”Just leave them here! Let us move on!“
”Why shouldn’t we have Menas with us?! But if you wish to kill them please do so!“
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The group ends the beasts and moves on. After several miles, the twisting tunnels converge into a single, wider tunnel that leads upward toward the sound of running water. As the passage levels out, a crude barricade comes into view ahead: sharp spears, broken blades, and stakes of petrified wood jut at all angles across the twenty-foot width of the tunnel floor.
From the other side of the barricade, a voice calls out This land of Gunduara; what you want wit Gunduara? Through the crude barricade you count maybe a half dozen, strange looking humanoids.
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Menas removes his magical items after the battle with the bulettes.
Enora recognizes that these are definitely mongrelmen, Gunduara is likely the name of there tribe. Mongrelmen, despite their monstrous appearances, are generally hardworking and peaceful creatures. A mongrelman can produce offspring with any humanoid, mixing bloodlines in strange ways to create hardier crossbreeds. No two mongrelmen look the same.
Enora nods to Menas and promises to keep the items safe.
Enora whispers. "These are the mongrelmen."
She steps forward.
"Hello, I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Enora and I have read only good things about you all. You are certainly of the Gunduara tribe. We would very much like to negotiate safe passage through this area. We promise that we are friendly and nice." Enora says with a big smile.
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"We come seeking safe passage, yes," the enchantress says, taking a step forward and addressing the voice on the other side of the barricade. "But more than that, we come seeking allies against mutual foes. You hate the duergar, the dark dwarves who haunt these tunnels. They have wronged you--over and over, through the years. And they have wronged us as well, carting off slaves from among our surface-dwelling dwarf friends. What say you we work together against those who have wronged us?"
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I Dwalla hate the duergar, but I only guard here, you musted talked to our chieftain, Felgriss, she can decide to help. Come we show you way.
Past the barricade, the tunnel follows the path of a subterranean stream. After several miles, it opens onto a wide cavern. The stream flows into a small lake at the center of a grove of petrified, deformed trees. Many dwellings constructed from varying materials rest at the base of these trees, and some even sit among the branches. On the far side of the lake sits a single massive petrified tree, its uppermost branches reaching almost to the roof of the cavern. The tree is decorated with furs, vines, and patches of glowing fungus, and at its base strands of pebble, bones, and shells hang over the entrance of a tunnel leading between two massive roots.
Dwalla leads you through the settlement which appears peaceful enough. Mongrelmen busy themselves with various tasks around the camp, but closer inspection reveals many barricades scattered among the buildings and trees, and assorted weapons are visible within each dwelling. You are lead between the massive roots to the chieftain's home. The home is she decorated with furs from a wide assortment of creatures.
The chieftain, a tall woman with a large bulbous hairless head, long legs, but shorter arms that don't seem to match, one arm seems to have to hands a the end of it.
Wel-come Stran-gers She says very slowly. I Fel-griss
Sit down and tell me why. She takes a long pause. You are here?
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The enchantress' emerald gaze sweeps over Felgriss, making a snap judgment about her trustworthiness and calling to mind anything she may know about mongrelmen, personally.
"We come bearing news of your enemies, the duergar--the dark dwarves. We know they have wronged you many times in the past. A group of them attacked a surface-dwarf city a week or so ago, and made off with slaves. We don't know what they intend to do with these slaves. Duergar usually kill dwarves rather than enslave them," Ansha says, taking a step forward and gesturing idly with her free hand (the other holding her staff). "They may use them as part of a ritual to hurt you further, or maybe they intend to sacrifice them--which may give them power to hurt your people again. But we have come to seek allies. These duergar are your enemies, and they are our enemies as well. We want your help so that we can rescue their prisoners before they can do more harm to you or us. Help us hurt our mutual enemies."
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Felgriss measures Ansha words carefully and sits quiet for what seems like forever, staring straight ahead. Finally she speaks,
I know of the group that you seek. She pauses, and nods knowingly.
Most of the gray dwarves stay close to their roads and fort-ress-es, but about three years ago a group traveled past Fell-strok. They came from the north, and looked as if they had traveled for many days. She looks around at you all, and then stares straight ahead again. Just as you are about to prompt her to continue, she does.
Recently, they passed by our terr-i-tory again, returning north. They appeared even more bedraggled than the first time. We fought with the duer-gar, but only long enough to drive them away from our tunnels. We managed to capture one of their scouts in the battle. He said that he followed a dis-graced leader, but he believed in her. He said that she would lead him and his fellows to glory and help them regain the respect of their fellow duergar. Now it seems that this great leader and her followers are returning south once more.
Pausing in silence again, just then says, We can help you to defeat the duergar----we have long awaited an opp-or-tun-ity to prove our strength to them. She balls he hand into a fist.
However, before we go to batt-le, there is one other who may join our cause. The great beast Old Iron-fin ranges not far from here. Long have I tried to befriend him, to no avail. Perhaps you can help me to impress the creature. He has great reason to hate the duergar, and could be a power-ful ally.
”Oh I am so relieved that you want to join forces with us!!“ Enora says clapping her hands.
