Darie sighed, and took a moment to catch her breath. The excitement send her blood thundering through her ears, thumping as if to shatter her head into dozen fragments. "Uh... burnt bugs... sure stink". Inane, childish, and all too girly for a large woman like her.
The giggle fit came unexpectedly. "At least they won't bury us as 'eaten by beetles'."
"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves here Darie," Kessel says as he looks down the hole, "we still need to go down there I think."
Darie blinked, once the giggles had subsided. "That's it. Wow... you sure have an open mind, Kessel." She sat down straight on the lid of the sarcophagus. "Gods and saints. We've got to get down there is your first instinct. Tell me, didn't that frighten you? And what i did... don't you think less of me?"
"What you did?" Kessel asks scratching his head, "you slew the beetles didn't you? Oh! You mean magic? Darie I'm a bard and an apprentice druidic priest, nothing of nature and magic surprises me. This is a huge world and magic in the realms is quite common you should know. I'm not sure what your parents told you but some of the realms greatest heroes wield magic."
"Yes, of course. Through years of study, or connection to the gods, or the power of song and legend. With my family... its different." Darie made a face. "This is really a secret, but... i guess i might as well tell you the whole story now. Then you decide."
She let her arms fall into her lap, took a few breaths. Tried to sort out some consistent tale through the tangled knot of feelings. "It is a family curse. Our family, the Billown, are... touched. I've never been told the whole story, but a taint of evil runs through us. And in some of us, it comes to the fore. This is why i speak the language of devils, and can handle hellfire in my hands. It just... came to me. I was in a toolshed after dark, and wished very very hard i had taken a lantern along - and a light came to me. I began to understand some... family curses, and began to really get why they are swears."
"I can't really do much now, but i know if i tried, i could grow more powerful. Call the devil in me so much more to the fore." With a dejected gesture, she rubbed her forehead. "Its not like the magic you learn from books, or song, or pray for. I can't even read. Why should i learn, it's not necessary to milk cows, weed gardens and steal eggs from chicken."
Kessel turns away from the gaping hole and walks over to Darie.
"You know Darie the world is a strange and mysterious place," Kessel says, "lots of things I can't pretend to understand. Sometimes things are simply the work of the gods and nothing more can be said about them, but other times people attribute these things to the gods or devils rather then try to explain them. In your case, without knowing all the details, I'd speculate that it could be a touch of both. You're what's known as a natural caster, a bit like me, but I suspect you're a sorcerer. There's quite a few of them out there. Also I should point out that this sort of thing is known run in families . . . but . . . hmmm, you know there's also a thing like dragon blood that runs in families as well. I don't recall demon or devil blood, but there are creatures called tieflings (they're much more common as of late), and so devil blood could be a trait that's passed down in a family like red hair or in my family's case stubbornness.
"Even if that's the case Darie your blood needed dictate who you are, I mean a good deal of tieflings are contemptible creatures, but the few I've met were decent and likable. My word, speaking of evil blood, I seem to remember hearing about a drow somewhere to the north that was some sort of hero or something. Even well liked. He had a very drow sounding name though, I can't recall it, but I think it had a lot of Zs in it.
"I suspect that your family secret isn't as horrible as certain members think it is. I'm sure some of the towns folk would find such things worrying, and it might be a good idea to keep such secrets close, but amongst the civilized and educated folk I really don't think there'd be much fuss . . ."
"I heard about that drow. I guess it is one of these stories that grow ever larger and less connected to a person with each and every retelling. I doubt anyone could do even half the things that Drisitt is said to have done even are possible." Darie sighed. Kessel was a lot like Aunt Varil. Made her open up even against her better judgment, and deeply ingrained "family laws".
"I guess i have to find out. No way going back. I mean, my family would have allowed me to live. That is all. I wouldn't be allowed to have a husband, or children, or inherit, or... anything. I could as well be dead now." She blushed. This sounded a lot like fishing for sympathy, she realized. From Kessel (she couldn't really make herself to shorten his name), in particular.
