Khessa tries to throw a pebble far away, in the opposite direction she, Aster and the cub are, hoping that the noise it will produce by landing will lead the monster to investigate there, far from them.

This should then allow the party to escape safely (she hopes).

If stealth check required all the same (I really hope not... I must do it with disvantage,  because of heavy armor...) here it is: 14

While waiting with trepidation for the outcome of her diversion, Khessa takes a moment to look with affection and tenderness at the puppy she has (for now) managed to save: 'How cute you are... I already know what I will call you... if we can keep that horror from eating us, of course. I'll call you Seeby, you know? Pronounced as CB. First of all because you came to help us against those critters... so you are obviously a Critter Bane! But above all because you are also an irresistible Cute Beast! It is clear that as you grow up you will become a Beast... Even now, as a puppy, you were about to hunt those dangerous creatures... and with those teeth you gave me a bad bite already. You will surely become a fearsome Beast in the future! But at the moment you are already terribly Cute!'

Seeby, as you have dubbed it, has very big and cute eyes. It is hard not to get lost in those adorable orbs! However -- you must FOCUS!

You turn to see the results of your thrown pebble. It flies past the large creature that threatens to try and find you. The stone falls and makes a soft clack on the ground. At first, Khessa worries it may have been too soft a sound for the creature to care for, but indeed, the creature spins on its heels and runs in the direction of the sound. It appears to be searching in the completely wrong area for Khessa and her companions.

"That... that was quite close." Aster whispers. He points at the little beast. "Do you really intend to keep that? You do know what it is, right?" He seems a bit exasperated, especially because he sees how taken you are by its cuteness. "It's cute now, but if you raise it improperly... it will try to eat you."

Khessa starts leading Aster away from the large creature, before replying: "Yes, close it was, Aster. Thank you very much for saving me" she hugs him on impulse, with the intention of thanking him... even if, given the difference in size, she almost risks engulfing him! "Less heroic partners might have fled away, leaving me down where I was, ready to get eaten to delay an eventual chase. You, instead, badly wounded as you were ... or should I say as you are..." she looks, worried, at his wounds "not only did you stay, but you also used the healing potion I gave you to heal me! This..." there is deep gratitude at the bottom of those blue eyes "...this was incredibly heroic of you, Aster. You really surprise me. Until now, I had never met drow who behaved like you..."

The blonde warrior hesitates to go on, to ask more, but it's clear she's intrigued. How has been able to resist to this day, in the Underdark and in the ruthless drow society, such a... selfless individual? But after all, if she didn't free him, Aster would NOT have resisted much more longer, since he was designated as a sacrifice. And this without any particular guilt having been challenged... Perhaps in the eyes of others of his race his good qualities had been seen as defects or weaknesses and for this very reason, he had been destined for sacrifice?

Then, she realizes she's still hugging (or engulfing) him and leaves him free, a little embarrassed: 'Yes, way to go Khessa. What he'll be thinking of me now? I hope I have not offended him... or even worse suffocated him! What a wimp I am! Now that I think I'm starting to feel something for... Ah, well, I am as I am'

Trying to change the subject, Khessa replies to the drow about the puppy: "Seeby, here (I decided to give it this name! Do you like it?), helped us against those crittters... Or at least it tried! Didn't you see how heroic it too was? It's just a puppy, but it tried to hunt them... How could I leave it to his fate? It would die, Aster. Seeby... Seeby earned a chance to have a better fate than that. Yes, I want to try to keep it. And no, I don't know what it is. Do you? I can see that it will become an impressive feline... and therefore I'm aware it could also become ferocious. But I already told you: the way I see it, Seeby deserves to have a chance. If I can, I'll keep it with me and take care of it. If a bad day Seeby tries to eat me..." she sighs, shrugging "...what can I tell you, Aster? Of course, then, I'll try not to get eaten. And the gods know how it will end. But what I know is that now it is not trying to eat me; on the contrary, it just fought at my side. I'll not be the one condemning it now for something it might do later. Would you do it if you were in my place?" the tall adventurer's blue eyes stare at the drow's as if they are trying to read his soul "The way I see you are behaving, I think not... For now, I'll keep it, the best I can".

"Take this, by the way" she gives him the healing potion she had kept for herself. "You just used the other one so well, that I think you'll put this one also to good use, when needed!"

