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Grey Mouser pokes the caged woman. If she's conscious, he opens the caged (or picks it), pulls her out, motions to stay quiet, and brings her along in the middle of the marching order.

Bo helps the much shorter thief with the extraction of the prisoner. He hopes that the others realize that she could have simply been put here as a plant by the evil doers in the village.

He is just about to express that fact out loud until he remembers the magic silence about.

Grothnak keeps an eye on the door above while Mouser and Bo extract the prisoner and Telkis sends mice on a scouting mission.

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom climbs halfway up the ladder that leads to the trap door in the ceiling. He hopes to get a better view of the room and it's inhabitants. Surely this will help in figuring out why there seems to be a hold up in proceeding past the unexplored door.

Avril becomes aware that her grip on the hilt of her sword has tightened considerably. She will take a step back away from the caged woman, allowing Bo and Mouser to tend to the "prisoner," and will scan the dungeon they find themselves in for any apparent exits; keeping her eyes fixed on any she finds, including the trap door through which they entered.

Day Five.
Village of Briarsgate, The Golden Grain Inn (6*)
Between 10 and 11pm, Thursday, October 20th, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





In the eerie, supernatural silence, Avril and Grothnak stand guard, their watchful eyes on the trapdoor near Hoom, who has just climbed the ladder to get a better view. Hoom sees the barred, southern door and remembers what lay just beyond it:

• • • [b][url=http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=219809#p219809]Inferno[/url][/b] wrote: Long Bo says, "Let's investigate this last door and get the blazes out of here..."
      
      ...they pull the door open and look into the darkness.
      

      

      a 6' tall tunnel excavated into the dark earth.jpg (243.46 KiB) Viewed 982 times

      The barred door opens onto a black, 6' tall tunnel excavated into the dark earth beneath the inn. A plague of filthy rats scurry for cover. The frigid air from the tunnel carries the sickening stench of mold, decay and death. The rough hewn shaft is haphazardly shored up every 10 feet with rotten timbers on the walls and ceiling.
      Telkis sees that the tunnel slopes downward into mud and standing water from the storm's deluge. The gnome can't vouch for its integrity, especially with all the water in the ground right now.

Ingrid moves to the north end of the prison room to allow Telkis to speak and hear.

Hoom sees but doesn't hear Telkis open his pack and whisper to Finster the mouse, offering him his choice of adventures.




Only Telkis hears Finster reply, "Oh, I'm ever so happy to do all of those things, master gnome, sir! But most especially the opportunity to meet Jenkins at long last! A mouse among mice is he! Let us begin with the tunnel, as it's closest to our immediate vicinity, shall we?!
"Hmm, yes. There's a small crack here in the corner of the door's base. I think I can just.. yes... I can just squeeze through. Come on, boys!" Finster squeaks as he and his two doughty mice-at-arms squeeze under the closed, barred door.

"My!" Finster squeaks softly from the other side. "There's a (cough!) most disagreeable odor in here! And it's pitch black! I can't see my paw in front of my whiskers! Well... We'll feel our way forward, along the wall. Follow me, boys! Adventure at last!"


Ingrid moves to examine the caged woman, engulfing the entire chamber in deathly, all-consuming silence. She remembers her time inside the iron cage only yesterday.

Mouser pokes the caged woman and she flinches in surprise. The little thief expertly picks the cage's primitive lock and opens the iron door. Bo and Mouser remove the captive's blindfold, revealing wide, bewildered, searching eyes. They cut her gag and bindings, and the young woman falls out of the cage. She pulls herself up and backs away against a nearby stone wall.



Her hair is cut simply and her robe resembles that of a nun.

Mouser motions for her to be quiet with a finger across his lips.

She's lost. Her desperate eyes search everyone and everywhere for a way out. She tries to speak and nothing happens. Horrified, she tries to scream, long and hard. She empties her soundless lungs until a coughing fit overtakes them. She shakes her head and hits her ears and then stops and stares defiantly at her "captors," bravely preparing herself for whatever comes next.

Ingrid's enchantment must have died at that very moment because suddenly everyone hears, mid-shriek, the piteous, bloodcurdling squeals of mice from beyond the barred door...



...while only Telkis hears Finster cry, "-aaaaaah!! NO! Help! Master gnome! Please help us! No!! AAAAAAAAHH!---"

The harrowing wails are abruptly cut off mid-scream.


Actions?





Status:
Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/1: AC 7, HP 9/9, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 16/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 7/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 14/16, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/15, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 16/19, Laying Hands: 0/1
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 18/19

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

Player Resources:
*Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate

Hoom Feethos:

Still clinging to the ladder that lead the party down Hoom call out to the group. "What's the hold up? Unbar the door and let's get moving."

"Hold up," says Grothnak. "Our presence here is known. We must make sure no one will attack from above before we open the barred door."

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom climbs the rest of the ladder to the trap door and pulls the door closed.
"There it's closed. Can we move forward now?"

OCC: Is there any locking/barring devices on this side of the trap door? Is there a metal ring on the bottom side of the trap door in which could be tied to the ladder with rope to prevent it from opening from above?

