Bellandra's original intent would still be to proceed towards the possible beings of wood she had sensed, but she would not do it alone and in the dark, so she would try to help the crew while they were inspecting the two doors. [The GM note informed there will be enough light but in the beginning of the turn Bellandra didn't know it yet.]

She helped BenKii up, commenting "I see whatever is behind your door is more a danger than a distraction. Must be some huge foe in there to knock ye down like that? Methinks we should not pursue it, but if ye be determined, I will help." Unless there was sudden danger from elsewhere, she would join the party at the rabbit room, using her crossbow and cutlass to help protect the party against whatever they seemed to be fighting against in that room.

If, instead, the voice(s) behind the left side door seemed about to break loose (or entice someone to open that door), she would try to attack whatever came through the door as soon as it seemed hostile.

If others of the crew, such as Argy, BenKii or others, are ready to proceed (and are able to see well enough to do so), and no-one was in danger, she would continue with them down the stairs, taking care as best she could in the darkness not to trigger any remaining traps.

Mission 7 - The Tunnels, Turn 15
*Turn Ends 9PM UTC, 29 April 2025.*

In order: Argy, Gilius, Bellandra, BenKii, Count, Grog'tial, Kyp, Crew

Argy: (roll dice*9) [Bat summons expires end of this Turn, Pirate Pete's Rum lasts through Turn 16] What just happened? It seems Cap'n BenKii triggered some curse or something. Why didn't he just feed the bunny? Nevermind... You quickly trigger a cupcake and slide it near the stunned bunny. Then you pull Grog'tial out of the room as swiftly as you can. Pushing him through the doorway you tug on the heavy door, trying to close it behind you. [Strength check = *Fail*] Luckily, Gilius and Grog'tial are nearby to help. [Strength check w/Gilius & Grog'tial = *Success*] Within a minute of getting the door closed there is a flash and an explosion beyond it. The floor shakes with the vibration of it as the door glows briefly. The metal reinforcement and lock on the door grows uncomfortably hot, but the heavy iron-bound door holds. Stepping away from the door, you look for any light source, then notice there is a bright light coming from a thin space underneath the slowly cooling door. You step back, blinded when Cap'n BenKii carefully opens the door to check on things. Finally your eyes adjust and you see the results of your actions. The room is completely flash seared and a bright radiant pillar of fire still glows where the bunny was. There is no sign of the bunny, but the bright light lets you see all the way down the tunnel to the turn right into that big chamber. You head down the tunnel to where Kyp and Count are, hoping to find a way to help them get past the trap and to warn them about the chamber beyond it. *Success* You are able to see and jump over the trapped step. You are waiting for the others to catch up so you can tell everyone about what is up ahead when you hear voices replying to Count.

Gilius: (roll dice*5) [Rocky, 2 Turns reserved] You manage to keep your balance as Captain BenKii pushes you back and passes you on his scramble out the door. Still standing nearby, you quickly help pull Grog'tial through the doorway and lend your strength to assist them in shutting the door behind them. A minute later there is an explosion that reminds you of when Argy triggered a cupcake aboard the ship Denuvo and your sense of the unnatural evil presence simply vanishes. The door briefly glows with magical energy as it heats and shudders, indicating to you some sort of magical ward likely placed on the inside of it instead of the outside. Another trap? Had you all gone inside and shut the door, would you have been unable to get back out? "Is this fiend dealt with?" you ask with a shivering voice, happy to see your crewmates get out of the room safely. You look over to where Bellandra is helping BenKii pick himself up from being face-planted on the floor. Seeing he no longer holds the book, you gaze further down the tunnel with your darkvision until you find it. Relieved, that it didn't magically disappear in the dark, you keep it in sight.

Bellandra: (roll dice*5) You want to continue down the tunnel towards where you may sense possible kin, but the continued lack of good light and the explosion has you pausing. Instead the sliver of bright light coming in a thin shaft beneath the heavy iron-bound door lets you see just enough to offer BenKii a hand getting up. "I see whatever is behind your door is more a danger than a distraction. Must be some huge foe in there to knock ye down like that? Methinks we should not pursue it, but if ye be determined, I will help." With that you join the others near the still hot door, ready with your hand crossbow and cutlass.

