The next morning there was no further rain but the outlook remained overcast with grey clouds overhead. Lorna had fresh bread prepared before the adventurers left the Moorland Magpie Inn. There was lots of activity in the street as the adventurers both old and new set out and crossed over the bridge.

They travelled west into the foothills of the mountains. The road although neglected showed signs of regular traffic. Nearer the river the road skirted a dank marsh from which the foothills rose. Once past the marsh the road threaded through a wooded forest. Beneath the boughs of the forest what light reached them from the cloudy sky was dim. They had a couple more miles to go before they reached the canyon.

OOC Roll for surprise.

11:57, Today: Ben rolled 4 using 1d6.  surprise.

Ahead in the forest the party heard grunting and barking then a herd of elk sixteen in total began to cross the trail about one hundred and fifty yards away. Among the herd was an antlered stag, it brayed loudly at the party when it spotted them.

OOC No one is surprised.

Leah stepped to the front of the group and held her pole horizontally across her body to block the road. She stated, "Do not worry, I can keep us all safe because all we have to do is let them pass."

And then she suddenly shouted out, "BUUYAUH BUUYAUH!" before returning to her normal tone. "That was an elk call so now they will know we are friendly and will cross the road, then we can continue safely. And oh, I forgot. Is anyone here named Ben?"

Ben prays that the 150 yards were sufficient to reduce her call to a gentle "Buh, buh."

"I am Barnabas, Ben for short. I know you meant well, but please don't yell at the wildlife. They may not understand your accent."

It sounded a little absurd to say that, but Ben figures she's gullible enough.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:13, Tue 09 Mar 2021.

 Brandli readies a bullet in her sling, but stops when she hears her companion advise against yelling at animals.  "Aw, damn.  I was gonna show off how good I am at hittin' animals, too.  I'm real good at it." She looks at Leah reassuringly.  "Good dating call, though.  Sounded just like one of them welts.'

Bertilak frowns. "I hope I don't need to waste my one and only spell for the day on wildlife."

Fiene rises early in the morning, and runs a couple errands before venturing towards Stonehell.  He picks up Ermangard and pays her for the days defense of his person.

He walks along, using his 10' pole as a walking stick.  His lantern hangs from his belt until needed.  "Stonehell awaits." he says, waiting for the herd to pass.

Teodore is ready for another assault on Stonehell. He walks silently along with the others, nodding at Fiene.

Uninterrupted the herd moved past and away into the forest. The remainder of the journey was uneventful. The road terminated at the mouth of a narrow box canyon that bisected a high cliff wall. Steep cliffs and tall mountains beyond the defile loomed overhead..

At the mouth of the canyon stood an old curtain wall that has crumbled in places, leaving large gaps. The gatehouse doors lay rotting on the ground before it and spaces between the rusty portcullis allowed easy access.

The experienced adventurers did not note any changes since their last visit two days ago.

OOC I have the current party as follows, let me know if it needs correction.
Ermangard, Orla, Ben, Bertilak, Brandli, Fiene, Leah, Lilith, Teodore, Valerian.

Day: 3. Time: 9:00am. Turn: 1. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

 Brandli puts a bullet in her sling, but does not fire it, instead keeping the stone and sling in her hand.  "Hey, Orla, I thunk you might want this..." The halfling takes a flask and its harness from her hip and hands it to the priestess.  "Holy man I was with had this, gave it to me.  I don't got a use for it, but you might.  Don't drink it, it's real special."

Handing holy water to Orla Pont.

"We should start with the back of the canyon, see if the entrance is there." Fiene suggests.  "I brought a gift for Coal on the way."

The hauntef cleric didn't manage a smile but was grateful for the holy water "may Sidhe grant me fair judgement when to use it" she carefully stowed the vial with deference.

In contrast Ermangard reacted emotionally to Fiene's offer of a gift despite it being for Coal the black bear not her "aye let us go to the bear's den" she raised her spear high and clapped Fiene on the shoulder.

Ben made very good sense, but Brandli said it sounded just like them, so Leah imagined the accent was accurate. And the elk did just cross the road peacefully. So as she watched them go, she replied to Brandl, "Thank you, I am very good with languages. Even when I was very young I could make lots of noises."

She continued with, "And I did not know you were Ben! I was looking for you. I was told you were hiring people, and I need money. But I cannot take a job right now, because I am already on an adventure to Stonehell. But maybe after, we can come up with a job. As you can see I have a lot of talents and a ten foot pole."

She looked at her pole with pride. The security it provided even brought Fiene out of retirement, and he followed her wise example by getting a pole of his own.

She had no idea what the rest of the conversation was about, but she knew coal was a very good gift, because it could keep you warm on cold nights and be used for drawing. But she did not know there were supposed to be gifts given. So seemingly at random, she said aloud, "I guess that is why it is called an adventuring party."

In a state that can only be called bewildered, Ben trundles along with the rest of them, eager to press further into the valley and find the entrance to Stonehell itself.

He privately wonders what job he could possibly entrust Leah with that would not warrant so much supervision as to render the whole project a waste.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:36, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

"A bear? Interesting! No one mentioned anything about a bear. I thought we were going to find out what that swarm of wasps had built their nest around."

Lilith followed along with the others, she was seriously hung over.  The noises of life and the brightness above the din was troublesome from the moment she awoke.  But, she was an adventurer and that was the life she chose.  It was a good thing there were so many in the company.  The numbers afforded her some space to just move with the crowd and grunt ever so often a reply.  But she knew that sooner or later she'd have to get to work...she just hoped it would be later.

Teodore kept pace with the others, agreeing that they should try to go deeper into the canyon this time.

With the elk peril having been overcome, Leah drifted from the front to the back of the group. She had not been here before, and they had, so it only made sense to follow. She paid strict attention to her surroundings as she went. Such careful attention to detail was why she never got lost, except, of course, when she was somewhere she didn't know where she was. And it was likely she would need to find her way back here. Maybe Lorna would change her mind with gold from THREE trips, Leah mused.

The party were able to pass safely through the Gatehouse passage and into the canyon beyond.

The canyon was flanked on both sides by limestone walls that rose two hundred feet up. The floor of the canyon was a grassy meadow, interrupted by ruins and small stands of trees. The sound of falling water could be heard and cave mouths were visible on the walls of the canyon, some natural and some man made.

Led by Fiene they went to the southern wall and climbed twenty feet up to the mouth of a natural cave. The cave had a strong ursine odour, various old bones and old adventuring gear were strewn about. Fiene was able to safely deposit his haunch of meat without disturbance from the black bear.

"There is some old gear in there," Ben helpfully points out to Fienne. "Maybe now that you and Coal have reached an understanding, you could offer your help as a servant and tidy up?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:39, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

"I am ready with bear calls if we see a bear," Leah helpfully informed Ben. "But even more important, I have a pole that can reach out and pull equipment to us from a distance. Also, we should not fight the bear because I do not have my bed and breakfast yet, so there is no place to put a bearskin rug yet and we would have to carry it for three delves."

"I would think any gear in there would be from poor soul who tried going in there without being invited." Fiene replies. "Perhaps if I were to study a charm for bears at some point."

"Leah. Coal is a special bear, a bit of a good omen.  I would hate to see him as a rug." The wizard counters, as hus superstitious nature becomes more visible.  He looks across to the kneeling statue of the Saint.  "I didn't think to bring something for Ras, and I'm not a devotee like what's his name was.  But we can use all the help we can get, right?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:25, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

As a retainer of Fiene's it was not her place to reprimand Leah but Ermangard visibly bristled at the mention of slaying  Coal. Fiene own reasoned argument received a hearty aye from the warrior woman. The local woman appreciated local tradition being followed.

In reply to Leah (msg # 22):

"On our way out, we could watch your wizardry with your ten foot pole."

Sensing the general momentum of everybody to keep going, he does so, advancing further into the valley.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:59, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Fiene walks along deeper into the canyon behind Ben.  He eyes flit up along the sides of the canyon, looking for something that wants to kill them and something that will yield its treasure.

Leah listened to Fiene, and agreed it made sense. "A good omen that could walk away should be protected," she assented. So, no bearskin rug it seemed- at least, not that one.

To Ben, she shook her head. "You are making a mistake. This is a pole yes, but you are thinking of a staff, because that is what a wizard uses. I guess they could use a pole too, and maybe that would be more magic, since it is bigger? Hmm. But anyway, my pole is magic too, but I am not a wizard. I am a normal person. That is important to know, because when I go to get a job from you, you should know."

Lilith grimaced and winced, "Shh...  You all don't have to yell do you?"  Her head continued to pound as she thought of the noise a bear's roar would make and the number it would do on her in her current condition.  Good thing that wasn't their plan.

 Brandli's initial response to bears was, "Gardsdamn it, a bear..." But, when the more experienced and better-adjusted of her companions speak well of it, Brandli shrugs.  "Guess bears can be good, too."

 Noticing that Lilith seems to be in some sort of pain, Brandli reaches into her backpack and retrieves a bit of jerked flesh from her rations.  "Maybe a bite'll help you with what you got goin' on.  Got some water, too, maybe-haps helps me when my head's all done in."

 To Fiene, she says, "Don't got no trinkets gods might like, but I do got some food.  Think that 'Ras' is hungry?" She pauses, and then to Orla Pont, says, "You think gods eat people food?  My paw said when his paw was little he fed a dog an onion, once, and that didn't go over too well... don't wanna hurt no gods like that dog got hurt." She shakes her head and says mostly to herself, "Yeah, paw's paw was a mean old cuss."

Bertilak grins at Brandli. "Haven't you heard that the gods dine on nectar and ambrosia? Now by nectar, they don't mean the common type from flowers that bees feed on. No, the divine nectar is something else entirely. To be honest with you, I have not yet leaned what it is. But as we have none, this is merely academic, wouldn't you agree? Most temples will suggest that fresh or burnt offerings of our food does please the gods, in a symbolic way, even though they themselves would not eat it."

OOC: yes, being pedantic and overly academic on purpose! I'm loving every post from our new lady companions!

When Bertilak offered an answer to Brandli's query Orla nodded her head "the offers are symbolic, it is ceremony or ritual combined with your faith that is important."

Further westward the grassy meadow of the canyon continued occasionally interrupted by small stands of trees or the tumbled stone walls of ruined buildings.

A cascade of water tumbled down the rocky cliff in the north face and splashed into a pool below.

Deeper into the canyon the walls narrowed before forming a terminus. At the terminus a stone archway was carved into the cliff face. The archway was ten feet wide and fifteen feet high. A flat stone plaque with eroded writing was set above the archway.

Lilith tries the bit of food and water trick to no avail...but she does give a smile of thanks for the attempt.  "Just going to be one of those days." is all she can muster in response.

"A normal person plus a magic pole makes a wizard. My magic pole just happens to be hidden."

Barnabas's expression wrinkles. That last part wasn't supposed to have been said aloud. He turns his attention to the plaque and assumes a properly ominous tone before declaiming.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 17:14, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Leah cocked her head at Lilith's admonition over yelling. They were not all yelling. maybe just some of them. But she could see the signs of the hangover and grasped the larger point. Leah's own alcohol tolerance was not very high due to her overall poor constitution, so she rarely drank that much. And besides, stump water was far healthier.

She completely missed Ben's innuendo though. Had he not been a mage, she would have grasped it- the innuendo that is, not the pole in question. But as he was a mage, he was probably talking from a position of knowledge. She was not certain this was true and did not know what to say, and unlike most times, this kept her from speaking, although the thoughts kept pondering in the back of her mind, surely to come out at some odd time when they had jelled into a semblance of sense, to her at least.

Bertilak, Brandl, and Orla had a conversation about religion. Unlike alcohol, that made her head hurt. She just wanted to know who she had to supplicate in order to not be struck down by whichever god or goddess was in a temper that day. But she knew there was nothing she had to do at this alter. There was a good omen bear that kept them safe here.

So there seemed little to do at this time. Presumably, they would be heading towards that terminus soon.

