Dungeons and Dragons Adventure 2

Part 1: The Prison

"Rise and shine, inmates!" a guard yells from down the hall. The sound of a baton on iron bars resonates and grows closer. He demands that all prisoners rise from their beds. Uruguay, Lebron, and an unfamiliar halfling sharing their cell on Row 30 abide, but Wally rolls over and goes back to sleep. 

The party is shocked to see a Helmed Horror standing in front of their cell with a baton in its hand. It repeats the line "All rise!" and inspects the cell, expecting four obedient prisoners, but only finding three. It ushers the three compliant prisoners out of the cell to follow the line before checking the sleeping Wally to determine the halfling's health. Despite being asleep, Wally convinces the Helmed Horror that he is dead. The Helmed Horror motions for another guard to take his duty as he carries Wally to the healing room.

*Obedient Prisoner POV*

Uruguay and LeBron sat at a long table next to a bunch of other prisoners, with the strange halfling across the table. As soon as the guard walks away, the halfling gets their attention with a "Psst!" Then, when he has their attention, he continues, "You guys want to get out of here, right?" 

The party affirms him with a collective nod. "Great. Then you've got to do something for me. I and a few others have a plan to escape, but we're missing some parts. You can see our friends marked with a scratch on their necks resembling a cat's. After you've done your task, you'll report to them. Are you up to it?"

The monk and barbarian are excited about what kind of work they're about to be asked to do, muttering to each other with ideas to help. Finally, they both reply to the halfling unanimously with "yes."

"Excellent. I was hoping my fellow halfling would assist with this duty, but I'm afraid I leave this duty to you, turtle. I need apples—lots of them. Every day at breakfast, they serve apples with the sludge they expect us to enjoy. Some people eat them, but most don't out of fear they're moldy or cursed in some way. I need you to get as many apples as you can."

The halfling turns to the dwarf. "You have the more difficult task of getting me a glass bottle. I need as big a glass bottle as you can smuggle because the apples will go in it. I believe there is some glassware in the cafeteria if you can manage it."

"I know these ingredients sound random, but I learned some chemistry from an alchemist in the Mountain Region. As long as you trust me on this, we'll get out of here."

*Wally POV*

At the same time that Uruguay and LeBron are eating breakfast, a Helmed Horror picked Wally out of his bed. It carried him to the prison's holy healer. Once through the door, they found the healer smoking a pipe and relaxing in a wooden chair. The healer is a middle-aged human, maybe thirty or forty, with long dirty blonde hair and is fat from his work benefits. He looks over, unenthused about the work he's being paid to do. "Another halfling? How unusual. Set him on the table."

The guard sets Wally on the table as the healer requested and waits for any further orders. "You can leave," the healer tells it, "I'll whistle if I need anything."

As the Horror walks out, the healer shuffles to the door and shuts it behind him with a bored sigh. At this moment, Wally sits straight up and stares directly into the healer's eyes and, in his best godly impression, proclaims, "You've failed me, cleric!"

"Oh, god!" the healer exclaims.

"This was not the purpose I've given you!" Wally continues, "Begrudgingly healing evil men in the country's penitentiary? Is this what you define as 'your holy mission?'"

The healer is on his knees now, sobbing into the floor. "What have I done, Lord? Oh, how I've failed you, your greatness! Is there anything to be done? Is there any way to redeem myself in your favor?"