Chapter 3: Beyond the Portal

[Sherwood]

Wren rubs the sleep from her eyes and stretches, feeling the joints in her back snap and pop. With a final yawn, she looks to her allies. "Well, guys? What do you think? Should be take the safe route, or the faster one that is potentially more dangerous? Personally, I am thinking that between us working together, we can probably handle most of the challenges down here fairly well. I vote for the faster route."

Spoiler

Hit Points: 32
Melee Strike: +4 (+8 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +8
Initiative: +6

Armor Class: 20 +1 vs Trap Attacks
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps
Will Save: +3
Perception: +13 (+15 to Locate Traps)
Stealth: +12

 

[Psychie]

Renna rises, and takes a few quiet moments to give a quiet prayer to her Goddess before turning to everyone. "Good morning, my friends." She pulls out a piece of jerky from her pack and chews as she listens to Tails and Wren. "Hmm. A reasonable line of thought, but tell me, is time of the essence here? The safer paths may take longer, but it may keep us all healthy and hale for whatever challenges are to come that we cannot pass by. Do not misunderstand me, though. I am not advocating we go the long way, but I am just asking. I am confident that by working together and with Iomeade's blessing upon us, we will succeed with either path we choose."

Spoiler

Hit Points: 34 /
Lay on Hands: x8
Smite Evil: x2

Armor Class: 20 - Armor of Light Fortification
Melee Strike: +7
CMD 17
Fort Save: +9
Reflex Save: +6

 

[Dicer]

Veskassdak added his thoughts by saying, "Am fine with long or ssshort travel. Know ready fight needed when happen. Ssstill, less fight, ssstronger lassst. More fight, more ssstronger get. Hard battle timesss not make kill make ssstronger usss."

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird is the last one to awaken as he gets up and stretches his arms feeling his muscles(or whatever muscles he has) stretch and flex. Feeling his arcane energy return to him, he sits up and listens as Tails explains the options that everyone has available. After his explanation, and listening to everyone else's, Baird speaks, "I vote for the short option as well."

 

[Psychie]

Renna smiles. "Then the decision is made. Let us go. The sooner the better."

Spoiler

Hit Points: 34 /
Lay on Hands: x8
Smite Evil: x2

Armor Class: 20 - Armor of Light Fortification
Melee Strike: +7
CMD 17
Fort Save: +9
Reflex Save: +6

 

[Silanon]

"So be it, then. We will take a path that leads straight through the Matriarch's territory, and see where intuition leads us from there." A couple of minutes later, you have all eaten, packed your belongings and prepared for the upcoming dangers the best you can - without much reason to prolong the inevitable, you find yourself back on the same path that brought you here, reentering the cave where you fought the ooze. Something, however, has changed since then - everyone, roll perception, please.

 

[Sherwood]

Roll for Wren

Spoiler

Hit Points: 32
Melee Strike: +4 (+8 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +8
Initiative: +6

Armor Class: 20 +1 vs Trap Attacks
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps
Will Save: +3
Perception: +13 (+15 to Locate Traps)
Stealth: +12

 

[Dicer]

Roll for Veskassdak.
Results: Total 11. Veskassdak doesn't care about any changes.

 

[Psychie]

Perception roll for Renna

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Perception roll for Baird: Total 14

 

[Silanon]

Perhaps the shadows hide more changes - your loun stones can't possibly illuminate every small corner of the cave - but you certainly notice one less than subtle difference. Positioned such that you could not possibly miss it, a single, dead body lies on the stony ground; roughly calf-sized, covered with burnt, leathery skin. The two dog-like heads lack eyes, but feature nightmarish jaws to make up for it; undoubtedly, they could have torn through almost anything with ease.

Not anymore, though - several stab wounds can be noticed, as well as a number of mighty arrows that likely caused its demise. A trail of dark blood indicates that someone dragged it to this exact position; surprisingly, the only smell you notice is that of rotten eggs, with a pinch of bonfire mixed in for good measure.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren frowns. "Hold up. Keep back from that body. Someone drug that here for a reason. Bait for a trap, perhaps? I don't know. Tails? Any thoughts on this?"

Spoiler

Hit Points: 32
Melee Strike: +4 (+8 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +8
Initiative: +6

Armor Class: 20 +1 vs Trap Attacks
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps
Will Save: +3
Perception: +13 (+15 to Locate Traps)
Stealth: +12

 

[Silanon]

Following the rogue's advice, the kitsune keeps his distance. Leaning onto his trusty staff, he clicks his tongue, taking his time to respond. "That thing does not belong here - whoever killed it, did us a favor, whether intentionally or not. Think they call them hellhounds - not for no reason, I'd say. Usually, they stay in the Matriarch's territory, unless someone sends them off; which means that we should be twice as careful."

 

[Psychie]

Renna takes another look around the cavern, then steps off to the side of the body in the chamber. "Let us be on our guard, then, if there are more of these . . . things . . . down here. We should go before the blood summons forth a nasty surprise for us to deal with."

Spoiler

Hit Points: 34 /
Lay on Hands: x8
Smite Evil: x2

Armor Class: 20 - Armor of Light Fortification
Melee Strike: +7
CMD 17
Fort Save: +9
Reflex Save: +6

 

[Sherwood]

Wren takes another look towards the body with a shudder. "Ick. I'm just glad that we don't have to deal with this. Ok, Tails. Point the direction we need to go and everyone, keep your eyes peeled."

Spoiler

Going to try another Perception roll.

Hit Points: 32
Melee Strike: +4 (+8 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +8
Initiative: +6

Armor Class: 20 +1 vs Trap Attacks
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps
Will Save: +3
Perception: +13 (+15 to Locate Traps)
Stealth: +12

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Taking a look at the body from a far distance, Baird notices the drag marks and listens as Tails explains what the body is, or rather what it once was. heeding both Renna and Wren's advice and decides to keep an eye out for anything alarming.

