The Knight opened his mouth to answer Eli when something perked his ears up. Dermond heard the sound of speedy footfalls echoing through the tunnels and readied his warhammer and shield, "Who approaches?" When his challenge was answered it took Dermond by surprise and he turned to Eli, "Bob?"
The Iron Warden finally understood what Lya was shouting and turned to Eli, "Oooooooh. Bomb " He knocked on the side of his helm and rolled his eyes at his goof. A second passed and Dermond's brow creased, "Oh...bomb...."
The knight's eyes widened and he looked down at the rolled up parchment he'd stuffed halfway up his gauntlet, "Oh, bomb!" He grabbed Eli's shoulder and turned him towards the exit, "Get out of here and let them know they need to evacuate the Barracks!" Dermond pulled the parchment out and forced it into Eli's chest before turning and heading back the way Lya had come in search of Rho and Helena.
Eli, being no hero, starts running toward the door, taking care to grab hold of the doorframe to negotiate the slippery gunk outside.
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BaronSamediSame dude as yesterday.The AlamoRegistered Userregular
First the Fey, and now the warpriest. I'm no daft bastard, the blackguard thinks as he takes off at a sprint, following the direction back to the main chamber.
"Have you ever noticed that their stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff?"--George Carlin
He rounded a corner and the two collided, making a sound not unlike pots and pans being thrown down a stairwell. Dermond grunted and seized Helena by the shoulders to push her towards the tunnel's exit while talking quickly. "The mage and I were rummaging through the creatures' leftovers and found a map that indicated they're planning some sort of attack on your Barracks. Your healing skills may soon be in demand," the knight was behind her with his hand on her back urging her to keep moving.
The pressure on Helena's back increased after Dermond heard about a bomb, "I thought this was supposed to be a simple mission to clear out the training grounds!"
The adventurers dash out of the tunnels, sliding down the steps haphazardly. An echo of thunder rumbles through the caverns. Black smoke billows out of the door and the slinger's perches north and south. Dermond is the last to leave, ensuring each of his allies safety before his own. He turns for a moment, looking back into the tunnels they had bloodied with both their own and that of the kobolds. Even as the halls are filled with the black smoke, Dermond sees Mangler limp into a hidden tunnel with Blighter over his shoulder. The black smoke leaves an oily sheen on the stone and a fog like mist in the air. The kobold warrens were then illuminated from within and fire came rushing towards the Knight like the angry orange flames roaring out of a dragon's maw. Dermond leaped down the stairs, taking them two and three at a time. He threw himself at his allies, knocking them down as the flames washed over them. The scorching heat was unbearable, but it only lasted for an instant.
Congratulations... welcome to Level 2. You also lose two healing surges. If you don't have any healing surges left, you take 1d10 fire damage for each surge you're short.
SkyCaptain on
The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
Eli stands up, patting out any smoldering patches on himself, or on Dermond's back. "That was... dramatic."
He handed the map to Helena. "Dermond found this, and we think we should get it to your superiors as soon as possible. Can you guide us back to the city?"
down to 3 surges out of 6
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
Pulling herself out from under Dermond's armoured bulk, Lya cried out in pain, blood streaming from her nostrils. "Aah, damn why did you- wait a second" Tenderly stroking the bridge of her nose, she found the blow had miraculously realigned the bone. "Hah! Cheers hume!" she beamed at the warden, clarifying "Oh, and for the saving from the explosion thing as well."
Dermond stood and helped Lya to her feet, "Yes, and it seems to have straightened out your ability to speak Common as well."
The Warden rolled his neck around to work a kink out and inspected everyone, "I'm sure this isn't what everyone thought they were getting themselves involved in but you all did admirably. I'll speak with the Knight Captain of the Guard about an increase in compensation; if not coinage, then perhaps I can requisition weapons or armor to aid in our fight."
