Starbuck_II
   
 For several weeks, excitement has been building in Kenabres—Armasse was coming! Traditionally an opportunity for scholars and priests to come together to study the lessons of history from wars past, since Aroden’s death, this holy day has become more about training commoners in weaponry, choosing squires, and ordaining new priests. Over time, Armasse has grown to encompass jousting competitions, mock duels, battle reenactments, and other festival events. In Kenabres, the festival is eagerly anticipated, for it provides distractions from the horrors of being on the front line of the war.
 Smiles on faces normally marred by downcast eyes and furrowed brows do wonders for city morale in the weeks leading up to the event.

 Armasse is a citywide celebration, but the majority of the event, including its jousting matches and other entertainments, takes place at Clydwell Plaza, just west of the cathedral. Tis here where the tale begins..with our aspiring heroes in attendance lucky enough to get good spots to observe the opening ceremonies at noon 

Armasse officially began at noon, with the blessing of the festival by Lord Hulrun himself, ruler of Kenabres. The crowd gathered in Clydwell Plaza quieted as the aged inquisitor took the stage, clad in shining, resplendent armor. He cleared his throat, but just as he was about to speak, a bright light shone from the west, as if the sun were rising from the wrong direction. Hulrun’s shadow fell huge and distorted across the cathedral’s facade. A moment later, the sound of a thunderous explosion ripped through the air and earth, along with a violent tremor.

 To the west, the fortress known as the Kite—the location of Kenabres’s wardstone—had vanished. In its place, a brilliant plume of red fire, lightning, and smoke erupted into the heavens. A moment later, a powerful roar accompanied a welcome sight rising from the crowd—Kenabres’s greatest guardian, the ancient silver dragon Terendelev, who had until that moment been attending the opening ceremony disguised as a human.

 Above, another form appeared, as nightmarish as the dragon was breathtaking. A humanoid shape three times the size of any man, with skin coated in fire and lightning, gripped a flaming sword and whip. The creature’s identity was immediately obvious: Khorramzadeh, the Storm King of the Worldwound, had come to Kenabres!

 As the ground continued to shake and disgorge demons into the streets, the dragon and the balor lord clashed above. The fight was over in a few harrowing moments, as the balor cut deep into Terendelev’s body, swooping down to strike the dragon and arresting her charge. A few more blows, and the titanic duo spiraled downward toward the crowd.

 


The sight of the dragon smashing into the facade of the Cathedral of St. Clydwell is one no witness would ever forget. At that moment, a titanic demon erupted at the far end of the plaza, reducing several buildings to ruins as it smashed into this world. The rift it created shot across the plaza, and this time there was no escape—it opened below your feet, angling away into darkness. Even as you fell, the dragon noticed your plight. Though she saw death standing over her, she seized this final chance to save a few more souls. After she uttered a few arcane words and stretched out a bleeding talon, you felt her magic take hold of you, slowing your plummet into the darkness as if you were feathers falling into a pit. Yet the fall remained as inexorable, and as you drifted downward into the depths, the last thing you saw was the Storm King standing before the ancient silver dragon, his sword lashing out and cleaving full through her neck. As her severed head fell, the rift above you slammed shut, and the light of the world above was gone.

 Darkness....

 You find yourselves awaking in darkness, and for some fuzzy black and white, painful throbbing in your heads, ringing ears, troubled breathing....
And here we go.
Kaworu
Arakiel stood up. It was dark, and… oh gods, Terendelev…

He took a few calming breaths. It was no use to worry to much. He could do nothing for the dragon… but maybe he will be able to help a few lost souls.

His head erupted in a light halo of golden color, in which he tried to penetrate the all-encompassing darkness. In this light, the face of handsome, quite tall man with black hair and brown eyes was visible. He was wearing an armor, had in his hand the holy weapon of Serenrae. He had a light beard, too, as if he didn’t shave for a few days.

-  How is everybody?  - he asked, his voice shaking with emotion. It was still hard to get rid of the terrible scenes that happened just mere moments ago.
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina opened her eyes, blinking, body aching and looked upwards. She couldn't believe it, the nightmare of Terendelev's fall and no doubt the rest of the city. She reached down to her waist and grasped the hilt of her blae, a comfort in the darkness. At the sound of a voice she sat up slowly,  "I am here,"  she said softly, then offering a  prayer to the inheritor a halo of cool golden light flared around her brow to allow her to look around the immediate area.

Rising she looked to the other source of light, a man like her encircled with a halo and she nodded.  "Greetings, I am Zarina. Was it real what we saw, I had hopes it was but a nightmare." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  None
 
Archemist
Mallory's eyes adjust to the darkness and then the angelic light, but after a moment he also responds aloud.

 "That's three of us, then, at least. But I think I see others here too."  He sighs at Zarina's mention of a nightmare.  "I know, I can't believe Kenabres has finally fallen." 

He pats himself down slowly, taking stock.

 "It figures - I'd tried to always stay one step ahead of the demons but now they're here, today of all days. Demons just can't stand a celebration."  He swears in Elven, though it is an un-elf-like curse.
Gyrfalcon
A pair of red eyes gleam in the darkness, the impression of danger only furthered by the long white horns sprouting from the person’s brow. As the twin halos of the Aasimar’s illuminate the small group, the eyes are revealed to belong to a small tiefling, one who by height and looks could be placed as a child. And then she opens her mouth, and a stream of dock-sider invective spills forth, impressive in duration and inventiveness alike.

She pauses to take a breath and lets it out slowly.  ”Never thought I’d be seeing the Silver Lady bite it. Nor that she’d use her last moments to save a bunch of wretches like us. You all - any injuries? I’m no cleric, but I can set a bone or bandage a wound. Fair warning, I don’t have the moonshine to dull a bone setting, but I have a piece of leather you can bite.” 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Melisandre uses her darkvision and the light of the halos to check where we’ve landed.
 
RelentlessImp
   
Just another lovely day in Kenabres. Well, that was a lie. This was definitely different, in a not-very-different-at-all sort of way; the constant threat had just breached a place it wasn't supposed to be able to breach, is all. The diminutive blonde rubbed at her face, grimacing from the throbbing headache in her skull; at least they were out of the sunlight.

  "Ugh. This isn't exactly what I had planned for the day,"  Rozalinda said, smoothing her hands down her dusty garb. Blue-green eyes swept across the ground, and she seized her fallen pack from it, hauling it onto her shoulder.  "Let's find a way out of here, boys and girls. We've got a city to take back from the demons, because I, for one, am not letting them just keep it." 
Kaworu
-  This is a noble goal. And I agree with the sentiment. But I do not suppose a few of us could do any difference  - the Aasimar sighted heavily -  By the way, my name is Arakiel .
Archemist
The elf looks around the cavern anxiously and nods in assent to Arakiel.  "I'm Mallory. And I agree, at this point I'd settle for escaping to the surface and then escaping the city. I don't want to stick around a place where that balor might get us. As long as we're alive, though, we've got a chance. And at least I've still got my sword." 
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina nods.  ”At least we all are armed, I do not know what lies down here?”  she asks the others as she walks around the cave/cavern they appear to be in to have a look in the light of her hall.  “I hope the city remains when we reach it once more.”  she adds in a fearful voice.



 
 Spoiler: OOC 

   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  None
 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa shudders, still new to Kenabres and the crusade when this all happened, so much was unfamiliar to him - but the sight of a second dragon slain in so short a time unsettled the Kobold greatly. Unsure of who to trust, he still cautiously approaches the other rift survivors...

 "Keeh! Count is one more a'least... friends?

Came t'fight, but not monsters like above... won't fly down here, will it? 
Starbuck_II
Amidst your conversation, " IOMEDAE HELP ME. Gods, my leg! AAAAuuuuuggghhh!!!"  Your thoughts are brought back to the present. It's a woman's voice that's screaming. You're still in blackness though a few of you are lit by a halo, letting you see each other.

Melisandre's darkvision lets her see  a short way from you are three figures that seem to have fallen in a more deadly area but still survived.



You can see a figure hunched over on the ground sitting, one knee brought up while the other leg lay flat against the ground. Twas a young woman in leather armor adorned with a few decorative studs, cut, dirty and bruised up like the others, however, there was a large pooling of blood around her leg that lay flat against the ground. She had short choppy black hair and pale skin with boyish handsome features. With her she carried a bow and a quiver with a handful of arrows.
Finally, almost militarily, she calls off, " Anevia Tirabade, who are you folk?"  
 

Next to her are two other fellows, an thin elven man and a fatter, more aged human. The elf is bleeding from his eyes-- it looks like a rock or two might have pummeled his head. " Ugh, I either had too much to drink or maybe need a little more... Will someone please light a torch ?" He seems to be unaware that any halo is illuminating the areas. He gropes around for his staff.  " It sounds like someone may have broken their leg. Follow the screams to her, and help her there... once she's okay I think I could use a bit myself. I'm Aravashnial, curator at the Blackwing Library... if it still exists... Oh, my..."" 
 

The fatter man was holding one arm grimacing.

 
Archemist
Mallory's darkvision aids him as he follows the voices and heads over to the injured folks. He scans around but says simply,  "I'm not a doctor but that leg doesn't look good. Does anyone have bandages on them? I didn't bring any to the Armasse festival." 

To Anevia he adds,  "It might not be Iomedae but maybe Milani can help instead."  He pauses and asks,  "Can I touch your leg?" 
 
 Spoiler: OOC Heal check and Cure Light 
Mallory's heal for diagnosing things:  (1d20+2)[ 8 ] . He will cast CLW for  (1d8+1)[ 9 ]  for Anevia if these seem like the sort of injuries that'd help with.
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre joins Mallory and snorts.  ”That’s what your cloak is for. That leg looks bad, but your spell should do for now. Let me check you two. I’m afraid you might need a priest if you aren’t seeing light, let me check if your skull is leaking the important bits…” 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Heal checks to dignose and help the other two.

Curator -   Heal  - (1d20+4)[ 12 ] 
Silent man -   Heal  - (1d20+4)[ 10 ] 
 
DrK
 Zarina 

Hearing the screaming Zarina darts towards the noise relying on her halo to light the way. She moves gracefully as she kneels beside the three others.  "I am Zarina, do any of you know know where we might be?"  she asks. Looking at the elf she pulls off a section of cloth from her sleeve and goes to rub his eyes,  "Let me help. Can you see?" 

