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This is where I (and my brother) shall rule! :-)
Beer..
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This is the last chance for your people. For two hundred years, the dwarves have been scattered and leaderless. The dwarf holds are all but gone – conquered by invaders or overrun with outsiders. For decades now, the dwarves have mingled with the kingdoms of men. The humans have treated you well enough. They respect dwarven craft and tenacity. But with every passing year, the dwarves dwindle. Your tongue goes unspoken. Your ways are forgotten. Will there come a time when to be dwarven is merely another way of saying a short, bearded man?
It was not always so. Once the greatest empire in the all the world was dwarven. Once the majestic kingdom of Dammerhall was where all roads converged. The whole world came to pay tribute to the dwarven high king and his mithral throne.
And then calamity. The great mountain-city burned with black flame for three days. All the bridges into Dammerhall collapsed. All the gates were sealed. The only survivors were those who by chance were outside the city. For two centuries dwarves have tried to retake Dammerhall and discovered what really happened that dark day. And for two hundred years, they have failed. The remaining dwarven holds, once vassals to Dammerhall, fell to squabbling about who should rule the dwarves. Weakened by division, many dwarf holds were overrun by orc or dragon. Some signed treaties with the realms of men, all but forfeiting their autonomy. And most disgraceful, some holds fell because of civil war where dwarf turned upon dwarf.
But there is yet hope. It is said that there is another way into the sealed city – a dark road beneath that goes through the uncharted depths of the earth. This expedition will be the one who will find that hidden road. This expedition will reclaim Dammerhall and restore dwarven glory, dispelling two hundred years of disgrace. You have found an entrance into the darkness. Rumor speaks of a deep gnome village known as Fasturvalt where dwell the elusive svirfneblin, the deep gnomes. The first step is clear – Find Fasturvalt and secure a guide. Nothing will stop you in your quest. Nothing will stay your hand. This is your hour. This is the moment when the dwarven diaspora ends and where dwarven glory begins anew. In the realms below, you will make for yourselves and your people a Throne of Night.
The town of Therma was as any other human town seemed to a dwarf: a eye sore to look at. Everywhere you see the mixed and matched building that hold no unity in materials, sickening to a dwarven craftmen to say the least. The town had two main reason why you decided to make your stay here.
One being the Inn that you were staying at. The Maidens Tears it was called, had an interesting collection of dwarven ales and spirits. Making it a good place to get the last nights right before your incursion towards your destination to the underdark. The next reason was just that, it's close proximity to the entrance marked on your map currently.
Four Dwarves and an unlikey fifth, a ratfolk. They sit quietly in the corner of The Maidens Tears making their final preparations to enter this pathway to glory. Glory beset upon them by Korhdal.
The first step is to find the Svirfneblin village of Fasturvalt, for while a few in your party are familiar with the plots and perils of the underdark, none have been to this particular section of its recesses, and information is vital to survival when the sun sheds no light.
"Fasturvalt is what we're aiming for, right here." - The dwarf leans his chest and head forward against the table, takes a side look to guarantee no one else is paying attention, and puts a finger on the marked spot of a crude map he just withdraw from somewhere inside his light clothes. "I know a lot about what we could find down there, but first, the least we say here the smaller the chances of some enemy finding out, and second, I need to double check the info I have."
He scratches his long, perfectly braided beard. His hair is brushed, as if he just cared for it, making you wonder how methodical is this dwarf.
"My name is Ryzentide, and I believe you have heard about it before, right? Otherwise we would not be all here. If all of us have heard it, it must be true!" The dwarf slams lightly a fist on the table, making a small noise. He's smiling, but his eyes shine with anxiety. He's wearing leather armor and equipped like a warrior, although he's probably ready for the adventure, since his backpack is bursting with things.
"Where there's smoke, there's fire. I'm sure you've all been anxious for this incursion, and have certainly made plans, but, before we can proceed," - his eyes drift suspiciously to the non-dwarf trying to stand to see the map, which he swiftly stores back into some hidden pocket - "this....creature, It is no dwarf!"
As he sits at the small table surrounded by the dwarves Kaars keeps looking around. His tail waving around restlessly out the back of the chair made especially for ratfolk. Aparently such creations were rare. If one watched close enough, a small blade could be seen attached to the end of his tail, covered in an alchemical resinous compound to match his fur so as to disguise the weapon, all but the sharp edges were covered.
He still was not used to the human villages and towns. He had met several other ratfolk. The civilised folk they called themselves. Thought they were better for it, though they were friendly enough to him. It seemed the humans treeted them as a lesser race, lower than the dwarves but with almost the same amount of freedom.
Sometimes his thoughts went back to Saalii. The young and pretty girl that he was supposed to be digging their new family burrow with. The ratfolk didn't 'marry' like the humans. Usually one, sometimes both, decided the other was a good mate and if others agreed it was done. She was very pretty yes, but he was too curious about the world to start digging his home and just ignore everything else. He did not tell this to anyone, he just hoped that no hill ratfolk would dare come looking for him. He would go back someday...
