For More Than Glory

[Memnus]

"I think I wish I spoke their language, is what I think." He shrugs. "They're undoubtedly greedy. We may be able to turn that to our advantage to get the outer ring of guards out. After that, though, there's no good way of knowing how many more there are further in."

He glances back in the direction of where the cart is parked. [/color]"Well, I suppose I can make the best bait."[/color] He grimaces a bit at the idea, but doesn't seem to mind. [color]"Or if you give me a few more hours to work out the exact details, and a night's rest, I've almost worked out a new barrier spell that will help..."[/color]

 

[firehorse]

Valdir shakes his head as Fleck volunteers to lead the kobolds astray. "With appreciation for your courage, I don't think your talents would be best used that way. Someone like myself, Rolf, Snake, or Argus, being the fleetest afoot of us all, would be better suited. A convincing illusion might work too. Plus, we need your arsenal of spells to deal with the dragon.

If we wait another day, the dragon heals more, so I think we should strike now. Either route, take him out hard and fast is our best shot. We can always outrun kobolds if need be, but not the dragon. Once we lead the first bunch out of the cave, I can recon again to see if we have any more to deal with."

 

[Memnus]

"Alright, then. I can try bringing them out with a ball of fire down the tunnel, or lightning. Looks like a mouth-lizard would be a bit uncomfortable in there, so Bristletail can stand right above the cave and eat them as they come out."

((OOC: For tenth level I spent two skill points to learn Draconic, but I'll operate on the assumption that Fleck's still learning at this point, so won't understand anything useful. Those two extra spell slots won't be useful until another night's rest, either.))

 

[firehorse]

"That seems like a good idea. Can Bristletail and the rest of us take out all of them before the Dragon joins the fight? If not, we should station Bristletail in the forest somewhere and have someone, or some illusion, lead them to him. Perhaps we can even fashion some sort of trap. That way we can concentrate on the dragon without the kobolds. Divide and conquer..."

Valdir rubs his chin for a moment. "Argus, being the fleetest afoot, would you be willing to lead the kobolds out into the forest trap and Bristletail the Hydra?"

Valdir rubs his chin again. "Perhaps I was a bit too hasty wanting to strike now. Maybe we should be at our full strength when we attack the dragon. It might give us time to erect some sort of trap too. Although...the dragon will heal up more..." Shrugging, he adds, "What say you all?"

 

[Arkhandus]

Argus repliess "Sure, I can draw out the lizards. But I'd rather not give the dragon more time to heal and prepare. Could be tunnels underground, could be gathering more kobolds or something. Could have more elites, or priests, but I don't know. Never dealt with kobolds before on Hibrideas, nor dragons.... But I like the plan so far. How far out should I draw the kobolds?"

 

[Memnus]

"I say we do it fast. But if Bristletail is the trap, we can't lead them very far, unless you have better ways than I do of hiding a hydra." He strokes his beard. "Or... do you think there's another exit? If we sealed it up so the dragon couldn't get out, and stopped its minions from bringing it food, how long do you think it'd take to starve it?"

 

[Arkhandus]

"Starving it doesn't seem likely to me. That acid breath could probably eat through dirt and stone after a while, and kobolds aren't bad tunnelers, are they? Then again, collapsing the exits would probably give us plenty of time to get out of the forest and back to civilization, if we don't really want to fight the dragon again," Argus adds. The ex-monk doesn't look like he favors the run-away option, though, cracking his knuckles and scowling.

 

[Memnus]

Fleck looks wearily about the cavern, somehow ignoring the mingling smells of chlorine and burnt kobold. He is injured, but he waves off any offer of healing. He keeps his distance from everyone, and says little. Eventually, he folds down the side panels of his cart, rolls out his bedroll beneath it, and disappears.

Throughout the night, anyone awake keeps hearing turning, thumping, and the occasional muffled cry from beneath Fleck's cart. Any inquiries or attempts to wake the wizard go unanswered, though, and Fleck appears again for his usual morning watch. There are dark circles beneath his eyes, but some color has returned to his cheeks.

(New spell selection for the new day - heavy on various charms and Stone Shape. Elfinhaus could pull a small stone wagon, right? )

 

[firehorse]

Valdir spends most of the time that night bolstering the defenses, gathering any usable arrows and arrowheads, keeping an eye on their prisoner and new 'friend', and resting. He glances occasionally at the large haul of loot, wondering how they are going to get all that to town a week away. Then he shrugs, in his characteristic way, and turns back to other thoughts.

((I don't see why Elfenhaus couldn't pull one.))

 

[Arkhandus]

The party rests for the night and keeps a careful vigil in the dragon's cave, still stinking of the dragon's acid. Oruzanthanax is quite dead, fortunately, and none of his minions or allies show up during the night. By morning, everything's still secure, and the party starts preparations and planning for what to do now with the loot, the strange lizardman Zildrax, and everything else. Rolf and Argus start healing some of the nastier wounds that were suffered amongst the group, though neither can bring back poor Bristletail. The kobold cleric, who had been beaten up by Argus and tied up last night now appears to be missing, his ropes laying where he had been previously....