“Well, how d’yeh suppose we get out of here ‘chief’ boss lady.” Duor said angrily.
“We still have a Hargak to slay.” Coerraine observed.
“Oy, Goldilocks. Yeh don’t think rock spikes falling from the ceiling constitute ‘death rock’? We were brought here to be trapped and killed…not do the yappers any favor!” the dwarf retorted, angrily.
Coerraine pointed toward the tall stalagmite the kobold captain had pointed to. His eyes glowed with the golden light of his gifted vision.
“That tall rock there…” Coerraine began.
“The stalagmite? By the lake’s edge?” Corrected and questioned Fen.
“Stall-ag-whatever. That one and a few of the smaller ones around it are most definitely Evil. Whatever else is in this cavern, there is definitely something to be defeated here.” The Redstar Knight said. He turned his gaze to the ceiling, unfortunately, whatever else those spike-creatures were, they did not register in his divine sight as evil. He mentally said a prayer that the companions had slain all of the things.
“We go back. Right now!” Duor began to rant again. “We kill all of the yappers and take their treasure…though, honestly, how much wealth could a buncha those no-good-fer-nuthin’s have? I say we round them up and herd them in here so the Hargak can kill them for us!” the dwarf said definitively.
The rest of the party looked at the wall of fallen rocks and stone that blocked their way back to mine. Then looked at Duor.
“How would we do that, exactly?” asked Haelan with all characteristic sincerity.
“This rockslide is a trap and kobolds do love their traps.” Kurn offered.
“And they said there was more of their clan to come through into the mine.” Observed Erevan.
“They will reset the trap?” Alaria questioned.
“They will have to if they want to get the rest of their people into the mine.” Kurn nodded, agreeing with the elf’s observation.
“Kobolds are almost as good at digging as our kind.” Kordun grumbled. The dwarf warrior’s pride was sorely bruised at being ensnared by so obvious a kobold double-cross. "They will have this cleared away in no time…Once they think we are dead.” He finished morbidly.
“IF they think we are dead. IF there are others of their kind to come through! THEN they will clear the blockage.” Duor raved.
“Then they will find the Hargak gone.” Alaria said plainly. “And we will reap the spoils of our arrangement whether they like it or not. Just because they don’t keep their word doesn’t mean we don’t have to, Duor.” The magess stated in her ‘commanding’ tone.
The others, particularly Coerraine, agreed with this…much to Duor’s disapproval.
Their wounds bound, their weapons readied, the companions set off for the tall stalagmite near the lake’s edge.
On their way to the water’s edge, Erevan noted movement further up the sloping cavern, near the opposite wall from where they had entered.
A small fissure was there. Evident, now that they were closer, it was easily large enough for humanoids to pass through. They were small and scurrying. More kobolds, Erevan noted. The dwarves confirmed the elf’s guess. The creatures scurried into the fissure and no further activity was noted.
“Let’s go kill some kobolds! Frag the Hargak!...assuming there even is one.” Duor enthusiastically proposed.
Haelan looked nervously at Alaria. Fen conferred quietly with Erevan.
“No, Duor.” Alaria said quietly. Coerraine’s heart was buoyed. The wizard continued, “The kobold chief said the only ones of their kind left here were their females and younglings…and the shaman. No doubt there is a limited compliment of soldiers left to guard them. But we will not slaughter those who have not wronged us.”
“They HAVE wronged us!!!” Duor burst.
“HAVE WRONGED US…-AV Wronged Us…-onged us…us…” The outburst echoed throughout the vast arched cavern.
Everyone looked at the dwarven rogue. Duor cringed a bit as his statement bounced off of the various stone walls.
“You are the worst sneaky dwarf I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.” Erevan seethed through clenched teeth.
Duor looked to his two ‘kinsmen’ for affirmation. Kordun was staring at the ceiling. Kurn simply shook his head side-to-side before continuing to march, next to Alaria, holding his torch aloft for the human wizard.
