ursar's eep - Part 1

While Trimus was visiting Jerro, Gieve was visiting Cotag a wizened old woman who had a small stall and shop in the poor quarter of the city. A small pouch of silver was exchanged for a roll of parchment, at last Gieve knew where the treasure lay an ancient keep south west of the city of Akarros. The next few days were a flurry of activity as the five friends bought provisions, horses and repaired any damaged equipment before the long journey. The road to Akarros was well travelled, merchants and travellers were common sights along the road. Being the main trade route between the port of Athenos and Darokin city itself the road was paved and the party made good progress. By the end of the fourth day they had taken rooms at the Slippery Pig and were enjoying the comforts of a large city before the second and tougher portion of their journey.
"I hate riding." Grumbled Grabthroat filling his pipe, after a large meal of pork and greens. "It takes me ages to get rid of the bruises."
"Well, you need to relax more." Chuckled Gieve.
"Relax! It's a long way down from the back of my beast." Blustered the dwarf amidst a cloud of fragrant smoke.
"It's another four days to Akarros." Said Trimus looking at the map, mostly flat but Iras says that the road is not so good."
"Great!" the dwarf grumbled and dragged his chair nearer the fire, the autumn nights were turning a little cold.
Iras the innkeeper at the Slippery Pig was right. For most of the way the road was paved but on some of the more hilly sections the granite slabs had slipped and progress was slower and more uncomfortable. All were glad to see the towers of Akarros after two nights camping in the wild and the baths and soft beds of the Golden Lute were most welcome as were Bremmar's fine collection of ales and spirits.
The following day Gieve made enquiries in the market and discovered that only one of the keeps in the area fitted the description given in the map. "Lord Gevit's Keep" repeated Gieve later, "It used to belong to the Dursar family but was overrun by orcs from The Broken Lands some 150 years ago. Its been unoccupied since the orcs were driven out a few months later. Bremmar has recommended a guide by the name of Talmo. The area is quite wild and the tower may be difficult to locate."
"Sounds sensible to me." agreed Darkhawk. "Where do we find this Talmo?"
"I took the liberty of hiring him already." Grinned Gieve. "For fifty golden crowns he is willing to guide us there then return. We meet him at dawn tomorrow."
"Dawn!" groaned the dwarf. "Why do we always have to start so early."

Talmo was waiting at the gate when the party arrived, Grabthroat stomping along at the rear with a metaphorical black cloud hanging over his head. Their guide was of middling years, fit of body with black hair starting to grey at the temples. He was wearing a green jerkin over scuffed leather armour.
"Greetings Gieve." Said Talmo holding his hand out in greeting, and nodding as the thief introduced the rest of the party. "Glad to see you are well armed, the guards tell me there has been a lot of orc activity in the past few weeks. Best to be our guard."

The guide led Trimus and the others through the scattered farmsteads of Akarros into the low hills and rough forest that lay beyond. The air was cool but the sun was still warm when it emerged from the fluffy white clouds that scudded across the blue sky. After a brief stop for a hunk of bread and cheese washed down with some of Bremmar's ale they crested a rise and saw ahead the remains of Dursar's Keep. A square keep with four corner towers made of local red sandstone. Nestling at the junction of two smaller valleys it commanded the whole of the vale. The remains of terracing and the village that serviced the castle could be seen on the valley floor.
"Everyone who survived the attack by the orcs, and there weren't many, fled soon after." Said Talmo, following the other's gaze. "None returned, even though the mayor offered a bounty to those who wished to rebuild their lives there."
"Shame", said Ako. "It is a pleasant setting."
They soon located a path wide enough for the horses that led down the valley side through the woods and eventually out onto the valley floor. Ahead loomed the sandstone walls of the castle, still imposing after a century and a half of neglect. Ivy and vines softened the edges of the towers and all but hid the crenulations and arrow slits, but this only added to the castles presence. The moat that once surrounded it was now almost completely silted up and it was crossed by a wide drawbridge now rotted through in places. Gieve and Grabthroat started to walk towards the gate beyond the drawbridge but were stopped by a cough from Talmo. "This is as far as I go, friends. I want to head back to town." He looked nervously at the sun, now well past its zenith, "If I leave now I should get back to familiar paths before sundown."
"Go, friend, with our thanks." Said Ako, pressing another pair of golden coins into the guides leathery palm.