Looking about at the motley collection of people she'll glance around the area illuminated by either of the glowing lights.  "Can anyone see anything in this cavern that may be a way out?"  As the others move to help as well (and seeing that the others are clearly more experienced at healing) she'll pace around a little moving to keep the newcomers just in the edge of the halo as she'll wander around to see what or who else may be here.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  None
 
Paddywagon Man
 "I am Larsaa... no healer, but I can be silent when I need be... if ts'the same for my new friends I'll search ahead for danger or for help, before we move any wounded morsels into harm's maw..." 
RelentlessImp
   
Rozalinde grimaced at the sound of the scream and followed after the others, her own darkvision letting her gaze through the darkness surrounding them.  "I'm Roze,"  she offered in response to Anevia's question, moving through the ring of light and to its far side so she could focus her darkvision past them and into the darkness to watch for any kind of trouble approaching them, giving that they were making a lot of noise.  "We should probably stick close to each other for now,"  she said, glancing in Larsaa's direction.  "We've no idea what's down here, and I get the feeling most of us don't have any kind of night eyes so if you wound up in trouble we wouldn't be able to get to you quickly enough to help. We should face the dangers down here together; safety in numbers, and all that." 
Kaworu
Arakiel ran towards the curator of the library, seeing that the lady with broken leg got her own batch of help –  Here, maybe this will help  – he said, putting his hands upon the head and eyes of the elf and casting Cure Light Wounds upon them –  Are you any better now? 

-  Ya fine?  - he shouted to the human. He was not really sure if something was bad with him, but better check now than later, right?

 
 Spoiler 


Cure Light Wounds:  (1d8+1)[ 2 ] 
 
Starbuck_II
Mallory's heal check found nothing wrong but the healing spell seemed to end the bleeding of her leg. Melisandre fumbles with the bandages and is unable to tie them together.
 "Are you sure you've done this before?"  Anevia says to Melisandre, "  Yes, you can touch my leg. That feels better. But I don't think I can walk on it without something supporting it like a piece of wood? 

Toward Roze, " Well met, we might be stuck down here for a bit I fear." 



Zarina's elven ears can hear the distant squeaks of bats high above, disturbed by the recent cave-in and fluttering about for a safe place to perch. From the light of the halo, you can see the ceiling is very high above you.
Aravashnial, "  Wait, there is light? This is not good. The fall may have taken my eyes..." 

" Thank you for the healing, but my eyes will need high level magic to function I fear , " toward Arakiel.


Toward Melisandre, " Appreciate that, it will help keep my mind off my arm at least. I am Gwerm, Horgus Gwerm. I was a noble before this fall. Dealing in this and that. You get me home quick as possible and I dare say I can be rewarding. Say a $1000 gold coins." 


Rozalinde catches for a second a glimpse of a shadowy shape off in the distance. It's about the size of a horse. shape is all wrong... it looks like... possibly... an enormous spider? It crouches low to the ground, and is incredibly still, almost as though it's hunting. No one else has noticed, its squirming as if waiting for something.
RelentlessImp
   
 "Tsst, tsst,"  Roze hisses in a hushing sound, pointing into the darkness.  "Big spider. I'm going to illuminate it. Briefly." 

Her outstretched hand twists through the brief gestures required for the spell, and she hisses out the syllables that completes the formula burning in her blood. The magic missile leaps from her finger to streak towards the spider.  "Probably best everyone gets their weapons,"  she calls as she looses the spell.

 
 Spoiler 

Casting  magic missile  at the spider.
  Magic Missile Damage  - (1d4+3)[ 5 ] 
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre snaps at Anevia as she fumbles with the first set of bandages.  "Normally I'm working at a nice table with lamp light instead of in a cavern with a pair of halos, and I wasn't  nearly murdered by a bunch of demons just a few minutes before falling into a cavern. "  the tiefling grumps, her sharply pointed teeth flashing. To the more polite and rewarding Horgus, she gives him a brilliant smile.  "I'm sure for a thousand gold, we'll surely do our best, Mister Gwerm." 

Their chance to show their skills comes quicker then she expects as with little warning as the human - Roze? launches a brillant spell into the darkness. The tiefling quickly produces a shortbow from under her cloak and strings it in practiced motions, stepping between the trio of wounded and the spider in the darkness.  "Stay behind me!"  she says, perhaps unnecessarily to the three.  "Someone got a blade? Arrows aren't much good if the spider is in my face!"  she calls nervously.
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa holds up a glaive, albeit a bit of a shrunken kobold-sized one.

 "A blade yes, but praps best for T'rblade's leg, I do my best work with arrows too." 

He tosses it her way for use as a crutch if needed before firing an arrow after the magic missile to test the distance.

Longbow deadly aim (no point blank shot):
[roll]1d20+3[/roll]
[roll]1d6+2[/roll]
DrK
 Zarina 
 "Oh, thats a big spider."  Zarina mutters then glancing at the blind elf and injured woman she runs forward placing herself between the injured and the spider and drawing her blade ready to slash at it should it surge forward. Secretly she hopes that just the bright halo will encourage it to scurry away as she doesn't fancy crossing blades with mandibles.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 


Advance 30ft towards the spider
Ready to hit it if it comes at me  (1d20+6)[ 26 ]  dam  (1d8+4)[ 9 ] 
   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  None
 
Archemist
Mallory takes just long enough to survey the situation that by the time he stands and draws his sword, it seems as though he may already be late to the party. Like Zarina, he moves to be somewhat between the threat and the injured people, though staying adjacent to Anevia. He waits to see whether the spider is frightened off or killed.
Starbuck_II
Roze's magical blast blows a hole in the spider and out pops some slimey wormey creatures about 20 ft close to you. Larsaa 's arrow goes wide.
Everyone roll initiative

Enemy Init  (1d20-1)[ 3 ] 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa initiative  (1d20+2)[ 12 ] 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre Init -  (1d20+3)[ 18 ] 
Kaworu
Arakiel's Initiative:  (1d20)[ 19 ] 
Starbuck_II
PCs go first in Init (since you all beat the worms, you may go first in any order, we will treat previous actions as pre-battle), it is a mostly flat terrain with a few stalagmites littering the ground. The wormy creatures are within 20 feet of party.

Drool flows from their mouth and anger in their eyes as you disturbed their meal. Anevia still not yet leg fixed reaches for her bow just out reach, the Aravashnial is blind and doesn't react, and Horgus draws his jeweled rapier holding it out in fear toward the beasts.
DrK
 Zarina 

Seeing the maggots crawl out she skips towards the worms and slashes out at the left hand one

 
 Spoiler: OOC 


Move to left hand worm
Stab it  (1d20+6)[ 25 ]  dam  (1d8+4)[ 5 ] 
   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  None
 
DrK
 
 Spoiler: Threat 

 (1d20+6)[ 24 ]  dam  (1d8+4)[ 8 ]  extra dam
 
RelentlessImp
   
Annoyance flickers across Roze's face from the dead spider releasing worms. She snaps her fingers once and points a finger at one of them, speaking a single arcane word and releasing a beam of frosty blue at one of the worms.

 
 Spoiler 

Casting  ray of frost  at one worm.
Attack:  (1d20+1)[ 16 ]  Damage:  (1d3+2)[ 4 ] 
 
Gyrfalcon
Seeing Zarina slash the first worm deeply heartens Melisandre, even as Roze casts something that freezes a chunk of the other.  "Don't worry, we look to have this in hand."  she reassures her erstwhile patients. She takes aim with her bow and looses an arrow at the same target as Roze.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

[roll=Shortbow (Point Blank Shot)]1d20+4[/roll] - [roll=Damage (Point Blank Shot)]1d6+1[/roll]
 
Gyrfalcon
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I swear, GiTP has the worst dice roller.

 Shortbow (point blank shot) To Hit-   (1d20+4)[ 6 ] 
 Shortbow (point blank shot) Damage -   (1d6+1)[ 6 ] 
 
Archemist
Mallory quickly overcomes his initial revulsion and steps forward to stab at the worm the arrow missed with his sword, making it a little worm kebab.  "Die, worm!" 
 
 Spoiler: Skewering with his rapier 
 (1d20+2)[ 19 ]  for  (1d6+2)[ 4 ]  piercing damage.
 
Kaworu
Arakiel thought for a moment. He wanted to run at them worms, sure, but also, he had a blind person to take care of. After a few seconds, he positioned himself in away which made for the opponents to be unable to attack the elf, even if they would like to - not without overcoming the warpriest first.
Starbuck_II
Zarina acts quickly and pierces the neck of the wormy creatures, its foul blood spewing forth.

Roze's ice hits the other but does not stop it crawling forth slowly. Melisandre's arrows hit too high and hit the ceiling. Then Mallory jabs their rapier through the creature's chest.

The Two of strangers are happy to see Arakiel defend them (Aravashnial is still blind).

After the fall of the beasts, suddenly silver flakes are visible that were missed before. These scales are about the size of one's hand. You can feel they were connected to the dragon that saved you. They still feel like they hold power.

Everyone roll 1d10 -1 to see which scale you find.

 Aravashnial pipes in with a quizzical, " What's just happened? Care to clue me in?"  

Everyone receives 67 XP for the battle.
Paddywagon Man
 "Ah, giant worms! Good eating on those, my clutch-siblings would fight over them like you wouldn't believe. Anybody care to share one?

And... dragon scales. A last memento from one who saved us, I suppose." 
 (1d10-1)[ 0 ] 
Kaworu
-  They were enemies. Some kinda worms. We dealt with them  - explained Arakiel. He moved forward, slightly surprised to find a dragon's scale. It was pretty, to be sure. Could... could he keep one of them?

 (1d10-1)[ 9 ] 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre considers the kobold’s declaration and then shrugs.  ”Sure, I’ll give it a try.” 

After sliding Anevia’s bow into her grasp, the tiefling picks up a scale at random, running her fingertips over its surface.

 (1d10-1)[ 6 ] 
Archemist
Mallory takes a couple deep breaths to re-center himself, then examines the scales.

 
 Spoiler: OOC - dragon scales 
 (1d10-1)[ 5 ] 
 
Paddywagon Man
Admiring the dragon scale and chowing down on giant worm, Larsaa (with his mouth quite full) starts putting plans together for the trek forward.  "Mmmph... sho, a compromish - I'm quiiighte schneaky, and

 gulp 

I might see foes before they see me - I'll go first, just a short distance ahead, in earshot should my friends' help be needed unex- crunch -pepcedly. No foolish heroicsh, promush." 
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina looks down at the worms and uses a corner of her cape to clean the ichor off her blade. Seeing glimmering scales she picks one up then gasps as she realises the draconic source.  “It is hers…”   she speaks, rubbing the smooth silvery surface and pausing in contemplation for a moment.

As the others start speaking she trots across back to them, halo flaring with golden light. She looks at the three injured and a then offers Aneiva a help up.  “we have to move out, here Aneiva, lean on me and we’ll find you a better splint or walking stick when we can.” - she suggests as they get ready to move out of the cave

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  None
 
[/QUOTE]
RelentlessImp
   
Roze sighs as the last of the worms falls and steps forward to check the scales, giving them a close examination.


 
 Spoiler 
 (1d10-1)[ 1 ] 
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre chews a bite of one of the giant worms far more unobtrusively than the kobold crunching away happily at their meal. Meaty, a little salty, and an oddly nutty aftertaste. It wasn't the worst thing she had ever eaten, though she imagines that the source would make most people squeamish. Maybe if the thieflings raised the giant worms and sold worm slices in the slums? Most people there won't turn down food of any type as long as it was affordable.