Bellandra, as the door is opened you are blinded a few moments as your eyes struggle to adjust from the darkness they've been in to the bright white pillar of fire you see before you. Blinking rapidly, you see nothing but light and ashes of ruin. You never knew Argy's cupcakes could be so devastating, but whatever was in here, there is nothing left of it now. Turning away, you follow Argy down the now well lit tunnel to where Count and Kyp are ducking away from Argy's bat darting about You take especial care not to trigger any remaining traps. *Success* As you arrive you are ready to fight if the voice (or anything) behind the left side door seems about to break loose or entice someone to open the door. Then you pause, confused. While you still barely sense possible kin a great distance past the turn of the tunnel, you are sensing a more familiar kin somewhere beyond the left side door.

Captain BenKii: (roll dice*7) An explosion goes off behind you, and you feel the vibration through your cheek and body's contact with the floor. "Oww!" you exclaim, "Dammit, Gilius! Did you drop that damn hammer here? You know I can't see crap in this dark!"

"Nay, I didn't! Rocky did!" Gilius exclaims right back at you.

BenKii, you accept Bellandra's help getting yourself back on your feet, then realize the Book of Armaments you've successfully stolen is no longer in your possession but instead must have been thrown several feet down the tunnel in the dark just beyond your sight. Luckily you got enough of a glimpse at the pages to know what a powerful weapon the Holy Hand Grenade could be, but unfortunately you didn't find the item itself. You were about to yell to Argy to use a cupcake when you tripped and it dawns on you that must have been the explosion you felt. Wanting to check the room if the bunny is defeated, you near the thick iron-bound door, motioning Gilius and Grog'tial to shift just slightly out of the way. Feeling the heat of the door, you test the handle. *Success* Luckily your fur-lined gloves are more insulated and you are able to touch the slowly cooling door. You carefully open it to reveal nothing but ashes and a pillar of white-hot fire in the middle of the 6m/20ft by 6m/20ft room. Holding up one hand in front of your face, you squint to see past the blinding light. The room looks like it has been flash seared. The opening at the back of the room is completely collapsed. There is no sign of the demonic bunny, or anything else as even the armor you had seen within appears to be nothing but ashes. You gauge that the heat still radiating from within the room is far too much to chance until it cools more. In fact you aren't sure how the door itself survived, but luckily it did or else you and the others near the door might have been thoroughly singed. At least the light from the remaining pillar of flame shines directly down the tunnel like sunlight, letting you finally see where you are going for as long as it lasts. Turning from the room, you proceed down the tunnel to meet up with Count and Kyp, making sure to retrieve the Book of Armaments along your way and being careful to avoid the trapped step. *Success* You are close enough to hear Count Karnstein once again address the voice, and hear not one, but two voices reply.

Count Karnstein: (roll dice*6) (Weakened) When the mad bat appears and dive bombs you and Kyp, you dash to the other side of the tunnel. Trying to flail your arms above your head, you inadvertently bash the bat with the shield still strapped onto your arm and almost hit Kyp with the warhammer, but instead it bangs against the right side door. Frustrated, you back away further and the crazy bat at least leaves you alone.

Count, turning your attention back to the voices, you sigh quietly and roll your eyes in irritation. This is obviously going nowhere. Maybe Captain BenKii could fall for such a low-effort scam like this, but you are not that stupid. "Yeah, sure. Fat chance, sweetheart," you snark at the door, then you frown. Curious wording, though. Aren't they supposed to be, like, imprisoned in there? How can one look for someone while being locked up in a cell? Waiting, perhaps, but hardly looking. Your pale 'noble' complexion blanches even whiter as you suddenly realize you've never actually checked whether the door was locked. That thought now really worries you for some reason.

"Oh," the sweet voice says, sounding disappointed. "Well, no need to be uncouth about it."

Count, your thoughts go back to the disorienting way you all were brought here ... the ticking clock, the hideous hag with her awful cackle and her very words: "...or else leave you to the entertainments of the shadowy one." It is all a game, some twisted battle royale set up for amusement of some jaded, immortal beings. Who knows how many parties were abducted to participate, how many different, mutually exclusive objectives were issued? Some oriental babes from some esoteric order of courtesans-assassins could have been told to hunt you down. What were they supposed to take of you? Also a book? Now your paths have finally collided and only a lousy door separates you from their daggers dripping with deadly, exotic poison. "COME 'N GET IT, YOU WHORES!" you shout, but only in your own head. But maybe you have it wrong after all?

Count you eye the left side door suspiciously. "Tell, aren't ye... imprisoned?"

