Aeris' eyes flutter open as he sits up. "That was some nasty poison." he says as Boreas helps him up. I could have been more useful if Apollo didn't attack them before I was ready! He looks over to the door and sees the gnolls already making their way through the web that he had set up. "I think we should get moving. We have to get in but maybe charging headfirst without more preparation isn't the best idea. Sometimes you have to try a different angle!" Aeris says as he readies himself for the possibility of running. There is too many!
Kori looks at the slight man, nods begrudgingly, and adds. "I don't think going in the front is the best idea. We should pretend to run away so they think they beat us. We need to find a hidden way in, or a way to sneak over the walls or something. Also, Eagle-bait, floating in mid-air maybe isn't great when there is no cover against arrows up there."
At the gate, the first gnolls have already begun to hack through the web that Aeris put up. It's a very difficult obstacle for people that aren't ridiculously powerful, it turns out. About three gnolls emerge from the spell's effect, though anyone looking can clearly tell that at least a dozen more are still trying to get through the web, and if Aeris' reports about the gnolls' numbers here are correct, it's certainly possible that there are more gnolls behind them.
Most of their forces are likely making their way towards us, so let's keep low and find another way around.
Looking at Nom he beckons him over, making sure his companion can't be seen over the mound the party are currently behind.
Kori, let's go. he said as he kept low, making his way around the side which offers the most cover.
It's really very not likely that one could avoid the gnoll forces AND go in through the front gate - the front gate is preceded by a large area of flat ground, and the cover provided by the foothills doesn't extend all the way to the House of the Beast.
Plus, there are many gnoll eyes coming out of the front gate. Many eyes.
"Aeris, DO you have any spells of invisibility or more effects like that fireball or maybe throw up walls of stone?" Brek enquires as he sees the gnolls starting to break free of the web but what's worse is the eyes he counts beyond 10.
Ok that's a little bit too much. he considers his options.
Dmitri, despite his thirst for blood, was not against retreating at any time, really. Geurilla tactics pleased him greatly, if anything, and they'd learned enough from this one encounter, as well as killed what he believed to be 4 of their more powerful defenders. Grinning he stuck to the back to suck up arrows as they fled, figuring he could just be healed later.
The party begins to run out into the deserts, Aeris being carried (for there's no other way he could keep up with the party) by Kori. They can hear the yips and yowls of what appear to be (at this point) dozens of gnolls pursuing them, but they use the dips and rises of the dunes to always keep out of sight. The problem is, though, Dmitri's stream of blood from his wounds and the clanking of his ostentatious black armor always keep the gnolls easily on their trail.
The gnolls, however, give up easily after about an hour of off-and-on running. The PCs have to leave sight of the House of the Beast, traveling around the Pale Mountain, searching for an alternate entrance.
Eventually, as they travel, the sun begins to fall, making it seem like their cause is foundless, but...then! Something hopeful is spotted. Adorning the base of the mountain, albeit atop a small climb, is a cave. And not just any sort of cave. Not merely a hole in the wall of the mountain, this one is sporting ornate carvings, pushing into the stone of the wall.
"Seems like some place we can use." Brek muses upon catching sight of the cave.
"It also is a place sacred to Rovagug, the Rough Beast. A great friend of the gnolls so as to speak. On one hand they may not look for us here, on the other they may not look kindly on us for tresspassing on their holy grounds."
Looking around to his companions, using what little magics he has to keeping himself and his companions fresh.
"We're going in right?"
Kori arches an eyebrow at Fire-top's question, "Well, this can be good or bad. On the good side, this could be a secret entrance into the dog-men's keep. On the bad side, this could be a secret entrance into the dog-men's keep." Her eyes seem to sparkle with anticipation, "I say we go in."
Dmitri shakes his head. "Rovagug... I admire the creature's taste in destruction, but it's not elegant at all, is it? A pity such a deity exists. I rather enjoy the world as it is." he says as he ventures towards the cave entrance. "That aside, I find it strange these gnolls worship the rough beast and not Lamashtu, their birth mother. I'm not one to judge, however. After all, I certainly don't worship the usual deity." he says, hoisting tempest on his shoulder.
"I was kinda guessing you'd say that." Brek shrugs as he picks up the pace, going forward to scout for trouble.
