[IC] Temple of Dorgan

[Linwelin]

Kin almost immediately went for the hammer after gathering himself from the ground. After all, with his current situation, it may be the key to getting back home. He looked back toward the portal, only barely able to make out the scenery within. "There's no way to get back up there. Nine hells, I'm not even sure I'd want to be in that mess. It'd mean death. Speaking of the nine hells..." Kin turned back to the scene before him, clutching the new-found hammer. "I'm not actually in Baator, am I? The only actually flaming circle was Phlegethos, right? Please don't be Phlegethos...!" Kin was now immediately on the lookout for devils, and wished immensely that he was NOT in an open area so that he might attempt to hide; and, of course, the umbral caverns within the craggy cliffs were no more welcoming. While frantically looking around for a hiding spot, he spotted the building in the distance.

"That's bound to be full of things I'm unable to deal with." He said tensely before sighing, "But there's nowhere more likely to get me home than there right now...how do I even reach it, though?"

[blockquote]Paranoid perception for devil-spotting!:  1d20+9 : 12 + 9, total 21[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Perception on building and how to get there:  1d20+9 : 13 + 9, total 22[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

The heat
It was stifling and warm. The howling winds that blew hot air only made it worse. The clothing and armor you wore only begun to make it worse. The new loot you had gathered that you stored in a bag felt heavier than usual, though you knew it was probably more from exhaustion than anything else.

[info]Using PF rules for heat. Requiring a Fort check every hour. -4 if you continue to wear any armor. Roll fortitude when able.[/info]
Hammer
As you picked up the hammer, the mirror-like portal above winked out from existence. Slowly the tendril of energy from the portal above linking to the hammer shortened and shortened until finally the energies was back in the hammer. However, the magical hammer too seemed to glow less. The red glow seemed faded, or at least dulled from what you remember before.

Now that you're holding the weapon in your hands, you can feel the strength of the weapon as well as get a better look at the craftsmanship poured into the item. The head of the hammer was some sort of red-colored metal, and though it's handle was made out of metal, it felt cool to the touch despite the raging fires and heat around you. It deflected off or somehow absorbed the heat at least, and touching the cool metal felt like a godsend. There was a large jewel embedded in the head of the top side of the hammer as well. You could have sworn it was brighter before, but now its light was visibly reduced. On closer inspection of the jewel, the light looked as if it pulsated.

Building in the distance
When you took sometime to peer out at the large building in the distance, you realize it was a set of structures, closely connected to each other with various arches, bridges, and pathways. You keenly noted the dwarven design of the building. Rectangular, solid, squat. Each of the traits shown clearly in the make. You see figures guarding some of the entrances to the buildings. They were short, but you noticed their red, fiery, and glowing hair and beards. They were definitely dwarves that you had fought back in the temple. Something about the building looked familiar however, but you couldn't place it.

[info]Roll knowledge (architecture), or a general knowledge/int check if you want more details.[/info]
Perception
Although the winds continued to blow, whistling as it sped in-between crevices and various stone spires, you were able to make out what sounded like a series of footsteps stepping in and falling into the sand-like ground you had walked upon. You heard too the distinct clanging of weapons against clothing, though not in any sort of combat scenario. The sounds were methodical, marching almost, and sounded as if it was getting closer and closer.

[info]Couple options:
-Heading further away from the sounds to get +4 stealth checks.
-Heading closer to the sounds, finding a hiding place (like high on a rocky cliff), to attempt to surprise the newcomers but suffer -4 stealth checks.
-Anything else Kin would do.[/info]

[Linwelin]

Upon seeing a building in the dwarven style, Kin relaxed a little. "Not Phlegethos." The fact that there were few-to-no devils now gave him a little peace of mind, allowing him to calm enough to examine the hammer and his surroundings more level-headedly. "This thing certainly is a beaut', ain't it?" The halfling said as he rolled it in his palm to examine all sides. The cooling property was certainly a nice trait. It was certainly a worthy treasure, without a doubt. Just as he was stowing the hammer at his side, he heard the sound of marching. Armed marching. He was too drained to confront anyone right now, so he made the strategic decision to withdraw until whatever force it was passed him by. He withdrew to a decent hiding spot, considering the time he had, and laid in wait. Luckily, the spot he chose still offered a view of the buildings across the way, allowing him to study his destination further.

