Thesius lays a gentle hand on her shoulder and gives a warm smile in support. "I'm sure you will find your place and until then, I would say you are an effective backup line of defense," as he nods to the slain cockroach.
He would then move into the campsite and take a look around for anything of interest or use.
Thesius finds several mundane finds amidst the trash and ruins of the one-time campsite. There're several candles, which might be useful for light when the spell casters cannot cast it regularly, the torn and stinking bedroll (though it remains useable), about 10' of frayed rope, a copper brooch resembling a bat perched on a mushroom with gemstone eyes, and an amulet with an odd symbol.
The symbol itself is of a winged eye that weeps blood, for it is violently pierced by an downward-pointing sword that emits a halo from the hilt. The sword is obviously a symbol of Iomedae, but the meaning of the symbol is not immediately obvious.
Elliot slowly suffles closer to Thesius as he searches the camp and eventually finds the holy symbol and brooch.
"Fascinating!" he remarks, a spark of enthusiasm lighting his eyes. "This holy symbol represents the Eye of Aroden, and it is pierced by the sword of Iomedae. That's quite unusual, as they were never at odds as far as I read. Though... I wonder if this perhaps belongs to the offspring of the first crusaders? The first crusade was only two decades after Aroden's death, and it was Iomedae's church which called that crusade after she established herself as his Inheritor."
His free hand seeks persmission from Thesius to study it from a different angle. "And we already know that the first crusaders who fled here did so to protect their Tiefling or half-animal children from the same crusaders - and church probably. I can see why dwellers beneath the surface would have grown to resent Iomedae's faith, and why they might have reverted back to Aroden instead, considering her a thief at best. This theory seems to fit with what we know, doesn't it?"
Then, he sees Elyda and he inwardly slaps himself. "Oh, uh... I mean, it's just a theory, Lady Inquisitor of Iomedae? Haha. Ha? Hey, look! This bat brooch is also definitely worth a solid two hundred gold if we ever got to sell it! Isn't that nice?"
He quickly starts walking forward again.
While Thesius is looking through the ruined campsite, Verene says to Merixia, "In hindsight, it was foolish of me to keep the light spell on my crossbow, in the middle of the group. Most of us need some kind of illumination to move safely, so any hostile creatures sensitive to light will surely be alerted to our presence long before we reach them anyway. And it would do us more good if it was in front, with you, to shed better light on the things we approach. Unless you object, I would like to transfer it to your shield."
She makes a cursory sweep of the campsite, including the items Thesius discovered, for magic or fiendish taint.
Verene nods silently along with Elliot's observations, but focuses more on the immediate and practical aspects of what Thesius has found. "Someone can use that bedroll, once you or I have cleaned and mended it. I could only do that after resting, not before. Oh— before I forget. We don't know our way down here, or if these tunnels split and become hard to navigate, so let's take steps now to avoid getting lost." She takes a piece of white chalk out of her backpack, and walks quickly back to where they came from, drawing an arrow at a highly visible place on the left-hand wall to mark the direction of their passage every ten feet or so. She'll continue doing so when they keep moving.
Aravashnial tilts his head. "Describe the symbol to me, Elliot." Once the young aasimar does, he furrows his brow, but his lips quirk in something resembling pleasure for the first time since they found themselves stranded beneath the surface. "Fascinating. Most fascinating. One wonders why they might revere a dead god, especially one so focused on humanity as Aroden."
While Thesius is looking through the ruined campsite, Verene says to Merixia, "In hindsight, it was foolish of me to keep the light spell on my crossbow, in the middle of the group. Most of us need some kind of illumination to move safely, so any hostile creatures sensitive to light will surely be alerted to our presence long before we reach them anyway. And it would do us more good if it was in front, with you, to shed better light on the things we approach. Unless you object, I would like to transfer it to your shield."
Merixia nods to the mage as she cleans her sword. "Of course, go ahead. I apologize for not thinking of that earlier. I'm not quite used to traveling with people who need light yet."
