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"Crazed Dwarf?"Lann looks surprised. "So I take it that you met Millorn? Thought that crazy bastard would already have found his death."
He shakes his head.
"No matter what, we just might know a way back to the surface, though this route has it's own challenges. But it starts on the other side of Neathholm ... that is the village we're living in ... so you could as well accompany us back home and , if you want to, be our guest there for a rest. That's the least we could do to thank you for helping us rescue Crel."
"I would find that quite agreeable. It surely would not be a bad thing to do - and hopefully provide a place of safety for us to rest."
Kendren will walk over to the civilians and say, "We seem to have met some non-hostile denizens of this domain. They are going to guide us to their village, where we can rest and hopefully find a path back to the surface."
"Thank you friend. You are most kind." Iolaire joins Kendren as he returns to the civilian portion of the group. "They look a little strange but they're very friendly so don't stare," she looks pointedly at Stevarn, "or ask them too many questions. Once we reach their village we can rest and discuss things then. Until then let's be on our best behaviour!" She looks at Aravanshiel and then, realising that he cant see her, makes a pointing motion towards the elf, while holding Stevarn's eye.
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Aravashnial just had opened his mouth, when he gets interrupted by Iolaire. "What do you mean with "they look strange"? Are you saying that those might be the descendants of those knights whose carvingswe found in the cave behind us? I would have so many questions to ask of them? But if you say so, I'll wait until we have reached their village."
"Let's try not to break any taboos, elf, ok?" interrupts Anevia. "Those poor creatures and their parents must have gone through a lot and they might not react too kindly on getting remembered on that, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, let's just hurry to reach that village!"
The three mongrelmen lead the group in one of the corridors leaving the big cave but it's only some minutes before they have to stop because the ceiling gave in and blocks the way.
"Damn, now we have to return and try another route. This one would have been the shortest, but luckily there's more than one way to Neathholm."
Lann and his friends lead the others back to the cave and in another corridor. First, it seems as if they are lucky, because there's no cave-in that would have blocked this way. It meanders through the darkness for around half an hour, before it suddenly stops at a wide chasm splitting the floor. There's still dust hanging in the air as if this chasm had opened not too long ago. It seems as if the corridor would continue on the other side of the chasm.
The three mongrelmen seem to be concerned, when they put their heads together and start to chat in hushed voices.
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Arianna moved up towards the group as they huddled together to obviously talk about something that concerned them about the next room. It didn't look that dangerous to her at first glance but they knew these tunnels far better than she did.
"What seems to be the problem?" She asked in a low whisper as she leaned over towards their group to be able to better hear what they were saying.
"I assume from their attitudes, and the rockfall we met earlier that this simply wasn't there before." Iolaire replies in a similar tone. "Getting Anevia and the children across is going to be challenging... could someone leap it and rig ropes or should we climb down and then back up the other side?"
"That would likely be the best solution. If we tied a rope to a small rock, I have a spell that I could use to float the rock and get the rope over there. It isn't enough to lift an entire person, though."
"Harulis could carry it over as well, if that would be preferable? I might be able to summon an ally who could hold or tie the rope as well."
"Who-ever can do it the most safely." Iolaire decides. "Even if we use your spell Kendren, we'd need at least one person to brace or secure the rope on the other side. Uldir," She continues, turning to the dwarf. "would Harulis suffer if he(?) missed the jump? I'd prefer not to risk our scout if possible."
"I'm a much better anchor than I am a Jumper. Especially in this armor. If you can think of a way to get me over there, I could hold a rope while everyone else crosses. That's about the best I can offer right now".
Alfred walks over to the chasm, and peers over. He then kicks a rock into the chasm to try and determine it's depth.
"Say... is there anything on the other side that a rope could be looped around, then flown back"?
"I have rope, but no skill in throwing things or jumping."
Chuckling good-naturedly, "Harulis is an eagle, I don't imagine he'd bother with jumping. May well be that he could loop the rope back, but first he'd have to get a good look. Are we agreed then?
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Lann looks at the others. We just talked about if we know another way, but unluckily we don't. So if we don't find a way across this chasm, we're stuck. We also start to fear for the safety of our home. I pray to Iomedae that our people are safe.
