Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Let them see us enjoying ourselves. If they get pissed, remind them who put swords and arrows through these dead lizards... and why there are two trails of lizard piss by the cave entrance." I pass the bottle to Aliron. "I'm sick of everyone being so serious all the time.

"Did you see Ankari's reaction when he saw my woad paint on Burnbright's face?" I let Mauve hear me swear again. "I don't mean literally... not that you and him... never mind. If he or anyone is gonna throw a hissy fit just because we enjoy ourselves and enjoy each other's company, why should we stop?"

 

[SeverinR]

I hesitate glancing down the hall, then take it with a quick drink, then return it.

Being able to move around easier now, I move to collect a few more stones.
"The berries worked, I don't mean to doubt them, but like I said, I don't trust easily. I have seen a few too many snake oil salesmen."

 

[Nihal]

"We should avoid unnecessary conflicts." I wink at her. "Life is already too hard without making it harder."

She's got some bitterness in her.

"Oh, those berries are good. The taste isn't that bad, and they cure injuries... I wish I had time to learn where gather them."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Oh, they'll heal you alright! But how can you stand the taste?" I ask as I accept the bottle back and... ahhh, that's more like it! "Not to be ungrateful to her. It was nice to have her healing ability and I'm happy she got Burnbright out of here... but if not having a druid around means never eating another Goodberry, that's the upside.

"Maybe they're just starting to turn. I never had a fresh one. When the others arrive, I'll ask around and see if anyone else needs healing. Were Nod and Algernon hit?"

 

[Nihal]

"We would think a barbarian ought to have a stronger stomach..." I grin.

"This waiting makes me nervous, they should be back by now. Crossing the lake takes half of the time of my transformation, and the spell is gone." I run the fingers through my hair. "I should have taken a look there when I could. Something was happening."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"I wouldn't worry too much. Algernon took the barrel with him. Maybe they're trying to build a bigger boat, which of course will take longer than a round trip.

"The worst we can do is let our imaginations paint scenarios in our heads that we can't do anything about. Even if you're right, you're the only one here who can swim the distance and be of any use in battle after crossing. I think you're smart enough not to become a mermaid because you merely suspect a possibility of danger.

"Keep being the fun one. If our friends are in trouble or an army of lizards rushes from that cave, we're here on this tiny beach."

 

[Nihal]

I chuckle. "I'm too exhausted to attempt to become that ugly-as-hell thing. I'm just thrilled, you know, when you know you should be sleeping but you're too agitated to do it, so you keep awake with and lightheaded and happy. I was supposed to help to guard this shore, the timing would work and we would have reinforcements before I turned back.

"Aw, they ruined my perfect plan."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"No, they didn't." I pass the bottle. "This is the perfect plan."

 

[Steerpike]

Algernon, Rydh, and Nodrick

((I went through the thread a couple of times. I may well have missed something, but I have Aliron sticking the torch in the mud at the shore and nothing happening to it after that. If someone else took it, I'll make an edit, though it's a minor point in this case)).

As Algernon continues toward the shape in the water, he hears a voice call out. Though perhaps not recognizable to him yet, Nodrick recognizes it as that of Rydh. The voice is shaking with cold. Even in the dimness created by the pinpricks of light in the cavern walls, which have become apparent as your eyes have adjusted, Nodrick sees his companion treading water just beside the path of the boat.

Up ahead, toward where the remainder of the group was left, you hear repeated thudding sound, as though someone is bashing a hammer against something.

Cadell, Ankari, Matthew, and Darin

Darin nods at Ankari's comments. "Aye. We're straightforward people, Ankari. We see what's to be done, and we do it. I'm glad of your company - all of you. I can hardly stand the thought of these lizards down here in a dwarven temple. I don't know what the others found when their boat landed, but they may need our help. I see no reason to linger, waiting for them."

As Cadell waits by the shore with Matthew lingering nearby, Darin and Ankari return with the table, Ankari brandishing a couple of iron pans. Darin pulls out his hammer and, with powerful swings, bashes the legs from the table. The sound of his blows echo in the corridor.

Aliron, Mauve, and Baldhart

The cavern remains quiet here. As you pass the wine around, you can feel its warmth running through you. Aliron is able to break off a palm-sized piece of one of the white rocks. Its light remains intact.

The silence from the corridor is ominous, in a way. You know the lizards fled that way. You know from the dead shaman that they have at least one priestess down there with them. So far, they aren't mounting a counter-attack.

 

[Ireth]

I look up as Ankari and Darin return, and watch as the dwarf knocks the legs from the table with his hammer. I contemplate offering to help, but see little I can do for the moment. Besides which, Ankari would probably love a chance to chew me out for not going to aid them in the first place.

