Outside Kheizar Dalan - and the barbarians arrive

Suddenly, a horn sounds outside the cave. Looking up, the four still in the front half of the cave, spot movement in the fog outside, including the glow of torches carried by riders... There are six lights that they can see, and it looks like several other riders. The sound of people shouting and the noise of horses snorting drifts through the fog as they get closer.

Within the space of minutes, it seems that the clearing outside the cave is filled with riders. There could be a hundred of them! They form a rough semi-circle at a distance of about 30 yards from the cave mouth. One of them dismounts and walks closer - holding a long shield in front of him. In the darkness it is difficult to see the markings on the shield, but it seems a fair bet that it identifies the Sky Ponies barbarians.

"Cowards who ride in monster bellies! Come out!" yells the barbarian leader. "You have hidden yourself in a place of great evil, where no Sky Pony will attack you. But you wrong yourselves, though cowards you may be." The barbarian's voice echoes back to those at the back of the cave next to the door, and they pause in what they are doing.

"I, Jerek demand that you come out. Die with honour in battle with us, rather than dying of the horror you will find in this cave! I have spoken. We will wait for you to come to your senses."

"By the gods!" curses Blondung as he stands near the immovable door. "Talk about between a rock and a hard place!" He steps forward and kicks the door in frustration, and under less stressful circumstances, it would have been funny to see him hop as he nurses his stubbed toes. Cursing more quietly to himself, he leans against a wall, massaging his foot. There is a quiet grating noise, and the wall suddenly rotates, and Blondung falls through the opening in surprise. By the light of Lucretia's now flickering torch, Blondung can be seen sprawled in a narrow passageway that leads off to the north west.

Echoing down the corridor, can be heard distant guttural laughter and some people talking... Listening more carefully, the voices can be determined to be speaking orcish...

Blondung, his face pale looks up at Yvandel in alarm at his words as he starts to get up. "Shhhhh!" he hushes, glancing back down the newly opened passage behind him in alarm.

The orcish voices continue to echo faintly down the corridor - it is difficult to tell how many there might be - at least five it sounds like, but at least their voices don't show any sign of alarm. Milo frowns, trying to distinguish the words...

Meanwhile, the barbarians are all dismounting and starting to set up camps outside the cave.

<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> Maybe after we find another exit, we can come
> back and have our mages scare the barbarians
> away from the entrance long enough for us to
> bring our horses in."

Blondung, dusting himself down from his tumble, nods. "Possible I suppose" he mutters.

<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> Besides, the orcs probably haven't heard us yet,
> if 4 or 5 of us sneak up on them, we should be
> able to take them out without much trouble."

Blondung nods, his knuckles white. He doesn't seem to like orcs much for an understandable reason.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "Orcs are like rats...if there are five there,
> you can bet there are about 50 more not far away."

Blondung glances at the human warrior, nodding again. "True..." he whispers, "but we do have some fire-power, I have a few spells left, and Merrell has his wand..."

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "How about we close this door and guard it,
> let the spell casters rest and pray or whatever
> and then press with the plan of going after the
> orcs...unless of course we can figure what is
> scaring the Sky ponies and use that against them."

Blondung snorts. "Well you can be sure it won't be the orcs that are
scaring them. Barbarians battle orcs all the time!"

Milo moves slightly into the secret passage so he can continue to listen to the orcs whilst the party whisper amongst themselves.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian wrote>:
> I say we take advantage of the chance we are
> being given and try to take out that group of
> orcs. Either that, or we have to find a way to
> open this door here and see where that leads."

Blondung shakes his head. "Balnor has already tried. He couldn't open it!"

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "I suggest the rest of you get some sleep or
> pray if you must...the journey through that
> cave will be a long one and we will not get a
> chance to rest again." <He will then go to
> sleep unless molested...

Blondung stares at the warrior in disbelief as he lays down on the damp dirt of the cave floor, preparing to go to sleep. "Are you mad!" he hisses. "Even if we don't go ambush the five or so orcs playing dice, we shouldn't go to sleep without scouting what other dangers might land on us!"

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> "Luc is right. Shut that back door. "

Milo, half in and half out of the door pulls it more close, but continues to be the ear listening to the orc laughter and conversation.

Blondung shakes his head. "We need to explore more.." he says quietly. "Maybe there are further side caves we can hide in... They may not use this exit often, but knowing our luck, tonight would be the night the orcs choose to send a war party out through here!"

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> Those barbarians are superstitious heathens, but
> they wouldn't be afraid of half a dozen orcs. There's
> got to be a whole mob of orcs down there -- or
> maybe even something worse."

