When they finally entered the next room, Stella assited Roscoe in checking the leftover items of the cultist but didn't seem to have any luck finding anything useful.
Moving on to the connecting hallway, Stella heard the muted roar with the others and tried to figure out what could possibly be the source. Unable to place it, she moved towards the knotted rope at the end of the space and sighing as commented to no one in particular "I guess we're going down again..."
Kokam stepped into the room and is brought up short by the sight of all of the animals arrayed on the shelves, "How strange. " she commented , before first going down the east hall to look down the shaft there...
...then returned to look up the ladder...
In response to Damon, she said, "I'm pretty quiet when I need to be, I'll check up the ladder first..."
As quietly as possible , she ascended the ladder and once getting to the top, peeked over the edge...
"What's up there Kokam? See an exit anywhere?" Stella asked quietly once the Monk had made her way up to the top of the ladder.
OOC: I would assume that Kokam comes down and shares the information so you can RP that without having to wait for such a post.
Kokam's eyes widen at the size of the rats in the chamber above, and she eases herself back down the ladder...
She looks at Stella and shakes her head in wonder, "Only two of the biggest rats I've heard tell of! Giant maggots and now giant rats!"
With a quick look back to make sure the rats didn't follow her back down, "But...no obvious exit. There is another passage to the east. I'll check the rope..."
She eases her way onto the rope, using hands and feet to maintain her grip as she descends...
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Damon nodded at Kokam’s description of the room above the ladder, then moved slowly over to within a few feet of the ladder with his sword drawn in case the rats decided to come down for a visit while the agile monk was checking the rope downward.
OOC: I think there may be a passable exit in the cave above, Kokam, in case you missed that...
She eases her way onto the rope, using hands and feet to maintain her grip as she descends...
The shaft dropped 40 feet down to one of the underground rivers that flowed below Kenabres that the mongrels used as a source of food and water.
The river itself extended to the north and south, but the ceiling dipped down below the water level in both directions...
For a moment or two, Kokam hung above the swift waters of the underground river, enjoying the coolness of the air and the sound the water made as it slid by against the rock walls. Closing her eyes, she let the sound block out all that had happened to her, allowing the moment of calm to settle her mind.
Opening her eyes, she looked upstream and downstream and saw that the river offered no avenues of escape. She pulled herself up and returned to the others, "The rope leads to an underground river...there is no exit that way. We must deal with the rats..."
"Splendid! More monsters..." Stella chimes in sarcastically. "Well since we need to get past them one way or another, I can distract them a bit with my magic so that we can sneak past or get the jump on them before they discover us.
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After speaking with Stella, Damon said, ”It seems like we are going to need to confront the rats in their lair. I can go first, but I would lose us the element of surprise. Kokam, you were quiet before...if you go first, perhaps I can quickly follow? Or perhaps Roscoe, you have a trick or two up your sleeve to help out here?”
OOC: I intend to move things along today so give me some sort of idea of how you are going to approach the rats.
And don't overthink it. :)
Questions?
Game on!
Kokam nodded in agreement with Damon's plan , "I'll go up first..."
As before, she carefully climbed the ladder...
She peeked over the edge, and saw that the rats were unaware of her return. With a quick look down at Damon , who waited below, she leapt up and slashed at the nearest rat...
However, she caught her toe on the lip of the shaft, causing both of her strikes to go awry!
"Oh those are gross." The halfling moved into the room away from the rats behind Damon and crossed to where he could get a somewhat clear shot at the rat with his sling. Striking the one between Kokam and Damon.
COVID test negative but I'm still in bed. Give it another 2-3 days.
Stella followed Roscoe up the ladder and was equally revolted at the creatures they were about to face. Conjuring a ball of flame in her hand, she threw it at the nearest rat but it managed to scuttle away from her attack before it struck.
OOC: not enough posts to recap. :( However, I'll roll some dice and move things along tomorrow.
Questions?
Game on!
...Famon is just waiting for his turn. I think Kokam was wanting to use her previous rolls for her turn, though she missed. Does that make it the rats’ turn?
OOC: No, I let Kokam attack in the 'surprise' round so she's up again.
And I know Damon is waiting... so am I... :)
Questions?
Game on!
Kokam gathered herself, observed the two rats nearby closely, realizing just how fast they were.
Equally as fast, her spear struck out at one of the rats..
