Lady Magister was a bit shocked to hear Doheti calling out the boys name into the darkness.  Not knowing what or who might be waiting for them it was the dangerous action and it now might of cost someone their lives.

So far everyone been trying to be stealthy and even her minion was suggesting the same thing, stealth.

She looked over at Jobol and shook her had "Aren't you glad you didn't go in there with him alone now. her words were not soft and surely anyone near could of heard her words.

"Are we going in there?" asked Logresia.  "I only ask because if we've lost the element of surprise due to our epic stealthiness, then we might as well try the opposite.  I find a good screech before walking into an obvious ambush can work wonders."  She grinned and drew from her pack something black and round with a fuse sticking out and the word 'bomb' printed on it.  "Don't you agree young man?" she winked at Jobol.

In reply to Logresia Skrieven (msg # 51):

"I'm going in as soon as those joining me are ready. I doubt there's an ambush waiting for us, but if it reassures anyone I'll go first."

---

Actions: None at present, intending to lead the group down.
Status:
Afternoon?
Doherti armed with axe, holding torch, at mouth of entrance.
Logresia, Magister, and Jobol nearby.
Others?

Lady Magister moved closer to Logresia and whispered into her hear.

Then she smiled as she looked over to Jobol "No need for your plan, unless your wanting and able to get in there alone.  Without them seeing you. she said as she looked over at Doherti with a sad expression upon her face.

"Someone please make sure that we execute our plans better.  This is how heroes die.

Jobol stood and stared, incredulous, as Doherti yelled into the darkness. His mouth agape, he looked to the others to confirm that they'd seen and heard the same thing he had. His Mistress and Logresia confirmed it and it seemed to release a valve in Jobol as he actually began to hop from foot to foot, literally hopping mad and sputtering at Doherti. "Damn and blast, Diabolists tits! Ye damned fool! By The Three, what d'you think ye're doing yelling and hollering like that? I know I called ye Dog but that don't mean ye go yapping like a wet-behind the ear pup after whatever it is ye're looking for."

He stopped hopping and pointed his staff at the Ranger. "How about this? You. Shut yer mouth and sit in back fer a while like a good Dog. Ye've a good nose for following a trail, damned if I know where ye learned that without the sense of a half-dead goblin-rat twixt yer ears, but ye've a bit to learn about...let's say, not getting yerself and anyone standing in yer vicinity killed." Jobol pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"Look, let me explain it simply, ye said it yerself that we're following some giant goat-hooved monster as much as the boy. Are you expecting to be invited to tea? I mean, by the Archmages rigid staff, it'd be nice but kidnappers are not, in my experience and generally speaking, nice, inviting people." he said with an exasperated sigh.

Done with Doherti and having vented his irritation, he turned to Lady Magister and bowed. "I could still explore ahead, my Mistress, if you desire it." his voice was calm, if resigned. "But as the minstrel said, the element of surprise is lost. Little to be gained and much to be lost by a quiet approach now."

Lady Magister watched as Jobol tore into Doherti for his foolish action, not once did she correct her minion but allowed him to speak his mind.  She would of done something a bit more dramatic but thought it best to contain herself and let her ire fall upon those that took the people of this small village.

When Jobol came and spoke to her she smiled to him hoping that would contain his anger for later. "No no no.  I wouldn't wish that upon no one.  You mean more to me alive than dead. she then looked to Doherti "He has agreed to lead. Allow him that honor.

This was the second time that Doherti has done something that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.  What kind of adventure was he, surely he is showing signs of inexperience.

Logresia prepared to move along after Doherti when the time came to enter the cavern.  She held the firework in her left hand and her mace in her right.  "Are we ready Lady Magister?  Gentlemen? Jobol?" she asked.

At no point does Doherti look at the people berating him. Instead, he takes a breath, rolls his eyes, and proceeds into the tunnel torch held ahead of him, axe ready to be thrown or swung.

Logresia follows behind Doherti and despite the firework readied for action, she moves as stealthily as she can.  Hoping against hope that she gets to regain the element of surprise when they ambush comes.

"What's that? some form of wizardry?" Tristan queries narrowing his eyes at the item Logresia presents them.

"If my boy's there, I'm coming with you, no matter what's waiting us down there." Morland says with hoarse voice and stares the dark entrance. He's a pathetic sight in his scruffy clothes, having no armor or proper gear whatsoever other than a water gourd hanging on a string from his shoulders, and a simple hoe which he picked to serve as an impromptu weapon. His agony over his son's fate is palpable.

Tristan touches the farmer's shoulder. "Also Semiel, always smiling Leviel and the gnome Vavrus among the others. If Aisaac was led down there, changes are the others are there as well. We've come this far, so we are certainly not stopping now." Tristan draws his heavy sword.

"Lead the way, half-elf. Your eyes are better than mine. We'll be right behind you."

