Marrin conveys, off the top of her head, the layout of the room with keys and if the doorway had a grate/plate.

Jan is startled when she suddenly remembers door details and they spill out of her mouth.

"Until I can get my ring back, if anyone has some fleece, string or wood, I'd be appreciative.", Jan remarks.

((Any other material components that other folks need for some of their spells? Jan's only other one that would be of use is a petrified eye of newt, but doubt anyone's got something like that just kicking about.))

Marrin begins looking for a piece of string on her clothing to provide to Jan, pulling one free as needed.

Investigation: 19

Avaria smiles at Marrin and reaches over to grab her hand.  It was something her friend Cookie would always do, give her hand a squeeze.  So unless Marrin retreats, Avaria takes Marrin's hand, gives it a gentle squeeze then releases it.

Turning to Hammerdasher and the others, "I am sorry, other than Jaroo, I hope you all are alright.  Hopefully we won't be pinned against each other again.  Speaking of that, I have no interest in meeting the other groups, assuming we are going to fight one of them soon."

She looks to the frail group of humans and halflings.. "Think there is anyway we could get them out as well?  I don't even want to ask how long they have been down here, prisoners of the Hargroves.  In the meantime, I think a rest would be best for all.  Who knows what we'll be asked to face next."

As long as Xanthe or any of the others are not near, Jan will confide with a weary sigh.

"I was on the boat on a job. To bring in Godrick Hargrove, yes, but as a bounty hunter. My contact only said that he was a pirate, not that his family controls an island where they make prisoners engage in bloodsport. I'll certainly be having words with him whenever I make it back to town. Unfortunately, while I came into this with my eyes open, I had blinders on, and know no more than the rest of you about the Hargroves or their business. But it seems they have money, and money buys influence. I mean to relieve them of their power... but yes, rest might be good."

Marrin gives Ava's hand a squeeze back and says to her,

"We're going to be alright, we'll figure a way free for us and as many as we can."

Marrin is able to unravel part of the knit shirt she's wearing enough to provide a length of string to Jan. While most people won't notice much of a difference, Marrin will always know the shirt will never quite look or hang right again.

Marrin's also quite sure the doors in the 'key' room were all very similar to the one they can see here at the entrance to the caves. Sturdy iron, with a grate and a moveable plate for viewing.

As you sit together, deciding on next steps, you hear a hinge creak and noise from the doorway. A rough voice shouts through the open grate in a language none of you know (will allow Ethel's background as a linguist to provide her a DC10 roll to at least recognize what the language is if she wants to).

The grate then slams shut.

At that signal, the quiet, lethargic prisoners seem to come to life.

Two large wooden tubs are dragged out from a shadowy nook and carried over to the doorway. And that's when you also see your first movement from the other cave entrances. Two large orcs emerge from the south, carrying similar large wooden tubs. Two hobgoblins from the west also carry similar tubs. They're followed by four goblins managing, two per tub.

They all place the empty ones near the doorway and then step back several paces. When the goblins are slow to do so, one of the hobgoblin prisoners barks at them and they scurry quickly back.

Even someone blind could see the enmity in the eyes of the orcs as they look at the hobgoblins. The hobgoblins, goblins and eventually the orcs all notice the newcomers to the cave and give you appraising looks. 

Those who know Jan, if they glanced at her, might be surprised to see her bulking out with muscles almost to rival Ula as she crosses her arms and gives them a look right back.

"Xanthe, what's with the tubs? Ula already took a bath. There usually any trouble with these other groups?"

Identify Language: 14

Ethlehyn listens quietly while the others describe their skills.  When the commotion at the door begins, she politely excuses herself and retires to a quiet alcove in the cave and opens her book.  Her irritation swells; while they allowed her to keep her own spellbook, they took aware her... other book.  The one from which she had been studying and practicing so feverishly of late.  Absent those teachings, she would have to fall back on some rudimentary spells her tutors described for her. 

Remembering the fine sand in the arena, she copies down what she remembers of the simple sleep spell.

[Is there enough sand left in her footwraps or those of her allies to acquire the 'pinch of fine sand' required as a material component?  Investigation 12 to look for sand?  If not, she will make a mental note to snatch some the next time they are in the arena.]

Her next option is more difficult.  So many ways to go.  Her companions possess the skills to charm others and disguise their own appearances.  She could triple down on those spells... or perhaps find a way to complement them. 

[Does Ethlehyn recall seeing anything made of fleece, either here in the prison or on their march through the guard rooms?  History 18 to remember?  If she has seen fleece here somewhere, then she will copy silent image.  If she hasn't seen fleece, or simply cannot recall, then she will copy the spell fog cloud. 

