2. The First Delve

Pickles listens quietly feeling that the best course of action for once was to keep his mouth zipped. As the others give their thanks as the depart the Halfling simply says, "Nice to meet you." and climbs the ladder.

Once everyone is gathered and the secret door closed Pickles pipes up, "Not quite sure about that one, pretty sure it was my Aunty. She never had a full collection of bats in the tower either."

You all climb back up the iron ladder, close the trapdoor and slide the altar back into its original position.

What’s the plan now? If you intend to head back to the Kopper Kettle for the meeting with the Ghost Beggars at noon, what route will you take? Or is there something else you would like to do first?

---
Day 3, 10:20 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 2: 12/14

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"We should probably get to our meeting."

*** DING! ***

Congratulations to Luther who becomes the second Hellion to reach level 2. He is now officially an "Adept".

Luther - please go ahead and roll for your additional hit points, update your Turning ability. And, when you next rest, you may finally select a spell.

Here's a summary of everyone's current XP:

Fenwick: 2,874
Gabbro: 2,478
Jessica: 1,066
Luther: 1,543
Pickles: 1,780
Ricard: 2,970

Woot Woot!!!

Gabbro consults the map. "Well, if we head north here then turn right, it should take us back toward the marketplace. It looks like the most direct route." He pauses. "It would also be taking us through the area where that dwarf ran after tricking us into the pit."

Ricard nods,

"Seems like we're done here anyway, and maybe we get lucky and run into that dwarf again. I'd sure like to thank him for that pit trick personally."

Pickles had been looking back at the altar with a strangely complexed look upon his face, but turns back to the group. "Yes let’s get back to our meeting. Random encounters with strange Dwarves sound like fun, so let’s head that way."

You turn left out of the Ruined Chapel and head north, passing an unopened door on your right. At the subsequent T-intersection, you turn right to head east.

After 30’ you come across a side passage on your left that heads north for 10’ before arriving at a door. Unusually (at least in comparison to most of the other doors you’ve encountered), this door is barred.

Beyond the side passage, the main corridor continues east for a further 10’, before arriving at another portcullis. Peering through the bars you see an octagonally-shaped room with the same dimensions as the Chamber of the Woods. However, this room is adorned with chipped mosaics of rugged mountain crags. In the centre is a plinth with only the feet and ankles of a broken statue atop it. You can also see corridors leading north and south from this chamber, and a portcullised exit continuing east.

---
Day 3, 10:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 2: 9/9 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 2: 12/14

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"I'm very interested in the room beyond the portcullis," Jessica suggests casually.

Pickles strolls up to the portcullised exit raising his right arm to flex a rather small bicep, "Shall we attempt to raise it, as you can see I am equipped to help."

Looking at his map, Gabbro is absolutely mystified at finding another octagonal room here. "Ye-e-e-sss..." he says. "Let's open the portcullis and see where this goes." He puts the map away and moves to help lift the gate.

Jessica will apply her meager strength to the task as well.

Ricard steps up and lends his muscle to the portcullis...

Chamber of the Mountains
With a combined effort, you raise the portcullis easily and pass through into the room with the broken statue and the mountain mosaics. Once inside, you are better able to assess the three other visible exits.

To the north, you can see a familiar corridor - the one with the pit trap just south of the Chamber of the Woods. There’s a rather unpleasant smell coming from this direction.

To the east, beyond a second portcullis, a corridor continues for 30’ before arriving at a north-south T-junction.

To the south, a corridor continues for 30’ before opening into a larger space that is just beyond the reach of the light from Luther’s lantern.

---
Day 3, 10:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 2: 9/9 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 2: 12/14

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Fenwick swaps her sword for her spear and pokes around carefully at the floor as she advances towards the broken statue to inspect it's remains.

"My guess is that there will be another portcullis down that way," Gabbro says to Luther as he's looking down the southern passage. "That room with the orcs is down there; it seems to have portcullises on each side." Having said that, though, Gabbro looks that way, too.