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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7593545" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>They're still just shy of 9th level, so no <em>commune</em> yet, though Quellan will have cause to try a <em>divination</em> a bit later in the story.</p><p></p><p>* * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 282</p><p></p><p>The route down was not especially difficult, though Rodan’s chosen path frequently came close to sharp drop-offs that had them all treading carefully. But the descent stressed new muscles, and soon they were all feeling the strain in their legs. At one point, Bredan slipped and slammed against a jut of stone, hard enough to scrape the dwarf-forged breastplate of his armor.</p><p></p><p>“You okay?” Glori asked as she offered him a hand up.</p><p></p><p>“Only hurt my pride,” he said.</p><p></p><p>“Pride can be weighty, but sixty pounds of steel plate is heavier,” she said.</p><p></p><p>Rodan had paused at the disturbance and called back, “Do you need a rest?”</p><p></p><p>“I’m okay,” Bredan said. “We should keep going, it’s getting late.”</p><p></p><p>“Umm… is that bird heading this way?” Xeeta asked.</p><p></p><p>They all looked up into the sky. The dark clouds still hung low overhead, but they could see some specks in the distance, hovering high over the center of the valley.</p><p></p><p>One of them, in fact, did seem to be moving in their direction.</p><p></p><p>“That’s not a bird,” Rodan said after a moment.</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps it would be a good idea to seek cover,” Quellan said.</p><p></p><p>The stretch of descent they’d been navigating had been fairly open, but there were plenty of spaces among the rocks that suggested possible hiding places further on. Rodan led them that way, careful of loose rocks or anything else that could cause one of them to take a badly-timed spill.</p><p></p><p>The companions took frequently looks up at the approaching creature as it approached. As it got closer, they could see that it had a huge, pointed beak and a crest of some sort that rose up above an elongated skull. It was descending swiftly in a glide, its broad wings extended like sharp blades. It was difficult to gauge its size from a distance, but its wingspan had to be at least thirty feet.</p><p></p><p>Rodan found a deep gap in the ridge, flanked by a litter of boulders that were each large enough to conceal a few of them. He had unlimbered his bow, and quickly set the string as the others rushed past him.</p><p></p><p>The thing continued to streak down toward them. They could see that it had thin claws situated midway up each wing, and hind legs that were folded back against its body as it flew. Its beak was like a huge sword, and it seemed to shift slightly as the thing considered targets.</p><p></p><p>The last members of the column were still straggling toward shelter when the thing tilted its wings back and plummeted through the final gap that separated them. Xeeta spun suddenly and lifted her rod, summoning her magic. A bright point of fire shot out from its tip and streaked toward the creature. For a moment it looked as though the shot would miss, but then the bead exploded into the bright rush of a <em>fireball</em>.</p><p></p><p>The beast jerked to the side, but its size and momentum carried it through the blast with only minor damage. They could see that its wings and head were scorched with char, but it quickly recovered and shot once more toward its prey.</p><p></p><p>Rodan fired his bow, but the arrow narrowly missed the creature’s head. Bredan, already in cover, started to rush out to Xeeta’s aid, but Kosk and Glori pulled him back. The sorceress was already running toward them, even as the huge monstrosity loomed large behind her.</p><p></p><p>“Jump!” Rodan yelled.</p><p></p><p>Xeeta flung herself forward. Rodan caught her and pulled her behind the nearest boulder just a fraction of a heartbeat before the monster flashed past. It came so close that they could all feel the rush of air from its wings as it went by.</p><p></p><p>Bredan pulled himself up and poked his head out. He could see the creature as it pulled away, slowly beating its wings to regain altitude. Bits of sparkling light trailed from it briefly; Quellan had blasted it with a <em>guiding bolt</em> in the final moment before its attack. It didn’t look to be that badly hurt, but it no doubt had learned that this prey bit back.</p><p></p><p>“Is it coming back around?” Sandros asked.</p><p></p><p>Glori peered out past Bredan. “No, I don’t think so,” she said. She tapped Bredan on the arm. “Sorry about that, before. As big as that thing was and as fast as it was moving, it would have shot you off this ridge like a bullet from a sling.”</p><p></p><p>“It was the right call,” he said. “A close one, though.”</p><p></p><p>Xeeta rose, brushing off her leggings. “I do know what I’m doing, you know,” she said lightly.</p><p></p><p>Malik emerged from behind another of the boulders, staring at the shadowed form still visible in the distance. “What was that bloody thing?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve actually seen something like that before,” Quellan said. “There’s a skeleton in the National History archives back in Severon. It was called a ‘pteranodon.’ Though the one they had was much smaller, its wingspan maybe six or seven feet. They have been extinct in Voralis for millennia.”</p><p></p><p>“Apparently rather less so over here,” Kosk noted.</p><p></p><p>“We should keep on moving,” Rodan said. “Keep an eye out in case that thing or one of its friends decides to make another go of it, but don’t go tumbling into a chasm because you’re staring up at the sky.”</p><p></p><p>The sun had already dropped below the line of peaks on the far side of the valley by the time they reached the base of the mountains, but Rodan found them a good site for a camp before the arrival of full dark. The site was a good bowshot back from the jungle’s edge, in a sheltered nook surrounded by a scatter of boulders. A stream that trickled out of the rocks fed a broad pool that filled half of the nook. Just past the stream there was a gap that led to a hollow protected by a thick overhang that made it almost a cave. The space was clean, without any droppings or other indications that some creature used it as a lair, and it was easily big enough to accommodate the entire group.