Arla glances frantically between the room where Chloe is and the agitated lizards before nodding to Rall. "..I'll..I'll try. Help them."
Stepping back from Rall to where the lizards can see her clearly, but still keeping a good distance from them, the druid attempts to keep the lizards back while Bowen and Rall help Chloe and Savram.
The room suddenly lurches, pivoting as if on some great axis. The west wall falls away and the east wall swings high....Savram screams....Chloe falls right at the spears that are suddenly below her.
"Aiiieee!" Chloe can't help but scream as she feels the floor shift beneath her. Her eyes flicker with alarm from the kobold corpse to Savram's wide eyes, and then down at the fast-approaching spears. Determined not to end her life this way, she quickly flattens herself against the stones, spreading her arms out wide enough to try and control her descent, scrabbling and scraping with her booted feet to try and slow down.
Chloe manages to roll to avoid the worst.
"Oh...thank, Desna!" Chloe breathes as she realizes she only took a small scratch rather than becoming fully impaled like the kobold who preceded her. She looks back to Savram and motions toward him to stay calm. "It's alright," she tells him, "I'm okay..."
But the room is still on its side and there is a noise on the upper side as if something more is about to happen.
Chloe's eyes widen as she looks up with alarm. "Oh, no..."
Arla begins trying to calm the lizards, Rall fumbles for his rope and the young boy continues yelling in fear.
But as feared, there is more to the trap. Before anyone can do much of anything, the hammer wielding statues begin falling straight down towards the spear holding statues.
Chloe needs to make a reflex save to avoid being struck.
Savram, though out of the way of the falling statues is thrown back by the impact. He strikes his head against the far wall and collapses, unmoving.
Chloe tries to scuttle out of the way, behind the other statues, but she is slammed anyway.
For a moment there is silence and then the sound of further machinery can be heard...
"Rall do you know anything about traps or how to stop them?"
"Rall do you know anything about traps or how to stop them?"
"Not as much as I thought I did ..."
As Rall tries to handle the trap, the room begins to right itself.
A few seconds later and it is back to its original position. Rall figures he has a short period of time before the trap is reset anew.
"Umm...guys?" Chloe calls out, "Savram's in bad shape. I'm hurt, too...but he's unconscious as far as I can tell. If I can make my way over to him, maybe we can tie a rope around him and you guys can haul him up?"
Chloe searchs for a means to move between the spear-wielding statues and reach Savram without setting off another cycle of the trap.
The floor is flat again and the hammer weilding statues are being cranked back into their place on the other side of the room so Chloe can easily carry out the boy.
The floor is flat again and the hammer weilding statues are being cranked back into their place on the other side of the room so Chloe can easily carry out the boy.
Nursing her own injuries, Chloe makes haste to Savram's side, checking to see that he's okay. She offers a small prayer that Desna will ease his dreams while he's unconscious and help her return the boy safely to his parents.
She then scoops him up and hurries back to the entrance, huffing and puffing with the exertion over the last few steps.
"Here," she tries to catch her breath, wincing at her wounds once more as she hands him off to the others. She glances worriedly at the agitated lizards and Arla's attempts to placate them. "Are we going to be able to get out?" she asks.
Rall rushes into the room and attempts to figure out how to disarm the trap without setting it off.
It takes Rall twelve seconds to figure out how to jam the room so that it can't swing freely.
It takes Rall twelve seconds to figure out how to jam the room so that it can't swing freely.
Rall jams the room and lets out a small "whoop" of triumph.
"Well done!" Chloe calls as Rall announces his success, "At least that gives us more breathing room from those lizards. Arla? Let's withdraw in here for a moment. Maybe if we give them enough time, they'll settle down."
The sorceress looks around at the rest of the room. "Is there another way out of here? Or have we reached a dead-end?"
"Ow...my arm..." she complains, working her shoulder where one of the statues crashed into her, "Is anyone else injured? I can call on Desna's blessings to heal Savram and I...and anyone else, if you gather around."
Backing into the room Bowen gently claps Rall on the back. "Well done Rall."
Rall, unused to praise, flushes a bit.
