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Happy that danger had been averted, Turt turns to the rest of the group but stops any words when he realized they were all doing there own thing.
Turt turns to Rukzha, the only person he didn't really have good look at. His eyes are immediately drawn to her mask, and he openly stares "that's weird "
Athraz finishes the splint and aids Anevia to her feet, handing her the makeshift crutch. "Lady Espera would be far better at this than I am... but this should help some... I hope..." Athraz frowned as Alekto ventured into the dark. "Take great care! You are not humble - your life means a great deal. I would be hurt if I failed to save the few under my direct protection."
...failed. I could not even protect the lone soul I was supposed to watch over. Now I have a whole city to watch over, and already, I am unable to do so. Some dragon I am... As he takes one of Terendelev's scales in hand, however, a sense of calm washes over him. "Cloudwalking... even in her death, Terendelev is teaching me. One step closer to becoming a true dragon..."
As Alekto goes down the path on the right she sees a ledge with a backpack hanging off of it. The backpack looks to be of fine make and has some weight to if however it is high up and she isn't sure if she would be able to get it (requires a climb check). After venturing a lttle further she sees that the path she' on now seems to merge with another path. At this point she decides that she has ventured far enough and doubles back to report her findings to her allies.
After informing them of what she sees she travels down the next path and sees 2 giant cockroaches. As they come into view the cockroaches seem to know where she is somehow. They don'r attack on sight but they seem to be on guard as the new potential threat enters their field of vision.
As Alekto doubles back (I assume) the two cockroaches seem to leave her alone and go back to whatever it was they were doing and Alekto informs her companions as to what she saw. Alekto can guess that the path she saw merge with the first cave is connected with the second cave she went into but she doesn't know for sure.
The ranger pauses for a moment before turning her head to look over her shoulder.
"Alekto," she says softly before going ahead and seeing what is there.
Alekto looks up at the ledge and the wall leading to it. She sighs and shrugs off her pack before gently placing it on the floor and attempting the climb.
The first attempt, she gets a little ways up before her hands slip and she falls on the ground, landing on her rear rather hard. After nursing her pride for a moment she tries again, this time with a little more success.
Trying as you might even with a 15 you're unable to get to the top of the ledge and get the pack. You got about 3/4 of the way up though.
"Cloudwalking? What's that? Some kind of flying? That might be useful if we need to reach something high. For example if we need to climb up a tunnel going straight up to get back to the surface. Since there are creatures down here there should be a way back out at least which is reassuring." Rukzha comments as she waits for Alekto to return. "It feels like a waste to wait around here when we could instead be moving towards the surface, but I guess it's safer this way."
She was almost there when her feet lose their grip on the wall and she finds herself falling to the ground again with an oof. After catching her breath, she tries again, this time determined to succeed.
When she emerges from the right tunnel, Alekto is nursing her pride and a few bruises. She does mention the pack, but doesn't elaborate on what took her so long.
When Alekto mentions the pack Rukzha laughs silently before saying. "Funny that you mention something high up. We were just talking about what the scale Athraz picked up can do. Maybe we can use the scale to get the pack down? You should pick up a scale too Alekto, who knows what it can do?" Rukzha says to the returning scout and motions to the scale.
After taking a scale, and learning it's power. Alekto just shakes her head and laughs.
"Well, it also seems to merge up ahead, other than that, it's safe. I'll just check the next tunnel and see where it goes."
Alekto comes back, checking behind her every few seconds.
"It seems that this tunnel merges with the other, but there's a couple of big roaches up there. I think it might be better to go around, but I don't know if the roaches will stay there or come after us."
Rukzha nods in agreement. "Well, if they aren't harming anyone nor hiding anything that can help us I don't see much point in going out of our way to meet them. There was nothing else of interest with the roaches, correct?" She tosses a final look down at the lifeless head of the blond boy before straightening and starting to walk towards the tunnel Alekto indicates. She doesn't shed a tear. She has been through enough awful things that she's somewhat numb to it and she is still in high alert after the events of the plaza and the recent battle that she doesn't have time to be sad. "I guess it's time we'll move along then. First this backpack you saw then down the tunnel eh?"