“What time is it? Should we, perhaps, rest a spell and continue later.” Festus interjected. The satyr did not at all like the level of tension among the group. His eyes, periodically, went to the ceiling to see if any of the dipping rock formations moved.
“It’s only mid-afternoon.” Duor and Kordun said in tandem.
Bollux, Festus thought to himself.
“We can do this, friend Festus.” Said the half-elf. His assuredness seemed as solid as the stone around them.
Drawing confidence from that, Alaria nodded the companions to continue. They meandered through the veritable “forest” of stalagmites toward the eight or nine foot tall pillar of wet stone the paladin had identified as the “Hargak”.
As the party approached a ring of smaller pillars that surrounded the tallest one, Coerraine identified four of the three to four foot tall stalagmites as also emenating ‘evil.’ The air was very moist and as they’d approached, the amount of lichen and moss, both glowing and dark had increased. A peculiar clear-ish slime coated much of the ground and rocks around them.
Was there more than one ‘Hargak’, Alaria wondered.
Kordun pointed to one of the small stalagmites and looked at Coerraine.
The paladin nodded.
The dwarf warrior stabbed his white-glowing broadsword into the slime-covered rock.
Immediately, the entire site went mad.
The source of the 'stone' immediately “grew” six small tentacles that flailed about in pain. A single large round eye shot open and a “mouth”, which has previously appeared as simple folded of dripped limestone opened to reveal rows of small pointed teeth. A crying screech went up all around them.
The other three small pillar that Coerraine had identified as “evil” similarly opened mouths and eyes and began screeching. All around the party, tentacles flailed off of stalagmites and whipped about furiously at anything close to them.
One, beside Haelan, wrapped around the daelvar’s ankle and Haelan was pulled from his feet to lie flat on his stomach with a jolt.
Another of the small pillars wrapped tendrils around both of Duor’s arms but not before the quick thief was able to draw his enchanted dagger. The ethereal green energy of the blade blended with the green and blue glow of the cavern about them.
Kurn was entirely surprised and became enwrapped in six tendrils from another of the small pillars, marginally shorter than he was. His face portrayed abject horror to see an eye and toothy maw before the creature sank its teeth into the dwarf silversmith.
Coerraine, immediately, stabbed at the thing holding Duor. It shrieked and released the dwarf. The echoes of the creature’s cry bounced around the hollow cavern.
Alaria backed away from Kurn and prepared to cast. Fen, also, was chanting something in the cryptic tongue of his order. Haelan was beginning to pray fervently.
In a simultaneous moment, a ring of silver light appeared around Haelan <cleric spell: Sanctuary>, Fen’s skin appeared to turn into a deep brown wrinkled surface <druid spell: Barkskin> and Alaria made weaving motions with her hands.
The energy flowed through the wizard, it seemed to her so simple now. So invigorating. She was casting her first “second tier” spell and the “power” that she felt flowing through her body was intoxicating. There was no swirl of air about her. No sparks around her person. No ‘raising’ of power. It was just there and it was hers to command.
“Arakii arachnaeus” <mage spell: Web> her mouth said without thinking. Undistracted by the things happening around her, Alaria directed her spell at the large, eight foot tall pillar of “stone” even as it began to bend and move.
A ball of white light burst forth from her hand to slam into the tall grey-green slime-covered “formation.” In a blink, the ball burst and the whole of the pillar of “rock” was practically caccooned in sticky luminescent webbing.
The smaller creature’s tentacles, two now circled the halfling’s legs, were immediately expunged from his circle of Santuary.
Kordun, despite his plate-mailed form, dodged a couple of whipping tentacles from the creature it had stabbed before the thing slumped forward and did not move.
Coerraine pulled Duor free from the creature who had entangled him. The dwarf slashed at the nearly four-foot tall creature, severing ends of two of its six tentacles in a swath of eerie green light.
“STOP!” <translated from dwarven > came the deep gravelly voice from the largest creature.
The sudden voice caused everyone to pause.
The exclamation was followed by the sound of rocks rolling over each other.
