"It is quite dusty... But if that dwarf fell during the attack, he'd be dusty I guess... I suggest waiting for the end of his prayers to speak with him."
At Elriel's words the whispers of prayer stopped and the figure stiffened. Sadly, at that moment, Arrika was facing her companions so she wasn't able to read his reaction. As the girl knelt besides him, the dwarf looked at her with kind eyes, eyes that suddenly gained a faint green light. His skin shrank and his robe gained a dusty appearance. He opened his mouth and screamed, with a putrid smell coming from his mouth.
The creature, clearly an undead, strikes Arrika with his filthy claw, drawing blood from her. He smiles in delight as he steps away from you, licking the fresh blood from his nails.
, Fort Save DC 12 or contract Filth Fever an onset of days, taking Dex damage and Str damage.
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Surprise Round
Huecuva
Elriel - up [9/10 (10/11) - healthy (1 Con damage)]
Sabrina - up [8/11 - grazed (-1)]
Bertholdt - up [11/12 - healthy]
Kelumarion
1st Round
Huecuva
Elriel
Sabrina
Bertholdt
Arrika [7/9 - healhy]
Kelumarion
Alarm bells going of in his head, the half-elf jumped into action. He flipped and careened past the undead and got into position to attack it when the opportunity presented itself.
"Sabrina, engage it. Quickly!"
"Arrika girl, get away!"
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please reroll if I fail...
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Sabrina stood there un-moving at first. the look in her eyes of something horrifying. for just a moment she did not see the young girl Arrika.
her mind went back, back to that night. Sabrina saw herself. denying the evil before her eyes. The pain she caused. the life, no, lives, that were lost because of her failure to recognize the evil.
Arrika was just like her, the trust, the belief that evil cannot exist is place dedicated to good.
Elriel's words suddenly pierce the memory and Sabrina is jolted to the present danger at hand.
She cannot let this evil flourish. Not this time Gennoa! she cries out as she moves forward to strike the creature.
Her blade glowing with Iomedae's light.
Elriel is able past the undead's defenses, reaching the far side of the temple. He almost tripped in a dusty warhammer left on the ground but, luckily, he managed it.
Sabrina slashed through the undead's defenses cutting him deep in his chest in such a way that he was left open to new attacks.
_______________________________
Surprise Round
Huecuva [7 dmg - grazed (-1)]
Elriel [9/10 (10/11) - healthy (1 Con damage)]
Sabrina [8/11 - grazed (-1)]
Bertholdt - up [11/12 - healthy]
Kelumarion - up
1st Round
Huecuva
Elriel
Sabrina
Bertholdt
Arrika [7/9 - healhy]
Kelumarion
Elriel took the opportunity afforded by Sabrina's hit and stabbed the apparition.
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Elriel's blade found his target but the undead wasn't as unprepared as it seemed and Arrika, still astonished with the 'dwarf' attack, wasn't posing as a threat to the undead yet, making it easy for him to pay full attention to the half-elf's attack. Even if the attack hit, its result was somewhat diminished by some sort of resistant the creature possessed.
As Elriel pulled his sword, Claíomh Solais, Sabrina's heirloom family sword, protruded from the undead's chest enveloped in holy light, bypassing any sort of resistance and finishing the creature, his eyes now as empty as his dark heart and soul.
This shrine is humble, and little treasure can be found within save for that on the huecuva's body. A pouch on its belt contains two potions of cure linht wounds, and on one withered hand it wears a knotted gold ring worth. The priest's masterwork warhammer lies dusty on the ground, long forgotten.
She had knelt to pray with the dwarf man, despite Kelumarion's warnings...and then everything had happened too quickly to follow. Skin distended, the gaping maw widened, claws tore at her...and then Sabrina's sword flashed with holy light, and before she could even think, the dwarf that was no dwarf at all lay at her feet, unmoving.
Sheepishly, she turns to Kelumarion, and the look of reproach in his eyes is matched only by the embarrassment in her own. ::Sorry...::
Arrika tries not to look too closely at the fallen creature; every time she looks at that mouth, the putrid stench of its breath washes over her again. To distract herself, she begins to look over the altar, while Kelumarion sniffs at the body and nudged at it with a paw. Look herrre... he rumbles, pointing out an old knife wound in its side. This one's end was not gentle...though it was perrrhaps of his choosing.
At this remark, Arrika's attention on the altar only redoubles. I know this is a temple, but I wonder how long it's been down here? How long could an entire temple have hidden right beneath Kenabres? I know I'd never heard of it.