Blondung shakes his head. "It'll be something worse mark my words!"

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> "As for those barbarians," she continues, removing her helm and
> shaking loose her dark hair, "I'll talk to them as you suggest,
> Luc."

Serena and Cleo walk through towards the front of the cave. Larz is squatting there, watching the barbarians. He glances up as Serena stands proud in the entrance of the cave and looks somewhat surprised as she raises her voice to shout out over the barbarian camp. His eyes widen further as he listens to what she actually says.

The barbarians gather in clumps as Serena speaks. A few of them laugh, but many others just watch on impassively. The one who named himself Jerek makes his way to the front, and shouts back, his voice just echoing to the back of the cave. "You mock us! But we will wait and offer you again an honourable death in combat,"

Cleo then starts her speech, using some of the Barbarian words she recalls from her parents and telling about the imagined horrors of the cave. Jerek looks more suspiciously at Cleo, trying to make her out in the darkness. (Serena's brand from the fire is nothing more than a stick with glowing coals on the end now.)

<Cleo aka Dan continues>:
> <SNIP part of speech>
> "They ask, however, that they be given their
> horses, so that they may ride to face you, and
> not walk, as lowly ones do. They know you are
> honourable, and that you will agree, and will
> give them to us women."

Jerek laughs loudly. "We will keep your horses, inferior though they are. We will fight you on foot ourselves - there is no dishonour. But if you truly wish to avoid the horrors of the cave, then come out and fight now."

Realising that the Sky Ponies will not be easily fooled, Serena and Cleo start to make their way to the back of the cave, to rejoin the others. "What's going on back there?" asks Larz. (OOC: Artistic licence for Cleo) Cleo quickly explains that a secret door had been opened and orc voices heard, before hurrying to the back of the cave. Larz's eyebrows raise, but he doesn't comment on it. "I'll stay and keep watch a while longer" mutters Larz as they leave.

<Ceely aka Robson wrote>:
> "We have to come up with a plan right now,
> before we face any threats, and before our
> spell casters rest. This way, they will be
> able to choose the best spells."

Blondung nods.

<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> Hearing Ceely's suggestion, Cleo adds, "Well,
> we really haven't even tried to get through
> that other door either. Perhaps we can pry
> it open."

Blondung shrugs. "We haven't tried breaking it down yet... though that
would kind of negate any surprise for whatever we might find on the other
side!" he mutters.

<Cleo aka Dan continues>:
> Also, I've had another idea. What if we close
> the secret door so that the orcs can't hear us,
> then everyone can start screaming as if we are
> being attacked and eaten! Yv, you said your
> last spell has something to do with sounds - can
> you make terrible monster sounds or something?"
> Glancing down at the sleeping "warrior", Cleo
> smiles inwardly at the irony of Yv being the one
> to save the "warriors" so that they can sleep...
> Continuing, she says, "We'll make it sound as if
> this "evil" they fear has overwhelmed us all! The
> barbarians will be more afraid than ever to enter
> here, and they will assume we're dead, so they won't
> keep looking for us either! What do you guys think?"
> Cleo looks around the group excitedly.

Blondung shakes his head. "Just because they're barbarians doesn't make them stupid! They may be superstitious about this cave for some reason - but I bet they won't just give up and go away. At least not straight away."

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "Look, go ahead and close the damn door and then
> we can figure out what the barbarians are afraid
> of, it may give us a clue about what is in here.
> ..then if it's not so bad we all get some rest and
> take off through the secret door."

Blondung frowns at the warrior. "And just how are we going to figure out what is scaring the barbarians?"

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "Remember there are a hundred or so of them
> superstitious bastards out there and I don't
> think we will be out running them even if we
> did manage to chase them away for a while...

Blondung nods, begrudgingly agreeing with Lucretia's assessment of the barbarian threat.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> as for the frozen door I say leave it alone...
> we got enough trouble without waking up some
> old mage's spook or dwarven spirit that lives
> behind magically locked doors." <Luc lays his
> head back down>..."now I suggest some of you
> get some rest...if the barbarians start to
> come we go and hide just inside the secret
> door...letting them take whatever we leave
> behind, horses and such...as for the orcs we
> just have to remain quite...for the door we
> just hope it doesn't open."

Blondung shrugs.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian wrote>:
> "At this point I think I can simulate a monster
> about the size of a troll. Probably not enough
> though to convince the barbarians that we are
> indeed dead from the attack of some horrible evil
> creature."

