Galinndan passes over the chain mail to Tiberius and puts on the repaired leather armour in return.
As Kanzan speaks, a strange expression crosses Galinndan's face.
He remains silent a moment, and then draws one of his two daggers. Kanzen may realise that this is *not* the dagger that he used to mangle the head of the fallen drow.
He walks up to Kanzen - and flips the dagger over so that Kanzen may take it.
"Take it. You can use a second blade, right?"
He says gruffly, but not unkindly.
********
Galinndan is as impressed as the others are when Galenus shatters Eddrik's chains.
nope.
"Would one of you stout gentlemen please remove my chains?"
She grants inspiration(1d6) to anyone attempting..
Galinndan moves over and holds Irdil's chains taut, thus easier to break.
Eddrikk finds a swarm of large grubs living under a dead Zurkhwood as well as a barrel fungus full of water.
x2=16
x2=8
"Would one of you stout gentlemen please remove my chains?"
She grants inspiration(1d6) to anyone attempting..
Alright. Come here, girl.
The iron wizard snaps the last set of manacles with his meaty hands.
As Kanzan speaks, a strange expression crosses Galinndan's face.
He remains silent a moment, and then draws one of his two daggers. Kanzen may realise that this is *not* the dagger that he used to mangle the head of the fallen drow.
He walks up to Kanzen - and flips the dagger over so that Kanzen may take it.
"Take it. You can use a second blade, right?"
He says gruffly, but not unkindly.
Kanzen's face goes blank in surprise at Galinndan's offer of a second dagger. In Melee Magthere, or Menzoberranzan in general, such a show of generosity would only be inspired by one of two motivations: to set a trap, either for mockery or something more dangerous; or because the apparent generosity would somehow benefit the giver in the future. Which is it? Kanzen wonders. Regardless, he has no choice but to go along, trap or no.
"My thanks, Galinndan," he nods, accepting the proffered dagger. "I appreciate your generosity." Somewhat lost for words, he makes to tuck the daggers in his belt, then realises he has no belt, only rags. With a sigh, he looks at the drow corpse, then moves over to it. It's upper clothes are wet with the drow's lifeblood, but the pants, belt, and boots are clean. Grimacing, he takes them and changes into them. He then scrunches his rags up into a ball to be disposed of later... and tucks his daggers into his belt with satisfaction.
Galinndan is discomfited by Kanzen's reaction.
What did I expect? Him to jump for joy? He is a confusing man.
"You are welcome, Kanzen."
The words leave his mouth, and there is some sincerity to them.
Confusing.
You continue winding through the tunnels of the Underdark, growing wearier with every turn. At first, Kanzen is the only one who desires to rest. Then others follow suit one by one, needing a respite from this constant forced march through winding tunnels.
"I say we slow down a little, so we can forage. Then rest."
Galinndan searches for food and a place to rest as the group proceeds. Unfortunately, the group is getting farther and farther from the river and edible fungi are becoming rarer and rarer. Regarding a place to stay, he finds nothing more ideal than the passages through which the group wanders. As he searches, the Derro comes up to him and begins a conversation in Undercommon.
"You know, I like you. You don't care what it takes to do something. You just do it! It's wonderful!!! Stab him right under the jaw! Just as I planned."
1/minute: Buppido cuts a mad caper around you, laughing maniacally the whole time. Force a single attack roll against you to be made with disadvantage.
1/day: Buppido charges madly at an opponent, screaming his odd and completely confident war-cry. His reckless charge forces a creature no more than 2 sizes larger than him to use its reaction and all of its movement to move 10 feet out of the way. The creature chooses the direction in which they move.
Inspiration: Buppido’s madness can be contagious. Force one creature that can see, hear, and understand Buppido to make a DC 16 wisdom save or gain one level of madness.
During all of the excitement, Jimjar also manages to slip his manacles. Then he walks alongside Irdril and speaks slowly in Undercommon, know that she is just coming to understand it.
"Good to have those irons off, isn't it? Look at the strange way those elves look at each other. I'll bet you 10 gold that one of them ends up stabbing the other before we get to Sloobludop."
Galinndan is unsure of how to respond to the Derro, so he just speaks.
"As you say. We will survive, whatever it takes."
After some time, he says to the group:
"Unless someone else sees a superior option, it will be sleeping in a tunnel for us."
Irdril heals herself once before resting just in case night time creepers come about.
"It sure would be nice to find some clothes at some point.." She says as her cell tatters barely cover her nude form..
Before sleeping she studies the note in undercommon again, determined to understand the language..
"Would someone who speaks and reads this language mind helping me out on picking it up?"
Jimjar comes over to you and helps you read the note and practice some words. Your Undercommom is getting much better. After talking with Jimjar a while, you really start picking up on the pattern of the similarities between Common and Undercommom.
Tiberuis looks down at the rags he wears under his armor. I care not, however, I would greatly prefer some armor that is not as... snug. As this.
"Bah, I think we'll be spending quite a bit o' time sleeping in tunnels." Cyrus groans.
"The tunnel it is then."
