"My goodness... how far under Korvosa are we?" Tassira looks around in confusion.
"Isn't this kind of a strange place for a, um, well, ... youknow!" Nebbin finishes in a rush. "It's really far underground. I can't believe we're here."
"I'm honestly beginning to wonder what sort of clientele this Saint Camina *ahem* entertained, if her establishment was this far underground..."
Regeris picks up a pebble, blessing it with a light spell. He tosses it into the cavern ahead of the group. "Best way avoid falling into anything unfortunate."
Kayleigh draws her new silver morningstar and looks about to see if anything's moving in the cavern...while also keeping a close eye on Helvara and her bodyguards, expecting treachery from them at any moment.
Like the others, Emileva begins to wonder whether Madame Helvara has been forthcoming with them. She hasn't seen much that suggests a brothel, even considering the time that mist have passed. The cavern is very big indeed...
She taps Regeris on the shoulder and gestures to their right. She then shifts over to take a flanking position there, walking parallel to the others just outside the circle of light from Nebbin's sword.
"Yes, she didn't bring clientele down here," she whispers, as Regeris's stone goes bouncing across the cavern floor. "The shrine was more of a secret place, at least in the stories. A devotion to Calistria. And perhaps a tomb."
"These tunnels are from well before the establishment of the Gray, so people were still buried in graves and tombs around the city - such as it was."
The pebble Regeris threw comes to rest directly ahead. You can make out the gloomy outline of a bridge and the nearside lip of a big hole.
Emileva's flanking maneuver takes her along the right wall of the cave, just at the edge of the light.
"Oh," Nebbin says. "I guess we should try not to disturb any of the dead, right?"
He looks around and realizing there's not much choice, shrugs and moves toward the bridge.
I think this is even worse than the brothel. Maybe.
"Just because they're dead doesn't mean they're animate," says Regeris as he approaches the bridge. "Although granted there's a certain expectation when you enter an abandoned shrine-come-tomb."
Tassira picks up another pebble, casts a light spell on it, and tosses it at the bridge.
"Is this the bridge we're looking for, Helvara?"
Emi moves back in with the others. She will have to cross at the bridge.
The big chamber is entirely bisected by a huge crack. The bridge is a graceful stone arch that spans the crack at its narrowest part. The far side of the crack is just visible.
To the left there's a floor-to-ceiling limeflow pillar, and just beyond this a niche in the cavern wall that contains a statue of an elven woman. Helvara scoops up one of the light pebbles and approaches the statue.
"It sure looks like Calistria to me!" she says as she approaches the statue.
"Oh, wonderful." Tassira says in relief. Her fingers keep tingling with magic.
She mumbles an arcane incantation and her eyes flash blue. She looks around the statue, looking for magical auras (other than the light-infused pebbles).
Nebbin looks around.
Kayleigh moves up next to Tassira. She doesn't particularly mind if the statue comes to life and attacks Helvara, but she doesn't want her friend to similarly be in harm's way.
Tassira detects nothing magical about the statue. The sculpting is very fine when you brush away the thick layer of dust and reveal the detail. The woman's pose is daring, her expression confrontational. Her thin dress is cut very low and very high, revealing a lithe elven shape.
The bridge certainly looks sturdy enough. There's nothing but inky darkness to be seen down the crack. Nothing moves or makes a sound as Nebbin comes to the foot of the span.
Tassira stares a little too long at the statue before shaking her head. "Doesn't look like the statue has any magic in it."
"In case it might have been a guardian for this brothel or something." She says, her tone a bit nervous.
Regeris makes his way over to the statue, looking it over carefully.
Emi doesn't pay too much attention to the statue, she doesn't know much about art, and less about magic. Instead she keeps her eyes peeled for anything else that might be lurking in the dark of the cavern.
She again moves away from the others, figuring their light and noise will attract anything that could be a problem. She figures it's the best way to get the drop on something trying to get the drop on them.
Nebbin pushes at the bridge with his foot to make sure it'll hold his weight.
