-----Sarah's ears perk up at the mention of something that would Sol slow down. She likes the idea. It would make him easier to catch up with!
-----"Sol, think about wearing it all the time? For me?" She asks with big doe like eyes.
-----Sol's eyes widen, first in surprise and then in suspicion. He then shakes his head, settling on confusion, either way uncertain of how to reply. Quickly his attention gets 'distracted' as he indicates to Raven where one of the straps should go.
-----Raven helps Sol into the armour. Raven says, "This is lighter then it looks. I've never worn heavy armour, I'm curious how much it really does slow one down."
-----Soon the young warrior has donned the full plate armor. The spiked shoulder plates make his form look somewhat more muscular and the rest of the suit seems balanced on his form. Even though it was worn by a humanoid, on Sol, it gives the impression of a very formidable warrior.
-----Garrison steps up and lifts the suit's helm from the floor. The headpiece is designed to cover the head while leaving the eyes, the nose and the mouth exposed. Spikes extend from the sides resembling horns or maybe the scales and horns on a dragon's skull. "Try this on," the woodsman says, smiling.
-----"And the shield!" Lovan says intently, watching the armoring with huge eyes.
-----Raven nods, "Fits perfect, like it was made for you."
-----Sarah smiles happily after reading the second scroll, then glances up and sees Sol. "oooooooh." She says, obviously impressed. "You look VERY handsome in that Sol!" She says with a big grin.
-----Sol quickly lowers the helm onto his head, but not before signs of a blush start forming on the Gorian's cheeks. He clears his throat before commenting to the group in a cautious tone, "It feels like a well enough fit, but I'm not sure about th' helm. Cut's th' field o' vision somewhat . . . Anyway, I'll try it till I get sick o' it, I guess."
-----Lowering his eyes to the shield, his lips curl a bit in contempt as he explains, "Lovan, I fight better without a shield. Simple fact. But feel free t'take it along wi' us, it's definitely no ordinary shield."
-----Now sporting a wide smile, Sol says to Raven, "Let's clean this last bottom area out."
-----Lovan immediately jumps at it. "I'll take it!" he says, hefting the metal shield. Feeling the weight of it on his arm, the storm priest seems very satisfied with it.
-----"The scroll?!" Caranip squeaks in anticipation as she looks up at Sarah. "What kind of scroll is it?"
-----Rinda discards the first scroll Sarah had already handed down to her. The Huntress throws it on the floor with a disgusted look. She then tells Lovan to apply his torch to it.
-----As Lovan lights the parchment, Rinda points out two passages each situated on either side of the stairway. "Where should we head first?" she asks sternly.
-----Raven motions to the passage on the right hand side of the stairs, "Let's start on this side." With the new bow in hand, Raven heads into the passage.
-----Sol shrugs, a strange looking gesture bound in plate armour, and follows after the hunter. His movements are slow at first, as he starts getting used to the new weight.
-----The adventurers quickly find themselves on a stairway descending into the darkness. Lovan is third now behind Sol and Raven sending the flickering light of his torch against the dark stone walls. Below at the end of the deep bottom, a dim light filters up from the stairway's end. The light is reddish as if from torches and a murmuring like voices is heard.
-----Even though the air is still, a smoky smell is detected.
-----"It is a scroll that will protect against a dragon's breath." Sarah says and hands her apprentice the scroll. "See if you can understand it, but do not read it aloud." Sarah hurries to catch up with her friends.
-----"I don't like the sounds of this." Sarah says, happy to have three strong men and a strong woman between herself and the noise.
-----Lovan remains quiet during the descent. The storm priest's eyes are focused on the reddish light at the bottom as he looks over the two heroes in front. On his left arm, he carries the dark shield.
-----"Surely it's just orcs left," Garrison says from behind Sarah as the woodsman refuses to be left behind. "I think they've thrown everything at us that they had." He tells Rinda and Sarah, "Let me around you when we get close to the bottom."
-----Rinda growls lowly with a slight smile. "It's all right with me, but," she warns, "Don't be getting yourself hurt anymore than you are."
-----Sarah can feel Caranip at her elbow, the gnomish girl moving cautiously in the dark. She grips the scroll in her hands in a protective manner. After a bit, Sarah can feel her tug at her sleeve and the young mage looks down into her blue eyes. "Mistress, I could sneak ahead and take a look," Caranip says in a high squeaking whisper.