Caliban, lacking a better idea, drops the rope down to Caleb, anchors the rope around his back, and passes the other end to Kloss. Yelling to those below "Secure yourself and the Dwarf to this line, and Kloss and I will help you climb up from here."
After securing the Dwarf to Caleb's back, Kloss scurries up the ladder wall easily to join his compatriots. Once at the top he and Caliban drop the rope down to Caleb, who secures himself with the line and climbs up.
With the added help of Caliban and Kloss, this becomes an easier task and he is able to ascend to the top of the ladder without risk of falling below. Everyone is a little tired from the pulling and climbing, but that fades after a few moments rest.
At the top, the tunnel continues on into the darkness.
After climbing up the wall, Sioned muses out loud.
"Someone went to the trouble of hammering handholds into that wall, someone who planned on using it more than once. I think we're going to meet them soon."
Keep your ears peeled for dog barks, then. Kloss isn't sure whether he likes the prospect of meeting the people that made the footholds. With care, he continues down the tunnel.
Shrugging and securing the unconscious Dwarf with the rope, Caliban rearmors himself and follows Kloss' lead.
Suryani recasts light and provides some illumination. "It's comforting to know we're at least headed upwards, it means we must be on the way to the surface," she says, although you get the feeling she's saying it more to reassure herself, if anything.
The intrepid adventures press on, through these worked tunnels for another half an hour. The natural rockiness of the previous caves is gone now, and it seems like the group is getting closer to some sort of civilization.
Soon, the tunnel opens into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a dome-like 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.
There are a couple humanoid creatures here, digging frantically in the rocks. One talks to the other in some strange language as they dig.
It's not Abyssal, so...
Sioned walks up to them. "Excuse me but would you tell us where we are? I'm willing to help you in exchange."
Still, Sioned looks them over just to be sure.
The paladin will detect evil on the humanoids.
Kloss whispers I'm not going to take any chances with these guys, as he tries to remain hidden in the shadows (STH +8).
Caliban, motioning to Avenia to wait with the blinded elf and Horgus, moves to circle the group while loosening his longsword in his scabbard. Keeping his left hand up and held out to seem more non threatening. He looks over the humanoids...
Soined, Caleb and Caliban move up to the creatures digging in the ground. Everyone can hear the muffled yells of someone underneath the rubble.
Once Sioned begins speaking, the two humanoids startle and turn to face the group. They crouch in defensive positions, and the one that's being calling out so far speaks up:
"I don't know who you are, or how you got here, but we are in no position to be caring for lost crusaders right now." He keeps a wary eye on the group, and goes back to digging at the ground.
One of the creatures is a hunchbacked woman, her face so warped by tumors that she seems to be incapable of intelligible speech. The man talking is a tall, thin creature with a face that melds the features of an attractive elven man, a goat, and a lizardfolk. His oversized fingers end in dull, spade-like talons. He pulls at a large rock in futility.
Looking around at the rest of the group Caliban shrugs. "You seem to be in need of assistance yourselves. Perhaps we can be of mutual aid to each other??"
While they certainly are revolting looking they are not immediately hostile to us. Perhaps they know the way out of this mess.
Let us see what we can do to help you lift the large rock off of your friend. as the paladin approaches the rocks and looks for the best way to move it.
Kloss remains hidden, trying to make out what Caliban is talking about. He hopes his position will give him the upper hand if things go bad.
Suryani, who had been waiting with Anevia, Horgus, and Aravashnial because she expected more hostilities, approaches carefully, her hands raised in a non-threatening gesture.
"Please, we don't wish to inconvenience you, but you seem to know your way around here. We're only looking for the quickest directions to the surface, and we will be on our way. Also, we came across this dwarf that attacked us, are you maybe familiar with him?" Suryani indicates the unconscious form of the dwarf.
Caleb approaches the large rock the creatures are currently huddled around, but it looks far too heavy for a single person to lift. They seem to be trying to dig around it frantically as another small tremor shakes this area.
The talkative on reacts with disdain to Suryani's questions. Always the same with these overdwellers! Either help us or leave us be, we have no time to listen to your mewing.
He then returns to his digging, ordering the silent one to work faster.
Overdwellers? Are these inhabitants of these caves? Maybe they know a way back to the surface...
Relaxing his guard some Caliban motions for Caleb to help him in moving the rock. "Come, let us assist them and see if they will assist us in turn; or if they will prove as inhospitable as that Dwarf."
The talkative on reacts with disdain to Suryani's questions. Always the same with these overdwellers! Either help us or leave us be, we have no time to listen to your mewing.
Sioned moves to the two. "Fine, I'll help then. Where should I start digging?"
I agree, we need to rescue however is under this huge rock.
The strange humanoid seems relieved that the group has decided to help: "We've dug what we can safely by hand, but with your help we may be able to move this large rock. Quickly please, I fear Crel will not survive much longer."
On closer inspection, the creatures have cleared enough rubble away to uncover a large rock that remains wedged in place above the small space in which their friend Crel is trapped. If you want to try to lift it, a max 6 people can attempt this together.
Seeing no obvious threat in sight, Kloss emerges from the shadows to aid with the large rock.
It seems these people have been touched by demons worse than me.
Motioning to the creature to lift, and Sioned and Caleb; Caliban begins to strain against the rock pinning the creature under it.
Sioned pushes up against the rock with the others.
"Oh dear," Suryani gasps as she only now notices the trapped individual, and tries her best to move the obstacle.
The whole group works together to try to move the large stone off of the rubble containing the creatures trapped friend. The stone shifts and starts to lift up, but a few of the heroes feet slip in the earthquake destroyed floor and their strength gives way. The rock slips from there hands and crushes back down on the rubble again.
