Elathras carefully listens to Gruk's explanation nodding his head at the parts he understood. As they all went inside, Elathras followed along, asking, "If we are all going inside should someone get the Gobbo blacksmith?"
"Good idea, we should see how our blacksmith, Gordaz, is doing. Busy at his craft, I should think."
"Well let us find one human Captain and an orc sergeant!"
Gordaz has made new weapons for the orcs. They are sporting new orc double axes and falchions.
Elathras notices the new weapons the orcs are carrying, I need to remember to speak to Gordaz about making me something, the question is what as Mitleid recommends a human captain and an orc sergeant Elathras nods his head in agreement, "not a bad idea Mitleid, four humans, two orcs; that seems reasonable. The question is how do we pick the human? That's a lot of responsibility."
"Let them pick their own leader by secret ballot. They know themselves better than we know them. "
"Well, we are off to a good start here. We've got guards. And a blacksmith making them weapons. Given time, this place will be quite secure for us."
Wdrozgrúk will commission Gordaz to make a Great Axe of his own.
DC 15 17x15=255 So 6 days.
Elathras looks at Kaztors, looking mildly confused "Let them vote for their leader? Do you think that will work out? Does Gordaz get a vote too?" Elathras seems very concerned that the goblin is given the same opportunities that the orcs are.
Irenicus rolls his eyes.
"Let them decide or pick one, it matters not to me." he does suggest that maybe the farmer they got to manage things should have final say over the guards both orc and human, so that none of the muscle has rule over the place and someone with a level head is in charge when no battle is present. He goes to check on his library.
"Uh... sure!" Virgil also thanks Bjorn, spending the last of the morning at the inn (refilling his mysterious waterskin) before setting out to the castle.
[dice=Perception]1d20+7
Yakha and Durzub do sort of an orcish version of rock, paper, scissors and afterwards Durzub says, "Me Sargeant," and gives a big toothy grin!
"Sergeant Durzub sounds good."
"Is there a job we can give good old Mortimer? Perhaps overseeing the castle larder?"
Wdrozgrúk will talk to the Human guards to see if they want to elect one of themselves as captain, or have one picked for them.
As the soldiers begin the selection for who is in charge of the troops, Elathras approaches Mortimer and asks "So what is for supper Mortimer?"
Mitleid ponders for a moment and then says:"Well a castle needs many important roles to fulfill. It is not all weapon wielding, standing guard. We need a stewart, a master of the armory, a master of supplies, a cool, some builders. Let me talk to the people, maybe we have some hidden talents."
Then speaking to the people, questioning them on their past jobs, hobbies and the like. Organizing a sanitation programm and an inspection of the well and the supplies.
Satisfied that the guards, both human and orc alike, have settled their leadership decisions Elathras follows Mortimer to the kitchen. When Mortimer shows him the large pot of stew that is prepared, simmering over the fire. He goes back out into the courtyard and calls Then going back inside he helps himself to a bowl full of the large pot of stew, washing it down with some of the cold water from the spring, he decides to go to bed.
Going around to the group telling everyone good night he decides to sleep out under the stars, so the goes to the tower where they fought the giant devil bird, and climbing the stairs lays out his gear there on the platform and goes to sleep.
When he awakens in the morning with the dawn, he goes back inside and starts banging on doors. "Wake up sleepy heads! Lets go back to the mouth and get more stuff!" Satisfied that everyone should be moving he eats more of the cold stew in the same large pot over the now cold embers and then gets his gear ready to go.
Wdrozgrúk is ready is ready to go after breakfast. Didn't have much packing to do.
"With any luck, we might get this place cleaned out this time. Of both danger and loot! Hopefully, there aren't many more things here that are immune to fire! Most annoying, that!
As soon as they enter the mouth Elathras lights his torch and says "Lets go get my shield and then go back to the leech room," so he leads the group north west to the glue room and picks up the shield, then heads to the south east following the corridor that winds around through the snake room with the two burning braziers and into the statue room where the leaches were, Elathras immediately proceeds to the northern door and checks it for traps and locks, he opens the door and looks in.
Wdrozgrúk will just follow Elathras. And keep his own eyes open for trouble too, of course.
Katz falls in line behind the others. "No place like home, eh lads?"
"Just so long as there's lots of loot!"
seeing that the passageway is caved in Elathras shrugs his shoulders "Well lets go look at the other door" and goes to the door facing east and checks it for traps and locks, he opens the door and looks in.
Elathras opens the door and finds a square room with four hallways he turns north and goes to the northern hallway and checks that door for locks and traps, realizing he barely missed a pit trap he goes back to investigate.
Elathras, roll reflex save DC 20
pit trap 10' with a side passage at the bottom.
"Look Virgil there is a passage down there" pulling his rope out of his pack he hands one end to Virgil and lowers himself down into the pit and checks out the passage at the bottom,
The pit is 10 ft. deep; at the bottom there is a small side
chamber with another pit leading downward. The side-pit is not covered,
and has iron rungs set into the stone as a ladder.
Elathras carefully looks into the small side chamber and the pit leading downward, he then calls up to the Virgil "It looks like another way to the basement, I'm climbing back up!" Elathras climbs back up his rope and after putting it back in his pack he proceeds to the northern door and opens it. Looking inside.
room 24 empty room
Finding another empty room elathras shrugs his shoulders, "The room Is empty Virgil! what do you think it was used for?" As Elathras asks his question he goes all the way in and inspects the northern wall for any secrets.
not finding anything more unusual than an empty room Elathras leads the group back to the southern door, being careful to not fall in the trap and checks the southern door for traps or look, he opens the door,
(hardness 5; hp 20;
as Elathras tries to open the door he realizes its stuck, setting down his torch and polearm he removes his pack and tells the team "Virgil, it is stuck I will use the crowbar" He then plants the crowbar in the door jam and he pulled away at it
not able to pry the door open, he take his gnoll axe and begins to methodically bash away at the door.
A human is crouched in one corner, holding a shield over his head in a vain attemptto remain concealed.
Elathras, lowers his axe and turning to Virgil as he picks up his torch, "look Virgil, it's a person!" then realizing what he had said he turned to the person and says "What are you doing in here?"
"Hidin.... Go away.... You will bring them...."
Elathras looks very confused at the human and asks, "Bring who?"
"Them....." He appears to be quite touched. You see a bunch of adventuring equipment scattered about the room.
Elathras scratches his head after he puts away the axe, looking at the fellow confused "Don't you think all the noise I made with the axe would have brought "them" if they were coming?"
He skitters across the room with the shield still over his head to the other corner.