The Greystone Chronicles Book Two: The Dire Lands Read online

  Father Ignatius nodded as he accepted the coins. “It will be as you ask.”

  “Speaking of asking, could I ask a favor?” Alexander waited for nods from both men. “Beatrix checked out our water supply earlier, and thought that the holy magic from the altar might be purifying the water, or causing it to provide a buff of some kind. Do you think you could investigate?”

  They were just passing through the kitchen. Father Alric paused at one of the sinks, and turned on the water. Holding his hand under it, he closed his eyes. Alexander heard Sasha behind him murmuring, “K-i-s-s-i-n-g”. He made a note to extract revenge later.

  “Aye, the water is indeed pure. It has the same healing properties as the land. Meaning small wounds will heal faster. Health, Stamina, and Mana will regenerate faster for a full day after drinking this. Our church would pay well for a quantity of this water,” he said.

  Another potential source of income! But it wouldn’t be right to charge the church. I’ll get Max to put some vials on the auction. Call it ‘Dire Water’. He’ll love that.

  “Father, I’ll make you a deal. If you pay the craftsmen here to make you kegs, or bottles, and pay for them to be shipped to the church, you need not pay for the water. But let’s limit that to, say, two barrels a month?” Alexander patted the priest on the shoulder.

  The three of them moved outside and took seats at a table. There was already a pot of venison stew on the table, as well as loaves of bread to help soak it up. Kai joined them as they were dishing up bowls for themselves.

  “I would like to investigate the lower level of the mine after dinner,” the dragon said.

  “We can do that. I’ll put together a group,” Alexander agreed. That was, after all, on his list.

  “No, it would be better if it were just us. What we encounter down there might best be kept secret,” Kai suggested.

  “How about just you, me, and Brick? His shaping skill could come in handy, as could his shield. And we can bring Grimble along, let him use one of those new picks to harvest some mithril upstairs while we explore.”

  “That should be safe enough,” Kai responded. “This stew is quite good,” he added.

  Alexander was about to use guild chat to call Brick, when he spotted him several tables over. Standing up, he grabbed a chunk of carrot from his stew, and threw it at his friend’s face. His aim was short, and it bounced off the dwarf’s chest. He waved when Brick looked up, and motioned for him to grab Grimble, who was also at the table. They appeared to be in the early stages of some sort of drinking game.

  When the two dwarves arrived and sat down, Alexander asked, “How’d you like to go poke around the mine a bit? Grimble, you can harvest a bit of mithril, while Kai and Brick and I explore downstairs.”

  Both dwarves’ eyes lit up, and they quickly downed the contents of their mugs. They were instantly ready to go. “Easy, boys. Have some stew. We’ll leave in a few minutes.” He laughed.

  When they’d all eaten their fill, and Alexander had confirmed that Grimble had one of the enchanted mining picks with him, he teleported the four of them directly to the room with the nest.

  Grimble immediately produced the diamond-tipped pick, and went to work on the refined mithril. Brick, Kai, and Alexander moved to the door. They quickly moved to the end of the mine tunnel to confirm it was still clear. Stopping back to the room, they called out to Grimble that they’d be heading down. The dwarf barely acknowledged them with a grunt. Alexander raised a stone wall to cover most of the door, leaving a gap at the top for air flow. Grimble was in no condition to watch his own back.

  Upon reaching the other room, Alexander removed the stone seal he’d placed over the hole in the floor. Kai hopped down onto the floor below, which was only a drop of about a dozen feet. Brick tested the rope attached to the pulley on the ceiling. Finding it secure, he grabbed hold and jumped. Alexander did the same.

  Kai had cast a spell that summoned a globe of light, which floated in the air ahead of them. Alexander really wanted to learn that spell!

  The group walked forward along the tunnel, pausing as it began to curve sharply and angle downward. Kai cocked his head to one side. “There is something moving down there,” he reported.

  As they followed the curve of the tunnel, Alexander noted that Grimble had been correct. There was indeed a wide trail of processed gold along the tunnel floor. Brick reached down and touched it, and a small section liquefied, then formed into a gold bar, which he stuck in his bag. “There be maybe… forty thousand coins worth o’ gold layin’ here,” he said, as they moved on. They’d leave the rest for the miners to gather up.

  “Closer to fifty thousand.” Kai chuckled. Never argue with a dragon about treasure.

  They continued down the tunnel, with Brick asking questions about the mine, the location of the iron ore, and the silver. He wanted to gather some to take back to the smithy. They were running low.

  Reaching the lower terminus of the tunnel, they found themselves on a ledge overlooking a natural cavern. Kai summoned two more light globes, which moved off into the cavern, growing brighter until, between them, they lit the whole room. The roughly dome-shaped area was more than a hundred yards in diameter, with a big worm-sized hole in the floor to one side. There were no other exits that Alexander could see. The floor was scattered with stalagmites and large, irregularly shaped chunks of rock that looked like they might have fallen from the ceiling.

  They made their way down to the cavern floor, and toward the hole in the floor. As they passed a group of fallen boulders, Alexander jumped back in surprise. “Oh, shit!” he exclaimed, drawing his sword out of instinct.