Ben read the pitted and weather worn bit of doggerel carved above the archway's keystone that had remained legible.

Beware All Who Enter
These Benighted Halls of Stone.
Within Lies No Solace
Nor Any Comforts of Home.
Toiling For Our Crimes
We Must Dig Where We Dwell,
With No Freedom or Mercy
In Our Vast Stony Hell.

"Not exactly welcoming prose." Fiene comments.    He lights his lantern, in anticipation of the darkness beyond.  He makes a sign to ward off evil, and starts through the archway.

Teodore draws his sword quietly and readies his shield as he moves to take position just off Fiene's shoulder. He examines the passageway and ceiling beyond the archway, estimating how much room they'd have in a fight, should it come to that.

The hallway was ten foot wide, much bigger than the entrances into the smaller Gatehouse they had previously explored. With lantern lit they entered, the hallway was short only fifteen foot long then it opened into twenty foot by twenty foot square room with an open trapdoor in the centre. A spiral staircase descended down the hole in the floor, the lantern light did not reach the bottom of the stairs.

The walls of the room were covered in graffiti, the floor was bare and well worn. The entrance to Stonehell Dungeon was at their feet.

OOC
Day: 3. Time: 9:30am. Turn: 3. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 28 Turns
Fiene: 29 Turns

ooc: Fiene restocked his oil supply before leaving town.  Should he be on turn 1?

Fiene waits for one better armored to go down the stairs first.  "I don't expect to be ambushed at the bottom of the stairs, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious."  He urges Ermangard to keep close.

Devin dragged his feet at the very back of the large group.  It had been a lot different on his own and he wasn't sure if it was better or not.  Though he had learned which cave a bear was supposed to live in.  So knowing not to go into that one was good.

With such a large group, he'd expected a lot less tiptoeing around, but he'd sit in the back and keep his mouth shut as he'd been doing all morning.  The others were all much more experienced than he and knew their way around so he'd just follow until he was needed.

Or if they were attacked from behind.

He looked back to make sure he wasn't about to be attacked from behind.

Ben can't resist reading some of the graffiti before helping light the way down the stairs. Did the teens from Fourtower Bridge dare the bravest among them to leave their mark on these walls?

On inspection there were two types of graffiti. Ben read many names scrawled on the walls perhaps from teenagers or fellow adventurers. The other type was in a different language than common.

OOC Yes Fiene can refill his lantern. I was just counting from what remained from last delve. I will reset to zero.

Teodore nods to Fiene and quietly says, "If I get cut down before I reach the bottom, you can all divide up my gold and equipment... such as it is." With that, he starts slowly down the spiral stairs.

Leah had been at the back of the group, since following when you do not know where you are going was a good idea. However, she discovered Devin was now last, following her. She eyed him very suspiciously and said, "Okay you can follow me, but do not try to hold my hand. I already told you no romance. And I need both hands for my pole."

When they started to go down the stairs, she paused to pick up a rock and add a bit to the graffiti, so Ben would have a nice picture to look at when they returned back up.

Fiene nods back to Teodore.  "Of course.  I'll drink to your memory." He says, gesturing towards the stairs, and following the man down.

 Brandli is in the middle of the group -- close enough that engaging with her spear shouldn't be too difficult, and far enough that she can sling bullets if need be.

As Teodore carefully made his way down the stairs with Fiene close behind to provide his lantern light Leah made a quick carving into the walls for any subsequent adventurers to read. The rest of the party followed, those at the rear close to edge of the lantern light. Outside of the lantern light all around them was darkness as they descended the spiral stairs.

The stairs went around and around many times, Teodore decending one hundred feet before he placed his foot on the dungeon floor. The stonework of the dungeon was rough faced limestone blocks, flagstones and ceiling slabs. The floor was worn by regular travel. The floor, walls and ceiling all had signs of cracks and crevices. The air was not fresh but was musty and dank.

The foyer was a forty foot by forty foot square chamber with a vaulted ceiling. The staircase was in the middle of the chamber. There was five exits. To the south west an archway led south. To the south east a corridor led south. To the east was a door. To the north east a short ten corridor ended in a door. To the north west was an archway that resembled a fanged ogre mouth with murals of cavorting imps on the walls beyond.


Squares are 10 foot by 10 foot.

Northwest ogre mouth archway
OOC Day: 3. Time: 9:40am. Turn: 4. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 28 Turns - not lit
Fiene: 1 Turns - lit
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:15, Sun 14 Mar 2021.

Leah wanted to yell loudly as they descended to hear the echo, but she had a vague sense that would not make the rest of the group very happy, especially if they had a hangover. So she remained silent until they reached bottom and had a moment to take in their surroundings.

She looked at the possibilities and then give her Very Wise advice(tm).
"Okay, all the treasure is kept behind doors, probably in chests, so we will have to go through them. But maybe first we should go look down some halls first? That way if we have to run away from things, we can run down places we already know, instead of running some place where we are lost. This would be the best, because then I know where I am, and then we will not be lost anymore. Did I already tell you that I do not get lost when I know where I am? So I can know that. Oh! also, I forgot to say, I know a lot about Stonehell because I talked to people about it and they told me some very good information that is important to know while we are down here."

She walked over to the stone ogre. "This could be very scary, but we should check." Leah poked the stone ogre in the eye with her pole to see if it blinks or if either of the mouths close down.

Bertilak frowns at Leah's poking. "I think, with several other options at hand, the ogre passage, which may well be some sort of trap, may be left for later. Granted, the more dangerous parts of the ruins are likely to have more treasure in them, since fewer brave souls would have ventured into them and made it out alive. But this early on in our explorations, I would say prudence should rule the day."

After asking everyone to hold down the noise for a minute, Bertilak will listen for any sounds beyond the door in the east wall.

Devin moved to the north wall to stand quietly between the two entrances.  His shield was still slung and the hammer through his belt.  He didn't want to tire himself out holding them at the ready all day.  Just when he needed to.

The stone ogre did not react to Leah's prodding regardless of where she poked with her pole. It acted as if was a stone carving.

Devin rested by the wall whilst Bertilak listened at the eastern door. The green wizard did not hear anything.

OOC Anyone else doing anything whilst Bertilak is listening at the door.

After Ben lights his lantern, he picks Leah out of the sizable group and offers a correction: "If we don't know what's behind those doors, we won't know where we are."

He lets that sink in, falsely assuming there is some fertile soil in which the seeds of knowledge and wisdom can germinate.

He further offers, "Instead of saying everything out loud that you would normally say out loud, think it to yourself, and then share the most important part in ten words, just as many feet as your pole has. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

OOC Let's open the eastern door.

Leah replied to Ben, "You might now know where you are, but I already know where I am, and that is on this side of the door. But if a dozen orcs behind that door chase us that way or that," she pointed down the two unexplored corridors, "then I might not know where I am anymore either, only the orcs will know, and I would rather that the orcs don't know where I am at all."

She paused, touched a thumb to her fingers, than added, "How many was that again?"

While she still thought it better to take the corridors and scout the immediate area, even if she could not convey the thought well, she would not heading out on her own. She would stay with the group, since they might need her Stonehell lore and magic pole.

Teodore keeps quiet and waits as Bertilak listens, ready to defend the group should something attack.

Fiene waits quietly.

Lilith will do her best to check for traps and listen for clues...

The pair Bertilak and Lilith began their checks of the door. Bertilak did not hear anything and Lilith did not notice anything peculiar.

Leah poked at the ogre mouth and Ben lit his lantern whilst the others waited patiently.

OOC Day: 3. Time: 9:50am. Turn: 5. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 29 Turns - lit
Fiene: 2 Turns - lit

 Brandli only looks at the ogre's mouth.  "Wonder if any worms'll come out it.  Ogre came too close to my village, once.  Mage was visiting said she made it 'prowl-lapse'.  Big, white and grey worms come out its mouth." Brandli stays where she is, but cranes her neck as if to look for these "worms".

If everyone seems okay with it, Teodore will open the east door.

The east door was four foot wide and eight foot tall. The door was made of five inch thick, iron banded timbers. It was stubborn to open but Teodore had the strength to open it.

The open door revealed a short ten foot corridor which led to a twenty foot by twenty foot room. There was another short corridor and door to the north.

The room smelt foul. Smashed crockery and rusty utensils were scattered around the room. A sink and pump were in the south east corner.

Leah listened with interest to Brandli's story. "Does 'prowl-lapse' mean die? Because that is what happens when you die. Big worms come out of you. We had to dig someone up because we thought he might have been a vampire, but he was just a bunch of worms and bugs. I never saw an ogre though."

Leah was fortunate to be right behind Ben in the marching order. So he was right there for whenever she had important information to provide, information such as "Do not sorry, I will make sure nothing sneaks up behind us as we go, because that is my job, to guard us from behind. That is very important, because when bad things sneak up on you, they almost always do it from behind. But I will see them coming and keep them back. Also, do you think vampire worms could be a thing?"

Unfortunately, she also noted that she was right next to noted roué Devin in the marching order. "Just keep your mind on Stonehell instead of on me, and we will be fine," she informs him brusquely.

Despite whatever fears the others might have about her guarding the rear, she would actually do a good job of it, frequently turning and scanning behind them to make sure nothing was trying to creep up on them. She took a comfort in the role as well- she had been behind herself before, so she would not be lost there if they all had to turn around and have her lead the way.

Once they entered the room, she looked about and said, "This is a kitchen. That makes sense, since orcs have to eat. I was told they cooked over a firepit or ate people raw, but they must also have other things they like to make and eat too. Maybe they have bed and breakfasts?" She laughed. "I am going to start a bed and breakfast, but you can bet I will not have orcs cooking in the kitchen, so do not worry about that if you come to stay."

Since there was nothing immediate to fight in here, and the corridor was only 10', she then said, "I will watch out where we came, in case something is coming, I can warn us. But if you need me, just call, because I am only a pole away." She went back the ten feet to the door they had just opened and watched intently, looking and listening to make sure nothing came out of the corridors.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:22, Sat 03 Apr 2021.

Barnabas smiles at Leah, "If you want to open a public house yourself, you might want to consider that this might have been a scullery rather than a kitchen -- that is more a place to clean than cook. Well, whatever might have passed for cleaning here. I'm sure you'll have higher standards."

He sniffs the disagreeable air.

"How could the smell of rot lingered so long? It's not natural."

This is no place to linger. He waits for Teodore to lead on.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:47, Wed 17 Mar 2021.

"This dungeon was built by the old High King that was, not by orcs. It was a prison once upon a time. Now, nothing but a monster-haunted ruin."

Before Teodore moves the party on, Bertilak is curious about the sink and pump. Is there still water in it? Disregarding the stench of the room, he goes to the corner area and examines the pump to see if it looks like it might still be in working order. If so, he'll pump the handle a few times to see if any water will flow.

Devin remained at the doorway to see if anything came up from behind them.

The mass of the door gives Fiene pause, not sure the small axe he bought would do much in a pinch.  "I fear this is not the worst stench we will encounter." he says, as he weaves through the kitchen, making his way to the door to the north.  "but I doubt there is anything of value in the first room everyone comes through."  He urges Ermangard to keep close by him.

The initial reaction from Barnabas proved to be true, something was odd why did the room smell so bad? He would discover the answer soon. Devin and Leah remained at the entrance to the room giving the others room to explore. Fiene and Ermangard made their way to the next door. The door was similar in design to the previous room, iron banded thick wood.

The sink pump looked rusty but not broken. Bertilak began pumping and the stench grew stronger. The adventurers recognised the smell of rot and mildrew was the same as they had encountered in the cave. The realisation was too late to prevent what happened next. From the pump spewed a green slime.



OOC Everyone posts actions then I will roll Initiative for both sides and determine the resulting outcome!

Day: 3. Time: 9:50am. Turn: 5. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 29 Turns - lit
Fiene: 2 Turns - lit

Having seen what it can do, Fiene makes a ward against evil. "Run!" The wizard chooses to flee, and enlists Ermangard to help in pushing (or pulling) the door and praying the next room is safe.