Aravashnial tilts his head. "Describe the symbol to me, Elliot." Once the young aasimar does, he furrows his brow, but his lips quirk in something resembling pleasure for the first time since they found themselves stranded beneath the surface. "Fascinating. Most fascinating. One wonders why they might revere a dead god, especially one so focused on humanity as Aroden."
"May I have a look?" She peers at the symbol in Elliot's hand. "Well... to me, it looks more like they revere Iomedae and dislike Aroden, because her sword is piercing his eye. If these tiefling children were rejected by the people of Kenabres for their heritage, they might associate Aroden- the god of humanity- with the people who drove them down here. Most of the crusaders have historically been human." Merixia shrugs. "Just a theory. It could be as you said, as well."
“I can handle the bedroll once we get some time, but for now it may be prudent to keep moving. Should we check the side passage to make sure we do not leave something unknown at our backs?”
After taking some time to think about how the last situation unfolded he makes a suggestion. “Light is likely to give us away down here. It may be better that I take up in the back and Elyda moves to the front so that we can focus the light in the back. I can keep up a watch from there and move my lights forward should we encounter anything and find that Verene’s light is not enough.”
Elyda drew her buckler as the last of the vermin were dispatched by those in front.
"I can see why dwellers beneath the surface would have grown to resent Iomedae's faith, and why they might have reverted back to Aroden instead, considering her a thief at best. This theory seems to fit with what we know, doesn't it?"
Then, he sees Elyda and he inwardly slaps himself. "Oh, uh... I mean, it's just a theory, Lady Inquisitor of Iomedae? Haha. Ha?"
She let her unblinking look speak for her before Elliot moved away.
Elyda had been listening to the discussion regarding the meaning of the holy symbols when she heard Thesius voice thoughts she had been inwardly contemplating and marvelled at the man's ability to comprehend the situation and her frustration began to lessen.
"I agree with your plan to change the marching order. My talents lie more in fighting with my blade and it seems I'd be better suited to move behind Verene as Anevia, even injured, can fight at range with crossbow. Thank you for your foresight, Thesius."
Elyda moved then, slipping carefully past the civilians and other companions, until she came to stand behind Verene; her buckler and longsword on the ready for when they resumed moving along the cavern.
"Agreed, on all counts. Let's check the passage that goes rightward from here, then move on through the left-hand tunnel." If the others agree, Verene suits action to words. Reaching up to her shoulder to pet Thamyris, she murmurs, "My dear, I will be relying on your sharper eyes in this gloom. You did well with the grubs; if you see anything dangerous, or just unusual for a cave, sing out."
"Agreed, on all counts. Let's check the passage that goes rightward from here, then move on through the left-hand tunnel." If the others agree, Verene suits action to words.
"I am good to travel through the passages as you have bid, Verene."
Elyda prepared herself to follow behind Merixia and Verene; keeping attention to her surrounds for anything of note or untoward.
"Sounds like a plan to me. Glad to have you up here, Elyda. Verene, you might want to take your light back." Blade properly cleaned, Merixia looks back to make sure everyone is ready to move. "Anevia, are you all right to move on?"
"Sounds like a plan to me. Glad to have you up here, Elyda..."
Elyda looked over to Merixia and gave a nod and smile, quietly adding, "Thank you. I am pleased to be here where I can be useful with my blade."
"Verene, you might want to take your light back."
"All right." Verene concentrates, and with a snap of her fingers and a muttered word, Merixia's buckler fades to normal and the bolt loaded into her crossbow begins to glow.
Aravashnial turns his head to Merixia. "Hm... intriguing. I'm not sure they're tieflings, though. The molefolk should be something rather stranger, from the stories I've recorded."
Horgus sniffs disdainfully, but says nothing.
With their new marching order and lighting situation sorted, the party and their companions move deeper into the cave, before finding themselves at another split in the path. To the east, the caves wander off into deep darkness, beyond even what the plane touched can see. To the south, the cavern curves off to the west, back towards the way they came.
