Chapter 1: The One Who Watches From Below

"Uh, thanks for saving me. Twas a fierce battle with those "Halflings", if you can call them that," she says. She looks around for her gear, finds it and proceeds to gear up as she speaks.

"I don't know how to repay you, but I can swing this blade fairly well. I don't remember much except that I fought with some mutated critters, got knocked on the noggin and now here you are."

"Aislynn is ma name," she says.

She looks around..."What is this place?" she says slowly as she is awestruck by the weirdness of it all.

Hyde taps the glass containing the halflings and responds,

"Was hoping you could tell us."

He walks towards the fire haired woman and looks her over for weapons.

"Did they take your blade? Always have need of another strong arm in the gang, need a loaner?"

He holds out a javelin to the woman,

"Haven't got another sword but I've killed plenty with the short spear."

Brother Tim cautiously approaches the two glass tanks, his eyes scanning the bizarre contents within. His brow furrows in deep contemplation as he attempts to figure out what is the purpose of this bizarre experiment.He shakes his head and says "What in the great name of Ulesh is going on here?"

Aldar greets Aislynn somewhat cautiously. "We came i this place by an ordinary cave. But this..." he motions around the room, "is a mystery to us. There is definitely a motif of eyes throughout, and we've been attacked twice now by monsters with unnatural eyes." As he talks about eyes, Aldar taps one of the nearby jars full of eyes.

"I'm Aldar, by the way. Well met, Aislynn."

"Well met all of you. I will take your offer of a javelin, but I see they forgot to take my longsword, armor and shield," she says as she shoulders her backpack once done donning her armor. She weighs the javelin in her hand and picks up her shield and helmet.

"These ARE odd," she says as she also looks at the jars and such.

Noting that the goody-goody new cleric chose to release another unknown prisoner without consulting the group, Sister Honey wonders if the purpose of the mission need repeating.
"Ash-leen is it? I am called Sister Honey of the Lady in Blue. I serve the most powerful goddess and her mission is our mission. To join us is to join her. Do you accept this? Or will you make your own way now that the hands of the Lady in Blue has freed you?"

Brother Timothy speaks up with a mischievous grin "I couldn't help but notice, Sister Honey, that your darkness spell didn't seem to manifest as expected during the battle. Perhaps it's worth considering if the Lady in Blue's favor isn't entirely with this mission."

He then adds with a reassuring tone, "On the other hand, my protection from evil spell worked effectively. Maybe we should seek the guidance of Ulesh to ensure we're on the right path."

Kip sighs, "If we keep bickering amongst ourselves we won't get out of here. Honey, I know what the Lady in Blue has done. I don't fully understand her, but we fought together in another realm. The Lady brought me back from death and I owe her. I owe you as well.

Kip sighs deeper

I hereby pledge myself as new convert to the Lady in Blue she adds In exchange for setting all my debts to you and that I receive healing from you Honey with no further price added

With a nearly imperceptible smug smirk flashed at Brother Tim, the zealot of the Lady in Blue turns to Kip. "You have made the right choice. Forgive my obsession. I merely want you to have what I have."

Don't worry Brother Tim. I will protect you as well. I still would like to sit down and make some stew when we are out of this pit she states with a toothy smile.

Hyde rolls his eyes and elbows Aislynn as if to say 'get a load of these guys'

"Only thing I put my faith in is right here,"

Hyde hoists his blade and briefly admires it's blood spattered sheen in the torch light.

"Let's move out before the wretched lot in the tanks come free and try to stab me."

Much like Hyde, I understand very little of the gods and religion. I've never seen or heard from any God, and so there's few things I put my trust in. Flesh gives way to steel. War is the sea I sail on. These things I trust to be true.

Sister Honey, feeling like the blessings of her goddess abound, silently apologizes for her doubt. She gathers her holy symbol and then begins walking nimbly toward the snoring sounds. "Come, Kip. Let us discover all the secrets of this cave system. Together, we cannot fail!"

"Let's push forward east, we will find the greatest treasures where those who made this place labored the greatest to get to."

Torch in hand, Hyde presses on through the cave to the East...

Aislynn follows Hyde, with sword and shield.

Brother Tim scans his surroundings, briefly pausing to observe if any of his companions are making efforts to breach the door. When no immediate action is taken, he decides to press on, heading southward with determined steps.

Sister Honey, the ever so chaotic cleric, thinks for a moment to draw the attention of the party away from Tim’s exodus and let him leave.
But, having just won at the conversion contest, decides to simply follow him as South was the way she wanted to go anyway.

Kip skips merrily down the south corridor. She recognizes that she is a follower, not a leader.