2. The First Delve

Pickles looks towards Ricard as his stomach made its growls, a worried look upon his face. "Are you alright friend? One night while walking to my Grandmother’s we heard a sound as such, which we thought was my Aunt Rudy Rubix’s stomach. Her stomach was always much banter cause of the sounds it made. But the joke was on us, as it was a Werewolf who had snuck up behind her." Pickles looks quickly behind Ricard, "How we laughed at our mistake as she was dragged off into the woods." After a pause he adds, "Shall we head through?"

Whilst you can make out the occasional word of Common here and there, it seems to be a dialect you're unfamiliar with. It’s definitely not Kobold, Goblin or Orcish. Furthermore, the words are punctuated with grunts, groans and the occasional, rather alarming, high-pitched squeal.

Moreover, whilst you get the impression that there are several individuals beyond the door, you don’t get any sense that a real conversation is taking place. They seem to be largely talking over one another, and there’s no natural flow or pattern to the interactions that suggests meaningful communication.

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Day 4, 3:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 2: 9/9, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"We'll get a meal after we get out," Gabbro whispers this assurance to everyone, "But for now, we go through this door, right? Ready, Ricard?" Once Ricard gives the signal, Gabbro moves to open the door. Then he thinks better of it and gestures to his brawnier friends.

Luther is ready with mace in hand."I will throw the torch through the door when you open it for a distraction and if we need light."

Pickles draws his bow and looks for a gap to peer through.

Are you going to attempt to barge the door open (requiring a successful ‘Open Doors’ roll) for the possibility of surprising the occupants?

Or, will you open the door more cautiously (no roll required, but no chance of surprise)?

If the former, Ricard (or Luther) has a better chance (3-in-6) than Gabbro.

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Day 4, 3:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 2: 9/9, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Gabbro braces himself, thinks better of it, and gestures to the others, whispering: "Why don't one of you try to get the jump on them?"

The Hellions stack up by the door and prepare to kick it in, throwing a torch through once they do...

Luther will move up real quick and give the door a kick. As the door flies open I will throw my torch in then follow it with shield up and mace at the ready.

The door proves to be particularly stuck within its aged and distorted wooden frame, and Ricard’s first attempt to break it open is met with resistance. He follows up with a couple of further shoves, and it yields eventually.

The door opens to reveal a room in which five humans, three men and two women, are standing around a smouldering campfire. Collectively, they are a sorry sight. Their hair is long and matted. Their skin is pale, scabrous and grubby. They’re dressed in what could loosely be described as "armour", but it’s a ragtag collection of skins, straps and odd bits of metal. Each is armed with a hand weapon of some sort, although, again, these have a makeshift quality. Most disconcertingly, the occupants all have a wild, manic look in their eyes as they begin to move towards you menacingly. It seems you have stumbled across a group of the degenerate ancestors of the original Stonehell prisoners,

Roasting on a spit over the fire, and the source of the meaty smell, is what looks worryingly like the upper portion of a human leg.

Elsewhere, the room is littered with decrepit pieces of furniture.

It is clear that they intend to attack with the hope of restocking their larder, so we’ll go straight into combat. Due to the noise created by the multiple attempts to open the door, there's no surprise on either side. You can assume they are currently around 20’ away from you. Before we roll for initiative, does Gabbro plan to cast his Sleep spell in Round 1?

Mapping information: rectangular room, 30’ x 20’. You enter through the southern section of the eastern wall. There are no other visible exits.

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Day 4, 3:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 2: 9/9, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

A grin flickers across Pickles face as a controlled calm falls upon him . . .

Luther moves intot he room with shield and mace at the ready"We mean you no harm and do not want to fight you. There is no need but we will defend ourselves and are very capable of it."

It’s clear from the way that they are advancing towards you, weapons drawn, cackling, with a wild look in their eyes, that this is not a situation that is going to be resolved with diplomacy.

I’ll just give Gabbro the option of declaring his Sleep spell before we move in to combat proper.

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Day 4, 3:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 2: 9/9, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Gabbro absolutely casts Sleep on the ragtag band of inbred mutants.

OK, let's roll for initiative then. If the Hellions win initiative, Gabbro will have no trouble getting his Sleep spell away. If your opponents win, you'll have to endure a round of them attacking you ...

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Day 4, 3:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 2: 9/9, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

::Degenerate ancestors?:: Gabbro thinks to himself. ::Why do I think these crazed people are time travelers?:: He puts the thought from his mind and unleashes the memorized syllables that are clamoring in his mind.

Initiative is tied, but as the round order goes movement -> missiles -> spells -> melee, Gabbro will be able to get his Sleep spell away before the berserkers can attack.

Gabbro, please go ahead and roll 2d8 to see how many hit dice your spell affects, and 4d4 to see how many turns it lasts for.

Also, Pickles may fire his bow if he wishes to.

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Day 4, 3:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 2: 9/9, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Gabbro incants the spell of slumber, the eldritch syllables burning in his mind but immediately forgotten once spoken.