The blue crystals flickered dimly along the path as the group moved cautiously along the periphery of Drakendir. The ancient city lay beneath them like a sleeping giant, its darkened streets and towering ruins sprawling across the vast cavern floor. Even among the broken buildings, gargantuan jagged stalagmites and natural columns reached upward like fingers, while stalactites hung down, casting eerie shadows. Justin was surprised to see that within those natural formations, windows could be discerned, and sometimes even bridges connected the larger ones.
Justin walked near the rear of the group, taking care not to tap his cane too loudly on the cavern floor. Eldrin led them, scanning every shadow and corner ahead. Lila walked beside him, her Echoing Knives strapped securely to her waist, her hands never far from her weapons. Kargan followed with his wooden staff, his expression set in grim determination, while Bohemond brought up the rear, his shield held close to his chest, his eyes peering into the surrounding darkness as if the God of Death himself was lurking there.
Justin’s mind kept drifting back to the Baron. Valdrik was out there, somewhere, hunting him. The memory of the Blood Bat at the Pine and Hearth haunted him. He wanted to believe the sound had only been his imagination, that Eldrin would have heard it if it had been real. Was it really possible Eldrin would miss something Justin hadn’t?
Justin’s thoughts were interrupted when they approached a fork in the path. To the left, a set of ancient stone steps descended deeper into Drakendir, toward the heart of the ancient dwarven city. To the right, the path angled upward, offering what seemed like a way out—perhaps a route to the surface, to safety.
Eldrin paused, studying the paths. “The upper path should take us out of Drakendir.”
“Then we take it,” Bohemond said firmly. “The sooner we leave this cursed place, the better. Never mind the chance for treasure. Getting out alive, and forgiveness from Arion, I shall count treasure enough.”
Justin nodded in agreement. The city below was a maze of dark streets and crumbling buildings. It was a place where danger certainly lurked in every shadow. The trolls they’d encountered earlier were likely only a taste of the horrors the city held.
They moved toward the upward tunnel, Eldrin and Lila ahead, with Justin, Kargan, and Bohemond bringing up the rear. But just as Eldrin and Lila entered the narrow passage, a sudden, violent tremor shook the ground beneath them. The walls shuddered, and a deafening crack echoed.
Justin barely had time to react, jumping backward into Kargan, before the ceiling caved in front of him. His last vision, before the rubble completely blocked his view, was of Eldrin and Lila diving ahead, hopefully out of range of the falling debris. Then there was nothing, only the scattering of rocks down the trail.
Dust filled the air, choking his lungs as he tried to steady himself with his cane. When the tremor subsided, and the dust settled a bit, he examined the tunnel to see that it had been completely sealed off by a massive pile of stones.
“Eldrin!” Justin shouted, his voice hoarse.
He and Kargan worked at the debris, trying to dig through the rocks, but it was hopeless. The stones were too large, the collapse too extensive. It would take hours, if not days, to excavate.
“Arion is punishing us for our faithlessness,” Bohemond said gloomily. “We have no choice but to turn back and fall upon the Baron’s mercy.”
Justin ignored him, looking at Kargan. “Can you move the stones with your Ward of Aegis?”
“I doubt it,” Kargan said, “but I can try.”
With a grunt, Kargan cast the ward, but the stones didn’t so much as budge.
The young Orc shook his head. “The spell only affects anything trying to attack us.”
“There has to be a way around,” Justin said, frustration creeping into his voice. “Another path.”
“There was nothing on the way here,” Bohemond said. “Turning back is the only option.”
“I don’t understand,” Justin said. “Why did it fall at this exact moment?”
“Arion’s judgment,” Bohemond said. “What else?”
Kargan growled. “Simple bad luck, that’s all. Perhaps this is a test of your Arion to see if our faith is pure.”
“Don’t preach at me, Orc. Whether it’s Nyriss, or your accursed Duology, I want nothing to do with it.”
“Sure, let’s argue about religion,” Justin said. “I’m sure we can work it all out in a couple of minutes!”
Bohemond glowered, while Kargan said nothing.
“No one knows why this tunnel collapsed,” Justin went on. “Bad luck, some ward or ancient spell, or something else we can’t even imagine. No one is stating the obvious. There’s another path we can take, and it’s our only shot.”
