There is hardly a sound from Nicolette as she is thrust with a vicious punch into the gut. Everyone can easily see it though, as well as her dazed look. To her, all of a sudden her world spins out of control and she can hardly focus. Blood spurts involuntarily from her soft lips and her face instantly drains of color. Somehow, with inner strength rarely seen, her eyes narrow on the shadow even before its fist leaves her body in recoil. A clear focus aligns her sight and she spins with her earth breaker and the momentum of its blow to her body and returns the hit with twice as much power behind the blow.
Calaithes carefully pours the healing potion into Bohrs mouth, hoping that it is strong enough to revive the man so he can heal himself....
Regardless of success or not, the undead monster needs to be put down. He quickly moves into battle, even though he hopes that Nicolette has already crushed it and he is just for moral support....
Bohrs feels the warm of the healing potion course through his veins, reviving him, and numbing some of the pain.
He rises to his feet and raises his tankard. "Caden grant us your courage to stand against this foe!"
Although the Combusted nearly brings Nicolette down with a single blow, the Pale Hammer taps into an inner reserve and brings just as much (if not more) pain to bear on her undead attacker. But this creature is strong, and it stands steadfast against her powerful onslaught, continuing to scream in eternal pain.
With Calaithes' quick thinking and coordination, Bohrs sputters back to consciousness and sends the Lucky Drunk's energy cascading out into the room.
Calaithes resists the attack of coughing, but the smell of burning flesh and hair overwhelms him as he stands up from Bohrs' side and advances towards the undead horror. Roiling nausea threatens to eject the morning's breakfast, but he moves forward in spite of himself.
The combination of acrid smoke, stomach-turning smell, and the creature's howling almost cripple the advancing rogue, but he steels himself and advances to aid Nicolette. Hadn't Jimes said something about a run-in with an undead once?
Bohrs
Combusted
Kayle & Owens
Nicolette
Calaithes
Map
Seeing the continued harm done by the flaming horror is enough to make Kayle consider simply running, but he couldn't bring himself to back away. Instead he bites his lip and pushed forward to Nicolette. His remaining prepared spell forgotten as he draws that inner reserve of magic toward fueling a healing spell.
Even trying to push Owens into the fight is forgotten as he devotes all his focus into keep Nicolette on her feat.
Even as his person rushes ahead without him Owens cannot bring himself to attack. He let's out a mournful whimper, but cannot help his instincts getting the better of him.
Every fiber of Kayle's body tells him to run away, that this is a lost cause, but then what would Olmira say? What would Jimes say? So he moves forward, reaching out to Nicolette, ignoring the assault on his senses. The flames, the smoke, the screams. The screams.
The screams.
The screams!
The druid stands transfixed as the fear overwhelms him.
The fiery inferno shrieking in the corner of the room continues its assault.
Burning hands swipe out through the smoke, but both Nicolette and Calaithes wrench out of the way of the impending blows.
Combusted
Kayle & Owens
Nicolette
Calaithes
Bohrs
Map
"May the Drunken Hero douse your flames!" Bohrs cries, raising his silver tankard in a mock toast to the burning thing.
Two gallons of water falls from out of nowhere down upon the creature.
As she tires, she hears Bohrs call out. It invigorates the nearly exhausted warrior.
"And may his ale quench the anguish of your soul!" she cries out as she swings downward upon him with the same fury and speed as the falling surge of water.
Seeing his master helpless and threatened was the last straw. A plaintive whimper turned into a warning growl. Then an indignant bark tore from Owen's throat before he ran forward at the threat with jaws snapping.
Calaithes lifts his weapon high, and doubles over coughing out of control, unable to complete his attack.
Owens moves forward to place himself between Kayle and the Combusted, snapping his jaws out. Unfortunately, the dog's bark is worse than his bite, and he fails to find out how scorched bone tastes different.
The two front-liners succumb to the smoke, descending into coughing but maintaining their defense. In dodging the previous blow, however, Nicolette brushes against Kayle's outstretched, frozen hand and feels a surge of positive energy flow into her, bolstering her for the battle.
