Siege Of Bordrin's Watch

Dorn adjusts what weight is still on the horse to make sure it can fit through the entrance. The horse was becoming a symbol to the half-elf... and symbols had power. Carefully, he did his best to coax it into the tunnel.

Tregar will look at the others and says jovially "Well I wouldn't be much of a dwarf if I didn't take the tunnel" and begins to follow the jackal

Wendigo enters the cave, standing sure. Moradin has shown them the way. If they were not to go this way, he would show it. Keeping to the shadows, the monk follows the jackal.

The group slowly but surely makes its way into the passageway, the light from the torches reflecting off of the embedded crystal veins that run parallel to the way they travel. Tregar is amazed at the work of this tunnel, as it on the one hand seems a completely natural fissure within the rock, but on the other hand has intricate patterns, swirls, and designs ever-so-lightly carved into its sides. To a normal person they would be almost imperceptable, but to one blessed with the eyes of Moradin, the walls almost give off the impression of a man's (or more to the point a dragon's) life story. A draconic prophecy, if one were so inclined to think in that manner and lived in a world slightly different than their own.

The footfalls continue echoing for more than a half-hour, as the journey takes everyone a couple miles within the mountain. As the travel continues, the group makes note that thep passage never widens, never splits, never opens into a larger cavern or room, and gently slopes downward. Dorn is thankful for this, for it has allowed him to lead his horse without much problems. As far as what you are walking down... the best opinion you can fathom is that it is indeed a direct path from somewhere to the outside. An entrance, or an escape, depending on how you look at it.

Finally, after an hour's travel... the druid's jackal eyes spot a change several dozen meters ahead. The tunnel ends. Or more specifically, the tunnel appears to open into something larger. You may have finally found the head (or tail) of this passage. She yips for silence, and then everyone moves back several more meters to give you all more distance with which to speak to each other without echoing into the chamber ahead.

Looking over the walls as they move, Tregar let's his hands run over the crystals and nodding his appreciation and amazement.

Once the arrive at the chamber, the dwarf leans on his staff and whispers "Should one of you, or two maybe, check ahead out of sight and see what you can see?"

[sblock=OOC]
Tregar would but stealthiness ain't his bag baby
[/sblock]

Wendigo's amazement at the cave's walls was short-lived. Once they were fully underground, the shifter fine tuned his senses to his environment. When they came upon the end of this place, the shifter says a brief prayer to Moradin for blessing them. "I can go, who else?"

Stealth +12

Henry looked ruefully down at his heavy armour. "I doubt I would be quiet enough for that" he whispered. But I will be ready to come swiftly to the aid of whoever does the scouting."

OOC: Writing at the airport, and I just lost a nice message. Am about to board, which means this one will have to be short. Sorry.

Gala hears Wendigo's offer and turns around, pressing her muzzle against his calf as she circles around him, indicating her willingness to go forward. As she walks along the cave wall, the dark stripes of her pelt seem to extend into the shadows themselves. Her ears are pricked, and she is ready to charge if she is noticed.

OOC: Stealth +10. Low light vision; move 7; nearby allies get the elven bonus to perception +1

Wendigo and the jackal silently move forward, easily reducing the sounds of their footfalls echoing through the tunnel. (Wendigo Stealth: [15] + 12 = 27) (Gala Stealth: [14] + 10 = 24)

The tunnel opens into a small room about 10 foot across, and Wendigo immediately recognizes it as one of the personal cells of the brothers of the order! You're within the Sundered Chain! In the sleeping and living area of the monastery several hundred feet below the temple proper! Wendigo is surprised, as he did not know that one of the cells concealed a secret passage out of the monastery, and when he silently crosses the room to look out upon the giant Hall of Heroes, he sees that you are in the room of Kalad, the dwarven high paladin of the order.

The corner cell you are in is closest to the giant northern opening of the Hall that leads to a huge set of switchback stairs that descend further down into the mountain, and the forge and workshops of Moradin's disciples there. Standing sentry here flanking the exit, is a pair of 30-foot tall statues of grim dwarf warriors, each holding an axe, with the head down, between its feet. The statues wear helmets that conceal all but their beard. The statues do not depict particular dwarf warriors, but rather are idealized versions of Moradin’s chosen servants.

The Hall of Heroes is a good 150 feet long. Two rows of 10-foot diameter columns support the ceiling that reaches 100 feet overhead, and a massive statue of a dwarf warrior battling a hydra dominates the center of the room, standing nearly as tall as the ceiling. All along either side of the room are stairs that climb 30 feet up to a landing and the entrance to one of the priests’ cells, at which Wendigo himself still stands and looks out over the room. Braziers in each of the four corners shed light in a 10-square radius, illuminating all but the center of this massive room, and the monk knows that at the far southern end of the Hall is a circular staircase that ascends to the Sundered Chain temple.

Wendigo and Gala sneak to the edge of Kalad's cell and look out and down from the staircase into the Hall. And the view, almost makes them both faint dead away.

The carnage in this grand hall is obscene. Dead dwarves, some still in their nightclothes, litter the floor, blood painting the gray stone tiles, walls, and columns. In the light cast by burning braziers, you see the butchers: more orcs. They must have come up from the depths and taken the brothers and sisters by surprise... slaughtering every one to a man. Wendigo knows that if he had been here and not on his walkabout... he would be lying there amongst his brethern as well.

Gala notices the steel resolve of Wendigo starting to icily harden, and quickly nips him on the ankle gently with her teeth... doing her best to lead him back to the others. Centering his breathing, Wendigo closes his eyes for just a moment, and then follows her out of the Hall and back down the passage. A plan must be made... one to eliminate this threat to the Vale, as well as avenge his family. Thankfully... none of the orcs milling about and gruffly laughing down in the Hall seems to expect anybody entering here at all.

Initiative (when necessary):

23 Henry
22 Gala
16 Tregar
14 Wendigo
13 Dorn
11 Gloomblade
9 Orc Drudge Minions [6]
9 Orog Militants [3]
9 Orc Berserker

As the reward for succeeding in the skill challenge, the party will receive a complete round's worth of actions (Standard/Move/Minor) during the surprise round, and then their complete first round. So every character will be able to take two rounds of actions before the orcs go at the end of Round 1.

And although the map shows half the party still back in the tunnels, assume each of your actions in the surprise round begins at the doorway of Kalad's cell (Q5), where Wendigo currently is. You can begin your move or standard actions starting from that square.