At this point the Knight was pacing in front of the assembled party much like the first time he addressed them, "If you wish to end your involvement now, I understand. However, before the bomb detonated, I believe I saw the leaders of the creatures escaping. I, personally, will not rest until they're dead at me feet and I'm satisfied that whatever their plans do not come to fruition, whatever they may be."
Eli frowned. "Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, friend, but I don't think that now's the time to go chasing after kobolds. We have some proof here that the city may be under attack, and our first duty is to let the Guard know what we found. We don't know if those two are in charge, or just henchmen, and time we spend chasing them is time that the Guard is being left unawares, when other plots may be afoot."
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BaronSamediSame dude as yesterday.The AlamoRegistered Userregular
edited August 2011
"My blade is not yet wet. Our task was to clear the tunnels. Maybe the weka would like to return to the safety of the city where he can stick his nose back in his books, but we haven't completed our task. The vermin should be chased and ground to meal beneath our boots." Rho holds the steel spike and crescent limply in his hand. "Cullain does not favor us. We must not break the oath we made. His disfavor would only grow stronger."
6/12 surges. 25/35 hp
weka: [parnardian] A mage, scholar, or sage. Also a term among the mercenary companies to denote weakness or cowardice.
BaronSamedi on
"Have you ever noticed that their stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff?"--George Carlin
"Warden Dermond...sir...I'm sorry, but...Eli is right. I have a duty to the people, I can't ignore that responsibility to go settle a grudge. As much as I want to see those monsters brought to justice, my first priority is to keep people safe. I won't abandon them."
She walks over to Eli, giving the mage an approving nod.
Eli thought it over. "I don't want to waste time arguing, they can't have gotten far in their condition. If you want to try finding them, we can help, they can't have gone far. We can all search for them together - assuming the tunnels are still passable."
"But if we can't find sign of them soon, we need to call off the search and head back to town." He looked back and forth at Rho and Dermond, trying to gauge their reactions. "Fair?"
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
Lya straightened, pulling the subject away from her sudden grasp of common. "Ohoho no. I'm not going back in those bomb-filled tunnels anytime soon. It's probably crumbling as we speak! 'Sides, we should really warn er, the guards and- what was it we were warning them about now?"
"I do not disagree that the Thunder Guard need to be made aware of the plot against them. Healer," he nodded to Helena, "you'll be in charge of talking to the Guard. I will speak with my superiors in the Iron Wardens. If they're trying to take out all capable defenders of the city, our forces may be targetted as well. I will rejoin you where we first assembled and we can figure out the best plan of action from there."
Rumbles emanated from the tunnel entrance, as more collapsed and rock dust spewed out.
"Unless we brought picks and an ox-cart, I think the decision about whether or not to pursue just got made for us," Eli said.
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BaronSamediSame dude as yesterday.The AlamoRegistered Userregular
Rho lets out a small cough and dusts rubble from his pauldrons. The blackguard looks back at the now fully collapsed and covered tunnels and squeezes his axe tighter. "The cowards are lucky." Hanging the axe and the steel holy symbol from his belt, he says: "We best be quick then."
"Have you ever noticed that their stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff?"--George Carlin
Years of training allowed Dermond to maintain the pace somewhere between jogging and running that carried him to the Iron Wardens' encampment on the edge of the city. The Knight stopped in front of the Commander's tent and stood at attention, "Sir! Dermond Ewald reporting back from assignment," Dermond spoke hurriedly, "I have information that requires your urgent attention." Dermond's haste did not go unnoticed by the other knights and a number of them began to slowly gravitate towards the tent of the Commander.
The tent's flap was pushed aside and the knight brought his gauntlet to his breastplate in salute. Dermond kept his eyes straight ahead, "Sir. I reported to the Thunder Guard's tower as ordered. I was tasked with leading a small force into former training grounds that had been overrun by creatures called Kobolds. The force consisted of a female Hume medic, a male Hume mage, a male Hume warrior, and a female Fey archer. We encountered stiff resistance and a number of traps left by the creatures; we severely wounded two of the creatures that seemed to be in a commanding role, but we could not capture them. The mage and I separated to chase one of them but it escaped with the help of what the mage referred to as magical flame. I found a map that belonged to the creatures that suggested an attack of some sort on the Thunder Guard, and shortly thereafter we were forced to flee the tunnel due to a large bomb that was set to detonate and collapse the tunnels."
