Roland thanks Veronica for the full treatment. Last combat was short lived, the one with the white monster had been something else entirely. After all, that gug really pissed them off and they once again acted on their own instead of as a group. Not that the situation didn't wouldn't require it, but still, something could probably be better next chance. Anyway, everyone is alive and moving, so he guessed it was great.
"Well done Veronica! You too guys. That was a close call." Roland gets down to clean his weapon, since there wasn't much for him to do now that the problem was solved. He wasn't a caster, nor a miner, so this place really didn't interest him much. Furthermore, there was not much regarding treasure he could benefit from, so it was just a matter of recovering and hitting the road Jack and don't come back no more no more no more no more.
Roland was also impressed with his own Halo of light during the battles. He could only imagine how that was possible, but he didn't think much of it. He was thinking about life when he heard Gromff and Catcher talking. "Wings? What wings are you talking about?"
Veronica, a smile still plastered onto her face, reaches into her bag and settles in with the usual heavy book of weaving patterns that she carries. However, it isn't long before she begins to nod off and falls asleep, leaning against the wall with her book still in her hands.
Some time later Veronica awakens, stretches, and wipes dust from her pure white and whole robes and cloak. She pulls her armor and clothes over her shoulder, examining the faint scars left from her injuries as she rolls the still stiff joint.
After a brief morning prayer, she reaches into her pack and takes out what she assumes is a root vegetables that she had taken from the creatures larder. She quietly nibbles at it, waiting for the others to come around.
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”How can you be this clueless?” she whispers back to the barbarian "You were there, the day Walker almost died. Remember the horses, the dry river."
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The night passes presumably with no interference. For some reason, Catcher felt restless in this place. The golems are good sentries, but somehow she didn’t trust them. And maybe that’s why she sleeps less than usual; one would say the waked up a bit earlier, if one could keep track passage of time on such dark place.
Carefully she moves Aersensi, making sure the girl is comfortable, warn and undisturbed.
She walks to the golems, inspecting them after the night, and considering if she should use more magic to fix repair more of the damage, well maybe she would. That’s when she notices the other woman is awake as well and trying not to make any noise. The wizard walks closer, a strange smile on her face.
For a moment, Catcher considers teasing the woman, she noticed how much attention Veronica gives to Roland and the unmistakable blushing face when they are together and for some reason, that bugs her, a lot.
Veronica was blind on the truest sense; didn’t she know that pampering the barbarian could only cause trouble? And what good had she seem on that? Of course he was big and strong, and one could say courageous, even tho Catcher knew the man just had a death wish, but the fact was that there was nothing to compensate the shortcomings. That damnable smirk that never left the barbarian face, argh! She got angry even recalling such things.
Deciding to not spoil her morning with unpleasant thoughts she is quick to change the subject. ”I’ve been thinking about something. Do you actually know what our goal is? And what we are trying to attempt? Do you have any idea of our progress so far? Or the only version you know is the ‘You know where the spear is?’ that the barbarian keeps sprouting?”
Gromff looks at Catcher, then the girl, then over to Walker. Walker was losing the battle. They could all see it. But had it progressed so far the demon was able to communicate to others? It didn't seem possible but he had no idea what the girl said and Catcher seemed concerned enough. Was that the truth? "Best keep them apart then." That was the only suggestion he could come up with. They couldn't really do much else.
In the morning, Gromff sits in front of a mithril vein in contemplation and prayer. It felt like it was a lot easier to pull in divine energy in here. Kind of like their time in that demi-plane with the children warriors. That brought some unpleasant memories but he couldn't afford to dwell on them long. They needed the spear. And speaking of. "I know ye don't have much faith in the gods," he says, overhearing Catcher. "But ye can't deny they exist. And Moradin showed me the spear exists. Out o' those choices back in Archdale, it was best choice. So that's why we're lookin for it. We're almost ta the last location supposedly. We'll go from there when we get there. Look too far ahead and ye'll miss a step. We got all kinds of magical and not means o trying ta find it. We'll use em all and hope its enough."
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"I don't think that’s wise." she whispers back ”That’s just a suggestion of what might be happening, but if such thing is happening placing them apart might only make things worse. Aersensi seems to be very attached to Walker, she even go to lengths of using her power, while it’s clear she is afraid of showing it to others, to save the old man. Separating them might make her more unstable or weaker, which might cause the opposite effect of what we want.” still gently petting the girls hair the mage continues ”You’ve seem how powerful the other harbinger is. Do you really want to provoke Aersensi and force her hand this way?” the mage asks the dwarf.
