B.E.A.R. watches intently as the others begin to inspect and climb down the rope. Not feeling particularly safe in this odd new environment, they will wait to be the last one to climb down the rope. B.E.A.R. will continue to keep an eye on the surrounding area for would-be surprise attacks.

Vyn liked being alive, so as others volunteered to have a look at potential danger, he was happy to let them. A platform only ten feet down was good, that meant the risk of death by falling was lessened (at least in this section). While he waited for the report of 'all clear' from those who had gone down below, Vyn sent his familiar down to have a look around as well.

Rorek nodded his thanks to the dwarf for the blessing, while keeping his eye on the wilderness around them. They’d all soon enough be climbing down, no need to crowd the rope or the platform.

Brankx watched as Vang and Keely descended, standing up the top, waiting for the all clear. "Try not ter kill yeselves down there." He muttered

A bare ten feet down -- almost close enough to reach the top with a jump, Keely stepped onto the wooden platform that marked the first landing.  Her blue eyes almost glowed as they gathered in all available light, thanks to the blessing of the dwarf, and she stepped to the  stairs, peering down and over the edge to see what could now be seen.

---

15:18, Today: Keely Navila rolled 13 using 1d20-1 ((14)).  Perception.

Vang also peers around over the edge of the platform

---

04:11, Today: Vang rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Perception Check. (Vang does have darkvision 60ft)
This message was last edited by the player at 08:13, Thu 23 June 2022.

The rocky platform has a set of crudely carved stairs that go down to a larger stop about 20 feet down, with some debris that look like bones on it.

Vang cautiously creeps down the stairs to examine the bones.

The dwarf, standing at the top, called down. "So....what ye see down there?"

Stairs...  Bones...

"Careful," Keely said in a low tone to Vang.  "If the firewood can come to life and attack us, perhaps the spirits of the dead linger around their bones as well?"

The barbarian princess drew her bladestaff and joined the tabaxi on the lower platform, eyes peeled for anything else further down.

---

OOC: how far down do the stairs go?  Are there any tunnels, openings, etc.?
This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Sat 25 June 2022.

The dwarf smiled. "Undead i can handle lass....One of th' gifts of Dumothoin"  He got the rope, and started lowering himself down to the platform with the steps.

---

<OOC: Brankx rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  athletics check.
Brankx rolled 14 using 1d20+2.  athletics check (Advantage).>

Vyn'al went to go join the others in going down the rope, "Now the adventure truly begins."

10:53, Today: Vyn'al Ethinos rolled 8 using 2d20-1, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 5,9.  Str Check. – [roll=1656172428.16052.366396]

Waiting until most of the group had descended, Rorek grabbed the rope, eyeing the automaton, and held it out towards B.E.A.R., "After you".

Vang was the first on the second platform, closely followed by Keely. As the monk was examining the bones, Brankx went down to the first rocky step. Vyn'al followed, struggling and his hands slipped on the rope, causing him to fall down, twisting his ankle painfully before dropping on his rump unceremoniously (OOC, not gonna make you lose HP over that, but you have -5 feet speed until your next short rest or magical healing). The sound distracted those on the second level and it was at the very last second that Keely noticed the cracks in the rock face... and the giant rats coming out of it to attack!

---

OOC Initiative, Keely managed her perception check and avoids a surprise round for the beasties!

Vang and Keely are on the second platform, 20 feet down from the first one, where Brankx and Vyn'al are located. B.E.A.R. and Rorek are still at ground level, 30 feet up from the action, not having gone to the first platform yet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:51, Tue 28 June 2022.

The dwarf, used to the darkness, smiled as the rats came out, seeing only four of them, he decided to hold his spells for the moment. He took out his handaxe and swung it, missing  with a curse in dwarvish

---

<OOC: Brankx rolled 18 using 1d20.  iniative.

Movement - to rat

Action - Attack with handaxe

Brankx rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  attack - handaxe.>

Vang was still studying the bones when the rats came out. Reacting to the motion of the others, he quickly stood and swung his staff directly across the face of the first rat. Continuing the circular motion of the swing, he spun and raked his claw across the rat's eyes and dropped into a crouch, waiting for another attack.

---

OOC Mechanics:
Hit Points     : 9/9
Armor Class : 15
Initiative       : 9
Active Spells: None

Actions:
Move               : Close in to attack
Action              : Staff attack on lead rat
Bonus Actions: Claw Strike on rat
Reactions        : AoO

To GM:

Rolls:
01:43, Today: Vang rolled 9 using 1d20+3.  Vang Initiative.

