Sara pushes against Congruence frame, but no matter how she pushes, pulls or otherwise tries to maneuver the modron trough the tunnel, it doesnt work.
"You should go now and assist Search Friend Tsun. We can send our Adviser Friend to assist you. We do not know if it will be useful. But it guide my decisions... and it is small."
The small cranium rat scurries out of Congruence's backpack and looks at Search Friend Sara and back at Congruence. Then it nods and dives into the tunnel.
The modron looks worried at their Search Friends going into the unknown without them, but knows that through the familiar can still feel some connection to them. Congruence draws his sword and shield, and stands guard stoically over the tunnel entrance.
"Ok, guard friend Congruence. I'll take care of rat friend."
Sara takes one last concerned look back. Congruence could certainly defend itself. But she did not like leaving him.
Hurrying down the tunnel, she catches up with Tsun. "Congruence just does not fit down the tunnel. He did send his... rat... with us."
".......okay." Tsun frowns a bit in confusion, but then turns back and continues down the tunnel.
"He kept it hidden at St. Cuthberts, but Congruence has a pet cranium rat. He talks to it."
The rat stands up on it's hind legs, moving easily in the tunnel the others are squeezing through. He sniffs and studies Tsun. The rat then gives a little bow of its head at Tsun and Sara, and follows them down the tunnel, sniffing at the air for any danger.
"See, thats the one."
Sara points at the cranium rat, forgetting for a moment that Tsun cant see in the dark like she can.
"As long as it's friendly. I guess." Tsun continues to shimmy down the tunnel.
Congruence is well and truly stuck. Sara and Tsun continue down, Tsun finding a lot of tight places but managing to make it to the end. Vector scampers along, his exposed cranium pulsing a bit.
At the end of the tunnel Tsun sees the cavern as Sara described. This tunnel seems to be one of about half-a-dozen scattered along the cavern wall. Rickety ladders descend to the cavern floor from each of them. A goblin climbs towards an opening on the opposite side of the cavern.
Finding the bunny person still on the ground and seemingly unconscious Myriana knelt beside him. She reached out gently and touched his shoulder and asked, "Hey, are you all right? I lured your attackers off but we should get you out of here. I have a safe place we can go, somewhere they won''t be able to reach you, but we have to get there quickly."
The small creature looks up and gasps.
"A.a.a.Cat!"
He curls back into a fetal ball and shivers
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+8
Tollard sizes up the volunteer to assess whether they actually know anything or if their just going to spin a tale for the coin. Although his eyes are dimmed, the oracle senses much.
The volunteer seems to be confident that they know the intel. They are also insanely greedy for the four small golden coins Tollard jingles in his palm
Sara looks to Tsun for guidance. "What do we do now? It kinda looks like they are just living down here."
Myriana a little annoyed at the bunny man's reaction and stamped one foot, "Well I never meow. I risk myself to lure those thugs away meow, come back to check on you meow, and this is the thanks I get, meow." She was quite incensed as she continued, "If I wanted to eat you meow I'd have killed you before you knew I was back meow. I'm just trying to help you meow." She calmed her self and moved back from the bunny man as she said, "I'm Myriana meow, who are you?"
The volunteer seems to be confident that they know the intel. They are also insanely greedy for the four small golden coins Tollard jingles in his palm
Tollard sizes up the volunteer to assess whether they actually know anything or if their just going to spin a tale for the coin. Although his eyes are dimmed, the oracle senses much.
Alyse's fingers dance on the hilt of her sheathed sword, watching for any signs of the sods getting grabby with the jink.
Tsun holds a finger to his mouth to indicate the need for stealth. He whispers quietly, "If anyone spots us, act decrepit. Like a slave." He starts to pad forward.
Feeling out of her leauge, Sara trusts Tsun's judgement.
The cranium rat familiar senses Tsun's quiet and sneakiness, although is confused by Sara's noise. Either way, it attempts to scurry quietly between rocks and other objects.
Tollard looks warily at the ragged personage.
He hands over two of the gold coins. "Other two when we get there," he promises. "Lead on"
The small ragged figure grasps the two small golden coins and gestures. Tollard guesses its a 'he', but with the many layers of clothing it is hard to say. Even species would be hard to tell under the dirt caking what little of the Hiver's face is visible.
