Well losing two melee guys right off the bat would normally be a problem, but Darros ends the dwarf's temporary advantage pretty quickly. At least he is still alive, but bleeding profusely.
Davin sees the Dwarf run past him and quickly pushes his blade into the Dwarf again.
After recovered from the Color Spray, Allyo will try to stabilize the mad humanoid.
While doing so, he prays for Desna to enlighten the poor soul with her stars.
Davin lets out a gentle sigh, as he wipes the blood from his blade. "May the gods take you friend. I am sorry for whatever drove you to this madness."
Davin continues into the opening searching for anything of value.
After everyone recovers, searching the camp you find Millorn’s meager gear gathered near his camp, consisting of a ratty bedroll, a small pack filled with dried meat, preserved fruit, and some moldy cheese (8 days of rations), and a chipped 6-inch-tall marble statuette of a humanoid throwing a spear. The statuette is worth 175 gp. In addition you find Millorn’s spellbook which contains; blur, color spray, detect secret doors, fog cloud, grease, invisibility, mage armor, magic missile, resist energy, shocking grasp, and silent image.
On his person you find two potions, one scroll and his cloak which detect as magical. In addition he has a light crossbow with 10 bolts and 9pp and 9gp.
"Come on Sabrine, do you honestly think I would let anything happen to you guys while you napped." Davin asks with a cheeky grin as he comes back to the entryway of the cave arms full of potions, scrolls, cloaks, statues, and a spellbook. Laying all offf the items out Davin sets to inspecting each one for what magical secrets they contain.
"The cloak will help you resist magic, another cure potion, and an invisibility potion." Davin explains, wondering what anyone wants to take.
"Perhaps I should take the cure potions. I can withstand a decent amount of punishment and should thus be able to administer them to those who need them most"
Davin happily gives over the cure potion to Shinari and the cloak to Sabrina. He stores the other items on his bandoleer assuming no one else claims them.
Allyo just looks around, studying again the body of the mad creature in his feet and finishing his prayer.
I am a paladin, my friend Davin. My faith, the Divine Grace of Desna, shall embrace me and protect me in the future. I'm certain someone else needs more the cloak than I do.
That said, the experienced Aasimar prepares to continue the path.
After about an hours travel, you come to a steeply inclined tunnel that leads upwards to the north, its walls are 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 about 60 feet. The cracks, handholds, and pitons allow for you to ascend the shaft almost as if a ladder were present.
After climbing for 60 feet, the shaft levels out and heads northwest for approximately 2,500 feet (a 30-minute walk at a speed of 15 feet). The tunnel opens into a large cavern, about 70 feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a dome-like 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.
Just before you would give yourselves away, the people up front notice two figures focusing on slowly and carefully digging through the tower’s rubble, wary of causing accidental collapse. Now and then they call out, and a muffled voice in the rubble answers back.
They are speaking common (accented) and they are humanoid, though from the distance and dim light, it is hard to make out details as their backs are toward you.
Davin will attempt to quietly approach the creatures, hoping to see who or what they are better before revealing his presence to them. He clasps this light coin tightly in his hand, using these creatures light to guide his approach. His own masked by the tight grip, ready to illuminate with a simple shift of his fingers.
As you approach, you see that one of them is a hunchbacked woman, her face so warped by tumors that she’s incapable of intelligible speech. The second is a man that 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, spade-like talons. Somewhere in the rubble you here a third, somewhat anxious voice as well.
Davin stares confused what these creatures are. He sighs, wishing he knew more. It was obvious they needed help, and he had the ability to give it. He clasps the dragon scale and quietly focuses on the rubble attempting to lift the largest section.
Allyo stays behind, observing Davin. The paladin's first impulse is to go over, introduce himself and try to help, but he lets the halfling first try whatever he has in mind. Assuming he can do it in silence, he will try to Detect Evil towards the two people and the rubble.
Davin will sheath his blade, sighing. He much preferred to help these people from the safety of the shadows. That clearly isn't an option. As much as he doesn't like it, the people need help. His life was on borrowed time as it was. He couldn't refuse their need for his own safety. He slowly glides out of the shadows hands clearly shown to be unarmed. He approaches the two men from as far from the group as possible so as not to put their lives at risk "Hello," the halfling calls out in a surprisingly large voice for his size. "Are you in need of assistance?"
As you approach, the two figures drop into defensive stances but are not aggressive. The man greets you in a raspy voice, speaking in strangely accented but quite eloquent Common.
“If your intentions are ill, we ask you to move on and leave us in peace. If they are good, then perhaps you can help. As you can see, misfortune has befallen us.”
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Sabrina gave Davin his space, she wasn't the best at stealth and she didn't want to give him away.
but noticing his change in tactics, she tilts her head in confusion. she quickly follows after him. she keeps a respectable distance to ensure she can keep an eye on Davin, ready to leap to his aid, as his "guardian"
"My intentions are good, and any aid I can provide is offered freely, so long as your intentions stay the same. If your intentions turn ill, mine are suited to match." Davin does not imitate the accent, but does attempt to match the linguistics of the man he is speaking to, hoping to put the man at ease. "If you'll allow him, I have a very strong companion with me who could get your own companion out. He is a creature of staggering size, but fear not, benevolence is his desire."
