Dragon's Egg - Act III

[SomethingToPonder]

"Well For a start mauve" Aldar says in a sincere tone, "I know a few spells that may take your fancy, Magic Missile, Summon Familiar and Read Magic, However i doubt you would be able to summon a familiar as it seems to be an art only we wizards can master, However read magic comes in handy often, I have thanked the gods many times for having it, when exploring dungeons deep and ancient keeps"
Seeing mauve move towards the forest aldar becomes suspicious, I decide
it best not to follow her and stick with the group, After all I did make an agreement to protect that child, even if she does not trust me fully yet.

 

[Nihal]

I sneer at his comment. "Excuse me, sweet elf, when you manage to snatch an adult harpy from the air using an ordinary mage hand spell you are allowed to start to question my magical prowess. How do you think I have got this eye? It wasn't making lights dance!

"Your enchantments are awful. Who would want to shoot a damn shiny missile with 'I'm a witch, hang me please' written all over it?" I cross my arms. "The only one remotely useful would be 'Read Magic'. Do not get me wrong, I am perfectly able to read other mage's spellbooks and tomes, however, it would be helpful with older symbols of power. Which tricks do you know? Instead of an unreliable familiar you could make use of a 'Message' spell. Discreet, effective, up to 450 feet. I hope you do know how to detect magic."

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

"Mauve," I speak up tersely, turning to her, "that is enough. There is no need to boast of your accomplishments, nor disdain one who offered to share his knowledge with you. If we are all to survive this, we must respect each other and work as a team. First and foremost, that means treating each other with respect and listening to what everyone else has to say, whether you like it or not."

 

[SomethingToPonder]

I look at mauve and have to stop myself hissing through my teeth. The smoke still rises in the sky in front of us and without any major news from the scout it seems i will be here for some time, but not long enough to have a good old debate with this woman. I rather like her ,It's not often you get someone with as much prowess that is up for a debate on the magical subjects
"Ha! snatching harpies is childs play, How much does a harpie weigh? I dont doubt for a second you got that eye from doing magic, However i assure you its not something to be proud of, I seem to remember one too many mage who got too big for his boots with his casting and soon became a very corrupt being, Far from the living friend i once knew. You make me laugh, Who would want to shoot a missile? How about someone who specializes in ranged attacks with magic? It would be rather silly to be primarily based in melee combat with no armor wouldent it dear? I dont mess around with level 0 spells, Message spell would be the only usefull one. So i couldent use it even if i wanted to, Unreliable!? What do you know of familiars, They can be very usefull at times, more than once has this familiar gotten the drop on a goblin trying to corner me. Read magic is very useful , very useful indeed,There are certain spells you can only learn if you have this talent, Wizards of ancient times past celebrated those with this talent as the top of our kind. As far as i know, It is a very rare talent to be able to read them as well, Not many people can read magical writings without it you know" I smirked as i said that last remark, It may be true, but it's one of the things i take pride in, I have always been an expert reader so having that as a skill always made me giddy inside like a child.
"And for your information i was not questioning your magical talents what so ever, I was merely suggesting that we would both be better of with more knowledge. You can keep certain skills to yourself and i can do the same should you feel as if you would not want to divulge certain information. I have no issues with an arrangement like that.No perhaps you could help me out with a detection of magic, it seems to be a basic skill i have overlooked"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Oh, no… a my-magic-is-better-than-your-magic conversation. Really, Nissa! Remember when we had two barbarians in our group? What would've happened if we arm wrestled?

You'd have won.

Damn straight!

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

"Aldar, I'm sorry, but you are not really helping. Both of you, please, be quiet for now. We have more important things to think about than whose magic is the better. Like that." I wave toward the smoking haze that is Srilkind.

 

[Nihal]

((@Something Avoid game terms like "level 0", it breaks the immersion.))

"He just said I am unable to use a stupid summon familiar spell, claiming I am less than a mage and you speak of insults?" I narrow my eyes at Cadell, talking at the same time Aldar talks. "This... man... who keeps making boastful claims and talking non sense? Did you just heard him? 'Harpies are a child play'?! I do not follow any gods, but the gods saves us from the villagers' wrath when this empty-head open his mouth in Srilkind!" I pick up Brawnen.

