George nods to Lassandra as just the two of them are left. "Thanks for sticking around this long. Just give me a few minutes.
George then spends a few minutes taking off his armor, dropping both it and his shield to the surface below. "Can not risk it. A fall would most likely kill me. Once he gets to the bottom, he ties his gear to the bottom of the rope and climbs to the other side.
The mongrelmen use the ropes and follow the cues from the group to moves cautiously and take their time. With everyone across, they put themselves in front again and start leading everyone down more of the twisting tunnels.
"Let's hope that was the worst of it."
Roughly twenty minutes later they signal for a stop. Scowling at a portion of the tunnel that has collapsed.
"That was our easiest path to Neathholm. There is another, but it is rarely used. There is a spore-cougher in there. It might be dangerous, but with your help, together we could defeat it."
"Hmm, I dont like the sound of something called a 'spore-cougher.'" says the Paladin who doesn't have immunity to disease yet.
"But I suppose we don't have a choice. Lead on."
George listens carefully to the description of the creature.
"No clue, I guess we go with Lann's suggestion."
"YEAH I DON'T HAVE A BETTER OPTION. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS SPORE-COUGHER, FRIENDO?"
Coop goes to light another torch from his dwindling supply, but hesitates, holding a standard torch and a red-flame torch in his hands.
"HOW CLOSE WOULD YOU SAY THE SPORE-COUGHER IS?"
Lann considers for a moment. "Not terribly far from here, but it will be several minutes til we get to it's lair. It looks a bit like a giant mushroom."
Heading into the tunnel it takes Lann about ten minutes before he starts to look around nervously at his companions.
"We are nearly there. Everyone, be ready."
The tunnel opens into a circular cavern, roughly forty feet in diameter. Thick sheets of fungus grow in the cave, and several 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.
"Unbelievable. The creature is already dead. But who are these uplanders?"
"CAREFUL, FOLKS."
Coop casts shield before approaching the bodies cautiously.
George start tapping his foot on the ground, while staying by the entrance. Punching his cestus in the air he exclaims,
Looking at the body of the creature, Lann nods and indicates that this is indeed what had been living here and blocking this path. Giving it a tap with a boot it does not seem to respond.
Both men are dressed as crusaders of Iomedae, and each still wears a masterwork chain shirt. One of the dead bodies carries a potion of cure light wounds, while the other has a scroll in a pouch. Between the two of them, they also carry 129 gp. Each was carrying a glaive, while one also has a spiked gauntlet. In the hand of the one with the scroll, you also find a pendant made of brass with a bull's head and tiny red gemstones (50gp)
Coop touches his earthbreaker, lacing it with occult energies.
He then strides up, and is almost disappointed when no fungal monstrosities rise up.
"AH."
Coop looks around the room.
"WE SHOULD BUILD A CAIRN. YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM A LITTLE DIGNITY".
Firas will sweep the area for any evil while he draws his scimitar and readies his shield.
”Indeed. They deserve a heroes burial.”
Looking around, most things in this cavern are covered in fungus, but given enough time you could build something for them. The mongrelmen however are anxious to proceed to their home.
"We are sorry if these were friends of yours, but we must press forward. There may be others in Neathholm that could be hurt if the quakes were felt there as they were here."
George hisses a little as the pendant is looked over.
"I do not think these are what they appeared to be. That one is holding the Unholy symbol of Baphomet. What they are doing dressed as crusaders of Iomedae, is probably not a good thing."
Coop halts his funerary preperations.
"AH. THAT IS CONCERNING. PERHAPS IT IS BEST IF WE MOVE ON. IF THESE MEN ARE HOLY, THEIR GODS WILL SEE AFTER THEM. IF THEY ARE WORSHIPPERS OF THE ABYSSAL POWERS, THEN THEY WILL GET WHAT IS COMING TO THEM, AS WELL."
Looking to Lann, Coop asks "MEN DRESSED AS IOMEDAEAN KNIGHTS, BUT CARRYING THE SYMBOL OF BAPHOMET? DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS?"
