A bright lit room is at the bottom of a short stairway. The goblin warrior can be seen scurrying farther into the room as the heroes enter near the bottom of the stairs.
Upon seeing the fleeing goblin,
"DER YA ARE, PIGGY"
Varro rushes in and shoulders the Goblin from behind, knocking it flat on it's back.
Jiles watches Varro rush in towards the goblin, and waits for him to finish before letting off a shot with his crossbow. "Die beast!"
After firing a bolt, Jiles quickly reloads.
Jiles fires a bolt at the fallen goblin, quickly ending its pitiful life.
Wilam continues to be silent and avoid attracting attention.
Now that the immediate threat of the goblin warrior is gone, a rough staircase can be seen leading down to the right. The rest of the room is brightly lit and the sound of pickaxes can still be heard coming from farther in the room.
Arden leans against the wall for a moment to rest. He then whispers to the others and points around the corner, "Let's take care of the pick axes in the room before we head down the stairs. They are probably just slaves but we wouldn't want them on our tail or blocking our escape."
"W....what`s happening?" Belimir slowly enters the room. “Why did we have to go underground.......Couldn`t this keep have floors that go up instead of down.......”
Jiles slowly down the hallway to take a peek around the corner without raising any sort of alarm. He holds his hand up to the others, indicating for them to wait for a moment.
Reaching the end of the corridor, he looks around the corner as best he can without being noticed.
Not like the looks of this place and remembering the trap in the other room, Ehud begins to search for traps or hidden passages as soon as he proceeds down the stairs.
As Jiles peeks around the corner, the room comes into clear view. Torches are placed around the room both above and below the floor. A few goblins can be seen wandering around a pit dug throughout the center of the room. Red, scaly drakes can be seen walking through the pit effectively guarding the room.
Varro waits a report from the rogue, holding action to give controllers a chance to act.
Jiles moves back silently to the others, motioning and gesturing silently to indicate there are at least five adversaries of which he is aware. He whispers quietly that there are drakes and goblins. Jiles quickly checks his crossbows, moving back to the corner to await the others, readying for a strike.
Varro looks to the casters. Following their lead, he motions that he is ready to act.
Taking up a position just behind Jiles.
Arriving late to the party, Wilam walks carefully up to Arden and whispers, "What's going on?"
Brann moves up close to the others as he sees them whispering to find out the situation.
Varro obviously growing impatient, looks to the casters and tries to silently get their attention ...
once he has their attention, he holds up 5 stubby fingers and then holds his fist with thumb out and runs it across his throat.Varro then points towards the mine area indicating the number of enemies ahead.
He then points at the casters and directs them to the front of the group.
Wilam gives Varro a nod of understanding, following it with a puzzled look. I'll be damned if I'm going out there first!
Even still, Wilam moves up next to Varro and gives a questioning look.
Varro whispers "Ya want me ta go on out der and be playin shield fer ya so ya can do ya thing?"
Whispering in reply, "Your wild charges have worked just fine in the past." A spark of imagination hit Wilam and a wry smile crosses his lips. "I know... Just go when you hear the... distraction."
Wilam moves up behind Jiles and begins chanting as quietly under his breath as possible. He raises his hands and then pushes out, away from himself. The sound of a screaming goblin echoes through the chamber, followed by a crash of something metal and a thump. After a moment, Wilam continues the illusionary sound effects with draconic curses.
Just as Wilam had suggested, Varro charges down the hallway with axe in hand. Once out in the main mining area, Varro immediately realizes this is a DAMN big room. Then he has an idea.
Moving to look out over the pit, Varro raises his axe over his head with both hands and shouts:
"WHY YA BE SLAVES TO DES PANSY ASS DUNG DWELLERS? ...
YA BE RISIN UP, AND TAKE ARMS AGAINST DES SMELLY SLUGS.
ME KINDRED, I BE HERE TA BE HELPIN YA ESCAPE,
ESCAPE DA SLAVERY DES SISSY PIG-NOSED SISTER-KISSIN BASTARDS HAVE BEEN FORCIN YA IN TA ...
ARE YA WIT ME! ARE YA WIT ME! ... ARE... YA... WIT... MEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Varro continues to shout to the slaves the goblins are controlling, to incite a riot.
