Part five of my ongoing game over discord. Last week we ended in the dungeon once more and make a stronger alliance with a faction in the dungeon, plus a combat encounter that nearly killed a PC and named NPC, enjoy!
Todd - "Is there many Fur?" Mikkel asks.
DM - "Lots of the Fur, Used to live here before." Rottherd answers quickly. "We should go fast"
Todd - "Fast we shall go!" Mikkel replies with a smile.
Shawn - Va'lar nods and starts to walk with them "Live here before what Rottherd?"
DM - "Before us, We live here now." Rottherd says and motions for you to follow the three dragging the mule into the eastern cave from the cavern. He and two others walk backwards watching the southern cave intently.
Shawn - Will follow the three, keeping an eye on the southern cave as well, hand on his axe "Well if they come, we will help, friends help friends in fights yes?"
DM - "Friends help friends, yes." You travel with the pack into the eastern cave. It leads 30' to the east, before reaching a T intersection. Up the northern path you smell a stench coming from a hallway you can see, while they lead you down the southern path another 30' when you pass a 20' hallway to the east with a hole cut in it's door. The pack continues 20' south again, before entering a large cavernous room.
DM - You reach the entrance of a large cavern, 50x50 feet, in the middle of its north wall. A doorway leads to the east 20' from the north eastern corner, a hallway leads to the east from the south eastern corner. A short hall heads south from the middle of the southern wall, and a hallway leads west 10' north of the south western corner.
A fire burns in the middle of the room, you can spot wagon wheels and other debris from a wagon being burned in the flame. Over the fire several chunks of meat are being cooked, though none look like the goat or pig you've been bringing them. 19 other dogmen wander around the room, some wrestling on all fours like dogs do, some practicing with their weapons against each other. A familiar sound can be heard over head suddenly, and you spot a moment later two worms fall from the high ceiling to the floor close to the middle of the cavern, 20' south from the pack you've been moving with.
Todd - "Those damned worms again..."
Shawn - Va'lar would drop his torch and draw his ax, stepping between Rattherd, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from moving and the worms "Rattherd careful, those are the things that attacked us"
DM - "No good for eating either" He says as he puts a hand on his sword. Four other dogmen rush in with pole arms. They make short work of the worms, being able to back up and keep themselves out of reach while stabbing at the worms. They then toss the worms on the fire, the bodies popping and snapping as they char.
Todd - Mikkel does his best not to gag from the cooked worms.
Shawn - Watches a bit amazed at how quick it was done "We need to get ourselves some of those, this ax is great but those things got was to close to us." He says as he snuffs out his torch before picking it up, seeing how close it was to going out "not enough meat on them...Rattherd, do you have any of this you found on the bodies in this cave? I don't have many left"
DM - Snuffing the torch out puts the room into dim light from the fire, still enough to see and talk to each other. "No more here, The pony across the moon room had more." As Rottherd says this the three dogmen continue to drag the mule into the middle of the room, with others coming to help.
A silhouette walks over to you from the southern wall where they were sitting. As they cross near the fire you can make out the details of their face, a white curly haired dogman walks over to you and greets the pack "Rottherd brought meat and friends! I'm Terriherd, it's good to see you."
Todd - Mikkel will take a closer look at the fire, especially the wagon wheels and debris. (Unless someone stops him)
Shawn - Lifts his hand up to greet him "Good to meet you as well Terriherd, we've been the ones giving Rottherd the meat and that special drink for being kind enough to let us leave here safely a few nights ago."
DM - Mikkel spots most of the wood from a wagon, as well as the canvas cover.
"We liked the meat and I enjoyed the wine. You're welcome to stay with us, but why are you down here?" Terriherd asks, and motions for you two to come closer to the fire and sit.
Todd - Mikkel will wave at the nearest dogman and motion him/her over.
Shawn - Walks over to the fire, taking a seat on the ground, sliding his bag off to relax "We're here looking for a large wagon that was swallowed up just last week, it has some goods on it that belong to our friend, the one that we brought out. We were hoping you might be able to help us locate it. And, if you don't mind me saying, you speak well compared to the others down here"
DM - A dogman walks over to Mikkel cautiously, "Good to see you."
Terriherd sits and puts his legs out in front of him, "The wagon is gone, we burned it to cook. Many of the goods we took and have in the rooms behind us, some of them were taken by the Fur." He scratches under his chin with his hand for a moment, "I speak the best of our troop, so they made me the leader. Some of the others can't speak at all."
