The druid shrugged as he took another puff upon his pipe, making sure to let some of the fumes brush past Rufus as he did so.
"Dead's dead, Palio. Whether you tell them or not, he's not coming back. He's returning to the earth now. Like we all will, eventually."
Brok paused, considering his words. "But not today, I hope."
the dwarf said with a roar.
Standing up, he steps towards the direction of the sleeping quarters. "I'm gonna grab me gear, see you in a few.."
"Sure thing, Anropos. I'll be right here, waiting. I think."
Brok took a slow drag from the pipe, letting the aroma of flayleaf tickle his senses. The room's color seemed to pop out of him, the natural world making itself known even in the mundane environs of a humble inn.
"I hope we'll see the sun today... So tired of the dark."
Packed and readied to go, Panros was a veritable walking labkit as he bound towards the common room and joined his flayleaf smoking friend.
"Glad to see yer up and about. We've got a vault to crack, and a long tunnel to explore."
Hoisting his packs, he felt that he had everything readied for such an adventure. But something clung at his mind - Bacchus. Perhaps visiting the armorer before setting out might be a good idea.
"Brok, meet me at the ruin's entrance before noon, I've got some business to take care of. Perhaps you'll be in a more sober mind to deal with the dangers ahead of us?" Panros said with a furrowed brow and cocked smile. "well, till then! AHAHAHAHA"
With a hearty laugh, the dwarf bound from the inn and towards the direction of Bacchus the Bull. Passing through the wooden door, he called out, looking for his friend in arms.
The half-elf called after his companion as the dwarf eagerly bound for the door. "But it is... noon. He's gone."
Brok looked at Rufus, who had buried his snout in his paws.
"I know bud. I know. We best get a move on before he realizes what happened."
With a sigh and another puff, Brok stood and packed away his pipe, headed for the ruins of the tower.
Panros can already hear the sound of a hammer upon an anvil echoing from out of the Bacchus Smithy, even before crossing the threshold.
Upon entry, it's clear that the Bull is hard at work. The fires of the forge lick at his green-tinted flesh, the sweat of hard work drenching his shirt. He catches sight of the dwarf out of the corner of his eye, and gives a grunt of greeting over the hammering of steel.
"Oy Bacchus! Sorry to bug you at work, I've actually got something you might be interested in.." said Panros as he motioned towards a table currently unoccupied. Opening several clasps and hooks, Panros removed a masterwork shortbow and a masterwork small leather armor and presented them as if their prizes before a contestant.
"Found these two recently. Some different craft from what I've seen. Figured you'd might like to hang on to these two."
"Whatcha think, mate?"
The burly man gave his work another hammer, then hefted it high in the tongs and inspected his work. Satisfied, he set it down into the cooling waters.
The sizzle of steam accompanied a rush of steam as the blade - or whatever Bacchus had been working on - cooled down to a normal temperature. Slowly, Bacchus strode towards Panros as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Fine worksmanship, that is." He took the bow, running his hand over the its inlaid woodworking. "A bit marked of the wilds, possibly made by a verderer. Same with the armor, I'd imagine. I have a few bits and pieces of old leather around the shop - I could resize the leather, if you'd so desired. But bows aren't my trade, sadly. Not much I can do for that."
The dwarf did not look impressed.
He held the two items, looking like toys in the brutish hands of a half-orc, mentally weighing them as he parsed them over. "I've only got a handful of imperials available right now. So's I can pay ya 100 golds, or give ya 300's worth of store credit for the lot."
"I'll take the store credit. I've gots a feelin' you're gonna be my personal armorer, though, that can't be a bad thing if I keep finding materials for you to work with."
Hoisting his packs, Panros smiled and walked towards the door.
"If I find anything, you'll be the first to know!"
Permitting a small farewell, Panros left the shop so that Baccus can resume his work.
"Heck of a smith that one, even for half orc.."
After finishing business with his smithing friend, Panros decided to head back to the Witch's tower ruins. As he meandered, something occured to him - he had told to meet Brok at noon, even though noon had already passed! Clutching his cap and silently cursing to himself, the Tinkerer hustled faster, hoping to not miss Brok.
As he crested the hill, Panros kept his eyes opened looking for that shaggy shape of a man and his fuzzy companion.
Brok was laying out on the grass of Belhaim's westernmost hillside, basking in the sunlight. Rufus was sprawled out on top of him, using the man's stomach as a pillow.
It was really hard to miss the man.
