Mirel is amused by the dialogue going between the two mean and a faint smile rests on her lips as she offers aid to the wounded.
"Thank you...I...will eat this." The woman eats as much as she can, and after the first few gags seems ok with it as food. "That was very unpleasant."
Terry adjusts his movement to help the helmed warrior free the trapped woman. When he reaches her, he hesitates for a second before warning her, "This is probably going to hurt. A lot. If there's any chance for you to keep the leg, though, we have to do this." Then he starts digging out the woman's leg.
With the help of his conrades Emil starts to clean and bandage the injured leg, he also takes a look at the face of the blinded man to see if anything can be done. After they are done he asks for people to gather and channels nature's healing energies.
Lirrathan only scoops up one of the scales, seeing that everyone else had also estimated their value.
He nods respectfully at the woman willing to eat the chunk of maggot, here was a survivor. After handing off the 'food' to her, he helps Terry in trying to remove any large rocks. "I think we need to take stock of who and what we have, and have to deal with, before we can plan who will aid who on the path out."
"For any that missed it, my name's Lirrathan. There are four things I do well, fight with these here swords, fire this here bow, gamble, and drink and I enjoy each activity equally. I have trained under my sister's watchful eye to get by in the wilds and act as a scout in the defense of a small town."
Turning to Terry, he adds, "So far I know your name, Terry, and that you get angry when being educated." and over to the wizard, "You are Arcessentes, I'm gonna call you Arc for short, and you have those ever useful lights. We know the loud blowhard is Horgus Gwerm, as I'm certain he will remind us of often, like the name is supposed to lift us right up out of this hole. What about the rest of you? Blind man, ladies, healer?"
Mirel kneels down to help soothe the woman as Terry digs out her leg. Once her leg is free, she tends to the wounds. She will cast cure light wounds to help the bone reset. "This should help you walk." she smiles at the woman to help ease her pain.
The wizard looks on, hoping the expenditure of resources will allow the woman to walk. Finally he moves to the woman and tries to help Perhaps I can assist you as well. He examines the wound, tending to it in the way that makes sense without training in the healing arts.
Can you put weight on the leg?
Emil, my name is Emil Torquemada. The cleric says while kneeling down to check the blind mans eyes. And I am a member of Gozreh´s clergy. I have come to st... well, I have recently joined the cruzade.
Once the woman's leg is freed, and others are tending to her, Terry starts looking around, again. "I see two openings one to my left and one to my right. I don't see any light coming from above, so climbing's probably not going to help. Is there anything else anybody thinks we should do before we try one of these passages?"
"Well met, Emil, Gozreh's a good guy... err God to have around. Well, at least most of my people tend to think so, so I think I can agree. My sister and I were raised by our parents in the teachings of Desna, but I'm far from a holy man." He chuckles, a mischievous gleam in his eye.
Lirrathan looks around the area, the number of people assembled, and the two passages. "I agree, going up is not likely. Even if it was open, we have the blind and lame, and are about two to three hundred feet deep. That is a rough climb even for those with useable eyes and legs. I was trained as a scout, so if you all want to have a lead lookout, I could get a head start. Otherwise, we need to figure out who's helping Hobbles and Blinky make their way."
Arcessentes extends his hand to Emil. I am Arcessentes, a scholar and student of the arcane. I am familiar with Gozreh. Do you venerate a specific aspect of him/her? he asks in a scholarly fashion.
Emil casts light on the head of his hammer. Two lights are better than one. he mumbles before inspecting the man´s injured face.
The cleric shakes Arcessentes´s hand. No, both of them. I belong to an order dedicated to study the winds AND the seas. He seems to stop to consider what to say next before continuing. The Storm Kindlers are located on the Sodden Lands and the main focus of our prayers and research is the Eye of Abendengo.
Are all of you people with the cruzade? How long have you been in Mendev?
The young man chuckles. "Yes, with the crusade. Better than the alternative . . .. I've been in Mendev all of my life. You? Emil, was it?"
I am a local as well, though I fear I do not get out a lot.
Lirrathan's eyes alight with the mention of the crusade, "Heck yeah! Now there's a true test of ability, fighting demons. Can you imagine how intimidating it would be looking over your cards, and across the table sits one big bad mother who's fought demons at the Worldwound? I mean, people will almost want to believe you never bluff. Imagine the pots I could win with that kind of reputation. I just got here, but based off what just happened above, there's gonna be so much demon butt to kick."
He actually seems pensive and introspective for a bit, before adding "Well, no it's not my first time exactly, my parents helped with the first and second crusade when my sis and I were still babies in our early decades." He scowls, and once again begins chewing his nails. "I'm ready to scout now." he draws both blades and moves toward the two tunnels.
Emil cant help but smile at his companion impulsiveness. Yes, I have just arrived also. Thdre are those among my people who believe its Gozreh’s wish that the worldwound be closed... So here I am. He says a little intimidated. The passages look the same, left one?
"I am Mirel. I came from Varisia, and have only been here a short time. Demons and their spawn need to be eradicated, and I have come here to do so." With that, she saunters off after Lirrathan.
