As Aravashnial is guided back into the shrine, he speaks. "Torag's faithful are often celebrated for their ability in defensive warfare. This is probably the most defensible place in this network of tunnels."
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"Master Stonewise, isn't that a sad song, about the singer giving his life for his brother? Why do you sing it here as a work-song?"
"A sad song, is it? Why do you say so?"
"He's giving up his chance to see his love again, but doesn't know if his sacrifice really will save his brother. Or if they really will meet again."
"Bah! He doesn't need to know. There's many paths to that same place, and this is the one he's chosen. It's a work-song because it reminds us to do our duty by others, for that at least is always a path of honor. And, more importantly, it has a catchy tune. Now turn your mind back to the work, and watch where you put that fuller!"
Verene struggles up from the black of unconsciousness for the second time in a day. This time, her return to the land of the living is accompanied by a blessed easing of pain, and the sight of Merixia's pale, bloodstreaked face and slit-pupiled yellow eyes. "You lived," she murmurs. "That's good. Thank you."
With this somewhat nonsensical statement, she rises unsteadily to a sitting position. It seems clear that the martially inclined among the group were successful in fighting off the undead with no lives lost. She looks for Thamyris and finds him huddled and hiding behind a bit of rubble in the corner by her, terrified out of his wits. She spends some time soothing and talking to him softly before she can bear to look at the remains of the thing that almost killed her, and at the room, with detect magic. She also spends some time inspecting the two lesser zombies' bodies and the room generally.
"These are two more potions of healing, like the one we found before. His ring is clan-marked, but I wouldn't know how to value its worth." She hands the potions to Elyda to distribute as she thinks right, and the ring off to Elliot, whom she knows is a shopkeeper's son. Not knowing exactly why his demeanor is subdued , she does not mention it yet, but looks around at the exhausted faces.
"Thank you all for seeing us through this. I'm sorry I wasn't more help. I certainly think we should rest in this defensible position while we can, but first I'll help you to bury the bodies of these unfortunate creatures in some rocks outside if you want, Thesius. If for no other reason than that I don't want to try to rest with them nearby, not knowing if they might become animate and attack again at any moment. Then I would like to eat something, drink some water, and sleep for a while." Verene isn't strong, but she will work together with another person to drag the bodies out one by one, and to pile heavy rocks atop them in a loose approximation of a cairn.
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Merixia smiles down at Verene, although the expression is tight with pain, and offers her a hand up. "I owe you my life, Verene. You did a very courageous thing for someone you barely know. A healing spell is the least I could do."
Breathing a huge sigh of relief, he trudges over to his master to help him back up and guides Aravashnial back into the temple. "I'm... sorry, everyone. I thought I could lure it outside after me so you'd have a better chance to win, but it seems I couldn't. I wish I'd had more helpful spells prepared for a situation like this."
Sheathing her sword, she turns to face Elliot. "I imagine you had mostly illusion spells prepared for the performance, right? Maybe that wide-angle fire spell? Not your fault you unexpectedly got dumped into a fight in close quarters with the undead. Personally, I'm thankful you didn't try to fry them, you would have fried us too. And taunting a huecuva by praying to its former god? That takes serious guts." The cleric gets to her feet and walks over to the magical duo, patting Elliot on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll have more opportunity to fight before we reach the surface." She looks over at Aravashnial. "Good work with the celestial dog, Aravashnial. It distracted the huecuva at exactly the right time. Took a nice chunk out of its leg too."
After taking a moment to gather his wits, he notes both Elyda and Merixia are still fairly injured and starts to his feet while gathering his sword.
"Thank you all for your help. I have a few spells of healing that I believe should go to Elyda and Merixia if you are all okay with that. After, I would not mind helping the effort to give these poor souls a proper burial. In fact, I think it would be beneficial for us to stay here while we recuperate."
Merixia nods gratefully to the half-elf. "I would appreciate that a great deal, Thesius. I feel like I've been beaten within an inch of my life. Which is pretty much what happened, come to think of it. And yes, we should definitely make a cairn for the bodies. Maybe clean up the temple some, do some prayer, try to reconsecrate it."
Once Thesius casts his healing spell, Merixia joins in the effort to move the bodies outside and build a cairn.
Once the cairns are completed, and last rites performed in some small way, Anevia speaks up. "You know, at least we can be sure that there's a way to the surface from here."
"Or there once was." Horgus snarks darkly, but he falls silent when she glares at him.
"Anyways, I don't think the priest here would've come from below, right?" She looks from one face to the next. "So there must be a way out to the surface."
"Thank you all for your help. I have a few spells of healing that I believe should go to Elyda and Merixia if you are all okay with that. After, I would not mind helping the effort to give these poor souls a proper burial. In fact, I think it would be beneficial for us to stay here while we recuperate."
"I would be grateful for the magical healing, Thesius." So I may breathe again without this sharp pain, she mused inwardly. "Also, it took courage to throw yourself into battle with the abominations. I thank you."
"These are two more potions of healing, like the one we found before..." She hands the potions to Elyda to distribute as she thinks right...
Once she had received the healing from Thesius, Elyda turned to accept the healing potions Verene was handing to her. "It is good to see you on your feet, Verene. Thank you for giving Merixia the potion and I am sorry you were deeply injured for your endeavour." The young inquisitor gave the lady wizard a gentle smile. "As for these new healing potions, perhaps you should carry one and I will carry the other," returning one of the vials to Verene and stowing hers in her pack.
"I'm... sorry, everyone. I thought I could lure it outside after me so you'd have a better chance to win, but it seems I couldn't. I wish I'd had more helpful spells prepared for a situation like this."
