Trotting around town and humming, your pony seems to be enjoying the tune, too, you truly don't see anything out of the ordinary. Roderick is picking up some pint glasses that were left on the sills of the windows around the tavern, a large, heavily armored dwarf laughs as you pass by humming his favorite tune, the guards and townsfolk easily make way for the pony to walk through, and you catch Eyani, the gnome merchant, haggling with a produce seller for cheaper apples. As you near you hear her saying, "C'mon, you're closing up, we both know you're just going to feed some of these to your pigs, can't you just do a copper piece per apple?!"

On the opposite side of the street, however, you see a shadow flicker between the Crossroads Inn and the mill. It looks odd, as though the shadow itself stood up, but you didn't see anyone casting it. Turning in that direction you notice something dash behind the Mill House and vanish out of sight. You also notice Jalud strutting around the center of the street with a group of about 3 of his regular thug buddies, headed for Eyani and the apple merchant.

Winding your way up this path, Tharin looking about for anything that may be out of place from his last visit, nothing out of the ordinary catches anyone's eye. Stepping around the corner to begin making your way up the next ramp you are approximately halfway up the path, the mouth of the tunnel still not visible at this angle. The drop to the water is now about 150' down an irregular cliff, the jagged rocks darkening in the shadow of evening. Directly in front of Tharin as he rounds the switchback a small, disgusting, green beast materializes and swings at him with razor-sharp claws! Standing about 2 feet tall with long, slightly curved black horns on its ugly head, huge, pointed ears, and a barbed tail that swishes behind it, this scaly creature hacks at the elf! Tharin takes 6 points of slashing damage and must make a constitution saving throw as he feels some other effect attempting to take place!

At the same time, just down the path behind Kynortas (approximately 10'), a second, identical beast appears but this one cocks its ugly head to one side and hisses and burbles something at the fighter. Its face contorts into an impossibly long mouth, where once its buggy, pitch-black eyes and flat face had been are now a snaking maw and bulbous, white, dripping eyeballs that spin erratically. The air around them both is cold and goosebumps form on the humanoids as the temperature drops about 10 degrees rapidly. Rhea is staring, wide-eyed at the scene and her legs begin to wobble...  Kynortas must make a wisdom saving throw as the creature attempts to cloud his mind!

Kynortas head is reeling as he tries to wrap it around whatever is in front of him.

Wisdom: 13

Whatever is happening he heard Tharin take a blow and this.... thing in front of him is obviously not trying to help him. He readies to fight.

Initiative: 6

As the monsters materialized around them, Aracynth reflexively pushed the Lady closer to the cliffside to draw his greatsword. He turned toward the beast fighting Tharin and studied it, trying to identify what it was as he tapped into his Divine Sense. 

Arcana : 8 

Initiative : 19

The small creatures appear to be communicating, though in a language none of you understand. Gurgles, hisses, and guttural sounds emanate from both of them, one at the top of the path blocking Tharin and one at the rear, blocking Kynortas. Both Kynortas and Tharin resist the effects beset upon them with ease, pushing through the fear and poison respectively. Aracynth pushes out with his divine sense and attempts to determine the nature of these things. His knowledge is not enough, as he has never seen them or heard of their ilk before, but he can definitely tell they are aligned with evil and catches that they are the source of two points of resonance of fiends in the vicinity. 

After the surprise attack they were also ready to strike before you once more, swinging at their respective targets once again. The first creature attacks Tharin with its jagged claws again, finding better purchase than before (rolling a natural 20) and he takes 5 damage and must resist the poisonous effect once again! The second swings at Kynortas, frustrated he was unaffected by the frightening visage, but its claws scrape loudly and harmlessly against his armor.

The initiatives are as follows: enemies, Aracynth, Lady Rhea, Tharin, Kynortas.

Aracynth didn't have a name to assign to the chittering beasts surrounding them, but he knew beyond doubt they were evil, and that was more than enough. 

"Tharin! Get back!!" he called before carefully moving past the wounded Elf, and interposing himself between the monster and his comrade. Now, face to face with their attacker, he raised his greatsword in both hands and swung a downward cut at its hideous face. "Bahamut take you, Fiend!!" 

Attack: 25 Damage: 23

The small creature wails as its face and part of its body are rent by the tip of the sword. Somehow it manages to cling to life, but only just barely. Despite the massive swing, the creature did not take nearly as much damage as that greatsword would normally deal... "Bahamut will not take me, nor will you! My master will take you all!" It coughs and sputters in common.

The Lady Rhea takes her action to steady herself behind Kynortas, taking the dodge stance in case one of the creatures slips past and attempts to attack her.

Tharin gratefully lets Aracynth past him, clutching at his stomach where the small creature stabbed at him. He concentrated on his breathing and focused on maintaining consciousness 

Constitution 13

He takes out his bow and nocks an arrow, aims at the creature whi wounded him, and lets it fly.

Attack: 23 Damage: 11

Sneak Attack 1

Firing point-blank at the fiend, Tharin looses his arrow into its ugly maw, sending it straight through its head and thudding heavily into the ground behind it. The small creature falls back from the impact and impales itself a second time on the arrow, fletching now sticking through its neck. Within seconds the body decays, passing through all stages and turning to dust, leaving nothing but the shaft of Tharin's shot sticking out of the path in front of you. Tharin again resists the poisonous effect and pushes out the miasma through force of will.

