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Waist Deep in Trouble

Areon’s Journal

Kythorn 2, 1373, Greycastle Mine

I had been in Silverymoon for almost a month and had very little luck in finding any clues about the Uthgardt Tiger. Though I had more than enough money to continue searching, I felt a need to get out of the cramped (but most certainly beautiful) city. I had been visiting a tavern called the Bright Blade Brandished and heard of many contracts being given to the more adventurous customers of the bar.

I had been considering getting one for myself, but had not really found a reason to, other than to get out of the city, but several of the people I had met over the time I had spent in the inn were very interested in getting a contract, so I decided that I would help them with their adventure.

Our little group is composed of very different personalities and lifestyles; it should be interesting to see how well we get along in the future. Antonio is a sorcerer of some sort, and it appears that he has quite an affinity for fire. He has a loud-mouthed Halfling companion named Tassar whose body seems to consist of a mouth, stomach and stein. A cleric of Tymora’s temple named Deitricha has joined us, ironically, so it appears that luck may indeed be on our side, and an Elven girl, Theona, who claims to be “looking for lost Elven artifacts.” Unfortunately she had not stumbled across the Uthgardt Tiger in her searches.

We found very quickly that Lord Evendor Greycastle was interested in hiring a band of adventurers to quell a “disturbance” in a mine that he had recently gained possession of. He offered us 500 gold pieces and rights to whatever we could remove from the mine on our own.

So our party of five set off. We traveled for about a day to the mine that we had been told of. It was approaching dark when we arrived, so I suggested that we rest outside and out of site. I found a small protected area that we could all fit in comfortably, and Tassar immediately suggested that Antonio light a fire. I immediately told Antonio not to start a fire, because a fire would be a beacon to anything that could be out in the woods. Theona suggested that Antonio warm Tassar’s food with a spell, and it seemed to alleviate the tension. I know that they are not used to living in the Cold Wood like I am, but I thought that they would realize how bright a fire is when it is the only light source for miles.

The next morning we made our way into the mine, finding very realistically proportioned statues, which were all smashed in various places. The only statue that still had a head wore an expression of horror.

I had followed tracks into the mine, and found that they separated. A few sets wandered off to the right, but never returned, while the majority went straight ahead. Tassar wandered into a passage to the left and yelled something about Elven artifacts, but then came wandering back and insisted that we followed the footprints of no return....

We followed the footprints into a room filled with webs and Halfling-sized spiders, which attacked us. Theona killed one with her crossbow while Tassar buried an arrow in Antonio and Antonio tried to kill the spiders with spells. We managed to kill off the spiders pretty quickly and searched the room for treasure, finding nothing but dead kobolds, we moved on.

Theona climbed a ladder and was immediately pelted with sling stones, announcing the presence of several kobolds. I killed one that Antonio had injured and Theona had killed another. Tassar scrambled up the ledge they were on and cut down another as they were trying to flee. We collected a few short spears that the kobolds were using, and then continued to give chase to the single kobold that managed to flee from the failed ambush. Tassar found a pit trap by falling through it in a loud clatter, and we quickly helped him out of the ten-foot deep pit so we could continue chase together.

The kobolds had already set up another ambush, however. We were attacked at range by several kobolds, while a few had hidden in alcoves in the mine walls. Theona didn’t see one and was stabbed in the back; she crumpled to the ground unconscious. I killed the kobold that had attacked her and stepped into the fighting, trying to keep them away from her. The kobolds across the way knocked Deitricha unconscious and wounded Antonio so he cannot fight. Tassar and I managed to fight off the rest of the kobolds, and we have dragged everyone to a short dead-end hallway that we can easily defend standing side by side. It occurred to me that I have not checked to make sure that Theona is alright, though I did remember to check Deitricha and bandage her wounds as quickly as I could. I can hear more kobolds coming; I just hope that there are not too many. Tassar is looking worse for wear, and though I am not badly wounded, I do not think I can last to long before I will be unable to fight....

Posted by Tim on January 10, 2004, 13:31 | Areon’s Journal