A/N: And here's the next chapter! This time, our heroes continue to delve into the depths of the caverns, facing myriad threats along the way.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dungeons and Dragons. I only own my original ideas.
Chapter 23: Deeper Down
After a fitful rest, we continued our explorations into the areas we'd not searched yet. We headed down the corridor beyond Ulfe's room. Ahead, we saw a large statue of a dwarf, holding a sword in one hand and a smith's hammer in the other. Charles put up a hand, and gestured to the floor a short distance in front of the statue. It was then that I noticed the pressure plate. Instead we headed through the door to the left. The chamber was filled with rough-hewn bunks, tables, and chairs, and the floor is strewn with filthy pelts. At first glance, it appears that a dozen or so humanoids might have been using this as a sleeping quarters. However, at the moment only five were present.
"Well, it seems we've got intruders," said what appeared to the leader, "Your path ends with Ulfe or me, Old Yarrack!"
"Ulfe is dead," I said.
"Get them!" shouted Yarrack.
One of the orcs rushed straight at me, and managed the get past my defenses, its axe piercing my scales. Lydratir took aim at Yarrack with his bow, aiming with particular focus. He fired, but Yarrack dodged the arrow. Another of the orcs charged in and took a clumsy swing at Charles, which he easily avoided. Krisyra snarled, and transformed into a dire wolf and charged at Yarrack. Her fangs found purchase as she tackled, but Yarrack maintained his balance. I brought my claws to bear against the orc who'd attacked me, severely wounding it. Yarrack attempted to strike back against Krisyra, but she deftly avoided his swing. Another of the orcs charged at Narcrath, but his scaly hide turned the orc's axe aside. The fouth orc attempted the strike Krisyra as well, but once again she easily avoided the strike. Charles struck back against the orc in front of him, leaving it badly wounded. Narcrath summoned his magic, striking the orc in front of him with a shocking grasp.
The orc in front of me attempted to strike me again, but its attack went wide. Lydratir took a deep breath, and fired his bow once more, this time striking Yarrack with a solid hit. The Orc attacking Charles attempted another swing, but once again missed. Krisyra continued her assault against Yarrack, causing him to stumble back a step. I took another swipe with my claws, finishing off the orc in front of me. Yarrack recovered from Krisyra's strike, and managed to catch her with his axe, resulting in a snarl from the dire wolf. The orc in front of Narcrath took another swing with its axe, but he dodged easily. The other orc attacking Krisyra also managed to catch her with its axe, but she remained standing. Charles braced himself, and finished off the orc before him with with another swing of his greatword. Narcrath quickly glanced around, smirked, and spat out a blast of lightning, striking both the orc I front of him and the one who'd struck Krisyra.
Lydratir drew back another arrow, and focused on Yarrack with a particularly determined daze, and the fired, taking Yarrack down. Krisyra turned and sank her fangs into the other orc attacking her, which was still arcing slightly for Narcrath's attack. The orc swiftly fell to her attack. I turned and moved over to the last remaining orc.
With the area clear, we searched the room, finding a decent pile of coins hidden behind a loose stone on the wall. We returned the way we'd come, heading back the chamber with stairs leading down to a deeper level. The stairs twisted and turned at the descended. The floor had been cut regularly, making hundreds of shallow steps, but the walls and ceiling were still natural stone. After some distance, we came upon a stream pouring out of a narrow crack in the wall, and flowing into a side passage to the north. We continued down the main passage. Those of us who could see in the darkness of the caverns led the way, while Narcrath and Charles stayed close. We eventually emerged from the passage, and found ourselves in an open cavern. Suddenly, silence of the cavern was broken by the sound of wings. I looked up, and saw four stirges coming to attack us.
The first strige dived at Charles, but missed. The second came after Lyrdatir and managed to latch onto him. The third went after Narcrath and struck him fiercely. The fourth stirge went after Krisyra but missed.
The stirge attacking Charles swooped at him again, this time latching on. Krisyra swing her quarterstaff, charged with magic at the stirge near her, taking it out. I lifted my claws carefully, and plucked the stirge off of Narcrath, quickly slaying the beast. Lydratir drew his short sword, and quickly ran the stirge attached to him through, letting it tumble into the cavern below. Charles quickly did the same to the stirge attacking him, leaving us in the clear once more.
We continued along the path, coming to another chamber. I could see several passages leading away from this cavern. To the north, I spotted a carven, square-mouthed tunnel, like a mine portal. As we moved in, I spotted the movements of something heading towards the northeast. I looked closer, and I spotted a pair of scaly humanoids readying for a battle.
Krisyra quickly threw a blast of fire at the creature, causing it to shy away from the light. I moved up, and took out what I now recognized as a troglodyte with a swing of my tail. I heard a gate grinding open, and saw a second troglodyte approaching… trailed by a brown bear. Krisyra summoned her magic, and called down a beam of pale light in the area around our foes. Almost immediately, the troglodyte fell, but the bear remained standing. I quickly slashed at the bear with my claws, leaving it in bad shape. Lydratir stepped up, and finished the bear off.
With this area clear, we prepared to delve even deeper.
A/N: And there we go! next time the adventurers arrive in the next level down of these caverns, the Glitterhame. See you then!