Bertilak realizes his mistake a little too late. "Oooh, that's not good!"

The magic-user tries to run away from the slime as fast as he can, following Fiene to the next door.

"Molds and slimes! Bloody hell, this dungeon needs a deep cleaning!"

He follows his fellow wizard's lead and beats a hasty retreat.

"I've seen that before ... but it didn't move ..."  Lilith certainly moved and made sure she wasn't the last in line to be struck in the arse by that moving vomit pile.

Devin wasn't sure what was going on, but decided it was time to get his shield on.  He rushed to swing it around from his back as he looked around for whatever was freaking everyone else out.

Teodore steps aside from the doorway to allow the fleeing party members a clear exit, then (if there is time this round) closes the door once everyone is out of the room.

Leah thought Ben was being silly. "Orcs would not have a scullery, just a kitchen. And the smell might be an orc special." She sniffed the air. "Needs more garlic."

To Bertilak she added, "But maybe the old king was an orc. They could have kings if they wanted, and it would explain why he has so many monsters here now."

When the slime was discovered and the yelling began, she checked to see what fearsome foe had attacked, and saw that it looked like everyone was fleeing north. Clearly this was a critical threat, since they immediately ran in terror. So she took a look at where the slime was.

If it seemed that she could join the others going through the north door in the kitchen/scullery room without getting anywhere near the slime, she would do so.

But if she would have to get within pole distance of it, then the threat was too great and she would not follow them. She would instead retreat back the direction they came, thinking maybe the northern door at their entryway would open into the same room as the northern door they had gone to. She would open it to check if it came to this.

Ben retrieves a flask of oil from his pack, uncorks it, and tosses it towards the sink.

"Light it up," he implores, to anyone who will listen, before retreating the way he had come.

The green slime oozed slowly from the spigot giving the panicked adventurers enough time to rush around in fear. Bertilak seeing the danger he had caused fled to Fiene and Ermangard. The warrior woman having seen Connor burnt to death as the result of such a creature was as desperate as the others to escape but the northern door was stuck shut. She pulled and pushed but to no avail. Seeing as there was no other action available Fiene added his weight to the door and it swung open to reveal another room. The three of them were able to enter the room but none had time to close the door. The green slime exited the pump and inexorably slowly crept a foot along the stone flagstones toward the door. It was still about twenty foot away from the closest of them.

The other adventurers fled back toward the stairs. Leah sought to open the other door to the north but the door remained stuck. Ben having left the room tossed a flask of oil behind him. The flask hit the green slime and splashed oil all over it. Then Teodore slammed the door shut.

Bertilak, Ermangard and Fiene when they dared to look away from the green slime saw that the room they had entered had one other exit in the western wall. In the middle of the room was cracked and rotten dining furniture. On the walls were battered shields and torn tapestries.



OOC Next rounds actions?

"Close the door if this doesn't work.  Hopefully it will slow it down". Fiene tells Bertilak and Ermangard.

He grabs a scrap of tapestry and wraps it round the end of his pole.  Opening his lantern he lights the scraps and tries to ignite the oil before the slime reaches them.

Leah frowned at the door. But since it seemed stuck, not locked, she would try again, while informing the others present, "This is a very tough door. I think the wood might be warped, so if you have some tool to shave wood, that would be useful for when I get the door open. Then you can shave the edges of the door, so it will open and close very easily for us next time we have to open or close the door."

"Also, if you want to help to try to open it, that is fine by me. I can do it, but that would make it faster. Or else be ready for orcs on the other side. You should always be ready for orcs."

Bertilak nods at Fiene, and moves to the back side of the door, ready to shove it closed if the makeshift torch fails to ignite the green slime.

"Those slimes eat through organic materials, including wood! And metal as well!"

There was an edge of panic in his voice.

"We have to keep moving away from that thing or destroy it!"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 14:21, Fri 19 Mar 2021.

The green slime was slow, dangerous but slow. Fiene was able to wrap enough of the scraps of the torn tapestries on the end of his pole and set it on fire. At a safe distance of ten foot he poked the oiled soaked slime. The slime aflame slithered onwards but it was consumed by the fire before it could reach any of the adventurers. Fiene's pole was salvageable but a little shorter.

In the other room Leah kept pushing and eventually the stuck door gave way. The room was ten foot by thirty foot. It smelt of old smoke. The walls were covered in soot and remains of charred furniture was scattered about.

The door in the east of the room led to another room that well also smelt of smoke but this was a new smell as Leah was reunited with Bertilak, Ermangard and Fiene as they were burning the green slime.

Burned room

OOC The green slime had been burnt!

Day: 3. Time: 10:10am. Turn: 7. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 31 Turns - lit
Fiene: 4 Turns - lit
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:51, Tue 23 Mar 2021.

Fiene takes his newly acquired hand axe and works on putting a serviceable end back his pole.  "We should keep moving.  If we encounter orcs, let me get a spell off before we try and kill them.". He resumes his place behind Theodore.

Alarmed by Ben's anxiety, Devin cautiously asked, "Did it get the others?"

They seemed to be three party members short upon the closing of the door.  Had they really run into calamity so soon?

Lilith is calming herself down when Devin mentions the others..."Wait what!?"  She looks around and tries to figure out who is missing and where they might be..."Are we leaving people behind now?"

Teodore waits for the others in the entryway, looking for threats from the other directions as he glanced in the direction that Leah had gone.

"we have to go back!" Devin said resolutely.  "How do we fight it?  There must be a way!"

He was ready to go back in if someone had a plan.

As the slime burns, there is a banging from behind as Leah comes in from the rear. Bertilak spins around and draws his silver dagger, but then sees it is just Leah. He slides the dagger back into its sheath.

"Thank you for rescuing us. I think your pole will be even more useful to us now, as Fiene's has suffered some damage. Luckily, he was able to dispatch the foul thing by burning it."

The north door did not lead to the same room the others had fled to like Leah had hoped, but the door on the east wall did, and one was as good as another, she thought.

When Bertilak explained the situation, Leah nodded. "Yes, I can tell. There is smoke and soot allover these rooms now." Maybe Fiene's pole had a fireball in it?, she mused.

"The others are with me. Well, not with me right now, but they are not lost. They are busy shaving the other door. I can go get them."

Assuming the others wanted to search the shields and tapestries, or return to the kitchen and search there, she would walk back on her own to the main room, telling the others, "It is safe now. They used a fireball on the slime and killed it, and are now looking at decorations."

All the adventurers were reunited, it had been chaos for a moment but now they were able to explore any of the three rooms or to move on explore a new area.

With the beating of his heart quieted, Ben ponders Valerian's warning. Had the slime not been in the pipes themselves, those ancient, rusted pipes? How had it not dissolved them?

"There is something very wrong here," he observes.

The three ruined rooms, the scullery, dining hall, and lounge (?), didn't seem to have much to offer and might still have more threats. He decides to examine the tapestries and shields in the hall.

Devin was relieved the others were safe.  He shouldn't have been so worried as they had the Wizard Fiene with them.

Devin reopened the door to observe how much damage the fireball had caused.  Less than he would have expected, but the Wizard was probably worried about collateral damage and limited his full strength.

Sliding off his shield and reattaching it to his back, Devin cut through the smokey room to stand in the north doorway where the light was.

"I'll lead us south when you are all ready," says Teodore. He will lead the party to the south hallway (in the SE corner) as soon as the others finish their examinations and such. Until then he continues to watch for danger in the room with the stairs.

Since there seem to be enough guards, Leah will join Ben in looking at the tapestries. She is looking less for intrinsic value, and more if any of the tapestries seem untattered enough to hang in a bed and breakfast.

Likewise, she will help look at the shields, but is primarily looking to see if any of them are in better condition than her raggedy equipment.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:33, Sun 21 Mar 2021.

At Ben's examination the pipes were earthenware clay pipes. Pipes of lead were known of but it was common that many pipes were also wooden or clay made. The shields were battered and ruined, they would serve no purpose in battle and even in decoration they were well passed their best. The tapestries were torn and mouldy, whatever images they once depicted were lost, most were simply torn rags.

All the adventurers reunited Teodore led them south along the hallway. The hallway split, forking off to the east and to the south it turned on it's self before ending in a door.

South Hallway
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:50, Tue 23 Mar 2021.

While a bit disappointed they shields and tapestries all seemed too poor for use or decoration, she was not surprised. A fireball would leave most things, in ruins.

As she passed back through the soot room, she took a moment to scrawl `Leah wuz heer' on a wall, so that there would b proof she really had been here. She chuckled at the thought that they might think she had cast the fireball, because they really might.

When they moved on, Leah resumed her place, guarding the rear of the group, following whichever direction the group led.

"East?" Fiene asks, shining the lantern ahead each way, as if it would give one an indication of the better path.  "Or south?  I fear there is little reward this shallow into Stonehell.  I would expect the upper levels to be picked pretty clean."

 Brandli did not understand why everyone was so alarmed about slime, and people having been burnt to death by it, but followed directions anyways.  She kept an eye on it, studying it, hoping to find out what exactly is so alarming about it.  But, as soon as the excitement began it ended and she was safe in another room with the others.

 Even safe, however, she keeps her sling and shield ready.  "Why not, uhh, wherever there ain't those things you was all so feared of?  I hear the Sun rises in the East, so maybe East is a good idea... we go West, now, there might be more of them whatsits trying to escape Sunlight, on account of Sunlight's like fire."

Barnabas mutters, "Says the man wearing the cloak of many seasons."

"I say east is as good a direction as any at the moment. We don't have any clues or rumors to follow at the moment. We might as well explore as much as we can. We may yet find something that was passed up by other explorers."

"East it is." Teodore heads to the east and looks north and south at the T-intersection.

"I like east.  It's a great direction." Lilith remarked as if she needed to give her consent to this group of people that could as easily kill her and leave her to rot in this hell hole.

Fiene takes up a position a bit behind Teodore to give the man room it something lurks own the hall.  He holds the lantern high, and walks with his slightly shorter pole.

East was fine with Leah- although it seemed they were going left, and left is always west on a map. But fortunately, when she turned around to face the other way, they were going right, so it turned into east after all. Either way, it was corridors, and that was what was important.

"There is nothing behind us yet!" Leah informed them as they made the turn. Such peace of mind would be a comfort to the group, she was sure.

Their direction set the party of adventurers delved into the unknown. Teodore passed the corner and to the T-junction. At this point there was a loud snapping noise and a yell from Ermangard as the floor gave way from her feet. A pit trap had opened beneath her and plunged her ten foot downward. With a thud the woman hit the stone floor below. She lay at the bottom of the pit but her groans of pain demonstrated that she was hurt but no great injury had been inflicted upon her.

The remaining of the party were on the brink of the deep hole as wide as the corridor, looking over the pit toward Teodore who stood alone. Along the corridors Teodore found two doors to the east.



OOC Ermangard fell down a 10 foot deep pit trap she took 1 point of damage.

Bertilak stops just at the edge of the pit, and luckily no one behind him bumps him. He'd hate to fall like that. He isn't nearly as tough as Ermangard.

Fishing around in his pack, he pulls out a rope and lowers the end. "Someone help hold this, so we can pull her out."

A gasp of shock leaves Fiene lips as his bodyguard falls.  "Ermandgard, are you all right?" He asks, helping Bertilak with the rope to hoist the woman up.

"Teodore?" he calls.  "Do you see a way back, or something to reset the trap?"

Teodore watches for danger on his side of the pit. "Maybe in a moment... I expect something to come investigate the noise. You may be hauling me out of the pit, too. I don't know if I can jump that far in my armor."

Devin stepped up to take a hold of the rope with Bertilak.  He'd help haul out the lady fighter, but he wasn't sure they should.

"If this pit is still here," he asked, "doesn't that mean the other side might not have been explored already?

"Maybe we should all climb down and up the other side instead?"

