Quillary nods decisively, putting a hand on Jorin's back and giving him a gentle push forward.

Join sneaks in, blades at the ready.

While Hildigrim is facing Drusk to outline his initial ideas about what to do next, Quillary gives Jorin a push towards the secret door. Jorin slides the panel open and jumps through (quietly), ready to fight. Quillary is right behind him. It takes a moment for what just happened to register with Hildi and Drusk, but then they quickly follow the others.

The room is 50' wide and 10' north-south, although this west part is 15' N-S. There are 2 waist-high work tables along the walls. A bronze oil lamp burns on one of two tables in this area, both of which hold woodcarving tools and strange wooden objects. Two of the wooden objects appear finished, the size of your hand engraved with a symbol that looks like a distended tongue with a torn root. There are 50 other objects in various stages of completion, although most are still in the "wooden block" stage.

The eastern part of the room has books and trinkets are spread across a wooden desk set in this alcove chamber, which is lit by a burning brazier.

The double doors to the north (connecting to the entrance hall). A number of candlestick holders and incense burners are stacked haphazardly near the door. If the doors were thrown open carelessly, it would probably scatter the metal objects around.

Opposite the doors to the south are stairs leading down. You can hear the echos of distant voices (multiple) chanting some kind of ritual.

 "We must move quickly, to stop this ritual.". Join says and he moves towards the stairs.

Quillary nods, hefting her shield and following him. 

Hildigrim hurries along, his head and eyes swiveling to try to take in everything as they pass by. He really wants to check out the desk, but he knows he needs to stay with the others.

(Does Jorin want another Cure Wounds spell before going down the stairs, since he is down 11 hp (according to the character sheet)? Anyone else need healing?

Give me an Initiative roll, where your character is going, and if you are doing anything special before combat starts. Or if my description is confusing, ask questions.)

The stairs go south for 15', then opens up to a larger chamber. This area has a slightly higher ceiling (12' instead of 10'). The way south is blocked by a wooden construct, 20' wide, and 10' high. Kind of like a cargo container that was placed in this chamber. It is 5' south of the stairs, so there is room to go east or west around this wooden container to get to the rest of the chamber. The voices are echoing around (so you can tell it is a fairly large chamber), a lot more brazier light, and the noises are somewhat close on the other side of the wooden container.

Drusk will wait and see if the party wants to all go in one direction, or 2 east / 2 west. Initiative: 5

Quillary's initiative: 5 

Quillary will heal herself before venturing downstairs (1st level Cure Wounds) for 7 

Quillary indicates she thinks the whole party should go left, and then tries to do so, stealthily. Stealth: 25 

(Save Drusk's spell slots, Jorin will use his Second Wind to freshen up, +10 hp)

Initiative: 19

Jorin agrees with Quillary and sneaks his way to the left.  Stealth: 10

(By left, I'm guessing east since the party is moving south?
Sometimes people mean west, because they are looking at a map with north being up.

After we find out Hildigrim's actions, I'll post a map.)

Seeing the others tip-toeing, Drusk will do likewise. His magic elf boots offset the clanking of his armor. Stealth: 14

Hildigrim continues to let the others influence his decision making as he struggles to fight his inner desires to stop and read everything. Later, he thinks. There'll be time for that later. He follows along as quietly as possible.

Stealth: 17

Initiative: 17

(Long description below.)

As you round the corner of the wooden wall / crate, you see it has a door, which is closed. It also has window shutters along the south wall, all which are closed. It is built like an elaborate hunter's stand.
(It is like a baseball stadium press box, but I don't know what the medieval equivalent of that is.)

This huge space (50' x 50' x 15') has the appearance of a chapel, its walls carved with unnatural imagery. A large alcove to the south contains a huge, purple stone statue (star symbol on map) of a monstrous, otherworldly creature with a large, bulbous head, long arms, tentacles for legs, and multifaceted eyes glowing with aquamarine light. Two bodies are draped over an altar in front of the statue, and standing over them is a tall, bald man (LV) clutching a bloody knife, wearing an elaborate and spotless robe (despite the blood). He is in the middle of chanting some kind of ritual.

You see two robed cultists (C3, C4) on either side of the statue, in grungier robes and leather armor, who are standing at attention like altar boys.

There are two large braziers in the SE and SW corners of the room, roaring fires to illuminate the chapel.
There are 4 openings in the floor, 2 on the east side and 2 on the west side (the "X" on the map). There is a trail of wet ash and gunk leading to each opening from the south of the room. Standing nearby are 2 more cultists (C1, C2) in leather armor. They have swords, but are currently leaning on push brooms and mops. Their robes and faces are covered by wet ash and gunk, and they dimwittedly watch the ritual as they are taking a break. (They look more like sewer workers than priests.)

One of the bodies on the altar is still "fresh", although clearly mutilated and dead. LV is standing over it.
The other one is mostly gone, most of it burned to ash and a pool of blood. You see floating north of that body a hideous creature that looks like a giant, tentacled brain (G1). (You recognize it as a Grell, like the ones in the entrance hall.) It's body is caked with viscera and ash.

(The entire party was very stealthy. Combined with using the secret door route and the noisy ritual going on, the group hasn't been noticed yet.
For initiative, the entire party will go, then the enemies.
You can go in whatever order you want, or the actual order is: Jorin, Hildigrim, Quillary, Drusk.
This first round, everyone gets Advantage due to being "invisible". If you don't attack, you could stay Stealthed as long as you stay behind cover.)

Party is up.
(OOC: You can discuss what to do before actually posting, like players sitting around the table, but don't make it too lengthy.
Ask questions if anything was confusing about the description.)

(Ain't no stopping her now!)