"You acted in aid of us and that is fair contribution against the undead creatures. We each will learn something to aid us in the battles to come," Elyda quietly reassured Elliot.
Elyda then cast her eyes around the chamber, ensuring it was safe/secure if they were to rest/recover in this place.
The chapel could be resanctified - it would require a fair amount of cleaning and some serious prayer as well as a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check, which I'll rule you can take 10 on, but it would be made holy. One could sanctify it to Torag again, or to another deity of good or law. Sanctifying the chapel to one's own god gets a +5 circumstance bonus to the check.
As the others either rested, removed the fell corpses or began building a cairn, Elyda felt a divine pull to cleanse the chapel in the name of good and light. Stowing her buckler and cleaning then sheathing her sword, she lay her open palm against her side and began to quietly cast, asking the Lady of Valour to grant her guidance in the endeavour.
Looking to the more knowledgeable members of their group, Elyda asked, "Can someone aid me in my cause to cleanse this chapel in the name of good and light? There are those more learned than I. I cannot stand by and allow the darkness to linger in this once sacred place." After a moment's pause to collect her thoughts, she added, "If I cleanse this chapel in Iomedae's name, I can manage it on my own, although it will take much cleaning and hours of prayer..."
Looking to the more knowledgeable members of their group, Elyda asked, "Can someone aid me in my cause to cleanse this chapel in the name of good and light? There are those more learned than I. I cannot stand by and allow the darkness to linger in this once sacred place."
Merixia pokes her horned head in the door, having just returned from carrying a dead zombie outside. "Sure, which deity did you want to consecrate it to? Torag or Iomedae? Most empyreal lords don't really do formal temples, including Ragathiel. I probably could consecrate it in his name, but I think Torag or Iomedae would be more appropriate."
"Sure, which deity did you want to consecrate it to? Torag or Iomedae? Most empyreal lords don't really do formal temples, including Ragathiel. I probably could consecrate it in his name, but I think Torag or Iomedae would be more appropriate."
"After some quiet contemplation, I wish to consecrate this chapel to Iomedae, for my Lady is the Light in this uncertain time we find ourselves. I do not wish to anger nor disrespect Torag; yet I believe that he will not offended by my dedication to my Lady. I am grateful for your offer of aid, Merixia. If you have other matters to attend to, I will begin this task."
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Rolling up her sleeves, the young inquisitor set to her task of cleansing the chapel; sanctifying it in her Lady Iomedae's name.
"Merixia, do you have a spell to create water, so I can wash the foulness from the altar and floors?"
With the aid of her cleric companion's water spell, Elyda pulled an old cleaning rag from her pack and set to the dirty task; hoping to wash and wipe the general muck from the altar before beginning her more divine-focused tasks. She washed her hands in clean water, drying them on a fresh cloth.
Removing the metal cup and wooden bowl from her mess kit, Elyda made her way to the stone basin filled with holy water and scooped some of the blessed water in each small container before taking them to the altar. Drawing her longsword, Elyda dipped the clean cloth into the bowl of holy water and then ran it carefully along the blade several times - removing any trace of the foul blood and impurities of the abominations - cleansing the sword for the divine purpose ahead. She used the cup of holy water to clean the bowl (ensuring the dirtied water was tossed away from the altar chamber) before returning to the basin by the door and filling each container anew and returning to the altar. She lay her beloved sword perpendicular in the middle of the stone surface, between the containers of holy water - the tip of the blade pointing upward.
Then taking her beloved holy text: Acts of Iomedae, from a safe pocket inside her fine pack, she placed it atop her pack for the moment.
Requesting the three candle stubs Verene had taken from the pack they discovered lodged in the fissure, Elyda placed them on the altar lighting them with her flint and steel. There was enough light inside the chamber due to the magical lighting spells cast by two of her companions - the lit candles would represent in part Iomedae's cleansing Light in the sanctification.
Removing her iron holy symbol from the chain around her neck, she held it in her left hand, facing the altar, and in her right hand she held her holy text.
In steady, reverent voice, Elyda recounted the eleven miracles performed by her goddess - stories of heroism and virtues recounted in the holy text. She spoke each Act and called Iomedae's name; her prayers echoing against the stone walls like a song of Light. The holy text was repeated over several hours; Elyda only briefly stopping to pour the holy water over the altar and refill the bowl and cup from the main basin. Her actions were steady, persistent, even as she grew tired - she continued - determined to right the wrong.
Upon the final hour of prayer and blessing, she laid her iron holy symbol atop the blade on the altar and lifting both into the air before her, she raised her voice in benediction, "I reclaim this sacred place and turn away the darkness and foulness in the name of the Light of the Sword: Iomedae. It shall be a place of peace and goodness, a sanctuary from the darkness hiding in the shadows perpetuating ill will against the good, the just, the innocent, the righteous. Only the Light shall remain in this sacred place. Only the Light shall guide a lost, good soul. Only the Light will spark a righteous fire that will burn the darkness to ash. I sanctify this place in the name of the Light of the Sword: Iomedae. I am the hand of the Light and honour the Light. Blessed is her name, blessed is this holy place."
In her mind, she added a fervent prayer to Torag, Father of Creation, as hand of the Light I mean you no ill will, no contempt. I am the hand of the Light and through her I wish to restore this place. If I trespass, I ask forgiveness.
Pouring the last contents of the holy water along the altar and surrounds, Elyda allowed the candles to burn until there was nothing left of the wax. The young inqusitor hoped the god Torag would not feel slighted or ousted from his place for that was not her will or purpose.
