The Bandit's Captive (StFornicate)

[Emstar202]

As she sharpened her latest customer's blade outside her father's black-smithy, Kaylin watched as people passed by outside the city gate, each one of them overlooking the local announcement board. Sometimes, when a wandering party or lone adventurer passed by, he'd pause, scan the board for a while, scoff, and move on further into the city, or turn back, get on his horse, and follow the winding road to the next town.

One post in particular had marred the announcement board for weeks. Her father had put it there, in the hopes that some gold-hearted adventurer would take pity on him and inquire to him how he could help, but it never happened. Kaylin sighed as she watched a half-orc outwardly laugh at the post to the fellow next to him. "100 gold? I don't clear a cellar of rats for less than 250!" He grunted and guaffed. Rage filled Kaylin's heart and she nearly scraped herself with the blade she was sharpening. True, 100 gold wasn't much, but her father had worked hard to scrape together that much! They were elves living on the outskirts of a human town. Times were tough. Her father didn't have any more gold to spare.

Kaylin scowled at the orc's back as he entered the city, likely to ask the local guard for work. The local guard were shit. They catcalled at the tavern women all day and never got anything done. Her father had reported to them many times the tradgedy he needed remedying, but they insisted they had enough troublemakers inside the city walls to worry about one dead half-elven blacksmith. Kaylin stabbed the blade into the gravel at her feet. It wasn't right! Her father's best friend and work partner had been murdered at the hands of bandits nearby Blackwater cave when mining for ore, and the guards weren't going to do anything about it! Kaylin had mapped out the place to them, offered them numerous bribes, and even offered to go (without her father's permission) but they just laughed in her face. Obviously, they didn't think the bandits were a big enough threat to move their lazy asses. Well, her father's friend had been one victim, and surely they would strike again! And if the guard and passing by adventurers weren't going to do anything to stop them, then Kaylin would.

Of course, she'd already offered this suggestion to her father, but although she had combat experience, her father had absolutely refused. "This isn't like hunting down rats in your aunt's cellar, Kaylin," he'd sighed, rested a heavy hand upon her shoulders. "This one's way over your head."

Angerily, she rose from her seat. Her face was dirty from the coal she'd been smelting earlier, and her hands rough from the blade. Just as she was about to go inside to make her father dinner, she was pulled back by a young woman and muscular dwarven fellow. The woman was tall and elegant, which ebony hair and shimmering sapphire robes, but the dwarf was gritty, and had a no-nonsense look about him in his pointed helmet and heavy armor. A great sword was latched to his back. The woman smiled kindly and said, "Is your father the one who posted the notice about the bandits? My companion and I are interested in your plight."

Kaylin nodded suspiciously, refusing to believe such an elegant woman would want to help them. "He is."

The woman smiled kindly. "I'm Adelaide and this is my companion, Garvin. We're of the adventuring sort you see. I'm rather talented with magic, and he's got a mighty swing. We'll take on your quest, but request that you let us keep any loot we find in the cavern."

Kaylin was flabbergasted, and it showed. Adelaide smiled kindly. "You must be wondering why such experienced adventurers are wiling to help you, well," she tucked her long, flowing hair behind her ear, revealing slightly pointed, half elf ears! "I was an acquaintance with Tobias, your father's friend. I met him when he brought your wares to the town Garvin and I were residing in for a time. He was a nice man and gave us a good deal on his finest armor. His death saddens me, and I wish to take vengeance on those responsible for his death." She spoke with such passion, a great contrast to the stoic dwarf beside her. Garvin didn't look nearly as enthusiastic as Adelaide did about helping, but Kaylin didn't care. They were adventurers! The real stuff the bards told tales about! She couldn't hide her smile. "Thank you so much. My father is out trading right now, but when he gets back I'm sure he'll be delighted to meet you."

"Very well. We have a third. His name is Jarald and he's in the city restocking our potion supply. I'm sure he'll be willing to help as well." The dwarf suddenly snorted at that, leaving Kaylin curious about this Jarald fellow. The mage gave the dwarf a pointed look. "He will be, I'm sure. Jarald's a bit... odd... but he'll listen to me, I'm sure of it!" There was a pause in the conversation, but then the mage raised her hand and fanned herself slightly. "Would you mind inviting us in while we wait for your father? It's getting rather humid out here."

Kaylin nodded. "Yes, of course," she said, leading the odd pair inside. After offering them some mead, the only thing left to do was wait for her father and this mysterious Jarald fellow to return. Kaylin could not wait until her father returned. This turn of events with a promise of justice would please him greatly.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh218/EmStar202/kaylin.png<---Kaylin, in her soon to be adventurer's getup!

 

[StFornicate]

The township of Gavony
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Adelaide
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Garvin
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When Kaylin's father, Matthias, returned home and saw the adventurers in his dining room, he was relieved someone had finally answered his postings. The old elf introduced himself, and within a short conversation they had an understanding of how they were acquainted with their mutual fallen friend.