Not content with how his blades failed to penetrate the undead, Elriel nodded towards Sabrina, "Yhe Inheritor in you is as strong as your sword arm. I'm glad you're here."
He then inspects the body of the creature they had just destroyed and moved it outside of the temple. "If what I heard was correctly, this one does not belong inside the temple."
Not knowing much about religion, he asked Berthold, "So what does one do when a secret temple is found?"
"Clean up. This place is a mess!" replies Bertholdt, quite taken aback by the speed at which his new leader and Elriel dispatched that foulest of creature.
And he walks around the room and starts to tidy it up: "We'll need to put that priest in the ground. I think he killed himself... Perhaps he just felt abandoned..."
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Sabrina simply confirms what the others have discovered.
Sabrina does not seem to interested in keeping the gold ring, though, she does ask to take a look at it.
Sabrina tries to find something in the ring to identify any name or family. perhaps an inscription.
when complete she nods her appreciation to Elriel but she quickly looks away.
you think you may have caught Sabrina blushing sightly
Attempting to move forward to avoid any more embarrassment. I agree Bertholdt, then we should rest here for a bit. give a chance to change bandages and clean our wounds.
The cavern floor was too rocky to dig a grave but the assorted rubble of the other buildings surrounding the abandoned temple provided enough material to make a rock grave.
The abandoned shrine wasn't in such disorder as you anticipated and after just two hours you four were able to clean it up. Even after cleaning it, the temple still looks, and feels abandoned, by either humanoids and the gods themselves. It has been a long time since their attention was brought to this place. Anevia was eager to help cleaning the temple but, because of her leg, she wasn't able to. Aravashinial was not so excited with the cleaning process but more interested in the description of the whole place, a task that Anevia took for herself. Horgus, even if he was in perfect conditions to help, did not moved a finger, bickering the whole time about loosing time.
As you finish to clean the shrine, you all feel tired and not only because of the fights and the cleaning work... perhaps, outside, it is already dark and time to sleep.
Arrika had always believed in the presence of spirits; her mother had taught her when she was young that souls were near ever-present in the world. And now she believed it more than ever - because she could feel that they'd forsaken this place entirely. Her attunement to her god had left her more able to sense the presence of others, and she'd never felt anything like this.
::You feel it too, Kelu?::
::Yes...perhaps it was that creature's presence, or whatever led him to take his own life, but something has chased the gods' presence away from here. There is a stillness to this place...an abandonment.::
Still glancing about warily and with a hint of sadness, Arrika begins to try and make the best of their camp. She'd been left with little when the ground fell beneath her - she'd carried her mace and shield and worn her simple leather armor, since it was considered near-madness to go unarmed in Kenabres, but her traveling supplies were all safely in her room at the Inheritor's Wings. She'd not thought to have any need of them, leaving this morning to run a food stall at the festival.
Taking stock of their supplies, she sighs. There was plenty in the way of food, but it was all hard biscuits and dried meat and fruit - unspoiled, but unexciting as well, and not plentiful enough to last long. If they were going to be down here long...
She begins distributing the food to everyone. We'll have to be careful about the food - there's not a lot here, at least not in what we found in that backpack. Sabrina, Elriel, if either of you has any, we may end up having need of it before too long. And there's only one bedroll here, too; it may end up being a cold night for a lot of us. Did anyone see anything nearby that would work to create a fire? Reaching up to the improvised scarf around Elriel's head, she wills it to continue glowing. There's a flint and steel in here, but we'll need fuel...and water is a problem as well, unless someone has a skin of it...
As Bertholdt places the last stone on the pile, he jabs at the others, raising a small pendant, a circle surrounding a sword: "Ok, gather 'round! ... Right. I'll start now. IOMEDAE, receive this man, I mean this Dwarf, and guide his soul to Her- Wait. Where's Horgus? Reaaally? Well... Ok, never mind. AND GUIDE HIS SOUL to Her Boneyard, for he was a decent enough priest, who stood in the darkness and prayed, faithful to Torag until the very end, I mean, until he lost his mind completely and k- and aband-... AND THAT'S IT! May he finds his way and no longer haunt this earthly realm."
There's a pregnant pause, then Bertholdt raises his head, looking at the others: "I'm done. You can keep praying if you want, but you don't have to..."
And he walks off to see what Horgus is doing and glare at the man.
The rogue was pretty quiet as he did his share of cleaning up the abandoned temple. How different these underground temples were compared to those of Desna, usually outside and under the stars.
He looked at their findings so far and pocketed a healing potion.
