Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Phietadix]

This is pointless. Ankari is too stubborn to change his mind. I light a torch and follow the others down. I find the tunnel to be quite well built. Most tunnels I built were only temporary. But this was built to last. Which makes you wonder; what was it built for? A thought suddenly come to my mind.
"Have any of you considered the possibility that Aslaug may be down here?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Burnbright squints into the fire and wrinkles her nose. "OK, I believe you."

Bullsh-cough!

She stares into the flames a bit longer. "You can kind of see one in this part of the fire right here." She points. "When those flames come up."

She wants to believe you. Okay, Baldy. I'll agree to this, but... be careful. You saw how how much faith your friends have in each other. Are you prepared to pay the price for this?

I hope not to, but... I am.

"Ask her what its like. Does she get to meet all kinds of brave warriors?"

Many of the valkyries I know...

"Many of the valkries she knows are--were?--no, are brave women. Not all are--oh, were warriors in their lifetimes. Some died without a weapon but died bravely because they stood up for their beliefs, or stood up to a coward. Only a few killed a lot of bad guys. Killing bad guys is not a requirement. There are many kinds of battles in life."

"Did it hurt when she died?"

No, not me. But...

"No, not her. But it hurt the ones she loved."

"Did her people sing songs about her?"

There was a bard...

"There was a bard who said he'd write a song about her, but he never did. He wasn't really a bard at all. He was an assassin who kept a crossbow and other instruments of pain and death in a guitar case. When Nissa died... oh! The bar--um, assassin taught Mr. van Donk the art of inflicting pain. That's an art? Nissa's father, the assassin, and other men from the village tortured the orc who killed--no--struck her down. For seven years, the orc had to look upon Nissa, who was alive... but unable to move or think or really live."

"How many bad guys did she kill? I bet she chopped up a bunch of them, and they kept hitting her and hitting her, and she kept killing them until she finally fell. I bet it was a glorious fight!"

It wasn't...

"It wasn't glorious at all. Nissa lived in a halfling village. She was half halfling herself. Her mother was..."

...Eva Eisenberg...

...Eisenberg! Nissa, you...

Just answer the girl. We can talk about the family tree later.

"...a small human woman who died giving birth. All Nissa had from her was a sword, so she kept it on her at all times. When orcs attacked her village during a peaceful gathering, only Nissa was armed. Nineteen years old, two-foot-three, she stood up to the orc that led the march. She drew first blood, but her skull was split. Her sacrifice forced the others in her village to focus, come together, and the halflings were victorious over thirty orcs. Only three halfling men died on that day. The women and children were spared save for one: Nissa."

Thank you, Nissa. I think I needed to hear that more than Burnbright.

"Burnbright, I... I think both of us can learn something from Nissa. Your lesson is that you may become a valkyrie, but you will not reach that goal by seeking glory. Instead, you must follow the path of Brynhild, which is to do always do good. Never allow a law to stop you from doing what is good. Justice and goodness may not be glorious, and you may not be remembered in song, but I think you have the makings of a valkyrie. That said, don't set out to die young. Just seek to do only what is right.

"Nissa taught me a lesson, too. And that is why we must get with the group."




What lesson did I teach you... cousin?

Next time Rydh stands up to Ankari, I must follow or stay out of his way. I was a fool to try to make peace on the ranger's behalf. He has antagonized too many in our party, and when he lashed out at everyone, I was not spared from his rant.

Do you really want to get into that kind of talk?

No. And that is a poor excuse for not.




I smile at Burnbright.

"Are you ready to face any challenge, no matter what awaits us in that dark place?"

I light my torch, then reply not to Burnbright's words but the truthful answer she would not voice.

"Neither am I. Let's go!"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((To save time, when Baldhart finds that Rydh went down the hole, she will see him as Nissa and herself as one of the halfling men who rushed into battle simply because Nissa was already there.

In plain English, Baldhart will make one attempt to get the entrie party to follow Rydh, then go down the hole no matter what.))




"Rydh is leading us into action! If we follow him, it will not be a sacrifice. It will be a victory! Only hesitation can lead to defeat."