"I know the offered reward is small, but I am certain these bandits have more gold hidden in their lair. These are dark times indeed," Matthias said. "Is it just the two of you?" he asked, worried.

"There is another," Adelaide said, and then came a knock on the door. "That must be him with our supplies," she said. Matthias opened the door and saw a tall hooded man...

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"Jarald!" Adelaide said, standing up. The dwarf sat there and scowled.

"Greetings," Jarald said, his voice a harsh whisper, as if it pained him.

"Matthias, this is Jarald. He doesn't speak much," Adelaide said, frowning a bit, as if at a bad memory, before recovering. "We'll be leaving first thing in the morning. Do you mind if we stay the night here?"

"Of course, of course, make yourselves at home," Matthias said. "My daughter will see to whatever you need."

*****

The bandits had come out of the north, but they were no mere bandits. The Vulshok Clan was a mix of orcs, goblins, humans and others, all bound under the iron fisted leadership of the seven and a half foot tall, half orc, half ogre Ulasht.

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Ulasht had plans for more than mere banditry. He may have been monstrous but he was of keen intellect. Taking the mines was the first step in controlling the entirety of the Kruin mountain range, in particular the Kruin Pass, the only passable route from Gavony to Thraben. Controlling the pass meant controlling commerce and trade, and Gavony and Thraben needed each other to survive. Gavony lay in a fertile valley, and the food the farmers grew and raised was more than enough for themselves, and just enough for the people of Thraben. Meanwhile, Thraben artisans and traders were able to build or acquire the tools and other goods the good folk of Gavony needed.

If Ulasht controlled the pass, a good deal of money would simply fall in his lap, in the form of a toll along the road.

He had begun taming the more beastial monsters in the area, and taking more and more of the vast complex of caverns below the mountains as his own. He knew he would be attacked, and soon, and set his warriors to defending their newfound home, fortifying the defenses, and constructing traps to thwart any would-be "heroes".

 

[Emstar202]

Kaylin led the trio down a cramped hall in their small cottage. "This is the guestroom," she announced, opening the creaky door to reveal a cramped room made all the more smaller by the two beds shoved inside. The walls were a dull, grey color and some of the paint was peeling off. There was a lopsided mirror beside a small cabinet that sat awkwardly in the corner.

"You expect us to all fit in here?" Garvin the dwarf grunted, crossing his arms across his broad chest.

Kaylin frowned, but didn't retort. She figured it wouldn't be very smart of her to sass the adventurers who were working for them. "Well, I guess not. If someone wants to use my room they can. I can sleep on the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Adelaide insisted, tossing her leather pouch to the nearest bed. "This will be fine. Garvin can sleep on the floor."

"What?! I ain't sleeping on the cold stone! I may be a dwarf, but unless you're gonna cuddle next to me, Adelaide, I'm gettin' a bed for meself!" He spoke gruffly and shoved past her to the bed by the window. His great sword nearly chopped the cabinet in half as he passed by.

Adelaide sighed, picking up her pouch. "I guess I'll have to stay with you then, if you don't mind terribly."

"Not at all," Kaylin smiled.

After bidding goodnight to the two males, she led Adelaide two doors down to her room. "I'm awfully sorry about this, but as you know, you can't expert dwarves to be gentlemen," Adelaide said, unloading a surprising array of potions out of her tiny bag.

Kaylin laughed aloud. Although she didn't like to take amusement from racial stereotypes, as her and her father were often judged to be poor good-for-nothing beggar elves by their neighboring humans, she had to laugh at Garvin's expense because he did seem to fit the dwarven mold to a T.

As the night approached, Kaylin managed to get Adelaide to accept her bed with surprisingly little effort. Apparently Adelaide was more comfortable offering the dwarf the option of the floor, but not so much for herself. As Adelaide made herself comfortable on Kaylin's bed, the young elf girl laid on the floor with a fraying blanket and dirty pillow, and thought how best to broach the subject she wished to pursue.

The truth was, Kaylin had always had the intent of defeating the bandits alongside a party of adventurers. Life as a blacksmith's daughter was dull. At 20, her father was hoping she'd settle down with some nice human male and continue working for him at his shop, but Kaylin longed for adventure. She always had. The ache for it was in her blood, after all. But after her mother's death at the expense of one of her father's own misadventures as a youth, he had no intention of allowing Kaylin to do as she wanted.

"Adelaide," she hesitated, "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to accompany you and your party tomorrow." Upon seeing the doubt upon Adelaide's face, she rushed on, "I've already made the armor and tucked it away in my closet. And though I'll admit to not being the best with a sword, I've done enough swordplay to know the basics."

 

[StFornicate]

Adelaide smiled softly at Kaylin, knowingly. "I doubt your father would approve," she said. "It is certainly going to be quite dangerous. We've heard what these bandits have been up to. They are trying to take control of the Kruin Pass. The local government here hasn't been able to force them out. I know the militia is small and poorly trained, and better suited to defense of the town, however." Adelaide sighed and looked away.

