Chapter 3-13 - Breaching the Kanaalden Mort
After about an hour the party was ready. Khalyd had given Ryoko a few Thal'Ahd talismans to hang on her armour to improve the illusion. Aetilius had stripped off his armour, plus his sword and shield. His shield was strapped to Ryoko's back, while the armour clanked in a heavy hide sack. Aetilius hid his backpack, alongside Talon, up in a tree to recover after they had rescued Badger. Kulog hung from Miaug's belt, just beneath her cloak. A few handfuls of moss stuck over the spikes on Clootie's elbow pads effectively disguised her as some sort of semi-primitive savage. Ramas cast Disguise Self to appear as Khalyd, his Dark Dagger once again encircling his wrist as a delicate onyx band, and his pistol strapped to his back, beneath his cloak. Rope was tied around each of their wrists, Khalyd helped them tie trapper's knots that they could release with a quick pull on the correct cord.
"How do we look?" Ryoko asked Khalyd. The Thal'Ahd shook his head a little,
"You might actually pull this off…"
The walls of the fortress were even more daunting up close. Verani guards stared down at them from atop the wall. The soldiers were dressed in unfamiliar garb, all wearing similar armour made of what appeared to be some form of smoky quartz. Each soldier had a headscarf wrapped around their head and covering the lower half of their face. The colour of the scarves seemed to vary; red, yellow and orange all visible among the fortress patrols.
The guard at the gate looked the party over, intense eyes just visible through the slit in his yellow headscarf. He muttered something in an unknown language to the guard on the other side, who immediately raised his bow, aiming an arrow directly at Ryoko.
The gate guard barked out a challenge in Draconic
"I've never seen you before, lizard. What do you have here?"
Ryoko stammered for a moment. Ramas smoothly responded,
"More subjects for the council's experiments"
The guard eyed Miaug suspiciously,
"You! Take down your hood"
Miaug pulled her hood down and the guard's eyes widened. He bowed to the Tabaxi, stammering out an apology,
"I'm sorry, sir. Enter, please" he waved the party on.
Through the archway, a narrow path sloped steeply upward to the cave mouth above, a sheer drop on either side. The rest of the ground inside the wall was an impossibly black, slightly shifting surface, like boiling tar. Ramas glanced about, carefully assessing the layout of the wall and the pattern of the guards. Six guards stood positioned around the wall, with an ideal line of sight to the exposed party inside. This whole wall was a kill box, designed to allow the defenders to easily defeat vast numbers of attackers. At the top of the ramp, the path blended seamlessly into the cavern floor. In this chamber he noted another four guards, two manning fortifications overlooking the inside of the wall, two more guiding the travellers in.
The walls of the cavern were polished and flat, similar to the surface of the wall. The cave was clearly manmade, perfectly flat and regular. In the centre of the back wall a wide passageway plunged deeper into the mountain. On either side of this passageway large red banners hung on the wall, embossed with an orange crossed hammer and sword design. Arrow slits on either side of the banners belied the guardposts built into the stone behind. The two guards at the top of the ramp directed the group towards the passageway, staring intently with suspicious eyes.
The passageway was narrow and dark, but quickly opened into a rectangular chamber. At the opposite end, a huge iron portcullis blocked passage further into the mountain. On either side windows opened into additional guard stations, with a door in each wall offering access. Two guards stood in the chamber, both wearing orange headscarves. The one on the left beckoned the group forward,
"What offering do you bring to the Verani, lizard" he growled in very clear Draconic.
Ramas, unable to understand, looked over at Ryoko. The druid growled back,
"Outsiders"
The Verani nodded, eying the captives. He looked Aetilius up and down he grunted approvingly at the big tiefling. His gaze slipped to Clootie, eyes widening slightly in surprise and amusement. Clootie struggled to rein in her rebellious instinct, her jaw clenched as she glared at the Verani. The amusement slipped from his face, suspicion beginning to cloud his brow. Ramas, watching this happen, realised their cover was about to be blown. He stepped behind Clootie and cuffed her sharply around the head, knocking her slightly off balance,
"Know your place" he growled at her. The guard seemed satisfied, nodding at Ramas and Ryoko and stepping over to the portcullis. He reached into a small sconce beside the gate and pulled out a pale white stone. The stone started to glow with a soft silver light. The guard absently pointed it at the group as he started to walk towards one of the side doors. The light harmlessly illuminated each of the group, until it reached Ramas. As soon as the light touched the half-elf, bright white flames erupted over his body, burning away his disguise and leaving him exposed. The guard stopped in his tracks, too surprised to react. His companion on the other hand turns and runs towards the door. Reacting quickly, Ryoko whipped out her staff, coiling a thorny tendril around the guard and pulling him back She unhooked Kulog from her belt and tossed it up in the air. Ramas pulled the release cord on the rope; at the same time viscous black liquid slid down from his wrist and formed into the jagged blade of the Dark Dagger which he jammed into the surprised guard's throat. Kulog responded to Clootie's call, abruptly changing direction in mid-air and whizzing through the air into her hand. In a smooth motion she whipped the hammer around and hurled it at the window to one of the guard posts. As it whirled through the air, it expanded into it's warhammer form and crashed into one of the unsuspecting guards in the next room, crushing his skull. Miaug calmly slipped arrows from her quiver and loosed shot after shot, dropping two of the other guards in seconds. Aetilius manifested his mythal axe and tossed it through the window after Kulog, catching another guard in the chest.
Finally able to react, the remaining three guards ran out of the doors into the chamber. One guard, adorned with a yellow head scarf, stamped his foot on the stone floor. The rock below his feet cracked and splintered. Chunks of stone lifted out of the ground and coalesced around his body, completely encasing him as though a suit of armour. With a roar, he charged at Ramas, who rolled out of the way at the last instant. The other two guards both wore red scarves and wielded longbows. They drew their bows in practiced unison. Bright blue energy coursed along the arrow shafts. Both shots struck the floor in the middle of the group, within instant of one another. On impact the arrows erupted in a pulse of bright blue energy which knocked Clootie, Ryoko and Aetilius up into the air and sent them sprawling. The remaining orange scarved guard on the floor pulled one of his curved scimitars from it's sheath on his back and cut loose the tendril from Ryoko's staff. He rolled to his feet, then disappeared in a cloud of orange smoke.
Miaug heard a sound from the tunnel behind her, and spun around just in time to see the guard disappear around the corner into the entrance cavern. Ramas leapt to his feet, and ran at the stone encased guard, jumping on his back and trying to find a gap between the rocks for his dagger. Ryoko shifted into her Urkhan Vhar form. The shadowy tiger leapt into the air and dissolved into a black mist, coalescing into physical form on top of one of the bow wielding guards and tearing his throat out. Clootie recalled Kulog. As the hammer flew through the air, it struck the stone armored guard in the back, knocking a chunk of rock loose. Seizing the opportunity, Ramas thrust the dark dagger through the gap into the guard's neck. The guard gurgled softly and collapsed, the stone armour falling apart into a pile of scree. Miaug quickly dispatched the remaining bowman with two arrows.
Shouting echoed down from the entrance tunnel as the escaped guard rallied reinforcements. Aetilius grabbed a hold of the portcullis and desperately strained to lift it. Clootie and Ramas both joined him. Miaug turned to watch the entrance tunnel, an arrow drawn in Stormbow. Ryoko shifted back to Dragonborn form to help the group with the portcullis. She put out a hand to steady herself. When it touched the wall beside the portcullis, her scales began to tingle. She looked carefully at the wall. She could just see a shimmer of blue light playing across the surface. She followed the trail of light, towards the left hand guard post. Footsteps echoed down the entrance tunnel. An unfortunate guard came into view and Miaug instantly felled him with her arrow, drawing a fresh one almost instantly. Ryoko looked through the window into the guard room, and noticed the blue light seemed to lead to a hemispherical depression in the desk just inside the window. Her mind raced, quickly jumping ahead,
"Throw me that white gem thing" she yelled at Clootie. The little gnome let go of the portcullis and pried the stone out of the dead guard's hand, tossing it to her friend. Ryoko slammed it into the depression in the desk and with a loud grinding sound the portcullis lifted. Aetilius waved Ramas through. Miaug loosed another couple of arrows at their pursuers then locked eyes with Ryoko as they shared an unspoken plan,
"Go Aetilius!" Ryoko yelled. The big tiefling obeyed, picking up Clootie and running through the portal. Ryoko shifted back into her Urkhan Vhar form and snatched the gemstone in her jaws. Miaug fired another shot, felling another guard, then turned and ran, sliding under the portcullis as it dropped. Ryoko leaped at the gate, dissolving into a cloud of black smoke, passing cleanly through the iron bars and reforming on the far side. Together, the group raced down the passageway.
The passage beyond the portcullis descended deep into the mountain. It took them minutes to traverse the polished stone path. Eventually, the passageway opened into a large rectangular chamber. On either side of the room, elevated platforms overlooked the entrance, from which two Verani guardsmen watched them suspiciously, bows at the ready. In the middle of the far wall stood a large double door of bright crystal.