Still trying to keep the lizards calm, the druid's attention has been mostly focused on the creatures, trusting the others to get Savram out of the room safely.
When Chloe speaks to her, Arla nods her head, still keeping her gaze on the lizards. Carefully, she backs off from thm, her movements deliberate and slow so as not to agitate them again. Only when she has lost sight of them completely does she turn to face the rest of the group. Seeing the unconscious Savram, the druid asks Chloe anxiously, "What happened? Will he be alright? Is everyone else ok?"
Arla had successfully calmed the lizards and as the party backs into the trapped room, they watch with rapt curiousity.
Chloe's channeling of positive energy makes everyone feel a little better and has the affect of waking the boy from his unconscious slumber.
There is another set of double doors on the north side of the room, across from the doors the group entered through. They are closed.
"Well do we want to chance the lizards again to get back to the rest or follow this door?"
"Well do we want to chance the lizards again to get back to the rest or follow this door?"
"Given all that Savram's been through, I don't want to risk a confrontation with those lizards if we can help it," Chloe replies while out of earshot of the boy, "But we also have no idea of what horrors lie beyond. Shouldn't we try and circle back to find Edgrin and the others? If he can get the children we've found so far out of here, then we can go search for the others..."
Arla glances over at the double doors before looking behind her to the room with the lizards.
"..The lizards could be dangerous. But we know that they're there, at least. Through those doors, it could be completely clear, or it could be something worse that we walk into."
The druid pauses, before looking at Bowen.
"Between us, we could hopefully keep the lizards calm enough that Chloe, Rall and Savram can pass by behind us. Then we could go back to Edgrin."
She gives Ash a reassuring scratch behind the ears as she speaks, the large dog keeping close to her for now.
The druid pauses, before looking at Bowen.
"Between us, we could hopefully keep the lizards calm enough that Chloe, Rall and Savram can pass by behind us. Then we could go back to Edgrin."
Rall nods his assent to Arla's plan.
The short trip back to the halfling and children is soon accomplished but happy as the small bard is to see the adventurers, it is apparent that something is wrong. The exact problem is made clear within seconds.
"Kimi left!"
"I had my back turned and she slipped out of the room. I think she wasn't happy being left here while you searched."
Bowen sighs, "She wants to be an adventurer so bad she doesn't realize how many die before they get well known."
Thinking along that same trail of thought he turns to the others, "I sure hope she doesn't go after that demon thing by herself. Rall you feel up to demon hunting?"
"Demon hunting? Of course ... but ... shouldn't one of us stay here with the boy? ... And, by one of us, I mean me?"
"Kimi left!....I had my back turned and she slipped out of the room. I think she wasn't happy being left here while you searched."
"Damn it!" Chloe curses, "That girl's as strongheaded as...as...well, me...when I was her age." The sorceress looks around at everyone else. "We're all really beat up...running low on just about everything. And Rall over there...well, he looks pale as a ghost. How much further can we go trying to save everyone before we ourselves fall in the effort?"
She gently guides Savram over to Edgrin, and then pulls the halfling away for a private conversation. "I'll go with the others and try to find Kimi...and Tynan...and any of the other children, if they're still alive. You keep Savram here, you understand? Don't let any more of these kids out of your sight. We owe it to them to see them safely back to their parents."
Then, Chloe rejoins Bowen and Arla.
"How's everyone holding up?" she asks, "I can push on a bit further myself, if necessary. And in all honesty, it seems pretty necessary. I'm afraid I can't tell you much about the tunnels in the rest of this place. We were all running scared and not paying a lot of attention to our surroundings while being chased by the kobolds. But, regardless, I'll do my best to support you if you're willing to help find these kids and get them out of here."
Just as the party is coming to a decision as to what to do, Kimi pokes her head back through the door.
"Did you find him," she asks and then when she sees Savram, safe and sound, she elatededly rushes over to hug him.
When confronted, she confesses she doesn't feel right letting others go look for her friends without her, but she didn't see which way they had gone and subsequently found herself upstairs with a dead wolf. She is a little emberassed but not really repentant.
