Confirmed:
With no sign of surrender shown by the dwarf, Nessa lashes out with her blade when he attempts to form the gestures for another spell. While the sword befits her stature in it's length, there is no decrying it's effectiveness - scything through shoulder and chest and leaving the dwarf bereft of consciousness and with breath fractured and stilted.
Nesa wipes her sword on the prone dwarf, "The bloke is nutters. No wonder that temple back there glowed green evil, this guy was likely there praying to the God of Angry Mushrooms."
"Cleric," Eudocia calls to Harrol, stepping aside to clear the way to the injured dwarf, "can you do anything for him?"
Before anyone heals the crazed dwarf, Gregori takes a length of rope from his pack and securely ties the unconscious man up.
"Y... Yes. Of course". he says, setting his healer's kit on the ground and dabbing at his wounds.
Docia stays at Gregori's shoulder as he secures the dwarf. "Does he have anything on him that might identify who he is ... what he's doing down here? We should search his campsite as well. Perhaps he has food," she perks up. "Non-roachy, non-tentacley food," she smiles at Nessa.
Harrol and Gregori skirt around Theodric's grease to administer first aid and first restraint both. The halfling is able to easily staunch the wounds enough to ensure that the dwarf will not die - however it would require the expense of either time or magical healing to bring him back to the conscious world.
Horgus emerges from the tunnel to see you tending the dwarf and blusters "Why do you waste time keeping it alive?"
Anevia retrieves Aravashnial and brings him safely into the chamber as a check is taken of the dwarf's person and camp. Upon the dwarf you find a potion of cure light wounds, potion of invisibility, scroll of shocking grasp, scroll of resist energy, dagger, light crossbow with 9 bolts, cloak of resistance +1, 87 gp.
The ratty bedroll near the spent campfire thankfully has a small pack filled with dried meat, preserved fruit, and some moldy cheese (6 days of rations). There is also a chipped 6-inch-tall marble statuette of a humanoid throwing a spear. The dwarf's spellbook betrays his name as Millorn and contains detect secret doors, fog cloud, grease, invisibility, resist energy, shocking grasp, mage armor magic missile, levitate and silent image.
In the margins of the spellbook are a multitude of scratchily made and chaotic writings seeming to focus on trying to wring evil from rock and air... you think, it is very difficult to follow any train of cogent thought within them. Glancing over the writing though, you find no mention of any temple.
Horgus emerges from the tunnel to see you tending the dwarf and blusters "Why do you waste time keeping it alive?"
Docia raises an eyebrow as she turns toward him. "Because if we don't, we prove him right. We're 'crusader filth' here to stop his work. Fine shot, Mistress Anevia," she praises the woman before squinting at the marginalia in the book. "'Wringing evil from rock and air': Did he intend to purge the evil or employ it for his own purposes, do you suppose?" She closes the spellbook and hands it to Theodric. "Oh, this is interesting," she examines the statuette eagerly. "I wonder if he brought it with him or found it here."
The statue is well made, but doesn't seem to betray any specific markings or hallmarks to define it with a specific race or person of antiquity. Eudocia wagers it would be worth about 75gp.
"He shot me, thank you very much. That puts him firmly in Camp Evil. But look at all this, potions, magic book and writings, weapons, and food. He was mad, but well provisioned. Not what I would expect from a crazy rock-wringing hermit. We keep him alive and get intel, he was doing quite well for himself. Knowing how he did it could be very useful down here."
With a few words and gestures from Theodric, the grease disappears.
The scholar approaches the unconscious dwarf, taking his spell components and looking through them quickly. He accepts the book from Eudocia with a nod, leafing through it with interest.
"He shot me, thank you very much. That puts him firmly in Camp Evil. But look at all this, potions, magic book and writings, weapons, and food. He was mad, but well provisioned. Not what I would expect from a crazy rock-wringing hermit. We keep him alive and get intel, he was doing quite well for himself. Knowing how he did it could be very useful down here."
Without looking up from the spellbook, Theodric responds: Well, I'm afraid I must disagree. His mind is addled, to be sure, likely from many years of solitude--dwarves are quite long-lived. He saw us as a threat and attacked, but that doesn't make him evil, any more than an animal cornered in its den. He left us no choice to use force, but his actions haven't yet warranted an execution. And I agree that he may still prove useful, perhaps by enlightening us about Torag's temple--he seems to be an accomplished wizard, despite his isolation. It is probably in our best interests to avoid callous murder, at least for now.
