"So now we need to know the situation upstairs" says Ursa, "it's night, so most of the humans should be abed. I'll retire myself shortly, with Snow White - heh, heh, heh. When a dwarf finds money, you can grab 'em. They let you do it. Say, Hagreb, have you Bloodhorns any human women with you?"
"I'm not sure I trust the human woman to re-educate the cleric Fr Michael" says Kaynin, "Our entire plan is built around that. But it's trusting one longshanks to keep tabs on another - not the most secure situation. The rest of the dwarves I'm sure will be loyal to their chief, or we can fix it if they aren't."
"You're right" says Ursa.
The conversation goes on.
"I'm not sure I trust the human woman to re-educate the cleric Fr Michael" says Kaynin, "Our entire plan is built around that. But it's trusting one longshanks to keep tabs on another - not the most secure situation. The rest of the dwarves I'm sure will be loyal to their chief, or we can fix it if they aren't."
"You're right" says Ursa.
The conversation goes on.
She holds her lighted holy symbol to the small window and peers inside. "Michael..." she says, fully aware that a dwarf might easily overhear her words, but if Fr Michael was to play along with her ruse, he needed some warning. Catching him off guard might cause him to publicly call her bluff. "I am sorry for what I must do. But it is to keep the peace. Do you remember the summer festival?" She let the question hang for a moment. They had sat together and watched a play put on by a traveling theater group. "You told me that upholding the peace was of the utmost importance."
He had not, in fact, argued that position... she had. But she could think of no other way to tell him she'd need some play acting from him soon that might not rouse too much suspicion should she be overheard.
She didn't wait for a reply, knowing every moment she lingered increased the risk being found here, so returned to Ursa's chambers and laid diagonally across the bed, both to give herself slightly more room and to leave none for Ursa. Exhausted, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, though did not have to pretend long as sleep claimed her within a few minutes.
He had not, in fact, argued that position... she had. But she could think of no other way to tell him she'd need some play acting from him soon that might not rouse too much suspicion should she be overheard.
She didn't wait for a reply, knowing every moment she lingered increased the risk being found here, so returned to Ursa's chambers and laid diagonally across the bed, both to give herself slightly more room and to leave none for Ursa. Exhausted, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, though did not have to pretend long as sleep claimed her within a few minutes.
Pint's eyes widened and he clenched his jaw tight. It took every fiber of his being to not stand up and eviscerate Ursa with his urgrosh for having admitted trying to coerce Galiena into sleeping with him.
He was in quite a pickle and he knew it, how could he go about convincing Ursa from not abusing his position without outright killing him? Talking with his axe was the usual way Pint way about these things.
He took a breathe in when Ursa commented about the Bloodhorns, and Pint took that opening to maybe hint at that what Ursa was trying to do was wrong.
Exhaling some breath to calm himself, Pint set his soup aside and said. "We Bloodhorns are known for attracting our fair share of admirers due to our martial skills even among non-dwarven folk. We've come to the aid of human, halfling and even elven communities that were under siege by orcs and it's not uncommon for some of the residents to give their gratitude by marrying into the clan. Why, I prolly got some human blood in me ancestry, would explain why I'm a wee bit taller."
"That said.. it's generally seen as bad form for someone to bribe 'em into our chambers, particularly when they're women of virtue like, oh I dunno, a priestess maybe."
He was in quite a pickle and he knew it, how could he go about convincing Ursa from not abusing his position without outright killing him? Talking with his axe was the usual way Pint way about these things.
He took a breathe in when Ursa commented about the Bloodhorns, and Pint took that opening to maybe hint at that what Ursa was trying to do was wrong.
Exhaling some breath to calm himself, Pint set his soup aside and said. "We Bloodhorns are known for attracting our fair share of admirers due to our martial skills even among non-dwarven folk. We've come to the aid of human, halfling and even elven communities that were under siege by orcs and it's not uncommon for some of the residents to give their gratitude by marrying into the clan. Why, I prolly got some human blood in me ancestry, would explain why I'm a wee bit taller."
"That said.. it's generally seen as bad form for someone to bribe 'em into our chambers, particularly when they're women of virtue like, oh I dunno, a priestess maybe."
