Endar stands there motionless, though his eyes move back and forth frantically.
Mordenaar's once-over of the room reveals, in addition to the cage with iron chests, two small, inch-long slots in the floor; one just east and the other just west of the cage.
"I agree with Kinn, if there is nothing here of value then we should continue or head back to rest up."
Any hint as to their function?
Mordenaar would need to make a Kn (engineering) check for that.
what's in the chests?
To find out, Mordenaar would have to open them.
To open them, Mordenaar would have to get inside the cage.
Endar inspects the cage for a place it can be unlocked.
Then tries to do so.
Endar is eaten by a grue...one he did not see.
Mordenaar doesn't know exactly what either slot is for, though they look like something thin might be able to slip inside of them.
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"Hold a moment," Kinn says before Mordenaar gets too far. He scans the cage thoroughly, wary of sharps edges or other nefarious architecture. Seeing none, he plants his feet close to the edge of the cage and grips two of the bars, elbows flared out. He pulls as hard as he can to make space to slip through.
Kinn strains as he pulls and pulls on the bars.
He strains hard enough that he flatulates just a little. The bars do not move, however.
Valgrim watches the holy warrior struggle and then says "Noble effort" and then moves away upwind from the man...
Down the tunnel to the north, a pair of low barricades made of timbers and rocks partially blocks the passageway, which opens into a larger cave beyond.
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Mordenaar looks back and makes a strange, strained face, a hand sign for short, then one for stabbing, then one for choking another person, finally another stabbing motion.
It can mean only one thing; goblins ahead.... or kobolds, or mites,
barricades of debris, always the sign.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Valgrim slings his bow and takes his scimitar out and then follows the slayer through the passage.
Kinn does not detect any evil from the barricade nor from the cave beyond.
As Mordenaar makes his way past the barricade, several broken-off stalactites swing down like
pendulums to strike him!
The slayer is nimble enough to avoid the crude trap, however.
Beyond, the large cave appears to have been recently scratched out of the hard-packed earth, and its ceiling a mere five feet high, causing all who enter to stoop. Several tons of debris fill the western portion of the cave, and what appears to be the body of a man lies half buried under the rubble near the north end of the cave.
Valgrim quickly makes it through the narrw passage and once on the other side he sheathes his sword and draws his bow again...
He then looks around...
"Look there..." he says pointing to two bodies on the ground..."2 more Kobolds and they seems to have been digging"
"I do not recognize the body."
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"Poor sod was crushed to death. I don't recognize him either, but it's the first human we've seen here. Nice catch Endar, I didn't see them. I figured something like that would be around. Let's be thorough here."
When he says the word "thorough" he spins his gladius in his hand before looking about. Once satisfied that there is neither treasure nor knowledge left to be gained, Mordenaar moves forward quietly.
A search of the white-haired, balding human clad in now-tattered finery reveals nothing more than a key ring, on which are a simple iron key and a slightly larger brass one.
The kobold bodies, which succumbed to falling stones and earth like the human, have noting of value on them.
The tunnel winds along, splitting in two. Off to the right, it shortly ends in a small cul-de-sac with a hole in the floor that drops down past the extent of Achmed's darkvision.
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Let's figure out if it's another floor below us. If it is, I suggest we hit it tomorrow before alerting whatever might be down there. I say we back track and determine the locks for these keys.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Is it wise to press on? I have no manner in which to heal others at this time."
"We can explore the one more passage, I think. Let's do that, and then rest up."
Valgrim moves to a position to cover the slayer...
Mordenaar stealthily creeps down the cave tunnel.
But not as stealthily as he thought, as a bow twang and a number of yips and growls suggests!
Achmed sees two short, reptilian humanoids with scaled skin and a snout close in on the Slayer, while another deeper in the darkness fires her bow at him!
Surprise round
kobolds
Achmed
S
Suddenly the Kellid sees two small shapes leap out of the darkness on either side of him!
Both spears hit (five dmg total)!
Posting action for round 1, assuming the action is still legal by then:
Endar moves up behind Mordenaar and stabs past him at a the (southern) kobold with his pike.
Achmed draws his sling!
With a snarl and a *twang*, the bow-wielding kobold shoots at Mordenaar!
Round 1
Mordenaar — up
Valgrim — up
kobolds — TBD
Endar — TBD (miss)
Achmed — TBD
S — TBD
Kinn — TBD
Endar calls out, Make way for my mighty pike!
Valgrim shoots an arrow at the closest kobold...
Mordenaar's blade drops Blue, and he studies Green!
Valgrim fires his bow, but misses!
Green stabs at the slayer!
The little menace then steps alongside its fallen comrade, trying to keep the pink skins at bay!
Endar tries to hit it with his pike, but is unsuccessful!
Round 1
Mordenaar — slice
Valgrim — pew
kobolds — poke
Endar — miss
Achmed — up
S — TBD
Kinn — TBD
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The slayer's breathing sounds labored as his wounds stack up. Trusting his teammates to take care of the kobold close by, he goes all out after the kobold in the back:
If successful and he's not dead:
THREAT
Mordenaar doesn't care how risky it is. Victory or death.
Achmed's sling bullet smacks Green alongside its head!
The kobold in the back shouts something!
She five-foot steps and shoots her bow at Mordenaar!
But her attack sails wide!
Round 1
Mordenaar — slice
Valgrim — pew
kobolds — poke
Endar — miss
Achmed — sling
S — pew
Kinn — TBD