”But what kind of being is this ally that you want to befriend?“
Silence.
”Oh Oh ... “
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Ansha snorts softly. "With a name like Old Iron-fin, I'd hope it was a bulette." She eyes Felgriss. "And you're able to communicate with it? We ran into a pair of bulettes' on the way here, but they weren't exactly interested in talking."
A smug, self-confident smirk crosses her face. "But I'm sure I can help you win it over, regardless. It'll be child's play."
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Felgriss indicates, I have some skill in the language of beasts.
But Old Ironfin is patient, but not trusting, I have earned a bit of trust with the beast, but not enough to call it ally. If you have more skill with its language I would have you try. If not help in any way you can.
Felgriss and a couple of her people lead you to where Old Ironfin can be found. The ground in these tunnels is particularly uneven, and deep claw marks mar the rough stone walls. Deep furrows in the stone floor lead to a dark cavern that smells of rust and blood.
A huge creature rest across the cavern in a smaller cave but leaps up at your approach, when you are within 60 feet you get a good look at Old Ironfin, as the bulette hisses and emerges from his cave. Scars cover the fierce creature’s hide and face. Thick plates of adamantine are bolted to his face, jaw, and back, and ancient bloodstains stain his hide where they were attached. His claws have been replaced with clawshaped adamantine blades. Old Ironfin bellows, claws at the ground, and lowers his head as if he is about to charge—but he hesitates at the sighj of Felgriss.
Enora steps closer to Felgriss.
”Bulette’s are magical and I know quite a bit about them! Maybe my hints regarding its characteristics and abilities will help you to focus on what is important!“
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Old Ironfin responds to the party, your various insights are helpful to Felgriss and Ranalus's healing soothes the beasts aliments. Wembly gentle nature shins through, and Old Ironfin appreciates Menas Red's combat prowess. Although Old Ironfin does stare at Enora a moment and its elongated tongue rubs against its sharpened teeth. In the end, it's won over as an ally. Old Ironfin bows to Felgriss.
Old Iron-fin could not have been won over with-out your efforts. I had tried many times before. Felgriss remarks. Let - us return to the grove to rest for the even-ing; my mon-grel-men will prepare. The next day we will fight duer-gar.
Then Felgriss continues, I know-of a secret way to a nearby outpost where the duer-gar are likely to make camp. If we can evade the duer-gar out-riders, and surprise the main force, we can free the dwarven captives, and then battle the out-riders when they return. She says in her usual slow draw.
If it was otherwise, the duer-gar would become aware of us and likely execute the prisoners. But this plan will likely lead to two large battles back to back. She adds before pulling out two wands. Take these to mark our bond.
"I agree! Thank you old iron-fin!" Enora says beaming.
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Up early the next morning, the mongrelmen lead you through a twisting cavern system for several miles north, until you arrive at a crumbling outpost lies several miles south of Fellstrok along the Long Walk. You guess that this may have once been well-maintained duergar checkpoint. During the trip you occasionally spot a bulette fin, so you no Old Ironfin is nearby.
Felgriss speaks up as you arrive, This fort has been the site of many -- battles between the mon-grel-men and the gray dwa-rves over the years. Neither side has been able to maintain a strong pre-sence here for long.
About the same time mongrelmen scouts arrive to let Felgriss know that you have indeed evaded the duergar outriders. Who are now camped along the Long Walk and appear to be waiting on the main host with the captives that is trailing behind. The Mongrelmen reveal that outrider group contains 5 or 6; while the main hosts numbers around 40, but another 5 or 6 in that group seem to be leading. Felgriss is confident that the duergar will choose to camp here and suggests preparing an ambush. My peo-ple will hide in the many side tunnels in the tunnel leading to the Long Walk. Once the duer-gar leaders have entered the out-post chamber, we will surprise the rest of the host in the tunnels; while you battle the leaders. Felgriss suggests.
The outpost’s upper level and raised platforms are 20 feet higher than the lower level, and the stairs leading up are quite steep.
The towers in the center and each corner of the outpost are observation platforms; the towers have no lower level rooms, but do extend from floor to ceiling. The archways leading into the towers are 15 feet high.
Bridges connect to the central tower.
The passages to the east and west extend several miles before connecting back with the Long Walk to the north and south.
The ceiling is 40 feet above the lower floor (20 feet above the upper platforms).
The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of worked stone, but much of the structure is damaged. The chamber has no lighting of its own.
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We will take them. I was never a fan of gray dwarves...well not the duergar kind. If they are regular dwarves that just wear grey clothes, those are fine. I mean who can blame someone for the color of their clothes, right? I mean my mom would dress me and the other gnomelings in my school...well nevermind. But duergar are slavers and I am not a fan.
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Well, I am not a general. But I suspect we want to stay higher and shoot or spell down on them. Blocking those stairs seems would be good to keep them from coming up to us. What about Ironfin? Will he be down there? That would be super helpful. Do we want to just stay on this side? Or try to block or defend the other side? I do not really know what is best. If there are a ton of them, or they have powerful spellcasters, we may need a backup or escape plan.