A/N: And here's the next chapter! Time to descend to the Foundry level. What might Our heroes find there?
Disclaimer: I don't own Dungeons and Dragons. I only own my original ideas,
Chapter 26: To the Foundry
Once everyone was sufficiently rested up, we returned the way we'd come, bringing the key with us. We backtracked through the caverns on the level, and then back up the spiral staircase. One we reached the top, we discovered we weren't alone. Blocking the way out, there was a group of Troglodytes, including an especially large one accompanied by some giant lizards, including an enormous white-scaled one. Suddenly the larger Troglodyte spoke up in Draconic.
"Surrender," said the Troglodyte, "Throw down your weapons, and come with us".
"Why should we do that?" I replied.
"Because, if you don't, we'll take you by force," said the Troglodyte.
"We'll waste no more words on you," said Narcrath.
"Get them!" said the Troglodyte.
Charles was the swiftest to act, striking the huge lizard with a sold blow from his greatsword. Krisyra pointed at the Troglodyte leader, and I watched tendrils of verdant magic wrapped around him as he went rigid. One of the Troglodytes moved up to Lydratir, lashing out with its jaws, missing by a mile, it swung with its claws, missing again, but it caught him with its other hand. I stepped up to attack the (not huge) giant lizard, catching it with my jaws and severely wounding it. Narcrath pointed at where our foes were gathered, and two of the troglodytes blinked for a moment, before falling over, asleep. The lizard I'd attacked hissed as me angrily, and bit me in retaliation, hitting harder than I expected. Lydratir drew his rapier, and struck back at the troglodyte who'd attacked him, hitting easily. The huge lizard attempted to bite Charles, but missed giving Charles a chance to counterattack. He brought his greatsword to bear, striking his foe and opening another deep gash. However, the lizard wasn't done: if followed up with a swipe of its tail, bashing Charles as sending him stumbling slightly, but he wasn't knocked back. The Troglodyte leader struggled against the magic binding him, but he couldn't break free.
Charles took another swing at the huge lizard, striking once more. Krisyra summoned a flame, and launched it at the Troglodyte near Lydratir, taking it out. I continued my battle against the giant lizard, and bit at it again, feeling a sure of strength as I did. The lizard thrashed in its death throes, and then went limp. Narcrath approached the huge lizard that Charles was engaged with, and struck it was a shocking grasp. Lydratir repositioned for a clear shot, and deftly fired his bow into the huge lizard, which looked to be on its last legs. The huge lizard tried once again tried to bite at Chalres, but missed. It then swung its tail at Narcrath, missing again. out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the Troglodyte leader had broken free of Krisyra's spell. He quickly raised his hands in surrender and cried out.
"No, don't kill Kerez!" shouted the Troglodyte.
My companions stepped back from the huge lizard cautiously, and allowed the Troglodyte approached. It snarled at him, lashing out weakly.
"Now, you did good," said the Troglodyte, "rest now".
As we watched, the Troglodyte cast a sleep spell over the lizard. The Troglodyte looked at us with a pained expression.
"Just… go," said the Troglodyte, "my people will not impede you… at least for the short time I have left to live".
I glanced at him, and we continued on our way. We descended to the main cavern, and made our across the gloom to reach the door leading deeper in. We used the key we found in the forgotten prison, and the lock clicked open. The path was open now. We moved through the passage beyond, climbing a flight of stairs to reach a new, octagonal chamber. The floor was inlaid with cracked, dusty blue tiles, and the walls were dressed with polished marble. Large, iron-bound oak doors exited the chamber to the northwest and northeast. Standing guard over north, west, and east side of the chamber were three 10-foot tall statues of cast bronze, each depicting an armed dwarf. The one to the east and west were each holding a shield and an axe, while the northern stature held two axes. In the distance, I could hear the ringing of a hammer against an anvil.
"Sounds like someone's still using this place," said Charles, "maybe the dwarves are still hole up down here?"
"Look, someone wearing boots came though here recently," said Lydratir, "It looks like they went right through… the wall behind that statue?"
I looked at the statues closer, and noticed that there appeared to be separation in the metal near the statue's shoulders. I gently prodded it, and in moved.
"I think these doors are trapped," I said, "What have you found?"
"It looks like," said Lydratir, "this wall opens!"
With those words, he pushed open a concealed door, revealing another staircase. We started up the stair only for a voice to suddenly call out in a language I didn't recognize.
"Well, so much for surprise," said Charles, "that was some sort of alarm, alerting whoever might be down here of our presence".
The stairs ended at a stone door carved with the image of a dwarven face, but opened easily. Beyond, we found ourselves in a great hall. The enormous hall was line with the great pillars, carved into the forms of giants and dragons, supporting the vaulted ceiling high above. Guttering torches set in sconces along the wall illuminated the room, and a throne sat on a dais at the opposite side of the room. The walls were appeared to have once been covered with tile mosaics, but at some point they'd been smashed and defiled with graffiti. Tiny fragments of tile littered the floor. There appeared to be five other exits.
A small fire smoldered on the floor before the dais, where six sleeping pallets sat empty, surrounded by packs and supplies. The sound of hammers ringing on iron came from beyond a door to the south. Suddenly, a harsh, female voice called out from the shadows of the pillars.
"Go back the way you came!" said the voice, "This is the only warning you'll get!"
"We intend you no harm," said Narcrath, "We simply found an old scroll that lead us here".
"Likely story," said the voice. I looked more carefully towards the source, and spotted what looked like a dwarf, "I see that wyrm that travels with you! You want to steal the results of our hard work, just like that wyrm who live near the lake below!"
"So that's what I felt," I said, "I knew nothing of this others presence, or your own. Perhaps my companions and I can prove we seek you no harm in some way?"
I heard her muttering to someone else, and then she stepped out into the light: she was a dwarf, as I expected, but with almost ashen grey skin: a Duegar. She nodded at Narcrath, and then spoke again.
"Quite a way with words you got there, Dragon-blood," said the Duegar, "And you human, that a well-crafted blade you've got there, simple, functional, free of needless decoration. Where'd you get it?"
"I made it myself, under the guidance of my mentor," said Charles.
"He was a good teacher, then," said the Duegar, "so, what do you want to know?"
"Well, I can hear the sounds of the forge south of here," said Charles, "what's to the north?"
"The halls to the north are infested with undead and cursed magic," said the Duegar, "there's more cursed magic in the kitchens to the southwest. That's what you can do for us: you don't need to worry about the kitchens, some mage turned the table into an animated object. The halls to the north, if you can get past the undead, then you'll find a way down to the Black Lake without disturbing us further".
I looked to my companions, and they nodded to confirm that we should try and avoid conflict with these Duegar.
"Very well," I said, "we shall take the northern route. Thank you for your information".
With that we moved towards the northern end of the room, prepared for whatever we might find.
A/N: And there we go! Our heroes have managed to parley with the Duegar (due to a good roll on a persuasion check), and are prepared to explore the halls of the main living quarters of these ruins. See you then!