"You will do no such thing. Have you not heard that such action would bring death on her people? You should instead go after the spawn's parent. i'm sure you could slay a dragon. I'm sure you could. Even if you did destroy the egg there would just be more unless the parent is taken care of."
She stoops to pick up Shukak's trident. "This is yours."
As Shesht holds out the Trident, Mortimer quickly glances out of the corners of his eyes -- first to the left, then to the right. Not knowing what to do and being no diplomat, he hopes for the best, bows his head slightly and gingerly accepts the trident.
He steps back a bit and listens.
[Hishka"" ... Sol"" ... Shesht"" ... Sol"" ... wait -- Halfling"" ???]
Mortimer glances at Hourpen in surprise. He shakes his head brusquely back and forth as if he were subtly trying to dislodge earwax.
He clasps his hands against his face and exhales.
Does everything always have to be so black and white with everyone around here?!
"Whoa, whoa -- hold on everyone! Taking or destroying this egg is not an option. It stays -- intact -- wherever it is."
Black Dragons? Do I know anything about Dragons? Judging from Sol's reaction, Black Dragons aren't good...
He turns to Hishka and Shesht. "We can go to Egorian, and do our best to explain the case, but this -- Ilthane -- from where and when did she come? Do you know anything about her -- origins?"
"Origins"?!! ' can't possibly be the right word, could it?
"Uh, yeah." Ascaria gulps. Black dragons... they're evil right?
"I gotta agree Sol. Until we find someone to deal with momma, the egg stays. I'll not sacrifice a whole tribe of lizard folk through rash action. Clearly there's a problem here, maybe Allustan knows someone who can take her out."
He holds his hands open, confused.
Solrisa looks around.
"Is the dragon around here? I could go and take care of it and be right back," Solrisa suggests brightly and looking at the lizardfolk for answers. "We can't leave evil dragon eggs laying around for the evil they will cause when they hatch."
Hishka speaks. "Ilthane has been absent awhile. She only spoke with Shukak and Kotabas. She made sure to exclude both Shesht and myself. She became something of a goddess to the two slain this day. She comes and goes as she pleases. I am not sure how much longer her egg requires before it hatches."
Shesht leans in. "There is an exit on the other side of our egg chamber. It is where she enters, and where she leaves. Part of it is submerged, so it is not a threat to our safety, should something else find its way into our home."
Hishka and Shesht look pleased, as Mortimer promises to fulfill a diplomatic course with Egorian.
As for Marzena and the two still-living soldiers, you find their condition severely lacking. Although Ascaria's energy can remove injury, it can neither feed hunger nor quench thirst. The soldiers will require assistance to walk, at the very least.
Marzena is slightly more complicated, as her jaw seems to be dislocated, and her hands and fingers are bent at an odd angle. They seem to be slowly settling, but she is largely silent. Her wide eyes speak of horrors left unspoken.
Marzena is slightly more complicated, as her jaw seems to be dislocated, and her hands and fingers are bent at an odd angle. They seem to be slowly settling, but she is largely silent. Her wide eyes speak of horrors left unspoken.
Ascaria casts Lesser Restoration on her - just because. Might not do anything for her, but it might at least remove some of the fatigue she must surely be feeling and that's something anyway.
A he passes the dead lizard folk, he kicks them.
Solrisa looks around. "Is the dragon around here? I could go and take care of it and be right back," Solrisa suggests brightly and looking at the lizardfolk for answers. "We can't leave evil dragon eggs laying around for the evil they will cause when they hatch."
"Sol don't be so daft. We cannot take a dragon, certainly not one old enough to have children of her own. Maybe Allustan can do it, he's a wizard. There is evil here certainly, and we must root it out, but we're no match for a dragon."
"The egg is a problem. I too am loathe to leave it behind, but I think that is what we must do, just for a while. This dragon may have eggs hidden in every lizard folk lair around here. We can't just go tribe to tribe and slay them all. We have to stop the problem at the source."
"We must get Allustan to kill this dragon. He'll do it surely. He can't deny the need!"
When the time comes to leave, Mortimer will gingerly help Marzena onto Cinder's back for travel. In her current state she won't be much more than an afterthought to the mighty steed.
"You'll feel better once we're out in the ... Sun." Best not to imply that the air in here might not be too fresh.
"We can't leave evil dragon eggs laying around for the evil they will cause when they hatch."
"I don't know from Dragons or their eggs, but just because it's a Black Dragon, does that mean it's inherently evil, or can it's environment influence it's development -- hinder the evilness if not completely override it?"