Assuming it does, he looks back at the others and when they indicate they're ready, he shrugs and heads out on it, holding his sword loosely in one hand.
A close study of the statue reveals nothing further, other than Regeris's confirmation that it is very likely a depiction of Calistria. There's no inscriptions of any kind and the goddess's symbol is not in evidence.
The bridge bears Nebbin's weight without a gripe. He walks carefully across the span and successfully gains the other side. There's alot less cavern on this side of the crack. Instead the cave narrows quickly to a new dark tunnel.
"Hey, guys, there's a crack over here," Nebbin calls out loudly.
Shrugging, Regeris gathers his glowing rock and pads across the bridge to join up with Nebbin before pushing inwards.
Kayleigh follows along quietly, perhaps even a bit timidly, like she's never been in an underground setting before. She does occasionally toss quick gazes at Helvara and her henchman to make sure they aren't up to no good.
Tassira's fingers don't stop tingling with magic. A spark or two flies from her fingertips, causing her to shake them.
"If there's anything wrong with having magical blood, it's this--your hands feel like they're constantly waking up from falling asleep."
Eventually Emileva asks Helvara a question that is beginning to bug her. It's also something that could affect the nature of the vague deal she and the others have struck with Helvara.
"What are your plans for this place? It seems a place that would be... awkward to incorporate into the building above it. As big as these tunnels are they may connect to the Vaults somewhere. If they do, anything in there could wander in here, and who even knows what all lives in the Vaults?"
As Emileva's question hangs there, there comes a sudden loud whirring. Tassira and Kayleigh, aftermost of the group and not yet over the bridge spot a dog-sized bug flying right at them. It's coming from high up the chasm wall on the opposite side of the crack. It lands right at Kayleigh's feet, lashing out at the cleric with raking claws.
As Nebbin turns back to the rift where his friends are being attacked there's suddenly another buzzing directly behind him. An identical bug leaps off the cavern wall in front of the big man and bounces off his chest, piercing him with a claw in the process before it falls to the floor.
Emi hears the whirring early, and is already looking around for something when the bugs land and attack. Judging the cluster of people on the other side of the bridge to be too thick to move through readily, she turns toward Nebbin and runs to his side.
She raises her falchion as she moves, and slashes at the insect's carapace once it's in reach.
Kayleigh lets out a little cry of surprise and pain as the thing's claw draws some blood. She shifts position a bit in the hopes that Regeris (or possibly, but not likely, Helvara) will flank the creature opposite her.
"Get back!" she warns Tassira before bringing her new silver morningstar to bear on the bug.
for
HP 29/34
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 1/-
Fort +5, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 0/13; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 0/1
Effects:
"OW! Nebbin cries, as much startled by the sudden assault as actually hurt by it.
He swings furiously at the creature, hoping to get it off him, then realizes Kayleigh and Tassira are in trouble.
"Hold on," he shouts. "I'm coming!"
Emi and Nebbin both land solid blows on the deranged creature but it persists in its frantic attacks. It pierces Nebbin's forearm with one of it's claws but happily, fails to bite.
Kayleigh trades lunges and swings with the second monster but to no result.
Tassira shrieks in surprise as the bugs attack, and stumbles away onto the bridge. She points a shaking hand at Kayleigh's bug, and starts to say an incantation...
"Imbre--"
--only for it to abruptly cut off. A green blast of electricity arcs from her fingertips, streaking towards the bug!
Of course, in her surprise, it's a miracle she doesn't zap Kayleigh by accident.
Regeris draws his sword and attacks the bug in front of him.
Tassira's crazy blast of electricity misses the bug and shoots down the chasm. Regeris's lunging attack hits the rear bug. Seen up close, the head and upper carapace of these 'bugs' are blanketed with a dark thick mold or fungus. Their eyestalks are covered entirely, making you think they must be nearly blind.
Whatever they are, they attack relentlessly and without reason or strategy.
Helvara backs up to the bridge rail beside Tassira and draws her rapier, clearly repulsed by the nasty creatures. Lefty gives a throaty call and charges into the fray with Regeris. He's clearly not had batting practice with the local imp population, because his clumsy swing misses the bug entirely. Spike takes up a spot next to Helvara and watches for more bugs.
