The Hammer of Grimmold (Part 4)
                           by
                     'Stormbringer'

@~Continued from the last issue of SynTax

Once in the nest, I discovered to my delight a diamond, the likes 
of which I have never seen before or since for that  matter.  Not 
wanting  to  wait around and introduce myself to the Roc  (for  I 
knew  they  were   partial  to the  odd  traveller  as  well!)  I 
scrambled down as quickly as was safe.

Once on the ground I made my way to the huge oak tree that I  had 
seen  and  climbed up it to see if I could make out the way to go 
next. When I reached the top of the mighty oak I discovered to my 
surprise  an entrance down  into the heart of the  tree. With  my 
trusty lamp now lit, I ventured down into the darkness. 

At  once I came to the bottom and then headed along the  passage. 
It  wasn't long before I could go no further - a huge rock  stood 
in  my way. "How will I overcome this little problem?" I thought.
I tried everything I could think  of - levering  it, rolling  it, 
hitting it and even in the end kicking it, and much to my disgust 
I  discovered  that rock was very much harder than  human  flesh! 
Ouch!  In  the  end  I tried the only  course  left  to  me,  the 
Sunstone.  I  should  have known ... within seconds the rock  had 
disappeared and in so doing it had revealed what I had  suspected 
all along, the passageway went deeper.

Heading in what I took to be an easterly direction,  I soon  came 
across a rubbish tip. "This must be for Valk's fortress," I  said 
to  myself. "Mind  you I wouldn't have thrown this away," I added
as  I  stooped  to  pick up a  piece of fine dwarf cheese. "I had
better keep this for later." Although I  hadn't  eaten  since  my
first visit to the Inn, I  knew that  it would  be better to save
the cheese  for  later  in case of  hunger. "Mind  you, I am very
hungry,  a little piece wouldn't hurt."  I took a tiny chunk  and
popped  it into my mouth. I soon realised  that  the  cheese  was
rancid, and more than likely  poisoned for the rats. No wonder it
looked so fresh, it had been put there on purpose.

At the top of the stack of rubbish I found a hole leading up into 
the fortress. Using the rope  I climbed out into what looked like 
a  cellar,  and  in  it a dwarf  was  busy working. Again I spoke 
"Grimmold" and the kind fellow gave me an Orc uniform with  which 
to make my way around Valk's domain.  I searched the uniform  and 
found  a small vial of balm.  Not knowing yet what it was  for, I 
placed it back into my pocket and put on the uniform.

Taking  my trusty  magic  rope, I  went  up the steps  out of the
cellar  and went  east  and  then north  into the  first cell. On
searching the cell, I  found a skeleton of some poor soul who had
suffered  at the  hands  of Valk's men.  On examining the bones I
found a  clue which would help me in dealing with the Orc guards.
"So they like a drink do they," I mused. "If only I had some wine
or the like," I  thought. On  further  examination  of the cell I
discovered a piece of string tied to the grille  which supposedly
gave fresh air to the prisoner. I pulled  at the  string  and out
came a flagon - empty, but never  the less  in good  order. "If I

could only find something to  put in it," I said, "there  must be
a wine cellar hereabouts somewhere."

I went out of the cell and slowly made my way along the  corridor 
leading  to the east and then south,  southeast,  north and  then 
finally east again. I came to an abrupt halt, for in my way was a 
gigantic Orc .........................

@~To be continued in the next issue of SynTax