Kyra examines the dead goblin, opening both eyes, checking the creatures pulse, etc.
"Dear, it seems that Bucktooth here is too far gone for my efforts to make any improvements. However, we should still bring her to Fatmouth. We can't just leave her here."
When presented with Bucktooth's corpse, King Fatmouth looks at the heroes with a dour expression. His "subjects" seem equally saddened by the goblin's death.
"So," King Fatmouth says, looking like he might actually cry. "You no find toy?"
Kyra steps forward and presents the small toy to King Fatmouth. "We did find this, King Fatmouth. It was next to Bucktooth's body." She keeps her eyes lowered from the king and the other goblins.
"There was a spider - a large spider - that Valeros," she turns and indicates the figher, "was able to put down after Ezren blasted it with magic fire. Alas, we were not able to save Bucktooth."
Kyra lays the wooden toy at Fatmouth's feet, with a slight bow.
Ezren stands behind Kyra and Valeros fingering his new wand with one hand holding his torch in the other. Movement
When presented with the dragon toy, the goblins shriek with delight. His followers appeased, King Fatmouth smiles.
"Very good, shiny lady," he says. "You welcome to pass me throne room any time."
He gestures toward the 20-foot tall cliff on the north side of the room.
"You climb up there to find big nasty," he says. "He bad dragon. If you here to fight him, aim for belly. Got soft belly scales."
King Fatmouth gives a look at his subjects to make sure they are not listening and leans closer to Kyra and the others.
"But, if you want big shiny sword, then you go that way," he says, pointing toward the wide passageway on the east side of the cavern. "But look out for grabby claw. He angry fish."
"So we do have to fight a dragon." Ezren shakes his head "Well I say we face the dragon now while we are full strength, then get the sword after if we survive."
Kyra steps away from the group, her eyes closed. She grasps her holy symbol of Sarenrae and begins a lowly prayer.
"Holy, sweet Dawnflower. Your humble servant and her companions find themselves at a crossroads in our quest to help rid Sandpoint of it's tormentor. One path takes us to a direct confrontation with Black Fang, while the other way leads to a blade that could make the difference in our success against Black Fang. However, our efforts to attain this sword could tax our resources too much." Kyra falls to her knees.
"Oh please, Sarenrae - guide us whither we should go!"
After a minute of silent waiting, Kyra stands and turns to her companions, tears welling up in her eyes.
"My friends, I have received an answer from Sarenrae. We must seek this blade for Valeros to use against Black Fang. I know the Dawnflower would not lead us astray."
King Fatmouth thanks you again with a cursory grunt before turning to his subjects, the four of which are now rolling about the floor of the cavern biting and kicking one another over who gets to play with the dragon toy first.
A large pool of water dominates this chamber. On the far side of the pool is a small island, on which something glitters in the faint light. A closer look reveals an ornate sword resting atop of sizable pile of assorted treasures.
To the south of the pool is a narrow passageway into another chamber.
"Well there's your sword Valeros. Looks like a trap if I ever saw one. Ezren will stand just outside the room looking for an enemy.
"C'mon Valeros, it shouldn't be that hard to get across. Sarenrae wouldn't guide us here for your sword unless it was attainable."
Kyra's hand clasps at the holy symbol when she mentions her goddess.
The cleric takes a careful step to the edge of the water and does her best to peer in. "Fatmouth did mention some kind of 'angry fish'. I'm sure it's nothing our brave fighter can't handle."
As soon as Valeros steps foot on the island, there comes a low rubble, followed by some thrashing of the water within the pool. With a hiss and a click, a spiny, lobster-like beast emerges. It brandishes its two front claws and makes a beeline for the fighter.
Crawling onto the island, the reefclaw attempts to grab Valeros with its claw, but only manages to get a bit of his shirt.
Reefclaw
Kyra
Valeros
Ezren
Merisiel
"Valeros! Hold on, I'll try to help you out!" The cleric draws out her sling and loads it.
Ezren will Double Move to get into position next round. Movement
Seeing the reefclaw emerge from the pool and bear down on Valeros, Merisiel doubles her effort, managing to swim to shore and deftly maneuver behind the beast. She removes a dagger from her sleeve and quickly assesses where it might be best to strike.
The reefclaw lashes out with both claws this time, managing to grab Valeros with one of them .