The cave may look safe but in this dangerous lands so close to gnoll claims, they had best watch their step.
Descending into the caverns is descending into darkness, and so the humans and Kori (though she's never admitted it) need a light source to see. The elementalkin and Je'Grik, of course, are fine, and so they see the tunnel winding downwards with ease. Acrid black smoke drifts upward from the deeps of the tunnel, foul-smelling but otherwise not impeding breathing in any serious way.
The tunnel, beyond that, is oppressively hot. The heat presses down on each person like ten layers of thick, woolen coats, each damp with a day of full perspiration. The only comfortable one is Brek, who was born for this kind of environment. Even scorching flame wouldn't harm the ifrit, let alone simply hot air.
As the party enters the cavern, Je'Grik speaks up. "Allies. I will remain here, at the mouth of the cavern, to ensure that you are not hemmed in. My useful healing abilities have waned for the day, and if we are cornered by gnolls on one side and whatever remains below on the other, we may be doomed. Come back to me should you find a way through, or tomorrow should you need healing."
Walking down the chasm in utter darkness, Dmitri scoffs, wiping the heat from his face before adjusting to the slight twinge of pain it gives. "By the nine hells, this is relentless, is it not?" he points out long after they've left Jegrik alone. "Brek, I believe your kind is adjusted to this sort of thing, are they not? What are we talking into?" he asks, scythe at his side, tapping the ground as he walks to avoid running into anything.
"And by the grace of Lilith, why do none of you ever have a form of light?" he asks, knowing full well that the only one not magically inclined is Apollo.
Kori huffs at Dmitri's whining about light, "Here, human, since you need so much light. My god of war gave me the power to create it."
With that said she casts a light spell on Dmitri's breastplate, "Now you can always see in front of you. Now be quiet, we don't know what's in here." She snarls as she turns to follow Brek's lead in scouting
Now with a source of light, the party can continue into the cavern. So, they step deeper in, leaving the world of daylight behind them.
The howling winds outside do little to cool the oppressive heat within this sweltering cavern. Reeking trails of steam and acrid smoke eddy in the eerie light shed by flickering bluish flame that pops and whistles erratically from a crack in the cavern floor. In the middle of the room, a table made of ancient oak supports a few woven baskets and a decrepit clay bowl.
From this room are three further caverns, one to the north, one to the south, and one to the east.
"What's wrong? It seems perfectly fine to me." Brek looks surprised as his companions seem irritated by the heat.
Turning to answer Dmtri though after Kori has casted light.
"To be honest, I don't exactly know what we are walking into does it comfort you to know that either an entire ciry of gnolls maybe waiting for us, demonic gnolls or servitors of the beast god or maybe an old gnoll hermit."
Brek continues scouting even as he casts detect magic to help him scan for magical auras though he takes the time to inform the party of the area.
"Three passageways or so I can tell. Pick one I guess."
Sighing, he turned to Apollo. It'd been long enough, and he figured that his expertise given the circumstances might be of help, despite the fact he was an insufferable goon. Still, a person of higher power didn't choose their subjects, and it would have been preposterous to not abuse his talents.
"Apollo." he says, feeling a small twinge of pride escape his stomach. "I figure your obsession may help us here. Can you see tracks, or feel the wind from one of these tunnels?" he asks, scythe at his waist.
As Brek goes on to list the possibilities. "Demons wouldn't enjoy this level of heat, bar a few of the lesser ones. At best, it would be an infernal, a devil." he points out.
No magical auras light up, though there do seem to be a couple of objects lying on the little wooden table. They can't quite be made out from the entrance to the room - one will have to enter to take a look at the objects, as they are rather small.
Kori looks at the three passages, and offers, "Well, we came in that way," Pointing back to the west, she then points east, "So that one must lead toward the dog-men. We should look the other two ways first, make sure we don't get surrounded. I say we go here." She indicates north with no real rationalization beyond just picking one.
Brek is attracted to the little wooden table and proceeds to examine them.
"Say what's this?"
Hold on a sec. said Apollo as he moved his hand around to try and pick up the slight change in temperature and any possible wind that may be travelling through the cavern.
Nom, you sense anything?
