This room was once a library or a study. Bookshelves stood against the walls, full of books and several arcane objects. Piles of books rested on a reading table in the middle of the room, the air reeking of moldy paper, dust, and decay. Two doors led off the library room. Several oil lamps cast a welcome light in the room, illuminating a beautiful, slender woman with long black hair sitting in a chair at the table, looking extremely sad. Her clothing, though well worn, did little to detract from her appearance. She was reading when the door opened, and looked up at the party as they file in. Her eyes filled with tears, eyes that were two different colors.
“Have you come to rescue me?” She sniffed.
The party stood in silence, staring at the woman. Laying down the book she was holding, she spoke again.
“Well? Have you?”
“Beggin’ yer pardon? Have we what?” Jarek looked confused.
“How?” Adran started to talk, but the absurdity of the scene stole his speech.
“How what?”
Lia moved around the room, close to one of the shelves.
“Who are you?”
“Idalla. Who are you?”
“How did you come to be here.” Lia stepped carefully; eyes locked on the woman.
“I am the captive of a powerful mage. He brought me here while he plunders the secrets of this place.” The woman looked around. “Not that I really know where I am.” Tears ran freely. “He never tells me anything.” Idalla sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
“This mage? Where is he?” Adran moved closer to the woman.
“Below. He went below to his chambers.” Idalla fell into the chair. She looked up, tears streaking her delicate features. “You can rescue me, can’t you? You can defeat him?”
‘Who cares who she is? Look at the pretty lady! She should come with us. Hello, my dear, have we been introduced’
“Shut up, axe.” Lia glared at the weapon in Malark’s hands.
“Is he bad?” Seraphina approached the table, keeping it between her and Idalla.
“The worst. The things he does to me…” Idalla started sobbing harder.
“You said he is below, what does that mean?”
“He went in search of another library. Someplace down below.”
“We came from th’ level below. The Glitterhame. We dinnae see any library.”
“The Glitterhame? Oh no! did you fight the doppelganger there?” Idalla looked up, shock on her face.
“Nay. We dinnae fight one o’ those.”
“Mizak says there is a powerful doppelganger in the Glitterhame.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. We didn’t see anything that resembled a doppelganger.”
“Your big friend is quiet. Maybe the creature replaced him. Did you sleep there?”
Adran held up his hand.
“Don’t be putting ideas in anyone’s head.”
“All I know is that the wizard has spoken of the doppelganger. And he said it dwells in a chamber of beautiful flowstone called the Glitterhame. I’ve never been there myself.”
The party glanced at one another, her description of the Glitterhame was correct.
“Did he say anything else about other threats?” Seraphina watched Idalla close.
Sniffing, Idalla scrunched her nose.
“There is a terrible ghost. It is a lunatic spirit and wanders the hold. He is often just outside this door. I never leave because of the ghost.”
“Anything else?”
“Deep below lives an ancient, powerful dragon. Powerful and evil, my master wants the dragon’s blood, to go with my essence.”
“Why?” Seraphina looked revolted. “Dragon blood and your soul?”
“He fears death, and seeks an elixir to prolong his life.”
“And he came here to produce this elixir?”
“The dragon’s blood is one of the keys. He tracked it here to Khundrukar.”
“Ye said ye dinnae know where ye were.”
“I know the name of the place, and that it is a fallen dwarf hold. But I don’t know where I am. Do you?”
“You are in Khundrukar, a dwarf hold. We are in the northern Fallen Hills.”
“Hold yer tongue, elf!” Jarek glared at Adran.
Adran held his hands up.
“I didn’t mean anything.”
“We cannae give clues away. This place is a secret.”
“I know orcs chased a famous blacksmith here. And his clan dug these chambers. Mizak told me that much. He also said the orcs besieged them eventually.”
Idalla wiped her face.
“Will you save me? From his awful plan? Go and find him. And kill him. He is vile and wicked.” She batted her long lashes, staring at Malark.
‘Save the pretty lady! Are you dolts listening at all? A damsel in distress. Honor your oaths!’
“How do we find this wizard?”
“I don’t know. He makes me stay in these two rooms.”
“I see two doors. Doesn’t that make three rooms?”
