Kari starts pulling on a chain, which works through some gears and lowers another chain at the same time. At first it makes the rope that holds the elevator car go more slack, so she grabs the other chain and begins pulling on that one instead and soon an axel is turning the right way to pull the rope slowly up towards them.  The chain clatters as it moves and the box slowly rises up, making a high pitched screech one in a while as its guide scrapes against the rail. 

Soon enough though, the simple wooden box car is at the top and ready to lower. There is a sign in the back that reads, "2 people max!".  Who goes down first? 

Badger looks at the group and suggests that perhaps Badger (who probably counts as half a person) should go down with Kurik (who probably counts as almost two on his own). Whether they go first or second, he doesn't mind.

That sounds good to Kari. I can pull on the chains to get everyone down. Does it work from the inside? She peers into the box to see if it looks like she could operate it from in there. Or, well, do you think there's a way to make it move from the bottom? Maybe I could make it move from down there. She thinks back to the last fight, how the others kept their distance for the most part, and is willing to go down first with Mal.

The box has open sides so that you can pull on the chains from within.  With Badger and Kurik being volun-told, they both get into the box and Kari does the honors of working the pulley so that they can focus on whatever happens when they descend into the lower cave. 

The box bangs and clatters as it descends until it drops from the hole in the ceiling into an open room, its guide rail keeping it stead as it thuds into the rocky ground.  You find yourselves in a dusty cavern. Tipped over mine carts and discarded mining tools lay about. It's quiet. There are two exits from the room. One to the left, and one to the right. There are no rails down here, it seems like perhaps carts were just pushed along the ground down here and then shuttled up above when they were ready to be emptied. 

As the rest of the group descends, Kurik and Badger look around. Both passages seem well used, but it seems as if the passage to the left is pretty much the only place the kobolds have been coming and going from.  The passage on the right has only a single set of kobold tracks ...and they only go in, they don't return.  

Everyone is now down the elevator shaft after a few minutes of using the elevator. After all the noise from the mechanisms and chains, it seems strangely quiet. The sound from the waterfall can be heard faintly from above, and also faintly from the passage with the single set of kobold tracks. The other way is quiet.

Kari consults the others again. What do you think, should we hunt down this lone fellow first? Or find the main group and then mop up any stragglers after? What sounds good to you?

Looking to Kari Kurik says, "I suggest we take the group first... but don't rush in and don't get surrounded."  At this time he dons his shield and brandish his blade.  "Who fancies a dance?"

 Kari takes a step or two back and does a figure 8 swish with her glaive, ending in an overhead downward slice. Smiling she she says I'll try not to rush too far ahead. And I'll keep watch for any narrow points that might be helpful. She sets off again heading to the left, trying to walk quietly on the left side of the tunnel. If she sees any narrow spots she will keep track of them, and will wait for the rest of the party if she sees or hears any living creature that looks like it could be a threat.

Kari sneaks forward ahead of the light, moving down the zigzagging irregular cavern carved from the rock.  Down here the air is noticeably less frigid, and gloves and scarves can come off without fear of having your skin freeze dead. As she creeps forward she it opens up a bit into a room. A table and chairs are set up in this area. On top of the table, two kobolds stand their, a dead giant rat between them. They stand bravely facing you, standing "tall" on the table with their spear butts on the table top.  One looks to the other and says something to it in Draconic that sounds like a question. The other one shrugs in reply and says more in Draconic. The light of the others begins to show in the cave and one shrugs back to the 2nd again, and says something else. The other one nods and replies rather matter of factly. Neither seem overly fearful. 

 Kari quietly backs down the hallway to meet up with the others. She holds up two fingers and points toward the room as she whispers as quietly as she can There's two Kobold just ahead. You ready for this? She looks ready herself, happy to be the frontline.

Badger nods in response, ready to attack at the word.  (Preparing to cast Fire Bolt)

(Roll initiative. If you go before the Kobolds feel free to post your action.) 

Kobolds : 17 15 

21

Initiative at advantage 19 

 Seeing the others are getting ready, Kari turns, takes 3 deep breaths, and begins growling and she starts to run into the room. She runs straight up to the first one and takes a stab at it, thrusting the blade forward and targeting the solar plexus, then slashes the glaive sideways at the second kobold.

Bonus Action: Rage, 1/2 movement (instinctive pounce)

Action: 2 glaive attacks, first on the closest one, or if they are equally far then the one on the right, staying 10 feet away, using movement if needed to reach the 2nd kobold for an attack.

Glaive +1 Attack: 16 Damage: 10 Slashing, 3 Rage

Extra Attack: 29 Damage: 17 Slashing, 3 Rage

Effects: Slasher - Critical hit, until the start of your next turn the target has disadvantage on all Attack rolls.

Kari rushes into the room. The two kobolds stand their ground, their spears held steady, eyeing their opponent, sizing her up. Hmmm...the closer she gets, the larger she appears. Ooooh, quite large. Look at those muscles. So bulgy. I wonder if she has a boyfriend or would like.....hold on...what's that she has in her hands....is that.....looks sharp...and....coming at us?  Uhh, hmmm, I wonder if.....

Any other internal dialogue of the Kobolds is cut short as her glaive slices through one, sending the body flying across the cave to crumple in a pile against a wall, and then back once more to hit the second one.  His head goes for a slow lazy roll through the air amid a tiny fountain of blood before coming to a halt on the other side of the cave. The body collapses. 

The day is won!! (we're out of initiative)

Hooray for us!

The group continues past the dead kobolds and follow a winding, sloped mine tunnel that slowly curls around to the right. Eventually it must have come full circle as it emerges out onto a wood panel covered walkway. This must be the one Badger could see 100 feet down. Indeed, looking up, he sees the other one way up there. The air down here is warmer still and you begin pulling off winter clothes.  The wooden walkway extends from this opening and then runs right to another tunnel in the rock. In front of you, a large bucket dangles from a taut rope that stretches across the shaft and is connected to another wooden platform 15 feet away on the other side of the shaft. There are three other exits from here, well, four if you count the shaft down...which now just stretches off into darkness. There is the tunnel at the other end of this walkway, and a tunnel on the end of each side of the far walkway. You examine the walkway for tampering but it seems free of any damage. 

Badger can no longer resist the urge... he picks up a pebble and tosses it into the shaft, listening for how long it takes to hit the bottom...

A rock is tossed into the void. The water sprays down from above at one end of the cave and everything is coated in cold water. Its just near freezing so the coating is a wet/frosty mist. The pebble vanishes into the darkness below, but with the sound of the waterfall filling the cavern....it either does not have a bottom, or the sound of it hitting is obscured by the water. He picks up a bigger one and tosses it.  It falls for....one mississippi....two mississippi....three mississippi....four mississippi..five mississippi...six mississippi...seven mississippi...eight mississippi... ...the slightest echo of a rock clatter can be heard over the falling water.  Badgers conclusion is clear. It's a long way down.

Kari looks amused at Badger throwing the rocks down the shaft. She used to do that as a child. She then eyes the bucket and rope, looking a bit skeptical it it's size ((I'm assuming it's on the smallish side)) and then says to the others Let me take a look at the tunnel over here, but we may have to cross to the other side.

Survival 18