Third Expedition

[Raven Crowking]

Sigur's blow is good, and comes before the skeleton can do anything more than pull its old bones together. The gem shatters into a scatter of blue shards, and the skeleton sinks to the moist flagstones.

Meanwhile, the brick is removed up the corridor, revealing an ancient, dark passageway 60 feet in length. Infravision reveals three doors along the left hand wall.

[beermotor]

Assuming we hear some communication of that fact from Murq, we'll head back that way, post-haste.

"Looks interesting."

[So, INFRAvision shows doors? So they're hotter or colder than the surroundings?]

[Raven Crowking]

Doors are implied by the shapes seen by infravision, because of their size. Cold-blooded creatures may or may not be noted. Some un-dead are noted because they are colder than their surroundings; others might be harder to spot. Writing is almost always invisible. Submerged creatures may be effectively invisible, as might Ahnold be if he is hiding from a Predator under a big glop of mud.

[beermotor]

Okay.

"Let's take these bricks down some and see what's beyond," Grim says.
The two dwarves begin helping Murq, using Grim's hammer.

Daryll and Cisneros will stand looking around nervously.

[Raven Crowking]

The dwarves well know that it will take about an hour's work to make a space big enough to get through the wall. A single sledgehammer could do the same in half the time. Three people working with sledges could do it in about 10 minutes. In any event, the noise is going to echo up and down the passages, possibly calling unwanted attention to you.

[beermotor]

"Well, we can do this and see what happens, or we can wander around and see what we run into. Maybe there's at least something that hasn't been looted on the other side of this," Pikar days. Grim concurs.

"I think we oughtta bail. Maybe the shards of this gem are worth somethin," Daryll says.

(Any XP for skeleton?)

[Raven Crowking]

Right you are....2 XP for those who participated. Thanks for the reminder!

[beermotor]

Unless somebody wants to vote differently, we're just going to keep chipping on the mortar holding the bricks to try to make an opening big enough to get through.

[Raven Crowking]

You are not tapping away at the wall long when you hear the sound of stone grinding on stone, somewhere off in the distance.

[beermotor]

"I zink vee should retreat to zee entrance, don't you?" Cisneros says.

The dwarves all look at each other. Grim says, "Well, we've not got anything yet to show for our dead. What would their spirits say, if we flee like cowards?" Pikar looks nervous, but nods. "I agree."

Daryll grips his club tighter. "Y'all jes hurry up with that wall."

[Dumnbunny]

Jedak nervously looks back down the hall away from the bricked in section. Dugar nocks an arrow, preparing to fire. Sigur hefts his torch.

[beermotor]

[... ?]

[bitflipr]

Murq keeps chipping away at the wall.

[Raven Crowking]

As Murq continues chipping away on the wall, you can hear a door open somewhere....and a few seconds later, the sound comes again....

[beermotor]

[Haha this is so awesome.]

Daryll says, "How much longer?" He looks about ready to bolt.

[Raven Crowking]

There is another 30-40 minutes of work to go when two ragged figures step around the corner to the east, a few seconds after the last door opened. They appear emaciated, with gaunt bony arms outstretched, and mouths with sharp teeth which seem to protrude from their hollow cheeks. They are 5 feet away from the closest of your party members as they round the corner, and now, even with the sound of the chisel, you can hear their soft moans.

Roll for initiative!

[Dumnbunny]

[Initiative: 5 + 1 = 6]

Jedak will thrust at the approaching figures with his pitchfork [To Hit: 15, Dmg: 6], drop the pitchfork and pull out an unlit torch, wielding it club-like. Dugar will loose an arrow at the figures [To Hit: 3 - 1 = 2, Dmg: 4 - 1 = 3], then drop his bow and pull out an unlit torch, following Jedak's example. Sigur, already wielding lit torch, swings at the nearest figure as it approaches [To Hit: 15 + 1 = 16, Dmg: 4 + 1 = 5, Fire: 1].

[Raven Crowking]

The creatures roll a "10" for initiative, and thus go first. One attacks Jedak, and the other attacks Sigur. The first rolls 3 + 1 = 4, and the other rolls 8 + 1 = 9. Without Sigur's sheet in front of me, I assume that is a miss....?

Both Jedak and Sigur hit their targets, so both of the creatures are injured. Dugar's miss is unfortunate -- he will need to make an attack roll against Sigur, doing normal damage if he hits. Such are the perils of missile fire in close quarters....

....And then two more of the un-dead things come around the corner.

[Dumnbunny]

Yup, that's a miss on Sigur. Dugar rolls a 3 to hit Sigur and the arrow sails off. Wanting to make up for almost killing him, Dugar takes Sigur's place on the front-line (assuming two-across in the hall; if it's three, Sigur will just move to the side).

If it's time for the next round, initiative 7 + 1 = 8. Jedak will try to get a light before swinging his club, if possible; if not, he'll wait for an opportunity [To Hit: 17, Dmg: 3, possible Fire: 3]. Dugar will follow Jedak's example [To Hit: 6 - 1 = 5, Dmg: none], continuing his streak. If there's room for three across, Sigur will swing his lit torch [To Hit: nat 20, Dmg: 2, Fire: 4, Crit: (Roll: 2 + 1 = 3, Dmg: 3)].

[bitflipr]

Murq will drop the chisel and attack the closest un-dead with his hammer if he can find room.

Initiative: 10
Attack: 16
Damage: 4