Caves of the Kobold Slave Masters

In response to Skritch, Dealuri says, If we can take a short break somewhere safe, I’m sure I can take care of myself and you can save the healing for later. Her eyes gleam golden as she peers ahead. She sniffs a bit as well, still getting used to these new abilities that came with the mark of Loki. (Perception 17) She wonders to herself if the old hag she hugged is doing well. 

Skritch gives himself a 1st level Cure Wounds, healing back to nearly full. He calls Sunhill to him and gives him a thorough inspection, making sure he is unhurt.

Then, noting Dealuri's intent to care for her self, and heeding Vakas' suggestion, he mounts up and heads into the cave, trusting hi (60') darkvision to reveal what's ahead. 

Vakas you move ahead silently through the grey stone archway. 

Skritch and Dealuri you follow the elf in. 

Dealuri as your thoughts stray toward the witch the mark on your arm begins to itch and then burn. Make a wisdom saving throw please.

The archway swallows you all like the gullet of some ancient, stony beast. Beyond its jagged lip, the ground falls away into a wide, sloping throat of grit and cracked earth, plunging deep into the black bowels of the wasteland. The air here grows stale, smelling of dry rot and the cold, mineral breath of the deeps.

Down you go, thirty feet of treacherous footing, until whatever light you bare dies against the massive bulk of the inner gates. They are of dark oak, thick enough to stop a battering ram and grey with the dust of centuries, yet they groan now with the weight of the madness beyond. From the far side of the wood comes a cacophony that curdles the blood: the savage, wordless war cries of kobolds, and the guttural, bass roars of beasts that had never known the sun.

The great gates seem to offer blood and battle, but they are not the only way. To the north, the wall was pierced by a tunnel as black as a raven’s wing, winding further down into the lightless roots of the earth. Beside the tunnel stands a door of heavy timber, cinched tight with rusted bands of iron. Across the passage, on the southern wall, its twin stared back—a silent, iron-bound sentinel in the gloom. Darkness waits in every direction, and the steel in your hands feels very cold indeed.

OOC: mapping coming soon :)

Skritch will trot back and forth (OOC, that's if I've understood the layout correctly), between the two side options, checking out the smaller doors for any indication of the more promising way to go. He's looking for which is the least travelled, getting Sunhill to sniff, explore and examine as well. 

"What say you, companions? Skritch thinks," (Skritch is trying out referring to himself in the third Ekorre), "er, Skritch thinks the least travelled way may present us with the least number of foes to vanquish. ... Thoughts?" 

Here are some rolls in case any of them are of use: 
Perception: 11
Survival: 10
Investigation: 7

WIS save 18

Will wait for the map :)

Vakas heads to the passageway extending into the dark to the east, kneeling and smelling, listening, and looking into the dark, trying to hear any telltale sounds, direction, nature and location.  

Perception : 21

Dealuri you feel a wave of dizziness and your vision blurs for a moment before you take a deep breath and steady yourself. For a moments it felt like the old witch Glimgriss was standing beside you, as if you could feel her arm on your shoulder. The mark she gave you burns for a moment more then fades. Something has changed within you, the enhanced senses remain but now there is something more, something beneath your flesh. You know if you just concentrate for a moment in the right way... and then it is gone. (Next time you enter battle make a wisdom saving throw) (with a 17 perception) you smell something very familiar coming from the open tunnel. Damp rock and the metallic stench of old magic. Roll for arcana or nature to recall the memory of this smell.

Skritch you investigate the doors and (with a 6) can not tell if they are locked, trapped or ready to safely open. (With a 16) you do see that they are ironbound and sturdy. You also note the smell of damp air coming from the open tunnel. 

Vakas (with a 21) you also smell the damp air and feel the prickle of magic on your skin as you stair down into the darkness of the tunnel. You hear the distant drip of water, but can make out little else with the din of battle still coming from beyond the wooden gates.

Skritch telepaths, "These doors are too sturdy for us, methinks. What say you we essay the moldy, magicful, forbiddingly dark, er, passage?"

Dealuri thinks long and hard for the source of the smell and something comes to her, not from her own experience but that of whatever is under her skin, gifted or cursed upon her from the hag. Arcana 16! 

Dealuri (with a 16) the tingle of magic is indeed familiar. You have encountered it twice before! Once in the kobold lair where you found the strange cave with a glistening pool at its heart and then again when you travelled from the temple into the wastelands. There is an earth well down there... you are sure of it. A magical passage that allows travel over long distances. You are almost certain that if you head into that tunnel you will find another of those magical pools.

Vakas backs up and joins up with the others, the distant sound of battle messing with his senses.  "Where should we go from here?  I didn't find much.. any of you have an idea?"

Dealuri informs the other that she senses an earth well down one of the passages and points the way. No one usually listens to me but I think we should go to the well. 

Thannadol nods and conjures tree glowing orbs sending them ahead of you all down the tunnel to light the way. 

Before heading down into the darkness he glances to you Vakas and asks, "Are those door locked? or the gate? If this is indeed an earth well it will make an excellent escape route once our mission is complete, but we still need to find a way in." 

Vakas goes to the doors to check them, to see if locked, if so - he attempts to unlock them.  

Standing on Sunhill's saddle to gain a better vantage, Skritch helpfully hovers behind Vakas' shoulder as Vakas checks the doors for their locks. 

Skritch knows that having someone hover over your shoulder always make it easier to do a difficult task. (OOC: his intent is to give the HELP action to Vakas if possible!) 

Vakas roll for investigation and sleight of hand. I will let this stand for all three doors. (Taking the advantage from the help action of course) :)

Vakas has help from Scritch as he bends down and looks at each door in turn, first assessing the door, and then using his tools to unlock the doors.  He takes his time and feels a satisfying click as he does so, then stowing his tools afterward.  

Investigation : (Nat 20!) : 27

Sleight of hand : 23

Vakas (with a 27) you note that then gates are not barred or trapped and could be opened with a good push, but you hear clearly now the sounds of battle on the other side. Quickly, you check the two doors and find them to be locked but not trapped (with a 23) you can easily pick the locks either now or when you return from exploring the tunnel.

The exits now checked you all follow Thanadol into the tunnel.

The descent is brief, a mere stumble down into the belly of the earth. You find yourselves standing within a low, vaulted cavern, the ceiling curving overhead like the ribs of some great, beast. The walls are not bare, but draped in a living tapestry of pale, glowing moss that shimmered with a ghostly, sickly luminescence, casting long and flickering shadows that dance in the corners of your vision.

At your feet lies a pool of water, still and clear as a looking glass. The air hums with a low, vibrant thrum that vibrates in the very marrow of your bones. It is a song of old power.

"Well," Thannadol breaths, "We know how we can get back to the temple now." he removes the statue given to him back at the temple of Vidor from his cloak and studies it carefully, "Yes, this is good. Shall we go back up and try to enter this place? We have a demon to stop."

Well, this is good. We have an exit! So long as we remember where it is, we can skedaddle. But you are correct, Thannadol, we have a demon to stop.