23rd day of Muin, Sunnendaeg 0800 New Sun

The Laughing Dragon tavern and inn sits just across the river from Falcon's Hollow.   Only one other building occupies that side of the banks of the river.  A trader's post where adventurer's gear can be bought and furs can be traded.  A ferry crosses the river by commission and the tavern is the first Inn to be met from the port city of Falcarragh two day's travel south.

The inn has several patrons, both local and adventurers.  There are mutterings among the crowd about some heinous death last night at the sheriff's building in town and the breakout of a prisoner there who was believed to be stealing corpses from the cemetery.  More mutterings refer to banditry along the road to the south.

Seated at one table is group of human adventurers, celebrating having just fought a goblin raiding party along the southern road.  The group consists of; Okini Izuma, a human female cleric; Orikson Gnob, a dwarf male fighter; Ola Deerbane, a human female fighter; Lloyd Cornelle, a human male mage; and Rebecca Aron, a human female thief.

"Salud!" Ola shouts, raising her mug to the air.  "Death to all goblins."

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:40, Sun 05 Feb 2023.

You found your way to the only tavern across the river of the little rural town of Falcon's Hollow the previous evening just as the storm was about to hit the valley. After a night of celebrating, you are all settled in for breakfast and drinking the first of what would be many mugs of ale for the day. As you all sit at a table drinking your first mug of beer, a man comes rushing in; he stands in the doorway for a moment, peering into the gloomy tavern, before he catches sight of you. He comes straight to your table, almost running.

“You are the adventurers, recently come to town? Please, sirs, you must help me. My children have been taken, dragged away into a hole in the wall of my cellar by hideous monsters, goblins perhaps. Please, please, come and see!”

The humans sitting around the table, put their mugs down and look at Orikson questioningly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:44, Sun 01 Jan 2023.

Or slams the beer down his gullet and looks at the others around the table. "Shall we mates? I say yes, the more the little gobbers we kill, the fewer there is! Besides, we has ta earn coin!" He quickly stands and grabs his axe, "Lead the way good sir, we'll do what we can!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:44, Sun 01 Jan 2023.

Ola smiles, then chugs the rest of her ale.  "Agreed! The more goblins killed the better!"

"Oh gods be praised! Thank you lords and ladies.  Come, come this way."  the man says.

Cylus Millswain leads the companions across the river via the ferry and then takes the road to the right into the rolling low hills along the river.  Eventually, they come to a mill with a large paddle wheel turning with the river current. A steady grinding can be heard as the party nears the building.  Cylus leads them to the side of the building to a wooden cellar door built into the base of the stone building.  He pulls the cellar open, revealing a short flight of stone steps down into a room perhaps ten feet in diameter. The morning light of the sun fills the room with light.  A three foot wide hole, looking rather like a large mouse hole is visible in the back, beyond stacks of bags of grain.

"I hate tunnels.", Lloyd says, remembering a bad situation in his early years.  "I will take up the rear, if that's okay."

"How you want to play this out Or?", Okini asks while fiddling with her holy symbol.

"I could go in first.", Rebecca offers.  "Check for traps and the like.  But Orik's got me beat on detecting stonework traps I think."

"I'll lead the way with Rebecca right on my heels to make sure I don't step in a hole or some such!" he says with a big grin! "How long ago was the taken sir? Hope they don't have a big lead on us. Let's go Becky, stay close!"

Or enters the tunnel, "Anyone blind in the dark, light a torch but give me a bit of a lead so's I can see better!" He advances.

[Private to GM: Can I get a regular 'sheet' for Or in the next day or so so I know what he has and all of that.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:10, Sun 01 Jan 2023.

"No more'n two hours, mebbe less." the man says while holding the door panel open for them.  "I come as quick as I can to get you."

"So, to be clear, it is Orik, Rebecca, Ola, myself, followed by Lloyd.", Okini states as she descends into the cellar.

"Good man, it increases their chances ta be got back in time! How many Children? Two? Anyone else got questions? What were the kids wearin' so's we can identify 'em?" Or asks, getting ahead of himself!
This message was last edited by the player at 11:32, Mon 02 Jan 2023.

"Orik, get out your torch." Lloyd says.  "I will follow with a torch as well."

Or thinks about it for a minute and decides the wizard is right. The others can see better with light.  Becky can carry it in second place so his hands will be free on his axe. His beautiful axe! T'will be drinkin' gobber blood soon! He hates 'em!
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:38, Sun 01 Jan 2023.

"No. Let Rebecca carry the torch.", Ola says.  "Orikson can see plainly in the dark to at least sixty feet underground."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:47, Sun 01 Jan 2023.

"I donnae know how many.", the mill operator replies to Orikson's question.  "But, I figure they are goblins because of the prints at the tunnel."

Sure enough!  Once the companions reach the hole in the wall, they can see the visible footprints are from small humanoids having feet with blunt claws.  It is unclear how many there are, but it is more than one.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:47, Sun 01 Jan 2023.

"Stay a wee bit behind me lass with that torch, lets be movin', me may be too late if we donnae hurry!" he says to Becky. He follows the tunnel and the tracks as fast as he can safely do so. "Gobbers is tricksy, so keep ye eyes open!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:23, Mon 02 Jan 2023.

"I'll try not to burn your tiny ass with it Orik", Becca laughs, following the dwarf into the tunnel.

The tunnel you have been crawling through opens into a room about four feet off from the floor.  Peering into the room from the hole, one can see it is a thirty foot by thirty foot room with openings to the east and west near the center of the walls. The room contains several sacks stacked along the north wall, a couple of crates of unknown content, but it looks like vegetables, and two kegs.  All on the north wall.  There are no doors in the room.

---

This is all the dwarf can discern with his darkvision before actually entering the room.  If you wish to study the room further before entering, simply roll an INT roll. Those behind him cannot see into the room.

"Hey! What's the hold up?", Becca asks when the dwarf pauses and come very close to having a lit torch up his arse.  "Okay up there?"

Lloyd checks behind them, although rational thinking suggests there will be no attackers coming from that direction.  He wipes beads of sweat from his brow, agitated at his nervousness. "What's the hold up?", he asks in a cranky voice.  He is not a fan of cramped spaces at all and would rather be out of this tunnel as soon as possible.

"Come on! Get a move on!", he says loudly.

Or crawls out of the hole, jumping down to the floor, and begins to look around for signs of the goblins and kids.

He begins to search for secret doors and such, otherwise they'd be here! "There gotts ta be a secret door or somethin' as der ain't no kids or gobbers in here! Help look for it!"

---

06:58, Today: Orikson rolled 3 using 1d20.  intelligence check.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:08, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Orikson crawls over the edge of the tunnel and falls the last foot to the floor.  A shale  stone rocks beneath his footing and a spear shoots diwn at him from a crude mechanism above him. The spear strikes the right shoulder, driving Orikson to the floor.

The companions all gather in the cave-like room and search within the light of two torches. The crates do contain vegetables, freshly harvested by the looks of it. The kegs contain water. The sacks are of grain milled from the building above.

---

No secret doors are found. There is a corridor of natural stone to the east and west.

[Private to Orikson:
Orikson - Hit points 7 of 9,  AC6, 24 quarrels
Leather armor, battle axe, crossbow]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:17, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Becca winces as the spear strikes Ori. She leaps to the floor with little effort and picks up the spear.

"Better I take lead chief.", she says laconically. "Might be more of these. Which way?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Ola examines the ground floor of the passage and finds the prints too convoluted to discern direction they took.

---

09:30, Today: Ola, rolled 20 using 1d20.  INT roll . – [roll=1672756249.51064.372705]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:36, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Okini grabs the holy symbol of saint Cuthbert and calls upon His aid.

"Signore e Salvatore, ti chiedo di guarire quest'uomo attraverso di me, il tuo devoto discepolo. Amen."

---

09:52, Today: Okini rolled 1 using 1d8.  CLW. – [roll=1672757526.54935.372706]

[Private to Orikson:
Orikson - Hit points 8 of 9,  AC6, 24 quarrels
Leather armor, battle axe, crossbow]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:04, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

"Ye can nae tell which from what so many tracks? Let's go right then Becca, ware of traps, I told ye gobbers was tricksy!"

He bandages the wound, knowing it would heal now thanks to Okini! "Thank ye lass, and to yer god, we's gotta be movin' now"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:18, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

The tunnel passage twists and turns east, then north, then east some more before turning southward into a long tunnel with no end visible. Rebecca halts the group after about thirty feet into the southward passage as her torch illuminates a pit in the floor ahead. She eaees up to the edge, suspecting a trap slide, but a trap is not triggered. The pit is ten feet deep and filled with sharpened stakes. A long dead corpse is revealed amidst the stakes in the torchlight. A victim to the pit. The width of the pit extends across the passage with only a narrow ledge Long the leftmost side.

Becca turns to Orikson standing next to her.

"What do you think?", she asks.

"Be there a lot of tracks this far down the tunnel? Or did we take the wrong way? Should we check the corpse for valuables? There donnae appear to be no way but that wee ledge. dat wonna be easy ta traverse. I'm big. Opinions? Tell me what ye think gentles."

"Should we lower someone ta check?"

"You and Ola hold a rope.", Rebecca suggests, taking her rope from her pack. She secures Orikson as an anchor, tieing the knots herself.

"Okay, now I will just climb down there with the rope. You big fellas won't let me slip. Lloyd, you hold rope too."

---

12:34, Today: Rebecca rolled 27 using 1d100 ((27)).

[Private to Orikson: Make a STR roll at -2 bonus to roll]

I think I will meditate while you are doing reconnaissance. Okini grabs his holy symbol and kneeling, begins praying to regain his connection to the Will of saint Cuthbert.

[Private to GM: 12:39, Today: Orikson rolled 13 using 1d20-2.  strength]

"Take care girl, them spikes is sharp and migh' be poison too." He took careful hold to help lower her to the bottom to check the body. "Anyone see the tracks of the wee pygmy gobbers any where? They be eating them kids we donnae get to them fast!""

The pit smells of dearh and decay. It's walls are steep but with the aid of a rope, Rebecca rapels to the bottom easily. She traverses through the stakes, taking care to not touch any. The skeletal remains of an adventurer is impaled on a couple of stakes. With its dried skin, she can tell it is a human male that was wearing leather armor. One of the stakes is punctured through it. The buckles are rusted heavily. A rusty iron short sword lies on the pit floor.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:28, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

"Be he having a pack and a purse? The rusty junk can stay there. Should we take him fer proper burial later when we be done? Careful dear, never know what is on them spikes!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:28, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Rebecca carefully cuts the straps of the man's packs, throwing them topside. She spends several minutes examining the man, even taking his boots. She retrieves a sheath and dagger as well, the blade without blemish. She then attempts to climb from the pit using the rope.

---

15:26, Today: Rebecca rolled 51 using 1d100 ((51)).

[Private to Orikson: Make a STR roll with -2 to roll]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

"Good lass, we'll divvy up later! Any purse? You keep the dagger, it might be Master work or magic, it's a fine one, and you might be needing it. You see anyprints form the gobbers, or we bein' gone the wrong way all this time? We need to find those kids afore the gobbers eats them!"

He continues to look around for tracks.

The pack contains adventurer's gear, including a flask of oil, a torch, rotted rations, flint, tinderbox, and whetstone. A belt pouch contains two small gemstones, 5gp, and 30 copper pennies. Another pouch contains dried herbs and leaves, four small vials with blue liguid, well known for curing light wounds, and bandages.

Bec pulls the dagger from it's sheath to inspect the blade. It is without blemish and double edged. The metal is a dark iron.  No knicks are in the blade. It is a master worked dagger.

The boots, like the dagger suffers no damage or scratches. The soft riding boots are master crafted with a rune stitched in silver on the inner lining.

---

[Private to Orikson: Make an INT roll for tracks]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:32, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

"Not likely they come this way", Ola states, kicking at Okini to get up. "Not with that pit there. Do we cross anyway?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:52, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Bec nods at Orikson, attaching the sheathed blade to her weapons belt.

"I'm not skilled in tracking. I wouldn't know a gobo print from a house cat.", she says. "I bet these are magical."

Holding the boots, she gives the mage a quizzical look. "Can you tell Lloyd? I mean look at this rune."
This message was last updated by the player at 22:40, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

Lloyd suddenly perks up, " Psha! Highly unlikely child.", he states, taking the boots from her.  "However, I shall look them over."

At a glance at the rune, he becomes more animated. "They are indeed magical. This is an elven rune, sncai, meaning to be silenced.

