GM Rednal's Wrath of the Righteous (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Per its description, Guidance cannot be used on Ability Checks - only attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. Yukio's check is 17, then.

Tarov wedges himself into a good spot to help Yukio and begins to flex with all his dwarven might.

Aid Another (Strength check @Yukio, +5): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Woo, it worked! Yukio's at a 22 now.

Strength Check Aid Another Yukio - Success: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Yukio is now at 24

He nods to Yukio and takes his position as directed. Adjusting only where he knew that he could get a better grip and angle on the object in question. After that it was all about using the right amount of force...

...whenever an inspiring commander uses aid another to assist one of his allies, he adds his Intelligence modifier (up to his inspiring commander class levels)... <- Is the ability you're using for the increase, right?

The two mongrelmen moved to positions of their own by the boulder. Neither of the other three who had fallen down with you were much use here - the elf wasn't physically powerful to start with, the scout had a bad leg, and the merchant was a merchant - but the to strange beings were putting forth all of their effort on this particular effort. Slowly but surely, the rock was lifted into the air and moved to the side, allowing the trapped one to get free.

"Crel, are you hurt!?" the speaking mongrelman asked. The one in question coughed a few times, but nodded.

"Mostly just my pride." he admitted. "Thank you for saving me, strangers." he added, turning to the rest of the group. His Common is unusually precise, and somewhat accented - possibly because of the way his tongue works. "You don't look like you're down here because you want to be, though. Our home - Neathholm - isn't too far from here. If you come with us, I'm sure Chief Sull will want to reward you for your efforts here."

Tarov looks pensively at the others, before turning back to the mongrelmen. "Yer right 'bout us not bein' down here by choice. But there was fightin' goin' on above-ground, an' we was hopin' to get back to try an' see what happened," he explains. "How far is 'not far from here'? Which direction? If it's jus' a short trip, wouldn't hurt t' greet yer Chief."

Julian was feeling his muscles burn as he recovered from moving the rock. He nods politely to the mongrelfolk as he shakes the dust off his wings. "Glad to help, Desna seems to guide me on strange paths these days. Although the company is very interesting, save for one sourpuss. I pray Desna brings him around so this journey ends more peacefully." At Tarov's words he quietly reminds his burly companion. "Consider for a moment Tarov, all the time spent in cleaning that shrine and our travel will leave us exhausted if we force ourselves to charge back to the surface. I for one want to get some revenge of my own but dying from being too weary to raise my blade would be a let down. Besides, our wounded will need rest if they are to recover properly as well. Forcing them onward could make the injuries worse."

We've been going for like 9-10+ hours right? Can't remember when fatigue sets in. If we aren't really worried about it per the DM than I will march on. :3

Leaving Tarov to converse with the well spoken one he turned to look at the one that had spoke to them before. "My stalwart companion Tarov speaks the truth, the city above is under attack by a demonic host. Any help we can find will aid us that much more in seeing those demons pay. I can't help but be curious... Is there more towers like this or your people traveling around here that were affected by the cave-in's and such?"

Your count is about right. The attack was around noon, making it fairly late at night right now.

All three of the mongrelmen look extremely alarmed at the news - it's clear they had no idea what had caused the tremors, only that they had occurred. "Our home's about half an hour through the tunnels. Faster, though the main one... but it collapsed earlier today." the group's apparent leader shook his head. "There's another path that I think is still clear, but we need to hurry."

"Yes, but there's no reason to not talk on the way." Aravashnial said as he and the other two approached. "If your city is in danger, there may never be a better time to tell me everything about your history. Someone must carry on the lore, after all!" He seems... a bit too eager to talk to them, in much the same way that Horgus is clearly disgusted and hanging back as far as he can. Anevia is the only one who seems ready to treat them normally.

Tarov runs a hand through his beard, considering their words. "Yer right, there. No use wearin' ourself out an' bein' too tired t' help. We'll take ya up on yer offer," the dwarven knight says, grinning at the mongrelmen.

