Our three heroes move carefully around the corner as quietly as they can. The hall opens up in a very bright room about fifty feet down. Its a good forty feet to reach the two final doors before you get there. You slowly approach, thinking to at least listen at the doors before moving forward.
You only get about halfway down the hall before a large metal portcullis slides out of a trap door in ceiling right behind Nyar, effectively walling you in. As horrid as it seems it gets worse a moment later. You hear a chain slide into place from somewhere behind a wall and a large crank starts turning. The portcullis is getting closer. No matter what you do it slowly comes down the hallway, forcing you towards the bright light.
You quickly try for one of the doors but find it locked. You have no choice as the portcullis meets the opening. You cross the threshold and find yourself thrust into an arena. A second portcullis falls and the first starts cranking back.
An audience cheers as you get you're bearing and instinctively go on the defensive. Looking around and you immediately smell sweat and decay. Blood stains the dirt floor and you are surrounded by a thirty-five foot wall topped with spikes pointing in. It certainly doesn't look like an easy climb. Directly across from you, the audience is raised five more feet up, as a stage. You sir a stern, looking female elf with a blade on her hip, wearing Valanar Armor. Opposite stands a fat tiefling in robes.
More directly alarming is the two people center. One you know well enough. Audrey is bound with rope and chain, a gag in her mouth. She stands barely conscious. Holding her up is none other than Dalvach's old friend, the halfling Melkin Giadan. A wicked grin crosses his lips, as his form slowly shifts. His hair melts away and his ropes turn to leather. A changeling stands in his place. He takes a step back and the tiefling steps forward.
The tiefling opens his mouth and his words seem magically amplified. A good thing too. You would guess anyone would be hard to hear your shouts over the noise of the crowd.
"We have special entertainment tonight!" The crowd roars even louder. "Thieves among us! But not the smartest of thieves!" Laughter. "You work hard, and honor us with your patronage and they try and sneak in to steal the little funds we take in to keep you entertained!"
Boos erupt from the crowd and some begin to throw food. "We already caught one. Let's see what we can do about the others!" The crowd roars again and the north and south portcullises begin to crank up. Small shadowy figures behind them.
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Initiative please.
White boxes are doors or portcullises. Wavy lines are curtains. The walls are 35 ft and lined with spikes, except on the platform. That's 40 ft and lined with spikes.
Feel free to place yourselves in slightly different positions but no actions besides that until your first turn.
You may make one skill check before initiative for free, as well as take free actions.
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