"In a sense, yes... levitation is more accurate, but it's more than I can fly on my own. I'm betting I can reach the pack with it. Only one way to find out, right?"
Athraz will aid Anevia and Aravashniel in moving forward along the path Alekto points out to be the one with the pack. Once they get to the indicated point, Athraz will pass the pair off to others and use his scale to cast Cloudwalk so he can move up and reach the pack before bringing it back down.
Selene slips her scale into her pouch, still seemingly deep in thought. She follows the others.
By levitating up and grabbing the pack you obtain a Masterwork Backpack, that contains 10 days of trail rations, a flint and steel, a set of caltrops, two flasks of oil, a bundle of 12 arrows, a potion of cure light wounds, and a potion of lesser restoration.
As you continue you are certain that the path that connects to the one you're on leads back to where the roaches are. continuing there is only one more path forward. as you take the cave it seems weathered but is rather stable. As you proceed you find 2 vipers.
Alekto takes up her bow and lines up a shot on one of the vipers.
The arrow flies true, sticking in the viper.
Alekto, hearing Turt speak up, lowers her bow and relaxes the string, but remains wary in case the vipers decide not to listen to the man.
Turt seems to calm the snakes so that they no longer wish you harm. As he continues to interact with them they seem to warm up to him and it appears that they won't attack you in fact you feel as though if you were to come back to this room you would have allies in these snakes.
As you continue down this corridor (the only option) for what seems like 25 or so minutes (assuming you are moving at 15ft per round because of Anevia's broken Leg) you come across what looks to be a religious shrine (make a knowledge religion check to recognize the religious symbol over the door) As you look at the door to the temple you see that it is weathered and the top of the door frame appears to be resting heavily on the door you feel that you can move it if you want but it would require some effort (a DC 20 Strength check I will allow 2 people to work together as per aid another to open the door).
There is another passage way you could take and completely circumvent the temple if you choose.
Anevia takes Alekto up on her offer for some arrows swearing to pay her back in full for her kindness and she also apologizes to the party for the inconvenience of her leg.
"No need," Alekto says to Anevia, "as for any inconvenience, well, you could always make it by helping to keep our spirits up. Surely there's been a time or two where things have gone hilariously wrong, or even hilariously right," she adds with a chuckle.
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Seeing the temple, Alekto wonders how long it's been down here, and how long it's been since someone used it. Still even if it had been abandoned for a long time, there might be something useful inside that they could use.
"Turt, right? Can you help me open the door? Even if this place has been abandoned, there might be something useful inside," Alekto asks, shouldering her bow.
On the first attempt to open the door, Alekto loses her footing and winds up belly flopping onto the ground.
"Ow," she says in a small, almost squeaky voice.
Selene steps up as Alekto falls back.Here, I'll give it a shot. Selene braces carefully and heaves.
Athraz stares up at the giant holy symbol on the front. He's seen it somewhere...
...but for the life of him, he can't recall what it is! But he had a bad feeling about what was on the other side. Stepping forward, he braces to push up against the door. "Let me see if I can't... ASSIST!" he said, before heaving himself into the hefty stone.
"Well, that's certainly a better showing than I managed," she says to Athraz, Selene and Turt as she picks herself up and dusts herself off.
"With it stuck like that, I don't think there's anything to worry about, but better safe than sorry," she says, taking her bow in hand and sneaking through the now open doors. Her eyes, thankfully unseen by the others glow a cherry red in the dark.
"Yeah, let's investigate, there might be something there. At any rate we might learn something. I do remember the symbol though, I'll try to better remembering things in the future." Rukzha says with an eager nod, though she does not move to help with the door.
As you enter this small room you see: "A stone bench lines the southern wall of this chamber. At the far side of the room, a basin of water sits atop a stone pedestal. A stone door engraved with an image of a hammer stands to the north." This small antechamber has little in it however as you enter it you notice Anevia to have a weird reaction.
