The Scattered Ones

[Hollowtree]

Tomas walks back to his pack, picks it up, and places it on one
of the tables in the common room.

He rummages about in one of the pockets.

"Oh well. I'll have to eat the blasted jerky sooner or later.

He takes a strip of dried brownish stuff from the pack, screws up his face and bites into it.

"Mmmf. Spicy. Where's that waterskin..."

Tomas casts an eye about the room for food and instruments for eating it with, while taking a swig from his waterskin, which was also somewhere in his backpack...

[Spot 10 + 4 = 14]

 

[Hollowtree]

[OOC : Looking at the map...
Is there a wall on the eastern side of the common room, using the top as 'north'?]

 

[Morbidity]

The common room has sturdy, rough-hewn tables and chairs scattered about. There are no signs at all of recent conflict. Amaryllis notices that the fire in the fireplace looks like it has been out for several hours.

As you move into the room you can see into the adjoining room. (Room 5) This room is obviously the dining foom and is also untouched. There is a large, round table surrounded by 8 chairs. Tomas and Seebor realise that there are only 8 chairs becuase some dwarves must remain on watch, so all would not eat at the same time.

There is a spiral staircase that leads both up and down. Amaryllis With her eyesight made keen by 'the eyes of the eagle' notices that the second step down from this level to the level below is a different color from the other steps. Seebor moves to the stairs and listens intently, but doesn't hear anything.

OOC: Seebor where exactly are you standing guard? I'm presuming that it's at the bottom of the stairs.

 

[dorin]

Seebor is standing guard at the base of the stairs - but not on the stairwell.

He looks inquiringly at Tomas, raising his eyebrows as if to say "Eating again?"

On hearing that there is an abnormality with one of the stairs he searches for traps on the beginning of the stairwell (both up ways and down ways).

[search 13+7 = 20].

He then whispers to the others:

"Lets quickly (and quietly) scout out this level before proceeding to another. We don't want anything creeping up on us from behind. I'll stand guard here."

Seebor moves off to one side and attempts to hide from anything that might emerge from the stairwell.

[hide check 12 + 12 = 24].

He then focuses his attention on the stairway, and (if he can) readies himself for any surprises.

 

[Amaryllis]

Amaryllis, unaware of Seebor's ability to read minds, goes up to him and suggests he look closely at the colored step.

Meanwhile, she looks around to make sure she knows where all the dwarves are (esp. Runor). She then goes up to Tomas and says, "Seebor has a point, let's look around the rest of this level. After you have quenched your thirst, of course."

[OOC - the entryway at the south of the room; is there a door or can we see into the next room?]

 

[Morbidity]

Seebor searches vainly but fails to find any traps, despite the mystery of the different coloured step.

Amaryllis is watching the dwarves. 1 dwarf is near the fireplace, 1 is in the common room. 1 is in the Dining Room and Runor is in the Dining Room. You notice that the dwarves are watching you and Runor as intently as you are watching them. No other than Amaryllis notices this.

Amaryllis, presume that you're standing somewhere near Seebor.

Tomas, glances around the dining room. He finds no food to supplement his water, although there are many food stains on the walls of the dining room. Obviously the dwarves indulged in food fights. However, Tomas does see a couple of shelves with eating utensils and crockery on them. There are a series of words written along the shelves, but you can't read them. At the end of the shelf is a box.

Tomas, presume that you're standing somewhere near the divide betweent he common room and the dining room.

The room to the south-west has a door. The room to the south-east has no door and if you walked over you could see in.

OOC: At this point there will be an intermission until I find out where Namfoodle is and what he has been doing.

 

[Malin Genie]

Namfoodle wanders about, keping an eye out for anything interesting. He notices Tomas examining the shelf and sees if he can read the writing - or if not at least confirm that it's in dwarven script (the gnomish language of course being also written in dwarven script with some minor modifications.)

He then wanders over to the southeast to see what new wonders might be found, all the while calculating from the position of the walls whether there's any space for hidden chambers.

OOC: Knowledge(architecture) 12 +8 =20

Those in the party with keen senses notice that despite his bulk, Namfoodle moves with surprising grace, and almost silently.

 

[Morbidity]

Namfoodle wanders over to the S-E. He notes the dwarven script on the shelves, but is unable to read them or make a deduction as to what the words might be. (To keep things moving, I rolled your intelligence check. You rolled a 2. Let me know if you want to roll your own in future and try to do better. There is cutlery and crockery on the shelves. At the end of one shelf there is a box. If you casually glance through the door into the next room, you can see a table.

At this point, Runor and the dwarves fire with crossbows and an IMP and a were-rate attack from the room to the south-east.
(I rolled your spot checks guys. If you want to roll your own let me know. But I think we agreed that this is how we should do it.)

Amaryllis: Because you have been keeping such a close watch on the Dwarves particularly Runor. You notice 3 of the dwarves including Runor. You don’t notice the imp or the were-rat. So I think you can attack any of the dwarves you noticed, but not the imp or were-rat.

Seebor: You have been watching the stairs for surprises and so are yourself surprised by the dwarves, but you just manage to catch sight of Runor out of the corner of your eye.

Tomas: You are deeply entranced with your water and search for food and are completely surprised.

Namfoodle: You are also deeply engaged in looking at the cutlery and the dwarven script and are completely surprised.

Okay: Everyone roll for initiative.

(OOC: A little unsure about my first battle, so be nice and if I stuff something up I’m happy to go back and correct. If I’ve messed up the rules regarding surprise and who is able to act, someone tell me now. Can everyone print out the map. The squares across are A to L left to right. The squares vertically are 1 to 12 top to bottom. Can everyone tell me their position, bearing in mind the approx location that was previously agreed. Neblin, if you arrive before the first blow is cast I'm going to rule that you're surprised by everyone. If not please join the party again after the combat.)

 

[Atticus_of_Amber]

Yes, I'm here...

Neblin, who has been lost to the world in his balsted scroll up to this point, is standing pretty much with the majority of the party.

When the action starts, he *literally* explodes into action.

[Iniative = 26 = 19 (roll) + 7] (I love this die!)

On his action (if he can still act after any suprise actions) he plans to cast Haste, then cast shield (hasted partial action), move to wedge hiself in the nearest corner (move action) while drawing his wand of magic missiles (quick-draw free action).

(Note mage armour is always up via his wand)

All this assumes Morbidity approves my character sheet.

 

[dorin]

[initiative roll 7 + 5 = 12]

[current position: F5 - sort of hiding near the stairway]

[remember he can be suprised, but not be caught flat footed - uncanny dodge].

[OOC: does he know about the imp/wererat?]

Seebor, having both his weapons already drawn, springs into action by jumping/tumbling/running into a position that gets him as close as possible to Runor. Any opportunity to flank is taken. While doing this he shouts out to the rest of the party "Ambush!" - just in case they missed it.

He attacks with his primary hand [attack roll 15 + 11 = 26, if hit damage 4 + 3 = 7] and then tumbles past the Runor, to get behind him but stays within 5 feet [spring attack]. [tumble roll 16 + 14 = 30]. [OOC: He is using the dodge feat against Runor for the moment to add +1 to his AC.]

[OOC: I assumed I didn't get a second attack with my other hand because of my move - but please let me know if this is not the case.]