Andor

"If they turn hostile do you want me to send in the flashing lights like with the stone giants? If so don't run right in and start swinging." Andor says looking at the goliath "Yes, I mean you."

Vigan

"You think we are going to have much trouble from whoever is ahead with a giant at our back?"  Vigan frowns as he thinks for a second.  "Maybe a couple of us should go ahead, quietly, and find out what's going on.  It can't be coincidence that others are here."

Harshnag glances at the ledge, squinting his eyes in the low light. Responding to Rixton's question, he says, "Yes, I could place you on this ledge, but I can see little else; so I do not know where it might lead you."

Turning toward the others, the frost giant whispers, "This darkness will render me useless, friends."

Moving forward any farther will be very difficult for Vigan, Andor, and Ladrian as well, for they lack darkvision. The  grunting noises continue to reach the party members' ears. Periodically, another sound can be heard as well: a dull thud that echoes slightly in the large stone corridor. 

Rixton:

"Hmm, very well," I say, putting my rope and grappling hook away. "I will scout ahead."

I creep forward into the darkness, hand ready on the hilt of my sword.

Stealth: 9

Andor

"We need light even if it gives them an idea we are here." Andor Casts light on a stone which he holds in his hand for now. Anybody else going to carry a torch? I can throw this at them, if we want to shoot from the darkness. 

Rixton slinks ahead, staying near the frost-covered northern wall of the hallway. After moving approximately 80', he is able to discern the faint flicker of torchlight farther ahead. The same sounds continue to reach his ears--the grunting of human voices and a dull thud. Rixton comes to a stop, and as he does so his left foot slips on the frost-covered floor and makes a faint scraping noise. A moment later he hears a few harsh words coming from the area ahead. The words are spoken in a language he does not understand, but it is a language he has heard on a previous occasion: the battle in the Crags against the barbarian tribe. 

Rixton:

I curse under my breath. "Hello?" I call out loudly enough for my companions to hear. "Could you help me? I am alone and lost my supplies. Please, can you spare some food?" I emphasize my call for help but not the rest of my plea.

Deception (to see if they by my terrible story): 13 

Andor, Carrow, Ladrian, Vigan, and Harshnag hear Rixton's plea for help as his voice echoes down the hall. Moments later, Rixton is startled by the instantaneous appearance of four dancing lights hovering approximately 20' above the floor. The lights are spread out at even intervals (one in each square 25, 27, 29, and 31), with the nearest light appearing 10' southeast of Rixton, and the most distant light appearing nearly 60' to his east. After their appearance, the lights begin to move about--moving south a few feet and and then east, almost as if they're searching for someone. Whoever, or whatever, is controlling the lights is too distant and still shrouded in the gloom of the hall. 

Rixton:

Seeing my comrades hang back when the dancing lights appear, I decide to keep scouting. I creep forward 30 feet (to the edge of 27/29) and repeat my plea in dwarvish. Then I fall back to a position closer to my friends than I was before (ending 23 near the edge of 23/25)

Rixton's voice echoes through the massive stone hall once again for all to hear, albeit this time in Dwarvish. As he moves forward and, then, backward, the dancing lights move as well. Remaining 20' in the air, the lights move eastward down the hallway. As Rixton turns back to move toward the rest of the party, he sees the four lights begin to descend toward the floor and spread apart in a north-south pattern (refer to map).

A booming male voice reverberates in the hallway, seemingly in response to Rixton's call for aid. "Give your name and step forward into the lights. I may be able to help you, lost one." 

(Keep in mind, that, currently, only Rixton would be aware of the dancing light formation)

Updated map: 

Rixton:

My companions still standing around at the entrance, I move back towards them until I can see Carrow (19) and, making eye-contact with him, wave them forward. Then I return almost to where I was (mid 23, I figure). "Oh, thank the gods," I say. "What lights? it is very dark in here. I heard someone and saw footprints but I cannot tell where you are. You aren't going to hurt me, right? I am just begging for food."

The same booming male voice resonates in the hallway. "Walk deeper into the mountain and you will meet Chief Wormblod. No harm will come to you, and food we have."

(Waiting to learn what the rest of the group does...)

Andor

"Let's move forward, I don't want to leave Rixton on his own out there, who knows what trouble he'll get into."  Looking around Andor looks back at the Frost Giant "Hey Harshnag, how about you put me up on that ledge, I could provide cover from up there". he says pointing to the northern ledge.

OOC - If lifted up he will move as far as possible until the edge of his lightsource let's him see Rixton.

Harshnag gives an affirmative grunt and lifts Andor to the 20' ledge on the northern side of the hallway. The sorcerer moves forward 30' or so until Rixton comes into view below him. From his new vantage point on the ledge, Andor can see the niches that have been carved into the back wall of the ledge--niches that hold an iron sconce. Additionally, his light shines down two short passages that lead to the north, both of which connect to another east-west passage. 

 Updated map (w/ numbered squares for the ledges and 40' radius circle to represent Andor's light):

Carrow 

Seeing Rixton up front he gets low draws his bow and creeps forward. (Square 24) 

Cast: Hail of Thorns. 

Ladrian

Moves forward, having troubles seeing in the dark, to where Rixton is

Vigan

Grumbling at Rixton's desire to role-play a lost simpleton, rather than observe quietly from a distance, the goliath turns to Ladrian.  "Let us hope his big mouth is of some use here.  They will surely attack him should they find he is not alone and has deceived them.  With luck, maybe he could persuade them to tell him why they are here."

Vigan looks to Harshnag for assistance in getting up to the ledge on the south side, and lights a torch.

Rixton:

I hand my rations to Ladrian and point him towards Carrow to our south. "Stay out of sight," I whisper. "But try to keep up."

I move forward with a little bit of speed (ending at the edge of 27/29). "I see it," I say. "The lights are right ahead. Are...are you giants? Like the carvings outside?"

 Carrow and Ladrian move silently down the hall to join Rixton. Vigan stands atop the southern ledge, with torch in hand. Like Andor to the north, Vigan can see niches in the back wall, all of which contain sconces. Multiple passages lead to the south as well, connecting to another east-west corridor. 

Rixton darts ahead, knowing that he's very near the dancing lights. There is no response to Rixton's question--the booming voice has seemingly gone silent--but from his forward position, Rixton can now see three of the barbarians that made the footprints leading into the eye. To Rixton's right and his left, there is an axe-wielding barbarian trying to slink along the all in the dark. Nearly directly in front of Rixton, standing on a massive set of stairs is a third barbarian, clothes in garb that identifies him as a shaman. The dancing lights then dart forward, illuminating the area around Rixton.

(Round 1 begins, but will include only Rixton and the three barbarians. The rest of the group is not yet aware of the situation at the east end of the hall. So, Rixton will act; the barbarians will follow. The others may join in round 2 if, of course, the events of round 1 cause them to do so)

NOTE: The map is inaccurate; the dancing lights should be 30' to the west. 

Rixton:

I dramatically shield my eyes from the dim light. "Greetings," I say. "You're not giants. Are you searching for treasure too?"

I keep my hand on my sword hilt, ready to draw and fight. I move down to the barbarian south of me (bottom side of 30, in the middle.). "Do you have any food?" I do not get so close as to open myself to an easy strike, but I keep myself too close for arrow shots.

(Ready an attack against anyone that attacks me.)