"Oi. Follow me."
Ducking down a winding trail that leads deeper into the back alleyways of the Hive, Tollard and Alyse try to keep up and memorize the path.
As they get further off the main boulevard, the buildings get bleaker and more ramshackle. There are a lot of empty lots packed with crazy-quilt squats. Ancient dry fountains now sport trash-and-razorvine fires, guarded by hard-eyed Xaositects passing bottles of homebrew about.
Their guide comes to a lean-to made of filthy canvas and sticks. They shout
"FOUR FINGER!"
A skinny man emerges from within. He is human, and of later-middle age. He sports a long white unruly beard of an uncertain greyish hue. A brown cigarette dangles from his mouth, smoldering. The smell is Hesher, a common cheap herb that a lot of Hivers smoke as an alternative to pricier options.
"Whatchu want?' Four Finger slurs, a wave of stale alcohol wafting off him
"Toffs, want yez."
The guide replies, turning on Tollard
"There. As promised. I wants me jink!"
Tsun holds a finger to his mouth to indicate the need for stealth. He whispers quietly, "If anyone spots us, act decrepit. Like a slave." He starts to pad forward.
[dice=Stealth]1d20+2
Myriana a little annoyed at the bunny man's reaction and stamped one foot, "Well I never meow. I risk myself to lure those thugs away meow, come back to check on you meow, and this is the thanks I get, meow." She was quite incensed as she continued, "If I wanted to eat you meow I'd have killed you before you knew I was back meow. I'm just trying to help you meow." She calmed her self and moved back from the bunny man as she said, "I'm Myriana meow, who are you?"
[dice=diplomacy]1d20+11
The rabbitoid seems to collect himself
"I..i..I'm sorry. I'm in a bit of a state. That was most ungracious of me."
He gingerly gets to his feet, wincing. Myriana sees that he is wearing traveling type gear.
"I'm Hazel. I am very glad to meet you Myriana."
Alyse continues looking out for danger and escape routes, feeling quite nervous in this place.
Myriana smiled brightly at Hazel and said, "It's alright meow, after that beating I'd be frightened too." She considered his appearance and then asked, "So why did those guys attack you meow? Did you have something they wanted or was it just random meow?"
Hazel looks about
"I have never seen them before. I was traveling to a place that was recommended to me, a Tivuums, a big green building where you can buy portal keys. I have been looking for a way to take me and my friends home"
Tollard sizes up the one identifying himself as Four Fingers. Without a word, he hands the other two coins to his guide.
"Quick bit o' talk is all," Tollard says to Four Fingers. He glances about at the crowd. "You the one they call Four Fingers?"
Tollard sizes up the one identifying himself as Four Fingers. Without a word, he hands the other two coins to his guide.
"Quick bit o' talk is all," Tollard says to Four Fingers. He glances about at the crowd. "You the one they call Four Fingers?"
The man casts a blood shot eye at Tollard
"Aye. What of it?"
Myriana considered what Hazel told her and tried to remember the place he was speaking of. While she did she said, "Why don't you come with me to St. Cuthbert's, let one of the staff examine you to make sure that you aren't injured, and I'll help you find the place you are looking for meow."
Tsun holds a finger to his mouth to indicate the need for stealth. He whispers quietly, "If anyone spots us, act decrepit. Like a slave." He starts to pad forward.
The rat scurries down the side of the later and sniffs about for signs of any other creatures.
"Heard you might've seen something. Just looking for an account is all." Tollard tries to seem as nonthreatening as possible. He roughly describes the location of Penska's place. "Heard there was a dust-up. Just lookin' for folks what might've seen it."
Four Finger shrugs
"What kinda dustup we talking here, cutter? I sees a lot of stuff."
The three head down. Vector is in front, scurrying down the cliff wall.
Sara snaps a rung as she heads down. The crack echoes in the wide cavern, and there is a cry from below. A few goblins are running towards their position
Myriana considered what Hazel told her and tried to remember the place he was speaking of. While she did she said, "Why don't you come with me to St. Cuthbert's, let one of the staff examine you to make sure that you aren't injured, and I'll help you find the place you are looking for meow."