"What?" comes the sweet perplexed reply. "Oh no, honeybuns. We're not the ones imprisoned. You are. We're the ones he set to watch for you, silly."

"Remember, he did say a couple of them were rather more handsome than intelligent," purrs the sultry voice. "Just my type."

"Oh yes, that's true," the sweet voice says contemplatively. Then the voice calls out again, an eager excitement underlying the feminine tone. "Is that it honeybuns, are you one of the handsome ones?"

Grog'tial: (roll dice*5) You come to the conclusion you need to start making a list of animals to avoid and/or keep as pets. For the latter category, dogs and ice elementals are firmly in, while bunnies now join spiders for the first. While the bunny lies stunned, you're briefly tempted to lunge at it with your dirk, but Argy drags you from the room, and ... well, you are finding it hard to resist when she wants you to do something, as long as it isn't dancing in public that is. Once outside the room you quickly turn to judge if the structural integrity of the room and door will be sufficient. *Success* You determine it is and help Gilius to close and keep the door shut as the following explosion shakes the area. You are rather alarmed when the door glows briefly, not quite sure if it's more magic or if you might have miscalculated after all. But the door holds, even as it gets heated. Odd, to your memory it seems like that was a bigger explosion than usual for one of Argy's cupcakes. When BenKii tests and then opens the door you are momentarily blinded by the brightness of the light pouring from the room. Once you can see, you are amazed that there is nothing left but flash burned stone bricks, ashes and a magical white-hot pillar of flame. Seeing no reason to chance that, you turn and follow Argy and the others, set on preventing the Count from walking into an obvious trap, and/or helping him fight if it's too late for that. You arrive just in time to hear the voices reply to Count.

Kyp: (roll dice*3) (Weakened) You manage to duck Argy's bat only to then have to dodge the warhammer Count flails at it. Instead the weapon knocks into the right side door before you and Count both manage to back off another couple steps away. You are frustrated that you still haven't managed to figure out how the trigger on the trap over the trapdoor works.

Crew (roll dice) Argy quietly warns you that the tunnel turn up ahead will open up into a vast chamber. She says there are four large columns of rock or pillars, some vines or ropes hanging around and places where something is hung or fallen across and down into another opening below. The bat also found something big and long that seems move in that cavern with part of it disappearing into a tunnel below and there seems to be yet another opening across the way. She is telling you that the sonar also showed objects flying around the open area and more ropes or huge webs covering a lot of the ceiling when there comes quick shadowy movements at the corner beyond the trapdoor where the tunnel turns to the right ahead of you. There is the faint hint of a hiss as whatever was there swiftly ducks back out of the light around the corner where you cannot see.

-----
Available: a very large heavy metal hammer [intersection]

Dungeon tunnel near side doors: Argy, Bat, Bellandra, BenKii, Count [weakened], Grog'tial, Kyp [weakened]
Dungeon, T intersection?: Gilius
???: Aylar, Devin, Cliodhna, Aeshma, Refyx, Rummyfangs, Baldbeard

-----
GM Note: Argy's cupcake interacted with the Holy Hand Grenade that was still hidden, blowing both up together in a lethal combination of Holy and Phoenix Fire and light. The demon rabbit was both vaporized and banished instantly, along with everything else in the room. Luckily the room and door had also been magically sealed. Granted, it was mostly for a trap should victims just walk in and not mind the door ... but hey, it worked out for Crew! ;)

(I imagine the bunny was going "What the!?" right before the big Hallelujah explosion like something out of the Worms games)

https://youtu.be/zGG5qOQWsJo?si=rQzmXBuTZkrLMSmv&t=44

"Dang Argy," said BenKii, "What did you put in those cupcakes?"

'Geez and I thought an overloaded phaser was powerful.' , thought the Captain, 'I'll have to be careful what I eat around Argy's kitchen.'

Captain BenKii surveyed the obliterated room but it was clear.... there was nothing left alive or even any valuable loot to acquire. The hole where the bunny had come from had been collapsed with no way possible to enter now. What was strange was how the door didn't have a single singe mark. 'How did this door even survive the blast?' thought BenKii, "Was it protected by some kind of shielding? A magical ward perhaps? Like the ones I encountered in the Western Tunnel? There may not be anything left of value in the room but this door's shielding may prove useful if it can be removed from its hinges.' (sending PM to GM to confirm if removing the door can be done) (edit: From GM "If you had a couple of half orcs to carry it, maybe. It is a thick, heavy, ironwood door reinforced and bound with iron strips. It would take Count, Kyp, BenKii and Bellandra or Gilius to carry it, thus taking away over half your team from being fight ready." So essentially it isn't possible.)

