ACTION ROUND

  The foolish halfling! She was lucky there were only two orcs in the room. Even a couple of the brutes were capable of inflicting serious damage to their small party.

  Still, Jaelin had to admit, he’d underestimated her a little. Her hands were a blur, loading her weapon fast enough to use all three action points as attacks. And what attacks they were—the stone missiles delivered with almost pinpoint accuracy. A total of 18 damage left the first orc with only 5 hit points.

  On the back foot, Larik charged in after her. It took him an action to reach the second orc, leaving him with 2 chances to land a blow. He struck with his mace on his first attempt, a forceful thwack on his opponent’s weapon arm. Neither of his shield barges worked, nor his final mace swing. It left the orc on 12 hit points.

  With a sinking feeling, Jaelin watched Mila run after the Bludgeoner. She had no business getting involved in the melee. On the other hand, Larik had left himself vulnerable to the orc’s response. A successful stab took a vital 5 hit points from the orc.

  The orc targeted Larik, connecting with both of its brutal hammer blows. The Bludgeoner was reduced to a mere 8 hit points.

  The first orc ran at Rilie. It didn’t have enough actions to strike, but its proximity prevented her from using her sling.

  From the direction of the throne room, a third orc warrior appeared. It was jogging towards the guard room, shouting urgently in orcish, holding a club in both hands. Eyes widening when it saw Jaelin, it promptly turned and ran back the way it had come.

  Jaelin felt he had no choice but to give chase. If it alerted more orcs, they’d be in serious trouble.

  One action took him within bow range. His proficiency with the weapon allowed him to get off four shots. He aimed carefully with his first, rewarded with a strike in the back of the target’s neck, and a mighty 17 points of damage. The orc staggered, which was perhaps why he missed his second shot. He rushed his third. One last chance, he told himself, aiming carefully. The arrow thudded harmlessly into the orc’s hide armour. Shit on it.

  Rilie didn’t even own a melee weapon, which explained her decision to quit the melee. But in doing so, she gave the orc she had wounded a free hit. It didn’t waste its chance, but the 4 points of damage it delivered could have been worse.

  She fed her sling another stone, whipping it with vicious speed. Another hit, and the orc was dead.

  Larik accounted for the second with his mace.

  Mila exited the room, to find Jaelin had left his post.

  His orc target got a bit farther, but with only one action it didn’t reach the end of the corridor.

  Jaelin spent another action chasing it, but it still left him with four shots to finish the job. He struck with his first arrow, 8 damage enough to kill it. He was relieved that last turn’s failure hadn’t dropped them in it. With the noise from Lurin’s distraction lingering, and the shouts of orcs as they responded to it, he was pretty sure they hadn’t been heard.

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  Mila took a cursory look at Larik and Rilie’s injuries, passing them fit. They didn’t have time to waste.

  They followed the corridor as it began to swing north, confirming in Jaelin’s mind that it linked up with the corridor where Lurin and the others were operating. It explained why the orcs had run in this direction. He spared a thought for his colleagues, hoping they’d got themselves to safety.

  They stopped at a pair of open wooden doors on the right of the corridor. They were so much more elegant than the hole in the wall entrance to the guardroom, that Jaelin immediately assumed they’d found the throne room. It was probable the doors had been left open as the orcs inside rushed out to investigate the attack on their dungeon. It made getting into the room that much easier.

  Mila peered inside. Jaelin watched her tiptoe into the room, as if being pulled inside by an unknown force. She then backtracked, a pensive grimace on her face.

  She raised six fingers, then indicated that she and Rilie should slip inside, while Jaelin and Larik wait for them.

  He shook his head vehemently. Six was too many. He wouldn’t have the chance to go and help them if they needed it. Better to retreat, and keep their lives.

  She tried signalling to him with her hands, but he shook his head in frustration, not understanding. She mouthed words to him, and he finally got it. Women and children. She didn’t want to attack them. She wanted to creep in and steal what they could.

  Jaelin still wasn’t happy, but he relented, watching the two of them disappear inside. He didn’t trust Rilie not to do something stupid in there. He glanced at Larik, who held his mace at the ready. At that precise moment, it didn’t feel like the easy mission the Bludgeoner had promised.

  ***

  Mila crept into the room, keeping to the shadows of the exterior wall. Rilie was her shadow, following her with the lightest of footsteps. Long may that continue, Mila thought.