He listens to what he just said out loud, shakes his head and rolls his eyes at himself."I think the best caretakers for the egg are the LizardFolk right now. Who knows -- if Ilthane comes back and finds out that we killed Shukak and Kotabas, maybe she'll just come find us."
"For now we should take Marzena and the soldiers back to the fort and explain things to those remaining. As Ascaria says, we should meet up with Allustan there and explain things. Isn't his brother someone in some seat of power? Then we'll figure out what the best course of action to take is and go from there."
Eri mumbles a little to himself, scratches his chin and follows along.
Are black dragons evil by nature?
When Marzena and the others are freed he is there to lead a hand and do a little tidying up with prestidigitation. ”Not that it will do much good, but a fresh coat of paint makes things a little nicer. I’m sorry we couldn’t get here sooner.
"Sol don't be so daft. We cannot take a dragon..."
"We must get Allustan to kill this dragon. He'll do it surely. He can't deny the need!"
Solrisa stops his smiling, and looks at Ascaria as if not quite believing her ears. No longer smiling, nor happy, nor pleasant, Solrisa goes to address Ascaria.
"Two things, Ascaria..." Solrisa holds up two of her mailed fingers so Ascaria can see it. "One, I have spoken to you before about speaking rudely to me. Do it again and I shall take you over my knee and spank you like Mum did to me. You will learn to be nice to others until they are proven bad. Do you understand?"
Solrisa holds up her second finger.
"If there is a dragon about, I *will* handle it. The Dragon asks this of me and I will not run from it. If it takes me, that is fine...but my Mum promised me to the Dragon and I am the claw of the Dragon, doing his will upon these grounds. If you do not wish to fight, I will protect you."
Solrisa looks seriously to see that gnome understands (and brightens again if he does).
Solrisa looks to the tribal leaders seeking more information.
"Are you saying, Lizardfolk, that you would try and stop me from smashing the egg? You would use force against me to prevent me from removing this vile blight from your lair? Or do you just fear what will happen when the mother returns? It is possible that we can promise to hunt the mother after we dispatch this egg. In addition, you could move to another lair, so that she cannot find you. I could offer you a way out of the vile poison that rot your village. Will you take it?"
Diplomacy
Hishka snorts at Eri. "The trident has passed many hands, archer. If you don't want it, don't take it. We will bestow it to the next king. Perhaps he'll use it more wisely."
"Not that it will do much good, but a fresh coat of paint makes things a little nicer. I’m sorry we couldn’t get here sooner."
Marzena grasps Eri on the forearm, a wordless thanks. While she takes the archer's arm, two fingers curl into their normal position.
She eagerly accepts Mortimer's hands, lifting her into Cinder's saddle.
"You'll feel better once we're out in the ... Sun."
She nods, looking back into the throne room. The muscles in her neck tense, but she continues to say nothing.
"Are you saying, Lizardfolk, that you would try and stop me from smashing the egg? You would use force against me to prevent me from removing this vile blight from your lair? Or do you just fear what will happen when the mother returns? It is possible that we can promise to hunt the mother after we dispatch this egg. In addition, you could move to another lair, so that she cannot find you. I could offer you a way out of the vile poison that rot your village. Will you take it?"
Shesht steps up, lowering his head. "We will not stop you, Sol. We fear, as we have feared for some time, what will happen when the mother returns. If you think destroying the egg will begin to lift her evil influence, so be it. We will likely need to move, and with us, our own eggs. It will be a careful pilgrimmage to find a new home, but we will take our chances. Possibly to the south. But that is a conversation our tribe will need to have, after you leave." Shesht points. "It is there. If you must, go. Please, take care not to disturb our own."
"The trident has passed many hands, archer. If you don't want it, don't take it. We will bestow it to the next king. Perhaps he'll use it more wisely."
”Ok. I am trying to figure out where this sickness is coming from. You said yourself that your guys have been acting strangely for awhile now. Let’s work together and see if there is some influence apart from the dragon imparting boons on them to get them to act that way. Aside from the breath weapon did they have anything else from the Dragon? Some charm or whatnot?”
”Sol, before you smash it, can I have a look at the egg? Maybe I can figure out how far along it is.”
Knowledge Arcana +9, Dungeoneering +8, Nature +5, Profession Trapper +4
Tynan listens quietly as the others discuss the egg and its fate. He gathers up his throwing daggers, and contemplates how he'll deal with the enmity of the dragon that Sol is about to draw down upon them.