Francis scoots to Q13 and whispers to Jiles, "The goblin at the northeast corner of the room is the only creature that would notice us setting up an ambush from up top. If Arden can't maneuver there stealthily to strike it down, can you shoot it?" He looks behind him at the others, and holds his shield close to himself. Just in case.
With a silent nod to Francis, as Varro charges out, Jiles takes a shot at the surprised goblin in the corner.
Jiles moves back behind the cover of the wall, quickly reloading and peeking around the corner to watch.
Gesturing rapidly for the others to run in, and hearing Varro yell, Jiles yells out, "Get in there!"
Arden shakes his head at Francis, "I can't reach the one in the corner. But I can hit that drake down there..." Arden moves up into the action, fading into the shadows as he does so. You then hear him uttering a curse at the foul being and he begins a series of chants and gestures, casting a dark spell at the drake.
Brann moves up to get closer to his companions and wait to see where his clerical skills will be of the greatest use.
Tired of this cowardly tactics, Belimir steps forward, raises his staff and simply says "डूबना" Another torrent of water rushes into the area, overwhelming the creatures.
Wilam moves around the corner to get out of everyone's way.
The group holds back, quietly discussing their plan of action in the next room.
Suddenly, Varro runs to the edge of the pit, arms waving as he yells out at the top of his lungs. Crying about saving his kin from the oppressive Goblins.
The sound of a goblin crying out as it falls off the ledge startles the workers in the room.
The goblin miners stop what they are doing and look up at the crazed dwarf. Curious looks cross their faces as an awkward pause falls over the room as Varro realizes he is swearing to free a room full of Goblins.
The miners all look around at one another, then a crossbow bolt flies in the wall above the goblin in the far corner, appearing from the shadows of the entryway.
The goblin looks up at the bolt embedded in the wall, then turns back towards the pit, raises his shortsword and yells something that cannot be understood. Sounding very similar to "Attack!"
Arden moving into position past Francis, calls his target as the drake in the southern corner of the room. Uttering a curse from the Infernal Shadows, Arden unleashes a dark spell at the drake, searing the drake with shadowy flames.
Brann moves farther down the hall waiting to see the outcome of the beginning of the encounter.
Belimir, tired of waiting, steps forward, staff in hand. A torrent of water flies forth from his waterskin, overwhelming the drake and the goblin in the center of the pit. The drake falls hard under the weight of the water, crashing to its belly.
Wilam steps forward into the clearing, getting a better view of the room.
The goblins all scamble towards the ladders, firing their crossbows as they come to a stop.
The goblin Belimir hit with the water obviously didn't like getting wet, and fires a quarrel at the Druid, scoring a very solid hit on the elf.
The goblin who was watching the pit from above runs across the planks crossing the landings around the room. He fires a bolt at Varro, nailing the dwarf in the shoulder.
One of the sharpshooting goblins has made quite the run towards the party. Seeing the stout halfling in full gear, he fires at Francis, having some luck with his shot, hitting the Paladin.
Varro accepts that these goblins are not slaves but mearly workers for the goblin heirachy, so he runs across the plank and knocks the Goblin Slinger that he has nicked named "Jerkie" off the ladder and into the masses.
Ehud sighs and moves to look around and then heads towards the staircase south of the Excavation site.
"Good idea, shame it didn't quite go to plan!", Brann shouts as he sees his companions letting nailed by a shower of bolts.
He scurries forward to lend his divine powers to the foray and blasts the closest goblin while using the healing energies to bolster his druid companion.
Belimir ignores the arrow, the blood and the pain. I will drown these cursed goblins and their pet dragons. I WILL DROWN THEM!
With language so foul it rings in everyones ears, Belimir utters another primal curse at the two enemies. "तुम कमीने मर बुतपरस्त जीव योनी"
Belimir barely realises how hurt he is, he's so focused on bringing pain to those goblins. I may have to check with him afterwards to see if there's anything I may be able to help him with.
"Belimir, don't ignore your wounds", Brann says as he channels his divine powers into the injured druid.
