Big Boss stepped out of the shadows and looked up at Edu from about waist high. "Keep your knife where I can't see it, Cupcake, or swear ta feckin god I will bite yer kidneys out.'
Looking down, Edu beheld a hobbit...his head was shaved and scarred in several places and a pale grey skull is tattooed across his face.'
Eduwiges, Calidis and Ellsabeth just stared down at the figure, so unlike what they were used to.
Behind them, Xanderian whispered. “And this is Guido "Big Boss" Featherbottom, the leading crime lord in this part of Gondor. Now we can finally get down to business.”
Big Boss nodded. “Damn right we can. Reg...get the maps....'
The hulking Reg unrolled an intricate blueprint of the Donjon as another functionary ran out and laid flat on the floor near the table. Big Boss stepped up on the functionary’s back, putting him at just the right level for examining the map. "OK children...lets figure out how to get you lot down to The Box.'
Big Boss drew a vicious looking dagger apparently made out of a fang of some sort, and gestured. "This...is the Donjon of Arnach. It was originally built by Forlong’s great great great great grandfather, Fargaur, Marshall of Lossanarch, as a place to lock up his first wife and her five sons. Orcs burned much of that version of the Donjon, along with wifey and the brats. Much whispering was heard that the old bastard let the greenskins do so, but who knows. Over the years it was rebuilt and expanded ever larger and more secure.”
Ellsabeth stepped closer to examine the map of their target while Calidis peered over her shoulder, but kept a suspicious eye on the halfling.
Eduwiges looked at the map and whistled in a low tone. 'That is some structure…'
From the outbuildings and barracks marked, the building did indeed look heavily guarded and very secure. The map itself was old, and covered in notes scribbled at various places on the map beside little drawn skulls.
Big Boss smirked. "This might be the only nearly complete map of the Donjon..ain’t nobody every broken out of the high security floors so a lot of that is pieced together from rumors and best guesses…occasionally a bitter guard will peach, but few of them know much beyond their own job.'
Big Boss lowered his voice..."Word is there is one cell specially designed by one Steward or another, for a specific purpose. To stick anyone who claims to be the King of Gondor in until they die. Makes sense since Forlong’s line, the House of Farala, is heavily tied into the Stewards, hell Forlong himself had his pick of the current steward’s sisters. If that weren’t a payoff, what the hell was it?'
Ellsabeth looked over the various parts of the map. "Good thing we are breaking in and not breaking out."
Calidis blinked and furrowed her brows, 'What do the skulls mean?'
The Halfling looked up at Elsa and Calidis. “The skulls...are traps...or at least we think they are. We aren’t completely sure…they are points one guard or another said everyone was told to avoid....and it is just as hard ta break into as it is out of, Highpockets.'
He drove the point of his dagger into one large room on the lowest floor, surrounded by about a dozen skulls. “Shadowslip will be in The Box, the most secure point of the Donjon. That is kept....here."
Calidis frowned a little. "Well, at least you are aware that the area around her is set with traps. Are there any ways to deactivate them?
Big Boss smirked. 'Not sure about deactivating them. I guess it would depend...easiest way is to send someone you don’t like in first. There are some things down in the Donjon that should never see the light of day....secrets that you can’t even imagine.'
Ellsabeth nodded. “Maybe deactivate them by knocking out a couple of guards and tossing them anywhere a skull appears on the map?
The skull faced hobbit nodded at Elsa and patted her ass. "Cutiepie here is thinkin' right.'
Ellsabeth glanced behind her at the hand that was patting her. "You can call me Cutiepie all you want but if you want to keep that hand I suggest you move it and not try that again."
The hobbit shrugged and make a kissing sound at Elsa. "Your loss, cutiepie...but remember what they say about us halflings ...small hands, big feet, enormous…personalities. If ya get my drift.
Calidis inched away from the hobbit. Just in case.
Eduwiges rolled her eyes. “All men talk the same, whatever the height. So what kind of... Secrets?'
Big Boss looked back to Edu. “What kind of secrets? The kind that if those Hoopleheads down in town ever knew em, Gondor would come down around their ears....a lot of dirty deeds over the centuries ended up in the Donjon ...old Farguer leaving his wife and kids out as orcfeed was just the beginning..'