Todd - "Hello, did you see a big metal box with that wagon?" Mikkel says pointing at the wheels in the fire.
Shawn - "Would you be okay if we went into the room and took some of the goods with us? I'm sure they aren't much use for you down here, we could take the up and out of here and bring back more meat, weapons, armor" He says giving a tug at his chainmail "Perhaps something to help with the fur problem? We met them when we first came down, they warned us of you, but we didn't trust them too much"
DM - "Yeah it's..." The dogman trails off, before letting out a shrill whine for a moment and looking at Terriherd.
"You're not the only one who wants the gold and weapons. We will be treated as equals to you, don't think you can trick me like kin to one of your pets." Terriherd says with a stern face. "But we can use your help, and if you do that for us I know where you may get more treasures for yourselves." He then perks up as the other dogman whines and they meet eyes for a moment. "What did you ask him?" Terriherd asks to Mikkel
Shawn - Holds both his hands up defensively "I am not trying to trick you in any way Terriherd, part of why I brought you food was because I knew we could both benefit from this friendship. You hold most the cards since we are in your home, surrounded by your men, but we're able to go up and trade with little to no fear. I'd be more than happy to do what I can to gain your trust though, what can we do to help you and everyone down here"
Valar will turn to Mikkel, unsure of what happened "You okay Mikkel?"
Todd - "Where a....big piece of the wagon went. Yeah, Val'ar i'm fine."
DM - The dogman that was speaking with Mikkel keeps looking at him, unsure of what to say.
Terriherds ears lower down and he turns to Va'lar again "Our den was in the mountains south of here. Men with metal tools came in and forced us out with smoke. They attacked the mothers and children as we ran into the deep caves. We ran and dug for days in the darkness, and made our way up here a few days before the wagon fell in. I want to settle my pack here, but we have to take the caverns from the Fur that lived here first. Will you help us do this?"
Todd - Mikkel shrugs and says "Silence is fine. But when is dinner ready?" pointing in the direction of the mule.
Shawn - Va'lar looks over to Mikkel before turning back to Terriherd "You're asking us to help with a war, While I am sorry for what happened to your people, it is a serious thing to do, would you mind if I talked this over with my companion real quick? It is not an easy decision to make."
DM - "Need cook, more time" The dogman says as he looks at the mule and begins drooling a bit.
"Take your time, You're welcome here as guests." Terriherd says, he then stands and walks to the hallway in the middle of the southern wall.
Shawn - Gives a small nod before turning to Mikkel, smiling at the dogman behind him "Would you excuse us for a second, need to talk with my friend alone" He says as he stand up
Todd - "Yummy yummy. You all eat together or do big ones eat first?"
DM - "All eat" The dogman says before walking to the mule. He begins helping hold it as two other dogmen carve it, leaving you two by the fire.
Todd - "Sounds fun. I talk later, need to speak with friend now." Mikkel says to the dogman before walking away with Val'ar to chat.
Shawn - "So did you hear any of that?" Va'lar will reiterate what Terriherd told him "I mean, usually getting treasure involves a bit of fighting, and not like we could try and take anything from these guys. If we go against the fur then we'd at least have some people, er dog people, behind us helping fight." He stops for a sec to scratch his neck "We got two options as I see it, help them out and get a big score, or leave empty handed "
Todd - "Let's ally up and get the big score. I got a good feeling about this."
Shawn - Pats him on the shoulder "Hell yeah, was hoping you'd say that, we need to find out bout these fur though, what are they and how many" He says before looking round the room, spotting Terriherd and walking over
Todd - "They have probably already seen evidence of us helping them. Though I could try to sneak around..."
Shawn - "I'm going to ask around here, if you leave please be careful, there's a lot of dangers in this cave "
Todd - "Okay. I'll flee back here at the first real sign of danger." "However, I shall ask Terrihold what rooms I cannot go to."
DM - Va'lar and Mikkel make their way to the southern wall where they saw Terriherd going, coming to a short 10' hallway with a door at it's southern end.
Shawn - Will clear his throat, trying to get his attention "Terriherd, can we speak to you real quick?
DM - Terriherd opens the door and steps out of the darkness. "That was fast, have you made a decision?"
Shawn - "I had already made my decision before I spoke with him, but we are a team and have to agree with each other. We'd both be happy to help you and your people, I actually have a small plan already forming, but first I would like to ask you about the fur. Do you know how many they number, their weapons, basically what we are signing up to fight against"
DM - "They live in the southern cave from the moon room. I don't know how many, but as many as we have. They wear armor made from metal rings, much like your own, and carry these long weapons we have taken from them. " He says. "They cut us off from the mothers and children, behind us used to be a stairway we came up from."
