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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerakSpielman" data-source="post: 1147620" data-attributes="member: 7464">Session 2 (part 2 of 2)The tunnels twist and turn haphazardly, but this is terrain to which all members of the party are accustomed. Soon, they have found their way to the nearby road. This was one of the CanterWays, established by Canter, the famous cleric of Fharlanghn, in the years after the Descent. These roads were clearly marked, and free for the use of all travelers. Without the CanterWay network, the surface races would not have gotten back on their feet as quickly as they had. This particular road was established to connect the Human kingdom of Lower Silleria with the United Clans of the Dwarves. Canter made sure to run his roads through tall, open caverns, widening the way if required with his clerical magic. The companions can all see signs of heavy traffic, though at the time their tunnel intersects the road there are no other travelers visible. Turning to the north, they begin the long trek into Human territory, hoping they won’t be stopped and interrogated by patrols. The journey proceed quietly, with little conversation, except between Slash and Crystal, who spend a good deal of the time going over their weapons/acrobatics act in low voices. Though there is no day and night underground, or even on the surface these days, the companions are still slaves of their internal sleep cycles. Like all intelligent creatures, they had since childhood known instinctively when enough time had passed awake, and when it was time to sleep. Though the terms no longer had any meaning in terms of light and darkness, the time of rest was still referred to universally as “night.” And so the party spent their first night together in a small cave adjoining the main road. They did not build a fire, for wood was far too precious to burn. During the long chill of the sunless winter, travelers brought sacks of coal and braziers with them to heat their food and hands. Now, though, it was half a year before such precautions would need to be taken. It was almost stiflingly hot, and would remain so for several months without reprieve. It does not occur to the companions to complain about this, for this is the way the cycles of weather have been their entire lives. In the morning, they consume a scant breakfast of crackers, jerky, and strips of dried fungus, and continued on their way. They pass occasional travelers on the CanterWay, but there is no communication. A standard survival trait in the Underdark is, and always has been, to keep your nose out of other peoples business. They pass members of most of the dominant races, most traveling in groups of their own kind, and most also leading teams of pack lizards laden with trade goods. After another night and day of this sort of travel, the companions reach the Nexus. This is the one area of the Underdark where naturally occurring caverns provide easy access to all the different levels. Essentially, it was tightly-knit region of easy to travel vertical roads. The Nexus, the companions all knew, was the focal point of all inter-level trade, and by common custom, it was considered off-limits to hostility, even during times of war. The Nexus was far too important to the welfare of all civilizations to be jeopardized. Even long-standing racial enemies refuse to be drawn into any sort of serious conflict in the Nexus.The CanterWay skirts the edge of the Nexus, but goes close enough to provide easy access to cross-level travelers, and then turns sharply to the west, heading directly into Lower Silleria. The number of travelers the companions pass increases.Several days later, they are well within the sphere of influence of the Humans, but have encountered no annoying patrols of local soldiers. Soon, the Crossroads comes into view. The cavern is small relative to those housing most cities, and is dominated by three large buildings, a trading post, a huge inn, and a bath house. A small shrine to Fharlanghn is nestled off in one corner. A popular stop for many travelers entering and exiting the Human kingdom, the Crossroads can always be depended on to be crowded, if nothing else. The party, though, decides that they have no real reason to stop and presses straight through, continuing their journey.From here, it is a journey of several more days to the capital city of New Sillar, the greatest city in the Upper Underdark, according to the Humans. Again, the party elects not to stop, traveling by side tunnels around the city until they re-intersect the CanterWay on the other side, and continue their journey.Ten days have passed since their meeting, and the travelers are now nearing their destination: New Fifechester. Just when they are becoming certain that their journey was to be uneventful, they came under attack.Suddenly, stepping out from rocks and side passages, a troop of goblins surrounds the party. They’ve clearly been waiting for an opportunity when their victims would be alone on the road, and their purplish-green faces slaver with delight as they behold their catch. There are eight goblins total, each with a short bow leveled at somebody’s heart. They each have a short sword strapped to their belt as well. It is clear from their mannerisms that they do not expect a serious fight.Out of range of their darkvision, a hidden goblin calls out from behind the party, “You are outnumbered! Surrender, and we will let you live.”Strak grins, and wordlessly the companions pull out their own weapons, readying for battle. Somewhat surprised, the voice from down the passage calls again, “Have it your way, then.” An arrow flies from his direction, missing everybody so badly the companions are not certain for whom it was intended. More or less simultaneously, the goblins and their prey leap into action. Crystal and Slash fight side-by-side, nunchukus whirling with bone-breaking precision. Strak charges a goblin, thrusting with his rapier, and seems annoying when it misses cleanly. Zya fires her crossbow, wounding a goblin slightly. Beltana casts a spell, and one of the goblins nearest her, which no companion has yet engaged, falls instantly asleep.The battle continues without pause, more arrows flying from the hidden leader, and both sides taking heavy injuries. Beltana casts another spell, and a goblin turns and flees, but he returns moments later, eager to continue the fight. Zya is forced to stop firing her crossbow and go to the aid of Slash, who is fighting two goblins simultaneously and barely managing to avoid their attacks. Finally, Strak let’s out a shout of triumph as he cleanly impales his opponent, and Crystal, having flanked one of Slash’s goblins, hits it hard over the head with his nunchukus and watches as it crumples limply to the ground.With these developments, the tide of battle turns. The companions, no longer each engaged by an enemy, begin to gang up several to a goblin. Strak strides over and casually executes the one that fell asleep. Finally, when only two of the things are still standing, the leader, still hidden down the passage, shouts something and they turn and flee.