Chapter 1a: From the Dwarfworks

[Marullus]

Characters:

• AleBelly: Odlo
• AleBelly: Tyv
• Alethan: Thorhall
• Faanku: "Laughing" Pegg
• Faanku: Falnan Rosleigh
• greyarea: Casper
• greyarea: Pox
• Samwell Turleton: Hannu Survage
• Samwell Turleton: Magna Jonsdottir
• ybn1197: Brocard Bottomhill

The Dwarfworks are cut into the mountainside, wrapping around the cliffsides eastward of the Inner Bailey. Great stone edifices demarcate the mine entrances from the worker's mortared-stone apartments. The good thing about the dwarven construction is that precious little burns, especially compared to the half-timber structures of the humans below. Smith's Row stands at the juncture of the Dwarfworks and the High Road, which leads down to the market squares below. The Jeweler's Square is visible to the west, physically separated from the commoner's roadways, it's cobblestone roadways leading to the Inner Bailey and the homes of the Thanes and their High Families.

From this elevation, Casper, Thorhall, and Magna can stand atop the High Road and look outward and down, seeing Worldtree Plaza, the chaos among vendors and merchants, the throngs of panicked masses surging towards the Land Gate and towards Dockside. They are able to look down at the dragon's back as it swoops low, terror and screaming infecting the panicked masses as it snatches up a guardsman in its mouth and two women in its claws, like an eagle carrying off limp and broken squirrels. Except that, as it swoops up, it drops the women, letting a momentary gap open in the crowd as they impact the hard earth and then close again as the mass surges and tramples. Their momentary gratitude at learning the fire wasn't caused by their forges (this time) passes as they see the dragon swooping, the kobold and dragonborn ground forces slaughtering with brutal efficiency in the town square. As the masses are herded towards the Land Gate, those left behind or standing to fight are being overrun by growing numbers of lizard-faced creatures who appear to be going door to door...

The Inns and Taverns here at the cusp of the Dwarfworks are more comfortable and friendly to the Small Folk, and Odlo and Brocard are among them. Brocard emerges from his sleeping hovel between two buildings to see Odlo trying to run with his wife, but losing his grip on her in the surging crowd. While Odlo looks about frantically among the knees of running northmen trying to make it to and then down the High Road, Brocard is able to see his wife clearly, broken, bleeding, and motionless on the packed earth street.

The halflings and smiths come together at the Treaty Junction - the intersection of Smith's Row and the High Road, where the avenue to the Jeweler's Square lies to the west and the tall half-timber Inns and Taverns stretch off to the east. The panicked mob surges in from the east and turns southward, pouring down to Worldtree Plaza like a flowing river of stink and fear. The Coal Bunkers sit silent above in the Dwarfworks, resting on rails that move the heavy sledges down and around the cliffsides to the docks, all the way down and to the west beyond the Inner Bailey and the Dockside sprawl. A scream brings your attention back to Jeweler's Square - a well-dressed woman is cut down by a squad of cultists, a handful of kobolds cavorting and cheering in support of them, something glittering in their hands.

As if from nowhere, Tyv appears at the elbow of Casper, Thorhall, and Magna. He brushed his sleeves, took a deep breath, and approached the dwarves. There was no time for a flattering introduction. "If you want to survive, listen to me. Running's not an option. We may outrun the men and their lizard friends, but we won't escape those scorchspitters up there." He points down the road towards Jeweler's Square, the cultists there. "Subterfuge is the play here. Wait for a group of those madmen in an alley, end them, and don their vestments." Tyv pulls back his cloak, revealing a dagger hanging from his belt. "May need to gut some kobolds to find ones fitting you" he winks at the dwarves. "Come this way, I know just the spot."

Before they can respond, a massive woman (Pegg) with a woozy halfling slung under one arm (Falnan) and a sack of shit balancing under the other walks up with a large butcher who conspicuously is missing fingers (Pox). He tells Tyv that he brought more reinforcements. A round-nosed, round-bellied farmer (Hannu Survage) looks winded, having been running from down the row of taverns, and joins the back of Pegg's entourage, looking like he expects this group to have a plan.

