Stillness in the dark

[Telcontar]

[Nori]

"if we want to hole up for a time lets check out the smaller passage to left first. It may be a small room that we can drop our gear in and then quickly explore the main route before setting up a watch."

[tomcat]

"Sounds like a good idea," agreed Kori, and so once more, Gumbo took up a lead position and lead the company deeper into the dwarven house. They moved down the left passage and the light of Turumarth's staff lit the way, while behind them, the shadows quickly returned and draped the area where they once were back in darkness.

The company moved the length of 40' and came once more to a set of stairs that went down. Each of them made silent count of the stairs, but it was plain to see that there were too few. From the base of the stairs, they moved another twenty feet and suddenly the passage opened up into a small room measuring 15' by 15'. There was no furnishings, though there was evidence of habitation - an old fire pit blackened a portion of the floor, and straw lay strewn about. There were also small piles of remains. Some of the bones looked to be those of a medium-sided creature, or man, while others looked to be the skeletal remains of rodents. In the northwest corner was a door that still hung on hinges, though it looked ready to come down. There was no sound; no light; only the smell of death.

Kori shook suddenly with a chill, but then spoke, "This was a foyer. Whomever owned this home would have met his guests here before welcoming him into further chambers." The craftsman pointed at the door, "Through there should lead to bedchambers, dining and kitchen hall, and perhaps a forge."

As if the darkness was listening, the distant sound of hammer on anvil could be heard. The companions all drew up their weapons and turned about, listening, but none could pinpoint the direction from which the sound came... more it seemed as if they heard it within their own heads.

Back in the darkened hall where they had entered the dwarf estate, a darker form moved. It was on all fours, and it sniffed at the floor, drawing in the scent - the scent of the living. The scent of food. The shadow followed its nose and moved up the angled northwest passage.

[Jingo]

  Just so you know, I'm still here. For some reason I wasn't getting email updates to this thread so wasn't aware that things were progressing. Sorry! I'll let you know shortly what
my char does.

[Jingo]

Idhriel sat on her heels, bow in hand and head cocked, listening for long moments, straining to hear the voices that had descended the staircase below. She had only caught bits and pieces of the conversation. They seemed to be searching for something. She only hoped that this search would not awaken the hordes of orcs that lay hidden and plotting in these dark realms.

The loud crash at the bottom of the stairs moments earlier had sent her heart racing. Had the shadow's agents also heard this noise? Were they even now converging on this location? She peered around nervously for some time. 

Hearing the sounds of the dwarves diminish into the blackness and not wanting to leave the small comfort the light brought from the tall one's staff, she made up her mind to descend the stairs and trail them at a distance.

After all, she reasoned, it wouldn't do any good to get caught here alone or to lose her way. There were at least two dwarves among the group. Surely they would know the way out. That firmed her resolve to follow all the more; for she was already beginning to feel somewhat disoriented with the crushing weight of the mountain all around where the glimmer of sun, or moon or star never reached.

She cautiously navigated the stairs, reaching the end where they tumbled away down below. Peering below she tried to move silently among the debris and leap lightly down below.

[Using Nimbleness TN 12 from your earlier post to not fall down the broken stair:
Roll(2d6)+3:
2,3,+3
Total:8
Ouch! Not sure if +4 acrobatics balance from Lightfootedness helps here or not. If not, she fails. Your call. The text below assumes she fails. Let me know the damage.
]

Idhriel gritted her teeth against the jarring blow, and then making sure she was only slightly bruised and scraped, she picked herself up, brushed off the dust, and listened intently for any sign of danger. Then she continued to move down the passageway.

Coming to the fork, she frowned for a moment and peered and listened down both passageways hoping for the tell-tale gleam of the light carried by the tall one that would indicate the direction they had gone.

She'll stay at the fork until she's certain either by sight or sound of the party's location. Then she will cautiously move towards them. If she hears no dwarven voices or sees no light, she will study the tracks in the dust and make her decision based on that information.

