The Fallen 1:22 Somewhere in the Dark

Apologies for the lateness. Back injury has made it difficult to sit for any length of time so this got written in very choppy sessions.


 

The Fallen, the Dark and the Blessed

Chapter 1: part 22 Somewhere in the Dark


“There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.” ~Andre Gide



There was no way to mark the passage of time in the twisting labyrinth of mine shafts, no sun or starts to march across the sky, no sweep of hands across the face of the town clock, no table top hourglass, just the beating of one’s heart to mark the difference from one moment to the next. It felt like it had been hours, even days since they had left the last of the miners in the mine’s upper levels. Each and every one of the men wore a look of dread on their faces as they picking away at played out veins of ore desperately trying to fulfill their quotas. Many of the miners tried to talk them out of going deeper into the mine, begging them to stay on the upper levels where it was safe. When it was clear, the party intended to explore the mines a couple of the miners pressed homemade weapons into their hands. The men’s hearts seemed to be in the right place, even if they did think that a steak knife stolen from the kitchens would offer protection from what lurked below. When asked about what had terrorized them so, most would turn away refusing to speak, the few who would talk, spoke in hushed tones about howling demons that spit fire and devoured the dead. As Garrick watched grown men quake at the retelling of the horrors they have seen he wondered how the mine administrator could ignore his men, how he could dismiss the terror etched on their faces. Then he realized the administrator must be terrified as well, though the source of his fear was not what lurked in the depths of the mine, but rather his feared the displeasure of his superiors.

The mine air was chilled and strangely thick as if the mules driving the bellows that pumped fresh air into the mine were also terrified about what lay in the depths. Here and there along the shaft walls a few of the flameless globes that lit the mine were fading, their blue glow flickering irregularly causing strange rippling shadows to dance on the walls as if the shadows were themselves alive. The mage employed by the mine to maintain the lighting was probably no more willing to come down to this level than the miners were. The occasional groaning from the timbers holding the mineshaft up said that the spells strengthening the wooden supports were also fading slowly away.

It was in one of the areas where the shadows danced madly that they stumbled across a collection of bodies. Half a dozen miners had met their end here and had been pushed into the rocky shadows, well away from the rails the ore carets followed. They would have gone unnoticed if not for the stench of decay coming from them. Bringing one of the flameless blue glass globes with her, Jaheira examined each body closely as everyone else stood a nervous watch. Garrick stole glances at the putrefying bodies forcing his stomach to remain calm and not spill its contents. Vaguely he wondered how Jaheira could handle the bodies with nothing but a look of vague interest on her face and humming what sounded like a children’s tune the entire time. When she finished her assessment and chanted prayers for the dead Jaheira left the area of the bodies and went well away from them to wash her hands using a skin of fresh water. The party headed towards a better-lit section of the mine tunnel a dozen paces beyond where they bodies lay yet Jaheira lingered for a time in the shadows. Garrick wanted to head directly over to Jaheira and find out what she had found, but a firm shake of the head from Khalid stopped him.

They waited under a glowing light for a few moments in silence. Soon enough Jaheira joined them and began to carefully repack her water skin. “I think we can dismiss the stories of demons inhabiting the mine,” she said with her back to them. The bodies were riddled with broken arrow shafts and the denizens of the lower planes do not kill in such a mundane manner. Neither would demons take the time to try to conceal bodies in the shadows and pull arrows from them. I can only guess that the obvious cause of death was removed to instill fear in those who found the bodies and create some sense of mystery.”

“It seems to have worked on the miners,” Garrick said half to himself. What he did not say aloud was that the tactic had worked just as well on the party. Stalking some unknown band of killers in a place like this was just as terrifying as the prospect of facing a demon.

 


Well past the bodies, they came across a series of dust-covered ore carts filled with iron ore. Of course, it was not dust, rather it was powder from the decaying ore giving that illusion. Unwilling to touch the gray powder that the ore had become Garrick drew his sword and made as to poke at it.

