"Where 'xactly d' ya mean by tha' large rectangular room?"
Arek was well rested now, perhaps too well rested, but he didn't quite grasp where the intended destination was.
Could it be on the same level they were on now, or was it up the stairs - the long hallway half filled with debris, or the fire temple chamber?
"An' d' yer wan' Gwythe leadin' th' way, all invisible as 'e is?"

"I meant up the stairs, the long hallway half filled with debris" Iviana looked a little abashed "Perhaps I'm overly optimistic, but I think getting out means going up, and we know how to go up a little way. We can check the ways off for other ways up. If I remember correctly we didn't explore all the ways off last time."

"It's a pretty tough choice really. If someone has a better plan, I'm all for it. But that seems simple."

Yew bowed gently to acknowledge Iviana's suggestion.

"Yes, in that great debris-filled hallway we only explored some of the corridors closest to the stairs up from here. The further ones have not yet been explored. That seems a good place to begin."

He took his accustomed place at the rear of the group with the unfamiliar magical crossbow in hand, ready to begin the new day's adventures.

The group proceeded with some caution back to the stairs to the upper level. As the stairs were about to be climbed, the clamour of battle broke out nearby. How close, or in which direction was difficult to detect, the sounds carried as they were through the cleverly designed ventilation system.

"Keep going," Yew suggested quietly. "The enemies of our enemies may become our friends. Perhaps someone is fighting their way in from outside and may at least provide a way out for us. Master Gwythe, can you scout ahead so we do not stumble straight into that battle?"

"The most likely fight I feel, given what we've learnt of the inhabitants of this place, is an internal conflict. Perhaps our invisible people, as Brother Yew suggested, could scout ahead and report back. If you could do that quickly, that would give us more options."

(OOC: For gameplay purposes can I recommend we don't adopt the invisible person goes ahead and scouts stuff, and then comes back and tells the party what is ahead. That might work, but it might also lead to the GM and me having a dozen interactions and you all sitting there for a month on your butts waiting)

Gwythe drops a wax candle to the ground so that it becomes visible, and then picks it up again. "I will be about thirty paces ahead of you. I will drop this in the corridor if you need to stop and wait for me. Otherwise I will see you in the large room with the exits and rubble upstairs."

Once he has agreement Gwythe will pull out his sword in one hand and his dagger in the other. "I need to let my eyes adjust to the darkness outside, count to two hundred before you come out.

"I advise against an invisible person separating from the group, if they encounter a sudden disabling event, we might never find them." Tindo remarks. "Better that we move as a group, and find a way out. Once we have a clear path to and from this place we can maintain a supply line and an escape route."

Sven looked from Tindo to Sven and asked the thug simply; "You brave today?"

Gwythe's invisible short sword gives off a faint glow as he heads up the stairs. Not enough to see any great distance, nevertheless he's able to move freely, the light itself either easily hidden in the scabbard, or perhaps mistaken by an observer as torchlight spilling around a nearby corner.

He reaches the top of the stairs, the remainder of the party following along a "safe" distance behind, and opens the door. Immediately the volume of the combat increases dramatically - a harsh chanting, the clash of weapons on armour, and cries of pain.
"Come on Rolf, there has to be a way to finish this fellow off. We have to help our friends."
"If only I had a sword. Well, have at you!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:55, Thu 05 June 2014.

The dim glow of Gwythe's sword disappears through the door, leaving it open.

Iviana took the view that the consensus was to follow behind the invisible people, so she was about half way up the stairs, moving as quietly as her Elven heritage would let her.

Brother Yew follows along at the rear of the group, moving as swiftly as their rate of movement will allow, which means he can take his time and move fairly stealthily as well.

Sven rushed to the top of the stairs to see the combatants and pick a side.

Ronalt is but a step behind Sven's assault on the stairs. Blade ready.

The dim glow of Gwythe's sword disappears through the door, leaving it open.

Sven and Ronalt rush to the top of the stairs.

Iviana, Tindoome and Arek move up behind Sven and Ronalt, pausing about halfway up the stairs, while Brother Yew stealthily (he thinks) brings up the rear.

"Bugbear. I am going to get a piece of that." Ronalt growls as he moves quickly to far side of Gwythe to engage the bugbear.

Gwythe grunts in frustration and abandons the use of the dagger, ripping the sack off his sword and stabbing into the back of the bugbear.


10:29, Today: Gwythe rolled 14 using 1d20+4. backstab.
10:28, Today: Gwythe rolled 6 using 1d10. initiative.

(umm, hit?)

Hearing faint sounds of her comrades joining in with the battle Iviana raced up the stairs, shield first.

Brother Yew glanced back down the stairs to check there was nothing behind them then hurried forward up the stairs as quickly as he could, that is if he could get past the slower-moving dwarven priest and elven wizardess ahead of him.

Area slipped to the side and let the speeding monk past.
"Gi' on wi' yer then."

Tindo follows cautiously, glancing behind her to make sure there is nothing gaining on her from behind as Brother Yew rushes by. She is in no hurry to join combat and she keeps her hounds and cat close.

NPC'd

With bared teeth and drawn swords, Sven rushed into battle against the bugbear.

Arek moved aside to let Brother Yew past before following along behind. Iviana rushed forward, stopping just short of entering the fray.

Gwythe grunted in frustration and abandoned his mundane dagger, ripping the sack off his softly glowing short sword and stabbing into the back of the bugbear. The thrust struck home, but failed to inflict much of an injury given the lack of blood from the wound.

Tindoome waits as Yew passes in a flash before following along cautiously with her menagerie.

With bared teeth and drawn swords, Sven rushed into battle against the bugbear, reaching the target an instant before Ronalt. Seconds later and after a flurry of sword strikes, the bugbear is down, hacked (literally) to pieces.

"Throw down your arms and I will accept your surrender,"