"Pegg, Pegg! What is going on? What is the hub-bub about?" Broccard says, glad for any familiar face. He only hoped Pegg would take a moment to notice him and fill him in on what was going on.

A group of six of the cultists starts coming your way, down the road from the Jeweler's Square, but it will take a few minutes for them to walk the distance...

Plan or Plans of action?

[Samwell Turleton]

Magna Jonsdottir

Thorhall...Casper...while I wouldn't exactly call us friends, we have always worked well together - right?

What do you know of this man in his fine clothes, goading us into conflicts we don't know we will walk away from?

The two of you know these mines as well as anyone, right?

Perhaps we won't be followed or can lose them in the many turns of the shafts.

I know I said I would never let you use my hammer again Thorhall...but look, if we make it through this...I might.

[greyarea]

Casper, Dwarves blacksmith

No, Magna, we have no werked well together, replies Casper. Ye undercut me on price and ye makes foon of how aye spake when I asked yer friend Bonnie oot befare shae went to leeve wi' her coosins. And ye goot thae Miller contract ween ye knoo I werked hard on that. So good coompetators, maybe and yer a good smith so I suppose we could werk together...

Tha' said, I know thaes mines like thae back o' me hand. Thees jeweled paecock (he thumbs at Tyv) is prooly leading oos into deeth, I say we're better off rooning. I say we goo intae thae mines, so that batwinged monstrosity can't get tae oos. And we bae quick aboot it before more o' them bastards get here.

Pox the butcher

Pox espies the approaching cultists.
Screw your mines, Casper, it's probably your damn forge that lit these fires in the first place. I say we kill these invaders here and now, starting with that group there.
He sets down his side of beef in the muddy street and brandishes his cleaver. Let's kill some cultists, he declares.

[Alethan]

Thorhall, Dwarven Blacksmith

Thorhall grunts and says, "Aye, the mines sound like the safest place right now, but..." He glances down the street. "We canna lead those cultists in with us. We're gonna halfta kill them first."

He looks around to see if he can find any weapon better than his small smithy hammer. If he spots nothing, he shrugs, tightens his grip on the handle, and stands ready.

[greyarea]

Casper, Dwarven blacksmith

Casper snorts at Thorhall. If yer 'ammer ain't enoo, ye can use yer head tae poomell them, he growls, turning to face the cultists by his side, hammer in hand. I hate tae be savin' yer lives again, don'tchanoo.

[AleBelly]

Tyv, cutpurse

"'Tis true a wyrm would have difficulty chasing us into a mine, smithy" says Tyv to Casper, "but we humans have not your gift of dark sight. I would soon be dinner on one of those lizard-men's plates, for you know they will follow us. We must fight them, that much is true. And I will not cede them the advantage of sight. Pox speaks the truth. I would only suggest we take the battle to them...we are less likely to encounter more of their kind."

He points to the half-dozen cultists approaching them from afar. "If we move now, we overwhelm them with our numbers. If we are to see another sunset, this must be our course of action."


Odlo, halfling glovemaker

Odlo stands silently, absentmindedly running his thumb over the point of his awl as his lower jaw trembles ever so slightly. His moistened eyes reflect the morning sunlight as he observes the mayhem around him. If he's listening to the budding group's debate, he shows no signs of it.

Odlo will follow the group...if they break up he will join the larger of the two contingents.

[Alethan]

Thorhall, Dwarven Blacksmith

Thorhall laughs at the thought of Casper saving HIM, "Let's kill this lot and then we can go." And just like that, his demeanor changes and a snarl of anger crosses his face. "Fecking rhymes..." he mutters as the cultists approach, hoping his anger can fuel his heart. He nods at the human's suggestion to overrun the cultists and charges, hammer ready to swing, yelling, "Here's my reaction!"

[Samwell Turleton]

Magna Jonsdottir

Casper, you asked Bonnie out to a fishmonger's warehouse out at the docks - you sounded like you were pretending to be a ghost...Later she said she was interested - thought you were funny, I'm sorry... never mind that now.

We aren't fighters but we do know the city better than they do and you know the mines, we might be able to lose a few to some of the vertical shafts and others to the labyrinthine tunnels. If we have to fight it would be better to only have to take on a few...out here, there could be more around any corner. Call back Thorhall, only you can calm his anger.

