Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Chapter 3 - The Imperials)

[Kobold Stew]

Danica will make no special preparations; she has what she needs, or so she thinks.

She will however find rtime to investigate the velvet bag, preferably in private. What were the things she felt at its bottom?

Depending on what she finds, she may wish to speak with the others before the journey begins.

She plans on bringing none of the men to the cave of the dwellers, but then, it is not her call.

 

[GlassEye]

Silas paces about the hall chatting with the Dorinthians and making certain that they get settled before he wanders off in search of a master of lore, a bard, or a Caernite scholar. His desire is to find someone who knows the lore and legends of the shield that might hint to the reason why the Tallione seek it. If he finds any information concerning the shield Silas will return to the hall and relay it to Dartis and any of his other companions who happen to be about.

Otherwise, Silas will eat, feed Thebu, rest, and review his spells.

 

[Ilium]

Chalik will try to get a few minutes with Lender to get his private opinion on the matter and make sure this whole expedition is something that the king will approve. He'll then ask formal permission to attach himself to the Dorinthian expedition. Assuming that all goes well, Chalik will make sure all his equipment is in order and spend the rest of the evening and night eating and sleeping as much as possible. No telling how much of either he'll be able to do in the coming days.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Danica
[sblock]
First, you remove a dulled short sword out of the bag, although it looks dented up and worthless to you. Next, you take out several rations of food, but they are now spoilt and also worthless. Finally, however, you do remove a large, round stone that is glowing with a cast continual light spell, which should be helpful as a light source.

The bag itself seems to be able to fit up to 250 pounds of equipment and a total volume of 30 cubic feet. Even when full, the bag weighs only 15 pounds.
[/sblock]

Silas

Most of the bards and sages are simply old men with good memories and a penchant for spinning good tales and asking interesting questions. However, you run into a venerable old dwarf named Steerfranz, who lives in a small hovel lit by numerous old lanterns that reveals rows upon rows of books. The old dwarf refuses money, but also refuses to answer your questions at first, insisting that you share a strong pipe and share a mug of stale ale which tests your constitution.

An hour of idle conversation passes before the dwarf suddenly gets up and pulls a book off the shelf, and points to a rough drawing of a shield laid upon a body. Steerfranz points to some of the words that are in dwarven and says, "The shield was said to be owned by the 'King of All Men', and it would definitely be a prize to the Emperor, who believes himself to be the leader of mankind, chosen by the gods. Also, the shield was supposed to bear the face of the human king who bore it, and the Emperor likely thinks that the face will be that of a Tallione man like himself, if I know how Imperials think."

Silas passes the information to his comrades.

Chalik
[sblock]
"Of course the king approves," Lender says over a shared jug of ale. "Although the 'King of Men' is a respected figure, he's still not a dwarf, nor is his shield a dwarven artifact. By helping the Dorinthians survive this, we make up for the debt, and if we can buy our own survival by giving up human metal, so be it. Our real worry, is that some of these creatures may attempt to get out once we open the seal. We'll be forming a defensive line to keep them in the crypt area, but be aware that if we don't hear from you after a few days, we'll have to assume the worst and reseal the passage so that we don't risk being overrun."
[/sblock]

After the night passes, you form up by the seal in the ancient dwarven crypts. A hand-picked mix of dwarves and Dorinthians stands ready with their weapons in order to engage any dwellers that may come out. The wheel on the great seal (that shows a battle-axe etched onto the surface) is turned counter-clockwise by two struggling dwarves, until finally it comes open on a hinge with the sound of rushing air. The passage stinks of stale air and mildew, but is about 10 feet wide, more circular than square, and descends at a gentle 2 degree slope into the darkness below.

The tense silence is broken by Kel, mumbling something about hating the darkness.

OOC: Light sources and party order? Kel will take the rear.

 

[Ilium]

OOC: Chalik won't be providing light (it won't even occur to him) but will have his blade drawn and ready. I'd like him to be near the front. If the way is narrow he won't object to being a rank or two back, though.

