Vakas jumps about and stretches, windmilling his arms as he prepares to go through this portal, everything feels nice and loose.  He sees Skritch comforting Sunhill and he reaches inside his inner coat pocket and pulls out his little buddy.  The lizard sits there in his palm looking at him.  He rubs the top of his head, speaking to him for a moment.  “We are going to be fine, little buddy.  Just stay tucked out of the way, out of danger.  Bring me good luck.  Hey, ah, Skritch, can you do that thing, and let me talk to him for a minute?  Let him know - - let him know that we’ll be okay, I’ll protect him, and I want him to stay with me.  Okay?  Can you do that for me?”

Dealuri, possibly feeling a bit too refreshed from her massage, charges straight in. "Cowabunga!" If she had taken a moment to think, she might have worried about the effects of wearing chain mail and carrying a shield, but then again, maybe not. 

Rachus recognizing the goblin fetish he takes a mental note of it. He double checks all his gear is stowed away with now dangling items should any fall during their teleportation. Once satisfied he looks to Olak "I am ...." 

Dealuri rushing past him interrupts what he was about to say. He just shakes his head and signals that he is ready to go.

Skritch telepaths general good vibes to Little Buddy. But he doesn't do Speak with Animals. They've already used up spells on Pelgara's tomb. They might need what little he has left on what they face next. 

He sends Vakas, "If it's all acorns n cream on the other side then yup, I can do more for you both." 

And in they go. 

"Cowabunga!" you all see Dealuri race toward the water.

"Odins Arse!" Olak cries out as he throws the fetish ahead of her into the pool. As it strikes the surface the water blazes out in a radiant light that envelopes Dealuri.

"Well what are you all waiting for!" Olak cries, "In you go after her!"

You all enter the blazing light and the world lurches. Light fills your vision and you feel a sudden rush of motion. 

You feel an almighty shove and you are all suddenly thrown from the gate once more and find yourselves standing next to another pool, similar to the one you entered. Passages lead up to the left and right hand side of the room.

"Well that was fun." Ember comments before dropping to her knees and vomiting. You all feel like doing the same!

Skritch checks himself all over. Is he wet? Is he bedraggled? Was there even water in that pool? Can he still recall some hint of home with a twitch of his nose? 

He takes Sunhill by the ears and looks at him eye to eye. 

"Well," he thinks at Sunhill, "you're still you. Maybe I'm still me..." 

OOC: You are all bone dry :) and as smelly as ever

After having arrived then emptying her stomach, Dealuri comments, "That was a buzz kill if I ever have had one." One last cough then she looks around. "Where in the Seven Hells are we and do we go left or right?" She looks and sniffs at the entrance to the two hallways in an attempt to learn something (Perception 9 and 15). 

As soon as he finds his footing Rachus clamps both hands over his mouth. Fighting the rising bile on his throat. He takes deep breaths through his nose to quell his stomach. After a moment he gulps back down the vomit threatening to spill out leaving him a sour burning taste in his mouth. 

"Okay... I am okay. Let's leave this pool room and see what is beyond this place."

If there is a clear exit, he will walk out to see what he can see.

Thanadol looks calmly around taking in his surroundings. "Well, that was abrupt. Let us not hang around!"

Skritch Messages Dealuri, "Any indication as to the, er, best, best way to go?"

Dealuri  your eyes reveal little to favour one tunnel over another. However (with a 15), you sniff the air and the right hand passage causes you to recoil at the stench of damp, death and old iron; while to the left the dank smell of old stone is laced with a breath of cool fresh air.

Dealuri reports, “Death and decay to the right. Sunshine and happiness to the left.” 

Vakas drops to his knees and a little something comes up in his mouth, he spits on the ground.  He looks up wearily, "Huh?  Which way?  My stomach feels off.  I wasn't expecting that."  He slowly stands, looking at Dealuri.  "How do you know that?  Smell something?  Ohh, my head..."  

On the advice of Dealuri you all head up to the left, following her nose to the surface. You are climbing for around an hour before you start to see the first signs of dim light up ahead. The passage begins to grow wider and the ascent begins to level out until you all find yourselves standing in a broad cavern. Around three hundred feet ahead you see an open passage leading out onto the surface.

"What is that?" Ember whispers pointing what looks like a large flat boulder that sits between you and the exit.

The boulder moves.  Legs emerge and a large tail rises to brush the ceiling of the cavern. Those of you with dark vision see clearly the shape of the giant scorpion as it rises from the ground. It does not appear to have seen you and after several agonising moments it ceases its movement and settles once more growing still and silent.

It is a well known fact where Skritch comes from - and presumably just as well known here on this wonderful world too - that, in the same way mongooses and cobras have an ongoing rivalry - that scorpions and squirrelfolk have a thing. Like this whole thing. Like, it's a lot. 

"Foul poisoner," he telepaths to all within 30', caring not who receives his thoughts. "Carapaced coward. Vile venomous villain! I spit at thee from Yggdrasill's bough!" 

He fires up Club Smacktime and waves it overhead as he rears up on Sunhill. 

"Who's with me?" he all but mindroars into his companions' brains as he glances round expectantly at them. 

Vakas looks at Skritch like he has lost his mind.  He messages to him, "It hasn't seen us... maybe we pass by it?  Why pick a fight with that thing if we don't need to?"  Vakas looks for any way around...

"You want this perverted poisoner,  this epitome of evil to... live? Why?" 

Skritch doesn't understand his companion's reluctance. Doesn't everyone despise scorpions, no matter their size? Everyone of them is evil. Everyone of them wishes agonising death on all squirrelkind. Without quarter. 

We did not bring the battle to them. It was they to us. But, surely, it is the us who will finish it. Them. Er... 

Hmm. Maybe it is not a matter of common acceptance among folk of this world. 

Shaking with rage, but doing his furry best to contain himself, Skritch chitters at the foul chittenous demonspawn from back with the group. 

He teletells all, "Very well. But be wary. These fiends are lethal. They live for nothing more than ending a young pup's life in agony as it sleeps. Stay vigilant. Stay sharp. Stay, er, frosty."