"you probably dont want to know" vidruth answers daphyra in a tone probably far to cheerful for the situation "and im fine, your spell, or whatever that was, protected me from the fall" he goes back to his muttering "and some extra sense, but focused on the front of the face, presumably in the eye. hmm" he climbs back up the edge of the crevace, onto the side he was trying to cross to

Looking around to the others Nosam tries to get a feel of their thoughts. "It clearly read our minds with no issues but didn't try to kill us... yet. Think what it said about downstairs is true or leading us into a trap?" 

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

"you probably dont want to know" vidruth answers daphyra in a tone probably far to cheerful for the situation "and im fine, your spell, or whatever that was, protected me from the fall" he goes back to his muttering "and some extra sense, but focused on the front of the face, presumably in the eye. hmm" he climbs back up the edge of the crevace, onto the side he was trying to cross to

 Vidruth can climb out of the crevasse to I-13.

"The Redbrands mentioned it, and they also said that they are staying west of this crevice in two rooms and their leader would be downstairs there towards the North," Berry recalls. "We could start with the wizard and then use his chamber as an easier defendable position to which we can fall back," he speaks out his thoughts while he flies up again to his previous spot east of the stone pillar (10 feet above ground). "They didn't take it as a threat but also not as an ally. Perhaps it was here before they occupied the place." Berry turns to the one-eyed creature, "What do you want? Is there anything we can do for you?"

“Already know secrets, hehehe, giant man,” the creature answers Berry.

“If you kill…,” it continues, “throw meat here. It stay FRRRESH!! But no clothes. No red clothes. Too hard to eat.”

It moves carefully to the scratched up arm in the crevasse, slowly, keeping its eye pointed towards Marten now, seeming to observe an invisible line beyond which it may only pass at its peril, a line which only Marten recognizes as the trigger for his readied action.

The creature tugs on the disembodied arm, revealing the upper body of a middle-aged man in a woodworker’s apron, whose other arm is completely amputated. The creature tries in vain to pull up more of the body, then seems to give up, and lets it slide back down. It uses its sharp claw to slice off another finger or two. You notice a peculiar absence of flies, which you would expect to be abuzz around a several-days-old corpse such as this appears to be.

Berry snickers at the creature's reply and takes a somewhat more confident pose. "Well, well, if that isn't the missing woodworker. Did the Redbrands throw him down there?"  

"Any ideas how we could proceed? We could just straight rush in at the wizard or prepare some sort of trap here?" Berry takes a good look around to see how exactly the chamber is illuminated. "What if we switch off all the lights and make use of Daphyra's blessing? It worked well enough for the goblins against us."

"attacking them in the dark i like. but we should not set up an ambush in here, for several reasons, none of which i want to get into at the moment. i say we go after the wizard first, if he is properly trained we dont want to give him time between finding out we are here and us attacking him, he could set up all kinds of nasty things"

Daphyra is feeling a little ill with the sight of the body parts and stays out of the tactical conversation until Berry mentions her name. She looks woozily up. "I am happy for you to make use of my gift. Just... uhh... give me a minute."

Kiselina makes the following comments focused on capturing/killing Glassstaff.

“I would suggest we handle Glassstaff first. If the information from our ‘friends is correct, they (Glassstaff) is located up north there as Master Berry mentioned. Since it’s a narrow stairway and corridor, we will have to go single-file. With the possibility of a group of Redbrands arriving behind us, I would suggest a group remaining up the stairs and ‘sniping’ any re-enforcements that arrive from the other door. Close enough to reinforce us should the wizard be more than three or four of us could handle. But I am unsure who should be the ‘assault’ and who should be the ‘reserve’, or even if we might consider another plan?”

Marten shivers: he feels the hair on the back of his neck standing on end from the gaze of one-eye, even through the pillar of rock.  He moves forward along the crevasse toward the remaining bridge.  He doesn't trust this creature, and the sight of it eating the woodcarver makes him feel nauseated.  But since he doesn't know what the creatures powers are (other than reading their minds, apparently) and he doesn't want to raise the alarm by making noise, he doesn't want to provoke it.  Marten thinks, now that Vidruth is out, there's no need to kill the creature as long as it stays down at the bottom of the crevasse.