"As I said, they're not stupid!" Blondung mutters.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian continued>:
> "If we can in fact open this door, it might be
> a better idea, depending on where that door leads,
> to get everyone inside it, close it, and then
> somehow lure those orcs guards into this cave,
> through the secret opening. We could lay a track
> of coins for them to discover, which would lead
> to the entrance of the cave... where they will
> stumble into a horde of angry barbarians."

Blondung raises his eyebrows. "Now that is a good idea..." he says, though it does kind of rely on opening that blasted door first!"

<Yvandel aka Sebastian continued>:
> The puppeteer smiled. "Maybe if we tell the
> barbarians that the evil in this cave is
> starting to transform our warriors into evil
> monsters, with green skins and yellow eyes,
> we can convince them that the orcs are in
> fact us...."

Blondung raises his eyes to the ceiling. "Forget what I said! It's a crap idea!" The older mage rounds on Yvandel. "Think about it boy! Barbarians and orcs have been fighting each other for centuries - they aren't going to suddenly believe that we have transformed into orcs! Pah!" The mage turns away, stalking over to one of the saddles and sitting down on it in disgust.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian continued>:
> "Of course, it all depends on us being able to
> pry this door open, and on where it leads to.
> If it just takes us directly into the orc lair,
> which is certainly possible, we might not stand
> to gain anything from opening it. Unless..."
>
> Yvandel looked over at the secret opening that
> Blondung had opened by accident. "Unless we can
> find a way to close that secret wall. In that
> case, if opening the door leads to the orc lair,
> we can simply change our tactic and hide inside
> the secret opening, while the orcs pour out of
> the opened door, drawn by some sort of lure. My
> sound spell might work, but perhaps we may need
> some other things to draw them forward."

Blondung leans forward, his elbows on his knees, his chin resting on the back of his hands. His voice weary, he replies with less acid than before. "The basic idea of getting the orcs to do our fighting for us is sound, but as we can't open that door, it is moot!" He sighs. "Unless we explore a bit further we will never know..."

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "O for Tyr's sake...would you all just stop it."
> <Luc gets up shoulder's his pack grabs the torch
> <yet again> from Yvandel...

(OOC: The torch has nearly gone out - someone needs to light a new one)

> ...giving him an evil look and growls if he tries
> to keep him from taking it. "I've had enough of this
> crap, we're all tired but you don't want to sleep,
> so I'm going to go play some dice....and perhaps
> find away out of here." <He STARTS TO move through the
> Secret wall, Bastard Sword drawn and torch in his off hand...

At this point, Larz appears, returning from where he has been watching the barbarians at the entrance of the cave. Seeing Lucretia stepping towards the secret door and Milo still half in/half out of it, his eyes widen. "I guess I should have been back here!" he mutters, drawing his axe.

He glances at the wooden door, noticing that it is still closed. "Haven't you managed to open it yet?" he says. He briefly steps close to the secret door, and peers at the mechanism. "Just a simple pivot" he mutters under his breath - "can't tell 100% if it is dwarven made tho'". He turns back to the wooden door, frowning. "Wait a moment" he says to Lucretia and Milo, moving towards the wooden door to have a closer look himself. As he gets within a couple of feet, blazing Dethek runes suddenly appear on the door, making him jerk back in surprise.

khiezar dalan

"Khiezar Dalan!" gasps Larz, reading them out loud. He glances at the rest of the party, his eyes gleaming in excitement. "This is the place Del Roy Harpell told us about. He fumbles in his clothing for a moment and grabs out a piece of paper, the copy of the dwarven runestone on it.

In his excitement, he traces the runes around the spiral, reading them softly. "khiezar dalan found ... orc cave on north bank of the rauvin ride east of the heralds tower ... warning ... grave danger ... many." He looks up again. "This must be it!" Ignoring Lucretia and Milo still half in the secret door, he reaches out and turns the handle of the wooden door. It turns easily under his hand, and clicks open.

The flickering torch light reveals a dusty dressed stone passage way beyond.

"Well!" says Blondung dryly. "I guess Yvandel's plan looks possible now after all!"

<Ceely aka Robson wrote>:
> Do you remember the story about the ranger
> and the druid, and the trail of dead dwarves?"

Larz nods, but his excitement at finding the long lost dwarf hold of Khiezar Dalan is undiminished. "Look at the dust in here!" he exclaims. "This place hasn't been visited for centuries! I doubt that drow have been in here!" He moves in side a few paces, looking down the corridor. "It branches just ahead..." he says, starting to move slowly (to stop kicking up the dust too much) into the corridor.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian wrote>:
> I'm sure we all realize that through this
> door lies great danger. We will most likely
> find enemies that we simply cannot defeat.
> These orcs might be easily dealt with, but
> what if we encounter ten times their number
> later on. And what if we encounter drows,
> or their pet driders?"

