Tales From a Guild Member

Lost & Found - Tale for the Hero's Guild

Normally after such an expedition, you'd be wise to take a few days rest.
Also, it would take a while to be recognized by Achiettes. As I had mentioned, I had done quite a few odd jobs before applying to the Guilds. She apparently noticed some of my work in helping around Burthrope and Taverly.

But while I had just returned from my quest to join the Champion's Guild, Achiettes was visiting the Champion's Guildmaster to discuss the recent rash of missing adventurers in the Brimhaven dungeon.

Anyone going into the dungeon is well aware of the risk. You even need to pay a fee to enter. Plus the dangers of Giants, demons, and Metal Dragons. There can be great rewards earned in there .... but what was disturbing was the rather long list of names.
She asked if I was willing to investigate.

After browsing the list, and noting a few familiar names, of course I was going to investigate. I was not going to be going alone either.

Two acquaintances of mine, Gren who was pretty handy with a battle-axe, and Edrith a mage, were also coming along to investigate. We agreed to meet up in Brimhaven in 3 days to begin the search.
Near the local House Portal, we met up. I had brought along a Spirit Terrorbird with extra recovery potions, sacks of food, and teleportation tablets just in case.
When we made it to the entrance of the Brimhaven Dungeon, we were surprised that the local Karamjan was not there to greet us. In fact, the surrounding jungle seemed eerily quiet. We entered and began to work our way through the tunnels.

After a day carefully exploring, Edrith started to get several odd feelings. Firstly, it felt we were lost, going in circles. (Easy to get lost in the dungeon since it was quite large). Secondly, most of the beasts and demons there were not attacking us. Some even had a strange look on their faces noting there was something else bigger there waiting for us ....

Gren immediately dismissed it, but did suggest setting up camp for the night, and got a fire going with some dried roots from the wall. We settled into a small path from the main caves that would be difficult for any creatures to come in to. Gren took first watch.

Barely an hour after I took watch from Gren, I saw someone coming running through the cave in terror, half his armor missing, the poor soul all dirtied, starved and barely able to lift his sword. He attacked me as I approached calling me some evil spirit that couldn't fool him. But his desperate attack was poorly aimed and I could easily sidestep it.

I caught him as he stumbled and disarmed him, but he kept weakly pounding on my armor saying to let him go. By then Gren and Edrith were awake to help restrain and calm him down. A few moments later, another young man in even worst shape staggered up to us, said "help", and then collapsed.
After an hour and a brief meal, the poor men started to gather their wits, and stated their names.
The first Dean Redith and how he had been lost down there for nearly 3 weeks, and ran out of supplies 2 days ago. The other, Tobias Maple, says he had been down there for nearly 6 weeks.

I instantly recognized their names from the list of missing adventurers, but there was a problem. Dean's clan had mentioned he had left barely 3 days before we did for a trip to the dungeon to look for some missing clan mates. He was only to have been gone a day, but when he did not return, they listed him as missing along with the others.

Tobias, a mere 2 days before that.
At first we thought they were just confused, but after comparing dates and from their disheveled looks, it was clear that somehow they had both been down here for over a month.  And if these 2 had been down here for nearly a month, but only a week had passed, then the others who were missing would be in far worse condition, if they could be found at all.

Gren, Edrith, and I decided to make this a base camp while we made a simple detailed search of the caves again. Gren and Edrith would stay here, while I went out to look first, but not go far, just to the next main cavern a mere 300 yards away.