"So how will this work?" I finally ask. "Which of us will row, for one thing?"

 

[Nihal]

"No, they didn't." I pass the bottle. "This is the perfect plan."

"I am past useless now, I am a burden. If you take into consideration that when they come back they will bring reinforcements, we would be in serious trouble... If we aren't already!" I smile and take a sip.

 

[Sparkie]

It's them, or at least two of them. Nod and Algernon. I swim up to the boat and hang onto the side as toss my sword into the stern. "Care to give a fellow a lift back to shore?" I ask. "It's a bit chilly here in the drink."

Floating in the water by the boat, I hear knocking noises coming from shore. "What in Betula's name is that?"

 

[SeverinR]

"I am past useless now, I am a burden. If you take into consideration that when they come back they will bring reinforcements, we would be in serious trouble... If we aren't already!" I smile and take a sip.

"Do you have a plan?" I ask quietly, as I look for another section of rock to break off.
"Might need the Dwarts haa...Darin's hammer to break more pieces of glow rock."

*** *** ***
The corridor disappears into blackness, the faint wailing of the frightened lizards still on the air. Where they've gone, or what help they may be going for, you cannot say.
*** *** ****

I look down the hall and hurl the piece of glow rock down the corridor to illuminate the path attack will come.

Throw goes to high and bounces off the roof tumbling to the ground considerably shorter then I intended to throw it.
"Well, it was a good thought." I shrug.
[[depending on the distance I may risk going down the hall and throw again. If less then 20 ft I'll go get it.]]

 

[Ravana]

As Algernon continues toward the shape in the water, he hears a voice call out. Though perhaps not recognizable to him yet, Nodrick recognizes it as that of Rydh. The voice is shaking with cold. Even in the dimness created by the pinpricks of light in the cavern walls, which have become apparent as your eyes have adjusted, Nodrick sees his companion treading water just beside the path of the boat.

((Which brings us up to…))

"What are you doing here?"

Algernon stops the boat long enough to haul in the draggled, under-dressed and chilled cleric, then picks up the stroke again.

Up ahead, toward where the remainder of the group was left, you hear repeated thudding sound, as though someone is bashing a hammer against something.

"That's a hammer on wood. Sounds like them guys mebbe thought o' the same thing I did."

Upon arrival, Algernon lets Rydh off so that he can recover his equipment. Algernon (and presumably Nod) give a summary of what happened on the far side while other preparations are finalized, so that everyone can be more or less on the same page.

Doing a quick count, the story problem we're now facing is: there are five people to transport, not counting Algernon and Nod: Sir Cadell, Sir Matthew, Rydh, Darin, Ankari. The boat will hold three of them. We also have a table and a barrel. If the table will float with two people lying flat on it, we're good without the barrel. If it will float with one person lying flat on it, and the barrel will float with one person inside it, we're good either way. No one using either flotation device needs to row: Algernon breaks out his rope, hands the ends to whoever gets the flotation devices, tells them to wrap it around their waists and hang on tight, then hands the middle to someone strong, who should be sitting in the center of the boat, giving the same instructions.

If the table won't float, we're either stuck with making two trips (whether the barrel works or not), or else someone (or two someones) will have to get towed through the water.

Algernon also makes sure that whatever light source those on this shore are using ends up in the boat, in Nod's hands.

Finally, he says: "Hey, where's the head o' that lizard-thing? I got me an idea for it." On the assumption that this part has not been skinned, since there's little skin to be had from it, he sees it added to the load. ((If it has been skinned, he drops the idea. It is, at any rate, absent a lower jaw, since Algernon had already removed that to try to craft a couple extra paddles.))

Then he starts rowing back. There's a second paddle, so someone at the front of the boat can help, though really it doesn't matter much, since it's pretty easy to move floating objects in water. It'll be a lot slower than the first trip, especially since the flotation devices will have a tendency to slew, but it'll work. (If possible, it would be better for two people to be on the table: that way, the tow rope can be coming from the two front corners, which will help compensate for the lack of hydrodynamics most square objects demonstrate.)

This time he is singing. Given the noises everyone else has made, it hardly matters at this point… and it will let those on the other side know we're okay, we're coming, and roughly how far off we are. His now slower-paced strokes match the time of his basso profundo:

"Ee-ay, ukhnem! Ee-ay, ukhnem! Yeshcho razik, yeshcho raz!"