The other option was that someone on the other side kept rebuilding it.

Isolated on the other side of the pit Teodore saw no movement nor heard any noise from either of the doors to the east.

Bruised and sore Ermangard was hauled up by Bertilak and Fiene. She was upset but in one piece. When she had fell the floor had broken apart leaving debris in the pit. Around the edges were various protruding stone blocks which the trap floor had rested on. The trap would need to be rebuilt rather than reset.

The clatter drew her attention, and Leah turned to look at the aftermath. There were several blocks on the sides of the wall, so it seemed they would not have to turn back. As Ohmygod was helped out of the pit, Leah helpfully added, "That is why you should have a ten foot pole in the front too, because they can detect pits and traps and snares. Maybe you can borrow one," she indicates Fiene's slightly burnt pole, "so you will be safe next time. So far mine is keeping our trail safe."

"Some one could check the other doors while we see to getting Teodore back to this side.". Fiene suggests.

Teodore,  do you think you can climb down so we can pull you up to this side?" he offers.

Ben evidently doesn't think much of Fiene's suggestion. Instead he amuses himself by asking Leah, "How many ten-foot poles would it take to make a ten-foot plank?"

As they'd given up searching in Teodore's direction, Devin followed the Wizard's suggestion to open the door behind them.

Teodore quietly answers Fiene, "I could, if you need me on that side again. Otherwise, we could cross the pit pretty easily now without anybody else getting hurt." He hears another door open and repeats, a tad nervously, "Let me know if you need me and I'll get there."

They were turning around, but not turning back. So Leah stayed in place, watching for for anything that might come from the initial entryway after them.

To Ben, she replied, "That would depend on if the person crossing has small feet or big feet. If it was a halfling, then I think maybe three, because halflings are also nimble and would be okay with a small plank. But for someone who has big feet you would need more. Maybe six because a halfling needs three, and they are half size, so you you need two three ten foot poles."

To Teodore, she says, "Okay, if you are coming back over, then let me know, because I can reach out with my pole, and you can grab it for balance. That is another useful thing for a pole to be used for, balance, because it helps with that."

Then back to Ben, "But add one more pole for both, so that you have an extra pole to use for balance when you try and walk across the plank."

The pit now revealed was more an inconvenience than a danger. A method of crossing could be achieved but whichever way they chose would be time consuming.

Whilst the others debated their choices Devin who was at the rear opened another door.

The room was thirty foot by thirty door. Another door was in the north wall. On the eastern wall was another corridor, barred by a portcullis. On the floor in the middle of the room was the skeletal remains of a person with old bloodstains on the ground.



OOC

Day: 3. Time: 10:30am. Turn: 9. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 33 Turns - lit
Fiene: 6 Turns - lit

"Could I get a lantern back here?" Devin called out.  "This room looks pretty empty, but there are a couple more ways to go from here."

He could always light one of his new torches, but he was trying to save those in case of an emergency.  Like when they ran out of lamp oil.

Fiene leaves Teodore in the dark and shivers the lantern over Devin's shoulder.

A little more light illuminated the room as Fiene brought his lantern closer. The bones were old and yellowed with ages. The portcullis on the opposite side of the room was rusty.

As the pair of adventurers peered into the room a sudden wind buffeted them and a voice called out "fools! Flee before your bones rest here evermore!" sinister laughter followed the words.

"Well this looks like a dead end," Devin said quietly to the Wizard.  "Let's try following Teodore."

The Acolyte of Auril reached out hopefully to close the door before someone had a worse idea.

Fiene begins the process of crossing the pit to reach the other side.

The laughter echoed in the corridor then Devin shut the door muting the sinister noise.

OOC What method is Fiene using to cross the pit?

Fiene stands on the edge of the pit.  He reaches out his pole, and probes a couple of the supports along the edge.  "It might take an hour for the eight of us to cross over.  One could step along these, and use the poles from either side to help stabilize the person crossing." he suggests  "Or a few minutes for Teodore to come to this side.  Since the way up is on this side." he points to the spiral stairs. "And if we need an expedient exit, that pit becomes a major hurdle to getting home.  I intend to continue over here, through the ogre's mouth.  I'm willing to help Teodore back to this side, unless the rest of you want to cross over. Then I'll continue on my own."

"I'd like to see what's on the other side," Devin said as he stepped up alongside the wall to see if he could shimmy across the supporting stones.  He might have to use one of his torches if neither of the lanterns joined them.

Obligingly, Ben lights the way for all who would traverse the pit. When it's his turn, if holding the lantern would endanger his crossing, he regretfully sets it down, before joining the others on Teodore's side.

 "Umm..." Brandli pauses, not quite possibly following what the others are saying... Then, she gasps.  "I got spikes and rope and a hammer!"

OOC: Just checked my equipment list, and I'd totally forgotten that I'd bought a 10' pole as well.

Bertilak takes his own 10' pole, which he'd been carrying nonchalantly this whole time, and offers one end of it to Ben. "Hook your lantern over the end of my pole, and I'll pass it across to Teodore."

Bertilak passed the lantern over to Teodore. Use of poles, ropes and iron spikes made crossing the pit relatively safe and not too slow. The hammering does make a lot of noise but nothing approached them.

OOC I'll assume the spikes are staying in the walls unless someone is going back to collect them.

Which way now?

Day: 3. Time: 10:50am. Turn: 11. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 35 Turns - lit
Fiene: 8 Turns - lit

When the hammer blows start ringing, Fiene and Ermangard head north through the ogres mouth.

"Let's try this way to the left," Devin suggested, having taken up a position next to Teodore.  He was disappointed to see the Wizard go on ahead, but they'd catch up to him once they looked around a little more.

"I have some torches if we need a little more light in the front," he added to the fighter.  "Just let me know if you think it would be helpful."

Before he left, Leah said to Fiene, "Okay, be safe, and don't get eaten by any ogres. But you should be fine, since I checked it with my pole to see if it was a trap. If you want to come back, just give me the signal, `Colloo! Kolloo! It's me!' so that I know it is you coming and not orcs, so that I do not alert everyone or throw an axe at you or something like that. I could leave some bread crumbs behind if you want to follow where we go, but I bought extra garlic and did not have enough left for bread, not even the half-eaten loaves. So if you want me to do that, you will have to supply the bread crumbs. But maybe you need them so we can follow you."

Everything Fiene said made perfect sense to Leah, but she elected to stay with the group. There was safety in numbers, after all, and while Fiene might be smart, Ohmygod was not. After all, she fell right into a pit without first probing ahead with a 10' pole! But as importantly, Ben was here, and he had promised her a job as a wizard, so she should be in the group he was in.

So she would cross over the pit, and continue to guard the rear, alone now, since Devin moved up front to better assist in leading them forward, it seemed.

The crossing of the pit took effort for the large party. Then when everyone was across Teodore went to the door. The door was stubborn to open but with a hefty push Teodore opened it.

The room was thirty foot by thirty foot. The room was occupied by smashed furniture. The walls were covered in tally marks.

Ben's surprised about the amount of debris in the cell. He's not surprised about his disinterest in sifting through it. Halfheartedly, he looks about for signs of the inmates--their bones, that is.

"This place looks thoroughly searched," Devin declared as he kicked some debris near the doorway.  He stood near the door, ready to move to the next door as soon as the others were finished with their search.

Primarily, he was waiting for the lantern to come with him.

Lilith looked about, "I think Devin has the steak in his teeth.  This place looks picked clean..."  She knew how to work a room, hallway, keyhole, and a great deal more than she'd explain in public...but yup this was squeaky.

The tally marks were something, but Leah did not know what, and did not want to expend the energy to think about what it could be. So she moved on from them.

She gave a cursory look at the broken furniture. It was unlikely any could be salvaged for a bed and breakfast, but even if there was, she had no place to keep it, so it might as well stay here. She checked to see if any desks or other furniture still had drawers, or the like, and if so, she looked to see if any copper pieces had been left behind in them.

When the rest of the group was ready to proceed, she would move on with them.

A search of the broken furniture revealed nothing, the room was empty.

"Let's check the other door," Devin prompted a he moved in that direction.

Agreed. Next room.

Led by the cleric Devin the party went to the next door. Again the door was resistant to opening taking more pushing from Teodore this time. Despite the effort of opening the door they appeared to have been unexpected by the occupants of the twenty foot by thirty foot room. The stonework of the room was carved into images and the floor was intricately patterned. Five dwarves were in the room examining the stone carvings, one especially so was copying an image onto paper. He had a balding head of red hair and wore a suit of mail. They did not look up from their tasks when the door had opened.



OOC The dwarves are surprised. Your actions?

"Hello?" Devin called out to the dwarves.  "Are you searching Stonehell as well?"

He hadn't seen them at the inn, but he suspected not everyone interested in the dungeons stayed there.  They could have been camping somewhere.

Devin addressed to the dwarves, but there were enough of them that it seemed to Leah that she could have a parallel conversation, or add to his. So, she approached the red headed dwarf directly. "Hello dwarf! I see you scribbling. We are also mapping, and it is a good map. Do you want to share maps? I can show you where the fireball room of slime is."

Going rose for Brandli's speech...

 "Heya." Brandli says, waving with her shield-arm at the dwarves.  She says nothing more to them, at least yet, anyways.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 19:29, Wed 31 Mar 2021.

From a polite distance, Ben takes a look at the stone carvings.

Offhandedly, he offers, "Was this room filled with rubble, too?" Maybe that was why the other room had seemed to have had an excess of smashed furniture.

Bertilak waits to see how the dwarves react to the party before offering more to say. He's curious about the wall art, but thinks discretion would be advised right now.

The dwarves surprised by the intrusion of their study all but the red haired reached for their hand axes. The four dwarves stood ready to defend the architectural wonders of Stonehell.

However when all that assaulted them was a barrage of questions they relaxed somewhat.

"Aye I Snorri Broadshoulders will be documenting the dwarven stonework of this dungeon" the dwarf seemed delighted with the offer of a map but his delight faded when Leah explained what it was a map of "we're only interested in the study what was left by the dwarves not slimes" he reiterated.

"We found this room much as you see it now, no furniture."

"Don't mind her," Ben puts in with a nearly dismissive flick of his hand. "She makes more words than sense. But she's a very enterprising woman when it comes to poles."

"When we have sections of cartography to share with you, we will."

"What have you learned about this level and these carvings, Master Broadshoulders?"

Seeing the dwarves grab their axes, Bertilak calms his mind and practices the words of the sleep spell with his inner monologue, ready to call up his magic if needed. While doing so, he also glances at the wall art, to see what the dwarves are so interested in.

Devin looked around to see if there were any other exits to explore.

"Well met, Snorri Broadshoulders," Leah replied when he introduced himself. "I am Leah.. Leah who they call a veteran, but have only ever given first aid to my bunnies, so they must be confused when they call me that."

When he clarifies his interest was not just maps, she thoughtfully replied, "Oh." She assumed that since she had not seen them arrive, and the pit had not been triggered, that they must have come from the southern exit of the room, although it is far more likely they had just arrived earlier and avoided the pit with their dwarven abilities. So, she believed that they could tell her what was ahead.

She then added, "Well, I do not think slimes or dwarves created the kitchen, and we created the fireball, and we are not dwarves either. So maybe that is not it. But there was a very large ogre mouth carved in a hallway. Do dwarves ever carve scary ogre mouths in corridors? If so, we can tell you where that is. Also, there was a pit we found, so if they carved that in the ground, that is two things we can share with you. So we can tell you that, and you can tell us where treasures are in return since you are not interested in that, but we are. Or if we find more dwarf things and tell you, would you trade for that?"

"These carvings are of ancient dwarven gods" the academic dwarf explained with great earnest, happy to speak of his profession and the scholarly purposes. Of maps he harrumphed "we came from the south" and Snorri pointed to the exit to the south west and shook his head looking at where the party had come from "didn't know there was a door there" he looked at the northwest corner of the room and the wall that was there "how did you get in here?" he asked. The entrance they had entered by had disappeared within the intricate dwarven carvings, there was no sign of a door.