Once the Captain makes his way back with the others, he hears two sultry female voices coming from the left door. Normally the Captain would save those in need of help (especially women in need of help) but this dungeon has taught him not to trust anyone or anything. And with that ticking sound in the distance, there was no telling what was going to happen once it stopped. "Gentlemen, we need to move on into that chamber and find that skull dude." said BenKii to the crew. "Sorry ladies," he said looking at the left door, " But there'll be no succubussing going on today. Better luck tricking the next dumb ass to knock on your door." BenKii then was about to urge everyone into the next chamber when Argy mentions that her bat found something big and long that seems to move in that cavern as well as possibly huge webs covering a lot of the ceiling. Then a shadowy figure from where the tunnel turns to the right into the chamber quickly dashes back into the chamber with the sound of a hiss that could still be heard. "Oh what the hell was that!?" exclaimed the Captain, "Ok, frak this, new plan! We're going into this right door and see what we can do in there. Maybe find a big weapon to take on whatever that hissing thing was."

BenKii will proceed to the right door and inspect it for traps while avoiding stepping on the trap door. If there are no traps, he will open the door while wielding his rapier and musket and see what is inside. BenKii will also go through the 'Book of Armaments' for other devastating weapons and perhaps the location where some may be.

When Grog'tial arrives with the Count and Kyp, he wonders at the "he" being referred to by the voices. Could he have stumbled upon agents of his half-brother? They seem too obvious for such, but maybe that's exactly what his half-brother wants him to think!
He loads a regular and an explosive bolt in his crossbow, and prepares for the inevitable fight, wondering if the two voices are accompanied by silent forces, just like the Count now is - and then BenKii speaks up, reducing the advantage of their surprise numbers just a bit...

Grog'tial also notes the hissing sounds from the shadowy movement beyond the trap door. He looks around at his companions, to see who's carrying the magical lantern - only to realize that no one is! Argh! Why is it so hard to find good help these days? Does he have to do everything himself?!

As BenKii moves to open the other door, Grog'tial repositions. He'll offer support at whatever door gets opened first.

Count briefly considers all the options and comes to the conclusion they must, as a matter of fact, be talking about him. Whether he likes it or not, he feels kinda flattered in a way. They can underestimate his wit, it could even prove advantageous, but heaven forbid anybody speaking ill of his looks. After all, you can play dumb all day long, but you can't simply pretend to be ugly - you just are.

Then maybe he should play dumb. At that moment Count didn't know what he'd possibly hope to accomplish, but he was sure the purpose would reveal itself in time. At the very least he could stall a bit, seeing as the others are finally joining in.

"Why, I s'pose one could say that. Gotta admit though, ne'er would 'ave dreamed my reputation precedin' me quite so far an' reachin' places so... unexpected. Makes me right curious to know who could it be, that mysterious admirer, who told ye all those interestin' things. Would it be the proprietor? I may want to strike a deal concernin' certain fossil that caught me eye back there..."

Count guesses they are referring to the same person the hag mentioned as a shadowy one and relaxes a bit. If this is not a trick, these two may not be an actual threat. Some kind of umpires? Neutral observers? But even if they are not bent on killing them here and now, seems even less likely they'd be willing to help. Was the skull they were looking for in cahoots with any parties involved?

"Helluva convenient lookout spot ye got there. Well, what do I know? Since ye're keepin' watch, 'aven't ye seen or heard any skulls flyin' by? 'Twas glowin' n' hummin', that one." Count asks while eyeing the rest of the crew and positioning himself midway between the doors.

If the duo behind the left door suddenly turns aggressive, he will make effort to keep the door close. If the door opens outward and whatever trying to come out is stronger than Count, he will try strategically give up in a right moment and use the momentum of a pushing creature to throw it in a direction of the trapdoor.

If the above plan seems unfeasible or there seems to be more creatures inside (and the door opens outward), he will jam the shield under the door.

If, as he suspects, the duo will not engage physically, he will pay more attention to the right side door, assuming someone is opening it. If opened and seemingly safe, he will peer in. If formidable enemies are inside, he may help to block it, as above, by jamming the shield under it.

Kyp being frustrated with the trap not triggering decides to finally interact with the weird female voices.

