Cadence claps her hands like a little school child, and sing songingly says, "Look look look!!  I spy a book!!"  She hops across the room and without much caution pulls the most interesting scroll or book off the shelf and begins reading.

Rathe looks around for any sign of any of the arcane traps she's heard can sometimes be in places such as this. 

Perception: 11

"Focus, we'll come back here once everything is clear. For now, we push on!" With that, Velda gets ready to move down towards the southern passage, to deal with the remaining enemies in this hideout.

Cadence replies over her shoulder in a bit of a sing song voice, without looking fully back at Velda, "Information is power. What we learn here could make the enemy cower. Patience my dear. Maybe we'll find something they fear...."  

If Velda allows the time, Cadence will ritual cast detect magic and look around, otherwise, with an exaggerated "huff", Cadence will follow Fionn, and take up the rear position, sulking.

Feeding off of Velda's intensity and alertness, the moment they burst through the door, the slightest of movement caught Nova's attention. Her eyes would ping wide and immediately her instincts would take over. With a muffled snarl, the druid would kick off, diving underneath the table to catch the rat.

Cadence as you move towards the books and glancing at them and then around the room. It’s apparent to you that whomever has set this up is trying to brew potions of invisibility. Among the books you find a tome written in dwarvish and while you aren’t able to make out everything. It appears to contain information about a ‘lost mine’ and a ‘forge of spells’.

Rathe’s search of the immediate area reveals the room to be safe and secure ... at least as far as she is able to ascertain.

Meanwhile, Velda is making ready to head towards the room where the other voices were heard. And the rat that Nova pounced on has vanished, seemingly right from under your fingers.

"They're brewing potions of invisibility, which I must say would give them quite the utility. Also, he is interested in the lost mine, which is fine....but also something called the forge of spells.....which seems like it rings some bells.  Anyway, I'm glad we looked.." she glances at Velda with a smile, "....to see what they've cooked.  Also....if that rat vanished, it was probably the wizards familiar, which he banished." 

She pulls a bunch of the books and folders with the information into her bag and turns, ready to go. 

When Rathe hears about potions of invisibility, she holds one end of her longbow in one hand and slowly waves it around the room, trying to feel around for anything invisible hiding in corners etc. If not, she'll turn and follow Velda on her way out. "After being held captive, do you know what I find sublime? Your predilection and obvious joy to rhyme!"

Cadence claps happily, grinning at Rathe.

Nova would blink, tilting her head in confusion. But I caught it. Right? She’d glance around a little frantically until Cadence would shed some light on the vanishing vermin. The halfelf would back out from beneath the table, bumping her head on the way out. She’d muffle a groan. Then off she’d go, trailing after the others.

Hearing Cadence' words, Velda nervously turns around: "Wait, is there a way we can check whether someone invisible is hiding in there? It won't be the first time in these tunnels that I miss something..." She looked hopefully at Fionn, since he seemed to be regularly talking with invisible entities, it made sense to her that he might have ways to check for hidden threats.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence that feels like it lasts for weeks. Velda presses onward to the door from which the gruff voices were heard.

Standing just outside the door you all hear one of them yell, “You missed a spot ... right there.” This is followed by fits of laughter from the occupants of the room. What would you like to do? 

Cadence comes strolling up behind them.  She draws her two swords, and smiles at Velda, doing a half bow, curtsy and mouths "after you" silently.

Rathe is there, arrow nocked, ready for an open door...

Loyal and true, Nova's there for Velda, Cadence and Raithe too.

Opening the door reveals a barracks. This barracks contains four roughly built wooden bunks, with heaped-up blankets and dirty dishes scattered about. A strong smell of unwashed bodies and rotten meat fills the air. Three tall, furry humanoids are lounging among the mess, barking orders at a sad little goblin that demeans itself for their amusement. Your sudden appearance causes the goblin to faint.

With a large waft of their stench hitting Nova’s nose, her mismatched eyes would go wide. She’d gag and chuff out her nose before regaining her composure. Honestly, she was shocked the goblin hadn’t fainted sooner, then again, they aren’t known to smell great either...

The druid was ready to leap into action. This time shield in one hand, scimitar in the other. 

Rathe (honestly Ixi, Raithe is better spelled for the sound I was going for than Rathe, so let's just add in an i!) Raithe is ready to fire an arrow at the loudest, most offensive abuser. 

Attack: 9 Damage: 5 (let me know if this would get advantage from surprise and therefore sneak attack damage)

Cadence says, "Maybe they want to talk."  An arrow whistles across the room.  "Nevermind...I best not gawk." 

She lets a firebolt fly across the room at one of the creatures. Attack: 15 Damage: 7

(lol I didn’t even realize I spelled it wrong! Haha I spelled it how I was reading it to myself I guess. XD)

Nova would push forward with her shield, mimicking Velda’s stances. She’d follow up Raithe and Cadence’s attacks with a slash of her own.

Attack: 17 Damage: 5