"Does it like burning?" Serena asked, snapping her fingers and conjuring the first glimmerings of a Searing Ray. If nothing else, she might be able to hurl a bit of flaming death from a good distance, preferably supported by the others. After a moment - and depositing Aravashnial in a safe place - she scooted forward to get a better look at the chamber (while keeping well back from this... Spore Cougher).
"What does it do?" Zora asks them.
"Mushroom? Let's do like in a tavern." Thrall grins slightly. "You cook it, I cut it and Bitey eats it."
No idea if it likes burning, but it has a nasty habit of spitting dangerous spores all over if you're fighting it, thus the name. The spores can kill a man in minutes!
Serena sees a deflated looking mushroom that consists of four spidery stalks, long green tendrils, and an inverted bell-shaped cap. She also sees two dead bodies.
"I don't think we should rush ahead into this - we could lose people if we don't take the time to prepare. Does anyone know more about this Spore Cougher? Serena, what do you see up there. Lann, how far away from the Spore Cougher can one be and remain unaffected by the spores. If we hold our breaths, could we sneak past it?" Balthasar asked. He fervently hoped Bitey wouldn't take Thrall's 'Mushroom' comment as a sign he should rush into the room and try to eat it - the goblin obviously had a strong stomach, but he didn't know how well Bitey would be able to fight off the effects of the spores.
Lann shrugs. I try to stay as far away as I can, and have done so very successfully until right now, so I can't tell you much other than it's very dangerous.
"Well, it looks either wounded or dead." Serena reported to the rest of the group. "There's a couple of extra bodies there, and... I dunno, maybe they killed each other? Everyone vulnerable get back, the rest prepare to hit it really hard if it advances on us."
After giving the group a moment to get ready - they had to do something to get past it, after all - Serena raised a hand and sent a ray of searing light across the cavern and into the plant's(?) side.
for
The plant doesn't respond.
"Ok, let's do this." Thrall walks to the approximate center of the room, greatsword in hand, and stays there in guard looking at the plant. "Start crossing, you lot!"
Iolaire runs up the wall behind the group, taking up position above Thrall. "I think its dead - wouldn't it be moving if it were alive?"
As the party enters the cavern and gets closer to the dead men, you notice that they are wearing the uniform of Iomedaen crusaders, but, instead of the traditional longsword, they appear to have used glaives and spiked gauntlets in combat.
If there continued to be no reaction, Serena would carefully move forward, then help drag the bodies away so they could be examined in more detail.
No reaction. When you get close you can see many wounds on the plant. It is dead.
The bodies are only a few hours old. One was killed by the plant's tendrils, the other by some kind of inhaled disease, the spores, you assume.
Each man still wears a masterwork chain shirt. One of the dead bodies still carries a potion of cure light wounds, while the other has a scroll of cause fear in a pouch. Between the two of them, they also carry 129 gp. Furthermore, the body on which the scroll was found clutches something: tightly in his fist-a small symbol of a brass bull's head with tiny red gemstone eyes probably worth 50g.
Balthasar looks over the two crusaders. ”Damn. We could have used their help. Odd that they’re dressed as Iomedaen while using Shelyn’s preferred weapon, though. Does anyone recognize this symbol?” He holds up the bull with gemstone eyes.
"Doesn't appear to be of Iomedaen origin," Zora comments. She silently resists the urge to unwrap our her own to compare.
Bitey quietly munches on a bit of fungus, no one had noticed him when he ran up to the dead thing. Perched as he is on a rock, he watches as the others puzzle over the bodies.
"Nope, I never see cow head goddess before. Sound strange people worship food not eat it. We should bring their bodies home to the up up land so as to give them peace."
Bitey burps and dips what's left of his hood-ka-bob in the fungus and continues chewing. Pretty soon he picks his teeth with the arrow before returning it to its owner.
Thrall tries to put the corpses in, at least, a more honourable posture. He will let anyone take whatever they want from them, since where their souls are heading they'll need no physical items. When he notices the small symbol, though, he's quite intrigued.
"Actually, Iomedae's sacred animal is the lion. This symbol is of a deity called Baphomet, which aligns on the opposite side of My Lady."
Though it's not uncommon to find devotees with weapons other than longswords, he himself being an example, Thrall can't help but think that something is not right with these men.
"I have no explanation to this, but still, we should get going and we'll probably end up figuring out."
"My lady Shelyn and Baphomet share the same weapon, but nothing else." Iolaire says from above the groups heads. "He is a Lord of Minotaurs, mazes and spies. If his followers are down here then they're probably in the city above as well. That means nothing good."
She ignores the loot, since its all sized for people larger than her.
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Arianna shifted nervously at the revelations about the bodies and thr significance of the symbol they'd held. "they are probably not the only ones either. For all we know there could be more in the area or just as bad up above aiding the attack. " She offered. She bit her lip for a second considering the bodies.
