Chapter 3: Beyond the Portal

[Silanon]

"You may - and it depends. Sometimes, all sides need to take a deep breath and the Archon seizes control for a while; that's when they call for mercenaries, willing to throw their lives away. And some of those stumble across this cave or meet me within the tunnels. Other times, when the war rages around me? Months with barely any visitors, let alone people from outside of this mess." For a moment, her eyes stare at the floor in front of her, seemingly in thought. "The last group? Must have been weeks. Months ago, perhaps - certainly not a year yet. I think. A group of heroes who unfortunately thought that paying purchases was overrated." If a cat could shrug that's how it'd look like. "Until today, that is. First the lizard, then the four of you. The lizard has been here for some time, though, so I'm not sure if he still counts or not."

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

"I thank you for your information Noir, but our lizard companion here arrived at the same time as we did. I would not be quick to lump him in with the other lizards that dwell in this place." Baird was not about to address veskassdak by his name, names were power and power that could be held over another. Unless Veskassdak did not mind the description."

 

[Dicer]

Veskassdak pondered over the "small favor" the cat mentioned. Although he was interested in the stone, being in debt for an item with an unknown thing yet to be done was foolish. He shook his head and spoke.
"Good asss ssstone be," he began, "Feel owing later for now thing wissse not be. Future provide may thingsss interesssting more. Good with trade have we."
With that, he picked back up the cure light wounds potion.
Upon hearing the mention of lizards being here before their arrival, he stated, "Not know them by me. Am firssst of people mine to try underssstand mammalsss. When tribe return I, dissscussss much doing. Until then, travel among thessse few continue will."

 

[Silanon]

If she is disappointed about the rejection, Noir certainly does not show it. "So be it, then - the vest for the vial. I will keep the stone for a while longer, just in case you find something you'd like to trade." Her eyes are fixated on the Enlarge potion, as if already trying to solve its mysteries. "Your kindred certainly did very little thus far to understand those others within these tunnels - the one this morning asked a valid question, but it was the first I ever heard of them. Perhaps, they truly only look alike, but are different in any regard that matters." With that, she turns towards Tails and Wren. "That leaves two who might wish to offer a trade."

"Another visit in a timely manner for the advice you offered, Noir." Tails shows the hint of a smile.

"Fair enough for me - we'll meet when this mess is over, hopefully. Only the sharp-witted lady with the pointy blades remains - is there anything you'd like to trade?" With that, amber eyes muster Wren.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren steps forward, her eyes sparkling in the light. "Well, I do have something that I may be willing to part with." Her hand dips into her belt pouch and she pulls out the four magic Crocodile Teeth that she's been carrying. "I used to have more, but the others were used in past battles. They summon a spectral crocodile to fight for you. I would be willing to part with them . . . for this Belt of Incredible Dexterity." She picks up the belt in question and holds it in one hand, while offering up the Teeth with the other. "Does this trade appeal to you?"

Spoiler

I obviously don't have any idea on how much the Teeth are worth, but I am hoping for at least the +4 Dex Belt, if not the +6 one. The +4 one costs 16,000 gp, and the +6 one is 36,000 gp.

 

[Silanon]

"A cat's grace, for those?" Eyeing the teeth from the distance, you can clearly hear the scepticism in those words. Closing in, however, Noir's judgement seems to slightly change with every step. "Those are old - not old, ancient. And brimful of magic. Powerful magic, ancient magic. Magic that few know by now, because there are easier paths to gain power than to follow nature's call. There is much to learn about them, many things to discover. How to find the power, how to bind it. So yes, the trade appeals to me, human. But it would not be fair - not yet, at least." One paw reaches out for the belt in the rogue's hand, and she can feel a sudden cold racing through the fabric, changing its attributes ever so slightly - you can feel that it grants more than just higher agility; it grants confidence that your feet won't betray you, and it spreads that confidence amongst those who follow you.

Spoiler: Noir's Belt

+4 dexterity belt with the following added bonus: Whenever you or an ally within line of sight take a dex-based skill check or a reflex save, it appears to be so much easier in sight of the belt. Thus, the difficulty of all those checks is lowered by 2.

Note: Usually, you'd aid them automatically, but that's more dice rolled than necessary - also, it'd be a +2 bonus for everyone, but I'd rather just lower my checks than let you remember that bonus every single time you get such a check from now on - makes things easier for y'all.

"Better, now?" There is some exhaustion within her voice as she musters Wren. "Do we have a deal, friend? If so, there are others waiting for you - we will meet again soon enough, be certain of that." Those eyes of hers - they do not turn away from the teeth, awaiting the rogue's response.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren's eyes sparkle as she makes the trade. "Done! This will come in very handy, and I thank you. Hopefully you'll get your moneys worth out of those teeth." She slips the belt on, feeling the magic affecting her immediately. "Nice. I can feel the difference already."