"You, self-important guy. Worm, was it? I didn't hear your choice. Would you rather help her through the tunnels with her bad leg, or him through the tunnels without his sight? How would you like to make yourself useful?"
Lirrathan shrugs at Mirel's noble ideals of demons 'needing' to be eradicated, but his eyes twinkle at her bravado. As she moves to follow him through the tunnels, he feels they all must be ready to depart. He stops briefly before he goes, and reluctantly adds, "Okay, I can't exactly use my bow and swords at the same time. So if someone absolutely needs a weapon, and can fire a longbow, they can use mine. But it's still mine, and I expect it back as soon as we get out of here."
"You, self-important guy. Worm, was it? I didn't hear your choice. Would you rather help her through the tunnels with her bad leg, or him through the tunnels without his sight? How would you like to make yourself useful?"
We are all stressed Terry. But there is no reason to be rude. I am quite sure Mr. Gwerm desires to be out of here as much as we do and will be more than willing to do what he can to support our combined efforts. He is a scholar and his knowledge could very well make the difference for us. Horgus, What are your thoughts on how we should proceed?
The woman, Anevia, bites her lip and nods her head sharply at the mention of pain. She screams as she is first dragged free from the rubble. You can see that her leg is nigh useless, broken in many places and almost smashed. Emil's ministrations prove effective. A quick splint and a holy prayer of healing bring her to the point of being able to walk self-sufficiently. She is obviously still in some pain, and can't move as fast as normal, but she has gratitude welling in her eyes.
"Thank you...Emil? I did not think I would be able to save the leg and almost suggested you leave me behind...only dead. As it is, I can walk, and can use this bow."
As Lirrathan first grasps the scale, a rare look of worry and sadness crosses his features. Like the gravity of the situation they are in finally weighed on him, but then it was gone. Instead a wicked grin lit his eyes and his smile. He kissed the scale, not affectionately, but like one would a lucky charm, then flipped it like a coin before stuffing it in his belt pouch.
"Alright Hobbles, I like your spirit. Ready to take up a bow, eat a maggot, and gimp your way on out of here. Remember though, it's my bow, and I'll want it back when we're done."
"Thanks...Lirra." she quips and painfully smiles at the elf. "I've also got two alchemist's fires and three smokesticks in my pack here...someone else can use them. I won't be close enough to make them count."
"Call me Worm once more and you shall live to regret it, I promise you. I have friends everywhere. But I shall not dain to touch Aravashnial. I shall not help this cripple either. Instead, the dwarf shall be MY escort. At least he's sensible enough to wear that armor."
"Gwerm...nevermind you. I'll be fine as long as I'm near someone...I can still hear. And though my sight is gone, my magic is still with me."
As Lirrathan moves ahead he can see in the dim light that there is a fork with a northern and southern path. He can't quite make out what is around the bend in either path but he hears nothing that causes any (more) alarm.
As Lirrathan starts to move away, Anevia grasps Mirel's arm, she leans in and whispers...
"Well, finally, someone of grace and culture it would seem. Yes, I AM very knowledgeable." A snort arises from the other two people, which Gwerm ignores, "And I think we would do best to get out of here. Leave the cripples behind, they'll only slow us down. Whoever can fight should protect us more knowledgeable folk."
"Gwerm, worm. What's the difference? As you obviously don't need our help, why don't you run along, and we'll leave when EVERYBODY is ready, and we can take proper care of the injured. If you don't want to do this alone, then help."
He decides, that if it will get the guy to shut up, he will try to sell the guy on helping. "Alright, Lord Gwerm, is it? I will take a personal interest in your protection, but to do that I need you to understand one thing. You see, Blinky there is blind because this scale here has granted me a power that allows me to transfer my blindness to him. So, as long as he is within range of my sight, I'm using his eyes. Without them I'll be unable to use any of my many tracking and wilderness skills to get us out of here. I will also be unable to bring both my blades to bear on any enemy. A large part of all our survival relies on me being close enough to use his eyes. You help keep him with us, and I will defend you against anything that attacks us." He tries to maintain his best poker face, mixed with a dash of faux remorse to really sell it.
With that out of the way, Lirrathan uses sound logic and years of training to determine which path to take. On maps, north is up, up is where they need to go to get out of the chasm they fell in, so north it is. Barring any other stimuli, it's not like there is anything more to rely on for making a reliable decision.
"Scale...from Tendelev?! B...b...but that's...not..." The man's protestations trail off as he receives a confirming look from Mirel and Aravashnial says nothing to the contrary. He looks at Terry with defiance for a moment but catches sight of another scale and looks away.
Aravashnial chuckles to himself and Anevia gives a little nudge in the ribs to Mirel.
Come Aravashnial, I shall guide you. My name is Arcessentes. He takes the man by the arm. Tell me of yourself. Did you say you were an arcane caster?
