Li'an starts to follow Ary up as soon as possible, not wanting to risk being electrocuted by the lizards. The pain from the fall was fairly intense, however, and between it and the slippery rocks, she failed to get off the ground, despite having a rope.
After regaining her composure she started trying to climb out again.
Valaria does her best to hold the ropes and aid anyone that needs help in climbing up. She glances at the mongrels. "I hope your settlement's healer is very good because I think we're going to need her."
Aravashnial fell into the chasm. Horgus hesitates – he was just about to try his luck going across the guide rope – but seeing Aravashnial fall causes him to lose his nerve.
Markus takes the time to inquire after the mongrelmen’s safety. Lann shakes his head at him, seeming grim. ”No, we should be fine.”
Lann almost slips and falls, but manages to regain his balance at the last second. He, Dyra, and Crel safely cross the chasm. Horgus stares down, the long, long fall, and seems petrified. "Ary! I don't like this."
Markus heals himself with negative energy, then shimmies across with the aid of the guide rope.
He then quickly comes to the aid of Hrut, who is awake, but now in critical condition.
Ary and Li’an jumped into the deep chasm to save Aravashnial and were wounded. They did not have very much time to move before the shocker lizards discharged more electricity into the creek around them. Aravashnial seems out of it after the fall and shock, but Ary is able to hoist him up (he is very light) and climbs up carrying him, though the exertion pushes Ary right to the brink of exhaustion. Lucky for her, Markus is at her side, and pulls her away from the grasp of death.
Li'an climbs up after Ary up the rope, though her wounds are such that it takes her longer than it would normally.
Lann looks apologetic. "That looked rough. It may take a while for Seer Opoli to tend to all of your wounds. But now we are just ever closer to Neathholm." He is obviously concerned about the group's well-being - but he is also worried about the possible state of his home, and wishes to press forwards as soon as possible.
Aravashnial leans on his quarterstaff. "Is... everyone alright?" He pulls out his two remaining potions from his robes, offering them to no one in particular. There is still one of cure light wounds and one of cure moderate wounds. "Li'an, please take one."
Anevia glances from face to face, then realizes Horgus remains stranded on the other side of the chasm. She exhales, exasperated, and limps over to the guide rope. "Oy! Come on, Gwerm. Just take it slow. No big deal."
Horgus shakes his head, terrified.
Ary looks to Hrut, and back to the potion, before shaking her head. "No... he needs it more."
Then Horgus calls out, looking terrified.
Ary nods slowly... looking at the chasm, then at Horgus. She chews her lip and then sighs.
She ties the rope around her waist, "Please... please don't let me fall in." she says as she works her way back across, meticulously.
"Don't worry, I've got you." she says as she moves to him, patiently tying him a little further down the rope. "Will you be okay to cross if I'm with you? Or are we going to need to figure something out specifically?"
Horgus thinks for a moment, then frowns. "I think as long as you are there to catch me, I will be okay," he reasons. He takes a deep breath, then looks at Ary expectantly.
With your help, Horgus is able to face his fears, and cross the chasm successfully.
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Ary nods, finishing the tying, and staying quite close, due to how little rope she put between them. "Legs apart shoulder width. Keep your hands on the rope. If you start to slip, just try to keep your feet flat. Do -not- try to compensate with your hands. Just hold on. Keep your eyes on your footing, but keep focused on the ledge." she said, trying to keep his eyes away from the chasm, but still where they needed to be.
Then she slowly sidled across along with him, one hand on his portion of the rope and one on the guiding line.
When she reaches the other side, she looks shaken, but she manages not to fall into the brink, despite slipping slightly halfway across.
"Lleuad, if the fact that I'm alive isn't proof of Desna watching over us, I don't know what is."
"Thank you," she says to Aravashnial, taking the cure light potion. She unstoppers the potion and drinks it down, breathing a sigh of relief as the curative magic washes through her. The potion seemed especially effective, as within seconds she felt as good as new.
