(082) The Darkness Below

Leudigar pockets the ring, then proceeds to fire a torch... it takes a moment before it finally flares up; it's yellow light momentarily offending their eyes for its brightness. Then the ranger lobs it out into the darkness beyond the ruined pile, being sure not to follow it with his eyes.

Leudigar checks the now enlightened room using his steel mirror...

...the struggling flame flaps as the torch sails thru a short arch, then landing with a hollow "pock" upon an ancient stone floor that's maybe 20ft lower than the ruin. While Leudigar fumbles with angle on his mirror, Zax sees the diamond shaped chamber illuminated; its half as big again as the one up here. He sees glittering piles of coin spilling from overfull urns among dozens of statues arrayed about the far perimeter. He sees another vile serpent sliding into the room from a side passage. He sees its evil eye follow the arch of torch back to the ruin... and to him!

Then everyone hears its foul squeeeeeeeeeeeeeal!

The ref rules there is no possibility of surprise on either side... there serpent woman is maybe 60ft away from where Zax and Leudigar are. Everyone else is further away and has not yet seen her, but everyone would have heard her squeal.

What orders?

Karl moves up to where he can take a shot.

I know it's hard to shoot without seeing the target, but maybe he doesn't have to see her face? It's what I'm hoping for.

You can shoot ineffectually without looking, if that's what you want. If you want to aim, you logically have to look at the target. In any event, Karl will need to move from his watch position to, and halfway thru the ruin before he has a line of sight... I'll need to figure out how far it is vs his move rate to see if he can move and shoot in this turn.

Leudigar moves swiftly to the side in case it has a ranged weapon.

"Another one of those damned snake women!" he calls aloud in case there was some mistaking the cold, hissing squeal.

"Avert your eyes as best you can, gentlemen. But we need to take it out before we can split those riches."

Using the corner for cover, he barely moves the mirror around it to get a better look at where the serpent woman is.

Leudigar is down to 2 hp. But he'll fight...

"A bottle of oil and a torch!" Freid calls out, "Throw the oil in and then the torch. Don't look at it, just get it close enough to splash on her and set her alight!"
Freid, I think has oil. If he does, he'll sheath his sword and go forward. Holding his shield up to shield his eyes, he'll say to Leudigar, "Direct my throw!"

He'll toss the oil and hope it soaks the monster and that a torch will set it on fire.

Zem waits for his chance to rush the medusa with Axe.

Zem should be near the archway that was my move last turn. He does not want to cross to much open spacing trying to get at her so will hold near the archway and try to let her get closer while using his ears and nose rather then looking directly at the medusa.

Zax's eyes light up at the sight of the twinkling gold - gold! at last! Perhaps this hasn't been entirely a fool's errand after all.

He registers the second serpent-woman drift out from the shadows, but doesn't have to avert his eyes as they will not stray from the glittering metal. He certainly wont let anything get between himself and that loot, not now!

He has his throwing axes out and spinning at the foe with barely a grunt and almost without a second thought (except perhaps what he will spend his newfound wealth on...)

Right.
So, the medusa is alone in the treasure room.
Of those in the ruin, Leudigar pulls back to shelter behind the arch, while Zax advances into the treasure room to throw his axe (30ft range, and requiring a look at the target).
Of those further back in the ramp room, Karl is advancing to line of sight, and Fried is fishing for oil, then advancing to throw it (both requiring a look at the target). Zem moves up to the arch to position himself adjacent to where Leudigar will end up.
It shall be so...

Confirmation please that Zax, Karl, and Fried all intend to sight the medusa in order to fire their respective missiles at her.