“Yes, but that room…” Idalla pointed. “That room has a beast in it. I never go in there. It is protecting some magical weapon the dwarves created. Mizak trapped the beast. He feeds things to it when he is bored…”
Jarek perked up, his eyes jumping from reading book titles to staring at the beautiful woman.
“A weapon? Where?”
‘No weapon is as cool as me. Ignore it.’
“Through that door. The fiend is usually invisible, and Mizak says the weapon is well-hidden.”
“Should we look?” Jarek moved closer to the door. “Another of his weapons would be a fine treasure.”
“If you go, one of you must stay with me.”
“Why should we stay?”
“If Mizak comes back, and he sees that you have been here, his wrath will be mighty. Protect me. Please.” Idalla started to cry again. “He hurts me when he is angry. Don’t leave me.”
“How do we find the wizard?”
“I told you. I don’t know!” the woman pouted; her two-colored eyes blazed angrily.
“A weapon.” Jarek inched closer to the door.
“It is a mighty fiend. Four of you should go. Leave him.” Idalla pointed at Malark. “He can protect me while you fight Mizak.”
‘A fight, you say? Yes! You four go! The oaf will wield me in defense of the pretty lady.’
“Are any of you falling for this pile of lies?” Lia frowned.
“A wizard. A dragon. Some invisible beast. And a poor lost soul, captive and tortured. Everything she says is pure troll dung.”
“She knows abou’ the Glitterhame.” Jarek was staring at the door.
“So?”
“And the ghost.”
“And? That lunatic is so loud, the whole place knows about him. Doesn’t this seem a little suspicious?”
“I mean…”
“You hate me because I am prettier than you.” Idalla was still staring at Malark.
“What? I do not!” Lia fumed.
“You do. And you fancy that big man, and are afraid of leaving me alone with him.”
“Fancy? Malark? He is my friend. And I wouldn’t trust you with sickly pig.”
‘Girl fight! Girl fight!’ Durngreip whistled and hollered.
Idalla started to cry again. Collapsing onto the table and burying her face in her arms.
“Lia, that wasn’t very nice.” Seraphina was glancing from Idalla to Lia and back.
“Are you listening to yourselves? Her story makes no sense. If anyone is the doppelganger, it is her.”
“I am not! My name is Idalla, and I came from Sembia, on the coast of the inland sea. I’ve been his captive for months and months! Please! You have to believe me!”
“Should we go look for this wizard? Maybe she is telling the truth.”
“After we deal with the duergar.” Adran was walking along the bookshelf, touching various volumes. “We still have them to deal with.”
“You can’t leave me here. Please!”
“We nay kin take ya, either. Too dangerous.” Jarek was standing in front of the door to the room with the promised weapon.
“Jarek, what are you doing?”
“Another weapon. One of his treasures.”
“Can I show you some of the wizard’s things? Will you believe me then?” Idalla got to her feet. “You.” She pointed at Seraphina. “Come with me. That won’t make the mean one jealous.”
“Mean one?” Lia scowled. Stepping closer to Idalla. “No one goes anywhere alone with you.”
“Why do you hate me?” Idalla started sobbing, tears flowing down.
Malark stepped forward, blinking rapidly and shaking his head vigorously.
“Bad lady. In Malark’s head.”
“What?” Lia snapped her head around, looking at Malark. “In your head? What do you mean?”
Seraphina had her blades up.
“Look away. Look away from us. Now!”
“I haven’t done anything! Please! You must believe me. Mizak must be watching us. Please! You must help me! Hurry!”
Jarek was completely unaware of the arguing. He stepped closer to the door, his hand up to open the door. Malark was looking around the room, confused and still blinking.
“How was she in your head Malark? Did she say something?”
“Bad things. About Lia. About Seri. Tell Malark to leave.”
“What did you do to him?” Lia’s eyes blazed, violet light spilling from them as her hands erupted in flames.
“Nothing! I didn’t do anything! Please!” Idalla sobbed, collapsing to the floor.
Seraphina took a step forward. Adran had an arrow nocked, but lowered his bow when the woman collapsed. Jarek opened the door and entered the room, oblivious to the building drama behind him. Malark was staring at Idalla, but his axe was loose in his hand, the head resting on the floor.
‘Pick me up, you dolt. The floor is filthy.’
