Don settles down on the floor. Well at least we have a spot where we can rest, we've been pressing hard for the last...Hmm...Just how long has it been?
Being underground it is hard to tell, the opening ceremony was at noon and you figure you have been walking for about 5 hours or so.
"Yes, please show me to that trader." Lynn requests.
Once there she asks "Hello good sir. I'd like to purchase a light crossbow and some bolts. But I'm short of coins. What would you give me for this golden ring?"
"No such items I have, spears and shields, clubs and nets."
The trader will give you 115gp for the ring though.
Millorn will join Lynn as she goes to the trader, upon her request from the trader Millorn produces a light crossbow from his pack and hands it to Lynn.
"Millorn not using, Lady can use, thank you for not killing Millorn."
"Thank you." Lynn tells Millorn as she accepts the crossbow. She puts the ring back into her pocket.
Iko sits down desides with everyone and looks around. "Who would have thought. A thriving community right below our feet."
As Lynn looks through the items she feels the power of magic in some of them. From what She can see there is a Magical Shield, a Magical Gem and a magical ring.
Lynn wonders about the quality of the items. "How much is that ring?" she asks the trader.
Don takes a short nap
Before the merchant can answer, Lann comes to the stall.
"The Chieftain will see you now. Mularn I will bring them back to trade with you after wards."
The Trader nods at Lann, "I will think on a cost, upon your return Lady I will shall make a deal."
"On to the Chieftain then." Lynn replies and follows Lann.
For those who are still at Lann’s home a Drya appears and motions for you to follow her, she leads you to Lynn, Lann and the Chief’s home.
As Lann leads you into the Chiefs receiving area, you are greeted by a much hunched looking Mongrel. Her hair is greasy and hangs long down the right side of her head, the left side being bare; she nods at Lann who does the same. After on a few moments the door opens and you are taken into a 10’ round room. A very large Mongrelman sits on a chair of parts in front of you, his face looks like that of a mouse, teeth in points and scraggly looking grey hair unkempt. His left eye is pure white and he turns his head to get a better look at the group as they enter.
”Welcome, thank you for helping my people. Why is it that you have come to be in our home? Lann has told me some but I want to hear it from you.” His speech is slow and has a slight lisp to it.
"If by home you mean this whole realm under the surface then it is because the Demons erupted from the ground in Kenabres. This shortly ripped open the ground and had us fall into your home while the Storm King fought Terendelev and killed her." Lynn gives a very brief recap of events. Being reminded of the death of the dragon brings the sadness back to her face.
Indeed, very bad things have happened on the surface and we would like to get back to see if we can lend our aid.
The Chieftain will consider your words, taking a moment to consult with Lann and The long haired woman. While they are away you are free to look about the room, they have gone into another portion of the house. Upon the wall looks like a coat or arms or a family symbol, there is a large bat with ruby eyes in it.
After 10 minutes or so the Chief, Lann and the woman return. The Chief stands infront of the group.
"I chief Sull of the Northern tribe, will give you passage across the Dark Lake to the southern side. Once there head south to the known entrance to the surface, be weary as the Southern tribe, THOSE TRAITORS!" The Chief gets loud and angry when he talks about the Southern Tribe. "They have aligned with the humans, and attacked my people killing them when they see them. I will send Lann with you to the Surface, to talk with your leadership about a truce."
Lann looks at his Chief with shock and apprehension at first but calms in a few moments.
"What else can I do for you before you go? You are free to return here if needs be, just signal us if you need to return across the lake."
"Who are those people of the southern tribe. How can I distinguish them from your people?" Lynn asks.
"None of my people are there and if they are they are dead, they were once of us but now are not. Kill them all and we will make the ways to the surface safe again."
"Sorry but that I don't understand. Which humans have they aligned with? And why do they kill your people?" Lynn inquires. This constellation makes no sense at all to her.
Lann will step up and answer the question.
"Ones like those we found in the western caves, with the spore-cougher." Lann's eyes light up a bit once he says that, "Chieftain the spore-cougher has been slain in the western tunnels, we need fear it no longer. We did not find any trail of your son though, I will have more of our people go and look."
Aniva enters the room, looking tired but wanting to say something.
"The bodies of the false Iomedae Knights are secure on the southern beach, once we are ready to go we can still take them if you guys want too. The have been stripped of their possessions, we could keep the Chain mail."
"Then it looks like we can kill all of your race and all humans in that southern tribe and do the world a favour. How many are there of them?" Lynn asks further.
"Humans we are not sure, we have seen many walking around but it could always be the same ones. Mongrels 20 maybe, I am not sure." The woman answers. Her voice very low and serious sounding.
"Twenty tough fighters armed and armored, or twenty including old and cildren?" Lynn continues "Because you know, twenty is about three to five times the number we have. Depending of whom you count as able to fight."
