Torvi turns to the drow, "hey, elf, don't your people use illusion magic? Any chance this dwarfling is not what it seems?"
Erebos shimmers into existence at Torvi's shoulder. "I see a few magical auras about her, but nothing that suggests deception. She and her friend lizard appear to be just another noisome dwarf and friend. Perhaps the most noisome I have encountered."
Finishing their movement towards the ratty bag. Slipping her thin arms though the straps but never taking her eyes off of the strange group. Quiet chirps and hiss back and forth between the dwarf and raptor. Firetalon shoves the raptor with her shoulder and gets smacked by a thick tail.
Both girl and raptor hiss loudly when the dark elf becomes visible. And there is a quick shoving of limbs, tails, and chins ending with Greyclaw standing in-front of Firetalon. Both poised to either fight or flee.
"He's with us, Firetalon." We'll need a shorter name if she's going to come with us. "A friend. Now, would you say you know your way through this forest?"
Glenda helps Firetalon to her feet and says, "Saving dwarven lives is, ultimately, part of the point of this whole venture. Cementing a future for all of our people."
Glaring at the raptor when it moves out of the way to let the healer pull her out of her crouch. Hiss at Greyclaw who hisses back. Frown at how pleasant the feeling of being touched by something warm and similar to her.
Shaking her head, "There are more people than yours."
Jerking her hands back and moving next Greyclaw. Looking over to glare at the drow, "It will try to kill you."
Narrowing her eyes, "I am alive so we will take you from here."
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"Erebos hasn't tried to kill us in a while, and he had some very good chances. We will need to follow the edge of this forest further until we reach a deep cave, an ancient mithril mine. Come with us, Firetalon, from now on you are one of us."
Tilting her head and staring at Snorri, "Edge is slower."
Waiting a beat, "Mitherral?"
Torvi nods her head and thinks, "the youngling knows how dangerous drow can be. I like it already."
The newcomers fall into your march, but there is clearly a long way to go to integrating them into your band. Two uneventful marches pass as you keep the wall to your right, resting in Dasur's conjured dwelling.
Finally you come to a place where the sheer cliff has crumbled away into a long ramp of fallen stone. Here you can ascend to where Erebos and Gren believe you will find your mine.
As the youngling seems to struggle with the word mithral, Dasur stirs. "You will know the silver-steel known as mithral soon, Firetalon. It is a gift to all dwarves from Torag when he forged Golarion and gave a soul to the rock and soil. All dwarves covet it, and when you hold it you will know your heritage." He says cryptically, as usual.
He turns to Snorri, and gestures to his armor. Its silvery blue plates shine in the bizzare twilight of the forest. "This metal covering Snorri is mithral. Touch it and know that the Earth provides for all dwarves."
---------------------------
Dasur slows as they approach the ramp, leaning on his staff. He absentmindedly strokes his single-braided beard and attempts to ascertain if the ramp is safe for climbing. "I suspect the Earth put this here to aid in our journey, but it could be the work of Water and Air over millions of years to foil our journey once again..."
Staring at Dasur with confusion clear on her face. Looping an arm over Greyclaws neck at the suggestion to touch the armor. Shaking her head, "No."
Waving her free hand around, "Earth provides."
---
Grinning at cliff. Nodding, "Yes. Earth provides, Air provides. Water provides. Fire provides."
The rockfall looks natural and safe enough. The scree could be treacherous, sliding out from under your feet, so care should be taken.
Erebos studies the way:
"This will certainly take us to the ledge above near the mine. In the past there was a carved switchback here. Something has pulled down the wall, it seems unlikely this is coincidence. This would be an excellent point for an ambush..."
Torvi hefts her weapon and looks around expectantly...
"Dasur, you studied the mysteries of the Earth, is there any spell that can make our ascent safer?"
Snorri takes out his axe just in case, looking around for any traces of evil in ambush...
Dasur shakes his head. "I have a personal spell that allows me to climb better, or I could animate a rope to assist with climbing, but the latter does not assist the group and the former would not extend far enough to make a difference."
He reaches into one of his belt pouches for some iron filings, which he sprinkles all over Snorri's head without any warning. "However, I can prepare us for an ambush if Erebos' intuition proves correct." Is said before he pulls out a piece of chalk and begins to draw some seemingly random lines around Snorri's feet. "Please remain stationary."