"Brok, why didn't you say anything earlier! I could've looked like a fool!" he said while trying to cast a large shadow over his druidic friend. "I ain't mean to be crazy in the head, I can't help it, I'm a genius!"
His pack groaned under the weight of what it carried. Adjusting several of the straps, he let out a sigh. Being an alchemist isn't easy.
"Well Brok, we've got ourselves a ruin to clear, and speaking of which, that vault! I'm gonna crack it open like a crab shell and open its contents like a hungry sailor! It's got to have something good in it, aye?!!!"
"Sure... I guess.
The druid was not looking forward to delving once more into darkness. Handling the kobolds, looting a vault... it was all well and good until you realized how little sunlight there was down there. And how much you missed it when you finally saw her glory riding up there in the sky again.
Not bothering to stand, he continued. "Did you figure out to open that stupid vault yet?"
"Perhaps. Me thinks its either of the keys we found on the old Hunclay, or them toothpicks Kanade had acquired. Whatever the case, I think we're better off than last time. One thing that I'm sure is, we've got that long tunnel."
A heavy sigh escaped the dwarf.
"Frankly, I don't know what's at the end of that tunnel, but, I can't just ignore it."
Lowering a hand down to his natury friend, Panros tried to pick up the druid.
"Time to shove off!"
Brok rolled over and rifled through his pack. He pulled out a shining dagger with a jagged, serrated edge.
"You mean these things? Apparently the crazy girl left them behind when she ran out. I picked 'em up when you were busy touching doors or something. Figured I could sell 'em for more 'leaf."
"Well me thinks that if there's two slots by that cage, either them toothpicks, or the wizard's keys would work. There is of course my favorite method - bombs, but I wouldn't want to destroy the treasure we could have! I mean Brok, whaddya think's in dem chests? Gems of glorious shapes and sizes! Coins from a bygone era, heck, even maybe magical items! "
Panros's excitement had gotten the better of him, causing the dwarf to sputter as he explained the situation to his friend.
"Or...maybe death. But, Desna seems to be smiling on us, even if we're not part of her congregation. Come on, up boy! We've got ourselves a vault to wreck!"
After climbing, balancing, ducking, dodging, and otherwise going about the roundabout, the duo finds themselves back in the treasure vault. Its heavy iron bars mock you with the goodies beyond.
"Alright...time to use em..." Panros said as he released the clasp on the ring of keys that were recovered from the Wizard's corpse. "Here we go!"
Crouching near the woodens slots, he entered the keys with apprehension. Sweat frothed his brow, unsure what horrors he had unleashed.
Upon putting a key to the keyhole, it becomes obvious that the slots were not sized for normal keys. The wizard's keys are woefully undersized, and cannot even begin to move the mechanism.
"Too easy..." Panros said as the Wizard's keys proved useless. Attaching them back to the key ring and storing them away, Panros looked towards Brok. "Oy, I'm gonna need dem toothpicks. Aside from dem pickers, I don't know any other way to open this vault other than bombs, lots o' dem - but me babies are precious. Can't just throw them away now, ye know?"
Reaching over, he picked up the special daggers and went to insert them within the floor's slots.
The mithril daggers fit handily into the slots. Though the mechanism is old and heavy, you can turn the lock if you put some effort into it.
Unfortunately, there's two of them. And they don't stay in the turned position. You'll need two people.
Also unfortunately, your only companion is Brok, who is currently trying to reach the treasure chests by simply shoving his hand through the bars. After you stop the man from getting himself stuck in between the bars, you show him how the locks work and what to do.
Together, the two of you turn the mithril keystones, and you can hear a grinding noise like an army running across your rooftop. The iron bars blocking the treasury slowly begin to part, receding into both the ceiling and floor, until the seven chests within appear completely exposed, for the taking.
The room sounded as if a hungry metallic creature was shedding its skin. Nervous, Panros slowly turned to see what may have been his death - but instead - SALVATION.
His jaw agape, words barely formed within his mouth.
"Hu...bu...bu..." as now 7 chests stood before him, glistening with gleam. The sounds of coins dropping, chests opening, and childish laughter filled his head, as one major obstacle had been removed from his path. Slapping his friend's shoulder with a leathered hand, Panros yelled out in excitement.
Like a child on yuletide morning, Panros' face couldn't contain the smile that shown through his bead. In moments flat, he began a happy dance, sweeping up both Brok and Rufus in the endeavor.
"We did it! We did it! Ahahaha!"
Panros' dance took his teammates to the 7 treasure chests that stood waiting for them.