Quillary takes in the scene, and charges into the room heedless of her companions, along the pews and just past the surprised janitor. "Vialis!" she shouts, tapping her cat skull and invoking words in an ancient language, she points at the man, and a bunch of her spores rocket towards him, swirling around him!

Move: 25' straight south, ending just southwest of the C2. (Note: if this does not get her within 30' of Vialis, she will take the extra step south and risk an AOO)
Action: cast Blight on Vialis. He takes 35 necrotic damage, or half on a Con save vs DC 16.

Reaction: When C2 begins his turn, he must make a Con save vs DC 16 or suffer 2 necrotic damage from her Halo of Spores. 

As usual, Jorin and Quillary are of a mind.  Jorin sprints after his friend and use his 40 ft of movement to also clobber on Vialis.

• Movement: 40 ft towards Vialis.  If 40 ft doesn't get him with melee range, he'll stop at the Grell and wallop on it instead
• Bonus Action: Last RAGE of the day
• Action: Battleaxe!
  • First Attack: 16 Damage: 16
  • Second Attack: 16 Damage: 14
  • +5 radiant damage on first attack that hits

(edit: yowza, good thing i had advantage!)

(I was re-reading the PHB. Since the enemies were not aware of the impending attack, they should be treated as Surprised, which means no Reactions this turn.)

Jorin sprints by the Grell, which only starts waving its tentacles after he is out of reach. Jorin lowers his battleaxe at Viallis... Some adventurers seem like they are always Alert, and never caught off guard. Even with his back turned, Viallis stiffens in concern, like he knows Jorin is there. Jorin's swings break through the Mage Armor that surrounds V's body, but V uses a Reaction to summon more mystical Shield-ing. Jorin's blows fail to draw blood.

Having used his Reaction on Jorin leaves V exposed to Quillary's spell. CON save vs. DC 16: 4

Viallis is still on his feet, but that rapid dehydration looks very painful.

(Hildigrim is up.
If you have any suggestions for Drusk to do something in particular, let me know.
Everyone but Viallis is still Surprised. Viallis has used his Reaction, and his AC is currently buffed by the spell.)

Hildigrim sends Volo fluttering forward and comments to Drusk, "It would behoove us to render the dark wizard speechless." Then, relying on his trusty bow, the halfling aims at the nearest guard and, once his target is distracted by the tiny bird, releases an arrow.

Attack: 11 Damage: 7

Sneak attack: 11

Then, noticing some small way Jorin might once again get advantage on his next attack against their quarry, Hildi barks out a quick suggestion.

Since Quillary ran to the cultist/garbage man to the east, Hildigrim fires at the one to the west (C1), putting him down.
He calls out some Help for Jorin (advantage on first attacks against Viallis next round).
With that done, he makes a recommendation to Drusk.

Drusk nods at the suggestion, moves south next to C2, then casts Silence around the altar. (20' radius is shown by the yellow circle on the next map I post.)

C2 CON save vs. DC 16: 11

The cultist C1 swings at Quillary with the broom, like an improvised club. It breaks after the swing (hit or miss), and he reaches for the sword at his side.

• Attack: 17 Damage: 6

The grell G1 moves south to attack Jorin.

• Tentacle Attack: 19 Damage: 3
• Beak Attack: 15 Damage: 6

Lord Viallis is unable to make a sound, but he had finished the verbal part of the ritual. He takes a nearby torch and puts it on the (mostly intact) body on the altar. The corpse is consumed by aquamarine fire and reduced to bone and ash, from which another grell G2 emerges.

It turns out that there were 3 (not 2) cult fanatics around the statue. The cult fanatic C5 moves around from the back. Unable to make a sound, she does raise her hand towards Jorin, who is threatening Viallis. The strange ring on her hand flares up. sending a surge of magic energy at Jorin. Just before impact, the magic becomes a spectral ram's head.

• Attack: 17 Damage: 11

The cult fanatic C3 sees that Viallis is withered and in immense pain. He pours a potion of healing into Viallis' mouth, healing 5 hp.

The cult fanatic C4 noticed Drusk casting the Silence spell, and throws 2 daggers at him.

• Attack1: 6 Damage: 6
• Attack2: 15 Damage: 6

(Another post will be up shortly, summarizing this round of combat and an updated map.)

Some things are going well for the party.
C2 tried clubbing Quillary, but his club deflects on her shield and shatters on her magic cloak.
Drusk smiles at Hildigrim, because all of the enemy spell-casters are inside the Silence zone.
And even with the healing potion, Viallis is still struggling after Quillary's wither spell.

However, Jorin is not doing as well.
The magic ram ring attack (done by C5) does 11 force damage (not reduced by rage), pushing Jorin 5' away from Viallis. Two of the cult fanatics and the new grell (G2) move to guard Viallis.
The G1 grell hits Jorin for 1 damage (after rage reduction), but the tentacle also has poison. Jorin needs to do a CON save vs. DC 11 or be paralyzed.
The tentacle also has Jorin grappled and restrained (escape DC 15).

The party is up. (Viallis and the second Grell are getting ready to act next round.)

CON Save: 12

Jorin roars as he rages against the tenticular grasp of the Grell that has his grappled.  He does this most recklessly.  

• Action: Battleaxe vs the Grell
  • First Attack: 29 Damage: 14
  • Second Attack: 24 Damage: 10
• Bonus Action: Moonblade vs the Grell
  • Attack: 25 Damage: 14
• ACTION SURGE
  • Battleaxe attacks
    • First Attack: 26 Damage: 13
    • Second Attack: 26 Damage: 16
• +4 radiant damage to the first attack that hits

If the Grell is killed and there are still attacks left over, he would direct them towards one of the cultists, hoping to pare down as many attackers before the next round as possible.  If by some miracle of dice he has any attacks left and can move to Vialis without taking AoOs, he would do that and direct remaining attacks at him.