D&D 5E CB's Stonefast IC -- COMPLETE

Father Spec stood close to the t-intersection. He was five feet in front of Fulgrim, who was last in line and stood precisely in the spot where the hallway met the corridor. The dogleg in question was at the outer reach of Spec's light, but he could make it out decently well even from where he stood 40' away from the corridor's terminus. He peered into the corridor, but didn't see anything other than his colleagues to his front.

Guran motioned to Colden to back up a few yards, but followed only a distance of 10', putting the dwarf 20' from the dogleg, 10' from Colden, and 15' from Roscoe. Turning to face the dogleg to the south, Guran drew a handaxe, ready to throw if the approaching creatures proved hostile. Guran listened to the voices and chanting to see whether he can understand a word of it.

Colden moved backward, away from the open door in the corridor. He gave Guran the 10' of space he knew the dwarf liked, but otherwise stood at the ready, his weapon in hand. By the time Colden backed up to make room for Guran, Colden stood 30' from the dogleg at the far end of the corridor.

Fulgrim stood fast in the middle of the t-intersection. He didn't see anything, but he heard the chanting and the voices, none of which was intelligible to his ear. The rhythmic nature of the chanting boded ill in his experience, though. He kept his warhammer drawn and at the ready, but there was nowhere to move without stepping all over his comrades, so he stayed put and readied an action in case a dastardly foe deigned to show its face at the dogleg.

Roscoe stood his ground, 10' south of the juncture at the t-intersection of the corridor and the hallway, and pulled out his sword. He waited to see who was coming, probably some filthy Orcs.

Fulgrim stared down the hallway, a fire bolt spell ready at his lips.

Surprise Round, Resolved

RECAP: Father Spec stood close to the t-intersection. He peered into the corridor, but didn't see anything other than his colleagues to his front. Guran motioned to Colden to back up a few yards, then backed up himself. He drew a handaxe. Colden followed suit and moved backward away from the open door, his weapon drawn. Roscoe thought he heard filthy orcs, so he drew his short sword. Fulgrim, who was furthest from the dogleg, readied afire bolt.

The chanting was in Elvish, but only Roscoe spoke that tongue.[sblock=Fulgrim, Spec, and Roscoe]Fulgrim and Spec know this: Hard to tell in the echochamber and confusion what language that is, but the chanting is definitely spellcasting of some species. Or a bard well-versed in voice modulation and trickery, perhaps. [sblock=Roscoe only]How on earth is the party barbarian the only character to speak Elvish?! Too funny. The chanting is rhythmic, ritualistic perhaps, and of a peculiar dialect that Roscoe isn't entirely familiar with. He does, however, make out words he's heard the totem sorcerer in his home tribe use. It's definitely arcane spellcasting of some sort. Roscoe recognizes the Elvish for "silence."[/sblock][/sblock]

The chanting stopped, and all was deadly silent for a long three seconds. A kobold in robes of vivid blue too long for its runty frame stepped forward. It carried an open tome in one hand, and a dagger in the other. The wicked creature began chanting. Its voice was harsh, croaking, and nothing at all like the previous nearly melodic chanting. This time, however, Fulgrim recognized the speech as draconic. Without hesitation, Fulgrim released his fire bolt in a straight shot down the corridor. A mote of fire burst against the robbed kobold, hitting it squarely in the mid-section, and dealing 8 points of damage. The creature and its heavy robes burst into flame, and it dropped its book. The kobold did not, however, topple over; instead, it shrieked hideously in obvious pain, and set about beating out the flames from its robes, hissing all the while. When that failed to put out the fire, the beast retreated behind the bend in the dogleg. Its pained cries carried loudly down the hall.

View attachment 69670

COMBAT!

Initiative:
Spec 19
Guran 18
Colden 18
Other creatures 16
Fulgrim 13
Chanter 8
Roscoe 6

---

Guran advances 15 feet as silently as he can, reaching the square next to the dog-leg. Edging as close to the left wall as he can, he stops just before entering the hallway. Crouching, he lowers his head and turns his face to the left; then peeks into the hallway, quickly withdrawing his head when he has gotten a glimpse of what's visible there. (He doesn't have any target to attack, so he's still scouting. He's hoping, of course, that the brief appearance of a head and eyes so low to the floor will be less noticeable, or less readily attackable, than one at normal head-height.)

If he sees anything really scary, he retreats 10 feet.

Colden holds his ground and readies his handaxe for a throw at whatever may come around the corner.

[sblock=ooc] declare READY action [/sblock]