Wrath of the Righteous - Worldwound Incursion [IC]

[SpoonyMage]

Esper was always supernaturally strong for her figure, a fact she contributed to her heritage but it was clear that this chasm was going to be an issue.

"Yes I"ll toss over gear if need be. Just let me know when everything is ready."

[Kish]

Hesper knots her rope, and offers her backpack to Esper. "We should lower down Anevia and Aravashnial first."

[Zhentarim]

Diamond helped Anevia and Arivishnal with the rope.

[Kallimakus]

You overcome the obstacle, lowering and lifting Aravashinal and Anevia. Horgus needs a little persuasion, but he can make it to the far side, out of breath after the superhuman exertion of light exercise. The rest of the group manage the way afterwards.

"I should warn you" Lann says. "The shortest way goes through a dangerous room. There is a spore-cougher there, moved in a while back. It makes you see things with its spores."

Spoiler: OOC

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DC 15 knowledge (nature) can tell what it is based on their description.

[Kish]

"That sounds unpleasant. I'd think the group of us would be more than a match for this creature on its own, though," Hesper says. "How short is the second shortest way?"

[Kallimakus]

"About a day, at the pace we're going, with the injured. Bunch of jumping and climbing. And we don't have time for that. Our families could be in danger now."

[Zhentarim]

“I don’t know about the others, but I think we should take our chances with the spore-cougher. My pistol should make short work of it. I have to check on my shop...at least what’s left of it. They will hopefully be something left we can use on our journey.”

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 5/7
Effects:  None 

Luna considers the choices. "Well, I'm pretty good at keeping my wits about me. We can take this spre cougher if we work together. Plus, can it move? If not, we can just use arrows on it until it dies?"

[Kallimakus]

"If it were that easy, do you think it would be a problem?" Lann asks. "Sorry. Just... worried." Looking at the mongrelmen armed with unsophisticated clubs, you would be forgiven any thoughts of their primitiveness.

You move along the tunnel until it starts to widen. Getting ready, the mongrelmen heft clubs. Anevia prepares her bow, ready to drop her crutch and loose an arrow or two. She still has a decent store. Horgus has positioned himself in the back, but at least he has a sword drawn this time.
The mongrelmen go first, shouting a fierce battlecry and rushing into the cavern ahead, hoping that you follow.

Spoiler: OOC, after you prepare to attack

Show

The tunnel opens into a circular cavern, roughly forty feet in diameter. Thick sheets of fungus grow in the cave, and several tunnels branch off. All of these save one in the north wall lead downward; the northern one leads upward. What appear to be two dead bodies lie on the ground in the middle of the cave, next to a strange heap of ropy green fungus.

Spoiler: Corpses

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Both men are dressed as crusaders of Iomedae, and each still wears a masterwork chain shirt. One of the dead bodies still carries a potion of cure light wounds, while the other has a scroll of cause fear in a pouch. Between the two of them, they also carry 129 gp.
They also wield spiked gauntlets and barbed glaives. Furthermore, the body on which the scroll was found clutches something tightly in his fist—a small symbol of a brass bull’s head with tiny red gemstone eyes. Neither actually bears the holy symbol of Iomedae, nor carries a longsword as would be assumed by her followers.
DC 15 Religion can identify the symbol.

[Kish]

"Looks like someone got to the spore-cougher first. Crusaders? Weird weapons for crusaders, though," Hesper says quietly. "Anyone recognize this symbol?"

[Zhentarim]

“I have no idea whose holy symbol that is. I’m keeping my weapon drawn, though. This feels like a trap!”

[Frosty]

Luna looks through the belongings of the corpses. When she finds the brass bull head symbol, she frowns. “I know this symbol. This is an unholy symbol of Baphomet, the demon lord of Minotaurs. These people were dressed as Iomedaen crusaders, so I bet they were false crusaders. Spies, most likely. Or maybe saboteurs. I guess they died fighting the sore cougher. But why were her down here?”

[SpoonyMage]

Shocked Esper would walk over to Luna and inspect what she was holding from a distance.

"Baphomet, the demon lord of Minotaurs? Why would that be down here? I know were have been fighting crusades against the demons but just what is going on here? It's like there is a whole nother world down under the city that no one even knew about. This doesn't bode well. Let's be careful and collect what we can and keep moving. The sooner we help out the injurned and the monglemen the sooner we can get back to the surface."