There is mumbling under Dasur's breath as he draws, precise arcane wordings that draw upon the arcane essence surrounding them.
As the spell completes, Dasur takes a step back as the scion of Dammerhall grows to double his size. "Shall we proceed?" He says, gesturing up the rocks for Snorri to lead the way.
Glaring at the Drow before looking back down the path, "Wait." A traitorous creature like that will not up-show her. A debt is owed and must be paid back to the best of her abilities.
Taking a breath and closing her eyes. Tugging off one of her thick gloves and crouching down to put her bare palm on the ground. Mumbling, "Take us away."
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/n/nature-s-paths/]Natures Path
Standing up and moving to touch Glenda, then Torvi, then Snorri, and lastly Iverna. Moving to Dasur, "You have magic so I help them."
Dasur nods to Firetalon. "Very well."
"Ah, you are a spellweaver too? That will be helpful. Well then, to Zaraketh!"
Magically enlarged and strengthened, Snorri heads up the slope.
It takes nearly 3 hours of scrambling, jumping, crawling, climbing, and scrambling up fallen boulders to near the top of the ledge above you. By then, Iverna is panting heavily, and Erebos is covered in sweat. It isn't possible for a drow to look pale, but he would if he could.
"What I would give now for an arachnid mount." the drow mutters about halfway up the climb.
Finally, when you crest the top of the rise, you haul yourself up on one more boulder to find that your climb has ended. There, not 50 feet away, you see familiar and comforting architecture. A carved post and lintel structure framing the entrance to a deep hole in the wall of the cavern. There is still light here, the strange artificial sun provided by the rift above. Finally, Zaraketh.
"At last. It's real."
Torvi will move forward to read the runes around the archway.
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"I can carry you, Erebos" muses Snorri, grinning and moving through the rocky path with the stubborn determination of a mountain goat. "I'm not a spider, but dwarven footing is sure as can be."
At the stone entrance of the mine, he drops to his knees to offer thanks to Torag, for his strength and guidance, Grundinnar, for the friends at his side, Trudd for the strength granted, and the other dwarven deities, except for the Dark Smith. "The Rivers of Silver. This is the end of the beginning, my friends. Herein lies the path to our faraway home, and through this mine we step into the land to be reclaimed. Our ancient heritage, too long silent, shall hear the sound of dwarven steps again!"
Greyclaw hiss behind Ebero's every time he makes a noise but mostly spends her time looking behind and up through out the walk down. Firetalon on the other hand only looks forward, having complete faith in Greyclaw. Can I make Greyclaw big like that?
The youth and the raptor tilt their heads with confusion in their eyes at Snorri's strange behavior. Hissing back and forth rapidly which ends in Greyclaw shoving the young dwarf forward, "We guided you out the jungle. Dangers in there." Why are they going in there?
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"Aye, young one. Danger in the deep of the earth, one we are fond to face, for after that lies the road to our old home. You grew up mostly alone, from what I imagine, and as such are far removed from the traditions of our people. But Dammerhall, the city that lies beyond this mine, is one of the old centers of what makes dwarvenkind what it is, more than just our blood. Our culture, our millennial history, the crafts we are renowned for, they are the soul of our people. And I believe that you too will, in time, learn to love them."
Snorri takes a deep sip of the magically-transmuted ale and passes the waterskin to Firetalon. As he speaks again, his eyes are glimmering. "We live in the deep, not for fear of the sun, but for love of the Earth. From it we are born, to it we will return, its strength is in our flesh and bones, its resistance in our will and mind. We work its bounty of metal and gemstones, and in the craft we pour our heart and pride, because what we create is a gift to Torag and to the world. And we are loyal, true and faithful to one another, so that we can trust our blood-brothers with our lives. That trust is the foundation upon which our society is born."
"Too many of our kind have forgotten their roots. We set out to take back our land and pride."
Huffing and puffing as he hauls himself up the final boulder, Dasur rolls over onto the flat ground and spends a few seconds panting.
As the others begin to fuss over the mine's entrance he picks himself off the ground, leaning heavily on his staff. "Zaraketh..." The wizard breathes, a smile on his sweaty, dirty face. "Finally... We will prove them wrong, Zhashilgeax. They will see..." He mumbles seemingly to himself while touching the ruby amulet stowed beneath his grubby travel-worn shirt.