"That is a great find.", he says.

[Private to GM: 06:42, Today: Orikson rolled 8 using 1d20.  intelligence check.
]

"I think we should go the other way and find those kids, we can explore here later afterwards. Lead the way Becca, keep your eyes open for secret doors!"

He got in line behind Becca and followed her as fast as he could.

Orik took the rest of the man's gear that was unclaimed, and put it in his pack. He gives the coin to the cleric to hold until they can divide it.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:11, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

The companions retrace their steps and return to the room in which they entered.  From there the enter the west passage. Several yards into the passage they can see a door affixed in place in the unnatural rock tunnel. At the doorway the tunnel turns south.

---

Range to visible door is 30 yds with torchlight and darkvision.

[Private to Orikson: For a brief moment  there was a draft in the tunnel. Enough to flutter Bec's torch flame.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:10, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

Lloyd stuffs the boots into his pack and follows the others, again taking up the rear position. This time, he keeps a more vigilant watch behind them.

"I felt air, the torch felt the air, keep your eyes open for a door that was opened. Check the door up there Becca!" He readies his axe behind her, keeping watch on her back!

"We may get lucky."

As they walked along the passage, Okini examines the walls, ceiling, and floor.

"These tunnels have been here for some time beneath this mill." Okini says. " I wonder how long they have been down here, these humanoids."

---

11:15, Today: Okini rolled 2 using 1d20.  INT roll . – [roll=1672848905.20506.372706]

[Private to GM: 11:31, Today: Orikson rolled 7 using 1d20.  intelligence check.]

"It looks quite old, I wonder if the miller has been down here."

[Private to Orikson: the tunneled halls and room so far is old. The tunneling into the mill is newer construction. ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:36, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

Bec approaches the door with her torch. Kneeling down she examines the locking mechanism, looking for signs of a trap. Seeing nothing suspect, she checks to see if locked. It is unlocked.

With a glance at the bottom of the door, she sees no light.

She looks at Orikson then carefully opens the door, pulling it open only a crack. Nothing but darkness in there.

"I smell something." She says quietly. "Something cooked."

Pulling the door wide, she thrusts the torch into the space.

---

11:20, Today: Rebecca rolled 36 using 1d100.  Skill - Pick locks. – [roll=1672849259.30467.372707]

11:20, Today: Rebecca rolled 79 using 1d100.  Skill - Find traps. – [roll=1672849233.94133.372707]

" Aaaauggh!", shouts an over sized hobgoblin from tbe corner of a chamber about thirty feet square. "Puuut ouuut thaaat liiight."

The voice is gravelly, yet congenial.

The room, as seen in the torchlight, is carved or mined from the greenish stone and layered in carpets, tapestries, and all manner of decorated pillows that are strewn about. The hobgoblin sits among the pillows with a large wooden low table in front of him. The smell of cooked food is prevalent and comes from a steaming bowl on the table. In one hand he holds an open tome. The other hand is held up to block the light from the torch which ruins his darkvision momentarily.

Ori goes in behind the torch! He looks everywhere he can including up and down as fast as he can!

He flexes his mighty muscles and hands on the battleaxe, ready too hew gobbers!

"Hobgobber! DIE!!!" He screams an swings at it!

---

[Private to GM: 11:46, Today: Orikson rolled 1 using 1d6.  initiative.

11:46, Today: Orikson rolled 18 using 1d20.  intelligence check.]

[Private to GM: 11:52, Today: Orikson rolled 0,7,10 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battle axe.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:25, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

Bec does a double take, reeling at seeing the creature before her. She moves into the room to the right.

"You're a hob--"

She draws her dagger as Ori moves past her with a battle cry. Not hesitating she moves to attack.

---

12:00, Today: Rebecca rolled 0,6,5 using d6-2,d20+2,d4+2.  Bec - attack with new dagger. – [roll=1672851632.45074.372707]

Ola instinctively reacts to Orikson charging into battle. She draws steel and rushes in.

---

12:29, Today: Ola rolled 2,13,7 using D6-1,d20+2,d6+2.  Ola - attack with sword. – [roll=1672853384.75219.372705]. Hit AC4, 7 points damage

Hearing the threat, the hobgoblin stands, bringing up with him a pillow filled with stone. He meets Orikson in the middle of the room. Orikson's attack is not timed well and the blade arcs with the hobgoblin still beyond his reach. The "hobber" swings his pillowed stone, aiming for the dwarf's head but comes up short. At the same time, Bec misses with a lunge from her dagger.

Ola enters the other flank and connects with her short sword, doing considerable danage to the black blood-kin.

The hobgoblin's eyes fly wide at the injury and he backs away into a fighting withdrawl.

"Youu taaack mee iin myyy hooome!" It says in broken common tongue. 

---

Begin round 2.

Ori pauses a moment, "Where are the children! Deliver them, and you might get to finish your meal!"

[Private to GM: What languages does Ori speak?]

[Private to Orikson: According to your sheet.... dwarf, gnome, goblin, kobold, and common]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:22, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

Bec holds her attack when Ori speaks up. She puts a hand out to stop Ola as well.

"Wha-- whaaat chiiildren? I haaas noo chiiildren." The hobber asks with a quavering voice. His eyes flit between the companions in the room and to those beyond still in the hallway.

The hobber is dressed in gaudy clothing in various colors. He had dropped the large tome on getting up and now plays at a pendant at his neck.

" I caaan fiiinds." He says, squinting his eyes into a shrewd look. "Yooou paaays. Meee fiiind."

As he speaks he taps the side of his head with a finger.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

[Private to GM: Awwww, now I see it! Thanks]

"What you guys think? What is the tome? Can you read?" Ori blinks twice. "You a shaman or something?" The others can see the wheels turning in his head. He was thinking hard.

"What do we call you? Find them and we let you live, how is that for a deal? I'll decide on the other WHEN you find them."

"Tooome noot pooortent. Me noo shaaaman. Mee see thiiings." The hobber replies, fingering his pendant again. "Yooou shreeewd negoootiator. Hobo-Gulpf agreeee."

He watches the companions a moment more, then adds, "Yooou taaake paaassage riiight. Twoo, yeees twoo roooooms then go riiiight. Theeen chiiilds iis clooose. Behiiind uuugly dooor. Youuu seee yeees, theeen thaaank Hobo-Gulpf!"

The hobgoblin returns to his seat and picks up the tome, turning back to his page with one hand while fiddling with Ola's puncture wound with the other.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:45, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

"Any traps along the way Hobo-Gulpf?" He asks and waits for a yes or no answer.

After the answer they can follow the directions, withdrawing the light and closing the door.

"Noo traaaps." He replies.

The passage through the rock continues southward through regular limestone again. A passage breaks off going west after a ways, but the companions remain true to Hobo-Gulpf's direction. Eventually the passage ends at a door. Bec checks but finds nothing suspect about the door and opens it, shoving the torch within.

The room beyond the door appears empty in the torchlight. The floor is broken, with cracked stone and with chunks missing. A door to the east reads in neat common, "STORAGE" under which is scrawled "Not any moor" in yellow, garish paint. Scrawled in the face of the door just opened is the phrase "My wife is a cow n her melk is clabbered." On the west door in yellow paint, "Pres buton to opin". A yellow spot is below the words. The south door, across from you, are the words "Here B trolls n gnolls".
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:23, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

"What do you make of this?" Lloyd asks no one in particular. Perhaps he just wanted to hear his own voice. "A puzzle?  Some sort of trap?"

He walks to the south door, reading the words aloud, "Trolls and gnolls.  I think this hobber is leading us right into trouble."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

"Just being here is trouble Lloyd." Bec says.  "We follow the guide given.  Right?"

She looks at Orikson questioningly.

"We follow them to the end, if he lied, we kill him. Check the doors Becky." He says as he runs his finger along the edge of his battleaxe, it comes away clean, it needed sharpened again!

Bec moves to the south door. Kneeling, she checks the locking mechanism for signs of a trap.

Rebecca finds nothing suspect of the locking mechanism.  She opens the unlocked door and reveals more tunneled passage. Thirty feet ahead is another door. The second room presumably. Finding nothing suspect of its locking mechanism, she pulls the door open and lights the interior with the torchlight.

"Whoa." Rebecca says.

The walls of this room are lined with small shelves. Each shelf is piled high with bones, and with shards and splinters and fragments of bone-as far as you can tell, mostly human.  The ceiling is decorated with a stucco mural that appears to be of a religious nature.  Judging by the steatopygous muliebrity of the deity depicted, perhaps she is some long-forgotten goddess of fertility and death.

There is one door to the west and it is ajar.

"We followed his direction exactly, didn't we? Where is that door he described? Now we're in a crypt. What do you all want to do?" Ori looks at the bones and graves but touches nothing. He refused to disturb or steal from the dead, that was evil.

"Well, he says go right after second room." Bec replies, running the torch over a stack of bones. "I'll bet there's stuff in here. Useful stuff."

She walks over to the west door, the right one as they were headed south, and pulls it open.

Ori readies his axe and hopes everyone else is ready too. His eyes follow her every movement and he steps closer too.

Rebecca pulls the door open, revealing the passage continuing westward. They follow the passage for some ways until they come upon a door that can only be described as ugly. It is on the right side of the passage, painted in garish red and yellow paint. If there are any words beneath, it is indecipherable. The tunneled passage continues westward to the limits of vision.

Ori taps Becca on the shoulder and signals her to check the door. He stays back a few steps with Lloyd, Okini, and Ola. They'll move up when the door is cleared. Weapons drawn. "What is your big spell Lloyd? Sleep would be nice perhaps." he says with a grin.

Lloyd gives Orikson a sheepish grin. "Sleep is one the spells in my repertoire." He says, taling a few rose petals from a pouch at his side.

"Ahhh, most excellent, you put them to sleep, and I'll, with a little help, send them to the ever after!"

"Is it trapped Becca? I know you're good enough to find them! Let's get the kids afore they get et!"

He moves up to open the door.

Bec kneels before the door and checks the lock for suspected trap, but finds nothing out of the ordinary. She cocks her head  listening a moment before approaching the others away from the door.

"Something in there talking, but strangely. Sounds like a kennel of young pups."

Ori steps back with her and listens to what she has to say. "Puppies?" He looks very puzzled, "Let's find out what it be, Get ready Lloyd, ladies."

Ori opens the door a crack to see if he can see anything. He raises his axe and pushes it wide open.

A huge wooden cage hangs suspended from the ceiling in this smok ladened room.  Four small children can be seen huddled together inside of it; five reptilian humanoids with canine-like facial features stand around poking at them with various weapons and laughing.  A larger creature of the same species is seated next to a cooking fire near the north wall.

As Orikson stands in the doorway, the larger of the creatures stands.

"Yark! Yark!" It howls, pointing at the door. "Yik-yaru yelp"

The five others turn as one and charge the door with weapons already drawn.

---

Both sides move, actions on normal initiative rolls. Short range to targets.

[Private to Orikson: "Intruders! Intruders! Go get them!" in kobold language]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:30, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

"Put 'em down Lloyd! Send 'em ta sleep!" Ori steps back from the door to let the wizard cast his powerful spell!

He readies his shield to receive the charge, axe raised!

Bec runs into the room from behind Orikson, drawing her sword. She clashes with the nearest of the creatures threatening them.

---

Rebecca - init, attk, dmg. – [roll=1672943721.10231.372707]
Hits AC12, 6 points

In reply to Rebecca (msg # 78):

"Becky! Lloyd was ta put 'em ta sleep and then we go in and kill 'em all! Get back here!"

Lloyd steps up but still behind Orikson's shield. He lets petals fall from his fingers to land on the dwarf's shoulder while evoking the spell. "Tu dormies omnes."

After Lloyd cast his spell, then Ori advanced to meet any standing kobolds!

[Private to GM: 13:51, Today: Orikson rolled 2,17,8 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battle axe.]

"Kill the little mutts! We take no prisoners!" He cuts a kobold clean in half he thinks! The blood spatter is so bad he has to wipe his eyes to see what befell his foe and Becky's

Rebecca and a kobold clash in the middle of the room. She loses her concentration momentarily at a chastise from Orikson. Her blade is knocked aside easily and the kobold skewers her on the blade of a sword.

She coughs a spittle of blood as the blade is withdrawn and falls to her knees pressing one hand over the wound. Then, she feels an exteme drowsiness overcome her. She falls over in a slumber, just like the five kobolds around her.

"Breee Yark! YIK YUK!" The larger kobold says, tightening his grip on a spear. He does not however make an advance on the party. He probably realises he is out matched.