"Let's rest inside this place now that it's cleaned and tidy. We'll still keep watch. The order should be Arrika, myself, Sabrina, and Berthold. That way the spellcasters have plenty of time to recover."
He looked at his own backpack with the rations, "Aye, I have five days' worth and am willing to share with those that pull their weight."
He winked at Horgus, "It may be time to get working or it's cockroach stew for you, my friend."
Horgus turns red with anger at the mention that he would not get a share of the food if he did not start to help. "Y-You know what, fine! I'll help, but now you already have cleaned this place so... yeah, I'll keep watch, this way you fine heroes are able to fully rest and save us, simple mortals."
Anevia stares at Horgus, perhaps because of his sudden offer to help, and nods at his statement. "I'd also like to help... I may not be able to walk pretty well but I'm still able to see and hear and if you could give me the arrows we found earlier in the backpack, I'll also be able to shoot something."
::Of course, he's ready to help once the carrying's done...::
::Child, I fear there may be more to his sudden turn-about...if I could stay with you while you rest, I would. I mistrust him - call on me the moment you awaken. If you have no time for your prayers, I have allies I can send to your aid more quickly.::
Kelumarion's disquiet seeps across their mental bond, and Arrika grows wary as well. But with no other sign of any deception, she continues handing Horgus his share of the dry trail rations. Then she turns to Bertholdt. Excuse me...sir? I've seen some of the other priests in the temple make clean water, when they're cleaning wounds and such...can you? It's just that, we don't have much in the way of water down here, and we won't be able to go long without it...
Horgus turns red with anger at the mention that he would not get a share of the food if he did not start to help. "Y-You know what, fine! I'll help, but now you already have cleaned this place so... yeah, I'll keep watch, this way you fine heroes are able to fully rest and save us, simple mortals."
Anevia stares at Horgus, perhaps because of his sudden offer to help, and nods at his statement. "I'd also like to help... I may not be able to walk pretty well but I'm still able to see and hear and if you could give me the arrows we found earlier in the backpack, I'll also be able to shoot something."
Elriel nods satisfied, "That's the spirit then. Well it looks like we all want to help, which is great. There are enough of us so we can have a pair of watchers at each 2-hour turn."
He looked at Arrika, "Girl, why don't you keep watch with your... cat. I'll keep watch with Horgus here and Anevia with Berthold. Sabrina, you gonna be Ok by yourself?"
__________
"Splendid idea. I'll pray for water come morning then." replies Bertholdt, blushing a little at the attention.
"Elriel, I'd like to have my turn with Horgus, if you don't mind. I'm surprised he didn't come to the burial, and would like to make sure he's at peace. The Inheritor is a rock on which anything can be built..." he offers.
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Sabrina offers a silent prayer to Iomedae, as well as to thos that have fallen in Kenebas earlier.
I have about 5 days worth of food. she adds to the question about food.
pulling some from her pack, she splits some with Horgus again.
I will take watch with Horgus. I wish to discuss some things with him. she offers but soon realizes that Bertholdt has offered the same.
Berthholdt, you need your rest, I keep an eye on Horgus.
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Sabrina sits with the grumpy noble, I know you do not think very highly of many of us. and in truth, I cannot say I blame you. we all have a past. some, not so pleasant.
She continues to share her rations with him as she speaks.
The Inheritor as well as Teredelev. You have a purpose being here. and who are we to question what Iomedae has in store for all of us. So long as The Inheritor has seen fit to save you, I will do all in my power to continue to provide and assist you, as well as the others.
Horgus, there are things I have witnessed that no person should bear witness to. I have seen death on a scale most would consider unimaginable. I have witnessed things done to humans that would make most men collapse in fear and shock. I fought in the second crusades, I watched as my entire family was tormented and butchered before my eyes. I was forced to kill my my own sister. and to this day that pain haunts me. I can still see taint in her eyes, the smell of her breath still lingers in my nose.
Why do I share this with you? To show you that no matter what we can overcome this tragedy. we will find our way out, and not because some heroes lead the way, but because we all worked together, including you. To show you that with strength and teamwork we can overcome. that is what makes a crusader.
she pulls out her family's Crusdaer cross and shows it to Horgus,
My father carried this, and when he fell, my mother took it with her. Now I carry it, a reminder that we all fight for a common good. When this is over, I will proudly present to you your own Crusader cross. a symbol of bravery, honesty, and above all brotherhood of a common cause.
I will take watch with Horgus. I wish to discuss some things with him. she offers but soon realizes that Bertholdt has offered the same.
