It's bigger on the inside.
Reaping 22, 594 CY
Exag
We got a bit waylaid— I remember Janet falling in a pit; the next thing I remember is the sounds of someone shrieking (Fash?) and I found myself standing on top of a dead umber hulk. I have to assume that I killed it single-handedly with my sword to save my cousin while Elizair was keeping an eye on Fash elsewhere.
We continued to wander through the mines. It appears that Fash is no longer chummy with the illithid (and doesn’t really seem to know why he switched sides in the middle of the fight). We occasionally bump into miners, all of which are happily carting iron to the “Forges of the Mountain King.” We followed a group of them, and saw them roll a cart filled with ore into a circle covered in arcane runes, and disappear. They reappeared moments later sans iron. Needing someone to take a look at the forges, I volunteered, and Elizair cast invisibility on me. I cast silence on myself as well, and stepped into the circle.
The first thing I noticed was the heat and the stench of the duergar forge operators. There were mounds of iron piled up everywhere, and some ogrish monstrosity was hauling baskets of the metal to drop down chutes to the forges. At least a dozen forges were in operation, and while I watched, I saw a group of orcs and that mindflayer (or, possibly a different one, hard to tell) receiving the finished product from some of the duergar— shields, weapons and armor. No way I could take out seventy-two duergar, an illithid, the orcs and the ogre, so I teleported back to my companions to give them the news.
We headed towards the only tunnel we hadn’t checked yet, and luckily, it led to a shaft going straight up and out of the mines. Better still, we were on the outside of the wall around the mining camp, so we are able to leave without having to deal with the miners families— it’s hard to know who to trust.
Still, we have to trust someone, so when we got back to Exag, we told Commander Bragus (I’m told to call him “Allister”) about the situation. Elizair seems to be forming a plan of attack to thwart the illithid and his little army. I find myself more interested in the watch commander….
Reaping 23, 594 CY
Exag Mines
We decided to head to the inn we’d previously stayed at, and ordered some drinks in the tavern prior to turning in. I was delighting in making eye contact with the barmaid who thought Allister was “hot.” I was just about to mention that to my comrades when I apparently blacked out.
I woke up in a cell with the others. Elizair was also just coming to. I noticed our equipment was all missing, and was told by Janet and Fash that soldiers had come in and hauled us out, saying they were under orders to bring us in for our “safety.” I briefly considered breaking out, but I just couldn’t believe Allister would have us locked up if it wasn’t important, so I decided to just hide in the shadows of the cell until one of our jailors showed up.
Sure enough, one did, bringing us a bucket of gruel. He seemed worried that there were only three of us, but Elizair assured him I would be back after taking care of some business. Turns out things were much different than they appeared— the guard told us there was a secret exit from the cell, and that all of our equipment was in the tunnel beyond it. Allister wanted us to escape safely and try to get more info on the situation at the mine, as the mayor of Exag seemed to be issuing orders that would be disastrous if there was an impending attack from that direction. We had one hour to get out before alarms would sound that the strangers had “escaped.” That was all we needed. We got out, circled around the town and headed west towards the mines.
We took the unused shaft to sneak back into the mine. We made it back to our “trouble spot” (where we’d fought the illithid) and saw six orcs. Fash and I were going to take them out quietly, but I fear my attempt to get Elizair and Janet to move quietly to our position met with disaster. We dispatched the orcs quickly, but not before one was able to sound a horn. Other horns echoed a reply throughout the mines, and the sound of footsteps quickly converged on the cavern from three tunnels. I grabbed the horn and we all hid as best we could. A group of invisible soldiers seemed to pass through the tunnels, followed by three ogres, and eventually, a few orcs. I was close enough to catch some of what the orcs said (in orcish): “Has Kaleth been informed?.... message relayed…they want to raise town… form beachhead… frustrated about wait… waiting till final pieces have been placed.”
A duergar caught up to the orcs and told them the “Final key has been secured from Hightower— prepare to move.”
As soon as they left, Elizair placed an “earthlock” on the tunnel, which would prevent them from using the main tunnel. Moments later, ten drippy-looking creatures appeared in the cavern, but Elizair quickly dispatched them. Some boney-looking devil materialized in front of Elizair and Janet then and began to viciously attack them. I tried to sneak up behind it and kill it, but instead, I found myself dropping my very nice sword, screaming and running off through random tunnels as quickly as I could. Fash quickly followed me. I’m not sure how long we’ve been hiding, or even where we are, but Elizair and Janet have not followed. I am worried— the last time something scared me that badly, Munthrek was dead the next time I saw him. I am praying that Elizair and Janet can find us as easily as Fash caught up to me….
Don’t ask me where I am from, for I was far too young and not paying attention at the time. I was born on the road and almost not at all.
My name is Keth, I am what some call a Whisper Gnome, and what others call trouble. My family is the source of my problems as far as I can tell. Jarcus, my adopted Half-Orc brother, says his father found my mother in what was left of a caravan that was attacked. Of the forty travelers, my mother was the only one found breathing, and that was not for long. Mom, as I like to call her, passed away not to much later after giving birth to me.
Marga Threy, Jarcus’s father, says that Mom said they were on the run, and that I must be allowed to live. There seems to be more to the story here, but no one seems to want to tell me. Marga had a secret that he always kept from me, but I am suspecting that Jarcus knows.
Marga was a traveler himself it seems, never seemed to find the right place to call home I guess. He kept us on the road, never spending much time in any one place. Jarcus and me grew up on the road along with a few others who came and went from our flock.
Anyhow, I got lost a while back, well lost from my brother. We had gone off on a trip to see if the eyes, in a certain statue, in a certain temple, were actually magical gems. Let me tell you, some people just over react. We didn’t mean any harm, Jarcus and me were just looking at them, from the ropes, from the temple ceiling, with our new daggers. It was just blown way out of proportion.
Nevertheless, when they came for me with swords, Jarcus just went crazy and everything changed too quickly to be any good. Jarcus fought his way out one way, I went the other. Now normally we just meet up later after the town guards calm down, but this was different. The entire town was up in arms and they were after us. I have now doubt that Jarcus made it out, after all, only half of them came after me.
I had to hide for twenty days. I searched and searched, but I could not find Jarcus or Marga. There were constant patrols and a lot of weird guys in blue cloaks searching for us. I don’t know who they really were, or where they came from, but I did not like the way they asked questions. Each time they were done asking people questions and left, I would go to the people and try my best to patch the wounds and I would also give them some silvers to help them out until they were able to work again.
A week after that I felt no guilt in taking those jewels from those statues, none at all. Since that day I travel and find friends when I can. Doesn’t seem to help that I don’t really talk much, Jarcus always told me to keep quite and let him do the talking, I see no reason to change that just because he isn’t here.
I think as long as I keep travelling and pay attention, I will find my brother again. He is probably laughing at me right now. He always said to keep my weapons sharp and clean, and they will take care of me, I don’t like violence much though. Not that I am not capable of it, I just don’t like it much. Doesn’t solve anything, and then I have to clean my weapons again.
Character sheet: Keth Underhill [Whisper Gnome Rogue / Fighter / Shadowdancer]
Cause of death: a rather large icy burst from Pyotr that was supposed to kill a mummy.
A whisper gnome rogue / sorceress / jack of all trades with her weasel familiar Dabs.
Character sheet: Holli Joat [Whisper Gnome Rogue / Sorcerer]
Companion sheet: Dabs [Weasel Familiar]