;P
Horgus nods at Ionnia's comment on his offer of payment. "I have no objections to people spending their earned money however they wish,", he begins, with a noticeable glance in Anevia's direction. "Even artists and paladins require funds for their work and needs. Abadar always prefers the ordered flow of steady commerce, and I believe that commerce requires a fair wage for services and labor." He unconsciously pats his rotund belly as he continues. "I have tried to maintain some skill with the rapier, but I have to admit that accounting issues and contract negotiations have seemed to take over my practice times more often the last few years. I can't honestly say I will be more than mediocre with a weapon." He nods back toward Ionnia. "A dagger would be better than nothing if faced with another of those demonic creatures, I guess. If you are willing to lend me the use of it, I would be appreciative."
Anevia has quietly been maneuvering herself away from Horgus and Aravashnial when Cernan captures her hand. She laughs a little, but quickly regains her serious expression. "I think a crutch would be more hinderance than help, after your excellent healing. I won't be winning any races, but if we run into trouble, I'll need both hands to bring my bow to bear." She looks ruefully over her shoulder - her quiver holds only six arrows.
Aravashnial, having sunk back to the ground after his outburst, feels around for his dropped rucksack. He seems subdued and pale upon realizing Horgus is one of his companions. After a moment of searching he pulls forth a stoppered vial, removes the cork and drinks the contents.
The elven boy looks at Ionnia with enormous leaf green eyes. They flicker involuntarily toward the bright light Cernan cast, and then back to her. His face looks stubborn as a dwarf's as his eyebrows draw down. "No. Light. Bright." He points at the aasimar helpfully. At Ionnia's request for his name, he sticks his thumb in his mouth for a moment, and it seems to calm him. "'rel. Ker-rel. Wan' mama."
"Well said Anevia." Cernan says brightly as he allows the archer to reclaim her hand. His eyes follows her glance to her quiver.
"Heh. Best make each shot count, yes?" He offers cheerfully.
"Fear not. Cernan is fairly certain that underground you won't be firing at anything far enough away to actually miss." He offers encouragingly.
"Kipka! Have you anything in that prodigious backpack of yours to provide illumination?! Caydean's blessings are generous, but my own powers are not without limit. An alternative light source would not be unappreciated about now!" Cernan calls brightly as he steps towards the gnome.
Cernan stops as he nears Ionnia and the small child. He glances to the paladin, raising an eyebrow. He seems, unsure what to say.
At last, something the overconfident cleric seems to not already be a master of. Children.
Ionnia removes her dagger and its sheath from her belt and hands it over to Horgus before turning back to the boy.
"You're right, Cernan made it bright. And don't worry Ker-rel, we'll find your mama, but if we're going to do so you need to help us. That elven wizard can't see anything, so I need you to take his hand and lead him and warn him if there are any loose rocks on the ground he might step on. And if we meet more monsters you need to tell him where they are. Do you think you can do that?"
The toddler looks back and forth a few times between Aravashnial and Ionnia as the elf restoppers the vial. Other than the horrible gash across his eyes, his wounds from the battle appear suddenly healed. Still scabbed over, but somehow looking better, the wound on his face shows no evidence of his eyes coming back in anything like working order. As the elf begins to stand again, stowing the empty potion vial in his bag, the boy suddenly whips his thumb out of his mouth and barrels toward the other elf, hands extended.
"Rock! Rock! Rock!" he cries out, running full speed into the unsuspecting elf and knocking them both back to the rubble. "Rock, rock! One, two, three...many rock!"
Aravashnial's expression is a little hard to read in his current state, but surprise and then annoyance are easy to interpret, at least. "Lady Ionnia, I'm sure the lad should be staying away from the front lines of our little expedition, but I hardly think he will be able to pick out the important details from our surroundings I will need to understand our situation and find the best solution to our predicament. Let alone the ability to elucidate clearly on it."
The toddler looks back at the older elf, confused, then decides it's his turn to speak again. "Owwie!"
Anevia limps forward and pats the boy on his head, displacing dust from his dark brown hair. "Yes, Kerrel, owwie. Don't run into him, okay? He has an owwie."
Aravashnial sniffed disdainfully. "I assume the child's name is likely to correctly be Keriel, or something of the sort," he said dryly.
"'Rel!" the boy responded with a grin.
"I could help guide and explain matters to Aravashnial," Anevia offers softly. "I've little experience with magic, but my eyes are sharp enough."
"Oh, but I believe this Cernan fellow agreed that Mistress Willow would be happy to act as my eyes and notekeeper," Aravashnial cut in. "Her knowledge of arcane things will doubtless come in handy as we run into demonic forces or arcane runes! Though I appreciate the offer, Miss...er...Avina?"
"Anevia. Tirablade." Anevia's response was a little flat at his lack of recognition.
"Tirablade?!? Tirablade! Yes! Um...well. Of course. I'm sure you have many capital skills, but the arcane training of Mistress Willow will undoubted allow her an easier time keeping up with my requirements for information and my need for accurate note-taking! Both are crucial for me if I am to come up with a plan to get us out of this place."
Horgus snorts audibly and rolls his eyes, turning his back resolutely on the elf and archer as he fingers the blade Ionnia has leant him and watches the far side of the cavern, where the faintest hints of two paths may be seen.
Cernan unabashedly rolls his eyes behind the backs of both men.
"Right! That's settled then!" Cernan says cheerfully.