“Stop!” Khalid almost shouted as he rushed to Garrick’s side. Garrick had not thought such a forceful command could come from Khalid. “The iron is o…obviously d...d…diseased. Since we do not know the o…origin of the t...taint this iron holds it would be f…foolish to expose ourselves to its c…contamination.”

“Do you think it would spread to iron already forged?”

Khalid pointed to hairline cracks in the giant metal carts. “I w…wager these carts are d…decades old, but they are infected j…just like the iron they hold.”

Garrick nodded his understanding feeling quite ashamed with himself. No one else had considered poking away at the diseased iron, once again he had not thought about the consequences of his actions. This adventuring was not turning out very well at all, at least it was not turning our as he imagined it would. True, this group tolerated him a little better than the acting troupe had, but tolerated was not the same as friendly. Worse, he was no nearer to reaching his goal of becoming a great actor than when he had been freed of Silkie’s clutching hold. Garrick wondered if he would ever reach that goal, traveling with adventurers was supposed to lead to gold and glory, and gold was not filling his purse, and the thanks from a tree nymph hardly counted much towards glory.

Garrick was lost in his own thoughts kicking the rocks littering the sides of the mineshaft while the others exchanged ideas about the iron rot and its origin. The small sound of rock stringing glass caught his attention. He bent closer to investigate and in the flickering blue light caught a tiny sparkle. A large bottle, larger than any potion vial, lay among the rocks. He gingerly picked it up with fingertips remembering Khalid’s warnings about exposing his equipment to the iron disease. The bottle’s weight said that there was a small portion of its contents still inside, tilting it back and fourth he found that whatever was there did not slosh about, telling Garrick that the fluid was rather viscous. He had expected some from of alcohol, a bottle some miner had kept to help deal with the monotony of his job and then carelessly tossed away. He sniffed at the open bottle and found a faint sent of both oil and the iron dust.

“Khalid,” he called before sniffing once again. “You will want to see this.”

Khalid did want to see the bottle. So did everyone. It was passed around for all to inspect and sniff at and speculate on. Jaheira said she had encountered nothing like it before. Imoen however said it reminded her of the smells she encountered in the alchemy labs of Candlekeep. Imooen’s comment started an argument between her and Hadrian about how she could never have been to the alchemy labs as they were off limits to students. Fortunately, Jaheira stopped the argument with a sharp look before it could go very far.

Garrick pulled one of the knives a miner had given him holding it up next to the bottle. “Shall we see if this is the culprit or if this is just the result of a moonshine operation gone horribly wrong?”

Jaheira upended the bottle and a slow stream of greenish fluid, thick as molasses, poured out onto blade. They watch as it slowly spread across the blade. Garrick tilted it left and right to coat the surface evenly. Nothing happened.

“Boo says this is boring. There are monsters to be killed and we stand and watch oily knives.”

“Your right Minsc,” Hadrian said. “I didn’t think anything would happen. What ever is infecting the ore progresses slowly, long enough for the iron to be refined and shipped to blacksmiths and forged into weapons and plows, if this is the cause it will not work that fast.”

“It pains me to say it little brother, but you are very likely correct,” Imoen said pulling away from the spectacle. “This ore in the cart has been sitting here undisturbed for a long time, weeks if not months. But still, I would be happier if we left the bottle and our little experiment here rather then carry it around though.

None could argue with her on that and they left the dagger and the bottle beside the rail, well away from the carts of infected ore. Perhaps on their return they could retrieve it and send it to people who could discover its secrets.

 


“Friends,” Dynaheir said quietly. “Please attend,” she said holding up one hand and calling a halt to their progress. “We are not alone.” Immediately Garrick found himself with his back against the mineshaft wall with Dynaheir on one side and Imoen on the other. Minsc, Hadrian Khalid and Jaheira in front of them in a semi-circle, their weapons at the ready. Garrick realized he was not ready for a fight and immediately tightened his grip on his crossbow and slamming its pull lever down and into place with a snap that seemed to echo in the shaft.