Dermond paused momentarily, "I sent the Guard's medic to warn her superiors and I thought it best to warn you as well. The creatures are cunning and hard to anticipate."
The commander furrows his brow and sits silently for a moment. Briefly, he almost looks like a weathered stone statue, more kin to the Earthen than Hume. "A bomb? This bears further investigation. The kobolds, while I agree they are devious, are not this ambitious. There's someone else behind their attack. Go back to the Thunder Guards and do whatever you can to aid them. I will contact my resources within Underdeep's factions and see what else we can discover. Good work Knight Ewald. Your shield looks a little worse for wear. I'll requisition a new one for you out of the armory. Dismissed." Commander Bowden goes back to shuffling through the sheaves of paperwork scattered across his desk.
The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
"Yessir, thank you, sir" Dermond bowed his head, saluted, and turned on his heel to exit the tent. Once outside he took up the comfortable run and headed towards the Thunder Guards, hoping it would still be there when he arrived.
"Dey used da bomb?" Blighter rasped angrily as he limped beside Mangler. The kobold wyrmpriests vestments were scorched, ripped, torn, and shredded. The scaly creature's hide didn't face much better. His voice had become a painful rasp, thanks to the arrow of that Fey marksman.
"Slinger set it off," Mangler explained. His armor fared little better than Blighter's and he had lost one his short blades in the mad scurry to escape the death trap. "Humes and that Fey bitch escaped. Better hope dey not found da maps in time or da Queen will have our heads."
"And what's left goes to her pets," Blighter frowned. The two kobolds continued their fevered escape, silently agreeing that perhaps it was better if they were thought dead.
SkyCaptain on
The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
"Hey, Tony," Eli smiled at the crew foreman as he walked into the yard. "How bad do I look?"
"Remember the time that Gerlach's gang got a hold of you?"
"Yikes," he winced. "I guess I'll clean up before seeing the old man. At least I gave better this time."
"It was kobolds, right? How many were there?"
Eli thought back. "At least a dozen. Dug in, too."
"Yeah, those little bastards on an ambush is one thing. Rooting them out is something else."
"Yep."
"Well, it's over now. Glad you're back."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, Dad," Eli said as he walked into his office.
The two of them exchanged pleasantries, and Eli recounted most of what happened with the kobolds.
At the end of that, he said, "There's something else, Dad. It turns out this isn't just about these kobolds, because we found a bomb, and maps of the city. There may be something bigger going on, and I'm sure the Guard is going to investigate."
He took a deep breath and continued. "With your permission, I'd like to stay involved, helping with the investigation however I can. I don't know where it will lead, or how long it will take, but it feels important to me to see it through."
He stood quietly and waited for his dad's response.
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
"Look, I've got it on good authority that the Thunder' is gonna be tied up with much bigger fish than a few peep-dealers. This is a safe deal." Lya tapped her foot involuntarily as she stooped to whisper to her earthen friend. Dorik's rough features crinkled as his brow raised toward the fey.
"Safe? We're talkin' about guard peepers here, not some hume's jewellery. I get caught with these I've got no excuse- least you can put on an accent." The earthen sighed. "Your mum know about this?"
"Does yours?" Lya snapped. She wanted to forget the horror in her parents eyes when she'd walked in battered and covered in dust and... whatever that green stuff was.
"Alright, very funny. Look, I can trade those goggles you were eyin' fer em, that's best I can do. Take it or leave it 'Shanna."
"Uff, fine. But next time I'm goin' to Deller, least he can pay in coin, not trinkets."
Lya wore a satisfied smirk as she walked away. Dorik always knew just what to 'acquire' for her.