Apollo thinks that there haven't been any gnolls in the region recently - he isn't really able to use the air to his advantage, and the ground is rock, so tracking in this environment would be incredibly difficult. However, none of the smell of the creatures, nor their typical filth, is present in this room.
Brek approaches the table and notices a few things. First of all, in a sheltered crevice beneath the table, there is a small pile of things. A tiny dagger, carved from stone, sits alongside eight small pieces of lapis lazuli and three flasks full of oil.
On the table are mostly greasy plates and dishes, though interspersed with the cutlery is one strange implement - a ceramic rod with a chicken bone attached to it. Brek identifies this implement as magical and successfully realizes that it is a wand of summon monster II with 17 charges remaining.
Suddenly, from a rock-filled corner of the room, a strange creature rises. An unnervingly humanlike face sits atop a grey, craglike body. The creature stands at an unimpressive three feet and clenches its tiny fists in indignation. "You! What do you think you're doing here, intruding in my place?"
Kori starts at the sudden appearance of the little rock man, "Whoa there little guy. We're here for one simple reason, to kill the dog-men. If you are with them, it doesn't look good for you. But, if you aren't and maybe know a secret way into their place, then things might be looking up."
"My apolgies, we came here seeking respite from the gnolls. Certainty we did not expect these caves to be inhabitated however I must say that the workmanship for these are exquistise. Did you by chance make them yourself? May we have the pleasure of your name?" Brek speaks up though startled by the sudden appearance of the creature, it maybe best to at least see if the creature could be persuaded to be an ally or at least not hostile.
The creature is an earth mephit, a tiny humanoid earth elemental. They are significantly smarter than your average elemental, but quite a bit more mischievous and physically weak.
The mephit snorts at Kori and Brek's words, rolling its eyes. "No gnolls down here. Fuzzy things would pant all day! Andgronakraks knows a secret way into the gnoll place, but the way is shut!" Unwittingly, the little elemental points to the passageway leading south, and then gulps and snatches his arm back with his other arm. "Only Lesaar, the brother clad in burning burn burn, can get you through the way. Andgronakraks can arrange meeting, yes, but not for free!" The little creature grins, his little gemstone eyes shining with glee.
Aeris, surprised by the voice looks around to find the creature. Sweat drips off his brow from the heat. Not knowing what to say, Aeris lets the others talk as he gets ready to blind the creature with Blindness/Deafness if it moves to attack.
Nom snarls a little at the Earth Mephit as it's little body looks slightly appetising to the 7 foot tall Lizard.
Well, how about you let us through here in exchange for your life? says Apollo as he raises an eyebrow.
I don't wanna be mean to the little guy, but we need to get through here before Ghartok blocks off all entrances, or sets up any ambushes.
My name's Apollo and I mean you no harm, but my dino buddy here hasn't had a good bite to eat today, so how about you just let us through so my lizard friend can eat some Gnoll's instead of you? Your preservation of life would be our payment to you and once we're done clearing this Fort out, you'll have a much bigger home.
The little mephit shrieks and puts his hands up into the air, leathered wings flapping to bring the creature into the air. "Eep! Andgronakraks not meaning to fight! Go past him, the burning brothers happy to see you now!"
Dmitri raises a slightly tired brow at this point at Apollo after being surprised to find something from the plane of earth in these caverns. What he doesn't like, however, is the fact that the creature let them through so easily... people that were intimidated by him in the past did so because they had no way out, but creatures from the planes weren't that simple. No, most definitely not. Before everyone began towards that direction, Dmitri eyed the creature suspiciously.
He unfortunately wasn't able to get a bead on the small crag-like creature, and decided that his silver tongue was far more effective than Apollo's Guttural insults and impatience.
Walking up towards the mephit with his wounds still fresh and riddled with sand, Dmitri smirked through his sweat. "You'll have to forgive my impatient friend. While I worry the way is not as safe as you may say, I do attest to the fact that should it actually be safe no harm will come to you, and that shortly after we are done ridding this mountain of the gnoll infestation, you would be rewarded remarkably well for your patronage." he points out. It wasn't a lie either, though that could have been the result of his exceptional, and recent, blood loss.
The little creature merely shakes its head and flies away, going to the south as fast as its little wings will carry it. "Just go to the burners and go away!", it shouts as it flies.
