Unfortunately (9) It's The Friday Knights.

Big things were in the offing as people arrived this Friday. Neame was eager to get the group into Splitpaw, unfortunately (1) Aluthea hadn't had her pass stamped, so wasn’t allowed admission, so we thought we’d go of to Zek, especially as we had worked so hard last week to get there, best not waste the effort. So off to the Orc warzone we go, alas for the second time in one paragraph, unfortunately (2) more duff news, Brevil calls in sick. Actually I think he just pulled a fast one. So we find Aluthea, Certo, Holfast, and Neame head off to Zek for some careful adventuring, and with Holfast around that is not really likely.
Soon enough The Fantastic Four Friday Knights find themselves standing on the dock.
"The Troll Mess Sergeant on the other side has a nice easy little quest" says Neame.
“Oh, Neame has already had a peek around here has he?” retorts Certo.
“Weeelll, I did have a little look”, the Paladin replies a little on the sheepish side.
Regardless, everyone trots over to speak to the Trollish cook, and hence dive into the bay. This is not in response to the offer of being the main course of course, although elven thigh done right is to die for, particularly if you are elven, and Holfast is a bit put out at the idea of being dinner. He is proud of the fact that he is at the top of a substantial number of food chains, and has awards to prove it. Anyway in the drink is where the trouble begins. There are plenty of crates to find, which is the other option the Troll offers, but also unfortunately (3) lots of Kelp Horrors. I thought to call this week’s account "Attack of the Killer Seaweed", but I wanted to have a positive feel to the story. It wasn't long before poor Aluthea was eating dirt, and the Cook was eyeing up those delicate thighs. Those Kelps are tenacious beasties, they seem to sense anything that even just paddles in the water, the murky water can also be misleading to the diver sense of distance. There followed much running to the guards, who may or may not decide to take the salty flora off us. The group eventually got wise, and kept their distance, and only the odd one was fished out with the swimmer. We would have to pop back every now and then, as there weren’t enough crates to go round, unless we fancied mixing it up with some gruesome looking sharks. Holfast has now found a food chain he hasn’t climbed, but can’t find the Sherpas to go with him.
A Dark Elf called Shadow had a nice little job, so the group had a chat with him; we also picked up a couple of others and ventured out of the defensive wall to tackle them. The grunts and patrolmen were easy pickings for the quartet, and quickly we settled down, and got our confidence, and became and bit more adventurous, and went for the catapult operators. Every now and again we’d pop back to dive in the bay and pick up a few more crates. Soon enough everyone had their quota, and took them back to the Troll, who then gave us another job which as it would happen meant killing those darned Kelp Horrors. This time a little more organised it was completed in quick time, and back to the Troll who then asked us to get crates from the local area outside the gates. Neame had seen quite a number of these previously.
“How little was you look again?” enquired Certo. Neame grins.
So off we charge, our confidence now well constructed we ventured deeper. Hack and slash with gay abandon, picking up the odd quest as we went, no Orc was too much. Even a feared 'orange' did not come close in besting us. Certo was the proverbial bull in a china shop, his philosophy is, or at least should be 'If you're not in the thick of battle and getting six bells knocked out of you, I can't do my job, so stitch that!'. Holfast was like a kid in a candy store, all this new land to get lost in, lots of interesting paths to follow, and strange creatures to meet. Invariably if the group turned left, he'd turn right, afterwards he would be bringing along some of his new friends, who would show their delight in meeting him by trying to cleave him in two, but being the Halfling he is, and the dopes they are, this failed to happen. Then in front of us we find something else that is likely to attract Holfast, it looks like a mine, complete with a deeeep hole. We find a locked chest, and unfortunately (4) a heavyweight group of Orcdoms foulest appear from the tent nearby. It was here that Aluthea assumed the horizontal position and sampled the dirt for the second time. It was time to return to the dock. But hurrah, Brevil returns after a wash and brush up, and we return to the mine with renewed vinegar, but instead of running around it, we venture down, and it's a long way down. It was a great relief to all that Holfast walked over the rickety bridge in a straight line, somewhat of an achievement I must admit. All down safely, we go about reducing the miner population. A nasty 'red' Orc gives us a fright, but he is busy chasing off someone else, and we head up ducking into interesting holes that appear in the walls, generally following Holfast from an uncomfortable distance. If there is a divergence of tunnels, you can bet the person second in line will go the other way. Whatever we come across is history; even the red ones are no match for our prowess. There is a maze of tunnels, and Neame is concerned we would get split up and blunder into something horrible, but it turns out we are the horrible-est ones down here. However we decide to head back to the surface. It does get somewhat stuffy, and hot down there. You’d think there were blacksmiths forges everywhere.
It was time to move on, and Neame still wanted to explore Splitpaw, after an agonising excursion down there on his own, it was payback time, unfortunately (5) Aluthea still did not have the precious shard required to properly gain access, but she was tired, and bid the rest good night. So it was up to the remaining four to reap mayhem in the new found caves, but after getting there, unfortunately (6) it was Certo who could not gain entrance, he had left his shard in the bank. A brief excursion through the captives cave was all we could manage, then like Aluthea we decided to call it a night. This week was probably not the greatest of adventures, but it's times like these that make times like those so great. Next time will be a different matter.
Unfortunately (7) this is the end of the Friday Knights adventure for today. But fear not we will be back with the killing spirit restored. Unfortunately (8).