Turning her attention to Larsaa's proposal, the tiefling nods her agreement.  "I don't need light, so I can go ahead of the halos. If the kobold runs into something, I can whip up something explosive to distract it." 
Starbuck_II
Melisandre and Larsaa chew on freshly killed maggots, before venturing forth to scout. They note there are two exists of the room: One North and one South. There was another path East but the cave in makes that way unlikely without days of moving rubble.

To the "South" they see that not far ahead the path is blocked by a ledge that is some 14 feet off the ground. If the ledge could be scaled, perhaps the path could be used. But it would be difficult to scale it with a broken leg... Wait, what's this? There seems to be a backpack just at the top of the ledge!

To the "North", the path continues onward, winding a bit out of their view. But as if you pause at the entrance to the path you can hear... Squeaking? Crunching? Some kind of noise down the path that's most likely coming from something alive.

Anevia, happy for Larsaa's makeshift splint and Zarina 's hand, responds quickly, and is efficient. " I'm a fair shot with a bow, and can hold my own with a short blade... On a good day ," she amends, looking down at her leg. " I've also spent my fair share of time dealing with tripwires and poisoned darts. So if you need a set of eyes and hands to make the path safe from traps, I'm your gal. Can't say I'm much for scouting right now, though. Thanks for the assistance" 
Archemist
 
 Originally Posted by Starbuck_II 
 To the "South" they see that not far ahead the path is blocked by a ledge that is some 14 feet off the ground. If the ledge could be scaled, perhaps the path could be used. But it would be difficult to scale it with a broken leg... Wait, what's this? There seems to be a backpack just at the top of the ledge!

To the "North", the path continues onward, winding a bit out of their view. But as if you pause at the entrance to the path you can hear... Squeaking? Crunching? Some kind of noise down the path that's most likely coming from something alive. 
 

Mallory weighs their options.  "My vote is to try to climb. Getting back to the surface means going up, and I'd rather not meet more of those worms... delicious as they seem to be."  He shudders at the continuing crunching noises.  "I'm not great at climbing, but I'm willing to try, or help one of you." 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre waves a hand uncertainly.  "I agree with you, and I want to see what's in that bag up there. But unless one of you has a rope handy, I doubt we can get Horgus, Anevia or Aravashnial up that wall. None of them are fit to climb on their own, though if we can loop a rope under their arms we'd be able to pull them up.

Without a rope, I'd say whoever is best at climbing should grab the bag and toss it down, but we'll need to make our way north." 
RelentlessImp
   
Roze tilts her head to the side as she studies the scale she picked up, sliding her backpack off of her shoulder and tucking the scale safely away in it. At the question of rope, however, she withdraws a coil of silken rope from within the bag, holding it up.

 "Really? Just me? Did none of the rest of you have it drilled into your heads by your parents how useful having a bit of rope at all times was?"  she asks, confused.
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina nods to Aneiva,  "Not so much scouting for a long while I suspect"  then helps her hobble to the others. As they find the small cliff, Zarian is quick to volunteer.  "I can have a try. If someone can give me a bost on their shoulders its only a short cliimb. Just be ready to catch me I fall" 

Assuming someone boost her on their shoulders she'll reach out and try to climb the last few feet and pull herself up


 
 Spoiler: OOC 


If Take 10 will do it = 11 then do so, otherwise  (1d20+1)[ 14 ]  +  (1d6)[ 3 ]  panache


   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  Panache 2/3
 
Starbuck_II
Zarina doesn't notice any danger, though the source of the backpack seems to have been from above.
She succeeds at climbing up the ledge.
Bits of rubble on the ground and an odd crack in the ceiling seem to indicate that a rift opened here, and the backpack fell through it before the ceiling closed again. A closer inspection of the crack in the ceiling reveals a thin line of blood. It seems that the owner of the backpack might have been caught in this rift as it closed... Zarina has no reason to think that the rift is unstable or that a cave in might happen. The bag itself seems innocent enough, with no apparent traps.

Inside the backpack is a collection of standard adventuring gear (10 rations, Flint/steel, caltrops, 2 flask oil, 12 arrows, CLW potion, Lesser restoration potion). The pack itself is very well-made (masterwork).

However, this is a dead end, another victim of cave ins/rock slides.

(you can jump down or try to climb down)

Anevia yells, " So, did you find the way out?" 
Archemist
 
 Originally Posted by RelentlessImp 
    
Roze tilts her head to the side as she studies the scale she picked up, sliding her backpack off of her shoulder and tucking the scale safely away in it. At the question of rope, however, she withdraws a coil of silken rope from within the bag, holding it up.

 "Really? Just me? Did none of the rest of you have it drilled into your heads by your parents how useful having a bit of rope at all times was?"  she asks, confused. 
 

Mallory says defensively,  "Well, who brings rope to a festival? If it weren't for the tournament events I wouldn't even have my armor on. And that's a lucky thing, especially if we have to go down that other tunnel." 
Kaworu
Arakiel just coughted, kinda embarassed. He really should have some rope with him, but he had none. Such a shame!
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre scratches the back of her neck, looking contemplative.  ”I don’t even know why I had my camping gear with me. It was supposed to be a holiday and here I am with armor, a bow and a backpack on. I just had a weird feeling this morning.” 
Archemist
Mallory offers an arm to Aravashnial, saying,  "My arm is just to your right if you want me to guide you." 

If the sneakier members of the party head down the North tunnel, he'll follow, towards the middle of the group.
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina checks the bag reporting the contents before dropping the bag down to the others. [B]“nothing in there I need, but at least we have some potions to heal ailments should we meet something untoward a.”[/B

Lowering herself down as far as she can she goes to gently drop the last 8 ft or so landing gently. Then looking about she nods  “I’m happy to leads us out. Follow me, if we walk in the inheritors light she will protect us.” 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 


If Take 10 will do it = 16 then do so, otherwise  (1d20+6)[ 19 ] 
   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  Panache 2/3
 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa doubles back to converse with the group after his brief reconnoiter.

 "Good to have some rope. I brought wire! But you're all a bit too big.

Sounding like more snacks or spiders ahead - I might sneak past alone but not with the lady's bad leg and the double-big fellow. Think I'll lay some burny oil down in their path, light it up if they attack us, should give some cover for bowshots and maybe split them up if there's enough to outnumber us. Any of you got magic fire? In a bottle or from your fingers? Or will my tindertwig need to do it?" 
Kaworu
-  I cannot cast magical fire  - answered simply Arakiel.
Paddywagon Man
 Not EVEN a problem friend! Tindertwigs I trust! Now, anybody with a bow and good dark sight get ready to start shooting, maybe the arrows chase 'em off, maybe I light up a good blaze in their trail if they don't!" 

He stealthily heads back down the North tunnel again ahead of the group, as close to the insectile sounds as he feels safe in getting, a vial of oil in his hand ready to create a fiery roadblock.
Starbuck_II
 "Thank for the assistance, Mallory was it ?" He takes the hand to walk, "  You know, I used to be called Fastball Aravie, a nickname because I used to quick on my feet in casting spells. Back when I could see you see.  "
 
He rubs his beard with his other hand, " Now back then I'd carry a turnip on my belt, it was the fashion back in the day when I was younger. Oh, how I could go for some belt turnip right now, it would really hit the spot. Now, Sam, code name, can't be revealing all my secrets, I say Sam, how was my belt. We used to all carry turnips, but mine was the prized turnip looking best, Prestigidation to keep it clean and colored just right. He would say the best turnip he'd ever seen.
Now what was I talking about?
Oh, right, he'd say Fastball Aravie, still mastering the conjuration spells, and I'd beam as they were my specialty. But it isn't easy to control a summon without my eyes sadly." 

Horgus rolls his eyes, "  This is what I had to deal with till you guys came to save us." 

The group maneuvers on ahead, peering carefully down the north-eastern tunnel. It's somewhat difficult to manevuer through the small area, especially for Aravashnial as he's guided by Mallory. After a very short distance, the tunnel opens back up into a smaller cavern than the one you came from. It appears to have once served as a campsite or temporary lair. A torn bedroll lies next to the cold remains of a fire. A trash-heap of bones, broken equipment, and rubble lies just past the campsite. Another tunnel exits the room on the opposite end. The chittering noise is clearly coming from the trash-heap, which moves a bit as something crawls within it.

Everyone roll Init
Enemies:  (1d20+1)[ 8 ] 

Map:
 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...WmQ/edit#gid=0 

Hopefully I worked out settings so it is viewable.
RelentlessImp
   
 Init :  (1d20+1)[ 14 ] 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre slings her bow over her shoulder, hands working as she pours a few vials together into a ceramic bottle that she holds carefully, watching ahead attentively as she tries to follow her kobold companion in the dark, alert for anything that might rush out of the dark.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Melisandre has a bomb readied for the first round.
 
Paddywagon Man
After readying an oil trap, Larsaa gets his bow and a tindertwig ready, though perhaps not as quickly as he'd have liked to boast...

 
 Spoiler 
Assuming the oil takes my 'surprise' round, and my initiative was... bad
 
Kaworu
Arakiel was just holding his weapon in his steady grip, ready for whatever might attack them the next time.
Starbuck_II
Suddenly four cockroaches jump out by the garbage pile, but luckily they rolled low on init so they are slow to react to your team.

Larsaa lays down some oil, Arakiel gets their weapon out, Melisandre prepares a bomb, and the injured members ready their weapons as well.

PCs except Larsaa go first then Cockroaches then Larsaa.

Map:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...WmQ/edit#gid=0 

Where are you guys on map?
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre whips her bomb at the cockroaches, hopefully giving time for Larsaa to light his trap.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Melisandre is standing on I-11 and throws a bomb at the cockroach C3

Touch attack (2nd range increment) -  (1d20+1)[ 21 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+4)[ 5 ] 

Scatter if missed:  (1d8)[ 6 ] 

Splash damage: 5, Reflex DC14
 
Gyrfalcon
Spoiler=Crit Confirmation]
Confirmation :  (1d20+1)[ 17 ] 
Damage :  (1d6+4)[ 9 ] [/spoiler]
Archemist
Mallory, standing just a little ahead of Melisandre, tells Aravashnial quietly,  "Trouble ahead - stay up against the wall here."  Mallory knows it may be a tough shot but he draws one of his kunai and flings it towards the large bugs.


 
 Spoiler: OOC - ranged attack 
Mallory's in the J11 square on the map. Kunai is  (1d20)[ 14 ]  (+2 AB, -2 range) to hit for  (1d4+2)[ 4 ]  piercing damage against cockroach C3.
 
RelentlessImp
   
With a sigh, Rozalinda lifts her hand and points at a cockroach and lets loose another beam of frost in its direction.

 
 Spoiler 
Roze is in - I honestly have no idea where anything is in relation to anything on this map. Firing off another  ray of frost  at one of the cockroaches.
Attack:  (1d20+1)[ 2 ] 
Damage:  (1d3+3)[ 4 ] 
-Been forgetting to add my VMC Wizard School power of Intense Spells, derp. Wait, no, that's not valid til level 7, whoops, should be 1d3+2.
 
