Tunnel Rat

Chapter 70: Like rats fleeing a sinking ship

Below the city adventurers, miners, and engineers attacked a creature from the lower depths.

In the city itself, people were packing and leaving. As news of the monster broke, the odds makers gave the defenders chances of one in seven. That dropped to one in thirteen after it was confirmed and identified. Those who had a chance at leaving packed their valuables and headed for the docks, trying to pay for a berth on a ship.

The hanging mansions above the city were quickly emptied as airships departed taking nobles and merchants along with all the portable wealth they could carry.

Several ship captains had filled their holds to the brim with people leaving and set sail. They were going to sail just far enough down the coast that they could drop their human cargo off and return for more. Others increased their prices far beyond normal and slowly filled up their holds with goods from wealthy merchants, and their cabins with those who could pay a steep fee to travel in comfort with their treasures.

Only a fraction of the citizens could leave this way. There simply weren't enough ships in port. Small fishing vessels moved back and forth all day, moving people out of the city and landing them on the coastline a few miles down the coast. They quickly headed inland from the beach. The chance of a tidal wave following the earth tremor was high.

The fishing community was looking after their own. No family would be left behind, regardless of the ability to pay. For many, their ships were their most valuable item. They loaded their nets, clothing, a few valuables, and their cooking gear and said goodbye to the small houses many lived in. They knew that one way or another anything left would be gone when they returned.

A few canny families who practiced the trade of smuggling waited until the rest had gone. They searched through houses and abandoned merchants, 'salvaging' what they could and hiding everything in hidden areas. If the city survived, they'd be back for their profits.

=*=

In what had once been an opulent merchant’s house at Light's End, Squint paced back and forth. Undecided as he usually was. He knew he had a great destiny; he'd been told so. He just wasn't sure what it was. His cats were being useless, as usual. Some big monster wasn't part of their plan. They had no orders about it other than making sure Squint didn't get smushed by it.

"Useless cats. As usual, I'll be using my clever mind to figure things out. Let's start with the basics. You guys chime in if you have any ideas."

"My city is going crazy. I've lost a half-dozen men lately and none of the other gangs are responsible. Quite a few citizens missing as well."

One of the cats made a purring noise. Squint nodded. "Right, and a lot of the missing citizens were children, good eye for detail."

"My airship thief is downstairs fighting a world-boss and hasn't stolen a ship yet. My airship pilot went out for a glass of wine and didn't come back. Same with my 'security expert' that was going to get us passed the guardians and into the crypts. Our whole plan is going to hell."

The other cat gave a bored 'yowl' and trotted over to the banquet table filled with fish, grabbing a large salmon and started tearing into it.

Squint pondered their advice for a bit. "Your right, that really puts things in perspective. Strange times call for strange plans." The odd little man walked over to a large gong, picked up the striker and hit it hard enough that the gong dented. Members of the Kulag gang came running and formed into a large mob. They never knew what the gong ringing might bring. But you didn't keep Squint waiting. Squint had been odd when he was just a member of the gang. After he came back from somewhere with the cats, he was impossible to predict.

"Wow, that was quick! Thanks for coming guys! KULAG!" Everyone was quick to stick their arm in the air, or bump fists, and yell as well.

"New plans. Take everyone and head to the light side. You see anyone in a gang, you tell them to behave. No looting, and if they don't want a visit later, they should help out. The town is in chaos, it's time to step up and be heroes! Stop looters, permanently if you like. Help people get to the ships. Help the fishing families if you can, and any priest you see."

"Today we are helpful. We are heroes. We are Kulags! People will remember. Or maybe we all die. Who knows? But I’m betting on me! Say, what's the current odds on the battle?"

"Twenty-six to one against them winning now boss. A lot of people got smushed dead pretty quick and the beast is still unwounded." Many of the gang were figuring on betting the long odds. They had doubts of getting out and might as well take a chance of being well off if they lived.

"Awesome! Here's what you do. Two or three of you go spread the word that the thing looks unstoppable. Get the odds up some more. I like thirty-seven to one. Benny? Take the spare gold, all of it. Use half to bet on us winning. No one is going to turn down bags of gold. Look sad and tell them Squint gave you orders to do it. They'll happily take crazy Squint's money. But, and this is important, when the bookies decide to close up and leave, I want a lot of our people with them. Don't take chances they run off with our money after we win."

"Use the other half to buy off a ship captain. Old Quagstone will wait and not take fares until the end. Make him an offer he really can't refuse. If he refuses, decide who gets to wear the hat and be captain. Any Kulag with a family, you get them on a boat. We take care of our own."

"Now get the hell out of here and get moving." Squint wandered over to his chair where a bow and quiver hung from the back. There was also a bandolier with throwing knives. He equipped them all, then bent down to pet his cats.

Four kulags, normally his body guards, had stuck around. "What do you need us to do boss?"