Emi knows Nebbin is much faster than her. "Nebbin, I've got this. Go help the others!"
She sizes the bug up better now that she can see it well. Then she moves in against it with a quick slash, hoping she's estimated the weaker parts of its carapace.
HP 26/34
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 1/-
Fort +5, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 0/13; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 0/1
Effects:
Nebbin nods gratefully and spins around, racing off to protect Kayleigh and Tassira. Moving at a full run, he lunges with his big sword, batting at the beast with none of the grace or skill Emileva just displayed.
Kayleigh takes another swipe at the bug with her morningstar moments before Nebbin charges to the rescue.
for
Emi deduces the monster bugs are dominated by the fungal symbiot growing over them. In the tales she's heard they have vile poisonous bites and are immune to most toxins that would kill normal bugs.
Emileva steps in and messily slices the bug in two, freeing Nebbin to make his dash. Kayleigh's attack misses her target. Nebbin's swing connects with the monster, smacking it out of the air and sending it tumbling down the chasm. Before you have a moment to rejoice, though, two more of the beasts come shooting up out of the rift. One lands on the cavern ceiling, maybe 15' above Helvara's head, while the other flies into the shadows behind the massive pillar.
Tassira looks up at the newest bug to fly out of the rift, then back at her hand, still tingling with electricity.
Not knowing what else to do, she points her hand at the bug and starts flailing her fingers about, trying to figure out the exact gesture that allowed her to shoot lightning from her fingers.
A lance of green electricity shoots from her fingers...
HP 26/34
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 1/-
Fort +5, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 1/13; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 0/1
Effects: Fatigued 1/10 rounds
"Let's get out of here!" Nebbin cries, moving to the center of the bridge to try to light the way for Emileva.
He readies himself to swing if anything comes too close. He pants as his sudden panic ends.
Kayleigh, uncertain of how to proceed, delays. Once Nebbin's moved back to the center of the bridge and starts to pant, an idea blossoms in her mind. She moves forward next to Tassira and channels positive energy, excluding the two bugs fought earlier. She adds a little something to the mix, removing Nebbin's post-rage fatigue from a distance
HP 34/34
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 1/-
Fort +5, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 1/13; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 0/1
Effects:
Tassira's electric attack forks errantly, scarring the cavern ceiling but leaving the bug unharmed. It emits two blasts of high-pitch chirping that echoes around the big cavern.
Helvara spurs her boys to get to the other side of the bridge. She and Lefty linger on the edge of the light, hesitant to go further up the passage. Spike turns around at the foot of the bridge and takes a batter's stance, waiting for a bug to fly near.
Realizing the group is moving on, Regeris sheathes his sword and then pulls out his bow before heading across the bridge.
Emi hadn't considered her need for light when she told Nebbin to go, a bad oversight she realizes. At least the bug near her is finished, otherwise she would have been in trouble.
Until Nebbin moves back onto the bridge in her direction she was trapped, she couldn't dare trying the cross the bridge in darkness, a misstep would be death. It turns out it doesn't matter though. Helavara and her boys come back her direction.
The sounds of answering insects down in the crack convinces her it's best for them to back up right away. She calls out to the others. "Those may have been scouts. There are more of them stirred up down below. We should get back toward the door right now. There could be an army of them coming! We could be overwhelmed by numbers!"
Emileva maintains her position and waits for the others to come back across. She lights a torch in the meantime.
Emi moves toward the light on the bridge, stopping at the edge.
The sounds of answering insects down in the crack convinces her it's best for them to back up right away. She calls out to Helvara and her minions to pass back over the bridge toward the entry point into the cavern.
"Those may have been scouts. There are more of them stirred up down below. We should get back toward the door right now. There could be an army of them coming! We could be overwhelmed by numbers!"
Rather than crossing the bridge, Regeris tosses his sword to the ground, draws his bow, and gets ready to fire at the first bug he sees.