01:48, Today: Vang rolled 23 using 1d20+5.  Vang Staff Attack.
01:53, Today: Vang rolled 5 using 1d6+3.  Vang Staff Damage.

01:53, Today: Vang rolled 21 using 1d20+5.  Vang Claw Attack.
01:54, Today: Vang rolled 6 using 1d4+3.  Vang Claw Damage.

Rorek dropped the rope as he heard the commotion beneath, quickly taking the situation as he brought up his bow, nocking and loosing an arrow with a practiced move.

OOC:
08:59, Today: Rorek Stormcrow rolled 4 using 1d20+3.  initative.
09:00, Today: Rorek Stormcrow rolled 7 using 1d20+5.  attack with longbow.

wow... rolling a 1 followed by a two. Gonna be a long fight if I have to work my way up to 20.

"Rats!" Keely called out as soon as she saw them.  Her bladestaff already out, she set her back against Vang's, just like she had with her brothers dozens of times before, mirroring the monk's movements so their staves didn't get entangled in each other.  It meant she had to let some targets go that she might otherwise have reached for, but keeping herself and Vang in sync was more important here.

When a rat entered her circle of influence, the bladestaff flashed out, once, then twice in rapid succession.

---

18:03, Today: Keely Navila rolled 17 using 1d20+2 ((15)).  Init.

Move	Set her back to Vang's back
Action	Attack: 18:06, Today: Keely Navila rolled 10 using 1d20+3 ((7)).
	Damage: 18:07, Today: Keely Navila rolled 6 using 2d4+1 ((2,3)).
Bonus Action	AttacK: 18:08, Today: Keely Navila rolled 14 using 1d20+3 ((11)).
	Damage: 18:09, Today: Keely Navila rolled 4 using 1d4+1 ((3)).
Reaction	Attack of Opportunity if presented

B.E.A.R. gladly takes the rope from Rorek and starts rappelling down the cliffside in hopes of finding ways to be useful to this new group. “I am coming to assist!”

Ooc:
08:54, Today: B.E.A.R. rolled 14 using 2d20+1, dropping the lowest dice only.  Athletics to go down rope.

08:42, Today: B.E.A.R. rolled 4 using 1d20+3.  Initiative . – [roll=1656423766.74367.367778]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Tue 28 June 2022.

Vyn stepped to the edge of his platform and analyzed the rats' locations, then took the cleanest shot he could manage in what he had to work with. A ray of frosty blue energy shot out of his two outstretched fingers. As the ray left, he then made a swiping motion with that same hand, trying to force one of the rats away.

Move: to get line of sight
Action: cast Ray of Frost, hitting AC 15 for 8 Cold damage and -10 speed
Bonus: Telekinetic Shove, Str DC 14 vs Push/Pull 5 ft (if I can knock a rat off the platform to take it out of the fight, I will. If not, I'll just push one further back)

22:13, Today: Vyn'al Ethinos rolled 15,8 using d20+6,d8.  Ray of Frost, -10 speed. – [roll=1656386019.17406.366396]

The elven wizard decided not to fool around with those dog sized rats and blasted the fastest in it's tracks, the momentum making it leave one of it's paw, frozen solid broken on the ground. Not content with that, he used the power of his mind to shove the second one off the platform, the pitiful cries of the creature heart wrenching as it fell to its death.

Not to be outdone, the dwarf ran down and chose the wrong target, the just frozen rat shattering in blood and gore (miss)

Twirling the blade staff, the barbarian princess miscalculated the height of the creature on her first swing but caught the rat approaching her on the back swing.

The construct rapidly climbed the rope down and joined the deathly wizard on the first platform.

The Tabaxi did honor to the cats reputation as rat killers, batting the rat Kelly had hit out of the plateform, its skull crushed, and skewered the last one on his claws

And just like that, combat is over.




This message was last edited by the GM at 01:20, Wed 29 June 2022.

Seeing the last rat fall, Rorek slung his bow onto his back and grabbed the rope, beginning the climb down to the bottom.

OOC:
14:38, Today: Rorek Stormcrow rolled 18 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 14.  Athletics with adv.
14:37, Today: Rorek Stormcrow rolled 24 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 20.  Athletics with adv.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:39, Tue 28 June 2022.

Brankx snorted, stomping in a rats head, the thing squishing under his boot. “Damn vermin not gonna take a chunk outa us while I’m here.”

He looked around as he placed his hand axe back on his belt. “Let’s keep goin’….those rats barely warmed me up!”

"I can't say that I'm surprised to see rats in a place like this, but it does make me curious how the other group managed to slip past them. Was it their presence that drew the rats here to start with, or were they more resourceful?" With the threat removed, Vyn made his way down to the lower level to join the others.