Episode 50

"Descent into the Depths of the Earth"

Tron, a desperately lucky elf, Matt Grossman

Norel, a battle-scarred ranger, this week by Kevin Osborn and Sage Schreiner

Nigil, a mysterious noble from a distant land, Kevin Osborn

Soren, a priest of the war-god Hextor, Paul Skavland

Hawkwind, a spell-caster from the great city of Greyhawk, Bruce

All others, Sage Schreiner

The heroes return to the dwarf caverns and begin to train. They have now reached the level of skill where they do not need to find a master to train them.

Nigil practices his swordsmanship with the dwarf fighters, and quickly impresses them with his skill.

Dwarf: Get him, guys! (six dwarves attack Nigil with wooden swords)

Nigil: Whirlwind Attack! Yaaaaa! [whap whap whap whap whap whap]

Dwarves: [thump thump thump thump thump thump]

Nigil: Heh.

Tron practices his archery and scouting skills, and also studies stoneworking from the dwarves.

Dwarf craftsman: I'd never consider revealing the secrets of my craft to an elf!

Tron: You sure? [clink clink]

Dwarf craftsman: Well... maybe I'd be willing to teach you the simpler stuff.

Hawkwind studies the spells in Gulthias' spellbook, and does some independent research of his own. He is allowed into the spare dwarven library.

Hawkwind: Ah-ha! So that's the secret to the sixth circle of mastery!

Tron: He's talking to himself again.

Hextor grants Soren greater earthly power in reward for Soren's service.

Soren: Check this out! [fwaboom] Can the priests of Moraddin do that? Can they? No! Their wuss god is dead! You must follow Hextor! And follow me!

Dwarves: (ignore Soren)

Soren: Bah.

Norel improves his skill at fighting with two weapons.

Norel: Unfortunately most of my new abilities are only useful outdoors.

Laurallie: Me too. But check this out. [fwaboom] Hextor's not the only god whose priests can blow stuff up.

The party also redistributes some of their magical items. Hawkwind gets a wand of magic missiles and a set of bracers of armor, and Tron gets a set of bracers of protection.

After the party has been in the dwarf halls for several weeks, an exhausted and badly wounded scout arrives from the outside. Because Nigil has been training with the dwarves, he has become friendly with some of them.

Thorstein (dwarf captain): The scout is one of the dwarves who went to Ratikhill with Dalic Foehammer. He's badly wounded, and the priests of Hieronious won't heal him.

Nigil: We have two priests in our party. I'm sure they'd be willing to help.

The party goes to the bedside of the scout. He’s the first report that the dwarves have had of the siege in weeks.

Laurallie: Stinky.

Soren: (casts Detect Evil) Heh. This guy’s cool. (heals him)

Norel: I wonder what that means?

Dagmar (the scout): Thanks.

Dagmar says that he was sent by Dalic to report on the situation in Ratikhill. Although the outer ring of defenses has fallen in the early orcish assaults, the city seems to be capable of holding out for some time. However, Dagmar worries that the defenders lack morale and may break if a major set back occurs. He estimates the besieging force of orcs at about 20,000.

Dagmar: King Oleg is useless. The defenders are being led by a man named Gabriel, some sort of knight. He seems to be holding them together, but I don't trust him.

Nigil: You shouldn't.

Hawkwind: Is Gabriel a bad guy?

Nigil: You could say that. Or you could say that he’s on the list...

Tron: What about Sapphire? The gnome?

Dagmar: That's a gnome? I've never seen anything so small gut an orc so fast.

Norel: Is she all right?

Dagmar: That's a she?

Norel: Well?

Dagmar: Yeah, she was fine. She? (shakes his head)

Nigil: What about Gaspard?

Dagmar: Let's see... I think there was a big guy of that name who got killed in the first assault. There was some girl with him, but she made it into the city. She was ok when I left. She was helping with the defense of a section of the wall.

Tron: How did you get wounded?

Dagmar: I got out of the city ok, but then I was ambushed in the Ratikholtfell Forest by a bunch of wood elves. They were really fast. I escaped from them by cutting open the rotting carcass of a bear and hiding myself inside.

Laurallie: That explains the smell.

Dagmar: What smell?

Dagmar says that he believes the city is doomed.

Dagmar: I only went with Dalic because my cousin was going. Now my cousin’s dead and I don't have any reason to go back. Dalic offered me the chance to leave the city and I took it. Ratikhill will fall, and everyone in it will die. At least I'm safe. In these hard times, you have to look out for yourself.

