TWO HUNDRED SEVENTEEN
(I/C)
“Hmm,” Lannis tapped his chin, “North seems to make the most sense to me.”
“Why?” Kovid asked.
“Owlbears,” he replied. “They famously hate traveling north, they prefer to flybernate in the south. Anyway, I vote north."
“Why’d I bother asking?” the dwarf moaned. “Strangely though, for completist purposes, I would recommend that way as well.”
Brendon, not extinguishing his torch, suggested, “I’ll scout ahead with Wyn, thus keeping the noise level down while you guys wait for us to return with our report.”
“Yes sir, Captain Fancypants, Sir!” the Magic User saluted.
“Nord we go, Monsieur du Lac.” Wyn reached out for the torch, taking it with a quick thanks. He then drew his sword while Brendon loaded up an arrow and got ready.
“Be careful,” Lyra offered. “Go, scout, return. Orcs are still out there, Owlbear is still out there, and I think we’ve been real lucky lately.”
“You are the glue that holds this group together, Lyra,” Lannis smiled. “I thought it was coming from your hooves. But, no, it’s you.”
"Priestess, keep deze boys in line while we be gone, s'il vous plaît... actually you may want ta calm down a bit. I tink all dat Offop-directed rage may be causing you to grit en grind your teeth too much. Don't want to shatter dem Aine blessed pearls, do you? Feel free to smack him around a bit. I tink it'll make you feel better. I'm sure de odders will hold him down if you asked him nicely.
Wyn smile broadly at Lannis and gave him a wink. Then he turned to Brendon, pointed north with the torch and said, "Allons-y, mon ami. After you."
The group watched them leave, staying at the western end of the great chamber and waited, ears perked. Lannis had bent down as was gathering loose stones when Lyra walked over and stepped on his hand. “Agh!” he barked in pain, getting a series of “SHHHHH!” noises back. “Get your withers and forelocks off my hand your fucking cow.”
She bent low, face partially shrouded in the lantern light, eyes gleaming. “I have one nerve, Lannis. One nerve left. And if you…hit it…with one of those throw rocks…I swear by Aine as easy as a child breathes a wish at a dandelion...is exactly how hard it would be for me to tear your limbs from their sockets and beat you to death with them.”
Both Kovid and Abraxas stood there, mirth in their eyes and mouths agape, while Lannis debated on a comeback before raising his hand slowly and saying, “I know you are not prone to believing me. But I was going to make a line here across the hall to show us if anyone later crossed it and disturbed the rocks.” He swallowed nervously. “That’s all.”
She stayed in his face a few seconds longer and then smiled gently, her features softening. “Good,” she said standing up. “Good. Good idea.” And turned away.
And Lannis for a short moment, felt alone and pretty far from home. “Her nethers are probably soaked with blood at this point,” he muttered to himself, making sure that his voice was pitched low enough that no one else could hear his words.
Meanwhile Wyn and Brendon made their way north, the light from the torch illuminating the cavern walls as they travelled. There were old painted marks on the walls, testament to the elves that lived here long ago, but nothing else of interest. Eventually the cavern opened up to a largish chamber where a number of odd looking toadstools and fungi were growing in old pots set near the corners.
Wyn looked them over while Brendon walked the cavern quietly, the elf (<Int +2 elf nature, Orange 5) confident that the fungus was harmless and naturally growing. Brendon had given the chamber a short walk and knocked on the walls and floor in random places (<Find Traps +20 bonus, Red 41) but from the amount of grit and just basic look of the cavern, was sure that this was a dead end and there was nothing here to concern them.
After a few minutes they looked at one another and pointed back the way they came. The torch was fading and they made it back to the rest of the group as the brand was burning out and shared what they had learned about the end of the northern cave.
“Sounds like a dead end,” Kovid mused, already adding it to his map. “Worth checking out or head south?” What say you all?”
Time now is Day 6, 2:01 PM
(OOC)
Further explore and time spent there, or someplace else?
And Abraxas, I’m a dick. I’ll get your thing done. Bad DM!
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