Eli's father listened intently about the kobolds, taking notes on the margins of whatever documents happened to be in front of him at the time. By the end of the story, he had over a dozen bills of lading, inventory records, and shipping manifests covered with his quick notes.
"I don't know about helping out the Guard, son," his dad began. Eli jumped in and explained how much knowledge they had gained that the other factors and merchants didn't have yet, pointing at all the notes his father had taken.
"I really do feel it is important that I see this through, father." The young Mage stood quietly and waited as his father pondered. His father scratched at the shadow of a beard along his jawline, pale skin pocked with scars from his youth.
"I suppose this information is invaluable," his father began, "but if you go and get yourself killed, your mother will have the clerics resurrect you just so she can kill you again. Better take my old armor. It'll provide some protection for you and will make your mother feel better."
The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
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BaronSamediSame dude as yesterday.The AlamoRegistered Userregular
Rho lit the four blue candles that were on the wooden plate. Each candle gave off a near black, lightless flame. The plate sat in front of a small wood carved statue of a man holding an eccentrically curved sword aloft. Rho circled the steel crescent and spike in front of his eyes, touching his forehead and the wood floor of his room where he knelt before placing the steel holy symbol on the plate, each point touching one of the candles. The blackguard bent further in supplication, placing his forehead on the floor.
"Cullain, dark rider, black horse, the master of cruelty, champion of Voran and Lormal, your servant, Rho Dramon, descendant of Sulus Dun and the kin of the Sisters of Dusk, calls to you. I have fallen from your graces somehow. I seek some sign. Whatever debt I owe, whatever slight I have given, must be repaid. Faithful servant that I am, I vow ten times whatever you ask." Rho raised his head from the floor. The candles winked out one by one, though there was no breeze in the small room nor did the blackguard make any move to extinguish their flames.
Rho watched the candles go out with apprehension. His face a mask, he stood and put on clothes that resembled the rough and tumble crowd that populated the common room of the inn below, and made his way down the stairs.
The smell of the stew that Forlan's wife had prepared for the evening serving greeted him. He made his way to the bar, and took up his normal spot. The faces of the regulars were turned just so far as to pretend to not see the tattooed Panardian, looking a little worse for wear.
Forlan nodded in greeting, but said nothing. The earthen placed a bowl in front of the Hume and a mug.
Rho ate the meal quickly, surveying the room as he did so. "Forlan, I need to know what you know of the cowards who inhabit the tunnels. The short ones. The kobolds. They called themselves the Crimson Claws."
"Have you ever noticed that their stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff?"--George Carlin
"By the gods, Helena...are you absolutely sure this is legit?"
Helena stood before her superior, Captain Chandler, the map found in the warrens spread out over the table in front of them. Sullenly, she affirms the situation with a slow nod.
"Yes, sir...this was found down in the warrens, at the same time as a bomb that brought the whole place down on top of us. I'm afraid that if they had one bomb, they may have more ready, and may attempt to use them on the barracks."
The Captain hunches over the table, then shakes his head.
"Hellfire Bombs...damn it all."
Helena slumps her shoulders, looking ashamed.
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Sorry? What for?"
"I was supposed to clear those vermin out of the warrens, and instead I let them obliterate it. I failed...whatever punishment I receive, I deserve it."
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Chandler places a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward to look into her eyes.
"You did fine, Helena. Going by your report, you did exactly what you needed to do: you kept your team alive. Forget about the warrens."
"but..."
"Good job. I need to spread the word about this right away. You just went through a stressful mission, you need to wind down. Get some rest."
"With all due respect, sir, I'm needed..."
"We'll manage! This is an order. I'll call for you when you're needed."
Helena didn't like it, but she respected her Captain enough to grudgingly obey.
"Yes, sir...thank you, sir."
Helena salutes, the turns to exit. As she leaves, Chandler turns to his aide standing beside him.
"That new item we recently acquired...see that Miss Milner gets it. It'll be put to good use in her hands."
