Urthgar fussed around with the main bulk of the party, ill at home underground, and with essence magic around - something otherworldly and not-right about it all.

He kept half an eye on the intrepid explorers up ahead, in case of any sudden action, but was content to wait for instruction from those more at home here.

Feral crouched at the entranceway and looked around the chamber. Whilst the dwarf was not paying attention he would take in as much as possible.

Elenugeth crouched watching the dwarf for some time.

"Read the signs!" shouted Hammrin to Elenugeth via mind chat. "You may be venturing forth into unstable ground, although I'd have to take a closer look," he continued. "Cracks and fissures and broken marble, this cavern is going to come down upon us," thought Hammrin.

"Eww, look away, naked dwarf" came over the mind link, and although none could see Elenugeth's face, somehow they knew at that point he was grinning. More seriously Elenugeth continued. "Well it must be safe, there is no way such machinery would be able to work in an unstable environment"

"Brother?" thought Hammrin as the dwarf appeared in Elenugeth's mind window. "It looks like it could be him! Aule be praised! He has the same build and hair color! Although he may have lost some weight, we can mend that." Anger filled Hammrin’s heart as he thought how this dwarf, perhaps his brother, had been treated and made into a slave. "Vengeance is mine!" he thought. "May Aule guide my feet and my cuddly star to rest upon the head of my enemy!" he said in anger.
Hammrin was desperate to know if this lonely dwarf was indeed his lost brother. "Someone," he thought pitifully, "I must see the dwarf's face!"

Horace moved slowly up to the room observing what was what. Then with a smile he entered the room, "Um hello Mr Dwarf, nice outfit! Would you care to lower us down your shaft?"

The Dwarf made no reply and kept cranking the chain onto the huge drum.

Elenugeth continued to observe the dwarf before realising that Horace had moved up to him, Elenugeth turned to say something as the halfling continued into the room but instead remained silent as he passed.

Hammrin did not quite understand this little halfling but he eagerly looked through Horace's mind window to see if this dwarf was Oxensplat Nerdsplitter, his brother.

As Horace began to introduce himself to the naked dwarf they heard over the mind link. "Well do not wait for an invite the rest of you, it seems safe enough to come forward although I'd suggest not looking down, the first step is a long one" Again they got the impression Elenugeth was grinning.

"Use the ropes as a guide, the route seemed firm enough"

Elenugeth slipped from the shadows to crouch defensively behind the halfling. "Uncommonly brave of you Mr Horace" whispered the half-elf, "Thought your mum didn’t bring up any heroes." Elenugeth silently chuckled. "Do not worry, I have your back, go find out if this is indeed the dwarf's brother but be careful I didn’t see any chains holding him here."

Horace edged around the side of the room so that he could confirm the identity of the dwarf.

The Dwarf's slack face was revealed along with a gaping hole where the heart would have been. His cloudy eyes stared, unfocusing, ahead as he worked the handle.

Hammrin gasped and choked wide eyed as Horace's mental image of the heartless pulley cranking dwarf slave revealed his brother's face.
His hands tightened around the safety rope and his face nearly matched his red hair. This dwarf was about to blow a gasket. Veins popped out on his neck and his hair rose like a frightened cat. He wanted to race across the invisible bridge, abandoning all reason to see with his own eyes what had become of his brother. But at the moment, all he could do was try to breathe as he slunk to his knees.

After a moment of catching his breath, Hammrin looked at the others in disbelief. "I wondered what had become of my brother," he said, "but I could never had imagined this! Death would have been bearable, and most of us expected it. But even in death he is forced into slavery by some dark power. What madness is this?" Hammrin said shaking his head.

If the heartless cranker had been any other dwarf he would not have acted any different, but since it was his brother, his emotions were magnified many times. Appearing to get a grip on his anger Hammrin arose with new resolve and a clear understanding of what he must do. "This has now become my focus, to destroy the power behind my brother’s death and slavery, and to any that aid this power I consider my enemy. Till death take me will I do this," he said solemnly.

Hammrin made it known to the party that he was ready to be moving along. He needed to spill some blood to ease his wrath. Someone is going to pay dearly he thought.

"If you think it safe friend Elenugeth, I wonder what my enslaved brother is pulling up. Hopefully nothing too nasty until we get there, I certainly don’t want to miss out. Maybe our hovering companion can take a peek if you think the area is unstable around the hole."