Watching the goblins approach, Jiles fires a shot at a skirmisher, trying to hit a shoulder or leg to leave him vulnerable to his next bolt.
With a fluid motion, a bolt moves from out from beneath his cloak and into his crossbow.
Wilam considers his options carefully. He notes the goblins on the eastern mounds of dirt have crossbows, so restricting their movement wouldn't be effective. They'll likely want to stay at range until forced into a melee. The goblin to the north was flooded in Belimir's blast of water and was just met with the full force of Varro's shoulder. No need to worry about that one. I wonder how well they'll handle those crossbows while their hands are frost bitten.
Wilam finds the cold magic comes easily in the underground. Motioning with his arms, as if raising something from the ground, Wilam extracts a cloud of biting frost crystals to surround the furthest goblin. "ψύξη σύννεφο"
Arden picks out another target in the room and utters his infernal curse at the goblin. His eyes reflecting his fury, Arden calls upon the wild magic he learned from a sorcerer not too long ago. Brilliant light flashes, momentarily lighting the room, and a bolt of chaos shoots out towards the drake he had attacked earlier.
Francis runs towards the goblin and attempts to push it off the ledge.
Varro, understanding that these are workers of the Goblin Union, and not slaves, readies himself for yet another fight. He charges at the newly dubbed "Jerkie", trying to knock him off the ladder.
Varro rushes across the planks and bullrushes the goblin standing at the top of the ladder. The goblin takes the hit hard in the chest, and flies backwards into the air, crashing hard down onto the ground below.
Ehud, sighing, moves down the stairs into another room.
Brann moves forward into the fray to lend his hand in the combat. He releases a sacred flame at the Flying Goblin that Varro just hit. Bolstering Belimir's health.
Belimir, obviously troubled, ignores the arrow causing him pain, and begins moving the torrent of water around the room. Crashing waves assault the goblin and drake again. The waves crash into the Drake, but miss the goblin as it flies out over the pit. The drake once again falls to its belly.
Jiles weighs the situation as he watches the goblins advance towards the party. He fires a bolt at a goblin, trying to open up an opportunity for his next attack. The shot falls short of the Goblin, leaving it unharmed.
Wilam considers his options and begins summoning an icy cloud of frost from the bitter ground. Letting it fly at the farthest goblin, freezing the goblinkin in its tracks, shivers overcoming its body.
Arden curses another goblin, and calls upon the wild magic he studied long ago. Bright light flashes in the room and a bolt of chaos flies towards the drake he targeted before.
Francis, following the lead of Varro, rushes towards the goblin on the other platform, hoping to knock it off as well. The goblin stiffarms the paladin as it tries to tackle it, pushing the halfling off as he collides.
The frozen goblin moves forward through the cloud and crosses the plank, ready to flank Francis with its ally. It swings with its shortsword towards the halfling, but its frozen muscles barely respond, causing a half-hearted swing missing the paladin.
It's ally attacks with its shortsword, using the distraction of the botched push and its ally to gain an advantage. It lands a solid hit on Francis.
The Guard Drakes move about the bottom of the pit, obviously not able to climb the ladders.
The fallen goblin and the drake on its belly manage to rise to their feet, angry at the Dwarf, being the closest enemy to them at the moment.
Bloodlust and the joys of battle begin to overtake the bellicose dwarf, Varro licks his lips and charges down after the prone goblin, axe leading the way.
Feeling refreshed, Belimir sees Varro has things under control, so he turns his wrath to the other group of enemies, who are grouping around Francis. He hits the ground with his staff and whispers another primal curse. "बंद करो दोगला अन्यजातियों"
Wilam waves his hands from left to right and as he does, the cold cloud moves through the air to follow the goblin. The cloud settles over the raging water from Belimir and continues to chill the goblins, hindering their ability to attack while in the cloud.
Arden grins maliciously and enters the shadows, moving closer to the two goblins and drake within range. He curses the other goblin with an infernal chant, and unleashes a violent, deafening clap of thunder at the three beasts in front of him.
At least Belimir isn't at death's door anymore. Let's see about these goblins now.
Brann takes a moment to survey the room to try and figure out how the battle is going.
