20 - New friends, new troubles

After a deserved rest post Mr. Magnifico Murder House of Fun, we're starting to consider our next move. We can keep going our route to New Gnomoria or check the place Sir Tonq mentioned.
But before deciding, we're checking the town, buying a few more supplies and asking around a for Paildreo and Ludwig. While hitting the town, Mr. Magnifico's tent is gone, but townsfolks are still doing the "prophecies" they received.
[Investigation] Nesvalyn asks around about Paildreo, but no one seems to fit the description. Same about Ludwig. But they do mention that not many people go through that route to go to New Gnomoria, as they go through the low route at the east (starting from North's Gate).
[Perception - Pass ✔] Reylynn notices that someone starring at the group. Someone thin with a black chainmail with a hood.
Reylynn keeps staring at him, and the figure walks away. She warns the group, but we don't react much, as we try to learn more.
[Insight - Fail ❌] It was a creepy stare according to Reylynn.
After discussing if we should check or ignore that guy, Persy goes after him, where the party follow.
When called out, the figure reveals an elf, who declares having no memories, and he's been following us for a while. He presents himself as Balnorin. When asked why he's been following us, he mentions that his friend asked him, but is reluctant to share more about that "friend".
Willum asks for a bit more proof of faith, where Balnorin presents his holy symbol, being the Wonder of Death (aka someone benevolent but creepy, and unrelated to The Undying).
After some concerting within the party, Balnorin joins the party.

Finally, we decide to head to that dome Sir Tonq mentioned.

We've been travelling for four days towards this Dome.
Reylynn finds a small pond within a creek, with small sheets of ice are forming, we're getting closer to Winter.
[Survival - Pass ✔] Reylynn finds a bunch of Cat's Tongue, a component required to communicate with the animals.
[Perception - Pass ✔] We notice these weird dusty color mushroom near the trees and the pond.
[Nature - Fail ❌] Persy can't seem to perceive what they are from this distance.
After small arguing between Persy and Willum, Persy throws a rock at a mushroom.
[Ranged attack - Fail ❌] The rock hits the tree and completely miss the target.
After a moment, all the mushrooms shakes and shutters. We're entering into a defensive position, when 10 mole goblins creatures appear from these mushrooms with rusted scythe.

[Nature - Pass ✔] We realize the entities we fought are Red Caps, vicious Fey creatures, and live by absorbing blood from their hats.
Persy casts [Cure Wounds] on Balnorin for 13 hp.
Reylynn gets enough Cat's Tongue so each party member can use [Speak with Animals] for 24 hours, and we resume our travel.

After a week of travel, we notice snow getting on the top on the mountains.
We're walking along the forest and start to reach uncharted territories.
[Perception - Pass ✔] Balnorin and Nesvalyn notices that the woods in front of us are weird.
Willum walks a bit and bonks into something invisible.
Balnorin and Nesvalyn realizes it's a realistic painting, and mention it could be the beginning of the Dome we're looking for.
[Investigation - Fail ❌] Persy notices it's a wall, but cannot chip it off. It sounds like metal.
We decide to go around and search the main entrance.
[Investigation - Pass ✔] We find a river bed after an hour, but appears to be dry. When looking, the water gets out of the dome through metallic grates.
[Investigation - Pass ✔] Persy notices it's regular Iron bars after hitting it.
Then we hear soft paws coming by, and a beaver comes by with a torch, wearing Half-plate armor with a sword.
We all take some Cat's Tongue to understand it.

Oi, you hear me? What are you doing here?

Now we are, we're just looking for the entrance, looking for Sir Tonq.

There ain't no entrance, and Sir Tonq ain't friend to beavers.

Any political issues? And where are we? asks Nesvalyn

None of your business lizardman.

(Do I look like a lizard, really? It's not the first time I've been called like that, and I've never met one. Is it the case as they say?), asks Nesvalyn to the party
(It's more an insult to throw you off), answers Persy
(That's a strange insult honestly, I don't get it.)
What's the difference with him being a lizardman? asks Willum

I'm a proud member of beavers, that's the difference.

Any chance to get in?

No outsiders allowed.

Why guarding the grate then?

'cause I'm the grate guard.

Why?

A job's a job.

Why this position?

Because outsiders have no business here.

Where is the Otter kingdom?

Don't worry about it, it won't be around for much longer.

Sounds like genocide.
The beaver guard walks away.

Persy mentions that there's no more water going out as there could be a dam upstream because they're beavers, and Nesvalyn mentions that it could be the source of water of the Otter Kingdom, and there may be another dome if we follow the riverbank.
Nesvalyn goes into air to check the size of the dome, and can't even see the other side, and the opposite side drops down into a cliff, with no other entrance of this dome on sight.
After sharing the information, Persy bangs on the grate again as we'll try to get in, where the guard comes back.
[Persuasion - Pass ✔] Nesvalyn manages to get intel that it's the proper place of the Otter Kingdom and we need to follow the river, but the guard still won't let us pass.
Nesvalyn asks if we can have pourparlers.
[Persuasion - Pass ✔] The beaver thinks about this, then gets into a meditative transe.

The beaver doesn't react or answer to our following questions. Balnorin and Willum sees it as an opportunity, and encourages the party to pass by him while he's deeply concentrated.
We execute the idea and get inside.

After a few minutes in darkness, we get into the riverbed, and we see light within, with a real sky. A lot of the dome has been carved down compared from the outside, and the river flows uphill when it's full. We see in the distance that a lake has formed on the far side of the dome. The dome presents its own climate, as it's warm inside.
We decide to follow the river, and we're reaching the bottom of a slope.
[Perception - Pass ✔] Balnorin hears a cricket out of sync, and stops the party.
Dark shapes land in front of us and let go a ferocious meow, and 6 anthropomorphic cats falls down, and barking mean stuff pointing their crossbows. We quickly take another Cat's Tongue to be able to communicate and talk our way through. After they finish to bark their insults, they start to ask questions.

Why are you here?

Just people passing by, we have no harmful intents.

No outsiders get here.

We're friends of Sir Tonq.

You know Sir Tonq?

Yes, as we saved him a few days ago.
[Persuasion - Pass ✔] The leader observes for a moment, then says "Very well, follow us quickly." as they sheathe their crossbows.

We're traveling for about one hour, and we approach the edge of tree lines, to reach the Otter King Village.