Two other guards approached them,
"We weren't notified of any deliveries" barked the lead guard in Draconic.
Ramas calmly stepped forwards, hands raised with an amiable smile on his face,
"Don't worry. We have all the paperwork here."
Like magic, his dagger appeared in his hand and with a stunning burst of speed he closed the gap, slitting one of the guard's throats, then spinning and driving the dagger into the other's chest. The two guards on the platforms loosed their arrows, but Ramas draped the corpse of the first guard across his back like a shield, intercepting the arrows. Miaug felled one of the guards quickly with two well placed arrows. Aetilius used a quick sweep of his wings to help him leap up to the other platform. The guard lunged at him with a short sword, but Aetilius dodged aside and drove his mythal axe into the last guard's chest. He kicked the dead guard onto the floor below, then jumped down and returned to the group,
"Ok. I want my armour back now"
The party re-equipped themselves, then carefully pushed the crystal door ajar and peered out into the hall beyond. Beyond the door, the passage split in three directions. Straight ahead stood an even larger door of black crystal, flecked with gold. To the left and right, the passage curved, forming a semicircle with the black door at it's apex. The group slipped across the passageway and pressed themselves against the wall on either side of the black door. Ramas pressed his ear against the door. He could hear a muffled scuffling sound on the other side. Unwilling to risk an unnecessary fight, he motioned to check one of the passageways. The group crept quietly into the right hand side path.
The passage curved around for a short distance, then emerged into a dingy narrow room with a low ceiling. The walls were the same standard smooth surface, but the floor had been laid with stone tiles.
Dominating the room lay three large stone slab tables, stained a deep red or brown. Atop one table lay the corpse of a Kenedibra. It's chest cavity had been pried open and various organs appeared to have been removed and placed in stone bowls on the table .
On the table to the right of the door lay the naked body of a human male in his early twenties. His chest had also been opened with a long incision from throat to navel, the skin had been peeled back and the ribcage been cracked open. The top of his skull had been removed, exposing the brain. Ramas and Clootie entered the room first. The little gnome started to gag as the smell of decomposition and chemicals hit her.
Sudden movement in the corner of the room alerted Ramas, his dark dagger appearing in his hand. A tall thin man with bronze skin and a pointed goatee locked eyes with the half-elf and shouted something in an unfamiliar language. He pointed a gnarled hand at them, and a burst of flame leapt towards Ramas. The half-elf dodged aside and hurled back a firebolt of his own, which struck the mage in his chest, setting the sleeve of his robe alight. Aetilius barrelled into the room, axe raised to strike. The thin man drew a sigil in the air and the tiefling's armour began to glow red hot. The pain broke his concentration, and he collapsed against the wall, flesh sizzling as he desperately clawed at the buckles on his breastplate.
Clootie ran toward the man, quickly jumping onto the nearest table and leaping off, swinging Kulog against his chin and knocking him back against the wall. Miaug slipped into the room, and a single arrow through the eye socket finished off the unfortunate mage. Clootie and Ryoko helped Aetilius shuck out of his breastplate, which was rapidly cooling. The skin beneath was blistered, but his infernal blood was already at work healing the burns.
A small dark passageway led off from the side of the room. A faint whimpering sound echoed out a small dark passageway in the side of the room. Miaug's head snapped up and she dashed towards it. Ryoko raced after her.
Down the darkened corridor, Miaug observed two semi-opaque crystal doors set into the right hand wall, and another set into the left. Miaug desperately peered into each room as she passed, looking for Badger.
The left hand room contained another large stone table, stained deep red with blood; and shelves of surgical implements and bottles of liquids.
The first door on the right led to a cramped, dark cell; the floor covered in filth and excrement. In the corner of the room Miaug noticed a small furry shape. She pushed the door open. The shape didn't move or react as it swung inwards. The Tabaxi raced across the room and picked up the furry shape. Turning the limp body over, Miaug let out a shaky sigh of relief. The creature wasn't Badger, but a pitiable cross-breed between a rat and a large dog, around four foot long, with thick brown fur, and a gnarled snout filled with long crooked teeth. The creature was gaunt and emaciated. Miaug guessed it must have starved to death. Gently she put the poor creature back down and backed out of the room, turning her attention, fearfully, to the last door.
The final door led to another dark cell, slightly larger than the previous. As Miaug gently pushed open the door, she noticed a large dark shape moving in the far corner. Two bright glowing blue eyes appeared in the darkness, focusing on the intruder. A low growling filled the small room, and the shadowy creature began to creep forward into the light.
