"It is a solid building with an easily defended door. If we need to retreat from something or simply want to rest it will be a good defensive point." Firinn offers, spitting to try and remove the foul taste that has invaded his mouth.
"I hope we find something in there I can wash this with." He says, waving his chewed arm - "it looks filthy..."
”Lemme see that...” Khaz proceeded to take out his water flask, clean the wound, and using a strip of cloth ripped from his shirt, wrapped it up. Any protestations were met with a harsh glare.
”That should keep it from bein’ infected. If I had a proper healer’s kit on me I could have done more. But on the plus side, it won’t be fallin’ off or turnin’ green.”
"Having a place to rest may come in handy later, especially if we can't find our way out of here fast. Nice work, Feathers." says Aerleth as he watches the dwarf treat the nasty bite on his arm.
"So, where to next?
The Temple has a large symbol of Torag on the outside.
B2. Antechamber (CR 1)
A stone bench lines the southern wall of this chamber. At the
far side of the room, a basin of water sits atop a stone pedestal.
A stone door engraved with an image of a hammer stands to
the north.
What looks like a stooped person sits on the front left stone bench, close inspection revels a thick layer of dust upon the rotting hood, a skeletal face of a Dwarf sits under the hood, with a loud shriek the creature attacks.
After the flies stop moving, Lorena looks around the new cavern, but there doesn't seem to be anything other than the building. She can see clearly that it's a temple to Torag, having had bad experiences with his followers in the past, but this one seems to be deserted and ruined. Thinking out loud, Lorena says, "Well, I don't see any way out of this cave...perhaps there's another passage inside this temple?". Though, the thought of going deeper into the caves makes her a bit uneasy.
"It's worth investigating at least." Firinn agrees with his fellow strange-one. "I imagine some of us might appreciate a rest, and this would be a safe place to do so I think. Once we've checked it at least."
Terry shrugs. "We can't afford not to look for supplies, information, or a possible path out. An old temple is too likely to have SOMETHING for us to just wander away."
"I agree. Feathers, you look pretty beat up, maybe you should sit this scouting party out?" Aerleth says, eyeing off the recently bandaged wound on Firinn's arm.
"You look... Lithe. I'm gonna head in there and take a look, feel free to join if you can step softly." he says as he turns towards Terry.
With a glance and nod to the others, Aerleth attempts to slip into the shadows and move into the temple.
"It's not that bad." Firinn says, attempting a grin. "Thanks to our healer here I'm doing better!"
Suiting action to words he follows Aerleth into the shrine, quietly.
Seeing the first room is clear he waves an all-clear to the rest, before following Aerleth further into the shrine.
"This doesn't look good." He whispers, pointing at the dwarf. "What do you want to do?"
Temple of Torag. One of the good faiths. Father of the dwarves. Might even be given some aid here. Realistically, we don't know when we'll get back out of here. It's unlikely that there's just going to be a staircase back to the surface, but if anyone would have one, it's dwarves. Not to be too general about things, that is, he adds, realizing they have a dwarvish healer.
Carson goes with the group checking the place out, just to make sure.
The body doesn't move from where it is seated.
"Cover me with your bow, I'll check it out." Aerleth whispers as he creeps forward, longsword in hand.
Lorena enters the temple behind the other scouts, seeing the elf sneaking towards an unmoving figure.
Terry leaves his pack with the non-combatants, since there seems to be a desire for stealth, and tries to play the assigned role.
Terry follows along, arrow nocked, ready to draw and loose at the first sign of trouble.
When they get to the room with the seated figure, Terry moves to the side to keep a better line of fire, in case.
Firinn also moves sideways along the outer wall, trying to keep his line of fire as open as possible. Rionnag, stuck outside, makes a dissatisfied trill inside his head.
The Skeletal frame lets out a shriek, standing up as Aerleth gets to close.
The creature claws at Aerleth with filth covered hands. Aerleth's readied stance allows him to swing his sword intime to attack the creature as it launches itself at him.
Aerleth's armor provides just enough protection to turn the blows away.
"KHAZ! WE COULD USE YOUR AXE IN HERE!" Aerleth bellows as he narrowly avoids the creatures claws.
He slashes at the monster with his blade.
Know Religion
A Huecuva. This was not a good church, or at least he wasn't. Hit it with magic or silver, and try not to get scratched, they're filthy.
Carson moves in and summons one of his magical Spears against the creature.
Silver or magic? Who does he think we are? Terry lets fly, the only good chance he has to do any meaningful damage.
Lorena has never encountered something like this before - an undead in a temple to Torag? Thankfully someone else recognizes it as a huecuva and its weaknesses...she's never heard of it before, but her spear isn't going to work for that, just like the ineffectual attacks the rest of the group is throwing out. Instead, with a gesture and chant, she draws out some divine energy and tries to hit the skeleton with it, but she isn't able to connect before it fizzles out.
Firinn curses internally as Carson names the thing. He looks hopefully for a weak point before letting fly and praying that Desna will guide his arrow.
Many attacks land on the Huecuva, Carson is the only person whos blows manage to penetrate the undead hide, the creature continues to scream out as it attacks.
Khaz rushes in to the building after everyone has shouts for him, axe in hand.
Khaz sees the dead dwarf menacing his party, shouting a dwarven battle cry, Khaz moves in and swipes at the Huecuva.
All the running and the smallish room with everyone in it Khaz just cannot line up his blow.
The Huecuva seeing one of its own Kind turns its attacks on Khaz.
Though neither of the attacks penetrate the Armored Dwarf.
