(Adventure) The Haunted Halls of Stonepike

[Uriel]

OoC: Aranel, I guess you are posting under AMG now? No biggie.
I'm off in a bit, since it's my Birthday and friends are kidnapping me for debauchery, but...

IC

Choosing to leave the cleft for after securing the crypts, the band begins a thorough search of the crypts, leaving no area without first making sure that it is clear of Cloakers. After an hour of this, you are convinced that this part of the underhalls is clear of danger.
Exciting, you see the flicker of torches along the causeway.
Clearly lit are some twenty dwarves, warriors all, with the Captain of the Guard among them. As you get closer, the Captain yells out 'What news!?! Where shall we find this beast, good Folke?'

 

[nimisgod]

"That is our current task for the moment, Captain. Tell me first, hath there been any quakes in this area recently?"

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Aranel craned her neck slightly over her companions searching for the pitchforks. Not seeing any she wondered what the world was coming to when even the most traditional creatures like dwarves wouldn't bring pitchforks and torches along with them to fight the monsters.

Still, maybe they didn't read the same stories. "Looks to me like they want to finish our job and cut our pay in half...' she whispered to Thurgan, now the most like-minded companion she had in the group.
"To the hells with that..." she added in a far quieter voice, almost under her breath.

 

[Uriel]

As the guards move closer, you can clearly see the young guardsman from the treasury amongst them. As well, three Dwarves bear a tarp that holds something long and ungainly. The end of the Cloaker's tail can be seen hanging out at one end. The Captain of the Guards speaks again' Verily, you have slain the Fiend, but is it true, are there more of them than this one?'
Around him, nervous Dwarves hold axes and hammer, eyes peering into the darkness.

 

[Keia]

Thurgan - Init: +2; AC: 18; HP: 29/29; Atk: W-axe +7 (1d10+3), X-bow +6 (1d8+2)

"Looks to me like they want to finish our job and cut our pay in half...' she whispered to Thurgan, now the most like-minded companion she had in the group. "To the hells with that..." she added in a far quieter voice, almost under her breath.

Thurgan looked to Aranel and nodded slightly, understanding her issue. Thurgan added just as quietly, "Just as we have defeated the Beast of Stonepike, it looks as though we'll have to finsh the job . . . and whatever others there are."

Thurgan let someone else answer the dwarf. He kept his eyes toward the ceiling.

 

[nimisgod]

' Verily, you have slain the Fiend, but is it true, are there more of them than this one?'

"Indeed, Captain. There are more of these aberrations lurking about. My companions and I fought against another one ere it fled into yonder place. Its abilities in flight allows it a plethora of hiding places." He lowered his voice so that the captain's nervous minions would not hear. "I wouldst hazard that there might be more than just these two. However, that is merely a guess"

 

[dpdx]

Rurik shifted nervously from foot to foot again as they reached the Guard station, wondering what they were doing there, and unsatisfied that they had not killed all of the cloakers. Killing one and wounding another wasn't good enough, and as soon as they had taken their leave of the townsfolk, Rurik would go back - alone if need be, but with others if they wished to finish the task ahead.

 

[Uriel]

Listening to Sir Ishmael quietly, the captain then says 'What would you have of us, Good Knight? We are prepared to aid in whatever manner needed, though I am sending a half dozen to the treasury to make sure these monsters cannot get into it's interior. I have a good half dozen men I could spare for your search,if ye need...'

It is plainly obvious that the Stonepike Dwarves are willing to take action in whatever direction the band chooses, the captain even speaking in an obvious deferential tone in his dealinga with you all.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

"We need to finish the job the best way we can...we were employed to do this job and we should finish it." She muttered to the others.

She moved over to Thurgan and muttered somethig more, much quietr just so he would hear "Ever inspected any treasuries in your time Thurgan?" She murmured, looking around she wanted to go back to the ceiling. It was the best bet for finding these cloakers.
And the best hope for finding a way to inspect said treasury...

 

[nimisgod]

Sir Ishmael nodded his head in appreciation. "Our thanks for thine cooperation, Captain. I shall consult mine group for answers."

The halfling turned to his comrades "I suggest that we require the dwarves to split up in groups of twain or thraine and check the other exits of this area. A group should go to the workshops. Another should investigate the Forges. Yet another group should remain at these ancestral crypts in watch. If any of the soldiers should find or be ambushed by these creatures, they are to call for aid so we can ascertain the location of these creatures and attack them with superior numbers.

As for our group, I think that there are several places that we should search for ourselves. The chambers near the workshops and chambers near to the mines are such places that come to mind. Those islands upon the water might hide coves for Cloakers to hide in. We also may want to search the mines themselves for blood trails or somesuch. What say thee? Captain, what do you honestly think of this strategy"

The Halfling felt a little woozy. Being the most diminuitive of the party from Orussus, he had not imagined taking the mantle of command at all. But he swallowed and forced himself to think and to consider his companions' and the captain's comments, suggestions and criticisms. He kenw that these small groups were inviting danger, but it was a risk they had to take. If need be, he'd take a risk himself going alone or with one other party member to bait the cloakers into ambushing. But he felt more than a little trepidation at the thought of those shadowy things so he saved that proposal for last.