....she hit it twice in rapid succession, the rat squealing it's displeasure.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
, hit
, hit
, hit
Seeing the others wounded and himself unscathed. Roscoe drew his rapier and moved forward to attack the rat filling the space between Hall and Kokam. "Ha ha. How you like that cheddar . . . its sharp."
He looked back for a split second toward Damon and Stella, "Yeah that on was bad."
Again the rodent's speed surprised Kokam! Momentarily satisfied in dispatching one of the vermin, one of the others struck quickly and scored a burning bite on Kokam's ankle. With a grimace, she snarled, "Die you dirty thing!" striking out with her spear...
...but the searing pain in her ankle altered Kokam's balance, throwing off her attacks.
Seeing the remaining rat on its last legs, Stella conjured another orb of fire and launched it at the creature hoping to finish it off.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
, fail
, hit
, miss
"I don't think anyone of us are any worse for wear." she'll reply back, "Though if any of you were scratched, we may want to make sure you're not infected with a disease or become some sort of wererat!" she jokes. Remembering that Kokam and Stormbrow were both bitten by the beast, she went over and took a closer look at each of them. While Kokam's wound seemed fine, Hallvarðr's though seemed to be showing signs of some sort of reaction. Becoming slightly more serious, "Roscoe, can you take a look at this? I think he shows signs of a reaction though I don't know how serious.
"Well its definitely something." The halfling looks at the wound as he thinks out loud.
OOC: no time to recap today but plan to move things along tomorrow afternoon.
Questions?
Game on!
OOC: yes, it's a filth disease and needs curing (magically or naturally but it may take a couple of days if done naturally).
Questions?
Game on!
"Well the good news is you will still be free to enjoy a full moon with out growing whiskers. Though you will have a mean rash."
The halfling gets out his waterskin and rinses the wound and cuts a strip off of his blanket to bandage it. "That will hold ya. Keep it clean. Unless anyone can cure diseases its gonna clear up in a few days."
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Damon's ears peaked up when he heard Roscoe's diagnosis. He took a look at the wound and said to Hallvardr, "If it is not cleared up by morning, I can request divine aid once I have renewed my prayers tomorrow. For today, I have exhausted my ability to call on Iomedae's healing during the battle with the lead cultist."
Turning to Kokam, he added, "Perhaps we should scout the way ahead and see if it leads to more of the cultist complex or perhaps takes us out of here towards the surface." Damon appeared to be ready to move on, as long as the Ulfen warrior could bear up under his wound for the moment.
"Thank you, Stella" Kokam said, after Stella had looked at her rat bite, glad it was not infected despite the sting.
She nodded at Damon's suggestion, and after moving her foot around a bit, ventured down the corridor the extra rat had appeared in...
Hallvardr was unconcerned by the bite. He'd had infected wounds before... what Ulfen warrior hadn't? It was good though to have allies steadfast and true.
I'd raid with any of them, he concludes silently with a feeling of contentment. He knew that he was doing now what Gorum would have him do and fulfilling what bought him here to this place. It inspired him.
So the blighted ones do not know we come? You and I could sneak up and start the fun before they could rise, and our friends charge in behind.
He lays out his plan with enthusiasm to Kokam, his own elation contagious.
Kokam smiles and nods at Hallvardr's enthusiasm, "Come, you take the one on the left..."
Roscoe smirked. "My god ran the hazard for the Starstone on a drinking binge. I've no qualms about about a blind side shanking."
"Works for me." Stella replied as she re-strapped her buckler to her arm. She then stood behind with Damon & Roscoe as she waited for
Hallvarðr & Kokam to make their moves.
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"Sneaking up on them like assassins, are we, boy? What happened to nobility and honorable combat with the..." the whispered voice in his head cut off like a switch as he unsheathed Radiance. Still, its words gave him pause. Damon spoke, "Perhaps I should give them a chance to surrender first, then we engage them in battle should they decide to fight to the death."
Hal's feelings of wellbeing soured slightly.
They're a watch post in this demon worshipping warren. We don't really want them yelling for allies friend Damon. They aren't shackled which means they're demon worshipers or their allies.
The Ulfen sighed then mentally seemed to shift gears with a great effort as his forehead furrowed.
I could try the flat of my blade... but know this. If they draw my blood or that of Kokam? They get the edge, he said in an attempt to be accommodating but with a grim note of finality at the end.
He loped into the tunnel after a Kokam... swearing under his breath. The muttering echoing faintly along the passageway.