He whispers over to the rogue, "Jiles, I'm sure your eyes are better than mine, which of these little buggers is going down next?"
Turning briefly to look at Brann, "I don't know, maybe this one?" With a wink, Jiles turns and shoots at one of the goblins.
Jiles moves out from beside the wall.
"May as well give him a shot, but when the others ask tell em I was busy taking out the big one." Brann winks back and shoots out a burst of light at the goblin.
Francis invokes a prayer against the goblin in front of him, wracking it with terrible pain. The prayer seems to cause the goblin incredible pain when it tries to attack.
The paladin shifts back onto the plank and takes a deep swig of a potion.
Varro, bloodlust coursing through his body, leaps off of the plank, into the air, axe leading his assault.
As he passes over the goblin, his axe cuts deep, cleaning lopping off its head, coming back around to clip the Drake as he lands on the other side of the monsters.
Belimir, recouperating from his wounds, turns his focus on the group of goblins around Francis. He expertly moves his crashing wave to attack his new quarries.
The only target that takes any kind of damage is the goblin near the bottom of the landing. The water crashes along the edge of the platform, protecting the Drake from any real damage.
Wilam moves his chilling cloud, following its prevous victim. The cloud settles over the raging water of Belimir, freezing parts of the crashing water, and chilling the air around it. Even the Drake cannot escape the effects of the icy cloud.
Arden slips into his ever-familiar shadows. He moves closer to the goblins attacking Francis, mumbling an infernal curse at one as he does. He plants his feet right behind the halfling, and claps his hands together in front of him. A loud clap of thunderous noise emmits from the Warlock, causing incredible pain to the cursed monsters before him.
One of the goblins and the Drake seem to be stumbling about, almost as if they were deafened by the thunder.
Brann takes a moment to look about the room, surveying the battle. He tries to find which of the combatants are nearing death, but can't seem to get a good look at any of them from where he is.
The drake and one of the goblins on the platform sure do look bloodied up. The drake can barely stand as it is. Obvious signs of it's remaining constitution.
With a flourish, Jiles shows off a bit for Brann, shooting one of the goblins with his crossbow, causing a nice sized wound, blood rushing out.
Brann, meeting Jiles' gusto, fires a bolt of light at the same goblin, helping Francis hold the threat on the landing.
The miner in this room, having taken quite a beating, are losing resolve.
The drake nearest to Varro, lashes out with its serpentine neck, razor sharp teeth leading, nipping Varro on his arm.
The goblins on the platform try to escape the frozen, pounding waves, but find little room to move.
They manage to climb out of the water, and level their crossbows at the warlock who has shown himself from the shadows. Both goblins hitting Arden.
The drake on the floor below dashes for the large ramp near the party. Crazed and on the brink of death, the Drake cares little for its safety.
It rushs in towards Belimir, its neck weaving and thrusting, rows of deadly teeth eager to kill anything it can. Belimir is unfortuante enough to be the closest target to the Drake, taking considerable damage from the crazed creature.
"Jiles! Finish the one in the back... I'll keep the one by Francis busy." He opens his tome and speaks a few words of Astral magic while staring squarely at the goblin. "Ελάτε εμπρός, σφήκα της μαγείας. Επίθεση εχθρός μου."
With a quick wink, Jiles loads his crossbow and fires toward the goblin. "Gladly!"
As the first bolt pierces his enemy, ripping into its flesh, Jiles quickly brings his second crossbow in front, taking another shot.
As the second bolt flies slightly wide, Jiles loads both crossbows simultaneously.
Arden grunts as he takes two crossbow quarrels to the body. He turns toward the furthest bloody goblin and attempts to finish him off with a blast of dark energy. "Die you wretched beast!"
Seeing his companion once again taking a ferocious attack Brann cries out, "Back Beast, feel the light of Moradin."
Belimir was growing tired. one minute he was bleeding and the next he felt like he just got out of bed. And to top that, every creature was after him. He`ll have to check if he smells or something because it was getting annoying. He wasn`t the type to go in the front and smack enemies. He was a hunter, a predator. Oh what the hell. I`m gonna kill this dragon sh*t.
