Varielky answers neither Xurl nor Benita. She won't be able to convince Xurl, and Benita... why does she stay outside? Is she waiting for Xurl?

"If any of the empirial forces try to cross in," Varielky shouts to Snow, to be heard over the tumult of the passing riders, "close the gates immediately! Don't wait for us!" From the descriptions she heard so far, they cannot allow any empirial forces in the core.

She then runs out, finding a path between the running hyenas. She planned on helping Xurl dispatch the heavy riders, to clear the way for the coming hyenas so they can get in faster. But once outside, Varielky spots the giant climbing down and changes direction, to stand near where he's climbing down, to block its path to the portal - if she can even stop someone like that. "The giant is no longer held back!" She alerts Snow.

How big is the giant, more or less? Also, can Varielky reach a spot where the giant is within reach/somewhere below him? If she can, she'll run ovee there, or as close as she can. She'll try to stay between him and the portal (I'm not so sure where he's climbing doen from, but that spot might also be just at the edge of the portal if he's climbing from straight above it). If she can reach the giant, she'll attack it. Otherwise, she'll ready an attack for when it is within reach.

Round 4 Results

Despite the range and leaping giant hyenas between Auger and the lead horseman, the southerner chooses his moment, steps out and fires a radiant bolt at the lead rider, then follows up with two more bolts which pound into the back of his chestplate, caving it in, his upper body with it. The imperial’s warhorse is knocked off its feet by the force of the bolt as well. The southerner barely steps aside in time to avoid the next rush of leaping lupines as they barrel into the entrance.

Snow stands at the ready.

Varielky strides out, hyenas leaping over her or breaking to one side. The giant is over 40’ tall (and Varielky assesses, must have over 200HP). It started climbing down the escarpment on its last turn. Varielky can’t reach it during this round from where she is. 

The roc-riders turn on the injured Hand of Ellosh, shooting firebolts at him, charring his skin and lungs. He drops and his spiritual weapon fades to nothing.

Benita takes off after Granophyre, though not at her usual lightfooted gait. Xurl jumps onto warhorse 1 and spurs it uphill to shove the C2 horse off the path. It, the riderless horse, falls 20’ down and turns a hoof. The Hand 2’s spinning magical blades attack C4.

C4 now spurs his mount, which like Xurl, pushes the intervening horse off the path to fall below—that horse regains its footing after taking falling damage. The C4 rider attacks Xurl, drawing blood with a pair of longsword strikes. The cavalry line moves forward.

Orcs 33, 35, 36, 37, 39, and 42-48 stream through the portal, leaving only 8 more, the Hand, and Xurl in the cleft, all of whom draw considerable fire from the crossbowmen, though the imperials on the cliff edge receive a return volley from the mounted orcs as well.

A pair of crossbow bolts deflect off of Varielky’s armor. 

The giant, Varielky notes, has climbed partway down the escarpment using boulders and trees as support. He now climbs two-thirds way down. On his next turn he will be able to attack.

[OOC: The giant is immune to being knocked prone and to pushing attacks, except by other giant-sized opponents.]

You are now situated like so.

(Except I forgot to move Varielky, who I think is at d10)

Please post for Round 5.

Snow cranes his neck to see what is happening outside, getting frustrated at the lack of visibility.

"Times up, we need to close the portal", he shouts to those outside.

He then makes ready to flip the switch.

Action: Ready - flip switch when either Varielky and Xurl are both inside or if it looks like any imperials are about to enter.

Auger looks out through the portal again. The Orcs are almost in! But Varielky was still out there with Xurl, who had taken a wound in the fighting. "Get in here! We need to close this thing!," Auger yells, surprisingly without a cough this time. The Imperial cavalry appeared to be still coming, he decided to focus his efforts on them. Killing them was taking too long, and he might catch someone else in the wrong spell, but there were still some other tricks at Auger's disposal. They just required him to concentrate.

Auger brings his perception into the Sea of Stars and then through it finds the mind of one of the nearby cavalrymen, yes, that one towards the lead of the line would work. Auger reaches into the cavalryman's mind and fishes about for a moment. What would... matter? What could work on this individual? A lost love? A fear? Perhaps a fear for another...

