Immersive Ink

tombowings wrote:
Elindir removes his fine elvish bow from his back and retrieves an arrow with his right hand, ready fire should trouble show its ugly face.

ehiker133 wrote:
Norin glances over at Sili holding the torch in one hand and a loaded crossbow in the other... and a look of concern crosses his face.

He quietly says something in Khuzdul to Sili.

waysoftheearth wrote:
At last, after climbing the stair cautiously for almost a quarter hour, Sili and Norin set foot in the first genuine hall of their forefathers.

It is vast beyond the reach of Sili's spluttering torch. What can be made out is a litter of detritus scattered about, and two enormous runs of mighty columns that hold a lofty ceiling high above -- vanishing into the dark ahead.

The company has emerged into the chamber through an arch in the western wall. The columns form a 60ft wide avenue through the chamber, to either side of directly east from the entry arch. The extent of the chamber cannot be guessed. From somewhere ahead in the dark there immediately comes a sound. Several. Are they snorts? Or heavy rocks clunking together? There must be several of whatever it is... 40 yards off perhaps?

tombowings wrote:
Elindir nocks and an arrow and listens for the direction of the sound, preparing to fire.

tonneau wrote:
Legandir silently draws his Rivendell longbow and fits an arrow, moving silently to flank Elindir .

ehiker133 wrote:
Norin squats down into a crouch, making himself a smaller target, and listens intently for more sounds.

waysoftheearth wrote:
There is another shuffle and a thud, then several harsh sniffing noises. More shuffles, and a guttural grunt. There is certainly someone or something out there.

The Elves now see several bulky figures in the gaps allowed between the mighty stone pillars. Then there comes a questing challenge of a growl, deep and throaty. And more sharp sniffing noises.

A thick, knotted and three fingered hand four times as large as a Man's grasps the edge of a pillar, and then an ugly rock of a head with tiny squinting eyes and great mandibles pokes into the central passage some 8 foot from the ground, sniffing repeatedly at the dark air. There is other movement behind it in the shadows.

Suddenly it fixes on a scent, and turns it head swift and low to glare directly toward the company, its tiny eyes boggling across the 60ft distance.

mushgnome wrote:
Sili cautiously backs through the arch and into the hallway, so that we are not out-flanked. This is a scouting mission, not an all-out assault, after all.

ehiker133 wrote:
Norin, too, backs into the archway and moves towards the stairs.

"We interested in trying to take this thing on?" he inquires, quietly, as he grips his warhammer tightly in both hands.

mushgnome wrote:

ehiker133 wrote:Norin, too, backs into the archway and moves towards the stairs.

"We interested in trying to take this thing on?" he inquires, quietly, as he grips his warhammer tightly in both hands.

"It's probably more scared of us than we are of it," whispers Sili. He holds his torch steady and aims his crossbow at the bully's heart, ready to shoot at the first threatening move. "On these Dwarf-carved stairs, our small feet will give us the advantage." (racial defense bonus vs. giant-types)