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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1201849" data-attributes="member: 6783">Further into the MinesIt was in the chamber of the Poached Egg the ambush occurred.  Kellron and the rest had delayed themselves too long searching the corpse of the ogre and looking in the side chambers.  That had given Tinsley and Caswell time to go get help.  Both Tinsley and Caswell were cousins and of the race of warrow, or halflings as the humans called them.  While quite friendly amongst their friends and family, neither halfling thought much of humans or their ilk and were not bothered by helping a band of humans kidnap others.  All they cared was that the coin was good and the job as lookout in an abandoned mine was easy.Caswell had been close enough to hear the assault on Fulnak and had quickly crept back to warn his cousin upon witnessing the attack.  Tinsley had then hurried as fast as his little legs could carry him to the mines below to warn the other mercenaries.  It didn’t take long for two of the brigands to make their way up while another one went to warn the boss.  Even still the two halflings and the two humans didn’t have much time to setup.  They were barely in position when the light from the torches came into view.The Cat was a huge, knobbed rock formation that in the dim, flickering light, looked very much like the head of a housecat.  The stone was the same brown stone seen elsewhere in the mine, but it was further crusted over with mineral deposits.Kellron and Ashimar were in front with Kestral and Jallarzi following and Panther was in the rear.  All had their weapons out (even Jallarzi had a staff in hand) and were anxious at the least little sound.  Their light was from the large, clear crystals that Kestral and Kellron wore about their necks – an enchanted, flicker flame danced in the heart of each crystal.Panther had the map in his hands, his elven vision allowing him to read in the dim light coming around Kestral’s body.  “The tunnel forks just ahead.”  He whispered.  “We want to go right.  Watch…” The twang of crossbow strings and the whistling of bolts cut off panther’s whisper.  One of the bolts shattered against Kellron’s shield but the second one clipped Ashimar low on the leg.  “Sarath!”  Called out Kellron, raising his sword high.  The attackers were hidden in the darkness just ahead, but that didn’t stop him from charging forward.  Ashimar followed just behind.  Another pair of bolts cut through the air before either of them saw their attackers; this time Kellron was just clipped while Ashimar escaped unscathed.Before another set of bolts could be shot however, Kellron and Ashimar made it to the narrow spot in the hallway, dominated with the mineral encrusted stalactites and stalagmites.  The two brigands had already determined that they didn’t have time to ready another volley and had drawn their swords, intent on using the stalagmites as cover.  Cautiously, Kestral, Jallarzi, and Panther moved forward trying to see how they could help.  Against the backdrop of steel and curses up ahead, none of them heard the quiet padding of soft boots on rock, coming from the side passage they had just past.“Take one alive!”  Shouted Kestral.  “Maybe we can learn something.”One went down under Ashimar’s blade at about the same time.  “Not this one.”  He commented.“Aaaahhh!”The shriek of pain came from Jallarzi who was trailing just behind Panther and Kestral now.  The half-elf sorceress was holding her side, a little stunned.  Both Kestral and Panther turned and saw a grim looking halfling standing behind the woman, holding a bloodied shortsword.Panther and Kestral reacted almost simultaneously.  Panther dropped his map, pulled out an arrow and let fly with his shortbow.  Despite the halfling being so close to Jallarzi, Panther hit – perhaps a testament to his elven heritage.  Regardless, the halfling did not drop though he did curse. Kestral maneuvered around her sorceress-friend and managed to flank the little backstabber.  The halfling managed to lash out at Kestral as she moved around him, but his blow didn’t land hard enough to cause significant damage.  Kestral used Jallarzi as a distraction however, and her return blow combined with Panther’s arrow nearly dropped the halfling.Jallarzi took a step back and fired off a pair of magic missiles at her attacker.  For a moment it looked as if the halfling was going say something.  Instead he dropped to the floor, his last thoughts unheard by anyone.There was a thud and a grunt of satisfaction from ahead of the three and they all turned to see Kellron and Ashimar standing over the crumpled form of one of the bandits.“Let’s tie him up and question him.”  Suggested Kestral.Fifteen minutes later the five companions made their way through the huge vault known as the grand cascade.  Ashimar spotted something moving along the cave’s ceiling, but it was not in their direct path so they gave it a worried eye and made their way down the dark shaft that connected to the lower levels.Upon waking, the bandit had willingly spoken on any subject they cared to name – sadly he didn’t know as much as they wanted but he had known more than enough.Their map of the lower mine was still good and with this defeat, the majority of the bandits were now defeated.  However there were still the leaders, and the bandit spoke of them with a hushed voice.  First was Shilek, a grand priestess of Tresh.  Shilek was strong, powerful, and decisive and no one dared cross her.Next was her lieutenant, Imrin.  The bandit spoke of him with considerably less fear.  He was a wart-nosed, grasping, bootlicker.Finally there was Ramors, their boss.  He was the leader of the mercenaries and it was his decision to work for Shilek.  He was strong and fast and it was the bandit’s opinion that the little group didn’t stand a chance.  Viewing their captive tied up on the floor before them, the group didn’t think much of his opinion.  Instead after a short lecture on the deserved fruits of evils from Kellron and Ashimar, the group promised to come back for him when they were done.It was only well after they were gone that a small dark shadow crept out from the side tunnel. </blockquote>

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