Tessaviri steps forward after sheathing her sword. "I am Tessaviri Cervallin. My companions and I fell into these caverns when the city above ground was attacked by demons. We are travelling in search of the surface, and meant no intrusion into your home."
”I am Tart Cranberry, but people call me TC. Say,” realization dawns on him and turns to Tessa, ”People could call you TC, too. That might get confusing.”
TC turns back to the green-eyes dwarf and waits.
"I'm....Millorn..." the dwarf says, his eyes darting about frantically.
"You're not with them, are you?" he continues, standing up and pointing a small crossbow at the group. "Stay away!"
Tessaviri held up her hands to emphasize her peaceful intentions.
"I'm not sure who the 'them' you refer to are, but we mean you no harm. Perhaps we can help you in some way?"
"You're not some of those honorable crusader types, are you? Coming down here to clean out the undercity?"
His voice grows angrier with every word, until he's almost yelling in anger. Just as quick, however, he seems to calm down and his voice settles into quietneess once more.
"Because if you were, we'd have a big problem on our hands."
TC nods and shakes his head. ”We are honourable crusader types, but we didn’t come here to clean out the undercity: we fell down here from above and are trying to get back so we can fight the demons. Do you want to come fight demons too?”
Tessaviri agrees with TC. "We were not aware of the undercity until we fell down into it. Our concern is returning where we came from safely."
The dwarf listens to the words of the newcomers and then sets his crossbow down.
"I have no quarrel with those simply passing through." he says, seeming to turn back to his tent and belongings.
"Nor do I need your help. Now go." he adds curtly, not looking up from his stuff, pointing towards the opening behind him.
"Thank you," Tessaviri says with a slight bow. She makes to delay in moving through in the direction the dwarf indicated.
”Bye!” TC waves as they head out of the cave and onwards.
The back of Milorn's cave has a steeply inclined tunnel that leads upward to the north, its walls lined with numerous nooks, handholds, and dozens of iron pitons that have been driven into the walls long ago. The top of the tunnel is dark, and even the sharp eyes of Tart and Amelia falter at this distance. The tunnel scales up at least 60 feet, perhaps more.
Is this the way out you've been looking for? You're not sure how far you fell when Terendelev saved you, but this is a good a start as any.
Tessaviri peers up the passage, feeling a surge of hope. "We can't say for sure that this will take us where we want to go, but it's at least apparent that someone wanted to traverse this tunnel. Many someones from the look of it."
She starts tying a rope around Karogo. He wouldn't be able to use the handholds, but maybe with some support he'd be able to scramble upward.
She remained silent during the conversation with the dwarf, suspicious at his anger towards crusaders. She tried to gauge his general demeanor. Did he have something to hide?
At the back wall, she glances up.
Well, naught to do but continue.
”I like up. I think up is a very good plan.”
The path upwards actually ends just beyond the range of what your darkvision showed, and after a sixty foot trek up, opens back up into a wider passage. A long, winding tunnel takes you for about fifteen minutes at the group's slower speed.
The tunnel opens into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a domelike chamber, but the walls and floor are riddled with cracks. At the center of the cave, a stone tower that may once have reached the fifty-foot-high ceiling has collapsed onto its side.
Tess and TC quickly see that two figures appear to be digging through the rubble, almost as if frantically searching for something. They don't appear to have noticed you.
Tessa calls out to the people searching through the rubble. "Do you need help?" she asks. The tower might have collapsed due to the demonic attack above.
The two figures turn upon hearing Tessa speak, coming out of the darkness and revealing themselves. One of them, presumably a female, is still hunchbacked when they turn, her face so warped by tumors it doesn't even look like she can speak.
The other one is more recognizable as a man, yet even still his features are meldedd. One half of his face appears normal, but has a curling goat horn protruding from it, and the other is covered in green retpilian scales. One leg is typical of a normal humanoid, but the other is the cloven foot of a goat.
The man speaks in strangely accented, yet quite eloquent, Common.
"If your intentions are ill, we ask you to move on and leave us in peace. If they are good, then perhaps you can help. As you can see, misfortune has befallen us."
As it has so many lately. What is it you need. If you've no ill will towards others, you've naught to fear from us... are you teiflings?
Shes eyes them cautiously but doesn't draw her blade.
"Tieflings? No, but I am not sure what your kind calls us. We have lived under the city for quite some time, but none of this is really vital at this moment. We need your help moving this rubble!"
Anevia speaks up here, her soft voice hiding behind it a bit of pain. "Aw, look at the poor man. How can we help, what can we do?"
Horgus reacts to her words, blurting out almost if by accident.
"What? 'Man'? That thing is no man, surely even you can see that. Why should we trust something that looks like that? It is a trap, no doubt intended to lead to our doom."