Shawn - "We call this chain mail up top, it's very helpful in keeping one safe. If you gave us some of the treasure we could get some for you, not a whole lot, and it may take a few days to get down here, but it will keep your people safe during the fights. And if you want, I can stay down here with you while Mikkel goes to get the armor, since our trust isn't built yet that will assure you that we won't just take to gold and leave. We did meet them when we first came down, and they told us that if we meet the dog people to come back to the moon room and whistle, we could do that in an attempt to draw them out. Mikkel could even get some slings for you and your men, so when the furs come out into the middle, your people could attack them once they are in the open" As he spoke he would take Mikkels dagger and draw a rough outline of the plan i the dirt "If they follow us out of the moonroom, it'll be easier to fight them once they are weakened "
DM - "We can't wear the chainmail. It grabs hold of our fur. We have a lot of it already. What is a sling?" Terriherd says and cocks his head to the side.
KageCuri — Yesterday at 8:30 PM
"could we put a cloth over your fur then the mail? It may be hot, but might work? Mikkel, show him your sling"
Todd - "Watch and learn" Mikkel says before whipping his sling out. With a 'macho' pose and more winding than needed for extra power Mikkel unleashes a bullet from his sling into an empty corner of the room.
Shawn - "a weapon to attack from far away"
DM - "We have worn the cloth from some of the bodies we found." Terriherd says, and you remember that the dogmen you first met were in gambeson. As the sling stone hits the corner and splits a chunk from it, Terriherd speaks again. "I like that, Bring some for all of the pack and we can try your plan."
Todd - Mikkel chuckles, "I like it too"
Shawn - Nods a little "Would you be okay wit us both leaving with some treasure, or do you want one of us to stay here"
DM - "You can take the chainmail we have. Let me take you to it."
Shawn - Nods a bit, follwoing him towards the chainmail "we can only take a few chainmail, not only are they heavy, but bringing back a bunch of armor like this would raise suspicions, people may think we killed the previous owners"
DM - Terriherd nods as he leads you along the southern wall, to the south east corner of the cavern, down a short hall and into a room. Inside is dark, no light from the fire reaches here. You can hear him shuffling in the room, the clanking of various metals and he then drags two sets of chainmail to the entrance of the room. "More?" he asks.
Shawn - "Two should be enough, right Mikkel?"
Todd - "Yes sir"
Shawn - Reaches out and grabs them both "Can we both leave, or do you you want one to stay?"
Todd - "Perhaps I could trade my gambeson for chainmail as well?"
DM - "You can both leave. Do you want metal armor too, Mikkel?"
Todd - Mikkel nods.
DM - Terriherd enters the darkness again, clanking a bit and returning with another set of armor. "Here, friends trust friends, right?"
Todd - "Of course"
Shawn - "Thank you for the trust, we will stay the night here, unsafe to travel at night. Is everyone in the main cave? We can count them all and see how many slings we need. And if there is anything else you'd like from up there please ask, food, drinks, trinkets, anything, we'll try our best to help our friends out"
DM - "We don't need much, the animal will feed us for the night. You can try to handle the flying things in the other room, but I won't ask you to." Terriherd says, pointing down the southern wall. "Stay as guests for the night, you are welcome here." He smiles a canine smile at you two.
Todd - "Flying things?"
Shawn - Nods to what Mikkel asks "Yeah, what flying things?"
DM - Terriherd motions for you to follow and leads you to the hallway near the south west corner of the cavern. The hallway extends 10' to the west, before another hallway heads to the south. The first hallway goes on into darkness to the west and this second hall into darkness to the south. You can hear a squeaking like you had in the room you found Dagrock in.
"Three flying things in here, not birds. Shepgle tried to talk to them and get them to leave, but they don't talk."
Shawn - "we could try and get rid of them, but we don't know what they are so they may be hard to fight with just the two of us. Are they causing you any danger?"
Todd - "How big are they? They sound like small ones we've seen before"
DM - "No danger, but if they get out it would be. Shepgle brought a bunch of treasure and a stick in with him. It will be yours if you can get rid of them." He says to Va'lar before turning to Mikkel, "Not small, Big."
Todd - Mikkel scratches his chin and his neck, "Would anyone help us on this endeavor?"