"He's not evil Nessa." Gregori says quietly.
"I looked into his soul, and it's lacking the oily taint I usually find in people who regularly do evil or have ill intentions. While that doesn't excuse his actions, it does seem like he's a victim of madness rather than malicious."
It is probably in our best interests to avoid callous murder, at least for now.
"We must know the weight of our swords, without our hearts to guide them, they are worthless." Harrol says solemnly, nodding in agreement with the others.
"Hate to admit it mister Horgus sir, but they make a fair point. This feller won't be able to tell us what's happenin' on the surface, but anything he knows about the First Crusade might help the cause. Besides, we can't just leave him here."
Testing the dwarf's bonds one final time he clasps his hands, channeling the goddesses strength through his body.
Horgus bemoans the use of resources that might keep you alive upon one that sought to kill you; while Aravashnial and Anevia allow you to make your own decision... though you can sense that they would not think lesser of you if the dwarf was left to bleed.
With second burst of healing energy from Harrol - the dwarf awakens with a start. Blinking eyes to open-ness, his expression goes swiftly from neutral to a fearful fervor. Twisting and straining against the ropes he cries "NO, the Book is mine... the work. Crusader filth!"
Docia flinches a moment at the violent outburst until she's sure the ropes are going to hold; then she kneels down so as not to tower over the bound captive. "I'm terribly sorry about this, but if you'll recall, we only wanted to talk to you; you're the one who started shooting. You're correct about one thing: We are here under the auspices of the Mendevian Crusade, and, as such, I'm afraid we're going to have to requisition your supplies to make it back to the surface. Once we've arrived, however, it's going to be entirely dependent on your behavior in the meantime whether we release you to your own recognizance or hand you over to the authorities for trial. Now, keeping in mind that the more quickly we get out of this place, the sooner you'll be rid of our company, what can you tell us that will help us out? How did you get down here? Can you show us the way out?"
Nessa mutters to herself, "It ain't 't murder when he tries to kill us.
Once the Dwarf is revived and she takes in the offered healing, she will move to the next tunnel entrance and stand guard.
The bound dwarf spits at Eudocia "Crusader filth will never find it's way from these tunnels. You will die here, consumed by sand and dust"
Nessa ignores the recalcitrant dwarf and instead moves to see what lies ahead. The adjacent chamber is smaller, and contains a single exit to the North. A steeply inclined tunnel leads upwards, its walls lined with numerous nooks, handholds, and dozens of iron pitons that have been driven into the walls long ago.
This shaft leads upward at a steep angle for 60 feet before levelling out and continuing to the North and West. The cracks, handholds, and pitons driven into the walls should make traversing the rise relatively simple.
Eudocia sighs and beckons Gregori to step aside with her. "What do we do, Mr. Shadowbane? My suspicion is that he's up to no good down here, but taking him with us will be an added burden if he won't cooperate. To take his supplies and leave him would be an act of cruelty, but if we free him and return his belongings, he will no doubt attack us again."
"The way I see it, he may not show as overtly evil, but he tried to kill us and harmed one of our number. In battle that would make his life forfeit." Gregori frowns slightly.
"We spared his life, everything else he gave up rights to when he tried to take ours. While taking him with us would be a challenge, leaving him tied up down here would be tantamount to murder, and leaving him behind us will only ask for more trouble."
He ponders for a moment before his expression becomes a bit grimmer. "There is the option of leaving him free and alive but less than capable. An alchemist and spellcaster most likely needs all of his fingers to be effective or a threat, but not to survive."
Anevia whispers to Aravashnial, and the blinded elf strikes up a conversation with Horgus about his manor and holdings to distract him before she joins the discussion.
Anevia is pensive in reply "It would be a struggle to heft him up the rise, and little that we can do but drag him..."
"Come now, what's so important that you have to die down here, mister Millorn?" the halfling says, gently. "I'm sure a clever feller like yew could find 'is way up an' oot of here. Why not tell us the way out an' we'll head on."
