In reply to DM (msg # 14):

From the cave mouth, Therarak peers deeper into the cave.  He whispers, I will check it out. Using his Svirfneblin abilities, he stealthily enters the cave and checks for additional traps (taking care to avoid the pit trap to the giant rats).

Therarak casts nondection on himself(Svirfneblin Magic. Can cast Nondetection on myself at will)
14:00, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 24 using 2d20+2.  Stealth. (advantage on stealth in rocky terrain)
14:02, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Perception (looking for traps).
This message was lightly edited by the player at 20:03, Sun 18 Feb 2018.

Therarak disappears into the darkness like a Svirfneblin breeze. He checks methodically for traps as his crosses the first room, but finds nothing. He proceeds northward, staying to the side of the pit in the corridor (no longer covered). He peers into the trap as he passes, and spots a few rats below, but not nearly as many as when they dumped the goblin remains down there a week ago.

Once past the pit, he freezes against the wall as he hears something coming. In another instant, he spots a giant rat as it appears from around the corner on the western side of the T intersection. It turns its head southward down the corridor toward Therarak, sniffing, but not moving.

Therarak disappears into the darkness like a Svirfneblin breeze. He checks methodically for traps as his crosses the first room, but finds nothing. He proceeds northward, staying to the side of the pit in the corridor (no longer covered). He peers into the trap as he passes, and spots a few rats below, but not nearly as many as when they dumped the goblin remains down there a week ago.

Once past the pit, he freezes against the wall as he hears something coming. In another instant, he spots a giant rat as it appears from around the corner on the western side of the T intersection. It turns its head southward down the corridor toward Therarak, sniffing, but not moving.

In reply to DM (msg # 18):

Lazaret leans in and puts his paw on the elf's shoulder. "Celador. I bet you can't hit that giant rat between the eyes" he whispers while giving the archer bardic inspiration (1).
This message was last edited by the player at 19:06, Mon 19 Feb 2018.

In reply to DM (msg # 18):

Seeing the rat, Therarak quietly reaches into his trust bag for a vial of fire and readies an action.  He will throw the vial if the rat approaches him.  When he is prepared, he quietly back tracks toward his companions (cautiously avoiding the trap).

14:25, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 22 using 2d20+2.  Stealth.

If the rat approaches, it must make a DEX save against the vial of fire...and lights up the rat for minimal damage

14:29, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 2 using 2d6.  Fire Damage.

The rat sniffs the air for a moment, then proceeds eastward through the intersection without any further notice of Therarak.

22:06, Today: DM rolled 17 using 2d20.  Rat perception (w/advantage) vs 22 stealth.
The gnome carefully retreats toward the others at the cave mouth to relay his findings.

OOC: I didn't have anyone but Therarak close enough to see the rat. As a result, Lazaret, you don't need to spend your bardic inspiration if you don't want to.

At this point, you are all back at the cave mouth with a reasonable confidence that there are no traps (other than the pit into the rat room) as far as the T intersection (M10).

"Let's go in and get this done with. Move quickly and take no prisoners." Celador says with a somber and serious tone and not his typical happy go lucky demeanor. He quickly and quietly moves with sword and shield ready, past the rat pit and to the "T" intersection.

15:41, Today: Celador Qiris rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  stealth.

does Celador see anything down either side of the intersection?

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 22):

Therarak follows the elf (not quite as quietly), but stays behind the T (M8).

13:45, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 13 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Stealth.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Wed 21 Feb 2018.

In reply to DM (msg # 21):

Thorfire also follows the mutton loving bastard, err elf, into the cave.

13:47, Today: Thorfire Shortankard rolled 24 using 1d20+8, rerolling ones.  Stealth.

BTW, is there any light in this cave?!?

THIS CAVE IS LIT!!!!

ha ha, what's the problem? little hobbits can't see in the dark?

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 25):

Are you lit?!?  Too much mutton?!?  Isn't that what you call the bar maid?

Celador leads the others to the T intersection. The passageways are dark. The torches that lit the way a week ago are extinguished. While there is very little to see, the heroes catch a hint of the smell of rotting flesh and far in the distance, they hear a murmur, perhaps a voice... or maybe just their minds playing tricks on them.

OOC: no light. A torch will have to be lit in order for those without darkvision to proceed.