"Oh, there are some terrific reasons to specialize in close combat. Go figure this enigma." I interrupt Aldar with a mischievous smile before giving my back to him and moving away, allowing him to ramble alone.

If he can't even discover the reason no spell he thinks he masters will be worth my time!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Attempting to keep the peace, I say, "Aldar, maybe you didn't know… Mauve is a wizard." To Mauve, I add, "Guess your disguise works. With the eye-patch, you should be safe in town."

I look at the smoke.

"If there is a town…"

 

[SomethingToPonder]

((No problem il avoid them from now on ))

I decide it's best not to continue the argument as it s clearly not helping the group let alone the child. Although In my mind i know i only wanted to share knowledge and gain some myself, We have a better chance of surviving as a group if we do. However i have no idea what Nihal was on about as i was trying to get my point accross to her when she rudely interupted me before storming off, Managing to catch bits and pieces inbetween i approach cadell to ask him what he thought of the situation.

"I actually think mauve is pretty interesting in my books, Despite our petty argument, just for the record cadell, I wasnt trying to insinuate she was "less of a mage" than myself, that is mere childs arguments. I was merely saying i have never seen anyone bar a wizard attempt to cast it, And empty head? Throwing insults around like you are 5 years old gets nobody anywhere. I dont remember throwing any insults anywhere, did you hear me? What nonsense was i talking, And i said casting a particular spell on an adult harpy was childs play. Hardly an enigma, it saves you from corruption , and i didnt say there were no reasons either, I said i mainly specialize in ranged combat, You know i could point out problems with what she said all night here, But i really cant be bothered and im sure im boring you as well...Lets just get on with the battle"

 

[SomethingToPonder]

Mauve a wizard, I would never have guessed, Well my grip on sensing these things must be blatantly out of use, il have to work on it, It has been some time.
"thanks baldhart. "

 

[Nihal]

I hold Baldhart's arm and pull her with me, only letting her go when we get enough distance from them to talk privately. Meeting her gaze, I start in almost in a whisper, still feeling agitated, "I apologize. I truly do, I should have never got so angry at your allusion to magic, it was a minor slip near what we are about to see.

"This eye got me. I should be ready for this, but I was not." I look at the horizon, stroking Branwen's hair. "Your attempt to keep me sane is quite naive," I turn to her for an instant with the ghost of a smile dancing in my lips, "but appreciated. You are not flinching away from me nor condemning me and I was—no, I am still so dazed with everything that I missed the value of your gesture."

I breath slowly. "We are about to face another battle, new dangers..." I shake my head. "Before we do I must thank you," I speak truthfully, "you are a true friend I do not deserve. Could you keep something for me? A letter, in case I do not make it." I glance at her and talk before she can protest, "I am just being practical, not fatalist!"

If she accepts I tell her to get it from my pouch. "What are we going to do with Branwen? I can try to keep her safe, I can not openly involve myself in this battle, however..."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Naive… yeah, maybe. But it's worse not to try." I accept the letter. Does Mauve have family and friends she never spoke of. "May I read it?—well, if it's not sealed, I mean." I reach into her pouch, asking, "Who's it for?"

Branwen… "I want her somewhere safe, but my mountain is the only place I know she'd be away from danger. If you know of a closer place where you could convince somebody to care for her, I'm all ears. Once Burnbright's with us, she can watch Branwen."

Not openly involve…? "What will you do in this battle? I suppose there are some among us who'd prefer you just stab with your spear or do nothing, but I wouldn't ask you to stop using magic. It would be like asking you to stop being you."

Unless the magic makes her stop being her.

Well, as long as my naive plan works…

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I keep my eyes on the horizon, and the smoky area that is the town. Ankari and Aliron are too long in reporting. Are they alright?

I move toward the head of the group, gesturing to the others for silence while I listen.

((Dunno if Listening is a DEX check or not... if so, there should probably be another point or two on there, and DEX is prime.))

 

[Nihal]

((It's a WIS check, I believe.))

"Read? You can, but the most of it will sound like gibberish. It is my duty to send a warn. See the name outside? It is the village to where it should be sent. It is for my mother." Upon hearing her last sentence I feel on the verge of getting emotional, having a sincere smile visiting my lips for a moment.

