Hayeth also pulls the rock from her pouch and blows on it again as it starts giving of the same bright violet glow as she casts Light

"Just in case you have to send them further away wouldn't want to go blind"

She smiles and pulls out the same scrap of leather speaking a few arcane words and blowing across it as her skin takes on the pearlescent hue as it did before, casting Mage Armor

"Let's try to step silently as we enter," Noell says lowly.  "Snakes might not look like they have ears, but I'm sure they can feel our footsteps.  A light touch might serve us well here."

She peers into the darkness, looking for any sighs of danger... or the missing individuals... as well as eying the stonework with suspicion.  "Besides... this tunnel is worked stone.  This isn't some simple sinkhole that snakes escaped out of.  Someone made this place, and that someone might still be around... in one form or the other."  She steps cautiously forward, trying to heed her own advice.

Perception: 17
Stealth (sound): 15

"Those of us who can see in the dark might want to scout a bit ahead," Lia suggests quietly. "If there are snakes lying in wait, we might be able to notice them and alert you before your lights reveal our position." If nobody objects, she'll move forward so she's about 20 feet from the edge of the group's light, trying to keep her footsteps quiet and watch for any danger.

Perception: 22

Stealth: 24

Hayeth whispers "I'm not so good at sneaking so I'll stay back, but take Fay with you she likely won't attract too much attention" she puts her finger to her lips looking at Fay and then points at Lia as the Raven flies to her shoulder

"I'll try to be quiet anyway" she takes veerryy slow steps and those who are paying attention will also notice she is holding her breath as long as she can between individual breaths

Stealth: 9

“Sounds like Hayeth and I will bring up the rear while the three of you scout ahead... I mean, if that’s alright with you, Vahorn.”

Dumasz draws his longsword with two hands. 
stealth 11 

Vahorn nods at Lia, a brief flash of a smile on his face, but just for a second. “Good idea Lia, the two of us will go.... Noell, you can stay back and keep eyes on the rear - this might not be the only entrance and we don’t want to get surrounded.” 

Readying his bow, he creeps along he opposite side of the tunnel from Lia, keeping his back against the wall as he tries to step silently, keeping his ears peeled for any slithering. 

Perception 11

Stealth 13

Noell nods and falls back, more than comfortable with staying within the others' range of light... and trying to quell her restless snake-dreams from making a reappearance.  "Be careful up there," she whispers.

Hayeth lets out a long held breath and breathes heavily for a second watching Vahorn go ahead and whispers

"Well he seems to like Lia and Dumasz far more than me, he really doesn't like books does he?"

"Huh," Noell says to Hayeth.  "Val only gets like that when he takes an interest.  I couldn't tell you what his interest is, though.  Maybe he thinks you're cute?  Maybe he wishes he had access to the sorts of books and learning you did?  Maybe he just ate some bad snake for dinner last night?  The point is he's being stubborn, and looking for creative ways to find fault with you.  I'd say don't take it personal, but his interest is definitely personal."  She taps her chin.  "I suppose it's less offensive if you know him better.  He's like a porcupine, all prickly on the outside, but with a soft underbelly.  Oh, he'd give me a verbal lashing for that comparison, hah!"  Her eyes twinkle in the muted light of the tunnel.  "The trick is to just out-stubborn him.  He might complain a lot, but he does actually recognize the importance of reading and writing.  And the elven people have always had magic in their blood, so it's not like he's put off by your powers.  Consider it a compliment of sorts, if it helps, that he singled you out.  It means you caught his eye!"

She looks ahead and quiets down, seeing that the others are already making their way forward.  "Mm... I'd better quiet down and let the others work," she says with a slight grin.

The corridor is  torchlit, and travels down about 35 feet before sharply veering to the right. peering around the corner, you see a short hallway that opens into a chamber beyond. You here two humanoid voices (one male, one female) laughing, as well as some hissing and squeaking. You catch a glimpse of dark green robes before you duck back.

Vahorn signals back to the others to get closer, with a finger over his lips in a shushing motion. With his bow ready to fire, he gestures to Lia and Dumasz to take the lead.

Hayeth looks up and grins at Noell

"I can do stubborn, I've done stubborn all my life, if only he wasn't an elf it'd be so much easier" she whispers and giggles a little

She looks up at Vahorn saying "Looks like he wants us closer, I'll put this away" she says, stowing the light stone in her pouch

She then approaches slowly keeping low and as quiet as she can

Dumasz approaches getting as close as he can without giving himself away. As soon as they turn:

“A bit of a strange place to have a rendez-vous. What brings you here?” 

stealth 12 

Noell blinks and tries to adjust to the torchlight as Hayeth puts away the stone.  Hearing Dumasz speak, she pulls out Pinaka and quietly readies a bolt, just in case.   Who's he talking to? she wonders, hoping that it's simply the missing Joe and Aleesa.

Lia steps forwards into the room alongside Dumasz. "Yeah, no offense, but the interior design here is terrible. This place could really go for a rug or something."

Hayeth turns to Noell wide eyed at what their companions are doing she mouths the words

"Did that just happen?"

And stands ready to start casting if necessary 

You see the fair skinned woman holding a stick with a string tied to the end of it. Dangling from the string is a mouse. She is taunting the snake coiled on the floor between her and her companion with it.

They are startled by your speaking. What do you do?

[[OOC: The party has surprised the cultists. Everyone roll initiative and tell me what you do.]]

Noell initiative: 28 (21 + 7 Gift of Alacrity)

Noell, creeping up upon the scene, sees the two individuals torturing both the snake and the mouse at the same time, and gets a pretty good assessment of their personalities just from that alone.  Angrily, she raises her crossbow.  "Hunting should be swift and painless," she chides the woman, "Anything else is simply torture!"   Demonstrating her own advice, she fires upon the woman.

Attack: 12
Damage: 10 piercing

(ugh)

Hayeth Initiative: 18

On her turn Looking at the scene before her she says "Well I suppose talking is out of the question now!"

She raises her hand, as she does so her hair flashes into the form of fire floating up breifly as fire would, speaking in arcane tongues her hand turns blackened and covered in embers she points at the woman holding the stick and casts Fire Bolt before everything returns to normal

To Hit: 8

Damage: 2

She also shouts "If you can, give me a clear line to them I'll get them both!" while grinning wildly

Lia Initiative: 20

Lia darts into the room towards the woman's companion and tries to position herself so if Hayeth goes for all three of them in a line, she won't be in the way. She aims a high roundhouse kick for their head, followed by a crack to the back of their knees with her staff.

Attack: 16 Damage: 4

Attack: 22 Damage: 7