Rothrusk spent quite a bit of time explaining that he, Tamos, and Lenalia were in the wilderness to find a lost merchant, Finstan, and possibly his son, Rake. Miles took the information in, but was unsure about the details. Frankly, he didn't really care so much about a missing merchant. The Halfling's main concern was for his aching belly and empty coinpurse.

Details about the reward being offered perked up the Halfling's ears, and he became quite eager to learn more about what he could do to help. Of course, for his aid, Miles would be provided with a full share of the reward.

After chowing down on Rothrusk's rations, Miles explained that he had come from the Five Shires, some distance from here, and seemed to indicate that his departure had been less than voluntary. Miles did not elaborate on this point, and none of the fellow adventurers from Stirrick asked for an explanation.

A prayer to Valerias followed, and then Miles and his new companions were off. It immediately became evident to the Halfling that climbing a tree and getting a 'bird's eye view' might be of aid to their search, so he climbed the tallest tree around. Miles proved to be quite the able climber, and made it to the top before too long. He spotted a clearing not far to the north, but other than that, could make out no further details that would be of any help. The Heroes discussed the matter of the clearing, and decided to check it out.

The clearing was vast, covering more than 600 yards on a side, and was vaguely diamond-shaped. Tall grass, knee-high to a Human, grew along this pasture, with the grading of a hill sloping to the east into the trees. Tamos and Miles entered the clearing, with Rothrusk following behind. Lenalia, suspicious about this clearing, stayed in the treeline.

It wasn't long before Miles spied a cavern of some kind. Perhaps this was the Caves the others had been going on about. He closed in, and Tamos spotted this as well, though he was more cautious, waiting to see if anything happened to his little companion. Miles found in front of the cave entrance a sign, written in the Common tongue, as follows:

By order of the Grand Duke,
This cave is hereby condemed. No one shall enter!

This seemed a most rude welcome, and Miles decided to pop the wooden sign out of the ground and reversed it to face the cave. Now, only a blank face would greet the cave's visitors. When Tamos arrived, he saw that Miles had done something with the sign, but didn't seem overly concerned.

"Let's go inside," Miles suggested. "Looks safe enough to me."

Tamos frowned. "You go first."

Rothrusk came bounding up from the distance. "What's going on, guys?"

Tamos turned to face his brother. "We've found a cave of some kind," he replied.

"I'll go in," Miles said. "Hey, can one of you tie a rope around me?"

The brothers looked confused at this question. Rothrusk began to produce his rope.

"In case I get stuck or something," Miles added. "You know."

Rothrusk and Tamos nodded. The would-be Cleric tied Miles off, and the Halfling started into the dark cave. Looking around, Miles saw trails of dust dropping from the rocky ceiling. Rothrusk noticed the same thing.

"Um," Rothrusk asked, "Are you sure this is safe?"

The Halfling smiled and continued on. After three more steps, all present heard a low rumbling noise. Instinctively, Rothrusk tugged on the rope, pulling Miles free from the cave-in, just as it would have crushed the little guy.

"Wow," Miles said, dusting himself off. "Thanks!"

The trio returned to where Lenalia was waiting. It seemed that they would need to find out more about this mysterious cave later. It was starting to get dark, and they would need to keep searching for Finstan and his son before taking a break to camp for the night.

Following the trail of the ribbons tied to branches again became a topic of interest, and it was decided that this would be their best bet to finding the lost merchant.

Miles again climbed the tallest tree he could find. Now that the group had moved west a little more, the Halfling wanted to see if there was any change in the landscape. Rothrusk, not known as a good climber, decided to follow suit, against Lenalia and Tamos' advice. Sure enough, about halfway up the tree, Rothrusk fell to the ground, smacking the surface with a great impact.

Rothrusk was out cold for a good minute, but then regained consciousness. By then, Miles had descended his tree, finding nothing of interest once again. When Rothrusk has regained his strength, he made devotions to Valerias, and all was well once again with his injured body.

After about an hour's worth of searching, the Heroes managed to stumble upon a yellow ribbon! It was approximately in the same line as the others they had found earlier, a trail that was steadily progressing west from the point on the road where the group had spotted the first ribbon. Another ribbon was located about 100 yards still west of that one.

It was nearly dusk when Tamos spotted someone standing near a horse not more than 60 feet from the Heroes' position. Quieting the others, Tamos decided to move in for a closer look. Miles decided to move in closer as well, taking a different tack towards the mysterious stranger.

As they closed in from different sides, Tamos saw a middle-aged man, with fine livery, dressed in chain mail and armed with a sword of some kind. Before too long, Tamos could tell he had been seen.

"Who goes there?" the man demanded, putting a hand on his sword.

Tamos approached, his palms out. "Just a wanderer," he answered. "Are you here alone?"

"Step forward where I can see you," the man asked.

Seeing that the man did not notice Miles' stealthy approach, Tamos came forward a bit more. "I am Tamos," he said. "As you can see, I am unarmed."

The man kept his hand at his weapon. "Hmm... be that as it may, I happen to know there are bandits afoot in this forest. I suppose you are not one of them?"

"No," Tamos replied. "I am in search of someone."

The man's head turned, hearing something behind him. "And just who is this?" he demanded, pulling his sword. "Someone to attack me from behind then?"

Miles, seeing that he had also been caught emerged from hiding. "You got me."

"We mean you no harm," Tamos said. "We seek a lost merchant named Finstan."

The man smiled. "Well then," he said. "Your quest is at an end. But I'm not lost."

"You are Finstan then?" Miles asked.

"At your service," Finstan replied, thrusting a hand forward to shake.

 

[Insight]

The Merchant & The Hermit - Part One

Finstan, the 'lost' merchant, was now in the company of his 'rescuers', but the group was no safer here in the forest together than they had been as separate entities. But this was not the only reason Finstan was feeling edgy...

"Tell me," Finstan asked, "Why were you sent to find me anyway?"

Lenalia looked at her allies, then answered. "Tamos, Rothrusk, and I were dispatched by the Guild. Apparently, you had been missing for several days, and your wife got concerned."

"I don't know anything about that," Miles added. "But I did hear there was to be a reward for your safe return!"

Rothrusk smiled at this remark. "Luckily, we have found you, Finstan," he said. "Now, let's head back to Merghis Keep and - "

"No," Finstan countered. "I must find my son, Rake."

The Heroes paused. They had figured their quest to be at an end.

"How long have you been looking for him?" Tamos asked. "Is there a chance he could still be alive?"

Finstan shot Tamos a stern look. "Of course he's still alive!" the man declared. "He must be."

"What makes you say that?" Lenalia asked cautiously.

The merchant stared into the trees for a moment before answering. "My son and I, we have a special bond," he began. "I would know if he were gone. You see, I was an adventurer once, long ago. My wife, bless her, when we met, I gave up that life and settled down to start a career as a jeweler."

"I don't understand what being an adventurer has to do with your son," Tamos said.

"Just before I retired, I had an... intertesting encounter with an Immortal, who shall remain nameless," Finstan revealed. "I can't really go into details, but suffice it to say that I would know if something had happened to Rake."

"We'll take your word for it," Rothrusk said. "But what can we do to help you find your son?"

Finstan thought for a moment. "It has been a long time since I ventured from Merghis Keep," he said. "Not being a woodsman, I have tied yellow ribbons to various trees along my route into the forest, in case I should get lost. I have been steadily traveling west from the road, figuring Rake would have tried to return to the keep."

"How did you know where to start?" Miles asked.

"Ahh, well that's where I got rather lucky," Finstan replied. "You see, Rake's friends returned to Merghis Keep soon after they first encountered something on the road, and I gleaned from them the point at which Rake entered the forest."

"So you figured out where he entered the woods, and started in from there?" Lenalia queried.

"Sure did," Finstan answered. "Now, I just have to keep going. I will find Rake... eventually."

"We'll help you find him," Rothrusk offered.

"Yes, I suppose I could use the help," Finstan said. "I'm not as young as I look."

And so, the five allies continued west, traveling through ever-darkening woods, looking for Finstan's lost son, Rake. Before too long, the group came upon a clearing. In the middle of this small clearing was a large, dead tree.