Moments of silence passed. Finally, Khalid said, “I see nothing.”

“Nor any sound of movement,” Hadrian added as he stared into the shadows of the path before them.

“The scent good warriors. Can you not smell what lingers in the air?” Dynaheir said very softly.

Garrick, along with the other five began to sniff at the air. He noticed nothing, the mine smelled as it has since they entered it, damp and dusty with the tang of metal. However, Minsc and Jaheira were nodding their heads knowingly. Confused Garrick dared to speak. “It smells like a mine.”

Dynaheir leaned close to him. “Try again good bard. The air, it reeks of wet dog. I spent a ten day surround by such stench, I shall never forget it.”

“More gnolls?” Hadrian asked.

“Nay, this scent is somewhat different.” Dynaheir inhaled deeply, “but even now the spore, it fades. Whatever was observing us has fled.”

 

The working lights grow fewer and further between. Many of the blue glass orbs were missing, ribbed bodily from the mine walls, and smashed on the rocks below. Every so often, someone would step on the remnants of a globe and the crunching glass would echo like a shout though the shaft. Each time everyone would jump looking wildly about for some sign of attack. The constant tension is wearing everyone down.

 

Eventually they reached a rail hub. A larger open space of the mine where spare ore carts were stored and the rails split off into a half dozen different shafts. This was the third such hub they had encountered.

Hadrian scanned the crude hand drawn map a miner had sketched out for them. “If the directions the miner’s provided are accurate, this is the last of these we will find. It is just dead end the tunnels from here on.”

Khalid sighed. “We will n…need to explore each one.”

“Boo says the invisible monsters are hiding there,” Minsc said pointing to a dim shaft tunnel. Three skeletal corpses hung from crude ropes in front of the tunnel opening.

“Your Hamster friend has a good eye Minsc. Obviously a warning to keep away.”

There were more bodies piled in and behind the unused ore carts. Many miners. But also what appears to be a party of adventures lay there, discarded like so much trash. Everyone generally agreed that the bodies in the carts were gathered from elsewhere and the carts were simply used as a means of transporting them.

“Do not react, but we are not alone,” Jaheira said quietly and with no emotion. “Do you see them.”

Reflexively Garrick gripped his crossbow tighter. His eyes darted around the vast open area searching for some sign of danger

“Yes,” answered Hadrian who has taken to inspecting the straps of his armor. “In the decorated tunnel directly ahead and them, two more to the right.”

“And from the tunnel we just left.” Minsc added. “The one was smelled earlier must have followed us.”

Garrick leaned forward to peer into the dark tunnel ahead of them.

“Do not stare so Garrick.” Hadrian said in a nonchalant voice. “Look somewhere else less you give away the fact we are aware of them.”

Garrick understood what was being asked of him. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of a half dozen pair of red eyes floating in the darkness in the shaft ahead of him. He swallowed hard.

“What will we do? Attack?”

“No,” said Khalid. “We could only attack one group, and to do so would leave ourselves open to the other three if they chose to fight us. If they chose to run, well whatever is there knows these tunnels far better than we do. They can slip away if they wish and we will be left s…sparing with shadows.”

“We will move back towards the carts,” Hadrian said. “If they attack the carts will offer some protection and make them come out of their tunnels into view.”

They moved as one sliding behind the carts.

“Why don’t they do something?”

The answer came quickly enough. From one of the tunnels the right a dozen or more arrows flew through the air. Several of them leaving thin trails of flames behind them.

“Down!” Jaheira shouted. Most of the arrows flew wildly landing far from their targets, bouncing off the ore carts and the mine walls. There was a flurry of screeching and high-pitched howls from the other tunnels. To Garrick’s ear, it sounded like displeasure. Whatever was there did not want to attack just then.

