“What’s your name then short-arse?” asked Trogdar as he slowly descended the dusty stairs.
“It will be a long time before I give you my name, Manling,” retorted the Dwarf.
“Short-arse it is then,” stated Trogdar. Short-arse shrugged and barged onward.
“He’s a bit miserable in’ he, Jadryn?”
“It’s Jandyr,” replied Jandyr, searching the walls of the small tunnel for any nuggets of Gold.
“Pardon?”
“It’s Jandyr, not Jadryn.”
“Are you sure?” asked Trogdar.
“Well, it is the name I’ve carried for more than a hundred years, so pretty certain, yes,” replied Jandyr calmly.
“Sure I read Jadryn,” said Trogdar disconsolately.
“Have you heard of a condition call dyslex…”
“What’s your name then Wizard!?” cried Trogdar up the stairs.
“I shall move forward and prepare to cast a spell. I shall move forward and prepare to cast a spell. I shall move forward…” the Wizard muttered to himself as he passed. Trogdar shared a look with Jandyr before they carried on.
Beyond a small archway, the tunnels diverged left and right. Trogdar held up his lantern one way and then the other, noting a large wooden door blocking the way at either end.
“Err… any ideas?” he asked the group.
“We shall follow your lead,” replied Short-arse, beginning to become a little annoyed by the Elf’s searching of their chainmail.
“I shall move forward and prepare to cast a spell.”
“Right. Right! We’ll go right,” decided Trogdar, cautiously reaching down to draw his sword.
“Put that away!” exclaimed Short-arse, the anger not quite clearly visible in their face due to the large beard, but the tone showing the Dwarf’s true feelings.
Suddenly, there was a cry from the Wizard, “the Winds of Magic have deserted me!”
A cold gust of wind momentarily blew out the lantern carried by Trogdar, before it relit showing the leering faces of 5 Orc archers who had appeared out of the shadows ahead.
“Stand back lads, this one’s a job for Trogdar!”
“Watch where you’re swinging that thing!” Short-arse angrily exclaimed as the Barbarian swung his sword wildly, but without success at the first Orc archer. A whistling shriek cut the air beside Trogdar as Jandyr plucked the eye from the very Orc Trogdar was trying to hit.
“Hey, no fair!” shouted Trogdar, “that one was mine!”
“MONSTERS! KILL THEM ALL! KILL THEM ALL! KILL THEM ALL!” screamed the Wizard as he ran past the Barbarian, his arms flailing wildly. “FREEZE!!!”
3 of the Orc archers felt for their chests as their hearts were frozen from the inside, killing them instantly.
“Hey, leave some for me guys!” whined Trogdar as Short-arse strode forward and neatly cleaved the head from the last archer.
“AAAARGH!!!” shouted Trogdar, “I NEED SOME RELEASE!!!” as he ran off in haste towards the door.
“What’s he doing?” asked Short-arse to Jandyr whilst calmly reaching down for the decapitated Orc head – a fine trophy which should fetch some money back in Karak Azgal.
“Maybe it’s a secret knock?” replied Jandyr, obviously puzzled and rifling through the pockets of the Orc dead.
“I’ve never seen someone knock like that before,” replied Short-arse.
The 3 warriors walked up to Trogdar who had stopped knocking at the door and was now shaking with sweat.
“Alright Trogdar?” asked Short-arse in a friendly tone.
“Yep, yep, fine. Absolutely fine” replied Trogdar, the relief in his face clearly visible. “Let’s have a look through this door then.”
Trogdar opened the door and peered through, holding the lantern outstretched in front of him. Behind the door were 12 goblins, evenly split between being armed with spears and bows. All with weapons tensed, waiting to see whatever had been knocking on the door.
“Ah…” said Trogdar.