"And, there is more to our quest here than mere treasure. We believe the leader of these bandits is a monster known as Ulasht. He led a band of raiders years ago that destroyed Garvin's beloved homeland, many leagues north of here in Winterdeep. Some six months ago, we encountered him again. He had captured Jarald when they raided a caravan we were traveling with, protecting. It had been a massacre, and Garvin and I barely escaped with our lives. Ulasht had Jarald tortured, not for any information he possessed, but purely for the pleasure of it.

"Jarald, however, would not give him the pleasure of his screams, of begging for mercy. The man has an iron will. Ulasht had him hanged, then, by his neck. Which was when Garvin and I struck, rescued him and escaped."

Adelaide looked down at her lap, and then away out the window. The event had been a traumatic one, that much was clear. "Jarald still bears the scars. They are terrifying to behold. That is why he doesn't speak much. The rope severely damaged his vocal chords, and even my revitalizing potions could do little to reverse the damage done."

She sighed, and looked back at Kaylin. "We could certainly use some help, though. But this is a very dangerous mission. Think it over, and if you still wish to join us, be ready at first light."

 

[Emstar202]

Kaylin's face contorted into a pout of a child when Adelaide guessed that her father would not approve of her accompanying them. She was nearly 19, but her father had always kept a close eye on her. Why did he have to treat her like such a child? She feared that somehow her father had found out about her secret plan to join the adventures on their quest, but that was ridiculous, she was always meek and obedient around him. He knew she had a rebellious streak, just like the one he tried to repress, but she never let it show around him. He'd heard the tales, surely, of her galavanting about the town, pestering the guards to let her train with them and frequenting the local taverns to inquire stories of the adventurers. But at home and when working Kaylin was always amicable and dutiful. She spoke politely to her father and did as she was told. She'd been hoping that in following his orders all her life, he'd be more open to the idea of letting her go, seeing as she'd shown responsibility, but she'd been very wrong in that vision.

She listened to Adelaide's history lesson about Ulasht intently. Hearing it just made her more angry with the guard! If they knew that Ulasht was active and planning to take over the Kruin Pass, shouldn't they have been eager to help Kaylin and her father in defeating him? Angrily, Kaylin nearly interrupted Adelaide with her viewpoint on this matter, but held her tongue. She did not want to come across as bull headed or rash, especially since the matter of her accompanying Adelaide and her party was still unclear. "It sounds like you have a personal history with Ulasht. I hope you all can have the pleasure of bringing him to justice," Kaylin said, priding herself on her words of reason.

