CH 4: Lair of the Dragon

[Jerrard]

"Indeed, we stick together, and we fight the Dragon if we must." He says, his face dark, his thoughts his own. "Come, let us see the Secret Way."

[Nuke]

All this flurry of activity doesn't even phase Riverwind, he half expected as much. As the move forward, he step in beside Tas. "She does tend to take over certain things, doesn't she." He is proud and impressed by her inner strength.

"I agree we must at least evaluate the problem with Raveneye."

[HorizonsDream]

"I...I don't have a way to fight or even defend myself," Sunstar states as she starts walking after the party. "And why are you looking for the...dragon?"

[JadedDM]

Flint huffs. "Here, lass. You can borrow these," he says, handing her a pair of hand axes. "They're valuable, so don't lose 'em. Or scuff 'em up. And make sure to clean off any blood that gets on 'em, or they'll rust. Hear me?"

[mltillis]

Caramon looks to his brother.... "What do you think, Raist? In for a copper, in for a steel piece?" He adjusts his pack and readies his sword before nodding to Sunstar... "Keep to the center of the group with Raistlin. Let Sturm and I meet anything that comes upon us."

[JadedDM]

"So it would seem," the gold-skinned wizard agrees. "Once again, we find ourselves forced into the ogre's choice. We have no choice but to proceed." He begins coughing violently then, his body wracking with pain. The spasm passes, and he wipes a trickle of blood from his lips. "Let us not waste any more time standing in this cold water. It is not good for me."

As the party proceeds forward, Tanis attempts to explain to Sunstar what they are doing. "Well, it's kind of a long story. Basically, these draconians and dragons are taking over Ansalon. We're on a quest from...well, she said she was a goddess; specifically one of the old gods that caused the Cataclysm," he says, unable to hide the hint of skepticism in his voice. "Anyway, she said that the dragon here is guarding some disks that will somehow or another, turn the tide of the war."

Tanis opens the next door, looking inside the room beyond with his infravision. He turns to the others and nods that it is all clear, then leads them inside.

It's a small, simple room with rivulets of water trickling down the walls. Although a great deal of water is flooding the room, that on the floor seems to b only a few inches deep.

"Well," Flint says expectantly, "what now? It's a dead end!"

Magpie shakes her head and points to the dwarf's feet. "You standing on it."

Flint moves aside, and when Raistlin moves his staff closer to shed light on it, they can see a trap door on the floor operated by a pull ring. Tanis grabs the ring and pulls, but the weight of the water is making it difficult. "Caramon, Sturm, come give me a hand," he says.

==============

Tanis makes a BB/LG check (1d100): 81, fail.

[Jerrard]

"Take this also my Lady." Sturm passes Sunstar a Dagger from his belt, "May Paladine protect you." He smiles and rejoins the group.

When they reach the grate he grins, leaning over with Tanis he tries to lift but fails. "I cannot lift it.".1d100=26 Fail

[Jenara]

Laurana walks on with the others, following Magpie she looks at the grating, "The secret way is down there?" She shakes her head, man she needed a bath, this was not going like she planned.

[HorizonsDream]

Sunstar tucks away the dagger given to her, and promises to take care of the axes that were given to her by Flint. She also sticks next to the wizard, but she shies away a little as he begins coughing. It is on the tip of her tongue as ask if the mage was okay, but Tanis' story tends to earn more of her attention. "How are discs going to turn the tide of war?" she asks curiously. Honestly, she seems to share some of Tanis' skepticism at this point.

[mltillis]

Caramon makes his way over to the pull ring...."Come on Sturm? You get soft the last five years"....Handing his sword to Lauranna or one of the others, he plants his feet and gives a huge tug on the ring, straining the muscles in his back and shoulders..... "Arrgh! It's no blasted use! The thing's wedged, Tanis!"

Caramon makes a BB/LG check (1d100): 47, fail.

[Jenara]

"You opened it, didnt you little one?" Laurana asks Magpie quietly.

[JadedDM]

"Honestly, I have no idea," Tanis admits to Sunstar.

Magpie looks up to Laurana and nods. "Took a whole bunch of us to pull open. Two of us, at least two," she says, holding up two fingers.

[HorizonsDream]

"Maybe all of us that have the strength to do it should try to open it at the same time?" Sunstar suggests.

[Nuke]

Turning to Sunstar as she spoke, Riverwing agrees, "That is plainswoman thinking, not need to out-muscle, when out-thinking works better. Sturm, Flint ,give me a hand."

He hands his bow off to Goldmoon and readies himself.

[Breila]

Goldmoon smiles as she takes the bow from Riverwind's hand. The compliment to plainswomen was not lost on her. She then goes over to the passage they came in through and watches out for intruders.