In reply to Giant maned rats (msg # 137):

Bat Aoife keeps her distance...

"Right, I think I see it now.  They come down there, grab some cheese rind from the pots by the grate, and toss a chunk by each staple, then slip by while the rat things are eating.  As long as they don't get too full, it should work."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 139):

"I was just going to stab them with my spear, but that sounds like it might work."

Ardenas tilts his head while looking at Kalima.

"Your method is better for a quick exit, if one is needed, but mine leaves less evidence we've been here.  Presuming, of course, that it matters.

"Preferences, Mancini?  Oly?"

ME? I prefer leaving no Zignz we been here. I dink dadz a lozd cauze now.

"Me? I think we should feed the rats and get as far away from them as we can. The less effort we expend now the more effort we can spend eliminating those demonic worshippers," Mancini replies.

In reply to Mancini (msg # 143):

The gate is still locked, although simply.

"Okay, then.  Oly, ready to unlock the gate?"  Ardenas reaches into the nearest pot for a handful of cheese rinds.

OK, Gimme a minude ...  Oly kneels and uses two picks to work the locks parts. It takes only a few seconds.



[Private to GM:   15:41, Today: Oly rolled 9 using 3d6.  Pick lock.  made by 5 ]

Mancini readies his rapier.

Ardenas tosses a few scraps of cheese near the staple for one rat's chain, then repeats for the other rat.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 148):

The rats pounce on the rotted cheese, momentarily clearing the path, and the way is made clear.

In reply to Giant maned rats (msg # 149):

Aoife will fly past them...

Oly eases the door open, draws his knife and slips past the two Rats.

Keeping a watch on the rats, Ardenas holds back to let Mancini and Kalima pass.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 152):

The demi-divinity swiftly steps past the venomous quilled creatures.

Mancini steps by the maned rats as quickly as possible.

Ardenas checks to be sure the rat things haven't finished their snack before grabbing another double handful of the stinky cheese rinds and darting between the two creatures.  He stuffs the cheese into his pouch once he's clear of the rats.

"I may need a new pouch later, but this should let us get out without fighting them, if we come back this way."

In reply to Mancini (msg # 154):

Beyond the rats there is a T intersection,with turns left and right. The right-hand turn turns to the right after about six yards.

Zo diz righd hand one durnz back on idzelf ... led me look an zee where id goez.

In reply to Oly (msg # 157):

Bat Aoife will resume her scouting.

Ardenas turns his light down the leftward way, both to see what might be within the beam and to avoid casting Oly's shadow past the turn-back.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 159):

The leftward passage becomes a little irregular and rough looking;
The right hand turning  seems to run the length of the long room, before joining another corridor, and has an arched opening on its lefthand side.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 160):

Bat Aoife will continue exploring until she meets a threat or gets too far from the group.

He slips down the length of the hall with his long knife on guard.... he listens near the arch before approaching it to look left and right.





[Private to GM: 14:04, Today: Oly rolled 5 using 3d6.  Stealth. Way quieter than needed I suspect.]