Den of Thieves

Unseen by most Marten and Glar escorted by the two henchmen have made their way down. With a perfectly elevated view the guild masters stand near the bottom of the ramping tunnel.

Squaring off the pair look for a weak point to attack.

Rasp quickly lunges forward with fisted arms fully extended, attempting to knock the wind out of his foe. Carr rolls right, as a fist grazes his side. Trying to use Rasps energy and momentum Carr grasps the Goblin’s connecting arm and pulls him past, whipping Rasp into a sturdy Hobgoblin.

Still moving Carr spins all the way around seeing his foe unaware. Setting up a roundhouse kick Carr goes for Rasp’s head. At the last second Rasp sees the boot coming and ducks.

“Snap!” Carr’s foot connects with the Hobgoblin spectator, breaking his nose and knocking the male out. Blood from the Hobgoblin’s nose splatters across the men standing beside, before the body crumbles to the ground.

The mine echoes with cheers of excitement to see anyone get hit that hard. The males around laugh at the downed Hobgoblin and drag his body out of the way.

Realizing he’s just knocked out a semi-innocent male Carr’s eyes widen muttering, “oops.”

The crowd laughs and cheers more.

Also admiring the knock out Rasp grins nodding slightly to Carr, “you fight well for a young Human.” He steps into the middle of the small space.

Returning his focus to Rasp, Carr comments, “that should have been you.”

Using Carr’s willingness to chatter Rasp sets him up with an unfinished statement. “But I’m…” With swift speed Rasp strikes out with a right punch connecting hard with Carr’s jaw, causing the head to snap back. Rasp follows up with a left jab to Carr’s stomach. Carr arches back from the blow as the air is forced out of his lungs.

Before Carr can recover Rasp kicks Carr’s legs out, the unaware young rogue crashes hard to the ground. Not giving Carr a chance to figure out where he is Rasp drops, driving an elbow into Carr’s chest.

Liking the action the spectators cheer out again.

Thinking his foe should be done for or at least had enough Rasp pushes off Carr getting to his knees. Hurt but still conscious Carr rolls away to get to his feet.

Wanting the fight over Rasp gets to his feet first and rushes at Carr in an attempt to kick him in the head.

Seeing trouble coming Carr kicks straight out attempting to trip Rasp.

“Crack!” Rasp’s leg breaks as Carr’s foot connects with Rasp’s shin, just as the Goblin was putting all his weight onto it.

The crowd utters oos, ohhs and cheers, as Rasp’s forward moving body topples on top of Carr, both males hit the ground.

Rasp yelps grasping the broken leg. Carr pulls himself out from under Rasp rolling the Goblin onto the injured leg, causing the Goblin to yelp again.

Still a bit winded from the shot to the stomach Carr gets up wheezing. The spectators cheer and applaud the broken leg.

Knowing Rasp will still try to fight and thinking that’d be foolish to even try Marten calls out, “he’s done!”

Goro hears Marten’s voice and observes both guild masters nodding to end the fight for Rasp. With a sigh from losing a bet the guard enters the open space.

A large portion of the crowd groans, “nah,” disappointed that’s the end of the fight and their coin.

Goro wraps his meaty arm around Carr’s shoulder speaking loudly to the group, “our winner tonight, is Ratboy!” Pointing to Rasp, “he can’t fight with only one leg.”

Grimacing Rasp sits up mustering out, “sure I can!”

Marten calls out, “sorry Rasp I got to do this for you.”

The crowd turns to see Marten, vocal males along with the winners agree.

Rasp’s Orc buddy comes over to help him up, along with Goro.

Cal and Toad jump over to Carr congratulating him on the fight while replaying the hits. Men who won money in the fight stop to praise Carr before running to the bar to collect their winnings.

The henchman Crete clears a path to the competitors for Marten and Glar.

Some of the crowd begins to return to the upper level, especially broke ones.

“Looked like a wonderful fight. I must have got here just in time,” Marten checks on Rasp.

“Actually sir, you saw most of it,” Goro’s disappointed, “it was short.”

“Oh, I see.” Marten grimaces glimpsing the Goblin’s broken bone protrudes, “take Rasp up to the dinning hall. Elrit can take care of that.”

“Alright Marten.” Goro motions to the Orc to help get the Goblin aid.

“An impressive fight,” Marten shakes Carr’s hand, “you’re a much better fighter than your father.”

“Ah,” Glar saw it, “he got in a lucky shot. But I liked it when you laid out the other guy,” pointing to the Hobgoblin sprawled out on the ground.

Carr looks over at the Hobgoblin, “Oh yeah. I’m sorry about that.”

Glar remarks chuckling, “he should have defended himself.”

Smirking at Glar’s remark Marten comments, “I don’t think he saw it coming. It certainly was a great hit. I think even Rasp would have toppled from that.”

“Thanks Marten. Glad you liked it Glar,” Carr tells them, “I thought it was Rasp. Until I saw him grinning.”

Glar utters. “He ain’t grinning now.”

Agreeing Toad boldly speaks out, “that’s for sure.”

