Dragon's Egg - Act IV

[Steerpike]

Skivver moves toward the branching tunnel, putting as much distance as he can between himself and Batos without disappearing into the darkness. He stops at the edge of the dim light and looks back at the group. "We go? We quiet, dark elfs not hear."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Lead on," I say quietly.

Anything but remaining in this crowded room…

 

[Ankari]

The stream leads somewhere, if not to our destination, than a place from which our enemies could ambush us. I motion Alin toward Baldhart and meet them there.

"Either I or Alin should investigate where this stream leads and if enemies await us there. Perhaps it will circumvent some ambush we may meet down this tunnel and allow us to string an ambush ourselves. I'd recommend Alin with his bow."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"Works for me," I reply. I turn to Alin, adding, "I'm just assuming you're fine with this."

I trust Alin to let the rest of us know if it's safe to move forward… or if it isn't safe, but we move forward anyway.

 

[SeverinR]

Aliron
"I can check the stream."
Aliron moves to listen at opening for the stream.
ability check (int and Dex prime) [1d20] = 4 (+3 dex-1chr)
Then looks and moves into the opening, (is it crawl only room or larger/)
If it's too small Aliron will only look. If it is crawl-able, he will explore further.

Bressel:

Bressel moves close to the front of the main path. ready in case of a frontal attack. (When moving Bressel will let the quieter movers take the lead. (He has no shield, so won't help with a shield wall.)

 

[Nihal]

((Assuming Nissa is near the front))

Had the circumstances been different, I'd conjure my own light. Casting another spell isn't a luxury I can afford at the moment, though I can count myself fortunate in other aspects. I take Nissa's hand and direct the soft glow of the rock towards the passage. All I need is a little...

I fall to a slight crouch and pad through the passage Skivver pointed out, trusting my eye to search the darkness for clues that would slip unseen by the others.


((Check, in case it's required))

 

[Ireth]

Liadan

Mauve moves to search the passage, and I slip forward to join her. Maybe my elven eyesight will catch things she would otherwise miss.

((Hope I'm remembering Liadan's bonuses right.))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

Mauve guides my hand. I take the hint and systematically light the area as best I can. I say nothing, searching in silence.

((WIS = Prime))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

I wonder what they're looking at.

((INT = non-prime))

I guess I'll just keep wondering until someone tells me. I can barely see, barely move… this detour better be worth it, for the children's sake.

 

[Steerpike]

There is nothing of note to see in the passage Skivver points to, even to Mauve's strange eye. The passage is narrow and winds deeper into the earth, seeming to move at a slight downward grade.

Skivver looks at Bressel as the large man moves closer to the front, then the reptile drifts closer to Mauve. "Not see dark elfs yet. Far walk to them. Dark elfs not know this. Think they watch way in."

Skivver then creeps ahead, the dim light of the passage not seeming to trouble him. He turns just at the edge of a bend in the passage and says "We go now? Wait for yel...elf in water?"

 

[SeverinR]

Bressel
"I think we should wait and see what Aliron finds. But thats up to the group. If we do go forward, I think it should only be a short distance. We don't want to leave anyone behind like we did before."
"Maybe have the quiet group members move up and check what's ahead? Much like Aliron is doing in the stream tunnel? Then come back?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

"You heard him, Baldy. Start tip-toeing."


Baldy

Nissa says move, so I will. But before moving, I say, "Children's lives are at stake. I don't want to waste time. I'll move up with Alin, but I suggest the rest of you follow after I have a few seconds' head start. If Alin warns of danger, Nissa can get to you quickly and quietly while I stay on the front with him."

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]I don't get very far by the time I see Alin. I glance back to see if I even left sight of the group. I ask Alin, "Are we good to move ahead?"[/FONT]

 

[SeverinR]

Aliron

"The passage shortly disappears, the stream continues, and it looks like there might be some more of the glow rocks beyond. I did not want to delay any further our mission. If we need to, we can return later. I am wet enough without swimming under water."
Aliron shivers as he turns towards the passage that lays before them.
"What I would give for a nice warm fire right now."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"I'll be happy to swim for them later. I can hold my breath for a long time." I hand Alin my ring. "And when I swim, I'll wear this. You wear it for now. It's better than a fire."

