Tripping on the wire, Karadin realized he was being hasty in his excitement and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He knelt down to examine the trip wire and then looked at the objects embedded in the wall. He noticed Harbek approaching this position, but none of the humans seemed to have climbed down the vertical shaft yet.

When the dwar reached his side, Karadin whispered as softly as a dwar could "Prolly a good time to make sure we are all here. That could have been really bad," he said as he pointed at the trip wire and spikes in the wall.

Climbing was not as easy as it would have been with light, Mari had to feel for the next pegs with her hands and feet to make it safely. Her earlier panic was receding but the darkness felt oppressing.

When she touched down on the ground below, Mari reached into her pocket. Cupping her hand around the glowing stone, she said in her mind another prayer to Ellantha in gratitude and pulled the source of light out. Mari was hielding it with her hand to control the amount of light around her, turning it to this way and that to catch the details of the room and the slaughtered goblin before turning it to shine on the ground, so she would not blind the dwarves.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think it would be possible for me to go on without light, I will try to keep it contained. If I will be the last your bodies will help to hide it," she whispered when she saw the waiting dwar.

Mari took her shield from where she was carrying it at her back to hand, but instead of taking a weapon for another hand she held the light behind the shield trying to cover it from glowing too far.

As Karadin inspects the darts that had narrowly avoided embedding themselves in his head, you hear a surprised shriek from the end of the tunnel. A goblin, investigating what could have sprung the trap, is shocked by the sight of a Dwarf straight ahead, and frantically strings his bow without taking time to aim. The arrow thuds harmlessly into the wall.

Without missing a beat, the goblin turns and runs back where it came from, and after some frantic chatter you hear a brief clattering noise followed by a thud.


OOC: Karadin is first to react:
11:39, Today: The Voice of Fate, on behalf of Harbek Hardstone, rolled 9 using 1d20+2. Initiative
11:38, Today: The Voice of Fate, on behalf of Mari Taysley, rolled 13 using 1d20+2. Initiative
11:37, Today: The Voice of Fate, on behalf of Maiya Greenfield, rolled 4 using 1d20-1. Initiative
11:37, Today: The Voice of Fate, on behalf of Karadin Axebeard, rolled 21 using 1d20+2. Initiative

Karadin looked up just in time to see the arrow fly by him. He caught a glimpse of the goblin as it turned back down the tunnel. "Time to go to work, Stonebrother," he said to Harbek and sprinted down the tunnel and around the corner.

---

Action: Dash
Move to J3
Have 10 movement left but need to see around the corner first.

Sprinting to the corner where the goblin vanished from sight; you discover the source of the noise you heard before - a rickety wooden grating has been dropped into place, barring your path. Beyond the grating is only a small extension of the tunnel, where you see a single goblin frantically fiddling with ropes tied to a peg in the tunnel wall. The ropes connect to similar gratings blocking two small alcoves dug into the sides of the tunnel. You can see something small moving behind them and hear high pitched snarls, but can't see clearly what it is from this angle.

Immediately behind the grating, a crude trapdoor stands open, revealing a hole leading straight down further into the earth.

This message was deleted by the player at 15:18, Sat 24 Aug 2019.

There was things happening out of sight and Mari needed to see, it was also becoming obvious that they had been detected. Mari dropped the light emitting stone and made a quick prayer to Ellantha, transferring the light to her shield.

She then walked after Karadin until she came to the corner, took a peek around and then continued after him.

OOC
Action: Cast Light on Mari's shield
Bonus action: Nothing at the moment
Move: Move to E2

Harbek nodded in response to Karadin's statement that there was work to be done, and glanced over his shoulder. He was pleased to see that both of the Humans had come down the  downshaft, and were now on the same level of the Goblin-tunnels as he was.

As a matter of fact, Mari of the Taysley Family soon passed him by, walking with her long-legged stride. He also noted that she had placed a magicked light on her shield, which, given the fact that she needed it to see and needed her weapon-hand free, he supposed was a good spot for it.

~Time to get a move on, Harbek-me-lad,~ he thought to himself. ~You need to catch up with Karadin -- or at least keep him in sight.~

Just about then Harbek heard some chittering in the Goblin-tongue from around the corner, and heard a muted "Thud". If he had needed any further convincing that 'twas time to catch up to Karadin, this would have done the trick.

Moving ahead doggedly but surely, as Dwar do, Harbek strode down the Goblin-tunnel. Once he had turned the corner of the Goblin-tunnel, he could see that his fellow-Dwar was under attack by at least one monstrous Rat.

