1629, Sea Season, Probably Fertility Week, Around Clayday
Context
The group is underground, having fought things that are trollish, and seen things that are not. Session SA4.14.
Events
Irillo looks thoughtful. “So, we’re thinking a trollish invasion of dwarf tunnels. Did the Dwarves worship the sisters, I wonder?”
“I think, yeah. The pit trap didn’t seem Dwarf, but the trolls said they didn’t know anything about this place.” Berra wince-shrugs. “So. There’s that.”
“Well, who makes skeletons? Your old friends? Some of the Chaos worshippers?” Irilloa has unfun suggestions.
Lenta slumps to bottom stair and hands her torch over.
“They were trollkin skepelons… skel e tons… too.” Berra offers to take the torch from the wilting Lenta.
The skeletons did burn nicely when Lenta ignited them, in that the flames were enough to damage them even if they did not spread.
“The thing by the sisters did, Irillo. And I suppose that one was a troll?” Lenta says, eyes closed.
“Why would anyone have needed to make them? They’re just skeletons?” Maalira sounds confused.
“They were moving. That does take some effort.” Lenta says quietly.1Maalira was not there for the session and didn’t have the context of the skeletons attacking. Lenta’s pose has been edited lightly.
“Yeah, you were a bit behind for all that shouting,” Berra says. “They attacked us, so someone probably made that happen.”
“Oh. OH.” Maalira shakes her head. “That makes more sense.”
“Yeah. They might have been acting on old orders, though, or there might be a Death Lord around.” Berra points to the ceiling, up where the trolls live.
Varanis seems to be deep in conversation with Dezar.
“They did say they do not know what lies on this side.” Lenta shrugs.
“The moss down here’s… well, you said yourself. Something probably comes in here, or is here. Even if it’s not from upstairs. So… two options really – go in a straight line so that if we need to get out in a hurry, Irillo’s magic can maybe help us on a known path, or clear things slowly in a circle and keep it clear. We cover the same ground more than once, and it takes longer.”
“Longer is sometimes safer,” Maalira says dubiously.
Berra gives her a nod-shrug. “I’m figuring anything that comes in at us while we’re doing that isn’t going to be waiting politely to be discovered anyhow, but I don’t know what vulnerabilities it introduces.”
“If it is not worse than this I suppose we should manage. And the spirit Mellia seeks should be benevolent if we find and can contact it.” the young Ernaldan has her hands around her knees. “It is rather chilly in here…”
Berra glances at Varanis, and then comes over to sit by Lenta. “Wanna dance? Warm up a bit?”
“I am fine. Just a bit tired” She looks at Berra and nods “I’ll warm up when we start moving again I am sure.”
“We’re underground,” Berra says like it is agreement. “Which means … hey, if we’re only using one torch to keep the air clear, that means no cooking, no fires… do skeletons count?”
“I would hope we find what we seek before cooking becomes an issue.” Lenta looks around “But I think two torches are safer once we underway. One can be put out if something happens to one carrying it.” It may be coincidence her gaze stops at Varanis.
“Yeah. An’ you’re the one who could light more, so someone else should probably be carrying one.” Berra’s eyes are still an eerie black – whatever magic she used for seeing in the dark is still on her.
Irillo looks thoughtful, “Those Death Lords…. the Trolls would know about them?”
“I figure so.” Berra shrugs. “If they come from upstairs. It could be there’s a way in and out of here they don’t use, though? I mean, the upstairs trolls.”
“Would they have mentioned one, though? I mean? If not to you, then to your… friends.” A beat, “What I mean is, is something else more likely?”
“You’re the one that talks to Salid most. Would trolls do that?” Berra shrugs. “There are other things, like, it happened years ago and they were here for that long.”
“Well, he’d probably tell me, but we… sort of get on. I don’t know about the regular trolls.”
“I don’t think that Humakti trolls would lie to us – but would Lord Eril tell you the truth if he didn’t want you to know it?” Either Eril is Berra’s go-to for Humakti, or her example for Humakti who send others into trouble.
He shrugs, “He’d be scrupulously honest with me. Just wouldn’t tell me everything.”
“Yeah. The trolls said this wasn’t a troll place, but there weren’t any Humakti around to escort us here. Or to talk to.” Berra looks around and rolls out her shoulders. “So we didn’t tell ’em what we found so far. But them wanting to look at anything we bring out of here – they get first dibs – means it might not be worth exploring like they might want us to.”
Irillo nods.
“No, Dezar. Not right now,” Varanis says. “Why? Because I said so!”
“If we gotta find a soil patch for a sword to go, can we have a bit of warning first?” Berra asks.
“He wants to hunt.”
“Yeah, not yet. We’re stalking.” Berra gives Varanis a worried look. “Uh, he’s not going to ask us to spray, is he?” Her eyes slide slowly towards Irillo, and then with determination she looks away.
“He’d better not!” Varanis says, startled.
Berra just stares at Varanis, not looking at anyone else at all. Then she cracks a grin.
- 1Maalira was not there for the session and didn’t have the context of the skeletons attacking. Lenta’s pose has been edited lightly.
