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<blockquote data-quote="xnosipjpqmhd" data-source="post: 3556532"><p><strong>The Locks Are Key To Finding Them</strong></p><p></p><p>It was dark when Oberyn knocked on the door outside Keygan Ghelve's modest lock shop, a two-story building of black stone dominated by a barred bay window displaying all manner of locks, fasteners, and containers.</p><p></p><p>"Shop's closed, friend," said a gruff voice from inside. "Come back after sunrise."</p><p></p><p>"We have important business to discuss," called Oberyn, "about the recent disappearances."</p><p></p><p>"I don't know anything about it," came the answer.</p><p></p><p>"We need your help regardless," said Oberyn.</p><p></p><p>After a brief period of silence, the heroes heard the sounds of various locks and chains being unfastened on the other side of the door. What greeted them on the other side had the features a dwarf, but his long legs made him the same height as Jack, Oberyn, and Tateland.</p><p></p><p>"Half a dwarf?" whispered Tateland to the others.</p><p></p><p>The smell of logs on the hearth and fresh pipe smoke wafted out to meet the heroes. They entered a cozy room with a burgundy carpet, two padded chairs, and a handsomely engraved mahogany counter. On the opposite wall were dozens--perhaps hundreds--of keys of all shapes and sizes hanging from tiny hooks. </p><p></p><p>Keygan walked slowly around to the other side of a tall counter, glancing furtively at the red curtain hanging behind it. "Please be brief," he said, sweat dripping from his brow. "I am very tired and must get some rest." His eyes shifted among the visitors.</p><p></p><p>"You made the locks for the orphanage," said Oberyn, "where the latest disappearances occurred?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes," admitted Keygan, "but that's not unusual. I've made locks for half the buildings in the keep."</p><p></p><p>"Do you know how these locks might be bypassed?" inquired Oberyn.</p><p></p><p>"I know no one who could pick them," said Keygan, in an offended voice, "if that's what you mean. Though, I suppose, anyone with access to a bit of magic could do it." Despite Keygan's tone of protest, the dwarf seemed to be signaling something to Oberyn with his eyes, motioning to the curtain behind him.</p><p></p><p>Oberyn sensed the meaning in the dwarf's odd gestures. He nodded and continued to ask hard questions of the locksmith, while simultaneously drawing his sabre as quietly as he could. Tateland limbered up his mace.</p><p></p><p>Keygan shot back with more objections and complaints, while using a concealed hand to clue in the heroes to something beyond--and above--the curtain. </p><p></p><p>Jack strode to the fireplace and transferred flame to his bullseye lantern. Then Jack, Oberyn, and Tateland approached the curtain while Keygan stepped out of the way for them, all the while denying any knowledge of the disappearances and complaining loudly about the lateness of the hour.</p><p></p><p>Jack parted the curtain. The room beyond was quite dark, though they could see that three chests stood in the centre of the room, a few tables and shelves lined the far wall, and a staircase rose along the left wall. The heroes crept in as quietly as they could manage in their metal gear. Jack kept his lantern covered, and Oberyn motioned to the staircase.</p><p></p><p>As they crossed the room, something thudded to the floor behind them.</p><p></p><p>"What the--" Tateland, bringing up the rear, spun around to see the outline of a figure rising up behind him in the darkness. He struck at it with his mace, landing a glancing blow to its shoulder.</p><p></p><p>Oberyn made his way around Tateland, picking his steps carefully among the chests on the floor. He poked toward the dark figure with his sabre. </p><p></p><p>Jack took a step or two onto the staircase and briefly considered leaping headlong onto their shadowy adversary, but he thought better of it, and instead opened the shutter of his lantern. The beam of light jumped around the room as he tried to focus on the struggle, giving the struggle an eerie, otherworldly feel. Once Jack managed to orient the light at the figure fighting with Oberyn and Tateland, he was taken aback by what he saw. The being was bald, grey-skinned, completely bare of clothing, hair, pigment, and gender.</p><p></p><p>The thing recoiled slightly from the light, and lashed out at Tateland with its rapier, scratching the priest's arm.</p><p></p><p>In retaliation, Tateland returned a solid blow, caving in the figure's androgenous face. It crumpled to the floor, oozing grey liquid.</p><p></p><p>"Oh, what have I done!" cried Keygan nervously as he peered through the red curtain. "They'll kill me for sure now."</p><p></p><p>"What is this creature?" demanded Oberyn.</p><p></p><p>"I know not what they are called," said Keygan, wringing his hands with worry, "but there are many of them, and others, too, shorter and with hooved feet. They took Starbrow a few weeks ago, and said that if I didn't make keys for them, both he and I would perish!"</p><p></p><p>Jack approached the dying grey-skinned figure with his lantern, as Tateland spoke a few words to heal his own wound.</p><p></p><p>"Where do they come from?" asked Oberyn.</p><p></p><p>Keygan pointed to a section of wall beneath the stairs. "They emerge at night from a secret entrance to the haunted halls of Jzadirune, sometimes with others--shorter ones with hooved feet. It is to that lost place they return with their captives, and it is where, I fear, they hold Starbrow."