DM
The following are the names of those in the owl bear room, or just outside in the hallway, or just above at the grate. Note three parties have just met in one room. This is the first time this has ever happened in my game. Good hunting.

Kinson the Knight
Lapis the Woodsman
Humphrey the Noble Warrior
Felix the Halfling Scout
Jamison (NPC Buccaneer)
Draco (NPC Injured elf)
Biladoc Halfling Thief
John of Vixen the Mage
Gathrax the Mage
Alof the Halfing Scout
Kaddar the Half-elf
Carynth the Druidess
Fraxen Ironbite the Dwarven Warrior
Grumach

Turn 1 - Fight of the Owl Bears:
First another brief room discription so that people can understand. Also note this room is mapped and on the web page. The room is around twenty feet wide. On the left hand side is a door and on the right hand side is a door. There is a grate at the apex of the cavern. From the grate people have started jumping in and a piece of rope remains. I assume the people jumping in are using the rope for as far down as it goes (there by saving themselves from falling damage. Something I will not assume again) The door on the left is where Biladoc was running to, it has opened and warriors have charge through to attack the owlbears as well. The owlbears are chained to the wall near the left door. If you have any other questions ask. Here goes the battle.

Biladoc falls to the ground. He runs for the left door yelling as he sees his companions joining him, "Owl Bears! Two of them!" Biladoc throws a dagger at the bear charging him. The dagger misses the large creature as it veers to the left. Gathrax the mage is still holding his sleep spell at the top of the grate. Fraxen the dwarven warrior sails into the room from above. His axe quickly in his hand. He engages the same owlbear as did Biladoc His axe hits the owlbear putting a small notch in its left shoulder. The Owlbear roars at Fraxen and strikes with two mighty paws and a large snapping beak. One of the paws hits Fraxen square across the face. The Owlbears claws sink into Fraxen's face going through his helm and twsting the helm a quarter of the way around blinding him. Fraxen is knocked against the far right wall. You can hear the wind escape his lungs as he hits. (You are hurt seriously and blinded for the moment by your own helm).
Humphrey a large warrior charges through the door on the left. He wields two swords as he attacks the owlbear that just sent Fraxen across the room. One of Humphrey's blows lands true but the other misses. The wound is deep but not mortal for the owlbear (bear #1). Kinson, an armoured knight, charges out of the door right behind Humphrey and attacks the same beast. Kinson however looses his grip on his sword (fumbled) and tosses his weapon across the room towards Fraxen. Kinson also shouts "'Someone get to the other side of the cave and press the button!" Lucky for Fraxen he can not see the huge weapon sail into the wall next to him. A Halfling (Felix) sits crouched at the door that Kinson and Humphrey just charged out of.
At this point a large seven foot tall hyenna headed man sails past the group at the grate and lands in the middle of the cave below. As members of both groups glance at him he shows them his empty hands and nods. Alof the other halfling here climbs down the wall carefully and disappears iinto the shadows of the cavern. John the Mage stands at the top of the grate with Gathrax in awe of the battle taking place below. He can only catch glimpses of steel and hears screaming. Jamison a human buccaneer wialding a cutlass charges through the door past Felix. "DIE Beast", he yells as he attacks the second beast that turns towards him. The large owlbear slaps Jamison on either side of his head with his great paws. As he does so he sinks his large beak into Jamison's chest. Jamison drops to the ground unmoving. Carynth sails into the room from above. Her brown robes flowing around her as she does. Her scimitar flashes like silvery lightning . It strikes deep into Owlbear #2. Kaddar remains above with the two human mages watching the fight taking place below. Draco is injured and unable to join in the fray.
That is the end of Round 1. Jamison is down, Fraxen is badly injured and blind, and both owlbears still remain standimg.

BILADOC
I tumble to the other side of the cavern, to look for the button Kinson mentioned, avoiding the owl bears. As I do so, I yell to the mages above: 'Don't throw any spells down here!!'
I also yell to Alof: 'Alof, forget the beasts! Find the button!'

GRUMACH
Can I draw my manriki and attempt a pull/trip attack? This is what I will do and atempt to slow the bears down while these guys dispatch them.

HUMPHREY
Humphrey seeing Kinson's sword slide across the room: "Kinson, go hit that button."

