"I'm gonna see if I can find any tracks leading from the rope. If they lead to the double door, then we can proceed there. But, if I find tracks and they lead to secret door. Now that would be very fun! Secret doors. Zombies. Ropes from the ceiling. This is one exciting place!!"
"Wait, you do realize what secret doors usually lead to, right? Secret cupboards. If you find a secret door, you will probably only find secret peach preserves. At worst, you'll find excessively lewd pictures." Canas shudders at the memory of secret doors past.
Latro -
"Hey. I found something over here. There are some tracks. These here look like boot tracks from a medium-sized being. Those...some small barefoot tracks, like my kin might make when we dont' wear shoes. And those monstrosities look like something from one big bird, at least one as a big as a man. Other than the blood, I can't find any other body parts and I can't tell what was dragged through the blood and mud. I say we follow the tracks."
With that Latro sets off like a hound dog, tracking as he goes.
The party stands before another doorway with stonework carved to resemble a roaring dragon's head. The rubble in the hallway looks to have recently been cleared away from the doorway. Large metal brackets flank the iron banded double doors. And a heavy wooden beam lays in the rubble.
Kava -
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"This is odd. If these doors went to some safe place, the bar would be on the other side. The bar on this side can only mean they were trying to keep something from getting out. If this keep was guarding Nerath's evil artifact, that must be what behind here. It also is the likely place for our missing rappeller and Ranger." Kava puts her ear to the door listening (before opening)
"Well, I'm sure there's nothing too bad behind the door."
"Far be it for me to be cautious, but with the bar on the outside, let me see if someone has set some nastiness to prevent the bar from being removed. I suggest you give me a bit of space in case soemthing goes wrong."
With that, Latro begins a careful examination of the doors and the bar.
Latro and Kava - you both hear voices beyond the doors. There are definately more than one, but you can't comprehend what they're saying. They're either too distorted by the echoes or in a language you don't know.
The doors swing open to reveal a pair of dusty stairwells heading down in opposite directions. Each stairway bends south after about 20 feet. Torchlight flickers on the walls of both stairways.
"Lead on Brave Lady. I'll be close behind."
Latro draws a shuriken and follows 10 feet behind Kava, covering her descent down the stairs.
"As will I.", says Canas as he stands directly behind Latro.
"Let us hope we find our friends alive."
A'loran will follow along
As Kava slowly leads the group down the stairs, the voices from below suddnely escalate in volume. Since nobody in the party understands the language it's impossible to tell what's going on. However, Canas does recognize more than one of the goblin curses being used from his time in the city. The stairs continue around the corner, and a torch is lit at the bottom of them.
Everything looks good.
Excited yelling, maybe an arguement, but definately not laughing or chanting.
"Certainly Lady Kava," Latro says in a quiet voice.
As quietly and unobtrusively as possible, Latro moves forward and peeks around the corner.
Latro peers around the corner and sees...
Latro:
(ga). Behind a large statue of a dragon is a hobgoblin with a bow (h1) that is apparently trying to settle the 4 frantic goblins.
Latro peers back around the corner. "The steps go down another 15 feet before they open into 20 foot by 70 foot room. Four goblins, who have bloody feet from apparently standing in a pool of blood that is visible on the floor, are yelling at each other. Three goblins carry battle axes, one carries a short bow. One of the goblins does not appear to be wearing any armor. There is also a hobgoblin with a bow who seems to be trying to calm the goblins."
"Let me know when you want to attack, and I'll try to take out the hobgoblin with the bow."
With that, Latro pulls a shuriken and gets ready for the call to attack.
First A'loran dismisses his light spell on his staff
"well I'm ready, I'll blast them with a spell and lure them towards the stairs."
"Let me know when you want to attack, and I'll try to take out the hobgoblin with the bow."
"I'll follow your lead, brave Lady."
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"I will draw them off to the other stairs, Mister Ciniri you hit them in the rear and take out the archers and spell casters" Seeing A'loran readying a spell Kava motions to A'loran to hold off "Wait for me"
The lithe dragonmaid takes off up the stairs and down finally clanking to the base of the stairs "ava'yorn anqu! Bahamut wants his temple back" She tosses the old shield at a goblin in the bloody pool.
Upon hearing Kava's plan, a mischievous grin appears on Latro's face and he whispers, "Good idea, Wise Lady." To Canas, he whispers, "Get ready for some real fun now."