The creature was roughly the size of a large wolf, covered in thick dark fur, tinged red. Large curved spikes of twisted fur curved out from its forelimbs, and in the shadows behind it, Miaug could just make out it's tail as it whipped back and forth anxiously, tiny arcs of static energy crackling along the length of the tail. Illuminated, Miaug recognised the creature's face. The Verani had done something to him, but it was definitely Badger. He stalked across the cell, watching Miaug hungrily. Ryoko, concerned by his predatory behaviour, muttered a quiet warning,
"Miaug. Get out of there. It's going to attack you"
Miaug shook her head, unwilling to give up on him. She raised her hands in front of her, palms outstretched,
"Hey boy. It's me. Don't worry, I'm here to rescue you" she lowered herself down to his level, careful not to make any sudden movements. Badger drew closer, lips pulled back revealing sharp curved fangs, his low growl growing in intensity. Ryoko's hands tightened around her staff. Badger's face was inches from Miaug's now, teeth bared and slightly parted. The fox sniffed, then looked confused, a flash of recognition crossing his face. He stopped growling and let out a quiet whimper. Miaug reached out, gently stroking the side of his neck. He flinched, then caught himself and pressed his flank against her hand. Miaug threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his fur, weeping openly. Ryoko relaxed her grip on her staff, signalling back to the rest of the party that they'd found him.
Ryoko was reluctant to interrupt her friend's reunion, but she was aware that the alerted guards above would have doubtless have raised the alarm as soon as they left. It wouldn't be long before the entire of the fortress was hunting them.
As Ryoko and Miaug returned to the vivisection room with Badger, his transformation drew shocked reactions from their friends. The once little fox now stood chest high on Miaug, towering over Clootie. His previously silky orange fur had darkened, and was now interspersed with thick wiry bristles that crackled with arcing electricity; and his bushy tail was now split into three thick brushes, which whipped back and forth anxiously. Ryoko shook her head quietly at the group, there would be time for questions later, for now they needed to move.
This wing of the fortress appeared to be a dead end. The group carefully slunk back around to the double doors opposite the entrance guard post. Ramas quickly scouted out the guard room they had come through, checking for evidence of pursuit . The bodies of the guards lay where they had left them, and there was no sign of other movement. They still had time. Ramas quickly grabbed one of the red headscarves from a dead guard. Then, carefully, the party made their way along the other corridor. After a short distance, Ramas spotted movement ahead and motioned them to stop while he scouted ahead.
The corridor opened into a large guardpost. An L-shaped stone desk, positioned directly in front of the entryway, was manned by two Verani adorned with orange headscarves. Neither appeared to be paying much attention, one had their back turned to the entrance as they talked animatedly with their companion. Ramas pressed himself deeper into the shadows at the side of the corridor and examined the guardpost further. A mezzanine floor balcony ran around the far side of the chamber, forming a horseshoe overlooking the room. He counted three more Verani, in red headscarves, manning the upper floor. One of these guards paced back and forth, while the others leant against the railing, deep in conversation. In the far wall, beneath the mezzanine, he could see another corridor leading out of the room. He also noted another small passageway in the left hand wall. Ramas waited for a moment. As he watched, another Verani soldier strolled out of the far corridor into the guardroom. After a few more minutes, Ramas was satisfied he had an accurate count of the guards and slipped back to the rest of the party.
As he explained the situation, the group looked apprehensive. While they were no doubt a match for the guards, they were outnumbered and any escapees would only raise the alarm further. Ramas wrapped himself in the stolen red headscarf, and told the rest of the group to stay in the shadows and wait for his signal. He'd try and even the odds quickly.
With the party in position, Ramas stepped out of the shadows and walked confidently up to the stone desk. The animated guard turned slowly, muttering something in an unknown language. His eyes found Ramas' through the gap in the headscarf, and widened slightly. But before he could react, Ramas' dark dagger lanced out through his eye and into his brain. At the same time, Ramas lifted his dwarven pistol into the other guards face and pulled the trigger. The unsuspecting guard's face disappeared in a cloud of red mist.
"I take it that's the signal" Aetilius muttered to himself, racing into the room and quickly flying up to the balcony, mythal axe at the ready. He landed next to the surprised guards, and spun around. His mythal axe cut right through one of the guard's midsections, bisecting him. His torso toppled over the railing and fell down to the floor below in a geyser of blood. Aetilius kept the momentum of his spin, raising the axe as he turned, driving it into the side of the other guard's head and killing him instantly. Clootie jumped up on the desk next to Ramas, then leapt over at the remaining guard on the ground floor, enlarging Kulog as she did and crushing the shocked guard's skull. Miaug calmly nocked an arrow and felled the last guard on the balcony. The whole fight was over in a few seconds of stunning savagery. The group picked their way over the scattered bodies and reconvened beside Ramas at the desk,
"That way I think" Ramas nodded absently towards the corridor as he reloaded his pistol.
