You Spy With Your Little Eye...

(I actually was planning on doing a whole narrative based on your rolls, trying to do the game story-telling style, especially since your rolls were so awesome. I was planning stuff in my head while waiting at the airport this morning. But I'm too bushed now and I have class in 10 minutes. So this time we just get the bare bones.)

You hear them. They don't hear you. They're human and can't see you (yet). You're a half-orc with darkvision and a half-elf with low-light vision. You can see them just fine.

Peering as you crouch, you can see that the stairs go down about 10 feet and go out maybe 12 feet. Some 8-9 feet after that is a door that has been left ajar. There are lit torches in sconces both flanking the door and inside the 25 x 25 foot room on the other side of the door. You hear four human males. They have on scale mail, light steel shields, and flails. (So their AC is 15 without Dex bonuses.) Three are sitting on collapsable chairs and playing cards, the fourth is hiding behind the quarter-open door, chiding them for their frivolity. (The door opens to your left, and swings inwards. There is at least one other door in the guardroom, possibly more, since you can only see the one directly opposite this one. (I'll send you a paintbrush map when I get the chance.)

It's your move. Shoot a crossbow down some stairs and then ahead is rather tricky. As for merely walking in, the torches do illuminate the area from the middle of the stairs on to the room, and at least one guard is facing your way.