Readying a javelin as he moved, Harbek flung it at the creature as soon as he had a clear line-of-sight on it . . .

---

OOC:

Move: To G-2.

Free Action: Ready javelin.

Action: 18:23, Today: Harbek Hardstone rolled 14 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 9.  Javelin Attack v. Monstrous Rat.

18:24, Today: Harbek Hardstone rolled 6 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 3.  Javelin Damage (If Applicable).
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Sun 25 Aug 2019.

Before Harbek has a chance to move, the goblin finished struggling with the ropes and, in one swift motion, pulls them loose and leaps for the shaft into the depths.

With the ropes released, the gratings covering the two little side alcoves collapse, and from each emerges a monstrously-sized rat; matted hair covered in filth and eyes crazed with hunger. Both lunge without hesitation at the fleeing goblin, but as it grips the trapdoor and puls it shut with a slam behind itself the rats continue their headlong rush straight towards Karadin.

Karadin pulls out of the way of one set of jaws just in time, as the frantic animal bangs against the wooden grating, but the second fits easily through the bars and sinks it's powerful teeth deep into his leg.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:16, Sun 25 Aug 2019.

The group seemed to be working out okay so far?  While she'd prefer to get a bit closer...

Well, it was all coming together so far without any real issue, maybe everything would work out just fine?

OOC:  Moving adjacent to Mari, I think I can do that with Move 30, right?

Harbek's javelin flies true, piercing the rat completely through and pinning it to the ground. With one last jerk it's ragged form lies still.

Maiya catches up to Mari, allowing her to still dimly see one freakishly large rodents poised to leap again at Karadin.

Pleased to see that his javelin had struck true, Harbek continued to move down the tunnel until he stood alongside his Stonebrother. There was still one extremely large Rat on the far side of a grating that was doing its best to bite Karadin, so Harbek picked up the javelin, giving it a little shake as he did so in order to dislodge the body of the dead Rat.

The Rat behind the grating was skittering about in its efforts to sink its teeth into Karadin, but after a moment Harbek felt that he had a good sense of its movement. Timing his strike well, he hurled his javelin through an opening in the grating and skewered the Rat on the far side . . .

---

OOC:

Move: Harbek will move from G-2 to to I-2 (10 feet).

Free Action: Pick up javelin that he had previously thrown (at the first Rat).

Action: 11:37, Today: Harbek Hardstone rolled 19 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 14.  Javelin Attack v. Monstrous Rat #2.

11:38, Today: Harbek Hardstone rolled 5 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 2.  Damage (Javelin).

The rat lets out a pitiful shriek as the javelin pierces its side, but it still keeps moving. Crazed with hunger, it turns in the direction of the pain and leaps through the grating at Harbek, tearing a chunk out of it's own side as it pulls free from the javelin. It's teeth clamp down, but meeting only hard metal it releases its bite and drops to the ground, panting heavily and bleeding profusely.

Anyone other than Harbek feel free to put the poor thing out of its misery.

Edited for typo
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:04, Sun 25 Aug 2019.

Mari recoiled a little from seeing the giant rat attack but didn't back up, just shuddered slightly. She followed the dwar towards where they had stopped, staying at the back line. Harbek attacked another rat that was trapped on the other side of the grate, but left it suffering. It didn't sit well with Mari, so she called for Ellantha to help put it down quickly.

"Grant me your holy flames, Sweet Mercy." Her holy symbol pulsed with light and a bright flame flashed from the roof of the cave towards the rat. She then turned her eyes towards the grating, trying to see how easily they could bring it down or if it contained any traps.


OOC
Move: to J1
Action: Cast Secret Flame on the rat. DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. 2 radiant damage if failed save, otherwise no damage.

19:36, Today: Mari Taysley rolled 2 using 1d8.  Sacret Flame damage.

Was planning to investigate the grate for weak spots and traps but changed my plan because the rat didn't die. If I can use the roll for next turn or after the combat I'll paste the result to here:

19:17, Today: Mari Taysley rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  investigation.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:43, Sun 25 Aug 2019.

Glancing upwards at the sudden blinding light, the rat frantically scurries to one side; the sacred flame summoned by Mari striking the spot where it had just stood.

19:06, Today: The Voice of Fate, for the NPC Giant Rat, rolled 17 using 1d20+2.  Dexterity saving throw.

