Our Natural Enemy Narrow Corridors (GB014)

12th Eleasis, 1492 - Phandalin
As the dust and insect carcasses settle, the group sets about further investigations into the whereabouts of the Manor saboteurs; last seen by Gildha entering the catacombs but as yet eluding our heroes.

Wistie saunters into the room from her two-episode absence without fanfare. She notes the presence of new NPCs with zero suprise. Fair enough really, given the party's predilection for teambuilding.

Venturing single-file down a narrow corridor, Sack fly-kicks a door only to land on his arse, which he tries to seamlessly pivot into an impromptu exercise routine. Redshirt isn't buying it but doesn't care, mostly due to Sack's abdominal muscles. Sack redeems himself by shoulder-barging the same door, which shatters dumping him into a small bedroom containing four beds and a remarkably lifelike statue of a kobold, upon which Sack is now lying.

Moloch follows, and spots a pair of beady eyes under one of the beds. The eyes turn out to be attached to an undead cockatrice, and Moloch rapidly makes the connection to the petrified kobold. She turns the cockatrice, but is attacked by its un-turned partner, which Sack comprehensively butchers.

With both cockatrices properly dead, the group note the curious symbol of a dragon head and sword etched into their beaks which none of them recognise. They are discussing taking a break for the night when Redshirt, who has been keeping lookout, decides to investigate the next room. It turns out to contain a portal and strange runes, and shortly thereafter a Gibbering Mouther. The DM has another Dave moment and is singularly unable to correctly pronounce "gibbering" with a soft G. Bullying ensues.

After a fairly strenuous fight, the Mouther is defeated by Friend's Silver Spear and the party begin to relax. In a room full of pulsing runes and an active portal. Fairly predictably, the portal spits out another Mouther and the group spring into action, with Wistie and Moloch taking the initiative to mess with the runes. After three runes are scratched out, the portal closes and the remaining Mouther dissolves to goo. This is enough trauma for one day, and the group takes a long rest.

13th Eleasis, 1492 - Phandalin
During the break, the kobold statue is de-petrified and reveals himself to be one of the Manor assailants, albeit a relatively unwitting one. Patsky, for that is his name, describes how he was convinced in Neverwinter by a gnome wizard named Hoobur Gran'Shoop to join a group and destroy the Manor. Patsky completed several minimum wage tasks including daubing the logo of Dran Enterprises on the ruin, assisting with moving bodies into the pit and "activating" the cockatrices, which he was meant to lock in the bedroom. However they pecked him as he was leaving, and each time Patsky revived, he was pecked again. He has no idea what has transpired in the few days since. He begs to accompany the group out of the basement and offers them his meagre belongings as a reward.

Moving on, the group enter a charnel workshop, with three large humanoid corpses wearing (bizarrely) colourful pastel tights, one with the Gran'Shoop logo carved into its chest. Fearing further reanimation (or just wanting to smash) Sack smashes. At this moment three Shadows, similarly shaped to the corpses and performing weird dance moves and bodybuilder postures, slide under the door and fight #3 for the night is on.

The fight goes uncommonly badly at first with Moloch eating a crit and -4 STR, and the retaliation being less than stellar. Example: Friend tries to yank Moloch out of the room, a seemingly simple task for an eight-foot Firbolg grappling a three-foot Kobold. He rolls a 2. With insta-death another bad roll away, Moloch throws up a Sanctuary (which ultimately saves her life) and the rest of the group shoulder into the small room despite protestations from the suffering DM at the cramped conditions in the corridor. RAW the players were right, but bah humbug.

Moloch gets off a Turn, affecting 2 of the shadows, one of which is unturned by a pinprick of damage from an arrow. Throwing every Radiant attack they can think of at the Shadows, the group manages to burn them down but not before Redshirt is dropped to 0 hp with -4 STR. Sack is distraught and cradles him as Redshirt is healed up, and the party contemplates what might be through the next door...