Suddenly infused by the pulse of holy light, Kendren looks around in wonderment. Noticing the green glow is completely gone, he eagerly takes out his journal and begins writing down exactly what happened in the effect, including everything he felt. I was right! This is the most exciting discovery. The theory about the glow being a side effect of a powerful curse was correct, and we determined a possible method of removing such curses, albeit on a very specific object. Still, this could be adapted to other methods. A potent magical breakthrough!
When he has the time, he will quite excitedly tell Aravashnial about it.
Rianne is awed, she never expected to witness such a direct divine intervention.
She looks around at the group and speaks, quietly, The gods have not abandoned us. There is still hope, even amidst ruin."
Eyes widening in wonder as the burst of light cleanses the room, the dwarf lowers his head, murmuring a prayer of gratitude and supplication to his deity. Raising his head to look at Rianne, he offers her a small smile. "Indeed, Lady Arniska, Torag is a god of creation, and of protection. He would never leave his children to face the tides of evil alone and unshielded."
The dwarf's smile slowly fades, as his eyes and voice grow hard. "There are still others who require our aid, however. Is everyone fit to continue?"
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Arianna flinched at first surprised by the divine energies now flowing through the shrine and throughout the entire temple it seemed. She felt the pain from her ankle where the snake had bitten her earlier fade away and left her feeling refreshed and ready for what the journey might have in store for them.
"I am fit to continue whenever you are." She answered Uldir's question with a nod and moved back in the direction of the doors they'd come in through to begin with redrawing her rapier just to be on the safe side from now on, with everything they'd encountered to this point.
"Shall we go with the same formation as earlier? Myself in point and you forming around the injured and children to keep them safely in the middle of the group?"
Iolaire relaxes subtly as the green glow in the temple is washed away through the gods favour and she smiles as the two children perk up and start scampering around in an impromptu game of tag.
Rising herself she goes to speak to each of the others, starting with Horgus, then Aneiva and finally Aravashnial, checking if they need anything before the group sets off again. She's sensed the awkwardness between Aenvia and Horgus and tries gently to broach the topic with each of them and see if there is anything she can do.
Once everyone is ready she looks to Ari, "That makes sense. Lead on and I will follow. Kendren, Uldir are you both willing to guard the rear of the group again?"
Making a quick study to memorize his acid spell, Kendren stands and says, "Yes, Iolaire, I will walk to the rear of the group. I find I am not much use on the front lines."
As they walk, he will take the time to tell Aravashnial of what they have accomplished, and ask his thoughts on the curse.
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"Ah, young lad, you obviously did good today." Aravashnial comments when approached by Kendren. "Evil has to be fought in all it's forms, and every victory counts and by all terms, this was a victory. Guess you've found a promising group of companions to bring the fight to our enemies, though it seems you're still a bit lacking on the experience side."
When Kendren tells him about the ritual and his thoughts on the curse, the elf shakes his head reflecting what he just heard. "I'm no expert on religious matters, my friend, but I think what we have witnessed here was less the result of a curse, than a punishment of the dwarven god. You surely know that as you can consecrate a place to the service of a god, you can also do the reverse. We might not find out about this poor dwarf, but I guess that something happened that drove him away from loyal service to his god and brought him to utterly hate all he formerly stood for. I think he desecrated this place and then had to face the wrath of Torag as a consequence, including his transformation into an undead after his dead. I find it very interesting though, that he seems to have forgiven his former priest and changed him back after you successfully consecrated this place again. I've ever thought that the dwarves' stubbornness and their ability to forever hold grudges were in image of their god, but maybe I need to look for another explanation.
...
The room seems to get just a bit colder, when Iolaire approaches Anevia and Horgus Gwerm. "You want to know what stands between us?" asks Gwerm with a scornful look to Anevia. Apart from her being a thief and me being a successful merchant, what would make her my natural enemy first hand? Or from her and this stupid blind never-do-well slowing our way back up, probably costing a lot of lives we might be able to save without them? Though it seems, that this is no concern of you as well, taking your time to frolic here around to save the soul of a dwarven traitor and...