Davin will look to where the group was, and already seeing Sabrina, he sighs and alters his plan slightly. "Darros, there is no need to hide. These men need your strength." Returning his gaze to the man before him Davin will introduce his companions. "I am called Davin, the woman is Sabrina, and the large one is Darros. We all offer our assistance."
Davin speaks loudly, hoping the others know to stay in the shadows. He hopes they have the wisdom to know that a group as large as ours would be too imposing for an already tense situation.
Seeing that Davin has evidently resolved things peacefully, he will step out and head over to help. He waves his hand as if to forestall any misconceptions.
"Do not be alarmed, I am no follower of the Usurper, Baphomet. I adhere to the Herald that saved the mother of our race, Iomedae."
They have cleared away enough rubble that only one large rock remains wedged in place above the small space in which their companion is trapped. Lifting the rock away requires a successful Strength check—something the two of them alone cannot accomplish. Up to six people can work together to lift the stone. Alternatively, you could try to dig him out, but that looks very risky.
Assuming that we will try to lift rock, Darros will rage as he tries to lift.
Allyo approaches the group smiling and trying to look as friendly as he can. He looks at Davin doesn't exactly understanding why he was left out of his introductions, but ignores for now.
- I'm Allyo Shan, paladin of Desna. Her stars shine upon all of us. We will help you in your misfortune!
Allyo votes to try to pull the rock away with a combined strength roll, and offers to assist the strongest in doing so.
Davin, smaller in size than the rock in question, still lines up ready to help. His pushes with all his might, trying just as hard as he can.
Shinari hangs back, sticking to the shadows, though he is not used to such tactics. He is, however, a canny observer and thus turns his intense gaze upon those his companions seek to aid.
With a mighty heave, your combined efforts are just enough to pull the boulder out of the way revealing a small space that miraculously saved the life of the third person. Like the others, he appears to be a mix of several races.
Davin's eyes shoot up at the Minotaur absolutely stunned by the creatures strength yet again. He comes to his senses after just a moment slipping down into the small space to render aid to the third person.
"Sir, are you ok?"
Shinari has a hard time discerning much from the distance, but he is fairly certain that the creature's gratitude is genuine.
"Sir, are you ok?"
The trapped one nods.
"Yes, some minor scrapes and bruises. It could have been much worse."The first one that spoke with you seems more friendly now.
"I am Lann, this is Dyra (he indicates the woman), and the one you helped aid is Crel. We thank you."
Now that their companion is rescued they seem much more relaxed as well as friendly towards you. Lann continues to act as spokesman for them.
"You appear to have been trapped here by the same cataclysm. You are welcome to accompany us back to our village, Neathholm. Chief Sull will reward you for your aid. We are in your debt. However, the direct tunnel is one of those that collapsed. There is a second way, but it is not as safe."
As it appears these folks present no danger, Shinari steps out to introduce himself, with hand out stretched. "I am Shinari Dawnbringer, holy warrior of Iomedae. Well met. I believe my companions are well equipped to deal with whatever dangers may arise on the journey to your village."
"What were you doing out here? And what caused your tunnel to collape? Do you know?"
"Dangerous in what way?"
"We are sentries. The tower was our post. As you can see, this was a nexus of several tunnels, thus an ideal location for a guardpost. The recent earthquakes caused the collapse." Lann replies.
Allyo keeps his arms crossed, giving space for his companions to speak. He finally then pronounces himself.
I'm curious too, as to what kind of danger you refer to, my friend. - he starts - And, in any case, count with our help. Desna shall watch over us. How hurt are you?
The paladin tries to improve even more the attitude of the new friends, hopeful to hear more details on what they should expect ahead.
"Sentries? You wouldn't happen to know a way back up to the surface would you?"
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Sabrina seems to ponder things at the moment. she seems to have some minor revelations but she will wait for the best time to discuss them, considering present company at the moment.
Davin, I believe that these, people, live down here, but back in their village they may know of a passage to the surface.
tuning to Lann, Dyra, and Crel, I am Sabrina, Crusader for Iomedae. perhaps we should go with you to your village, we can meet with your leaders, and then we can discuss our return to the surface.
"All of your questions can be more easily answered by chief Sull. As to the dangers, the path we will take is a less traveled ome so there may be denizens of the underground more likely to be encountered. We also have to pass through a cavern that is a lair to a spore-cougher."
Davin sighs, "A spore cougher. That doesn't sound ominous at all. Well, by all means lead on."
You depart for Neathholm. After winding roughly southwest for about 2000 feet (25 minutes of walking at a speed of 15 feet), the tunnel reaches a significant obstacle. Ahead, a wide chasm splits the tunnel floor. The floating rock dust in the air and the groans as the tunnel walls settle indicate that the tunnel split recently.
Lann and his companions express dismay when they see the chasm—there’s a way onward on the far side of the chasm to the southeast, but they have begun to worry that the tremors may have destroyed their home. The chasm is 10 feet across, 70 feet wide, and 30 feet deep. The tunnel continues on from the chasm’s opposite side about 40 feet east of the entrance. Climbing along the edges of the rift is as difficult as climbing down and then back up. Normally, a ten foot jump would not present much of an obstacle. However, with blind and crippled party members, it becomes a more formidable obstacle.
Darros looks at the chasm.
"If we get some one across, I can toss the others. Not very dignified, but it will be fairly safe. Otherwise, how much rope do we have?"