Bohemond looked as if he were about to argue when a new sound interrupted their debate, silencing them—the unmistakable soft flutter of wings.
Justin froze, his eyes scanning the shadows above the collapsed passage.
And there it was, perched on a ledge above the collapsed tunnel. The Blood Bat’s red eyes gleamed in the dim light. The hideous creature seemed to mock him.
“There’s our answer,” Bohemond said. “Begone, vile Servant of Darkness!”
He hurled a rock at it, but the bat simply skirted to the side, landing anew. Unlike the bat at The Pine and Hearth, it wasn’t fleeing, and Justin doubted it was because of bravery.
The true reason filled Justin with an icy dread. The bat’s master, whether that was the Baron or someone else with him, was close.
“Damn it,” Justin said, his voice tight with urgency. “We need to move. Now.”
“I agree,” Kargan said, whose expression said he understood, too. “It’s Drakendir or death.”
Bohemond muttered something under his breath, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt of his sword. “This is madness. Arion save us!”
“Arion saves those who save themselves,” Justin said. “We need to run.”
Without waiting for an answer, he set off at a sprint down the trail toward Drakendir.
“Are you insane?” Bohemond shouted. “Talemaker!”
Kargan followed, and with a curse, Bohemond did too.
As they ran, Justin could still hear the fluttering of bat wings. The creature was following them—no, stalking them. It easily kept pace. As long as it lived, there was no way they’d be getting any rest. It had been a grave mistake to keep both ranged members at the front of the party.
The path grew darker as they descended, the blue light of the crystals fading as they made their way down the switchbacks toward the city below. The air became colder, heavier, and the silence more oppressive with each step. Justin’s breaths came in shallow bursts, his heart pounding in his chest. He was thankful for the extra strength lent by the Amulet of Equilibrium.
Suddenly, a sharp whirring sound echoed from above. Justin barely had time to register the danger before a spinning bladed disc hurtled toward them. Kargan’s Ward of Aegis flared to life, an automatic activation from his Staff of Aegis, deflecting the deadly weapon with a pulse of blue energy.
“Keep moving!” Kargan shouted.
They ran as fast as they could, but another bladed disc came spinning toward them. This one broke through the ward and struck Bohemond in the leg, bringing the knight crashing to the ground with a cry of pain. Such had been the force of the attack that a deep and nasty gash had cut clean through the steel mesh.
Kargan didn’t hesitate. Despite Bohemond’s earlier words, he cast Vital Surge to heal the Knight. Bohemond gritted his teeth, pushing himself to his feet. He was hobbling, slowing them down.
There were no more attacks, a stalagmite formation thankfully providing some cover as the switchbacks evened out, allowing them to gain some distance. Once clear of the obstruction, a few more of the bladed discs were thrown, each missing and clattering on the surrounding stones. A couple of fireballs exploded around them, but a hastily created Ward of Aegis absorbed the brunt of the damage.
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Looking back at Kargan, Justin could see the strain was showing on his face. Blood covered his gray skin, though it was quickly absorbed thanks to the enchantment of his Blood Warden’s Seal.
Bohemond and the Orc were both flagging. Over his shoulder, Justin saw the Baron’s group charging down the switchbacks. From their torches, it seemed there were about ten of them, maybe five minutes behind.
The city itself was getting closer. Once there, Justin figured they could lose them in Drakendir’s maze of ruined streets.
But that was when the Blood Bat swooped down from the darkness above, claws extended, right toward Justin.
Without even thinking, he swung his cane with lightning precision, sending the creature sailing toward a nearby boulder with a screech.
[Gentleman’s Rebuff has shielded this attack!]
Justin wasted no time. Before the bat could recover, he charged and thrust with his cane, extending the blade, impaling the horrid creature right through its fat, furry body. The Blood Bat hissed in pain before crumpling into a heap, dead.
“Come on, keep moving!” he said.
As they continued running, he could only be grateful none of the Baron’s men had directly targeted him, allowing his one and only Gentleman’s Rebuff for the day to trigger when he needed it most.
They hurried down the path, a mix of dirt and broken paving stone, toward the looming gates of Drakendir. As they ran through the massive entrance, the ancient streets opened up before them, wide and desolate, flanked by towering, angular buildings that had long since crumbled into ruin.
