Kalhala stretches in many ways that seem impossible for such a large minotaur and once he does, Lehmani speaks to him and blesses his weapon.  He finds it hard to find the words to thank her.. "Mani, can I call you that?  What you've done here... I can't wait to use this!"  Excitement is plain in his eyes as he looks over his longsword with a renewed interest.  And as she bolsters him and the rest, he pumps up his chest and declares, "I can get used to this!!  Mani, we heading down next?"

Berkarak stretches, yawns, and rubs sleep from his eyes. His voice is more firm and resolute than he looks: "Let'sh do thish."

All - Both doors to the room sit in silent anticipation, awaiting your choice of paths.

Lehmani will listen at the door where the stirges came from to make sure more haven’t returned before she pops it open.

Perception: 16

Lehmani - You do hear an intermittent buzzing sound as you listen.

"Balls," says Lehmani. "More of those bloodsuckers. Getting into a scrap with them is way to start a fresh adventuring day..." She looks around, spotting the brazier she saw earlier and remembers her previous notion.

"May I suggest a novel approach?" She asks as she moves to the brazier and attempts to fill her clerical censer with some of the residual incense and aromatics. If she cant manage that, she'll use her own stash of incense. As she does so, she explains. "As a devoted admire of all things built, I've always been fascinated by the natural industriousness of the insect world."

She looks to Grymar and smiles. "Perhaps that's why you and I get along so well, friend Grymar."

She continues, attempting to light the censer and get it to produce incense smoke. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, my dear dwarven ally, but bees and many smaller beings of similar nature abhor certain environments and aromas... This is pure conjecture and may yield us no protection in return, but I'm wondering if these gathered aromatics might have a functional purpose in warding off the stirges whenever the need arises. These little monstrosities are certainly a far cry from conventional insects... but they're not entirely dissimilar either.", 

She lifts her censer, giving it a few swings to demonstrate how she can spread the scented smoke.

"What say you all? Is it worth a try?"

Lehmani - Stashed under the brazier is a woven basket full of more aromatics. You're able to fill your censer with about a fourth of what's in the basket.

"Ahhh- choo!" Kalhala sneezes hard as the smoke enters his nostrils and has a strange sense to him.  Trying to hold his nose and breathe through his mouth, he looks to the censer a bit wary eyed.. "You think that would help?  I mean, it would keep me away if I could.  I hope we don't need to constantly keep it smoking though?  It's a... pretty strong."

Kalhala moves to the door and gets ready to open it when the rest nod.  But looking at Lehmani he starts questioning his movement, "Did you want to do your wavy hand thing instead?"

Zubien draws his sword, and nods. "If it will repel those little blood suckers and give us an advantage, then yes."

Berkarak readies his magic, adjusting his spectacles and gripping his crystal. He casts mage armor on himself.

Lehmani stows her mace so she can hold the censer in her main hand, holding it a good distance away from herself. Her eyes narrow and her nose wrinkles as the scented smoke billows. She turns her head away from it as she addresses Kalhala. "Trust me, friend. As much as I hope this miasma helps, I'm as eager to extinguish it as you are. We'll see I suppose."

And with that, she positions herself in a central location to allow maximum distribution of smoke and casts Thaumaturgy to swing the unlocked door open.

Before the day’s end previously, Grymar passes out his remaining 5 honey lozenges, to fill everyone’s bellies and give a little healing as well.  After the door is closed and secure, he beds down for a long rest, humming and occasionally laughing in the night, like something is tickling him.  Grymar awakens with a long stretch and a toot, then looks around to see if anyone heard it.  He feels strong and refreshed by the magical aid, and he begins to prepare for the dangerous day by casting goodberry, stowing the honey lozenges away in his pocket for future use.  ((10 new good berries)).

When he hears Lehmani’s idea, he says “Yeah, you’re right!  It might confuse them, they are looking for scents, looking for blood.  Such aromatics might confuse em, distract em!”  He pauses, considering.  “I might throw in a little of me own aromatics!  Hah!”   Big grin on his face, he holds his staff and casts shillelagh on it, ready to go to bat again if the flying buggers come in…

All - The small room quickly fills with the nauseating smells of incense and flatulence. Blessedly, the doors to the room beyond are flung wide, allowing fresher air to waft in. You see a few stirges buzzing about and watch as they suddenly turn and head toward you. The swinging censer creates a front of smoke and when the stirges reach it they immediately retreat and buzz angrily at its periphery for a bit before flying over to the iron gate in the western wall and disappearing through the gaps. You then hear a shout from that direction, "Here comes a few more! Damn these things!"

Lehmani's eye grow wide with childlike enthusiasm, calling under her breath, "Forgemaker's Blessing, that actually worked!"

Upon hearing the other voices, she goes quiet and looks to her companions, making sure they all heard the same thing she did. Listening closely, she tries to determine whether the voices seem orcish. Perception: 15

Lehmani - You recognize the voice as belonging to Reena, the woman you freed earlier.

Kalhala laughs at Lehmani's exclamation of the incense working and is happy those blood suckers didn't attach themselves to his neck again.  But his mirth is short lived as he hears the captives they released cry out.  

"C'mon!" and he charges off in their direction.

Berk follows Kalhala to ensure the captives they helped release are safe.

Zubien moves to keep up with up the party as they charge forward

Grymar rushes forward holding his magical club high, pushed forward rapidly as if by JATO, he runs after Kalhalla, ready to lay the smack down on some stirges if needed.  “Right behindya!”  He leaves his own imprint on the small office room, a scent all his own.  

Lehmani staggers a moment, still distracted that her idea worked but immediately follows the others, again using Thaumaturgy in an attempt to throw open the gate, hoping that it isn't locked.