"Secret" Mission

[Adder]

The adventurers gathered in one of the conferance rooms of the Thanal Palace. Volunteers, one and all, when they were ready then they would be briefed.

Until that point they would have to wait in this enclosed room. Large enough it was certainly, but also it was probably a little unnerving for some as it was underground. Not just one floor down but two down a large and ornate staircase. Where the houses of other species might go up into the more private and secure areas, with dwarfes the opposite was true.

One benefit that it did have was the noise of destruction from the city above was now muted, only the most explosive of thunderbolts could be heard down here.

So the volunteers stood, or sat and looked at eachother in the flickering torchlight that was in place mainly for the other races that were present. A table at one end held a variety of drinks, looking slightly out of place in the present company, since it was the sort of thing more normally served for polite meetings and not the barrels of ale that this company might normally expect.

[Mizushin Junzo]

Waiting in this underground chamber wasn't all that much oppressive to the thelyri. The relative darkness and heavy atmosphere that underground chambers gave was hardly the comparison of exploring the ocean depths. Although he worried greatly about the fate of his companions above, as well as the other defenders of the dwarven city and its people, he focused himself to contain his energy. He was granted here some time of respite and rest, and he took the time to rest himself as best as he could.

The presence of drinks seemed out of place, considering that this was a city under siege, but he hoped that the battle outside was in enough control that this sort of eventuality could be spared. He didn't waste it though, and went over to the array of drinks. If there was any clean water, the thelyri would take a drink of it. But barring that, he took up a seat, be it on some piece of furniture or simply on the floor. His eyes glowed with a returning calm, though a hint of concern might've lurked there.

While he rested, Junzo ran his thoughts on what the mission might be. There were a variety of possibilities, among which the ones that came to mind were a critical strike against the commander of the army assaulting Zerdargia, to be assigned to defend something valuable be it a person or item or both, or to bring a weapon to turn the tide of the battle. He wondered which it would be. He discounted the first, as the enemy commander was outside on the battlefield. Unless they had some way to transport the team around to deliver a hidden strike, that wasn't feasible. It was most likely one of the other two. His thoughts on that drifted, as he waited patiently.

[Veleraen]

The idea of going underground was a little unnerving for Veleraen, as Giants weren't like dwarves. They liked the more open spaces, and even though his ancestors had once lived in caves, they were nothing like the buildings and tunnels the dwarves had built before. However, the aspect of getting out of the fighting for a while, and remaining relatively safe had more weight against the fact that he had to go two stories underground to go to a meeting in the Thanal Palace.

The lumbering giant walked calmly down the large, ornate staircase as he descended into the depths, ducking and squeezing himself into what felt more like a cramped box than anything else. The silent booming of the thunder and lightning strikes from the storm outside echoed slightly, as the already thundering footsteps of the giant didn't make it any more pleasant. Torchlight guided them into a larger conference room where the briefing was to be held, and this time, Veleraen took up a space in one of the corners, taking it up for himself and slowly sat down, as it was already making him hunch over, but not before taking a glass off of one of the tables and helping himself to a drink. All the fighting he had done so far in the streets and outside the walls had made him terribly thirsty.

As he waited, he looked around at all the faces of the men that had decided to join in on the fun that fateful darkening. Veleraen's bloody and dirty face, scratches and bruises everywhere looked about, taking a gulp of his finer drink and set his weapon aside against the wall, where it rested until it was needed once more. Thoughts on what the actual mission was going to be boggled around in Veleraen's mind, making him overthink, and eventually making him shake his head and sigh as he was feeling fatigued from battle. It wasn't easy to fight for so long and keep a straight face. The importance of this mission must be of the highest priority, otherwise they wouldn't be holding it in the Thanal Palace itself, nor would it be so secret. With such a battle outside, such time and preparation to find a meeting location wasn't as important as getting the actual job done. Awaiting the arrival of the commanding officer to debrief them, Veleraen sat, and waited. Waiting for the time when he would be called upon to carry out what could possibly be his last mission as a Veldar Elite.