The creature holding Kurn released him and began to slink, rather like a slug or worm back toward the tall creature. The wounded creature that had gripped Duor and felt Coerraine’s spear did the same.
The third small stalagmite also inched its way toward the large creature. The one Kordun had slain did not move, instead oozed out sickly grey fluid out onto the stone, slime-covered, ground.
“It can talk?!” Haelan said, still secure in his Sanctuary invocation, careful not to move outside of its protective area.
“Are you the Hargak?” questioned Fen through brown cracked lips in Dwarven.
“It is what the furscales call me. I do not know its meaning, nor care. Just stop hurting my babies!” the web-wrapped pillar of stone said. Its single eye was huge. Its mouth was barely able to open to speak.
From its attempts to free itself from Alaria’s spell, several thick portions of its previously singular body became apparent. The creature’s tentacles, all presumed, like its offspring had.
“Babies?!” Haelan repeated in Common…not sure if he got the translation right. “It has babies?” he said looking at Alaria plaintively. His gaze shifted to the “little stalagmites” inching their way along slimey “tails”, that appeared no more than slime covered stones, to go behind the eight foot tall web-wrapped creature.
“You are the Hargak?” Alaria asked directly.
The creature looked to the dwarves among the bipeds. Kurn translated into dwarven.
“That is what the furscales call me.” The creature responded after a moment.
“Please, let me younglings go. I will give you treasure. I will give you whatever you want .” Said the spellbound creature.
“Gonna give us treasure?!” Duor said enthusiastically. “I don’t see a reason to hinder this monstrosity if that’s the case! More than the bloody kobolds did.”
Coerraine made a move to stab another of the “younglings” as it made its slow approach to its, apparent, “parent.”
“Coerraine, hold!” Alaria yelled.
As if by instinct, the paladin stayed his blow.
The creature continued to inch its way until it was behind its “mother”….”father”...whatever it was.
“Kurn, if you please,” Alaria began. The dwarf nodded and translated for the magess.
“You wil leave this place, and take your ‘younglings’ with you.” The R’Hathi wizard looked at her companions. None disagreed, though Duor looked at her somewhat pleadingly. His face was lit by the unreal green light of his dagger. Alaria knew her spell would not last much longer. She assumed the creature knew that as well.
“You will leave us you treasure. But you will not return here. If you do…we will return and slay you and your children.” Alaria swallowed loudly after the last statement.
“Release me and I will do as you ask. Just do not hurt my babies.” Said the weird creature in broken dwarven.
“Alaria, they are EVIL creatures!” Coerraine protested.
“It is but a mother protecting her brood, paladin.” Fen said in defense of the wizard’s proposition.
“And it’s giving us treasure, Goldilocks.” Said Duor irreverently.
“You will give us your treasure and we will stay here to make sure you leave and do not hinder the kobolds or darken this cavern ever again.” Alarai said again.
Kurn translated into dwarven.
The luminescent webbing snaring the creature faded from view.
One of its tentacles reached down behind it and threw a large sack toward the party.
“The furscales were trying to move this through the cavern .” The creature admitted. Kurn translated for Alaria.
Duor eyes nearly popped out his head to see the sack land, opening, to reveal coins and gems and who knew what else.
“That’ll do.” Said the dwarvish rogue.
“But Alaria…er…Duor… the creature is evil!” Coerraine protested again.
“We said we wouldn’t slaughter, Coerraine.” The Hilltender said sternly. “I will not kill ‘children.’ Would you?” his hazel gaze landed firmly on the Redstar.
Coerraine, despite himself shrank back from the halfling’s gaze.
“And it’s giving us its treasure…and leaving. That’ll be enough for me, pally.” Duor retorted.
“It is only trying to protect its young, Coerraine.” Fen offered in an attempt to get the paladin to understand.
The “heathen’s” reasoning did little to soothe the Redstar’s heart.
“And we now have more to contribute to Braddok’s raising.” Erevan said matter-of-factly.
“We will wait and watch, while you depart.” Alaria said to the creature.
