Once he learns about the statues in this room, Aravashnial becomes very intrigued.
”These must be monuments to the members of the first crusade. There’s an old legend that after the First Crusade a group of crusaders who became infected with Abyssal energies fled into these caverns to raise their deformed children in peace, and that their descendants live on today in the tunnels below the city.
We’ve always heard stories of the Mole People that dwell beneath the city, but these statues here gives significant credence to the tale. I assume they were carved by the children.”
"Really? Mole men?" Sam asks, looking at the blinded elf. "Well, let's just hope that they'll be friendly. I'd really like to conserve my ammunition." They say, stepping back to check on Anevia.
"How's your leg now? Any better? Need a break?" They ask.
Mole People? Haroon asks, intrigued. How long ago would this have been? I admit, history's not a strong suit of mine...
Haroon ponders a bit I wonder if those Mole People are anything like me. I've heard there are others, but to think, a whole society, where I wouldn't need to hide...
Haroon continues with the others, intrigued, and hopeful. He stays near to Aravashnial, ready to offer an arm to the blind elf should his steps falter.
"Well that's more of the colloquial term for them, while the rumors have persisted for nearly 100 years about there existence very little is actually know about them."
Aravashnial lets his hands move across the rough surface of the stone statue. He face a little to the left of Haroon, trying to line himself up with the source of the sound. "That would have been about 4630 AR"
Nearly a hundred years ago? Fascinating! Haroon exclaims as he looks over the stone statues, curious as to the differences between the various carvings. [b]If "Mole People" is the colloquial term, what would more learned folk call them?[b]
"...people," Sam answers Haroon's question. "You wouldn't call Ginger a 'mountain person' or him 'pointy eared person'." They point at the elf. "Just call them people. Mole people sounds kind of insulting. We ready to keep going?"
Well as I've not had to chance to study them I can only guess at their true nature but I suspect that they are Mongrelmen. Most of the stores come from unconfirmed sightings of creatures with goat heads or malformed demonic offspring.
The cavern is plunged into sudden darkness as two creatures let out unsettling cries.
Ginger lets out a snicker at Sam's reply "mountain person, I like that," she grins to Sam and winks. She then walks up to the statue and stares at it more closely for a moment. Ginger whirls around when she hears the unsettling cries, as instinct she moves herself so she is standing in front of the blind elf to shield him. "Who goes there? Show yourself now!" Ginger shouts out in demand.
"What happened?" Oliver shouts as all light dies. "Haroon, get those orb shining now!" he continues. Instinctively he draws his sword and turn so his back is towards the group and listens.
Haroon peers about with his preternatural vision, looking for enemies and the source of the magical darkness.
I'll try Oliver, but I make no promises! he calls out in response.
Haroon casts dancing lights once more, inwardly resigned that magic sufficiently powerful to cancel his spell once will not be overcome by a new casting.
Aravashnial! he calls to the blind elf, Do you happen to have any higher order illuminations at your disposal?
The elf hisses back "No I didn't have a chance to read my spell book this morning..." He seems unconcerned with the darkness. "Sudden magical darkness underground... Watch out for attacks from above!"
Order
Ginger
Oliver
Monster 1
Sam
Haroon
Valtyra
Elder Geylocke
Monster 2
Round 1 Go!
Valtyra readies her long spear in hand to attack anything that gets within her range. She turns her gazes towards the ceiling when she hears Aravashnial's yell.
The warning doesn't please Oliver at all. Bending a bit in his knees and looking up, he awaits anything that might attack, determined to strike first. Any light would be nice," he remarks.
Mordan readies his shield, and moves in front of the wounded. Sword out, he scans the cave's ceiling looking for danger.
"I can't see anything in this darkness!" Sam cries out, her pistol cocked and loaded. Frustrated and not wanting to take no action, she calls on the power of her scale, a bright arrow in hand that she throws upwards at the ceiling. It bursts apart in a butterfly shaped beacon, and Sam's hope was for it to illuminate the darkness.
