Fort Knocks - knight otu judging

[Kahuna Burger]

"Thanks for the advice. You seem to be quite an insightful guy" says Nodis with a smile. "You´re totally right: it´s none of your business."

the old man shrugs, untirely unhurt by the dismissal. "My business is helping people, and it does me no harm to speak. But let us talk of the undead, have you fought them before?"

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Around the time that the small party has run out of undead related small talk, a human man enters the shop. Karn waves him over as he says, "Davan, I told you my friends hubward would be able to find folks who could help us out! These fine fellows were put on the trail of our walking dead and will be heading to the mine soon! They have questions about the situation though, so have a seat and let us exchange knowlege to our mutual benefit!"

The man smiles a little at the half orc's enthusiasm and more broadly at the well armed group sitting at the table. "Thank you, friends, but I hope you have not come alone to fight this evil. I do not know how many of the abominations there are in total but even those I saw would outnumber you a score to one."

 

[Boddynock]

... even those I saw would outnumber you a score to one."

Eusebius nods gravely, then says, "Ah, but when the fire of life burns fiercely, the dismal decay of undeath cannot prevail. If we have courage enough, and a little luck, we will sweep the walking dead before us! Of course, it does help that there are another score of us making camp at the city's edge."

He smiles self-deprecatingly and adds, "Although I have not had much experience in actual battle against our foes, I am well trained in the techniques of their destruction. "And I burn with zeal to destroy any such destroyers," he thinks, "and to revenge my family and redeem my wrong."

"But tell us about the layout of the mine, and what manner of undead you have seen there. Tell us anything and everything - for who knows what may be of help to us in our quest!"

 

[Someone]

"Well, we don´t plan to take all of them down at once." says Nodis. "I believe they are fairly stupid, it shouldn´t be so difficult to catch them in small groups."

 

[dpdx]

Rurik could never understand why any self-respecting adventurer's group wouldn't gather where ale was served; perhaps there were more than one in this hamlet, where the rest of his group could be found.

Nonetheless, a visit with family was a sacred and precious opportunity, one that Rurik did not intend to waste. It was easier for him to unload in his native language, so Rurik spoke that way as much as he could, only stopping to pull on his ale every other minute.

"...so Lehrik and his crew followed the copper vein another quarter-mile down into the mountain, and after a week, they get to a vault pocket, and it had bodies, some of them still with meat on 'em. So Bim the hobbit gets sent back ahead to warn the War Council and the outposts, being the swiftest, and even then, that takes two days non-stop, so when he gets there, they've got to wait for him to catch his breath before he can even tell them what they found! Frankly, I'm surprised he only took that long, and didn't stop to stare at gems! And Lehrik can't tell dhaerow from derro when they're all torn up like that, what if they were children?

So by the time I was ready to come back, I had to get letter of marque from War Council to even leave the Hall to do this, and my folks are upset, and I don't have an earthly idea what I'm coming back to when I go back, but I do know the new clerics are set to trial about then, and I'll be damned if I'm not bringing reinforcements with me when I get there, especially since I promised the War Council I'd bring some people back with me to help out in case we needed it by then.

None of the others know it yet, and I still can't find Sturm. That guy - you'd like him - he could practically take care of that whole thing by himself with a cold waterskin and a sack of ore nuggets. He's East End - Down Thrusch, Gerwycht clan if you've heard of 'em. Uses a scythe.

There's bound to be trouble when you go that deep, is all I'm sayin'. And this thing we're doing here at that mine could be related to that. Yeah, I could see that easily - but if those killings were from undead, at least then we'd have some clerics back at the Hall we could turn loose on 'em!

I was gonna round up some friends and family, anyway, because it's usually one of the best feasts all year - well, I don't need to tell you about that, Brannam, you've been there, but still - now it's gonna be, 'Hey, guys! Wanna come back with me and beat up on some monster we don't know what it is? If you live, you'll get to feast!'

I don't know, Brannam... We'll see who sifts out of the separator in one piece, I guess.

Speaking of which, have they got some food in this joint?"

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Davan looks relieved to hear that the group comes with significant backup, and after grabbing a hunk of bread tells you what he can. "I was not in the group first attacked by these monstrosities, I imagine I wouldn't be speaking to you now if I was. But the crew was digging a parrallel shaft to try to get past the site of an old cave-in and see if there was anything to follow of the vein beyond that point. One of them made it out, running hell bent for leather and badly injured. He got everyone's attention around the time those things started pouring up out of the mine entrance.

