While the group is initially looking through the dragon hoard and starting to group it, Alexis addresses the group.
“I’ve been thinking about how we can leave with the crown and hammer, and whatever other treasures we can carry out of here. Obviously I’m hoping that something in this hoard can help us, but barring that, we need to start thinking about a plan.”
“The simplest plan is to hide as much as we can and just walk out through the dwarf front door. They haven’t questioned us yet, and presumably will continue this trend. Of course, the problem is what happens when we leave the ‘shelter’ of the dwarves? We’ll have two kinds of orcs waiting for us as well as whatever Dark Hand have arrived. Bad. But even if we can somehow slip out the dwarf-front-door unnoticed, there will surely be Dark Hand outside the cave. Which leaves somehow trying to get through the whole of the orc stronghold to get out at the saddle of the mountain. Doesn’t seem likely.”
“Alternately, I feel pretty confident we can scout from this end under the water over to the dwarf cells. We can probably hold our breaths long enough with the fast-flowing water to get to the cells. We arrange a couple ‘ropes’ together to shuttle our gear and the treasure. Cold, dark, risky. But I think we can do it!”
“Of course we face the same challenges once we’re at the cells, but perhaps with some more breathing room… but perhaps the Dark Hand waiting for us.” Alexis gives a slight shrug combined with a nod to the side with his head. “Clearly a lot of factors.”
“Another idea. We could try and wait them out. Perhaps we can sustain ourselves here long enough for the Dark Hand to crush themselves against the dwarves and their maze, or at least greatly weaken themselves greatly. This is not my favorite plan, but if it works, the three of you might be able to get some rest down here” Alexis is addressing Mavon, Skelor, and Telosh. He then looks around the dark, damp cave. “Not that I would choose this over civilization for a true rest.”
“The last idea I’ve had so far is to see about solving the dwarf curse and seeing if that could lead us to that horrible room where Gus felt the grave. It still doesn’t get us out, but it would put us behind a secret door and uncovering more mysteries might uncover secret dwarven ways into, and out-of, the mountain. Putting that thing out of it’s misery would help me sleep more soundly… assuming it doesn’t get it’s hands on me and prevent me from ever sleeping again.” Alexis gives another slight shrug combined with a nod to the side with his head.
Alexis looks at the group, still understandably engrossed in the treasures. Alexis lets the silence let the group know he’s ready to hear their thoughts.
Telosh is clearly weak and a little confused. He looks around and sighs deeply.
“I, at least, and perhaps others,” he looks to Mavon and Skellor, “will need some assistance and great care if we are to ‘swim’ though the tunnel we suspect connects to the cells…”
Telosh pauses, and sighs again.
“All we avoid that way, for all it’s risks, are the dwarves and any questions they might have for us. What to do after that though… Can we convince or bribe the smooth cheeks to let us pass freely through their territory? Fighting our way past them or whatever forces the Dark Hand has waiting for us doesn’t sound very appealing…”
“I’m sorry Alexis, I wish I had better ideas…”
“No, no. Those are good thoughts.”
“With our visible treasure, the smooth cheeks will happily bargain for our passage through their territory and then somehow we will be parted from the treasure. It’s too great a… ‘treasure’ for them.”
“If we explore the river, you won’t have to swim; we’ll just let the fast current carry you. We might need to make some sort of bumper to prevent us from getting bashed against the wall. Still a lot of unknowns about that route.”
Telosh nods slowly considering holding his breath in the cold water, a prospect that seems much more daunting that it was when he jumped onto the dragon’s back, before his fight with Thraan…
Telosh smiles a bit sheepishly, and speaks again, “How many Smooth Cheeks are left really? I’m not up for fighting them hand to hand again, but perhaps they aren’t as much of a threat as they once were, and we can push past them more easily than we could with the Dark Hand?”
“Fair question. And if the Dark Hand has set up some any sort of encampment outside the cave there might be some hostility between the smooth cheeks and the Dark Hand.”
“And clearly the smooth cheeks have a back door way to access the cave, although I doubt they know it since their scouting group never came back.” Alexis seems a little sad or disappointed by this.
“If the Dark Hand were real treasure hunters, I think they might have cleared out the smooth cheeks by now. But they’re too myopic. Good for us, though.”
“With enough time, it seems pretty clear we could eliminate the smooth cheeks and reclaim the mountain. But I’m not sure we have that kind of time right now. We need to get the hammer and crown to Sutheron.”
Telosh takes a moment to consider Alexis’ response, furrows his brow for a moment and speaks again,
“I don’t mean retake the mountain from the Smooth Cheeks, more that we may be able to get past them, or prevent them from taking treasure from us more easily than we would against the forces of the Dark Hand…”
Telosh trails off for a moment… looking at the treasure all around him.
“What exactly are we going to do with the Hammer and Crown in Sutheron that will keep it out of the hands of the Dark Hand? Might it not be better to give it to the dwarves? Or even throw it in this river further downstream?”
“The hammer and the crown belong in the hands of those that know what to do with them. Treasures should be… treasured. We should definitely not throw them down the river, to be lost to us forever.”
“But regarding getting out…”
Telosh is visibly confused, and shakes his head slowly, as if to clear his thoughts. He stares at the treasure for a moment and then turns back to Alexis.
“Did you say that forge is the most powerful item here? Is there a way we could use it’s power to help us?”
“It would seem concealing the Hammer and the Crown from the dwarfs should be easy enough. We have passed through their area before without them looking through our bags. If we take too much to the point of it being obvious… that could pose a problem. We have treasure in coins beyond what we can carry. That will allows us to get ‘paid’, and really to the point to re-supply.
Going down the water path sounds dangerous. We would only attempt it IF it is safe for the weakest among us to make it through. Which seems like a tall order. The water is swift, cold and the cave walls and ceiling could be dangerous.
Staying down here presents com challenges, food, lights, warmth. And how will we know when it has been long enough?
No we must leave and find a safe place for our companions to rest and heal. At this point Sutheron is as good a place as any.
The question in my mind is what do we tell the dwarfs? Do we tell them the dragon is dead, that might make the suspicious of what we have taken. Depends on what they value most in this horde.
But Alexis, you let me know what you want and I will work on how to get it done. The first hurdle is passing the dwarfs… by water or by word.