"We have seen uplanders dressed like this before. More lately than usual, but we try to avoid them. They are often... unkind. They also have an alliance with the bad tribe to the southeast of Neathholm."
At the mention of Baphomet, Aravashnial exclaims in joy.
"So the rumors are true. There has been talk lately of a secret cult infiltrating the Iomedaen crusaders, and this seems to be proof. We should bring these bodies with us to the surface. If the temple does not recognize or acknowledge them, that will confirm it."
Anevia just scoffs, "I have heard the same rumors Aravash, let's just hope these two were prancing around down here by themselves."
Firas eyes Aravash suspiciously at his excitement over finding proof of a infiltration into the crusaders.
He nods in agreement over the rush to press on, "Very well, we will carry what we can, but we are rapidly being laden down. I truly hope that this Neathholm is not far now."
George looks at the glaive. He takes a moment to remove his shield and tries a few practice swings with the weapon. Then he ducks and bobs around the cavern floor for a moment. With a reluctant sigh, he puts it back and gathers his shield. "Slows me down to much. I will trust in what I have for now."
With the idea that the settlement is fairly close and there are a few potions clinking around, he nods his head. "This seems like the time to use my last of the day.
After shrugging his old armor off and putting his new armor on, he slips the gauntlet over his left hand and nods at the rest of the group.
"LET'S GET TO NEATHHOLM, AND SEE HOW WE CAN HELP."
As they move on, he looks at Aravash. "WHY WERE YOU SO PLEASED TO HEAR THAT BAPHOMET WORSHIPPERS ARE IMPERSONATING IOMEDAEAN CRUSADERS?"
The group continues their trek through the darkness.
"Not sure I would say pleased overall, but it is nice to know that the information that makes its way to me is accurate at least some of the time. Rumors have been circulating for a while that a sect knows as the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth have been trying to infiltrate the church."
Aravashnial pauses for a moment considering his words.
"I happen to have the ear of a few powerful people in Kenabres. They listen to my counsel, though others advise against it. Some see me as a crackpot conspiracy theorist. It's a bit of an extreme label, but some of what I have presented has come to be true."
His face flushes briefly.
"And some, like with Horgus does not. We had a bit of a run in a while back. I, uh, had a theory that some of the nobles may have been funding a demonic agenda. Well, it turns out I was wrong, at least where it came to Horgus. I did make a public apology and paid restitution over it.."
His words trail off as the group arrives in front of a large, stone door. Four mongrelmen stand as sentries outside the closed portal. Lann and the others move ahead and greet the guards, exchanging pleasantries and inquiring if Neathholm had been damaged in the recent quake. The guards seem perplexed.
One hisses out a response though a snake-like visage. "We felt no quaking and ssshaking here. All hassss been assss usssual."
George listens intently as Aravashnial speaks. "That has to be rough. We need vigilance to keep us safe. But the wrong word can wreck reputations, or get us to mistrust each other. We are outnumbered enough by the Abyss. If they can get us to at least ignore, if not attack, each other... His voice trails off as scenarios play across his expression.
"So you believed that Horgus was one such noble secretly funding demons? Funding how? Could they be behind the failed wardstone?" Firas is clearly agitated based on his tone, almost interrogating Aravash.
Lassandra notices that a couple of the mongrelmen are wearing copper brooches, the design details are hard to make out from a distance.
Aravashnial shifts uncomfortably. "As I said, in the case of Horgus, I was wrong. There was certain information that came to light that exonerated him. It was certainly embarrassing for me, and my haste to judge very nearly cost him his livelihood."
"HI!" Coop says into one of the guards' face.
"ARE YOU SURE? WE ENCOUNTERED A RIFT, 10 FEET WIDE, 30 FEET DEEP, AND 70 FEET ACROSS, THAT'D RELEASE QUITE A BIT OF KINETIC ENERGY. I'D THINK YOU'D AT LEAST FEEL A TREMOR. WELL, I'M GLAD YOUR CITY WAS UNHARMED." He smiles broadly.