The group edged closer, very carefully. It was getting dark, and this was a potentially dangerous place to camp. On the other hand, this dead tree could very well be where the Heroes might find Rake...

They split up, with Tamos and Rothrusk heading slightly north around the edge of the clearing, but staying within the treeline. Finstan headed south, staying within the treeline as well. Miles, feeling clever, darted into the clearing and headed straight for the dead tree. Lenalia was about to follow, but sensed that she should stay put.

Miles made it to the huge tree trunk just fine, and did not seem to make much noise in the process. He crept just north, around the trunk, and happened upon what seemed to be a door. The Halfling thought he heard something inside, and darted back around the other direction, south around the trunk.

Rothrusk stepped just out of the treeline, peering at the door in the tree. It started to open. Without saying a word, the would-be Cleric loaded his crossbow and waited, watching to see what would emerge.

When the door had opened its full arc, Rothrusk saw a hunched man, wearing rags with a short sword at his makeshift belt. The man looked around, turning towards where Miles had gone. Fearing that the Halfling would be discovered, Rothrusk fired, a bolt quickly striking the hunched man in the right shoulder!

"Miles!" Rothrusk shouted. "Watch out!"

The rag-wearing man turned towards Rothrusk and sneered. "Ye'll regret that, youngling!"

He drank a vial from a pouch at his belt, and vanished, just as Miles appeared from around the far side of the tree.

"What's all this then?" the Halfling asked.

Rothrusk did not reply, merely looking in awe at the spot where the hunched man had been...

 

[Insight]

The Merchant & The Hermit - Part Two

Rothrusk looked around nervously, not sure exactly what the strange hermit meant. When someone you've just shot with your crossbow turns invisible, that is never a good thing.

Miles took the opportunity to dart inside the dead tree through the open doorway, thinking that perhaps the hermit went inside. Taking a quick look around, the Halfling saw what seemed to be quite a well laid-out home for a crazy person: several shelves with books and vials (potions, perhaps), a ladder leading up to a second level, and even a locking front door. He made a mental note to return later to give the place a thorough searching.

Lenalia, observing what had happened with Rothrusk and his target, dropped prone to get a look at the tall grass in the area. It was an old Elven trick to catch those using invisibility magic. Unfortunately, the Elf could make nothing out at her distance from the tree. Tamos, not knowing exactly what was going on, was torn between protecting Lenalia and joining his brother. He could not do both, as his two companions were too far apart.

The merchant Finstan, who had seen Rothrusk fire his crossbow, drew his longsword in anticipation of a fight, and looked around the clearing for any sign of Rake, his son.

The aspiring Cleric Rothrusk, who was now starting to regret firing that crossbow bolt, kept turning in place, thinking that he was hearing things, wondering when the strange hermit would appear. He did not have to wait too long, as the Hermit stabbed Rothrusk right through the chest with his shortsword, dropping the boy from Stirrick right where he stood! His invisibility magic now gone, the Hermit appeared to everyone, but was still far enough into the treeline that no one could quite get a clear shot at him.

Lenalia got up, assisted by Tamos, who was close enough to aid her. When he saw his brother drop, Tamos rushed towards the strange old man, revenge on his mind. When Tamos arrived, he jump kicked at the hunchbacked old man, but the deft Hermit easily evaded this obvious attack.

Just as Finstan was about to join Tamos in melee against the Hermit, the old man whistled, and a darkly colored large cat of some kind darted from the opposite side of the clearing, headed straight for Miles! In a split second, the merchant decided to aid the Halfling, and jaunted across the clearing to the dead tree.

Lenalia, unsure of her next move, waited for the opportunity to use her magic against the wicked Hermit. Unfortunately for her, the Hermit gave her that opportunity, by charging right for her!

"Die, Elf!" the Hermit screamed as he cartwheeled across the open ground, Tamos giving a confused chase. When the Hermit arrived, both his shortsword and dagger drawn, he gave Lenalia a terrible slash. Tamos arrived soon thereafter and got the hunchback's attention, though Lenalia could not just leave Tamos alone to deal with this crazy old fool.

Lenalia got in a lucky blow, knocking the hunchback nearly to his knees with a terrific shot across his forehead. The crazed Hermit dropped back a pace and downed a potion. "All better," he declared.

At the tree, Miles and Finstan bookended the Puma, apparently the crazy Hermit's pet. They slashed at it, but the large cat gave as good as it got, and tore Miles something fierce. Though the Halfling dropped to the ground, he managed to cut the panther across its underbelly, causing a nearly fatal wound. Finstan, for his part, kept the Puma busy while the halfling retreated to temporary safety.

"Ha ha," Finstan said. "What fun! I had forgot what makes life worth living!"

Miles, not quite so amused, backed away from the Puma and stood, blood streaming down the side of his face. His confidence resolved, Miles returned to finish off the beast. Together, Miles and Finstan slashed the wild cat a few more times before finally, it went down for good. The Halfling plopped to the ground, exhausted and bleeding, and needing medical attention.

Tamos and Lenalia were still dealing with the Hermit, who was as crazy as he was effective with his sword and dagger routine. While fending off Tamos with the sword, the Hermit slashed at Lenalia with his dagger, which was just quick enough to throw the Elf maiden off-balance. With two quick thrusts, the Hermit had Lenalia on the ground, and she did not get up for a while.

"Hee hee," the Hermit said. "You would disturb my sleep and MURDER ME!!!" He danced around Tamos, who didn't quite know what to do with such an unpredictable foe.

But with the Puma dispatched, and seeing Tamos alone against the crazed hunchback, Finstan and Miles (bloodied and all) arrived to assist their comrade. Together, they managed to strike down the Hermit, and not a moment too soon. Their fallen allies would need emergency attention or die from blood loss.

The first order of business was to secure the Hermit. Though he was unconscious, the Heroes did not know exactly what this crazed fool might do if he awoke, and better to have a tied up crazy man than a loose one! Plus, they might need to extract information from this Hermit, so he was kept alive for now.

While Tamos tied up the hunchback, Finstan tended to Rothrusk, who was still unconscious. The Halfling Miles went to see about Lenalia, who had also fallen during the battle, but was already recovering. Once everyone was in reasonably mobile shape, they gathered inside the Hermit's tree. It was after dark, and the Heroes could not afford any more incidents in their current condition.

"Ow," Lenalia said, trying to stretch her arm. She had quite a gash running from her elbow to her shoulder, where the Hermit had slashed her. Miles had done his best to bandage the Elf, but as he was no expert in medicine, it was a shoddy job.

Finstan, the only one relatively uninjured, stood up to have a look around. "What do you suppose is in these vials?" he asked to no one in particular. He kept searching and found something of interest. "Rake's tabard!" he announced. The angered merchant moved to the unconscious Hermit as if to strike.

"Hold on," Tamos said, grabbing Finstan's arm. "No need for that," he added. "The guy's out of it. If he knows something, we'll find out in the morning."

"He has not killed my son," Finstan said, calming down slightly. "But he knows where Rake is. Of that I am certain."

Tamos, while securing the Hermit, found a few vials, which upon examination, matched what was found inside the treehouse. It stood to reason that at least one of these might be a healing potion, since the Hermit used on one himself during the battle. "How about one of those for Rothrusk?" Tamos asked. "Once he's up, perhaps his devotions can heal the rest of us to reasonable health."

After some comparisons, the Heroes decided which of the potions would be of the healing variety, and poured it down Rothrusk's throat. Whatever it was, the liquid brought Rothrusk back to a waking state.

"Uuh..." he said, his eyes glazed over. "Did we win?"

Tamos smacked him across the back of the head. "I think we need to rethink our strategy in combat, brother!"

Rothrusk did manage a few more devotions that night, including one that awoke the bound Hermit. It was question and answer time, and the Heroes did not have much patience for the crazy man's games.

"What do you want from me?" the Hermit asked. "You come to my home and attack me... you are THIEVES I tell you! THIEVES!"

"Now look here," Finstan said, his anger getting up. "I see you have my son's equipment in your possession. You must know something of his whereabouts."

