Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Steerpike]

The paper does indeed contain a note. It is written in the common human tongue, and the handwriting is neat and precise. It says:

"Your doom lies before you if you pursue your present course. Our Lady is nothing if not merciful, however. We propose an exchange. One of your number will remain with us as a hostage while you retrieve the human girl Catli from Srilkind. When you return with her, we will exchange the hostage for the girl and you will be free to leave. Catli will not be harmed. You have our Lady's word."

There is no signature.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I read the note verbatim. I control my urge to kill the messenger. I know it's not his order, but anyone who wishes to take Burnbright from us must die! No signature, but I know exactly who wrote this...

Nissa, the trogs are not our enemy.

You're making an assumption.

I know, but it makes sense, doesn't it? There's no fight in these pitiful creatures, anyway. I say light up and get out of here, but I'll stick to the plan for now.

"Ankari, who should we send as the hostage? Rydh, Algernon or Nissa?"

 

[Ireth]

"Rydh is gone, remember?" I murmur to Baldhart. "Algernon went with him, too."

I keep my eyes on the lizard, thinking. Perhaps we can come up with another option. I have a sudden urge to offer myself as the hostage, but I know the others would never approve.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I reply to Cadell, "Oh… are those the ones who died? How rude of me to not learn the names of the unimportant ones."

To Ankari, I say, "Then the choice is Hiljikki or Nissa. In fact, why don't you look at this note yourself then tuck it into your journal so we can show Catli proof she won't be harmed? The lizard's priestess has very neat handwriting. I'll bet it's exactly as neat as the writing in your journal."

So, either Ankari thinks I'm fascinated by good penmanship, or he knows what I'm really telling him.

I just hope he doesn't send Hiljikki to light up the hallway.

Nissa! That's not how the choice works!

 

[SeverinR]

"I say we send the lizard lapdog back while we talk, then we send the one we chose if we chose to do so."
I offer. "I don't like having the enemy so close while we talk."

I spit in his direction.

 

[Ankari]

The party is eager to set off the trap to kill one troglodyte and the few that may lurk at the edge of the trap. I frown at the incomplete bulwark, drop the stone I carry atop, and point to Branwen.

In a slow, measured voice, I address the troglodyte. "You feared her mother. You could not protect yourselves against the threats in these tunnels. I wouldn't leave a dead rabbit in your care. Send a force that is larger than ours, and more capable, before we even consider your offer. We do not deal with the weak."

 

[Steerpike]

The lizards shifts nervously from foot to foot. He doesn't appear to grasp any of the language, but the gist of your meaning seems clear enough. The creature glances back nervously over his shoulder, waves the stick with the white flag toward you one more time, then lopes back down the corridor with the stick thrown over his shoulder.

 

[Ankari]

"Everyone, double your pace. If he understood my comments, we need a bulwark now"

((Steer, can you tell us how high you think we have this wall?)

"Druid, we need to use your power of water soon. We'll use dirt to fill in the gaps between the rocks. Your water will add extra protection against the fire, and create a mortar of sorts." To everyone. "Haul bags of dirt every now and then to place between the rocks."

 

[Nihal]

When the lizard is far enough, I talk, looking at the ranger and crossing my arms, "I see your point, but if you give them enough time so they send another caster I doubt it will be dumb enough to step on the trap. It will just kick our asses being out of the range and protected by a frigging fire barrier, this if it doesn't find a way to use it against us.

"The main concern here is to be sure the trap will not be used against us. If we can take some in the process, better, as long it doesn't bring greater and unnecessary risks. Think about it."

I chew my lower lip, keeping some thoughts to myself and keeping it friendly.

 

[Keitsumah]

I nod in agreement with Mauve, but gnaw on my lower lip and prepare to cast the water spell.

[1d20+2] = 17+2 = 19

An orb of water ripples, taking shape between my outstretched palms. I grit my teeth, focusing my power and creating several gallons (exact ammount will be determined by Steer). The necklace i wear glows, and the mana i expend crackles as it escapes into the air, then vanishes.

"Got it," i pant. "Just scoop some out when you need it, but i have to hold it or it will fall apart and escape into the earth."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

So much for subtlety. After the lizard leaves, I remove the shield from my arm. I work while I talk.

"Ankari, I believe Aslaug wrote the letter the lizard gave me. You have her journal, so you can compare the handwriting."

I stop talking while I lift a heavy rock. Once I have a good grip, I add,

"She knows Burnbright's in Srilkind—even mentioned the town by name. The trogs may fear us and the harpies, but they fear their priestess most of all. They're weaklings, or maybe the priestess gave them something more to fear than death by our hands."

I put the rock down.

"It makes no difference how many trogs we kill if I'm right. My concern is that the priestess is merely stalling us. If she's human, she surely knows we won't go miles out of our way to hand a child to her! Even if she's a highly intelligent lizard, she must know we got Burnbright out of here for a reason. The obvious traps set by the trogs are distracting us from the real trap."

I get another rock. I won't put a stop to Ankari's plan if he thinks this is the best course of action.

"I could be wrong about some of that, but it only takes a few seconds to compare handwriting."

I put the rock down, and grab another.

 

[Nihal]

Baldhart insists in comparing the handwriting and this time I can't see the point. We know it's Aslaug doing—I do, at least. I also knew those lizards and she were aware of Burnbright's departure. I look at the others, gloomy, a tiny mocking voice echoing in my mind. Yes, you are so welcome, I knew my warning which was right again would be appreciated. Oh, no need to thank me all at the same time and keep saying 'You were right, Mauve, we will listen to your insights from now on!'.

I let my arms fall at my sides, only to cross them again. The nagging thought of what will happen next won't go away, but they won't hear until it happens, of course. They would still believe her dead if she didn't leave the damn journal right at their faces, for... whatever God's sake!

