8th Eleint

The party spent a restless night, regaining just a little stamina. A pale sun heralded the dawning of a new day. While the elves arose with the birds the humans slumbered on in their blankets until mid morning.

*Grog had the barkeep read the note for him, then went to Ugo to refresh his memory of the directions. Grog ran after the group as fast as he could, the Half-Orc's huge strides eating the distance.*

Garacaius walked around a little, looking for a spring so he could refill his waterskin. Listening to the birds song and seeing the open countryside, so different from inside a city's walls, he thought to himself

What a fine day, certainly been a long time since I have been back in nature



[This message has been edited by Lokken (edited September 20, 2001).]

Sarathien awakes feeling only slightly better than the night before. His bandaged arm still throbs, but the pain has diminished somewhat.
Waiting for the others to rise, he sits quietly watching the rising sun.


OOC: I bandaged my arm using healing skill before going back to bed.

Grog failed to catch them up that night and so spent a night out in the open. He heard the howling of Worgs but did not see them. More importantly, they did not smell him.
The next morning he was able to locate his friend's campsite, just as they were breaking their fasts. A chill wind was blowing across the heath.

Garacaius walks back the to camp, and notices Grog:

"Hey Grog, what kept ya? Glad you're here though, we could always need an extra hand."

Garacaius shudders as the wind starts to blow, and wakes up the others as they've had enough sleep, much to their disapproval.

"Rise and shine comrades, we can't keep snoozing around forever, and I'd rather get out of the open before freezing to death out here. We can't let those dwarves wait forever either, now can we?"

*Grog nods to Garacaius, then looks for the cleric Surya, needing healing from the baron still*

Seeing Grog approaching Milla feels a little better.
"I don't suppose you saw Surya on the way here did you? Didn't think so. I suppose we have to survive without him. Let's just hope that he gets our note at the inn."

"It seems to be time to get moving shall we? It shouldn't be that far to the mine left. So let's get moving."

Milla starts walking north towards the mine according to the map. (Only slightly limping because of the worg last night)

[This message has been edited by Zorac (edited September 23, 2001).]

Garacaius starts to shove the rest on their feet and on the way, then he walks up next to Milla, and looks concerned at the leg.

"You ok? De you need a hand with the leg? It looked rather violent with you under that Worg last night, not easy to tell how bad it is."

... as time passes the mine comes in sight in the horizon.


[This message has been edited by Lokken (edited September 22, 2001).]

Or at least where the mine should have been. It was now 3 in the afternoon. A cliff face blocked their way. Piles of rubble were strewn about and there was a stake in the ground with a skull on top. A notice was nailed to it saying "PRIVAT KEEP OWT"

At that moment they heard a cry above them. Looking up they saw a figure at the top of the cliff fending off some wolves. They loosed off a volley of missiles and Milla killed one of the wolves. She then began to climb the cliff face to aid the figure.
Amazingly the man decided to leap off the 50 ft cliff. He landed in some bushes with a broken neck (22HP damage) They found a symbol of Finder Wyvernspur around his neck and a couple of healing potions on his body.
The bushes had concealed the mine entrance. Milla led the way in, followed by Garacaius and Sarathien. Garacaius found a dented dwarven helm by a mining truck. After about 50 ft the tunnel opened out into a 25ft torch lit square chamber with a shaft going down. There was a platform suspended from a pulley system and a wooden ladder descending to the lower level.
Garacaius cast Magic Armour on Milla so she would be prepared for what was to come...

OoC 1: 50xp each to Garacaius, Milla, Sarathien and (posthumoneously) to Amis.

OoC2: Amis now holds the record for the shortest PC lifespan, 5 mins.

[This message has been edited by Erran (edited September 24, 2001).]

Feeling much better after a healing potion and the benefits of Garacaius spell Milla feels like taking on some serious business.

"ok guys, shall we trust the ladder or use a rope here or maybe both?"

Milla looks at Sarathien.
"You don't look quite well, why don't you drink that potion I gave you from the dead priest"

"Yes, you're right, I think I'll do just that."

Sarathien unshoulders his rucksack and pulls out the cleric's potion, then downs the contents in a single mouthful.

"Ah, that should do it, now let's go below. Perhaps we should make a base camp up here and only bring what's most necessary? I don't suppose we'll be traveling far down anyway, and too much equipment would only slow us down in a tight situation."

"Grog need rest, Grog no feel so good" *To everyone it's obvious the huge Half-Orc is hurt*

"Hey Grog, you could stay here and look after out stuff, and we will check out what is going on, we might as well find some healing for you as well"

Garacaius drops his pack 5 feet away from the shaft, and looks at the others

"Well, are we ready?"