”We’re already doomed, so we might as well help. I’ll move it,” the little leshy declares. TC steps forward, holding his branches out in front of him, and suddenly, a constant stream of fist-sized chunks of rock begin flying out of the debris field.
Never accept defeat. Even in the face of death. You'll be surprised what you can survive. Amelia quips to Tart, before moving to aid them.
But, lets get to work. Tessa, keep watch just in case. She finishes as she bends over to help lift the debris.
Tessaviri takes up watch while the others work to move the rubble. "If the tower just collapsed, you suffer from a demon attack on the surface. We were driven down here by the same. Dark tidings abound this day."
With the four of you lifting, and TC’s rock magic, you’re able to move the rubble off of their fallen friend.
The male cries in excitement and glee as their friend is rescued, and turns to you as soon as he makes sure she is safe and relatively unharmed.
”Thank you so much! My name is Lann, and our village isn’t that far from here. But before I take you there, what do you mean by demons? Dark tidings? What is happening above ground that has all of you so on edge?”
"The city Kentares above was attacked by demons and the city looked likely to fall. We were saved from falling to death when a chasm opened in the ground and seek to return there. We can only hope that something remains to return to."
Of course the city survives. Its filled with people that won't give up. And even if its not, we will raise it back up with our own hands. whether the absent gods deem fit to intervene or not. For the demons constantly underestimate our strength of will. She says with a stern face.
Amelia's brash declaration washed over Tessaviri uncomfortably. Storasta was lost, and Iz...she'd known a man that never returned from a deployment to Drezen. Turio. Her heart clenched at the memory of loss. She'd seen far too many crusaders that were certain of their abilities fall to the demonic hordes, and many that gave in to despair when they lost their bravado.
"Of course. The Inheritor guide our steps."
Hmph, if she even notices them.
"Kenabres has been attacked by demons? I haven't been on the surface for a very long time, but I remember the town being a good place. I hope the city survives as well."
"The Inheritor? Who's that? And how would she notice us?" Lann asks, a questioning look on his face.
Tessaviri is ready to answer Lann's question about her goddess. ”The Inheritor is Iomedae, goddess of justice and honor. She was once a human, as mortal as you or I, and fought in the Shining Crusade long ago. When the war ended, she passed the Test of the Starstone and ascended to divinity as a herald of Aroden. Iomedae rose to prominence after Aroden's death and took over his legacy and is thus known as the Inheritor. Her followers lead the fight against the demon invasion on the surface.”
Lann seems to think a bit, and then his eyes light up suddenly.
"Oh, Iomadae! I've seen her name on many a statue, just never heard her called that. Forgive my lack of knowledge, I haven't been to the surface in many years."
He clearly recognizes your fervor for the Inheritor, and sounds almost nervous when he apologizes.
"I suppose that does explain how she would watch over us, though, being a goddess and all."
"As we said, we need to return to the surface. You said that you haven't been there in a long time, but do you know the way we should go?"
"I'm not sure actually." he replies, taking a second to think about it.
"The old tunnel my father and I used to use to find our way up there was caved in by the chief of our tribe after he discovered us using it. There is a chance he would be able to help you, though, if you wish to meet him. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you!"
"We must proceed. Could you take us to him?"
"Of course!" he cries out, seemingly eager to take you there. He turns to check on his friend that was under the rubble, and after they make sure he is relatively unharmed, the three point towards a tunnel heading southwest.
"That way." Lann says, beginning to walk that way. "So, what do you think of my home so far? I hope the journey here has not been too dangerous?"
Horgus almost speaks up, but just scoffs in reply instead.
TC happily recounts all the dangers they’ve faced so far in a carefree and blasé voice, like they were nothing.
"Unfortunately our party is not well acclimated to living underground, for the most part, and we arrived unprepared. It has been challenging."
That said, its likely easier than fighting ones way through swarms of demons. Though more tedious.
She says tersely, following behind them.
Unfortunately your experience around Kenabres and other similar places isn't enough for you to recognize what they are without further questioning.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Lann says "Although I am sure we will get you all to the surface soon. Hopefully it is not worse up there."
The three take off down the path they indicated, and it looks like the tunnel goes on for quite a while.
Recognizing that their journey would take some time, Tessaviri tries to start up a conversation with her companions. "So, what brought you to Kenabres? Beyond any orders you might have been following, I mean. I received a great blessing from the Inheritor years ago and felt called to her service. My life was spared and I need to extend the mercy of the goddess to others."
She cradles her left arm instinctively while speaking of the blessing she received.
”I’m looking for my friend. We got separated and I couldn’t find him and I got tired of waiting for him to come home so I left and started looking. His name is Mordithas; he’s an elf. I don’t think he’s down here.”