“Let’s tie her up. Maybe we can trade her to the duergar. I bet they could get a fair price for her down deep.” Lia raised her hands. “Or, I’ll just burn the truth out of her.”
“Lia!”
“There’ nothin’ in here! No beast. An’ darn sure no treasure!” Jarek was yelling from the other room.
“See? All lies.” Lia smiled, a wicked satisfied grin. “I am so going to enjoy this.”
Idalla looked up, the tears stopping in an instant. “So close.” She winked at Lia and blew a kiss before vanishing.
Lia blasted flames at the spot she lay, setting fire to the dusty rug. Adran had his bow up, the arrow fully drawn. Seraphina was crouched, one blade up, the other swinging side to side as she searched for an invisible Idalla. Malark blinked several times, then looked around.
‘I. Am. Still. On. The. FLOOR.’ The axe spoke slow, pronouncing each word carefully.
“Not stupid.” Malark picked up the axe, and lay it across his shoulder.
‘See? Was that so hard?
“Shut up.” Malark growled.
“If she became invisible, she moved fast.” Adran released the tension in his bow, lowering his aim.
“Where did ‘she’ go? If the thing was even a woman.” Lia held more flames in her hands.
“Gone. Teleported? Plane stepped? I don’t know.”
“What was she?”
“Hard to say. Maybe she was the mage.”
“This looks like a spell book.” Adran flipped pages in a large tome laying on the desk. “Ah, but the pages are marked in rune-script, so I supposed this is the ghost’s book, and not whoever ‘Idalla’ was.”
Jarek stepped back into the library.
“Tha’ room is nothin’ mor’ than a bed chamber. Nearly empty, too. No treasure. No fiend. Oi’! Where is the lady?”
“Gone.” Seraphina was stamping out the flames on the rug.
“Gone? How?”
Lia let her flames flicker out.
“We are not sure.”
“Jus’ gone?”
“Just gone.”
“So there nay be a dragon o’ a wizard?”
“We can’t be sure. Half of what she said were lies.”
“Half?” Lia snorted.
“She’s gone now. We should look for any treasure here.”
“Is she gone? Or just hiding?”
“Impossible to know. She probably can’t attack us while she is invisible.”
“Probably? That is comforting. Malark? Jarek? You two stay ready. we are going to search these books.”
Seraphina had moved towards one of the shelves and was running her finger down the spine of the books lining the shelves.
“Maybe one of these is a valuable book.” She was murmuring mostly to herself.
Lia headed to the other shelf. Adran stowed the loose arrow, and began to flip through the open books on the table. Jarek was looking around, a look of confusion on his face.
“I still don’t understand.” He frowned and toed the burned rug. “Gone?”
“Gone. Hey Jarek? Would a book on gem cutting be valuable to your kin?”
Blinking, Jarek looked up.
“Uh, sor’a depends. Who wrote it?”
“Umm.” Seraphina flipped to the front of the book. Says the author is Grump Coalbeard.”
“Coalbeard?! Which book? Which edition?” Jarek’s eyes lit up and he hurried to Seraphina’s side.
“Edition? I don’t know, says it was published in 785. Where is Tethyamar?”
“Tethyamar? ‘Tis a fallen kingdom that lies ‘neath the Desertsmouth Mountains. Away to the east, beyond the great sands. If this,” he took the book from Seraphina, “was published in 785, ‘tis a first edition. Moradin bless me, this is rare.” He carefully turned the pages, each one showing intricate illustrations depicting the gem cutter’s skills. All the gems depicted had been delicately colored with vibrant inks.
“So, it is valuable?” Seraphina was leaning close, looking over each new page as the dwarf turned them one by one.
“Aye. It has great worth. Would ye sell it to me?” Jarek closed the book and stared at Seraphina.
“Well, I don’t know. I mean, it belongs to all of us, doesn’t it? We haven’t really talked about shares and all that.”
“I’ll give ya hundre’ crowns. This book belongs to the clans.”
Seraphina looked at the others. Adran was unreadable. Lia shrugged. Malark had furrowed brows, as if he was thinking hard.
“What if it is worth more?” Seraphina smiled sweetly. “I am sure some gnomes would love to get their hands on this.”