"How about yourself, that was quite a fall?" she asked him, putting a hand on his arm.
She was still inspecting Aravashnial when Ary started heading across to get Horgus. Looking over at her, Li'an is dumbfounded. "Ary! What are you doing? You're in no condition to be crossing again!" Li'an watches them start back, and when they finally make it over she remembers to breathe. Grabbing the second potion from Aravashnial's hands, she parks herself in front of Ary with the potion held out and a stern look on her face.
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"No one is." Ary said, meekly. "But someone had to." Ary seemed cowed by Li'an's... well... everything.
She looked over to Hrut, looking guilty; he could heal them if he could stand in combat. Aravashnial was wrecked, and it was his potion. And it was her own stupidity that had made her get so hurt.
Then she looked back to Li'an, comparatively tiny, but full of fire... and a bit of Ary returned.
With a smirk, she took the potion. "Okay, mom." she unstoppered it and drank it. 'Lady, don't let me regret this...'
And every one of her wounds, including the one on her cheek healed over, bruises disappeared, cuts, slashes, and gashes all faded in the blink of an eye.
Valaria whistles softly as Ary's wounds close flawlessly. "Wow, that's quite a potion. I think that's one less person for the seer to look at. Assuming we don't run into anything else down here while we're traveling." She silently prays that she didn't just jinx the party. She takes a moment to focus her power, scanning the group to see if anyone else is in immediate danger of death after their little misadventure.
Ary's 'mom' comment struck Li'an, making her aware of how serious she must have looked at that moment. She laughed at the situation as Ary downed the potion, and was relieved to see the potion as effective as her own was. She gave Ary a smile and turned to find a corner to sit quietly in to let the remainder of her adrenaline rush pass.
When she'd had a few minutes to cool off, she spoke to the group. "So, shall we get moving again?"
Valaria snaps out of it, her face grim looking at everyone's life force. "Yeah, we should keep going. The sooner we can rest and get some help, the better."
Ehren sighs, just glad that everyone managed to survive the dilemma.
"Yes. Please."
"Well... maybe the building ahead has beds. Maybe even a tub..." Ary says as she starts heading for it. "You know, if Anything survived the crash... if not, we may luck out and find something we -do- need."
Ary inspects the building and finds a lot of ruined furniture, and rubble. A split in half sign indicates the building was once a wheelwright's workshop. There are some artisan's tools (wheelwright's) that weigh 5 lbs.
Digging out the tools, Ary puts them into her pack and then puts the pack back on.
"Never know when we'll need more hammers or the like. Worst case scenario, we have the wrong tools when we have a job to do, rather than no tools."
Aravashnial smiles wryly at Li'an. "I'm not that old. I've weathered a fall or two in my day. I'm just glad you're unharmed." He turns serious. "Li'an, uma il-ron lle ten'amin. Lle rangwa amin? Lle naa go nessa. Lle atar glandar telen'aya amin."
Anevia grins approvingly at Ary's resourcefulness. "'Atta girl. Rather have too many tools than not enough tools. I like your style."
After having healed his two disabled teammates, Markus sighs in relief, especially after Ary crosses the chasm twice without falling. "I'm just very glad everyone is still up and walking. I don't know how much more traveling we can do today."
The group of twelve continue onwards, battered and bruised, but Lann has words of comfort: "Neathholm should only be a half an hour's walk away. Just a little longer and then we can rest," he says, optimistically.
The heroes walk on for twenty minutes. Suddenly, Lann holds up a hand of caution to the group, and lifts a scaled finger to his lips, indicating that they should be quiet.
"The cavern ahead is dangerous," he hisses. " I mentioned before that we are taking an alternate route because our normal paths have caved in in the earthquakes. Well, this route is not used much because this cave has become the den of a spore-cougher. It is a sort of...plant..or maybe a fungus? I have never seen it myself, but those who have and survived describe it as... an inverted bell-shaped creature, filled with spores, and long, green tendrils that it uses to strangle you with. The spores are poisons of the mind, they force you to see illusions, things that are not real," he tries to explain.
