OK, since you have a rope, a plan, and the scale, you really don't even need to make climb checks to make this work, so I won't waste time on that. You get past the chasm.
You keep moving along eventually your tunnel comes to a circular cavern.
The odd new NPCs who are guiding you warn that the cave ahead is one they now rarely use, for it has become the den of a particularly dangerous fungal creature he calls a “spore-cougher.”
"I've never studied creatures that live underground. Anyone have any idea what it might be."
Tanrov tries to figure out what it could be with his knowledge of dungeoneering and monsterlore
"Maybe a basidirond.. and fungus creature that obviously spits out spores.. probably in a cloud like area effect."
Uelarik loads his crossbow. "Spore cloud? We'll want to kill this thing from a distance then. Let's take a look."
He follows the others into the next cave.
Molitor prepares by slinging his axe and readies his sling.
"Right so we better not breath it. Let's have at it." With that his tail hands him a chakram.
The tunnel opens into a circular cavern, roughly forty feet in diameter. Thick sheets of fungus grow in the cave, and several 8 tunnels branch off. All of these save one in the north wall lead downward; the northern one leads upward. What appear to be two dead bodies lie on the ground in the middle of the cave, next to a strange heap of ropy green fungus.
One of you Mongrely NPC buddies comments "Looks like they killed the spore cougher, but died in the attempt. We take the north tunnel if we want to move on."
I'll search em they may have something useful on them
Tanrov will move up and search the bodies, looking for and spores and such to avoid
Both men are dressed as crusaders of Iomedae, and each still wears a masterwork chain shirt. One of the dead bodies still carries a potion of cure light wounds, while the other has a scroll of cause fear in a pouch. Between the two of them, they also carry 189 gp.
Curiously, the crusaders are not armed with the longswords typically wielded by Iomedae’s followers, but instead carry glaives and a spiked gauntlet. Furthermore, the body on which the scroll was found clutches something tightly in his fist—a small symbol of a brass bull’s head with tiny red gemstone eyes.
What race are they?
Tanrov gets to stripping them of their chainshirts
"These are good make, much better than what i'm wearing.. anyone else want a chainshirt, a glaive and Iomedaen outfit or a spiked gauntlet? and then there's this bulls head symbol."
Tanrov throws the necklace to Xandarian.. "Mean anything to you?"
They are human.
"That's better protection than the leather I'm wearing, so I'll take the other shirt." Molitor says.
Xandarian looks down at the felled men.
"Poor bastard had a cure potion and died before he could use it. Shame."
The cleric catches the necklace and gives it the once over.
You realize that your knowledge check reveals the symbol to be that of Baphomet (a demon lord). Also the choice of weapons would indicate a follower of Baphomet as well. <DUN DUN DUN>
"So there are minions of a demon lord masquerading as worshippers of Iomedae .... that's not going to get confusing at all." Molitor says.
To Marcus Mcpunchface he says "If you see any dudes carrying big choppy glaives, punch 'em in the face."
|
"I was already going to, Molitatorus, it's part of the Guard's Code here in the city: "Glaive's are for pussies, demon whorshippers or hellknights. In any case, apply fist to the mouth area for good measure until justice has been served." recites Marcus from memory, a single manly tear being shed as he remembers the glorious Guard Corps.
"Onward!!!"
"So we have been invaded and infiltrated. We must be wary then. Yes friends, lead us on.", he adds to the mongrelmen.
After changing out his armour.. anyone want leather lamellar?
The Mongrelmen take you up the passage to the north. This goes for a little while till you come to a 20' diameter chamber with a stout stone door in the far wall. There's a number of Mongrelmen guards in this room, and seeing that their fellows are with you and on good terms, they greet the NPC Mongrelmen warmly and offer you formal greetings. Then the door is opened for you.
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.
Your Mongrelmen buddies lead you through town to the largest building atop the island's central peak. Therein resides the chief of the Mongrelmen- Sull. He is brought up to speed on the situation and he thanks you for aiding his people.
"Though I must ask topsiders, why are you down here in the caverns? We usually do not have much in the way of dealings with surface dwellers. "
Quick look around to make sure that nobody is holding a glaive, and if they are get them to drop it before McPunchface reacts.
"There was a demon attack on the city above and we fell down here. Do you have any news of how it goes above?", Kevin asks as he looks at the man and detects for evil on him.
You don't see any Mongrelmen with glaives. They are all wearing generic weapons with generic 'Friendly NPC' t-shirts on (since because the module, even though it sort of provides for you to get a less friendly reception that you did, doesn't bother to stat out the friendly Mongrelmen guards). .