A soft sound brings me back to the present. It's Baldhart placing the rock in the ranger's stupid wall, still awaiting his response about the journal while she works. The journal.

That's not so bad.

"Yes, we should compare the handwriting. I know right, the... wall you are building can not wait, but luckily we got some companions of delicate build who are not so efficient in transporting rocks. You do not need to stop your work and it will take only a moment anyway."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Mauve responds. "Are you volunteering, then?" I hand her the letter.

I tell Ankari, "You can give Mauve the journal, or she can give you the letter, or you can both look at both." That'll be a sight! "I figured Aslaug was the priestess the shaman spoke of, but why trust a hunch when you have evidence? Of course, my real concern is that the enemy knows where to find Burnbright."

I don't stop working, for fear the group will want to finish this wall whether it's useful or not. I work as fast as I can. Does lighting the fire keep the enemy inside, or does it keep us from the exit that Aslaug intends to use to head us off?

You should ask that aloud.

I know, but I'll have more credibility if the whole group knows Aslaug wrote the letter.

What if she didn't?

I guess I shut up and build.

 

[Nihal]

"I? Oh, well..."

I try to smile innocently, but I suspect it was half-hearted. I take the letter. "I had not exactly this in mind." I glance at Ankari. "But I doubt he will want to—" Don't. "—stop and lose time. And it's okay, really, we can not afford to lose time." Because she's buying time to get her, doing exactly what I predicted. I sigh, wishing to clap my hands and congratulate them.

Lowering my eyes to the paper, I don't dare to look at them and inadvertently reveal my feelings. I mentally check every part of my body, making sure my hands aren't holding the letter with too much strength, or if I am biting my lips or my shoulders are tensing.

Breathing, I say in my most bored tone, "Can I check the handwriting then while you work? It will give me something useful to do."

 

[Keitsumah]

(This is from Batos's POV)

He watched the others carefully; especially Keitsumah, but as far as he was concerned, their odd grunts and what few words that did make sense to him were only trifling in importance.

The other female -Mauve- seems tense, and he flicked an ear in her direction curiously, but the tang of corruption made his tongue curl, and reminded him of the battle to come. He'd much rather have the male elf or the large female human at his back than her -even if she was an animal-speaker like Keitsumah.

A low growl rumbled in his throat as he watched the lizard flee, and his sharp eyes caught the movement of others, along with a few angry hisses and the smack of something hitting scaly hide. A squeal, then nothing.

Protect my mate, and this odd pack we seem to now have. he prayed to whatever god would listen -preferably a god of war- and rose to his paws.

The growl rising to a dull roar and then fading again, he let his challenge echo through the caverns. Fur standing on end as he made an odd side-step motion with his forepaws, and then back again, he followed the motions he had learned from his family before he had been abandoned. It was some sort of ceremonial hunt/war dance, and combined with the howling was supposed to invoke power in one's allies, and fear in one's enemies.

Finally, he rose onto his hindlegs and extended his claws, swiping at the air in powerful batting motions before letting out a roar and landing on his claws, grating them against the ground and making a spark fly.

Let me kill.
Let me fly.
My foes shall fall,
Or i shall die.

 

[SeverinR]

"Can Nissa hide her wings? Look like a timid little hostage, then stop short of the trap room, and look like she is too scared to continue?"
I suggest quietly, still watching for movement down the hall.
"Another thing, they might not believe we are going along with them if everyone is working. Maybe a few loud voices to make it sound like we are arguing on what to do, while some continue to build?"

"They promised they wouldn't hurt the hostage or the child!" I yell. (actually, they never promised not to hurt the hostage, just that the hostage would be turned over when the child was brought to them)

Silently I add,"Interesting, they don't know we know how to use the gate. Otherwise they wouldn't have made the offer. Since we aren't trapped."

"They do know that some how we got a new elf and have in our possesion a harpy child, which I think would have been better to keep secret, on both counts. Keeping ones numbers secret is best when you don't know how many opponents you face."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I can, technically. I'd probably need a cloak to do that effectively, but...

"She can, but not very well with the outfit I prepared for her... the only concern is that she needs to carry the torch or be near fire. I was thinking she'd drop the torch from above so the flames don't burst before she's ready."

I keep moving the rocks, checking back over my shoulder to see if Ankari's given Mauve his journal yet. If the handwriting matches, she'll be quick to mention it... I think.

You question your assumptions?

I'm questioning plently. What is our purpose here? Should I be with Burnbright? Damn... battle is so much easier when we just kill our enemies.

Patience.

 

[Steerpike]

As the party continues its preparations, the lizards do not seem eager to engage in battle. As best you can tell from the glimpses down the hallway, there are but a few of them near the second debris pile. Presumably more wait beyond, and you've seen at least one lizard arrive from further into the cavern.

Branwen remains near Liadan, casting curious glances at the party members as they pass by the doorway. When provided meat, she eats it eagerly enough, though she digs into it a bit to find portions that are less well-cooked than those on the outside.

Apart from the conversation and other noises caused by the party members, all remains quiet in the tunnels.

 

[SeverinR]

"she could act as if she doesn't realize she shouldn't carry the torch into the room."

"Think about it! What'd that little brat do for us, other then get us in this mess!" I yell again, looking back at Branwen with a smile. (to ensure the lizrds don't see it)

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"I'd love to send the twerp to the trogs for that," I tell Alin. "But it sounds like Ankari wants a bigger group before we send her."

Brat? Twerp? Can't you call me 'bundle of awesomeness?'

Sure. Just not in front of the enemy, okay?

Ohhhh…kaaaaay.

"If you ask me, those trogs have no fight in them at all!"

Is this damn wall ready yet?

​Patience.