“Like hell they’re getting away from me,” snorts Strak, taking off after them with blood dripping from his wounds.“Wait! Come back!” shouts Crystal, “Damn! I better go after him.” He follows Strak, leaving the others to clean up.Strak, with his short legs, quickly loses sight of the goblins, but not before he notices that the two survivors split up down opposite side passages, apparently to throw him off the scent. He laughs internally – apparently these goblins don’t know that hunting down and killing creatures is his specialty. This is fun! He turns down one of the passages, following a goblin.Crystal catches up with him, “Strak, they’re too fast. You’ll never catch them.”“I know what I’m doing. They must have a hideout nearby where they’ll return to lick their wounds. I intend to track them to it.” He continues dashing down the corridor and Crystal is unable to engage him in further conversation. Cursing, he follows.They arrive at an intersection, and Strak stops suddenly to examine the hard stone of the floor. He seems to take forever, but suddenly exclaims in triumph and takes off down the left hand tunnel. In spite of himself, Crystal finds himself getting caught up in the thrill of the hunt. As they come to another intersection, he doesn’t try to change Strak’s mind, knowing it will be pointless. Strak spends a very long time examining the floor, but Crystal, rather than getting impatient, begins to feel a sort of suspense. Would they find the goblins? How long would it take? Would they surprise them? It all seems suddenly very exciting to him.It takes Strak over an hour of examining the floor on his hands and knees, nose and eyes a fraction of an inch from the rock, to be sure he has picked up the trail. Finally, he notices a slight scuff, fresh, as if caused by a pebble lodged in a boot. He bursts into motion again, racing down the corridor with Crystal trailing behind.There are several more intersections like this, and the chase drags on for three hours – then four – most of the time spent at intersections while Strak patiently examins the surface, until finally the pair finds themselves outside a poorly made secret door. Even had the tracks not led to it, Crystal was sure he would have noticed it had he passed this way casually. It looks like it opens by simple pushing – no latch, catch, or key required. Grinning, Strak pushes it open silently and slips into the space beyond.The hallway continues straight in from the door for about twenty feet, then turns abruptly to the right. The flicker of torchlight can be seen. Crystal sneaks in behind Strak, amazed that they have actually found the hideout. Edging quietly forward, the two peek out quickly around the corner, glimpsing the other side briefly before withdrawing. The passage continues around the corner for about thirty feet and then opens into a small cavern. A torch is wedged in a crack in the wall at the entrance to the room. Crystal, whose darkvision is superior, can see a goblin in the room, keeping watch. He can’t tell if the goblin saw him, but there are no shouts of alarm. The pair move back to the secret door and put their heads together to converse very quietly.“What’s your plan?” asks Crystal, “I saw one on guard, but we know there’s another grunt and the leader in there. We can’t sneak in with that torch right there.”“I say we get their attention with a noise and kill whoever comes to investigate.”Without further ado, they try it. Strak makes a small, strange noise and the two ready their weapons and wait for an inquisitive goblin to poke around the corner. None appears. Strak makes the noise again. No response. Annoyed, he peeks around the corner again, and barely gets his head back out of the way in time to avoid three arrows aimed straight at him.“I think they know we’re here,” he whispers covertly to Crystal, “New plan” loudly, “Get ‘em!” and he charges around the corner.Cursing again, Crystal runs after, “Get ‘em? That’s your plan?”Another volley of arrows flies at them, one striking Crystal in the arm. Then melee is joined. The goblin leader is visible for the first time, bow in hand, short sword at his side. He looks healthier and tougher than the other goblins. He directs his underlings to attack with hand signals and aims his bow again, again at Crystal, but the arrow misses. The leader seems quite willing to let his grunts do the work of actually being in melee. As the fight rages on, he fires another arrow, hitting Crystal again.Weakened from their prior combat, the two companions are having a bad time of it. Focusing their efforts on one goblin at a time, they manage to bring them down, but then a final arrow from the leader lodges in Strak’s neck. Gurgling, he goes down. Crystal lunges at the leader, nunchukus whirling ominously, and the leader drops his bow and whips out his sword. The resulting battle is fierce. Bones break and blood flows. Crystal is injured nearly to the point of unconsciousness, but fights on. The two opponents are not evenly matched – the leader seems to have the advantage, and presses it ruthlessly, but Crystal, more thorough luck than skill fends him off and gives as good as he gets. Finally, it becomes clear that the next combatant to damage the other will be the victor, and the two battle furiously, knowing what is at stake. They both know they’re not going to die, they can’t die, but it turns out that the goblin is dead wrong. Crystal smashes the side of the goblin leader’s head with the nunchukus, and something cracks. The leader goes down, a look of astonishment on his face. Quickly, Crystal turns to Strak, still lying on the floor next to the goblin grunts, his blood mingling with theirs in a dark pool. He is still alive, and Crystal hurriedly binds the wounds. Once his companion’s life is no longer in danger, he searches the room.He is not disappointed. A small steel chest sits in the corner, overlooked during the action. It’s locked, but the dead leader has the key on him. Opening it, Crystal looks inside and smiles. These goblins must not have been totally incompetent raiders after all…Next, Session 3: The party arrives in New Fifechester, has a brief internal scuffle, and finds many important clues.</blockquote>

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