Chapter 4.19

Chapter 4.19
Chapter 4.18	Chapter 4.20 E
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Chapter 4.19 is the 25th chapter of Volume 4 and Book 5, The Last Light.

tl;dr[edit | edit source]

Halfseekers and Griffon Hunt explore the dungeon together. Jelaqua tells Griffon Hunt about their past with Garen Redfang. Laken is on his way back to Riverfarm.

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

Revi argues with the rest of her team over Erin's bad tasting magical cooking, she's still experimenting with the recipe and Revi wants something better tasting. Ulrien tells her that the whole team are getting defense food regardless of the taste. They notice a lot of people getting the strength souffle but also a lot of adventurers in the inn. They see a large group of 20 or so silver and bronze rank declaring their first attempt into the dungeon all due to Vuliel Drae's spoils.
Halrac begins asking his team and the Halfseekers where they went wrong, with all these bronze rank adventurers getting ahead of them. Moore says that most of the adventurers are making a mistake since Vuliel Drae got lucky with the unknown Swordswoman helping them out. Seborn says that this dungeon is exceptionally difficult compared to most dungeons and Halrac agrees, calling it a vengeance dungeon. Halrac explains that containment dungeons contain something, future generation dungeons are there to train people and vengeance dungeons are built with artifacts sealed away and the worst traps to guard them.
A silver rank Drake one of the leaders of the large expedition approaches Halrac the Grim for advice before they enter the dungeon. Jelaqua tells them not to go because they'll die and not to go through the rift entrance which silences most of the adventurers in the room. Halrac agrees but the group goes anyway, bravado lost. The gold-ranks head for the dungeon too but prepared for it.
Typhenous meets the group outside the dungeon entrance after finishing his business in the city. The group talk about how risky it is to enter through the rift as the escape route is too dangerous especially with such a large group. Typhenous tells them that he was in Liscor trying to acquire lodestones to link to the door to multiple locations but they will have to wait until they arrive to do so.
The group passes the barricade that the Guardsmen have set up and enter the dungeon. Halrac and Seborn scout ahead of the group and come to a trapped room with a spike trap that Seborn triggers rather than look for a way to disable. They spend some time working on disabling the trap properly before slowly crossing the room one at a time.
The second room has a pit trap which Griffon Hunt had previously set up a rope bridge, the fourth room had a very heavy door which required Ulrien, Moore and Jelaqua's combined strength to move. They consider taking the door back before Senprm points out a trap: magical acid mist. They have to wait for it to dissipate as Jelaqua breaks out some food to eat. Halrac tells the others that Ulrien and he were soldiers and they hunt Griffons so they're more serious. Ulrien talks about the Half-seekers reputation - Typhenous mentions hearing about Jelaqua coming from Baleros as a silver-rank when he was much younger, and also when they were one of the best Gold-rank teams on the continent when they had 7 members.
Jelaqua stops laughing and solemnly tells them about how they had 8 members and thought they could become a Named team. Typhenous asks if what happened was related to what happened in the Sepicus Delve but Jelaqua tells them it was what happened after that broke them apart: a fight over treasure between the 5 other members. They were betrayed and one of their members turned on the other four and killed them and fled with everything they found, the Half-seekers had kept his identity secret except to those closest to them and Jelaqua urges Griffon Hunt to maintain their secret. She tells them that their eighth member was a Hobgoblin called Garen Redfang and he was probably as strong as any Goblin could be before being a Goblin Lord. They still don't know what was so important.
Six hours after entering they finally return back to the entrance only for the Guardsmen to inform them that some monster has managed to climb up from the second entrance. Halrac heads off first to check things out when the rest decide to defend the inn. On the way back Halrac returns and tells them that it's a group of undead, Flesh Worms and two Crypt Lords. The two teams agree to enter the fight, each taking a Worm. Both adventurer teams manage to take down the monsters and they return to the inn. Erin greets them, serves them food and then begins to talk about her plan with slimes.
The leader of the Windfrozen Riders, escorting Laken, is chattering to the Emperor until Durene approaches and saves Laken from the incessant talking. Durene asks if she can punch him but Laken reluctantly dismisses her question while mentioning one of the other adventurers they hired, the [Witch] that was threatening to turn him into a toad. They were almost back to Riverfarm.