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The freshly available materials for a new pair of boots flops limply to the cavern floor.
"EVERYONE OKAY?"
Coop pokes around the rubble hear for a bit before moving on.
Firas gives Coop a nod of respect tinged with a bit of envy over scoring both kills.
"This place is rife with vermin, but where are the demons? My blade thirsts for vengeance against the Storm Lord and his kin." he says with entirely unearned bravado.
He joins Coop in looking around briefly, before pressing on.
George steps away from the creatures. "I got a few day of rations on me. Unless someone else knows how to prepare these, I would rather leave them here.'
He reaches way up to put his hand on Firas shoulder. "Cheer up. Perhaps your blade is just waiting for more worthy foes. Creatures more deserving of the wrath of Sarenrae...
Chance is often like that."
Searching the area reveals nothing of value.
Pressing on into the tunnel the group makes progress, but slowly. Avenia and Aravashnial make speed nearly impossible. After roughly half an hour, there is a split in the path. To the north, you can see what looks to be a stone building, while the path to the south continues off into darkness.
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"Underground building. No building underground is for any good reason. Poop and dark cults, thats it."
Coop seems to be making an effort to be quieter than normal, although his harsh stage whisper leaves something to be desired on the sneakiness front.
He considers his statement.
"Icehouses are underground, I will grant you. Wine cellars too. And I've seen some lovely split-level homes."
"Anyway, we can't let that go unexplored." He points at the building with his earthbreaker. If holding the hammer one-handed is difficult for him, he shows no sign, despite his thin frame.
Coop casts his spell as the group steps a bit closer to the building.
A single sizable 20-foot-tall building remains in the center of this 30-foot-high cave, a bunkerlike structure with no windows and walls of worked stone blocks. A 10-foot-long carving of a hammer decorates the building’s facade. The ruins of collapsed outbuildings stand to either side.
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While reloading another round into her pistol, Lassandra presses on with the others, giving her two cents on Firas's quandary. "It is possible, Firas, that Sarenrae offers you the time to hone your blade before taking the battle to greater foes. Do not speak ill of such things, no matter how trivial the task may be. Sarenrae simply wants your mind and blade to be attuned to the battle to come rather than run in cold. It takes a sharp mind as well as a sharp blade to take down such a foe." Lassandra speaks with a calming yet echoing voice.
Lassandra places her hand on Firas's arm to make sure he listens to her wisdom, while glowing blue eyes stare into his. "Take each battle to heart. Think of each swing of your sword and each cut it makes. Contemplate on where it strikes and where it may have better stuck its target. Ponder on the battle and what you could have done differently. Do these things and your mind as well as your sword will be ready for the next fight."
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" What a fine examination of the building you have made Coop. A very fine examination. Perhaps you should ponder on other like structures to better aid in your future findings of structures underground, maybe then we'll know what exactly this building is." Lassandra says with a roll of her eyes. She then continues, "There is a hammer depicted on the face of the building, maybe it's a place to polish your hammer and rid it of its dull exterior, though I doubt that's all that needs polishing." She finishes with a smirk on her lips.
Firas is not sure what to make of Lassandra’s advice. He is more quiet than usual for a while afterwards.
”Ah, it is Torag’s hammer! This is a good sign! Come, this is a holy place!”
He excitedly heads up to the the building.
George smiles when the building comes into view. "Lovely seeing something like that down here. Not much rain or wind underground, so this was probably built by a surface dweller. Or at least their ancestors came from upside".
Once it is noticed that the building was/is dedicated to Torag. "Great find. Possibly a safe place to rest up once we clear the vermin out."
As the group approaches the building, Anevia and Aravashnial lag behind a bit.
”We will need to take a break, this leg is acting up.”
Aravash nods at Anevia’s words.
Horgus however grumbles. ”Those two are slowing us down. We should try to press on. This place looks fine. They can stay here while we locate the exit. Then we can send some healers down to patch them up.”
Anevia’s face turns bright red. ”You would stand here by this temple and try to convince these folks to just leave someone behind? Ha. I guess I’m not surprised, being who you are. You’re not fooling me Horgus Gwerm. I can see right through you.”
Horgus splutters. ”How dare you! You spend you life hanging out with thieves and say I am up to no good. Pitiful.”
Anevia takes a step back as if she had just been slapped, but doesn’t press the argument.
"THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS AND CRUDE INNUENDO, LASSANDRA! ON THE SUBJECT OF OTHER UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES, YOU HAVE CERTAINLY BROUGHT A LATRINE TO MIND! I'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS."
"NO, I DON'T THINK SO." Coop says cheerfully to Horgus at the prospect of leaving the two injured behind.
He gives Anevia a nod. "HORGUS, IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING VERY COMMUNITY MINDED YOU ARE WELCOME TO GO OFF ON YOUR OWN. YOU CAN MOVE AT WHATEVER SPEED PLEASES YOU. WHY, I IMAGINE YOU'D BE PASSING ON TO YOUR NEXT DESTINATION RATHER QUICKLY INDEED.". He gives him a very toothy grin and an 'affectionate' clout on the arm.
