In search of Gloomvine...

The burning sun had dropped below the horizon and the worst of the days heat was bleeding away as the twin moons rose into the clear night sky, the old ashik prodded the small kank dung fire with the toe of his sandal sending small sparks drifting upwards and briefly illuminating his weather lined face. The sibling herders look towards him waiting for him to pick up his tale once again.

Leaving a tense Rikus to his administrative workload, the group returned back to the Golden Inix to discuss what they would do next, and where they might try to find some Gloomvine. Kank talked through everything that they knew so far about Gloomvine, in particular that it was once farmed by an intelligent subterranean race, Scar looks up and says that the race might well be the ancient Dwarves as all of the ruins of that long lost civilisation have been discovered below ground, including the temple in the Under Tyr.

Kank suggests that they could speak to the Dwarves of Kled and see if they know anything and Balboa points out that they were digging for the lost Dwarven City of Kemalok and that Kled is near to the oasis and that the druid who protects the oasis might also know something. Then Arthur says;

Why travel four days when we are sat above the Great Dwarven Trade Route?

Kank is not convinced as he thinks that somewhere that close would have been searched by people in the city already, but then Scar points out how dangerous it is and that not many people would venture that far from the safety of the city guard. Miloch says that the only source of Gloomvine in the city appears to be a couple of Elves trading out of the Elven Market but that it is unlikely that the group would be able to get any information out of them, but Arthur is still willing to give it a go. Balboa says that they could try to follow the Elves but everyone discounts it because the group has a not too subtle track record.

After an hour of back and forth discussion it is settled that they will investigate the Great Dwarven Trade Route, but that they will enter from the abandoned village a day and a half travel from the gates of Tyr. There is a moment of silence and then Ferulah, who is now in a Human form and looking a lot like Scar’s sister, says;

Why go all that way when we can get there in hours from the city?

Again Kank looks unconvinced and a little nervous about going to the area of the city that Mila says was one of the disease hotspots, but the rest of the group agree with Ferulah and so Kank heads out to the stables on the outskirts of the city to pay for an extra five days for the groups beasts, while Arthur secures four days worth of provisions for their search. As Mila is serving them food that afternoon she can see that the group are getting ready to head off once again and she asks where they are going this time, Scar responds telling her that they are going in search of Gloomvine. Mila nods her head as if expecting that answer and says;

Lots of people are looking for that plant. I wish you luck!

As the sun sets six people leave the Golden Inix, armoured and armed, and head for the Warrens. They haven’t travelled far before they are intercepted by a city patrol led by a Mul;

What is your business at this hour and prepared for battle?

The groups Earth priest, and ambassador steps forwards;

My name is Balboa and we have been charged by Rikus to seek out Gloomvine.

The Mul sergeant stands a little straighter and replies;

Do you need escorting sir?

A smile spreads across Balboa’s face as he looks over his shoulder at the heavily muscled forms of Arthur and Kank, the lithe deadly graceful forms of Ferulah and Scar, and the quiet lethality of Miloch and he turns back to the sergeant and says;

I don’t believe that will be necessary, thank you!

The group continue towards the Warrens and as they draw closer the streets become less populated and eventually there is no one but small groups of furtive looking Elves standing in doorways watching them pass, but none of them decide to intercept the well armed group of former slaves. Then Scar spots ahead of them, moving in the same direction, a party of four robe individuals. From their graceful movements and height, Scar believes them to be Elves and they are definitely heading into the Warrens. The foursome of robed figures enter the derelict building continuing the entrance to the Under Tyr and disappear out of sight, and by the time that the group reach the building there is no sign of them. Balboa listens carefully and says that he can hear footsteps heading off into the Under Tyr and so the group decide to follow them.

Kank climbs down the ladder and is followed by Ferulah, when she is only a few runs down the ladder breaks underneath her and she leaps clear and lands with cat like grace on the floor below. Arthur looks over the lip of the trap door at Kank;

That’s coming out of your share of any loot!