((EDIT - Baldy would just get the rocks if they could be gathered in seconds. I'm not sure if the rocks are easily seen from where Alin was, or if the group will pass that place so Baldy can see for herself. Based on Alin's words, she just accepts this is something to get later. Out-of-game, I'm not sure if this is a scary CON-check-to-not-drown swim or just "Dunk. Get."))

 

[Nihal]

"We shall have time to explore useless passages later." I glance over my shoulder. "Reunite, then come.

"I will press ahead at leisure pace. It should be safe, and I am good at making new friends anyway. I hope that convinces you to not waste too much time behind." I wink and turn back to Skivver, smiling to myself. Even the dullest of them would be able to see the incongruence between my advices and what I do.

I follow the lizard, amused.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

I gladly follow Skivver and tell him, "You say the elves don't expect us, I'd rather assume you're right than delay our rescue. Your leader will be saved on the way, but it's the children I need to get to quickly. The elves don't intend to hold them long."

 

[Steerpike]

Skivver nods when Mauve speaks. "House-lug say come, all come."

The lizard sets off down the passage, which twists and turns as it winds deeper into the grounds. The walls of the passageway look natural, but there are signs that they may have been mildly worked in the distant past, perhaps to smooth them or make them wider in places. Even so, there are areas when many in the past have to turn sideways and squeeze through a particularly cramped space. The temperature continues to drop, and since most everyone is wet to one degree or another the cold is very much felt.

Burnbright has her spear out, but uses her free hand to rub some warmth into her other arm and shoulder, then switches the spear to her offhand and repeats the action. Branwen, though much smaller, seems unaffected by the cold. Masama says nothing, simply following along silently.

After many minutes, the passage levels off, no longer dropping downward. A putrid scent slowly builds on the air, causing Burnbright to scrunch her nose. The smell becomes stronger as you move along, and you find the source of it when Skivver kneels down around a large, jagged hole in the ground.

"We go down," Skivver says. "Tarlack down. Not far. Dark elfs there sometime. Mostly, dark elfs gone."

Peering into the opening reveals another chamber a good fifteen feet below the party's vantage point. The chamber is heaped with refuse - old bones, ragged bits of cloth, decaying vegetable matter, and so on. The smell is terrible.

 

[Ireth]

((Shoot... ninja'd! Hope this doesn't change anything.))

Cadell

I follow Baldhart, relaxing somewhat in the wider space. But fear still gnaws at me; there's every chance the tunnel could grow narrow again, or collapse on top of us all. Who's to say the drow haven't rigged such a trap if they think anyone might try to come after them?

I edge up beside Baldhart, or as close behind as I can get, and relay my worries to her.

My stomach clenches as we move downward, and I realize one of my fears is true -- the tunnel is now so narrow I can only fit through sideways. I edge through as quickly as I can manage, longing to breathe deeply for the sake of calming myself, but unwilling to expand my chest so much that I get stuck. My remaining hand is slick with sweat, and my breaths seem unnaturally loud. Anger at least keeps me a little warmer. Damn the Lady, Her caverns and Her minions!

Thinking of all that reminds me of the outcome of the torment they inflicted on me. I gained a new perspective, and gave myself a new name -- Einion, the Anvil. Beaten but unbroken. The thought bolsters my courage. I move on in silence, suffering more cramped spaces by turning these thoughts over again in my mind.

When Slkivver halts and kneels by a hole in the ground, I tug my tunic up over my nose. It doesn't help much to block out the stench.

"A garbage dump?" I murmur.

 

[Steerpike]

((I ninjaed Ireth Just a note - the glowing rocks Aliron saw looked to be embedded in the walls of the underwater passage. You may well be able to get them out, but it's not going to be easy or quick)).

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

I whisper to Cadell, "There may be a trap here. Only one way to find out."

I climb down the hole.




Nissa

I'd love to help Baldy by checking for traps, but...

...it's just a deep dark hole. All I can do is watch her, and tell others if she makes it down unscathed. I fly in behind, prepared to shoot up to relay a message if need be.