Reggie has little to noithing to add to helping with fixing the ship but he offers to help in anyway possable.

Rubin is ready to get back on dry land.

After landing on the island, you all traverse the island's dangerous jungles. You run into many beasts, environmental dangers, and of course cultists! The Smoking Mirror are all over the island trying to find the lost city. The ones you decide to encounter and defeat are small scouting parties, and some have some of the werejaguars that seem to be the generals of the cultists. You also encounter a new type of cultist that cast spells and ones shape shift into giant maws of teeth on the upper half of their bodies. You defeat all threats on the island.

After weeks of travel, you run into a village. The village is filled with chameleon folk. They sense you before you notice any of them because of their camouflage, but they do not attempt to hide from you. They actually celebrate your arrival! They welcome you to their village to rest and eat, and supply you for the rest of your journey to Hearth. When you arrive, the elder of the village greets you warmly and welcomes you to stay the evening to rest. As you all sit in the community tent with hundreds of chameleon folk gathered around, the elder speaks and confirms the stories that Jannell told you her father found. The destiny of four adventurers being the Last True Heralds is real, and you are them. The elder also confirms all of the information you know about Hearth. You rest of the night after hearing these stories and more from the elder.

The elder speaks to you all before you leave. "Then the time has come," sighs the elder. "Black Tezcatilocpa shall return. The prophecies of my people spoke of the True Last Heralds. It is now clear....that this is you. It is possible, that the True Last Heralds defeat the obsidian god and banish it forever so that the Custodians may finally rest. Good luck...please take this with you for protection. May it protect you against the dangers of Black Tezcatilocpa and it's follow minions." The elder hands you a cloak. It is light green in color and looks to be made of scales, not of a dragon but of a coautl. The hood is designed to look like the head of a coautl with accents of feathers and gold. The elder also sends an large group of chameleon folk warriors to help you safely traverse the jungle and take you directly to Hearth.

You travel the jungle with the chameleon folk and after another few days you finally.....after months of adventuring...you arrive at the city of Hearth. You all come over a ridge, but most of you see an empty valley filled with more trees right next the largest rocky mountain range on the island. However, Gerry, you immediately see the city. It would be hard to miss, given it is at least 5 square miles big! The city is mostly in ruins, the several story tall buildings are covered in natural vegetation and are beginning to crumble with age. This was once a thriving city with a huge population of people....now it lies still, lost and shunned from the rest of the world. What stands out the most, is the temple at the center of the city. It stands at least 200 ft tall with many sets of stairs that lead up to different platforms. At the top is the entrance to the temple, with a stone structure shaped like a coautl that seems to "guard" the entrance. Gerry you point out the city with excitement, as the rest look at you like you're crazy. The chameleon folk quickly grab the rest of you by the hands and pull you forward. After breaking through some magical barrier, the illusion is gone, you all now see the city of Hearth! The chameleon folk bid you well, and wish you the best of luck as they journey back to their village. They are no further help to you...as it is up to the True Last Herald's to defeat Black Tezcatilocpa. You begin your approach into the shunned city of Hearth. 

From the green mountain above, a crystal falls cascade onto the streets that have involuntarily turned to canals. Despite its state of disrepair, the city is embraced with inescapable beauty. Brightly colored birds squawk at you as you pass through the collapsed stone wall that surrounds the city. Cobblestones, polished by the streams that bleed through the cracks of the old walkways, gleam like gems. The old frescoes, crafted by long-since-deceased artisans still tells the story of the venerable metropolis: uninterrupted peace and prosperity. But there is sadness, too. Also decorating the walls and abandoned buildings are the bones of the Shunned City's extinct inhabitants. Some were warriors, brave until death. But many were commoners: artists, scribes, and sages, fathers and mothers, and even children. Their vine-covered bones reveal the final chapter of Hearth's story: destruction and ruin. At the center of the center, circled by a copse of tall jungle trees and framed by the falls, is a massive temple.

You all approach the massive steps that lead to the top of the temple. The temple is mostly untouched, with 5 sets of stairs that lead to the top of the temple. Each set leads to a platform that once housed different terrains, such as a garden, or a well. These terrains are long gone, and all that remains is the beautiful stone temple. When you get within 100 feet of the steps...the cultists reveal themselves as a massive illusion drops. Well over 100 cultists line the steps, including some ogres and werejaguars, but none of them have their weapons drawn. They actually have their hoods down, revealing their faces. They are all clapping and smiling, almost as if to celebrate your arrival. The cultists at the bottom steps motion you up the steps, leading to where some figures stand further up.

