Move 294: Resting in the Grell Nest
Grell Nest--Early, Day 27 (Marpenoth 12)A more or less default decision to stay put was made. Some more time passed, and Olaf woke up too. Everyone tried to rest as much as they could as the hours crept by, making necessary allowances for those hurt too badly to take a watch and those who needed continuous sleep to regain spells. The cavern they were resting in was still and silent. The piles of coins glinted with every movement of the light stones, and the odd glowing of the moss stuck in the cracks in the rock walls provided a small amount of eerie light to augment the magical lights the group had out. Arachne's invisibility spell wore off, allowing the others to see that the gnome, too, was bruised up a bit.
There was a tugging on the hem of his coat. "It's me, Arachne," the gnome announced. Then, "Um, wait a minute. I'm visible now, aren't I?" She studied her hands.
"Oh... I hope Echo or Aloysius won't mind..." she mumbled to herself, then remembered her business. "Where would you have me help out?" she asked hopefully. "I figure that, if we have a battle leader and a strategic mage, perhaps we might also have a master physic to co-ordinate after the battles? One of the god-called, I should think, since either of you command the greatest healing power. Anyway, I'm not going anywhere right away." She glanced over at Jana, then back. "What would you have me do?"
"Yes, that you are," Renn chuckled, "and looking a little bit harried, what might I do for you Arachne?"
"If both Olaf and myself are conscious, I would say after a fight worry about the front line warriors," Renn nodded, his arms wrapped around his knees as he sat on the tunnel floor. "The magi, Olaf, and myself usually have few spells left after a fight, but Blacky and Jana can still be a force with their weapons so long as they are hardy. But, like now, I think bringing Olaf along as quickly as possible would be the best thing to do."
Aloysius got up and ate a bit before hitting his spell book. After that, he withdrew another book and wrote in it for a short while. He stood up and walked over to where Arachne was, handing her a piece of leather.
"I shall restore thy armor spell," he explained before casting a spell on her.
He then went over to where the treasure was piled and cast another spell.
"Oh, thank you, Aloysius!" Arachne exclaimed, getting to her feet. "Now, I'm standing right here -- Oh, never mind: You can see me now, can't you?" She waited patiently through the casting, then asked, "Um, I can be both armored and invisible at the same time, right?"
The mage seemed to try and fend off the smirk that was spreading across his face, but was unsuccessful. "Of course," he replied. "Mayhap if the need arises for that later, I can do that for thee as well."
Echo said, "Azrun, I'll cast another armor spell on you when I cast mine. I think I have enough blessed leather," she added as an afterthought.
Azrun nodded, "Thank you, Echo. If I may, could I borrow your spell book to see if I might learn it and copy it to my own?"
She continued, "I might be able to tell what the gems and jewelry are worth. I look at them now if we are going to stay here. If we're moving and we've got a
way to carry them out of the cottage, I can look at them at the new camp."Azrun looked to the pile of treasure, "I might be able to look through and help identify anything too. It won't be a magical identification, but perhaps I know the story behind an item."
When Echo finished studying spells, she gave Azrun her spell book. She pointed out the pages with the spell he wanted. She took out a couple of strips on leather
and cast a spell on Azrun. She repeated the same spell on herself. She went over to Arachne. "I can cast invisibility on you now or I can wait until we are ready to move. Do you want it now or later?" With a smile, she added, "You know, I have a bell that we could put around your neck so we'd know where you are."Azrun laughed a little to himself at Echo's comment.
"I guess, since I usually make it last until it wears off, I should wait until I or we are ready to move," Arachne said thoughtfully. "It's a mixed blessing in camp: It'd help keep me from being attacked if we got surprised. But if I'm on watch, no-one knows -- either in the party or outside. And I have to watch to keep from obstructing or tripping people... The bell would be a help, I guess -- except that it makes me think of the story about belling the cat, which reminds me that I feel like I must be a 'fraidy cat, always wanting to be able to hide with the invisibility and wear the magical armor because I'm too weak to put on any of the proper stuff --" Her voice caught and she turned away. Her voice muffled, she said, "I'd like the bell, please..."
"I was kidding," Echo said, sounding concerned. "You can have the bell if you want it," she clarified, "but I was only joking. I hope you know I don't mind casting the spell for you. I think it's a good idea to have you invisible and it doesn't mean you're a 'fraidy cat." She started looking for one of her bells. She turned it over to Arachne when she found it.