"Why don't you tell us where Rake is?" Lenalia added.

The Hermit looked around his tiny treehouse. "What... who is this Rake? I know nothing of him."

"Stop playing games, Hermit," Tamos warned.

"Right there," Finstan said, pointing at a collection of Rake's things. "Where did you get those items? They must have been in my son's possession."

The hunchback's eyes darted around the room. "Your son? No... MY SON!!! You have no son!" The Hermit laughed hysterically at this comment.

Finstan took the Hermit's head by his thinning hair. "Look, you fool! I know that Rake was here! There is no point in trying to deceive us in this matter. Tell us where he is!"

The Hermit looked up at Rake's father, obviously very angry at the situation. "Fine," he said. "But he won't be happy..."

Since the Heroes were waiting out the night inside the treehouse, they searched it for any pertinent treasure, and found a stash of gold and other sundry items in a sack beneath the Hermit's bed.

Once morning broke, the group emerged from the cramped quarters of the treehouse, and followed the Hermit (still bound) to a spot in the woods not more than 60 paces from the clearing. There, they found a hollowed-out tree, with a sleeping Rake inside. Despite their attempts to rouse young Rake, he would not awaken.

Rothrusk determined that Rake was the victim of sleeping poison, and that he would eventually be fine. The boy was gently placed onto Finstan's horse, along with the bound Hermit.

"Leave me be!" the Hermit screamed.

"Oh no," Tamos said. "You're coming with us."

"But I have done nothing wrong! You are THIEVES!"

Despite the Hermit's caterwauling, the Heroes made their way back to Merghis Keep. Along the way, they discussed items they had found in the Hermit's possession, including a magic dagger and a magic ring.

Finstan, by profession a tradesman, but also skilled in a few magical arts, offered to examine the magic items and provide the Heroes with their use. This was a costly endeavor, and the Heroes agreed to forego their reward from the Guild in exchange for this service.

They arrived at the gate, and handed the Hermit over to the guardsmen there, explaining the Hermit's activities. By then, Rake had awoken, and was told of what had transpired in his rescue. The boy vociferously thanked the Heroes, as did Finstan, and the group went their separate ways.

"So what now?" Miles asked, his broad smile lightening everyone's mood. "Who's up for some shopping?"

 

[Insight]

Two Days at Merghis Keep - Part One

The Heroes Three (plus their new Halfling companion) entered the keep victorious, having rescued the merchant Finstan and his son, Rake. They had also captured the Hermit, who had kidnapped Rake and was keeping him hidden for some unknown purpose. The guardsmen happily took the crazed Hermit into custody, leaving the Heroes with little to do but divide their treasure and recuperate.

They headed immediately for Shardstone Tavern, and there found a relatively private corner booth in which to conduct their business. It was midday, and few mercenaries or other unsavory types were hanging around the tavern to see what the young adventurers were doing.

It was decided that all four of the companions would have an equal share of the treasure. Miles took the magic dagger, since he was the only one of the four with any interest in the weapon (the dagger had only a minor enchantment, and would serve the Halfling best). It was too large for the little guy to wield as one would a dagger, but since Miles was skilled in the use of the shortsword, he could wield the magic dagger as such.

The magic ring, on the other hand, was enchanted to protect its user from bodily harm. This was quite a prize, and went to Tamos, who preferred to fight unarmored, and would likely need the additional protection. There were a few potions as well. As best the Heroes could figure, these were of the healing variety, and were distributed evenly. The rest of the booty, which included a finely crafted shortsword, was collected together, and the coins split four ways. It was decided they should sell the shortsword and divide that gold as well.

Tamos took the shortsword and headed to the Guild, where he hoped to check in on Finstan and Rake to see how they were doing. Lenalia offered to book rooms for two nights for everyone at the Traveler's Inn. Rothrusk, feeling chipper, headed to the Chapel to discuss things with the Curate. Miles, on the other hand, had some shopping to do.

...

The Borderlands Merchant Guild Hall was not a long walk from Shardstone Tavern. Even though it was on the other side of the 'public area' of the keep, Tamos made the trip in just a few minutes. He stopped briefly at the Provisioner's to pick up a few supplies before continuing on to his final destination.

Entering the Guild Hall, Tamos found the same clerk sitting at the same desk where the Heroes had secured their first quest. The hall was empty of visitors now, all of the missions and tasks already handed out this morning.

"Ah, Tamos," the clerk said. "Returned from rescuing our friend Finstan, have you?"

"Yes," Tamos replied. "It was quite an adventure."

"First time in the wilderness?"

"Well, yes I guess you could say that."

"Excellent," the clerk replied. "You will be happy to know that Finstan and Rake are doing well. None the worse for wear at any rate."

It appeared that Tamos would not be able to see Finstan or Rake presently, based on the clerk's tone of voice. In any event, he was here to sell the sword. "Say," Tamos said, producing the masterwork shortsword he found in the Hermit's possession. "What do you think of this sword?"

The clerk quickly stood. "Put that away, sir," he warned. The guards, upon seeing a weapon produced inside the Guild Hall, readied their halberds.

Tamos quickly lowered the sword. "Woah, hold on," he said. "Just wanted to see if you're interested in buying it."

Giving Tamos a nervous look, the clerk sat down in his chair. "Set it on the desk here," he said. "Let me have a look."

The clerk examined the sword, and determined that it was quite valuable. It seemed that the weapon had not always been in the hands of a crazed woodsman. "Once upon a time," the clerk began, "This shortsword was the main weapon belonging to a certain Elf warrior called Fineril, who was known to travel these parts a decade ago. I suppose it would be of some value. How about 120 gold for it?"

As Tamos had no other recourse, he agreed, and had his small bag of gold within moments. He would, of course, share this with his companions later, when they met again to decide their next course of action.

...

Lenalia made her way to Traveler's Inn, located just adjacent to Shardstone Tavern. The desk clerk, an affable fellow, was happy to see that the Elf maiden had returned from her jaunt into the wilderness. He was equally happy to reserve four rooms for Lenalia and her companions for two nights, for a total of eight gold pieces.

"You know, you're lucky," the desk clerk said.

The Elf maiden was curious at this comment. "How so?" she asked.

"There is a shortage of rooms right now," the clerk replied. "Lots of visitors to the keep in the last few days."

"Really?" Lenalia asked. "I wonder why."

"Oh, it's no great mystery," the desk clerk said. "Mercenaries. All over Merghis Keep. Not sure why they're all here, but they certainly are here."

"How is it I was able to book these rooms then?" Lenalia queried.

"A large group of them left this morning," the clerk replied. "Said they were headed to the Caves."

The Elf maiden looked out the window, and saw children playing in the fountain in the square outside. "The Caves..." she said. "I've heard something of that place. Sounds dangerous..."

"Oh it IS dangerous, my lady," the clerk said. "Be sure of that. Though from what I understand, some of the caves are more dangerous than others."

"Where did you hear that?" Lenalia asked.

"Rumors, tales of those who've been there," the clerk answered. "Many who have gone to the Caves have not returned. Others have found great treasures there. It may be a matter of luck more than anything else."

"I wonder how one knows which caves to enter?" Lenalia wondered. "I don't suppose they are marked."

"Probably not, fair lady," the clerk replied. "I doubt the monsters in the Caves want anyone bothering them. Advertising their presence is not likely to be high on their list of things to do."

"I would guess not..." Lenalia said, still looking out at the fountain. "Our rooms are ready?"

"Yes, yes," the desk clerk replied, handing the Elf four keys. "Ready for you and your companions. I do hope you'll have a pleasant stay at the Traveler's Inn."

"Me too," Lenalia replied, heading upstairs to store her things. She would have much to think about.

...

Rothrusk followed his brother Tamos to the Provisioner's, and also picked up a few items. He was curious to see if the provisioner stocked any healing potions. After his harrowing encounter with the Hermit, healing potions was the first thing on Rothrusk's mind. But it turned out that the Provisioner did not stock such things, and recommended Rothrusk check in at the Chapel; the Curate was sometimes known to sell such items.

