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

"Thank you." Said the elf-goat-lizard man. As first Ebiko and next Saphira and Avenia moved forward to help. Horgus took the torch very reluctantly and moved as far away from the strange mutants as possible. Avenia on the other hand found them very intriguing and observed them with great interest.

The two mutated dwellers of the cave had cleared much of the debris, but a large stone slab was blocking the way to their friend. The strange man called to his friend. "We've got some help Crel. Just hang on tight."

The stone slab was huge. It was too large for one single person to remove and even the five of them would have problems. But working together, there were some chance of removing it.

If four characters make an aid another (Strength DC 10) action giving the fifth +2 each (up to +8). Then making a Strength DC 25 check should be possible.
Avenia has Strength 12
Saphira has Strength 14
The two locals have strength 14
 
Ebiko would join with the others getting into position around the stone slab. "Alright on three. One, two three!" Ebiko said timing it out before pulling on her section of the stone slab. Someone needed help and they might be able to help them get out from underground in turn.

Ebiko strength 12 uses aid another then to +2 to the strength DC check for Saphira.
 
After several attempts, the rock finally moved. The five of them were able to move it to the side, allowing Crel to scoot out from captivity. He was greeted by his kinsmen with hugs and tears. Once they had ensured that he was alright, the man-goat-lizard turned to Ebiko and Saphira. "Thank you all. We are very grateful that you helped save our friend. We couldn't have done it without you." He studied them a little closer, realizing that they didn't look like cave dwellers. "I'm Lann by the way. This is Dyra and Crel. He introduced his companions. What are surface dwellers doing down here? Does it have something to do with the tremors that toppled the tower earlier?" He asked.

[ 1d20+1 = 17 ] Aid Another Avenia
[ 1d20+2 = 12 ] Aid Another Dyra
[ 1d20+2 = 18 ] Aid Another Lann
[ 1d20+10 = 12 ] Strength Check
- Fail

[ 1d20+1 = 5 ] Aid Another Avenia
[ 1d20+2 = 3 natural one1 ] Aid Another Dyra
[ 1d20+2 = 10 ] Aid Another Lann
[ 1d20+6 = 11 ] Strength Check
- Fail

[ 1d20+1 = 10 ] Aid Another Avenia
[ 1d20+2 = 12 ] Aid Another Dyra
[ 1d20+2 = 22 natural 201 ] Aid Another Lann
[ 1d20+10 = 26 ] Strength Check
- Success
 
Ebiko and the others took a few tries but the slab was moved finally. The Kitsune took a step back while Crel and the others reunited happily. "Lann? Pleasure to meet you though I wish it was under different circumstances." she said folding her arms under her bust. "You dont know? Sorry, how could you. The city is under attack by demons. The Balor leader of the Worldwound forces is also here. Ripped a crack into the earth and we fell in, though thankfully we were saved by Terendalev the Dragon." Ebiko explained.
 
Lann nodded, his observant eyes scanning the survivors, "Demons in the city above. That does sound bad." He looked at Aravashnial and Anevia. "Your companions seem hurt. You can come with me to our village. There you can rest and regains some strength." He told Ebiko.

Saphira sighed. "Yes rest. That would be good. I feel like I've walked one hundred miles. Not at all used to traversing underground tunnels after a demon attack."

The offer of shelter in a village of underground freaks, didn't sit well with Horgus. "With that filth? We should be getting back to the surface as fast as possible." He said, clearly displeased and unfriendly.

Aravashnial seemed more intrigued by the proposition. He almost forgot his blindness as he tried to ask several questions at once. "Were the ancient crusaders your ancestors? Why do you look like this. Is one of your parents an animal?" And so on. He was blunt and it seemed like his personal skills were lacking a lot.

Avenia were more silent and studied the underground folk with more respect than either of the two other traveling companions.
 
Ebiko nodded saying "Id appreciate the chance to rest." Getting some rest would be good for everyone, Horgus included. She had the feeling there was more to him than meets the eye. Still there was alot of questions especially about the surface though she guessed these fine cave folk didnt have news from the surface either. "I have to agree with Horgus in at least one aspect. Do you know of a way back to the surface after we get some rest?" Ebiko asked. Letting Aravashnial question the mongrels curious about their answers herself.
 
Lann nodded, "Yes. We do know of a way back to the surface. But you will first have to speak to Chief Sull." He seemed a little annoyed by the questions that the elf scholar kept asking. Reluctant to say more he said, "Save your questions for later."

Saphira put a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Aravashnial, take it easy. Let them be." She sent a smile to Lann. "They have been through a lot right now being buried by a collapsing tower."
 
Ebiko let out a sigh of relief. Just the fact there was a guaranteed way back up to the surface brought her a great sense of relief. She nodded looking to Aravashnial saying "Its true. We may be able to get some more information later but for now lets just count our blessings and head off." Adjusting her gear a bit she looked to Lann saying "Alright, mind leading the way?"
 