Echo looked at Azrun and Aloysius. "I may have had a breakthough. I think I am ready to start working on more difficult spells. If you have any I could look at sometime, I'd appreciate that."
Azrun nodded, "I too seem to be ready for more difficult spells also. Perhaps, we can study them together."
Jana tossed a turned a bit as she slept, occasionally making soft, distressed-sounding noises. Eventually, she fell into a deeper sleep. When she finally awoke, she sat up groggily, wincing as she forgot about her injuries and moved with too much enthusiasm.
"We'll have to go to the next cavern to open the cottage," Jana replied, still sounding a little groggy. "We oughta check it out first, 'fore we all go parading in there."
"Do you want me to go take a look?" Arachne asked, eagerly taking a few steps away from the cleric. "I could -- Oh." She stopped. "I could be seen. Um." She glanced at Echo. "Well, I'm still the best candidate for going scouting. Not that I'm any good at it, but I'm probably the least scathed from the grells. And, if I _am_ seen and have to run for it, I wouldn't lead them back to the rest of you. Not unless they can follow a teleport. Shall I look, or are we not quite ready to go there yet?"
Echo smiled at Arachne's enthusiasm. "Do you want another invisibility spell?" she asked. She glanced at her feet, "You still have the boots if you need to run."
Arachne looked at her feet. "Oops," she said. "You should have them back, I guess. I never remember to use them. And when I have needed to run away, I've just blinked instead of trying to sprint." She shook her head. "I'm simply no good at making any use of these magical treasures. I should stop taking any of them, except to carry, I guess. The only reason the armor or invisibility works for me is because I don't have to think about them... Just coping with them, the invisibility, at least. I would like the invisibility, please."
"Let's wait 'til everyone's up and sorta in shape just in case there's something out there," Jana suggested.
The gnome went over to the cottage, which still stood where she'd left it.
"Well, we're not going to try to open it in here, anyway," the gnome said, picking up the tiny, ceramic house and carefully putting it back in her pouch. "I might as well resume carrying it. Better than leaving it lying around in the camp, at risk of being stepped on."
Olaf was groggy when he awoke, but laughed softly, "Guess Tyr isn't ready for me yet."
After sleep and prayer he started limping from person to person praying for healing. He went first to Azrun, then Blacky, then Echo, Renn, and finally Jana. He prayed twice over each.
Blacky began the laborious (in his condition) task of removing his armor. He stopped about halfway through, looking totally exhausted and disgusted with himself, drug a blanket out of his pack and began snoring softly. The next morning found Blacky cleaning himself and his armor while moving as gingerly as
possible so as not to bump the many injuries the grell battle had caused.Olaf distributed his healing prayers among the most wounded of the group, healing Azrun, Blacky, Echo, Jana, and Renn.
As the majority of the group began to awaken, Renn gave a shiver and blinked a few times to focus his eyes, his reverie at an end. He stretched languorously, and offered a weary smile to those who rose just as painfully as he did. With some water from one of the skins on his backpack, Renn scrubbed his hands and face. A small frown and a furrow across his brow showed some displeasure at something momentarily, but both faded quickly enough.
Before he ate of anything to break his fast, Renn settled near his gear, his crescent shaped holy symbol cupped in his hands before him. For more than half an hour, Renn sat in prayer, nearly oblivious to the movement of those around him. Finally he looked up and smiled as he lifted his holy symbol laden necklace and placed it about his neck where it belonged. He stood smoothly, picked up his healer's bag, and began to visit the wounded. Rennirolas happily checked bandages, and the various scrapes, bumps, and bruises they covered.
When he was with each person, Renn added a few softly whispered words to his
expression of encouragement. He said softly, "The magical prescence which was
detected at our camp before the fight against the grell has surfaced once again.
Be cautious in what you say."Once the mundane healing was taken care of, Renn once again visited the wounded, this time casting a number of healing prayers. He cast his strongest spells on those most seriously wounded, and worked his way through the entire party until all his healing boons were expended or none were necessary.
Echo looked concerned. "Do you have any idea what it is? Or how we can find out?"
"No, no, I have few ideas," Renn sighed. "Though I like to think that it is Carmeneren and her gnomish companions that scry us out, and pray for our continued success," Renn said as he offered a hint of a smile.
