Chapter #1143
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2024 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ Adolphus 10th level half-ogre warrior +
+ Damien small, renegade imp +
+ Peyton 11th level gnome thief +
+ Rogar 10th level human priest of Olidammara +
+ Sylus 8th/10th level dark elf warrior/thief +
+ Wembly 10th level human wizard +
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+ Date: 6/16/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: morning +
+ Place: the northwest reaches odf the Abbor-Alz hills +
+ Climate: warm and dry, with cloudy skies +
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+ "Just like old times, isn't it? Well, not just like old times, +
+ but just as crazy." +
+ - from _Army of the Dead_ +
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MCXLIII. Challenge of the Mines
Concealed on a nearby hillside, two figures surveyed the entrance to
the mines, speaking in hushed tones despite being well above and far from
the area they were scouting.
Peyton: (squinting) Looks like three entrances, spaced maybe fifty feet
apart.
Sylus: Plus the one behind that thick cluster of scrub brush, near the
pile of rubble there. It appears to have been concealed, but not very
well. (he scans the surrounding area) There may be others, similarly
hidden.
Peyton: I see movement within each of the three open tunnels. Not a lot
of movement, but someone's definitely in there.
Sylus: Guards, no doubt. (as a precaution, they both back down from the
crest of the hill to confer further)
The hill barbarians had led the six mercenary-adventurers to this area
yesterday, pointed the way to the mine entrance, and departed. It seemed
that the barbarians wanted nothing to do with this place or those within
it, and generally avoided the area near the mines.
Peyton: That's why we're here. (he frowns, scratching at his muttonchop
beard) Now we just have to figure out the best way to get in there.
Guards at each of three otherwise-open entrance passages...maybe other
hidden passages too...hmm.
Sylus: Those guards are likely bored, and - assuming they are duergar,
gray dwarves, they will avoid the sun since its light bothers them, so
perhaps we can use that to our advantage. (he pauses, pondering the
irony of a dark elf, above ground, planning an attack on others below
ground) They will be loathe to emerge from yonder caves on any bright,
sunny day. And their excellent infravision will be of no use during
the daytime, either. This is one instance where an assault in broad
daylight is actually a better idea than one in the depths of the night.
Peyton: The only question is, what will that assault look like?
In short order, they retreated to their temporary base camp, which was
a good distance away to ensure that conversations and other noise didn't
reach the mine entrances. There, they conferred with the others to plan
their next move.
Wembly: I don't like it, not even during the daylight. They've got
guards at all the entrances, you say, and who knows what's creeping
around deeper in the mine? (he sets his jaw) I say that, if we're
going to do this, we just blast the whole place with multiple fireballs
to pave the way, and then charge in before they know what hit them.
Damien: (sharpening the points of his miniature pitchfork, he nods with
a grin, baring tiny white fangs) Wizard's got the right idea. Torching
the first wave of defenders would make things easier. And it's not like
we have friendly forces to worry about in there.
Sylus: Perhaps. But duergar are quite resistant to magic, so it's no
sure thing that they would all die from such an attack.
Damien: That's why we hit them with four or five fireballs! One for
each entrance, and then some extras to make sure they get the message!
(he chuckles)
Rogar: (sips from his enchanted wine-flagon) What else do we know of
these duergar folk?
Sylus: Aside from their strong night vision and keen senses, gray dwarves
are both sneaky and hard to surprise. They also have the innate power
to become invisible at will, so we must be ready for that. Oh, and they
are also immune to poisons and paralysis.
Damien: Immune to poison?!? (he flicks his barbed tail back and forth)
Dammit.
Adolphus: (yawns, shifting his gigantic bulk as he rests against a small
boulder) Why not just smash?
Damien: How's that, now?
The demon knew damn well that the dim-witted half-ogre had nothing new
or meaningful to add to the planning; he just wanted to see what the big
humanoid might say.
Adolphus: Walk up to cave...smash. (he lifts his gigantic battleaxe)
Chop up bad dwarves. (he looks around) But if fire comes first, that
fine too. Could make easier. Adolphus not stupid, you know.
Damien: Indeed, not.
Adolphus: Make plan, then let Adolphus know. Happy to help.
Peyton: So anyway...we could blast the mine entrances. Or we could just
charge up to them like Adolphus would likely do if left to his own
devices.
Adolphus: (grins happily)
Sylus: Or we could attempt a stealth attack...I could slowly, quietly
sneak up to that concealed entrance and get a closer look at it. That
passage is closer than the three open ones, so I wouldn't have to pass
by any of them and the guards inside each.
Peyton: I'm thinking a combination of all of these ideas. (he glances
at the sky, which is overcast today) Much as I hate to say it, maybe
today's not the best day. I hate to wait and delay, but if a brighter
day means more pain for their eyes and skin...
Sylus: I agree. We should bide our time and wait for the most opportune
moment to act. Of course, we will need to finalize all details of our
plan, including what to do if I am seen or heard versus what to do if I
am not and can slip inside the mines.
Peyton: (nods, smiling thinly) Naturally.
The gnome wasn't overly worried, for he had an entire day to analyze
all of the details and determine the best way to get into those mines.
He also had a strong group to work with here, one which had come a long
way both individually and as a team in the seven years since the battles
at Harshaak and the Fortress of the Nine. They had tackled (and succeeded
in) a dozen more adventures over that time, gaining valuable experience
as well as skill and treasure. Those who had lacked enchanted weapons,
armor, and other items certainly had them now. Similarly, Wembly's use
of magic had expanded not only in variety but also in sheer strength. He
could now conjure (among other things) storms of ice and snow, walls of
fire or ice, cones of cold, and more. Better yet, his increased magical
proficiency had bolstered his confidence in himself and his role in the
party. While he still preferred not to encounter things that went bump
in the night, he was now more likely to strike back than to hesitate or
flee. As for Rogar, his ability to channel the power of his eccentric
god had also grown by leaps and bounds. He could now deal with deadly
wounds and poison as well as conditions like blindness and disease, and
he had several strong offensive magicks available to him as well.
Furthermore - through a combination of raw talent, strong and aggressive
leadership, repeated success, and a bit of luck - the six companions had
really come together to form an effective team. Each of them, even the
dim-witted Adolphus, knew their strengths and their role in different
situations; each tended to complement the others no matter the type of
mission at hand. This group was quite a bit more seasoned and capable
than it had been in the past, at Nulb or Harshaak. And while they had
operated under a retainer from Deryck, they had also been free to earn
additional coin if they desired...and this new charge from Belphanior
came with a substantial reward if successful. Of course, _not_ being
successful pretty much equated to being dead, but that had been a common
condition of the sorts of jobs the group took.
Peyton: (chewing on some dried beef, he contemplates the challenge of
the nearby mines)
next: into the mines!
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/bright_desert.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 3/29/2024
notes: I leveled these guys up a bit from the last time they
appeared (episodes 756-758, 776, and 795 which all took place about
seven years ago in game time.) The exact class levels are at the top
of the episode, but hopefully the prose at the end wraps up the idea
that they've been far from idle.)
As I've said before, and recently, a party like this can be good to
write about from time to time, because they're not super-powerful
adventurers who teleport around the world at will and crush entire
battalions of foes with weapons or magic. This is a little more
realistic and relatable. I'm hoping to have some fun here!
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