Justin threw a look over his shoulder, only to see the Baron’s party still pursuing them, gaining ground. A lightning bolt cracked through the air, striking the gatehouse. The top of the structure crumbled, urging Justin onward.
They sprinted through the winding streets, the architecture eerily similar to that of Windfall on the surface. If anything, the city’s scale was even grander, with just as much to see underground as above, judging by the large number of dark tunnels branching off from the surface streets. Justin didn’t dare try his luck down there. Not unless it came to that.
He kept the lead, sticking to the shadows as much as possible, along with the narrow alleyways rather than the wide avenues. Many times, their passage was completely blocked by a collapsed building. Sometimes, chewed up bones and cold ashes were evidence of previous passersby. The city was a labyrinth, filled with crumbling stones and broken statues, each turn leading them deeper within. Justin’s lungs burned, his legs screamed in protest, but he pushed forward.
“A rest,” Bohemond managed. “This armor…”
Justin came to a stop at a corner, unable to go a step further. They panted for breath, never minding the noise they were making. They just had to hope the city was truly empty.
But when Justin heard the harsh garble of some unknown language around the corner, he knew this was too much to ask.
“Goblins,” Bohemond said softly.
Justin’s heart fell. “Sounds like a lot of them.”
“Get inside this doorway here,” Kargan said, pointing behind him. “Let me block it with my ward.”
Justin and Bohemond rushed to do just that as the first of the goblins rounded the corner. The small wiry creatures, bearing rounded shields with spikes and rusted spears and axes, fanned out around Kargan, not attacking, at least not at first. There were at least twenty of them, all led by a larger war leader, who wore battered iron armor that had likely once belonged to a dwarf. It was an entire war band, the strength of which was likely far too much for them to handle alone.
The small, wiry creatures’ eyes gleamed in the darkness. Justin readied his cane, while Kargan cast his ward.
Still, the goblins didn’t attack, instead chattering in their harsh dialect, staring at Kargan especially with wide, curious eyes. Justin didn’t understand a word, except one kept coming up: Nyriss. The goblins were pointing at Kargan, their voices rising in reverence as they repeated the word.
Justin exchanged a bewildered glance with Kargan, who looked equally confused.
Bohemond’s face darkened, but he said nothing.
Before they could react, one leader stepped forward, his spear lowered. His skin was a mottled gray, and he wore a crude necklace of bones around his neck. He barked a command in a harsh, guttural language, and the goblins surrounding them fell silent.
It tried to say something in its own language, pointing to Kargan. The goblin let out an exasperated breath and then gestured for them to follow.
“It wants us to follow them,” Kargan said.
“Madness,” Bohemond said.
Justin hesitated. This could be a trap, a way to lure them deeper into danger. But what choice did they have? They were surrounded, outnumbered, and the Baron was closing in. If the goblins wanted to kill them, they would have attacked by now.
Something else was going on. With luck, it could be a way out.
“We should follow,” Kargan said quietly. “They might offer us protection.”
Bohemond looked as if he wanted to argue, but he held his tongue, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. As Justin saw it, they had no choice.
Reluctantly, the group followed the goblins as they led them deeper into the city.
They wound through the ancient streets, past crumbling buildings and broken statues, until they reached an enormous structure at the center of the city. Something that looked like a dwarven palace loomed before them. Its once-grand pillars were now cracked and weathered, covered in glowing moss and blue ivy. The heavy stone doors, ornately carved with dwarven runes and reliefs of armored kings, stood wide open.
But it wasn’t just the palace’s architecture that caught Justin’s attention. A shimmering green veil cloaked the entrance. The magical energy pulsed faintly, casting an eerie glow over the ancient stone.
“A Vault,” Kargan said quietly.
The goblins disappeared inside, leaving Justin and the others to decide on their next move. He watched them vanish beyond the veil, wondering if the goblins were mere manifestations of the Vault itself or if this community had somehow become the Vault, just as the Cult of Morvath had.
Whatever the case, a choice lay before them.
“Leave the little demon-worshippers on their own,” Bohemond said with disdain. “It would seem we’ve lost the Baron.”
Justin wasn’t so sure. Valdrik was cunning, and there was always the chance he was still trailing them. But there was another reason to hesitate—entering the Vault would be a clear signal of their whereabouts. They had no guarantee they could find a different way out, and Valdrik might simply wait for them to reappear.