The rat is now on your side of the grating - having leapt through to attack Harbek.

Ignoring the searing pain in his leg, Karadin swung his axe at the still standing rat. Just as he began his strike, a flash of radiant light distracted him. He blinked a few times to regain his sight and saw that not only had he missed, but the rat was now on this side of the gate. "Someone kill this thing already!" he grumbled.

---

Movement: None
Action: Melee Attack vs. Rat
17:49, Today: Karadin Axebeard rolled 7 using 1d20+5.  Melee Attack (Greataxe).
Bonus Action: None

"Done"

Maiya's voice was clinical and detached as a gleaming longsword pierced out, likely skewering the poor beast and putting it out of its misery.

"It's just a rat, why did it even last that long?"  She asks.

Movement: Adjacent to Rat
Action: Melee Attack vs. Rat
20:24, Today: Maiya Greenfield rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Rat Squishing.
20:25, Today: Maiya Greenfield rolled 8 using 1d8+2.  Rat Finishing.
Bonus Action: None

All is again silent with the demise of the giant rat, allowing you all to take stock. Mari and Maiya still need to uncomfortably stoop in order to move around in these tunnels, which had obviously not been carved with humans in mind. A stale, musty smell and a lingering dampness adds to the unpleasantness of your surroundings.

The wooden grating barring your path consists of little more than crudely carved pieces of wood lashed together with twine, leaving gaps between of about one foot square. It's attached to the ceiling with a hinge, and held in place behind by wooden bars slotted into the tunnel walls.

The space beyond is pretty bare, containing nothing more than the ropes and grating that had held the rats confined and, nailed into the floor, the trapdoor through which Karadin had seen the goblin flee.

"Typical shoddy Goblin workmanship," Harbek muttered after glancing at the grating that had come down in front of Karadin.

"Let's just smash through it," he suggested to his Stonebrother, "your axe, my hammer. It shouldn't take us long."

"And it's not like they don't know that we are here, now -- so the noise won't be a problem."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:45, Tue 27 Aug 2019.

Mari slung her shield over her back, it was in the way otherwise and it would still illuminate their way from there. She trusted the dwar to make short work on the grates, but moved to one side to grab one of the edges to help keep it from moving while they brought their weapons to work. She also examined the obstacle to see the weakest spots to direct the dwar, if needed.

After moving next to Karadin she noticed the place where the rat had managed to gnaw and claw on him. "Master Karadin, I could help you with your wounds, if you wish."

Karadin looked at the bite on his leg and shrugged. "'Tis more an annoyance than anything, but I think some minor healing would be prudent. Never know what diseases they are carrying. But first, let me help destroy this obstacle." Karadin hoisted his greataxe overhead, and slammed it with all his might on the crossbar of the wooden gate.

---

13:45, Today: Karadin Axebeard rolled 17 using 1d20+3.  Gate Elimination Efforts.

The flimsy construction shatters into pieces almost immediately beneath the twin blow of axe and hammer, leaving the way through clear and scattering splinters of wood.

"Well done," Mari smiled at the two dwar.

"Let me have a look at the wound, Master Karadin." Without asking any more permission, she knelt at the feet of him, peering at his leg. Mari's usually red cheeks paled at the sight of blood and she had queasy look on her face, but she grabbed her holy symbol and sang Ellantha's name with obvious reverence. Again the symbol pulsed with light and Karadin felt the pain in his leg lessen. Her time in training with the Lekbund had never been Mari's favorite, but it paid of in small ways, while the sight of blood had used to make her faint before, now she only got a nauseous feeling in her stomach. She wouldn't skirt her duties because of it, though, healing the needy was part of honoring Ellantha.



OOC
Cast Healing word on Karadin. Heals 4 hit points.
22:55, Today: Mari Taysley rolled 4 using 1d4+3.  Healing Word.

Karadin smiled as the warmth of the woman's healing magic surrounded his injured leg. "That felt nice. Thank you Mothe... erm, Lady Taysley." The dwarf rose to his feet picked up his axe, and moved to the trap door. "Now let's say we go find these children. We'd better hurry," he said as he stooped over to lift the hatch.

"Magicked healing is quite a valuable boon," Harbek remarked to Mari of the Taysley Family. "You and your goddess have our gratitude."

"Agreed," Harbek replied when Karadin spoke of time being of the essence.

"Do you want me to take the lead now," he asked his fellow-Dwar, "since the Goblins presumably know that we are here, and I am wearing armor?"