---

[Private to Orikson: *expletive* Intruders! Leave now!" the kobold says.]

"Shoot the mutt with arrows! Someone get Becky out of here and see to her!"

Ori then positions himself in front of Becky to protect her from the big kobold! Then in kobold, "time ta die ya ugly mutt!"

At the threatening in the kobold language, the creature grimaces and growls before charging at the dwarf with his spear.

---

Kobold1 - init, attk, dmg. – [roll=1672946975.54752.371634]
Hits AC-6, 11 points critical
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:37, Fri 06 Jan 2023.

Ori advances to meet the kobold!  He swings and misses in his haste to end it!

"Move gentles! Get her out of here and see to that wound, and feather the Rottweiler before he kills me!"

---

[Private to GM: 14:29, Today: Orikson rolled 4,5,6 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battle axe.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:36, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

Lloyd backs away to the passage wall, pulling his dagger from his robe.

---

Lloyd will hold his action till the end of this round.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:09, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

"No!" Ola screams as she watches the thief felled by blade. Standing flat footed, she launches a quick volley of arrows at the kobold.

---

Ola - init attk1, dmg1, attk2, dmg2. – [roll=1672947899.43872.372705]
Hits AC5, for 2
Hits AC-1 for 5

Okini arrives seconds after the thief hits the dirt. She grabs her saint Cuthbert holy symbol and utters the evocation of sacrament  to heal.

---

Okini - CLW. – [roll=1672948287.07962.372706]
Okini - Initiative. – [roll=1672948390.53052.372706]

This message was last edited by the player at 20:08, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

Lloyd steps to the doorway and throws his dagger at the hobber only a few feet away.

---

08:42, Today: Lloyd rolled 1,18,2 using D6,d20,d4.  Lloyd - initiative, attk, dmg. – [roll=1673012527.09364.372708]

Initiative lost for waiting.
Hits AC-1 for 2 points

Ola releases her arrow. It zips across the space, striking the hobgoblin in the shoulder. The hobgoblin grunts, but otherwise ignores the arrow and keeps charging the dwarf. Orikson is too slow to deflect the spear. It plunges through his midsection and exits his lower back before being pulled back.

"Now who dies!" The hobgoblin sputters in rage. Orikson falls to the floor helpless and bleeding from the wound.

Okini lays healing hands on Rebecca and with the utterance of the sacrement, she is completely healed of her wounds.

The hobgoblin turns his attention to the cleric healing Rebecca.

Ola's second arrow strikes the hobber in his midsection and that is followed by a dagger that hits the hobber in the neck. The hobgoblin pulls the dagger free and there is little blood, but between two arrows and a dagger, he succumbs to the wounds and falls over to the dirt floor.

---

Still in combat rounds until Orikson healed or dead.

[Private to Orikson: Make a CON roll at +1 to the roll. Failed, you lose a hitpount next round and fall unconscious.]

[Private to GM: 10:20, Today: Orikson rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  con check.]

"Priest!" he gasps. Falls motionless.

"Shyte!" Okini curses out loud, seeing the dwarf fall. "I got him. Ola help me get his armor off.". Okini pulls bandages and a healing balm made from goodberries from his bag and when Ola removes the armor, he  applies some balm to both wound sites and wraps the dwarfs midsection tightly to staunch the blood.

Okini - healing skill. – [roll=1673018407.78662.372706]
Heals 2 hit points.

"Right!" Ola says, moving to aid the cleric. "Whatever you need Oki."

---

Ola - initiative . – [roll=1673019033.11263.372705]

Rebecca watches as the others tend to Orikson.  She the turns her attention to wooden cage that contains four children.

"Now, how do I get you down?"

---

Bec will search for a way to lower the cage.
Bec - initiative . – [roll=1673019559.35121.372707]

Ori blinked his eyes open and looked at Okini, "Thank you lass, you lovely people. please search for anything valuable and free the children from their cage! That big gobber was 'bout ta eat 'em! Me an Becca will supervise!" he chuckled and grimaced in pain, though it wasn't near as bad as it had been.

"I want the spear, whoever killed 'em can have his head!"

Ori tries to get up and help.

Okini's ministrations on the dwarf revive his consciousness and propels him into a stable condition. He is no longer in critical condition, but moving him, according to Okini,  would be very dangerous without further healing.

Rebecca finds a pulley through which a rope is used to hoist the cage. The end of the rope is tied to an iron ring attached to piton driven into a crack in the rock wall. She leaves the rope alone, thinki g it might take two to lower the cage safely.

---

End of combat rounds.
Random - 1 she does, 2 she dont. – [roll=1673020130.12446.371634]
Orikson at 0 hit points.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:28, Fri 06 Jan 2023.

"No! Dont move Ori." Okini says, pushing the dwarf back down. I need to pray and regain some strength.

Lloyd begins searching through the large hobber's area, looking for things of value or use to the party.

---

Lloyd - int roll. – [roll=1673020581.09704.372708]

Ori grunts and obeys, "someone help Becca lower the cage so we can let the children out. How long til we'z can move Oki? You're the doctor. Check the kids for injuries too. Sorry guys, I don't like being a bitch, you're a great team!"

"Im on it." Ola says, moving to help Bec. She grabs the taut rope. "Now pull that knot free from the ring Bec. When you do, grab the rope and help me lower the cage."

---

Ola - STR check. – [roll=1673021837.44311.372705]

"Ten minutes if my prayers are answered and I am strong enough Ori. You stay down until I can heal you." Okini states then moves off to a corner to pray.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:25, Fri 06 Jan 2023.

Bec pulls the rope free from the iron ring and grabs the rope just as thd weight shifts to Ola. They gently lower the cage to the floor and release the cage's door latch. After a little coaxing, the frightened children exit the cage asking for their da.

"Yer pa sent us after you when he saw them take ya's. Der was too many of 'em fer yer pa ta take by his self. Youz be patient and sit wit the girls til we be ready ta leave. It won't be long." he says to them trying to calm them til they got out of here. Lloyd and one of the girls could search for any money, valuables and coin there might be. It would be nice to earn some coin for this.

Lloyd finds nothing of value to the party around the area where the large hobgoblin come from. He does find a large leather pouch on what he now calls the chieftain of the kobolds. It contains 2 gemstones, 220sp, 35gp, and a key.

"What do we do with them?" Bec asks, pointing at the sleeping kobolds.

In reply to Rebecca (msg # 106):

"Oh shyte, I forgot about them. Cut their throats I guess, or do you want to hang them in their cage until they die? So the children don't have to see it."

"I would rather not murder them." Okini says, returning from his prayers. "I know the hatred between them and the dwarves, but I caution restaint, lest we suffer a curse of the gods."

Okini kneels and once again utters the sacrement for healing while placing the holy symbol upon the dwarf's chest.

---

Okini - CLW. – [roll=1673026687.14074.372706]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Fri 06 Jan 2023.

"Let's put them in the cage. Leave their fate to the gods that would curse us." Rebecca says. She grabs one of the kobolds by the shoulder and pulls it into the cage.

---

Bec - STR check. – [roll=1673043948.86921.372707]    (STR of 14)
This message was last edited by the player at 00:03, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

"Bind them then. They have no leader, the gobber is dead. I don't want them coming back up to kill more children to eat though. They're craven cowards and won't come for adults unless their are a lot of them. Evil is evil and needs stamped out. I would kill every man woman and child of them and let them rot. Pure evil!"

"Well... that can be a philosophical debate for later." Okini states, grabbing one of the kobolds by the arms and pulling.  "But today, we are leaving them alive and caged."

---

Okini - STR check. – [roll=1673043831.43557.372706] (STR of 15)

Rebecca and Okini are dragging two of the sleeping kobolds from the middle of the room over to the cage.  Rebecca suddenly stumbles, dropping the kobold.  Its head thumps on the ground and eyes fly open.  It lurches up into a crouch, pulling a dagger from his belt while kicking a fellow kobold.

"Bree!  In-Yilk Yilk!" The kobold shouts. The other kobold is roused and begins to rise.

---

Begin combat rounds.

[Private to Orikson: *expletive* Get UP! UP!" in kobold]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Fri 06 Jan 2023.

"Now, next time you'll listen to me! Kill them while they're down yet! They'll certainly kill you if they can!"

Ori rises and swings his axe at the nearest kobold!

---

[Private to GM: 07:10, Today: Orikson rolled 0,14,10 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battle axe.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:33, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

Bec launches herself at the kobold while pulling her new dagger from her belt.

---

Rebecca - initiative,  Attack , damage. – [roll=1673102244.53921.372707]
Hits AC3 for 5 points

It's over really before it starts. Rebecca lunges at the kobold she dropped, plunging her dagger into its neck. It falls, gurgling his last breaths. And Orikson gets off the dirt faster than the other kobold that is rousing, cleaving into its shoulder. It too gurgles its lasr few breaths. They are dead before the remaining three could be roused. 

---

Kobold1 - init, attk, dmg. – [roll=1673102513.01314.371634]
Kobold2 - init, attk, dmg. – [roll=1673109378.53781.371634]

"Now dey be good little doggies. Lets search quick and get out of here and get dem kids home to dere pappy! Ola, youz and Okini see to the kids and keep 'em safe, dey're in your care now."

[Private to GM: 12:00, Today: Orikson rolled 7 using 1d20.  intelligence check. to search]

The companions retrace their steps and find their way back to the cellar of the miller. Both he and his wife are overjoyed at seeing their children alive and safe.

"Please accept this." He says holding out a leather pouch. "It is not much but it is all we have. I will tithe in the temple to saint Cuthbert and I will sing praises to your names. May the gods bless you with fortune and favor."

It is just past the day's zenith in High sun. The quest took over four hours. Perhaps it is a good time to vist the Sitting Duck tavern, or perhaps back to the Laughing Dragon tavern for rounds ale.

---

[Private to Orikson: I will work up XP dispensation later today]
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 18:39, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

"All in a good day's work good fellow." Ola says, taking the leather pouch. She can feel the weight of coin and is pleased. "You need to have some one destroy that tunnel beneath your mill or this could happen again."

"What  say you? Should we go back in and clear it out?" Rebecca asks of her companions. "I'd like to search that crypt."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:36, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

"We would be pushing our luck." Okini states matter of factly.  "On the morrow perhaps? I could maybe get some healing potions from a temple I know is here in town. It is not devoted to St. Cuthbert,  but there is a shrine there for Him where the devout can worship."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:47, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

"And who'd pay us? Maybe later we'll go back, after we'z gets a bit more xperience. Let's get some grub and suds. How much money we find and how much he pay? Was anythin' the doggies had saleable? Any coin on them?"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 18:49, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

The companions gather inside the Sitting Duck tavern where the first round of drinks is bought by the miller. Already he is boasting of your exploits. The companions lay out the items they acquired while searching for the children. The items include; an exceptionally crafted ironwood spear, four iron short swords in fair quality, four daggers of fair quality, a pair of boots of exceptional quality, a master crafted dagger of excepional quality,  220sp, 180gp, 24cp, and two gemstones.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:54, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

"We can sell the weaponry in Low Market. We can sell the spear, boots and dagger in High Market." Rebecca states. " Unless we keep them. I'd really like to keep those boots."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:01, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

The miller comes back to your table, thanking you again. He says in a quieter voice though, "I've got a guy to come destroy that tunnel day after next."
This message was last updated by the GM at 20:00, Sat 07 Jan 2023.

"Excellent, good ta get to it. There are plenty of other things down there so as to give you reason! Thank you for the beer!"

"I say we keep the spear, dagger and boots. split the money even among us. Then as we find stuff, everyone will get good stuff too. I say we go down and get thet magic book from the big hob-goblin, Lloyd could have used it."

"What do you think gentles?"

Rebecca counts out the coins while drinks are had all around.  Local patrons come over, clapping the dwarf on the back and thanking them for their help with the miller and his wife.  Orikson recounts the adventure, and with his charisma and charm, he enthralls those listening. Finally the coin is divided among the members of their party at 24gp, and 44sp each.  The remaining copper coins and the gemstones, she puts into a separate pouch she calls the "kitty" for group expenditures.  She gives the dagger to Lloyd, who has skill in the weapon and it will best benefit him.  She keeps the boots herself, and then looks at the spear.

"Who here has skill with this, or wishes to be skilled with it?" She asks.  She has never seen one of them use one. 

---

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 5 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:51, Sun 08 Jan 2023.

"Lloyd, can you tell if it is magic? Or just a master crafted weapon? I could learn how to use it, could stand back from the enemy a bit, if not, we could sell it. Fine weapons are very hard to find! It feels good to have more than a few copper in yer pocket!"

