PlanetADnD.com

"Good." Goldmoon bends down and gives him a kiss on the cheek, then turns to Sturm.

"Please let me have a look at your wounds, clean and bandage them, so they won't get worse."

"Very well my lady." Sturm bows to Goldmoon, allowing her to inspect his wounds.

Goldmoon inspects and treats Sturm's wounds, using her healing skills.

healing check: 1d20=9, pass

While Goldmoon tended to Sturm, the others sat down and discussed their next move.

"I don't trust that little bastard any farther than I can stand the smell of him," Flint growls.

"I agree," Tanis says quietly. "But what choice do we have? We've agreed to bring him the treasure. He has everything to lose and nothing to gain if he betrays us."

Food and drink are passed out, but Raistlin refuses. He curls up on the floor apart from the others, preparing and drinking down the strange herbal mixtures that ease his cough. Then he wraps himself in his robes and stretches out, eyes closed, on the floor.

Magpie sits on the floor among them, munching on something from her bag. Anyone who watches her closely may be horrified to see a tail disappear into her mouth with a slurp.

A thump at the Highbulp's door causes everyone to start nervously as a gully dwarf guard stumbles into the room. "Map," he says, thrusting a crumpled piece of paper at Tanis.

"Thank you," says the half-elf gravely. "And extend our thanks to the Highbulp."

"His Majesty, the Highbulp," the guard corrects with an anxious glance toward a tapestry-covered wall. Bobbing clumsily, he backs into the Highbulp's quarters.

Tanis spreads the map flat. The others gather around it, even Flint. After one look, however, the dwarf snorts derisively and walks back to his couch.

The map is no more useful than the first one. It reads "Secret Map - You no read" and shows a jagged line between two points: 'secret room' and 'big bark of dragon.' There is no scale, no landmarks, nothing to make this map the least bit useful.

Tanis laughs ruefully. "We have might expected it. I wonder if the great Phudge remembers where the 'secret room' is?"

"Of course not." Raistlin sits up, opening his strange, golden eyes and peering at them through half-closed lids. "That is why he has never returned for the treasure. However, there is one among us who knows where the dragon's lair is located."

Magpie blinks innocently at the others. "You right. I know," she says, sulking. "I know secret place. I go there, find pretty rocks. But don't tell Highbulp!"

"Will you tell us?" Tanis asks.

Magpie nods. "I tell," she mumbles. "Give map."

"All right then. We just need a plan now," Tanis says, handing her the paper.

==========

Goldmoon uses a healing check on Sturm (9, pass) and restores (1d3): 3 HP.

"How can we hope to even sneak into a Dragons Lair?" Laurana asks, sitting down on the floor, she pulls her now tattered cloak about her and tries to ignore Magpies eating. "We all saw what it did out there..." She lowers her head, for a moment the cheerful Princess disappearing again, shrugging she looks up.

"We need a distraction, I suppose." She looks to Tanis. "How do you distract a Dragon?" She asks the group.

"Sturm, Goldmoon, Riverwind, we met with the Highbulp, as you might have assumed." She comments looking at the three of them, realising they were there.

"Thank you my Lady." Sturm bows to Goldmoon once more, moving closer to Tanis he nods at Laurana's question. "A distraction? Will that even work?" He turns and looks to the Mage, "Rastlin?"

The wizard's hour-glass eyes narrow at Sturm. "Offering me up as bait, Knight?" he asks sarcastically. "How noble of you."

"No, you misunderstand. As much as I hate to admit it, if anyone would know anything about such creatures, it would be you. You've probably read enough, I have read stories on such creatures. But." He lowers his head.

"Oh, don't be a fool, Raistlin" Goldmoon says, a little impatiently.
"The first thing that comes to mind of a non-mage when thinking about them is illusions and tricks. Diversions, in short."

"I am no parlor trickster," Raistlin counters.

"Ya used to be, as I recall," Flint says.

Frowning, Raistlin does not respond to that. Instead, he says, "Nevertheless, I doubt my own magic would be of much use against a dragon. They are said to possess powerful arcane power themselves, in addition to their massive teeth, claws, and breath weapons."

"Is there any way we can lure it away from its den?" asks Tanis.

"Perhaps," Raistlin says. "Dragons are said to be very possessive of their horde. It would take a sizable distraction to lure her away from it."

"It would be best to scout the area as best as we can before we decide on a final plan, though, we should develop contingency plans as well."

Riverwind stretches out on the floor, using his backpack as a headrest. "We should rest and heal in any event."

"That sounds like a very good idea" Goldmoon says, puts her backpack next to Riverwind's and lies down beside him. One of her arms rests on his body, carefully avoiding any injured part. "Rest well" she says as she kisses him softly.

"An Elven Princess of the Royal House of Qualinesti?" Laurana asks innocently, feeling foolish the second she asks the question, she blushes and hides behind her hair. "If the Dragon lost the Staff, surely she wants it back?" She looks at Goldmoon. "Can we use that?"

Sturm smiles kindly at the silly suggestion from the Girl, offering herself, a Noble idea but not suitable.

"There may be something in that Tanis." He comments at the mention of the staff, "Perhaps we could use it?"

-Jen-