The Forge of Fury

// added bonus if they come down the stairs - they have to come through me first - and they'll be backlit from the room at the top of the stairs //

As you pass the cold stream running across the staircase, the volume of the ruckus on the upper level subsides and is eventually overpowered by the sound of flowing water. Before long, the descending fissure opens up abruptly into a very high cavern, its ceiling easily forty feet or more overhead.

The stairway continues to wind down along a ledge that follows the north wall of the chamber. A fast-moving stream, about five feet wide, runs across the floor of the chamber from the north and disappears under a low stone overhang (about 3 feet in height) to the south, and larger passageways exit to the southeast and the northeast.

GB and Aregarak feel a change in air pressure upon entering the cavern and detect the sound of running water and minute animal noises, but cannot see the nose in front of their face. They will rely entirely on their companions to guide them and describe their surroundings. 

Lana looks around the room and tells her companions what she sees. After describing the room she looks to see if there are any clues as to which direction they should go. 

Perception 11

Investigation 15

// Disclaimer—where you "should" go is entirely up to you. It's a subjective evaluation that I can't really give you at this time based on your current knowledge and surroundings, but I can give you the following information. //

The first thing you notice is the complete lack of an orc presence. Unlike the area above, The Mountain Door, the immediate area gives off the feeling of not really being lived-in—as if it were a sort of transitionary space. 

Upon further inspection, you see some faint tracks in the ground, near the banks of the stream. The tracks are not those of orcs. // A Wisdom (Survival) check could allow you to learn more about these tracks. //

As you circuit the room, you catch the occasional waft of rotting meat. You can't quite tell where it's coming from at first blush. There is also an animal scent that Spirit picks up on. // If you desire to follow either smell, let me know how you do it and I'll let you know what skill to use. //

The exits to the southeast and northeast are tunnels, each of which twists into a turn beyond which you can't see (you'd have to get closer and/or follow one of them to see where it leads). 

Assuming that Lana gives some feedback to her Perception and Investigation check, GB will fumble around and light a torch feeling that they are far enough away from the orcs above.

After describing this to her companions and also feeling that they were far enough down the stairway it would be safe enough to light a torch she felt. "I think we can light a torch and then we should all decide which is the best way. There are some tracks I can see and Spirit seems to smell something. We can travel each direction just give me a moment to study the tracks" 

She walks over to the tracks moving GB's hand over to top of Spirit to make sure he doesn't feel lost until they light a torch.

Survival 23 

The tracks are footprints of Medium-sized reptilian creatures, and there are also tracks left by tails. They seem to extend from the northeast corner of the room and disappear near the southern stream outlet (the 3-foot-high overhang).

GB hand is placed on Spirit and he recoils his wing.  

"Ugh...thats it, GB is lighting a torch.  GB will not be lead around by a cat."

GB fumbles in his bag and lights two torches.  He offers one to Aregarak.

The torches flare to life...

Enemy initiative: 1

...and with a high pitched shriek, a group of hungry stirges swoops down from their hiding place high on the ceiling, and attacks!

Lana's bow of warning is barely able to register the threat before it presents itself... // Lana, please roll 1d20 //

/ooc I knew it LOL

1

/ooc WHAT also I thought I rolled Intiave with advantage always?

// If you have Advantage on initiative checks, let's just translate that to a +5 bonus to your first attack roll or ability check in the encounter. Sound kosher? //

The stirges drop down onto you, one stirge per each member of your party, flapping their veiny wings and attempting to latch onto you with their proboscis blood suckers.

Spirit has not been targeted.

Attacking Bel: 14 Damage: 6 piercing

Attacking Lana: 25 Damage: 7 piercing

Attacking Aregarak: 17 Damage: 6 piercing

Attacking GB: 15 Damage: 4 piercing

// If it hits, the stirge attaches to its target. A creature, including the target, can use its action to detach the stirge. //

Players are up! Whatever order you like. Spirit can now act independently. Remember that ranged attacks are made at a Disadvantage if you have an enemy within 5 feet of you.

Lana grabs ahold of the Stirge that is attached to her and pulls it off of her. Screaming at the bite she yells for Spirit to attack the creature as she unhitches it from her body.

Spirit lets out a growl and leaps toward the Stirge biting at it as it hits the ground.

Bite 15 If hit 9

Aregarak is just going to punch the Stirge stuck to him

[Punch: 8  Damage: 5 ]

Instinctively GB attempts to grab the Stirge on him Shocking Grasp

7 and 7 lighting dmg

//it appears to come out as a simple static shock...//

Aregarak misses his strike, and his stirge remains attached. GB's manages to grab the stirge attached to himself for a moment, but spell damage is ineffective and the disgusting creature clings on.

Quote from LanaTay >>

Spirit lets out a growl and leaps toward the Stirge biting at it as it hits the ground.

Bite 12 If hit 6

/ooc did the stirge go more than 5 feet from lana?

Quote from LanaTay >>

/ooc did the stirge go more than 5 feet from lana?