Esper despite her words wouldn't actually help with gathering anything but instead would make sure her shield and weapon where at the ready standing guard during the process, something she was starting to feel was going to be a necessity every second now.

[Zhentarim]

In a loud whisper, Diamond glares at Hesper “See? There are enemies surrounding us!”

After pausing a moment, Diamond starts shouting and waving his pistol around, saying “Cowards, come out and face punishment for your crimes against Kenebres!”

Spoiler: Intimidate

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(1d20+2)[4]

[Kallimakus]

The mongrelfolk look at Diamond a bit puzzled. "Who is he talking to?" Lann asks.

"There are cultists of Baphometh here?" Anevia and Aravashinal ask almost at the same time, though in different tones. Anevia is angry and disgusted, while Aravashinal seems more curious.
"We should bring them along. I've long believed that cultists of Baphomet have been infiltrating the area, and studying the bodies may just help us to detect them. Or something." Aravashinal says.
"We should burn them" Anevia says. Who knows what corruption they might cause even in death."

Spoiler: If you forge on

Show

The tunnel continues for another span of time before you reach a small, circular cave of worked stone. Four mongrelmen guard a large stone door on the far side. Lann and his companions emerge first and speak with the guards. Everything goes smoothly until one of them spots the jewelled brooch carried by Ylby.

"Where did you find that?" one of them asks, in a harsh tone.

[Kish]

"I think hauling bodies through these corridors is a bit more than we can justify. Burning them should be possible, though," Hesper says, "and we can study them first to see if their are any physical indications of them being cultists beyond the strange unholy symbol."

[Frosty]

Luna definitely opposes taking the bodies. "They are WAY too heavy for us to carry. And even if we did get them back to the surface, then what? The surface is likely overrun by demons. Let's travel light. Study what we can, then burn the bodies. Their equipment and clothing, however, will be useful props..."

When Diamond shouts, the aasimar raises an eyebrow. She just shrugs when Lann asks what the dwarf is doing.

Later on, when the mongrelmen guards question Ylba regarding the brooch, Luna asks, "Didn't we find that at some sort of abandoned camp site a while back?"

[SpoonyMage]

Esper would travel with the party mostly quite. She wan't the brightest or wisest person, she wasn't an idiot but she was what she wagered a long thinker. It wasn't until they traveled the tunnels that she'd speak up, and then again to the guards.

"I agree, carrying bodies would be bad for us if we were to get attacked. We should mark where they are so we can come back at better times and give proper burials, same with those killed in the cave in.

I know not what you mean by what we got what from, but we are injured and need of rest. We could have someplace to sit so we can talk with someone in charge and explain everything please."

[Zhentarim]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

It might be time to do a rerecruitment to bring in some fresh blood.

Diamond led the way, guns drawn, actively searching his environment as he walked.

Spoiler: Actions

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Every round, take 20 on perception and a move action.

[Kallimakus]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Still 4 I think, so no need to rerecruit. Realizing that taking 20 takes 2 minutes per square, and that you always fail to spot anything by definition at first, not a great plan.

"Fine. We'll leave the bodies." Aravashinal yields.

Ylby tells the mongrelman guards that it found it in an abandoned campsite, and that the brooch belongs to it. The guards are dubious, but that was not why they inquired. The brooch belonged to their chieftain's son, who was missing. They will take you to him, as guests. No harm will come to you here. They are peaceful folk. They lead the way through their guard post.

A small, dark lake ripples in the center of this two-hundred foot-wide cavern, the walls and ceiling aglow with thick sheets of luminescent fungi. In the center of the lake, over two dozen low stone buildings cluster on a rocky one-hundred-foot-wide island. Lights glow in the windows of the buildings, giving the settlement an almost welcoming look. Rafts made of mismatched planks of timber bob along the length of a crooked pier at the lake's closest shore.

You see some mongrelfolk looking at you curiously. They have likely never seen people like yourselves. They remain far away. You are escorted to the largest building atop the island's low central peak-this is the home of Chief Sull, a bloated and unpleasant-looking but mild-mannered mongrel with one clouded white eye. Lann bows respectfully and explains the events that he and his friends went through, the collapse of their tower and how the heroic surface folk helped him save the life of one of their own.

The chieftain then turns to you. "What brings you so deep beneath the surface" he asks.

[Kish]

"Chief Sull." Hesper inclines her head respectfully. "The surface has been attacked by demons, and during the attack some of the ground collapsed and we fell down here. We need to reach the surface so that we can reunited with our loved ones and, hopefully, help fend off the attack or otherwise do something about the demons. Can you please tell us a way to reach the surface?"