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"I am glad to be able to help," Thesius responds before calling upon his arcane arts to cast a cure upon Merixia and Elyda in turn...
...before continuing, "It's just unfortunate I was not able to do so for longer. Although it seems great minds think alike." He gives Elliot a smile upon hearing about his attempts to draw the attention of their enemy.
Before they can bury the bodies, Thesius looks over each in an attempt to confirm the faith of each. He has strong reason to believe it is Torag, or was in case of the huecuva, but wishes to make certain.
After learning what he can, he will help with the cairns while trying to think of any etiquette they should follow based on the race and faith of each individual.
He will offer his prayers to any deity of them that he feels comfortable with (likely Torag), Desna, and the goodly gods if unable to identify the god of any of them upon completion of the graves.
Once done he shares in the effort to restore the temple as they rest, but he will voice his concerns with sanctifying to another deity, even going so far as to interrupt the process if he is not given the opportunity to stop it prior. "Would sanctifying to Iomedae make this a temple of Iomedae? If so, I would have to state my objections without good cause. I do not know Torag to be an evil deity, but it seems short-sighted to think of even a goodly god being okay with another god being given claim over a place of their worship. That does not even take into account the feelings of the deity's worshippers. What would happen if a worshipper of Desna came into a temple of Iomedae and sanctified it in her name?"
"This altar could now become a sort of shrine that allows worship of Iomedae and Torag. There are temples across the lands that allow worship of more than one god and they can coexist. I am not willfully displacing the god from this holy place. I do not know Torag's ways to sanctify the altar/chapel in his name. I can only sanctify this place in the name of my Lady. I do not wish to incur the divine wrath of any of the gods; yet I could not in good conscience leave this once-sacred place defiled by darkness. If both the gods are good, then they cannot be so displeased to unleash their wrath. Yet, if Torag is so displeased, then he may unleash his displeasure on me and on me alone."
"I owe you my life, Verene. You did a very courageous thing for someone you barely know. A healing spell is the least I could do."Verene takes the offered hand and gets shakily to her feet. "I feel I should be the one saying that. Let's not talk of owing, for I'm sure I shall be more than indebted to you before long." And it matters far more that you survive than I do.
"As for these new healing potions, perhaps you should carry one and I will carry the other."
"Of course." Verene stows the second potion in a pocket in her sleeve and tries a smile. Perhaps mistaking Elyda's solicitude for guilt, she adds in detached tones, "I am glad to be back on my feet again too, of course, but it would have been the right move, regardless. It was good that you thought of the potion and spoke up."
"Can someone aid me in my cause to cleanse this chapel in the name of good and light?"
"I'm afraid I can't help you with that. If you have a specific question on some point of religious lore or practice, I may be able to answer it, but otherwise I will prove more of a hindrance, I think."
Once the zombies are dragged away and the cairns completed, Verene volunteers no further opinion on whether to reconsecrate the temple and if so, to what deity. She withdraws to the antechamber, where she offers to share out the water in her waterskin and the dried fruit-and-nut trail rations in her pack with Anevia, Horgus and Aravashnial.
The new skin on her face, where the zombie's claws bit deep and then Merixia's healing closed the wound, is still livid red and painful to the touch. As she dozes with her head leaning against the wall, she wonders idly if she will live long enough for it to fully heal.
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The rituals of resanctification are long and somewhat arduous, and Elyda has to borrow heavily from Iomedae's rituals to make the place holy enough again. When she finds herself at a loss, she turns to Merixia for help, only for Thesius to interject with his objections to sanctifying it solely to the Inheritor.
Elyda strikes on the idea of making it a shared space, which Merixia is well familiar with, for most shrines of Ragathiel are held within temples to the gods of Heaven - Iomedae, mostly, but also Torag and even Erastil from time to time.
Ultimately, working together, the two servants of the gods manage to make the sanctuary safe and sacred again - to both the main martial gods of Heaven worshipped in the Inner Sea. Anevia watches in rapt fascination from her newfound position on one of the benches in the nave.
Meanwhile, in the Antechamber, Horgus and Aravashnial take the food and water gratefully. (Well, Aravashnial takes it gratefully, Horgus just takes it.)
Thamyris chirps at Verene. "Outside, glow changes!" Indeed, in the chamber outside the shrine, the sickly green glow of the fungus has changed to a generally more pleasant yellow glow, making it easier for everyone to see in color.
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Cleaning and resanctifying the temple is a long, dirty, arduous process. But Thesius' healing spell made Merixia feel good as new, so she pitches in without complaint. Consecrating the temple in the names of both Torag and Iomedae is a good compromise, since nobody in the group knows Torag's rites well enough to just do it in his name.
Upon hearing Thamyris, the cleric walks outside to take a look. "Wow, would you look at that! Looks like it worked." Merixia returns to the temple and sits down on the bench where she left her backpack. "Oof, I'm going to sleep well tonight. Today. Whatever." She takes a long drink from her waterskin, wiping sweat and dust from her brow. "I can create as much water as we need, so if anyone's waterskin is running low, just tell me. Elliot, can you cast the instant cleaning spell? I'm absolutely filthy from all that dust." That way she won't have to strip where Horgus the Crazy might be able to see. Elliot and Thesius seem like gentlemen, but Horgus? Merixia doesn't trust him not to leer.
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Thesius had planned to clean the temple after he finished looking after the dead and it came as a shock to him to find out that Elyda had already been doing it in the name of another god. It felt like an invasion of sorts to him. Thoughts flashing though his head.
Who were they to know the will of the gods? Especially not their own? What would the followers of Torag think of such without even being given the chance to state their objections?
