Move 326: The Lizard Hole
Tunnels--Later, Day 31 (Marpenoth 16)The group, in various fits and starts, peeked into the side tunnel to make sure all was well. It was, in fact, not a side tunnel but a side cave of decent size with a small pool at its far end. The precious light stone was retrieved with no trouble, and a cursory glance around the cave revealed nothing of particular interest, with the possible exception of what one would assume was lizard scat.
It was not so late that the group could not cover some more ground if they chose to forego dissecting the lizards in favor of moving on. However, if it was decided to spend some quality time with the lizard bodies, they would undoubtedly need to camp either in this cave or in one reasonably nearby.
Aloysius looked around the side cavern, seemingly paying special attention to the pool. "Mayhap this would be a good place to camp," he suggested. "If yon pool is clean, and uninhabited, we could resupply our waterskins and wash."
Looking back and the dead lizards, he added, "If we are to dissect them, perhaps we could try and drag them away a bit from this cavern?"
"If the rest of you are ready to stop, it's okay with me," Echo agreed. "We need a place to clean up if we cut up the lizards but I'm not sure how to tell if the water's good to drink."
"I don't think it's a good idea to camp near the bodies," Jana said with an indifferent shrug. "I think the only reason nothing came, uhm, scavenging in the grells' caves was because it was the grells' cave and whatever other nasties were around didn't wanna risk being a grell's lunch. But here, well, I don't think we can count on that. If you guys need to get something out of the lizards, that's great, but I think it's too dangerous to hand out here long. Oh," she added, "we've not had very good luck with pools so far."
Jana looked at one of the light stones. "Can anyone make more of these?"
"An excellent suggestion," noted Aloysius. "Mine was extinguished when we fought the beast with the tentacles. Azrun, mayhap Stargazer could copy that
spell from thee. Our group should have as many prospective generators of light as possible. 'Tis something we would not fare well without.""I can make more stones, and will try the next time we rest." Olaf said. "I agree with Jana, butchering these beasts will only create a stink that will attract more predators. Let's move on."
"Oh, right... I forgot about that," Arachne's voice muttered.
"Oh, damn," Jana said with a sardonic smile, "if he's agreeing with me, maybe I oughta rethink my position." She paused a beat then laughed once. "'Cept I think if Echo and Aloysius need anything from those lizards' guts for their spells, we oughta go ahead and get it."
"Uh huh. If a grell can have the transperceptive gland, then I guess that anything might," Arachne's voice said. "And I guess we can't have too much divinatory capability. And, the same way that none of the neighbors wanted to mess with the grells, this cave might have neighbors who wouldn't want to mess with the late lizards, so it might actually be a pretty good location for camping -- um. Speaking of butchering... I realize that, since I'm not carrying any of our supplies, I don't know how much or little food we've got left outside of the cottage ... or inside of it, either..." She sighed. "I should make a list, but I'd probably lose it. (I can just imagine some other exploring party coming upon and puzzling over a piece of parchment listing so many pounds of iron rations and 'skins of water...) Anyway, the grells _reeked_, but I understand that surface lizards at least taste more or less like chicken. How're our food supplies holding up -- and is anyone else as tired of hard tack as I am?"
Aloysius giggled.
"Well, methinks some have opined that lizards and fowl are linked evolutionarily," he said with a grin. "But who can cook it? And HOW would we cook it without fuel for a fire?"
He scratched his head. "Not to mention the smell of cooking meat, not that it wouldn't be a welcome change . . . . "
Azrun nodded, "I can make more too. How many were you thinking we might need. I have a couple arrows with the light spell on them, too. I though they might be useful in a large cavern.....kind of like shooting one a distance to see how far the cavern goes and what might be in there." He shook his head, "Anyway, like I was saying, I can make two a day, but I souldn't be able to cast any of those web spells. I can do one and one if need be."
He looked to Aloysius, "You can copy it any time you'd like. Since you take last watch most of the time, I could leave it out for you when I go to sleep."
Aloysius looked at Echo. "I don't believe they have anything I am in need of," he said.
"Awhile back, gods, seems like years, some asshole priest cast a spell that made my armor get really, really hot. Hot enough to've cooked me if I hadn't gotten it offa me in time." She glanced down at her hands, grimacing at the memory. "Anyways, if one of you guys can get your gods t'give you that spell, we could cast it on a shield and use it like a grill or if we could find something to put water in, a pot or something, then cast it on the pot and boil it so's there wouldn't be as much of a smell. Oughta do that next to a pool though, in case it makes the metal too hot we can quench it. That spell damned near melted my armor and it was enchanted."
"Evolutionarily?" Echo looked at Aloysius blankly.
"Yes, evolutionarily," responded Aloysius. "You see . . . " Noticing Echo's blank expression, he fell suddenly silent. "Uhm, never mind." His cheeks reddened.
Echo looked momentarily uncomfortable. "I must've skipped class that day."
Echo listened to the others comments. "I thought someone wanted to cut them up anyway. I've got the components I need for now. If no one wants to see what's in them or, uh, eat them," she looked a little green, "let's not do it. It doesn't sound like the glands I need are rare so I'm sure we can find them if I need more. I'd be just as happy to keep going. If that's what the rest of you want to do," she qualified.
"It seems as if there are some few of us who may create permanent lightsources," Renn smiled. "For the next few days, I shall also devote some of my prayers to doing that."
"There is always the, ahem, food, if I may call it such," Renn chuckled, "which Corellon blesses me with the ability to create. It may make the dried, salted food we've been living upon appear all the tastier once we've tried it, but it is another source of food, if we wish it."
Echo grimaced and looked at the lizards. "Does anyone know how to butcher a big lizard?" she asked. "It might not be so bad," she added unconvincingly.
"Can't say's I do," Jana said with a bit of a grimace at the creatures. "But we still have the problem of cooking it, unless we wanna eat it raw." Judging by her expression, lizard sushi is not high on her list of fun things to try.
"What you said before sounds like it could work," Echo said. "If we have that spell. If we want to eat them."
Azrun went a few minutes looking around the cave, watching for anything that moved. "I wouldn't mind fresh food, but I'd rather have it cooked too."
Once he had finished looking around he looked by at he entrance of the cave, "So we're moving on? If so, let's get to it."
"If we're not going to do anything here, we should go," Echo agreed.
The prior grin on Aloysius's was replaced by a more sober expression. "Yes, let's move ahead," he said with resignation. "Anything we do to the lizards will attract something's attention. As much as I'd treasure the luxury of freshly cooked meat, we can't risk that and we can't spend time while others are held 'gainst their will."
He adjusted his pack and let out a tired groan. "Mayhap when Arachne next goes to the surface, she can return with a more palateable meal than we have become accustomed to."
Aloysius stood ready to move ahead.
Jana shifted her pack to a more comfortable position. "I'm ready to go."
Renn grinned as he slung his pack over his shoulders. "Some freshly cooked meat would be most welcome," he laughed. "Unfortunately, the magic which Jana spoke of," he continued with a nod in Jana's direction, "is not a prayer which Corellon blesses me with. I could, however, pray for a spell which would make a fire burn substantially longer, were we to have the means to start one.
"Ahhh, roast lizard, with a side dish of greens, some freshly baked bread, and a goblet of Evermead. Such images I'll keep in mind as we feast this next rest period," Renn shook his head and heaved a woeful sigh, though the smile never left his face.
Previous Move
Next Move
Back to Move Summaries
Back to Night Below Main Page