Kyp asks them "Hey so there is like this trapdoor out here, you have any idea what purpose it serves or how to deal with it? And would you find it all impressive if I make it trigger it without anyone getting hurt?"

Kyp decides to rest a bit.

If the crew moves on past where he is at he will stick with the group.

After the explosion, Gilius takes a quick look inside the rabbit room to see if he notices anything particular that the others would have missed and investigate if found.

Next, he runs back to the golem room and inspects what it has become or if there is anything left of it. If there is something, Gilius will examine it and take it.

Then, he quickly tries to pick up the metal hammer nearby although it will most likely be far too heavy for him to take.

After that, he quickly joins the others near the stairs and the doors. Seeing Kyp looking up at the ceiling, Gilius also takes a look there and should notice the spikes. He examines a bit more in case he can find something that the others would have missed, like a mechanism for example.

He also takes a look down the stairs without going down, for anything particular.

"With some 'elp, we could throw the 'ammer on the trap door and see if it triggers somethin' ?"
If the others agree and help, Gilius will do that.
"Or we could go downstairs ?"

Bellandra was skeptical. A shipkin, suddenly so close, where none had been before? It reeked of deception. She heard BenKii's dismissal of the female voices and tended to agree - they were up to no good. But she was not yet sure the shipkin she sensed was part of the trap or real.

She reached out with her mind and tried to contact this seemingly familar kin, hoping whatever might be trying to deceive her would not be able to tap into her shipkin way of communicating. "Who be ye, behind this door? What know ye of these voices?" she thought.

She heard Argy's warning of the large chamber up ahead, with more creatures moving within. And then hissing and movements nearby, perhaps part of those chamber inhabitants had come for an early welcome.

She planned to move closer to the left-side door, aiming to confer with the Count. If the shipkin proved to be real she would inform the count and would devise a strategy to rescue the shipkin and/or gain its aid against whatever was on the other side of the door. Or if the door burst open she would protect the Count.

If a danger arises from the right side door she would use her crossbow and cutlass to defend herself and nearby crew.

If neither door seemed to be an active thread, and if the nearby shipkin proved to be an illusion, she would instead try to move towards the large chamber together with others of the crew, with cutlass and hand crossbow ready. She hoped to eventually find the more distant shipkin she had sensed earlier, although it seemed they were a great distance away still.

Mission 7 - The Tunnels, Turn 16
*Turn Ends 9PM UTC, 2 May 2025.*

In order: Argy, Count, BenKii, Kyp, Bellandra, Crew, Kyp, Grog'tial, Gilius

Argy: (roll dice*2) [Pirate Pete's Rum expires this turn] You aren't sure whether it was Count's bashing it with the shield or the timing on the magic, but your bat suddenly *poofs* out of existence and vanishes.

Count Karnstein: (roll dice*4) (Weakened) You briefly consider all options and come to the conclusion these voices must be talking about you. Like it or not, you feel flattered. They may underestimate your wit, and that may prove advantageous, but heaven forbid anybody speaking ill of your looks. After all, you can play dumb all day long, but you can't simply pretend to be ugly - you just are. Then maybe you should play dumb. At the very least you can stall a bit as the others are joining up.

Count drawing yourself up to your full noble height, while maintaining the shield in front of you, you answer the question about being 'one of the handsome ones'. "Why, I s'pose one could say that. Gotta admit though, ne'er would 'ave dreamed my reputation precedin' me quite so far an' reachin' places so... unexpected. Makes me right curious to know who could it be, that mysterious admirer, who told ye all those interestin' things. Would it be the proprietor? I may want to strike a deal concernin' certain fossil that caught me eye back there..."

"The proprietor? Him?" There comes the sound of feminine laughter and a hiccup or two. "Oh! Oh my!"

The sultry voice snickers. "Can you imagine? That goddess of his would string him up with his own lute strings!"

There is more laughter, then you can tell the sweet voice is straining to stop giggling long enough to speak. "No, honeybuns. We have a proper Madame if you want to make a deal."

Count, you begin to relax a bit. If this is not a trick, these two may not be an actual threat. Some kind of umpires? Neutral observers? They may not be bent on killing you here and now, but is it really likely they'd be willing to help? Is the skull in cahoots with any parties involved? "Helluva convenient lookout spot ye got there. Well, what do I know? Since ye're keepin' watch, 'aven't ye seen or heard any skulls flyin' by? 'Twas glowin' n' hummin', that one." As you ask you eye the rest of the crew and position yourself midway between the doors, ready to move quickly with the shield.