“Why, you connivin’, thievin’…”
“Make it a hundred and twenty, and it is yours.”
Jarek harumphed, his cheeks glowing red.
“Fine. A hundre’ an’ twenty.”
“I wouldn’t really sell it to a gnome.” Seraphina was giggling. “I just wanted to see if you really wanted it.”
“You little devil.” Jarek tried to frown, but a grin crept over his face, “Takin’ a poor dwarf for all his coin. You Heng can be tricky.”
“The wee folk have to take care of ourselves.” Seraphina stood on tiptoes and kissed Jarek on the cheek. “Especially from a dwarf who hates to part with his coins. No hard feelings?”
“I kin ne’er stay mad a wee lass like yerself.” Jarek was blushing. “’tis a fair price, an’ when we get back and divide all this loot, I will pay up my little friend.”
“Deal.” Seraphina patted the large tome. “Now you can carry it home, too!” She laughed and went back to the shelf, looking at more books.
Jarek was chuckling as he dropped his pack to the floor. The book barely fit, and he struggled to cinch the straps tight.
“She got you good.” Lia was holding another book. The cover was some sort of scaled leather dyed a rich red color. The pages were thick vellum, each page illustrated with colorful drawings of dragons or details of great wyrms like teeth, claws, scales and wings. “This looks like a keeper, too. Plenty of people would pay for this.”
“Who wrote it?” Jarek stood next to her, looking as she flipped pages.
“Hazel Autumwoode. Do you know the name?”
“Nay, I dinnae know it. But this book is a beautiful creation. If the lore is true, then it be a keeper fer sure.”
“I think I will.” Lia dropped her own pack and carefully stowed the book.
“There are a dozen books here that we could take.” Seraphina was walking along the shelf, touching a volume here and there. “This is quite the library.”
“I think I know how that woman knew so much about this place.” Adran was looking at one of the books on the table.”
“How?”
“This is an incomplete book, a tome of blank pages that has been carefully written in. It is titled ‘A History of Khundrukar.”
“Ye kin read Dwarvish?” Jarek looked surprised.
“No, I don’t. The cover has the title in Common, and there are a few pages in the beginning giving a brief history of Durgeddin and his clan in Common script. There are some maps, too, and I recognize places we have been. Then it starts in runic.”
Jarek moved to the table and Adran turned the book so he could see.
“Aye, ‘tis exactly what ye say. That thing musta been studyin’ this. Like ye said, tha’ is how she knew so much abou’ the hold.” Jarek closed the book. “I cannae carry this, but I dinnae wanna leave it.” He frowned.
“I’ll carry.” Adran held out his hand. “My pack is still light.”
“Would ye now?”
“Aye.”
Jarek sniffed.
“It’s nothing.” Adran took the book and stowed it in his pack. “I’ll keep it safe.”
“If you two are done becoming best friends, we should probably keep moving.” Lia was standing by the door with Malark.
‘Yeah, you two should find a room if you are going to smooch.’
“Shut it, axe. Yer abou’ three words from a forge fire.”
‘I’m not the only one thinking it. The horror! An elf and a dwarf! It’s like one of Namor’s sordid tales.’
“Who is Namor?” Seraphina was the first to ask.
“A degenerate ‘poet’ if ye kin call him that.” Jarek growled. “Keep yer axe quiet, Malark, or I’ll be forging a new blade from its steel, Durgeddin’s mark or no.”
Jarek stomped out, pushing past Malark’s bulk.
“You probably should probably keep quiet, axe.’ Lia looked up at the blade. “He might just melt you down.”
‘Oh, please, like those two getting googly-eyes didn’t make your stomach turn, too.’
“Don’t blame me when he tosses you into the fire.” Lia started out the door. “And Selûne’s Tears, why am I talking to an axe?”
“Is that all?” Seraphina was tapping books, walking the length of the shelf.
“Most are dwarven. Or at least they are written in a runic script.”
“Probably all of them have value.” Adran pulled another book of the shelf and flipped through it. “No way we can carry them all out, though.”
“We’ll be hard pressed to carry what we have.” Lia set a book back on the shelf.
Seraphina stopped and tapped a book again. Then the next one. Back to the one she stopped on.
“This sounds weird. Hollow.”
“Be careful.” Lia warned, walking over to her friend.
