Nimh keeps his place amongst the shadows, wary of this newcomer.
If Agromite distrusted this mysterious stranger, he would wait and see if she
Proved herself an ally before revealing his presence.
You are not able to discern which may be of greater significance, so you grab a good mix of illustrations and writings. The images seem to be of creatures and dungeon layouts. None of which you really recognize.
As the party exchanges words with the newcomer, you are interrupted by a small tremor lasting about 5 seconds. Boulders begin tumbling down the mountain side, threatening to crush you. You have enough time to reach the safety of the cave, staying in the open will require a Reflex save.
"My skin's this color the same reason yours is that color, missy. You can thank my parents for it. As near as I can figure, momma was a human who survived an attack by a drow raiding party - just not unscathed. And is that one a turncoat against this Longtail?" She looks towards Nimh with a curious look.
As the ground shakes, Amaronna smiles. "Well, something's troubling the earth. Might be that sor-", is about all she gets out when she hears the thundering of stone above. "LOOK OUT!", she cries, making for the cave entrance as quickly as she can, grimacing as her bad leg complains at the sudden exertion.
Ingred dives for the cave entrance, grabbing ahold of the occupied Erikan and dragging him with her.. "Forget them papers and get up!"
After the dust settles Ingred will pull out a sun rod and fire it off taking in her suroundings and making sure her companions all made it..
"Everyone ok? What the hell was that about?"
HP 14/14
Raging 17/17
AC 16/14
CMD 17/19
Fort +4/+7
Reflex +2
Will +1/+3
Rage Rounds 9/9
Perception +5
Agromite quickly moves into the cave entrance as well, drawing his shortsword along the way.
"More trouble like the magma the elder mentioned? Or another one of those fellas getting knocked down?" he points a thumb toward the giant corpse outside.
Aurora instinctively aided the newcome in the scramble to the cave, nocking an arrow once inside.
"Either way it looks like we're supposed to get on with it. Nice to meet you Amaronna, I'm Aurora. Looks like you're hunting the scum Longtail as well, so we're on the same side."
Glancing around at the party, she looks over at Agromite.
"So from the looks of it I'm assuming three of us need light and three can probably see in the dark. Since Ingred's got a sunrod lit, if you and Nimh want to scout ahead in the dark, I'll hold on to your little stone torch thing. I need light to shoot anything coming anyway."
Ingred nods in agreement with Aurora's statement.. It's good were finally moving, I dont think I coulda took that cave entrance to much longer.. Nice to meet you Amaronna, Im Ingred, thanks for the warning out there and sorry for my defensive manner. Can never be to careful.. "I agree that the blind ones stay back with the lights and let yall scout ahead.. Staying within charging distance of coarse..
"Nah, this is the first time I've heard of this Longtail, Aurora," Amaronna explains. "The stones led me here. The pebbles told me that their cousins had told them that their cousins had told them that their cousins had told them that their cousins had told them that the mountains were in pain. Something had happened, and they told me to find out what. Given the landslide, it seems they would be right."
"And, yes, I can see in the dark. One of the assets my daddy gave me. I'm not exactly quiet, though, and I'm certainly not swift, on account of my gammy leg."
"Well it you should probably stick with us.. Till we at least get out of here. Amaronna, what kind of skills do you have if you don't mind me asking?"
Amaronna
Nimh comes forth from his hidden position deep inside the cave to entreat the others to hurry inside.
"Come, before our way forward is blocked and we lose our chance to slay the false one.
At the newcomer's remark, Ninh scoffs and replies "I am Ratfolk, Longtail is a shafeshifter, old one. Easily mistaken, under the circumstances."
The gnome nods his agreement as he peers into the darkness.
"Forward then, as Ingred says. Name's Agromite, and Nimh and I can see in the dark and be pretty quiet so we'll scout ahead a bit." He hands the small box containing the Ioun Torch to Ingred. "We want both your hands free if you need that sword of yours."
Agromite checks the dagger at his belt and tightens his grip on the shortsword. "Nimh, I'll go first to check for any surprises the celestials left waiting for us?"
Erikan introduces himself to the half-drow with a bow. "A pleasure to meet you. My name is Erikan Staldidt." Neither his voice nor expression hold any hint that he is addressing somebody of obvious drow descent.
A half-drow? No drow ever had hair the colour of honey. This could be very interesting...
Ingred takes the stone and lets it hover above her head.. Taking her sword in a two handed grip she takes point of the back grp.. "Thanks for the light gizmo, here Erik take this sunrod if you would.. Hey yall be careful up there"
Erikan takes the sunrod with thanks. Then he turns to regard the collapsed entrance. Well, this what it was all about, wasn't it? They won't find me now. But what will I find?
"Skills? Rocks talk to me. It doesn't sound like much, but it helps more than you'd think. On a more practical level, I can ask them for their aid, and I'm not bad a tending wounds. What about the rest of you? I'm guessing you know how to swing that big pigsticker, Ingred?"
OoC: In the middle of 2 sold out Prince shows... Sorry for the delay
IC: Nimh agrees with his Gnomish friend, taking a forward position, casting Detect Magic and checking the path ahead as he goes.
The thought of rocks talking boggles her mind, she bends down and picks up a small rock, putting it to her ear.. "Ill never understand magic i suppose. Some would say i can swing this chooper well, ill show you if we ever find that shapeshifter scum and his ilk."
You are welcome to continue. It's no big deal, things will happen =). We can just assume you've been with the group since the town square and simply kept to yourself.
You're way back is blocked, although a glimmer of light through the top of the boulders indicates that you could probably dig your way out when you return with Longtail's head.