Looking closer, the pattern on one is that of a dog or wolf with spider-like limbs. The other a bear with exaggerated claws.
|
Lassandra turns back towards her group, facing her back to the guards and keeping her low voice, she speaks to them in both Celestial and Draconic.
Lassandra snickers from her last comment.
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One of the mongrelmen tilts his head towards Lassandra and with a clear voice, sounding much like the gunslinger herself.
"ݻݫݭࢢࣝݷݴݠۼࢴࢽࢱࢲ"
"ANYHOW, THIS IS NEATHHOLM, HUH? ANY CHANCE WE CAN REST HERE, MAYBE SPEND A LITTLE COIN? WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO THE SURFACE."
One of the door guards looks to Coop. "Normally we do not allow uplanders into Neathholm, but Lann told us how you helped Crel. You have our thanks and welcome."
Two push the heavy stone door open revealing Neathholm beyond. A small, dark lake ripples in the center of this two-hundredfoot-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.
Lann takes the lead. "Come, we should goto the chief's house. He may know of another way to the surface you can use."
The three head towards the island.
Coop grins as he takes the town in.
"WOW. THIS IS FANTASTIC STUFF.
"ENCOURAGING THE FUNGI AS LIGHTING! TREMENDOUS! AND A FRESHWATER UNDERGROUND LAKE? DOES IT HAVE FISH? DID YOU HAVE TO SEED IT WITH SPAWN WHEN YOU CAME TO THIS PLACE,OR WERE THEY HERE TO BEGIN WITH? HOW DO YOU HANDLE DISPOSAL OF TRASH? HOW ABOUT AGRICULTURE? YOU COULD CULTIVATE SOME FUNGI BASED ON DECAY OR MICRONUTRIENTS IN WATER FROM THE SURFACE, I IMAGINE, BUT WITHOUT SUNLIGHT GROWING PLANTS ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. UNLESS THE LIGHT FROM THE FUNGI IS ENOUGH?. YOUR DIET MUST NOT BE STARCH-BASED, THEN. OR! MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF TRADE NETWORK—TRADE SOMETHING VALUABLE YOU CAN MINE HERE FOR FOOD IN RETURN?"
Lann looks with worry as he takes in Coops questions. "It does have fish yes. I grew up here, so I do not know if they were here before my people came along. We do have some food we grow, but it is mostly the fish that we eat. We have caves set aside from the village for waste. And no, we rarely deal with uplanders. They tend to be... unpleasant. Usually."
Coop nods.
"WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND IS MOST PEOPLE ARE SCARED OR SAD ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME, AND IT MAKES THEM ACT STUPID. SO THEY GET FILLED WITH HATE. UNFORTUNATE LITTLE FLAW ON THE GODS PART. BUT LETS NOT GET OFF TRACK, WE START TALKING THEODICY AND WE'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT.
"FASCINATING, THANK YOU FOR INDULGING. I LIKE CITIES, AND LIKE HEARING ABOUT HOW THEY WORK. AND SORRY ABOUT THE SURFACERS."
He gives Lann a friendly pat on the back.
George nods his head in appreciation of what they have accomplished. "Speaking of unpleasant uplanders, are there any more of the glaive-wielding crusaders around? It might be best to have someone keep an eye on them until we can talk to the Chief."
Straining under the weight of the unconscious dwarf and the two imposter corpses, Firas reminds everyone that it would be best if we can get to the authorities to deposit these miscreants sooner rather than later.
Lann shakes his head to George. "As I said, we rarely see any uplanders here."
Arriving at the largest building in sight, Lann knocks on the door. There is shuffling from the other side and shortly the door swings open. A bloated and unpleasant looking mongrelman stands in the doorway. "Ah Lann. What brings you here today? Shouldn't you be at the outpost?"