"Improvise?" I shrug my shoulders. "I can not use magic in front of the villagers. My older spells are going to be useful, this if I do not get purely physical." I do not proceed, getting silent when Cadell gesture to us.

 

[Ireth]

((Okay then. If Listening is WIS, Cadell's check failed.))

Líadan

When Cadell gestures for silence, I take the opportunity to listen too. Four ears are better than two, after all.

((+3 level and WIS mod, +2 racial bonus; WIS is prime. And even if I'm wrong and it's not a WIS check, she succeeds anyway! Booyah!))

 

[SomethingToPonder]

Upon Hearing everyone go silent, I decide to listen as well, Why have four ears when you can have 6 ?

((+2 Enhanced senses, +2 Listen and +1 Wis Mod, If i rolled it wrong please let me know))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Silence… I don't have ears like the elves, so I'll have to pass the time while they listen.

I put my sword away, then take out a glowing rock. I show it to Branwen so she knows it's not fire. If she plays with it, I'll get another.

I show Mauve the glow rock and the letter. Since I'm permitted to read it…

I point to the surname and feel a giddy expression cross my lips. I never knew! I spent so much time telling about my family I never asked about…

What! One of us spoke to the 'visitor'… Alin said 'deal with the devil' but no one explained. I can guess who made it, seeing that Ankari's been shunned more than usual even though he's actually been nicer than usual. South! He went… south? So, maybe our business isn't confined to the north, then. I read on.

I see a name. A girl's name? A sister? Older or younger?

I tuck the letter away, half-tempted to ask Mauve what makes her think I'll survive a battle if she doesn't. But we need to maintain silence. I want to hug her, but the silence makes it so awkward I sort of half-grab-half-pat her arm. That could just as easily be the beginning of a hug as it could the beginning of a grapple attack, save for the gentle non-grip.

 

[Steerpike]

Aliron moves ahead of the group, searching for signs of Ankari. The party stands at a slight elevation in the road, and Srilkind is visible beyond. An open area of perhaps one hundred yards lies between the edge of the forest and the buildings of Srilkind. Some of those buildings are now broken and smoldering. You can make out the burnt shell of the temple of Tyr, destroyed on your last visit to the village. Around it, some smaller buildings are burnt and some still stand. The approach to the burning looks haphazard, with no pattern you can make out.

Tiny shapes move at the edge of town, and occasionally you see one moving between buildings or the burnt remains of them. You are too far away to make out details of the creatures.

The smoke rises from buildings near the Crow, but from what you can make out of the Crow itself (which is a portion of the second floor and the roof) the building seems intact.

The group goes quiet so the elves can listen. There is not much of not to hear from this distance. Liadan's keen ears can pick up distant notes of the sea, tossing against the rocky shore of Srilkind. Birdsong and the sound of animals scurrying through the surrounding branches are audible to each.

As the group waits, Branwen plays with Baldhart's rock for a moment, shading it with her hands and peering at the light that emanates from it. After a couple of minutes she returns the rock. She finds Baldhart and Mauve standing near one another and tugs at both of their packs. When she has the attention of the two women, she mimes putting something in her mouth and makes chewing motions.

 

[Nihal]

I can tell I am blushing by the sudden heat in my face. Baldhart looks so happy. When she points to my surname I move my lips without emitting any sound, "Keep it a secret, to protect them."

Is she slapping my shoulder? No, it's some sort of affective gesture. I grin, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye. Not being the only socially awkward person in this group is comforting. I stare at the horizon again. Beyond the smoke the gray vastness greets us, a peaceful sight to contrast with the sieged town. I point it with the chin.

"Ocean," I move my lips again, happy. "It's the first time I see it."

((Almost ninja'd. xD))

I look down to Branwen and search my backpack for food. Unpacking my ration I offer her some salted meat and bread, unsure she'll accept it.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I mouth back, tapping my pack, 'one more rabbit - for later.' I'm glad Mauve beat me to the feeding. If we fail or if the Crow's in sorry shape, we may not have much meat available like I'd hoped.

I give Branwen water from my flask (found in the elven forest, if water was in that area; otherwise, the refill happened where Baldy had to row and skinny-dip).