[Norin Beldwhig]

Norin had scuttled down the stairs and only been happy to go underground. This was where his kinsmen and he came from and it was perfect. Though the battle was muted here, he was still worried for the people of Zerdargia and only hoped that this secret mission would prove fruitfull in the victory. When he came down into the chamber, he was panting and out of breath. He quickly grabbed some water and drank it while pouring some of it over him to clean him from the blood and dirt. The water washed some of it away and reveal the scratches and wounds that Norin had gotten in the battle and from the flying debries.

Then, he let himself fall on a chair and and he looked at the others while lounging. He wanted to smoke now. He hadn't smoked in months but he really needed something to calm him down. He was enraged and if it kept on going this way, he would charge out into the middle of the enemy army and just go rampage. He knew he wouldn't survive and tried to hold himself, which was why he wanted a pipe with some fine tobacco... and a bath too. "There aren't any of you who has a pipe and some tobacco? I could do with some smoke"

Norin recalled being introduced to it by a visiting elf who's journey had brought him through Zerdargia. That was so long ago, and now it felt as if the end of the city was near at hand. He only hoped he would live long enough to see it be rebuilt. Norin's weapons had been thrown unto the table whereever there was space and near to where Norin had seated himself. He pulled himself up and leaned forwards on his chair looking around at the volunteers, hoping one of them had a pipe, some tobacco, and some fire.

[Janis Windrough]

Janis entered the room as part of the group, not paying much attention at all to the fact that they were going deeper underground. Perhaps it was that ever so human instinct of adaptation that made him so indifferent to descent. The grumblings of the horrible war coud be heard outside and as he looked around him he saw a hodgepodge of faces, all of them familiar to differnt degrees. There was of coarse his friend and co-hoplite the elf Mizushin, there was that rather large giant of the Veldar elite he re recognized from the battle but had yet to meet and then there was Norin, that small dwarf who had shielded him from what was sure to be a very painful death. Four different races all coming together to fight for a good single cause. Indeed the whole affair pleased Janis indeed and made him proud to be a part of it.

Janis followed suit of the others and poured himself as drink from the very oddly placed table and then leaned or took a seat wherever he could find such a place to do so. He kept his silence for the most part simply shaking his head at the Dwarfs question about the tobacco and pipe. If he did have some he surely would have given him some but Janis did not smoke. Contemplating the million things this mission could be about and if it really could turn the tide ofthe battle, Janis sat and waited until firther command was to be given.

[Adder]

The room where everyone gathered was not huge, and the smells of those who had been in combat pervaded the room, soaking quite literally in some cases into the upholstery of the padded seats. The chairs themselves were not faring too well from the armoured bodies that sat in them, and all in all, assuming the dwarfes survived as victors, the contents of this room would have to be donated out to those who were in desperate need of them, since they weren't fit for the sort of meetings normally held here.

Without ceremony the Thane, Frederick walked into the room. For once without his mother, who was off having the vapours. His eye, somewhat more mature than had been the case, roamed the room, while he waited for their attention.

The noise level faded as the Veldar in the room recognised who it was that had come in unannounced, and the others who had seen just another mailed dwarf enter, and a young one at that, took their cue from the more knowledgable.

Frederick nodded to all of them and stood at one end of the room, pacing slightly as he spoke, clearly too agitated to sit still.

Thank you all for coming, especially the strangers amongst you who fight without it being your home.

I have gathered you here since you ha become detached from your units, he nodded at the Veldar, or simply had no fixed part in the defense. He looked at the Hoplites and dipped his head at them.

He took a deep breath and paused for a moment. You will have seen that the battle is not going well. A conventional army we could have beaten easily, even had it been several times larger than the force that surrounded us.

But against the use of arcana on this scale, we have little defense, it never being a strong point for the dwarfes. Those of you who have been in the city have suffered from the attackers who have slipped directly into our midst. He looked around the room, knowing that the blood and damage he saw did not come from the battle outside the city, since few inside the city had been outside, though his eye lingered speculatively on the giant, for he had heard something about a Veldar giant, but he shook his head and continued.