Galinndan looks around for a more even spot to lie down on.
You manage to pass the night quietly in the tunnel. But the hard ground is somewhat difficult to deal with.
As you wake up, you see Galenus sitting rigid, staring straight ahead without moving.
During the night, you dreamed that you were exploring a tomb for lost treasures. When you entered the vault, a hole opened in the ceiling. Squirming eyes and disembodied, writhing hands fell out, filling the room quickly. Soon, they were so deep, you couldn't move. They rose and rose over your head, leaving you gasping for air.
...
Galinndan awakes, stiff and irritable.
And then that is forgotten when he sees Galenus.
"Galenus? Are you alright?", he asks with some concern.
If there is no response, he will move over to see what Galenus is looking at, and if nothing obvious, how Galenus is.
Galenus seems fine except for the fact that he can't seem to move. There is nothing noticeable where he is looking.
Galinndan will turn to the others.
"Galenus appears to be struck dumb or paralysed. Can any of you tell more? We would need to carry him if we cannot cure him."
Or leave him for dead. But we do not need to do that, and I'm sure one of the others will mention *that* idea.
Kanzen moves up to Galenus, rather concerned for the one person beside Derendil who has treated the drow more or less just like anyone else. He waves his hand in front of the dwarf's face, checking for any reaction. he moves back, concern on his face. "This is strange. Maybe some magic deadens his mind, or his body. I have seen priestly magic that does similar things, but I don't understand it."
You examine your troubled friend for some time without figuring out how to help him. The minutes pass by.
A vision of all of those eyeballs and disembodied hands rotting with extreme speed, along with your own flesh dissolving, flashes before your eyes. You are left with the image of a slimy fungus growing over the rot as you regain your faculties, still shaken.
Kanzen turns to Derendil. "If he doesn't rouse soon, would you be able to carry him, friend?" he asks politley.
Derendil replies in Elvish with a polite nod "Certainly." He picks the dwarf up and begins carrying him along. He politely declines to comment on the dwarf's stench or lack of proper clothes.
Waking from a rough nights sleep Eddrikk gets up to his hands and knees and goans. Seeing the others gathering around and examining Galenus, knew all that chain breaking would catch up with him.
Galenus awakes, screaming.
Then he vomits.
Get it off, get it off... he mutters to himself, as he tries to brush non-existent stuff off his arms and chest.
He looks around to see everyone staring, and the frantic brushing slows and then stops.
It was a dream. Ha ha. It was just a dream. Oh thank Moradin.
I was in a room full of detached eyes and disembodied hands, practically drowning in them. Then they all rotted away along with all my own flesh, and a slimy fungus grew in its place. And I was trapped and there was nothing I could do. His breath is still heavy, but there's clear releief in his eyes that it wasn't real. It wasn't, was it? No, probably not. He brushes off his arm again just in case.
Galinndan turns to Galenus, dodging vomit.
"I am glad that you are back with us, Galenus. Can you walk unaided?"
Galinndan racks his brain for anything on creatures or magic that are known to do what Galenus describes.
Tiberius kneels down to galenus.
Steady now, you are with friends. We will make it out of these tunnels yet. I swear it. Come, let us be on our way. I fear to tary here too long. He offers a clawed hand to the dwarf to help him stand.
Hopefully, that is all it was, a dream. Though I overheard the drow talking of creatures in this accursed realm that have the power to trouble ones mind and thoughts. Let us be on guard, lest something else hinder us.
Yeah, I've heard of them, too. But I've been down in these depths for decades and I ain't never experienced or heard of someone experiencing something like that. That was something new. He shudders at the memory. And vivid.
Cyrus awakes feeling like a million Gold. "I don't know bout you all but I'm feeling great."
Cyrus wakes after the best sleep of his life, energized beyond belief.
Galinndan tries to recall information on these topics but he simply doesn't know enough.
"I say swift, in case a beast lurks nearby that attacks the mind."
Galinndan seems warier than usual.
"I wouldn't say I felt real great.. It will take a hot bath and some actual clothes for that.."
Unchained Irdril has no issues moving at a faster clip..
Kanzen is a veritable ball of energy, feeling as lively as he has for some time, and thrilled to have his hands free once more. He sets to packing up their meagre camp in preparation to go. "Let's get some miles under our feet. I'm keen to reach some kind of civilisation as soon as we may."
"I'm a little stiff but I oughta be able ta move at a quick pace"
Despite being tired, Galenus follows along, keeping up with the rough pace without much complaint.
Maintaining a brisk but comfortable pace, Eddrikk remains close to Galenus. Ya've said you've traveled these depths b'fore, ya ever 'ad a nightmare like dat? I mean dat sounds like some pretty scary stuff."
Remembering the dream brings up a new shudder. No, he answers, I've never seen or heard of anything like that before. That was just plain weird. I mean, sure, we all get nightmares from time to time, right? And sometimes we get flashbacks and memories of some of the crazier s&+~ we've seen. But that was beyond anything I've ever experienced.
What about you? Ever heard of anything like that?