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Badly wounded and shaken by your encounter with the Dragon, you stumble up another stairwell. Before collapsing in heap on the floor. You lie there for hours, trying to find the strength to get up, when you hear voices and footsteps. Cursing your rotten luck, you claw your way back up onto your feet and draw your weapon.

"By my bleeding ancestors! I'm telling you I heard sometin!"

"Aye, I be telling yah that ye be a blocked headed turnip. There ain't nought down there, besides the great beastie," replies a gruff voice.

Recognizing the familiar accent of Dwarves, you wonder what they could be doing down here? When eight Dwarves wearing white armbands, armored in black plate armor that shine dully in the light, their shields strapped to their backs and Warhammers in hand; round the corner. Too tired to move, you prepare yourself to at least go down fighting, when the Dwarves spot you, and stare at you in astonished wonder. The leader of this small unit of Dwarves, a stoutly built Dwarf with steel blues eyes and a short black beard flecked with white hairs demands loudly, "How in the blazes did ye get up 'ere stranger?"

Finding no reason not to tell them. You explain to them your journey through the City of Ironfield, your encounter with the Dark Mages and of the Dragon loose about the dungeon. By the end of your tale, most of the Dwarves are gaping at you in open-mouthed wonder. When the voice you heard earlier pipes up. "Dinna I tell ye I heard sometin." The Dwarven Commander scowls angrily at the much younger Dwarf to shut him up, before returning his attention back to you.

"If your story be true stranger, and by the looks of you i'd say it is. We'd surely welcome you among our company."

Liking the idea of being escorted by some solid Dwarven warriors, you readily agree to travel with them for a time. Together you turn down passageway, which Argven says is the quickest way back to their Stronghold Stonefold. And along the way Argven, and his younger brother Durgen the youngest Dwarven warrior in their party after tending to your wounds (+10 Health Points), regale you with tales of their adventures on the surface, and once they learn of your intent to join the army mustering to battle the feral Dwarves that have invaded the City of Torfiol. You learn that more than a dozen mercenary companies hired by the Dwarven Lord to recapture the City have perished in the City, along with several Dwarven battalions around two thousand four hundred strong.

Having faced feral Dwarves in battle and won fairly easily, you ask them how can that be? How could Dwarves lose so many warriors to these creatures? The Dwarves give each other knowing looks, before they explain to you that these feral Dwarves have somehow fallen under the control of the Ancients. Feral Dwarves that have lived for thousands of years gaining untold abilities that allow them to hunt in the darkness. These creatures dangerous beyond measure, can tolerate sunlight and are devilishly cunning. Their also much larger and stronger than a common feral Dwarf.

Hmmm maybe heading to the City of Torfiol is not such a great idea after all. You've acquired plenty of gold, and other valuable items. Why not call it quits and return home? However leaving now, and returning home without hearing what the Dwarven Lord has to offer, seems such a waste. Argven seeing your eyes sparkling with excitement at the possibility of more treasure, lets out a loud hearty laugh and slaps you on the back. "You're warrior after me own heart. Come, let us set up camp for the night and be on our way in the mornin'." Argven leads you through one more tunnel, before exiting through a rusted iron gate, where you enter a large cavern, filled with glowing green fungus and stalagmites. Glad to finally be out of the City of Ironfield, you let out a heavy sigh, while the Dwarves setup camp in between some stalagmites on a flat rocky surface and get to work building a fire.

Not sure how the Dwarves can tell, if it's morning on not. You rest your back up against a solid looking stalagmite, and watch Durgen cook some meat using a frying pan. Mouth watering at the delicious scent of meat roasting in it's own juices, you lick your lips and lean forward. Durgen feeling the intensity of your stare, gives you a gap toothed grin and flips the roasted meat in your direction. And like a starving wolf, you leap for the meat and catch it in your hands. The hot juices burn your fingers, but you don't care. You give the meat a few blows to cool it down and start biting into it. Gods it tasted amazing, if it were not for your burning mouth and tongue,you would have devoured the whole thing down in a single bite (+5 Health Points.)

Minutes later after everyone has eaten a meal, the Dwarves settle down for the night. And to thank them for their hospitality, you offer to take first watch. Argven raises his eyebrow at that, but nods his head in acceptance of the idea. In the silence of the cavern you look out at the glowing fungus that looks quite beautiful in the gloom of cavern, when you hear something. Drawing your weapon, you move to investigate.

When you feel eyes upon you back, you turn around slowly and see dozens of red eyes peering out at you from the darkness.

1. Do you retreat back to the fire and alert the Dwarves, before making a stand with them?

Careful to not make any sudden moves you cautiously retreat back to the fire, your weapon ready and nudge the Dwarves awake one by one. Then hold a finger up to your lips to keep them silent, and point out towards the shadows, where the feral Dwarves are beginning to circle you. Veteran warriors practiced in battle, they immediately un-sling their round shields and draw their Warhammers from their belts, before forming a circle around the fire. Not sure how much use you would be to them, in such a tight knit formation that requires knowledge of your allies strengthens and weaknesses, you back away from them and give them some room to work their magic.

Minutes pass by without any movement, when all of sudden the feral Dwarves give a blood curdling war cry and race into begin their attack with their long filthy claws, and sharpened yellow teeth. The Dwarven warriors ready to face the enemy wait until the blood-crazed creatures are almost upon them, before roaring their war cries in return, thrusting out their shields to break their charge, and using their Warhammers to crush their skulls and shatter their bones. Spraying blood and brains out into the air. The creatures reel back briefly, before pressing in once more to have a taste of Dwarven steel, completely undeterred by their losses.

Half watching in awe at the methodical way these Dwarven warriors worked their Warhammers, you don't see the feral Dwarves creeping up from behind you, until you hear their growls. Swinging around quickly, you stab your weapon into the feral Dwarf lunging towards you, and kick it's body into a second feral dwarf tripping it over. Confident you can deal with the few feral dwarves that have managed to get around the Dwarven warriors, you hold your ground and battle the creatures one by one. Tearing out their guts and chopping off their limbs to create a messy pile of bodies before you.

For hours you battle the never ending tide of creatures that swoop in out of the darkness in swarms to assault the battle hardened Dwarven warriors, with more and more slipping around their lines to attack you. With fatigue starting to set in, you miss a couple of your strikes, and start to receive cuts to your face, neck, chest and legs. Shoulders aching, your wondering how many more of them are out there? When a large pack of feral Dwarves burst up out of the ground beneath you feet to attack you and the Dwarves. Leg badly wounded from a dwarf biting you, and shaken by the amount of beasts there are. You fight twice as hard, your arms constantly swinging to drive them back.

The feral dwarves unused to facing such resistance, eventually fade away back into the darkness. Breathing hard, you look up to see how the Dwarves are doing and let out a sigh of relief. Wounded and bloodied the band of eight Dwarven warriors still remain standing. Their beards covered in blood and their Warhammers raised ready to continue fighting.

Battle Results

- 40 Health Points

Loot

Argven awed by your prowess in battle, hands you a golden pin that you can sell for 50 gold pieces. You also collect the ears of eighty nine feral dwarves worth 445 gold pieces at the Stronghold. With more than a few Dwarves wounded by the battle, Argven tells you that his party will be staying here for awhile to mop up the mess and deal with the remaining feral dwarves. Saying farewell, you part ways.

Quest Completed