Steel Wolves - A Mercenary Campaign
Game Master Mark Sweetman

Hearing Sentis' joke Doc looked at him like he'd grown a second head, and then broke into hearty laughter.

"Whatd'yeknow. Ah guess elves c'n learn new things in less than a decade."

The cyclops turned it's sightless eye to its left and right in turn before it replied "I know not of what you speak Undying... my eye was taken before I was interred... But to release me, all you need do is break my bonds and remove me from the throne. That will grant me the succor I need to move on... please Undying, I have lingered far to long in half-life."

The druid beemed at Doc's praise but the Cyclops kept the amusement from lasting too long.

Well? What do you all think? At the least we should rest and plan before making any action. If we make any action at that.

"If he is sincere, we should let him free from his burdens." Darkbiter had been quietly watching and listening, content to allow the others to lead the conversation.

"My spells are rather low, and if we need to fight upon this things release, I'd prefer to be fully recharged. Tell him we will free him after we can restore our mystic energies, in the off chance that something tries to stop us from releasing him"

Yes sir.

Sentis turns to regard the shackled Cyclops again.

in Elven - Thronebound, The Steel Wolves have decided to free you. However we will need to rest and plan accordingly as there are two very gruesome looking guardians standing nearby and we fear that we will have to do battle with them. Surely another day or so as we tell time is a small wait for one such as you.

"Good call, Boss." Doc said with a nod. "Ah wanna replenish some supplies. Ah'll go start camp up top."

Without waiting for Sentis to translate what the creature on the throne said, Doc stomped back out of the ziggurat.

"Time... time is all I have left. A day can be endured Undying... but please return when you have rested."

Anything specific you want to do before resting?
The conversation with Thronebound was carried out without you ever approaching close (with 30ft or so) of the area where it and the statues are.

Sentis will use up his 3 CLW spells on himself and anybody else that is hurt and then we need to discuss a strategy.

"This is as good a camp as any, Doc yah still got some o tha dickson cider?"

"Perhaps we should check out the remainder of the side rooms before getting too settled down."

Do the weapons the statues have seem to match the marks on the walls we saw earlier?

The weapons aren't a good fit, but the gauntlets and claws are similar.

The side-chambers continue in the same vein as what you could see, running the full length of the main hallway - though with only the one entrance.

Once his scouts have finished checking the side corridors, Blaze follows Doc topside.

"Alright Doc, now that we're plenty out of earshot of that thing, what's your opinion on this 'Thronebound?'"

"Who? Th' dessicated tortured corpse of a would-be usurper from a race o' ancient megalomaniac tyrants? Ah'm sure he's a great guy. Nothin' t' worry 'bout."

Kaavel starts an odd laugh after Doc speaks before stopping almost as quickly as he started.

DM Voiceless, great one.

"Gee thanks Doc. Listen, just cuz you haven't gotten any o Grusk's mom lately doesn't mean you need to take it out on me. I was asking for your opinion on what we should do about the creepy throne guy. Shall we leave him there or try and free him?"

"Whaddayah tink he would do free? I tink he'll get some eyes an go on a rampage on tha surface world. Unless by free he means finally dead."

Doc shrugs. "Well now, ah think tha' depends entirely on what's in it fer us. Personally, ah think we should rent one o' them harps tha' help ye' build stuff, come back an' fill in every inch of this entire area wit' solid stone, but ah do 'ave a soft spot fer lost knowledge an' whatnot. Yer the boss. If'n ye think there's some profit t' be 'ad in 'elpin' the one-eyed corpse out, then let's do it. Ah think it would be good t' find out more 'bout what he wants, and what might 'appen if'n we free 'im though."

The young half elf listened to the Wolves and felt a fool. It probably wasnt wise to take the Usurper at his word. Doc had hit upon a key point. Anything that rose against a whole race of tyrants was not to be taken lightly.

Perhaps more talk is in order. On the morrow I can cast a spell so that three of you will be able to speak and understand elven. You might hear something in his words that Kaavel and I missed.

Blaze nods in agreement with the shaman "Sounds good Sentis. I really should learn Elven, but its just so unmanly sounding." He says with a grin. "However its much better than Dwarven, which sounds like you have a mouth full of, ..rocks"

Zing!

"Yer mouth is full o Docs rocks? When does tha happen?"

