I don’t suppose I can try Investigation or any other check to find the passage? ‘Cause the only other idea I have might count as potentially suicidal (using satyr stance to run up the trog’s wall and fight/get the gate open there while my friends remain behind the crocodile).
The closest carnival workers look to you as you hail them. These workers are a tortoise like humanoid, an elf with skin that is as black as night with a wide brim hat to block out the sun, and a human with light blue skin. The light blue skinned woman answers you, "Hail! Thank you kindly for the offer, but there's no need. We got everything covered. Can't make a future fan of ours work for us, now can we?" The woman asked teasingly while giving him a wink.
She then greeted, "I'm Rain. This is Wenston, and this is Alejandra," As she introduced the other two, she gestured to them as she gave their name. Wenston was the tortoise like humanoid while Alejandra was the drow.
Sylvia nodded to her friends when they affirmed that they were ready. She listened as Shor gave his advice regarding if they run into Red Stain. She nodded to him when he told them to go, and she lead the way to the crocodile. Once by the crocodile's side, Sylvia would prepare herself by activating her satyr stance. She wanted to be ready to move, and the satyr stance was the best way to do that, albeit that's the only stance she knew right now. She had her tonfas armed as well. She was ready to go. She stayed by the crocodile, speeding up or slowing down when they needed to in order to reach the passage leading into the fortress.
When Pylia covered her mouth with her hand, she thought about licking Pylia's hand to get her to get it off of her mouth. She thought better and decided not to. Sylvia tried to hold back her laughter, but she wasn't doing a good job of that. She commented "Oh, it's okay Pylia! There's no need to be so embarrassed, ya tsundere," She enjoyed the moment while it lasted, because even though it seemed okay for now, she knew deep down that war was hell, and they were about to go through what is probably the most difficult part.
And she was not wrong. The mood shifted and everyone was serious, and her mood changed with it. She spotted Green Eyes, the crocodile she and her group rescued, with Longstrider riding atop the crocodile. When she spotted Shor, she gave a serious nod back.
She noticed where they were, and she listened as Shortfang and Longstrider. As she listened she thought about the history and its connection to the present. No wonder the cultists would choose to take this place first! If the kobolds could see the dragon coming from here, then they would probably be able to warn the town in time. If the cultists had this place, then it meant when the dragon came, Gransys would be a sitting duck. She could hear the bitterness and regret in Longstrider's voice. She muttered "We'll get this place back..."
She could see the fortress walls 1000 feet away and seeing the siege weapons was kind of intimidating. She listened as Shor explained their strengths and weaknesses, and in response, the kobolds set up fortifications in no time. She was surprised as well, and she commented after the kobolds finished, "Impressive!" She nodded in agreement when Longstrider said that it was time to take back their home.
She paid apt attention as Shor and Longstrider gave her and her friends' mission: Open the gates for the troops and cause as much chaos as possible so that they might reach the leader. She nodded at the plan, though she was a bit nervous with how close this passage was to the defensive wall. Were they going to be able to sneak by?
When Shor asked if they could do this, she answered him, "Yeah. We can do that. Leave it to us!" As she answered, she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, preparing her body for a fight. She might be a bit nervous, but she wasn't going to let Shor and Longstrider down now. They had to do this. There was no going back! People were trusting her and her friends.
She commented in thought over the plan, "If we can, we'll see if we can dismantle the siege weapons as well. Nothing adds extra chaos quite like technical difficulties," Plus, she had a feeling that doing so may lessen casualties.
She then told Shor, "We're ready when you are," She then looked back at her friends, Pylia, Shortfang, and Buddy, and she asked "Right, guys?"
Spent two hit dice three days ago in the OOC thread. Recovered 4 3 HP. Back to full health
After Shortfang and Buddy answered her question, she led the both of them to the market, where they would find a heartwarming scene. It was kind of adorable how Pylia was teaching kobold children how to make potions. Plus, Pylia was actually smiling. She clearly enjoyed teaching the younger kobolds, even though they were more interested in the fact that a human was teaching them. She chuckled when Pylia jokingly scared the kobold children into running away.
Sylvia still had her smile on her face when Pylia tried to regain her composure and she answered her friend, "Yeah, we're ready to go. We need to meet up with Shor and Longstrider in order to discuss the strategy for the final attack," She then teased in a friendly way, "Sorry to interrupt your lesson, Professor Pylia,"