Eduwiges sighed, 'Big Boss, you obviously know enough to draw the map. Which means you are probably smuggling things in and out of the donjon. Lets cut the history lesson and get to the point. Can you get us in and out of there with Shadowslip alive?'
The halfling laughed caustically. “Sorry Highpockets, but I didn’t draw this..this has been handed down generation to generation. I just own it and keep it updated when I can, just in case. As for getting you into the Donjon…I might be able to help ya, but you are gonna have to get in..and Daedre the Shadowslip out, all by yer lonesome. I have lost too many good…umm…colleagues, trying to get outta that hellhole. Its bad for business.”
Eduwiges nodded and looked at Xan, 'What do you think Lethy? Sneaking in will be hard enough, but we are going to need a diversion to get out.'
Xanderian nodded softly. "Lord Forlong's replacement, may provide us with the diversion we will need if we time things properly...His desire for a spectacle could serve us well.'
Calidis glanced over to Xan. "What do you have in mind?"
Eduwiges grimaced, 'I’ve got a bad feeling about this..'
Xanderian continued. 'At some point he will need to relax, to become the generous leader and not the harsh captain and will be loath to disturb that façade with so many eyes upon him....Master Featherbottom, how many prisoners are in the common areas, the upper floors of the Donjon?'
Big Boss thought. “In the normal parts, just your normal bunch of unlucky idiots who picked pockets, started brawls or pissed in public? Maybe a couple 100...why?'
Calidis could see where this was going and closed her eyes for a moment. Sometimes the two sisters were more alike then most realized.
Xanderian, the Monk of Osgilliath smiled softly. 'And if should happen liberated those, before seeking out this Shadowslip?'
The halfling thought for a moment. "They would overwhelm the few guards who were on duty on those floors due to the festival and the attention on Shadowslip, then flood down into the square where Lord Forshort is having his little love fest. But the high security sections will be locked down as soon as the alarm rings...steel doors will fall here…” he pointed at a spot on the map with the dagger point.”...and here...cutting off all access. No way to get into the Box room.'
Xanderian smiled. "But what if we were already INSIDE those floors?
The halfling smiled back. "Then once you deal with whatever guards are there, and any other security, you got a good piece of time to get the Box open and get out....and I think I know how ya could do it.'
Calidis nodded and opened her eyes. That was not as bad as she had feared. No enormous death count…no explosions. "We would have to be exceedingly quick and quiet about it."
Xanderian nodded..."and we would need to split up.
Ellsabeth quietly listened as she studied the map, burning it into her memory as a thought occurred to her.
The huntress continued. 'One of us at least would need to free the prisoners above while the rest entered the lower depths.'
The halfling smirked. "Lower depths is right...the only way I could even dream of someone getting’ in there is from below...sewage grates connect to the lower floors here...here...and here. I am thinking you elves might squeeze in then make the grate larger for the big folk…but the sewers ain’t no picnic. I have heard some nasty stories about what might live down there.”
Ellsabeth nodded, 'As for freeing the prisoners above…Leave that part to me.'
The halfling smiled at Elsa. "Yeah Cutiepie? You would need ta get into the main guardhouse..and open up the Masterlock...that will open all the doors on the first three floors....but that chamber is usually packed with guards, but the festival might leave it less crowded. However the Masterlock needs two different keys. The Warder has one, the duty guard the other.'
Eduwiges raised an eyebrow at Ellsa's bravado. 'That sounds better than squeezing through the local patina of filth.'
Ellsabeth nodded, “Packed with guards, two keys, no filth…sounds fun.'
Xan would smile at Elsa then look back to the halfling. 'There is one key detail you have not explained as of yet...what exactly is this "Box"'
Eduwiges nodded, 'Aye, whats it made from?'
Big Boss dug about, and put down a sketch of the most fearsome looking Iron Maiden any of them had ever seen. In what may have been a sort of wit, the first sketch has no face, just a single eye, with flames carved around it. He laid down several more sketches, in each the Maiden looked different. In one the face of a man, in another the head of an enormous goat.
