Ancient Ruins of Dholtirm Part 4

Sam tossed and turned, unable to sleep well. He knew why. It was definitely the dilapidated bed and ratty mattress. Not the strange howling he hears in the distance or the occasional scratching and pounding at the barracks door. None of that was a factor, surely. He was the slayer of Undead and Troglodytes, after all!

He now understood why the strong barracks door was undamaged. It wasn't that the barracks was ambushed, but the guards eventually went mad, charging out of the barracks in nothing but their long johns to try to silence the source of the noise. The fateful visitor must have been the victor.

Rest eventually comes to Sam, as he falls asleep to the sounds of the restless dark night.

His hair is brushed to the side softly by a wind with no source.

[8 Hours Later:]

Sam wakes up groggily, sitting up in his bed as he bumps his head on the lower bunk bed. Cursing, he rubs his head fiercely as he rolls out of bed. He once more equips his clothing and armor. Looking at the door, he nodded seeing that it was still closed properly. He equipped his Axe, opening the door's viewing port.

Seeing nothing, he went to the workshop once more with one of the shields off the weapon rack. He set the shield into his inventory to see if it could be broken down for its materials. It indeed can be broken down.

-★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★-

{Old Dwarven Shield(Breakdown?)

{Get: Bordure(White), Umbo(White)}

-★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★-

He smiled, taking some materials from the back according to the recipe. He threw the bordure, umbo, some poplar planks, train oil, hide glue, and linen into the Crafting Whirlpool.

{Insufficient Materials.}

Sam frowned, looking at the crafting recipe again. He realized that he didn't toss in any leather into the whirlpool. Turning around, he looked through the crates only to find most of the leather was not the type he needed or was too brittle. He reached the corner, and finally found a box of rawhide.

He tossed it into the whirlpool and ordered the item crafted. A minute later, the whirlpool started having green sparks fly out of it. Surprised, he took the shield out and examined it.

{Aspirant Trait triggered. Item upgraded to Green tier.}

{Scrappy Buckler(Green | Additional damage done when striking with the shield.}

Sam tried the buckler on his left hand, feeling it was quite comfortable. Minus the pain from holding a shield in the arm with a healing laceration. He put the shield in his inventory, knowing he can't use it properly yet. Looking around, he decided it was time to keep exploring. He stuffed some planks into his inventory and broke a few down, as well as grabbing a pot of oil to help start a fire later. He also grabbed four more torches from storage.

Something he didn't see when going through the place was a fireplace nor a cooking pot. He wasn't going to use it even if he found it anyway, as he didn't know how the Dwarves lived. For all he knew, he'd be using a chamber pot to cook his food. Dwarves often were depicted as living in a rather disgusting or boorish manner. Who knew whether these Dwarves made the distinction not to literally eat where they shit?

He assumed they just cooked the rations somewhere else and delivered it to the barracks. He went through the list of items he had, considering what he needed. He went and collected an oil lamp, rock oil and a striker. As he closed his inventory, he noticed something on the floor. Picking it up, he was surprised to find that it was the Dholtirm Gatehouse key.

He pocketed it, and headed out of the barracks.

He looked at where the Undead Dwarf he had slain was before, only to find that it was gone. Remembering the scratching and pounding at the door, he decided to reinforce the it if he returned tonight.

He walked past the second portcullis, looking at the sprawling walls and the high cavern ceiling. He is on the pillared bridge, looking down to see where the walls end and the floor begins. He takes out a copper coin, flicking it into the abyss below. He counts for 10 seconds before the coin disappears. He never hears it hit anything.

He continues walking, seeing a smaller arrow tower with an entrance that would fit at most a large cart with two horses. For a moment, he considered exploring the walls or towers, but he was sure they had some sort of creature or undead in them after spending the night in the barracks. He can take one, two or perhaps three enemies if he take some injuries now, but if he encounters more he has to run. He can't exactly dodge or run away from them in an enclosed space on the walls, as big as they are.

He passes the small gatehouse, looking upon a large main road. He sees that there are fewer stalactites and stalagmites, and that this section is built upon solid ground unlike the prior one. Neat. As he walked upon the road, he saw all sorts of shops, businesses and hotels. At least he assumed so since he couldn't read what the signs meant. He also spotted a business with a mottled wood sign with a dancing dwarf girl with her chest out painted onto it.

'Booze, women, rock and stone brothers! That's what it's all about!' Sam mocked. He'd be caught dead before he had a muscle bound midget with more facial hair than he has on his head pleasing him.

It seems the denizens of this town sensed his thoughts, as he saw the door to the Dwarf brothel burst open and dozens of Undead in ragged skimpy uniforms charging at him.

Sam prepared himself, staring down the dozens of undead Dwarves. He lifted his Axe, giving it a few swings, as he pumped himself up.

Then he turned around and ran down a side street.