Wynda, 7th day of Ichigatsu, year 2314.
Luminous moss and glow worms gave low light in the dungeon floor insufficient for such a dangerous hunt. Sayali, a priestess, conjured a ball of light above their heads to illuminate their way. Gladys, a warrior and Bronwig a tank and the leader of the adventurer party, Storm Shadow, took the vanguard. Tamin, the part's assassin and Quan, their archer was in the rearguard. Lastly, the party's mage, Darius, was walking alongside Sayali polishing his wand which doubled as a flute.
"Did the guild verify these quest details, because we've only come across a handful of goblins?" Gladys complained.
"I'm starting to question that too, this second floor only had a few crude traps," Bronwig wondered.
"The reward is the same either way. Let's clear the last floor and go home," Tamin said.
Storm Shadow was on a quest form the Aagard adventurer's guild to explore a mini-dungeon and exterminate goblins believed to be using is as their nest. It is a two-and-a-half-star level quest which is average work for any silver rank party. After a day's dive they had cleared two of the dungeons three floors without issue. The first floor was a dark foreboding crypt filled with narrow, winding corridors leading to a central crypt, with several smaller chambers containing weather treasures and artifacts.
The second floor was a large, open room with clockwork machinery, strange contraptions and various workstations. It resembled a laboratory; overhead was a series of catwalks and ladders connecting the different levels. Clockwork traps, including spinning blades and falling pendulums were hidden in this floor as well as a rickety mannequin that attacks intruders. They were now standing before stairs that descended to the last floor.
A sharp squeal echoed up for the floor below. It stopped the party dead in their tracks.
"What was that?" Sayali whispered.
"Hear what?" Darius asked.
"I thought I was the only one who hears that, it sounded like a baby," Quan replied.
"Are you sure Quan?" Gladys questioned.
"Quite sure, my heightened perception has never been wrong," Quan assured.
"Okay, calm down everyone. This is a suspected goblin nest, so form up and proceed with the utmost caution," Bronwig instructed.
Slow and steady they descended. The deeper they went the louder the squealing, until they stepped off into the third floor. A dimly light temple dedicated to an old god. It featured a central hall with two wings on either side. The air was thick with decay. Crumbling stone pillars supported the vaulted ceiling, with intricate faded carvings on the walls.
Its architectural wonder was spoiled by the goblin infestation. There were cages along the left wing with bound women stuffed in them. The squealing came from a new born goblin born on a stone table in the central hall. Sadly, the women who birthed it had died during child birth. Her throat had already been slit and her blood was being drained into bowls on the floor.
Fire pits were setup around the table and had goblins boiling body parts of other dead women. In the right wing, a stock pile of looted goods and weapons sat stored by the wall. Sayali almost lost her lunch, while Darius dropped his wand at the sight of this horror. Its clanging alerted the three dozen goblins to the party's presence. They quickly became encircled in the central hall, outnumbered four to one.
"Looks like we've got our work cut out for us," Gladys said with a grin, hefting her battle-axe.
"Let's get to it, then!" Tamin boomed, charging forward.
Bronwig took off the large shield he was carrying on his back and dug it into the ground.
"Earth magus. Geo firmus! Montis, stabilis! Barrier formation!" Bronwig cast.
A wall of earth about waist high with jagged edges came up from the ground around everyone. His spell triggered the goblins to attack in waves. The party surged into battle with all their might, their movements a well-oiled machine. Darius unleashed a fire ball that incinerated a cluster of goblins. Meanwhile, Tamin darted through the shadows, striking from unexpected angles. Quan picked off goblin after goblin with precision shots.
Volleys of arrows, rocks and attack spells were whizzing through the air. For several minutes the battle raged on, Storm Shadow gaining the upper hand. The goblins were disorganized and poorly skilled, and it seemed only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed. But just as victory seemed within their grasp, a deafening roar shook the cavern, causing the ground to tremble.
"ROOAARRR!!"
It echoed out from a hole in the wall behind the center stage. The goblins that had been on the brink of rout, suddenly rallied, their eyes gleaming with a fierce light. From the shadows, a monstrosity emerged. A rock troll, its massive body a fusion of granite and twisted grey flesh, lurched into the fray. Its eyes blazed with an inner fire, and its jaws were open wide enough to swallow a man whole letting out a foul sulphuric odour.