Blaze shakes his head at what must be brain damage "No you demented Half-Orc. I can't speak Dwarven, but I've heard it spoken before and that's what it sounds liek. Keep yer mind outta Doc's sauce, this gets much worse and we'll need to reasign you, as you'll be a danger in fights." He says with an absolutely straight face.

"There ye go callin' 'im a 'alf-orc ag'in. Ah jus' don' see it. 'E's 'bout as much a 'alf-orc as 'Biter is."

The squad is able to rest without incident and awakens refreshed and ready for the conundrum that awaits them.

Dark ponders the group's position over the course of the night, and in the morning has some questions to ask. "Do we know how many of these Thronebound there are, and where they are located? We seem to be doing a very good job of running into these ruins, so having some forewarning and a greater understanding of them would be of great asset to us. Perhaps we could ask this Thronebound to share with us what he can before we free him from his situation."

Wise advice Dark. Like I said I can cast the spell to let you understand and speak elven three times. Which of you would like to be in on the converstaion?

"We got lots tah does, find out wha yous ken, me an dark an whoever else will scout back out tah tha openin an make certain tha bugs err not sneakin in."

"See if yall ken learn a few words o tha forgotten tongue, might be useful later on."

"Ah c'n speak elven a'redy."

"I'll take that spell Sentis. Beyond that, I don't care who else is enchanted"

Sentis nodded to his corporal and waits until they are outside of the ziggurat to cast the spell that would allow Sunny to speak and understand elven. He also cast it on Darkbiter and Cort.

This will last a full day. Shall we see what the Usurper has to say today?

Grusk prepares for the short patrol back to the opening of the obolith.

The passage back to the ziggurat is uneventful and you re-enter the place of death. Thronebound still sits where you left him upon his place of interment. His head jerks towards you as you enter "Undying... you return to free me?"

Sentis stopped well short of the seated cyclops.

Thronebound, we have returned. We have some questions for you for this is quite the daunting task you set before us.

Grusk and some others set up a circular route back to check on doc's pimp wagon and returning, ensuring nothing interferes with our equipment or the wolves speaking with the throne-bound.......

who is with me?

I went. Needed to pick up some supplies and drop off the big bug's carcass anyway.

Doc was hauling quite the load when he returned, lowering ropes and a chest of supplies and tools down into the hole. He finished dragging everything inside just as Sentis started talking.

Dark accepts the spell and waits for his leader to begin the questioning.

Throneroom:

"Ask your questions Undying, the exchange of words gives me comfort"

At the Wagon:

Grusk and Doc arrive back at the wagon to find the Mwangi still at guard. They help you to muscle the carcass above and if bidden will remain at guard for you.

Cort - if you're still around and interested, please check in IC in some way

Doc doesn't speak the language, but gives the Mwangi a good sized jug of spiced ale as thanks for keeping an eye on the wagon.

"Thought tha wagon was gonna be settin on stones when we gots back here, was sure they was gonna steal tha wheels."

Blaze waits for Sentis to ask his questions "I'll let you take lead here, elf."

"Say Doc, I bet yah could set up a secondary wheel on each corner, in case a wheel gets busted yah jus lower another one an tha Alchemy buggy keeps goin."

Sentis was unsure of himself here and went forth tentavely.

In elven - Thronebound, we know next to nothing of the Ghol-gan. You said they were tyranical. In what way?

"Le's talk about tha' later, pal." Doc said, shifting his focus to Sentis and his interrogation. "S' an interstin' idea, but ah don' wanna miss anythin' 'ere."

A dry chuckle "The tyrants sat above the little ones and used them as chattel and slaves. Trod beneath our feet or fed to our wolves when their use was ended. The existence of the weak ones and their kin was only to perform tasks beneath the ghol-gan."

Are you the only one that stood up against them?

"One of a few... though all others I knew of failed as I did."

Feel free to ask multiple questions at once - and for others to posit questions as well. Speeds up the interrogatory back and forth.

"How many others, and did they receive the same punishment you did?"

"Forgive my asking, but if we release you, your just going to pass on to the next realm?"

"I know not how many, but few. Some were killed, some repented... I doubt many shared my fate. I defied them and perverted the little ones to my cause."

"If you grant me release then I will pass from this world"