The party leaves him and resumes their training. A week or so later, they get a message from Thori Rocksplitter, their former guide. He is now brewing the sacred ale. They go to visit him at the brewery, the most sacred place for the dwarves. They must wear booties and hair nets before they can enter the sacred brewery.

Nigil: A gentleman of Keoland wearing a hairnet? Bah.

Tron: Yeah, I don't know what their problem is. I bathed a week ago.

Hawkwind: Why are you here?

Thori: I was a bit too... insistent with the Lord of Halls when discussing our political realities.

Hawkwind: What do you mean?

Thori: I'm really worried that the dwarves don't understand how bad our situation will be if Ratik falls. Without the support of the humans, we would stand alone against the orcs. I don't think that we can afford to let Ratikhill fall. I tried to tell the Lord of the Halls that, but he wouldn't listen to me.

Nigil: Why do you think he would listen to us?

Thori: You are outsiders, but you are also heroes. They may not show it, but many of the dwarves look up to you. Your words carry weight. I have to go now -- I must tend the sacred hops.

The party goes to the Lord of the Halls, but are turned away by a dwarf captain.

Tron: Thori Rocksplitter suggested that we talk to the Lord of the Halls.

Captain: The Lord of the Halls is too busy to speak to you.

Nigil: Do you know when he might be willing to speak to us?

Captain: No.

Soren: We merely wish to offer our thanks for the hospitality of the dwarves, and to see if there is some way that we could use our skills to benefit the dwarves and the world at large.

Captain: (Brightens a bit) Look, the Lord is really mad at Thori right now, so don't mention his name. He knows that you've been talking to him. He will probably send for you in a week or so, but he doesn't want to talk to you now. I’ll drop a good word about you when I have an opportunity.

Hawkwind: What did Thori do?

Captain: Let's just say that calling the Lord "a spineless dog who isn't fit to rule his own hairy ass" was a bad way to start the conversation. Thori's going to be making ale for a long time. It's an honorable way of getting him out of the way.

The party resumes their training. Soren overhears some people talking about the priests of Hieronious.

Dwarf: mumble mumble Holy Axe brought back a hair mumble resurrection failed mumble

Soren: Hmm... this sounds like something I should know about!

He goes to the temple of Hieronious.

Soren: Greetings!

Altar Dwarf: Errr... (glances around nervously)

Soren: Don't worry, Hextor’s not into that sort of thing. I just came by because I heard that a spell had failed. Now that Hextor and Hieronious are fighting back to back, I naturally rushed to offer my assistance to the priests of the brother of my god.

Altar Dwarf: Hmmm, well, there was that resurrection that failed.

Soren: Did it fail because the faith of the priests was weak?

Altar Dwarf: No, I think it failed because the person they were trying to resurrect was alive.

Soren: So who was this person?

A finely-dressed dwarf with a well-trimmed beard enters and shoos the altar dwarf away.

Shortbeard: It is as he said. I can tell you nothing more. Now leave.

Soren: Bah. You won't get an offering from me.

He tells the rest of the party about what has happened.

Tron: I'd like to know who that person was. And what's the Holy Axe?

Soren: Well...

Hawkwind: The Holy Axe is some sort of special forces unit. They perform dangerous and secret missions at the request of the Lord of Halls.

Soren: Bah.

Norel: How do you know so much about the dwarves?

Hawkwind: It's called literacy, my friend. A rare accomplishment in these parts, to be sure.

Nigil: Hey, I can read Aerdi now, too.

Tron: You've lost your Greyhawk accent too.

Laurallie: Yeah, it’s “park” not “paak” and “idea” not “idear”.

Time passes, and the party continues training.

Nigil: One of the dwarves said that the scouts have seen Fornhrafn around the mountains. Does anyone know what a Fornhrafn is?

Tron: Sounds like...

Hawkwind: Fornhrafn is an old Suel word meaning "Ancient Raven".

Tron: There's a word like that in Fruztii too.

Nigil: Ravens again, huh? There was some sort of connection between them, the dwarves and Sir Crawford.

Norel: Hmmm... we've got to finish training and do something to save Ratikhill.

Tron: Yeah, but what?

The Lord of the Halls summons them to speak with him, as the guard captain predicted.

Captain: Remember, don't mention Thori.

Soren: How is it that you know so much about politics?

Captain: Because I'm the Lord's son. My name is Knut.