"Come along Rel. You stay with ol' Cernan." He tells the boy, holding out his hand.
"But be careful. No more owwies. Right?" He says with earnestness suitable of the young child.
"Well, Cernan says we should get moving, sooner rather than later. The ground collapsed once. I don't fancy being under it if it decides to do it again."
"Kipka, Anevia, You two likely have eyes even sharper than mine. How about you take a look down the tunnels and tell us which way to go, eh?" He says enthusiastically.
KNOWLEDGE: DUNGEONEERING
Note- remove 1 from the above- that should be a 22 not a 23 on Dungeoneering.
** spoiler omitted **
Kipka realizes that, the cave in notwithstanding, this cavern looks rather stable. The tremors that shook the ground before as the demon hordes descended on Kenabres seem to have done little more than dislodge dust throughout what she can see of the cavern around her, except where everyone fell through. This indicates that the caverns are not only stable, but likely have been here for some time. The rocks don't have the sharp edges that would indicate a lot of recent activity.
Kipka's inspection of the cavern brings to her attention a strange glint in a couple of places in the rubble around her...Cassander's bright light seems to catch something out of the corner of her eye.
Willow gives a slight shrug to Anevia, unseen by Aravashnial, in a wry manner as an attempt not too alienate the lady. Whilst she glances to Cernan and the child, a lump in her throat. 'At least that should keep him out of trouble. she thinks though about which she's not sure.
Taking up her wicker basket in one hand and putting out the crook of her arm for Aravashnial to take. She gently leans slightly into him, to prevent him stumbling. "The cavern is littered with the rubble of the square, cobbles and rocks are strewn across the area. The area isn't open to the sky, which is fortuitous in it's own way. What you right foot." she says as they move around a boulder, as she keeps him on the level. "For who knew of the caverns or maybe sewers beneath the city?"
** spoiler omitted **
These tunnels are older than my dad! And that's saying something. I don't think we're going to find much down here other than dust and insects, we should stay in a group and follow our noses as quietly as possible.
"Right, Cernan takes care of Rel." Ionnia draws a sigh of relief, feeling just a little bit silly at having failed so badly at judging what the toddler is capable of. "I suggest me and Hiro takes the lead, with Anevia behind us, then Willow, Kipka and Aravashnial, and Horgus and Cernan to watch our rears."
She wipes some sweat from her forehead. "That just leaves deciding which way to go. Does your nose have any suggestion, Kipka?"
Then, a smile flicks across her face for the first time since they fell into the pit. "And you're quite right, Rel. Lots of rocks."
"Right, Cernan takes care of Rel." Ionnia draws a sigh of relief, feeling just a little bit silly at having failed so badly at judging what the toddler is capable of. "I suggest me and Hiro takes the lead, with Anevia behind us, then Willow, Kipka and Aravashnial, and Horgus and Cernan to watch our rears."
She wipes some sweat from her forehead. "That just leaves deciding which way to go. Does your nose have any suggestion, Kipka?"
Then, a smile flicks across her face for the first time since they fell into the pit. "And you're quite right, Rel. Lots of rocks."
left, I think. You're supposed to make a bunch of lefts followed by a right and then you're out of the maze.
'Well let us hope, left is the right direction....we don't want to be left behind.' Willow mumbles softly before remembering her manners and her duty.
"So forward we go Arashnial, before us are some rocks over which Rel just came a cropper, so I'd advise high steps of about 3 foot stride as a maximum. Much like the Varisian dancers of the Flamisensa." she adds recalling watching the colourful troop that once visited her homestead.
"Sounds good Kipka. Carry on! We're right behind you! Come along Rel my boy, there's a good lad!" Cernan declares as boisterously as ever, stepping forward to follow the others into the cavern, gently leading the boy Rel with his left hand, his right holding his poor battered sword at the ready.
"That's Miss Kipka's fragrant candle, Arashnial." Willow informs him, to try and assuage any perturbed feelings. She nods to Kipka for her forward thinking and glances to Ionnia with a wary nod for the warrior.
Ionnia returns Willow's nod with a reassuring smile. "Time we got started on getting out of here. Good thinking with the candle, Kipka."
Drawing a deep breath she starts forward into the left tunnel.
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It did it again SUPER PERCEPTION!!!
Okay...not sure what's going on here..
Cernan's light acts as his own personal lantern, highlighting wherever he looks with astounding clarity. ;)
"Watch your step lads and lasses! On we go!" He declares cheerfully.
"Thanks." Willow adds for the warning for Cernan. "Are these caverns natural? Or some constructed aquifer?" She asks as she moves across the rubble her wicker basket in one hand.
Anyone see something?
Willow opens her eyes wide, a hissing sound coming from her teeth at Ionnia. She nods her head at the blind man beside her in admonition at the knights faux-pas....
Then she points out forward up the passage they are going down: "It's certainly dark and we should be cautious with that forthcoming tunnel, for the footing is trecherous."
"Well, let us carry on then! Fortune and Caydean favors the bold! Or at least those not afraid of the dark!" Cernan says with a grin.
Surprised at Willow's noise, Ionnia turns to look at her with a concerned gaze. "I don't like the sound of that. Did you hit your ribs when we fell, Willow?"
Waggling her head slightly to nod at the blind man, a strawberry lock slips across her face dislodged from the once ostentatious display. "Nope, I'm fine." She says trying to leave the 'but' hanging in the air....