"And now," she smiles "back to the refugees. You might use some rest - and some of Clara's attention too. Maybe I'll rest as well, or maybe, if I want to explore the mansion before you recover, this time I'll take Song with me. She is not as experienced as you of the Underdark, but she can still see pretty well in the dark and I can trust her also".

Aster looks away as you sing his praises and whatnot. He seems flattered and annoyed at the same time. "I think of nothing more than surviving this mess, but I thank you for your kind words, Lady Khessa..." He adjusts once you let him go and he stands on his own two feet, wobbly but overall able to walk on his own. He watches you as you explain your thoughts about Seeby. He raises a brow throughout, but seems resigned that he cannot convince you to leave this creature behind. He sighs and simply replies, "As you wish, my lady. Just be aware... that is a cat! Dogs are quite loyal... but cats can certainly be a certain way, can't they?" He grins.

Seeby has stopped biting your hand, realizing it had just been so close to death due to the bigger creature lurking around the church. It mewls softly. It doesn't seem very docile or tame, but it seems willing to follow you for now.

"I see, you still have more left in you. Very well. Let us return to that sad dwarven home..."

Back at the house, you manage to arrive without running into any other creepy crawlies or monsters. Song runs out of the house in shock at how badly injured you both are. 

"Khessa! What happened!? Are you okay?"

"I did not speak words," insists Khessa "I did point out facts. You have been great," she pats him on the shoulder "period. And I'm not a lady..." she smiles "...in fact, I'm more than a lady, for I am a friend; but I already told you. And you are still insisting on inflicting titles of nobility on me. Well... if I must be a lady, then you'll be... what could you be? I got it! A Grand Duke! The ruler of the Duchy of the Dark Depths! Could it be good for you, my lord?"

"Anyway, Grand Duke Aster, I politely but firmly disagree with your opinion that cats are less loyal than dogs..." she tenderly turns her blue eye to the puppy, as it mewls softly  "...they are simply more free!"

The blonde warrior appreciates that the cub has stopped biting her and seems determined to spontaneously follow her, so she bends down, places on the ground one of the critter corpses she had picked up during the escape and starts trying to cut the softer parts into small pieces: "Seeby? Do you want some, my dear?" she hands it one piece at a time. If Seeby shows appreciation, the tall adventurer stops several times to feed it on the way back to base, hoping to strengthen its resolve to follow her.

Back at the base, Khessa runs to Song and embraces her warmly, reassuring her: "Oh, don't worry, my friend! Do you see? First of all, we have found a new friend..." she presents the cub with a large and theatrical gesture of the hand "Song, meet Seeby! Seeby, this is Song! She is a good friend of mine, so of yours too! And don't waste time biting her, okay? She tastes worse than me".

"But we also found a new source of light..." she unwraps the glowing mushroom she had wrapped in a blanket "...and cloth for bandages..." she shows some other blanket "...And finally, we also found something that should be edible!" the blonde warrior shows the critter corpses she has been able to take with her "Maybe it is not much, but, hey, it's already something... And what's more" she winks "with their bones maybe we can play a joke on the Manes, in case they try to get on our trail!" and she grins.

"So 'What happened', you ask?" she goes then on "Well, it simply happened that the food we brought you first tried to eat us... And I must say that it tried quite hard! Don't be fooled by their small size: these little creatures can fight in such a coordinated way that they are capable of taking your skin off you before you even have the time to say 'Ouch!' We really risked that the role of dish fell to us! But I'm okay now, you see? I am soaked in blood, but not all of it is mine (in part it is also theirs) and the part that is mine came from wounds that the Grand Duke Aster allowed me to heal with his healing potions; one like the one I gave to you too, you remember? Now, in fact, I don't have a scratch anymore. Lord Aster, on the other hand, I think would do well to rest for the rest of the day, in the hands of Clara".

"And while he rests..." the tall adventurer proposes "...you could accompany me to visit the last place that looks interesting here. A large mansion... We could find some other useful equipment inside. We have not yet found excavation tools, for example... while instead they would be useful, to prepare the trap for the insect that stands between us and freedom. Or we could find other useful things. But" her tone becomes serious as she warns her friend "we could also find dangers, of course, just like happened right now. What do you say? I need to catch my breath for a moment, but then I'm ready for this last exploration... Do you feel like coming with me?"

