“On my first mission with Duncan and his crew I received a bit of an outstanding, unwelcomed applause.” Mama D begins as she falls into the memory.
On a field before a mountain not tall enough to be snow capped, a dwarf whose armored head is at the shoulder level of the gathered warriors around him shields his eyes with a thick, broad hand “Oi lads take a gander at the new recruit!” his deep voice carries across the open field behind the other five warriors. A woman of medium height, deeply tanned, heavy with muscle, wearing a steel breastplate, armored leather pants and heavy leather boots comes into view of the assembled warriors. A cacophony of cackles and cat calls welcomes her. The woman’s brow furrowed in anger. The first warrior among the group that she met stepped close to her
“Don’t worry little lady, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on your backside in there.” the warrior reached a hand toward the woman’s butt as he spoke. The woman slammed an uppercut into the warrior's stomach for his insolence, causing him to double over onto his knees and expel his breakfast onto the dirt and stone.
“Keep ya damned hands to yourself, ya lousy, no good, letcher. Be glad I gotta work with ya or I woulda split ya wig with my mace.” The woman calmly stated as she advanced forward through the group, heading toward the dwarf, now laughing heartily. “Deena reporting for duty, sir.” the woman announced.
The tall dwarf who, now seen from up close, is nearly as broad as he is tall. Muscles pressing against his chainmail mining pick held in a meaty hand ceases his laughing, wiping tears from his eyes “Aye, I know who ye be. Call me Duncan, we don’t do none of that proper title shite here. So let that be yer first and last time callin me sir. Understood.”
Deena smirks “Understood. I think I’m gonna enjoy workin with y’all Duncan.”
“Like a fish to water. Alright boys listen up, That cave over yonder.” Duncan points toward a dark mouth set on the mountain “Is where our people have been taken to, if at all possible we are to rescue them and get some payback on those who took them. Here forward only speak if absolutely necessary.” Finished speaking, he turned and marched off up the dirt path leading up the mountain. The other warriors fell in line quietly. A quiet thirty minute march had the warriors assembled before the cave. The sunlight revealed that the mouth narrowed immediately, forcing the warriors to enter in a single file. The narrow path continued straight for fifty feet before a slight decline started. At the point of decline Duncan held up a fist calling for a halt. Once everyone had stopped Duncan opened his fist and spun his upraised finger in a circle twice, as his signal stopped two warriors lit torches. With the torches lit Duncan began his descent and was met with the foul smell of decay and the coppery tinge of fresh blood. Duncan drew his pickaxe from his waist, the warriors behind brought their weapons and shields forward. The narrow pathway abruptly opened up as the right hand wall ended revealing a descending spiral going hundreds of feet down with open passageways in the wall at equal intervals of the descending path. Duncan approached the first passageway, laying a hand upon the floor of the passageway as he closed his eyes. A moment later he stood, shook his head and continued the descent. He repeated this at every passageway they approached, until he came to the fifth open passageway. This time the ritual ended with Duncan grabbing his pickaxe with both meaty fists, marching determinedly down it.
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The putrid smells that permeated the air outside the passageway was miniscule compared to the concentration of the noxious fumes assaulting them now as they had ventured fifty feet down the passageway; three of the warriors were forced to hold back gags. Duncan stoically proceeded on his determined march. Minutes later the group of warriors were met with a gruesome sight to match the smell they had been forced to endure. The passageway opened up into a thirty foot circular room with a doorway opposite them, inside were body parts of numerous beasts and people. The body parts in their differing stages of decay had signs of being some creature or creature's meal. Advancing past this horrid scene the group of warriors exited through the doorway which led into a hallway much wider than the passages prior. Once fully into this hallway a slight sound of beastial cackles and snarls became apparent from ahead of them. Everyone’s grip on their weapons tightened as they advanced upon their target.
At the end of the hallway was another room equally as large as the first, with five rusty cages, the closest three of the five had humans of different ages stuffed inside. The captive humans seeing the group of warriors began calling for help, their voices echoing sharply about the room. Duncan rushed toward the closest swinging his pickaxe, with a loud clang the lock fell into pieces. The cackles and snarls that were coming from another hallway off this room transformed into deafening roars reverberating amongst the captives and warriors. While moving to the next cage Duncan yelled “Johelm, Gregory, Deena make a wall at that door now!” Johelm, a brutish looking human slammed his shield at the doorway spear held at the ready, Gregory, the man who attempted to assault Deena earlier slammed his shield to Johelm’s left and leveled his shortsword, Deena followed suit shield down mace held at the ready. Three more quick slams of Duncan’s pickaxe had all the captives free, they ran for the exit. “Norman toss some oil down the hallway before those beasts get here then get the people out of here.” Duncan ordered. The sound of glass shattering followed Duncan’s order. Duncan heaved a dropped torch down the hallway, the hallway became an inferno. “Fall back lads!” Duncan spoke calmly. The remaining three took steps backwards at an even pace keeping their shields in front as Duncan guided them back.
At that point of the story Duncan had approached the table carrying Mama D and Kitsune’s food. “Here is ye food lady’s. Deena if I may finish this one while you eat?” Duncan’s voice, still booming and carrying authority, paused the tale. Mama D smiled at her old friend who still large for his lineage, but had let his muscle lose its definition and now carried a large stomach that just hinted at folding over his belt.
“Duncan, it would be my pleasure to allow you to finish this story.”
Duncan cleared his throat as he pulled a chair to the table “Now let’s see, how to continue. Ah, I got it.”