When everyone is ready he will cast his spell and step forward, inspecting the door closely.
Coop cast shield, and inspects the door. All seems well, though giving the handle a tug, it appears to be stuck.
After the harsh words of others, George that Horgus a little away. "The Hordes of the Abyss have slain one of the realms greatest champion and countless others today. They will always have numbers on their side. We cannot avoid to lose more. Not just for inconvenience. Today it is them, tomorrow it may be you. Would not you be more reassured, knowing that we will take care of you as well as we do them? Now I trust you to watch over the others, while we risk our flesh clearing that building."
Moving to stand behind the other shoulder of Firas. "I have a handful of verses of magic for out weapons. Their refrain should last for a few blows, before I need to renew the enchantment. If you would prefer it now, I will enchant them as you go through the door. Or should I wait until contact is started?"
Horgus crosses his arms, but nods to George.
DC15 Str to open the stuck door.
Firas flexes and yanks on the door.
Waving his cestus in a circle over his head, George intones, ,
With a warm tone emanating from his weapon, he points into the portal and rushes into the darkness.
Firas gives a mighty tug and the door scrapes across the floor, swinging open. Inside you find a stone bench lines the southern wall of this chamber. At the far side of the room, a basin of water sits atop a stone pedestal. A stone door engraved with an image of a hammer stands to the north.
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Rushing in and seeing the closed door in front of him, George lowers his weapon.
"Who builds a cloak room in a place with no rain?"
All seems clear. Opening the door reveals a somewhat larger room. The air is cold and stale, and thick layers of dust cover the floor, a few broken benches, and a large altar at the far end of the room. A squat, hooded figured sits on one of the benches, also covered in said dust, with robes showing signs of years of weathering and rot.
"HIYA."
The figure remains motionless, seeming to take no heed of the shouting.
"HUH. HE MIGHT HAVE A HEARING PROBLEM. OR HE'S DEAD. OR HE'S GONNA TRY TO KILL ME."
Coop steps forward to inspect the man and make sure he's not hurt.
Stepping around to the front, Coop checks out the shape. It appears to be a dwarf, it's eyes are open and locked facing the altar. Years and years of dust have settled into it's beard. On the left hand there is a shiny ring. A chain hangs from it's neck, with the right hand wrapped around it.
Firas will draw his scimitar and search his feelings while staring intently at the robed figure.
"HUH. COULD BE MAGIC. GEORGE, DO YOU KNOW THAT SPELL THAT GOES 'PING' WHEN THERE'S MAGIC ABOUT? I DON'T KNOW THAT ONE."
Coop looks for signs of life, careful not to touch the man until he knows whats going on.
Firas gets a hit on his radar at the same time Coop leans in to look at the dwarf. The blank eyes suddenly are filled with blue flames, and the mouth opens to let out a terrible scream.
As the sound echoes out the doorway of the temple, a droning buzz can be heard from up above the building.
Round 1
22 Lyon 9/9
21 Red
21 Yellow
16 Lassandra 13/13
14 George 11/11
07 Firas 13/13
06 Coop 14/14
"EVERYTHING ALRIGHT, FRIEND?"
”To arms! It is evil!”
Releasing what looks like a medallion, the dwarf swipes at Coop with it's hands.
Outside, the oversized bug drops down taking a bite at George.
Round 1
21 Red
21 Yellow
16 Lassandra 13/13
14 George 11/11
07 Firas 13/13
06 Coop 7/14Round 2
22 Lyon 9/9
"I smite thee in the name of the Dawnflower!" The hint of giddy excitement permeates his angry shout.
Firas steps behind the creature and brings down his blade in a heavy overhanded chop.
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"Take a chance on me"
George hears the others as he stood by the door. "Every adventuring skald I know knows that piece of minor magic. It helps with the looting. Bards hate that pun. Ugggg!" He stagges forward a moment as the bug tries to pierce the leather protecting him.
Lunging almost as if the cestus is a rapier, he punches at the creature.
"NOW THERES NO CALL FOR THAT SORT OF THING."
Coop swings his earthbreaker at the thing.
George misses his attack, but Firas and Coop strike solidly at the creature bringing it to the ground. Firas notices first, but after it stops moving, the illusory magic that caused it to look like a living dwarf fades and reveals the withered undead as it truly appeared.
Round 1
21 Yellow
16 Lassandra 13/13
14 George 11/11
07 Firas 13/13
06 Coop 14/14Round 2
22 Lyon 9/9
The giant fly tries again to bite at George, and misses.
Round 2
21 Yellow
16 Lassandra 13/13
14 George 11/11
07 Firas 13/13
06 Coop 14/14
22 Lyon 9/9
"Take a chance on me"
George hears the sudden silence in the other room. "I got another bug blocking the door. My sticker is not cutting it. Someone cover Lassandra." With his shield braced, he shuffle steps backwards into the main room.