</p><p></p><p>The hard day’s climb and descent had left them all exhausted, so after a quick meal and refilling their various containers at the pool they unrolled their bedrolls, set watches, and collapsed into an uneasy sleep.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7593545, member: 143"] They're still just shy of 9th level, so no [i]commune[/i] yet, though Quellan will have cause to try a [i]divination[/i] a bit later in the story. * * * Chapter 282 The route down was not especially difficult, though Rodan’s chosen path frequently came close to sharp drop-offs that had them all treading carefully. But the descent stressed new muscles, and soon they were all feeling the strain in their legs. At one point, Bredan slipped and slammed against a jut of stone, hard enough to scrape the dwarf-forged breastplate of his armor. “You okay?” Glori asked as she offered him a hand up. “Only hurt my pride,” he said. “Pride can be weighty, but sixty pounds of steel plate is heavier,” she said. Rodan had paused at the disturbance and called back, “Do you need a rest?” “I’m okay,” Bredan said. “We should keep going, it’s getting late.” “Umm… is that bird heading this way?” Xeeta asked. They all looked up into the sky. The dark clouds still hung low overhead, but they could see some specks in the distance, hovering high over the center of the valley. One of them, in fact, did seem to be moving in their direction. “That’s not a bird,” Rodan said after a moment. “Perhaps it would be a good idea to seek cover,” Quellan said. The stretch of descent they’d been navigating had been fairly open, but there were plenty of spaces among the rocks that suggested possible hiding places further on. Rodan led them that way, careful of loose rocks or anything else that could cause one of them to take a badly-timed spill. The companions took frequently looks up at the approaching creature as it approached. As it got closer, they could see that it had a huge, pointed beak and a crest of some sort that rose up above an elongated skull. It was descending swiftly in a glide, its broad wings extended like sharp blades. It was difficult to gauge its size from a distance, but its wingspan had to be at least thirty feet. Rodan found a deep gap in the ridge, flanked by a litter of boulders that were each large enough to conceal a few of them. He had unlimbered his bow, and quickly set the string as the others rushed past him. The thing continued to streak down toward them. They could see that it had thin claws situated midway up each wing, and hind legs that were folded back against its body as it flew. Its beak was like a huge sword, and it seemed to shift slightly as the thing considered targets. The last members of the column were still straggling toward shelter when the thing tilted its wings back and plummeted through the final gap that separated them. Xeeta spun suddenly and lifted her rod, summoning her magic. A bright point of fire shot out from its tip and streaked toward the creature. For a moment it looked as though the shot would miss, but then the bead exploded into the bright rush of a [i]fireball[/i]. The beast jerked to the side, but its size and momentum carried it through the blast with only minor damage. They could see that its wings and head were scorched with char, but it quickly recovered and shot once more toward its prey. Rodan fired his bow, but the arrow narrowly missed the creature’s head. Bredan, already in cover, started to rush out to Xeeta’s aid, but Kosk and Glori pulled him back. The sorceress was already running toward them, even as the huge monstrosity loomed large behind her. “Jump!” Rodan yelled. Xeeta flung herself forward. Rodan caught her and pulled her behind the nearest boulder just a fraction of a heartbeat before the monster flashed past. It came so close that they could all feel the rush of air from its wings as it went by. Bredan pulled himself up and poked his head out. He could see the creature as it pulled away, slowly beating its wings to regain altitude. Bits of sparkling light trailed from it briefly; Quellan had blasted it with a [i]guiding bolt[/i] in the final moment before its attack. It didn’t look to be that badly hurt, but it no doubt had learned that this prey bit back. “Is it coming back around?” Sandros asked. Glori peered out past Bredan. “No, I don’t think so,” she said. She tapped Bredan on the arm. “Sorry about that, before. As big as that thing was and as fast as it was moving, it would have shot you off this ridge like a bullet from a sling.” “It was the right call,” he said. “A close one, though.” Xeeta rose, brushing off her leggings. “I do know what I’m doing, you know,” she said lightly. Malik emerged from behind another of the boulders, staring at the shadowed form still visible in the distance. “What was that bloody thing?” he asked. “I’ve actually seen something like that before,” Quellan said. “There’s a skeleton in the National History archives back in Severon. It was called a ‘pteranodon.’ Though the one they had was much smaller, its wingspan maybe six or seven feet. They have been extinct in Voralis for millennia.” “Apparently rather less so over here,” Kosk noted. “We should keep on moving,” Rodan said. “Keep an eye out in case that thing or one of its friends decides to make another go of it, but don’t go tumbling into a chasm because you’re staring up at the sky.” The sun had already dropped below the line of peaks on the far side of the valley by the time they reached the base of the mountains, but Rodan found them a good site for a camp before the arrival of full dark. The site was a good bowshot back from the jungle’s edge, in a sheltered nook surrounded by a scatter of boulders. A stream that trickled out of the rocks fed a broad pool that filled half of the nook. Just past the stream there was a gap that led to a hollow protected by a thick overhang that made it almost a cave. The space was clean, without any droppings or other indications that some creature used it as a lair, and it was easily big enough to accommodate the entire group. The hard day’s climb and descent had left them all exhausted, so after a quick meal and refilling their various containers at the pool they unrolled their bedrolls, set watches, and collapsed into an uneasy sleep. [/QUOTE]
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