It seemed that destiny was leading him again to the Chapel. The Curate, Tova Ethelau, had not been pleased with Rothrusk's last visit, and the would-be Cleric knew he would need to make a better impression this time. After all, Curate Ethelau might one day be the one to ordain Rothrusk, depending on the youth's progression along the spiritual path.

The Chapel, also known as the Shrine to the Immortals, was a grand place, seemingly too grand to be placed in Merghis Keep, which was a much more utilitarian site than seemed to befit the ornate Chapel. Rothrusk entered, and found the Curate immediately inside, speaking to some visitors.

Rothrusk waited until Ethelau was done. He made sure that Ethelau saw him drop his tithe in the offering bowl before approaching.

"So, good Rothrusk," she said. "You have returned."

He smiled, knowing that the Curate had remembered his name. "I have," he said. "It was a dangerous mission, but we have returned victorious and no worse for the journey."

"What sort of mission were you on?" Ethelau asked.

"It was for the Guild," Rothrusk replied. "One of the merchants, Finstan, had gone missing. We rescued him and his wayward son, Rake."

"Very well," Ethelau said. "So you have impressed Guild Master Ithan and his materialistic horde?"

Apparently, Curate Ethelau and the Guild did not see eye to eye. "Um... yes, I suppose they are pleased with us."

"Would you now like to do your duty and help out here in the Chapel," Ethelau asked, "Or do you have more adventures to undertake?"

Rothrusk looked around. He did not see any wounded or sick, so he wondered what the Curate meant by that question. "What sort of help do you need?"

"Just look at the state of these shrines," she answered. "They could use a good cleaning. Are you up for it?"

The aspiring Cleric smiled and got right to work. He would be at it for a good few hours, spending the rest of the afternoon at the job. When he had finally finished waxing the final statue, Curate Ethelau approached, tea in hand for him.

"Tell me more about this adventure of yours," Ethelau asked, handing Rothrusk the tea.

"The merchant Finstan was out in the wilderness, seeking his son, Rake, who had run off in search of adventure. We found Finstan and followed him to a clearing, where we found a crazy Hermit. It turns out the Hermit had Rake in his possession."

"Why would this Hermit capture the boy? Was he going to eat Rake?" the Curate asked.

Rothrusk paused. He had never learned exactly what the Hermit had wanted with Rake. "That's a good question."

"Were they friends?" she asked.

"Oh no," Rothrusk asked. "The Hermit drugged Rake, putting him to sleep, and hid the boy in a dead tree."

"So, this Hermit was keeping Rake around for some reason."

"That's true," Rothrusk admitted. "Oh well..."

"Maybe you should find out," Ethelau suggested. "You never know what sort of clues or information can turn out to help you later on."

Rothrusk considered this advice. The Hermit would likely still be in the keep's jail, and the aspiring Cleric would likely be permitted to speak with the crazed hunchback. "I wonder if he'll tell me anything worthwhile."

"Only one way to find out," the Curate replied, ushering Rothrusk out the door. "If you need it, drop my name with the guards. They will let you see your Hermit friend."

Rothrusk was shocked to realize that Curate Ethelau already knew of the captive Hermit. "But how - "

"Just go," she said. "All will be revealed in time."

It was getting late, and Rothrusk had little time before he would need to meet up with his companions. Perhaps he would learn something useful...

 

[Insight]

Two Days at Merghis Keep - Part Two

The coins were burning a figurative hole in Miles' pockets, and he just HAD to spend, spend, spend! So many merchants, so little time! It had been far too long since the Halfling had held so many gold and silver coins in his possession, and alas, they would not be his for long.

First stop was the Smithy, where Miles hoped to acquire a small-sized chainmail shirt. The Smith, a large, bearded, barrel-chested Human, worked at the Smithy with his three sons. It was a dire place, full of banging and clanging, at nearly all hours of the night. Heat emanated from the front of the shop, which was not normally frequented by customers.

"Good day, gentlemen," Miles said, trying to get one of the gents' attention. They did not react, so Miles hopped onto a barrel and whistled. "I say, good day, gentlemen!"

One of the youths, Jarrel, approached. "What's all this about, then?"

"Oh thank you, young man," Miles replied. "I don't suppose I could have a look at your stock."

"Tis not a shop for browsing, Halfling," Jarrel replied.

"Oh couldn't I just have a look?" Miles asked. "I have something very specific in mind."

"We don't have nothin that would fit ya," the boy said.

That was depressing. "Well, can I have you make something for me? You do make things, don't you?"

The boy laughed. "Of course," he replied. "Tis a Smithy, this is."

"Very well," the Halfling said. "I would like a shirt of your finest chainmail. Appropriate for someone of... my size."

"Just a minute," Jarrel said, walking back to his father. They spoke for a moment, and then Conwulf the Smith returned to the front with his son.

"I reckon you want us to make you a smallish shirt of chain?" the Smith asked.

"Oh yes," Miles replied. "Very much so. It seems you do some fine work."

Conwulf almost smiled. "Put down a payment, and we'll make your armor."

And thus, a business deal was arranged. While speaking with the Smith, Miles learned that he was very busy preparing a large order for the Castellan. It seemed that the Castellan had hired some mercenaries from Specularum to help clean up the area. This did not bode well for future forays into the wilderness. Too much competition for the treasure!

Next stop was the Shardstone Tavern. Miles had, of course, been here earlier with Lenalia, Tamos, and Rothrusk, but decided to check it out on his own. You never know when a good 'prospect' might be found, and Miles didn't want to have Human goody-two-shoes spoiling his good time.

Not a bad tavern at all - it could have done with a good scrubbing, but Miles popped in and had a few ales. Before too long, Tamos returned. The two spoke at length about what they had discovered. Miles was keen to continue on ventures with his new friends, and they were happy to have him along.

What concerned Miles and Tamos was the talk of mercenaries. Were things at Merghis Keep so bad that the regular adventurers around were not enough to keep the wild creatures of the forest at bay? If so, this was a bad sign for the Heroes, as they would have a lot of competition for treasure and glory.

The Halfling did have a few more items to buy, but it was getting close to quitting time for the merchants of Merghis Keep, and he would have another day to shop tomorrow. He and Tamos waited patiently at the Tavern, expecting Rothrusk to join them at any moment.

...

Rothrusk was on his way to the Guard Tower, where all prisoners were kept. It was a simple matter to get past the guards, who were influenced to let Rothrusk through with the mention of Curate Ethelau's name. He ws taken to the dungeon, a dank, dismal place, with only a few dark cells. The sound of constant dripping from the sewers would likely drive any captive insane before too long.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), Rothrusk's quarry, the Mad Hermit, was already quite far gone. A jailer led Rothrusk to the lonely cage where the Hermit had been left, awaiting his fate.

"Young man," the Hermit said, his face lighting up when he realized he had a visitor. "Come to take the rest of my things? I have only these rags, but you may have them. Please don't hurt me!" The hunchback cackled, his laugh echoing in the narrow dungeon passages.

"No," Rothrusk replied. "I am here for information."

The Hermit frowned. "Information, you say? That, I may provide... What do you wish to know?"

"Why did you capture Rake, the boy we found sleeping in that dead tree near your home?"

"Ooh... a good question!" the Hermit replied, rubbing his palms together. It was obvious the Hermit had not seen a bath or running water in quite some time. "Well, you see... it gets lonely out there in the forest and, well a man has needs..."

Rothrusk sensed this was a lie. "The TRUTH, old man!"

"Oh, very well," the Hermit replied, frowning again. "I am not the simple madman that you probably think I am. I have lived in that forest for a very long time, using my wits to keep myself alive. There are many ways to keep oneself alive in that forest. Some use strength and brawn. Some use magic and guile. Myself, I make deals."

"Deals?" Rothrusk demanded. "Deals with who exactly?"

"Mmm... many of the denizens of the Caves..." the hunchback replied. "They need servants. If I can provide healthy servants, I am rewarded."

"Maybe you are not so crazy after all," Rothrusk said. "But what sort of deal did you make... and with WHO?"