"we McCains can fight if need be" says Ursa, "but we're miners. There's nothing a longshanks chick likes more than diamonds, and we've got some nice ones out of that pipe. Control of the means of production is everything, including who is attracted to who. Anyway, I see we're not going to sort out what to do until morning, so I'll say goodnight".
He makes as to leave.
Fr Michael meanwhile is awake.
"I remember the festival" he says, "I think I was talking about justice, justice and peace. You can have no peace without justice, and no justice without peace. But Galiena, why didn't you go for the surface when you have a chance? They've killed once, they might do so again",
Galiena leaves him.
She falls asleep. Ursa is outside the door, ready to go in. Most of the McCain dwarves are asleep, except for the committee.
He makes as to leave.
Fr Michael meanwhile is awake.
"I remember the festival" he says, "I think I was talking about justice, justice and peace. You can have no peace without justice, and no justice without peace. But Galiena, why didn't you go for the surface when you have a chance? They've killed once, they might do so again",
Galiena leaves him.
She falls asleep. Ursa is outside the door, ready to go in. Most of the McCain dwarves are asleep, except for the committee.
((Skip me this time around. Unless something (like Ursa trying to climb in with her) wakes her, she'd probably sleep for a few hours))
((Seems that Pint won't step in ))
The door creaks open, half-waking Galiena though she's not sure she's not dreaming. Then Ursa is on top of her, holding something cold and hard to her throat. Galiena is too frightened to scream, but opens her eyes. Ursa is holding the giant diamond to her throat.
"Heh heh", he says, "it will make two diamonds when it is cut. The bigger one for the necklace, and the smaller one for a ring. Isn't it beautiful, Galiena, a very rare gem. We must get it into the hands of the gnomes as soon as possible".
The door creaks open, half-waking Galiena though she's not sure she's not dreaming. Then Ursa is on top of her, holding something cold and hard to her throat. Galiena is too frightened to scream, but opens her eyes. Ursa is holding the giant diamond to her throat.
"Heh heh", he says, "it will make two diamonds when it is cut. The bigger one for the necklace, and the smaller one for a ring. Isn't it beautiful, Galiena, a very rare gem. We must get it into the hands of the gnomes as soon as possible".
Ursa would suddenly feel a strong pair of muscled arms wrapping around his neck from behind. Pint, having followed him and catching him in the act didn't ask any questions and immediately pounced him. He squeezed Ursa's neck hard, preventing any blood flow into his head trying to force the other dwarf into passing out.
It was a rude awakening. Galiena tensed as Ursa's weight was suddenly on top of her and what at first felt like a knife pressed to her throat. She had sorely miscalculated the dwarf's intentions. He would take her life just as he had taken Grimley's...
Diamonds... he was talking about diamonds... and them. He expected her to wed him. She swallowed hard as the momentary panic subsided, trying to collect her wits.
Perhaps someday she would have a suitor that she did not need to betray, she thought sadly. But hopefully one more handsome than Ursa, she added, rather uncharitably. "Ursa... it really is beautiful," she said of the diamond, trying to gently push him off of her. "There is another matter, though, that we should..."
But suddenly there was another there, struggling against Ursa. From her position of being pinned under the ugly dwarf, she could not see who. Had Fr Micheal managed to escape and come to her aid? She struggled to get herself out from underneath the fray...
Diamonds... he was talking about diamonds... and them. He expected her to wed him. She swallowed hard as the momentary panic subsided, trying to collect her wits.
Perhaps someday she would have a suitor that she did not need to betray, she thought sadly. But hopefully one more handsome than Ursa, she added, rather uncharitably. "Ursa... it really is beautiful," she said of the diamond, trying to gently push him off of her. "There is another matter, though, that we should..."
But suddenly there was another there, struggling against Ursa. From her position of being pinned under the ugly dwarf, she could not see who. Had Fr Micheal managed to escape and come to her aid? She struggled to get herself out from underneath the fray...
"Galiena, the diamond isn't worth anything until it is cut, we must get to the surf ... Gnn, gnn, gnn" splutterers Ursa. He rolls off the bed, with Pint on his back.
