Missing Caravan

[Mardak Trannyth]

Mardak improves his positioning as best he can to accommodate for the stealthy ones to be stealthy.  "If'n you're in shit, come back to me!" He harshly whispers.

[Betimi]

Betimi moves closer and whispers to Jonath, as she  looks through the portcullis. "What do you think, dare we risk the noise of raising it? Or shall we take the other path?"

She steps back into the edge of Mardak's light and motions for the party to move up, but places her fingers across her lips, hoping they understand it as a sign to be quiet.

[Jonath]

"Just what I was pondering," he replies, waiting for the rest of the group to join them before continuing. "I think it best to move on for now - if we do not find what we're looking for the other way, we can return here, but as you say, I think we're too likely to garner unwanted attention by attempting to raise the gate." He moves of again to the east, glancing over his shoulder to ensure Betimi was following him again - he did like having someone nearer at hand, and she seemed well capable at being stealthy enough to not be of concern.

Hide:[1d20+13] = 17+13 = 30, Move Silently:[1d20+12] = 7+12 = 19

[Betimi]

Betimi nods her agreement at Jonath's words.

She whispers to the rest of the group, "Keep me just in the shadows at the edge of your torchlight, so you can see me react if Sir Jonath finds peril."

She keeps a shard of crystal in her hand, ready to throw, and stealthily follows Jonath, keeping about 10' back.

Hide [1d20+7] = 9+7 = 16, Move Silently [1d20+3] = 11+3 = 14

[Mardak Trannyth]

Mardak moves forward with whomever in tow, and tries to do whatever he can.

[GM Marvel]

[OoC: Sorry, false start.  Work. Significant Other. Arrrgggh.    ]

Peering through the Portcullis...

As you decide what to do, Jonath can peer through the bars to the south but even though he can see with his darkvision as well as he could in daylight (albeit in black and white) he curiously doesn't see too much of interest.  It's basically a 15'x15' rough room with what appears to be an approximate 10' wide opening in the far (south) wall.  He does notice, rather ominously, a dead body in the south west corner beside the opening.

Looking down the East passage...

About 10' away you see the start of cart tracks that continue east until they disappear into the darkness beyond your vision.  There are more passages that branch off the one you stand in...  Both of you sneak a little further down the passage until Jonath reaches the tracks.  He notices several passages branching off the main with the closest passage located to the north of you. It's a short 15' passage with what looks like a door located at the end in the east wall.

[OoC: Please notice that I moved some of the characters forward.  Anyone without dark vision can only see clearly within the yellow area.  Anything that is up to 20' beyond that area is considered shadowy illumination.  So currently you can only really make out the tracks.  

Jonath and Betimi can see three passages branching off to the north and two branching off to the south.  Also the cart tracks disappear east, down the main passage.]



Grey = Jonath
Purple = Betimi
Black = Mardak
Light Blue = Salina
Dark Blue = Nacesh
Orange = Tomeal

[Selina Parcellus]

Selina takes her little light and moves closer to Tomeal and Nacesh after sparing a glance for Mardak. She was still within the torchlight, but the darkness beyond prevented her from seeing much of anything else. There really was not a whole lot she could do. As the healer she had to remain there.

[Betimi]

Betimi gives a small grunt to get Jonath's attention then gestures to the north passage and door. Then she creeps toward them.

[Hide [1d20+7] = 19+7 = 26 & Move Silently [1d20+3] = 7+3 = 10]

Once she reaches the door she will Listen at it then attempt to aid Jonath in searching it for any traps.

[Listen [1d20+1] = 8+1 = 9 & Search (aid another) [1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19]
[OoC: her aid another on the Search will grant Jonath a +2 bonus on his Search]

[Mardak Trannyth]

Mardak seeing the look from the priestess, heeds him forward a few feet. 

(moves ten feet down)

[GM Marvel]

Both Selina and Mardak move south and take up positions behind Tomeal and Nacesh.  The light they carry shines deeper into the cave and allows them to now clearly see the start of the track and dimly make out the passages in the middle that branch to the north and south. [I will update the map after more people have posted.]  Unfortunately the light also foils any attempt of hiding within its bright illumination [Within 20'].

Betimi (and Jonath) move to the door and back into the shadows.  The sturdy door is made from metal with a vertical handle that's at the right height for Jonath to open comfortably.  The space around the door is wedged shut with thin pieces of stone.  The door also has built within it a smaller door that's aproximently 2'x2' with a small horizontal handle located at the top.  [Speeding this up...] When you investigate the smaller door you find it's hinged at the bottom so the top opens by pulling the handle down.  But it's built so there's sort of a shelf inside so you can drop something in but you can't reach in or see inside. [Much like a post office drop box.  I hope that makes sense.]  No sound is coming from beyond the door.

Tomeal whispers, "Strange how we've not seen any more Kobolds since entering the mine.  The little buggers are famous for traps and ambushes so keep your eyes open!"