 

[GlassEye]

Silas looks a little burdened down by the gear that he has stuffed into his pack and strapped onto the outside of it. However, he shrugs out of the pack and unties the lantern that dangles from a strap on one side. Rummaging within the pack he pulls out a flask of oil and proceeds to fill and light the lantern. Once lit, he heaves his pack back across his shoulders grabs his staff in his right hand, the lantern in his left. Obviously excited about this trek despite its rumored dangers, he grins. "I'm ready. Now let's see if we can find this shield the Tallione are so desperate to get their hands on. Dwellers beware!"

 

[Fenris]

"It'd be nice to have Alexander here for this" says Dartis idly.

The last few days had been a whirl of activity. It seemed an eternity since they had been fighting the kobolds in the cave and yet not but a few weeks had passed. Fate too had been fickle promising ruin, delivering salvation, but with a cost. Where the gods and Fate would deliver he and his people yet Dartis did not know. But it had been on his mind greatly the last few days. What would they do after they freed them? Where could they live. Dartis had to shake himself several times to get out of such thinking. Right now his duty was before him, recovering that shield. That way lay their only hope of survival and so what came later would need to be left to thinkers like Silas and the future.

Dartis drew his sword and, once Silas lit the lantern stepped over the threshhold, into the barely lit darkness.

 

[Kobold Stew]

"My Lord," says Danica to Lord Dartis, distracting him from his thoughts, before setting out [OOC: or soon after, if we've begun]. "May I have a moment? In the cave where we found the bears, well, in all the confusion there wasn't time, but I wanted to tell you..." She breaks off here, because the information is coming too fast.

She pauses, and takes a deep breath.

"I wanted to tell you but there wasn't time. In the cave, I fouund two things that I wanted to tell you about. First, the caves went deep, milord. I posrted a guard at the time, but it may be that it is an access to somewhere else. I know not what, but I had a sense. The smell was overpowering, and the bears were keeping away casual visitors.... BUt that's not what I wanted to tell you. In the cave, I also found a velvet bag. I think it is magical, my lord. In it was a sphere of light--much like my torch, magical, to aid with seeing, and a sword. Milord, I should like very much to keep the bag, but I felt I had to tell you. I guess all I find is techically yours anyway."

She glances down, and then quickly up, her teeth emerging from behind her growing smile. Her eyes flash, and she finishes, pulling at the hair on her forehead, wishing it would grow to cover her face.

"My lord, I will follow you into these hills to retrieve the shield. I don't like going on a mission for the Imperials, but you know best, and you know affairs of state. But here are the items I found. I cannot use the sword myself, and I do not wish to be seen to be hoarding." She looks down and up, again. then, in a quiet voice, she adds, "For Dornithia."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

You converse quietly amongst yourselves as you delve deeper into the tunnels below. Your journey is uneventful, and it takes you several minutes to reach a chamber, roughly 40 feet in diameter. The tunnel continues north in front of you, but you also see another passage in this chamber that goes west. Around the north passageway you see arrows pointing upwards, while on the western passageway are designs depicting a blob with two tendrils. Both passageways continue a gentle downward slope.

 

[Fenris]

"Danica, it has been a hectic time so do not feel badly for having delaying in telling me. As for the bag. I have no lands, nor are you my vassal, so I have no claim on what you find from birthright. I am however at this time the captian and commander of what Dorinthian forces exist, baring Baron Dorin, and even then we are equals in title. As captian, I need look after all my forces. I see no reason then that the bag may not be kept by you as a spoil of war. Perhaps though you culd find a way to give a few coins to the families of the men who were wounded or killed by the bears. If, of course, we survive to find our way home again." replies Dartis.

"As for the magic stone, by all means employ it. Whatever we can do to banish the darkness will be a great help. I would be interested in examining the sword once we stop again, however. As for our mission, yes I know how you feel. I do not wish to aid the imperials, not even their vanities. But, in these times I must think of the survival of all my people, and not whether my own pride or dignity is wounded" Dartis adds sadly.

OOC: What direction do the tendrils extend from the blob? Upwards, one from each side, or from the bottom?