Glancing at Jens, she nods. "A final... Gift. By Desna's name, I submit myself to making all of us, and I mean all of us..." She glances at Horgus for a moment. "Return to the star watched land above."
She looks at the scale one last time before slipping into a fold in her armor.
Hearing Tatyana's statement on what was further in, though her last line was definitely unique. Is she well? But she steps forward.
"If that is our way forward, it is our way forward. Worry not, I have some magics to help deal with these things. Not much, sadly, but enough. I hope."
"Well, a spider shouldn't be too hard. Don't let it bite you - the larger ones tend to be poisonous." He gives Tats an appreciative nod, but frowns at her last statement. Is she alright? Perhaps she hit her head on the way down.
At Iolana's suggestion, he chuckles and nods. "Good thinking, lass. As long as you can keep them up and not weary yourself, do so. Save the torches, indeed." He snuffs his and puts it away. "Keep one of those lights on me. I'll go in first, see if I can't put it down quick. If it gives me trouble, those who can, come in. Alright?"
Drawing his sword and keeping his shield close, he approaches the spider. If he gets close enough without it attacking, he stabs it through the head, looking to put it down quickly.
Iolana nods and the lights begin to follow Jens, she begins to hum a tune as he prepares to strike, her song lending him courage to face this creature.
As you start to make your way forward, the immense spider remains still, as if waiting for your advance. Moving cautiously, Piousa notices something odd. The spider's abdomen is wriggling, and there's a faint sound of chewing. Just before she can get out a warning, two pallid wormlike creatures burst out of the spider's stomach, turning their nearly 4 foot length towards the party with a maw ringed with teeth, stringy remains of their ghastly meal still clinging to them.
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Surprise Round:
Maggot 1
Piousa
Maggot 2
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The first maggot rears up as if trying to sense its prey and then swiftly closes on Jens
The cavalier is easily able to turn aside its bite with his shield.
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Round 1
Iolana
Jens
Maggot 1
Piousa
Maggot 2
Claylyth
Tats
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Going wide-eyed, Piousa is revolted at the sight of the worms bursting forth. But knowing she needs to protect those in the group unable to defend themselves, she moves over to the second maggot and tries to attack it with her starknife.
Piousa moves forward before the rest of the party is quite sure what's coming at them and brings her wicked looking starknife down on the maggot, leaving a shallow wound that leaks grey ichor onto the ground. The maggot turns its eyeless face towards her and the body writhes spasmodically. With a heaving motion the foul creature spews forth the contents of its stomach onto the cleric. Piousa is able to shield her face from the nasty spew, and manages to force down a feeling of sickness that threatens to overwhelm her.
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Round 1
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Round 1
initiatives:
Iolana
Jens
Maggot 1
Piousa
Maggot 2
Claylyth
Tats
*************************
******************************
"Maggots?!" Jens growls in frustration, shaking the hideous, pale vermin from his shield. "This shouldn't take long, at least!" With that, he sweeps his blade at the one before him, intent on ending it quickly.
As the maggot disgorges itself on Piousa, Tats struggles briefly not to vomit herself. "Oh Roj, zat eez dissssgusstink."
Tatyana rushes toward the oversized maggot Piousa is fighting, not bothering with removing her sword from its hilt. Instead, she whips her right hand at the thing.
But the sicky sensation and general disgust of the thing makes her miss her mark.
Claylyth helps the injured, and the rude nobleman, find a safer spot.
Jens shakes the huge maggot off his shield and slaps it away with his sword, leaving a line of ichor trailing from a wound in its side. That maggot in turn spews its innards out on the cavalier, but Jens is able to get his shield in front of it. Piousa brings the starknife down on the second maggot once more, but it seems to just bounce off the rubbery hide. Tats follows the attack with a slash from the taloned fingers on her hand, and rakes a trio of claw marks and her hand comes away with a handful of maggot gore. The second maggot bites at Piousa, who dances nimbly out of the way. Iolana's song continues to buoy the spirits of the party.