"I'd like to think that too," Arachne said. "I don't, but I'd like to. If the magic were from Carmeneren and the people, then I should think that they would've had much more detailed information about what was to be found along this route, and also where the previous party had met with fatal result." She laced her fingers in front of her. "I wasn't paying enough attention -- like always. Were all the grells
accounted for?"Azrun looked to Olaf and Renn, "Perhaps a divination spell might let us know who or what this presence is. Do either of you have such a spell?"
"Not at present." Olaf said softly.
"I need to search the equipment of in the grell's chamber, for I snapped the string on my longbow," Renn replied, "and hope to find a suitable replacement. Also, I am going to attempt an augary from there," he added even more quietly. "If that
proves to be of little use, I can pray for a stronger divination spell once I need no longer devote all my prayers towards healing."After examining the goodies in the treasure pile, Aloysius went over and sat next to Renn. "Rennirolas," he began slowly, "are you allowed to speak of Evereska? Suspect do I that it is a wondrous place. I have read much of it and someday hoped to see it, if humans are permitted."
"If only I were glib, I could do justice to my homeland's beauty," Renn sighed wistfully, and closed his eyes. "The valley is..hidden, high in the mountains that border the desert of Anauroch. Some of the community is built throughout the forest, homes intertwined with the towering hardwoods and conifers. Gentle waterfalls, fae creatures, and then the majesty of the city proper. Wood, stone,
buildings of magical construction, of no uniform architecture, all stretching towards the heavens."Evereska is also one of the few remaining centers of learning of the People here on the mainland," Rennirolas smiled as he continued his description, his vibrant blue eyes now open but still far away. "Some of the most powerful patriarchs of my lord, and truly, of all the elven deities, call Evereska their home, as do a number of elvish magi," he finished.
"Those are all reasons as to why our borders are strongly patrolled," Renn laughed. "But, I should like to think that with just a small amount of persuasion, all of you who wished it could enjoy the peace of Evereska."
Aloysius's eyes widened as Renn described his home. "How extraordinary!" he exclaimed. "Stargazer would be very interested in visiting such a place," he reiterated. Glancing at Azrun, he added, "And certainly, Azrun, if you share my desire to see the Realms, by all means, we should do that together."
The mage got back up and stretched a bit. "Suppose do I that we've still work to be done. Azrun, why don't you go ahead and look over the items we found? I will get a pearl from Echo and prepare to cast the spell of identification."
In reply to Arachne's earlier question, Aloysius looked back up the passage and remarked, "There were a few, perhaps three, smaller grell that fled through the other tunnel. So far as I can recall, all of the larger grell were slain. Surely, with the leader gone, any remaining grell would have fled."
Aloysius shook his head and glanced upwards.
"And Candlekeep, and Waterdeep . . ." he mused. "When Stargazer wandered into Scornobel, afore meeting Azrun and Arachne and . . . the others, I had formed an intent to travel westward towards Candlekeep." He jingled one of his belt pouches. "Alas, a lack of coin interrupted my trip, and I ended up heading
eastward instead. How'er, Stargazer hath not exorcised himself of his desire to see the Realms. Once this is over, I shall do just that. I have seen much of the underside of the Realms, but that was not what I had in mind.""There are many roads that can be traveled," Renn smiled. "And much that this land can yield, both in nature and in the flush of civilization. Corellon willing, we may all yet walk under the moonlit sky again, in the company of those who have been lost," Renn breathed.
Azrun looked to ALoysius, "If you'd like a travelling companion, Aloysius, I'd be glad to join you on such a trek."
"Candlekeep's not all that great," Echo said with smile. "It's full of stodgy old geezers. Waterdeep sounds like more fun."
Azrun laughed, "I've heard some wonderful tales about Waterdeep. The Blackstaff lives there. With a man of such power around, something is always bound to happen I'm sure."
"Fun?" inquired the mage. "Hmmm . . .I hadn't considered that. I had heard that there was a fine collection of tomes on Mordenkainen's Theorem of Transverse Matrices. I doubt they would let me read them though. I've naught to offer in return."