Thamyris chirps at Verene. "Words ahead. Hungry-threat, too."
Anevia looks at the bird, startled. "It talks?" She blinks several times. "Sorry, I'm not used to arcane magic."
"Someone talking, and something that sounds like a predator? Perhaps it's someone else who survived the fall from above, or perhaps it's a ... what did you call them, Master Aravashnial? 'Deepling?' This may be our chance to meet one. Which way is which one, Thamyris?" Verene keeps her voice quiet, and will point in the directions Thamyris indicates for the benefit of the rest of the group. To Anevia she adds, still in an undertone, "Yes, this little one is my familiar and friend, Thamyris. He speaks Taldane, as many smaller birds who become familiars do, for their voices are versatile, and don't have as much trouble shaping the sounds as other animals tend to."
Thamyris' voice is equally soft. "That way, that way." He points with his beak to the corridor to the left . Presumably, that means both lie in that direction.
Aravashnial tilts his head slightly at Verene's question, his expression brightening slightly.
Huh, you learn something new every day. Merixia had no idea that bird familiars could talk. But that's a topic for another time. "Right, follow the bird." The cleric heads in the direction indicated by Thamyris. They do need to check the other path as well, but they can always backtrack. Merixia wants to find what Thamyris heard before it finds them.
The talking thrush had warned them just before Elyda could share her own observations. As she mindfully moved forward with Merixia and Verene, Elyda informed them (and the other companions), "I heard a soft hissing and a muttering in an unfamiliar tongue to the west. The sounds faded away into the distance as if the source was leaving in that direction. Let us be careful as we move."
Elliot nods at Merixia's and Aravashnial's alternate theories on the symbol and grins, seemingly enjoying the discussion. "True, true! Both good explanations. I suppose we'll just have to find these lost crusader offspring to find out. It's hard to know for sure without knowing more of their culture. We might just be the very first outsiders ever to see or write about it!"
When Verene's familiar and Elyda scout for the party, he waits in the rear, throwing a few glances back at the unexplored path they were leaving behind. "All right. So we strike first? Then let's move carefully and make a note to return to the southern pass later. We should probably search all paths for useful supplies. We already found quite a bit, at any rate." Elliot comments, supporting his master further into the cave system.
The group moves eastwards, and Merixia, Verene, and Elyda swiftly see that the cavern halls once more open into a broad chamber. Several mounds of rock, presumably shaken forth from the ceiling when Kenabres was invaded, are strewn across the floor, and trickles of dust occasionally drop from cracks in the ceiling and walls.
Further to the east, the tunnels lead away and slightly downwards, curving away and concealing where it goes beyond. There is no sign of anyone present at the moment.
"Do they truly flee, or do they lure? Were they ever here at all?" Horgus asks, his brow furrowing, but there is a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Anevia looks around the cavern opening, her eyes narrow and face pale. "Uh, I'm not sure if this area's stable. We should either move forwards, or back."
"If we are not certain whether this way will stay open, we ought to go forwards. Backwards, well, there might not be a way out." Aravashnial opines.
Thesius takes the time to cast dancing lights once more and keeps the lights back by him to make sure that he can effectively watch their backs. As they move past the unexplored tunnel, he keeps a wary eye down that path.
He will move with the party, but does not like the idea of leaving potential threats behind them. He however understands the need for haste and keeps his thoughts to himself.
Verene looks around the chamber, a bit surprised to see neither a person nor a predator. She isn't sure if the right-hand tunnel connects back to their original cavern, or goes in its own direction. She refrains from pointing out to Aravashnial and Anevia that any part of these tunnels could collapse at any time, and there is no guarantee of a way out in any direction. "Thesius, could you perhaps send your lights a bit down the unexplored way so we can see from here if there is anything that looks threatening within a reasonable distance? If not, we can just move on in the same direction we were going."
"Certainly," he replies as he sends his lights spiraling down the path behind them to see what is within it.
