1. The Gates of Hell

Hell's Entrance Hall

The wide entrance passageway opens into a 40' x 40' square chamber whose ceiling arches to a height of 30'. At the centre of the well-worn floor, a stone spiral staircase descends into the depths.

The walls are covered with graffiti. This mostly consists of the names of individuals, but Druin also recognises messages scrawled in Kobold. These are all simple instructions or notices, e.g. "Clear up trash, dumb men!".

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Day 1, 1:30 pm
Druin, Dwarf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Orelia, Cleric 1: 3/3
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 6/6
Tess, Thief 1: 3/3

"See this place is infested. We may have to take away their share."

Druin points out the kobold graffiti to the other Hellions.

"Interesting, I hadn't really expected it, but this along with the number of tracks implies a sense of community here, doesn't it? As in, there may be an active village rather than a deserted dungeon?"

Swan says, "Thats the problem with infestations. You get a some and next thing you know. They are everywhere. Lets hope some has already reduced their numbers."

Orelia glances aside towards Swan and says "Even those we label monsters can have their homes. This was once a prison - now some may indeed call it home. One could call the town we ventured from an "infestation" if they were of a bloodthirsty disposition.
We are entering in the hopes of finding wealth. I enter to find a little more than that. If anything, we are the invaders. Alas, such is the way of an adventurer's life..."

After she has said her piece, she will peer at the ominous stairway down.
"Well then... Shall we delve into the depths below?"

"That'd almost make me feel bad," says Druin, pausing to spit in the dust of the tunnel. "Except I need the gold either way, and I suspect they didn't send most folks here for no reason. "

"By all means, let's go!" Gabbro replies to Orelia, still keeping his voice low so to prevent it from carrying more than a few yards.

To Druin's remark, he responds: [b]"The rumors I've heard about Stonehell is that many groups have come to settle in different parts of the prison in the hundreds of years since it was closed and the prisoners released. So it's not totally a surprise...what is surprising is the idea of kobolds working with men. Kobolds usually kill men on sight, and sometimes eat them."

Gabbro considers this as he follows the others to the stairs (and presumably they start to descend). [b]"Does that mean that the kobolds are somehow less evil than usual, or that the men are more so?"

Ricard silently regards the graffiti while his companions philosophize on the nature of community. Preferring not to think too deeply on the matter, the warrior takes his place in the line as the group descends the stair well...

Swan adds in, "Only good Kobold is a dead one." expressing just how she feels about them. As she now goes forward with light.