Kank just shrugs as they rig up a rope for the rest of them to climb down. By the time they make it down to the tunnels of the Under Tyr they can only just make out a dim light in the distance heading in the direction of the Plaza of Bones, the location where they fought the fearsome Behir. They follow on keeping the light source in sight believing the Elves to be almost a mile ahead of them. The Elves stretch out their lead over the four miles to the plaza as the group are slowed by Arthur’s pace, but they can still just make out the light on the arrow straight road. That is until it jinks left and disappears.

The group arrive at the Plaza of Bones and can see a pile of bodies near one of the statues to the left of the plaza, Scar moves forwards to investigate and finds five bodies. One of them is the body of a Half-giant and another is in the black and red tabard of a Templar of Tyr. All of them have suffered slashing and crushing injuries and it is clear that they died in a battle. Kank checks the area for tracks and confirms that they was a fight in the centre of the plaza and Scar believes that the bodies died a couple of days ago.

Believing the Elves to have turned left the group follow on and find that the passageway leads to a large room with a high ceiling supported by six large columns. There are four alcoves along the left and right hand walls and each alcove contains a life size statue of a dwarf. Kank and Ferulah advance into the room, Kank tracking the vague outline of footprints in the dust and Ferulah following the scent of the Elves. Both trails lead to the third statue along the left hand wall and stop. Kank looks back and says;

Who’s the smallest?

Balboa sighs, and moves reluctantly forwards. He slips in behind the statue and starts to search the dark niche. Kank’s head turns towards the other two exits from the room as he thinks that he can hear the faint sound of movement, but when it doesn’t grow any louder he turns his attention back to Balboa. The Mul’s affinity with stone leads him to discover a very well hidden doorway, and the smallest of catches to release the portal, which he pushes and the door swings slightly ajar on its ancient mechanism.

While Balboa is searching the niche, Scar distracts herself by searching the two guard posts at the entrance to the room, she discovers a small circular hole, approximately an inch and a half in diameter, about four foot from floor level in the left hand post. She double checks the opposite post but cannot find a matching hole. As she is contemplating what the hole might be for she hears Kank say that he is going to open the secret door and so she heads back to the main group. She arrives just in time to see Kank push the door open and step into the narrow, five foot wide, corridor beyond.

Kank moves forwards and almost immediately finds himself at a junction with the passageway continuing forwards into the darkness and a similar one running off a ninety degrees to the left. They leave Miloch to guard the junction and move along the left hand passageway. After about sixty feet they arrive at another t-junction, Ferulah sniffs the air and exclaims;

The Elves did not pass this way. No one has been here for a long time.

A short way to the left they find the other side of the hole that Scar had discovered in the guard post, Scar points out that it must be a spy hole. To the right they find another small room with no exits, and based on the detritus in the room they assume that it must have been another guard station. They quickly return back to Miloch and continue along the passageway and after a short distance find themselves at the top of a spiral staircase.

After several revolutions they find themselves in yet another narrow passageway that ends in a t-junction after forty foot. Kank checks for tracks at the junction and finds that the Elves headed to the right. And then he hears the sound of Elvish voices echoing back to him from along the corridor and so the group quickly hood their lanterns and move towards the voices feeling their way along the walls until they open out into a large and pillared room. Opposite the doorway they find themselves in is a large exit that leads onto a wide bridge crossing a yawning chasm. Stood upon the bridge is an Elf holding a torch and staring over the side.

One of the group makes a noise and the Elf’s head whips around and seeing the group he shouts a warning before disappearing over the side of the bridge. Scar runs to where the Elf went over the side and finds that the Elf is sliding down a length of rope that is tied to a solid stone brazier on the bridge. Scar grabs hold of the rope and starts to haul it up and as soon as she does the Elf lets go and drops the last twenty foot to the floor of the chasm.