Squint stood up. "Hey, been fun guys. I liked you four best so I made you bodyguards, but truthfully, I don't need you. Head out, get your families loaded up, and beat up some looters. Me and the cats are going downstairs to play for a bit."

The guards didn't have to be told twice. Squint and two very large cats left the building. They passed a very lonely Jethro, still sitting at the family cheese stall. They moved to the guildhall, sliding past adventurers too timid to join the raid, but not wanting to leave the city. No one noticing the three shadows that moved past them, unnoticed by all.

=*=

High above the city, a large and ornate airship was moored next to the hanging building that belonged to the Garnet Rose Trading company. The merchants had reached out to the wizard Philistron. The capabilities of his airship and his greed made him a perfect person to work with them. They offered him 50% of their wealth in exchange for transportation of their goods, and a few of their retainers. It hurt to offer so much, but keeping 50% was better than losing everything.

Philistron watched as his workers lifted bale after heavy bale of rare silks and spices, moving them to the airship and down into its holds. The workers were small, grey humanoids about two foot tall capable of lifting nearly anything. Their eyes were blank, and other than a heavy steel collar around their necks, they were naked. Back and forth they went, emptying the building of decades of accumulated wealth.

The merchants were sitting nearby, watching. They were drinking some very good wine, that just wasn't quite valuable enough for the trip. They hated to waste it, and the wine calmed their nerves. Philistron had brought out a lovely charcutier board with preserved fruit and rare cheeses. A gift, he said, from a local halfling family who held him in high esteem.

Merchant Akim nodded to the others and then spoke. "The ship is almost loaded. I'd like to be on our way soon. No sense taking chances."

Philistron didn't answer at first, taking some time to feed his pet dragonling and tickle its belly. Finally, when Krysofolax was full, he moved the dragonling to his shoulder and answered the impatient merchant. "Yes, I agree, no sense taking chances. Not when things are going so well. Did you all enjoy the cheese?"

Akim checked his anger at being spoken to this way. "Who has time to eat cheese? I asked you a question, as your employer I expect better answers."

Philistron scowled in anger. "And I'm upset you didn't eat the cheese! The mold on the aged gouda is particularly difficult to work with. But I'm glad to see the others enjoyed a slice."

Akim turned to stare at his partners. Sadly, it seemed he was now sole owner of the trading house. The others were dead, eyes rolled up in their heads, fingers still clutching bits of the deadly cheese. He fingered the dagger in his sleeve, but thought better of it. He shrugged eloquently. "This works out best for both of us. I'd rather have a quarter part of the whole than one part in five of a half. I suggest I keep 25% and you increase your share to 75% and we depart at once." He smiled hopefully.

"I'm almost tempted by the offer, the way you caught up to the reality of the situation was very impressive. But where Krysofolax and I fly, we fly alone." Fire burst from his eyes, killing the merchant as he reached for his knife, and then his gaze set fire to the rest of the building. "And anyone knows that the whole part of the whole part is the best part."

"Time to go, Krysofolax. We'll hide our ship in the sky above, and then fly back down on our own and see if we can't catch one last rat by the tail. It would irk me to not find out his secrets."

=*=

Brother Ignacious prepared to leave. All the local families were gone on one fishing boat or another. He had stayed to pack up the altar clothes and holy candles of his church into his one small satchel of holding. It could only contain items of the church, but it had a nice capacity that made moving much easier. As he turned to leave, he was met at the door by several local women.

"I'm sorry ladies, but you should be on your way."

"I'd say the same about you." said Alessandra, the washer woman.

Ignacious drew himself up to his full height and stared up at her. "My calling takes me below. Saint Joan of the Fire did not hesitate to confront evil, and I will not pass up this chance to do the same."

Malta stepped up next to Alessandra, flanked by her daughter Elena. "Yes, we suspected as much. We are going with you. We have a full choir of twelve, and women of strong will and each with some power to lend you."

From the back, someone yelled. "And we have wine!"

Ignacious knew better than to argue. He'd just lose. And who was he to walk into danger, but deny others the same. "Then let's be off. A foul beast threatens our homes and we will bring the fires of Saint Joan to bind and slay it."

=*=

"Kulags are coming, Captain. Lots of them, with a lot of people following."

Captain Pike stared in the direction his mate pointed. His eyes, like most ogres, weren't good at picking things out in the long distance. Picking up the massive harpoon that had given him his name, he started down the plank to the dock. "Let's go see what they have to say."

Negotiations were finished quickly. The deal was simple. Squint offered a sizable amount of gold for the use of his ship to move his men and their families down the coast. The gold was more than enough. Especially since most of his crew were staying to guard the city. A fact that confused the captain, as most of Squints plans did.

"Sure. Load them up. I take it your boss is playing with his cats while the city goes to hell?"

Several Kulags eyed each other, then one of the braver spoke up. "Actually, Captain, he took his weapons and cats and said he was off to fight the beast."

