The adventure begins...

[Dogma]

So just to clarify our current position, Dogma, we're near a doorway on the southern wall of an east-west passage, with unknown passage to the east?

Yes, if you look at the map Makofan has been keeping, you are by the door in red, the corridor goes another 20 feet to the east before turning south...

Which is where Brax, Linden, and Morel, followed by a more cautious Peader, chase the fleeing centipede. The southern corridor dead ends after 20 feet, which is where the brave band of adventurers corner the giant centipede and the elves make short work of it with their spears. It's only after they are finished that they notice another door set in the east wall of the passage, right before the dead end.

While the others chase after the centipede, Peader examines the dead centipedes. Their carapaces are cracked and their innards have begun to leak out. He would have to finish cracking them open if he wanted to get a good look at any stomach contents.

[NJWilliam]

Looking at the centipedes, Jofrid unloads and slings his crossbow over his shoulder, draws his sword, and sets to cracking the centipedes open so he can get a better look at their stomach contents.

[Alethan]

Peadar leaves the cracking of carcasses to others as he examines the newly found eastern door for traps and listens at it to see if he hears anything.

[Dogma]

Jofrid quickly cracks open the first centipede's carapace and sorts through the innards looking for the stomach. Some of the goo inside is easily identified as intestines or other organs, but some of it is unrecognizable. He eventually finds the stomach, but it only contains what looks to be a partially digested rat. He also finds two curious sacs of liquid that are attached by ducts to the creatures mandibles.

Searches of the other two insects reveal similar stomach contents (I.e. nothing of value), but each also has two of the odd sacs of mysterious liquid.

Peadar finds no traps on the door, and it appears to be unlocked. Passing his ear against the door, he strains to hear through the stone door, but hears nothing inside.

[NJWilliam]

Working as carefully as he can, Jofrid removes the four sacs of mandible liquid from the centipedes, and carefully places them in the small sack at his belt which he then moves to a position that he figures will shelter it from as much bumping or jostling as possible.

[Alethan]

Once it looks like everyone is paying attention, Peadar will make sure all know that he is going to open the door. Then he will open the door.

[Makofan]

We have two doors we can open - one in the south wall of teh corridor about 50 feet in back of us, and one in the east wall at the end of the corridor. Are we ignoring the south door, and opening the east door?

[Alethan]

Didn't think one was any better or worse than the other, so I went with the east door...

[NJWilliam]

Jofrid readies his crossbow for whatever might be behind the door . . .

[max_vale]

Lavex will take up a hammer again and move into position to cover the chosen doorway....

[Dogma]

The group gets in position and Peader opens the door. The light shining through the door reveals a scene that is becoming very familiar. The room is sparsely furnished with rotting furniture. This includes a bed, a desk, a chest, a writing table with wooden chair, and a wooden holy symbol shaped like a lightning bolt. All of the furniture is covered with a thick layer of dust. The room is 20 feet wide, though the back wall is beyond the range of the lantern.

The only thing that distinguishes from the others rooms they have found is the body of a dead hobgoblin lying on the floor. The body looks several weeks dead. Its left arm looks oddly swollen and discolored.

[Alethan]

Peadar looks up and checks the ceiling. If all looks clear, then he'll enter the room.

He examines the dead body. Where is it in relation to the chest? And which arm is it? Left or right? Peadar examines the body to try and determine if the hobgoblin is left handed or right handed (where is the creatures sword or dagger located, if he has either, for example).

"Watch out, that chest might be trapped..."

[Makofan]

Brax follows Peader intop the room, but he isn't touching anything yet

[riftstone]

Lindon Silverheart will check the room for secret doors.

[Dogma]

As the group enters the room the light reveals it to be a 20 x 30 foot rectangle. Set in the northern section of the east wall is another door.

The dead goblin is about halfway between the newly discovered door and the chest. As Peadar visually examines the goblin, he finds that the left arm is the one that is discolored and swollen. A battered short sword is belted at the left hip.

Linden carefully examine the walls for secret doors but finds nothing. (DM note: I'm going to start being more strict about searching for secret doors. As per the Basic Rule book "The DM should only check for finding a secret door if a player says that the character is searching and searching for one in the correct area." From now on you have to state that you are searching for a secret door and also say where (i.e. 'behind the alter', or 'the north east corner of the room'.) Searching a 10x10 section of wall will take 1 turn.)

[Alethan]

Peadar examines the goblin's hand to see if he can tell what caused it to swell so. Specifically, he'll check the hand for indications of a needle prick. He'll also check the lock to see if a needle is sticking out of it or if it appears trapped.

[NJWilliam]

Jofrid shoulders his crossbow and moves up to the goblin corpse to search it for anything of use or value.

"Was it a needle or a bite that did that to his arm?" he asks Peadar.

[Alethan]

At the mention of a bite, Peadar reflexively looks up at the ceiling again nervously before continuing with his examination.

[Dogma]

Peader finds a what looks to be a small hollow needle made of a horn-like material stuck in the goblins hand. A search of the lock mechanism on the chest reveals nothing unusual, other than the chest appears to be unlocked.

[Alethan]

Peadar still isn't taking any chances. He uses his crowbar to pop open the latch and lift the lid of the chest.