Lloyd takes up the spear and examines it closely.  The shaft is ironwood, strong and hardy, and the tip is a long flat leaf shape of a mixed alloy of some sort, producing a dark steel.  it is sharp with no nicks.  And finally, he spies what he was seeking; a wizard's mark finely etched into the base of the spear tip.  Hardly visible unless looking for it..

"It is certainly crafted with magic." He states, placing the spear on the table.

Ola looks at the spear, admiring its craftmanship.

"It's not my thing." She states.  "I prefer the blade."

"I'm off to see what I can get for these gems." Rebecca says, downing the last of her ale.  "We selling the spear or what?  I can probably get a good price up in High Market."

"I will make my way over to the temple to Iomedae." Okini says.  "May hap they can provide some potions for healing."

"I prefer the axe, but I'll use the spear, as it is magic. I'll take it if Ola doesn't want it, or she can have it. We share in this group, We all be equal. What do ya tink Ola? I say we use it for now and sale it later if we can replace it."

---

[Private to Orikson: Added Basic skill with spear to your character sheet]
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:10, Sun 08 Jan 2023.

"Like I said" ola replies, securing her pouch. "Spears is not my thing. Give me a good blade any day."

"The first sword we find is yours Ola! I guarantee you. Just see that you keep breathing until then! We need your good strong arm and your skill!"

Ori does his best to keep drinking the rest of the evening without spending any of his own coin, He figured, being a hero, and almost dying, he deserved free drink. He tries to stick near his group when they are all there, especially the three ladies. He loved their attention and keeping them all happy, ashamed he wasn't human, but after all dwarves were just short stout men, weren't they? Got to find more spells for Lloyd too he thought.

Ori found a way to get to a bed around 10:00. He was slightly buzzed but not drunk, Dwarves could drink most humans under the table without a second thought! He slept well through the night and in the morning found his way to breakfast. He ate well, eggs and ham and toasted bread covered with honey-butter, washed down by a weak beer. He waited for his companions, waiting for a new adventure.

The companions gather in the early evening for sup and libations. The meal consists of stewed mutton and spiced potatoes.  Okini returns from the temple of Iomedae, successful in her venture to obtain some healing droughts. Two from the temple and five vials of lesser healing from a shop called Roots and Remedies. She hands each of the companions one and keeps the larger potions for dire emergencies.

Rebecca returns from the markets, having sold the two gemstones for fifty gold apiece. She gives each companion another twenty gold.

"That high market is something else mates." Rebecca says, doling out the gold. "You can get just about anything."  Those who know her well note the mischievous glint ti her eye and wonder what else she might have "found" at the high market among the magnates.

The companions finish their repast and decide to stay in the commons for the night in the tavern and break the fast before dawn. It's only a thirty minute walk to the mill. Breakfast consists of duck eggs, pork steak and goatmilk, or ale if that's your thing early in the morning.

The walk to the mill is uneventful in the predawn light. The cellar is closed and the millers are not present. The door opens easily and the hole below is dark.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:27, Wed 11 Jan 2023.

Bec quietly rops thhe panel to the cellar and looks below.

"We need another torch." She says. "Luckily I bought a couple yesterday at market."

She pulls one of three from her pack and lights it.

"Down we go"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:44, Wed 11 Jan 2023.

Ori follows Becca down below, the torch affected his dark vision, but he could see. "Where ya leading us Becca, you be up front lass! Nice to follow you, I'z a good view!" he says with a wink.

Once back into the room with vegetable crates, Bec turns to Orikson.

"Which way we gonna go Ori?" She asks. "Left we get to the pit. Right, the hobgoblin."

"You want to kill the hobgoblin and get his book Lloyd. Spells aren't going to be easy to get, maybe you can copy his book without killing him.

"We need to cross the pit and check what is on the other side. Contractors are going to seal the tunnel here in a few days, we need to let the Miller know we'll clean it out beforehand."

"The hobber did not strike me as the spell slinging sort." Lloyd replies.  "But yes, any spell gained is a benefit for us."

"So I am hearing go right." Bec says. "Hobgoblin first."

"I thought it was a magic tome. Was it? If it was, maybe we can buy it from him if you don't wish to kill him, but he'll have to leave the tunnel if it is closed up."

"Yeah Becca, go right for now. It might be worth it for Lloyd's sake if not all of us."

"Rest of you have an opinion? Go ahead, we're all equal here!"

Lloyd looks thoughtful a moment before replying, "We have no idea if it is a magical tome.  Tthat hobber will want paid for his ermm.... service. He was correct in leading us to the children while at the same time  likely knew that kobold clan was present. It may have been a ploy to get us killed."

Bec shrugs and leads off through the right-hand tunnel. After several yards the door appears ahead. It is closed. Rebecca pulls her dagger from its sheath.

"We are here." She says before opening the door.

Rebecca pushes the door open and thrusts her torch inside. Torchlight reflects off the greenish stone illuminating the room and it appears as before minus one grizzled hobgoblin.

The carpets, tapestries,  and pillows are all still here. The low darkwood table is filled with odd knick nacks, old food, a cold bowl of something, and the large tome.

"Get the tome and let us leave, Lloyd, check it out to see what it is. It may be a good read or valuable even if it isn't magic. I guess the gobber is spared for the day"

"Lead the way to the pit Becca, keep your eyes peeled open for anything that might be either useful, or harmful."

Lloyd enters the room cautiously and slowly approaches the low table. His nerves are on edge, his body tense. He picks the tome up and shoves it into his pack for examining later.

"Right. Let's get out of here." He says quietly.

He pulls his own torch and with a simple gesture and utterance of the word "igni", the oil soaked end ignites into flame.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Thu 12 Jan 2023.

Disappointment registers briefly in Bec's fearures. She really wants to investigate that room of bones, but she quickly represses her selfish wants and leads the party back the way they come and farther to the pit.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:35, Thu 12 Jan 2023.

"What is further on? The crypt? We can continue to investigate that way too if you want to? I have no druthers, but I will not rob the dead nor condone it by others. Which way do youz want to go."

He looks from face to face, Becca, Ola and Okini and Lloyd. He didn't know them very well yet, he'd learn.

Lloyd doesn't even hesitate before speaking up  "If it's all the same to you I'd really rather not traverse a narrow ledge around that pit. Maybe the other passages down here lead to the pit as well. The other side of it goes somewhere in these gods forsaken warrens."

"I'm good to go either way." Ola says while laughing lightly. "But what Lloyd says is true. We may end up there anyway if we are clearing these -- ahem -- warrens."

"Well, there is a passage we did not go down on the way to the first room the hobber led us to." Bec says, retracing their path in her head. "I will go that way."

Ori traveled in line right behind Becca on their way, covering her back just in case they met something.

Leaving the hobber's room,  Bec turns right into the passage that led them earlier to a strange room with garish writing on the doors. But instead of keeping straight to get to that room, she turns southward at a juncture and continues.

The tunnel continues for several yards until finally Bec halts,  cocking her head to the side. She looks at Orikson askance. "Someone's ahead." She mutters quietly.  The passage continues ahead to the limit of the torchlight. Nothing else is in the passage.

Bec sees a glint in Ori's eyes! Something to kill down here. He wouldn't get rich, but he'd sate his bloodlust. He prayed he didn't become a berserker and all of that entails. He'd find out.

"You want to lead the way, or you want me to? Just a din in the distance?"

A voice echoes from the passage and it is recognizable. Somewhere ahead is the hobgoblin.

"It's Hobo, or whatever his name is, I'll lead the way. Follow in a minute." he whispers and silently moves forward a bit ahead of the lights into the darkness. Spear at the ready, giving him a little reach!
This message was last edited by the player at 15:28, Sat 14 Jan 2023.

Orikson quietly creeps up the passage beyond the reach of the torchlight and comes to an archway opening into a space beyond.  Carefully, he edges along the east wall until at the edge of the archway.  He peers around the corner and sees light emanating from small nooks in the walls of the octagonal room.  On one wall, four orcs stand by one of the nooks, prying at something.  The hobgoblin speaks in its harsh sounding voice, "Harder.  Pry it out."

The orcs have weapons of swords and wear well-worn leather armor.  One even has a shield.  None of them have noticed Orikson's presence.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:56, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Orikson snuck back to the others, meeting them about halfway down the hall. "It's Hobo and he's bossing around four orcs, I think we should kill them!" he whispers. He waits for the affirmative from them, then leads the way back as quietly as they could go, trying to surprise them.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:22, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Rebecca smothers her torch and the passage is plunged into darkness. Ahead the passage opens into a room. Dim light spills through an archway. Orikson leads the companions down the passage as quietly as they can move under the circumstances.  They reach the archway and peering into the very dimly lit room, they can see a spacious octagonal room.  There is an exiting passage in the east most wall.  The other walls each have a small niche about four feet off the floor with a skeletal skull which seems to glow with an eerie light. There are five orcs and the hobgoblin the companions met the day before. 

---

The orcs and hobgoblin have not noticed your presence.  You have surprise if you wish to get a free attack. Range to orcs and hobgoblin is short.

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 5 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]

"Let's get 'em" Ori whispers to the others and fires his crossbow at the orcs and hobgoblin, targeting Hobo first! For some reason, he just wanted him dead!

[Private to GM: 06:58, Today: Orikson rolled 4 using 1d6.  damage.

06:58, Today: Orikson rolled 14 using 1d20.  to hit. +1 vs goblin]

He drops the crossbow on it's lanyard and gets his axe out and heads in after they all fire!

Bec tries moving silently through the room to sneak up behind the orc with a shield.

---

14:01, Today: Rebecca rolled 2,4,4 using d6-1,d20+1,d6+1.  Shortsword, Init, ToHit, Dmg. – [roll=1673809315.28582.372707]
13:57, Today: Rebecca rolled 52 using 1d100.  Skill - Move Silently. – [roll=1673809056.26647.372707]

Lloyd produces some rose petals from his pouch of components and utters "Tu dormies omnes" while letting the petals slip between fingers to the floor.

---

Casting sleep on the orcs
Lloyd - HD affected. – [roll=1673809792.15101.372708]

Ola unslings her bow as the party moves through the passage.  Once at the archway, she takes aim and lets fly. 

---

Ola - Shortbow dmg1. – [roll=1673810128.17092.372705] points
Ola - Shortbow. – [roll=1673810091.23849.372705] hits AC7

While moving down the passage Okini draws out his holy symbol and utters a sacrament for blessing upon the party. Once at the archway, he holds back.  He grasps one of the healing potions within his pouch.

---

Casting BLESS on party.  +1 Saves vs fear, +1 Attack bonus,  Duration:6 rounds
This message was last edited by the player at 19:27, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Rebecca pads quietly through the room, slowly sliding her short sword from its sheath.  It might have been that small sound, or a gust of wind but the orc turns at the last second and sees her.  He side steps away from her blade as it passes in front of him.  At the same time, a snick from Orikson's crossbow is heard and a bolt suddenly appears in the back of the hobgoblin.  The creature yelps in pain and surprise, turning.  An arrow suddenly appears in the chest of the orc that turned at Rebecca, felling it.  The remaining orcs all fall under the effects of Lloyd's spell and fall to the floor of the room in slumber.

The hobgoblin is the only one which remains standing and he looks down at the orcs around him.  "Yooou agaaain!" He spats, kicking at the nearest orc.  He pulls a small wooden stick from his pocket and points it in the direction of the party, especially the closer one; Rebecca.  "Staaay riiight wheeere yooou aaare. Weee beee friiiends! Proootects meee!"

---

Begin combat round one... range to target is melee or short.  Moving is a loss of initiative. Bec is in melee range.

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 5 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:55, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Ola stands flat footed and fires one arrow after another at the hobgoblin. 

---

Ola - Bow (init, tohit1, dmg1, tohit2, dmg2). – [roll=1673813309.41513.372705]
Init - 2
Arrow1 hits AC-2 for 9 points
Arrow2 hits AC6 for 1 point

"Be ye surrenderin' Hobo? Get on you knees! Kill the orcs folks!" Ori says to the others. That worked even better than he expected, Lloyd was good! He stands before the gobber, giving him a few seconds to drop to the floor. If he surrenders, he'll stand over the gobber while the others kill the orcs, if he refuses, he'll sink his axe deep! He hated goblins and hobgoblins! Them and giants were the mortal foes of the dwarves!

Lloyd slowly enters the dimly lit room, drawing his dagger as he does so. He makes no overt move to attack the hobgoblin, but edges closer to a sleeping orc to slay it.