She holds her breath for some seconds and them continues ”I have no idea what’s happening, this is just a possible theory based on what I was able to translate, might not even be the case, she might be just extra sensitive for this stuff and function as a transmitter receiving a message that wasn’t intended to her. For now, let’s just observe and wait. There’s nothing else we can do.”
The night passed for all; some had trouble staying asleep and others slept like logs. The "morning" was welcomed with a hearty breakfast and rounds of prayers and spellbook study. When the bedrolls were stowed, armor donned and backpacks shouldered, the party descended from the mithril chamber on the magically-blunted handholds and arrived upon the moon-beast's observation platform that overlooked the now-defunct slave mine. Glossy and Sheeny followed suit after direct instruction and climbed down the chute, though their bulk and lack of finesse caused their bodies to rub against many of the spike protrusions along the way. Their ultra hard forms took little damage, but made quite a lot of noise as the rock spikes broke under force and tumbled all the way to the chute's floor.
Murk gave the monstrosities a concerned sideways glance, but showed no further hesitation as he led the party onward. This mine had multiple intersections and offshoots that the pech was unfamiliar with, and so the first short leg of the journey was a backtrack to the campsite where the party had rested just prior to the rescue assault. From there Murk gained his bearings once again and forged ahead through tunnels not yet traversed by the surface-dwelling heroes.
The travels were difficult for most. Steep inclines bereft of plentiful handholds slowed down the group for a time. Loose stone crumbles and cracked ceilings alerted the dwarf warpriest and pech to chambers that were best circumvented due to lack of structural integrity, and so more than once the party was forced to turn around and look for alternative routes.
After nearly a full day of travel the companions entered cave that stunk of sulfurous gas and exuded sweltering waves of heat. A glow of soft red light emitted from its depths. Murk raised a hand to stop the party, then spoke in his native terran tongue,
"It has been many years since I stepped here. This cave leads to a chamber that can be dangerous but will shorten our route by several days travel. The molten rock rivers give off extraordinary heat and will destroy anything they come into contact with, though that should not be a concern if we choose our footing wisely. Shall we proceed or would you prefer a safer, longer route?"
Veronica smiles at Catcher when she sees her moving about, still quite satisfied with herself. And with Catcher's question, she finishes her bite of root, sips am little water, and begins to respond when Gromff interjects.
Veronica wondered for a moment if she should respond at this point. Gromff seemed to be cutting the question off before it began, and it made her wonder if there was a reason he didn't want this discussed. It was certainly possible that he could be aware of the possibility of an eavesdropper that she was not. Or that perhaps speaking of these things would draw attention from unholy entities. Or, perhaps, he was worried how a theological argument could fracture them while they were still vulnerable down in this cavern.
Unsure of the correct course of action, Veronica decided to trust in Gromff's instincts. Taking another sip of her water, she stayed quiet, waiting to see what came of Gromff's statement.
"Aye, and keeping them together could reinforce a link, if there is one, ta the devil in Walker," he says, shrugging in the end. Not a lot of options if Catcher was right. They didn't know enough about either to make a call. "We could have one o the golem's carry them. Then there'd be a golem between em at least."
"Shorter. Me and her," he says indicating Veronica, "can protect us all from heat. And if the golems'r empowered by heat, then even better." He was assuming this anyway, by how they looked better after Catcher hit them with some fire spells.
”How can you be this clueless?” she whispers back to the barbarian "You were there, the day Walker almost died. Remember the horses, the dry river."
"Oh, you mean that? I thought you were talking about the dragon wings, or something else." Roland stares at Aersensi, seeming to be somehow surprised by the realization of something, but he dismisses it shortly after. After all, he was not the brain in the party, so he would probably be wrong, as the wizard always used to remind him. "What if..." Switching his gaze to Walker he shakes his head at the thought, but it keeps returning to his mind. Could he be this brilliant? He looked at Catcher and asked a simple question. "What did the girl tell you when you said you were proud of her that day, Catcher? How did she feel about that?" He is now not letting his gaze off Aersensi.