The tunnel extends down farther than expected, Thesius' dancing lights floating cheerily down to a corner, beyond which the party, of course, cannot see. From what they can see, hear, and smell, none of them get the sense that there's any threats down in that direction.
"From the fact that it turns that way, it certainly seems like this tunnel might just connect back and be the second exit we saw from the large cavern with the dead spider and the maggots. Because it's likely to be short, I am in favor of checking it briefly before we move on, as Elliot said. Otherwise, let's keep going."
Elyda continued to cast her gaze and keenly listen to any sounds or noises they may have missed.
When Verene suggested they should check the passage behind them before continuing on, Elyda could see the wisdom of leaving no cavern or passage unsearched, so she responded to the lady wizard, "I will go with you to investigate, Verene. I would rather know what is behind us so we can focus, without distraction and concern, on what may lie ahead."
Laying her hand on the side of her thigh, Elyda began to cast, calling upon the Lady of Valor's divine guidance in her present endeavour.
"I'll stay here with the rest of the group. Shout if you need me or Elliot, or if you find a passage that goes further." Merixia leans toward Elyda and lowers her voice. "I don't think Anevia should do any more walking on that leg than she absolutely has to. I did my best with the splint, but it's not as good as a proper plaster cast."
Elyda nodded upon Merixia's quiet word regarding Anevia's injured leg. Turning to Verene, she asked, "If you still wish to investigate that part of the tunnel, I will lead and we can do so together while the others wait for us, here. If there is trouble, we can call out or have your thrush inform the others."
She waited to hear what the lady wizard had to say.
"Ah, to dance with Pharasma once more, no?" Horgus giggles, before he continues in a voice that might well be genuinely frightened. "We must move forwards. Else we'll never leave." He casts a glance up at the dust that falls from the ceiling again.
"That sounds good, Elyda. This should only take a moment," Verene tells Horgus and the others standing with them. "If standing in this cavern makes you nervous, however, perhaps you could come with us." She accompanies Elyda to the place where the tunnel bends and peers around the corner.
Horgus laughs hollowly. "Profit can only be useful if you live to spend it."
Aravashnial sighs deeply, an ear twitching in irritation.
Verene and Elyda journey into the southwestern cavern, discovering that it does have a passage that leads to the west - back to the collapsed room that they originally found themselves in. Of more interest is the stone ledge on the southern wall. A single leather strap - as from a backpack - hangs off of the ledge, while a fissure extends upwards above it far beyond the range of either Verene's light or Elyda's darkvision.
The wall itself has a slight, wet sheen.
"Yeah, be sure to call us if you need help!" Elliot calls after Verene and Elyda.
He then whispers to his master to ask the question that had been burning on his lips for a while now. "Master, is there anything we should know about Horgus? He seems... out of it, and you appear more familiar with eachother than I'd have expected."
"No, no. Just... nothing important." Aravashnial waves his hand dismissively. "I am more concerned with how he is acting now. It's like a madness has possessed him. And something is... off about him. I don't trust it."
"I see. Well, I trust you, master. I, ah, don't feel all that comfortable being buried alive with him down here either, and it's a safe bet that goes for everyone. I just hope he doesn't do anything crazy."
Of more interest is the stone ledge on the southern wall. A single leather strap - as from a backpack - hangs off of the ledge, while a fissure extends upwards above it far beyond the range of either Verene's light or Elyda's darkvision.
The wall itself has a slight, wet sheen.
Stowing her buckler and sheathing her longsword, Elyda lay her hand on her thigh and once again cast a prayer to Iomedae to give her guidance when traversing this part of the cavern.
She quietly spoke to Verene, "I will attempt to climb up to the ledge to get a better look at what is up there and see what the leather strap is attached to. Be vigilant, Verene, lest there be danger from above."
Trying to find some kinds of footholds and handholds, Elyda began to carefully and quietly climb up the wet, slippery surface. As she moved, she continued to watch and listen for any hidden threat or something of importance.