The Hermit smiled, revealing his cracked and yellowing teeth, of those that remained anyway. "I will tell you," he said in a hushed voice. "But you must promise not to reveal the details of my arrangements, especially to anyone here in the Keep."

Rothrusk made that promise, and learned much about the Mad Hermit's deal with the creatures of the Caves. It mostly involved something called 'the Man-Eater', some sort of nasty humanoid with horns. This 'Man-Eater' ruled the rest of the creatures of the Caves, although there seemed to be some dispute about a certain sect that might have split off from this 'Man-Eater' and enraged him/it.

The 'Man-Eater' needed servants, especially those who could fight, as it wouldn't be too long before there was a war within those Caves. While Rothrusk did not care much about who won such a war, it was an opportunity to whittle down both sides, and learn more about who exactly populated the Caves. Rothrusk decided at that moment that he and his companions would need first-hand experience at the Caves, and soon.

...

Miles was the first to spot Rothrusk as the aspiring Cleric entered Shardstone Tavern, and pointed this out to Tamos, who was peering into his ale at the time. The three companions gathered, waiting for the fourth, Lenalia to join them.

Rothrusk had his eye on Mirra, the wench, who always gave the boy a wide smile when she served him drinks. The would-be Cleric did not realize at the time that the wench was apt to do this with all of her customers; Rothrusk figured that Mirra fancied him.

After she had served them a round, Rothrusk offered Mirra a few gold coins, and she promised to return with 'something extra'. As they waited for Lenalia (and Rothrusk for this 'something extra'), the trio discussed what they had learned.

"So you really think we should go to these Caves?" Tamos asked his brother. "I'm not sure... it sounds like there's a war brewing in there."

"I don't know," Miles said. "Might be fun!"

Rothrusk winced at this comment. "Not sure if it will be fun," he replied. "But it might be profitable, not just for us, but for Merghis Keep itself."

"I like profit," the Halfling added.

"I would like to know more about these Caves then," Tamos said. "If we know more about what's there, we will be better prepared to deal with what we find."

"That is reasonable," Miles said. "And I would like to know what sort of treasure they might have."

"We could ask around," Rothrusk suggested. "See if anyone knows about the Caves."

And they did just that. Miles spent a great deal of coin on several rounds of drinks for some Dwarves who had just returned from the Caves. It seemed that the Dwarves had come across a prospector who, long ago, had worked in the Caves when they were known as Silvermore Mines. Though Dwarves were not commonly on friendly terms with Halflings, Miles was a jovial lad, and, more importantly, bought the Dwarves a few rounds of ale.

Miles soon had acquired a map, hand-drawn by that same prospector the Dwarves had come across on their way back from the Caves. It wasn't cheap, but since the Dwarves didn't plan to return to the Caves, Miles arranged to buy the map, and soon, with the last bit of gold to his name, the map was his.

But to his mind, this was not Miles' greatest achievement of the night. That was yet to come.

 

[Insight]

Two Days at Merghis Keep - Part Three

It came to Lenalia in a flash. Who better to ask about goings-on at Merghis Keep than Rocelin, the friendly Half-Elf who had provided them with much-needed insight a few days prior? The trouble was that Lenalia didn't quite know how to get hold of Rocelin - it seemed that the Half-Elf was in and out of the Keep quite a bit, and apparently, did not keep a room at the Traveler's Inn.

The Elf maiden found a nice gentleman she had seen once or twice around the Keep, who turned out to be the Captain of the Watch. She figured he would know the comings and goings of more prominent visitors to Merghis Keep.

"Rocelin, you say?" the Captain asked.

"Yes, he's a Half-Elf, wears a pair of shortswords, black armor..." Lenalia said, adding details she hoped would spark a response.

"I've indeed seen someone matching that description," the Captain replied. "Not sure of the name though. Kept to himself, he did."

"I need to find him," Lenalia said. "Have you seen him recently?"

"Can't say that I have, young lady," the Captain answered. "Though you might want to ask at the gatehouse. They would know better than I would."

And so, Lenalia continued her search, questioning the guards at the gatehouse, to no avail. She had hoped that Rocelin might be able to shed some light on the Caves, or the purpose of all of the mercenaries who had apparently just arrived and already left. Perhaps he would show up later that night, or even the next day.

Finding her rations a little low, Lenalia made a trip to the Provisioner's. There, she found Eudes Ironil, the proprietor, who was happy to see the Elf.

"Welcome back," Ironil said, waving Lenalia inside the shop. "We are just about to close, but I guess I can make an exception..."

"Excellent," Lenalia replied. "Some rations, perhaps?"

The merchant gathered some dried fruit and other sundries as he continued to speak. "Going on another journey, are we?"

"Looks that way," Lenalia answered, examining other merchandise for sale.

"You know, I'm running a little low on my normal supplies," the Provisioner said. "Expecting a new shipment anyday now."

"I heard you were always well-stocked," Lenalia remarked.

"Well, yes," Ironil said. "Normally, that's true. But these mercenaries - "

"What do you know of the mercenaries?" the Elf shot back.

The merchant lowered his voice. "You're not one of them, are you?" The Elf shook her head in the negative. "Good... they have made quite a mess of my stock. Do you know that the Castellan himself invited them?"

"I heard something about that," Lenalia replied.

"Yes, well, apparently, the adventurers who normally keep this place rather safe, well, the Castellan is getting antsy. He wants the Caves cleared out."

"Any idea why the Castellan has changed his strategy in regards to the Caves?" the Elf asked.

"No," Ironil said, "But I wonder if it has anything to do with the Grand Duke. You see, Karameikos has his eye on the Mountains to the North - a possible expansion from what I hear."

"And this area would need to be cleared in order for such an expansion to occur?"

The Provisioner smiled. "I doubt it will ever happen, good lady. But if I was forced to guess at why the mercenaries are here, that would be it. The Castellan doesn't do much unless he gets a direct order from the Grand Duke."

Lenalia paid for her supplies and made her way back to the Traveler's Inn, thinking about the ramifications of what she had learned from the Provisioner.

...

Shardstone Tavern was getting livelier by the hour. Miles, Tamos, and Rothrusk had gotten themselves quite liquored up, but were surprisingly still coherent. They had moved from a table in the corner, since the band of minstrels had arrived, and were using that area to set up for their show. The Heroes found themselves in the middle of the action, so to speak, and it was about to get a little wilder.

"So anyway, here I am with the merchant," Miles said. "Now of course, you two were passed out. So I tells him, I says, 'Hey, let's skin that cat!', and you know what he says?"

The brothers just stared at Miles, wondering where this story was going.

"He laughs at me and says, 'There's more than one way to skin a cat!'. Funny guy, that Finstan."

The Halfling, laughing at his own lame joke, tumbled under the table. Seeing that Rothrusk's bootlaces were tantalizingly ripe for the tying together, of course, Miles took the opportunity to do so. Boy, would Rothrusk be surprised when he went to stand up!

Mirra, the serving wench, came back to the table after a long absence. As she did, Miles popped back on his seat and smiled broadly.

"What'll you have, boys?" Mirra asked. She smiled at Rothrusk, and surreptitiously handed him a small wooden statuette of Valerias.

"How did you know?" he asked, examining the wooden idol.

Mirra smiled. "You seem like the romantic type," she commented.

Miles stood on the table. "I'll have a pint of your finest rotgut!" he declared. "Maybe two if you're feeling saucy!"

Rothrusk tried his best to ignore the little drunk. Tamos did the same.

"So how long have you been in the clergy?" Mirra asked.

Rothrusk smiled. "I am not yet a member of the clergy," he admitted. "I hope to be ordained one day, perhaps not too long."

"Have you met Curate Ethelau?" Mirra asked. "She is quite knowledgeable on spiritual matters. Could be a great help to you."

Miles laughed. "He doesn't know a THING about spiritual matters!" The Halfling promptly fell prone on the table, barely missing spilling Tamos' ale.

"I have met Curate Ethelau," Rothrusk replied. "I'm not sure how she feels about me, though."

"Oh, don't be put off by the Curate's icy exterior," Mirra said. "She is not the trusting sort. It pays not to be too trusting around here."

The band started to play. Several drunk patrons got up to dance, many bumping the Heroes' table.

