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Sabrina pauses and then walks beside Horgus, Not all creatures have beauty, just as not all are evil. I have found no evil in their hearts. Iomedae has never lead me wrong. You trust me, and I trust them. at least for now
she places a hand on his shoulder. Iomedae will bless and protect us, and especially you. That is why many of us are here and alive now.
Sabrina tries to ease Horgus' fears.
Eldric follows along and tries a different tack. "And besides, I saw what is around us. Enough tunnels to get lost in for a lifetime. Better to follow someone who knows the area than to wander blindly."
It didn't seem to help...
"You are all a bunch of idiots, and you are going to wind up impaled and roasting over some demonic creature's campfire if you keep this up" he responds with thinly veiled disgust before begrudingly following the party after the unusual creatures.
Eldric muttered under his breath about the uselessness of nobility as he walked along, having little constructive to say and knowing that his attempts at placating the man had thus far proved useless.
The vein in Edmund's forehead was throbbing again. It was becoming larger and larger with each and every word Horgus spoke. He was fit to explode as he turns towards Horgus and his anger was gone, replaced with a simple non emotional face.
Master Horgus, with all do respect....Please by all means take point and get us out of here. You seem to be the only one that is not an idiot, so please for the love of the gods take control of the situation as only one of your blood can do.....take charge oh mighty noblemen, step up....we are waiting on you....Show us the way...Please.
As I thought nothing...his balls are tucked away in his coin purse
Griffth observes the bickering, in a moment of rage he yells.
"Everyone quiet down now!"
He takes a moment to calm down. breathing heavily.
"We're all stressed, demons have killed innocence above us, now is not the time to fall apart. We must remain strong in moments of tragedy and strife. Horgus, they've invited us to their home. As a fellow noblemen, you must know to refuse them is the height of dishonour."
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AS they continued, Sabrina had attempted to calm things down, but only seemed to make matters worse. I have much to learn regarding leadership she thought to herself.
Soon Sabrina was lost in thought as they progressed. she seemed to be trying to understand what was happening, and piecing together the information she has encountered so far.
Griffth observes the bickering, in a moment of rage he yells.
"Everyone quiet down now!"He takes a moment to calm down. breathing heavily.
"We're all stressed, demons have killed innocence above us, now is not the time to fall apart. We must remain strong in moments of tragedy and strife. Horgus, they've invited us to their home. As a fellow noblemen, you must know to refuse them is the height of dishonour."
Horgus makes a pouting face, but does not answer. He will however, follow the party forward. Aravashnial will follow after them all, asking many pointed and excited questions about their appearance, which Sarah will answer with increasing awkwardness as his questions stray from "What kind of animals do they most resemble" towards "I wonder how they procreate, or if there's any standardization in the process at all between individuals!"
AS they continued, Sabrina had attempted to calm things down, but only seemed to make matters worse. I have much to learn regarding leadership she thought to herself.
Soon Sabrina was lost in thought as they progressed. she seemed to be trying to understand what was happening, and piecing together the information she has encountered so far.
After a few minutes of travel down the winding tunnel, the creatures stop ahead of a moderately-sized chasm in the middle of the cave. It only seems to be about 10 feet across, but quite deep and stretching the entire width of the passageway. One of the creatures catches Sabrina before she walks straight into it.
"Well, thisss iss new" says the one with the forked tongue, peering down the chasm. "Let'sss jusst hope the tremorss sspared Neathholm the worsst of it, or we might not have much to come back to"
"Come on Horgus. We gotta gets somewhere and a bed sounds better than this hard ground don't it? We'll get ya home. Just remember, ya can't always pick who gets to help ya. You're right. We don't know what we're doing or where we going, but we're tryin'. If yous gots any ideas, now's the time to share'em."
Truth be told Belg preferred to sleep on the ground no matter how hard it was. He felt a connection to the earth and no bed would ever comfort him the way the ground would. Still, he knew enough that most others didn't agree with him on this particular point.
Turning his attention to the cavern and their guides, "so yous gots names or what?"
[dice=Diplomacy] 1d20+2
"Come on Horgus. We gotta gets somewhere and a bed sounds better than this hard ground don't it? We'll get ya home. Just remember, ya can't always pick who gets to help ya. You're right. We don't know what we're doing or where we going, but we're tryin'. If yous gots any ideas, now's the time to share'em."
Truth be told Belg preferred to sleep on the ground no matter how hard it was. He felt a connection to the earth and no bed would ever comfort him the way the ground would. Still, he knew enough that most others didn't agree with him on this particular point.
Turning his attention to the cavern and their guides, "so yous gots names or what?"