"A flying skull?" the sweet voice asks. It pauses and you hear quiet murmuring, then, "No. Nobody here saw a skull, only those bats that came out of that graveyard painting we see across the way. Lyss swears they were vampires being that they turned into people and walked out the door. You be careful out there, honeybuns."

Captain BenKii: (roll dice*8) "Dang Argy," you say, "What did you put in those cupcakes?" Geez and I thought an overloaded phaser was powerful. I'll have to be careful what I eat around Argy's kitchen. You have surveyed the obliterated room, but it's clear nothing survived that blast. It's strange how the door doesn't have even a single singe mark. How did this door even survive the blast? Was it protected by some kind of shielding? A magical ward perhaps? Like the ones I encountered in the Western Tunnel? There may not be anything left of value in the room but this door's shielding may prove useful if it can be removed from its hinges. You study the door a moment, disappointed to come to the conclusion that even should you be able to get it off its hinges it will be too heavy unless several of you carry it together, leaving over half your team unavailable to fight.

BenKii, you make your way to the others while trying to quickly flip through the Book of Armaments. You see drawings and references that look similar to some of the weapons the mannequins had. At the back you see an entry written in a different hand and something about 'Hagsbane.' Then you hear the Count's conversation with two feminine voices. Normally you would be the first to save those in need of help, especially women in need, but this dungeon has taught you not to trust anyone or anything. With that ticking sound in the distance growing steadily louder, there's no telling what's going to happen once it stops. "Gentlemen, we need to move on into that chamber and find that skull dude," you say to the crew. "Sorry ladies, but there'll be no succubusing going on today. Better luck tricking the next dumb ass to knock on your door."

"Succubusing?" comes the sultry purr. "Rowr. You must be the kinky count."

"All yours," the sweet voice says softly. "I'm curious about the gentlemanly captain who tries to be such a charmer while still a bit wet behind the ears."

BenKii, refusing to pay attention to the voices, you are about to urge everyone into the next chamber when you recall Argy mentioning that her bat found something big and long that seems to move in that cavern as well as possibly huge webs covering a lot of the ceiling as you were quickly scanning through the book. When you look up and see a shadowy figure briefly pop out from where the tunnel turns to the right into the chamber, then quickly dash back with the sound of a hiss and think of that mention of vampires, you re-evaluate your plan. "Oh what the hell was that!? Ok, frak this, new plan! We're going into this right door and see what we can do in there. Maybe find a big weapon to take on whatever that hissing thing was."

BenKii, you promptly proceed to the right-side door and inspect it for traps. Seeing none, you are just reaching for the door when you hear shuffling footsteps coming closer, then a knocking from the other side.

"Knock-knock. Who's there?" comes a cackling voice. "Who could be knocking on my door?" The doorknob rattles, but it appears to be locked.

Kyp: (roll dice*3) (Weakened) Frustrated with the trap not triggering, you decide to finally interact with the weird female voices. "Hey so there is like this trapdoor out here, you have any idea what purpose it serves or how to deal with it? And would you find it all impressive if I make it trigger it without anyone getting hurt?" you ask, deciding to rest a bit until the Crew moves on.

"Oh, there's another of you. Good!" the sweet voice says from behind the left-side door. "No, we don't know about any trapdoor. We're out here in the world, honey, not trapped inside where you are. If it's not in the room in the painting we can't see it. We're just here to keep a watch for you while he works on a way to get you out. Are you sure you should be triggering it? Do you know what's on the other side?"

"Did I just hear a sexy Mer accent? Have you found them?" a third breathless feminine voice eagerly asks.

"We don't know for sure yet," the sultry voice purrs back. "But it seems likely. Go call him."

"He left for the docks. There's rumor a Wolf ship's been sighted. I'll send a runner. Don't forget the riddles ... and I call dibs on the cute Mer!"

"Yes, the riddles!" the sweet voice exclaims with the sound of clapping hands. "That will prove it! Okay, answer me these. He says only one of you will know the first." She clears her throat, then recites:

"One of you he pulled from the water in a darkened sea.
You're not the cook, but still you left behind a recipe.
What was it?

"For the others of you ...
One of your captains likes to whittle, be it ship or stick.
Another cap'n leaves not shavings, but something else upon the deck.
What is it?"