[Linwelin]

[blockquote]Fortitude:  1d20+5 : 17 + 5, total 22[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Base Knowledge:  1d20+1 : 17 + 1, total 18[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Stealth with +4:  1d20+11 : 12 + 11, total 23[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

[info]Requesting Perception check.[/info]

[Linwelin]

Requested Perception Check:

This is the check: [blockquote]This is it:  1d20+9 : 20 + 9, total 29[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

The sounds of marching came closer and closer. True enough your guess was correct, though they couldn't see you, you managed to get a peek of who they were. They were six of them. Short, stocky, with plumes of fire for their hair, they were defintely like the other dwarves you had seen earlier. Likely they had come from the building you had seen in the distance. The marching slowed, and eventually stopped. You heard some movement of feet and you wondered what they would have been doing.

"Ya durned fool!" One of them shouted out, though you noticed he tried keeping his voice to a minimum. He started talking much more fiercely then, though, out of concern for being loud, began talking more quietly. You were still a good distance away, but you strained your ears carefully, listening in on the conversation spoken in dwarven word for word.

"I thought you said they'd be here!" There was an undeniable hint of anger in his voice.

"Shaddup! Dey tol' me dey' was going ta be 'ere! I's just telling ye! Plus ye see the portal just now?" Another voice spoke, dwarven too, though his speech sounded more slurred and slowed.

"Aye, the portal of spawned from Dorgan's Hammer." His voice took on an edge of reverence. "The hammer either be somewhere here, or someone up there be playin' tricks on us opening the portal."

"Kathor said it'll be 'ere though." The second voice complained. "Got the signal I did that dey were openin' the portal from dem surfacers."

You heard someone spit.

"I be durned if one of 'em mephits got it. Or the damnable efreets!" His voice started to get louder then, but he was quickly shushed by the other members of the dwarven group.

"Lets just hope the hammer has enough juice to open another portal soon. The faster we're gone from this place, the better. So what're you dimwits doin'? Search around why don't ye!"

[info]Cat and mouse game in a maze if you're interested in participating, if so I'll start up a quick grid map with the rules. If not flee away![/info]
Path to the buildings in the distance
You see the path that the dwarves had taken. You could go around them, to attempt to avoid them altogether, though the detour would take you away from their chosen path. At the very least you wouldn't get their attention. You could sneak around them as well, using the various spires as cover. Riskier, but at least the path was in clear sight. You see a variety of 'islands', each one separated with cliff-sides. Likely these dwarves had jumped them as well, unless they had special equipment of some sort. At the very least you didn't see any sort of bridges across the chasms until much further on closer to the buildings in the distance.

Other things nearby to note
There were many places to hide nearby with the various rocky outcroppings jutting out every which way. You also noted a variety of caverns and tunnel entrances that made their way deeper underground. They spread out in various directions. There was a chance there was some interconnected cavern system down there, but it may at least provide cover from all the heat.

[Linwelin]

As much as Kin wished to have at them and simply eliminate the threat of...whatever they were planning, the halfling recognized that he was in no shape for such a difficult fight. For safety's sake, especially considering this hammer seemed to be their goal, Kin decided a longer detour was the best course of action. Thus the halfling quietly left the area, trying to keep the locations he'd seen in his mind as well as he could. Being lost in a fiery plane was NOT a desirable outcome for Kin.

The halfling carefully crept away from the squad of dwarves and scouted out the best possible approach to that building in the distance. I really need to get out of here...

[blockquote]Perception:  1d20+9 : 19 + 9, total 28[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Stealth:  1d20+7 : 7 + 7, total 14[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

Choosing to sneak away, you silently draw back from the group of fiery dwarves, increasing your distance from them and avoiding them altogether. You went a round-about way, heading away from the dwarves directly, then attempting to circle around them in order to start making your way towards the building you see in the distance. The journey took around 30 minutes, as you stealthily moved towards your destination. You were lucky as you didn't encounter any new enemies or denizens of this fiery place.

Dorgan's Hammer
You had overheard that one of the dwarves called this 'Dorgan's Hammer', and you notice that in the time it took for you to make your way here, the pulsating gem started to beat faster, and the light just slightly more powerful, though still far from its original brilliance when you had first seen it.

Islands
Though the building wasn't entirely too far away, as you neared a particular cliff side overlooking various islands, rivers of lava, and the set of buildings, you realize getting there would be a problem. The set of buildings sat on a single large island. Around this large island were a variety of smaller islands linked together with bridges, making it simple to move between each of those islands and the main island. However, there were no bridges linking those smaller islands to any of the further islands around you, nor the one you stood on now. It was as if these structure used the lava as some sort of moat. At the very least, anyone travelling by land would have a harder time. There were some cliff-faces that look climbable, some gaps even edge close enough that they may be jump-able. You wonder how the fiery dwarves were able to move between the islands.

Inhabitants
Since you were closer, you were still able to make out the small figures in the distance. You can definitely tell that the inhabitants of the building were fiery dwarves as well, their fiery beards, even at a distance, giving this fact away. It was still too far to see exactly what they were wearing, but from how they were positioned and remained stationary, you assumed them to be some guards.