The troll's presence was like a dark storm cloud, casting a pall of fear over the party. Bronwig's body tensed up, his shield shuddering as the troll's gaze fell on him.
"We need to take it down, fast!" Quan shouted, but her words were lost in the chaos.
It grabbed a nearby boulder and flung it at the adventurers, before charging, its large fists swinging with destructive force. The party prepared to scatter, desperate to avoid the incoming mass.
"Fire magus. Ignuis eximuis, confligo! Fireball!" Darius roared.
He tried to hit the troll and boulder with a barrage of fireballs, but it was futile. The troll merely shrugged off his attacks with its impervious hide. Then the boulder crashed down like a bomb in the centre of the shield wall's circle.
The force violently catapulted each person close by in different directions, to land flat on their backs. As the battle raged on, the party found themselves on the back foot, struggling to survive against the troll's onslaught. Nearby goblins still breathing jumped at this opportunity emboldened by their ally and overpowered the adventurers with renewed ferocity. Tamin and Gladys were able to get back up and put up a fight. Darius was squished like a bug under foot by the boulder. Quan was being ravaged by goblin's daggers from all sides.
Storm Shadow's fate hung in the balance, as the survivors fought to stay alive against the combined might of the rock troll and its goblin minions. Bronwig was braving consecutive sluggish but heavy troll fists from behind his shield. The boulder's crash had already diminished its durability because cracks began to form with each blow.
"EVERYONE WHO CAN STILL HEAR ME, COVER YOUR EARS AND CLOSE YOUR EYES!" Gladys bellowed.
Her and Tamin exchange a quick glance and nodded at each other.
"Sound magus. Vox bellum, animus ignis! War cry!" she exclaimed.
"Light magus. Mentem turbare, veritas obliviscere! Disturbia!" Tamin hissed.
Gladys' skill sent out a deafening sound wave that filled the hall. While, Tamin's skill released a short chain burst of flash bangs. These skills combined stunned the remaining goblins and the troll. Tamin plucked Sayali from the goblins that had her pinned as Gladys carved a path for their escape. All three of them managed to make it back to the stairway up to the second level.
Then with a croak, Tamin's body went stiff and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Before the ladies could react and check on him, he fell forward revealing Bronwig's battered shield lodged in his back. Sayali without a thought grabbed Gladys' hand and pulled her along up the stairs. Neither of them locked back as they raced through the upper floors. Behind them the footsteps of goblins and the thudding steps of the troll echoed, alerting the two to their pursuers.
Sayali carefully triggered the traps along the way which helped thin the enemies numbers. Unfortunately, the troll was unaffected by them. The pair barely managed to make it out of the dungeon in one piece. However, they couldn't return to Aagard the way they came and risk the monsters following them to the village Zign.
"We have to keep heading south. There's a mine run by the Hamsten family, we can use to stage a counterattack!" Gladys urged.
"Okay, I trust you. Let's get moving!" Sayali agreed.
They kept running arm in arm for dear life. All on the hope they would find help at this mine up in the mountains. A blaring horn called the day's work to an end. Slaves made their way to the lifts and exited the mine with their last haul and tools. They lined up to hand their wears in before retiring to their quarters.
In the deepest shaft, one slave was still hard at work breaking through the earth with his bare hands. Each strike created a reverberating thud that echoed out and up the main shaft.
"Who's the idiot that always works past last call, he makes the rest of us look bad?" Bizel, a lizard beast kin, asked the slave in front of him.
"He's just some northerner human slaving away here in the south, a real trouble magnet." Toldar, an ox beast kin, replied him.
"Thon! Pack it in already, slave don't get paid for overtime!" Flint, the mine's foreman, ordered.
His voice came through a short-ranged magic communication tool setup at the shaft's entrance. Thon stopped and loaded up his crate. He pushed his haul back to the lifts at the main shaft while his bloodied fists slowly healed up. As always, he was the last to exit the mine. Once he reached the surface, Thon joined the line and clocked out.
Barett was ahead waiting for Thon, the two made an unlikely pairing between a human and a dragon newt. Before they headed off to the male quarters Flint called them and eight other slaves aside.
"What's this about, I'm itching for a shower here," Toldar wondered.
Sheba, the mine's secretary and Flint's right hand was standing with him. She was a dog beast kin with a lush brown and black coat. All the men were either intimidated or attracted to her.
