Into the Lair

[Solinor]

DMSpeak:

Ankhar, Nuonne, Etruna, and Kraden are in room 2.

Rondar and Viscata have just finished looking at the rooms in area 8.

Halmod is unseen at present but Nuonne and Ankhar will have seen a very faint light coming from the direction where Halmod went as well.
If Halmod hasn't posted by tomorrow I will decide on an action for him.

I am going to start counting rounds down.

Round 1:
All players in room 2 are speaking about where are the other party members.
Viscata taps Rondar on the shoulder and asks her question.
Awaiting Halmods respons.

[wolfpack]

Viscata taps lightly on Rondars shoulder, "Shouldn't we wait for the others before moving on?" she whispers.

I want to head a short way down the south tunnel first. Why don't you go ahead and return and I will catch up in a few minutes. I can move quiter alone.

[zebediah]

Ankhar unsheats his sword, rises his shield and whispers to the others in the room "Prepare fellas. No time now."

[gray mouser]

Faint torch light then appears from the opening on the far side of the room. It is getting brighter as someone bearing a torch approaches. With Halmod's keen ears he can also hear the clinking of armor.

Deciding against greeting any new visors on his own Halmod will make as hasty a retreat to the room housing the party as he can. He makes sure to have a irm grip on his short sword as he does, in case it is needed in the not too distant future. Coming back into the first chamber he approaches Nuonne, Kraden and Ankhar. "It would seem that we may well have another round of welcome and offers of local hospitality. There is a room to the south and I could see the light of torches and hear the approach of armored bodies through another passage into it. We should beat a hasty albeit discrete retreat or perhaps take up less obvious positions so that we may make a fitting surprise for whoever is coming."

[rredmond]

"Double crap," Nuonne whispers, "I don't think we should go anywhere until everyone is back." He hitches up his shield and takes out his mace. "Though a better defensible place than this four way intersection, which our enemy can guess we are here, would make me feel more comfortable."

Nuonne will look for an opportunity to use the bow and arrow, but until he is certain of not hitting comrades, he'll keep the mace ready.

[dramaman]

"Double crap," Nuonne whispers, "I don't think we should go anywhere until everyone is back." He hitches up his shield and takes out his mace. "Though a better defensible place than this four way intersection, which our enemy can guess we are here, would make me feel more comfortable."

Nuonne will look for an opportunity to use the bow and arrow, but until he is certain of not hitting comrades, he'll keep the mace ready.

Etruna responds, I have an idea. Let's all quickly move east of this spot we're at. We can lay a trap for our pursuers -- coat the eastern hallway with oil. The oil will make the floor slippery and flammable. When they have reached the oily spot, one of us throws out a torch to ignite the oil. While some of us are laying the trap, one can retrieve Viscata and Rondar. Perhaps they are still close by. I have three flasks of oil. That should get us started. But we must act now before it is too late!"

Without waiting for agreement, Etruna begins to herd Kraden, Ankhar and Nuonne down the eastern corridor.

(OOC: The area I'm thinking we could trap would be right around the jog in the eastern hallway, where it turns left and then keeps going north to room 7, but also jogs right/east to area 8. The company could stay out of sight behind the jog/corner in the hallway and throw the torch as soon as the backup forces make an appearance at the corner. If we're lucky, swampman flambe!)

[rredmond]

"Being noisier and slower than most," Nuonne says with a smile, "I'll help with the oil."

OOC: Do we have PCs down that way too? I think so, so we can leave a narrow path on one side, that we can let the "fetcher" know about and the party members can use that to come back.

[Argennian]

Etruna responds, I have an idea. Let's all quickly move east of this spot we're at. We can lay a trap for our pursuers -- coat the eastern hallway with oil. The oil will make the floor slippery and flammable. When they have reached the oily spot, one of us throws out a torch to ignite the oil. While some of us are laying the trap, one can retrieve Viscata and Rondar. Perhaps they are still close by. I have three flasks of oil. That should get us started. But we must act now before it is too late!"

Without waiting for agreement, Etruna begins to herd Kraden, Ankhar and Nuonne down the eastern corridor.

Kraden reluctantly goes along with the plan, whispering to the others as they begin to move eastward into the other rooms. "We will become trapped in these rooms once the oil is lit. I wonder if this is a dead end or if other passages continue farther into the complex. If we do not manage to get all of these swampmen with the oil and fire and one of them can retreat for help, we could become trapped here. Just something to think about..."

The ranger gets out his second torch and prepares to light it, planning to give up his still lit and almost-used-up first torch as the ignition source. Once the other one is lit, he will hand the first torch over to Etruna or whomever will be igniting the oil on our visitors.

[zebediah]

If there seems to be enough time for executing that plan Ankhar will gladly follow.

If, however, the approaching lights seem to be too close to us the half-elf will let the others move ahead and cover their back as the enemies come closer.

[Solinor]

Round #2:

Rondar continues deeper into the south tunnel past area #8 and makes it about 20' down that hallway (Map updated for your new position).