Julian raises his hands, motioning in a way to dispel the alarmed look on the Mongrelfolk's faces. "Lets continue to think clearly, don't let fear or shock get the best of us. That only aids our enemies."

He considers their words as he speaks. "... So the other ways are dangerous to pass through. Looks like we will follow the route you specify. I am very interested in seeing this Neathholm." Julian smiles as the adventure continues in an unexpected way. Desna moves in strange ways...

The mongrelmen clearly hadn't realized that one member of your party was slow - and so it was about twenty-five minutes of walking later that the group finally managed to reach a crack in the rocks. Fortunately, bypassing it wasn't much of a problem - though it took nearly twenty minutes to get everyone up and down safely. Eighteen minutes after that - and with the mongrelmen clearly growing nervous because of their pace - 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. All of these save one in the north wall lead downward; the northern 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.

"We don't use this cave much... that spore-cougher is deadly." one of the mongrelmen explained, looking over and narrowing his eyes. "...I think it's dead, though..." he sounded quite worried as he looked over at the bodies.

Tarov makes sure to keep his distance from the plant. "Dead or not, I'd rather not end up like those fellas," he states. "Lead on," the dwarven knight requests of the mongrelmen.

"Curious..." He calls to Tarov. "I will catch up, I want to investigate this." Who are these dead people? Perhaps they have something we can use... His morbid thinking was based off their need to survive, if things turned ugly he'd unleash his trump card. Here goes nothing...

Julian doesn't have the same hesitation as Tarov, he snaps out a pair of vial's and mixes them together. Once they are prepared he tosses them just behind the fungus, away from the bodies...

He waits until the others are clear and, while standing in the exit they were taking he tosses the mixture. "Fire in the hole." It was the only warning he could give before it impacted the stone on the other side of the mold, the sudden shock causes the mixture to plume outward in a burst of flame. "No spores if the air is on fire." He smirks as he waits for the results of his investigation.

K-Nature: Identify Fungus: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Perception - Is it really dead?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Perception - what do the bodies look like?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Bomb 5/7 remaining- Unoccupied Square AC 5: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Damage= 7[ Min splash damage
Some bad die rolls there... This can't end well. :/

[occ]Low die rolls don't always mean bad results. XD[/ooc]

The plant in question - after some examination - seems to be some sort of Basidirond. Relatively nasty plants, but fire is the solution to many problems - and this one didn't look lively to begin with. If there was any life left in it, it was snuffed out by the flames, and the bodies of the two near it are cloaked, but look to be at least normally humanoid. It's probably safe to approach and investigate now.

Yukio moved in behind the others after Julian took care of the fungus. She wandered over to the two humanoid corpses to inspect them.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

She looked over the corpses carefully, but the corpse of the fungus, though now charred, kept her nervously glancing over her shoulders.

"If it wasn't finished, it is now..." Julian smirks, pleased that his concoctions were proving effective. He joins Yukio in searching the bodies now that it was safer to approach.

Kneeling beside her he checked whichever body Yukio wasn't actively searching, opening up their cloaks as he spoke. "Lets hope they have something we can use..." He frowned at the thought of looting corpses but it was for the betterment of the group.

Take 10+5 = 15 Perception

The two men - now that you're close enough to examine them properly - are dressed in the garb of crusaders of Iomedae. Both are wearing chain shirts that look particularly well-made - the search also uncovers a potion of cure light wounds, a scroll of cause fear, and 129 GP split between the two.

Notably, however, neither was carrying the longsword usually associated with their organization. Instead, they carried glaives and spiked gauntlets, and the one who'd possessed the scroll was also in possession of a small symbol with an bull's head and ruby eyes - something that Yukio is able to recognize as an unholy symbol of Baphomet, the demon lord of beasts, labyrinths, and minotaurs.

Yukio looked in astonishment at the bull's-head holy symbol on the supposed crusader of Iomedae. "This is the symbol of Baphomet. No servant of Iomedae would be caught with such an unholy item on their person. Why would they be posing as crusaders? Surely such infiltrators would be spotted easily by her paladins and be imprisoned or executed..." she said only half-convinced. "And how did they get down here? Did they arrive the same way we did, or were they here before?"