Shawn - "we could try to go in when they stop squeaking, try and get them when they are unaware"
DM - "Ever since Shepgle no one has gone inside the door, only thrown rocks. I don't think they will help, but you can try to wait, I don't mind."
Shawn - "We will eat and rest a bit, can try later in the night, if they are asleep we could get the upper hand easy "
Todd - "Good point Va'lar"
Shawn - Sets his hands on each of their shoulders "Then lets go eat and rest my friends, tonight we see about the flying things, tomorrow we get the slings and take down the furs" he says as he walks back towards the fire
Todd - "Say, what's behind that door with the hole in it? Was it from a battle?"
DM - The three of you walk back to the fire as you talk "Which door with the hole? The flying things are behind a door with a hole, so is the chainmail."
Shawn - Will walk towards the fire, finding Rattherd and sitting down next to him, starting a casual convo
Todd - "Oh, I could not see the hole in the door with the chainmail. Human eyes aren't as suited for this enviroment." he chuckles, nor our noses too. Mikkel will then make conversation about the mule meal and ask for rumors about interesting passerby.
DM - The time passes slowly, Rottherd is hard to talk to at times, speaking in broken sentences. Terriherd offers friendly conversation, but doesn't reveal much. No rumors are shared, as the pack lives in this corner of the caverns. Two hours pass without incident, then many of the dogmen perk up and start sniffing the air.
Shawn - Will look around, speaking in a soft voice "What's going on Rattherd?"
DM - "Smell Fur, coming down hall" He says as he jumps to his feet and draws his sword.
Shawn - Va'lar will stand up, pulling his ax out " Which hall?"
DM - The answer comes before Rottherd can tell you, Four of the creatures are at the northern hallway, where you entered the cavern from. They move in formation, all wielding halberds. You can hear them softly saying something in their squeaking voices.
Shawn - Brandishing his ax in one hand, taking a small step foward, getting in front of the few dogmen around him "Y'all ready?"
Todd - Mikkel readies his sling with a bullet ready for blood.
DM - You hear the squeaking stop, then a few more murmurs. The four of the creatures begin walking backwards slowly in formation down the hallway. One of them whistles as they start to leave.
Shawn - "If we take them now then less to fight later" He says as he looks around at the dogmen around him, not wanting to lead the charge unless they were ready "Fight now?"
DM - The dogmen around you look worried, none eager to get in a fight. Rottherd speaks to you "We don't know how many"
Shawn - Va'lar will turn to Terriford "If they know I'm with you the plan won't work...we have to try and stop them or come up with a new plan... fight or let them go?"
DM - Terriherd draws his sword "You lead the charge, I'm with you."
Shawn - "C'mon, lets get 'em, take this cave for yourselves before its too late!" He'd yell out before reaching down to grab the torch, putting it into the fire to light it before throwing it at he furs. Handing his ax handle first to the dogman "Take this and let me see your weapon Beadog, I'm gonna shave the fur right off their mangy bodies with that thing"
Todd - Mikkel cracks a bullet into a fur creature with his sling.
DM - A sling bullet hits the stone near the hallway and splits in two as the torch missed hitting a Fur and slides just in front of them. Now illuminated by light for the first time you can identify what the "Furs" are. Dwarves.
Beadog holds out his halberd in one hand and the other is held open to take the ax as you pass.
Shawn - Doing the weapon hand off Va'lar charges in, hopefuly with others in tow "lets get this cavern fur free so you all can see your women and children again " stopping just shy of melee range not wanting to run into a wall of pikes
DM - The dogmen move with you, a wave of them approaching and stopping just out of range of the dwarves. Pole arms all point to the northern hallway, the shadows of them streak the roof and walls of the cavern.
Mikkel follows, keeping to the second rank and able to use his sling.
The dwarven formation holds ground, standing firm with polearms in hand.
Shawn - "Dwarves, you are outnumbered, drop your weapons and we will let you live, I don't want anyone to die today, but if you take another step back we will attack. We already have a group of our men circling around they will be getting to the end of that hallway any second and you'll be surrounded. if you don't surrender by then, we will be forced to attack and kill each of you"
DM - The four dwarves stand their ground, one in the back rank speaks "Don't act as if it was your hands that built these halls. You don't know the fight you're involved in, human. We expected these kobolds to have starved by now, and we can wait them out even longer. Remember that just on the other side of those collapsed stairs your families are starving. Well, not Rottherd's."