Next: Chapter 3-14 - Jailbreak
Previous: Chapter 3-12 - To the Verani
"How do we look?" Ryoko asked Khalyd. The Thal'Ahd shook his head a little,
"You might actually pull this off…"
The walls of the fortress were even more daunting up close. Verani guards stared down at them from atop the wall. The soldiers were dressed in unfamiliar garb, all wearing similar armour made of what appeared to be some form of smoky quartz. Each soldier had a headscarf wrapped around their head and covering the lower half of their face. The colour of the scarves seemed to vary; red, yellow and orange all visible among the fortress patrols.
The guard at the gate looked the party over, intense eyes just visible through the slit in his yellow headscarf. He muttered something in an unknown language to the guard on the other side, who immediately raised his bow, aiming an arrow directly at Ryoko.
The gate guard barked out a challenge in Draconic
"I've never seen you before, lizard. What do you have here?"
Ryoko stammered for a moment. Ramas smoothly responded,
"More subjects for the council's experiments"
The guard eyed Miaug suspiciously,
"You! Take down your hood"
Miaug pulled her hood down and the guard's eyes widened. He bowed to the Tabaxi, stammering out an apology,
"I'm sorry, sir. Enter, please" he waved the party on.
Through the archway, a narrow path sloped steeply upward to the cave mouth above, a sheer drop on either side. The rest of the ground inside the wall was an impossibly black, slightly shifting surface, like boiling tar. Ramas glanced about, carefully assessing the layout of the wall and the pattern of the guards. Six guards stood positioned around the wall, with an ideal line of sight to the exposed party inside. This whole wall was a kill box, designed to allow the defenders to easily defeat vast numbers of attackers. At the top of the ramp, the path blended seamlessly into the cavern floor. In this chamber he noted another four guards, two manning fortifications overlooking the inside of the wall, two more guiding the travellers in.
The walls of the cavern were polished and flat, similar to the surface of the wall. The cave was clearly manmade, perfectly flat and regular. In the centre of the back wall a wide passageway plunged deeper into the mountain. On either side of this passageway large red banners hung on the wall, embossed with an orange crossed hammer and sword design. Arrow slits on either side of the banners belied the guardposts built into the stone behind. The two guards at the top of the ramp directed the group towards the passageway, staring intently with suspicious eyes.
The passageway was narrow and dark, but quickly opened into a rectangular chamber. At the opposite end, a huge iron portcullis blocked passage further into the mountain. On either side windows opened into additional guard stations, with a door in each wall offering access. Two guards stood in the chamber, both wearing orange headscarves. The one on the left beckoned the group forward,
"What offering do you bring to the Verani, lizard" he growled in very clear Draconic.
Ramas, unable to understand, looked over at Ryoko. The druid growled back,
"Outsiders"
The Verani nodded, eying the captives. He looked Aetilius up and down he grunted approvingly at the big tiefling. His gaze slipped to Clootie, eyes widening slightly in surprise and amusement. Clootie struggled to rein in her rebellious instinct, her jaw clenched as she glared at the Verani. The amusement slipped from his face, suspicion beginning to cloud his brow. Ramas, watching this happen, realised their cover was about to be blown. He stepped behind Clootie and cuffed her sharply around the head, knocking her slightly off balance,
"Know your place" he growled at her. The guard seemed satisfied, nodding at Ramas and Ryoko and stepping over to the portcullis. He reached into a small sconce beside the gate and pulled out a pale white stone. The stone started to glow with a soft silver light. The guard absently pointed it at the group as he started to walk towards one of the side doors. The light harmlessly illuminated each of the group, until it reached Ramas. As soon as the light touched the half-elf, bright white flames erupted over his body, burning away his disguise and leaving him exposed. The guard stopped in his tracks, too surprised to react. His companion on the other hand turns and runs towards the door. Reacting quickly, Ryoko whipped out her staff, coiling a thorny tendril around the guard and pulling him back She unhooked Kulog from her belt and tossed it up in the air. Ramas pulled the release cord on the rope; at the same time viscous black liquid slid down from his wrist and formed into the jagged blade of the Dark Dagger which he jammed into the surprised guard's throat. Kulog responded to Clootie's call, abruptly changing direction in mid-air and whizzing through the air into her hand. In a smooth motion she whipped the hammer around and hurled it at the window to one of the guard posts. As it whirled through the air, it expanded into it's warhammer form and crashed into one of the unsuspecting guards in the next room, crushing his skull. Miaug calmly slipped arrows from her quiver and loosed shot after shot, dropping two of the other guards in seconds. Aetilius manifested his mythal axe and tossed it through the window after Kulog, catching another guard in the chest.