"Then don't go back," Kessel says, "this is a big huge world. All sorts of kind understanding people in it as well. You could live a happy life just exploring it. Do you know that if you traveled twenty miles and met someone new every day until you were a hundred you still wouldn't have met everyone or been everywhere? Makes you feel small sometimes. I love learning but I know I'll never know everything. Heck I sometimes feel that I know less now then when I was a child. The world was filled with certainties back then . . ."
Kessel steps forward and offers Darie his hand to help her down.
"It took a lot to share that secret with everyone, I can't promise you much, except friendship and understanding, but that's all I can offer for the time being. Perhaps someday when I'm famous, filling theaters or earning the wealth and backing of a powerful patron, maybe then we could travel the world together. Maybe then I could guarantee no one will take away your freedom or look down upon you, but until then I'll be your friend. How does that sound?"
Darie took the hand, and slid easily down on her feet again. "That sounds like quite a lot, actually." She answered, with a soft laugh. "Up to this point, i don't regret anything. Sometimes it is pretty frightening, but so was going to town for the first time, even when all my brothers were there to hold my hand."
She took a few steps towards the collapsed elevator, but not to the point of letting go of Kessel, should he not follow. "I guess we really should move on. This magic may be useful to fall back on. Just when it is needed, not frivolously."
Kells steps up and catches Darie in a one-armed hug "I think you saved us and whatever power you're tapping into I don't think it will taint you if you don't let it. I have faith in your ability to choose your own path, Darie. I think I would have felt the taint on you if you were actually using evil. I think you will continue to use your gifts in a positive way."
The compliments send a tinge of redness into Darie's cheeks. Kells and Kessel could hardly both be wrong, and to protest their declarations of trust would dishonor them. "Thank you, Kells. I won't disappoint either of you, i promise you that."
Not to let the situation accumulate too much gravity, she added a playful "And i keep my promises. Even more that makes me like Kessel's Sister, right?"
Kessel laughs . . . and then sort of groans.
"Don't remind me!" he says shaking his head, "but don't stop being who you are Darie. If you disagree with me I want to hear it."
Darie fell into the same laugh as Kessel, her dark mood seemingly put to rest for the moment. It probably would come back, but right now the support of her friends just left no room for it.
"I'd like to meet your sister eventually. You know, you make her sound like some cross between Umberlee and... i don't know. Sorry, didn't want to make her sound horrible." She gave Kells a short squeeze of the hand, and put her sentence back in order. "I'd just like to meet her eventually. She sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders."
"She's really not," Kessel says, "Horrible. My sister I mean, it's not hard to see why people like her. How people could be made to follow her. But she is strong willed, ambitious, and not a person to cross. I have no doubt that she'll be running thing in the town one day, and I don't doubt that the people would be lucky to have her, but things have to be run her way. There isn't much room for disagreement with her.
"I'd think you two would get along. She'd like you I think. I'll have to take you to meet her when we finish here. You'll need a place to say and unmarried women shouldn't be staying alone."
Darie nodded. "Yes, i really should. But then again, how much virtue do I have left after three weeks of lodging in the cheapest inns of town, and roaming around the wilderness with you?" The words were light-hearted and jovial, but there was a darker touch to them. The last few weeks probably really wouldn't be what a proper lady wanted in her personal history.
Of course, then again in her social circles, everything shy of leaving children or taking place in public was pretty much tolerated - no sense wasting someones live over as long as they otherwise worked as expected of them - though her family had a decidedly stricter bend than many other farmers on the outskirts.
Tobin sits down on the stairs with relief, and then watches the scene unfolding below him with a smile spreading across his face. After a few minutes, unable to contain himself any longer, he scampers down to join the small huddle.
"You're not allowing for KC's talents, Darie," he says, as he approaches. "All this poking around in tombs and getting filthy will sound wonderful once he's crafted it into a glorious tale!" He beams up at the young woman, and speaks more quietly. "Thank you for saving for us. And even more for trusting us." He squeezes her hand briefly, then saunters over to the hole and peers in. "Do you want go down there right now, KC?"
"Let's try to get as much done as we can today Tobin," Kessel says returning to gaze down the hole with the dashing young halfling, "the longer we stay in the woods the greater the risk and the more it costs. Food, feed, and time. It all starts to add up. We might be able to cash in as we go but doing so runs the risk of others discovering about our little project. Claim jumping is a real risk in these parts. Someone might gain a claim on this property and then try to take everything we've already found as their own. The Law would be on their side as well.