Quickly he moved away from the creature and raised his staff, again whispering the drowning curse. "तुम्हें नरक में इस धार ले"
Varro recovers from his dive, rolls to his feet and blocks the drakes twisted assault with his off-arm. He then follows up the attack with an attack of his own.
Francis taunts one of the goblins, daring him to attack the Paladin.
He moves tactically forward, expertly guiding his axe straight through the goblin, holy power slicing all the way through the greenskin.
Wilam calls out orders to Jiles, focusing on the goblin in front of Francis. He begins chanting, bringing forth another spell, then his target falls from an incredible strike from Francis. Wilam finishes summoning his wasp, but without a target the wasp buzzes in place, ready for a new quarry from its master.
Jiles takes the que from Wilam, takes quick aim and lets fly an extremely accurate shot. The bolt drives itself deep into the goblin, dropping it where it stands.
Jiles, deciding to show off, pulls his second crossbow in his offhand, and shoots the goblin again as its falling, scoring a second hit before it is even able to hit the ground.
He then moves off, looking for his next victim.
Grunting as he takes two quarrels in the side, Arden turns to the fallen goblin and curses its soul to damnation. He blasts the body with an Eldritch Blast, its small lifeless green body exploding into tiny parts as the energy overwhelms its dead form.
Arden slips off into the shadows.
Brann cries out towards the Drake that walked up onto the landing. He brings forth a sacred flame to burn the attacking creature. The flames burn the Drake, bringing down the crazed beast for its last breath.
Seeing his healer protecting his allies, Belimir gains some resolve.
Belimir, healthy as can be now thanks to Brann, shifts back and brings forth his grasping tide of water to block passage up the ramp from any other enemies.
Varro rolling to his feet, recovers from his very successful dive. He blocks the drakes assault with his off-hand, punching the drake straight in the face, bringing his axe around to follow through with a wicked strike.
The drake dodges under the swing of the axe, only to find the dwarf staring daggers at him.
The drake, not wanting to show any intimidation from the battlerager, snorts out and strikes forward with its saliva-dripping maw.
As it continues to stare at the Dwarf, their eyes locked in an internal struggle of wills, the drake continues to drool all over the cavern floor. It drools and drools for what seems an eternity as the two combatants play the staring game.
The drake decides to move first, shifts back, and keeps shifting back, and back, and back. The drake has drooled so much that the floor underneath it is covered in slimey spit, and the drake slips backwards hard into the wall behind it.
Varro wasting no time and taking full advantage of the hurt and intimidated Guard Drake (he is now nicknamed "Slick"), he lunges forward with his axe held high and swings it hard against the beasts mid-section.
"Wee. Damn Slick dat be lookin like it hurt.*Belly Laugh*!"
Jiles smirks down at the guard drake, leveling his crossbow and pulling the trigger.
"Come on Varro, stop playing with your new friend. We've got a keep to map and we can't stand around all day waiting for you."
As the goblin explodes, vitality flows into Arden from his infernal curse. He then watches his companions strike the remaining drake multiple times, but he shrugs and begins another chant, first cursing the drake, and then blasting the nearly dead (or dead) drake with another burst of dark energy.
Varro takes full advantage of the drake's clumsiness, and lunges forward with his axe, swinging in hard against the beasts mid-section.
The blow connects, taking a large chunk out of the beast. Somehow, it is still standing.
Jiles smirks at the Drake, above and behind the creature, an easy shot lined up. Jiles lets fly a bolt, burying it deep inside the gaping wound Varro just opened. The bolt peirces a lung, dropping the Drake where it stands.
As Ehud moves through the darkness of the caverns, he thinks he sees small figures moving in and out of the stalagtites and stalagmites around him. He walks past a large cluster of broken rubble, and hears small scurrying coming from all around him.
As he comes to a stop within the northern most cavern, giant rats appear all around him.
Ehud shakes his head. Last night must have really messed him up more than he thought. He moves and begins attacking the rats.
Ehud, still fuzzy from the alcohol last night, shakes his head.
He then begins clearing the infestation of rats around him.
He slices the rat closest to him, clipping its legs, killing the rat in one swing.
The other rats swarm Ehud, nipping and biting at him.
