Part 7: Return to the Moathouse Dungeon

"Stay close, Eltrezar! He’ll need the light." Gilly decides to put away her bow away for now! She draws her blade and wraps her cloak around her. Halflings can’t be seen at the best of times, but she took the extra precaution anyway.

She follows through into the room, making sure that she is the last to enter. She’d like two of her own group between the newcomers and a quick getaway, but could never say the words!

Mal likewise turns to face away from the party and readies her weapon.

"Remember, if they come en masse we fight them at a choke point, so everyone retreat to the stairwell. That way we keep the high ground."

Eltrezar's eyes lay claim to the brandy. Hrmph! "Well worth whatever evils we awoke. Perhaps we shall be able to stay a while longer than I had anticipated..." He takes a quick inventory of the room, but directs the new pair to begin working on the next door.

Eltrezar holds up one of the cloaks with his free hand, examining the symbol. To any others that followed him in the room, he holds it out with an outstretched arm, and speaks with a loud whisper. "The Flaming Eye! And there are countless capes just like it. We have undoubtedly stumbled upon a nefarious cult!"

Hrmph! "We should carry a few, perhaps they will come in handy. We may need them as a disguise."

"That's a great idea Eltrezar, perhaps we should all wear them now. I'm sure it would give us an advantage down here."

Mal takes one of the capes and tries it on.

Bors checks the shields for their quality. If they appear better than his, he will switch it out. "Let's refill our food and drink while we are here. Just don't change water for booze." Bors restocks his bag with a week's worth of salted meat.

Gilly helps herself to some of the salted meat, as they make their way around the rooms. She stocks up everything possible while the others mull over the cloaks. She wondered about the practicalities of wearing two cloaks. She liked her own, new though it was.

Finally she supposed that each cloak produced the benefit of not being noticed, though perhaps under very different circumstances. Opposite ones, arguably.

"Have they any small ones?" she asks, peeking through the legs of the others.

Mal smiles at the idea of making a miniature cloak for Gilly,

"Better I think that you stay invisible Gilly. The cloak may help us should we run into anymore ogres, but your cloak is good against all things."

Mal joins Bors in looting the pantry for food and booze. She chuckles at Turuko's comment,

"We recently killed an ogre who looked to see if we had eye symbols on us before he attacked. Lord knows we could have commanded him to do anything if he had thought we were his masters."

"Torn to pieces? Who do you think won that battle friend? I dare say I'd not be tellin' ya the story were it any but us!"

Mal winks an taps her shield with her hammer for emphasis.

Oncw Bors has restocked he makes his way to the other room with the cloaks. "Well I don't own a cloak, and now I do. Seems like a win to me," he says as he drapes one over his shoulders. "How do I look? It feels nice at least. Maybe keep the rain off more."

Eltrezar restocks his own pack with the salted meats, his face showing a particular distaste for anything with seasonings. Hrmph! "Perhaps, Bors, you should put more stock into this dungeon than in how you look in a piece of cloth." A slight hint of mirth escapes with his grumpy words.

Putting on a cape of his own, Eltrezar looks between his companions. Ahem! "It would seem that unless we missed another hidden door, it is downwards we must go. We should be prepared, as even this walled structure hid many dangers."

"Prepared indeed. They'll have heard the axes, I'm sure there'll be a welcoming party."

Mal walks to the pillar with the secret door and checks it to see if she can tell of any comings or goings...

"With them cloaks, we can walk down like we own the place, can’t we?" Gilly quizzes, eye-cloaklessly.