First impressions of the Mongrel village would lead one to believe it could have belonged to any number of surface-dwelling nomadic cultures were one not to look too closely. Mongrel fishermen were gutting white, eyeless fish whilst Mongrel leatherworkers were skinning the hides of giant cave lizards and a tense atmosphere had settled over the entire village.
The source of at least some of that tenseness was the arrival of four uplanders in the village who had brought with them grave news of a demonic attack on the surface above. Many of the Mongrels had become restless upon learning this and were prepared to march on the Shield Maze, believing their time had come to finally rise to the surface, however, Chief Sull had done his best to calm the tribe, reminding them of the young Mongrels who had set out for the Maze but a short time prior and had not returned.
Furthermore, two of the tribe's best hunters -Lann and Wenduag- had set out to retrieve the sword of the angel that the tribe's forebearers had laid to rest in a temple they had erected nearby. The Chief had bid the tribe to wait until their return, especially since Wenduag was the only member of the tribe who had been into the Shield Maze and returned alive and thus knew it better than any others.
"It's like a camp preparing to march off to war." Spoke one of the uplanders, a human female wearing leather armour and resting a bow on her lap as she sat on a rickety bench and rested a broken and splinted leg on a rock in front of her.
"Yeah, the zeal's admirable but they seem…" responded another uplander, a human female whose heavy banded mail lay in a neat pile next to her as her midsection was wrapped tightly in bandages.
"Like they're all going to get themselves killed charging headfirst into the unknown? Yes, it seems that way to me too, though what other options do we have? If this Shield Maze truly leads to the surface, then surely we must do whatever we can to return to the surface. In order to help those above, of course." Said a half-elven woman, giving an innocent smile.
"Hmph, if these creatures want to throw themselves to their death to cut a path to the surface, then I see no reason we should object, we only stand to gain from their actions." Spoke the final of the uplanders; a heavyset older human male, wearing finery that marks the man as one of wealth.
Though before any objections to the man's callousness could be raised, a commotion began to form near the entrance to the Mongrel settlement. The uplanders looked amongst themselves before the paladin began to make her way to where a crowd had formed, hoping it may be others from the surface.
"This is Neathholm, Master. The Mongrels here are fools, but they are strong, they will make a useful army for you." Wenduag purred as she led the incredibly powerful entities back to her home.
Eh? An army? What exactly does she think my plans are? Momonga thought to himself from behind the Mask of Envy. He had taken care to cover his skeletal appearance and had swapped his usual academic gown for a red and white robe and had left the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown in Nazarick, opting instead to wield a Staff of the Inferno. All-in-all, his current appearance would lead most Yggdrasil players to believe him to be a pyromancer, a deception that would play right into Momonga's hands as his current equipment protected him from holy energy but he retained his natural weakness to fire.
Albedo had donned her plate armor and was wielding a battleaxe in one hand and a kite shield in the other. Her wings were not visible through the armor and her horns appeared to be a part of her helmet, leaving onlookers none the wiser as to her true nature.
Sebas' suit had been relegated to his inventory and he currently wore a traditional monk kasaya that was left partially open over his chest, displaying one of his bicep muscles. A long string of mala beads hung from his neck and a red cape over his shoulder completed his outfit.
Cocytus, natural, was naked and was carrying Lann's unconscious form over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Greetings. Please do not be alarmed, we mean you no harm." Momonga spoke to the crowd, having spent the entire travel time preparing a cover story for the group. "We are travellers from the surface who became lost exploring your cave system, we merely wish to return to the surface and will leave you all in peace."
"You all too then?" came a voice as a woman emerged from the crowd. "I didn't see any of you in the festival, and I think I'd remember Big Blue over there. By the way, I'm Seelah, paladin by the grace of Iomedae. There are a few more of us who fell down here, too, if you happen to know a way out."
"More uplanersh, eh… End timesh are upon ush, indeed…" spoke a Mongrel, parting the crowd to reveal an aged man with a rat-like face.
"Chief Sull, I found these uplanders when Lann and I went to find the angel's sword, though it was nowhere to be seen." Wenduag said, drawing the attention of the Chief.
"I shee. Well then, that musht mean it'sh not our time yet. What happened to Lann?" The chief asked, struggling to raise a finger to point to the unconscious Mongrel.
"Part of the temple collapsed from the quaking. A brick fell down and got him on the head. He'll probably be fine." Responded Wenduag dismissively, reciting her Master's cover story.
"I can help with that." Interjected the paladin. "I still have some holy energy left for healing."
"Umu, yes that will be best. Though perhaps we should find somewhere to lay him down first, I would rather avoid him possibly thinking he was being abducted." The masked wizard responded. "My name is Momon, a pyromancer and the leader of our group. This is Aurora, a knight, and our party's protector. The monk is Sebastian and our fighter is Cotsuka."
"Well, it's good to meet you all. There's a table that we were sitting at where you can put him down. U'know, before he gets frostbite." Seelah continued.
"Yesh it would be besht to tend to hish injury. And the resht of you," Sull turned towards the gathered Mongrels, "should return to your dutiesh and shtop shtanding around."
The group of uplanders, as well as Chief Sull and Wenduag made their way to where the remaining three uplanders were seated on benches around a table, onto which Cocytus laid the unconscious Lann.
"Excuse me, but what do you think you are doing? Surely there is a place more appropriate to take the wounded?" Came the indignant voice of the male uplander.
"Very compassionate of you, Lord Horgus Gwerm." Said the messy-haired woman with a broken leg. "Is he alright?"
"He's about to be." Responded Seelah as she touched the half-lizard Mongrel and sent a surge of healing energy into him using [Lay on Hands].
Lann was confused. His last memory was of looking for the angel's sword but everything after that was just blackness and he had a throbbing pain in the back of his head.