When confronted, she confesses she doesn't feel right letting others go look for her friends without her, but she didn't see which way they had gone and subsequently found herself upstairs with a dead wolf. She is a little emberassed but not really repentant.
Chloe shakes her head at the girl's explanation, but seems at a loss over how to control her. After all, she's not Kimi's mother. And even, if she was, Chloe imagines that wouldn't offer any better recourse to managing the strongheaded young lady.
"So you made it upstairs?" the sorceress finally seizes on the last part of Kimi's conversation. She looks around to the others. "Then we can get out of here. Or, at least, we can get Edgrin and the children away from these monsters."
She holds up a hand to stall Kimi from objecting. "I understand you want to look for your friends, as well. I don't really like it," she says to the girl, "But you're safer coming along with us than trying to sneak along behind us."
"Can someone give Kimi a dagger?" Chloe asks, "At the very least, you'll arm yourself. But don't try and get involved in any fights. It's just to defend you, okay?"
With the news about Kimi's disappearance, Arla's heart sinks. This place was deadly, and the girl could easily get herself into a terrible situation.
"I'm alright myself, although Ash has taken some scratches from earlier.." Arla answers in response to Chloe's question, looking over at her canine companion. "I don't think I will be able to draw on nature's blessings much now either, but I can still wield a spear."
As Kimi reenters the room, relief washes over the druid. The girl seemed safe and well, which was more than fortunate. At Chloe's request for a dagger, the druid draws her own blade from her belt.
"Here. I prefer using a spear in any case."
The southern door is lockable, the northern door is in splinters.
The room the party stayed in the previous night was in the ruins above the dungeon and as Kimi proved the way there is still clear. It might take a while for others to find out the Worg is dead.
"It would seem prudent to find the exit," Chloe states, "We can't expect to sleep here with an open doorway and kobolds skulking about. Better that we find a place under the stars instead."
As long as everyone is in agreement, she then suggests that Kimi help Bowen lead them out...
Arla nods to Chloe. "Is everyone ready to go?" the druid asks as she heads over to the doorway of the room, Ash at her heels and her spear at the ready, in case of any further trouble.
"Is everyone ready to go?" the druid asks as she heads over to the doorway of the room, Ash at her heels and her spear at the ready, in case of any further trouble.
"Yes. Come along, Savram. Kimi, you too..." Chloe shepherds the children as gently as she can given all they've faced.
Once they all enter the top room Bowen begins removing any of the dead creatures from the area and puts them in the old sanctuary.
"I think we should still take watches. I'll take middle watch."
Turning to Rall, "Don't feel offended but I think you would do best just to rest the night through."
With all the preperations through Bowen turns to the children but thinks better of trying to comfort them. Never being accused of having a way with words he doesn't wish to upset them any more then they already are.
"Oh, and Kimi. Please stay with us, I know you wish to help but one alone is not going to do anything. Trust me even your father would ask for help on this one."
Once they all enter the top room Bowen begins removing any of the dead creatures from the area and puts them in the old sanctuary.
"I think we should still take watches. I'll take middle watch."
Turning to Rall, "Don't feel offended but I think you would do best just to rest the night through."
With all the preperations through Bowen turns to the children but thinks better of trying to comfort them. Never being accused of having a way with words he doesn't wish to upset them any more then they already are.
"Oh, and Kimi. Please stay with us, I know you wish to help but one alone is not going to do anything. Trust me even your father would ask for help on this one."
Rall glances at Bowen, says nothing, closes his eyes and sleeps.
At the mention of her father, Kimi looks differently at Bowen, "Do you know my da'?" she asks after a bit.
Meanwhile, things in the area seem quite.
The day is not yet ended, indeed, it is only early afternoon by the time the adventurers and their new wards make their way back up to the ruins above the dungeon.
Edgrin shows himself to be a capable home-maker as he sets about rearranging the room to best allow everyone to camp comfortably. Savram asks weakly about the others still in the dungeon, but in general, no-one seems to want to think to much about the children not yet recovered.
Edgrin shows himself to be a capable home-maker as he sets about rearranging the room to best allow everyone to camp comfortably.