The roper’s eye narrowed, angry to be commanded in such a manner, but unwilling to put its young at further peril. It had already lost one. It would not dare to lose any more from this bunch.
“The cavern is yours, heroes.” It said.
A piece of the floor, previously thought to be just another slimy stone formation ripped up from the ground. With careful purpose, it slithered itself away from the party. Its body twisted so that its giant eye was fixed on the companions. The three remaining younglings followed in a row.
“It’s just like a mother duck.” Haelan said innocently, watching the creatures leave.
Coerraine looked angrily at the cleric. The Hilltender did not notice. Duor was busy counting through the coins and gems.
“Kordun, if you please.” Alaria said nonchalantly and nodded toward the sack of booty.
The dwarf warrior took it out from under Duor’s eager eyes. The dwarf thief grumbled something inaudible.
“I propose,” began Alaria, “We stay here for the remainder of the day.” Her suggestion was met with questioning glances.
“We must ensure the creature does not return.” Alaria reasoned. “And if the dwarves are correct, give the kobolds time to clear the trap.”
“And then what?” said Coerraine defeated. “I suppose we’ll go skipping, hand in hand, with the kobolds back to their lair?”
The acid was shocking coming from the Redstar Knight.
“No, Goldshield. Then we …get even.” Alaria said. The gaze she shot the blond paladin put the young Redstar off his game. He nodded an understanding.
The companions, collectively, watched as the tall creature made its way among the natural stalagmites and disappeared through another, until them unnoticed, fissure in the cavern wall.
“Sharpen your blades, boys.” Alaria said to no one in particular. “Tomorrow, we will be fulfilling our end of the bargain…in spades.” Unintentionally, the air around the R’Hathi sparked a bit with arcane enegies.
Fen and Erevan shifted uncomfortably at the wizard’s obvious anger and malice. Haelan, as well.
Coerraine smiled. As did Festus.
Duor along with his dwarven “kin” grinned menacingly.
The party found a patch of stone free of slime with an overhang, in the event some piercers had been missed, and made camp.
“We still have a Hargak to slay.” Coerraine observed.
“Oy, Goldilocks. Yeh don’t think rock spikes falling from the ceiling constitute ‘death rock’? We were brought here to be trapped and killed…not do the yappers any favor!” the dwarf retorted, angrily.
Coerraine pointed toward the tall stalagmite the kobold captain had pointed to. His eyes glowed with the golden light of his gifted vision.
“That tall rock there…” Coerraine began.
“The stalagmite? By the lake’s edge?” Corrected and questioned Fen.
“Stall-ag-whatever. That one and a few of the smaller ones around it are most definitely Evil. Whatever else is in this cavern, there is definitely something to be defeated here.” The Redstar Knight said. He turned his gaze to the ceiling, unfortunately, whatever else those spike-creatures were, they did not register in his divine sight as evil. He mentally said a prayer that the companions had slain all of the things.
“We go back. Right now!” Duor began to rant again. “We kill all of the yappers and take their treasure…though, honestly, how much wealth could a buncha those no-good-fer-nuthin’s have? I say we round them up and herd them in here so the Hargak can kill them for us!” the dwarf said definitively.
The rest of the party looked at the wall of fallen rocks and stone that blocked their way back to mine. Then looked at Duor.
“How would we do that, exactly?” asked Haelan with all characteristic sincerity.
“This rockslide is a trap and kobolds do love their traps.” Kurn offered.
“And they said there was more of their clan to come through into the mine.” Observed Erevan.
“They will reset the trap?” Alaria questioned.
“They will have to if they want to get the rest of their people into the mine.” Kurn nodded, agreeing with the elf’s observation.
“Kobolds are almost as good at digging as our kind.” Kordun grumbled. The dwarf warrior’s pride was sorely bruised at being ensnared by so obvious a kobold double-cross. "They will have this cleared away in no time…Once they think we are dead.” He finished morbidly.
“IF they think we are dead. IF there are others of their kind to come through! THEN they will clear the blockage.” Duor raved.