That is, if this expedition into the deep to help Hvedra find and reclaim her ancestors kingdom didn't kill him. He was excited to go, definately not scared. In fact, it was while searching other caves for a way in that he had found a rare dwarven blade, the exact same one which now graced the end of his tail. Though they found little else, Hvedra had said it was a sign and allowed him to keep it.
He was startled out of his remeniscing by the sound one of the dwarves. Upon realising the outburst was directed at him he tried to speak. His recent learning of dwarven and Hvedra encouraging him to speak it whenever around dwarves made it diffcult. "Kaars learn dwarf ways fast. Kaars be like you. Don't worry about Kaars, Khordal has already smiled upon us." His tail quickly flicked above table height for a split second.
"Ha! Khordal!??! Yeah sure!" He takes a quick sip on his Ale before proceeding. "That's why the dwarven empire is shinning with glory! Because Khordal has smiled upon us all this centuries!"
He shakes his head, almost forgetting the subject, but he comes back to it. "And by the way, make no mistake, you're not like us, and never will be, no matter how much you learn about our ways. But tell me once more, why are you coming with us?"
The dwarven princess raises a hand imperiously. "Do not speak to my retainer in such a fashion. He is here at my will. If you have a problem with him, you will address it with either my brother or myself. Do you have a problem with the heirs of Dammerhall, Ryzentide? Are the scions of the house of Balmankuk insufficiently dwarven for you?"
Ryzentide shows some anger, smashing again his stein against the table "Nonsense! A dwarf is a dwarf, and will always be. We will reconquer Dammerhall, making a beautiful empire out of the melted mithral that once formed the throne, and you will rule!" His features smooths harshly, as he looks up and thinks for a second before turning back to the woman. "But I get the picture now, I did not know he was your pet." He say this as if it would be just a fact, not meant to offend. "If that's true, we may proceed. By the way, Heirs of Dammerhall, what do you know about our path and the dangers on it?"
A stout looking dwarf with unkempt hair black as night makes his way back to the with a fresh round of stout.. His blackened chain armor gleams ever so lightly, as its mostly covered dirt and soot.. As he sets down you all smell an uncertain earthy aroma coming from him, kind of as if he's been rolling around in places most of you wouldnt sleep.. As he sits he passes the mugs around, handing one to everyone save the ratfolk.. He takes a large pull from his stein all the while keeping an eye on the rodent.. "Names Bagram and im familiar with the dark places of the earth.. A lot more than the surface anyways.. Im itching to get out of the sun asap though.. Makes my skin peel.."
As the two dwarfs talk back and forth over the ratling he scratches at a mark coming up the side of his neck.. For those of you who notice the mark resembles a pair of battleaxes.. "Nobles.. It seems somethings never change not matter how far we fall.."
Kaars huffs, feeling indignant at the words leveled at him and even more so at being called a pet. "Kaars is no pet!" he says and his claws scratch the table. When he realises he quickly tries to calm down, "Kaars serve." The ruts in the table do not disappear but stand out against older weathered marks. It looked like knives and other things had at one time been used against this table. He bet it had never held a map like this one though. He returned to studying it hoping to soon travel where it lead. "تكشف أسرارك," he whispers.
"What supplies do we still need? Kaars will buy," he asks, looking towards Hvedra.
The deep gnomes, or svirfneblin, are decent stonecutters who prefer the deep roads and caverns far more than the open surface world. They are in constant conflict with the Duergar. This could prove to be a problem when encountering them since they have problems differing between the different dwarf races.
Volgar is sitting at the table fiddling with a small piece of metal. He looks up when Ryzentide talks about Kaars, but his sister handles it without a problem, so he continues going on with his work.
Creating new things will prove my devotion to the art of crafting.... Maybe I can get Kaars to make something to make this metal act as if it were silver for a small while.
Volgar seeing that the others are actually planning for the trip knows that he cannot help out as much, so he will just begin tinkering with his metal again.
"Whatever challenges face us Khordal will provide."
Ryzentide cannot help but to laugh. "Ha ha! Aie, sure! Just like he did in the last couple of centuries!" He laughs for some seconds, then changes the subject into something more practical, since they seem to take this Khordal seriously. "Well, I've bought everything I could think would be useful, including a waterskin and trail rations enough for 10 days. Still, I think the water could be a problem. Can any of you create water through magic?"
Volagr snorts.
"Is the only good goblin a dead goblin? Yes, I can create water, but food is something out of my reach as of now."
"So we're heading to Fastervault eh.. Sneaky little deep gnomes everywhere there.. Gotta watch em close or they'll steal ur stuffs.. Might have a few problems considerin they are constantly at war with the Duegar and its not like we look a whole lot different from them.. We need to make sure and make our intentions known when we get there.."
"Well, that is indeed a valuable information, I didn't know it. I'm not sure I would prefer if they were actually the Duergar who could give us the information. Does anyone speak the Svirfneblin's language?"
"Does anyone speak the Svirfneblin's language?"
Go Team DWARF! And 1 Rat!(Who surely will be accepted eventually, even though it might take some time and plenty of bought beers..)