[Samwell Turleton]

Hannu Survage

Well, isn't this a merry company we have found ourselves among! Hannu puffs with a grin ear to ear. Looking over everyone's heads while catching his breath he says, What to do...what to do? while stroking the little russet bantam's head. It isn't clear when he picked it up but Hannu has a pitchfork that he gives a little spin.

Hannu is going to look around the area and see if he can see anything that inspires a plan
The Approaching Cultists Intelligence [1d20+1] = 17+1 = 18 Luck [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16

[greyarea]

Casper, Dwarven blacksmith

I saad at the tame, thae foooshanger's baarhoose noot thae faashmanger's baerhuuse, Magna, says Casper. Canna yae oondersaand a ting aye bae sayin, aftoor all thase yars? I ain't noo frandlay goost, lakes yae alwoos sais.

[Faanku]

Pegg, the Gongfarmer

"Calm yourself, Broccard. It's gonna be OK. We're all gonna be OK." Pegg's confident tone masks her own misgivings about the situation, the last few words spoken as much to herself as to the diminutive vagrant. After listening to the back and forth of the gathered residents, the large woman chimes in with her own opinion. "I understand wanting to fight back, maybe take out a few kobolds or their human conspirators, and maybe we might even have a chance if we all work together... but them up there's a pair of grown red dragons, right out of the stories my pa used to scare us with to keep us behaving. It's not bravery to fight those things, it's killing yourself." She produces a torch and tries to smile as warmly as possible. "Going into the mines, we have a capable guide and a light for the way, but most importantly we have a chance to survive all this. I can't be telling you what to do, but I don't want to see any more people lost. I'm for the mines, and quickly."

[Marullus]

I like the back and forth discussion.

Holding for posts from Broccard and Falnan. Then a consensus on action.

[Samwell Turleton]

Does Hannu looking around using intelligence or luck have any bearing on the situation?

[Marullus]

Sorry! Sure does.

The door to the tavern on the corner hangs open - it would be defensible and it's overhanging balconies an advantage if you stand your ground. Across the square, the crates of ore between the smithies would provide helpful temporary cover. The alleyway that Tyv points to is also promising, as it looks like it hooks around a building to surprise the approaching cultists. That's what you could reach in time if you choose not to flee.

[Samwell Turleton]

Magna Jonsdottir

I understand enough of what you say Casper to know you have a good heart - I am for the mines and hope for your company and friendship, call back Thorhall!

[Samwell Turleton]

Hannu Survage

Hannu is going to mutter to himself, perhaps loud enough for the others to hear, Tavern...tavern...hrmm - or into the mines - or down the alley we could go!

[AleBelly]

Tyv, cutpurse

The well-dressed human seems heartened by Pegg's torch, but lines of worry still crease his face.

"Tell me dwarves, are there other exits from these mines? If there are not, we may enter and hide, but we will eventually perish. The invaders are legion...they will pour into the mines until they scour all life from it. If the mines offer an exit outside the city, I will cast my lot with you. Otherwise, I will take my chances aboveground with the scant band of cultists down that alley."

If the dwarves cannot assure Tyv that there's an alternative exit from the mines, he will survey the alleyway around the six cultists and determine the best place to lay ambush or do battle.

Int check, if needed
Intelligence check [1d20] = 8

[Marullus]

If the group splits, just be clear who's in which grouping. (The description info above should present a variety of options at this stage.)

[greyarea]

Do the mines have an exit?

[Marullus]

We have two dwarven smiths, no miners. There's only one known/used mouth to the mines, which is what you see above. It can be assumed there are other secrets below but those are secrets that the miners keep.

I did describe the coal buckets, which would provide a speedy way to dockside from the mines. You can take the High Road and go straight down to Worldtree Plaza, which is changing from crowded mob to patrolled space. You also could go through Jeweler's Square to the Inner Keep, Dock Road, or alternative route to Worldtree Plaza. Going in force or going in subterfuge both are viable as discussed. Hiding in the mines to try one of those routes later also is viable.