I do not wait for a response. I simply head down. I do nothing to discourage Burnbright from doing the same. If the child goes, more will follow, but that is entirely Burnbright's decision.

 

[SeverinR]

I will wait until the rope is free and enter the tunnel, enough of the group seems to be commited, so I will try to move towards the front, to check for secret doors, traps or pits.


This was suppose to say check for traps.

"Please be silent a minute."

Will listen also:

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((Ha, ha... that happened to me once. If those letters and numbers actually do anything, I suppose you divided by 1 and added 0 or you divided by (1+0). Either way, the 18 is untainted! YAY!))

 

[SeverinR]

[don't know why it didn't roll the dice, ability checks rolling well.
oops, forgot +2 to listen since I am an elf, no bonus for my wisdom, so listen is a 21.
Figured out how to roll with message in roll again. 1d20+3 #message, even better the test roll for nothing was a 4. lol]

 

[Ireth]

((Rawr, I was about to have Cadell listen for stuff. Oh well. XD))

I am about to move up beside Aliron to listen for anything further down the tunnel when he requests silence for that very thing. I frown, but let him at it. There are other ways for me to be of help. I keep an eye on Nodrick, for a start.

 

[SeverinR]

[He can keep us from losing the trail...oh, wait there is only forward and back. You can listen next time.]

"You make sure the stumpys keep their sharpys in a direction other then towards a pointy earred, and I will do the same when you are busy." I whisper to Cadell.

 

[Ireth]

I roll my eyes and murmur back. "Please stop calling them that. Do you want their help or not? If we're going to work together, we need to at least be courteous and respectful, even if we don't particularly like each other for whatever reason."

 

[Sparkie]

What a strange person this Mauve is.

First, she attacks Baldhart and I without provocation. Then she stays to look after Burnbright while the rest of us fight, despit the fact that she has more power because of her magic. After the battle she slinks around the temple, chatting it up with the same people who she previously attacked. And now, after having her fill of confrontation with Ankari, jumps down here after me to shove me against the wall and lecture me about leading all of these my companions to their deaths.

She doesn't even give me a chance to respond. She climbs right back up the rope as if to make a point. Honestly, I'd climb back up there and slap her across the face if I didn't think it was all so gods-damned attractive. No matter.

I turn to Darin. "I'd like to see what your fathers built here as well, my friend. That, and I'd like to know why they would build it into a Human deity's temple. Let's go, but let us also use caution. Fair enough?"

I begin to walk down the tunnel at a pace just a bit slower than my normal gait. If any others follow Darin and I, so be it. If not, I'm not responsible for their hesitancy.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

...did everyone come down here? I look back to see if Burnbright followed.



((Ninja'd... and I gotta work in a couple minutes, so I'm leaving it.

Responding to below, fine... edited! Or cut, anyway.))

 

[Steerpike]

((Ah...just saw Sparke's post! )).

 

[Nihal]

((You type fast on your phone!

@Sparkie. Mauve only turned back, but I didn't get her climbing yet, waiting your response. Oh, well, slap her later. After all with her leaving it was silent enough for the elves do their listening. xD))


I climb back. Baldhart and the girl are here to join them.

Great.

I stick my head through the opening after everyone descended. "If you excuse me, I'll get more people to die with you, or did you forget the druid?"

"Oh, and I hope you don't mind having your horses becoming warg's food." I add with a mean grin, disappearing in the cellar.

((I guess they do their talking and listening now))

After picking up my things I head upstairs. As I near Hiljikki I say "They had the awesome idea of going through the passage. It's up to you coming or not. I would stay in the rear if I was you."

Then I go back to the cellar, talking loud enough they're able to hear me. "The girl must not walk in the front. It's not her fault you all lack better sense."

I was so happy today, but now I feel the tiredness taking its tow. It's not fair. These are the first people I've found who aren't inclined to hang me for my magic and they're completely crazy.

Idiots!

