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Wrath of the Righteous - Chapter One [NSFW] (ShadowPlay x Zazutobi)

Ebiko saving her remaining spells unleashed a jolt towards the creature Anevia targeted.

Jolt attack roll:20+3-4=19
Critical confirm:17+3-4=16
Damage:3, 1
 
The battle luck was in the survivors' favor. Saphira's sword cut deep in the underground monstrosity, Avenia's arrow hit and Ebiko's magic hit with devastating effect.

The monster tried once again to strangle Saphira with its tentacles, but the tiefling avoided the blow and retaliated with an attack that severed several tentacles from the body and left the creature dead on the ground.

There were a few moments of silence in the cave. The combat had ended just as quickly as it had started. Now all that remained were the silent statues of crusaders and the five survivors.

[ 1d20+3 = 8 ] Darkmantle Slam [ 1d4 = 1 ] Damage crushing - plus grab
[ 1d20+6 = 25 ] Attack Saphira (Studied Target) [ 1d6+3 = 5 ] Damage Piercing
[ 1d20+6 = 20 ] Critical confirmation [ 1d6+3 = 9 ] Extra damage
 
Ebiko sighed as the last of the creatures fell. The creatures were getting stranger and more dangerous as they persisted. But it wasnt like they had a choice on retreating. STill the place was odd, she tried to let the survivors rest for a moment while she studied the statues trying to figure out who they were or from what era they were from at least.

Knowledge History:20+2=22
Knowledge Local:19+2=21
 
The statues were bearing the markings of the first crusade. They were all individually different and made with different level of skill. They were each cut from the very same rock that the caves were made of.

"These statues are beautiful but I also feel almost sad, looking at them." Saphira said as she came up next to Ebiko.

The blind elf in their retinue came up to the two women. "Statues? Please tell me about them." He said. "This damage to my eyes is a real hinderance."
 
Ebiko could recognize the style of armor the crusader statues had on as well as the fact they were cut from the rock of the cave rather than brought in from somewhere else. Looking over to Saphira she nodded before the blind elf named Aravashnial. "They are from the first crusade. All of them are unique with different armor and faces. But all of them do look sad. I can also tell they were carved here. They were not brought in from somewhere else."Ebiko explained.
 
Ebiko's description were making Aravashnial excited. He nodded and said. "Yes. This is just in line with some of the research I've made. I have a theory that some of the crusaders from the first crusade became tainted by abyssal energies and fled normal society. My theory is that they went underground here in Kenabras to raise their deformed children, and from the sound of it, these statues could have been made by the children of those crusaders." He seemed more happy now than he had been at any moment since the fall had taken his sight.

The talk of abyssal energies and deformed children made Saphira a little uneasy. "Were those children Tieflings?" She asked. Could her own background be nested in such a tragic tale.

Aravashnial answered her question. "I don't think that they were tieflings. Normally for a tiefling to be born, there have to be some sort of intercourse with a fiend taking place. This I believe was strange mutations that were of another kind than the tiefling kind."

"Oh." Saphira replied, having her own theory debunked in a matter of seconds. Of course she knew that someone in her past had fucked a demon, but who and when was not knowledge she was privileged to. Some part of her had always hoped that it had been consensual, and some part of her had always hoped that it had not. Either way was frightening.
 
Ebiko listened as Aravashnial explained his research as the Kitsune took in the information. "Iv never heard of this. Wait, maybe I have. Rumors about boogeymen on the streets at night and so on." she said. But his excitement was apparent with this discovery. Though as Saphira questioned if they could have been tieflings and Aravashnial's explanation seemed to put a dampener on whatever idea she had.

The Kitsune wasnt all that aware about demons and the like. Well she had basic knowledge, one did not spend much time near the Worldwound without picking things up from Crusaders and defenders milling about here and there. Still, it was an interesting discovery with interesting implications.
 
Aravashnial nodded at Ebiko's mentioning of the folk tales of Kenabres. "Yes. Just those. Might be dismissed as superstitious folklore. But there must be a kernel of truth to them." He said, clearly excited about having a colleague to discuss his finding with.

The elven sage, clearly well read, kept telling tales about the first crusade. Some crusaders were clearly corrupted by the evil energies of the Worldwound and while some succumbed to the corruption, others survived it with dire consequences. He told Ebiko and Saphira that anyone spending too much time away from the protection of the wardstones would sooner or later be too corrupted by the foul energies of the worldwound.
 
It was an interesting discussion with Aravashnial. And very much informative as well. In truth Ebiko had originally planned to head off into the Wilds of the Worldwound for her research but it seems there was dangers even she was not aware of till now. "THat makes things complicated. Still, I wonder if any of them survived or came back up to the surface." Ebiko said aloud regarding the statues and the First Crusaders whom they represented. Shaking her head Ebiko looked around the rest of the place to see if there was anything else to discover.
 
"To my knowledge, none were ever reported returning to the surface. But that doesn't mean none did. Even if the inquisition would state otherwise, it's not impossible to slip by guards and watches in the city." He told Ebiko. "I'm sure that demonic cultists from time to time get into the city."

As they looked around the cave, there was little else to discover. The statues were just that - statues of long dead crusaders and they refused to relinquish more of their secrets to Ebiko or Saphira.
 
Ebiko nodded knowing that to be the truth. After all, if the guards and Inquisitors were perfect, the jails would never have people to begin with. Still she didnt find anything else of interest in regards to the statues and looked for an exit from the place.
 
There was an exit in the east end of the cave. It would lead out of the present cave and most likely to another cave.

Aravashnial kept talking about the forgotten crusaders and the myths about them. And while it was interesting they all needed to move on. Saphira took lead position behind her shield yet again.
 