Kaylin immediately felt great pity for the mysterious man known as Jarald. It was becoming even more clear to her that adventuring was not just a life of gold and profit, but it was dangerous, and it did have serious consequences, even deadly ones. Still, Kaylin had already known this, and that fact did not falter her urge to become one herself. "I still wish to accompany you. This is my fight too. I'll meet you at dawn," she told Adelaide, before turning over and preparing for sleep.

~~~

It was a restless night. Kaylin was eager to get started, eager to prove her worth. She was finally going to make something of herself. She would do as the others told her; stay in the back and take her time. She wouldn't rush ahead. She just wanted a chance, and this was her time to take it.

She hastily scribbed a note for her father upon awaking, though she'd been in the lightest stage of sleep.

Father,

Let me start by telling you I love you very much, and have never wished to hurt you. I feel for your plight. Tobias was a dear friend of yours, and I wish to have my share in avenging him.

I have left with Adelaide and company to the bandtis' hideaway. We will defeat their leader, Ulasht, and I will bring back his head as a trophy for you. Please do not try to follow or stop me. Behind your back I have trained for this day. I know how to fight with a sword and I am well stocked with potions.

I hope to see you soon and present Ulasht's head to you.

Love your daughter,

Kaylin

With that done, and with one long, last look at the hovel she'd called home for the last 19 years of her life, Kaylin joined the others along the road and through the forest to Ulasht's hideaway.

 

[StFornicate]

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Garvin grumbled as they headed out. "She's too green for this quest."

"We'll need all the help we can get," Adelaide replied, and Jarald nodded in agreement. Garvin gave a dwarven "harumph" which shook the entirety of his beard, but the matter was settled, and they headed out.

It was two days' journey to Kruin Pass, and the surrounding Highlands and assorted caverns and caves. The area beneath the Kruin Mountains was a labyrinthine network of caves and tunnels, and, apparently, Ulasht's hired horde. They had little information on where to go, save the location of the mine in which Tobias was killed. It was decided that they would start there, and find what clues they could decipher.

The journey to the foothills was uneventful, and the companions constantly trained Kaylin in the art of the sword, and what to expect out of Ulasht's bandits, as far as tactics were concerned. All day long as they travelled, they did their best to prepare her for the battle ahead. Finally they came to the old mine; torches were lit, and in they headed...

 

[Emstar202]

It was a challenge keeping up with the others, but this was expected, and Adelaide had patience with her. The party faced off with several aggressive creatures common to the area on their path, but nothing they couldn't handle. Of course, had Kaylin been alone, it would have been a struggle, but with the aid of Garvin's ax, Jarald's daggers, and Adelaide's magic, Kaylin flourished. She gained more confidence with her sword, and although she was greatly fatigued, she was excited to learn even more. She didn't want to be a hindrance to them; she wanted to be an asset.

But then they entered the cave, and Ulahst had trained his men well, perhaps even well enough that Adelaide and her initial companions were doomed to fail...

In the first chamber of the cavern, they found some remains of what they could only assume to be Tobias' body. The entrails painted the floor like old, moldy strands of meat. Kaylin swallowed the bile that had started to rise in her throat. The sight was awful, and the place smelled even worse. Oddly, there didn't seem to be another passageway from the cave entry, but the group knew better, even Kaylin, with her limited knowledge, was all too familiar with the tales of secret doors and passages.

Adelaid cast reveal traps and they found the room to be clean. "All right, everyone begin searching the walls. There has to be another room," Adelaide instructed.

 

[StFornicate]

"Of course there is," Garvin said gruffly, his keen eyes examining the stonework in the room. It was only a matter of moments before the dwarf spotted the passageway. It was well-made, but not well enough to trick a dwarf's properly trained eye.

A concealed push-plate in the wall caused a section of the wall to spin out, revealing a pitch-black passage that seemed to be heading down into the depths of the mountain. The adventurers looked at each other. Adelaide muttered a spell, creating a small glowing ball of flame out of the aether, and sent it down into the passageway ahead of them, lighting the way.

There were torches ensconced in the walls on either side along the way, and Adelaide guided the floating fireball to light them as it went...

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Jarald growled, growing uneasy. The passage way long and straight and they could not yet see the end of it...

The first arrow to fly out of the darkness ahead missed, zooming just past Kaylin's pointed ear!

 

[Emstar202]

Kaylin followed the others into the narrow passage, trying to keep her sense of awe to herself. She kept a straight, solemn face, but inside she was bubbling with fear and excitement. She tightened her grip on her sword as the entered the passage. It had been weighing her down greatly, but she was finally getting used to the heft of it. It was probably foolish for a small elf such as herself to wield a sword, but she had a terrible aim with arrows, and she was stronger than she appeared.

Either with Adelaide's conjured flame, the darkness of the passage seemed to shallow them up, and they could see only a few feet in front and behind them. Kaylin was nervous, and she was not the only one. Even the experienced adventurers felt anxious at this predicament. Straight paths with one entry were never the ideal space to walk through.

As if on cue, a sharp arrow sailed through the darkness, straight past Kaylin's pointed ear! She gasped and stumbled to the side, having felt the whoosh of the air beside her as it passed. Immediately everyone stood on guard. Jarald docked an arrow to his bow and Garvin raised his ax high while Adelaide cast a detect life spell. Five glowing figures appeared about 30 feet away from them in the darkness. Their race and sex were indistinguishable, but now they had a target. "Go!" Adelaide commanded, but the men were already ahead of her.

