CF - Volo's Adventurers' Guild - PbP Campaign

"Now that we are all back in fighting trim, I suggest we proceed more cautiously.  Flappy - sincerest apologies for gender-swapping you, old chap, not sure how my notes got mixed up on that point - would you be willing to do a bit of scouting down this hallway so any further Orc encounters can be choreographed in advance to minimize our risk to life and limb?"

Flappy nods and makes a sound like a giggle before fluttering off into the corridor, taking a closer look at what the 4 orcses are up to.
Stealth: 22 Perception: 18

So delighted in his acceptance and usefulness to the party, Flappy flits off. He turns left (west), then right (north), and sees the corridor come to a short end with a dwarven statue at its end. Before the statue, along the western wall is a closed door. In his jubilation, Flappy lets out another little gurgle of joy - then stops suddenly realizing that he had best be quiet. He does his best to flit more quietly, and lands on the wall next to the doorjam. He listens intently, then relaxes. His enthusiastic outburst is only answered by the sound of snores.

More wary this time, Flappy pushes off into the air and flap-glides back to Serena to report.

Landing on Serena's shoulder to perch up Flappy telepathically reports on the snoring sounds.
"It seems the orcs that turned up earlier are sleeping still. Any ideas on how we proceed with that information?" Serena says to the others as she is standing by the door, ready to move on.

Araynia groans and stands up. "There is a bounty on them. I suggest we collect."

Serena nods at Araynia, willing to go along with that. "Any other suggestions?" She says, looking at Tresvar, Banjo and Livia. "If we're going to handle this in a more diplomatic way this would be the time to suggest how." 

Having vanquished a slew of orcs and sent the leader, an ogre, stumbling confusedly out of the caves and into the forests, our heroes have taken a much needed rest. 

Upon waking, they realize:

1. They are still within an underground stronghold
2. There are still more orcs, and hence more bounties, inhabiting this cave
3. They cannot therefore have investigated all of this level
4. They still don't know much about the Duergar who seem to have taken posession of the old Dwarven Foundry
5. Before the Duergar and the Orcs, apparently some sort of dragon has pillaged these halls. According to the Duergar, the dragon resides in a lake in a cavern still deeper than anything they have yet explored - the Duergar are willing to guide the party there - afterall, where there is a dragon's lair, there is also a dragon's hoard... or so the legends say...

Now they must decide, what to do next?

Serena explains that she is more than ready to continue to investigate this cave, starting with the room with the still sleeping orcs.

Araynia shrugs and says, " Onwards then I guess."

The group moves into the hall and to the the west.

The hall turns going north for about 20 more feet. At the end of the passage stands a statue of a fierce-looking dwarf in heavy mail armor. The stone warrior holds a sword in one hand and a smith’s hammer in the other. The statue is about seven feet tall and stands on a large stone pedestal. Along the western wall is a closed door, between the party and the statue.

Serena follows along, moving quietly to not risk waking up the orcs.
Stealth: 13
She then puts her ear to the door to confirm the orcs are still sleeping.
Perception: 10
She then turns to the rest of the team whispering. "So, do we move in and take them out or do we have a more diplomatic solution at hand?"

Banjo shifts uncomfortably.  "I am not inclined to murder intelligent creatures as they slumber... even if they are the sort who might do the same to me were the tables turned."

He thinks for a moment, tapping the wand on his forehead, before he stops and stares at it.  "Hmmn.  Perhaps this is our answer right here."  He holds up the wand of entangle.  "If they are asleep, they should not be able to resist the effects of this wand.  We could pop in, wrap them all up in vines, disarm them, then give them the option to surrender and depart these caves peacefully and without their weapons, or comdemn themselves by fighting against impossible odds."

He looks around to see if anyone else thinks his plan might work.

"Well, will we be able to disarm the orcs and not get tangled up ourselves?" Serena asks in a lowered voice, not seeming to be against the idea. "I could use my sophoric fey magic to put some of them into a slumber and then we can disarm them."

Serena walks along the hall toward the door. The door is just about 5 feet in front of the statue. Suddenly, she feels a small click from the floor beneath her feet. The statue’s bearded face slides open, like an oversized nutcracker, and greenish gas billows forth.

Each member of the party must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until they finish a short rest.

"Oh, ooh." Serena tries to hold her breath and getting back and out of the greenish gas.
Con save: 19

"That seems overly complicated. Wouldn't it be simpler to disarm them when they're already sleeping, instead of waking them up just to force them into slumber again? This tactic could be our pla-" But Livia never gets to finish her sentence, because even an inexperienced person like herself can understand that when strange green clouds approach, one should try to avoid them... if possible.

Constitution save: 2. (I'm editing, so in case something goes wrong, this was a 7.)

But as the green gas fills the room, Livia realises getting away from it was futile, and as the gas fills her lungs, she can already feel its detrimental effects weakening her. That's when, almost like a reflex she did not know she had, without intending to do so, Livia channels divine magic into her own body, which coats her lungs and tries to force the gas out of her lungs with a cough and, shall it succeed, prevent any more of it from entering again.

Using the Favored by the Gods feature to add 4 to the roll's result, potentially turning the failure into a success.

Araynia attempts to cover her mouth at seeing the gas billowing forth.

Con save: 2

The group does its best while suffering the effects of the poison.

Banjo, Serena and Araynia notice:

"Okay, the orcs are probably awake and quite possibly aware that we are here now, quick decision, attack or fall back and rest until we hopfully feel a bit better again?" Serena says quickly and quietly, backing off a bit more from the door, ready to use her sophoric fey magic should the orcs attack.

Banjo CON save: 8

 "Luckily for us, this foul gas is less dense than the surrounding air.  That's why it congregates up near the ceiling of the hall, leaving a pocket of fresh, clean air down here nearer the floor.  Clearly the dwarves who designed this trap must have had taller foes in mind...".

Banjo halts his dissertation as he notices most of his taller friends are now choking on the poison gas.

Hearing Serena's question, he readies his wand.  "If they have detected us, I sorely doubt they will give us the chance to rest up.  Let's quickly fall back to a choke point and prepare for their attack."

Serena nods at Banjo and moves so that Tresvar is closest to the door, ready to fall back further to a point Tresvar would decide to stand and fight.