 

[Nihal]

((Unnecessary bitching above, and that was what I didn't like in first place. Holy crap, I'm the woman here, accordingly to stereotypes I'm the one who should do this; since it won't change a single thing can't we just forget it and stop? Thanks. ^^))

"My plan was to guard this place in my ugly form. Now..." I sigh. "I think I can cast an enchantment, but I am in no condition to fight. I am not sure if my legs can sustain my own weight. In case they return with others I could attempt to conjure darkness, it would protect us—you—from ranged attacks. Yet, if they bring a caster we would be lost. They could cancel my darkness and they could use some magical missile that affects an area, in this case aiming does not matter that much.

"We can not count on yielding to deter them from killing us, to gain some time while the others make their way." I bite my lower lip, thinking. "Awmm... In terms of prisoners, I think they would avoid taking Baldhart as one, she looks like the worst menace. I can not swim, and I would recommend you to swim and leave me here." I roll my eyes and add before she can complain, "Yes, Baldhart, I know you wouldn't leave me behind." I smile.

"Hypothetically, for looking the weakest I would have the highest survival chance between us, for they are likely to keep me alive long enough for interrogation purposes. Of course, being a mage could have the reverse effect—or not. I can not say for sure. Anyway..." I wave my hand. "...expect darkness if the lizards come here before our group reaches the corner, outnumbering us. I wish to try a new trick, I might 'end' the spell for some seconds only to cover the area with darkness again. Use the visible seconds wisely."

 

[Ravana]

((Oops. Forgot something.…))

"Uh, hey, Rhyd? Can you take a quick look at my shoulder? I took an arrow back there, and prob'ly could use some patching up."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I rip one of the white rocks from the pile…

…then give the whole pile a good kick.

I tell Aliron, "We don't need a hammer."

((How many rocks are loose from that?))

* * *

Mauve is worried.

I tell her, "First, I'm the one who says run-save-yourselves, not you.

"Second, I can't swim in this armor. I chose to walk along the lake's floor when I jumped overboard, but once I was under, it seemed I had no choice. Between the weight of the armor and lack of…" I cup my hands near my chest. "…body fat, I don't float easily. I'd have to strip completely to swim back. Of course, if I can swim, I can take you back with me. You're not bigger than Nod in a way that would matter to me.

"That said, I wouldn't get naked if Aliron warned enemies approach and even if I did have the time and desire for that, I wouldn't dare go under while carrying you because I'd have no way of knowing how long you can hold your breath. The arrows would pin our bodies together—a disturbing corpse! I'd prefer to go down fighting."

I sit close to Mauve.

"See? I can kill the fun by talking about death, too. We both agree surrender is not an option, so if anything comes from that tunnel, you have the heaviest hitter in our group and the top marksman to protect you. Even if it's more than we can handle, we fight as if we can win because surrender and retreat are both impossible."

 

[Nihal]

I raise a finger. "Nay. We are not talking about death, we are talking about survival, two completely different things. Do not take it so seriously, I am just weighting our possibilities to keep my mind sharp and awake. I do not feel like taking a nap now.

"Take no offense, I know you both are valiant fighters—way more than I when my magic does not feel like cooperating. But I have to consider all the possibilities; don't discard them so easily. Like, you know, this lake may have another monster, and it... sings?" I stop talking, allowing them to hear the echoes I swear I heard.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Speaking of sharp…"

I take out my whetstone. Been a while since I checked my blade, and I've been putting a lot of muscle into my attacks. Doesn't seem to hurt the blade, but still… now's a good time to see it's properly sharpened.

"Yes, I mean my blade, not our singing ferry man. Still, he enjoys life, too. Can't fault him for that.

"And will you please stop worrying about whether I'm offended? I just changed my clothes in front of you a few minutes ago. Doing so forfeit my right to be offended by anything. But if you wish to talk seriously, I won't think you a party-pooper.

"I always consider the best tactic and not concern myself with the odds. The way I would have taken this beach alone would have been to impale my first kill on my blade and use him to shield other arrows. Thirteen berries would heal me even if I'm half-dead, so as long as my blade did not miss, I might have been the victor." I smile at Mauve. "I'm kidding… of course I'm glad you became a mermaid and got me out of that mess. I simply had to consider the possibility that you would be a water-treading naked wizard and our singing ferry man would take off before our archers could fire another shot. Expect the worst and hope for the best!

"But the point is that I knew what I had to do to win. I trusted the rest of you to do the same, and you did, so we won. If we all do our parts in battle, we all have the best chance of survival."

I lower my head for a moment, then look at her.

"You… just live. You got us on shore. I won't think any less of you if you don't cast any spells when we're down there. Can you even walk now?"

 

[Nihal]

"I always take the odds into account, they are part of my tactic. I did not when we first met, being overrun by fear instead and see what happened. Sometimes the best way is to retreat, if not to accept your defeat. A hard lesson I've learnt recently." I smile.

"I am not sure if I can walk, we can try."

((@Steerpike Can she?))