With a rumbling dwarven yell, Garvin had shot off down the passage towards the enemy. Heart beating fast, Kaylin hesitantly followed him at a jog. "Stay low!" Jarald rasped, and Kaylin ducked as he began peppering the enemy with arrows. Adelaide send a fireball whistling over her head, and finally Kaylin and Garvin reached the enemy.

Garvin took on three of them at once, while the other two surrounded Kaylin. She slammed her sword forward, faking one of them out before slamming it backwards into the orc behind her. It was hard to wrench her blade out of his hard flesh, so she had to abandon her sword to skip out of the way of the other orc who'd charged at her. She wasn't quite fast enough. He barrel rolled into her body, sending her straight into the stone behind her. Kaylin hit her head hard, enough to see bright lights explode in her vision. She let out a pained moan and struggled to stand just as an icicle exploded on the orc's back, drawing his attention away from the panting elf.

"Don't lose your weapon!" Garvin grunted from nearby, as he beheaded a human bandit. Kaylin nodded and crawled towards the orc who'd she'd stabbed who was currently bleeding out on the floor.

 

[StFornicate]

An arrow from Jarald finished off one orc, just as Garvin lopped the head off the last one. The four companions gathered quickly around Kaylin, helping her recover.

"That's just the first wave," Garvin harrumphed. "Hope they can do better than that!" Jarald's eyes darkened, but Adelaide was the first to hear what was coming for them next.

"Worgs," she spat. The rest of them heard the guttural barks of the beasts a moment later. They were at the end of the passage, which branched off in a tee going left and right. The worgs were coming from their left; to the right the passage twisted off into darkness unseen. "This way!" Adelaide said, directing her floating fireball ahead of them down the path.

The hallway turned nearly ninety degrees, and they rounded it, only to find themselves up against a heavy wooden door. Jarald tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge.

The worg grunts grew louder and louder as Jarald pulled out a lock-picking kit and set to work getting the door open.

"Damn, it's trapped!" Jarald said as he knelt before the door, examining it.

"Careful, man, they are almost on us," Garvin grunted. The worgs had stopped. The companions could hear them sniffing at the bandit's dead bodies, followed by a growl and then a thunderous charge! "Get ready, girl," Garvin growled at Kaylin, his axe in hand. They stood next to each other, Adelaide just behind them, her hands glowing with electrical magical energy!

The beasts lost their momentum as they rounded the corner, fortunately. The first slid into the wall trying to turn but then leapt forward at Garvin. Another, hot on its tail, turned faster and jumped off the wall, barreling right at Kaylin!

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[Emstar202]

The worgs, creatures of myth Kaylin had only heard tales about, sped towards the group frantically, starved for prey. These were more intimidating then the bandit guards they'd faced earlier, only because they had no fear. They did not slow their sprint even as Adelaide sent a burst of electricity towards them. They howled in pain, but it seemed to make them even more angry.

"Eh, could you not try and piss 'em off?" Garvin snorted, just as one of the worgs ran head first into the wall.

Then they were careening straight towards them! Garvin took this in stride, and with a mighty roar, met his worg head first in combat. Kaylin was more hesitant, and her hand shook on her blade as the more spry of the worg's sprinted in her direction.

She swung her sword frantically as it neared, only to miss and get it wedged into the wall. The worg gleamed its teeth at her in what could almost be considered a laugh, then swiped his claw right towards her face. Kaylin ducked, but it snatched a handful of her long blonde hair.

Meanwhile, Garvin and the worg had collided, and it was a battle of momentum and strength. Jarald fingers worked nimbly at the lock, trying to drown out the battle going on behind him.

Two more worgs suddenly came ricocheting around the bend, coming towards the party at full speed. Adelaide cursed and sent some ice in their direction in an attempt to slow them down. Kaylin had managed to dislodge her sword and injure the worg she'd been fighting, but as two more came barreling towards them she lost her focus. The worgs, sensing her anxiety, naturally picked her out as the weakest link. Before they could reach her however, Adelaide sent a vicious array of magical energy towards them, draining her powers greatly but distracting the worgs from Kaylin and weakening them considerably. Their fury was also increased. They split their targets, one for Kaylin, one for Adelaide, and one hit the weakened mage head on, assaulting her viciously, likely inflicting critical injuries.

"Got it!" Jarald rasped suddenly, wrenching open the door.

 

[StFornicate]

Jarald pulled the door open and his blades out even faster, turning and burying both into the back of the neck of the beast that was mauling Adelaide. Garvin's axe split open the flank of one of the worgs, and in one fluid motion stepped towards Kaylin and buried his axe in the back of the worg slashing at her!

Jarald leapt forward and grappled with the last beast, and just before it could rake him viciously across the face, he stabbed it deep in its gut, twice, dropping it.

"Adelaide!" Garvin cried, tossing his axe into the room beyond the door and grabbing the elf wizard, and started to drag her into the room. Jarald glared at Kaylin.

"Bringing you was a mistake," he growled. "You'll be the death of us all!" He sheathed his blades and moved to help Garvin with Adelaide.

She was badly injured. There were gaping bloody gashes across her thigh and shoulder; the armor around her torso was mangled and torn and bloody as well. Jarald set about binding her wounds as Garvin closed the door behind Kaylin.

