2. The First Delve

Ricard takes a frontline position towards the East as the slappy sound draws nearer.

"Maybe we should rush in, a fight in the corridor may not attract the attention of whatever is to the West but a fight here certainly might..."

Swan says Tiberious, "Save some of that wine for me later." Her waterskin is just that water. She could use some. She still feels the pain from the last fall she took. She really needs a day off and rest.

Swan was thinking the same as Ricard and launches herself forward and ready for combat. "Do it." As always, she assumes Tiberious will keep up with the lantern light.

Swan is back in leading mode. And the rest of the party following. She didn't ask. Easternly we go. Whatever is coming. Well, we are coming faster.

Her and Ricard make a mini moving wall down the corridor. She relies heavy on Ricard to be her wingman since Druin had a fatal accident.Smiles. Mapping can catch up! Swan is running the ink.

Fenwick, worried about getting caught between enemies attacking from both sides, is thinking right along the same lines as her companions--but as she begins to voice her agreement, she finds that Swan and Ricard are no longer at her side. She breaks into a sprint and follows after them, reading her spear.

Led by Swan and Ricard, the party hurries east towards the sounds of the new arrivals. By the time you reach the crossroads, the approaching group comes into view - two huge warty toads, the size of large dogs. Seeing you, they pause, blinking.

Situation update - you are currently at the crossroads shown on Gabbro’s level 2 map. The giant toads are 30’ due east of you. The corridors to the north and south extend in straight lines beyond the range of your lantern’s light. To the east, there is a door in the northern wall of the corridor immediately after the crossroads. There’s also a second door in the southern wall a further 15’ along. Beyond that, the eastern passage continues beyond the range of your vision.

---
Day 2, 9:10 am
Bea, Thief 1: 3/3
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"Hmm, I don't know what I was expecting...but that wasn't it. Do we still charge?" Fenwick asks Swan.

Swan has come to a stop and pause as she is looking onto the toads. She immediately wonder just how far their tongues extend and doesn't really want to know. "If they don't move soon. We are going to have to move them." She is still very much in combat stance.

Tiberious holds the light up a bit higher and strains to get a better look. Hmm, frogs. I've heard that they sometimes pick up treasure as they make their way through dungeons.

He turns to Swan. We might be able to dig out a few gold coins from its innards. No guarantees, though.

Bea creeps back to warn the others of the asylum beneath Stonehell, and finds them already gone and with their torchlight heading off the other way. She reaches for her pack as she passes, and slings it to her shoulder with a grunt, before chasing after them.

"Thanks for the warning!" she announces as she joins the rear of the troupe! She brandishes her spear, ready to skewer a fat, gold filled frog from afar, if needs be!

The two giant toads take a hop forward, closing the distance between you to 20’. They don’t seem overtly hostile although, equally, they’re not showing any signs of backing down.

One of them flicks it’s tongue out and back as a warning.

---
Day 2, 9:10 am
Bea, Thief 1: 3/3
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"We're here for coin, not pest control, I would just as soon turn down one of these corridors."

Sensing Swan's heightened readiness, Ricard grits his jaw,

"Then again, never hurts to flex the old sword arm..."

Lets back track down the south passage and let them pass. she moves to the south pass to let them have a way forward.

"I agree,. They don't seem hostile, and really they're kind of ugly-cute, so I'd rather not kill them. "

Fenwick will stay in formation and follow the others south.

The party moves 10' down the passage that leads south from the crossroads, thereby providing room for the giant toads to pass. The two amphibians hop forward and turn left, heading up the northerly corridor and away from you.

---
Day 2, 9:10 am
Bea, Thief 1: 3/3
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to McButterpants' mega-maps ...

With a so many ways to go, "Lets just keep going down this way." Keeps on moving on the southern passage.

"We do have to find our way back out of this place! It would be nice if we didn’t leave every thing wandering around behind us." she says, wondering how many other creatures the group was willing to leave between them and the exit. Bats, frogs, madmen and dung carrying kobolds, at the very least…

Is that the group consensus - to take the passage south from the crossroads on level 2 of Stonehell?

"I think we're safe to head south. The toads are clearly just passing through. It's the room full of people we'd need to take care of if we want to make sure we're not spotted on the way back--but if they didn't hear us climb down, I'm not sure they'll notice us climbing back up. "

Ricard nods in agreement with Swan's plotted course and follows alongside the warrioress down the Southern corridor.

Tiberious falls in line behind the two warriors so he can light the way ahead. He feels some ease that the frogs are not following. He does not look back - just focuses on the way ahead.

Bea shrugs and continues on, speared rest on her shoulder! She maps the route they had taken as best she can in her head, so she can make her escape alone, if needs be! There’s no guarantee that they’d all be here on the way back up…

"That way then!" she says with a nod!