Yet even that we could have dealt with, using the tactics long practiced for urban warfare. What we were unprepared for was the sheer overpowering use of arcana itself as a weapon. Those of you who suffered from that in the city are probably not aware that most of the forces outside the city, friend as well as foe have been destroyed as though they were never there.

He let the news sink in for a moment before continuing.

We have little hope that the mages concerned were killed and without their toy soldiers to play with, it is our judgement that the next assault on the city will be arcanic in nature.

Much of the civilian population was evacuated before the attack but many still remain and we cannot countenance the fact that they could be killed. So we need to evacuate what we can of the remaining civilian population. But where and how?

We cannot take them out of the gates because we don't have the forces to protect them in the field, either in military or arcanic terms. Had the Veldar all been here perhaps things would be different, but they are not. We have not the ability to move them arcanically, which leaves us but one option and that one we have avoided until we were forced to. He did not mention that the ones who objected had done so forecfully and that many of them were now in the gaol. He didn't have the patience at this point in time for dwarfen extremists who would put racial secrets before the lives of dwarfes.

It is not common knowledge, but under the city, there is a network of tunnels. Its not huge, and many of them are small, but it should serve as an escape route.

Even now, units of militia are gathering the civilians and guiding them to the few points where the tunnels emerge into the city. However, there is a problem.

The assault you see this brightening was long in the coming. For many eras our enemies have probed at our defences and sad to say, some of them are aware of the tunnels, though we have hopes that few have yet discovered where they lead, though it is possible.

We need you, since all of our regular forces are involved in the defense or the evacuation to clear the tunnels through to the exit. The exit is still underground but it's a place large enough for all here to gather.

All you need to do is to clear the tunnels and deal with any traps or blockages that the enemy have placed there. You will not need to secure the route since the forces behind you will deal with any incursions that happen once you are past.

Do you have any questions?

[Veleraen]

Mages.

Veleraen muttered to himself as he sat in the darkened corner, listening to what Frederick had to say. "Arcana is for those that do not have the honour to fight face to face." That was what Veleraen's father said to him once on a hunting trip in the wilderness. It had stuck with him and it was what inspired him to practice more of the weapons that he had already gained skills in. Yes, it was for the weak, the weak bodied. Those that can't support themselves, support it by using a form of weapon, a weapon of the mind. Shaking his head in disgust, Veleraen lowered it, eyeing the ground as he heard the dreadful news.

Not only had many men and women died in the service of the city within it's limits, but on the field, more devastation and death had occurred, this time en masse. By the thousands, they had been slaughtered, and for what purpose? It was a very confusing time, a time for fury, rage and anger, for revenge, but that was for the weak and confused. The Titan would never succumb himself to revenge, at least not personal revenge. Payback was what some people called it, and Veleraen intended to give some, in whatever way he could. The giant paid no heed to Frederick's eyeing of him, as he simply listened in silence, only looking around to see the faces of the others every once and a while. He was fairly in the dark as to how so many people had heard of his deeds at the gates when the battle first started and only took it at half value, only seeing that he did his duty and nothing more, but for sure, some politician or higher military up would see it as some heroic act or another.

The shock at that time was just too much to let it sink in, as in time of war, everything happened so quickly. Too many died in such a short period of time, it was unfair, not just to those who died, but to their families who were so quickly seperated from their loved ones, and now forced to evacuate through a series of dangerous tunnels in which they had been gathered to protect and clear out. It was a saddening situation and grew even more desperate by the second. Zerdargia had fallen and it was only a matter of time before swift destruction of the city was delivered by their mystery attackers. Whoever carried out these attacks was powerful, no doubt some sort of powerful mage, most likely an Archmage. Never before had Veleraen seen so many undead controlled in such a large group before. The mages that arrived in the portals didn't seem to be in control as such a task took more concentration than what they could offer. There was another face behind this plot but the chances of knowing much more than that were slim. Darkness was falling upon them and they had to escape fast, or else they would be caught in it for eternity.

