The Key to Victory

[Dragonwriter]

Jareth sighs as he drops his pack on the ground. "So one of us gets to go swimming. Fine. I'll volunteer, since I know I'm a decent swimmer. Though I'd appreciate if you would tie a knot around my waist and be ready to pull me back out at a moment's notice. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of nasty trap in there, even if it is submerged. And if anyone's got a spear I could borrow, it would serve me better underwater than my chain."

He starts removing and setting aside his nonessential items in preparation for the little dive ahead.

 

[HolyMan]

Tira looks worried as Jareth prepares to go into the water. "What do we do about them?" she asks. "They may try to escape while you are gone. Whatever is down there can't be that important can it?"

 

[Dragonwriter]

Jareth shrugs. "I don't know, keep them under guard. I don't think there's anywhere they could run anyways, and all of you will be hanging onto their weapons.

"As for important, probably. Important enough for their leader to personally take it down there and hide it. If I can find it, it might be usable as a bargaining chip of sorts, or even a token of good faith. Maybe, depending on what it is. Hey Ern! You seem to know something about what their leader had - mind filling me in on just what I should be looking for? You know, more detailed than 'a box'?"

 

[jackslate45]

Ern shrugged her shoulders and said "Before I had no idea what was in there. However, Haden screwed up. Remember when we were talking before the fight? He let slip something called the 'Crown of Issilis,' which I am willing to bet is what he had hidden down there."

Ern started pacing again, thinking through the situation. "The problem is, Haden could have buried it anywhere in that lake. If he did leave it in the chest, good for us. Otherwise we are going to be searching a while. And with no way to breathe underwater, you can only be down there for a limited time."

Still thinking about it, Ern rushes back to Haden's body, and starts thoroughly searching though it, looking for anything that could be useful. She then goes though Desnor's body afterwards.

EDIT: HM, any know rolls for the Crown?

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

Mind reeling with the newfound information, Mal can only look upon the body of Haden with curiosity. He knows that the powers bestowed upon a dragon's kamate are varied, and dependent on their lineage. The acidic breath gave way to the possibility that the dragon Vester was evil. The thought hits him, as he watches Ern rummage through to body of Haden.

"It will do you no good. Haden was gifted by Vester. The acidic breath. And I am willing to bet he was not able to climb walls as easily as me. That leaves one other option, of which I am reasonably sure. Haden was bestowed the ability to breath underwater. Vester is a black dragon, both in color and demeanor, I am willing to bet."

He turns back to Jareth, and nods. "There is another possibility of finding what we are searching for. Assuming this thing has some magical aura, one of the casters, or even you, Jareth, could attempt to detect the location of the item. If it's within range, you know where to look. If not, then try it while underwater."

Turning to the two thugs, Mal stares at them, wondering just what he would do to them. "Tell me everything you know about Vester, Desnor and Haden. Leave nothing out, or else."

He then listens, hoping to gather some clues as well as affording the group the time to make use of his healing aura. (Healing aura, heal 1 HP if less than 1/2 max HP. Can heal up to 1/2 of max HP and no more. Must be within 30')

 

[ghostcat]

Trinham listens to the conversation going on round him, while he continues to use his spell to clean Mal. Once he had finish he offers to clean Tira but is careful not to touch her without her permission. "Anyone else for a wash and brush up?" he asks "Otherwise I'll let the spell go."

Once his clean-up operation is complete, he goes to the water's edge, and casts detect magic. He slowly walks round the rim of the lake staring into the watery depths. "I don't know if this will work but its worth a try." he says.

[sblock=Actions]cast Detect magic. range 60' lasts 6 minuets.[/sblock][sblock="Spell List"]Sorcerer Level 0 Spells: Detect magic, Flare, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation.
Sorcerer Level 1 Spells: Color Spray, Grease, Magic Missile
Sorcerer level 2 Spells: Protection from Arrows
[/sblock][sblock="Spells Per Day"]0 Level: (X) (X) (X) (_) (_)
1 Level: (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X)
2 Level: (X) (X) (X) (_)
3 Level: (X) (X) (X)[/sblock]

 

[HolyMan]

OCC: No magic detected.

 

[ghostcat]

Trinham shakes his head, shrugs and says "Nothing. Looks like it will have to be the hard way."

 

[HolyMan]

The thugs sit on the ground weaponless as Tira watches them closely. To Malaroc's statement she says, "From the stories Vester was a green dragon, and very old."

"That's right, that's right. I never did see him but it was what I was told," one of the thugs says trying to be helpful. He then answers Malaroc with a long boring story of how he was part of a team to bring the box to Vester's old lair for safe keeping. It involved a lot of traveling at night, hiding during the day, and finally when they reached here Haden wouldn't leave without Ern. Of course he and the others weren't told anything. The Reaver's planted the mimic in the "fake treasure room" and then took up residence here in Vester's lair.

Aver finally seeing everyone milling about (or checking pockets without him) comes out from his hiding spot and joins the others. "If the dead leader went in the water I doubt he could set any traps down there, he would need to be skilled indeed to do so. But if there is treasure down in that dark water, I will go with you Jareth," he says then gets another greedy grin. "Just in case you need my skills of course."

Ernestine searches the bodies of the two dead leaders of this group of Reavers. She finds nothing to give her any clues about the Crown of Issilis, but as she searches she remembers an odd conversation she once overheard between the two men.

[sblock=Odd Conversaton]

"... but what are we to do once the Treylor get here?" Desnor was asking as Ernestine walked over carrying two plates for her leaders. The night was darker than most due to the cloud cover and she slowed her steps to see what she could catch of the conversation.

"The main Treylor force will be stuck at Siere for years to come, unless they want an army at their back as the try marching across the Five Kingdoms. We need only hide the crown then return to Vester, he wants the Treylor to deal with the Nandirly, or weaken them enough that we can finish them off." Haden says. Then hearing Ernestine's approach he turns to address her.

"Ah Ern, you've brought our meal, excellent." he says before starting once more to flirt with the woman. [/sblock]

 

[jackslate45]

Ernestine slowly shakes her head to the rest of the group "They have nothing on them about the Crown. It looks like Haden was able to breathe though some unknown method."

Looking at Mal with a shake Ern said "They are correct, he IS a green dragon. I only saw him once, at a distance, but I would never forget it."

She is about to start taking anything valable looking off of Desnor when the conversation she started mulling over finally seemed to click. "Guys, I have a gut feeling that the crown is what was stolen from the Treylor, and the Reavers were somehow responsible. It seemed that Vester wanted the Treylor to finish off the Nandirly, and Vester would then defeat the forces that remain."

After the thugs finish their story, Ern says "And that is why I was here. I left them, hoping to be left behind. However, it seems Haden didn't want me gone." Ern glared at the desecrated body before continuing her search. She looks at Tira, who probably would be in shock to hear confirmation of her story "NOW do you at least believe me? Hearing it from not one, not two, but three Reavers?"