Dorian steps up to the doorway. "Allow me to take a quick look." He then casts detect magic and scans the room for any magic auras.
"No footprints in the dust. No children. Locked and trapped door. We can come back later when we have found what we are looking for."
Darthal seems increasingly concerned about the fate of the children down here.
Diurn opens the small chests. Each contains a dusty wool blanket, an off-white tabard emblazoned with an insignia depicting a wooden gear with a yellow, eight-pointed star in its hollow center, and old personal effects.
This room looks like it hasn't been disturbed in decades.
"Darthal is right, we can come back and check out these foot lockers more later. Lead on."
"I'm thinking that other door in the entry chamber first," Darthal says. "Bad idea to let foes get between you and the exit. After that, maybe those tunnels in the room they sprung out of."
"Okay, that room's cleared. Let's check those tunnels. I think I'll start with the easternmost."
With that the dwarven rogue sticks his head in, sniffs around, and makes his way.
Darthal, and presumably the rest of us, follow along, remaining in the room outside the tunnel. Darthal keeps a wary eye on the door towards the staircase.
After a minute or so, he wonders aloud "Why didn't they barricade the entrance more strongly? Guards, a block, a sentry with a horn? These skulks seem fairly careless of entry into their lair."
Dreygard sneaks down the tunnel, which goes on for nearly a hundred feet before curving around to the north and then back to the east, where it branches to the north and south.
"Maybe they relied more on secrecy, that their lair wouldn't be discovered. After all, we needed a priestess to converse with her god and get a riddle in order to find them in the first place. I'm sure they weren't expecting that!"
When the scout reports back, Diurn suggests they go left.
Darthal frowns, comparing the map the gnome gave us with the tunnel course as reported by Dreygard. "Do those tunnels slant down or something? It seems like they must be going under the floor of the other chambers on this map. It looks as if we've found a real set of secret tunnels, maybe made by someone else, and not just the gnomish secret doors. Though if it were made by someone else, where did they put the stone? Or maybe these are never-finished sewer tunnels, though I'd not expect a gnome to have thought of such practical matters. Clockwork-driven automatons to empty chamberpots, that's what they'd use."
Darthal moves over and examines the tunnels, to see if he can find out anything about how they were made, how old they are, and if it looks like anything has ever used them.
Eying the narrow tunnel Dreygard disappeared into that the party as a whole is about to enter, Valamont draws a broad-bladed, twin-tined dagger from a sheath at the small of his back.
He whispers cheerily, "Yes, I agree. Twisting narrow passages none of us fit in that lead to Nethys knows where... very dangerous. I'm sure we'll be perfectly fine and that nothing untoward will happen while we're all crammed inside though, so don't worry, mother."
As part of the rearguard we are extra alert after we bear left at the junction and listen carefully at the junction before catching up with the others.
Per
Dreygard follows the left branch, keeping an eye out for traps and secret doors as well as paying attention to the slope.
DS:
DCP:
DCS:
Dreygard advances to the north while the rest of the party moves up to the tunnel intersection.
The tunnel curves into another room. In the far west wall is another five-foot wide, rough-hewn tunnel. The rubble left by the excavation of these tunnels has been pushed into the northeast part of the room, leaving the rest of the chamber clear. A few rat bones litter the floor, but otherwise the room appears empty.
As you quietly scan the room, a voice rings out from the western room. ”Taral yan zyggek!” Your eyes dart to the tunnel on the opposite side of the room, catching a glimpse of a small humanoid in filthy black rags as it runs down the tunnel.
A few moments after Dreygard leaves, you hear a voice echo down the tunnel. ”Taral yan zyggek!”
"What did he say?"
We are on the way to help.
Darthal moves forward as well, but behind Sir Adolphus.
Dreygar tries to identify the humanoid that he saw.
Dreygard flashes the lamp to indicate to come here. He tells the first to arrive what he saw.
Luc runs up to Dreygard, "What happened and who was that?"
"We are right behind you, let's go."
Valamont guardedly moves with the group down the unworked tunnel, his broad-bladed dagger held ready.
