The Southern Campaigns

The Writings of Chalyb Sequitor - Part X

The Storyteller had returned as the sun started to spend less time in the skies. With beer in hand he made his way to his traditional spot and settled in. There were several in the tavern who were unaware of the remarkable nature of the wanderer, and continued to laugh and talk at their tables. A few suggestive inclinations from the gadowsi brothers quickly quieted the room down, and the taleswapper began:

"When we left them, the Company of Steel was fine, but their employers and the ultimate success of their mission (and their reputation) was in jeopardy. While pleased to be reunited with Kentaro, they had been unable to free the trade goods from the Tomb of the Living Statues in the Shattered Hills. In fact, they had been almost slain and had used up many of their healing draughts and powers to ensure they simply evaded the tomb alive. Thus it was with heavy hearts that they gathered with Adron and Feron (Chalyb had finally learned to properly pronounce their names. And apparently Feron worked for SATA, the river queen in Lope. Kentaro had learned all this while the party was gone, and explained that this lack of attention to the actual names of the people they were working for might be the root of some of the animosity the Company experienced. Chalyb agreed to try and be more accurate in the future.)

Chalyb drew up his chair to the table at the only Tavern in Ghelsba. His beer was full, and he took a pull at it as he looked at the other two men sitting around one of the three tables in the place. The rest of the company of steel was sitting or standing around within earshot where they could hear what was going on and interject if they needed to, but they trusted Chalyb to negotiate for the company as a whole.

The two men were very different, both in appearance and demeanor. Feron, the factor of their employer Sata, the river queen of Lope, was a relatively small mondarian, who obviously spent more time inside with his books than outside, although Chalyb had not found him to be lacking in pulling his own weight. The other Adron was the caravan master they had recently found on the edge of the Shattered Hills Northeast of the town. His completion was dark, and his body lean and travel worn. He was clearly an outdoorsman and a leader. He held him self proudly, even though he was currently sitting here at a disadvantage, his entire shipment having been recently absconded with, first by bandits, and now by the automaton guardians of the Tomb of the Animal Gods.

"Gentlemen, I now that we have had a chance to clean up from the road, I believe it would be a good time to discuss our current situation and the various options we have for moving forward. If you will permit me, I will outline our status as I see it, and then we can discuss courses of action for us to pursue." Chalyb looked to each man for his assent, and was pleased when they both nodded. Many men in this situation would need to assuage ego's and prove that they were in control of the discussion. However these were both experienced men, and were more interested in finding a solution than in being the on who came up with it in the first place. Chalyb appreciated that and continued.

"Apparently, there were a group of bandits using the hills as a hiding place from which to foray out. This may have been a new development, or perhaps had been going on prior to, but regardless, Adron unfortunately fell victim to their predations. His cargo, bound for a rendezvous with you, Feron and exchange of goods, has been absconded with. We were able to track the bandits into the Shattered Hills, which are certainly not a safe place to roam, what with the Demon Dogs appearing at night." Chalyb produced a pair of the fangs they had obtained from the great silver beasts. "They seem to be tied to the night as many ghostly things of evil are, as they only attacked us in the evening, and their bodies faded in the sunlight, yet their breath bears the stench of evil upon it, and their fangs drew more than blood, I felt them shedding my very essence when they bit into me. I also fear that mortal weapons will be of little use against these creatures, though perhaps silver or cold iron or blessed weapons may prove otherwise. Regardless, they are but a roaming precursor to the dangers, which are between us, and Adron's goods. Within the Shattered Hills, there lies what I can only presume to be a tomb of some ancestry. We passed two magical obelisks as we approached, I am unsure if these will react as did the statuary in the Tomb itself. Within the tomb, as we described to you upon our return, we found the evidence of a bloody battle, and the goods stolen from Adron had been heaped upon a dais with a sarcophagus upon it. Within that chamber, we encountered and defeated some specter of ancient evil, at no small cost to ourselves I might add. Upon preparing to return with the goods, we found that any attempt to remove any of the goods from the chamber caused the bizarre statuary to come to life and we presumed attack. We verified this assumption later."

