Holing Up For The Night

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Maruc smiled genuinely as Hernane recovered. He helped her out of the caves into the light of the late evening as it closed over the mountains creating long shadows. He took her to a quite hollow and spoke in low tones, “I don’t know what has passed between you and Master Feldard. I don’t wish to know. But unless you resolve this, he will do something rash. Perhaps something I cannot save him from,” concern flushed across the priest’s face. “He has been reckless in his search for you. He is driven, an obsessive.”

He paused wondering how far to push it. A life was at stake, he had no choice.

“I fear that he will kill himself in some reckless act. I don’t know how to explain this to you in such a way that places some of the responsibility with you, but can you do anything? I can’t lie to you but I’ve seen his recklessness with my own eyes. Help him if you can.”

Maruc wondered at his own conviction. It must be some deep connection with the simplistic image of the world the dwarf presented, something Maruc wanted to capture and hold bah… too hard to understand. All he knew was Feldard needed help and this was the best he could offer. No magic he knew could solve this. He hoped it was enough to save the surly dwarf.

But he doubted himself.

Relieved to be outside in the fresh air Miklos wondered if the spider-cult orcs would seek swift and brutal revenge on them as they slept. “Before we settle out here would it be easier to defend one of the miners chambers with the door just inside the entrance hall?” the Mage felt his stomach rumble and he was quite thirsty, “I need to meditate properly, amongst other things, and I’d rather do it undisturbed.”

Maruc, thanks for your kindness and well meaning words. I would wish no harm to fall upon Feldard, he is always been in my life and we have many fond memories together. He values his pride highly and his duty to his clan he values more than life itself.

I too fear for him, my choice not to wed him has hurt him badly. I will do what I can to sooth his feelings but I fear he will not listen to me, but he had to know the truth for I could not live with myself if he were to fall protecting me out of some misguided sense of duty based on an arrangement between our fathers. I refuse to be treated as commodity. Also he has to grow up and soon he will realisize that he did not love me either and both our lives will be richer and happier because of the events of today. Give him time Maruc, look after him; he needs his comrades now more than ever.

Like Miklos, and indeed everyone save the dwarves who didn’t seem to notice much difference, Stephan breathed deeply of the fresh air.

It was a bit ominous, however, to emerge at dusk. The need to secure “lodgings” for the night was pressing.

“Hurmmm,” Stephan half grunted at Miklos’s suggestion of returning to the mine to stay the night. “The thought does not appeal to me. I’d rather make tracks before night fall and find some place to camp.”

He turned and eyed the setting sun. Then the mine entrance.

“Well, I think you’re right, Miklos. Our safest course is holing up for the night. We can stack some stones to serve as a barrier in the entrance.

“Ugh. That stinking spider won’t be pleasant through the night.”

Feldard guarded the rear of the party as it emerged out into the open. He was grateful for the clerics overseeing of Hernane as they traveled through the mine. After her announcement earlier, Feldard was loath to be even in her company, much less assist her.

He kept watch on the tunnel they just left as the humans talked of resting the night in a miners chamber. He snorted. Humans!

“I’ll take first watch.” And with that said, Feldard moved on back further into the tunnel to keep an eye alert for orcs or more goblins. He’d wait until he was sure SHE was asleep before returning.

Hernane, finding she could not sleep, got up and approached Feldard while he was on watch. She spoke to him in the language of the Rockborn “I think it is about time we talked openly and honestly. I know you are hurt by my announcement; however I have tried before to tell you how I feel and my decision to leave Rockhome I thought would have made my feelings for our arranged marriage quite clear. I am sorry if I have hurt you. That was not what I intended and in time I am sure you will see this. I could see that in time we would both be unhappy in this arranged deal between our families, so even though now you are hurt and yes I know angry with me, I believe that you will feel differently in the future. I shall speak very highly of your bravery to your clan when I return to Rockhome, so that all shall see that this situation is not of your making and fault, I shall tell them how you tracked me down and rescued me, there will be no disgrace on you or your honour I hope in time you will find it in your heart to forgive me Feldard. I know you will make a wonderful brother-in-law”.

Feldard said nothing and Hernane, having said her peace went back to seek sleep.

The night passed uneventfully. Apparently, the orcs had enough of combat and decided to leave well enough alone. Or perhaps they might yet attack at any moment. There was no way of knowing with such a race. In any event, the group was now prepared to resume their mission, to find the lair of the Wolfskull and destroy them. Hopefully, they could find some clue as to the purpose of the attacks on the human settlements. There definitely seemed to be some greater forces at play here that they had yet to understand. This hobgoblin called Vlaak seemed to be their most likely source of information. Now, they just needed to find him.

As they weighed their next move, they heard a loud clank noise from a side cavern, followed by the sound of stone scraping on stone. Where had that gnome gone off to?

Tekaryon had unlocked a secret cache that he and his brother had built in one of the cave’s near the entrance. It had been hidden behind a natural looking wall and was unlocked through a complicated system of rock twisting, tapping and bending. Like most gnome inventions it was overly complicated. In the cache was a store of gold ingots that he and his crew had unearthed. After all that had happened, Hernane had almost forgotten about the gold. She had always wondered where the gnomes were keeping their take.

”Reward for your troubles,” offered Tekaryon, presenting the group a generous portion of his treasure. “I’ll need the rest to hire some new miners and clear out whatever is left of these rotten, hog-faced spider-worshippers.”

“And Hernane, you’re welcome to stay on, of course,” offered the Gnome. “You sound like you might be in a rush to return to your homeland, but if ya’d like to earn some more travel money, I’d like you to be my right hand.”

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