The twins yelped and dared at each new doorway. The prodded at stones to search for traps or secret levers. They whistled through open corridors and, when Xandal raised a hand knelt and were silent. They were skilled laborers and they were in their element. They'd skewered a pair of large bats that came from a collapse that resulted in a very high and completely dark crevice. Claude was very good with his spear, and when Riddle had the chance to examine for a moment when Xandal demanded silence he discovered it was a 'Partisan 9 attack, requires 10 strength and 10 agility' He assumed they had more stat points than himself, and were probably a level or more above him. He was only speculating. It seemed that knowledge was outside of the domain of his singular talent. Lloyd had a very fine 'Guardian shield 4 armor requires 12 strength' That was sort of like a heater shield in that it was mostly iron and beveled slightly, but was squared with a pyramidal umbo. The leather on it's face was a deep blue but scored in a dozen places by combat. Lloyd also used a short sword not unlike his own, but with a much wider blade. It looked a bit like a Gladius, but with a more medieval looking crossguard. Enfrida had a scepter with a brassy head that looked like a closed fist over a marble sphere. It wasn't easy with Xandal, who never got very near to Riddle or any of his traveling companions. He was stiff and disinterested. Even when they took a break to eat their rations and ignite a fire in a firepit some other group must have made, the Halfling hunter only cut slices from an apple and avoided conversation with any of them. Enfrida gave him a heel of bread and a decent chunk of red cheese. He ate it happily but no one had water or wine to spare him. "Should we come upon a well or fountain I can bless enough for you drink" This satisfied him for the moment. Riddle was careful not to be too friendly or comfortable with them, even though he had wanted to speak more. He had a hundred questions he couldn't ask because they were things he was supposed to have known since before he ever stepped foot in a dungeon. He was learning things anyway. Riddle was studying them as intensely as Xandal was studying him.
Enfrida was very much a patient and hands-off sort of motivator. She was leading them all with encouragement but never demanded anything explicitly and would instead prompt the person most qualified when necessary. Xandal was a keen scout and single-mindedly focused on discovering traps and anticipating ambushes. to Riddle, the twins behave more like blue collar laborers than the pulp fantasy warriors he'd read stories about. They joked, dismissed and seconded each other constantly. Still, he saw how swift they were in combat. They targeted and moved to strike. Took defensive positions to avoid being flanked and communicated in a short-hand that allowed them to deal with each others targets when the correct command word was spoken. They weren't agreeable, but otherwise friendly. He was certain they would come to his aid if some monster got too close to Riddle.
They were back on their march and moving through an elbow in a hall. An open doorway revealed a dark room that was of average size relative to the others he'd seen. On the wall was a barred window that was letting light in, but after investigation they found it to be a window framed around a mirror that was merely reflecting the light from Enfrida's Lantern. On the opposite wall was an open chest that had been emptied a very long time ago. It was coated in dust and the lid was draped with spiderwebs. Xandal touched the dust with his hand and milled it between his fingers. Looking around the room for a while and then studying the stonework on the floor. Riddle had seen him do this almost everywhere they'd gone so far. But the hunter left afterwards without saying anything and the group followed suit. Allowing him to direct them northward through a new limb of the hall. They approached a large lit chamber and Xandal put up his hand and they all stopped and lowered themselves until he told them otherwise. He skipped lightly, his bow out with an arrow between his fingers, to his vantage. He put his shoulder to the corner and curled himself around it. There was a long period of quiet as the four of them watched Xandal and studied him for some kind of reaction. He raised a hand with only his pointer finger up. LLoyd whispered "He wants us to approach but remain silent. He must have seen something. Be ready" They did. The twins were weapons ready. Enfrida walked slowly with a straight back and held the lantern behind her to conceal much of it's light. Riddle kept his sword out ahead of him and the mace slung over his shoulder simply because he had nowhere to stow it. When they were near to the hunter he shifted his weight backward and held up his fist clutching the bow, drawing them forward. As they passed him and crouch walked into the large room he knocked and arrow and began to aim. Riddle noticed the pillars first. Large squared stone trunks holding up a very large chamber. Ropes were tied around and between the pillars and to them were tied hundreds of capes and handkerchiefs and blankets. He found shades of all the colors represented in some measure. In totality it looked like a shredded quilt of enormous proportions. He was so entranced by this that when Xandal fired and the twins charged in he was totally dumbfounded. He ran after them but had no idea what it was they were fighting. Even as he advanced he kept gazing into the strange cloth display with a mix of awe and confusion. It was a terrible surprise when the spear pierced him. A dull gray thing covered in dark rough spots held the spear. It was a head taller than himself, but much smaller than a human. It's skull was bulbous and seemed too large for it's neck and body. It's eyes were sunken and green and almost snake like. It sneered at him with a mouth of irregular rotten teeth and put a leg forward to advanced the spear through him but an arrow appeared in it's temple and it's expression vanished, falling straight down and dropping it's spear. The pain erupted and then washed out. It was not a lethal wound, but he knew he could only have a few hitpoints left.
