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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1357010" data-attributes="member: 1210">A ScoldingMama Flapjacks waddles quickly forward, circumnavigating the lake.  The party has disappeared into the darkness of the cave.  “Oh dear, oh dear,” she moans to herself.  “That dog better be taking care of them!”***The path down is a rudely-carved stairway with broad, high steps.  Our heroes move down them carefully, worried about falling.  There are loose pebbles and stones everywhere.  The place is moist; a trickle of water runs down the wall at one point, and a rivulet trickles down the edge of the stairs, carving a shallow channel in the rock and earth of the floor.  “I wonder what’s down here,” whispers Ed.It’s very dark.While the party ignites a few light sources, Federico creep ahead, his eyes piercing the darkness better than anyone else’s, even Sandy’s.*  Scrambling down the tall steps, the clan dog leads the way at last to the bottom of the stairway and into a cellar-like chamber.  It’s crudely carved, just like the stairs, and there are rocks of all sizes up to that of a watermelon scattered around everywhere.  The walls are filled with ledges and holes. Federico’s nostrils flare.  He tilts his head.  Death- the smell of death.  This is where it’s coming from.  The kobold trembles as his family comes into the room, their light announcing them before they arrive.  He’s very frightened.  His tail dips between his legs.“Whoa,” breathes Martini.“A crypt of some kind,” Captain Cavedwarf grunts, wrinkling his nose.  “Look, holes.  And bones.”Indeed, there are small holes in numerous places near the base of the wall.  Several shelves are on the walls as well, holding what seem to be bones and tatters of cloth.“Did you hear something?” Trinia asks suddenly.A rat pokes its head out from one of the piles of bones with a squeak.  Then another.“Rats,” comments Ed, stating the obvious.Suddenly a lot more rats pop up, some from the holes, some from the bones.  They seem to be sidling in to the chamber.  Ed starts to cry.Then the rats swarm forward, engulfing Martini!  Trinia screams, Ed wails and Thelonious grunts in surprise.  The halflings spring in to help their friend, with both Martini and Trinia slashing rats to bits.  The others are moving in to position.  And then, suddenly, like an avenging angel, Mama is there.  From out of nowhere- and how the hell did she get here anyway?!- she cries, “Leave those kids alone!”  and starts rushing forward!Our heroes redouble their efforts to fend off the rats.  Many of them are engulfed; Trinia, covered by crawling, biting rodents, can’t even attack.  She screams as she tries to brush them off, and though she knocks many from her there are dozens more to replace them.It seems hopeless, but then suddenly Federico is singing a taunting melody at the rats, calling them a litany of names and encouraging the rest of the party.  Thelonious and Bytor stand grimly side-by-side as they hew at the sea of rats around them.  Blood sprays everywhere and naked tails and half-rodents are tumbling through the air.  Our heroes are covered in bites.  But finally, enough of the rats are killed that the swarm loses cohesion and the individual rats disperse.“Aggh!  That hurt!” Cavedwarf grunts.  Ed is crying.“I think we need to rest,” groans Thelonious.”Just what do you think you’re doing?” “Uh...”  As one, the party turns sheepishly to face Mama.“You kids are in trouble now!  What do you think you’re doing, coming off here and fighting rats?  You could get hurt!  One of you could put your eye out!”  Her stern face is red with anger as she lectures them.“But Mama,” says Ed, “it was for the good of our people.  We just wanted to help.”“You need to listen to your elders!  They’ll tell you how you can help!  And look at you- you’re all bit up and bleeding.”“Mama,” asks Thelonious shyly, “you didn’t happen to bring any of your prize-winning banana nut muffins?”“Of course I did, dear,” Mama says, and with a sigh and a snack all wrongs are forgiven.*As a stout (halfling subrace), Sandy has low-light vision; the kobold has, of course, darkvision.Next Time: Our heroes have an unfortunate learning experience involving leaving holes open.</blockquote>

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