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Everyone forms up behind the door to room 5. Holger tries to open the door, but it creaks and groans in protest. (it sounds like the other doors, swollen shut) but with a couple well-place shoulders into it, the door finally swings open slowy on it's corroded hinges.

The room is 20x40 and appears to have been a bedroom. The door seems to have been closed for a long time, and as a result there is a thin layer of undisturbed dust over everything, and there seem to be no rat or human tracks in here.
The room doesn't have any fire damage to it, but moisture has made it's presence known, causing some small fungi to grow on the walls in splotches, and items in the room seem to bear the effects of it.

Against the North wall there is a bed, two side tables, a large table and 4 chairs, and a 4 drawer chest. A large but mildewed and rotting rug covers about 10x20 of the west corner of the room. The room has a lonely, forlorn vibe to it.

Actions?

Daregold: Thief

After an appropriate pause confirming nothing jumps out at the Halfling's party, he moves in to check the chest of drawers for traps, search the other furniture, and roll the carpet back to see if anything is underneath.

Holger watches the thief with interest.

Daregold carefully enters the room and makes his way toward the furniture pushed against the wall. A quick search reveals nothing of value in the chest, just a couple old musty pairs of trousers and some mismatched socks. It looks like this room was stripped long ago.

The halfling winces as he slides the damp and smelly carpet aside. He looks about and just as he's about to call it quits, he spots a tiny crack in the floor - about 2 inches long. Following his instincts, he gets down on his knees and traces it - it turns out to be a circle roughly 3x3 - apparently a trap door. As he clears the dust from the crack, he surmises that this door has been unopened for a long time - likely even before the fire that rendered this building uninhabited.

Before long, he's cleared enough packed dirt and dust and he locates an area where he can slide his fingers (or an object under) to pry the portal open.

The rest of the party has meandered in, watching the halfling uncover the almost invisible portal.

Actions?

Arduro - Cleric

"Well spotted, friend." Arduro congratulates the halfling as he holds the lantern high to illuminate the room. "But the lack of tracks in this room makes me think that this door hasn't been used in a long time. And I'm not sure how this is connected with the rats, since obviously they haven't been able to use it. But I would wager a few gold that we might find some answers if we open it!"

sonofotho wrote:Arduro - Cleric

"Well spotted, friend." Arduro congratulates the halfling as he holds the lantern high to illuminate the room. "But the lack of tracks in this room makes me think that this door hasn't been used in a long time. And I'm not sure how this is connected with the rats, since obviously they haven't been able to use it. But I would wager a few gold that we might find some answers if we open it!"

Daregold: Thief

Smiles and accepts Arduro's compliment and treasures it, perhaps as much as gold. "I would never leave stranded a good person in need, but perhaps a larger, more brave, companion than I could enter first?" the Halfling says half-joking, half-sincere. "But first, let's make sure there's no "springies" about, eh?" the Thief says as he begins searching for traps on the newly discovered trap door.

Azhug - Fighter

Nice, good eye. Go down?

Marcus says, Nice job, Daregold. Open it and I will gladly lead the way.

I'm not sure this is connected with the rat problem, Arduro, but it is of interest itself. And who knows, it could be connected. Regardless, he continues with a smile, it's an adventure.

After Daregold finds the handhold, it's quick work opening the hidden portal. He quickly checks for traps, and finds nothing.

It takes a few stout tugs, and the thin stone portal pops open in a cloud of disturbed dust. A quick puff of musty but not stale air bursts into the room, and then all is silent. A wide set of rungs lead downward into darkness and silence.

Any specific actions before you proceed?

Arduro - Cleric

Arduro will kneel down and try to shine his lantern down the shaft to see what it reveals. If there is no end to the darkness, he will suggest dropping a lit torch.

Daregold: Thief

As he speaks, the Halfling slips off his backpack "Right! Good idea, Arduro." quickly producing a torch, flint & steel.



If the darkness is unending/not breached by the lantern, then Daregold is ready to light a sacrificial torch.

The torch illuminates a small area below you. It looks like the floor of the area below is roughly 10-15 feet high. The ladder down is of iron construction and appears quite sturdy. Your light manages to illuminate a dusty large (roughly 10x10) hexagonal table surrounded by benches - the table is about 10ft from the base of the ladder. From what you can see, it appears that the room is a natural cave and the walls are irregular. Dropping the torch down to the floor reveals little else, other than confirming that the chamber is natural. It is roughly 30ft wide at this end, and seems to widen as it stretches to the west and darkness.

Actions?

Daregold: Thief

The Halfling looks at Holger, Arduro, and Azhug, then motions for their attention. He mouthes the words, barely a whisper, "I thought I heard movement down there. Could be nothing? Two of you go first, I'll go third. If it's nothing, then I can do some scouting while the rest of our friends descend? Or should we drop more torches?" he stealthily flips another torch from his backpack in anticipation.

Marcus prepares his weapon for quick draw and descends, leading the party down.

Azhug

Azhug drops his spear down so that it will stick straight up from the floor below, he will then follow Marcus down. One down he will retrieve the spear.

Daregold: Thief

The Halfling descends after the first two, as quickly as he can! He picks up the burning torch he dropped and readies his appropriately sized scimitar.

Arduro - Cleric

Arduro carefully descends the ladder, going slowly with one hand holding the lantern.

You quickly but carefully make your way to the bottom of the ladder, touching down on a smooth yet natural stone floor. It smells musty down here, but not like a tomb, more like an old cellar.

Once on the floor, you gather the torch, and you can see the entire room now, the edges in shadows. Close to the bottom of the ladder (the circle with the S in it) is the large hexagonal table surrounded by benches (I know it's a hex, but I drew a square... item T) the table is covered in cobwebs, dust, and has some tankards, plates, flatware and some old bones on it. To the south you see two bunk beds (item B) and a large oak door (closed) in the wall. Another bunk bed (B) is in an alcove in the north west corner, and a small iron bound chest is in the north alcove (marked C) But most interesting are TWO SKELETONS, slowly approaching you from the northwest bunk area. The skeletons have short swords and advance menacingly. You also hear a low moan coming from the bunk in the southwest corner. Something is stirring from behind it! "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....."

The skeletons will be upon you at the beginning of the next round. Actions?

The unquiet dead! declares Marcus, Taste Wrathchild, and go back to hell you skeleton!

Marcus charges the closest of the skeletons, Wrathchild, the bastard sword [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12, dmg [2d4+2] = 6+2 = 8 his bastard sword singing the song of death.

Azhug

Azhug leaves the spear where it is and draws his bastard swords also, engaging the skeletons rapidly. More than we thought, eh?