"Could be they are just filthy infiltrators. The cult does do that." spitting he presses his symbol of Torag against the brass bull head
Does the symbol leave a mark? Guessing if it is DR 7 or higher it won't. Morgrym will take this as a sign it is protected by evil and destroy it. If it does become marked he'll accept it is just a holy symbol and stick it in a bag as proof.
is there enough left of the 'Crusaders' to identify them? Symbols perhaps? He'll want to report infiltrators when they returntopside.
After a minute Morgrym raises his symbol, showing the faint mark of Torag upon it.
"Well - not a match for Torag's power. if we may need it as proof, let's put it in a bag. I just wish we could take these traitors' heads with us so easily."
Anevia lets out a sigh or relief, "That's one less thing to worry about. I hope Irabeth is okay..." she trails off.
A small, dark lake ripples in the center of this two-hundred- foot-wide cavern, the walls and ceiling aglow with thick sheets of luminescent fungi. In the center of the lake, over two dozen low stone buildings cluster on a rocky one-hundred-foot-wide island. Lights glow in the windows of the buildings, giving the settlement an almost welcoming look. Rafts made of mismatched planks of timber bob along the length of a crooked pier at the lake’s closest shore.
Two Mongrelmen stand guard but allow you to pass with Lann next to you. Lann escorts you to the center of the village and into a large hut. Sitting there is a fat mongrel man with rat features on his face. "Lann you have returned, and with company. Tell me strangers, who are you? Are you from the surface world?"
Morgrym prods his brother forward.
"You're up."
Greeting, I am Nossac. We do indeed come from the surface. We have been trapped down here for two days since the city above was attacked by an army of demons.
And I am Andlat, We request your assistance getting back to the surface, we fear the worst has happened up there and if that is so, we need to get in this fight. I do however has a question, why do you call yourselves Mongelmen?
"Mongrelmen is the name those of the surface world gave us. Your kind fears our kind." he stops and scratches his chin. "Our ancestors battled the demons that you now fight, and that war cursed us to the monsters that the surface believe us to be, but we are not monsters. Rest in our village tonight and return here in the morning, we have much to discuss."
Crel and Dyra escort you to a large hut on the edge of the village and motion for you to enter.
Once inside Horgus speaks up, "Nossac, I agreed to trust those three! Now we're staying in their village at their mercy?"
Anevia turns to Horgus before Nossac can answer, "Horgus stop! These are the children of crusaders! Show them some respect!" She turns to the rest of the group, "If we play our cards right, do you think we could recruit them to the crusade? Even if they won't march on the worldwound with us, maybe we can take back our city with their help?"
Nossac will be detecting Evil as they walk throughout the village.
I don't think it would hurt us to ask. They have shown nothing but hospitality, and more soldiers would be helpful in retaking the city. If not, it might be in our interest to lift the curse that was placed to try and let them re-enter society.
Nossac Turns to Horgus and gently speaks to him in a calm voice.
Where would you like to stay? These lodgings are much better than anywhere else we might find on our own. On top of that, if the village is attacked, I am sure they know how to handle themselves. I feel that your fear is logical, but the fact remains that we need to make more allies than enemies if we are going to make it out of this alive.
Nossac places a reassuring hand on Horgus's shoulder.
Just in case you are right, I will make sure to keep watch for as long as I can. Rest easy, for I feel tomorrow's conversation will provide much needed insight into the mystery surrounding these creatures.
Morgrym points out one of the dwarfish featured mongrelmen and speaks quietly to Horgrus
"That one has a trustworthy look about him. Not all that lives under the ground 's evil. Judgin' on looks, well tweren't such a good thing when Dwarf 'n' Man first met, and now we're fine allies."
"Hmph! Fine, you watch throughout the night!"
The next morning Lann is standing in your doorway, "Chief Sull is ready to see you, whenever you are ready to go." Lann will wait for you to do anything that you need to do. Go ahead and prepare spells and adjust your HP according to your nights rest.
When you arrive in Chief Sull's hut he stands and opens his arms to you, "Welcome back surfacers! I trust you are well rested? Lann has reported to me what you did for us, we are forever in your debt," he sits and motions for you too sit on the floor in front of his chair. "Your journey back to the surface is not over yet, in order to reach your home again you must pass through a tribe of mongrelmen traitors. They have sided with the worshipers of some demon. Our ancestors fought against the demons and these mongrelmen have betrayed them as well. Lann will show you the way to their lair. Please, I know you have done much for us already by saving Crel, but I must ask one more thing of you. Destroy this tribe of traitors. If you do this, Lann will travel to the surface with you and act as an ambassador for us. We will join your crusade. What say you to this?"
As soon as rest is available Morgrym pulls off his new chainmail, folds up like a pillow and is asleep before his face hits the maile.
He awakens in the morning groggy but refreshed, with a fine imprint of the links on the left side of his face.
He prays to Torag for guidance and help - happily including anyone who wishes to participate and ensuring the 'Mongrelmen' can see what he's doing.
Finally, awake and once again armed with Torag's blessings he prepares to face the new 'day' so delightfully far below the burning sun.
He nods sagely at the chief's offer
"Oh lad, 'tis a sad thing to have your kin turn to evil like this. I can't see how I can refuse; 't might be this is why Torag ha' sent me down here to ye."
Hegron nods - "You can be assured we will assist you on this - we do not yet know what has come to pass on the surface, but the possibility of enlisting your alliance, as well as dealing a blow to these treacherous ones, is something I welcome wholeheartedly" - the man addresses the Chief.
"Is there any information regarding their numbers and overall defenses that you could provide us?" - he adds.