“Then they will find the Hargak gone.” Alaria said plainly. “And we will reap the spoils of our arrangement whether they like it or not. Just because they don’t keep their word doesn’t mean we don’t have to, Duor.” The magess stated in her ‘commanding’ tone.
The others, particularly Coerraine, agreed with this…much to Duor’s disapproval.
Their wounds bound, their weapons readied, the companions set off for the tall stalagmite near the lake’s edge.
On their way to the water’s edge, Erevan noted movement further up the sloping cavern, near the opposite wall from where they had entered.
A small fissure was there. Evident, now that they were closer, it was easily large enough for humanoids to pass through. They were small and scurrying. More kobolds, Erevan noted. The dwarves confirmed the elf’s guess. The creatures scurried into the fissure and no further activity was noted.
“Let’s go kill some kobolds! Frag the Hargak!...assuming there even is one.” Duor enthusiastically proposed.
Haelan looked nervously at Alaria. Fen conferred quietly with Erevan.
“No, Duor.” Alaria said quietly. Coerraine’s heart was buoyed. The wizard continued, “The kobold chief said the only ones of their kind left here were their females and younglings…and the shaman. No doubt there is a limited compliment of soldiers left to guard them. But we will not slaughter those who have not wronged us.”
“They HAVE wronged us!!!” Duor burst.
“HAVE WRONGED US…-AV Wronged Us…-onged us…us…” The outburst echoed throughout the vast arched cavern.
Everyone looked at the dwarven rogue. Duor cringed a bit as his statement bounced off of the various stone walls.
“You are the worst sneaky dwarf I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.” Erevan seethed through clenched teeth.
Duor looked to his two ‘kinsmen’ for affirmation. Kordun was staring at the ceiling. Kurn simply shook his head side-to-side before continuing to march, next to Alaria, holding his torch aloft for the human wizard.
“What time is it? Should we, perhaps, rest a spell and continue later.” Festus interjected. The satyr did not at all like the level of tension among the group. His eyes, periodically, went to the ceiling to see if any of the dipping rock formations moved.
“It’s only mid-afternoon.” Duor and Kordun said in tandem.
Bollux, Festus thought to himself.
“We can do this, friend Festus.” Said the half-elf. His assuredness seemed as solid as the stone around them.
Drawing confidence from that, Alaria nodded the companions to continue. They meandered through the veritable “forest” of stalagmites toward the eight or nine foot tall pillar of wet stone the paladin had identified as the “Hargak”.
As the party approached a ring of smaller pillars that surrounded the tallest one, Coerraine identified four of the three to four foot tall stalagmites as also emenating ‘evil.’ The air was very moist and as they’d approached, the amount of lichen and moss, both glowing and dark had increased. A peculiar clear-ish slime coated much of the ground and rocks around them.
Was there more than one ‘Hargak’, Alaria wondered.
Kordun pointed to one of the small stalagmites and looked at Coerraine.
The paladin nodded.
The dwarf warrior stabbed his white-glowing broadsword into the slime-covered rock.
Immediately, the entire site went mad.
The source of the 'stone' immediately “grew” six small tentacles that flailed about in pain. A single large round eye shot open and a “mouth”, which has previously appeared as simple folded of dripped limestone opened to reveal rows of small pointed teeth. A crying screech went up all around them.
The other three small pillar that Coerraine had identified as “evil” similarly opened mouths and eyes and began screeching. All around the party, tentacles flailed off of stalagmites and whipped about furiously at anything close to them.
One, beside Haelan, wrapped around the daelvar’s ankle and Haelan was pulled from his feet to lie flat on his stomach with a jolt.
Another of the small pillars wrapped tendrils around both of Duor’s arms but not before the quick thief was able to draw his enchanted dagger. The ethereal green energy of the blade blended with the green and blue glow of the cavern about them.
Kurn was entirely surprised and became enwrapped in six tendrils from another of the small pillars, marginally shorter than he was. His face portrayed abject horror to see an eye and toothy maw before the creature sank its teeth into the dwarf silversmith.
