Lia slashes at the giant with her short sword and has another go.
Miss Moss uses her oathbow, aimed at his eye sockets. She calls, taunting, in Giant, “Hey BITCH!”. She hits her targets, perfectly – one arrow in each enormous black pool of a pupil.
Gunther looks perplexed.
The frost giant spins to look at Miss Moss, then at Lia, as Londer flings his javelin. It hits the giant’s buttock. Londer seems pleased with his good shot.
As a second javelin flies past the giant’s head, he cries out, “Who are you calling BITCH?” and charges at Londer. The giant has a pin sticking out of each eye, a javelin wobbling out of his arse as he moves, but his axe is held high, his wrath untouched.
The giant swings his axe down on Londer.
Thoradin attacks the giant with Ring of the Ram and hits the giant in the belly. The frost giant doubles over. The second hit smashes the massive creature like a bulldozer, and in slow motion he crashes over the side of the cliff, through the hallucination. The giant’s eyes gaze up to the sky as he disappears from view.
Sheet lightning lights up the sky.
Thoradin raises his ring.
There’s a familiar ‘plop’ sound, and a surprised exclamation from the Salty Seadog way below. “Jlskjlksdglksjdfldk!”
Thoradin moves over to Londer and heals him and the rest of the party, for which they are most grateful. Miss Moss, re-energised, high fives everyone.
The wind whips their hair, there’s blood all over the place, lightning flashes in the black sky. It’s a scene of total carnage.
Miss Moss goes through the pockets of the captain giant, finding a few gold coins and a massive pelt cloak. All that she can carry goes in the bag of holding.
Thoradin inspects the light. He rubs his palms down the smooth metal. It’s a simple mechanism, bright, and appears to be a magical lantern that uses a very unmagical mechanical crank. It is ingenious in its simplicity. Once the device is cranked, the light goes off, crank on, crank off, crank on, crank off, and the light appears to be flashing.
The lantern is old and well used. There is no flame or warmth; it’s a powerful bright light spell, possibly the work of more than one mage working together.
Lia pulls a beautiful horn from her bag. Taking a deep breath and bringing it to her mouth, a magnificent note is carried on the wind to warn the seadog below. Together, the gang push the lantern off the cliff. The salty seadog was ready this time.
With the fight well and truly over, everyone a little dusty, bloody, and hungry, the team move back down the cliff, some by balloon, some climb, some teleport. Their boots squelch on the rickety wooden port of Luskan in the wee hours.
The gang have all been happy with the seadog’s service, for waiting for them through clearly a perilous situation. He’s shown himself to be patient and tolerant.
Miss Moss thanks the seadog, paying him a generous 20 gold pieces. Lia does an awkward curtsey. Some of the gang smirk in surprise, but don’t say anything. Lia avoids the eyes of her fellows.
The adventurers head to One Eyed Jacks. The crowd is very thin at this early hour, but the bar still seems open for business. The old patron they saw before remained at his place at the bar, and upon seeing the gang, throws his cards on the table with a slap and with a beaming smile, invites the gang to sit.
“Tell me everything!”
“We found giants,” says Lia.
“We killed them,” says Londer.
“And we threw the lighthouse lantern off the cliff,” says Miss Moss.
The patron, still wearing his blue cloak, loudly asks the rest of the bar in a jovial tone if the party have done enough, then laughing, and much to the surprise of the gang, starts to pull off his hat, his hair and his beard. With a flamboyant gesture he pulls at the skin on his face, and it smears off, revealing the head of a drow.
The gang look on, unsure what to make of this revelation. Have they been tricked? Have they harmed innocents? Was it all a hallucination?
The beard of the man had been hiding a cheeky, impish grin. This must be Jarlaxl, who they have been seeking.
Jarlaxl is a well known figure who comes up in stories from time to time and seems to be mixed up in all sorts of adventures. He is almost mythical.
“Welcome, Heroes of Tribor, to my home.”
Without asking, one of the patrons brings Jarlaxl a hat with a feather, which he carefully plants firmly on his head. The place seems to warm up.