Larz looks back again, frowning at the lack of enthusiasm. He gestures at the floor where the dust is literally inches thick. "Look at this place! It's deserted! It has been for centuries, if not thousands of years!"

<Yvandel aka Sebastian continued>:
> "Even if we lure these guard orcs into the
> open, towards the barbarians, there's always
> a chance that one of them will be smart enough
> to go warn others.

"So what?!" interjects Blondung. "If the whole bloody tribe of orcs heads out and attacks the barbarians, so much the better!" He gestures towards Larz and the now open door. "I doubt the orcs have ever been able to open that door - if we hid in there whilst they rushed out..." he left the rest unsaid.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian continued>:
> <SNIP Yvandel's speech>
> Yvandel paused for a moment, trying to summarize
> his thoughts. "So, we have two options. One: sneak
> up on the orcs and attack them by surprise. Two:
> hide in the secret corridor, lure the orcs into
> the cave and attack them from behind. Whichever
> choice we choose, our priority should be to prevent
> any orc from sounding an alarm."

Blondung shakes his head. "Why bother attacking them?"

<Yvandel aka Sebastian continued>:
> "No matter what though, if we do run into trouble,
> the only place that we will be able to hide is behind
> that secret door. If we can make it into this cave,
> we can close the door, run into the secret opening,
> close the secret door behind us, and hope that our
> pursuers will fight the barbarians instead of searching
> the cave for secret hiding places."

OOC: I assume that where you say "secret door" you actually meant wooden door.

"Exactly!" says Blondung.

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> "Now that Larz has found an escape route -- dubious
> though it may be - - I say we post our own guards
> and just rest here in this cave. If the orcs get
> wind of us, or if the barbarians overcome their
> fears and decide to attack (which I doubt), we can
> all just duck into the entrance to the Doomed
> Dwarven City here. We might as well leave our
> saddles behind, since we're never going to see
> our horses again in any case."
>
> "Since it appears that only a dwarf can turn the
> doorknob, we'll be safe from our pursuers in Khiezar
> Dalan -- although whatever other dangers might be
> waiting there I'd rather not think about right now."

Blondung stands, gathering his belongings together. "Well if we are going to sleep anywhere, I'd rather sleep behind a door that can't be opened by anyone bar dwarves than on the side where we *might* be ambushed by orc patrols or extra brave barbarians..." He grimaces at the dust. "Even if it is a tad dusty..."

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> "Larz, tell me, this door -- can it be opened
> from the inside? I would hate to pull it shut
> behind us and then find we can't get back out
> without traversing all of Khiezar Dalan in
> search of another exit."

Larz returns to the door, kicking up some more dust. He half closes it, peering behind the door. Then shuts it completely shutting himself in, before re-opening it. "I guess yes we can open it again" he says smiling. "Obviously designed to keep non-dwarves out!" he grins.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "I would suggest no fire in here...we cook up
> some food real fast and then settle in behind
> the dwarven door, for some well needed rest...
> let the barbarians and orcs do what they may."

Larz shakes his head. "I can't say I feel like eating right now - I'll wait till morning"

Blondung starts munching on some dried meat, taking a swig from a nearly empty waterskin. He holds it up with a frown on his face. "I hope we can find a water source soon..." he mutter, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve. "I haven't got any food to cook!" he says holding up his dried beef jerky. "Without a cook-pot and a load more water and vegetables, I'll stick to eating this tasteless stuff cold..."

(OOC: I'm going to make an assumption that everyone goes in and closes the door behind them for now)

The party make their way into the dwarven built corridor, kicking up dust as they go. Lucretia seems keen to explore straight away, and Balnor goes with him, checking the corridor ahead for traps as he goes. The rest of the party enter the dusty corridor, trying not to kick the dust up too much. The air is slightly stale and dry, but is not bad. Larz shakes his head at the suggestion of a fire inside the corridor. "Until we know what the ventilation is like, I'd hate to use up all the air and smoke ourselves straight back out!"

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "Come Larz tell me more of this place and the
> weapons they made."

Larz shrugs. "I don't know a lot..." he says, pausing before continuing. "The weapons of Kheizar Dalan were fabled as being of exceptional workmanship as I recall, though they are few and far between these days - in fact I've only heard of dwarves who still have them... 2000 odd years is a long time to keep handing down a weapon!"

