General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.
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Cloakwood Mines
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Under the guidance of the Harpers the group managed to get as close to the mine as they dared within a few hours, where they met at the agreed point. A rough camp was set up, and guard shifts were settled to allow everyone to snatch some rest before they moved into the mine at dawn.
Jaheira watched as Coran lay his bedroll in close proximity to Maiyn's, and scowled. The fighter smiled at her warmly, and ignored the venomous glare he received in return. He realised Maiyn was watching their exchange, and shrugged innocently. The ranger shook her head slightly, and curled up to sleep. They had a dangerous task ahead, and she wasn't willing to be distracted by their bickering.
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The ten companions stood by the rather rickety looking wooden bridge that crossed the stream. It was just before dawn, and they had managed to get to the entrance of the mining compound without alerting anyone to their presence. Maiyn slunk forward slightly, drawing back almost immediately.
"Two," she whispered, answering the question just asked; 'Are there any guards?'
"That should be simple enough," mused Jaheira. "Let us draw them to us."
Kivan let out a shrill whistle, and the others got ready to attack. The guards were brought down quickly, and fairly quietly - they'd been dozing at their post and were not prepared to meet enemies. Imoen quickly searched their corpses, and the group crossed the bridge one by one.
"Wait," hissed Maiyn when everyone arrived over. "There are more ahead."
"Four," agreed Coran. "Two look suspiciously like spellcasters."
"That i-is odd," said Khalid thoughtfully. "All the t-time we scouted around, we never s-saw anything b-but fighter mercenaries."
"Perhaps these aren't normal guards," said Maiyn cynically. "Let us approach anyway - we shall have to battle them to get past, and we should be able to deal with them. Coran and Minsc take one mage each, Jaheira and Khalid concentrate on the other two - that way we'll have a fighter on each one, and that should make it a bit quicker; are we all agreeable?"
Everyone nodded, and the group moved forward, slowly and quietly. The men had been expecting them, spying them almost immediately; much more alert than the guards who had fallen at the bridge.
"We heard your skirmish," said one of the fighters with a cold smile. "Comrades! Let us draw daggers and spells and have at her! You've crossed our employers, and this is as far as you're about to go, my friend."
Maiyn snorted and stood resolutely. "We have heard that many times before," she said, just as icily. "As you can see, we're still here, the others... are not."
Khalid regarded the diminutive ranger with surprise, and a small tinge of respect. She certainly wasn't going to let these people intimidate her it seemed.
"Hah," said the man wryly, eyeing the girl. "They should have known that lazy, bounty-hunting rabble wouldn't get the job done. Never settle for second best, I always say. 'I' being the renowned warrior, Drasus, though I doubt such novices as yourself would have heard of me."
"You want to know what I always say?" asked Maiyn suddenly. The warrior regarded her with amusement, and nodded. "'Always kill the mouthy one first', that's what I always say."
There was a pause, then he threw back his head and roared with laughter. "A good saying!" he exclaimed. "I will use your head for a puppet, and make it say it over and over, while we drink large amounts of mead! Life, is pretty good, you know?"
"I hope it has been," said Maiyn darkly as she began moving forward, "for now it shall end."
Drasus quickly instructed the other fighter, Genthore, to attack. "Kysus, Rezdan, cast at will!" he shouted, charging towards the ranger, his sights set firmly on her.
The others had started moving towards their targets when Maiyn began advancing. Both the enemy mages mirrored up, and Dynaheir and Xan followed suit. Kivan's bow was singing already, his arrows trying to pick out the mages from their illusions.
Coran and Minsc were quick to engage their targets, and Jaheira and Khalid met with Genthore before he could break through to their own spellcasters. Branwen was following Maiyn, and the ranger drew her sword as she boldly advanced towards Drasus. She confidently entered the melee with him, surprised to find that he didn't seem much stronger than she herself was, and she nimbly ducked his swings and thrusts. Xan, Dynaheir and Imoen were murmuring together, Imoen finishing first, and projecting her lone spell - the magic missile - at Genthore, dazing him as it struck. He stumbled to the ground, trying to find his balance as the Harpers rained blows down on him, most being deflected easily by his shield and armour.
Coran and Minsc were still working on the illusions when the enemy spellcasters finished their incantations. Kysus let fly a painfully bright globe that hit Maiyn, and reached out to her companions. Rezdan hit the ground with his staff, summoning creatures to his aid - almost at once, several yapping kobolds appeared, surrounding Coran and trying to stab him with their swords.