Wed night online:
Milla, Sarathien and Garacaius absailed silently down the shaft. Silently until Garacaius fell the last few feet, winding himself. A couple of burly hobgoblins came out of a tunnel to investigate the noise but the party cut them down. Casting 'Mage armour' on the leading fighters helped a lot.
"I remember fighting hobgoblins before, in the company of drow" Garacaius mused.
The hobgoblins had managed to raise the alarm, so when they rounded a bend in the tunnel they ran into another pair but these too fell.
They found a locked door off a side passage but without Jakob it defeated them. Further down they investigated another side passage and ran into the hobgoblin's sergeant. When they cut him down they found a key which unlocked the earlier door.
Muffled groans could be heard beyond the door. Milla charged through and was flanked by a pair of lurking hoggoblin guards. It took the combined efforts of Milla, Sarathien and a magic missile from Garacaius to take them out. On the far side of the chamber lay 7 chained and gagged dwarves looking rather sorry for themselves.

400xps each to Milla, Garacaius and Sarathien.

Garacaius took the keys from Milla and walked toward the dwarves, in a slowly manner so he wouldn't seem threatening, releasing them of their chains. After they got their chains removed and got their gags off, they seemed ready for a talk.

"We are here at the concern of Ugo, do any of you know that name? Perhaps you could tell us what is down in the other locked room, and we are in dire need of healing if you should have any available"

Garacaius looks around at the dwarves waiting for one to speak, and with the word healing he pointed at his two friends, who had obviously taken quite a beating from the fights

OoC: Vanadin, yeah! :) I got a mace for ya, you might have more need for it than I have ;)


[This message has been edited by Lokken (edited September 28, 2001).]

Sarathien wearily sits down, back to the nearest wall. The fights against first the worg and then the hobgoblins have taken their toll, giving a fair number of gashes and bruises in return.
But at closer inspection the elf's eyes seem lit by an inner light, as if touched by a greater understanding.

Gently he whispers a prayer to Rillifane, and as he puts his hands to his temples the pain evident on his brow subsides and the gashes on his arms start to close.
Smiling he stands up and turns towards Milla.
"Allow me to help you", he says, holding out his hands.


Ooc: Whohoo! Level up! I bet you can't guess which class I leveled in ;)

After searching the hobgoblins Milla closes her eyes. "Soo tired, am I doing the right thing my god?" Milla shrugs and opens her eyes hearing Garacaius words.
"Indeed we have come on behalf of Ugo Trollslayer.
We do need some information to better be able to get you out of here.
Are there any more of you?
What's behind the next door?
How many hobgoblins are there?
How much larger is this mine?
Do any of you have any priest training or any healing potions?"

Milla suddenly feels a change in the continuum all too familiar. She turns around facing Sarathien.
"I'm pleased to see that you have found your calling"
Milla makes a slight bow in recognition and holds out her hands.

At the name 'Ugo Trollslayer' one of the dwarves leapt up and shook the hands of Milla, Garacaius and Sarathien.
"My name's Bombas, I knew cousin Ugo wouldn't forget us. Morradin be praised!" he cried.
He explained how they had been surprised by a group of hobgoblins about a month ago, led by an 'ebony skinned elven witch'. 5 of the dwarves had been killed and the rest forced to work their own mine as slaves.
As to how many hobgoblins? He guessed 8 to 10 but confessed the "Ugly buggers all look the same to me." Further down the mine there was another dormitory, like this one and the tunnels at the mine face.

One of the other dwarves stepped forward. He looked a little healthier and stronger than the other dwarves. "I've got a score to settle with these hobs. Mind if I join you? I was in military awhile back, so I won't be a liability, that I promise. My name is Ketrik Kohr, but my friends just call me Khor."

Garacaius looked at the the dwarf with second thoughts in mind, he never did trust those dwarves.

"We cannot say it has been an easy time down here, so your help would be greatly appreciated..."

At the mention of a drow, Garacaius' blood stirred. He felt panic and hatred at the same time. With a desperate look in the eyes, he grapped Bombas by the collar and shook him a bit while bursting out

"Are you sure! A witch!? No silvered-handed male? Er-cam onehand?"

After the outburst, he got in control of his emotions and let the dwarf go, with a rather suprised and comical look on the face, mumbling some sort of excuse in elven.


OoC: /me kicks Erran, GO POST!!! :p

[This message has been edited by Lokken (edited October 01, 2001).]

