"Hmm, I say we start with the set of doubles doors out there. That's where the blood trail ended, and there may be someone in need."
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"Well Splug, ye're with us now, I suppose. We'll get ye' safe out o' this place if we can and if you remain steadfast. First sign o' trouble out of ye' and ye'll get the hammer. Understand?"
"Now, take us to where we need to get going."
You all notice that Quinn is breathing rather heavily and many of his wounds from the previous encounter still ooze blood through his bandages. He seems to be taking everything with typical dwarven stoicism though, and is prepared to lead the charge.
"Drynwyn, keep an eye on Splug. I don't want him boltin' at the first sign o' trouble."
Quinn hefts his warhammer into both hands with some effort, just the slightest tremble is seen.
"Someone best be undoin' the ropes then. If Splug be correct, we may have some unfriendly corpses on the other side and I'd like to be takin' care of 'em quickly."
"I'll hand the ropes. Just make sure I'm covered", Gran grins and moves to undo the ropes.
Quinn will open the doors as soon as Gran has the ropes undone and take a readied battle stance.
If there is no light inside...."Drynwyn, light it up if ye' can! These buggers can probably see in the dark!!"
Dyrnwyna conjures a small light onto the tip of her staff, which she holds high.
Gran undoes the last knot, and prepares to open the doors. He readies himself for what lies ahead.
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Discolored stairs lead down into cold darkness. An overpowering
odor of damp rot fills the air.
Drynwyna's cantrip lights 20 feet ahead of her, which from her position in the second rank does not show the bottom of the stairs.
Splug is edging toward of the back of the group.
Insight DC12:
Gran pauses a moment, and reaches into his pack, pulling a sunrod.
"Are we ready" He says before turning back to the darkness.
"Gran, I'll take that sunrod off o' your hands if you want to use yer' shield. I don't use one meself and I may need to hide behind ye' before we're done," says Quinn with a boisterous laugh after the last comment.
"Show some spine Splug! We ain't even seen nothin' yet!"
Quinn will start to cautiously head down the stairs, trying to pierce the dimness with his dwarven eyes.
"Feel free", he says handing the dwarf the sunrod.
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"Show some spine Splug! We ain't even seen nothin' yet!"
Quinn will start to cautiously head down the stairs, trying to pierce the dimness with his dwarven eyes.
Splug mutters something about "Master Dwarf" and follows the group down.
As most of this keep you have seen, the stairs and halls are wide enough for two abreast. The stairs descent to the west, opening into an intersection of sorts. A hall goes to the north with passages to the west, a hall continues to the west before bending north. A passage leads to the south from off the westward corridor.
The bright sunrod illuminates some sort of markings on the floor 30' to the north.
Quinn will move up to the markings and scratch his head over them for a second.
"What be this then?"
Rhiannis walks up to Quince and looks at the markings. Perhaps they are magical?
"Hmmmm...there's a bit o' the divine tied to it as well. I can't be tellin' what will happen if we step across it but somethin' will happen."
Frivry takes his dagger for any monster that want to attack. He stays near his companion in the place when we are.
Dyrnwyna opens her mouth to suggest that perhaps Splug should take the lead, willingly or otherwise, but closes it after a glance at Quinn. "We should try it with one of the corpses," she suggests instead.
"We may be able to go around it. If it be an alarm, even a corpse could alert whoever'd be hearin' it."
Quinn will lead the party around the other direction to check things out and try and find a way to bypass the rune.
Quinn will head down the western corridor if anyone wants to follow him.
While they're walking he'll speak in a loud whisper, "If there's no way around, maybe we can deactivate it somehow. Drynwyn, do you think you could puzzle it out?"
"I can cross one of those signs without touching it, if the need arises. But I'd like to do this only in an emergency."
"Naturally I should be able to discern its workings, given enough time," Dyrnwyna answers with a confidence that she perhaps does not feel. "I suspect that we would be discovered long before I was able to make a proper study. Still, a more hasty examination may turn up something usable, if no other way around can be found. Let us proceed with looking at the other routes."
"I can cross one of those signs without touching it, if the need arises. But I'd like to do this only in an emergency."
"Aye, Rhiannis. I do agree with ye' on that. We'd not want ye' cut off from the rest of us. Let us see if there be some other means to get by."
"I will follow Quinn in the corridor." He tries to ear if he listens some noise in the corridor when he walks in.
Quinn will head south to continue looking for runes. He wouldn't mind dealing with them now but would rather just find someplace to rest right now.
"Don't be thinkin' ye're goin' anywhere just yet Splug. Me pack is gettin' awfully heavy and I be needin' someone to guard it while I sleep."
Quinn will drop his pack to the ground and exaggerate rubbing a sore shoulder.
"We'll let ye' leave the Keep to find your fortune elsewhere if we can get through this night in peace. We don't need you rattin' us the first chance you get."
Quinn starts laying out his bedroll.
"Say...why were ye' thrown in that cage anyway?"
Gran lays out his bedroll, and lays his weapons nearby; just in case.
After getting out of his armor he quietly offers a prayer to the Raven Queen.
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"Don't be thinkin' ye're goin' anywhere just yet Splug. Me pack is gettin' awfully heavy and I be needin' someone to guard it while I sleep."
"Oh, yes, Splug guards Master Dwarf's things"
"Say...why were ye' thrown in that cage anyway?"
Splug seems to consider this a moment. "Splug snitched. Hargie stole things from Balgron, and Splug told. Hargie lied, Splug got locked up."
Insight DC15:
"Oh, yes, that makes perfect sense," says Quinn as he rolls his eyes.
"I'll take first watch with Splug. The sunrod should last long enough, and if not, I got a pair of me own."
With that, he'll sit down on his bedroll and lean back against a wall.
"Splug, I'll be needin' to know what you plan on doin' once ye're out of here. You just admitted to bein' a snitch, and if what ye say was true, then it was for a good enough reason. However, if ye were to snitch on us it would truly ruin me day. I'll be needin' you to try really hard to convince me to let you go before we're done here."
As Rhiannis prepares for his trance, he says "I don't need to sleep. I will keep watch for you all."
"I'll take second watch then", Gran says as he finishes his prayers.
"Hmmm...I'll be thinkin' on it while I sleep. I'd like to believe ye' Splug, but me dealins' with goblins bein' what they are, it's a might tough to let ye' go right now. Lets just sleep on it."
"Rhiannis, if ye' think ye' can keep an eye on things I may just go ahead and sleep afterall. I am feelin' rather......" Quinn passes out and soon begins snoring quietly.
"I am happy to take this rest. I was really tired of been in here without this. I will take a watch at the morning." Frivry says and he goes find a place to sleep.
Dyrnwyna will sit up while Rhiannis is in trance, and I imagine vice versa.
Dousing the light source, if any, Gran quietly moves to the side of the sleeping dwarf. "Quinn...Quinn, there are voices. Distant, and I'm unsure where they are coming from. Get your gear and the halfling", he says silently as he prepares his weapons and armor.
He gives a quick look at the direction the eladrin are, and tries to get there attention. "Enemies, be ready", he whispers
Quinn opens one eye and looks about. Once his eye finally focuses on Gran he simply nods and gets up stiffly, reaching for his gear.
Then he'll nudge Frivry and lean in close. "Don't ye' panic Frivry, but Gran seems to think someone's comin'. Best to be preparin' yourself."
Hi - this is a temporary threadjack to let you all know that Pat hasn't abandoned you. He's having connection problems and hopes to be back in the land of the internetted by Monday evening.
Quinn will pick up his warhammer and move up to assist Gran unless the paladin motions for him to stop.