"End it?" Olivier echoed, his expression mildly incredulous. "Madame, it is only a creature defending its territory that we are intruding upon. Were we to hurry past while it sleeps, I highly doubt it would pursue. Now come along, the way seems clear enough..."
"Wise words, and sound at that. Let us continue swiftly." Passing by, Rema takes good notice of the sleeping serpent, taking in a good mental image of its description.
Ashe responds with incredulous look of her own , "You weren't so merciful with the cockroaches. I suppose if it isn't you being attacked, then you have all the compassion a criminal can muster. It is only asleep for moment, I am not going to get away in time."
"Do I really have to do everything for you guys?" Eve asks while giving the reptile a quick stomp as they pass by.
"That should stun it for a bit, carry on." She says while gesturing with her free hand to keep the column of people moving.
Everyone hurries past the snake before it collects itself. venturing further into the caverns you come to an area with a single sizable 20-foot-tall building in the center of a 30 foot tall cave. It is a bunker like structure with no windows and walls of worked stone blocks. A 10-foot-long carving of a hammer decorates the building's facade. The ruins of collapsed outbuildings stand to either side.
you all recognize this as a temple to Torag.
After escaping the evil serpent, Ashe stops hobbling and asks, "Can we please wait a moment? I am sure I have been poisoned." She finds a spot to sit down and treats her ankle.
Only half-listening to Ashe's words, Olivier moved forward, wondering why exactly such a temple would be down here, of all places.
"I could use a rest as well my leg isn't doing so well" says Anevia as she hobbles over to a stone bench that is still standing.
"What is with you women we just rested not too long ago. your slowing us down. It might be time we cut our dead weight and move on." Horgus angrily goes on a tirade.
Anevia turns to this "Its no surprise that a man afraid to acknowledge his own faith wouldn't be moved by a forgotten temple." she continues with "to be ashamed of ones faith is just as bad as worshiping demons"
taken aback by this horgus replies "kind of ironic being chided by someone associated with thieves."
at this last statement Anevia quietly seethes in anger
Ashe sighs gratefully, resting her eyes but only for a moment. After hearing the heated discussion, hopes to smooth it over with a change in subject "So how do you two know each other?"
"If I didn't know any better I would say they are married." Eve comments as she finds a safe place for the elf to sit.
|
A mobile set of armor tries to make its way across the south wall, an entity covered head to toe in chainmail. On this person's back is a backpack with traveling gear, as well as some javelins of a blue-silver hue. In the right arm's hand is a heavy steel shield, made of the same material. Around the person's neck hang 9 wooden symbols, the most prominent being a 5-pointed star. The strangest note, however, may be the lack of obvious weapons, even on the person's belt.
with a shudder at Eve's comment Anevia continues to the bench, while Horgus stares daggers at the both of you.
Ashe, secretly amused by Eve's comment, takes a moment to choose her words wisely, "I didn't mean that. I just thought it would be nice to get to know each other. Since we will probably be around each other for a little while."
And are we opposing Rich's stealth roll?, it will determine what I do next at least.
The armored figure's progress did not go unnoticed by Olivier. Waving a hand at the others to quiet their squabbling (as if it would work), he used his other hand to point at the strange figure. Was he also lost down here with them? Olivier was not quite sure to determine if the man was friend or foe...
Anevia waves off Ashe's explanation clearly not that bothered by it, but doesn't ant to talk about it either.
Horgus doesn't look like he wants to hear anything you have to say.
Alerted by the scoundrel Olivier, Ashe quiets down and stands up prepared for the worst.
Noticing the armored figure with numerous wooden symbols on his necklace, Ashe attempts to identify them, hoping to figure out more about this stalker.
|
|
The armored individual, noticing that chain mail proves horrible for sneaking, simply loses their combat oriented stance and returns to the spot on the other side of the temple (but only after nodding in congratulation at the windy gentleman.) "Just people. No obvious demons. No idea why they're here. Doesn't matter, though. Wouldn't be demons in those numbers. Would have already engaged me with those counts."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Ashe doesn't lose her combat readiness, but gains a confused look. She quietly tells the others, "That man has a symbol of Asmodeous around his neck. What do you think that means?"
"I don't know, I picked up this symbol in the street." Eve says, flashing the small symbol she twisted her ankle on above ground to the group. "He could be wearing it for any reason."
Ashe hopes, "That could be right, but I don't know what the other symbols were."
"This temple is a good omen, the god Torag is an ally against evil. And if Drawfs built these caves then there must be a way to the surface." moving forward toward the alerted intruder in a non-threatening stance, " Greetings stranger, we mean no harm to you or the followers of Torag. Under unfortunate circumstances we find ourselves lost in your Dwarven tunnels. Is there a chance you will help us find the way out? We have wounded among us."
|
|
A scratchy female voice speaks from behind the helm, the suit having moved back to a sitting position around the starting of a small fire. "Torag, huh? Figures, it being underground. Well, Nerosyan's back the way you came. S'there a demon in the way?" She continues, not offended by the misappropriation of race or gender.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"I think there is someone yelling in side the building. We should probably take a look." Eve states to the group before approaching the door with her sword drawn.
"No friend, we have seen no demons down here, but the way we came is a dead end, this being the only path out." "A concerned look crosses Rema's face. He speaks as he approaches the door to the temple: "If there is someone in need of aid I agree we should check it out, but is the sword necessary Miss Quinn? What did you hear?"
"I don't know if it is necessary but I heard someone yelling and I am going to take a look." Eve responds before stepping into the building.
The door is broken strength check to open dc 20
Eve bursts through the door in one swift motion.
you enter what appears to be an antechamber. A stone bench lines the southern wall. at the far end of the room sits a basin filled with water. To the north stands a stone door with a hammer etched into it.
