Chapter #1151
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2024 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ Peyton 11th level gnome thief +
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+ Date: 6/18/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: morning +
+ Place: the northwest reaches of the Abbor-Alz hills +
+ Climate: cool and dry +
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+ "It takes more than intelligence to act intelligently." +
+ - from _Anna_ +
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MCLI. Prisoner of the Mines
A long time ago, Peyton had learned that it was generally best to wake
up quietly and unobtrusively, with your eyes and mouth closed and your
ears open. Having others think you were still asleep or unconscious
could be an advantage in certain situations. He was so used to this that
he pretty much did it automatically...and thus it was that he heard and
smelled the people nearby before he saw them. From the sound of things,
there were two different groups of people bickering, plus what sounded
like some humanoids and possibly some halflings as well. Every so often
one or the other of these people would get out of hand and then someone
else would shout at them, using angry words and threats. Based on the
echoes of the voices, he figured he was in a sizable chamber with only
one exit, perhaps a cell. If that was the case, then the people around
him were almost certainly prisoners. He also noted that he lying on his
back, and was not bound or otherwise restrained. Which would make sense
if he was in some sort of communal cell. The rank smell here also lent
credence to that theory.
After a short while putting up with this, Peyton decided that those in
the room with him were likely too busy fussing at each other (or ignoring
each other) to care about him, so he slowly opened one eye, looked around
as best as he could, then opened the other eye...and finally sat up.
hill barbarians: (perhaps a dozen, they stop arguing amongst themselves
and stare at him)
bandits: (numbering six, they stop arguing with the barbarians and stare
at him)
short, pale, sickly-looking demihumans: (four of them, they regard him
with baleful, pupil-less eyes)
halflings: (a mere two in number, they grin and nod to him as if they
were long-lost friends)
duergar guards: (a heavily-armed foursome, they stand guard outside the
narrow entrance into this chamber)
It was indeed a cell, and while sizable (roughly fifty by forty feet,
if Peyton had to guess) it was also quite filthy. Scraps of cloth and
gnawed bones littered the floor, along with puddles of stale piss. The
walls and ceiling were spotted with patches of slime. Aside from all of
that, the chamber felt somewhat cramped due to the sheer number of these
people currently within. The gnome's keen mind quickly took stock of his
cellmates. The barbarians, tall and stocky and rough-looking, were almost
certainly from the surrounding hills. The bandits were lean and wiry and
swarthy, probably desert nomads. The smaller, pasty folk were likely the
twisted, evil underground race known as derro, and it was a good thing
they were greatly outnumbered here, else they would likely have tortured
and murdered everyone else. Even now, they huddled by themselves in one
corner of the room, and just looked suspicious, as if they were plotting
something. As for the halflings, it was surprising they'd survived at
all here...which meant that the guards enforced some sort of rule and
kept the prisoners from harming one another. Which was also the reason
Peyton was sitting up now, instead of dead.
That of course raised the question of why he'd been spared, as things
hadn't been looking good before he woke up here. The last thing the
gnome remembered, he'd stood with the others, facing a newly-appeared
threat...a gigantic floating sphere with a giant eye, an even larger maw
full of jagged fangs, and a bunch of smaller eyes on top. Peyton had
heard of beholders, but never seen one until then; while he'd had a vague
notion of how dangerous they were, he now had a much clearer idea, having
obviously been felled by some arcane ability of the creature. Due to the
suddenness of the effect (and some past experience coming into conflict
with spellcasters) Peyton figured he'd been felled by a magically-induced
sleep. At any rate, it was time to get some answers.
Peyton: Who's in charge here? (he regards the barbarians) Probably not
you. (he turns to the bandits) Or you, either. (he eyes the derro)
Hmph. (he considers the halflings) And definitely not you. (he then
turns to face the four guards stationed just outside the door of metal
bars which secures the room's exit) Which means...
duergar guard #4: Quiet, you.
Peyton: Might I ask, dare I ask...(he clears his throat) Take me to your
leader.
duergar guard #4: I said, be quiet.
Peyton: But I want to talk to-.
duergar guard #3: (brandishing a nasty-looking mace) If you don't shut
your mouth, you'll be talking to this.
Peyton: (sighs)
The gnome found an empty section of wall, leaned back against it, and
slowly slumped to the floor. This way, he could rest and wait, while not
being approached without knowing about it. It was really just a matter
of who would approach first.
halfling #1: (ambles over, speaking in a hushed tone) Well-met there.