“Anyway,” Marten pats Carr’s back, “it’s getting late. I’ve got to turn in soon. And you all have to travel in the morning.”

“Yeah,” Glar waves a finger at each of the youths, “go to bed.”

Marten chuckles at Glar as they head back up.

Toad’s still excited, “that fight was better then the one the other night.”

“Sure was,” smiling Cal suggests, “let’s collect our winnings. And we’ll buy you another drink.”

“Okay,” Carr nods motioning to them to lead the way. “I think I could use a soothing mead.”

Greeted by victorious cheers Carr enters the bar. Filled with happy winners and gamblers.

After claiming his prize Carr puts the armor back on while sipping mead.

Ecstatic with the events over the past couple days Cal and Toad retell the two fights to each other and who ever will listen to them.

Sometime after midnight the bar empties, leaving several men still gambling a few guards and the young Human trio.

Wanting to get searching the mines for the anklet, Carr puts his arms around the shoulders of the brothers, “well boyz, thanks for the drinks and company, but we’ve got an early day coming up fast. We’ll need sleep.”

“Sure,” Toad slurs in a drunken state, “see you in the morning.”

Intoxicated to the point of staggering Cal mutters, “I guess we have to sleep sometime. Good, night, Carr.”

“Yup,” Carr replies, “goodnight boyz.” Waving to the Halfling bartender as he leaves.

Toad assists his brother, “come on. Good night, Carr.”

After a bladder flush inside the pisser, while tying up the pants, Carr stumbles into a wall between two benches. The wall felt like it moved slightly.

Tapping the section, he notices a crack line and a very minor gap at the bottom. Pushing on the wall it moves. Pulling from the bottom gap it opens.

The camouflaged stone door reveals a narrow passage. At the other end thin slivers of light define a door.

Stepping back to listen to the main corridor Carr doesn’t hear anyone out there so he decides to investigate the passage.

At the end of the passage a heavy wooden door hangs latched from the other side. Several men’s voices can be heard talking to each other.

Peeking between the cracks Carr spies a room beyond containing four rows of bunk beds. Though dimly lit he notices most of the beds are filled.

Figuring it to be the guild’s guard chambers and the passage is their access to the pisser Carr gets out of there.

Closing up the passage he wonders how many unseen passages could be throughout the guild. Also hoping he didn’t miss anything the other night.

Casually strolling out of the pisser Carr heads right for the bedchambers to retrieve the rest of his gear, in case he has to flee in the night.

The guard watching the tunnel greets him, “great fight Carr. I take it you’re turning in?”

“Thanks,” smiling Carr tells him, “ah, I was going to get my things for tomorrow and check on my horse. I’m too excited to sleep.”

The guilds guards are aware what Marten and Glar want with Carr. “Yeah, I understand. When I was in Darvel’s army. I couldn’t sleep the night before a battle. Nor could most.”

Nodding Carr continues to the chambers.

Inside quickly gathering up his things decides to put on the rest of the scale coverings.

Nearing the guard again the man takes better notice of the armor, “nice suit. What did it cost you?”

Happy to show it off Carr holds his arms up, “thanks, it fits great. It was expensive it cost me six large cut gems. I’d say a thousand gold.”

Never will a mercenary guard ever earn that, “wow, I’ve got to learn to pick some locks or something.”

Carr suggests. “Hey with the skills of a fighter, just practice moving silently. You can make excellent coin as an assassin.”

The guard likes the idea, “yeah, I should.”

Smiling Carr carries on, “easy coin. Well have a good night.”

“Yeah sure,” the guard watches him walk away thinking about changing his profession.

Making the way up the ramping tunnel Carr taps the walls in search of any hidden doors.

At the ravine floor level Carr continues to tap away moving towards the meeting hall. Keeping left works the meeting hall walls.

Following the curved wall to the back of the hall finds the pisser Marten pointed out. Hoping to find another secret passage inside he enters. The room houses three wooden chairs with holes in the seats. Below the seats a large ceramic bowl. With winter coming, chairs like this would be perfect for the farmhouse.

The walls seeming solid, Carr returns to the hall. Tapping to the front stage he finds nothing unusual.

Stepping onto the three-hand high stage hastily works the wall to the curtain, figuring the best place to conceal a door.

Slipping behind the velvety curtain Carr searches the wall. His fingers feel a horizontal crack in the stone about seven hands high from the floor. Following the crack, it turns downwards to the floor.

Cautiously Carr pulls out a long thin pick and inserts it into the cracks feeling for a latch or trip wire. Finding none pushes on the section. As it doesn’t move, he pulls making it move ever so slightly.

He begins to feel the surrounding rough stonewall for a release mechanism. A small hole is over the concealed door, just big enough for a large hand to slide in. Sliding his in feels a metal bar almost out of reach. Wiggling the bar, it moves left with a light click.

Feeling the crack, the stone door has opened enough to get fingers on an edge to pull it open. Opening it he wonders if it is Dwarf crafted.

Crawling inside the black space carefully feels his way around. The secret passage is as wide as his legs can spread. Tall enough he can’t touch the ceiling. Slowly searching the passage blindly, feels a faint breeze.