"Stop, wait!" Lym hisses. "The lizards are in the next room! We need to proceed with more caution!"
At Lym's warning, Kellen does his best to slow his movements and cautiously peer ahead to see if he spots anything.
"So anyone have any suggestions?" Whispers Tomaru. "I'd rather not get into a scuffle with them right now, or ever, really.
Thordak shrugs, "Ya got me, lad. If there's a way to avoid 'em, I'm for it. We got bigger fish to fry."
Kellen eases back away from the next cave. He whispers to the rest: "Two lizards - medium sized ahead. Doesn't look like their lair; more like they're hunting for food. Only way forward is through them, unfortunately."
He looks at the others and then adds. "Some options come to mind. We either go ahead and start using the bark to get them away from us; we wait it out to see if they leave; or maybe one of our stealthy folks goes with some invisibility to scout ahead."
With a sour look to acknowledge Tomaru and Thordak's last comments: "Or we fight 'em, and hope that don't create more havoc with the rest of the colony."
Thordak sighs. "Blast it all! I say we just mow 'em down then and hope we aren't heard. Waitin' 'em out could take all night. We don't have all night."
"Maybe an offering of food will convince them to let us pass slowly by."
"I liked our first option, making them run away from us through the use of fire and smoke. If we can achieve that, maybe they will kill some ogres on the way. Burn the bark, I can drive the smoke in on some wind." says Rhianni confident in the plan they ere discussing before their arrival here.
She shrugs at Tomaru, "You really think such creatures can be bought off by providing a morsel of food, when we ourselves are would be more tasty as the main dish." She turns her head, looking towards the rest before her eyes alight on the dwarf, when she says quietly, "You will have enough time to bloody your weapon Thordak without taking these on."
"I like the idea of using them to rampage through the fort as a diversion, but I'd like to know what's ahead first. There's only two up ahead. We might be able to make our way past them is all I'm saying."
Looking at Tomaru, Kellen adds: "For only two, you may be right. Alright, let's the save the smoke option for now for a bigger bunch, and see if food will serve as a distraction. Anyone know what lizards will eat? Some dried meat maybe? I'm short on fresh meat to throw their way." He says the last with a shrug, but offers to sneak in and throw something their way for a snack.
She shrugs at Tomaru, "You really think such creatures can be bought off by providing a morsel of food, when we ourselves are would be more tasty as the main dish." She turns her head, looking towards the rest before her eyes alight on the dwarf, when she says quietly, "You will have enough time to bloody your weapon Thordak without taking these on."
"Sounds good ta me. I don't really have a desire in wastin' our time on these things anyway." He nods in agreement with the sorceress.
"Ya got me, lad. No idea what the buggers eat," he responds to Kellen, shrugging.
"Try distracting them with some sounds or movements behind them. They are hunting."
"That's a fine idea Praxim, what prey do you think they hunt? Do you think, dog or sheep?" asks Rhianni with a smile.
"Any rustling that doesn't sound like a lizard would probably be fine. Maybe a deer?"
Rhianni steps slowly and quietly, tip toes like a mouse to get in the place to cast her spell. Behind the lizards, on the way they came, the sound of shuffling hooves can be heard. Almost as if some stray deer had wandered into the caverns behind. The sounds seem to get louder, as though the deer get closer, when you hear a clash of antlers, and the hoove steps seem to recede a bit.
Deeper, so they can get around them.
There is a sharp hiss, a flash of light, and the smell of ozone. Then claws on stone, the echoes receding back into the cave.
"Well done," Lym whispers to Rhianni, while she briefly rests her hand on the Varisian's shoulder. "When we have some more time, let us go through a few training drills I learned back in Nex. They might be useful to you if you wish to enhance your skill with illusions even further."
Praxim continues scanning for evil auras as they move deeper into the caves.
As Rhianni sees the creatures move deeper into the caverns, she moves her slender hand over her brow, sweeping away the beads of sweat that had grown. A soft sigh leaves her lips as she beckons the others on.
"Well done," Kellen mutters to Rhianni before moving forward into the cavern as quietly as he can and looking around.
"Hm. Nice work, lass." Thordak compliments as he follows in step behind the rogue.
The tunnel leading north from the waterfall cave takes you to a smaller cave, about 20' by 20'. It is empty save for the well-discussed wooden planks along the floor. The only exit is another tunnel continuing north from where you are. The wooden planks - on the floor - lead to that tunnel.
"Be careful," Lym mutters. She once again shakes her sleeve, sending Limmerick ahead. "I don't like the look of those planks for some reason. Kellen, can you check for traps?"
The bat flutters head, down the tunnel, senses primed for even the least sign of danger -- augmented by a cantrip from his Wizard.
"Fair enough," Kellen says quietly at Lym's request. He moves carefully into the room as he inspects the planks and room.
There are no issues with the planks, but something is not right with the left-hand cave wall...
Limerick detects nothing.
Rhianni,stops a moment, as she watches Lym and her friendly bat take stock of the situation. Heeding the word of the magic user, she looks at the dwarven fighter and Kellen, words soundlessly leave her lips, Careful, listen to Lym's warning. She starts to straighten her clothes, not wanting to look dishevelled any longer than she needs to, in the presence of her friends.
Limmerick comes flying back, circles over Rhianni's head deosil twice, then shoots back to Lym and crawls into her hood.
"He didn't spot anything," Lym reports.
"But I think I did. Left-hand wall...something's not right." Kellen approaches the wall - looking to see if something else becomes apparent as a trap or other.
Lym casts a suspicious glare at the wall in question and mutters a cantrip of detection.
"But I think I did. Left-hand wall...something's not right." Kellen approaches the wall - looking to see if something else becomes apparent as a trap or other.
Kellen runs hands along some of the contours of the wall until he stops them near eye-level. Detecting a small detent, he pushes it and steps back. With a loud scrape, a 3-foot thick section of wall swings open. The small opening reveals two weapon racks and a crate. The racks contain two dozen oilcloth-wrapped longswords, and the same number of unstrung longbows. Inside the crate - again wrapped in oilcloth - are 6 +1 shocking burst arrows.
"Looks like we found a secret weapons stash the Ogres overlooked," Lym says, eyes narrowing in calculation. "Although I am sad to say I doubt anything other than those magical arrows is likely to be superior to the gear we already possess..."
"Agreed, if we had dozen men at arms, this would be handy." Kellen goes to extend the arrows to Praxim. "Of all of us here, I assume these would be more helpful in your hands."
Praxim nods, accepting the arrows. He pauses to examine the hidden room--would they be able to fit inside? Is there a mechanism to open it from the inside?
You could indeed fit inside, and yes there is a simple opening mechanism within.
Praxim shares his thoughts with the others. "It could come in handy."
"It could, but let's hope it's not necessary." Tomaru looks over the room. "We should get going. Desna favors the bold, after all."