He voiced his opinions, but it would seem the work was done. He would not take part in this ordeal and would focus upon putting the dead to rest as best he could before moving back into the building with the rest of the group. Enacting his cantrip of prestidigitation to clean himself off and offering his assistance to the others.
"Please let me know if you wish for my assistance with cleaning off magically."
After seeing to anyone that accepts his aid, he sees to securing the doors before talking to the others and cleaning/mending the tattered bedroll they found earlier.
"Perhaps we should further discuss our individual abilities and supplies so that we might work in concert moving forward. I have some paper and can inventory what we have once I'm through with this bedroll."
Merixia's words would draw his attention to the shift in the light's hue. It would seem there had been something lingering here he was unware of. He had thought the hue simply a product of the light source, but that was not the case. He offers an apologetic smile to Elyda while speaking. "Apologies for my interjections earlier. It would seem you were aware of something that I was not." He still held reservations, but could appreciate the work that had been accomplished.
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Sheathing her sword, she turns to face Elliot. "I imagine you had mostly illusion spells prepared for the performance, right? Maybe that wide-angle fire spell? Not your fault you unexpectedly got dumped into a fight in close quarters with the undead. Personally, I'm thankful you didn't try to fry them, you would have fried us too. And taunting a huecuva by praying to its former god? That takes serious guts." The cleric gets to her feet and walks over to the magical duo, patting Elliot on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll have more opportunity to fight before we reach the surface."
"Yeah... you got it in one. Fire and illusion spells - to make the play look as flashy as possible. As it surns out, not quite suited for underground spelunking, surprisingly. Still, thanks! That does make me feel better," Elliot replies, some of his earlier good mood returning. He looks at Merixia's claw as it pats his shoulder and remains silent for a moment, apparently thinking about something.
"You acted in aid of us and that is fair contribution against the undead creatures. We each will learn something to aid us in the battles to come," Elyda quietly reassured Elliot.
The approach of the inquisitor startles him out of it, and he blinks on hearing the words. Was an actual inquisitor thanking him for something? "Oh! Well, thanks to you too, Lady Elyda. We're, uh, fortunate indeed to have two such skilled divine warriors with us today. It does feel like the two of you carried a lot more of that weight, but I'll take your words for it just the same."
Afterwards, he leads Aravashnial to a ruined, yet still sittable stone bench somewhere away from Horgus and starts helping with the burials first and cleaning attempts for the temple afterwards. He was content to listen to those with more religious experience on how to actually do this.
Until a counter-argument for the exact diety comes up from Thesius.
"Would sanctifying to Iomedae make this a temple of Iomedae? If so, I would have to state my objections without good cause. I do not know Torag to be an evil deity, but it seems short-sighted to think of even a goodly god being okay with another god being given claim over a place of their worship. That does not even take into account the feelings of the deity's worshippers. What would happen if a worshipper of Desna came into a temple of Iomedae and sanctified it in her name?"
"Maybe you're right," Elliot says to the mysterious swordsman who seemed knowledgeable on a great many topics. "However, the way it is now, this place doesn't serve any god any purpose. And I wouldn't want to anger *all* involved gods by both not picking most of them and then screwing up the procedure for the one we do. Probably safest to let either Elyda or Merixia use their experience of their respective faiths to do it well. Unless sharing between gods is a possibility, I guess. That feels like hedging our bets."
The new skin on her face, where the zombie's claws bit deep and then Merixia's healing closed the wound, is still livid red and painful to the touch. As she dozes with her head leaning against the wall, she wonders idly if she will live long enough for it to fully heal.
He notices Verene's scars shortly afterwards and feels another stab of guilt for being the only one getting out uninjured. Yet... it was further comforting to know his sister had been in the same position regarding her spells. It would probably be a good idea to go see her later and coordinate which new ones to prepare between the two of them, and perhaps involve his Master for ones that didn't require sight. In the end, he was the most experienced caster between them by far.
Maybe he should have gone to her and said something now, though...
"Elliot, can you cast the instant cleaning spell? I'm absolutely filthy from all that dust." [/b] That way she won't have to strip where Horgus the Crazy might be able to see. Elliot and Thesius seem like gentlemen, but Horgus? Merixia doesn't trust him not to leer.
"Hm?" he asks, pulled from his inner musings. Specifically directed there, his eyes glide over all the dust, dirt and blood, that seemed to be covering her. Strike one against being attentive! "Right! No problem. This spell works in that in can clean 'items', but not living things or people. Not even my Teacher knows exactly why. Maybe an oversight in the arcane laws? So... I could clean your clothes, weapons and armor, but not 'you' yourself. So if you can make water, you may still need to, uh... wash."
He tried not to let his mind wander on the mental image. After all, he was a perfect gentlemen!
...Sigh. It was a good thing it was hard to tell when an emberkin Aasimar was blushing. Few people knew what the sudden blue discoloration in the hair meant, and that was probably for the best.
Verene rouses from her doze at Thamyris's chirp and inspects the light outside. "How odd. It doesn't seem dangerous, but thank you for alerting me." Is this an omen of divine approval, or simply the default color of the fungus once not tainted by unholiness? Either way, it's more of a sign than I ever saw, in a dozen years of looking.
She gratefully accepts a cleaning of her clothes from Thesius's cantrip, and a refill of her waterskin from Merixia's. She uses some more water to clean her face and hands. Mending the rent in her clothes can wait until she has privacy to remove it and fix it herself. When Thesius is preparing to mend the bedroll, she hands off the frayed rope to him for mending as well.
Finally, she gets out her spellbook and brings up how best to spread out the casters' capabilities with Elliot, Thesius and Aravashnial. "...All right, so if you always have your four lights and we also have a lantern, I'll prepare a minor telekinetic effect instead..."