To Leah he nodded his balding head "aye if ye find any sign of dwarven stonework I'm happy to trade" he agreed.



OOC

Day: 3. Time: 11:10am. Turn: 13. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 37 Turns - lit

Leah was puzzled at the lack of a door. Of course it had to still be there, since they came through, but it must be hidden by the carvings on this side. She went over to where it was was and said, "There is a door somewhere here. Are ne of the gods carved on this wall a trickster god? If so, that might be why the door is hidden now. Also, since we told you about the door, if dwarves created it, you can pay us. Maybe in trade you can sketch a little to our map since you came from the way we are going to go now?"

She turned to look at him and said, "Don't worry though. We aren't here to fight any dwarves, just orcs or goblins, so if you sketch where your camp is, we will know not to poke around there and will not accidentally take any of your supplies. Also, it will be good to know, so we know where to find you in case we find any more dwarf carvings."

There was nothing Leah could find within the dwarven stonework that resembled a door, lever or handle. It appeared that it was a wall not a door at all.

Snorri nodded his balding head again "aye" he pointed south "we are dwarves from the hills. We entered the dungeon from caves in the foothills. If you take the south tunnel until you reach the blue caves on the east, pass through the blue caves into the fungi caves then you'll find the chimney up" curious the dwarven scholar returned his answer with a question "how did you come to enter the dungeon?"

“We took the stairs,” Leah replied succinctly.

But then she thought perhaps a bit more would be needed. So she less succinctly went on with, “First you have to go past the bear, I forget his name, but they don’t want him turned into a rug. And then there’s a thing, and there are stairs, and we took them down because they didn’t go up. And then I won’t tell you about the slime, because you don’t care about slime or fireballs, but we went south, and then we decided to go east because there was a pit and something interesting would be on the other side, and it is, because here you are talking about the carvings! But there was also an empty room, so I guess not everything is interesting on the other side of the pit.“

She thought a bit more and added, “Well, not all of us. Ohmygod and someone else, I forget his name too but maybe the bear was Coal? Anyway, Ohmygod and the other person decided the pit was too dangerous, probably because Ohmygod fell into it. So they decided to go somewhere else, I think through the giant ogre mouth carving, because I was last, and saw their light going away, but I don’t know where they are now now. But they have a pole, so they are probably fine.“
This message was last edited by the player at 10:59, Sat 03 Apr 2021.

Ben appends to Leah's outpouring that they had traveled from the village of Four Towers, past a ruined gatehouse, and into a valley, in which dwells, yes, a bear. A little further into the valley, they had reached the entrance to Stonehell prison. Subsequent wanderings had led them to this meeting of human and dwarf and otherwise. It's not clear if he includes Leah in that category.

"I guess we'll be heading towards that chimney," he finishes, as if they had any other choice.

"Did you see any dangerous creatures in the direction you came from?" Devin asked of the dwarves.  It wouldn't do to follow a path without reward.  It would also be inconsiderate to leave the Wizard to his own devices.

"Ooo, a one-way trick door! How devious. I wonder..." Bertilak examines the section of wall where he knows the door was, running his fingers over the masonry to feel for cracks, and putting a few drops of water from his waterskin along the base of the wall to see if there are any bubbles from air movement.

If he detects anything, he will leave marks with his dagger point to show where the door should be.

Despite Leah rambling explanation Snorri was listening and nodded his head to both her words and any amendments offered by the other adventurers.

"Yes, an array of vermin and pests alongside orcs and goblins. Tread carefully" Snorri warned Devin.

A thorough examination of the area of wall they has passed through by Bertilak was successful in tracing the outline of the door. The green wizard marked the wall but despite his success he could not find a handle nor a level to open the door from the side that they were on.

OOC Day: 3. Time: 11:20am. Turn: 14. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 38 Turns - lit

"If there are evil afoot in that direction and no way to return to the others without following this new path out," Devin said resolutely, "we must press on to these new caves.

"We'll find the exit there and return back through the main entrance to find them."

He moved to the exit indicated by the dwarves to prepare for their departure.

"We do not need to find anyone," Leah tells Devin. "They were not lost- they wanted to go explore by themselves. Not letting them do so would be rude and you cannot force them to stay with you. We should go find the entrance chimney, then look for orcs," Leah opined as she moved into place, prepared to depart.

A look around the corner revealed a corridor heading south as described by Snorri Broadshoulders. In the lantern light it was possible to see that the corridor split into a crossroads twenty foot after it turned south.

Devin coaxed Teodore to move up and check the left hand passage while he checked the right.

Teodore hugs the edge of the hallway, anticipating another pit trap between him and the intersection. If all goes well, he looks to his left (the east passage) when he reaches the intersection.

Devin wasn't as worried about pits as the dwarves had come this way safe enough.  The bigger problem seemed to be the lantern lagging behind.

 Brandli said little to or around the dwarves, but did not prepare for battle either.  Dwarves were, after all, friends!  Now that things are resolved between the parties, she confidently follows Teodore and Devin.

Seeing Teodore hug the wall, Bertilak offers his 10' pole. "If you'd like to prod the floor ahead for traps, please be my guest."

Led by Teodore and Devin the party safely reach the crossroads without falling prey to any pit traps. The corridor continued to lead south.

Devin looked west. The lantern light held up by Ben behind him. A short corridor led to a room. He could see loose rubble on the ground but not much else.

Teodore looked to the east. He saw and smelt rotted food and dung. He also heard the chittering of rodents.

"Good bye dwarves. We will see you when we have more dwarf things to talk about," Leah assured them, as she took up her position guarding the rear of the group. While she did not expect the dwarves to ambush them, if there was one hidden door, there could be others, and who knew what could come from them?

She followed along, content to go in whichever direction the ones up front decided to go.

 Brandli considers as she walks, and then says, "Wonder if they like carp?  Heared a dwarf talkin' about carp once.  An' cats.  An', uhh... elf-ants."

"I've got a door in my direction," Devin reported diligently.

"How does your side look?" he asked, turning to look back at Teodore.

"Smells bad, and I hear rats or something. But there's no door. Shall we look south, or do we want to scuffle with some rodents?"

"You are in the front," Leah calls out. "Walk in the direction you like, and we will follow."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:28, Wed 07 Apr 2021.

"Filthy rats? I doubt they have much treasure. I say press on."

"Straight on it is," Devin agreed as he wondered how the other man knew which way south was.  Without the sun, he was lost.

He pushed on straight through the intersection.  It was probably the way the dwarves had come and a good bet for finding and securing their exit.

Led onwards they passed by the rotten smells and chittering rats. The passageway took them from one crossroads to another.

At this crossroads the light from Ben's lantern lit up corridors that stretched out into darkness in every direction.



OOC Day: 3. Time: 11:40am. Turn: 16. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 40 Turns - lit

Arriving at the second crossroads, Ben considers. "Shall we backtrack and try the western passage?"

He considers further. "If rats are feeding, I don't think they'll mind if one of us takes a peek down that way."

"It's good to know what's behind us," he reminds Leah.

"The dwarves are behind us," Devin pointed out to orient the others.  "If we just keep going straight, it will be harder to get lost."

He hadn't seen anyone drawing a map, so straight was a better plan in his mind.

"Straight works." Teodore peers ahead as he stays even with Devin.

"We know what is behind us. Rats that are eating." Leah replied to Ben quizzically.

She indicated Teodore and Devin moving further south. "You have the light, so we should follow them instead of going off to the rats. But when we come back, they will be fat and happy and we can look to see what is left over. And I will make sure they do not come and follow us before then."

The party carried on southward. The corridors were all of the same familiar rough hewn flagstones and stone blocks. The journey took them to another crossroads.

On the walls to the east was scrawled graffiti. The language unknown.

At the rear Leah did not hear any sound of rats following them.



OOC Ben does have a pick of an extra known language due to his higher intelligence. He might consider choosing one.

Ben can only smile at Leah's unexpected wisdom and await Teodore's next decision.

"Maybe the dwarves left that for their trip back," Devin proposed, pointing at the wall scrawl.  "Let's try that way."

Bertilak nods to Devin. "Without further clues, that way is as good as any other. Lead on, good acolyte."

Teodore nodded, and led the party toward the grafitti.

The rats had not come after them. She considered informing the others of that fact, but reflected that they would already know that, since she did not tell them they had followed. So, she just continued along in silence as they discussed directions. She also ignored the graffiti, since she could not read it.


(ooc)
Devin guessed it might have been left from the dwarves. Can anyone in our group determine what language it is, or if it is related to a language they know, even if they do not understand it? For instance, an English-speaker might be able to generally recognize Chinese, Arabic, Korean, or Cyrillic writing even though they could not read what it says.

The language was not recognisable. The only languages known to the party were Common and Halfling both very similar languages when written, the graffiti was in a language not related to either of those. At a guess it did not appear to be dwarven.

Teodore and Devin led the party east. There was two doors to the north. From the corridor to the south came a faint glimmer of light and further along the corridor light was coming from around the corner.



OOC Day: 3. Time: 11:50am. Turn: 17. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 41 Turns - lit

OOC: I do know a couple of extra languages, but I doubt either will help.

Bertilak whispers, "Lights ahead, could be trouble. Let's proceed carefully."

The graffiti was possibly more related to Ogre than Medusa.

Devin moved up to the first corridor with the dim light and looked around the corner.  He was hoping it was daylight so they could secure their exit.

Around the corner the corridor continued south. About fifty foot away the corridor widened into a chamber then carried on southward into darkness.

In the chamber was a man and the source of the light. Devin watched the man. The man was wearing leather armour with a shield slung over their back, a short sword on their belt and a torch in their hand. The man was looking around the chamber.

OOC Roll for surprise.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:32, Fri 09 Apr 2021.

Looking around the corner, Devin was surprised to see someone there.

OOC:  Devin Harper rolled 2 using 1d6.  Surprise!

There was a moment of shock when both Devin and the torching holding man saw each other. Both were stunned for a moment then the man clutched at their side and staggered off to the south.

"There was a man with a torch and a shield," Devin reported to the others.  "He saw me and went in the other direction.  Probably another explorer.

"Let's check the next corridor down with the brighter light."

Teodore nods, keeping pace with Devin as they go.

 "Hey stays in his lane, we stay in ours.  Got it." Brandli says.

Leah was a little disappointed, since if there was someone else, maybe he would also want to pay for the valuable dwarf information and compare maps. But the others moved on, so she did the same, continuing to guard the rear, and particularly focused on the doors, watching to see if thy started to open.

Led by Teodore and Devin the party turned the corner in search of the source of the light. What they saw was smoking torches affixed to the walls, where the corridor opened into a square twenty foot by twenty foor the floor was dressed with a moth-eaten bear skin rug, crude wooden furniture and a pail of oil. Seated on and around furniture were seven humanoids. They all had ugly animalistic faces and carried weapons, two of them having bows. One of the seated orcs wore a gold necklace.



OOC Roll for surprise.

OOC Day: 3. Time: 12:00am. Turn: 18. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 42 Turns - lit

Having just seen someone while looking around a corner, Devin would have thought he'd have been less surprised when it happened a second time.  It turns out, he was equally surprised!

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 2 using 1d6.  Surprise!

There was something in the next room, but Leah was still distracted thinking about the person she had not gotten to meet. But she was the rear guar, so the people up front could handle things. If there was a problem, they would say something, just like she would warn them of pursuing rats from behind.


(ooc)
I am unsure if we are rolling individually, or if one person rolls for the entire group.
But in either case, with a roll of 1, Leah is surprised no matter if the roll is Devin's or her own.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:59, Sat 10 Apr 2021.

Whatever the party had expected to find around the corner the orcs were well prepared for their arrival. As Teodore and Devin turned the corner the orcs grunted and mustered themselves.