"Given that this chasm must be around 60ft wide I think the eagle would be the only way. I think our best bet is simply to climb down, cross and climb up again. It will slow us, but it will be safer for our injured as well. Arianna, Alfred - if you two could lead us down then the rest of us can offer rope to help your climb. You'll have to scale the far side yourselves, but then I can lower people from this side with Uldir and you can pull them up the far side. If Kendren and Rianne wait at the bottom to support the children and Anevia it should go smoothly. We'll climb down last and Harulis can retrieve our rope after that. As I said, time consuming but it should be safe." Iolaire waits for the groups approval before moving off to explain the plan to the children and the various wounded.
Peering down the chasm, a worried frown creases Uldir's face.
"Please allow me a moment to send Harulis down there first--these tunnels have proven fraught with danger, I think it would be wise to investigate for a moment first. An ambush whilst some of us were climbing down and the rest of us remained up here could be disastrous."
So saying, he begins weaving his hands through the arcane passes, calling Harulis from the higher planes.
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Arianna nodded in agreement to Iolaire's assessment and as the bird was scouting out the chasm, she removed her pack and pulled off the length of silk rope and began to unravel it, tying a single end of it securely around her own waist and offering the rest of the rope to Iolaire. "Alright..if you guys can hold onto this it can serve as a safety rope while I climb down it should make the process safer." She said moving over to the edge of the chasm waiting for the bird to return to let them know if there is danger down below.
Rianne retrieves her own rope from her pack and hands it to Ariaana,
"You can use this as well if you need extra."
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When Harulis returns from his flight without having seen anything dangerous, Arianna starts to make her way down the wall, which is no real problem due to the help of her companions. The Climb up on the other side is more difficult, as she has no one to secure her, but after nearly missing one of the natural footholds she reaches the other side without falling down. It doesn't take her too long to find a place where to fasten the second rope, and so it isn't too difficult to bring the children and the injured on the other side unharmed.
Crel even takes it on him to go last so as to save the other rope. you hear a surprised cry when he slips and falls, but as he comes out of the shadow he seems to be fine (apart from some bruises) and, with your help, scales the way up easily.
"Thank you Crel! You didn't have to do that - we could have left the rope." Iolaire says "I hope you aren't hurt." After checking everyone and fussing over the children she turns to the mongrelmen. "Anything else on this scenic route?" She asks with a smile.
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"Unluckily yes. " answers Lann. "This way will lead us through a cavern that has recently been invaded by a spore-cougher, a dangerous plant-beast with long tendrils, that can make you go crazy if you're unlucky enough to get enveloped in it's spore cloud. There is no other way to get to Neathholm, so we need to find a way by this monster or have to hope that it is out for hunt. If the worst comes to the worst, we should be able to defeat it with combined forces, but that fight is nothing I'm looking for. Still, there's no other choice, I guess."
Uldir frowns in thought this news, the rune on his forehead pulsing very dimly while Jyoldurkir stirs. Not yet, my brother, you will have your chance. the dwarf thinks towards it, and the spirit subsides with a grumble.
Turning his gaze down the tunnel ahead, "Seems there's nothing for it then but to push through. My lord Arashnival, have you any spells that could empower us for the battles ahead?"
"Perhaps we will be able to at least stun it long enough to escape. When you say it can make you go crazy, do you mean makes you attack your own people?"
"Either way we'd best move on quickly. Anevia needs better medical attention and the children are nearly exhausted." Iolaire suits actions to words and leads the way down the path.
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Aravashnial shortly thinks about Uldir's request. „I don't know if I have anything specifically suited to fight plant monsters. Maybe I can summon some allies to help us in a fight, but apart from that the only thing is a scroll with a web spell to slow the beast down that I could lend you to use it. I also have a wand with a spell to increase my stamina during battle for a while but as the spell only benefits the wearer of the wand, it's probably not too useful but for some of you.“
Following Iolaire's lead, the group wanders through the tunnels. After around 20 minutes, you see that it opens into a circular cavern, and a warning handsign by Crel makes you aware of that this might be the lair of the plant monster.
Iolaire approaches slowly, straining her eyes to their limit and only moving when she is confident that nothing within her current field of vision is moving.
Scowling in suspicion at the quiet cavern, Uldir whispers "Hold a moment Lady Iolaire, another of my friends can scout ahead..."
A dark green beetle, with a glowing red bead-like organ in its head, crawls from beneath a stone & rapidly grows in size until it's as large as a Labrador. Uldir whispers to it in Dwarven for a moment, and with a clack of its mandibles the creature skitters into the chamber ahead.
Do I know anything about weaknesses, resistances, and the like?
"The creature Crel describes is likely a Basidirond, a fungal creature that causes hallucinations with its spores. Once Uldir's fire beetle finds the creature, if it is not in our path, we should see if we can sneak by it."
