Insight
Adventurer
Foray into the Caves - Part Four
It wasn't until two days had passed that Tamos was recovered enough to sit up and talk. He was badly injured and likely would have been stone dead had a few more moments passed in the Caves.
The Heroes camped, a little further from the Caves of Chaos this time, well into the forest canopy that shielded that Caves from the Road to the east.
"It's about time!" Miles proclaimed, patting Tamos on the back.
Each tap from the Halfling felt like the javelin was going back in. "Ow, all right, enough," he said.
"So you are better?" Lenalia asked.
"Did you miss me?"
The Elf maiden demured. "No," she replied. "I was worried rats or wolves would eat you if we left you here to rest... that is all."
Tamos smiled. "Well, to answer your question, yes, I am much better. Thanks to my brother here."
Rothrusk shined his holy symbol. "Don't thank me," he said. "Thank Valerias."
"I suppose the lot of you are too scared to go back," Miles said. "Pity, I think we were pretty close to some good treasure."
"Don't forget you almost died too, Miles," Lenalia said. "In fact, we were all pretty close to death in there. Those Goblins are rough customers."
Miles hopped up. "They should be taught not to mess with us then."
"Mess with us?" Tamos asked. "You realize of course that it was US who were the intruders. WE were messing with THEM, not the other way around."
"Pish tosh," Miles replied. "They have treasure... and... and they probably took it from someone... maybe even a HUMAN or something."
"He has a point," Rothrusk said. "I highly doubt the Goblins' treasure is their own by right. They have probably stolen it from someone."
"And that alone gives us the right to take it from them?" Tamos countered.
"Those Goblins almost killed you," Lenalia said. "Doesn't that make you angry?"
Tamos considered this question. He had been taught at the Monastery not to feel strong emotions. What was most important in life was clarity of thought. Emotions were secondary, or perhaps tertiary to actions and reason.
"So, you're saying that you want to go back?" Tamos asked.
"Yes," Lenalia replied. "This whole business is unsettling. But I believe we should learn from it and prosper, rather than run away from it."
"Agree wholeheartedly," Miles said excitedly. "Let's be off then!"
"Hold on there," Rothrusk cautioned. "We are very low on rations. In fact, we have just one day of water remaining."
"That's no problem," Miles replied. "I saw a barrel of water in that Goblin room. The first one."
"Yes, but is it safe?" Tamos said.
"Don't know til we try," Miles answered. "I'll scout it out and see what we can find."
The Heroes broke camp and marched the half-mile back to the Caves. Tamos was feeling better, but he still had a sneaking suspicion that something big was about to happen, for good or for ill.
...
It didn't take long for Miles to find the Goblins' barracks. It was a dismal place, and obviously had not had a good cleaning in... well, forever. The water barrel was easy enough to find. It was still in the dark corner in which Miles had seen it to begin with a few days back.
The Halfling started pulling empty waterskins out of his backpack when he heard a thunderous noise of stamping feet. This was obviously not a good sound, so he quickly jumped behind the water barrel.
Before two more second had passed, Miles peeked out from behind the barrel and saw a shadowy form coming closer and closer. The light in the Goblins' barrack was hazy at best, and Miles had brought with him only a small lamp, which he was hiding behind the barrel so that he might still be able to see without distracting whatever was coming his direction.
As the creature got within range of Miles' lamplight, it was obvious that this was an OGRE. The Halfling's heart skipped a beat, but he remained hidden. The Ogre sniffed around, sensing that someone was near, but never found Miles and moved on down the passage, heading toward the exit.
When Miles was sure that the Ogre was gone, he emerged and finished filling the waterskins. He then quickly darted out of the Caves, intent on warning his companions of the Ogre lurking within the Caves of Chaos!
...
The Heroes had made camp not far from the Caves and awaited Miles' return. In the meantime, Rothrusk made devotions to his deity, as well as any other Immortal he could think of that would help. Tamos rested, still not fully recovered from his grevious javelin wound. Lenalia slipped into her reverie, and remained in meditation until Miles returned.
"Big... thing... Ogre!" he exclaimed, running to find the new camp. "I saw it... didn't come out here, I hope!"
Rothrusk stood. "No, didn't see any Ogre out here."
"Whew," Miles replied. "Well, I've got your water here. Wake the others. I think it's time to go in."
Tamos awoke, and overheard what Miles had said. "With the Ogre in there? Are you crazy? Wait - don't answer that."
"Nah, he's gone now," Miles retorted. "It'll be great fun. C'mon!"
Everyone was roused and ready to return to the Caves. One question remained: what of this Ogre, and what did its presence mean for the Heroes? They would soon learn the answer to that question, and it would be the death of one of them!
