Defenders of the Realm

by Dave Willmarth

  Silverbeard spoke up first. “I’d like to go. As healer.”

  Alexander looked surprised. “Master Silverbeard I just assumed you were a much higher level than us. I never really took the time to check.”

  Silverbeard shook his head “Nay lad. I were in me share o’ battles as a young’un. But most o’ me life I’ve been a chamberlain. It be a good job, and I learned much. But there don’t be much chance o’ killin’ or questin’ behind a desk. I be level 35.”

  There was a silence among the players at the table. Then Brick spoke up. “There ain’t no better healer than a paladin o’ Durin!” Realizing what he’d said, he looked apologetically at Sasha, who just smiled and patted his shoulder.

  Lainey added “Thea would be able to benefit. I believe she’s thirty-something after the last battle’s xp.” Folks around the table made noises of agreement, but Sasha asked “What is her spec? I’ve seen her with sword and shield. Is she a tank? Or simply a warrior?”

  Silverbeard answer “She be a tank. Has full plate armor custom-made by Ironhammer his self.”

  “Great!” Alexander chimed in. “The hard part is settled, we have a tank and a healer. Are any of our people casters? Or ranged dps? How about Lorian’s hunters?”

  Max shook his head “Our hunters have all leveled up from hunting the dire wolves and higher-level mobs up top.”

  Grimble spoke up “Some o’ the miners be at the right level. All be warriors, o’course. But they can use them new crossbows ye found.”

  Alexander nodded “That might not be a bad idea. Leveling up our miners can only help us, right? Including one of them would give us info on any mining resources that might be found down there as well. Who else do we have?”

  Max spoke again “There’s Bodine and his wolves. If he took a few of them in with him, they could do some serious dps. He’s not reached level 40 yet.”

  Alexander, who was busy handing Silverbeard a dozen of the new rapid regeneration potions, said “Okay. That’s four at least. We can add another miner if necessary. Any other suggestions?”

  Sasha suggested “One of the duergar? Or one of the rock trolls? Maybe Prince Edward? What level is he?”

  Alexander balked at that. “I’m not sure I’m ready to be responsible for Edward being in a dungeon with a small group like that. And does he really need epic loot?”

  Max quickly agreed. “Yeah, if there’s going to be sweet loot droppage, let’s keep it in house.” He winked at Sasha, who just rolled her eyes.

  Silverbeard cleared his throat. “Lola be a trained warrior, like any dwarf. And if ye give’d her one o’ yer wands ta use, she could do ranged damage too. She be only level 28, but tough as any ye’ll find.”

  Alexander had no doubt that Silverbeard and the others would protect Lola. So he made an executive decision. “Silverbeard, you and Lola. And please invite Thea. Max, go see if Bodine wants to go. Grimble, you can pick the most appropriate of the miners. Come back here with them. I want to go explore a new mine with you this morning.” Everybody meet back here in thirty minutes. If any of them decline, we’ll figure out replacements. And if they’re willing, but lack gear, well we’ve got the guild vault. They can do some shopping.”

  After a moment’s thought, he said “Clear the first level if you can. Take a look at the second. If the creatures down there are a much higher level, come back out and we’ll discuss it.”

  As the folks dispersed to go about their business, Alexander remained. He took out a small piece of obsidian and shaped it into a ring. Thinking back on his previous attempts, he began to infuse the ring with the Far-Speaking enchantment. He took his time, feeding the spell into the stone and winding it tight around the loop. His previous attempts had been simple chunks of stone that were later shaped into dragons. This new form, the ring, seemed to embrace the enchantment, almost seek it out. When he began to feel a little pushback, he stopped.

  Ring of Communication

  Quality: Rare

  This ring allows the bearer to hear and be heard by the ring’s creator at a distance of up to 30 miles. Once communication is established, it will remain open for up to one minute. Cooldown: 12 hours.

  Alexander reached up and gave himself an imaginary high-five. “Two-way! I did it! Same spell, just a different shape for the target item. So, the shape of a thing can make as much of a difference as the material it’s made from?”