"I know that you are hurt, but I believe that between the twelve of us, we will be able to take the creature down. If we are lucky, the creature may even be out hunting elsewhere."
"Right... I have no idea where I've heard of that, but I have. Like he says, poisonous vapors. If we have any spare cloth, we should probably make some masks of some kind to help keep the poison at bay. Nothing else I know that's of any real value in a fight." Ary shook her head. "Lann? Could you explain the way we need to go, before we go in? If things start going south... it'll be better if we're already heading the right way."
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"That does sound dangerous," Ehren says ponderously, trying to visualize the extraordinary creature Lann was describing. Many of these deep-dwelling creatures eluded him. Deciding to prepare for battle, he digs through his pockets.
Half an hour... just enough time. He pulls out his rock collection and casts magic stone on it.
"The tunnel will widen out into a larger cavern. Opposite from where we will enter will be three additional exits. The one we want will be the furthest to our right," Lann explains. "But be careful, the cavern is covered in fungus so the tunnel exits may not be easily apparent."
"Amin... Amin rangwa," Li'an responded to Aravashnial, hesitating. Summoning her courage, she continued on. "Nan' amin il- vesta tanya. lle naa eravbidulno, ar' amin naa ere' nessa. Amin ponn uma amin nand, cerlandar, il- tyar- ikotane ririo e' i' tianiaro," she said trying to be respectful while making her position clear.
"I... I understand," Li'an responded to Aravashnial, hesitating for a moment. Summoning her courage, she continued on. "But I cannot promise that. You are irreplaceable, and I am merely young. I will do my best, however, not to act so rashly in the future." she said trying to be respectful while making her position clear.
She moved back up to the front of the group when she was finished talking to Aravashnial, quietly scanning ahead as they pressed on. When Lann warned them about the coming cavern, she simply nodded and listened. She had no idea what the creature was, but at Ary's suggestion, she tried to figure out what she might use as a mask. Unfortunately, after a quick inventory she realized the only things she had that might be suitable were her shirt, which had already suffered the loss of sleeves to make bandages, and her belt pouch, which was currently in use.
"How important will masks be?" she asked Ary when Lann finished describing the chamber to the group.
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"I honestly don't know. It might have no effect at all." Ary said, shaking her head. "At the very least, it will remind us to hold our breath while we fight it. At worst... it's not about breathing." she shakes her head. "But every precaution is a good precaution. If worst comes to worst, my cloak will do... but it needs washed about as much as I do. It's supposed to catch -my- blood to help not show weakness... but it's carrying cavefisher, it's had two Darkmantles split across it, probably collected a small dose of dried spider venom..." she said, shaking her head. "Not to mention whatever was in the water with the electric salamanders."
"It is not very fast so we could likely outrun it," Lann says, but then his eyes flick over to Anevia. "Well, most of us. Assuming we are not all overcome by illusions first."
"Pffft, speak for yourself," Anevia grumbles. "I can outrun any plant monster you throw at me."
Valaria follows quietly, glad that they're not far from the village and hopefully a safe place to rest while they recover. The mention of the spore creature makes her groan. "Masks may be a good idea, but I have not idea how effective they'll be. I've never heard of such a creature before." She pats herself down and thinks for a few moments. "I can probably salvage enough material from my shirt to make a mask or two, and I can use my scarf for myself."
Ary just provides Valaria with her patented smirk and an upturned brow.
Valaria takes a moment to realize what she just said. "I meant my sleeves. They're mostly intact and long enough that each could probably be a mask." Suddenly her smile returns. "Unless you were hoping I'd take my shirt off for you."
"Well... there are benefits to each option. I think it's best we do what we can to keep you safe, though. Which means we should -probably- use something extraneous. Like sleeves. Or cloaks."