As he groaned awake and his eyes refocused, his confusion only grew. Instead of being surrounded by half deformed Mongrels, he was being stared at by several humans and a giant insect.
"Ah, good you're awake." Spoke an unfamiliar masked figure. "You took an injury to the head. Do you remember what happened before you lost consciousness? Erm, to ensure there is no lasting damage."
Lann sat up, realizing he was back in Neathholm, and spotted both Chief Sull and Wenduag nearby.
"I was looking for-" Lann began before sapping his attention to Wenduag. "The angel's sword! Did you find it?!"
"Of course not. And after you got hit by falling rubble and I had to drag you out of there, it probably got buried so don't waste your time going back to find it." Wenduag scoffed in retort.
"Ah… Lann, alwaysh dreaming, alwash talking. You're took hashty, too hashty for your own good. What happened to the kidsh ish unfortunate but think about the tribe, what would happen should our huntersh get hurt?"
"We can't just leave the kids who ran into the Maze on their own! Angel sword or no, I'm going to look for them." Lann protested, though his attempt to stand from the table was met with objection from his legs which failed to hold him upright.
"Easy there." Spoke the woman who had healed him and was now acting as a support to hold him up. "In your state, you wouldn't be saving anyone."
"Indeed, however, you need not rush to your death so hastily." Spoke the masked caster, drawing everyone's attention. "Wenduag here told us the Shield Maze may lead to the surface, and if that is truly the case then our goals are aligned. We can help save your kin if you assist with navigating the Maze."
Lann stared dumbfounded at the masked man. Having already resolved himself to going alone, hearing the caster's declaration let the tension fall from his body and he allowed himself to be lowered to a seating position.
"Thanks. Even if you want to get back to the surface, your help will mean a lot."
"Don't worry about it, saving someone's who's in trouble is common sense, after all. Though I don't believe we've been introduced." The caster turned to address Lann and the other uplanders and repeated the introductions he had given to the Mongrel crowd near the entrance of the settlement.
Seeing it was their turn to introduce themselves, the male uplander spoke first; "My name is Horgus Gwerm, of the Gwerm trading company. I'm sure you no doubt have heard of me if you've spent any time at all in Kenabres. Did you see the marquees in the square? I paid for those. Tried any festival delicacies? You have Horgus Gwerm to thank for that!" The man seemed as if he were ready to continue singing his own accolades, oblivious to the rising tension in the masked caster's compatriots, however, he was saved by the interruption of a more observant of the uplanders.
"I think they get it." Spoke the woman with a broken leg. "I'm Anevia Tirabade, of the Eagle Watch. My wife's Irabeth Tirabade – head of the Eagle Watch. I don't recognize any of you so I'm guessing you're not locals? If you came to Kenabres for the festival then sorry about the experience, we don't usually have demon lords showing up."
Eyes turned to the final member of the uplanders, the half-elven woman who gave a polite nod to the newcomers. "I am Camellia." She said curtly. "Just a festival-goer who happened to get caught up in the chaos of the day."
"Well, if we are to explore the Shield Maze, we should take the time to rest and prepare." Momonga spoke, slipping into a raid leader role on instinct. "Miss Tirabade and Lord Gwerm, I believe the two of you should remain behind. Our party consists of two front-liners, a skirmisher and myself, a mage. How do the rest of you fight?"
"Uh, I guess I'd be a front-liner." Responded Seelah. "Though not sure how good it feels to be reduced to a position. Feels very utilitarian, in a Hellknight way."
"Archer." Lann answered with a steel determination. "I've got some skill in unarmed combat too but that seems covered."
"I'm skilled with a rapier, but can also support with divine magic. I can disarm traps too. I am helpful, am I not?" She said, offering an innocent smile and earning a grimace from Horgus.
"I am a skilled huntress. With a bow, blade or throwing axe, I can deal with all foes." Wenduag offered with pride.
"In that case, we shall split into two groups when we assault the Maze. Seelah, Sebastian, Wenduag, and myself shall form one team. Camellia, Aurora, Lann, and Cotsuka shall form the other. This way each team has a dedicated front line, ranged, and a caster. Does anyone have any issues with this?"
"Not an objection, but I am curious why we do not all simply fight together, it would be safer, would it not?" Camellia asked with a tilt of her head.
"Two primary reasons. The first is that we have two objectives; rescuing the Mongrels and finding the exit. The second is that with five primarily melee fighters, we would cause issues by getting in each other's way. Though if something does happen to one group, all members of my current party have methods of sending messages to each other and can call for backup, which is why I have split us amongst the two teams." That and this way I can see how strong some of the locals are. I'll also need to find some way to ask about that Demon Lord Anevia mentioned without seeming clueless.
"Then if we're all in agreement-"
"Wait!" Came an objection from the helmeted member of Momonga's group, Albedo -or Aurora, as she was currently being called-. "How can I not be on the same team as you, my beloved?! What if something happens? A moment away from you will be like a thousand years of torture!"
Momonga looked to the other group, studying them for any sign that Albedo's outburst was making them suspicious, yet the looks he saw were possibly far worse. Please stop looking at me with such pitying eyes.
Author Notes:
I don't know what "Pathfinder RPG" is, do I need to know something about it or not? Pathfinder's a ttrpg, much like DnD (in fact it's probably at least partially an inspiration for Overlord (Death Clutch = Grasp Heart)) but in this case, the fanfic's a crossover with Owlcat's crpg Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (a great game, I highly recommend playing it if you're a fan of Overlord). I'll try to explain anything important, and whilst there's probably going to be some references that slip under the radar if you've never played, don't worry about needing to know pathfinder lore, I'm not familiar with it myself and will certainly make mistakes.