But they watch as condensation rapidly collects and dumps onto the creature. There is a brief moment where the howl seems to abate before the anguish wails on.
hit
miss
Nicolette
hit
hit
save
Ignoring the dog snapping at it, the Combusted continues to swing its burning fists at Calaithes and Nicolette. The first blow looks like it will connect with the rogue when it turns out to be a trick of the fog. Watching the undead's movements, Calaithes realizes that it has no special vision within the billowing smoke. And it's a good thing!
Nicolette is the next target of the Combusted's desire to share its endless pain, and it evades her defenses and delivers yet another solid blow that leaves her reeling!
***
Combusted
Kayle & Owens
Nicolette
Calaithes
Bohrs
Map
Bohrs calls upon Cayden's power once again to bolster his friends.
"Fight on, Brave Friends! Cayden Cailean is with you!"
While not truly a religious man Calaithes is not above the call to any god that might be listening when he sees the power of the thing up front and personal! He continues choking and gagging though, weakly holding his weapon and unable to swing at the creature.
The deft blow to her gut forces the blood and smoke she was choking on to finally clear. With blood in her wild hair, and smeared on her face from the battle, she looks ever more like the wild barbarian. With her last ounce of strength, she swings left and then right with her hammer.
With her last ounce of strength gone, she looks all the more pale and distant. It is only Bohr's healing keeping her up. How anyone could take two bone-crunching punches from this beast is amazing.
Owens goes to snap at the creature again, but the buildup of smoke he has inhaled overwhelmed the dog's senses. The poor animal hacking and choking at the worst time.
Choking in the dense smoke Calaithes just barely notices as even Owens tries to join the battle, but fails. He raises his weapon to try and attack again, but feels the bile from everything in his stomach rising. Choking and unable to breathe he staggers at the burning monster, flailing uncontrollably he heaves and spews vomit all over the thing.
The situation is dire and getting worse every second as the nascent group of young adventurers has expended nearly every resource available to them. And with the way that this creature hits, and Bohrs' warning that he could cause them to spontaneously combust, one more hit could literally kill any of them. Through coughs and sputters, Calaithes wretches. If an undead could look confused, this one does. It drops its guard for the briefest moment before Nicolette gathers the last of her strength and barely connects. There is a sickening crunch as she drives the creature off its feet and into the wall beyond, impaling through its torso and embedding it along with her hammer into the the stone wall. The fires consuming the creature's body flare up in a last gasp before dissipating into little more than crackling embers. The Combusted's howling agony resolves into a sigh. And then it is silent.
Bohrs calls out one last time to Cayden Cailean to grant the group enough strength to escape to a safer location.
"Come on, Friends, let's find some fresh air!" He moves forward to help those still reeling some support as they leave the room.
Nicolette is not so strong that she can't recognize pain. Every fiber in her body hurts, particularly where she was hit. The creature dissipates and she falls into her hammer's handle, prying it from the wall and falling to her knees. She begins to cry and holds her body and hammer tight. She coughs up more blood and smoke, but can do little to motivate herself to get up and crawl further out of the room. For the moment, she just takes the anguish. Her face is covered with smoke stains and her beautiful creamy skin looks like she has delved into the midst of ashes.
With Bohrs sending a final surge through the room, and hearing his words of encouragement, she can just barely manage to get to her feet with his help to flounder out of the room and let it air out.
Kayle looks about at the state of the party, and with Bohr's comment he considers the best course to the group recovering. "We should withdraw and rest." Kayle reasons, "I doubt we could handle anymore threats in our current state. I may have been useless in the fight, but I can patch Nicolette up if we take a rest."
He moves over to where Nicolette is and carefully reaches out to her. Checking her wounds and then offering her a hand on her shoulder. "You'll feel better after a rest." he reassures her, "You saved us today."
Nicolette can't even argue with Kayle at his words about her saving them. In reality, it was a team effort. She just accepts his calming hand and works to catch her breath.
"If we ... wait for that... smoke..." she violently coughs again, "...to clear... it's...good room. Rest. Hole up. Secure..."
At least there wasn't blood coming up when she coughed this time. The healing obviously did its job healing her punctured lung or whatever internal injuries taking two hits like that to the gut did to her. She leans on the wall nearby to recover and calm her heart as the smoke dissipates. Once it is gone, they can explore the room once more and see about working together to clear the room of what they saw burning in the fire (minus the body).