As Marten passes Daphyra, he pats her shoulder and makes a brief nod.  His expression is hard to read, but he presumably meant to express sympathy or reassurance.  Once Marten makes it close to the bridge, he examines it to see whether it looks like it's also rigged to collapse, like the one that dropped Vidruth into the crevasse.  (Perception 9, or modifying that roll if it's Investigation: 6.)  He'd like to make sure that they have a safe way of getting from one side of the crevasse to the other.

Speaking to their plans, Marten says, "Yep.  I agree with Berry 'n' Kis'lina. Take care o' the wizard first, if'n we can.   From what our 'friends' said, this Glasstaff is in the corner o' the hideout," he says, pointing toward the hallway (F6).  "But--wizards are smart, ain't they?  If I'm a wicked, smart man, I'd expect t' make enemies.  And I'd want an escape route when they come knockin'.  Unless this tunnel is a t'rrific death trap, or he's just so arrogant to face a whole mob, he's got t' have a second exit, eh?  M'ybe another hidden tunnel that comes out on th' other side o' th' manor?"  Then he looks toward the northeast of the chamber where their captives indicated that the stolen goods were kept and points.  "Or m'ybe a back door over there?  Might be worth takin' a peek, eh?"

Regarding Kiselina's ideas of an assault and a reserve.  "Well, I don' like tiny rooms 'n' hallways, but it is a good way to prevent our opponent from mobbing us.  Nosam could hold back a whole troop comin' up a skinny hallway like that or tryin' to get a door all by himself.  That would make it easier for me 'r Vidruth 'r Mistress Daphyra to take shots at 'em over his head."

But once he thinks about it, Marten looks around the current chamber again and says, "But if it comes to a big fight against a bunch o' Redbrands 'n' bugbears, I'd prefer fight in th' open.  M'ybe fall back t' this chamber?  Big crevasse in th' middle.  A couple o' solid pillars t' hide behind.  A couple o' exits.  Some narrow spaces to keep 'em from swarmin' us in a mob.  And as Berry said, if they're all humans, we could douse th' lanterns and fight 'em in the dark." 

Quote from kohlmetz_d >>

Kiselina makes the following comments focused on capturing/killing Glassstaff.

“I would suggest we handle Glassstaff first. If the information from our ‘friends is correct, they (Glassstaff) is located up north there as Master Berry mentioned. Since it’s a narrow stairway and corridor, we will have to go single-file. With the possibility of a group of Redbrands arriving behind us, I would suggest a group remaining up the stairs and ‘sniping’ any re-enforcements that arrive from the other door. Close enough to reinforce us should the wizard be more than three or four of us could handle. But I am unsure who should be the ‘assault’ and who should be the ‘reserve’, or even if we might consider another plan?”

Nosam listens to the others and knows getting started with the next part of the plan needs to happen sooner than later. "When we headin' in for Glassstaff, where you want me, up front or toward the rear? I'm ready to lead the way when we decide for certain." 

You take some time to investigate the northern bridge over the crevasse. Marten is unable to discern whether or not it is rigged to collapse, but with help, determines that the bridge is sturdy. The room to the north is a store room which has been finished with dressed stone block walls and a flagstone floor. Several barrels are stored against the walls here, along with a number of empty crates, straw for packing, hammers, pry bars, and nails. Most of the provisions and goods here aren’t valuable, but lying among them, you discover thirty beaver pelts, worth perhaps 2 gp each. We will say you heard from Linene Graywind that a trapper on the Triboar Trail had been killed some time ago...

Further investigation expands your map of the Redbrand hideout like so:

What next?

Quote from DandDSince1973 >>

 What next?

Marten suggests that at least one of them keeps watch toward the crevasse and the hallways that open onto it while the others search the "loot" chamber.

Marten would like to check the walls all around the room for secret doors.  He starts with the west wall: "If Glasstaff has an escape exit, I reckon that's where it'd be.  Unless there's a trap door hidden in the floor since th' wizards' room is down those stairs back there."  But he'll search all along the walls from the southwest corner of the chamber, going clockwise.

Marten would be happy for some help so that they can finish searching quickly before they're discovered.  He points out that weird little alcove in the NW corner of the room for special attention.  It might just be a quirk of the construction, but his intuition says that there's something "off" about it.  "Well now, isn't that odd?  Why would ye' bother t' dig out a cubby hole like that down here?  Unless ye needed a space for a trap door in th' floor or ceiling?  Or p'rhaps a hidden drawer for their most valu'ble treasure?" 