Ebiko nodded towards the east end of the cave saying "Alright, lets keep going. Hopefully theres more signs of civilization and a way out of here." Letting Saphira take the lead Ebiko followed behind with the torch held aloft as they moved on.
 
They passed a bend in the tunnel away from the statue room and into another cave.

A small campfire and a well-used bedroll, along with a few utensils and tools, sat near another cave opening in the far wall of this cavern. On the floor next to the old fireplace laid a body. As they got closer they saw a dead male dwarf, lying on the ground. Next to his body and campsite were his belongings.
 
Going through the bend they came across another cave. This one with a campsite where it seemed a dead dwarf had been. "This one looks fresh." Ebiko said trying to make a bit of a macabre joke. But it was true, it must mean he came from somewhere though. Ebiko looked to Saphira and Anevia saying "Just uh, be ready in case he rises up as well." Ebiko hesitantly approached the dead Dwarf to see if he too was undead.
 
This dwarf was indeed fresh. Compared to the last dwarf he was almost vibrant. Though he was stone cold dead. It seemed like he had been killed several hours earlier. The marks of strangulation were clearly visible on his neck. It could very well be the strange creatures they had encountered earlier that were the culprits of this crime.

Even if Ebiko expected it, the dwarf wasn't undead and he had no means of moving on his own accord.
 
Ebiko let out a small sigh of relief it wasnt great he was dead and she would offer a prayer to Desna for him. But damned if she wasnt that interested in another sudden fright from the undead dwarf. Motioning to the others it was safe she started to look through the dwarf's belongings. Maybe they might find something of use in navigating their way out. Or supplies he had brought with them. It wasnt like anyone of the group had planned for an extended stay under the earth.
 
In the dwarf's belongings they found, 6 days worth of trail rations, a bedroll, a small 6" chipped marble statuette, a potion of cure light wounds, potion of invisibility, a scroll of shocking grasp and a scroll of resist energy. On his person they found a dagger, a light crossbow with 10 bolts, a sturdy and magical cloak, 8 platinum pieces and 8 gold pieces. They also found his spellbook.
 
Ebiko tried to appraise the chipped marble statue as well as the rest of the weapons and cloak. Figuring it might be important in identifying who this used to be and why they were carrying so much wealth in the underground. Then she took a look at the spellbook, being a caster herself it was a professional curiosity. "Take the potion of cure light wounds and half the coin, he wont need it anymore. Anevia, have the potion of invisibility, I wont be great in using it but maybe you can ambush someone if need be."she suggested. Figuring Anevia might be better for a sneaking ambush than either her or Saphira at the current moment.

Ebiko Appraise:16+2=18
 
Saphira took the items. "Thank you Ebiko. If the last few hours are any indication of what's ahead. Then I'll need them." She said with a weary smile.

The statue was depicting a man throwing a spear. It was of good craftsmanship and even though damaged it could fetch a price over 50 gold pieces.

From the cave there was a singular exit. It seemed like there was a chute that led upwards to the north. The shaft had several handholds, both natural and artificial as well as iron pitons that had been driven into the stone surface.
 
The exit to the cave that turned upwards with natural and iron pitons driven into the stone seemed a good bet. "This looks promising. Alright, I have a good feeling about this." Ebiko said trying to muster up some enthusiasm before heading up taking the lead. After all this was the first time they were going "up" since they fell into the cave.
 
The good mood from the kitsune helped Saphira. She smiled at Ebiko and said, "Yes it looks promising. Maybe we'll finally find our way back to the surface."

After climbing up for 60 feet, the shaft leveled out and headed northwest for approximately 2,500 feet. It took them close to half an hour to navigate the tunnel with their injured companions. The tunnel opened into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arched up to make a domelike chamber, but the walls and floor were riddled with cracks. At the center of the cave, a stone tower that may once have reached the fifty-foot-high ceiling had collapsed onto its side.

From the distance in the dim light on the edge of the light their torch emitted, they could see two figures carefully digging around in the rubble of the collapsed tower.
 
IT was a long trek through the shaft, climbing up for awhile before the shaft leveled out and they had to travel in silence with the only light coming from her torch. Still they came to a large open cavern, the edges along the walls making cylindrical rock pillars that gave it a dome like appearance. But more importantly was the stone tower that now was collapsed onto its side. And just from the edge of their like Ebiko could see two figures that were digging around.

Ebiko worked up her courage calling out "Hello? We're a bit lost here." Hoping it was friendly faces and not just more monsters waiting to attack.
 
As Ebiko called out the two figures they droped into defensive stances, but not one that seemed aggressive. As they got closer, Ebiko and Saphira could see that one of them were a hunchbacked woman. Her face was so warped by tumors that she was incapable of intelligible speech. The second was a man, and he did the talking for the two. He was a tall, thin creature with a face that melds the features of an attractive elven man, a goat, and a lizardfolk. His oversized fingers ended in dull, spadelike talons. He greeted the Ebiko in a raspy voice, speaking in strangely accented but quite eloquent Common, and asked of their intentions. "If your intentions are ill, we ask you to move on and leave us in peace. If they are good, then perhaps you can help. As you can see, misfortune has befallen us." He pointed towards the fallen tower. "One of our kinsmen are trapped beneath the rubble and we fear for his life."
 
Ebiko reacted to the strange figures with a audible gasp. They were incredibly strange, even for the Worldwound where torrential blood rain and lightning mist were recorded weather phenomena. But then she recalled what Aravashnial had mentioned earlier about the first crusaders. Perhaps the two were linked as the stranger asked for help. "Sure we can help, but we'll need help in turn." Ebiko said rolling up her sleeves. She figured Horgus and Aravashnial were not going to be any help so she passed the torch to Horgus to hold while she tried to listen for any indication of where the buried person was.
 
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