Beorn then helps the others to get the unicorn body into the hole. "Let's hurry, we need to get out of here. Something's not right."
With the unicorn safely put within the portable hole, Koldur collects the fabric from the tree he used to open it upon. Then the group gets on their rides and fly back into the sky.
you can easily see a beacon of some kind, a light that blinks every few minutes. Upon flying to the beacon you see it is a statue of Erastil. It looks well taken care of and at the tip of his bow you see the spell that caught your eyes.
And the heroes will answer! It would be rude to not at least drop in and say hello. Let's drop in and say hello!
"If no danger we can still admire the statue." Beorn adds as they spiral down to assess the situation.
As you spiral you see that it is a lone statue and with its raised bow is about 35 feet tall. A cabin is a bit off from the statue and it is a clearing at least 300 by 300 feet, though likely more.
"Do you spot anything? I'll be loathe to be ambushed as we were at the Dam."
"I see nothing dangerous. Let us go down and see who the maintainer of this statue is." Beorn says and takes his pegasus down toward the cabin landing about a hundred feet away to allow himself to be seen.
Remembering how he got clobbered last time, Flouncy casts Shield on himself before he dismounts.
You get to the cabin and still see no one. There is a doe and her fawn on the edge of the far edge of the forest.
Knocking on the door there is no response. It is not locked. The cabin is spartan with the essentials. Fire place, fire wood, fur blankets, a table, two chairs, and Erastils holy symbol chiseled into the stone above the fire place. The one thing out of place is a black door, you assume it would be leading outside.
Hmm... Maybe whoever lives here went through the portal and they'll be back in a little while?
The halfling steps back from it, not eager to explore.
"Perhaps, let's setup outside for the afternoon. If they come back we can introduce ourselves and pay our respects." Beorn suggests and steps out of the building. Just to double check he walks to the outer wall where the black door was located to confirm it does not actually show up outside.
Before the party leaves, Flouncy takes a good look around. Does the place look like it's been lived in daily? Has whoever lives here been here today? Does anything look neglected, like food laying out, or a lot of dust? He takes 20.
The black door and portal are only on the inside of the cabin. On the outside there are thick timbers that make up the walls, no openings. There is two windows with shutters on the East and West side of the cabin, then there is the front door on the South side.
There is a good layer of dust that shows your groups movements. You don't think anyone has been in here for at least a week maybe longer.
"I agree with this. Let us wait it out."
"We could work on burying it near here. Do we want to dig a grave or do a funeral pyre?" Beorn asks of the others.
So your group settles into the cabin and make yourself at home.
All right. Let your god tell us where to go.
"That's a crazy way to make a decision but I'm in." Beorn says waiting to see what the call is.
Three is a majority. We go. What does that coin do again, exactly, Rognar?
"Sounds like a good way to make a decision. Flip that coin then."
I'll go first.
Flouncy casts Vanish on himself, hoping that might help if there's something waiting for him on the other side, and steps through the portal.
Wish me luck!
"I guess I'll follow you two up since I tend to need a little space." Beorn says to the other two with an arrow nocked and ready.
"I'll be alone as close as I can." Koldur grips his weapon in hands
The trip through the portal is quick and you appear inside a well decorated room. Even lavish enough to say a noble's or royal's residence. Walking through the room you see that the suits of armor salute you. Obviously showing they are guardians but show no signs of aggression. There are four suits of metal armor with halberds at attention with the halberd in both hands. They started off at rest, one hand holding the halberd as it rested on the ground.
At the other end of this 30 foot long room you get to an ornate door with moving colorful magical runes all upon it making geometric symbols.
The door seems to have unlocked itself. And maybe cast some spells?
"Well, it would we are welcome, if not expected." Beorn says and walks on up to the door. "Shall we go in and meet our host?"
You get to the end of the second room looking at a portrait of a lovely and yet familiar figure. There are no other doors. A picture of Flouncy and Beorn apparate before your eyes. The hallway magically extending to accommodate the new portraits all at once.
Flouncy notices and relates the information to the group.
"The dryad? I thought the door was something your friends put up." Beorn says.
Koldur laughs as he realizes just whose home they may have inadvertently stumbled upon.
The spells.
The guardians.
The easy and automatic entry allowed to them as they 'trespased'.
The portraits.
The Archway.
It all made sense.
As his guffaws echo around the room, he pauses only when asked.
"We seem to have stumbled on our allies' hidden home. Home to an old friend and his paramour." he explains as he relaxes somewhat.
After his amusement has ended.
"With their combined skills, perhaps they can shed more light on what happened to the unicorn."
The large portrait shifts and out steps Olivira, as if from the portrait itself. The portrait is just missing the image of the beautiful woman. With a sweet voice she says, "Greetings my fellow adventurers. Do you come for some rest or..." She leaves it off at that word and looks amongst your group.
"If you would like to rest, merely step into your personal portrait and you will be delivered to your personal room. Any accommodations are available just ask." She relays quickly seeing that more explanation was wanted.
"That's a neat trick but we were actually seeking information. We have found a slain unicorn with no marks but a missing horn. Do you think you may be able to determine a cause of death?" Beorn asks.
Yes. The circumstances were rather strange, and we couldn't make sense of it all, Flouncy offers.
Seemed rather suspicious.
"Hundor is not here, he is in his lands still settling in as a lord. Where... no... Koldur you must have the corpse in your portable hole. Would you open it so I can take a look?" She offers.
She takes off her belt and a bag at her side and then walks into the portable room. Then she walks back out and collects her items, saying, "Yeah it is dead. It is missing its horn. Though I don't know much about nature, fey, and such. A cleric would likely be best to help you out." She then looks at Rognar with an analyzing look.
Having taken out the portable hole, he watches Olivira walk in and then out.
"The place where we found the unicorn seems to have being defiled in one way or the other. Other then it's resting place, we found no other clue."
She shrugs and adds, "Your guess is as good as mine."
"So much for that line of inquiry. Shall we stay here for the evening and head back out in the morning?" Beorn suggests.
We tried. Might as well go.
"Let us being in the pegasi to rest and see about finding the temple. We still need to go back and reclaim our items that are being enchanted." Koldur points out.
It is a trouble to get the pegasus into the cramped cabin,
Adney has it covered. We're good.