No matter how hard he presses his ear against the smaller door, all he hears is silence.
" I think this must be a different room. I can't hear anyone in there. "
I can scout ahead if need be, but either way, be prepared for an assault. What do you say?
As Elwë sees the rest of his team making their way down the stairs, he eases up and lowers his greatsword gently to allow its honed edge to rest upon the floor. Quietly he would whisper to them, "Sorry for my delay. I went off to secure the immediate area around our camp and when I returned I came to find that you had already left. I hope I have not missed too much."
Olden smirks at the elf, No not much though we are set to kick the doors open and start a fight. I'm not sure it is wise, but it should make for a good story.
The bard sheathes his rapier and pulls a bow from his sack, winking at the.others If we live.
" ach, Don't worry we can take em... But maybe we should check out these other rooms before we do. It could give us more options."
Oskar opens the door in front of him just a crack and as quietly as he can takes a peek through
Oskar opens the door and ... sees a hall. Ten feet wide and heading north for forty feet. There is a door straight ahead, and the hall seems to dogleg to the left just before it.
Malaki stalks quietly down the hallway, searching for traps and listening for the lumbering brutes sure to be down here somewhere.
"Good," the elf would respond simply to Olden before taking his time to move down the hall with Malaki.
As the door swings open the bard frowns ever so gently, How anticlimactic...this stays out of the tale I think. As the others move down the hall Olden hangs back with Oskar, bow at the ready.
Concerned about attacks from behind, Luthia will move to the other small door (the right, assuming Malaki went down the hallway that Oskar's door opened onto) and open it a crack, peering in to see what lies beyond.:
It's pretty dark. What are you guys doing about light? The place is windowless.
The corridor does dogleg as it appeared to, and a second door enters in from the western wall just at the corner. Listening at the doors reveals nothing but silence, but from down the hall, out of sight there is a noise, voices and clattering.
Malaki will refrain from using light as long as possible, but if the time comes when they have no choice, he will light up a torch or allow one of the others to use a light source. No matter the source, he will prefer not to hold the light himself, and will attempt to remain in the shadows at the edge of the light, to better hide himself.
Still moving quietly, Malaki will search both doors for traps, locks, or anything else distinctive and then crack each one open, taking a quick look inside.
Elwë will take up position at the side of the door, readying himself to charge in if the need arises.
Oskar stands in the door way with Olden taking his helm off he gives his head a scratch, watching Malaki and Elwë stalk into the dark. He puts his helmet back on and takes his lantern out of his pack charging it with oil and lighting it he hooks it on to his belt.
Olden gestures to the lantern, I could carry that if you like. Not sure it makes sense jostling about on your person and if there is a fight, I could put it down before I use my bow... The bard has a slight smile on his face almost as if imagining the dwarf fighting a melee with a lantern strapped to him.
" I guess you can if ya like. I thought it might draw more of the enemies my way, it takes a mighty blow ta get through Dwarven armour see... Still might be safer. " Oskar unhooks the lantern and holds it out to Olden.
Malaki will refrain from using light as long as possible, but if the time comes when they have no choice, he will light up a torch or allow one of the others to use a light source. No matter the source, he will prefer not to hold the light himself, and will attempt to remain in the shadows at the edge of the light, to better hide himself.
Still moving quietly, Malaki will search both doors for traps, locks, or anything else distinctive and then crack each one open, taking a quick look inside.
[dice=Search]1d20+9
Edit: not saying I should be able to see anything new. Just reminding you as you asked what we were doing for light...
Luthia opens the door to the right to discover another hall. There is a door on the left 40' down, immediately before the hallway comes to a T, with halls continuing left and right from there.
Malaki and Elwe find no traps, and when Malaki opens the west door, he sees another hallway. Three doors open off of it (one to the south, two to the north) and another hall intersects it about forty feet down, going north.
The door to the north opens into a 40x40 room that appears to be an armory of some sort, full of helmets, spears, shields, clubs and axes. All are giant-sized, of course, and of no particular use or value. There is another door in the SE corner.
Malaki slides both doors shut and pads up the hallway, towards the noise he heard before. Looking back, he will motion for the others to move up some.
Elwë would nod down the hall to indicate that Malaki was welcome to continue to take the lead. He planned on staying near the man in case if things should turn for the worse, but he was content with letting Malaki do his job as Elwë had little experience with traps.