Berthholdt, you need your rest, I keep an eye on Horgus.
Elriel playfully slaps Horgus on the shoulder, "Well, lookee here. It seems you're popular after all. It must be your cologne or maybe these fellow want to trade cockroach stew recipes."
He walks away addressing Horgus, "I'm happy to share my overly dry jerky and hard bread but only if you earn it..."
Sabrina, Bertholdt, and Elriel wake up feeling better and completely recovered and there is no more sign of the weakness in Elriel's blood, caused by the viper's poison. The same could not be said of Arrika. Even if her wounds kind of healed a bit, she is feverish and her limbs, are slow and weak to react.
Two other things are clear once Arrika, once more, makes the room clearly visible with her cantrip: First, Bertholdt is bolted as if he had heard something outside, and second, Horgus is not among you.
Arrika's watch had been uneventful; she spent most of it curled up against Kelumarion, hands tucked into his mane for warmth against the chill of the dark temple. And as her two hours of watch wore on, the chill only seemed to deepen and deepen. By the time her watch was up, it was all she could do to keep her teeth from chattering, and she was more tired than she could remember being in a long time. C-careful, S-Sabrina...s-stay warm.
Lacking a bedroll, she tucked her cloak close around her, Kelumarion huddling close. Despite the chill and the ache starting to work its way into her muscles, she fell asleep almost instantly. As her head dropped against her chest, Kelumarion's form began to shimmer and waver; within moments, he was no longer at her side, though the stones he had sat on were still warm.
----------
When she awakes, the room is dark, and she knows something isn't right. Despite sleeping like the dead (and at that turn of phrase she shudders at the thought of the dead dwarf yesterday), her body is a mass of aches and the cold is unbearable, almost painful. She'd slept on stones before, no stranger to rough living; this went far beyond that.
And as she wishes a stone alight, she immediately notices something else wrong. He's g-gone! she calls out, her voice soft and raspy, shaking with her chills. H-Horgus is g-gone! Several choice words the sisters at the Inheritor's Wings had tried their hardest to train out of her bubble to the surface. B-Bertholdt, d-did you s-see him? He was h-here when I went to s-sleep...
Immediately she moves from her seat against the wall to crouching on her knees, folding her hands in front of her and closing her eyes. K-Kelum-marion, g-god among us, long ago you s-swore to c-care for the children of the N-Neverrun... The litany was one she'd known as long as she could remember; her mother had taught it to her the moment she could speak. As she speaks, a shimmer begins to materialize in front of her, its form familiar.
Elriel stretched and checked his blades while getting ready for another trek in the caves. He looked around and was alarmed instantly, "Where's Horgus? Sabrina, did he leave on your watch?"
Alarmed and bolted, Bertholdt paces left and right, waving his arms in ecstatic bursts: "Horgus is gone! GONE! You think he was taken? I heard faint noises during my watch. Just faint, so I didn't raise the alarm, but now he's gone! I should have known. He was up to something... I should have known! Should I? Sabrina, what do you want us to do?!"
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[ooc...waking up Arrika...]
Sabrina sees the chill in the girls's lips and skin, she offers the old tattered bedroll for her as she takes the watch. She had intended for one of the wounded to use it, but Arrika needed it more for now.
After some rest Sabrina awakens to what is apparently lots of commotion, and possibly accusation coming at her.
She quickly realizes the situation, Damn, He was resting when I awoke Arrika for her watch, at least I am pretty sure he was there. I was pretty certain our talk would have helped to calm him down.
Turning to the group, Ok we need to organize a search. I need Arrika, Anevia, and Aravashnial; I need you to remain here, this will be our center of operation.
[b]Now, I need Kel to sniff about, maybe he can pick up a scent. Bertholdt you stay with Kel, the cat can see in the dark so stick close. If you manage to track Horgus down, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT, say or do anything that will worsen the situation, he will need some coaxing to come back. and negative conversation will do no good.
Elriel, You will stay with me, I also have dark vision. the same applies to us. These teams are in case we need to split up. be sure to return to here to check in as necessary.
Looking to everyone, I know he has been a bit of a pain, but I swore that I would do all I could to get us all out of here. I intend to see that through.
I c-can s-stay, that's f-fine. In truth, Arrika was glad to be able to stay behind; aching all over, huddling in her cloak or the tatters of the bedroll seemed like the best option in her mind. Despite her obvious discomfort, though, she does her best to make sure everyone is ready for the exploration, taking a moment to light up the headband she had improvised. I c-can only make one l-light at a time - do any of you w-want it? We have c-candle stubs, too, if you like...
