"Mole people?" Kelden questioned the blind elf incrediously. He had never.... well he supposed something of that ilk could exist. He glanced torwards Farak to see if the dwarf was smirking or the like.
"Does anyone need a moment to stop and collect themselves? Lady Anevia, how is your leg? Would you like to sit for a moment while we check the temple gounds?" Kelden began as his eyes ran along the empty chamber.
Kyra was about to ask the very same question, but before she could Kelden and Carilain both queried. While awaiting a response to their question, Kyra send her lights further into the chamber to illuminate as much of the room as possible. Curious about the basin of water, Kyra cautiously approaches it while keeping a wary on on the door to the north.
Mole people?! oh gods, what have we gotten ourselves into down here...Reminder to self - Never go underground again.
Alesie wanders aimlessly through the small temple. "So outside those mole people, this may be a good place to clear a bit. Always nice to know of a secure spot to hide when necessary..." She whispers to herself aloud.
At the inquires to his comment Aravashnial seems to stand up a little straighter. [b]"Oh yes, there have been rumors and stories of them hailing back from the second crusade..."[b]
Hargus rudely interrupts the elf. "You and your mad conspiracy theories. Yes mole people or even better: The nobles of Kenabras are funding the cultists! You come of with these mad ideas nearly every day!"
He sits his large body upon the far side of the bench pulling a handkerchief out and wiping at his profusely sweating face. "I don't like the feel of this place..." He mutters half to himself.
"hailing from the second crusade? How is ... are they hostile? Were they some sort of criminal or fiend?" He asked not . . . nervously but certainly concerned about the possibility of their being some underground malevolent force between them and the freedom of the sun. His hand tightened on the hilt of his scimitar.
Anevia flashes a glare at Hargus, she limps into the antechamber of the abandoned temple. Something else flashes across her face for a moment. A fleeting though of something.
”Oh thank the gods a seat…” Practically collapsing onto the stone bench she sumps against the wall clearly exhausted. ”I’m not sure how much father I can walk like this. I need some time to rest and recover.”
Mutters loud enough to have his voice echo about the ante chamber.”Anevia and Aravashnial are slowing us down, perhaps it’s time that we split up. A few of us could certainly move ahead." Adding again as an after thought "and maybe even get some help.”
Anevia explodes, "Oh slowing you down! You fat pompous idiot, you sweating like a pig to keep up and that's with two good legs. You wouldn't last five minutes out there without these fine people protecting you."
She forces herself up to her feet “I’m not surprised that a man afraid to acknowledge his own faith feels off put in a forgotten temple like this! Of course though, a man like you who’s too ashamed of of his faith is as bad as any demon worshiping cultist!”
Horgus is a bit taken aback by her outburst, but then contemptuously remarks, unused to have people stand up to him or heaven forbid raise their voice to him!
“Oh the irony of being chided by someone who is known to consort with thieves. Perhaps I keep my faith more personal then you but I can’t believe your arrogance to compare me to th-those monsters! Demons killed my family, if not for a brave crusader I would have died too! To compare me to those that worship those abominations to too far Anecia!”
Anevia falls into black, silent anger at this, her eyes narrowing. Drawing upon some inner reserves to resist escalating the argument any further. She limps away from the bench preferring to stand on her broken leg than to sit by Hargus.
Kelden had so far been attempting his best to keep everyone in a mood that was not so low as this. Yet all at once everything seemed to spiral about around him
"For the love of the Sun and light and all that is good, will the two of you listen to yourselves." He exclaimed carefully posititioning himself between the two of them. "Obviously you two have something of a history that has little or no bearing on our current situation. WE LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND." He raised his voice eyeing the both of them."For the love of all the good gods above let us work as one, barring that love we all seem to have a need to hate the demons that are, I remind you, attacking the city above us. Either reason works for me PLEASE." Again the young cleric put emphasis on the word trying to cajole their cooperation. "let us behave as allies." He finished glancing to the others to help his argument.
Farak looks directly at Hargus and speaks in a gruff voice.
"We leave no one behind, and to think we should shows why you're not leading right now."
The dwarf then moves over to Anevia, and in a low voice he tries to comfort her.
"We will be out of here soon—I know things seem strange, but we will survive. We have so far, and that's already impressive."
Carilain guesses that the mole people are not really moles after all, but crusaders that hid under ground for some reason.
Moving over by the door, Carilain casts his cantrip of magic detection, and begins to examine the door.
As Anevia and Gwerm start their argument he listens, but does not comment. His opinion of the fat, foolish Noble does drop another notch, however.
I think there may be some history there, but can't he see the poor girl is grieving? Kelden and Farak seem to have this in hand, no need to interfere.
Alesie moves away from the pair of quarreling individuals, shaking her head the whole time. A look of worry etched on her face. This is really not the time or place to be doing this though. Sounds travels far to well down here to be yelling at one another.
Kyra turns with a fierce glare in her eyes towards Hargus. "You fat-" she begins to shout; however, Kelden was quicker and much closer to the bickering twosome.
"For the love of the Sun and light and all that is good, will the two of you listen to yourselves." He exclaimed carefully posititioning himself between the two of them. "Obviously you two have something of a history that has little or no bearing on our current situation. WE LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND."
It was definitely for the better, Kelden was more adept at calming these types of situations down. Kyra knew how to handle a tavern full of drunken sailors on the precipice of a brawl, but that typically involved her dancing skills and a few well placed flirtatious winks. This situation, however... her words would have only caused a greater rift in their group. They needed solidarity for survival.
