Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Sparkie]

Cadell is rightfully upset, but more anger won't help us. "It may be too late, Sir," I say. "They'll be on their way soon enough, if they're going to come. As foolish as shouting may be, it still may serve a useful purpose if it draws our enemy to us. We'll meet them on our terms. Keep ready."

I wonder who could be so foolhardy as to call out that way. Strange.

I look over at the canoe. We should have a look at the other side, but I wonder if our timing is premature. Still, we're here now. We should act.

"Who's paddling?" I ask the group with a smile.

 

[Ireth]

I sigh and nod at Rydh's words, then look down at my wooden prosthesis. "I could, perhaps, if this will hold an oar properly."

 

[Ravana]

The wait isn't long. The first intersection was only around twelve minutes' walk from the temple when the party first came down the corridor, proceeding cautiously. It's all too evident whoever's coming down it now isn't devoting a lot of consideration to that matter.

Also, since the corridor runs in a straight line ((assuming there are no subtle bends the party didn't notice the first trip)), his torch can be seen a long ways off. Pretty much as soon as anyone pops a head around the corner.

Of course, at a distance, all that can be seen is a point of light. It approaches at an even, fairly rapid pace, though without evident bobbing—an indication its bearer is more likely walking than running. There are no more ear-splitting rumbles. Though occasional indistinct murmurs suggest whoever's coming might be having a conversation with himself.

As scale begins to become clear… he's huge.

Then, about the same time features begin to become clear, so do the murmurs. He's… humming.

He probably isn't quite as tall as Baldhart, though he's unquestionably broader—if there wasn't the ceiling of the corridor to measure against, he might at first glance be taken for a dwarf. One hand is maintaining a large shield and the torch. The other seems to be carrying a pile driver. Either he's being strangled by a fox or he has a thick red beard. If it's the former, the fox is apparently losing… since it isn't even managing to hinder the cheerful ditty he's maintaining. Or perhaps it is, and is the only thing preventing him from belting out the lyrics.

As he reaches the point where the opposite wall of the intersection begins to throw back light, his tune ceases long enough for him to opine: "Hope those guys din't git too far on. Maybe I oughta holler 'hello' again?"

Should anyone wish to forestall said eventuality, this would probably be the time to do so.

 

[Ravana]

Elsewhere:

"Do you think he'll catch up with them?"

"It seems unlikely anything would prevent that."

"You think he'll be able to help?"

"I'm confident they'll find uses for his strengths."

"You, uh, think he might be a bit, uhm, you know…?" Head waggle.

"Nature's ways are often mysterious."

Pause.

"That means 'Yes,' right?"

"In this case, it does."

Another pause. Then a giggle.

"I still can't believe that was his name."

"Nature is mother to us all. The ways of mothers are also often mysterious."

Whether intended to or not, this brings the conversation to a close for the time being.

 

[Sparkie]

"We're over here," I manage to say without shouting. I then mutter "Thank you so much for alerting every troglodyte in these tunnels to our presence, simpleton."

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. By now, I think our actions have attracted every outlandish-looking adventurer in the North. It's like we're in some kind of storybook or something. I hope the author is having fun writing the tale. At this point, anyone having fun in these damp corridors seems like a joke.

((Hee hee!))

 

[Ravana]

"We're over here," I manage to say without shouting. I then mutter "Thank you so much for alerting every troglodyte in these tunnels to our presence, simpleton."

"Oh! Hello!" the red-bearded giant says brightly, smiling as though he'd just met you on the street. "I was wond'rin where you guys was! Uh… what's a 'trologite'?"

He neither asks about, nor seems put out by, the word 'simpleton.'

•••

By now, I think our actions have attracted every outlandish-looking adventurer in the North.

((You have no idea how ironic that statement is. Which should be hint enough for LS.… ))

 

[Sparkie]

I try to resist the urge to smile, but fail. Some of the most storied heroes of old were nothing more than lucky fools, just like this fellow. I extend my hand to him, saying "I'm Rydh. Pleased to meet you. Now, if you'll be so kind, please tell us all who you are and what you're doing here. And keep that booming voice of yours down."

 

[Ravana]

He shifts his massive hammer into the same hand holding the torch and the shield handle, somehow making it work, and takes Rydh's. His grip, perhaps surprisingly, shows a keen awareness of his strength, firm but with none of the extra force he could clearly put behind it.