Chalyb paused at this point to take another draw from his beer and allow the two men at the table to comment or insert their own opinions.

Nodding, Chalyb continued, "As I see it, the current situation is that Adron, cannot, without outside help, produce the agreed upon merchandise for the transactions to be fulfilled. His men do not possess the magical weaponry to damage the statues, thus any direct attempt with his current forces is doomed to failure." Chalyb held his hand up to forestall Adron from interrupting. "Now, frankly that is outside of the purview of our current arrangement with Sata, which was to ensure the safe delivery of yourself, Feron, and whatever goods are currently being held in the warehouse, and the return of whatever goods Adron provided you in exchange. To date we have not only held up our end of the agreement, we have exceeded it commendably by tracking Adron, and then following the bandits into territory not conducive to the survival of mortals, not to mention two attempts to retrieve his merchandise, with no expectations or negotiations or compensation on our behalf. Feel that the Company is clear of any responsibility in these matters." Chalyb held up his other hand to forestall Feron's red faced interruption. "Clearly, however, the current status leaves neither of you any profit for the venture, and we did not come cheaply. I would not have Sata thinking that we were less than valuable, and spreading the tale that the Company of Steel is less than courageous. Nor, Adron would we leave you in a bind that we might be able to aid you in avoiding. For should you take the financial damage of this loss, I suspect it will be difficult for you to continue to be a viable route for Sata's goods. Thus for the good of all partied concerned, including this town and the town of Lope, The company of Steel will aid you in retrieving your merchandise and seeing this transaction completed, though I note that it is outside our agreement." Both men simply looked at Chalyb, waiting for the catch. "Come now gentlemen, I am not altogether without greed, There are a significant number of valuable goods laying within the tomb itself, that would certainly compensate us for the potential risk of death in performing this mission. So do not be amazed at our altruism, for we are simple greedy mortals such as you would expect after all." Chalyb had a huge grin, and the other two laughed as they drank their beers. "There are some concerns for us all as we make this attempt to retrieve our collective goods from the tomb, and we will need your aid with these: 1) To journey to and from the grave, even mounted, will take us roughly 7 days, give or take. If we are forced to destroy the statuary, it is likely we will need 5 to 7 days to perform that task, as for us to attack more than a single room at a time would be suicide, and I will not attempt it. Thus we are looking at an excursion that is likely to take us roughly 21 days. Feron, you should consider how the expenses you are incurring for the trip may change the profitability of the voyage, and Adron, I do not know of your own financial ability to deal with up to 21 days of delay for your return. I will be willing to take my men out and accomplish this alone, or perhaps with a guide, allowing you all to be about other business as we accomplish this mission. I believe we have proven ourselves to be trustworthy in these matters. Of course, Feron, should you chose to return, we would expect to be allowed out of our remaining contract with you regarding the protection of good! , until we had obtained the good for you. 2) We will need food for the 21 days, as we no longer have rations to permit a journey of that length. 3) We will need someone or a group to wait where we found you Adron, for our signal to come and aid us in transporting all the goods from the tomb to this town. As we will certainly be unable to carry it all back ourselves should we live to come back at all. 4) Finally, We would feel well rewarded if the two of you agree to two things, First, that you will, between the two of you arrange for shipment of the grave goods we return with back to Lope, or alternatively, perhaps you might aid us in selling these goods for a fair price. And Second, that you spread the name of the Company of Steel as a courageous and honorable group to whomever you might meet or do business with. Thus preventing the sight of a man with an iron scorpion attached to his head from scaring the spirits out of folk, and aiding us in negotiation with other potential employers."

Both were nodding along with all Chalyb said. Eshi, who managed to worm his way near the table next to Raphael was listening to every word, despite a few frowns from Adron.

