Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Ireth]

Líadan

I continue working alongside Baldhart, singing quietly for Branwen all the while. Cadell told me about the lizards and their spells and other defenses, especially the choking stench they give off. I pause and quickly adjust my scarf, wrapping it over my nose and mouth as a precaution. It may hamper my singing, but at least I am less likely to faint at the stench (or so I hope*). And if anyone is paralyzed, I have just the spell to help them.

I return to work, still humming a tune, and wondering whether I will need to string my bow for use after all. Baldhart speaks of luring the fight to us, and I may need to defend myself as well as Branwen.

((*Will the scarf help at all against the lizards' stench? I was thinking it may, possibly, negate her -1 CON penalty for a short time, but that's up to Steerpike to decide.))

 

[Keitsumah]

I prepare myself for the fight by stretching a bit, then take up my staff and give ti an expert twirl. It won't do much damage, but I can hold off enemies if i have to fairly well. Most of the damage comes from either Batos or my spells -and some of them can be quite risky to cast.

Only if i have no other alternative then . . . i think, then glance at Branwen. Slipping out the knife i have from my bag, I consider it for a moment before glancing at Baldart -she seems to be the real "parent" for Branwen in this situation.

"Baldart, I know the fight may not come to here, but I think I should give Branwen this knife if it does happen to get nasty, so she can defend herself. Would it be okay if i gave this to her?" I say, holding up the knife so Baldart can see. It is a small stone blade, easily fitting in my hand, so i figure that Branwen should be able to handle it like a small dagger or something.

And if the fight did come to the portal room, i knew what i would have to do. Already i have become attuned to the plants in the room now that i have been inside it for a while, and their leaves turn towards me, the odd vine slithering around my wrist and then letting go like a snake.

I guess being a Druid raised directly from the wild lands has that effect. I guess, scratching Batos's ears as the rune glows on his forehead, brighter than ever as it mirrors my necklace. He appears to the be very picture of calm, but there is a deadly glint in his eyes -they have now nearly turned more white than blue.

 

[Nihal]

I blink, looking at the druid, fighting the pressing need to roll my eyes and reply harshly. The urge is like a wave, twisting, revolving, alive, a contrast to my impassible facade. "She is too young and she can not understand us to be properly instructed. Better not, Branwen will only end hurting herself."

A nice answer, polite, neutral, even if the suggestion was dumb. Ohhh, congratulations on taming your temper, Mauve!

I walk past them to take a peek at the corridor, not without glancing at the wolf, ready to give him the finger if he insists in growling. What else could I do?

Looking at the dark hallway I think about my shield, which might be required really soon. Since I met these people I experienced so much trouble to cast my spells, suffering grievous failures, tainting myself, I, who was always careful, who might not have the lightest soul but was still pure, the definition of a good student. Whatever was the cause—even today I couldn't determine it!—my luck changed during a particular fight. For my great relief and those people's too my enchantments started to work again, showing them all the beauty of the old art. But my shield... My shield failed me a long time ago, this time when I won those repulsive scars, when I needed it most. Since then I couldn't get it to work, lately I've tried it how many times? Five? Six?

I swallow hard, retreating to the collapsed room's safety. My fear is silly, recently I've tried harder, unknown spells and succeeded. But the shield spell... it's always going to bring up bad memories, make me feel small and helpless.

Maybe I should just let them fight, stay behind without getting caught in physical combat.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Mauve's right, Keit. I also prefer we don't arm a small child. In fact… there is a twelve year old girl named Burnbright who's no longer with us." Baldy! Oh—right, Nissa! "No longer traveling with us, I mean! A druid we met escorted her back to town.

"Burnbright's the one these lizards are after. But my point is that she was armed by a knight. He gave her a fine longsword, and she came out swinging with it. Thankfully, Cadell—with only one good hand—cut down her intended target before she could get hurt, and I severed the shaman's spine as she rushed the girl. Her bravery was commendable, and I told her that I was proud. I was!

"But really… at twelve, all a child can do with a weapon is miss and expect not to. At four, she's more likely to cut herself than an enemy. And don't forget her talons." I point out the tears in my wool dress. "Her fingernails are sharp, too! Maybe there's some trog blood from her mom's side of the family, such as it is."