  Skill Level Up: Enchanting skill has increased by +1!

  He wasn’t sure if the skill bump had come from making the ring, or the realization that shape mattered, but he’d take it either way! He quickly removed a couple more pieces of stone and enchanted two more rings. He didn’t level up again, but that didn’t bother him. These would be very useful. He could give one to Captain Redmond. Stormforge was well within the 30-mile range. Broken Mountain was too far away, as was Antalia. The minotaurs or orcs might be less than 30 miles. He’d have to find out.

  Silverbeard and Lola returned first. He handed Lola his Ray of Light wand. “If the monsters inside are beings of the dark, this will do more damage than a crossbow.” He also gave more of the Rapid Restoration potions to Lola. “Give these out to the others when you go in. Your grandfather has more. Use them sparingly, but don’t hesitate if you need them. We can always make more.”

  He handed one of the new rings to Silverbeard. “Let me know if you can think of a good use for this. You and the others can always reach me through guild chat. But there may be some who need to contact me from outside the guild.”

  The elder dwarf examined the ring and snorted. “Aye, it could come in handy. Ye’ll be givin one ta King Charles?”

  “Captain Redmond, but yes. But Broken Mountain is out of range.”

  “Not all of it.” Silverbeard shook his head. “Ye only see’d a small part o’ the kingdom. Thalgrin’s realm runs under many a mountain. The closest be only 20 miles or so. If this ring were left at an outpost there, word could be got to the king faster’n ye think.”

  Alexander was surprised at the breadth of the kingdom Silverbeard was describing. He decided to ask. “The plateau is several miles wide, and stretches a good bit to the east. Any chance we might connect a tunnel through the eastern mountain to Broken Mountain’s territory? Like, maybe using a couple of mithril worms?”

  “BWAHAHA! I’d bet me beard King Thalgrin would be pleased ta try it!” Silverbeard’s laughed caused curious looks from several others who were approaching. Grimble asked “What’d I miss? A good joke?”

  Silverbeard beckoned him close and whispered Alexander’s question. “HA! Aye, I’d like ta see that!”

  Alexander grinned at him. “Well, as our resident worm-wrangler, you’d get a front row seat.” He said, causing more laughter from both dwarves.

  Within a few more minutes, all the dungeon team were assembled. At the last moment, Fibble came running up. The little green goblin protector now had a shoulder harness with a sheath on his back and the hilt of his new sword extending up over his shoulder. “Fibble go too! Kill demons!” He stated.

  Alexander looked around for objections but found none. “Fibble, you listen to Silverbeard, yes? He’s the boss on this trip.”

  Fibble nodded his head so rapidly his ears made a flapping noise. “Fibble be good. Listen to old dwarf. No worry!” To which Silverbeard snorted and stroked his beard.

  Alexander teleported himself and the group to the area near the fishing hut outside the keep’s walls. Bodine’s wolves didn’t take well to the teleport, and it took a moment for him to calm them down.

  Just to the north was the alcove he’d originally used to hide the duergar’s mirror. From where they stood it just looked like a normal stone face. The entry went in at an angle. When they approached close enough that they could see inside, there was the opaque portal that marked a dungeon entry.

  Alexander wished them good luck, and Thea, in her shining dwarven steel armor, raised her shield, took sword in hand, and stepped through. The others followe
d a heartbeat behind. Alexander waited a few moments, and Silverbeard’s voice came through guild chat.

  “They be damned gremlins! Cursed things! We’ll be wipin’ these beasties from our lands, don’t ye doubt!”

  Alexander grinned and teleported himself back to the keep. Gremlins were annoying, and were known to travel in packs creating mischief and stealing anything not nailed down. But they were among the least dangerous of dungeon mobs on Io. He pictured Fibble leaping about and smiting gremlins with his new sword.

