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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4558269" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 4 - Hidden Light and Brazen Darkness (Part 3)The companions drew quiet as they neared the double doors at the end of the entry hall, thinking to surprise the hobgoblins they knew to be behind them. They had decided that this way would allow for the best chance of surprise for surely their enemies would not expect them to come from this direction, even if they expected them to return at all. Dulvarna drew her sword and the others followed suit and then they watched as their leader drew near to the doors, leaned her sword against her shoulder with one hand and reached out for the door handles. She turned one iron ring as Erlmoor turned the other and then both hurled the doors open.Carvings of eyes covered the walls, floor and ceiling of the chamber beyond the doors. An idol of a horrible toad-like creature dominated the area while in the centre of the floor, chains were affixed to the flagstones, though no prisoners were chained there. A huge black wolf lay on the floor nearby, its ears back and its eyes on the door as the companions entered. It raised its head and issued a low growl of warning.Suddenly, a hobgoblin appeared on a balcony above the southern side of the room and loosed an arrow that drove into Dulvarna’s shoulder. She yanked the arrow from her shoulder and charged at the dire wolf, slashing her blade across the beast’s shoulder. Litiraan followed her into the chamber and loosed a silver bolt from his wand towards the archer, forcing the hobgoblin to duck back. The sound of shouting came from the southern balcony as the wolf leapt at Dulvarna. She dodged aside and slashed out with her blade as she realised what the shouting meant. More enemies were coming!Erlmoor darted right and rushed up the stairs to the southern balcony with his sword in his hands. Telkya followed him into the chamber, chanting as she came. A bolt of light flew from the amulet in her hand and struck the floor close to the wolf. Outside the chamber, Lavren heard the shouting and turned aside, heading up steps to his left that he hoped would lead to the chamber where they had last entered the lair. He threw open the door at the top of the steps and surprised a hobgoblin who was just gathering up his bow in response to the alarm from the main chamber. The elf uttered a word of power and loosed a blast of black, crackling energy towards the hobgoblin. The blast flew high over the hobgoblin and struck the wall above its head. The hobgoblin leveled his bow and loosed an arrow that drove into Lavren’s arm and the elf ducked back out of the doorway.Enlishia watched Lavren go and decided to attempt her own flanking maneuver. Turning right, she made her way down the southern passage, past a torch burning on the wall and a side passage to the end of the passage where a door led eastward. Hearing a small clattering sound, followed by a burst of coarse laughter and angry muttering, she nocked an arrow to her bow and ducked back around the corner. As more clattering and low, guttural voices reached her through the door, she leaned forward flung the door open. The room appeared to be a combination of kitchen, storeroom, and mess hall. Several barrels and a woodpile rested in the kitchen area, where a large cooking fire burned. Hobgoblins, goblins, and a pair of humans were gathered around battered old tables. The room’s occupants looked up in alarm and reached for their weapons.Erlmoor reached the archer and the hobgoblin threw down its bow in favour of the sword that it drew from its belt. It slashed at him and he parried the blow before roaring and spraying acid on the hobgoblin. The creature reeled back along the balcony and the dragonborn brought his sword in from the left to cut into the hobgoblin’s leg. A silver bolt seared into the side of the hobgoblin and drove it back another step. He looked down to nod his thanks to Litiraan and saw that Dulvarna and Telkya were driving back the wolf with sword and prayer but across from him, he saw a new threat. The chieftain had emerged onto the north balcony and was heading for the stairs.“The chieftain comes,” he called out.</blockquote>

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