Ginger crouches a little staying in front of Aravashnial and will swing when a creature comes at her or the wounded. "Hargus you get behind me too, I don't want any of you getting hurt. Unless of course you know how to fight and have a weapon."
Ginger
The dwarf looks around keeping her Ax ready for any approaching creature. They seem to keep their distance from her though.
Oliver
Oliver tries to slash back at the creature missing its pitch black form in the oppressive dark.
Monster 1
As this creature falls from the cavern roof, it opens like a hideous octopus, its thin, hook-lined tentacles connected by a fleshy web. Swooping at the disoriented form of Oliver. It strikes him but Oliver manages to roll with the blow and remaisn unharmed.
Sam
Sam feels the warmth from the scale and summons its magic. An arrow made of crackling electricity forms in her hands; she throws it up into the air. As it strikes the roof of the cavern it explodes in a peal of thunder but the expected flash of light never comes.
Haroon
The wizard feels his magic snuffed out the moment he summons it up.
Valtyra
Valtyra swings her spear at the form attacking Oliver, scoring a solid blow against it. It lets out s shrill cry of pain.
Elder Geylocke
The aged man raises his heavy shield and positions himself to protect the wounded behind him.
Monster 2
Another falls, swooping down. Hargus gives out a cry of alarm as he is struck by the beast. Its tentacles wrapping around him and squeezing the life from him. "H-help, me!"
Round 1
"Son of a- hold on!" Sam shouts to Hargus, stepping towards his voice. They pull a short sword out and try to stab the creature attacking the man, but fail to connect. "Little help here!"
Don't look at the colors Sam! Haroon cries out as he steps up and flings a bit of colored sand which turns into a crashing rainbow wave, engulfing Hargus and the creature entangled with him.
Move to a spot where I won't hit Sam in the AoE, or provoke an attack of opportunity from Hargus or the Monster, and cast color spray, DC 15 Will save negates.
"Not on my watch, monster!" Elder Greylocke will step forward, and attempt to slice the creature off of Horgus. "Be wary, Oliver. The monsters look as if they may try and smother you, or at least wrap you up to keep you from fighting back!"
Ginger lets out a war cry and rushes to Hargus side and goes to slash down at the monster trying not to hit the big man at the same time. Though she thinks her axe doesn't make contact or she is just to worried about hitting Hargus. "Please don't die big man we've survived for so long already why not to the end."
Valtyra seeing the creature moves to stab it firmly, "Πεθαίνουν πλάσμα!"
"Foul spawn of the Abyss," Oliver curses as he regains his footing. His ears are constantly searching for the smallest sound to find the creature. He is ready to strike should it come near him again.
Right in front of you Oliver! Haroon shouts out over his shoulder, hoping to help the warrior.
Ginger
Ginger rushes to Hargus's aid, missing the creature.
Oliver
Oliver swings as the beast swirls around him but misses it in the darkness.
Monster 1
The creature whipes past oliver's blade and tries to hit Haroon!
It catches the wizard in its deathly embrace and begins to crush the life out of him.
Sam
Sam follows behind Ginger to aid the fat man as he cries out. Unable to land a blow against the fiend in the darkness.
Haroon
Lets out a sudden cry of alarm as the creature changes its focus to him. His cry is cut off abruptly as it wraps around him squeezing the air from his lungs.
Valtyra
Takes a quick step back from Haroon and pushes her spear into the heart of the beast! Its convulses on the end of the blade once before growing still.
Elder Geylocke
Moves to assist Hargus aswell but runs into the bodies of his companions. Unable to reach the foe he prepares to strike out at it if it tries to escape past him.
Monster 2
Hargus lets out a final whimper as he is crushed by the beast falling limply to the ground.
Sam slashes through the darkness and feels the sword connecting fairly on the creature. With everyone else crowding, they step back to let others have a fair shot. "It's got Hargus! It's going to kill him!" They shout, urging the others into action.
"By the darkness between Iomedae's crossed legs, someone get some light here," Oliver curses as he fumbles his way to Haroon and the beast struggling. "I need a hand over here," he shouts as he tries to cut the beast without harming Haroon.
Haroon lies insensate beneath the collapsed corpse of the grappling monster.
