Perception: 10

Stealth: 22

Ulmwin shoots upwards, getting above the haze of smoke that is hanging over the city. He's not able to make out much in the way of details, but he sees the glow of flame in multiple locations in the city.

Ulmwin darts back down soon after to at least inform the others before doing anything else.

"There's several spots that seem aflame. Can't tell if they're actively under attack or not, but it's clearly too many different areas to be a coincidence."

Randy thinks a bit. "If they come looking for volunteers to help, I'm not against it.  Otherwise, I would say we should stay out of the way of the local authorities.  If something pops up close to us,  we can see about lending a hand then.  We don't know what's going on and the possibility of getting caught up in a riot at night in a town on fire doesn't sound like the kind of thing we want any part of.  Make sure you've got your fire amulet from the dragonborn on. We may need them if things go badly."

Dornikal pats the amulet under his shirt and grunts his agreement.

"Aye'll go out and keep an eye on the street."

If there is anyone moving by he'll ask them if they've heard what's happening.

Ulmwin nods, seeming to understand, even agree, before he opens his mouth and...

"Frankly, sod that- Lots of innocents might be caught in some of those blazes out there. Might try and avoid trouble, but no doubt people will need help."

He pauses for only a second, but it does seem like the gnome is going to bound off one way or another.

Dornikal pokes his head out, but who he sees are other folks like himself, woken from sleep and wondering what is going on... though apparently, being fully kitted out for battle makes him more an expert in their eyes, as multiple folks ask him what's going on in fearful whispers.

Randy gives Ulmwin a long look.  "I get what you're saying, but sailing in without coordinating with the local authorities could get you shoved out of the way, or in the worst case, accused of being involved somehow or being a looter.  If you insist about going out there, try to find someone in charge and let them tell you where and what to do.  At least someone in authority will know that you're a volunteer and not a potential looter.  And don't kid yourself that there's no one that low.  I guarantee someone is going to try to take advantage and try padding their pockets. That may be the whole reason the fires were started to begin with.  It's one of the reasons why I'm not rushing out myself.  Again, if the city officials come looking for help or if the fires spread closer, I won't be holding back either."

The night is pierced by a long, low howl, answered by at least two other, shorter howls, all coming from somewhere within the city.

Randy looks in the direction of the howls. "Okay, that's not good." he mutters to himself.  He looks at Ulmwin.  "If you want something to do, get up there and see if you can find whatever is making that noise, then report back.  We need to know if we need to be fortifying or not."  He looks around. "If anyone has silvered  or magic weapons, this is the time to be be getting them ready."

Randy, you feel an odd feeling in your chest, almost an itching or tickling sensation.

Randy starts paying attention to those  feelings trying to interpret what is going on.

Insight: 18

Randy feels that there is something afoot in the city, he slows his breathing and closes his eyes, focusing on his hearing and smell, and that nagging sense of unease. Smoke, burning wood, a whiff of sulfurous brimstone... Faint cracking of burning wood, snarls and growls, angry and fearful cries.

He has a sense that there is something wholly unnatural about this night...

Does he open himself up more to what he can discern?

((My spider sense is tingling!  :D  ))

With a bit of trepidation, Randy more fully opens himself up to get a better sense of what is going on.

Randy taps into his ability to peer into the borderlands between planes, and feels the thinning of a portal, some distance from where he is now, but still within the city. Some aspect of it reinforces the sense of fire and sulfur before it blinks out, and before his ability to sense portals fades, a second opens up in nearly the same place as the first one, but fades again, another opening near the others, maybe a few hundred feet away from where they were centered.

((Detect Portal expended.))

Ulmwin's about to bound off when he notices Randy's taken on a rather strange expression, a curious head tilt from the gnome...

Randy looks a bit pale and starts fervently cursing the fates, gods, and devils/demons that have brought about this situation.  He looks very grim indeed.  "There's a portal...but it seems to connect to the infernal planes.  It's not stable, but it keeps popping open and moving around. We're going to have to close the damned (literally) thing before we get a demon or devil infestation.  This could get bad quick. "  He rips off a rather pungent orc curse. "We won't have Holger to help this time.  Let's hope we get some support from the locals."

Ulmwin pauses for a few moments... And then starts saying a few very uncouth things in gnomish that would probably have the tavern family tell him to shut up while there are guests around.

"Alright, which way we ought to head? I'll fly ahead and try to scope it out."

Randy points in the direction  he can sense the portal in a gives a rough estimate to distance . "We need to see what's happening in that area.  SOMETHING is triggering this.  Be careful.  We don't know if there are other flyers up there or not.  We'll get the tavern folks to lock up tight and be ready to move out when you get back." 

With that Randy hurries back into the Tavern to get the owner to fortify the place.

Ulmwin is gonna fly out, trying to stick to just above the rooftops, scouting out what he can see.