The room they were in was old, and made of ancient dwarven stonework. Garvin would have been ecstastic at such a discovery, were his friend not bleeding out on the floor. The room itself was long and wide, and their minimal light could not penetrate the darkness beyond.

 

[Emstar202]

Consumed by guilt, Kaylin followed the others into the darkness of the next chamber. Adelaide's injury had been her fault. Yes, she managed to injure one of the worgs and kill that bandit back there, but it was obvious from all her mistakes she was in way over her head. Not only was she not helping, but she was hindering her companions. That was evident as she knelt beside Adelaide on the floor. "I'm so sorry," she whispered softly, fighting back tears as she took the mage's hand in hers.

"Healing... potion... bag..." Adelaide managed to gasp out. Kaylin reached for it, but Jarald pushed her back.

"Let me handle this. Just... go stand over there and try not to get us killed." His words were said viciously, and they cut her worse than the worgs had. Kaylin normally would have retorted at such a condescending order, but did not since she knew it to be true.

She allowed Jarald to tend to Adelaide's wounds and crept away from them, letting the darkness envelop her. It was so thick, as if they were in a black smog. Garvin, although greatly concerned for his half elf friend, lit a torch he'd retrieved from his bag and announced he was going to make sure the room was safe.

Kaylin stood idly by, watching with great trepidation as Jarald cupped Adelaide's head, aiding her in drink of the potion. Then, with a resounding crack, the room was awash with light. Garvin had triggered it by stepping on a floor plate, and the room was revealed to them.

It was a puzzle room.

Bright torches lined the walls with the ancient Dwarven carvings, but three pedestals of light stood erect in the center of the room, each emitting a different colored flame. Golden, ebony, and crimson, moving as if by an invisible wind. There were three visible doors, each with a knob that corresponded with a flame color and an unlit torch beside it. At the head of the room, there was an impressive Dwarven statue head with his mouth agape and his eyes angry. This was simple, surely! Perhaps Kaylin could redeem herself after all.

She approached the crimson flame and dipped a torch inside. "Kaylin, what are you doing? Stop it," Grunted Garvin. Jarald was too busy tending to Adelaide's injuries to comment.

"I know what I'm doing, Garvin. This puzzle isn't this hard. I can finally make myself useful to you guys!"

The dwarf looked apprehensive, and turned from the massive Dwarven statue head he'd been examining to make a move to stop her, but it was too late, she'd already ignited the crimson door's torches with a crimson flame.

A deep rumbling could be heard from withing the door, almost as if a gate were being lifted, and then a flurry of arrows shot out from the Dwarven Head statue! They flew through the air at dwarven height, and promptly embedded themselves into Garvin's face.

Blood spewed, and it was crimson. The color of bloodshed.

 

[StFornicate]

Jarald turned his attention from Adelaide to the other end of the room just in time to see the arrows pierce Garvin's skull, blood spew forth, and the dwarf fall dead to the ground.

"By the gods..." he muttered, in shock as Adelaide gulped down the rest of the potion.

"What?" Adelaide murmured.

"Garvin is dead," Jarald growled, staring daggers at Kaylin. "It's the girl's fault, she triggered the trap." He stood up and stalked towards Kaylin as Adelaide slowly got up, her wounds closing from the effect of the magical potion. Kaylin appeared to be in shock at the sight of the dead dwarf.

"By Akroma," Adelaide said, steeling herself as she stood. "Jarald, stop. We must work together to get out of here. Look, there are runes here on the floor."

Jarald stopped, and looked down at his feet. He scowled at Kaylin again. "They're in dwarven," he hissed. "If only we had a dwarf."

"What's done is done, Jarald," Adelaide shot back. She glanced at Kaylin, and then back at the runes. "We must light all the torches at once," she said.

 

[Emstar202]

Kaylin stood in shock, eyes unseeing over Garvin's body. She'd done this. She'd done this! She couldn't move. She felt numb and helpless, like this was all some terrible dream. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to be back in her father's blacksmithing shop, tanning some leather armor for a worthy adventurer, because it was clear she wasn't one.

"I'm so sorry, I--"

"What's done is done," Adelaide said in a steely tone. Kaylin looked up at her through watery eyes. She wished Adelaide would yell at her, blame her openly for the death of Garvin like Jarald did. It would make her feel better. But Adelaide kept a clear head, and would grieve in the cover of darkness, alone, later, as she always did. She'd lost many in her young life, and would likely lose more. Garvin had been a dear friend, but in the midst of this grave danger she did not want to lose her temperament.

"We must light all the torches at once," she said, voice void of any emotion. When Kaylin made no motion to move, Adelaide grabbed her by the forearm and wrenched her to her feet. "Let's go. You can hate yourself later. If you break down now, it'll just make things worse."

Kaylin rose to her feet shakily and aided the others in lighting the doors. As a result, the Dwarven statue head opened, revealing a secret passageway.

 

[StFornicate]

In his lair, deep below the mountain, Ulasht was approached by a goblin, Squee. The warleader did not typically deign to allow the pests within his ranks, but this one, Squee, had proven itself useful, as it had rare skills in sorcery. The goblin was carrying a small crystalline globe.

"They have solved the riddle of the dwarf-hall, my lord," it said in its squeaky voice, kneeling before Ulasht, head bowed, holding the crystal ball up. In its depths could be seen an image of the three remaining adventurers crossing the threshold of the secret passageway. "Only three of them remain."

"Excellent..." Ulasht mused, sitting on his throne of bone. "Your scrying has proved most useful, Squee," Ulasht said. He grabbed a spear, which had been leaning against the throne, and thrust it towards the ground, right next to Squee's knee. The goblin squealed, but Ulasht raised the razor-tipped end of the spear to reveal he had pierced an errant rat, and a big one at that, which he offered to the goblin. Squee greedily took it as Ulasht stood.

