Mal then slapped Dudley on the back, ‘I like the way you think. Your god is a smart one, having a man like you in his service.'
Dudley looked up as Mal slipped through the portal, "Ah..he's a she. You know...Lady Luck." Dudley rubbed his ring, "Shinara, he means well... he just didn't know... and besides he is right about you being smart."

Dudley sighed as he stepped through the portal.

You enter from the north as promised by your new found maps. A sign hangs from the ceiling in the center of this circular room which reads in common, goblin, and elven. Its top line reads: "Trophy Room exhibit: DO NOT CROSS LINES."

In each quadrant of the floor is a bright orange painted line extending in a semi-circle. Next to each is a sign. In the first quadrant behind the line is a glass cabinet. From it shines a blue globe of light with a radius of 5 feet, and it seems to contain a Silver sphere or ball. Two hobgoblins lie motionless at the foot of the cabinet. (Northwest)

In the second quadrant is a glass cabinet containing a short staff and a globe of green light with a radius of 5 feet. Another green sphere floats here and there to the right of the cabinet but behind the line on the floor (Northeast)

In the third quadrant is another glass cabinet with a spherical yellow light with a radius of 5 feet. There is a long sword in the cabinet. The blade of the long sword looks like a reflection of the night sky, with stars among the blackness of the blade. (Southwest)

In the fourth quadrant is an empty broken glass cabinet. No globe of light is visible. Four black portals are located at opposite points outside the warning lines. (Southeast)

As Crow and the rest of the party entered from the north as hoped for by the found maps. At once all saw that a sign hung from the ceiling in the center of this quite new circular room. Strangely enough the sign was written not only in common but Goblin and Elf. wh

"Trophy Room exhibit: DO NOT CROSS LINES."

As his eyes scanned the room, his long bow ready, the Ranger could see that in each quadrant of the floor was a bright orange painted line extending in a semi-circle. Crow could see that in each of these area's there seemed to be some sort of display, each with a separate sign. However before he could check out anything else in the Northwest quadrant he spotted the bodies of two Hobgoblins at the foot of the display.

Not wanting to take any chances he moved to the two Hobgoblins to check for life...............

Alondas read the signs and immediately looked to the Cidals. "Perhaps just this once we should do as the signs say. Looks like the hobgoblins ignored them. I know you are curious but curiosity killed the cat, or perhaps the Cidal." Alondas moved from place to place examining each from behind the line.

The Hobgoblins are dead and from a quick examination, they appear to have been beaten to death but something very strong and short. All the bruising and blows are from the lower chest down on the monsters.

"Oh, Alon, come on!" the little cidal quipped. "We're going to have to cross one of these lines for sure, if we hope to get to the second floor. The map says that the acess to the upper level is around here." Wembley points out the northeast cabinet. "And I'm sure Mal would love to handle that black blade a little bit."

Wembley begins looking around the northeast cabinet, looking for some kind of sign of passage to get to the upper levels.

The first thing the cleric saw as he stepped into the room was a sign,"Trophy Room exhibit: DO NOT CROSS LINES."

As he looked for the lines he saw the cabinets with, "SHINY GLOBES", he gasped. Dudley tottered from cabinet to cabinet, stopping just short of the organge line as another "Shiny" caught his eye.

The bodies of the that lay acroos the line sort of slowed him down. It remined him of the bodies in the dinning room and empty cabinet made him think of the small statue in his back pack.

Looking around nurviously he saw the four black portals at opposite points outside the warning lines.

Moving toward the nearest portal, "Ah...we should just move along...quickly."

With his examination complete, Alondas was ready to move on whichever way the party chose.

The hobgoblins were dead but not for long. They had been here less than a day you'd figure. They also show signs of starvation as they are thin and gaunt. They have no weapons on then and their leather armour reeks of dead and hobgoblin sweat.

Wembley looks over the cabinet in the corner and cannot see anything that shows itself as a exit as the map says. The other cabinets are much more interesting than this one which contains nothing. Yes as he stands there looking, he notices something. The ceiling above is very dark, almost painted black but to his fine Cidal eyes, there is a black square above the display cabinet in the roof. One that does not show heat nor cold. It is a portal, like the others but in the ceiling. Had he not known to look for it, he would have missed it completely.

‘Alondas, keeping this lot in line,' Mal lets out a hearty laugh, ‘I would rather try to milk a sea cow sober.' Mel cringes a bit. He then readies himself, for he knows it is just a matter of time before one of this lot crosses a line. Mal looks over the room and sees the black blade Wembley spoke of, ‘Wembley is right, I would love to get a better look at that,' he smiled sarcastically at Alon and shook is head no.

Wembley was too focused on his find to notice Mal's sarcarm. "It's a fine blade, for sure, Mal," he quipped, he eyes still on the portal above. "But it will have to wait for later. There's portal over her, in the ceiling. Look!" He pointed to indicate the portal above.

"I wonder how many other portals we've missed," he wondered sadly. "Ah, well," he continued with a shrug. "Let's see where this one goes."

Wembley scrambled up the cabinet in order to reach the portal. "If these maps are correct, this portal should take us right to..."

OOC: Hopefully, by this time, Wembley has made it up and through the portal.

As soon as Wembley moves to the cabinet to climb up and towards the ceiling portal, an alarm sounds loudly and the portals to the room all turn red.

Suddenly, four metal men appear. They look like iron statues only they are moving towards you with metal fists raise. This reminds you of the fabled Iron Golems except these Iron men are only 3 feet tall. Still, they are moving towards you from the portals to attack.

‘The ones we have missed so far have been missed because the winds did not blow us that way. This one is revealed to you and you ponder upon it?' Mal looked to Wembley and realized there was no pondering going on. Wembley was scrambling up onto a cabinet. Mal moved quickly toward Wembely and reached for a leg, ‘Hey everyone! Wembley is taking to the crow's nest.'

OOC: Mal might slow down Wembley's exit as to keep all in one room until we are all on the same page or Wembley will find success and Mal simply inform the others as to where Wembley went and will fallow, Darn I wanted a better look at that sword

Gamard had watched events unfurl. He had not said anything, yet silently praised the two Cidals for keeping their fingers where they would cause no harm. It must not have been an easy feat for both of them.
Their restraint appeared to have been in vain, though, when the portals closed and four Iron Men appeared. Gamard had heard tales of the Iron Golem, a construct said to be invincible and stoically indifferent. He didn't dare hope these four Golem-kin would be any more inclined to be open to parley.

He grabbed his wooden staff and with its tip touched the golden orb on his headband. After a short prayer to Solanis, the weapon began to glow with a metallic shimmer. He was now ready to face whatever these creatures would try. Solanis was on his side. What did these constructs have?

(OOC: Casting Shillelagh on the staff. +1 bonus to attack and 2d4 dmg)

He didn't see the trigger but he knew someone must have crossed a line someplace as the portals all turned red. Swinging around he saw a Cil well over a line and then 3 small metal men coming at the party in a menacing manner. "Well isn't that cute; tiny little metal men." Of course Alondas knew that they were not there to make friends. He unleashed a barrage of magic missiles at the one closest to him.