Kaworu
Arakiel took a swing with his weapon at the closest cockroach, but missed miserably.
Starbuck_II
Melisandre's burns the roaches, but Mallory's Kunai sealed the deal and C3 is dead.
Aravashnial and Roze both fire rays of frost but both go wild (Aravashnial's excuse is he just firing blindly)

The rest of the roaches attack, Horgus is in total defensive mode with sword out, and Anevia fires an arrow C 1 downing a roach but only after it bite Arakiel
 
 Spoiler 

C1 vs Arakiel    (1d20+1)[ 18 ]    Dam  - (1d4)[ 2 ] 
C 2 vs Mallory     (1d20+1)[ 3 ]    Dam  - (1d4)[ 3 ] 
c 4 vs Melisandre      (1d20+1)[ 20 ]    Dam  - (1d4)[ 3 ] 

Anevia  (1d20+5)[ 14 ]    Dam  - (1d6)[ 3 ] 
 


Larsaa's up
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa puts the finishing touches on his oil patch, then looks up, having missed in his focused kobold trap-making state that his allies had all run past him and are fighting the bugs rather loudly on the other side. His toothy kobold jaw hangs open a moment.

He pauses briefly, trying to scrape a little oil back into the empty vial with his claw. Such a waste! It can't end like this! No... it's hopeless.

With a rather pathetic koboldy roar of rage he waddle-charges forward to slug one of the cursed beetles across the mandible!

 (1d20+4)[ 19 ] 
 (1d3+3)[ 4 ] 
Archemist
Mallory suddenly finds himself surrounded by annoying bugs, though thankfully he does a little jig of disgust and successfully dodges their snapping jaws.  "Eww. Ew ew ew." 

Fighting somewhat defensively, he works in a rapier stab vs the bug who'd bit Arakiel. It's hard to get his buckler down low enough to be effective but he tries gamely to fend off the cockroaches.


 
 Spoiler: OOC - Combat Expertise, flanking with Arakiel and Melisandre, and attack 
His AC is 16 this round up from 15. He'll 5'-step to space N9 so that he's also flanking the two cockroaches. Rapier vs. the C4 closer to Arakiel:  (1d20+4)[ 21 ]  for  (1d6+2)[ 6 ]  piercing damage.
 
DrK
] Zarina 

Zarina’s face crinkles in disgust at the massive dog sized bugs before she darts forward pushing past Horgus to protect the rotund nobleman. She slashes out with her blade seeking to slice it in half.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 


Attack  (1d20+5)[ 24 ]  dam  (1d8+4)[ 5 ] 
   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  Panache 2/3
 
DrK
 
 Spoiler: Threat 

 (1d20+5)[ 14 ]  dam  (1d8+4)[ 5 ] 
 
Starbuck_II
Larsaa puts an end to C 4 with a massive punch, while Mallory ends C 2 with a twirling of his rapier stab at same time while Zarina slashes at it, pieces of the roach sent everywhere.

The threat is over.

Everyone gets 134 XP from the battle.

This smaller cavern appears to have once served as a campsite or temporary lair. A torn bedroll lies next to the cold remains of
a fire. A pile of bones, 3 candle stubs (burn for 30 minutes), bent fish hook, 10 ft badly freyed hemp rope, and rubble lies just
past the campsite. Another tunnel exits the room on the opposite end, it looks like it continues for a while.

Horgus, "  Nasty bugs, well, guess we will have to continue on. At least we won't have to cook them since your bomb already did" 

The pile of trash the cockroaches emerged fromgives off a rancid scent, particularly up close.

Prception DC 15
 
 Spoiler 

copper brooch displaying bat perched on a mushroom, eyes are tiny amethysts
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre grimaces as she gingerly puts weight on her injured leg before deciding the wound is worth using one of her extracts. The healing liquid burns a little as it goes down, but deals with the wound.

Distracted by caring for her wounds, she misses the glint in the trash pile, instead smiling shakily at Horgus.  ”I wouldn’t try cockroach. Filthy creatures, not even fit to eat.” 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Extract - Cure Light Wounds -  (1d8+1)[ 3 ] 
 
Kaworu
-  I also wouldn't eat them  - said Arakiel, completely oblivious to whatever was hidden in the room -  Is somebody seriously hurt? I have one more healing spell in store ... - he mentioned, ignoring his minor wound.
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa eats the cockroaches a little more surreptitiously and quietly than the worms... it's apparently frowned on here and he wants to make a good impression.

After a moment's thinking, he takes the torn bedroll and further rips it to pieces, using the scrap cloth to soak up his spilled flammable oil as best as possible, hopefully enough for a few flaming arrows or torches. No sense letting it  all  go to waste...

(craft:bows if necessary - or traps or alchemy at the same bonus)  (1d20+8)[ 11 ] 
Kaworu
Seeing Larsaa eating the cockroaches, Arakiel raised his finger and opened mouth as if wanting to say something. Apparently, he thought better off it, cause he just shook his head after an awkward moment of silence.
RelentlessImp
   
 "I'll be honest, considering what's going on up above, I fully expected worse than bugs,"  Roze states as she tugs her bag more comfortably onto her shoulder.
Paddywagon Man
 "Be grateful! Quite homey down here really, no dragon-eaters or... lightning, there's food... I don't suppose I'd be a great crusader staying put though, let's see what's ahead!" 
Starbuck_II
Anevia just gives Larsaa a look, bugs really., " Well was it worth it?" 
 "Funny you mean that Larsaa, you do know of the first crusade, yeah ?" says Horgus, he continued, "  During the First Crusade, many unknowingly exposed themselves to fell energies and nightmarish radiations. In the years that followed, a shocking number of children born to the crusaders were freaks. Many of these unfortunates were put to death by overzealous inquisitors or even fellow crusaders thinking they were demons, but some parents led underground to raise their children." 

He says this as you all walk forward toward next passage that seems to weave and flow like a snake. It may be an hour before they reach any where significant.

 "Some call them mole people like the old folk tales, but I am fond of the name mongrels. Not that they all untrustworthy, they just don't have the rules of civility like us. But we may encounter them. Be on guard. They look just like just but a random part of the body is off. Like instead of a hand, they might have a lobster claw or eagle talon. Imagine wiping with that problem *he laughs* " 

Anevia, "  I can't counter your claim, but since they are descended from crusaders, we should be honored by their presence not revile their looks". 

Horgus just shrugs.

Eventually, after that hours travel, you arrive to a further path and a side room that seems to be filled with teal light:

 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. 

The green light seems to emanate from a species of mushroom covering the walls through chemosynthesis.

A successful DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check
 
 Spoiler 

Reveals the symbol on the building as that of Torag.
 
Paddywagon Man
 (1d20+10)[ 14 ] 

Larsaa will hold a claw to his jaws for quiet, and stealthily try to look inside the building.
DrK
 Zarina 

The long walk had seemed oppressive to the young aasimar Even her halo dimming slightly as her thoughts dwelled on what may be happening up on the surface. She was quiet and stayed near the front of the group as they marched through the tunnels, barely raising a smile at the conversation. As they walked she did take her turn helping Arivishnal along, the poor blinded elf, slow and stumbling.

As the building hoves into view she pauses and listens carefully before scurrying forward with Larsaa trying to peek inside through a crack in the wall



 
 Spoiler: OOC 


Stealth  (1d20+5)[ 15 ] 
Perception  (1d20+4)[ 16 ] 
   Zarina   
Female CG Azatatouched (Aasimar) Swashbuckler ,  Level  1,  Init  4,  HP  11/11,  Speed 
 AC  18,  Touch  14,  Flat-footed  14,  CMD  16,  Fort  1,  Ref  6,  Will  0,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  1
 Finesse Longsword   +6 (1d8+4, 19-20)
 Finesse Dagger    +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
   Chain Shirt  (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
 Condition  Panache 2/3
 
[/QUOTE]
Kaworu
Arakiel was quiet the whole time. Secretly, he was afraid there would be no way out of these dungeons, but he kept those nasty thoughts for himself. He didn't want to panic, or to poison the mood of his companions.

When they encountered the building, he held his weapon more steady. He wasn't any good when it came to stealth, so he just waited at the ready for his friends to return.
RelentlessImp
   
Roze lifts a brow at the light emanating from the room, stepping towards the entryway.  "Nothing evil is teal,"  the mage says calmly as she strides towards the entryway.
Kaworu
Since the mage was following, so did Arakiel. After all, he was much more better prepared for an eventual fight than she was. Still, he tried to be as quiet and stealthy as he could.
Paddywagon Man
 "Nothing evil is teal  any longer , you mean, you have me to thank for that! Real jerk that Krobussh, acting like his fancy scales made him Dahak on high." 

Stealth apparently abandoned Larsaa hangs back a bit to support his friends with his bow if needed.
Starbuck_II
Arivishnal smiling replies, " Are we near the surface, I feel a glow has appeared.  " says as they group sees the glow from some mushrooms.

Through the cracks, Larsaa and Zarina see movement, two beings moving around one in the dark, the other seemingly carrying its own light though dimmer.

Roze and Arakiel throw caution to the wind and enter by the entrance. You see 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.

What you also see is two giant insectoids about Larsaa's size flying right at them

Roll Init
2 Fly   Init  - (1d20+3)[ 19 ] 

Map:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...WmQ/edit#gid=0 
Kaworu
Arakiel swore under his breath. Insects, again! This time flying ones! He felt somewhat angry - all the people above fought with beings from lower planes, and then here he was, attacking big flies! He took a stance, weapon ready in his hand, to strike at the moment a fly would come closer.
RelentlessImp
   
 "I'm getting really tired of bugs,"  Roze states with a sigh, pointing her finger at one of them and releasing a ray of frost in their direction.

 
 Spoiler 

  Attack for Ray of Frost  - (1d20+1)[ 11 ] 
  Damage  - (1d3+2)[ 3 ] 
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre can't help but scathingly reply to her two comrades.  "Evil doesn't come color coded for your convenience!"  she snarks before glancing at Anevia, the most combat-ready of the three.  "Can you keep an eye on Horgus and Arivishnal? It doesn't look like much, but we want to keep those flies trapped in the room." 

Melisandre readies her bow and moves forward to support her companions.
Paddywagon Man
 "I'm not tired of bugs, but I am a bit full." 

Larsaa shoots a fly!

 (1d20+5)[ 13 ] 
 (1d6+1)[ 3 ] 
Starbuck_II
Init:
Melisandre
Flies
The rest party

Melisandre can interrupt their actions if he wants, the flies see fresh food and dart toward the entryway. Little bits of drool falling from their mouth orifaces, eyes wide and focused on the party (specifically Roze and Arakiel who are visible). Streaks of ice hit the ceiling in her panic from Roze at more bugs. Fly Two bites at Roze's arm to stop the cold, while Fly One bites at Arakiel's leg to prevent escape.