"Things got a little crazy then - the guards on the wall weren't expecting to fight something already on the inside with them, and I think some of them were worried it could be a distraction of some sort and didn't want to abbandom their posts. These things kept coming out of the mine, and they just wanted to kill us. It was... well, it was awful.

"Tim, he's the one that made it out, he died on the trip here. He said that his team had started to cut back in to see if they were past the collapse area - wishful thinking really, should have been too soon to get past a serious bad patch - and they broke into an open space. They figured it was a continuation of the old tunnel and opened it up some more, but then these things started pouring out of the hole they made, and attacking them...."

He takes a long drink of the wine, obviously emotionally exahsted by the recounting. "As for the kind of things they were - well, I'm not expert on the walking dead, but they seemed to be two different types. There were these ones that seemed to be nothing but bones, and they scuttled around right quick and slashed at us with these bony claws. Then there were other ones that were more solid, and smashed at people with their fists. It was all so strange though, I don't know what to tell you other than that."

 

[Kahuna Burger]

In the bar, Ruriks cousin listens to his recounting with a combination of interest and regret that he has ranged so far from those clansmen who may need him. When Rurik mentions food, he grins. "Of course, of course. I'll tell you, on this mine business, I'd hate to see you go in blind. Most of the refugees have moved on, but I think one or two are still staying with the" he turns and spits on the floor "Apothacary on Twin Street. Be careful if you wanna go see him though, he's an orc-blood he is. They say he's a good one talks all about the brotherhood of all mortals and some such tosh, but I say he's just not been found out yet..." He rambles on a bit more on the theme of tainted blood and how it will invariably show, and after his time of enforced diversity at the Red Dragon, Rurik is vaguely reminded of the phrase, "you can't go home again".

 

[Someone]

Nodis listens with his eyes wide open. "Aha. Now, it´s clear what it happened. Some witch or warlock created zombies and walking bones in that cave, but a cave in sealed them who knows how many years. The miners cleared the tunnel, and we know what happened then."

"Do anyone know of such wizard? Any old tale?"

 

[Boddynock]

Brother Eusebius nods at Davan's story, his eyes darkening with remembered pain at the recitation of fear and slaughter.

"Yes, it sounds like Nodis is right - skeletons and zombies would fit your description of the monstrosities you faced. There could be other types of undead, of course - it's always wise to be cautious. Still, we know what we are likely to face initially, and we can begin to plan accordingly."

"So, friend Davan, what can you tell us of the layout of the mine. Are there areas of limited access? Are there long, uninterrupted tunnels which we might use to our advantage? Zombies are slow, so the best approach might be to stay ahead of them. Anything you can share with us about the topography of the place would be greatly appreciated!"

Eusebius turns to Karn and asks, "Have there been any sightings of these creatures outside the mine complex? If not, it may be that they are staying close to the place of their creation or their final deployment. On the other hand, there may still be an intelligence directing their actions (for they are not themselves intelligent), although the question remains as to just why that intelligence didn't act to break out sooner. Well, we cannot know the answer to that until we have explored further."

Turning back to Davan, the monk asks, "What of the settlement? Can you draw us a plan of the buildings and their layout? And is there some way to enter secretly - just in case there is a governing intelligence which has these monsters manning the walls?"

 

[dpdx]

"Of course, of course. I'll tell you, on this mine business, I'd hate to see you go in blind. Most of the refugees have moved on, but I think one or two are still staying with the" he turns and spits on the floor "Apothacary on Twin Street. Be careful if you wanna go see him though, he's an orc-blood he is. They say he's a good one talks all about the brotherhood of all mortals and some such tosh, but I say he's just not been found out yet..."

"Now, Brannam, people can't help what they are. We don't know, the poor sod might be trying to make the best of it, just like the rest of us. So once we've had a proper meal, maybe I'll go over there, check up on my folks and find out what they know."

Rurik flashes a grin at his cousin.

"An' if he try ta make a move on me, 'ow 'bout I knock 'im on his arse! Yarr-har!"

Rurik enjoys a laugh at this. Immediately afterward, he turns to face the bartender.

"Two o' yer best meals, wif' some meat on 'em!"