Open Chronicles Homecoming

[Tholiel Ironarm]

Tholiel twisted to look between the dark dwarf and their guest. A tiefling? The confused look was likely seen by the one who spoke with knowing. She had heard of them sure, but that was chalked up to ranting and wives tales in her opinion.

Then again, she had spent most of her time above ground. "Gods above, I 'ope they can fight. Slinkin' 'round like that."

 

[Tonwee]

Tonwee continued searching his bandoliers for a artefact that could have helped. The hound was down, still twitching. Barely meters in front of the tostudo where it had come to rest.

The dwarves were already talking about heading deeper into the city. This had all sounded like a grand adventure at the start. Getting out of his workshops and out onto the road after a journey through the portal stones. How were they enjoying this? He thought to himself.

"Do you know...what else...is lurking here?" he asked of Kala

He suspected the tiefling was an artefact thief, which would bring her into conflict with the dwarves later. For now, she might have more information.

 

[Kala]

"Fight?" She echoed incredulously. "Oh goodness no."

It was hard acting like a simpleton, but she'd observed the College Mages enough to pull it off. She adjusted the glasses on her face, thankful that she had them to help sell her act. "I'm a researcher for the College of Elbion."

Kala quickly explained.

"There is a passage to this place from the surface, I managed to open the combination door and found my way here. It is utterly fascinating." She assured them.

Her gaze flickered through the party, frowning slightly when she got over the Duergar.

"I'm afraid I only know what I've read." She assured the...turtle? What the hell was that? "Goblins often inhabit these abandoned Holds, along with magma salamanders and of course Kobolds. Though the goblins and kobolds tend to fight."

Kala put a hand on her chin and nodded.

 

[Tonwee]

"Oh I am...frequently...at the college...myself..." Tonwee explained. He was a tradesman rather than an academic.

They had once attempted to led him conduct a lecture. After a two hour introduction, the contents of which not having filled a single parchment for any of the students (half of whom had fallen asleep anyway), it was decided that they would not invite him again.

"Who do you...work with...there?" he asked. Slowly.

Kala

 

[Lokdrarlig]

Lokdrarlig sighed, he wouldn't have turned away a steady hand. While the Tiefling seemed oblivious to the combative arts, she did provide some valuable information as to the creatures they might encounter on the rest of their journey.

The turtle was a curious one, Lokdrarlig had never quite seen anything like him and he was not sure what to make of him just yet. He seemed innocent, yet slow to act, perhaps in the next battle, he would redeem himself.

Instead, ignoring the rest of the group, Lokdrarlig turned towards his fellow dwarves. "Reckon we take this a floor at a time, clear th' upper levels fur th' caravans - wait until we've got th' mercenaries behind us afore we dae th' deeper levels."

He paused, considering the devil spawns words. Goblins and Kobolds were easy pickings, magma salamanders were tricky beasties. That said, he couldn't shake a feeling of dread and unease. The beast they had just fought was not something he'd ever encountered. Nor could he imagine it living peacefully with the aforementioned creatures.

Something with amiss here.

 

[Kala]

This turtle was asking to be turned into soup.

Kala pushed the glasses up her nose, using her hand to hide a grimace before she quickly began to speak. "Have you now?"

A smile touched her lips.

"I work primarily with Professors Hartman and Orin." Those were the two mages that she used as contacts in Vel Anir. They purchased things from her now and again, and it wasn't like the Turtle could do any research at the moment on her. "We primarily study the origins of older magics, such as the Runes."

She remembered Kara mentioning that nonsense once.

 

[Amhlaidh]

Amhlaidh wasn't flabbergasted but the tiefling had him momentarily stumped. Wander into an abandoned hold because it was fascinating? Now the blasted turtle was discussing college experiences and acquaintances with the creature.

Lokdralig's statement was a welcome interruption from the two academics chattering away. "Aye" he grunted, "We've the gate in now sure so once we've got this floor secure then we can head down deeper" to worse. "I'll give them the signal to come forward. If ye're going exploring or poking around, no one goes alone". He shouldered his axe with a grunt and took a look around. "Try not to kill each other while i'm gone"

 

[Tonwee]

"I will explore...this...way..." went Tonwee, looking towards a crumbling door flanked by long dead dwarven lords of stone.

He slowly turned towards it, lifting his hammer and placing it back down on the flagstones. The sound echoed through the abandoned halls. His head craned around to look back at Kala.

"If you...come...we could...discuss the intricacies of...dwarven power...

He took a breath.

"...runes."

Everyone else had grown bored of such academic discussion, but seeing as they had to pair up to explore it seemed the perfect opportunity to Tonwee.

 

[Lokdrarlig]

"Aye, I'll come wit' ye Tonwee and so will our new friend... What was yer name?" He paused, addressing Kala. Lokdrarlig had known she hadn't introduced herself, but he was merely making a point.

Whether it was his prejudices coming out or not, Lokdrarlig did not trust the Tiefling and hoped that Tonwee would be able to suss him out - whether or not the poor turtle realised he was doing so.

"Be good to have a steady hand to keep ye safe." He grinned, twirling his urgrosh around evenly in his palm, before following after Tonwee towards one of the various directions of the seemingly never-ending keep they had entered.

 

[Amhlaidh]

Amhlaidh busied himself with dealing with the vanguard. The advance party from the expedition was at the gates. All pretence of military bearing seemed to evaporate when they saw the huge demon corpse sprawled on the floor.

"Gods above. Ya not seen a bloody corpse afore? Get yer arse in gear" he snarled. A combination of yelling, shoving, and gesturing got them moving again. He stalked out angrily, eyes squinting in the bright sunlight. The other carts were coming along the old road, they'd have them in and under cover before nightfall.

It wasn't natural to sleep under the stars. He'd feel a lot better with some good solid stone and earth over him. Even the thought of what horrors might lie below the surface couldn't shake him.