It wasn't until two days had passed that Tamos was recovered enough to sit up and talk. He was badly injured and likely would have been stone dead had a few more moments passed in the Caves.
The Heroes camped, a little further from the Caves of Chaos this time, well into the forest canopy that shielded that Caves from the Road to the east.
"It's about time!" Miles proclaimed, patting Tamos on the back.
Each tap from the Halfling felt like the javelin was going back in. "Ow, all right, enough," he said.
"So you are better?" Lenalia asked.
"Did you miss me?"
The Elf maiden demured. "No," she replied. "I was worried rats or wolves would eat you if we left you here to rest... that is all."
Tamos smiled. "Well, to answer your question, yes, I am much better. Thanks to my brother here."
Rothrusk shined his holy symbol. "Don't thank me," he said. "Thank Valerias."
"I suppose the lot of you are too scared to go back," Miles said. "Pity, I think we were pretty close to some good treasure."
"Don't forget you almost died too, Miles," Lenalia said. "In fact, we were all pretty close to death in there. Those Goblins are rough customers."
Miles hopped up. "They should be taught not to mess with us then."
"Mess with us?" Tamos asked. "You realize of course that it was US who were the intruders. WE were messing with THEM, not the other way around."
"Pish tosh," Miles replied. "They have treasure... and... and they probably took it from someone... maybe even a HUMAN or something."
"He has a point," Rothrusk said. "I highly doubt the Goblins' treasure is their own by right. They have probably stolen it from someone."
"And that alone gives us the right to take it from them?" Tamos countered.
"Those Goblins almost killed you," Lenalia said. "Doesn't that make you angry?"
Tamos considered this question. He had been taught at the Monastery not to feel strong emotions. What was most important in life was clarity of thought. Emotions were secondary, or perhaps tertiary to actions and reason.
"So, you're saying that you want to go back?" Tamos asked.
"Yes," Lenalia replied. "This whole business is unsettling. But I believe we should learn from it and prosper, rather than run away from it."
"Agree wholeheartedly," Miles said excitedly. "Let's be off then!"
"Hold on there," Rothrusk cautioned. "We are very low on rations. In fact, we have just one day of water remaining."
"That's no problem," Miles replied. "I saw a barrel of water in that Goblin room. The first one."
"Yes, but is it safe?" Tamos said.
"Don't know til we try," Miles answered. "I'll scout it out and see what we can find."
The Heroes broke camp and marched the half-mile back to the Caves. Tamos was feeling better, but he still had a sneaking suspicion that something big was about to happen, for good or for ill.
...
It didn't take long for Miles to find the Goblins' barracks. It was a dismal place, and obviously had not had a good cleaning in... well, forever. The water barrel was easy enough to find. It was still in the dark corner in which Miles had seen it to begin with a few days back.
The Halfling started pulling empty waterskins out of his backpack when he heard a thunderous noise of stamping feet. This was obviously not a good sound, so he quickly jumped behind the water barrel.
Before two more second had passed, Miles peeked out from behind the barrel and saw a shadowy form coming closer and closer. The light in the Goblins' barrack was hazy at best, and Miles had brought with him only a small lamp, which he was hiding behind the barrel so that he might still be able to see without distracting whatever was coming his direction.
As the creature got within range of Miles' lamplight, it was obvious that this was an OGRE. The Halfling's heart skipped a beat, but he remained hidden. The Ogre sniffed around, sensing that someone was near, but never found Miles and moved on down the passage, heading toward the exit.
When Miles was sure that the Ogre was gone, he emerged and finished filling the waterskins. He then quickly darted out of the Caves, intent on warning his companions of the Ogre lurking within the Caves of Chaos!
...
The Heroes had made camp not far from the Caves and awaited Miles' return. In the meantime, Rothrusk made devotions to his deity, as well as any other Immortal he could think of that would help. Tamos rested, still not fully recovered from his grevious javelin wound. Lenalia slipped into her reverie, and remained in meditation until Miles returned.
"Big... thing... Ogre!" he exclaimed, running to find the new camp. "I saw it... didn't come out here, I hope!"
Rothrusk stood. "No, didn't see any Ogre out here."
"Whew," Miles replied. "Well, I've got your water here. Wake the others. I think it's time to go in."
Tamos awoke, and overheard what Miles had said. "With the Ogre in there? Are you crazy? Wait - don't answer that."
"Nah, he's gone now," Miles retorted. "It'll be great fun. C'mon!"
Everyone was roused and ready to return to the Caves. One question remained: what of this Ogre, and what did its presence mean for the Heroes? They would soon learn the answer to that question, and it would be the death of one of them!