She turned to look at Julian and Tarov, worried about the possible implications. "What do you two think, Julian? Stalwart?"

Tarov grunts, cautiously approaching the others now that the plant is good and dead. "Can't say for sure, lass, but it's pro'ly as ya say," he admits. "E'en if a dozen o' these bastards were hidin' among the rest o' the crusaders, we pro'ly wouldn't be able t' notice. Ya saw how many of us were 'round up there."

Lann - the mongrelman with the goat-head - was the first to approach. "We've seen men like these in the tunnels before." he said. "They dress like servants of the blessed Lady of Valor, but their presence in the tunnels has been increasing lately... and they have an alliance of some kind with a different tribe. A bad tribe, to the southeast of our home." he explained quietly. "Neathholm is not very far - we should keep going."

Julian frowned at Yukio, not because of what she said but because of the painful memories he had. "Well there's our answer, I guess we need to carefully root them out if possible. This..."

Hearing that the Mongrelfolk's home was near he hastened to collect the items off these dead men as he spoke. "... was what they tried to stop in the Third Crusade, but...." He shakes his head, tossing away the wave of memory before mumbling. "Nevermind." Julian was feeling the weight of the gear now, what they had was heavy but he wasn't about to leave useful items behind. However his fatigue was setting in.

"*Ugh* These are far heavier than I thought..." He gives a weak smile. "At least there home is near, I can make it until then."

Tarov nods at the tiefling man. "Keep yer chin up, lad. Ya ain't done us wrong so far." The Toragian grins at Julian, motioning towards the retreating backs of the mongrelfolk with a swish of his beard. As he starts following, he continues, "We can tell th' folk above 'bout what we found down here, once we get out. In th' meantime, all we can do is stay alert an' take what comes."

After another fifteen minutes of walking - punctuated by frequent questions from Aravashnial, who seemed to have made it his business to learn everything he could about the creatures - you finally arrive at a circular cavern perhaps 20 feet in diameter. Four mongrelmen are standing in front of a large stone door here, but Lann and his companions stepped in first, warmly greeting their friends.

The guards still examined everyone else rather closely - and looked a bit nervous when they saw Julian - but soon waved you inside.

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.

All three of the mongrelmen visibly relax as they see the city unharmed - though it seems they'd rather you not go explore the city just yet, as they escort you straight towards one of the largest buildings in the city. Inside is a bloated, unpleasant-looking mongrelman with one white eye. He listens carefully to Lann's report of everything that had happened before turning to the rest of you. "We may be seen as outcasts - freaks, even - but our ancestors were warriors who helped to push back the demons even as their own bodies became tainted by those foul energies." he said. "You've protected my people anyway, and I am truly thankful for that." his body rippled slightly as he sat up, peering intently at you with his one good eye. "I have a request for you, though: Will you bring a message to the city for me? Demons are a threat to all peace-loving peoples, and Neathholm has never forgotten its origins. If Kenabres will have us, we will stand with its people to protect the city and continue the crusade our ancestors began!"

Tarov grins at the request, giving his compatriots each a short look. "I a'ways say that a good sword arm is a good sword arm, no matter who it's attached t'. I swear t' th' Father o' Creation himself, yer message will reach Kenabres."

Yukio bowed politely before the large mongrel-man that they'd been taken to see. "I second my dwarven companion's pledge in this matter. We would be honored to deliver the message to the crusaders in Kenabres. I imagine they'll need all the help they can get."

"If you don't mind my asking, do you know anything about other dwellers down here besides the two false crusaders we found? We encountered a very agitated dwarf earlier encamped beneath where we met Lann and the others. We also found an encampment earlier that seemed to have been abandoned. There was a bit of equipment there as well as a brooch with some sort of bat and mushroom symbol on it." she inquired obviously curious about the dwarf and abandoned encampment they'd encountered earlier.