Brek blinks.
"That could have gone better but hey....This looked good.." Picking up a few of the items left on the table, Brek stows them away while searching the rest of the room.
Shaking his head and realizing it wasn't his best moment, or ruse, given the circumstances, he sighs only a little before he joins Brek in searching the room.
As he does, he asks a pretty simple question. "I don't mean to alert anyone, but I happen to be grievously wounded. Normally I'd be entirely fine with this, and enjoy the aches and pains, but... I've not a good feeling about anything referred to as a "Burner" he points out.
"We're acting on little knowledge, and impatience is getting the better of us. We almost lost our newest addition to poison, and we've seen better days. Now would most certainly be a time to heal up, since gnolls don't enjoy this level of heat, it seems." he states, tossing a glance towards Apollo that may or may not be riddled with growing concern and a declaration of complete insolence.
Fidgeting with the table, he can't help but grin. "Seems the gnolls are a little more difficult to handle this time around, wouldn't the lot of you say? I didn't take Ghartok, or whatever the mongrel's name is to have such a careful hand at placing troops..." he stated as he felt of his side. "I've only been more injured than this once in my life, and it was my fault. He must have a pretty witty second in command..." he states as he runs his hand across the somewhat deep scratches on the uglier side of his face.
With Kori and Brek moving back, and behind a large dune/outcropping, they are out of sight of the entrance to the House of the Beast. As Kori carries Aeris, the spell from Brek's spell wakes him up, healing the few wounds that he's sustained, though not the damage from the poison.
As the battle ends, Je'Grik relaxes and lets the rage roll off of him, sighing with exhaustion for much of the time that the gnolls are busy in the web. While his compatriots move around, he makes sure to heal them. Several bursts of positive energy come from him, healing everyone near.
[dice=Channel]2d6
[dice=Channel]2d6
At the same time, he moves to Apollo and then Aeris, casting positive energy healing on them to restore some of their lost fortitude.
[dice=restoration on Apollo]1d4
[dice=restoration on Aeris]1d4After that, he'll stick close to Apollo and Dmitri, eyeing the door to the House of the Beast. He speaks up, though. "Maybe we should not stick around to fight them. There are many gnolls in there, and we just are finished with a fight. I cannot heal much anymore."
As he says this, he heals Dmitri a bit more.
[dice=cure light on Dmitri]1d8+4
Kori nods, shrugs, and adds "Right, I don't think everybody is going to be much use the way they look right now, but do you trust that little thing to leave us alone if we decided to take a breather in his" she looks around the crude cave and its furnishing "home?"
Turning to look at her, he can't help but scowl. "Absolutely not." he points out. "I don't trust the "Burners" either..." he stated as he looked down the cavern.
Brek holds up a wand.
"Come Dmtri, I'll heal you up though it's not as fast as Kori's or any other type of healing."
"I suppose that we can expect the burners to be like our friend there and hail from the elemental plane as well. With a name like Burner, I'm guessing of course if you all haven't realised by now, a native from the plane of fire?"
As the healing spreads through him along with the evil that it requires he smiles. "Oooh, Infernal healing... You've been holding out on me, Brek. This is the same kind of healing my beloved uses after..." he says as he looks down the tunnel, but stops himself short. "Time and place. Considering I'm at full capacity, I do believe I'll go meet this "Burner." he says as he wanders down the cavern the mephit suggested.
"Plane of fire, yes... Likely a fire elemental? Everything from that plane burns but... I can't think of anything that does it more than that. Look sharp." he suggests as he walks down the corridor. As he does, he switches to Tempest.
"Creatures from the Plane of fire are weak to cold and water, if that wasn't obvious enough. My scythe channels those energies, so I believe I'll be more offensive this time." he points out. "Can't let them have all the fun, can I?" he asks as he continues down the hallway. "I'd suggest the lot of you hold back. I am likely to be incinerated, after all." he says with a bit of a laugh.
Brek shakes his head at the fearless human. There were times and then there were times. These were some of those times......
Unfortunately, Brek isn't able to find anything else of value in the cave, other than what he'd already found.
The path to the north (which the little mephit indicated was towards this "Lesaar") is a slope upwards.