Roland does not mind the heat much, in fact. He had been scorched quite a few times, so it was not much of a problem, but the others could be more fragile. "If you can protect us, there's nothing else to fear. Get us ready and let's proceed." Roland takes up front, since his senses were sharper and he had a tougher physique. Weapon at hand, he slowly makes his was through the tunnel, trying to pass information about the path to the others.
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The wizard looks at the barbarian not understanding his point but oblige anyways.
”She seemed surprised when I said that, and that she didn’t mean to ‘do it’ but she ‘had’ to save him.” then she asks ”What’s your point?”
She had no idea what’s happening, they are discussing something and Gromff pointing to things and to ppl, most likely deciding about something ”What now? Are we meant to go inside this cave?”
Veronica drops her eyes for a moment, a look of confusion on her face.
What... what is Brother Gromff speaking of? Should I be able to do that?... Is... is that a failure on my part?
Veronica lifts her face to look at Gromff and says "Ummm... My apologies, Brother Gromff, but I am unsure about that of which you speak. I have no ability to protect us from flames. I can absorb the burns after the fact... but not prevent them."
Gromff looks a little confused at Catchers confusion then remembers she can't speak the terran language. "The guide gave us a choice. A path close to a river a o lava or a roundabout that will add a few days." Then to Veronica. "Not fire, just extreme hot or cold. Ye can cast that one right?"
Veronica shakes her head at Gromff "It was never something the order taught. My order used to just expose us to extreme hot or cold to build up natural tolerances."
With only a bit of uncertainty but mostly in agreement the troop pressed onward into the cave. The cave was jagged and uneven with a steady downgrade that was fairly difficult to cross, but after a short time the passage opened into a chamber of black smooth stone, marked occasionally by round pock marks that were bubbles in the once-molten rock. The heat waves grew to staggering proportions as the orange-red glowing rivers of liquid rock came into view. The chamber was irregularly shaped and seemed to be natural, formed by the ebb and flow of the molten earth. Marking approximately the halfway mark of the several hundred feet-long chamber was a large pool of magma that was fed by several flows with but a single slowly-moving exit river that kept the liquid in motion, albeit sluggish. Occasional jets of steam spurted from the floor, walls, and ceiling, emitting gas and superheated fluid of unknown composition.
For the average person, the cave would have been sweltering. For a short, stocky, hairy dwarf in heavy armor, it was almost enough to pass out. Dwarves were pretty hardy but the world underground usually stayed at the same temperature. If the stones got hot, it was a sure sign to turn back. "This is as far as we go until I change some spells I think," he says, sweat pouring off his brow. He was mildly annoyed that Veronica and Roland showed no sign of discomfort.
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Sweating profusely and utterly uncomfortable on her metal armor, the mage gives in for the moment ”Roland, help me out of the armor…” she says without giving it much thought about it, the heat was getting on her head.
Since she don’t know their guide knew about this passage and did nothing to warn them beforehand, she don’t say anything to anyone, but if she only could understand their language, Murk was in for a very painful light burst as punishment.
While the others decide what to do, she checks in on Aersensi and Walker. Not surprisingly, the girl seems good enough, and Catcher decides to glean some information from the girl.
”I was worried,” she says petting the girl hair ”That you might be feeling uncomfortable on this place.” she hugs the girl tightly and whispers to her ”I love you so very much and there’s nothing that you might do or say that will change that, so if you can, tell me what you can and can’t do. You know, if you make me worry too much, I might start growing some white hair.”
Backing out to a safe distance, the party opted for magical protection to aid their travels, especially in light of other potential dangers that could arise in the treacherous chamber.
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Later that night...
A small creature is peeking around the corner of the cave that leads to the molten chamber. It is glowing hot and has a skin that seems like magma itself. It stands no taller than 3' with a horned head and a mischievous smile on its face. It is clearly inspecting the sleeping companions. It is trying to be stealthy but the glow it emits makes it fairly easy to spot in the darkened cave.
This small creature is almost certainly a Magma Mephit, which are imp-like elementals that sometime appear in this world in places where the elements thin the veil between the planes of existence. They typically have some sort of breath attack and the ability to regenerate wounds if exposed to the element they represent.
*snore*
Veronica was unsure about this plan. While she wanted to end the devil tyranny as quickly as any, this seemed like an unnecessary risk. But again, it seemed like Brother Gromff was quite confident that this was the correct path, and she followed in his example.