"G, Grand Duke?!" Aster holds his hand over his mouth, exasperated. "There, that is, no, my dear. It is just my fine breeding that keeps my tongue noble. I cannot possibly be referred to as a duke!" He seems like he is at a loss for words after that tirade. 

Seeby mews, and it seems like it appreciates the meal. Seeby noms on the fresh meat provided for it. (Attitude toward Khessa + 5! Only 45 more attitude points to go for 100% best friends forever, but taming distance is in about 20 more points.)

"Oh my, you accomplished so much. I'm very surprised Grand Duke Aster did not stab you in the back."

"I am not a Grand Duke or a Lord!" Aster protests, but is largely ignored.

"Khessa, I will be happy to go with you, I'm just concerned about..." Song nods her head back and you look past Song to see Clara glaring daggers at Aster. "Clara appears to be keeping her grudge against the Grand Duke. You may need to assuage her... or else maybe she will do something ... ah... naughty?"

Seeby looks up at Khessa and mews.

"But what do you all have against him?" Khessa's blue eyes sparkle with exasperation as she replies to Song "Not only did he not stab me in the back at all! He first helped me find the map to get you all out of here, as well as the weapons I brought you, and now the rest of the equipment and the food... Plus, battered as he is, he used his healing potion to save me instead of fleeing as it would have been so much easier! He saved my life like a true hero! And he also helped save that of all of you! I can see that he is a drow, right, I am not blind to his skin; but I'm not blind to his actions either! I never thought they existed before I met him, but he's a... a good drow! And by the way, maybe that's why the other drow wanted to sacrifice him! Are we perhaps thinking of behaving like them!?"

As Seeby mews to her, she tenderly looks at it and tells in a soft voice: "Yes, at least you understand... You were there with us, you saw how things went" and takes a moment to gently scratch it behind one ear or under the belly, trying to figure out where it likes it best.

Then, without wasting more time, the blonde warrior farstrides to Clara with fierce determination and, loud enough for everyone to hear, repeats practically the same speech she just made to Song.

After that speech, she goes on, assuming a proud chest-out pose: "Now, Clara, and you too, folks... many of you know me, because you come from Twardens like me. You know I am Khessa Cabbagefield, the eldest daughter of Tobar Cabbagefiled and Eshta Finegarden. You know that my parents were kidnapped with us and that, unfortunately, I could not free them. You know that they are still in the hands of the drow. You know that Anator, one of my brothers, will never be freed, instead, because he died trying to defend us at the time of the assault. You know that I still have my brother Rethos and my sisters Yassa and Larrya; but that I have not been able to free them either" the memory is too painful and copious tears begin to fall from the eyes blue, while the daughter of the cabbage farmer struggles to maintain the pose with which she wants to keep everyone's attention on herself. "And there are things you don't know - and you better not know: that is all I had to endure before being able to free myself and take you with me. Now," she almost didn't even notice, it came naturally to her, but she pulled out her greatsword, the impressive Cabbage Patch Avenger "if any of you have even the slightest suspicion that I have sympathy for the drows, tell me! Now! Have the nerve to tell me in the face, looking me in the eyes! In these eyes that I am not being able to stop crying, at the thought of what my family might be going through right now!"

"Nobody?" Khessa asks, relieved, after the silence has lasted long enough. "Well" (the mighty blade returns to the sheath with the same naturalness with which it had crawled out of it). "So, if you believe me in this, believe me even when I tell you that Aster is different. Believe me when I tell you what he did. And believe me when I tell you that he has earned his place among us! A place, by the way, that I do not think many would envy him! Among us, ex-slaves, lost in a hostile and unfamiliar environment, with a shortage of means, food and weapons, led by an inexperienced girl, headed for an uncertain future... But he made his choice! He stayed with us! He fought with us and, look at his wounds, damn it! He bled for us! He is one of us! And I don't want to waste time returning to this topic!"

The tears have dried and her blue eyes are again the hard and determined ones of the new Khessa. She is no longer the daughter of the cabbage farmer. She is no longer the helpless victim. She is instead the one who has been able to react, to fight back. The warrior. And those eyes finally return to Clara: "Now, Clara, please, are you willing to take care of Aster, now that he has proven once more that he is one of us? Can I go quietly and look for the last things we need without fear that one of us will be lynched in my absence?"