This curving, gravel-strewn passage widens as it slopes upward. Several jets of orange flame light the rocky hall with hellish color and dancing shadows, revealing a flat landing near the slope’s middle. The contents of several scorched cauldrons bubble and hiss upon the platform, each balanced on ironwork stands. Beyond the cauldrons, the passage continues.
Bending over one of the cauldrons, drinking boiling water from it, is a red, snake-bodied humanoid. The creature has arms and fingers like a human, and a vaguely anthropomorphic torso, but a snake's head and a snake's tail instead of legs. Beside it is another one, practicing combat stances and attacks with a molten-looking spear.
One of the lizards, the one drinking, rises up to its full height atop the little cauldron and looks directly at Dmitri. "You! What are you doing here?
At it speaks, it reaches down below itself and grabs a spear of its own. At the same time, the other one, having been jolted into action, slithers up beside its comrade.
Not wasting any time, Dmitri raises his hands and greets them before Apollo has the time to draw his weapon and ruin any chances of an easy approach. "The plane of fire, huh? How strange. Lovely decorim, I'll give you that. A bit hotter than I care to enjoy, but not the hottest thing I've ever experienced." he says as he walks up towards them.
"My name is Dmitri Alexander Mavis, and these are my comrades." he says as he presents his weapon as well. "Don't worry about weapons, we're just passing through at best. That said, you have absolutely no idea how pleased I am that you're more intelligent than the dogs on this mountain" he says as he points back towards the cavern.
"We stumbled upon your cavern as we fled the Gnoll's front gates. A bold and stupid move on our part, I assure you, but we weren't followed long, and they've no idea we're here. We were told of a hidden pass into the gnoll dwelling through here by a strange creature from the plane of earth a ways down. Personally I don't believe it, and your readiness to impale us on sight is admirable, but that means you're just defending something." he points out as he eyeballs the strange molten spears.
Presenting his own weapon, allowing it to shed it's frosty hue and drop steam from the cold air around it, Dmitri smiles. "We've no need to fight you, you see." he points out. "If you are with the gnolls, then I advise you abandon them. Should you not be with the gnolls, then you're no doubt against them given your proximity, and we could use your assistance, no matter how small, in bringing them to their yipping knees." he explains curtly.
Placing the head of his weapon up in the air, he takes a defensive posture, somewhat, still eyeing them with a grin. "What say you?" he asks, simply.
"Indeed distant kinsman, what my companion says is true. We have no quarrel with you and are only passing through in order to get to our destination."
Adding his own words to bolster Dmtri and speaking in their native tongue, Ignan.
"We are not friends with the gnolls, the hyena headed ones. Are you?"
Speaking up from a spot not too far away from Dmitri, Apollo comments as well.
There's no point in unnecessary bloodshed. We're not here to ruin your home or your day. If all goes well, you'll have a much bigger home when we're done with those stinking dogs and we'd very much like it if you showed us the way.
The more time we waste down here, the more time Ghartok has to set up an ambush in preparation for our arrival.
Placing his hand on Nom, the man then looked to his Lizard friend.
Don't worry Nom. We'll get you some dog meat soon.
I'm pretty hungry myself.
Brek recognizes them as salamanders, creatures from the Elemental Plane of Fire that have been known to infest areas that border on that plane. Beyond that, many of them are known to inhabit the Abyss instead of the Elemental Plane of Fire, and share a sort of fondness for fire-related demons. They are immune to fire, vulnerable to cold, they are very tough, and they infuse the weapons they hold with the fire inside their bodies.
The one that spoke before responds to Dmitri, Brek, and Apollo, raising a craggy bit of his brow. "We do not look for bloodshed either, as cold-based weapons hurt, but...neither can we allow you to traipse through our home. Nothing we want awaits us above, and the gnolls can do nothing to us from there. We do not care for them."
"Perhaps, though...you can do something for us. Are you powerful spellcasters?"
Dmitri smiles as he realizes that they're rather timid when presented with a cold weapon, but revels silently in that sort of power over them. Raising his eyelids, he looks over towards Brek. "Some of our members command somewhat powerful magic. What would you require of them?" he asks, simply.
"Should we do this, would we be allowed to pass unmolested?" he asks, raising a hand in question.