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Arianna moved up to the lip of the cave as Uldir sent his beetle forward. She had drawn her rapier once more and now attempted to peer beyond the edge of the cave wall into the room ahead where the Basidirond was supposed to be quietly. "If it makes it in there safely I will follow behind to ensure the path is clear. She whispered back to the group.
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[spoiler=Kendren]Sorry, but given that Basidironds are plant creatures, so it's not something that is part of your special fields of study, and that I already gave you a bit of information (with the spore-hallucination-thing), I'm inclined to say no.
With the beetle vanishing into the cavern, the group listens for any signs of combat, but nothing happens. Arianna, peering inside the cave, finds the bug situated at the top of a heap of ropy green fungus, obviously feeding on the plant mass. Next to it, two seemingly dead bodies lie motionless on the ground.
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Arianna motioned for the party to follow as the signs appeared that the room was clear. "Things look clear guys. The beetle is eating the plant so it is probably dead. There are also a couple bodies nearby." She informed the party in a whisper before taking tentative steps out into the cavern beyond proceeding directly towards the bodies and the creature itself. Once close enough she would carefully poke at the plant mass with her rapier while keeping her mouth covered just in case before going to inspect the bodies.
Still eyeing the plant-mass suspiciously, Uldir instructs the beetle to drag the bodies towards the group.
Okay. I wasn't sure if I actually had the requisite knowledge for the creature or not. Some funguses and molds are covered by Knowledge (dungeoneering).
Kendren stays back, alert and waiting to see if the creature did anything.
Iolaire moves to help the beetle with the bodies, extracting them to what she assumes is a safe distance before searching them thoroughly.
Rianne assists the others in keeping watch on the apparently-dead plant creature, and any other possible threats.
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When the beetle, assisted by Iolaire, has drawn the dead bodies out of the cavern, the paladin starts to search the bodies. Both are dressed as Crusaders of Iomedae, wielding glaives and a spiked gauntlet as weapons. One of them clutches something in his left hand, and as Iolaire forces it open, she finds a small symbol very untypical for a follower of the Inheritor; a brass bull head with tiny red gemstone eyes.
Alfred casually but alertly keeps an eye on the surroundings while the others search the bodies... also making sure that nothing is pilfered.
Perception
Casting a spell to detect magic, Kendren studies the scroll with arcane symbols on it.
"Hmm...I can't seem to decipher its writings. I have another spell I can prepare once we rest to read them, but I haven't prepared it today. Can any of you take a look?" He looks at the other members of the party, Rianne and Uldir in particular.
Peering over the kneeling paladin's shoulder at the holy symbol, Uldir lets out a hiss of sudden recognition & revulsion. "These were no true Crusaders, Lady Iolaire! That is the sigil of the demon lord Baphomet, the lord of beasts and labyrinths! Cultists of the Prince of Labyrinths down here cannot be a good sign--possibly a patrol from above? Or a safehouse hidden down here in the dark?"
Reaching out to take the symbol, he turns to the group's strange-looking new additions, holding it up so that all can see the vile device. "Please, friends, the ones these men served are the enemies of all. If you know anything about them I implore you to share it!"
Just as Uldir speaks Iolaire recoils from the symbol with a hissing sound like a angry cat. "Lord of Beasts indeed! His followers mock our Lady, cavorting with her chosen weapon and defiling all of her light!" Her wings, normally folded close against her spine, have flaired out, a deep bloody red in the dim light of the cave.
Stalking away from the bodies she sweeps up one of their glaives as she goes. "This weapon at least I will return to a true purpose!" She handles the glaive with a skill clearly born of practise, flowing through the classic forms with speed. It isn't long before her martial forms have softened, and flow more like a dance as she wheels through the space, glaive spinning like as extension of her arm.
Elise and Anevia stand together watching Iolaire, the little girls eye entranced. Iolaire continues dancing for some time, completely lost in the rhythm and emotions of her movement.
Returning to herself she helps to strip the cultists of their gear, weighing their armour with a practised hand. "This is excellent gear, light enough to let you move well but strong too. Uldir, Arianna, would this be any good to you?
