Move 270: The Shoppers Return
Tunnels--Late, Day 22Most of the spellcasters, wizard or priest, easily found ways to occupy themselves as the time passed. Copying and casting spells occupied Aloysius and Echo. Renn and Olaf both performed acts of worship, Olaf spending the day in prayer and Renn creating an illusion of the night sky on the cavern ceiling. It was beautiful and a welcome sight to most who saw it, a brief reminder of the things that were waiting outside of these dismal caverns. Daelen took a walk in the tunnels, an idea to which Jana, who had been occupying herself by performing necessary equipment maintenance, objected.
The group was beginning to become attuned to the quiet noises of the tunnels around them, occasional drips of water, nearly imperceptible creakings of the rock, and enough soft skittering to remind them that they were not entirely alone.
"I felt something in my head," Echo told the others. "I hope it was Arachne. I think she said contact me
if she was going to be another day, but I'm not sure." She yawned fiercely.Aloysius sat working with a book for quite a while. Eventually, he began muttering to himself under his
breath as his brow furrowed. Finally, he pushed the book aside and stood up, grumbling louder and louder."Damn it!" he cursed as he began stalking around the cavern. "Mystra, you taunt me! Why?!?"
His face was twisted with frustration as he looked around for something to vent his rage on. Seeing nothing, he sat down where he stood and hacked at the floor sullenly with one of his normal daggers. Eventually, he returned to his books and continued working.
Blacky stopped caring for his weapons and armor and covered his light stone. He laid back and resting his head on his pack stared into the "night sky". As Renn's song continued on he looked more relaxed and content than he had in many days. By the time Renn had finished his ritual, Blacky had dozed off.
After roughly half an hour passed, Daelen had not returned from his solitary ramble.
Aloysius sighed and looked up, still frustrated by something involving his book. "Wonder do I where Daelen has gotten off to," he mused. "Should someone go and look for him?" he asked.
Echo sat up from her blankets, looking dazed. "Why did he leave?" she asked confused. "I'm too weak to go look for him, but someone can use the boots. I can try to cast invisibility on two people."
Aloysius shrugged. "Perhaps he got bored," he said. "My studies have gotten me nowhere. Perhaps I could go see about him. I already have boots that bear enchantment, Echo, but if you'd like to render me invisible, that would be appreciated."
"No," Jana said, her voice strained. "No one's looking for him. We can't all leave in case Arachne comes back and it's too dangerous for anyone to be wandering around out there. He knew that when he left. He knew we wouldn't be coming after him." She brushed back her hair and mumbled, "I should've knocked his ass out or something instead." She banged her fist against her
leg. "Look, I don't like it either, but we can't all act foolish just because he got bored. We'll have to just wait here and hope."Aloysius stared at the floor for a moment before replying. "As always, Janathell, yours is the voice of practicality. Daelen's actions were foolish. Howe'er, Stargazer feels obligated to assist him if, in fact, his foolishness hath placed him in peril."
With a nod towards Echo, he added, "Besides, unlike Daelen, I will travel unseen. I can't just leave him out there if he needs help."
"No," Jana insisted, her voice catching slightly. "I won't let you go. If he hasn't returned by the time Arachne and Azrun come back, we'll all go look. I understand, Aloysius, really I do," she implored, eyes glistening, "but we can't risk it. And he knew that."
"You won't LET me go?" asked Aloysius, a trace of incredulity in his voice. He sighed and fidgeted for a moment.
"Stargazer understands thy concerns, Janathell, although you may think I do not. Howe'er, if choose to go do I, 'tis my choice and none other's. As I said, I shall have far more care than Daelen did. I'll not ask anyone else to accompany me, as I expect the others feel as you do."
Looking back at Echo, he added, "If thou hath a spell of invisibility, I'd appreciate it. Otherwise, I'll need to use one of mine own."
"No one goes anywhere alone," Jana said, moving to physically block Aloysius. "Think about the prisoners down there. How're we going to help them if we end up getting killed because we wander off one by one? Our only chance is that we stay together and work together. I'm sorry Daelen couldn't see that and when he gets back, I'm gonna kick his ass. But we can't have people wandering around by themselves. I don't care if you're invisible. Think about it, Aloysius," she pleaded. "This place is pitch-black. Do you really think being unseen is that great of an advantage?"
The mage's shoulders slumped. "I know you are right," he conceded. "But . . this group is . .more important to me than the prisoners," he admitted slowly. "More important than . . . " He shook his head before trudging back to where he had been sitting earlier and sitting back down.
"Actually," Renn interjected, "if anyone is to go looking for Daelen, it should be me...invisible and alone." Renn held a three fingered hand up to forestall any argument. "Invisible and alone, I can see without needing a light to give myself away, and should I leave my elven chain behind, I can travel nearly soundlessly. I'm not quite as good as this elf-maid I know. She could come upon you and nibble on your ear before you even knew she was there," Renn said with a wistful smile, "but I can be quiet.
"Let's give him just a little more time though," Rennirolas suggested. "If he isn't back in about a quarter of an hour, I'll go looking for him."
Jana refused to let Renn go either, making it clear she'd prevent him from leaving with force if necessary.
"Jana is right" Olaf said from where he knelt in prayer, "We can look for the fool after we have all returned. Besides, it has only been half an hour or so. He is likely still just wandering about. We would most likely have heard any battle, as sound echoes through these caverns."
"Renn's right, Aloysius," Echo said, the dazed look still on her face as she tried to follow the conversation. "You need light and the invisibility spell won't hide it. I'm used to casting the spell for me and Arachne. I didn't think about that."
"I didn't mean anyone should go look for him alone," she added. "Too dangerous. If he's in trouble, there's probably nothing a person alone can do for him. Otherwise, he could have gotten out of it by himself. He knew no one was going to come after him
and he decided to go anyway. Maybe he'll be back in few minutes."Aloysius nodded. "Let us hope," he said quietly. "Tho' Daelen be headstrong and reckless, I rather appreciate his sense of humor and zest for life. He'll come back," he added uncertainly. "I'm sure of it."
"I hope so," Jana said quietly. She started pacing, staring off in the direction Daelen had gone.
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