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Sabrina wakes her wounds still pretty serious. she looks a little defeated as she allowed herself to be flanked and was brought down in such a way.
Sabrina takes another of the potions and drinks it down. I am sorry, I will be more vigilant of our enemies in the future.
As Sabrina recovers from the battle, may I see that note? I think I heard you read something and I wanted to be sure what I heard is actually what I think it is.
once she has the note she reads it. damn, we don't have much time, we need to get that sword described in the note. she quickly starts to gather her things occasionally she pauses at the pain from her wounds but still she works to overcome it.
Happy with the lockbox key, the half-elf shrugs, "Other than the obvious, this note means nothing to me. I know not about these safehouses or anything else mentioned. Anyone know anything?"
Elriel puts away the potion and starts looking to keep exploring. "Here, let's go south..."
Old blood stains the floor of this small cavern. Barrels filled with scraps of fur and fat sit against one wall, emitting an foul stench. The two long stone slab tables are covered with skinning tools and piles of freshly butchered meat. Two wooden racks hold drying animal skins.
It looks like the mongrels used this chamber to process their food. You can discern parts of giant rats, fish, giant vermin, and other cave creatures, but a search of the room reveals numerous body parts of other mongrels and even a few human limbs in various stages of butchery.
On the southwestern slab, a masterwork dagger that's been used as a cleaver is wedged in between the ribs of a butchered dire rat.
Arrika trails behind the rest, her nose still buried in the note, mining it for meaning. Vorlesh...Vorlesh... Then suddenly she drops the note like it burns, her hands flying into a gesture of warding. The witch! she calls out fiercely in a half-whisper. The one who opened the 'Wound! She's here! She was the one who destroyed the wardstone in Kenabres! The fiendish woman was practically a boogeyman to Arrika, a bedtime story to scare naughty children into behaving...and now she was in Kenabres?
Picking the note back up with shaking hands, she continues to read. Yaniel...do they mean Yaniel De'Foe? And then her face pales again, as the last name lights up the connection between the soldier of legend...and the lady knight who traveled before her. Pulling Sabrina aside, she speaks in a low voice. Yaniel...he was your kin, wasn't he? Did you...did you know him?
Upon Sabrina's answer, she straightens and goes back to reading the note. Sabrina's right - we need to get that sword. If they're working with the Vorlesh witch and those damned demons that tore through Kenabres, any weapon they're excited about is one we don't want them to have. I don't know where the Nyserian Manor or the Tower of Estrod are, but I've been to the Topaz Solutions a few times - it's an herbalist's shop, near the Defender's Heart Inn. It's as good a place as any to start...once we get out of here.
Crumpling the note in anger, she stuffs it into her belt pouch for safekeeping, looks up to take in the room - and immediately wishes she hadn't. The rats and vermin were to be expected, squeamish though she would be about them...but the hacked-up mongrel and human limbs are more than she can take. Suddenly her mind goes back to the soup that Opoli had given her, and the feast that the others had spoken of - and she turns and retches, heaving her stomach's contents onto the stones of the room's floor. This...they eat humans? Other mongrelmen? she manages to get out between episodes. Do...do Chief Sull and his mongrels...? Did...did we...? The unfinished questions hang in the air as Kelumarion butts gently against Arrika's side while she finishes emptying her stomach.
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Sabrina Stops a a moment when asked about Yaniel. she nods, as painful memory starts to surface. we played together as children. She was a little older than me. her father and my father were brothers. Her father disappeared in battle during the first crusade. 4 years later her mother was found dead, under, mysterious circumstances. That was the last time I saw Yaniel, she went off to seek revenge for her parents.
Sabrina adds to Arrika's information, I know of the other two places, both are, I mean, were in the newer district.
Sabrina is concerned about her wounds for now. making some bandages from strips of cloth.
she pulls her sword to test her strength. the pain is still there, but she thinks she can fight through it for now.
Still not quite understanding said between Arrika and Sabrina, Elriel grasps the seriousness of the situation. "Well, my dea child. The best thing we can do is get out of here and then tell someone about this note. I don't think a lowly half-breed from the swamps will be entrusted to take on such a mission."
At the girl's retching, the half-elf inspects the half-eaten corpse and signals the butterfly wings over his heart. He sighs, "I didn't like the man from the beginning but no one deserves to die like this."
At his companions questioning looks, he points to the signet ring on the corpses finger. "This was Horgus..."
tag?
