That's close enough to a unanimous vote. Those of you who prepare spells each day can go ahead and update your prepared spells for the next day.

Let me know where everyone is spending the 'night' and any precautions in place during this period.

Jurz makes a bed for himself  halfway around the ledge from the stairs, and settle down to sleep.  Then he dreams fitfully of riding a large flying bat/dog  called Rog into battle ...
This message was last edited by the player at 12:50, Mon 17 Feb 2020.

The little goblin grins inanely as he collects his winnings.  Admittedly his single shot was a lucky one (he had his eyes closed) and his victory was mostly due to Jurz's flambeing of the beast, but he's very pleased with himself, nevertheless.

"When we's done here, I'm buyin' der drinkses !" he announces to his tribe.

After all this excitement, Dregz fancies a rest too, and even though he's worried that someone is bound to turn up, he doesn't want to spoil the mood by chivvying everyone to keep going.

"I'll take der first watch," the priest volunteers staunchly, fitting another bolt to his crossbow, ready for what comes.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:05, Sun 01 Mar 2020.

Bulldust secures the door from the Pedestal passage, locking it if he can and spiking it shut from inside.  He sets an alarm at the top of the stairs in the room above, laying his old shovel Vera across the second step down like a trip hazard, but cunningly propping the blade on two empty potion vials arranged such that the vials are hidden by the shovel blade and one will topple off the step if the shovel is moved.

Downstairs he spikes shut the lower door and props his longspear almost vertically against it, set to topple over if the door is shoved from the other side.

He sleeps on the hydra next to Moffa.

Everyone's preparations work smoothly enough that the team feels they have done all they can to ensure nothing will get in without them knowing it. Everything is quiet and the team enjoys a full nine hours of rest and prayers for those who need to pray for their gods to grant them more spells for the next step in their adventure. There is just enough time for breakfast as well.

During this final stage it is Raven who is on watch and she has stationed herself beside the lower door. She suddenly hears faintly the sound of a voice on the other side of the door. A male voice, she thinks, but she doesn't understand the words. It sounds a bit like when Moffa is saying one of her spells. Raven frantically waves her arms to get everyone's attention and puts her ear to the door - obviously listening.

OOC: Main game map updated. Everyone is at full hit points and all casters have a full complement of spells. Anyone planning to cast long duration spells tonight (tens of minutes or hours duration) before heading further into the depths of this Talon of Tiamat will already have cast them this morning but shorter duration spells will not have been cast yet.

Minmorc will wave back and will calmly walk down to the door Raven is listening at. Great axe in one hand he will start yanking Bullies spikes out of the door frame.

Jurz moves around the ledge, climbing over the Hydra and settles down to us one of the necks as cover.  Peeking over the top, he looks down through the chamber's central void as he watches the scene unfold below.

Dregz has two large floppy ears for languages and starts to creep over towards the doors, hoping Minmorc's enthusiastic efforts pass unnoticed by the owners of the voices beyond the door ... at least long enough for the priest to try to pick up a little of what is being said.

Raven only heard one voice beyond the door and it only lasted about four or five seconds. By the time Minmorc and Dregz get there the voice has stopped but Dregz does hear quick footsteps fading away.

"S'gone quiet," Dregz informs his tribe, "cept for footsteps - sounds like someone's running away."

The little goblin considers this very quickly before hastily backing away and urging everyone else in proximity to do the same.

"Just goin' ta see if der is any spells on der door now," he advises, bravely peeking out from just around the corner of the alcove, waggling his fingers as he concentrates ...

Dregz concentrates on the door for half a minute, so there is time for anyone else to do other things during those three rounds if they want to.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:23, Fri 20 Mar 2020.

Jurz pulls out his wand and settles down behind the Hydra's neck.

Bulldust comes down near the door with his chainflail and a potion of Enlarge Person ready.  "Maybe we should burst out an surprise em before dey get away?"

When Raven guessed that someone was casting a spell, Moffdust rushes to the door. She looks for a keyhole to peek through, otherwise she will try to peek under the door. If she can see beyond the door she will cast a teleport spell. If not then she will cast a summoning spell. Cat the Bat flutters down and settles back inside her cloak.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:55, Sat 21 Mar 2020.

The little goblin shakes his head as he opens his eyes to glare at the offending portal through his mane of hair.

"Dat's cheatin' !" Dregz accuses, pointing his finger at the door.  "Der wuz only wun spell on it before an' now der's two !"

"Dey're not very strong spellz," the priest allows, "but dey might still be nasty."

By the time that Dregz completes his investigation and announces there are now two (not very strong) spells on the door everyone else is ready to get going.

Minmorc has pulled out the spikes that Bully had used to jam the door shut, Jurz has a wand in hand as he hides behind the hydra's heads, Bully is ready with his chainflail and a potion and Raven is ready with her rapier in hand.

Moffa can't find a crack to let her see past the door so she summoned a large dire wolf for a guard dog. Naturally, that caused a moment of excitement until she bravely threw herself in front of the great beast to protect it from being attacked by everyone else.

Finally, everyone is ready to tackle the door. There is no sound from behind the door now.

OOC: Main game map updated. The door would open away from this chamber but it seems to be locked or jammed or barred on the other side.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:42, Sun 22 Mar 2020.

Minmorc will give the door a half hearted shove and then will look to the rest of the group. "Anyone wanna try sumfing smart wid der door or you want me ter use my key?" He will hold up his great axe, clearly keen to insert it in the lock.

Smart enough to know not to admit it, Dregz takes up position with his flail just around the corner, happy to have the stone at his back and a big Orc between himself and whatever lies upon or on the other side of the door.

Jurz settles in behind the Hydra neck, ready to provide missile support -  until he knows what is  behind the door.  Or whether it is going to explode ...

Bugbears are sneaky.  So when Min offers to risk opening the door, Bulldust hides around the corner on the other side to Dregz.  He drinks a potion of Protection from Evil and stows the potion of Enlarge Person at the top of his pouch.  He loops his chainflail over his elbow and puts his fingers in his flayed green ears.  "Let me know if yer need any help, Min." he offers, but probably not able to hear any reply.

Moffdust moves over behind Bully. "How tough and brave and fearless we's goblins is. And also smarts. We's leads from a safe distances." She pulls the dire wolf back with her and stretches up to pat its muzzle. "Dis ways Wolfie. When de doors is open youse follows de smells an eats dem all ups."

She casts Protection from Evil on Min.

Everyone takes up position and finishes their preparations and Minmorc thumps his shoulder into the door. Nothing happens. The door doesn’t look all that strong but it is obviously locked or jammed solidly enough to withstand that bump. It might even be more than Minmorc’s best efforts can burst open by brute force alone.

OOC: Main game map updated.

Minmorc has spent the time compiling all that he knows about racial influence on architectural styling to visualise the exact location of the locking mechanism and restraining bar. Calculating the perfect angle of incision and the exact force required to cleanly clear this obstruction without causing undesired secondary reactions he snarls and introduces the door to his axe wife, twice.

It might be sensible to suggest that the whole tribe push, but it's definitely not sensible to be the one to suggest it !  Dregz crouches down just a little further as Minmorc tries his wickedly sharp key.

This door is a very sensible door. It knows when the writing is on the wall. At the first blow of Minmorc's adamantine greataxe the door makes a break for it, scatters into a dozen fragments and flees down the stairs that it was hiding.

A 5-foot wide staircase slopes down for 10 feet, turns right and continues downward, disappearing out of sight around the bend. There is no sign of anything else on the stairs.