You see a small green lizard puttering around. It has a large red lace bonnet tied around its head.
"Hiss."
It hisses at you, and tries to get out of the bonnet.
21
gnrc
0
"Hiss!"
0
stnd
0
You see, sitting in the throne, a very slight, aging man in loose-fitting silk clothes. He wears a gold circlet. Although he appears frail, his eyes have a powerful, piercing quality that instantly make you feel on the defensive.
"My name is Micah. I am honored to be king of this fair land."
"It is simple. I am the chosen king of Exile. I look after the goings-on of the caves, and mastermind our actions against our enemies." He smiles and looks you over, measuring the quality of the material brought before him.
0
exile
0
"When I was sent down here, I first thought it was an ugly place, devoid of joy, of quality, of hope. Then I saw the life the people who had come down here before me had carved out for themselves, and I learned that being here was not the doom I thought."
"Now, despite many threats, I work to maintain our government."
0
caves
0
"Yes. The rich, greatly underrated caverns of Exile." He smiles sadly. "I dream of the day the abovegrounders find out what a wonderful place they gave to those they hated. I have long ago learned that Exile brings great good with the bad."
0
govern
0
He nods gravely. "We have good, brave people. We have excellent resources, and skilled magicians. What we do not yet have, alas, is a clear choice for my successor. My son is, shall we say, inadequate." He gives you a long, careful look.
"I always look for those who can lead. Remember that. You might ask me about possible missions."
0
enemies
0
"The Slithzerikai are our most organized and deadly foe. Long we have tried to slay their leader, and long we have failed. Then, of course, there are the Nephilim. And the Nepharim. And the aranea, and giants, and undead. Our foes are many, and strong."
"That is why I seek adventurers, to hire them to complete a mission of great import."
0
mission
108
1
stnd
0
You see a man in his early twenties wearing clothes of great luxury and an expression of great emptiness. A silver circlet rings his head. He seems to be looking for something.
He flashes you a baffled smile. "I am Prince Chevyn. I'd introduce you to my lizard, but I can't find her."
"I look for my lizard. She's naughty, and has run away." A thought seems to pass his mind, at glacial speeds. "Oh. Wait. I'm also the Crown Prince. That's important."
1
lizard
0
"Her name is Chevyn. I like that name because it sounds so familiar! Heeeeree Chevyn Chevyn Chevyn! Tell me if you see her. She has a pretty hat!"
1
prince
0
He stands up straight, and fixes you with a stare that seems to be intended to carry great weight. Unfortunately, it mainly carries great vacancy. "I am Crown Prince! One day I will be King! Then I will ... uhhh ... be the King! And slay things!"
"When I'm king, my lizard will be my prince. And I will have a queen! Neat, huh?"
2
stnd
0
A tall, raven-haired wizard with a somewhat distracted air works furiously behind his desk.
It takes a moment to get his attention. "Ah, hello. I am Rone, court wizard of the Castle."
"Please. I'm very busy. Leave." Then, he thinks twice and looks you over. "Wait! You are adventurers! Maybe you will believe me when I speak of the threat that faces us all. Heaven knows nobody else does."
2
threat
0
"Threat? What threat? There's a threat?" He stops to mentally regroup. "Oh, yes! The threat. I've written all you need to know. In my memoirs. They're around here somewhere. I forget where. Read them, and you'll know some of what you need to know."
"Also, you can tell me the name of the evil creature who endangers us all. I forgot."
2
grah
0
"Yes! That was it. We imprisoned him, but there are signs he can strike out at us from his bottle. Someone needs to go there, let him out, and kill him. Otherwise, the threat will never end."
2
bottle
0
"We raided Akhronath, his now ruined fort, to the east. I, Patrick, and Erika trapped him is a powerful bottle of our own making. To get him out of it will take a blessed athame, and I can't remember if there is one of those down here."
2
akhro
0
"Akhronath. To the east. We sealed up his demon servants inside after we took there leader. Patrick took the key to the door of the fort. Ask him about Akhronath. If you need to get inside, he'll tell you how."
2
athame
0
"Only a blessed and enchanted dagger can break the seal of the bottle. Alas, the forces that keep him in keep us out, and thus him safe from us. The Tower of Magi would be the best place to find such a blade. But they wouldn't give it to you."
"You see, nobody believes me when I speak of this threat. The fools think Grah-Hoth is gone."
3
stnd
0
A tall, thin man with long brown hair putters around the temple smoking a large pipe. You would wonder what he was doing here, were it not for his spotless priest's robes and holy symbol.
"I am Benth, High Priest of this castle."
"I provide guidance of many sorts, such as advice for Micah. I also heal any who need it, for a modest fee. Even in a fort as mighty as the Castle, there is much to be done. Much need for spells of all kinds."
