Dragon's Egg - Act III

[SeverinR]

Aliron searches the inventory of the bar, looking for anything flamable, and a bucket.

"Anyone that doesn't climb down the rope will be left to explain to the dogs where the rest of us went. So everyone move!"
I announce. "Trust me, I don't think they will be very understanding. We will ensure the wounded get down."

Aliron's simple trap:
Pour all flamable liquids into bucket, stick thin sticks or wood in top of door crack(on top of door) to support the bucket. Lay a burning torch so it is just off floor, Bucket is dropped when door opened, flammable liquid flows into torch and ignites. Anyone entering will get burned. If they believe Burnbirght is still in the building they might charge through to save her.

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

If Joffur needs it ((i.e. if my second healing roll doesn't apply)), I will help him toward the window to escape with the others. If he is well enough to walk unaided, I will simply follow, and ensure everyone else is with us.

 

[Steerpike]

Grim continues to gently wake his wife, and she comes around soon enough. He helps her to her feet, then half carries her to the storeroom door in her weakened state. "Wait here a minute. I'll get some of our things." Grim takes a burlap sack from the storeroom floor, empties it its contents (which turn out to be some strange sort of dried fruit), and begins to fill it with personal effects from a small strongbox under one of the storeroom shelves - a dagger, a coin purse, and other assorted items.

Joffur looks in amazement as Líadan heals him. He rises almost immediately after the spell is cast, testing his leg. He is a large boy and slightly overweight, and he moves gingerly, wincing. After a couple of steps he nods to himself and says "I'm OK. I can make it now."

The two fisherman from Arendal look even more disapproving as the second act of healing takes place. One of them grimaces and turns to his companion, loud enough to be intentionally overheard. "Elves. The northland was given to Men by the gods. Havin' elves and their magic up here ain't natural." The sentiment doesn't stop them from gathering their things and moving toward the rear window and on to the boat, presumably to be further dismayed by the sheer number of elves in the party.

Burnbright nods and nods again as Baldhart, Aliron, and Mauve speak to her. She scrambles down the rope toward one of the boats. Spotting Branwen, she slides into that boat, saying "Hi, I'm Burnbright. Who are..." A strange look comes over her face as she takes in Branwen more clearly and she just trails off, casting an inquiring look over her shoulder back at the group as most of the party descends the rope toward the boats.

The large black man grins as he descends the rope. He has long hair tied back in elaborate braids, and a bushy beard that frames the lower half of his face. His axe handle looks worn and polished from use, but the blade is sharp and clean.

Grim finishes packing his things and is about to head through the window with his wife when he spots Aliron by the door. He rushes over, the contents of his bag clanking and jingling. "Here, now, what are you doing?" He makes an expansive gesture with his free hand. "This place is my life's work. And that of my wife, too. I mean to come back to it once these foul creatures have quit town. We're going to have enough to rebuild here without helping them at their work! Get that flame out before you set my home ablaze!"

 

[Nihal]

I roll my eyes and take some of the strange dried fruits and what I can find of food suitable to travel. Does he expect to eat coins? Glaring at the fishermen I turn to help Joffur.

Stupid gits!

"Where is the nearest village? How long it takes by boat?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

It seems we're finally ready to board.

"I want the fishermen in the big boat—and let them decide how to move it. Bressel takes the big man, the big boy, and the serving girl. Grim, the Mrs., Burnbright and Mauve with me. The rest of ours in the big boat, too.

"Please… maintain silence until one hundred yards east of the border. There, I'll need to say a few words to Burnbright and Grim, then get Sir Cadell's horse. And Mauve, if you don't mind, I really need to try on those slippers. The treads in your stretchy slippers will help me stay on the horse."—Stirrups, or none!


I see Burnbright's discomfort. "A harpy child," I whisper. "I had to kill her mother, regrettably, but when I saw that innocent little creature in the nest… she'd never survive without an adult to take care of her. I vowed to Brynhild that I would be responsible, but Mauve and Alin also had the same thought before I said anything aloud.

"Sometimes doing the right thing is hard, but to leave her behind would mean starvation. A greater sin than to put a sword through her, which is sin enough. We talk more of morality, Brynhild's path, the Greater Good… when we can afford to speak."

 

[SomethingToPonder]

"Wait, Wait for me!" I come running to the cliff edge, And Then rapidly descend the rope.
"Thanks for the words of warning you lot!,I was almost left for the bloody dogs there."
I pat myself down , Making sure I have my main items.
"Looks like I have everything, Not sure about the items in my backpack. Doesn't matter anyway, It's not like I will be going back for them now anyway. What about that staff you lot were talking about did you manage to find it?"
The huffy mood I was in seemed to lift at just the sound of "The Staff". Any artefacts always seem to make my mind race and my heart pound, Let alone the happy mood that descends over me like a cloud over the sea.