  Back in the courtyard, he assembled his team to go investigate the mine. Grimble, Brick, Sasha, Lainey, Max, and a sleepy looking Jules. He teleported them all to the garrison tower, and they exited out the northern gate. The mine was northwest of the tower, several miles into the forest. They all summoned mounts, except Jules, who rode on Tigger with Alexander. The herd of cats and battle boars moved quickly through the ancient trees. Alexander was enjoying the smooth ride almost as much as having Jules pressed against his back and squeezing him tightly. She somehow always smelled faintly of vanilla cookies.

  Alexander followed their progress on his map, adjusting Tigger’s course slightly every few minutes. In less than an hour they were approaching the mine entrance. It was cut into the side of a small hill, and ancient ironwood supports framed the entry. They dismounted, and Alexander cast a light globe into the tunnel. Turning to Tigger, he said “You guys can go hunt, but stay close. We may be leaving in a hurry.”

  Bacon didn’t need to be told twice. He immediately began following his snout, rooting around at the base of a massive ancient ironwood tree in search of tasty roots, fungus or insects. He wasn’t fussy. The cats faded into the forest as Grimble’s boar simply snorted and flopped down on his belly.

  The dwarf shook his head in resignation. “Spoiled, that one. I should nay feed ‘im for a week!”

  They made their way into the mine tunnel, Brick in the lead as always. Alexander set the light globe to maintain a lead of about twenty feet in front of them. Its light extended a good fifty feet further ahead. So far, there wasn’t much to see. Grimble paused about fifty feet down the shaft and put a hand to the wall. After a moment of concentration, he shook his head. “There be not much of value close by. Some copper deposits, a few agates.”

  Alexander nodded and motioned for Brick to continue. They followed the shaft as it descended gradually for maybe two hundred yards before reaching an intersection. One branch went left, and ended in a wide hole. The other branch extended toward the right at a forty-five degree turn. Not wanting to leave potential enemies at their back Brick automatically went right. They would clear this shaft, then head back and explore the lower level.

  The light globe continued to lead them down the mostly straight mine shaft. There were some slight turns, as if the original miners had been following a vein of something. Which might well have been the case. Grimble called another pause. Kneeling, he put a hand on the ground and closed his eyes. Almost instantly he opened them again. “Aye, this be better. We’re deeper here. There be iron ore. No gems to speak of.”

  Iron was just fine with Alexander. They could use all they could get. Their original mine was producing some iron, but more silver, gold and gems. Those were great for the treasury, but iron could be used to craft a wider range of things they needed.

  A short time later they encountered a large room cut into the side of the shaft. Maybe fifty feet deep and forty wide, the room was scattered with broken old crates and stacked with piles of low grade gems. “This looks familiar” Alexander whispered. The kobolds had done something similar in the mine near the keep. They appeared to have no use for gems, and discarded them in this fashion.

  Grimble nodded. “Aye, kobolds. But no recent sign of em.” Max nodded his head in confirmation. “There are tracks in here, but all very old.”

  Grimble was just getting to his feet when a gong sounded, the deep tone echoing through the shaft. The group spun about to face the door, weapons ready. They could hear the thudding of feet and a chorus of voices approaching. But the footsteps weren’t rapid, and the voices weren’t yelling.

  Not wanting to get caught in the wide-open room and surrounded, Brick led the team back out into the narrower tunnel. They faced the approaching sounds, weapons at the ready. Alexander pushed the light globe forward to the limit of his reach. He and his people would be able to see what approached, while remaining in near-dark themselves.

  The light revealed a turn in the shaft just past where Alexander had halted it. When it approached, the sounds quickly quieted. The team watched as first one, then several heads poked around the corner, blinking rapidly at the light before retreating.

  “Yep. Kobolds” Grimble confirmed. “Sounds like a million of ‘em. This’ll be some grim work, lads—and lasses.” He winked at Lainey.

  Alexander’s elven hearing was picking up a considerable amount of conversation ahead. It sounded to him like they were more afraid than angry. He decided to play a hunch. “Brick, move us forward. Just far enough so that they can see us clearly.”

  Brick stepped forward with the others following behind until they were about halfway to the light globe, and their features were clearly visible. This caused a dramatic increase in the conversation level around the turn.