 And finally she finds also the time to think to herself: 'Did Aster notice that I temporarily promoted him back from 'Grand Duke' to friend? Maybe now he'll stop calling me 'Lady'...'

As she waits for Clara to reassure her, Khessa hands the rest of the critters' bodies to the refugees, advising them to cook and eat them: "I have no idea what they taste like, but I think we'll all be willing to find out," she winks "right?"

(sorry, yesterday I was DMing for kids and I had a table of 10 teenagers to DM as I had bronchitis and stood for the entire time LOL)

As expected, the downtrodden people look ashamed to have questions Khessa. Most of them anyway, there does seem to be a few adults scowling but they don't seem willing to challenge you. You aren't exactly sure what they are upset about, whether its because you may be a drow sympathizer or something else entirely. Aster, meanwhile, is a bit taken aback by your fierce defense of him.

Clara approaches, confident and stern as ever. "I understand your point, Khessa. When we reach the surface, however, I think it would be fair to say the drow is on his own. Perhaps he is a good man, perhaps not. Either way, I cannot find it in my heart to forgive his people." Clara seems like she might be stuck in her ways... for now? "I'll care for his wounds, but he will need a full night's rests. Honestly, all of us will need that. When you are out and about, could you see about bringing back some sheets or pillows? These wounded need proper rest and laying on the floor isn't helping as much."

"If that mansion is safe, maybe we could all move into it for the night... or day. I'm not sure what time it is..." Song thinks aloud.

"It's almost nightfall." Aster adds helpfully. "At least, we are approaching the time when all good little drow go to bed without argument."

(Lol! You are the most heroic DM I ever met!)

"Clara," Khessa approaches the priestess and puts an arm on her shoulders, speaking calmly and sympathetically "I understand your feelings, because I too am far from 'forgiving' those who put us in this situation. But let's not forget that only those who are guilty are in need to be forgiven. And that Aster was not among the slavers, but among the slaves. And let's also remember that an individual is not 'his people'. Individuals have a soul. They have free will. They are free. Aster is a drow; but that does not imply that he is in all respects the typical drow. As far as I am concerned, he, with his behavior, proved to me (although in front of an unknown drow I will probably be for the rest of my life initially always biased and wary) that he is a good person".

"Anyway," the blonde warrior smiles at the priestess "already the fact that you are willing to treat him and to trust him at least as long as we are not on the surface already means a lot to me! Thanks Clara, both for this and for everything else you are doing. Without you, I don't know how many of us we would have lost and for each of them that we will instead be able to bring back safely to the surface I will never be able to thank you enough! You too are a good person. And for this very reason I am convinced that, when we are back to the surface, perhaps you too, who have had time to evaluate each of us better, will see things in a different way. For now, the fact that we all work together for our salvation is still more than enough for me!"

"You did very well talking to me about sheets or pillows" she breaks away from her with a pat on her shoulder. "I'll definitely keep my eyes open and bring them to you if I find them".

Then to Song: "Rest at the mansion, are you saying? Yes, it might be a good idea. We'll find out if it's safe. If not, we've already explored the mayor's office as well, which it is. Maybe not very big, but for that matter this might also make it better defensible... we will decide. Surely, I do not want to rest here, because if it is true that the Manes can return, this will be the first place they will come looking for us. This is why I have in mind to move and at the same time try to direct them on a red herring... " the tall adventurer gives a wicked smile "...that will keep them pretty busy. Anyway, now let me finish catching my breath for a moment, then let's explore the mansion".

(OOC: Khessa wishes to take a short rest, just to have her Second Wind back before going to face other possible deadly dangers - it's OK?)

While she rests, Khessa takes the opportunity to pamper Seeby a bit, trying to find out where it likes to be stroked or scratched, and also to play with it for a while, trying to move a piece of rag around it to see if it wants to 'hunt' it, to try grabbing it with its claws, like a real cat would. (OOC: Can she understand, byt the way, if Seeby is male or female? - she will love it all the same, of course, but just out of curiosity)

Then, when she feels sufficiently rested, the blonde warrior tries to make Seeby understand by gestures (and leaving it some more food) that it has to wait for her in the construction with the refugees and smiles at Song: "Ready to have your dose of fun, my friend?"

And if she is, out they go, heading to the mansion!

I'll leave it up to you what it's gender is! I think on cats, it is usually hard to tell boys from girls. So you could always change your mind later... lol!