Once Sull learns the source of the tremors that shook the tunnels and caused so much damage, he grows quite concerned. He and his kind, Sull explains, may be outcasts and freaks in the eyes of uplanders like the PCs, but their ancestors helped drive back the demons in the First Crusade. He wants the demons defeated as much as anyone who lives above, and asks the PCs if they’re willing to bring this message to the surface—that the mongrels will stand with the inhabitants of Kenabres to defend the city.
"We would be happy to bring the message of your people to those who remain above, they may have hard times ahead and could use your help in how to survive."
Spitting the loogy onto his shoe mid talk did not help his reaction.
Uelarik nods, "We would be happy to assist."
Any other bids? At least there was no loogy involved.
Molitor will stick out his hand.
"Damn glad to meet you Sull!" he says enthusiastically.
Some charm and no loogy.
"Excellent. We yearn to prove ourselves against the evil of the demon horde. "
Chief Sull nods sagely and goes on to inform the PCs that the nearest route to the surface lies to the south, but this exit is guarded by a tribe of mongrels who do not have the same opinions as those of Neathholm. In fact, this smaller tribe, a group he contemptuously calls “the traitors,” have consorted for some time with cultists. Chief Sull has ignored them, but that time has passed. If the PCs agree to destroy the traitors as they make their way back to the surface to bring word of the mongrel’s pledge to aid the crusade, Chief Sull promises them aid in the form of a small stash of potions (six potions of cure light wounds and three potions of lesser restoration). His own soldiers, alas, he cannot spare—he needs them to fan out deeper into the tunnels to gather the other mongrel tribes to Neathholm. Once they receive word that the crusaders above will welcome the crusaders below, the mongrels will be ready to rise up and help take back Kenabres.
"I think we can deal with demon worshiping traitors..."
Xandarian considers, "Not a bad deal, I suppose. Get rid of some demon cultist sympathizers, get a stache of helpful potions and allies in the fight against The Worldwound, plus the way back to the surface."
"I'm having a hard time finding a downsize", said the cleric, looking to the others.
A bit weary of messing it up.. again.. Tanrov says
Yes we can raising his earthbreaker in a gesture of strength
Well this is a town of sorts, so you have the ability to rest and purchase mundane equipment if you like before you set out on your murder hobo mission.
The cleric restocks his supply of what passes for trail rations down here.
Yes food would be great, following Xandarians lead Tanrov does the same and buys rations
The food down here is not exactly what you're used to, mostly edible fungus and cave fish.
Uelarik nods at Xan, "I was looking forward to killing more vermin, but I suppose cultists will be a nice change."
Before the mongrelman chief leaves, Uelarik will ask a question. "Chief Sull, is there an inn where we can rest the night?"
In town he will purchase 40 crossbow bolts and a large bag of edible fungus. "Mmmmm ... fungus."
There is an Inn of sorts. It's more of a tavern for the locals (not a lot of visitors to this town), but they are willing to let you camp out in the common room and sleep.
Tanrov buys 5 days worth of the food and then bunks down if all are decided to rest.
We spend the night in mole-town and get up refreshed and ready to murder cultists the next day.
"Which way to this nest of vile traitors?"
From the hamlet of Neathholm, the tunnel winds mostly in a southeast direction. It eventually constricts to a 5' wide passage (decide on your order).
Molitor and Tanrov will go first, followed by Marcus and Kevin, and finally Xan and Uel. Npcs trailing along behind Xan.
When it drops to 5', Mol looks at Tanrov and asks
"Wanna go first, or second?"
"First, I think my perceptive capabilities are superior"
If there is no room Tanrov switches weapons to klar (shield) and Cestus
Tanrov proceeds forward warily.
"Got yer back...."
The 5' section goes on for a while and opens up a bit
Barricades made of heaped loose rocks and wooden boards bisect this cavern. Beyond the barricades, a wooden screen covers the lower half of a tunnel mouth.
Beyond the barricade, oviously on guard are a bunch of mongrelmen with goatees (which obviously makes them EEEEVIL).
They see you when you see them, so init time.
But apparently they are really lousy guards and react slowly.
"Are you sure you guys are the best to be up front? If we run into trouble you'll be the first to be attacked. You are the best to find any traps though."
Sorry, people are already on the map, so we're going with that (as there was no comment for quite a while).
"That looks like trouble up ahead. Let's get them."