Speaking to the scouts Hammrin also wondered if there appeared to be other exits to the chamber besides the hole in the center.

Merlothrien moved forward to the room with the others treading very carefully over the "bridge" holding onto the rope for dear life.

Once he got to the room seeing Hammrin's face and realising the situation he offered his condolences and said "Yes, yes, I too wouldn't mind seeing what’s coming up too"

Rav wondered if he should follow on or wait there as no visions of an onward route had been shown, and finally decided to follow across the platforms and hide somewhere the other side to keep a watch from behind

Urthgar shrugged his big shoulders, and carefully picked his way forward, keeping a hand on Karl all the way. When he reached the other side, he sagged noticeably from the effort of will the crossing required! "Well my comrades, what is so important that....." His voice was cut off as he saw the Dwarf with his own eyes, and Hammrin's reaction. Urthgar peered at the Dwarf pulling the chain, studying him for signs of ailment that he may have
been able to assist with but realised he was beyond help.

"Horace, stop!" Elenugeth mentally implored the halfling. Quickly the Half-elf notched an arrow and drew back centering on the dwarf. "I am
not an expert but I’m thinking no heart is not good. The dead should not be walking about. If you want to try and communicate then be my guest but I’ll cover you till then but don’t get too close or get between the dwarf and me. If you want me to be able to cover you safely"

"Hammrin, this may have once been your brother but we cannot trust him now, if he attacks I’ll try and make it quick but arrows against the
undead....."

Watching the interaction Feral looked around then just loud enough mumbled "I am sorry Hammrin, but in time I hope ye realise this is for the best."

With that he strode forward, crossed the bridge and before anyone could stop him lopped off the dead dwarf’s head with a swift double scimitar strike.

Tawl ventured to the edge of the bridge and proceeded across using the ropes as a guide. His face reflected his effort of will in restraining himself from looking down, as he stared straight ahead his mouth formed a grim straight line.

Once at the other side Tawl stepped forward into the room with the naked dwarf, without a single glance behind him.

He stopped just inside the entrance of the room to see Feral lop the dwarfs' head off. Tawl regarded Feral with a certain amount of admiration, for the single stroke was very clean and nodded to Feral. He then turned and waited to see what reaction Hammrin had while keeping a wary eye on the corpse of the naked dwarf in case it somehow stirred again.

Horace seemed to be about to continue conversation with the brother of Hammrin, when Feral pushed past and loped its head off.

"No!" Shouted Horace, but it was too late and the deed was done.

"Mister Feral, I think that maybe that was an ill advised if not admirable."

Horace seemed to wilt physically as he waited for the outcome of Feral's action

Feral's deadly stroke caused the dwarf to fall to the ground. The pulley handle started to spin out of control and with a high pitched whirr punctuated by rattles the drum began to be stripped of chain. A rapidly diminishing hiss from beneath the hole was just made out by those in the pulley room.

The dwarf then rose to its feet again, blindly grasped for the handle, stopped it then started to winch the chain back in again.

Hammrin stared blindly ahead as he watched Feral behead his brother’s body. Somehow the mentally and emotionally combustible dwarf did not explode with a fit of fury "Aye, I thank thee for ending the misery of his body." said Hammrin sadly. "His spirit is already absent, now present in the glory of our Creator. I no longer hold to his body, but to his spirit which lives forever."

Watching wide-eyed through Feral's mind window Hammrin saw his beheaded brother rise and start working the pulley once more. A smile crossed his face amid the tragedy. "I knew he was stubborn, but this is ridiculous," laughed Hammrin. "Have I told you we dwarves are a hardy folk! Very tough and hard to kill. Yes indeed!" he said proudly.

Ondoher grimaced as the desecration of the dead dwarf came to his mind's eye. His gaze strayed upwards...

"Aule, look what they do..."

Still distracted it took him several a moment to correctly assess the implications of Feral's words.

"Eorl's balls!!" he exclaimed, by now well aware that Feral solved all problems in the same manner. "Someone kick him in the backside it might wake up his brain."

Quickly he unbuckled his weapons belt, looping it loosely around the rope. "If I fall carrying so much weight I'll bring the roof down when I hit bottom," he said by way of explanation.

Secured to the rope he slid along the rope and across to the other side.

