Disclaimer: I in no way own Harry Potter, although I wouldn't mind one bit if I did.
– Separator –
20: unlocking the golden gates
Standing in front of the trapdoor I glance at my active quests. Seeing I still need to help Luna pray at the shrines in the mines and the graveyard I decide that is what we will first try to locate. We start by turning south and walking to the wall. We then turn east and walk up to the wall. We once again turn south and walk up to the wall. At that point we turn west and walk to the wall. Turning south we find ourselves in a vein of gold.
Romilda fans herself at the sight of the gold. "So shiny. I think I've died and gone to heaven."
Remembering that Madeline had asked me to gather 30 gold ore I decide to grab what I can this trip. Searching around the vein I find 6 gold ore. I guess we will have to make this trip more than once just like with the iron earlier.
Once I finish colecting the availible gold ore we turn south and walk to the wall. Turning east we walk up to a pit in the floor. Finding that to be a dead end we turn around and walk a short distance before turning north. Aside from finding my 7th gold ore all we find is another dead end.
Not spotting the shrine anywhere near, nor spotting it on my map I decide to head for the trapdoor and see what lies beneath it. We begin by turning west and walking to the wall. After reaching the wall we turn north. At the next wall we turn east. At the corner we turn north for a short walk before turning west. Upon turning west I spot the trapdoor. Without hesetation I open the trapdoor and we descend into the lower mines.
As we descend the stairs we turn south. Ahead of us is a wall. Walking forward to the wall we turn east. We walk forward to the next wall and turn north. After reaching the wall we turn east again. Reaching the next wall we turn north and spot a goblin tent. Walking forward we look for the tent entrance and we find it on our right. Turning east we enter the tent. The tent is empty so we back out and look for another entrance. Finding a second tent we enter it to discover that it too is empty. Annoyed at finding nothing we backtrack until we discover the Subterranean Road. We follow the road south for a little bit. After reaching a wall we turn east and spot a goblin encampment in a sunken pit. Deciding to remove these goblins we head for the largest tent, expecting that to be where the chief of this camp is located.
As we enter the tent a large goblin looks up from the floor. "You dare disturb me? You will pay with your lives!"
The chieftain has only 1 foot soldier and 1 archer with him, so the fight doesn't take very long. When all goblins are dead we find a strange key with the word "Sunkin pit" written on it. This must mean there is a gate somewhere around here. Time to look around and see what we can find.
After leaving the chieftain's tent we explore 2 other tents in the encampment. Unfortunately, though they both contain Goblin Field Packs neither has anything to help with our current quests. Leaving the encampment we walk north along the Subterranean Road. When we reach the end of the road we spot the road turning west. Unable to spot anything nearby we decide to follow it and see where it goes. After a long walk, we spot another encampment in a cavern filled with stalactite. Deciding to wipe this encampment out as well we turn north and head for the chieftain's tent.
As we enter the chieftain's tent a large goblin scowls. "I thought I smelled a surface dweller! Guards! We have vermin to deal with!"
This fight was a little harder than the last 1. For 1 thing there were 2 archers, 2 Adepts, and a foot soldier with the chieftain. When we finally killed all the goblins we found another key, this time with the words "Stalactite Cavern" written on it. Stashing the key away we search the other tents. Unfortunately we find nothing in either of the them and so return to the Subterranean Road.
Continuing west on the road we nearly reach a bridge when we spot a road leading north. Turning right we follow this road until we reach a wall. Looking to our left we spot another goblin encampment and so decide to wipeout more goblins. Turning west we head for the cheiftain's tent.
As we enter the tent a goblin cheiftain looks up from his field pack. "A surface dweller—a whole pack of them! Mmm, I didn't know supper was being delivered today."
This fight had more goblins than the first encampment, but was easier than the last camp. This time we faced 2 archers, 2 foot soldiers, along with the chieftain himself. After the fight we found another key with the words "Echoing Chasm" written on it. Searching the tent we find 3 field packs, unfortunately none of them held anything we needed.
Exiting the chieftain's tent we head back toward the Subterranean Road. Along the way, we spot 2 smaller tents on either side of the camp. Turning north we enter the nearest tent. The tent contains a single field pack. When we search the pack we find a letter. Curious about what the letter says I read it.
