The Mini-Adventure!

[Ericus Europaeus (Bug)]

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[Philote]

"Shall I sneak ahead then and make sure the gate is unlocked for us when everyone gets there?"

[Zaleramancer]

Phi begins to sneak ahead, keeping to the shadows. At first he sees nothing beyond trees and the occasional startled bird. However, the path begins to widen and Phi sees a large stone archway. Beyond that there is a large open area where the grass is suspiciously uniform.  Two or three dilapidated stone buildings jut from the ground, as well as a single huge one in much better condition, though it is half-hidden by the trees.

Phi spots a few figures wandering around the ruins, their features obscured by cloaks and distance.

[Philote]

I sneak into a dilapidated building at the back of the compound, and check to see if it is empty.

[Zaleramancer]

After entering the building, Phi notes that the inside is much better maintained than the outside. Glancing around, he sees boxes, barrels and sacks- it seems this building is being used to store things. Over by one of the walls, there is a old looking table and currently occupied chair. A person in a dark brown cloak is in the chair leaning over the table. He seems absorbed in rearranging some wooden tokens, a game of some kind. If this guy is a guard, he certainly isn't attentive.

[Philote]

I try take the man out silently, batman style, knowing that my allies will be barreling through any moment and that I needed to be in position.

[Zaleramancer]

The man goes down silently, though his wooden tokens scatter across the floor.

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Meanwhile
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The others are still waiting, bored to death. Perhaps they could spring into action.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

"Enough waiting! Let's go!"

[Philote]

Perception check, I search the man and the room to find information that will give me a clearer idea of what spells these cultists are capable of.

[Zaleramancer]

While searching the man, you discover a few scrolls with some kind of arcane writing on them. While you aren't sure what they do, the symbols don't look very.. nice. Perhaps someone with more magic experience can help you puzzle them out.  You also find a pendant with the image of some kind of fiendish creature on it.

You open a few of the boxes and barrels. Most contain only food and supplies, however, in one you hit the jackpot. There are several crudely made clay effigies of demon-like creatures. With them lies a set of warnings in multiple languages not to break the effigies. You also uncover a few more arcane scrolls.

[Zaleramancer]

Meanwhile...

The others have reached the large stony archway leading into the open area.


(What? I already described it. :P)

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"So", Rory looks around, "Find anything worth looting--er, I mean, looking at?"

[Marvelous Miscreant]

"Save the looting until after we kill everybody."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

 "Oh. Right. Probably best."

[Philote]

Hearing the alarm of the other cloaked figures at what I can only guess being my allies approaching, I grab a scroll and the pendant to show the team later, not willing to disturb the clay effigies.

I move to the entrance of the building I'm in, preparing my bow to attack from the shadows once my allies begin their brawl.

[Zaleramancer]

(Assuming you attack the cloaked figures)

The three cloaked cultists had drawn near each other, in some kind of discussion. One of them spots you approaching and alerts the others.

The tallest of the cultists barks a few words, possibly instructions. One of the others breaks off an makes a run for the largest ruin. The other, a big muscular looking guy, pulls out a nasty looking mace that appears to be glowing.

Meanwhile, the tallest cultist, obviously a leader, begins some kind of chant.

Marv senses magic emanating from the leader.

[Ericus Europaeus (Bug)]

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[Philote]

I target the one running to the building from the shadows, knowing that this isn't just some bandit, but that this is a cultist that is able to kill me with a word, so I aim for his head.

[Zaleramancer]

(You are using a bow, correct?)

[Zaleramancer]

Sheer dumb luck and clumsiness save the cultist, as he trips over a boulder. Catching a glimpse of the arrow shrieking past, he yelps and begin to half-run half-crawl to
 the stone building.

Meanwhile, the other two cultists are beginning their attack. The largest begins to charge towards Marv, while the leader' chanting begins reach a peak in volume.

Marv feels the sense of magic is continuing to grow.