"Why do I have to do this?" Declan grunted as the lock failed to give for the third time, "I'm a miner not a thief."
Peering over the dwarfs shoulder a halfling grinned and patted his friend on the back. "Go on try it again, I'm sure it will work this time. You feel really lucky don't you?"
"If you say so, I guess..." the dwarf grumbled into his beard, just what had he gotten himself into. Declan had arrived in Modron just over a month ago after the family book of Woe had appeared in his lap. The book chronicled the death of his brother in an act of betrayal while accompanying a group of adventurers in a weird quest. On one hand he had not been surprised as his brother Erwyn was a bit of a wanderlust, but the fact he had been killed by one of the groups own was something that would have to be avenged.
In the weeks since another member of this group, who were apparently directly employed by the King of Modron, had by some means traveled to the realm of the Gods and bargained for the return of those who had died, including Erwyn. With his brother alive again in the mortal realm and the book of Woe back in his keeping Declan had decided to spend a few days in town before returning to Thunderhold. Those few days had now been close to four weeks. In that time Declan had become acquainted with some of the lesser known members of the famed Heroes of Eros. For example, Mike Lee; the self proclaimed most dangerous halfling alive! It was that same halfling who stood with him in the dark alley praising his nonexistent ability with opening locks.
"Click!" the lock popped and Declan was surprised it finally worked.
"Told ya, you could do it!" grinned Mike Lee, "Have some faith in yourself my bearded brother."
"We're not..."
"Yeah, yeah..." the halfling chided as he pushed the dwarf through the doorway into the darkness beyond.
Declan fired up a hooded lantern and scanned the chamber. "What is this place?"
"It's a service entrance to the old sewers. I found it on some plans in the records hall, It's been unsed for a century at least." The halfling looked at a sheet of parchment he pulled from his pocket, squinted in the flickering light then turned it over. "Here we go, this way."
The pair descended a narrow stairwell to what would have been a cramped tunnel if not for the diminuative size of both explorers. The old sewer line smelt strongly of brine and the floor was covered in a thick layer of black algae that squished between the halflings toes.
"Good,good, just as I suspected. This line runs below the waterfront and we should find it closed off just ahead." Mike Lee increased his pace, feet making sucking sounds that caused the dwarf to flinch in disgust. How, he wondered could the halfling go unshod down here.
Sure enough the line was blocked off by construction that was considerably newer than the tunnel itself. Pointing to the bricks, the halfling grinned. "Right then, open this up in a way that no one would know we had been here."
Declan looked from Mike Lee to the barrier and back again. "So this was why you were so interested in my skill as a miner wasn't it?"
Taking the lantern from the dwarf the halfling smirked, "I'll keep an eye out while you get to work. Trust me, this will be worth it."
Grumbling under his breath Declan set to the task of getting them past the blockade. Within a quarter candle length the dwarf had skillfully opened a space just big enough for them to slip through. Continuing to follow the halflings hastily scrawled map the pair had soon dropped another two levels below the surface. Salty water ran in rivulets down the walls and rose to the knees of the two adventurers.
"My people are not fond of mucking about in or near water." griped Declan as he waded along behind his friend.
Turning to face his companion while continuing to walk backwards, his face lit by the lantern giving him a spooky countenance that Declan didn't like he said, "Not to worry, if it gets any deeper I've brought along a pair of sheep bladders we can inflate for flotation!"
"I don't think that will...!" The floor suddenly gave way beneath them and the pair were sucked down in a rush of stagnant water and filth. Pungent brine and algae covered the two as they stood up. A thin stream of water still sprinkled down from above them. Declan found his flint striker and relit his lantern so they could see where they were.
"Aww, my map!" Mike Lee held up a goopy wad in his hand.
They were in a large junction room, many different pipes and tunnels branched off in all directions and at various heights. A hole in the ceiling where they had fallen stared down at them like a dark socket in a skull. A rush of water rushed in through a still functioning pipe and emptied its contents into a vent in the floor. Declan's nose twinged, a sensation that meant only one thing. Gold was near. He wiped his face with his beard and sniffed the air again. Yes, still there. It was faint, meaning a small amount was close by. Perhaps a bag or two of coin or a small coffer of jewelry. There were a pair of archways that led to obvious service tunnels and it beyond one of these the dwarf sensed the treasure. He motioned for his friend to follow him and set of towards one of the dark exits.
"Suppose any way is as good as another at this point." Mike Lee wiped the sludge from his hands on his vest. He turned quickly scanning the chamber, but it must have been a trick of the lantern light and the shadows that made him think something moved. He quickly fell in behind the dwarf as they left the chamber.
The service tunnel was caved in, but the scent was very close. Declan had stopped and was eyeing the tunnel in the lantern light. Mike Lee nervously tapped his foot on the cold stone floor, the sound became an echoing boom. "Do you mind, I'm trying to concentrate." The dwarf pointed to a what appeared to be clump of masonry a few feet ahead of them. "That is not rock or brick, but lies under a thick layer of dust and has not been disturbed for a long time."
"Oh, I got this!" Mike Lee dashed forward leaped over the clump and spun to kneel behind it so he faced Declan. Once again the lantern lit up the halflings face like a grinning skull and Declan uttered an oath to the Gods for protection against fools. Blowing on the clump to dislodge some of the dust, the halflings eyes grew wide at what was revealed. A small skull a bit larger than his fist was set above a pair of tiny bones arranged in the familiar jolly roger.
"Pirate booty!" hissed the halfling as he picked up the lump of dust covered leather. The sound of stone scraping on stone followed his action.
"Don't!" exclaimed Declan at the same moment as a set of thick pointed iron bars shot out of a hidden recess just beside Mike Lee!
Slowly the dwarf opened his eyes knowing the sight of his skewered friend would greet him. "How are you.."
"Alive?" finished the halfling, "ah, you know lucky is as lucky does. Besides look at this!"
The halfling stood just behind the wall of rusted iron spikes, and hanging from them was a victim from long ago. "My guess, this guy owned this," Mike Lee held up the crumpled leather hat with the bones sewn to it, "and look what he has here!" The halfling began breaking off mummified fingers that still clutched a heavy pouch. As the two looted the corpse, neither noticed the steady stream of water seeping from the walls.
"Gold, I knew it!" Chuffed the dwarf, reaching out eagerly. Mike Lee stuffed the hat into his belt as he turned so the dwarf had to peer over his shoulder to see the contents of the pouch. A handfull of large gold coins gleamed in the light of the lantern. "Those are ancient if the stamps on them are what I think." Declan drew a deep breath.
"This is all the proof we need, the rumors are true.... we can, why are my feet wet?" Mike Lee looked down just as a spurt of water struck him in the face. Realizing something was dreadfully wrong as more water sprayed from cracks forming in the tunnel all about them, the pair made to run back to the junction chamber when an explosion of pressure knocked both of them unconscious.
The sound of gulls and a salty breeze roused Declan. He opened his eyes to see the blue sky overhead and a sudden wave of body aches overcame him.
"What happened?" the soaked dwarf asked as he looked out into the estuary of Roglaroon upon the bank of which he now lay.
"I believe we set off a rather elaborate water trap or some such." Mike Lee stood at the waters edge skipping rocks, perched upon his head was a fantastically large hat. "The force of the water washed us right out of the underground and left us here."
"That was bloody lucky wasn't it." Decaln removed his boot and dumped out a small fish. "What about the gold?"
"I lost the bag," the halfling skipped another rock across the water, "but I managed to keep hold of this." He turned to the dwarf and held up a single tea-cup saucer sized gold coin. "There's a guy we need to talk to."
The End.