Claylyth has no problem getting the others out of the way of combat, although Horgus does comment on how the others should have attacked first.
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Round 2
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Round 1
initiatives:
Iolana
Jens
Maggot 1 (5pts damage}
Piousa
Maggot 2 (7pts damage)
Claylyth
Tats
*************************
******************************
With Iolana's song echoing off the cavern walls, Jens attempts to kick the maggot aside and cleave it in twain.
Iolana continues here song, draws her shortbow and takes aim at one of the maggots, firing an arrow at it.
"Zat eez disgustink!" Tats shakes maggot gore off her right hand as she draws her rapier with her left and lunges forward into the maggot.
Jens gives his shield a hard shake which throws most of the maggot spew from the shield to the ground, he buys a bit of distance by shoving the thing away with his booted foot, and brings the sword down on it, cleaving it in two.
Iolana fires at the maggot, and her arrow whizzes right between Tats and Jens, but makes no contact with either maggot. Piousa circles around the maggot, which follows her action, and gives Tatyana the opening she needs to make a lunge, driving the point of her rapier through the thing, pinning it to the ground where it thrashes a few times, and then lays still.
*****************
End Combat
*****************
Looking at the filthy maggot remains, "Well, I'm glad that's over with. Everyone alright."
Before she can react once more, the foul things pass on. looking to her comrades, she speaks up. "Is everyone fine? No injuries?"
"See, Tats? This is what I had to put up with in the Riftwardens. Still want to do this?" Roj's voice fills Tats's head, and it's a few moments before she can respond.
"I am fine. Vot about you, Piousa? Did you swallow any of eet? Zat vould probably not be a good think."
I suddenly feel so much safer. They're all combatants. That's... good. I'll be safer with them. So will the injured. I don't know what we'll do against demons, but maggots are a start.
Claylyth helps Aravashinial and Anevia ready for more walking. She is extra gentle with Anevia. "You all handled yourselves exceptionally well. I have never seen combat before. Knowing you all have is reassuring."
I won't show them yet. When we encounter something more dangerous than overlarge maggots perhaps. Claylyth takes a moment to contemplate her spell selection. Why did I choose these spells this morning? How... appropriate. A bad feeling had run through her spine when she awoke and, although she attributed it to nerves, she found herself readying for a fight.
"Not a scratch," Jens replies, pulling a rag from his pack to clean off his shield. No telling whether the ichor would eat through the wood, after all. "Iolana, that song was magnificent. I can't remember music lifting the spirits that much since my wife bolstered our company against the trolls back in '98." He chuckles, apparently at a far-off memory. "Good job spotting them, Piousa. Glad someone was able to before they got the drop on us." As he cleans his blade, he gives the spider's corpse a final check, just to ensure no more surprises were lurking within.
"We shoud move on. No telling what's going on above us, and I'd like to be out of here sooner rather than later."
Further prodding of the spider's corpse reveals no further mysteries, and from the smell, you'd guess that the thing has been dead for a while now. Looking about, the cave seems to stretch on, well beyond the cast of your light, or darkvision, and after a short while of searching you find that there are two possible exits leading to tunnels, both heading to the east, one a northern passage and the other southern.
Eeny meeny miney moe, catch a goblin by his toe, if he bites you let him go.
"My decision was arbitrarily made, but why do we not take the southern exit? We have no idea what lies beyond either, and Tats scouting alone is apparently quite hazardous to her health. Ghlaunder knows how many maggots are down here."
"Eef all zee maggotssss are een giant ssspidersss, I think I can probably avoud zem. Eef anyone elssse would prefer to sscout, I would accept the reprieve, but I think I ssssee besst in zee dark."
"I'm fine, thank you Tatyana. And no problem, Jens, just wish I had seen them sooner. And either one works for me, Claylyth. As long as we move forward." Looking at the three three companions incapable of defending themselves, she walks over to them. "Do you all think you can move on?"