Maiyn felt no pain from the spell that had targeted her, but suddenly she felt very distracted. She paused in the middle of the combat, and looked around dazedly, fighting the confused feeling that was trying to take hold of her. She recognised it before it could take a hold though, and with a roar she forced it from her mind, and lunged back towards her mark.
The others weren't as unaffected - Branwen staggered backwards, the spell completely throwing her concentration off. Kivan too stopped his shooting, and started wandering around aimlessly, Imoen following suit. Khalid pulled back from his battle, leaving Jaheira to fight the effects of the spell successfully, and continue trying to pound her way through the warrior's defence.
Thankfully, noticed Maiyn, Coran and Minsc had been too far out of range to be affected, as had Dynaheir and Xan. They too had finished their spellcasting, Xan's horror causing the kobolds to turn and flee, allowing Coran to return his attention to the mage. Dynaheir's own spell exploded in the centre of the battlefield in a mirage of colours, surprising even her own companions.
Maiyn quietly praising the witch's thinking as she saw the effects. The mage's hand gestures as they spoke their magical words immediately decelerated, the fighter's movements slowed right down, allowing Jaheira to finally finish off Genthore.
Minsc let out a wild cry as his sword brought down Kysus, but the mage's dying words sent an acid arrow into the berserker, causing him to wince in pain. Coran also shouted triumphantly, ignoring the pain that stung him from Rezdan's minor drain to strike the mage fatally with his sword.
The other fighters began to head towards Maiyn, but she shook her head as she weaved around Drasus. "No, look at the others - stop them!"
They looked over to where she pointed, and realised what her distress was about. Kivan had taken out his spear, and was bearing down on an unaware Imoen with a detached expression on his face. Branwen had also started battling Khalid, both with glazed eyes as they went through the moves - it was just a matter of time until someone got hurt.
Minsc leapt over towards Kivan, and knocked his spear from his hands with ease. The ranger turned to look at him in surprise; rather than fighting, he backed away with a vacant expression.
Jaheira and Coran managed to break up the fight between the Harper and the priestess before any injuries occurred, and as soon as they had disengaged, both wandered apart freely, instantly forgetting what they'd been doing.
Maiyn was still in battle with Drasus; Xan and Dynaheir concentrating on yet more casting. She had not managed to land a single blow that inflicted any kind of damage, but neither had she allowed him to break through her own defence. She danced around, feeling frustration rise within her, and noted with relief that Coran was approaching to help.
Drasus noticed too, and turned to swing at Coran with a snarl. The elf immediately took up the parrying stance that Maiyn had previously been using, and the ranger struck the fighter repetitively, failing completely to break through his armour. Purple missiles flew through the air from Dynaheir's fingertips, knocking into their foe with great force, but although he staggered slightly, he stayed upright, and just launched back into an attack. A green arrow followed, this one causing Drasus to flinch in pain as the acid started to burn its way through his body.
Coran took immediate advantage of the fighter's distraction, and advanced towards him, shoulder to shoulder with Minsc, who had decided Kivan was no longer a threat to Imoen. Maiyn shuffled backwards, away from the scene as the two fighters let their fury and strength guide their blades, and a glow engulfed Minsc's 'Spidersbane' as he landed a devastating blow on the fighters head, crushing the skull despite the protection of a helmet.
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Maiyn took a few deep breaths - she'd not been involved in melee combat as constantly and for as long before, and her exhilaration was fading. She checked the others quickly - the confused members seemed to have recovered, and were standing with Jaheira, her serious expression and quiet tone suggesting she was informing them on what happened after the spell hit.
Coran and Minsc rummaged through the belongings of the fallen, finding boots and armour that seemed to carry enchantments, and Xan quickly identified them - some magically protected armour and some boots that had been charmed to make footfalls even quieter than normal. Maiyn instructed Minsc to take the armour - the Harpers were already blessed with increased nimbleness due to their elven blood, and Coran refused to wear anything heavier than his studded leather. Instead, he was ordered to wear the boots.
"You are so determined to rely on sneakiness rather than protection," said Maiyn, "therefore, you will wear those boots, or else!"
"Or else what?" asked Coran, his eyes twinkling as he smiled. Maiyn just grinned back, and distracted herself by cleaning her sword. The others took a few moments to sort themselves out, then they made their way towards the buildings ahead. The first few were just storehouses, and nothing interesting was found in them. Behind them, the wooden palisade that surrounded the compound drew in, bordering a narrow path that led up a small incline. Atop the hill they could see a wooden tower.
"That must be our destination," said Maiyn quietly, leading the way.
They encountered a lone guard as they climbed the slope, but he fell before he even noticed them due to well placed arrows from Kivan. They were slightly surprised to find no one outside the tower when they approached it, and cautiously gathered around the door.
