January 1st 217 years after the Breaking Party travels back to Lothia. Chandra seems eager to have Jaenelle's help in solving some internal diplomatic issues. Party is informed that Lothian intelligence revealed the cats came indirectly from Rigus on the world hub. (also known as the outlands by planar experts) The cats are considered 60% likely to have come from Acheron which has a gate under Rigus. Party is introduced to three Acheron "experts" in the form of three dwarves named Valger, Berrik and Kellerik from the Grey Tower Mountain range. The temple identified them as being the most convenient source or recent knowledge. The dwarves traveled to Acheron a while back in hopes of destroying Grumpsh's fetich of power. Valger commanded the group of Dwarves. Berrik was the war leader in charge of fighting and leading in battle and Kellerik was the enabler channeling ancient earth magic to open the way into the outlands. Valger tells of the Outlands and Acheron in militaristic terms. Basically any trip to Acheron is best done through Rigus as that is the only place that one can get in and out safely. Other entrances run the risk of getting caught in cube collusions or being pitched into battle with a quarter million raging orcish barbarians. The strategy for invading previously failed due to the dwarves straight ahead style, but a smaller group that was willing to skirt large groups and demesnes of power could probably move around effectively if there was a destination in mind. But for a destination one would have to visit Rigus. Rigus is the stepping stone to Acheron and anything would be heard first there. January 2nd Groups makes plans. Kelerek and Berrik are convinced to help the group. Valger feels to old for this crap and offers to take the other dwarves pay back home in case of accident. Korvath stays in Radcliff due to his religious censure (Korvath has never stayed in a church longer than morning services and then only on Easter) and Jaenelle stays behind to continue investigating some sensitive matters for the church of Jaas. January 3rd Party appear on the outlands and see a twelve headed hydra battling a hellhound. The hellhound is outmaneuvering and generally annoying the hydra but not actually damaging it. Party decide to destroy both only to find that the Hydra is very hard to kill. It regenerates incredibly fast and no one seems to be able to keep it down longer than a second. Finally after a massive slug fest Herunaro manages to disintegrates the hydra whom otherwise ignored Herunaro's spells. A search for the dog reveals a dog headed humanoid looting the collapsed temple. Party accost him but he disappears immediately via magic. Swiftwind prays to the High God to thank the lord for saving the ancient tapestry that was left behind from the villainous hound and a second later and dog comes back looking severely chastised. Rufus apologetically states that he thought he sensed a strong evil presence in the group. (Qarnain is in a bag of holding while the Hound is talking to the group) The dog (hound archon) explains he was trying to save the tapestries and to take to another temple in need. The party convinces him that the plainsman's school could use the tapestries and Rufus agrees to check it out, but his god gets to make the call. Rufus and Swiftwind talk quite a bit about heavenly matters and Rufus tells the group a bit about a turf war going on between angels and devils in Rigus. The party uses Rufus's description and Kellerik's knowledge to teleport to outside Rigus. Much of the day is then spent in conducting paperwork, more paperwork, and additional paperwork to expedite paperwork. Qarnain seems to understand the processing forms and helps the party for a fee. Berrik tries to fast talk the guards but fails when he strays from their documented procedures. Kellerik manages to get a fee for translating between Berrik and the translator since the translator can't understand Berrik's wild tales and stories. Kelerek has somewhat of an immunity to Berrik's tales. Several sheets of paperwork later the group is finally at their inn having only had to sedate Herunaro twice. Looking around the neighborhood someone glances a Steel cat slipping into a nearby alleyway (spot DC was mid 30s). The group charges out to fight only to be blocked off by another metal predator. The fight rages on furiously. No one seems to hurt the cats seriously. Only Kellerik can damage them though his heavily enchanted bow. Herunaro and Alex work as a team to disintegrates a pit and bullrush the cat into it before walling it closed allowing the party to concentrate on a single cat. The single remaining cat is finally destroyed revealing that it is little but blades, blood, and weapon oil. The second cat is let out and people discover that despite being made of blades the cats have vulnerable points particularly on their spine below the neck. Grouping up they subdue the steal predator and package it off into a portable hole. The group then fights off looters who claim they have loot rights for carcasses in the passageway. The group then quickly returns to Lothia to have the cats "mind-probed" SESSION END January 3rd 217B NEXT TIME : Is this your kitty?