With the negative level damage healed, Praxim is ready and eager to return to the task at hand. He resolves to continuous scan for evil non-stop, so that they aren't surprised by any more restless spirits.
"And you, Vale? Are all of the Black Arrows dead?"
If he also won't go, Tomaru shakes his head and walks off a bit before casting Dimension Door and going back to the cave with the others.
If Vale does come, Tomaru can take him with him.
At Lym's comment, Kellen gives a small smile. "Good to see you both are doing well after some rest. Living dead can be...very unpleasant; I'm sometimes curious what sin or blasphemy brings them to that state." He shrugs at the end of his comment and awaits Tomaru's return before they head off.
"Torment," Lym says. "In the end, it always boils down to torment. Torment so great that it stops them from finding peace, even at the end of their lives."
Vale looks at you with cold eyes. "Maybe they are. Maybe they died in one night of fire and blood. Or maybe they are trying to help in a manner they understand, using the right force in the right spot. You know, tactics. Or maybe, you should stick to what you know, and leave the commentary off. We are all trying to achieve the same goal."
The half-elf ranger follows Tomaru and spins him about before he casts his spell. "Look," she says, a harsh edge to her voice, "these men are all that's left of a grim order who lost everything in one night. Betrayed by their own, tormented beyond all nightmares, they are the last of their kind. Assaulting fortresses is not what they do. It's not what I do. I'm not going into those cramped halls any more than they are, am I dead as well, Tomaru?" She looks at the cleric with her fierce green eyes.
"Listen to me. Those halls were built by men, for men. The ogres will be at a disadvantage, in that they can't bring their numbers to bear on you while inside. Remember that. I...we...will create a distraction when the alarm goes up. I promise you, we will do our part." With that, she turns away, going to stand next to her father.
The bridge is no obstacle as long as you are careful. Once across, you reach the next cave at the end of a short tunnel.
The walls of this fairly dry cavern contain twenty seven-foot-wide, two-foot-high niches, in each of which rests the ancient body of a long-dead humanoid. The skeletons bear ceremonial armor and weapons. One of the bodies has been pulled from its niche and lies in a jumble on the ground.
Kellen looks around at the cavern. "Crypts and a defiled corpse - that explains a lot." He looks around the room for an exit, not wanting to touch anything less it be trapped. Still - he gives the jumbled remains a once over as well for any clues.
Praxim scans for evil constantly.
There is nothing of note on the corpse or in the crypts, nor are there any discernible evil presences. There is a tunnel leading away from the crypts, deeper into the mountain. It has a distinct smell...reptile and ozone, if you didn't know any better...
"Smells like we are getting closer to the lizards' lair," Kellen remarks. "Some invisibility or shape-shifting may be needed here shortly," he adds as he sneaks down the tunnel to get a closer look.
"That, or I can conjure some minor creatures and have them run through as bait," Lym suggests. "Once the lizards are on the move, we can chase them on, perhaps?"
"Once the lizards are on the move, we can chase them on, perhaps?"
"Not a bad idea - but we still need to open the secret passage into the fort first to keep them moving, so somebody's going to have to get down there eventually."
"I did not prepare a spel of invisibility today," Lym admits, glumly. "But using the scroll I gave you for this seems... wasteful, when the ogres are still in need of slaying. Do you think you can do without?"
Do you think you can do without?"
"I agree - keeping your scroll for other uses if I can. I happen to have a backup potion at hand that I can use for this situation. My thinking is that once I have found the door, I might be able to use Rhianni's whisper spell (whatever that was) to signal you all." He pauses - lost in thought for a moment while looking directly at Lym.
I won't kid you...after yesterday's wraith attack, I am wary, but a whole group traipsing through a lizard warren isn't going to help either. Hopefully, we'll find nothing but lizards." He shrugs and continues to sneak forward for a quick check of the what lies ahead before starting any plans.
Kellen sneaks forward into the warren, trying to get a good look. He moves down about twenty before the tunnel splits in two, bending right and left.
Rhianni follows silently, watchful and respectful on this place of fallen heroes.
The man proceeds to the right - keeping a wary look for any signs of a shocker lizard before proceeding.
Tomaru stays at the crossroads ready to aid where necessary.
Thordak stays behind the rogue a short distance, his longaxe in hand.
Praxim keeps an arrow knocked and aimed at the direction Kellen went.
Kellen continues to wind around to the right for another twenty feet or so before the tunnel splits again, it is a 'warren' after all. Down the left path he can smell more than see the reptile nests.
Hoping to avoid the nests for now, Kellen bears right - pointing the direction to those behind him as he moves cautiously.
Lym follows behind the others as quietly as she can, one hand on the hilt of her falchion, the other ready to sketch the signs that accompany her spells...
Rhianni follows nervously behind, wondering where they will create the smoke and fire to drive the reptiles towards the ogres.
Kellen continues around the tight tunnels of the warren, keenly aware of the sounds of the lizards not far from the group. Suddenly Lym kicks a small rock, sending it skittering across the floor. There are several sharp hissing sounds, then claws skittering on rock.
Lym curses under her breath, then starts to mutter the words of a spell. Three golden-furred rats appear out of thin air and, at the Wizard's whispered command, run ahead of the group, towards where the shocker lizard sounds are coming from.
Kellen freezes at the noise from Lym, drawing his blade and preparing for an attack. A wry smile forms at her creative solution and he remains alert.
Seeing the fake rats scurry ahead, "Hm. That's quite clever, lass. Now, let's hope those little buggers can buy us the distraction we need."
The golden rats scurry off, drawing sharp hisses from the unseen shocker lizards. The crackle of a bolt of electricity lights the tunnels, followed by a squeal and the smell of burnt fur.
The sound of a dozen sets of claws scratching rock comes around the corner, fading further into the warren. Now is the time to move...
Staying with the plan, Kellen leads the party down the tunnel, making a sharp turn right. Twenty feet later, he comes to a dead end, the group following up behind.
"Hope this isn't a dead end...
Rhianni at the back of the group puts a hand over her face at the smell of the burning fur. She listens to the sounds in front, whilst looking around behind.
Perception:
"You and me both, laddie."
The sounds of chaos echo from deeper in the warren. Crackles of electricity, the hissing of lizards, and the squeal of dying rats all assault your senses.
What to do now?
Kellen looks at Thordak for acknowledgment of what they found, then whispers to others:
"Something isn't right with this wall, but I can't quite tell what it is. I'll look around, but if there's any magic that might reveal what is going on, feel free."
With that he starts to poke around, hoping to find a switch or other clue.
"What can you tell?" whispers Rhianni to Lym.
"The lad's right; this is no dead end. But I'm no better at telling what it is either." He shrugs.
Kellen finds a hidden latch in the wall, cunningly disguised as a rocky protrusion...
Again Kellen whispers: "There's a hidden latch. I suggest everyone step back and be careful - hopefully this is the entrance we were looking for."