Chapter 37: Lurking

Chapter 37: Lurking

The guild hall was chaotic as usual. The sheer number of people made Milo nervous at times when passing through. They all seemed to have something that needed done, running here and there with paperwork, ore samples, and quests. The exceptions were generally groups of armored and robed players, and a few people drinking and ignoring the hubbub around them. It was one of the player groups who waved to Milo as he was going through to the lower levels.

"Hey, buddy. We're looking for a sixth person to do some exploring down below. Interested?" The speaker was a largish human wearing plate mail with a great sword on his back. The others included a bowman, a woman in a blue robe with a staff, a halfling without much armor or weapons at all, and a dwarf wearing a leather breastplate and packing an axe. Milo didn't think they looked ready for exploring in the dark. But maybe they had something interesting they were looking for?

He took a step closer and the big man held out a hand. "I'm Rufo. Rufo Bearslayer, 3rd level Beastslayer. Milo shook the large hand that engulfed his own. "I'm Milo, I'm a miner. What are you exploring to find?"The roots of this story extend from novell bìn origin.

The halfling spoke up. "Gold. Riches. More gold. We're going to go poke around the mines, go deep and look for a lost city or dungeon or something." The others nodded.

Milo looked at the group and considered. "How many of you can see in the dark?" There was a bit of foot shuffling from the archer and mage. Rufo fielded his question. "We're all set. Bingo Frostyone is a dwarf, he can guide us and we have lanterns with us.

That settled it for Milo. "I'll pass, but thanks anyway. I should get back to my mining." He turned and walked away.

=*=

The group was silent for a moment after he left. The halfling spoke first. "The nerve of that guy! That was disrespect right there. Doesn't he realize he's not getting another chance with a group of this quality."

"Ah, don't let it get your hairy toes in a twist. That lad was just scared of going into the places we're heading." The dwarf put both thumbs in his belt and struck a pose. "Some folks is just scared of the dark."

Two dwarven miners were drinking beer nearby and scowled as the group talked. "Best shut your yap, beardling, that's a full member of the miners guild your talking about. He's been mining deep into copperhead territory, so best you keep quiet. Didn't you see fang in his ear? He's probably heading down to the expedition that's hunting stone lurkers. " Frostyone looked chastened and started to apologize. The halfling stepped forward. "Well, there's five of us that say he's scared. I only see two of you old guys."

The two miners laughed. "Don't be stupid. The two of us could take you five easy. But we'd be kind and share with the other dozen guild members nearby. The guild looks out for its own. And that includes Miner Milo. He's a strange little human, but he brings in a full bag of ore, pays his dues, and doesn't cause trouble. And he's one of ours now."

"Leaving. Apologies. Stupid halfling. Your mouth is going to make us lose some teeth." Frosty grabbed one of the halflings arms and Rufo the other. They lifted him up and the whole group retreated. The ranger sighed. "And this is why we should never bring him into a town."

=*=

Milo, meanwhile, had headed down through the lower layers of the guild, waving at a couple of people that waved at him, and then came to the entrance to the mines. A group of seven dwarves and two humans were gathered there. All of them were grim faced and wearing earrings or necklaces with copperhead fangs attached

"Those of you who are borrowing fangs from the guild; make sure these are secure and check they don't come loose in the fight if you get hit. They are sheer hell to get and I never want to have to go snake hunting again. Understood?"

Milo had had his own made into an earring. One of the dwarves noticed it and smiled brightly. "Here's one more, glad to have you along." Several others nodded and smiled. One in particular was looking at him. This dwarf wore very thick plate armor and packed a gigantic shield made of thick plates.

Not knowing what they referred to, but happy to see smiles, Milo gladly stopped to find out. "I was heading to the mines. My apologies, but what is it you need help with?"

The heavily armored dwarf introduced himself. "Gorbel Ironthaneson at your service. There’s a rogue stone lurker down in #7 iron mine, we're heading down to kill it. Did you hunt that fang yourself? I only knew of 8 fangs in the guild. I'd be very happy to have a ninth along to help."

This creature has mitigation of 200 points per hit. Damage after that is 50% higher due to Brittle Bones.

You have done 16 damage to Mature Stone Lurker.

Every hit after that got easier to land, and did another 15 damage to the monster.

You have done 31 damage to Mature Stone Lurker.

You have done 46 damage to Mature Stone Lurker.

You have done 61 damage to Mature Stone Lurker.

You have done 76 damage to Mature Stone Lurker.

You have done 91 damage to Mature Stone Lurker.

Chips of rock were flying off the lurker as Milo struck again and again. Gorbel couldn't keep its attention against that much damage. The monster turned and slowly swung at Milo who easily avoided the swing. The dwarves backed off and watched as Milo easily avoided the creatures’ swings, and hit back at it each time, carving huge chunks of rock off of it. Finally, the stone lurker crumbled into a pile of rubble, and there was a cheer from the rest of the group.

Your group has killed a Mature Stone Lurker!

You gain 100 experience in bonecasting and 100 experience in INT

You gain 5 experience in Mining and 5 experience in STR.

Gorbel walked over and patted Milo on the back. "Good job. Ok, crew, new plan. Next time we just all keep it busy and let Milo kill it. How the hell did you do that, if you don't mind me asking?"

Milo caught his breath, and took a drink out of a bottle passed up to him. He nearly choked on the strong alcohol. It was sort of nice to be appreciated though. He showed off his weapon to the miners. "It doesn't look like much, but with the spells I know, it hits a bit harder each time. I wasn't sure it would work at first on something made of rock, but after more than a dozen hits I was getting through its shell."

A sudden commotion coming from a nearby cross tunnel caught everyone's attention. Two bobbing lanterns and shouting voices were coming their way. A halfling packing a lantern ran up and nearly collapsed panting at their feet. "Save us! Please! I'm too short to die!"

He was followed by the female mage and archer Milo had met above. The archer was bleeding from a headwound and had a broken arm. The mage looked back over her shoulder. "They are right behind us. We thought there was only one monster, but more ambushed us. Nothing we could do hurt them."

The halfling said, "No shit. That big one smashed Rufo and Frosty's heads like ripe melons." Heavy pounding came from the tunnel as no less than three stone lurkers emerged. One significantly bigger than the other.

Gorbel grasped the small symbol around his neck and spoke. "Forefather's preserve us, there was a nest of them and these idiots led them right to us."