"Pipe down! The lord of this mine is paying us a visit tomorrow, so I need my best workers up front. Make sure you don't embarrass us or it could me someone's head rolls," Flint announced.
"Argh come on, that means a day of boot liking," Barett complained.
"Just work well and mind yourselves. I wouldn't want one of you to end up in the dungeon or worse this month," Sheba cautioned.
With that they were dismissed. Inside one of the wash blocks men were showering after a hard day's work. The mine belonged to Clain Hamsten head of his family. This was one among many of their businesses run on slave labor. Slavery was common all across Ebion, with someone either becoming a bond, criminal or war slave.
Bond slaves classify people who entered willingly into servitude to pay of a debt. Criminal slaves as the name implies were people sentenced to slavery for a crime they committed. War slaves were enemy fighters captured after a battle or war by the opposing side. A life of slavery was particularly harsh for war slaves who had no civil rights, criminal slave regained their rights after serving their sentence, while bond slaves had fewer rights than commoners. Barett and Thon were bond slaves.
They were showering in stalls next to each other.
"Did any peuguots with letters come in today?" Thon asked.
"I wouldn't know, I was working in storehouse today," Barett replied.
"No wonder you smelt like dusty leather," Thon joked.
"How sad it is that you think your funny," Barett sighed.
The two of them went to the mesh hall for some supper. It was a large dining hall shared by every slave. A lot of them stuck to groupings of their own race, while few mingled together. Thon greeted a number of people from different races as they made their way to the serving station. This and other indiscriminate acts had earned him some standing in the mine's social life.
Tonight's meal was stewed mountain hare with potatoes, carrots and rye bread. Thon and Barett sat at a table in the corner in between a group of beast kin and halve elves. It was another uneventful night, by first moon they were done eating and returned to their room. Their roommates Sulu a half elf and Jeev a croc beast kin were already sleeping in the bunk bed. Barett went to bed first; Thon some time by the window starring at the second moon rise.
Fryda, 8th day of Ichigatsu, year 2314
Light over the horizon ushered in a new day. Song chirps were singing their songs in the air above. Slaves awoke to the morning horn. Some freshened up in the wash block; others went straight to the mess hall for oat meal. After, breakfast everyone dispersed to their work stations.
The ten Flint called aside yesterday reported to the furnaces. This was where they smelted the ores mined below. Many disliked working here because there was higher risk than being underground. Morning sped past as people toiled away on their work and just before the noon horn the visitors arrived. An armed convey of lavish carriages bearing the Hamsten crest, a fox standing on a pile of coins holding a wine glass in one of its front paws.
Sheba sounded a special bell instead of the horn. Everyone staff and slave alike knew to leave their stations and assemble near the gates to greet their master. They stood at attention in two rows like infantry soldiers. The guards and carriages came to a halt. Each driver disembarked and opened the carriage door before kneeling on all fours. At that moment everyone pressed their left fist on their chest and bowed their head.
Passengers dressed in fine garments and lustrous jewelry exited out of their carriage using their driver as a step stool. Lord Clain, his first wife lady Lasha and second wife lady Marielle were in the middle carriage. Their children were in the last carriage, twins Katherin and Klaus, followed by their younger brother Tomny. Guard captain Ziph Maon and three handmaids were in the first carriage. The silence was deafening while the Hamsten's looked around.
"Flint, come forward!" lord Clain commanded.
"Yes my lord, I'm here," Flint answered.
"Enough formalities, I came to see my business in action," lord Clain said.
"Absolutely, everyone back to work!" Flint ordered.
"HAMSTEN ENDURE!" everyone saluted.
Flint and Sheba took the adults on a tour of the mine's above ground stations. Everyone else worked through lunch. Production was moving double time to impress their master. The metals, gems and mana crystals from this mine held the highest quality in Aagard. This bolstered the Hamsten family's wealth and secured their status.
The children had different slaves fight each other for their amusement. No one was eager for a beating; however the chance of having riches thrown at you if one of them liked your skills was quite an incentive.
"As you can see my lord, we no doubt uphold our name as the most lucrative mine in Aagard," Flint boasted.
"Well, I'm not blind. Inform me if more slaves are needed," lord Clain responded.
"It always intrigues me to know the beauty of our family could come for such a filthy place," lady Lasha remarked.