"The sooner we clear this place out the better. Once we're sure we've gotten everything then we should cash out. Preferably in Waterdeep."
"Besides, it gives us a good excuse to get some more of that wonderful game and wild onions." Darie chimed in, but slowly moved towards the collapsed elevator. She looked down the shaft, and bit her lips. "That's where all the beetles came from, right? I'd guess... we better expect some more of them. They won't all have swarmed out just like that."
"This is why we must always be prepared," Kessel says drawing out his own vial of alchemists fire, "this seemed to work pretty well on the beetles before, always good to have some extra. Also we have some wooden torches somewhere? Let's light them and lower our magic torch down on the end of the rope. It's not going to burn the rope you see and it'll give us some light at the bottom of the shaft. The climb doesn't look too bad, as long as everyone is careful and takes their time I don't think it'll be a problem."
When you've all climbed down (which you can easily do taking 10 & using rope):
"Hmmm," Kessel says as he looks at the walls, "more of these tall bald characters. Tobin would you mind taking a quick look about? But obviously don't go to far ahead I think we all should be on the look out for whatever made those marks on the walls . . ."
"Sure thing, KC," Tobin says. He slips his goggles on and scouts ahead as far as the intersection, examining the floor and walls as he goes.
Tobin sneaks ahead of the group and looks down the two side corridors. To the right (left room on the map) he notes that the walls taper in a little, and in the nook of the far eastern wall rests a wide stone basin backed by a five-foot-tall-shelf. A hardened orange paste spills out over the two-foot basin lip and covers much of the shelf. Thousands of tiny beetles with bright blue carapaces skitter and tunnel through the chalky substance. A keening insect chorus fills the room. A huge organic mass completely fills the room's southwest corner. Judging by the beetles spilling from within, it appears to be an enormous nest. Beside the nest is a giant bombadier beetle.
Down the left passageway is a large room containing eight man-size stone slabs, about four feet off of the ground, arranged in two rows. A long-dead corpse, possible human, lays sprawled upon one of these slabs, his red leather armour the only hint of colour in the otherwise drab room. The north and south walls taper somewhat, and the short west wall abuts a small stone stage. A red clay statue of a powerfully built warrior weilding a cylinder-headed great-club stands upon the stage, it's eyes surveying the room.
Kessel, unable to see down either passage yet, waits for Tobin to report.
"Ick," Tobin says, under his breath, then creeps back towards the others. "There are two rooms up ahead," he says, "one to either side of the corridor. The right-hand one is swarming with loads more of those beetles - I think it's probably their nest. There's also a huge beetle - bigger than me - in there!" He pauses, and looks over his shoulder briefly before continuing. "The left-hand room is much quieter - there's a big statue and some stone slabs in it, with a dead body lying on one of the slabs. I guess we should try to clean out that insect nest first, if you think we're up to it...?" He looks round the group, gauging their responses.
Darie nodded. "I think i can... make fire one or two more times. It feels strange, draining in a way, but I'll manage." She smiled at Kessel, even though Tobin had done the talking. "If Kells and you are up to pulling my backside out of the fire, I think it's time i finally start earning my keep and pulling my weight."
She seemed quite enthusiastic to continue the exploration. For now, the joy of being able to contribute to their progress clearly still had the upper hand over any doubts as to just what she was doing.
"I have a couple of vials of alchemist's fire," Kessel says as he quickly rearranges his belt, "Let's hit them at range before you go running in to blast them with fire. I don't want you . . . or anyone taking unnecessary risks."
Kessel glances down to the four way intersection.
"Let's share plans quickly people, those bugs might sense our presence before too much longer and I'd rather not make our plans on the fly. Especially where magic is concerned."
"Fire seems like a good choice," Kells nods, "Worked well with the bugs upstairs. I'll keep my hammer to hand in case that big buggy charges, but I have one more vial of alchemist's fire, also. Get your gear ready and give me the nod when you want me to lead off."
