Torch in hand there was no chance for Gyp to hide but he would have to advance with his companions to offer them some light. However the fool made sure he was behind those with armour and shields, lurking at the rear of the party.

Still behind Falco and the elf Faldal continues his progression, his shield raised to protect himself and those following him from the incoming arrows.

Leozaren maintained his position amidst the others, resisting the urge to charge and hopefully avoiding becoming a pin cushion.

The party advances in an orderly fashion another 20 feet, Falco and Leozaren in the front rank, followed by Faldal and Simon, with Gyp in the rear.  Reea and Jori meanwhile are guarding the intersection to the rear, making sure no enemies attack from behind.  As the torchlight illuminates the passage ahead it is clear the passage widens somewhat and there are three creatures like those before only larger.  They have short bows and are firing down the passage at you.  This time one hit Leozaren, the arrow sticking into the elf painfully.

---

21:36, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 1 using 1d6.  Damage Leozaren.
21:36, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 7 using 1d20.  Arrow on Faldal.
21:35, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 20 using 1d20.  Arrow on Leozaren.
21:35, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 2 using 1d20.  Arrow on Falco.

They are AC: 5, HP: 4.

"Curses! We cannot afford too many of those - CHARGE!!"

With no missile weapon of his own Leozaren knew he could not wait and so he charged the archers, sword swinging too wildly.

OOC: I don't know if I can reach them this round but I'll roll attacks anyway. (edit: OOFT, nice knowing you!)


11:46, Today: Leozaren rolled 6 using 1d6.  initiative.
11:46, Today: Leozaren rolled 2 using 1d20.  attack roll, sword.

Faldal hesitates a few seconds, his shield still up. He will charge behind the elf if he sees his other companions do it as well.

Seeing little choice now, Falco charges forward alongside the Elf and thrusts his spear out at the archer most directly in front of him. Quickly pushing forward in the chaos of the moment, his thrust is rushed.

[Only a 7; Misses]

Seeing the frontline attackers failing to make their mark, Simon sets his torch and dagger down to make mysterious gestures and say words of arcane power to summon forth a Sleep spell against the three known attackers and anything past them within the spells range.

[Simon's spell affects 15 HD of enemies, magically putting them to sleep.]

As the others charged Gyp kept apace of them but did not enter the fight but kept the fighters and those in armour ahead of him. He would have preferred to find somewhere to hide but holding the party’s torch prevented that.

As the party charges forward Simon casts his spell and the three archers drop to the ground in a slumber.  The three archers seem to be guards for a  chamber beyond a door in an alcove, the area before the door about 20 foot square and furnished with a table, some chairs and there are food scraps on the table, evidence of a recent meal.

The sight of the table and remains of a good meal was enough to bring a tear to the eye of Gyp. Alas how had it come that wicked creatures of the caves of chaos ate better than him? However Gyp was not foolish enough to rush forward to grab himself a snack. He rather kept his position behind those better armoured than himself “well done Simon” he congratulated the wizard.

Faldal looks at the enemies fall down with relief. Yet immediately stressful thoughts come to his mind. "Sleep spells. Why has it always to be sleep spells..." he thinks.

"Better them than us," says Leozaren, softly. "I for one am happy to be saved by sleep spells."

The elf drew his dagger and looked to his companions. He did not expect anyone to say or do anything. Instead he simply moved across to the archers and slit their throats.

"Better they think I alone am the heartless murderer than any of you."

His eyes averted Gyp did not watch Leozaren and his grisly deed. He occupied himself by creeping forward and took a position at the door. Gyp laid an ear to the door to listen for what noise he might hear from the other side.

His stomach turned, Faldal guiltily turn his head the other way when Leozaren does his grisly deed. "Maybe you are..." he says to himself.

He is quick to turn his attention at the surrounding area, wondering where the party will go next.

Simon nods and replies, "That spell took all my magic for this day. Should we find ourselves in another difficult situation, I will not be able to use my magic further." He picks up his dagger and torch and adds, "I am merely now a studied man with a dagger and torch until I can rest and recover my magic."

"The deed is done. Check their bodies for coin. We are not doing this merely for the good of our fellow men," says Falco.

After hearing Simon, Falco asks, "Should we press on a tad more, my friends, or retreat to an area of safety to recover? If we press on, we will not have magic to save us again."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:41, Fri 26 Nov 2021.

"To which 'area of safety' can we retreat?" asks Faldal, a little confused.

"Our Elf companion is wounded and used all his magic. Our mage friend also used all his magic. The safest place would be the Keep, of course. Looks like we gathered a few coins. Certainly that is enough to pay for some rooms at the inn for the night, a good meal, and some beer...maybe a wench if you need someone to warm your bed for the night. Perhaps we could get a healer to patch up our Elf too. Then we could make another trip tomorrow or the day after when we are all good and rested," Falco replies to Faldal.

"Or we could leave the caves, retreat back into the woods a good distance away and make camp. Of course, a creature could wander into our camp...dealing more harm than we recover. And we will not have a healer to patch anyone up."

"Riskier would be to try to clear this cave and shelter here...but we don't know much more there is to go...is the problem. With some luck, there might not be much more to go...but if we run into trouble, it could mean someone's life and we will not have a healer to patch anyone up that gets wounded."

He looks at the party as a whole and asks, "Shall we take the safest option and return to the Keep, or press onward at a greater risk and hope the cave is small?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:14, Sat 27 Nov 2021.

Leozaren gathers together all the bows and arrows he can find, keeping one for himself and offering a second to Gyp.

"Anyone want this third bow? Useful things to have, might save us from more foolhardy charges.

I don't mind returning to the Keep or camping out in the woods. The caves do not feel safe to me though."

Ear pressed against the door Gyp gave Leozaren a thumbs up at the offer of a bow. Perhaps with the bow Gyp would be able to hunt for food and satisfy his empty belly. It seemed that the adventuring career was starting to pay off. What noise if any he heard through the door might offer more riches.

The guards dispatched relatively quietly.  Gyp listens at the door, a thick wooden affair with reinforcing bands of iron, but doesn't hear anything beyond.

The party is split between the intersection and the guard area, what it is the plan?

”There’s nothing I can hear through the door, shall we take a peek?” he encouraged his companions. Then he picked up the goblin bow and arrows, prepared to aid his companions in any battle.

"Taking a peek could be a deciding factor..." answers Faldal, not sure if he wants to go back to the keep just now.

Gyp gave Faldal a nod at the cleric’s encouragement “stand ready and I shall open the door quietly and just an inch” the fool explained.

OOC Can Gyp use his thief skill of Move Silently to open the door quietly? His plan is to open only enough to look inside.