(Roze can attack again as I'll assume that was a surprise attack you posted)

 
 Spoiler 


Fly one targets Arakiel, while fly 2 targets Roze.
Vs Arakiel
  Attk1  - (1d20+2)[ 22 ]    Dam1  - (1d6+1)[ 7 ]  If bite, Roll Fort Save DC 14

vs Roze
  Attk2  - (1d20+2)[ 3 ]    Dam2  - (1d6+1)[ 3 ]  if bite, Roll Fort Save DC 14
 


Map:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...WmQ/edit#gid=0 
Archemist
Mallory moves up, drawing his rapier once more, and attempting to stab the closer fly out of the air.   "If only I'd brought a rolled-up newspaper,"   he says wistfully.


 
 Spoiler: OOC - move to L-14 and attack Fly 1 
 (1d20+4)[ 14 ]  (if flanking with Arakiel) for  (1d6+2)[ 8 ]  piercing damage.
 
Gyrfalcon
Seeing an opportunity, Melisandre crosses her fingers as she whips up another bomb and throws it at the second fly, letting the doorway contain and channel the explosion away from her allies.

 
 Spoiler: Mechanics 

Move SW 2 spaces

Throw bomb at Fly 2:
Attack Roll vs Touch -  (1d20+4)[ 15 ] 
Damage -  (1d6+5)[ 7 ] 

Splash damage - 5, Reflex DC 14

On miss, scatter roll -  (1d8)[ 6 ] 
 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa watches Melisandre's bomb go off and makes some mental notes. He might not have learned much in a Kobold warren but he's cleverer than he looks, and a quick study.

Visions of pyrotechnics dancing in his head he'll do the next best thing, lighting one of his oil-soaked fire arrows from before off the bomb's smouldering residue and firing.

[roll0]
[roll1]
(Any benefits from the jury rigged fire arrow up to gm fiat)
Starbuck_II
Mallory rushes forth with his rapier trying to stab the fly, he achieves ramming it through its feet as it flies 1 foot above the ground.

Larsaa deals 3 fire damage and sets Fly 1 on fire dealing it   fire  - (1d3)[ 3 ]   (decided half direct arrow damage but chance to deal fire each round)

Melisandre's bomb wounds Fly 2, the second fly survives but splash damage burns up Fly One after all its previous wounds.
Fly 1   Reflex  - (1d20+3)[ 11 ] 
Fly 2   Reflex  - (1d20+3)[ 13 ] 
RelentlessImp
   
 "Hey, no!"  Roze barks out as she's bitten at, taking a step back from the fly and pointing at it, unleashing a bolt of unerring energy into its face.  "Down!" 
 
 Spoiler 

Take 5-ft step away from the bug and cast  magic missile .
 (1d4+3)[ 5 ] 
 
DrK
Zarina helps to balance Arivishnal and Aneiva together,  "Please hold still and don't move, Aneiva, you be his eyes and he can be your leg"  she'l dart round the corner to see the giant disgusting flies and moves to assist Roze in front of her, waving her sword to distract the fly

 OOC
Move around corner. Aid another Roze to give her +2 to hit
 (1d20+6)[ 8 ]  vs DC 10
 
Kaworu
Arakiel decided to attack the one left fly. He took a swing with his weapon, aiming at the head of the giant insect.
Starbuck_II
Roze steps backward before blast the bug with concentrated force right through its abdomen. But the bug wasn't dead yet, Zarina distracts the bug before out of no where Arakiel cuts its head clear off.

 
 Spoiler 

It was already dead after Roze blasted it, so Arakiel easily attacks its head off
 


Everyone gets 134 XP each

Anevia: " Shall we go in? I would love a place to sit down" 
Paddywagon Man
 "Yes, let's! I don't think we've gained a lot of altitude yet so we'll still have loads of walking to do, a sit down to keep the spirits up is just good sense."  
Gyrfalcon
 "It's the first sign of civilization I've seen since we fell. I wonder who would have built something like this down here."  Melisandre remarks as she helps the wounded civilians inside the building, after kicking burnt fly parts out of the doorway. (She kicks the largest fly chunk inside and into a corner incase the insatiable kobold wants to try another variety of giant insect. She was still full, and it looks like food won't be a major issue down here given the amazing abundance of hostile oversized insects.)
Archemist
Mallory adds,  "I don't recognize the symbol on this... temple?... but it does seem a relatively secure room to rest in. Let's look around carefully first, though."  He stops by Arakiel and intones a curative spell. Placing a hand on Arakiel's shoulder, he says,  "Here, this should help you feel better." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC - CLW and Perception 
Arakiel gains  (1d8+1)[ 9 ]  hp. And Mallory's Perception check for looking around the room:  (1d20+6)[ 26 ] 
 
RelentlessImp
   
Rozalinda heads into the building with the others, taking a good look around as she enters.

 
 Spoiler 

  Perception  - (1d20+5)[ 19 ] 
 
Starbuck_II
Rozalinda  and Mallory's perceptive ideas
 
 Spoiler 

the basin's water seems to similar with divine power. You believe you can bottle some to make holy water
 


When the wounded trio, enters Anevia she is taken aback. She figures out this might be a holy shrine to Torag by the hammer symbol. Suddenly the realization that this was a temple gets to her.
 "This reminds me of my love, Irabeth. I'm never going to see them again am I? Sure we survived but what is to say others did."  She sits down and starts crying.

" Why don't we stay here for a few hours, my leg hurts. " 

Horgus rolls his eyes and ,  "Look, Anevia, we can't just stay here. I have a home to get back to. ",  he looks at party and whispers, " maybe we leave her here and the rest of us scout ahead to find the exit and come back later for her." 

Anevia appears to hear that, slowly gets up and yells, " Oh, I am not surprised that a man afraid to acknowledge his own faith wouldn’t be moved by a forgotten temple like this, and that to be ashamed of one’s faith is as bad as worshiping demons!" 

Horgus yells back, " irony of being chided by someone who has been known to consort with thieves." 

Anevia falls into black, silent anger at this, her eyes narrowing at Horgus.

 Diffusing argument 
 
 Spoiler 

The two are fighting, likely anger at situation of being lost underground and displacing at each other.

You can side with either party. You can use Diplomacy DC 15 to prevent an NPC from getting angry at your team if you don't side with them.
 
Kaworu
Arakiel thanked with a nod of his hed for the healing. Then, he looked at the arguing member of his party. He sighted, then...

-  Please, do not argue. We are all afraid and scared. But we do not have to fight among ourselves. This building is a proof that the were people here. And possibly, there is a way out of these caves. We sure do not know what happens for us outside, but it is some thought to hold onto, innit? So please, do not argue, bear with us and move forward. That's the most important thing there is now. Pretty please? 
RelentlessImp
   
 "Plus there's the fact that we're underground, surrounded by hostile bugs and whatever else, and you two have decided to squabble like children,"  Roze states, crossing her arms over her chest.  "We're all tired, Horgus. You're free to go wandering off on your own, though, if you like. When we find your corpse, I'll say a little prayer over it to a god of your choosing. Else sit down and shut up, or start contributing in battle, and maybe we'll care about what you have to say." 
 
 Spoiler 
  Diplomacy  - (1d20+9)[ 13 ] 
 
Paddywagon Man
Diplomacy: (1d20+8)[ 24 ] 
 "Ffffriend Roze! That's not so nice! Horgus isn't wrong that a few can outpace lots, and there is certainly reason to fear for those above, and to hope we might help... what about just a shorter rest, enough for Anevia to fill her lungs nice and good with, maybe twenty minutes or thirty? We can support you back Anevia, and if you do have a love in the city above, perhaps getting there faster means more chance we can regroup and keep them safe!" 
DrK
 Zarina 

With the argument raging Zarina retreats from the now dead flies and strides outside on long slender legs. Looking at them argument she heads to Aneiva,  "Calm yourself. Please Aneiva, calm. Let me help you into the temple you can sit down and rest." 
 She looks at the others and makes a pushing motion to suggest moving Horgus away as well.

 OOC
Diplomacy to assist  (1d2+9)[ 11 ] 
 
Starbuck_II
Arivishnal,  "why is everyone yelling, is the more bugs, Larsaa? , "he blasts the ground at his feet with thin sheet of ice.
 
Anevia, "Thanks for the support, Roze,   *sighs*  But Arakiel and Zarina, guess you arem't wrong, I'm just frustrated. Sorry for my outburst." 

Horgus folds his arms, " Fine, we can stay 30 minutes resting, but no more, we have places to be. I mean, who knows what has happened while we were down here. They may need every man they can get up above. " 

As you hurry inside and rest at the benches, you can hear a faint sound coming from the unopened door in the room with symbol of a hammer. It sounds like chanting or whispering, something maybe inside, friend or foe, is unknown.


Your team successful prevented arguements from gettng worse, Story Award 67 XP each.
Archemist
 
 Originally Posted by Starbuck_II 
 Arivishnal,  "why is everyone yelling, is the more bugs, Larsaa? , "he blasts the ground at his feet with thin sheet of ice.

As you hurry inside and rest at the benches, you can hear a faint sound coming from the unopened door in the room with symbol of a hammer. It sounds like chanting or whispering, something maybe inside, friend or foe, is unknown. 
 

Mallory translates for Arivishnal,  "No bugs, thankfully. The impatient annoying man decided to take it out on the hurt sad thief-lady but hopefully now that it's quieter we can get some rest." 

Although as the chanting starts from the next room ahead, he adds,  "...or all their yelling has attracted unwanted attention and we'll have more fighting to do, ha!"  He laughs at the cosmic joke that is the idea of getting a rest.

 "Demons, bugs, bug-demons - it matters little, we'll avenge our city on them all." 
Kaworu
-  Who is there?!  - Arakiel asked aloud in the direction of the unopened doors, preparing his weapon. He didn't want to play cat-and-mouse and wanted to deal with the possible problem as fast and directly as this was possible.
Gyrfalcon
The tiefling alchemist sighs to herself as she readies her bow once again, taking position behind the front line, ready to support them with arrows or bombs, depending on what comes through the doors this time.
Starbuck_II
The door stays shut, whomever in there does not respond.

Though there is tension, Anevia enjoys the quiet waiting. Everyone though on edge with the mystery next door, feels a tiny bit better about their stress. Something calming about the basin and its holy waters.
Kaworu
-  Shall we go?  - the aasimar asked, looking at the mysterious doors -  We still hadn't left this place, maybe there are survivors above us... 
Paddywagon Man
 "Yes, let's! But I'd like to peek through the doors here first. Shall I open them, or would you rather another bow pointing at it when they open?" 

Larsaa will open the door if nobody else volunteers to.
RelentlessImp
   
Roze sighs and stares at the door.  "Whenever you're all ready,"  she says, raising one hand in preparation for hurling spells.
Kaworu
-  Careful, we do not know who or what is in there  - said Arakiel cautiously.
Starbuck_II
Larsaa opens the door with a very noisy creak, inside a noise echoes outward, " Will you lot keep it down as I pray to the great inevitable Deskari!"  

Broken stone benches line this narrow room. The air is cold and stale, and thick layers of dust cover the floor, benches, and a
large altar at the far end of the room.

The shrine’s priest dwells here still, seated on one of the benches facing the altar, his back to the PCs. There are numerous insects pinned to the walls, dead, blood leaking out of them.