Once the briefing was finished, Veleraen paused, and nothing came to mind at first. The actual existence of these tunnels was a little surprising but not in a way. The dwarves were a spirited folk and smart, as they knew how to plan ahead. These tunnels were an effective escape route and their architechual abilities allowed them the knowledge on how to build such structures without harming the rest of the city. The only problem that came to Veleraen's mind was, would he fit inside the tunnels and be able to help them? The Thane Frederick had mentioned that some of them were small, and Veleraen being a giant, was not. Deciding against it, Veleraen didn't ask his unimportant question and decided that he would 'roll' with things. If it turned out that they weren't big enough, he would stay and fight with the rest of the honourable men of the remaining Veldar Elite.

"I have no questions sir, but to say that may Aslan bless us all on this dark brightening. May the Aetherian's light guide our journey. I will fight to the end. That is my word." Veleraen nodded solemnly and offered up a small prayer for the group of men that gathered there that fateful brightening. They would need it.

[Mizushin Junzo]

The thelyri stood to the side, quiet as he listened to the briefing of this group of people here. That is was the Thane who briefed them himself was a bit of a surprise, since most political figures were not prominent in a military situation. However, this was the thane of Zerdargia after all, a dwarven thane, so it was probably less surprising. Regardless, the sea-elf listened attentively to Frederick. He waited until the thane had finished, and a moment given if others would speak.

Junzo waited for the appropriate time to speak, before he cleared his throat and addressed the Thane and the others as well. "So the mission is to escort the civilian population out of the city, via a network of underground dwarven tunnels. That is what it is, in the simplest terms, correct?" He looked around and shrugged. "If that is so, we had best get to that task as soon as possible. Every moment we waste here is a moment the enemy has a chance of getting closer to the people of Zerdargia." The thelyri bowed respectfully to the Thane. "If there is no further details to be clarified here, your Honor, then we had best get started now."

[Adder]

Frederick glanced over at the voice and listened attentively before nodding in affirmation.

Your job is to spearhead the evacuation, exploring and clearing, both of natural and enemy placed obstructions.

Once we have the remaining civilians out of the way, we can make the fight for the city a purely military action. We will no longer be hampered by the need to protect those who need protection.

Mass destruction by arcana is what we fear, but the military can also withdraw underground if that happens and then we can ambush and counter attack at will. The enemy may destroy the city but they will not be able to hold it. We will win this fight if it takes the lifetime of a dwarf.

This time we will take ownership of what is rightfully ours and Zerdargia will not fall into the dust of history.

[Veleraen]

"Then it is settled."

Veleraen simply stated as Frederick ended his briefing. The ever looming threat of death and destruction weighed heavily upon the souls of each of the men in that room that fateful darkening. The Titan sat silently, collecting his thoughts as he prepared himself for another jaunt into the unknown. He had lived in Zerdargia for eras now and never had he heard of these tunnels underneath the city. Where they lead to was another good question, but then again, the destination didn't really matter, as whatever they lead couldn't be more dangerous than the threat they were at the mercy of in the city of Zerdargia.

Battles had been fought, men and women shed their blood and died for their homeland, and now it was time to end all of this madness once and for all. Too many had died that brightening and now it was time for the whirlwind of chaos to come to a stop. The Aetherians themselves must be looking down in fury to watch such an evil come upon their sacred lands and disturb which was made and laboured over by them for such a long time. The wrath of the ancients was about to be unleashed, and Veleraen was apart of such an attack. The evacuation wasn't going to be easy, as such threats as ambushes and traps lurked at every corner of such an endeavour. Who knew what they were getting themselves into and Veleraen was as clueless as many of the others.

All the giant had was Faith.