"Bad people below, bad people above... we must stop these bad people. I will bite them and make them run away and never come back. Yes yes yes, this is good plan, you leave to Bitey. Then Bitey get the four roast pig and stuffed goose you promise Bitey for dinner." Having run out of food at this location, Bitey begins pattering in whatever direction they were originally going. Periodically doubling back to rub against Zoranda's and Lann's legs in an attempt to get a snack for his good behavior. Tentatively he will add Thrall and Anevia to the list of people he tries to illicit extra treats from, as long as neither of them shoo him off.
Seeing that the goblin really tries to be good and help, Thrall accepts his company with a smile. He understands quite well what can happen when one lets prejudice take the rains.
"I'm sorry, Bitey. All my food was left up there." Thrall points up with his finger. "If we make it there, I promise I will share it with you."
Bitey whimpers at Thrall.. and then smiles. "That's ok. Caves keep Bitey fed till we get there."
At hearing this is the symbol of Baphomet, Balthasar’s Dave turns hard. ”Then these were not crusaders, but filthy demon worshippers. They will not be buried to find peace - at best they are traitors. It was cultists of Baphomet that led to the excesses of the Third Crusade. That they still infiltrate our ranks means the wardstone’s exploding was no accident. They may have sabotaged it.”
Balthasar stands. ”We will take their equipment, and leave the bodies to rot. I will also take one of their armors - it is more protective than the parade armor I am wearing.”
Once he had donned the new armor, he joined the others in moving on, offering Bitey a piece of jerky as the goblin looked for food.
Serena considered for a few moments, then put her hands out to close their eyelids and mutter over their bodies. "I'm sure the Lady of Graves will judge them fairly, but the last thing we need is desecrated cultists coming back as undead under the city." she observed. She didn't mind taking their stuff, but felt the bodies ought to be treated with at least minimal respect - for the sake of others, not because she had any positive feelings towards cultists of demon lords. Quite the opposite.)
Aria accepts the gnawed arrow for the odd little goblin with a look of intrigue. "He is an interesting little one," She thinks to herself. "Thank you for my arrow... Bitey I believe it is?"
Aria then listens patiently as the group discusses the bodies. "I must agree with Serena. In my short time down here I've seen plenty that defies the imagination. Is it possible to burn the bodies so as they won't come back?"
Balthasar considers a moment and says, "Very well. We can try to burn the bodies - but only to prevent them from becoming some sort of demonic undead or somesuch."
To Aria Bitey says, "Yes, Bitey name Bitey... Bitey say name enough times think everyone knows it by now." Bitey looks around at the others and then moves in close and whispers around his tiny little hand. "Just between you and me, Bitey not always sure if people know how to deal with the fact that Bitey a G-O-B-L-I-N." Bitey drags out each letter as if he was trying to hide it from a little child. "But you like Bitey right, you give bitey tasty hood-ka-bob. Maybe give Bitey more tastiest treats yes yes?"
Aria can't help but smile at the peculiar goblin. "I like you just fine. You can have any cre- I mean monster I turn into a kabob." She then leans in close to whisper. "The animals you might just have to share"
"Ooh, Bitey knows share, Bitey share so good. Bitey buy first round at ale house when we get back. Buy a pint of Five Kings Golden for everyone." The little goblin smiles a toothy grin.
Zora coughs a bit and leans over to whisper to the soon to be victim, "Do not try the Five Kings Golden, or it'll be trying you for a week."
The party gathers the corpses and burns them out of caution and the Mongrelmen don't seem to mind in the slightest. In fact, Lann comments, There's a whole base of these monsters not from from Neatholme. They were probably headed that way.
You form up and head out toward Neatholme, another long walk.
"...A base? Much as I'd like to burn that, too... I don't know if we have the numbers for a raid." she noted, looking at all the injured. They were not berserkers who sought to kill foes at any cost - they could not, must not become the things they fought.
Though reaching the surface seems to be the priority, Thrall can see the value of having a look at this "base". "It's never bad to know about their numbers. After all, if we want to go up there and recover Kenabres, we must take potential enemy reinforcements into account as well. We might not need to attack now, though."
"Better to rest and recover ourselves first." Iolaire offers. "Speaking as a healer I'd prefer to give Anevia and Avarashnial proper attention and none of us are looking too healthy at the moment. Let's look after ourselves before planning raids anywhere else."
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"While I am all for taking care of some insane cultists and their little hideout, it seems foolhardy to rush into an enemy's fortified position with little information on their numbers, strength, and defenses. When we consider Lady Anevia and Master Avarashnial's conditions, the prospect appears even more reckless." She offered her thoughts
"So, is any of you people suited for a reconnaissance mission?"
