“She asked, were they hidden, were they safe. Yaga-Shura said, they were. He said, ‘Inside chest with no lock or key, inside the one soaring free. Inside the swift, inside the stout. Heart’s blood the key that will draw them all out.’”
Seven adventurers all looked at her expectantly, hoping for more. “That’s it?” Sarevok eventually asked. “Could it possibly get more ridiculously cryptic than that? How about some plain speech?”
I'm with Sarevok on this one. What if you need to get to the hearts in case of an emergency!
“The next nasty corpse we run into will be yours, big brother, unless you wipe that smirk off your face,” The half-elf snarled. “Now move it!”
“It’s hardly my fault if you have no stomach for explorative anatomy. I’m sure you’ll make a superb goddess of murder even with that little hint of squeamishness.”
Laska: He has a point, you know? Plenty of corpses in the adventuring life. Not that I'd want to, you know, dissect them or something.
“I can hardly blame the infants, now can I? You riled them up, you settle them down.” The priestess sniffed and tossed her white hair back across her shoulder, muttering something in Drow that Rini felt it was probably for the best she didn’t understand.
Looks like Viconia has this party under firm control!
“I could build one! I told you! And you know how it always goes. We meet somebody, they either turn out to be zombies or try to kill us anyway. Kill them first this time, I say. Then find a boat.”
“SHUT UP ABOUT THE BOAT!”
They're fire-giants! It has to be a lava-boat!
The first giant spat on the ground. “That accursed thing? It’s what caused all the trouble.” He wiped a hand across his sweaty brow, and scratched at his beard. “I was in a coma, you know.”
He's fire-giant Rick Grimes?
“Well, we’ll have to try anyway. Thanks for the help. Hope you find a boat, or whatever else you need.”
That escalated quickly, to be honest.
“Aw, don’t worry, Rini,” Imoen said, cuffing her shoulder. There were some specks of soot on her face, but her grin was as irrepressible as ever. “We’ll be fine, you’ll see. It’ll be our little Bhaalspawn adventure! Just you, me, and Big Brother Grumpyface.”
“Wonderful,” Sarevok grumbled. “Well, perhaps I can instill a certain measure of competence in you both.”
Oh, she's doing better than you right now.
The two remaining siblings looked at each other for a moment. “Well, little sister,” Sarevok eventually said. “Are you prepared to be flashy?”
“Always. Ready to stomp on things?”
Sarevok smiled. “Zombie stomping sounds like an excellent plan.”
Oh dear, this is going to be interesting.