Konigsberg relies on you over and over again to keep it from collapse and every time you managed to come through. You are heroes. You repelled goblin attacks, located druids to help you in your defense, defeated skeletons and recovered weapons designed for a similar foe. You uncovered a traitor in your midst and saved some dwarf slaves. Most recently you saved the captain of the guard from capture and learned that indeed Lord Gareth has been plotting the demise of the dwarves from the beginning. Captain Jared got in his way and was nearly eliminated. The questions remains what to do about Gareth…

 

The night is well established as guards interrogate the remaining thug that held Jared. Clerics attend the Captain in a room nearby and heal his wounds. The group gathers around the long table in Konigsberg hall with Arsenal ever present at its head. The veteran dwarf scowls with deep lines across his forehead like the lines of ore his people mine deep in the caverns and caves of the mountains. His eyes are dark and penetrating. At last he speaks, his voice a rumble like the mountains that bore him:

 

“We cannot stand such subversion any longer. Gareth has tried to undermine our efforts from the beginning. It is clear to me now. Something must be done. We cannot continue to resist the enemy at our gates while one stabs at our backs. I worry that there is only one course of action.”

 

Gnarl growls and slams his fist, “I’m not worried,” the dark warrior shouts. “Gareth brought this upon himself. We are at war! Besieged! We will fall if we have to spend precious energy fighting his thugs while we should be spending it on the bloody goblins! I say we deal with him once and for all!”

 

“But we do not know what we are up against,” cautions Arsenal, ever calm even in the face of calamity. “How wide his is influence? How deep are his pockets? What if such an action incites open civil war within our city?” 

 

“Then we’re dead already!” Gnarl shouts. “There is no more time! We must end this tonight! Every day we waste allows him to grow stronger and us to get weaker. Soon it will be too late. We saved the captain and killed some of his men. I say we do it now. Before he can regroup!”

 

There is a pause as eyes shift between the warrior and the master cleric. They juxtapose strength and anger against wisdom and patience. It seems there could be no resolution between them. Then Jared slowly and proudly walks into the hall. His armor is dented and bloodied. His face is worn and bruised but his eyes shone bright like the moon reflecting off a pool at midnight. All pause and look at the proud captain and trusted ally. He waits a moment before speaking as if to gather strength from the honor the group offers him. 

 

At last he speaks, loud and strong, “We must attack Gareth tonight. He will not be satisfied until he controls Konigsberg. He will continue to subvert your efforts and he is willing to let the entire city fall in the process. It ends tonight. This has gone too far. I’m heading there now.” He turns and sword in hand begins marching from the hall and into the night.

 

Who’s with him?