I'm Anmo. It sure is good to see a friendly face for a change.
Peyton: I wouldn't exactly say I'm a friendly face.
Anmo: Heh. (points a thumb at the other occupants of the filthy cell)
Compared to them, you are.
Peyton: Point. How long have I been here?
Anmo: It's hard to mark the passage of time down here, but I'd say they
brought you in about a half-day ago. You were out cold.
Peyton: I'm lucky to be alive.
Anmo: (glances at the other prisoners) That's for sure. But it was made
clear to them not to bother or harm you.
Peyton had meant that he was lucky to be alive after facing a beholder,
but he didn't correct the smaller demihuman. Besides, the halfling was
obviously a talkative sort, so it seemed best to get as much information
as possible while the opportunity was available.
Peyton: Made clear by who? The leader of the duergar?
Anmo: I doubt it. I mean, they have one - he calls himself a lord and
has a priest who helps him rule, and he's a nasty sort for sure - but
he's not the _real_ power down here.
Peyton: Do tell.
Anmo: Well...by now you know who Father Eye is.
Peyton: Indeed. It wouldn't take a sage to put that one together.
Anmo: Right. So that beast is actually in charge of all this...
the mines, the ore coming from the mines, the duergar doing the mining.
(he nods) Yep.
Peyton: But to what end?
Anmo: (shrugs) Beats me. Who can know what strange ideas and goals
motivate such a monster? (he shakes his head) Not me.
Peyton: So where exactly are we?
Anmo: This is the edge of the duergar's living complex...most of which
was wiped out by a fireball yesterday, so the rumor goes. (he eyes the
gnome) I wouldn't suppose you had anything to do with that?
Peyton: No, go ahead and suppose. It just might be.
Anmo: Well, don't be so cocky. Before long, they'll come and get you,
and take you away to be interrogated.
Peyton: They will?
Anmo: Of course. It's happened to everyone in this cell. Those of us
who ventured too close to the mines, or in some cases even _into_ them,
in search of treasure...it's the same. You get caught, you get put into
this nasty cell, and at some point you get questioned by the beholder's
underlings, then you get thrown back into this place. (he shakes his
head sadly) And sooner or later, you get taken away again, but after
that time...you never return.
Peyton: Where do those prisoners go? What happens to them?
Anmo: Slave labor for the mines? Fresh food for the eye tyrant? Live
sacrifices to some dark god? Who knows? (he shudders) A few days ago
there were seven dwarves in here too. I bet they're just bones by now,
wherever they were taken.
Peyton: Damn.
Anmo: (perks up suddenly) Which is why it's good that you're here now.
Whoever else you were with, they had enough power to get into the main
mineshafts and the duergar living chambers. And that means they got
away and will soon be back to rescue you - and us. (happily) Right?
Peyton: Well...the truth is, after I was knocked out, I don't know what
else happened. My friends may be gone, or they may even be dead. (he
frowns) Which is why I really need to get out of here and find some
things out.
Anmo: Well, good luck with that. As you can see, there's only the one
exit, and the only times they open that gate, there are more guards
around...a lot more. And not just duergar.
Peyton: And I see nothing else here...not even a drainage pipe.
Anmo: Nope. We're living in our own waste. (he frowns) And the waste
from the derro definitely smells the worst. (sadly) Oh, I never, ever
should have come here with Orilan.
Peyton: Who?
Anmo: (nods to the other halfling, who seems nearly catatonic) My idiot
cousin. It was his dumb idea to sneak into the mines and look for gold.
And now he's not right in the head, won't talk, won't eat...I think he
thinks we're not going to last much longer. (he frowns again) And to
be honest, he's probably right.
Peyton: Well, take heart. As my dear old uncle used to say...it's not
over until it's over.
Just then, there was a commotion outside the cell. A pair of hulking
trolls, nine feet tall but with dark brown hides and scraggly gray hair,
were talking to the duergar guards in simple, broken speech.
desert troll #1: (points in the direction of Peyton)
duergar guard leader: (nods)
Anmo: (to Peyton) Well, my friend, looks like your time has come.
(sadly) For your sake, I hope your uncle was right.
next: interrogation
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/bright_desert.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 5/24/2024
notes: Random trivia: "Anmo" and "Orilan" were the first two names
generated by the first search result I got by googling "halfling name
generator" and since I want to give credit where credit is due, it was
www.fantasynamegenerators.com
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