Ranger Trials

With your are the 3 men.
Let me know if you want to arrange then any particular way, have questions for them, who holds the lantern, etc

One of the men takes the lantern as you pause and check around. The room is simple enought but you hear a faint humming noise from the door. upon moving closer you also hear slight sounds of shuffling and whimpering from beyond the closed entry.

The two men with clubs go to either side of the door while the one with only a large hunting knife stands back with the lantern. Pulling the door open reveals a 10' square passage that opens into a larger chamber. A rush of cool moist air washes over you along with the smells of water and filth as well as the sounds of something stirring. Moving through the square passage you quickly reach the larger area to reveal a cavernous room. The floors and walls show signs of skilled work but also massive cracks and broken and fallen stone. As the light spills into the chamber you see several crude cages with a variety of creatures and a few people arranged in the middle of the room.

As soon as the light reveals the figures within one of the cages Krushkin, the man missing his child and holding the lantern, rushes forwards Cashul, your alive. Nearly dropping the lantern in his haste to open the cage he sobs with joy as inside the cage a small boy rushes to his papa's voice. Moving to assist you watch with eyes peeing around as the other two men also begin to free the people, some of whom are injured and need assistance.

There are several other people, 5 all told in 2 cages, but they all flinch at the light you bring and peer around nervously into the darkness and shadows cast by the lantern. One whispers If you wish to free us do it quickly and quietly. Our captors are many and hear quite well The man if obviously extremely afraid of his captors, a common sentiment of all the people.

The room is at least 100' long and 60' wide and over 30' tall but large sections of the ceiling have collapsed and sections of wall have fallen in, Besides the people there is a variety of small animals, goats, dogs, cats, sheep, chicket, all stuffed in cramped cages built from what looks like scraps of furniture, household goods, and mud. Scattered around the room are scraps of what look to be tools, scrolls, a few coin, clay tablets, and bones. Multiple identical hallways at regular intervals leed away from the room. At one end of the room a dim blue glow can be seen beyond the light of the lantern.

Your arrow pierces the morlock and it howls in agony drawing mor attention your way while the woodsmen and former captives rush to escape. The poor man next to the lantern pummels his attacker in a panic. A lucky blow knocks of his attackers off and he slips free of the other and turns to flee.

The man leaves the lantern and flees to follow the others. All of the men and captives, save the one who dropped the lantern, are now in the passage and Sephek turns to hold the morlock at bay as they retreat.

The Morlock you wounded howls in agony and retreats but one of the ones near the lanter takes up his position and lunges at you. Two other morlock harras the men in the hallway but seem hesitant to assault the crowd of people especially with Sephek laying about with his club on any who get near.

The morlock slashes with claws and bites with teeth in a near frenzy. You avid serious injury and being grabbed but a gash to the thigh let you know these are vicious opponents. 1 damage

Stee moves through the morlock and picks up the lantern runs towards the hallway using the lantern and sword to fend off any attackers. The two morlock turn on the fleeing figure ahead of you and Sephek takes advantage of it to wallop one upside the head, momentarily stunning it and allowing the man to move past them. The other two morlock are hot on you heals. Everyone has escaped to the doors by now and leaping over the recovering morlock you are moments from reaching them when you see them begin to swing the doors close. Calling ahead for they to hold till you make the doors you see Krushkin pause with one door only partially closed but then two of the former captives leap on the door slamming it shut. As it closes you see a slight glimmer on the door before it winks out.

Rushing on you slam into the door knocking it open. Only as the door swings open you see no room, none of the captives or your fellow rescuers. Only a short length of the hall before it devolves to a much rougher cavernous passage. A cool breeze blows in your face and you hear faint shouts and clanging sounds and a faint flicker of light in the distance.