((Pint please 2d20 for a grappling attack at advantage))
You are unavoidably making a bit of noise, though not as much as with armed combat.
((Pint please 2d20 for a grappling attack at advantage))
You are unavoidably making a bit of noise, though not as much as with armed combat.
rolled 2d20 and got 37
Grapplin'
Critical hit.
(( For advantage you should roll 2 dice and take the largest, but it must be either a 19 or a 20 to add to 37))
Ursa groans, then his body goes limp. Pint releases him before he actually suffocates, and he lies motionless on the floor, the diamond inches from his open hand. Pint hasn't see it before, it's fairly unimpressive, just like an irregular lump of molten glass. But it will make a big diamond or two diamonds when it is cut.
The fan in the machine room is still dwarfed, and you can hear it cycling. Kaynin and the committee are still awake, you know, but you don't know where they have gone.
(( For advantage you should roll 2 dice and take the largest, but it must be either a 19 or a 20 to add to 37))
Ursa groans, then his body goes limp. Pint releases him before he actually suffocates, and he lies motionless on the floor, the diamond inches from his open hand. Pint hasn't see it before, it's fairly unimpressive, just like an irregular lump of molten glass. But it will make a big diamond or two diamonds when it is cut.
The fan in the machine room is still dwarfed, and you can hear it cycling. Kaynin and the committee are still awake, you know, but you don't know where they have gone.
The cleric scrambles out of the bed and looks between Pint and the now unconscious Ursa. She suspected she probably could have convinced Ursa of the need to wait until they could have an official wedding ceremony, but there was no way to know for sure. This way was much more certain and she let out a shaky breath. "Thank you. I did not expect him to be so forceful about his intentions," she admitted.
So much for sleep, she thought as she hurried to put her boots and armor back on. "He killed Chief Grimley and they were planning to kill Michael too. I had planned a ruse for the morning, but I fear Ursa has forced us to act early and I cannot bring my plan to fruition without rest first. Do you think we can get him out now?"
She glances at Ursa and around the room, looking for something to use as a weapon if needed...
So much for sleep, she thought as she hurried to put her boots and armor back on. "He killed Chief Grimley and they were planning to kill Michael too. I had planned a ruse for the morning, but I fear Ursa has forced us to act early and I cannot bring my plan to fruition without rest first. Do you think we can get him out now?"
She glances at Ursa and around the room, looking for something to use as a weapon if needed...
There was no way Pint would risk the chance of Ursa forcing himself on Galiena like that. He would be not only dishonoring Galiena for failing to protect her but also dishonoring his own clan, as a Bloodhorn, proud and stout dwarven warriors, he could not stand idly by and let Galiena fend for herself.
"Told ye not to do that, mate." Pint muttered quietly as he let Ursa's unconscious body roll to the ground, eyes peering down at the cut crystal before glancing back at the human woman. "Donna mention it." Galiena's information brought a grim gaze from Pint-- so much for the rebellion, if Ursa was a murderer then he needed to be tried for his crimes, no two ways around it.
Pint shook his head though when Galiena suggested bringing Ursa up to the surface. "Nay, he's too bloody bulky, we'll never get 'im past the guards and I really donna feel like hacking and slashing me way outta 'ere."
He picked Ursa and set him down on the bed, putting the covers over him. "Ye on the other hand, we can. Let's get the other cleric outta 'ere and get back to the surface. Me job was to rescue ye both anyway, I'll let these blokes sort themselves out after that."
Before leaving, Pint took Ursa's uncut diamond and put it in his bag, maybe he could bribe one of the dwarves to get out of here, or blackmail Ursa to surrender.
"Told ye not to do that, mate." Pint muttered quietly as he let Ursa's unconscious body roll to the ground, eyes peering down at the cut crystal before glancing back at the human woman. "Donna mention it." Galiena's information brought a grim gaze from Pint-- so much for the rebellion, if Ursa was a murderer then he needed to be tried for his crimes, no two ways around it.
Pint shook his head though when Galiena suggested bringing Ursa up to the surface. "Nay, he's too bloody bulky, we'll never get 'im past the guards and I really donna feel like hacking and slashing me way outta 'ere."