"Thanks, Edgrin..." Chloe quietly offers as the halfling busies himself with the camp responsibilities. It's actually a relief to see the normally jubilant fellow find something to do other than running for his life. But then her eyes notice Savram's haunted expression.
Savram asks weakly about the others still in the dungeon, but in general, no-one seems to want to think to much about the children not yet recovered.
Chloe crosses the distance and squats down next to the boy. "It'll be okay," she tells him, "Remember, those kobolds captured and held all of us. So I don't think they're interested in harming the others...at least, not right away...not until they figure out what to do with everyone. That means we've got time to rest. And then, I assure you...I will go back for them. These others as well. Now you rest easy."
She goes back to pick out her own sleeping spot for the night. Then she catches Bowen and Arla's attention to pull them away for a moment so they can discuss things.
"It'll be night in a few hours," she says, "The kobolds get more active then. That's probably when they'll either start figuring out what to do with the captives...or come looking for us again. If we can rest and regain our strength between now and then, I'm thinking we might surprise them by taking the fight right to their door."
"You, me, Arla, and Ashe...and the deputy over there...hopefully, we'll be enough to find the rest of those kids and rescue Tynan," she says, "I'm guessing Arla and I need some meditation time...and some sleep. If you take first watch...and then maybe Edgrin...that should give us enough time to prepare ourselves. Then, I say we storm those caves before the kobolds can come out here looking for the children again...what do you think?"
"I've never had the pleasure to meet your father but we live similar lives. Even legends had to start small and use help before trying the daring things that they do."
Bowen nods, "I'll take first watch but I don't think we should wait till morning. By evening we will all be better rested and should continue then. I'm not willing to wait any longer than that."
"...If we can rest and regain our strength between now and then, I'm thinking we might surprise them by taking the fight right to their door."
"You, me, Arla, and Ashe...and the deputy over there...hopefully, we'll be enough to find the rest of those kids and rescue Tynan," she says, "I'm guessing Arla and I need some meditation time...and some sleep. If you take first watch...and then maybe Edgrin...that should give us enough time to prepare ourselves. Then, I say we storm those caves before the kobolds can come out here looking for the children again...what do you think?"
"I'm tired but ... If you think we can do it with one more push, then let's do it. Let's get this done and get home."
The hours of rest speed by and soon the sunlight is dissapearing from the sky.
"It'll be night in a few hours," she says, "The kobolds get more active then. That's probably when they'll either start figuring out what to do with the captives...or come looking for us again. If we can rest and regain our strength between now and then, I'm thinking we might surprise them by taking the fight right to their door.""You, me, Arla, and Ashe...and the deputy over there...hopefully, we'll be enough to find the rest of those kids and rescue Tynan," she says, "I'm guessing Arla and I need some meditation time...and some sleep. If you take first watch...and then maybe Edgrin...that should give us enough time to prepare ourselves. Then, I say we storm those caves before the kobolds can come out here looking for the children again...what do you think?"
Arla nods in agreement with Chloe. "That sounds like a good idea. We should get what rest we can now."
The druid settles down to rest shortly afterwards, Ash curling up beside her. On awakening, she spends some time in quiet contemplation. She much preferred to be outside for her meditations, but the room would do for now. Feeling more refreshed, the druid rises, giving Ash a gentle scratch behind the ears.
"How is everyone feeling?" she asks the rest of the group quietly.
"Like I slept with my mouth open and a minotaur shat in it," says Rall. "But, I'm ready to go."
"How is everyone feeling?" she asks the rest of the group quietly.
"Better than before..." Chloe greets the dawn. She stretches and then prepares her things for the task at hand. She has a word with Edgrin about keeping the children out of trouble. Then she eyes Kimi to make sure that goes double for her, despite the fact that they're taking the older girl along.
"I'm ready when the rest of you are," she finally announces.
" By evening we will all be better rested and should continue then. I'm not willing to wait any longer than that."
Chloe greets the dawn.
Do we want an evening or a dawn departure? :)
"Rall you have a way with words." Turns to the others, "Are we ready to continue?"
"Let's go. Let's finish this or die ... Let's finish this."