"WHAT!?" Chief Sull lunged to his feet and darted forward. "Show it to me, quickly!" he said, moving his misshapen body as best he could. He didn't seem at all afraid, but the mention of the brooch had clearly had a major impact on him.

Paige returns from the ether nods with certainty. "I will also back up Stalwart's promise; I'm certain your offer of aid will be gratefully received in this trying time." Didn't want to do much more and be cramming her into other peoples' stuff.

Julian pulls out the Brooch and hands it to the cheiftain. He was relieved that he somewhat fitted in with these outcasts, at least none judged his appearance readily. "As Yukio mentioned, there was rubble at the campsite perhaps whoever had been there was cut off from returning due to the collapse."

Chief Sull's body sagged slightly as he tenderly held the brooch. "One of my... my sons... left, after an argument we had." he said quietly. "I don't think he'll ever be coming back. Here." he reached behind his back and pulled out a morningstar that glowed with magical light. "I want you to take this with you, and split the skull of at least one traitor with it on your way back to the city." he explained, looking around the group. "The only reliable way to the surface is to the south, guarded by some of our kind who have lost their way. They've been consorting with those cultists for too long, and we've left those traitors alone for now, but it seems the time for that has passed. It's late, though - if you're going to rest here until morning, I can retrieve a cache of potions for you to help you get through the traitors' outpost."

Tarov nods at Sull's request. "We'll do what we must," he assures the mongrel-man, his face serious. "I'll make sure t' bash some sense int' their heads, don' worry 'bout that."

So Tarov took the morning star? heh xD

Julian, feeling his fatigue setting in nods at Suli's offer. "Please, I don't think we would be much use if we were fatigued." He accepts the Chieftains gifts alongside Tarov. "I assure you your aid will not be wasted good Chieftain, if we find your son I will direct him home for you if I can."

"My condolences about your son, Chief Sull, and thank you for your hospitality. Both for your assistance and allowing us to stay in Neathholm. The ability to stay within the safety of your walls will make us all sleep a bit easier tonight I'm sure." Yukio bowed graciously and stepped back.

With the realization that they'd reached some form of safe encampment, the remainder of the adrenaline that had kept her going fled from her, and she felt both hungry and exhausted. Despite that, however, she waited patiently for their audience with the chief to end. Decorum had to be maintained in such situations, regardless of how she was doing physically or emotionally.

It was late, and the chief seemed as tired as everyone else. The audience was indeed ending, and one of the few still awake soon offered to show all of you to your rooms - and Horgus was the first to leave, moving as far away from all of the doors as possible in the apparent hope of having many other bodies between him and the mongrelmen that could... oh... try to murder everyone in their sleep. The dislike seemed to be mutual, really. In the morning, you'd likely have the chance to stock up on supplies, but for now... heading to bed was probably the best option.

You've reached Level 2! Post your levels and updates in the discussion thread for review, and they'll take effect after you've rested.

Paige gives a grateful bow to the chief. "Thank you for your aid and hospitality, Chielf Sull." Despite her worries about what happens while she sleeps, the exhaustive day has left her in need of some rest and she gladly takes the opportunity to sleep off her pain and weariness. Before heading off to slumber, she seeks out Anevia, Aravashnial, and finally Horgus, to check up on their conditions. "Are you well?" she asks them, checking the human woman's leg in particular to see if she is in walking condition. "If the outpost is not too great a distance, perhaps you would be more comfortable resting here longer while we deal with the dangers?"

"I've made it this far." Anevia grunted. "Might as well go the rest of the way - if there are any priests still alive up there, they should be able to put me to rights quick enough." She seemed absolutely determined to believe there would be surviving priests up in Kenabres... perhaps because anything else was too terrifying to even consider.

"Here, let me take a look at your leg, Mistress Tirablade. I spent some time last night in meditation and communing with the spirits and in turn I had a vision while I slept. In my dream the showed me how to draw forth the injury from the body using a simple talisman." She took out a small sheet of rice paper with writing on it bearing the Tian characters for health and well-being. She placed the talisman on Anevia's leg and focused on it, causing the paper to begin to blacken and eventually crumble to ashes.