"You ingrateful sonofab%*%%,", explodes the woman, nearly causing Elise to tumble down when she jumps from her seed to oppose Gwerm, " not enough to insult me every time you open your filthy mouth, but now you're also insulting those saving us from sure death, just for following their faith and doing the good gods' work?
If looks were daggers, Gwerm would surely be a deead man right now. The Anevia laughs derisively. "But yeah, what would you know about following one's faith, being so ashamed of your own that you try to hide it from everyone else. No wonder that people thought you might be worshipping demons."
"What would you know about my fa...," Gwerm interrupts himself, his eyes widening in sudden recognition. "Hah, see, I knew it, thief! A thief you are, and now you have revealed youself as such. It's the only way you would know about my private things like that. I already suspected it, but now you could as well admit it." Gwerm grins triumphantly, earning him another deadly shot out of Anevia's eyes, obviously trying hard to contain herself so not to jump at the merchant's throat.
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Iolaire stands right between the two of them and yells. It is a surprisingly discordant sound, two or three different voices all at slightly different pitches. The sound is completely unearthly and just for a moment Iolaires wings glow with an ethereal, fey light.
"Stop! Both of you!" She glares ferociously at both participants. "I don't care what the issues between the two of you are, we are not leaving anyone behind! That is non-negotiable. Anevia, can you take Elise and check on Stevarn, I think I made him nervous." Turning to Horgus, she withdraws her wings and looks him straight in the eye.
"This feud between the two of you is threatening us all. What happened?"
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Kendren nods at Aravashnial's words. "That is a more likely possibility. The symbol on this temple has been identified as that of Torag, so it is likely he who brought punishment upon this place and the traitorous priest. It is something I will think on more. Still, the dwarf's soul appears to have found peace, and possibly even forgiveness. Sarenrae teaches that no soul is beyond saving. I hope that his rest is much more peaceful now."
At Anevia and Gwerm's outburst, Kendren nearly jumps out of his skin at the sudden bout of shouting. Moving towards them, he approaches Master Gwerm and says, "I know you feel that this was a waste of time, but consider the benefits we have gained. In doing this, our fatigue has been washed away, my expended arcane power has been restored, and our wounds have been healed. Though Anevia's leg is still broken, she no longer needs the crutch. Aravashnial is still blind, true, but his mind is quite strong still, and that is likely far more valuable. Besides, we do not know the way out, where we must go, how long it will take us to get there, or have any information. This delay has given us a boon and may have saved us some time. We do not wish to miss the forest for the trees."
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"Hah, see, I knew it, thief! A thief you are, and now you have revealed youself as such...
Arianna's ears burned as the words echoed in her mind and she turned back towards Gwerm feeling her hand instinctively tightening its grip around the hilt of her rapier but she had to take a moment to calm herself.
It wasn't aimed at you. The logical side told the irrational side who could hear others saying that about herself. Well that and the worse things that usually came with when she dealt with people who knew more about her than this group seemed to. Being in a group like this is a blessing, just go along and get out of here. Don't make them think too hard about you. Again the logical side of her mind spoke through and she felt the grip on her rapier loosen once again.
She bit down on her tongue turning back towards the door attempting to appear as if she were waiting on the others to get ready and not bothered by the comments being thrown back and forth.
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Rianne speaks to Horgus, in a strong voice, but not yelling, "First things first, We are definitely not abandoning anyone down here to be eaten by giant bugs and who knows what else, and that's that.
We have struck a small blow against evil here, and been rewarded with the favour of the Father of Creation. I'd say that's a few hours well spent. As Kendren says we don't know how long it will take to get out of here, and it is very possible we'd have been forced to rest due to exhaustion, and I don't know about you, but I don't fancy having to sleep in these tunnels. This way we can press on longer and hopefully get out of here before we must rest."
She then looks between Horgus and Annevia and speaks to both of them, more gently.
"I don't know what history the two of you have, but I implore you to put the past in the past, at least until we are safe."
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With Kendren's intervention Iolaire takes a step back. It didn't take a genius to realise that Horgus would probably respond better to Kendren's reasoned argument than her own frustrated feelings.
Taking a few deep breaths she focuses on repressing the emotions roiling inside her - not being able to control his feelings was what cost her her brother. I will not make his mistakes - I won't cost everyone down here their chance.