Rydh can't help noticing that across the knuckles of that hand are tattooed the letters L O V E.

"Oh, hi, good t'meetcha. I'm Algernon. I heard about you guys in town, an' how you came up here coupla days ago an' din't come back yet, so I figgered mebbe you was still up here. An' then I met them girls on the way, an' one o' them named Hickilie or sumthin' said you was gettin' ready to come back down here in the tunnel. She told me which way you was prob'ly gonna go at the turns, but I like it better I found ya without havin' ta look."

The hand holding the torch, etc. has D U C K on the knuckles.

"So where's the bad guys at?" he grins.

…wait: his name's what?

 

[Sparkie]

((OOC: Algernon? Seriously? Shall I bring him flowers?))

 

[Nihal]

What... who the hell is this guy?!

"Algernon, we would appreciate if you kept your voice down and your feet light. We are... were trying to be discreet, regardless of what the cleric says."

I look back to the lake, annoyed.

Black waters, canoe. The lizards wouldn't mind swimming, would them? What then? Something lurks there? I narrow my eyes, judging the distance to the other margin. Too far. I wouldn't be able to control a piece of hope this far, I would need to enter in the water. Then magic would be pointless, because I would be already inside the water. Tsc.

I examine the water. A stupid thought occurs to me. What would happen if I failed a spell inside it?

 

[Ireth]

I find my annoyance fading slightly as I look at the large, bearded man who approaches. He certainly is a cheerful fellow, and by the look of him, his strength will prove quite useful.

I stay quiet as Rydh and Mauve speak to Algernon, looking back at the dark water with no small amount of unease. If we are to cross, will this man even fit in the canoe? I shudder to think of what might be lurking below, waiting to snatch at anything that falls in. Especially those, like me, who cannot swim. A well-made, well-manned ship is one thing, but a small canoe with only one oar -- if the length of wood is an oar -- is quite another.

The water is still, reflecting the torchlight without so much as a ripple. A fleeting, foolish fancy takes hold -- I should disturb the water, to make known what may or may not be lurking in its depths. No sooner do I shift to step forward than I realize it is suicidal, and quickly turn away. What is this place doing to me?

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"I'd offer to row, but it looks like I'm not the only muscle around here. Welcome, Algernon. All you need to know about a trogdolyte is their brains will look good on your hammer.

"I think it best that I prepare to skewer any lizards that swim our way, if the boat is our only option."

I look up to Nod.

"You can swim, right?" I consider the odds of out-swimming a lizard. "Just hang on. Don't worry about the hair."

 

[Ravana]

Algernon extinguishes his torch and secures it to his pack, since there's other light available and he has enough things in his hands already, even without keeping one free to shake those of others. In spite of initial impressions, Algernon is indeed quite capable of keeping his voice at a low level… though he's no less outgoing and chipper even then. Introductions are made. These are interspersed with:

• "Hello! Wow! I never met no elf before… 'cept the last one" (i.e. whichever elf he'd just met previously—he automatically takes half-elves to be elves, unless anyone bothers correcting him).
• "Hello, Darin! I know me a coupla dwarfs, what came through my stompin' ground back when I was a kid" (which seems unlikely to lie in the distant past… also, you get the feeling that any ground he walks upon is probably 'stomping' ground); "I like dwarfs. They're cool!"
• "Hey, you guys sure got a lotta kids with you" (his first reaction to both Mauve and Nod; he accepts corrections with complete equanimity).
• And, of course: "Hello! Wow, you're tall! And your tats is bigger than mine. They're neat!" (to Baldhart).

That having been accomplished, and the situation at hand returned to:

"Okay, I'll squish the trilobites. Just point 'em out to me, since I don't know what they look like." (Anyone pointing out the corpses he probably passed while joining the party will clarify the matter for him.) Then:

"Oh, hey, a boat! Neat! Though it's kinda small. Don't think we could all fit at once, y'know? An' I seen better oars in my time." He begins inspecting both.

((So just how big is the "small canoe"? And what shape is it in?))


•••

((OOC—@Yo, dwarf! Kindly inform the surface-lubbers what the stillness of the water indicates regarding current (or, more likely, lack thereof) and source (long-term drip accumulation, upwelling from water table); whether the walls of the cavern look like they're smoothly eroded, rough natural rockfall, shaped, etc. and, based on that, what the most likely configuration of the non-visible parts would be; if this looks like a sinkhole (unlikely: those tend to leave hemispherical tops); and, taking into account all of the above, whether the depth of the water is nearer two feet or two hundred. It seems reasonable he'd insert an opinion here, since people are discussing similar considerations.))