“It is four books connected.” Seraphina pulled at them. “Help me. It is heavy.”
Lia helped and they hefted the book onto the table. It slammed down with a thunk, far heavier than it appeared. Lia looked at Seraphina and grinned.
“Something is inside it.”
“A flame trap.” Adran was shaking his head.
“No way. They wouldn’t risk the other books. Plus, I swear I heard the chink of coins when it slammed down.’
Seraphina gingerly pulled at a cover. It swung open, revealing a wooden box concealed inside the books. A finger hole was easily visible.
“Use a knife.” Lia warned, pulling her blade out.
Using the tip of the knife, she pried the end of the box off. Small pouches, tightly wrapped, fell free. As did four rolled pieces of parchment.
“Scrolls!” Lia picked them up and began to inspect them. “Alarm, shield.” She read them carefully, then rolled them back up. “Enlarge, and,” she paused, scrunching her nose as she tried to read the last one. “Disguise Self, I think.”
Seraphina had opened one of the bags.
“Gold coins! Plenty.” She was smiling big and she carefully retied the bag.
“We can leave it on the shelf for now, right?” Adran was watching the door Jarek had passed through.
‘Please, please, please say yes. I need to kill something. Soon!’
“Sure. We can come back for it. We are all getting loaded down.”
After setting back in place, the others followed Jarek’s steps, back into the large common area with all the old signs of battle. Jarek was inspecting a door close to the one that led to the library.
“I kin hear water. A thunder. Distant still. O’ muffled somehow.” His ear was close to the heavy wooden door.
“We heard water when we were in the entrance hall.” Seraphina leaned close. “This is louder. Like a waterfall, maybe.”
“Aye, me sire mentioned a grand cataract that plummeted into the dark. I’ll wager a crown these are those falls.”
Jarek opened the door, revealing a long tunnel. Thirty feet down the narrow passage was a side tunnel, and beyond came the muffled thunder of water falling a great distance. The narrow passage forced them to go single file, the walls were barely far enough apart to allow them to swing a sword.
“If somethin’ comes up, go ahead an’ shoot o’er me head, elf. I trust yer aim.” Jarek slowly marched down the passage, leading the others.
He paused to peer down the side tunnel.
“Should we check this out? Or go to the end? I cannae see a door at the end. Must be hidden.”
“Go to the end. Let’s see the falls,’ Seraphina urged.
“On we go.” Jarek took one last look down the side passage and headed to the end of the hall, stopping at a dead end.
“Where are the falls?”
“We can hear them. And they sound close.”
“Beyond this wall. And it nay is thick, sounds like they are right here.” Jarek ran his hands over the solid stone surface. “This must be a door. No sense working all that stone fer nothin’, no dwarf would.”
He felt along the edge of the wall, pressing his fingers into the corners, and rapping his knuckles on the stone. He was muttering under his breath as he searched. Finally, they all heard a soft click, and the end of the tunnel swung open, revealing a rough cave with a white mist hanging low to the floor. Moss and algae covered the stone.
“Careful. The stone looks slick.” Adran warned the others and grabbed a coil of rope from his pack. “We should tie ourselves together. I don’t think going over the edge would be healthy.”
“Let me.” Jarek took the end of the rope and tied it around his waist. “Hold on tight, I dinnae wanna fall.”
The others held the rope as Jarek started sliding his feet across the floor.
“Aye, ‘tis very slick.” He called back, inching towards the edge. Heavy mist roiled across the wide chamber. “Ay cannae see th’ falls yet, but they are near.” He was yelling over the thundering noise. “Ay see somethin’ at th’ edge. A ladder, I think.”
He slowly moved to the edge of the cave, looking over the edge.
“I cannae see th’ bottom!” His voice was barely audible when he faced away from them. “I think I hear th’ falls splashing into a pool or lake!” He inched over to the edge of the ledge and knelt down, barely visible in the hanging mist. He rose up after a second and slowly returned to the others.
“The falls are around that spur. Ye kin barely see them. An’ tha’ is a ladder. A chain ladder tha’ descends down the cliff face as far as I kin see.”
“What is down there?”
“The Black Lake.”
“Anything else?”
“I dinnae know. Me sire didn’t say much.”
“Should we go down?”
