BLACK CRATER

[Van Dyksun]

Indeed

I nod in agreement with the druid's words.

Then I walk over to the halfling, put my paw on top of his head, and say, "Rogue-to-rogue, is there something you'd like to return to me?"

 

[Tom Cashel]

Quidam, already hovering a few inches off the floor, closes his eyes and moves his luckstaff in a distinct pattern. "Tymora, what will we find when we pass through Portal One?"

His lips move, and his own mouth replies in a strangely female timbre, "Weal and woe."

"We intend to dimension door the children. When we are all ready, we will enspell ourselves a bit further."

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

Woe? Whoa!

'Weal and Woe? I don't like the sound of that at all! I think that it's pretty clear that a trap is waiting for us.

"Cautious is fine ... but we're dealing with a Wizard here. If we open that portal, and the Wizard is aware that we did, and we take 30 seconds or a minute or more to make our way outside, that Wizard is going to have time to cast spells on himself and his followers that only last a matter of seconds or minutes.

"So slow is fine, but realize we're giving up our one advantage .. surprise."

 

[Van Dyksun]

I turn to talk to the wizard without removing my paw, "Your words have truth. We could 'fake' them out by opening the portal, waiting a minute or two, then close the portal, wait thirty minutes and then proceed with the sneak and scan plan. Would that with any prepared spells a powerful wizard might cast?

I am not interested in running instantly into this room to engage whatever is there. If you are proposing that we simply open the portal and run through and out of the ruins and back to the caravan as quickly as possible--that might have some merit to it."

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

"Element of surprise or 'get-em'?"

"The trick is to learn more about the adversaries on the other side and still preserve the element of surprise. Let's "spell up" our sneaky Dalabrac to do the learning and we can cast spells, hide, set traps etc. to preserve the element of surprise. Here are things that we can do to preserve the element of surprise:
Set a trap in case anyone enters the room and hide
Ready an action
Cast spells like obscuring mist to hide us
Hide ourselves in the room in various ways
Set up a diversion (Summon nature's ally etc)"

Even if the adversary thinks something is wrong, all of these actions keep our presence concealed until we have the advantage again."

 

[Van Dyksun]

Augury

"Quidam, I almost wish you had asked your Lady about staying here in the Nexus, just to finally convince Lucius of the necessity of getting away from this damned place. At least Tymora has indicated some weal in our present course of action. That's enough for me."

OOC: I've lost track of time in this world--is it dark now?

 

[Tom Cashel]

"Well, the magic is cast," says Quidam. "As for setting a trap, keep in mind that any enemies who come in here will be facing all of us and Mama Griffon."

Yes, it's fully dark now.

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

" I say we set a rope trap at the portal entrance and everyone hides with the help of spells. The spelled-up Dalabrac opens the portal and goes through. We wait with a readied action until he returns. If the Wizard detects us we will still have the advantage if he were to attack because we would be under cover, have a readied action, he wouldn't know where we were etc. The best way to use this advantage is to have Dalabrac lure the adversary back into the room. We could close the portal after a particular sized group comes in and then attack."

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

Bear -- Ah, my friend, I simply wanted to uncover the secrets of the Nether -- I assure you it was not my intention to allow a "random encounter" as you call them to turn you into some sort of rug.

I like what you say Ranger. Let's scout quietly. I just think that the opening of that portal alone will alert them to our presence. I would cast detect magic when the portal opens to see if there might be a magical trap or alarm spell.

 

[Tom Cashel]

The sun has set beyond the mountains, dropping the ruined valley into darkness. The waning gibbous moon shines among the clouds, a trail of Selune's Tears lit up in its wake.