The Last Days in the Dungeon
(330 Dolefaren 376)
My last days as dungeon guard come with exciting news. The goblin is finally to be delivered to the Ulf’hara. We have been waiting for this day since the war began. I prayed that it would happen and the gods have answered that prayer. There have been very few times in my career as Keep guard that I was actually nervous about one of the prisoners. I heard stories before the war how he slayed countless citizens. This goblin could not be caught and on the rare occasion he was struck down, word spread like a raging fire throughout the keep in hopes this was the last we would be plagued by this horrid creature.’, ‘This would not be the first time the goblin will be in the dungeons, but it will be the last. The day that she arrived was one the guards will not forget. Even Captain Zukir still suffers from the effects of her magics. I don’t remember how long it was before the actual war started, but the goblin had been captured in Crossing proper by a group of Empaths. He had been beheading a number of them recently and no one knew where he would strike next. From what I was told, the attendants caught sight of his moments and some of the healers ensnared him with their magics. Quite ingenious actually. When he was brought here, the look on his face could have melted the cell door. Even though gagged and shackled, there was a sense of unease in handling this creature.
Two, or was it three days later, an envoy from Shard arrived bearing an official seal of the Empath guild. She was to interrogate the goblin in hopes of discovering the whereabouts of the captives. As we unlocked the door to the cell, we saw the goblin standing there, a smile crossing his face and a stare I can still see. We stood befuddled a moment until everything began to grow dark and fade. The last thing I remember was hearing a scream of anguish from Captain Zukir. I don’t know how long we were unconscious but when I awoke, I saw the Captain hunched in a corner with some grotesque deformaty. One guard had been frozen as a statue and the duty station guard’s throat was cut. I rose quickly, still feeling the effects of whatever spell it was and sounded the alarm. The guards mobilized and began a search of the Keep checking to make sure his Majesty was safe. As we patrolled the middens, corpses of Keep guards littered the area. All of them had been beheaded.
There have been many prisoners in the dungeons, though not all of them have been as high profile as this. I recall an incident where this crazed Dwarf was brought in. I don’t remember his name, nor the charges, but he was quite belligerent and would always hear voices. He claimed the fires were going to get him and that somehow we were to blame. He even accused us of beating him. Nice try, bub. We would hear him slamming against the cell door, eventually knocking himself cold. He tried to convince the Opreina that the guards did it. I know that the Opreina knew better and he never questioned our response.
They brought in someone not long ago, shrouded so we could not see. The royal guard instructed us to go off shift as some of the guardians of honor were to take position. I had rarely seen one, other than Zoranyl who resides as his Majesty’s personal guard. They rarely left Leth Deriel. We’re not sure who this prisoner was they escorted in and no one ever mentioned anything further to us. It was quite unusual for the dungeon guard to be dismissed and the Elves take their place. It wasn’t for very long, maybe a day.
Before I left to my home, I gathered my belongings and out of the corner of my eye I could have sworn I saw his Majesty entering one of the cells. He never comes down here. I attempted to see what was happening but the Elven guards stopped me from going down the corridor. I nodded politely to them and went on my way. You can rarely tell the demeanor of an Elf as their expressions are hard to read, but I could tell there was no way he was going to let any of us remain. When I returned the next day, there was nothing written in the activity log and the guardians of honor had left. Just another mystery in the dungeons of Ulf’hara.
A number of promotions took place recently, myself included. I look back to the day I enlisted in his Majesty’s service. The training of being a pikeman and the campaigns we fought in defense of Zoluren. The day of my promotion, his Majesty spoke very eloquently and with heart about each of us. I found my mind wandering to tolls of the war, my wife and our new child to be born. As Renshuel called my name, I adjusted my tunic, proudly stepped forward and accepted the promotion to the rank of halberdier in the royal guard. I glanced over to my wife momentarily to see the proud look on her face and then back to his Majesty who placed the promotion bars on my collar. I look forward to my new position under the Kaith Khalor Kaovales. I think Captain Zukir was proud of me and the rest of the squad. He trained us well. I feel sorry for the guy. He often touches the side of his face with a blank look. That is one experience I am grateful to have avoided.