Strife in the Fife of Thife ~part three

Part 2 can be read here

The first thing our hero’s noticed when they entered the tomb was that it wasn’t at all what they expected. Upon contemplation; they weren’t sure what they were expecting, but it certainly wasn’t this! They didn’t have long to think about it before they noticed things start to change, swirl, and smoke appeared from nowhere. The very large door shut behind them and in the time it took them to look back at the shutting door, and then look back into the room there were people! A whole room of people! How is this possible?

In front of them was a pool table where men were playing. To the right was a full bar and a bar keep wiping down the bar, and there were a few men sitting around a table talking. As soon as they took in the scene, a voice boomed from seemingly nowhere,

“In my life I did many things, traveled to many places and the start of those travels was often a place just…like….this…”

Roran and Samantha looked at each other with wide eyes and Roran spoke first,

“Well…we made it in here…what now?”

“Um…well…let’s get a drink. I guess.”

The duo saddled up to the bar and ordered two Elvin wines. As they waited for the barman to fetch them, Sam was approached by a very large man who’d been playing pool.

“Hey sweet cheeks” the man grinned. “What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?”

Sam turned up to look at the man and sneered. “Go. Away.” she said through gritted teeth.

“Hey now! That’s no way to talk to a stud like me!” the man replied.

Roran jumped in at this point by saying “Hey man! The lady is with me, and she told you to go away.”

The men exchanged words which grew in intensity until it was clear that they were going to move on to blows. Really, Roran relished the idea of releasing some nervous energy on this guy’s face and was doing very little to defuse the situation. However, he thought it best to try not to kill the guy, as he really wasn’t sure if this was trickery, magick or some other thing he hadn’t even considered! Better to just try and knock him out.

Which he did. With excellent precision. You see…what you might not know about Roran when you first look at him, is that he is an expert at all things fighting. He’s got amazing sword skill and is well practiced in just about anything that could be used as a weapon. His fists are most absolutely included in that.

After the fight all the people disappeared into vapor, including the man on the ground. One man was left standing and came rushing up, grabbed Roran’s hand and shook it excitedly. This was not customary behavior shortly after Roran knocked a man out!

“Hi! I’m lucky Joe! Well, I’m Joe…but I’m pretty lucky, so everyone calls me Lucky Joe” the man said all the while shaking Roran’s hand.

Samantha started to shove Roran along, trying to get him out of this room (without ever getting a chance to touch her wine…) before something else happened. Lucky Joe continued to follow along and they heard the voice again,

“Along the way I made many friends, and many enemies. Lucky Joe was one of my most trusted allies….” as the voice faded off Joe looked around for source….

“Encanticus buddy? Is that you?! Oh this guy…I could tell some TALES about this guy!! He’s a good guy” Joe said to Roran and Sam grinning broadly.

At the end of the pool room was a thin hallway. It appeared to go on for quite a distance, and was poorly lit. They had only been in the hall for a short time when a group of creatures came running up. The hallway was tight and that made maneuvering difficult, but it was clear these creatures didn’t have any intention of walking on by! They aimed to fight. They were like nothing Sam or Roran had ever seen before! Talk skinny legs, short bodies and the face…of frogs?! Could these creatures be frogmen of lore?

Roran was first to connect blows with one of these frog men. The frogmen wore thin chain mail and their bellies were mostly exposed.  The blade of Roran’s sword made quick work of the first fighter. Samantha couldn’t get past Roran to join in the fighting, so she opened the veil and let her Powerbolt fly at the next closest enemy. It met him and he dropped to the ground lifeless.

Now it was Joe’s turn to show our duo what he was made of. He pulled his pair of daggers from their sheaths on his hips, Jumped and bounded off the wall, landing in front of Roran to slash at the first available frogman. He damaged the enemy but didn’t drop him.

“There are four frogmen here and one elf a little ways back!” Joe shouted as he shielded himself from the blows of the frogman he’d just cut open.

Roran swung at the frogman while he was distracted and attacking Joe and finished the job Joe had started. The last creature went down in similar fashion.

Just as the heroes were about to rush the elf they saw him chanting something, and the frogmen started to glow eerily…then rise! Oh crap! Roran, Sam and Joe had gotten past two of the frogmen on their way to the elf and now had to face two enemies on each side of them! They fought hard and fast and just as the last frogmen dropped to the ground (now for the second time!) the Elf disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

The heroes stopped to take a breath and Joe needed a heal potion after getting sliced in the arm by one of the frogmen he fought.

To be continued