Stepping slowly towards the mine's entrance, his heart swells on hearing Snorri's speech. Though not often moved, the wizard gives a solemn nod in the scion of Dammerhall's direction. "Well said, Lord Snorri. Your throne, and the rejuvenation of centuries of culture await."
He follows Torvi towards the mine's entrance, also intent on reading the runes expertly etched into its surface.
Glenda approaches the aperture alongside Snorri, but she stops a short distance away from the gate itself. While Dasur advances to inspect the runes, she goes down to one knee, and removes a gauntlet, then scoops up a clod of earth. The dirt crumbles between her fingers as she squeezes it and rolls it about.
"Many of our kin fell here. Fleeing, fighting, falling to the doom of Dammerhall."
She casts her hand out to the side, sending flecks of dirt in an arc, then brushes her hand and replaces her gauntlet. Noiselessly, she rises to her feet once more.
"Almost the death of an entire culture, yet here we stand to haul it back from the brink. By Torag, by Magrim, by all our gods and saviors; for our lost, our dead, our families sundered, let us finally retake what is ours and end this cycle of destruction by taking back our ancient home."
Torvi glances at Glenda, "is it the end of destruction we seek, or do we simply wish to be the destroyers, rather than the destroyed?"
Narrowing her eyes at Snorri, "Never alone. Dwarves die. Dwarves leave. Only pack. But Dwarves and others split the pack."
Straightening her spine, "Only Claw and Talon remain." A few more hisses and chirps are exchanged between the youth and the raptor. Firetalon looking more and more irritated and trying to read the emotions of a reptile is rather difficult.
"Reward and rest. We take you through the cave of death."
"One day, Torvi, you will be excited and enthusiastic about something. And when that day comes, I... will be happy for you."
The Runes carved above the opening say in dwarven:
Mines of Zaraketh
Operated by the Zaraketh Mining Consortium
Discovered by Horath Rocknose
By Torag's Hammer
The air within the entrance does not smell fresh. There is an animal stink, musk, filth, and old blood.
Beyond the gate, the tunnel is 30 feet wide and 20 feet tall. Sturdy buttresses stand at 30 foot intervals.
"Zaraketh... Discovered by Horath Rocknose... We owe much to Horath, and once we are finished we should find the remainder of the Rocknose clan and tell them an ancestral claim awaits them." He comments after reading the runes inscribed on the entryway.
"Hmmm..." The wizard tilts his side as he inspects the holes painstakingly drilled into the stone. "A wooden structure once stood here. A door, perhaps, made from timber logged in the nearby jungle."
He steps into the entryway with little regard for safety, smelling the air and frowning. "It appears whatever ventilation this mine once used has been blocked or collapsed. We should be careful of dangerous gas buildups and not create any sparks or open flames." It doesn't seem to occur to the earth-centric wizard that there is also some nasty creature living inside.
Moving in-front of the the opening and spreading her arms out, as if to block the entrance. But she takes up very little space even with Greyclaw helping, "You saved us so we owe you. This place is death. Cruel bloody death. Is there different way?"
Torvi kneels near the entrance and points at the ground, "here, here, and there. You can see dark streaks. Many barefoot feet have come through here. Close to our size and humanoid. They go in and out. Dwarves, or possibly more likely they are duergar?"
"No different way. If Death lies here, we shall have Glenda explain that no, it's not our time yet, and we would much rather proceed home. We have defied death and done the impossible no fewer than six times on the road here. What's one more? But if you don't want to follow, you are free to live and owe us no debt."
Huffing and shaking her head, "Ok. There is somewhere in there we want to see. Maybe death is not home."
"Or barefoot undead."
Iverna pushes her way to entrance. "Lord Snorri, you dwarves must not let your enthusiasm and excitement lead you into danger. I believe that Erebos can mask me with his magic in the same way he does himself. Clearly some foul beast or beasts live in this place, former holdfast of you kin though it may be. I can see deeper than you, I can go places unheard and unseen that you cannot. Do not charge into this place that smells of death with your dwarven clanking. We have defied death and survived much, but let us be careful here." The small grey gnome looks up at you imploringly, her massive eyes drawing you in.
Nodding along with the gnome, "She is right."