One by one they crossed over into the ivy shrouded courtyard of the castle. Despite the sombre surroundings the keep felt peaceful with the autumn sun slanting in over the walls. The eastern half of the court was in deep shadow but the last rays of the day were illuminating a wooden structure built against the eastern wall.
"This could have been a stable." Commented Darkhawk. "It might still be a good place to leave the horses."
Grabthroat and Ako stepped into the gloom of the stable the air heavy with the smell of old straw and rot. Ako kicked at the straw littering the first of the stalls, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
"This straw is not more than a year old." He said turning to the dwarf. "I would say that someone else has been using this keep recently as a base."
"Bandits?" queried Grabthroat idly fingering the shaft of his axe.
"Possible, or just travellers, there isn't anywhere else nearby for people to rest if they get caught in a storm. The castle seems to be still roofed over for the most part. A good place to hole up for a night or two. Grabthroat put down that axe!"
Suddenly the dwarf had drawn his axe and swung it past the clerics head to imbed it in a large striped insect that had scuttled from the straw. It was soon joined by another. Ako, still stunned by Grabthroat's attack, took a nasty bite on the leg before he could draw his mace and crush the beast.
The pair then carefully checked the remainder of the stalls and the hayloft overhead before bringing the horses in.
"What next?" inquired Trimus of Gieve. "Where does your map say the treasure is?"
"Not exactly." Replied Gieve cautiously, "It just seems to point to this keep."
"Let's make the most of what remains of the daylight." Suggested Trimus.
All agreed with the mage's suggestion and led by Grabthroat they entered the western of the pair of gate houses that stood either side of the entrance. The dusty interior contained little of interest aside from the winding gear for the drawbridge and portcullis. The dwarf gave a cursory glance at the rotting wooden cogs and shook his head.
"We couldn't lower the portcullis or raise the drawbridge even if we wanted to. Someone has jammed a chair in the works. Not only that but something has eaten or removed the ropes."
More grizzly discoveries were to be found in the other gate house. A series of four, cells each containing the skeletal remains of humanoids, manacled to the wall of the cells. One appeared to have been an elf according to Ako's brief examination. Each appeared to have been used as target practice for someone with a crossbow.
A sombre mood descended on the party as they moved across the cracked courtyard to a small stone building in the north west corner. Their footsteps echoed and it took a while for their eyes to adjust to the gloom. A stone walled well stood in the centre of the room and a wooden door led northwards. Above the well stood the remains of a winch with a short link of chain hanging from it. A stiff but serviceable leather bucket lay in a corner and after attaching a rope Darkhawk dropped it down the well. After about a few feet the bucket stopped and the burly fighter frowned and started to pull it up.
"Must be blocked. Shame we could have done with some fresh water for the horses. Damn things jammed now." He leaned over the well to retrieve his rope but instead got a double handful of sticky green slime. Thinking quickly he rushed outside to where he had seen a trough of stagnant water and plunged his hands into it, scraping the slime off as he did first with gauntleted hands then with the blade of a dagger. Meanwhile Trimus blasted the emerging lowlife with a magic missile while Ako and Gieve combined to throw a flask of oil and a torch on top of it. The resulting stench and smoke drove them outside where all decided that the hayloft would be the safest place to rest that night.
After a cold meal of hard bread, harder cheese and even tougher beef washed down with water from the stream that ran through the valley Ako healed the burns inflicted on Darkhawk's hands by the slime. Guards were posted and all got as comfortable as they could for the night. All slept badly. Rain thrummed on the roof of the stables all night but stopped shortly before dawn.

