5) Back to the House III: Third time's the charm?

[Urson]

Mai studies the code silently for a few minutes. I have an idea, but I am not sure. I will consider it further.

[OGRE MAGE]

The main barracks room in the basement looks the same as you left it. Doubtful finds the lantern right where it was, under the table in Sanbalet's quarters. Keilif and Umrick want to get right to work on the dead bodies. They drag the poor dead bastard out of the cellar and carry it, a little more respectfully, to the secret door in the barracks room.

Umrick throws the secret door open, ready to back down the steps into the smell of death and decay beyond. As soon as the door is open he hears loud rustling noises and the sound of movement across the wet floor coming from further inside the cave complex.

It seems the easy meal that the group left behind has already been found........and claimed.

I put the current maps in the main info thread. viewtopic.php?f=318&t=5254#p283727

[hedgeknight]

Burly the Burying Baker

Burly ties the rag across his face and breaths through his mouth to try and keep the stench of the dead and the moldy spores out of his lungs. He helps Keilif drag the bodies to the water as he tries to keep his lunch down.

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

Hearing noises in the cave, Umrick stops in his tracks. Turning to the others, he signals for quiet, carefully putting the body on the ground. Loading his crossbow as quietly as he can, he will attempt to quietly explore the cave.

[Mant72]

Keilif places the body down as quietly as possible, unloosens his mace and joins Umrick in investigating the sounds.

[coil23]

Doubtful looks back in the mage's bedroom, recalling that while Burly had originally snatched everything in there that wasn't bolted down, he had grumblingly put the things back at the urgings of the party. The druid searches for the signaling lantern and the oilbox.

[Urson]

After a short period of watching the seascape, Mai brings out the packet of papers she's been given and begins reading them, occasionally performing some maneuver in slow motion as she reads.

[ravenn4544]

Ben asks "what's that there mai?" Any lull in conversation Ben will search this room and the room that guy was in for anything interesting or overlooked.

[OGRE MAGE]

Doubtful finds the lamp and oil, bringing it back upstairs to the 3 lookouts. He finds Jervis looking out over the rainy sea, spotting nothing at all. Mai is now looking over a familiar looking packet of papers. She makes a lot of inquisitive noises and a few "hmmmm's" as she reads, periodically getting into different fighting postures and practicing many strange but interesting fighting maneuvers. Ben is now in one of the bedrooms across the hall, looking around in the fireplace.

Umrick and Keilif put down the first body at the secret door and stop their advance into the caves. They ready themselves and strain to hear if they can pick out any more noises. Burly isn't paying much attention as usual, so he bounds right between the pair at the door. After taking a few steps into certain doom, the other two grab the baking mage by the shoulders before he gets himself killed.

After moving a bit further into the cave, it is obvious that you are no longer alone in there. You can hear the clear sounds of movement coming from deeper inside the tunnels and a mean sounding hissing noise with some loud clacking begins as you move along.

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

Burly, can you please go back inside and get others? I don't know what is down here, but we are not alone and a few more swords could be helpful, the dwarf says quietly. He will look at Keilif and nod before advancing toward the noise, crossbow ready.

[coil23]

After handing over the signaling lantern and oil to the watch crew, Doubtful hurries back down to see if the cave crew needs help. He quietly joins them and whispers for a report on whatever the latest tragedy has been.

[Hotgoblin]

Jonas peeks into the cave, then slowly enters...staying close to the Others in the cave. He pulls out his kitchen knife and readies it for use.

[Mant72]

Keilif quietly relays what was heard to the new arrivals. He grips his mace in his gauntleted fist and inches closer to the menacing sounds.

[hedgeknight]

Burly nods and heads back into the house proper and fetches the others. "We got trouble downstairs! We are gonna need everyone's help, so quit staring out at the ocean and come back with me."

Keilif quietly relays what was heard to the new arrivals. He grips his mace in his gauntleted fist and inches closer to the menacing sounds.

While Keilif fills in the others, Burly checks his gear, looks at his finger, and then makes sure he has the component for his one spell.

[wolfpack]

at burlys words jervis quiuckly jumps up from his seat and grabs his shield drawing his sword and rushing downstairs without waiting for the others.

[ravenn4544]

"You okay to head down and help 'em out, Mai? I hate to leave a watch here in case we get paid a visit...? make sense?"

[Urson]

Mai says nothing, just nods and heads for the stairs. She moves quickly, avoiding the rotted places as if by instinct or long habit. When she reaches the others, she draws her sword and moves to the front of the group, ready to be part of the first wave.

[coil23]

Doubtful holds his staff at the ready, nervous of another confrontation considering the group's performance on the last ones. He considers the noises and then whispers to the others. Almost sounds like crabs to me. I once saw one pull a ewe into the sea. It was huge! Everyone be careful.

His eyes widen as he remembers the layout of the cave. He silently mouths the following information to the others. The loop nearest the cellar means there are two avenues to us. We don't want anything sneaking up behind us. Hopefully we can all circle around and one group will be able to flank the visitors. If nothing else, one group can hurry back and come support the other. Thinking of the best division of forces he begins gesturing: Keilif, Jervis, and Burly can go up the left tunnel while Mai, Umrick, and Jónas can proceed up the right one. Doubtful will go with the right tunnel group.

[OGRE MAGE]

The fighters are gathered from upstairs and the group gets ready to investigate the odd noises coming from the dark tunnels.

Doubtful suggests using extreme caution as he believes the creatures to be crab-like in nature. He knows that facing even one giant crab will pose a serious challenge if the group is not prepared. If there are more than just one...... The druid wonders how a massive crab would get its huge shell through these narrow tunnels. He supposes that it could have walked on the walls through the tightest places but, even he can't be sure. He starts to realize as the others do too, that it might have been a deadly mistake leaving all of this rotting food simply lying around in these natural sea caves. The druid can think of literally hundreds of natures creatures who would have access to get in here for the free smorgasbord, oceanic or otherwise. One by one this newly formed party realizes its egregious error in not dealing with the many dead bodies before leaving this place.

As the party moves towards the first dark tunnel off to their right, the noises seem to get even louder. (Sorry, I didn't bring my maps with me. Its the room where you found the green slime and left the half-orc's beheaded and piss soaked dead body lying on the table, etc.) It sounds like a flurry of action coming from this very dark chamber. Jonas and Mai strain their ears to decipher the noise and think they can hear at least 3 separate creatures making similar slurping and clacking noises.

Doubtful gestures for Keilif, Burly, and Jervis to continue up the tunnel to the other opening while he and the others move into the first chamber. He can only hope that they saw his gestures in the dark cave while he secretly wonders if he is putting the others in harms way again. He knows their mess down here must now be cleaned up, even if it requires doing things the hard way. Approaching the next intersection, the trio can hear noise from both of the tunnels before them.

It is still very dark, damp, and slippery in the natural caverns. The humans can barely see their hands in front of their faces and fear that they will be fairly useless in a blind battle. As Umrick, Mai, and Jonas move forward, they begin to register feint heat signatures up ahead in the cavern with their infrivision, indicating possible cold blooded but very much alive creatures inside.

Actions!

[coil23]

Doubtful is not too far behind the lead three who have some vision in the dark. He has a torch prepared and will strike flint to light and throw this as soon as needed.