In reply to DM (msg # 27):

Thorfire climbs onto Celador's back (run, run, jump, I can be a backpack while you run). A torch won't be needed...for now.  You smell like flowers, I think I understand why the barmaid likes you so much. He gives him a quick peck on the cheek.  Let's go kill some stuff.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:03, Thu 22 Feb 2018.

"Easy there 'friend'. I'm not looking for a long term relationship," Celador responds to Thorfire's show of affection.

"How about I take the deep gnome and we scout out ahead, if we find the necromancer we can devise a plot with more light. In the meantime you keep Laz company and try not to make too much noise."

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 29):

Thorfire hops off Celador's back. I'm not looking for a long term relationship either, just some good times with "good friends".  We will table this for now.  After I borrow your sword to cut off the hooded man's head, perhaps we can pick up where we left off".

Turning to Lazaret, Please don't start singing or pontificating as you are prone to do
This message was last edited by the player at 19:23, Fri 23 Feb 2018.

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 29):

Lead on my good elf. The normally quiet and graceful deep gnome stubs his toe on a rock and cursed, perhaps a little too loudly.

13:11, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 8 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Stealth. (Seriously, with advantage?!?)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:22, Fri 23 Feb 2018.

In reply to Therarak Gemfinder (msg # 31):

"All that skin on skin stuff you are into. It's an abomination against the Cat God. But to each his own. I promise not to tell that girlfriend of yours. She'll smell halfling on your sword anyway. Yuck.

Now let's get in there find this fucker."


19:49, Today: Lazaret rolled 14 using 1d20+5.  Stealth.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:49, Sat 24 Feb 2018.

Celador and Therarak proceed down the hall while Thorfire stays put in the darkness. As he does, the distant squeaks and scurrying of giant rats becomes more evident to the sightless halfling.

The elf and deep gnome make it to the northern turn in the passageway (J10). Straight ahead of them (to the west) is the chamber where earlier they spotted several rats dining on the remains of several humanoids. The chamber is mostly bones now, although as they approach, they scare off a couple rats who scramble for the narrow passage in the northwestern corner of the room.

Moving north, the pair reaches the next intersection (J13). The passage proceeds north while a side passage goes west into the goblin barracks, which appears deserted from their current position.

OOC: Lazaret, not sure if you wanted to join the scouting party or stay with Thorfire.

Celador holds a finger against his lips to indicate to Therarak to proceed quietly. He draws his sword and cautiously enters the goblin barracks to make sure they are still empty.


23:39, Today: Celador Qiris rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  stealth.

hmm

23:40, Today: Celador Qiris rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  perception.

Celador shuffles into the goblin barracks, making more noise than he hoped. To his good fortune, nothing awaits him in the chamber. From what his darkvision can tell him, the room is as it was a week ago, empty except for a few makeshift beds scattered about. There is, however, a stench of decomposing bodies lingering in the air. It's not as bad as the stench where the bodies were found earlier (room 5, G10), but the elf can't help but think something foul smelling has been in these barracks in the last day or so.

And in the darkness, both Celador and Therarak hear something. At the very edge of their perception, they detect a subtle, rhythmic thump from the northern passageway.

In reply to DM (msg # 33):

Enough of this waiting around crap, I want to kill something.  Let's go Laz.  Thorfire pulls out a torch, lights it and proceeds to the intersection to his left (J10).

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 34):

Hearing the noise, Therarak stretches out with his senses to discern the direction and distance of the thumping noise...and perceives he is in a cave.

12:28, Today: Therarak Gemfinder rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Perception.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:29, Thu 01 Mar 2018.

In reply to Therarak Gemfinder (msg # 37):

Drawing his rapier, Lazaret points out two rats 60' to the west. "We should kill those things before they sneak up on us. Stay close then light a torch so you can see."

Lazaret leads Thorfire into the room with the two rats and attacks them with his rapier.

Therarak can't tell exactly how far away the thumping noise is, but is fairly certain it is still a ways off and comes from somewhere further up the northern passage.

Lazaret follows the two scurrying rats into the southwestern chamber, but when he enters the room, he finds three of their giant cousins sneaking out of alcoves in both the northwest and southwest corners of the room. The giant rats scurry toward the tabaxi and halfling with yellow teeth showing.

Post round 1 actions(Lazaret and Thrfire only). Three giant rats are charging.

In reply to DM (msg # 39):

"Stay close, my roguish friend!" Lazaret slashes at the first rat.

10:50, Today: Lazaret rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Rapier Attack.
10:50, Today: Lazaret rolled 10 using 1d8+3.  Rapier Damage.