I look at the child. Even if she understood my language, she's too young to understand the risk she's forced to take just for traveling with us—or that she'd be worse off if we didn't adopt her.

"You're right to worry about her, Keit. But all we can do is make sure the fight doesn't get to her. My hope for Branwen is that she'll hide behind Liadan, or whoever is furthest from combat. My fear is that her habit is to cling to me when she's scared. I plan to be close to the enemy. The closest… alongside Cadell and Batos, of course!"

…

Maybe I can play a game with her. I rest part of my current load on my forearm as I carry it, freeing my hand momentarily so I can point. "Branwen," I call out, then point saying, "Go to Mauve."

Let's see if she'll walk to Mauve. If she does, I wait to see if Mauve or someone else joins in. If a minute goes my and no one's playing, I'll say, Branwen, go to Aliron, pointing at him.

 

[Nihal]

I look at Balhdart, confused, then at Branwen to see if she's going to comply. If she doesn't, I try to call her name.

If she learned her own name it can be useful.

 

[Ankari]

The group has the attention span of aged flies, but the talk of Branwen gives me an idea. I walk beside Baldhart with the heaviest stone I can carry. "Baldhart, the troglodytes are afraid of the harpies. I think, if times get dire, that the sight of her will give us the edge needed to regroup. I wonder if we can convince her to sing a song that only affects them, and not us. Even the beginning of a song may throw them into terror."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"They might not get charmed, but I know I feel something when she sings. You're right… if they even suspect we have the harpy's magic on our side, the fear of getting charmed might be enough to give us an advantage.

"It's not hard to get Branwen to sing. Keit knows how to play her mother's song on her flute, and when Branwen sings along… the lizards will feel it. If they see her, they'll know what the feeling's from.

"Can you hum the tune, Keit? Easier than trying to exchange a spear for a flute mid-battle!"

 

[SeverinR]

LS:
"She joins in song when someone sings, She might not realize volume, so if someone sings softly maybe they will think the harpy is doing the song?"

"I believe the last time we armed a child, the dwarf got hurt."

I wait to see if Mauve gets Branwen to go to her when she calls her. If not I will call her to see if she comes to me.
If she comes to me I will offer my hand and walk her over to Liadan, and officially introduce her.

 

[Keitsumah]

I sheath the knife, careful to keep my tongue in check before i say that I had been hardly any older than Branwen when i had had to handle knives just to survive. Cutting into hard bark and thorny plants couldn't be done without a sharp object- nor could i have defended myself against the odd animal attack.

Then, when the harpy's song is mentioned, i frown as i try to remember the words.

[1d20+0] = 14+0 = 14

I can do better than hum it. I realize, starting off with a few of the odd, lilting words. The harpy's language may elude meaning to me, but i can mimic the words. I avoid putting any magic into them though, just to be safe, until i learn a little more about it. At the moment though, i feel that the song invokes emotions when the caster visualizes something, luring in or chasing away prey on a whim.

Lowering my voice into a menacing undertone, i imagine the lizards dying in a roaring fire. The light from my necklace shimmers and darkens, and then I change my tune to a gentle, calming melody that withholds a sense of danger. I imagine something stalking through the bushes. Hunting. That is the song i want Branwen to sing-a harpy's hunting song. It would be the most likely to scare away the lizards. Maybe even scare something else. Power fills my veins and my confidence builds, and the notes begin repeating, throbbing like a drum in my temples.

Batos's ears lower as i sing the haunting words, and his tail flicks in time with the notes. His eyes glaze over as he watches the doorway, and the rune fades, turning black. His hackles rise, exposing the scars tracing his body, and a rumbling growl rises in his chest as he too, begins to sing in his own way.

 

[Steerpike]

The party continues to build the barricade, moving rubble from the collapsed room. Darin shrugs his shield off his back and hands it to Baldhart. "That belonged to my father," he says, his eyes narrowed, mouth turned down. He pauses a moment for effect, then rings widely, returning to the pile of rocks and grabbing another to carry toward the barricade. He grunts as he walks, speaking with effort as he hauls the stone. "How strong was the smell of oil around the first debris pile? Aliron? You think we'll get much more than a flash before the hallway goes up in flame?"