Elriel then picks up the finely made dagger, sheathes it at his side. "I'll keep this unless one of you wants it." He then goes about listening and searching for traps in the northern door.
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Sabrina goes to examine the ring. I will hold this. I had high hopes for the man, but his heart was just not ready. I will return this to his family if we find them again.
taking the ring to return later.
turning to Elriel, When we have a bit more time I will tell you about Yaniel and the De'Foe family. until then I ask that you just trust me.
Horgus...well, I suppose at least we know now... Arrika's face is nearly as pale as yesterday, when her fever had burned; after several more long moments she stands, pulling out a rough linen handkerchief and wiping off her mouth. We know now...and like Sabrina said, we can find his family, give the ring back at least. She hadn't liked the insufferable nobleman...but no one deserved this kind of fate.
She looks at the severed human and mongrel limbs with trepidation. Should we...I don't know, try to bury what's left of all these people somewhere? Find a room somewhere, put the...remains there and seal it off? If they aren't laid to rest, their spirits could be angry, and if they blame us for not taking care of them when we could have... Her hands fly in another superstitious gesture of warding. But surely they'll understand that it can wait...we need to keep going, make sure there's nothing else waiting to jump at us.... Hurry and be done with this cursed place, get back to Kenabres...
Looking at Sabrina, the half-elf nods, "I understand we have no time for long stories but I'll remind you later. I'm very interested in what you have to say about this sword."
Elriel then looks at the remains of Horgus and then at Arrika, "Like I just said, we have no time for a burial. We can spare a few minutes and Bertholdt here can commend his spirit to Iomedae but that's about it."
Moving as silently as he could, he goes to explore the northern door.
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Elriel detects no traps in the northern door, finding it unlocked.
A stone pedestal holds a copper brazier aloft in the center of this room. Against the western wall, an enormous pile of animal furs and thick quilts serves as a bed. Sheathed weapons and stone carvings adorn the walls. The eastern half of the room holds a wooden desk, beneath which stands a long, thin iron lockbox.
The lockbox under the desk is fastened with a lock, but Elriel was able to open it with the key carried by Hosilla. The lockbox holds a small leather pouch containing an assortment of semiprecious gemstones (three chips of lapis lazuli worth 10 gp each, two bloodstones worth 50 gp each, a citrine worth 50 gp, and a white pearl worth 100 gp) as well as two scrolls that Arrika is able to identify as a scroll of bear's endurance and a scroll of remove disease. The lock box also contains long, thin darkwood sword case, probably valuable. The contents of the long darkwood case is the greatest treasure present. The case is not locked and inside lies a breathtaking longsword, a weapon of obviously superior craftsmanship with a razor-sharp blade that appears to be made of shining gold.
Elriel grins as he handles the valuable stones.
When the sword starts to vibrate, he steps back and becomes wary.
He looks at Sabrina, "Is that Yaniel's sword? Can you see if it's even a power of good?"
Absorbed in looking over the scrolls, Arrika doesn't notice at first when the case is opened...but when she does look up, it almost takes her breath away. It's...it's beautiful... Almost reverently, Arrika gingerly picks up the darkwood case and shows the sword to Sabrina. The note did say they had Yaniel's sword...does it look familiar at all, Sabrina?
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Sabrina takes a closer look at the blade, at the design. then she notices her own sword, the blade of her mother.
Sabrina takes the sword from the box, she holds it for a few moments examining every marking, the so resemble her own blade. I never actually saw Yaniel's sword, Radiance. But the markings, could it be?
As the two swords, Radiance and Claíomh Solais, are brought together, the vibration intensifies. Both swords start to glow and golden filaments start to move from Radiance to Sabrina's sword. This phenomenon lasts only a few seconds and soon after it ceases completely but the results are visible: Radiance lies dormant once more but Claíomh Solais's blade turned golden.
Elriel stepped back some and was sincerely awed by the swords. He asked Sabrina, "So, what does this mean? Do you have to avenge this Yaniel?"
tag?
He then nodded to the paladin, "Yes, no doubt about what the first step is. Let's get out of here..."
As you go back up through the rope leather, you find your three other companions waiting with anxiety and relief as you they notice you are all alive. It looks like they did not remained still while though... there are no more bodies in this room for Lann moved all of them to the larger room to the left, removing their belongings and sorting them into the table: there were a myriad of crude weapons but also some of note, probably carried by the blue-skinned one with the bow, like a longbow and a chain mail of exceptional quality (both are mwk), 19 arrows, an obsidian unholy symbol of Baphomet, a pouch with 34 pieces of gold, two potions of cure light wounds and a wand made of bone and carved with runes.