Miles got up. "Hey, loverboy," he said. "Why dontcha ask the lady to dance?"

Rothrusk winced at this suggestion, knowing full well his inadequacies in terpsichorean ways. "Perhaps I should sit this one out..."

"Nonsense," Miles said, urging Rothrusk on. "You two have a twirl. Get to know each other!"

Mirra half-smiled, shooting a look towards her boss behind the bar. "Sure," she said. "Why not?"

The serving maid took Rothrusk's hand. As he stood to join Mirra in a dance, he took one step and FELL ON HIS FACE! Miles and Tamos laughed hysterically. The Halfling was especially proud of his chicanery, and could not stop laughing until he literally fell off the table from it.

"Smooth moves, brother!" Tamos yelled.

The Dwarven Taverner, seeing his serving wench spending too much time with these customers, yelled at Mirra to return to her duties, which she dutifully did.

All involved quickly realized it was getting late, and they were far too drunk to learn anything more that night. They returned to the Traveler's Inn, where an impatient Lenalia was waiting up for them. She wordlessly handed out the keys to their rooms, and, shooting them each a disappointed look, shut her door.

...

It was breakfast time at the Inn. Three very hungover adventurers - Tamos, Miles, and Rothrusk - lumbered down the stairs to join Lenalia at the breakfast table.

"So," the Elf maiden said. "You three sleep well?"

Tamos moaned. "Just make it stop," he said.

Rothrusk kept one hand over his eyes. "Does it have to be so bright in here?"

Hopping up on his chair, Miles grabbed a fork and dug in. "That's good eatin!" he declared.

The Heroes had their breakfast in relative peace. They discussed what each had learned about the Caves and the mercenaries who apparently had been sent to clear them out. The companions wondered what would be left for them once the mercenaries were done.

Rothrusk seemed pretty confident that these mercenaries would have little effect on the denizens of the Caves. He explained what he had heard from the Mad Hermit of the 'Man-Eater' and the war brewing within the Caves. Each Hero had their own opinion of what might be going on, and none could come to a consensus.

"What you have heard of the Caves," a voice said from the doorway, "It is true." The companions looked, and were surprised to see Rocelin standing there.

"Rocelin," Lenalia said. "I've been looking for you. I was hoping you might have some information about the Caves."

The Half-Elf approached the table. "I won't be here in the Keep for long," he explained. "I have just returned from the Caves in fact. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can."

Miles produced the map he had bought from the Dwarves and rolled it out on the table. "Is this a good map of the Caves area?" he asked.

Rocelin examined the map. "Seems to be," he remarked. "Doesn't really tell you what's in each cave, though."

"Is that important?" Tamos asked.

"Yes," Rocelin replied. "Vitally so. If I were you, just starting on your adventuring careers, I would avoid the caves in the center of that map. Keep to the edges, near where the road passes."

"Thanks!" Miles exclaimed. He rolled up the map and put it away, and went back to work on his breakfast.

"So you are headed to the Caves then?" Rocelin asked.

"Seems that way," Rothrusk replied. "Hey, do you know anything about a 'Man-Eater'?"

The Half-Elf squinted. "Where did you hear of this 'Man-Eater'?"

"Rumors, mostly," Rothrusk replied. "Just wondering."

"Be very careful in those Caves," Rocelin said gravely. "There are many creatures in there far too dangerous for you to tackle. In addition, I have just learned something that disturbs me."

The Heroes got a little closer, save for Miles, who was too busy to be disturbed.

"A small group of priests, I came across them on my way out of the Caves. They had planned to explore the Caves themselves, but... their leader sensed something from within the Caves. A great EVIL..."

"Fine," Tamos said. "Well, that's one more thing to deal with," he added.

"I wish you well," Rocelin said. "Keep safe. Hopefully, I will see you back here at Merghis Keep within a week or so."

With that, the Half-Elf was out the door, leaving the Heroes to ponder their fate. What would they truly find in the Caves? What would be their DESTINY???

END GAME SESSION TWO

 

[Insight]

Session Three was last night. I hope to have updates later on today or sometime this weekend.

EDIT (2-17): Yeah, got busy with work and a writing project that is finally complete. Updates start today hopefully.

 

[Insight]

Foray into the Caves - Part One

Tamos regarded his newfound magic ring as it sparkled in the midday sun. The Heroes were just an hour out of Merghis Keep, on their way to the Caves of Chaos. It was summer, and back in his home town of Stirrick, Tamos would most likely have been helping at his family farm, feeding the livestock, working the fields, or helping to take spring goods to market.

Things changed when Tamos returned from the Monastery, however, but even the new Tamos was not above working the farm when duty called. Being so far away from Stirrick, even though it had only been two weeks, had been a life-changing experience. This was twice now that Tamos had left Stirrick, only to one day return a changed man.

He looked down at the ruby and silver ring, and wondered how its reported magical abilities would protect him in battle. It was a Ring of Protection after all, but Tamos wondered exactly how it worked. Tamos figured he would learn soon enough.

His brother, Rothrusk, had his own concerns. The aspiring Cleric's rash actions had already put his friends in danger once. Rothrusk started to worry that he would do so again, and that perhaps the next time might be their last. There had been a discussion about tactics the night before at the Traveler's Inn, involving all four of the Heroes. Of the four, Rothrusk had the least grasp of these proposed tactics, and hoped that it would all come to him in the heat of battle.

And what was this business about divisions and factions within the Caves of Chaos? The Hermit spoke of an 'Eater of Men' and those that followed it, and then a faction opposing those. Just what sort of situation were the Heroes going to find when they arrived at the Caves of Chaos?

Miles, of course, had no such concerns. He was a jovial Halfling after all, not concerned at all in the least about the future. Miles was a curious sort, and had little time for planning and debate. Though the Halfling had been present at the 'strategy meeting' the prior evening, Miles had just about forgotten everything that had been said.

In fact, the only thing that concerned Miles at the moment was his supply of pipeweed. "Hey," he said. "Any of you have extra pipeweed? I'm running a little low."

"I don't smoke," Tamos replied. "And neither does my brother."

The Halfling didn't bother to even look in the Elf's direction, but Lenalia had other thoughts on her mind. She too had been in danger, and though she didn't explicitly blame Rothrusk for the ill-planned battle against the Hermit, the Elf had fallen in the battle, and was unsure that she could trust the would-be Cleric to act responsibly in combat should the need arise.

Lenalia's other concern was the map Miles had acquired from the Dwarves. It looked authentic enough, but created more questions that it answered. There were cave entrances marked, but little in the way of notes as to what might be within the Caves. Lenalia had collected all sorts of rumors regarding these Caves, and its inhabitants, and even Rocelin, the group's latest mentor, had warned the Heroes about choosing the wrong cave.

It was a fairly quiet and uneventful trip between Merghis Keep and the northbound road that would lead the Heroes very close to the Caves of Chaos. Jokes were made - these were mostly the work of one Miles the Halfling - and there was a bit of discussion about using resources wisely and not splitting up once inside the Caves.

Rothrusk noted that the forest on both sides of the road closed in, and the foliage on both sides was dense, and becoming moreso. The Altan Tepes Mountains rose in the distance, and all around them, the Heroes could tell they were among rolling hills. Such notes were to be found on the Dwarves' map, and the Heroes knew they must be close to the clearing in which they would find entrances to the Caves of Chaos.

"Well," Miles said. "This must be the place. I'll have a look." The Halfling, not waiting for a response from the other members of the group, darted into the forest, seeking this clearing. The others waited for his return.

"He's going to get us into a lot of trouble, isn't he?" Tamos asked.

The others nodded, but didn't say a word. They knew that the precocious and fickle Halfling, while skilled in the ways of stealth and subterfuge, was somewhat unreliable as a scout, but was a fine asset to have in the group in any event. After all, Miles was skilled in things that none of the other members had any facility with, and Miles had more than proven his worth.

It wasn't long before Miles emerged from the forest. "Are you coming or what?"

...

