"Perhaps two particular daggers are needed. We should move on until we find them."
"Yes, that sounds like the plan until we can find a way to open this."
"The passage over there?" Emraeal points to the rough-hewn passage to the north.
"Indeed."
The party decides to leave the treasury for now and head into the rough hewn passage. Entering the passage, the party sees a pair of low barricades made of timbers and rocks partially block the passageway, which opens into a larger cave beyond.
Garen tries to follow Boris.
Emraeal will stow his shield away for the moment and try to follow Boris.
Boris begins to climb the barricade and feels himself trigger something...
As a couple of broken off stalactites swing toward the bearman, he manages to duck and avoid being pierced with the rocks!
After triggering the trap, the party is able to climb over the barricades and move further into what turns out to be a cave, of sorts.
This large cave appears to have been recently scratched from the hard-packed earth, and its ceiling is only five feet high. Several tons of debris fill the western portion of the cave. What appears to be the body of a man lies half buried under the rubble near the north end of the cave.
The dead body near the north end of the collapse is the late Balthus Hunclay, a white-haired, balding human clad in now-tattered finery, crushed by fallen stone and earth. The only item of note on his person is a key ring that contains two keys, one iron and one brass.
"Hmm," Emraeal says thoughtfully as he shifts some of the rubble about. "I'm fairly certain this collapse did not occur naturally."
He spends a few minutes examining the walls and the direction in which the rubble has fallen. "Yes, I'm quite certain of it. This collapse was manufactured. Someone wanted this place to fall, and probably wanted to take down Hunclay with it. Let's keep going further and get the treasury on the way out. Maybe we'll need to find out more about this Hunclay fellow when we get out of here."
"Who would do such a thing?"
Shozole is fully entertained by jingle keys, imagining how to use them with the Treasury locks, maybe. He compares the length of his dagger to the keys to see if they would possibly match up.
The party heads north out of the cavern into a smaller tunnel leading north. After a short time, the tunnel splits. Going north, the tunnel ends in a circular chamber with a hole in the floor. Going west, the tunnel continues for about fifty feet then ends in another circular chamber where a few small piles of furs laid out like nests are heaped near the walls.
As the party begins to enter the chamber, Garen notices three kobolds attempting to hide within the chamber!
A kobold, that looks to be the leader, fires it's bow at Boris!
The arrow flies through the air and sticks into the bearman!
Garen will cast to bolster the party!
Emraeal begins to chant once again!
"To be willing to march into Hell for a heavenly cause!
And I know, if I'll only be true,
to this glorious quest,
that my heart will lie peaceful and calm,
when I'm laid to my rest. . . "
Allies with 30 feet gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, but also take a –1 penalty to AC. While under the effects of skald rage, allies (other than the skald) cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. Affected allies are fatigued for 1 round after they’re no longer affected by the song (whether because the skald stops maintaining the song or because they’re no longer in range).
Garen casts a spell, blessing the party!
Emraeal begins his raging song!
The two other kobolds begin whirling their slings!
They release their slingstones at Boris, but their aim is off!
Boris lets out a roar and takes a swipe at one of the kobolds. The little creature's body snaps as its hit with the paw-like hand and crumples to ground, unmoving!
Shozole, knowing they're reacting enough to prevent him from going unnoticed, moves out to the room! He then calls out in Draconic!
Shozole rushes into the room, yelling in his native language! The kobolds seem shocked to see one of their kind. The leader seems unaffected by the display, but the other most certainly seems shaken!
The leader answers Shozole's display by putting another arrow into Boris!
"And the world will be better for this,
that one man, scorned and covered with scars,
still strove with his last ounce of courage,
to reach the unreachable stars!"
Emraeal moves into the room reciting his poem and swinging his mace at the kobold. . . the non-Shozole kobold.
Emraeal moves into the room and swings at the kobold, but misses it by mere inches!
Garen will double move next to one of the archers.
Garen moves into the room!
The kobold who is not a leader drops his sling and grabs his spear.
The kobolds stabs with its spear, but misses.
Shozole will then study the leader-ish kobold (Favored Target) and draw crossbow!
"Sniffbearman! I said you would eat them if they did not stop and they didn't stop, so feel free to eat them!"
Garen attacks the lead kobold, but misses!
Shozole studies the leader and tells Boris to hammer it!
Boris uses his martial maneuvers and attacks the lead kobold with power! The strike hits, injuring the kobold badly.
The kobold steps to the south of Boris and dropping its bow, grabs a spear and stabs at Boris.
The kobold jabs the spear into the bearman, but just misses a major organ.
Garen keeps slashing with the blessing of the inheritor behind him.
Emraeal finishes his verse and isn't sure what to say next. He looks worn out.
Emraeal swings his mace at the kobold, but it dodges the blow.
The kobold returns the attack.
The spear jab goes wide as the kobold over extends.
Shozole will step into a no-cover position between him and the leader and fire!
Boris strikes the kobold again, nearly bringing it to its knees!
Shozole fires a bolt, but the shot goes wide.
The kobold leader jabs at Boris again, but he manages to dodge the spear.
So. Tired.
Garen steps forward and swings tiredly at the kobold.
Garen and Emraeal both miss their targets!
The kobold near Emraeal stabs at him, but misses!
Shozole grumbles at the cover now in place as he reloads, then steps up to fire on the grey avatar one with minumum cover!
With a mighty blow, Boris puts down the lead kobold!
With the leader down, the party quickly dispatches the remaining kolbold!