Immersive Ink

As Wetzel comes cautiously down the stair near the rear of the column, he squints in the torchlight and tries to make sense of what is going on with the Hobgoblin and the earlier-arriving party members. Assuming that the single scribe-type won't pose too much of a challenge, he does not join the attack, but scans the room for other exits, and will prepare to engage any monsters that enter the room.

The Herald crosses the distance right quick and seamlessly integrates the downswing of his mace to coincide with the recoil of Zax's ice-axe.

Freid shakes his head at the goings on of those at the front, and keeps an even closer eye on the surroundings because he's sure a horde of Snorks are about to descend upon them all.

The hobgoblin clerk jumps back off his stool, but not quickly enough! Zax and Brother Herald are across the room before he can even shout, Zax leaping onto the desk to split the clerk's skull with his pick-axe. The Herald's blow then knocks the still-quivering corpse free of Zax's pick with an awful scchhhloup.

Zem and Wetzel, and others, follow in and briskly surmise it is a 30ft long by 20ft wide stone chamber, presumably running length-wise parallel with the wall. The stair comes down at one end. At the other, behind the clerk's desk, is a portcullis-sealed arch. Yellow-orange torch light illuminates the place.

I see.
Players: 1 # d6 → [6]
Non-players: 1 # d6 → [5]

Zax: 1 # d20 + 1 → [12] (would hit AC 7), hits: 1 # d6 → [6] a head hit!
Herald: 1 # d20 → [8] (would miss AC 9).

Ref dices for Hobgoblin hit points: 1 # d6 + 1 → [3].

"Arr...thanye fur cleaning ma pick" says Zax, with a nod to The Herald.

He swipes a thumb along the blooded spine, and then swipes the glistening digit in short lines across each of his cheek-bones (just above the beard of course). "First kill o' the day," he says by way of explanation to the quizical look from The Herald.

Dopey scampers behind the desk, and cautiously pushing the hobgoblin aside, examines the goblin ledger.

"Do any of you fellows have a knack for tongues and scribbles?" asks the hobbet. He ruffles through the pages in search of pictorial information or maps.

Dopey also recovers the goblin's spectacles. "These might be worth a holding on to," squeaked Dopey with excitement.

Freid moves quickly over to the portcullis-sealed arch and peeks through the bars from the side to see what is beyond. If he sees danger inside...another Hobgoblin guard for example...he'll put his finger to his lips to encourage his companions to be quiet. He'll also look for a way to raise the portcullis from this side.

Tonneau wrote:"First kill o' the day," he says by way of explanation to the quizical look from The Herald.

The Herald just shakes his head and moves to keep watch at the arch.

Wetzel crosses the room to the arch, leans his spear & shield against the wall within reach, and readies his bow to shoot through the portcullis, if a likely target should present itself.

Akbar understands that some mayhem has transpired down below but isn't clear what. From the sound of it, maybe a guard or watchman? Maybe expecting someone, but not expecting a party of intruders? Ah well, those at the front will have sorted him out. But who was he expecting?

From his position at the back, Akbar keep his eye on the party's rear flank, arbalest at the ready.