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"Hm?" he asks, pulled from his inner musings. Specifically directed there, his eyes glide over all the dust, dirt and blood, that seemed to be covering her. Strike one against being attentive! "Right! No problem. This spell works in that in can clean 'items', but not living things or people. Not even my Teacher knows exactly why. Maybe an oversight in the arcane laws? So... I could clean your clothes, weapons and armor, but not 'you' yourself. So if you can make water, you may still need to, uh... wash."
He tried not to let his mind wander on the mental image. After all, he was a perfect gentlemen!
...Sigh. It was a good thing it was hard to tell when an emberkin Aasimar was blushing. Few people knew what the sudden blue discoloration in the hair meant, and that was probably for the best.
Merixia deflates slightly at Elliot's explanation of the spell. "Oh. Well, at least we can get our clothes and armor clean! That's the harder part, it takes forever for armor padding to dry."
"Perhaps we should further discuss our individual abilities and supplies so that we might work in concert moving forward. I have some paper and can inventory what we have once I'm through with this bedroll."
"Right." This is more important than getting clean, she can deal with that later. Merixia sits down on a pew near Thesius and Verene. "My spellcasting abilities are limited, as I'm sure you saw. I can channel positive energy to heal the living or harm undead. I can call upon Ragathiel to help me deal a little more damage with a weapon, or to guide me a bit in combat or a skill, such as mundane medicine." She scratches the base of a horn. "I can also call on him to help me strike true, but only once or twice a day. And I can use a mundane fire, such as a torch, to make blinding fireworks or thick smoke. There's also the usual selection of cleric spells, but given how much combat we're seeing, I'll most likely end up using those for healing."
Next she rummages around in her backpack. "Never thought I'd be thankful for all the thieves in the crusaders' camp, I'm carrying everything I own except my tent. I've got one waterskin, six days' worth of trail rations, a bedroll, blanket, flint and steel, grooming kit-soap, comb, hair ties, all that- a spare set of clothes, mess kit, healer's kit, and some chalk." She looks up at Verene. "I don't really need the fancy backpack. I can carry more than what I've got without a problem."
"Oh! Well, thanks to you too, Lady Elyda. We're, uh, fortunate indeed to have two such skilled divine warriors with us today. It does feel like the two of you carried a lot more of that weight, but I'll take your words for it just the same."
"There is no need for such formality, especially in these times, Elliot. I am simply Elyda." She inclined her head in gratitude upon his words of praise or commendation? She accepted the divine providence that brought her and Merixia together at this point in time - in the aftermath of the attack on the surface.
====
Placing the holy symbol of the Lady around her neck and sheathing her longsword, Elyda closed her holy book and returned it to her pack. She closed her eyes for a moment and let peace flow out over her. The half-elf Thesius had judged her actions poorly - she did not fault him for his conviction and she had grown used to the poor opinion some folk had of one of her calling and the suspicion. The man's piety had caught her off guard being he was one whose magical talents lay in the arcane, yet she noted his strong disagreement in this matter.
Thanking Merixia for her efforts in the cleansing of the chapel (it was good that she was a member of this party) it was then she heard the lady cleric advise,
Upon hearing Thamyris, the cleric walks outside to take a look. "Wow, would you look at that! Looks like it worked."
The young inquisitor nodded and closed her eyes once more, giving private thanks to her Lady and also to the god Torag, for he deserved recognition in such a holy place as this. A small, accomplished smile graced her lips and she felt her actions had been vindicated. She opened her eyes as she heard someone approach.
He offers an apologetic smile to Elyda while speaking. "Apologies for my interjections earlier. It would seem you were aware of something that I was not." He still held reservations, but could appreciate the work that had been accomplished.
"I would not do anything to harm the people I serve to protect, nor would I wish to disregard the gods and their holy places. I can only do the work to the best of my ability; yet I am still learning. We are strangers, still, and do not know each other ways or motives. Perhaps in time, and, with deeds, we will come to better understand each other. We did not mean to offend the other."
Enacting his cantrip of prestidigitation to clean himself off and offering his assistance to the others.
"Please let me know if you wish for my assistance with cleaning off magically."
Elyda nodded in acceptance of the magical cleaning and once her clothing was refreshed, "I thank you for the healing and the magical laundering."
She drank a little water from her canteen (allowing Merixia ro refill it with her spell) and nibbled on some of her rations for she felt the ache of the hard labour of the day.
"Oof, I'm going to sleep well tonight. Today. Whatever."
"For all the activities since the attack, I suspect we are in early evening," answered Elyda quietly.
Looking to Elliot, she continued, "You have generously shared your own stores of food with the people, here. If you require more, please remember that I found ten lots of rations in the pack we discovered earlier in the fissure and you can make use of them."
"Perhaps we should further discuss our individual abilities and supplies so that we might work in concert moving forward. I have some paper and can inventory what we have once I'm through with this bedroll."
She would disclose her abilities and supplies with the rest of them. However, for now, Elyda closed her eyes again and rested for a few, brief moments.
Aravashnial speaks to the other mages in the group. "Until I recover my main spellbook from the library and either discover a way to read it without sight or have a chance to regenerate my eyes, what spells I have now are those I shall have until I cast them." He makes a face, though there's an edge of dread to his tone.
"You will understand if I want to keep my spells for true emergencies, I hope."
Though their sleep cycles are somewhat distorted by the lack of a sun to determine when to rise, the party manages to get themselves up and about sooner rather than later - they think. After a brief meal, Anevia speaks up.