The two men pondered the warrior's remarks then haggle a bit back and forth. They finally agree to the following:

Adron would return with the company to the previous camp site to provide a watch over their mounts and anyone they leave behind. He will also arrange suitable food for everyone for 4 weeks.

Feron agrees to arrange the shipping of any goods you bring back as salvage. Adron suggests he may be interested in some of the items himself once he gets a look at them.

As you discuss the details of the deal, Rad wonders aloud if anyone else might know something about the tomb or the creatures that inhabit it. Suddenly from beneath the table Eshi pipes up with "You could always ask the Boneman!"

Feron looks puzzled, and a flash of emotion, too quick to catch (fear? anger?) crosses Adron's impassive face. From behind the bar Eshi's father calls out "Eshi! Get out of there and let those men be! They have no need to listen to your stories."

"But fath..."

"Enough! Out with you and wash that pile of mugs. You've said about enough!"

Reluctantly the lad scrambles to his feet and drags off to the back of the bar. After a brief pause the sounds of splashing water reached their ears...

Suddenly the town's Klaxon went off. A great bell, down near the beach was being rung, and all of the locals who had gathered about to eavesdrop headed out towards the beach to see what was the matter. After a few moments of confused glances at each other, Kentaro suggested that the group might want to see what was the matter at the beach.

As the company arrived on the beach they found that a swarm of strange beings were making their way onto the shore. They were scaled all over and their hands were strangely webbed and ended in long claws. They had no hair, but instead sprout one or more ridges of bone and fins. They wore loincloths woven of seaweed with small pouches hanging at their sides. Their weapons were great seaweed nets and long Tridents made of bone and bronze or steel.

The group attempted to parley, but a set of thrown nets and spears suggested that this group was not socially inclined. Thus were weapons drawn and the battle engaged.

The Seaspawn were skilled and tricky with their nets and tridents. They used their nets both as a weapon and a shield. Whirling it about to prevent the humans from closing, and then casting it out in an attempt to capture their opponent. Rad fell victim to just such a ploy and the dwarf shortly found himself floundering in a net whilst his opponent poked him and gave forth a strange gurgling laugh. Raphael's arrows blazed forth in fiery fury to smite the scaled horrors from the he depths. Meanwhile Zol found that although his hammer bore great effect against the scaled hides of the Seaspawn, their tactics kept him busy at a distance. So too did Kentaro's leaping kicks and fists of iron smite on of the beasts. Chalyb's great flaming blade laid about him even as the Seaspawns, tridents sought out the spaces between his armor.

Yet as the battle wore on, the Company began to get the better of the seaspawn. First one, then another of the creatures went down. Rad, in a wild berserk rage tore free of the netting, and lashed out at friend and foe alike simply driven by the need to destroy.

It was then that the great Sea Horror rose up from the depths of the water. First one, then another thick trunk like tentacle appeared at the water's edge. (For you see, the beach was not like those of the lakes or even the river, no, the shallow waters of the beach gave way after only a foot or two to a great descent into the blackness of the deep. This Seahorror had climbed up the cliff's edge and was now emerging onto the beach.) It rose up fully twenty feet in height. A great starfish like creature who's points grew long into giant tentacles it walked upon, each fully as thick around as Chalyb. And on it's belly a great gnashing maw filled with razor sharp teeth, each one pointing in like a shark's so that should it get a bite on ye, the shape of its maw would force prey inward and slice it to ribbons at the same time.

Yet that was not all, for on the back of the creature was another of the Seaspawn, and this one called out in a great gurgling voice, harsh words which had not been meant to be spoken in the open air. It cast out a single webbed hand, and before him, Kentaro found himself held still beyond his control.

Kentaro's opponents barked out their gurgling laughter and poked him with their tridents. They were quickly frustrated that their weapons could not pierce the mystically hardened flesh of the Servant of the Silver Palm.

The battle raged on the beach, all the while the peoples of the town watched from the cliffs above. To be sure an arrow or two was shot, and rocks and insults hurled at the fish-men, but to the great extent they were ineffective.

