CH 4: Lair of the Dragon

[Jenara]

"Thank you Sir Knight." Laurana lets out a girly giggle and reaches for the horrible ladder, moving slowly she waits at the last rung before jumping into the cold water, her teeth chattering. "You were not wrong Tanis, this is horrible." Looking up the Ladder she shouts. "Please send Magpie down, I will help her."

[JadedDM]

"Is fine," Magpie says to Sturm with a wave. The knight gets the feeling that unlike the women back in Solamnia, Magpie is not worried about getting a little dirty or wet. She pretty much lives in filth anyway. In fact, the water below might help clean her up a bit. She climbs down the ladder, joining Tanis, Flint and Laurana.

[Nuke]

Riverwind descends the ladder when it is his turn, once again getting wet. "Will we ever be dry in this city?"

[HorizonsDream]

Sunstar climbs down the later after Caramon and Raistlin do. "Such a strange group of people," she mutters softly.

[JadedDM]

Raistlin does his best to hitch up his robes, so they do not get too wet, before climbing down and taking the light of his staff with him. The tunnel is wet and about five feet across, and seems to go on for a long time.

"Unlikely," he says, in response to Riverwind, "as we are practically right beneath the New Sea. The ceilings of this cavern are all that separate us from hundreds of tons of sea water."

[Breila]

Goldmoon follows after Sunstar and Riverwind, hearing Raistlin's comment while she still is on the last rungs of the ladder. "Oh, don't talk about that, Raistlin, I'd rather not think about it" she says with a shudder, which worsens as she jumps into the cold water.

[JadedDM]

In the cold light of the Staff of Magius' crystal orb, Goldmoon could swear she saw Raistlin smirk at her comment--almost as if he enjoyed making others around him uncomfortable.

"Let's proceed," Tanis says, once everyone has climbed down.

Through the darkness, the tunnel runs two hundred feet south. About thirty feet before it branches to the east, Magpie comes to a halt.

"Now what?" asks Tanis.

Magpie simply points up. Sure enough, there is a shaft that ascends thirty feet to a grate. A ladder leads up it. She puts a finger to her lips. "Quiet now. Dragon hear good," she whispers.

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

Random Encounter check (1d10): 2, fail. No encounters.

[Jerrard]

Sturm keeps as quiet as one can i plate armor, looking to Tanis in alarm.

[Jenara]

"The Dragon?" She whispers, her face full of alarm.

[mltillis]

Caramon slowly and carefully sheathes his sword while staring upward at the grate....Turning to Raistlin he speaks, "Brother, can you mask the sound of our movement?"

[JadedDM]

"If only," Raistlin whispers back. "Then I would not need to put up with your incessant jabbering."

Tanis frowns. "Tas, go ahead and climb up. If you see any sign of danger, come right back down. Understand?" he tells the kender. "And above all else, be as quiet as possible."

[Nuke]

"All we need is a little idea as to what is up there, be careful."

Riverwind stops, tries to keep his gear out of the water. He reaches to squeeze Goldmoon's hand, and continues, "Keep an eye on Sunstar."

[Breila]

"Of course I do" Goldmoon answers quietly, shaking her head slightly because Riverwind found it necessary to remind her.

[Kafen]

Tas frowns and darts up the ladder as quietly as possible. (( trusts GM to roll )) He uses the pads of his feet and secures his weapon on his back before slinking up the rails. Marking the passage as he goes upward mentally, he takes note of the spots where its possible to catch oneself in a fall.

[JadedDM]

Reaching the top of the ladder, Tasslehoff arrives at the grate. It is left unlocked, but it remains closed. He doesn't hear anything nearby, but the only way to be sure will be to open the grate and actually take a look around.