As Rex made their situation clearer, Kel sighed. "Alright. Let's cross. I don't like it, but the alternatives aren't any better, and take longer."
Worst thing that could happen is I die, right?
Worst thing that could happen is everyone else dies, and you survive.
…right. You know for an angel, you're not very good at inspiring hope.
Hope is overrated.
Max peers over the edge into the chasm below. Maybe I should've stayed with the scholars in the library, he thinks to himself. He sighs, and steels himself for the journey. He knew that as much as he preferred to just take shelter, his magics would be of use here.
"Well, if we're crossing, what are we waiting for?"
Anevia drops herself down into the mud and muck below, using her crutch to break her fall in place of her bad leg. As she lands, the crutch breaks, sending her sliding down towards the center. When she comes to a stop she stands up as quickly as she can, favoring her good leg.
"I'm ok! Not how I planned it, but I'm ok. Now, the rest of you, lets get a move on!" she says as she starts limping her way forward.
Tina moves down.
The girl with the broken leg was the first one to jump? What is wrong with you people?
You want a list?
Kel jumped down landing near Anevia.
"You know we could have lowered you down with the scale, right?"
"Well then, I guess I've got nothing to complain about," says Max after seeing Anevia make her way down. Max awkwardly climbs down, clinging tightly to the sloped sides.
"I can't believe you're making me trudge through this filth..." says Horgus as he lowers himself into the trench.
"Ugh... The mud is filling into my shoes! Do you have any idea how much these cost?"
"Meh, I figured someone would have to take the plunge and I took it." Anevia says in response to Kel. "So long as I don't put too much weight on it, the splint should be good enough for my leg so it's not like losing the crutch will make me that worse off."
The thick mud that fills the trench makes it quite a hassle to cross, as each step sees you sinking in slightly and fighting to pull yourself free of the wet, sucking ground. But after just a minute or two you find yourself climbing the other side, emerging into a debris field not too dissimilar from the one you just left.
At the edge of the debris field, about 20 yards ahead, the way opens up significantly. While there is still visible destruction, and you can see a partially destroyed mansion belching smoke nearby, the roads themselves are mostly clear. The ground opens into manicured lawns and tree lined boulevards, signaling your entrance into one of the more wealthy neighborhoods of Kenabres. As the spacing between houses has grown the density of debris has been reduced in equal proportion.
"Gods that mud was horrible, well at least we made it."
Tina squelches along
"Went better than I expected, really."
"Definitely," agrees Max. He too has his bird familiar scout the way forward.
Astra and Meadow both take flight. Astra stays in a close circle overhead, while Meadow goes a bit further off into the distance.
"Well, Horgus, it looks like your neighborhood fared pretty well, all things considered. The park up ahead looks like it's pretty much intact."
Horgus tries to scrape the mud from his clothing using a piece of scrap wood that he picked up from the debris.
"Yes, well, that manor ahead has been destroyed. I can only assume that they left the park alone because it's not valuable. They were probably too busy causing real property damage to worry about a handful of trees and shrubs."
"It's awful seeing the devastation that these creatures have wrought to Kenabres. Let us hope your manor remains intact, Horgus." Max peers ahead, looking for things of interest.
After a few minutes, Meadow returns to Max, squawking "People! In the park!"
Max receives his bird and the news with delight. "Good! More survivors! Lead the way, Meadow." He encourages the rest of the party to follow Meadow's lead.
They might be cultists, so we better be careful.
Meadow takes back to the skies, staying low and flying as slowly as she can in order to keep within eyesight of the group. She leads you into the middle of the park ahead, and as you pass by a partially ruined mansion you begin to hear the rising, rhythmic cadence of a chant before it is abruptly cut off.
"Those aren't survivors!" Kel said breaking into a run towards cover to get a look at what the enemy numbers.
They're summoning something. I can't make out what. Listen closer.
"It's a summoning ritual," Kel said behind him towards his allies in a harsh whisper.
I can't make it out. It doesn't sound like a ritual I recognize.
Kel rushes forward, trying to get some eyes on the situation. As he reaches the front edge of the mansion he sees a frightful scene playing out before his eyes in the yard. Five cultists stand around a circle they've inscribed in the ground while a freshly slain body lies nearby. One of the cultists pulls a half-orc man from a group of bound prisoners and shoves him to his knees in the center of the circle. Meanwhile, a small, impish demon hovers nearby over a garden fountain.
Tina drinks her mutagen and becomes quicker (+4 Dex -2 Wisdom +2 Natural AC 30 minutes)
Bab for bombs/thrown +7
Reflex Bonus +7 Will save +1
AC 17/14/13
Kel and Tina should be able to see a tall unarmed halforc bound and gagged in the center of the circle.
Hmmph hmmmmmmph he struggles against his bounds unsuccessfully
Max calls once again on the Terendelev's scale, this time to aid Kel.
Following Kel's lead, "Hells more of these guys..."as he runs for cover. Rex separates from the rest of the party and attempt to flank the cultists.
Kel nods to the others and moves forward, hoping to get closer before the cultists spotted them, moving low and using the gazebo in front of them as cover.
Kel makes his way up to the gazebo, trying to close the distance without being spotted. However, as he moves the demon takes to the sky with a screech and two of the cultists see his approach and announce it.
"Another fool who wishes to die like the orc. Kill him!"
One of the cultists that spotted Kel draws and readies her glaive.
Lann moves up with Kel by the Gazebo.
"Well, here we go again."
Anevia moves forward, trying to get into a decent shooting position.
Tina moves to her new location