Pike rolled this around in his head. Squint must smell something. Loot? Not likely, he was already rich. And feared. Also, crazy enough to not be worrying about a little dying. It bothered Pike to admit someone was crazier than he was. He was getting old, and not taking as many chances. He hadn't been eel hunting in ages.

He turned to his first mate, Samken. The man had been with him twenty years and had the greying hair and peg-leg to show for it. "Listen up you scurvy lot! It's been a lovely time sailing with you all, but I'm calling it quits." He tossed his ornate hat to Samken. "Sammy here is Captain now. Sail with him if you so like." He turned to leave.

Samken put on the hat, and the men cheered. "And what course are you taking, Captain Pike?"

The ogre turned back to answer his former first-mate, (nearly killing a man with the huge weapon sticking out over his shoulder). "I'm thinking of going crab hunting. I'll tell you all about it someday."

The crew started loading people onto the ship. They would set sail within the quarter hour. Captain Samken sketched a small salute to Pike and the sailors who were following him into the city.

=*=

Belinda watched as another group charged the monster, the designated tank getting its attention with insults and taunts. As the monster struck, the group's wizard cast a ward between the striking claw and the warrior’s shield. The spell shattered, but the strike lost a good amount of it's damage. The warrior angled his shield and dodged. The blow that should have killed instead dropped his health by 50% and sent him tumbling. The other group members cast spells, or chipped away at the stone of the beast's hide before backing off and letting the next group get the creature's attention

The first few groups to engage hadn't fared so well. Too many people were eager to kill a boss and get the loot. They ignored the plans that had been hurriedly discussed. Tactics that might have worked on Named or Elite bosses were suicide against Uthneragrubban. After a half dozen deaths in the first minute, Belinda had regained control of the raid and they began the long slow process of wearing the boss down, chipping away at the armor and lowering its health.

Which wasn't going well, despite the sheer number of attackers. Miners and Rangers were engaging the beast's flanks and rear. Uthneragrubban was easy to hit. It was like striking a rock wall, too big to miss. But her armor was hard, and other than the miners armed with Deep Steel picks, the attackers did only a few points of damage.

Uthneragrubban continued to feed, and still created her children, but they died as soon as they formed. These the army of players and NPCs could deal with easily.

The great danger was her tremors. The closer you were to her when she planted all twelve legs and shook the ground, the more damage you took. Three rogues and assassins that had leaped to her back found out as Milo had, that the ceiling was quite hard. While Milo had bounced, the players became bloody smears. Hardened bones and Pudding Based Regeneration made a huge difference in the chance of surviving.

Milo wasn't feeling lucky, he ached everywhere and wasn't happy with his performance. He's almost killed Shifty and had forced the poor dwarf to join the engineers to save his life. Better than dead, but it still bothered him. He put such thoughts aside and went to help Throttlecog and Two-Screws. The Engineers had held back, choosing to study the beast and prepare a weapon of their own.

Throttlecog echoed Milo's thoughts. "Chipping away at the critter isn't going to do it. Too much regeneration. We need to break into that crystalline core. I'm just hoping this is enough to do it."

Two-Screws shook his head sadly. "Can you believe these people live their whole lives not knowing the sound of cataclysmite exploding? How the hell did they forget how to make it. I begged or bought all the black powder, blasting sticks, and firecrackers I could find. Altogether it's going to make one hell of a boom. The next question is, where do we want to place it?"

Milo looked at Uthneragrubban, surrounded by the army of much smaller creatures. "She was well armored up top. What about her belly? Less armor there in normal creatures."

Two-Screws turned to Throttlecog and grew serious. "Acting Guild Leader Milo thinks the belly is the best place to put it. I say we agree with him and let him place it there."

Throttlecog, equally serious, replied. "And I agree with you agreeing with Acting Guild Leader Milo. He should get to run up to the critter and put his bomb where ever he likes."

Milo scowled at the two dwarves. "When did this become my bomb?"

"A present." Said Two-Screws, grinning.

"Because we love you so much." Said Throttlecog, also grinning. "You know these old legs don't move so fast. This is a job for young, heroic, and best of all, foolish Engineer.

Before Milo could begin his mission to plant the make-shift explosive, the ground began to rumble around them. Small rocks bounce in the air, and a strong vibration could be heard. This was soon replaced by the grinding of rocks and the roar of powerful engines.

The tip of a massive, metallic drill head broke through the floor of the cavern. It leveled out and from the tunnel crawled a huge machine, moving along mechanical tracks. Fully 100 feet long, it took a full minute to slowly emerge. As it finally came to a halt, a hatch in the top opened and an armored figure climbed out of it.

unengaged fighters stared in awe at the huge machine, and the strange figure clad in full magic-tech tactical Engineer armor. He held a large grenade in each hand and fireworks erupted from his backpack, lighting up the cavern.

"BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!! Time to party!"