George starts tilting his head side to side while examining the gear. He motions to the crossbow, and the pile of potions. "There was not a spellbook, so perhaps a sorcerer. Or maybe alchemical formulas hidden someplace?" George keeps humming to himself as he starts a slow scan of the room.
"Sarenrae, I'm coming... huh? The bright lights they called to me." the groggy half orc mumbles as he rubs his head and slowly gets to his feet.
"What happened? Who is that dwarf? Does anyone recognize him? He's apparently a fugitive of some sort. We will have to return him to the authorities. We should wake him and find out what he knows of Horgus."
Once everyone is ready to continue, Coop will lift carry the dwarf with as they leave the chamber.
Searching, you find meager gear gathered near his camp, consisting of a ratty bedroll, a small pack filled with dried meat, preserved fruit, and some moldy cheese (6 days of rations), and a chipped 6-inch-tall marble statuette of a humanoid throwing a spear. The statuette is worth 75 gp.
The dwarf’s was also carrying a spellbook containing:
2nd—blur, fog cloud, invisibility, levitate, resist energy
1st—color spray, detect secret doors, grease, mage armor, magic missile, shocking grasp, silent image
0—acid splash, detect magic, ghost sound,
read magic
This book is worth 160 gp.
As Coop scoops up the dwarf, the group is able to press forward. A steeply inclined tunnel leads upward to the north, its walls lined with numerous nooks, handholds, and dozens of iron pitons that have been driven into the walls long ago.
The climb is uncomfortable, not akin to ascending a ladder. It's only about 60 feet, but the process is slow for Anevia. Even with the brace, her leg doesn't seem to want to cooperate. "Maybe I should head back to that temple and just wait. I'm sorry that I keep slowing you folks down."
"Don't be silly, we are mighty heroes! We can certainly get you to the top of this climb. One of us should climb first and secure a rope at the top to ensure against any accidents--and to make sure nothing is lying in wait for us up there. I am not the best climber, but I feel I am up to the task with all of these handholds."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"GREAT IDEA. MY SUPPLY OF ROPE IS CURRENTLY TIED UP--HA HA!--DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE SOME?"
"ALTERNATIVELY, FIRAS COULD PROBABLY CARRY YOU UP."
Coop waggles the unconscious dwarf, to demonstrate.
George nods his head in disagreement with the Anevia and and in agreement with Firas. "Absolutely not. If nothing else, it would prove that Horgus was correct and we should have left you yesterday. Then all our charges would be out of sight, instead of just the one."
Turning to Coop, "Fraid not. I try to know my limits. That hemp rope was just to much. Especially for an outing in the city. Heck, I only carried a few days rations, not the full week. I am just glad someone was carrying it. Would we rather cut up his bedroll into strips, and use the rope for the climb?"
Coop nods, and uses the dragon's scale to perform a little transmutation magic, his appearance shifting to that of an orc.
"DON'T BE ALARMED, DON'T BE ALARMED."
Coop lifts the dwarf up and begins climbing up the slope.
Firas is able to climb up without any difficulty. The handholds and pitons are placed at regular enough intervals to be roughly equivalent to climbing a ladder. He detects nothing evil nearby.
With that, everyone is able to climb up to the top and look around at yet more dark tunnels. This one now heads to the northwest. Walking for about 30 minutes, the tunnel opens up again. This time into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a dome-like chamber, but the walls and floor are riddled with cracks. At the center of the cave, a stone tower that may once have reached the fifty-foot-high ceiling has collapsed onto its side.
Everyone except Lyon notices that there are two creatures carefully and slowly digging at the walls of the fallen structure. As you get closer, you can hear them occasionally call out and a muffled voice replies.
"THEY'RE IN TROUBLE."
Coop rushes toward the fallen building.
"IS SOMEONE TRAPPED? DO YOU NEED HELP?"
Firas hurries alongside Coop, but he is careful to keep sweeping his radar around.
George turns to Lassandra, "Do you have any more uses of the levitate? It might be needed to get someone free." Then he starts to look around the cavern for places to tie off the rope.