She turns from the door and walks over to support her brother in faith. "Brother Kelden is correct, we need each other to survive. Splitting our group right now would be terribly dangerous, for both groups." She nods to Kelden before taking another look around the temple. As she looked around her eyes caught sight of Alesie and she remembered something the elven lass said when they first stepped into the temple.
"Alesie, you make a good point. Let us continue searching the temple, we can always use this as a fall back in case we run into serious trouble down the way." Kyra steps away from Kelden to begin searching the interior of the main temple room. Perhaps she might find an indication of why the temple was abandoned...
As Kyra opens the heavy door slowly she reveals broken stone benches line this narrow room. The air is cold and stale, and thick layers of dust cover the floor, benches, and a large altar at the far end of the room.
On one of the benches a hooded figure of a being remains perfectly still bent over as if in prayer, the dust as think on it as the rest of the chamber.
"Reveal yourself! This is not the time or place for silence!"
Kyra shivers a little at the chill in the air when she opens the door into the smaller chamber. She looks around and spots the figure kneeling on one of the benches. She frowns when she notices the heavy layer of dust upon the figure, just as thick as it was around the rest of the room. She sends her dancing lights in to illuminate just as well Farak comes up behind her and shouts at the figure.
"Farak, look at the dust. I believe whoever that is... must be dead. This has to be years upon years of dust... I wonder how they died." Her curiosity takes the better of her and Kyra approaches the robed figure slowly with her scimitar in hand...
"Careful. Nothing we have run into so far has been pleasant." The hooded figure gives Carilain the creeps. If it's dead it should have had the decency to have fallen over.
Kelden slid forward as Farak called out to something. He gripped the hilt of his scimitar even as Kyra pointed out the dust covered nature of the form. Strange times indeed, and that is indeed a question that i dont think we will find an answer to sister Kyra. He too aproached the figure if only to see if this was once the temples preist. No other answer made sense.
Closer inspection reveals it to be a dwarf. He bears the vestments of a cleric of Torag. While still and not breathing his flesh appears to be completely intact. The faint stench of grave dust and decay though fills your nostrils.
"Ugh. I can see it's bones. It's skull, for cryin' out loud. That's messed up!
The skeletal remains of another dwarf lie on the ground just west of the alter, it's skull cracked and caved in as if by a large hammer.
"The carekeepers of this forgotten temple perhaps?" Kelden mused aloud. The skeleton to the side of the alter was a bit of concern to the cleric. It appeared violence was the cause of its demise. "Something just seems amiss here." He added with a slight frown.
Farak kneels down in a quick prayer for his fallen brethren. He takes a long swig from his flask, and then pours out a few drops in honor of the dwarves.
"Such atrocities. We must stay steady though."
What happened here? "I really don't like this place. I suggest we continue on." Alesie comments.
The seated remains of the dwarf give a sudden lurch as it attacks!
Order:
Alesie
Kelden
Undead
Farak
Carilain
Kyra
On his initiative Kelden will call out to Sarenrae to give him the strength to send the ambomination back to death and cast Shield of Faith on himself (+2 to ac, domain spell) then he will advance into threatening range.
"By the holy loving light of Sarenrae I will not stand to have you harm my companions... face me faithless thing."
Carilain thinks about using his bow, he ponders on utilizing the club at his belt. It is his sword that is in hand though, so Carilain charges it with magic and attacks.
Farak springs into action, studying the creature as his hammer swings downward.
"Oh dear Gods, its moving! Why must everything try and kill us?" Alesie cries out, drawing her rapier and attacking.
Kyra lets out a short cry when the dwarf suddenly lurches forward with what she assumes in evil intent! Though her shock slowed her reactions the dervish dances forward in a twirl of her skirt, scimitar flashing in the illumination provided by her dancing lights! All the while embuing her trusty blade with magic!
Alesie
Alesie shouts as she swings at the creature, missing it.
Kelden
Murmurs a prayer and cast Shield of Faith then moves to attack the undead.
Undead
The creature lets out a moan as it reaches out with its claws. ”You.. are... not…” The fist swipe misses but the second connects with Farak!
Farak
The inquisitor knows that this creature was once living, and is distracted by its moaning speech. His hammer smashes what was left of the bench.
Carilain
Strikes it with his sword. The cut barely harms it leaving only a small tear in the flesh.
Kyra
Closes the circle around the dwarf and slashes, but to no effect!
Round 1
Alesie see Carilain's sword seem to strike true only to barely cause any damage and second guesses her own tactics. [i]If he can't hurt it why would I be able to?
Kelden will clutch his Holy symbol and pray. "Let Sarenraes holy light wash over you foul thing!" chenneling energy to harm the undead monster.
Carilain recites a childhood chant as he backs away from the undead dwarf.
"Sword cuts flesh, club breaks bone, magic trumps the lot."
The elf sheathes his sword and grabs his club out.
Farak grunts with pain as the creature's claws sink in. Steeling himself, though, he retaliates with a shout.
"Vile creature! Cayden, guide me!"
Alesie
She slashes again at the undead narrowly missing it again.
Kelden
Kelden calls upon the power of Sarenrae. With a flash of light the creature seems startled.
Undead
The dwarf lets roar as the holy light strikes it. It strakes out at Kelden in a blind rage.
Farak
Farak swings his earthbreaker smashing down on the creature.
Carilain
Steps back and changes weapons.
Kyra
Round 2
Undead -11hp
Kelden -2hp
Kyra grits her teeth as the dwarf scratches Kelden and swings her scimitar in an upward arc! The weapons connects with the creature!
On his initiative in round 3
Kelden grit his teeth "No mercy for the faithless undead." he slashes out hard with his scimitar and strikes at the creature.
Carilain makes an takes a step to gain a better position for his next strike, then tries to cave the undead horror's skull in.