Seeby cautiously plays with Khessa and seems willing to allow pets on its head, but only its head. When she plays with it to see its hunting technique, she sees Seeby creates an illusion overlapping with itself without much effort at all and strikes at the rag with its tentacles, rather than its claws. 

Animal Handling 12 to read:

 Continuing, despite animal handling success or not:

You rest for the hour and gain the benefits of a short rest. Song nods at Khessa, "Yes, I... I think I am!" Song is usually a timid girl, but she seems to be trying to be a little more outgoing.

With Song in tow, you manage to make it to the manor without issue. She has taken the lead, mostly because she has darkvision, and you stand before the mansion right now. If you walk around the perimeter of the property, you find it features several outdoor amenities. There are about 3 points of entry via doors and windows on all sides. I have decided to let you see into the windows on the south of this building, because you would most likely take a peek there first for any signs of danger.

Inside the grand hall, you find nothing of note. Except that whatever dwarves lived here were probably incredibly rich. The next room you are able to peek at seems to be a hunting lodge of sorts.

"It seems like the coast is clear.. what do you think?"

Use this picture to guide your thinking, of course with the following imagination changes:

• No grass, of course.
• Greenery are instead a mix of flowers and glowing mushrooms.
• The inside you have peeked at already look largely untouched. 
• No lights are on inside the mansion, but there is a faint glow coming from the northern window, west of the well.

(OOC: OK, Seeby will be a female then, like Khessa)

Animal Handling: 20

Okay, for that crit, I will add this intel:

You believe that with proper training, you could easily turn this kitten into a killing machine. A very cute, killing machine. Also, you gain 10 more points, so you are 10 points away from it being tameable and controlled by you in combat. Otherwise, I will control it -- because I realize now I wasn't very clear about how this would work!

"You really are a wonder, Seeby!" Khessa is amazed by the puppy's abilities "When you grow up you will truly be an exceptional huntress! And I will do everything I can to make you grow up well and healthy!"

Then, at the mansion, replying to Song: "Well, now that I can see it up close, this mansion seems to me to be as big on its own as half Twardens! If it is safe, we will be comfortable... but if we are attacked, it would be a nightmare to defend all these access points!"

"And speaking of safety..." reflects the blonde warrior "The inside we have peeked at already look largely untouched, and that's good, but there is that strange faint glow coming from the northern window, west of the well... I think we should investigate there first".

As she approaches the window, Khessa first checks the well with Song, verifying how big it is (diameter is about? 5'? 10'?), about how deep it is, whether it contains water and whether it is equipped with a rope and a bucket to draw water from. If possible, she tries to get some water from the well, to check if it seems drinkable or not (clear? Muddy? Stinking?) because water could quite be useful!

Regardless of what she learns about the well, the tall adventurer and tiefling peasant then approach from either side of the window and peek to verify the source of the glow.

The well is about 5' in diameter, and its hard to tell exactly how deep it is. For certain, its deep enough that if the well was empty, you'd be in trouble without an ally on the outside with a rope. The water seems clean and smells as you would expect water to smell. It may be somewhat flavored, you imagine, since this is water from deep in the ground and isn't necessarily exposed to open air. Despite all that, it seems safe enough to drink.

Khessa peeks through the window to find a cozy looking room. By the window is a black candle that is lit. However, there is no signs of life inside the room at all.

"Do you... Do you think someone is still here?" Song whispers to Khessa. Its clear Song is a little scared.

"Candles don't ligth by themselves, Song..." Khessa whispers back "Nor do they stay lit indefinitely. So either there is someone that lights a candle regularly, every now and then... or the candle is magic"

And precisely that the blonde warrior tries to understand, looking at the candle's wax. There are signs of melted wax? As if the candle is burning in an ordinary way and will, sooner or later, melt all her wax? Or the wax seems intact, as if the candel flame is not consuming it?

The wax looks untouched. Khessa's guess that it is a magic candle seems correct.

"Do you see the wax, Song?" points out Khessa "It looks untouched... As if the flame is not consuming it. It must be a magic candle. So the fact that it is here, lit, does not imply that there is someone... But just to be sure...."  the tall adventurer brandishes Cabbage Patch Avenger "Gundharok!"

After speaking the command word, the blonde warrior focuses on the granted tremorsense, looking for creature (other than herself and her friend) in range.