The Heroes were led to a clearing, a u-shaped opening in the forest canopy that abutted the curve of a steep hill. According to the Dwarves from which the Heroes had obtained their map, the Caves of Chaos had long ago been mines, though the Dwarves didn't seem to know what had been mined in this place. In any event, from what the Heroes had gathered from rumors and such, the Caves were now populated with all manner of evil humanoids - goblins, kobolds, perhaps others, and that many groups had forayed into the Caves to find their own demise.

So the trick would be to find which cave entrance was safest. Before the Heroes was the clearing, and within the clearing, three wagons. Two of the wagons seemed to have been here for a while. They had no draft horses, and the backs of these wagons were pretty much bare of supplies and essential items. One wagon had a pair of horses, but upon examination, these horses were malnourished and would need to be nursed back to health.

Tamos made a circuit of the clearing, and found several of the cave entrances marked on the Dwarves' map. While comparing the Dwarves' map to reality, Tamos noted one such entrance marked as 'small goblins' on the map. This cave might be a good first option.

Meanwhile, Miles tossed over the contents of the wagon that seemed to have arrived most recently. He found in the back of the wagon supplies, most of which were still usable. The Halfling recognized the banner on this particular wagon as belonging to some mercenaries from Specularum. Miles had met these mercenaries on his way to the Borderlands from the south, and had traveled with them for half a day.

Giving the back of the wagon once last look, Miles tripped over something. Examining it, the Halfling determined that this was a catch to open a secret compartment built into the bed of the wagon. "Come quickly," he called to the others. "I've found something."

It didn't take long for Miles to discover that the secret compartment's latch was locked. Luckily, Miles was not often hampered by the big folks' attempts to keep from from his prizes, and he just happened to have the tools to pick this lock. After a few attempts laced with Halfling epithets, Miles sprung the lock.

As he did, Miles had the urge to jump aside, and it's a good thing he did, for as the lock was sprung, a stream of acid shot forth, and it would have washed the Halfling in acid had he stayed in place. "Whew," he exclaimed. "That was a close one."

"What's in there?" Tamos asked, peering into the wagon.

"Good question," Miles replied. "Let's have a look."

As Tamos and Miles rifled through the contents of the secret compartment, Lenalia and Rothrusk decided to give the clearing another search. During this search, Lenalia found a cave entrance Tamos had missed in his initial scan, and pointed it out. This cave entrance was not on the Dwarves' map, and so the heroes decided to avoid it.

Miles emerged from the back of the wagon with a sack full of booty. He and Tamos joined Lenalia and Rothrusk near the entrance to the cave marked 'small goblins' on the map.

"What do we have then?" Lenalia asked.

"Oh... not a bad haul," Miles replied. "Some gold, a few potions. Not sure what these do. We could try one and see what happens."

Tamos frowned. "I'm against that idea. We should split them up amongst ourselves, and find out what they do later. There are six potions total. I see four of this yellow color, and two of this clear variety."

"How about each of us take a yellow potion, and Miles and Tamos each have a clear one?" Lenalia suggested. They agreed, and split the gold as well.

The Heroes faced the entrance to the Caves of Chaos, the one they determined that was likely the safest, but didn't know what they would encounter once they took that first step within.

"Everyone ready?" Miles asked, and then stepped inside.

 

[Insight]

Foray into the Caves - Part Two

A certain amount of light trickled into the passage from outside, but given the angle of the sun, there would only be illumination for the first 15 feet or so inside the passage. As Rothrusk, Lenalia, and Tamos looked on, Miles the Halfling made his way stealthily down the passage.

Just at the edge of where he could see, Miles could make out that he was at a four-way intersection. He could hear nothing, and see even less beyond this point. He turned to rejoin his companions when a noise was faintly audible from his right side. The Halfling flattened against the nearest wall, but heard nothing more. He decided to return to the outside.

"So what's in there?" Rothrusk asked.

"Not much," Miles replied. "Well... there was this noise. Not sure what it was exactly. We should check it out, I suppose."

"What sort of noise?"

"Hmm... my guess would be several normal-sized humanoids," Miles said.

"Normal-sized?" Tamos asked.

"You know," the Halfling replied. "My size."

Rothrusk cleared his throat. "We need to be careful then," he said. "Let's get lanterns out. Looks dark in there."

Tamos was somewhat impressed with his brother's courage, but still worried that Rothrusk was going to lead them into harm's way. When lanterns were lit, Miles and Tamos entered the cave and tried to be as quiet as possible as they neared the intersection.

The light helped immensely, showing Miles and Tamos the entirety of the intersection, and also 6 Goblins who were preparing an ambush and had not yet seen Miles and Tamos.

Quietly cocking and loading his crossbow, Tamos motioned to his allies to stop. A well-placed shot of the crossbow dropped one of the Goblins in his tracks, alerting the rest that an attack was imminent.

As several Goblins tossed javelins at Miles and Rothrusk, who had just entered the intersection, Lenalia incanted magical words of power and zapped one of the Goblins with a missile of eldritch energy, killing it instantly.

Rothrusk had caught a javelin in the chest, and was forced to retreat, passed Tamos in the process, who was moving forward to take his brother's place at the front.

"Tough luck, brother," Tamos said. "Get back there and heal yourself," he added.

Leaping forward, Tamos landed between a pair of Goblins and circle-kicked the both of them, and while this looked impressive, it was ineffective. As Tamos did this, Lenalia again fired bolts of magic energy at another Goblin, which knocked the target unconscious.

Both Goblins facing Tamos drew their shortswords and stabbed, one tearing Tamos across the abdomen. The other jumped past Tamos and went after the wounded Rothrusk, who had just started his healing devotions.

"Ack," he said. "Leave me alone, foul goblin!" One wild swing of Rothrusk's mace clanged off the Goblin's pot helm, cracking the little guy's skull and sending the Goblin to the ground.

Rothrusk, sure that the Goblin was not getting up, completed his devotions and healed himself. "That's more like it."

But before Rothrusk could do anything else, one of the Goblins struck a lucky blow on Tamos. Rothrusk watched helplessly as his brother took to the rocky floor, obviously unconscious - or worse!

The would-be Cleric advanced recklessly, swinging his mace aggressively at the remaining Goblins, who moved away from the crazed Human, right into the path of the waiting Miles, who struck and dropped one of the confused Goblins from behind.

The remaining Goblin slipped past Rothrusk and went after the Elf Maiden, Lenalia, nearly running her through with a spear. Miles gave chase and took the foul humanoid down from behind.

Rothrusk rushed to his brother's side. "I hope it's not too late," he said. "If Valerias is willing, he can still be brought back!"

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Miles said. "There might be more of them back that way. I doubt there's only six of them in this whole place."

"Agreed," Lenalia added. "We can heal Tamos outside. Let's go."

...

The Heroes made camp not far from the cave entrance, next to one of the abandoned wagons, a spot where they could see the opening to the Goblins' cave.

"Well that was disappointing," Miles said. "I would have thought we could get a little further than 20 feet inside before turning around."

Rothrusk frowned at the Halfling's comment. Tamos was mostly healed up, but still needed a few more hours of rest before he would be at full strength. "Bad luck, that's all. We'll be back there before too long."

"You're not thinking of returning to the Keep are you?" Miles asked. "That would be crazy."

"No," Rothrusk replied. "We need to recover. I fear that despite our plans, we still weren't quite prepared."

"Goblin got a lucky shot in," Tamos said, sitting up. "That's all."

"See, there's the spirit," Miles said. "C'mon, let's go back there now."

"I am fine," Lenalia said before anyone asked. "Perhaps we should go back, now that Tamos is pretty much healed."

Tamos stood up, dusting himself off. "Don't hold back on my account," he said. "Let's go."

...

The Heroes quickly found the bodies of their Goblin foes, and gave them a good search. Lenalia, rather than rifle through the corpses, watched the passages, but no one came. A few pieces of gold and silver were found, but not much more.

"I say we head that way," Miles said, indicating the direction from which the Goblins had come. "Chances are there's a cavern or something back there... maybe their real treasure."

"No harm in trying that passage," Rothrusk said.