"How did you kill those orcs" Xandal's words dripped with venom. Riddle glanced at him but the hunter was looking elsewhere aiming another shot. Riddle jumped having noticed another of these creatures coming at him with a club. He was ready this time and stepped to the side and gave a wide cross body slash, letting it fumble and dive. It rolled when it hit the stones and he was already on it. Driving the sword into it's ribs on one side. It coughed wetly and passed. Their language was strange sounding to him. They keep rolling their tongues and speaking almost like yipping dogs from different places in the large room.
"They're going to drive at us, or scatter. Prepare yourself" They closed the gaps between one another in a few seconds. Forming a semi-circle towards the remaining Goblins and steeling themselves. Riddle joined on the right wing, near to Enfrida. She glanced at him and he a severity on her face that he didn't recognize. He took a few hard breaths and poised his weapon for another potential kill. A whooping series of cries emerged from somewhere between the pillars under the shroud. Faces and bodies leapt out from behind it with force. Three at first, then three more. Two more and then another two. Ten Goblins against the five of them. Xandal fired and struck one the first moment he was able. It staggered and gripped the arrow, breaking it. Xandal lowered himself and readied another arrow. At first Riddle watched as the twins set up in a kind of formation. With one aiming the spear over the shoulder of the other while he crouched and held onto his shield. Claude pierced and disabled the first to make it in distance and the second crashed into Lloyd's shield and was slashed a number of times by his sword. Then when realized Enfrida was getting near to him he was confused at the sudden brightness in the foot or so of space between them. She was speaking some kind of liturgy and put her fingers on his Small-sword. The hand that gripped it felt warm and a thin ribbon of light formed around the edge of the sword. As though some source of light was been cast from behind it. He turned his wrist in curiosity and saw that effect was constant at any angle.
"You're weapon is blessed. It will make your attacks deadlier" He glanced at it intently for a moment and saw that name had of the weapon had another line of information 'Lesser blessing of Skill' He thanked her and stepped heavily towards the goblins rushing at the hunter. The sword felt so light and sure in his hand that he couldn't believe how easy it was him to hit the Goblin. It attempted to step aside but he was much faster. The blade went through with much less resistance than his previous attacks. It was as though the edge was sharper and harder in his hands. It's ally swung at him with a broken saber and he flicked it away with the edge. He hopped into his riposte and dragged the edge over it's middle. The monster fell on all fours and howled furiously. The remaining goblins rapidly lost their will to fill. Making feigned attacks but giving ground each time of the adventurers stepped forward. Lloyd rushed ahead of Claude with his shield up and laughed maniacally fully breaking the Goblins that remained and causing a full on retreat out through the large northern archway into the dark. The twins hollered and whistles and enfrida said some kind of prayer. Xandal had his bow string pulled with an arrow knocked and stared into the dark hoping to make out some kind of movement. After a few seconds he blew his breath out of his nostrils and released his draw slowly.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"I would have liked to killed them all. The ones that are left will set up a lair somewhere else. They will live to ambush some other party"
"Sure, but they left empty handed. If they have any treasure it'll be here, and probably untrapped" Claude always seemed to be on the verge of screaming.
Riddle watched their green and gray and brown bodies as they shriveled and lost color. They ended up as gray doll-like things about two feet long. Their crude weapons and jewelry spread around the remains.
"We had better search the fixture, we are best suited to the collection of spoils" Riddle nodded and went back to the wall for his Orcish mace.
"Nevermind that thing. There are more valuable things that may fit in your belt, and they wont slow you down" The hunter spoke sharply and then moved towards the strange cloth monument.
They both entered it's interior to find it held hundreds of yards of ropes and planks. With tiers of ramshackle quarters and shelving. The halfling climbed this easily and the wood and rope strained and groaned only slightly. the first hanging tier held crude stinking beds and large half melted candles the size of small dogs and cats. They were unlit and covered with grit. Xandal pulled a dagger out from one of the beds and Riddle quickly decided to climb to the next tier. There were bones tied into the rope, from all sizes of creatures. The second and third tier were something like an inventory. There were rusty helmets filled with coins and finely carved wooden crowns set on a large half rotted pumpkin. He grinned and examined one 'Pauper-king's crown +1 fate' before placing it on his head, pleased that it fit somehow. The other he held in his off hand.
"Xandal. This is what you want" When the hunters cold gray eyes became visible over the planks at his feet he handed him the helmet full of coins. It was heavy in his small hands. Weighing twice as much as he guessed it might have in his former body.
"Good. Keep searching" He disappeared again and scurried down out of the cloth wall. Riddle grinned even wider at the reaction it got from the rest of the party. Who clapped and cheered.
"I will get to counting" He heard Enfrida through a smile.
