Academy of Drell, Part 5


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Explosions

The group greedily sifts through the open cottage of the island weaponmaster. Exchanging the occasional ashamed glance, like children opening presents before they're supposed to, everyone seems delighted by the combat gear they find.

Once again, Lyrique mentions finding his parents as a priority, and so far, no on seems to oppose the idea, but before a definite plan can be set into motion, a heavy thud rocks the island. Similar to the ones from earlier while the group was in the grotto, these loud thuds aren't muffled by a pool of water and are crystal clear.

Carefully scouting out, the powerful explosions can be heard coming from a squat brick building where the Smatherspathers, the gnomish brothers, teach advanced alchemy.

Brandeles Smatherspather, can be seen crouched down on the roof of the blocky two-story building, with a large dirt-colored satchel next to him. Reaching in, he extracts some sort of flask, uncorks it, and tosses the bottle and its contents over the edge of small parapet around the building. A loud explosion follows from the apparent point of impact, followed by his clear cackling laughter.
 


"Rallyn!" Charlotte calls, and runs after the gnome.

"Hold up! It doesn't look like he's in any danger... look, he's laughing."

Charlotte runs towards the gnome. "...Brandeles, right?" She asks when she gets close enough. "That's seem pretty interesting stuff you've got there..."
 

Clarifications: Brandeles is quite a ways off on the 2nd floor roof of a small brick building. Perhaps 30'x30', two stories tall. The Smatherspather alchemy building is set well away from all other structures. According to apocryphal stories, it's because the gnomes are known to set things afire accidentally.

It is not clear at what Brandeles is throwing his explosive concoction.

The Smatherspathers are notoriously half-deaf.
 

Rallyn runs on, shouting, despite the blast-deaf gnome's cackles. The only reason Rallyn can see for the gnome using his explosive concoctions at this dire time is in defense of his life.

Though he can't see the orcs, he knows they are there and he is going to do whatever he can to help.
 


Victor charges his crossbow with one of the new bolts and goes after Charlotte.

"Don't try anything while I'm away."

"Who could have been so crazy to attack them?"
 


Smatherspather

Brandeles looks askance at the distant charging group, squints. Then covers his mouth in a gleeful smirk. He yells something, but it's unclear, as he points around the main door of the alchemy building directly under where he is crouched.

Just as he points, a few stray black-feathered arrows whisk by, almost nicking him. Probably the only thing that saves Brandeles is the cover provided by the small parapet atop the structure. Brandeles ducks down, then throws another flask over the edge.
 

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