Ivo sensing the need for caution decides to creep forward as well.

Stealth (1d20 7=25)

He raises his eyes in astonishment at the transformation of his companion. Hmm I'll have to get him too teach me to do that he thinks to himself.

Hearing the sound Branomonirk directs the "scout " that way.

Branomonirk's scout returns and reports that the left passage terminates in a large chamber filled with small creatures. Unfortunately that is all it's limited capabilities allow it to tell you.

Gal and Pavel

Soll heads in the direction the ranger indicated, keeping an eye out for any 'small creatures' that may lurk in the gloom. Regrettably, his bulk impedes somewhat his capabilites at moving unseen.

Stealth (1d20+5=9)

Branomonrik looks from his scout" The left is a dead end..filled with small things" With that he sends he scout down the other tunnel.

Kelindra keeps a close eye on Pavel. Her longsword is already drawn. She prepares to cast Bless at the first sign of battle. Knowing that she is far from stealthy, she keeps her movement to an absolute minimum.

Perception check (1d20+6=23)

I watch silently for a moment, trying to figure out what these creatures are and what they're up to before taking action.

Knowledge: Nature (1d20+5=9)
And there goes my luck.

Gal is somewhat distracted by the strange creatures...and he has no idea what they are
Perception=14 (+2 if Sight & Sound)
Knowledge Nature=7

Pavel and Gal

A slightly spooked Pavel bellows,"All right, that's enough o' that!" and goes for the nearest reptile with his bastard sword.

Initiative (1d20+3=19)
Melee attack, one-handed Bastard Sword (1d20+4=15, 1d10+3=12)

Understanding the hideousness of the ritual if nothing else, the huge (normal sized ;-) golden wolf that is Gal growls and charges to rip the throat out of the nearest Reptilian.
Attack=25
Damage=8
GM, is this a surprise round? Or do you want Initiative rolls too?

Understanding the hideousness of the ritual if nothing else, the huge (normal sized ;-) golden wolf that is Gal growls and charges to rip the throat out of the nearest Reptilian.

Attack=25
Damage=8
GM, is this a surprise round? Or do you want Initiative rolls too?

This is a suprise round.

During combat, please include both attack and damage rolls so that things can move along quicker.

Gal grabs one of the reptilian creatures by the throat and shakes it. The creature stumbles back and brushes against the central pillar. As soon as it comes into contact with the pillar, black tentacles begin to wrap around it and drag it into the inky darkness. Meanwhile, Pavel's swing catches another creature at the waist and slices it in half.

"Intrudersss," hisses the apparent leader, which wears a wolf's skull as a helmet. "Dessstroy them."

Ivo hearing the sound of combat moves forwards to look.

Knowledge Dungeoneering, Religion, or the planes. (1d20 7=21)
What are these things.

Assuming Ivo is not part of the surprise round.
Initiative (1d20 3=11)

Ivo hearing the sound of combat moves forwards to look.

Knowledge Dungeoneering, Religion, or the planes. (1d20 7=21)
What are these things.

Initiave=12

Going for the Mr. Wolfskull if he's within reach, otherwise anybody else suits me fine.

Bastard sword, one-handed (1d20+4=7, 1d10+3=5)

Well, at least I made a menacing first impression.

Charging in, going after one of the little buggers, don't care which:
Initiative: 1d20+2 [13,2] = (15)

To Hit: 1d20 = (4)

Damage (as if there's a point): 1d8+1 [3,1] = (4)

Ivo steps into the Frey his Warhammer twirling...

"Die stupid Kobalds"

Warhammer Attack (1d20+2=22)

Critical confirm (1d20+2=16)

Hot damn!

Damage (3d6+3=14)

"Little fellow packs a punch don't he"

Initiative 1d20+4=15

Watching as the others run headlong into battle with the small reptilians, Gin surveys the area; Fully confident in the others ability to protect themselves. Knowing that while his primary goal is the protection of these adventurers, his secondary was to observe what was really behind the murders.