Veronic leaned back against the wall of the alcove that they had set up their camp in. Her gaze was towards the magma caverns, and she was slightly fascinated with how the heat waves played with her blurred vision.
She wondered for a moment about their earlier push into the cavern. Gromff and Catcher had been soaked in sweat when they were barely into the place. And while she thought it was a bit warm, she had endured far worse before. She wondered for a moment if that was her being desensitized, or them simply being overly sensitive. After all, Roland seemed to be fine in the heat as well...
The rest period came and went without interruption, and so the spellcasters of the group prepared their protection wards to give the best chance of a swift and painless trek.
Back down the jagged tunnel they went, this time with abjuring magic to deflect the heat waves. Without the burden of severe discomfort and searing lungs they party went forward with conviction and haste in their step.
Tssss!
Violent hisses of steam and fluid randomly burst through tiny pores in the stone in an unpredictable fashion. Luckily none of the eruptions occurred near enough to harm anyone.
The chamber grew ever hotter as the magma pool grew closer. Half a dozen smaller puddles dotted the black floor near the edge of the pool, possibly the tops of unseen offshoot vents of the larger mass. With the lake of fire a mere twenty or so feet away, the heat had grown so oppressive that it had begun to sear the skin and lungs.
Murk watched as the protection magicks were being doled out. He held up his hand and shook his head, warding off any attempts to enchant him in a similar fashion. In terran he explained,
"My race is one with the stone. Any damage to me would be superficial and the stones will heal me in the end."
His words seemed unusual in light of the circumstances, but he seemed steadfast in his conviction.
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Looking around the party sees that this chamber's ceiling is riddled with chimneys and vents, all composed of rippled, smooth black stone. One might imagine this chamber filling with the liquid stone and thrusting upward into these vents as a means of escape.
Blub. Tssss! Glub. Bluhhb.
A bridge-like arch of solid stone offered the most convenient means of crossing the lava, spanning a portion toward the exit flow not nearly as wide as the lake proper. With a clear path in sight Murk led the way and stepped onto the arch. The party followed suit and were standing directly over the sluggish river of fire with nothing but a couple feet of stone beneath their feet.
Blub. Glub. Bluhhb Tssss!
The magma bubbled and hissed as it traveled along. The magic protections were never more keenly felt and appreciated when in the presence of such awesome power, such a primal display of nature's raw might.
Blip!
A form burst suddenly out from the molten river, a form vaguely humanoid in shape but with a pair of wings that carried it to a few paces in front of Murk, blocking the path forward. The figure was made entirely of magma itself, sporting a horned head and a mischievous grin. It spoke in the same tongue as the pech's native language, the same language that Gromff and Roland had somehow learned so quickly -
"Mmmmmeeeheehee. We saw you sleeping and we have seen your fine arms and armors. Teeheehee!"
"It will be best if you pay tribute for safe passage, or I shall go fetch the queeheen! Oh yes, the queen would love to meet you."
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After casting their spells for protection and removing her armor, Catcher follows the others inside the molten cave, when the imp like creature appears she commands the golems ”Sheeny, Glossy: If that creature attack us or cast a spell you are to kill it.” and then she turn to the others ”What now? What is it saying?”
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The magma imp looked angrily at the spellsword and spouted off in terran,
"What did she say?! I'll have no trickery!"
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She didn’t understand the words, but the meaning was aggressive enough to ring some bells.
The wizard narrows her eyes dangerously looking at the magma creature, mustering the arcane power around her and maybe for the first time the cold energy gathers on such place.
Without talking her eyes from the creature she asks ”I reckon that a cold spell will do the trick. What is this thing saying?”
"It wants payment ta cross'r its getting its queen," Gromff says over his shoulder. "It don't seem ta know common either." He didn't bother to change her command to the golems. Smart move. He thought about playing it dumb, that they didn't understand it, but then that's put Murk in trouble. It probably knew he could speak to it. So instead he steps forward. The protection spells had a time limit and he'd rather not push it so he got to the point. "What do ye want?"
"What do ye want?"
The small creature nearly squealed with delight,
"Teeehee! I want shinies! I---"Blurp!
The magma imp turned to the molten river, instantly swapping his mischievous greedy smile for a fearful stare. The fear made it tremble, causing its little knees to knock and eyes to twitch.