After everyone had safely crossed the invisible bridge, Hammrin recoiled his rope and joined them in the pulley chamber. On his way over he asked Horace if there were any other exits to the room. Perhaps he might need to climb up on the opposite end of the room a bit as the room appears to have shifted.

Sensing the movement from Feral the half-elf quickly jerked the bow away from the dwarf and relaxed his pull."This isn’t wise," shouted Elenugeth.

Watching the dwarf rise to his feet again Elenugeth shivered then glanced to the rapidly descending chain. "I have a bad feeling about this Feral, don’t kill hi..errr..chop him to little bits just stop him for now, Urthgar get that chain and stop it. Till we know what’s going on we don’t want it up or down "

"Khand," Once again the voice of the young half elf filled their minds "If ever you are paying attention to us, now would be the time to say something about what were seeing here".

A voice appeared in their heads but it seemed so far away that it could not be heard. A few seconds passed and it was gone.

Then with a sudden start the half elf sprung into life. Sprinting in a low crouch, one hand outstretched before him, the other bent behind
him holding his bow clear from the floor, the lithe form quickly crossed the intervening floor to the hole, each step finding a clear bit of floor as he crossed the uneven floor. Just as they thought he was about to go over the edge Elenugeth came to a stop barely at the edge of the hole some distance from Feral and the undead dwarf. Elenugeth looked down into the hole trying to see what was making the noise from below.

Elenugeth's mind popped up for those who wished to view it. His elven gem enhanced vision followed the chain into the darkness until it ended in a metal meshed cradle 150' from the cracked marble floor.

Inside the rapidly ascending cradle are two minions looking upwards. One of them was holding a red glass dagger.

Both hissed as they saw the half-elf poke his head over the hole.

Seeing the vision of the minions rising, Urthgar followed Elenugeth's suggestion. He growled deeply, like a bear, and charged headlong into the headless dwarf, sending him reeling away. He grabbed the spinning chain, and held on for dear life, whilst Karl stood firm between him and the undead dwarf, ready to tear him to shreds if he threatened his big friend.

The Dwarf had almost tumbled down the hole but had bounced over it at the last moment. He lay still.

Elenugeth's and Feral's mind window showed the minion holding the glassy dagger touch it to his chest.

Back in the cradle room the Dwarf arose again groping wildly for the cradle handle. Karl growled menacingly at the oncoming undead Naugrim.

As Urthgar grabbed the handle to stop the platform raising Feral glanced downwards, assessing the distance between him and the platform, the size of the platform and the threat posed by the beings on the platform. He guessed they were 150’ down and not much of a threat at that point.

Seeing the undead dwarf rise again Tawl drew his sword and ran closer to the pit. Glancing down and seeing the minions rising Tawl prepared to battle. Tawl then took up position on the opposite side of the pit from Urthgar and stood ready.

Ishtar looked through Elenugeth's mind window. Seeing that the minions were rising towards the room she quickly moved to the room to be ready.

She started to mumble to herself as she prepared some kind of incantation.

Ondoher, looking very much the grim soldier preparing to kill, moved into position near the hole.

"I wonder if we've completely lost the benefit of surprise now." remarked Ondoher, directing his query towards Feral, the ingenuous look on his face quite in keeping with the dry sarcasm of his voice. "Don't bring them all the way up, make them work to get out of the hole."

Urthgar, his huge arms straining against the weight of the chain, bucket, and its contents, glances over to Ondoher with a wry sarcastic smile
"I will do my best...."

Rav followed on and waited back a bit from the others not sure if stopping these things in the hole was best or getting them to the top to kill them

The second minion not holding the dagger closed its eyes for a moment then shot its clawed hand out as they popped back open. A crackle accompanied a blue white light as a bolt sizzled out of its palm and fizzed up towards Elenugeth at such a pace that the half-elf was lucky enough to just move his face out of the way. Even so, one side of his head was fully charged with static, his hair standing on end.

Fragments of rocks showered the room as the bolt greeted its impact on the ceiling with a large boom, the concussion blast knocking the decapitated dwarf to the floor and stunning everyone else. Even as they recovered a ringing noise throbbed in their ears.

The minion gave an angry hiss at Elenugeth and closed its eyes again.

Merlothrien looked over to the undead rising yet again and said, "Would someone please disembowel this thing?” He looked over to Hammrin. “I hope you realise I mean no disrespect but that’s not your brother there, so it can't get up again while I concentrate on his friends below" He stepped towards the hole.

