With the dust settled and the fight seemingly over, Soledad allowed her magical invisiblity to dissipate. As she released the spell the witch also shifted her conscious awareness to the web of magic that was ever-present and just beyond normal vision. Reattuned to detect any magics that might be present, Soledad began to carefully investigate the dead-end tunnel they now found themselves in.

((OOC: Ritual Cast Detect Magic)) 

Soledad continued her invisible trek through the dust, ready to hurl deadly magic the moment her eyes found the naga again.

Soledad continued her trek forward, keeping a close watch for any sign of the naga.

With the stubborn dust before them there was little to do but venture foreward lest her companions be lost to the magic of the naga. Summoning fey magic of her own, the witch lay a spell upon her own being and then vanished from sight. Invisible, she stalked forward ready to strike.

((OOC: Casts Invisibility on herself))

Soledad has cast dancing lights to hopefully spotlight the naga's form in the dust. If the silhouette gets revealed I'd like to suggest everyone target the creature with missile weapons. 

Dust! %&*@ing dust!!!! Oh how she loathed the filthy stuff. In truth she didn't know which upset her more, the sight of the naga or the billowing cloud of dust. A reasonable person would surely find the very real and very threatening naga to be the most terrifying matter at hand, but Soledad wasn't exactly reasonable, especially when it came to filthy nast wretched dust. Here she stood, covered in an ever-accumulating cloud of dust that clung to her. OH HOW THE NAGA WOULD PAY FOR THIS... but of course before the creatures blood would be flowing in rivers they'd have to see it. 

To that end, the naga's lighting bolt summoned dust cloud might just prove a boon to their work. In answer, magic crackled at the witch's fingetips and she sent it flying toward where she had last seen the naga. Floating motes of light appeared and began to dance through the air revealing sihlouettes hidden by the dust with their light.

((OOC: Cast Dancing Lights, targeting area where the naga had been before the dust cloud.))

Yeah, this is a tricky one. There is a water source nearby, so I'm wondering if it might help to reinforce the dangerous tunnels with thick ice. Soledad should be able to do that with Shape Water but it might take a minute. A very very long minute. Thoughts?

Alright, I'm in a place where my mind can think again and will return to more regular posting. 

I think it's clear we need to turn around and go through one of the other tunnels we passes. Any thoughts on which?

Soledad moved through her preparations as the group prepared to head onward into the Varlog. With fey magic the witch banished dirt and grime, then spun the eldritch threads around her person into a protective skin of magical armor. She ritually shaped the power into an invisible force that would follow her command and attuned her senses even further to the presence of magic. 

Nodding in agreement the witch spoke, "We are here to discover the secrets of this place and its inhabitants. The path of worked stone will reveal more of that to us. Let us move onward."

((OOC: Cast Prestidigitation and Mage Armor, ritual cast Unseen Servant and Detect Magic))

Before settling down to rest, Soledad began to move along the perimeter of their encampment, tracing its borders with leaps and twirls as she intoned ancient words of power. Fey rhythms audible to the witch alone were the beat of her ritual dance and she used their pulse to draw threads of magic into an alarm covering their encampment. If anything came upon them as they rested, she would know of it. With the magical alarm in place, Soledad slipped into the dreamlike trance of the elves.

On breaking camp, Soledad joined the others in finding a flat wooded board amongts the debris to aid her in crossing the pool. While the witch did not relish the idea of a dip in a cave pool, they needed to cross. So she followed Hornet's lead to float and kick over to the other side of the water. The very moment her feet found dry lad again, Soledad banished every bit of dirty and wetness from her person with a bit of magic. One had to have standards.

((OOC: Ritually casts Alarm. Casts Prestidigitation. This post assumes everything goes okay with the rest and crossing the pool.))

I'm moving next weekend, so a bit swamped by that. I will try to post something this week but may not be able to. If not, Soledad will perform the rituals for Unseen Servant and Detect Magic before entering the cave (assuming that is what we all do). I'd also vote for a short rest. 

Soledad is staying in the game, I'm just might be MIA this week. More soon!

Soledad cautiously made her way from behind the cozy rock to join the others, ever vigilant for any sign of goblin hostility. Seeing that Thäoran was calming the twins, the witch let her gaze drift toward the cave. It was their next destination. Snapping her fingers the witch sent a fey charm to clean away the dirt and grime from herself and her companions. They might soon be crawling through a dank cave but there was no need to do so covering in filth!

***

With the goblins gone, Soledad set herself to several rituals before they entered the cave. Swaying as she whispered ancient incantations the witch spun the threads of magic into an invisible force that would do her bidding. Then she sent the threads of magic spinning into her own being to sharpen her senses to the presence of magic. She was ready. 

