While Xarkris searches the bedroom, Salamander flops onto a bed and casts goodberry for more berries in his stash now ((he made 10 a while ago, though now I realize they disappear after 24 hours so depending on how long it's been since the the orc fight it will be lower at just the new 10)). He hands these over to Sly now (for her to keep). "Hold my berries." 

He then cracks his knuckles, takes a fighting stance in front of the unchecked door, ... and gingerly just unlocks it (if it can be unlocked).

As Salamander opens the door, Eggo Lass casts dancing lights to illuminate the room for the others.

Sly stands by at a careful distance, holding goodberries.

Xarkris scans the bedroom but finds no threats or even any items about. Seems it's all be raided. Meanwhile, Salamander goes to open the eastern door, Eggo Lass lighting the way. It opens to reveal a bathroom, complete with a toilet, bathtub, basin and indoor water pump (which would be an incredible luxury elsewhere, but you suspect being a renowned adventurer and living in an area with such a high water table would have something to do with it) However, one by one, you all turn to notice a human in a dusty brown shirt and matching trousers curled up on the floor. He's fairly tall, with short black hair and spectacles, and even though you've had a rocky experience with unconscious people in this dungeon previously, he's definitely not been poisoned and knocked out like Morgot, or is dead like Tebet, just asleep. Eggo Lass and Sly both roughly recognise his clothes as the uniform that Irabella was wearing all the way back in the fourth dungeon for the Tyraan Government Archaeology Department; a network of adventurers dedicated to recovering artifacts across the realm.

Sly pokes the sleeping man with a questioning hand.

"Sir? Are you horizontally oriented on your own volition? May we inquire about what brought you here?"

If he seems hurt, she will offer him a handful of goodberries (5).

The man awakes with a start and jumps back in fright, but seems to calm down slightly when he gets a better look at your faces. Cautiously, he gets up and says 'Well, sort of. I came in here to rest and hoped by the time I had awoken the pirates in the kitchen have moved so I continue onto the next leg of my journey. Can you please confirm whether or not they have left?' He doesn't seem wounded whatsoever, so you pass on offering him the goodberries.

Bilyur asks, "Why do you happen to be avoiding the Pirates? They aren't threatening, as far as we can tell, and they can no longer suspect you for the murder of their comrades, as that was confirmed to be the work of a giant snake. But no, they haven't left."

The man looks up sheepishly and says 'Well, I came in to the dungeon and there were bodies all over the place, so I just found the key with haste and little regard for them, and moved on. But when I heard the clatter and movement of the rest of the pirates past the door, I assumed they weren't friendly and decided to hide in here. Perhaps my prejudices came from a suspicion that these pirates might try to steal the treasure I'm looking for in future...Do you think you could ferry me through them across the portal, or at least inform them of my friendliness? I'm just awfully afraid of them, you see.'

Sly nods. "They are decidedly non-beligerent individuals, rest assured. As long as you don't seek to pilfer what they consider theirs, presumably."

The tiefling motions towards the room with the portal. "You're free to accompany us back to the portal."

The man nods and says 'That's very good to hear, and don't worry, what I seek isn't theirs. And thank you for allowing me to come with you through the portal, I promise I won't stick around too long before I go off on my own to continue my search, it has just been an awfully lonely journey all by myself since I parted with Irabella in the 4th Dungeon. I even found myself missing the company of Lisa Lilylips recently!' He chuckles to himself, and you then you all take a long rest to prepare for the next dungeon, either sleeping, healing wounds, or for Sly, taking time to attune to her new spellbook. You also learn that this adventurers name is Techi, and he's a sorcerer working for the Tyraan Government's Archeology Department, as Eggo, Sly and Bilyur suspected. 

Once you have completed the rest, you are welcome to head back to the portal room to go through to the 9th Dungeon!

[You've completed practically everything you could do this dungeon, so unless you want to do more roleplay with either Techi or the Pirates, you're ready to continue. Also, I don't know if anybody that was there remembers this, but Irabella mentioned a mage called Techi who was part of her party all the way back when you first met her!]

