Heart of Oak

The Great Escape Plan

The dwarven city was unrivaled in its engineering wonder. The dwarves carved out the city from the cave instead of building it afterward. The Dwarves had plans to live in this city long term, not just until the mines ran dry. Despite being dark and damp, the city had good ventilation that prevented the smell of mold and mildew and the spread of dangerous fumes.

Dmahdi peaked out into the open chamber. They had a small window of opportunity to get out of the storage closet and into the big city. "Come on, we need to move!"

The warband made a break for it, running across a hundred yards of an open cave before entering the alleys of the dwarven city. As they got all cozy in their new hiding spot, another gnoll and wagon approached the entryway of the food cave.

"Good call, Dmahdi." Roderick patted her shoulder and then peered down the city streets. It seemed the outskirts of the city were devoid of gnolls. To Roderick's right was a door into one of the two-story square houses. "Quickly, inside."

The door slammed shut behind them. The interior of the house was quiet, but not empty. Staring back at them were a pair of beady red eyes and the barrel of a device unfamiliar to them, but they knew well it was a weapon. A feminine voice snapped at them, "Who are you? What are you doing here?" She spoke quickly, with not a breath between sentences.

Roderick placed a finger on the top of the weapon's tip and slowly pushed it down. "Friends of Jodi and Kathanac."

The eyes on the dark blue raton got larger. "Who?"

"Right, a century. A pair of dwarves who escaped a hundred years ago," Roderick's hands were back up in the air when the weapon's dominance was reasserted. "We're here to free the dwarves."

Dmahdi towered over them from the back row. "Whatcha got there?"

The raton lowered the weapon, still questioning the sudden arrival of the group of foreigners. "A musket. Dwarves called it a boomshot." She outstretched her gloved hand. "Name's Ghosse, Firish Ghosse."

"Roderick Helsmouth. This is the Green Thorn Warband, Dmahdi, Sedel, Finnegan, and Roshka." He gestured to each one as he said their name.

"Warband? I'm guessing the king didn't send you? Damn, I was hoping for a better deal." The raton grumbled.

Roderick eyed the weirdly dressed raton. She wore pants, a trench coat, and a flat-brimmed cap with goggles on it, all colored brightly in white and gold, a stark contrast to her dark blue fur and deep red and orange face paint. Only the hair on her head, all pushed to one side, matched her unusual outfit with a strong yellow color.

The raton saw Roderick's curious gaze and jabbed the barrel of her gun at him. "What you looking at?"

"I was expecting dwarves, not a raton. Speaking of which, are you by yourself?" Roderick scanned the room but saw nothing else in the shadows.

"They're around. It's easier to evade the gnolls solo. Admittedly, I am shocked you all haven't alerted them." The raton sat down on the staircase and examined her musket. "If you want to find the rest of the dwarves, head to the opposite end of the city, follow the signs to the mining zone, and you'll find the slave cages."

"Why aren't you with them?" Roderick asked her.

"I escaped. I escaped slavery, but I'm still trapped here. It's hard to get out the front door when it's guarded by a dozen gnolls. Before you ask, no, I will not travel with you all back into those tunnels. I have my job out here." She pulled a smaller hand-sized large-mouthed musket from her coat. "When you free the dwarves, activate this with it pointed to the ceiling. The rest of us will join the rebellion."