An image forms in the cavalryman's mind and it attempts to overtake his reality. The ground in front of him and his steed is boiling up with acid! The acid is rising up the path! Magic! He had to pull his horse back and keep the entire line of cavalry from proceeding or all of the horse would die with no meaning! Pull back! Away! Back up the path! Now! Now!

Auger then sends another bolt from the Yemma's Diadem at a cavalryman up the line to try and add to the confusion before stepping back out of direct view .

Details:

• Action: Phantasmal Force targeting C5 (the rider). INT 19 Saving throw. The effect lives in the U/V/15/16 10' square. Damage if the rider somehow perceives self as touching the Acid: 3 psychic damage
• Bonus Action: Yemma Bolt targeting C7. 16 +11 = 27. 8 points of radiant damage.
• Move: Back and forth to ensure he can view targets before taking cover behind and through the portal.
• Note: D&DB die roller not working for me as I write this, will log in later to provide rolls. [edit - just needed to clear Chrome cache, roller is back]

Despite just running out, Varielky sees there's nothing left to do outside. Benita went in, all the orcs did too. Only Xurl remains, engaged in combat all alone. The giant, whom she thought she would try to stop, is much larger than she initially thought - she realises upon seeing it from such a short distance. Or, perhaps it was just perspective. Either way, Varielky runs back into the portal, calling to Xurl: "Get inside! Now!"

Round 5 Results

The cavalryman fails his save against Auger’s spell and is taken by the warlock’s illusion. As described, the man will only take damage if his steed moves forward. C7 takes 8HP radiant damage. Varielky retreats with the others to within the portal while Snow prepares to throw the lever.

Granophyre and Benita continue running down the causeway. Xurl turns his mount around, kicks his heels, and the steed almost unwillingly moves ahead at his urging, leaping toward the portal, but Xurl turns again, waiting just outside the door for the remaining orcs.

The Cavalry is unable to advance due to C4 being halted – except C5, who urges his mount to leap down to the cleft floor where he attacks and kills one of the orcan riders.
The remaining Hand retreats into the portal in answer to a barked command from Xurl.

Hyena riders 32, 34, 50, 51, 52, 53, and 55 run for the portal, however when they arrive there, one of the roc rider’s held fireball spells goes off. Orcs 32 and 34 survive, but 50, 51, 52, 53 and 55 are all burned to a crisp. Xurl is badly burned. The fireball encompasses Auger, Varielky and Snow as well. All: please take 40HP fire damage, or half that if you make a DEC15 saving throw. 

The imperial crossbowmen take aim at Xurl, who is dodging. Four bolts hit him and he slumps in the saddle just outside the portal, overcome by these final wounds.

The Giant drops to the cleft floor, turns, and, pulling a tree from the cliff wall, winds up and bats the warhorse upon which Xurl is mounted, killing it with one blow and knocking it and Xurl 30’ into the portal. This last ally entering the portal was the trigger for Snow’s held action. He pulls the lever, and the doors slam shut, lightning tracing up and down the marbling as the doors seal into a smooth, solid wall.

You hear a resounding slamming sound: the giant clubbing the magically sealed door. It might not hold forever, you think.

We will continue after we find out how you fared against the fireball.

Auger sees the riders coming through, yes, yes, all of them? Almost all of them... Varielky comes in. More, more, almost. Hold it, why is Xurl stopping? 

Then hell itself seems to fall upon them.

Only at the last moment is Auger's coat able to pull him back to an alcove as it securely covers face and arms, saving him from some of the heat and the blast. Oddly all Auger can think for the moment is that stopping such a power seemed within his grasp. He just needed to think on it some. In the Sea of Stars. Even though he evades the worst of it, Auger begins to slump to the floor. His younger body would have struggled through this, but now... he is near collapse. Auger misses Xurl's body flying in entirely. When the resounding slam hits the door right next to him he ceases his slump and stands straight and as tall as he can. No. Not right now. Its still not safe. Auger looks to the others. Are they burnt, can he do anything for them? And then to Xurl, how did he get over there? That crazed Orc might have made it?

