D.O.R.K. backs out of the squeeze and pushing past the party she moves as quickly as she can to a much larger chamber - well at least one where she can stand up. As she pushes past Beedo and Vark, Beedo yells out "what's up Boss Lady?"

Secret DM Roll {12}

Lukian exits the squeeze and finds himself in a chamber that is about 15x20 feet. As he stands up he realises that he is not alone. Pressed up against the walls are five halflings. Close to the entrance he came through is a young halfling girl pressing herself as tight as she can against the wall and chewing on her fist.

D.O.R.K can say nothing at first. Even with the leg room, the anxiety still compelled her to pace about as much as the tunnel allowed, and shaking her head all the while. "Too tight... far too tight.. I can't... I can'tI can'tI can't. Not underground. I just can't." She'd whisper, prior to finally stopping and staring back down the tunnel the group had entered in from. Just as she's readying to take that first step to leave, a feeling of small hands at her legs give her pause long to look.

"Aco.... Vark... I sorry. To you too, Beedo. This operative.... I am not good with being underground. My kind do not perish easily. And if we are trapped some place others would not think to look for us... some place underground.... if we're buried-...." She trails off shaking her head, and looks away. "To be buried alive for untold centuries is a fate worst then what you would call death. At least you know you could be taken to better place."

Lukian picks up a rock that is smaller than his fist and, clinching his fingers tightly, casts light on the rock so that small beams of light shine out between his fingers. He holds the rock under his chin so that his smiling face is slightly illuminated. "We are here to rescue you," he says quietly. "Climb through that hole, and my comrades will escort you to safety. Hurry."

The little halfling girl giggles at the light coming out from between Lukian's fingers "what about Grandpappy and the others?" she asks in a whisper. 

"Yes, everyone," he says, looking around at the other halflings. "Everyone climb through. Hurry."

The little girl looks over at the four other halflings and says "but that's only Uncle Joe, Auntie May, Cousin Bob and Old Nancy. Grandpappy, Mummy, Daddy and the others are through there" she says pointing to the exit of the chamber.

Sylyra turns to look — with dismay — at the door indicated by the little girl. He crosses to the exit, extinguishing the light as he goes, and ... is it solid? Barred? What?

Sylyra - has Lukian changed form. Time for a map. 

The little girl is pointing to an exit from the Chamber. As Lukian (at least that's who I think it is) moves to the exit he can see that they chamber they have emerged into is just an alcove/offshoot of a much larger chamber  that echoes with the sound of flapping wings. The sound emanates from a naturally formed pit in the cavern’s floor, which is covered with bat guano. Ten-foot-high ledges surround the pit and on the ledges Lukian can make out the figures of five halflings - three of whom are on the northern ledges and two on the southern ledges (Lukian approached from the east).

OOC: Who knew Lukian had a split personality?

Lukian turns and motions for the halflings behind him to go through the grate. "I'll get them. You go," he instructs. Turning back to look at the new halflings again, what are they doing? Why are they standing where they are standing? Can Lukian see any bats?

There is the occasional bat fluttering around. There appears to be no good reason why they're standing where they are but the three on the northern ledges are younger halflings. 

Do they look like they're just standing there killing time/looking around? Or do they look stiff like statues? Do they look like they're watching something? Do they look like they're so scared they can't move?

They are most definitely not statues and they are all looking back at the chamber from which Lukian has just emerged. 

Is it too dark for them to see Lukian? If not, he will wave the "come this way" wave and point back toward the grate.

Lukian waves his hand at the Halflings on the far side of the chamber but whether by design or accident he forgot to put down his 'lit' rock. The golden beams of light illuminate his fine features and one of the two Halflings standing on his side of the chamber says "look pa, the gods have sent an angel to rescue us." to which the older halfling says "don't be silly the gods never do anything for anybody else - if you want it done you've got to do it yourself!"  

The other halflings don't respond (OOC: Lukian would know that Halflings don't have darkvision.) 

"Pert sent us to find you," Lukian says, looking at the oldest halfling and hoping it's his grandfather.

After much internal debating, D.O.R.K leaves Vark in place to help the others as needed in the rescue operation. Meanwhile, she and Beedo would post up just close enough near the mouth of the entryway to guard, and possibly have warning sent back to the others while she held it in an emergency. "And here, for if they should need rope." She'd add, passing along her bundle to the less talkative goblin, prior to the departure.

"Pert sent us to find you," Lukian says, looking at the oldest halfling and hoping it's his grandfather.

“See Myrtle I told you the Gods don’t help you! Its only family that helps you!” The old Halfling says. He turns to Lukian “if Pert really did send you, then you’d know my name wouldn’t you?”

(OOC: hint it’s in the Post of 20 December 2019)

Ebonitus squeezes through the squeeze to catch a closer look at what is happening. "Hey Lukian, is there anything I can do to help here?" he asks.

"Old Pert," Lukian replies. He looks back at Ebonitus. "Get those halflings out of here. I'm trying to convince these in here to leave as well."

"Old Pert, Cheeky young whippersnapper he says everybody calls me Old Pert but in truth he is the only one that does. I mean do I look 'old' to you? There is no doubt that he sent you but how he convinced you I don't know. Anyway as my gramps - now he was old - used to say 'you should never look at a gift horse in the mouth, checking its feet that's OK and sensible. Well lets get going then." He gives a low Owl hoot and the three other halflings turn and look his way. There is enough light for Lukian to see Pert - Old or not - wave his arms in a come hither motion. As the three halflings leave the ledge where they'd been standing the smallest one picks up a rock and throws it down into the pit. "Fool of took I swear he's no relation of mine," the older halfling grumbles as a swarm of bats comes fluttering out of the chamber. Some fly down and out through the squeeze no doubt provoking hysteria in D.O.R.K. as they seek to find the surface; others fly out through other exists from the Chamber.