  One of the boulders had a face!

  Kai put a hand on Alexander’s shoulder, saying, “Sheath your weapon, Alexander. It will do you no good here. These are rock trolls.”

  “THESE?!” he asked. Looking around in panic, he saw that what he’d mistaken for boulders were actually several large trolls with skin that was made of stone.

  “Well, shit,” was Brick’s only opinion as he raised his shield and prepared his hammer.

  Kai let out a low grumbling noise that was something between a growl and a dull jackhammer sound.

  The troll closest to them began to shift its limbs, and stood upright. The monstrous thing was easily fifteen feet tall. It had massive shoulders, easily six feet wide, and arms that reached all the way to the floor. It resembled a large stone ape, except its head was rounded and smooth, with small ears and small eyes. And its skin looked exactly like the rock wall behind it. When it opened its mouth, Alexander could see that it had rows of stone for teeth. It rumbled out a reply to Kai that sounded like a small avalanche.

  Gorg

  Rock Troll Chieftain

  Level 70

  Health 24,000/24,000

  As Alexander examined the Chieftain, other trolls began to rise as the exchange continued. There were eight of them besides the one that was speaking. Alexander focused on resisting the urge to scream like a little girl and run away. Kai was right. Fighting these monsters with normal weapons would get them squished into the floor like overripe tomatoes. Each of them had at least twice the hp of a normal mob at level 70.

  After several more exchanges, the massive troll bowed its head to Kai, and sat down. The others all sat as well. The resulting tremors had Alexander looking to the ceiling for falling rock.

  “They’re hungry, but I convinced them that you’re not food.” Kai smiled at them.

  “Ye speak troll?” Brick asked, mouth open. “I dinna’ even know trolls had a language.”

  With a laugh, Kai said “I am a dragon, and several millennia old. I speak the language of every living thing on Io.”

  “You said they’re hungry?” Alexander was still focused on living thru this meeting.

  “Yes. The kobolds, or ‘small ones’ as the chief here calls them, were feeding the trolls every week. In return, the trolls agreed to not kill them. But he says the kobolds have not been here to feed
them today. They were just about to go find them.”

  “Oh, crap. We killed their lunch-ladies?” Alexander didn’t like where this was going.

  “Yes, but you’ve just agreed to take over their feeding. In exchange for their help,” the dragon said.

  “I have?” Alexander was pretty sure he hadn’t. “What do… giant rock trolls eat?”

  “They can eat most things. Even stone, for a short while, to fill an empty belly. They prefer meat. And they consider marble a delicacy. But there is no marble in this area. They have very slow digestive systems, and only need to eat once a week or so. A wolf or deer carcass each would suffice.”

  “And in return? They promise not to kill the miners?” Brick asked.

  “Yes, that. But also, they will help by pushing the mining carts. They move slowly, but have tremendous strength,” Kai answered. Alexander knew an opportunity when he saw one.

  “Please tell him he has a deal. And, if he is willing to help us, I will give them marble for dessert each week,” he said.

  “You actually already agreed to the deal. Or rather, I agreed on your behalf. But I will inform him of your offer of marble,” Kai said.

  There was another gravelly exchange. Kai asked, “How much marble? And will they need to live in the keep?”

  “They can live wherever they like!” Alexander laughed. He was reminded of the joke, ‘Where does a 600 lb. gorilla sit in a bar? Anywhere he wants!’

  “As for the marble…” Alexander reached into the floor and raised a slab of stone about the size he’d seen at the quarry in Whitehall. Three feet wide, six feet high, and three inches thick. He guessed it would weigh about 200lbs. “Tell them a slab this size for them to share. Every week if…”

  He trailed off as all the trolls immediately jumped to their feet and approached him. They formed a circle around his little trio. The leader began to speak, pointing at Alexander.

  “Uhh… did they just decided that I’m breakfast after all?” he asked Kai.

  “They are, surprised by your earth magic,” Kai said. “One moment please.”

  Another exchange, much more animated this time. The other trolls were leaning in toward him. One reached out and poked the slab of stone gently, as it afraid it might bite him. The others all made grinding noises that Alexander thought might be laughter.

  Great, I’ve just become a circus monkey for a tribe of rock trolls.

  “Uhhh… Kai? If they like marble, how do they feel about obsidian?” he asked as quietly as he could.

  “Also a delicacy.” Kai paused in his discussion with the chief long enough to answer.

  Alexander opened up guild chat. “Master Silverbeard. I am currently surrounded by nine very large, hungry rock trolls. We are going to be feeding them from now on. Please have someone put one deer and eight wolf carcasses from the cold room into a wagon, and move it to the teleport pad as quickly as you can. I’ll be coming to retrieve it shortly.”

  “Of course, Alexander. Do you need assistance?” Silverbeard asked.

  “No, Kai is speaking to them. And I’m doing magic tricks. We’re fine. Once the meat is in place, ask everyone to clear the courtyard. Trolls take up a lot of space.”