Reefclaw
Kyra
Valeros
Ezren
Merisiel
Kyra moves to the corner of the cave, keeping close to Ezren. She stops her movement and brings the sling abover her head in a wide arc. Spinning it a few times over her head she lets the sling bullet fly, hoping to hit the strange creature that now has Valeros in its clutches.
Ezren send his staff flying thru the air with just a wave of his hand.
Seeing that the reefclaw is otherwise occupied with Valeros, Merisiel attempts to stick her dagger in the squishy spot between the giant lobster's carapace, but only manages to hit hard tendons and internal shell.
While neither the fighter or rogue are able to connect with their attacks, Ezren's floating quarterstaff bonks the reefclaw across its head. With a hiss, the beast releases Valeros and again attacks him with both claws. It misses with its first, but once again manages to snatch the fighter with its second big claw .
Reefclaw
[b]Kyra
Valeros
Ezren
Merisiel[b]
Reefclaw: 11/13
Ezren attacks with his staff again.
Kyra loads another bullet into her sling, spins it above her head and lets it fly at the creature.
Still caught in the clutches of the reefclaw, Valeros strikes at the beast with his longsword, but can't manage to land a blow.
Merisiel again attempts to stab the reefclaw in one of its few tender spots, this time managing to slip her dagger between two segments of its abdomen.
Between the strike of Ezren's quarterstaff and blade of Merisiel's dagger, the overwhelmed and grievously injured reefclaw releases Valeros and unleashes two frantic, futile swipes of its claws before keeling over dead. Behind it waits a sizable pile of treasure and the gleaming longsword.
Kyra shouts across the water, "Way to go you two! Now get that sword and let's slay us a dragon!"
"Happy now Valeros?! You have your sword and almost got pinched to death. Anyhow let's go I'm getting hungry and I can feel my power waning."
I'll put the potions and coins in my back pack and then follow Val
"These might be useful, or they could be poison, we'll have to ask the others to check them out, Val, Val, hey what the, wait for me..."
Valeros and Merisiel make it back across the dark pool easily, now that the anxiety of battle has waned. You detect a faint blue glow emanating from the passage to the south.
" Here let me see those things. You don't want to accidently turn yourself into a kobold or something." Ezren passes a glowing hand over the longsword and the potion vials.
" Here let me see those things. You don't want to accidently turn yourself into a kobold or something." Ezren passes a glowing hand over the longsword and the potion vials.
Kyra helps Valeros and Merisiel out of the water as the two make their way back. She helps Ezren with identifying the items.
"By the Dawnflower - if we really are to face a dragon, this is the sword to use! Valeros should put this to good work indeed."
As she takes a closer look at Valeros, Kyra asks, "Do you need any healing, Val?"
So, wait, wait, this ‘Black Fang” creature is a Dragon? A real, like, Dragon, Dragon? Are you guys insane? You want to fight a Dragon, just the four of us against a Dragon. Something about this doesn’t seem right, you know, like I don’t know, like, a Dragon, really. Maybe we should think about this a little bit more.”
"Merisiel, Fatmouth did mention that a dragon resides in the caves. The potions - well, this one will cause the drinker to become invisible. This other one will cause the drinker to levitate."
Kyra looks the potions over. "Perhaps the potion of invisibility could help give you a bit of courage, Merisiel."
"Merisiel, I gave you a powerful magic (The Energy Heart) item that will protect you from the Dragon's Breath. You will be fine."
Kyra claps her hands together. "Okay then. Should we go get the nasty dragon, dawnflower willing?"
Ezren will turn and raise his torch high moving toward the south passage.
Ezren's Move
Standing in the middle of the cavernous corridor up ahead is a strange stone pillar. Odd symbols and faintly glowing glyphs run up and down the ten-foot-tall obelisk’s sides. On the east wall, it looks like someone used chalk to write on one of the rough stones. It reads “The goblins fear the wyrm and do not venture through the crypt to its lair. Its breath is death.”
This is the stupidest thing imaginable, but, what the heck I think to myself as we approach the chamber ahead.
Hey, Ezren, how long do you think the effects of this potion of invisibility will last?
I follow closely behind Val, unless he wants me to scout ahead.
Ezren inspects the pillar, chanting a few short words of magic and waving a glowing hand near the pillar careful not to touch it.
"The magical symbol for water is scribbled all over this pillar. I wonder if that means we will be facing a water wyrm instead of a dragon."