He picked Ursa and set him down on the bed, putting the covers over him. "Ye on the other hand, we can. Let's get the other cleric outta 'ere and get back to the surface. Me job was to rescue ye both anyway, I'll let these blokes sort themselves out after that."
Before leaving, Pint took Ursa's uncut diamond and put it in his bag, maybe he could bribe one of the dwarves to get out of here, or blackmail Ursa to surrender.
Galiena picks up a hammer in Ursa's room. It's a mining hammer, but will serve as a weapon if needed.
Pint checks the Ursa is truly unconscious, and lays him in bed.
Fr Michael's prison is only a few feet away. There are two routes to the shaft, the east and west passages. Between them is a collapsed area where coal has been mined. You can't see or hear the "committee", but the dwarf on the fan machine is still pedalling away and you can hear the regular clunk of the fan from the machine room.
The rest of the dwarves appear to be asleep.
Pint checks the Ursa is truly unconscious, and lays him in bed.
Fr Michael's prison is only a few feet away. There are two routes to the shaft, the east and west passages. Between them is a collapsed area where coal has been mined. You can't see or hear the "committee", but the dwarf on the fan machine is still pedalling away and you can hear the regular clunk of the fan from the machine room.
The rest of the dwarves appear to be asleep.
"He can walk himself!" she started to protest, not realizing immediately that Pint was talking about Ursa and she was talking about Fr Michael.
But a moment later the confusion became clear and she nodded as she gripped the hammer. "Let's hurry, then. The cell is just down the hall..." she said and quickly led the way to the cell where he was being kept. When they got to the barred door, she removed the bar, trying to be quiet about it, then opened up the door just wide enough for a person to slip in or out.
"Fr Michael?" she said in a harsh whisper "We have to go... now!"
But a moment later the confusion became clear and she nodded as she gripped the hammer. "Let's hurry, then. The cell is just down the hall..." she said and quickly led the way to the cell where he was being kept. When they got to the barred door, she removed the bar, trying to be quiet about it, then opened up the door just wide enough for a person to slip in or out.
"Fr Michael?" she said in a harsh whisper "We have to go... now!"
Pint follows Galiena down the cell keeping a wary eye on their flanks. His Urgrosh is out and at the ready, as he said, he hopes it won't come down to fighting his way out of the mine but if it does he'll be ready.
"Sister Galiena?" says Fr Michael, "I'm here".
As quickly and as quietly as possible, you unbar the door.
Fr Michael puts his boots on - he had been asleep.
"Have you come to rescue me from execution as an enemy of the dwarf revolution? This is a trap, Galiena, the committee guards all the ways out, and no-one, dwarf or human, is allowed to the surface. They'll catch us, then they will have the excuse they need to execute you."
He looks at Pint.
"Are you a counter-revolutionary dwarf?" he asks.
As quickly and as quietly as possible, you unbar the door.
Fr Michael puts his boots on - he had been asleep.
"Have you come to rescue me from execution as an enemy of the dwarf revolution? This is a trap, Galiena, the committee guards all the ways out, and no-one, dwarf or human, is allowed to the surface. They'll catch us, then they will have the excuse they need to execute you."
He looks at Pint.
"Are you a counter-revolutionary dwarf?" he asks.
"We haven't much choice, Brother. Ursa tried to force himself upon me and..." she realized she didn't know "Habek's" real name, "...this dwarf from the Bloodhorns came to my aid. I fear that if we wait, they will use that alone as their excuse to execute us all."
She was tired and potentially not thinking straight. But if they could just get out of the short tunnels, they'd have a real chance of pushing their way through the committee and getting to the shaft. "When we reach them," for she had little doubt Fr Michael was right and they would not get through without incident, "I think I can distract them for a moment. Perhaps it will be enough to push past. Unless.." she looked at Pint, trusting his sense of how to handle the dwarves better than her own, "you think we just march through like we own the place?"