((OOC: Cast prestidigitation, Unseen Servant as Ritual, Detect Magc as Ritual))

Narrowing her eyes at the sight of the shooting goblins, Soledad spat a curse and hurled her sleeping hex into their number.

((OOC: Cast Sleep, targets the 6 goblins in the river armed with bows))

Crouching behind a rock, Soledad shook off the last of her own shock from the screeching horror. Unable to identify the source of the sound, the witch was forced to deal with the most urgent matter at hand. It was the gnolls that still posed the greatest threat, and they were already upon her alies. That could be used to her advantage. 

Tucked safely behind her rock, the golden elf set her eyes upon the closest gnoll and spat a deplorable word of power from which a hellish chorus arose that only the gnoll could hear. Dicordant voices whispered of its pathetic weakness, of all the pain it had ever known. They shreaked of doubt and promised a horrible death. 

((OOC: Dissonant Whispers))

A wicked smile spread across the witch's lips as she set her violet gaze upon the standing gnolls. The others were more than a match for the goblins, but the gnolls could prove a challenge once they made it back to shore. That of course wouldn't be happening, she had a delightful surprise that soon both would be enjoying, albeit in different ways. Intoning words of power as she plied threads of magic invisible to the untrained eye, Soledad wove a nightmare tapestry around the larger of the gnolls. And oh what a delicious nightmare it was...

Terror arose from the depths of the river as writhing poisonous snakes wrapped around the other gnoll overtaking its figure completely. Where there once was a gnoll now stood a snake demon with endless snake headed limbs that struck out to sink their poisonous fangs into gnolls warm flesh. It was hungry and it wanted a fight.

((OOC: Casts Phantasmal Force to target one of the two gnolls, this should be a different gnoll than the one Hornet has targeted. The illusion is set to cause the gnoll to see it's ally as the snake demon described above. Soledad will maintain this illusion and cause it to attack.))

You're welcome, Nomad. Truly a gift from me to you. And thank you, a bit under 50 feet is delightfully within range 

How far are the gnolls from Soledad? I see they are 30' out the river, but are they 60' or 90' away from us? Thanks!

In that case, Sleep, definitely Sleep. I wasn't sure from the map/description but suspected. Web would be totally useless here. 

She'll cast Sleep with a level 2 slot. I will update this in the game thread. Thanks!

Soledad joined Hornet in his assault of the goblin and gnoll horde. This might well be the chance they had been waiting for. Keeping herself hidden within the forest vegetation, Soledad began her task. Words of power flew from her tongue as the witch drew upon the fey magics in the earth and the sky above, and that flowed through her very veins. Flinging her hands out before her, the gold elf completed her sleeping hex and sent threads of magic spinning into their unsuspecting targets.

((OOC: Targeting the same group as Hornet. Soledad will cast Sleep with a level 2 slot.))

Soledad pursed her lips as she nodded her agreement. While she didn't relish the idea of let the bugbear continue to keep its head attached to its wretched body, they had given their word to allow the creature to live. There were lines of treachery that even she found distasteful to cross. 

"We are agreed," the golden elf responded, "bind his hands and his feet, and muzzle his mouth. Relive him of weapons and gold, we will let him keep his life and that is all. Then yes, we should make our way back to the Varlog and burn through every remaining goblin if need be!"

Yes, glad that all got taken care of quickly. We now have us a prisoner. Soledad and Dok can start hurling the questions. Curious if anyone has thoughts on what we should ask? I'm thinking we want to know what's ahead of us at the pyre, what might be lurking in the Varlog, and whether there might be another entrance into it. Thoughts?

Soledad focused her violet gaze upon the wretched bug bear and spat back in the goblin tongue, "Drop to your knees if you wish to live! You will be a cooperative friend and answer all of our questions sure and true, yes?"

((OOC: Soledad knows Goblin as well and is now speaking Goblin to the bug bear)

There was no hesitation from Soledad when she reached the top of the ridge. Fey magic crackled at her fingertips yearning for release, the witch obliged. Hissing a dark word of power, she summoned a discordant nightmare chorus that only the bugbear could hear. It would know pain beyond pain.

((OOC: Discordant Whispers targeting the Bugbear that is facing Thaoran and Hornet. This should cause the Bugbear to immediately retreat inviting an attack of opportunity from both allies.))

The witch continued her mad dash up the ridge, following the lead of the others. She could sense the coming confrontation and dark magic crackled through her being in anticipation.

Soledad continued her dash with the others, cursing whichever vile cretin had hurled a burning log at them. The nerve!