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Elyda scales the wall with impressive agility, arriving at the top with no issues whatsoever. On her way, she hears nothing but her own breath, the scuffle of her armor on the rock, and voices of her companions. For a brief moment, she thinks she might've seen something in the fissure above the ledge, but getting higher reveals it to be just a scrap of fabric torn from the pennons set up in Clydwell Plaza for Armasse.
Upon returning to the ground with the backpack, she unpacks it quickly to examine what's inside. Aside from the finely crafted backpack, there's about ten days' worth of trail rations, a flint and steel for lighting fires, a set of caltrops of all things, two flasks of oil, a bundle of arrows, and two potions - one gold and one green.
Meanwhile, in the eastern cavern, another bit of dust falls from the ceiling.
Happy to be back on the ground, with pack in hand, she examined the contents, especially the two potions.
"Verene, this gold liquid is a healing potion which will be useful in this place. However, I cannot determine the green potion. Will you try to?"
As Verene attempted to identify the second potion, Elyda repacked the other items in the finely crafted backpack and advised her companion, "I will carry this and we can distribute the contents later," and then paused when she remembered something she had wished to say to the lady wizard, "In the fissure above the ledge, I saw a scrap of fabric torn from the pennons set up in Clydwell Plaza for Armasse. Let us return to the others and not tarry over long in this place."
Elyda drew her sword, ready in hand again.
Thesius would wait patiently, renewing his dancing lights as necessary. He was not sure what was wrong with Horgus, but it was a real fear of that he might endanger the group in some fashion if left unchecked.
Verene holds her breath as Elyda starts her climb, but it seems Iomedae smiles on her chosen, as the warrior scales the treacherous surface with ease. When Elyda returns to the ground, all she says is, "That was well done." She takes up the green potion when Elyda indicates it and examines it with her magical sight for a few breaths.
She nods soberly at the mention of Armasse, but shakes her head in frustration over the potion. "I'm not sure what this is. Perhaps Thesius or Elliot will be able to identify it as we continue." Verene returns with Elyda to the rest of the group and hands the potion off for identification.
For the benefit of those who stayed, she says, "That passage simply connects back to the spider chamber, so we probably needn't worry about threats from that direction. Elliot, you were right to say we should check it for supplies, because a pack full of them was sitting on a high ledge. It seems likely that this is the backpack of some poor soul fallen from the plaza above, one who was not as fortunate as we were. Neither I nor Elyda could identify this potion, but perhaps you, Thesius, or Master Aravashnial will be able to, on our way or later."
Thesius takes a quick moment to invoke his magical sight and inspect the potion...
..."Unfortunately I am not familiar with this", before passing if off to Elliot and falling back into line and renewing his dancing lights.
"It seems prudent we make haste. The area continues to shift."
As the green potion was being handed around to determine its still-elusive contents, Elyda opened the fine backpack once more and drew the bundle of twelve arrows and directed her question at Anevia and Thesius, "These arrows could be useful to either of you. You may decide between yourselves who could use them more down here," handing them to Anevia, for the archer was closer.
Looking to everyone in the group, "There are ten days worth of trail rations in this pack. Spare food is certainly a boon down here. There is also a flint and steel, a set of caltrops and two flasks of oil, if anyone is interested in them. The pack itself is finely crafted and could be useful for carrying one's possessions."
Looking to Verene, she added, "Verene, could you safe-keep the potions. I am hopeful someone in this company will be able to identify the green-coloured potion in due course and determine what should be done with them."
"It seems prudent we make haste. The area continues to shift."
The warning from Thesius stopped Elyda and she quickly scanned the ceiling and the ground. Her talent did not lie in discerning such things and if the man was concerned, then she wouldn't question him. "I will trust in your word, Thesius. I am ready to move, if the group is."
Looking to everyone in the group, "There are ten days worth of trail rations in this pack. Spare food is certainly a boon down here. There is also a flint and steel, a set of caltrops and two flasks of oil, if anyone is interested in them. The pack itself is finely crafted and could be useful for carrying one's possessions."