Avril continues to monitor the area, and any perceived exits, for any unexpected visitors, but otherwise remains silently fixed in her position.

Grothnak only shakes his head in response to Hoom's question. "Shhh," he whispers. He turns his head, listening for any sound coming from outside the room. "Do not be so eager to attack the unknown that you turn your back to a pursuing enemy," he says.

"Someone should quiet the woman," he adds. "I suspect I am not the best one to do it."

Bo quickly takes the advice and moves towards the woman with his palms facing her.

He flashes his caring smile and speaks to her with his soothing deep voice. We are here to save you, not to harm you, my dear. You are free to leave this prison at any time. But first, is there anything that you remember about your abduction? Can you tell us who you are and how you came to be here?

Grey Mouser, thief

"Perhaps a cat caught the mice," whispers Mouser upon hearing the rodents' squeals. "But just in case..."

He steps back to let the fighters open the barred door.

Day Five.
Village of Briarsgate, Beneath the Golden Grain Inn (6)
Between 10 and 11pm, Thursday, October 20th, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





Ingrid's Spell of Silence dies and suddenly everyone hears, mid-shriek, the piteous, bloodcurdling squeals of mice from beyond the barred door, while only Telkis hears Finster cry, "-aaaaaah!! NO! Help! Master gnome! Please help us! No!! AAAAAAAAHH!---" The high-pitched, harrowing wails are abruptly cut off mid-scream.

Hoom calls out to the group. "What's the hold up? Unbar the door and let's get moving."

"Perhaps a cat caught the mice," whispers Mouser upon hearing the rodents' squeals. "But just in case..."
He steps back to let the fighters open the barred door, and Telkis moves forward to do so when...

"Hold up," says Grothnak. "Our presence here is known. We must make sure no one will attack from above before we open the barred door."

Telkis hesitates.

Hoom climbs the rest of the ladder to the trap door and pulls the door closed. "There. It's closed. Can we move forward now?"

Grothnak only shakes his head in response to Hoom's question. "Shhh," he whispers. He turns his head, listening for any sound coming from outside the room.

In that moment of silence, no sound is heard; not from above them, nor from the cellars to the west, nor from the tunnels beyond the barred door.

"Do not be so eager to attack the unknown that you turn your back to a pursuing enemy," Grothnak says.
"Someone should quiet the woman," he adds. "I suspect I am not the best one to do it."

Bo quickly takes the advice and moves towards the woman with his palms facing her. He flashes his caring smile and speaks to her with his soothing deep voice. "We are here to save you, not to harm you, my dear. You are free to leave this prison at any time. But first, is there anything that you remember about your abduction? Can you tell us who you are and how you came to be here?"

The young woman (X) is clearly confused, but relieved that her hearing has returned, and that these armed strangers are more interested in things other than her. She answers softly in a rasping, throat-sore quaver. "I… where is this? I was just in Briarsgate, at the… the Golden Grain Inn. I think… I fell asleep after dinner, and now… why are you here?" Her eyes squint at those last words.


Actions?

Map: Each square is 5 feet. Darkened areas are your recollections.





Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/1: AC 7, HP 9/9, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 16/17
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 7/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 14/16, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/15, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 16/19, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 18/19

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom climbs down the ladder and waits for the group to move forward.

Bo remembers their last trip in here. He looks over to see if the chests that once held the equipment of his allies when they were imprisoned here are still present.

"You are still in Briarsgate, my dear, as I suspect you already know.

We are merely a band of travelers that lost a comrade. We are in here looking for him. We came through that trap door up there and found you caged down here.

Can you tell us any more about yourself? Who are you? And, what is your business in town?"

Grey Mouser, thief

"Well you'll be safer with us," Mouser assures the woman. He knows if she is discovered it will signify intruders freed her.

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

Ingrid feels (understandable) sympathy towards the woman. But she knows that there is a chance that she might be part of an elaborate trap.
"And you are still at the Golden Grain... or rather, under it. I gather you are not local. What were you doing in Briarsgate?" she asks, trying to keep her tone comforting.

She looks at the warriors standing next to the locked door. "Do you hear anything?"

Avril moves to stand beside the woman. "Are you alright, ma'am," she asks, attempting to inconspicuously inspect her for any signs of visible injuries or harm. Just as she did when she witnessed Pelias in need, she is prepared to provide assistance to the woman if it is revealed her injuries are more than having been simply traumatized.

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter

"Finster!" cries Telkis, cursing himself inwardly for his stupidity in enlisting these poor creatures and sending them into a situation for which they were totally unprepared. If within his power he'll save Finster, though he suspects it's too late. Without considering further, he throws open the door to the underground passage, hand axe poised to strike, standing fully in front of the opening to intercept anything rushing out to meet them before it reaches the rest of the party.

If there's something there at which he can strike, he'll throw his axe, then draw Cranston and prepare to go to town...
Hand axe, thrown (THAC0 16): To Hit:[1d20] = 14, Damage: vs s/m [1d6] = 2, vs L [1d4] = 3