Chalyb's Fiery blade engaged the great beast, and the Scorpion Helm "Ironhead" Raised itself up and spat its dread venom onto the thing. Raphael was horribly wounded, but fortunately had the mighty healing wand at hand to prevent his untimely demise. The Seawizard cast forth it's dark magics, but the Dwarves called upon their holy earth might to counter it. While Raphael's arrows and the hammer and axe also rose and fell among the Scaly warriors from the waves.

With mighty clash of venom and fire, the Sea Horror fell to Chalyb's assault, after shattering several of his ribs, and knocking him senseless for a moment or three. Kentaro ceased "fooling around" as Chalyb called it, in reality eventually fighting off the effects of the holding spell. The Sea spawn were defeated, and Chalyb sought to slay their leader beneath the waves, but Kentaro stayed him from the folly of seeking out the dark one in it's own lair. The Seaspawn magus spat and became as shadow flowing into the waves and beyond the wrath of the party.

Turning, the Company was greeted with cheers from the villagers above.

They found some odd shells and retrieved the tridents which were useable, storing them in the warehouse while they attended their other matters.

They decided to seek out the Bone man, and sought for information from Eshi and Adron as to the rumors which surrounded this strange apparition. At the consensus of the group, Chalyb presented Eshi with one of the horses and riding gear, as a reward for his bravery in the hills.

In the following morning they set out to find the Bone-Man, and made camp along the path. Towards dark Raphael heard the sounds of an approaching rider. As the others made ready, Chalyb simply said, "That would be the boy."

And indeed it did turn out to be Eshi. As Raphael met him and helped him with his horse, the dwarves looked at Chalyb quizzically. The grizzled old warrior shrugged, "Why do you think I left him the horse? He would have followed us either way, at least now he's here where we can protect him."

"But Boss?" Asked Rad, "How'd you know he would follow us."

Chalyb chuckled, "Look at the four of us Rad, would any of us have remained home?"

They all laughed at that, and it was agreed that should Eshi so desire it, and his father granted permission upon their return, Raphael would become his mentor, and the boy his protigie.

That evening during watch, Zol asked Chalyb why he assigned the boy's tutelage to Raphael. Suggesting that the archer was perhaps not the wisest of the group. Chalyb responded to the dwarf by suggesting that Raphael might learn responsibility by needing to watch over someone else's skin, and besides, the boy would certainly learn from all of them, but his talents were clearly more in line with the archer.

They searched through the hills, and learned of Eshi's previous encounter with the Bone-Man, where the strange being had caught a shark while fishing off the coast.

They finally came upon what could only be the home of the bone man. A great palisade made of the bones of many creatures in a rough hemisphere around the sharp edge of a low mountain. inside, a large hut or rough hall of some kind was visible a combination of wood and bone, with the head of one of the great antelope gods acting as the entry gate. All within the palisade, moving silently behind the wall, were strange ghost hounds, similar to the ghost wolves the Company had encountered in the Shattered Hills.

Calling out to the bone man, the party made parley. The bone man proved to be some sort of giant, and clearly was a shaman of some sort wielding fell magics of types unseen to those of us who reside in this part of the world. Yet the party stood firm and politely made friendly overtures to the giant. (Despite the foul reek which accompanied his unwashed mass.) They gained some respect by showing him the ghost wolf teeth they had, and speaking of the ancient statues. The company asked him for information of the tombs and the statues and the great silver seals. The bone man revealed that he knew of and had been in several of the tombs and had fought the dread lining statues. In particular he hated the Lion headed ones. He also revealed that the silver seals could simply be broken with little ill effect. When pressed about the statues, the bone man suggested he might have something of use to the party, but wanted something in return. The party asked him what he might ! want, and the bone man sent them away that he might ponder.

The party left and made camp. That evening, they found themselves surrounded by the ghost hounds, and Chalyb called upon them to remain still and not to attempt to draw weapons. The Bone Man approached and offered to lend them a mystical rod which would keep away a specific type of statue if the group would retrieve his great spear for him. Naturally, the party agreed.

