Before leaving Pockets looks up at Pardot head and tail high almost as if she is thinking, "I'll do whatever pleases me and I had already decided I was going to join you." The cat then proudly leaps through the portal ahead of everyone landing on the other side she starts to wander through the stacks unperturbed. (Pardot, Pockets is your new pet companion of sorts. As much as a cat will do anything she will listen to you and do as you ask as long as it does not interfere with her nap schedule.... which is rather extensive....)

The rest of you cross over the portal one by one. As you do the same hair raising feeling you had a moment ago comes back but stronger. With it you feel as if the mansion becomes a part of you. As if it infuses you with a bit of it's own magic and energy. 

Ding! Welcome to level 2! Go ahead and update character sheets!

After spending the last few hours carefully searching room after room you are all on high alert as you return to Candlekeep but the room is very very still. Daventry and is fairly certain you all are alone though the others a too distracted by Matreous' body to be certain. Those of you checking on his health note that while there is a pool of blood on the ground Matreous lives! His breathing is labored and he seems pale but his pulse remains strong and his skin is warm. Ludolf you note that he has a single would to the back of the head near the base of his skull it is a linear cut in a horizontal direction you do not have any idea what might have caused it. 

Squeezing the juice from a berry into Matreous’ mouth, Pardot hopes to revive the man so they can learn what has happened. He then feels Pocket rub up against him and remembers to check his surrounds, so quickly looks around the room for any sign of danger or clue as to what may have happened, pausing only to take a quick focusing breath

Triäsa starts to softly sing a brief phrase as she moves a hand over Matreous' wound:

"I call upon the mystic weave,
To mend this wounded body." 

She then touches his shoulder, casting Cure Wounds.  (Heal: 11)

She then examines the wound to see if there is anything more she can learn. (Investigation: 18)

 (Think it's showing manipulated because I added the roll for hp healed after-the-fact.) 

Pardot, you find no one else in the room. There are some books cleared away from what you remember when you left. The way Matreous is laying down you guess that he was preparing for the ritual when he was struck from behind. You had searched the room pretty well prior to entering the portal and the best you can tell nothing is missing. It's almost as if someone attacked him from behind and left.

Triäsa there is nothing more you learn from his wound, the blood has scabbed over and again it is just a straight horizontal cut at the base of the skull.

Matreous coughs a bit following the healing, he stirs slightly and says, "Thank you.... I need to get back to the library.... please take me to the emerald gate..." The old elf is awake and can move but appears very weak. Between phrases he coughs a bit of blood as he tries to spit the words out. He is in and out of consciousness. 

As Triäsa sings Ludolf again succumbs to her lovely voice and briefly enters a mesmerized state, before quickly snapping out of it looking around him, hoping that no one noticed.

"Matreous was obviously struck from behind when preparing the ritual to keep the portal open. It is unlikely that he knows anything of his attacker. And I think he means the emerald door, the door that leads into the library of Candlekeep." Ludolf says to Klin with his usual gruff voice. "But Matreous would certainly appreciate if you helped him there."

"I wonder where Matreous attacker is at." Ludolf says still wary of dangers. 

Triäsa tries to help Matreous to his feet and stands next to him for support.  "I certainly can help get you to the Emerald Gate," she says. "And help get you to wherever you need to go.  We should probably have someone take a look to be sure you are fully healed." 

She then looks at the others. "I can take him if you guys want to try and see if you can find any clues as to the attacker." 

"Matreous, what do you remember about the attack? A sound, a shadow, anything? Whatever attacked you might still be out there..." Daventry asks. 

"There are healers beyond the gate and rest is what I need." He can barely get the words out between gasps, "I don't remember much anything really. I was focused on the ritual, then a pain in my head...." the arrogance he displayed at your first meeting is gone from his voice as he realizes you all must have been trapped on the otherside. "I am sorry for my behavior earlier. When I am better I will do all I can to help and you must tell me how you all got out." He utters this with bloody smile as he raises himself to a stand though it takes a few of you to steady him.

"We figured out the word to open the portal!" Triäsa blurts out.  But she realizes Matreous is really not interested in the whole tale right this moment.  "I am going to need some help.  I do not think I can support him by myself." 