"Oh, yes" the lizard-goat-man will say. "My name is Lann, my serpentine friend here is Crel, and she" He motions to the rat-faced woman with the facial tumors "Is Dyra. Please forgive our rude manners, but we're in quite the hurry to get home. Speaking of which . .. ". He points to the large chasm ahead of him. "You wouldn't happen to have any ideas for how to cross this safely, now would you?"
"I gots some rope in me pack..." Belg said as he slowly approached the edge of the cavern "but I don't know if it'll be enough. That looks like quite the ways. Hey, any of yous magic-users can summon lights or something? Anyone else gots some rope? Not even sure how we'll get out the utter side. Yous sure there ain't another way around? Another tunnel?"
"I gots some rope in me pack..." Belg said as he slowly approached the edge of the cavern "but I don't know if it'll be enough. That looks like quite the ways. Hey, any of yous magic-users can summon lights or something? Anyone else gots some rope? Not even sure how we'll get out the utter side. Yous sure there ain't another way around? Another tunnel?"
"This was the other way around." Lann peers down into the chasm, which narrows off towards the bottom. "Hmm . . . I think this is scaleable. Just need to get a good handhold on here. . . ." He carefully starts climbing down the edge of the rift, using the extremely rough surface to get a number of good handholds.
There area a number of spells that could help but unfortunately I do not have access to them at this time.
"Maybe some of yous should go first. I can anchor the rope well enough and it looks like Eldric here can fly. Yous guys gets to the bottom and we'll bring up the rear" Belg offered, looking at Eldric for confirmation or objection.
Griffith looks down into the chasm."Best be careful friends, the heavens saved us once. If we slip, that might be it."
Griffith follows the lead of Lann, grasping at rough surfaces to help him climb down.
"Is there some way that I can be of assistance here? I don't think that I can carry anyone while flying, but if there is a way that I can help I would be more than happy to."
Edmund looks over the edge and back at the group of companions that have not climbed down. He then looks at Aravashnail...
There are some of us that can not make that climb and will need some assistance in getting down. Is there a way we can lower people down by a rope? Can anyone make a harness that will support our weight?
Crel watches Lann climb down the cliff face with a puzzled look on his face. "Why not climb along the wallsss?" he says before heading over to the wall at the edge of the passageway, quickly scampering along it to the other side:
Lann seems to not notice, climbing down to a point narrow enough to let him climb over to the other side. He than slowly but methodically scales the opposite face and up to the other side.
"Well, that wasn't too hard. Toss us the rope and we can hold it on this side."
but first... Sabrina looks around for any other possible path that might be available.
There is no obviously easier way to get over this crevice that Sabrina can see.
With Belg anchoring on one side and Lann & Crel doing the same on the other sides, the DCs become 5 for the climb check to cross the crevice.
Everyone is able to slowly climb down and across, though the process takes about 20 minutes. Anevia kicks off the ledge with her good leg and makes it across in about thirty seconds, but Horgus goes quite slowly, taking long pauses between each step while trying and failing to hide his nervousness. Aravashnial is even slower, and has to be talked down the rope and to each individual foot and handhold, but he too eventually makes it across.
"Alright, we're all here and accounted for, no worse for the wear. Lann, lead on. The sooner we get to someplace safe, the sooner we can rest." Belg's stomach took that moment to speak up and remind the dwarf that he hadn't eaten in a while.
"Hopefully we can eat too."
"Alright, we're all here and accounted for, no worse for the wear. Lann, lead on. The sooner we get to someplace safe, the sooner we can rest." Belg's stomach took that moment to speak up and remind the dwarf that he hadn't eaten in a while.
"Hopefully we can eat too."
The group continues onward for another twenty minutes or so, traversing some increasingly rough terrain along the way. As a large cave entrance emerges in the foreground, the three guides stop and huddle the party together.
"This is the lair of the spore-cougher up ahead" Lann will say in a hushed voice. "Its quite dangerous, but with all of you, we should be able to take it down. With any luck, the plant'll be out hunting and we can slip through unnoticed. Be careful of the spores--if you get too close to it, it can make you see weird things and suffocate. Is everyone ready to go?"
"Spore cougher? Don't think I've ever heard of one of those. Well, whatever it is, I won't allow it to stop me from getting to the wardstone. Let's go. Spread out, don't get clumped together."
Sabrina steps forward, I'll scout ahead to see if there is a safe path ahead.
turning to the mongrelmen, would any care to join, so I can identify what we are dealing with?