The Lord of the Halls sits on a stone throne in a great cavern carved from the rock of the mountain. The cavern is lit by sunlight, brought down through shafts from the surface and directed by mirrors. A vein of mithril several inches across spans the throne room, a vast amount of wealth left unquarried simply to show the wealth of the dwarves.

Lord: I know that you wish me to lead my army against Ratikhill. Why should we? We do not need Men. Their doom has come.

Tron: Without a friendly kingdom to the north, you will be besieged on all sides. You need the people of Ratik, and they need you. You're like a symbiosis.

Lord: The elf speaks?

Tron: Yeah, well you can... (Laurallie stomps on his foot) Ow!

Nigil: What makes you think that you will be safe, once Ratik falls? The orcs will surely attack the dwarves next.

Lord: Hmph. We are not afraid of a mob of orcs. Our real enemies lie beneath us. Far below our deepest delvings, the world is gnawed by nameless things. A rabble of orcs is as nothing next to... the Drow. We must keep our forces here to protect our homes.

Soren: But, your mightiness, this is not a mere rabble of orcs. These orcs are driven and guided by the same forces of darkness that my god, Hextor, is fighting against. These forces have destroyed Moraddin and Cuthbert. This is not just another battle, this is the beginning of THE battle.

Lord: How do you know this? What makes you say that?

Nigil: Well, there was this keep...

The party tells the Lord of the Halls the story of their adventures, and of the prophecy told to them by the elf priestess:

In the time before the waters rose,

Venyara guided the forge hand

Of an olven smith: gifts three.

Given by olven kings old to lords of men,

To unite, knit and ward,

Serving in peace, wisdom and war.

Then in darkness (cough cough),

The lord of consumption,

Rose to unmake the world.

Castout, bound and banished with olven gifts three,

Locked away beyond the Void,

Lost to all eyes until the end of the world.

Olven gifts corrupted,

Weakened, no longer serving,

Kingdoms sundered, gifts lost.

One, burned with a king (cough) of old on black sea,

One, buried with a king of old in stoney hills,

One, locked in deepest ice.

Lord of consumption, unmaker of gods,

Lost to eyes until the half-breed guides,

Prow-figure like, across the long sea.

Lord: Hmmmm... so this “half-breed” is the half-welp Myra? What part does Jola play in this?

The Lord of the Halls seems to be impressed, especially when they show him the crown.

Tron: It's cursed, so don't put it on.

Lord: (hands the crown back to Nigil) I must think on this. These are dark times indeed, if what you say is true... (he makes a "go" gesture)

The party leaves and returns to their rooms. They find the same well-dressed dwarf from the temple of Hieroneous waiting for them.

Shortbeard: Do not interfere. The subject of the prophecy is for the Holy Axe alone! Do not do as the Lord has asked, or the glory of Hieroneous will smite you!

Nigil: What prophecy? What are you talking about?

Shortbeard: You don't know? Err...

Tron: You can't say something like that and leave.

Dwarf: (vanishes)

Tron: Bah.

Hawkwind: Hey, I can cast that spell too.

A few days later the party is called back into the presence of the Lord of the Halls.

Lord: I have thought much on what you told me. It has the feel of truth. But before I commit my army to the field, I must make sure that these halls are secure from any attack from below. One of our agents intercepted a message between two drow several weeks ago. Here is a translation in Aerdi.

He hands the party a letter.

Soren: Ahem.

when twice times thrice the mighty wheel has turned

heed all that the world has learned

danger threatens drow seal our plight

the rod of dark fate's close at hand

war and war shall tear the land

by the rod's fierce demand

make all mortals understand

Alakara Dearest One - found this where you asked me to look; your hunch was good. It's worse than we thought: but you have the strength necessary; now we must simple find the "Crypts of Aseirdu" and search for Alantria's burial place.

-Pharn

Lord: I believe that the rod referred to is a powerful magical artifact. If we can secure it before the drow do, I believe that it will enable us to protect the halls from the drow. I ordered the Holy Axe to retrieve it, but they were defeated by the drow. Their priest was killed, and they could not resurrect her. I don't know why. Anyway, we must get the rod before the drow do. If you can retrieve this rod, the blood of a thousand dwarves will fall for Ratikhill.

Nigil: We'll do it! By the way, what are the Crypts of Aseirdu and who is Alantria?

Lord: I cannot be seen to help you. I believe that your friend, the brewer, has information that might help you. Should you fail, I will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

Tron: Great.

