With a screach and a flutter, five Stirges fly out of the chimney and attack the party.

Thomas Attack: 18 Damage: 7

Feldoran Attack: 10 Damage: 6

Eleandra  Attack: 17 Damage: 5

Anders Attack: 13 Damage: 4

Toot Attack: 7 Damage: 7

Round 1 19 v 14

 Thomas tries to scrape the creature off with his mace.Attack: 8 Damage: 5

 Elandra uses her Scimitars to scrape at them.

Scimtair Attack: 10 Damage: 4

Scimtair Attack: 10 Damage: 8

 Anders fires his crossbow at the Sturge fluttering around his head.

Crossbow Attack: 13 Damage: 8

 Toot tries to shoot one with her sling Attack: 17 Damage: 5

 Feldoran tries to scrape his away with his daggers.

Dagger Attack: 15 Damage: 5

Dagger Attack: 19 Damage: 4

 Thomas stamps on the last squirming Stirge.

"I am starting to sincerely dislike this place."

 Feldroan inspects the fireplace.

Pushing on the back of the fireplace reveals a secret door. It to swing open on hidden stone hinges, revealing a small room beyond. Against the south wall of this otherwise empty room rests a 80-pound iron chest with clawed feet. Its built-in lock bears a tiny circular indentation instead of a traditional keyhole. Close inspection of the indentation reveals a tiny symbol of a handaxe clutched in a gauntlet.

Feldoran tries to pick the lock. Thieves tools 18

 "Give it another go." casting guidance.

 Toot helps by bringing her dancing lights close in so Feldoran can see clearly.

 "I'll try." Thieves Tools18 + 3

 "It's no good. We need the key."

 "Perhaps we will find it."

Privies

 Returning to the main corridor Feldoran checks the last door.

Rusty chain mail curtains conceal a pair of privies, each with a wooden bench set against the back wall. The chutes for these privies descend deep into the mountain.

 "Could have done with these earlier."

Anders chuckles as he looks into the room.

 Feldoran leads the group back the way they came.

He tries the doors on the left at the end of the corridor.

Upper East Hall and Balcony

The earthquake caused part of this empty hall to collapse. A double door in the west wall leads to a small stone balcony overlooking the main hall beneath.

 "Looks like we have cleared the upper floor!"

 Thomas patches up Elandra.

"We really need to get you some better armour."

 "Let's just get this over and done with."

 "Wont hear me argue with that."

Feldoran leads the group back toward the wide stairway and carefully descends. The stair switch to the left and then on the right they open up into a large chamber. The stench of death hangs heavy in the air of this dusty, pillared hall, which has a dark, soot-stained fireplace at the east end. A deep alcove in the south wall contains a dais, atop which rests a limestone throne flanked by granite statues of dwarf warriors. Between the throne and the fireplace is a hallway with stairs on which they now stand.

 "It looks like we found the throne room."

Toot floats on her disk alongside Anders.

 "It smells more like the privy."

 Offers up a small prayer for Guidance.

Perception 7 + 1

As they approach the throne they hear an ear-splitting shriek. A hulking ghoul charges out of the shadows, his once dwarven frame swollen and putrid.

 It attacks Thomas Attack: 18 Damage: 10

Round 1 : 6 v 11

 CON 14

 The ghoul attempts to bite the wounded cleric Attack: 15 Damage: 9