"Now, I'm pretty sure whatever it was that Elyda heard back in the caves yesterday wasn't the priest and his compatriots."
"Family." Horgus corrects, the word escaping from his mouth almost absently.
Anevia looks at him, startled, but continues. "So that means that we should be aware that there might be a threat ahead of us."
"Or it could potentially be allies, if we've found the mole people of Kenabres." Aravashnial points out, before sighing. "Sadly, it is far more likely to be a threat. Even if we're not deep enough to be in Nar-Voth, these caves are close enough to the Darklands to be under perpetual threat."
That night...
Thesius takes the time to mend any items given to him, inventory their supplies as they were brought to his attention, share his own abilities (especially those arcane so the other casters could better choose their spells knowing his capabilities since his spell allotment would not change), and journal about the happenings of the day along with drawing a map.
After a meal and the gracious refilling of his waterskin by Merixia, he would allow the group to choose who would get the new bedroll while giving his own to Anevia. He explains to her that it's important that she have a comfortable place to rest so she can properly heal, he's not in bad shape and chooses to take up a sleeping position next to the doorway so that he's ready to react should it become necessary.
The next day...
Thesius awakes a bit sore from the sleeping arrangement and takes some time to stretch out his muscles to help alleviate the pain while listening to his companions comments.
"I concur that vigilance is key and while I hold out hope for our future, we do not know how long we will be down here and when we will find shelter from the threats around us. With that in mind, I will work with Verene to help record our way so that we can find out way back to places we might need to revisit. Otherwise, unless someone has another idea, I will continue to hold my position at the back of the line. It makes sense not to have both of our healers in one place."
Elyda rose and stretched her tender muscles. The recent injuries were healed, yet the resonance of the pain to her chest still lingered in her mind. I must be wary of such hits. I cannot let my companions down, especially in battle, she pondered inwardly.
Undertaking brief ablution and a small bite to break her fast, the young inquisitor listened to the Anevia and the brief correction made by the provoking and strange Horgus. Her pale blue eyes lingered on him; keening attempting to take his measure and unravel the cryptic nature of the words he threw at them every now and again. Is the man addled of mind or possessed by something darker and dangerous...
Returning to the matter at hand, Elyda nodded her head in agreement with both Anevia and Thesius, "I am grateful you brought the matter of the sounds that I heard - the language was not one I am familiar with. We will move with greater vigilance and less arguments, thinking back on the quarrelling civilians of the previous day. "It is wise to split our healers and have them on either end of the march - well considered Thesius. If Merixia still wishes to lead us through, and Verene is happy to remain in second, then I will march behind our lady wizard." After a moment's thought, Elyda cast her gaze once more on Anevia and enquired, "How is your leg presently? Is the pain manageable or have the muscles grown rigid?"
In the morning...
Merixia looks half asleep as she crawls out of her bedroll. On her way to a private corner to wash up, her red-scaled tail snakes into her bandolier, retrieves Terendelev's scale, and hands it to Elyda. She seems a little more lively after she's eaten and performed her morning prayers.
"Do you want to lead today, Elyda? I can take the middle, it's not a problem. I think it's smart to have Thesius in the rear as our backup healer." The tiefling works a carved wooden comb through her long black hair as they talk. "I can channel energy again, see how much that helps our wounded."
Accepting Terendelev's scale from Merixia with quiet thanks, Elyda placed the treasure securely in the pouch around her waist and responded, "I can lead this day. Notwithstanding your talent with the blade, you are our primary healer and it is reasonable to have you swap places with me."
"Until I recover my main spellbook from the library and either discover a way to read it without sight or have a chance to regenerate my eyes, what spells I have now are those I shall have until I cast them. You will understand if I want to keep my spells for true emergencies, I hope."
Verene nods and then, realizing he would not have seen, lays a sympathetic hand on Aravashnial's arm. The loss of sight and thus the ability to prepare spells might be the single most terrifying survivable injury she can think of, as a fellow mage. "Of course we understand," she says gently. "We will handle things ourselves as far as we are able, but it is good to know you are keeping some more powerful spells in reserve against true need."
"I can call upon Ragathiel to help me deal a little more damage with a weapon, or to guide me a bit in combat or a skill, such as mundane medicine."
"Speaking of medicine, the claws of a huecuva are known to spread disease. Although you and Thesius did an admirable job of closing up our wounds, all three of us should keep a close watch for any symptoms of illness in the coming days, and I hope you'll be able to offer medical advice or treatments if we start feeling under the weather."
Verene proposes giving the repaired bedroll to Aravashnial, who like Anevia still has serious injuries and would benefit from a more comfortable rest. She curls up on a relatively clean patch of floor, pillowing her head on one arm and her backpack, and falls asleep quickly.
***
Sunday, 17th Arodus 4713
***
Verene sleeps fitfully, seeing snatches of the horrors from the previous day in her dreams. Sometimes the faces of her parents appear in place of those of the slaughtered civilians, despite the fact that she knows they are far away, and hopefully safe, in Nerosyan. She wakes with a sore back and shoulders, and a nauseous dread that comes and goes in waves, muted as the thunder of a distant storm. The numbness that has flattened every feeling since yesterday noon is receding, but slowly.
She stretches her neck and back after waking to work out the cramps, reflecting that she's really too old to be sleeping rough; the days when she could curl up on any sufficiently clear floorspace in some tiny temple storeroom and rise the next morning fresh as a daisy are only a distant memory now.
The wounds on her cheek and stomach are improved, though still slightly inflamed and tender, which bodes ill for the chances of infection.