Aloysius gestured towards the pile of items he had looked through earlier. "That shield bears a rather potent aura," he said, "and the two potions and three of the gems are enchanted as well. Echo, if thou hast a pearl handy, perhaps I could take the time to analyze them in greater detail." He cleared his throat and fidgeted with his hands for a moment.
"If you are up to it, you could help me if you'd like."
Azrun stood wearily and stretched himself, "Aloysius, if you don't mind could I look through the items before you cast you identify spell. I'd just like to see if I recognize anything from the stories I've heard and read."
Arachne began giggling. The giggling became laughter. "You've ... naught ... to ... offer ... in ... return?!" she gasped out amidst the laughter. "When all that Candlekeep lives for ... is knowledge?" The gnome sat down on the floor, which was no great distance away. "Oh, Aloysius! You are hysterical! What do you think you've been gathering up down here?"
Aloysius gave the laughing gnome a concerned once-over. "I didn't intend to be . . . . humorous," he said innocently. "All I've really learned 'down here' is that I don't care much for it."
He thought a moment and looked around at the various party members. "Well . . . ." he continued hesitantly. "Maybe not 'all', but I fail to see why the keepers of Candlekeep would care to chronicle anything I've done or become aware of. It is dark underground. Trolls are evil. Grell are . . . evil, and rather more clever than trolls." He turned back towards Arachne.
"What else is there?" he asked with a shrug.
Arachne sobered up quickly. "You mean it, don't you?" she asked, then paused to run her fingers through her hair. "I apologize, Aloysius. I misunderstood your eagerness to visit Candlekeep. I thought there might be more in that place to interest you than the one book about Mordenkainen's Theory of Transverse Matrices. Or even other books about Mordenkainen's other Theories. Aloysius, it's dark underground, yes -- except where it isn't. Except where we find glowing fungus. Glowing fungus might not interest you, but an expert in plant lore might not be very interested in Mordenkainen's Theory of Transverse Matrices, either. The denizens of Candlekeep would be interested in bartering with both you and that plant lore expert, though they may have a less discriminating interest in the information itself than either of you. True, you must observe more thoroughly than to declare simply that it is dark underground. But you'd be rather less than pleased, I think, to read of Mordenkainen's Theory of Transverse Matrices only that it is as yet unproved. That, after all, is something that we could deduce without any exploration at all. "I think, Aloysius, that what you want to do in order to profit from a visit to Candlekeep, might be to enlist Azrun's help in composing a chronicle of your explorations down here. Azrun could help you to create a narrative that is informative to those who stay on the surface as well as interesting. And commercial," she added thoughtfully.
Azrun laughed with Arachne, "She is right, Aloysius. Even though you think of it as petty, you are still aquiring knowledge you had not before. If you didn't have it before, some people don't have it now. Life is all about knowledge. You are constantly learning things you did not know before. You can keep that knowledge to yourself or share it with other and help them grow to."
Aloysius nodded slowly after a moment's thought. "Mayhap. I'd have no way of knowing such things," he explained. "Although I suspect that there be far more tomes that would interest Stargazer at Candlekeep than e'er he could read. I suppose I should not assume that that which I find uninteresting may strike another in a like manner. After all, knowledge is propagated through those with varied interests."
He nodded again, this time with more enthusiasm. "Point taken, Arachne. If Stargazer's experiences have value to someone, then mayhap they can be bartered to obtain information of interest to me. I hadn't considered the possibility that knowledge could act as a commodity in that fashion. Perhaps the world isn't as bleak a place as I had once thought."
Azrun looked, "As long as there is hope, Aloysius, the world is never bleak. Some times hope is the only thing that keeps us going, especially when all else is gone." Azrun looked quite sad when he finished. He turned back to his journal and spell book and became quiet.
Blacky looked up from where he was seated, caring for his weapons."With all the coin we have accumulated, I would think you could purchase entry into their library to look at what you wish." He said extending a hand toward the hoard of coin and gems.
Azrun shook his head, "Candlekeep is a place of knowledge. Money doesn't mean much to them. Sharing your knowledge is the price for entry. Not really a cost at all considering how much they have to share with you."
"Doesn't sound like much of a place for me. Unless they'd be interested in a book titled 'How to get your ass handed to you by a variety of evil creatures, featuring a special section on flying brains'" Blacky said with a laugh, obviously feeling better after the healing.