---

Kill one sleeping orc

Thank the gods he's on my side, one tough bugger for a wizard! Cold like he has to be! he looks back at Hobo, "Getting down, or dyin' gobber?" The team was a team so quick! This might not be bad!
This message was last edited by the player at 20:24, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Rebecca's eyes are drawn to the very tip of the small stick the hobgoblin points at her.  Her mind suddenly goes awry.  She hears the words from the hobgoblin, which makes complete and utter sense to her, and turns to attack those who would bring harm upon her friend.

"NO!" she cries, lunging at Orikson with her shortsword.

---

Failed save vs spell...  is charmed.

15:33, Today: Rebecca rolled 4,21,4 using d6-1,d20+1,d6+1.  Shortsword, Init, ToHit, Dmg. – [roll=1673814806.84866.372707]
Init - 4
Hits AC-1 for 4 points or 9 points if critical

[Private to GM: Ori drops to 0 on being stabbed by Becca!]

"Ye be a traitor!" he screams, "Or he is a wizard! Cut him down!" he holds the wound closed as he drops to his knees! Twice now fighting gobbers he went down, this time to a traitor!

At words from Orikson, the hobgoblin turns and regards the dwarf, then smiles a wicked grin.  That grin become a grimace as an arrow impales his skull.  It takes a moment but he falls to the floor lifeless.

As Lloyd is shoving his knife up into the skull of an orc, Rebecca turns, screaming "NO!" and lunges at a surprised Orikson with her shortsword.  The blade enters his abdomen and is shoved upward until it hits the back of his leather armor. She pulls the blade free and the dwarf falls to the floor, clutching his abdomen which bleeds profusely through his fingers.  He knows he is dying. The thief then regards the rest of the party, weighing in her mind who the most dangerous foe is right now. The orc which the hobgoblin kicked stirs, rolling up on his feet and drawing steel. His eyes go wide at the bloody shortsword and felled orc.  He grins and charges for the one pulling a knife from his comrade.

---

Begin combat round 2
Revecca charmed and attacking
1 orc awake... attacking
2 orc sleeping...

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP 0 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 5 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:10, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

"Shyte!" Okini yells, seeing the dwarf go down. "Ola! I need to get to Orikson."  He gestures at Rebecca.

The cleric pulls the readied vial of healing from his pouch and thumbs the top off.

---

Okini will move to Orikson and administer one of the healing potions he retrieved from the Roots and Remedies shop when he can get to him safely.
Okini - Initiative. – [roll=1673817577.73932.372706]

"Becca!" Lloyd shouts, dropping the knife and trying to get her attention. "Your friend is DEAD! You can no longer protect him!"

Lloyd lunges at the orc with a dagger he draws from his belt. 

---

16:23, Today: Lloyd rolled 3,1,4 using d6+1,d20,d4.  Dagger, Init, ToHit, Dmg. – [roll=1673817826.5321.372708]
Init - 3
Fumbles

Ola draws an arrow and releases at Rebecca, then another.

---

Ola - Bow (init, tohit1, dmg1). – [roll=1673818208.35437.372705]
Ola - Shortbow tohit2 dmg2. – [roll=1673818324.66819.372705]
Init - 3
Arrow1 hits AC-1 for 4 points
Arrow2 hits nothing

Rebecca figures Ola to be the greatest threat and charges for her.  Lloyd's words ring in her ears, fighting with the compulsion of defending her friend. 

---

16:37, Today: Rebecca rolled 0,2,6 using d6-1,d20+1,d6+1.  Shortsword, Init, ToHit, Dmg. – [roll=1673818620.78081.372707]

Lloyd and the orc clash.  The orcs blade cuts a gash across Lloyd's abdomen, ruining the mage's already disarrayed concentration. The orc easily knocks the mage's dagger from his hands, effectively disarming him.

Rebecca charges across the room, leaving an opening for Okini to administer aid to Orikson.  He shoves the vial between the dwarf's lip, forcing the liquid into him.  The dwarf is barely responsive to the healing potion, but the wound does close and stops bleeding.

An arrow from Ola's bow takes Rebecca in the upper shoulder, it stops her a moment.  She looks at the shaft, then lunges at the warrior as she tries to nock another arrow. Ola is forced to drop her bow and draw her short sword as Rebecca attacks.  Ola side steps away from the rogue's blade.  It passes inches from her left cheek.

---

Begin combat round 3
Rebecca is charmed... attacking
Orc1 is attacking Lloyd
Bless is still in effect.

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP 2 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 1 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]

Ori's eyes blink open and he tries to rise! "Becca!" he shouts, but doesn't finish the statement. Continuing to fight to get to his feet!
This message was last edited by the player at 22:12, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Okini rises from Orikson, pulling his mace from his belt. He lunges for the orc attacking Lloyd.

---

12:56, Today: Okini rolled 3,6,3 using D6-1,d20+1,d6+1.  Okini - init, tohit, dmg. – [roll=1673891809.72658.372706] hits AC13 for 3 pounts. Initiative - 3

Ori gets to his feet and heads over to kill the remaining orcs! He felt like the pallor of death was on his face. Becca had cut him down! He would deal with that in a minute, if he survived!

Not wanting to kill Becca, Ola decides rather to parry the attacks from her. "I dont want to kill you Becca! The hobgoblin is dead. There's NOTHING you can help him with now!

---

Parrying - +2AC bonus
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Mon 16 Jan 2023.

Lloyd is without weapon and therefore vulnerable.  He retreats from the fight, seeing Okini stap in and attack. The orc has to engage the new threat. He moves to retrieve his dagger.

---

Lloyd - initiative. – [roll=1673892885.43053.372708]

"Kill the sleeper Okini, I got this one!" Ori strikes at the orc in a downward hack hoping to split the orc nearly in two! Then he has to save Ola from Becca!

---

[Private to GM: 13:21, Today: Orikson rolled 5 using 1d6-1.  initiative.
13:21, Today: Orikson rolled 10 using 1d8+3.  damage.
13:20, Today: Orikson rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  to hit. Crit maybe?.]

[Private to Orikson: Edited to add the hard break and to reflect the hope of an action and not the assumption of a result. The orc may kill you before you can hit it.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:34, Mon 16 Jan 2023.

Bec stops the attack as Ola's words strike her for truth. She looks back at the dead hobgoblin in remorse. "I don't know why you all killed him." She says with a diminished but plaintive cry. "He didn't do anything wrong."

Bec turns to one of the skulls, hangs her head, closes her eyes, and weeps lighly over the death of her friend.

The orc glares with hatred at the mage backing away from him and was just about to lunge for him with his sword, but movement draws his attention to the dwarf now charging for him. The orc turns and while the dwarf is raising his axe high for a downward strike, he takes the momentary opening and pushes his sword through the hard boiled leather breastplate, through the dwarf's lung until again the blade meets resistance from the armor on his back. The axe falls from Orikson's grasp to the floor, followed shortly by his body. A darkness fills the dwarf's vision. It is a blackness he may not recover from.

Lloyd kills one of the sleeping orcs by jabbing his knife upward into through the neck and into the brain. "Aaaaugh!" Screams Okini as the dwarf falls. The orc avoids the mace head and kicks the cleric away from him.

---

Begin combat round 4
Orikson is unconscious and near death
[Private to Orikson: make a con roll at +1 to the roll]
Bless has one more round.

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP -8 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 1 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:01, Mon 16 Jan 2023.

PM

[Private to GM: 15:05, Today: Orikson rolled 18 using 1d20+1.]

Becca turns on hearing Ori and the axe hit the floor.  She quickly unslings her bow in one fluid motion and lets fly a volley of arrows at the orc.

---

19:11, Today: Rebecca rolled -1,14,6,8,2 using D6-3,d20+3,d6,d20+3,d6.  Dani - Bow. – [roll=1673914317.4394.372707]
Init - 1
Arrow1 hits AC2 for 6 points
Arrow2 misses

While the dwarf slides closer to the veil that separates the living from the dead, the orc lunges for Okini, who side steps away from it's slashing blade.  As the blade passes in an arc before the cleric, an arrow zips from Dani's bow and lodges in the creature's chest.  The short sword falls from the orc's fingers, followed quickly by it's body.  Lloyd slips his knife into the last of the sleeping orcs and kills it.

Seeing the orc fall, Okini rushes to Orikson's side with the strong healing potion already out and top thumbed off.  He pours the healing liquid into the dwarf, using the whole vial.  Warmth spreads throughout Ori's body. And beneath a golden glow, the wound closes.  Orikson's eyes pop open as vigor returns.  He is nearly completely healed.  A couple day's rest can do the rest.

"There you go." Oki says, clapping the dwarf on the shoulder.  "That one, you owe me for. They are not cheap."

Ori sees Dani standing with an archer's stance as she lowers her bow, then sees the arrow lodged in the orc's chest.  Ola's bow is still on the floor where she had to drop it. It is clear who killed the black blooded thing.

---

End of combat rounds...

[Private to Okini:
Human Cleric 1, AC5, #Atk 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20', XP
STR 15(+1), INT 12, WIS 13(+1), DEX 13(+1), CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Equipment: leather armor, shield, Mace, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44sp
HP 6 of 6]
[Private to Orikson:
Dwarf 1, AC6  #Atk 1, Dmg 1d8, Mv 20', XP
STR 16(+2), INT 10, WIS 8(-1), DEX 14(+1), CON 14(+1), CHA 17(+2)
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSS(12)
Equip: Battleaxe, crossbow, quiver(24), leather armor, 44sp, 24gp, adventurer's gear
HP 8 of 9]
[Private to Rebecca:
Human Thief 1, AC6  #Attk 1, Dmg 1d6, Mv 40', XP
STR 14(+1), INT 14(+1), WIS 13(+1), DEX 14(+1), CON 7(-1), CHA 10
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equip: Adventurer's gear, ShortSword, ShortBow, quiver(24), 44sp, 24gp, KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)
HP 1 of 5 ]
[Private to Ola:
Human Fighter 1, AC 17, #At 1, Dam 1d6, Mv 20',
STR 16(+2), INT 13 (+1), WIS 10, DEX 13(+1), CON 9, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(12), W(13), TTS/P(14), DB(15), RSS(16)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]
[Private to LLoyd:
Human Mage 1, AC  , #Atk 1, Dmg 1d4 or spell, Mv 20'
STR 10, INT 18(+3), WIS 14(+1), DEX 9, CON 10, CHA 9
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Equipment: chain mail, shield, sword, short bow, Adventurer's gear, 24gp, 44cp
HP 9 of 9]

Becca grabs the shaft of the arrow in her shoulder and winces.  She slides down the room's wall and leans against the cool surface beneath one of the glowing skulls.

"Son of a, but that hurts." she gasps out.  She pulls her vial of healing potion from her pouch and holds it.  "Ola. If I pass out, give this to me?"

She looks at Ola questioningly, knowing that the warrior has every reason perhaps not to help her.  When she pulls the arrow out, it may or may not kill her.  She may pass out, dying.

"Was I just killed 3 times? First by the Hobber wizard, then by Becca, then by a damnedable orc!?" He was weak and exhausted, he could move, barely. "See to Becca Okini, good job everyone. I need some sleep. Check out what Hobo was after up there."

Okini helps Orikson to his feet. "Well not dead Ori, but close calls. Without help you surely would have died."

Okini moves over to Rebecca, looking at the arrow shaft in her shoulder. "What were you thinking Bec?" She asks kneeling next to her. "Or... were you?"

She leans the rogue forward to see the barbed arrow head protruding through her shoulder. "It went through Bec. Lucky that too. If it had stuck into bone the damage on removing it would be much greater and more painful."

"Ola, you pull the arrow out after I break this end off."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Bec winces when Oki grabs the arrow head with a hand wrapped with cloth so he doesnt get cut.

"What was I thinking?" She asks rhetorically through clenched teeth from the pain. "There was no need to kill him."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:43, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Ola grabs the arrow shaft and yanks it out of the wound as soon as Oki breaks the tip off. Blood begins to pulse from within the hole.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:48, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Bec grimaces as Ola grabs the arrow. "Aaaaugh!" She screams as it is pulled from her shoulder. She does not succumb to the darkness at the edges of her vision and downs the contents of the vial.

"Thank the gods, we all survived. Lloyd, you're in good shape, can you search the bodies of the dead and gather all of their valuables. You think that Tome is his spell book, obviously a wizard of some sort."

"Think we can rest here a few hours? Is it safe you guys think? What was Hobo after in the niche?"

