-1With Toren in the lead, the dwarves marched through the roughly carved tunnel. Aside from a few cracks and fissures that opened in the rocks due to age, they found no side passages or open areas. The tunnel began to slope upwards gradually, and after a short time they came to a split. The right passage seemed to move upwards at a slightly steeper incline, whereas the left appeared to descend. The dwarves gathered together to discuss their options. Rom clucked nervously.

Strom eyed Armin. "Yer thinkin' o splittin up?"

Armin shook his head, much to the relief of Strom. "Not yet. I dinna want to do that unless we gotta." He looked at Rom. "Which way ye think he went?"

Rom blinked owlishly at Armin. "Who?"

Armin sighed. "Kendrac."

"Klerk?"

"Yes, Rom. Which passage do you think he took?"

Rom peered down each passageway multiple times, then finally pointed to the left. "Thattaway!"

Armin nodded, and motioned for Toren to take the lead up the right tunnel, and the group, somewhat confused, headed after him. This passageway was definitely steeper than the previous, and built more recently. Toren estimated that it was carved only a hundred years before. Another hour found them at the base of a set of stairs, spiraling upwards into the darkness.

"Ooooo..." Rom intoned, staring up.

Wil shook her head. "Ain't gonna like this. I don' like heights."

Strom grinned. "Then don' look down, hmm?"

Whil thumped him on the shoulder, then looked to Armin. "Why'd ye ask him which way, then go th'other way?"

Armin pulled his waterskin from his shoulder and took a drink before answering. "Been around him enough ta know. Whatever way they say, go th'other way." He looked up the stairs, then shrugged. "Guess we go up."

And up they went. The stairs were carved from the solid pillar of stone, and only jutted out about two feet. each dwarf kept on hand on the wall and the other on the dwarf in front them. Only Toren seemed unconcerned, his maul casually resting over his right shoulder as he moved up the stairs. an hour passed before they reached the summit. A platform made of wood connected the top of the pillar with a cave cut into the wall. A quick check confirmed it was in good shape, and the dwarves crossed quickly, and one at a time. Rom paused and looked over into the darkness below.

"Ooooh...long fall. Dwarf go bouncy bouncy." He giggled.

Strom shook his head. "No Rom. No bouncy. Dwarf go splat."

Rom blinked, then shuddered, then quickly joined the others. At the back of the cave a panel was open, revealing a passageway. Unlike the previous tunnels, this was no carved out natural rock, but built stone ceiling, floor and walls. Bone torches in skull shaped sconces lined the wall, each one burning with an eerie green flame. The hallway stretched into darkness interrupted only by dots of green light. Evenly spaced along each wall were doors, approximately 20 feet apart. Just passed the limit of their sight, the sound of a door slamming could be heard, along with a giggle.

"KLERK!" Rom shouted. He pushed his way through the other dwarves and ran down the hallway.

Haldis sighed. "Canna make things easy, can he?" She hefted her shield and axe and nodded towards the dwindling bucket headed dwarf. "C'mon then."

With a collective sigh, the others nodded their agreement and headed off after Rom. A few moments later found them still walking down the door lined hallway. Of the two other dwarves, they could see nothing, but they could hear them. It sounded as if they were opening and closing the doors as they moved down the hallway. As they walked, the sounds began to get closer until they finally spotted one of them. A door opened out into the hall and Kendrac ran out. The door closed behind him, only to open a second later as Rom exited the same room. Kendrac crossed the hallway and opened the opposite door, Rom hot on his heels. The two ran into the room, and the door closed behind them. A few seconds later, another door opened a few rooms down the hallway. Kendrac ran out of that room and into another room. Almost simultaneously, another door opened and Rom ran out, crossed the hallway and entered a different room.

Armin and the other dwarfs could only stare in disbelief as this scene repeated over and over again, the two dwarves running from room to room. Sometimes Kendrac in the lead, other times Rom, all the while both giggling like madmen. Only Haldis grinned.

"Ingenious." She muttered.

Wil turned her head towards her. "What?"

"Its a magical trap." She pointed to a door. "Designed to keep looters at bay."

When the others looked at her, she continued. "Think about it. Th' doors are nothin but portals, to other portals. Ye line a hallway with doors, that alone is irresistible to thieves an looters. Ye open a door an walk in. The door is a one way portal to another room, or the hallway. Ye'd have 'em confused, givin yer troops time ta git down here and capture em...or whatever."

Strom shook his head. "But can ye turn it off?"

She shrugged. "Dunno. Prolly a control lever er somethin at th' other end of the hall."

Armin nodded. "Then lets go find it, yes?"

The dwarves walked down the hallway, never quite getting close enough to Rom of Kendrac to grab them as they ran from room to room. Eventually, they reached the end of the hallway. Haldis and the others began searching the walls and floor carefully.

"Ahh..." Haldis grinned as she stood up. She had been on her hands and knees, checking for tell tale signs of cracks in the floor. She out lined a square with the butt of her axe, then stepped on it. A loud crack, followed by a thump and a yelp of surprise could be heard from down the hallway. A moment later some shuffling could be heard, followed by knocking.

"Anyone home?" came Rom's voice. It was muffled.

Armin and the other dwarves quickly made their way towards the sound. Neither Rom or Kendrac were anywhere to be found, though one of Rom's helmet branches was sticking out of the crack between the door and the wall. Toren gave it a tug.

"Stuck good." He looked at Haldis. "Ye turned off the trap, but ye lost the loons."

Strom interjected before Haldis could reply. "Not that its such a great loss."

Haldis thumped him on the shoulder, then looked at Toren. "We'll get em back. Can ye get the door open?"

Toren nodded and stepped back. He took a deep breath then kicked the door. With a loud crash, the door burst open under the pressure of his iron shod boot. He stepped back and hefted his maul. The removal of the door allowed the green light to illuminate the room. It was no room, but another hallway.

Wil clapped Toren on the shoulder. "Much better than th' other door." They both grinned.

Armin looked to Strom. "Take point, Wil and Haldis next, Toren an' me will follow."

And so five dwarves entered the hallway. The same torches lit the hallway as they moved forward. They kept a dozen feet between each dwarf as they progressed. The hallway remained straight for a hundred paces before he turned to the left. Strom paused at the turn and peered around the corner. He looked back at the others and nodded, then he turned around the corner. Suddenly he shouted in alarm. His voice, strong at first, faded away quickly and by the time the others got to the corner, there was no sign of Strom.

"Bah...where'd he go?" Armin growled.

Haldis knelt on the floor where Strom should have stepped, and frowned. She muttered a few words and traced a mark on the floor. "Trap door." She pushed on the mark and the door swung upen, revealing a long dark chute.

Whil sighed. Armin shook his head. The others gathered around the hole in the floor.

Toren looked at Armin. "I ain't gonna fit."

Armin looked at him, then at the others. "Me neither. Guess that leaves you two."

Wil grinned and nudged Haldis. "When all else fails, send a woman, eh?"

Haldis grinned and nodded. "Aye."

Armin nodded. "Right. Find Strom, work yer way back up." He glanced down the hallway. "There be a castle up here somewhere. Its gotta have a main hall. Find it. We'll try an meet ye there. Listen to the stones." He rapped his knuckles on the wall.

Haldis and Wil nodded, they clasped forearms with Armin and Toren, then jumped down the chute, Wil first, followed by Haldis. Armin looked down after them a moment, then started down the hallway, crossbow in hand. Toren shouldered his maul and followed behind.