After you tell them what happened down there, Anevia seems pretty eager to get the information about the three safe houses to Irabeth and the Eagle Watch, while Aravashnial is particularly intrigued by the mention of the Tower of Estrod being a safe house and reveals he would like to either investigate it or learn more about it second hand.
With the news about Horgus terrible end, Anevia starts to cry. "Poor man... he was not a bad person, quite the opposite. A couple weeks ago I was tasked by the Eagle Watch with breaking into one of Horgus's warehouses to find evidence of collusion with Worldwound forces. Instead, I not only uncovered his records of extensive anonymous donations to our cause, but also of a well-tended but hidden personal shrine to Abadar. I didn't like his attitude, but I respected him enough to keep his anonymous donations and faith secret so far, even if I didn't understand why he apparently wanted to keep his religious side hidden... I'm only telling you this because I knew he left you with the wrong impression..."
Lann is somehow cold about everything... perhaps the fact that he spent his whole life among these caverns has blunted his feelings. "I moved the bodies from to the other room and heard no sign of any more movement... I even checked this side room..." he moves and opens the northeast door, revealing a narrow hallway that slopes downward steeply. The walls are stained with foul-smelling streaks of refuse. A mound of rotting garbage lies heaped at the far end of the hallway. He quickly closes the door afterward. "...it looks just a trash pit and I know for sure I'll not go down there to verify..."
::Child...:: Kelumarion says softly in the back of Arrika's mind. ::The blind one likes not the words of the woman about the dead man...look how his face twists, though he tries to hide it...
And once Kelumarion had pointed it out, Arrika saw it too...a weight of some kind on Aravashnial's shoulders, something about Horgus that dragged him down. A..Aravashnial? she called out, trying to keep her voice gentle and slowly setting a hand on his shoulder. There was nothing we could have done...I'm sad to see how he went too, but, in the end, he took that chance when he chose to leave us behind.... Did you know him well? Is that why you look so sad about him?
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Elriel stepped back some and was sincerely awed by the swords. He asked Sabrina, "So, what does this mean? Do you have to avenge this Yaniel?"
I, or perhaps we, pick up the cause and end the Demonic plague in the Worldwound. I suspect that working toward that goal will ultimately Avenge her death. But I do not seek revenge.
I had hoped to secure his help in rebuilding Kenebras, I have is family ring to return it to whatever we can find left of his family.
Making a quick check of everything, I believe we have but one way to go then. there is a door going North back in the larger chamber.
Sabrina will lead the way to move forward.
"Nothing we could do about Horgus. He made his choice. Some people react poorly to demons trying to kill them."
He laughed at his dark sense of humor and turned to Sabrina, "Agreed. I'd like to hear all about your quest once we are out of here."
He moved towards the north door, right behind the paladin.
Aravahsnial sighs, a bit ashamed. "No, I did not know him well... that was the problem. A few months back, I developed a theory that some of Kenabres's nobles were funding demonic agendas, and among these nobles was Horgus Gwerm. The information proved to be false, and while I apologized publicly and paid him a hefty restitution, I knew Horgus resented me and thought he was itching for an excuse for revenge... Well in the end, it looks like the information wasn't all wrong, since you brought proof of the Nyserian's involvement."
You are able to open the door without much effort since it was not locked. The worked stone walls of this large room hold a number of shelves, each of which display the preserved bodies of dire rats, bats, rock vipers, cave lizards, and other creatures that pose in eerie stillness. A pair of bedrolls have been laid out to the southeast.
Guarding this room there are two cultists. Both of them are armed and ready to attack you, one with a glaive and the other with a scythe.
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Round 1
Cultists
Sabrina - up
Elriel - up
Anevia
Kelumarion - up
Arrika - up
Aravashnial
Bertholdt
Elriel moved right next to the paladin and struck out at the cultist.
No challenge issued from his lips, just cold hard steel from his shortsword.
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As soon as Sabrina steps into the room, both cultists attack her. The glaive goes wide but the scythe strikes true, surpassing her armor and opening her throat. Once more, the noble paladin falls on the ground, her sword stopping from shining.
Elriel, perhaps enraged by the fall of his companion, strikes the cultist with the scythe, cutting her shoulder and evading a ridiculously clumsy attack by the other cultist.
