Into not so bad a fire...

Are we finally going to get into the House of the Beast? 

We came back to the magma area and found a cave filled with a large pool of the stuff. Some rock fell from the ceiling, causing a small bit to splash on to, and burn my beautiful Spring. But she's fine now.

It was also were we located the final two Salamanders. We had a short but nasty fight where we slew the leader, my blade "Tempest", with its frosting magic really coming into its own as it cleaved the creature in twain. 

At that, the other that had agreed to help us made an appearance and caused the final one to submit to its will. And then it used its magic to open the very stone itself to allow us entrance into the area we need to access.

After securing unfettered use of these caves to pass into and out of while we explore the House of the Beast, we moved back to the surface to rest before entering the, hopefully unguarded, back door into this place.

What new dangers await?

o0o

From the frying pan...

Damn, but its hot down here! 

These Salamanders think that this place is too cold, which is actually a good thing as we have found one that wants to help us. Of course its betraying its own kind, so that tells me that we can't trust it farther than the point that we have mutual goals. But it's something.

And it sounds like there is but two more besides this one to worry about. Well that and most likely some more of these fire snakes, but it doesn't sound like too many more of them either. 

Then we should be able to move on to the House of the Beast. And what a welcoming name that is... But coming through this way, I expect that we should initially be an unwelcome surprise. I don't expect that to last long, but a tactical surprise should always be exploited while it's available. It will act as a force multiplier, and as the numbers clearly seem to be against us, that is to desired.

So far we have been able to rest and heal ourselves between encounters, and while unpleasant, we have been able to overcome the foes we have come across. But I don't expect that our further progress will remain so... agreeable. So again, surprising them, Hell Yeah!

o0o