"Kaars has enough food for himself and can easily find more as we travel below. Also have created potions that will heal if we find any bad creatures that attack. Kaars can create more if you desire but need more gold for reagents." His alchemical nature revealed and knowing some dwarfs may hate magic of any kind on top of disliking him he adds, "Perhaps you teach Kaars to learn to make Dwarven drinks. You would like to celebrate properly when we find your city yes?"
That filthy creature makes poisons! Better not drink what it brings... He gives some time for the others to answer the little rat, but it seems they also despise it. "We drink Ale, but don't expect to learn how to do it right. It's a dwarven tradition passed through generations, and you're no dwarf, are you?!" He watches Hvedra for a brief moment and changes subject swiftly so the woman don't have another madness outbreak. "I've sold every useless thing I had, and spent every last bit of equipment, having a backpack full of stuff for the journey, food included. What worries me most is that no one here speaks Gnomish. We might die when we arrive at the city, specially if they think we're Duergar, which they certainly will considering they will not be able to tell the difference in skin color in the dark."
Bagram doesn't bother the rodent with a response.. "I believe there is a spell that can allow one to comprehend other languages, but not speak them.. So yes we might have a problem.. Perhaps we can locate someone here that can speak it and is willing to go along with us.. I have a few gold still to put forth.."
Volgar thinks about the road ahead, and how long a time it will be.
I need something to occupy my mind while we travel. Maybe making a waraxe will help?
"I need to go purchase some materials for forging, but I will be back."
Volgar will return carrying an anvil on his back, forge tools, and some metal.
"I am ready to go out, though we may want to find someone who can speak in the gnome's native language."
"Given time I might be able to learn it. We have no idea how long that will take, but I will buy some books I've read before, but this time in Gnomish, and we can all practice it on the way. It should not be that hard, right? Besides, maybe they speak the common language too, who know?"
"I don't think it's a good idea to hire someone to go along with us. This is a dwarven job, and should be done only by us. What do you say folks, are you ready? Why don't we have a proper rest and departure first thing in the morning?"
Volgar will look at the others at the table.
"So do we want to try, and learn Gnomish before we leave, or will we just hope that everything turns out for the best?"
Volgar looks for anybody to offer up any ideas about the barrier between races.
"Also what weapon or armor have you been looking at that you can't afford just quiet yet? I have no small skill in making arms, and armor."
"As smart as I am, it would take me a few days to get a grip on it, and since we may take some days trying to find the city I guess we can be on the way. We cannot walk 24 hours in a day, so there will be time for some reading. Otherwise let's trust we are lucky and some of them in that city speak our language."
"Well, I've spent all my money already, and I'm fully equipped, but maybe we can do some better weapons on the way? Mine are common ones..."
"I was worrying that, if anything happens to us, our legacy would not be lost. I'm taking a journal with me, that I shall be writing upon everyday, hoping that in the worst case someone would know what had we done so far. We should find a way to get the community informed about our progress, whether through magic or through messangers. Imagine how easier would our task be if we knew what happened to the previous teams. Do you think we should return to the surface to resupply and update after some time?"
Looking thoughtful all of a sudden Kaars speaks up bravely despite the other dwarves dislike of him. "There is a way to understand the Gnomes. Kaars has heard of a magical way to be able to understand and read all languages. If Kaars can find another Alchemist somewhere close. Or even a wizard might work. Kaars pay them to teach me the formula and then create Understanding potions for you all. Kaars not sure how much they will charge though." He seems rather impressed to have found a solution to their apparent dilemma.
Each hex represents a vast amount of space. A hex is eight miles across or approximately 55 square miles. Caverns, with their shifting elevations, winding indirect passages and ease of getting lost always count as difficult terrain for overland travel unless everyone in a party has a climb speed and is native to the underworld. That means that a dwarf party with an average movement of 20 ft. will traverse one hex a day.
Darkness is the norm in the Azathyr and everything down here has adapted to that fact. Anyone without darkvision (or similar non-light based senses) is at a serious disadvantage.
The Azathyr is located beneath a great forest and water filters down through the cave almost everywhere. Many cave walls are wet. Water drips and small pools are the norm. This water is largely fresh and fine to drink. In short, water is not a problem unless specifically noted.
[spoiler=Everything is Unfamiliar]
For those who originate from the surface, the Azathyr will be a constant source of weirdness and wonders. This is an incredibly isolated ecology. Virtually every animal and fungus found here is found nowhere else.
The Azathyr is a fairly constant 60 F/16 C. Certain areas are warmed due to geothermal activity and those will be noted. But for most areas there is nothing equivalent to surface weather. It is always dark, damp and cool. Most dwellers here like it this way.
Every living thing in the Azathyr struggles to find enough food. Starvation is a constant threat. Fungle growths are known to be a source of food, but can be either nutritious or highly poisonous.
"The Azathyr is where we're headed.. Its huge and therefore will take quite a while for us to transverse it.. You sun lovers better get a good look because it will be quite some time before you see it again.. And dont worry about fresh water, there's plenty down there.. I here the weather is nice this time of year as well.. Should be great for some traveling.."