Pointing at Snorri's armor, since it is closest, "Loud."
"Loud we are, indeed. But I won't have another worm situation if I can help it. Spellweavers, what can you do to make our brave svirfneblin friend as safe and unseen as she can possibly be?"
Dasur mentally chews on this problem for approximately 2.3 seconds before speaking. "While we were climbing up the slope I worked out some calculations on how to harness the a particular system of coordinates on the Elemental Plane of Glue that have troubled scholars for quite some time. If portals are opened at these particular coordinates an incredibly sticky substance emerges, but it rapidly reacts with the air to turn into a non-adhesive goo. If I combine my microportal nebulization technique on Iverna's hands and feet with a set of continously open portals, it would be constantly a spraying a fine mist of this adhesive liquid, which when pressed hard against a surface would not allow it to react as quickly with the air. This would allow her to climb on walls or other surfaces and escape danger should her invisibility not be enough."
Retrieving his spellbook from his waterproof bag, Dasur flips though it with one hand while his staff rests in the crook of his arm. "While she is scouting, there are other spells I need to refresh. I agree this is a worthy idea."
Placing the spellbook to the side, he reaches out with his staff and taps Iverna on the head. "ຕີນຕີນຮ້ອນເປັນສິ່ງກໍ່ສ້າງ" Fine mist begins to spray from the deep gnome's extremeities just as he promised, and Iverna would find anything she touches to briefly be very sticky. "It should last around 50 minutes, and will easily support you climbing vertically, horizontally, or upside down."
Torvi considers the request, "well, sticky is nice, but invisible is even better for her mission, don't you agree?" She first casts message including the gnome, Snorri, Dasur, Gren, and Glenda. She then reaches out towards the gnome, careful not to get the sticky goo on her, and casts invisibility. "This one won't last as long as the sticky. 5 minutes I'd think, but don't attack anyone, or the enchantment will break. Oh, and you can whisper to me from maybe up to 150 feet away."
Erebos, too, considers the request. "I could make her invisible, but Torvi has handled that with her own arcane prowess. I could grant her the ability to fly, but she would hardly know what to do with it, and flying is hardly necessary for reconnoitering a mine. I can make her weapons more deadly, but again, that is for an assassination mission, not for spying."
Iverna disappears under Torvi's spell. Her small voice says from nowhere, "Well enough. I will see what can be seen."
You see and hear nothing as the gnome moves through the main shaft.
[smaller]"Torvi, to the right is a steel door. It appears to be locked. Above the door, in dwarven, is inscribed 'Overseer's chamber, Official business only. To the left is an entrance into an area that appears to be open. I see no signs of habitation here. Moving on. To the right is another chamber that appears to be empty. Past that, to the left is another empty chamber. These may have been inhabited long ago. There is some rotten wood here that might have been stalls or beds or something. There is noise coming from the back. That is farther than the magic will carry my voice, I think. I'm going to check it out..."
There is a long moment of tension as Iverna ignores any protestations and vanishes for a moment.
After about a minute, her voice returns. "There is another of the tri-horn creatures here. A carcass. There are some sort of humanoid creatures I do not recognize in the chamber. At least seven of them that I can count. They are pale, wide eyed, and they move like apes, waling on all fours..."
Torvi relates all of this to her companions as she hears it from Iverna. As the 5 minute limit approaches, she warns "you should head back before the invisibility lapses."
Staring at Dasur with clear confusion before shaking her head. Quietly watching the exchange and the gnome vanishing in-front of her eyes. She and Greyclaw have taken up with a powerful if strange pack. Both girl and raptor sit down and wait for a decision to be made.
Even though it appears Dasur is studying his spellbook, he is stll listening to Torvi's play-by-play of their deep gnome companion's explorations. "The Overseer's Chamber is statistically the most likely place to find the map we seek. It will not only help us navigate the mine, but could be the only remaining indication of the way to Dammerhall accessible to mortal minds." He says without looking up.
When Iverna reports back on the seven ape-like creatures, he briefly stops his study to contemplate their identify.
"We should eliminate these creatures prior to our attempts to break into the overseer's office." The wizard states as shis eyes scan over the arcane ruminations of his spellbook. "I propose we draw them out to the front entrance into a trap, of which I have many suitable spells to create."