But then, something occured to him. Despite facing countless obstacles that challenged the Tinkerer, (most of which he tackled with no logic), Panros went to inspect the chests, wary that they contained some dangerous elements.
The chests don't appear to be trapped, but they are quite old.
And really heavy.
And locked.
You immediately think of trying the wizard's keys. They, of course, do not fit the locks. At least these are conventional locks!
Panros' pleasure instantly dropped once he was faced with the locked chests. Roaring outloud, he had clenched at his magnificent beard, and shared his insight with the world.
As soon as he was done sputtering, Panros offered a small prayer to Torag, asking for patience.
Aye father of the forge, ye hammer's mighty, and through its sparks gave us life as we know it. I'm askin ya, grant me a modicum o' patience. I'm having a hard time dealin' with all dese troubles!
Fishing out his lockpicking set, he began the slow work of disarming each and every chest.
"Brok, keep an eye out, aight lad? Try not to get bored!"
Fortunately, all the locks are quite old. Anyone who's had any experience with tinkering with sealed containers would know their way around these. And even so, the locking mechanisms are so old they practically unlock themselves!
After several minutes of work, and a good thirty of counting, the two men find themselves atop a veritable fortune.
Panros' jaw couldn't have gone any lower at the sight of all the liquid currency and gems that stood before him. A veritable sheen of currency glowed on the dwarf, as he was faced with a sizable sum of treasure long forgotten by time.
"buh-buh-br-brok!
Grabbing the badger up in the air like a newborne child, he smiled and roared at the creature with glee.
"RUFUS. WE HIT PAYDIRT!!! AHAHAH!!!!" Swinging the creature around in a small dance, Panros was quite the mad man.
"Brok...we seriously can't tell anyone up on the surface about this! We're looking at a treasure trove of riches! You can buy all the flayleaf and mental wasters you want...and for me...oh boy! Xenme and I are gonna have a good time making alchemy!"
Unsure of how to react to the dwarf grabbing him, Rufus gave a semblance of a smile, and clambered up the dwarf's arm to rest upon his head while he continued. Brok simply smiled, fields of flayleaf in his mind's eye.
Panros sat himself upon the stone floor and began to parse over the gemstones, one by one. They were all lovely, large, and perfectly cut. Relics from an age clearly not seen in Belhaim for many, many years. Even the teak case in which the gems sat, waiting in velvet for hands to pass over them, was remarkably well made.
All in all, the gems and their case could probably fetch upwards of 800 gold coins.
"Well Brok, we're rich. REAL RICH. I could own a laboratory..and ye could own a field o'leaf, and we still would have some! Though, probably best for us to divide up this loot and start carrying on. Me thinks that the long, deep, dark, evil tunnel's calling us!"
"So...any object for Tunnel time?"
"Plenty...
The half-elven man sighed and looked to Rufus, who was lounging atop a pile of copper coins.
"Shouldn't we move all this treasure somewhere safe first? Surely the tunnel will... wait."
"Fair enough. I'm sure Talia wouldn't mind us stashing it o'er her Tavern. Though, she could probably use it to pay off our paltry tab. Good thinking, Brok!"
"Thinking. Yes."
Anything to avoid delving in the cramped dark tunnels any longer.
Stupid dwarves.
"Talia, oy, I've got a favor to ask of ye! Do ye have a chest or something I can...well, make a deposit in? Can't be carrying everything we find, if ye know wut I mean!" Panros said while gently tapping his pack.
Talia smiled, then noticed the large sack of valuables peeking out from beneath the flap of Panros's backpack.
"Oh, wow, hon. I don't even want to know. Guess you'll have no problem paying that tab after all, huh?"
She leaned down, fiddled with a few latches, and then presented a key to the two men.
"This'll get ya into the lockup downstairs. Now, I'm trusting y'all not to touch any of my wares, you hear? Just store what you need, then come right'n back. Your valuables are my valuables, and, uh- let's keep it quiet, eh?"
She thumbed over her shoulder, gesturing towards the backroom - where a staircase led down into the cellar. Sure enough, there was a storeroom down here, hidden behind casks of ale and wheels of cheese. It wasn't quite bare, holding a few other trinkets that either belonged to Talia or the other guests.
"Woah...she ain't kidding!" he said while oggling the backroom's contents. "Well, Talia's good for her word, and if any bloke's gonna be poking 'round here, then she's got to have an eye and a mind on them."
Fetching forth several bags and pouches from his pack, Panros motioned over towards a corner and begin to align his loot into a corner he deemed his own. Amid the clinking and clankering of coins, jewels, and other loot, Panros was quite certain he had unloaded his burden.
