"Hell's ringing bells!"
Once again the oars get dropped; Jenner hurriedly unslings his axe and chops from his seated position.
Jenner's attack doesn't penetrate the crab's hide, but the creature drops Aurelian none-the-less and disappears again into the deep water of the lake.
Aurelian groans as the creature appears to have fled, but gives a satisfied nod.
"It knew it could not stand against us," he grates out.
"Oh! Hold still."
Ashlyn puts her hand on Aurelian's chest, and stares at his wounds some more.
She also pops a bunch of berries into his mouth. "Eat these."
"Are you feeling better? Come on, let's get you back in the boat."
"Are you ok?" Tettia asks as she looks over Aurelian. Despite the short surge of anger, fear is once again the girl's reigning emotion.
Putting away her sword, Sarine moves to the oars of the boat after helping to pull Aurelian and Ashlyn back in. "Let's go. Who knows when that thing might come back."
Ashlyn quickly shoves the remaining three berries into Aurelians mouth before he can complain he's too full to eat them.
"Hang on, hang on," Jenner says hurriedly.
Approaching the desolate island it becomes clear that this is a former volcano - the island itself is a gutting slab of granite, with nothing growing on it at all and only the tower standing. A large cleft in the base of the rock looks like it might provide an alternative entrance to the only beach...
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HP 36/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 0/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 1/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects:
Aurelian stretches, twisting back and forth as Ashlyn and Jenner heal him almost back to as good as ever. Which, considering he's Aurelian Fache, is very good indeed.
"Yes, thank you, friends. Aurelian Fache feels much better now and is ready to defend us all again," he says with a grin, running through a quick thrust and twirl of his blade before sheathing it again.
"There, that cleft," he says pointing. "Aurelian Fache has had many good experiences in clefts and is sure this will be no different."
"But that one looks all wet," Tettia says in a soft voice. "Are you sure that's the best way in?"
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Ashlyn smiles at the dwarf as he finishes healing she and Aurelian. "Thanks, Jenner!"
As they approach the cleft Ashlyn nods wisely. "Yes. This could get messy."
"They may not know we're here yet," Sarine says as the group approaches the tower. "With the reception we've had so far, we shouldn't expect to be welcomed. Let's try to sneak in there."
"Glad to help, and so is Abadar..."
Jenner eyes the two potential landing spots with some trepidation. "So we think the tower cleft's better than the beach? Well, I'll go with what you all say."
The fifteen foot high flooded cave mouth cuts deeply into the steep cliff face. There are old wooden scaffolds propping up much of the cave's mouth, reinforced by rusty metal brackets and splintered wooden supports. As the group's small boat passes through the entrance way, a huge voice roars "INTRUDERS!".
The bellowing voice causes the supports to creak and groan violently before rocks and the scaffolding itself begins to collapse into the boat!
The boat itself is holed by the falling debris and sinks like the stones it is now filled with. Thankfully once the rockfall has subsided the water remains fairly calm and it is a simple matter to swim onwards up the tunnel.
HP 13/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 1/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 1/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects:
The noise startles Aurelian enough that he's unable to get away from the falling rocks, his body battered once again.
He struggles to stand in the collapsing boat, looking around for enemies.
After being solidly bludgeoned by the cave-in, Sarine returns to the surface of the water. "Is everyone alright?" she asks, spitting fouled water out of her mouth as she looks to find her companions.
"Ow!" Ashlyn exclaims as she breaches the surface of the water. She looks around for further enemies...
Socks comes to the surface almost silently, his small face looking accusingly at Sarine as if to say 'This is your fault!'
"I knew wet clefts were trouble," Tettia says as she spits out the water in her mouth. "Please let my books be ok."
Jenner's hardy enough to not fall victim to the stunning, but he's not exactly fast... "Ow! OW! Dammit! OW!"
As he wincingly takes stock of the bruises-- and the damaged shape of the boat-- Jenner mutters a long string of Dwarven that is probably curses.
"We may have more problems than your books, Tettia," he groans. "We now have no boat. And solid land is a good bit away. Ow. Hang on."
Jenner spends some moments in doing his best for everyone's scratches and scrapes, even if his own ears are ringing. "...Right, that's all Abadar's going to write me a cheque for today," he exhales, whilst treading water with one hand on the cave wall for steadiness. "And now, I think they know we're here."
"So now we are ready to push on!" Aurelian exclaims happily, clapping Jenner on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Jenner."
Treading water, Ashlyn looks around.
"Yes, please," Tettia offers. "Let's find somewhere to get out of the water and dry off."
There's a small splash and a plop in the water right next to the paddling arcanist and a moment later a toad hops up onto the top of her head.
"Really, Wallace?" she says, her eyes looking up. "I thought you liked the water?"
*brrruuuppp*
"It's not that cold, and you'd better not pee on me."
*brrruuuppp*
The cave is dark but not unbearably so, the collapse has partially blocked the entrance but there's plenty of light and the rubble would be easy enough to climb.
The other way the water seems to shallow into a passageway, which leads deeper under the island. Only one thing is clear, unless you can breathe underwater, resting in the cave is not an option...
"Thank you for the help, Jenner," Sarine says. She looks further down the passage as though reluctant to turn back, but shakes her head. "It's too risky to continue on like this. Let's make our way to the beach. Likely that will be guarded now as well, but maybe we'll find someone more talkative than that troll was."
Sarine tries to pick up her familiar along the way, but the cat manifests a pair of wings and flies out of the water to shore ahead of her.