Lord: Also, be careful of the Holy Axe. They are... inflexible.

The party leaves and goes to speak with Thori.

Thori: I knew he'd come around! [hic] Try some of thish ale, I don't think it's ready yet.

Laurallie: I prefer white wine, thanks.

Nigil: Tastes ok to me! But anyway, can you give us any info on these crypts?

Thori: You want to talk to my cousin, Gurgi Backstabber. I told him to help you guys. I really wish I could go with you, but you know how it is. More ale? [belch] Don’t worry about Gurgi, he’s cool. He won’t steal anything from you. He won’t – I told him if he did I’d eat his beard. I swear.

Tron: These dwarves sure have a lot of cousins.

The party returns to their rooms. The open the door and see that all of their coins have been poured out into a big pile in the middle of the room. A fat naked dwarf is literaly swimming through the party treasury, an expression of bliss on his face.

Soren: Err... Gurgi?

Gurgi: Ohhh yes... ohhh... [clink clink] What? Who? (heaves his bulk up) Sorry, I always wanted to do that. [clink]

Laurallie: ... pants...

Hawkwind: The money goes in my magic chest after this.

Nigil: Thori told us that you could help us find the Crypts of Aseirdu.

Gurgi: Yeah, yeah, I can show you the way. [clink] Anytime you want to leave. Say, could I stay here? I, uhh, don't really have anyplace else to go, ever since...

Nigil: No.

Tron: Oh, come on, we're trusting him anyway.

Gurgi: Err, I think I have one kind of stuck.

Nigil: Keep it. And don’t ever do that again.

Gurgi: Ooof... urgh... hey, platinum! Thanks.

The party is almost done training. Hawkwind has mastered the technique of crafting wonderous magical items.

Hawkwind: I can make a bag that will be no larger or heavier than a normal bag, but can carry hundreds of pounds. It is called a "bag of holding".

Tron: Sounds like a good expense of party funds.

Soren: Speaking of party funds, when do we get our shares? I have some stuff I want to spend money on.

The party agrees to divide up the remaining monetary treasure among the characters, but keep the jewels and gems in the party treasure for now, until they can find a place where they can sell them for a higher value.

Soren: Awesome! Bring on the dwarf whores!

Norel: That's something I don't want to think about.

Hawkwind takes five days to make the bag of holding. In the evenings, he does some research on drow history. He finds a particularly interesting scroll. Unlike the others, it is not covered in dust, indicating that it has been read recently.

Hawkwind: So these crypts are a drow burial place. This Alantria chick was the leader of a drow kingdom called Asangeneki, about 600 years ago. She was a priestess of Lolth. Apparently there was a war between Asangeneki and two smaller kingdoms, Ekdraenom and Ertonlatus. I think that the war ended inconclusively. The dwarves don't have access to much inside information.

Norel: So among the drow the names of women end in "a" too.

Laurallie: I was a slave in Asangeneki at first, then I got traded to a noble in Ekdraenom. I heard that the king of Ekdraenom was insane. I don't know anything more about the situation of those kingdoms.

Hawkwind: What, no pillow talk?

Laurallie: Bah.

Soren also does research.

Soren: Baby, I love it when you rub your beard on my back like that.

Dwarf Chick: Time's about up, priest-dude.

When Hawkwind has finished making the bag of holding, the party sets out.

Nigil: Say Tron, your pack looks kind of heavy.

Tron: After our last underground experience, I don't want to leave anything behind. I did stop carrying my whetstone though.

Hawkwind: I spent a bunch of time studying our quarters; I believe that I can teleport back there. Unfortunately I can only bring four of us with me.

Laurallie: Leave Tron.

Tron: Leave Laurallie.

Gurgi leads the party deep into the dwarf halls, until they come to a massive stone door guarded by a troop of nervous looking dwarves.

Gurgi: This is the start of the Deep Road. It was made by the dwarves to trade with the Svirfneblin, but it has not been used much lately. Once, both peoples were great, and riches flowed freely between us.

The guards remove the massive bar and open the huge door.

Guard captain: When you want to come back in, just knock real loud.

The party goes through the doors and sees a corridor twenty feet wide and fifteen feet high, with deep wagon ruts worn in the stone. The massive door grinds shut behind them and they hear the bar being dropped into place.

Gurgi: Follow me!

They walk downhill all that day. The grade is steep and the road winds back and forth, seeking the softer seams in the rock. Every few hundred feet there is a large alcove in the side of the passage, where a camp could be made. The party camps for the night in one of these.