 

[Nihal]

I almost put the petulant elf wizard in his rightful place, but it's not the right time to do this.

"Shut up, elf." I glare at him. "Shut-up-and-get-down."

The gods know he doesn't know when to shut up, one can see by how much he keeps talking while we're trying to be stealthy! I have no doubts the simpleton would start screaming or something if I told him some truths right now.

I wait in position to climb down with Baldhart—pretend I'm climbing, actually—while the others move down the rope. Whispering to her, I ask, "Why east? If it is a detour only for the horse you could even let me try to get it, but do not let it get in our way."

 

[SomethingToPonder]

I glare back at mauve, Wishing i could Rip her eyes out and feed them to the vultures. But that would be immature and a wizard is never immature.
I carry on climbing down and get to a boat.
I feel like mauve has been a bit of a moan the whole time since i have met her, Everyone else was suspicious, Fair enough, But mauve has been taking it to extremes. I will get my own back of somekind. Oneday...

 

[SeverinR]

"The fishermen need to be in any boat other then Branwen's. They are uncomfortable with elven magic, they might try to harm her."
"Mauve and Baldy, If you two handle the ropes I will go down."

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

I settle back down in the boat near Cadell, shifting to make room for others to board. I can't help but smile as I speak to him. "I have good news -- Llucheden is alive and well somewhere in the woods. Someone is going to find her and make sure she stays safe."

Cadell

I look up as Líadan returns, and grin at her words. I don't think anyone will appreciate how much of a relief that is to me. "Thank you for letting me know."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I gladly release a rope—as soon as Alin and Grim are down—and work my way to the boat as Mauve mock-climbs beside me.

STR

I whisper to Mauve, "East? West? It makes no difference. May as well pick the direction where the horse is. And, please Mauve, the slippers. A horse is noisy. If a sentry is in my way, the slippers will prevent me from being toppled when I run my blade through him—and I'll even be able to swing the sword with both hands without falling off.

"And don't worry about the body, if it comes to that. You saw Nissa in action, so you'll need to trust that between her and I, we have our ways of keeping the enemy confused."

As soon as I'm in the boat, I start rowing—east, unless someone gives a reason why west is preferable.

STR

 

[Nihal]

"Wait," I hold her hand before she rows away, "To lower our chances of being spotted and followed we should not move along the shore now nor approach it unless it is mandatory. The forest edge is not more than a hundred yards to the east, it would be better if you moved through the cliff already. Sorry.

"We ought to move to nearest village, to drop them and resupply."

I take off the shoes and hand them over to Baldhart, "I am glad you did not ask me to take the horse. I have never ridden one before." I glance down to the water. "Or a boat..."

When she takes the shoes I lean towards the sea, stretching my arm to catch some water. I taste it.

Unbelieveable! It's really salty!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I smile at Mauve as she dips her hand into the sea. "As you say, Mauve. Thank you."

The slippers stretch onto my feet easily. I need my armor as well. I can climb with it while wearing the slippers, and though silence is nice, the waves are noisier than I am.

I squeeze Burnbright's hand, then say to Grim, "East, west… I'll catch up."

I reach for the wall, and once my foot touches it, I see I need no strength. I scramble east along the cliff wall as if on all fours—first diagonally up—then sideways once high enough that waves don't crash against me. Noisy waves! The only reason I'm confident I won't be heard!

Yet.

As for how I look, my grips are fake and my movement rivals that of an acrobat. I don't concern myself with realism, though I won't walk sideways until I'm where boats can't see me. I wait until I'm past Temple Gefjon to glance back to see if they're moving east or west.

If west, one gnoll will die on the east border. He'll hear me when I come up. If the boats are going west, I WANT to be heard on the east side.

I keep moving… one hundred yards east, to the forest edge. Llucheden. His name is Llucheden.

 

[Steerpike]

((Backing up in time slightly for the start of this post. I'm going to assume Aliron yielded to Grim and did not try to set the trap)).

Grim takes the components of Aliron's trap brings them back to the store room. He sets the flammable liquid on the floor. "They'll be safe enough here, unless the whole place is already burning." He then returns to his wife and helps her to the window. Grim crawls through firs, then helps his wife through, supporting her as he leads her to the rope. As he tries to figure out the best way to get her down in her weakened state, the black takes the rope and moves to just beneath where the stand. He gestures and Grim helps his wife onto the rope, then holds her as she lowers herself carefully down. The black man grabs her from below and guides her to the boats.

Grim nods his thanks, then turns back to the Crow. "One more," he says, and climbs back through the window.

The fishermen board the large boat, moving as far from the elves as possible. Their attention is fixed on the elves and on the edge of the cliffs above, scanning for sign of the enemy. They do not notice Branwen, or if they do they note nothing odd about her.