"Anna and I know a few tricks, but should we really be concerned with this with the more pressing matter of not knowing how to get home?"
"Well, we don't even know if there's a home to get back to, to begin with." Thrall tries to sound catastrophical because he thinks it's best to expect for the worse. "Even if there is, it could be festering with cultists and demons. And also these dudes might know how to get there, if we could capture a sentinel or something." Then he waves his hand. "But that's just a suggestion. We can always try on our own and come back if we need to... if we're alive, of course." Pointing at the Mongrelmen, he adds his corolary. "One way or another, I'll be coming back to help these guys sooner or later."
"OOH OOH, BITEY CAN BE REAL QUIET SNEAK SNEAK!... What? Bitey can too be sneaky."
"Discussing anything involving the cultist base down here is premature until we've spoken to Chief Sull - since Lann knows where the base is, I'm guessing that Chief Sull might know more about it. For that matter, Lann, what do you know about the base?"
Looking about, he said, "We also need to find a place to rest a bit - we aren't in the best of shape for assaulting anything right now, and I'll bet that the base is well defended."
"Their village can't be too much further. That should be the best place to rest. As for assaulting a cultist base, finding out what the situation is on the surface might take priority."
Lann shrugs as you walk. I've just heard whispers and rumors from the men we have stationed in that area.
Finally, you round a bend and come before huge stone double doors clearly built in the name of practicality. The only decoration is a large bat matching the one on the brooch you found earlier. Two mongrelmen guards stand at the door. They look highly suspicious at the flock Lenn has gathered, but a quiet conversation gains you entrance.
A small, dark lake ripples in the center of this two-hundred- foot-wide cavern, the walls and ceiling aglow with thick sheets of luminescent fungi. In the center of the lake, over two dozen low stone buildings cluster on a rocky one-hundred-foot-wide island. Lights glow in the windows of the buildings, giving the settlement an almost welcoming look. Rafts made of mismatched planks of timber bob along the length of a crooked pier at the lake's closest shore. Lann and the other Mongrelmen are overjoyed to see their home intact.
You are escorted by the guards to the largest building atop the island's low central peak-this is the home of Chief Sull, a bloated and unpleasant-looking but mild-mannered mongrel with one clouded white eye. He listens to Lann's report, then turns to you. Thankyou for helping to free my kinsman. We have lost contact with many of our outlying patrols. These tremors are unlike anything we've seen in generations.
"Thank you, Chief Sull, for providing us a momentary respite from wandering the caverns, looking for a way back to the surface. My name is Balthasar Heimren, crusader and guardsman of Kenabres. I am glad we were able to assist. I believe the tremors you are experiencing down here may be a side effect of the demons' assault on Kenabres above. A titanic demon emerged from the earth, causing a rupture that plunged our group down into these caverns. We have been looking for a route back to the surface ever since." Balthasar offers Chief Sull a short bow before he begins speaking, and will also take the time to introduce each of his companions.
Chief Sull nods. Demons is it? Then our worst fears are realized. We may not look it, sir, but we are the descendants of crusaders. We want the demons destroyed just as much as you do. To that end, I offer you what aid we can give in fighting this threat. Horgus scoffs and the chief gives him a glare that would stop a less proud man in his tracks. Horgus ignores the look and stands there with his arms crossed...
Horgus sighs and uncrosses his arms. That seems to be enough for the chief, who continues, The only way back to the surface is through a group of filthy traitors who have aligned themselves with a local cult. I have a few resources I could spare to aid you in eliminating the group, but no men. I will send my men to the other mongrelmen tribes and gather them for battle. Take a message to the Crusader leadership: The Mongrelmen stand with you, if you will have us.
Seeing Vance had dealt with Horgus, and that the Chief seemed pacified, Balthasar turned back to Chief Sull. "If that is the only way back to the surface, then that is what we shall have to do. Lann mentioned there were cultists down here after we encountered two who were already deceased - cultists of Baphomet." Balthasar's dislike of the cultists of Baphomet was evident in the tone of voice as he said it. "We will take whatever aid you can give us to deal with these traitors and cultists who stand between us and the surface. It would be good if we could take some time to rest here - we have some wounded, and Neatholm seems safe for the moment." Pausing, Balthasar fished the brooch out of his belt pouch. "I noticed that the symbol on the doors to the cavern matched this brooch we found while wandering in the caves. Could you tell us anything about it?"
Serena watched with interest as Balthasar fished out the brooch they'd picked up earlier. "We'll gladly take any support you're willing to give." she told the chief. "The demons are not a foe to be taken lightly... and those who oppose them must stand together to have any hope of victory." she said firmly. "Besides, we get crusaders from all over the land. You wouldn't be our first friends of uncommon shape."