A large clawed reptilian hand reached out from the lava and gouged into the black stone. It pulled itself up out of the pool a moment later, revealing the unmistakable form of a dragon, replete with corded muscle and powerful folded wings though it was markedly different in overall shape than other dragons that the companions had witnessed. This one's body was mostly serpentine with chunky, jagged scales and horns that ran along its narrow muscular form. Its scales were similar in color to the pool from which it emerged - they were glowing reddish orange, shot through with ashy black.
The dragon seemed utterly unperturbed by the red and black lumps of ultra-hot liquid rock that clung to its body that fell off with a hiss as moved slowly toward the group. Its magnificence was undisputable, though it was no venerable colossal monster like Asariel; it was smaller than the ancient green by a lot but larger still than the white snow dragon and blue lightning dragon the heroes had slain in previous months.
It barked at the imp in terran, "BEGONE!" The cowardly thing nearly fell over before its wings caught the air, carrying it a few feet away from the dragon where it wasted no time in plunging straight back into the magma. The half-dozen "pools" of magma that skirted the lake instantly formed up into a half-dozen imps, each of them following suit and vanished into the moving fire.
The dragon turned to the group and surveyed them for several tense moments, eyeing the archway they stood upon, then took a second perusal from the back of the troop to the front. It spoke in the common tongue, though with a heavy accent usually associated with folk foreign to the northlands.
"Wheech lan-uage do you preefer? Ees thees acceptable? I am glad you 'ave come, for we do not eentertain many veesitors."
"You may call me....Prince."
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The wizard looks at the barbarian not understanding his point but oblige anyways. ”She seemed surprised when I said that, and that she didn’t mean to ‘do it’ but she ‘had’ to save him.” then she asks ”What’s your point?”
The answer seemed to go together with the barbarian was thinking. His next question is kinda rhetorical. "Who did you say the prison was, again?"
________________________________Roland is kinda interested when Catcher asks him to undo her armor. He does that very slowly, the smirk never leaving his face. Of course the wizard probably didn't have anything in mind, but when he touched her
Later on he's sleeping like a log, as he usually does. So he does not mind any noise that some possible stalker was making. Fortunately nothing went wrong and they move on safely, not having the need to disturb the damsel in distress.
And yet another dragon entered their path, just when Roland was needing another breastplate, pretty much like Link changing into red clothes. But not everything were candies in the life of an adventurer, and Vovalgia here was in its terrain, aside from being freaking big. Plus, it would be difficult to move once battle started. He needed to get the Pech out of the way. "Well, met, prince." He says moving forward, putting a hand at the Pech's should to change places and stand in front of the dragon. "I'm Roland. We were passing by when the little loser said he would call the queen, but I guess you speak in her stead, right?"
Of course, he cannot help but to scratch his blue breastplate with his knuckles, as if it was itching to be replaced by a molten-lavish one.
"I'm Roland. We were passing by when the little loser said he would call the queen, but I guess you speak in her stead, right?"
"F@%* the queen."
The dragon paused again, its eyes flashed with arcane flare for a moment as it scanned over the group, taking in what it could glean.
"You were just ...passing by? Just going for a leetle stroll through the lava dens, a mile under the surface world that you call home?"
"Tell me, what brings you here."
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Other than a bit of playful toying, there is no malice in its words. The dragon seems more curious than anything else.
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He raises an eyebrow when the dragon said the queen should find herself. The barbarian was liking the guy already. Since the conversation seemed to be flowing, Roland continues on. After all, any misunderstanding would cause him to have a new lava dragon breastplate, which was just fine. "We came from the north to kill the white tentacle beast, and now we're moving to the exit further south." He seems to think for a second. "Are we just a mile underground? It seemed like much more..."
Veronica was still concerned with this plan as they made their way through the tunnels. But instead of voice her concern, she simply prayed silently and trusted that they had made the right choice. And when even she was getting too warm and debating about removing her cloak, she wondered if this was just going to be too much for them.
But Gromff and Catcher had magic at the ready to combat these things, and before long Veronica felt just as comfortable as she did before they even entered the tunnels.