((Marrin has decided to burn her current set of clothes, so it's alright!))

Marrin returns the appraising gazes with one of her own.

Do they look as malnourished as the humans and halflings?

She asks the Xanthe in Elven,

"How many in each of the other groups?"

Xanthe looks back over at Jan and then to Ula.

“These are for food and water,” she says then after a short pause, looks more intently at Ula. “Make sure you dry off, dear. It can get cold in here.”

Then she looks back to Jan and nods at the orcs, “Watch those ones. If they can, they’ll try and take more than their share.”

Ethel, while you have never studied this language, it’s unmistakably Ghukliak. Most people call it Goblin, though they would never do so in front of a hobgoblin, at least not twice.

While the language easily registers in Ethel’s mind, her focus is elsewhere. Given the arena floor is covered in sand, finding a pinch of it isn’t hard. There’re specks of it everywhere. Even in your clothes. As for fleece, you remember one of the audience members had a cloak made of fleece, but none of the guards, nor anyone you see in the caverns has anything like that.

Marrin watches the newcomers. The orcs and hobgoblins, as best she can tell look healthy. They either haven’t been here as long as the humans and halflings, or they’re getting more to eat. You don’t have a lot to base it on, but if you had to, you’d say the goblins look a little thin.

Xanthe lowers her voice when she answers Marrin’s questions about the numbers of the others. “We’re never quite sure. You’d need to go into their caverns to see how many yourself. As long as you don’t catch them at a bad time, there’s nothing forbidden about going to take a look. I think they have pools like this in their caverns too,” She says gesturing at Ula's bath, then pauses, making sure the orcs aren’t listening. “If I had to put a number on it, I’d say a half dozen orcs, twice as many goblins, and maybe eight or nine hobgoblins plus there are a couple of bugbears that live with them.”

Just as Xanthe finishes speaking, the plate in the door opens for a moment then shuts. Keys can be heard turning in the lock then the door is opened.

Four hobgoblin guards quickly take the empty tubs out of the cavern and then quickly move heavier ones back into the cavern, some sloshing with water and others noticeably filled with food.

Two hobgoblins with heavy crossbows keep watch from the tunnel while the other four work.

Marrin watches the feeding ritual placidly, noting the placement of the guards while also trying to keep an eye on the orcs.

Hungry, Avaria stands up and heads over to where the food and water are now located.  She turns to Xanthe, "So what's the process for this?  These two tubs are for your group and mine?" She points to the two that were in the shadows of this cave.  Eyeing the rest of the orcs, hobgoblins and goblins as she does.  Making sure her body is next to the food tub she is talking about so that none of the other groups try anything.

Xanthe puts a hand on Avaria’s arm before the shifter can approach the tubs.

”Not before the guards leave or there will be trouble.” She says, then adds. “It’s supposed to be a tub of water and one of food per cavern.”

Ehtlehyn sighs bitterly.  Silent Image could have come in handy, but there is just no realistic way to obtain fleece in these cells.  Instead, she copies the spell fog cloud into her book.  Its applications are less practical, but it may prove useful if they need cover to disguise clandestine activities.  And there is no material component.

Once finished, she closes the book.

"I'm guessing that some groups don't hold to that...", Jan says dryly.

She will study the guards, their appearance, gear, any interactions or mannerisms.

With a grunt and a nod from one of the guards to the hobgoblin prisoners, the guards retreat quickly from the cavern, the door slamming quickly shut behind them. You hear the sound of keys rattling in the lock again then quiet.

The goblins dart forward and start dragging a tub of water and one of food away before anyone else moves, their eyes shifting from the orcs to you and the other newcomers. The two hobgoblins take a tub of water and another of food and start tracing the steps of the goblins. The orcs watch the hobgoblins for a moment then move forward. They lay claim to one of the remaining water tubs and one of the remaining food tubs.

One of the orcs takes a step towards the other food tub, looking at it to see what's inside.

Xanthe walks gingerly forward, wary of the orc, but her voice is firm.

"You keep away from there," Xanthe says.

The orc looks at her but doesn't show any indication that he's stopping.

As Avaria is right next to Xanthe, she steps up between the orc and their tub of food, purposely blocking his way.  Crossing her arms, her ears laying flat against her head, she glares at him, "You heard what she said, you keep away from there."

Marrin nudges Ula forward to support Ava's intimidating and says,

"Try and take it or damage it and you won't make it back alive."

She is feeling properly murderous.