"They'll be fine. Their foes don't look to imposing," as the words fill his head, Gin remember the necromancer and moves to his side for his protection.

Gins not entering combat unless the other appear to need it. Until then he'll stay beside Branomonrik soaking up information about their surroundings and guarding him of course. Perception 1d20+7=19

Seeing the skull of a wolf on the leaders head sends Gal into a fury. He races to sink his teeth into him.
Attack=25
Dam=12
Guess he was really mad

Init 11

Branomonrik stays out of the fight for now keeping to the back. After the creatures are dealt with he will move among them casting bleed to make sure they are dealt with for good. But for now he will stand back and let the other deal with this unless they get close enough to strike at with his staff.

Soll hefts his falchion high as he maneuvers into the fray. Selecting a likely target, he attacks...

Initiative (1d20+4=23)

Falchion Attack (1d20+5=12)

Damage (doubtful...) (2d4+7=13)

Unless of course the Kobolds were flatfooted, then...

Sneak Damage! (1d6=2)

Soll rushes in and swings his weapon in an arc, and when he strikes, a large chip flys from the floor of the chamber. Meanwhile, Pavel rushes past a group of stunned kobolds, swing for their leader, unfortunately his off balanced swing misses by a halfling's hair. Kelindra also swings and misses.

Gin decides to hang back and protect the wizard. Gal rushes forward and grabs the kobold leader by the throat, and it collapses to the ground. Meanwhile Ivo smashed another kobold's head into a mess of pulp. Branomonrik stood back and used his magic to bleed the kobold leader. The kobolds swarm to attack you. Despite the pressing mass, only Soll gets hit, twice, by the beasts sharp pointy spears.

Rolled a 19 and a natural 20. Did not confirm crit. Soll takes 6 damage

The half-orc roars in pain as the little beasts thrust their spears into his flesh. Gritting his teeth, he chokes down the pain and attempts to maneuver past the kobolds into a flanking position with either the Cleric or halfling for a better strike...

Acrobatics (1d20+7=27)

Falchion attack (1d20+5=15)
(+2 if I can get into flank, right? Total: 17)

Damage;sneak (2d4+7=12, 1d6=1)

Soll is now flanking with Kelindra.

Going after the nearest kobold.

Bastard Sword, one-handed (1d20+4=16, 1d10+3=11)

Used to flanking techniques with his fellow wolves in the wild, Gal moves to flank with whichever of his comrades is closet (Likely Pavel) and attacks the next Kobold.
Attack=10 (12 with Flank)
Dam=7

"Hmm, they are quite skilled", Gran observes to himself as the group manhandles the reptilians.

Ivo thinks this maneuvering around the kobalds to increase the chance of hitting is a grand idea. He attempts a somersault to end up flanking one of the creatures as well, and attempts another mighty blow.

Acrobatics (Tumble) (1d20 9=29) And plants the landing.

Warhammer Attack (1d20 2=14) +2 more if he achieves a flanking position.

Ivo spends an inspiration point on damage (1d6 4=8)

Three more kobolds drop as Soll, Pavel, and Ivo all connect with their strikes. The kobolds continue their onslaught, striking Ivo once with a spear and Kelindra twice. Meanwhile the black pillar begins to pulse, almost like a heartbeat.

Kelendra takes 6 damage, Ivo takes 4 damage

Kelindra shrinks back from the onslaught and grimaces in pain. She raises her hand to her shoulder and it comes away with a smear of blood. She sees that the big half orc is also bleeding. She holds up her longsword to parry another blow and swings at the closest creature.

Initiative [1d20+2] = 11
Attach [1d20+1] = 5
Damage [1d8*1] = 8

How many kobolds are left? And how many people can stand across the entrance to this room and attack? Do the staked humanoids look like they might be alive?

Attacks another kobold (hopefully one attacking somebody else), maneuvers a bit closer to the entrance.
Attack, one-handed bastard sword (1d20+4=17, 1d10+3=12)

Pavel shouts to his comrades over the fight.