“I didn’t expect you would be fighting giants, I do apologise. As you can see, our resources have been wearing thin. I’ve heard so much about you, I couldn’t resist seeing what you were all about.”
“What a cock!” mutters Miss Moss
“We’re always happy to show off our prowess,” says Londer, with a nod of his head.
Jarlaxl walks behind the bar and pushes a small black button. Hundreds of bottles of fine wine begin to pop up with an elven mechanism. Each adventurer chooses their tipple, anything they like.
They drink and take stock of Jalaxl. Then, Londer steps forward and asks “What can we do for you?”
Lia and Leshanna erupt simultaneously, absolutely bickering at this, “What can we do for him? What can he do for US!” Jarlaxl laughs and Londer seems a little confused.
“Once you’re rested, I would dearly like to introduce you to someone. We have a trip we must take. There is much we need to discuss”
The team are tired, but not displeased. That last little while could have gone many ways.
Jarlaxl leads, striding with full confidence towards a wall. Without taking any action, the wall disappears and they move through it with ease. In the room behind, there are tables full of people gambling.
As Jarlaxl passes through, he passes by a sitting man with bright red hair in long braids. He is an impressive sized human. Jarlaxl touches him lightly on the shoulder without breaking his stride. The man, not seeming at all surprised, lightly tosses his cards on the table, and follows the gang towards a descending circular staircase. They move underground.
Down the staircase, they find themselves in a much older place, the ruins of an old city. The stories must be true – Luskan is built on the ruins of an another city, Ilusk a long lost city.
There are lanterns, crates of food, people. They are introduced to the man with the red hair – Beniago Kirth. The high captain of one of the five Ships, factions, that control Luskan (Kirth, Baram, Suljac, Tearle, Rethnor).
As they all move towards the lodgings, Jarlaxl says that Beniago is someone that they can trust.
As they walk, Beniago looks over at Jarlaxl a little uncertain, “Jarlaxl, I hope you know what you’re doing…”.
Another surprise is in store for the gang. While still walking, Beniago also removes his hair and disguise, revealing another drow.
Lia thinks, there is no earthly reason why they needed to reveal themselves. There is an incredible charisma that radiates from Jarlaxl. Lia is immediately distrusting.
However, they continue to make their way through the corridors, ending in a comfortable room with lovely furnishings. Jarlaxl offers them a drink.
“Some of you may have heard of Bragendierth, a drow factional network around the area. I have been working in Luskan for some time. I work here to control things, it can be a very difficult town but also a very important one. It is very important that no one knows that Beniago is a drow.”
Jarlaxl takes a long sip of his drink, then continues.
“I want to bring Luskan to the Lord’s Alliance. Our goals are the same as yours. We are starting to deal with things that mean we all need to band together. You can rest tonight but in the morning I need to take you to some people who need to see you.”
The adventurers nod, still not really sure what’s going on, and are grateful to head to their rooms.
The worn-out gang are greeted with delightful little baskets with grapes and food, little towels. Their hosts have cared greatly about their arrival, which lands well with the gang.
As he walks back down the corridor, Jarlaxl calls out and apologises again for the frost giants. Leshanna rolls her eyes and turns to go into her room. Lia also turns away.
Jarlaxl laughs and the gang overhear him on the way down the corridor, he says to Beniago with a small happy laugh, “See, I told you they’re great!”
A small smile creeps across each adventurer’s mouth.
In the morning, the gang rise, met again by Jarlaxl and Beniago, who look alert and ready for the day ahead. The vibe is clear. Today, things are happening.
After a hearty brunch, the gang collect their things from their rooms, and are ready for whatever is next, standing in the corridor awaiting further instruction from Jarlaxl.
Once everyone is ready, the gang are led down a corridor, and as they turn a corner, they are greeted by the sight of a fiery portal at the dead end. Without further ado, they all know what this is, Jarlaxl steps into the portal, and they all follow.
Upon emerging from the other end, a dwarf stands on a wooden ledge, welcoming them. Thoradin greets his fellow warmly, and asks where they are.
“You’re on your way to Gauntlegrim.”
