No Rest for the Dead in Avlor

Fluffy does a high speed flyby of Balian's head, and makes an unpleasant noise that can only be described as a screech.

"Now now Balian, you hurt Fluffy's feelings.  A Familiar is much more than just a conjured assistant! Perhaps things are more than they appear?"

Squiggles squints at the dead end and asks Fluffy to try and fly into it/through it

Squiggles investigation: 12

Fluffy hearing perception/sonar: 20

     "Hrmph... Well, that only gives us one other option, and since we just may have come across the path of our prey, maybe we should move ahead with a bit more caution." The earth genasi begins to cast a spell which causes the elements of the earth around to swirl and cover the party to allow quieter movement. "I know a little help with moving more quietly will do me some good," the cleric shakes his armor.

Fluffy doesn't detect anything with their sonar, and manages to bonk their head on the rock.

Squiggles, what are you doing to investigate?

Quote from Esker >>

Fluffy doesn't detect anything with their sonar, and manages to bonk their head on the rock.

Squiggles, what are you doing to investigate?

 

 Specifically, walking over to the wall and feeling it, seeing if it is indeed, the rock wall it looks like it is.

Make a perception check

10

Oh dear.

Is it a real wall? Is it a fake wall? Is it a ham sandwich? You're not sure. Where are your friends? You thought they were standing next to you but all you can see now are formless blobs vaguely in the shape of scarecrows... oh, never mind, they're your friends. At least, you think they are. You think you're in a cave chamber. Though it could be the inside of a spa. Or maybe you're floating in space? Hard to say.

"Though you worship another, I accept your help, and will lend you my own when the time comes."

Balian, at the rear of the group, audibly sighs and rolls his eyes.  Pushing his way to the front next to Squiggles, he begins checking the wall himself for anything out of place, occasionally glancing at the gnome, who begins to drool as he stares into space.

Perception (min 18): 18

OOC - Thank god for reliable talent, my roll wasn't much better!

Celric can 'touch me' if needed for Guidance, if the DC check is potentially 20 or so.

Balian:

Studying the chamber, the thief strokes his beard for a second.  Something catches his attention, and he suddenly drops to his hands and knees.  Poking and prodding at the floor, he begins scraping moss and slime away from random areas.  He scrambles through Flynt's legs and bumps into a few more of his companions, until eventually a man-made pattern becomes evident on the floor.  He slides over to a wall, and sits on the ground with his back against it to get a better look at the pattern.

"Come on then Squiggles, time to redeem yourself!"

"I think I'm seeing some patterns in the wall cracks...it's mesmerizing. I believe it to be an encoded cypher related to the Earthcaller himself, Segojan. Perhaps, if I viewed it upside down...". Squiggles mumblings tail off as he proceeds to stand on his hands to view the wall upside down

Balian jumps to his feet and performs a sweeping gesture in Squiggles' direction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... the smartest person in the room!  When you're quite finished summoning the demonic high-priestess of grout and mortar, have a look at the floor."

Jarl will use mold earth to make the pattern visible for everyone.

Squiggles and Jarl can make Arcana checks if you'd like, to see what you make of the pattern.

Jarl’s arcana check: 7

Looking sheepish, Squiggles stands properly again and examined the marking.

"Ah, yes, the floor, well that was obvious. I was going to look at that next"

Arcana: 11

Jarl, as a divine caster this isn't as much in your wheelhouse, but Squiggles, you recognize this as a glyph instantiating a permanent teleportation circle.

Cackling with excitement, Squiggles seems positively brimming with energy, kneeling down to closely inspect the symbol. "An answer and a riddle in one!  It's a teleportation circle, but not just that!  It's PERMANENT! The effort and dedication required to create a permanent teleportation circle is exhaustive.  Whatever creature created this views this cave as extremely important to itself. Also, look at the marking, the chalk used for this...." Squiggles begins to drone on about the details and intricacies of the art of teleportaion circle creation and the components required but catches himself. "...oh right. Focus Squiggles!  The answer we received: We know how an Aboleth was surviving on this plane in a subterranean cave; it isn't!  It goes back and forth to it's own realm.  The riddle: Where does this GO? It could be anywhere, really.  It could go to directly to the Nine Hells. It could go to Shale's house.  We would need to travel it to find out, but for OBVIOUS reasons that is decidedly dangerous -- who KNOWS what Shale keeps in his bedroom. We could wait here for the creator to return but that seems boring, and Aboleths are immortal so who knows when it will be back."