Coerraine, immediately, stabbed at the thing holding Duor. It shrieked and released the dwarf. The echoes of the creature’s cry bounced around the hollow cavern.
Alaria backed away from Kurn and prepared to cast. Fen, also, was chanting something in the cryptic tongue of his order. Haelan was beginning to pray fervently.
In a simultaneous moment, a ring of silver light appeared around Haelan <cleric spell: Sanctuary>, Fen’s skin appeared to turn into a deep brown wrinkled surface <druid spell: Barkskin> and Alaria made weaving motions with her hands.
The energy flowed through the wizard, it seemed to her so simple now. So invigorating. She was casting her first “second tier” spell and the “power” that she felt flowing through her body was intoxicating. There was no swirl of air about her. No sparks around her person. No ‘raising’ of power. It was just there and it was hers to command.
“Arakii arachnaeus” <mage spell: Web> her mouth said without thinking. Undistracted by the things happening around her, Alaria directed her spell at the large, eight foot tall pillar of “stone” even as it began to bend and move.
A ball of white light burst forth from her hand to slam into the tall grey-green slime-covered “formation.” In a blink, the ball burst and the whole of the pillar of “rock” was practically caccooned in sticky luminescent webbing.
The smaller creature’s tentacles, two now circled the halfling’s legs, were immediately expunged from his circle of Santuary.
Kordun, despite his plate-mailed form, dodged a couple of whipping tentacles from the creature it had stabbed before the thing slumped forward and did not move.
Coerraine pulled Duor free from the creature who had entangled him. The dwarf slashed at the nearly four-foot tall creature, severing ends of two of its six tentacles in a swath of eerie green light.
“STOP!” <translated from dwarven > came the deep gravelly voice from the largest creature.
The sudden voice caused everyone to pause.
The exclamation was followed by the sound of rocks rolling over each other.
The creature holding Kurn released him and began to slink, rather like a slug or worm back toward the tall creature. The wounded creature that had gripped Duor and felt Coerraine’s spear did the same.
The third small stalagmite also inched its way toward the large creature. The one Kordun had slain did not move, instead oozed out sickly grey fluid out onto the stone, slime-covered, ground.
“It can talk?!” Haelan said, still secure in his Sanctuary invocation, careful not to move outside of its protective area.
“Are you the Hargak?” questioned Fen through brown cracked lips in Dwarven.
“It is what the furscales call me. I do not know its meaning, nor care. Just stop hurting my babies!” the web-wrapped pillar of stone said. Its single eye was huge. Its mouth was barely able to open to speak.
From its attempts to free itself from Alaria’s spell, several thick portions of its previously singular body became apparent. The creature’s tentacles, all presumed, like its offspring had.
“Babies?!” Haelan repeated in Common…not sure if he got the translation right. “It has babies?” he said looking at Alaria plaintively. His gaze shifted to the “little stalagmites” inching their way along slimey “tails”, that appeared no more than slime covered stones, to go behind the eight foot tall web-wrapped creature.
“You are the Hargak?” Alaria asked directly.
The creature looked to the dwarves among the bipeds. Kurn translated into dwarven.
“That is what the furscales call me.” The creature responded after a moment.
“Please, let me younglings go. I will give you treasure. I will give you whatever you want .” Said the spellbound creature.
“Gonna give us treasure?!” Duor said enthusiastically. “I don’t see a reason to hinder this monstrosity if that’s the case! More than the bloody kobolds did.”
Coerraine made a move to stab another of the “younglings” as it made its slow approach to its, apparent, “parent.”
“Coerraine, hold!” Alaria yelled.
As if by instinct, the paladin stayed his blow.
The creature continued to inch its way until it was behind its “mother”….”father”...whatever it was.
“Kurn, if you please,” Alaria began. The dwarf nodded and translated for the magess.