"That...seems like a good idea." Anevia affirms, as she sets to ripping off one of her sleeves using a dagger, and tying it about her face like a scarf. Her voice now slightly muffled, she adds, "Now what? We tryin' to kill this thing? Sneak past? Run past?"
Horgus grumbles. "Giant crabs and fungus monsters and mongrelmen. I just want to go home."
"I vote sneak... then run." Ary suggests. "You know, if we're caught."
Following in line with Anevia, she rips off each of her sleeves with her sword, before running water over the 'finished product', and wringing it out. She held out one to Horgus, and tied the other around her own face.
"Hey, if we're lucky, these guys will still know a passable way up." she advises Horgus, "And either way, they are offering hospitality, which makes them pretty great in my book."
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Markus looks at his suit that was once nice. It's now covered in dust, some of his own blood, it's ripped and it's dirty, of course. He sighs before ripping up the sleeve and tying it in front of his face. He holds up a single thumb to signify that he's ready...but he isn't going to do much more than run. He's all out of useful spells.
”Okay, so..” Anevia glances between each face in the group. ”Are we sending scouts to gauge the situation first, or are we moving as a big group? It’s just that… no offense, big guy, but Hrut isn't moving so great. If I was on watch I’d hear him coming from like, a mile away, what with all the clanking,” she smiles at him, sympathetically.
"I think it's probably better that we just try to get through, quickly. If we send a scouting group, one group or the other might get blocked off..." Ary explained. "It may even be better to tie ourselves to one another... in case one of us starts to hallucinate, everyone else can pull them along. I don't know though... because it might cause problems if more people hallucinate... Or, well... you know. Need to move around quickly while tied to someone."
Thinking about the situation for a moment, Li'an decides that Ary's suggestion makes sense. "I think Ary is right, we should try to work our way through quickly. If we scout out the room and are affected by the poison we might not be able to get help before it's too late. I think, however, that we can skip the whole 'tying everyone together' part..."
Anevia nods. "Okay, makes sense to me. I dunno about this rope business though, what if someone goes all stabby crazy? But if you guys think that we should do that to keep together, then we'll do it."
"Yeah. Doesn't seem like a great idea, considering all of the ways it can go wrong." she nods, "Just thinking out loud. If the thing does wind up between us somehow, should we fight or flee..?"
Lann carries a short bow and club. His companions only carry clubs.
"We are capable enough in a fight. However many of your number are wounded, so that will be up to you. However, if enough of us start to hallucinate, then we may be forced into a fight regardless."
"If we are forced into a fight, I think having a rope tied to us would only slow us down," Ehren says as he follows suit in ripping off one of his sleeves, fashioning into a face mask. "Not that I plan on leaving anyone behind."
Ary nods. "That's how I feel as well. We're mostly better off sticking together, no matter what occurs, If you ask me."
Anevia rips off her other sleeve and offers it to Li'an. "Here ya go. Since your sleeves are currently wrapped around Aravashnial's face and all."
Turning back to the rest of the group, the lady rogue asks, "So, are we ready?" She glances up at the ceiling, "Just a little bit more luck, my lady."
I'd say run while we can and if we're lucky we'll get through before the thing gets a chance to attack. We're really not in any condition to fight again today."
Valaria pulls her scarf up over her face and ties it behind her head so everything from her nose down is covered by layers of cloth. "Who else need a mask still?"
The mongrelmen have already ripped off pieces of their own attire and wrapped them around their faces.
Lann seems solemn. ”Please, allow me to go first,” he whispers. ”It is the least I can do to repay you for saving my friend Crel. You are all so hurt, and I can see in the darkness.” Crel, the hoofed hobgoblin, looks away, embarrassed. "Just promise me, if the masks don't work, and I am the first to fall to the spore-cougher's poison, just run. Don't worry about me." Lann stares at Dyra and Crel as he speaks those last few words. He then draws his shortbow, and an arrow, and moves towards the front of the group.