Xarkris finds a place to take a LONG REST and does so. 

I am ready to proceed to the next dungeon when everyone else is.

Bilyur also takes a long rest, giving a 2 hour prayer for Tebet's soul. 

Sly virtually disappears in her new book, carefully examining each page and jotting down copious notes. [She attunes to the alchemical compendium.]

The tiefling is as always quiet and doesn't much interact with her companions or the pirates. But eventually she gets up all the same when the others are ready to move on. She had found a worthy prize and she was keen to find more. Her alchemical studies would also require practical application of the knowledge she now possessed.

[All good to move on to the 9th dungeon from my side!]

After the 9th dungeon we level up, right?

As the others fall asleep Eggo Lass begins her trance, meditating on the phrase, "There's more than one way to skin a cat."

After finishing her trance she takes a stroll around the dungeon and then watches the party sleep for a while before starting to make breakfast.

Using create bonfire for a flame and prestidigitation for flavor she whips up another eagle egg with some cabbage in it for roughage for the group to eat.

Inventory: 9 eagle eggs -> 8.

[Yep, after the 9th Dungeon it's a level up, funny how you'll be a quarter of the way through the levels and only 10% through the whole campaign, but I want to chuck some hard monsters and powerful magic items at you!]

During the long rest Sly takes some time to attunes to her new spellbook, Bilyur prays, Salamander and Xarkris just sleep, and Eggo Lass falls into a trance before then preparing the group breakfast. After you've all eaten and prepared, you head out towards the pantry to pass through the Shadow Weave portal, Techi tagging along amongst your ranks, trying to look inconspicuous in the face of the Pirates, who bid you farewell and safe travels. Then, you enter into the gloom of the pantry, and one by one, filter through the Shadow Weave portal, and into the 9th Dungeon....

 Turtle Temple

As you sink into and out of the melancholy dream that is the dark transition to the next dungeon, hints and guidance are offered forth from faded memories of fallen adventurers:

 You all appear in a large open hall, the entrance to the Temple, a pleasant, well lit room with high ceilings, wide windows that allow light to stream in whilst still being obscured by Shadow Weave magic, and two passages leading north. Between the two doors is a large stone slab, with a passage etched into it in gold. It reads:

Ahead of you are two paths; The Path of The Knight, or the Path of The Mage.
The Path of The Mage is for those who are intelligent, observant and wise,
The Path of The Knight is for those who are strong, bold, and swift.
Make your decision wisely before continuing on.

Techi is the first to speak after reading it and says 'Looks like we have to choose a way to go. Tell you what, so I'm out of your way, I'll take whichever path you don't pick, how does that sound?' Xarkris, with his high passive perception, notices that the left door has Path of The Mage written above it, and the right door has Path of The Knight.

Before moving through the portal, Sly renews the floating disk in order to ferry the emeralds and armor pieces across.

After arriving, the mage rubs the bridge of her nose, trying to will away the headache of the shadow transition. It irked her to no end that, in the weave, they were totally vulnerable to any shenanigans the Blood Archivist might be up to.

To distract herself, she squints at the gold plate. Were these words to be taken literally, or was there some sort of trick?

She nods to Techi and says "I'm entirely bereft of any knightly qualities, so I vote for the Path of the Mage."

"My vote would be that we each go through the doors that fit us most, though it could be a trap. The path of the mage could be an attacker that's resistant to magic and incredibly strong, a mage's worst nightmare, and the other room could be a mage with magic that freezes those who are not intelligent, wise, or charismatic enough to resist. All in all I think it's best to stay together. Which door, I do not care."

[[ THE TURTLE MOVES! ]]

Eggo Lass ponders, "As delightfully devious as that sounds, Bilyur, would not this path have been set out prior to the arrival of the Shadow Weave? Perhaps it's a remnant of the Turtle's faith. In which case we should not fear a mindtrick. Though their tests of the heart may be perturbing."

Xarkris stares at the message between the 2 doors and speaks up, "This is a test of purity. I think we should split up. Bilyur and I should take the Path of the Knight. Sal, Sly, and Eggo Lass should take the Path of the Mage".