Calaithes almost collapses as he continues to choke. Luckily Nicolette had a truly heroic strike and crushed the creature. All he was able to do was stumble to try and get out of the smoke, his lungs and airway feeling like he'd inhaled fire or acid rather than just smoke!
"Yess.... Rest. And I'm hungry. Once I get some water. Gotta clear the taste.... Yuck!"
"Kayle's right Nicolette! You saved us. You're a hero and the whole town will know when we get back!"
The group withdraws from the smoke-filled room and waits in the bombardier beetle's former nest. Even the stale air of the rest of the Crypt smells sweeter than the stench of burning skin and hair that had accosted you while fighting with the undead.
After about 10 minutes, it seems like the smoke has finally dissipated in the room beyond.
To her, Bohrs was the real hero. He kept her going when her body failed her. She recalls his healing waves washing over her after those horrific punches. In response to Kayle and Cal, she will rest her hand on Bohrs, but is without words. Ten minutes or so later, when they finally return to the room, it is far darker than it used to be.
She can see the fire smoldering, but mostly the fire has gone out and the smoke has left the room. There, she sees gear has burned in the fire and she searches there as well as the room in a very slow, hurt manner.
In the fire or room, if there is something that can wedge the door, such as a femur bone that is not completely burned or a piece of wood on the outer edge, she will use her hammer or saw to make a sort of doorstop by cutting or smashing down one end of it. She then wedges it under the door. It should give them a chance to be alerted should something try the door.
In time, she slinks down in the corner where she can see the doorway and the vent stack of the fire.
"I'll keep the first watch," she comments.
As Kayle comes looking to help her heal, she will strip down out of her armor and upper clothing layers. They can see below a feminine frame, rather than a bulky, large, muscular one like her armor may suggest. Her chest is somewhat large and she is far lighter in weight than some would assume seeing her in other situations. It is also very apparent how soot-covered her face is compared to the soft creamy flesh revealed underneath. She does still have a breastband on but is otherwise bare on her top half. Kayle can tell she is somewhat maidenly and is nervous to have everything off in front of a room of men despite rumors of her past love interest, but she also understands she is hurt and so set her hesitancy it off in her mind. Kayle and everyone can see two nasty bruises are forming. It looks like he hit her so hard in two places that through the armor and cloth, he tore skin with a punch. Even still she bleeds lightly there. If Kayle or someone looks to her deposited lamellar cuirass, they can see it is crushed inward in the shape of two strike points.
Bohrs gives a regretful sigh. "I knew I would regret neglecting my studies of the healing arts. If I could draw on any more of Cayden's might this day, I'd have that lovely skin of yours looking good as new, my dear. Alas, I have no formal of understanding on how to treat injuries in a more mundane fashion. I should remind myself to rectify that when we get back to Kassen. Kayle, you know something of doctorin', yes? I can help a bit, I suppose. I think I recall a few things."
"I'll share the first watch. Kayle relates as he switches the light spell to one of his palms, "I need to tend to Nicolette anyway."
Kayle clears his throat awkwardly as he prepares a minor salve and a few scraps of cloth to apply to the sticky substance. Truth be told it didn't do much, but comfort was as good as anything else sometimes. Looking back over his shoulder at the others he crouches down next to Nicolette in a manner to shield her from prying eyes.
Not that he knew Calaithes or Bohrs to be anything but good men. Confirmed when Bohrs offers to help him. Kayle met Nicolette's gaze and gave her a rueful smile. "I'm not one to turn down help Bohrs." he relented, "Can you hand me these bandages so I keep my hands free?" The cleric was indeed a great help, and Kayle flashed him an appreciative smile. "Perhaps you should take up healing with more than magic Bohrs." Kayle said as means of casual conversation, "You seem a natural."
He focused hard on Nicolette's injuries as he treated the bruises to her abdomen. He was very deliberate in where his gaze was directed, not wanting to embarrass Nicollete or himself. When he was done, he conjured some water over a cloth and offered it to her to wash her face with. Sparing a sideways glance her way as he held it out, he did accidentally looked to the last place that was appropriate, but quickly lifted his gaze to meet hers.