"Ah damn it can we stop for a bit? My leg is killing me I need to rest before I can continue"
While this statement is true there seems to be more to it than that
Alekto is able to determine that Anevia does seem to be in pain from her leg this temple seems to cause her some type of longing and worry as well.
" Frail woman slowing us down maybe we should just carry on without her...
Horgus seems to want to get out of this underground badly but there seems to be something else as well causing his anger for Anevia.
Selena and Atheraz seem to get the idea that Horgus was wronged by Anevia at some point on the surface in the past.
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"it's fine, we can stop if you wish...we will be no use to the fight above if we're tired."
Before Turt moves besides Anevia and begins to assist her in finding a rest spot, he turns to Horgus ands says with a even tone
"I would appreciate it if you refrained from comments such as that, we can't start infighting right now..."
Athraz recovered from his failed push at the stone door and returned to help Anevia move along. Guiding her to a bench to let her sit down, he helps her to her seat before turning to investigate the chamber. 'I will have to remember this place... perhaps I could come back and clean it up, turn it into a temple to Apsu. It IS far from the sun, so other kobolds could worship here without the glaring rays...'
His thoughts interrupted, Athraz turned back to the bickering duo of Anevia and Horgus. He quirked a brow at the noble as he folded his arms. "No. We will not be leaving anyone behind. I am the new dragon of Kenabres, and I will not fail in my duties." The kobold looked back to Anevia, still quirking a brow as he spoke. "However, if you two have any past tensions that will be a problem in the future, I suggest you air them now while we have nothing after us. I'd rather find out now that someone used to side with the demons or really does know where we are than in the middle of battle, when I can't address it properly."
Rukzha puts on her mask finally. It's a terrifying sight, it looks alive and terribly wounded, glistening as if the wounds are fresh and it's locked in a horrible scream. "Horgus, if you are so eager to abandon your companions, maybe you are the one we should leave behind? Play nice or it won't be very nice to be you. Now let's check out this place. I wonder what that basin is. Let's go check it out." Rukzha starts chanting gutturally.
