I let my attention wander as Lechula and Merrik are questioned. The two have really loosened up, though it’s a bit more difficult to tell with the elf than the dwarf. Lechula happily talks about life in Silvervein, though she gets significantly less happy whenever she notices another disturbing fact about life there. Merrik gives his own stories as well, and gives wry commentary on Lechula’s accounts, too.

Honey takes diligent notes the whole time, gleaning tidbits from the innocuous talk. Silvervein seems to be pretty similar in size to Fourdock, for example, but they don’t have anything like the adventurer’s guild. Most townspeople are craftspeople or other working classes, with only really the guard and the clergy having any appreciable levels, or at least any appreciable fighting ability.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of people have food-related professions. Food is pretty big for the Maw, which probably shouldn’t be too surprising either. What is a bit surprising is that the Maw and its clergy seem to follow the rules for food. They don’t just stuff their faces, though they definitely like to take their time with a good meal. The Maw also seems to take it as a personal affront if anyone starves, so I guess it gets a single mark in the positive column.

The clergy are fanatical to the Maw and seem eager to feed it anything they can, including townsfolk that don’t pay their taxes. So… yeah, the Maw isn’t getting any more positive marks, I expect. Maybe if it has chocolate, but I seriously doubt that.

From Honey’s notes, it sounds like we’re looking at a lot of cramped tunnels, rather than a few open caverns. That’s… going to be a problem, if true. It’d make sense, too, considering the leech-headed things. In open ground, they weren’t too difficult to pick off at range. In a tunnel, though, they’d be a nightmare. With how they can dig, they’d even make decent sappers to collapse the tunnels enemies are in.

It also might make it more difficult to sneak in. My wyrms will have to weave around tunnels to get where they want to be, and any enemy earth mages will be able to spot them. Teemo’s shortcuts might be our best bet for getting inside their guard.

On the other hand, it could make it easier to attack. A couple basilisks would be real tough for even a swarm of those abominations to get past. They don’t even have any metal in them, so the soldiers, guards, clergy, or whatever will have few options to deal with them. I might need to get a bigger group of tunnelbores up here so we can make our own tunnels.

The metal affinity is going to make things difficult for my dwellers. From how the two talk, nobody is going to be pulling a Magneto, but the metal gear my dwellers have will still be a lot less effective than I might have hoped. The Maw is apparently metal affinity, so all the denizens are going to have it. It’d probably be a very bad idea to send my dwellers to try to face them.

Unfortunately, that means my dwellers will probably have to fight the guards and such, who will only mostly be metal affinity. I’m sure Teemo will explain the problem to my dwellers, and I’m almost positive they’ll still insist on fighting.

I’m glad Leo will be figuring out where they should go, because I have no idea. I should probably have Teemo give him some ear scritches or something as thanks for shouldering that particular burden, too. I know he’s the best for the job, but that still makes me feel like I’m just dodging responsibility.

Yvonne

“So, wha’ next?” asks Ragnar as he relaxes against a tree. He looks pretty happy there, but Yvonne and Aelara both know he’s a bit anxious to do more. Yvonne feels the same way, and she’d wager Aelara does, too. The birdwoman glances over to Nova, who is still following them around, but she doesn’t seem like she has any ideas, either.

“I don’t know,” sighs Aelara once the silence stretches on too far for her liking. “We should probably take some time to recover and resupply, but after that…” she trails off.

“We could scout more?” suggests Yvonne, but nobody really acknowledges the idea. By the time they get back to being near the Maw, the other adventurers should start returning. They could get more information, but the rockslides should soon be in position to relay reports much quicker.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Ragnar grunts, expressing a bit of the frustration of everyone as he closes his eyes, looking like he’s going to try to catch a nap. After a few moments, he gives a thoughtful hum and opens one eye.

“We could organize th’ returnin’ adventurers.”

“That’s a good idea,” compliments Aelara with a smile, and Yvonne nods in agreement.

“If we can organize their reports, we can tell Thedeim and either send a copy to the guild with whoever doesn’t want to go back down there, or take it back ourselves,” she reasons, then glances at Nova. “Do you think Thedeim would give us whatever information his rockslides are gathering, too?”