"His family..." Verene had vaguely thought the zombie dwarves were the huecuva's servants at one point, but instead perhaps by 'the servant' Horgus had meant the huecuva, which would make 'the master' Torag. She's given up on asking direct questions of Horgus Gwerm relating to his vague and ominous pronouncements, however, so she just says, "It's a shame we have no way of learning the true story of the tragedy that surely took place here. Maybe if we find the clan whose mark is on that ring, they can tell us more. All we know for certain is that at one point, there was a connection between these tunnels and the surface – or perhaps the Darklands – that allowed this place to be built and the formerly-a-dwarf huecuva to travel here. If the tales of refugee First Crusaders and their children are true, they would have come from the surface too. It seems very likely there will be some connection to the surface, somewhere. Finding it is another matter. I'll certainly help you mark and record our path, Thesius."
She makes a mental note to talk to Aravashnial about not using the term 'mole people' in the hearing of any underground-dwellers, if they should happen to find any. Such an unflattering name couldn't possibly endear them to surface folk, and might be cause for serious offense.
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It wasn't until Elliot had finished cleaning the clothes of those who wished for it with his cantrip that he remembered the ring Verene had given for him. Maybe he'd been too down to notice, maybe he was too worried about his family on the service. Regardless, he takes anothing look at the dwarven piece of jewelry.
First, he bites it, then holds it up to the light. "No indentation..." He observes. That either meant it was fake, or very well-made. Well, it was dwarven. He'd give it the benefit of the doubt for the first test.
Secondly, he carefully looks it over for any black spots, and tries to peel off any potential paint. "Nice and continuous..." he tries to use his nail and fails to reveal any new black spots of his own. That was promising!
Lastly, he produces a small bottle of vinegar from his rations and places the ring in a stone offering bowl alongside it to let it rest.
In the meantime, he decided to seek out Verene. "Hey... Verene? I'm working on the ring. It looks real so far but I'm using vinegar to be sure. We should probably talk about which spells both of us use. Do you have a preference? I think I might go with grease and vanish or grease and colour spray until we get out of the narrow tunnels. And what do you say, master?"
Returning the the bowl, Elliot finds the ring's colour unchanged. Not green or black. That was real gold all right! Now for the value...
"A little heavy for a ring. And dwarven craftsmanship too. Let's say... a hundred and twentyfive gold, give or take. A nice round number for something so rare," he concludes, and gives it to whomever was carrying most of the loot.
Aravashnial shares the spells he has memorized at the moment with his fellow arcane casters, but reasserts that these are all the spells he will have for what may potentially be weeks.
Anevia shrugs at Elyda's question, looking embarrassed. "I'm a bit better, yeah. I doubt I'll be any faster walking, but I think I might be able to handle myself a bit better in combat, so long as I'm not fighting hand-to-hand." She hesitates. "And so long as I'm careful. I'm still adjusting to having a crippled leg."
Aravashnial rises to his feet, leaning heavily on his staff. "Well, I am as prepared as I will be." Horgus, by contrast, seems to be much more reserved than the day before. Is he plotting something?
Anevia rubs the last traces of sleep from her eyes. "I'd like to be in the middle, too. Preferably in a place where I can take my shots without risking hitting you all, but in tunnels, that's... less than likely."
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"Though if we could find that clan, or a dwarf from it ay any rate, they might be willing to give more for it," he adds, and seeing it was getting late after the hours long consecration and cleanup attempt, he grabs his bedroll shortly after. "I can share the blanket with someone, for those who don't have their own. Actually, I can lend it out entirely. This outfit is pretty warm, blessedly. It's nice and clean too. Mother washed-"
He stops mid-sentence and looks at the ceiling.
"...Never mind. Whoever wants it can have it."
He doesn't get much sleep that night, or what passed for night down there, which was probably for the better. On a day like this, he knew what was waiting for him.
The next day, Elliot gets up and reassumes his position near the back with Aravashnial. This time, he'd make it up to the others for sure.
(Tactical decisions)
"All right. If you don't mind, Master, Verene will support you for now. I feel like I need to make up for yesterday and use offensive spells near the front. Actually... if we run into a fight tomorrow, can you prepare a mage armor to use on me, Verene? It would make it a lot safer to walk in for the spray if I had that. Though I recognize we don't have that many between the two of us to begin with."
Before they head out, Thesius takes some time to inspect his wounds to see if they appear infected.
After, he takes the time to gather up the bedroll he lent Anevia and store it. He still planned on letting her use it, but it made sense to him to carry it.
Finally, he falls into line at the back of the group with his buckler in place and longsword in hand. He will work on maintaining dancing lights behind them to keep watch for anything of concern as the night gave time for new enemies to move to the tunnels they already explored.
"Thesius, Verene, let me take a quick look at your wounds. That huecuva's claws were filthy." Merixia casts a quick spell then examines her comrades, applying salve from her healer's kit as necessary.
Once everyone is prepared to move on, she takes the place near the middle that Elyda held yesterday, bastard sword in hand and buckler fastened in place.
Of the two, Merixia finds that Verene's wounds are (perhaps unsurprisingly) at greater risk for infection, and she treats the woman with careful application of what medical supplies she has available.
With that, the group moves off to the south, their speed hindered by a gradual upwards slope, the not-infrequent narrow passageways, and the low-hanging ceilings. Nevertheless, about forty minutes pass in silence, with only quiet conversations or brief warnings exchanged (especially after Aravashnial had nearly hit his head on a stalactite).
Then Horgus speaks again. "Hunted he was, and haunted he is. Walking through the bones of the ancients, he lives."
"More of this cryptic bullshit, Horgus?" Anevia asks irritably.