Ehud curses at the rats as they continue to swarm him. He shuffles to the right and holds his weapon before him. He swings out towards the closest rat, hoping to slow its movement while he holds his defensive position.
The rat is no match for the Avenger's attack and falls quickly to the assault.
The other rats in the room continue to move closer to the lone adventurer.
The two rats scratch and bite at Ehud, trying to protect their caverneous lair.
Ehud takes a quick nip on the lower legs.
Many more rats climb out of their holes at the sound of a fresh meal. Ehud can see in the flicker of his torchlight that the rats are climbing along the ceiling, walls, and the floor to greet him with large yellow fangs.
Ehud becomes frightened by the rats swarming him and finds himself back on his feet, defending.
The rats continue to swarm him, trying to find an easy meal.
The two rats around him attack and find Ehud an easy target.
Move rats move in around him, disease-ridden fangs dripping with hunger.
Two of the Three rats that surround him score stinging hits onto Ehud, drawing nasty wounds on his body.
Ehud is surrounded by far too many giant rats. They finally overtake him, swarming his body, feasting on the hero, filling their vile bellies.
So the afterlife claims the Hero Ehud, falling to the evils of the Keep on the Shadowfell...
Arden moves to the wall and leans against it, attempting to recover from those crossbow quarrels. He scans the room, wondering what these creatures may have been searching for. "Are.... Were they mining for minerals or perhaps something more important?"
Francis drops his handaxe next his feet, bends over, and breathes as if as if he's just completed a marathon. He squats down, inhales deeply, and spends a healing surge.
Still squatting, Francis prays to Oghma, concentrating on his surroundings
Lord of knowledge
Binder of what is known
I pray that Your whispers,
brilliant and sparkling,
shine upon the darkness
of what I do not know:
What were these creatures searching for?
After a moment of concentration, he picks up his handaxe and stands up. There was no answer from his deity.
Wilam walks around the edge of the entry platform. He's not at all interested in attempting to balance across the boards connecting the other platforms. "I don't know much about mining, but I'm pretty sure they're not after precious metals."
"Perhaps their masters gave them some maps or instructions. We might be able to figure out what they were up to from those. Might make our mapping a bit quicker too."
Brann starts searching the nearby corpses for any documents.
Belimir nods in agreement to what Brann is saying. "That would be handy."
He examines the room, wondering what might be so interesting about it.
Jiles looks over at Brann and Belimir. "I'll help out." With that, he begins searching through bodies, looking in shoes and pockets.
The group inspects the excavation area, trying to figure out what the Goblins were digging for. The equipment of the miners makes it obvious that they did not do this for a living, and must have thought something was hidden under the rocks and dirt of the room.
A small pile of coins is found next to one of the ladders. This must be all of the riches the goblins had found digging in the room up till this point.
There are twenty-two gold pieces in the pile and a dirt-covered medallion in the shape of a Shield with the Head of a Dragon facing to the left.
Varro places the coins in his pocket then examines the medallion a bit more closely thing try to notice anything else that is remarkable.
Wilam takes some interest in the dirty coin. "This is an interesting find, indeed." He uses Prestidigitation to clean it and studies it's characteristics.
Varro and Wilam examine the medallion closer. The symbol resembles a holy icon they remember seeing in a history book somewhere. Other than the fact that it is a religious icon, no other information can be discerned from it.
Finding nothing of great value, Brann heads over to Belimir. He approaches cautiously, unsure about the best approach with someone so different to his dwarfish clan mates.
"Belimir my friend, how are you recovering from the battle? You took some fearsome wounds during the last encounter."
Brann steps in closer and drops his voice, "Is anything wrong? You seemed unconcerned for your own safety despite being grievously wounded. As a cleric of Moradin I will always be here to support my companions."
Belimir smiles at the dwarf. "I am fine, and mostly thanks to you. Feeling a bit tired, but fine. Look. None of my wounds are visible anymore. You know how to heal flesh cleric. That simbol the others found. You think it might be of some God? You`re a man of faith, perhaps you could tell us what it`s used for?"
He goes to Wilam and takes the medallion. "Excuse me old man. It might be good for our men of faith to take a look at that.......trinket. If you are done with it ofcourse."
