Below the Undercroft (Solo)
Below the Undercroft, Delve 11 - by Lilliaquil Dec. 1
The undercroft is a hive of activity.
However, given how much time we spent plumbing it's depths, it's a wonder we didn't encounter every last damnable creature in the place.
Still without the crafty Dargo, we were extra cautious. Despite our caution, Gabriel tripped a set of arrows that launched from the wall. His shield and quick reflexes saved him from injury.
While mapping, we stumbled upon a large number of humans mustering in a room. Their hands went to their weapons and Denby took the lead, before Gabriel could get us all killed, explaining that we had freed Denby and Rockmound from a group of orcs the other day. The humans relaxed a little and took great interest in the orcs, explaining that the pig-faced fiends had secured an area nearby. Denby told them where we had fought the orcs but left out the blade trap and that we took several of them hostage. That was the group that Dargo set free after they surrendered to us, rather than lead them to certain death at the hands of the villagers. I have no love for those creatures, but I understood his conflict. Denby also kept quiet about the hidden door that led to the well. The humans rallied for combat with the orcs and followed their leader out of the room. They were triple our number and their eyes lingered on me as they swept by. Their leader kept them in line and focused on fighting orcs. I breathed a sigh of relief when they passed and made certain to keep the map in my haversack and out of view.
Gabriel was fuming and it took Rockmound a while to convince him that not fighting the bandits was the right choice. We were vastly outnumbered and his rashness last time almost got both Rockmound and Dargo killed with the hobgoblins.
We quickly left the area and happened across a band of skulking gnomes. They were tight lipped and on edge, so we let them on their way, warning them about bandits, orcs and hobgoblins. Yet another large group.
And then we had a bit of luck... After entering a debris filled room, we were beset upon by a nest of the venomous centipedes. They were dispatched quickly and, as one fled, Denby crushed what appeared to be a nest in the corner of the room with his hammer. Only, rather than a spray of insect ichor, there was a splash of coins. A couple of clay jars were seemingly hidden among the filth. Over one thousand silver and that again in copper. We quickly gathered as much silver as we could. Meanwhile Gabriel noticed that we were near where we had encountered the hobgoblins that almost killed Rockmound and Dargo. After consulting the map we headed down a different corridor and came upon a door. I could easily hear the dark speech of orcs beyond. Unlike with the bandits, we were united in our desire to bring the orcs to justice. Both Denby and Rockmound were eager for vengeance. We retreated a ways and received the blessing of Rockmound's goddess Berronar. Barris was anxious and held back a ways but I insisted that he be close enough to illuminate the room for Gabriel and Denby.
When we burst through the door the orcs scrambled for their weapons. It was obvious that they had been in a scrape as several of them appeared injured. I noted as well that the orcs Dargo freed were among their number.
Gabriel, Rockmound and Denby took the fight to the orcs and incapacitated several of them right away. Before it could become a slaughter, the rest had thrown down their arms and were pleading for mercy. Denby cut up his length of rope and bound them all, even the unconscious ones. Under interrogation, they revealed that they had a coffer of coin and told us how to avoid a pit trap that sat before it. Once again, thousands of silver, but, in the mix... gold. Hundreds of gold coins.
Rockmound commented that the stonework and craftsmanship required for the various traps would take some time to implement and that these and the hallway dart and arrow traps were certainly not improvised on the spot by goblinoids and bandits. When pressed, the orcs told us that they triggered the pit trap themselves and that's how they knew it was there. They decided to use it to protect their coin which they had stolen from various chests they had found throughout the complex.
I wanted to execute the wretches, but decided that, even though Dargo was misguided in letting them go previously, it was dishonorable to execute a helpless foe that surrendered. But, this time, they would face the justice of the villagers.
We discarded all the gear and copper coins in the pit trap and then left the area promptly. Even with the bound orcs in toe, we made a quick exit and handed the beasts over to the sheriff, collecting a bounty for each one.
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