 

[Silanon]

One furred paw is raised when Wren asks for a direction - and without more delay, Tails leads you past the dead body, towards one of the tunnels. Before you leave the cave, however, Wren has the distinct feeling of being watched - a look back shows nothing but shadows and stone, though. "Perhaps, they will show themselves at some point."

Not yet, however. Trailing down a narrow path that quickly leads you deeper and deeper, there is little you need to worry about; no signs of danger, and few obstacles in terms of the terrain. Afterr a certain time of travel - hard to tell how long exactly, given the lack of natural light - your path widens once more to form a small cave, empty up to the remains of a statue, spread shattered on the floor. Further ahead, you can hear sounds of battle from the only other exit, a mixture of metal sounds and roars. Amongst them is a high-pitched voice, singing what sounds like an invocation; the language seems unfamiliar.

 

[Psychie]

Renna looks out into the dark, wondering about what they are about to walk into. "Wren? You are much quieter than I am; could you be persuaded to investigate the chaos up there? I would gladly do so, but with my tin suit, I am hardly the quietest person in the group."

Sherwood

Spoiler

Hit Points: 34 /
Lay on Hands: x8
Smite Evil: x2

Armor Class: 20 - Armor of Light Fortification
Melee Strike: +7
CMD 17
Fort Save: +9
Reflex Save: +6

 

[Sherwood]

Wren smiles. "You got it. I'll try not to draw any attention. Be right back." Dousing her Ioun Stone light and tucking it into her hand to be able to have a touch of light without giving off her position. With that done, she begins to move as quietly as she can up to the sounds of fighting.

Spoiler

Total of an 18 on my Stealth roll.

Hit Points: 32
Melee Strike: +4 (+8 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +8
Initiative: +6

Armor Class: 20 +1 vs Trap Attacks
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps
Will Save: +3
Perception: +13 (+15 to Locate Traps)
Stealth: +12

 

[Silanon]

Finding a balance between enough light to see and too little light to be seen - not the easiest task for the rogue. At first, there's likely too much light, but she's far enough away that it does not matter; then, adjusting accordingly, the fragments-covered ground proves rather treacherous as incautious steps quickly lead to surprising amounts of noise. Not that it matters - when Wren ducks down near the small cave's exit, there's no sign of someone acting on her approach. To her right, the path seems to continue, leading further downwards - it's wider than before, though not much else has changed. To the left, however, a second cave opens, larger this time and filled with the sounds of battle. There's almost no light, as to be expected - the blazing breaths of several hellhounds light up the scene from time to time, and so do volleys of magical bolts. They shine right through most of the combatants - skeletons, little more than bare bones covered in the remains of armor. The hellhounds seem to oppose their numbers, and so does an athletic, dual-wielding person amongst them. Far on the other end of the battle, some flying creature rarely leaves the shadows, but it seems to be the source of both the lightning and the chanting.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren keeps quiet as she observes the fighting for a moment, then she creeps back along the way she came. Moving as silently as she can, she returns to the others.

She looks to her friends. "Its a nasty battle going on between a horde of skeletons and hellhounds. There is a person that has a pair of nasty swords working with the hounds, slicing up the bone heads, but on the other side of the fight is some sort of flying creature that I could barely see throwing lightning bolts and is chanting. I have a bad feeling that if we were to try and get through there, both sides would turn on us in a heartbeat. There was a offshoot tunnel that led off to the side, but I don't know what was down there. Tails, please tell me that our path is to the right, and not to the left."

Spoiler

Total of a 25 on my Stealth roll, and a total of a 23 on a Perception roll.

Hit Points: 32
Melee Strike: +4 (+8 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +8
Initiative: +6

Armor Class: 20 +1 vs Trap Attacks
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps
Will Save: +3
Perception: +13 (+15 to Locate Traps)
Stealth: +12

 

[Silanon]

The worried expression shows well ahead of time that no such satisfying answer is to be expected."The path to the right might even be a shortcut - but most likely, it is a dead end instead. To the left is the Matriarch's territory, even though that seems to be contested right now if what you say is true; to the right, however, is neutral ground. Not the kind of neutral ground where different sides would meet - rather an area that all parties leave untouched because it is not worth the trouble to fight for it. See, within these caves and tunnels, there are some beings powerful enough that even the mightiest leaders leave them be; and Noir is one of them. She is a merchant of sorts, and likes to play her own little games - but make one wrong move, and you see her in a truely different light."

His eyes seem to search the ground for insights as he considers the options. "Skeletons, you said? Lady Bag-of-Bones must have decided to make a move - relatively uncommon, I might add. They would never fight side by side with the Matriarch's summoners, so one could simply wait and deal with the remains; or one could side with one of the groups, and be prepared for their backstabbing once the fight is finished." He pauses. "Risky options, perhaps even riskier than meeting Noir in her territory."

 

[Psychie]

Renna frowns. Everything in her wants to go out there and destroy as many of the undead as possible, but it would put all of her companions at risk. "We dare not get into the middle of that until the numbers are whittled down, no matter how much I want to see those vile things wiped out. We either wait for them to resolve their battle and we can then mop up the survivors, or we simply try to divert down the other path. What say you, my friends?"

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

"Renna," Baird begins, "as much as I would like to not involve ourselves in this fight, I would prefer to destroy the undead. However, I am ok with diverting down the other path if we decide that is the better option."

 

[Dicer]

"Sssmarter no fight," Veskassdak commented. "Resssourcsse ussse up for reassson not sssurvive usss not sssmart. Choossse I path other."