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[howandwhy99]

Rogg and Ormand the Redd were collected and everyone headed outside to the top of the black rock hill. The air was still moist. Conditions appeared not to have changed at all since their last outing. The spiraling cloud was still off to one side and an overcast haze blocked out most of the sky. The team walked in orderly fashion back down the hill, turned right at the river and prepared to meet the dryad. Sadly, they discovered she was gone as well as her bear guardian. They checked on her tree which was still alive and hoped she had moved on to a nicer place for the time being. Instead of heading directly to the top of the hill of caves they circumscribed it to their right. A small streamlet ran parallel to their path. The shape of the hill bothered Brother Ben. He asked Darius if it was somehow ‘built’, so the dwarf slowly inspected the ground and then nodded. “But it must have been a very long time ago.”

Continuing along the side of the streamlet they were nearing the end of the first prong of the horseshoe-shaped hill when Igor spotted something. Three small shapes were huddled down behind a bush right next to him. He took out his sword raising it high and said “’ello?” The little people jumped up and Igor swung his sword cutting one in half. The others saw the creatures now and recognized them as kobolds. The little things screamed in fear. Dram and Dalin ran over with their swords and Brother Ben and Darius ran behind them trying to cut off their escape route. Mirel launched a stone and hit one squarely in the head. The two kobolds turned and ran straight between Darius and Ben. Dram cracked one’s skull as it turned away from him.

The final one managed to dodge past the paladin and cleric and continued screaming as loud as it could. Igor took after it at a sprint and jumped on top of the kobold. The others watched as the strange man choked the creature to death in the underbrush. It was a gruesome scene. Afterwards they pulled the bodies back behind the original bush, which from the rear looked like a blind. Considering as no forces were responding to the noise the team decided to continue on their way, but more quietly this time. Curving around the end prong of the hill they hid behind some trees and bushes, while inspecting the inner ravine and the caverns along its sides. Smoke was coming from a cave to the right. No creatures were to be seen outside though.

Igor suggested he would scout ahead and explore. Darius pulled out his map and told Igor to go to the cave he had marked with an A, the first on the left. The chef crept away very stealthily. Working his way through the heavy underbrush that was marked on the map, he realized that it had moved since the map was originally drawn. Now it was much closer to the cave entrance he was headed towards and some even spilled out of the ravine altogether. When he reached the correct cave he both looked and listened inside but learned nothing. It was pitch black and silent. “It’s noonday”, he thought to himself. “They are probably all sleeping.” He scanned the ridge sides for movement. The next cave at the ravine’s bottom was about 50 yards away. It had a pile of bones outside its front. Without lighting a torch, Igor slowly stepped around the corner and into the darkness a few paces with his arms outstretched.

When this happened, those waiting in the woods saw a dozen bolts fly out of the entrance tunnel in all directions. They started running at full speed toward the cave’s mouth. Igor stifled a cry and pulled out a bolt in his forearm. He slid to his left trying to find any cover near a wall. Another barrage of crossbow bolts flew at him, but thankfully none struck true. He could hear giggles inside and heavy breathing approaching from outside, so he retreated back into the sunlight. He saw the fastest of his teammates were almost at his side. Dalin lit a torch and tossed it into the entryway. Three square-cut tunnels could be seen: one heading straight back and two more angling off to each side. The bolts must have come from all three directions.