Lann smiled a strange smile. It was not every day one saw an elf-goat-lizardman smiling. "I will lead the way. Come along."

The path led away to the southeast. After 25 minutes of walking, they reached, what could only be classified as a significant obstacle. Ahead, a wide chasm split the tunnel floor. The floating rock dust in the air and the groans as the tunnel walls settled indicated that the tunnel had split recently.

Lann and the two others from his tribe expressed their concerns. "This wasn't here last we were here. It must have been the tremors from the city above that have done this. We will have to get to the other side to get to our village Neathholm."

The chasm was 10 feet across, 70 feet wide, and 30 feet deep. The tunnel continued on from the chasm's opposite side about 40 feet east of the entrance. Climbing along the edges of the rift would be as difficult as climbing down and then back up.
 
Coming to the chasm she listened as Lann and the other mongrels seemed surprised to find this. Then again with everything going on upstairs it wasnt crazy to think large portions of an underground cave network like this must have happened. Anevia and Aravashnial would be hard pressed to make this journey, Horgus as well. Ebiko recalled the scale she had in her pack and took it out, the one with levitation magic inherent to it. "I could allow someone to levitate across the way with a rope. We could then secure it to the walls and make a line to climb across." she suggested.
 
Saphira looked at the chasm. "It doesn't look that deep. I'm pretty sure I can climb down there and up on the other side." She pondered for a few seconds. "If someone could help me, we could lower everyone down with a rope. Then I could climb down and up on the other side and raise everyone up on the other side." She looked at Ebiko. "I don't think your magic will be able to get us all across anyway." She began digging out her 50' hemp rope from her backpack.
 
Ebiko put the scale away and nodded saying "Alright, that works as well." The Kitsune took out her rope as well and went to help Saphira lower herself down into the chasm.

Ebiko uses Aid another!
 
The kitsune and the tiefling secured first Lann to the rope and then gently lowered him down. He was the most capable of the remaining survivors and they'd need him to recieve the rest. The process was time consuming but safe for all parts. The only one getting hurt on the descend was Aravashnial. Without his eyesight he couldn't protect himself as they lowered him into the chasm.

Finally it was just Ebiko and Saphira left on the ledge. Saphira looked at Ebiko. "I can lower you down like we did with the others. But it's going to be hard work. Just take care on the descend." Saphira was a little concerned for her new friend. "I can climb down myself afterwards."
 
Ebiko worked with Saphira and the others lowering them down one by one until it was just her and Saphira left on the ledge. "Alright, just be careful when you come down yourself." Ebiko replied concerned for her new friend as well. Ebiko took hold of the rope and with Saphira's help lowered herself down the chasm as well. Bit by bit until her boots touched the ground then she took a step back to keep an eye for Saphira as she descended.
 
"I will be careful." Saphira replied. She had spent more time than she cared to remember, trying to climb into places she technically shouldn't have been. So climbing down this ledge with lots of handholds wasn't a difficult task.

Once at the floor of the chasm, she moved to the other side to climb up again. This climb wasn't any more difficult than the previous one and soon she was at the top of the ledge on the other side. "Are you all ready. I'll lower the rope and you can get up one at a time." This was going to be hard work. First hauling seven people 30 feet down and now hauling the same people 30 feet up.

Once everyone was up again, Saphira sat down. Her whole body hurt. "Shit. I've never felt my body hurting like this." She said as she rubbed her sore arms.

Take 10 on climb: 17 vs DC 15
 
It was alot of work and took some time, but everyone got across. Still they had taken alot of time, and the more time passed the more Ebiko worried about what was going on in the city. After all if they came up to find it completely overrun, well maybe they were better off staying underground. Then again, she was positive the crusaders in the city had to be holding the line. At least she hoped so, Ebiko shook her head trying to silence the doubts she had when she faced Saphira.

"Good work, really saved us there." She said offering some words of encouragement to the Tiefling before turning her attention to Lann. "How much further away is your village?"
 
Lann pointed down a path. "It looks like our other paths have been blocked by the tremors above. So we need to take that path."

The tunnel continued along a mostly southeastern course for about 1,400 feet, just over 18 minutes of walking, before reaching a circular cavern.

Lann said, "We need to be extra careful here. This cave has been taken over by a very dangerous spore-cougher creature." He grabbed his axe, "But I'm sure that with your help we'll be able to defeat the monster and go though this way." He seemed a little concerned but brave still. "If we are lucky it's out hunting elsewhere."
 
Ebiko nodded and looked to Saphira saying "Take it easy in the rear for now, rest up." Wanting to give the tiefling some recovery time after all that work with the rope and climbing. Following after lann they continued down a tunnel to a large circular cavern. As he explained the cave had become home to some spore coughing creature she grimaced. "Knowing our luck, im expecting it to be here. With a newly found mate and hatchlings or whatever it has as offspring." she said taking out her rapier.
 