"Hush, mother. This is not the time for 'I-told-you-so's'."
"Oh man, it's getting away!" Dreygard drops the lantern and runs to the other side of the room trying to catch the creeper.
Luc follows, pistol drawn, locked and loaded.
Fickle hand of fate:
As you rush forward, a large metal object appears out of nowhere and wallops you upside the head. Reeling and dizzy from the blow, you look to the south and sees a metal monstrosity standing where none was before. The thing looks something like a four-legged metal lobster with spiked wedges instead of claws. Instead of a head, it has a round opening at the top of its body. Soft “pinging” sounds come from the opening.
As you move towards Dreygard and the voice, you hear another, much more troubling sound - that of a heavy object thudding into flesh and a dwarf yelling in pain.
"ACK!" Dreygard reals with the blow and scurries away from the lobster. "Shoot it!"
Diurn rushes up to see into the room.
Darthal, being stuck behind Adolphus, delays until after he goes, then moves up and aids the AC of whomever he is behind.
Darthal, being stuck behind Adolphus, delays until after he goes, then moves up and aids the AC of whomever he is behind.
Valamont catches Diurn's eye as he makes to move past him and nods decisively, "Go on and help Dreygard, Diurn. I'll make sure nothing rushes in on us from behind."
Luc guards the rear as everyone advances.
Fickle hand of fate:
Dreygard stumbles through the rubble but manages to retreat from the creature, but the terrain slowed him down more than he’d thought, and he wasn’t able to get as far away as he’d have liked.
Diurn rushes forward to the bend in the tunnel.
You see a creature that looks something like a four-legged metal lobster with spiked wedges instead of claws. Instead of a head, it has a round opening at the top of its body. Soft “pinging” sounds come from the opening. Dreygard has retreated from the creature, a large bleeding welt on the side of his face.
Dorian stays back, waiting for his armored friends to take the lead before risking advancing.
The creature’s “head” swivels back and forth between Dreygard and Diurn’s position. A few sparks and some steam escape from its back, and it does nothing else.
Adolphus draws his greatsword and hurries to his ally’s defense.
Darthal moves forward as well, ending up behind Diurn.
Valamont and Luc stay behind, both guarding Dorian and keeping an eye out for creatures that might sneak up on them, like the skulks did earlier.
Diurn will prepare an Enlarge Person on Adolphus and stay in his spot.
Darthal yells down the tunnel "Big mean metal lobster, don't know what it is!", then steps forward to aid Adolphus' AC.
Once the tunnel ahead clears up, Dorian moves to stand behind Darthal. "Big mean metal lobster?" He racks his brain to try to remember something that fits that description.
"Metal.... lobster? I hope none of you are allergic to shellfish!"
"Metal.... lobster? I hope none of you are allergic to shellfish!"
"I must be. I just had a severe reaction to that thing!" Dreygard cries while spitting blood.
Luc moves up 4 spaces (or as close as possible) and readies the same action.
Fickle hand of fate:
Dreygard, still reeling from the attack, stands still and concentrates on keeping his balance and defending himself.
Diurn begins casting his spell.
The sparks and steam erupting from the creature’s back subside, and it slams a claw at Adolphus, who neatly parries the blow with little effort. He steps to the side and unleashes a heavy swing of his own, but doesn’t connect.
Darthal steps forward and attempts to distract the creature, but is himself distracted by nearly slipping on the trail of blood Dreygard left as he retreated.
Valamont holds steady in the back, keeping a watchful eye out.
Luc moves forward, but also watches the tunnel behind.
[Round 3]
Completing the spell that enlarges Adolphus, Diurn shifts left to attack at the creature.
Darthal aids Sir Adolphus, and if there's room takes a 5' step to let more people come into the room. (I am assuming Adolphus once he enlarges and has reach will take a 5' step west to allow more people to help.)
Dorian shouts, "I think I migth have heard of these... I'll know for sure once I've seen it myself!" and remains where he is until Diurn moves to attack the creature. He then advances up the hallway and flings an orb of acid at the creature he can now see.
Dreygard will limp to D2 and keep an ready an attack against any creature that comes out of either hall.