Faith in Aslan, faith in himself, and faith in the thought that his family rested in his thoughts, calming his tortured mind for the time being. The horrors of war took their toll on any man and the atrocities committed at the hands of the walking dead and the deadly arcanic mages stained the very memories of his mind. Staring blankly, Veleraen lifted his bloodied face and rose to his feet in one solid motion. Flipping his dented and scratched horned full helm, rolling it into the palm of his hand, Veleraen slipped it onto his skull and shifted it once to make it fit properly. The giant stood tall and proud in his chainmail, holding his Halberd in one hand, shield now to his back after he came back from the outside wall. Standing proud, wearing the uniform of the Veldar, there was almost no higher honour than to fight beside those men that darkening, as there would finally be action once again against what lurked outside the safety of the mansion.

Many more would die, many more would suffer, but in the end, there would be peace, peace forged by the blood of those that died, making their memories live on forever in the name of Zerdargia.

[Janis Windrough]

Janis stayed silent as he leaned on a close by piece of furniture. He took every word and felt no need to react at all. Janis had been trying his best to concentrate and bring himself into clara, trying to use the words of the thane as motivation for courage and feul his meditation. Hopefully he would be able to reach the state before it was time to go, if he didn't however, it would be nothing new and he would indeed cope.

All Janis could do when the Giant spoke his words was nod in a silent fashin with a small smirk on his face. He was ready. He had vounteered and now he knew what he was getting himself into and he was indeed ready to accept it. Janis seemed in direct opposition to the Giant. He had not spent more then some candlemarks within the city, he was entering as a volunteer from an outside organization, and indeed they weren ot even looking to the same god that day as Janis sent up a silent prayer to Carmeyla to guide them through the mission and save many lives. In all honesty though, Janis would not mind the help of Aslan should he try to lend it as well. When it was time Janis would merely stnad up straight, adjust his gear and give a nod to all those around him that he was ready to go.

[Adder]

Frederick cleared his throat and addressed the group.

If there are no more questions then you must begin immediately. There are some materials on the floor below that you will need, specifically some timbers and rope for there is at least one bridge that will need reinforcement.[/b]

He waved at the back of the room where a dwarven smith glowered at the room.

Hemet here has agreed to guide you. He knows the route well enough though he hasn't been there recently because of the vysticchi incursions.

The smith looked grimly around the group, his gaze lingering on those who were not dwarfen and his gaze was hostile. The smith, Hemet stood and walked to the door, pointedly turning his back on the Thane.

If you are coming then come. I will not wait for those who cannot keep up. We should not meet much opposition with this size of force, possibly no resistance at all until we get out of the tunnels.

He turned and walked out of the room and headed down the stairs to the floor below. The area was clearly more of a service and storage area and against one wall was a pile of timbers the height of a man and as thick through as that mans thigh.

Take as much as you can carry and some of the rope, he said to any that would listen and then walked down a hallway and opened a door. So far it seemed that size was not an issue for even a giant, but then the dwarfes thought on a large scale. The hallway that was revealed behind the door and into which he disappeared was much more roughly hewn than what they had seen so far.

The smith stood aside and waved them through.

[Veleraen]

Veleraen paused as he was about to move about as he remembered that he wasn't sure where they were going yet and through which door until the dwarf at the end of the room was introduced. Hemet his name was, an odd one at that, but to Veleraen, almost all dwarves were odd, as they didn't care for his kind, or any other non-dwarves for that matter, except Norin who was an exception to the rule.

Hemet was a rude, little dwarf, as he seemed to have a sassy tone to his voice but Veleraen paid no heed to it as he wasted no time following the hairy dwarf through the doorway and down the stairs to the storage room below. As he entered the room, Veleraen stepped to the side and looked at the large pile of timbers and other supplies that were stockpiled against the far wall. Taking his halberd, he took the time and strapped it to his back with some rope he already had on him. Then without pause, the Titan walked up to the pile of timbers and picked out ten sturdy pieces of wood and made sure none were rotted and piled them up. Bending down, Veleraen wrapped his arms around the large pile of timbers and hauled them up to his shoulder with ease, as the weight didn't seem to bother him too much, but now with the combined weight of his armour and supplies, along with a bit of fatigue, he was starting to feel a little encumbered, but nothing that would over come him, at least not for a while yet.