"Yes, no need to give the possessions of these traitors back to their family. This could serve the good cause of fighting the demons instead." Lynn replies to Aniva.
After a moment of thought she adds to the chieftain "Also what does your son look like? It would be a shame if we would find him in the southern village and kill him. Son of the chieftain missing sounds a lot like black mail potential. If he has shown no habit of getting lost so far then that's the first I would look."
With the prospect of serious combat lying before them Lynn takes out the two unknown potions and tries to find out what they are.
"My son did not go south, he went west. My son left after we fought about the south and how to deal with them. We have brethren to the West and he went to seek their aid."
The Woman speaks up"We not if they have children, most will be warriors both male and female."
"Then an open assault with only the few of us is out of the question." Lynn concludes. "Are you interested in sending warriors with us to solve that problem? I mean if the others that are with me are interested in such a raid too."
We found a bat item when we were traveling here. Don hands over the item in question. We found no trace of your son I am afraid. As for fighting, we will need to see how they are arranged, if we can say bottleneck them, we will have a better time. Can anyone cast magic to help?
"What kind of magic are you looking for?" Lynn asks.
Disable large groups
"Sorry, I'm not able to do that." Lynn replies.
As Don pulls the broach out and hands it over to Lann, the Chief turns his head to look through his good eye.
"That... that is my sons broach. Where did you find it? Did you find him? Did you see him?" The Chiefs milky eye begins to mist up.
I am afraid we did not see him, but found it at an abandoned campsite.
"I still think it is a possibility that your son was caught by the evil tribe." Lynn states.
"Or he might have been in the large cave where we fell down into this subterranean world- not far from the campsite. That would have been his doom. Then he'd be under the many falling down to their death or crushed by rocks from above." Lynn adds. This is hopeless. If he'd been with the evil tribe there'd been at least a chance to find and save him. But if he's just one of these many dead lying in the rubble of this horrible event that started all of this.
"I'm going to turn in for the night. Maybe Shelyn will give my mind some rest from all this in my dreams. Can someone lead me back to that place we waited earlier please?"
Some rest would be good, we need to be ready for facing the traitors.
Lann looks at those gathered and leads you back to his place, as he is leading you out the Chief walks over.
"I am going to gift you this for letting me know about my son, even if it means he will not return."
He hands you a very heavy looking Mace, it appears to be made of scrap but looks solid.
"I only ask that you use this to bash in the skull of at least 1 of the traitors!" With that done he walks back into his home and closes the door.
Thank you very much, Cheif Sull, I am sure it will be well used against them. John will be sure to get his rest before they head out.
Tink has been eyeing things in the market and generally just following people around. The internal politics are not of interest to him so he soon takes to tinkering on SteelGate with the aid of Blue.
Lynn follows Lann and prepares herself for bedtime. Mostly that's geting out of the armor, brushing teeth and setting up the bedroll.
"Do you need a blanket? I have a spare." she asks Iko as he brought nothing with him as he fell down here.
Iko who has been silently watching the exchange till Lynn comes and offers a blanket. He bows low and says. "Thank you Lynn, that wull be most appreciated."
He then takes the blanket and folds it nicely on the floor where he sits and mediates with his legs crossed before him and his temple sword balanced upon it,
Lynn is too tired after this horrible day for polite small talk with their host. She puts herself into her bedroll and after a short time a soft snoring is heard from that corner.
Who would like to use the mace? I can use it but prefer my Earthbreaker
The night passes uneventful, in the morning Lann is cooking breakfast no one is able to determine what it is he is cooking and it might be better to not ask.
"So you leave today for the south, to get back to the surface? Chief Sull wants me to accompany you, to talk with your leadership, maybe about a truce."
Aniva, Horgus and Aravashnial are all awake and eating. Horgus makes a disgusted face behind Lann's back, Aniva yawns and Aravashnial sips at something hot from a clay mug. Millorn is no where to be seen.
"As I understand it it's not our people that attack you but our traitors that work together with your traitors. But I guess that can be taken care of. Either by doing it ourself or by telling our people of the traitors to get them hunted down and executed." Lynn tells.
She casts create water to fill her mug and eats from the trail rations she brought. She is far to cautious to eat something that might be infested with some demonic parasites.
We can certainly do that, I don't know how many survive though but we have to try. Thank you very much for your hospitality. Don is ready to head out.
Tink sits at the table eating. Every now and then he passes a piece up to Blue who hops about excitedly.
"I am curious as to what this is?" Tink asks between mouthfuls
As everyone is eating, one of the most hideous looking Mongrelmen shows up to talk with Lann.
Horgus nearly falls on his back as the Mongrel taps him on the shoulder to move by Horgus.
"We have run into an issue with these surface dwellers stuff. They have a wagon and we cannot get it over there by our boats." His speech is very slow and almost snake like.
Lann turns to the group.
"How attached to the wagon are you? It will be difficult to get it through to the surface if I remember correctly."