 "Once, I worshipped Torag, but he has abandoned me so I seeked the truth. Bugs, they are eternal, now matter what they will remain. Go away, submit, or be destroyed, this is your only warning." 

If you choose to attack, you have surprise rd before rolling initiative, but you may parley (try at least) or close the door, your choice.
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina scowls at the mention of bugs and deskari. She strides towards the dwarf,  "Your filth have defiled the city above. You have defiled the Temple of the forgefather. TUrn and face your doom."   She holds out her blade ready to step forward to strike when this fool of a dwarf turns to face her. Even with his apparent evil she couldn't strike him down without giving him fair warning.
Paddywagon Man
  "Is this really-truly a job for a blade? This dwarf could have been your companion, he simply lost hope! Anevia lost hope without us chopping her! Perhaps instead of your doom, friend dwarf, you should see hope in your heart again! Help is here, and a fellow friend of Torag - this Deskari is not!"  
Kaworu
Arakiel just hold his weapon - personally, he did not believe in any "hope" for the evil priest, but didn't want to argue either.
Starbuck_II
The old priest turns his head and slowly his body, his arm holding a jeweled Warhammer, " Why should I trust Torag again? I worked for years carefully crafting this temple to him. I just wanted him to appear and say, 'Good job, Hectorium", but nothing. I defending this temple from demons, bugs, and raiders for more years. Slowly I just decided he was abandoned me so I abandoned him." 

His face is gaunt and sullen, his eyes are mirky and grim, looking at Zarina, " With that Torag finally noticed me by taking my powers. This temple is now my duty and grave, so I figure if I get recognized by Deskari he will empower me and give me purpose again.
Why do you persecute me?
" 
Kaworu
-  What you say is wrong  - said Arakiel simply. He didn't want to go into a dispute with him, but told him what he thought was true. He was still ready to attack, but didn't want to strike first.
Starbuck_II
"  What Arakiel  says is right , " replies Anevia,"  you expected too much of Torag, he has thousands of followers. He probably didn't even notice till he stopped feeling your worship. You got scared and angry so you stopped worship. But that didn't help now you feel no divine power. Just a stupid pity party. You were scared." 
 "I... was scared. I lost wrong as that kobold said... But what good would it do to return... Would Torag even accept me after I ruined this place with bug guts..."  he looks to Larsaa, Zarina, and Arakiel for an answer.
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre looked around the temple before shrugging to the old priest.  "Torag is the called the Father of Dwarves, isn't he? I'm guessing like a stern Dad, he's disappointed with the mess you made, but he still loves you. Cleaning the temple will take a lot of work, but he'll feel your dedication when you make things right." 

The tiefling is surprised that they talked the old dwarf down, but he looks to be more in the grips of despair than a dedicated demon cultist.
Archemist
Mallory also expresses surprise.  "You're making the right choice here." 
Kaworu
-  Hm...  - Arakiel was thinking aloud, being in kinda thoughtful mood -  I really do not know. But... I am a person of faith too. And I believe not only in my god, but also in some... general principles, you could say? I think the concept of forgiveness is one of them. Among other things, which are equally important. 
 Maybe you could say a prayer and try to find out?  - he tried to smile, hoping his face war working alright. He felt kinda... awkward?
Starbuck_II
 "Appreciate that, I'll try. If you ever need me, I'll be here guarding the shrine. Here is a potion for you each to stay healthy. I'll try to clean up the bugs in time." 
He hands you each a potion of healing then goes back to his shrine praying.

The group decides to rest a few hours. The trio gets out some food to eat, well Arivishnal waits as other hand him food. Horgus has resigned to resting so might as well eat.
 
 Spoiler 

If you are helping him clean, let me know.
 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa will certainly help with the cleaning! He's pretty full already but it wouldn't do for it to  all  go to waste, so he'll stuff some of the bugs in his pack, a couple in his mouth and maybe burn the rest of the mess if the dwarf has no plans of his own for it.
Archemist
Mallory will help with the cleaning - especially as an elf, he's never one to want to bed-down in a messy place. He'll also glance around with Detect Magic before settling in, just in case we've missed something here.

He'll volunteer for a watch shift also, though underground it'll be easy to lose track of time. He takes out some parchment and an inkpen and writes what appear to be some diary-like notes about the day while there's still torchlight.
Kaworu
Arakiel also wasn't above helping, especially since there were a matters of religious faith we were talking about. Also, he wanted to keep an eye on that priests just in case, but he doubted he would do anything icky.
Starbuck_II
You team rests and cleans the temple, returning it to its former glory.

You feel the god's smiling because you suddenly all feel blessed by them. They are pleased you un-desecrated once Torag's holy chapel.

 
 Spoiler 

You all gain effects of bless spell for 24 hours and each gain 100 XP. And we can count that as light resting for regaining spells/1 hp/LV per day.
 


Hectorium greets you after cleaning, " I don't have anything left but my offer to call on me if you ever need me." 

Horgus, " Yes, we will do that. Come on team, I want out of this cavern of horrors." 



Taking over an hour of travel back down the path, you come to an area that is covered in cave paintings and carved stone figures.
These Stone figures are carved into the walls of this cavern. Each depicts a different crusader clad in armor and wielding weapons, but their carved stone features contain expressions of sadness.

DC 15 History
 
 Spoiler 

An examination of the armor portrayed on the statues and successful DC 15 Knowledge (history) check indicates that the soldiers depicted were from the First Crusade
 


You aren't sure, but there is some thing making light in a hole in the wall (could be more fungi, fire, or something else), 60 feet away.
Gyrfalcon
The tiefling is surprised when she feels a warm glow of divine approval pass through her after the party helps clean the chapel.  "I expected divine approval to be more abstract than practical here. Either way, thanks, Nethys."  she murmurs.

Once the party moves out and arrives at an area filled with statues, Melisandre readies her bow.  "I see some lights ahead. No way to tell if they're natural, cultivated or artificial."  she whispers to the others.
Kaworu
-  It could be enemies  - said Arakiel cautiously -  Or maybe way forward. Let's come on, but carefully, shan't we?  - he proposed.
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa, being blessed with darkvision out to about 60 feet himself, squints to see if he can't make out what might be shedding this glow.

 (1d20+3)[ 6 ]  Perception
DrK
 Zarina 

Zarina had helped clean the temple, still surprised at the Dwarf's change in mind. As they got ready to leave she approached the old dwarf and knelt down to be face to face with him and offers a hand.  "I am sorry. I forgot the tenants of my own faith that forgiveness can never be overlooked. I am glad you have turned away from the Locust Lord and gone back to the Dwarf Father. I wish you well."  With a brief shake of the hand and nod of the head she rejoins the other.

Walking her natural halo flares and flickers keeping a steady light s she keeps a hand on the hilt of her longsword and spends much of the walk speaking and assisting the limping Aneiva.  "So Aneiva, what did you do before falling down here with us? You said you were a scout did you?"..  Though the conversation fades  as she sees the cavern, the light and the frescoes. Advancing she has a look to see if she can recall what they are

 Know (history)  (1d20+4)[ 19 ]  
Starbuck_II
 "I appreciate the assistance all this way, you didn't need do so, I would be slower but eventually I'd catch up",  Anevia gives a small bow.

 "Err, yes, 'ell, I was once a treasure hunter one could say, I've been around a few tombs. Lately, I've joined the war effort with the Eagle Watch, my new team. We have a few of my old adventurer teammates in the group, which is good because that makes it more relaxing, they get my inside jokes, but the few, well... they have sticky fingers and I had bail them out of jail. But they do good spy work so they are needed." 

As you near the pathway to light and see the strange figures, " my order is from Andoran, knights there are usually more about freeing slavery, but they felt that the greater threat to freedom wasn’t Andoran’s clashes with Cheliax, but rather the Abyssal rift spitting demons into world. Demons bad you see.", she says with a wink 

Larsaa
 
 Spoiler 

You can barely see a camp-fire ahead along with what you think is a bedroll along with a stone table. However, you are too far for anyone to see like whether there are people, traps, or monsters waiting.
 
Kaworu
-  To the brave belongs the world  - Arakiel translated literally a saying from Celestial into Common, and then went forward -  Who are you? A friend or a foe? We come in peace  - he accounced himself and his companions.
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa will quietly work his way closer to the campfire, trying to keep out of sight, despite being unsure whether any opposition lies ahead or not yet.

 (1d20+10)[ 19 ]  Stealth
Starbuck_II
Map:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...WmQ/edit#gid=0 

Sadly, Larsaa was spotted by something as a mini black mass pound and try to grab him. To Larsaa, it looks like a hideous octopus, its thin, hook-lined tentacles connected by a fleshy web but it flies somehow not swims. Its tentacles seem to squeeze him tight like an anaconda to tenderize him before devouring him.

Combat begins: roll Init, surprise round over
 
 Spoiler 

  Slam  - (1d20+3)[ 17 ]    dam  - (1d4)[ 1 ] 
If hits, grappled  (1d20+5)[ 22 ]    constrict  - (1d4+4)[ 5 ] 
  Init  - (1d20+6)[ 11 ] 
 
Kaworu
-  Damn  - Arakiel sweared under his breath, and then ran towards Larsaa, with his weapon at the ready, so he could attack the... octopussy-thingy?
Paddywagon Man
  "OW! OOOOOOOOOW! Get it oooooff!"  

Larsaa is very hurt!

 (1d20+2)[ 10 ]  Init
Starbuck_II
Init Order:
Mallory
NPCs
Octopus thingy
rest of PCs

Horgus draws his blade and moves closer, can't let the little guy die on his watch.

Anevia shoots an arrow hoping to kill it

Waiting for Malory
 
 Spoiler 

  attack  - (1d20+5)[ 19 ] 
  Dam  - (1d6+3)[ 6 ] 
 
Archemist
Mallory steps up and attempts to poke at the thing that jumped on Larsaa.

 
 Spoiler: OOC - rolls 
 (1d20+2)[ 13 ]  for  (1d6+2)[ 7 ]  piercing damage. Sorry to keep you waiting!
 
Starbuck_II
Map:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...WmQ/edit#gid=0 

(Sorry for delay, it has been hectic. My mom is still recovering from her heart surgery [taking some of my time taking care of her], and now dad fell at PX. He was stubborn and not taking his medicine, in hospital IVing his medicine; so I've not been on much)

The Octopus-like thing drops Larsaa after being poked turns jet black (for those with darkvision, those without it appears as if the light spell has shut off and it is invisible) those than can still see it see its dripping blood from its gashes and slashes as it flies away to hide in ceiling but suddenly, another octopuses slams down on Mallory from the sky. Horgus swipes at it with an AOO but to no avail, missing it.

Assuming creature 2 hits Mallory, it wraps its tentacles around the her.

Mallory may make an AOO on either creature (since she has one, she must choose).

 
 Spoiler 

  Attk  - (1d20+3)[ 11 ] 
  Dam  - (1d4)[ 3 ] 
  Grapple  - (1d20+5)[ 10 ] 
 


Other PCs turn

Then Round 2
Archemist
Mallory takes a stab at the descending inky creature before it hits him. He sidesteps at just the last minute and it thankfully doesn't grab him.