Perception 20

Berry keeps watch on the stairways while Marten and the others check the storage space. When they returns he says, "We could build a makeshift trap for anyone coming up the southern stairs. Throw (20) Caltrops down the stairs and place (1000) ball bearings on the last few steps. That might slow down any hasty ascents," argues Berry and gets started to realise his idea as silently as he can (Stealth: 8). 

Daphyra follows Marten's lead and checks the walls for possible secrets. (inv 14)

"It certainly sounds likely that a leader of cut throats and bullies would have a secret entrance," she murmurs. "I would, if it were me!"

Kiselina continues to stand guard on the south set of stairs. He observes Marten explore the loot room. Then spend time with Daphyra checking the room for secret doors. He monitors one-eye and wonders what horrors produced such a creature but trusts (maybe wrongfully) that it will do them no harm if they leave it alone. And it isn’t the focus of why they are there. 
He watches over Berry as he seeds the stairs with traps.  He wonders how long they can spend before detected and any element of surprise they have is lost. 
He sends a prayer to Bahamut for a steady hand to deal appropriate justice to his enemies. If he finds time, he’ll also say a prayer to Tymora that their luck of remaining undetected holds. 

vidruth follows kiselina's lead in praying. although his is a simple "one eye watch us and guide us to glory" muttered under his breath, then to the group. "i will try something, its not urgent, tell me if we need to leave" after this he begins to chant soflty, hand moving through the air as if it was moving through water, all the while keeping a keen eye on the creature

(ritual casting detect magic, if the group moves on before the 10 minutes (likely) ill just cancel it and follow)

Nosam watches the progress being made by the group and is glad they are not running so blind now. He continues guarding the path coming from the NW area (row 5), ready to smash any of the reds if given a chance. 

(OOC: DM will roll for your detection of secret doors, which takes fifteen minutes. <sound of dice behind DM screen.>)

Marten, with Daphyra’s help, carefully searches the walls of the storage room, and the pair are not disappointed. They find a seam running up the stone wall exactly where Marten suggested, in the northeast corner of the room, which conceals a hinge. Further investigation of the spot reveals that there are scrape marks on the floor, and an absence of dust where it seems that many boots have trodden in an otherwise vacant part of the room.

The pair discover a second secret door, in exactly the spot Marten also suggested, in the southwest corner of the supply room as well. Here, continuing her investigations, Daphyra presses against the stone wall and, with a dry grinding sound and a rush of cool air, a three-foot wide section of the wall rotates, allowing entry to a dark staircase going down. At its bottom, a slanted crack of light, perhaps from a doorframe at the base of the stairs. Another sound when secret door opened: a little bell hanging from a string over the door rings a small tinkling call.

Meanwhile, Vidruth’s ritual casting of Detect Magic succeeds. The wizard immediately perceives that the entire crevasse emanates a faint necromantic aura. Vidruth senses that the magic causes all organic matter in the crevasse to age and decompose at half the normal rate. (OOC: if you keep the spell on, include a status update on its duration when you post.)

Meanwhile, Berry has placed ball bearings on the southern stairway. However, the stairs are not completely flat, and many dozens of ball bearings roll and fall and skip down the stairway to its bottom, where the fairy has already deposited a series of caltrops. The sound of the ball bearings dropping is like a very quick hailstorm in late winter.

As the fairy perks his ears to determine if perhaps the ball bearings were heard by any Redbrands who might be downstairs, the entire party hears yet another grinding sound coming from the hallway in the southeast, followed by a rough, booming voice entering that passageway and singing a grunting song in the goblin language. Heavy footsteps are heard approaching but the owner of the booming voice and feet producing these sounds has not yet come into view around the bend in that corridor.

Everyone please roll initiative and post your immediate reaction to these events.

You are now situated like so:

Kiselina wondered how long the group’s luck would last, it would appear it was about to be tested. He grimaced at the sound of the ball bearing rolling down the stairs, but the singing was surely headed to the chamber, and how would One-eye react? Inform on the group, play a game, the Paladin was unsure. 
He thought of slipping behind the column, but Berry might want to use it. So he decided to move just inside the original secret entrance tunnel (H16) and tries to hide. He hopes the red cloak will help with the deception. 
Initiative: 17