The adventurers take a short rest while Jayson studies the cloak. In short order, with a little testing he becomes sure its magic is similar to the cloaks that some of the others wear. It is a Cloak of Protection. 

The pitch black tunnels of the pit beckon. Which will you choose? 

If you use the rope to climb down into the pit there is no athletics check. If you climb down the pit rock-edge please roll for a DC 10 Athletics check. 

Alaina detects for a planar portal within 1 mile before resting.

After resting, she will climb down the rope and take a closer look at the body down there. Perception 26, Medicine 9, Survival 25.

Capone looks over the body as the cloak is extracted, and remarks with a whimsical tone to his voice "Funny, I found this cloak in a similar fashion. And as you can see by its short length, it too didn't actually protect its last owner. He perished from a trap that cut him in twain. I could only pull this bit free." His little arms lift the edges of his cloak out and he gives a little twirl. Extended as such, it does become clear this little 'man' is indeed in the top half of a regular sized cloak. "Thankfully the magic still works! I think." 

He'll scurry down the rope and join Alaina. 

Quote from Charwoman_Gene >>

Alaina detects for a planar portal within 1 mile before resting.

After resting, she will climb down the rope and take a closer look at the body down there. Perception 26, Medicine 9, Survival 25.

Alaina's senses quest for planar energies, and finds them. Close but unreachably distant, there is a portal of great size more than half a mile beneath your feet. It brings to mind the salt and sting of a deep lagoon, water trapped by water, clear and blue. 

Closer to her other senses, she sees nothing similar to the body at the bottom of the pit nearby. There are tracks, cloven hoof marks, and the pad of some great cat around the body. However, it does not seem to have died by animal attack, there are none of the wounds Alaina sees from creatures that maul or bite their prey. 

The body itself is ... strange. A goblin in filthy rags, it does not share the colouration or sharp-lined tatoos of the goblins fought yesterday. Its skull is elongated and even in death its veins stand out on its grey skin as long streaking lines of unsettling green. 

Lorken slides down the rope after his companions. As they investigate the body, he lights the lantern he took from the camp above, holding it aloft to give everyone a better view.

Seeing the goblin in better light, Lorken gives a low whistle. 

"Now there's a strange-looking fellow. Have you ever seen a goblin like that?"

It quickly becomes apparent that this strange and unsettling goblinoid corpse does not resemble any tribe the adventurers have seen before. 

The light of the lantern illuminates the pit. 

The tunnel to the north-west shows a passage that abruptly ends at a t-junction.

The tunnel to east extends some distance but, faintly, you can see it opens up into another cavern. 

"That looks distinctly weird," says Alaina. She scribbles down a crude map, and turns to the rest of the group. "I think we should go east, but that's just raw intuition. What is our primary objective in this place anyway. things got so chaotic before we set out, I fear I've forgotten."

"Always trust your intuition," says Lorken, with a grin. "That's what got me here, anyway. As for what we're doing..." He starts counting off items on his fingers. "Save Gundren Rockseeker and company, or at least recover their bodies. Investigate the mine and locate the Forge that's got everyone so excited. Deal with the runaway wizard and company, preferably rescuing his two hostages in the process. Did I miss anything?"

Jayson feeling a bit better after giving the poor man a decent burial, sighs as he gathers the cloak around himself.  "I'll use the rope too.  No sense risking my neck chancing the cliff walls.  My luck I'd fall to my death."  He starts down the rope and goes quiet.

Quote from Charwoman_Gene >>

"That looks distinctly weird," says Alaina. She scribbles down a crude map, and turns to the rest of the group. "I think we should go east, but that's just raw intuition. What is our primary objective in this place anyway. things got so chaotic before we set out, I fear I've forgotten."

 Jayson takes a moment to get his wits about him. "Mmmm..Alaina I would tend to agree.  I feel like the other is back tracking, but it also leaves stuff behind us.  That sounds silly I know.  Just a feeling.  I agree with you and Lorken though.  East."

As you pass down the tunnel to the east you pass a tunnel to your left that you had not previously seen, before entering the larger space beyond. Compared to the natural rough rock that forms the tunnel you are in and the space ahead, the tunnel you pass turns quickly into solid, rough-hewn floor and walls, formed from good, processed stone with the touch of clever and deliberate artifice about it.

Four tunnels intersect within the thirty-foot-high cavern.

The walls are carved with simple reliefs showing dwarf and gnome miners at work. Nearly two dozen skeletons in rusted scraps of armor are scattered across the cavern floor. Some are dwarf skeletons, while others appear to be the remains of larger individuals.

Half a dozen large, unlit brass lanterns stand in niches or on ledges around the cavern.

Broma approaches the skeletal corpses. He kneels by one of the larger forms and begins studying their bones further. Barring asphyxiation or poison, which would require a deeper analysis than he is capable of at the moment, he tries to determine a potential cause of death. He also takes the time to examine the skulls of the larger corpses, interested not only in their race, but perhaps to glean a bit of information related to bone density. It's doubtful, but knowledge of any kind is progress. Rather than whistle, however, he merely hums his strange lilting melody as he works, careful to keep his voice down. My, but this expedition is indeed proving quite a lucrative research opportunity already!

"Unless we get a clue from these bodies, I'd say to keep going east, although the more constructed passages to the north may have some interest."

Alaina continues with her crude map. [[I will only post it if we need to make a decision and it seems relevant, although I'm definitely updating it.]]

Broma’s hum is soft and quiet but certainly not silent. Whether it is his clanking armor, or Alaina’s speech, both find themselves looking towards the ceiling, some gut feeling alerting them to movement above. 

-

Broma and Alaina are not surprised due to their high passive perceptions. 

Can Capone, Jayson, Lorken and Gudrune (hope-hope) roll perception please. 

Capone scurries about at the feet if his companions, maintaining the mental link that would allow them to speak telepathically, silently, with him. The cave system is curious but he's no navigator, he takes in the sights while ketting the others determine the path they'll take. He's just happy to be here, helping.

Perception: 18

As Broma gets to work, and Alaina proposes their next move, Lorken is about to voice his agreement, when out of the corner of his eye he sees something move. Raising his lantern, he looks up to the ceiling. 

"Oh."

(Perception 20)

Jayson looks around checking things out.

Jayson Perception:  12

Suddenly--   Stirges!!

Turn Order:

1. Alaina and Jayson (Jayson is Surprised)

2. Stirges

3. Lorken, Capone, Gudrune, and Broma. (Gudrune is Surprised)

Alaina shouts, "Look out!" as she fires two arrows at the creatures on the ceiling.

Longbow: Attack: 15 Damage: 16
Longbow: Attack: 28 Damage: 15

Jayson comments, “Look out for what.  Oh crap.”  Jayson grumbles and fusses and starts to refocus his attention.