Return [To Madness]: Act 1, Scene 2

[BishGada]

"I need few more hours of prayers. And these disturbances only delay it's end." Ke'Sha answers briefly but not hostilely.

[Lord Torath]

<Didn't you spend all day yesterday in prayer? How long does it take to replenish your spells? Master Jagrinder and Mistress Allikhain are both ready. Let's move!>

[BishGada]

"Hmm... how do I mute these voices?" Ke'Sha thinks to himself...

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(OOC: Not sure really. I thought I had to study for 20 hours *this* day. No?)

[Lord Torath]

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[OocC]
First foray into the labyrinth was on the 3rd. Ke'Sha prayed all day on the 4th for spells to cast that night, and now on the 5th he is praying to restore those spent spells. But no one but Allikhain knows about those spells you cast last night. Hence Stephen's question about what Ke'Sha's been doing for the past 36 hours.

[Styrius]

Axid greets the waiting group to enter the cave once more. “Perhaps Ke$ha has lost his resolve to return?” He asks.

[TristenC]

Allikhain emerges from her tent, smoothing her skirts from her studies. She nods in greeting to the rest of the group. Glancing around she takes stock of the situation. She shrugs at the comment about Ke'Sha's 'resolve' and the delays. He strikes me as the type to 'overprepare' at times. Changing a large selection of memorized spells takes time, and quite a bit the more powerful the magic. I suppose such is not a concern for mentalists like yourselves. She shares a small smile with the two Psionicists. Perhaps we should go on ahead and he can catch us up when he is ready? You have a link to him, do you not Stephen? I'm sure we can inform him where we are if we run into trouble, or when he is finally prepared to his satisfaction.

A short distance away Lena is speaking with the group returned from the village. They seem somewhat the worse for wear, and bearing some injuries. The native man and one of the guards are no longer with them, but the young mage gives his report. We were beset by strange lizard creatures. They went on two legs but had no real intelligence, not even the dim wit of the primative lizardfolk. Still they were quite crafty, and hounded us like a pack of wolves. We managed to stave them off, but only just... we lost guard Jeram... He says, staring nervously into the treeline outside camp. The natives called them something that translated to 'Raptor', like a hawk. He seems quite disturbed by the ordeal.

Lena puts a firm hand on his shoulder, He will be remembered well, for his bravery. And what of your mission? She prompts.

Wiping his brow, the young man continues. We followed T'cri-nak back to his village. The site where the others were taken from is relatively undisturbed. They seemed fairly sure it must be that the 'evil serpent spirits' that live in the caves here took them. He said that they can move unseen through the jungle and blend in 'like the shin-shi', apparently a small cameleon-like creature. He... he did add that this was not a rare thing... that people disappear or are taken from time to time. Though he said this was the first time he had ever heard of them leaving a note.

Lena frowns, If they took people after we were camped here, then there must be other paths to the surface from their lair. We cannot assume otherwise. And what of this 'message'?

The young mage swallows hard, That the people had been "Taken by the Gods to serve a higher purpose..." We presume they meant sacrifice... or slavery... or any number of other horrors.

[Nocturno]

"Ready when everyone else is." Jag shares.

"On my way in." Jack will start heading in so he can be ahead of the rest scouting.

[Lord Torath]

<Hold up a moment there, Jack. Unless you see a need to revisit the places you've been through three times already, why don't we just jump to the room with the hands?>

<Ke'sha? We're going in now! Get out here!>

"Axid, do you have the livestock?"

[Nocturno]

Jack stops and turns around.

[Styrius]

“I have a few chickens stuffed in the haversack. I’m hoping they haven’t crapped on everything. I again repeat they won’t be good for stealth. At least they can’t be heard while in the pack. We do need to make way though. The Halfling will have to catch up. The elemental may have ruined much and or have the whole place up in arms. That may play into the havoc this place is. As much as I was looking forward to this puzzle, I feel death is in the cards in this place.”

[BishGada]

"Agrrr... fine... I'm coming. I haven't had the time to learn Resurrection by the way..." Ke'Sha thinks back. He then breaks his meditation, collects his pack and join the others quietly, exchanging a look with Allakhain.

[TristenC]

[Ke'Sha's list is updated]

Landro hefts his sword, Shall I go second, behind Jack?

[Lord Torath]

As soon as everyone is assembled, Stephen briefly closes his eyes, bringing to the fore his memory of the room with the giant hands in it. Opening his eyes, he observes the area in front of him. He then summons his will, taking a minute to do so.

Abruptly a 10'x10' portal opens up, revealing the interior of the room with the giant hands. "If you will all follow me?" Stephen says, stepping into the portal and into the room. He slides his dagger from its sheath as he crosses the portal.

Stephen pays special attention to the temperature of the stone hanging under his shirt.
≈≈======================================
Wormhole Power Score 17:[1d20]=16
PSP cost: 36.
That was the second attempt. The first attempt was a 19 and cost 18 PSPs

[BishGada]

"Wait a moment. First thing is I couldn't learn spells to heal you. Do you have potions or scrolls for that benefit? If not, let's try to fetch some in the camp. Better delay a bit and come prepared than find ourselves forced to retreat and lose more precious time. Second is that yesterday I have recruited some helpful creatures in the caves and now they are in our servitude waiting there. That's why your disturbance prevents me from being more helpful today. Let's go there first and only then use the portal."

[Lord Torath]

Stephen steps back through the portal. <I realize I make it look easy but this is actually quite difficult. I can't keep it open forever. Go get your recruits. Quickly!>

"Sorry, team. It appears that instead of preparing helpful spells yesterday, Ke'sha's been out 'recruiting', and as such hss no healing prepared.

"Ke'sha, we're a team. I realize you may be new to this, but that means we discuss things like this with each other, so we can best plan how to use our various assets. We don't spring surprises on our teammates at the last minute. First the fire elemental, and now this?"

Stephen turns back to Axid. "Jack, Jag, and Landro retraced your route yesterday. They did not report any significant damage from the elemental.