Wilds - Hall Crawl

Ohwatoo warns everyone to avoid the refreshed summoning circle as Durego examines the doors in the statue room for traps using his spell. No magic is detected, so the group opens the north door and works their way across the pit [I'm not going to mention the trap checking on each door]. There's nothing in sight in the east-west hall, so Raúguey, Durego and Strom keep watch while Ingvild and Mordikarr check out the secret passages and Maro and Grendor check the east hall that leads back toward the entry. It's all empty, as is the small room in the intersection.

"It's as if the place is abandoned," whispers Dagmarten.

"Maybe we scared them off, or deeper?" says Rawon. The cleric nods and falls in as the others move west toward the grate room, checking passages and rooms as they go.The rooms along the hall and just to the south are all empty, and most of the doors are open (the lever room is closed and appears undisturbed when Ingvild peeks inside).


While the others wait at the northwest intersection, Durego, Ingvild and Maro check the store room and tree altar. When they return, Maro is fuming. "They defaced the altar!" he growls when Rawon asks what's wrong.

"They marked it with Fraykulga's wolf head," adds Durego.

"So someone is still around," mutters Grendor.

"Maybe," says Ingvild. "The altar was dusty, so it wasn't too recent. Anything out here?"

Rawon shakes his head. "Nothing. Let's head south, and don't forget those big lizards."

Empty. Empty. Empty. All the northern rooms and passages show no signs of life and appear abandoned, aside from a few scattered bones, chunks of burned wood and scattered parts of a sleeping pallet.

A map refresher

With the northern section cleared, the only areas left to check are the cross hall, well room, reptile house and the pit. The party heads southeast to the east hall, then down to cross hall. The hallway and fountain room here are empty, but there are indistinct signs of passage here. The west doors are open, as are the doors leading into the western hallway that leads to the reptile house. Rawon keeps a wary eye on the cross hall as the main group checks out the door leading into the pit. The room beyond appears empty, though the dusty floor is streaked and smeared. The party moves forward cautiously and Ingvild whispers, "Let's see if we can shift these benches, they might provide some cover when we run the gauntlet at the bottom of the stairs."

Raúguey grabs the nearest bench and heaves, lifting one end off the ground. "Ooof! These are heavy," he says.

Whatever reply Ingvild is about to make is cut off by the sudden clik-snap of crossbows! Bolts fly from the shadows, aimed at the front rank party members. [six bolts at Raúguey, Grendor, Strom and Ingvild.] One bolt bounces off Grendor's armor and another snicks past Raúguey's shoulder, but the rest clatter off walls and benches. Whoever or whatever fired the shots remains hidden in the darkness at the far end of the room, but those in front can hear whispering voices and scuffling sounds as these new foes reload.

Durego ducks outside the door and calls, "Rawon! Watch out! Crossbows inside!" Turning back to the door he says, "Get out of there, it's a trap!" As he speaks, the blatting cry of a warhorn sounds from the shadows.

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