Can
we come in please ?
14/3/10,122 - Athalau
To no avail, the three caves are searched for any possible way in to Athalau, however they do discover further evidence of previous occupation in the rear of the middle cave, apart from scorch marks on the rock there are several old gnawed bones. After several minutes Kilite adds that he's pretty sure they're human or at least bipedal.
As conversation continues all four suddenly notice an absence of noise from the dogs in the main cave, before they can react a deep guttural growl can be heard from outside. Fortunately as they are still unsure of their surroundings weapons remain by their side, heading for the cave entrance Tharla, Illyra & Kilite take up position to either side whilst Molin, ever direct, heads straight down the centre. Peering out Tharla can see a large pale skinned, fair haired figure crouching over their tracks, as Molin emerges he immediately charges the crouching figure recognising it for what it is, a troll of some kind. Slashing it a mighty blow across its lower back Molin is shocked to see it rise & turn rather than fold in death.
Circling out & around Tharla can see a second, slightly shorter, creature emerge from their camp, it sees her, grins and lunges forward, only to be intercepted by Illyra's wavering bastard sword. As the three brave souls contend with the crushing blows of the trolls mace & club, Kilite raises his staff & hurls forth a blaze of molten fire towards the taller of the two trolls facing Molin, it flashes past the trolls shoulder &, but only for Molin's instinct to fling himself aside, Molin's head.
As blows reign down, Molin is plagued with worry, his first mighty blow should have felled this dire creature, however it is clear to his eyes that not only did it survive the blow but also its wound is definitely looking less severe than when first he struck. Suddenly he remembers, why trolls are so dammed dangerous, they have the ability to regenerate & recover health at an incredible rate, particularly when on ground from which they come.
Seeing Molin's opponent flinch from the flame, Illyra forgoes her own attack & as Molin & Tharla continue to strike/avoid the trolls own crushing blows, Illyra raises her hand & summons forth flame from her acquired ring of fire, similarly, Kilite scoops a handful of snow & using his own power casts a ball of fire at the second creature.
Unused to such an attack, first one & then the second troll are mortally wounded, the magical fire appearing to cause far more damage than what would have been expected. Despatching the trolls quickly they are searched, however apart from their unwieldy mace's, ragged clothing & a mishmash of bits of leather & armour, all battered & near useless, there is nothing of any interest. Erimmes is questioned concerning the trolls but other than being able to confirm what they are he can offer little advice. Illyra, casting aside the bones found earlier, places a number of trolls teeth within her pouch for future summoning.
Concerned for the beasts, Tharla is upset find one of her original dogs bludgeoned to death & Gunter is testy having received a small wound to its shoulder, after tending their wounds & those of their mounts as well burying the battered remains of the dead dog they return to consider their means of entering Athalau.
After much debate, a plan, of sorts, is construed; returning to the previously entered tunnel, Tharla reattaches the rope & Kilite climbs alone into its entrance determined to test whether the worms would be equally susceptible to fire as were the trolls. As Molin had done earlier Kilite beats the ice & quickly attracts a, rather larger than wanted, worm, the worm is at least twenty feet across & over fifty feet long. As it rushes towards him him, Kilite throws a flaming bundle of rags towards it, alas the rags fall short, splutter & die on the icy tunnel floor, before Kilite can react, the worm ploughs into him, fortunately attempting to crush rather than swallow.
As Kilite's body is battered against the wall of the tunnel, its head can be seen by those waiting below, assuming the worst Illyra, for the third time today, blasts a ball of fire through the frigid air. Struck directly, the worm retreats screaming back along the tunnel giving Molin the time to climb to the tunnels threshold, slumped against the wall, covered in foul smelling slime as well as vomit, Kilite can do no more than smile weakly & allow Molin to lower his battered & bruised body to the others below.
Several hours later & having received the benefit of potions of healing & casting of spells by Illyra, Kilite starts to feel better, it could be worse mused Kilite, a couple of broken fingers, cracked ribs & displaced shoulders weren't to bad a price to pay.
By mid afternoon, further forays, phasing & more flaming blasts have established that worms, big or small, do not like fire, have no eyes & are as deaf as a post, regrettably Tharla advises that they have also, unless they start burning her sled or their clothes, run out of combustibles.
The arguments continue as to the risks of attempting entry to Athalau through the tunnels. Eventually Molin is persuaded to shape shift & attempt to fly above the glacier to look for other means of entry. Rising, with great difficulty, up the face of the glacier, he learns why dragons don't like the cold, especially those remembered from volcano filled picture books. Accompanied by Erimmes, Molin sweeps back & forth across the icy plateau atop the glacier, after several minutes a large circular opaque area, maybe half a mile across some thousand yards from the face of the glacier & free of snow can be seen faintly glowing through the ice. Landing, badly, Molin's talons rake the surface, however cold is biting into his muscles & realising he will soon be to cold to fly Molin retreats to the lip of the glacier & glides back down to his friends below, performing a perfect three point landing.
Throwing the last few sticks onto the embers of their fire, the debate continues, out of fuel & running low on food they must decide, either they can take their chances with the tunnels, attempt to scale the glacier & enter from above or retreat to Brev & consider their future.