"Ready?" asked Maiyn, waiting until everyone nodded. "On we go then..."
She swung the door open and allowed Coran and Minsc to head in first, followed closely by Jaheira and Khalid. The sound of steel hitting steel rang out for a few seconds, then it fell silent once more. Maiyn cautiously looked in, and saw the bodies of two guards lying conspicuously on the floor. Coran grinned, and rifled their pockets as Imoen darted in and began examining a chest by the table.
"Cover your nose Boo," said Minsc strongly. "This place smells worse than the Lodge after a three day feast!" The rodent squeaked a reply. "No, I think it even beats the time when Uldon the Unwashed had all those beans and cabbage for supper. But at least we can do something about the smelly villains responsible for this!"
It seemed to be a watchtower of sorts - half the room was set as a living area, a large table took up most of the available space with two chairs sitting at each side of it. A few barrels lurked under a small window that allowed a sliver of light to slide in from the breaking dawn. The only other item of note was the chest that Imoen had opened, pilfering some gold from its contents.
The other half of the room was behind a wooden partition. A quick investigation revealed it to be a lift that provided access to the depths. The party quickly filed in, and Khalid examined the mechanism used to run it. It took him only a few seconds to correctly manipulate it into working, causing the companions to descend into the mine.
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Maiyn scouted ahead, expertly keeping herself shrouded in the shadows, and avoiding the side of the tunnel lit by the weak lanterns. Her friends followed her slowly until they got to a junction, and together they stood and looked around. Several miners were working hard, swinging their picks at the walls. One had noticed their appearance, and immediately started running over to them.
"Guards! Guards!" he yelled. "Andarsson's been speaking ill of Davaeorn again!" The man stopped suddenly, noticing that they were not the normal sentries who patrolled the mine. "Wait! You're no guards... Ah! Guards! Guards!" The miner waved his arms frantically and ran off, disappearing down another tunnel.
"A telltale!" muttered Coran. "He reminds me of my sister, Ameniela... 'Mama! Coran has slipped away from the window and has been hunting all night!' 'Papa! Coran was kissing Enivien Maervick's daughter!'" Coran frowned at the memory, ignoring Maiyn's gentle laughter. "Quite inconvenient... we will have to watch our backs now."
The other miners had stopped their working, having turned to see what the commotion was about. There was a hushed whispering between them as they debated the identity of the strangers; but despite the danger, Maiyn was not prepared to be mistaken for Iron Throne operatives.
"We're not guards," she admitted, causing the stares to turn from fear into disbelief, and a little bit of hope. "We need you to pretend you haven't seen us though," she continued, "because we want to get to the foreman quickly without having to fight too much."
"We can help you, miss," said one of the miners, scuttling over to them. "The way down is straight ahead, but..."
"But?" asked Maiyn gently.
"Well, miss," he said hesitantly. "We've been waiting a long time for someone to come and set us free. We came up with a plan on how to destroy the mines, if you would listen to it, to prevent it ever being used for slavery again."
Maiyn nodded. "Tell me."
"You'd be better off going to see Baerus. He's down that way," he said, pointing to his right, "past one of the guard posts though. He's mining beside the lock."
"The lock?" asked Maiyn.
"He can tell you more about it - this junction is quite busy with guards, and you'd be best not hanging around for too long. Please," he pleaded as she moved towards the tunnel he'd pointed out, "please try and help us."
"I promise that I will do everything I can to free each one of you," she said sincerely. "Try to keep working as normal - we will speak to Baerus, and do whatever is needed. When we can, we will ensure you get out."
"Thank you!" exclaimed the miner, the others echoing his sentiment before they turned back to the walls. The party started along the dark corridor, and Maiyn felt a tugging on her sleeve. She turned to see Khalid.
"Was that w-wise?" he asked, looking concerned. "Promises should not b-be made lightly."
"Oh, I fully intend to keep this promise," said Maiyn confidently. "I will die to free these people if I have to - this level of thraldom is disgusts me."
Khalid nodded, but his expression remained serious. I hope she is not allowing this all to become too personal. She needs to keep a clear head.
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"So if we get the key from Davaeorn, you can use it to open this seal?" asked Maiyn. They had found the miner quite easily after dispatching the guard who questioned their authority.
Baerus nodded. He was a tall man, but just as thin as the other mine workers; some were painfully so, malnourished and mistreated. Every time she caught a glimpse of one working hard despite their lack of strength she felt her anger rise.
"And when you open the seal, the mines will flood?"
"Aye ma'am," he replied. "It'll open the old passage that was found by accident, when the old dwarves dug too far, and hit the river."