</p><p></p><p>"Who is Starbrow?"</p><p></p><p>"He is a rat and my companion," said Keygan, "He is very intelligent."</p><p></p><p>"How do you know they haven't already killed him?"</p><p></p><p>"Starbrow and I share a connexion. I can sense his fear and hunger, and they use him to taunt me."</p><p></p><p>Oberyn looked to the others. "Let's move this body in case others come."</p><p></p><p>Keygan led the heroes to his workroom in the back of the shop, as they dragged the bleeding creature by its feet. Meanwhile, Jack examined the rapier that had been wielded by the being.</p><p></p><p>Tateland pulled Jenya's note and showed it to Keygan. "We have pledged to find and recover the missing folk, and we have received this clue."</p><p></p><p>Keygan took the note and read it carefully, noting with interest the phrases "doors with teeth" and "malachite hold."</p><p></p><p>"What does it mean?" asked the priest.</p><p></p><p>"This may refer to the Malachite Stronghold. Before Cauldron Keep was occupied by men, it was a dwarven fortress. The Malachite Stronghold was the terminus of an underground highway, as well as a bulwark against attack from the denizens of the underdark.</p><p></p><p>"Above this lay Jzadirune, the workshop of the dwarven wizard-engineers of old. There they produced many wonders of magic and machine, until a sorcerous disease called the Vanishing began to infect their creations. In the end, they were forced to abandon the place.</p><p></p><p>"Zenith Splintershield and his clan reasserted their claim on the Malachite Stronghold over a decade ago, but he has since left on a quest, and those dark halls remain unknown to me."</p><p></p><p>"What about this part?" asked Tateland, pointing to the last line of the riddle. "Are you half a dwarf?" </p><p></p><p>"Bite your tongue, young 'un," scoffed Keygan. "I've no trace of human in my ancestry, thank you very much." Then he bent, unbuckled some hidden straps, and a now shorter Keygan showed the heroes the two stilts he had been wearing. "I prefer to see customers at eye level."</p><p></p><p>While the priest and locksmith had been talking, Oberyn had been formulating a plan. "The enemy will learn soon enough that they have been discovered. We must go down to Jzadirune without delay." He turned to Keygan. "You know the place better than we. You must lead us."</p><p></p><p>"I was only a small boy when last I trod those halls," said Keygan. "I remember hardly nothing, but I will go with you, if I can help undo this evil."</p><p></p><p>Tateland shook his head. "No, first we should let Jenya know about this."</p><p></p><p>"Very well," agreed Oberyn. "It would be best if we were fully rested anyway. Notify the priestess while we take turns watching the secret door to see if Keygan receives any more visitors in the night."</p><p></p><p>"It will only help for a while, but I can place a magical alarm on the portal," offered Keygan.</p><p></p><p>"I will return very soon," said Tateland.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="xnosipjpqmhd, post: 3556532"] [b]The Locks Are Key To Finding Them[/b] It was dark when Oberyn knocked on the door outside Keygan Ghelve's modest lock shop, a two-story building of black stone dominated by a barred bay window displaying all manner of locks, fasteners, and containers. "Shop's closed, friend," said a gruff voice from inside. "Come back after sunrise." "We have important business to discuss," called Oberyn, "about the recent disappearances." "I don't know anything about it," came the answer. "We need your help regardless," said Oberyn. After a brief period of silence, the heroes heard the sounds of various locks and chains being unfastened on the other side of the door. What greeted them on the other side had the features a dwarf, but his long legs made him the same height as Jack, Oberyn, and Tateland. "Half a dwarf?" whispered Tateland to the others. The smell of logs on the hearth and fresh pipe smoke wafted out to meet the heroes. They entered a cozy room with a burgundy carpet, two padded chairs, and a handsomely engraved mahogany counter. On the opposite wall were dozens--perhaps hundreds--of keys of all shapes and sizes hanging from tiny hooks. Keygan walked slowly around to the other side of a tall counter, glancing furtively at the red curtain hanging behind it. "Please be brief," he said, sweat dripping from his brow. "I am very tired and must get some rest." His eyes shifted among the visitors. "You made the locks for the orphanage," said Oberyn, "where the latest disappearances occurred?" "Yes," admitted Keygan, "but that's not unusual. I've made locks for half the buildings in the keep." "Do you know how these locks might be bypassed?" inquired Oberyn. "I know no one who could pick them," said Keygan, in an offended voice, "if that's what you mean. Though, I suppose, anyone with access to a bit of magic could do it." Despite Keygan's tone of protest, the dwarf seemed to be signaling something to Oberyn with his eyes, motioning to the curtain behind him. Oberyn sensed the meaning in the dwarf's odd gestures. He nodded and continued to ask hard questions of the locksmith, while simultaneously drawing his sabre as quietly as he could. Tateland limbered up his mace. Keygan shot back with more objections and complaints, while using a concealed hand to clue in the heroes to something beyond--and above--the