CARYNTH
Since Biladoc is trying to sew the button up, I will continue attacking the owlbear. However, my first order of business will be to cure Fraxen, as soon as the bear is dispatched or down enough so that I can disengage and be assured that it will be killed.

ALOF
I am going to listen to Biladoc and quickly go towards him to help him find the button. I will try to be silent so the owlbears don't hear me.

GRUMACH
Just to let all you guys know, the hyena headed dude will be whiping a long chain around, trying to entangle the owlbear's neck (the one what smacked the dwarf). This might cause some problems, but both the hyena headed one and the owlbears are a few heads taller than everyone else...

GATHRAX
If there is light enough to do so, I am going to try to "Sleep" the Owlbears. If there is no light I shall light one of my torches. If all else fails, I'll just sit back and watch, because I'd probably hit the good guys if I threw a dagger.

BILADOC
I keep tumbling to the other side. When I get there, I'll look for the button, always keeping an eye on the Alberts, sorry, owlbears. If any of them approaches me, I'll tumble away, trying to keep near the door on the right or, at least, the wall.

DM
Biladoc tumbles to the other side of the room and begins looking for a switch or button. Alof is in the shadows and joins him. "Hoi friend" he whispers. NeIther seems to find the button. Felix still has not moved out of the doorway. However Lapis charges out drawing both his sabres and attacking an owlbear. Both his swings are wide and miss thier mark as an owl bear gives him an evil glance. A rope is thrown down by Gathrax for any to climb up that needs to. Fraxen seems to regain his senses but is badly injured. John of Vixen leaps down into the fray. His robes belowing behind him. As he lands he draws his daggers and says "Ahh Ha!" The hyenna headed man swings some strange rope like object that wraps around the head of the wounded owlbear. He does not seem amused at this. Kinson leaps and rolls next to his sword. He grasps it and rolls to his feet. Humphrey swings but his blow deflects off the owlbears thick pelt. Carynth's scimitar sinks deeply into the (to this point) non injured owlbear. It roars with pain. The Owlbear Carynth just injured slaps her with a claw ripping her robes and leaving a bloody mark on her belly. The wound is deep and begins to bleed freely. The large bear turns its beak towards John of Vixen and bites into his neck. At the same time the second Owlbear claws John of Vixen iin the groin. John drops to the ground like a lump of mashed potatoes.

CARYNTH
I attack again with my scimitar, ignoring my bleeding for the next round, hoping to carve deeply into this owlbear's neck!

BILADOC
I open the door, just enough to see what's inside, saying to Alof: 'The button must be inside. It's the only place these beasts can't reach.' If everything looks safe, I'll enter the room to look for the button.

ALOF
I am going to guard the door if Biladoc goes in but I'll keep searching anyways. If an owlbear comes near I'll stop searching and attack it with my longsword.

DM
Grumach the Hyenna head man pulls on the rope he has wrapped around Owlear 1's head. Owlbear 1 stumbles forward off balance knocking Lapis to the side. Meanwhile, Alof Is ready with his long sword waiting behind Biladoc at the door. Felix (who has not sent me a move in some time) still remains at the opposite door looking in. Carynth swings at Owlbear 2 and guts another long gash in the creatures side. He roars quite unhappy with how things are going. Biladoc opens the other door and sees a small hall area. There is a small passage leading off to the right and straight ahead it dead ends. Here can be seen four black robed figures. They are covered in blood and look quite dead. They seem to have been killed only a few hours ago. Fraxen (who did not submit a turn) glances around. He seems to have recovered his whits but undecided about his actions. Gathrax waits above with Kaddar. They wait to pull anyone up that grabs on the rope they have lowered. Kinson having recovered his sword and swings at Owlbear 2 who is closer. Kinson opens a huge gash in the owlbear's neck that bleeds freely. Humphrey attacks Owlbear 1 with his two blades. His swords swing like silver lightning. One blade connects soundly with the Owlbear's neck and continues down its side leaving a gash from which the owlbear's guts begin to spill. One of Humphrey's swings however impacts with the hard stone floor and one of his swords breaks in half. Owlbear 1 struggles to stay up. He snaps at Lapis but misses him. He can not use his front paws because he is busy pulling against Grumach's pull. Owlbear 2 bites Kinson soundly on the left arm. Kinson's arm falls limp to his side almost bitten in half by the large beast. Kinson screams in pain but manages to remain standing. Owlbear 2 throws a claw Carynth's way that impacts on her scimitar shattering it and sending small shards of metal that stick in Carynth's left leg and abdomen. She is shaken at the loss of her weapon but can still move. P.S. Note: the two Owlbears seem on the verge of collapsing. Next turn will be done tuesday night or as soon as I get a response froom everyone. Please take Overlord (John of Vixen) off you mailing lists as he is out of the game. ALOF I am going to attack owlbear #1 or 2 (whoever's closer) and in the next round I'll run back to the place I was. If I'm to far away to make an attack this round I'll ask Biladoc if it looks safe. If he says yes I'll come in the room and help him search for the button.

