Bongo - Gnome Bard
Yazoo - Gnome Illusionist
Tannelee - Halfling Rogue
Ku - Gnome Sorceror
Having picked up a wandering sorceror for a time, the company found themselves entertaining the citizens of a dusty dwarven city, built around the outskirts of a long-ruined Drow continent. The overall stature of the group attracted a few curious eyes - it was usually the Big Folk who wandered into the settlement seeking adventure and fortune. Tannelee pointed out as soon as she could that dwarves were a rich people and they should milk the city for all it was worth - her companions silenced her with steely glares. They were here to perform - nothing more, and a few extra coin along the way would be a pleasant happenstance.
So finding themselves hired for a mission was something they had not intended.
The dwarven warrior Geoff Sternhammer explained to the party the son of a companion of his had gone missing a while back, along with some others, adventuring in an old temple in th derelict Drow city, in the canyon below. If the party could locate him and bring him home, or otherwise bring back an ornate warhammer he owned, they would be rewarded. The promise of a reward was tantalising, and the prospect of an adventure would be a refreshing change to the normal routine of the motley group. They agreed, and Geoff arranged to lead them as their guide.
The rickety elevator journey to the canyon bottom took longer than the company would prefer. Yazoo spent the time clinging to the arm of fearless Ku, who insisted on looking down at the ground as often as he could, excitement prone on his face. Upon completing the descent, they flashed their papers to the burly-looking guards awaiting them, and they began their journey into the unknown, Geoff heading them and siblings Bongo and Yazoo taking the rear.
The cavern was quite spacious, especially for little people, and it continued into the dark for a long while. Without warning, the unstable struts holding up the cave ceiling behind and before the party crumbled and collapsed, bringing the ceiling down with them, trapping them in the black. They could not go back nor venture onwards.
A hushed utter of "balls" was audible under the last remaining sounds of falling pebbles.
The silence once again reigned for a good few moments, and then the party began a rushed discussion about the best way to escape. The still-intact ceiling above them was looking mighty rickety on its unstable struts and could fall upon them at any moment. Amongst the suggestions of reinforcing the cave walls with some stray wooden beams lying a way away, Tannelee noticed some handy explosives in the corner. Pointing out her find to Yazoo, the wizard suggested she move them with her Mage Hand into a small hole at the base of the cave-in where they had to proceed. It seemed to be the most popular idea, so Tannelee, Bongo and Ku all shuffled back while Yazoo carefully maneuvered the explosives into the base of the rock-wall, lighting it swiftly before huddling back with the others. Geoff watched bewilderedly. "What're you doing? Guys?"
"...Guys?"
~~~
After an aerialist-aided escape, which proved no problems aside from a dwarf which proved a little too heavy, the party ventured onwards and soon became faced with a huge pair of doors, slightly ajar. This was the entrance to the temple. Fearing danger from within, Bongo sent his familiar, a raven, inside to scout the surroundings. The bird's eyes could only make out a few charred corpses on the floor - Tannelee crept inside without any trouble, and looking around, made out an altar at the far end of the large room she was now in, a fiery pit in the centre, and two towering magma golems on either side of it. There was a corridor leading off from each corner of the room - Tannelee was not spotted.
She beckoned for the others to follow her, but lacking the halfling's skills in stealth, it wasn't long until the noises they made alerted the golems.
