Quote from TheManyNamed >>

 

Acrobatics 19

As she touches down onto the platform after the others, Aerin does her best to hide the sound of her footsteps and keep to cover and shadows.  The signs of past campfires and the graffiti make her cautious.

Stealth 18

Darastrag waits - examining the graffiti while the others climb and using his strength to reinforce the rope. Then, he carefully lowers himself, using his tail to help keep himself balanced.

Athletics: 12 Stealth: 8

Acrobatics 6

Stealth 15

N'ruel sighs a breath of relief as his feet touch down on the ledge. Feeling much more comfortable in the darkness provided by the depth of the ravine. Being the first one down, he draws his staff out and finds a quiet corner on the ledge to keep an eye out while the rest of the party descends.

- Esvele -

Although easily making her way down the rope, she struggles with keeping quiet due to her armor...

//  Stealth Check @ disadvantage 4  //

Quote from DMProctor >>

The party careful make the descent down the knotted rope using the wall to brace yourselves on the way down. Touching your boots down on solid earth again you find yourselves on the sandy ledge overlooking a subterranean gulf of darkness to the west. The ledge is wide but rough. Sand, rocky debris, and the bones of small animals cover it. A rough-hewn stairwell zigs and zags down the side of the ledge descending into darkness. 

Esvele sifts through the small bones to see what kind of animals they were and more importantly what may have done this (hunting, wild animal, etc), evidence of tools or other proof of a settlement.

Though some none too quietly, the party all successfully repel down the side of the ravine, with no falls or broken bones, to find solid ground beneath their boots once more. Already at this depth there is a drastic difference in the light as the rays of the bright winter sun above seem to dissolve, giving way to shadows that seem more tangible as if you could reach out and touch them. Gooseflesh rises along your arms and the nap of your neck as you get the uneasy feeling of being watched, there is something unnatural about this place.

As your eyes adjust you are able to notice a scattering of small white bones, standing out against the darkness like the pale milk moon in the night sky, and piles of rubble strewn across the surface of the ledge. In the dust Aerin discovers human bootprints leading further down the zig zagging stairs as well as unusually large rodent tracks crisscrossing back and forth along the dusty ledge. Among the rubble is an old ring of stones that contains the accumulated ash of hundreds of fires, though it does not seem as if a fire has been lit here for years. Sifting through the you'll discover a few rough-hewn spear tips of goblin make and more small animal bones.

In the northeastern corner of the ledge coming from behind a pile of rubble comes an incessant scratching sound followed by a series of high pitched squeaks...

- Esvele - 

"Aerin, you say there are giant rodent prints?" Esvele whispers, then continuing, "And there's squeaking coming from behind those rocks? Be prepared."

Esvele touches the corner of her shield furthest away from her eyes and casts light, then saying, "Sorry, I don't see well in the dark."

N'ruel, with staff out ready to deflect an attack, slowly approaches from where the squeaking  is coming. 

Taking Esvele's action to ready herself seriously, Aerin finds it wise to do the same.  Again her hands begin to glow with eldritch power and readies herself for action.  Mentally she reaches out to silently warn her companions.

//This is Aerin.  I can project my thoughts but not read yours in return.  Rodent and human tracks were spotted and Esvele found evidence of goblins.  The northeast corner seems to be the source of the rodents.  Best prepare.// 

"No wonder the messages above were so unwelcoming," Darastrag murmurs with a flick of his tongue to taste the air down here as he coils his rope.

"Keep out or die... Stay out... You'll be killed... All hail the Many Eyed King... Screw off.... That sort of thing."

The ranger takes up a position near N'ruel, staff and shield in hand, and stands ready to move forward with him.

 OOC: I don't think your hex would still be up. I think it's been a few hours since our fight with the saplings. 

The drow looks back to the lizardman with a bit of a surprise. "You can read goblin?"

The lizardman nods, one swift head movement. "I hunt them."

Tovar, having slowly, cautiously, and loudly manuevered his bulk down the ravine, calmly readies his sword and shield.

"Hmmm... it's just like the stories say. An ancient city cast down into the deep. I should not be too surprised to find signs of old magic around as well. Be on guard, friends. We've quite the adventure before us."

Squaring himself towards the sounds in the dark beyond, he steps forward slowly, keeping himself centered in the room in an effort to draw out whatever awaits. 

The cleric's light illuminates the surrounding gloom, driving the shadows back into the nooks and crannies of the ravine. The scratching sounds stop momentarily as the chattering squeaks intensify, then all goes silent. With a shrill ear piercing squeal four giant rats, their emaciated bodies covered with mangy fur matted with filth, scramble over the pile of loose rumble darting towards their next meal. The light reflects off of their beady blood red eyes like glass marbles fixed within their skulls. Their sharp yellowed teeth gnash with white foam slavering from their rotten mouths as they skitter across the bone strewn ground.

N'ruel's face hardens as the large rodents come scurrying out from their hiding place.

Initiative: 11

Darastrag bangs his staff against his shield and makes sure nothing can get between himself and N'ruel. He hisses, "Come to me, vermin! You look delicious!!"

Initiative: 15

- Esvele - 

"Rats - never liked them on a ship and it turns out I like these on land even less," Esvele flatly states as she brings her shield and war hammer to the ready.  Gwaihir starts his a circular flight pattern down in the case he's needed.

// Esvele initiative - 18 //

// Gwaihir initiative - 20 //

"I do so hate vermin," Aerin says with a grimace.

Initiative 18

"BRAAAURG!" Bellows Tovar as he joyously leaps towards the nearest creature. 

Initiative: 6