As the group rushes forward, the two creatures scurry a few steps away from the wall and drop into defensive stances.
One of the pair is a hunchbacked woman, her face so warped by tumors that she’s incapable of intelligible speech. The other is a tall, thin creature with a face that melds the features of an attractive elven man, a goat, and a lizardfolk. His oversized fingers end in dull, spadelike talons.
Hearing Coop offer to help, the two relax slightly, but seem very cautious of the newcomers. They do head back to the wall, and quickly resume what they were previously doing.
"Our friend is trapped under the tower. We have been working for hours now to free him. This last part, well, if you are willing to help, we would be grateful."
Looking at the rubble you can see that there has been a section cleared out, though one large rock remains.
George eyeing it up is able to devise a plan to use a pulley system to lift it, though it will take several moments to set up. The mongrelmen are anxious to keep working instead of building something, and suggest if everyone tried lifting, that might be faster.
George keeps his face in neutral at the appearance of the others. Its not easy being green. Remember the 'pure blood' children and their taunts. I am certain they would get it worse.
Turning to the . "Haste is called for if you friend is hurt or there was a chance of environmental danger. My biggest worry is shifting rocks crushing your friends, or friends. I am getting better at judging my strength. Now, those two," pointing to Firas and Coop, "could probably handle it. I am just offering suggestions. They are your friends."
"OKEY-DOKEY."
Coop activates the scale again, turning into an orc once more.
"FEAR NOT! DON'T BE ALARMED!"
He turns and settles in to attempt to lift.
Firas is more hesitant than his companions as he approaches the strangely deformed creatures. With a squinty-eyed glare, he examines each closely with Detect Evil.
"What manner of creatures are you? You look to have the taint of the abyss," he says suspiciously, apparently oblivious to just how rude he's being.
Neither of the two detect as evil, though they seem slightly annoyed at the questions from Firas.
The two mongrelmen attempt to assist Coop and Firas as well.
With a great effort, the rock slowly begins to rise. Straining against the weight, it is lifted a few feet up. At that point, another mongrelman clambers out through the gap. Once clear, the other two help to lower it back down, but are eager to check on the well-being of their friend.
After making sure their newly freed ally is, at least mostly unharmed, the taller one approaches the group.
"We thank you for your help. I am Lann. Until recently, this outpost was..." He trails off for a moment, gesturing at the ruins.
"There was a quake that shook our lands, and destroyed this place. We couldn't leave until Crel was free. We called out, but it seems the others are lost. We will need to return to Neathholm."
George turns toward Lann. "Pleasure to make your acquantiance, under these circumastances. I am George, and the others are Cupradhal, Firas, Lassandra, Lyon, escorting Anevia and Aravashnial.
I am sorry for your loss. It appears the earthquake is the result of the the demon assault on Kenabres. There was an explosion, then the fight between Terendelev and the Storm King leveled a good potion of the plaza. The demon created a rift that is the most likely cause.
I am not familiar with Neatholm. Is this your settlement, and would you allow us to come with?"
Coop waves the thanks away.
"OH, NO PROBLEM."
He sits on a rock and takes a swig from his dwindling canteen.
"IS THERE A WAY TO THE SURFACE IN NEATHOLM?"
Lann listens to George's tale and then nods, "That sounds like quite the battle above. You are welcome to travel with us to Neathholm, uplanders are fairly rare down here. As for a way to the surface... that may be a bit tricky. Perhaps talk to our chief once we arrive.
Firas relaxes a bit after his test came back negative.
"I am sorry for your loss as well. How many others were in the outpost?" he says sincerely.
"We felt the quake ourselves. I fear that a great evil has awoken. The slow dripping leak in the roofof the Worldwound has given way and collapsed, and now evil rains down upon us unhindered! But fear not, cave citizen," he says as he climbs onto the ruins of the collapsed outpost, his voice increasing in volume as steps to a higher and higher point on the rubble, holding his scimitar aloft, "for I, Firas al-Adil, Sarenrae's right hand, shall be your raincoat!"
Breathing heavily he looks down upon the others, seemingly expecting fist pumps and cheers.