Another volley of arrows followed the first. Better aimed than the first volley, some of the arrows landed very close to them, but the element of surprise had been lost to their attackers. There was more high itched yipping from the dark tunnel decorated by corpses. Arrows flew from that dark space, not at the party but rather at the few remaining light globes. One by one, they were struck. As they shattered their light extinguished plunging the room into darkness.

Squeals and howls echoed through the mine followed by the soft pad of foot steppes. What ever was there was charging them in the sudden darkness. Realizing his cross bow would be useless with no way to aim, Garrick let it drop by his side trusting the leather cord that attached it to his belt to keep it off the floor. The leather of his scabbard protested as he drew his sword. Khalid may have pounded some basic tactics of swordplay into his head, but he was far from confidant with the weapon. Next to him, Dynaheir was chanting some spell. He hoped she was doing something to light the entire mine up.

In front of him, there were shouts and the clang of swords on sword and high-pitched squeals of what could only be pain.

More shouts came from the direction of the corpse-decorated cavern. The sound of padded feet suddenly shifted and began to move towards that opening. A heart beat latter, there was silence in the mine except for a few soft words Dynaheir chanted. Then there was light, blinding, glorious light. Dynaheir held a tiny ball of light in her hand and whispered a few cooing words to it before she tossed it towards the ceiling. The tiny globe arched overhead and froze in midair illuminating everything in pale orange light like a miniature sun.

They were once again alone.

The others fanned out from their place behind the carts moving cautiously, expecting a renewed attack

“Is anyone injured?” Jaheira asked while she scanned the shadows. Everyone indicated that they were whole and well.

“Dynaheir can you c…coax the lights b…back on?” Khalid asked.

“Tis not my specialty. But I shall endeavor.” She said turning to one of the intact glass globes and studied it. Minsc hovered close by her.

Jaheira made a quick circuit of the ore bins. “They obviously did not wish to engage in a fight here and now. Perhaps they did not have sufficient numbers to guarantee success.”

“Where are the bodies?” Hadrian said casting about the ground. “The bodies of whatever it was that attacked us. They are not here. Hadrian held up his bloodied sword. I know I killed two, if not three.”

Khalid nodded, “Yes I know I k…killed at least one. But there are no c…corpuses. N…nothing to tell us what we fight.”

Minsc made a show of wiping his sword clean. “They bleed well enough thou.”

“Whatever they are, they are smart enough to remove their fallen,” Jaheira said.

Hadrian nodded towards the trio of corpses at the shaft entrance. “But still foolish enough to mark the path leading directly to them.”

Garrick looked at the macabre display of hanging bodies. A warning to turn back? Or an invitation to come and join those who have died?

I like the slow pace of the chapter, finished with the suddenness of the final fight - the fear, the paranoia... the way the investigation really is an investigation, every step of the way. Although leaving evidence behind may not be such a good idea.

However, have you thought about dividing the initial descriptive paragraphs into smaller chunks? It would make them MUCH easier to read!

My, my... Beowulf, is it? Nicely done!

Well, that was creepy!

I especially love how you took pains to explain what lit the mines, and then utilized it to further the creepiness

Bringing one of the flameless blue glass globes with her, Jaheira examined each body closely as everyone else stood a nervous watch. Garrick stole glances at the putrefying bodies forcing his stomach to remain calm and not spill its contents. Vaguely he wondered how Jaheira could handle the bodies with nothing but a look of vague interest on her face and humming what sounded like a children’s tune the entire time. When she finished her assessment and chanted prayers for the dead Jaheira left the area of the bodies and went well away from them to wash her hands using a skin of fresh water. The party headed towards a better-lit section of the mine tunnel a dozen paces beyond where they bodies lay yet Jaheira lingered for a time in the shadows.

That’s cold professionalism for you. Doesn’t mean that she enjoys it, just that she doesn’t get easily disgusted.

Khalid pointed to hairline cracks in the giant metal carts. “I w…wager these carts are d…decades old, but they are infected j…just like the iron they hold.”