"South is as good a choice as any," Jens agrees. He readies himself for travel, but makes no further attempt to question the dependants - no sense pushing them, after all.
Horgus gives Piousa a disdainful look, "Of course I can move forward, it's the injuries of these two that still slow us down. I'm surprise more things haven't found us, given that they're still fresh wounds. We should find a place to leave them and come back for them later after those of us that can move get out."
Anevia retorts, "I'm sure you would like that, you overstuffed bean counter, you'd love to be able to tell my wife that I was lost down here." Anevia then gamely moves forward using the makeshift crutch, even though the wounds on her leg and the broken bones are still causing her a great deal of pain.
Aravashinial shakes his head, causing new splotches of color to seep through the bandages around his head. "Bickering will get us nowhere. You should continue to scout forward, but be ready to call those good with a blade up to assist you should you run into anything else. If we're organized we'll make it out of this place "
"Roj, did you haff to put up with fools like zis in zee Riftvardenssss? Becaussse zisss one eez quite obnoxiousss." Tatyaya steps off down the south tunnel, looking around as she goes. "Y-know, Tats, I can't say that I did. His kind were more what we dealt with in the city, and that was more difficult at times."
Jens turns a hard stare on Horgus, eyes flashing through the spectacles of his helm. "You are a fortunate man, Horgus. You stand among two gifted with blades, a performer able to bolster spirits, and an angel-touched priestess of Lady Luck, by whose will we all stand here. And yet you expect that I - a veteran who has spent a score of years keeping your city safe - will betray the oath I swore to Terendelev?" His creased eyes narrow, his shoulders squared as he faces down the noble.
"Aravashnial is right. We'll make it out of here - together - if we're organised. We have loved ones on the surface, and people who depend on us. If you will not accept the blessings Desna and Terendelev have given us, you may become acquainted with me own patron quicker than you desire." He slings his shield across his back, which he then turns on Horgus, allowing the noble an eye-level view of the faded blue symbol spiralling into the boss.
"Anevia," he continues, his tone more gentle, "We'll get you back to your wife. But go easy on the leg - I'd rather not see you injured further."
"Jens speaks true, Horgus. We all will make out together. I swear by the Starsong and Terendelev on that point. And easy, Anevia, you do not want to strain yourself too much, lest your wounds become worse."
She hears Tatyana speak to herself once more, uncertain as to how to help her. Perhaps speaking to herself is a defense mechanism, something to calm herself...
Disgusted by Horgus' attitude, Iolana decides he isn't worth her time or comment and moves to help Anevia and Aravashinial navigate as needed.
As you move forward you see the tunnel leads to another smaller cavern roughly 30' square. There isn't much of note about the cavern except a stone ledge that juts out at a right angle from the south wall of the cavern, fourteen feet off the ground. The leather strap of a backpack hangs over the ledge, and a narrow fissure yawns up into the dark.
"Zissss room sssseemss empty-wait, zere eez a backpack up on zat ledge. Ozer zan zat, I do not sssee anythink of use or any vay out. Perhapss the north tunnel vould be better? I vill try to get zee pack down."
Tats begins looking for hand, foot, or tailholds on the cavern wall, trying to scramble up high enough to reach the pack.
Tatyana you have a hard time trying to find any holds on the slippery rocks, and can't quite get to the ledge. You do, however see that the way to the east is clear, once you can see over a spill of rocks that you couldn't see past originally.
"Never mind. I ssssee a way through. Do you vant me to take a look?"
I hope there is another way to that ledge. I'm never one to turn away serendipitous supplies...
"Might as well. I doubt any of us are getting up that cliff."
Looking at the bag and the issue of reaching it, Iolana's face lights up as she has an idea, "Does anyone have a grappling hook? If we tie it to some rope I might be able to hook it into the bag and we can pull it to us."
Looking at where the thing Tatyana was looking at, she steps forward. "I... I think I can get up there. Give me one moment." Pulling out the scale, she looks at it. "Terendelev, Desna, guide me true."