The wyrm rumbles in thought as she toys with a blob of magma, doodling with the molten rock as she considers. She gives an uncertain nod after a few seconds.

“We’ll need t’ bug Teemo fer the details anyway. An’ fer paper.”

Aelara takes a moment to dig through her pack before agreeing. “Yeah. I have some soft leather for maps, but not nearly enough for all the adventurers’ reports.”

“I’ll go ask after sunset. I’d imagine they’ll take a break with the questions for the day around then. In the meantime, we should see if any of the other adventurers have come back yet. We returned pretty quickly, but we also went pretty deep. There could be a couple groups around.” Yvonne thinks back to the many adventurers that came along, and wonders which groups would probably return early. She remembers at least a few were planning to explore the more shallow caves, so they might be back already.

Ragnar gets to his feet and stretches. “Then le’s go!” With nothing else to do, they set out. It doesn’t take long for Yvonne to smell the smoke of several camp fires, and soon the party exits into a large clearing. Yet, instead of adventurers, they find Thedeim’s dwellers.

“Oh, they’re already here?” slips from Aelara in surprise. They all knew the dwellers would be coming eventually, but it’s still a bit of a shock to see the spiderkin and ratkin milling about. They’re all trying to put on a brave face, but the nerves are obvious to the experienced band of adventurers. The camp looks in good condition, at least, and even with nerves, morale seems high.

“Lady Yvonne! Ragnar! Aelara!” Three heads turn to see the familiar form of Vernew leaping through the air towards them, clearly happy to see them. “I heard you were participating, but I didn’t expect to see you all! How’s everything going?”

“Please, just Yvonne,” starts the undead birdwoman, just as she does every time Vernew or the other denizens call her a Lady. “And things seem to be going well. We just came back from scouting, and we found a couple sympathizers. The scions are talking with them right now.”

“Oohh, sympathizers? Do you think they know some secret entrance we can all slip through and take the dungeon without a fight?”

Ragnar chuckles and shakes his head. “Nay, lass. They’re no elites, jus’ soldiers, really.”

“Though they still know a lot more than we did,” admits Aelara. “The dungeon is called the Maw, for example. It’s also metal affinity, which will make things a bit difficult.”

Vernew takes a moment to absorb that before quietly swearing. “Tangled web… Do you think Lord Thediem will tell us to go home?” she nervously asks. Yvonne considers what she knows about him before responding.

“I’d imagine he’ll try to give you the option to, but he won’t try to force you. It’ll be more dangerous than expected, but I don’t think anyone really came here expecting everything to be safe.”

Vernew sighs and sags a bit in relief. “Good. Good. So, anything I can help you with?”

“Have any other adventurers come by? We’re going to try to organize their reports so they can get back out quicker,” explains Aelara, and Yvonne follows up.

“They’ll probably be attracted by the smoke from your campfires.”

Vernew folds a set of arms as she taps her spear on the ground in thought. “None that I’m aware of. Are you three going to stick around here for a while, then?”

“If y’ don’ mind?”

Vernew smiles wide. “I don’t mind at all! You’re Lord Thedeim’s chosen party! We’d all be happy to have you share our fires, especially if you share some stories in return!”

Yvonne smiles at that, deciding to ignore being called Thedeim’s chosen party. “Then we’d be delighted. I know Ragnar is always looking for new vict- I mean a new audience for his stories and jokes.”

“Har har,” the dwarf deadpans, but he can only keep the act up for a few seconds before the facade cracks.

“Just don’t accept any of his challenges, be they fighting or drinking,” warns Aelara, earning an indignant “Oi!” from Ragnar.

Vernew just grins wide and lays an arm over his shoulder. “I won’t, but I know a few suckers who’d leap at a challenge. Cut me in, and I’ll encourage a few of them.”

Ragnar grins wide as Yvonne and Aelara exchange a worried glance. There’s no hope of avoiding shenanigans now. All the two can try to do is minimize the impending disaster.