"What are you talking about?" He responds waspishly, genuinely baffled. "There's enough going on here that I don't need more of your nonsense, girl."
Anevia pauses, but shakes her head.
Verene slows, the germ of an idea about Horgus's oddity forming in her mind. Those times he'd sounded like another person yesterday... maybe that was another person, one whose thoughts and memories were hidden to the crochety, fearful noble in the times when he sounded more like his normal self. "Just now, Lord Horgus, you said, and I quote, 'Hunted he was, and haunted he is. Walking through the bones of the ancients, he lives.' Do you remember saying it? Has it seemed to you recently that people have often addressed baffling remarks to you, ones that don't follow from anything you've said?
"Elyda, Merixia, hold on. Lord Horgus - or someone - tried to give us a warning, in his own way, about the huecuva yesterday, I think. Let me cast a spell to make Merixia bigger and stronger before we go any further." She doesn't need to approach Merixia to do it, but it is the most complicated piece of magic she knows. Verene withdraws a tiny bit of powdered iron from her spell component pouch, fixes her eyes on Merixia, and sketches a complex sign in the air with the tips of her gray-dipped fingers, chanting without stopping for several breaths.
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The young inquisitor cast Guidance upon herself - calling upon her Lady's wisdom to aid her.
Elyda heard the puzzling words spoken by Horgus and then Verene's counsel to take care.
As before, Horgus, in his own words, appears to know more than he even knows.
With buckler fastened and longsword in hand, Elyda cast her eyes about the tallish cavern and listened for any kinds of sounds coming from deeper in the cavern.
"Let me cast a spell to make Merixia bigger and stronger before we go any further."
"Wait a moment, Verene; that spell only lasts a minute. Maybe we should save it until we actually run into enemies?" Elliot suggests, still carrying his master with him. Unfortunately, in that exact moment, his attention on Aravashnial slips and his master almost walks face-first into a stalactite. "Oops. Apologies, master." He adds sheepishly, then redirects his attention towards scouting for threats again.
Horgus gives Verene a strange look, eyes glinting faintly in the light of her crossbow bolt. "No, just now."
The companions move forwards along the passageway before it opens up into a broader cavern. Stone figures are carved all across the walls of the cavern, each depicting a crusader wearing armor and wielding weapons, but the shadowed features show expressions of mourning that stand out especially clearly to the planetouched.
With silent fluttering of wing-like protrusions, two horrific creatures unfold from their lairs in the rough and uneven ceiling to drop and assault the heroes.
Verene gasps quietly as a flash of something that hasn't yet occurred fills her with certainty.
"Darkmantles," she says, already raising her crossbow. "They will try to blind us with magical darkness, drop upon us and suffocate us. If you can't already see in the dark, don't be alarmed if you lose sight. Stay calm and let those with darkvision move to the front."
Verene fires her light-imbued bolt at the closer of the two darkmantles , and it slams home, causing the alien creature to shudder as blood oozes from the wound.
As Verene warns the others about the potential for darkness, the light provided by her spell vanishes beneath a cloud of blackness - at least, for herself, her familiar, and Thesius in the far back.
Elyda and Merixia see the uninjured darkmantle swoop forwards, its tentacles lashing out at the lawgiver. Though the blow itself is light - barely more than a painful slap - its tentacles wrap swiftly around her face and neck, tightening viciously, but the inquisitor manages to bat it away, struggling free.
Elyda heard Verene's warning re the creatures when the darkmantle suddenly slammed into her, lightly injuring her. Using her darkvision, she attacked it with her sword.
Then took a 5ft diagonal step to make room for the others.
===
Merixia steps forward, bringing her sword down on the darkmantle attacking Elyda.
Merixia's blade flicks out into the dark, slicing deep into the creature's tentacles. As it jerks away, it leaves itself open to Elyda's longsword, which slashes a chunk of flesh from its stalactite-like body.
"Dammit, I can't see them!" Anevia draws her sword, stabbing at where she saw the tentacles emerge from the unnatural darkness. "Is there some way to get rid of this?" Her blade flails uselessly around the area of the wounded darkmantle.
Verene shudders but manages not to scream at the soundless disappearance of her spell-light and most of the cave into uncanny total darkness. At least she still has some areas of vision left.
"Not without more powerful magic than the darkness itself, which I don't believe we have," Verene answers Anevia. "On the other hand, these are neither mindless vermin nor undead. Elliot, they may be vulnerable to you. Merixia, I want to enlarge you to make you more deadly, although your head will practically be scraping the ceiling in here. But I need to touch you to do it. All right?"
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”You want to enlarge me? Go for it!” Merixia sticks her tail out to where she heard Verene’s voice and wiggles it around until it finds the wizard.
Verene begins drawing upon the power of the arcane, her chanting and gestures shaping it into an effect upon the world, and Merixia extends her tail to help find her.
Even as she chants, though, a darkmantle swoops at Merixia, attacking her with its tendrils. The tiefling priestess deflects one tentacle with her buckler, ducks under another, and bats away a third with the flat of her blade.
The second darkmantle floats deeper into the darkness before reaching hungrily for Elyda. The aasimar struggles to keep its tentacles from landing on her, but she is struck several times, and one blow cracks painfully against her shoulder. This time, it slithers around her neck too swiftly for her to escape, and begins squeezing, choking the life out of her and crushing her throat slowly. Darkness - true blackness, of the sort that she cannot see through, begins to cloud the edges of her vision.
Seeing and hearing Elyda get mauled again, Elliot sneaks around the rocks until he finds the right position. "Not this time!" He growls, and shoots a powerful blast of illusion magic at the Darkmantle grappling her!