Crel, the creature in the rubble, screams out in pain but is still alive. The leader urges you to try again, "Get ready for another push! I think we've loosened it up."
Give it one more try, but help me!
"Suryani, heal him!" Sioned yells before giving the rock another push.
"Oh dear oh dear," Suryani mutters as drops to her knees and tries to reach the person trapped under the rock without getting her own arm crushed.
to help move the rock.
"Get into it!"
Kloss takes the lead of the group urging anyone who can to help him move the stone. Everyone strains again together, feet getting little purchase in the loose rocks in this area. When all almost seems lost, they manage to power it past the tipping point. Having been loosened up by the previous attempt, the rock finally rolls off the creature trapped below it.
Suryani is quick to heal him - he looks alive but badly bruised from the ordeal. At first he is a complete flabbergasted to see a group of "Up-worlders" crowder around him, as though he might be delirious from the pain, but in the next second his friends rush in to check on him and explain.
The leader kneels down to him and says: "Crel, by the Gods, your alive. I don't know what we would have done if these up-worlders hadn't shown up when the did."
Still looking a little confused Crel asks "Up-worlders? What are they doing here? Is it something to do with the earthquakes?" At these all three turn to your group, their gaze seems to hover on Kloss in particular.
The leader speaks: "Yes, we have a debt to repay. My name is Lann. I apologize for my actions when we first met, it is obvious to me now that gods have sent you to us in our time of need. You must come see the chief, I am but a simple guard and cannot repay you in any significant fashion. "
Suryani nods solemnly. "Thank you, I'm just glad we could be of assistance. Do you... live down here?"
If Suryani notices them eyeing Kloss, she will say, "Be at ease, whilst our friend here might look fearsome, he's one of us, and he has proven himself trustworthy during our predicament down here."
Turning to the others, "They have a chief, maybe he'll know the way out of here."
To this Lann, "Thank you, I suppose we are honored to meet your chief, I am glad your companion is well." Caliban picks up his pack and waits expectantly for the creatures to lead them on.
I can't fault for avoiding the world up there, looking like that.
Kloss doesn't feel the urge to speak.
"My name is Lann. I apologize for my actions when we first met, it is obvious to me now that gods have sent you to us in our time of need. You must come see the chief, I am but a simple guard and cannot repay you in any significant fashion. "
He has an interesting face, particularly the scaly half, and none of his companions look like him. I wonder if I can find the other kind of companionship where he lives. Assuming they have the opportunity to bathe. Hmm...
"I'm glad we could help you, Lann. I'm Sioned. We fell down here due to the earthquake caused by the Wardstone exploding, or the Worldwound expanding. If you have a settlement we could rest in we would greatly appreciate it."
They should have some water there.
If Suryani notices them eyeing Kloss, she will say, "Be at ease, whilst our friend here might look fearsome, he's one of us, and he has proven himself trustworthy during our predicament down here."
Lann nods, "We have seen strange things under the ground lately - demons and heretics among them. It is good to hear that you travel with neither."
He turns to the rest of the group, "Well met Caliban and Sioned. You are both right, with the recent earthquakes it is not save to be in the caves. It will be quite the journey, especially with the destruction - do what preparations you must before we depart."
We have encountered many gigantic animals and this dwarf who attempted to attack us. . Pointing at the civilians They might need a place to properly be treated for their wounds.
Which makes them the first to not categorise me as a demon. I like them already.
Kloos wonders how many of these people would be down here. A community? A scattered few? Still, he does not speak, looking around, into the depths behind, for anything he can discern.
Aravashnial, Horgus and Anevia come to join the conversation. They are clued into the plan to travel to the creatures home and meet the chief.
Horgus quickly voices his disappointment: "I don't see why we should follow these monsters, or even believe a word they say." He says this to the group, but it would be impossible for the others not to overhear in the cave.
Aravashnial on the other hand is quite interested in them, "No, Horgus, I feel we must go with them. I don't know if anyone realizes they live down here - the opportunity to learn about their culture outweighs any danger they might present."
Before the conversation can continue much further, another earthquake rumbles the area. Lann looks to the group and calls out "No time for you bickering, up-worlders. Let us be on the move and back to the safety of the Underholm."
---
The group travels through the tunnels, led by Lann and a limping Crel. In some places the earthquakes have destroyed areas, and everyone must turn around to find a different path. There is also a chasm that needs to be climbed up and down in a similar way to the ladder, but with the 3 creatures help, everything goes more smoothly than last time.
After over an hour the party reaches the mouth of another circular cave.
Lann stops the group. He says: "We usually do not use this pathway, but I fear I have run out of ways around the destruction. Inside is the lair of the 'spore-cougher' - a very dangerous beast that has claimed many of our tribe's lives. Keep close, and let us pray it does not find us on the way through."
Suryani's face turns grim. "Oh yes, because the past two days have gone by just so swimmingly." She draws her blade and takes up position near the center of the group.
The evil unleashed by the Storm Lord impacts not only the surface but the denizens of the dark places as well. Surely there is much the demons have to pay for.
Was there ever any doubt of that? The blackest of evil is what they bring forth. Let's get past this spore-cougher, whatever it is.
Checking over his injuries, Caliban realizes he is still injured, "Suryani, can you provide me with any healing, I am still pretty injured from fighting this Dwarf? " Nodding to The rest of the party Caliban draws his sword, before stepping into the cave.
The group decides to press on, Lann leading the way. Horgus clings to Caleb's armor in fear as the rest of the civilians take up position with Suryani in the middle. No one is sure which side danger could come from.
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.
perhaps these Crusaders were followers if Sheyln?