“Not yet. The Forge.” Jarek glanced back to the edge. “The ladder kin wait.”
“Do we go back around?”
“Nay, the passage yonder.” Jarek pointed, unable to pass by with the others clustered in the narrow tunnel.
They turned around and headed back, passing the side tunnel to allow Jarek space to enter first.
“’Nother dead end. ‘Nother secret door.” Jarek marched to the end and started tapping and feeling the stone. It didn’t take him long to find the latch, and he carefully pushed the door open. He looked in, the looked over his shoulder. “A small room. Maybe a closet of sorts?”
Cloaks and tunics hung from spikes hammered into the stone. Mildew and dust clung to the fabrics, making them look dingy and soiled. A wood door stood on the opposite wall.
The party entered the small room, crowding around the wood door.
“Must be a bed chamber through that door.” Seraphina whispered. “Think the duergar are using it?”
“They had those sleep pallets in the entrance hall, so maybe not.”
“Was that all of them?”
“I cannae say. How many do ye think there were?”
“There were ten pallets, and ten packs.”
“At least ten.”
“An’ we killed four.”
“So, there are at least six more?”
From beyond the door, they heard the guttural duergar language in a shout.
“Seems someone heard us.”
“No sense lettin’ ‘em wait!” Jarek charged through the door into what was obviously a large bed chamber.
In one corner to stood a large wooden sleeping platform, badly gouged by axe blows and partially burned. A table, a bench, and a writing desk had been similarly mistreated, heaps of wood more than functional furniture. In the middle of the southern wall, a space has been cleared for two simple sleeping pallets and a trio of large satchels. A long-haired duergar was hunched over one of the satchels, rummaging inside. Near the door they entered through was another simple wood door. Across the room was a stone door. As they entered the stone door swung open and a pair of armored duergar entered, growing into their enlarged forms before hurling massive javelins. The long-haired duergar pointed at the party and screamed. Long-hair began to swell and grow, and in a moment was twice its size or more. Wielding a massive great sword, the creature charged the party with the other two.
Malark howled and met the charge of the great sword-armed duergar. The axe howled with him.
‘Finally! You have found glorious battle! Strike them down!’
Axe met sword with a resounding clang, Malark’s corded muscles driving the axe with a fury. Duergar and man feinted and swung, massive strikes that found only air as they stepped and wove a deadly dance.
‘Weak! That is weak! A rabbit could swing me with more force!’
Adran sent two quick arrows into one of the other duergar, slowing its charge. Seraphina added two of her own arrows, and the creature toppled over. The other carried its war pick low, aiming for Jarek and swinging for the ceiling. Its strike glanced off the dwarf’s pauldron, and Jarek swung his hammer in a crushing two-handed blow that winded the duergar. Lia aimed over the stunty dwarf, sending a heavy quarrel into the massive form, the close range causing the bolt to bury deep.
Malark took a long cut to one arm, then returned the wound two-fold, nearly severing one of the duergar chief’s arms. Unable to swing the massive great sword one-handed, the creature retreated towards the door. Dropping the sword, it disappeared and they heard the sound of shuffling footsteps as it retreated. Malark charged towards the door, turning to face the last duergar with a feral grin.
‘Feel my bite! Grrrr!’
“No escape, ye dirty traitor!” Jarek’s eyes blazed with anger as he faced off with the remaining grey dwarf.
It swore in its own language, a deep growl of consonant sounds. It looked from Malark to Jarek, then screamed out. They couldn’t tell if it was frustration or a challenge. No one cared. Malark held his ground, blocking its escape while the others battered it with hammer and blade. Its death came quickly, falling under a rain of blows.
“They don’t know how to surrender, do they?”
“Not often. An’ almos’ ne’er to a dwarf.” Jarek spat on the corpse.
“Will the others fight to the death?” Seraphina looked sad.
“Mor’ n’ likely, lassie. They are too stubborn to quit.”
“Could we bribe them to leave?”
“Not likely. They came here fer a reason. They won’ wanna leave.”
“Could we at least try?”
“Why, lassie? They would cut yer throat in yer sleep if they could. The are evil through an’ through.”
Malark was looking into the next room while they debated.
‘Go find some more. I want some blood!” The axe shouted. ‘Oh, sorry. Were you trying to sneak?’
