Cassian moves 20 feet closer and tries throwing a javelin at rat 8.

Action: javelin throw, to hit 17, damage 6

There is no darkness, Navrine's torch is illuminating the entire area.  The displayed circle on the map is the twenty foot radius of bright light, but there is also a secondary area of dim light that extends for an additional twenty feet.  I didn't put two circles on the map because the secondary circle basically covered the whole room as soon as she walked into it.

Navrine rushes twenty five feet toward the hole and tries to punch the rat escaping through the wall the Rat bites into her; she struggles to remain calm and focused lashing out at the rat that bit her. 

(Action: Unarmed strike on rat 8: attack roll 17+5 for 22 , for 4 points of Bludgeoning damage.) 

She spins and kicks out with a roundhouse kick the rat that she had just hit.

(Bonus action: Unarmed strike: attack roll 11+5 for 16 , for 8 points of Bludgeoning damage.) 

“ You better run rodents!“ Preparing herself for another flurry of matted hair teeth and claws doing her best to protect her companions. “You guys ok?” She looks down at the jagged wound on her leg, “These don't seem like normal rats to me.” Remembering her life on the streets prior to seeking sanctuary in the monastery. When she and her sister had to fight off rats for food. They were not near as big as these, nor as ferocious.

By my calculations, if Cassian went first, then both rats would be dead before Chromir's turn, but as it is, it took both of Navrine's attacks to kill rat 8 and then Cassian hurts rat 9. Chromir will then run up and bring the axe down hard (but less hard than previous hits) onto the rat.

21 to hit for 6 damage

"More than okay! Those rats barely scratched me. But they had to come from somewhere, lets follow the hole and see if there are more to kill!"  Chromir will lead the way through the hole and in search of more rats. He is maintaining his rage until the time is up (10 minutes total) or until they leave the cellar. (seeing as rage now can be maintained with a bonus action as well as just fighting)

"J-Just a moment. Let me look around a bit here f-first before we go charging off."

Cassian will investigate the rats and the rest of the cellar for clues or anything of use before following Chromir. He will also collect the javelin he threw.

Investigation: 11 + 3 guidance for 14

Doc collects his spear again and will help Cassian investigate, having his god guide him.

((NOTE: Bless doesn't work on ability checks, but guidance has the same roll^^))

Navrine, prepared for more rodents breaching the hole, adopts a defensive posture while holding the torch for the others who are investigating the dead rats. “Well that's going to leave a mark.” She says examining her wound before turning her attention to the hole the rats were fleeing into.

Seeing the others aren't following, Chromir doesn't stop. He does, however, slow significantly down to an almost comically slow speed (as if you told a young child to slow down and they do a slow motion style walk) 

Navrine crossed the distance in the gloomy cellar and dispatched the remaining two rats with ease.

With the rats defeated, Chromir and Navrine approached the jagged hole in the cellar wall. Edging closer, they peered through the gap to find an ancient stone passage stretching away in both directions, vanishing into darkness beyond the light of Navrine's torch. The faint sound of scurrying claws could be heard down rightmost corridor ... but then a heavy, wet, slashing sound greeted the adventurer's ears.

THWISHH!

Both of the warriors were experienced enough to recognize the sound of a large blade sinking heavily into flesh!

Although they could see neither attacker nor target.  It seemed that something down the hallway had just killed one of the rats. The scurrying sounds immediately stopped, and the darkened hallway became silent once again.

Meanwhile, Doc and Cassian knelt by the fallen creatures, inspecting their unnatural size and the sickly green glow that still lingered in their eyes. The paladin traced a finger over the faint, glowing veins pulsing beneath the rats’ skin, and examined the green goop that dripped from the now-lifeless jaws. Cassian exchanged a grim look with the dwarven cleric.  An examination of the remains led the pair to believe that these rats had likely ingested a potion of some kind ... a potion that led to monstrous growth.

Init - PC [HP]; Conditions & Effects; Actions
19 - Navrine [05/10hp]; Move, Kill Rat #8, move 5', kill Rat #9
15 - Doc [11/11hp]; Stonecunning active, Concentrating [Bless]; Move, Retrieve spear
12 - Cassian [14/14hp]; 
11 - Chromir [12/15hp]; Rage active; BA: maintain rage

Bless - [8/10 rounds remaining] on Cassian, Chromir & Navrine.

The rats (except for #10 which is larger and more powerful) are AC 12 and have 7hp

Init - Opponent [hp inflicted]; Conditions & Effects; Actions
 6 - Rat #8, Dead
 6 - Rat #9, Dead

-End Combat-

Consumables Used
Chromir: Rage
Doc: Stonecunning, One first level spell slot [Bless]

The hole in the wall is large enough to allow medium sized creatures through without squeezing.