[SpoonyMage]

Reaching the chef Esper is no stranger to proper Etiquette when meeting higher ranking paladins and clerics of the order. Taking a respectful bow she didn't need to say much as her traveling companion said all that needed to be said, but she would add a little.

"Yes, what is said is true. There was an attack on the surface and we fell down below. We are slowly making our way back up."

[Zhentarim]

”...and we got the firepower to kill anything that tries to stop us. I’m running a doomday special: reduced price firearms! With Diamond’s firearms, you are unstoppable!”

[Frosty]

Luna is quiet and reserved as the group is escorted through the territory of the mongrel-folk. She makes sure that the injured people are safe and sound and doesn't accidentally fall off the barge into the lake. "The fungus have a type of beauty. Eerily calming."

Once in front of the chief, the cleric bows respectfully. "While we got down here by accident, the cultists down here may not be. Have your people heard or seen any signs of other cultists or demons? Perhaps we can help?"

[Kallimakus]

"The surface has been attacked?" he asks, alarmed. He breathes out in frustration. "I will gladly tell you the way to the surface, and provide what help I can. My folk might look strange to your eyes, but we are no friends to fiends or their worshippers. We have seen these cultists, Templars as they call themselves, before. You say they worship a demon lord?"
"Yes chieftain" Lann confirms.
"Then it would appear we stand united against a common enemy. The road to the surface lies beyond, but it is not free of danger. Others of out kind, violent and twisted, have made their lair in those tunnels. We have not the strength to oust them, and they do not listen to reason."
Anevia speaks up. "If you are no friends to demons, perhaps you would provide more direct aid?"
"Yes indeed" Aravashinal picks up on this. "You are descendants of the First Crusade, are you not? Though your forms may be more base, a righteous heart still beats there, no?"

The mongrelmen take some offence to the elf's comments, but don't say anything in response. "As he says, our forms have seen us mistrusted before. I would not bring misery to my subjects by going where we are not wanted" he says.

[Kish]

"Aravashnial, don't be rude to these people," Hesper says, and then to Chief Sull, "Any help you can provide would certainly be welcome, but I can't be certain the people on the surface would not respond badly to seeing those who looked strange to them--especially now. We should be able to deal with these violent, twisted people anyway, though."

[Zhentarim]

"Let's get going, then!"

[Kallimakus]

"I have no warriors to lend you, but perhaps you might take potions? We have a few in store." the chieftain says. He asks Ylby to show the brooch. His good eye grows misty for a moment. "That was my son's. We had a falling out some days ago and he stormed out. I... I suppose he will not return, then." he says sadly. "Still, you brought back word of him. My old heart can rest easily" he says. "I would like to give you this" he says, ambling to a chest and producing a glowing morningstar. This is my weapon, and was my fathers', and his. One day, it would have passed to my son. Would you bear it against the fiends?" he asks.

A chest is brought containing 12 slots for potions. Nine are filled, labelled "healing" and "restoration". It contains 6 potions of CLW and 3 of Lesser Restoration.

[SpoonyMage]

Extending a hand of gratitude Esper would show no fear, bias or racism towards the chieftain and his people. She only wished to offer him solace in his lose and thank him for his contribution so that they may make it to the surface.

"I am sorry for your loss. I thank you for your offer of aid in the form that you can. If we run into these brethren of yours on our way to the surface what do you want us to do with them? As suggested, they may try to get in our way.

(Taken back) Are you sure about the weapon? I'm sure there is one of us who could use it but that is a treasure to be sure."

[Frosty]

Luna face-palms at the elf Aravashnial's words. "I'm sure you meant to praise these people, Aravashnial, but who are we to judge their forms? Their forms are no more 'base' than ours. Different, yes, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Those words may be a bit funny coming from a woman who was literally bred for conventional attractiveness. She turns to chief Sull. "That said, right now, I'd wager that the people above are willing to take any help they can get. I think that if you aid in the city's defense, or perhaps help in its evacuation if all is lost, you will be looked upon favorably. I will personally vouch for your tribe here."

With the gift of potions and even a magical weapon, the cleric bows respectfully. "These resources are not easy to come by for you, I wager. You have our thanks. Regarding your son...maybe not all is lost. We didn't find a body. Can you describe him to us? Perhaps if we find him with the...less reasonable tribe, we could try to save him?"