It was hard for Vaxfar to stand back and wait but he had been through too many battles to know that it would be foolish not to be patient and wait for Eoni and Sarah to report back before he did anything else.  He stood ready with his wand in hand straining to see what more he could make out.  He says a few words under his breath and continues to concentrate.

[Private to DM Pawn: cast esp.  because I can wait and concentrate, i should be able to discern the thoughts of the members around me as well as Eoni and Sarah if they are in range (also perahaps the dragon or other creatures if there are openings in the door)]

[Private to Vaxfar: A flood of jumbled thoughts assault Vaxfar's mind:

To Them. Already Wonder what happened. Hopefully, very down he seems. Concerned. Calm.

Good. He Smells Something.

Down settle out already, loud. Crying for treasure? Any wonder if they has dragon, if, hurry up.]

[Private to Eoni Daflin: Eoni casts dispel magic, targeting the double door. The magic is quite strong and it takes Eoni some mental effort to overcome the powerful evocation, but eventually she unworks the effect.]

The double door is suddently illuminated with crackling white energy that races up and coalesces around the five dragon heads looming overhead. As it spreads over the stone dragon heads, the color shifts to blue, green, red, white, and yellow hues, before all suddenly fade out. Motes of sparkling light falls to the ground in a shower, dissipating to nothing seconds after they strike the ground.

Moments later, everyone hears the screech of an unknown beast echo through the canyon...

Dergan chuckles lightly, "Fancy door knocker that, time to fight".

PM

[Private to Eoni Daflin: "Uh oh," Sarah says.  "Are you alright?" she queries as she tries to determine whether, despite the fireworks, the trap has been neutralized.]

---

[Private to Sarah: "Change of plans," Eoni said quickly, swinging her pack around to pull out her tiara.  "Get that door open and I'll get the others."

Putting the very bright tiara on, she turned and started waving frantically for the others to come across.]

PM

[Private to Eoni Daflin: Without hesitation, Sarah starts trying to open th e door.  Safely.]

Ovo looked to the elf "We should get across yon bridge. I nay be know'n wot's come'n but unless it flies like ah dragon, we can face it better as it crosses te bridge."

He then nodded toward the light show "Besides, those inside the Fane most like know we be here. Wot think ye all?"

After the brief but brilliant pyrotechnic display, the area near the double doors becomes bathed in light, at the middle of which stands Eoni. The priestess waves her hands frantically, presumably beckoning her companions to come quickly. Meanwhile, Sarah checks the door for any remaining traps or locks, finds none, and pushes the huge doors inward.

[Private to Eoni Daflin; Sarah: Beyond the double door, Sarah and Eoni see a 10-foot wide unlit corridor that continues for about 25 feet, before coming to a wide stone staircase leading straight up.

OOC: Eoni's tiara provides light in the immediate area, just wanted to point out the tiara is the only light source.]

OOC: Dergan, Elam, Ovo, Vaxfar, Laurenbeth, Shmee, Rogar, Grub, and Murph are 180 feet from the double door. The area near the door is illuminated, but most of the distance between is not, to include the natural bridge that spans the gaping chasm.

Ovo moved to the natural bridge and urged his fellows to follow. "Vaxfar if ye will cross first ta help the others, I'll stay on this side until all o' ye cross. If ye have ah torch or such n' ye wish ta light it do so. Stay to the middle o' the bridge and keep move'n ta the door n' Dame Eoni."

PM

[Private to Eoni Daflin: Sarah moves in silently, checking for traps before the stairs and to see if she can get to a place where the angle lets her see the top of the stairs.]

"Let's go" Vaxfar says curtly in whispered but firm voice, keeping his wand in hand and taking off in a run  across the bridge.

---

[Private to Sarah: "Sarah," Eoni whispered to the empty doorway, "see if you can find out where that dragon will be coming from.  I'd like to close these doors behind us."

Presumably, she wasn't standing there talking to herself in the illuminated doorway.]

"Elam, if you loan my your latern, I'll lead across for any of us who don't see in the dark, follow in my path and we'll cross well enough.  If something aims at the light, it'll be aiming for me".