Azrun laughed with Blacky, "Well, I do keep a journal of our exploits. I've been writing in it since we first met. When I was taken to Cormyr, I handed it off to Aloysius. I gave it to him so he could see where we had been. He took up the task of keeping notes in it while I was gone. Now I believe we both keep track of our adventures. The fights are missing some stuff since I seem to go down pretty soon into them." He chuckled, "Oh well."
Echo listened to the conversation about places to see, listening intently to Renn's description of Everska. She shook her head and laughed quietly at the Candlekeep discussion between Azrun and Aloysius. "If the two of you ever plan a trip to Candlekeep, let me know. I can give you some pointers on who to talk to.
I know of a couple of people who might pay for this story. Maybe it's a great place to visit," she shrugged. "I didn't enjoy it when I lived there."When the conversation died down, she walked over to Renn and spoke to him quietly.
Not yet invisible, the gnome scuffed over to Olaf and, out of habit, announced herself: "Excuse me? It's me, Arachne. Um, I'm not going anywhere right away, it seems, and Renn thinks that the best way for me to help is to continue working on patching you up? Do you mind? I, um, did some before, while you were asleep."
The battered old priest smiled, "My own healing is exhausted. I would welcome your aid."
Aloysius had taken the pearl from Echo and placed it in his pouch. "Oh. Umm, if you need to . . . talk with Azrun about spells, I can . . perform the identification myself. I . . . understand, I mean," he added with a nervous giggle.
As his face reddened, he slinked off to gather the potions and the three gems he had analyzed earlier so he could prepare to do the identification.
"I'll need some . . .time . . .to get this done," he explained to the group in general. "So, if anyone needs me, I'll . . . be . . .unavailable . . . for a time."
He scurried off to a distant wall of the cavern and began his preparations.
Echo gave Aloysius a puzzled look as the mage walked off. "I'm going to look through the gems we found," she told him. "If I have the time later, I might start looking for spells to work on in the books we have. Are they in the cottage? I'm not sure who has them."
"Cottage . . " Aloysius mumbled as he moved away.
Jana looked up, frowning at the talk of journals. "Uhm, Azrun? Just how detailed do you get in your journals? I mean, what do you write about us? Me, I mean."
Azrun smiled, "Worry not, Jana. There are no bad words said of any of you. Certain events are written down in a toned down fashion. Loud arguments are seen as small disagreements and glossed over. I care about all of you, Jana. Some more than others, but only because I really haven't gotten to know them. You've all become my family. It's why I'm a little protective of you all. I lost my family once and it nearly drove me mad. I don't think I could handle such a loss again." Sadness filled his eyes again and he returned to his journal silently.
"No," Jana replied hesitantly, "that's not it. I mean, call me a bitch if you wanna call me a bitch. It's just that I'd appreciate it if you'd not mention that Lytern's the father of my child." She brushed her hair back nervously. "I mean, he's got a wife and all now and my daughter's going to have enough to deal with growing up without a father, so I'd appreciate it if you just didn't mention that small detail. Please," she added, including everyone in her gaze.
Azrun looked up from his journal, "I don't think you're a bitch, Jana. We did not get along to begin with, that is true. We've argued and yelled, but we are still friends. You're the closest thing I have to a big sister. If you want no mention of Lytern as your daughter's name that is fine. I will go through and make sure all mention is removed. Remember also, that Lytern's wife is gone. She went back to Cormyr."
"I'm hoping once the curse is gone," Jana replies quietly, "they'll reconcile."
Azrun shook his head, "I've met the witch. He's better off without her. Besides, I think his heart may belong to another and I think they might be good together. They'd be a better couple I think."
"Well," Jana replied, "that's none of my business, but he needs to get himself a wife and produce a legitimate child. And I want to raise my daughter far from here, where she won't be a scandal to him and me an embarrassment. Whoever that other woman is, she doesn't deserve having any extra crap like that complicating things either."
Jana sighed, then looked quizzically at Azrun. "Uhm, you know, I'm almost certain I'm younger than you are and I think you're a little taller than I am. Maybe you oughta think of me as a cousin instead." She smiled half-heartedly at the attempted humor.
Azrun laughed lightly, "Well you act more grown up than me, I suppose."
Jana raised an eyebrow. "I doubt you'd get a lot of agreement there," she commented.
Azrun shrugged, "Most people don't see things the same way as me."
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