Lann will give a nod and follow her up. As the two approach the opening of the cave, Sabrina will notice that the walls are starting to be covered in a thick green fungus-like material, though Lann seems undeterred. As the two reach the entrance, Lann will lower himself into a crouch and peek inside, signaling at Sabrina to wait. After a quick look, he'll clamber back down the pathway, and approach her.
"It's there, but it looks dead, and there's some humany-looking bodies next to it." He'll motion to the rest of the group to come forward, and repeat that for the rest of them. "I can't tell whether or not its actually dead or just lying still--plant things are weird--but I think its safe to continue through"
Griffith joins in the front ranks with Sabrina De'Foe.
"Shall I stab at the body to see if it's dead or a trap?"
Griffith carefully drew his sword hesitantly, he waits for further orders.
Sabrina looks to the angel, I will go, back me up in case it is a trap.
turning to Lann, please remain here, If there is trouble, you go back and inform the others.
Sabrina will then indicate for Griffith to accompany her. drawing her sword as she approaches the dead bodies.
As the pair enters into the chamber, they see a mess of ropey green vines in the center of the chamber, lying motionless. Next to them are a pair of bodies in Iomedaen Crusader armor, also lying motionless in the pile of vines, faces swollen and purple like they suffocated to death, glaives in hand.
Sabrina will realize however, that Glaives are not usually standard equipment for Iomedae's Crusaders (who prefer Longswords and shields).
"Here girl, stay with Sarah while we check this out" Belg said as he passed Avenia over to Sarah. He slowly approached the scouts but was careful enough to stay back enough to give them adequate room. Looking at Eldric he said "come on lad, we'll cover them 'case its a trap."
After a moment, Belg called out "so? Is it safe?" The shy, silent type he was not.
"Is something amiss Crusader? Why would fellow Crusaders be found so far from civilization? Missionaries perhaps?"
Grifith walks over to the bodies, stabbing at them with his sword.
"They appear to be dead, may they rest in peace."
He investigates their bodies, while they were dead their party wasn't, perhaps they had something that the party could use?
"Is something amiss Crusader? Why would fellow Crusaders be found so far from civilization? Missionaries perhaps?"
Grifith walks over to the bodies, stabbing at them with his sword.
"They appear to be dead, may they rest in peace."
He investigates their bodies, while they were dead their party wasn't, perhaps they had something that the party could use?
Griffith finds that both of them are wearing masterwork chainshirts, which are in good condition. On one of their bodies he also finds a potion of cure light wounds, and on the other he finds a scroll of Cause Fear. Clutched tightly in the hands of the second one however, is a small medallaion adorned with a symbol of a brass bull's head with tiny red gemstones for eyes. Sabrina will immediatly be able to recognize this as the unholy symbol of Baphomet--Demon Lord, and patron deity of the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth, a group of traitors rumored to have infiltrated parts of the Mendevian Crusade!
"Do you know these guys?" Lann will ask.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Griffith remains calm.
Corruption is the ambrosia of evil men, may they be judged for their transgressions and sins in the eye of the good.
Griffith stows the unholy symbol in a pocket of his robe, placing the potion on his belt, the armour in his pack and hands Edmund the scroll.
"I don't know of them Lann, may they be forgotten to history."
Edmund watches and waits for something to happen.
This is out of my field
[dice=Knowledge religion]1d20+4
Despite the gravity of the situation, Griffith remains calm.
Corruption is the ambrosia of evil men, may they be judged for their transgressions and sins in the eye of the good.Griffith stows the unholy symbol in a pocket of his robe, placing the potion on his belt, the armour in his pack and hands Edmund the scroll.
"I don't know of them Lann, may they be forgotten to history."
"Oh. Because I've . . ."
"Lann!" Crel will interrupt. "It'sss rude to asssume all the humansss know each other!"
"No, I mean I've seen others dressed like this around here recently. I thought it was just the way humans dressed, but most of you don't look like them so maybe its not."
Sabrina turns to the two guides, []bothers dressed like this? recently? please tell me more of this.[/b] Sabrina asks with a renewed interest.
"Oh yes. They've been all over the caverns lately. I think they're dealing with that other tribe. The Bad tribe. Once we get to Neathholm, Sull can tell you more."
Meanwhile, the rest of the group has made it into the chamber, and over to the bodies. Anevia will have a look of shock and worry come over her face as she hear all of this, and Horgus will keep his disgusted scowl. Aravashnial however, will start laughing, almost maniacally. "HA! I knew it! Cultists have infiltrated the Crusade! Who's a paranoid delusional head case now Lylina!"
Cultist in the Crusade?
"Just how many tribes are down here?" Belg asked as he looked up at the cave ceiling. "Nothing we can do for them now, they're already buried. Besides, we can talk while we walk."