 

[Silanon]

"Not money - knowledge, at least for now. But in the end, one of those leads to the other with ease. May the belt prove to be useful, friend - wouldn't like to recover it from some corpse in a week or two." With that, the black-furred body curls up around the teeth on the floor, as if to protect her latest treasure - while one paw plays with the smallest of them, the eyes gaze at Tails. "Time is of essence, you know that much. The quickest path to the Sevencross is the first exit to the right - through the brownhead caves."

Your companion nods, and slowly steps forward towards what might be another exit of Noir's cave. "If we succeed, we owe you, Noir." With that, he turns around. "If there is nothing else on your mind, friends, cover mouth and nose - and follow me. It's not the most inviting area, but it'll allow us to reach Lyvinne in time."

 

[Psychie]

Renna nods in agreement with Tails' comment. "Yes, thank you. I don't know of anything that we need, and we do have to be on our way. That being said, let us be putting distance behind us." She offers up a slight bow to the cat. "First exit to the right. Shall we go?"

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird nods, "through the brownhead caves it is then Tails. Although I'm not sure I want to know why it is referred to as such." Turning to Noir, Baird bows and speaks. "Thank you for trading with us, I hope we shall meet again in the future." Turning to Renna now, Baird then speaks directly to her, "Indeed Renna I will be right behind you."

 

[Sherwood]

Wren nods in agreement with her companions. "Yes, thank you for the trade, and the information." She adjusts the way the newly acquired belt is sitting on her hips, then turns to the others. "I'm set. I'll take point to see if I can spot anything in our path before it spots us." With a quiet step, she sets out.

 

[Silanon]

"We shall meet again, friend, perhaps sooner than you might expect." As you take your leave, you can feel Noir's gaze on your backs until you find another line on the ground, likely formed by one of her paws - crossing it feels like entering a cold, unwelcoming place, as these are the caves like you've known them thus far. Dangerous, dark, and fuggy. "That went quite well", is Tails' first assessment, then his paw points further forward.

A first look already indicates how these parts of the caves got their name: To either side of the small path, differently-sized fungi found spots to grow in the darkness - the one thing all of them have in common is a similar color scheme. Mostly white, though dark brown on the top - the smaller ones look a bit like common mushrooms, though you'd be wary to give them a try. The larger ones - some of them about waist-high, slowly increasing as you step through the spore-filled, earthy-smelling air between them. "The brownheads - one of the few places where they still grow. Some say that there are a million different kinds down here, though I certainly could not tell them apart. Zidohil used some of them as medicine, others extract certain poisons from them."

Sherwood Since Wren takes the lead, give me a perception check, please.

 

[Sherwood]

Perception roll for Wren

28 total

 

[Silanon]

Not much stays hidden as the rogue moves forward, leading the way until the tunnel widens to actually form a larger cave, mostly filled with the same kind of fungi as far as your eyes can see. Which, thanks to a strange, greenish light that some of the larger ones here seem to emit, is farther than just the help of your stones would allow. One particular fungus on the far right could count as a small tree, and shines surprisingly brightly - others are at least human-sized and spread their light across the entire cave.

Apart from the lighting, however, there are other, significant changes as well. Firstly, the air itself is significantly harder to breath, given the sheer number of spores spinning around - there's also an undeniable sweet smell that seems to have no clear origin from your position, but is rather pungent than pleasant. Secondly, there are shadows moving in-between the larger fungi, mostly sticking to the shadows - the first living beings you've spotted since leaving Noir's cave. You see the distinguishable silhouette of a hellhound when one is less careful, and you count at least four of them in total.

Lastly, and the least hidden, there's someone standing right on the path you're on, more or less in the middle of the cave. Athletic, almost too thin, with two swords on her back - it is not hard to recognize the fighter you avoided earlier. Something roughly melon-sized dangles from the person's belt, and colorful feathers point away from it in all directions.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren glides back to the others, and places a finger to her mouth in a hushing motion. In a voice that is barely over a whisper, she says, "I spotted at least four of those hellhouds lurking about up ahead, and the same skinny armored figure we saw before. I don't know if the hounds are about to attack the person, or if she's allied with them, but either way, we are probably looking at a fight here."

Spoiler

Hit Points: 42

Armor Class: 22 +1 vs Trap Attacks, +1 when fighting with two weapons
Fort Save: +3
Reflex Save: +9 +1 vs Traps (+11)
Will Save: +3
Perception: +14 (+16 to Locate Traps)
CMD 20

Base Attack Bonus: 3
Melee Strike: +4 (+10 with lightweight weapons)
Ranged Strike: +10
Initiative: +8

 

[Psychie]

Renna smiles. Excellent! Another opportunity to bring the Light of Iomedae to this darkened wasteland. She nods, saying, "I stand ready for a fight. Good work, Wren, spotting the beasts up ahead." Renna then reaches over her back and unlimbers her massive sword, holding it easily in her hands.