(I'm away from my home computer at the moment so no maps unfortunately ... but a hallway has been discovered that goes east-west. The hallway shares it's southern wall with the cellar.)

"It l-looks like the rats got into some kind of potion from the wizard's tower." Cassian informs the others, looking thoughtful for a moment before snapping out of it when Navrine mentions her injury.

"Ah, here, let me take care of that." He steps over to her, his hands glowing with radiant light as he reaches out and places them near the wound. It heals up rapidly and he gives a look of relief as he pulls away. "I haven't sworn my Oath yet, but I-I can at least do this much." He smiles faintly. "Let's go take care of the rest of these rats, and whatever else awaits."

Action: Lay on Hands on Navrine for 5 hp

He then heads through the passage after Chromir, barely resisting a chuckle at the sight of the Goliath's attempts to wait on them while not quite giving up his charge forward.

As Cassian touches her she feels the pain miraculously subside. “Wow, thank you Cassian!” She examines her wounds that have healed. “I am surprised, it looks good as new. Thank you again!” She follows Cassian into the passage. “Chromir is either very brave or very foolish forging ahead in the dark alone like that, it could be a trap?”

Doc will follow the others, staying within the light of Navire's torch.

((OOC what way are we heading the blade/scurying way or first the other way?))

Having heard the faint sound of scurrying claws could be heard down the rightmost corridor and then a heavy, wet, slashing sound. Navrine has heard that sound before, the sound of a large blade sinking heavily into flesh! Realizing this Navine whispers "Hey Cassian can you see or get Chromirs attention we may be heading into a trap!"

Chromir heard Navrine. "Someone else killed a rat. They are either a friend, or will die at our hand. We must find out!" Chromir is trying to head down the corridor towards the blade sound. Though if everyone else wants to go the other way, he isn't stupid and will follow them.

"There's another p-person in here? I wonder how...But it would make s-some sense. If the rats came from that way earlier, wouldn't they remember if there was a trap?" Somehow the thought of a stranger lurking in the dark tunnels was more disturbing. The paladin stops, not wanting to lead the others forward until the Goliath confirms there is no death trap ahead. "I am curious about the left tunnel though. Doc, can you take a look and see if you s-see anything?"

The heroes compare notes and begin to explore the previously hidden passageway.

Navrine's torch illuminates the hallway and reveals that it goes about 30 feet to the west before terminating in a pile of jumbled and collapsed stone.

The eastern passage — the direction Chromir and Navrine had heard the scurrying sounds — also goes for about 30 feet before tuning north.

At the bend in the corridor, right where the eastern hall turned northward ... lying upon the flagstones, there was a twitching, and quite dead, remains of a giant rat.  It had been sliced cleanly in half.

The torchlight illuminated golden writing upon the northern wall.

In the common tongue, a series of four verses were carved into the stone and limned in gold.

From left to right, across about twenty feet or so, the writing read:

"Dawn breaks with stirring air,
As sun shines down on new day fair."

"Midday blaze bakes earth and grass,
The farmer waits for heat to pass."

"Evening cool brings water, wine,
Drink and laughter passing time."

"Night sees shining, roaring fire,
as wood and coals burn on the pyre."

Meanwhile, Doc, his Stonecunning reaching even further than Navrine's torchlight, sensed no movement within the hallway. (other than the twitching remains of the giant rat, that is)

However, through his connection with the stone, the dwarf realizes that somewhere to the north, in rooms not yet discovered ... there were literally hundreds of minuscule creatures creeping and crawling around in the darkness.  Vermin, most likely.

But it was not the multitude that concerned him, because among all of those numerous moving objects, one of the creatures happened to be quite  large ... about the size of a draft horse.

The hallway extends west until a dead end of fallen stone.  The hallway also extends east where it turns to the north.

The writing is on the northern wall.

Cassian notices the golden words and paces back and forth as he reads over them carefully. A few words stand out.

"Morning, air. Midday, earth. Evening, water. Night, fire," he murmurs to himself, wondering why this strange poem about the elements is etched into the stone like this. The left passage seems empty, so he cautiously follows in the direction of the dead rat and Chromir.

"Be careful, I sense quiet a lot of miniscule creatures up ahead, probably vermin. But the are surrounding one very large creature." Doc warns the others

After which he does follow after reading the poem. Not sure what to make of it.

“Hey Cassian what do you suppose that means?” Navrine reads and re-reads the wall wondering what this strange poem is all about? “Do you suppose that's real gold?” She looks closely at the letters.