Move 267: Adieu, Arachne and Azrun
Tunnels--Early, Day 22Carmeneren, Blik, Ciekor, and Pruc left after being informed the group was not returning to Kalingri with them. Azrun decided to go with Arachne on her trip to the surface. The little gnome created a door, similiar to the portal she sometimes opened for the group to pass through only smaller, and instructed Azrun to crawl in. After he did so, disappearing into some unseen space, the door closed. Moments later, Arachne herself disappeared, a slight popping noise marking her departure.
Aloysius watched with intense concern as Arachne and Azrun disappeared. He then headed back into an area a little ways from the others and sat down on the cavern floor. He pulled out a vial of ink and a quill and began to study a book.
"Let's get settled down and establish a watch," Jana said, sounding tired. As soon as she was able, she stripped off her armor and gave it as thorough a cleaning as possible. She slipped on her less-uncomfortable studded leather to wear while they waited for Arachne and Azrun to return.
Renn nodded, and helped to set up the camp, if a few blankets thrown about and backpacks pushed to the corners of the cave could be called a camp. "We've trying times ahead of us, don't we," Rennirolas said somewhat rhetorically, "but amidst the many reasons to continue, I need to know if a name penned in a book is true or false," Renn said as he sat and held his flute case in his hands before he slipped the case behind his backpack..
When everything was as good as it could get, Renn opened his pack, and a number of items were strewn across his blanket, among them a few pieces of parchment, an inkwell and quill. Using the front of his shield as a desk, Rennirolas finished covering the front of a sheet in the flowing elvish script, an ongoing project of Renn's since the company had left Carmeneren's camp by the trolls. "One thing I am not is a poet," he sighed in jest as he blotted the completed page.
After his writing was finished, Rennirolas looked to his gear. A small brush in one hand, he took it to his dirt-stained and travel-worn surcoat, breeches, and mid-thigh boots. He hummed under his breath as he worked, careful not to disturb those who were performing their own maintenance, then splashed water into his mixing bowl to wash the day's dirt from his hands, face, and hair.
Clothing and body cleansed, Renn took himself and his writings to the edge of the camp. "This might be somewhat disconcerting at first," Renn smiled, "but it's the closest I can come to a moonlit night here in this eternal darkness." He held three holly berries in one hand and an amaryllis stalk in the other, then began an elvish chant. "Lord Corellon, grant me the light of the stars, the glow of the moon," Renn finished as he held, palms upraised, the stalk and berries. Overhead, the cave's ceiling took on the appearance of the night sky, with stars shining softly.
"For an hour at least, I can feel the open sky above my head, with the moonlit lady and her trail of tears," Renn beamed. He knelt by the page of verse on the ground, a second elvish chant came to his lips with spellcasting gestures mirroring his prayer. Slowly, the parchment and the words on them are limned in pale blue light, a light that spreads to encompass Rennirolas a few moments after he completes his prayer.
Renn began to sing, elvish songs of life, hope, and perseverance, and he danced in his bluish light and starlight until those spells faded, first the faerie fire, then as an hour passed, the starlight. Renn's songs continued for another twenty minutes, though the tone of his singing changed from the outpouring of life, to that of remembrance, revenge, and the strength of the light against the darkness.
Echo stayed in the back of the cave to do the tedious preparations to cast the identify spell. When she finished hours later, she cast the spell.
"I can't tell about the potion," she sighed. "The wand is one that makes cold attacks." She looked exhausted. As soon as she could, she got out her blankets and rested.
Olaf asked the two to come note the accurate date while they are gone. "I've discovered that the problem with my spells was I missed a Holy day." Olaf smiled ruefully, "Tyr is fair, however, and gave me a chance to to figure out my mistake. Took me quite awhile! I lost track of the days down here. I was hoping, after we discover the actual date, that we can keep closer track of time by mean's of Arachne's moon amulet." Olaf looked apologetically at Arachne, "If you wouldn't mind, that is? I thought we could check it every few hours, and I'll keep track of the date by carving a special notch on this torch here for each day."
After they leave Olaf spends the time while they are gone in silent prayer except when it is his chance to guard. He drinks only a little water and eats only a small amount of bread in penence for missing the holy day. "I would fast completely," Olaf says to any who ask, "But to weaken myself severely would endanger our mission. That would not be just to the group."
Daelen dropped his pack among the others with a sigh. "I can't stare at the same wall for two days, I'm going for a walk." Using his sword for light, he started down the tunnel.
"Do you really think it's wise," Jana said with a sigh, "for you to be running around in hostile territory carrying a damned beacon calling to any number of nasty things, several of which have been detailed for us, to come running to eat you?" She stood and said firmly, "Now, if you want to go off and get eaten, that's your business. It becomes my business when you put the rest of us in danger, which this little stunt will do. So turn off your fool sword and sit down. Be glad for the rest; it's the last you're likely to have for awhile."
"When I need your approval, I'll ask..." Daelen replied with a chuckle as he kept walking.
"Suit yourself," Jana said with a snort. "Just don't expect us to come looking for you. You walk off and you're on your own." She watched him leave, shaking her head. "Idiot," she muttered. She turned to the others and said, "We'll need to be a little more vigilant with our watches, in case he comes hauling ass back here with something hot on his trail."
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