Details

• Made DEX saving throw (thank you magical coat for advantage): 20 +2 = 22.
• Made concentration saving throw, also with advantage due to Warcaster feat: 13 +2 = 15 (C4 still thinks there acid boils up towards him, 6 points of psychic damage if he touches it.)
• If needed, Auger can heal one player via use of Wither and Bloom. That might include Xurl unless someone gets to him sooner.

Snow waits anxiously for Xurl to enter through the portal, almost certain that if he is not with them to control his Orcs it would go very badly. He curses under his breath when the chieftain almost makes it across the threshold only to turn in place just outside.

And then the entrance is filled with orange light and heat. He presses himself against the wall of the tunnel, in amongst the mechanism as much as possible, and manages to avoid the brunt of the flames.

Looking outside as the flames are extinguished, he sees most of the Orcs Xurl awaited were merely charred remains, and the chief himself gravely injured. And then Xurl is peppered with arrows, and slumps forward. Thinking it could get no worse, he is wracked with indecision whether to close the portal or not, but if there is even a hope Xurl can be healed he had to wait. And then the giant appears, clubbing Xurl and his horse through the doorway.

That was it, he pulls on the lever, hoping that the mechanism was quick enough to stop the giant entering and breathing a sigh of relief as it does.

He quickly turns and reaches out with a word of magic to hopefully stop Xurl dying, as he starts to move down the tunnel, trying to block out the noise of the giant's club that reverberates around him.

"Be careful down there! Remember there might be defences", he calls out.

Dex Save: 15+6=21 (success - half damage - had 12 temp hit points so only 8 proper hit points taken)
Held Action: Pull the lever and close the door
Bonus Action: Healing Word on Xurl - 2+5=7 Hit Points Healed
Movement: 30ft down the tunnel towards Granophyre

Seeing that Xurl yet again stopped outside, Varielky was about to call Xurl one last time, to tell him they'll really close the doors without him. But before she can make a sound, an unexpected ball of flames flares nearby, and Varielky is too slow to raise her shield to protect herself. As sudden as it appeared, the fire's gone. But now, Varielky is singed. Severe burns on whatever areas her armour doesn't fully protect, and her long hair partly burnt, too.

She still stands, despite it all. Moving is painful, but now that they're inside - but with all the orcs - she knows they can't really stop. First, she should catch up with Granophyre and make sure he's safe. She only spends a moment to down her waterskin to quench her burnt throat, before forcing herself to move, despite the pain.

Dexterity save: (4,10 - advantage)+1=11.
Second Wind - 10+8=18 points healed.
Movement: Down the hall, as far as she can get towards Granophyre and Benita.

Xurl, who had been on the point of death, groans or whispers a roar, it is hard to define the sound, when Snow sends him healing. He had slid upon the causeway floor to land in a twisted knot, the orc riders had surrounded him, eyes wide with concern. The Hand of Ellosh had knelt at his side, growling angrily. Xurl’s return to consciousness sends the chieftain leaping up in an instant, taking hold of the Hand’s throat and lifting him off the ground, thinking him an enemy in a semi-conscious rage. But in another moment, Xurl recovers his senses and, not gently, lowers the Hand again. The orcs bellow a triumphant shout at their leader, who shouts at them in return to form up and be ready.

Snow and Varielky follow Strewn and Benita down the causeway. Xurl follows you, and the orcs follow him.

Auger experiences unexpected difficulty maintaining his spell once the door is closed. Please roll concentration once more, at disadvantage (which your war caster feat cancels out: roll normally).

When you arrive at the end of the causeway, with its framing guardhouses, which are empty, the passage opens out into a large vault, like a plaza. Fresh, mineral-smelling air dances in the open space. Its walls and ceiling sparkle with the same gentle cloudy luminescence as the causeway. Lit by this gray light, you see a finely made well in the center of the plaza, and at the plaza’s opposite end, glowing with a stronger magical light of its own, an ornate archway formed of subtly colored gray, black, red, and flow-banded pumice dacite embossed in its rich patterning with gold leaf. The arch stands 40 feet wide and tall, and at its keystone is carved a 10’ wide emblem whose design you recognize. It matches the etching on the mysterious ax presented to Granophyre Strewn months ago by Omar El Idrissid at his home in Ishi Ammah. The etching which Granophyre identified as the coat of arms of the fabled Clan Scoria.

