General Summary
Iron Range
The Copper Dozen Camp
On 21 Sedaena 5A 178, Luyos awoke from an uneasy rest at The Copper Dozen’s camp in the Iron Range. The continuing, heavy rain made the crags and cliffs around them wet and slick. Nearby, the sound of the Immrinni Stream had grown to a loud rapid. While Luyos made himself ready and managed his equipment, another of The Copper Dozen’s ranging groups returned. Luyos overheard their conversation with Krummer and learned other entrances to the Horukzul Caverns were sealed and blocked by the monsters. Luyos approached and said, “Seems like more and more of your plans are being complicated by these kruthiks.” Luyos said it would help him find another entrance if they told him more about the creatures. Though Krummer was frustrated and they traded barbs, he shared information about the kruthiks. They were monstrous creatures drawn towards strong heat sources. They were known to infest existing mines and tunnels. Though they apparently hadn’t yet reached any of the old Iron Range mineshafts, if they did, they would pose a serious threat to the Undercity of Endor. This group of kruthiks were new to the Iron Range region. For whatever reason, they had come to this area seemingly in an attempt to create a new kruthik hive. As they talked, Luyos got a better look at Krummer and The Copper Dozen. He had noticed wear and tear on their equipment, but now it looked to be extremely damaged and in disrepair. To Luyos, the group seemed to not have the funds or means to maintain it, and perhaps they were not as successful as they had been in the past. Luyos said, “How is it that you came to know that these creatures were here? If they are new to the area, it is surprising that you would know about where they are.” Krummer didn’t answer the question and ended the conversation. He told Luyos, “Kruthiks always have a backdoor to their hive, even a temporary one. I need you to go find it.”Foothills
Krummer and two others of The Copper Dozen set out with Luyos. As insurance so Luyos would do the assigned task, Thelman was brought with them and held at crossbow point. They returned to the waterfall gully and saw the swollen waterfall. This entrance was entirely inaccessible with the raised water level. From here, Luyos started to range around, searching for another entrance to the warrens. Luyos was familiar with the Iron Range and knew where other entrances were likely to be. It took only a couple hours of ranging to find another ridge in the foothills with a tunnel entrance well-hidden among scree and tumbled boulders. From their perch looking over another ridge, they saw an adult kruthik digging in the rocks and uncovering a scattering of precious metal fragments. Luyos saw the kruthik start to ingest the gold, but he didn’t know why it would do this. Luyos said, “So, we found you an entrance, and there be a kruthik for ya’ to prove that it connects to wherever they happen to be going. I consider that a bargain fulfilled, and we’ll be kindly going on our way soon as you release Thelman.” They pointed their crossbows at Luyos and Thelman. Krummer said, “No, I think this is just the start of our working relationship.” Luyos retorted he was doing all the work for a group of so-called monster hunters. Krummer was unfazed and motioned over the ridge expectantly. Luyos grumbled and tried to assess the situation. He still felt tied to the fate of the kruthiks, but they did seem to pose a credible threat to Endor. Luyos pointed out the metals the monster was eating. He suggested they wait for it to finish and head back into the cavern and they could follow afterwards. Krummer said, “It’s just one of them. Let’s get this over with,” and Krummer and the others fired at the unaware kruthik. Luyos felt conflicted and was stuck with no choice. As the kruthik screeched in surprise, the voice Luyos had heard returned. Luyos felt a conveyed sense of understanding, which seemed to convey he should not be burdened. The freedom of choice had been taken away from him and he was not to blame. To protect himself and Thelman, he grabbed his greataxe and slid down the ridge, closing the distance towards the cavern entrance. Krummer landed his shots and directed the others to keep firing, then slid down after Luyos. The startled kruthik fled towards the cavern, getting there before Luyos could block it. Luyos rushed into the tunnel after it and swung his axe into its back leg. The kruthik reeled and turned to attack, opening its toothy maw to bite. A crossbow bolt shot over Luyos’s shoulder into the monster’s open mouth and killed it. The kruthik collapsed, twitching. Luyos said, “Well, I’ll choose to believe that you meant to hit the creature and not me, eh?” Krummer said, “Dragonborn, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead already.”Kruthik Warren
