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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 184557" data-attributes="member: 143">Salthorae: doh!  That would be a perfect prestige class for Lok... only I've been preparing him to take another and he doesn't have the prereqs.  I could rearrange his skill set, I suppose.  Well, either way, Lok will continue to rock as he reaches higher level.  Look for more genasi goodness in the upcoming chapters, as the group gets in over their heads (again)...Speaking of which, here's the chapter I posted on the "test" boards today...* * * * * Book IV, Part 10The old dwarf’s name was Koll Wallbasher, and his garb, while intended to be ceremonial, was also functional, with a shirt of mail links forged from shining mithral and greaves of thick plate covering his arms and legs.  His eyes were all but lost within the forest of his thick eyebrows and the ridges of wrinkles born of centuries of hard living here on the edges of civilization.  But those shrouded eyes shone with a sharp cunning, and they measured the five adventurers who now stood before him in one of the small audience chambers that abutted the Council Hall under Citadel Adbar.        “Caer Dulthain—that be quite a hike, especially nowadays.  Take a good tenday, if not more, to reach the place.”Cal, once again serving as spokesman for the group, shrugged slightly.  “We’ve traveled longer distances, honored elder.” “So, yer set on this course, then, an’ nothin’ I be sayin’ be turnin’ yer way from it,” the old dwarf said to them, his fingers drumming idly on the surface of the stone desk in front of him as he spoke.  “Aye, sir, you have the way of things,” Cal said with a slight nod of deference to the aged dwarf.  Lok had only notified them of his decision to pursue the lingering question of the fate of his people that morning, obviously troubled even through the stony mask he normally wore over his emotions.  At first, he’d tried to insist that the choice was his, and so thereby the risk of the undertaking.  All of them had heard at least some tales of the treacherous Underdark, a place of shadows and secrets and dangers that the surface folk only whispered of even in the bright light of a sunny day.  Lok’s intent was to travel aboveground to Caer Dulthain, where he’d been fostered, rather than head directly into the deep ways that connected with the lowest levels of the tunnels under the dwarven citadel.  The genasi’s own knowledge of the Underdark came only from scattered memories, and he felt that the best place to start was where he’d first emerged upon the surface world, so many years ago.While he admitted that he had little more to go on than a few scattered memories and his dream-vision of the past night, Lok’s conviction in his new mission was absolute.  And thus his friends had made their decision unanimously, to join their companion as he sought out the truth of what fate had ultimately befallen his people.  “The Underdark is not a place to be trodden lightly,” Benzan had said, his own face darkening with some private memory of his own.  But even the tiefling insisted on joining the genasi on his quest, agreeing with Cal’s simple assertion, “You’re our friend.  Of course we’ll help.”Now they stood in audience before the elder dwarf, a senior member of the council that advised King Uhren Dunhammer, the current monarch of the Citadel and the tunnel city beneath it.  They had not revealed the full story to him, of course, only telling him of Lok’s desire to travel to Caer Dulthain, the place where he had fostered as a youth.“We don’t be havin’ much contact with the far settlements anymore,” Koll said to them.  “Fact is, we haven’t heard anythin’ from the neighborhood of Dulthain in near a year, now.  What we have been hearin’ is word of orcs, and ogres, swarmin’ through them mountains north of ‘ere like they haven’t since my grandsire’s time.  We’ve had a few run-ins, already, ‘tween them an’ our patrols, and they’re a tough lot, tough like stones themselves.”The companions exchanged a quick look.  For a dwarf to admit as much, particularly to outsiders, bore some significance, and they thought back to the ogres they’d encountered during their clash with the lamia sorceress.   “Fact is, even with the fruits of the Thunder Blessing, there just aren’t enough dwarves to man all the holds along the northern ranges,” the old dwarf went on.  “We’ve got to hold on to what we can…”  He trailed off, and they could see that his eyes were tired, worn down by long years of fighting to hold on to dreams once majestic and glorious, memories of a forgotten time when the dwarven race waxed great among the long-faded empires of the ancient past.  “Well, we’re not looking for trouble, but we’re prepared for whatever we might find on the journey,” Cal said after the silence drifted on for a few more moments.  The dwarf shook his head, and a hint of fire returned to his eyes as his thoughts returned to the present.  “Aye, good then, for yer like as not to find it,” he said.  “An’ since you’re goin’ to be makin’ the journey, then, maybe yer can be helpin’ us at the same time.”The companions exchanged another quick glance, and Cal said, “Of course, anything that we can do to repay your generous hospitality…”“Fact is, there’s more that we should be knowin’ ‘bout what’s been going on in the northern reaches than we do.  