“You wil leave this place, and take your ‘younglings’ with you.” The R’Hathi wizard looked at her companions. None disagreed, though Duor looked at her somewhat pleadingly. His face was lit by the unreal green light of his dagger. Alaria knew her spell would not last much longer. She assumed the creature knew that as well.
“You will leave us you treasure. But you will not return here. If you do…we will return and slay you and your children.” Alaria swallowed loudly after the last statement.
“Release me and I will do as you ask. Just do not hurt my babies.” Said the weird creature in broken dwarven.
“Alaria, they are EVIL creatures!” Coerraine protested.
“It is but a mother protecting her brood, paladin.” Fen said in defense of the wizard’s proposition.
“And it’s giving us treasure, Goldilocks.” Said Duor irreverently.
“You will give us your treasure and we will stay here to make sure you leave and do not hinder the kobolds or darken this cavern ever again.” Alarai said again.
Kurn translated into dwarven.
The luminescent webbing snaring the creature faded from view.
One of its tentacles reached down behind it and threw a large sack toward the party.
“The furscales were trying to move this through the cavern .” The creature admitted. Kurn translated for Alaria.
Duor eyes nearly popped out his head to see the sack land, opening, to reveal coins and gems and who knew what else.
“That’ll do.” Said the dwarvish rogue.
“But Alaria…er…Duor… the creature is evil!” Coerraine protested again.
“We said we wouldn’t slaughter, Coerraine.” The Hilltender said sternly. “I will not kill ‘children.’ Would you?” his hazel gaze landed firmly on the Redstar.
Coerraine, despite himself shrank back from the halfling’s gaze.
“And it’s giving us its treasure…and leaving. That’ll be enough for me, pally.” Duor retorted.
“It is only trying to protect its young, Coerraine.” Fen offered in an attempt to get the paladin to understand.
The “heathen’s” reasoning did little to soothe the Redstar’s heart.
“And we now have more to contribute to Braddok’s raising.” Erevan said matter-of-factly.
“We will wait and watch, while you depart.” Alaria said to the creature.
The roper’s eye narrowed, angry to be commanded in such a manner, but unwilling to put its young at further peril. It had already lost one. It would not dare to lose any more from this bunch.
“The cavern is yours, heroes.” It said.
A piece of the floor, previously thought to be just another slimy stone formation ripped up from the ground. With careful purpose, it slithered itself away from the party. Its body twisted so that its giant eye was fixed on the companions. The three remaining younglings followed in a row.
“It’s just like a mother duck.” Haelan said innocently, watching the creatures leave.
Coerraine looked angrily at the cleric. The Hilltender did not notice. Duor was busy counting through the coins and gems.
“Kordun, if you please.” Alaria said nonchalantly and nodded toward the sack of booty.
The dwarf warrior took it out from under Duor’s eager eyes. The dwarf thief grumbled something inaudible.
“I propose,” began Alaria, “We stay here for the remainder of the day.” Her suggestion was met with questioning glances.
“We must ensure the creature does not return.” Alaria reasoned. “And if the dwarves are correct, give the kobolds time to clear the trap.”
“And then what?” said Coerraine defeated. “I suppose we’ll go skipping, hand in hand, with the kobolds back to their lair?”
The acid was shocking coming from the Redstar Knight.
“No, Goldshield. Then we …get even.” Alaria said. The gaze she shot the blond paladin put the young Redstar off his game. He nodded an understanding.
The companions, collectively, watched as the tall creature made its way among the natural stalagmites and disappeared through another, until them unnoticed, fissure in the cavern wall.
“Sharpen your blades, boys.” Alaria said to no one in particular. “Tomorrow, we will be fulfilling our end of the bargain…in spades.” Unintentionally, the air around the R’Hathi sparked a bit with arcane enegies.
Fen and Erevan shifted uncomfortably at the wizard’s obvious anger and malice. Haelan, as well.
Coerraine smiled. As did Festus.
Duor along with his dwarven “kin” grinned menacingly.
The party found a patch of stone free of slime with an overhang, in the event some piercers had been missed, and made camp.
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