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Round 1
Cultist
Cultist [6 dmg - grazed (-1)]
Sabrina
Elriel
Anevia
Kelumarion - up
Arrika - up
Aravashnial
Bertholdt
At Sabrina's exclamation and the rush of Elriel's sword, Arrika looks at Kelumarion. Well, don't just stand there! she calls out, patting him on the back and wishing him a measure of luck before sending him off.
With the rush of energy through his body from Arrika's spell, Kelumarion darts forward, rushing between the mongrels to end up with the far wall at his back, facing Elriel with a mongrelman between.
Kelumarion nimbly moves around the battlefield, flanking the wounded cultist with the scythe and dropping her with a powerful bit in her neck. Bertholdt, moving forward with his spear ready, strikes the other one in her chest.
The other cultist yells and drops her glaive in the ground. "Leriel!" After a second of hesitation, she moves north and up through an iron ladder, bolted into the wall. With her back opened, both Kelumarion and Bertholdt stroke at the same time, dropping the remaining one in a pool of blood.
Elriel stops for a second, "Leriel? Anyone know what that means?'
With no time to waste, he kneels down to check on Sabrina and instructs Bertholdt to heal her, "C'mon now girl. We're not out of here yet."
He then loots whatever the cultists had of interest and prepares himself to continue exploring through the east door.
Bertholdt moves towards Sabrina, taking one of his potions and, gently, dropping its contents on Sabrina's mouth.
After Sabrina regained her consciousness, Bertholdt answered Elriel's question, pointing to the cultist with the scythe. "I bet it was the name of the first one... she yelled it once she felt to the cat's bite."
Elriel is able to retrieve two potions of cure light wounds, two scrolls of cause fear, two scrolls of comprehend language, two vials of unholy water, two mw chain shirts, a mw glaive, a mw scythe, two daggers, two unholy symbols (one of Baphomet and the other of Deskari - k. religion DC 15) and 20 pieces of gold.
As Elriel opens the door to the east, a muted roar echoes down the walls of this hallway. Near the eastern end, the worked stone give way to natural cave walls, just before the hall ends at an open shaft. Besides the edge of the shaft is a knotted rope, the other end tied to an iron spike driven into the ground. The free tip of the knotted rope is still wet.
The half-elf pocketed another healing potion before letting the others take their share. "You are all welcome to the gold as well but it ain't gonna do you much good unless we get outta here."
He then continues to explore the passage to the east. With one sword drawn, he inspects for traps and takes a closer look at the rope.
Assessing whether the rope and spike are safe, he then signals for the others to follow him down.
"You all ready?"
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Toothy: please have Elriel check for traps always, even if Fabian forgets. :) My modifiers is +9
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Sabrina opens her eyes, still showing some pain in her face. but she tries to hide it. Putting on a strong front to keep morale up.I am not so easy to keep down. she says giving Elriel a little smile of appreciation.
using her sword as a crutch to help her stand, Sabrina once again stands tall and ready to face more evil.
Her first step is a little weak and she almost falls but quickly regains herself. I may need a little more healing. she says as she pulls her last vial of healing and drinks it.
Letting the magic close her wounds, she takes a deep breath. Ready to go. she tells Elriel striding forward, sword drawn and ready.
The shaft drops 40 feet down into an underground river that flows below Kenabres. The mongrels might have been using it as source of food and water. The river itself extends to the north and south, but the ceiling dips down below the water level in both directions.
Both Elriel and Sabrina are able to descend without any problem and are able to see that on the east side of this small cave there is a body... a green skinned half-orc woman in her teens, with her skin marred by plenty of scars, tattoos and other markings. Besides her there is a terrifying wooden mask of a face howling and twisted in pain, filled with what appears to be open wounds. After a quick inspection, Elriel notices she is still alive, just unconscious.
A couple seconds later Elriel and Sabrina here a curse above them and in a fraction of seconds Bertholdt dives into the shallow water, hitting his head into the hard rock... he is a bit dazed is still alive. The noise and commotion wakes the girl and something else: two long, lean fishes with muscular bodies and heads with long jaws filled with sharp teeth.
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Round 1
Rukzha - up
Elriel - up
Sabrina - up
Bertholdt
Gars
Surprised but wary of finding the unconscious girl, Elriel cautiously approached but his attempt was foiled first by the cleric and then the hungry fish monsters.
The half-elf stepped up and slashed with both his blades.
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please add sneak attack if possible
At Bertholdt's curse and the sound of intense splashing, Arrika peers down, trying to get a lock on what's happening in the cave below. Is everything all right?! What's happening?! she calls out, eyeing the rope and shrugging out of her heavy backpack, setting it to the side.