The fungal creature that dwelled in the cave had been killed recently. The two men who killed it were also slain in the battle. One by the fungus itself, the other in the agonizing few seconds after he struck the death blow to the monster, only to die himself of the creature's spores. The mongrels were obviously relieved the "spore-cougher" was dead, and were eager to continue north to Neathholm.

The two dead men were dressed as crusaders of Iomedae, and each still wore a masterwork chain shirt. One of the dead bodies still carried a potion of cure light wounds, while the other has a scroll of cause fear in a pouch. Between the two of them, they also carried 129 gp. Curiously, the crusaders were not armed with the longswords typically wielded by Iomedae's followers, but instead carried glaives and a spiked gauntlet. Furthermore, the body on which the scroll was found clutched something tightly in his fist - a small symbol of a brass bull's head with tiny red gemstone eyes.
 
The Spore cougher being defeated was a boon but there was something odd about the Crusaders. Ebiko had seen paladins of Iomedae but none that she had seen used Glaives. Those were usually used by followers of Shelyn. The brass bull head caught her attention as well. Ebiko picked up the symbol trying to recall anything about it.
 
The symbol that the crusader had been clutching wasn't anything that Ebiko could remember. She lacked any deep knowledge of religious symbols. So did Saphira and most of the others there. Except Horgus. Gruffly, he said, "That. That is the symbol of Baphomet. I really doubt that those are crusaders. See, the weapon of Baphomet is a glaive."

That piece of news made both Avenia and Aravashnial peek up. Avenia seemed even more concerned about the fact that demonic worshipers were disguised as crusaders of Iomedae. The elven sage was more enthusiastic. "We need to take these ones back. It proves my theory that the ranks of the crusaders have been infiltrated by demon worshipers." He seemed quite proud of the discovery and that it apparently fit with one of his conspiracy theories.

Sahpira was also quite concerned about this turn of events. Traitors among the ranks of the crusaders were a serious business. But carrying two dead corpses back to the surface wasn't her idea of having a good time. "I don't think we should carry them back." She sat down looking at the two dead crusader/cultists. "That one is about my size. I think I will take his armor. It seems of better quality than my own." She said before beginning to strip him down.
 
Ebiko looked to Horgus as he revealed the origin of the brass bull symbol. And the revelation that some of Baphomets followers were among the Crusaders. This did not sit well with Ebiko, since it made too much sense. How easily the demons invaded the city. The had help from the inside. But as Aravashnial talked about bringing the false crusaders with them, Ebiko shook her head saying "Theres no way we are taking corpses with us." The Kitsune stripped them of their gold and potion as well as the symbol of Baphomet. "We have the symbol and witnesses to the situation. That's good enough." she said.

"We should hurry to your village. We'll need to get this information topside sooner rather than later." Ebiko said looking to Lann.
 
From cave with the dead 'crusaders', the tunnel turned north for about 15 minutes before reaching a circular, 20-foot-diameter cavern. Four mongrelmen stood guard here before a large stone door. Seeing Lann and the others, the guards greeted their mongrel companions warmly. While they eye the five surface survivors with suspicion, Lann's word was good enough to let them all enter the chamber beyond the door. Beyond the stone door were the settlement of Neathholm.

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

sull.jpg
The group were greeted by lots of curious mongrelmen. Their leader stood in the center of a small square between the buildings. He talks quietly with Lann before turning to Ebiko and Saphira. His voice was raspy and he had a thick accent. "I am Chief Sull. I'm the leader of Neathholm. What are uplanders like you doing down here?"
 
Following after Lann they came to a large cavern after passing the guards. A village on an island in the middle of a large underground lake. Bio-luminescent fungi and lights within the village made the place far more welcoming than Ebiko could have imagined. It seemed they even had rafts and a pier for going on the water for fishing and the like. The place was more impressive than Ebiko could have imagined. In that they had made a functional village underground and survived here for generations.

Seeing the leader, Chief Sull, Ebiko had to resist the urge to flinch a bit at his face but she remained calm and coughing. "We fell in through a crack in the earth made by a Balor on the surface. THe city was invaded by demons." Ebiko revealed though she wasnt sure how much of it they would be able to grasp.
 
Saphira added, "The demons seemed to come out of nowhere. And we suspect that traitors have betrayed the city."

Sull nodded. He seemed quite concerned about the news that the upworlders brought. Sull explaind that he and his kind, may be considered outcasts and freaks in the eyes of uplanders, but their ancestors helped drive back the demons in the First Crusade. He wanted the demons defeated as much as anyone who lived above. "Will you be willing to deliver a message to the surface? A message that the mongrels will stand with the inhabitants of Kenabres to defend the city."
 
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