"Before you depart please sit and enjoy some refreshments on the veranda," Sheba offered.
"Common food, I should have you lashed for suggesting such a thing," lady Marielle scoffed.
"Never my lady, Oliver sent over tea and sweets to serve you yesterday along with news of your visit," Flint assured her.
Lady Marielle's word sent a chill down the staff's spines. Fortunately, preparations were made before hand to avoid such a mistake. Everything serve was of the same quality as what would come from their kitchen back at the manor. This calmed the guest down as they indulged in the spread. Then the horn blared to give the slaves a quick break for lunch.
Thon and Barett put down their tongs and took off the water crystals worn to keep the body cool when working at the furnaces. Barett happened to catch the attention of a curious Katherin as they walked off.
"Daddy, daddy! I want that dragon newt," Katherin said pointing at an unassuming Barett.
Flint, Sheba and the handmaids flinched at her request because they knew the end result.
"What fun is a dragon newt? I'd prefer an actual dragon," Klaus grumbled.
Lord Clain simply waved his hand, giving a signal to captain Ziph and his men. Two guards approached Barett and Thon and blocked their path. The two stopped and did not resist. Flint walked over then shepherded Barett back to the veranda.
"State your name," lord Clain inquired.
"Barett, son of Garret, a branch of the Braar bloodline my lord," Barett answered.
"My daughter has taken a liking to you. From today you will be her personal attendant," lord Clain instructed.
Thon instinctively reacted by taking a step forward to Barett's defense. It triggered a response from the two guards beside him, who immediately had their spears at his neck. Barett urged him to back off with a subtle hand gesture. Flint did not dare speak out of turn. Katherin jumped up with joy and walked over to Barett.
"I want to see you fly," Katherin commanded.
"Not now dear, we should give that lizard a good wash first. Then you can play with him all you want," lady Lasha advised.
"Yes my lady," Barett responded.
Sheba took off the key hanging around her neck and used it to remove the slave collars around Barett's neck and wings. He stretched his wings in full flex which stirred up a little dust, delighting Katherin. Then the ground began to rumble interrupting the moment. It was faint at first but rapidly grew in strength and proximity. One of Flint's staff posted on guard duty at the gate's watch tower exclaimed in fear.
"Monster! Monsters are approaching!" he yelled while ringing the alarm bell.
In the distance two people were being chased down by goblins and a rock troll. A panic fell upon everyone. Sheba led the lord and this family away to the assembly point near the mouth of the mine. Flint called all those mining below to stop what they were doing and come up.
"HELP US!" Gladys yelled.
"SHUT THE GATEs!" Sayali shouted.
The two adventurers were on their last legs still running. Behind them the goblins and troll remained in close pursuit. Now, their hunt scared a group of rock-tailed lizards that were stampeding ahead of the monsters. Two other guards came down from the watch towers to close the gates. The weight of each gate slowed their closing.
Sayali and Gladys that opportunity to slip into safety before the gates closed shut. Thon rushed to check on the two. Barett left Kartherin's side to help the guards securing the gates.
"Ziph, prepare a defensive line this instant. Use every last slave to protect us," lady Lasha commanded.
He took the order and organized the guards and slaves. Flint brought a cart full of weapons from the storehouse. They took up positions in the open space between the gates and assembly point, while Ziph and the handmaids who were train to fight protected the Hamstens. Something crashed into the closed gates in a thundering boom that shook the ground. It was the rock-tailed lizards.
In spite of this obstacle they proceeded to climb over the gates to escape the monsters. Before long they were inside the base frieghtened and running amok. Some slave tried to coral the four lizards, though it was proving difficult. Couticy of their deadly tails tipped with a dense rock mass flailing about. A couple of slaves fell in the struggle, and just when they had them cornered, one lizard knocked over a barrel of spark powder into a vat of molten ore.
The powder caught fire and exploded in a giant ball of flames. The eruption blew up the furnaces and surrounding refiners. Smoke filled the base as ash descended like snow from dark clouds above. Both the office block and watchtowers were caught in the explosion, while the staff and slave quarters were set ablaze. Shortly after, the goblins swarmed the base and attacked everyone in sight.
Many from both sides fell screaming in agony. The clanging of weapons as metal kissed metal filled the air. Barett and Thon stood back to back crack