The group celebrated their impending commercial success late into the night, and Ronnella outlined for Hilde how she planned on running the trade operation. The baroness was going to set up a full-blown mercantile in the former dwarven outpost in the underdark. Stockpiles would be kept there, and sold to the drow. The profits from … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 32

It didn’t take long for word to spread about the new route from Romilmark to the Underdark, and before long, the negotiations had been concluded between the Hossler family and the House of Vaanmer Kaht. The entire realm seemed to be talking about this discovery, and while it would mean a drop in business for … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 31

On her way home, Hilde swung by the Wretched Elf and picked up a cask of ale and several bottles of vodka. She walked into the house, he arms full of alcohol, and found that Belynda and Trangdor had not even noticed she had left. They were so engrossed in the maps and trying to … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 30

Trangdor was thrilled to have his friend back safely, and Belynda was overjoyed to have somebody to talk to again. The energetic xvart had held her tongue the entire way from Dregladorf, because Hilde hadn’t seemed to want to talk about anything at all. But now that they were once more within the confines of … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 29

As it turned out, the widow Hossler didn’t care about the other two mine shafts, at least not urgently. She promised to have the gold in the morning for services rendered, and she would be dispatching the gnomes she had hired to do the mineral survey as quickly as possible to begin their work. The … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 28

The stagecoach from Karpaburg to Dregladorf arrived midmorning, and the little boy that had been tasked with stopping it did so with tremendous vigor. The coach ground to a halt in a mighty cloud of dust, and Polk took up his baggage and headed down to get aboard. Hilde had gotten dressed by then, and … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 27

Polk was shirtless when he waded into the pool, but kept on his trousers because there were women present. The orog was a powerfully constructed man, his obvious ogre lineage evident in his muscles. Had either Belynda or Hilde been more luridly inclined, the spectacle of the shivering Polk climbing up the soaked rope in … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 26

The distance along the shoreline seemed further than Hilde remembered, but she credited that to the fact that she just really wanted to be back in Romilmark. They reached the end of the rocky beach area, and paused for a few moments before beginning the climb up through the fallen boulders and rock formations ahead. … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 25

After a few hours of socializing, von Slothjem managed to produce a multiple-page document that outlined in very general terms the trade agreement that LeCreana Deathtree was proposing on behalf of the House of Vaanmer Kaht. After making some superficial inquiries of Hilde, the swamp orc was able to specify that this was an agreement … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 24

After carefully locking up his cottage, Rackerby von Slothjem led the group to where the banquet was being held. It was in a very distinguished looking palace, near the center of this neighborhood. It was shaped, appropriately enough, like a wide mushroom. It was at least ten stories tall, and the jor told his newest … Continue reading Fight, Swear, Loathe; Chapter 23