Having gotten a good look at it and not seeing anything of note, he readily surrenders it, "Of course. My specialty is of a more... Arcane background."
Belimir goes back to Brann and shoves the medallion in his hands. He was always interested in stories behind such things he couldn`t stand the anticipation. "So? What is it? Does it say anything?"
Ha, seems like he's fine. Not a care in the world, the joys of youth. Not everyone is carrying around the scars of their past...
"Of course I'll take a look. I'm not familiar with all of the evil deities that sadly plague our world but let's see"
Brann and Belimir examine the icon. Belimir recognizes the symbol as the icon of the deity Bahamut.
Brann can tell that this holy symbol carries with it a holy power, uncommon in standard holy symbols.
"Hmm, very interesting. I can feel much power imbued within this symbol. It is marked with the icon of Bahamut, the Platinum dragon. He stands for honour and justice and would be supporting us on our intentions to cleanse this keep."
Brann stares at the symbol for a few moments more to get a sense for it.
"I will use this symbol to aid us in our endeavours. Bahamut would support our blessed efforts to rid the world of evil."
Brann clasps the symbol as he focuses his energies on it. Satisfied with the attunement he takes the thick chain around his neck and attaches the symbol to it.
He turns back to Belimir, "Thank you for noticing this my friend. If you would like I will gladly sit down to tell you of the many legends that have been carried out by the followers of the Platinum dragon." He pauses for a moment, "Although perhaps now may not be the best time to let our guard down, I don't think we've quite cleared out this keep of evil yet."
STOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEES! Brann can see Belimir`s eyes have grown much bigger at the mention of stories. He has a big smile across his face. Suddenly, he starts harrasing Brann. "YOU KNOW STORIES!!!!!!!! YOU KNOW MANY LEGENDARY STORIES?!?!?!?!?! Please tell me. Pleeeeeeeeeasepleasepleaseplease." Suddenly, he realized he was tugging the dwarfs arm a bit to hard and he noticed others were looking at him. He straightens up, pats Brann on the shoulders and starts coughing. "Khm khm.........Yes, we`ll discuss these stories later......Once we make a camp and rest." He walks away, pretending like he saw something in the ground. He changes shape into a black panther (he doesn`t want dirt to be shown on his otherwise white fur) and starts digging. After finding nothing, he starts digging at a different location.
Wilam is almost taken aback at the fact that the dwarf was able to detect a magic that he hadn't. I have so much to learn. The differences between the power sources of the universe is staggering! The Arcane flows freely through me, yet I cannot sense a simple holy relic when it's right in my hands.
"Brann, you'll have to spend some time teaching me how to channel the holy magics... I'm sure they would be a great asset to my studies."
"Of course my friend. Although I'm not certain of the compatabilities between the divine and the arcane, I would gladly sit with you to cover the fundamentals and experiment with your abilities. As a cleric of Moradin I am always looking to share enlightenment with others. As a follower of a noble path we are always guided and looked after by a higher power."
"I would also be interested in learning of your powers but I doubt my abilities would allow me to carry out even the simplest of your magiks. I believe my path of the divine does not encompass any arcane powers."
Varro continues dragging bodies from the last area into this one to search them. He overhears Wilam's and Brann's conversation.
"Bah, Ya ol dog, ya can't be goin an learnin any new tricks. ya bes be focusin on what ya a'ready be workin on. ya call what ya did back der a distraction... ba me ol dead great grandma, rest her soul coulda been making a better distraction den dat. we best be workin on our stragigizin a bit, don't ya be reckenin?"
Varro continues to dig thru the belongings of the last two victims from the last area, he looks up to Wilam and the others.
"Well, ifen we be stickin it out den we best be comin up wit a battle plan don't ya be thinkin?"
"A plan? Oh dear Varro, did you take a hard knock from one of those goblins or has your madness from talking to your helmet returned. If you continue to come up with seemingly sensical ideas, I may be forced to start a ritual of exorcism to return your mind to your body."
"Well, I'd say we've been doing a fine job, so far. We've outnumbered our foes almost two to one in most skirmishes. As a general rule, my goal is to simply disrupt the enemy. My magic is better for hinderance than it is for killing... But if things get desperate, we'll have to play it by ear, I guess."
