Delvers in the Dark

Sofia sighs and shakes her head as she listens to Sikhandyn and Layna bicker their way through the cave. The expedition sure is promising to be a long one.

"Aren't we announcing our presence with excess talking?" she asks, raising her torch a bit higher. "We already have light to tell our opponents about our location, I think letting them know about our position audiably as well is hardly wise."

Layna's eyes almost seem to laugh at the last outburst, though she remains silent.

As Astaban examines the door on the south wall, Layna turns and looks west down the hall, trying to determine if there are other footprints there other than hers and Methuselah's.

Astaban hears voices coming from behind the door, in the same sibillant tongue that he heard the previous night coming from the two kobolds with the goat. As he examines the door more closely, the voices stop.

Layna finds the kobold tracks along with those she and Methuselah left. There appear to be five, or perhaps six, independent sets. They have not taken care to avoid stepping on the trail of the two adventurers, leading you to believe they are not tracking you.

With the barest of nods Layna turns back to the group and silently waits.

“There are about a half dozen in there," Layna says in a quiet voice, motioning towards the door on the south wall. “I would suggest opening the door and letting them come at us instead of us going in after them.”

Turning to Sikhandyn she says in elvish, “OK, let's have this out before we end up putting the whole group in danger.” And she opens the door to the entry room and walks through. When Sikandyn follows her through the door is closed.

Sikhandyn follows Layna into the entry room.

Layna nods to Sikhandyn, "We each have our skills," she says in common as she draws her short sword and re-enters the hallway. She turns and looks over her shoulder and says in elvish, "I'm just still trying to figure out yours," with an exaggerated grin and wink, suggesting she meant that last part of her statement completely in jest.

Sikhandyn follows Layna in the hallway. Undoubtedly, his days were becoming richer and more interesting as of late... at the relatively low price of a slightly stiffer neck and a few headaches, especially when he was thirsty.

The wizard returns to his original position in the group, readies his crossbow, and, after checking that everyone is ready, signals Astaban to open the door and take cover as soon as he sees fit.

Layna steps out of the line of sight of the doorway as Astaban opens the door, her sword at the ready in case any kobolds run from the room.

If one of them leaves the room and gets close enough to me, I take a swipe at it.

Astaban looks at everyone as if expecting someone, anyone, to snap out of it.

"Are you sure you want me to open this door?" Astaban whispers to the group.