Regardless of the dwarf's response, he'll join in the discussions "Wh... what? Maim him?" Harrol says, flustered. Teeth clenching, the little halfling plants his foot firmly on the ground. " 'e's our prisoner, we can't very well jus' go loppin' off his fingers!". He stops, and lowers his voice. "We've got to treat him honorably, like. We can't just go loppin' off his fingers..." he says, shaking his head and voice wavering in anticipation of the grim paladin's response.
The dwarf expends a little more spittle in Harrol's direction before growling "Release me and I will show you from this world... to Pharasma's gateway."
"Ahead there looks to be a shaft up, not sure how far. But it is all handholds and climbing. Might not be hard climbing, but pulling the unwilling might be another thing....and I will show you my boot iff'n you don't shut up Mr. Dwarf. Just let 'em try and I will end him, fair and square."
"Showing mercy is one thing Harrol, especially to those who seek it. Leaving an enemy behind with the capability to strike at your back is another. I am charged with seeing this group through this safely and I weigh any course of action against that. Ruthless as it may seem."
"He clearly considers himself our enemy, Harrol, even if his enmity is due more to madness than to malice. Then again, just because he's not presently of sound mind doesn't mean he wasn't a thoroughly unpleasant person to begin with. If we let him go, he won't cease to endanger us, though he is likely to prove as severe a hindrance if we take him with us." She sighs unhappily. "What time of day do you suppose it is up there?" she asks, turning her eyes to the rock above her. "Perhaps we should set up camp here. He was safe enough here, until we showed up. Perhaps send a scout up the shaft to see what we'll be facing when we start moving again?"
Anevia casts a glance over her shoulder at Horgus "He wouldn't like the delay... but he can get buggered. Aravashnial and myself wouldn't say no to a chance to recuperate... we're not exactly used to hobbling and stumbling." a wan smile showing a poor attempt at levity.
Gregori responds with a warm smile, "Ok we're camping here for the "night". Seems as safe a place as any."
A rest would be welcome--I'd like to try to sift through the dwarf's ravings and see if there's anything of use found within these pages.
Thedric approaches Gregori and Eudocia.
Are either of you authorized to dispense justice in situations such as this? While the rule of law is unquestionably important, we are at war, and the demons are literally at the gates. We cannot afford to have this man jeopardize our efforts to aid Kenabres. He attacked us, wouldn't listen to reason, and even now, when we spare his life, he threatens to murder us. I can help us with the ascent up the tunnel when we decide to press on, but if Millorn takes any aggression against us, we may need to try him and carry out his sentence here.
Are either of you authorized to dispense justice in situations such as this?
Docia exchanges a sober look with the paladin. "I've ... no official rank in Mendev," she replies. "The Crusade was kind enough to put me in Mr. Shadowbane's hands for protection. I doubt very much anyone would remonstrate with him over the dwarf's death. If they did, I should certainly stand as a witness on his behalf in any inquiry, for what good it might do, to say that such measures were only taken as a last resort."
A rudimentary camp is made... though to get any rest you see the need to gag Millorn so that his ravings and insult do not disturb what rest you can muster in the confines of the tunnel. Darkness and quiet surround you and make for an eerie blanket with which you wrap yourself and sleep.
The night passes without incident, though Aarol looks to be growing pale and is bathed in cold sweat. He can stand and walk, though is slightly hunched as though his stomach is in knots.
Horgus awoke in a foul mood, though his insults and malcontent are kept to utterance below breath. Anevia is in better spirit and speaks with Aravashnial in quiet tones on what might remain above and how much resistance those of Kenabres have offered.
As everyone's "morning" preparations are made in the subterranean blackness, Eudocia uses her dancing lights to spend some time perusing a leatherbound book she removes from her backpack. When Harrol has finished with his prayers, she approaches the halfling quietly. "Mr. Varien seems unwell," she points out, "while the others who have been injured seem to have been refreshed by rest and provision. I know even ordinary-sized vermin can carry disease. Do you think he might have contracted some sort of illness from the roach's bite?"
"Yessir." Harrol says, stiffly, as the others make camp. He spends the evening seeing seeing to Anevia's leg before kicking off his boots, the weight not lifting from his shoulders. Eventually his exhaustion overcomes his sour mood, and sleep takes him.
Nessa takes a shift of the night watch and manages to wake up in a better mood than when she went to sleep.
