Mine Enemy

We trudged north. I was feeling a little full of dwarven ale and welcomed the fresh air.

It seemed cold as the humans seemed a little blue in the face. Pitter had an ease about him that I had not seen before, but he had a haunted look, presumably at the thought of having to slaughter his own people. I dread the day that I might have to do the same. May Kord guide my aim.

Throw Down didn't say too much. I think he was deep in contemplation, calling the forces of arcana. Complicated stuff, you know. Me, I got it easy. I got Kord. But who do mages have? Just them. So lonely they must be, so weary. Still, a mage on his own must have some interesting stories. Or perhaps not since he is alive.

We approached the mine. The entrance was smashed into rubble. Barrel scouted ahead and we approached cautiously though All Grins was ripping to run in. He did exactly that when we saw that giant tracks led in, but not out.

So they all ran in. I took a good look around and followed. We were taking sides in a war and such a decision weighed on me. It is one thing to find foes randomly and fight them, triumph over them. But to wage war on others, that is something else entirely. Still, there are dwarves to save.

We entered, All Grins so desperate to avenge his people that he did not even check the crumpled dwarf on the floor. But I did, sensing no immediate evil, I went over and healed the dwarf. Someone was actually still alive, but barely.

He revived and looked a little disoriented. I think he did not find my face comforting. Then he saw Pitter and grew afraid. But All Grins came back and the dwarf relaxed. His name was A Wreck. I said, "Not so much anymore. The power of Kord healed you." Barrel looked at me with those rolling eyes of his and said, "That's his name, not condition. Mord, with such big ears, how can you not hear so well?"

Me puzzled and confused. A dwarf says he is a wreck and I think he means he is a wreck. I don't get it. Why can't people have simple names like Mord? A good _ord name, that's what we be wanting.

Anyway, we interrogate the dwarf and he tells us that there is a short tunnel that the dwarves fled down. I says to him, "You can either go with us or flee, your choice." Barrel chided me again. What is up with that boy? All I said was that the dwarf was free to run away while his kin were slaughtered. The little fellow just didn't seem up to any task.

All Grins and Throw Down took off down the tunnel with Barrel and Pitter close behind. I didn't really trust the dwarf and kind of held back. Good thing since everyone else started running back at me. I heard a swoosh, a bang, some screams, and smelt the fire magic; Throw Down was a mage!

I called upon Kord to make me large and vicious. "Kord, grant me the stature to beat these giants. Kord, my lord, let your divine power course through these mortal veins and guide my steel past their thick hides." And so I grew large, strong, and I could fight like I had never fought before.

As Throw Down came down, a orangish cloud appeared obscuring my sight. But I used my sling and heard an omph at one point. A hill giant appeared with a big round gash in his forehead and he looked a little crispy. My comrades felled him before I could even raise my sword.

As he fell with a great thundering, I slinged another bullet down the hall with apparently no impact. All Grins pulled the hill giant out of the way and started clambering on top of it. And then a big grey giant appeared, a stone giant. It was really one of Pitter's people.

He looked crestfallen that he would have to strike against one of his own kind. I threw down my sling and pulled out my sword, but not before the stone giant landed a crushing blow against me. As I staggered, I saw that All Grins had climbed on top of the fallen hill giant to attack the stone giant, but Stoney got a good shot at the stocky dwarf and nearly knocked him off Hilly. Pitter seemed to try to disarm Stoney, but Stoney took the opportunity to land a devastating blow on Pitter. Then Barrel charged Stoney and got clobbered good. Barrel still gave his best and nearly hurt Stoney. Throw Down backed up and shot some glowing wispy things at the giant. They seemed to have made some welts on the fellow.

I finally got my sword out of the scabbard and went to attack, but was off balance a bit and almost missed if it was not for the good grace of Kord leading my hand to strike a telling blow into Stoney.

The battle continued. All of us giving it our best as Stoney continued to pummel us. I was almost at an end, but I managed to land two crippling blows on Stoney and he fell like a sack of rocks.

Bleeding and tired, we heaved the giants out of the way and went to check on the dwarves. Only two had survived down that way, the rest having been tortured to death. Such brutality.

When done checking, I prayed: "Kord, grant your humble servant the strength of voice to talk with A Brick." I could feel a conduit open to A Brick. I said "A Brick. Mord here. Two giants attacked, two giants are dead now. Three dwarves alive. Shall we return or go and hunt the general?"

And then his reply.

Mords of wisdom: Swords work better than slings.