The others catch up to Scar and find her standing on the bridge watching the Elf run towards his companions across a dry river bed. From the torches it is obvious that this is the group of four Elves that they had followed from the city of Tyr, as they are watching three of the Elves ram their torches into the dry river bed and draw bows. Arthur looks at Balboa and says;

Parlay?

Balboa steps to the edge of the bridge and shouts;

Greetings travellers in the Under city!

One of the Elves responds;

Greetings!

Balboa continues;

We come seeking Gloomvine in the under city, do you have any idea where we might find such a plant?

The Elf looks around himself and then shouts;

No! We are also searching for Gloomvine. We are searching here, I suggest that you try elsewhere.

A smile crosses Balboa’s face and he responds;

We wish you luck with your search!

The group of former slaves sit down on the bridge and have some food while they decide what to do next, and in the hope that their presence might provoke the Elves. Eventually they decide to move on and search the pathways that they ignored previously. As they are leaving, and with their lanterns now fully lit, Balboa states that he believes that the area may have been used in ceremonies to prepare and inter the dead. They quickly return to the secret door and take the left hand doorway, they find themselves in a large room overlooking the dry river bed and the bridge, and can see the Elves still searching the river bed.

Once again Balboa believes that this viewing room is connected to the interment of the dead, where the mourners could watch the dead be transported across the bridge below to their final resting place. The group leave the room and head for the other doorway, after sixty foot it arrives at a crossroads, the pathway directly opposite appears to have collapsed but of more interest are the dancing shadows from what must be a fire along the left hand passage. Kank sneaks along the passage to the first doorway, that is in darkness, and can see some rough bedding thrown down in a debris strewn room. The bedding looks big enough for a Half-giant, but now that he is closer Kank can hear the low rumble of a Half-giant talking but he can also make out the voice of a man.

Kank returns to the others and Scar suggests someone lighting a torch and making out that they are going to camp in one of the rooms along the right hand passage to draw them out. Scar and Miloch cross the passage and hide in the collapsed corridor opposite while Arthur and Balboa hide in the corridor the group entered via, Kank and Ferulah move along the right hand passage and enter the first room on the right. Kank then lights a torch and loudly says;

This looks like a safe place to sleep, we better bed down.

Moments later a human voice shouts;

What do you want?

Kank responds by asking who is asking. The voice responds;

I’m Gortash!

Kank steps out of the room and at the far end of the corridor an see a large, well muscled Human in the black and red trim of an old Templar of Kalak. Kank asks quite calmly;

What are you doing down here?

The Templar says that they are trying to find a way through the Under Tyr and away from the city. Kank nods in understanding, and says;

I am trying to find Gloomvine to help my sick family, have you seen any?

The Templar says that he hasn’t, and Kank asks if he knows anything about the bodies in the Plaza of Bones. The Templar nods;

They were preaching a new faith, a power called something like Nurcal Malay. We were not interested and they attacked, it was a hard fight.

It is then that Kank notices that the Templar’s tabard is bloody down one side and it is clear that he has been injured. Kank decides it best to avoid a fight and explains to the Templar how to get out of the Under Tyr via the well in the Dwarven square, he then heads back along the corridor and makes his way out. The others quietly follow him and leave the Templar and his followers behind.

They head back to the bridge and discover that the Elves have left, Kank also looks for tracks on the bridge and discovers that no one has crossed it in a very long time. Arthur and Kank lower Scar over the side of the bridge to the dry river bed below, she is followed by Balboa and then Ferulah helps Kank lower Arthur and Miloch. While Ferulah and Kank stand guard, the others start to search the dry river bed for Gloomvine and it is not long before Balboa finds a small patch of Gloomvine with five flower heads fifteen foot the chasm wall, and then moments later Scar finds another patch with four flower heads at ground level.

They carry on searching along the river bed for another twenty minutes when all of a sudden the river bed collapses below Scar. Arthur and Balboa manage to leap clear but Miloch and Scar disappear into the sinkhole.