Suicide Kings Chapter 1: Initiation

[Krylo]

"You're the most pathetic lot of recruits I have ever seen in my life," the words were spat, with a sort of disgust as the middle-aged man in half-plate standing near the 'dungeon' entrance spoke. "But it's lucky for you worthless specs that it's not up to me to decide... then again," he said with a sneaking grin, "Maybe not..."

He stepped aside revealing a steel hatch in the center of the Suicide King's own little city-state: Gluthstaenen. A couple of younger men dressed like squires walked up to the hatch and began unbolting and unscrewing it to get it open.

"In this here pit," he said with a sadistic grin, "We have captured kobolds, goblins, troglodytes and a few even less intelligent beasties. Might be a bugbear or even an ogre, I don't remember. The main thing you maggots gotta remember is this--we told them all the only way they're getting out, and with a paycheck at that, is if YOU all don't. And that ain't the end of it--our crack team of engineers, dirty and violent, the lot o' em--they've developed all kinds of fun little traps for you down there too." Noticing a few of the recruits seemed nonplussed by all this he added, "And don't worry about holding back, kids--it's all live fire. You die in there, and you weren't worth shit to the company in the first place."

As he finished his speech the hatch opened with a hiss, revealing a ladder bolted onto the side, just large enough for one person to go down at a time. The chattering and laugher of kobolds echoed out from below along with the stench of rotting flesh. As soon as expressions made it obvious that his recruits had caught a wiff, the middle-aged man let out a laugh.

"Here's hopin' you maggots do better than the last group! In ya go! ...Unless ya want to run home to mommy. There's still time for that..."