Chapter One - The Adventure Begins

Running down the tunnel, Rand stops just below the entryway up to the next room. Dropping his shield, he grabs the edge and tries to lift himself into the room with Fhenryl.

Jaqir tries to climb up to the room above.

Just trying, painfully, to climb.
AC: 13 | HP: 9/9
F: 2/R: 3/W: 2 | DR: 5/fire
1st 5/5 (DC16/17)

The blade of the skulk glances off of Rands scale mail. Dodging quickly behind Fhenryl to put some distance between him and the enemy, Rand begins a brief blessing and touches Fhenryl's shoulder.

Fhenryl represses a shiver as the warm breath of Rand's Sungod courses through him. As he feels the skin and flesh in his right leg knotting itself shut, his stance becomes a little more assured and he fixes a yellow stare on his opponent beneath lowered eyebrows, his face a mask of grim determination as he swings his hammer towards the blue fiend once again.

Ok, Fhen needs help, I need to get up there.

Dracone braces himself, and puts all his might into it and jumps up, grabs the edge and pulls himself up and moves upto the closest opponent.

Jaqir breathes out heavily, half in anger and half out of exhaustion from the abnormal strenuous exercise.

Just trying, painfully, to climb.
AC: 13 | HP: 9/9
F: 2/R: 3/W: 2 | DR: 5/fire
1st 5/5 (DC16/17)

The skulks shortsword makes a glancing hit across Rands' arm. Rand looks at the small amount of blood being to drip off his cuff.

" DAMN IT! Can't catch a break today."

Switching the sunrod to his off hand Rand draws his mace. Lifting the mace over his head he lets the weapon come crashing down on the skulk with a yell.

In one swift movement, Fhenryl snaps the skulk's sword off his hand while holding the blue humanoid down on the ground, one booted foot pressing on the poor fiend's bloodied neck and chin.

Ignoring the gurgling noises from their prisoner, now feebly struggling under his heel, the half-elf turns towards Rand, giving the cleric a curt nod of acknowledgment:
"I thank thee and thy sun god for this blessing, priest." He looks down at his torn legging now encrusted with dried blood, at the new, pinkish scar writhing along his thigh, then at the grimacing skulk beneath his foot. "A little deeper and that thing could have nicked an artery..."
He turns his golden, slanted eyes on Rand again before continuing with the faintest trace of mockery, the corner of his thin lips curving slightly as he quips raspily: "I suppose you'll want to heal that one too."

Lifting his foot off the wounded skulk, who starts hacking and coughing with relief as it takes in a big gulp of air, the ranger takes a couple of steps off to the side, looking around at the room then examining the creature's sword before adding dryly, as if to himself: "Next time, someone maybe brings a mirror..."

"You're still in one piece Fhen, ... well mostly."

Rand begins examining the skulk. Noting the skulk is still moving and acknowledging him, directs him to the entrance in the floor.

" Jaqir, Toe, we have another one on his way down put him with the others and tie him please!"

Rand stands looking around the room looking anxious. Then collapses against the wall.

" A few inches to the left and I would have permanently paralyzed him, or worse."

In frustration, he throws the fading sun rod against the opposite wall.

Fhen looks at the cleric gravely, a perplexed frown creeping between his thick, jutting brows. "I respect your ways and those of thy God, Holy Man, but hear me when I say this: this blue shookyir* wouldn't have hesitated in slitting your throat. These 'skulks' are not mere children snatchers: these are foul, murdering creatures, and I have a nasty feeling we're about to encounter worse before this is over..."

He gives Rand a level look, before awkwardly putting his scarred, gnarled hand on the cleric's shoulder: "Life is a precious thing, that much is true. But sometimes it's Kill or Be Killed." He turns and also looks towards Dracone, who's standing beside them still holding his magic shield and listening in on their exchange, as he continues: "I say: try and don't get too tangled-up in the morals of it all. Your churches and patrons taught you many things, but now we're deep in the midst of a very real and very dangerous territory. These are Thanethyr An' Parathr', The Wild Places Under The Earth. The dark creatures that live in these parts have never heard of thy gods, and if they have, they laugh at their folly !"

Letting out a sigh and a grunt to signify his part in that conversation is over, the ranger then turns his back on the two holy warriors and takes a long look at the room around them, scratching his coarse, tangled sideburns thoughtfully while he examines their new surroundings.

(*)shookyir: sylvanian for small wood maggot

Rand stands up to begin addressing the skulk.

" It's ok he won't hurt you."

Sliding his weapon into his belt he makes his way in a none threating gesture towards the skulk. He then places his hand on his chest indicating himself.

"Rand."

Then makes a gesture pointing at that skulk.

Fhenryl seemingly remains focused on quietly looking around the room in the light of Dracone's shield, but from the corner of his eyes he drills his gaze into the skulk, in an attempt to read the creature's alien features after its surprising proposal.

Rand gives a small smirk more in stress than kindness.

" Now be careful! Because we haven't killed you, doesn't make us fools."

Rand walks up to the skulk trying for an intimating impression.

" Well we need to leave this consideration to the group. Also, we can't exactly trust you now, can we? As for your safety with us, there is no question, we will not harm you. The justice of Cauldron, on the other hand, is a different matter."