I certainly hope Marzena knows something about the worms, because otherwise, we've been dragged away from our main quarry for nothing...
"The trident has passed many hands, archer. If you don't want it, don't take it."
Mortimer looks in dismay at the Trident he just accepted. Whaaa?
"Oh, no," he insists, "'tis a very fine and ..." he struggles, at a loss for words. "valuable gift, thank you!. I hope I can do it justice." He pulls the weapon closer to his core with every intention of walking with it out of the swamp.but my Mum promised me to the Dragon "
"What? What did you say Sol?" He turns to her with a shocked expression. "At the risk of sounding naïve, does that mean you are actually betrothed to a Dragon?"
Mortimer considers asking Marzena if she thinks Allustan would be interested in studying the egg, but looking at her and her and the soldiers' current conditions he abandons the idea.
We really need to just get them out of here.
"Maybe destroying the egg is the best thing. Maybe studying it before doing so might be better. Does anyone do that? Maybe it would of interest to Allustan... We could take it with us, keep it for a day or so for him to have a look, then destroy it."
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Ascaria thinks about their options. He carefully tries to weigh the moral implications of every angle. In the end he gives up.
"This is too complicated. Let us take the egg and see what Allustan can tell us. Then we'll destroy it if that still seems to make the most sense."
He turns to the lizard folk, "You'll need to move. This is, I believe, pure evil. Should it remain here, it could taint more of you as it did them." he gestures to the dead. "So we're going to take it, study it, and then destroy it I expect. But we're not giving it back to its mother that's for sure and that means you've got to move."
He grins, "Got it?"
Assuming they understand, Ascaria follows Cinder and the guards. He keeps the wounded ahead of him so he can monitor their condition as the group slowly leaves the lizard folk lair.
"At the risk of sounding naïve, does that mean you are actually betrothed to a Dragon?"
Solrisa smiles. She shrugs, letting her gauntleted hand fall from in front of Ascaria's face.
"Maybe. Mum didn't really explain. 'Promised' can have many meanings and I've never bothered to ask. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise! I do love surprises, don't you Mort?" Solrisa exclaims.
* * *
He grins, "Got it?"
Assuming they understand, Ascaria follows Cinder and the guards. He keeps the wounded ahead of him so he can monitor their condition as the group slowly leaves the lizard folk lair.
Solrisa goes in the direction that Shesht points to get the egg. She sheathes her sword, not foreseeing any need of it.
"And here I thought all the talk of eggs was just going to lead to making a cake. Turns out we we're going to end up escorting one big egg. Let's just hope we're not the one's that end up scrambling."
Solrisa takes point, marching further into the lizardfolk dome. Eri quickly joins her, followed soon by both Shesht and Hishka. The others follow, presumably.
The humidity rises unexpectedly, as this section of mangaroo housing begins to see an increase in floor pooling. A light winding of corridor finally opens on a new chamber.
This large chamber has a roof of intertwined mangaroo roots and trunks. Shallow water, no more than a few inches deep, covers the floor of the chamber, lapping at the bottom of hundreds of tiny pale leathery eggs. On the southern end of the pool, looming over the other eggs like a malignant gargoyle, is a halfling-sized black egg. A wide hallway leads further south over a low dirt embankment with three wooden chests on it and beyond to another watery area. Hishka indicates that the watery area is the entrance used by Ilthane.
Walking through the water at more than half-speed, and your balance will be tested to avoid stepping on the lizardfolk eggs.
"Please, take care. These eggs are very precious." Shesht looks towards Solrisa and Eri, as they advance upon the egg.
The egg is as large as you'd expect, for a Black Dragon. It's difficult to say how far along it is, but you sense a light stirring coming from within.
Perception Check, please.
Your vision changes as you approach the egg. Your peripheral vision grows black, leaving the Black Dragon egg as the sole object in your sight. Your side vision returns to you when you look away from the egg, but returns to tunnel once you return your sight to it.
Huh? What's that?
You could swear something just moved, behind you. Possibly within your backpack...
Hunched over while watching Eri and Sol move through the estuary, Mortimer suddenly stands fully upright looking ever so slightly perturbed.
He carefully removes his backpack, unbuckles it just wide enough for his face to fit into the opening, and cautiously peers inside with one eye open. The nearsighted pale one.
It takes a while, what with the less-than-optimal light with your face in the way. Eventually, some light trickles in, and falls on the glass vial, containing the worm. A moment or two later, and you can see the worm wriggle, ever so slightly.