Calmer, she approaches Anevia and the children and draws Stevarn into a hug. "I'm sorry little one, I got cross. It wasn't anything to do with you, you've been wonderful." She looks at Anevia over Stevarn's head. "I can see that you and Gwerm have some history - but down here none of that matters. I trust you Anevia, and I trust Irabeth. You are no thief and he was wrong to speak of you like that. Why you know personal details about him is none of my business but we can't let it come between us now. Down here there is no-one to rely on apart from the people around us and if we are going to make it out of here we all have to work together." She gives Anevia a very serious look, one crusader to another, before picking Stevarn up and tickling him under his ribs as she does so. "Right! We'd best get moving again!"
As she passes Gwerm Iolaire stops for a moment. "Master Gwerm, I am sorry for my outburst. Kendren and Rianne have spoken good sense and I thank you for your efforts on the groups behalf. Please forgive me for my moment of temper."
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The dwarven priest's eyes track Ari, as his eyebrows knit in thought. After but a moment Uldir huffs impatiently at the argument. "No time for holy works, Lord Gwerm, but time enough for barbed words at your fellows? The good ladies are correct that this is not the time nor place for such rubbish. I care not whether anyone in this group was thief or saint or carping nobleman, so long as all hold the fiends above as their enemy I welcome them. If it balms your nerves, my lord, consider this shrine a fallback position--should we encounter a patrol of the Worldwound's servants ahead, a consecrated outpost might become valuable indeed!"
Marching over to join Ari by the crevasse entrance, the dwarf draws up alongside her. While pretending to peer down the tunnel as well, he murmurs very softly,
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Arianna glanced over at the dwarf who walked up alongside her and nodded her head a few degrees to show she understood and appreciated his words.
"Thank you." She whispered back to Uldir. "I fell in with a bad crowd when I was only a couple years older than those children, but I have tried to live a more honest lifestyle ever since I was rescued by a miracle sent by Desna." She continued in the same whispered tone.
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Uldir nods sagely, and gives the young woman a friendly pat on the arm, "I was raised in a temple at the heart of a volcano, and defied my elders to join the Crusades after I was Chosen. We are both of us caught up in the midst of something far larger than ourselves, but we must play our small parts--and that ultimately comes down to the choices we make. For whatever it's worth, I think you are making the correct one."
With a glance back to assess the readiness of the rest of the group, the dwarf says more loudly, "Lead on, pathfinder, we'll follow." before moving back to the rear of this ragtag band. For all his words of unity of purpose, however, he finds himself glancing askance at Anevia. Her mysterious knowledge of Gwerm does suggest an inadvertent confession. Perhaps not a thief, but a spy--one of Huldrun's agents? The damned inquisitors spent all that time and energy chasing supposed enemies within, but in the end it was the armies without that tore out the heart of Kenebres. I shall keep a close eye on this one.
Alfred takes in the banter between the others with a silent scowl. Ain't it funny how a little stress and challenge brings out the best in people... or the beast.
He finds a rock to sit on and wait out the tirade, cleaning his nails with a piece of wood splinter, and rising to his feet with a groan as the group heads out. Taking his place near the front of the line, where his strong shield, and wicked flail can work their magic.
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“You wanna know what happened? What happened is that she broke into one of my warehouses, probably to steal her wife's sword back.“ Anevia, just on her way to follow Iolaire's suggestion freezes as if hit by a hammer and throws Gwerm an even more murderous look. His short laugh immediately ends again. „“Guess she didn't found what she was looking for, but obviously she found something else no one needed to know about. Until now, I only suspected it was her, but now she admitted as much, Oh wait, until Irabeth hears about your little adventure, guess she'll love to hear that you broke your vows to her.“
Anevia opens her mouth for a retort, but gets interrupted by Kendren's words to the merchant. That actually seem to have a calming influence on the noble. “Maybe you're right, young man.“ For a moment, his mask falls and Kendren can see the genuine fear in Gwerm's face. Then, the mask is on again. “Maybe I overreacted, and therefore ignored the good that came out of your actions in this shrine. But I fear for the lives of my people, and as much as we know, Kenabres could in the meantime have been totally destroyed by the demon's, so you might understand why I want to return to the city as fast as anyhow possible. But I will do as the young lady and the dwarf suggests“ he nods to Rianne and Uldir, and hold my anger back 'til after the crisis we now face.“
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Arianna turned her head towards her Dwarven companion and nodded to his enlightened words. "You are right, master dwarf. We have dallied here enough and it is time to be on. As Desna says 'Feet are for walking.'" She echoed in agreement turning to get started down the path once everyone was ready and set out taking the lead once again keeping about 15 feet ahead of the party to give the path a good check over as they walked. That way she'd have time to alert them to any signs of danger in their path.