FELIX
For those of you paying attention you see a halfling sneaking around the bugbears as if to get behind them .

BILADOC + DM
> I've looked in Artisc's page the map of the temple. I'm at the door > in the lower side of the picture, right?
Yes
> What do the large red 'S' near the other doors mean (maybe I'll have > to go there to know...)?
Secret doors
> Do I see anything that resembles a button / lever / knob / whatever?
Not outside the door
> Is there any light in this passage or is it the same as in the cave?
It is the same. Actually less light.
> Do the (alleged) dead guys have any weapons near them?
Yes there are soome weapons. Short swords daggers and maces
. > Are they near the door or near the end of the passage (or halfway
)? They are scattered in the hallway
> Is there any trail of blood leading out of the passage?
No trail of blood can be seen. Except that it looks like some of the bodies where dragged from the door on the right to the center of the hallway. As if to clear that doorway.

P.S. Biladoc is asking about what he can see. This is just for you all to know what you see later on if you look through the door he has opened. Some of you may know more about the scene than is discribed here. :-)

GRUMACH
Grumach will continue pulling and yanking. Snarl a bit too.

CARYNTH
As I attempt to disengage from Owl Bear 2, having lost my close-range weapon, I yell to Fraxen, "Fraxen, pull on the rope! You are seriously injured! Get out!" hoping Kaddar will pull him up from the top. I will begin to slow the bleeding of my own wounds, if successfully disengaged from my creature (see? I've developed an attachment with the chained fellow).

BILADOC
I'll throw my dagger at bear #2.
I yell to the cave: 'The passage is clear. I'll go in. Kinson, where's the button?' If he answers me and says its inside, I'll enter the hall. If I see any button/lever/knob I'll push/pull/turn it. I'll enter the hall anyway, unless Kinson says the button is inside the cave, not in the hall.

KINSON
"Forget the button, we had to search to find it. We nearly have them beat -- everyone attack that can." Then he concentrates on his enemy before him.

BILADOC
After hearing Kinson's response, I forget about the button, follow my dagger and tumble away to approach bear #2 from the rear, keeping away from its paws and beak. As soon as I reach it, I'll attack with my short sword (can I backstab the beast?).

DM
Grumach snarls and snaps at the Owlbear as he yanks on the rope throwing the large beast forward. Alof attempts to hit Owlbear #2 which is closest to him but misses by a long shot. Seeming to have sliped on something. Carynth manages to pull away from the beast as Kinson attacks it. Carynth is wrapping her cloak around her mid section to stop the bleeding. Gathrax slides down the rope and moves toward Fraxen. As he reaches Fraxen he guides him towards the rope. Biladoc attacks Owlbear #2 and nicks its paw. As it turns towards him Kinson moves in swinging hiw sword with all his strength. His sword sinks deep into the Owlbear's back and neck. The Owlbears roar turns into a gurgling sound as it slumps to the ground in front of Biladoc.
Humphrey attacks Owlbear 1 with his whole sword. His first swings misses. But then his broken sword comes up and sticks in the beasts side. Humphrey tugs on the broken blade but it seems to be lodged between the beasts ribbs. At the same time Lapis attacks Owlbear 1. His twin sabres sink deep into the beast. The combined assualt finishes the second owl bear. The roars and growls of the beasts are replaced by the panting of the victors.

That's that! After some rest, I'll send you the next chapter. Please let me know if you receive this. Thanks.