Shedding Light on the Darkness

Desmond examines his surroundings carefully....

Spoiler:

the arcane presence seems to be coming from the room with the really large doors, bright lights and shiny pathway leading to the door, Drawing Desmond's attention like a moth to a flame. The room is massive but well lit. Hundreds of warforged gather and traverse the room going about their daily tasks using the tunnels that litter the walls of the room. There are a few pools of water in the room and three ornately decorated pillars near the center of the room.

[Desmond walks towards the really large doors and attempts to open them and walk through]

As he approaches the doors two war forged bang on the doors simultaneously and the doors  begin to open automatically.  cracking wide enough for one large being to easily pass,  they stop and the sounds of a workshop erupt from within.  Gizmos and gadget wiz and buzz, and in the center of all the commotion you can see a large war forged with a powerful arcane presence directing the chaos like a conductor of a mechanical chorus.  It motions Desmond over in the midst of it all.  Small warforged beings begin to crowd around like children excited and jubilant to see such a strange creature.

Desmond looks on with wonder thinking all the time that these are surely the product of Octavious' genius. His sights then focus on the large automaton in the middle of the room who generates the powerful arcane aura in the room.

What is this place? Who are you?

[Desmond slowly walks towards the large warforged]

Ah much I do know about this council as I was appointed to it long ago.  It was formed in order to deal with problems that effect the whole of the realm.  However if you were told to seek out this council  then there is something I must give you and you need to be on your way.  A smaller more fragile looking warforged walks up with a thin rectangle iron plate in hand and gives it to Primary.  Primary begins to draw a sigil on the plate and worms of light etch something into the plate.  When the etchings are complete Primary hands it Desmond. This is where you begin with all the knowledge you have sought.  Your questions will only begin, hurry or your travels will be all for naught. Darkness looms but yet there is still a light of hope.  New torches lit of new blood brought.  He smiles and touches Desmond's shoulder, and a spark of energy travels trough the air giving Desmond a painful shock.  The sounds of the workshop fade as does Desmond's vision.

Desmond looks around and tries to regain his bearings

[Passive perception = 15]

Desmond finds himself in the middle of a densely wooded forest. He catches movement out of the corner of his eye.

bump

Desmond grasps the hilt of Yojimbo and assumes a battle ready stance.
Hello? Is someone there? Show yourself!

Spoiler:

He sees three childsized figures staring at him from the shadows. They do not move, just stare. The moon peeks out from behind the clouds for only a brief moment and Desmond catches a glimpse of one of the figures.

As Desmond scans the area he begins to think aloud to himself...
Hmmm.... Okay so I set out needing to find the First (whom I assume was that Primary fellow), the Short (most likely the short man who spoke in cryptic riddles), the Crazy ( obviously the telepathic Chicken Man), and the Hidden....I still have no idea who the "hidden" could be... who ever he is, the council that I must have an audience with meets where ever he is... And what was it that the short man said again..." i am a bridge"?...uh, something about "don't go down my path"..."follow the stream"... His words were cryptic and strange, but perhaps I should consider them as I make my way through these woods... And maybe I should inspect these strange statues abit closer

Desmond takes out a sunrod from his pack and walks up to one of the small statues to examine more closely

The figures suddenly vanish at the sight of the sunrod, and Dosmond here's a strange sound coming from the woods around him.

Desmond ponders on the situation he finds himself in for a moment and then turns back around and scans the area around him.
This place is strange to me and full of unknowns. I think I should try to find the stream that the short man spoke of....

Desmond tries to observe his surroundings for signs of the stream....

Spoiler:

His arcane sensing tingle and he hears a strange beeping noise coming from his pack. Very slight and barley audible. He finds himself in a lightly wooded area. He recognizes some plants very commonly found in the goblin forest south of Moetown.

Desmond stops where he is and takes off his pack to investigate the source of the strange noise.

As he looks into his pack he sees the metal plate primary gave him right before he blacked out.

Desmond reaches into his pack and takes out the plate that Primary gave to him... He examines it closely. While doing so he walks around with it held out to see if it is reacting to the environment around him...

Checks...: