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[Shadowclaw777]

Incognito

[Murphy]

The two thieves, Tolir and Ebi, were siblings, both down on their luck in the cities of the south. So when Tolir won a map from a fellow swindler in a game of dice, he was able to convince his sister Ebi to join him on an adventure. Pooling their contacts, they were able to find another semi-trustworthy companion, a warrior named Stathra who used to be a guardsman but got kicked out a year ago for dealing with crooks.

The path into the Oldlands Valley lay through a stretch of swamp; all three of them were city slickers without much survival skill. As they were looking for a way to cross a particularly nasty bog, Tolir stumbled over a lump of earth, which then shook and threw him off.
"Blarg! Rude!"
The creature hid behind a tree trunk while the adventurers wiped their faces from the murky shower. "Where is it? We're under attack?"
"There!" Stathra put a spear forward. There was some kind of scaly amphibian creature with big eyes and webbed ears; it seemed as if it was going to fight, but then seemed to change its mind.
"You humansss. Walking in here like you own the place. You want the bogeyman get you, or what?"
Everyone blinked in hesitation.
"You... are a bogeyman? Wait, you speak?"
It gave them what could be seen as a smirk, then pointed to itself.
"Not bogeyman. Is Gloomf. And you lossst in swamp, yes?"

Persuading the amphibian native to show them the way to the caves was surprisingly easy. It was a short trip once out of the swamp, and she led them around a few other bogged ravines, but once the mountain pass was in sight, she suddenly expressed a wish to go with them. "You look for caves? Gloomf go with you, or you die."

***

They did not expect there to be a settlement nearby. An Anlaran mining colony, only a few years old but clearly thriving. The local tavernkeep was eager to talk about how they took the land from the beast-elves, and also shared a rumor about a dragon dwelling in the depths, but of course there wasn't anybody who had seen the thing. And nobody was going to let them explore the gold mines. Tolir considered having Ebi steal the keys from one of the mining teams, but Gloomf insisted that they should keep going east, into beast-elf lands.
"There be other entrance, unguarded. Bunch of dwarves. Mostly harmless."
"Dwarves? Tolir, whatever your map says, I don't think there can be any unclaimed treasure in ten spans distance from a dwarf."
"There isss treasure", Gloomf seemed impatient, her speech breaking again into a lisp. "Is in depthsss. Below dwarves. Come."

***

Tolir suspected she knew more than she let on. When they passed the border guard he'd been all nerves, expecting to be led into an ambush. But nothing like that happened; instead they came to an overgrown tunnel entrance, which opened after some unsubtle coercion.

Not long after they came upon a lookout post manned by a bored dwarf, who jumped up seeing them but took only a second to grab his crossbow. "Hey! Stay there and say who you are!"
Gloomf then stepped forward; the dwarf's eyes widened but he said a few words in Dwarven, with the amphibian barking back also in Dwarven.
"Adventurers, you may pass", he then said, glassy-eyed.
"See? Harmless. You go visit dwarven elders. Gloomf meet you later."

As they got closer to the inhabited floors, even keen-eyed Ebi could not tell precisely when she disappeared into the tunnels.

[Murphy]

The dwarven hospitality provided Tolir, Ebi and Stathra with a meal of minced quarry bush leaves and ale, a place to sleep, and an audience with the elders, Momuz Bermesttos and Rith Bercog.

Rith looked like a kindly dwarf matron, but the mace hanging from her belt didn't look ceremonial. All dwarves here were warriors; they had to be.
"Aye, it's good to see adventurers. We're having trouble with troglodytes stealing our supplies, and we can't spare the militia to clear them out. If you take care of that, we will reward you, and you'd be welcome to use Asteshdatan as a base in your treasure hunting. Any friendly blade is good in these tunnels."

"We also need scouts on the surface", Momuz added. "We're under constant threat from the elvish savages. They've been sending patrols into the eastern mines, and there ain't anything we can do but bide our time."

***

Stathra took lead as they descended further down. Tolir and Ebi were discussing what they knew about this dungeon when sounds of movement echoed from below. Troglodytes, no less than two dozens!

The dice are rolled!
Adventurers roll: 8.
Troglodytes roll: 3.

Using the advantage of high ground, the adventurers made their stand on one stair platform looking least likely to crash and fall down. The first few attackers were quickly disposed of and the rest fell back, allowing the humans some time to breathe.

"Look out!" Ebi suddenly shouted, pointing towards a far wall, where several troglos were climbing up the shaft. They moved with frightening speed, without any need for stairs, or even rope. It was time to try the crossbows they'd acquired from the dwarves.

With a thwack of the string a steel bolt shoved one of the troglodytes off the wall and sent it screaming into the darkness; more shots followed until none of the attackers remained.

"Sister, this is officially my new favorite weapon."

***

With the Troglodytes defeated, the adventurers took everything they could loot from the tribe's campground and went back to the old dwarven halls to receive their reward. There they were told that a scroll had been left for them. It said simply: "Come fishing spot", with an amphibian pawprint below.