"Ok then," Kessel says, "I'd recommend we advance slowly, this hallway makes a good choke point, if we see any more of those swarms I'll use my alchemist's fire on them, Darie why don't you follow after Loriel, if we run into a large cluster you two can switch places. Kells you're on the point and we need you to act like a wall. Any questions?"
"So that puts me near the back, with my bow at the ready, right?" Tobin asks. He draws his bow, knocks an arrow into it, and makes ready to follow the others down the passageway.
Darie shook her head. The plan sounded sensible enough - now she only hoped she did not need to jump out in front of the others to hold back another deluge of small beetles. Well, she hoped that, but at the same time - it would be heroic.
"So that puts me near the back, with my bow at the ready, right?" Tobin asks. He draws his bow, knocks an arrow into it, and makes ready to follow the others down the passageway.
"I'm not sure how good your aim is, but try to shoot at the big bugs, once we take care of any swarms those things are going to be our biggest concern. Some of them can shoot acid."
Kessel glances at the walls again, seeming to look at them in a new light . . .
"Maybe we shouldn't bunch up . . ." Kessel begins, "no wait, it's too late for second doubts. Let's just hit them hard and fast."
"Maybe we shouldn't bunch up . . ." Kessel begins, "no wait, it's too late for second doubts. Let's just hit them hard and fast."
"Well," says Tobin, "the corridor runs about 15 feet before opening out into the room, so we should be able to stay fairly spread out. Particularly if anyone actually going into the room moves to the left, away from the nest." He takes a deep breath, as if to prepare himself for the conflict ahead. "But you're right - let's go get them now, before any more come out looking for us."
Closer inspection of the 'insect room' reveals that most of the insects are in the south-west corner (just right of the entranceway). Tobin also spots that in the orange sludge in the south-east corner there are three strange long oblong shapes.
The bugs don't appear to have noted anyones presence as yet so when you're ready you have surprise on them as long as you don't discuss plans too loudly.
Kessel pulls out his chalk:
.
.
.
.
.......|
.......|
.......|
___|
To
L
___ . . . . ______
......|. . K |......
......|D KC|......
......|T. . .|
"That looks good, KC," Tobin says, "but I'd like to make a small adjustment." He takes the chalk from Kessel's hand and quickly changes the position of his symbol.
.
.
.
......|
......|
......|
___| To
L
___ . . . . .______
......|. . K .|......
......|D KC|......
......|T. . . |
.
.
.
"This way, I can switch to my blade more effectively if and when the big beetle comes out." He hands the chalk back to Kessel, then moves quietly up the hallway into position.
Darie followed the different directions on the chalked map, and furrowed her brow, finally shrugging. "Alright. Just tell me where to stand, and what to do."
Darie followed the different directions on the chalked map, and furrowed her brow, finally shrugging. "Alright. Just tell me where to stand, and what to do."
"Remember the symbol that looks like a bow?" Kessel wispers, "here you are, next to me. Both of us behind Kells, if we trap them in the hallway you can move up and burn them, if they charge Kells Tyrion can move past you to lend support. Not the finest plan, but I'm hoping to catch these bugs in a cross fire."
Darie's face lightened up as Kessel explained the plan once more, in somewhat plainer terms. "Understood. Sorry, but... i remember that one symbol alright, but bunched with all the others, it sure gets confusing."
When everyone is in position, Tobin takes a shot at the big beetle by the nest.
initiative (1d20 2=19)
Kessel Can't exactly get involved in the surprise round but he'll get his alchemist's fire ready and throw should he spy any beetle swarms.
When everyone is in the places that Kessel indicated, Kells nods and holds his vial of the viscous liquid in his right hand and his hammer in his left. He runs around the corner and throws throws the vial at the mass of writhing beetles.
He finishes by stepping 5' out of the way (if possible) and passes his hammer over to his right hand and waits for the bugs.
Kells steps around the corner and manages to furn a few of the smaller beetles, causing them to scatter before regrouping and swarming out of the room. Tobin's shot misses the larger beetle but Loriel's hits, drawing it out into the open bearing down on the elf.
"Nice shot, Loriel," Tobin says, drawing another arrow from his quiver, "but I think you might have made it angry." He quickly takes aim and looses the arrow at the beetle.