As the Paladin climbs up and gives his speech, the mongrelmen look on with slight confusion. As the speech wraps up, the ground gives a slow shake, that quickly builds in intensity.
George stumbles around as the ground shakes.
As the ground heaves and shakes, the heroes and civilians alike are rocked on their feet.
Aravashnial topples over, while Anevia keeps to her feet, though the effort clearly pains her.
Firas stays on the ground for several seconds, looking up the heavens like a scolded child looks at their parent. He rises to only one knee at first, and lowers his head in prayer.
Forgive my arrogance, my lady. I spoke out of turn. I know all glory is yours, and I am but your humble servant. I will tarry no longer.
Finally rising to his feet he pointedly ignores Lassandra's attempt at humor and suggests, "We should press on. Clearly things have grown unsafe as those quakes grow in intensity and frequency. Who needs aid? I am happy to help carry the injured."
"WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET GOING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THAT, BUT ITS NOT SAFE DOWN HERE."
Lann addresses the group. "These tremors are dangerous. If they were enough to damage this watchtower, I worry about Neathholm. We should hurry. Follow us."
With that, the mongrelmen hustle down a tunnel to the southwest. They start to outpace the group, but once they notice, they slow their speed to allow the heroes to catch up.
"How is it that you came to be down here in the first place? You said something about demons above and a rift?"
Aravashnial perks up at this. "Indeed. An invasion descended upon Kenabres. The Storm King has come once again to these lands. I knew something like this would happen again. I've been seeing the signs for a while now."
After walking for about twenty minutes, Lann signals for everyone to stop. Ahead, a wide chasm splits the tunnel floor. The floating rock dust in the air and the groans as the tunnel walls settle indicate that the tunnel split recently.
"This was not here a few days ago." Crel shakes his head. "This is bad. Very bad."
The chasm is 10 feet across, 70 feet wide, and 30 feet deep.
"HMM, THAT'S A REAL PICKLE ALRIGHT." he says, stroking his chin.
"LET'S SAY WE HANG A ROPE HERE, I CLIMB DOWN, CLIMB UP THE OTHER SIDE, AND HANG THE OTHER ROPE THERE. SLOWS US DOWN A LITTLE BUT SHOULD BE TRAVERSABLE."
He pauses.
"I'D HAVE TO UNTIE OUR FRIEND THOUGH." he says, motioning to the unconscious dwarf.
"KEEP AN EYE ON HIM. HE CAN GET UP TO ALL KINDS OF MISCHIEF IF HE WAKES UP." Coop waggles his fingers in a spellcasting gesture before untying the dwarf and lowering the first rope. He removes his armor as well and hands it to Firas for safe-keeping.
Coop activates his scale () and casts a spell before descending.
Once at the bottom, he moves over to the side of the chasm as quickly as he can and begins to climb the rock.
George will keep an eye on the dwarf, to alert Firas if he starts to awaken.
or maybe
Coop is able to scramble down and back up easily enough, while the others keep watch over the dwarf.
Firas shrugs as he sees Coop climb up on the other side without issue. He hoists the dwarf over his shoulder and then slowly rappels down. He takes a moment to look for any lurking surprises (or shiny goodies) while he's down there just in case.
If he finds nothing he again secures the dwarf on his shoulder and climbs up the knotted rope on the other side.
As the others cross, Coop curses himself for not turning into a sasquatch looks around with his new darkvision to see if anything interesting lies ahead.
Coop, Firas, and Lyon all gather on the other side of the chasm.
Anevia and Aravashnial seem reluctant to proceed. The elf calls out. "I may be able to help in this situation, but my spells are fairly limited currently."
Aravashnial casts Levitate on Anevia.
"Toss her a rope and she'll be able to get across, just tell me if she needs to be higher or lower."
Neither Coop nor Firas spot anything in the immediate area.
Coop helps direct Aravashnial in getting Anevia across.
"NOW YOU!"
Firas tosses Anevia the rope and reels her in. Then he uses the rope to climb back down and up the other side.
"Alright, wizard, I am going to carry you across. Are you ready?"