One of the closest orcs kicked over the pail of oil which spilt in a big puddle between the party and the orcs. Another grabbed a torch from the wall and stood at the ready. The two orcs with bows nocked arrows and pulled their bowstrings taut. All but their leader readied their weapons, shaking their spear and axes. The leader with the golden necklace around his neck and sword laid on his lap gave a grunt and called his challenge "Open Sore Territory! Back off!
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:56, Fri 23 Apr 2021.

"But he looked like he might have been injured," Barnabas had protested, his words left on their own after Teodore had led their gang down another nameless corridor.

                                                                            ~~~

Ben dutifully backs off but he can't help but smile at the excessive truculence of the Wolf Gang. Would they have another pail of oil set up just so when they returned?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Sat 10 Apr 2021.

Devin backed off to report, "Ugly guys ready to fight.  They dumped some oil in the hallway and are ready to light it if we try to get closer.

"They also have some guys with bows."

Bertilak grins. "Wise precautions on the part of the orcs. But I think my magic would prove stronger than them, if we want to confront them. Just get me close enough that I can see the group without getting me shot full of arrows."

OOC: Sleep vs seven orcs? I like those odds. And then we get the necklace.

Teodore slowly sheathes his sword and holds his right hand up in a non-threatening way, while his left still holds his shield somewhat in front of him in case the orcs decide to shoot him. He speaks to the orcs as if they'll understand him.

"Bertilak? Know you Bertilak? Bertilak." Teodore finishes with a nod.

Leah also speaks, calling out to the orcs, "Oh, okay, sorry. We can go somewhere else. Where is a good place to go to fight things? Do you want to come with us and go fight goblins?"

 Brandli looks to Leah, gapes, pauses, furrows her brow, but then considers.  "'Mean, if they behave..." She shrugs, her sling and shield still ready.

OOC: Here we go!

Bertilak casts his sleep spell on the orcs.

DM: Would you like me to roll for hit dice affected, or will you roll?

OOC Now that casting a spell has been declared I'll need to know everyone else's declarations for all actions. Then I'll roll Initiative for both sides to depends the outcome of actions. Remember the order is movement - missile - magic - melee.

To make things quicker roll any dice appropriate to your declared actions, otherwise I'll roll on your behalf when needed.

Should have waited and let the DM roll...

17:38, Today: Bertilak the Green rolled 5 using 2d8.  HD affected by sleep spell.

OOC Image for any strategy.

As it looked like they were going to fight, Devin hurriedly pulled around his shield and tugged the hammer from his belt.

OOC: I think Bertilak and Teodore are the only two exposed in the corridor as Devin backed off to report and the others never peeked around the corner.  Bertilak acted before the others could react.  Surprised again!

Leah does nothing this round, as she is quite surprised by the fact we are suddenly attacking our new-found goblin-battling allies.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:59, Sun 11 Apr 2021.

OOC The surprise round is over. The orcs prepared themselves and offered a challenge. Bertilak declaring spell casting shifted us into game rounds. You should declare any actions including movement then I'll roll Initiative to determine the order.

I've tried to place characters as per the marching order but had to shuffle things in the middle as Bertilak came forward to cast.

Initiative in the first round will be critical in this combat as if the party wins Bertilak's sleep spell will go off, if you lose his spell could be disrupted.

If it doesn't get interrupted, I will center the effect of my spell right in the middle, just behind and between the second rank of orcs.

(ooc)
I understand the mechanical surprise round is over. But Leah had just offered an alliance to them, and she personally had no idea we were going to initiate combat. So she is wrapping her mind around all of this this round and thus doing nothing. (She is behind everyone else, and around the corner out in the corridor, so she does not have much in the way of options right now even so.)

OOC No movement. Will throw a dagger at Orc #1.

To cover Bertilak as he casts his spell, Teodore will try to drift in front of the magic-user, with his shield up as he re-draws his sword.

Valerian traces sigils in the air to cast Shield on himself before engaging the orcs.

 Brandli takes a quick step to her left, twirls the bullet in her sling a little bit, and then lets it loose at one of the orcs.

12:43, Today: Brandli rolled 13,2 using 1d20+2,1d4 ((11,2)).
Attacking Orc #1 with sling.

As Bertilak came forward and began chanting Devin moved back around the corner away from the orcs. Protecting the magic user Teodore placed himself at the fore whilst Brandli fired her sling. The sling bullet struck the orc holding the flaming torch, the stone cracked against the orc's thick head and knocked it out. Barnabus flung a dagger at an orc but it missed. A moment later Bertilak's spell sent five of the orcs including their leader into an enchanted slumber. Valerian summoned a shield of magical energy.

The last orc seeing all was lost ran to the south door and pulled it open.



OOC Make your declaration then I'll roll Initiative.

Teodore rushes forward, skirting the oil puddle as best he can as he moves to dispatch the orc leader while it sleeps.

Bertilak nods to himself. "Not as good as I expected, but adequate to the situation. Watch that oil, now. Don't slip. Let's keep a guard up in case that runner returns with friends."

Bertilak will also carefully maneuver around the oil slick, and slit some orc throats with his dagger.

The final orc had not exited yet, and perhaps missile fire could bring him down before he came back with help, but Leah had no weapons for that, and he was more than a pole away. So, she instead followed Bertilak's advice and remained on guard, although she watched the rear, in case the orc decides to circle around.

With shield now at the ready and hammer in hand, Devin stepped back into the corridor to find the battle seemingly concluded.

"That was close," he said to no one in particular as he looked to see how far the torch had fallen from the oil.  It had all happened so fast.  He hadn't even known Bertilak was another wizard!

Two wizards in the party!  No wonder Fiene had the confidence to leave the party and go off on his own knowing the party was well cared for by Bertilak.

Ben tiptoes gingerly through the slick along with the others, wondering if the Wolf gang counts more than seven among their number.

OOC I'll give Valerian and Brandli a little longer to post before I roll Initiative.

The fleeing orc fled through the south door to the sounds of guttural oinks followed by frenzied shouts. Many more orcs were heard through the door.

Teodore and Bertilak rushed forward to begin the grisly process of slaughtering the sleeping orcs. Ben moved closer to investigate and Devin came forward to view their victory.



OOC Make your declarations and rolls then I'll roll Initiative

Leah continued to guard the rear at the moment. The orcs knew this location better than they did, so they might try and sneak around and surround them, or cut off an escape. But she had her pole ready to dissuade any such attempt!

If the others elected to flee immediately, then she either followed them as they departed, or, if they ran in her direction, she pressed herself flat against the wall so they could pass her, then joined them when they were safely past.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:48, Fri 16 Apr 2021.

 Brandli loads her sling again, also standing alert for any other threats to herself and her companions.  She leaves Orla to her own devices, trusting in the Godservant.

Devin skirted the oil to join Teodore near the door where the last had fled.

"How many more of them do you think there are?" he asked the other man.

Valerian stands in the back ranks, ready to pull wounded companions out of the fray as before, or throw a dagger if the need is dire.

Ben joins Teodore and Bertilak in their slaughter of the sleeping. With an elevated heartrate, he listens to the frenzied oinking beyond the doors. Did the orgy of oinking suggest they were rallying or routed?

With Teodore and Devin between him and the door, Bertilak decides it's most prudent to slit another orc throat before the noise of reinforcements and possible battle awaken them.

OOC: Assuming one sleeping orc dispatched per combat round. If I can get more than one in a round, I will!

Teodore grabs the dead orc leader's golden necklace as he replies, "No clue. Enough to need another slumber spell, I'm sure." He gets ready to retreat if the orcs are too great in number.

The two wizards Bertilak and Ben continued the killing of the sleeping orcs. Their daggers making grisly work of the pig faced brutes. All but one of the sleeping orcs were dead by the time the south door swung open and many more orcs rushed out. Teodore had grabbed the leader's gold chain and they rushed to attack the fighter.

Brandli sling loaded fired a shot at the charging orcs and felled one of them. Devin prepared to defend the room swung his warhammer at the mob and another crashed to the floor bloodied. The orcs kept coming and both struck at Teodore, their attacks clashing against his armour and shield.

In the midst of the orc gang was another who wore a gold chain similar to the one Teodore held.



OOC Make your declarations and rolls then I'll roll Initiative

Surprised by the sudden plethora of attackers, Devin held his ground and swung wildly.  His first strike having been a reflex he couldn't consciously duplicate.  Perhaps if he just closed his eyes and let the spirit of Auril guide his hand?

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 3,5 using d20,d6.  Hammer time!

Move: To northwestern corner of room
Action: Cast sleepThrow dagger #2
This message was last edited by the player at 16:00, Mon 19 Apr 2021.

 Brandli loads and lets loose another sling bullet at another orc...

10:24, Today: Brandli rolled 16,2 using 1d20,1d4 ((16,2)).
Slinging a stone at the orcs...

There were enough people here to watch the rear, if something should come up, and the immediate danger was to the front. So if she could make her way past Valerian, then Leah would charge into the room, as quickly as possible, oil notwithstanding. If she could reach the orcs this round, then she would use her pole to lance one of them, secure in the security of distance it provided.

(ooc)
Dex for oil- if needed: 13
Attack with pole- if possible: 8

Assuming she could make it past Valerian in the first place, unless the pole helps for balance, it would seem she probably does not make it past the oil on her feet, much less reach the orcs for an attack which would have missed in any case. ^_^;

The cleric kept by Brandli's side. Her shield held ready to cover her mistress if the orcs drew back arrows.  She muttered quiet prayers of protection.

Teodore attacks the orc directly in front of him. Poorly.

20:15, Today: Teodore rolled 8 using 1d20+1.  attack orc.

The danger being close at hand, and not wanting to put himself in danger, Bertilak nonetheless decides that the most prudent action would be to finish off the final sleeping orc, before his compatriots awaken him. So, the blood-drenched silver dagger again digs into an unprotected orc throat.

The passageway was blocked by Devin and Teodore. Both battled the orcs but neither were successful in wounding any orc. Leah made her way carefully to the fore and poked her pole at the orcs. The pole designed for exploration not combat was an ineffective weapon and as Teodore and Devin fought they continually got in Leah's way.

The halfling's slingshot the only attack to penetrate the orcs defences but the orc survived the strike and fought on.

Bertilak slit the throat of the last sleeping orcs whilst Ben rushed to get a clearer view of the room ahead.

The orcs angered at the slaughter of their tribe members fought with fury. Slashing at Devin but missing the cleric. Devin whilst defending himself against the barrage saw more orcs coming from the east in the back of the room. There was another orc with a gold necklace, a female orc with a nose ring and an enormously built orc with a platinum crown.



  Make your declarations and rolls then I'll roll Initiative.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:43, Tue 20 Apr 2021.

The sleeping orcs taken care of, and not having any useful combat skill, Bertilak moves to the door heading east. He takes his hammer and an iron spike from his pack and will hammer the spike between the door and the floor to wedge it shut and protect the party's flank.

02:43, Today: Brandli rolled 7,4 using 1d20,1d4 ((7,4)).
A sling and a miss!

 Brandli loads and fires her sling again... and misses!

Teodore again attempts to cut down the orc in front of him... just as poorly as before.

07:55, Today: Teodore rolled 6 using 1d20+1.  attack orc.

With a territorial view, Barnabas surveys the battlefield. He performs a rapid set of calculations the purpose of which would be to determine best target for his sleep enchantment and fixes on an optimal location on an X, Y axis. Satisfied, he utters the first note of his lullaby only to halt with a stutter -- the orcs might move about before he can finish his singing. If this happens, he will need to recalibrate. If he needs to do that, maybe he should wait another turn.

Action: Cast Sleep

"We need an exit plan!" Devin shouted as he blocked with his shield and failed to counter with his hammer.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 3,4 using d20,d6.  Hammer time!

Hearing the call for exit, the cleric steps across the oil slick, and snatches up the fallen orc's torch. then moves back to protect Brandli.

Not having any useful combat skill is not about to stop someone with a good pole. She jabs it at the orcs again.

(ooc)
Attack: 10. That presumably does not hit.