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You travel south from the shrine of Torag, sure that you have the dwarven god's blessings with you. After a while the ground slowly begins to rise, so for the first time since you have been stranded here, you get the feeling that you might move in the right direction.
After some 40 minutes the pathway opens in a new cave. As you approach it's opening, you recognize stone figures which seem to have been carved into the cavern's wall. Though from the entrance, you can't see what those statues might represent.
Iolaire speaks, but doesn't stop. "There are statues up ahead, someone carved them into the walls. Be alert, it suggests that there may be something living around here."
Kendren nods, and begins looking about, alertly watching for signs of trouble.
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Arianna moved towards the statues cautiously keeping her rapier drawn in front of her as she tried to locate any signs of danger ahead of them.
"Anyone recognize what they are supposed to be?" She whispered back to the party behind her still proceeding with caution proceeding past them if she located no dangers from that area.
Alfred moves forward, ready to spring into action when required.
Bringing of the rear of the little group, Uldir stays with the wounded and children, though he itches to examine these statues himself. There might perhaps have been an old dwarven community down here, perhaps dating back a century to the First Crusade! "I could think of worse ideas than posting a few stout crusaders down here to guard against tunneling fiends." he mumbles into his beard. Pure speculation, Uldir, until you get a look at the things. But duty first.
"Interesting.", Rianne moves up cautiously to have a look at the statues.
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A slight gust of wind of air is all that warns you when suddenly two shadows fall from the cave's roof and onto Alfred's and Iolaire's heads. Tentacles try to grab them and crush you in a deadly embrace.
The thing attacking Alfred misses it's victim but Iolaire is less lucky. While she can escapes the tentacles trying to grab her, the weight of the thing lets her stumble and feeling a shap pain in her body. It's Kendren's cry warning you that two other coat-like shadows fly towards you with obvious murderous intent.
Alfred sees the movement out of the corner of his eye and is able to bring up his shield to interpose it between the monster and his body. "Ha! Nice trick... but not nice enough".
Flailing around the shield
Swatting pests
Rianne draws and loads her crossbow.
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The creature shrieks with pain as it is hit by Alfred's flail, but then it returns the favor and attacks again, as does his partner renewing its attack on Iolaire. Now the other two monsters are also there, one focussing it's attack on Rianne, while the forth flies over the mantle attaking Alfred and stops hovering above Kendren. Suddenly Darkness seems to emit from the fourth creature to blind their prey and make it to an easy victim.
But something seems to distract the attacking mantles, they seem to hesitate just enough for Alfred and Iolaire and to easily evade their tentacles. Only Rianne, a bit distracted herself by loading her weapn is hit with full force
Cursing at the sudden darkness, Uldir calls "Stay back! We'll handle these creatures!" to his charges at his back. Planting his feet resolutely in the narrow cave mouth, the dwarf reaches out with his magic to grasp at a familiar thread, calling forth a longtime ally from the higher planes.
A black eagle, feathers tipped a bright blue and eyes glowing with azure light, appears in a fluury of sparks behind the tentacled creature menacing Alfred. With an echoing scream the raptor strikes out with its claws.
LG Small celestial animal
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 5 (1d8+1)
Fort +3 [+5], Ref +4, Will +2
SR 5
Celestial - Resist Acid, Cold, and Electricity 5
Fiendish - Resist Cold and Fire 5
OFFENSE
Speed 10ft., fly 80 ft. (average)
Melee 2 talons +3 (1d4), bite +3 (1d4)
Special Attacks: Smite evil
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 11
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Fly +8, Perception +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Smite evil/good 1/day as a swift action (adds CHA bonus (+0) to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD (+1) against evil/good foes; smite persists until target is dead or the celestial/fiendish creature rests).