After a cold breakfast of iron rations they decided to investigate the south west tower first. The door, though made of good, solid oak had warped badly and it took all of Darkhawk's strength to open it. Inside was a narrow corridor illuminated only by the watery sunlight coming through the doorway. At the north end a spiral stair lead up while two doors lead west. Gieve squatted and listened to the northernmost door. Shook his head and opened it and walked into a completely bare stone room. Returning to the other door he repeated the actions. This room was almost the same but for a pair of simple wooden chairs covered in a thick layer of dust. Returning to the corridor they climbed the stair. Grabthroat at the front carefully checking each tread for traps or signs of imminent collapse. The first floor had a similar arrangement to the one below it and the rooms were much the same although the northern one was almost filled with broken furniture. Beds, chests, chairs and tables all broken and all huddled together. Gieve gave Trimus a puzzled look which the mage returned. The same arrangement of rooms on the second floor contained nothing of interest par a single table with a broken and badly mended leg. The stairs ended at a trapdoor that led out onto the stone flagged roof of the tower surrounded by a low parapet. All enjoyed the sun and fresh air after the darkness and dusty atmosphere of the rooms below. From here they also had a good view of the rest of the castle. Each of the towers appeared as deserted as the one they stood on and the roof of the main body of the keep was bare of everything apart from patchy coat of lichens and mosses in the damper recesses and crevices.

Returning to the courtyard the party walked across the still damp cobbles entered the south eastern tower. The door here had rotted or been gnawed away and despite sagging on its hinges opened smoothly and easily. Inside was the now familiar arrangement of corridor, doors and stair. Gieve as before squatted before it and listened before trying the handle.
"It's locked. A promising sign." He smiled. Removing his picks from the pouch at his belt he spent a frustrating few minutes of wiggling and prying before sighing and shaking his head. "It's not locked, its just rusted solid. Grabthroat, do you think you can get it open."
The doughty dwarf raised his bushy eyebrows and muttered something through his beard. A few hefty strokes with Kagyar and the door opened revealing a room that was bare apart from a few freshly hewn wood chips.
"Thanks Gieve." Growled the dwarf, "I needed the exercise."
The southern of the pair of doors in the corridor was not locked and opened to reveal a room littered with shattered and broken furniture. "Someone must have had a good party." Joked Darkhawk.
Gieve frowned then shrugged. "Who knows they may have hidden the goods in the pile. Who would think of looking there?"
"You just have." Replied Trimus.
Darkhawk and Grabthroat started pulling at the pile of wood roughly at first then more carefully as it almost toppled over. Then suddenly the dwarf was jumping up and down stamping on large orange centipedes that were swarming from the pile. Darkhawk picked up a hefty table leg and joined the dwarf and Ako in crushing the creatures as they emerged. By the time that all the centipedes had been killed Grabthroat's boots and Ako's robes were stained orange from the gooey contents of almost a dozen of the beasts.
"I don't think there is anything of value in there, Gieve" advised Trimus from the safety of the doorway.
"No, I think you're right. Let's continue upwards." Replied the thief.
The next floor was disappointing. Both rooms were empty and dark, the arrow slits blocked by ivy and birds nests as was the first room on the top floor. The second room was slightly more interesting. First Gieve had to pick a lock. This one was brass and had not therefore rusted up with age. Inside beneath a arrow slit was a chest.
"Promising." Mussed Gieve and entered the room cautiously. "Simple lock, two levers, no traps." He muttered to himself as he closely examined the lock. "Just a quick twist, a sharp poke and there we are."
He stood and flung the chest open theatrically. "Oh." He said a disappointed tone in his voice.
"What's in there Gieve?" asked Trimus looking over Gieve's shoulder.
"Some old clothes, almost turned to dust some shoes and, yes this is more like it a pouch." He tipped the contents out into the palm of his long fingered hand. "Jewellery! A broach with diamonds and pearls, matching earrings and a necklace of sapphires. I think we have it."
"No we don't." contradicted Grabthroat. "Their paste. Can't you tell. Look at those sapphires, where are their shine, where is the depth of colour. And those, call them diamonds!" He took the broach and ran the gems along the blade of his axe. "If those were diamonds they would have left a scratch but look at them they have just crumbled. If this is your treasure haul young lad then we have been had, good and proper."
"There must be more. There has to be." Stormed Gieve slamming the chest shut and storming to the doorway. "Follow me. We'll try the remainder of the keep before I'll admit defeat."
"This could be the death of us." Murmured Trimus to Grabthroat as the dwarf left the room.
The thief stomped down the stairs, his heavy footfalls echoing up the narrow stair, while the others followed a safe distance behind.

