On The Silence of Claws - 09/10/2024 - Mendal Recounts

Down to the Tunnels to Pry

“An absolute shithole of death, those tunnels!” Mendal said, adding a final point to his story.

Kavel and Archie both agreed they would not have enjoyed that adventure either. Kavel especially, on account of being over seven feet tall and very large even for a goliath. He did not fancy his chance of avoiding contact with all the disease and horror Mendal described.

“The drinks at The Dragon later were the most well deserved post adventure drinks yet!” Mendal added.

“Well from the sounds of it, Kem was much better off having you in the adventuring party,” Archie said, crowning the end of Mendal’s story. “Lesser Restoration was the most valued spell of the adventure, it seems.”

Mendal raised his pint in the air to pay tribute to his god, the god who had blessed him with the divine power of healing amongst other things. “Too bloody right, praise Moradin! I made them all pay tribute to Moradin when we got the first round in. They all bloody benefited from Moradin’s divine and powerful healing - especially Tim. Bloody hell did he get stuck in. Well done to him, but also reckless. The Rot Doctor got well and truly stuck into him in return. At the end of the battle, Tim was trying to avoid wobbling around in his harness, and he’s denying he needed urgently seeing to. Tim was trying to pretend he’s stoic and invulnerable, like him,” Mendal pointed at the goliath in the room, Kavel. “But even an untrained eye could tell his body was about to pack in. We were all utterly shagged to be fair. Bwop was bleeding from the eyes, I felt as weak as a baby and Kem could barely speak, which for Kem is horrifying pain - for the rest of us it’s quite pleasant, it’s like finding out someone was casting a Zone of Lies and Half-Truths spell, and the effects had diminished for a bit.”

“A little unfair, Mendal,” Archie said, having found Kem to be quite a charming fellow. Different, but charming nevertheless.

“You only think that because he complimented you and paid for some scrolls,” Mendal objected. It had wound Mendal up when Kem came to the door and Mendal answered it, only to be told by Kem that the important mission he had in mind had him wandering if Archie was available. Feeling like Archie’s poor man’s substitute annoyed Mendal considerably.

Mendal carried on with the point he was making. “But we were all exhausted by necrotic and poisonous disease magic from that bloody Rot Doctor bastard. He only had to look at us, or catch us in his aura of flies to inflict disease on us. Exploding zombies were no fun either. You kill them and they explode in your face as a parting fuck you.”

Kavel nodded. He was himself familiar with this nuisance as he put it, of the magically reanimated and poisoned opponents. But, other than nodding, he had no comment to make on the subject matter. He had a question, however. “So you didn’t get to do your giant-rat impression again, Mendal?”

Archie smirked into his drink. Mendal fumed.

“What would have been the point?” Mendal responded, “the only giant-rats down there were dead and stinking! If we were going to do another performance with the Seeming spell, we would have had to be like the plague person,, some oxen worshipper of death, not one of the rusty rat people - they’re all dead.”

“So did you discover anything about either of the two cults after all that wandering through death and fighting a disease-spreader?” Archie enquired. Disease was a sore point for Archie. This was, in truth also true of all the men around the table.

“No. Kem reckoned it’s the first time he’s seen any evidence of two of these cults fighting each other. Other than that, we learned nothing. Kem wanted to discover something about his curse - not his affliction of always speaking in half-truths or talking like a storyteller where the entire world’s his stage. No, I mean an actual curse from this nine-tailed rat symbol he has, and something on his back he’s hiding.”

“You will help him with this curse?” Archie asked.

“What do I know about cults and their curses? I forge things.”

Archie was long used to Mendal conveniently forgetting his divine healing powers when it suited him. When it suited him, was when it interfered with his crafting, and everything interfered with Mendal’s crafting.

“You’re being obtuse,” Archie said, reprimanding his dwarven friend, “as fond as Kem may be to keep information mysterious, and how it may annoy you, Kem no doubt will eventually require magical healing to rid himself of this curse he’s bearing for whatever reason. And we’ve established your immense proficiency with the Lesser Restoration spell, and I know you’re equally sound with the Greater Restoration spell, too.”

“Yes, yes,” Mendal said shifting around in his chair, “of course I’ll remove the curse when it’s finally time. I’m sure I’ve told him I’d do that. Pretty sure I did. I take disease seriously too, Archie,” Mendal added reassurance at the end, remembering him and Archie’s shared history.

Archie took Mendal’s response well. Archie would also be sure to check up on the progress of uncovering the desires and goings-on of the Silent Claw (if any were left) the Hekrati and other worrying groups that have been operating in the Dawnlands.

A fond realisation then popped into Archie's head. “I remember where I’ve heard of Tim before! I gave his mother and father, Susan and George the Longsword of Avarice a party of mine acquired when aiding the Temple of Waukeen.”

Mendal himself suddenly realised something related to that matter. “Oh yeah that’s right! Susan made a lovely Victoria Sponge as well, I remember.”

“That was my Victoria Sponge you ate, you greedy boar!”

“It was in the kitchen - communal space!” Mendal said defensively.

“It was a massive slice, too big for one person!”

“I didn’t eat it all.” Mendal shrugged.

Kavel’s stoic face was beginning to look a little sheepish.

Both Archie and Mendal looked at Kavel.

Kavel glanced from Mendal to Archie, before saying, “the kitchen is a communal space, Archie.”