A few days pass as you recover and recuperate from your ordeal in the training warrens. It takes that long just to clean out all the hardened green goop from your armor. Meanwhile, agents within crime syndicates, the Thunder Guard, and the Iron Wardens quickly gather information about the Crimson Claws and the revelation of the Hellfire Bomb plot against the Thunder Guard. Early on the first of September, Commander Graeme has sent runners to invite you all to Stormwatch Hall, the headquarters of the Thunder Guard in Underdeep. The runners wait for you to get ready and will lead you to the keep.
OOC
Stormwatch Hall
Stormwatch is a medium sized keep within the city of Underdeep, built atop the center-most of the Wavebreaker Isles and is part of the walls that guard the Grimstone Harbor from the pirates and other naval threats of the Eternal Sea. The keep itself extends three stories above the thirty foot wall. The wall and keep are massive, carved granite blocks, shaped by the Earthen over hundreds of years with a shape of boulders and waves crashing against them for the first ten feet. The remaining height of the wall is smooth with no handholds. Entrance to the keep is gained through heavy iron portcullises on the east and west ends of the isle. A smaller stone wall encircles the harbor-ward side of the isle, creating a courtyard for training maneuvers and parade ground ceremonies.
You'll be escorted through the gates and into the keep itself and then led upstairs to a large meeting room. The walls are lined with bookshelves, nautical maps of the eternal sea, sheaves of maps of the surrounding tunnels and and several sets of armor on display. Commander Graeme will be sitting behind a large oaken desk (very rare this far down in Darkhollow).
SkyCaptain on
The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
Eli followed the Thunder Guard runner back to Stormwatch, sometimes steering them down streets where he might be seen and impress the right people. Having never seen the keep this close up before, he gawked and gazed at the battlements. Ushered into the main hall, he nodded politely at the commander and then just hung out, waiting for the others to arrive.
OOC
Eli is in his armor and carrying his staff. If the runner told him to be ready to travel, he brought his pack, too.
He will spend his time until others arrive either looking at the maps, to see which tunnels he knows, or speculating about the market value of the Commander's desk, and whether it would make more money broken up for parts.
Posts
Helena bolts out of the room as fast as she can, heading the way she thinks Dermond and Eli will be.
My Let's Play Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2go70QLfwGq-hW4nvUqmog
"So what do you think they're going to do with these tunnels, now that we've cleared them?" he asked Dermond.
"Wait! Where are the others?" he thought for a second, "Did Bob get them?...or Ron?"
The knight's eyes widened and he looked down at the rolled up parchment he'd stuffed halfway up his gauntlet, "Oh, bomb!" He grabbed Eli's shoulder and turned him towards the exit, "Get out of here and let them know they need to evacuate the Barracks!" Dermond pulled the parchment out and forced it into Eli's chest before turning and heading back the way Lya had come in search of Rho and Helena.
Helena shouted as she ran through the warrens, hoping to attract the attention of her comrades.
My Let's Play Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2go70QLfwGq-hW4nvUqmog
"The three of us...we found a bomb! I think...I think it's about to go off!"
My Let's Play Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2go70QLfwGq-hW4nvUqmog
He handed the map to Helena. "Dermond found this, and we think we should get it to your superiors as soon as possible. Can you guide us back to the city?"
The Warden rolled his neck around to work a kink out and inspected everyone, "I'm sure this isn't what everyone thought they were getting themselves involved in but you all did admirably. I'll speak with the Knight Captain of the Guard about an increase in compensation; if not coinage, then perhaps I can requisition weapons or armor to aid in our fight."
At this point the Knight was pacing in front of the assembled party much like the first time he addressed them, "If you wish to end your involvement now, I understand. However, before the bomb detonated, I believe I saw the leaders of the creatures escaping. I, personally, will not rest until they're dead at me feet and I'm satisfied that whatever their plans do not come to fruition, whatever they may be."
weka: [parnardian] A mage, scholar, or sage. Also a term among the mercenary companies to denote weakness or cowardice.