Though they tried to be quiet, the Heroes would have awoken the dead were that possible. Luckily, no one was in the chamber just beyond the bend. The Heroes found an empty room, with some stale foodstuffs, but not much more. There were six mats of straw, enough for the Goblins they had encountered already.

Miles found some stairs leading down at the end of the chamber. As he scampered down the stairs, the Halfling urged his companions to follow. "Times a wastin," he said.

At the bottom of the first set of stairs was a small landing, and more stairs leading down beyond. The Heroes continued down, and eventually found a passage leading to a door.

"Hmm... well, better try the door," Miles said, reaching for the handle.

"Hold on," Lenalia said. "Harrian Thane taught us to listen at doors such as these. Keeps one from a nasty surprise."

"Well sure... if you're trying to be careful..."

The Elf Maiden and the Halfling both pressed their heads to the door, urging Tamos and Rothrusk to be quiet. The door was obviously thick, and neither heard much that was definitive.

"Sounds like someone or something is beyond this door," Lenalia said. "Several somethings, but beyond that... it could be anything."

"Oh come on," Miles said, opening the door.

Inside was an eating hall of some kind. It was a large chamber, complete with a pair of large tables. Seated at the tables was a total of probably 6 male goblin-looking creatures, but obviously much larger than the Goblins the Heroes had faced before. In addition to the 6 seated males, there were 8 females of the same type.

Miles stared. "Hobgoblins," he said breathlessly.

"No, no, NO," Lenalia said, slamming the door. Tamos and Rothrusk each shot the Elf a strange look. "We're going to have to find another way," she said. "Let's get out of here."

The Heroes ran up the stairs as fast as they could, hoping the Hobgoblins didn't have any interest in following. Fortunately for the Heroes, the Hobgoblins were in the middle of a meal and were not interested in four intruders at the moment.

Meeting up at the initial four-way intersection, the Heroes looked at one another.

"Where to?" Rothrusk asked.

They did not know, but one thing was for certain. The next decision they made might be their last. The Caves of Chaos were proving to be more dangerous than the Heroes had imagined.

 

[Insight]

Foray into the Caves - Part Three

The Heroes faced a decision: go straight ahead, across the intersection, or turn left, a path that would lead them deeper into the Caves. Based on its trajectory, Miles surmised that the left passage (one that led straight in from the entrance) would not likely lead anywhere, as it was pointed directly at the area where they had found the Hobgoblin feed hall. That passage was investigated anyway, and turned up a dead end.

So the only choice left was to proceed forward, and so they did. They could all hear strange noises resonating from deeper within the Caves. Miles identified the noises as being generally goblinoid, but could shed no further light on what the noises meant.

As the Heroes came to a t-intersection, Miles and Tamos stopped, cautioning the others to do the same. Clearly, they had heard something nearby. Sure enough, as the Heroes huddled into an empty space in the wall, they saw a pair of Goblins poking their heads around the corner, spears in hand.

The Halfling, eager to get the jump on these fellows and give his companions an edge, lightly stepped behind the pair of Goblins and struck one with his sword, running the creature through. The other Goblin turned to face Miles, who happily clashed weapons with him.

As this transpired, Lenalia, Tamos, and Rothrusk came alongside Miles and his Goblin sparring partner, only to see four more Goblins coming from a room nearby. Tamos fired a shot from his crossbow, but missed, as did his brother, Rothrusk. Lenalia fired magical energy from her fingertips, dropping the first Goblin she saw.

Tamos popped over to aid Miles, and this movement distracted the Goblin enough for Miles to deliver to it a killing blow.

"Thanks, partner," Miles said.

Three more Goblins remained, and they launched javelins at Rothrusk and Lenalia. Rothrusk and Tamos charged forward, engaging the remaining trio of Goblins in melee, and Miles moved to the side to flank. Tamos broke through his Goblin's defenses quickly, delivering a telling blow to the side of the creature's head.

As Rothrusk sparred with his Goblin, a second flanked him, but had gotten himself between the two brothers, not a good position to be in. Tamos took the opportunity to kick the Goblin squarely in the lower back, dropping the creature to the floor. Rothrusk finished the Goblin off with a mace blow to the head.

"That's what I call teamwork," Rothrusk remarked. Tamos only smiled.

Lenalia aided by firing off more magical energy bolts and heavily injuring the last Goblin, who tried to escape. The creature yelped for aid as Miles struck it dead with his sword.

"There's more of them coming," Miles said.

"How do you know?" Rothrusk asked.

"I happen to speak their language," Miles said. "It's come in handy a few times."

Sure enough, half a dozen or more Goblins, all armed with javelins, proceeded to take up defensive positions in an adjacent passage. The Heroes found themselves at a distinct disadvantage here in the darkened hallways - their foes could see in the dark, but the Heroes had to rely on a lantern for illumination.

"I hear them around here somewhere," Tamos said. "I can't see anything!"

As he said that, a javelin flew through the air and pierced Tamos through the chest. A shocked but speechless Tamos fell to the stone floor, grasping the weapon as it was buried into him.

Lenalia, who could just barely make out the Goblins in the distance, had gotten her bow out, and fired off a shot at the Goblin who had struck Tamos, and hit the creature in the forehead, killing it instantly.

"This is not going to end well," Miles commented, trying to scamper forward and cause the Goblins to divide their forces.

This tactic worked too well. Miles drew the Goblins' attention, and five of them drew clubs and moved cautiously forward to meet the Halfling.

"A little help here," the Halfling said.

The other Goblins, numbering three, launched another volley of javelins at Rothrusk, who had come to aid the fallen Tamos. Two javelins struck Rothrusk, dropping the would-be Cleric to the ground.

Lenalia watched in shock as her allies' numbers had been cut in half. She fired another shot with her bow, and took out one that was threatening Miles, but that still left the Halfling to square off against four of the creatures. While the Elf maiden was confident in Miles' ability to handle one or two at once, all four might be too much.

There was nothing she could do, however. Miles struck down one of his combatants, but a pair of the Goblins jabbed at Miles with their maces, while the other beat the Halfling down to the ground. Now, Lenalia was all alone, at the mercy of seven Goblins.

This was too much for Lenalia to deal with, and she knew it. Taking a chance, she found one of the clear potions on Tamos, who had fallen nearby. Lenalia took the clear one because she had heard somewhere that yellow potions were healing, and she was the only one of the group not to need any healing at this moment. Drinking the clear potion, Lenalia vanished.

The Goblins yammered about the disappearing Elf, but did not seem to know what to do. Lenalia had a wicked idea to save her friends, but had only the hope that the Goblins would fall for such a trick.

Using her deepest, scariest sounding voice, Lenalia (still invisible), spoke in the language of Dragons. "Do you wish to flee," she asked, "Or would you face the wrath of a very angry Red Dragon? I am Raxinarius, and am hungry and haven't eaten in days. Leave these to me, and I will eat them instead of you."

Whether the Goblins truly understood Lenalia or not, it was enough to cause them to flee the chamber back to whence they had come, leaving Lenalia alone with her fallen companions.

Taking the opportunity, Lenalia dragged off Miles, and in the process, became visible once again. She found his yellow potion and poured into the Halfling's mouth, and sure enough, it was a healing potion. Miles awoke, surprised to see Lenalia standing over him.

"Ow," he said. "It hurts all over."

"Help me get the others," the Elf said. "Those yellow potions are for healing. I believe we can still save them."

The pair returned to the chamber, and found Rothrusk and Tamos lying next to each other, still unconscious. Miles took Rothrusk in hand, and dragged the large human out as best he could. Lenalia did the same with Tamos, but first removed the javelin that had penetrated him, and putting her own yellow potion down his throat. Tamos did not awaken, but Lenalia was sure that her potion had kept him from dying.

When they were all outside, Miles found Rothrusk's yellow potion and used it to rouse the would-be Cleric. Waking, Rothrusk took his brother's unconscious body, and the Heroes made their way out of the Caves of Chaos.

They would need time to recuperate before returning. One thing was for certain - the Heroes' will was undiminished, and their anger at being bested for a second time by the Goblins was enough to wash away any reasonable thoughts to escape the place. No, the Goblins would pay soon enough...