Session Three
Shocked by Thorns reaction she screams for him to stop being an idiot, no answer, there is however a loud crash, a scream & then silence. Dropping to all fours Grace feels her way across the floor into the darkened room. As she moves slowly across the room she can hear a low moaning somewhere ahead, calling out Thorns name he weakly answers her call & she continues crawling across the floor. Feeling his leg she moves her hands up his body, suddenly she stops, something is wrong, very wrong, this isn't Thorn, its a body, a dead body, near panic she moves her hands further up until she reaches a bearded face. By the side of the unfortunates head is a battered helmet, as she is about to probe further she feels hot breath on her neck, spinning around she holds her strike as Thorn shouts in her face,
"Grace, is that you Grace ?"
Holding onto each others belt & dragging the dead strangers pack they crawl back across the room & after some fumbling find the door & emerge back into the light, Thorn has a nasty looking cut on his forehead & a blackeye.
As Grace dresses Thorns bloody wound they take stock, clearly the only way forward is through the darkened room, however Thorn was lucky, his fool hardy charge could have ended as tragically as whoever that is lying within with a cracked skull. As Graces puts away her needle & thread Thorn opens the pack grabbed from the body, in it is the travelling kit of the dead stranger, clothes, candles, tinder & the like, a few copper coins & a pouch of some yellow powdery substance as well as his long bow & quiver, Grace declares she will take his bow whilst all other items are stashed for later use & consideration.
After resting for several hours, the two travellers crawl back into what they have agreed must be a magical darkened room, feeling their way around the walls they eventually find a doorway on what they think is the far left hand side of the room, gathering their wits they try the latch to the door, it turns. Listening carefully, muffled voices can be heard, preparing for the worst they draw weapons & ease the door open. The voices grow louder but still the words are indecipherable, poking her head through Grace can see a huge pillared & vaulted cellar illuminated by smoky wall mounted fire brands, sat with their backs to her are three large ugly creatures wearing bulky armour & carrying spears, on the floor is a forth creature, clearly dead.
Stepping back into
the darkened room a hasty plan is made, quietly Thorn slips into the room &
axe at the ready he skirts the wall 
intending
to come at the orcs, for that is what they are sure the creatures are, from
the opposite side, alas his passage is none to silent & the orcs suddenly
aware of his presence, growl & charge. Two however do not reach Thorn as
they fall beneath the arrows from Graces' recently aquired bow, the third too
quickly dies under the blade of Thorns' mighty axe.
Rifling the bodies little of interest is found, arrows are collected & with firebrands from the walls in hand they creep across the cellar, nearing the middle of the room yet another orc corpse lies dead, its throat slashed, in its hand is a pouch containing a handful of silver coins. Passing under the main support arches there is a whooshing noise & a spear shatters on the floor wear Thorn had passed only seconds before. Spinning around nobody can be seen however Graces spots a depressed flag where the spear struck the floor, looking up she sees a hole in the ceiling above. Grinning Thorn shrugs his shoulders, thankful to have missed the deadly trap sprung when he had stood on the trigger mechanism beneath the loose flag.
Hearts thumping they
enter the second half of the cellar, yet another body lies sprawled on the floor,
this however is no corrupted 
hellspawn
but a female, sleight in form who in life must have been a true beauty, from
the shape of her face, almond shaped eyes & lobe less ears they presumed
she was of elf kindred, her flowing robes are stained with blood from the spearhead
lodged in her back. Lighting their lanterns the rest of the cellar is searched
before attending the body. Beneath a broken bench a small silver ring is discovered
by Thorn, Buried in the throat of the nearest orc is a small delicately carved
double bladed dagger, looking more decorative than practical, its use clearly
surprised the dead orc, again the dragon features a dragon.
Fingering
the ring Thorn is disappointed that it can't possibly fit on his thick stubby
fingers however a few well chosen words with Grace & they exchange ring
for dagger, Thorn weights the dagger in his hand, his gut feeling is that its
worth keeping hold of despite the strange nicks in the edge of its blade, tight
though it is Grace manages to get the ring onto her little finger.
Turning
back to the body of elf maiden they deftly, but carefully, remove a fine silver
chain from around her neck, on the chain is a silver dragon identical to that
inscribed on the dagger, Grace cringes as she sees that the middle finger on
her left hand has been bitten off, presumably to for the ring. Strewn all around
the body are the contents of her backpack, there is a little food & a flask
of watered wine which are added to Thorns pack.
In the far wall two doors are equally spaced, with a third in the flank wall at the right hand corner, whilst Thorn listens at each in turn, Grace places the silver chain about her neck, instantly she feels warmth & well being flood her body, as Thorn returns, advising that all three doors are locked, Graces asks him to try on the chain, not only does he feel the same well-being but to his delight the pain from the wound on his head clears, removing the bandage all sign of the cut is gone, even the bruising & swelling has faded.