Riddle pulled himself to the highest tier, he was above much of the fabric now and saw that blackened planks were set up here, largely invisible this far above the light of the wall sconces. He did much of the searching here with his hands. Running his fingers over something he first feared was a snake but soon realized was an ornate sword belt. He measured it against his own and found that it would fit him if he cinched it all the way. But in the dark he merely tied it over his own until he had the opportunity to replace his. He reached again and found a leather purse the size of his halfling palm. He shook it lightly to hear the tinkle of what he guess was loose jewelry. By this time Xandal had reached him.
"More trinkets still? I hope you intended to share them"
"Of course. I'm not done searching yet"
"Perhaps you should take what you've found to them and I will have a go" Riddle nodded and descended as easily as using a stiff ladder. When he met them they were knelt on the stones and making piles of coins. Claude looked at him with his eyebrows raised and he smiled broadly, showing the gap in his teeth, when the halfling raised the coin purse.
"Not a bad first haul"
"We'll see" Lloyd said, annoyed by his brothers enthusiasm.
Enfrida was placing a coin in one of five piles at a time. He put the purse down next to the helmet and nodded without looking at him. He went to work on the belt he'd discovered. It was nearly white an braided. The buckle and latch were of a white gold color.
"That looks Elven. Must have been a young one at that. If'n it fits on you" He blinked and examined the belt buckle 'Birchheart leather belt. One to all resistances' He smirked again and set it as snugly as he could. Then he put his sword in through the ring frog, it would drag on the floor at his feet if he didn't hold the grip and adjust it when he moved.
"And some kind of crown. Riddle should get half his share of the coins. There is no shame in outfitting yourself friend, but that loot would otherwise be sold and the total split. Understood?" He did. It did sting a little to know he'd be getting fewer coins, but he was better off with this arrangement than on without their companionship.
"That is fair"
"You may want to check the Goblins we killed. Some of them were wearing fur and leather. The stench may be bearable" Claude said half in jest.
"You should listen to him. You won't survive another fight without some protection" Xandal said from behind. Riddle just nodded again and went to searching. The first two only had something like a large furred loincloth. The third wore a large tunic fastened to him with rope. One killed by an arrow did have a crude leather vest. He rolled the gray remains away from it and checked the smell. It reminded him of a pet shop in the mall. He grimaced and examined it 'Low leather vest two armor' He sighed and put it on. The smell was slightly ammoniac, but he believed he could deal with it in the short term. When he turned to face them again he saw that the Priestess was through the coins and was now sorting the jewelry.
"It's fairly crude, but each piece may get us three to five groats. There are... fifteen in all. You will only get two, Riddle. That's the deal" He nodded at her, hand on his pommel.
"I found this whip, and an elven broach" Xandal said in his usual tone.
"There were a hundred and eighty four coins in the helmets. split five ways is thirty six, abouts. Adjusted is forty three. Riddle will get twenty one groats and two rings" A thought occurred to him, but he suppressed the urge to ask. If he examined each of the rings to see if any were particularly valuable or even magical, he might expose himself to the other halfling. Who was clearly suspicious already and very observant. "That will be fine. I'm sure we mean to keep exploring, right?" Enfrida and the others nodded at him "Good, there will be more treasure then" He said more to himself than to them, but they seem pleased with his certainty.
"I have the will to do this only twice a day, but I would like to offer you a petty healing" Xandal stepped towards them.
"You cannot give all your magic away like this. What it--
"What if? What if I don't heal him?" Riddle set his jaw and spoke.
"Perhaps you should save it. I am agile, and your warriors will be in the lead" Enfrida raised a hand and silenced him.
"That settles it. You are decent enough to refuse my help. So I insist on giving it. Your injuries are too severe for me to ignore"
The priestess said another of her indecipherable prayers an put her holy icon against his chest. She kneeled and put her forehead to his and the same light as before made him shut his eyes tightly. The dullness receded from his limbs. His body was more full and aware and the pain was all but gone. He kept his eyes closed and head low as it worked and in his mind drew up his character sheet. He saw that his hit points had increased from four up to fifteen. She stood and pulled away from him.
"I am grateful. I feel much better" She patted dirt off of his new vest and was clearly displeased with the smell and condition of the armor.
"I should hope so. If we are done with the treasure we had better continue on. Should we linger we may encounter worse things than goblins"
"Oh? Such as?" Riddle had much to learn.
"Such as the many legged custodians of the labyrinth, the crawlers. Or, should a surface dweller fall, ghouls. Even packs of vermin can lair in a room after a battle. There are worse things than that, but we are nearer to the sun than the underworld"
"Spend any amount of time with the guild and you'll hear all kinds of stories, kid. Some of them might even be true" Claude was already annoyed at their inaction.
"None of that matters right now. We have rooms to clear" Lloyd said as he drew the flat of the blade over the edge of his shield, admiring how it reflected light. The hunter nodded and took off, scouting.