"Ŝ͕̘̗͓̺͔͂̈ͅh̡̭͓̗̋͌ͅo͍͔̟ͧ̉̍ͥẁ̸͕̬̱̰͎̜̥ͣ́̂ͨ̌̕͜ ̵̹͎̞̦ͦͬ̅ͥ͛ͧͨ̈́͘͜m̢̱̰͍͉̺̯̥̞ͣͯ́̅́̔͛͡e̗̳͔̜͇̼̥͈͈̍̉ͣ̓̊ ͍̱̞ͥ͛̐͠w̻̼̲̲͖͈͌ͯ̔ͩ́̾̃́h̶͙̰̣̘̫̟ͯ͌͑̑̉̽̌͑̏a̡̤̫͎̜̲̥͎̋́̀t̤͕̘ͪ͒̎͌̄̾̀̌́̀'͇̘ͩ̅ͫ̌ͪ̚͠ ̣̝s͚̟̙̟̦͖͚͂ͣ̓̅ͥ̐ͨ ̜̦̼͂̚͟m͖͕̼̰̩͐͂̈́̈́͒̓ͯͨͥ͢ŏ͔͈͓͑̔͑͐͐̏̊r̸̆̏̉̆͑͛́̓҉̹̝̟͕̠̺e̜̦͙̭̔͊ͧ̕͢͡ ̶̥̯̙̞̰̮̮̦̒ͭ̾͌̀t̵̲͎̹͓̪͈̄͊͋̃̏̍̂͞h̶̻̦̦̻ͣ́̕å̼̬̘̰̩͔̯̳͐̃̆͛͗̇ͤͣ̕͠n̳̞̥̮͎̺͎̿ͫ ̭͉̤̫̘͑̎̀ͪͬͥ͗ͅm̤̞͕̑̔̑́ẻ͎̲̹͖͖̮̥é̘̮̭̝͖͕̙̑ͬ̕ṫ͔͙̾ͮ͗͘͜ͅş͍̩̟͇̗͛̀̈́̔̊͜͡ ̢̞̦̪ͦ̓ͪ̂ͩ̏̂́̚ṯ̤ͥ͢h̸̳̱̪̪̟̖̑͛͆̔̾̄̓́ͅë̵̩́ͮͯ́ͅͅ ̮͕̠̞̳̼̼̥ͤ͝ę̵͈̖̗͇̱͎̲̓ͩ̒ẙ̵̧̧̰̱͕̳ͧ̋e̫̺̮̤̝ͩ̽͠,͛ͪ̔̈͑҉̶̧̜̥̙̪̦̺͈̣ ̗͚̲̝͇̫̥ͬ́͜ẁ̴̷̜̦̻͊̓̌̔͒ͬ̐͟ḧ̵̨͓̞̙ͅä̪̱̦̫̤͍̟͊͒̃̀ͅt̶̶͎̺̃̔̑ͦ̀'͂̾̿͋̇̿̊҉̠̞̦̲̬sͨ́̚ ͚̊͢ ͛ͩ̍̽̿ͯͮ̍͐҉̷̷̝̮͚m͖̩̯̯̙ͩ̓̎́a͇̭̯̟̳̻ͨ́͆̇͑̊g̡̰̝͒͞ĭ̮̤̹̥͍̅ͫͦ̏ͬͨ̂͌c̱͈̝̲̀̈́ͭ̀ȁͤ̂ͮ̈́̔ ̴̬̱͡l͚͚ͪ̏̑͒͡͠͝ ̸̢̢̻͕̜̜͖̟̲̲̥̔͌ͮͯ̾͗ͪa̷̡̪͕̅͗͢n̖̖͑͆̋ͮ̑͊d̩̉ ̳̞̤̔̍ͪͧ̀͑́͘s̢̭̥̻̣̖͇͎͖ͥͫ͐͘͞ͅc͉ͥ̉̅̽ṛ̨̼̗̣̈̇͡y̨͎̖͔̤ͯͧͧ̀̓͠"
Selene is detecting evil, scanning the area. "Hmm..."
She draws her sword, carrying it at a modified port arms.
As the others check the basin, Alekto checks the door.
Alekto pushes the door open and takes a look inside.
"Anevia, can I borrow you for a second," she asks as she looks into the room.
"I wonder how long this has been here?" Selene speaks to no one in particular.
Horgus grumbles a bit before saying "Sorry about that Anevia I just really need to check on my house..."
"Yes what is it Alekto?" As Anevia follows the girl into the next room.
As you detect magic you find that nothing in this room radiates magic or evil.
Alekto as you eneter the next room you see: "Broken stone benches line this narrow room. The air is cold and stale, and thick layers of dust cover the floor, benches, and a large altar at the far end of the room. " you also see a skeleton sitting on one of the benches and as you enter and begin your dialog with Anevia but before anything of importance can be said it stands up and gets ready to attack. with your perception you are able to avoid a surprise round.
I'm going to opt to use the block initiative so everyone is giong to go before the Huecuva I will post orders as we get into more complex combats.
"What is that? It doesn't look good! Let's blow it up." Rukzha says as she starts rummaging through her pack and at lightning speed she puts together a mix of different ingeredients into a clay jar that suddenly starts smoking. She tosses it a the creature and as it impacts there is a fiery explosions and a loud bang. "Take that foul undead!"
"Is eve--" she begins only to be cut off as something dead begins to move like something alive.
"Uh, one moment. It appears that someone wants to cut in line," she says, a twinkle in her eyes as she draws her bow and nocks an arrow.
Alekto pauses for a moment to let the smoke from Rukzha's bomb disperse, then sends an arrow streaking for the thing's eyes.
The kobold bows, placing his palms together. "Master Horgus, I understand your haste. And we will get you there as soon as possible. But if we stick together, we have much better odds of getting out of--" Athraz stops as the sound of battle rings out.
Rushing to the side of his allies, Athraz readies his fists as he peers into the darkness. "What is that..?"