The chief invites everyone to come and sit in the house while Lann fills in the details of the outpost and highlights that you five helped to free Crel.
"A grave tragedy upon our people to be sure. This will take a long time for our people to recover, and our borders will need to be smaller for safety." He pauses for a few moments.
"Tell me, how is it exactly that you all got down here in the first place?"
Coop bows formally.
"PLEASED TO MEET YOU. CUPRADHAL HERE, BUT YOU CAN JUST CALL ME COOP. YOU HAVE A LOVELY HOME--I WAS JUST ADMIRING THE USE OF LUMINESCENT FUNGI AS A LIGHTING SOURCE. VERY CLEVER.
"WE WERE IN THE UPLAND CITY OF KENABRES WHEN DEMONS FROM THE WORLDWOUND ATTACKED. THERE WAS A BIG EARTHQUAKE, AND WE FELL IN A RIFT IN THE GROUND. IT WAS ONLY THE INTERVENTION OF THE SILVER DRAGON TERENDELEV THAT WE SURVIVED AT ALL. WE WANDERED AROUND FOR AWHILE IN THE DARK, UNTIL WE HEARD YOUR FOLKS IN TROUBLE WITH THAT COLLAPSE."
Firas struggles hide is intense repulsion at the deformed chief's appearance. He quietly concentrates for a moment to assuage his fears that the deformities are an outward sign of evil.
Firas detects no evil in the chief.
The chief nods and listens intently to Coop as he relays the situation.
"Demons running amok in Kenabres. That is certainly bad news. Our people are often treated as freaks or outcasts by the uplanders, but our ancestors..." He reaches up and grips a hand onto a bronze brooch depicting an bat sitting on a mushroom. "They helped drive back the demons in the First Crusade. Their presence is a blight that must be dealt with. We would aid the fight on the surface, but I fear, that the uplanders might judge us on looks and assume we were yet another threat. Perhaps you folk could take our message to them. Tell them we are here and willing to fight."
"OH. WE FOUND SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE TUNNELS."
He pulls the brooch from his pocket and hands it to the chief.
Chief Sull leans in closer to see. Then his one good eye grows misty.
"That belonged to my son. He left after a disagreement. It pains my heart to see it again, without him wearing it. May I have that?"
Coop inclines his head.
"OF COURSE. WE FOUND IT AT AN OLD CAMPSITE, WITH A BEDROLL AND SOME BITS OF EQUIPMENT. WE ALSO FOUND BONES THERE, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT SURE OF WHAT KIND. I AM TRULY SORRY. WE COULD PROVIDE DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO RETURN THERE."
”I am so sorry, sir. It looked like that campsite had been abandoned for some time based on the state of the gear that remained. How long has your son been missing?”
He listens intently to the directions while holding the brooch with reverence. Abruptly, the old mongrelman stands and walks to a back room. A few moments later he returns holding a morningstar.
"Please, take this. I feared the worst had befallen Kael, but with the brooch and bones, it seems to confirm my worry. We had argued that day about the traitors among our people. The tribe to the south, they have been trying to corrupt our young. Teaching them the ways of evil. Something I believe they picked up from those in the robes."
He hands the morningstar off to Coop.
"You said you want to get back to the surface, well, there is only one way that I know of from here. And that leads you right through them. With the loss of our outpost, we don't have enough troops to deal with these traitors. What few guards I have left I will need to send out to bring the loyal ones back to our lands, in case we are needed to aid Kenabres."
He seems hesitant to speak again, but does so, slowly and carefully.
"Those traitors must be dealt with though. I do not think they will let you through their lands uncontested. If you were to destroy them, it would pave a clear path for you and us back to the surface. What say you?"
Coop takes the morningstar and bows, respectfully.
"THANK YOU, CHIEF."
He looks to the others. "DANGEROUS. BUT ITS THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW TO THE SURFACE. AND IF THEY ARE IN LEAGUE WITH THE DEMON WORSHIPPERS..."