Spoiler

Hit Points: 38
Lay On Hands: x9 - 6d6 healing

Armor Class: 20 - Armor of Light Fortification
CMD 17
Fort Save: +9
Reflex Save: +6
Will Save: +9
Perception: -2

Base Attack Bonus: +5
Melee Strike: +8
Ranged Strike: +5
Initiative: +2

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird nods silently at Wren's words. "Indeed we are looking at a fight here," Baird began. "However, there are too many unknowns in this case. Let us sit back for a moment and observe the situation. If it turns out that the other person is not aligned with them, I vote we move in."

 

[Silanon]

"Earlier, it looked like they fought alongside each other if I am not mistaken." Indeed, as you wait a couple of moments, there is no sign of the hellhounds moving against the lone person - rather the opposite, in fact, as she seems to send one back to the shadows with a simple gesture as it strolls closer to her position.

 

[Dicer]

Veskassdak cracks his neck and stretches a bit as he prepares for the upcoming fight. With a simple nod he shows he is ready to fight.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren lets out a little bark of laughter. "Perhaps she will be willing to talk? Avoiding a fight would be better than risking our lives." Her tone of voice tells everyone she doesn't actually believe that will happen.

 

[Psychie]

Renna lets out a sigh. "If it is possible, we should always at least try to resolve or differences peacefully. I will try. If she turns out to be hostile to us, I will destroy her and her pets." With that, the paladin takes point and walks forward, making no effort to hide her presence. In a clear, loud voice, she calls out, "Greetings. My companions and I are trying to pass through here. I do hope that you have no intent on performing some violence against us as we do so. That would be quite unfortunate." She keeps a firm grip on her sword, showing that she is quite ready to defend herself.

Spoiler

I'll give my Detect Evil on the woman a try as I walk up.

Hit Points: 38
Lay On Hands: x9 - 6d6 healing
Smite Evil: x2

Armor Class: 20 - Armor of Light Fortification
CMD 17
Fort Save: +9
Reflex Save: +6
Will Save: +9
Perception: -2

Base Attack Bonus: +5
Melee Strike: +8
Ranged Strike: +5
Initiative: +2

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird nods as Tails explains the woman's possible alignment with the group. However, when Wren suggests the idea of actually talking to them Baird nods and stays silent intending on jumping in if he can to assist Renna if possible.

 

[Dicer]

Veskassdak listened to foxman's words and decided to wait to see what the proper mammal response would be. Of course Renna moving forward to confront the mammal was something he should have expected. Sighing, he reached into his pouch and drew out one of his remaining "Make Big" drinks just in case he needed to grow to defend his companions.

 

[Sherwood]

While Renna goes up to confront the woman, Wren does her best to keep her eyes open in all directions, making sure that none of the hellhounds are trying to sneak up from behind.

 

[Silanon]

As Renna steps forward, all of you can note a sudden movement somewhere to your right - too quick to see what exactly was there as it takes only the blink of an eye to hide in the darkness once more, but its speed suggests it might have been a bat or something similar. Certainly no threat, compared to the hellhounds; or you'd hope so, at least.

Since the paladin makes no attempt to avoid detection, it does not take long to see reactions by both the person and the hounds: While the latter keep some distance for now, likely ordered to stay away for the moment, the woman - from closer, you recognize that much, though a surprisingly simple cloak hides much of her appearance - makes a few steps in your direction. The movements remind you of a predator on the hunt, combined with a fair bit of self-confidence if you wish to read her arrogant gaze that way. There is not much to interpret in regards to your powers - you can almost grab the evilness that surrounds her, and the hellhounds' presence is noticeable as well.

"Already on your way to the Archon, before even considering reasonable options? I have to say, that is a bit disappointing - I had hoped you'd do a fair bit better than that." Even as she speaks, those thin lips manage to somehow form a smile - her pronounciation is a bit rusty, but not as much off as one might expect. One hand grabs the round thing on her belt, and you easily recognize it as the harpy's head as she drops it right in-between the two of you - seems like she comes from a rather decisive victory. Its lifeless eyes are open, and show the cold, silent reproach that only the dead can truly master. "The Red Matriarch sends her regards either way, and wishes to stop you from making fools of yourselves. See, they say you'd find something of value within the next few days - something that many here wish to possess. The Archon, however, has little to offer - we, on the other hand..." One hand points at the harpy's head. "We know how to deal with the undead and their masters, as you can clearly see - and some voices whisper that those talents will be very much needed in your own battles. Once the Red Matriarch has secured her reign, she will reward the trust of her servants - it'd only take a few of us to free Kazragun as a recognition of your efforts. Noone else here has the strength or will to do so; and from what we hear, quick help will be needed if you wish to return to more than piles of corpses."