+++

You descend into the darkness. Doherti's torch reveals the chamber the stairs lead to. You arrive from the center of the south wall to a square room 50' wide from east to west and maybe 30' deep from south to north. The ceiling has collapsed at the NE corner, forming a pile of loose earth, rocks and rubble into that corner. A mural depicting a great battlefield scene including chariots has survived in parts of the northern wall. There are two other exits from the room; one in the middle of the east wall and the other opposite to it on the west wall. Both of them are closed by wooden doors. The doors are made of heavy planks of dark gray, almost black wood and somehow show little of wear of time. The air is much cooler than outside, but not damp here, perhaps because of the exit to the open air.

There dirt and rubble on the foor and it's plain to all see that there's a clear path leading from the stairs towards the eastern door. A similar path crosses the room from the west door to the east door. Somebody has carved a glyph, which looks like an slitted eye, on the eastern door with a sharp object. No sign of ambush, you don't hear other sounds than what your own careful movements cause.

"I didn't expect this to be build further. Which way should we go?" Tristan whispers.

Doherti moves toward the door into which Aisaac's tracks lead, but he does not open it yet. This gives the others time to decide where they want to go or what they want to do, but Doherti is clearly eager to keep moving.

In reply to Lady Magister (msg # 55):

You watch the others descent into darkness. It's about midday now, you estimate. Your familiar moves from one shoulder to another and speaks in your mind:

They're inexperienced. Jobol will have his hands full with them. This place reeks danger - What' were doing here anyway? You said we'd go to Proudfort?

Lady Magister had no interested in dying today, she allowed the two to lead the way then she wondered if Vander would follow next.  As she was standing there and watched the two humans from the village go in she then could feel someone moving along her shoulder.

"Soon we will go there, we are just helping these humans out first.  That is if we survive. she said to her little friend on her shoulder.

Then she looked to Jobol "We would have the best eyesight down there. Shall we join our wonderful adventures. she smiled as she started walking toward the darkness.  "If they happen to be dead we will turn quickly.

Logresia nods to Doherti and waits for him to open the door but first she points to the glyph and raises an eyebrow questioningly.

Doherti shrugs to indicate that he doesn't know what to make of the symbol.

---

Who is in this chamber at present?

Jobol waited for Lady Magister, happy to watch the others descend into the darkness before them. He had his suspicions what they'd find below and even his withered and rotten heart felt a pang of sympathy for the farmer at the thought of what he might find of his son. After all, Jobol was raised in such darkness as lay before them and knew the horrors that lay below. Had suffered no few of them himself.

The expression of comfortable confidence adorning his trollish features was hidden by his hood, but the resolved nod at Lady Magisters query was not. "At your command, my Mistress. Proceed with caution, eyes wide and listen out. Moments may matter." As he followed behind her, Jobol secured the hanging tokens and fetishes on his staff, ceasing the incessant clatter of bone and wood that typically preceeded him.

The western door abruptly opens with a loud creak and figures with humanoid's body, lizard's tail and crocodile-like head on a thick neck pour into the room. They're lean, athletic and tall, 6-7' tall each of them. They wear leather loincloths and trinkets made of small animal bones. The first ones coming through the door let out exited thrills as they lift their primitive clubs and charge in while some of them are still behind them in the darkness.

"Itrewic astahi!" something commands behind them with a hissing voice. You recognize the language to be some dialect of Draconic and understand it enough to get the general idea; it translates to "Get/stop them!"

Tristan curses and pushes Morland behind him putting himself between the creatures and the farmer and lifts his sword at the ready. Morland cowers in fear.

OOC: Let's roll initiative everyone!
Doherti, Logresia, Tristan and Morlay are in the chamber, of those Tristan is closest to the monsters, then Morlay, Logresia and Doherti are at the eastern door. Lady Magister, Jobol and Vander are in the stairs coming down to the chamber. All characters are Nearby (One Move action away). Intercepting is possible. At this point it looks like the creatures are charging Tristan and the folks at the eastern door. Fleeing is also possible, but I would like that to be the party consensus, which can be discussed OOC so that nobody is left in the trouble alone.

The creatures armed with the clubs are Mooks and there are 5 of them charging in. They go down faster than normal monsters and if damage done to them exceeds their Hit Point total the remaining damage spills over to the next Mook. For example 8 points of damage would kill one Mook with 6 Hit points, and 2 remaining points of damage would be added to the next Mook.

The Enemy initiative is: 14
The Mooks have AC:17 PD:16 MD:12 HP:6 each.

Logresia lifts her mace as if conducting a band of musicians and then, as if reaching a crescendo, points toward the band of mooks at the door.

OOC casts Soundburst
16:44, Today: Logresia Skrieven rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Charisma + level versus Mooks' PD.
(PD=16)
16:46, Today: Logresia Skrieven rolled 3 using 1d4.  Number of Mooks initially affected.
16:47, Today: Logresia Skrieven rolled 14 using 5d6.  Damage to each mook.
14 thunder damage to three mooks the remainder after they are destroyed passing on to the next

Thunder roars from her mace in a sound almost too loud to be sound, more like pure destruction.