The hobbit drove the tip of his dagger into the stack of sketches. “This is The Box...'
Elsa looked again. “Which one?”
Big Boss shrugged. “Who knows, maybe all of em. Lots of questions about The Box. Some people even say they heard it talking to a prisoner once, but he was a former guard, half mad by the time we got him. Anyway, once it's got somebody in it, they suspend it over a pit of water 30 feet deep, by a single thin rope. If the prisoner dies of starvation or whatever before they hang em, all the better.”
Calidis winced. "That's barbaric..."
Xan signed softly and held Cal’s hand. “It is going to take us time to get it down before we can even begin to…deal with it. I think dear Elsa, your plan is wise. You are best suited to fool the guards. Eduwiges may be a bit...well...boisterous for such a duty.
Calidis looked at the halfling, 'And I imagine there's a key needed to open that horrible thing as well?'
Big boss nodded. “Yeah..." he laid a heavy iron key in the shape of a human hand down on the table. "And this is it....or a good copy of it.'
Calidis blinked once. Then twice. "Do we wish to know where and how you got that copy?"
The halfling winked at Cal. "Meet me later when yer pals are asleep, maybe I'll tell ya....'
Calidis glared coolly at the hobbit. "I'll decline, thank you."
Ellsabeth stood up. "Alright...I will fool the guards." She paused for a moment placing her left hand on the hilt of her new sword. "Sure glad I got Ryn to make this for me before we left."
Big Boss looked up at Elsa. "If you are plannin’ on cutting yer way through the guards Cutiepie, make out your Will before ya go...too many to take that way, and even on half strength they will have some surprises in store. You'll have to fool first, then gut who ya got to..ideally, they shouldn’t know the Masterlock is open until the hordes spoil their party. So the rest of ya will come through the sewers?'
Calidis nodded once. "It seems that must be the way."
The Halfling smiled. "Ya got two days before the hanging, crowds are already comin’ in from the farms and little hamlets for the fair...not to mention those Loyalist idiots are bringing people in by the wagonload.'
Calidis managed to smile a little bit. "Two days... I believe I can manage to produce a small aid if I am given half a day. I do not like the look of that “Box” at all, but I am not sure why…'
Eduwiges smiled. “You said the loyalists were coming? Xan, how can we get them riled to help with the distraction? We already know they are not very bright. It should not be too hard to get them rioting and giving the guards fits...'
Ellsabeth nodded, 'An Arrow or a Throwing Dagger thrown near the Guards into one of the Loyalists should prove to be an interesting Riot…might be a good last resort.'
The halfling looked at Elsa and hopped off his “pedestal”, letting the man scurry away. "I like you Cutie Pie...nice and blood thirsty. I still ain’t sure you mooks can pull this off...but if ya can..why? What do you lot want with Dee the Shadowslip?'
Xanderian shook her head. "It is a private matter, concerning a friend.” Xan did not glance at Edu when she said "friend".
Eduwiges grimaced, looking at the map again, 'This is not going to be easy. After we lower that thing, what then?”.
The Halfling smiled. “Lowering it is possible, but it is delicate and tricky...but then once it’s down, ya need the key...and I ain't named my price for it yet.'
Eduwiges frowned and looked at Xan as Calidis sighed. "And what is it you want?"
Big Boss crossed his arms. “One favor... '
Ellsabeth groaned, 'Don't like the sound of that.'
Calidis just stared at the hobbit. "It had better not be any sort of... degrading favor."
The Halfling smiled. "Well, who thought I'd run into a bunch a snowflakes ...have it your way sweethearts, but nothing like keeping a little something in your pocket fer a good time when yer day gets slow….but the favor I need ain’t like that at all.
Calidis pretended she was not turning pink about the ears. “What favor then?”
Big Boss suddenly went deadly serious. “There is gonna be a task I want done, somewhere down the line….”
Eduwiges frowned. “We are warriors, not criminals.”
Guido Featherbottom shrugged. “You choose. Either when I give the word I get my favor, or Dee hangs. It’s up to you.”