::Sorry, Kelu...I think you're going to have to sit this out...there's no way to get you down there, without you getting hurt. Keep watch, ok?:: With one last apologetic look at Kelumarion, she swings her legs over the shaft's edge and begins to shimmy downward, while Kelumarion turns around to watch the tunnel with a huff.
Rukzha is dressed in the white and red livery uniform of the Order of Heralds with their symbol, a trumpet crossed with a longsword on her chest. The uniform is a bit dirty and rumpled from the events of the day and one of the arms are torn open, revealing the myriad of tattoos beneath. Several tattoos are also visible on her neck and face as well as the other hand. She is startled awake by the loud noise and sits up quickly. "Who, what..?"
The half-orc doesn't recognize the people, except that they are not her captors, but she recognize the creatures as threats. What are these things? Rukzha focuses her powers on one of the fishes, willing it to sleep. For a moment her tattoos seem to twist and turn, dancing over her skin and she winces in pain from one of her scars. "I hope you are not with the cultists..." She mutters.
Rukzha, even still a bit dizzy, is able to force her will against one of the big fishes, making it sink while asleep. It is slowly being carried by the slow current.
Elriel with his quick blades flashing, attacks the other creature. One of his attacks misses, mostly due to the reflexes under the water tricking him about the creature's positioning but the other one strikes true. Sabrina quickly follows with her sword, almost killing it. Frightened, the fish tries to flee but Elriel is quick to finish it once and for all, making it float as the river turns red for a moment.
"Hurry, kill the other one before it wakes up. It'll only sleep for a moment!" The adrenaline from the fight momentarily chasing away the worry that these people might be yet more cultists. Though her eyes warily study the people, trying to figure it out one way or another. She makes no rash movements so as to not provoke aggression towards herself.
"Hurry, kill the other one before it wakes up. It'll only sleep for a moment!" The adrenaline from the fight momentarily chasing away the worry that these people might be yet more cultists. Though her eyes warily study the people, trying to figure it out one way or another. She makes no rash movements so as to not provoke aggression towards herself.
With the other big fish already dead and no other credible threats around them, the half-elf makes quick work of the napping fish. "That's a big fish. I'm sure the mongrel's will think me for it."
He then hauls the two dead fish on to the shore meaning to tell the mongrels about their potential fish stew.
He turns to the new girl, half orc?, "So the cultist got you huh? is that it? You gotta name?"
"Well, what do you we have here? A door, here?"
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Toothy, do you want me to check for traps or will you? As stated, please assume that Elriel will always check unless not feasible (being chased, etc.)
Elriel's question reveals that these people are indeed not in league with the cultists. Rukzha relaxes visibly, picks up her mask and starts getting to her feet. Except for the mask, her clothes and a few pouches around her belt she has no items on her person.
"You figured it out elfie." Rukzha says sarcastically to Elriel's question. "I was hiding after getting separated from my companions in chaos above, but I was found by some wicked mongrelmen who brought me here. It seems like they are worshiping the demons and they were talking about sacrificing me. I'm Rukzha Kerzuk."
Elriel finds a loose rock that functions as a trigger, opening a secret door to the east.
The entrance to this small chamber sits a foot above the water level to the west. A thick layer of dust coats the rest of the cavern. Near the far wall sits an old wooden chest covered with dust and cobwebs.
After standing up Rukzha notices that Bertholdt is heavily wounded from the fall. "That fall probably hurt, here, let me heal you a bit." She walks closer and touches the man. She suppresses a wince as the scar on her chest contracts when she uses the hex it's bound to. Speaking of her chest, it's quite well developed, straining against her uniform which is not designed for large chested women. Despite her young age she is fully mature, her orc blood making her age more quickly than humans.
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Sabrina Sheaths her blade once the fish are taken care of.
She then turns her attention the orcish girls that was in this pit. she seems to look her over without saying a word.
Sabrina then goes to check on everyone. anyone else hurt? she asks obviously trying to ignore her own wounds that still remain.
Once she is sure everyone is in good heath, she turns to the newcomer, "I am Sabrina De'Foe. Crusader of the second Crusade.
Elriel raises his hands, "Ok, now we can all have tea or something later but not now. Something on the other side is important enough for someone to lay a trap."
The half-elf examines the trap from a distance...
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[occ]What kind of trap? Can I trigger it from a distance with Bert's spear, for example?[/ooc]