The echoing booms continue from the closed entrance, as you stand now at the guardhouses at the junction between the causeway and plaza. The ornate archway I described is perhaps 200’ in front of you across the plaza.

"Well Granophyre", Snow says as he looks into the plaza from the exit of the causeway, "You made it".

He looks around at the others present. "I am not you expected to arrive like this mind", he adds with a tired chuckle.

"Have we got time to pause here, and rest a little? I have a spell that will help but it takes time to perform the ritual. I would rather not explore further without being able to read the signs. I am also pretty sure some here could use the rest".

If people agree, he will begin casting his ritual to comprehend languages. If people are resting for a longer period, he will time the ritual so he can cast that, and Detect Magic as a ritual so they are complete when people are read to leave.

Aching and mind wandering, thoughts of his family dominating, Auger slowly follows the others, as if in a dream. My wife. My children. Will they even recognize me? Bringing himself back into the moment Auger notices a strange pressure upon him. Oh, the spell. Touching the cavalryman's mind was somehow harder. Feeling that his spell is more difficult to maintain through the door is somehow comforting. Maybe some magical protection will make it harder to get in. Auger lets the spell go as he moves away.

"A rest. A rest is exactly what I need," Auger says. He looks back at the booming portal. "Granophyre. We are here. But so is the Empire. Just outside that door. They will bring him... Omar? Won't he figure out how to open it? His family's life will depend on it."

Ah, family. Auger's mind wanders again

Some play notes:

• Auger is at very low hit points and has exhausted a lot of spell slots.
• A short rest will bring two Level 3 slots back.
• We have not done any particular accounting for Auger's advanced age, are there any attributes that need to be adjusted downwards?

Now that Varielky caught up with Granophyre and he's all fine, she comes to a halt. "We might have stirred the hornet nest, but when have we ever peacefully made progress?"

A wrong movement causes Varielky to momentarily writhe in pain. Her whole body still felt like it was on fire. Every small movement felt like getting whipped. But she doesn't complain, nor does she ask to stop, despite knowing she needs to.

"But now that we're here... what happens next?" She asks Granophyre. They were very focused on finding the place, but unlike the empire that wanted the supposed weapons inside, as far as she could tell, none of them had any plans with the contents of this place. But just leaving, now that the empire knows of the core's location, wasn't an option either. "They say a warrior with no equal lives without purpose, as there is nothing to test their mettle against. What does a scholar do, after he found that which he sought for so long?"

((OOC: Varielky needs a short rest too, but she won't admit it. It might be pointless, but just in case we meet Hollow Ones again, maybe it's best to let Auger heal a little.))

Granophyre seems at first to be stunned, standing there wordlessly as he has been. But after having traveled with him this long, you know his moods. Although his body is quite still, his eyes are not at all quiet, not dulled by exertion. Indeed, the opposite: wide open, measuring, gauging, penetrating deep into the story told by each stone, every symbol within view. It takes him a moment to respond. He answers Varielky first.

“Oh my dear Varielky. You could not be more right. Especially now, without Tuff, it is only my curiosity that moves me forward step by step. But having found this place, there is a lifetime of research ahead. More than I could ever manage on my own. Those who come after me will still have their hands full, I am sure. And I will not waste any time dawdling,” he finishes, with a cheerful smile, as looks toward the dacite archway. He answers Auger before moving onward.

“Omar? Omar, hmmm yes Auger, he is an astute scholar, diligent. But what is there to discover? The entrance is where it is, it simply was not seen for what it was. Until now. The question is, can he enter. Snow, you locked it, did you not?” (We will say that Snow was in fact able to recognize a locking mechanism and activate it before moving on. I had forgotten to mention it, but I feel certain you would have wanted to utilize it.)