Delving into the cave, Nimh and Agromite are the first to find that it is low and shallow, obviously dug by small crude hands. Many footprints mark the dirt, and debris litters every corner. In the back of the cave, a narrow tunnel, poorly lit, leads deeper.
Map in campaign info (I will keep room numbers to allow for easy backtracking or referencing)!
Ingred picks up a few crude tools and examines them "These appear to be the tools of Kobolds" She drops the tools and waits for the go ahead to move..
"If you say so," Amaronna says, digging through the rubble pile and pulling out a few choice rocks, stuffing them in a bag at her hip.
Agromite stops at the edge of the worked stone, not yet crossing the threshold. He waits for the ratfolk to catch up, then turns his head to face away from the large chamber as he whispers.
Staying tight to the wall, Agromite tries to remain hidden as he moves away from the tunnel, silently berating himself as he goes. You're never going to get more comfortable speaking the dy-keeni tongue if you dont stop saying everything in gnomish!
No WAY I'm touching that without everyone else! Even as the thought crosses his mind, he looks (without touching!) for a keyhole or locking mechanism to inspect.
After a quick look, he backs away from the door. Staying as quiet as possible he moves back toward the tunnel to wait for the rest of the group.
Ingred listens to the darkness, but fails to make out her sneaky friends..
"I wonder whats taking so long?"
"I do not know, but it sure is interesting in here." Sefra looks at the tools that the others discovered.
After getting the go ahead from Nimh, Ingred leads the group to the entrance of this room with an iron door.. "Agro you there?" She looks around for him and examines the room all while trying to remain silent..
"Based on this picture it looks like the giant corpse outside was supposed to be one of the guards. Whick would make this the front door to the ultimate prison." she stares at the door mor a moment, letting her last words sink in.
"Anyone able to tell if there's any magic on the door?"
Moving quickly back to Sefra, Nimh retrieves the healing Wand, passing it to the healer. Then, scurrying back forward..,
Perception
Reaching the others, Nimh shares " Tunnel has been dug by kobolds, yet ends at a door which is clearly much older, and not of their crude craftsmanship.
Agromite is keeping an eye, but we should return."
Without waiting, Nimh rushes back forward, concerned that his cousin might be on danger.
Upon reaching the door, Nimh casts Detect Magic upon it.
Ingred will look for any obvious ways to open the door, at the same time she'll look for tracks in the dirt/dust leading into it..
After reporting to the party about what he has seen, Agromite leads them back to the door, visibly wincing as each armor creak and weapon clang echos off the walls of the chamber.
Standing in front of the door, the gnome nods agreement to Aurora's question. "Or read the writing?" He begins examining the door.
"Of course I can sense magic. Give me a moment." Amaronna says a few words in a deep rumbling tongue, and her eyes glow blue with mystic power. She winces and recoils a few moments later, clutching her head with a hand.
"Ow. OK, that was a bad plan." She shakes her head, and looks to the others. "So, those rumors of a celestial prison? I'd say they're looking more likely with every passing moment. I've never encountered a stronger source of magic anywhere in my travels. If I had to put it on a scale of one to ten, this would go to at least 25."
"As for the language, it's not any language I can read, and the stones haven't given me any way of deciphering languages."
"Anything from that paperwork tell yall anything about opening the door?"
Having been put in a reverie of stunned silence by the Overwhelming amount of magic coming from beyond the door, Nimh shakes it off, telling his companions simply " I believe we have reached the Dungeon proper"...
Checking his weapons and tightening straps here, loosening vials for tossing there, he prepares himself for what Desna has on store for him.
Agromite mumbles to himself as he examines the strange door. After a few minutes and a few stubborn looks he turns back to the party. "Well, I can get it open. Can't tell if its trapped or not, its like nothing I've ever seen before."
He looks over his shoulder at the rest of the dark cavernous room. "Extremely unusual door that is a strong source of magic. Are we sure this is the way we want to go? We havent even explored the rest of this chamber......"
"I don't see that there's really much else to do," Aurora replies quietly.
"Assuming Wormtail sensed magic just like you two did, do you thing a lunatic bent on destroying his enemies would pass up a chance at finding something he could use as a weapon?"
"I hate magic" "Well if you can get it open then I vote we get on with it.. I don't see anything else in this room, so unless i missed something wormtail went this way.."
Sefra peers at the righting and says, "it is written in Celestial. It says, Brother Barcellus - We remain vigilant. Interesting! Yes lets go in.
Aurora draws back on her bow aiming at the door should anything come barelling through it.
Once everyone is in position, Agromite checks one last time that they are ready. "Well, Brother Barcellus, here we come."
Agromite activates the lever to open the door.
So intense! This becomes more and more intriguing. This place is, if not a source, at least a receptacle of massive arcane power! His skin shivers at the thought of the magical energy and might he may be able to access in this place. Then I shall return, and those fools will pay...
Erikan stands ready, arcane words on his lips, as Agromite shifts the lever...
Ingred ready's her blade for anything stepping threw the door.. "Were coming for you Wormtail!"
Agromite pulls down on the lever, having to give a small jump to reach and using his weight to pull it down. When it latches into place, gears visible through small hollows in the door start cranking, screeching like they haven't moved in thousands of years. The mechanism seems to run far into the walls as the sound of muffled cogs rotating behind the stone can barely be heard. With a snap, the door begins to open, raising upward into the stone wall. Agromite is the first to see beneath the door, finding only black. Even with his uncanny ability to see in the dark, he can only see as far as the door frame itself. When the door is finally open, you all see what he sees - impenetrable darkness. The light from the sunrod and ioun torch seem to stop prematurely, ending in a hazy line just before the next room.
Ingred holds firm, expecting something to jump from the darkness.. "Well thats what i call dark!"