Scales

Lizardmen seemed to pour from every dark crevice. Them approached slowly in a low crouch, all the while emitting a low hiss. They came from both ends of the tunnel, a least a dozen.
Then, suddenly, the hissing stopped as well as the advancing reptiles. For a moment, no one moved.
"Well," Gruffydd shouted, "come on then!"
Beyond the edge of the light of their torches, something big moved. Some of the lizrdmen shuffled aside. Into the light stepped a giant Lizardman.
He was brighter in color than the rest. He had great spines protruding from his head and back. His helmet was made from a great serpent, fangs and all. Bones made his breast plate. He carried a great axe made of sharpened stone.
The great beast flicked a bright blue tongue to taste the air.
Then, with a great war cry, Gruffyd attacked.

Desperation

With an enraged Manticore behind them, and a horde of goblins in front, the battle became a desperate affair. Fueled by fear, fear of losing what they had gained, and most of all, fear of death in a dark place, the party fought with reckless courage. Goblins were killed in batches and groups. The party was cut and jabbed, but always they pressed forward. One room, then another, until battered and bruised the last goblin dropped to the floor. But now, they were trapped again. This room ended in no exits. They could already hear the manticore tearing at the door two rooms away.
It wouldn't hold long.
Wounds were bandaged. Weapons were ready. A last stand it would be.
They heard scraping behind them. Gruffydd turned and saw Miss Adventure on the floor, behind a chest scraping at a stone with her short sword. Suddenly, the stone moved! A secret passage.
Nemon was the last to squeeze through the hole in his bulky plate armor.
They lay scattered down a damp, narrow hallway. A small trickle of water gathered in the tunnel's lowest points.
The passage had been dug by hand. It had a strange, unpleasant stink about it. In the distant they heard a "thunk" as the manticore broke into the distant room beyond their secret door. Everyone held their breath. In the silent they heard a low hiss.
Turning, their torches showed a low scaled form....

No way out

Before the roar had even faded, they were stuffing every bag, sack and empty container full of coins. Even the bag with their provisions was emptied on the floor and filled to the brim with coins.
When they could carry no more, they ran for the door on the opposite wall. It lead to room that could only be the Manticore's lair. What furnishings that existed before were now smashed to bits. The room was full of bones of various humanoids and remnants of clothes. Another loud bellow from the darkness and they quickly moved to the next room.
The smell hit the party first. This room was covered in dried blood and festering corpses. Piles of offal filled every corner. Retching, they moved to a closed door.
They emerged in the long hallway they had been to before. When another roar came, it was close enough to fee reverberating from the walls. They ran. Coins clanked and clinked on the floor behind them  leaving a glittering trail.
When they came to an intersection they turned left an ended up facing a barred door. It was iron bound and sturdy.
Another roar. This one filled with pain and hate. The monster had found it's mate. No where to run. No time to listen at the door. Nemon and Gruffydd hacked and smashed at the door. It gave in with a crash.
They poured into the room fearing the other manticore was right behind.
This room was full of Goblins. Lots of goblins....

Rewards

Gruffydd could smell the rank breath of the Manticore. It was that close. He awaited the stroke that would send him to his ancestors.
Then the beast howled in pain. Peering over his shield, he could see Miss Adeventure. The halfling had sped down the hallway and came from behind the manticore through another door. She had drove her short sword deep into the creatures flank. It swung to smash her but she ducked. It t launched poisoned tail spikes, but they missed.
Gruffydd saw his opportunity, and charged. His hammer smashed the manticore's turned head. When it turned sluggishly to face him, a bolt from Mellion's crossbow punctured it's eye. It took a few steps, sliding on the coins that filled the floor, then slumped down dead.
Looking about, most of the party was down.
"We have no more Tears of Shealla," Gruffydd said. "Their wounds are to grievous for me to mend".
"Maybe not completely out," Miss Adventure spoke. She pulled two small vials from her pack, meekly. "Had to keep something for me"
The gave the first vial to Gustav. Once her was awake he was able to call upon heavenly help to heal Gildrid. Nemon got the other vial.
Now, they took stock of the room. Beside the huge bulk of the manticore, the room was filled ankle deep with thousands of coins of every type. Coinage with visages of kings and empires long dead.
"Almost too much to carry", said Nemon.
"Almost", smiled Gildrid.

Their smiles quickly faded when a distant roar was heard. A roar very similar to the angry bellows of their recently defeated foe.

The fight

The beast was all fury and hate, flashing claws and deadly spikes. A Manticore.
Gildrid went down first from swipe of its massive claws. Nemon's brilliant armor was pierced by poison spines. Gruffydd and Gustav rushed forward to drive the beast back from Gildrid's fallen form.
Mellion loosed bolt after bolt into the manticore with little effect, while Miss Adventure put on her magic boots.
Another swipe of the claws and Gustav fell. Miss Adventure was gone, with only the drifting dust to show she had left. Mellion was fumbling with a broken string on his crossbow. The dwarf, Gruffydd, stood alone.

Not dead yet.

Sorry for the lag in our story. My only excuse is life. Hope to post soon. The gang is getting back together end of the month for new stories.