"Um, hey guys... I can't tell anything about it, but it seems to be stirring... a little. I wonder if the dragon put it here so it could eat the lizard eggs when it hatches, or whatever else happens to be here."
Staying close to the others it is clear Hourpen is trying to calm his nerves with humor.
,
"Looks like something else might be getting scrambled. I don't know much about dragons, but most young attract the attention of their mother once they hatch."
He follows his joke with some nervous whistling.
Ascaria would have stayed behind with the wounded and Cinder assuming the others are just going to grab the egg real quick like.
Everyone who heads into the egg chamber goes beyond 100'.
I'm presuming then that everyone, save Ascaria, is in the egg chamber.
"...meep..." Mortimer pulls his head out of his backpack while stifling a shriek. Eyes wide open, he quickly buckles it back up and dons the pack.
He seems paler than usual.
It's unbreakable, right...? Maybe... we need to get out of here, quickly!
"How's it? Is it heavy? Is it big? Can we get it out of there?" he asks, looking out after Eri and Sol.
He slowly starts to back out of the room.
Solrisa is transfixed by the egg, deigning to look at it with her Dragon's Eyes.
"Is it heavy? Is it big?"
Solrisa shrugs at Mort and begins to look in her pack for rope.
"Does anyone have rope? We're going to need rope, I think! We'll be able to get a better handle on it if we can wrap it in rope."
Faint rippling in the air, like heat rising from the ground, emanating from the egg.
"I have rope and a net." Hourpen offers the items.
Tynan pulls a coil of rope from his pack, and slowly works his way toward Solrisa, careful to avoid crushing any of the eggs.
Mortimer continues to slowly back out of the room just to the entrance, in case he is needed.
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Solrisa helps Tynan, also very very sure to avoid squishing anything squishable.
"Maybe we lie the net flat, then roll the egg onto it?" Sol asks, putting her shield on her back so she has two hands free to work. "We could even weave some of the rope within the net to keep it balanced and strong."
Solrisa begins to enact her vision of a net/rope nest to carry the egg.
The net comes together well enough, as the maiden weaves and cinches, tightens and draws. When she's reasonably sure the net/rope will hold, she places her hands on the egg, in an effort to move it onto the net trap. That's all it takes.
Almost in response to her touch, the leathery surface of the egg begins to tear, and from the tear begins to pour a milky ooze. Closer examination reveals the makeup of the ooze- worms. Hundreds and hundreds of worms. The asymmetric pressure of their release causes a seam to form from the tear, and the worms begin to hit the surface of the shallow pool. They begin to swim, and search.
A couple of lizardfolk eggs receive worms, which immediately begin to burrow through the thin shells. Eri and Solrisa are the first of your group to welcome the worms onto their bodies.
For your clothing, the worms appear to be seeking entry points. Their movement accelerates, possibly from your body warmth. For their numbers, it's only a matter of seconds before they touch skin...
The pool water begins to churn, as the worms spread out. Each round, the diameter of the worms' exodus will increase by 5'. Shesht and Hishka make loud rasps, as they move forward, and begin to pick up eggs from the pool. Their words of exclamation go un-understood, your translator sadly absent from the current event unfolding.
Solrisa tries to figure out what to do and how to stop the worms.
Know (religion)
"Should we get these other eggs out of here?"
Hourpen moves to signal Ascaria. "There are worms, come quickly."
Quickly sheathing his sword, Tynan carefully scoops up several of the lizardfolk eggs and moves away from the worm swarm.
Ugh... looks like we're on the right track after all.
"Your trust has been betrayed by the black dragon... save all that you can!"
HP:34/34
Saves:Fort 4, Ref 8, Will 2
Eri performs stop drop and roll to try to smash the bugses
The passage leading from this egg chamber to the main dome is roughly 120' back to the north, Hourpen, in case you'd like to reconsider fetching Ascaria. You're welcome to alter your actions this round, or not.
The worms appear to be wonderfully vulnerable in this pre-metamorphic state. Cold or fire would injure them as easily as it would a baby's skin. The creatures smack of the undead, something that lives within the rotting corpses of neglected cemetaries, and yet...
Hourpen approaches to try and help.
"It will hurt, but I can try to use acid splash to get the worms off."
Ascaria hears the whisper and reacts poorly. He looks at the state of the guards, and the woman. He worries about the state of his allies - so far away. In the end, a current threat wins over a potential threat, and for the second time in two days, he once again leaves his post.
He turns to the sick, "I'll be right back. Don't move."
Double move toward the party - 40' of 120'.
"Mort, look! Wurmies!" Solrisa exclaims as the worms wiggle. "I'll get them."