[dice=Knowledge (local) about the place he's looking for]1d20+4
Myrianna could swear she's hear of that place before. It's right on the tip of her tongue...
Hazel's eyes go wide as she helps him up
"I think that's the place there!"
Myriana turns and sees the giant green hulking cylinder that dominated the skyline in this part of the Bazaar. The legend 'Tivuum's Antiquities' carved in 20' tall letters scrolling down its side
Hazel looks at Myriana
"Could we stop there first? I have been very eager to get this information for my friends."
Tsun pauses in his climbing when he hears the cries. "Uh oh."
Four Finger shrugs
"What kinda dustup we talking here, cutter? I sees a lot of stuff."
"Group of hardheads raiding a bookseller. Kinda thing that stands out."
He eyes up Four Fingers to get a sense of his angle.
Sara stifles a scream when she breaks the rung.
Too concerned with keeping silent she looses her grip.
Four Finger shrugs
"What kinda dustup we talking here, cutter? I sees a lot of stuff."
"Group of hardheads raiding a bookseller. Kinda thing that stands out."
He eyes up Four Fingers to get a sense of his angle.
Four Finger shrugs
"What kinda dustup we talking here, cutter? I sees a lot of stuff."
"Group of hardheads raiding a bookseller. Kinda thing that stands out."
He eyes up Four Fingers to get a sense of his angle.
His angle seems to be a common one. A life lived on the fringes, liberally doused with alcohol and drugs. The best motivator of cutter like this was jink
Four Finger grunts
"Aye. I saw that happen. The Hardheads did Penska's place up proper."
Alyse notices several new faces on the fringe of the area they occupy
[dice=climb]1d20 - 2
Sara stifles a scream when she breaks the rung.
Too concerned with keeping silent she looses her grip.
Tsun sees Sara falling past him as the young girl's hand slips off the broken rung
Hazel's eyes go wide as she helps him up
"I think that's the place there!"
Myriana turns and sees the giant green hulking cylinder that dominated the skyline in this part of the Bazaar. The legend 'Tivuum's Antiquities' carved in 20' tall letters scrolling down its side
Hazel looks at Myriana
"Could we stop there first? I have been very eager to get this information for my friends."
Myriana simply couldn't recall where the place was. She saw Hazel's eyes widen as he spotted something and turned and suddenly felt like an idiot as she saw the building. Of COURSE it was that place. She looked at Hazel and said, "Sure meow since we're already here. Just so you know that's where I lost the thugs that were beating you meow, they might still be there. It would be safer if we came back later after they've given up the search but it's up to you meow."
"Seems a bit odd; hardheads usually can't be bothered. Was they lookin' for something?"
"Hey Four-Finger, want to come have a drink with us?" Alyse asks.
Tsun is not able to spin around quickly enough to get a good grip...
Sara plummets down, letting out a scream of fear now that Tsun did not manage to catch her.
Sharing an emotional bond with Congruence, the rat shrieks and hurries over to check on Search Friend Sara!
"Sure meow since we're already here. Just so you know that's where I lost the thugs that were beating you meow, they might still be there. It would be safer if we came back later after they've given up the search but it's up to you meow."
Hazel nods convulsively
"Let's hurry then"
The two thread their way through the crowds towards the enormous green cylinder
Sara plummets down, letting out a scream of fear now that Tsun did not manage to catch her.
The ground rockets towards Sara. She can see that part of the area is covered in what looks to be some sort of thick moss
"Hey Four-Finger, want to come have a drink with us?" Alyse asks.
Four Finger brightens
"You buyin? Where at?"
Sara hits the ground with a jarring thud. She greys out a bit, then her vision slowly returns. She hurts. A lot...
Sara groans. First she flexes her fingers. Ok. Good. Those hurt but that means they are still there. Same for her toes.
She slowly checks every part of her body, unsure if everything is still attached.
She becomes more scared when she feels her face is wet. But its not blood, its tears.
Not trusting her body to stand up yet, she reaches out to the lady Shelyn for aid.
Still crying, she calls out. "Tsun? Congruence?"