Dongle the Dungeoneeror--CLOSED--Adventure #52

[Gray Shade]

A bit insulted

The Grig took it with a wide grin, then frowned and, resting the bottom of the bottle (as tall as he) on the saddle next to him he held out his other hand. "Goblet? Am I barbarian Sprite? No. No, I am not barbarian Sprite."

He then put the back of his empty hand to his forehead and swooned. "You would see me drink good wine straight from bottle? Is this how you drink the good wine?"

 

[Lazlow]

Watch yourself, you little blue bastard, Dongle thought to himself (or so he told me, after this particular episode was over). He fished around in a saddlebag for a moment, then pulled out one of the silver wine goblets we had used at dinner the night before. Handing it to the sprite he said, "Here you go, my most civilized Sprite. Now. If you please...?"

 

[Gray Shade]

The Sprite gave excited little hops, but then almost dropped the bottle and the goblet several times trying to fill it before handing them both over to Dongle. "Please kind sir, you pour."

 

[Lazlow]

With a tight smile and knit brow, Dongle nodded and took the bottle and goblet in hand, pouring the remainder of the wine for the Sprite.

Now, I must say that it was fortunate that I was still under the Dryad's enchanted sleep, as my master informed me that he purposefully sloshed the wine in the glass, spilling a bit and feigning a bout of unfortunate clumsiness, merely to spite the Sprite. Had I been fully conscious, no doubt I would have slipped back under again at the loss of such an exquisite vintage as that.

 

[Gray Shade]

The Grig's Description of Black Keep

As Dongle poured wine into the cup, the creature motioned its hands palms up, saying, "Yes, yes! I'm small, but mostly stomach. You won't drown me."

Once it had the cup in its hands and had taken a few large (relative to the Grig's size) quaffs, it smacked and licked greedily at its lips. It smacked its lips again and literally waited to feel the wine's effects before smacking its purpled lips together one more time and leaning in close to continue to whisper.

“This is the good wine. Now you hear about Keep. I go there six moons ago. Seems to me that no one is there for long, long time, so I go in looking for pretty shinies. Above ground, I find nothing but entrance to underground levels, through damaged door, once was secret. There is nothing else above ground but stone husks of giant rooms, empty. Old kitchen: empty; barracks: empty; armory: empty. All empty so I go down many stairs on other side of used-to-be-secret-door, flying and invisible. I don’t trust those stairs, see markings near bottom-magic markings—they are affected. At bottom there is suspicious floor-there is trap. Also at bottom of stairs there is immense chamber, all dark. Hard even for me to see. If not invisible and silent, guard would have killed me.” He stood to bob his head up and down quickly. “Yes, yes! Guard--a roper in darkness-listening so hard I can hear him listening. Waiting to SNATCH! me up!”

“But I was invisible, and silent, yes. Very sneaky-like. I made my way down the chamber past the guard until I could see the far side, and there I see a little one, like me, but unnatural—not Fey. He had a machine in the wall, and was running metal ropes, very thin, under stones in floor and through the doorway out and down the hallway on the far side of that door. He is little and spots me when I get too close. He feels my wings as I looked through the doorway. Down the hall I see furniture, very nice. Very large and heavy and I see magic going on. But I am seen by the little one, whose bat wings beat leathery at the air and he comes after me, so I runs. I flies super-fast back out, past guard and up stairs and out. Little one does not follow after I leave Keep.” At this, the Grig turned his attention back to his wine glass and seemed to forget that he was having a whispered conversation at all.

 

[Gray Shade]

The Grig Pays a Compliment

He lifted the goblet with both hands and drained it into his mouth. He darted his long tongue into the cup and wiped at its bottom with his hands, licking his deep-red fingers. “Your wine is very good! Sprite-Father always say you can trust anyone with good wine.” He narrowed his eyes at Dongle and pursed his lips, dangling the cup in one hand by its rim, drunkenly. “I think he was right about you.”

 

[Lazlow]

"Yes, yes, your Sprite-Father is very wise indeed," Dongle replied, "and I can tell that you take after him in that respect. So, magically trapped stairs, ropers, and an imp, or perhaps a mephit of some sort... Hmmm... Do you know of any other entrances to the lower levels of the keep, my friend?" He asked this knowing full well that there were at least two other entrances according to our maps.

 

[Gray Shade]

The Grig looked up from the goblet in a daze. "Hmm? Other entrance? Don't think so. Where would other entrance be? There are many caves and hidey-holes in Twisted Forest, if the tunnel runs far enough, one of them could lead there. Is that what you mean?"

 

[Lazlow]

"Nevermind, nevermind. Alright. Is there anything else you can remember about the keep? Any rumors of what might be inside, perhaps, or tales of what might have happened? Anything at all would help."

 

[Gray Shade]

The Grig blinked its heavy eyelids in deep thought and then played with its lips. "Well, there's a tunnel that goes straight down through the stubby building where the tower used to be. Once, when I went back to the Keep after the time I just told you about, I went down there, and--Ah! There you are!" he said to the wineskin, suddenly noticing it still on the horse's saddle and managed to suck down a couple guzzles before my master grabbed it away. Wiping his mouth, the creature continued uninsulted, "Excuse me. Where . . . ? Yes. The tunnel went straight down to a shop with a lot of Giant tools and jars and powders, but the little one was down there, too. He seemed to have a nest in one of the cabinets, and he was sleeping in it. Exhausted from sorting parchment--he had many, many piles. I flew past him, invisible" here the Sprite turned himself invisible "of course, which was all fine until I opened the door and flew through. On the far side the air itself past the thresh-hold burned at my skin and eyes, and I was forced to run again. Never to go back. I have heard," he became visible again and leaned in close to whisper but didn't lower his voice, "that the dark Orc, Maurak'Gunar, now resides in that Keep. One is best advised to avoid it if for no other reason than that." The Grig stood up straight and nodded conspiratorially while slowly gyrating to keep his balance.

About this time, I regained my senses, and, coming-to in the awkward position of being held down by animated weeds, I was quick to mention my predicament to my master. The horses too were rousing, and the Grig, with a wave of the hand, dispelled the magic of the weeds, and I was able, with a hand from my employer, to stand. I quickly brushed dirt from myself, and whipped out my Rod of Butlery to clean myself. I ran it over my head and my hair slicked back, once over my waistcoat and those grass stains on my shoulder were gone. I felt better about the whole endevour immediately.

The Grig eyed my suspiciously. “Bugbear.” He stated simply.