((Algernon won't think to ask this. He'll just grab a rock, throw it in the middle, and watch the ripples. Unless he can find a flat one. That, he'll skip.))

 

[Ravana]

((OOC: Algernon? Seriously? Shall I bring him flowers?))

((Seriously. That wasn't actually the source—but the parallels are hard to miss. May have been one of those things I did unconsciously. ))

 

[Ireth]

I smile as I free my hand to shake Algernon's. "A pleasure, Algernon. I am Sir Cadell."

When Algernon mentions not knowing what the lizards look like, I am quick to remedy that. "You will have passed some corpses on your way down here -- large, green, reptilian. Those are the troglodytes." I eye his hammer with a chuckle. "I imagine you'll do very well at crushing them."

 

[Nihal]

"I am not a child." I keep my voice neutral.

How convenient, to have him appearing like this just when we are about to go down. I hope the others aren't stupid enough to give their backs to him during a fight.

I look at Baldhart. "I am not sure if disturbing the water is a good idea."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Especially if you follow Thor. I've heard of what a follower of Thor can do with a hammer! Oh, believe me... the day I went over six feet tall, I began my strength training. Goros Baldknuckle Junior, the chief's grandson - he told me all about his hammer and what he'd do with it.

"But being a valkyrie is the ultimate reward, and I'm quite happy with my choice. Only a lady can make that choice. You, Algernon... I believe you made the right choice for you, and I look forward to seeing the results!"

Mauve looks to me for an answer.

"Yes, I am not crazy about giving the lizards an advantage. We can crush them on land, but in the water, those creeps can outswim us. If the water is so deep that swimming is a must, our armor would weigh us down and the lizards would tear us to pieces while we struggle.

"Didn't the shaman give us directions? Did she mention having to go through water?"

 

[Ravana]

"I am not a child." I keep my voice neutral.

"Oh. Okay." He doesn't seem even remotely bothered by the correction: he just accepts it with a smile.

How convenient, to have him appearing like this just when we are about to go down. I hope the others aren't stupid enough to give their backs to him during a fight.

((He gives the impression that this is probably going to be the least of your worries when the fighting starts. As in, it's unlikely there will be anyone not looking at his back.…))

"Especially if you follow Thor. I've heard of what a follower of Thor can do with a hammer! Oh, believe me... the day I went over six feet tall, I began my strength training. Goros Baldknuckle Junior, the chief's grandson - he told me all about his hammer and what he'd do with it.

"Oh, yeah!" He raises his hammer on high, opens his mouth as wide as it can go, and.…

…then remembers, closes it partway, and says "Thor!" in a normal voice. His expression is a bit sheepish. But he's grinning fit to crack.

"But being a valkyrie is the ultimate reward, and I'm quite happy with my choice. Only a lady can make that choice. You, Algernon... I believe you made the right choice for you, and I look forward to seeing the results!"

"Yeah, wow! Valk'ries are great! They choose the good guys who get to go live in Asgard forever! The ine… unhairy… einherjar! That's the word! I wanna be one o' them. Mebbe you'll get to choose me, huh? That'd be cool."

It appears not to cross his mind this would require you dying first. He's too excited at the prospect. And he's doing such a good job of being quiet about it, too.

"Yes, I am not crazy about giving the lizards an advantage. We can crush them on land, but in the water, those creeps can outswim us. If the water is so deep that swimming is a must, our armor would weigh us down and the lizards would tear us to pieces while we struggle.

"Didn't the shaman give us directions? Did she mention having to go through water?"

"Uh… why're you worryin' 'bout troublebites in the water?"

tick… tick… tick…

"I mean, what with 'em havin' a boat here an' all.…"

 

[Steerpike]

((post will be coming tonight. Did I correctly interpret some of the posts above to mean Baldhart, with Nod aboard, is going to swim over to the boat?)).

 

[Ravana]

((post will be coming tonight. Did I correctly interpret some of the posts above to mean Baldhart, with Nod aboard, is going to swim over to the boat?)).

((Oops. Thought the boat was on our side. I's confused. Submerging myself in the part, I guess. ))