Grumthar will sleep as needed and help with overnight watches, chatting up the ogre if he is awake as well.
Einar awakens after a rough night of sleeping, "Das verdammte Oger ganze Nacht geschnarcht, warum haben wir sie töten?" pulling rations out of the pack that he carries for Shae Oakenshield he tosses a crusty loaf of bread to Shae, calling out "Shall ve break zee fast bevore ve head into zee hallvay?" pulling out another loaf, thinking for a moment the calls out "Oger" tossing the large humanoid the second loaf, he removes a third for himself.
After Einar wolfs down his bread he shoulders the pack, placing the ioun stone back around his head and picking up the mace he heads to the hallway, 'the ogre said east but not north or south, north it is.', "Vee shall head Norden, ya?" Turning to the north Einar begins to follow the hallway, keeping a keen eye out.
Coming to the first intersection fairly quickly he calls back pointing with the mace first north and then east, as he shrugs his shoulders."Norden oder Osten? hat jemand geben ein Kesselflicker verdammen?"
Grumthar fillets some of his rat meat into thin strips and tosses it into a pan over a small cooking fire. " Master Shae, would you be so kind as to purify this before we eat? Fresh meat anyone?"
So, our ogre friend says that the orc leader is to the east, or whichever way is 'that way', Grumthar says pointing in the same direction the ogre did. "Should we seek out Orghar and the orcs or avoid them? There may be something to be gained from seeking them out, if nothing else their supplies, but they may have more information as well."
Before turning in for the night, Shae gathers everyone together to say a prayer for a safe night's rest and asks Bolka to make everyone feel rejuvenated.
Also, at Grumthar's request, he purifies the food so the group can eat it.
After resting Jamadar leads the renewed search onward.
"Should we seek out Orghar and the orcs or avoid them? There may be something to be gained from seeking them out, if nothing else their supplies, but they may have more information as well."
Agromite takes the offered meat gratefully and immediately rips off a corner with his teeth. "Normally I'd say avoid orcs, but wandering aimlessly around this place seems a quick way to get ourselves dead."
"Any information is better than none."
Einar continues mumbling under his breath in Kellid as he leads the team north, following the hallway north and then east, keeping a keen eye out as the hallway widens he eventually stops at the door on the north wall and turning and asking. Agromite, meine gnome Freund, vould you inspect ze door, Ya?"
Follows the large man, also keeping a sharp eye out even on the ceiling. He has his axe out as if he's expecting danger at any moment.
"Someone should open the door and peer in this time. I can send the dancing lights in as well if it will help."
Agromite, meine gnome Freund, vould you inspect ze door, Ya?"
"Still not sure what youre saying, my large friend, but I better check out this door......." Its hard to tell from the gnome's expression whether he is serious or he is just messing with the northerner.
Jamadar also checks the portal, using detect magic as well.
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The room beyond is dominated by a huge pillar in the center of the room, some 10 feet in diameter and rising from floor to ceiling. Defaced images cover every inch of the column leaving no clue as to what they might have been. Several open doorways lead out of the room, but they were obviously of little use to the orc corpses that litter the floor. Several bodies of reddish, leathery, octopus-like creatures are scattered about, one still attached to an orc's head. A pack of rats, each the size of a small dog, are scavenging the bodies. They hiss and snarl as the door is opened.
Well at least the rats are doing well ... maybe it is truly they who run this place...
"Hopefully they'll die quick and taste good."
?
"Quick, are we rushing in or drawing them out?"
Rats....I HATE rats!
Agromite readies his weapon. "Let 'em come to us, could be more in the corners. Don't want to get overwhelmed....."
The gnome hopes he does not sound scared, but its hard for the longshanks to appreciate just how big these vile things look when youre gnome-sized.
Einar, grasping the Morningstar in both hands, which are shaking slightly with the thought of the adrenaline coursing through his body; looks at Grumthar eyes wide a smile starting, "vill die Ratten leave za food to attack? Ich sage, wir eilen sie, ya?" realizing the last part was in Kellid he reiterates "I zay ve Rush zem, ya?"