Bellandra: (roll dice*4) You are skeptical. A shipkin, suddenly so close, where none has been before? You hear BenKii's dismissal of the female voices and tend to agree. The voices speak of a goddess, a madame, bats coming out of a painting and now riddles. You can't help but think they are up to no good. You've also heard Argy's warning about the large chamber up ahead with more creatures moving within. And then hissing and movements where that tunnel turns, perhaps part of those chamber inhabitants have come for an early welcome. Yet you're not sure the shipkin you sense is part of the trap or real. You reach out with your mind and try to contact this seemingly familar kin, hoping whatever might be trying to deceive you will not be able to tap into your shipkin way of communicating. *Who be ye, behind this door? What know ye of these voices?* you send, moving closer to the left-side door and the Count while also being ready with your crossbow and cutlass should danger arise from the right.

*Bellandra?* You can barely hear the voice of one of the Owl-Gargoyles. It feels as if he is coming from a distance, but getting slowly closer. *What door? Who-oo are the voices you speak of? The Bard? He sent me for help. We are coming.*

Crew (roll dice*8) Suddenly the ticking gets louder. "Dilly-dallying ..." comes the whisper of that shadowy voice. There is a last tick, then a ding and the corridor shudders as a huge rumbling sound occurs and you feel like the dungeon is somehow revolving and changing around you. Bellandra, Count, Grog'tial and Kyp manage to keep their feet under them. Argy and BenKii are thrown to their hands and knees but are unhurt. The light from the rabbit room disappears and you are plunged back into darkness for a long minute before things seem to settle again. The trapdoor is gone, as are the stairs and the light from the rabbit room. Instead the corridor is now level. There is a burning torch on the wall ~6m/20ft ahead of you and another one ~6m/20ft behind you in the direction from which you came. They cast the corridor in dim flickering light. Up ahead the tunnel still turns to the right ~15.24m/50ft ahead, but ~12m/40ft behind you the corridor now dead ends into a black hole of darkness. The doors to the right and the left remain, but seem quiet.

Kyp:, you can smell the very faint scent of water coming from behind you.

Grog'tial: (roll dice*5) At first you wonder at the "he" being referred to by the voices. Are these agents of your half-brother? They seem too obvious for such, but maybe that's exactly what your half-brother wants you to think! You note the hissing sounds from the shadowy movement beyond the trap door and look around at your companions to see who's carrying the magical lantern - only to realize that no one is! Argh! Why is it so hard to find good help these days? Do you have to do everything yourself?! Then the voices begin to talk of a goddess and lute strings. But before you can voice an opinion, BenKii reaches for the right-side door. He barely stops in time as a knocking comes from behind it and the doorknob rattles. You are reaching to reload your crossbow when the shadowy voice whispers again and the corridor around you rumbles and shudders. You manage to keep your footing. Hurrying, you load a regular and an explosive bolt while repositioning, trying desperately to keep an eye on both doors, Argy, and the others. Then you realize the bright light behind you is gone as is the trapdoor to the front. A torch now burns on the wall 6m/20ft ahead of you. Glancing over your shoulder you see things have changed. There are no stairs, but there is another torch. The door to the rabbit room is gone, there's now just a level corridor opening with the shadowy outline of Gilius standing on the edge of a dark hole your eyes cannot see beyond.

Gilius: (roll dice*4) [Rocky, 2 Turns reserved] The floor drops a short distance beneath you and you fall forward to your hands and knees but are not hurt. As you pick yourself back up you turn to take one last look into the rabbit room, but it's no longer there. Now there is only a sheer drop into darkness and the very faint sound of water somewhere far below. Even with your darkvision you cannot see the bottom. You glance towards where the golem room should be and stare at a solid wall. The dungeon has once again changed around you. You suddenly realize that had you been a little faster and done your original intent to either enter the rabbit room or gone back to check the golem room you would have ended up lost and alone, separated from your crewmates. Even the hammer has vanished. You quickly hurry to join the others.

-----
Dungeon tunnel: Argy, Bat, Bellandra, BenKii, Count [weakened], Grog'tial, Gilius, Kyp [weakened]
???: Aylar, Devin, Cliodhna, Aeshma, Refyx, Rummyfangs, Baldbeard

-----
GM Note: The dungeon has changed itself again. Remember the Shadowy Voice, "Dilly-dallying must be punished..." Be aware. Once the ticking starts you have limited time before the dungeon will alter. Pay attention to the distances and stick together. Dwarves and halflings do not move as far/fast as humans, half-dwarves and half-elves. Had Gilius' initiative come before the dungeon's initiative he would have not had enough movement to get back and would now be alone and cut off from the rest of the Crew.