Ginger roars at seeing the big man go limp, "you dirty creature DIE!!!!" She swings her axe hard roaring.
After being injured by Sam and Ginger the creature, in a final act of self preservation, flees up the tunnel you entered from. It leaves a trail of dark blood behind it as it disappears from sight.
Hargus lets out a final agonal gasp desperately trying to hang onto life, but grows eerily silent in the preternatural darkness.
"Is that it? Is it gone?"
Anevia's voice comes out as a scared sound. She trembles as the sounds of battle come to an abrupt end, Hargus's voice clearly absent.
"Close call," Oliver says, then looking closer he sees both Haroon and Hargus on the cavern floor. "To close," he mumbles as he tries to pull the creature of Haroon to inspect him. "You allright?" he asks poking the other with his foot.
...gurgle...
Looking closer Oliver realises that it might be more than just a scratch. "Golden light, this is bad. Can someone help him?" he asks.
"Hargus is dying!" Sam shouts, really frantic here as she attempts to keep the man stable. "I need that healing potion! Now!"
Valtyra walks over to Haroon and kneels next to the man after she sees Oliver poking him with his toes. "Would you please stop that Oliver?" Valtyra then begins to examine Haroon's wounds while she leave the others to tend to Hargus as he is surround be three people.
Valtyra channels her powers through her hands as she cast cure light wounds on the injuries that she finds on Haroon.
Sam as you run your hands over Hargus's still form, you feel the crushed remains of his chest. You search but find no signs of life from the man.
Haroon you wake up feeling the life giving energy flowing from Valtyra, as she whispers into your ear.
"Dammit...DAMMIT!" Sam screams bitterly in the darkness, deeply angered and looking blindly around. "He's dead. He's dead, and obviously nobody else cares that he is," She spits bitterly, staying kneeling down by the man's body, waiting for the darkness to end.
Haroon returns to the land of the living with a start, to see Valtyra's face over his own and hear her whispered words. I... what... thank you.
He struggles to regain his feet and looks about, before his eyes pick out Hargus's still form on the ground. Gods... no. Pharasma judge him justly.
The slight young man quickly sketches the spiral over his heart, and hangs his head sadly.
Sam fights back tears of grief and anger. They aren't all for Hargus, however. After swallowing down the lump in her throat, she looks up again, speaking hoarsely.
"Which one of you has the healing potions?" She asks numbly.
Valtyra walks over to Hargus and examines the man. "It may not bring you much comfort lad but he at least died quickly and wasn't tortured by the creature. You may not think I care but I will say a prayer to Iomedae for him to find peace." Valtyra bows her head and says a prayer to Iomedae before squeezing Sam's shoulder in an offer of comfort. She moves to look at everyone in the party.
"Not to be callous to everyone but we should figure out whether to bury the man here or if we want to return him to the surface for burial. The creature may have fled for now but it may return and I do no wish to see anyone else die down here in this forsaken place that is tainted with abominations."
"DO. NOT. TOUCH ME." Sam hisses at Valtrya, throwing the hand off their shoulder and glaring at the woman in the darkness. "He didn't have to die! We could have saved him! Who has the healing potion, huh?! WHO HAS IT?!" The gunslinger shouts, standing up and guiding themselves along the wall, heading to the exit, outside of the bubbles of darkness. "Because his death is your fault. It's all your fault!"
Haroon places a healing potion in Sam's hand. I had it, he says with a sigh. Shaking his head, Haroon reconjures the golden torches of his dancing lights outside the unnatural shadows that linger past the creatures' deaths, and does his best to lead those who cannot see to their steady light.
Sam glares at Haroon, though it's possible that they're starting off center in the darkness. "Then you can carry him up to the surface. If you even care," They say bitterly.
His face a somber mask, Mordan leans down and gently shoulders the body of Hargus. He seems much older now than just a few short hours ago. "I will ensure his body is delivered to the city for proper burial as a casualty of war. I will shoulder this burden, his death can weigh on my conscious." The elder paladin stoically carries the body, no further comments coming from his clouded mind.