"Rothax!" the warleader called. A skulking orc, in heavy robes and walking with a limp, entered the throne room.

"Yes, sire," the orc hissed.

"Our intruders have entered the secret Dwarf Crypt. Get down there and bring me the elf girls."

"As you wish, sire," the orc replied, and disappeared into the shadows once more. Rothax had overseen the restoration of all the traps in this ancient place, and lost several orcs in the process. He knew the area better than anyone. There was a pit trap, a bit of the ways down the hallway the adventurers were in. The trigger was a concealed pressure plate in the floor, which triggered the pit to open some five feet behind the plate. The idea was to separate any group that entered and rush them from either end. Divide and conquer.

And at the bottom of the pit... Well, that was Rothax favorite part...

 

[Emstar202]

The trio made their way down yet another narrow passage with heavy hearts. There was no speaking. Jarald was radiating great resentment and rage, and Kaylin seemed to be like one of the zombies Adelaide had faced in previous quests. Adelaide walked between them. Her body was spent from all the spells she'd casted, especially the array of charms she'd used to distract the worgs from Kaylin earlier. She'd taken a regeneration potion, but still felt drained. Thus, they used torches to light the passageway, as Adelaide did not have enough energy to keep up a bright, guiding light spell.

They moved hesitantly along the passage, watching the walls for strange indents or markings more than their feet. This was a dire mistake. It was unclear who exactly stepped upon the pressure plate. Kaylin would blame herself. Adelaide would claim it pointless to try and lay blame, and Jarald well, Jarald....

As the pressure plate was triggered, the floor sprung open. Jarald pushed Adelaide back, and Kaylin, though not strong, was spry enough to avoid the pit. But Jarald fell. He fell into the spikes below, impaled his body on the sharp points. His eyes stared up at them, as if in shock as to what just happened. Then the expression faded into blankness.

And just like that they lost another.

Kaylin broke down, sobbing against the wall. Her strength of will and naive confidence had long since died, and she sobbed like a small child, taking deep, heaving breaths. Even Adelaide was beginning to lose it, feeling that even she, perhaps was in over her head. That had been a foolish mistake. She'd let Garvin's death distract her, and now Jarald was dead as well.

"We've got to stay calm. Kaylin, listen to me. You've got to stay calm."

"We're going to die!" Kaylin cried out hysterically, hands scraping the stone walls as if searching for a miracle exit.

"Keep your voice down. Let's rest.. For a moment... then I'll go around and try to get to you, okay?" Adelaide reasoned. Kaylin's sobs were her only answer. "Kaylin, please..." her own lips began to tremble, and for the first time since her whole village had burned, starting Adelaide's career, tears burned her eyes like hot coals, and she could not resist the sting. She began to cry as well, silently, but hidden from Kaylin's view.

The pit was too wide for either of them to reach the other, even with a running leap. It seemed that death was their only companion now.

 

[StFornicate]

Adelaide made her way back to the entrance to the secret passage... And was promptly knocked out, a surprise attack with a sap to the back of her head, dropping her immediately. "Excellent..." Rothax hissed. "Take her to Ulasht. no harm can come to her," he ordered one of his men. He then led a half-dozen warriors into the passage. He stopped and removed a stone in the wall, and pulled a switch, which caused the trap door to return to its place.

The orcs approached Kaylin; she was easy to spot. They didn't need torches to see in the darkness, and her torch was more of a beacon than anything else.

They growled at her from the darkness. "Drop your weapon, elf..."

 

[Emstar202]

Kaylin may be naive, but she wasn't entirely stupid. She wasn't about to face off with a gang of orcs all by herself. Although broken, she tried to put on a brave face as they cornered her. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword for a moment, considering her options.

There was only one that would ensure her life, at least for the immediate furture.

Kaylin dropped her sword and stood up from the wall, looking up at the orcs, eyes still shining from tears. She shook like a leaf, but tried her best not to fall down. She wished she weren't so weak. She wished she could keep a level head at all times like Adelaide, but Kaylin was way in over her head, wasn't even near enough the surface to gasp for air. She gazed up at the monsters expectantly, trying to contort her features into an expression not so pathetic, but instead all she managed was an awkward grimace.

 

[StFornicate]

The first orc grabbed Kaylin's arm and started to lead her down the hallway, deeper into the darkness. A moment later, came the unexpected blow to the back of her head, easily knocking her unconscious...

*****

The wizard-elf was brought to Ulasht first. He sat on his throne of bone as she was unceremoniously dumped before him, which jostled her enough to make her come to. Squee squealed in the corner. Ulasht growled.

"Who are you, that would dare trespass in my caverns, elf?" he demanded.

Adelaide looked up at him and spat. "Do your worst," she grunted, as he stood up from his throne, unsheathing a long, jagged knife.

His voice was thick and guttural. "Happily," he grunted, and bent over her, grasping her hair...

*****

Kaylin came to as she was being stood up and pushed against a cold, stone wall. Manacles, attached to chains, to the wall, shackled her wrists on either side of her, and her ankles. Darkness stretched out before her, save for a single torch, illuminating a table... With her companion Adelaide spread out across it.

 

[Emstar202]

As if waking from a long slumber, Kaylin's eyes fluttered open weakly. She felt horribly groggy and her head was throbbing considerably. Had she drank too much mead again? Jeez, she really had to stop going to listen to the adventurers' tales every night. There'd been this sweet elven mage named Adelaide who'd--

