Day 36

It seemed like another normal day, at first. Until a loose skeleton giant banged on the sealed off river entrance.

It didn't get through, the barrier was solid stone. So instead it headed back toward the forest room, the only exit not sealed off.

However it had gotten free, the end result was still that it couldn't enter.

So we have a marauding undead monster out there, as well as whatever let it out. From the echoing crashes, the two groups are not playing nice with each other.

I am surprised when the giant reappears at the front entrance to town, with a bloodied weapon. The massive cleaver-like sword must have been used very liberally.

Did they herd it here? Trying to send back an unwanted gift? Or was it that the monster was smart enough to follow the right tunnels, back to us?

I wonder... was this place once the giant's home? Or was this town unrelated to the graveyard?

No matter, he isn't getting in. It hammers on the bars, but I've heavily reinforced them.

The Elder rat is quite terrified by the monster, even if it is locked out. I don't think undead are common around here. He's hiding and glaring at me at the same time. Sure, I inadvertently brought it here... I also made sure it can't reach us.

Well, leave it there. It is after all, just guarding the entrance. I exit out the rear entrance and enter the swamp room via the bridge/secret exit. I want to blind-side the enemy, sneak up on them; all to find out their plans.

I keep the battle-fork, a stun-dagger and the bracer handy as I enter this unfamiliar area. I leave the golem behind, under Mother's care as I'm sure Niala will only do something silly with free control. I am so glad someone-else has veto control besides my bleeding-heart, trouble-maker sister. I love her to bits, but she is a headache at times.

The smell of fetid water and the feel of deep mud between my toe-pads aren't pleasant. It isn't quite as bad as it could be; I'm glad I haven't entered a quagmire. I don't relish the idea of drowning in mud.

There are scattered trees here, but unlike the forest it'll be hard if I try to make a ship here. A raft, perhaps. I'll have to roam quite far for materials and since most of the creatures around here reside in the deep water marshes and bogs I'll be walking into a lot of different attacks.

There are large rocks scattered about too, possibly hiding predators.

This place is easily the least pleasant place I've visited, the Mausoleum at least had dry ground and solid floors.

I wonder about what the greater monsters here are, all I know is that they lurk in the deep water.

Well, I'm not here to sight-see.

I head toward where the well-used rat tunnel enters, knowing it by scent and footprints.

As I pass one particularly large rock I see movement and turn just in time to spot my old nemesis, the amphibian monster, circling around the outcrop to meet me. It looks quite rough, with only a single eye and some nasty scars from our last encounter.

Oh, he's limping and a bit thinner too. Aw, did poor little monster get sick from my dirty knife? Come on over here, I'll fix that problem right up for you. I'll put a stop to that pain.

…

Maybe I should think this through a bit more... oh, what the hell. Life's too short. Come on, you ugly bastard, let's see you bleed!

The roaring, rasping cry of the beast displays just how much he hates me.

Sure he he weighs a few tons and has the approximate strength of a bulldozer...

Sure he has a mouth that would make a barracuda jealous.

He's so slow, so clumsy and currently so ill he isn't a major threat. The Elder rat is worse in some ways.

He can't even focus his eyes on me properly.

Compared to the shrew-monster or the spider he's pathetic.

The golem or the undead giant would finish him in one blow.

I'm about to strike out when the roar changes into an equally loud cry of agony.

I notice the rock beside me shudder.

Oh crap!

I back off several dozen yards as I watch a massive head shear through the torso of the amphibian.

That whole thing was a monster?!

It must be even bigger than the giant!

It's a living hill.

I see the creature turn around, tiny, angry eyes piercing me.

That set of jaws... yikes.

It's a snapping turtle. Almost. It seems off somehow... ah. I see, it has a shell made of real, mossy rock. Interesting. It really is a monster.

It has one massive beak, with a thick, cutting edge.

It blends into the environment and ambushes prey. So that is what Mother meant.

It doesn't do anything but complete the meal. I guess I'm just not big enough to be more than a morsel.

I can probably outrun the beast anyway.

Even so, I'm sprinting away. Discretion being the better part of valor and all that jazz.

I don't fancy a hill chasing after me as well. I have one too many stalkers as is.

