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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hippocrachus" data-source="post: 2819914" data-attributes="member: 14148">Following the Blood“The High Cleric wouldn’t want you going in there alone, Braggi!” the Justiciar veteran pleads to his half-giant commander, two heads shorter than the towering Tyrran. “Don’t let vengeance cloud your judgment!”“I couldn’t save my boy, but I can’t leave Hroar’s in there defenseless!” the giant man proclaims bitterly.“Hrolf is hardly defenseless, Braggi. Listen to reason.”“Send in the sell-swords to scout out the cave, at least,” another lieutenant adds. The ad hoc leader of the mercenary band scowls behind an armored faceplate at the lieutenant, obviously not happy about being the first in the cave.“That’s what we’re paying them for.”“Ye ain’t payin’ me fer to get the whole lot o’ me boys gutted and spiked like those poor souls in Silverdown!” the mercenary explains gruffly, pointing at the cave as if it were the bane of mercenaries everywhere. His dwarven features make his grizzled attitude all the more intimidating.“We’ll double your pay.”“Done.”The group of leaders exchange quiet nods and disperse among the camp to rouse the soldiers. Braggi looks to the veteran Justiciar next to him as the elven maid is escorted over to him with a resigned sigh.“You’re sure the Harpers had no idea?”“Enellienen didn’t even know Syrriel had returned to Silverymoon.”~ Dowkan ~“Gid up, ya louts!” Captain Grogor bellows over the sleeping heads in the mercenary camp situated a little ways away from the Tyrrans’. He puts a boot in Dowkan’s ribs, nudging him forcefully to consciousness. “The battle priests want fer us to explore the cave first. I’ll be double-damned if I’m to go inta tha’ devil-pit, so I’ll offer another ten gold to any who would!”He reaches down and grabs Dowkan by the scruff of his shirt, easily lifting the younger sell-sword to his feet.“Good lad. Who else o’ ya?” A few of the dwarves grumble suspiciously about Grogor’s generosity, but none would want the newbie warrior to go in alone, so a few hands raise reluctantly. “Get goin’ then!”Dowkan and the others breakfast on hardtack and gather their gear for the hopefully quick foray into the cave. At the entrance, a Justiciar guard hands out lighted torches for the dwarven mercenaries.“Drop them as you go,” he says. He must not be as ignorant about dwarves as they thought he was. “We’ll follow in twenty minutes.”The group moves into the cave, past a dead ogre in the first chamber, and into a much larger cavern complex beyond. One of the veteran dwarves starts issuing commands among the group and they split up to explore the side passages in parties of two or three.Dowkan and a gray-haired warrior nick-named Sunder move down a passage leading to the east. The sound of running water can be heard as they make their way up a sloping tunnel.</blockquote>

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