  A moment later, the sounds stopped altogether, and a kobold stepped nervously out into the open. He held his hands up in front of him, as if to hold back an attack. They shook with fear as he stepped forward. “No kill. Please. We not fight. No kill!”

  Alexander called out “Step forward. We will not kill you.”

  The kobold looked nervous behind him, and Alexander could see several hands motioning the spokes-kobold forward. It took several steps, then halted again right underneath the light globe. “This close?”

  Brick chuckled as Alexander stepped forward. “Yes, that is close enough.” He could see that the thing was emaciated, and its scales had an unhealthy dull luster.

  “We not hurt. Not fight. You not kill, please.” The kobold repeated.

  Sasha, ever the soft-hearted one, stepped up next to Alexander. “We’re not here to kill you. This is our mine. We just came to explore.” Grimble growled at that, clearly not in agreement. Sasha ignored him. “Do you live here?”

  The kobold nodded its head “Do now. Master bring us here. Work mine. Work work. Never leave. Master get angry.”

  “And who is your master?” Alexander asked. Things were beginning to make sense. The gong, the kobolds. It was midday. This was probably a shift change. These kobolds were slaves.

  “Big horny one. Wings.” The kobold flapped his arms to imitate wings, then pointed at Lainey “Like that one.”

  Max snorted. “He just called you a big horny one.” Lainey pointed her bow at him and glared.

  “Demon” Brick spat on the floor “Good. I can use me some more drinkin’ horns.”

  Sasha called out “Do you have a name?”

  “Me Grik!” the kobold slapped his chest as if to clarify he was referring to himself.

  Alexander took control. “Grik. I am Alexander. King of Elysia, which includes this mine. Tell your people to come out here. We’re going to put you someplace safe, then take care of your master.”

  The kobold nodded, then turned and spoke to his people. At first just a few emerged, hesitantly stepping out into view. They were all emaciated and sickly looking.

  Sasha turned to Max and Lainey. “Have you got any meat in your bags? They need food.” As she asked, she stepped back into the large room. Max and Lainey followed.

  Sasha gathered up some wood from the old crates and started a fire. Max and Lainey each produced a dire wolf carcass. Sasha immediately went about roasting them. The kobolds, smelling the meat, began to step forward more enthusiastically. Alexander and the others herded them into the room, where they stood salivating as they stared at the cooking meat.

  Alexander had done a quick head count as they filed past. There were close to forty kobolds in the
room now. Brick was blocking the exit, and the others had spread out to either side of the door. Except Sasha, who was still in the middle of the room cooking. She was adding some herbs to meat, and the smell was making everyone a little hungry. When the first wolf was finished, she handed it over to Grik and moved the second one onto the fire. “Share this out with your people. There should be enough for everyone.”

  The kobold leader bobbed his head. “Thank you! We always hungry! Master not feed every day. Thank you!” the kobolds behind him were nodding along enthusiastically. Grik began to use his claws to rip chunks from the roasted carcass and pass them out. By the time he was down to passing out bones for his comrades to gnaw on, Sasha handed him the second wolf.

  Alexander said “I’m going to seal you in here. Eat, rest. We’re going to go kill your master, then we’ll come back for you.”

  He motioned for the others to step out, then did so himself. Standing in the tunnel, he used his Earth Mover skill to raise a thin wall that filled in the door opening. He raised it to the ceiling, then Brick shaped several small holes in it to allow air flow. The kobolds were miners, and could easily break the stone and escape. But not without being heard. The group would have a warning if the kobolds tried to attack from behind.

  That settled, they moved down the shaft in the direction the kobolds had come from. Alexander activated his Mage Sight, as did Brick. Max trailed in the back, checking for any secret passages or hidden caches. They didn’t worry about traps, as the kobolds had just passed that way.

  Before long they reached another large room, this one at the terminus of the shaft. The room was roughly circular, with a pit in the center. A ramp wound down around the outer edge of the room, ending at the pit. A red glow emanated up from below.

  Sasha rolled her eyes “Cliché much?” Then she added “Since it’s just us fools here, remember to cast Trap Soul on everything. We need as many of the gems as we can get.”