Rebecca feels the healing magic closing her wound and the pain subsides.

The searching begins. The hobgoblin wears a pendant that looks like it might be worth some coin. He also wears two rings on the left hand and one on the right. The suspected wand lies beneath the body, broken from the hobber's weight in the fall. A belt pouch of coins is found. The hobgoblin's spear is found leaning against the wall near the eastern entrance to the room. It is well crafted but dpes not have a wizard's mark visible. The orcs each have belt pouches, one wears a ring of gold set with a gemstone.

The skulls glow with a dim white light. Not from within, but as if the skulls themselves are the source. They can not be moved or pried loose, try as you may.

"Can you tell if any of it is magic Lloyd? Don't any of them have daggers? The swords all look normal. At least they have some coins, that's good. Too bad about the wand."

He rests through all of this, trying to recover some of his strength. The others all looked good. He would need to practice more or he would surely die! Even Becca bested him with no effort. Perhaps he should find a job mopping the floors in a pub, or working in the bar.

"I'm glad you're all right Becca, you almost ended me, and the orc did too. Perhaps I'm not cut out for this."

Becca gives Orikson a baleful glance. She is not in the mood to speak to him. Instead she turns her attention to counting coins from the purses.

"I will take a look, if we have time." Lloyd replies. " I can use the light from the skull if close enough."

Lloyd starts examining the items in detail. He does not posess yet the spell he knows is among other magic users that is used to magically identify items crafted with magic. He has not happened across it yet.

"Hiw long you want to be in this room?" Ola asks, throwing her broken arrow across the room. "We need to keep moving."

"Well, if we have time," Okini says, rummaging in her pack. "perhaps I can study the sacrements and pray to regain some strength in casting."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:20, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

"Pssha!" Ola spats. "Fine. I'll keep watch by the east passage. We haven't been that way."

"I guess I'll be okay to travel. We'll go when Lloyd and Becca are done with what they are doing. Who can use Hobo's spear? It is very fine quality if nothing else. He slowly and carefully rises from the floor and checks all of the holes in his armor. He would need to replace it very soon now. It was in soddy shape!

"Should we continue to clear this place out good gentles? Or take our gains and run away? It don't look like much, but it is dangerous down here. and I could use a beer!"

"Okini lass, how are your spells holding up? Lloyd? Do we need to find a place to rest so you can regain your spells?"

Lloyd peers over at Orikson, breaking from his examination of one of the rings. "I could use the rest to recover my spells as well. As far as i can tell, none of these items were crafted with magic by a wizard with a mark. Everything magical is not marked by it's creator. I suspect the amulet to be such an item."

"How much money do we each get Becca?"

He looks to Ola before she goes on watch, "Sorry girl, the rest of us got hurt bad or used up our spells, we'll rest a bit then go at a faster pace if we can. We'll get stronger and better with experience."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 21:24, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Becca finishes tallying the coins. "Sixty-five gold, twenty-five silver, and ten pence between all the purses." She exclaims not necessarily directed at Ori. "Thats thirteen gold, five silver and two pence apiece. I'llput the ten pence in the kitty."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:45, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Ori nods his approval, they were still poor, but that was more money than they'd have made working jobs in months! Maybe this was the way to go after all! He needed to get better and get better armor.

After he had rested and the casters got their spells back, Ori got suited up and gathered his gear, "Okay folks, time to get a move on, let's clear this place, someone carry that spear from Hobo. You want to lead the way Becca?"

Bec nods and grabs her gear.  She has Lloyd relight the torch and with it in one hand and a dagger in the other exits the room into the south passage. It runs a short distance before coming to a "T" junction.

"Hmmmm" Bec murmurs. After a few seconds of thought she says, "I think the left way, or east, will lead either to the room with weird doors, or by the room with the cage."

She looks right. "We havent been to the right."

Bec continues into the right passage.  It zigs and zags back and forth a but, but basically does this great big U-turn and heads east again until they finally come upon the ugly door once again.

"Okay." Bec says.  "That means the other direction at the junction would have led to the room with all the weird doors.  There's one door in that room that we don't know what is behind it."

As Bec is speaking, the flames on her torch begin sputtering and shifting toward the east.

"Hmmm." She says, looking at the flames as they settle back down.  "There's an exit out that way somewhere. But we didn't see one when we came through earlier."

Shrugging, she opens the garish door and shoves her torch in for a look.

The small cavern-like room is the same as before, except the dead have been removed.

"I wonder what happened to the bodies?" he says to no one in particular. He hadn't noticed any other doors or secret ways either, so wondered where the air came from. "Let's check out the source of the air, then get something to eat and drink. Did we miss anything? Let's clear it completely."

Nodding her acknowledgement to direction, Bec leaves the small room. Those that need light is best served to follow her as she has the only lit torch. And so the companions "tippy-creep" along the passage until coming upon the door. It is still open since the last time they come through it. On the other side of the doorway is the room filled with shards of bones stacked high on small shelves. The only other door is on the north side between stacks of bones.

Taking that route, Bec leads the companions north following the passage unti coming to the open door painted in garish yellow the words "Hear be trolls and nolls". To clear the area, there are currently two unknown paths. One is past the pit, the other is behind the east door in this room. That door has a sign on it hanging askew written in neat writing "storage". Beneath that in yellow paint is "Not any moor".

Being already in the room, Bec approaches the east door. She checks for traps and finds nothing to lead her to believe it is trapped. Bec puts her ear to the door and listens.

"Sounds like before." She says. "Kobolds."

She then points to the bottom of the door.

"Firelight."

Then as is she speaking, her torch again flutters. This time to the south in the direction they just come.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:38, Fri 20 Jan 2023.

Ori looks around at the others to find if they are ready to kill kobolds, when he gets the nod, he nods to Becca to signal her to open the door!

Ori raises his axe, he was worried there would be young ones in the warren and he'd have some weak knees not ready to kill them. The good ones were the dead ones! He was a Dwarf! "The torch fluttered again, someone is coming!" he whispers!
This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Fri 20 Jan 2023.

"There is a secret door somewhere between this room and the door to the caged room." Lloyd says quietly, working out the logic of the fluttering flames of the torch. He has the knack of percieving fhings others do not with his high intellect. "Likely somewhere in that bone room."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Fri 20 Jan 2023.

Ola sheathes her sword then unslings her bow. Knowing there are kobolds on the other side, she nocks an arrow and pulls the string. She gives Orikson the nod.

---

Bow - nocked and pulled, gain initiative.
STR roll - success
This message was last edited by the player at 17:55, Fri 20 Jan 2023.

"Hold your attack Ori. Move into the room, attack only if they come to you. Hopefully most will succumb to sleep."

Ori nods agreement with Lloyd and nods to Ola to hold for a moment, arrows may be needed for whoever was coming up the tunnel. He lets Becca open the door so Lloyd could cast 'Sleep' on who was inside!

He waits until all settles first, then moves in with the rest of the team. He quickly looked around to discern what was happening in here.

Ola nods in response to Ori's request and releases the tension on the bow string, but keeps the arrow nocked for quick use.  She watches the door they had just come through.  Someone or some thing could be coming this way.

"Okay Lloyd, you're up, drop them." he says as he opens the door for the wizard to cast! He stands aside allowing him plenty of room. Once it's done, he looks in the room before entering.

The flames from the firepit are low, but the embers hot.  The kobolds sit around it, discussing among themselves their plight.  The chieftain was killed, along with some of their clan. What would they do now?  The dead were fed to the crawlers.  Who among them would be chieftain now? A debate ensues until one notices torchlight flickering at the bottom of the door.  He hisses, drawing attention from the others and pointing at the bottom of the door.  Three of the kobolds leap back, loading rocks into their slings.  Four others grab their clubs lying at their feet. The last draws a dagger, preparing himself.

Orikson opens the door and moves aside out of the way of Lloyd and his spell casting. Upon opening the door, you see seven dog-faced reptilian humanoids.  Three are whirling slings over their heads, and four are charging the door with clubs. A few rose petals fall from  Lloyd's finger tips while uttering "Tu dormies omnes".  Immediately three of the charging kobolds fall to the floor in slumber. A rock sails past the charging kobold, striking Lloyd in the head.  His vision blurs, his eyes roll back in his head, and he falls to the floor, conscious but dazed.  Blood pours onto the floor from the impact site on his skull.  Ola releases a volley of arrows at the charging kobold. An arrow sticks in the kobold's club as it reaches the doorway.  She has to drop her bow and draws her sword as the kobold comes through the door and bashes her with the club.  The club breaks her non sword arm.  Two more rocks sail through the doorway, hitting the floor in the room. 

---

Lloyd is helpless and dying
K1 attacking Ola
K2 targeting doorway
K3 targeting doorway
K4 targeting doorway
K5 sleep
K6 sleep
K7 sleep


This message was last edited by the GM at 12:57, Sat 21 Jan 2023.

"See to Lloyd Okini, he looks bad!" he says as he swings his axe at the dog on Ola!

[Private to GM: 08:18, Today: Orikson rolled 0,12,4 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battleaxe attack hits AC5 for 4 points]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:26, Sat 21 Jan 2023.

Okini moves to kneel beside the fallen mage uttering the sacrament for healing. "Signore e Salvatore, ti chiedo di guarire quest'uomo attraverso di me, il tuo devoto discepolo. Amen."

---

Okini - Initiative. – [roll=1674311003.20021.372706]
Okini - CLW. – [roll=1674310974.50879.372706]

Bec uses the doorway for cover and fires two arrows at the kobolds wielding slings. 

---

Rebecca - Bow (init, tohit1, dmg1, tohit2, dmg2). – [roll=1674311384.04907.372707]
Init 4
Arrow1 hits AC10, 1 point
Arrow2 hits AC2, 2 points

Ola swings her sword at the club wielding kobold. 

---

Ola - sword (init, tohit, dmg). – [roll=1674311717.18219.372705]
Hits AC8 for 6 points

Orikson cleaves into the kobold's side at the same time Ola brings her sword down into the joint where neck and shoulder joins.  Her blade travels six inches before stopping, and the dwarf's axe head disappears into leather armor and flesh.  The kobold falls over, gurgling his last breaths.  Becca pops her body around the door jamb firing her bow and is hit in the shoulder with a rock causing her arrow to clatter against the far wall.  A rock sails harmlessly through the doorway, then a second one strikes Ola in the head, doing minor damage.  Perhaps a helm purchase in the future?

Okini lays hands on Lloyd, reciting the sacrament and the wound heals completely.  Lloyd's eyes open to find himself lying on the floor.  Rebecca's second arrow hits the first kobold in a line of three along the back wall of the room.

---

K2 - wounded - targeting doorway
K3 targeting doorway
K4 targeting doorway

Ori charges into the middle of the kobolds with slings to end their sling fight!

[Private to GM: 11:08, Today: Orikson rolled 5,8,10 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battleaxe attack.]

He swings his axe horizontally to try to get them off their marks!

Ola shoots through the doorway, rushing for the kobolds.  She attempts to slash with her sword at the first she can get to. 

---

 Ola - sword (init, tohit, dmg). – [roll=1674319853.00349.372705]  Hits AC7 for 6 points.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:52, Sat 21 Jan 2023.

Becca continues firing from her spot, flat-footed and partially concealed by the door jamb. 

---

Rebecca - Bow (init, tohit1, dmg1, tohit2, dmg2). – [roll=1674320211.53635.372707]
Init 2
Arrow1 hits AC12 for 6
Arrow2 hits AC11 for 3

Okini follows the others into the room and attacks the kobold closest to him. 

---

 Okini - init, tohit, dmg. – [roll=1674320364.92448.372706] hits AC7 for 7 points.

Ola is first through the doorway, brandishing her sword. Suddenly, from her right a kobold leaps from a barrel in the shadows, plunging a dagger into her neck.  Ola falls to the ground, her eyes fixed in death.  The kobold falls with her and tumbles to the side of the doorway as Orikson and Okini leap through. They don't have time to fret over Ola at the moment, as the kobolds unleash a volley of rocks at them. One sails past Orikson, another past Okini, and the last strikes Bec as she comes around the corner of the door jamb to fire her first arrow.  That arrow flies way wide of its intended target.  Her second arrow does not fare any better.

Orikson tries to hit the left most kobold, but it leaps to the side, avoiding the axe head and draws a dagger.  Okini  bashes the head of the right most kobold.  It falls to the floor with a broken skull.

lloyd spends the round getting to his feet.  He pulls his dagger free of its sheath and enters the room. 