He joins them at the junction and peers down the two corridors, looking to the extent of the torch light, which is not very far at all (OOC: about 15') "I seem to remember something about them being particularly proud of the forge facilities they had here, and were jealous that any other dwarves would steal their techniques, so they kept the location of this place secret. When they stopped going to Shieldmeets, and their merchants stopped visiting to sell their weapons, they just disappeared from dwarven society!" He grins at Lucretia, his teeth gleaming white in the torchlight against his braided beard. "This has got to be the biggest find of the century though!" Suddenly he stifles a yawn.

"Maybe it would be best to rest first and then explore..."

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> He bends and checks the split for signs of any
> traffic...or other trail markers that may have
> been left by others....

The corridor is bare - the largest marks in the dust are made by insects.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> <Lucretia will also take the time to look over
> head to see what type of roof is above.>

The roof is of arched stone, carefully built, but showing the signs of age. It looks pretty solid though!

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> "Maybe we can just get by on candles. But if
> we don't bring some sort of light, I'll be
> pretty useless on watch tonight."

"Shame we don't have a lantern!" says Larz. "But I guess a candle will have to do!, though we could save them whilst Ceely, Merrell or myself watch..."

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> Opening it, she removes the ancient dwarven
> coin given to her by Gaard. Serena gazes at
> the coin as it glints dully in the dim light.
> `A coin of great rarity and value from a long
> lost dwarven empire,' Gaard had said. "Well,
> you've come home, at least," she murmurs.

Larz spots her looking at the coin. "May I have a look?" he says. (OOC: assuming she passes him the coin), he looks at it, and studies it. "Naaa, it's not from here" he comments before passing it back.

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> "But, Larz," Serena responded, rubbing the old dwarven
> coin between her fingers, "DelRoy Harpell said this coin
> was from Khiezar Dalan."

OOC: Damn Continuity Checker isn't working again...
IC: Larz looks at the coin again. "Hmmm..." he says, unsure. "I dunno - maybe I'm mistaken after all - well the markings are worn..." he says by way of excuse.

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> "Larz, what do the dwarven legends say? Is
> there only one entrance to Khiezar Dalan?
> Seems like there might be, since the city has
> been so difficult to relocate for all these
> years. And, if not, how big is the place?
> Miles across? We're on our last day of food,
> and I doubt that we'll find anything wholesome
> to eat (or drink) in there. If we venture any
> further into Khiezar Dalan, we should plan on
> spending no more than a day traversing it.
> And we should direct our efforts at seeking
> another exit - not at treasure hunting."

Larz nods sombrely at her words. "As for the size of this place, I have no idea!" he says. "I wouldn't think it a huge city - only one clan lived here, but they were a secretive clan..."

Changing the subject, Larz looks at Serena's injuries. "As we are about to sleep, and I will be able to pray for more assistance in the morning once I am not so tired, let me help you with your injuries." (OOC: assuming Serena doesn't object) So saying, he places his hand on her shoulder and
mutters something in dwarvish. A moment later, a warm glow surrounds her wounds, and they heal over. (OOC: 6hp back - now on full)

Larz then calls Lucretia over. "Luc, you still have a fairly bad wound there... let me help you." (OOC: assuming he accepts - he also gets 6 back - now on 31/32)

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> Serena sighs. "Here's a plan for you all
> to consider. How about we alert the orc
> guards to the presence of the barbarians
> outside the cave? That would be easily
> done by Cleo, shouting a few choice words
> (in the barbarian lingo) down the way to
> the guardroom. Then we close up this door
> and let the two sides work on each other
> all night. All day tomorrow (or until the
> torches run out) we explore what we can of
> Khiezar Dalan. If we can find an exit,
> we'll be home free. If not, we'll return
> here and assess the situation." Serena
> stops talking and looks around. "Opinions,
> anyone?"

Blondung nods his approval, still munching.

Larz shrugs. "Worth a go!" he says. "If the orcs go for it, we'll probably hear them passing through the door..."

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> As for garnering supplies from the orcs,
> I doubt they would keep much in a forward
> guard post. We would need to penetrate
> into a storeroom to find enough provender
> for us all. And even then, I'd be reluctant
> to consume much of what those villains keep
> for food."

Larz pipes up. "If they were playing dice, I'd guess they had a light source, and if they've got one, they may well have a few spare nearby..." he says. "But as for food - who knows... Anyway, we may be hungry, but we aren't starving yet!" he adds.