Opening a small lockbox, Panros carefully placed his most valuable items, a veritable dragon's horde of platinum pieces and fine jewels. After giving a satisfactory once over, he locked his possessions, hoping for the best.
"Well Brok, that about settles it. This is probably the safest place o'er than trusting the Abadite, though, I'm sure the bloke would try to conjure some innane paperwork or edict claiming a portion of our treasure. Atleast with Talia, it's literally bellow our pillows, and look! Its the closest to the earth, so I know ye can get behind that!"
Jabbing the druid's arm with a leathered hand, Panros motioned for the duo to return
With a sigh, Brok follows the dwarf all the way back up the hill, up the tower, down the tower, through some tunnels, and all the way back to the small, long passageway.
Only one way to go now.
There were some kobolds to deal with.
The trek back down towards the cavern's depths was a rather long one, having spent the latter part of the day dreading the immense tunnel that they had shirked earlier. Knowing full well that while underground in a tunnel that seemed to have no end, and unnecessary sounds could travel, further alerting whatever lied ahead.
Keeping both his wits, and loud mouth to himself, Panros turned inward while running over the possibilities of what he may encounter.
This tunnel's long, aye, too long. Someone or something had quite the time carving this out, or perhaps it was like this. Whatever the case, it just didn't seem right - how could any of this exist under a sleepy hamlet, and for how long?!
The dwarf's keen mountain senses kick in, as the narrowing tunnel squeezes in around the duo both above and below. Before long, they are scraping through with their shoulders along the wall and hunched over backs. It's abundantly clear this tunnel has been dug out - poorly and hastily, at that. The supports are crooked, buckling in several places. The integrity of the tunnel seems fair, however, and not in any danger of collapse.
Several minutes later - a good fifteen minutes of walking in a straight, dark line, a glint of light peeks out from the end of the tunnel. Pushing through and taking a deep breath of fresh air, you find yourself atop a narrow ledge overlooking a large lake below.
Set into what appears to be a crater or natural canyon, the lake below is a darkened blue - probably quite deep. The cliffs on all side rise above you by another dozen or so feet, and the ledge winds itself to the right, trailing down to a narrow shoreline even with the lake's surface.
"Woah..." was all that the dwarf managed to say as he took in the picturesque vista that stretched before him.
How can this be? We were underground for quite some time and now it opens up to this...this..canyon crater beyond that of Bellhaim!
He looked at his companion and pointed towards the lake.
"Brok, I don't think we're in Bellhaim anymore..."
Squatting down upon the ledge's surface, he produced a journal and began sketching the landscape before him, noting the expanse of the untouched natural landscape.
"Brok, seriously. First the Witch's tower ruins built on top of an ancient taldan prison which leads deeper, and now a tunnel that opens up to..this!" he said while pointing his inkpen towards the lake. "This goes beyond what I thought of the region. I mean, just think about it - we're probably the only adventurer's who even know about this passage!"
"Was there anything in particular that you watnted to do?"Panros said while he was scribbling away a landscape within his journal.
The druid shrugged. He was just glad to feel the sun's warmth again, though the dwarf was apparently having a time of it. They'd hardly even walked a mile, or half of that! A mined-out tunnel, an old ruin falling down. None of it seemed as mysterious as Pardrios made it sound.
Still...
He reached into his pack and pulled out an old wooden tube. With a few snaps, the wooden tool extended and a thin line of wire dangled from its tip, with a glistening steel hook on its end.
"Wonder if there's any good fish in there?"
"Possibly" he said while adding details to the lake's illustration.
Panros captured the lakeside vista within the pages of his journal. When he was finished, he showed the picture to Brok. "Beautiful, aye? Maybe the Lady will commission me for art as well! Hahahaha!!!" he said with a ruckus laughter that seemed to boom across the canyon.
Hoisting himself up and stashing his journal away, Panros lead the expedition down towards the lake's shore. Perhaps there were materials that he could sample.
"I could go for a bite to eat, if you're cooking!
The druid shrugged. Half the time he ate the fish raw, and his stomach never seemed to mind.
"Sure. Cooking. Right."
Fishing rod in hand, he trudged along the cliffside ledge as it sloped its way towards the shoreline.
As the duo made their way down to the narrow, rocky shores of the lake, clouds began to pass overhead, ruining a perfectly sunny day with a gloomy shade. Rain hadn't yet begun to fall, but certainly a drizzle was not far behind, if not a deluge.