Healing Hex: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 hp

Yukio looked quite pleased that the talisman had worked as expected. "There, it's probably not enough to fix the break, but hopefully it will ease the pain and make the trip more bearable," she said with a smile before helping Anevia back up. "I've prepared some extras in case we need further healing during our journey," she said, waving a small stack of them that she'd clearly been working on sometime last night, "although I'm sure we'd all be happier if we didn't need them."

"No, of course you will be coming to the surface, and reunited with your loved ones, which--you've been fairly quiet. Is there anybody up there you're eager to get back to? I simply mean attacking the outpost; you three could remain and rest up here, and we could come back for you once we're certain our path to the surface is clear." She smiles at Anevia warmly and pats her on the shoulder. "I understand your fire, and I share it, but it is my duty to keep the injured from harm, and right now, I'm afraid you're the injured."

Anevia looked down slightly. "My wife, Irabeth..." she muttered - before shaking her head firmly. "I-I'm sure she's fine. She wouldn't be defeated by demons so easily." the scout said - though there was an undeniable note of nervousness in her voice.

Aravashnial seemed disinclined to discuss Irabeth, his expression clouding slightly when her name was mentioned. Unfortunately, even the healing hex could only do so much - stronger magic was needed to fix Anevia's leg - but it did seem like it had eased the pain somewhat, and after expressing her thanks, she soon headed to bed - she might have been more tired than anyone else, though she was just as obviously used to long, hard journeys.

Tarov stretches and yawns, and suddenly the exertions of the day seem to land on his shoulders. "We can hope," the knight offers. "Anyhow, a nice rest an' drink are callin' me name. Is there a place a dwarf can get both a room an' a meal 'round 'ere?" he asks of the Chief. "I know ya pro'ly ain't got much down 'ere, but we've had a hell o' a day."

Which is fortunate, because Paige tried to Local the name Tirabade earlier but rolled a 9.

"Irabeth... Oh gods, I should have realized it sooner! Tirabade is your surname, of course you're her wife." She places her hand on the injured woman's shoulder and holds it firmly. "You're correct, Anevia; Irabeth is a strong woman, and the worst the Abyss could throw at her would not take her down. Iomedae stands with her in battle, and I will see to it that you two are united. That is a promise." She isn't entirely convinced of her own words, but she knows that faith and inner strength are vital in times of crisis, and that it's important for Anevia to believe in her wife.

As Anevia leaves,she turns toward the elf. "And how are you faring, Aravashnial?"

Seeing as his words were not needed at all, he casually regarded Aravashnial for a moment as it was the first time the elfin caster had been silent in a while. Cruious...

Julian spotted a curious herb, he kneeled down and plucked it up and regarded it for a long moment before dropping it into one of his extracts. The extract changed colors and he gave it an odd look before his eyes widened. "A new reaction... Remarkable. I wonder what it does now..."

He watched where Anevia bedded down, noting the place as he planned to keep watch over her.

K-Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 NOPE! High stats don't always mean you win! xD

Regardless of who the woman's wife was, and the curiosity that entailed, Julian busied himself with studying the goods they had acquired thus far. Including the more recent items they had recovered from the dead men. He went to his room and set out the items they had collected thus far. Working to appraise them before bed, hoping to find something useful...

Appraise goods?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Afterward he settled in for the night outside of Anevia's door, laying in his bedroll with his scimitar within reach. Even if disarmed he could always use his other abilities to win the day, however it would be at great cost...

The morningstar has a +1 enchantment on it - other than that, everything you have seems to be as expected, with nothing rarer or more valuable than expected.

"Fine." the Riftwarden said curtly, shaking his head slightly. "I do wish to learn more about these mongrels, but I suppose that can wait until I've recovered my sight." It didn't seem like he was very interested in talking - the mention of Irabeth's wife had produced an immediate change in his demeanor, and thinking back over the day, he's always been somewhat curt with Anevia as well (despite the fact that she was the one helping him move).