"Just how many tribes are down here?" Belg asked as he looked up at the cave ceiling. "Nothing we can do for them now, they're already buried. Besides, we can talk while we walk."
"Lots. Only one Bad one though." Lann repeats his strong emphasis on the word "bad". "Neathholm isn't that much further along, so we should probably hurry up. Do you want to take the bodies with you?"
leave the bodies, we have enough to carry for now. perhas send a party back later to retrieve them. Sabrina says as she joins the front ranks.
perhaps we should deal with this bad tribe?
"Let's get to Neathholm first". Lann will point over to one of the winding passages leading out of the room.
To Neathholm it is then...lead on
"They said I was crazy! That there was no way the Templars could have possibly infiltrated the Crusade!" Aravashnial continues enthusiastically exclaiming as the party heads down the tunnel. "With the proper application of magical items and spells, the baseline levels of scrutiny present in the Mendevian Crusade can easily be foiled!".
He stops talking for a second, and the energy drains out of his voice. "I, uh, don't think I should enjoy being right about that"
"So much death and devastation... Hopefully your theories will prove helpful once we get topside, but yeah, now's not the time. What else did you suspect was happening? What templars? Why even infiltrate the Crusaders at all? The wardstone. Who did you tell this to?"
"So much death and devastation... Hopefully your theories will prove helpful once we get topside, but yeah, now's not the time. What else did you suspect was happening? What templars? Why even infiltrate the Crusaders at all? The wardstone. Who did you tell this to?"
"Oh, it was more of an informed conjecture based upon empirical observations of Crusader behaviors." It sounds like he's practiced this particular speech before. "When you'd studied as much demonic cult magic as I have, you start to get an appreciation for what they can and can't do. The best ones can even fool some of the Paladin's magical truth-telling fields, but you'd be surprised at how far divination-fooling magic reaches down their organizational structures, and Crusaders tend to put an inordinate amount of faith in their patron's granted ability to discern the presence of evil". He will take a short pause before getting back to the rest of the questions. "As to plans, I had no concrete evidence of anything more than cultists in Kenabres, though uh, I think I can make a better theory now that they've struck the Wardstone and unleashed the hordes of the Abyss onto the city. As for the Templars, well, that's just the name granted to Baphomet's secret cult network that stretches across the globe. I doubt anyone less than the Bull-headed bastard himself knows exactly how far their influence spreads, but they're famous for their ability to corrupt organizations from within. The Demons are almost certainly using them against the Crusade in multiple capacities, from nobles across the continent lobbying against supporting the war effort to secret traitors occupying positions of authority in the Crusade itself."
As he continues talking, the party continues up this passageway, which has a slight upwards gradient but is otherwise much less cluttered than the rest of the cave passages they've walked through today. After about 15 minutes of walking, the group will come up to a large stone door, with four creatures standing in front of it. Despite having little in common physically with any of the three creatures currently traveling with the rest of the party, their assorted mishmash of various animalistic traits suggests that they are of the same "race".
As the group approaches the door, one of the creatures guarding it--who has a crab claw for a hand, three eyes on one side of his face, and what appears to be a second mouth on the left side of his chest--steps up.
"Lann? What are you doing here? And who are these . . . uplanders?" His tone is quizzical, as if he was not sure what to make of the party.
"Uplanders, yes. And 'Swallowed by the earth' was the term they used. I think that means they fell down here from all those quakes" Lann looks back at the party before quickly turning back to the guards "But I have terrible news. The quakes took out most of our post and only the three of use made it out alive. Even worse, they were apparently caused by a Demonic invasion ravaging the city above. We need to talk to Sull right away"
A solemn and stern look comes across the guards' faces, and they open the door without another word. Lann hurries the party into the chamber beyond, which contains a small, dark lake rippling in the center of the two-hundred foot-wide cavern. The walls and ceiling are aglow with thick sheets of luminescent fungi, leaving the whole area far better lit than any of the other caverns they party has passed through. 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 builds, 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.
Lann quickly heads over to one of the rafts, and motions for the party to come with him. Crel and Lyda both break off from the group and start chatting with the door guards as they are closed behind the party.
Eldric walked with the group, staying quiet. This was all so far above his pay grade that it wasn't even funny. This talk of templars and corruption sounded serious, and he assumed that this "Baphomet" was a right bastard of a person, but past that he really didn't catch much. He was almost happy when they reached the mutant camp, though he kept his bow ready. These creatures seemed friendly enough but he wasn't quite ready to trust them.
Edmund follows to the rafts.