Ary lofts a brow at the two. "Sorry big guy, but no. I'm more of a 'no one left behind' person, myself. Noble and Glorious sacrifice, I can get behind. I'll let you die a hero, but I'm not going to hear any talk about leaving you behind to start with. I'll honor a sacrifice freely given, but I'm only going to do it on my own terms." she says as she shakes her head.
"Now, if everyone else wants to run off, then I guess it'll just be us two." she smirks at him.
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Li'an thanks Anevia, dons the mask and draws Lleuad.
"Well, lets get this over with. Desna willing things will go far better than our encounter with the lizard pit."
Lann smiles at Ary. "I'd expect no less from a Bishop. Well, shall we be going?”
Lann stealthily leads the group into the darkness, his movements practiced and silent from a long life of avoiding underground predators since he was young. The half-elf/half-lizardfolk/half-satyr man creeps slightly ahead of the heroes, as if he were offering himself as bait should the fearsome basidirond lurk in the nearby chamber.
Suddenly the tunnel opens into a circular cavern, roughly forty feet in diameter. Thick sheets of fungus grow in the cave, and several tunnels branch off. Two of the tunnels head downward, the right-most one leads upward. What appear to be two dead bodies lie on the ground in the middle of the cave, next to a strange heap of ropy green fungus.
The room is filled with floating, green spores, but the heroes are able to move safely amidst them, due to the masks protecting their airways.
Lann approaches the fungus hesitantly, then relaxes. He stands up straight, and beckons the group forward.
”It appears that the spore-cougher is dead,” he says, relieved. ”Killed by these two surface dwellers. Do you recognize them as friends?”
Ehren relaxes a little, sharing Lann's relief over the spore-cougher's apparent demise. Still, the horror story about the hallucination-inducing creature was enough to make him wary. Could his senses really be trusted around such a thing? Perhaps being overly cautious, he reaches out with his spirit sense, hoping that what they saw was exactly what it seemed to be.
Valaria frowns. "Well that's a bit of luck I suppose." She walks closer to the creature slowly, just in case it still has some life in it and is playing dead, and goes to examine the two men. Though she isn't familiar with any local crusaders, perhaps they have something on them that can help identify them.
Li'an breathes a sigh of relief as Lann points out the creature is dead. She takes a look at the two crusaders but can't seem to remember having seen them around before. "No, they're not familiar to me. Though it's more than possible that I just haven't met them before."
Li'an moves forward alongside Valaria cautiously and sheathes Lleuad. Kneeling near the two dead crusaders, she begins to search them.
She pauses for a moment to turn back to the group. "If they are crusaders, we shouldn't leave them here, does Neatholm have a cemetery Lann?" she said before turning back to the bodies and continuing her search.
"Yes, our settlement has a small amount of soil, which we use to grow mushrooms," says Lann.
Valaria and Li’an investigate the bodies and find the following:
- Both wear masterwork chain shirts under red tabards. (Each chain shirt is 25 lb)
- One potion on one of the dead bodies contained in a brass jar.
- One scroll on the other dead body.
- Clutched tightly in the fist of the dead body with the scroll is a small symbol of a brass bull’s head with tiny red gemstone eyes. (1 lb)
- Between the two of them, they carry 129 gold pieces, of Nerosyan minting.
Valaria looks over the bodies, noting each piece of gear. She picks up both the scroll and the potion, but doesn't strip them of their armor or weapons yet.
"I think we found another healing potion. It looks the same as those other lighter healing potions we've found. Good for us I suppose, but it didn't do these two much good." She looks back at Hrut. "You might want this big guy. You're still in bad shape. Or we can hang onto it until we need it more since we can get some help in Neathholm."
She offers up the scroll to anyone else. "Anyone want to decipher another scroll? Because it's not my thing."
She collects their coins and add them to the pouch with Millorn's wealth. "We'll need to find a use for all this gold we keep finding," she comments off-hand to Li'an.