For a long time Adbar’s been considered the end of the road to most warmlander folk, and it saddens me to say that many dwarves been takin’ on that line of thinkin’ too.  Me, I’ve never been one to wait until yer enemies come knockin’ on yer door before yer start thinkin’ about ‘em.”  “Since yer goin’ that way anyway, I’d like yer to serve as scouts fer us, let us know what might be lurkin’ ‘round them hills up yonder.”  The ‘hills’ he referred to were the Ice Mountains, a harsh, forbidding range that put anything short of the Spine of the World itself to shame.“Of course, we don’t mind keeping our eyes open for anything that might threaten the dwarves,” Cal said, “but I’m not certain that we’ll be returning this way…”“I’ve done a little diggin’ on yer all,” the old dwarf continued, as if Cal had not spoken, “and it seems like yer a tough lot yerselves, or I’d not be askin’ for yer aid on this matter.  I’ve got someone I’d like to go ‘long with yer on this trip, another pair of eyes and a strong arm to boot.  Someone who can get word back to us, whatever yer find up there in them mountains.”Cal nodded.  “A strong dwarven warrior would be a welcome addition…”Koll snorted, interrupting him.  “Jerral’s not a dwarf, but a human, a tracker originally up from down yonder in the Silver Marches out by Silverymoon.  Fer a human, though, Jer knows the mountains, and owes me a favor to boot.”Cal looked back at his companions, to gauge their reaction.  Lok was clearly still thinking about the obligation laid upon him by his dream-vision, and Delem seemed distracted by some other concern, in fact barely seemed to be paying attention to the current scene.  Dana just shrugged, trusting the gnome’s judgment.  Benzan, however, had something to add.“It is convenient for you that we’re heading in the direction that you want us to go anyway,” Benzan said.  “What do we get out of it—other than mortal risk and great danger, of course.”The dwarf’s eyes glinted in the light of the room’s torches as he fixed them on the tiefling.  “Yer friend’s got a new hand,” he said, indicating Dana with a nod, “and yer weapons are better than they were.”“Meaning no disrespect, of course, but we paid quite handsomely for those favors,” Benzan shot back.  “And I’m sure Karroth enjoys his new blade very much.”“Ah, the bronze spell-blade.  Yes, the King does appreciate your… generosity… in providing him with such a fine weapon.” For a moment, Benzan appeared to be taken aback, but Cal stepped smoothly into the gap before he could make a retort.  “We are pleased that the King appreciates our gift.  In turn, since the road ahead will be difficult, as you so eloquently noted a moment ago, perhaps His Majesty might be willing to part with some equipment that would help keep us… intact?”The dwarf laughed, a gruff guffaw that filled the small chamber.  “Har, you’ve a silver tongue, gnome!  But I believe we can accommodate yer needs.”He reached into a drawer and tossed a small cloth bundle onto the desk.  It rattled slightly with the sound of metal clinking on metal.  He tugged one edge of the wrapping free and unrolled it, revealing several small items that gleamed in the light of the torches. “The rings are enchanted with an aura that provides protection against cold,” the dwarf said, indicating a pair of bronze rings each set with a single gleaming red stone.  “Should be useful, where yer goin’.”The dwarf next indicated a small amulet that dangled from a simple rawhide throng.  The design was of a hammer and forge, done in silver, set with a pair of blue azurite squares that sparkled in the torchlight.  “You’ll find this a potent boon,” the dwarf said.  “It gives its wearer the gift of sturdiness and sound health—and the toughness to take a few more hits to boot.” Finally, he pointed to the last item, a small and rather plain-looking flat stone.  With obvious respect for the thing he turned it over, revealing angular dwarven runes etched on the opposite face.  “This one’s a gift from our High Priest, and our highest gift.  Keep it safe, fer you’ll be wantin’ it should the need arise.”“What is it?” Cal asked.  “It’s a rune-stone,” the dwarf said.  “It stores a spell like a scroll, only it can be used by anyone who touches the runes and calls upon their power.  This one bears a potent magic indeed, for placed upon the chest of a fallen ally and its power invoked, it will summon him back to life.”The companions examined the stone in wonder, already familiar first-hand with the powerful magic that could raise the dead.  Benzan, however, was more pragmatic in his outlook.“Well, we’ll probably be needing that last one,” he said. “Your gifts are well appreciated, honored elder,” Cal said.  “We would be happy to undertake your mission as part of our upcoming journey.”“Excellent.”  The dwarf took a last longing look at the items atop the cloth, then rewrapped them and pushed the bundle across the desk toward the companions.  As Lok stepped forward to take it, the dwarf went on, “If yer ready, then, I’ll have Jerral meet yer on the morrow, at yer quarters, along with a dwarf who can show yer to a tunnel that’ll take yer to a trailhead that’ll speed yer journey.”“Thank you,” Cal said, with a final bow. As the companions left the audience chamber, Benzan chimed in, “So, who gets what?”</blockquote>

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