subplotkudzu | Emirikol, Part III scene 13

Over the next hour or so the situation in the library labyrinth reached something resembling calm. Healing was provided for the wounded and food was produced as the exploration expanded into lunchtime. Eventually they were able to confirm that there were no other beast men in the library, and that the creatures our heroes previously laid low had entered the library's hidden basement through a cave that had likewise been sealed up by magically molded stone. This cave ran for some distance and, based on its angle and the relative freshness of the air, likely connected with the cliff face caves on Emirikol's northeast shore. Having been properly fortified Hiram, Cybele and Dietrich volunteered to explore these while the librarians awaited the arrival of the town police and the paladins. This offer was naturally accepted at once.

The trio lamented at length their not being properly armored - who thought they would need such at a library? - but at least Hiram had been able to secure the lead boar-man's crossbow and supply of bolts. The long, winding cave eventually terminated at a sinkhole down to another cave. The group's cautious and quiet approach gave them hope that they might be able to surprise anyone who might be in the chamber below. Cyble approached cautiously and using her keen elvish vision in the dim light both from below and behind her in the form of a blocked torch she was able to make out at least one boar man along with the snuffling form of another creature, a dog, or perhaps an actual boar. There was also a pair of ropes attached safely outside the sinkhole that the boar men must have used to ascend.

Working her way back to her companions, the three ran through several plans of how to best surprise the guards below, but in the end settled on the most direct: Hiram slid down the rope while Deitrich relied on his training to fall the 15 feet unharmed, with Cybele providing cover from above. The boar man apparently *had* head Cybele's previous approach as he had moved to a position with cover from where he might fire his crossbow on anyone climbing down the ropes, but the creature was entirely unprepared for the suddenness of Dietrich's approach - the lord Von Eisenwald fell gracefully, dispersed his moment with a roll, bounded off the back of the boar onto the outcropping the boar man was using for cover and dispatched the creature with a single thrust. The heavily muscled and ferocious boar proved more difficult, but eventually the three laid the beast low.

An exploration of the cave reveals yet another occupant - a panicky gnome hiding behind one of the twisted chamber's stalagmites. Once assured of his safety the bedraggled gnome emerges, almost pathetically grateful for his salvation. He gives his name as Johann, and spins a tale of woe worthy of any melodrama: he and his brother had been passengers on at ship bound for points east of Emirikol that was captured by pirates; he is a chef, his brother a designer of clockworks, and the pirates took them both to work for them as slaves. Worse, once they were ferried under the cover of darkness to these cave, both were taken by the pirate's master, a blond man named Reme, to this chamber to cook for the beast men. His brother was taken away to perform task after task, and eventually just did not return. The beast men took to tormenting him, and continually sending him down the tunnel to the southeast that held their supplies of weapons and foul foods - a location the beast men now avoided due to the appearance of a ghostly dog that would leap from the shadows and rend them limb from limb. The ghost hound hasn't attacked Johann yet, but the gnome lived in terror of the day when a snap of those jaws would end his life. He knew his life would end in these caves in any case, as Reme discussed parts of his plan in front of the gnome, and Johann, with all that entails.

With a little prompting the gnome lays out what he knows of Reme's plan - something about disguising himself as some priest, and how that will gain him access to the temple. These beast men were to be used as muscle for this plan, while the pirates remained in the shadows to ferry people and goods, as well as to draw out the priest. Not being a native to the area Johann didn’t recognize or remember any names he might have heard, but it matters little.

"So that's what's going on," Deitrich mutters.

"What?" Asks Hiram.

"Audacious," admits the lady Floriane.

"What?" says Hiram, obviously so adept at being a character in the play that he cannot see it from the outside.

Dietrich directs the gnome to climb the rope to the tunnels overhead and follow the cave to the library. Mention their names, he tells the small man, and let the lady d'Ferrantino and any Paladins present know that an actor and pirate named Reme is engaged in a plot to discredit her son, the Cardinal of the East in the church of the endless ocean, Sebastian d'Ferrantino, by assuming his likeness while performing foul deeds in Scornbul, deeds that would be difficult to discredit as the parties that would investigate such a claim - the Loremasters, the Cardinals and the Paladins - would all be tainted by a lack of apparent objectivity concerning their son, their brethren and their friend.

With that the three nobles eschew the cave with the 'ghost hound', heading instead north, deeper into to the caves and, based on the salt tang to the air and the increased moisture, into the pirate camp, discussing how they were fortunate to find Johann - after all, Dietrich needed a cook.

To be continued