  She used her experience to guide her. The children and their mothers were all in what seemed to be a living area section of the throne room. She doubted this would have been the setup when Queen Brid was in charge, and Darkspike had been barracks to an army. With far less residents, those who remained would be able to take whatever rooms they fancied.

  She stopped at a wide stone pillar that separated the space, giving herself time to think. Brid’s treasure was here somewhere. The queen hadn’t taken it to Eisenberg. It was likely kept in some out of the way part of the throne room, where only a few people were allowed. She set off again, keeping the pillar between her and the living area to her left. She and Rilie reached the end. She gave Rilie a look. They would have to take a few steps in the open, and hope the orcs were too occupied to notice.

  Moving with stealth was a simple matter, so long as one didn’t overthink it. Be silent; glide across the space, avoiding jerky or unnatural movement; do it all quickly. She went for it, trusting in her ability. Rilie went with her, not putting a foot wrong. This halfling has all the potential to be a thief, she noted. Like me, she doesn’t let her mind get in the way. Most thinkers make poor thieves.

  They stopped when protected by a second pillar. Straight ahead, Mila could see the roughly carved wooden throne, set against the bare rock of the far wall. It stood empty, and she wondered if it had remained empty ever since Cap had slain the orc queen.

  To her right was a small opening in the rock. It was too dark to see inside. A small cell like that was the obvious place to store precious items. No one guarded the entrance. It was possible it had a guard inside, of course.

  She gave Rilie a nod, and they crept over. There was no source of light from inside, making it impossible to discern how large the cell was. Mila heard nothing; she smelt nothing, which was a good sign. She’d never heard of an orc that didn’t stink.

  They were just going to have to risk it.

  They passed through the small opening. Immediately, Mila sensed the cold walls around her. There was no window, nor any light source. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She couldn’t sense anyone in the room. But if they were there, she was utterly defenceless.

  “In those chests, do you think?” Rilie whispered.

  “Rilie, can you see in here?”

  “Yep.”

  “Can you see well? Because I can’t see a thing.”

  “Oh. Yes Mila, I can see everything.” Perhaps the halfling sensed the strain in her voice, because she added, “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Mila allowed herself a smile. “Lead me to the first chest. Don’t open it yet. Describe it to me. I want to make sure it isn’t trapped.”

  ***

  Mila and Rilie returned. Mila wore a relaxed grin. He knew her well enough to know that meant success. Larik looked unsure, until Rilie gave him a thumbs up.

  They moved quickly, keen to get out. They retraced their steps to the cavern—the rope still dangled down into the pool. There was dust in the air, surely caused by Veinfinder’s explosion. They had to hope their three companions had managed to get out safely. It certainly made no sense to go looking for them.

  Mila gave the rope a hostile look. “We’re going to have to share some of this out.”

  She and Rilie emptied pockets and bags. Jaelin used the Rod of Light to shed a pale light on their little stash. There were metal coins, precious gems, and jewellery. Easy to carry, and easy to sell in Avolo. In short, a very handsome profit for a few days’ work.

  “How much do we have to give to Stiff?” Rilie asked.

  “All of it,” Jaelin said.

  “Seriously?” the halfling asked.

  “Seriously,” Mila confirmed.

  Larik said nothing. The halfling shrugged her acceptance. Jaelin scooped up his share of the treasure, then began unbuckling his armour.

  Larik was the last up the rope. He was strong as an ox, but that meant he had a lot of weight to shift. He gratefully grabbed onto Jaelin’s offered arm, and hauled himself out of the crevice, onto the ground.

  The Bludgeoner took a few moments to gain his breath, then took in the sight. “Wow.”

  Veinfinder, Heavy Hands, and Bletcher had been waiting for them. Their faces were soot black, their hair singed, their armour scorched. Bletcher had a shocked expression, which Jaelin reckoned had not left his face since the first blast.

  Randall’s expression was more resigned. “Let’s just say, my cousin errs on the side of using too much powder, over not enough.”

  “What?” Lurin shouted, and the question echoed across the mountainside.

  “I think we need to get moving,” Jaelin suggested.

  MISSION COMPLETE

  SUCCESS: Darkspike Dungeon was raided

  Some of your mercs improved their stats:

  Mila:

  Agility +1

  Skill with knives: proficient

  Hit Points +1

  Action Points +1

  The Explorer:

  Agility +1

  The Bludgeoner:

  Grit +1

  Hit Points +1

  Action Points +1

  Rumblewind:

  Might +1

  Hit Points +1

  Some mercs levelled up:

  Mila is now Level 3