Viscata moves back towards room #2 (Since Caspur didn't post! ) where she encounters the rest of the party as they jostle into the area.

For the round I will allow the movement of the five coming from room #2 to the new position in #* and any oil can be taken out of packs. Applying it will take into the next round.

[Solinor]

If there seems to be enough time for executing that plan Ankhar will gladly follow.

If, however, the approaching lights seem to be too close to us the half-elf will let the others move ahead and cover their back as the enemies come closer.

The direct light source was out of sight and looked quite far away. You imagine there is enough time to dump some oil.

[dramaman]

"Being noisier and slower than most," Nuonne says with a smile, "I'll help with the oil."

OOC: Do we have PCs down that way too? I think so, so we can leave a narrow path on one side, that we can let the "fetcher" know about and the party members can use that to come back.

(OOC: I don't believe that any of the party will be behind us, on the other side of the oil. Kraden, Etruna, Halmod, Nuonne and Ankhar were recently joined by Halmod. The only missing characters are Viscata and Rondar who have already ventured down the east hallway. We should be able to cover the entire width of the section of the hallway that is being doused in oil.)

Etruna pulls her three vials of oil from her pack, unstops them and begins spreading the oil on the floor, trying to cover as wide an area as possible.

(OOC: Just to be clear, the area I have in mind is the square that is one square west and one square south of the square that contains the '8' on the lair map.)

Etruna takes the torch that Kraden volunteered to ignite the oil and whispers to whoever has not left to find Viscata and Rondar, "Two of us should wait at the end of this short north hallway to catch their attention. (OOC: she's referring to the square which contains the '7'). The other two will be out of sight around this corner. (OOC: now she's referring to the square which contains the '8'). When the swampmen reinforcements turn the corner they'll see the two and move to attack them. We'll throw the torch and hopefully catch some in our oil trap and any who moved beyond will be caught in a pincer between the four of us."

She looks to the others for confirmation that this portion of her plan is acceptable to them.

[rredmond]

Nuonne will volunteer to be in the front, being armored, but if a more armored or dextrous fighter takes that, then he'll be back to attack any flaming swampman that makes it's way out.

[wolfpack]

rondar wull head back towards the others

[Caspur]

"I guess we have company coming...?" Viscata says as the rest of the group starts heading into the hallway she and Rondar just explored. She takes up a defensive position in the front of the group but out of the oil.

(OOC: sorry site wasn't updating, was wondering why no one was posting and then today about 2 days worth of posts.)

[Argennian]

Kraden takes up a position next to Nuonne and Viscata. He has his last torch lit, which he will set down on the floor near a wall.

He steadies himself with a couple of deep breaths, looking about for his companion's presence and position. The ranger readies his shield and longsword for the upcoming encounter.

[Solinor]

Round #3
The oil is applied and talk continues quietly amongst the group.
Rondar joins the party.
Anyone watching can see that the unseen torch bearer has entered the corridor that Halmod explored (The corridor that goes south from room #2), his light spilling into the entry way (room #2). The faint sound of clinking and chinking armor can be heard.

[dramaman]

Etruna quietly says, "Only one of us, perhaps Rondar or Ankhar, should keep watch around the corner while the rest of us take up our positions." Still carrying Kraden's donated torch, she moves back near the end of the north leading passage and turns to face the area with the oil, ready to toss the torch and ignite the flames.

(OOC: Etruna is standing near the '7' on the map. Her strategy in regards to when to toss the torch is to wait until one person has crossed over the trap and then when a second person (perhaps more) cross into the oil area, she will throw the torch to ignite the oil. Ideally the group will engage the first person preventing any following to easily escape the fire unless they return the way they came. The first person should be easily dispatched by the group and cut off from retreat. Etruna will not ignite the trap unless someone after the first person crosses into the area with the oil.)

[zebediah]

Ankhar positions himself as suggested by Etruna.

[Solinor]

Round #4

As Ankhar peaks into the entry area (#2), a scalemail clad human holding a longsword at the ready steps into the room from the south passage and stops, alongside him is a swampman bearing a torch. The swampman is looking Ankhar's direction. The human warrior stops and seems to be looking at the floor (Ankhar recalls the swampwoman who slid down the stairs after being slain by Halmods dagger still lays in the room).

A few more moments and a humanoid lizard creature enters the room behind the humans hissing and looking about, sniffing the air and also looking Ankhar's way.

With the torch being held by Etruna your position is a sure giveaway.

The lizard creature starts hissing, pointing, and moving Ankhar's way! Another lizard man comes in behind the first.

I assume Ankhar falls back as the troglodyte's waddle in with his stone axes.

As stated by Etruna the first troglodyte crosses the oil covered ground and will be engaged by the characters in round #5.

When the second lizard man appears Etruna tosses the torch and the oil covered area catches fire. With oil drenched feet the lizard man watches stupidly as his legs catch fire. He lets out a reptilian cry and retreats back trying to put out his legs.