Seeking An Emerald
A gnome merchant named Grvl is hiring adventurers to seek out gems of great value and power.
Two adventurers, Xavier (thief) and Crush (fighter) took on a seemingly
simple task to explore a cave in the hills about 5 miles to the west of
the town of Rashan. If they found any gems and especially the gem
specified, they would be paid 1000 gold pieces each. Grvl only wants
the gems so they can keep anything else they happen to find.
Both
Crush and Xavier plod their way to the hills without much of interest
happening and they realize that there are several cave openings to
choose from. Upon exploring several of them, they notice that one of
the cave openings has a curious marking above it resembling a star,
roughly cut into the rock just above the opening.
They decide
that if any gems of great value were to be found, this would indicate
someone had marked this cave for some purpose and was likely the spot to
look.
After each lights a torch, they enter the spacious cave
opening side by side and walk about 60 feet until the left wall of the
cave falls back to create an chamber that appears to be at least about
100 feet in diameter. The path along the right wall continues forward
for an indeterminable length.
They agree to split up and Xavier
the thief will explore the chamber while Crush the fighter continues
exploring down the tunnel.
As Xavier begins to explore the
chamber, he hears a clickity-clacking sound and spies a pile of rubbish
near the far wall. He creeps forward toward the pile and is suddenly
surprised by a giant scorpion that emerges from behind the pile, rushing
out at him.
Paralyzed with fear, Xavier is ruthlessly attacked
by the scorpion, taking great damage from the huge pincers and is at
last stung by it's fearsome tail with stinger. He dies instantly from
the poison.
Hearing the noise of combat from behind him, Crush
turns around and rushes back into the chamber to see the largest
scorpion he has ever seen standing over the un-moving body of his
partner Xavier.
Pulling his large war hammer from his belt, he
rushes at the scorpion, determined to do serious damage and hobble the
creature before it can cause him much harm.
The behemoth scorpion
moves slightly at the last second and the mighty swing of the war
hammer glances off the harder exo-skeleton with barely a scratch.
Nearly
simultaneously, the giant stabs it's tail with sharp stinger at Crush
and impales it into him, injecting it's venomous fluid into him, killing
him instantly.
In the faint glow of fallen torches, we see the
massive scorpion grab the thief's limp body and slowly drag it behind
the pile it emerged from. The next day, it claims the body of the
fighter Crush and devours him as well.
Next episode, "The Rescue party".
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