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Comparing the finely-crafted chain shirts to her own leather armor was an obvious difference. "I believe I could make use of it." She said obviously considering the option and realizing she'd have to change in front of the party. She knelt by one of them and began to strip off the chain shirt and the accompanying padding that came with it. While Iolaire practiced Arianna would lift the chainshirt off of the corpse. "Not to sound too prudish..but does anyone have a method of cleaning the corpse off this?" She asked holding it up to the party. If someone did she would allow them too. Once done or if no one did, she would carry it back into the dark tunnel just out of the party's line of sight to change into the chainshirt.
Uldir glanced down at his own chain shirt--something he'd obtained from the armory after his long convalescence, not even dwarven made--and after another look at the dead cultist's to confirm the superior worksmanship, knelt to strip it from the corpse.
As Iolaire's dance begins, he glances around a bit uncertainly, but doesn't move to interfere. "Fire and Steel, you lot were good sports about my little ritual, no reason the good lady can't have hers," the dwarfs murmurs. Aware that little time remained, he motions his beetle further down the tunnel to investigate.
"Servants of the Lord of Beasts dressed as crusaders? Could they have infiltrated our ranks? Is that how they were able to catch us off-guard in the attack?" Kendren asks. The presence of these cultists worries him. Who knows how many are on the surface?
"I have a spell with which I could do so, but I did not prepare it this morning. I felt it wasn't the most useful spell for traveling through the underground," Kendren smiles ruefully, unable to assist Arianna at this time.
Extending a hand towards the scroll, palm upward, Uldir inquires, "May I?"
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"So it's true after all."
Anevia and Aravashnial speak simultaneously though the girl's voice is barely a whisper why the elf sounds nearly triumphantly. Both stare for a moment at each other, then it's Anevia again. For once, you were right, though I'd rather you were not. If the rumors are ture and the followers of Baphomet have invaded our ranks, I fear for the safety of our warriors and I fear for..." Her voice breaks and surprisingly it is Gwerm tapping her shoulder. "Now, now, calm down. If anyone's safe, it's Irabeth. No one cowardly enough to hide behind a disguise would even dare to come near enough to her to do her any harm."
"Yeah, yeah!" interrupts Aravashnial excitedly, earning him a deadly glance by the merchant, which he naturally can't even see. "Sure she's safe, but what matters more is that we finally have proof for what I told you all the whole time. We need to take them with us to show it to the authorities, they won't believe us otherwise."
"We don't know much about them being disguised." answers Lann to Uldir's question. "We have seen some of them exploring the world below, but we tried our best to stay away from them. But we already feared that they might not be the best bunch of people, as they allied with another tribe of the Sharouli, and a bad one at that. And if they're with our enemies, then we'd better nothing to do with them."
While listening to what Lann has to say, Uldir examines the scroll Kendren gave him. But he has no luck either and for the moment, it keeps it's secret.
Uldir growsl in frustrated anger, and for a moment it seems as though a second, deeper & more gravelly voice echoes his own. "No surprise to me that our forces have been infiltrated, this entire "Fourth Crusade" business was a disaster from the start. Our foes are immortal, with many able to change their forms or ensorcel mortal minds--and Lord Hulrun's damnable inquisitors are too bloodthisty and impatient to suss them out! And now the blasted Storm King has broken the Wardstone and--and!"
Sighing deeply, Uldir hangs his head and is silent for a long moment, fists clenched at his sides. When he finally speaks again, it's in a soft tone, and only one voice once more. "I fear that we may well be scrambling towards our last stands, friends. We've no clue who or what might be left in Kenebres..."
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Taking the scroll back from Uldir, he turns to Rianne and asks, "Would you care to try and puzzle out its secrets?"
Kendren is unsure who this Irabeth is that Anevia is worried about, but he is pleasantly surprised to see Gwerm consoling her. Perhaps the irascible merchant was becoming a bit friendlier, which could only make their journey easier.
He winces a bit at Aravashnial showing more concern over taking their guides to the surface world as proof of his theories than Anevia's concern for her loved one. Uldir's recitation fills him with some dread, as well - he could only hope Magda and the others on the surface were alright. The, he had an idea.
Going to Aravashnial, he says to him, "Master Aravashnial, Uldir is right about not knowing who or what may be left in the city above - or even if there are any authorities left for you to show them to. If things are as bad in Kenabres as that, we may need allies to retake the city. They are the descendants of those who fought in the First Crusade, and if they still hold to the Crusader's Oaths they swore, perhaps you could aid us in convincing them to journey to the surface as allies in our fight against the demons, instead of only as proof of your theory. That way, any who need to be convinced of your theory can be, and they will feel valued as allies, not as curiosities. It is best to make someone feel they are strong instead of weak."