Episode 1: A Helping Hand

The fire streaks down the tunnel before exploding against the stone wall. The blast of light reveals nothing there save the rock and earth.

Jandral extends his senses through time and space, and realizes that nothing is around them.

Proceeding onward, you enter into a narrow tunnel that slowly bends southward. The walls encroach, scraping against your shoulders, and moisture from the high ceiling drips onto your heads. Through the torchlight, you can see that the tunnel splits into two passages, one leading west while the other goes south.

That is when you all hear a genderless voice sound in your heads, Stop!

We will ask the questions. You will answer, a second voice, higher in pitch, resounds in your minds. Those of a musical bent might associate the second voice with an alto, the first with a tenor.

Haesh is unable to see anything beyond the torchlight against the rock and stone. The voices do not appear to originate from anywhere, as they enter into his mind as though the words themselves form within.

They are like the others, booms a third voice, deeper like a bass. Kill them and be done.

No, states Tenor. They are different. Who are you?

There is a shuffling noise now, all around. It is almost imperceptible, but each of you know that you've heard it. Contrasting the sound from your ears with the voice in your head, it is rather disconcerting.

Answer! barks Tenor. Who are you?!

You see? rumbles Bass, its 'voice' echoing in your minds. Servants of the Dragon. We cannot let them leave!

Alto's words ooze into your minds. Yes, I'm inclined to agree. Only the Dragon's agents would be so stubborn.

Now there is movement at both ends of the tunnel. Stepping into the torchlight and range of darkvision are several grimlocks, each one shuffling forward until they stand 30 feet from your position. A total of six grimlocks stand at the forking tunnels west of you, while three block the eastern passage.

Behind the grimlocks, standing tall above the throng, are three alien individuals. With purplish skin, each one is hairless with an octopus-like head, complete with four tentacles that writhe where a mouth would be. Two of these beings, one rather heavy-set while the other is rake-thin, stand behind the group of six grimlocks to the west. The third, medium in build compared to the other two, is by the group of three to the east.

The creature to the east lifts up a clawed hand, and points at Tordek. Tenor's words enter into your thoughts. You, dwarf. Is this true?

Tordek appears flabbergasted at the reveal of these creatures. Tenor's tentacles crick, then flexes out as it turns its attention to Jandral. Half-elf, are you intelligent enough to answer?