A Miner Problem - Menace - 02/05/20

Vorsthold - ancient citadel of the dwarves of Kantas. The fortress city was built into a mountain, inside a mountain, and so fortified that there was no longer a distinction between civilian and military life. All thought, all purpose of the dwarves was bent to warfare; for while the enemies of the Vorstborn still lived, there could be no peace - and their enemies were legion. Under constant assault from duergar, drow and mindflayers, the Vorstborn society had isolated itself and shed everything that did not serve the immediate needs of their survival. History was no longer recorded. Arts were reduced to discussions of military tactics or engineering manuals. Not even the dead were allowed to rest: fallen soldiers were raised again and again by the necromancer caste, in service to the clan - for not even in death did duty end.

This was the place Menace came to visit with his companions. They had been sent by the Council of Daring, to answer the dwarves’ call for aid. It was judged prudent to continue diplomatic overtures to the Vorstborn in the hope of establishing closer ties, and eventually an alliance. A society that has withstood the endless tides of horrors that lurk in the Underdark for generations would surely make for powerful allies, should Daring ever need their help in the future. But Menace has other plans: a society constantly at war must be hard indeed; and wealthy, to fund such a giant military machinery. A wealth that can surely be tapped, once properly bargained for. The Vorstborn may be distrustful of outsiders and have grown self-sufficient for all their needs - but the wants could still be exploited, for all hard things tend to become brittle, and one way or another, everyone looks for relief and bends - or breaks eventually.
The party consisting of Sheryl, BB, Gesh, Kalta, Bones and Mace made their representation with Mayor Carrie Grumblefoot, after having passed through the Sunfast (the surface border bastion) and the city’s concentric defensive rings, marvelling at the dedication and sheer paranoia of it all. There they were informed that Stargrave, an important mithril mine, had been lost, and the scouts sent to investigate had not returned, save for one soldier too deranged to provide a coherent report before committing suicide. Not willing to risk further soldiers that were desperately needed, the Dawnlanders were hired to investigate. The way through the tunnels proved treacherous and eerily beautiful in equal measure: passing through the underground caverns past forests of bioluminescent mushrooms and jagged stalagmites was breathtaking. That an entire world so different from their own could exist under the surface was hard to fathom. But their sense of wonder was cut short and replaced with horror when they reached the mine and the bloody carnage that had been wrought there. Blood covered the floors, walls and even ceilings; viscera strewn through the living quarters as if it were crumpled bedding; and above it all the ever-present stench of rot and decay.

They soon enough found the source of the slaughter: a group of Buzelau rot demons, led by an Alkilith had made their lair inside the mine and made a bloody feast of the dwarf corpses gathered for their macabre banquet. Gresh, Kalta and even tiny Sheryl threw themselves against the vile demons, while Bones and Menace provided covering fire, and BB raised the very rocks to battle against the invaders. It was over almost as fast as it began, and after collecting some evidence from the scene, the group returned to Vorsthold for their report.

Mayor Grumblefoot was clearly worried by the development of demonic incursions into the mine, thanking the Dawnlanders for their aid and graciously accepting their pledge of further aid when called upon. Before leaving with their rewards, Menace having acquired a beautiful darkwood crossbow of drow design, he managed to leverage his assistance for a private meeting to discuss mutually beneficial trade arrangements. The mayor assigned one of her aides, Drondil Deepmotte, and while the Vorstborn are largely self-sufficient, Dondil was cautiously interested in discussing the potential import of healing supplies and raw materials, especially woven fabrics and timber, which are harder to come by for the dwarves. Being very distrustful of outsiders in general, and this tiefling businessman in particular, he agreed to let Menace send a single wagon of "sample wares" to Vorsthold, for the Administrative divisions to examine and trial, after which he would consider some kind of probationary import license.
“That is all I need, a foot in the door.” Menace thinks to himself on the way back to Daring, gleefully rubbing his hands at this new potential trade opportunity.

“Now, where would I find timber, fabrics and healing supplies, preferably in bulk? I shall have to investigate…”