Session 6: Captain Morgan, Rowing, Grandfather, Ogres, Flying Lava Monsters, Lapidary Run, Trolls, Memories
General Summary
1/30/22
We make it to docks where boat is waiting, along with favorite gnome. We say quick good-byes and poor GG is brave and hides tears at parting. (So does Alyona.) He gives me sending stone so we can whisper sweet nothings while we are apart. And also report findings. But mostly it is the nothings.
Boat is similar to one Grandfather and I rode on when we went topside, but difference is we had gold then. We could stay in cabin and keep heads down. Now we have to row and fight and eat with Captain Morgan and First Mate. Captain Morgan is usual boss guy “My word is law. I say hit things, you hit things. I say row boat, you sit butt down next to Cat and row.” I have gotten used to being own boss guy. This is bullshit. Food is also bullshit, but this I am still used to.
After dinner I grab opportunity to have little talk with Grandfather. It is not touching moment, except, perhaps, when I touched his face with my fist.
Next day I am just sitting down to learn new game crew members call “Five Finger Filet.” It involves little kitchen knife, and crew seem to think it is oooooh very exciting, but back at Academy, favorite game was throwing knives at each other’s heads, so this is little nothing.
Still, it is very annoying when we are interrupted by loud whistling noise, followed by crash as large spear punches hole in side of ship. Fuck! We were just about to place bets, and I really need much gold.
We run up on deck, where we see interesting sight. Crew are pulling up fishing poles from side of boat, which seem to hold spheres of darkness. I have seen similar methods during training of course, but not for defensive purposes. It is good plan that Captain Morgan has.
Bird has made some kind of deal with Captain to fly around and scout. So up he goes and spots couple of ogres standing on ledge firing ballista at us as if it were just tiny crossbow. Because of darkness (and also minor fact that ogres are stupid) we are not hit again. As we move beyond their reach, Bird taunts ogres and shoots arrow into one, pissing it off. Captain tells him not to taunt stupid ogres in future, but I like Bird better for it.
Another day goes by and we start to pick up bad smell, like sulphur. Up ahead is orange-red glow. Come around corner and, surprise! there is lava flowing out of cavern wall and down into water. It has blocked part of passage, but it looks like there is still room to get by. Bird flies over to investigate and somehow manages to piss off lava, because it jumps up and starts flying after him. Frankly, can not blame lava.
Now, there are many angry lava monsters. Bird flaps his way back to ship and we start shooting at them. A couple are killed, but some of them let out nasty call and now there are more lava monsters! Captain calls for buckets and bows, and crewmen start preparing for fight. Danger becomes apparent as monsters get closer. Favorite way of lava monsters to say hello is barfing lava at you. Favorite way to say good-bye is exploding. I look around me at flammable wooden boat, and start shooting as fast as I can.
We whittle down monsters despite them calling for even more of their friends to barf on us. But fight is taking toll. Bird looks like he is in trouble. Hobgoblin casts spell that sends Bird and two of lava monsters into water, unconscious. It is all very dramatic. But, I have to warn you, this next part may seem completely impossible.
I jump in water to save Bird.
Yes, yes, this is thing that really happened. And I have both the bad news and the good news. Bad news is that I save moralizing birdbrain from certain death. Good news is that I get to slap him awake. Let us call it even then.
I climb back on deck and hear shouting. Apparently there is one last lava monster, but bastard is inside boat! I run downstairs just in time to see Grandfather shoot one of crewman in back of skull. Well, this is it, Old Man has cracked. Or he is just asshole with bad aim. I push him out of way, harder than I have to, and pour one of few precious healing potions down crewman Roland’s throat. He is good guy (despite occasional cheating at cards) and does not deserve to be killed by stupid old man. Also, I have worries we will be thrown off boat if he croaks.
So, fight is concluded now. Ship is only a little bit burnt down. We make repairs and get back underway. Adds a day to our journey, so that is one more day I have to spend in close quarters with Grandfather. My skin crawls and I find myself reaching for stick every time I look at him. I practically leap off boat when we arrive at destination.
Lapidary Run is dwarven mining and jeweler city on edge of Darklake. We stay only one night, just long enough to gather supplies for trek up to surface. Is too bad. Unseen is everywhere down here but I feel their eye less and less as we approach surface. I even consider, for a moment, staying. I ask myself why am I with these assholes anyhow? And why should I feel any loyalty to Grandfather now? Let him go! I think. Let him be caught by Unseen! Let him be caught by Nightshades!
But…no. I still need him.
It will be another week of climbing up to surface. And now, more than any time since I found myself in fucking Sylvan prison cart, I have to face fact that I am stuck with most boring people who have probably ever lived. You have been reading journal, you know how they are. Grandfather is just smart enough to keep well away from me. And what do you imagine Cat likes to talk about as we spend all day walking, walking, walking? How many times can you hear Bird squawk about how great flying is, and how sorry he feels for all of us without wings, before you threaten to help him gain personal insight into wingless state? Hobgoblin is not bad, but for bard he really does not say much. Only brightness, really, is sending messages to GG. I can tell it is brightness for him too.
So, you can imagine how happy I am when we are attacked by trolls. Two big nasty ones. Did you know trolls have regeneration? I did not know this. It means when you kill them they do not stay dead and you have to kill them over and over again until they are set on fire by Cat. And how many people have Cat with them? Sad day for trolls. And now we are back to awkward silence and even more awkward talking. At least we have nice dinner to look forward to. Poor assholes smooshed by trolls left us carts full of fruits and fish and all things non-mushroom. Bezopasnyye puteshestviya, assholes. Safe travels.
And finally, finally, we reach appropriately named Devil’s Breath. Town is mostly below surface, but we climb beautiful spiral staircase up to where Inn is. Light grows slowly brighter until we reach exit.
I step outside and it is ridiculously, painfully bright. I slam goggles down over my eyes and keep them shut for long minutes as they water and burn. A warm breeze embraces me, so different from cold, dank caverns of Underdeep. I can smell new-plowed earth and animal manure. I can hear birds singing. Oh, I did not know how much I have missed sound of birds singing!
I stand there, my eyes filled with tears and sunlight on my skin for first time in what feels like forever, and my mind is filled with sweetest memory.
It is Mama. She is not beautiful woman perhaps, but to me she is most lovely. She holds my hand as we stand in our garden, surrounded by life she has coaxed from dirt. I am child, and all the terrible things in the world have not yet found me. I am looking down at soft pink flowerbud cradled in my hand, concentrating so hard, as hard as I have ever done. And Mama says to me, “Call to it Alyona. It is listening for your voice.” So I do. I sing to it words she has taught me.
And look! It blooms.
Report Date
02 Feb 2022