Coming face to face with the lake's still waters, the two men notice something off to the side, along the cliff face nearly fifty feet away. A cavernous opening, quickly sloping away into darkness. It was nearly fully concealed behind several boulders and other large rocky outcrops, and it was only after nearly stumbling over it that it was evident to the casual observer.
"WOAH!" said Panros as he nearly became one with the earth. Picking himself up, he more or less had Brok's attention as the Druid stood their smirking.
Wiping away the dirt, the Alchemist side stepped towards the opening within the rock. "Brok, look!" he said with an indoor practiced voice. "Don't you suppose thar's be where dem kobold's lie?"
Sure enough, Panros doesn't even need Brok's confirmation as he notices a single kobold watching him over the top of one of the boulders. It peers at him, motionless, and evidently believing itself invisible.
Elbowing his companion, Panros nods up at the kobold up there.
"Dat confirms it"
Producing his crossbow, Panros shouldered it while producing a small vial that dangled near his collection of other bottles. Uncorking its contents and dipping a crossbow bolt, he covered the projectile's point in a yellowish substance that was goey and viscous like cave sludge.
Casting a smirk to his companion, he loaded the crossbow with the treated projectile and fired it at the direction of the perched kobold.
Kobold = 2/5
The bolt launches forward, adhesive liberally applied to its tip. With a sudden gasp of surprise, the kobold tries to dive back under cover - but is a tad too late. The bolt strikes him in the shoulder, sending out a yelp of pain and a splash of blood.
The kobold quickly reaches up to try and pry it loose, but finds the bolt is surprisingly stuck in his body. Panicking, he starts to bark out in a guttural language - though not at his attacker, but behind him.
A grin flashed across Panros' face as his awful disaster of a plan had worked...perhaps a bit too well. The mere fact that he can apply solvents to his projectiles with such success meant that there was plenty of options to explore in the future. However, that time for discovery would have to wait.
he said while reloading his crossbow and finding cover by cavern's entrance.
While he was fiddling with his instrument, he couldn't help but laugh to himself.
"To be honest, I was expecting that to break me gun here, but no, Dwarven Craft! Ahahaha!!!!"
As Panros gloats his newest and most inane creation yet, another reptilian head pops up from behind the rocks.
Then another.
Then another pair, this set just a little further north.
A sixth joins then, rushing out from behind the glued one with a spear in hand. With a screech, two of them rush at Panros while the others hurl rocks in their direction.
Kobold1 = 2/5
Kobold2 = 5/5
Kobold3 = 5/5
Kobold4 = 5/5
Kobold5 = 5/5
Kobold6 = 5/5
Despite dexterously dodging around the approaching instruments of impaling, Panros was sufficiently distracted to take not one - not two - but three lumps on the head from the other kobolds and their slings. The glued one, fortunately, appears to be panicking and trying to pull out the bolt as he screams in his strange tongue.
"Ouch!" said Panros as he was pelted with crude objects.
"I send a special bolt out, and in turn, I get rocks on me head! I'll show them! Time to pop out the good ole bomb betty!"
he said while producing a stout flask from a holster that dangled by his knees. Pushing the cork inward and giving it a quick shake, bubbles started to form!
"SAY HELLO TO ME LITTLE FRIEND!"
With little effort, he tossed the explosive right into the face of the kobolds that were threatning him!
He hadn't expect for his bombs to be quick deadly, as a corona of yellow and red nearly blinded his vision. Somewhere within that, he heard reptilian screams.
Gripping his staff, Brok charged at the nearest of the slingers, his weapon held high over his head. He gave something of a battle cry - startling himself more than anyone else - and smashed with all of his might.
Rufus followed along behind Brok, his teeth bared and ready to gnaw off some annoying kobold's leg!
Fail
Pass
Kobold 1 2/5
Kobold 2 0/5
Kobold 3 3/5
Kobold 4 -5/5
Kobold 5 5/5
Kobold 6 5/5
As the first kobold continues to struggle to pull the large crossbow quarrel from his chest, an explosion ravages the beach. As the smoke clears, one of the kobolds lay flat on the ground, twitching slightly. The other clutches his spear with a bloodied hand and bruised face, spitting expletives in a foreign tongue. He swings his spear wildly, failing to catch purchase on the dwarf.
Meanwhile, the slingers launch another volley - though one falls short of Panros, the other clunks him on the head once again. The third slinger lifts his weapon just in time to find a screaming half-elven man charging his face. He barely had time to yelp before the heavy piece of wood walloped him, sending him sprawling on the ground.