Hello, Everyone!
How are you? I’m starting a summer job in a few days and I’m worried that I might not be able to make any progress on the illustrations for Mary’s story. However, I’ll try to make the updates come out as they should while I’m busy. Wish me luck!
Anyway. My dearest Mary and her group are still in the tunnels, still cooped up in a very small place. Maybe getting a bit restless. Last time, Roko told the group of some legendary ruins where they might find the Artefact Agrax wants, and Paulina mentioned an antique shop in Belfast where they could find information on the paintings they’d found in the dragon’s lair.
Also, Mary proposed to her dwarven friend to come with them after they’re done with Belfast but Paulina denied. Poor Mary, she was heartbroken.
“We should take turns to guard the camp, just in case,” Aurum said, looking restless. His eyes were darting back and forth from his backpack to Bruno. The dwarf had forbidden him to smoke while they were in the tunnels.
Bruno squinted at the bard but ultimately agreed and let Aurum take the first watch. Mary used the time to check her notes on the adventure so far, writing down a few distorted sentences, probably useless in the long run.
“Mary, you need to sleep,” Bruno startled her, putting his hand on her back.
She moved away, pushing him aside. She didn't like being touched.
“I’m fine, I’ll sleep in a bit,” she said. “It’s just… difficult, I have a lot on my mind.”
"What is it?” he asked.
“Oh, you know” she gestured vaguely. “The Ropers and the dragon, and the thing with all the eyes and mouths that screamed under the bridge; and let’s not forget the shadow in the water. Oh, and the drow with their darkness, of course. Right. Fun things like that.”
Her eyes were staring daggers. She was beginning to get agitated.
“Well,” Bruno reached out and patted her hand reassuringly. “These things are part of adventuring. You have to get used to them if you want to…”
“Can you please not touch me?” Mary said and pulled her hand away from his. “I don’t like it.”
“Look” Bruno said, now with a voice more serious than caring. ”If you’re too tired to walk or fight, you’re not putting only yourself in danger. It’s everyone else, too.”
He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them, not painfully but with enough strength to show her that this was important. Mary flipped out.
“If you touch me one more time!” she hissed and her palms glowed with Eldritch energy.
Bruno raised his arms in the air as a sign of peace.
"I'm sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to get in your face like that."
Mary put her hands down and glowered at him.
“Sorry,” she mumbled as well. “I’ll go to sleep, just leave me alone! Ok?”
“Ok.”
Mary didn’t sleep. She pretended, like she did when she was younger and her mom would come to her bedroom and almost catch her with a book in the middle of the night. She even snored a little, for effect.
But the nightmares came even without falling asleep. Through her closed eyes she saw Paulina die again, and she saw Fennec’s bloodied body rise up and ask “Why?”. She saw the Roper and it had Nurvureem’s face and it spat acid at her, and she melted away. Every time the vision would become too real, she’d open her eyes just for a second, look at the sleeping figures across the circle of light to remember what was real, and then close them once more, so that Bruno wouldn’t ask her, again, if she’s all right.
Roko woke them up after a while. Mary's head spinned when she rose and her feet buckled on the first try, but she gathered her strength and managed to stay upright.
They had to decide where to continue their journey. With their current pace--and Mary could see Roko glancing in her direction when he said that--it was going to take them two days to reach Belfast. Two days, when the duergar and the drow were already plotting to move their plans forward. That was too long.
If they went up and through the wider tunnels, it would be more dangerous. They'd risk being discovered by a duergar patrol or the mysterious Hammer who threw rocks at the intruders. But that way they'd gain a whole day. They'd be in Belfast in less than twenty-four hours.
Suddenly, Mary had an epiphany.
It was so simple! All they had to do was send her--alone--up the bigger tunnels and go through the smaller, safer tunnels. Without her it was going to be a lot quicker! Plus, she was sure she could survive up there. She had Minor Illusion to hide herself from patrols and she'd take a goat from Viyra to go faster in the end.
She explained her plan, enthusiastically, but for some reason nobody saw its brilliance. Roko looked at her with disapproval.
"I'm not sending a half-dead human lady in the big tunnels alone," he said. "You're not going to weigh on my consciousness."
"I'm not half-dead," Mary mumbled but not too loudly, because she didn't feel too confident about this.
Damn it, Mary! You’re not making any sense, and you’re putting everyone in danger. Why can’t you just get some sleep, for Ioun’s sake?! Hope you do.... before it’s too late. Cause you’re not doing very well right now.
Anyway. In D&D, three levels of exhaustion are no joke. Mary is currently disadvantaged when doing any ability checks, attacks or saves, and also her speed is halved. Three more exhaustion levels down the road, and she’s done for. Like, dead. For good.
Let’s hope it doesn’t get to this.
See you next time!
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide and the Glossary for the series. You're welcome!)