Once ensuring everyone is equipped, she sits down against the wall again, close to Anevia and Aravashnial. Kelu can keep us all connected. He and I have a...a bond, that we can share our thoughts across. So everyone should know what's happening, unless you need to split up. A worried look creeps into her eyes. Just...try n-not to go too f-far, if it can be helped. It just...d-doesn't feel right, when we're too far a-apart.
Kelumarion casts a concerned glance toward his charge, but pads toward Sabrina as she prepares to leave, dipping toward Bertholdt in a regal bow. May our cooperation prove fruitful. Then, nostrils twitching, he begins to test the air, eyes and nose both seeking any sign of the missing man.
With hands on his hips, Elriel was not convinced.
"No, this is wrong and could endanger us. We need to continue to try and find an exit. I don't want to split up, especially with the girl here being sick."
He shook his head, "Horgus elected to go on his own. No one pushed him out so let him be. If we find him on our way out, we'll ask if he wants to join us."
He concluded, "I think we should be practical about this. We need to get out and we can't endanger the lives of all us just for a stubborn, stuck-up man, who, by-the-way, would not lend a hand should we be in trouble."
"I also heard noises during the night... buzzing, like that giant flies you managed to kill yesterday, but for sure none came in or out during my watch... perhaps he slipped off when you were awaking me, Sabrina..." Anevia gave her opinion and, by her side, Aravahsnial as nodding in agreement.
"I also agree with Elriel's opinion. We are doing a good progress together and I see no reason for anyone, or anything, have abducted Horgus... down here, if they were able to sneak pass your watch, why not kill everyone? No, I conclude he left on his own and, since he is not stupid generally, he might have made arrangements for this since he isn't able to see in the dark. Any of you carry any other means of illumination, like torches? If so I'd suggest you to look if they are all with you or if they have been stolen... this could confirm or deny my theory." Once more, the commanding tone was in his lips, a clear sign that the elf trust you, even if a little worried by the outcome of this situation.
Bertholdt is about to speak wisely, say something insightful, but then he realizes.
His mouth shapes an O as he moves through the group, begging for their silence, then, when all is quiet, he asks softly: "Don't you hear that?"
Arrika's mind goes to the near-burnt-out candle stubs that had been in the discarded backpack they had found...and then goes straight to Bertholdt's silent shushing and soft question. Hear w-what? I d-don't hear anything... Is he truly mad?
It is a faint noise but, once Bertholdt calls for your attention, it becomes clearer... the sound of paws against the stone, 'squeaks', and even angry animalistic sounds. The direction of the sound comes from the outside of the door, where the dead giant fly was left after being dealt with. Looks like something is feasting on the dead bug.
Elriel cocks his head, "Yep, I hear it now."
He whips out his blades, "Sabrina, with me. We have to get out of this place sometime so we may as well face whatever's out there in a time of our own choosing."
He looks about, "You all ready? This could be trouble."
Kelumarion pads softly behind Elriel, prepared for whatever manner of creature might enjoy a feast of giant fly.
As blades are drawn, Arrika rises slowly to her feet, still clutching her cloak close about her. Wordlessly she hands the glowing cloth to Elriel.
As Elriel opened the door he saw five filthy rats, the size of a small dog. They have a coat of coarse fur, a long and scabby tail, and two glittering eyes. They were devouring what was left of the giant fly, probably starving... not usually a good sign.
_______________________________
First Round
Kelumarion - up
Sabrina - up
Anevia
Elriel - up
Bertholdt - up
Aravashnial
Arrika - up
Dire Rats
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[ooc[before opening the door....(prior conversation about Horgus)[/ooc]
I understand the attitude, but I cannot allow anyone to be left behind. I've seen it before, the loss is... I just can't do it. regardless of his attitude, regardless of what he sis not do, He still is a life that needs to be saved.
Her (probably futile) argument is cut short when the sounds are brought to her attention and Elriel calls her to battle.
Drawing her blade Sabrina takes a position by the door as it is opened.
Well, it isn't bugs.
With the way blocked, Sabrina has no means to get at the creatures, so instead stands ready still inside.
Elriel's blades were drawn and cutting and stabbing at the dog-sized rodents.
"Don't get bit. One sick girl is enough."
__________
, critical?
, ???
, critical?
, no
"By the Inheritor! Don't you know your scripture? Though shall regroup when in a bottleneck! There's too many of them facing you two. Regroup in the church, where we can reverse the trap!" he shouts, and moves back in the temple, ready to stab at incoming rats.