[tomcat]

Idhriel approached the second set of stairs and could hear the dwarves talking below, as well as see the soft glow of light. As she knelt there, a snuffling sound was suddenly evident, behind her - as a sniffing dog might sound on the chase.

I may be able to get this engagement going while I am away, then I might not... I will see what I can do a little later today.

[Jingo]

The instant Idhriel heard the sound behind her, her eyes went wide and she turned her head trying to see what was there. The darkness made it difficult and her imagination conjured up several distasteful aspects of what could be tracking them in the dark. She spun on her heel facing the threat and backed silently up against the side of the wall, hoping it would pass by her undetected.

Feeling that the beast was too close for bow work, she cautiously and quietly slung her bow on her back and slowly drew out two simple, yet well-made, elven scimitars. She slowed her breathing and concentrated on not moving a muscle. Not until the moment was right.

She will try to stay motionless and hidden. Hopefully the "thing" will go towards the light and she can get behind it. If that isn't possible and she's discovered, she will drop down the stairs alerting the party of the danger, by saying both in common and then in elven, "Strike me not! I am a friend! Yet a shadow has tracked you in the dark! Be ready!", she'll then turn to face the stairway blades at the ready. Feel free to roll for me.

[Telcontar]

Nori's heart raced at the sound of the anvil. For a moment he believed that perhaps some of his kin still dwelled here, the hope quickly faded as the idea of the thought become more unlikely. Perhaps the halls remembered their former masters and were responding to their presence. He looked about eager to find out what the anvil sound was, and if it was goblins working one of the forges of his father's they would pay the price.

[tomcat]

The elf saw the thing approaching her and she knew that it was aware of her presence. It was man-shaped, yet crawled on all fours like a beast, and it snuffed the ground with its nose. Still, Moria was too dark for her to get a true grasp of what it was. Was it a new breed of orc, unseen in the light of the world? Behind the thing, Idhriel saw others coming - more cautiously, but definitely following the lead creature.

Being lithe, she sprung off the top of the stairs to drop down to the base below, calling out an alert as she did. Idhriel first called in the common tongue of all Free-Folk, and then in her own tongue to let any fell-creature know that one of the high-folk was present. "Strike me not! I am a friend! Yet a shadow has tracked you in the dark! Be ready!"

Idhriel faced the stairs, blades at the ready. Suddenly, a large shadow leaped from above!

Nori looked about anxiously to discern the sound that all seemed to be hearing, but there was nothing in the quiet foyer. It was empty and sad, lost of any life that might have been present those many years past.

Suddenly, a voice called out in the dark hall from which they came... it was the voice of an elf. Caranmîr?



give me some dialogue, but know I will be opening a round 1 combat thread. Feel free to give me your initiative rolls as well. Understand it will take all of round 1 for the company to go back up the hall, and the hall is only 7' wide at most (two combatants may stand and fight abreast with swinging weapons; polearm type weapons I will allow three, but if an enemy gets inside the pole length, you will have penalties to defend).

Lastly, we can go back to the old method of initiative rolling, which is you make me your init roll for the next round at the end of your current round post. Make sense? If any questions, let me know.

[Telcontar]

[Nori]
"An elf, here? Will wonders never cease. These halls recieve more traffic than I thought, these interlopers are defiling the halls of my fathers and we dwarves are forced to suffer such insluts." His tirade is cut off by the faint sound of drawn weapons, "It seems our fair footed companion drew out some of the beasts of the dark, my axe cries to the heavens and souls of my father's to avenge myself as muxh as possible while here. Come, back to the Hall!"

initiative 2d6+2= 11



[Gumbo]
Spun on his heels pivioting on his spear as he did so, the move was unnecessary but the Hobbit like to work a little flair into his work. He sensed another battle about the begin and that always stirred his blood. Dropping his helm back into place he took off back towards the hall. "Barruk Kaduk!"


initiative 2d6+3= 13