In the middle of the night Gurgi awakens them.

Gurgi: I hear footsteps in the distance. Something big... moving a long way away.

Tron: I hear it too.

There is no attack and no sign of any enemy, and the night is otherwise undisturbed. The next day they continue on. After a few hours they come to a fork in the road.

Gurgi: That left-hand passage leads to the old mithril mines. It was abandoned about 1000 years ago. Mining was too "costly".

Nigil: Why don't you mine that mithril in the Lord's hall?

Gurgi: I tried. [snif]

The party goes to the right. After travelling for about an hour, they hear the sound of footsteps behind them. They deploy into a defensive formation, with Norel, Nigil, and Soren in front, Tron, Laurallie, and Hawkwind in the second rank, and Gurgi behind them.

Gurgi: I'll just make sure nothing sneaks up on us.

The keen eyes of elves see two figures at the edge of the light.

They are hulking troll-like creatures, with red hair and horns. They charge suddenly.

Gurgi: Cave trolls!

Soren: Power up time. Hextor, give me strength! [bzorm]

Tron: [twang twang twang]

Troll#1: Raargh?

Nigil: Get some! [stab]

Laurallie: Obad-hai blast you! [fwaboom]

Troll#2: Aaargh!

Troll#1: Raargh!

Hawkwind: Eat flaming death! [bzort bzort bzort]

Troll#1: Urk. (falls to the ground in a smoldering heap)

Soren: Let's get em! (steps forward and whacks Troll#2)

Troll#2: Urk. [thud]

Gurgi: I guess they weren't any match for us, huh? We showed 'em!

They're lucky I didn't get a chance to...

Nigil: Since you're in the back you don't get the diamonds these guys had.

Gurgi: Diamonds? Where?

Tron: Those are garnets, actually. And a lump of mithril. 500 silver.

They pour a pint of oil on the creature Soren killed and set it on fire. Tron cuts off its head and throws it down the corridor "just in case". Then they move on.

Gurgi: Tomorrow we reach the Long Stair. Rest well.

That night is uneventful. The next day the characters march all day.

They are already miles below the surface of the earth. At the end of the day they come to a place where a great rift or crevice splits the earth, cutting along the side of tunnel. A massive stone stair runs down the side of the rift. The steps are five feet across and two feet high.

Gurgi: Behold the Long Stair!

Nigil: Why did the dwarves make the steps so big?

Tron: This doesn't look like dwarven stonework to me. These stairs were made by something else.

That night they camp at the top of the stair. As usual, Tron takes the first watch, Nigil the second, and Gurgi the third. This time, when the party awakens, Gurgi is gone.

Tron: (puts the point of his dagger to the ground and listens to the

pommel) I don't hear his footsteps.

Norel: Hmm... some of the dust is disturbed here. It looks as though he walked away, down the stairs.

Nigil: Maybe he was mind controlled? That would suck.

Hawkwind: I think he left of his own accord. If he was mind controlled, whatever was controlling him would surely have attacked while we were sleeping.

The party decides to head down the stair. Every hundred yards there is a small chamber carved into the rock on the side of the stair, with an arrowslit looking out onto the stairs.

Tron: That looks like dwarven stonework.

They go down the stairs for what feels like about three miles, with a mile of descent. They see no sign of the far wall of the chasm and have no idea how deep it is. They come to a point where the stairs end and a level path continues along the side of the cliff. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, facing the party, are four burly dwarves in heavy armor carrying greataxes. Standing behind them is the well-dressed dwarf who cautioned them before.

Shortbeard: I see you made it this far. Turn back. This quest must be fulfilled by the Holy Axe. You outsiders; this must be so.

Soren: Be reasonable. The Holy Ass... I mean, Holy Axe, failed once already. We're on the same side here. Stand aside and let a fist of Hextor handle it.

Dwarf#1: Grr.... (he is restrained by his companions)

Soren: Or you can go ahead, we'll be right behind you, and when the drow kill you we'll take over, and Hextor will show ‘em who’s boss.

Shortbeard: I would not expect you to understand honor, but know this. We will not let you pass.

Hawkwind: My legs are tired. Can we rest here a while?

Shortbeard: You may rest a few minutes, but you must return the way you came.

Hawkwind: (edges towards one of the guardrooms)

Nigil: Look, like Soren said, we're on the same side. You're just being stupid about this. We’ll get the rod thingy and just give it to you, because your god is too wuss to get it himself.

