Benagol follows Gerry straight behind

Reggie will take the rear, Crossbow at the ready.

You all peak around the corner of the tunnel, and don't see anyone. You move up to the entrance of the tunnel when you broke down the door, and do not see anyone climbing down or at the top of the pit. 

Gerry peers around, then shrugs.

"Looks clear t'me.  Should we chance it?"

"Yeah let move, full speed about 2/3rds the way up, then slow and silent, just incase."  Reggie taps his crossbow.

Using the carpet of flying, or the rope trick again? If the latter, I will need climb checks to ascend the jagged pit. 

Carpit

Rubin unrolls the carpet and spreads it out.  "Let's go then..." he says, ready to fly them up and out.

Reggie gets on.

Even Benagol jumps in, holding his belongings and fastening his horned helmet a little more

Everyone hops on the magic flying carpet. Without saying a word, the carpet flies into the air and ascends the 200 feet to the mouth of the pit. When you reach the top, you can see about 26 cultists, some holding different weapons than you've seen so far, and two of them have a large eye imbedded in the palms of their hand. There cultists are led by a werejaguar in hybrid form, and with a closer look it is the same werejaguar that jumped off the edge of the monastery …700 feet to the ocean below. 

You all have the choice to direct the flying carpet to leave, Jannell has already suggested that you all go to the trading port of Naqqad. It is the closest settlement to the obsidian plain, and is on the coast of the Ocean of Warna. Jannell explained to you that Elsath is the largest island that is several hundreds of miles off the coast, so you'll need to charter another boat trip. 

You may also choose to fight these cultist. You have taken them by surprise by leaving the pit on a flying carpet, so you have the jump on them to make a decision. 

Gerry looks around at the others, drawing his sword in preparation.

"I vote for up and away." Rubin says, but will be swayed if the others wish to fight.

1 to dip, 1 undecided, anyone else?

Reggie is good either way, but he is going to take an attack on the werejaguar from before.

Benagol wants to run away, seeing the numbers of the enemies 

I will say you all are going to fly away then. Reggie, you take a shot at the were jaguar for an auto crit. The bolt wounds her, but she is still standing and snarls at you on your carpet. You can see crossbows and whips were being pulled out by the other cultists as they disappear slowly off in the distance behind you. You safely fly out of harm of the cultist...for now. 

Sorry for these spurts of no activity. I will post up the encounter tomorrow, you will be heading out to see (I know, AGAIN!). The town is a small port town that is on the coast, but you are still technically in the DoD (desert), it will take you a few days to get to the port. Is there anything you all think you'll need on your travel? I will post what the shield and the armor does tomorrow, because you would have spent enough time attuning to identify it. 

Traveling through the desert on a magic flying carpet is much easier than on camel back! You remember you promised your camels back to the merchant in Ugash, but those camels are long gone. Jannell begins to draw a map of the island Eslath, using the landscape as markers to show an X where the city of Hearth should be. The jungle island is large, just as big as the Desolation of Ditimaya. It will be a hard trek through the dangerous jungle to get to Hearth. 

Jannell also give you more information about the history of Hearth that her father described in his journal, and this legend of the The True Last Heralds. These are direct entries from Arrow Diamond's journal told to you by Jannell. 

Hearth - The Shunned City
Thousands of years ago, the verdant island of Elsath was home to a majestic and influential city named Hearth. There, the humble and wise inhabitants of Hearth thrived under the watchful eye of great feathered serpents called couatls. These divine protectors were calm against the din of the humanoid races. A theocratic society, the high priests of the temple of Hearth were revered and respected by all, even the most hardened criminals. These priests were called Couatl Heralds.

Of course, Hearth wasn't without its woes. The city was frequently the target for invading forces. Fortunately, most invaders would tire themselves out against the power and will of the celestial-guarded city. The Hearthan people always felt safe.

But the invaders were persistent. A trio of evil rakshasa conjurers poured throngs of wicked followers into the city. As the Hearthans battled the minion hoards, the black-hearted fiends performed a ritual unlocking a gate to the Realm Beyond. This gate, named the Gate of Night, spewed horrible nightmare creatures. Greatest among those unspeakable horrors was a long slumbering, aberrant elder god named Black Tezcatlipoca, the Night Wind.

Immediately, the couatls of Hearth turned their attention to the Gate of Night. It took every ounce of their might to stop the Gate from expanding. The effort was enough to kill the majority of the feathered serpents. Only two elder serpents, Amoxtli and Ehecatl, were strong enough to survive. But the pair had to focus all of their concentration on the gate, never able to turn from it. Without the couatls to protect them, Hearth crumbled before the rakshasa's armies. Hearthan men, women, and children fell under their wicked blades.

Realizing that nearly all was lost, the Couatls' Heralds performed one last ritual of their own in three parts. The first part of the ritual warded the Temple of Hearth, preventing future invaders from finding the Couatls and the Gate of Night. The second part of the ritual hid the entirety of Hearth itself, not only hiding it from view but the memory of all mankind as well. Only those chosen by the Gods of Hearth themselves would be able to find the city. The final part of the ritual sprang a vast and volatile jungle on the island of Elsath. Once the ritual was finished, nine of the Heralds died; only one Herald remained, Brother Riane the Prophet.

It was Riane's destiny to travel the world with the secrets of Hearth. Eventually, the Last Herald settled in a dark place known as the Obsidian Plain. Tirelessly, he dug a hole in the hard, black rock of the Plain. There, in this Well of Secrets, Riane died, taking the secrets of his home to the grave.

The True Last Heralds
Before Riane died, he spoke of a prophecy. Hundreds of years after the death of the Last Herald—himself—five brave souls would be chosen by the gods to find the Shunned City and enter its sacred temple. Within, they would discover the two elder couatls and the gate of night. At that moment, the couatls power would fail and Black Tezcatlipoca would escape. It was the destiny of these five adventurers—which dubbed the True Last Heralds——to defeat the elder god once and for all, permanently banishing it to the Realm Beyond.

You are also able to determine that all of the items you've found so far have some connection to one another. The sword (given to you by Jannell), shield, and armor give off a magical aura when near each other. These are powerful items unlike you've ever seen. (see discord for these items). 

After some time of travel, you all arrive in the small port town of Naqqad. There is a single inn/tavern, and a few small traders that are resting before their next trip out to see. There are several boats docked. Let me know if there is anything you'd like to look for or want to purchase while you are in Naqqad. 

Throughout the travel, Benagol is worried and scared by the height, totally in discomfort.

He makes the carpet land few times to vomit. 

When he realizes the magic times are indeed powerful but allows to fly

"I had enough of flight... You can get it" 

He wonders aloud at hearing those strange old legends: in some ways he is both happy and scared to think he is involved in such huge pattern. 

At the monk he says:

"great legends your father collected.. I wonder how he traced anything if these feathered serpents hid everything" 

"moreover, The city, the gate and most important this evel God are hidden.. Why should we poke such a grisly bear?" 

Once at the port, Benagol is the same smart mouth as ever, finally in his shoes

Turning to the others

"well it looks like we are destined to great things, I say let's start with great drinks in thd first Inn!!!"