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Elwë would fall in line behind Malaki with graceful steps while keeping his unsheathed greatsword hovering above the ground to prevent it from making any noise.
Roughly 60 feet past the dogleg, the hall is dimly lit by the dancing orange light of a fire. At 80 feet, the hall widens to 20 feet, and at that point, another massive set of double doors opens in the east wall. Opposite these doors is an open doorway, equally massive, which is the source of the light, and the noise.
As Malaki watches, a giantess emerges from the open doorway, crosses the hall carrying a massive platter bearing what appears to be several trussed and roast elves. She opens the double doors, and the noise of the giants celebrating is nearly deafening. A moment later, she returns, without the platter, closes the doors, and crosses back through the open doorway and out of sight.
Elwë eyes widen at the sight of his dead brethren, before quickly narrowing into a look of pure rage. His gaze locked on the giantess, he starts to move forward, but finds his path blocked by Malaki's back. Then, remembering he is not alone, he forces himself to slow down, otherwise he would have likely charged the monster for what she had done to his kin.
"I will kill every last one of these giants," he whispers softly. He said it not only for Malaki's to hear, but as a promise to himself.
Seeing her companions disappear through the other door, Luthia closes the door she was looking through and follows Olden and Oskar, keeping watch for enemies from the rear…
Malaki sneaks up just far enough to get a count if the number of giants in the kitchen like area, then moves back to the others to relay the information.
Malaki ... let me have stealth and perception rolls.
Stealth
Oskar stalks along the hallway staying near Olden. He's attentive scanning the hall ahead watching the two scouts ready to charge at the first sign of trouble.
Malaki - you remain undetected. You aren't sure of the numbers, though there appear to be several giantesses, as well as maybe a dozen ogres and more orcs than you can count. Aside from kitchen equipment, they are unarmed.
Malaki stalks back to the others.
This way leads to a kitchen of sorts. I saw several Giants, female I assume. A dozen ogres, and more orcs than I could swiftly count. A door across from the chamber leads to what I assume is some manner of feasting hall. The noise of these lumbering brutes was deafening, so I can only speculate on how many lie within.
"That is fantastic news. Hordes of idiots. and no development from the fire we set as yet..."
Luthia bites her lip, thinking hard.
" If only we could engender some hatred against the giantesses from the orcs and ogres. We need allies or we will get swamped. Perhaps I could feign true orcishness and create some kind of particularly egregious disturbance?"
Luthia looks at the assembled adventurers….
"Oskar. You and I go in with me trussed up and you with an eye patch or some other evil-looking "disguise", and mention to the giantesses that we've run out of elves and that they should remember that the orcs are next on the menu? Something like that?"
" Heh, I don't think anyone in there is gonna be happy to see a dwarf. No matter how evil I'm lookin'. " Oskar takes his helmet off again and scratches his hair again. "Maybe if ya tied my hands or somethin' but to be honest I think we're over thinking this. They're all unarmed, them in the meeting hall probably are as well. Let's just butcher the big bas##rds and be done with it aye? "
Elwë would chime in after Oskar to show his agreement with the plan.
"I have to agree with our Dwarven friend. If we try such an elaborate plan and it fails, we have given them more time than I like to react. Surprise is our ally at this point in time."
Agreed. Oskar, Elwe, take point with me. We will charge in and attempt to scatter them in the confusion. If anyone has any spells or such to effect a large amount of our foes, now would be a good time. Olden, you seem comfortable with that bow. Provide us with ranged cover, and if you are able, seal off the large door! That way the enemy cannot count on reinforcements. Above all us, we want the Giants in the feasting hall to remain unaware of our attack. Luthia, you seem to move quicker than any of us. Join the melee, but be prepared to assist Olden at the door if need be. Does that seem like a workable plan to each of you?
"Let us deal with this foe quickly and precisely," Elwë would respond simply while readying to charge down the road.
As you pretty clearly have surprise, each of you will have a turn before the enemy can retaliate.
After which, Malaki, Elwe and Olden can take their second round actions.
Elwe : a favor, if you would put a note on your header about init. Advantage
Maliki: I'm? On my phone so no rush.
Thanks. Elwe. It makes or easier to handle things quickly