With the creature on him, Khaz’s face twisted into a grimace of righteous anger. He bellowed ”This is the house o’ Torag!” His first blow went wide. It’s claws scraped against his armor. ”Abomination!” His axe began to glow with a soft white light. ”Forge Father!” He shoved it away, giving him room to swing. He brought the shining axe down in a brutal overhead chop. The foe was just the right size for such an attack.
Khaz's second swing powered by his God bisects the undead abomination in twain . Silence settles over the small church. You can now see the Altar that was once an anvil that is rusted from neglect, broken at spots from what looks like repeated abuse instead of normal pounding of a Black smiths hammer.
A hammer lays forgotten on the ground by the forge, it could have belonged to the now dead again Dwarf, the hammer is of masterwork quality.
Looking down at the formerly undead creature, Khaz took a deep breath. He walked over to the anvil and prayed ”Forge Father. I know not what has happened here. But we are all made by your hand. Even should, through our fault, we bend and break, I pray that you might still use the materials to forge anew.”
Spellcraft
Appraise
While Khaz prays for the situation here, Carter assesses what could be gained from the situation.
This ring is fairly valuable, and the potions are curative. Anyone want to put a claim on anything. I'm more concerned with getting out of here right now.
You would figure you have been underground for about 3 hours, this would make it about 530-6 in the afternoon
Rising from the anvil, Khaz turned around and nodded at Carson. "Agreed. As much as I would like to stay here, and to consecrate this holy place, we have injured whom we need to get to the surface."
Holding up the hammer, he looked at it wistfully. "This shrine's in ruins. But this hammer is as sturdy as the day it was made. Made for the Forge Father's glory, this is a work of art as much as it is is a weapon. If any o' ye would be willin' to swing it in Torag's name, I'll gladly pass it on to ye. Otherwise, I'll honor the memory o' this place by usin' it."
Aerleth looks at the finely crafted hammer, then glances down at his battered and chipped longsword.
"Looks like a well balanced weapon. My blade is getting pretty battered, I'd be honoured if you'd allow me to put it to use. If Torag doesn't mind an Elfling raising a hammer in his name, of course." he says to Khaz with a smirk.
Khaz handed the weapon over with a smile. "Torag created the world on his forge, an' that makes him the father of us all. Many an Ulfen has heard his call. He is nay jus' a god for the dwarves. Swing his hammer with pride."
Aniva leads Aravashnial into the Temple, Horgus follows behind but only becasue he doesn't want to be left in the dark tunnels by himself.
"WHere are we? Someone tell me." Aravashnial says loudly, although it could just be an echo that makes it louder.
"We seem to have a found an old, nearly deserted, abused temple to the Dwarven god Torag. We should have come and brought you in faster, but there was a heucuva, or something like that, to deal with first. Looks like he may have been the last priest of the temple, actually. This is a very defensible position, but I don't think we want to hole up for now."
The threat of disembowelment by skeleton now thankfully gone, Lorena looks around as the others gather up what's left of the former temple's supplies. Could there be a tunnel or something leading to another cave in here?
Aerleth tests the weight of his new weapon, impressed at the balance it possesses for such a heavy armament.
"My thanks, Khaz. I'll try not to disappoint you, or Torag for that matter. I vote we press on, it feels far to early to make camp and we might as well make as much ground as we can before everyone tires out too much."
Firinn nods in appreciation of Khaz's axe blow and raises no objections to Aerleth taking the axe, instead investigating what remains of the temple - hoping to find some clean water.
He accepts the general consensus to press on and moves on ahead, keeping to the shadows and mirrored by Rionnag above.
"But I am tired and don't want to go further." Horgus states
"Then sit and rest. We plan to find a way out, a way back up to the surface. Stay here alone if you choose. You offered money for getting you out, not watching you sit."
”Regardless, we just destroyed an undead creature here. There may be more. Aravashnial, what would you suggest?”
"We could press on my magic is still strong I have not used any spells." The Elf beams at being asked his input.
Horgus just looks around, taking a breather then Standing back up and following the others back into the tunnel.
The lone long tunnel winds sound, the passage is dark and you can almost walk 2 abreast . Everyone walks like what seems forever, Aniva and Aravashnial slow the group down, Horgus appears to want to say something but never does as he doesn't really want to go this alone.
Diplomacy
"Sir, I promise we're doing everything we can to get out of here. The sooner the better, of course, but we're not really sure when or if it'll be."
He then turns to Aravashnial as theu walk.
"I believe I missed where you said you were a magician. What sort do you practice?"
Lorena is getting more used to being around a group of people that aren't trying to kill her, though the grumpy fat man seems to be getting on everyone's nerves and their blind and broken-legged companions are, as she'd predicted, slowing their escape down significantly.
As they head up another tunnel, Lorena once again hangs near the back of the group , watching the back as the rest guard the front. As they walk, Lorena says to Horgus: "We're all tired, but if we don't get out of here as soon as we can, we'll all be dead. Just be glad that you aren't hurt right now, like them", gesturing at Aniva and Aravashnial hobbling behind them. "It could be a lot worse."
She also has some suggestions for Aniva: "Whenever Aravashnial wants to know what's going on, you can tell him instead of him shouting at us and alerting everything in these damned caves. That way everyone has something to do, and you won't feel like a burden."
Hopefully, from listening to the others talking, that's what they want to hear...
Lorena's words are enough to Halt any further hostilities from Horgus for a while. "You're right I am not hurt, they are making us more slower but I know them from above." Horgus goes quiet for the length of the travel.
Aniva Smiles at Lorena's slightly bitter but Truthful words.
"I don't always know what is going on either since, you all tend to charge off and leave us alone. But if I do know what is going on I will make sure to tell him since I can protect him from whatever may come." Aniva says slightly curtly.
The tunnel starts to rise enough that it feels like you are making for the Surface, as the rise stops the tunnel opens into a large room.