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A bruised and shaken Bombor, helped by Heflam, makes his way to join the other three of you and Chip at the end of a long, wide stone tunnel that runs straight inland from the tower about 100 yards. It's walled with small stones and appears to be man-made, and as your eyes adjust to the bluish light at the far end, you see it is shored with timbers here and there where some sand has leaked through near the tower. At the end of the tunnel a small stream flows in through a stone pipe about a yard wide that also admits some reflected sunlight; the pipe must run in from a pool or spring. The water flows out again through a metal grill in the floor on the opposite side of the tunnel. There is what appears to be a collapsed stairwell here, filled in now with tons of sand and rock.
There are also a small supply of firewood, a few torches, and a few barrels at the end of the tunnel, and some rope. A small spot of daylight on the floor reveals a chimney hole at the top of the tunnel, which is a little higher here, over a dark spot on the floor that looks like it hasn't seen a fire in years.
A few minutes later, with a terrible, smoky, flame-shot crash, the tower end of the tunnel gives way and collapses. The far end of the tunnel, with its broken stairwell and its trapdoor, is gone. The tunnel is now twenty yards shorter, and ends abruptly in a wall of sand and rock.
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Turn 6 - Dane
I turn from the cloud of choking dust which is beginning to fill the tunnel and glare at Gepetto.
"What was that all about?" I ask calmly.
Gepetto's smug, wordless grin causes my blood pressure to spike. I closed my eyes and mentally recite the Mantra of the Resting Fat Man. When I open my eyes, the dust has begun to settle. Twix is petting and crooning to his infernal dragonet. Heflam and Bombor are still groaning and rubbing bruise marks in the shape of my feet.
"Um... sorry about that," I say, "If it helps at all, I had a wonderfully soft landing."
Bombor ignores me. Heflam spits another curse and probably frowns at me, but it's hard to tell with the swollen lump on his forehead.
Gepetto jumps up and, still wearing his smug expression, begins to climb into the stone pipe. I grab one of his quickly disappearing feet and pull hard. Gepetto slides back into the main tunnel and lands with a splat in the now muddy flow on the tunnel floor. The sight of Gepetto sputtering in the mud gives me a warm feeling. I clamp down on this emotion - it is not worthy of me.
I say, "You probably kicked a hornet's nest up there. It might be wise to wait here for a short time and evaluate our injuries and assets."
Ignoring the continuing pain in my sunburned and pecked loins, I turn to further examine our surroundings. "Sigh." Stuck underground again. When I used the monastery's foundation keystone to slay a pesky imp, the ancient structure had collapsed with similar noise and dust. There were also other survivors of that event - at least for a short time.
I spy the barrels at the end of the tunnel and move to look at them more closely. They are all sealed tightly and have strange markings on their sides. I hope it's not lung rot fluid or mago-lich homunculi. I hate it when I find those.
"Gepetto," I say, "You appear to be good at opening things. Perhaps you could apply your talents to these barrels."
“Hornet’s nest or not, we have about 2-3 hours until we get completely submerged by the stream… the collapsed tower blocked the drain. Waiting isn’t an option.”
Everyone looks down the gently sloping tunnel and can see the glimmer off the small pool of water already coalescing against the fresh rubble.
“Hey kid… how much can you understand from that sky Gecko? If he were to fly up that chimney and do a little re-con, do you think you’d understand anything he told you?”
As I expected, the dragonet bristles at being called a gecko and puffs a jet of flame at me. I duck behind the still pantsless Dane just as this occurs and tunnel is instantly filled with the acrid scent of his singed leg hair.
Bombor and Heflam both give a good chuckle at this, as do I.
Dane once again flashes that angry look at me I’ve seen several times in the past few minutes, and then he shuts his eyes and starts softly muttering some mantra over and over, “the fox, the river, the bloated horse corpse and the sourdough starter”.
On to business. Simultaneously, Heflam and I grab a torch and use them as truncheons to whack the cooper rings off the top of the barrels so we can gain access. Mine reveals: pickled vegetables and animal parts. The pleasant scent of vinegar, dill and mustard overpowers the burnt hair odor we were just smelling. Heflam’s barrel looks like it is filled with viscous lamp oil. He knowingly plunges his arm into the goo, fishes around for a second, and pulls out a Mace.
“There’s more. You put the weapons in oil to prevent rust if you know they are going to sit for a while. This is a stash in case of emergency that is meant to be viable for a long time” he says as he hands Dane the Mace.
Dane turns his nose up at it, “How about a sword?” he says hopefully and passes the mace to Bombor. “The salient edge of a sword is so much more elegant then the crude bludgeoning instruments favored by rabble.”
Heflam sighs (which he seems to do a lot), fishes around and pulls out one handed scimitar which Dane takes… but obviously he is still not content.
Heflam pulls out two more items, a battle ax and a packet of steel bits that upon further examination appear to be arrowheads with sinew. Sure enough, along the wall side of the barrels is a sealed long container that no doubt has a bow. Heflam already has claimed the ax… so I guess I’m the bow guy? Whatever, fine with me.
“What about me?” whines Twix.
Simultaneously, all four of us look at him and say, “what about you”.
I know the look in their eyes. Mockery and disdain. I've seen contempt like theirs before. They think I can't handle a weapon? Fine. Let them.
I gently stroke Chip. It's odd, he's only been with me for a few hours, but I feel closer to him than to any of these men. I feel better with animals than with people. I always have.
I wish I had my book. My precious book of spells. Not that any of them worked... well, not very well. There's magic in me though, I know it. If I could just figure out how to harness it. Maybe if I could shoot lightning out of my fingertips...
The others turn away from me. It's as though I don't exist. Perhaps I don't. If I were to be honest with myself, I've never been able to wield a sword properly. The scars on my arms and legs are mute testament to my skill at warcraft.
Still, maybe Gepetto's idea has merit.
Hold out my wrist and Chip hops onto my forearm and gazes directly into my eyes.
"You're a very smart dragon, you know that?"
He nods. He actually nods.
"I want you to fly up that hole, see what you can see. If you think it's safe up there, come back and bite Gepetto in the ass."
Chip looks at me askance.
"Ok, no ass. Can you give him a good singe, though?"
Chip chirps in agreement.
"If it's not safe, scorch Dane. If you can't tell, just come sit on my shoulder."
Another nod, and then tiny dragonlet launches off my arm, circles the others and ... cackles before rocketing up the shaft to the surface.
Gepetto peers at me. "Oi, what was that about?"
"N-nothing. J-just doing what you sssuggested. R-rec-rec ... he's checking things out."
Just as quickly as he had departed, Chirp reappears from his mission - and blasts a jet of flame down Dane's backside.
"Yaaaraaaaagh!"
Dane bats at the tiny forest fire on his ass for a moment before plopping down in the stream.
As the dragonette perches again on Twix's shoulder it seems to look at him and nod.
"W-W-We need to g-g-g-go."
"Told ya," swaggers Gepetto.
"What are you talking about?" I bark, readying my axe - more in preparation for another onslaught from the long-necked bat than a mere bit of posturing.
Twix rapidly stuffs himself into the broad pipe, the steady flow of water doing none of us any favors as it turns his white tunic into the most unimpressive shade of nude.
"There's no tuh-tuh-time."
"Huzzah!" Gepetto pushes the kid further along into the maw, with a suspicious Dane not far behind.
Dane gives me a quick glance over his blackened shoulder, "Don't let Bombor bring up the rear again." And with that he disappears in to the flushing darkness.
Bombor and I trade glances. His eyes meet mine in a steely gaze. "I like your manbag."
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