"That should help when you rest." he explained, "It likely won't do more than ease the pain a bit."
Returning to the room, Nicolette looks around for anything useful. Although much of the gear in this chamber has been burned, she finds two interesting things. Next to the fire is a scorched key--hadn't Roldare mentioned something about keys? There is also a fine-looking dagger amidst the slag heap of the fire that appears to have survived the flames intact.
Between Kayle and Bohrs, and despite lacking a proper healer's kit, the group is able to patch Nicolette up from that harrowing fight.
Nicolette lifts up the key and the dagger, handing them over to the others before settling in.
At first, she is nervous around the men, but then as they seem determined to help her, so she just closes her eyes and lets them do their thing. As she sits there, she thinks about her past and the terrors of losing someone you love. It seems to distract her from her pain well, and not once does she flinch or even open her eyes.
When Kayle does address her, she will nod to show she has heard him and is not asleep. She will definitely keep watch like she said, and after she has been properly salved up, she watches the points of entry with clarity.
Not having the wisdom of Bohrs or any training in healing Calaithes stays out of the way when they are working on Nicolette's wounds. He helps searching in the room and is pleased when they find a key that may be useful and a fine dagger. When she volunteers for the first watch he quickly lays himself down to rest. Maybe a good rest will finally get the sick feeling out of his gut.... "Remember that you need rest too. I'll take second, unless someone else wants it, or whatever watch is open for me. I haven't any ability with magic if that matters for purposes of resting."
"Before we all get settled in, could I make a request?" Bohrs says, unstrapping the rapier found with the dead man by the lake shore. "We found this blade, and it has not been claimed by anyone. If there is no objection, I would like to do so. It is a finely made blade, far superior to my own. It also bears a hound's head on the pommel. The hound is the sacred animal of Cayden Cailean. I almost feel like it was meant to come to me. However, I do not simply wish to take it without consulting with the rest of you. If someone else wants it, it's only fair for us to gamble for it or compete in some other fashion. It is also quite valuable. If the consensus is to keep it, sell it, and divide the coin gained, I will abide by the consensus of our group."
****
"Alright, take the second," she answers hoarsely to Calaithes.
When Bohrs speaks up she shrugs, showing disinterestedness, and just lays her head back on the wall she leans up against in answer. Clearly, she has no opinion, or at least not one so great as to overcome the pain of speaking.
Calaithes shrugs at Bohrs's words. "It's a fine looking rapier. I prefer light weapons and I've trained a little with a rapier. But I really prefer a dagger if I had to choose. Keep it! Anybody else interested in the blade that was in the fire? It must be of a good make to be looking good after being in that fire...."
The druid can't help a rueful chuckle at Bohr's and Calaithe's questioning them about the weapons. "Well, fat lot of good those chunks of metal would do me." he remarks dryly, "I think at this point I'd be more likely to hurt myself. Use them with my compliments."
Kayle stays up with Nicolette for the first watch, doing what he can to ease her wounds. He says little during the time, finding it awkward despite his best attempt. He was rather inexperienced with the opposite sex. The one time he had been interested in a girl before the townsfolk's gossip had driven him out to the woods for weeks. By the time he had returned her heart had already moved on.
Owens suffers no such reservations though, and lays at Nicolettes feet.
The canine had marked her as an easy source of affection, and would not stop taking advantage.
"I'll not understand how you could be so fearless." he admits after Bohrs and Calaithes had gone to sleep, "I have managed to put aside my fear in the past, for my life or those of others. I still couldn't push past the dread that thing gave off."
When the others fall asleep, she admits to Kayle, "Some think it's fearlessness. In truth, I don't have much left to live for. I think if I hadn't joined the Captain's squad, I'd have gone batty with my own thoughts. I still dream of that night he went missing. I still feel...tormented. I don't want to die, but...well...it's not fearlessness in any case. Besides, you were right there, just as effective, so don't discount yourself. Every fight in here, you've been by my side slinging stuff and helping me out. Each of us has a task, and I think you're doing a fine job of it."