Captain's Log: Mission 7 - The Tunnels, Turn 16
Succubusses to my left, knock knock jokers to my right, and here I am stuck in the middle with shadowy thingies to my front. Seems like this dungeon has a little something of everything. Then the whispering words of "Dilly-dallying..." uttered throughout the chamber and the ground beneath our feet shook. Soon after the entire room changed. Everything went silent. No more noises from either door and the place behind us was completely engulfed in darkness. It appears if we don't keep up the pace and move forward, this dungeon will slowly eat us up. Best stick together or be eaten by this place.

"Count, try your door on the left and see what's inside. I don't think those ladies are there anymore." said BenKii, "I'll try my door here and check inside."

BenKii will first check the the Armaments book again about Hagsbane to see where some could be found. Then he will try the right door again for traps and peek inside to see what is on the other side. If any threats appear he will quickly close the door. After that, he'll move towards the torch up ahead and take it into his left hand while wielding his musket in his right. Where to proceed next will depend on what is behind either door, what the book says about where to get some Hagsbane, and what is still up ahead. BenKii will prioritize going in the direction of the Hagsbane. If he can not tell where the Hagsbane is, then he will go through the right door to check for some. If it is locked or has tons of enemies, he will try the left door. If the left door is locked and has enemies then he will move forward down the chamber checking for traps. When BenKii hears from Kyp about the water coming from behind the crew, he will change his actions to ignore the doors and quickly grab the torch and proceed further down the chamber as fast as he can while still being able to inspect for traps.

Argy scratches her head "All them side doors... maybe they be just meant to fool us an' make the crew linger an' not reach our goal. Let's move onwards, I say!"
She'll move forward, ahead the tunnel, and grab the torch if no one else did it before her, looking for traps around and watching out for any menacing shapes above her head.

"Guys there is water over that way. Maybe we should go to the water, not that I am biased or anything."

Kyp points to where the scent of water is coming from

"Did you say water? As in rushing water?" That didn't set well with the Captain, "I think this chamber is about to get flooded. We don't have time to check any of these doors. Quickly everyone! We have to push forward and get out of here.

When BenKii hears from Kyp about the water coming from behind the crew, he will change his actions to ignore the doors and quickly grab the torch and proceed further down the chamber as fast as he can while still being able to inspect for traps.

(Added this to my original post as well.)

So, Count was partially right in his theories. His expression rapidly changing to a deep dismay, he addresses the door firmly while slowly clapping.

"Ho-ho-ho, neat trick, awfully well done. Nay, but truly ingenious. A brothel offerin' remote services via paintings? Bleedin' diabolical! Anywho, answer that hoarse pheasant with a riddle too:

One whorin' scoundrel thinks he's bright,
the Moon is dwindlin' - it can't be right!

Don't leave me Mistress, what I'm to do?
I wrote a new song, let me play for you!

We shall play, my dear, worry you not,
by leaps 'n' bounds, find me 'hind the pot.

He runs like mad - something shines ahead.
Mistress, is that you? I'm seekin', as you said!

Shine's gettin' bigger, drawin' near real fast - he sees it now up close.
This ain't the Mistress, alas, but a slimy rumball crashin' on his nose."

Count was about to try opening the door when the reality shift happened. "Anyone home?" he asks slightly disoriented but doesn't intend to open the door anymore. Some old paintings are of no interest to him. However there is one detail that bothers him. Voices mentioned people, alleged vampires, coming out of the painting of the cemetery, and he recalls the smell of fresh earth. But he obviously didn't see anyone (and if the "voices" arrived only when he was already outside, they couldn't see the "vampires" coming out earlier, right?), so that would mean there must be other exit from the room.

If there's a threat of the corridor being flooded in a flash, he will try opening the door and peer inside looking for another exit. If there's one, he will urge everyone to come in and use the other exit to escape the water.

If there seems to be enough time, he would choose to follow the corridor as originally intended instead of diverging and leave the door alone.

"Smells more like a river or stream that leads to a ocean like body, not like a giant "oh no we gotta run away from a huge wave kinda smell." So I think it would be smarter to go towards the water. Besides... we probably need a drink"

Kyp says calmly while winding up the music box.