3
heal
20
3
castle
0
"Before I was sent down here, I was high priest in a castle aboveground. Then the Baron sent me down, for acting according to morals, rather than orders. So I came here and helped build this place, the mightiest structure in Exile."
"The Castle is our pride and yours. It is our reminder of what we can achieve down here."
4
stnd
0
A skinny boy, about ten years old, attacks the floor furiously with his broom.
He looks at you with wonder. "I'm Josh! Hi!"
"I sweep and clean up and stuff! But I won't always! I'll travel someday."
4
travel
0
"Up, down, and all over! I'll be an adventurer, and cast spells, and go to every tiny little corner of these caves!" His eyes get very wide. "I'll even go to the Abyss!"
4
abyss
0
"Yeah." His voice gets low. "I heard some grown-ups talking about it. It's a big cave to the west and the north, and it's where all the people get sent who get sent down here and are actually mean and nasty, rather than just different."
"They're mean and nasty people. But I could handle them!"
5
stnd
0
A huge man with heavy armor and a halberd sits at the desk going over plans. There's something about him that makes you suspect he's a danger to himself and others.
He grunts and turns. "I'm Captain Houghton, Temporary Commander of the forces of the Castle." He grunts again.
He grunts, and belches lightly. "I'm in charge here while the real commander leads raids against the sliths. And I take good care of things, as good as anyone! When we get attacked, we'll show 'em!" He waves his arm grandly, spilling wine on his maps.
5
attacked
0
"They said that someone like me should be watching the castle, cause it's so important! And they were right! I've had four months to prepare, and I bet they'll charge any day now, and I'm ready! I have a great plan!"
5
plan
0
"I'll show you!" He turns to get a piece of paper, but finds it is lost in the mess on his desk. After ten minutes of watching his search, you start to contemplate possible means of escape. Then he turns back to you.
"Well, I guess I need a new plan. Any ideas?"
6
stnd
0
A genial man with short blond hair moves quickly by.
He turns to talk to you. "I am Renee. Welcome to the Castle!"
"I'm the quartermaster. I look after the supplies, weapons, et cetera. It's quite a job, with the blockhead in charge. I'm also in charge of keeping things in storage."
6
storage
0
"Adventurers in the service of the crown are allowed to keep stuff here when they're travelling around. I'll keep a eye on it! Just put it in the empty room in the corner of the ammunition storage and training room."
"Don't try to leave stuff anywhere else, though! I won't be able to watch it, and well..."
2
patrick
0
"He lives in his own tower, to the southwest. Go see him. He knows as much as me, and probably remembers more. So would Erika, but she's harder to find."
6
block
0
"Captain Houghton. Far be it from me to badmouth a superior, but let's just say whenever he sees a hole in the ground, he has trouble realizing that's what he's looking at, if you catch my drift. Fortunately, he's just a temporary."
"The real commander is raiding the sliths. Hope he gets back to the Castle soon."
6
sliths
0
"They all live to the north. They have a series of smaller forts, but Commander Frankl, that's his name, is trying to get at their main fort. I doubt he can, though. It's on an island in the middle of a big lake. Hard to get to by boat."
2
erika
0
"Who? Oh! Erika! She was the best wizard of us all. But she thirsts too much for revenge on the people above, and went off to find a way to get it. Damned stupid, if you ask me."
6
castle
0
"I'm proud beyond words to work here. You should have seen the work that went into making this place. They didn't think we could do it, but we did! Now, people think we can do anything!"
0
threat
0
"Yes. Threat enough for us to try to hire adventurers to help us combat it. An idea much disliked by the council."
0
council
0
"My co-rulers. The mayors of the six largest cities, Silvar, Formello, Cotra, Almaria, Blosk, and Dharmon. Wise, capable people, but too untrusting of any weapon not held by a soldier. I don't hold that view. I would welcome help from the Abyss!"
0
abyss
0
"Yes. Some of the people sent into Exile are actual malcontents and criminals. When they act up, we sentence them to their own Exile: we send them to a cavern called the Abyss. There, they have their own cities and ways. And means."
"There, they butcher themselves in peace, well away from us. But I would accept their help."
3
spells
0
"I have great skill in that area, but there are those with more. If you wish to learn more, you should go to Malville, the high priest of Dharmon. He may be convinced to teach you, and he is without peer!"
26
stnd
0
25
stnd
0
You see a guard, mightier than any you've seen. His or her head is covered with a giant steel helm, and an arm like a branch twirls around a halberd like a twig.
"MMmmmmM RrrMMammm." It's hard to hear through that giant helmet.
"I arrrmmmnn thhnn carrrllllsll." The helmet keeps you from understanding a single word.
