Delvers in the Dark

Layna rolls her eyes and swears in that peculiar elvish Suderen tongue. She turns back to the group and addresses them in common. "You're going to have to trust me on this," she says as she begins to lay out a plan.

"From what I could see down that passage, it goes about fifty feet to the north and makes a bend to the west," she says as she motions out the door the kobolds fled from. "That puts it right at the north door in the entry hall. They are going to try and wrap around and come up behind us through the entry chamber," she says pointing to the north.

"I'll wait in the entry passage with one other very quiet person," she says, already heading back to the north. "The rest of you should wait in the hall, some on one side of the door some on the other. Ideally keep the light on the hinge side of the door, they'll be less likely to see it. One person should block this door," she says pointing to the doorway she is about to walk through.

"When they come into the entry room we'll make sure they don't harm the horses and herd them out the south door, if necessary. When they come through, attack. We'll be right behind them," turning to Sikhandyn she says with a grin "so that crossbow is probably a bad idea in this case."

"We've only got a few minutes, tops if we want to be the ones doing the surprising," Layna says as she heads back to the entry chamber. "We don't want them running off again, and there only four of them, with one injured. From our experience, I'm sure most of us can drop them with one blow, and they are almost more likely to stab their neighbor than us, so there is little to worry about."

Astaban looks around the room, and moves over towards the crates, closely examining them.

As he does so, he half-listens to Layna, his ears perking up at the words "very quiet."

In the one crate that the kobolds had forced open, Astaban spots a large number of copper coins. The others are still sealed.

Astaban looks at the open crate, sticks his hand in, pulling out a number of copper coins.

"Those of you who don't come with Layna can help yourselves to these coins, if you wish." He turns to address Layna, and says, "I can be real quiet, if need be."

"Sounds like a plan." Sikhandyn answers quickly.

"If you have time, get the flasks of acid in my right saddlebag, they should prove devastating against kobolds."

Methuselah wordlessly moves toward the door that needs blocked and forms a makeshift doorstop with his foot, nodding to Layna.

After making sure that the rest of the party is back in the hall and ready to welcome the kobolds (should they decide to return), Sikhandyn walks up to Methuselah and - in a low voice - teaches him how to say 'approach!' in draconic:

"Confn tenpiswo!" he tells him.

Layna nods and silently motions to Astaban. They head into the entry chamber and close the southern door from the entry chamber to the hallway.

From there she heads across the entry chamber to the door on the east wall and opens it, letting in the light of day. Quickly she slips behind the opened door and motions for Astaban to join her, her short sword at the ready.

She whispers, "We wait here. The open door will give us enough light to see by and will hide us from their line of sight. Let them cross the room to the southern door. Once they open it, then we move ."

Layna then steps back into the shadows, quietly waiting to hear or see the kobolds enter the room.

Karn gets ready to offer to go with Layna but stops when Astaban speaks up.

"Right", he says to Methuselah looking him up and down, "You'll make a better door blocker than me". and moves into the hall, taking a place on the right side of the door that Layla indicated

After a few moments, Layna and Astaban hear sibilant lizardly whispers outside the north door to the entry chamber. It opens quietly, and three kobolds tiptoe into the room. They and the horses are equally startled, and the small humanoids move quickly towards the south door. Suddenly, the lead kobold emits a startled yelp as he sees the light of the torch. The three kobolds freeze in their tracks, brandishing their spears and forming up back-to-back as they realize the danger.

OOC

Layna and Astaban can close and attack. The rest of the party can move into the room if desired. New initiative after the surprise round for Layna and Astaban:
Karn Lee:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+2
d20 Results: 2 (Total = 4)

Astaban:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+2
d20 Results: 18 (Total = 20)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20+5
Original Dice: 1d20+5

Layna Tyrness:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+2
d20 Results: 11 (Total = 13)

Tobeha:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+2
d20 Results: 4 (Total = 6)

Eberhart Zurbruck:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+3
d20 Results: 3 (Total = 6)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20+2
Original Dice: 1d20+2

Brynna Wyllam:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+2
d20 Results: 7 (Total = 9)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20
Original Dice: 1d20

Talia Blue:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+5
d20 Results: 11 (Total = 16)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20+2
Original Dice: 1d20+2

Crow Torren:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+1
d20 Results: 2 (Total = 3)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20+2
Original Dice: 1d20+2

Melindy:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+2
d20 Results: 16 (Total = 18)

Talia Blue:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+5
d20 Results: 15 (Total = 20)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20+2
Original Dice: 1d20+2

Victoria:

init:
Dice Roll: 1d20+6
d20 Results: 7 (Total = 13)
These dice were omitted, altered, or moved: 1d20+1
Original Dice: 1d20+1