-----Raven walks over and collects the sword he dropped. "Must be more tired than I thought to drop a weapon. It was by the Hunter's fortune I didn't do that upstairs."
-----Raven walks over to Garrison, "I can take up the slack when we need to track. Your safety is the most important. I say you find a good suit of chainmail and wear it all the time. I'll see what I can find. You just take a load off for a minute."
-----Raven searches the room and the orcs.
-----"Caranip. I have use of your skills." Sarah says with an encouraging smile. "Look at this room, do you see the way it is shaped? It would be odd for those winding stairs to lead to just a few simple rooms wouldn't it? I need your keen eyes and ears to look for hidden doors. Can you do that for me, Caranip?" Sarah asks as she helps bandage Garrison.
-----"I'm going t'second Raven on this one, Garrison. Th' chain will make a difference." Sol agrees as he eyes the bleeding man critically. He then quirks an eyebrow at Lovan, and replies, "Organized? Orcs fighting organized? That's a laugh. Still, they're a bloody nuisance . . . "
-----Sarah finishes a very nice way of wrapping Garrison's leg and the wound appears to contain itself. The woodsman slowly rises and easily puts weight on his leg. Still the bandage holds and no blood seems to soak it. "Thank you," Garrison says to both Sarah and Rinda before turning his attention to the arms and armor of the place.
-----"Yes, Mistress," Caranip says to Sarah as she breathes a bit easier. The gnomish girl then begins testing different sections of the walls while ducking under weapons racks.
-----After Raven looks over the slain orcs, he then begins examining the various weapons displayed. Rinda, for the moment, squats down on the floor watching the opening from the other room that they came from.
-----Garrison limps over to some of the chain armor hanging on the wall. He carefully takes down several suits of it inspecting the make of it. "If I didn't know better, I would say this chain wasn't made by orcs." He then takes off the remnants of his leather armor revealing his breeches and light shirt underneath. With Raven's help, he then pulls the chain over his head and secures his belt across his middle.
-----"I can sure feel the weight in my shoulders," the woodsman quips, but otherwise seems satisfied with the armor.
-----By this time, Caranip has searched one of the sidewalls and the wall opposite the portal. From underneath one of the weapons racks comes her voice. "By my Aunt Grammies Foogleburger's needle nose!" she says in a frustrated squeak, "There's no door behind these stones yet!"
-----For the next few moments, the remaining wall is searched, but still no hidden door is revealed.
-----"Oh!" Caranip exclaims excitedly as she comes out from under another weapons rack. "Look what I found! If no one wants these, can I keep them?" The gnome holds in her small hands three darts of good make.
-----Garrison chuckles and says, "Well, if you're finding some good weapons, I may as well look for a better axe if I can find one."
-----However, after a few moments the woodsman has no luck in finding a better weapon than he already possesses. On the other hand, Caranip finds a short sword in a leather scabbard that she is excited about. She quietly begins fastening it to her belt.
-----Sol tests the balance of a few of the swords, before suggesting they head back upstairs and try the other direction.
-----Raven nods, "Yeah, let's try the other side."
-----"They are all yours, Caranip," Sarah says with a smile as she follows her friends.
-----The adventurers then move back into the smaller room and then Sol and Raven lead them up the stairs. As they ascend the stairs, everything is quiet at first. However halfway up the incline, sounds begin to echo down from the great hall above. Clashes are heard and by the time that the top of the stairs is gained, it is apparent: these are the sounds of fighting!
-----As the party moves into the hall, they see about a dozen orcs fighting Strolum, Dilton and Pil.
-----Dilton and Strolum both swing their swords but do not strike the menacing humanoids. Pil yells out huskily as an orc falls back hurt from a slash from the bronze-skinned man's weapon.
-----The humanoids then begin to surge forward on the warriors. Strolum is able to parry an orcish sword and lucks out as a second humanoid facing him drops his weapon. The red-haired man sweats as he winces at the wound in his abdomen.
-----Dilton steps back as an opponent stabs in, injuring his left arm.
-----Pil throws the attacks of two orcs away from him as he strongly swings about.
-----Sarah glares and shoots a string of magic missiles at the orcs, each hitting a different target.