A tram appears from the darkness, the doors open, and the dwarf invites them to step inside. The tram is a mixture of dwarfish engineering and wizardry.
Beniago farewells them, but the dwarf joins them on the tram. The gang step onto the tram and it takes off.
The dwarf hands them each a clear vial of liquid, apparently to calm the stomach. The gang are suspicious, at this stage their hosts have been generous and playful, a dangerously charming combination.
Londer looks at Jarlaxl and the dwarf drinking theirs, and downs his. Miss Moss pauses, waits to see what everyone else’s reaction is – what is this stuff? Just then, the tram picks up its pace. Miss Moss sees Jarlaxl place a hand on his armrest, his knuckles showing through his gloves.
The tram shoots up and starts to fly towards the ceiling of the cavern. Gravity shifts. The sharp action takes everyone by surprise, and the delicious and hearty brunch becomes a casualty. The floor is covered in puke.
Thoradin manages to keep his food in his stomach, but nobody else was quite as lucky.
Lia doesn’t make it to the edge of the tram in time, and much to her shame, vomits up her brunch all over herself. The tram stinks.
The dwarf, working quickly and quietly to avoid embarrassing the guests, grabs a handy squeegee, and quickly cleans up. Wafts of stomach acid and bile.
Once the tram reaches the ceiling, it locks into another overhead track and changes direction down a gloomy lantern-lit tunnel. Miss Moss and Leshanna use the moment of calm to guzzle down the potions. Jarlaxl’s gentle laugh echoes through the cabin.
The tram trundles into an enormous cavern. Lia immediately recognises the villages of deep gnomes, a warm, ingenious community who are seldom seen above ground. Above them is a city.
The tram continues its journey a while longer before pulling up at a stone outcrop. Out the open windows, the gang see grand doors, the doors, they know, of Gauntlegrim. The anticipation is palpable. The gang are bright eyed.
The coachman steps off the lip of the tram, standing at attention. The gang watches on for clues as to what they should do, watching as the grand doors creak open, golden lighting pouring from inside.
Attendants in magnficent armour stride out in a guard of honour, lining themselves up one by one in the corridor. After the guards are all in place, a littler-than-usual but quite fat dwarf with incredible red hair, braided thrice, walks out in shiny, regal armour, gold, encrusted with jewels.
His eyes light up with recognition and warmth as he spots a familiar member of the party.
The dwarf strides forwards, his heavy boots echoing on the stone floor, a huge smile on his face. He seems like he knows one of the gang, and they all look around to see who it is. As the dwarf gets closer, it’s clear he is looking with great affection and striding towards Lia, whose face lights up. “Brave lass Lia!” he calls with such warmth and affection, the gang all relax and break into a grin too.
They fling their arms around each other, and with a small grunt of struggle (he’s dense), Lia picks up the dwarf and tries to whisk him around. A squeezed laugh escapes the dwarf’s fat little mouth, and he giggle stage whispers, “I have killed people for less than that!” and they both laugh and laugh, dancing around each other with glee.
“Last time we were together, we stood against the drows! (sorry Jarlaxl!),” the dwarf says.
One by one, Lia introduces the gang to Bruner Battlehammer, who they all know as the true hero who liberated Gauntlegrim from the drow, restoring the city to its former glory. Battlehammer is impressive.
As they are introduced, despite their own fame and reputation, they are all a little star struck. Battlehammer invites them all inside.
Jarlaxl grins and says, “I told you I had someone to introduce you to,” and does a little skip, all Johnny Depp energy.
Inside Gauntlegrim is simply incredible: dwarfish, ancient and pristine, built with unbelievable command of the stone. It’s not magic, even better, it’s all craftsmanship and engineering. This is as good as it gets. The palace bustles with activity as they walk through the main hall.
The gang are ushered into a room in the grand palace, where Battlehammer says, “Please, take a seat – I have some people to introduce you to.”
Several waiters appear with food, mead and beer.
Before long, the doors open and the gang all look up. To their surprise, Cowan, Queen Tithmill and King Morin from Citadel Adbar enter the room.
“We have much to discuss”.