Throughout the night, whoever is on watch occasionally hears a wail from Roldare, or more commonly some sort of mumbled whisper rattling through the hollow corridors. But you all sleep soundly enough, given multiple hard-fought battles. This could not have been with the town elders of Kassen had had in mind, nor what previous groups had experience--right? Four years ago, Olan had come back with a sprained ankle, but was otherwise in good spirits. What was going on here?
You dream of the wolf the night before. But this time it approaches you here in this room. The others are gone. It lays down at your feet, like Owens did. But it's fur is...cold.
The watch ends without incident, and you go to wake up Calaithes from his rest so that you can take yours. A beautiful woman with butterfly wings takes your hand and you fly over the forests of Nirmathas. It's a little scary, at first, but she makes you feel secure. You land in a town full of piers and bridges, with people milling about, and she takes you to a tavern. She encourages you to go and place a round of dice with some ranger-looking types in the corner, blowing on your dice as you walk over. You win three games in a row before turning around to see that she has disappeared. And then you wake up.
During your sleep, you dream of, of all people, your father. Or at least, who you think of as your father. He looks like you, but older, with hair and skin blending even more into the sea. Of course, his features are distorted in the dream--like his face isn't real. You walk along a beach with this swirl-faced man. His voice is similarly distorted, as though playing backwards through some intricate clockwork mechanism. Just before you wake up, you look ahead and see something golden glinting in the sunlight.
Your dreams are less pleasant, though. The pyrophobic acolyte, Paak, kneels in front of a bevy of burning candelabras in the Temple. You walk and kneel down next to him, clasping your hands together in deific adoration. Something in the room stirs, and the candles tip simultaneously onto both of you. You erupt into flames. The burning is agonizing, but you do nothing to put it out.
When you wake, sweating, you swear that you can still smell your hair burning.
The night was, thankfully, uneventful after a full day yesterday. No skeletons knocked down the door, nor did any spirits rise up to attack you from the floor. Even Roldare seems quiet this morning. But you have to imagine that Dimira is still somewhere in the Crypt.
That night, in her dream, she actively the moment she sees the wolf, she freezes. It approaches and she tightens her grip on her hammer.
"Where is everyone?" she asks herself as if trying to alert them. Then she remembers she's asleep. Is she? Her watch is over.
When it comes very close, she tenses up, almost as if paralyzed. It is only when it lays down at her feet that she is somewhat less tense. It at least showed it wasn't going to bite her. Before she knew it, she was uncontrollably reaching out to feel the wolf, which is not something she'd do in real life.
"Is it dead...?" she thinks as she suddenly feels fear and recoils her hand.
--------------------
Nicolette clenches her hand and wakes suddenly. She is unsure of what she did in her sleep. Having laid under direct care for most of the night, she was probably soothed far more than she had been many other nights, but at the same time, her night terrors and the creepy wolf show that the near-topless warrior was clearly disturbed by whatever she was dreaming about.
For those who are awake, she will slowly rise and will silently "good morning" people. They will notice a bruise has formed over two distinct purple spots that show she is bruised beyond the edges of her bandages. Instead of worrying about them, she will go off on her own to calm her mind.
It could be guessed that she prays for a time. In her mind, she asks for Roldare's mental state to improve, for the hunt against their prey, and for the sister of Roldare. Nicolette is still injured, so she also asks for a blessing today...that Erastil or any other good god watches out for them on their quest.
When finished, she will return and pick up her soap and will then remove herself again. She washes her face and sponge bathes to a minor degree with cherrywood-lemon-scented soap and her water. Once done, the Pale Hammer will return for a chewing stick and will brush her teeth while getting dressed. For the rest of that early morning while others pray or whatever, she will work to maintain her gear to get it back in top condition. When people are wrapping up their own tasks, she will put on her armor and eat a part of her rations. Today she will need to recover some burnt calories.
When Calaithes wakes up he quietly whispers the word "Dad?" and stares up at the ceiling for a number of seconds. As he rises he has a distant look on his face for a while. The rest had cured his sickened stomach though and he feels hungry. Could he have completely emptied his stomach with the retching that he'd done?