Finally able to react, the remaining three guards ran out of the doors into the chamber. One guard, adorned with a yellow head scarf, stamped his foot on the stone floor. The rock below his feet cracked and splintered. Chunks of stone lifted out of the ground and coalesced around his body, completely encasing him as though a suit of armour. With a roar, he charged at Ramas, who rolled out of the way at the last instant. The other two guards both wore red scarves and wielded longbows. They drew their bows in practiced unison. Bright blue energy coursed along the arrow shafts. Both shots struck the floor in the middle of the group, within instant of one another. On impact the arrows erupted in a pulse of bright blue energy which knocked Clootie, Ryoko and Aetilius up into the air and sent them sprawling. The remaining orange scarved guard on the floor pulled one of his curved scimitars from it's sheath on his back and cut loose the tendril from Ryoko's staff. He rolled to his feet, then disappeared in a cloud of orange smoke.
Miaug heard a sound from the tunnel behind her, and spun around just in time to see the guard disappear around the corner into the entrance cavern. Ramas leapt to his feet, and ran at the stone encased guard, jumping on his back and trying to find a gap between the rocks for his dagger. Ryoko shifted into her Urkhan Vhar form. The shadowy tiger leapt into the air and dissolved into a black mist, coalescing into physical form on top of one of the bow wielding guards and tearing his throat out. Clootie recalled Kulog. As the hammer flew through the air, it struck the stone armored guard in the back, knocking a chunk of rock loose. Seizing the opportunity, Ramas thrust the dark dagger through the gap into the guard's neck. The guard gurgled softly and collapsed, the stone armour falling apart into a pile of scree. Miaug quickly dispatched the remaining bowman with two arrows.
Shouting echoed down from the entrance tunnel as the escaped guard rallied reinforcements. Aetilius grabbed a hold of the portcullis and desperately strained to lift it. Clootie and Ramas both joined him. Miaug turned to watch the entrance tunnel, an arrow drawn in Stormbow. Ryoko shifted back to Dragonborn form to help the group with the portcullis. She put out a hand to steady herself. When it touched the wall beside the portcullis, her scales began to tingle. She looked carefully at the wall. She could just see a shimmer of blue light playing across the surface. She followed the trail of light, towards the left hand guard post. Footsteps echoed down the entrance tunnel. An unfortunate guard came into view and Miaug instantly felled him with her arrow, drawing a fresh one almost instantly. Ryoko looked through the window into the guard room, and noticed the blue light seemed to lead to a hemispherical depression in the desk just inside the window. Her mind raced, quickly jumping ahead,
"Throw me that white gem thing" she yelled at Clootie. The little gnome let go of the portcullis and pried the stone out of the dead guard's hand, tossing it to her friend. Ryoko slammed it into the depression in the desk and with a loud grinding sound the portcullis lifted. Aetilius waved Ramas through. Miaug loosed another couple of arrows at their pursuers then locked eyes with Ryoko as they shared an unspoken plan,
"Go Aetilius!" Ryoko yelled. The big tiefling obeyed, picking up Clootie and running through the portal. Ryoko shifted back into her Urkhan Vhar form and snatched the gemstone in her jaws. Miaug fired another shot, felling another guard, then turned and ran, sliding under the portcullis as it dropped. Ryoko leaped at the gate, dissolving into a cloud of black smoke, passing cleanly through the iron bars and reforming on the far side. Together, the group raced down the passageway.
The passage beyond the portcullis descended deep into the mountain. It took them minutes to traverse the polished stone path. Eventually, the passageway opened into a large rectangular chamber. On either side of the room, elevated platforms overlooked the entrance, from which two Verani guardsmen watched them suspiciously, bows at the ready. In the middle of the far wall stood a large double door of bright crystal.
Two other guards approached them,
"We weren't notified of any deliveries" barked the lead guard in Draconic.
Ramas calmly stepped forwards, hands raised with an amiable smile on his face,
"Don't worry. We have all the paperwork here."