Good point… Garrick may want to start looking for a new weapon already.

Garrick was lost in his own thoughts kicking the rocks littering the sides of the mineshaft while the others exchanged ideas about the iron rot and its origin. The small sound of rock stringing glass caught his attention. He bent closer to investigate and in the flickering blue light caught a tiny sparkle. A large bottle, larger than any potion vial, lay among the rocks. He gingerly picked it up with fingertips remembering Khalid’s warnings about exposing his equipment to the iron disease. The bottle’s weight said that there was a small portion of its contents still inside, tilting it back and fourth he found that whatever was there did not slosh about, telling Garrick that the fluid was rather viscous. He had expected some from of alcohol, a bottle some miner had kept to help deal with the monotony of his job and then carelessly tossed away. He sniffed at the open bottle and found a faint sent of both oil and the iron dust.

I was so curious I made Xzar and Montaron drink it in the game.

Dynaheir leaned close to him. “Try again good bard. The air, it reeks of wet dog. I spent a ten day surround by such stench, I shall never forget it.”

I guess they are the 2E kobolds then. 3E kobolds would have reeked like little scaly lizards. Or possibly like puny dragons.

“Boo says the invisible monsters are hiding there,” Minsc said pointing to a dim shaft tunnel. Three skeletal corpses hung from crude ropes in front of the tunnel opening.

I guess that would be a clue then.

“No,” said Khalid. “We could only attack one group, and to do so would leave ourselves open to the other three if they chose to fight us. If they chose to run, well whatever is there knows these tunnels far better than we do. They can slip away if they wish and we will be left s…sparing with shadows.”

Kobolds are crafty and annoying, for sure. Good to see they are more than just easy XP for the adventurers here.

Another volley of arrows followed the first. Better aimed than the first volley, some of the arrows landed very close to them, but the element of surprise had been lost to their attackers. There was more high itched yipping from the dark tunnel decorated by corpses. Arrows flew from that dark space, not at the party but rather at the few remaining light globes. One by one, they were struck. As they shattered their light extinguished plunging the room into darkness.

They are pretty clever – knowing that they won’t stand a chance in an open melee fight. Use your strengths to your advantage and all that.

Jaheira made a quick circuit of the ore bins. “They obviously did not wish to engage in a fight here and now. Perhaps they did not have sufficient numbers to guarantee success.”

Kobolds are also a bit cowardly. Which, I think, is indicative that they are not stupid.

“Whatever they are, they are smart enough to remove their fallen,” Jaheira said.

Isn’t the yipping a clue?

Garrick looked at the macabre display of hanging bodies. A warning to turn back? Or an invitation to come and join those who have died?

I think we’ll choose another option.

I like the slow pace of the chapter, finished with the suddenness of the final fight - the fear, the paranoia... the way the investigation really is an investigation, every step of the way. Although leaving evidence behind may not be such a good idea.

Fear, paranoia and a touch of claustrophobia were what I was aiming for.

Thank you

My, my... Beowulf, is it? Nicely done!

I would love to sit quietly back and allow you to think that I was using that literary reference…but I guess I’m a touch to honest.

It does have its small parallels though. Hey I guess I’m better than I ever thought I was.

Well, that was creepy!

thanks

I especially love how you took pains to explain what lit the mines, and then utilized it to further the creepiness

I just think that in a world where magic has both supplemented and suppressed technology that magic would permeate just about every aspect of life.
We get to see the ways magic (usually divine magic) has replaced medicine on a regular basis. But such things need to extend further. It makes sense that mundane things like streetlights and sewage disposal and construction are all permeated with and run by magic.

Bringing one of the flameless blue glass globes with her, Jaheira examined each body closely as everyone else stood a nervous watch. Garrick stole glances at the putrefying bodies forcing his stomach to remain calm and not spill its contents. Vaguely he wondered how Jaheira could handle the bodies with nothing but a look of vague interest on her face and humming what sounded like a children’s tune the entire time. When she finished her assessment and chanted prayers for the dead Jaheira left the area of the bodies and went well away from them to wash her hands using a skin of fresh water. The party headed towards a better-lit section of the mine tunnel a dozen paces beyond where they bodies lay yet Jaheira lingered for a time in the shadows.