Shortbeard: (gritting teeth) Enough. You must return.

Nigil: Your stupid rules and laws and your pathetic god are your own problem. You just have a stick up your ass. Get out of the way and let us...

Shortbeard: Prepare to be atomized! (casts Disintegrate on Nigil)

Nigil: Ow! Ow ow ow! All right, now you've done it!

Suddenly, battle is joined.

Tron: Let's rock! [twang twang twang]

Shortbeard: Arrgh! Hieroneous will strike you down!

Gurgi: (steps out of the shadows behind the mage and backstabs him)

Shortbeard: Urk...

Gurgi: That's for making fun of me in school, you preppy bastard!

Soren: By the power of Hextor! [fwaboom]

Laurallie: By the power of Obad-Hai! [fwaboom]

Hawkwind: Eat flaming death! [bzort bzort bzort]

The mage is reduced to a charred corpse by this magical blast, but the four singed axe-dwarves survive. They scream a battle-cry charge the party.

Gurgi: Yeah, that’s right! You run away from me! Pansies!

Nigil and Soren are badly wounded by their heavy axes.

Norel: I don't want to fight you, but you give me no choice. [hack]

Tron: (shoots Dwarf#2)

Soren: Err, time for a strategic repositioning. (steps back)

Tron: Hey, if you're going to stand in the front rank, stand in the front rank.

Laurallie: Says the guy who's not in the front rank. (heals Nigil)

Soren: Watch this. Hextor take your souls!

A wave of negative energy sweeps from the priest, wounding all the dwarves. Two of them fall dead instantly.

Soren: Boo-yah! Hieronious is my bitch!

Hawkwind: Get some! [bzort bzort bzort]

Dwarf#1: Aieeee! (railing death)

Nigil: Now it's my turn! [hack chop cleave]

Dwarf#3: Ohhh... (falls, badly wounded but still alive).

Nigil taunts the fallen dwarf.

Nigil: This is all your fault! You brought it on yourself. Your stupid lawful gods really piss me off! If your god is so cool, how come we kicked your ass so bad? Huh?

Dwarf: Fuck... You...

With a desperate effort, the bloody dwarf rises to his knees and buries his axe in Nigil's crotch, then falls to the ground unconscious. Nigil staggers, badly wounded by the massive blow.

Nigil: (heaves the unconcious dwarf over the edge of the chasm)

Soren: Holy crap! That was awesome! You are my kind of guy! Although, Hextor does prefer that you leave the slain where they fall, to rot and bring honor on the victor through their degradation.

Nigil: Oooooog... healing...

Laurallie heals the wounded warrior. The dwarvish axe-blow missed a major artery by a hair’s-width. It’s clear that Nigil was lucky.

Norel: This battle was a mistake. We should be fighting on the same side, not fighting each other. Now we are weaker.

Laurallie: I agree.

Tron: Hey, they attacked first. Pholtus says its ok to kill in self defense.

Nigil: We tried to talk our way around it. They wanted to fight.

Laurallie: Ummmm... we weren’t real polite about it. The Holy Ass? Wuss god? Repeatedly referring to their failure?

Nigil: I hate these lawful gods. Their followers are all such bigoted fanatics.

Soren: Hee hee. Followers of Hextor are only bigoted against the weak, the poor, the cowardly, lessers and halfings.

Hawkwind: Stop moralizing and loot the bodies before Gurgi gets all the good stuff.

Gurgi: I'm keeping this dagger.

They loot the bodies and find somewhat fewer magical items than they would like. The mage doesn’t have a spell book with him.

Hawkwind: He could be a sorcerer. Or, somes expert mages don’t need their books for a few spells they know very well. Like me.

Soren: That was awesome. Hextor is way more bad ass than Hieroneous.

Tron: Soren, maybe it would be a good idea not to boast about this when we get back to the dwarf halls.

Soren: Why the hell not... oh, yeah. Well... I guess we'll just say that we took their stuff off of their bodies, and that they died in a fair fight. Which they did! It was a glorious battle! (sings) A mighty fortress is Hextor, a bulwark never failing! Hieroneous sucks.

Nigil: Gurgi, how did you know to sneak ahead like that?

Gurgi: Oh, I had a hunch they might try to pull something like this. I’ve known them for a long time.

Soon the party has stripped the bodies and tossed them into the chasm. Then they continue on their way, going ever deeper into the depths of the earth.

TO BE CONTINUED...