Shawn - "You can't let people just starve and die, its not their fault the are here, and I want stand idly by and let you lot watch it happen. Please stand down or we. will. attack"
DM - "Make your move or let us leave. We will not surrender to invaders." The same one in the back row says in his squeaky voice.
Todd - 'Think this might be a distraction group?" Mikkel loudly whispers.
Shawn - "Fine then!" Va'lar would step forward with an attack to the dwarve on the right.
DM - As you move in, you're struck twice. Once in the bicep, and once along the forearm on your leading arm. Seeing this several kobolds move in as well, Forming your own two by two formation near the entrance of the hall.
Shawn - Takes a stab at the dwarf on the right
DM - Your halberd lands a heavy blow, piercing the chainmail armor of the dwarve and sinking deep into his gut. Pulling the blade out and trying to strike again he swings his weapon and deflects your second stab. Rottherd next to you see's an opportunity and strikes at the wounded dwarve, opening a gash across the creatures arm. The hardy cave dweller still stands.
Todd - Mikkel makes a tornado of leather, muscle and stone and unleashes the sling bullet at the rear row Dwarf.
DM - The sling stone whizzes past the heads of two kobolds, and past a dwarve before striking the rear row firmly in the chest with a thump.
Shawn - Will take a few steps back, trying to get out of combat before it's too late "Someone step forawrd" he orders out, hoping the dogmen would listen
DM - Va'lar feels a kobold tug on his shoulder, swapping with him and putting him in the second rank. The Dwarves hold ground, watching the movement in the front rank.
The kobolds strike, the new one to the front lands an attack against the wounded dwarve, striking him in the neck. The dwarve beside him attacks at Rottherd, slicing his forearm open with the attack.
The wounded dwarve grips his neck with one hand, trying to stay on his feet as blood rushes from the wound, he falls to one knee before bleeding out in a matter of seconds.
Todd - "Good one" Mikkel mutters before unleashing another missile.
DM - The sling bullet doesn't fly as true this time, striking the front rank kobold in the back, his armor taking the blow
The dwarves move, a rear rank grabs the fallen dwarve by his armor and pulls him back while the second rear rank takes place in front. The formation then makes its way backwards, retreating into the hallway.
Todd - "Bad one. Sorry friend! But we can't let them escape!"
Shawn - "Beadog, my ax" he'd ask holding his hand back "Terriherd, is there anyway around back behind them"
DM - "None that could cut them off before they reached the moon room" He says, stepping next to you with his sword in hand.
Shawn - "Rattherd, move" He says before hurling the ax at the dwarf dragging the body
DM - Rattherd and the kobold in the front rank duck down, the axe flying true and over the shoulder of the dwarve in the front rank. It strikes into the head of the dwarve dragging his slain ally, dying to the blow.
Todd - "Don't let them escape!" Mikkel shouts before firing his sling.
Shawn - Putting a hand on Rattherds shoulder, using the Kobold to rest on just a bit Va'lar would yell out "Two more left, left push!" he'd say before taking a step forward, if Rattherd would follow
DM - The sling bullet flies true, Striking the dwarve in the head causing a bleeding wound to appear from his forhead. He seems dazed for a moment, but still standing.
The kobolds make a push, Rottherd taking the lead with a flurry of barks as he drops his halberd and charges with his sword. The kobold next to him freezes in place, and Terriherd pushes in barking with his sword drawn. Behind them making a second rank comes another kobold and Va'lar, halberds over the shoulders of the front. The formation pushes into melee range, the dwarves strike out at Terriherd and Rottherd as the near trying to stop them.
DM - The dwarve on the left strikes at Terriherd, but Rottherd knocks the halberd from hitting his leader. This leaves him open, and the dwarve on the right strikes a deep gash on the side of Rottherd's head with the pole arm. From the second rank the Va'lar strikes at them and misses his attacks, while the kobold by his side stabs the dwarve who injured Rottherd, square in the eye, killing him instantly. One dwarve remains standing.
Todd - Mikkel sees Rottherd about to collapse and grabs hold of them. "Don't worry, I got this" he says before swinging the dog man around to where Mikkel was once standing. Drawing his second hand sword Mikkel dashes in for an strike on the surviving dwarf.
Shawn - Takes two quick attacks on the dwarf
DM - The two of you strike at the final dwarve, sword blows from Terriherd and Mikkel keep the creature busy while Va'lar makes two quick strikes, piercing the neck of the dwarve. He falls to the ground on his back, holding the wound and quickly bleeding out.
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