Lia glared at the axe, then watched Seraphina and Jarek talk.
“Ye kin try and bribe ‘em. A waste of good coin, methinks. But if ye wanna try.”
‘Bribe them? Why bribe when you can KILL!’
“We’ve killed half their band. Shouldn’t we give them an out?”
‘Kill! Kill them all!’
“Shut up axe.” Lia glared at the blade. “I’m beginning to see why you got left down here.”
Durngreip mumbled something not even Malark could hear.
“Would you barter with an’ orc?”
“Well, no, but…”
“But? A duergar is jus’ an’ orc with a beard! Same sense of honor an’ right.”
“He isn’t wrong.” Adran mused. “Their sense of honor is based on fear and strength. Their code is oppressive and they are only interested in self-preservation and personal gain.”
“Self-preservation? Seems we could use that.” Seraphina was frowning, looking at the rest of the party, searching for an ally.
“We cannae have them lookin’ o’er our shoulder while we explore. They aren’ like you an’ me. No honor a’tall. Sorry lassie, we need t’ end them.” Jarek was less angry now than when the duergar were around.
“We could try.” Her voice was small, with very little hope.
“Tell ye wha’,” Jarek finally said. “I’ll offer them their lives. They kin leave an’ we won’ chase them. If they agree, they will be bound to go. I nay ginnae offer coin to those traitorous slime.”
“Fair enough. We have beat them soundly, maybe they will take the chance to flee.”
“Gonna have to fight them when we return…” Jarek grumbled. “They won’ stay away.”
‘Good! I wanna kill some more!’
Lia had opened the single wooden door off the bed chamber while the others discussed their course of action. She and Malark were standing near the heavy stone door, the outside face carved in a somewhat familiar dwarf visage. He had been holding a bandage to the long cut down his arm and Lia began to wrap the wound.
“Hope they can figure something out soon,” she murmured as she worked.
‘Yeah. I’m tired of standing around when there are creatures to slay.’
“I wasn’t talking to you, axe.”
‘Still have a name.’
“Still don’t care.”
The rest of the party finished their conversation and gathered near the doors. They opened into a large chamber nearly filled by a massive stone table. As the moved around the table, Jarek ran his hand along the surface.
“Carved from a single slab. Musta been carved in place, since the doors are too small. The skill!”
Faded tapestries hung from the walls. Once beautiful woven cloth was slashed and burned, tattered fragments of their former glory.
“Stupid gits destroy everthin’.” Jarek muttered.
The far door was open to the grand entrance hall.
“Seems we’ve come full circle.” Adran peered through the open door.
“Kin ye see any of them?” Jarek pushed up to look through the doorway.
“No, but they can turn invisible, so that doesn’t mean much.”
“Their power nay is unlimited. I dinnae think it lasts too long. A couple o’ hours at best. At least tha’ what me deep kin claim.”
“If they all tried to ambush us, they won’t be able to be invisible again, will they?”
“I dinnae know fer sure, but I dinnae think so. Not if they used their powers.”
“How long can they stay big?”
“Less?”
“Are you asking or telling?”
“Less time than they kin be invisible.”
“How much less?”
“Do ah look like a scholar?” Jarek growled.
“I thought you might know.’
“We can’t see the doors to the forge from here.” Adran has hunched down, peering around the corner of the doorway.”
“The pallets don’t seem to be disturbed.” Lia looked through the door.
“You burned their pallets.” Seraphina said,
“True, well, their packs seem undisturbed.”
“Did they leave?”
“Ay doubt it. Not with us stomping’ around. They would wait to see if we left.” Jarek paced along the huge table.
“We’ll have to go through the doors.”
“And they know we have to go through them.”
“Which means they’ll be waiting.”
“Visible, I hope.”
‘Not me. I hope they charge to their doom. Did I tell you I need to kill something?’
No one replied to Durngreip, the whole party was contemplating their entry into a known occupied space. Occupied by angry duergar.
“We can leave them.”
“Nay. We cannae leave them.” Jarek sighed, the toils of the day dragging even the stalwart dwarf to exhaustion. “let’s go. The sooner we kill ‘em, the sooner we can rest.”
War Across the Ages, and other dark horrors 