He digs through his equipment and tears a ration pack apart, quickly chewing and washing it down with water. Once he is done he goes through is equipment, cleaning any mess from yesterday as he returns everything to his pack and harness. He checks his daggers for any chips or blunting along the edge before re-seating them in their sheaths, adding the new one retrieved from the fire to his belt. He still finds it odd that the blade isn't discolored.
"Kayle? Do you know how to use a crossbow? Maybe you should have this one from Roldare? I'm not really likely to be using it, but you could. There's only 6 bolts though."
Nicolette's explanation of what he took for bravery unsettled the druid and his morose expression remained. "Well, if you hadn't joined the captain's squad we would all be very dead right now." Kayle pointed out, "So I guess my role will be to return the favor. Then, if neither one of us can appreciate the fact we're still alive... well my master has been brewing a FOUL concoction that we could drink ourselves to oblivion with. He gave Owens a soft scratch between the ears and offered Nicolette a soft smile.
"Buddy pact?" he asked before adding playfully, "I'll even scratch your belly. It feels so good." He emphasized this point by scratching Owens belly as the great dog heard the word belly and promptly rolled over for just that. "Yes it does..." he crooned at the happy dog, feeling his mood brighten considerably.
He was easily motivated to provide Nicolette continued care through the evening.
Kayle woke in the morning half off his bedroll, and realizing he had slept face down on Owen's shoulder like a pillow. He sputtered, and when he went to wipe his face he was reminded he was covered in soot from all the smoke. "Gun be one of those days innit." he muttered before catching himself and looking around bleary eyed. Noticing Nicolette and the others preparing to wash he had a sudden idea and interrupted.
"I'm sure we could all use some washing and privacy." Kayle pointed out, "Well, I can provide." He took the twine from some of his bound pots and strung it up in one corner of the room with his blanket hanging over it. Then he filled one of his pots with water and provided his soap and grooming kit for those who might need it. He himself will definately strip down and wash himself clean of the sweat and soot that had worked itself into a fine grime.
Looking and smelling fresh he would briefly consider the dream, and the feeling of good fortune he held inside. Looking to Nicolette he briefly considered if their talk had somehow inspired his odd dream. Deciding to trust his feelings he approached her and offered her his hand. "I want you to have a blessing." he explained, "I had an odd dream, and while I'm not sure what it means exactly... I believe this will best help us."
Owens made less of a nuisance of himself as some of the party setup to wash. Instead he slinked away and tried to disappear behind Kayle's pack and hide armor. Anytime interest was shown he would look up reluctantly with sad eyes and low ears.
Bohrs sits up suddenly, jolted awake by the intensity of the final moments of his dream-turned-nightmare. He reaches for his hair and beard, checking the ends for signs of scorching. "Was I just on fire?" he asks no one in particular. Seeing no visible sign of burning, he takes a deep breath, shakes himself awake, and climbs out of his bedroll.
He pours a measure of godsbrew ale into his silver tankard, raises it as if making a toast, and says, "Hair of the hound that bit ye." He then drinks deeply. He then packs his bedroll, does a quickly wash-down of his face and armpits, and eats a portion of his rations.
He draws the masterwork rapier he claimed last evening, and while kneeling in a pose reminiscent of a knight before a monarch holds the blade across both hands. "I pledge this blade in battle for the glory of the Cayden Cailean, The Accidental God and Drunken Hero. May I stand bravely against tyrants, defend freedom, and bring joy and fellowship wherever my feet take me. Once this blade is blooded, it shall be named."
He returns the blade to its scabbard, then buckles it on. He rolls his old rapier up in his bedroll and secures it to his backpack.
Finally, he retrieves his placard of wisdom, and reads a few of Cayden Cailean's witticisms while meditating on the needs of the day. His silence is frequently interrupted by a chuckle that grows into a booming guffaw from time to time. His mood, less than jovial after the nightmare, becomes lighter, and the Bohrs everyone knows and loves returns.
"I don't like drinking foul concoctions. I'd rather go out fighting." she chuckles. That evening, she will not pet Owens and he will sense from her that she is injured. Only if he crept close would she move a couple of fingers through his fur.
--------------------
"I also had troubled dreams, but no, you weren't on fire..." she answers Bohrs. "Mine was about that wolf again. I touched it this time. It was cold...like it was dead. Bad dreams are not abnormal for me though." She shrugs.