Lashing out with the spear twice, Kynortas finds fleshy spots on the small fiend quite easily. It snarls and reels from the first stab, and the second one impales it and it pulls against the shaft of the spear before succumbing to its wounds. It seems to have been less effective than what you had hoped, but it got the job done. This one, too, fades from existence by rapidly decomposing and it psychically utters something in a language none of you understand before blowing off the cliff as a cloud of dust.

No more of these things appear to be in the vicinity, as Aracynth only found the two points of resonance from his first divine sense. You are safe for now, about halfway to the culmination of the path with the tunnel into the rocks. Lady Rhea relaxes a little and whispers, "Is it safe to continue? I think those things were invisible! What were they?!"

Damn these squat devils! Tharin maintained pressure on the open wound on his abdomen and turned to Aracynth 

"I seem to have a recurring problem of not keeping myself to myself. Could you spare a hand? We should be close to the cave. Lady Rhea, is that where you wish to go?"

"Here Tharin, just a moment." Aracynth conjured the healing powers he was becoming ever more familiar with and laid his softly glowing claw on the open wound. 

Lay on Hands : 5 HP

He turned to the Lady after finishing his ministrations on the Elf. "I have never seen fiends of their ilk before, though it is beyond my doubts they were evil in nature, and on a course of nefarious purpose. If they had survived but a moment more, we might have been able to learn something from them. The one who survived my sword mentioned something of their 'Master', and that being may be the one sowing discord in Altinus." He sighed. "Without them to confirm this though, it's all a moot point.

You say that the cave entrance is just ahead, Tharin? I'll take point. Kynortas, you seemed to have managed yours alright. Please everyone keep your eyes and ears peeled. Hopefully, this nightmare will soon be over."

That Paladin begins leading the party forward along the path once again, following Tharin's and the Lady's guidance.

Kynortas nodded and kept a watch behind him. He tried to figure out why the stabs were not so effective using his spear.

Int check: 19

It was probably something to do with the creatures being magic but his spear killed it. He would stick with it for now. He would follow the group. The Lady seemed ok, but that elf had decided to let something hit him again. "Maybe I should buy him a shield and teach him how to use it." He thought to himself.

As you make your way up the rest of the path without incident, Lady Rhea gasps in excitement at the site of 6 armed guards standing at the entrance of the tunnel. Even looking about you did not see the entrance to the cave that Tharin saw previously off in the distance, at least in this light. The guards stand at attention, slamming their heels together and clanging their longswords to their shoulders in salute. One of them with a helm trimmed in gold steps forward and addresses the group, "Thank you for keeping the Lady safe. We can escort her from here. My Lady, your family awaits, please, the Duke was most insistent with his summons. We should not delay with night falling so quickly anyway."

The tunnel entrance is wide enough for 3 people to stand shoulder to shoulder and is lit every 80 or so feet by two opposing torches. Through the flickering light of the flames and dim light in between, it is difficult to make out the layout of the tunnel. It does seem to be bare, smooth, and kept free of clutter and pests, however. It appears to have been carved from the rock of the cliff very precisely.

Fizzbang perks up his head. He's always been fond of Eyani, nice girl that one. And he was equally unfond of thugs. Maintaining his disguise, but dropping his jaunty tune, moves closer to Jalad, Eyani, and the apple merchant.  Fizzbang keeps his eyes and ears open. Little good arises where Jalud is involved.

As the pony slows its gait and you sidle up near the group Jalud calls out, "Hey, 'Yani, how's about you show us some magic, eh? We know you like to show off! Me and the boys here could use some entertainment for the night..." he chides and the rest of his group chuckles menacingly.

"Oh, Jalud, I didn't see you coming! I thought that stench wafting my way was a troll! Sure... I can show you some magic, how about a nice big bonfire on your head...?" Eyani's face lifts into a smile,  but her eyes stay locked in a menacing glare.

"You light anything on fire and those pretty little hands of yours will have to twirl spells backwards the rest of your life. Oi! Max! Gimme some apples! We all know you're tossing 'em or feedin' 'em to those bratty kids a yours. Let us lighten your load!"

Max just shakes his head vigorously but says nothing. As you look at him now he appears to be a younger half-elven man. Light hair and fair features coupled with slightly pointed ears contrast heavily with his dark brown eyes and thick features. Not a fat man, but not someone who exercises regularly, Max seems somewhat simple to Fizzbang and he has always been happy to see him. Max is completely foreign to the magics of even his own heritage and enjoys Fizzbang's illusions. He is a bit of a stickler when it comes to selling his apples, though; notorious for only allowing nobility discounts. 

Jalud cracks his knuckles and the group with him fan out in front of Eyani and the stall. You are somewhat behind them and to the side, with a good view of Eyani, Max, and his piles of apples. As Jalud turns away from you he lowers his voice slightly, "You 'member what happened last time you refused us food, Max?"

"Would you mind if we followed you?  This seems to be the quickest way into town, and there was mention of a reward."  Tharin stows his bow and looks expectantly at the gold-helmed guard.  "I might also request additional healing from your ministrators.  We seem to have met with a few small nuisances on our way here."

Aracynth takes a step forward, after making sure everyone has reached the cave entry. He stowed his greatsword as he addresses the Guard with gold trimmed helm as well, "Yes, my Elven comrade has the right of it. We've been ambushed twice already today and would like to see the Lady back to her parents with our own eyes. The payment is merely what we were promised, but the Lady's safety is still our utmost concern. While we have no doubts about your own capabilities, it would sit ill with us if anything untoward were to beset you at this time."

Persuasion : 16