Anevia answers first, her voice strained with pain but otherwise fine.
"Well I think all three of us are citizens of Kenabres...well, were citizens of Kenabres is more accurate now I suppose. I can't speak to the others here, but what brought me here originally was my wife, Irabeth. She's a member of the Eagle Watch, lossely under the servive of Queen Galfrey of Mendev." at this moment, a shadow unrelated to pain crosses her face. "I pray to whatever gods are listening that she has survived the slaughter above."
Horgus takes this opportunity to answer as well.
"My family's holdings are in Kenabres, and that is why I am here. I have always depsised the uncouth demeanor of demons, the uncivilized bastards, and wish for them all to be sent to the Abyss from which they came. To that end, should we manage to make it back to my abode I will make sure you are handsomely rewarded. I have plenty of resources to take care of any need you might have."
Aravashnial, having remained quiet this entire time, speaks up in a dry cracked voice after Horgus speaks.
"I have lived in Kenabres for quite some time now, being as long lived as I obviously am. Before I was blinded by the whip of the Storm King, I was a formidable wizard, studying at the Librarium of the Broken Black Wing. I'd like to go there if we survive, see how many of my fellows are still there." he pauses at TC's question, and then continues. "I hcan't say that I have seen nor heard of a Mordithas, unfortunately my friend."
Hmph, the simple matter is there is only one of three general outcomes above. The first, and most likely, is that the defenders of Kenabres are still holding out. And as such, the city is a battleground. The second, is that it has been overrun completely. Possible, but unlikely. The last is that the attack has been repulsed. Considering things, extremely unlikely. So we should make plans on what to do should we leave these tunnels and enter into a city filled with demons. I only hope we can do something to swing the tide, should the city still hold.
While the prospect of what had, and is, happening terrified Amelia, she did her best not to let it show, and to turn that fear into anger.
The wizened elf speaks up again, answering Amelia.
”While I admire your optimism, I doubt the likelihood that the defenders of Kenabres are putting up a good fight against the Storm Lord and his demon army being the most likely. There’s a significant chance that we will climb out of this crevasse and find a burning city with no one left in it.”
”Not trying to sour the mood, just have to be realistic with these situations.”
Amelia shrugs, but nods slightly in agreement.
In either case, we must prepare ourselves to battle demons upon our exit, focusing on the former would be better in my opinion. Since it actually provides us a means to survive.
Tessaviri found herself in agreement with both Amelia and Aravashnial. This war churned through lives by the thousands, and no amount of hubris could stop the demon hordes. But if Kenabres had fallen, their fates were already decided. Hiding below the surface would not save them from the fate of those trapped in the Worldwound. She would do what she could, and for now that was returning to the city.
TC seems nonplussed by the grim topic as they walk along. ”I met a very nice man on the street just before the demons attacked. He sold meat tubes from a cart that smelled very nice, though I did not try one. He called them sausages. Have you ever had one?”
"What exactly is a...'sausage'?" Lann says, genuinely confused. "Let us move on, we are almost there!" he continues as he reaches the end of the lengthy tunnel you were in before.
Ahead, a wide chasm splits the tunnel floor. The floating rock dust in the air and the groans as the tunnel walls settle indicate that the tunnel split recently. Lann immediately cries out in dismay when he sees the chasm spreading cracks across the floor. The chasm is 10 feet across, quite a distance wide, and looks to be about 30 feet deep.
"Well this was supposed to be our easy way to our village, but it seems whatever happened up there has also affected more than we originally thought." he says, his face looking down but determined. "I suppose we will have to make the crossing somehow, this is the only way to meet our chieftain. Do you think you can make it?" he asks, turning to the injured Anevia.
She, for her part, did try to look both brave and confident, but her condition has not seemed to get any better. Her face is grey and pained as she replies.
"I am sure I can make it. Besides, what other choice do I have? You won't leave me behind, will you?"
”Far harder trials than this lay ahead of us. We must cross,” Tessaviri says as she scans the gap.
”True enough.” Lann says, a worried look crossing his face. ”Who knows what else lies ahead?”
sausages? yes, they are not my favorite, but they suffice. As for what it is... think about meat, ground up, and stuffed into a tube. More or less. She responds to Tart's question
After getting a look at the area, she gives a small Hpmh Before saying.
It would probably be easiest to jump across... Though just to be safe, we can use a rope to tie to people so even if they fall, the climb up will be easy. She will tie off a rope, and bring another rope with her.
This way, if anyone feels unable to make the jump, they could climb down a rope, and then up another. Or, worst still, be pulled up with one.
She gets a running start before making a leap.