 

[Ireth]

I halt and bite back a curse at the mention of my horse, looking back toward the opening. Mauve does have a good point. I do not wish to abandon Llucheden should things turn out badly. But she cannot come down here with us; if I go back, I will have to stay with her and not the company. I fold my arms, wondering at the best course of action.

 

[Steerpike]

Burnbright and Baldhart

Burnbright listens to Baldhart's stories about Nissa with rapt attention. "So, Nissa is like your own valkyrie? If you die, will she take you to Valhalla? She was brave. I don't think it matters that she only hit one orc. She ran toward certain death. It must have been...scary." She studies Baldhart carefully, then, looking her up and down. "I can follow the path of Brynhild, I think. I'll learn to fight with swords, knives, bows, and anything else. Everyone wants to teach me."

She lapses into silence for a moment, then looks out the window again as she speaks her next words. "Baldhart...what's...um, do you think something is wrong with me? That necklace knocked me out, and I guess I was saying stuff I don't remember. Then, when Hiljikki did that journeying thing...and the whispery voice came, and I was cold and scared. That's not normal, is it?"


Underground

Darin runs his hands along the stone at Rydh's comment. "This was here long before the humans built their temple, I assure you."

Matthew and Rydh have torches, illuminating the way ahead. The torch light extends about thirty feet. As they move forward, the other party members follow, save Ankari and Hiljikki who remain in the temple for now. ((Ankari and Ravana can feel free to post and say they've joined the group, or stay in the temple doing something else)).

Burnbright follows close behind Baldhart. "Should I get my sword out? How can I even swing it in here?"

Moving forward, the narrow passageway continued for a good ten minutes of walking, the air becoming cooler as you walk. There is a slight downward grade to the passage, and as you walk the scent of rot becomes increasingly strong. Finally, just ahead at the edge of the torchlight, the passage opens up a bit. As you all near, you can see that the wider corridor has a square cross-section, roughly ten by ten feet. To the right, the precise stonework of the dwarves has been smashed and an area of the wall and floor dug out to create a refuse pit. It is piled with animal bones and other organic matter. Most of the bones near the bottom are old and dry. Those nearer the top are covered in a gray, fuzzy mold. Some of the bones at the very top of the heap have bits of flesh and sinew clinging to them, and despite the moist surroundings show hardly any sign of mold.

The stench is coming from the refuse.


((If Baldhart wants to talk further to Burnbright while they converse upstairs, we can do that separately as I've done above. We'll deal with the underground adventure at the same time. Or, if Baldhart doesn't say anything else to Burnbright, we'll just go underground. Also, as noted above, Ankari and Hiljikki can join the group or not - if they stay in the temple we'll deal with that separately.

Also, for those in the corridor, let's get an assumed marching order in place. Since it is opening to ten feet wide, you can walk through two at a time. Maps will be forthcoming.

Also, we can assume the horses would have been tied and left in a sheltered spot, with adequate food and water - and in any event the snow will provide a water source around them)).

 

[Sparkie]

((Here's what I propose for a marching order: Darin will be in front alonside Rydh, with Matthew and Cadell just behind. Mauve and Nodrick will bring up the rear. Acceptable, everyone?))

Well, we're obvoiusly not alone down here.

"Ready your weapons, everyone. Something, or someone, has been eating... Whatever all this is."

 

[Steerpike]

((Don't forget Baldhart, Burnbright, and Aliron. Even though we may continue Baldhart and Burnbright's conversation, it really takes place before they come back downstairs. When it comes to the underground exploration, assume they are both there)).

 

[Phietadix]

((Do we really want are healer in the most dangerous spot? If he dies, we're doomed))

 

[Nihal]

((Mauve behind them, ok.

@Phietadix Tell this to the healer, Mauve had her dramaqueen quota for today. Didn't work. ;x
P.s.: The talk about horses was purely to bother them and plant doubts, mwahaha.))

"Girl, behind me." I strengthen my grip on my spear and wait.

 

[Sparkie]

((I can safely say that if Baldhart is down here she wouldn't let Rydh be in front. She'd be in front with Darin. Then it would be Rydh and Matthew, Cadell and Nod, Mauve and Burnbright, with Aliron at the rear. Better?))