"Thank you...Arcessentes. That sounds like an Elf if I've ever heard a name. Yes, I specialize in conjuration. Both my parents were wizards and almost as soon as I could point to a letter and hold a quill they taught me magic. I chose to specialize as I did because I am fascinated by Tanglebriar. And the foul creature who is a rot upon this world, Treerazer. I excelled in Kyonin's school but could learn no more about sending demonkind back to their place of existence. I was in Galt, seeking knowledge from a ruined place, when I met Lylina. She was as voracious as I in the pursuit of this kind of information. It was she that brought me to the Riftwardens. I've been in Mendev since, battling these scourges of life to advance my knowledge of how to force the openings between worlds closed."
Anevia looks gratefully to Mirel and is mostly able to walk on her own. Once in a while she puts her hand on Mirel's shoulder to steady herself.
After working your way through the tight crevasse, you happen what looks like a smaller cave inside this larger one. This smaller cavern appears to have once served as a campsite or temporary lair. A torn bedroll lies next to the cold remains of a fire. A pile of bones, broken equipment, and rubble lies just past the campsite.
"Mongrelmen." They look at each surprised and Anevia nods to Gwerm curtly.
"There's no mistake...this was a mongrelmen camp. It looks like they left hurriedly though. It's not like them to leave much behind."
"I would imagine they're not used to having holes ripped in the ceiling and a bunch of uninvited guests fall on their heads. Running seems a pretty normal response, don't you think?"
Lirrathan lifts an eyebrow at the assessment of what had been camping there, "Well, if they are civilized, I can try and track them, maybe they can help us out of here. If not, I can try and track them, maybe we can avoid them. Either way, I'm looking, just let me know if we want to find these 'Mongrelmen' or not." He begins looking the area over for signs of footprints or passing.
"Thank you...Arcessentes. That sounds like an Elf if I've ever heard a name. Yes, I specialize in conjuration. Both my parents were wizards and almost as soon as I could point to a letter and hold a quill they taught me magic. I chose to specialize as I did because I am fascinated by Tanglebriar. And the foul creature who is a rot upon this world, Treerazer. I excelled in Kyonin's school but could learn no more about sending demonkind back to their place of existence. I was in Galt, seeking knowledge from a ruined place, when I met Lylina. She was as voracious as I in the pursuit of this kind of information. It was she that brought me to the Riftwardens. I've been in Mendev since, battling these scourges of life to advance my knowledge of how to force the openings between worlds closed."
I too specialize in conjuration. the elf offers quietly as they walk. I've chosen to focus on teleportation magic though. It fascinates me. I have my spellbook with me. I know its not often done, but if we can get you back to seeing again I could let us borrow it to memorize some spells. Do you have any spells committed to memory at the present? It might be good if we knew each other's abilities. I fear I am not much more than an apprentice, but my teachers have said I hold promise.
At the mention of the Riftwardens Arcessentes draws a fast breath, his grip tightening on the man's shoulder. Pausing in the passage he asks, his voice cracking you,... you are a Riftwarden? Both my parents were Riftwardens. They died when I was an infant. He tells the wizard his parent's names. and asks Did you know them? he waits for a reply before continuing.
At the small camp the wizard considers the mongremen.
"Who's there? Why is it so dark in here...last I remember is the Storm King...he wasn't more than a few feet away...his whip of fire...it struck...my...face..." The man sobs uncontrollably for a few moments, "MY EYES!! I CAN'T SEE!!!! WHO WILL SEE FOR ME!!??!"
"Yes, against these damned demons...I have much prepared. I am quick and proficient in countering those cursed spawns' ability to summon more aid to themselves. I can throw a dart of acid back at them as I wish. I specialize in conjuration but I have a few tricks to help others. Any circle I draw and incant over protects from evil. I can instill heroic action into another. I can conjure an arrow instead of a dart of acid. I can levitate, make myself or others resistant to energies directed by the foul creatures. A magic set of armor, a magical shield, I can put foes into a deep slumber, and grant others an unerring strike. I would be more than happy to share what I've learned and written in my book against these foul beings when my sight has been restored. I'm sure you understand why I'm hesitant to share my research without it."
Aravashnial looks, well moves his head to face Arcessentes' voice, "As for your parents, I have, alas, known far too many who have left orphans in the name of the cause. What were their names?"
Most mongrelmen live below the surface of the world in hidden caves far from civilization. These creatures pride themselves on their survival skills, for the bowels of the earth are no place for weaklings. Other foul and intelligent races who claim dominion in the underworld take mongrelmen as slaves (particularly morlocks), finding this deformed race's docile nature and hardworking attitude makes them extremely useful as tools of labor. In this role, mongrelmen still fall back on their pride of survival, slow to rebel and patiently waiting for the overthrow of their masters.
"Yes, I would say that...Terry was it? I'm surprised to find that YOU have the intelligence to say it as well."
Lirrathan finds what he was looking for, and turns to the others to answer before he does anything with what he found, "Well, there are some tracks, but the question is do we want to follow them or avoid them?"
"Do we want to meet the only intelligent life that knows the way through these tunnels and how to survive down here and try to talk them into helping us, or avoid them and see how well we can make out on our own? I vote for option A."