While the others make breakfast and morning rituals, Nessa will sit near the shaft and keep an ear out for any noises up there.
Harrol will awake early, setting the candle stubs on the cold earth, he reads a mantra from his holy text, chanting a half hour loong vigil under his breath and clutching the silver sword to his breast. As he prays, the candles one by one spark alight. He will prepare create water, stabilize, spark, magic stone, shield of faith and one additional first level spell.
Theodric puzzles over the dwarf's writings, unable to glean anything substantial beyond the spell inscriptions and stopping only when the lights go out. He resumes in the morning, looking over Millorn's book as well as his own for quite some time. He snaps the books shut, stows them, and studies the vertical shaft from a distance.
Nessa comes in from the shaft chamber, "I ain't so bad at climbing, but that is when I ain't wearing armor and a pack. There are handholds though, so I don't mind going up and checking it out. I can drop a rope if someone has got one long enough, that might help others. And maybe we save that floating of yours for the wounded, Theodric."
Nessa will take a moment to take off her chain shirt and stuff it in her pack (giving her a +2 climb and AC 14 except while actually climbing) and see if anyone has rope before she seeks to climb.
As Gregori arises, he dons his armor and focuses, his halo re-igniting and casting the silvery white glow on everyone. "Here you go,"he says taking 50ft of silk rope from his pack.
He glances over at the bound dwarf, clearly weighing his options.
Nessa will tie off Harrol's rope, one end on her, the other on her pack. She climbs with her sword on her back and finds herself in another passage way. She pulls up her pack and takes the time to don her armor again.
She lowers one end back down and will take up the slack as each person climbs finding a way to brace herself if needed.
"Mr. Shadowbane, you and Mr. Abernathy up last, I think, as you'll have to make sure the wounded and noncombatants make the ascent safely." She looks at the bound and gagged dwarf a little queasily, then sets her jaw with determination. "If you wish me to stay until the captive is ... 'pacified,' I shall."
She's clearly a bit squeamish about the prospect of watching Gregori bludgeon Millorn into unconsciousness, if that is what is necessary to get him up the shaft.
Very well, no sense delaying the inevitable. He frowns as he eyes the passage, clearly not excited at the prospect of the climb, even an easy one aided with handholds.
The use of Terendelev's boon and rope makes the ascent easy and you soon move your ever growing party onward. Bludgeoning is not needed for the dwarf as he manages the climb if his feet are freed for moving. After climbing for 60 feet, the shaft levels out and heads northwest and takes about 35 minutes to traverse at Anevia and Aravashnial's limited pace.
The tunnel then opens into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a domelike chamber, but the walls and floor are riddled with cracks. At the center of the cave, a stone tower that may once have reached the fifty-foot-high ceiling has collapsed onto its side. At the rubble you spy two humanoid figures slowly and carefully excavating away rock and stone. They are acting in complete darkness to them, obviously unhindered by lack of light... but the arrival of yours gives them pause and they turn to face you.
As your dancing lights and halo fall across their forms you see the two drop into defensive stances. One is a hunchbacked woman whose face is warped by tumorous growths. The second is a man... a tall, thin creature with a face that melds the features of an attractive elven man, a goat, and a lizardfolk. His oversized fingers end in dull, spadelike talons. His eyes narrow as he looks to you to either speak or act.
Gregori's hand goes to his sword hilt but does not draw the weapon. "Ahoy there, we mean no harm, just seeking a way to the surface. Were you trapped here during the collapse?"
"Careful, m'lord. They moight be demons or suchlike..."
The goat - elf - lizard is the one that speaks in a strangely accented but quite eloquent Common “We were not trapped..." indicating the two of them you see "but one of my kin was trapped when the earth shook hours ago. We will not stop you to move on... but if there is compassion within you... aid us... please."
Behind you Horgus hisses an agreement with Harrol "Yes, yes... let them dig alone, we need to move on" while the countenance of Anevia errs towards extension of compassion. Aravashnial has his head tilted and listens, but does not add any words of his own.
"Of course we will," Eudocia replies promptly, unshouldering her bow and quiver and laying them aside. As she does so, she takes the opportunity to turn toward Horgus and hiss, "Mr. Gwerm, they live down here. They may be able to give us directions ... not to mention food."