---

K1 dead
K2 attacking Orikson
K3 targeting Bec
K4 dead
K5 sleep
K6 sleep
K7 sleep
K8 attacking Okini
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:24, Sat 21 Jan 2023.

Ori saw Ola fall dead and redoubles his efforts! but he misses the little whelp again!

[Private to GM: 13:26, Today: Orikson rolled 3,6,7 using d6-1,d20+2,d8+2.  Battleaxe attack. Die roller shall be our end! Can't hit shit.]

Okini turns to meet Ola's attacker. 

---

Okini - init, tohit, dmg. – [roll=1674327832.48992.372706] hits AC10 for 2 points.

Tears threaten to blur Rebecca's eyes.  There is nothing she could do for Ola, she just hoped she wasn't dead.   Peering around the corner, Bec fires off her first arrow, followed quickly with a second at the kobold across from the doorway. 

---

Rebecca - Bow (init, tohit1, dmg1, tohit2, dmg2). – [roll=1674327952.22338.372707]
Init- 5
Arrow1 hits AC9 for 6 points
Arrow2 hits AC0 for 5 points

Lloyd moves to help Okini with the attacker that fell Ola.  He lunges with his dagger. 

---

Lloyd - dagger (init, tohit, dmg). – [roll=1674328345.88931.372708] hits AC1 for 2 points

Ori throws his axe at the kobold to make it duck so he could draw his spear and reach it from a little range! Maybe they'll recognize their late leaders weapon!

[Private to GM: When it becomes my turn.]

The kobold that felled Ola turns, meeting this new threat. It lunges with the dagger, cutting through armor and into flesh.  Okini grunts with the pain and counter strikes with his mace, but the damnable kobold leaps out of the way.  Orikson and the other kobold square off.  The dwarf moves quickly to get a swing of his axe, but the kobold is quicker dodging the blade, then leaping in for a lunge with the dagger.  Orikson too feels the sting of the blade as it slashes his already damaged armor.  Becca peers around the corner and first a volley of arrows at the kobold across from her, attacking Orikson.  Her first arrow breaks against the wall behind them, but her second fells the kobold with an arrow impaled in its chest.

The last kobold standing hisses with vile spittle spewing from its lips. "Breee! Yark - yark!"

Lloyd comes up behind it and kills it with his dagger.

---

End of combat....

---

[Private to Orikson:
AC6  HP 5/9 ( S16 I10 W8 D14 C14 C17 )
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSW(12)
Main-hand/Battleaxe d8+4 THAC0 17 or Crossbow d6 THAC0 18 or Spear d6+4 THAC0 16
0P, 24G, 44S, 0C
24 quarrels]

[Private to Okini:
AC5  HP 6/6 ( S15 I12 W13 D13 C10 C9 )
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Main-hand/Mace d6+1 THAC0 18
0P, 24G, 44S, 0C]

[Private to Rebecca:
AC 6 HP 3/5 < S14 I14 W13 D14 C7 C10 )
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Main-Hand/Dagger or Bow  d4+1 or d6,  THAC0 18
0P, 24G, 44S, 0C
24 arrows
KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 40cp coins)]

[Private to LLoyd:
AC10  HP 4/4  SP 1/1  ( S10 I18 W14 D9 C10 C9 )
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Main-hand/dagger d4  THAC0 19
0P, 24G, 44S, 0C
Equipment: chain mail, shield, dagger, Adventurer's gear]

Bec immediately moves to Ola, but finds the woman is dead.  She gently closes her eyes.  "Gods damnit" she murmurs. "We should have let them come to us.  Two friends in the space of a few hours.  I want to leave this place."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Sat 21 Jan 2023.

"I agree Becca, search and find anything valuable then I'll carry Ola out for a proper burial. She was a great warrior, if only she had a helmet! How is everybody? We got enough healing to take care of the worse wounded Okini my lass?"

Ori was devastated over Ola, a shield maiden, a sister to him. He patted Becca on the back, then he started to help in the search, then he thought about what was in the hall! Were they coming here? He picked up his axe and gathered any unbroken arrows for his archers.

The room itself features well-crafted busts on pedestals (four against the north wall and four against the south) of old and venerable visages, a few of which can be recognized as more famous members of local clergy by inscriptions. The busts are plaster with thick layers of paint, which itself is darkened and old. There are ragged tapestries on each wall, but they are quite ancient and rotten.

The tapestries show some of the past history of the local region.  There is more violence than one might assume.

Orikson and Rebecca drink their potions of healing, closing their wounds and restoring vim and vigor.  Rebecca kills the sleeping kobolds against the advice of Okini who wished to bind them in place.  She reminds him that the kobolds have killed her friends and she will kill them, every single one she comes across.

The kobolds are not wearing armor but five have clubs, three have slings, one a dagger. She finds little in the way of value; 120 silver and 75 copper between eight leather pouches.  She gives each of her party 30 silver and 13 copper.  She puts the remainder copper in the kitty pouch.  She adds Ola's money pouch contents to the kitty pouch.  She takes Ola's potion of healing to replace her own.

On the floor behind the campfire are two bags, each tied to a four foot long pole for carrying between two people: one holds about ten pounds of silver in one and four pounds of copper in the other.  Becca looks around the room.  "Those busts might fetch five or ten gold apiece. We can each carry two maybe. "

---

<sup>[Private to Orikson:
AC6  HP 9/9 ( S16 I10 W8 D14 C14 C17 )
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSW(12)
Main-hand/Battleaxe d8+4 THAC0 17 or Crossbow d6 THAC0 18 or Spear d6+4 THAC0 16
0_P, 24_G, 74_S, 13_C
24 quarrels]

[Private to Okini:
AC5  HP 6/6 ( S15 I12 W13 D13 C10 C9 )
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Main-hand/Mace d6+1 THAC0 18
0_P, 24_G, 88_S, 13_C]

[Private to Rebecca:
AC 6 HP 5/5 < S14 I14 W13 D14 C7 C10 )
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Main-Hand/Dagger or Bow  d4+1 or d6,  THAC0 18
0_P, 24_G, 74_S, 30_C
24 arrows
KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 0_P, 24_G, 44_S, 40_C)]

[Private to LLoyd:
AC10  HP 4/4  SP 1/1  ( S10 I18 W14 D9 C10 C9 )
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Main-hand/dagger d4  THAC0 19
0_P, 24_G, 74_S, 30_C
Equipment: chain mail, shield, dagger, Adventurer's gear]</sup>

This message was last edited by the GM at 14:11, Sun 22 Jan 2023.

"I wonder who was in the hallway, and where they are now? Do we have to fight them, or can we leave?" He puts his axe away and wields the spear. The axe just was not doing it's job, it was betraying im when he needed it!

"We have made a full circle." Lloyd says. "The only place left that we have not checked is past the pits or finding some secret door somewhere.  We should probably leave."

"We tak'n the busts?" Bec asks.

"Someone may have moved through a secret door in the bone room." Okini says. "If so, they are moving this way or toward the caged room or beyond."

"I'm taking Ola out. She needs to be buried. She was my friend. If you want to take the busts out and sale, by all means. Ola is my load though. Take what you can carry. After we sale our haul, we'll go drink a cold one to Ola! Lead the way out Becca, do we want to come back, or find the secret door on the way out?" he asks the group.

"Quickest way out is north, away from the secret door" She says.  She leaves the old busts, but picks up both of the satchels of coins.  They can divide it up later in a room.

"Alright.  This way."

She moves to the north door which is painted with the words "My wife is a cow, her melk is clabbard"

Ori picks up Ola and carries her out, maybe raise her? That was expensive though, they didn't have enough coin for that. "I'm not leaving anyone behind. I was responsible for this, it was a bad decision to go in, I was wrong and Ola paid for it with her life!" There were tears in his eyes as he followed Becca out of the tunnels, his heart broken.

Rebecca makes sure everyone is ready, then exits the storage room and moves northward toward the painted door.  Just as she reaches it a very large concussive blast is heard.  This is followed immediately by the door blowing off its hinges and a blast of air pressure knocks every companion off their feet.  The torch is blown out, sending the room into darkness for those without darkvision.  For several seconds the ground rumbles around them before finally settling.

Ori made his way to his feet and he held the spear in hand, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. His ears were ringing and sound was deadened a bit. He peers though the dust in the air trying to see what was there!

He helped the others to their feet that he could.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:30, Sun 22 Jan 2023.

Coughing, Lloyd rolls over off his back and gets slowly to his feet.  He spits some blood from his mouth, having bit his tongue in the fall.

"Damnit!  They were supposed to blast the tunnel tomorrow I thought." he exclaims irritably.  "Now we are trapped."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 16:38, Sun 22 Jan 2023.

"I can't see shyte." Bec exclaims, coughing in the dusty room.  "My torch.  Where's my torch?"

Okini stands with Orikson's help, dusting off her clothing and coughing in the dusty air.  "Anyone hurt?" she asks. "We should have let the miller's know we were down here."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:47, Sun 22 Jan 2023.

"No, there is the secret door that we can exit through, we may have to fight our way out though. Let's go back the other way, be ready to meet whoever came in. Help me to pick Ola up, we might want to move faster. Why did they destroy it early I wonder? They knew we were coming back today, didn't they?" he questioned no one in particular.

[Private to GM: Oki = SHE ;-)]

Ori looks around to find the torch, he hands it to Becca and relights it before he picks up Ola, "Here it is Becca, I'll light it for you."

Becca takes the offered lit torch from Orikson.  She gives a half smile, which is to say better than no smile.  Progress.

"Okay.  This way." She says.

She leads the companions back to the bone room. Once there, she begins searching the walls for a secret door.

Ori carefully lays Ola down and begins to help Becca, using his Dwarven senses on the stone work. Becca seemed more relaxed toward him, Hobo must have been a good wizard!

Becca goes over every inch of the eastern wall, at least the portions that are accsssible and is relieved when Orikson steps in.

"There's nothing here Ori." She says wistfully.  "Maybe on the south wall, though it is more cluttered over there. I'll look there while you see if I missed something."

Bec moves the the south wall, looking through bones for switches or something that moves.

Lloyd and Okini stand near Ola's corpse in the center of the room while Bec and Ori search for secreted doors.

Several minutes pass (a turn) before finally Orikson finds a shifting wall panel of stone. After pressing in one a certain stone, the door slides easily aside. A passage is revealed on the other side, extending as far as Orikson can see.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:14, Mon 23 Jan 2023.

"I got it, over here. Lets get out before something else blows." He picks up Ola and follows Becca down the tunnel.

"I can't see the end, I don't know how far it is. Perhaps we should seal it up at this end too to keep whoever is in here, sealed until they die."

Bec nods at Ori, "You got something to do that with? I dont have any spikes or pitons."

Ori shakes his head sadly, "No, I don't have anything like that, I don't think any of us has. We can do it later, come back and block it I guess."

He looks to Lloyd and Oki, with questioning eyes, "You guys got any spikes or pitons?"

"What's a piton?" Okini asks, thereby answering Ori's question.

"I do not." Lloyd replies.  "Perhaps Ola had one or the other in her pack."

Bec rummages in Ola's pack and does not find any spikes or pitons.

"Okay, I guess we go on and keep a watch on our back." Bec says wistfully.  She takes up her torch again and heads down the passage.

The companions continue down the passage a ways until it comes to an apparent dead end.  Cursing, Bec looks for a secret something or other because there has to be a secret door, either here at the end or somewhere along the passage.  She finds nothing.  It takes Orikson less than a minute to identify the same type of mechanism used earlier and a panel of stone shifts to the side behind some tapestries. Pushing them aside, a room becomes visible

The room is laid out like a bedroom, with a bed, side table, four chairs and a table with a deck of cards on it, spread out as if four players had just laid their cards down and walked away. Also on the card table are a pair of bowls made of a rust-colored metal; 20 gold pieces are in one of the bowls. A door is across the room opposite the secreted door. It leads east.  Above the door is a trap, ready to be sprung.  A large axe is set to cleave anyone that opens the door and comes through.

Bec gives each companions five gold and stuffs the bowls into her pack.

