Finally, early in the afternoon, you see the trail leading to a low barrier ahead. When you get closer you see that it is actually a low dike made of mud and wood. You carefully advance, but Ani, with the aid of her owl, tells you that there is no one about. Finally, you climb over the dike and find yourselves standing on a small island within it, perhaps 50 feet across. In the middle of the island is a gaping hole. Peering down it, you see a muddy flight of wooden stairs descending into the earth.
Searching about a little more on the island, you find a hollow ivory tube, sealed with wax at each end.
Tarl stands guard over the hole into the earth while the others examine the scroll.
"Some sort of scroll? Anyone care to open it?"
"I volunteer Krrl to open it." says Thrwyn, smiling.
He turns to Ani, "Did your friend there tell you anything useful?"
"The turtle said that Krrl might've been a nice change of taste from the lizards that amble about on two legs here. But he'll settle for the carcass of the snake-witch."
Tragon looks down the hole. "I guess our next step is down."
Tarl volunteers to lead the group down the stairs.
Thrwyn pockets the tube unopened, and Tarl leads the way downstairs.
The muddy wooden stairs are slippery, and from below comes the odour of rot, mold and swamp gas. Suddenly, Thrwyn slips, and tumbles past Tragon and into Tal, whom he knocks off of his feet. Krrl lunges to grab thm, and slips as well. Ani is next, and she goes bouncing and sliding down the stairs after the others.
Thrwyn, Tarl, Krrl and Ariwihn's Niece all go rolling and falling down the stairs into darkness, leaving Valea, Tragon, Lornard, Zakarias and Traver still standing. They hurry after them.
Reaching the bottom, one way or another, You find yourselves in a chamber (30' X 30': 10' east, 10' west, 30' south). The stairs descended from the north. In the middle of the south wall is a passage running south. In the east and west walls, south corners, are two more passages running east and west, respectively. The walls, ceiling and floor of this place are all of dirt, supported by massive, though somewhat rotted, timbers. The floor is slippery. The chamber is unlit; the only light is what comes down the stairs.
Four men are in here. When Thrwyn, Tarl, Krrl and Ariwihn's Niece arrive via the fast route, they are immediately attacked. Thrwyn slithers aside, missing a sword thrust. Tarl is not so lucky, and is impaled for 3 hit points. Both Krrl and Ani are missed as well.
Valea rushes in and attacks with her staff. "Attack to subdue...they are probably charmed as well."
She whaps one in the head.
Ani, defending herself with her scimitar in one hand and sickle in the other, eases back towards the staircase to gain some elevation on her attackers. She parries and slashes with the backs of her blades, aiming for the knuckles and knees of her attackers.
"Perhaps or they could just be working for the beasts."
Tragon uses his sword to disarm and his shield to remove consciousness.
At this point the DM was forced to cancel this game due to an unforgiving work schedule. One more post occured, which moved several of the characters over to the MAIN game.