Jamadar hisses a warning, shooting at one with his bow and taking a step back to make room.
Heh, well you left me out, but that's my fault for pre-posting my initiative instead of waiting for you.
excited to see action, and wanting to put the ogre incident behind. Einar rushes into the room, happily waiving the Morningstar in both hands as he closes in on the nearest rat, "AAarrrrgggh" with a roar he swings the borrowed weapon at the rodent.
Hearing the sound of battle, Shae steps closer to the doorway and stands next to Klevum.
"Let's see what you can do," he says as he says a prayer and touches him on the shoulder.
Grumthar will move enough to get LoS on a rat and activate his Tremor ability.
Pulls out his sling, and swings the bullet around his head and launches it at a rat.
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It is only by the grace that the rat is engaged in eating that Klevum's attack connects, but the result is no less impressive. The bullet takes the creatures head off cleanly.
Einar rushes in, swinging wildly at one of the rats, but the blow falls short.
Jamadar fires, catching one of the rats in the flank, but not killing it, before stepping back.
Agromite hesitates, wanting the rats to come to them, but his words are lost in the flurry of attacks and Einar's roar of battle lust.
Grumthar summons a tremor, leaving one of the rats prone.
The rats surge forward, intent on defending their meal. Two attack Einar, but both miss the big man. Two, including the one that he dropped prone (having struggled to its feet), come for Grumthar. Only one gets an attack and it misses. The rat that Jamadar wounded moves to the doorway and bites at Agromite, but cannot hit the agile gnome.
glaring at the rat his missed with hatred Einar screams as he swings the Morningstar at furry little vermin again.
Jamadar drops his bow in favor of his rapier and stabs at the rat on Agromite.
Grumthar takes a 5' step to give Agro a flank and defensively casts .
vs DC 17
Success, AC now (MA 15/11/14).
Wow, what was I thinking. I did not see those other rats.
"We could use some exterminators in here. Particularly ones with large weapons..."
Taking advantage Grumthar's tactical move the gnome swallows his fear and lashes out at the wounded rat. The coordinated move is a success, Agromite's sword cutting into a sensitive spot.
Not seeing any openings, Shae drops his battle axe and shield.
Take the opportunity to drop the sling and take out his axe and shield, reading an attack if a rat decides to charge.
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As Shae and Klevum switch out weapons, Einar smashes one of the rats threatening him. Jamadar jabs at a rat in the doorway and Agromite finishes it off with a quick thrust. Grumthar casts mage armor on himself, silently questioning the wisdom of entering this room.
The rats, for their part, seem intimidated by the sheer numbers facing them, but they fight on. One bites at Einar, the other two snapping at Grumthar's heels. Fortunately for the heroes, none of the rodents are able to connect.
Snarlng at the rat that bit at him "verdammte Ratte!" he again swings the Morningstar at furry little vermin attempting to crush it.
Steps up to the rat that had attacked Brumthar, and swings his axe at it attempting to cut it in half.
Assuming that Klevum takes out another rat, Jamadar moves past and attempts to skewer the remaining rat on Grumthar.
Grumthar takes a 5ft. step up next to Jamadar and fires off a glob of acid at the nearest rat but misses in his haste to step away.
for
Shae pulls out his long spear and readies an attack if any rats come out the door.
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The group reacts quickly to turn the tide and two more rats are slain (by Jamadar and Klevum), while the one facing Einar turns and runs.
A quick search of the room is made. The rats have nothing on them, and the orcs (7) each have a suit of studded leather, a falchion, and four javelins. You also find a small block of silver that someone has been whittling, a gold nosering, a small leather bag containing three deep blue uncut gems, a set of well worn ivory knucklebones, a silver and gold bracelet with images of dolphins, and a golden feather woven into an orc's hair.