Daventry sheathes her blade and secures her shield across her back by its strap. She slots herself under the elfs other arm opposite Triasa to support the sage. "Right. Let's get you out of here. Gents, someone get the door?"

To the Emerald Gate! 

"Yes, some help with what we seek would be appreciated." Ludolf says dryly as he cleans Matreous up to look respectable and to not alarm the peaceful scholars of candlekeep.
Ludolf moves to help Triäsa but Daventry beats him to it. Still wary of threats Ludolf then opens the door and scans the corridor outside for signs of Matreous attacker before taking the lead from the pillars of pedagogy to the emerald door.
Perception:8

The group of you help Matreous down the long climb from the pillar, through the courtyard and back into and out of the gatehouse. The Keeper of the Pillars gave you an odd look as you passed by but he seemed relieved that the old elf was not dead. 

It was late in the day when you went looking for Matreous. As you return to the cobblestone courtyard it is very very late. Clouds have rolled in from the ocean and if feels like rain is coming, Pardot can nearly smell it in the air. The poorly lit courtyard is exceptionally dark and you do not pass anyone else as you make your way to the west and the emerald gate. The entire trip takes the better part of an hour as Matreous slows you down with repeated fits of coughing up blood. 

In the distance you can see a faint green glow of your destination. As you travel through the Court of Air the glow becomes brighter and brighter until you stand before the legendary Emerald Door.  It is fifteen feet tall and made of a translucent dark green stone that glows with an inner light and bars your passage to the Inner Ward. Two men in robes block your way and seeing you approach confront you.

"Halt, who goes there and what is your bussiness at the gates this late at night!" The one on the right says reflexively. As they get better look at the group of your their tone shifts, "My God, Matreous what happened. Please we have been looking all over for you. Come, Come let us get you in to the healer. Thank you for finding him I am sure there will be questions but for now let us take care of the old man."

They then move to help the old elf and escort him through the gate.

"Yes, well, at least they thanked us for saving his life." Ludolf says dryly, standing on the steps to the Emerald Door as it is shut in his face. "I suppose we should all rest now. I will take this opportunity though to thank you all for your excellent company in this...adventure." Ludolf says, turned to the others, faintly reflecting the green glow from the Emerald Door. "Please don't hesitate to call on me should there be more avowed to be found and rescued." He says with a wry smile. "And I still hope to hear more of your lovely singing voice Triäsa, whenever you would find the time." He says turning his grey eyes to the half-elven bard. "Good night to you all, my brave seekers" He then says and starts making his way towards his sleeping quarters.

"Been a long night with some strange twists and turns, guardsmen." Daventry speaks as she transfers the elf to one of the guards. "Needless to say Matreous is lucky we found our way to him when we did... Though there is the matter that something might be stalking the Pillars, the thing that attacked him."

She gives the room number where he was attacked. 

Nodding to Ludolf as he makes his departure, "Aye. They'll probably want to talk to us in the morning, so I doubt this is the last we'll be seeing each other."

Daventry yawns, stretching her arms upwards, though grimaces halfway as apparently her arm seems tender. She shakes it out then turns to the others. "Shall we?" 

As the avowed is escorted past the huge emerald doors, Pardot looks around at the others and yawns, it was a late night, and though he often was more nocturnal staying up to view the stars, he’d rarely had such a busy day. He nods to the others and says quietly, “Our rooms are all likely near each other. Get some rest and hopefully we can meet to study the stars again.” He then looks down to Pocket, and as they begin to walk off together he shifts into a black cat with white tips on his paws and a white patch on his chest so that he and Pocket may explore a bit for an hour before curling up together on his bed, where even in his normal form he has more than enough space to share with Pocket.

"Hard to believe it is so late.   I suppose it is time to get some rest..."  Triäsa says a bit reluctantly.

"Guess we will have time on our hands tomorrow,  since Matreous has not been able to look into our research. Anyway..."

Triäsa then heads back to her room along with the others.  Before separating to go to their individual rooms, she comes up to Daventry. "Thank you again for watching out for me today. I appreciate it.  And I look forward to you helping me with a bit of training."