Auger turns to the others, "I would suggest that we approach from the north side so that we are out of view and then quickly climb the ladder to overwhelm him. I can create distracting sounds to the other side while we climb and Py can invisibly monitor the guard while we approach. I do not know what the blue orb is. Perhaps it is an alarm of some sort. We should not allow the guard to reach this orb."

OOC: Auger's suggested route would (from the big map) Start from I1. Swim to I10. Move along the rocks until we reach the ladder under the waterfall. Py and/or a Minor Illusion (once within range) could distract the guard while the warriors climb the ladder to subdue him.

I will move forward based on Auger's plan, unless Varielky or Ednyss wants to do something else. If all are in agreement, then post your exact location at the moment Auger begins to swim, and also post Py's exact location at that moment. We'll call that R1.

I will point out that, after you finish your short rest, the sun is at apogee, the temperature is around 80 degrees F, the air is calm, and a few brightly colored birds are perched in the palm trees, and small lizards dart between the bushes.

The quarter moon hangs low over the western horizon, and soon will set. You know that by the time it rises again and clears the eastern horizon, at midnight, you must free the Azhvuv Queen, or three politically important Kalahati-ur will be assassinated by your erstwhile allies. 

Ednyss pauses for a second as Auger lays out his plan, "What you say makes some sense... But my armor is loud, and swimming will be difficult enough without having to be silent. If possible, I would like to stay on this end until we subdue the guard and I can swim across without fear of being shot. I can provide any necessary assistance from here as most of my spells will work at a range."

If the party agrees, Ednyss will Bless Varielky, Auger, and Benita before crouching down and waiting for some kind of signal from the group that decides to cross.

POST #3

Benita removes her armor and weapons and, wearing only a light brown undershirt and knickers, hands her belongings to Ednyss. 

“I’ll distract him,” she says, rubbing sand into her hair.

Auger and Varielky move to I-1, Ednyss waits where he is, and Benita moves East, her shoulders slumped, and moves unselfconsciously to the edge of the lake, in full view of the guard, and kneels, as if thirstily.

“Oh!,” She shouts, “Water!, Water!, I am dying of thirst!,” and, as she plunges her hands into the water to drink, Ednyss sees the man in the cave spring up and focus on her, his crossbow raised and his finger on the trigger. 

Benita looks up, her doe eyes blinking, and, tossing her hair over her shoulder, she acts as if seeing the guard for the first time and shouts across, “Oh!, Hello! Do you have anything to eat? I am so very hungry!,” and whispers aside toward Ednyss…”I am so hungry you flocking idiot, come look over here…”

Varielky and Auger see and hear Benita from their location and quietly wade into the lake. 

Benita will roll deception: 18

Auger & Varielky roll athletics and stealth:

Auger 12 /21

Varielky: Athletics: 14.

Stealth: 12.

Ednyss rolls perception:

22

Benita is very convincing, but the thug crits his insight roll and can tell she’s faking. He shouts, “Come closer, I will give you food,” lowering his weapon and rolling 19 on deception. But Benita crits her insight and can tell he sees through her ploy. 

Ednyss sees this all unfolding and (I rolled for him), his incredible insightfulness (22) makes him completely aware of what’s happening on both sides. 

Ednyss also notices something else of interest. When Benita touched the water, a subtle blue light began to illuminate the cave ceiling from below — perhaps, the orb. Then, when Auger and Varieky entered the water, there was another light. Ednyss is sure the guard’s focus on Benita has distracted him enough that he did not see the second degree of blue illumination. 

Benita shouts, “Oh, thank you!,” and wades into the water, splashing a bit as if tired, and still batting her lashes and smiling — but Ednyss sees she’s ready to dive if necessary. 

He also notices that the guard, though focused on Benita, because he has penetrated her deception, is also casting subtle glances in every direction. In fact, Ednyss thinks the guard may have spotted him. 

Auger and Varielky have now reached I-10 and are floating on their backs/ quietly treading water. Varielky thinks there’s something fishy about the way the guard is acting. Py sends to Auger, ‘The blue orb lights up and shows the location of creatures in the water. If the guard turns, he will know where you are.’

Realizing their chances at maintaining secrecy are slim Auger says to Varielky, "We have to get you up that ladder quickly, you keep going."

Auger grabs a hold of some nearby rocks and attempts to quietly hold himself steady where he is. Meanwhile Py invisibly positions itself to be in clear sight of the cave.

Auger passes his senses into Py. Finally through Py's eyes he takes the blue orb and shrouds it in its regular blue, such that it appears to not show any activity to his and Varielky's side.

Py

Auger

Varielky silently nods, then continues to swim as quietly as she can. At that moment, though, she starts to worry. If the guard decides to shoot Benita, while in the water and unarmoured, there's little Benita can do to avoid the bolt. Varielky must hurry forward. 
To remain silent as she swims quickly, Varielky dives about two or three feet into the water, then swims as fast as she can. She hopes to reach beneath the waterfall before she must breathe so that the waterfall's noise will hide the sound of her first gasp for air.