“Yes, the door is strong. Very strong. We have some time to explore. But… I see no… bodies. I would have thought… where are they?”

The giant's pounding at the door dwindles somewhat. Perhaps the enormous creature is losing interest.

Benita had joined you at the entrance to the vault, having slowed considerably as she moved down the causeway. The comely Indallian suddenly cries out, doubling over in discomfort. When she looks up again, there is fear in her eyes. You notice her hair. One long forelock has turned silver from root to tips. There are crinkles around her eyes which were not there this morning. Auger, your arcane intuition tells you she has suffered the same time-warping aging from Takal Demesh’s guardian that you have. And when she stands, you all see that her flat abdomen is no longer flat; it bulges. Not like that of a mother-to-be at full term, but visibly. There is a small pool below her reflecting the scintillating cavern light as it channels along the cracks. Her water has broken. 

“Vee!,” she whispers. “The baby is… coming!”

“Neeta!,” Xurl yells, and he calls the Hand of Ellosh to Benita’s side.

Despite the emotion of this moment, all eyes on Benita, Snow notices something in his peripheral vision. A single figure, head-to-toe covered in golden plate mail, weaponless, has stepped into the open under the dacite archway, and there stops, standing with hands at their sides, to silently watch you.

Auger steps over to join those surrounding Benita. Three times his wife had given birth, three times he had witnessed this great moment of someone coming into the world. This seemed... different somehow. Noting the silver lock and some signs of aging upon her, Auger calls out, "She was affected by the Gynosphinx like me, though not so strongly. Perhaps -- perhaps the babe as well. We have to deliver it now, and it may... it may be older than usual." Auger notes the age of the Hand (OOC: I think this surviving one and the other were described as very young earlier) and he wonders if it knew much about delivering a babe and under these circumstances. 

Forgetting his burns and his aching bones, Auger draws a little bit of power from the Yemma's Diadem and brings some light into the space and then sets aside his experiences and journeys and powers from the Sea of Stars and whispers a brief prayer to Piya, thinks on what he observed and how he helped in his wife's previous deliveries and readies himself to assist in this process as much as is needed. 

"Yes, I believe I did what is required to lock the portal", Snow replies to Granophyre.

He also soon comes to the conclusion that there is no time to pause for ritual casting of spells. Between Granophyre's eagerness, and Benita going into labour, if anything it was more frenetic. He watches Auger spring in to action, and is about to walk over to offer his support when the figure in golden armour comes into view.

He puts a hand on Granohpyre's shoulder to get his attention, and whispers "Varielky", to get her's as well, without distracting those aiding Benita. He then nods towards the golden figure and starts to make his way slowly towards it, making no gestures that could be construed as hostile.

"They are unarmed, we should remain so too. We need to make sure the Orcs don't do anything rash", he whispers back to Varielky.

As he moves, he surveys the person that has appeared, trying to work out what race they might be from their stature.

Perception: 2+9=11 (Passive: 19 - same for investigation if that is more suitable)

So soon! But that's impossible. Even if it were Bali's child, it hasn't been that long. No, Auger must be right. It must be the same as has affected to him. Does that mean Benita might give birth to a fully developed, several years old person?

Varielky would immediately rush to Benita's side, but Snow stops her before she can do so. She briefly looks in the direction Snow indicates.

She's torn, Snow can easily tell. She feels she should be there for Benita, yet she knows they can't let their guard down, especially if a potential enemy is present. Furthermore, she realises she has no clue when it comes to childbirthes. Not only has she never seen one, it never interested her much. Even her periods were rather subtle - a mere inconvenience once a month, she barely felt connected to that world. And now, even if she rushes to Benita, what could she possibly do? She'll probably just get in the way. The orcs and their... breeding program, they must have seen many labours. Hopefully, they know what to do.

The best option would probably to tell Xurl to manage his men, but given that he is likely to be the father, should she really bother him right now?

