graveyard, they slunk through shadowed passages seeking main halls, back entrances, and most importantly, descending stairwells.
They believed they had to reach the very bowels of the stronghold's dungeon, for that was where they would have placed the target of their search. It wasn't guaranteed, for it was possible their objective might have been held in a high tower prison. That alternative, however, seemed unlikely at best, and it was the reason the lead gluun dismissed entering the keep at its highest point.
They sought an elf who had committed an atrocious crime against the dwarves. The elf had been handed over to the dwarves by his own camp and his cell would be as much a punishment as a source of containment. The further the elf was placed from the surface, the greater his suffering—or so the gluuns believed.
After a thorough reconnaissance of the castle's ground levels, the gluuns met back at the empty and dark corridor where they had gained entrance to the fortress. They quickly and quietly reviewed the information they obtained and set on a path that would bring them to the lower levels.
They encountered several barriers; locked doors, barred gates, patrolling sentries, and a maze-like collection of tunnels. Despite the numerous obstructions, they never doubted their success. They had already conquered the most difficult portion of their assignment. They had gained access to the keep and discovered the way to the dwarf dungeon. The remaining challenges were easily defeated by master thieves such as themselves.
The doors and gates were the simplest obstacles to overcome. Though gluuns lacked any formidable strength, for their forms were mere wisps of substance, their dexterous nature allowed them to manipulate nearly any obstruction. They did not break down locked doors, they coaxed them open. They did not bend bars or smash gates, they slipped through and under them.
The maze of tunnels proved to be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. The bleak passages with several forks and wayward paths could not frustrate creatures that avoided light and thrived on confusion. The only surprise was the width of many of the tunnels. While a few side passages were tight and cramped—barely tall enough to let a dwarf through—most of the main corridors were tall and wide enough for sand giants or snow ogres to gain access to the dankest part of the dwarf dungeon.
The twists and turns allowed them to avoid passing dwarf sentries. Crawling across ceilings like centipedes or turning temporarily down drainage shafts, the silent creatures easily avoided every patrol.
Several levels below the main entrance to the castle, the gluuns located their objective. They could not smell him, for gluuns could not differentiate between the scents of elves and dwarves, and the dank smell of the dungeon overpowered all other odors. They could not even hear him, for at that particular moment, the elf slept and did not stir. They could not really see him with their eyes, for he was locked behind a heavy iron door, but they could sense him in the shadows of their magic.
Elves were magical beings themselves, not as magical as delvers, but enough of the energy flowed through their bodies to vibrate through the very shadows of magic. It was the same gray energy that gluuns used to avoid the light, and thus, they could almost see the reflection of the elf trapped in the gloom of his prison.
The elf prisoner was the sole occupant of a block of cells. Every other chamber was empty, and a deep silence hung about the entire area. The heaviness of that solitary confinement was as monumental as the surrounding rock.
When the gluuns neared the elf's cell, there were no dwarf sentries standing guard. They slunk past the station where keys hung on the wall. The gluuns ignored them. Keys were unnecessary to their task and taking them would only alert the guards to possible intruders. Instead, they made their way into an empty cell some distance from
They believed they had to reach the very bowels of the stronghold's dungeon, for that was where they would have placed the target of their search. It wasn't guaranteed, for it was possible their objective might have been held in a high tower prison. That alternative, however, seemed unlikely at best, and it was the reason the lead gluun dismissed entering the keep at its highest point.
They sought an elf who had committed an atrocious crime against the dwarves. The elf had been handed over to the dwarves by his own camp and his cell would be as much a punishment as a source of containment. The further the elf was placed from the surface, the greater his suffering—or so the gluuns believed.
After a thorough reconnaissance of the castle's ground levels, the gluuns met back at the empty and dark corridor where they had gained entrance to the fortress. They quickly and quietly reviewed the information they obtained and set on a path that would bring them to the lower levels.
They encountered several barriers; locked doors, barred gates, patrolling sentries, and a maze-like collection of tunnels. Despite the numerous obstructions, they never doubted their success. They had already conquered the most difficult portion of their assignment. They had gained access to the keep and discovered the way to the dwarf dungeon. The remaining challenges were easily defeated by master thieves such as themselves.
The doors and gates were the simplest obstacles to overcome. Though gluuns lacked any formidable strength, for their forms were mere wisps of substance, their dexterous nature allowed them to manipulate nearly any obstruction. They did not break down locked doors, they coaxed them open. They did not bend bars or smash gates, they slipped through and under them.
The maze of tunnels proved to be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. The bleak passages with several forks and wayward paths could not frustrate creatures that avoided light and thrived on confusion. The only surprise was the width of many of the tunnels. While a few side passages were tight and cramped—barely tall enough to let a dwarf through—most of the main corridors were tall and wide enough for sand giants or snow ogres to gain access to the dankest part of the dwarf dungeon.
The twists and turns allowed them to avoid passing dwarf sentries. Crawling across ceilings like centipedes or turning temporarily down drainage shafts, the silent creatures easily avoided every patrol.
Several levels below the main entrance to the castle, the gluuns located their objective. They could not smell him, for gluuns could not differentiate between the scents of elves and dwarves, and the dank smell of the dungeon overpowered all other odors. They could not even hear him, for at that particular moment, the elf slept and did not stir. They could not really see him with their eyes, for he was locked behind a heavy iron door, but they could sense him in the shadows of their magic.
Elves were magical beings themselves, not as magical as delvers, but enough of the energy flowed through their bodies to vibrate through the very shadows of magic. It was the same gray energy that gluuns used to avoid the light, and thus, they could almost see the reflection of the elf trapped in the gloom of his prison.
The elf prisoner was the sole occupant of a block of cells. Every other chamber was empty, and a deep silence hung about the entire area. The heaviness of that solitary confinement was as monumental as the surrounding rock.
When the gluuns neared the elf's cell, there were no dwarf sentries standing guard. They slunk past the station where keys hung on the wall. The gluuns ignored them. Keys were unnecessary to their task and taking them would only alert the guards to possible intruders. Instead, they made their way into an empty cell some distance from
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