The cavern tunnel around them continued down and around, where a thick trickle of rain water filtered through the rocks above into a gathered pool. As they breathed heavy from the combat, Luyos felt his lungs start burning. A heavy scent and haze in the air revealed there were noxious natural gases trapped in the tunnel. They quickly moved back out of the range of the gas. Luyos said if the gases were coming from deeper below, the entire cavern system could be filled. Krummer said the waterflow could be blocking the gas from naturally dispersing and causing it to gather in that section of the tunnel. He suggested Luyos go see how far the gas really went. He continued, saying if Luyos died then he would know if the gas was all the way through. Luyos was pissed that Krummer would force him into such an unnecessary risk. “So, it’s going to be us just leading the way and triggering every natural obstacle for you, aye?” Luyos relented and asked to leave Thelman behind, leaving Luyos to go forward alone. Luyos held his breath as he moved beyond the felled kruthik and into the water. He crossed with only minor difficulty, but the gas stung and burned as he was forced to breathe. He reached the far side and entered into a large cavern. Tentatively, he took a coughing breath. The air here was clear, and Luyos breathed deeply and coughed the last of the gas from his lungs. He lit a torch from his pack and looked around the cavern. There were multiple borrow holes in the walls and additional tunnels leading deeper in. On the ground, Luyos found old blood and old, rusted weapons strewn about. A battle had taken place here sometime in the past, and Luyos could tell it went poorly for whoever had left these weapons. Through a connected tunnel filled with rubble and debris, Luyos heard the sound of shifting rocks. Krummer instructed the others to hold position away from the gas. He then crossed the water and joined Luyos. The dragonborn motioned for Krummer to keep quiet and alerted him to the sounds. “Well, dragonborn, why don’t you go and see if that’s what we’re hoping to find.” Luyos handed his torch to Krummer and moved through the rubble into the next area. Inside, a small earth elemental made of rocks and shale was making more rubble and rocks as it moved around haphazardly. With the tumbling of rocks in the passage, Luyos alerted the elemental he was there. It was quickly drawn towards Luyos. He retreated back to Krummer and the elemental pushed through the rubble after him. Luyos tried to strike it, but was slammed by the rocks. Krummer dropped the torch and landed a single, massive hit that scattered the elemental back to inert rocks and shale. Luyos said, “Starting to wonder what you even need me for.” Krummer replied, saying Luyos would continue to scout so Krummer didn’t end up looking as rough as Luyos did.The Copper Dozen
Luyos said, “These caverns seem to go on forever. Are you sure you want just the two of us continuing on? Wouldn’t it be better for you to go and find the rest of your Copper Dozen and lead them in here?” They’d found evidence of the kruthiks they were hunting, and if Luyos died, then Krummer would be in these caverns alone. He continued, “If you want me to be of use to you, sending me to my death like this is going to be no way to do it.” They’d found evidence of kruthiks, and Krummer had the cavern entrance he needed. Luyos could tell he was no further use to Krummer. However, it was as if there was enough hesitation about Luyos as a dragonborn that Krummer wouldn’t directly kill him. Instead, Luyos felt he was trying to just send him to his death in the caverns and remove that loose end. Luyos looked to the rusted weapons in the cavern. This close, he saw they were a match for the rusted and worn equipment on Krummer. That was how The Copper Dozen knew these kruthiks were in this region. Their group previously fought them and lost. That was why Krummer was so invested in stopping them and willing to go to extremes. He wanted to get revenge and fix the wrong hanging over their group. Luyos knew he was trapped here and would die if he tried to run or fight Krummer directly. He thought to himself that he had to try to make a move here. He wouldn’t be able to do anything to save Thelman if he was dead in a cavern, and he couldn’t wait for Krummer to get impatient and kill him himself. Luyos looked to the debris in the tunnel and the loose, crumbling rock on the ceiling between the bloody chamber and where the elemental had been found. He picked up the torch and carefully lied, “Alright, I’ll go and scout farther ahead. Elementals means we must be getting somewhere, aye?” Krummer appeared confident he was in control. He allowed Luyos to range ahead. As Luyos reached the other side, he turned, reeled back, and sprayed a thick line of acid onto the ceiling. The rocks burned and crumbled into a cascade. As the rocks fell, Krummer glared at the dragonborn, and the accessway was fully blocked with fallen boulders. Luyos was separated from Krummer, but trapped, alone and wounded, beneath the Iron Range. He hoped Thelman would be alright and that he hadn’t just sealed his fate. “Alright, we’re in it now. There was one exit to the surface from this tunnel. At worst, I can find my way back to that waterfall. But there are creatures down here, and I’m in no condition to face them. Let us hope that whatever fate I find down here, I can find my way out.”
Related Time
21 Sedaena 5A 178
21 Sedaena 5A 178