Gruor crept along the rough dirt with the others behind Aelin. A few burning torches set into the wall gave off a feeble light, the smoke rising to blacken the ceiling then drift lazily toward some chimney ahead. Thrain suggested damping them and letting the Dwarves lead the way, but that seemed rather pointless. Goblins saw no less well in darkness then Dwarves, but the others in the party did not. They would be stumbling on the rough ground making more clatter then needed, and unable to give aid should they run into opposition. Not to mention that while weak, the light's suddenly vanishing would be noticed by any passing through connecting tunnels. Aelin suggested he cover from the rear instead since he said he was experienced in handling a blowpipe.
It was a bit warmer here then on the surface, but by what means he didn't care to guess. Perhaps their "hosts" had tapped into Erda's fires. Or perhaps they had some other less wholesome source. Indeed how far into the Earth they had been brought he didn't know, but he doubted they were too deep. The tunnel here ran through packed earth, not hard rock, and looked recently made. There were signs of older natural caverns as well though. It looked as if the Goblins had been busy turning this part of the mountain into some sort of staging ground. There could be hoards of them lurking in wait.
They seemed to be following the path of the drifting smoke, and after several branches Aelin signalled a halt. The were just at the entrance to yet another of the rocky caverns, this one larger then the others and lit by oil lamps hanging down from the roof. A massive shrine dominated the center, and Goblin chanting echoed within as if some sort of macabre ceremony were being conducted.
Then there came a howling sound as if somehow a tornado had found it way into the room. The chanting turned to shrieks and wails as the witch Seela rose like some demi-goddess, arms spread wide. A cone of ice shot forth from her and engulfed the circle of chanting Gobbos, freezing them on the spot and scattering others standing nearby like rag dolls. Across from them the traitor Dentor leapt to his feet, only to be knocked off them as well. He scrambled up, and disappeared behind his throne along with his retinue.
Seela called out in anger, and launched another even larger wave. It smashed through the cavern, blasting loose rock before it and seemingly chasing after the Goblins who were now fleeing for the exits. Including the one where the party themselves now stood. Gruor reflexively braced for the impact, but before it could reach them, it softened to a blanket of frost that iced the cavern. Behind it, Seela went limp and fell back to the ground.
That still left a lot of frightened but well armed Goblins between them and the their equipment. Aelin tried her hand at darting some, without much luck. The best she managed was to hit one in the rear, before deciding to switch to the spear instead. The L'abnern stood nearby blocking the way and toying with his own spear as if trying to decide which was the business end. As usual he showed little interest in actually helping. Gruor hoped, if there were trouble, that Thrain had been telling the truth and could do better with the blowpipe then Aelin had. At least get it past that pompous idiot Kelryn. Then again the prospect of seeing him get darted in the rear did have a certain appeal.As for himself, he preferred the direct approach. Holding the Pain Stick in both hands, he charged forward, bowling over a swordsman. Wheeling right, he connected with another. There was a fierce crackling sound, and the goblin fell shrieking to the ground twitching like he had walked into a nest of stinging ants. Gruor didn't bother wait to finish either of them off, but kept on going toward the packs. And his hammer.
[This message has been edited by ChowGuy (edited 11-24-2002 @ 02:40 PM).]