A friendly barmaid led the three heroes down some back alleys to a dark wooden
door hidden behind some bins. After she knocked they were let in to a small
room where drink and simple food were being served.
Besides the staff there were only a few more men here. From what I understand about
Westgate I think this was a sort of safe house, used by criminals and neer'do'wells
that are too lowly to be members of the Nightmasks.
One of the men was very much interested to see that an elf had just walked in. He came
over and introduced himself as Handro Deathspear. He then said:
'Those bastards at the Merc's Guild have let me down! I need more men for this expedition! You three seem decent enough lads. Want to sign on? A trip south, that's all I know at this stage. An elf ranger for tracking and a young fellow with an axe and a bloke in armour. All good all good. How does ten gold a day sound?
Me, my mate and you three. We escort this gang of nobs south. Be about a month. Ok? Considering you're going to have the rest of the crew after you for this lot, leaving town for a while might not be such a bad idea!'
Handro seemed pleased that he had found replacements for the folks that were meant to help
him and that his plan could go ahead. However, he was most perplexed by some of the behaviour
exhibited by one of his new hires - namely Star.
As Handro made to leave, Star inexpertly attempted to undo a strap on his armour as he passed.
'Here, what are you doing?' demanded Handro.
Star could offer no reasonable explanation. Handro gave him a long look and then made to leave
again. Star repeated his attempt, but his hand was slapped away.
'What are you trying, elf? You want to bed me is that it? Sorry, but your not my type. Just be
here tomorrow morning. I'll send my mate to come and get you.'
He then backed out of the room, keeping an eye on the strange elf.
That evening they found out it was discovered that the 'man' in the plate armour was in fact
a young lady named Dalia. She was a paladin of Ilmatter. Sam tried to chat her up, but got
nowhere.
(day 2)
The place they were staying had lots of small rooms where people could sleep. It wasn't an inn,
it may once have been a building for storing sugar loafs I think, but it was now used by people
lying low.
They were given a decent breakfast in the small common room and as they ate they were approached
by Handro's mate, a very muscular man called Crossor the Horse-Strangler.
The first words he spoke were, 'just you keep yer pervy feckin' hands off me, elf!' as he sat
down beside them.
They finished their food and Horse-Strangler led them to the south gate of the city. Star went
to try and undo a strap on their guide's armour, but Sam warned him not to.
At the South Gate they met the rest of the party. This included:
- Handro
- Lord Trant, a nobleman in his late 30s, well dressed and of an arrogant demeanour
- Bob Bobbins, his half-halfling servant
- Yembrol Santez, a young nobleman. Quiet and distant.
- His servant
- Caric Codswapper, a young nobleman. A man of a mean and violent disposition
- His servant, a female elf.
Everyone was provided with a horse and they rode south towards the Gulway region
of the Dragon Coast.
In the afternoon they all stopped for lunch and Star was sent to hunt up some fresh meat.
Sam went with him. After ten minutes of wandering around in the woods though the came
face to face with a hunting party of nine goblins.
The goblins attacked, initially throwing javelins that found their mark on both of them.
Star fired back and Sam met their charge once they had thrown all their missiles.
As they came in, he chopped them down and those at the back, seeing this would be
no easy fight, turned on their heals and fled.
One goblin tried to surrender, but Star shot it in the head. Another lay on the ground
in supplication, but Sam killed that one too.
After all that excitement they did in fact return to the camp with a couple of rabbits
for the pot. The animals were skinned and cooked by Bob.
They arrived in the village of Darlie, in the Gulway valley in the evening. It was a
thorpe, only a dozen houses or so, one small inn with one small shop next to it.
Still wounded from the goblin javelins Sam went to the shop in search of healing
potions but was told there was none. He learned that there was a witch in the village
that might help him so he went to her cottage.
She was Nessie, one of the Gulway coven and she was happy to use her magic to heal his
injuries. When Star learned of this he went to see her too. She was happy to heal him
and even told him his fortune with the aid of a crystal ball when he asked.
She said this:
'You are going to a dark place. Somewhere deep, deep beneath the earth. A land populated
by lizard people and giant snails. There you will meet a man plagued by demons. He will
offer to be your friend, but he is no friend, just trouble. Demons, ahh, demons! Beware
the demons! And the rust monsters! And the - oh, I'm not sure what those are, but they
look horrible. Well you get the idea.'
Star decided he'd heard enough, but before he left he decided what he really needed to
do was steal a kiss from this powerful witch. She pushed him back though saying;
'I don't know what its like where you come from, but here, people don't act like that.'
The expedition spent that night at the inn.
(day 3)
The expedition headed south, through the plains, then through the forest and finally up
into the mountains. Star was the guide, although he had only been given the vaguest of ideas
of where they were going.
By nightfall they had reached the mountain that Lord Trant was apparently aiming for and
they made camp.
(day 4)
The next morning the expedition set off once more and by eleven o'clock they had reached
the cave, a fissure in the side of a mountain, that they had been seeking.
This was the very same cave that myself and Fenrir were to enter some time later.
One of the servants was left with the horses and in they went.
There was a dwarf their waiting for them, a fellow called Monger. He lead them into the
cave and down into the bowels of the earth, taking passages and tunnels, a route that
only he knew.
If anyone was nervous about delving so deep underground they did not show it or discuss
it.
They reached a set of rooms carved into the side of the tunnel, a sort of rest spot for
dwarves. There were three of them already there, chatting and eating.
The expedition spent the night here.
(day 5)
The next day, Monger, their dwarven guide led them further underground, along tunnels
and through caverns diverse. The met several more dwarves on the way, and by some
arrangement made by themselves they joined the group.
After a whole day of travel they arrived at another carved out dwarven bothy.
'The Mouth of Doom is not far from here, my lord,' explained Monger to the three
nobles, 'but we should rest here before going on. The way from here is far from safe.'
The overlanders were losing their sense of night and day, but to Sam and Star it
felt as if it were late in the evening. Star noticed that Caric Codswapper treated
his servant badly, cursing at her and belittling her. When he got the opportunity
Star talked to her privately. Her name was Ederis, and although she was friendly enough
towards Star she did not give any reasons for why she accepted such treatment from
a mere man.
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