She was indeed waiting there, by the lake's fishing spot. Dismissing their angry questions about where she'd been during the fight, Gloomf showed them a gold coin from Ineth Nil and explained about a young hive of Antlings with a huge pile of loot.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

The adventurers have no way to reach the dragon because all possible approaches are submerged (the dragon himself and his Triton servants are able to traverse underwater). Next time, Gloomf will make sure to deal with this problem, but for this year she is content to destroy Vîrfesh's sources of income and recruits.

Gloomf also notes that a new group has arrived to the dungeon, coming from the east: a band of goblins led by one Azstrog the Wicked.

[Glass]

Leave the poor antlings alone ._.

[Naturegirl1999]

We are freeing them from their draconian overlord

[mightymushroom]

But I like the draconian overlord.

Anyway, it looks like the humans will drain some of that water for them in the near future.

[Murphy]

Gloomf felt no attachment to the Tritons who chose to serve Vîrfesh. Remember, they did it willingly, so it wouldn't even be a rescue. She could save those still petrified in the ruins, but really, it would be easier to just start a new brood. Also, now was not the time.

Much to Gloomf's dismay, Tolir decided to parley with the Antlings. He pointed out that he is a talker, not a warrior, and a chance to avoid fighting should be taken. Of course, he did also consider stealing from them, but then the queen offered a quest!

Anyway, dice time!
Adventurers roll: 9
The Warped roll: 7

Yes, the quest was to destroy the Warped. So much for Tolir's talking.

Instead of trying to manipulate the adventurers, Gloomf decided to go with it, if only to get her slimy paws on the Warped's armor. The adventurers opted for a baiting tactic, luring the fiendish creatures into a trap, while Gloomf used her mental powers to stun them. After that it was hammer time.

The Antlings rewarded the adventurers with treasure, plus there was the Warped's gear. Seven partial sets of armor and weapons from an otherworldly metal impervious to harm. Tolir, Ebi, Stathra and Gloomf each took a piece for themselves, and for the rest, well, make a choice?

• Carried away from the valley; it would eventually end up in an unrelated treasury a thousand spans away.
• Sold to the humans. Humans lose 3 treasure but gain an artifact for +1 in all fights.
• Gifted to the dwarves. The dwarves cannot afford to buy it but it should be theirs by right.
• Gloomf stole it all. The next adventuring party will be Tritons of her new brood, armed to the teeth.

[Naturegirl1999]

Gloomf stole it all.

[Shadowclaw777]

Sold to the humans, humans will not die in this dungeon!

[Superdorf]

Gifted to the dwarves, that they may find glory once more!

[Glass]

Um, rolling a d3 for this (1 = Gloomf, 2 = Humans, 3 = Dwarves)...

And it goes to the Dwarves. By my vote, at least.

EDIT: By the way, shouldn't the dragon and their holdings be a shade of blue?

[helmacon]

Gifted to the dwarves

Think of it as us repatriating their fallen brethren. Sure hope they don't use it on the proto-elves though. I kinda like them.

[mightymushroom]

I'm strongly tempted toward the dwarves, they seem more in need of a boost at the moment.

But looking at the personalities of Tolir, Ebi, and Stathra I have to say they will not miss a chance to Sell to the Humans for big bucks.

[Murphy]

I'm strongly tempted toward the dwarves, they seem more in need of a boost at the moment.

But looking at the personalities of Tolir, Ebi, and Stathra I have to say they will not miss a chance to Sell to the Humans for big bucks.

They were certainly going to do so, but fate is a fickle thing.

Gloomf disappeared again to manipulate events elsewhere at some different scope, leaving the adventurers to their devices.

Unluckily for the trio, upon their arrival to the dwarven settlement they all fell terribly ill. Some kind of new plague, a remnant of the biogenic cataclysm, had awoken in the spider cave they passed on the way back, and now it was threatening both their lives and the dwarves'.

Once again, the dwarves showed hospitality, even if it meant having to quarantine the guests. A week passed under the care of the local healer, an ancient dwarf by the name of Letmos Melbilnish. Fortunately, the Hall of Records by now contained a wealth of knowledge on remedies used by the Theliiri, humans and even the toadmen, and the dwarves were able to neutralize the outbreak. All three of the adventurers survived and were nursed back to health.

That was how the dwarves got their gift: crook or not, Tolir knew gratitude, and he left them the extra gear taken from the Warped. The adventurers still carried plenty of loot with them when they left the valley: spoils from the Troglo fight, reward for the dwarven quest, some of the trophy armor and a reward from the Antlings—an antique dwarven lyre.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

It was the spring of year 66.

[Murphy]

EDIT: By the way, shouldn't the dragon and their holdings be a shade of blue?

Is it not symbolic that all groups under his control lose their color? Seeing as enslaved groups no longer pursue their goals, they only grow the dragon's army (breeders) or his treasury (delvers).