Seeing no one, Eve continues on to the next room.
Ashe follows Eve into the next room.
"Wait--!" Olivier began, but it was too late. Eve amd Ashe were already barreling through the temple doors. He sighed before turning to those who remained. "You three, keep quiet and stay put. One of us will be back for you." He didn't wait for an answer. Drawing his blade, Olivier quickly hurried off after the others.
From the door you hear the scraping of stone on stone with a slam after a few seconds as it opens inwards. There, on the other side, is a man in his early twenties who has light skin, brown eyes and short black hair. He is clad in durable clothes with a tabbard extending to his mid-shins. In his right hand he carries a longsword with a gold hilt, the blade smeared with gore. The tabbard has a white cross extending the full length and width on a black field. He gathers himself and stands ready.
After a moment of looking at Evelynn for any signs of hostility Detect Evil and if I can he says, "Who are you? How did you come here?"
Eve bursts through the opening and halts upon seeing the Chellish man in the building. Seeing him armed, but not one of the demonic creatures they have seen this day, she slightly lowers her sword. Locking her green eyes on the stranger, she says. "Eve, and through a hole in the ground, I think. I would ask you the same, and who this unclean one is that you have been shouting about?"
Ashe stands warily looking for the 'unclean one', and answers "My name is Ashe, what would yours be?"
Seeing that at least Evelynn does not bare the mark of a tainted soul, the man replies "I am Roderick, of Cheliax," He sighs with a small sense of relief as he motions with his sword into the chamber. "And I fell through the ground from the festival, onto some type of beam, and then through the roof of this chamber just there." he gestures with his free hand to the hole in the roof of the room as he continues to walk across the floor. "Then," he pauses as he comes to a stop in front of the altar to Torag,"I came across that." He points his blade to a slightly decomposed body of a Dwarven priest laying atop it decapitated. "I believe it is called a huecuva, oh mind the head." he says to no one in particular while gesturing with the blade to the head on the floor in front of the stone altar, the mouth of which is opened wide, split along the front of the face, frozen in mid scream. "He was a priest once, but he renounced his service to his god before his death. So he was punished with undeath, left to seek the lives of those who still possess salvation. That is why he is unclean.", he says with a hint of disdain in his voice. After speaking, he holds his gaze on Ashe detect evil and . He relaxes a bit more, finding no evil upon her, and says,"So Ashe," he turns his head her companion "Eve, are their any more of you?" He looks to the door and back at them, "And can you tell me how this came to pass?" He says as he rests against the altar, taking more scraps of the cloth from it and cleans the rest of the former priest off his blade before sheathing it.
Eve crosses her arms and takes in the gory display, then responds.
"A few more, they are outside, and a little more banged up than we are though. As for how this came to pass, we were at a festival of sorts. Some big demon thing appeared, a dragon started fighting it. The next thing I know I might as well have been dropped into the Eye itself, but we wound up in this cavern."
As you mention the dragon, Roderick touches his left hand on his stomach just above his belt and seems as if he is thinking about something. He looks back up to Evelynn and says, "I see. Do you know of any other way out of this cavern, aside from ascending through this hole?" he points upward. "Also, I figure I should mention something. I left the majority of my possessions at my hotel and a stable not far from here, my armor, gear, and horse. I would like to retrieve them if we are under attack by something. If you could assist me in getting there I would appreciate it." He says to both of you.
Olivier all but came skidding to a halt when he passed into the underground temple amd almost came crashing to the ladies. Luckily he was able to come to a stop, and he paused, doing little else but to hover in the doorway to assess the situation.
The stranger seemed friendly enough from a first look, but that did. Not stop Olivier from shooting him a lingering questioning glance. The guise of friendship was easy enough to pass off if one wanted to. Having played that part many a time, Olivier could not help but hesitate. The man's tale seemed a little too convenient...
Roderic looks at the man in the doorway, "Hello there." Turning back to the women, "One of your friends I presume." Looking at the shut up hole in the ceiling, "If it turns out that for the time there is no other way out of here, I would like to see this place consecrated for good. I'm sure Torag won't mind if a servant of the Lady Iomedae does it in the absence of his followers. If any of you are so inclined, I would appreciate any help you would be willing to offer to this end." He waits for a moment then turns around to face the altar.
He drops to both knees and draws his sword, and with the tip pointed down he grips it on the blade just below the hilt, holding the tip just off the floor. He draws his right hand above his head, then touches it to his forehead, waist, right chest then left and says as he's doing so, "Ave Iomedae. Tu enim lucis orto in terram, et gladius meus scutum meum." He grips the sword again and bows his head. "Heredem moriturum esse Deum. XI post expleta virtutibus eduxit ad dexteram Aroden in caelo. Defensor fidei. Domina da robur. Domina da nobis animi. Da nobis sapientia a Domina. Recipe me servo tuo. Accipe me velut tuum telum. Accipite me, ut animos vestros. Recipe me servo tuo." He looks up to the hole as if into the sky itself, and continues, "Me saties lux in tenebris ut vos gladium. Ut percutiam te oderunt, et fideles defendere." He looks back down and touches the sword tip to the stone floor infront of the altar and says, "Domine, in loco sancto tuo, et capient eam, et lumen tuum imple. Ubi enim lux non est in tenebris. In nomen tuum petimus. Ave Iomedae." He makes the sign of the sword upon himself again and lays the blade across his hands, tip pointed left and seems as if he is lost in prayer, waiting for something.
"I don't mean to be irreverent, but would this help? I kind of picked it up on the street above." Eve says while showing the symbol to the newcomer. "Show me what to do and I will lend a hand."
Roderic looks up from his meditation after the prayer, and turns his head to look at the object.
Though it is hard to get a good look from where he is.