As the rear the party made preparation for defence and retreat. Bertilak began hammering iron spikes into the floor to prevent any orcs that might pursue them. Orla crossed the oil spill and picked up the dangerously flaming torch.

Brandli's slingshot was uncharacteristically off target but a moment later Barnabas completed the arcane calculations and released his sleep spell. Seven of the orcs were overcome and collapsed to the floor. The chief a much larger orc who wore a crown was unaffected. At the sight of his tribe being so easily dismissed he grabbed his mate and fled away to the east.

With no targeting standing Leah, Devin and Teodore had no enemies to fight.

OOC Orla will be able to cross the oil and pick up the torch this round. She won't have time to cross back over. Her action after movement being to pick up the torch.

Leah, Devin and Teodore do not get any movement after the magic round but do have a melee action. If you wish to kill one sleeping orc that will be an automatically successful melee action this round.

Declaration time again, then I'll roll Initiative.

Leah has her pole out, which is perhaps not the most efficient sleeping-target-killing weapon. So rather than kill a sleeping orc, when she can move, she will go to the door, guarding against any further incursions. The two might have fled, but there could be more on the way, and if so, she was ready to warn the others and bar the way.

Reflexively, Devin swung at the orc before him as it fell.

Orla moves back to Brandli's side, her weapon now held on her belt, She holds torch and shield, and prays silently that orcish torches are stout enough to make a club. Though not with a weapon in hand, having the light is reassuring to her as she watches the darkness from back where they came, in case an retreat is needed.

With alarming alacrity, Barnabas sets to slitting throat after throat.

Bertilak finishes securing the eastern door.

[I assume this will take more than one combat round.]

In the corridor Orla now had more light from the smoky orcish torch. There was no sign of anything approaching from the rear of the party. In the middle Bertilak busied himself jamming the door stuck. At the fore Leah advanced to protect the party whilst Ben stepped forward the assassinate a sleeping orc.

The room was thirty foot by thirty foot. Rough-hewn wooden bunks lined the room with barrels in one corner. In another corner hung from a hook was a bloodied gnome. The gnome's walnut flesh was gashed and burnt and his hair was singed from his head. There was another door in the eastern wall.

Teodore dispatches orcs as well.

Seeing the gnome, Devin dropped his shield and slid his hammer into his belt as he moved quickly toward he gnome to lower him down.  He'd felt bad about the others killing the sleeping humanoids, but if they'd done this.

The gnome when unhooked was barely alive. He was battered and bedraggled. The wounds he wore were from the orcs at play.

Under Devin's care the gnome mumbled his thanks and would after some rest be able to recover enough to walk.

Without orders to the contrary, Orla continued her watch to the rear.  The cleric would see that Sidhe would have her justice.

There were enough others to search the dead orcs, so Leah continues to guard the door and watch the passageways in case the orcs, or anything else, comes back.

When the killing fields have been fully sowed, Barnabas exhorts Teodore to pursue the chieftain and his mate.

"It's not genocide if a breeding pair escapes," he warns.

The sleeping orcs were killed and one of the four doors facing the party was stuck shut with iron spikes.

The battered gnome introduced himself as Johann, a survivor of an ill fated adventuring party.

 Brandli stands guard with Orla Pont, loading her sling once again.  "Gnomes... ain't they some kinda faery people?" She ponders out loud to herself.

"How did you enter Stonehell?" Devin asked Johann, hoping he knew the way back.  "Was it down a chimney?"

He offered the gnome some of his water as he assessed whether he'd even be able to walk on his own.

Leah does not ask the gnome to join them, worried that that might cause the others to attack Johann as they did the orcs. And he did not look very sturdy as it was- he could use an escort to the entrance, if they could only find it themselves.

She continued a watchful eye on the corridor, alert for trouble coming.

After some water Johann recovered somewhat but still looked battered. The gnome shook his head at Devin's query "we came down the stairs. We were exploring the dungeon when we were set upon by orcs. I was captured, brought here and tortured. My endless thanks for saving me" he explained to Devin "their chieftain is in that room" the gnome pointed to the eastern door.

OOC You can treat Johann as having 0 hit points, so he can walk but can not fight or cast spells.

"I think we should go back and continue down the main corridor to find the chimney the dwarves spoke of," Devin said to the others.

"Let us accept our success and get Johann to the surface."

He shared some of his rations with him while they waited for the others to decide on their next course of action.

"I think," Ben rejoins with untoward confidence, "that we should go through that eastern door and kill the chief and his mate before they (1) find another tribe or, worse, (2) breed another one."

"We have the numbers," he adds, turning towards their group's one fighter.

Both seem like good options to Leah and so she talks them out.

"Well, the gunome does not look so healthy, so taking him back out would be good, but we do not know where that chimney is yet so we cannot just take him out. And we might run into monsters on the way, so he might not be safe if we wander about. So we should try to get him out quickly. But those would be chances that happen or do not happen. There are definitely monsters who might hunt us now- and I mean those orcs who ran away. So maybe we should take care of them so they do not gather others to chase us, since they know all the corridors that we do not know yet and might have friends. But Ben, you do not have to worry about them chasing us with new baby orcs, because maybe you did not learn this, but it takes a long time to make a baby, and even though they are natural killers, it takes a baby a long time to learn to use a sword properly. That is true even for orcs- even if they have babies faster, it is not that fast."

She frowned, wondering if an orc baby would even have the strength to wear armor, then continued, "So even though we do not have to worry about the orc babies, we should go stop them, because the last time we let an orc run away, he came back with all his friends. So these two might come back with twice the friends. So let's go after them, and then find a way to get the gunome out."

As the others discuss where to go next, Teodore grabs the gold necklaces on the dead orcs.

The gnome Johann sat down on a barrel and ate some of the rations offered. A bit more life returned to his walnut flesh.

Teodore stripped the orc corpses of three gold necklaces, one noticeable heavier than the others. Teodore also spotted that all of the orcs carried a small pouch of coins.

OOC Day: 3. Time: 12:20am. Turn: 20. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 44 Turns - lit

"So, I barricaded the door that leads to the orc chieftain's chamber? But he came from and then fled the other way, so there must be a way around. In the meantime, let's gather what we can here."

Bertilak helps in stripping the coin purses from the orcs, checking in one or two to see what type of coin they carry.

The coin in the purses is silver. With all the purses collected Bertilak made a haul of one hundred and forty six silver pieces.

 At Leah's talk of orcish procreation, Brandli can not help but chuckle.  She mutters something about giving the male "another couple of stones to go with his two".

 "Hey, Orla, you priests are good with cuts an' bumps, right?" She gives Johann a concerned look.

"I have some skill in bandages and poultices." The cleric answers."Do you want me to see what I do for the gnome?" she asks.

"Barnabas, if we had any Sleep spells left, I'd follow them, but for now they will have to wait. I agree with Devin. We take what, and who, we have, and leave." The fighter begins leading the party back toward the entrance.

"Stay in the middle," Devin said to the gnome as he took the fore with Teodore.

"Are we trying for the chimney or the dwarves?" he asked the fighter.

"We could only find a trace of the door into the dwarven art gallery, and no way to open it. I believe we must press on to try and find this chimney."

Before leaving, Leah took a look to see if the orcs had any other useful items on them besides the coinage- useable weapons or armor would be just as valuable, she thought. The same for a quick look in the room- they had placed oil down as a barrier, so perhaps there was more present, or they had a bit more on their person.

Then, when it was time to move on, she placed herself once more to the rear of the party, announcing, "Okay, I am ready, and do not worry at all gunome, because I am here to make sure we do not have to worry about being surprised by any sneaking-up-on-us orc chieftains, chieftainesses, chiefchildren, chieffriends, or chiefwanderers. Or giant bugs."

The ministrations of the two supplicants of Sidhe and Auril comforted the bedraggled gnome and although his wounds remained he looked much fitter and more civilised.

A search of the two rooms by Leah was rather unsuccessful. In the first room the furniture was crude and the bear skin rug on the floor was moth eaten. The second room was filthy and beside the orcs bunks Leah found some barrels of beer but it was sour and foul smelling. The much more valuable treasure of three gold necklaces had been taken by Teodore and the one hundred and forty six silver pieces by Bertilak.

Rather than face the orc chieftain Teodore led the party back to the crossroads. Corridors led in four directions, north, east, south and west.

OOC Day: 3. Time: 12:30am. Turn: 21. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 45 Turns - lit
Torch
Orla: 3 Turns - lit

"See how nice a good bearskin rug is? You can see how comfortable the whole room is with it. I bet that they also made lots of orc babies right here. So maybe we should remember that if we see Coal or whatever that bear's name was again. I think it had to do with being a black bear, but I do not remember if it was coal, or charcoal, or cobalt, or kobold, but the last two do not really mean black, well, at least the last one is not, but I do not know about the other for sure, so that was probably not it."

She considered taking the rug with her, but it's bulk would require her hands. And as they were still in the dungeon, she knew they needed her ready with the pole more than they needed to bring the rug. So, regretfully, she left it in place. "Okay, the rug is very valuable because it is fur which is worth a lot of money, so if someone wants to carry it back we can do that and split the money. But if not and nobody wants it then I will take it, but will have to come back to do that after the gunome is safe. So nobody steal the orc baby making bed from me if you do not want it, okay?"

She tried a bit of the foul-smelling beer and smacked her lips, saying, "I think everything in here is for making orc babies."

If none of their weapons or armor was salvageable, she would frown in disappointment, but leave it unremarked.

At the crossroads, as usual, whichever direction Teodore went, she would follow.

"Let's continue this way," Devin proposed, pointing to their left.  "The dwarves made it sound like it was easy to find the way out so I'd say a straight line would be the easiest."

He was still disappointed the marking on the wall hadn't been left by the dwarves as a path to follow, but they were doing well so far.

"Fair enough." Teodore turns left and leads the party through the intersection.

Devin, do you mean south?

The corridor turned east and then south again before ending in a dilapidated hall. The ceiling was cracked and the masonry crumbling. On the east wall was the an opening with pieces of a broken door. On the west wall was a door. Four columns reached up to the cracked ceiling. To the south exits went east and west.

In the hall were seven orcs. Two of the orcs carried a spit which held the still glowing corpse of a firebeetle.



Both parties were surprised. Declare your actions and I'll roll Initiative.

OOC Day: 3. Time: 12:40am. Turn: 22. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 46 Turns - lit
Torch
Orla: 4 Turns - lit

Leah speaks, calling out to the orcs, "Hello orcs! Do you have any open sores? We are here to fight things, except for the ones in sinks and pipes. Can you tell us where goblins are to go fight?"

"Backup, backup," Devin said urgently as he tried to usher Valerian and the others back the way they came.  The wizards could probably put them to sleep again, but he didn't want to press his luck as the odds were still against them.

Valerian follows Devin's orders and turns back the passage he came from.

Teodore also backs up, covering the party's retreat.

The cleric follows the leaders, by trying to lead them into following her back the way they came.

Ben had to admit that Leah's diatribe on the reproductive habits of orcs had followed a certain logic and he had found himself on the whole convinced of her reason. All that went out the window when before them stood SEVEN MORE ORCS.

He gasped, "Where do you think those came from?" before executing as expeditious a retreat as possible.

The party were quick to react to the sight of the orc hunting party. Leah shouted a question to the orcs as they all fled the room. The orcs in response grunted and oinked loudly as their pursued the party into the corridor angrily.



OOC Declare your actions, roll any dice and I'll roll Initiative.

Orla keeps between Brandli and the orcs, retreating as she can, she will stand her ground if it means her charge can get away.

Bertilak moves back with the party, and as he goes he gets a flask of oil out of his pack.

Devin continued to backpedal as he pulled around his shield.  If these beasts didn't give up, they'd be forced to fight.

Teodore continues to withdraw, reaching for one of his flasks of oil as he does.

Ben keeps pace with the backwards trot.

