The metal creature, catching him at a point of low resistance, takes a heavy blow.  It's been so long since he took a hit this hard and he nearly spit blood out to the ground.  Though he was able to keep his wits about and raise his shield just in time to deflect the second strike.  In a moment he had regained his composure and was about so slash in return when an icy hand pushed by him and a cage began to form.  Not complaining he turned and stabbed at the metal man through the bars twice.

Attack: 7 Damage: 4 + 11 + 4 radiant add 4 radiant if that metal thing is undead as well

Attack: 14 Damage: 4 + 5 + 1 radiant add 1 radiant if that metal thing is undead as well

Badger pokes his head around the corner again, sees the state of affairs, grumbles something about fireballs and risk management protocols, then casts Magic Missile (4th level) at the armored dude before ducking back into the stairwell.

5 + 2 + 5 + 2 + 3 + 4 force damage

The armoured creature smashes the ice cage with a smash, while the two dwarves succumb to the spirits flitting around Silas. 

The cuts from grenk, the magical blasts, wounds from Mak are all too much for it though and the hulking things collapses with a loud metallic crash. 

The room is quiet aside from the heavy breathing of the party members and the grunts from Mal from her many wounds. 

Thank goodness for those farting sprites.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Sickle looked around the room as the creature fell, Silas’s spectral army now standing vigil. As the army fades and his hand melts and vanishes, he offers, “Well fought everyone.  I had the brief thought of detaining one of the dwarves for questioning, but it may not have gone anywhere anyway.  We should heal the wounded, then take a look around. Should we try to rest or just heal while here?”

Sickle takes a look around at the room to get a sense of what they see.

Perception: 16

Mal leans against the wall and slides down to a sitting position, "OK that was a lot more difficult that I thought it would be. Thank you for the help everyone I did not think I was going to make it there. I do think we should take a rest here as best we can, though if we are desperate I can attack from the shadows and at range in our next fight to hopefully diminish my injuries."

Silas sits down and starts his prayer of healing and if not interuuptted will heal everyone

Heal: 17

More difficult than you thought? Badger splutters incredulously. Well fought? You all come charging down here like a pack of rabid bugbears, nearly get yourselves slaughtered, and then say "Well fought"? I told you before, I could have spared you the trouble and chucked a fireball down here. We need to establish some standard operating procedures, or you'll get us all killed!

The gnome turns away in disgust and walks around inspecting the room, muttering to himself. Looking at the equipment on the bench he mumbles: Well-organised, but the gods only know when these were last disinfected. Proceeding over to the larger hardware, he looks particularly displeased. No evidence of occupational health and safety whatsoever, he says. Where are the work instructions? The material safety data scrolls? I doubt this place has ever been audited.

Grenn sighs, "Badger, they are dead.  Well undead rekilled. An infection or disease does not concern them.  So why would they need to worry about safety?"

It's just poor management, replies Badger, with arms folded. If they're sloppy on things that don't matter, chances are they'll be sloppy on things that do. I've got half a mind to lodge an official complaint when we get out of here. He sighs again. Oh well. Back to business. We ought to establish a routine for further exploration. Each new room or corridor, we should follow this procedure. The gnome counts each point out on a different finger. Identify hazards, assess risks, formulate plan, enact any action points, review and reassess, proceed. He pauses for a moment and then asks: How about we appoint a safety committee?

Mal gets up off the floor thanking Silas for the healing and then goes to the door opens it a crack to peek inside to see what is behind it, ignoring badger's speech.

When Silas is done with his healing.

"And watch half of our group fall asleep or do not even attempt to remember your plan," Silas retort, "We have our reasons to be here. For time is precious and time is fleeting because death does not wait to inspect every detail and plan out every move of his maze. Nine hells, I don't think some of our party would wait to get to risk assessment. We need to find the path to our target or at the very least a way forward, if we run into a dead end on that route, we backtrack at worst," He reaches into his bag of holding and just pull out random items just to illustrate. 

"We have a group ahead of us who are more versed in survival and quick assessment such as Mal is doing right now, buffed with we can do spare to secure their survival to secure our survival. We have myself and Sickle in the back, close enough to heal but far enough not to get in the way. We don't see a way forward in the room, we leave it alone,"

Sickle nods, “The hells with committees, but strategy is good. Similar to Badger here, I can start us off with a bang if given a relatively closely packed group. Then yes, as Silas said, for the most he back, chucking attacks and healing when need be. I also have spells that can help control their ability to maneuver, but I have found them to be less useful, as our close in fighters can’t, we’ll, close.”,   He thinks for a moment. “Also, I misspoke before.  I can help us walk across that river below today if we want to explore that. We can walk on top without wading or swimming.“ 

Badger throws his hands up in the air, says nothing further, but hangs back sulking as the group prepare to move on.

:)

Mal, still looking hurt, some of the scratches from the dwarves edged in a black rot of some sort stands up and walks to the door, pushing it open gently and looking around. A moment later she fully opens it and sticks her head out, looking back and forth.  A short hallway leads into a circular chamber where a spiral staircase descends into darkness. The staircase walls are lined with unlit torches in iron sconces and set with niches containing moldering humanoid skulls and bones. It appears quiet, the air still.  Mal takes a few steps down the passage and glances around the round room.  Archways to the left and right lead to short twenty foot hallways.  The one on the right leads to a door.  The one on the left leads to the back of a secret door...which is obvious from this side. Mal, given the light in the sconces, the style of the hallways, you sorta feel like you're "behind the curtain" in these passages....the hallways that the dwarves use to 'get around' as it were.

"Mal, do come back here for a moment at least," Silas whispers before turning to the arcane orientated individuals, "This seems to be some kind of workshop. Is there anything that could be of some use before we move on?" Silas looks around the room at all the strange devices laying around without a clue of what they are. 

Badger takes another look at the equipment, turns his nose up, and says: I wouldn't want to use any of it. Nevertheless, for the sake of Silas' (and his own) curiosity, Badger uses his Mage Hand to inspect the gear, and see if anything could be of use.

Investigation: 28

You figure you could make any number of useful kits out of the gear, such as alchemy kits, a picklock set, or....whatever, if you were so inclined.