"Warden Dermond...sir...I'm sorry, but...Eli is right. I have a duty to the people, I can't ignore that responsibility to go settle a grudge. As much as I want to see those monsters brought to justice, my first priority is to keep people safe. I won't abandon them."
She walks over to Eli, giving the mage an approving nod.
My Let's Play Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2go70QLfwGq-hW4nvUqmog
"But if we can't find sign of them soon, we need to call off the search and head back to town." He looked back and forth at Rho and Dermond, trying to gauge their reactions. "Fair?"
"Unless we brought picks and an ox-cart, I think the decision about whether or not to pursue just got made for us," Eli said.
Dermond paused momentarily, "I sent the Guard's medic to warn her superiors and I thought it best to warn you as well. The creatures are cunning and hard to anticipate."
"Dey used da bomb?" Blighter rasped angrily as he limped beside Mangler. The kobold wyrmpriests vestments were scorched, ripped, torn, and shredded. The scaly creature's hide didn't face much better. His voice had become a painful rasp, thanks to the arrow of that Fey marksman.
"Slinger set it off," Mangler explained. His armor fared little better than Blighter's and he had lost one his short blades in the mad scurry to escape the death trap. "Humes and that Fey bitch escaped. Better hope dey not found da maps in time or da Queen will have our heads."
"And what's left goes to her pets," Blighter frowned. The two kobolds continued their fevered escape, silently agreeing that perhaps it was better if they were thought dead.
"Hey, Tony," Eli smiled at the crew foreman as he walked into the yard. "How bad do I look?"
"Remember the time that Gerlach's gang got a hold of you?"
"Yikes," he winced. "I guess I'll clean up before seeing the old man. At least I gave better this time."
"It was kobolds, right? How many were there?"
Eli thought back. "At least a dozen. Dug in, too."
"Yeah, those little bastards on an ambush is one thing. Rooting them out is something else."
"Yep."
"Well, it's over now. Glad you're back."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, Dad," Eli said as he walked into his office.
The two of them exchanged pleasantries, and Eli recounted most of what happened with the kobolds.
At the end of that, he said, "There's something else, Dad. It turns out this isn't just about these kobolds, because we found a bomb, and maps of the city. There may be something bigger going on, and I'm sure the Guard is going to investigate."
He took a deep breath and continued. "With your permission, I'd like to stay involved, helping with the investigation however I can. I don't know where it will lead, or how long it will take, but it feels important to me to see it through."
He stood quietly and waited for his dad's response.
"Safe? We're talkin' about guard peepers here, not some hume's jewellery. I get caught with these I've got no excuse- least you can put on an accent." The earthen sighed. "Your mum know about this?"
"Does yours?" Lya snapped. She wanted to forget the horror in her parents eyes when she'd walked in battered and covered in dust and... whatever that green stuff was.
"Alright, very funny. Look, I can trade those goggles you were eyin' fer em, that's best I can do. Take it or leave it 'Shanna."
"Uff, fine. But next time I'm goin' to Deller, least he can pay in coin, not trinkets."
Lya wore a satisfied smirk as she walked away. Dorik always knew just what to 'acquire' for her.
"I don't know about helping out the Guard, son," his dad began. Eli jumped in and explained how much knowledge they had gained that the other factors and merchants didn't have yet, pointing at all the notes his father had taken.
"I really do feel it is important that I see this through, father." The young Mage stood quietly and waited as his father pondered. His father scratched at the shadow of a beard along his jawline, pale skin pocked with scars from his youth.
"I suppose this information is invaluable," his father began, "but if you go and get yourself killed, your mother will have the clerics resurrect you just so she can kill you again. Better take my old armor. It'll provide some protection for you and will make your mother feel better."
"Cullain, dark rider, black horse, the master of cruelty, champion of Voran and Lormal, your servant, Rho Dramon, descendant of Sulus Dun and the kin of the Sisters of Dusk, calls to you. I have fallen from your graces somehow. I seek some sign. Whatever debt I owe, whatever slight I have given, must be repaid. Faithful servant that I am, I vow ten times whatever you ask." Rho raised his head from the floor. The candles winked out one by one, though there was no breeze in the small room nor did the blackguard make any move to extinguish their flames.