 Brandli loads her sling, but also backpedals.  Awkwardly.  Just as awkwardly, she replies to Ben, reasonable among foolish halflings and pole-bearing adventurers, "The orcs doin' it.  Duh!  Didn't you listen to Leah?" She looks at Orla, as if to say, "Can you believe these guys?!".

Having successfully convinced the orcs to help them fight goblins, Leah saw the much larger party turning around to find and battle their new, common foe together. That put Leah in the lead of the order, so she lead the way down the western corridor. She would have liked to spend more time probing with her pole for traps and pits as they went, but the group was so impatient to get to goblin-smiting, that she was rushed into doing a barely effective job of it. That would be something to talk about to them later.

The corridor quickly filled up with angry orcs the party retreated and prepared their defence.



OOC Party won Initiative. I wasn't entirely how far you wanted to move so kept it defensive. As you won Initiative let me know if any characters should be moved about and I can amend.

Teodore and Bertilak have flasks of oil in their hands and Ermengard has a lit torch. Ermengard can as her action light the flasks so that Bertilak and Teodore can throw them this round or alternatively Teodore and Bertilak can pour them on the ground with Ermengard dropping the torch to ignite the oil. A flask will create a pool that fills one square for one Turn or can be spread thinner but will burn out quicker. If you are going to throw them I'll need to know targets and you'll need to roll to hit.

Brandli can fire her sling and Devin can choose to hold his attack if the orcs charge.

Ben's cheeks turn crimson. This was something he had never considered. Orcs weren't human, after all. That was the basis for their extirpation. He had always believed that they didn't reproduce in the human fashion at all, that they employed "breeding vats" or perhaps "egg sacs" were involved. He had not yet determined the role of the male and female of the species in the operation of these breeding vats.

OOC Ben will throw a dagger at the first orc to arrive within 10 feet of him.

12:58, Today: Brandli rolled 10,4 using 1d20,1d4 ((10,4)).
Slinging at Orc #2.  That hits... AC 07.

 Brandli looses her stone, and prepares another one.  "Brace for impaction, Orla!" Brandli says, for once saying a big word... in the entirely wrong, entirely inappropriate context.

As the others stopped behind him, Devin grimly braced himself for the first of the brutes to close in.  He pulled his hammer and readied to strike.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 18,5 using d20,d6.  Hammer time!

Leah continues probing her way down the western corridor for traps and pits, until she realizes that her companions have once again turned on their goblin-fighting allies. This is most likely when she runs out of torchlight, and has to turn back to see what is holding everyone up.

Teodore has Ermangard light his oil, which he throws at the lead orc. Then he readies his sword and shield.

23:42, Today: Teodore rolled 4 using 1d20+1.  throwing oil.

Bertilak also lights his oil from Orla's torch and throws it at the approaching orcs.

07:01, Today: Bertilak the Green rolled 9 using 1d20.  throw oil.

The hunting party harried the retreating adventurers. Flasks of flaming oil were tossed into their path. Teodore's threw oil down the corridor to partially block it whilst Bertilak hampered by being in the second row of adventurers tossed the flask over the burning torch in Orla's hand. It was a dangerous maneuver and fraught with peril. The oil splashed on Orla and soon the haunted cleric was ablaze.

The combination of Brandli's sling bullet and Barnabus's dagger stopped an orc in its tracks and felled it. Another fell under the hammer blow of Devin. A single orc reached the party and swung its axe at Devin but the blow was turned aside by Devin's strong armour.



OOC I rolled a random scatter for the missed flaming oils as even missing the intended target the burning oil will impact on the environment. Left to fate the haunted Orla was been splashed by the oil. Orla took 2hp of damage and is on fire. The party will start to get a reputation for burning its members alive!

Post your actions and I'll roll Initiative.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:41, Mon 03 May 2021.

Grimly, backed into a corner with a blaze among them, Devin readied to strike down the next foe to stand before him.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 18,3 using d20,d6.  Hammer time!

Orla screams in agony, and collapses to the floor.

"Oh dear, that did not go well," Bertilak says as the oil splashes down on Orla. Then when she catches ablaze and falls to the floor, he thinks fast.

He takes the largest, flattest thing he's carrying, one of his large sacks. He uses it to try and smother the flames on Orla, and fix the mess he caused.

Valerian takes a few steps back from the flames if he can.

Coolheaded when he wasn't think about orcs, Ben retrieves a waterskin from his pack and douses the howling Orla. Better that he be thirsty, than she be crispy.

The bloodied gnome watches the situation become dire.  "Somebody give me a knife!" he calls even though it doesn't look like the man can stand, much less fight. "If I'm gotta die, I'm gonna take one of them with me!"

Teodore runs the nearest orc through... at least, that was the plan.


16:30, Today: Teodore rolled 2 using 1d8+1.  sword damage.

16:30, Today: Teodore rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  attack orc.

The cry of pain and the flash of light from burning oil was enough to get her attention, and Leah returned to the group, trying to put together what was happening.

The gunome was threatening to kill everyone, Bertilak was trying to hide Orla, and Teodore was running to the orcs for help.

Well, it was easy to see what was happening. Dungeon Madness. The gunome had gone crazy after spending too much time out of the sunshine. But he would be fine when they got back to the surface. So Leah tried to whack him from behind with her pole, hoping to knock him out, but the little man danced and hopped about so much that she could not seem to target. "Stop" *miss* "moving" *miss* "gunome," *miss* "so" *miss* "I" *miss* "can" *miss* "fix" *miss* "you!"


(ooc)
Leah rolled a 1. ^_^;

 "Whoa!" Brandli cries out as Orla is... immolated.  She hands Johann her dagger.  "AllIgot'sadaggerIgottafixOrla!" The halfling does her best to douse the flames on her priestly companion, but still holds her shield aloft.  So, her right arm is doing all of the work.  "I gotcha, Orla!"

Ablaze Orla screamed as everyone around the cleric tried to save her. As Orla rolled Bertilak smothered her in a damp sack with the aid of Ben's waterskin. Much helpful patting and reassurance came from Brandli. The fire was defeated.

Against the orcs Teodore and Devin stabbed and struck the closest orc. Both strikes injuring the bestial creature but not killing it. The orcs however were clearly rattled by the burning oils and the casualties that they had already survived. Like frightened animals the orcs turned tail and fled the party.

At the rear of the party the gnome Johann was passed a dagger to defend himself but in reaction Leah swung her pole around at the gnome but failed to hit him.

OOC The party successful smothered the flames on Orla, she is badly burnt and on 0 hit points. The remaining 5 orcs have fled, pursuit is possible. There are two dead orcs in the corridor and pool of burning oil on the corner.

Day: 3. Time: 12:50am. Turn: 23. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 47 Turns - lit

 Brandli inhales sharply through her teeth as she examines Orla's injuries.  "Um... anybody got a... salvo?  You know, that you rub on burns?" She looks up at the fleeing orcs.  "Ya, you better run!  'Cause we're gonna set you and your idiot gods on fire for settin' Orla, here, on fire!"

"We can't just keep wandering around," Devin pointed out now that they had another badly injured person to lead out.  "Let's go back and get better directions from the dwarf.

"Maybe take a second look at the wall we came through to see if it can be opened from this side after all."

Distressed at how easily the dangerously nimble gunome had managed to wrest a weapon away from Brandli while simultaneously avoiding her own best attacks, Leah could only imagine the danger if he managed to grab her pole as well! So, she dropped the pole, rendering her immune to being disarmed.

And instead of using a weapon, she attempted to tackle the gunome to the ground, hoping to pin him with her greater size. If she can render him harmless, they could work on trying to talk him through his Dungeon Madness. "Okay, I got you now, gunome. Drop the dagger. I do not want to hurt you, because you are sick and should be taken care of. But I can if you force me to. Hurt you, that is, because you do not have to force us to take care of you; we will try to take care of you whether you have to hurt you or not, but I would not want to hurt you if you if it is not needed. And stop squirming, because that tickles and this is not a laughing situation."

(ooc)
Leah rolled a 19!

"Better directions from the dwarf," Ben repeats aloud, steadfastly ignoring Leah as she mauled the gnome. "Yes, that would be prudent."

He rubs his brow.

"We might even try to camp with them for a night."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Tue 04 May 2021.

 Grumbling, Brandli hefts Orla's broken frame over her shoulders.  It is almost as if she is capable of lifting the woman on her own, but for her size...  "Uhh, anyone think maybe we should take off her armour before we do anything else with her?  She looks kinda hot.  Maybe loosen it...?"

Teodore will scan the two dead orcs for valuables and bring up the rear as the party moves on. "Back to the dwarves sounds best to me."

"Someone give me my rope so I can hogtie the gunome."

Letting the others deal with the injured, Devin moved to lead them back toward the dwarves.  It was a straight shot as long as they were still in the same spot.

After the battle was a moment of recovery. Orla after her ordeal drank some water and rested, after her rest she was able to walk herself and carry her armour. She would unlikely be able to offer much else lest her wounds get worse.

Devin and Ben planned their return north to where they had met the dwarves. Teodore checked the corpses of the two defeated orcs. These orcs were richer than the previous orcs and he found twenty-three silver pieces.

Leah wrestled with the tortured gnome Johann but had no aid from her companions.

Whilst all this happened the pool of burning oil exhausted itself and its flame turned into darkness. At the same time the wick on Ben's lantern flickered and went out, his lantern had run out of oil. Darkness surrounded all of them.

OOC The party is in darkness. Johann's infravision will take a moment to adjust to change in their surroundings but at that point he will easily be able to evade the aggressive but effectively blind Leah.

Day: 3. Time: 1:00pm. Turn: 24. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Darkness!

If you want something done you have to do it yourself, she thought. If the gunome ran off, he would definitely die in this dungeon due to how injured he was when they met, and that he also did not know how to get out. But he was trying his best to do so, because Dungeon Madness makes one due crazy things. And Leah did not want him to die. Maybe the other members of the group were okay with attacking and killing new party members, but she preferred not to do so. So, it seemed the only chance she had to save his life was to make him fall asleep for a while. Grimly, before he could slip out from under her in the darkness, she tried to knock him out with a solid punch.

(ooc)
Leah rolled an 18.

The gnome struggles weakly.  "Get offa me woman. Are ya daft?"

The cleric moans weakly.  "better... off... dead..." The pain is almost almost all consuming.

OOC: Don't we still have the torch? Or was it extinguished in the attempt to put out Orla?

Bertilak had never been in total pitch dark before. It was unnerving. He scrambles, reaching out for a companion or a wall, anything to orient himself in the complete darkness.

"Who has a torch? Anyone? I did not prepare for this."

"I have some torches if someone can light them," Devin volunteered.  He'd readily hand off a torch if anyone had a flint.

Near Devin, Teodore's voice said softly, "I can. Just a moment." The fighter dug into his pack for his tinder box and started to light a small flame.

 To Orla, the oblivious Brandli says, "I ain't gonna let you die!  You're just like Dricmel, back home." She, well, does whatever she can to aid the priestess.  "Said a one of his smarty teeth was hurting him, and was fussin' and carryin' on about it.  Finally, he got drunk one night and passed out and fell down the stairs... BOOP!  Out comes the tooth.  There was blood all over his face and his mouth, but he felt better.  What I'm saying, Orla, is you gotta hurt a little to feel more better for good.  We'll help you."

OOC Ben lights his lantern. He has one flask of oil left.

A period of searching and fumbling in the ensued. The darkness ended as Teodore lit Devin's Torch and Ben relit his lantern. The party formed back up and made a return march north.

They crossed two east to west corridors on their travel north. Johann warned that orcs were to the east but he did not know what lay to the west.

The party found Snorri and the dwarves busy at work, sketching the stonework and recording details of the architecture. He was busy with his work but managed a friendly nod to acknowledge the return of the party before he returned to his study.

OOC Leah and Johann can continue their flirting along the way in whatever manner they choose.

Day: 3. Time: 1:20pm. Turn: 26. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used
Ben: 1 Turn - lit
Torch
Devin: 1 Turn - lit