Maiyn nodded slowly. "We shall obtain the key," she said firmly. "But first we need a plan to evacuate the workers."
"Seek out Rill," suggested Baerus. "He's on the level below, in the cells for bad behaviour I think. He'll be able to round them up easily enough - he's been here for years, and everyone trusts him. If you can free him I'm sure he'd do what he could."
"I shall do as you suggest," nodded Maiyn. "When we locate him we can send some of our group with him perhaps to ensure everyone gets out safely." She looked to Jaheira, and the druid nodded her approval.
"You should find the dwarf, Yeslick, down there too," said the miner. "It was his people who built this mine, and he has no love for the current owners."
"Ah," said the ranger thoughtfully. "That is good to know. He can perhaps help us to find what we seek. Thank you Baerus for the information - we hope we will return soon."
Quietly the party returned to the junction, then took the corridor that led to the stairway down. They travelled in silence, most thoughtfully contemplating what lay ahead until Imoen's quiet voice broke the silence.
"Hey, Dynaheir..."
The witch sighed. "I think it is best if we travel quietly."
"Ah, there's nothin' along here!" said Imoen happily. "I have a question for you!"
"I suppose I had better listen to thy question," relented Dynaheir, "or I'll never have your curious inquisitions end." The mage had learnt a lot about Imoen's relentless nature since the thief took an interest in magic.
"Yep! That's me! Imoen the Persistent!" Imoen ignored Maiyn's small choke of laughter. "So, I was wondering why you came out all the way out here to the Sword Coast. Nothing too interesting here. Well, there is Waterdeep, home of Elminster, but since most people don't get to meet him, it's not all that special. I suppose there are some other places like Skullport or such... those might be interesting to visit, though most of the places aren't exactly part of the Coast."
"Thou shoudst know that there is much more to any area than meets the eye," interrupted Dynaheir as the thief paused for breath. "But as to the specific reason Minsc and I travelled hither, it is that I needed to."
Imoen's eyes narrowed. "Needed to, huh? Sounds kinda vague. You aren't tryin' to dodge me, are you?"
"Whyfor would I do such a thing?" asked the witch with an expression of perfect innocence. "I have answered thine question. Make what thou wilt of it."
"I dunno..." shrugged Imoen. "It really sounds like yer tryin' to dodge my question... Hey! You listenin' to me? Dynaheir! Hey, wait up! Don't leave me behind!"
The witch darted behind Minsc, and Maiyn caught her giving Jaheira an exasperated look. Why is she so keen to avoid the question? wondered the ranger. She didn't have time to dwell on it though, as they turned the corner and were faced with the wide steps leading down to the next level.
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Maiyn tried to decide which way to go as Imoen squealed over the coin she'd found on the guard's corpse. They had slowly descended into a rough guard post, where they'd taken out another two guards. A corridor led further into the complex, and a large wooden door was shut firmly on the opposing wall. Maiyn found it locked, and beckoned Imoen over to open it. Within seconds the door was creaking open, and Maiyn had her bow ready to face whatever lay behind.
The passage was short and narrow, several doors leading off to either side. Maiyn inched her way in, and realised the doors were nothing more than barred gates, closing off several men into small pens. They stood as she walked past, gaping at her with surprise. Imoen set to work unlocking the doors, allowing them a bit of freedom, but Maiyn instructed them to stay in the wing.
"We will come back when we are ready to take you to the surface," she explained. "It is really important you stay here until then though."
The slaves nodded, thanking her repeatedly for her kindness, and she smiled. I hope they listen to me, she thought as they left, closing the big door behind them. For their own sakes, they'd be better waiting there.
The party continued down the other passage, passing several small storerooms and a weaponry. They stopped as they reached another guard post, this time unguarded, and listened. There was a faint chattering coming from ahead.
"Stay here," whispered Maiyn, ducking into the corridor, and creeping along quietly. She peered around the corner at the end quickly, and retreated to her companions hastily.
"There is some meeting taking place," she explained. "There are at least ten guards - some of the mercenary bandits too, and a mage."
The others looked serious. Imoen was scrabbling around in the corner, and Maiyn turned to ask what she was doing when part of the wall disappeared. The ranger raised an eyebrow as the thief grinned mischievously.
"I saw a stone stickin' out," Imoen said quietly. "Thought I'd see if there was a reason for it."
A quick look at the new passage revealed it to seemingly go around the meeting room, so the party quietly filed into it, wandering down the damp passage until they reached a dead end.
"Let me look," whispered Imoen, searching around the walls and once again finding suspicious brickwork. The wall slid away, and Maiyn realised they'd found the prison cells.