Paige tries to get a read on Aravashnial, to see if she can place his change in disposition. "Is there something else troubling you?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"It's none of your business." the blinded elf said bluntly, feeling his way forward until he could find a place to meditate properly. Which, of course, just made it obvious that there was something affecting him... but it didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it right now. It would probably be better to wait until he was ready to discuss it, rather than pushing the issue right this moment.

Thanks Rednal! :D

Don't have much to add to the day before lol, Julian is quite literally wiped out. Probably asleep before he has time to pull up his bedroll hehe.

He slept outside Anevia's door, wrapped haphazardly in his bedroll with his wings fluffed out in a somewhat uncomfortable way...

Morning comes early in the Mongrelmen's home - earlier than some would really like, considering you were up past midnight. It's not long after you've gathered together that Chief Sull makes his way into the room, giving you six potions of Cure Light Wounds and three of lesser restoration. Unfortunately, those last three potions aren't enough to heal Anevia or Aravashnial, but they may come in helpful regardless.

"We're certainly not going to ask you to pass through the traitors without preparation." the bloated chief said firmly. "We don't have too many goods here, either, but you're more than welcome to trade at our shops if we have anything you'd like."

Neathholm is a small hamlet. Its base value in the marketplace is 200 GP, the purchase limit is 1000 GP, and spellcasting up to 2nd level is available. The most valuable items for sale are eight +1 arrows, a +1 buckler, a ring of protection +1, and an earth elemental gem.

Paige gives the blind elf a respectful nod and drops the matter. "Very well. Just know that harboring silent resentment for whatever your reason is will not make our path any easier." She retires for the night and sleeps heavier than she is alright with.

When she awakens, she spends her first moments bowed before her blade, praying to Iomedae for strength and guidance in her journey to the surface, and through whatever horrors await her when she gets there. A cursory looking-through of the prior day's spoils turn up a rather masterful chain shirt that she switches into, packing away her leather armor for another time.

"Once again, Chief Sull, I thank you for your aid and your hospitality. We shall see to it that your message is delivered and the traitors meet justice." She gives a respectful bow to the mongrelman and gives one last check to her armor and weapons to make sure she is prepared.

His blade had been hidden beneath his blankets and despite the haphazard way he slept he had been too tired not to fall asleep immediately. Nothing came to disturb the injured Anevia's sleep, of which he was thankful he didn't need his extracts.

He was tired but not so much it would impair him. When they had gathered once more he brought the gear with him. All of it was freshly cleaned and ready to go. Even the more battered or piecemeal things got a thorough magical cleaning. When Paige took one of the armors he was glad and he took the remaining one for himself.

The Chieftain's aid was well received and made Julian nod in appreciation. As he pulled on the new armor he spoke to Chieftain Suli. "Justice is fine and all but can none of these traitors be convinced to return to your tribe Chieftain?"

"I suspect not." he said, sounding genuinely remorseful as he shook his head. "They have made their choice and allied themselves with evil. When such a rot appears among a people, the only thing to do is cut them out entirely. Only then can the wound they leave be healed."

Horgus was already waiting to leave, standing near the far entrance. Aravashnial - an early riser - had cornered several mongrelmen and was asking a near unceasing stream of questions. Anevia was standing nearby, continuing to help him move around, but like Horgus seemed eager to move. Her reasoning was different, of course - the talk of an alliance yesterday had clearly piqued her interest, and she wanted to take that news back to the city as soon as possible.

Tarov wakes refreshed, if not rested. Donning his armor and gathering his belongings, he returns to the Chieftan's abode, nodding his greetings to his companions. "Then I s'pose we're gonna have t' be doctors t'day," he replies to Sull's declaration. "Are ya ready?" he asks the others, weapon hung over his shoulder and a calm grin on his face.

"If I can I will. I hope to see you all again Chieftain."

Julian shouldered his pack and the extra alchemical goods and weapons.

When they leave whether defending the rear or not he keeps his scimitar drawn and prepares to defend with blade and bomb.