D&D pre-game 3-18

Far and wide within the underground dwarf roadways…..

A steam powered rail car slows to a stop. The venting of steam clouds the tunnel for several seconds. A lone figure leaps from the car and aims a crossbow down the tunnel.

No movement.



No sound but the steam engine cooling behind him and a few dwarves milling about.

He stows the crossbow, readies a lantern and adjusts his armored greatcoat.

Lukas Fudderer, Archelogy Assistant 1^st Class ( quite the upgrade since his adventures months ago in the dwarf tunnels ) begins to survey the tunnel walls.

“It just has to be here somewhere” he whispered to himself.

His research and study have to be correct. If there was a secret door to the halls above it had to be here.

“Ack laddie. You’ll never find it. The location was lost ages ago after the last great goblin wars.”  

“I know Thomas, but the maps, charts and tales all point to this area.” Lukas replied to the dwarf behind him.

Thomas Sanstone, a stouter than average dwarf, continued to watch down the tunnel.

“Ya know this area was closed for good reason lad. Those thrice curse nibblers overran the place. The wee beasties eat everything and there were enough dead around to sustain them from a good long time too.”

“Thomas, there is no record of these “nibblers” “bone crunchers” or “marrow suckers” in any of the biological records. Nobody knows what you are talking about. This tunnel was probably sealed due to the smell and some fear based upon that. I mean why is there such a heavy aroma of ammonia, or more possibly bleach? That is the only unnatural thing about this tunnel. “ Lukas replied as he continued to search the walls.

“Believe what you want lad, but something here feels unnatural and we should get moving soon before the engine cools much more.”

“HA! I found something. Look Thomas dwarven runes. Old ones too!” Lukas yelled.

“Quiet lad. They’ll all come crashing down upon us with you sounding like that.

Lukas ignored him as he began to decipher the text on the wall.

“These runes are directions upwards. Probably to the hill dwarf halls above! Wait… then this line of text is a warning. It mentions the eaters of…”

“They eat the dead lad. I warned you. That’s it boys mount up! Crossbows and blunderbuss to the front. We leave now! Lukas this is as far as we go. You have your proof.” Thomas said nervously.

Lukas had never seen a dwarf more shaken. He made a quick charcoal rubbing of the runes. As he retrieved his lantern he thought he saw a figure staring at him from further down the tunnel. He raised the lantern to light the area a bit more.

“Nothing. Just that damn dwarven story getting to you. That’s all.” Lukas said.

“Let’s go lad! The boys are nervous and the engine is hot!” Thomas yelled.

“I dearly wish he would stop calling me lad.” Lukas muttered as he walked back to the rail car.

Further down the tunnel, several figures stopped moving as their potential meal disappeared down the tunnel.