Solrisa draws an alchemist's flask and tosses it into the center of the egg/swarm (definitely trying to avoid burning the good eggs).
touch to hit;
fire; and fire next round.
Why this now?! I wasn't done addressing Solrisa's "betrothal"!
Mortimer pulls an oil flask out of the handy haversack.
He takes a step forward and hurls the oil flask toward the nearest edge of the egg/swarm.
Solrisa sets the Black Dragon Egg on fire, bringing many of the worms to burn and curl. Eri falls prone into the shallow water, currently infested with even more worms than slither along the archer's pant legs. He manages to whisper in between death rolls, calling Ascaria to the front, from far away. Mortimer tosses an oil flask, but fails to hit the dragon egg directly. Hourpen offers to acidify those currently slimed in live worms. Tynan joins Shesht and Hishka in removing lizardfolk eggs from the water.
The two lizardfolk frantically scoop and move. Based on the size of the various eggs, both lizardfolk manage to secure eggs, of roughly 200. Tynan manages of his own volition. Size varies from egg to egg.
The worms continue their advance. The waters roil, making it quite clear that their circle has enlarged.
The worms fleeing their Black Dragon Egg hearthfire, courtesy of Solrisa, are finding new homes, in the young eggs of the lizardfolks' brood. Several eggs rock back and forth, their shells cracking, then turning over. It's hard to keep track of how many eggs are succumbing to the swarm.
The worms continue to crawl up your legs, though they seem quicker in the water for their undulations. Consider your private invasions waist-level at this time.
Eri moves close to Hourpen
”Ah, yes. Thanks Hourpen. You get the side closest to you and I’ll get the other. Focus on my legs.”
Eri casts acid splash on the side away from Hourpen, focusing on his legs.
Weapon Equipped = Wand Cure Light Wounds
Cold Iron Bullets (5/5), Silver Bullets (5/5)
Conditions = None
Life Link (5)(100’) = No one
Channel Energy (2/9) (DC: 18)(Avoid 6) (3d6+1)
Amiable Blunder (1/1) (if Diplomacy failed by >5, reroll to avoid worsening attitude)
Rod of Extend (lesser) (2/3)
Melee Attack: BAB +3, Size +1 Damage: +0
Ranged Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1, Size +1 Damage: +0
Spells (Caster Level 5, Concentration +11)
Once per Day: Arcane Mark, Comprehend Languages, Message, Read Magic
Zero (16): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Spark, Stabilize
First (17): (7/8) Bless, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Undead, Diagnose Disease, Enhance Water, Liberating Command
Second (18): (1/6) Burst of Radiance, Cure Moderate Wounds, Lesser Restoration, Pilfering Hand
Ascaria continues to charge toward the egg chamber. He whispers, breathing heavily…
Double move toward the party - 80' of 120'.
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Solrisa draws her second and final alchemist's flask and tosses it her own square (again avoiding the other eggs as much as possible), but not minding if she burns any of the worms on her.
"Everyone! Take the good eggs with you!"
touch to hit;
fire; and fire next round.
"Whoopsie!" Sol says as she watches the flask go out of her hand...
Acid flings from Hourpen's hand.
Mortimer watches dumbstruck, nearly frozen in place at the chaos unfolding in front of him. His thoughts take on something of a sardonic edge.
"EVERYONE, GET OUT OF THERE NOW!!! -- AROUND ME! -- IT'S 'HUDDLE TIME'!"
I don't know. Maybe that was too intimidating? Maybe I should have used my inside voice...
”Ah, yes. Thanks Hourpen. You get the side closest to you and I’ll get the other. Focus on my legs.”
[??? ... !!!]
Ewww! If they're concerned about the worms on them, why don't they just come out of there and throw the acid from here while I grapple them for a bit? Is the shirt to intense for them? ... Maybe 'huddle' doesn't mean what I think it means..."Everyone! Take the good eggs with you!"
Maybe too late for that... Are the LizardFolk retreating? Why don't the rest of them come on out of there already?!
Mortimer takes another step forward, activates Throw Anything, and pulls out a flask of Alchemist's Fire.
"Guys -- get out of there! Eri! Spark the oil in the water!"
Mortimer is hoping that the oil floating on the water when aflame will provide something of a temporary barrier between land and worms. He's also hoping that some of them will just swim right into the fire anyway.
Tynan continues out of the pool, and places the pair of recovered eggs crafully on one of the stones surrounding the edge of the pool.
With a frown, he then turns his attention back toward the worm sawrm.