"Esteemed Zarag ar-Ulag, the time has come for our so-called king to be diced into tiny pieces and fed to his precious pets. Know that I, the mighty Grunak ar-Mizlarg am prepared to do this thing with my own hands. You know the strength of my clan, and the cunning which I possess. I have already acquired the fealty of High Shaaman Brannog ar-Alemok. He shall provide access to the fool king when the time is right. Your clan's prowess in Smithcraft is unmatched. If you would join us, our battle against those loyal to the idiot monarch would be far more glorious. Should you deny my goodwill, or seek to betray me, I will make good sport of your death, and slaves of your wives and offspring. I await your reply with greatest respect and dearest friendship."
As I stash the letter in my pack words flash over my head. "A new quest, A House Divided, has been added. I've found a letter containing plans to commit treason against the Goblin King. If this plan came to light, it could start a civil war among the goblins. But this letter alone won't be enough. I should look for other evidence of a conspiracy."
I grin to myself. This could come in handy. With that, we exit the tent. The other tent holds nothing interesting so we once more head for the Subterranean Road. Just before reaching the road, we spot 2 more tents on either side of the camp. Deciding to see if there are any more letters we search the tents. Unfortunately, these last 2 tents contain nothing of worth, so we return to the Subterranean Road.
We follow the road all the way back to the bridge we had ignored earlier. Deciding to see what the bridge is protecting we head for the bridge. As we cross the bridge we use 1 of the keys we had found in the goblin encampments to unlock a barred gate. However, we found we are 1 key short. We had unlocked 3 gates but 1 more gate blocked our way forward. I guess there is 1 encampment to find. Retracing our steps off the bridge we begin looking for that last encampment.
We head east past the Stalactite Cavern Encampment. Upon reaching a wall we turn south. Just before reaching another wall, we turn east. Just before reaching the Sunkin Pit Encampment, we turn south. We continue walking south until we reach a wall. Turning west we first find a pile of bones. Checking it over we find nothing of interest and so we continue forward. After a short walk, we find ourselves in a new goblin encampment. Knowing what to do we head for the chieftain's tent.
Entering the tent the chieftain looks surprised at our entrance. "Surface dwellers? Here? They shall make good sport..."
I think we were supposed to attack this camp second. The goblins with the chieftain this time were 1 archer, 1 foot soldier, and 1 adept. Just like the other 3 times we attacked a chieftain's tent, we got a key with the words "Stony Crag" on it. With this, I bet we can unlock the last gate on the bridge. Exiting the tent we explore the other 2 tents in the camp but don't find anything of note. Now that we have the last key we make our way back to the bridge.
Arriving at the bridge we hurry across it to the last gate. After unlocking the fourth gate we spot the palice of the Goblin King just ahead. I'm not quite ready to face this, so we decide to return to the mines. After all, we still need to collect 23 more gold ore.
Reentering the mines we make our way bakck to the gold vein. Just as I had hoped going throughb the trapdoor was enough to cause the gold ore to reappear. After picking up my 12th piece of gold ore Luna get's my attention.
I turn to her. "Yes Luna?"
Luna points up. "It looks like we leveled up."
I stared in surprise. I had indeed leveled up to 21. I placed my attribute point into Constitution, bringing it up to 13. With my skill point, I raised my Arctic blast skill to rank 4.
I saw Luna had reached level 20. She also placed her attribute point into her Constitution, bringing it up to 13. With her skill point, she raises her "light of purity " to rank 3.
As for Romilda, she had reached level 19. She placed her attribute point in her Dexterity, bringing it up to 15. With her 2 skill points, she raises her new skill, Poisoned Blade , to rank 2.
Now we can look for gold ore, and try to find that shrine that is supposed to be down here.
– Separator –
An: and done. I forgot how hard it is to find the 2 shrines that Sister Alexia needs to find for her quest. This is why the girls instead found the 4 gate keys to unlock the way to the goblin king.
Next chapter the party will finish Madeline's quest, and maybe see what can be found in the palace.
As always if you have a comment or questions you can leave me a review, or send me a P.M. I hope you are enjoying this story, and I will see you all next time.