Chief Sull shakes his head, "I am sorry bearded one, I cannot leave my city defesless with the traitors alive, and I cannot predict a number of soilders once they are dead. I have already sent out messengers to bring the rest of the tribes together to march o nthe surface, but it will take several days. Feel free to use Neathholm here as a place to rest as long as you need. There are some magicial items we have found or are from our decendents, and we can do some tradning as well with you."
Nossac awakes refreshed and greets the messenger in the morning. He says a quick prayer and watches over the others as they get ready.
He looks upon the city as they travel and is intrigued by the sights.
Nossac nods when the others confirm that they would indeed take the mission, and he glances at Anevia to see how she reacts to the events that unfold.
He awaits the others questions to be answered, and chimes in only if he feels something was missed.
"We might want to leave the wounded here while we fight. F'r now though... Hegron lad, come here."
"Oh, and I could try cuttin' down that maile we found into a shirt - if we've the time."
Sull continues, "As for their numbers I cannot be sure. Even though some of them have fallen in battle against us, the reinforcements of the surfacers are unpredictable."
"Whenever you are ready to go," Lann says.
We may be interested in some of those items, let me see what we have to trade. Andlat will pull out the unidentified scrolls and potions and try again.
Chief Sull, We found these potions and scrolls in the caves, but I cannot identify what they do, do you have anyone in your village who would know such things?
We also have this Marble Statute. Would you be willing to purchase it from us?
"I can not speak for the village, someone may want to trade for that statue. As for the potions and scrolls, perhaps Seer Opoli can help. Lann can take her to you."
"Welcome surfacers," Opoli says as Lann begins filling her in. "Very well, I will take a look."
"Andlat, I'm thinkin' if these folk are gonna join up, p'raps they could bury the crusaders - y'know, where we fought the damn maggots. I doubt those folk'd mind if they're gear was used to kill demons, 'specially if they've bin given a d'cent burial." Morgrym speaks quietly to his brother; but no so quietly that others cannot hear.
Opoli gets a worried look on her face when she sees Hegron, "My dear, you are sickened by some poison! Can you not feel it?" she lays hegron down and casts a spell on him before he can say anything. His breathing slows and he falls into slumber. "There that should slow the poison while I work to heal him. I'll keep him safe here, you four do what you need to do"
As Lann leads you through the tunnels you hear a group of high pitch squeaks coming from the tunnel ahead, and a mass of rats runs down the tunnel and right pass you. As they run though, some of the rats stop and stare at you standing in the tunnel, they hiss.
Nossac fires an arrow at one of the dire rats.
Which flies wildly past it.
Out if the way you pesky vermin
Andlat Casts acid splash and tosses it at the nearest rat
Nossacs arrow flies too far, but Andlat's acid hit it's mark.
One rat rush around the cavern and go for Morgrym.
The second rat aims for Andlat, seeking revenge for the acid.
"Aargh! Get out of the way ya' daft vermin." Morgrym swings wildly with his axe, like a housewife using a broom to chase away a terrier.
Nossac fires an arrow at the rat closing in on Andlat.
Foradass moves to kill the last rat, with Andlat right behind him
Both miss, and the rat turns on Andlat again,
"Not me brother!"
Morgrym strikes home
Morgrym brings his axe down on the last right
As the finial rat dies, the source of the rats appears.
You hear heavy footsteps from around the corner. A dark, raspy voice is heard."Come here you rats, the cat is here".Suddenly a smallish person in scale mail runs around the corner. You have the impression if she exhales, she would vanish behind the shield she is carrying en guarde. It is a well used one, with the symbol of Iomedea painted on it.
"Oh my sorry. Didn´t know some honest folks would be here." Slowly the shield is lowered, but she still seems wary. But upon seeing the armor of the elf, she finally lets the shield sink. One can see that also her armor is engraved with symbols of the iomedean faith.
"Hello and sorry for the rats. I was looking for a way up und somehow the rats ran from me. You can call me Mitleid"
Um, Hi. I didn't know anyone else was done here besides the natives. How did you end up here?
Andlat does not put his scythe away. She could be the one they spoke of, controlling the other tribe. The bodies we found were dressed as worshipers of Iomedae, she could be one of them
Perception check on her gear, specifically looking for spiked gauntlets, a glave, or a hidden symbol
No spiked gauntlet, no glaive. Very hard to hide a polearm. :-)
"I was standing at the placa, hoping for a day of peace, waiting for the speech of my superiour. All seemed well when suddenly all hell broke loose. I remember falling, falling down. But somehow I survived and woke up in this area. In the last days, I tried to find a way up to the surface."
"I dunno. Possible. Could be a trick though, I s'pose. 'Fore we found those traitors I would've trusted an Iomedan."
Nosaac will cast detect evil, "Nothing" he states to the party.
"Well, how did you fare down here? And... did you find a way out?"
Still looking for a way out. Looks like you are in the same boat as us. I assume because you are asking you have not found a way out yet. What else have you encountered down here?
Nossac says without trying to put to much pressure on the Woman.
Mitleid answers: "So far nothing much! But I want to find my way up as soon as possible. The destruction, the people, they will need everyone!"
She appreciates Nossacs gentleness with a little smile.
Where are my manners? I am Nossac.
He says with a bow.
You are welcome to tag along with us, safety in numbers and all that.
"And I gladly accept! Maybe you can tell me abit about the people, who travel with you? We can talk more about the other things tonight, when we camp."
"Aye? Well, the proverb says that a good Smith only uses t' file where t' metal's rough. If the Gods of Evil are doin' sumpin' 'ere, makes sense t' Gods of Good would throw us a bit'a'luck. Welcome then lass. Me name is Morgrym, and this is me brother, Andlat."
Lann emerges from behind a rock, where he dove when Mitleid appeared, "Very well but we should hurry."