Chapter 29: Tale of the Senate Guard
Kurgren and the group looks to the map Angelo puts on the table.
It's a detailed map of the third and fourth level sewer, showing the many large canals for a Human to walk through to the small pipes directing the steam to the houses radiators, before pointing at the third level edge where the map shows four large pipes leading to the fourth floor, the castle, blocked by gates.
"As you can see. The pipes to the fourth level are blocked with security. Now beefed up after their failed attack."
Kurgren sighs.
"Is there no other way to go through besides the damn sewers?"
"Unfortunately, yes. The corridor to the gates, which only allow special personal, are lined with arrow slits for the musketmen to fire with powerful detection orbs to spot anyone one who tries to sneak by. Not to mention it's gates are guarded by ten elite halberdier whom I guess are Tieflings. As for air there have eight towers armed with anti-air lighting towers to strike anyone who tries to land without permission."
The group nods and Angelo continue.
"From last I checked. The guard compromises of Tiefling swordsmen and Duergar musketmen. But I suspect they also have corpse jumpers and a juggernaut or two."
He then shows a detailed sketch of the gate.
"As for the gates they are hard to crack. Utilizing elven-grade rune locks with keystones, built to self-destruct upon it's holders death or when taken without permission, and protected against all but the heaviest explosives and lockpicks by ward runes. Also elven-grade"
They nod again and Erhardt ask.
"Then how are we going to breach the bastard?"
"Simple, in a way."
He then shows them a small, grey, brick with a slate etched with a trigger rune.
Erhardt iris shrunk upon seeing the brick.
"Yes Dwarf. This is a c4 explosive, another marvel of your people. Which we bought from a few Volksgardians smugglers." Angelo replies.
"And from what we heard about it. It's one of the few explosives that can bust through elven warding rune without enchantment."
Erhardt nods as Angelo lays out the map of the castle.
"Once you get in you must quickly destroy the antenna controls at the fifth level but their will be, by old estimates, about two hundred guards, but there are secret passages, made by the ancestors to escape or send reinforcements, that will make it easier."
The rest nodded when Kurgren realize something.
"Wait a minute. How do you know all this stuff if almost no one enters the fourth level?"
Angelo smiles.
"I guess Soloman didn't told you about his past?"
The rest nodded, followed by Angelo sighing, and telling them to take a seat as he explains.
"It might be a surprise. But twenty-six years ago me, Soloman, and Wolfgang used to be the senate's royal guards."
He then waits a moment for them to get over the surprise before he continues.
"And for twenty years we protected senate Erold and his family. But six years ago a coup happened. Most of the peasants, and half the nobles, had disliked our king and his ancestors laws giving equality to the nine races, the peasant as they saw the others stealing their jobs while the nobles hated being next to 'lesser races', but they were a minority without any military force to fight against the king. But then something happened."
He then takes a few seconds to compose himself and continues.
"Somehow those peasants and nobles had managed to convince most the guards to join them without our knowledge. And all of them then stormed to the castle. We, and the remaining hundred or so loyal guards, fought against the peasant mob as the king and his family, alongside four of our trusted guard and the advisors, including Bryan, quickly escape through the secret back exit. But then, after a few minutes of fighting, the remaining attackers retreated to our confusion. Only to learn that the royal family, the guards we posted, and half the advisors laid dead and the rest unconscious."
"Afterwards we investigated and, upon concluding that no one but the royal family, the guard and advisors wouldn't have known about the hidden exit, interrogate the advisors and executed one of them."
"It was then where the people, sans those biased, voted who to be the new king and Bryan was chosen."
"At first we followed Bryans orders. But when he began stripping the rights of the nine races, with most of the peasant and nobles accepting such laws, and opening a secret slave market. Soloman became suspicious and began to investigate deeper."
"Soon, thanks to Soloman, we began to see something was wrong, finding that most of the evidence made against the accused advisor was forged, when lord Bryan began to bribe us to stop or else."
"It was then where Soloman quit and continues in secret, with most of the remaining guards either taking the bribe or continued. And wound up dead or abandoned it when they follow the new religion Bryan set up."
"And then one day he returned with ill news for us. Bryan has a daemon cult in the fourth level and is doing a ritual, which will, as of today, be completed a year later to open a hellgate. And Bryan found out he gave us a choice. Forget anything about the demons and be given titles of lord or die. In the end I pretended to forget, discreetly using a potion to nullify the spell he used to force those who accepts forget, while Soloman and Wolfgang faked their death and formed the resistance. And began recruiting either slaves they freed, people from the second level, or getting outsiders to help. During which I helped by funding them, recruiting a few informants here to help, and buying equipment's from here and deliver it to them."
A brief silence then fell as the rest absorb what he said and realize why Soloman fought so well. When Angelo resume about the plan.
"But, fortunately, you will have some help."
They then see an Elf and Goblin enters, wearing a simple maid and butler outfit.
"They are my trusted aides and spies. And they will guide you through the sewer and help you in a fight."
They briefly greet them, learning their names are Delphine and Haden, before Ardent and the group grabs their equipment's, changes, and readies for the mission.