[IC] Chapter 2-6: But Your Eyes Don't Agree

[DM Surranó]

The dwarves don't think the northern passage was under the waterfall. The depth was too small for that.

Lugar glances around with all tree secrecy he can muster in the presence of imminent threat, and spots nothing traplike. On the other hand, Koriolis spots him doing so.
"Looking for something?" He booms.

Shanna gets the meaning behind Lugar's glance and casts detect magic, trying to keep it secret of course, but cannot escape the dragon's prying glare. The beast's emerald eyes shimmer in yellow light for a few seconds, just before a milky white draconic shape forms out of nowhere, right in front of the girl.

"Interpose," is the only word the dragon proclaims in Draconic.
And indeed, all Shanna can see is the milky figure, barring her magical sight.

Tapatalkkal küldve az én ALE-L21 eszközömről

[Toot]

"Surprisingly well said, especially coming from a poor excuse of goat turd," the dragon replies, apparently satisfied by the flattery. "I guess you deserve an answer. I shaped all of those stoneworks. Part decoration, part history, part present. But most of them are wards. I don't like uninvited visitors, and those who pass them are worthy of my presence... yes, this is a compliment you better feel thankful for."

"Goat turd, yes, thank you, oh terrible one," Toot grovels.  "Allowing us to be in your presence is incredibly magnanimous of you, oh generous but terrifying Sovereign.  The wards are a stunning masterpiece."

While Toot is groveling, he will hesitantly glance at the stonework, allowing his helm of comprehend languages and read magic, to do its work.  

After some pause, he continues, while lazily turning around and stalking back to the far end of his lair. His gait is graceful like a cat's, and his steps are lighter than Lugar's ... when he really means to be quiet, that is. 

"I live here alone, ever since I parted with my mate and our young. That tentacled thing you saw-- it's not a flayer, more like a stalker But if you want to learn more you have to look deeper."

"Look deeper, Emerald Lord of Fright?" Toot asks.  "May I ask you if you would enlighten us with your superior intellect?

[Silent Giant]

The dwarves don't think the northern passage was under the waterfall. The depth was too small for that.

Lugar glances around with all tree secrecy he can muster in the presence of imminent threat, and spots nothing traplike. On the other hand, Koriolis spots him doing so.
"Looking for something?" He booms.

How does he know? We are looking for the key, aren't we? - the dump orc whispers to Lugar and Torin

[DM Surranó]

A brief recap--

Following the brief introduction Lugar said something that was apparently taken by the dragon as an insult. As a result, he sent forth a deadly warning, but no sooner than Torin could summon the aid of a lion as an act of expressive offense, and Zelgadis could raise a protective barrier, wind wall style.

The fool of a duergar apologised and Toot gathered all jermlaine courage (as if that were a thing) and spoke up in his defense, mustering all the meekiness of the race.
Shanna also spoke up, supporting the irritating squeaker, and started good, but it went bad when she failed to read one of the dragon's obvious insinuations. Well, at least, obvious for Toot the Wise, who continued with flattering flourishes as transparent as an invisible stalker. It was hard to tell whether the dragon's irritation or amusement grew greater in the following few exchanges when he strolled back to his hoard, letting the party see an opening on the floor, and actually seemed to reveal some bits of information as well... As part of the discussion, he actually addressed the doodid a not too flattering name which Toot, in turn, took as a kind of compliment by generously foregoing the "poor excuse of" part.

Unfortunately, Koriolis couldn't draw the attention of the meekling to this linguistic nuance, since Lugar mentally stole the whole hoard with his greedy eyes meanwhile, receiving an ever-so-alert question in an acidic tone. Giant reacted on that, whispering to the dwarves, and if the dragon heard that, he hasn't reacted.

Next, the duergar delivered an obvious message using body language to spellcasters drooling nearby. Shanna took the cue and secretly cast a cantrip, and the dragon turned his attention here, sending some summoned creature (the same milky-pearly white thing from before) to interpose with the loremaster's shining blue vision.


... So here we are, Toot's latest obscure question* apparently unanswered, but a milky white creature facing Shanna from pretty close.


* see comments OOC thread

[Silent Giant]

The blinking Giant readies his bow targeting the milky white creature.

[Lugar]

The dwarves don't think the northern passage was under the waterfall. The depth was too small for that.

Lugar glances around with all tree secrecy he can muster in the presence of imminent threat, and spots nothing traplike. On the other hand, Koriolis spots him doing so.
"Looking for something?" He booms.

How does he know? We are looking for the key, aren't we? - the dump orc whispers to Lugar and Torin

Lugar makes a cringing bulge-eyed face at Silent Giant, as if saying, "Quiet, he'll kill us if we so much as breath wrong in his presence!" ([url=bluff [1d20+4] = 9+4 = 13]bluff[/url] to deliver a secret message)

Then another of those milky white creatures approaches Shanna.  Lugar gathers his courage and shakily moves to stand between it and Shanna to protect her.  He did this not out of a sense of good but because he thought his chances of surviving this event would be better if she wasn't maimed or killed.  A wizard is a good thing to have in a fight after-all.

[Toot]

"Great and mighty Emerald terror, please forgive the lady.  Me know without any doubt that she not want to offend you.  With her limited mental capacity and the curse of insatiable curiosity like many of us are afflicted, made her act rashly and without permission.  Please, I implore you to have patience for us lesser creatures.  Like all animals we sometimes act upon mere instinct rather than wisdom."

[DM Surranó]

The blinking giant readies his bow.... (OOC - as in: ready an action for ...? or the verb "ready" is just a figure of speech here?)
Lugar tries to squeeze between the beauty and the beast... which surprisingly succeeds since Shanna is startled and staggers back as Lugar shoulders his way in. However, the creature does nothing more than what it's been instructed to do; interposes between the wizard and the lair.

Koriolis shakes his head violently as if trying to get rid of some liquid penetrating his sensitive ears, even though it was just the irritating high-pitched squeal of the party doodid. He speaks up in Draconic.

"Koriolis won't endure this chatter any longer. If you need Koriolis to explain how to look deeper Koriolis will rip your hearts out and you all can have a good look. You probably better burn yourselves alive. But Koriolis knows you are wiser than the average fairy and know better than angering Koriolis any further. Follow Koriolis."

The way the dragon keeps repeating his name is not unusual for dragons to refer to themselves in third person as a kind of emphasis for being superiour. Even dragons talking to each other do so.

With that, he strides forward, apparently willing to squeeze into the tunnel, seemingly undisturbed by the fact that it is currently filled with various bipedal life forms.
Taking a few steps back, Zelgadis keeps his vicinity to Torin, and asks,
"Now what?"

Those closer to the lair (practically, Lugar and Shanna) have the option to enter the cave, giving way, or leaving the way they have arrived. Those farther away (all the rest) have no other chance withdrawing... or stay in the tunnel, of course.

[Silent Giant]

Ready to fire if we are attacked.

[Lugar]

Lugar doesn't speak draconic but he can see the dragon is teetering on the edge of losing his patience with them. Lugar will give way to the dragon and gets ready to activate his ring of blinking in case things turn violent. He keeps his lips sealed so as not to aggravate the mighty dragon any further and will follow the others.