Episode 1: A Helping Hand

The creatures bristle, or at least you think they do, given the way their tentacles wring and writhe.

We usurp the usurpers, remove from them their means of comfort, hisses Alto. Each village that lies fallow is less gold in the Dragon's coffers, each citizen that dies is one less foot soldier in their armored boots.

Bass adds, What worth have the Pale Deva if their people do the bidding of the Dragon? You come here and attack us, aiding the Dragon's citizens, protecting them and their masters. If you stand against them, begone! Leave us to our work. It waves an arm, as though shooing away a fly.

Bass and Alto look at each other. Tenor steps forward past its cordon of grimlocks and approaches you all. You offer an interesting alternative, its voice states. However, what assurances do you have that the villagers will not betray your efforts? They are simple-minded, driven only by their own pleasures and their survival. They would say and do anything to save themselves.

Then what is your plan for turning them to your cause? asks Alto. They look upon you as saviors, they will believe it is the Dragon that saves them!

Alto narrows its eyes. You call our methods into question, when you have no true plan of resistance?!

Tenor holds up its hand. Enough. Clearly they are misguided. We should show them the better path.

Bass seems to question this decision, but does not display its objection in any outward way. Instead it turns south and both it and its grimlocks head down the southern tunnel. Alto and Tenor remain where they are, blocking the other pathways and wordlessly indicating the direction they'd like the group to go.

Go, states Tenor, waving a hand towards Bass. See for yourselves what we do with these 'resources.'

To Haesh, it would seem that these beings want to show them something.

Bass and its grimlocks have traveled the south tunnel. They disappear into the darkness where a cavern expands 30 feet further down.

Alto and Tenor wait for you to proceed.

Bass leads you into a larger cavern with branching side tunnels, though it walks directly south. You all notice that each side tunnel has a number of grimlocks standing near the entrances, having paused whatever their tasks to 'observe' your passage. Alto and Tenor follow you, establishing a rearguard in your procession.

Your group passes through this cavern into a large cave with two chambers. The smaller room to the west has a number of wood and metal cages, most of them empty except for one that has three humanoid figures lying on the ground.

The larger chamber to the east is dominated at the far end by three stone tables before a large stone throne. Each table is a slab with leather straps at both ends and across the middle. The throne is intricately-worked stone, dramatically different from the primitive carvings seen in other parts of the cave system, but it looks like it was crafted from the very the rock itself. Rising like a crown above the throne are stone prongs that rise 10 feet off the ground and culminate to a small fist-sized gem that glows brightly.

Seated in the throne is another tentacled creature, but significantly larger than the others, with six long tentacles hanging from its face. It is unmoving, with empty eye sockets and dry cracked skin.

Bass stands to the side, looking at the party. Tenor's voice resonates in your minds, Behold, our lord and master. Each villager contributes power towards our rise against the Dragon. Here do we turn these pawns against the enemy, and makes our master stronger. There is no room for betrayal from those resources, no illusion of whose side they serve.

As you all soak in the sight before you, Alto looks to the grimlocks around them and points to the cage. Several grimlocks amble forward to open the cage and pull out those within, revealing them to be human. There is one young male and two women. The male is in his late teens while one woman appears to be in her early to mid-30s, and the second woman is much older. All appear bruised, with dried blood crusting their common clothes, and they are all unconscious.

The grimlocks start to drag the three humans into the larger chamber, towards the stone slabs.

The humans are each placed upon a slab and strapped to the stone, their heads pointed towards the throne. Alto, Tenor, and Bass approach the slabs and stand at the feet of the bound humans, tentacles writhing excitedly.