"Hey, settle down, elf!" Khor moved forward, then stopped as Garacaius released Bombas. "This drow was no male. I heard the hobgoblins refer to her as Vrondil, but the name doesn't mean anything to me." He eyed the elf, but assumed a more neutral stance.

Bombas eyed Garacaius quizicaly. "I might only be a miner, but I can tell a female black elf from a male 'un laddie!"

'Elves' he thought to himself, 'An arrow short of a quiver the lot of 'em'

Sarathien casts another healing spell, this one targeted at Milla. He then steps up to Garacaius and the dwarves.

"Those are grave news indeed, drow females are even deadlier than males. If she was truly alone and only left here recently, I think we should go after her to make sure she causes no more trouble. Besides, the only good drow is a dead drow..."

Khor's eyes lit up. "I'll agree with ya there, elf. I wouldn't mind punishing a few hobs along the way, either." Khor picks up one of the heavier hammers and swings it experimentally. Finding the balance good, he sticks it in his miner's toolbelt.

"Well, when we was bein' forced to work the mineface it seemed like this Vlondil was using the next dormitory cave as her HQ, may Morradin curse her!" muttered Bombas.

"Hmm, then maybe we should pay her a visit then?" Milla asks her fellow travellers.

Milla eyes the dwarves. "I suppose you have some things to discuss with her? I believe we have some weapons that the hobgblins dropped that you can use."

Khor looks over at Milla. "Ya got an axe in there? A hammer's all right, but I'm more comfortable with an axe."

Garacaius mumbles to himself "An axe..." He only remembers long swords from those hobgoblins. Garacaius eyes Khor:
"Khor, I don't think we have an axe on us, but what about the other room? or some equipment chamber down here perhaps?"

Jakob staggers, breathing heavily, through the bushes near the mine entrance. His clothing, already worn and dirty, is torn and slightly stained with blood from where he cut himself on thorns. Rivers of sweat trickle down his forehead. He glances up at the sky, to try to determine what time it is, then remembers he wouldn't know how to tell anyway and curses himself loudly for falling behind and getting lost. Looking around him, he sees a wooden lintel inscribed with dwarven characters behind a clump of bushes. "Lucky Axe Mine," he mutters to himself, " By the mercy of Glit..no wait, this is more Baervan's domain than anything else... by the mercy of Baervan, I've found the place, and the others must be here too." Cautiously he enters the mine. After fifty feet he reaches the chamber and descends the ladder.

Wed night online went something like this...

Khor hefted the heavy hammer as if it was a warhammer and declared he was going to settle some scores with the drow. Equaly determined Sarathien followed him to the dormitory door with Milla and Garacaius bringing up the rear. Khor opened the door with the key and charged through to see not one but 5 drow females facing him!
The cold chill of a fear spell hit him but his iron will shrugged it off. He dodged the longsword thrust of a hobgoblin lurking behind the door and ran down between the cots to where the drow were. He swung at one and 'pop' the illusion disappeared.
Sarathien's initial concern eased as he realised they were facing but a single drow, mirror imaged. He charged and leapt on a cot, slashing wildly at the images.
Garacaius pushed past Milla and fired his crossbow, hitting the real drow. Milla fought the hobgoblin landing a vicious flying kick which broke its neck but left her collapsed on top of it. A second hobgoblin popped up from its hiding place between the cots and hefted a javelin at Garacaius.
Vlondril, the drow, gestured again linking her thumbs and jets of flame shot from her fingertips: severely burning Khor and Sarathien, killing the hobgoblin (!) but Milla evaded the flames completely.
Khor and Sarathien swung at the drow and Garacaius loosed off a bolt, the result of which was another illusion 'popped' and some damage to the drow.
Vlondril drew a hand crossbow but the poisoned bolt missed Khor. The blows from Khor and Sarathien only succeeded in removing another image. However, Milla had regained her footing, loaded her crossbow and fired. The bolt stuck the drow in the throat and she fell.
Garacaius found a wand tipped with an oval gem and Sarathien found a letter written in undercommon, together with a signet ring on the drow.
Bombas found to his relief that the hobgoblins had not discovered his 'treasure' hiding place and so was able to give Khor his back pay and reward the 4 rescuers with 2 black gems each
When Jakob rejoined them he was able to identify the gems as Chardalyn, which when properly 'processed' cpuld be used to store spells!
Everyone was feeling tired and so they decided to sleep in the mine. The dwarves agreed to take turn in keeping watch.

OoC: 525 xps each to Khor, Garacaius, Sarathien and Milla.
To be continued under "Back to Nesme"


[This message has been edited by Erran (edited October 04, 2001).]