You all walk up the steps, past all of the cultists. You are greeted by a familiar werejaguar, the one who escaped from the monastery, and a person wearing long, flowing robes and a mask that looks like a one-eyed creature with tentacles for a jaw descends. He puts his hands up in a welcoming manner, "There you are!" he says
happily. "We've all been patiently waiting for you." The masked figure steps down and removes his mask, revealing the face of a young man—probably no more than 18 or 19 years old—with platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, and a charming smile. "I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you, yet. My name is Mictlan. I welcome you all to Hearth...your arrival has been a long time coming. Gerry, your fighting skills have not wavered, even while you are flying through the air! Our griffons stood no match to your might!" He then looks to the rest of you. He calls you all by name, and a blurb about one of your past deeds. 

Before any of you can respond, Mictlan continues. "I realize that we may seem like 'the bad guys' here, but the truth is, we hope to defend the world from the evils that lie in the Temple. Unfortunately, my friends, you've been manipulated by many people along the way. You only have half the story. Within this temple, there are a pair of celestial beings: coautls. For hundreds of years, they've kept a being known as Black Tezcatlipoca at bay. Should the being be released, it's prophesized that Tezcatlipoca will turn the world to fire and ash. Black Tezcatlipoca can only be freed if he is in the presence of the Last Heralds, as was prophesized in the stories of Hearth. And that—if I'm not wrong, and I'm rarely wrong—is you."

"Of course, there's a catch. Black Tezcatlipoca can't be destroyed unless he is fully returned and in his physical form. And that's what brings us all here, friends. You must go into the Temple and stand before the Gate of Night that holds back Black Tezcatlipoca. Then, once he is returned, we will aid you in the final battle. That is the destiny of the Smoking Mirrors. That is why we are here."

Jannell gives you all a worried and skeptical look, but allows you to speak. 

Gerry frowns.

"Well, you’ve done a shit job convincing us of your benevolence so far."

insight check? 9

(LOUD NOISES!!!)

Mictlan responds to Gerry, smiling all the time, "I understand what we look like to you, but I assure you this was on purpose. You'd not be here without our help. Our ranks that you defeated, did so to sacrifice themselves for the great good." At this moment you can briefly see Mictlan's eyes dart over to the werejaguar standing next to him. He continues "They sacrificed themselves so you would arrive here, as the prophecy is told. The smoking mirrors destiny lies in your hands, we are but one part of this equation. Without you, without the herald's key, we are lost. And, so is the world. Black Tezcatlipoca must be stopped, but we cannot do this without you."

Reggie, so far everything Mictlan says has been truth. Even his timeline clicks in your head. The cultists have been at every major turning point in your story. 

"We came here to do a thing, so let's get on with it..." Rubin says with a shrug.

Benagol interveens

"just one thing before we fulfill our destiny"

He says with an irony tone

"what's with all these were jaguar among your lines?" 

Mictlan looks to the werejaguars lining the stairs, including the one standing next to him. "These are the Smoking Mirror generals. They lead our squads across Omeria and are our most adept fighters. Their powers are bestowed by an ancient power we possess, and only the true and most loyal followers have this privilege." 

Mictlan looks to you all. "Are you ready to enter the temple?" Him and the werejaguar step aside, and Mictlan gestures to the top of the temple where the entrance awaits. 

Gerry sighs.

"Sure.  Doesn’t seem like a death trap at all."

Rubin shrugs and nods. "Let's get it over with."

Benagol, always up for bargains, even in this dire straits, asks to the leader Mictlan

Wait a second, Mictlan. IN good faith...you were about to kill us...fine!

Now we will need all the help you can muster: if you have any potion or...let's say...powerful equipment...you'd better share it with us right now.

If what you say is true, we will need all the possible help, you want us to succeed , don't you?

Mictlan looks to you all "The help you need is within you. You have made it this far, of course with our help. But our help has run out. It is up to you and the gods to descend this temple, defeating whatever lies within. As for potions, our ranks do not believe in potions. If we were meant to die, that is what is chosen for us! Everything you need is in the temple depths, nothing we have is great than what you possess." 

Benagol swears under his moustaches

"bloody fanatics, the only happy thing if we fail is that they are going to die first than others"

He looks down, collects his patience and decides not to reply to the cultists

Without further ado, he climbers the first steps up

Rubin follows.

Gerry follows.

Reggie readies his cross bow, and gives a nod before moving forward ahead of everyone stealthfully.

Stealth check 25

investigation as I am moving forward 17 (if you are willing to make it a perception check add 8)

(I wish that 19 had been my stealth check)