<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "Ok, so we can have Luc ask for our horses
> and tell the barbarians about the orcs.
> Then we can rest for the night, and in the
> morning, try to take the guard post. If we
> do it right and they don't raise an alarm,
> we can go and look for a storeroom deeper
> inside. If we run into trouble, we always
> have this place to run back to. Either way,
> once we're out and back here, the orcs will
> come out to investigate who just hit them, and
> find the barbarians, causing them to fight
> each other. What do you think?"

Blondung nods. "Great plan!" he says, "we could do with a few extra light sources if we could get them... We've probably only got enough torches for five or six hours... After that it would be candles... And I can't say I fancy wandering around this place with only candles!!! Of course, if the dwarven and half-eleven amongst us could take all the watches, then the rest of us could sleep without the need for any light..."

He pauses a moment and considers the implications of what he said. "Of course, if we were attacked in the dark, the rest of us would have the problem of trying to identify friend and foe whilst someone got a torch lit! Which I can't imagine will be that easy...

"I could produce a flame in an instant with a simple prayer..." says Larz, "...so at least we could get a torch lit."

***
<SNIP Lucretia's suggestion of getting a couple of the horses>

<Serena aka Archon wrote>: (replying to Lucretia)
> "Why don't you go talk to him? Maybe you can
> talk him out of a horse, but I doubt it."

Blondung sniggers, but says nothing. His face, turned towards the shadows is unreadable.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> <Luc turns to the woman who dared to call
> him stupid and draw his short sword.> "I'd
> mind your tongue if I were you little girl...
> if we weren't in need of that inept sword of
> yours...I'd feed you your own heart!"

"By the gods, will you just shut up and go to sleep!" mutters Blondung.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "Larz...open this damn door...I'll be back in a minute."

Larz grumbles, but opens the door for Lucretia shaking his head. "I also think it's a stupid idea Luc" he says. "They won't give you the horses... Just don't get yourself killed..." As Lucretia steps through the doorway, he places his hand on the warrior's arm for a moment. "Wait" he says briefly, before murmuring something in dwarvish. Lucretia feel's a shiver run through him for a moment. "Good luck" says the dwarf.

<Merrell aka Mike Br wrote>:
> "Wait my friend I am coming too!" Merrell calls
> out after him. The half-elf mage pulled his cloak
> up around himself and followed a short distance
> behind the warrior.

Larz shakes his head, as Merrell, then Serena follow Lucretia out into the main cave. He holds the door open awaiting their return.

Lucretia, using the light of the fire Yvandel lit (which is now burning quite low) makes his way towards the entrance of the cave. Outside, he can see about 10 separate camp fires now lit, scattered around the clearing.

He strides out of the cave, heading boldly towards the trees where the horses are tethered. Within a few paces of exiting the trees, he hears a yell of alarm, and many barbarians rise from where they had been sitting around their camp fires. Several grab bows and some grab spears.

Lucretia starts to shout out to the Sky Ponies, as he watches as several of them move to cut him off. He comes to a halt, continuing his speech. At the mention of eating and sacrificing horses, the barbarians cast glances at each other, and Lucretia is not sure if it is in awe or in incredulity, but continues his speech regardless, still hoping that he can bluff his way into getting a horse or two back to the cave.

As he mentions the orcs and the dwarven and drow spirits, they cast confused looks at each other. Some, insulted by his provocative words, step forward menacingly with their weapons held ready to use. Lucretia tries to pacify them, trying to explain the gnomes fiery massacre away, but if anything, it back-fires, and one of the barbarians screams at him in the barbarian tongue in anger, pulling his bow string to his chin and letting fly with an arrow.

The arrow thunks into Lucretia's right shoulder, spinning him around (OOC: 5hp damage - the arrow is still lodged in it). He staggers back a few paces, but sees that the barbarian who had fired is being restrained from shooting a second arrow by another barbarian who shouts to Lucretia.

"You all speak with serpent tongue!" he spits. "Your ancestors may rot in ground with every word you say!" As Lucretia backs off towards the cave again, he pauses. "Run to the cave now, but when the evil overcomes you, remember that I Jerek offered you an honourable death here at the hands of the Sky Ponies."

Before he can say another word, the night is split asunder by a bolt of lightning that rips out of the cave entrance, blasting Jerek and several of his companions backwards. Lucretia, even though was somewhat expecting it, is deafened and blinded by the blast, echoes of which rebound from distant hills for several seconds afterwards. He staggers back to the cave, jagged lines imprinted on his retina.