Then again, leaving the goblins behind could spark hostility. They had been brought here for a reason, and abandoning the tribe might provoke an attack.
“We can’t just leave them,” Kargan said firmly.
Bohemond snorted. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Then leave,” Kargan shot back, his calm demeanor finally cracking. “I know they’re just goblins, but they could have killed us. They need us for something, and I mean to find out what it is. Besides, it’s a way to buy some time. Valdrik can’t follow us in there, but we have to move quickly.”
Without waiting for a reply, Kargan strode toward the entrance of the palace, his shoulders squared with determination. Justin shrugged and followed, unable to ignore the pull of curiosity and obligation.
“Blast it all,” Bohemond grumbled. “To think I’m going to be helping little Chaos-worshipping gremlin-spawn…”
Justin ignored the knight’s mutterings. As he approached the entrance, a message appeared on the interface before him.
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Vault Discovered: The Poisoned Legacy
Recommended Party Level: 9
Average Party Level: 7.333 (repeating, of course)
Risk Level: This Vault’s challenges are well above your current party level. While your party can clear it with planning and finesse, you must tread with utmost caution.
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Description: The Blackfang Goblin Clan is in peril. Rumors whisper that the recent poisoning of Princess Nyrissa, heir to the tribal throne, was no accident. Someone within the tribe seeks power, willing to risk the very future of their people for personal gain.
Your party has been called to uncover the truth behind the treachery and to retrieve the rare ingredients needed to save the princess’s life.
But danger lurks in the shadows of the palace, where the ghosts of dwarven creations still haunt forgotten halls. As you delve deeper into the mysteries of the tribe’s inner politics and the remnants of ancient alchemical knowledge, you must navigate both deceit and deadly threats.
This Vault will only be cleared when a culprit has been named to the satisfaction of Queen Grizshara.
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Rewards Upon Completion:
—Experience: Scaled to party member level and individual contribution.
—Guaranteed Bronze-Level Item: For each party member.
—The chance for a Rare Artifact.
—Knowledge: Mastery of Goblinese: Eastern Seraphim Dialect
Do you accept the Vault’s challenge?
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“Sweet,” Justin said. “A new language! We didn’t get to keep the language from the last Vault.”
“I’m more interested in the Rare Artifact,” Kargan said. “It might be a class core.”
“Seriously?” Justin asked. “Well, who gets it?”
“Well, the Vault will decide that,” Kargan said. “It’s just a guess. It could be anything, really.”
Bohemond scowled. “Level nine. We’re below that, but not by much. We might take it easily, though the Vault itself warns caution.”
“We’ve faced worse odds,” Justin said. “Besides, this isn’t just about fighting. It sounds like we’ve got a mystery to solve.”
“There will be physical danger, too,” Kargan added, his voice somber. “But we would be fools to step inside without being sure we can work together as a team.”
The weight of his words hung in the air. It was a good point. The tension between Kargan and Bohemond had been simmering for hours, and if they didn’t find some way to cooperate, this Vault could easily become their tomb.
Justin took a deep breath and stepped between the two of them. “Look, we’re in a tight spot. There’s a deadly Vault ahead, and Valdrik is still out there somewhere. We can’t afford to be divided. I know we don’t agree on everything, but right now, we need to work together. Not just for the goblins, but for ourselves. We’ve come too far to let everything fall apart now.”
Kargan nodded, his expression softening. “I’ll do my part. For everyone’s sake.”
Bohemond hesitated, his jaw clenched as he glanced between Justin and Kargan. After a long, tense moment, he finally let out a deep breath. “Fine. I’m in. But don’t expect me to make friends with the little fiends.”
It wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was enough. “Let’s go, then,” Justin said, his voice firm with determination.
He mentally accepted the Vault’s challenge.
[You have accepted the Challenge of The Poisoned Legacy. May courage be your guide and resolve your shield. Remember, the greatest deceptions are often found in the smallest details. Good luck, Brave Adventurers.]
The message flickered in his mind for a moment, and Justin couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a hidden meaning in those words. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
Wasting no more time, they moved toward the shimmering green veil that marked the Vault’s entrance. It pulsed with an eerie light, casting long shadows across the crumbling stones.
Together, they stepped through the veil, the cold magic of the Vault enveloping them as they crossed the threshold.
[Language Stack added: Goblinese—Eastern Seraphim Dialect]