(If this takes more than one round's worth of time, that's fine.)

In case some rolls are needed, here are my guesses:
Stealth: 11.
Strength Check: 19, +3 if it's a save/Athletics.
Con Check? 14, +3 if it's a save.

POST #4

Auger casts his spell through Py’s eyes, but he can’t get within 30’ without fully exposing himself to the guard, so is limited to Silent Image. 

Py sends, ‘The spell is only covering the sphere, but the sphere is still projecting light onto the cave’s roof. He could notice.’

Varielky dives into the crystal clear water and sees the sun bathing the sand at the bottom in bright light a few feet out from the rock, but next to the rock, the water is in shade and the surface brightly reflects the sky. She comes up for air at the base of the ladder after swimming under the rowboat. This has taken two rounds to reach, and she may now climb the ladder, using 20’ of movement to get to the top.

Rolling back a round, Benita sees Varielky’s dive, reads her intention, and tries to continue absorbing the guard’s attention. She moves forward and starts treading water, a sitting duck in the little lake. 

“Let’s cut the crap, Shian. You and I both know I’m coming over there and taking your food from you. Good luck stopping me, moron.”

She dives into the lake and starts swimming quickly toward the fall’s southeastern corner. 

The guard growls and raises his crossbow and fires it at Benita. The bolt plops into the water and zips past her, missing by a hair’s breadth.

He then glances at the orb a mere second after Auger’s spell takes hold, and, noting nothing amiss, turns his attention back to Benita. But then, he slowly turns back to the orb once more.

Py sends to Auger: ‘Oh-oh! There should be a light there for Benita and there’s nothing!’ 

But…the guard returns to the same position as previously marked and shouts to Benita as she comes up for air, “What magic have you cast little trickster?!”

Varielky and Benita are now situated like so.

Ednyss is as before on the big map, Auger is at g-11.

Through Py's eyes Auger looks at the blue orb and the light it is casting and attempts to correct things as best as he can, allowing Benita's indicator to be viewed and thickening the blue shroud on the other side so that light cannot pass through. (OOC: I am unsure if the spell truly allows for this sort of correction, the text speaks to supporting animated movement which implies some flexibility. At any rate treat this as color if needed.)

Still holding on to the image and looking through Py's eyes, Auger reaches out towards the mind of the guard and discovers he is not quite in range to break his mind, but if the guard steps into range, Auger is prepared to do so, once Varielky has revealed her presence.

Auger

With the others mostly in position, Ednyss steps out from behind the trees with both arms raised as if concentrating on a spell. He keeps his focus on the blue orb so that it looks as if he is concentrating on a spell. Meanwhile, Ednyss slowly starts to pull divine energy out of the shield that is on his arm and focus it into the hand holding the war pick. The priest holds the divine energy in his hands and will release it in time with his allies' attacks to take the guard down before he can react.

(OOC: Oh snap... I didn't know that guiding bolt could even do that much damage... That is equivalent to a single target Fireball)

POST #5

Auger refines his spell as the guard turns away and releases another bolt at Benita, who dives and again narrowly evades the projectile. 

When Varielky leaps up onto the ladder, the guard notices her right away: the illusion of the waterfall is known to him and he sees and hears right through it. He also sees Ednyss on the shore, and the man grimaces, takes up his glaive, and turns toward the rear of the cave at a run, his last conscious thought to sound an alarm. 

But he has taken no more than two steps when Ednyss’ bolt of light shoots from the war-cleric, engulfs the guard, and orange-yellow radiance incinerates him; the man falls to the ground, dead, bright radiance coruscating around his prone form for a few moments more.

While Varielky takes control of the cave floor, Auger following shortly thereafter, Benita pulls herself up into the boat and rows it to shore to fetch Ednyss and her armor, and soon, you are all in the cave without further incident, shaking off the cooling moisture and Benita tying on her grieves. 

Listening at the heavy, unlocked door, you hear, distantly, echoing voices speaking in Shian. At least three. 

What next?

After immolating the man in one attack, Ednyss says a quick prayer of thanks to Takal Demesh for the power bestowed upon him through his divine connection. He then hops into the boat and helps Benita steer it towards the cave and eventually climb into the cave with the others.

"Do we continue the ambush strategy? I don't know that we can take out 3 warriors even if we surprised them, but I can't think of a better option."

As the group reforms itself inside the cave Auger holds on to the shroud he placed upon the orb (OOC: unless it has been 10 minutes already). Looking at Ednyss when he arrives, Auger quietly states, "Try not to burn the rest alive, we might want one for questioning." Smiling he adds, "That was impressive." Turning to everyone Auger continues, "I think we can draw one or more up to here if we like." Auger then outlines a plan for them. 