There is a distant roar buzzing in his ears, which slowly resolves itself into the yells and battle cries of the barbarians. As he stumbles into the cave, he becomes aware of the splintering noise of arrows and the crunching noise of spears hitting the rocks around him. Something hits him in his back, and then again, and then a third time! But still he staggers up on into the cave, past the fire and into the shelter of the dark at the corner.

Meanwhile inside the cave, Merrell and Serena were also blinded and doubly deafened by the lightning bolt going off within a confined space. As their sight returns, the spot Luc stumbling towards them, and realise that arrows are being shot into the cave entrance. Merrell feels something sting his cheek - a rock splinter from an arrow hitting just next to him, and he too retreats to the corner of the cave.

As Lucretia regains his breath at the back of the cave, he becomes aware of a warm sensation on his back. Feeling around, he can feel 3 arrows stuck in his back, and blood seeping into his clothing. His shoulder still hurts, but other pains are starting to make it seem minor.

Further back in the dwarven corridor, the thundercrash of the lightning bolt is somewhat lessened, but enough to jerk awake any who had been drifting off to sleep and make them cover their ears. "By the Gods!" exclaims Blondung as more dust from the ceiling falls on them.

Larz rushes out of the doorway and half drags, half pushes the three of them back through the door and slams it shut behind them. "Milo, Herod!" he barks. "Help Lucretia!" The dwarf start to help remove some of the arrows.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
"They use the weapons of children...there is no honor in those barbarian scum!" <Sitting he tries to pull the arrow from his shoulder but feels darkness spinning on him...shaking his head to drive it away.> "I think I struck a nerve"...."I vote for a full frontal assault on the barbarians at first light." <He smiles weakly obviously in pain.> "Merrell you were magnificent...I owe you my life...thank you. <again he shakes his head...must be what it feels like to die...though the wounds didn't seem near as bad as what the Virman did to him those weeks back.> "When I've rested I will hunt down every Sky Pony and put their head on a pike!" <the pain obviously intense he reaches trying to get the arrows out but unable to reach them.> "Little assistance with these...<to much for him he barely manages to finish his last sentence before the darkness grabs him and he slumps over passed out.>

THE NEXT MORNING

<Ceely aka Robson wrote>:
> "Well, I think we should not open the door yet...
> <SNIP REST OF REASONS>

It soon becomes apparent that Ceely is pretty much the only dissenting voice to opening the door and having a look, so Cleo tries the door and cracks it open a little any. Pleased that Larz was correct and that a non-dwarf could open the door from this side, she listens at the crack. All is quiet, and dark. Larz, standing close, urges her to open the door wider. Peering into the darkness beyond, he nods, and steps outside.

After a few paces, it becomes quickly apparent that it must be daylight outside, as the gleam of daylight reflecting off the cavern walls can just be seen near the corner. It also becomes clear that the secret door to the orc cave has been shut again.

Whilst Serena, Milo and Ceely remain inside the dwarven corridor, with a single lit torch, the rest of the party make their way slowly to the entrance of the cave, where the sound of rain beating down can be heard. Finally, they get to see the clearing in front of the cave.

It is not a pretty sight. Bodies lie everywhere, frozen in the rictus of death. Even now, carrion crows are pecking at the eyes of once brave warriors. Looking around, only barbarian and horse corpses can be seen, killed by spear or arrow wounds. The occasional broken arrow shaft still sticks from a body - but most orc arrows or spears have been retrieved. There don't appear to be any dead orc bodies - the group can only assume that the orcs were the winners of this battle and that they took their dead away. Of the party's horses there are no sign.

"By the gods!" mutters Larz.

The overcast sky gives no indication as to the position of the sun, and so judging the time is difficult.

<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "Go check it out, Dodge. Go see!" she says,
> sending Dodger out of the cave first to see
> if he detects any danger.

Dodger bounds out of the cave, ignoring the rain, just glad to be out from under the oppressive rock. He runs out into the open, before pulling up short at the nearest body. A couple of the crows flap into the air, but settle down again on a body further away. Dodger moves slowly around, pausing to sniff the bodies. His high spirits also seem dampened, and his tail doesn't wag.

<Cleo aka Dan continued>:
> Cleo readies her bow just in case, and grimly
> starts counting the bodies that she can see
> from inside the cave.

Cleo counts at least 50 within sight of the cave entrance, but gets the feeling that there are more out of sight, hidden in the nearby trees.

<Cleo aka Dan continued>:
> Cleo will go back in and inspect the area around
> the secret door, trying to confirm whether the
> orcs really did come out this door (you never
> know, there could be another secret door), and
> will also look for blood trails which will
> indicate that the orcs took their casualties
> back in through this door.