"There has to be more than this. The old crone said that this map held wealth beyond my imaginings. I'm sure she wasn't deceiving me." Gieve mused to himself as he stepped out into the gently steaming courtyard. "Where next? The main doors look warped shut, I could get Shinkicker to chop 'em open put he's got the grumps at the moment. There's the door from the well chamber. It will only lead into the kitchen probably but at least it looked as though it would open easily." Gieve was still pondering his options when Trimus and the others emerged, blinking into the bright sunlight.
"Back to the well chamber, there was a door in there that looked as if it would open without a fight." Gieve said decisively and the others nodded their approval.

Gieve's intuition proved correct. The door opened as if it had only just been oiled and led to a kitchen. The hearth still had a cauldron hanging from a hook above the grate and the table still had some rusting cleavers and knives upon it. Grabthroat investigated a small door to the east but this just led to an empty larder. Gieve meanwhile was kneeling before a door in the north wall.
"What is it Gieve, what have you seen?" asked Ako.
"Someone or more likely something has been through here recently."
"How recently?"
"Days? Possibly weeks ago. But it's probably nothing more than a large rat or a feral cat."
Gieve pushed open the door to reveal a ransacked store room. Broken bottles, barrels and crates littered the floor but enough of the flags were clear for Grabthroat to make out the outline of a trapdoor in the south west corner of the room. The dwarf swept it clear of debris with his booted foot then knelt and with a grunt lifted the heavy slab upwards. The light of torches revealed a large dark space. The outline of chests and barrels could faintly be seen against the north wall. Darkhawk jumped down followed by Grabthroat and the others. Moments after Trimus, bringing up the rear, jumped through the hatch a mass of sticky tendrils spurted out of the gloom, narrowly missing Darkhawk but entombing Gieve in their web. Two large spiders, their eyes glinting in the darkness emerged from the shadows. Grabthroat spat a curse and drew his axe, Ako flung his throwing hammer smiting one of the creatures between the eyes. Trimus chanted and his outline blurred into five separate images. As Darkhawk, Ako and Grabthroat closed in Trimus let of a pair of magic missiles each striking the beasts giving off a cloud of foul smelling smoke. Ako and Darkhawk along with the pale faced dwarf attacked the spiders whose large mandibles were a fearsome weapon. Despite their longer reach the fighters had to get in close to do any real damage and the strange sideways motions of the spiders meant that often their swings and lunges went wide. Both Ako and Darkhawk had taken serious wounds before a final slashing blow by the burly fighter finished the last one off.

Meanwhile Trimus had managed to cut the paralysed Gieve from the web that bound him to the wall.
"He's alive." Confirmed Ako, "But I don't know how long he is going to be like this. I'll stay with him if you want to investigate what else is down here."
Trimus and Grabthroat inspected the mass of webs in the south east corner of the room. Their torches and glow-gems revealed the grisly presence of two of cocoons. Trimus' blade cut through the thick webs and opened the cocoons. The first revealed the mummified remains of a peasant the second, much fresher contained the remains of a armoured fighter. After Ako had confirmed the fighter was dead they stripped the body to look for anything that might identify who he was but found no sign. The only items of value were the fighters bastard sword and a fine elven belt buckle. The other contents of the room, the barrels and chests, were mostly empty apart from a few old pewter jugs and plates. Beyond the mass of webs however Darkhawk could make out a narrow tunnel heading east.
"I'll go down there." Said Grabthroat bravely.
"But what if there are more spiders down there?" asked Trimus.
"Why did you have to say that?" whined the dwarf. "Anyway, I'm the only one who can fit down there. Tie a rope around my waist and if I pull on it three times drag me out sharpish."
They did what he asked and Grabthroat slowly disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel.
"I still don't think we should have let him go down there." Worried Ako.
"He seems to have something to prove." Shrugged the mage in reply. "He's right about him being best for the job anyway. He can see if anything is coming with his infravision and anyway he is used to mines and what not being a dwarf."