“Urthgar can you bring that cradle up to about the 80 feet mark please? I'd like to try something," said Merlothrien “and while we're at it anyone with a bow to hand might want to come here also. I think we can resolve this with as little harm to ourselves as possible you know.”

Urthgar recognised his comrade’s intent, and strained to pull the container to within "strike range" whilst trying to stay out of the way of any stray static pulses!!

Elenugeth rolled to the side and shook his head, as quickly as he could the young half elf pulled himself together. The half elf quickly drew an arrow and looked over the edge cautiously before pulling and releasing the string, the arrow arced down to the creature before who just previously had cast at him and the rest of the party.

"Reel ‘em in, just a bit closer, come on" Elenugeth was muttering to himself quietly. The same words over and over again could be barely heard.

As the first arrow left the bow, the half elf’s arm reached up in a fluid well practised motion for a second arrow all the while continuing to remain weary of the casters spells.

Tawl, hearing the suggestion for archers to attack and keep the dwarfs on the platform busy, sheathed his sword and quickly prepared his bow.

Urthgar had begun hoisting the cradle up the 70’ so that it would be only 80’ below. Elenugeth, Tawl and the minions swapped a few arrows and the deafening bolts as it rose. Tawl’s first arrow missed the dagger-wielding minion. It closed it eyes and returned a bolt, which impacted on the floor beneath his feet. He had to step sideways as part of the floor broke away and fell down the shaft. Elenugeth’s first arrow tore a bit of the dry pasty flesh away from the other minion’s shoulder, its returned bolt hitting the roof of the pulley room and stunning the occupants for a few seconds.

Feral, realising he couldn’t jump down the hole amidst his foes redirected his attention to the headless dwarf. Changing his position he manoeuvred himself to put the dwarf between him and the shaft. Then with a grunt he lowered his shoulder and charged the dwarf attempting to push it down onto the enemies below. The Dwarf tried to resist but it could not match the Corsair’s strength. Slowly it gave ground and moved closer to the hole.

Elenugeth second arrow flew down the shaft and struck a minion’s shoulder again though this time the snap of bone was heard. Its bolt flew awry, striking the floor underneath the metal drum. Large cracks appeared all around the mechanism but the floor held.

Merlothrien, spell prepared, and the cage now in range, had to poke his head slightly over the edge to send his firewall down upon the cradle. It engulfed the whole cradle in a sheet of flame.

Screaming a hiss the other minion discharged a bolt straight at the magician but just at that moment Feral succeed in shoving Ox down the hole. The dead dwarf took it straight in the chest sending it hurtling back up through the hole to land on the pulley room floor again. He got to his feet, ribcage blasted apart and spinal column intact but smoking, and shuffled towards the crank again. Feral swore loudly then bounded over to Ox to try and finish the job.

Both Minions sprang from the cradle to land 20’ up the chain. The force of their jump caused the A frame to groan loudly, buckle slightly and the floor around it sagged. The cradle began to swing like a pendulum.

Elenugeth closed his eyes for a second then took careful aim at the minion holding on with one hand, it’s other arm flailing limply. His bow twanged
sending the arrow spinning through the air. The shaft struck the bone in its good arm shattering the arrow and limb. A surprised hiss escaped its lips as it fell away from the chain and slowly somersaulted down into the darkness.

Tawl’s arrow scored the side of the remaining minion’s face, narrowly missing its eye. That was enough to distract it as its bolt struck the underside of the room’s floor again.

A crunching tearing noise started around the drum mounting as cracks appeared all around the heavy object. Hammrin cried a needless warning as everyone sprinted quickly from the room.

The drum was first to go. It crashed through the floor dragging the chain through the middle of the room’s cracked bottom like a length of wire through cheese. The weight of the chained coiled around the drum pulled the A frame over and through. A mournful hiss descended with the machinery. Parts of the roof came down in the turmoil smashing holes as they fell. Above the din could be heard the metal parts of the pulley system crash off the walls of the shaft. It took nearly a minute before the faint noises stopped.

The carnage over, the room could be surveyed again. The sides of the room were still intact though looked unstable in some parts. The middle of the room was gone except for one sliver of wedge shaped rock. At its point, leg trapped beneath a boulder, was Ox dangling but grasping at the air as if trying to follow the crank down the shaft.