 
 Spoiler: OOC - rapier AoO 
 (1d20+2)[ 14 ]  for  (1d6+2)[ 5 ] 
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre mixes something together and drinks it down, face twisting in disgust as she swishes it in her mouth for a moment before spitting it out at the flying monster that was failing to hide itself from her darkvision. The  [Adhesive Spittle]  flies through the air unnaturally and splatters across the thing's wings, hardening and interfering with their movement.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Melisandre casts Adhesive Spittle on the flying invisible enemy. The ability auto-hits, and acts as a tanglefoot bag with a DC 15.

The flyer has to pass a DC 15 Reflex check or lose flight and fall to the ground.

While the Adhesive Spittle is active, it has a -2 penalty on attack rolls and a -4 penalty to Dexterity (so also -2 AC)

Breaking free is a DC 15 Strength check or by dealing 15 damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. Even if free, movement/flight is half speed.

The effect lasts for  (2d4)[ 7 ]  rounds.
 
Kaworu
Arakiel rushed at the thing that Melisandre attacked. It was weakened, and so it was the most obvious target.

 
 Spoiler 


Attack Roll:  (1d20+3)[ 17 ] 

(Potential) damage:  (1d8+2)[ 5 ] 
 
Starbuck_II
As one creature escapes, the other attacks, Mallory decides to stab this one. Wounding not killing tho, but it fails to hut her.

Melisandre covers the escaping one with a thick resin,  (1d20+3)[ 17 ]  failing this save it falls back to the ground, if falls damaged  (2d6)[ 5 ] 

But it succeeds and maintains flight, 20 ft in air.

Arakiel tries to finish off the creature off one that attacked Mallory (can't reach the flying one). Killing it.

The wounded one slowly tries to flee the area fearing for its life (slowly). You can chase it or not/sling arrows as you wish tho. It learned you aren't an easy kill for lunch.

Everyone gets 80 each

 "What is that racket out there?!"  A voice from within the passage says.
Kaworu
-  We have been attacked  - Arakiel shouted back to the invisible yet person -  Are you a friend or a foe? Please, show yourself. 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa slowly, nervously, opens his eyes now the monster seems to be gone, but it might be a little bit before he volunteers to go first again!
Gyrfalcon
The tiefling releases a slow breath as the second creature flounders away from the group. While she keeps an arrow ready on her bowstring - especially with yet another stranger calling out to them - she doesn't feel the need to kill the underground predator. Instead she goes and checks on the shaken kobold, brushing his clothes off.  "You look to be fine at least. Something of a turn around for them to try to eat you instead of the other way around, isn't it?" 
Kaworu
The corners of Arakiel mouths moved a little, as he heard about Larsaa being eaten "for a change" or something. He coughed to hide his amusement, but then looked again in the direction of an unknown voice, full of resolution.
Starbuck_II
" Well, that depends on your reasons for being near my home,"   out comes a stocky auburn bearded dwarf. It's hair wild and unkempt. Bits of mushroom and meat bits stuck in the beard.
He has a crossbow on his back and long dark cloak.
His eyes scan the area, he sees the dead octopus thing, " Bring that thing inside, I have a stew that would go great with it. Oh, I have some tea on the stove, anyone want a cup?" 

Arivishnal perks up,  "Milthrone, is that you? " 
 "Arivishnal? Haven't seen you in ages." , he chuckles.

  "What are you doing down here? " 

" Was banished years ago, I warned them that the fabric of reality around the wardstones was breaking down and demons would pour in. They decided I was insane, but I'll prove them wrong one day" 
Gyrfalcon
Having met another (apparently friendly) dwarf, Melisandre relaxes and puts her weapons away, helping the kobold forward towards the offer of food and tea.  "Tea? That sounds  lovely ."  she says fervently.  "And given that demons are rampaging through Kenabras and the Wardstone is doing nothing at all to stop them, I suspect you might be given a second hearing, Mister Milthrone." 
Kaworu
-  Yup, it seems your predictions happened to us all  - Arakiel admitted -  And we, of course, would appreciate some tea. However, we are also looking for a way upward. Do you know anything about it?  - he asked.
Starbuck_II
Your party comes inside to the cave, he has it set up nice with a makeshift kettle over a campfire. Nearby one chiseled table of stone is some stone teacups.
A bedroll in one corner. On display on a makeshift shelf is 6 inch tall marvel statuette of humanoid throwing a spear.

" Sorry for the mess, I don't usually get visitors. Those Dark Mantles sell pretty good, glad you got one. They taste great too."  gesturing at the flying octopus thing.

Anevia after taking a sip of tea, " Are you sure that you just spouting about demons breaking through? Seems rather extreme to banish you "

 
"Well, I may have proven it true by experiments...But you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.
They never would have believed me otherwise.
They said I was dangerous and mentally ill, but thanks to you, I was proven right."  he says while cackling.

Horgus spits out some tea back into his cup laughing, "  And this is why I can't wait to get back to the surface, everything underground is just wrong." 

Milthrone turns to Arakiel, " Huh? Yeah, I think by that village up ahead might be a way, I usually trade with them for supplies. Honestly without those guys, I never would have survived. I'd wager it is about a 40 minute walk from here.
" 
Kaworu
-  Thank you  - said simply Arakiel -  We will try, of course, to get you to the surface as well, now that the truth has been shown. If, of course, there are any survivors up here...  - he had fallen silent.
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa pipes up after a period of nervous, slightly grossed-out silence from the earlier monster attack.  "It's good to know there's safety down here below, though! If we do find survivors above, maybe space can be made down here. You said there was a whole village?

Let's continue to the surface then, to shepherd whoever's left to their nice snug new cavern homes!"
 
Starbuck_II
With the knowledge of the nearby village, the group travels on toward the hole in the ceiling

 "A steeply inclined tunnel 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" 

This shaft leads upward at a steep angle for 60 feet.
The cracks, handholds, and pitons—placed here years ago—allow for a character to ascend the shaft almost as if a ladder were present.

Eveyone give me an easy DC 10 Climb (three tries)
Archemist
 
 Originally Posted by Starbuck_II 
 Everyone give me an easy DC 10 Climb (three tries) 
 

Mallory Wright takes a quick survey of the slope and then gives it a good try.

 
 Spoiler: OOC - Climb 
 (1d20+1)[ 21 ]  or  (1d20+1)[ 15 ]  or  (1d20+1)[ 21 ] 
 

 
 Spoiler: Mallory statblock 
   Mallory Wright   
M CG Elf Inquisitor (Vigilant Defender),  Level  1,  Init  2,  HP  8/8,  Speed  30
 AC  16,  Touch  13,  Flat-footed  13,  CMD  15,  Fort  2,  Ref  2,  Will  4,  CMB  +2,  Base Attack Bonus  0,    Action Points  1
 Finesse Rapier   +2 (1d6+2, 18-20/x2)
 Close, Thrown Kunai (5)   +2 (1d4+2, x2)
 Leather with thorns Rosewood Armor ,    Buckler  (+2 Armor, +1 Shield, +2 Dex)
 Abilities  Str 14, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 13
 Condition  None
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre helps settle the injured at the bottom of the shaft.

 "It looks safe enough down here. Let us take a look around topside first, and then if someone has a rope we can loop it around under your arms and bring you up one by one. Still won't be pleasant with broken limbs, but it'll be doable."  she says to them before taking a deep breath and starting the ascent. It's quickly obvious that she has no experience climbing, but she continues upward gamely.

 
 Spoiler: Mechanics 

  Climbing #1  - (1d20)[ 8 ]  vs DC 10
  Climbing #2  - (1d20)[ 19 ]  vs DC 10
  Climbing #3  - (1d20)[ 5 ]  vs DC 10
 
Kaworu
Arakiel did what he could to climb the slope.

 
 Spoiler: Mechanics 

 (1d20+2)[ 3 ] 
 (1d20+2)[ 15 ] 
 (1d20+2)[ 13 ] 
 
Paddywagon Man
Larsaa's not exactly the bravest, but it seems an easy enough slope... he gives a game effort.

 "This kobold will help lots!" 
 (1d20+1)[ 18 ] 
 (1d20+1)[ 11 ] 
 (1d20+1)[ 16 ] 
Starbuck_II
As the group tries to climb, the area shakes, whether the area is still settling after the cave in or worse, you do not know.

Mallory climb like a pro, not missing a step. Melisandre's careful help of the injured members, causes her to almost lose her grip, but luckily she made it. Arakiel slips on a wet rock but catches himself and make it without further issue. Larsaa hops up there like it wasn't even a slope.

Anevia:  I never thought such an easy task would be so difficult, but then I was never with such a sprain before.  

Horgus:  At least both your hands work, I had to climb with just one. 

Arivishnal is helped by others as he slowly climbs very, very slowly. With proper coaching he makes it, just barely.

After a few minutes of walking, you can see a large tunnel with a broken tower in the distance.

 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. 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre finishes massaging her arms and looks around the large cave curiously, red eyes bright as she peers into the gloom towards the far walls.  "I think its best if the injured stay here and we scout ahead. There are all sorts of cracks for creepy-crawlies to hide in, and someone went to a lot of effort to build that tower long ago." 
Archemist
Mallory chimes in,  "I can help scout ahead. I am curious what is in that tower." 
Kaworu
-  I can go too  - said Arakiel -  I am a powerful warrior, after all. 
Starbuck_II
Anevia smiles then frowns, " While I would enjoy a little rest, it isn't easy limping all this way, I don't want to miss anything" 

Horgus: *sigh*  I'll watch the girl and the old man, go but don't forget us, we are so close to the town... we have to be. I haven't really bathed in a town in while. I miss the sensation. 

Arivishnal still sees nothing, he assumed we stopping to rest and enjoys a nice seat. Pawing a few times to find a nice sturdy rock to sit on, he sits and relaxes.



Thoough, you are quite a distance, you can hear sounds of struggling and cries for help up near the tower. You can't make out exactly what is going on from the distance below.
Kaworu
Arakiel just moved faster towards the tower, guessing he and his weapons could be needed.
Gyrfalcon
The tiefling hurries after, already getting the ingredients for a bomb together - so far they haven't run into anything that couldn't be helped with a healthy portion of explosives.
Starbuck_II
When you move closer, you can see parts of the tower has collapsed and pirces of stonr are scattered scaroos the area. People or creatures, you can't be certain as you can see humaniod legs, but also lobster claws sticking out from underneath stone slabs.

In one large slab, you can see a being pinned, his two allies are trying to move it and screaming for help. That earthquake rumble earlier probably destabalized the tower.

The pinned man has goat legs and a scorpion tail, while the two alliws of his are a hunchbacked female with growths across her face that words are mumbled. While the tall man beside her has elf ears, ram horns, and half of his face lizard-like. The fingers in his hands end in raptor talons.