Is this what other Brothers and Sisters use their magic for? While I agree that it is useful in this case, I have seen Catcher use this same spell while just being outside... It seems as if it would lead to weakness and laziness... Perhaps it is actions the same of this that allowed us to be conquered... And while I appreciate the protection, I worry that the inability to feel the heat will lead us to be inattentive... I can hardly wait for us to leave this place, that I might feel the heat or the chill again...
And when the impish creature reared its head, Veronica grasped her cloak and clenched her weapon, but waited on a signal from those that understood its demands. She had little time to wait, however, before a new creature appeared, a dragon.
This one was far more impressive than the little one they had faced before, and Veronica worried if they could even defeat such a foe AND leave this place alive. Every moment they tarried was less time they were protected from the ever enclosing magma, and a moment closer to their impending demise.
"Aye, passin through." Great, another dragon, Gromff thought. He reached for his weapon the moment something popped out of the lava and now that seemed like a bad idea. They didn't want a fight with such a creature in its home turf. It could easily bury them in lava and wait for their magical resistance to run out. He puts the weapon away and stands a little straighter and tries to be more relaxed about it. "Its a long story and we can't exactly stay ta chat in a place that can burn the skin off our bones without magical aid." He noticed that it wasn't malevolent at the moment, just mildly curious. Even if its scales were red. "Ye want ta hear it we need ta get through or in about an hour their won't be much left to talk ta."
"We came from the north to kill the white tentacle beast, and now we're moving to the exit further south." He seems to think for a second. "Are we just a mile underground? It seemed like much more..."
"The moon beast ees slain then? Eet was an arrogant nuisance and deserved death more than most."
"A mile straight down ees a long way, my good human. Much farther than most of your kind can even imagine, much less experience. Yes, we are nearly one mile below the surface world."
"Its a long story and we can't exactly stay ta chat in a place that can burn the skin off our bones without magical aid." He noticed that it wasn't malevolent at the moment, just mildly curious. Even if its scales were red. "Ye want ta hear it we need ta get through or in about an hour their won't be much left to talk ta."
"I understand. I assumed as much."
"Well, on to beesiness, shall we? Your arrival could not have been more timely. My wretched mother ees on the surface expecting a meeting weeth Crystallus' leaders. Where she typically receives contrite obedience she ees eenstead receiving a backlash, orchestrated by myself."
He looked positively enamored with himself.
"She will not be defeated but weeth the knowledge and tools I have provided the surface folk, she weell be forced to retreat and leeck her wounds. Thees ees where you come in."
"Eet was a risky endeavor for me to assume that I could defeat her een her punished state, but weeth help from combatants such as you there can be no doubt as to the outcome! Help me defeat my wicked mother and I weell be in your debt. I weell geeve you treasure, provide knowledge, transportation, lend myself to your own battle -- you name your price."
The steaming serpentine dragon coiled up and sat atop its own mass, clicking its deadly claws in anticipation of your reply.
"I think yer overestimating us," Gromff says slowly. If it could be trusted, the dragon thing was offering a lot. No one else had any idea of where the spear was or what it was. Maybe a dragon could. Maybe its mother could. But this wasn't an innocent being plagued by a dragon, it was a personal vendetta. It was one dragon trying to usurp anothers throne. He'd not be able to help unless this queen had done something to deserve it. Moradin would never allow it. As he was analyzing pros and cons, something struck him. "Wait. What surface folk? Where we're from we don't know much about the land above."
"I think yer overestimating us,"
The Prince stopped tapping his claws and directed his gaze toward the dwarf. There was a pause before he responded, verging on uncomfortably long,
"Perhaps, but perhaps not. I sense power een you, een your weapons and armors. Those golem creatures that follow you... perhaps eet ees you who underestimates yourself?"
"Wait. What surface folk? Where we're from we don't know much about the land above."
"Yes, nearly straight upward from here ees a city named Crystallus, far away from what you call ceevilization. Eet ees surrounded by tall, theeck walls to keep out the dangerous monsters that dwell een the lands above. Eet can be difficult to gain entry as they are distrustful of outsiders and strangers at the gates -- indeed the gates often go unopened for months at a time."
"I have contacts within the city as well as knowledge of ingresses most surreptitious... for those...who might be interested."
Roland does not understand why Gromff would say the monster was overstimating them, but maybe he had a reason. Still, he knew they would not face the mother dragon without good reasons. "What has your mother ever done against you?"