"Call me thick, but I don't think pillars are supposed to beat like that, eh? What'dya say we try pulling back a little, getting clear in case it...I dunno, explodes or turns us all into man-eating jackrabbits or gets us acquainted with the face in there?"

Hearing the Ranger's words and already wary of the unnaturalness of the black pillar, Gal also keeps away from it and attacks a kobold harrying one of his wounded companions, again trying to flank if possible.
Attack=1d20 6=14 +2 for flank
Dam=1d6 6=11

Meanwhile the black pillar begins to pulse, almost like a heartbeat.

"By the Titans, what is going on", Gin looks on as the pillar begins to beat.

Perception to see if I can tell what, if anything, is causing it to beat 1d20+7=24. History to see if anything like this has appeared in Mithril before 1d20+7=18

"Maybe we should try to take this fight away from the pillar" Gin shouts to the others.

"Branomonrik, do you have any clue what that pillar is?"

Ivo takes a hack at another of the stupid kobalds grimmacing in pain at the wound he just took.

Warhammer Attack (1d20 2=20)

Warhammer Damage (1d6 1=2)

The pulsating column distracts him for a moment, as he tries to puzzle out its purpose.

Knowledge (Arch & Eng, Dungeoneering, History, religion, or the planes) (1d20 4=7)

"Hmm I've never seen anything like that" he thinks to himself. "I've got to end this combat soon and check that thing out".

Branomonrik backs away keeping an eye on the black pillar. He searches is inner knowledge for clues as to what this thing may be.

rolls in order knowledge arcana,planes and spellcraft21 ,8 ,18

How many kobolds are left? And how many people can stand across the entrance to this room and attack? Do the staked humanoids look like they might be alive?

There are seven kobolds left standing, the entrance is only about 10 feet wide, but the room itself is 30 ft by 50 ft. Yes the people tied to the stakes are alive and struggling to get free.

After dispatching the one reptilian creature, Soll dives across the floor seeking to get the drop on another...

Acrobatics (1d20+7=13)

Falchion Attack (1d20+5=8)

(not sure why bother, but...)Damage; Sneak (2d4+7=13, 1d6=4)

As he swings, he looks up at the pulsating pillar. Strange, but since it wasn't immediately trying to kill him, he shrugs and turns back to the small beasts...

Branomonrik backs away keeping an eye on the black pillar. He searches is inner knowledge for clues as to what this thing may be.

rolls in order knowledge arcana,planes and spellcraft21 ,8 ,18

Branomonrik studies the thing from a safe distance. "I do not know what this is, but I can say it is made of shadows given form"

Kelindra, obviously distracted by the strange, pulsating pillar, keeps missing her attacks.

Knowledge Religion: [1d20+5] = 17+5 = 22

Kelindra, obviously distracted by the strange, pulsating pillar, keeps missing her attacks.

Knowledge Religion: [1d20+5] = 17+5 = 22

Pavel and Gal drop two more kobolds. Ivo manages to strike a glancing blow and the creature yelps in pain, but does remains on it's feet. Realizing the predicament that they are in, the surviving kobolds turn and run towards the deep shadows that still obscure the other end of this chamber.

David Fryer wrote:

Meanwhile the black pillar begins to pulse, almost like a heartbeat.

"By the Titans, what is going on", Gin looks on as the pillar begins to beat.

Perception to see if I can tell what, if anything, is causing it to beat 1d20+7=24. History to see if anything like this has appeared in Mithril before 1d20+7=18

Watching as the last of the reptilians scramble Gon's attention comes back to the pillar. "What should we do", his eyes dart from mperson to person.

"No doubt the capture and erradication of those reptiles is important. But I think we should try to find more about this pillar. Atleast try to destroy it"

Pavel pursues the fleeing kobolds, keeping them away from the captives.
Bastard Sword, one-handed (1d20+4=5, 1d10+3=9)

"Leave the column for now; cut the prisoners loose, we'll see what they know."

Gin makes his way to the stakes, and begins cutting at the prisoners binds.

Gal stands guard with Pavel (or at another entrance if there is one) against the return of any enemies while the prisoners are freed