He turns noticing you:
He greets the PCs in a raspy voice, speaking in strangely accented but quite eloquent Common, and asks your intentions. “ Gentlemen, if 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.” 
Kaworu
-  Can we help you? What should we do? - quickly and simply asked Arakiel. In other circumstanced he would say his name and make a pleasant introduction, but this seemed urgent.
Gyrfalcon
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Hi Lann. You're so awesome, Lann. 😁
 


Melisandre leaves the others to confer about how best to free the unfortunate... tiefling? They certainly had mutations enough, far more then any of her fellow tieflings that she has examined in the past.

Putting her medical experience (however limited) to best use, she kneels by the trapped creature and starts examining the extent of his injuries.  "Hey. How are you feeling? Can you feel your legs, feet, tail, and anything else under the slab?"  she asks gently.
Starbuck_II
Creel, the man stuck underneath cries out,  "I can't feel my legs" , dust flies around as he speaks, wheezing and coughng. Rumble all around him.

" Lann ", replies the lizard-ish man,  "I am called. We have two known options, others we would seek.
First, we could try lifting. The more the merrier.
Second, we could try digging a trench, that would give the slab more room to roll off. That would lower lifting required. "

As he speaks another mini quake causes dust to fall from surface and a stalactite to hit the ground somewhere in distance with a crash.

OOC
 
 Spoiler 

One bomb could grant a +1d6 bonus to Lifting the slab by offsetting its weight through the explosion, but a roll of 6 results in the trapped man taking 1d6 bomb damage by rolling too close to the man.

Lifting the stone outright requires a DC 25 Str check. Up to 6 people (and now that party is temporily at 4, I'm recruiting soon, its at max), so you 4 and the two NPCs; can lift.

One person to make Strength check, the rest for aid another.

Alternatively, through digging and DC 15 Profession miner or DC 15 Know Engineering, with 10 minutes digging you can lower check required.
However, if you fail either, rubble shifts and the stone block crushes Crel, dealing him 3d6+6 points of damage possibly killing him.

The Strength check is lowered to DC 16 though so.

A reminder, why you can attempt miner checks without ranks in it, you must have 1 rank in engineering to roll a knowledge check.
 
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre bites her lip with sharp teeth.  ”That’s… not good. It’s possible you’re already dead, and the stone is the only thing keeping you from bleeding out. It’d be fast if that’s the case, but make peace with your deity before we try, yes?”  she says honestly.

To the others, she gestures at the slab  ”I’m no engineer, but I know my explosives. If I put a bomb under the far end, the blast will jolt that rock upwards. If most of us lift at the same time, one person can grab that fellow’s shoulders and pull him out before it lands again. It’ll be tight, though.” 
Kaworu
-  Hm... I don't know...  - Arakiel seemed somehow worried -  Maybe we should try lifting withot the bombs?  
Archemist
With a surge of determination and strength (and possibly adrenaline) the skinny elf calls the others to help.  "Hup, up!"  he calls, and they all lift the stone in unison.
Starbuck_II
" Huzzah " says Crael, the trapped man as he is pulled out from the stone slab. "I'm *cough* Crael, thanks for the help", Lann helps Crael up, he is still hobbling but seems mostly uninjured.

 "We should bring to village, Chief would love to see you, reward you " replies Lann, " This is Dyra, her growth has plagued her speech ability, but she is a useful guard regardless. I owe you a debt for saving my friends that hope one day I can repay." 
 "If you wouldn't mind, following me"  Lann and his crew get ready to leave for the village.

 
 Spoiler 

Everyone gets 300 XP each (the AP was going to lower it if he was injured and worse if he died, but you guys pulled it off successfully)

I'll wait to see if you want to talk to the crew first before posting
 
Archemist
 "I'm Mallory Wright,"  says Mallory.  "There's a village? We'd love to get to some sign of civilization. We fell in from the surface and kinda need some help getting back." 
Kaworu
-  I do not suppose you know the way up?  - Arakiel asked without much hope.
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre shares a look with the others, but these people seem friendly enough (if even stranger looking them some tieflings).  "We also have some wounded - maybe they can be seen to at your village? Broken limbs and one seems to be blinded, and besides setting bones, those are injuries beyond what I can deal with." 
Starbuck_II
Crael looks upon Mallory as she speaks, Lann helping him stand, "  Ah, yes the big quake, ever since that event, this place has been unsettled. That tower stood for decades, sorry sight"  his eyes look down remorseful.

Lann with a smile, " Yes, but someday we will rebuild, yeah?  *he hears Arakiel's reply*  Ah, you want out this world? Our chief knows much, maybe he knows the way . *Melisandre's question*  Bring them, we will help them up. THe more the merrier. 

Suddenly, slowly edgding near the trio comes close, Avenia limping, Horgus guiding Arivishnal as they slowly move forward, " Look, I know you said wait but we saw the explosion and Horgus here said we should help."   Anevia says smiling.

Horgus clears his throat,  "Look, you'd been there for us, we thought it was time to help you. So, are we still fighting or we traveling on? Better not have been planning on ditching us aready".   He gives out a hearty laugh.
Starbuck_II
As the team slowly wonders forward, 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.

Luckily, the new Mongrelfolk, have ways to get around the hole as they are used to dangerous terrain underground. Some of the other pssages have been destroyed by the tremor so the 'folk suggests they travel thru a underused tunnel.

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.

 "It is likely a sporecougher * Lann points to the fungus*  It is good the fungus is dead, but who were these men?" 
Gyrfalcon
The tiefling smiles warmly at their injured allies, touched by their bravery.  "Thank you, though you didn't need to risk yourselves. We needed to free one of our new friends here, and a bit of well-applied explosives helped the effort. They have a village near here where we can hopefully rest." 

As the group travels onward, she frowns with unease at the corpses of the two men and the monster they died fighting.  "It's possible that more people have fallen or fled down into these caves - and they're far more inhabited than anyone up above ever expected, I'm sure. Is it safe to approach them?" 
Starbuck_II
 "Yes, you'd be surprised to know whole generations of our people were fighting dangers since we saved the world during last crusades. We are assuming the demons are back, upworlds usually are cause of trouble in our stories,"  Crael says

Lann looks down as far as he can down the cave, "T here are many fungus critters. Some are good for eating in emergencies, but taste is usually not great. Those are vile so we usually keep eye, nothing good comes from them.

They infect and turn you into mush. Which they consume. Unike nomal plants, they can unroot and move. Very hardy to kill. Best keep distance but they rarely live in packs so should be safe to travel through today.

Other path, but take longer so best go through. After you ", Lann bows toward the group, arm on his bow in case anything jumps out from behind group.

DC 15 Knowledge Nature or Dungeoneering
 
 Spoiler 

You know a basidirond, a type of fungus size of a dwarf those shoots hallucincinating spores that slowly kill you.
 
Kaworu
Arakiel was listening intently to the tale of moving, aggressive funguses, but otherwise said nothing.
Gyrfalcon
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Knowledge - Nature   (1d20+8)[ 21 ] 
 


The tiefling makes a noise of comprehension.  "Oh, I know that one! Basidronds are their name. They're deadly for even experienced fighters... as that poor soul found out. I'm glad we can pass safely through its territory." 
Starbuck_II
As the party travels through the cave, you can better clearly see the dead men covered in fungus and dirt.

These men still bearing chain shirt that has no holes in it. They wear the symbol of Iomedae on their clothes, but they don't carry any swords. One has a spiked gauntlet and other has a glaive.

Perception DC 15
 
 Spoiler 

The spiked Gauntlet guy has a Scroll of Cause fear and a symbol of brass bull’s head with tiny red gemstone eyes.
 


DC 15 Know religion if pass Perception
 
 Spoiler 

Holy Symbol of Baphomet
 


After a few minutes of walking after, you finally come to a large passage. There are 4 more Mongrellmen standing guard beside a very large granite door. They men look in surprise to see your group, but smile when they see Lann and wave at him.

 They open the door and you see a magnificent kingdom underground.
A small, dark lake ripples in the center of this two-hundredfoot- 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 
 
 Spoiler 

Everyone gets 100 XP for making it to NEATHHOLM
 
Kaworu
- Wlecome, friends - Arakiel greeted the guardians - We are from the surface, and had fallen in there during the time of great strife. Do you need our assistance in some fashion? Don't be coy, we live to serve.
Starbuck_II
(OOC: as you guys made check and correctly identified those crusaders as baphomet cultist, everyone gains 150 XP, so everyone should be level 2, please level up your characters)

 
 Spoiler 

Did you loot the bodies?
 


Guard sighs, "We do have a problem with raiders, recently another tribe seems demon involved and attacking outposts. Speak to the chief for more information"
Kaworu
- We will - Arakiel nodded his head in a serious mood - We would like to help you, and we hope your chief will let us to do so.
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre eyes Arakiel as he immediately offers the party to deal with anything and everything the locals want handled.  "While I'd normally be happy to help fellow unfortunates, we need to find a way back to the surface. We have friends and family up above who also need our help. But maybe we can combine the two, or they can search for a path up for us while we deal with whatever trouble this is?" 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
If Melisandre thought it would be safe to touch their bodies and not get a faceful of hallucinogenics, she'd go through their possessions. Specifically looking for coins, potions or anything of high value.
 
Kaworu
-  I...  - Arakiel was caught unaware -  I dont think we will be much help. There was a lot of monsters there. And this happened a good while ago. Our families... the chances are...  - he didn't finish.

-  Those people, though  - he continued after a moment of silence -  There is something we can do for them. They aren't beyond salvation. This is a very different context, just so you know.. 
Starbuck_II
Guards lead you toward the chief, this leads you to the largest building atop the island’s low central peak— home of Chief
Sull, a bloated and unpleasant-looking but mild-mannered mongrel with one clouded white eye..

The bloated and obscene Chief Sull, "  Tell me, why have you come to my people from I assume the above? "

Lann replies, "  They wish to return to the surface" 

Suli says, " nearest route to the surface lies to the south, but this exit is guarded by a tribe of mongrels who do not have the same opinions as those of Neathholm. They are friends with demons. But enough, Lann, let the surfacers talk!" 


He waits for your group to explain yourself.
Gyrfalcon
Melisandre looks at the others, but is the first to talk. She nervously sweeps a lock of hair behind one of her horns, a little more relaxed that given the obvious mutations of the villagers, her own heritage is somewhat less out of place.

 "Hello, Chief Sull. As you guessed, we're from the surface, where demons have attacked the city above us. Their attack caused earthquakes that opened a fissure that we all fell into. Only a last spell from the silver dragon of the city kept us alive. Ever since we've been working our way back to the surface. I don't know for the others, but my gan- my friends are in the slums, and we've always looked out for each other. We came across Lann and Dyra helping Crael, who was trapped under a fallen chunk of stone. A bit of ingenuity and a lot of elbow grease got him out from under the stone safely." 

She pauses and frowns, but decides that its worth asking.  "You mention that there's a tribe to the south with a way to the surface, but they're demon worshippers. Any chance that they're the trouble that Lann was mentioning you were having?" 
Kaworu
-  If the southern tribe really consists of demon worshippers, I would be glad to deal with them  - Added Arakiel -  This would be beneficial to you too, isn't it? 