As Latro hears Kava loose her shield at the goblins, Latro sprints forward and hurls a shuriken at the cowled goblin.
The goblinoids look around in confusion as Kava crashes down the stairs yelling. They're even more confused when Kava's shield smacks one of the goblins in the head.
In his excitement, Latro throws his shuriken wildly, endangering nobody.
Canas rushes into the room, a dagger in his hands.
Latro's throwing knife skitters along the stone, and goblin heads slowly swivel in time to see a blurry Canas moving to stand beneath the torch, his eyes glowing as bright as the burning stick.
A'loran shouts the words to a spell as he makes a throwing motion with his hand. His aim is impeccable, and a ball of magical energy explodes on the hobgoblins chest.
Waves of energy expand out from the hobgoblin, rattling both of the goblins next to him.
Rolf rambles forth into the room.
The hobgoblin launches an arrow before Kava can readjust her shield. Crimson liquid begins seeping through her white scale armor. He then focuses on putting distance between himself and A'loran.
"Curs-ed shuriken slipped last time. Sehanine guide my throw." With that, Latro moves into the room and around the far side of the statue. He steps into a throw at the goblin archer.
Kava's sword glows and white sparks come up as it chips the stone floor.
Latro moves around the statue and throws, but his shot is deflected by the goblin's leather armor.
Canas rushes past Rolf and points his dagger at the goblin. As an arcane sigil appears on it's head, it's eyes begin to glow as it's mind itself is attacked.
"Wow, I've never had such an effective spell. It seems that the pressure of lost friends is helping."
Canas' glyph glows brightly, but the goblin shakes its head and the glyph fades just as quickly.
A'loran moves to stand before the heavy, iron bound, wooden doors and points his staff at the hobgoblin. Miniscule daggers form, stabbing the hobgoblin from every direction.
The goblin wearing the black cowl and skirt (GC) yells out in his own language and 2 massive black hands appear. One tries to swat at Kava, but she ducks and the hand dissappears. The other hits A'loran in the back and sends him stumbling closer to the goblins.
G1 swings his axe at A'loran and cuts a jagged wound across the eladrin's shoulder.
G2 runs at Canas, axe raised high, but Canas easily dodges.
The goblin archer teps behind his enraged ally before shooting an arrow neatly into Kava's shoulder.
G1 swings his axe at A'loran and cuts a jagged wound across the eladrin's shoulder.
"ACK!!!" yells A'loran as he slides towards the goblins and as the big axe comes down towards his shoulder he shoves his staff up to block the blow
If H1 remains after Kava's turn and A'loran stops the damage that bloodied him.
Latro moves to flank the hobgoblin archer. His shortsword flashes out as he attempts to disembowel his foe, and he places himself in perfect position to riposte any attack the hobgoblin might direct toward him. A bit of the light, which had been extinguished by Anmuspi's sudden disappearance, returns to Latro's eyes, and his formerly happy grin curls into a smirk of murderous intent.
If H1 is slain and/or A'loran isn't able to avoid being bloodied,
Latro summersaults into an attack position near the goblin menacing the wizard. As he arrives with his shortsword at the ready, the shortsword flashes out as Latro attempts to disembowel his foe, and he places himself in perfect position to riposte any attack the goblin might direct toward him. A bit of the light, which had been extinguished by Anmuspi's sudden disappearance, returns to Latro's eyes, and his formerly happy grin curls into a smirk of murderous intent.
The goblin's axe hooks on A'loran's staff, inches from his shoulder.
Rolf moves up to assist Canas, sending up a spray of blood with his huge axe.
The hobgoblin steps away from Kava and hesitates between shooting her or A'loran. Finally, he launches an arrow that shreds through Kava's arm while shouting in goblin.
Kava swings as the hobgoblin backs away, but only cuts air.
Kava steps forward and cuts down the hobgoblin.
Two of the goblins were already flinching from Kava's approach and they manage to duck the ball of fire that erupts from Kava mouth, but the black-cowled one is burned badly.
Latro summersaults into an attack position near the goblin menacing the wizard. As he arrives with his shortsword at the ready, the shortsword flashes out as Latro attempts to disembowel his foe, but the gogblin dodges. A bit of the light, which had been extinguished by Anmuspi's sudden disappearance, returns to Latro's eyes, and his formerly happy grin curls into a smirk of murderous intent.