Branwen watches the proceeding curiously. When Liadan sings, the harpy child mimics her song. The action seems subconscious, because Branwen's attention is on all the movement between the rubble room and the barricade. Mimicking the song seems an almost automatic response for her, but within seconds she is following Liadan so closely that it almost seems they are singing together. Only by listening carefully can you hear that Branwen lags a split second behind the elf.

When Baldhart gets Branwen's attention, she stops singing and focuses on the Barbarian, watching as the big woman gestures toward Mauve. Branwen's eyes move between the two, and then when Mauve joins in and motions toward her, she shuffles in that direction, turning her head to watch Baldhart as she goes. Branwen stops near Mauve and looks around expectantly.

When Keitsumah starts singing, Branwen immediately smiles. She picks up the tune right away, and this time she really is singing in time with the song. It quickly becomes clear that Branwen already knows this one. The same tug plays at the emotions of the group as Branwen's voice moves over them, though coupled with the tune sung by the adult harpies, it appears to have a bit more force behind it. Still, it is not enough to cast a spell over any of the group as the adult harpies did.

As the party continues to work at the barricade, Cadell watches the long hallway. There is no movement for some time, then suddenly a small form darts from out of the enormous cavern at the far end of the hallway, following the narrow walkway to disappear behind the second barricade. Cadell's elven ears make out distant speak, in the harsh language of the reptiles. There appears to be an argument, then one of the voices rises abruptly and all of the talking stops.

A lone lizards appears from behind the barricade. It is small and thin, and it holds in one palm a shard of the glowing white stone. The light casts a halo around its upper body and its long snout throws a shadow across its face. In its other hand the lizard holds a stick with a piece of white cloth attached to the top. The lizard takes a couple of steps forward, then glances back at the debris pile. A hissing voice issues a command and the lizard bolts forward, frantically waving the white cloth on the end of its stick and weaving side to side, as though expecting to be shot at any moment. It continues this nervous half-sprint, heading straight for the first debris pile and the party beyond.

((Cadell sees the lizard; Aliron also does if he is still watching the hallway. Everyone else is busy with other things.

As for Liadan's scarf - it's a good idea. She's not sure how much protection it will provide against the lizard stench, but there is one way to find out)).

 

[SeverinR]

"Lone lizard approaching, with a glow rock and a white flag ." I announce loudly.
I have an arrow ready, calculating the distance as it approaches.

"Someone get Branwen and make sure she is out of sight, and Liadan should stay out of sight also. They might have seen her, but they don't need to see her up close, keep her an unknown."

 

[Nihal]

I smile when Branwen does as bidded, coming to me. I reward her by mussing her hair again and watch her sing until Aliron warns us. "Why not both?" I take Branwen's hand and guide her to Líadan, placing then her little hand in the elf's.

"This room might provide some cover and unless he enters he will not see you. He won't enter." After making sure Branwen will stay with Líadan—even suggesting she hums a little if the little harpy tries to leave—I move back to the door and look at the darkness expectantly.

If they know Burnbright isn't there, then why?

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Branwen moves to Mauve. When she looks back at me, I show my approval. "Smart girl," I tell her.

She'll be safe with Mauve. Darin's not too crazy about giving me the shield, yet he does. "Thank you, Darin. I won't dishonor your father. As long as this shield is on my arm, I'll hold the line with Cadell."

Aliron's words tell me it's time for me to move. I unsheathe my weapon--meant for two hands, but for this battle, I carry it in one! My arm can handle it! ((I realize there's a -2 to hit penalty.)) I move to Cadell's right. Him being a lefty, we can form a decent shield wall for distant arrows and our sword arms are best positioned for melee when enemies come close. But this first enemy bears a white flag.

I let my eyes speak first.

[Intimidate]

I tell the lizard, "Do not flee. Do not move within a blade's reach. You come bearing a flag of surrender, so you are safe... for now. I will warn you up front, the last time I spoke to one of your kind it was the shaman." I tilt my head, the gesture intended to call attention to what's on it: the skull helm once worn by the shaman. "She asked me to give her a human child, and shortly afterward, I ran my blade through her and no quarter was given to those with her. If you ask me to hand a child over to you, you will die. If you value your life, do not attempt to lead me from where I stand, or any of us. If you can speak my language...