Kendren curses as the magical darkness douses his light. Unable to see, and with no knowledge of where the creatures might be, he racks his brain to see if he knows what they are and how to fight them. He knows that since they fly, he can't grease them, and he couldn't see to aim either his crossbow his acid spell.
He otherwise moves to put the cave at his back and, rubbing his fingers on Terendelev's scale, shouts, "Arianna, Alfred, Iolaire, get yourselves clear of the creatures' locations!"
"It's dark. I don't know where clear of the creatures darkness is"!
Flailing around the shield in darkness.
(High is good) miss chance
I think I hit something?
Alfred flails around at his now concealed attackers, then backs towards where he thinks a wall is. His intention is to find a wall, and stay against it moving till he can see again.
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It was like someone had dropped a veil over her eyes, one second she could see right where the creature was and the next someone had shut off all of the lights in the area and she was no longer able to determine where anything was. She could still hear them nearby along with her companions. As Kendren called out for her to get clear she rolled back away from the creatures hoping to avoid the tendrils that might come her way from the disengaging action before she moved in the direction his voice had come from.
"Alright I am clear!"
Iolaire, unlike the rest of the group, is unhindered by the sudden darkness - her fey senses cut through it easily. Taking advantage however she steps backwards and, unable to wield her longspear easily at her own assailant, strikes at the darkmantle attacking Alfred.
Trying to avoid hitting her companions who cannot see her strike causes her to be too cautious and the attack falls short.
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Neither Alfred nor Iolaire have luck with their attacks, and for a moment it seems as if the tides of war would favor the darkmantles. Then Uldir starts to shout in dwarvish, and while his spell brings forth a black eagle marked by his appearance as a celestial being, it's his words that have the most impact. For a moment, the creatures seem frozen mid-air (for those that can see them), then they start to retreat form the source of the words as fast as possible, one in obvious panic even dispelling the magical darkness, it brought forth just before.
After a moment of wary silence, Uldir lets loose with an exultant roar, hurling insults and over-the-top boasts at the retreated creatures in Dwarven.
Blinking at the sudden disappearance of the darkness, Kendren swings his staff at the one fleeing before him, although his relative inexperience in combat means he is all but assured to miss the target.
"There you are you hellspawn".
Flail swatter
Swat
Alfred spots one just as it flies out of his reach.
Quick off the mark Iolaire lunges at a darkmantle, skewering it brutally as it tries to flap away.
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Brutally hit by Iolaire , the darkmantle helplessly spins by Arianna, who takes the opportunity and stabs the beast right in it's centre. It's already dead when it crashes into the cave's wall. The other three put some distance between them and the group, but for some reason don't try to escape through the corridor leading out of the cave on the other side.
Realizing that the creatures seem to be alarmed by him, Uldir grins and advances towards the them. Pointing at the wounded darkmantle, "Harulis! Barul ammar Dukkalgan saram!" weaving his hands though another spell, the dwarf lops an Acid Splash at the think, followed immediately by a charge from the eagle.
Iolaire follows up on her success - charging another darkmantle and attempting to skewer it as she did its friend.
Rianne aims at one of the monsters with a ray of magical cold
Kendren flicks a glob of acid at another of the creatures.
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Arianna paused unfamiliar with the behavior the darkmantles were exhibiting. They appeared to be fleeing but with such creatures one could never really be completely certain of that. She decided to hold her position, monitoring the darkmantles for any sign of turning back in their direction or for any sign of an aggressive action from any of them.
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While Uldir's spell dissolves harmlessly before it reaches it's target, Harulis takes another piece out of the darkmantle that was already hit by Alfred' initial attack.Iolaire and Rianne are less lucky, but Kendren's orb hit's it's target.
"Kangrosha! Ahaz gigahn mak! Firleite!"
An unknown, as angry as earthy voice shouts out of the corridor behind the darkmantles, making them even more panic if anyhow possible. You can't see who or what that is but it sounds as if you don't need to wait for very long.