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Kernodle will call back to Abe...

I think I found something. Any ideas how to investigate without sticking our noses into a Rat buffet?

Abe returns back to the tunnel.

"Ah, good eye, Noodle. Maybe you could toss one of the glands down into it? Might frighten them off if they're hanging about..."

Aye, good eye there. They are probably lying in wait for us. Luken will take one of the glands and toss it down the passage.

One of the glowing glands is passed up and Kernodle carefully delivers it through the rats apparent escape route. Peering through, the dwarf can tell that the passage continues another 15 feet before it appears to widen, you suspect into another cavern. There is no sign of the rats.

Kernodle relays what he sees.
ok, men. I will go through. Be prepared to grab me back through if I yell...
With that he will crawl through. He will stowe his shield behind him, but will hold on to the handle of the sword in case he had to try to swat anything.

Kernolde prepares himself mentally to pass through the rats passage, but quickly realizes his natural dwarven girth will prevent him from squeezing through without clearing it a bit. A lot bit.

An inspection of the rubble and surrounding walls does indicate that at attempt to clear the rubble would carry only minimal risk.

Kernodle looks back at the men and back again at the rocks.

Eh, I might could crawl through here, but you two couldn't for sure.

He will gently attempt to remove the nearest rocks from the entrance to open it up enough for each to crawl through.

Kernolde begins to clear away the rubble blocking the groups path. After several careful minutes, the dwarf believes he has cleared enough away to pass through.

It's a tight squeeze, but with considerable effort, the dwarf finds himself on the other side. Kernodle dusts himself off and accepts his shield from Luken who passes it through to him. The dwarf turns to begin exploring the beyond and immediately notices a curious sight -- a halfling, dangling upside down from the ceiling, apparently caught in some sort of snare trap. A rat, perched below this halfling, rises onto its hind legs and is making every effort to snip at this poor halfling which dangles just beyond its reach.

Unfortunately, Kernodle is distracted by this sight just long enough to not notice a second rat advancing upon him! He reacts, but not soon enough to avoid being struck by the ravenous vermin (-2 hp).
---

I went ahead and incorporated the rats' first round attack since it won initiative. The party still has the opportunity to perform their first round actions.

Hearing the sounds of struggle, Abelard says, "climb through or move aside so I can! The dwarf may need help!"

If Luken moves aside, then Abe climbs through the rubble. If he tries to climb, Abe pushes him through from behind and quickly follows.

Kernodle hopes that a swing will scare the rat, at least to the point where it goes backward away from him.

Right then... Luken will say as he moves aside to let Abelard by. As soon as Abelard gets through he will start to open the orifice open so than he can also pass.

Kernodle, with a rat nipping at his legs and feet, quickly produces his long sword and looks to fend the creature off. His swing made in haste sails wide and the rat remains undeterred.

"Climb through or move aside so I can! The dwarf may need help!" Abe cries, and quickly finds Luken making way for him. Upon reaching the other side of the rubble, the human realizes he's in tight confines and unable to join the assault against the pesky vermin from their current position.

---

In the center of the cavern, the dark skinned halfling dangling from the ceiling manages to produce a short bow and, from extreme close range, skewers the second rat, eliminating his immediate threat, at least for the moment.

"Beware those nasty nippers!" calls out the suspended halfling. "I don't want to hurt you good sir dwarf, so I'll hold my bowstring until a shot presents itself!"

knowing he is in it to the death, Kernodle swings again.

Luken tries to get through the constriction as soon as possible.

"Beware those nasty nippers!" calls out the suspended halfling. An instant later, the sharp blade Kernodle wields catches the rat and sends it into a squealing death, but not before the vermin manages to snip the dwarf for a second time. Kernodle stumbles forward into the cavern, annoyed at the stinging pain in his foot, careful to avoid the dangling halfling. Abe and Luken follow, entering the cavern as well. ---

Experience Points
2 Ordinary Rats: +5xp (Each)

Oi, who are you? Luken will say to the halfling while approaching to help in any way. He will try to assess if there is any other immediate danger. Given to many of these rats we'll all end up with sewer fever sooner or later.

Kerndodle looks around at the dead rodents. For the life of him, he cant figure out how they were able to get through his armor. But, the pain he continues to experience reminds him of the fact that they indeed did so.

He calls out to the halfling, Nice shooting by the way. Had we come upon you a few minutes ealier, that sorry elf we left back yonder might have survived. Name's Kernodle. Anybody got anything to clean out these wounds? I hear these things can be quite unpleasant.

"Am I glad to see some humanoids! Pleased to make your acquaintance; my name is Tavari Quimbas, of the Quimbas fisherhalflings." the dangling halfling rattles off quickly in a friendly manner. "I sure would appreciate being cut down, I've been up here for some minutes and have a terrific headache!" After a quick preview of the room reveals no other immediate threats, Luken, the tallest human, cautiously approaches the ensnared halfling and assures the dark-skinned little man that his intentions are to free him. Once on the ground, Tavari clearly suffers some immediate uneasiness, but the effects are short lived.

Kernodle looks around at the dead rodents, wondering how the creatures were able to get through his armor, but the way he favors one foot is clear evidence that the pain the rodent inflicted is very real. He calls out to the halfling: "Nice shooting, by the way." he says to their new companion. "Had we come upon you a few minutes earlier, that sorry elf we left back yonder might have survived." The discomfort in his foot increasing, Kernodle wonders aloud: "Anybody got anything to clean out these wounds? I hear these things can be quite unpleasant."

Aside from the way the original group entered, the only apparent exit is to the north.