"If there is a bridge that needs to be supported, it would definitely need to be supported because of me." Veleraen thought to himself as he grabbed the timbers and put them upon his shoulder. Holding the middle of the pile by encircling his arm up and around to the top and put his left hand underneath the section of the pile that was sticking out in front of him to make sure none fell off as he carried them. Slowly turning, Veleraen saw the next door that Hemet, their guide, had opened. Looking down the hallway with anticipation, Veleraen stepped through the doorway and headed down it, not knowing what lay in front of them. The path that lay ahead was treacherous and risky, but Veleraen had confidence that they would succeed. The Veldar Elite would not rest until the job was done. The giant would make sure of that.

[Adder]

The new hallway that they had entered was soon reducing in size and it became clear that this was in fact some natural fissure in the rock which had been altered where necessary in order to remove some of the narrowest points.

The roof came down to around ten feet from the ground, but except for a few places where it narrowed badly, generally it stayed about six feet wide. The floor of the tunnel for a blessing had seen the most work and was almost uniformly smooth in the centre and it could be seen where hollows had been filled with stone removed from the narrow places elsewhere.

The dark echoed with their footsteps and Hemet did not bother to light a torch, leaving the non dwarfen members of the party to manage as best they could, but certainly if they did not take torches then they would have a difficult time of it. Hemet carried his torch as though it were a club and clearly he could see a time when it would be needed.

The tunnel passed several side turnings though none showed any regular signs of use and after perhaps half a candlemark of travel they came out onto a broader tunnel that crossed their path.

Hemet paused and allowed the group to reform, before addressing them, acknowledging all of the memebers of the group for once.

This is where it becomes more dangerous. However we have some allies here, though they are few in number. They have done much to prevent the incursions of our enemies but they cannot prevent any invasion in force. It is possible that they will avoid us when they realise that some of you are not dwarfen.

I would suggest that those who are able to defend us take positions towards the front.

He nodded at the dwarfes who had accompanied them and they detached themselves forming a guard post for the tunnel junction linking Zerdargia with this broader access.

Hemet led the way forward, this time accompanied only by those adventurors who had volunteered for the mission.

[Veleraen]

The dark recesses of the tunnel that the group travelled down seemed ancient to Veleraen as the pathway became smaller, forcing him to bend over and hold the timbers underneath his arm. The darkness of the hallway was getting annoying, as Veleraen was constantly bumping his head and trying his best not to step on anyone on the way to wherever they were going. The giant hated cramped spaces and soon his back was starting to feel the strain of bending over four or five feet just to fit in the narrow pathway, but it was indeed the price he must pay if he wanted to help the citizens of Zerdargia.

Luckily after a while, their tunnel broadened out and Veleraen had a little bit of an easier time travelling in the group. As soon as they reached it though, they stopped and Hemet finally adressed the group as a whole, explaining to them what dangers could lay ahead. Veleraen listened as Hemet mentioned possible allies and them avoiding us if they realized that some of them weren't dwarven. It was a shame a lot of dwarves were quite stubborn in the sense that they wouldn't talk to other non-dwarves. They could learn a lot from Norin, that was for sure.

Veleraen stepped aside and let Janis, Mizu and Norin take the lead with Hemet while he trailed in the back with the rest of the supplies. The giant wouldn't do any good if they were met with any opposition or taken by surprise. Taking the backseat was actually preferable for him at the moment anyways, as he could take more time, taking slower strides and still keeping up with the smaller folk in pace. Following Hemet down the broader corridor, they disappeared into the darkness, leaving a pair of dwarven soldiers that had come along as a sentry at the entryway. Hopefully they would be safe there, as he definitely didn't want to stand guard in the pitch black of night in a cramped tunnel. That was one duty Veleraen would rather skip to go fight a horde of undead, but having already done that, he proceeded down the mysterious tunnel, not knowing was lay ahead of him.