"Start talking."

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

I smile as Mauve leads Baldhart to me, and clasp her tiny hand gently as I hum to her. I look up at the others and away toward Cadell, knowing he is one of the closest to the lizards, and hoping he does not get hurt -- and if he does, can I reach him in time to aid him? Do I dare leave Branwen's side, or worse yet, bring her with me into the line of fire?

Cadell

I keep my eye on the tunnel ahead, and sigh in relief when I hear the others saying Líadan should be kept out of the line of fire. All well and good to keep her safe, but what if we are injured? Is she to leave Branwen and heal us mid-fight?

Then again, the lizard carries a white flag... perhaps he means to make a truce. On the other hand, it could just as easily be a ruse to make us let down our guard. I close the fingers of my gauntlet on the hilt of my sword, my eyes narrowing as I continue to watch and listen. What are they up to?

Baldhart speaks to the lizard, and I hold my tongue; she knows best how to intimidate an enemy. I only hope it works in our favor.

((Ninja'd, heheh. I hope my post still works!))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((Checked the map before adding this. Since Ireth posted, I'm adding a new post rather than editing.))

As I'm speaking, the lizard's hasty approach arouses suspicion.

60 feet...

50...

40...

As he approaches charging distance, I add, "Stand there." I point my blade at him, implying that if he runs closer, he'll be impaled on it. "Speak."

 

[Nihal]

Before the lizard reaches us, I raise my eyebrows and talk loud enough only to Baldhart hear, without moving to the hallway. "Any information is useful, do not threaten to kill someone if you do not like what he will say or he won't inform us at all! Just kill him later."

 

[Keitsumah]

Batos snarled, and I had to grip his scruff to keep him from lunging at the lizard. Standing behind Baldart and Cadell, i figured i could help keep the defense by lancing my staff through the gaps between them. Batos, however, would go forward and fight ahead of us. Until the attack began, however, i kept him by my side.

"I will warn you, lizard, that if you run i have a wolf who can chase you down like a rabbit -and you will be disemboweled just like one as well." I growled, eyes following the creature's every move. Batos strained against my grip, muzzle curled in a fearsome snarl to reveal his newly sharpened fangs, gleaming a pearly white in the light cast by the stone.

 

[SeverinR]

((Checked the map before adding this. Since Ireth posted, I'm adding a new post rather than editing.))

As I'm speaking, the lizard's hasty approach arouses suspicion.

60 feet...

50...

40...

As he approaches charging distance, I add, "Stand there." I point my blade at him, implying that if he runs closer, he'll be impaled on it. "Speak."

When Baldhart tells him to stop, I draw back and take aim. (To avoid getting tired, I will hold only long enough to get aim bonus and one round after if it does as directed.)

[40ft is also good, outside most hand hurled weapons range.]

 

[Steerpike]

The lizard looks at the assembled party with clear fear in his eyes - arrows trained at him, swords and shields, a wolf, a large woman with a shaman's headdress. It seems that only a tremendous force of will, or perhaps a greater fear of what awaits him if he fails his duty, forces him to take the last trembling steps to stop about thirty feet from the party. When spoken to, he tilts his head, then shakes it and replies in the reptilian tongue. When he sees no understanding on the faces of the party member, he slowly loosens his grip on the stick with the white cloth attached, and shakes loose a piece of rolled paper that he was clutching between the stick and his palm.

The rolled paper tumbles to the floor and the lizard kicks it about ten feet forward, trying to get it closer to the party. The lizard's eyes flick rapidly between the party members and he takes half a step back, looking like he's just about to flee. Instead, he casts a hasty glance over his own shoulder and holds his ground. The stick may be the only thing keeping him on his feet at this point, and he leans heavily on it.

Branwen is happy enough to follow Mauve's direction and go into the next room with Liadan. She peers curiously back toward where the party is, but once she reassures herself that familiar faces are present she begins to mimic Liadan's soft song from earlier.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Stay where you are," I tell the lizard. "I will not attack you as long as you stay put."

I move forward, take the paper, then move back to Cadell's side. I unroll the paper, expecting a note which I will read aloud.