curtain. Jack strode to the fireplace and transferred flame to his bullseye lantern. Then Jack, Oberyn, and Tateland approached the curtain while Keygan stepped out of the way for them, all the while denying any knowledge of the disappearances and complaining loudly about the lateness of the hour. Jack parted the curtain. The room beyond was quite dark, though they could see that three chests stood in the centre of the room, a few tables and shelves lined the far wall, and a staircase rose along the left wall. The heroes crept in as quietly as they could manage in their metal gear. Jack kept his lantern covered, and Oberyn motioned to the staircase. As they crossed the room, something thudded to the floor behind them. "What the--" Tateland, bringing up the rear, spun around to see the outline of a figure rising up behind him in the darkness. He struck at it with his mace, landing a glancing blow to its shoulder. Oberyn made his way around Tateland, picking his steps carefully among the chests on the floor. He poked toward the dark figure with his sabre. Jack took a step or two onto the staircase and briefly considered leaping headlong onto their shadowy adversary, but he thought better of it, and instead opened the shutter of his lantern. The beam of light jumped around the room as he tried to focus on the struggle, giving the struggle an eerie, otherworldly feel. Once Jack managed to orient the light at the figure fighting with Oberyn and Tateland, he was taken aback by what he saw. The being was bald, grey-skinned, completely bare of clothing, hair, pigment, and gender. The thing recoiled slightly from the light, and lashed out at Tateland with its rapier, scratching the priest's arm. In retaliation, Tateland returned a solid blow, caving in the figure's androgenous face. It crumpled to the floor, oozing grey liquid. "Oh, what have I done!" cried Keygan nervously as he peered through the red curtain. "They'll kill me for sure now." "What is this creature?" demanded Oberyn. "I know not what they are called," said Keygan, wringing his hands with worry, "but there are many of them, and others, too, shorter and with hooved feet. They took Starbrow a few weeks ago, and said that if I didn't make keys for them, both he and I would perish!" Jack approached the dying grey-skinned figure with his lantern, as Tateland spoke a few words to heal his own wound. "Where do they come from?" asked Oberyn. Keygan pointed to a section of wall beneath the stairs. "They emerge at night from a secret entrance to the haunted halls of Jzadirune, sometimes with others--shorter ones with hooved feet. It is to that lost place they return with their captives, and it is where, I fear, they hold Starbrow." "Who is Starbrow?" "He is a rat and my companion," said Keygan, "He is very intelligent." "How do you know they haven't already killed him?" "Starbrow and I share a connexion. I can sense his fear and hunger, and they use him to taunt me." Oberyn looked to the others. "Let's move this body in case others come." Keygan led the heroes to his workroom in the back of the shop, as they dragged the bleeding creature by its feet. Meanwhile, Jack examined the rapier that had been wielded by the being. Tateland pulled Jenya's note and showed it to Keygan. "We have pledged to find and recover the missing folk, and we have received this clue." Keygan took the note and read it carefully, noting with interest the phrases "doors with teeth" and "malachite hold." "What does it mean?" asked the priest. "This may refer to the Malachite Stronghold. Before Cauldron Keep was occupied by men, it was a dwarven fortress. The Malachite Stronghold was the terminus of an underground highway, as well as a bulwark against attack from the denizens of the underdark. "Above this lay Jzadirune, the workshop of the dwarven wizard-engineers of old. There they produced many wonders of magic and machine, until a sorcerous disease called the Vanishing began to infect their creations. In the end, they were forced to abandon the place. "Zenith Splintershield and his clan reasserted their claim on the Malachite Stronghold over a decade ago, but he has since left on a quest, and those dark halls remain unknown to me." "What about this part?" asked Tateland, pointing to the last line of the riddle. "Are you half a dwarf?" "Bite your tongue, young 'un," scoffed Keygan. "I've no trace of human in my ancestry, thank you very much." Then he bent, unbuckled some hidden straps, and a now shorter Keygan showed the heroes the two stilts he had been wearing. "I prefer to see customers at eye level." While the priest and locksmith had been talking, Oberyn had been formulating a plan. "The enemy will learn soon enough that they have been discovered. We must go down to Jzadirune without delay." He turned to Keygan. "You know the place better than we. You must lead us." "I was only a small boy when last I trod those halls," said Keygan. "I remember hardly nothing, but I will go with you, if I can help undo this evil." Tateland shook his head. "No, first we should let Jenya know about this." "Very well," agreed Oberyn. "It would be best if we were fully rested anyway. Notify the priestess while we take turns watching the secret door to see if Keygan receives any more visitors in the night." "It will only help for a while, but I can place a magical alarm on the portal," offered Keygan. "I will return very soon," said Tateland. [/QUOTE]
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