Like magic, his dagger appeared in his hand and with a stunning burst of speed he closed the gap, slitting one of the guard's throats, then spinning and driving the dagger into the other's chest. The two guards on the platforms loosed their arrows, but Ramas draped the corpse of the first guard across his back like a shield, intercepting the arrows. Miaug felled one of the guards quickly with two well placed arrows. Aetilius used a quick sweep of his wings to help him leap up to the other platform. The guard lunged at him with a short sword, but Aetilius dodged aside and drove his mythal axe into the last guard's chest. He kicked the dead guard onto the floor below, then jumped down and returned to the group,
"Ok. I want my armour back now"
The party re-equipped themselves, then carefully pushed the crystal door ajar and peered out into the hall beyond. Beyond the door, the passage split in three directions. Straight ahead stood an even larger door of black crystal, flecked with gold. To the left and right, the passage curved, forming a semicircle with the black door at it's apex. The group slipped across the passageway and pressed themselves against the wall on either side of the black door. Ramas pressed his ear against the door. He could hear a muffled scuffling sound on the other side. Unwilling to risk an unnecessary fight, he motioned to check one of the passageways. The group crept quietly into the right hand side path.
The passage curved around for a short distance, then emerged into a dingy narrow room with a low ceiling. The walls were the same standard smooth surface, but the floor had been laid with stone tiles.
Dominating the room lay three large stone slab tables, stained a deep red or brown. Atop one table lay the corpse of a Kenedibra. It's chest cavity had been pried open and various organs appeared to have been removed and placed in stone bowls on the table .
On the table to the right of the door lay the naked body of a human male in his early twenties. His chest had also been opened with a long incision from throat to navel, the skin had been peeled back and the ribcage been cracked open. The top of his skull had been removed, exposing the brain. Ramas and Clootie entered the room first. The little gnome started to gag as the smell of decomposition and chemicals hit her.
Sudden movement in the corner of the room alerted Ramas, his dark dagger appearing in his hand. A tall thin man with bronze skin and a pointed goatee locked eyes with the half-elf and shouted something in an unfamiliar language. He pointed a gnarled hand at them, and a burst of flame leapt towards Ramas. The half-elf dodged aside and hurled back a firebolt of his own, which struck the mage in his chest, setting the sleeve of his robe alight. Aetilius barrelled into the room, axe raised to strike. The thin man drew a sigil in the air and the tiefling's armour began to glow red hot. The pain broke his concentration, and he collapsed against the wall, flesh sizzling as he desperately clawed at the buckles on his breastplate.
Clootie ran toward the man, quickly jumping onto the nearest table and leaping off, swinging Kulog against his chin and knocking him back against the wall. Miaug slipped into the room, and a single arrow through the eye socket finished off the unfortunate mage. Clootie and Ryoko helped Aetilius shuck out of his breastplate, which was rapidly cooling. The skin beneath was blistered, but his infernal blood was already at work healing the burns.
A small dark passageway led off from the side of the room. A faint whimpering sound echoed out a small dark passageway in the side of the room. Miaug's head snapped up and she dashed towards it. Ryoko raced after her.
Down the darkened corridor, Miaug observed two semi-opaque crystal doors set into the right hand wall, and another set into the left. Miaug desperately peered into each room as she passed, looking for Badger.
The left hand room contained another large stone table, stained deep red with blood; and shelves of surgical implements and bottles of liquids.
The first door on the right led to a cramped, dark cell; the floor covered in filth and excrement. In the corner of the room Miaug noticed a small furry shape. She pushed the door open. The shape didn't move or react as it swung inwards. The Tabaxi raced across the room and picked up the furry shape. Turning the limp body over, Miaug let out a shaky sigh of relief. The creature wasn't Badger, but a pitiable cross-breed between a rat and a large dog, around four foot long, with thick brown fur, and a gnarled snout filled with long crooked teeth. The creature was gaunt and emaciated. Miaug guessed it must have starved to death. Gently she put the poor creature back down and backed out of the room, turning her attention, fearfully, to the last door.
The final door led to another dark cell, slightly larger than the previous. As Miaug gently pushed open the door, she noticed a large dark shape moving in the far corner. Two bright glowing blue eyes appeared in the darkness, focusing on the intruder. A low growling filled the small room, and the shadowy creature began to creep forward into the light.
