OOC: One clarification is whether this room is okay to take a rest in without the winds.  In the initial post you mentioned that the winds did not impact the portal room, so is it correct to assume that the exhaustion checks will not apply if we rest in this room....or do we have to spend the time and hope for the best...??

"That sounds like a reasonable proposition. We only know there is at least one ilithid beyond the portal. Beyond that, we don't know what to expect. I would like to be able to cast some heavy spells if we are to go into the unknown."

The rrakkma discusses and decides to leave Ven's body within the windless chamber for later retrieval. They also choose to remain in the cathedral-like room themselves, and take a full night's worth of rest. Not needing to rest himself, Belthomias agrees to remain awake and keep an eye out. He'll also keep track of the Reliquary's light.

Kandalou, Kalak, Quadere, Shai, and Vishnu all find a corner to sleep in. Belthomias finds a patch of sandy floor to sit on that allows him to keep an eye both on the portal and the entrance to the cathedral. As the hours slowly pass, the gith lieutenant can see the light of the Reliquary slowly intensify. After about 3 hours, Belthomias gauges that the artifact is shining as brightly as a torch might.

Will the ranger wake up the rest of the party or allow them to continue resting?

(@Grimnir: Separately, since you are keeping watch, please also roll a perception check.)

OOC: I didn't specify but Belthomias would probably stay more close to the portal, ready to attack anything that comes through. This is because the team knows a mind-flayer fled this way.

Seeing the light going brighter and brighter, Belthomias wakes up his companion. "My friends, I have to say I'm afraid we cannot wait any longer, the light becomes brighter with every second. A short rest is already good enough. What do you say?"

Perception (with Darkvision): 11
(but Belthomias and anybody around cannot be surprised due to his Glaive of warning)

Instantly alert on being woken Shai listens to Belthomias then questions "Torchlight does not seem very bright - do you have any sense of how much brighter the artefact may get before the capacitor is fully charged?  It has sapped most of our strength to get here....we may be overwhelmed with what we face through the portal without Quadere and Kalek being able to wield their powers fully"

Shai awaits for the other to share their views....

There’a a nod from the cleric. “Trust me, if I was confident in our chances I would have suggested a short rest from the beginning, but with very few spells I’m afraid I won’t be much help.”

Vishnu shakes her head.

"I fear if we attempt to portal now we'll fail anyways.  I think we have to risk the rest, our spellcasters need their full faculties."

"I would give my opinion, but it seems the consensus has already been established. Let us hope it was the wise decision, else it would be our final."

"Very well... Let us hope we will arrive on time"
"So that you know, I have on my side two small healing potions if it is needed on the other side of this portal. What do you all have on you ?"

After the chat, Belthomias returns to his guard... "Does someone want to share the guard with me? Two pair of eyes is better than one"

Kandalou rubs his temples, "I still have this headache, I think a nice long rest will do it some good."

He looks at Belthomias and, if no one else agrees to share the first watch, "I will watch with you, Belthomias."

(OOC: Some of this is based on the group's OOC Chat.)

Belthomias spends the first three hours of the group rest worried about the Reliquary. So much so that, despite his best efforts, he doesn't pay too much attention to the nearby portal. Once his anxiety gets the best of him around the three hour mark, he wakes up the group. Better safe than sorry.

The rrakkma deliberates a bit and decides to risk the full rest. Kandalou stays up for a bit to help Belthomias keep watch. They spot nothing of interest.

Throughout the next three hours (six hours of rest so far) Belthomias watches the Reliquary's light turn from a torch-like orange to a bright yellow. It is obvious that the artifact's intensity is increasing steadily, indicating that the mind flayers are making progress with the Gith Capacitor. While waiting, Belthomias also collects Ven's two vials of healing liquids

At this point, Kandalou goes back to sleep for a bit, but Vishnu and Quadere wake up. The rogue spends some time investigating the black pearl she found in the torture room, while the cleric experiments with the brooch they found back in the vestments chamber. Two hours later, Vishnu comes to the realization she is holding a pearl of power. Similarly, Quadere concludes she is in the possession of a brooch of shielding.

By the time the pair investigate their magical items (eight hours worth of rest), Belthomias is holding a intensely bright-white Reliquary. Looking at it directly hurts your head and you instinctively shield your eyes. Whatever time you have left, it is certainly no longer counted in hours... perhaps not even in double-digit minutes.

Edit 1: Exhaustion points and headaches go away.

Edit 2: For the magic items, the first hour of experimenting can be used to identify them and the second hour to attune to them. They can be attuned to by a different character than the ones who identified them.

YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR LONG REST. (Except Belthomias, who did not rest at all.)

Squinting at the bright light of the artefact Shai says "Looks like we best get moving...it may not be a good idea to all enter the portal at the same time. We all got caught by a blast of pyschic energy back before the first portal, shall we split and send two in first and rest follow 10 secs after?  I will volunteer to go in first, Belthonias, Kandalou what about you.  If we do all go in together, we should scatter on arrival"

"I think we should move now. Let's get ready. Any spells that should be casted before going through the portal ?"

Vishnu will give the pearl to either Quadere or Kalak.  She'll also suggest they give the brooch to someone who doesn't have shield.

Directly before she enters the portal, she casts blur on herself.

During the rest, Quadere passes on the broach to whoever wants to attune to it and asks for the Pearl of Power.

"Yes, Lieutenant, I have but a few things that might be beneficial. Firstly, whoever enters the portal first should drink this, just in case." Quadere holds out her Potion of Psychic Resistance. She then says two quick prayers, casting Death Ward on herself and Aid at fourth level on Belthiomas, Kandalou, and Shai. Finally, she again casts Light on her shield, providing a source of light for the group. "Unless anyone has any other quick spells, let's go."

Vishnu gladly hands over the pearl.

Quadere...what about Bless.  Would be essential for Kandalou, Shai, Belthomias and Kakak to have that buff as well going through to help with saves and attack rolls...

Shield brooch should go to Kandalou

I have suggested a plan for going through the portal here...need to lock in how we are going through....all in favour say aye....

As described, outside of automatically spending Quadere’s last remaining fourth level slot, I’m all for the courses of action you suggest.

In order to maximize the efficiency of her last spell, Quadere waits until right before the first group departs before casting bless on the same three martial warriors.

In preparation for what is to come, Kalak approaches Kandalou and touches his shoulder, "If there is something beyond the other side, hit hard, hit fast. Convelocidad!"

Kandalou starts to feel much more swift.

OOC: Kalak - can you cast light on Shai's signet ring as well....assume this was done in preparation....