---

[Private to Orikson:
AC6  HP 9/9 ( S16 I10 W8 D14 C14 C17 )
Saves: DR/P(8), W(9), TTS/P(10), DB(13), RSW(12)
Main-hand/Battleaxe d8+4 THAC0 17 or Crossbow d6 THAC0 18 or Spear d6+4 THAC0 16
0_P, 29_G, 74_S, 13_C
24 quarrels]

[Private to Okini:
AC5  HP 6/6 ( S15 I12 W13 D13 C10 C9 )
Saves: DR/P(11), W(12), TTS/P(14), DB(16), RSW(15)
Main-hand/Mace d6+1 THAC0 18
0_P, 29_G, 88_S, 13_C]

[Private to Rebecca:
AC 6 HP 5/5 < S14 I14 W13 D14 C7 C10 )
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Main-Hand/Dagger or Bow  d4+1 or d6,  THAC0 18
0_P, 29_G, 74_S, 30_C
24 arrows
KittyPouch (2 gemstones, 0_P, 24_G, 44_S, 40_C)]

[Private to LLoyd:
AC10  HP 4/4  SP 1/1  ( S10 I18 W14 D9 C10 C9 )
Saves: DR/P(13), W(14), TTS/P(13), DB(16), RSS(15)
Main-hand/dagger d4  THAC0 19
0_P, 29_G, 74_S, 30_C
Equipment: chain mail, shield, dagger, Adventurer's gear]

This message was last edited by the GM at 23:25, Mon 23 Jan 2023.

Ori takes the axe from the trap to take as a spare, if he can figure out how to get it, If he can't, he allows Becca the honor. "If all else fails, we can sell it too."

Orikson dismantles the trap, having to move a night stand and chair to reach it. He secures it to his baldric belt. Rebecca opens the door and finds another passage beyond. Orikson puts Ola over his shoulder. With torch in hand, Rebecca leads the companions through the passage that ends at a door.

Rebecca puts he ear to the door for several seconds and after not hearing anything checks to see if it is locked. It is not and she pushes it open, careful to stay out of the way of any falling battle axes. None fell and she enters. The room beyond is empty and shaped in an octagon. The floors are littered with the dung and detritus of various creatures passing through this room or making it their home for a while. A door is on the north wall and east wall.

Ori looks for tracks through the shit on the floor trying to determine the way out. "Get ready, you never know what is on the other side of the door, could be a whole tribe of the little buggers!" he whispers to the others as he looks. Becca,? Anyone else? See the right path out of here?"

Tracks of various kind leads one to suspect the east door. Bec goes to the door and puts an ear to it. The torch flutters momentarily as it passes the edge of the door.

Bec hears nothing unusual.

"let's go then, lead the way dear Becca, we'll start for the temple so we can lay Ola to rest. I'd raise her if I could afford to, perhaps we can mortgage ourselves to the temple to get her raised. What do you think?" he asks the others. His face was stoic but his eyes were red, he had been crying quietly in the dark.

Opening the door, the torchlight reveals a passage tunneled like the ones you have been wandering through for several yards before turning into a natural passage but not as wide. A fresh air breeze tickles the senses, but its not as strong as earlier, likely because the tunnel to the millers is collapsed.

"It looks like we're almost out, keep alert for whatever is still living in here. We'll tell the blasters about this end so they can blow it too."

"What if  instead, we use this place as a base of operations." Lloyd suggests suddenly following behind Orikson. "It is cleared out, but for one door. What do you think?"
This message was last updated by the player at 14:38, Wed 25 Jan 2023.

"There is this key I found on the dead guy in the pit." Rebecca says. "Never found a lock for it. It's got to be for somewhere in the passages. It's made of the same stone."

The natural passage twists and turns, going upslope and down slope before opening into a cavern about thirty yards across. There are no stalagmites or stalactites, but a ceiling of layered limestone and igneous rock. The floor slopes to a pool of clear water and the air has the smell of fish beds. There is an upslope path to the left that exits through an open fissure between rock and limestone. The floor there is littered with rocks and small boulders. Beyond that, vines and other green vegetation conceal an entrance.

The companions climb the short slope, navigating around the boulders to exit. They find themselves on a ledge of slate rock that juts out over the river. A game trail runs upslope to the left and after climbing it, the companions can see the mill below the ridge they are standing on perhaps a quarter mile away.

"Well, that's something we never thought about. I guess we can discuss it over a beer, if we have enough money for a beer." he says with a small grin, then he remembers Ola, "We'll need to have the crypts rehallowed and consecrated, the dead will stay dead there then. I guess we can look for the lock in our time now then too if we want to."

"The only church in the hollow is the church of Iomedae. We should take Ola there." Okini states.

Rebecca douses her torch in the water, noting several animal tracks at the water's edge. She tosses the used up torch over to the side of the cavern and rejoins the others, avoiding any boulders along the way.

The fresh air was relief. She takes in large breaths. The blast had dirtied the air in those passages more than she realized. The mid-morning sun filters through the leaves of the trees along the ridge.

Below, there is little activity at the mill. The miller's wife is tossing feed to some chickens that run the yard. Two children play tag in the trees on the slope behind the mill. A two wheeled cart sits idle next to a coup.

"They might let us use that cart Ori." Bec says. "You can't carry her all the way to town."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:18, Wed 25 Jan 2023.

"What god do you follow Oki? There is no church here? Perhaps we can build a shrine or establish a church for you someday in the nigh future." he said to her. He felt lucky to have such strong, tough women with him, all warriors through and through. He would miss Ola.

"The Archpaladin, the Invincible, the Valorious Knight, Heironeous." Okini states.  "Let's get you that cart."

She starts down the ridge toward the mill.

Ori, carrying Ola, marches on behind Oki along with the others. "I'll carry her, she was my friend and I got her killed. If I can, I want to raise her to fight on. Her work was not done in this world! I'll see the priestess to see if it can be done first though, it might not be possible I guess, I have no idea of the ways of gods." He just keeps plodding to the temple.

Ori heads for the temple with Ola, he was oblivious as to whether the others followed or not, he figured they would, then they'd go to celebrate Ola's life if all else failed. He seriously wanted to find out if she could be raised, he didn't have many friends other than this small group around him, he hated losing them and he hated getting to know new ones. When they got to the temple, he let someone open the front door to let him in, he would know soon, but he didn't feel real positive about it.

The companions skirt around the mill and walk back to town. It is slower going with two being encumbered and rest periods every so often. It is near the sun's transition to low sun when the party enters the west palisade gates of the lower road. They turn north onto Worship road after the paper mill and a short walk brings them to the church of Iomedae. It is one of the largest structures in the town not on Magnate Hill and built from stone.

A robed female acolyte and a diminutive female Hin are tending to some sheep in a pen to the right side of the building as the companions approach. "Janser, get Lady Cirthana at once." the acolyte orders on seeing the dwarf carrying an unconscious female.

"What happened to her." The acolyte asks looking the woman over.  She sees the open wound in her neck, stands erect and looks sorrowfully at the dwarf. "She has passed dear."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:02, Thu 26 Jan 2023.

"Of course she's dead, you think I didn't know that? She's my friend, can she be raised here?" Ori asks, his eyes red from crying on the way here. He knew it would pass, but he mourned none the less. "We rescued the children from the mill the other day, and went back this morning to clear it out. Kobolds jumped us and like fools, we rushed in. It was my fault!"

"I'm sorry for your loss." The acolyte says.  She walks to a cart and pulls the feed bags from it to the ground. "Place her here. It's a sturdy cart bought just yesterday."

She watches as Orikson places Ola's body into the cart carefully with Okini's help. Lady Cirthana appears from the temple's side entrance. She regards the deceased woman sadly before turning to the party. She nods at Okini.

"This is the result of your incursion back into the warrens?" Lady Cirthana asks plainly.

"Yes, I see even you knew we were headed back. They blasted closed the entrance while we were inside. We had to find a new way out. Can you raise Ola? She is my friend. While inside the kobolds got us. We killed them all."

Unsure of what he meant, Lady Cirthana adds, "Yes, your good cleric did mention your plans. I had hoped the healing potions would have prevented this from happening."

She looks down at the young warrioress. "Clearly it was not enough."

"Let's get her below.  On the other side of the building, the cellar doors lead below. Pull the cart in there."

"Sister Augtry, lead them into the undercroft."

"We will speak of the possibility of a raising."
This message was last updated by the GM at 23:55, Fri 27 Jan 2023.

"She didn'a have time for the healing potion, poor Ola was dead instantly." He replied to the priestess as he began following the acolyte. She led the way to the undercroft and Ori pulled the cart after him.

The cart is pulled into the undercroft of the church and the cellar-like doors closed and barred behind it.  The party winds through the passages, passing by vertical sarcophagus upon sarcophagus with stone effigies of holy men and women carved upon their stone coverings. Eventually, they reach a central oval room with a raised stone plinth in the middle.  The body is laid out upon it and Lady Cirthana regards the companions.

"Are you a devout group?" she asks, looking each in the eye; even the priest.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"You know that I am lady." Okini states.

"Nay, I do not devote myself to any one god lady."  Lloyd adds behind Okini.  "However, I do not deny the gods; their existence and power."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"Till recently, I gave no thought of the gods." Bec says with downcast eyes. "I do not deny they exist, but I do not worship one either, like Lloyd."

"I pray to the gods of my people, all of them that are good anyway, I respect the others, but do not worship them all."

"I will make the prayers and perform the sacrament to bring this woman back from death's grip, but Iomedae, will not Will it without a sacrificial oath. You will be compelled to fulfill an action, a  quest if you will, to benefit the church and the Will of Iomedae. Sometimes, it is as simple as a monetary donation, usually in a sum no less than twenty thousand gold.  Sometimes, it is a quest for an item.  I will not know until the Lady tells me her Will."

"If this conflicts with your beliefs, then there is nothing I can do for her." Lady Cirthana's intense, questioning look turns to Okini.  "What say you?  Is your friend's life worthy of such a sacrificial oath?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:04, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

Okini stares at Lady Cirthana for several moments, conflicted emotions contorting her facial expressions. He looks at Orikson, tears welling in the corner of her eyes, then looks down, thinking.

"Well?  Okini... yes.  You say yes." Bec says pleadingly.  "Why aren't you saying yes."

"Ori, tell her."

"I will not make you turn against your god lass, that would be wrong of me, I would never do that to you. I would raise you as well if you were to fall too, you know that. We will da what we can. Is there a way we can do it without Oki violating her beliefs and oaths to her god?"

"I'll do it." Okini says suddenly, cutting off a response from Lady Cirthana. "It'll be a service for good, no matter the oath.  I do not think it will conflict with my piety to Heironeous, though I am unfamiliar with your deity lady."

Okini turns to Orikson.  "I'll do it."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"I accept as well." Lloyd says.

"Yes.  I accept too." Bec says.  "What do we do?"

The air that Ori held in his lungs as he held it without willing to, came forth in a burst. He smiled and hugged Oki and the other girls and Lloyd. He then turned back to the priestess, "We haven't got 20,000 gold pieces, I don't think we have a hundred between us! But we will perform whatever quest she requires us to perform!"

Lady Cirthana nods, and pulls her holy symbol from her blouse.  It gleams with silver and rubies in the eyes of the beholders.  She then approaches Daniella, holding the holy symbol before the rogue. "jurare in veritate" the priestess utters, then fixes her eyes on Dani's.  Dani suddenly feels an inescapable fixation on Lady Cirthana's eyes.  She can not look away from those intense, stormy grey orbs.  "Daniella Schrumer. Do you swear to execute the sacrificial sacrament or suffer a god's curse for willful denial to complete the oath after Ola Deerbane's raising from the dead?"

When Dani answers yes, Lady Cirthana moves to each of the companions in turn who answer yes, finally coming upon the dwarf.  Lady Cirthana utters, "jurare in veritate" as she holds the holy symbol forth.

"Orikson Gnob.  Do you swear to execute the sacrificial sacrament or suffer a god's curse for willful denial to complete the oath after Ola Deerbane's raising from the dead?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:40, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"Yes I do! I take care of my friends and would in turn be taken care of too, I love them as clan members, she was of my clan and will be again." he answers long winded.

Lady Cirthana lowers the holy symbol and smiles warmly at the companions. "Very well.  Come back in the morning.  If it is the Will of the Lady, Ola Deerbane will be waiting. I will instruct you then on the onus of oath. If, for some reason, the sacrament fails, you will not be bound by oath. Now, if you will excuse me, I must begin some preparations.  Please take these stairs.  They lead to a doorway into the nave."

Lady Cirthana then exits the undercroft by way of said stairwell leading up.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:03, Sun 29 Jan 2023.

"Thank you Lady, thank you very much." They head out and gravitate to the tavern, with much cheer! They should have Ola back in the morning. The celebration would be great! Much food and drink!

"Let's go to the Duck and get something to eat and drink! I'll buy the first round!"

[Private to GM: Combined thread for the Duck? We're all gravitating there for the moment!]

Please continue in the Sitting Duck Tavern thread