I follow the muddy paths to the main entrance, bypassing all the big rocks by a large margin. As I do I come face to face with the enemy.

A scout.

He really is smaller than me. I'm head and shoulders over him.

His face and body shape is obscured somewhat by armor. He has a helmet on.

He's armed and covered in hard leather armor and plate bronze. He has a small bow and a spear. The bow is raised. Ranged weapons are annoying, especially with the thick mud underfoot. I won't be able to close fast enough to force him to switch weapons to avoid getting a fork in the gut.

Lets try reason first. I'm probably the first rat he's encountered in the tunnels. Certainly the first he's met armed.

“Can you understand me?” [Rick]

“Ghalem ba mora?” [Stranger]

I see his eyes, they're red. Night-vision adaptation? How long has this maze existed?! Is it even shaping the evolution of the people living in it?!

I shrug. I toss over a small bag of gold dust, the emergency supply.

I try to ask in gestures 'Is that why you are here?'

He almost drops the bag, like it stung him. He looks at the gold closely and seems surprised.

He looks up with questions burning he can't ask with words.

He tries to explain he isn't here about the gold.

Ah, it is like that.

It is a military thing.

They feel threatened.

I imitate the golem and ask again if this what they want.

He nods.

Knew it. I ask if they're here to kill the golem.

He sort of shrugs.

Huh. I'll have to think that through. In the mean time I decide to leave.

The man looks at me leaving and calls out, I think he's asking if I want the gold back. Nice guy.

I wave him off, gesturing for him to keep it.

The information was worth it.

As I take a few more steps I hear the creak of the bow being stretched taut. Shit!

I stop dead still.

He yells something at me. I don't move.

Is he going to kill me? Probably. Or capture me.

Yeah, that seems likely. I'm a good source of information after all, a weird, armed rat among primitives.

He yells again, forcefully. I hear the strain of the bow.

Damn, he's really going to kill me!

My ears twitch as I focus on the sound of the bow.

If I turn around I'm probably dead.

I hear the bow twang faintly and the swish of the arrow.

I throw myself into a spin, dropping to avoid the arrow.

As I do I engage the mechanism in my bracer. Yes, I modified the piece of armor. I installed a simple one-shot dart launcher into it. Naturally it isn't an ordinary dart. I dipped it in spider venom. I tested the venom on a fish in the river, I think it has paralytic components. Faster acting than the shrew venom, but less deadly. Spiders like to keep prey stored alive for later use.

The dart hit the man in the right arm-pit. Nice! Between the leather plates.

His arrow whistled over-head. Hah!

Missed me!

He abruptly collapses, clawing at the dart.

Gotcha! You're mine!

I stalk forward, pondering whether I should finish the job or take him home for interrogation.

As I look for the arrow I notice it isn't in the ground, it hit something near me... a large banded snake. Hmm. Looks venomous.

Damn. He was trying to help me?! Aren't we enemies?

Could it be? They're here to absorb or recruit us into their military? They want the golem, of course. Enough to ignore who made it. They could also be under the impression we found or looted it.

Double damn. If he dies I'll provoke a response. The giant skeleton is subtle enough to be overlooked as a trap, the death of one of their scouts by my hand however could be bad news indeed.

Well, no way around it. I can't talk to 'em, so if I walk into their camp and deposit a half-dead soldier I'll be captured and probably tortured or killed. I'll take him home. The venom is nothing a few hugs can't cure.

He is quite heavy in all of his gear.

I remove the dart and reload the bracer. It has an ammo container and venom bottle built in. Enough for five shots, if I have the time to reload. I also have to reset the mechanism. I might need it out here, since I can't use a bow at all and my battle-fork is currently being used as a cane to hold some of the weight so I don't sink in the mud.

Finally I reach the bridge and return back home via the river. Or I would if the Elder rat wasn't there at the entrance grinning with his hand on the mechanism I used to raise the bridge... bastard.

“Die, abomination.” [Elder rat cries as he hits the switch]

What we learned this chapter:

Enemies aren't always the ones who seek you out.

Treachery is always the worst threat.

Hugs are the cure for most of the world's ills!