2. The First Delve

"Yes, lead on and we will back you up."

"Very well," Gabbro nods. "Since we'd have to open a portcullis no matter which way we go, why not start with this closest one?" Gabbro prepares to lift the gate (the one blocking the short western passage) with someone else's help.

Luther will move to lend a hand

As does Ricard

Pickles stands upon the back of the Sphinx pointing at the portcullis, "Onwards my fellow adventurers!" he says boldly before jumping down and helping to lift.

The dice of destiny rattle ominously behind a faraway screen ...

Under Pickles' supervision from atop the sphinx, Gabbro, Luther and Ricard hoist open the portcullis in the Chamber of the Desert’s western wall, and you proceed through.

Beyond, the corridor continues for 10’ before arriving at a corner section and turning to the south. It then continues south for at least 30’. The only feature you can see is a side passage on your right, in the western wall, after 10’.

At this point, Luther’s torch burns out, plunging the corridor into darkness. That allows Gabbro, with his infravision, to see that there is a second side passage, this time in the eastern wall of the corridor, after 50’.

---
Day 4, 12:10 pm
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7, 90’, Sleep
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 2: 6/9; 90’, Cure Light Wounds, (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 16/18, 90’
---
Johann, Gnome 1: 3/5, 90’

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"Crap! Hold a second I will light another."

Gabbro waits until the torch is lit so that the others can see him pointing. "Down there on the left," (he's pointing south and on the left/east wall) "is a passage that leads back to the Ocean room." He points to the closer passage, on their right (leading west): "That's where we want to go, I think. There'll probably be a connection to that door in the goblins' room that we didn't try opening before. Maybe the passage continues on to other areas, too."Gabbro nods to the others and resumes testing the floor with the butt of the spear as he continues the 10' south to that side passage, then looks down it to see what's visible.

As darkness falls upon the group the Halfling steps closer to Ricard, hand instinctively moving towards his quiver of arrows and waits for light to return. "Yes let us proceed to the Goblin Base."

Luther quickly lights another torch (update inventory), and Gabbro leads the party down the first corridor on your right (west). It ends abruptly at a door. In contrast to most of the doors you’ve encountered so far in Stonehell, this door is locked.

---
Day 4, 12:10 pm
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7, 90’, Sleep
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 2: 6/9; 90’, Cure Light Wounds, (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 16/18, 90’
---
Johann, Gnome 1: 3/5, 90’

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"Maybe we should try the key we found. You never know."

"Worth a try," murmurs Ricard,

"Suppose there's always the boot if not."

The rusty key that you found in one of the small storage rooms to the south does not fit the lock of this door.

"Well, either we bash it down - which I don't favor - or we head back south to get in the way we came previously." Gabbro considers how useful it would be to know some sort of magic for opening locks. As useful as Sleep is, it's not much use here. He makes a mental note to look into it if there's ever an opportunity to study magic further. "Anybody think we should smash the door? It's not like we've been particularly quiet up until now, but breaking the door is an entirely different level of noise."

Ricard listens carefully at the door...

Pickles looks the group up and down, "Well Ricard you’re the only one capable of the act, so if you feel up to it go ahead. Otherwise I’ll happily sneak in the way we know to be unlocked."

Sorry, missed that detail in my description. The passage extends west for just 10’ before arriving at the locked door.
All seems quiet beyond.

---
Day 4, 12:10 pm
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7, 90’, Sleep
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 2: 6/9; 90’, Cure Light Wounds, (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 16/18, 90’
---
Johann, Gnome 1: 3/5, 90’

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...