Goblins. Again.

2 am, August 8 by Kingdom Reckoning

The sounds of struggle continue to your north but it seems as if the number of combatants is narrowing. Battle cries in a deep voice mingle with shouts and yips of smaller creatures.

From the east, a volley of arrows flies. Thor is hit twice, taking 7 points of damage and two fly over Twiggy's head. Rayla is also hit once for 2 points of damage. 

You grip your weapons, pluck the strings of your bows and begin to chant the first few words of your spells, preparing for the battle to come when a brilliant flash of lightning splits the sky and crashes into the tree where Twiggy was perched. The light momentarily blinds you and the immediate crash of thunder is enough to rattle your teeth. The tree cracks and begins to burn.

There are still no visible threats. It is the party's turn. (We're in initiative order so please restrict yourselves to the normal move/action or two moves.

A Clearing in the Woods

Evening, August 8 by Kingdom Reckoning

After the encounter with the halflings and the mad dwarf, the party makes its way swiftly around the horn of the mountains and into the forest. Travel slows considerably once the forest deepens and at times you must dismount your horses to get through the dense brush. On the evening of the 8th day on the trail you come across a clearing in the woods with a small stream flowing through it. It seems familiar to some of you...

Outside the Dungeon

Early morning, July 31 by Kingdom Reckoning

You exit the dungeon after a short rest in one of the vestibules on the stairs out of the place. Twiggy's password again works to open the ground up and you exit into the fresh air, feeling happy to be in the wide world again.

You begin to make your way north and east, back toward the mountains, with your original plan of skirting North and rounding the range back to Bremel. Kumo and Draymun and Tom all spread out in front of the party, looking for a trail, looking for water, looking for civilization, looking for the horses. You trudge 10 miles through sand up to your ankles and scrub brush that cuts at your hands. By 5 pm the party is exhausted and you begin looking for a decent place to camp but before you decide on a spot, you see at a distance of 200 feet, a group of horses and riders, back lit by the setting sun.

Beginning the Delve

Afternoon, July 30 by Kingdom Reckoning

In response to Shade's question as he hurries underground, the giant responds, "Kotas." Then says, in what sounds like a rehearsed chant, "my work is finished, I return to the ground to await the pilgrims." The outlines of the spell begin to shine through the skin on his forehead and as you pass into the darkness underground, you hear the clatter of bones. 

The earth seals behind you.

The stairs are steep, obviously made for longer legs than any in the group have so the going is slow. The ceiling is vaulted and it's far enough above your head that you have to squint in the torchlight to see it, easily 15-20 feet. At regular intervals there is a landing, lined with columns like the staircase, with walls set with basins and alcoves. The alcoves must be there for illumination but contain no lamps, the basins are empty.

The stairs go on for quite a long time. Your knees grow tired from stepping, stepping, stepping down farther than is comfortable with every step. Your back hurts from the weight of your pack, bouncing on your back. Your eyes are sore from squinting and you can hear the pounding of your heart in your ears.

Finally, at a depth that Rayla estimates as 600 feet below the earth, you see that the stairs open up into a large doorway which in turn opens up into a room lined with columns. It is still dark, and even those with darkvision can see nothing beyond the torches but more columns.

The room is quiet and dark as a tomb, you stand 10-15 feet back up the stairs, near the same level as the top of the entrance to the great room. What do you do?

Tracking the Horses

Noon, August 30 670 by Kingdom Reckoning

Tom leads the party southwest in the direction that the horses bolted but after two hours he loses their tracks in the sparse grass and loose sand that makes up the dunes in this barren area of land. He casts about for a time, moving east and west several hundred yards to try to pick up the trail again, but to no avail. 

He does, however, stumble upon something interesting: a humanoid skull, as high as a man's thighs, covered in a pattern of runes. In a single eye socket in the middle of the head, is a yellow gem.

Rat Swarm (Round 4) A New Threat Approaches

Early Morning, August 30 670 by Kingdom Reckoning

Draymun's warhammer crashes in among the rats and the rest scatter in fear.

You lose 4 days worth of rations and two of your tents are destroyed. Your other gear looks to be intact.

20 feet away from Twiggy's position, two shapes appear out of the ground. They're hard to see in the dim light thrown by Shade's lantern, but they are large and the light plays across a shiny carapace of some sort.

(Twiggy's initiative vs. the new creature's: 9+2 vs. 13+0)

They scuttle forward into the light:

Acid drips from their clacking mandibles and they are nearly the size of your horses. One scuttles up to Twiggy and rears up to bite him. The other makes it's way to Shade and attempts to grab him.

(Attack against Twiggy: Natural 20, confirmation roll: 12+5 = 17 which is a hit. 3+3+2+4+8 = 20 points of damage as well as 1 point of acid damage. I believe that's enough to knock Twiggy out.)

Twiggy slides, unconscious, from his horse and the horses he had gathered up scatter in fear, bolting as far as they can in every direction.

(Attack against Shade: 8+5 = 13 which is a hit. 6+6+4 = 16 damage and Shade is grabbed)

Shade is grappled and his lantern is in danger of being flung from his hands, but he manages to hold on to it for this round. (Successful Reflex save.)

It is the party's turn.

Fighting the Swarm (Round 2)

Early Morning, August 30 670 by Kingdom Reckoning

I rule that since Tom is still standing on the ground at the head of the onslaught (and his Dex is higher than Thorvald's) that the party will go on his initiative.

Party Roll: 10+4 = 14
Swarms Roll: 6+5 = 11

The party may take another turn.

Twiggy's Inspire Courage begins this round so you all add 1 to your hit and damage. Note that Twiggy can only take one additional action this round since he started singing.