OOC: The plan outline (rolls pushed into spoilers and are only needed if we follow through on this plan)

• The team stays out of sight from the doors, but stands ready to ambush any who come up.
• Py is invisible and ready to fly through the door once it opens. Auger attempts to crack open the door without being noticed, letting Py in to check ahead. If that can happen we stop (roll for Stealthy door opening in spoilers) and Py tells us about the interior layout for better planning.
• If they notice the door opening then Auger attempts to mimic the first guard's voice to call the guards up saying the following, "The orb is behaving oddly can one of you come take a look?" Auger then adds some fizzing and popping sounds to the effects upon the orb, which he will also give a greenish hue if Silent Image is still active. (Performance roll for mimicking the guard's voice in spoilers.)
• When one or more come upstairs we attempt to overpower them, hopefully quietly.

Benita, strapping on her rapier, whispers back, “Um, that’s not a bad idea, but… the guard was Shian and so far we have only heard him speak Shian. No offense, but your spoken Shian has a strong accent, and I don’t know how you could have heard his voice very clearly from over there. Can you really imitate him? Try it on me. I at least heard him closer.”

To Auger’s (rolled) imitation, Benita shakes her head back and forth. “It sounds like there’s an echo coming up from wherever they are, which might help you, but…that didn’t sound like him.”

She works with Auger for a minute or two: “Rougher, and you have to lilt more. And it’s ‘orb,’ not ‘circle.’ Okay, that’s closer.”

If you go with this plan, or something like it, Auger can now do a convincing impression. 

Ednyss has no problems with the plan, and he has enough faith in Auger's impression that he is willing to go forward with it. Ednyss stays far enough out of the cave that there is absolutely no risk of him being heard. The dwarf's armor isn't exactly quiet after all, and he can work from a distance.

Varielky is somewhat dissatisfied, but she agrees to the plan. "No killing when ambushing, though, unless they get the chance to raise their weapons." Then, she stands to the side of the door, her shield in her hand but the sword still in its scabbard, leaving her hand free to grab the guard if and when they comes out.

POST #6

The door groans half-way open, and cool, smoky air comes rushing out into the 75-degree cave. As you four press against the south wall to the left and right of the door, Py slips through and remains close to the other side, sending ‘A steep stairway, going down to a chamber lit by torches, which are fluttering as the air breezes upwards. There are voices, maybe a dozen, speaking not just Shian. Someone is playing dice. Wait. They’ve all fallen completely silent. I think they’ve noticed the door must be open, and…I see a goblin peeking up from below.’

This was Auger’s cue. He shouts down his line.

Py sends, ‘The goblin has moved away.’ A few seconds pass. ‘Now he’s back, with a man like the guard, at the base of the stairs.’

You hear a distant, echoey voice shout up, not overly loud, in Shian, “What?”

Auger repeats the line. Ten seconds pass.

‘The goblin is coming up,’ sends Py. ‘The man is at the base of the stairs, 30’ from me, watching the goblin’s ascent. It has stopped three steps down, is scanning the floor under the door crack, listening.’ 

(Goblin crits its perception roll.)

‘The goblin is leaping back down the steps! I think he saw the guard’s dead body.’

You all hear slight footfalls up the steps, then skittering back down the stairs. Only Auger heard what Py sent, as your hiding required complete silence.

If you act, you can do so while the goblin is still on the stairs. 

As Py flits in and Auger calls down he makes close eye contact with the others in turn, trying to silently signal what is going on, showing concern when they do not respond, smiling and nodding as the goblin approaches and then utter shock as he says, "Somehow they have seen us."

Auger opens the door, peers down the stairs, sighting the goblin and attacks its mind, briefly bringing its perceptions to see the Sea of Stars in their terrifying endless beauty. Then he turns to the others and signals them to head down.

Py, fly further down the stairs, we have to know what we are facing!

Py

Auger

In response to Auger's words, Varielky draws her sword, and as the mark appears on her forehead, she announces: "Sneaky time is over. It's a good old-fashioned storm on an enemy hideout." Then, she kindles her eyes, to illuminate the way, in case it's dark.

When Auger opens the door, Varielky looks down to see what they'll be facing. If she can see there's only one enemy, fleeing further down, she chases after them before they can reach the others. If she reaches the Goblin quickly enough, Varielky swings her sword sideways, with the wide, blunt side, trying to knock the possibly unarmed creature out without killing them.

Free Action: Draw the Dreyen sword.

BA: Cast Light through the sword (you said there are torches, but she didn't know that).

Move: As close to the Goblin as she can get. 

Action: If she needs to Dash to reach the Goblin/get closer, she does that. If she reaches them with normal movement, Varielky tries to knock the Goblin unconscious with the blunt side of her sword. 

Attack: 22 Damage: 10.

Attack: 14 Damage: 16.

Ednyss peers in through the door after Varielky and attempt to toll the bell of death on the goblin. He will try to mitigate the energy that he sends so that the goblin is only knocked unconscious, but the spell is naturally a spell of death so Ednyss is unsure of his ability to do so precisely.