Assuming Elam agrees, he will stow his bow and using the light to keep him centered, head out across the bridge.

Elam had no intention of trying to cross the bridge in the dark. At the first sign from the ladies across the gorge, the mage struck his flint and lit his lantern. He closed the hood most of the way. "Just enough light so we don't step off the edge," he muttered and then happily handed it over to the sturdy warrior. "You surprise me with you sparks of wisdom. Let's make haste, before we are too late to help."

As Dergan and Elam pass over the bridge, Ovo nods and winks. "That's good lads! I'll be right behind ye when all are across."

OOC: Elam, Ovo, Dergan, Vaxfar: how quickly are each of you attempting to cross the 160 foot distance to the double door?

Slow Walk
Walk
Fast Walk
Jog
Run
Sprint

???
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:36, Fri 28 Aug 2020.

In reply to DM Pawn (msg # 295):

Ovo is run to the bridge (I think 50 feet away), he is going to wait until everyone is across then walk across the bridge and he will run to catch up after.

Dergan will walk. Just walk and try to stay center to the bridge

Vaxfar will run.

Ovo and Vaxfar, both gifted with the ability to see quite well in the dark run to the natural bridge; however Dergan, Elam, Laurenbeth, Shmee, Rogar, and Grub proceed at a much more sensible pace. One false step could result in certain doom. The trail is not very wide, strewn with loose stones, and the penalty for failure quite steep. Naturally, Murph seems unbothered by all of this and is content to just everyone else, perhaps even joining Vaxfar and Ovo for a run, before doubling back to check on the laggers.

Fortunately, the dog has enough sense to not bark in excitement, but even her bark would be less noisy than Ovo's run. Clad in heavy armor, the dwarf's approach to the natural bridge is less than quiet. The natural acoustics of the surrounding sandstone cliffs amplify every noise. If the blue dragon is still in the cave overlooking the ledge and natural bridge, it must certainly be alerted by now.

But no dragon emerges from the cave and the party manages to cross the natural bridge with no mishaps. Once they have crossed, presumably they pick up their pace to close the distance to the now-open double doors, where Eoni awaits.

Meanwhile, Sarah examines the wide corridor and finds no evidence of traps. Then, she approaches the stone stairs, which ascend steeply into the mountain. After walking up a few steps, she can make out the top of an iron double door at the top of the steps.

By this point, the entire party has arrived at the Tiamat Door and no dragon has emerged from the upper cave.

"Everyone inside and we'll close the doors," Dame Daflin said quietly as she waved them all inside.  She couldn't believe they hadn't left the dog with the mules.  She'd be more offended if the dog hadn't been infinitely quieter than Ovo.

edit: color
This message was last edited by the player at 00:38, Sun 30 Aug 2020.

Once over the bridge, Dergan hands the lantern back to Elam and stands at the edge of the chasm until Ovo is safely across.

As the dwarf rushes past, he grins, and follows him to the doors and inside.

Seemed almost too easy, maybe they were desperate for visitors.  More likely, just letting dinner walk in the front door.

Sarah goes up the steps to check the double doors for traps.  She then listens to see if there's something on the other side.  If all answers are negative, she'll check to see if the door is locked (without actually opening the door).

Ovo moved inside and inspected the door. If it were too heavy for the dwarf to close himself, Ovo would ask Dergan and Lauernbeth to help. He would wait until all were inside to do so, then inform Eoni of the sounds of the unknown creature in the canyon.

"Are ye n' Dame Sarah alright then?" Ovo queried. "We've seen the lights n' such. Were either o' ye harmed?"

The entire party (yes, Murphy too...) passes through the Tiamat Door and Ovo, Laurenbeth, and Dergan pull the heavy stone double doors closed behind them. Murphy races inside last, circles around Eoni once, then sits by the cleric's side and pants.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Flashback to the entrance to the slot canyon, when Eoni recommended the animals be left behind:

Grub turned to Murphy and whispered in a baby voice, "She don't mean you, now does she? No, you're not an animal, are you girl? No, indeed!"

And this settled the matter, at least as far as Grub was concerned.

---

OOC: Opening a new thread...