In reply to Logresia Skrieven (msg # 67):

Thunder blasts throught the room making EVERYBODY'S ears ring. Ground shakes, sand and small rubble falls from the ceiling. The three first lizardfolks stumble and fall on their faces and start twitching. Two behind them drop their clubs, raise their hands/claws at the sides of their head, drop first to their knees and then prone. They stop moving.

If your ears would not ring that bad, you'd appreciate a sudden silence filling the room. The door where the lizardfolk came, is still open, barely visible in the torchlight.

"Lowd astahi!" (attack them!) a command is growled from the darkness beyond the open door, but nothing comes out yet...

"Well, that was amazing but I thing everything in this sh*thole now knows we are here..." Tristan says and braces for possible next charge.

OOC: all visible enemies are dead. There's something in the dark corridor beyond the door. Those not yet acted have remaining of you side Turn to act/prepare.

Lady Magister takes hold of the side wall as she felt the thunder moving the ground and the building shaking.  Wondering if it was going to collapse or did it have enough strength to stand tall.

Looking to Jobol "Guess you might want to watch what you say to the Mistral. giving him a giggle as she moved into the chamber and looking at the dead bodies on the ground.  Hearing a voice in the darkness she allowed her eyes to peer into there to see what or who was speaking.

Bringing up the rear, Jobol leaned hard on his staff as Logresia's cacophony shook the foundations. He raised an eyebrow, wry amusement crossing his face, perhaps even a little respect for the bard. "Noisy. But efficient." he conceded. The next time anyone looked...he was simply gone.

20:26, Today: Jobol Harguld rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Shadow Walk.

Doherti moves over to the open door, taking cover to one side of it. He looks within and if he has a clear target he throws his hatchet at it.

---

Move: Move up to side of open door.
Standard: Attack target inside:
14:12, Today: Doherti rolled 16 using 1d20+4.  Ranged basic attack (hand axe).

With Doherti moves the party's light source. While Lady Magister would see this without it, following is revealed to all of you:

Beyond the now open door is a passage about 10' wide and it extends 30' towards west. At this (east) end of the passage you can see four more dead lizardfolk fallen on the floor. Apparently these were also killed by Logresia's loud spell.

At the west end of the corridor there are four living individuals of the same; each of them carrying a flint tipped spear in addition to the club. These wear more decorations and trinkets and their scales, teeth and black claws are bigger than those of just killed. They hiss hatred at you, black forked tongues licking the air. Behind them you can see a similar wooden door, currently open and opening from the passage to another chamber that way.

Doherti's hatches flies towards their leader, a 7' tall thing, who partially parries it with its spear and the hatched clangs on the passage wall. This individual has one milky eye, carries a bundle of rope over it's shoulder and across its chest, and has a septum piercing made with a bone stick.

The creatures measure you with their reptilian eyes, which reflect back the torch light. All four throw their spears in unison towards Logresia who killed most of their kind. Two of the spears strike their mark, on the bards right shoulder and left upper thigh.

Today: Game Master rolled 44 using 4d20+6 with rolls of 15,16,4,3. Logresia, you take 10 damage total from the 2 spears.

After hurling their spears three of them backpedal, turn and move out through the western door to the dark chamber there. The milky-eyed one hesitates, then also turns and exits. The door they exited through is slammed shut!

Round 2 - The Party's Turn. We're still in the battle mode at least for the next turn whether you give a chase or not. Currently there are no visible enemies.

The Lizardman Savages have AC:17 PD:16 MD:12.
A (Leader) - HP:32/31
B - HP:32/32
C - HP:32/32
D - HP:32/32
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:01, Sun 12 Dec 2021.

Emerging from the flickering shadows of Doherti's torchlight at the eastern end of the corridor, though quite how he got there is anyones guess, Jobol slammed his staff on the stone flagstones in frustration. "Diabolists horns, too slow" he berated himself.

The diminutive hunchback inspected the corpse of one of Logresia's victims, giving it a solid 'nudge' with a booted kick. "Urgh. Lizards. Always leaving their sheds everywhere and all that hissing is enough to drive a body mad." He looked for Lady Magister and caught her eye. "Looks to be a small tribe, Mistress. We'd best hurry after them before they can arrange any surprises for us."

OOC: What do I know about Lizardfolk, or these particular Lizardfolk, that might help us out GM? Either with my Dungeon Architect Background or invoking my Icon relationship with The Three.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Sun 12 Dec 2021.

Thorgrim has been walking around these stupid passages for some time, hoping to find a decent fight but so far been frustrated. When he hears battlecry, he is accordingly cheered. Throwing himself into motion, his stubby legs driving him forward in a clatter of armour, he explodes out of a doorway, his axe and shield at the ready.

"AAAAHHHHH! Khazak g'drukh hakkan draaaaaaaah!" he bellows the ancient Dwarfen battlecry which means, politely translated, the taller they stand the harder they fall.

He pauses at the sight of the mismatched party.

"... wait, hang on," he says. "Excuse me, but are you evil-doers of some sort? I need to know whether I should righteously smite you or not, see."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:08, Sun 12 Dec 2021.