When Kayle offers a bath from a pot, she takes in a breath.
"You're telling me I get a full bath? Wow...we travel in style. I don't need all of that today. I'm sure we're going to get bloody and filthy again today. I'll settle with just a sponge bath."
Nicolette's cerulean eyes settle on Kayle as she brushes her hair. He offers her a blessing. Immediately, he can tell she is taken aback by him offering her his hand to take. With his words, she gives him her hands and tucks her brush underarm. She waits for something to happen, but isn't sure if she feels blessed or not.
"Am I supposed to feel something, or did you just want to hold my hands?" she toys with him with a most serious face.
Hearing the others Calaithes thinks for a moment. "I had an odd dream as well. I usually don't remember any dreams, but this time.... Well, I dreamt of, my father. Or I guess my dream is of what I think my father might look like, because I don't really know. I hope someday to find him, and his family. It will take some effort though as I believe his family live in the depths of Lake Encarthan. So until I am able to breath water and swim a lot better than I currently can.... That's not possible."
"Should we go check out those stairs? Or go back out by the entrance and try a different path? Whatever we do we need to be careful. The battle here was scarier than anything that I want to repeat!"
"I had a dream about Brother Paak, a young acolyte who was afraid of fire, convinced he would burn to death and afraid of the agony he would experience in those last moments. It has something to do with this burning skeleton we fought. I think it was a lost, tormented soul."
He walks over to the pile of ash and bone slivers that are all that remains of the thing. He whispers a prayer for the soul to rest peacefully. "The Gray Lady awaits you in the Spire, friend. Go, and linger here no more. Tell her Cayden Cailean sent you." He pours out a swallow of the godsbrew ale over the ashes.
Kayle is easily flustered by Nicolette's question. He straightened and almost let go of her hand. "Eats a spell!" he quickly blurted out, only growing redder in the face as his practiced voice slipped. Looking down at their joined hands the druid quickly muttered the verbal component and waved his opposite hand in a pattern vaguely similar to tracing out a star sign. It was less his normal casting and more the words flowing through his lips in druidic. Nicolette could feel the same notion of fortune fill her mind as the power entered her.
"I'm not completely sure how it works." Kayle admitted in a low voice, "But I might need to start preparing it in the future." He carefully released her hand and met her eyes again with a slight smile. Then he was thankfully able to turn his attention to his need to bath and the rest of the group!
Kayle attends Bohrs question with a wry look as he questions if he was on fire. "A wild dream I would imagine. You are not on fire." Kayle answers while pointedly casting his gaze over the cleric to reassure him, "Though I can give you a good soak if you wish." he added. He was already filling his pot with conjured water.
Hearing his toast a moment later Kayle casts a smile to his nervous companion, and Owens favors him with that infamous head tilt his breed was known for.
Looking to Calaithes as Bohrs pledges the blade to his god he whispers a question, "What odds will you give me it's named something like keg tapper?" When he brought up his dream Kayle buttoned up at first. It would seem only he had a pleasant nights rest. He briefly looked down in guilt, but then went over and clapped a hand lightly on Calaithes shoulder. "I might be able to help with the first part." he assures him before quickly adding, "Later, when I have learned more spells. I would likely ward you as well."
While Kayle was doing all of his, he was also checking the group for lingering injuries. He could grasp Nicolette was still wounded without any skill, but he knew Bohrs had been badly injured as well. While he wasn't sure of Calaithes' damage he didn't want to overlook a niggling injury now.
With the topic moving to the previous days foe and pressing on Kayle looked to each other member of the group, waiting for one of them to say something. Her certainly didn't want to press their path when he hadn't seen most of the risk. This brought an idea to his mind however, and he perked up.
"I cannot suggest a path." he admitted, "Or more I won't, but I do have a strategy we might employ today. Let me and Calaithes take the point. I am little help if I can not get to the front to aid everyone, and I do use a shield." To emphasize this he knocked his club against his shield.
"I can defend myself well enough, and trip enemies up for Nicollette and Owens." he reasoned, "Perhaps get Calaithes set up for his type of fighting style."