Move 239: Still Dark, Damp, and Smelly
Tunnels--Day 14, EarlyAnother tedious day passed as the group rested from their latest encounter with the Topknots and the stinking lizards. The tunnels were quiet and calm as the time crept by. They each occupied themselves as best they could until they got tired. Arachne had determined that those who had eaten the smelly rations seemed to suffer no ill effects from them. They rotated through the watch order without incident. Under the care of Arachne, Olaf, and Renn, everyone awoke fully healed.
Aloysius spent the "day" writing in his journal, performing small hand gestures while mumbing to himself, and resting. He had a difficult time getting comfortable because his blanket stunk like troglodyte.
Late in the day, he attempted a spell on himself and then went to sleep.
The next "morning" he arose and studied his spellbook. He then pronounced himself ready to return to the Topknot cave.
As soon as he awaken and prayed to Tyr, Olaf moved over to the foodstuffs. "I will try to remove some of the foul taste."
Olaf chanted and waved his hands over the supplies. "Lord Tyr, Cleanse this food of its impurities, that we may partake of its strength for our trials to come."
Echo waited until Olaf cleansed the food before eating any. "Are there any prayers that would help with the smell on us?" she asked.
"I've got a couple of invisibility spells," she said. "One for me and one for anyone else who wants it. Renn? Arachne?"
"I'm not sure how good a scout I've been, but I'll go along with you if you need someone with the ability to see in the dark to go with you Echo," Renn smiled.
"I don't know if any of us can scout now," Echo replied. "We smell bad. I've got the spells though, so we might as well use them."
"All right," Arachne said. "I'm the one who claims that a stench that's local shouldn't make any difference. I'll go with you."
Echo cast an invisibility spell on Arachne. She cast the second one on herself.
After Olaf's prayer over the collected rations, the rancid smell subsided. Anyone trying the food found that the taste had been restored to normal. It was bland, but that was a large improvement over how it had tasted the day before.
Jana picked at her food, not overly interested in it. She sighed and started chewing methodically. After everyone had eaten the deodorized food, she said, "So what're we gonna do, go back and check the pit and that cavern?"
Jana gathered up her things. When ready to go, she said calmly, "Y'all need to choose a new 'battle leader.' Both of these last two fights, my orders weren't followed by everyone and people nearly died. I don't want that to happen again, so I'm stepping down. This time, for everone's sake, pick someone you'll follow without question. I'll do that for whoever you decide on." She immediately started down the hall, light stone just bright enough to see the ground in front of her.
Olaf sighed, "Don't be silly, Jana. You are not a babe in the woods and should recognize success when you see it. Both of those fights went fine, the group operated well together under your leadership. Changing things now is just what we _don't_ need. I fought trolls many times before, and never before have I seen a group so small come through a fight with the beasts without and deaths."
Olaf shook his head, "We do not blame you for what was not your fault, and it is unseemly for you to blame yourself. You are not omnipotent, and you cannot be held responsible for all that occurs to us, good or bad. We would not have it so ad neither should you."
"Agree do I with Olaf," said Aloysius. "We have fared well, methinks, and thy direction hath contributed to that. I see no reason why we should amend our approach now, after having met with success. Your leadership was new to us, and we will adjust to it as time goes by. Already I sense a greater harmony betwixt us. Please," he concluded in a softer voice, "rethink your decision."
Azrun nodded, "I screwed up Jana, not you. I was scared and reacted without thinking. Consider the battles we have been in before without you leading us and look what has happened. We lost Torro and Pug while I was with you and we were fighting lesser opponents. Olaf, is right on changing now being bad. We're just now geting used to everyone. Please don't step down because of me."
Arachne looked relieved. "Thought I must've missed an order," she whispered. "Hadn't noticed anyone else doing anything wrong..."
"If you do not want the resposibility, I understand. But the fact remains that you are the best qualified among us to be battle leader. No lives of ours have been lost since you have lead us in combat. That at least is an improvement over our previous experience. I would urge you to keep issuing the commands in combat and we shall endeavor to follow them." Blacky commented aas he prepared to take his place in the marching order.
Jana, who'd been walking down the tunnel apparently ignoring everything said since she stopped speaking, stopped. In the dim light of her stone, she could be seen leaning against the tunnel wall. She sank to her hands and knees. From the motion of her body and the none-too-pleasant noises coming from her direction, it was fairly obvious she was barfing up her breakfast.
"Well, I believe there's your answer." Daelen muttered as he adjusted the straps of his armor in preparation for the march ahead.
Every time Jana lost the contents of her stomach Renn looked ill. He stopped at Jana's side and laid a hand on her shoulder, then offered her a swatch of cloth with his other hand. "Will you be okay Jana," he asked inquiringly. "And..is this normal for humans to get sick during their term? I'm sorry, if that's an untoward question," he said quickly, "for it's frankly amazing to me. Elven women do no such thing during their pregnancies."
Arachne started toward Jana, then stopped uncertainly. "I missed something?" she wondered. "I thought I --"
"Oh." Arachne sighed, then added, "Right. Idiot," she added to herself.
Echo walked over and hovered anxiously a little ways from Jana and Renn. She gave Jana an extremely concerned look but kept quiet while Renn talked to her.
Jana took the cloth then choked out, "Please, go 'way. Just lemme alone for a minute, please." She sat in a crouch breathing heavily for a couple of minutes, dabbing her forehead with the cloth. Those standing very near to her heard her swearing in between ragged breaths. She'd expanded her repertoire; she was using elvish profanity as well.
"So what," Jana said, still looking faintly queasy, "are we goin' on to the caves?"
After some time, everyone was ready to move out to the troll caves again, although some seemed more ready than others. It was a long walk back and took a couple of hours to cover the distance. They made it back to the spot where the troll guards had originally been posted. As on the previous trip to these caves, the guard post was abandoned.
Daelen drew his blade with a grim frown and walked into the room. His expression became bitter and he spit on one of the black stains marking the final resting place of a troll.
"So, which way?" He asked.
Blacky followed Daelen into the room. "Can anyone tell where the trolls likely are?" He asked.
"Under that great big bridge in the sky?" Arachne suggested, adding, "Sorry. I suppose that this is actually supposed to be a solemn occasion. Um..." She concentrated.
Daelen couldn't help but smile at the comment despite his mood. "Let it never be said that you missed a chance to be irreverant."
"Um, Echo," Arachne's voice sounded from an empty spot. "Shall we go have a look? If you remember which tunnel it was..."
Aloysius studied the chamber. "Did not someone mention that noises were heard from one of these tunnels as the rest of thee were leaving afore? Perhaps we should follow that tunnel."
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