Cleo can tell that the entrance has been used a lot. In the entrance of the cave, where there is some natural light, she can see what looks like some blood stains, but against the dark rock and mud it is difficult to tell.

<Yvandel aka Sebastian wrote>:
> "So, what do we do now?" Yvandel spoke. "Do we
> follow our more adventurous instinct and explore
> the ruins of Khiezar Dalan, or do we do our job
> and deliver the stones to Silverymoon? We can
> always come back here at a later time..."

Larz looks up in surprise. "I have to explore Khiezar Dalan!" he exclaims. "This is the biggest find in dwarven history!" he continues as if by way of explanation.

<Serena aka Archon wrote>:
> Quietly she says, "I agree with you Yvandel.
> Let's leave Khiezar Dalan for now. We have a
> job to finish in Silverymoon."

"But this is important!" blurts Larz.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "I kind of think fate led us to Khiezar Dalan
> but I'm all for heading to Silverymoon right
> now...I just have this feeling we will be back."

Larz glares at Lucretia - once one of the group keenest to start exploring - it is almost as if the big fighter has just betrayed him.

"If we arrive at Silverymoon with only the knowledge of where this place is, then for all I know, we will be banned from returning until an 'official party from Mithral Hall' get here!" says Larz, looking around the party in turn, searching for support.

<Cleo aka Dan continued>:
> I agree, though, we should head back to Silverymoon.
> That way we can return much better prepared for a
> longer stay under..." Cleo sighs. "Underground."

Larz sees any support dropping away from him, and looks almost pleadingly - at least as pleading as any dwarf can look - to Cleo

<Merrell aka Mike Br. wrote>:
> "I agree whole heartedly with pressing on to
> Silverymoon. Though the orcs are a dense lot,
> they obviously number several hundred. These
> barbarians that lay dead here are a testimony
> to their lethalness."

Larz shakes his head, knowing that what is being said is right, but still wanting to believe that there is still a chance that he can get to explore Khiezar Dalan now.

<Cleo aka Dan continued>:
> Larz, can you make sure the drarven door is
> closed completly?

Larz nods dumbly, resigned to simply returning at another time to complete the explanation of the almost fabled lost dwarven hold.

<Herod aka Scott wrote>:
> Finally, Herod says, "I think we should continue
> on to Silverymoon, and I think we should move
> now before the orcs come back up to see if there
> are any other barbarians."

Resigned, Larz fetches his own pack. Once everyone is out, he looks wistfully through the dwarven door one more time, then closes it firmly behind him.

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> (OOC: Can she carry her saddle comfortably? If
> it will overburden her, she will leave it behind
> in the dusty corridor.)

OOC: It would overburden her for any long journey.

<Cleo aka Dan continued>:
> (While Ceely looks for some horses, Cleo will look
> around for any unused arrows to replenish her supply,
> and generally search the bodies to see if they might
> have anything useful, such as maps, coins, equipment,
> etc.)

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> Whilst waiting for the others, she, too, will search
> the battlefield for any stray, usable, arrows.

<Balnor aka Mike Be. Wrote>:
> He begins looking for anything left by the Orcs
> after the fight. Any daggers, torches, food?

Cleo and Serena find only 5 arrows between them. There are many broken ones, but for the most part, the orcs had already searched for and taken any unbroken ones they could find back. Together with Balnor, they also find quite a lot of supplies however. The barbarian warriors each carried two torches, some dried meat and vegetables, a water skin, wool blankets and leather ponchos. They do not have any coins on them, but all carry beads and animal teeth necklaces and the like. There are a few bone handled daggers, but most of the barbarian weapons have been taken by the orcs.

Hearing about the food and drink and numerous torches, Larz makes one last attempt to persuade the almost unanimous decision to continue their journey to Silverymoon. "See! We don't need to return for supplies now!" he says...

<Serena aka Archon continued>:
> She stares out into the rain. "I guess we had
> better stay within sight of the river, regardless.
> Silverymoon is on the river. That is what I
> recall from the maps I've seen . . ."

"As I recall," says Blondung dryly. "These woods here are the southern edge of the Moonwoods." He waves a hand generally towards the southwest. "Silverymoon is somewhere in that direction, but to save getting lost, we could either go straight south, and try to find the river, and follow that, or we could follow the edge of these woods, get to the village of Quaervaar, and then head south down a road."

He shrugs. "Personally, I'd prefer to follow a landmark, like the edge of the woods, than to head in a general direction - if that damn fog comes down again before we reach the river, we could end up going in circles!"

The Sky Ponies