Seeing one of their attackers go down, the kobolds intensify their attacks on Oso, slicing at him with serrated shortswords, while their commander shouts orders at them.
From his position in the barricade room, Artius swings briefly into view, crossbow at the ready and fires a bolt at the chief before ducking back behind cover.
The serrated swords rip and slice Oso's waist wide open, leaving huge gashes as the flaps of skin drip blood in all directions. The garundi native screams in rage and attacks in full anger.
He may be going down, but he is going down fighting.
Mandraiv takes a shot at one of the kobolds on Oso.
Aredhel stands and attacks the kobold on Oso.
Moving away from the now healed elf, Imsh moves towards the kobolds, his flail swinging.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
Attack-melee:
Damage:
The party's attacks cut the other two kobold guards down where they are standing. Seeing this, their commander drops his spear and backs against a door at the western edge of the room. He holds up his hands in a gesture of supplication, and in Common shouts "Surrender! Surrender! Chief not worth dying for!"
Aredhel is about to pivot into a scything swing when the commander drops his spear. So much force would have been behind the blow that she almost stumbles in arresting her attack, her graceful form suddenly awkward in its abortive swing.
Her face smeared with blood, her eyes wild, she glares at the kobold, greatsword held at the ready.
"Your chief! Tell us about him. Is he called Bargle? What other defenses does he have?"
Her tone - made raw, no doubt, by her sudden brush with death - leaves no doubt as to willingness to resume her attack if the kobold doesn't speak quickly and to the point.
Mandraiv advances towards the commander and stops when he gets 5 feet away.
Artius remains on guard in the outer room, listening as Mandraiv and Aredhel interrogate the surviving kobold. Although heavily wounded, he holds his crossbow steady, covering the closed door.
Imsh checks over the party for any untended wounds.
"How is everyone? Anyone in need of Gorum's touch?"
Oso holds the flaps of skin closed across his stomach but the blood has flowed down onto his legs. He shrugs at Imsh.
"Let Oso rest for a while and this scratch will go. Gorum would be proud, Imsh. Dem kobolds nasty!"
He lifts one hand and points his sword at the one that surrendered. "I take your head if you don't tell him! You speak or lose life from neck down. Ha!"
Making sure everyone is close at hand, Imsh begins a long prayer to the glory of Gorum; extolling the martial virtues of all the party. He ends the sermon with a request of healing for all.
Prayer of Healing:
The kobold commander hears Mandraiv's voice in his mind saying, "Tell us what you know of Bargle and we will be merciful. Lie to us and you will know pain such as you never imagined."
The kobolds grabs his head after Mandraiv speaks into his head, shaking it back and forth as if trying to clear it. "No, no, demons, get out of my brain!"
He throws himself grovelling on the floor, squeaking out "I will do as you ask, but I do not know about Bargle-wizard. He only talks to the chief, but I am sure the chief will see you if he hasn't fled already. Chief will talk, yes he will."
The kobolds gets to his knees and points toward the door on the western wall. "Chief through there, I will make introduction if you wish."
Mandraiv says to the rest of the group, "Let's go see the Chief then."
Mandraiv says to the kobold, "Lead the way. But if you do anything funny you will die horribly."
Mandraiv keeps his pact blade as a longsword held in one hand.
The kobold nods, walking over to the double doors and giving a complex series of knocks. After a moment, a small, 2-inch-wide slot opens toward the bottom of the door, and a kobold voice in draconic responds: "Did you kill them all, Sekkax?"
"No, sub-chieftain, they killed my warriors and now wish to talk to the chief."
A few seconds of silence pass, followed by some indistinct murmuring as more kobolds confer.
"Very well, the chieftain has agreed."
The voice of the sub-chieftain is replaced by another raspier one speaking in Common. "Who wishes to speak to the chieftain of the Ebonscales, the speaker of the Allmother, and the Master of Traps?"
Aredhel looks to Mandraiv, clearly expecting him to hold this palaver.
Mandraiv responds in Common, "I am known as Don, a warlock of the Great Old One and an instrument of terrible retribution. I demand to speak to your Chieftain face to face about the wizard known as Bargle. I do not have any problems with the Ebonscales other than that they are serving Bargle. Attempt to protect Bargle and we will destroy your entire tribe. Let us know what we want to know and stand aside and we will leave you untouched."