Looking to Verene, she added, "Verene, could you safe-keep the potions. I am hopeful someone in this company will be able to identify the green-coloured potion in due course and determine what should be done with them."
"Extra supplies! Excellent, although I feel sorry for whoever lost them. Good job, all three of you." Merixia just shrugs when the potion comes her way. "I know very little about potions, sorry."
Once the supplies are squared away and everyone looks ready to go, she leads the group down the other branch of the tunnel, sword in hand.
The companions make their way eastwards as well as downwards into the tunnel. Progress is agonizingly slow, for both Anevia and Aravashnial struggle persistently with the rough terrain and occasionally narrow passageways.
After nearly twenty-ish minutes of silence, Horgus speaks. "Ahead lies a palace of broken oaths. But who betrayed whom first? The servants, or the master?" He laughs again, an edge of cruel amusement in the sound.
Even as the words finish coming from his mouth, the tunnel ends at a junction - to the north lies a small cavern that emits a soft, but nasty green luminescence, while the southern path extends farther, beyond the light and sight of the party.
"Why have we stopped?" Aravashnial asks his apprentice, as the party considers its path forwards.
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"Oh hey, I know this one. It's a fairly powerful potion to restore fatigue and more lasting wounds. I think it's called lesser restoration? That's what the label in Halrun's office said, at any rate. Though it's been a while..."
When Aravashnial asks, Elliot responds. "Seems there's a junction, master. Some bad-looking green loght to the north, while the south extends out of view."
Merixia looks over her shoulder at the rest of the group. "I vote we check north, see what the light is. What do you say?"
"If whatever Elyda and Verene's familiar heard is still around, they might've gone that way," Anevia points out. "I'd rather know we don't have threats at our back."
"Miss Tirablade makes an excellent point." Aravashnial agrees. "Though I don't know what the light might signify, so we ought to proceed cautiously."
Horgus lets out a muffled chuckle, but says nothing.
"What makes you say that, Lord Horgus, about what lies ahead? Are you able to be more specific?" Verene's voice is calm, not judgmental. She doesn't really expect a helpful answer, but something clearly happened to Horgus, and any additional evidence about what it was, how it works, or how it changed him might be useful later.
"This seems a bit like borrowing trouble, but Anevia is right, it would be good to know we have no threats at our back. I am willing to investigate the greenish light." Verene will move up to the junction and look with detect fiendish presence and detect magic down each path. She reports what she senses within range, if anything, to the others, then follows in the same marching order down whatever path they take. Even if she senses nothing, she also keeps concentrating on detect magic for a little while and turns around to get Horgus in its area of effect, realizing she didn't think to check him for non-fiendish enchantments before.
"You'll see..." Horgus replies, amused at the thought. "You will see, yes." He snaps out of whatever thought he was in and looks waspishly at the group. "Well, let's go, if we're going."
Looking at Horgus reveals that there is magic present on him, but after a few seconds, she locates it on his cloak, not on the man himself. It's an abjuration enchantment of some description, and certainly unrelated to his odd behavior.
The rest of the room does not have any magic present.
Entering the northern, green-glowing cavern reveals a squat, windowless building twenty feet in height within the thirty-foot tall cave. On the facade, there's a 10-foot long depiction of a hammer, while outbuildings lie in rubble around the bunker-like structure.
Thesius takes some time to study the structure and depiction while maintaining his position in the back. His sword resting upon his shoulder so as to keep it at the ready, but not wear down his arm.
"The symbol is that of Torag, the Father of Creation. The fact it is in ruin leads me to believe that this has been down here for some time," he says softly while looking about to try and discern what is causing the light.
"I don't like the way this strange green light surrounds this building. Think it was desecrated by whoever or whatever sacked it?" Elliot wonders. "Though I agree we should definitely search it still. Even if we don't find anything, there could be enemies able to backstab us hiding in there."
He wait for the frontline - still Elyda? - to head in first again and follows them with Aravashnial.