That’s cold professionalism for you. Doesn’t mean that she enjoys it, just that she doesn’t get easily disgusted.

Not cold…just professionalism. Death and disease produce some of the most disgusting things imaginable. And it takes a certain level of detachment to deal with these things

Khalid pointed to hairline cracks in the giant metal carts. “I w…wager these carts are d…decades old, but they are infected j…just like the iron they hold.”

Good point… Garrick may want to start looking for a new weapon already.

He didn’t touch it. so he’s cool

Garrick was lost in his own thoughts kicking the rocks littering the sides of the mineshaft while the others exchanged ideas about the iron rot and its origin. The small sound of rock stringing glass caught his attention. He bent closer to investigate and in the flickering blue light caught a tiny sparkle. A large bottle, larger than any potion vial, lay among the rocks. He gingerly picked it up with fingertips remembering Khalid’s warnings about exposing his equipment to the iron disease. The bottle’s weight said that there was a small portion of its contents still inside, tilting it back and fourth he found that whatever was there did not slosh about, telling Garrick that the fluid was rather viscous. He had expected some from of alcohol, a bottle some miner had kept to help deal with the monotony of his job and then carelessly tossed away. He sniffed at the open bottle and found a faint sent of both oil and the iron dust.

I was so curious I made Xzar and Montaron drink it in the game.

Well now I am having evil thoughts about making these guys drink it too.

So what happened?

Dynaheir leaned close to him. “Try again good bard. The air, it reeks of wet dog. I spent a ten day surround by such stench, I shall never forget it.”

I guess they are the 2E kobolds then. 3E kobolds would have reeked like little scaly lizards. Or possibly like puny dragons.

I know they are supposed to be sort of lizard like now. But that just feels wrong somehow, I think of them more like hyenas. Incompetent hyenas

“Boo says the invisible monsters are hiding there,” Minsc said pointing to a dim shaft tunnel. Three skeletal corpses hung from crude ropes in front of the tunnel opening.

I guess that would be a clue then.

One even Minsc could spot

“No,” said Khalid. “We could only attack one group, and to do so would leave ourselves open to the other three if they chose to fight us. If they chose to run, well whatever is there knows these tunnels far better than we do. They can slip away if they wish and we will be left s…sparing with shadows.”

Kobolds are crafty and annoying, for sure. Good to see they are more than just easy XP for the adventurers here.

Well Hadrian and pals are no longer just first level adventurers…they need something a bit more challenging than an orc in a ten by ten room guarding a poorly locked chest.

Another volley of arrows followed the first. Better aimed than the first volley, some of the arrows landed very close to them, but the element of surprise had been lost to their attackers. There was more high itched yipping from the dark tunnel decorated by corpses. Arrows flew from that dark space, not at the party but rather at the few remaining light globes. One by one, they were struck. As they shattered their light extinguished plunging the room into darkness.

They are pretty clever – knowing that they won’t stand a chance in an open melee fight. Use your strengths to your advantage and all that.

I think they would stand a chance if they had sufficient numbers. My last trip through SoA Jaheira almost bought the farm in the temple district sewers thanks to kobolds.

Jaheira made a quick circuit of the ore bins. “They obviously did not wish to engage in a fight here and now. Perhaps they did not have sufficient numbers to guarantee success.”

Kobolds are also a bit cowardly. Which, I think, is indicative that they are not stupid.

Again…the hyena thing

“Whatever they are, they are smart enough to remove their fallen,” Jaheira said.

Isn’t the yipping a clue?

let's ask Minsc

Garrick looked at the macabre display of hanging bodies. A warning to turn back? Or an invitation to come and join those who have died?

I think we’ll choose another option.

maybe