Apparently, while out hunting, the boneman had wounded a giant antelope, but the beast had been able to continue running for a short time. It had expired after falling into a small crevice. It was too narrow a space for the bone man to enter, but not for the party.

The party rode hard the next morning following the Bone man, who led them to the crevice. They entered, leaving Eshi to watch the horses and gear, and encounter swarms of giant bats who ripped their flesh with great sharp claws and fangs. The party was unswerved, and managed to slay most of the bats, and locate the corpse of the antelope and the great spear. Rad and Chalyb were the only obnes even capable of lifting the spear. They also found several other remains, including a shirt of fine chain mail, which was immediately given to Eshi to aid in preventing his death. The boy complained, "It's too heavy." To which Chalyb replied, "Grow stronger."

Returning to the bone man he offered them a rod with a spider symbol on it, requiring something be left with him to ensure the rod's safe return. Chalyb left his magical shield and took the rod. Then the group returned to the seaside village.

Eshi's father was irate with the boy and with the Company for allowing the boy to put himself in danger. Chalyb took the tavern keeper aside and spoke with him at length. He pointed out that the Company had not encouraged or suggested that the boy join them, and this was met with a reluctant agreement by the father. Chalyb said that the boy had proven himself and was welcome to journey with the Company should the father allow it. Chalyb also said that they would discourage the boy and not allow him to journey with them if that was the wish of the father, but that if he did accompany them, Chalyb would personally look after the boy's safety. After some further discussion, the tavern keep agreed that the boy would do as he wished, and that it would be better to have the heroes looking out for him than he wandering about on his own. Though there was clearly some sadness about the loss of his son to manhood, Chalyb believed that the tavern keep was secretly proud of his son.

Thus on the following morn, the company mounted up with Eshi, Adron and a couple of the guards and rode off for the shattered hills.

They left Eshi with Adron at the place where the party had first met the trader, and the party continued on into the hills. They did not encounter any of the Demon-Dogs this time, and made it quickly to the entrance of the tomb. Entering cautiously, they first went to the room where they had defeated and buried the statues upon their last visit. The statues were fully restored, and the floor of the room showed no evidence of having been altered. Cursing the tomb's vile magicks, Chalyb had them press onwards. After some evidentiary searching about, Rad and Chalyb forced open the sealed doors at the eastern end of the chamber with the pool. Beyond, wholly unexpected to the Company they found not another tomb and dais, but a deep winding passageway into the depths of the earth.

Long and deep they followed it, eventually coming to a number of dark chambers long hidden from the eyes of men. They encountered more statues, this time in the shapes of spiders, but quickly using the rod from the Bone man, they found they were able to pass through the chamber guarded by the spider statues unmolested.

They came upon a horrific seen of an ancient feast and slaves who had been chained to the walls of the tomb and forced to die with their masters. And to the great horror, they came upon fallen warriors who rose from their deathly repose on the tops of ancient stone pedestals and sought the death of the Company with fell powers and ancient blades. The Company fought valiantly, but sorely missed the awesome might of Vanlenlo in the destruction of the Once-Living Guardians of the place.

Searching further through the strange maze of passages they had encountered, they eventually came upon a great room with an ancient ziggurat within. After examining the room, the Company decided to rely on their typical strategy of charging in to deal with whatever lay within the glowing light at the apex of the pyramid.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Chalyb and Kentaro ascended the steps of the pyramid and leapt into the glowing light. They were followed shortly by the dwarves Rad and Zol, leaving Raphael as backup. The archer waited for the inevitable clash of arms, but no such sound emerged. Nor did any of his companions. Thus, after waiting for several moments, and without means to circumvent the spider statues which guarded the way out, the young rouge shrugged his shoulders and ran up the steps, leaping into the golden light.

Thus it was that the Company of Steel passed from the face of Eria.

FINI