She was tired and potentially not thinking straight. But if they could just get out of the short tunnels, they'd have a real chance of pushing their way through the committee and getting to the shaft. "When we reach them," for she had little doubt Fr Michael was right and they would not get through without incident, "I think I can distract them for a moment. Perhaps it will be enough to push past. Unless.." she looked at Pint, trusting his sense of how to handle the dwarves better than her own, "you think we just march through like we own the place?"
Pint smiled inwardly when Galiena used the fake name she used for him. Anonymity was just fine for him, if no one knew his name then none of this could be tracked back to him, and thus he made no effort to correct her.
He did grumble at Fr Micheal however, as the other cleric questioned his allegiances towards the revolution or against it. "I donna care about no bloody rebellion. I'm a merc, I'm getting paid to get ye lot back to the surface, and that's wot I intend to do." He snorted. "Besides, revolution or no, holding innocent folk hostage and trying to rape and or execute 'em ain't right in my book, so I'd be getting ye outta 'ere regardless." At least it seemed he had a strong moral compass despite mostly caring about his paycheck.
"That's unlikely." Pint glanced at Galiena when she asked him if they could just march out of the mine. "Ye saw how everyone's calling ye their 'Snow White', every soddin' dwarf 'ere is probably smitten with ye, I'm thinkin' the committee went ahead and used ye as the symbol for their revolution."
"I say we use yer plan." Pint nodded to Galiena, "And if that donna work, well, as we dwarves say, time to use aggressive negotiations." He patted the wicked spear axe hanging by his side, thankful that he still had it with him.
He did grumble at Fr Micheal however, as the other cleric questioned his allegiances towards the revolution or against it. "I donna care about no bloody rebellion. I'm a merc, I'm getting paid to get ye lot back to the surface, and that's wot I intend to do." He snorted. "Besides, revolution or no, holding innocent folk hostage and trying to rape and or execute 'em ain't right in my book, so I'd be getting ye outta 'ere regardless." At least it seemed he had a strong moral compass despite mostly caring about his paycheck.
"That's unlikely." Pint glanced at Galiena when she asked him if they could just march out of the mine. "Ye saw how everyone's calling ye their 'Snow White', every soddin' dwarf 'ere is probably smitten with ye, I'm thinkin' the committee went ahead and used ye as the symbol for their revolution."
"I say we use yer plan." Pint nodded to Galiena, "And if that donna work, well, as we dwarves say, time to use aggressive negotiations." He patted the wicked spear axe hanging by his side, thankful that he still had it with him.
"The world is changing" says Fr Michael, "from a world of agriculture and wooden implements, to one of coal and iron. So the dwarves can only become more powerful. That's why Dwarf Mine is only the start of the dwarf revolution, it will become more and more significant as time passes. Yet I fear it is not compatible with our religion - that's what I told the committee as they interrogated me. As a dwarf" he turns to Pint, "you'll have to decide where you stand."
Galiena more or less knows the layout of Dwarf Mine by now. There are two passages, east and west, leading down to the shaft and the proper living quarters at the south. Between them is a collapsed area where coal has been taken out, spoil thrown, and the roof allowed to fall in as pit props are removed. To get to the west passage, you'll have to go throuhg the machine room, a large chamber containing the fan and the diamond crushers. Before that is the vertical excavation of the diamond pipe. To get to the east passage, you'll have to go through a little maze of smaller chambers, including Ursa's room.
If you go north, you come to the coal face, which connects the eastern and western passages.
Most of the dwarves are asleep in the machine room. But Pint was talking to the committee recently, and they are obviously still awake.
Galiena more or less knows the layout of Dwarf Mine by now. There are two passages, east and west, leading down to the shaft and the proper living quarters at the south. Between them is a collapsed area where coal has been taken out, spoil thrown, and the roof allowed to fall in as pit props are removed. To get to the west passage, you'll have to go throuhg the machine room, a large chamber containing the fan and the diamond crushers. Before that is the vertical excavation of the diamond pipe. To get to the east passage, you'll have to go through a little maze of smaller chambers, including Ursa's room.
If you go north, you come to the coal face, which connects the eastern and western passages.
Most of the dwarves are asleep in the machine room. But Pint was talking to the committee recently, and they are obviously still awake.
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