  Kai was still talking, so Alexander took the opportunity to remove a four-inch square chunk of obsidian from his bag. Reaching out, he offered it to the chief. The troll instantly stopped talking. He stuck out a hand, and delicately removed the stone morsel from Alexander’s palm. He sniffed it once, then tossed it into his mouth. The other trolls all began to grumble and shift their feet. So, Alexander produced 8 more squares, handing one to each troll. They seemed pleased. He hoped. They all sat back down, still in a circle.

  The chief said something to Kai, still rattling the obsidian cube around in its mouth. He appeared to be sucking on it like candy.

  Kai laughed. “He says to thank you for the gift. He has not had the black stone since he was a small boulder.”

  Alexander bowed his head to the chief.

  “Few trolls have magic,” Kai began to explain. “Only the most ancient of rock trolls develop earth magic strong enough to do what you just did. They are treated with great respect among the troll tribes. The chief is trying to decide if you are a venerated elder of your race.”

  “BWAHAHAHA!” Brick was holding his stomach. “Ye… ye gived ‘em candy, and now yer their grandpa!” He fell over and rolled on the ground.

  The trolls seemed greatly amused by this. The one that had touched the stone slab actually rolled over backward in a crude imitation of the dwarf, which only made him laugh harder. Alexander sincerely hoped somebody at Olympus was recording this.

  After another short exchange, the chief rose to his feet and began to head up the tunnel. The others rose and followed.

  “They are each going to push a cart up to the mine entrance. We’ll meet them there with the meat wagon,” Kai explained. “And, you have deal on the marble. One slab that size per week, and a weekly feeding, and they will help you defend the mine or the keep.”

  “Great,” Alexander said. “I can get the marble from Whitehall. Did they tell you anything about the worm?”

  “They have not seen it in several months. It went down that hole in the floor. I do not sense it within my range, but the chief has promised to alert us if it returns. They choose to remain here in the cavern, for now,” Kai replied. “It will take them some time to push the carts up to the mine entrance. I will retrieve the wagon, if you will go and get Grimble and meet me at the entrance.”

  When Alexander agreed, Kai disappeared.

  Helping his still laughing friend to his feet, he said, “Come on, Troll Whisperer,” and teleported them back to the room where Grimble was working.

  “Yer back,” Grimble observed. He was sitting on the edge of the nest. “I cut loose ten pounds o’ refined mithril. Any more’n we’d crash the market,” the dwarf said. “What’d ye find down below?”

  “Well, you were right about the gold vein. The worm processed about 50,000 coins’ worth for us. It seems to be gone, for now,” Alexander began. Grimble was smiling greedily. “Oh, and we found a tribe of hungry rock trolls in the cavern.”

  “WHAT? Where be Kai? Ye didn’t let him get killed, did ye?” Grimble started to panic.

  “Kai’s fine. We’re meeting him at the entrance. Step closer and I’ll teleport us,” Alexander said. He then teleported them to an area about fifty yards outside the entrance, just to be sure they didn’t land on the meat wagon, or any trolls. Kai was already at the entrance, and they walked back to meet him. As they walked, Brick filled Grimble in on the arrangement.

  “BWAHAHA! I’ll be the only dwarf on Io what has a rockworm and trolls workin his mine!” Grimble bellowed.

  “I’m glad you’re happy, because you’re going to be in charge of feeding them every week. And making sure they get their marble. We’ll pick up a wagonload from Whitehall tomorrow.” Alexander thumped the old dwarf on the shoulder.

  As they approached the wagon, the first of the trolls was emerging from the main tunnel. He was pushing a cart filled with iron ore. He stopped when the cart reached the end of the track, and stepped to the side, looking hungrily at the wagon.

  One by one the trolls appeared with a cart each. The chief came last, pushing a cart full of silver ore. He stopped the cart at the back of the line, and moved over to stand by Kai.

  The dragon handed him the deer carcass. The thing was nearly eight feet long, and had to weigh five hundred pounds. The chief smiled, and bowed his head. One by one, the trolls stepped forward to receive their wolves. They seemed to appreciate that they’d all been skinned. By the looks on their craggy faces, Alexander guessed that this was much more food than they’d been receiving from the kobolds.

  Once the wagon was empty, the chief set down his dinner, and lifted the cart full of silver he’d pushed up. Moving to the wagon, he tilted the cart and carefully poured the ore into the wagon bed. Each of the trolls followed his example. A
lexander began to worry the wagon wouldn’t hold. At least they weren’t going to pull it back to the keep. He was sure the axles would snap.

  Waving goodbye, the chief and his trolls retreated back into the mine.

  Kai waved a hand, and the four of them, along with the groaning ore wagon, were teleported back to keep. Grimble immediately began calling for miners to come with carts to lighten the load, so that the wagon could be safely rolled to the smithy. Alexander gave him a parting instruction, “Make sure you record all this, and let Master Silverbeard know. You can safely go back to the mine tomorrow. Just travel in a group. And have weapons ready, just in case.”

  He thought for a moment. How would Grimble call for backup if they were attacked?