The creature was roughly the size of a large wolf, covered in thick dark fur, tinged red. Large curved spikes of twisted fur curved out from its forelimbs, and in the shadows behind it, Miaug could just make out it's tail as it whipped back and forth anxiously, tiny arcs of static energy crackling along the length of the tail. Illuminated, Miaug recognised the creature's face. The Verani had done something to him, but it was definitely Badger. He stalked across the cell, watching Miaug hungrily. Ryoko, concerned by his predatory behaviour, muttered a quiet warning,
"Miaug. Get out of there. It's going to attack you"
Miaug shook her head, unwilling to give up on him. She raised her hands in front of her, palms outstretched,
"Hey boy. It's me. Don't worry, I'm here to rescue you" she lowered herself down to his level, careful not to make any sudden movements. Badger drew closer, lips pulled back revealing sharp curved fangs, his low growl growing in intensity. Ryoko's hands tightened around her staff. Badger's face was inches from Miaug's now, teeth bared and slightly parted. The fox sniffed, then looked confused, a flash of recognition crossing his face. He stopped growling and let out a quiet whimper. Miaug reached out, gently stroking the side of his neck. He flinched, then caught himself and pressed his flank against her hand. Miaug threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his fur, weeping openly. Ryoko relaxed her grip on her staff, signalling back to the rest of the party that they'd found him.
Ryoko was reluctant to interrupt her friend's reunion, but she was aware that the alerted guards above would have doubtless have raised the alarm as soon as they left. It wouldn't be long before the entire of the fortress was hunting them.
As Ryoko and Miaug returned to the vivisection room with Badger, his transformation drew shocked reactions from their friends. The once little fox now stood chest high on Miaug, towering over Clootie. His previously silky orange fur had darkened, and was now interspersed with thick wiry bristles that crackled with arcing electricity; and his bushy tail was now split into three thick brushes, which whipped back and forth anxiously. Ryoko shook her head quietly at the group, there would be time for questions later, for now they needed to move.
This wing of the fortress appeared to be a dead end. The group carefully slunk back around to the double doors opposite the entrance guard post. Ramas quickly scouted out the guard room they had come through, checking for evidence of pursuit . The bodies of the guards lay where they had left them, and there was no sign of other movement. They still had time. Ramas quickly grabbed one of the red headscarves from a dead guard. Then, carefully, the party made their way along the other corridor. After a short distance, Ramas spotted movement ahead and motioned them to stop while he scouted ahead.
The corridor opened into a large guardpost. An L-shaped stone desk, positioned directly in front of the entryway, was manned by two Verani adorned with orange headscarves. Neither appeared to be paying much attention, one had their back turned to the entrance as they talked animatedly with their companion. Ramas pressed himself deeper into the shadows at the side of the corridor and examined the guardpost further. A mezzanine floor balcony ran around the far side of the chamber, forming a horseshoe overlooking the room. He counted three more Verani, in red headscarves, manning the upper floor. One of these guards paced back and forth, while the others leant against the railing, deep in conversation. In the far wall, beneath the mezzanine, he could see another corridor leading out of the room. He also noted another small passageway in the left hand wall. Ramas waited for a moment. As he watched, another Verani soldier strolled out of the far corridor into the guardroom. After a few more minutes, Ramas was satisfied he had an accurate count of the guards and slipped back to the rest of the party.
As he explained the situation, the group looked apprehensive. While they were no doubt a match for the guards, they were outnumbered and any escapees would only raise the alarm further. Ramas wrapped himself in the stolen red headscarf, and told the rest of the group to stay in the shadows and wait for his signal. He'd try and even the odds quickly.
With the party in position, Ramas stepped out of the shadows and walked confidently up to the stone desk. The animated guard turned slowly, muttering something in an unknown language. His eyes found Ramas' through the gap in the headscarf, and widened slightly. But before he could react, Ramas' dark dagger lanced out through his eye and into his brain. At the same time, Ramas lifted his dwarven pistol into the other guards face and pulled the trigger. The unsuspecting guard's face disappeared in a cloud of red mist.
"I take it that's the signal" Aetilius muttered to himself, racing into the room and quickly flying up to the balcony, mythal axe at the ready. He landed next to the surprised guards, and spun around. His mythal axe cut right through one of the guard's midsections, bisecting him. His torso toppled over the railing and fell down to the floor below in a geyser of blood. Aetilius kept the momentum of his spin, raising the axe as he turned, driving it into the side of the other guard's head and killing him instantly. Clootie jumped up on the desk next to Ramas, then leapt over at the remaining guard on the ground floor, enlarging Kulog as she did and crushing the shocked guard's skull. Miaug calmly nocked an arrow and felled the last guard on the balcony. The whole fight was over in a few seconds of stunning savagery. The group picked their way over the scattered bodies and reconvened beside Ramas at the desk,
"That way I think" Ramas nodded absently towards the corridor as he reloaded his pistol.
Next: Chapter 3-14 - Jailbreak
Previous: Chapter 3-12 - To the Verani
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