Adelaide!

"Adelaide?" Kaylin called weakly, seeing through blurry eyes the form of her fellow elf sprawled out on a table.

Kaylin blinked a few times, clearing her vision, and the image that struck her was one of horror. There lay Adelaide, semi-conscious, bruises and blood staining her body and surrounded by a plethora of various torture instruments.

"No..." Kaylin rasped. "No!" She called louder, insistent. She tried to run to her friend, but realized she was pushed against a wall. A man's face came into her view. He was strapping her into the chains. She struggled greatly, but she was weak and the deed was already done. Her gaze raised up to his, facing her attacker for the first time.

 

[StFornicate]

Green skin. Stink. Tusks. Rippling muscles... Ulasht had fastened her shackles himself, and she had come to in the process. He snickered at her, as if he already knew her fate. He was huge, easily two feet taller than Kaylin, if not more. "Silence yourself, if you value your life," he growled at her, before turning away and treading towards the table, whereupon lay Adelaide.

She was also bound, wrists and ankles, to the table. It was, really, more of an altar of sorts. Above it, in the darkness, Kaylin could just barely make out a graven image of a demon of some sort; it was too dark to identify it, even if she could have.

"Squee!" the monster yelled out, and a goblin in robes came tripping out of the darkness, falling over itself in the process and landing at the massive orc's feet.

"Yes sire?" the goblin squeaked.

"It is time for the test," he said.

"Ahh, yes sire," the goblin said, and crawled itself up onto the altar with Adelaide, and started to speak strange, ethereal words...

 

[Emstar202]

The hulking ogre-orc hybrid towered over her, at least two feet above her, so her head was level with his torso. She had to hurt her neck to look back at him. He smelled atrocious, and looked even worse! He may have had appealing hulking muscles, but had green skin and greasy hair accompanied by pointed tusks protruding from his lower lip. He was absolutely terrifying. Kaylin's lips snapped shut at his command. As much as she deserved to die, she still valued her life. It was a beings natural instinct to fight for life.

She watched, silent, as her captor called out 'Squee'. It would have been comical given any other context, but as given their current circumstances, it was not. A tiny goblin came scurrying out of the shadows, tripping over his giant's robes. He was eager to please his master, and crawled to the alter where Adelaide was perched. Kaylin was too frantic to care about the statue hanging above her head, but knew it had to be some sort of dark trophy of the hybrid. She watched in horror as the feeble goblin began to perform some sort of test over Adelaide.

"What are you doing to her? Please, don't hurt her. This is my fault. All of this is my... fault..." Kaylin pleaded suddenly, voice wracked with sobs. Although she'd been ordered not to speak, at this point she valued Adelaide's life over her own. Adelaide had been nothing but kind to her; she'd trusted her; given Kaylin the chance she'd always wanted, and in return the young, naive elf had failed her new companion.

 

[StFornicate]

Ulasht growled at the elf's outburst. This one would need to learn obedience. He turned to her, raised his massive hand, and backhanded her viciously across her face!

"I said silence, bitch!" he growled out, grabbing her face and bending towards her, his glowing yellow eyes locking with her own. "Do not incur my wrath."

On the altar, Squee was finishing his spell, and Adelaide began to glow a strange, crimson red. "Eeek!" the goblin squealed. "She has magical talent, sire!" He spat. "Half-blood, human and elf. Not a virgin, either. Slut." He kicked her side before hopping down off the altar.

Ulasht released Kaylin then and turned to the goblin. "Good work, Squee," he said, stalking towards the altar. He looked down upon Adelaide, who was beginning to awaken. Ulasht ran a clawed finger along her cheek as she opened her eyes and screamed! His big green hand immediately clasped around her throat, cutting off her air supply and stopping the screams. The look of terror in her eyes only served to enflame Ulasht's enjoyment of the sadistic control he had over her.

 

[Emstar202]

Snot and tears flew from her face as the hulking bandit slapped her straight across the cheek. Her neck cracked painfully and her limbs rattled in their bonds. Her sobs turned to great, gulping gasps for air as she tried to steady herself. Her captor grasped her face in his mighty hand and forced her blue eyes onto his beady, glowing, yellow orbs. His words inflicted great fear in her, and Kayiln once more fell silent. She tried to look past him to see her friend.

Whatever the tiny goblin was doing to Adelaide, it didn't seem to be affecting her that much. She glowed a faint crimson color, similar to the enchanted flame in the Dwareven room--the remainder sent a pang of guilt through her chest-- but Adelaide did not react to the goblin's magic other than that faint glow.

When the tiny goblin, Squee, as the hulking one had called him, had finished his scan he kicked Adelaide in the side and hopped down from the alter. Although the kick was hardly enough to hurt, Kaylin still let out a soft cry at the expense of her friend. His words were so demeaning, and he spoke as if Adelaide were a tainted creature because she wasn't a virgin. How had he known? Kaylin feared the same test. Although she was a virgin, she wondered what else they would say about her. She had no magical talent. She had nothing. They'd probably kill her right away.

"Adelaide!" Kaylin called, her companion's name slipping past her lips of its own accord as the half-elf screeched loudly in terror when she came to. Her captive placed a large hand around her throat, instantly cutting off her screams, and she fell silent. Several long moments passed, until Kaylin couldn't stand it. She wasn't going to let her friend get choked to death! She had to do everything in her power to draw the orc's attention to her and away from Adelaide. Kaylin wouldn't be the reason for the death of anyone else. "Get away from her! Take me instead okay? Do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt her!" she insisted, wiggling fervently against her impossible bonds.