Veronica was unsure of how to feel about this... 'offer'. There were not many tales of dragons in her books, and given their stories, almost always as enemies. Even more so, the idea of assaulting someone, even another dragon, without a valid reason did NOT sit well with her. This did not seem to be about helping innocents, or stopping the devils. Even the promise of the help of such a powerful creature was not convincing to her.
No, this whole deal and the promises within it remind the Paladin of a question drilled into her and her brethren throughout their lives: What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
Still, she was not sure of what the proper thing to do at this moment was, this time when they were so vulnerable. And she could do little to discuss this with her companions in front of the creature. Perhaps a deal could be struck, that they could continue discussions in a less dangerous locale?
Or perhaps the questions of the others would reveal this to be a properly righteous cause?
For now, Veronica stays silent, holding her suggestion in case it would lead to combat. But she feared waiting too long...
"What has your mother ever done against you?"
"The Queen has used me for her own ends since before I was a hatchling. She once sold me, as an unhatched egg, to a drow priestess who intended to use my blood in a dark ritual to her spider goddess! Luckily for me the priestess was slain by her own daughter before her rite had come to an end... the drow are wicked, wicked people, and thank the gods for it else I would not be here to tell the tale."
"Suffice it to say there are many more stories I could regale you with to describe the depths of her hate and ambition, most of which involve non-dragon victims."
"You would be doing the world a favor."
He paused again for your consideration. After a few moments he added,
"I need your answer, for she will be returning soon and I have preparations to make."
Roland ponders for a moment, wondering if anything from that tale was true. Even if it was true, that was a grudge between mother and son, and if the Prince is alive at the moment, it would probably mean his mother could not be that bad. After all, why not just run away? Dragons were complicated to deal with, it would seem.
He didn't know what the dragon would try, but probably he would not fight them, even if they said no. He would probably more likely plot something to throw the queen against them, but maybe they could avoid that entirely. After all, the queen would have wounds to lick, and she would probably suspect her son, wouldn't she? "Well, Prince, I think we've done the world enough favors this week, so" - He looks at the others, waiting to see if anyone will go against that, but he then continues - "I believe we will be letting that opportunity go. We're gonna resume our path while you take care of your... preparations."
His paw always liked to say in certain situations that they were "getting stuck between a rock an a hard place". This was feeling like one. They could help this dragon to fight another, probably very evil dragon, and get some things in return. Gromff would normally accept the story about the drow but his recent experience made him doubtful. Could it be trusted? And if they didn't help, if they refused, would it come back to bite them now or later? Literally probably.
But Roland gave the answer he was headed for so he just shrugged. He guessed even Roland was nervous to fight a wyrm in any condition. The last two had certainly left large impressions.
...Sense Motive...
"Well, Prince, I think we've done the world enough favors this week, so" - He looks at the others, waiting to see if anyone will go against that, but he then continues - "I believe we will be letting that opportunity go. We're gonna resume our path while you take care of your... preparations."
"I see. Know that you have made no friends here today. Be gone from my lair at once -- and do not think of passing through unhindered a second time, for next time we meet you will call me King."
The Prince whipped around in a violent motion that left red-hot deep gouges in the floor where his claws had been. He leapt up and his snake-like form arched downward into the lake of fire that swallowed him up in half a moment. A gentle series of blub and glub sounds issued as the lake bubbled lazily, broken up by the occasional hiss of a gas eruption.
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Nearly an hour after the super-hot dragons lair was behind them, Murk stopped the group in a chamber furnished with a steady flow of cool fresh water and edible fungi. He demonstrated to pop the mushroom caps off and only to eat the nutritious - and tasty - stems, as the caps were poisonous in the extreme.
In the tongue of stone he presented another type of offering,
"My friends... I am truly sorry for what occurred. The chamber was known to us but our people were unaware of any draconic presence there. The presence of liquid hot rock is sporadic and so I wanted to try this route before going the much longer routes... which may have held dangers of their own."
"I am sorry that my hopes put your safety at risk."
Roland shrugs to the now gone dragon. It would be very unlikely to come here for a second time, so he did not mind much. Whatever his mother have, if he inherited it the Prince would become more powerful, and maybe even be a match to them.
At Murk's apologies the barbarian just handwaves his worries. "It was good. Now you know you cannot come back this way, and we know there are more dragons underground. It's a pity he didn't go mad on us, really. I was expecting more of him."