Burnbright, on the other hand, shuffles to one side, moving away from Branwen. She whispers to Baldhart. "A demon, then. You brought a demon with you? The gods! What if she transforms into some horrible beast and eats us while we sleep?" She looks up at the cliffs. "Father Harald would know what to do. I hope he's alive."

Grim emerges from the window again, this time with a girl of about seventeen in tow. The serving girl. She looks stunned, almost in a state of shock, as she numbly follows Grim's guidance. He helps her to the rope, then whispers in her ear. She looks down toward the boats and begins her descent. Grim follows just behind.

When he reaches the bottom, Grim says "Arendal lies to the west. An hour or more, by the road. The journey by boat can be longer or shorter, depending on the sea conditions. The waters push north and slightly east, so we'll be fighting the flow with our oars. Still, we'll be well free of those creatures in the village."

Everyone positions themselves as ordered, any who are required to row seem willing to do so. The black man seats himself in the middle of the boat and takes an oar in his meaty hands.

Baldhart and Mauve discuss their options, and Baldhart, now wearing Mauve's slippers, climbs onto the rocky cliffs just before the boats push off. With the slippers on her feet, she climbs to the surface of the rocks like a spider.

Above, all remains quiet. The monsters in Srilkind do not appear to have resumed their normal patrols. At any rate, no head appears over the edge of the cliffs to look out over the waters. With rowers pulling as hard as they can, the boats strike out toward the deeper sea, leaving Baldhart clinging to the wet rocks beneath Srilkind.

Grim's wife settles into her boat and begins asking questions of her husband, wondering what has happened, and where you are all going. Joffur remains silent, rubbing absently at his wounded leg and sneaking a glance at Liadan when he thinks she isn't looking.

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

I stay close to Cadell, sitting in silence as we continue on. Joffur glances in my direction every so often, and sometimes our eyes meet; I can tell what he is thinking by the blush that rises to his face whenever that happens. I wrap an arm around Cadell's shoulders, both to ease my lover's continued discomfort and to signal to the human lad that I am quite happily taken.

Cadell

I smile and shift closer to Líadan, taking comfort from her embrace. Worry still gnaws at the pit of my stomach, questions swarming like eels. Will Baldhart find Llucheden? What will happen when and if we reach Arendal? What if we don't make it? What about Sir Matthew and the children?

 

[Nihal]

"Girl, she is no demon," I whisper to Burnbright, "She is a sweet little girl, no worse than you or me... or those people from this town."

I take the oars only if required, feeling my body aching. "How was your time back to this town? Anything odd happened? Are you fine?" I watch the fishermen while we take distance from the shore. "I know it is hard, but trust no one; strangers and superstitious people in particular."

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

I look at Cadell, realizing this is a perfect opportunity to teach him at least one of my better healing spells before we reach the next village. He has much of it memorized, but he could still benefit from refreshing his memory. I softly talk him through it while he listens intently, nodding every once in a while. I smile, seeing that the lesson has the added benefit of distracting him from whatever he is worried about, at least for a while.

((Not sure if the journey will be interrupted at any point, but I figured this was worth the shot. She's teaching him Cure Light Wounds.

Note -- I don't intend for him to try the spell out yet, since by my count it'd be at least four hours before he gets his mana back after getting down to -1. He may very well need to use his one MP during the battle, and I want to make it count!))

 

[SeverinR]

Aliron
Aliron does not object to Grim dismantling the trap, he remains silent that the Dog face will probably burn every building in town when they find their prize was taken from them.
Aliron laughs when he pictures the lead dog trying t explain how he lost Burnbright:
'Well there was a loud sound blast and a naked wing woman flew overhead and spoke to us.' Not a good night in dogtown that night.
Aliron stays towards the front of the boat, Heartbow ready.

Bressel
Bressel mans an oar unless there is no need.
"wait serving girl likes the naked adult flying woman, but no like the naked winged little girl?"
"Baldhart...How many more naked winged women are inside you?" he asks frowning at her. "Where did you learn to summon winged women, my master never taught me that trick.
Oh, forgot, she left." (edited )
He still talks in a soft tone unsure if a patrol might be within earshot.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((Posting just to clarify Baldhart is not with the party.))


I see the boats are going west, so I stop pretending I need my hands. I walk on the wall. I must remember to thank Mauve for letting me have some fun! But this ain't playtime.

This is a rescue mission.

I strip off my armor as I pass Gefjon. Does Aslaug have eyes through her goddess' temple? Is this an evil one? I don't dare enter. Instead, I ascend the cliffside when I'm right below…


((PM'd GM))

 

[SeverinR]

Aliron keeps checking on Fishermen, Burnbright, and Branwen to ensure they are safe and not acting to harm anyone.