Minutes past before the rope became suddenly slack. Darkhawk looked worried before he could here the scuffling and scratching sounds of the dwarf's return. "It gets a bit tight in there." Said Grabthroat standing stiffly. "It rises up in some bushes on the outside of the wall. Probably how the spider got in, the orcs as well when they lay siege to the castle. Looks like Gieve is coming round."
They turned and saw the thief getting groggily to his feet with the help of Ako.
"Are you fit to go on Gieve?" asked the cleric softly.
"Yes, just need to get some fresh air, bit fetid down here." Replied Gieve.

They returned to the store room and then out into a 'L' shaped corridor. Taking the long northern leg they found three similar rooms, each ransacked, containing the remains of benches, tables and chairs. The door at the far end of the corridor led, via another door into another corridor with a pair of larger doors and a spiral stair leading upwards. Grabthroat examined the walls.
"This looks like the base of the north western tower. Look how solid these walls are."
The two doors led into once opulent guest rooms, now stripped of all glory and dignity. Climbing the stairs they again found a north south corridor with two solid looking doors set into the west wall. Confident that the rooms offered no danger Gieve opened the first door without listening. It was of a similar size to those below and again empty of anything of value or interest. The other door however opened onto a more curious scene. The skeletal remains of two small humanoids, probably orcs, lay amidst the wreckage of the rooms furnishings. One orc had a sword through its ribs the other an axe buried in its head. Both weapons were heavily crusted with rust and no indication of what they were fighting over could be found.
Continuing up the stair the friends found more orc remains in the corridor on the next floor. The first door opened easily to Gieve's hand revealing again an empty ransacked guest room but the other door was locked. Gieve bent and carefully picked at the lock with his tools but to no avail.
"Either it's corroded shut or the lock's too good for me" said the thief. "Darkhawk could you break it down, if it is locked then there might still be something of value in there, possibly the treasure the map speaks off."
Darkhawk took a pace away from the door and kicked it hard with his boots. The door shook and splinters came away from the door jam near the lock. Again he kicked out and this time the door swung open. Inside the room was covered in a lair of dust and fine webs but appeared not to have suffered the ravishes of the others in the tower. Trimus remained outside to watch for trouble, a task he felt was below him and he kept turning to see what the others were finding. The room was comfortably furnished with a washstand, bed, table and a chair. The bed was unmade and the whole room had a air of its occupant's hurried departure. The cloak had been carelessly tossed over the back of a chair. An empty candlestick of tarnished pewter and a gold and coral bracelet sat on the table. Accidently brushing the cloak to the floor Grabthroat discovered that it held a dagger and pouch containing a handful of gold and silver coins showing the face of Ansel Darokin.
"These coins are old, Gieve. Over 800 years old. How long has this castle been deserted?"
"A century and a half." Replied the thief, puzzled. "Perhaps he collected old coins?"
"But these are tatty and worn. No collector would look twice at these. Still there may be other clues elsewhere. We should check the roof."
Darkhawk climbed through the trapdoor in the corridor's ceiling and scrabbled up onto the flat roof. Within moments he was down, shaking his head.
"There's nothing up there. Just moss and weeds growing in the cracks between the stones."

Returning to the kitchen they passed through a plundered pantry into a wide corridor. Two sets of double doors faced each other across the corridor. Peering through cracks in the southern set, Gieve could make out the outlines of the courtyard, but through the others, nothing but darkness. Gieve listened carefully but could hear nothing. He gave the door a push, but it seemed stuck. Pushing harder with the help of Darkhawk the hinges gave, squealing in protest. Gieve gasped in shock and waved everyone back into the corridor. As Trimus and Grabthroat started to protest he hissed at them to be silent. He refused to speak until all were back in the pantry.
"What is it Gieve? What did you see?" Asked Trimus.
"A dragon." Replied the thief. "A green dragon!"

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