"This place does sound defensible... but if we were assaulted here, we'd have no means of escape. I don't think we have the power to fight off a group of schir, nor the supplies to last very long if subjected to a determined siege. I suggest that if we stop here, it not be for too long - perhaps an hour at most."
"Stop for an hour? Outrageous! If there's buildings down here, then there must be some way to the city proper. The longer we stay down here the more we risk having the whole place fall on our heads!"
"I see no real benefit to staying only an hour. I would be agreeable to a 6 hour rest, or moving on now." Ten says, clearly waiting for the others to (hopefully) choose one of those options.
Auric's brow furrows as he quickly thinks on the request. "I'm sorry, Venia," he answers, "I know your leg is wounded but as far as we know the city is still under attack... we need to get up there and do whatever we can to help. And, as soon as we do we'll be able to get you some more help with that leg."
"If anyone can't help but rest for a minute or two, say so and we'll wait a moment, but weigh your discomfort against the lives of the men and women who are likely still fighting up there... against the lives of the children dependent on their success, and on ours..."
Aravash and Gwerm both nod their agreement, Gwerm obviously pleased by Auric's decision.
Venia stands with a grunt. "I'll just take a few minutes to center myself, then." She hobbles over to the altar, where she kneels in the dust and bows her head in prayer. After a few minutes she pulls herself back onto to her feet.
"Alright; let's do this."
"Alright, if you think that best," Astra says. She does her best to help Venia and Aravashnial, but it's clear that she's not exactly the best suited for the task, and it isn't too long before Astra feels her muscles quivering in overexertion.
Desna, please let the way ahead be clear. I've only a little magic in me, and I don't know how much it will help the others.
Ten joins Luna when they are ready. He slips into a shadow and seems to melt into the darkness as the group makes their way slowly along.
Auric helps Astra get Venia and the elf moving. Then, with his rapier at the ready, he follows behind Luna and Ten, keeping close to Astra.
The party continues into the caverns, traveling southwards through the twisting tunnel at Venia's slow pace for over forty minutes. There are no further signs of inhabitants, demonic or otherwise, until another large cavern is reached.
A turn in the tunnel brings you into a cavern from the west. Roughly 35 feet wide and stretching into darkness ahead of you, stalactites hang down from the ceiling high above. The walls of this high chamber have been carved into stone figures, life-size depictions of armor-clad crusaders staring mutely at you from the rock, their faces sad and somber.
Astra pauses a moment and prays for those still fighting above.
Creeping forward further into the chamber, Luna's low-light vision allows her to see an occupied bedroll at the very edge of Ten's light.
”Which stalactite?” Auric whispers back as he sheaths his rapier and draws his bow.
"Luuunaa! Stop trying to scare me," Astra whines as her eyes dart about. The truth is, Astra is desperately hoping that Luna is just trying to scare her.
Auric stares at where she seems to be pointing, then suddenly arrives at a better idea. ”Why don’t you get out your bow, Luna, and I’ll just shoot at whichever one you shoot at?”
,
"Are you sure? All the rocks down here just look like rocks to me." Ten replies to this silly game of shoot the rocks. Must be a little cavern fever going around.
Luna's arrow finds its mark, striking the tip of the nearest questionable stalactite and deflecting off to fall to the floor. The rock definitely moves this time, flinching away from the strike. Auric's arrow swiftly finds its mark as well, sticking solidly in the "stalactite," which emits a mewling cry of pain!
Luna's follow-up shot misses low, sailing across the cave where it can be heard to shatter against some far wall.
Auric feels a pang of compassion as the creature cries out in pain.
maybe it was hiding for its own safety, not to hunt... I guess we’ll find out from how it responds...
He pulls back another arrow and takes aim, but hesitates before loosing it...
,
Astra gives a cry of surprise as the "rock" moves, then cries out in pain. Almost on reflex, she casts a spell and four motes of light appear in the stalactites above.
Casting Dancing Lights and putting the motes around the "rock"
Just as surprised by the arrows whizzing past him as he is by live rocks, Ten decides to skirt the edge of the cavern.
If they mean us harm, I can get around behind them when they advance. If we mean them harm, I'll at least be out of the way of the arrows.
The wounded creatures detaches from the stalactite and swoops down towards the party, in appearance resembling a strange aerial squid with thin membranes stretched between it's tentacles allowing it flight. Auric releases his shot, skewering it once again, and with another shriek of pain it alters it's trajectory back up into the forest of stalactites which hang from the ceiling.
A similar creature swoops down from the second questionable stalactite and, undeterred by the treatment given to it's companion, charges straight at Luna. It flails towards her with hooked tentacles but seemingly misjudges her distance, it's attack coming up short and missing her entirely.
Ignoring the one that fled, Ten steps in behind the one that attacked Luna and slashes at it with his small dagger.
Casting Silent image to create an illusion of a wall of ice.
Astra recognizes the monsters attacking them and begins casting a spell in the hopes of delaying the aberrations long enough for them to regroup and find a strategy. A wall of ice seems to sprout from the stone floor and goes all the way to the ceiling between Luna and Auric and the vicious predators.
"Darkmantles, she explains quickly. They lay in ambush to grab prey with their clawed tentacles and then crush their victims to death. They'll probably snuff the lights if they think it'll help them."
Auric pulls his rapier back out as he advances on the darkmantle. Without a word, he stabs at the creature once it’s within reach.
"It's an illusion. I thought we could use the breathing room," Astra admits sheepishly.
Tenebris's dagger finds its mark in the darkmantle's body as Auric walks past Luna and around Astra's illusory wall, as even with her warning he's unable to will his eyes to pierce through the illusion. His rapier strikes true, and the creature lets out a cry of pain.
Will DC 15
Shrieking at it's new attackers, the darkmantle withdraws away from Auric and Luna before swooping up past Ten to take cover in the ceiling's stalactites.
Still unsure if the creature is malicious or just territorial, Ten lets it flee without impediment.
--------------
As the others advance in, Ten refreshes his light spell and moves 15' further into the cavern.
"Maybe, but we'd better hurry," Astra answers, "then again, I don't know if they'll follow us afterwards."
The remaining darkmantle is obscured but still discernible at the edge of Ten's light, lurking among the stalactites.
Ten ventures forward 15' to see if the strange bat comes back down. Then waits for the others.
Astra commands her lights to move higher, hoping to scare the things further away.
Auric advances thirty feet, keeping his bow at the ready in case either creature attacks again.
Fully illuminated by Astra's lights, the darkmantle again swoops down upon the party, this time towards Tenebris. Auric wings it with an arrow as it descends, which may well be why the creature misses it's mark, swooping harmlessly just past Ten's head!