Helpless, Varielky turns to Snow - despute being now younger than her, the closest person she can turn to - in search for guidance. Even if she doesn't say so, her eyes clearly ask for it. But instead, she calls to Benita: "I'm here if you need me!" And then, she asks Snow: "Can you try to talk with them through your... silent speech? To find out who they are, or tell them who we are, without alerting the others."

The Hand, Auger notes, gets right to work. In the orc-city of Brod Khagkul, the younger clerics are taught fertility and birthing rites first, and those who excel are then led to the path of conflict and confrontation as the Hands of Ellosh. You must assume that both Hands fell to the powers of your azhvuv allies during your escape from the orc town you infiltrated in search of La Cass. The two young orcs were promoted to fill the vacancies thus created. This Hand, though green as a warrior cleric, is not only well equipped to handle the current situation, but possessed of recent experience in midwifery, if an orcan male could ever be thought of as such, a midwife. Yet he welcomes, though frowning, Auger’s experience as well.

He uses potions and charms close at hand to sterilize a water gourd, boil water within, and clean some rags, and orders the other orcs away from the area, positioning a pair of hyenas to rest on their sides and provide the privacy that some human mothers-to-be demand.

Xurl holds Benita’s arm and gently guides her to sit, squats upon his haunches next to La Cass, and they have a brief conversation before it seems they both decide he should not remain at her side.

Benita at first stares daggers at Auger, ‘what are you doing here??,’ but we’ll assume the southerner settles her concerns when he reminds her of his experience in this area. The Indallian’s eyes follow Varielky as the shield-maiden retreats, rolls her eyes while smiling briefly, observing her friend’s powers in some areas and complete naivete in others, and then grimaces in pain.

“Flock!!”

Xurl stands, barks commands in an undertone to the hyena riders, sending six to keep eyes on the front door, and the rest to file into the plaza and line the wall farthest from the archway, allowing all a moment to rest, although all now see the armored figure under the arch and frown threateningly. One enemy was nothing to fear so long as they kept their distance.

Snow, from afar, is uncertain what race the armored individual might be. Indeed, there is a vagueness about its form which is in itself a curiosity.  Probably a tall, thinner Cindarrine, or a shorter human. Or a human woman. Maybe an elf or half-elf. Not a Cat or a Chimp. Thin under that armor, to be sure. It remains where it was.

Granophyre rushes to Benita’s side with others, but seems confident that the Hand and Auger have the situation under control. He stands and joins Snow and Varielky.

“What new wonder is this? Are there survivors? Or could this be an illusion?” he glances back and forth between Snow and Varielky, seemingly with no more answers than either of you. He begins to walk forward, guardedly, toward the figure.

Snow looks to Varielky, "I will try and communicate, but Granophyre is right, we cannot be certain what they are, or what it is. Do they look Cindarrine to you? They are too thin, right?".

He moves forward, keeping pace with his eager companion.

"I am not even sure I speak their language. I have means to resolve that, but my powers are not infinite and I may need them for other things before we are done", he adds briefly looking back at Benita. "You've got this Benita", he calls across to her, lacing his words with inspiration.

"But first things first..", he says as he turns his attention back to the golden newcomer.

With that, he points a finger at the golden figure, and whispers in common, "Greetings, I am Snow Das. My companions and I come in peace, having been looking for some time for the Core of Dacite".

He will wait a moment for a response, before trying again in his best Dwarvish. If that doesn't illicit a response, and he isn't interrupted, he will try Kingdoms, Elvish, Orracan, Shian amd finally even Daelkyr.

All the time, he will be slowly making his way across the plaza with Granophyre and Varielky (assuming they carry on as well).

Bonus Action: Bardic inspiration for Benita - 1d8
Actions: Message possibly many times - if he has to move to within 120ft, he will do so slowly first.

Noting the experience of the young Hand, Auger is thankful because in truth he had never been the primary caregiver for these matters. Still he knew there were things to do and he sets about to assist the young Hand as best as he can, "What do you call yourself?" he asks him at one point. At the moment where Benita swears out loud, Auger is encouraging. "Yes, yes. Get it out. I'm sure you will have more to say, now is a time when you get to say what you want and feel. Let it out."