Arden nods at Varro, "I'll curse and blast anything you aren't dicing up, and try to stick to the shadows so I don't have to be healed much. Other than that, I'd say the plan is to move on and find some more Goblins to kill....”
Patting Arden on the shoulder, "Aye, I tink I be goin ta be liken ya jus fine. Indeed, yous and I be gettin along like biscuits an dat sweet gravy." looking to the others "Dis be Darky, and he be wit me." *Full belly Laugh* "Ya all be followin dis ones lead."
Arden chuckles at the nickname, "We're going to need to find a name for you friend!
And are we missing Ehud again? Is he scouting for us?"
"Now that you mention it... I haven't seen him since we chased that goblin in here."
Varro shruggs, "Well, he not be back dataway", he points back to the guard room.
Jiles, watching the exchange from the outside, looks back in the direction they came. After a moment, he steps forward.
"I realize I'm new to this little group and all, so don't mind me, but what exactly are we all doing just standing here?" Jiles points back where they came. "Sooner or later there are going to be goblins pouring in from there if they find their dead. I'd rather not be caught here studying religious artifacts. Not to mention, we're all making enough noise at this point to wake up the entire keep!" After a brief pause, taking a deep breath, Jiles continues. "I suggest we find Ehud and move along before our position is compromised and they manage to form some sort of organized assault."
"Ya be meaning des dead bodies?" Varro presents the pile he has made here in the hall of the bodies from the guard room.
"True enough Jiles. I fear we've got into the habit of being more like a cannonball than a carefully shot arrow. I blame Varro," as he slaps the other dwarf on the shoulder.
"Tank ya" Varro smiles proudly.
Arden laughs out loud at the comment, "Aha! That's your new name, Cannonball! Blowing the place to pieces without prejudice!"
*Belly Laugh*
"Still, we should save our mutual knowledge saving for the campfire."
Brann cocks an ear to see if he can hear anything from beyond the stairs.
"Well my young friend, my ears aren't the best so can you make out anything?"
Brann listens carefully and can barely make out subtle squeaks and cittering of what sounds like the common underground rodents. Cool air can be felt flowing up from the deep blackness of the roughly cut caverns.
"All I can hear are some rodents and they shouldn't really be a problem for us." Brann looks over into the caverns. "Hmm, I wonder how far these caverns go down. I can feel some cool air, they may have dug into a cave system open to the outside."
Arden walks over to the stairway leading down. "Further down sounds good to me... hopefully we will find Ehud. Cannonball? After you!" Arden chuckles to himself as the visual crosses his mind.... it's Varro shooting out of a cannon, clad in armor, double hand grip on his axe, and flying into a sea of soon-to-be-dead Goblins.
Wilam agrees about moving on and heads back through the dark hallway and back into the room with the pit. "There are two ways... The hallway across the way and the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. I suggest the hallway first."
Arden shrugs and follows Wilam. "I thought we would explore the staircase in the mining room since we were there, but we can double back and start checking the other places as well. We will need to remember to come back to the mining room."
"Staircase?" Wilam tugs on his beard. I don't remember a staircase. He shrugs and turns to Arlen, "I'll follow you..."
Arden points the stairway out to Wilam, "I don't know if Ehud followed us in here, but if he did he probably went down these stairs... hopefully he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble."
Finding the staircase in question, Wilam shakes his head in dismay. How typical of you, old man. Missing something as plain as the nose on your face. You're lucky you're not alone.
Belimir observed the situation and didn`t interfere in the conversation and the discussion about tactics. I think we`re doing just fine. Still in his animal form, he silently follows Brann.
Accepting the tactical decisions of the others, Brann moves up behind Arden. "Sounds like a good idea. It can't be safe to get caught alone in here and we've only encountered some lowly minions so far. Their leader is bound to be around somewhere."
Varro moves to the top of the stairs and starts down.
"Den lets getta goin den. hey Sneaky get up ere and do ya ting"
Nodding for Jiles to take point.
Francis sticks close to Varro as he goes down the stairs.
Wilam waits for the others to file down into the new room before going in.