Rho watched the candles go out with apprehension. His face a mask, he stood and put on clothes that resembled the rough and tumble crowd that populated the common room of the inn below, and made his way down the stairs.
The smell of the stew that Forlan's wife had prepared for the evening serving greeted him. He made his way to the bar, and took up his normal spot. The faces of the regulars were turned just so far as to pretend to not see the tattooed Panardian, looking a little worse for wear.
Forlan nodded in greeting, but said nothing. The earthen placed a bowl in front of the Hume and a mug.
Rho ate the meal quickly, surveying the room as he did so. "Forlan, I need to know what you know of the cowards who inhabit the tunnels. The short ones. The kobolds. They called themselves the Crimson Claws."
Helena stood before her superior, Captain Chandler, the map found in the warrens spread out over the table in front of them. Sullenly, she affirms the situation with a slow nod.
"Yes, sir...this was found down in the warrens, at the same time as a bomb that brought the whole place down on top of us. I'm afraid that if they had one bomb, they may have more ready, and may attempt to use them on the barracks."
The Captain hunches over the table, then shakes his head.
"Hellfire Bombs...damn it all."
Helena slumps her shoulders, looking ashamed.
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Sorry? What for?"
"I was supposed to clear those vermin out of the warrens, and instead I let them obliterate it. I failed...whatever punishment I receive, I deserve it."
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Chandler places a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward to look into her eyes.
"You did fine, Helena. Going by your report, you did exactly what you needed to do: you kept your team alive. Forget about the warrens."
"but..."
"Good job. I need to spread the word about this right away. You just went through a stressful mission, you need to wind down. Get some rest."
"With all due respect, sir, I'm needed..."
"We'll manage! This is an order. I'll call for you when you're needed."
Helena didn't like it, but she respected her Captain enough to grudgingly obey.
"Yes, sir...thank you, sir."
Helena salutes, the turns to exit. As she leaves, Chandler turns to his aide standing beside him.
"That new item we recently acquired...see that Miss Milner gets it. It'll be put to good use in her hands."
My Let's Play Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2go70QLfwGq-hW4nvUqmog
A few days pass as you recover and recuperate from your ordeal in the training warrens. It takes that long just to clean out all the hardened green goop from your armor. Meanwhile, agents within crime syndicates, the Thunder Guard, and the Iron Wardens quickly gather information about the Crimson Claws and the revelation of the Hellfire Bomb plot against the Thunder Guard. Early on the first of September, Commander Graeme has sent runners to invite you all to Stormwatch Hall, the headquarters of the Thunder Guard in Underdeep. The runners wait for you to get ready and will lead you to the keep.
OOC
Stormwatch is a medium sized keep within the city of Underdeep, built atop the center-most of the Wavebreaker Isles and is part of the walls that guard the Grimstone Harbor from the pirates and other naval threats of the Eternal Sea. The keep itself extends three stories above the thirty foot wall. The wall and keep are massive, carved granite blocks, shaped by the Earthen over hundreds of years with a shape of boulders and waves crashing against them for the first ten feet. The remaining height of the wall is smooth with no handholds. Entrance to the keep is gained through heavy iron portcullises on the east and west ends of the isle. A smaller stone wall encircles the harbor-ward side of the isle, creating a courtyard for training maneuvers and parade ground ceremonies.
You'll be escorted through the gates and into the keep itself and then led upstairs to a large meeting room. The walls are lined with bookshelves, nautical maps of the eternal sea, sheaves of maps of the surrounding tunnels and and several sets of armor on display. Commander Graeme will be sitting behind a large oaken desk (very rare this far down in Darkhollow).
OOC
He will spend his time until others arrive either looking at the maps, to see which tunnels he knows, or speculating about the market value of the Commander's desk, and whether it would make more money broken up for parts.