Concentrating, she feels the air beneath her feet begin to stir, and a moment later she is lifted up upon a small pillar of wind.
A small cloud forms around Piousa, obscuring her from view as the winds push her upwards. It raises up until the ledge itself is also covered in the cloud.
The pack looks like it was most likely a crusader's pack and fell from above during the cave in. The fissure that runs up is too small to go any further as it appears to have closed after things started to settle. The pack itself is a masterwork backpack, and contains 10 days of trail rations, flint and steel, a set of caltrops, two flasks of oil, a bundle of 12 arrows, and 2 potions that are dark yellow in color and bubbly. (Let me know if you are going to smell or taste them).
"Well, that seemed to work quite well didn't it?"
"Indeed. Miss Piousa would you mind... Well, trading scales for a moment? When I grasped mine I gained no impression that I would be able to use it for such and uplifting effect. I am curious to know whether the power is tied to the scales themselves or if Terendelev blessed us, and the scales are simply a mechanism for the magic."
The prior would be more versatile, the second would ensure the power cannot be used by our foes. By the gods, I have just talked of the flesh of a dead hero as currency... The sooner we are quit of this place the better.
Piousa looks at the potions as she lowers herself back down. "I don't know what these are, but they are bubbly..."
Landing, she looks at Claylyth. "When I held the other scales, I felt nothing. Well, a little sadness, some pain, but nothing magical. But the one in my hands... I felt calm, uplifted momentarily. Check it, but please return it when you are finished." With one lad glance at the scale, she then hands it over.
The emotion of Terendelev's death is difficult to think about, and the resurgence of such vivid horrible imagery only saddens Claylyth further. Not only were the scales imbued with such an awful last memory, but so much so that it doesn't seem to be fading, presumably minutes or hours after her death.
I should have expected the emotion to recur. Just... one more time. I only need to know her pain and sorrow one more time.
"Thank you Ms. Piousa. That was exactly as informative as I had hoped it would be. Here."
Claylyth returns Piousa's scale to her, and retakes her own. As the grief washes over her yet again she bites down on the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. She does not yet have time to weep. First, the demons must pay.
"It would seem all of our scales have different abilities. As we have seen, the scale Ms. Piousa holds can grant her levitation. As she now knows, mine allows me to alter my appearance. Mr. Varmodsson, Tats, Ms. Iolana, what is the function given to your scales?"
By the Inheritor's Cloak! You did know! How else would you have known to bless me with such a gift? You knew me for a liar, and given what you were you likely knew me for a witch. That you did not betray my secret... I am not fond of paladins, but you Terendelev, you were the best of us.
"Mine will grant resistance against cold or electricity a few times a day. It will definitely come in handy at some point." Why this one I wonder, curious, I guess there is a reason, we'll just have to see what it is.
Tatayna digs hers out of her bag with her tail, tossing it from hand to hand again. "Zessse are sssharable? Hmmmm. Zisss one makesss a veapon function better againsssst demonsss and devilssss. Alignssss eet againsssst them. I do not believe zat we can rightly call any of zem 'our ssscale', ssssince it may be necessssary to ssshare zem. Vas zere anythink ussseful een zee bag, Pioussssa"
"Much the same," Jens confirms, nodding at Iolana. "A defensive ward against frost and electricity." He sighs, looking over the potions as Piousa shows them. "Now they could be useful," he points out, extending a hand. "May I?"
"Here you go, Jens. As for the scales, they must have been the final gifts Terendelev gave. But why us, I wonder. Last minute need? Or did they see something in us?" Piousa wonders for a short minute before sighing.
"In any case, we have the pack now and once we can determine what these potions are, I suggest we head off. Staying around with who knows how much rock and dirt above my head blocking my view of the stars is beginning to get to me."
Looking back at their two injured and one stuck-up companions, she motions at them. "Come on, let's try to stay together. I know that can be tough, but better together than alone, yes?"