2. The First Delve

"I agree, let us take a moment and see what was worth all the effort."

Ricard cautiously approaches the smashed door, tapping with his spear as he goes. At the door, he peers through to get a sense of what lies beyond...

Ancient Storeroom
Ricard approaches the broken door and peers through the opening that it once covered. Beyond, he sees a small square chamber that looks like it was once used as a storeroom. Spongy wooden shelves line the walls, many of them caked with rotten detritus. The decaying goods have attracted flies, which in turn have attracted two Giant Toads. Upon Ricard’s approach, the toads turn to face him …

Mapping information: square chamber, 20’ x 20’. The entrance is in the middle of the western wall. There are no other visible exits.

Edit: The toads, wary of Ricard, keep their distance. They pause their fly feasting, ready to respond should he come any closer.

---
Day 4, 11:40 am
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 ...

"What’s in there? Ricard, what is it?" Pickles calls out noticing the Fighter stop in his track at the door. "Any worthwhile treasure?" The Halfling attempts to peer past into the next room.

Ricard slowly backs away and gives the hand signal for "two enemies."

"Lots of rotten food and flies... and two huge frogs that don't seem to want to fight."

Pickles nods and his hand slides away from his quiver, "Shall we carry on then." he says more as a thing to do then a question.

Unusually for Stonehell maps, this doorway spans the gridlines rather than sitting neatly within them. From the southern wall of the Dilipidated Hall, the doorway runs from 25' - 35'. The closed door in the western wall, similarly, is directly opposite. But, yes, the storeroom with the toads is definitely 20' x 20', with the door running from 5' - 15' from its southern wall.

Dilapidated Hall
Time passes …

---
Day 4, 11:50 am
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 ...

With foot tapping Pickles looks to Ricard to lead the way, "Come on we have Goblins to kill." He says with a cheeky smile.

"Yes, let's not disturb them while they're eating," Gabbro agrees. "We can come back later and see what's in those rooms. For now, let's go west..." Gabbro begins his probing way down the passage leading west.

Luther will nod"Maybe if they frogs instead of toads. I like good ole frog legs." he will prepare to take his place in line.

"Oh, right... Onward!"

Ricard tears his gaze away from the disgusting amphibians and leads the way towards the goblin door...

You leave the dilapidated hall behind and continue westwards. After 30’, the corridor ends at a now familiar portcullis. Peering through the gaps, you see another octagonally shaped room. This one is desert-themed - peeling frescoes of dunes, cacti and pyramids adorn the walls. Just beyond the portcullis, to your left, you can see a worn statue of a sphinx.

---
Day 4, 12:00 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 ...

"Remember not to look it in the eyes I think."

"So don’t scratch it under the chin is what you’re saying, Mental note to oneself." Pickles says with a chuckle.

He then stows his bow and takes hold of the portcullis, "Like Uncle Dubious use to say, you won’t know if it’s a friendly mountain lion if you don’t feed it."

"Each of these octagonal portcullis rooms has had some kind of feature on a wall," Gabbro tries to reassure the others (and himself), "...though the one in the forest room was broken apart, like someone had destroyed it before it could do any harm!" Gabbro realizes he's getting alarmed, takes a deep breath, then helps Pickles haul up the portcullis. "Just test the ground like we have been. Can any of you think of another way to test for a trap?"

"Pickle could shoot the statue from afar to see if it reacts," Ricard offers with a shrug.

"Perhaps before we open the portcullis, shoot through the bars in case it hops up and comes after us?"

Ricard shrugs even more deeply,

"I'm just saying, I'd rather have the bars between us than not! It's either that or we try to talk to the thing... I think they tell dirty stories or riddles or some such. Or maybe it's just a statue!"