Tunnels
Even this far in, you still see a few entrances that go underground. The tunnel system must be complex, with the amount of lava in the rivers around you, it is questionable how feasible it is to travel through them.

Crudely drawn map!
Red fill = lava
White fill = land
Orange lines = bridges
Black lines = highest elevation land
Grey lines = medium elevation land
Dark red lines = lowest elevation land
Blue dot = Kin

[info]To help speed things up. You can spend an hour or so investigating/surveying an island you are on, larger land masses will take longer, low rolls will increase time of surveying. Successful rolls, I'll give you all the details for that island. For each attempt roll:

Stealth (optional)
Perception
Anything else you think might work
[/info]

[Linwelin]

"Hmm..." Kin looked at the hammer for a moment. "The way that gem is regaining its glow...This thing must be what opened the portal...so maybe the key of getting home is this hammer?" Kin just stood and stared at it's gem for a while before stowing it away. "That'd be nice, but I won't rely on that chance...what a situation. Makes me miss Bran-Bran." Kin looks around, then up a nearby cliff face. "Well, I guess I should get a better look at the area first. maybe I can see more from up there." The halfling scanned the rock face for a good climbing path, and began pulling himself up the cliff. But the whole time, he could only think one thing.

"This heat sucks. I want a cold mead already."

[info]Kin climbs the north cliff face.[/info]

[Linwelin]

[blockquote]Stealth:  1d20+7 : 4 + 7, total 11[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Perception:  1d20+9 : 19 + 9, total 28[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Climb:  1d20+6 : 6 + 6, total 12[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

Kin
The cliff face was about 50 ft. high by your estimation. It was fairly steep, but there were enough jutting rocks that it looked climbable. You attempt to climb the cliff face, you were about half way up when stepped on a loose rock. Immediately you felt yourself lose your balance, and if you didn't act quick, you would fall down hard.

[info]Kin to roll reflex.[/info]

[Linwelin]

[info][blockquote]Relfex:  1d20+7 : 16 + 7, total 23[/blockquote][/info]

[Throndir]

Kin
You manage to catch yourself just as you were about to slip off the slope of the cliff. However as you twisted around, pulling back your weight and centered your gravity to better keep your balance, you had cut yourself from a protruding rock. The wound was superficial, but it added to the strain of being in a totally alien environment.

[error]Kin takes 5 non-lethal damage.[/error]
[info]Damage Taken
Kin (lethal): 4
Kin (nonlethal): 11[/info]
Surroundings
Much higher than you were before, you were able to get a better view of your intended destination. The previous platform behind you, south, was around 50 ft. below. But as you stared downwards, a mass of land after the sharp decline of the cliff in front of you was around 100 ft. below. You notice that it connected to other land masses, and from your vantage point you can see if stretch towards the north west. Directly to your north were various smaller islands connected by bridges. However a chasm of lava surrounded each, and though the nearest of the connected islands was 50 ft. below you, the chasm separating you and the island was also around 50 ft. in length. Just south o you were still some tunnels that you had seen. For tunnels this high up in elevation compared to the ones you had seen below, it made you wonder if these were natural or were created somehow.

Runes
You had barely missed it, but on th edge of the cliff that faced northwards towards the bridges were a series of runes. They were blended well with the surrounding rock, but there were slight indentations around the words, forming almost like a plaque. They were written in dwarven, and though some of the diction was different, you were still able to make out what it said: 'Fire from the heart of a dwarf will grant the path to you'.

[Linwelin]

Kin looks back toward the tunnels to the south. "Huh. Maybe these tunnels connect to the ones below, meaning I didn't have to climb and risk my life." He looks down at his hand, examining the injury. "It's just a small cut, though, and who know what was in those tunnels. I'm trying to remain unseen, can't wander into more dwarves by taking the normal path." Confident he'd made the right decision, Kin turned back to the runes on the ground.

"They seem to be pointing toward the bridged islands. 'Fire from the heart of a dwarf will grant the path to you', is it? Maybe these runes are magic, and have a way of making a path to those islands? I teleported here with a hammer, so at this point, I'll believe just about anything can work." Kin studies the runes longer, thinking over the words carefully. "I don't think the one to activate this, if it is magic, necessarily has to be dwarven...but maybe that means that the command word is stated using the dwarven tongue. May as well try. From the way it's phrased, I'm guessing 'fire' is the word."

Kin stands over the engraved runes, looking out over the lava to the islands, and speaks plainly. "Taal."

[spoiler]From what I looked up, Taal = fire in dwarven. Kin would know the actual word, so if this is important, lemme know what I should ACTUALLY say haha.[/spoiler]