"How are we supposed to get back to the beach?" Tettia whines. "The boat's ... down there," she gestures with her head and Wallace slips off and splashes into the water. "Sorry," she says to him quietly. "And there's still a big ... No, huge ... No, gigantic crab swimming around in the water out there. He attacked us in a big ol' boat. We would be perfectly bite-sized swimming around in the water. We need to move forward."
"We will go to the beach on the island," Aurelian replies, though he's not sure that is actually the best plan. "But you are right, that this passage is best. Always go in deeper, Aurelian Fache says."
Jenner leans against the cave wall, trying to catch his breath from all the healing. "Both options are rotten. I don't like the odds of us fighting something in the water of this cave, who knows what's in here. But that beach outside is wide-exposed so if something DID hear that trap trigger and come looking, they might expect us to pull back to it."
The dwarf sighs, and tugs on the key knotted into his beard. "I say forward. If we agree, then let me take point-- I can see a bit ahead in this gloom."
Ashlyn holds up her everburning torch and swims deeper into the cave. "Come on. I'd rather swim forward than try to squirm back out of a cave in."
Aurelian agrees, pleased everyone has come to his way of seeing things, though wondering if they should try to rest as soon as they can ... for Jenner and Ashlyn's sakes, of course.
Proceeding forwards the group finds that the water level lessens and that there is soon solid rock beneath their feet. The passage eventually opens out into a flooded chamber, caked in mould and thick with a sulfuric, musty smell. A wide stone staircase leads up a few feet to the upper level of the basement.
Following the stairs reveals a laboratory of some sort, filled with jars of desiccated insects, dried herbs, and other reagents. There is a small table with a cauldron and other alchemical gear and a larger workbench covered with carving tools and whittled bone and bits of jewellery. Besides the staircase leading further up into the tower is a table laden with scraps of paper and fragments of etched tablets.
Looking about the room carefully, Sarine motions toward the stairs. "Let's go meet our hosts. Things haven't gone well so far, but we shouldn't give up on negotiating."
Aurelian nods at Sarine's suggestion, ready to move forward.
Tettia looks longingly at the scraps of paper and tablet fragments and issues forth a slight whimper of frustration, but doesn't contradict the warriors of the group.
Ashlyn nods and follows along with the group.
"Hold up a moment," Jenner says as he relievedly wrings water out of his beard, clothes, etc. He lifts one particular brick, squinting at it. "And what's this..."
The brick isn't the only thing Jenner looks at-- he gazes around, thoughtful.
"Now before we go rushing off to more fighting, let's think a moment. This is a semi-defensible spot, and if the enemy did come on us here we might be able to hold them off with a threat to all these papers-- you know, 'if you take another step, we're lighting all your research.' Not that I'd want to do that,"Jenner adds hastily with a glance at Tettia, "but we need to consider things like 'where we retreat to' if things go south, given we've no boat and all. Until we find a better place, this right here is it. We might even wind up resting here and licking our wounds, but I suppose it's worth going on right now. Might we spare a few minutes-- these notes might give us some idea of what we're up against? Unless there's cause for a rush I'm not aware of."
... 'if you take another step, we're lighting all your research.' Not that I'd want to do that,"Jenner adds hastily with a glance at Tettia.
The girl's shocked face and palor at his suggestion stand in for any words she might say.
"... Might we spare a few minutes-- these notes might give us some idea of what we're up against? Unless there's cause for a rush I'm not aware of."
"Yes, that sounds like a very wise and capital idea," Tettia says with an eager nod.
Tettia immediately busies herself with perusing the various articles of information.
Jenner presses the brick and a secret compartment opens with a slight click. Inside the chamber is a chest of coins, along with other treasure!
Tettia looks over the discovered lucre with amazement. She catalogs and dismisses almost immediately the magical armor and weapons. The silver statue she glances at with embarassment. "That seems almost ... blasphemous," she mutters. The scrolls draw the majority of her attention. "Oooo..."
After looking over the treasure the party has found, Sarine turns back toward the stairs. "You're right that it's good to have somewhere to fall back on, Jenner, but we came here to find out people. They won't get any help if we wait here. Let's go onward."
"Fair enough... let's kit up with what we've just found," Jenner says with a low whistle for the hidden stash. "I could get some use out of that shield... Aurelian or Sarine, what about this armor for you?"
"No, no, it is not blasphemy," Aurelian assures Tettia. "It is very natural for a woman to love a woman. Sometimes they do not want a man there, and he must just watch for a time. Sometimes, two men feel the same way and need nothing more from a woman than to watch, if she is so inclined."
He admires the statues, thinking of other times. Not better, certainly, for what could be better than to have sword in hand, but no worse either. For is one can't have sword in hand, having a lover in arms is just as good.
He thinks about Jenner's words about resting here and places the statue on the table.
"Yes, a place to rest might be smart," he agrees, "and this for inspiration."
He nods, satisfied, and ready to move on when the others are.
"No, no, it is not blasphemy," Aurelian assures Tettia. "It is very natural for a woman to love a woman. Sometimes they do not want a man there, and he must just watch for a time. Sometimes, two men feel the same way and need nothing more from a woman than to watch, if she is so inclined."
"But ... but I don't think that statue is about love," Tettia says, bravely plunging into the argument while blushing furiously. "It's about ..." She looks around as if worried she might be overheard before continuing. "sex"
The scholar gathers up the remaining scrolls like a child on yule morning - giggles and all.