Dennis with sheathe his scimitar and head up the passage.
Ok. Who is taking the lady? Horgus can scamper up unaided.
Nalun will attempt to assist the Lady Anevia up the ladder.
Poor Dennis slips and can't get a hold to climb up. Maybe he is hung over?
Has the sorcerer also left us?
Beltin helps the lady and tries to climb up unassisted.
"Friend Vorshek can tie rope to something and then knot it. This will make things easier for our friends. Windsworn used to do this many times in the Northlands."
Windsworn will go last after helping the rest to go up.
Yes, that is an excellent idea friend. I will do so.
Once the proper rigging is in place, Dennis will head on up on the knotted rope.
While I wait at the top, I will look around the room and get my bearings.
It looks like another open cavern. Let me see if there is anymore of a description of it as I know there are no maps for it .
After completing his climb, Vorshek looks around the cavern.
After climbing for 60 feet, the shaft from area C3 levels
out and heads northwest for approximately 2,500 feet (a
30-minute walk at a speed of 15 feet).
Vorshek will continue to help the elf along as he leads the group down the passage, keeping an eye out for trouble.
Dennis will take point with his scimitar and shield ready.
Windsworn after scrambling up the rock face, attends to the other non combatants first before taking up position to assist the blind elf.
Phineas lags behind slightly, in case trouble happens in front of him.
Beltin follows, ready to make someone large again if there is trouble.
Nalun is, of course, tailing along and following behind those more capable of defending themselves via martial prowess.
Vorshek keeps the party moving at a steady pace, his steps lighter now that he feels there is a way out of the caverns.
As you continue on your path you come across what looks like a guardtower that has collapsed. There are two medium sized creatures that are trying to move a huge stone. It looks like they have cleared away much of the rubble.
["These guys on our side?"
Hail, my friends! Be you on the side of righteousness?
As you approach the guard post,
the two figures drop into defensive
stances but are not aggressive. One
of the mongrels is a hunchbacked
woman, her face
so warped by tumors that she’s
incapable of intelligible speech.
The second is a man who is 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.
Taking a look at these beings, Horgus gives a groan of disgust and says something disparaging towards them.
But, before he can fully insult them, the sorcerer slaps him across the face with a loud, open-handed b*&(* slap that echoes across the chamber.
With a look of shock and anger Horgus will approach the sorcerer. How dare you, you poor and worthless cretin! How dare you strike one of my station. At least your other companions have some worth. You sit back and do nothing and then have the nerve to strike me? Worthless street rat! Why my stockings are worth more than you and more than you will make in a year!~
"I got chunks of guys tougher than you in my stool."
Horgus will spit disdainfully at Beltin. This is what I think of you and your turd
"Horgus, I'll take you back to where we started, and leave you hog tied if you don't close your mouth. Beltin did what was called for there. "
The paladin would never allow you to abandon me down here, street rat. Maybe someone should have b#+++ slapped you down there before you antagonized that dwarf and nearly got the paladin killed.
"OK, I've had my fill of you. "
and he will drop his shield and scimitar and move to grapple the loudmouth.
"I'll help, maybe we choke him out."
Friends, I think we have more to worry about than Horgus' mouth...
Vorshek gestures at the people and lowers his sword.
We mean you no harm. We wish only to leave the caverns here. Can you help us?
Upon seeing their faces and bodies he starts, and then speaks again.
Or... Can we... Erm... Help you, perhaps?
In the name of all that is Holy! Stop This Now! Nalun shouts at Dennis and Beltin.
He will interpose himself between the nobleman and the other two if neccesary.
We have enemies much fouler than someone's attitude Beltin. Remember that before you resort to striking someone!
To Gwerm he says Master Gwerm, at this point. I would suggest keeping your mouth shut. Keep your opinions to yourself. Not everyone will be as diplomatic as Vorshek or myself.
To Vorshek Nalun whispers fiercely We cannot allow Gwerm to come to harm. He is here for a reason. As are we.
As he sees the deformed faces of the people he says mostly to himself Beauty in all things....beauty is the most hideous visages.
To the three he says We are Crusaders from Kenebres above, are you familiar with our causes? We need a route to the surface.
Windsworn helps to seperate the two from the nobleman in deference to the Nalun's efforts of peace.
Being careless, Windsworn might have trodden on someone's foot, an elbow in a spleen or was it chest...wasn't sure, eye poked when he reached out to grab the grapplers and maybe scratches but he got the job done. Managing to pull Dennis and Beltin away from the nobleman, he checks himself.
Yep he's fine.
Moving towards the men/creatures, Windsworn doesn't care actually. As long as they're not attacking they're friends, else they're enemies and enemies don't last long.
Adding his strength to their efforts, he helps to move the rocks.
"Look, I was just going to gag him so he doesn't get us in any more trouble. If you think telling him for the hundredth time to shut up is going to work, then you're daft. So if he causes any trouble and it gets your hide beaten, don't expect any sympathy from me. "
Horgus will reply to Dennis, You reek of booze. Who can trust a drunk? I think he should be gagged pointing to Dennis, and if we find any water down here forcibly bathed
"Ok, You are done. One more word and I'm cutting that tongue out for the sake of humanity. "
and he looks at Nalun and Windsworn after picking up his scimitar and shield, ""If you two try to stop me, we will come to blows. I have had more than my full and I will not bear his insults any further. You can choose between him and me right now and be clear about it. I will not bear a snake in our fold. He has shown no gratitude and done everything possible to sabotage our efforts to save the others and ourselves. "
Windsworn's only answer is a grunt as he picks up a particularly large rock and 'accidently' launches it in Horgus's direction.
To be clear, I did express thanks to the paladin and the cleric for their handling of the creatures that they dispatched. My tounge did not almost get the paladin killed back there with the dwarf so before you and Captain Caveman over there resort to violence and idiocy, which is probably all you have ever known, you should reflect on your own actions or in the case of him gesturing to the sorcerer mostly inactions. Cut my tounge out and I will have the entire city ready to hang you for treason especially since me and my family have such large contributions to the Crusaders and their cause. ANY harm comes to me and there goes the funding. Can the Crusade afford that especially now, cretin?
Windsworn you can tell that this is at least a 6 man job to move the rocks. These creatures do not have the physical strength to be able to move the rocks. As you approach you can see and hear that there is someone trapped underneath the rock.
The male figure says, Can you please help? Our friend is underneath there? When the top shook the rocks fell.
"So you're saying that merely cutting out your tongue is more dangerous than cutting your throat. I will take that under advisement. I don't imagine there's any trouble for me if you simply don't make it back. Good to know. "
Then you and your dolt of a friend has best pray to the gods of good that I do not return. The power of chaos is strongly apart of your characters and as such you are no worse than the foes that we seek to exterminate
Dennis! You propose murder! Gwerm may be a fool and a mouthy idiot, but he is no enemy and no demon. His material aid has helped the crusade more than all of us combined. Please rethink your words. I beg of you, do not speak of murdering another crusader.
Windsworn, you are able to move the huge stone off of the other person. The other two move quickly to get him out from under the rock.
When Nalun is speaking and outside of his view, Horgus will stick his tongue out at Dennis.
Phineas offers Horgus a drink (of his Crypt Breaker's Draught).
"Here my lord. This should help steady your nerves."