"You speak to the Chieftain now," says the voice through the door, "but I prefer having several inches of hard wood between myself and those who wish to kill me. I will remind you that it was you who attacked my sentries in the upper level. You came to seek us out and destroy us, you brought death here."
"As for the man, Bargle, we do not serve him. He has assisted us on numerous occasions, has offered us fair trade, and for that we have given him shelter in our realm. If you have business with him, I suggest you find him and deal with him yourself."
Mandraiv replies to the Chieftain, "In point of fact your sentries on the upper level attacked us first. Secondly, without the information you could give us on how to find Bargle, we will necessarily run into more of your people as we seek him out. Given that your people will tend to fight us just because, we will have no choice but to kill them. Your silence on this matter will result in the destruction of your tribe. Last but not least, this door is still between us only because I haven't seen fit to destroy it yet. So I say again, tell us how to find Bargle and get out of our way. We will leave you alone. Or keep playing games and your tribe will be destroyed. If you want to avoid that open the door and talk to me face to face."
Mandraiv will take a few moments to dismiss pact weapon and recall it as a battle axe. He will also check the door and immediate surroundings for traps.
Oso charges the door with an almighty roar, his shoulder goes down at the last second and hits it with everything he has!
Aredhel's eyes widen in shock as Oso interrupts the negotiations with violence. Cursing under her breath, she falls into a combat stance, ready for what may come.
Imsh smiles at the barbarians particular method of diplomacy! He readies his flail and settles his shield onto his arm, preparing for the inevitable combat.
Stowing his crossbow, Artius draws his short swords once more. He'll remain near the back keeping an eye on the corridor through which we entered, just in case anyone is trying to sneak around behind the party.
Initiative:
Aredhel:
Artius:
Imsh:
Mandraiv:
Oso:
Kobold bodyguards:
Kobold lieutenant:
Kobold chieftain:
Even though the wooden door was barred on the far side, it gives way to the barbarian's punishing assault. It still hangs from its hinges, but is otherwise disconnected from its frame.
The kobold lieutenant standing next to you shrieks as the barbarian acts as a human battering ram and jumps back, grabbing his spear in the process and holding it out menacingly.
Inside the room, the voice of the chieftain switches into Draconic:
Mandraiv takes a two handed grip on his battle axe and attacks the kobold with the spear.
No screams, no yells, no bloodsworn oaths; Aredhel does not cry havok, but rather simply steps forward to spear her blade into the kobold's belly.
Mandraiv cuts down the spear-wielding kobold with a single swipe of his magical battle axe.
Oso is now frothing at the mouth, splinters dripping from his heavy shoulder and he roars with his slashing sword raised. Then he attacks the nearest kobold in reckless haste.
, ,
, ,
Standing at the back of the group, Imsh holds out his holy symbol and intones a blessing onto his friends.
Mandraiv will step back away from the door so he's not getting in the way of Aredhel and Artius. He will try to find a spot where he can see into the room and cast spells at the kobolds inside it.
As Oso breaks down the door and charges into the room, the chief's bodyguards are already waiting with shortswords drawn to receive him. They slash at the barbarian, but only one is able to connect.
,
,
,
,
In response, Oso cuts down two of the kobolds, dropping them in a pool of their own blood and entrails.
Aredhel rushes in behind him, stepping to one side and inflicting a mortal wound upon the third one.
Imsh performs a blessing upon his fellow adventurers, giving divine guidance to their actions.
Mandraiv will try to take out the last guard with an eldritch blast.
Mandraiv inflicts a serious wound on the last remaining kobold, but it is not enough to bring him down. He staggers as the blast hits him in the face, but still looks determined despite the overwhelming force allied against him.
Following in the wake of Oso and Aredhel, Artius attacks the last guard as he presses on towards the chief.
;
;
Artius cuts down the last guard with a quick stroke, then follows it up with a stab at the chieftain, who is able to turn aside a killing blow and merely takes a flesh wound. A look of desperation on his face, the chieftain retreats by diving under a nearby table against the southern wall, disappearing from view.
As the party follows, they see that there is a small bolt hole under the table into which the kobold must have fled. It is less than a foot in width, much too small for any of you to fit through; there is no sign of the chieftain.