Knowing that he is not the best one of the group to work on negotiations, Rask quietly scans the room for any obvious clues as to what happened here and anything of interest to the group.
Look, we have no need for all this treasure. It can be yours if you just free us! One of them coos.
Kurag moves up cautiously to the cage. What assurances will you give us that you won't attack us? After all we are the ones that might free you. Will you turn your vengeance upon your captors?
"Swear it. Swear upon your tails and wings that you will not attack us if we free you. And we will free you. But if you break your word, we will slaughter you and leave your corpses to rot here. " Greta looks stern, but secretly wants to free them. No creature should die in a cage.
Assurances? Well...er..none...just this huge, huge, HUGE amount of treasure. You will have to take our word that humans taste way better than dwarves! One says. The other with a laugh says in a low tone, Yeah! The meat is not as tough! The first manticore that spoke shoots the other one a look, and says, We jest! We jest! Please free us and we will do you no harm!
Kuarg actually gives the second a an smile. At least there is some honesty with that one. That was no jest that humans are more tender. We are tough as the stone we come from. I will not hold past meals against you yet I would prefer you sate your hunger on the orcs in the wild. Would you agree to those terms and to help us take revenge on your captors?
The 'honest' one smiles, Yes! Yes! We have no love for the giantess or her minions. Especially since it seems all that one does is cry recently. She will make a fine meal! A very fine meal!
Kurag looks to the others, That is as good as we could hope for. I am willing to make this deal.
If the others agree Kurag will see to how to best release the manticores.
Kurag tests the chain holding the pen in place. This is too heavy for me to do alone. Rask, would you help?
"If you think it is necessary, I will lift the cage" as he stows his shield over his back and hangs Agrimmosh from his belt. He then grabs the chain, takes a step away from the cage and pulls.
Rask pulls the chain and the cage lifts off the ground while the two manticores shout encouragement. As soon as they are able to, the wiggle under the cage. After they free the cage, they stretch and enjoy their freedom.
Thank you! We will keep our word, you can have the treasure One says.
The other one adds, Keep it until we eat you! I don't mind dwarf meat even if its tough!
"Betrayers!" shouts Rask as he wields Agrimmosh and critically wounds the closest manticore.
If possible Kurag yells out to the group. Leave the honorable one unless he attacks you first. Kill the other.
"On their heads be it!" Greta draws her mace and swings at the betrayer. for plus fire damage!
Rask launches into a savage attack the wounds the manticore he is facing.
Both manticores attack, one on Rask the other on Bormann.
As Greta rushes forward, she gets hit with a paw.
Despite her injuries, Greta lands a solid blow with her flaming mace.
|
"Told ya we should have left them to rot." BB prepares his magic and starts casting Summon Monster 2 to summon An Air Elemental. He'll place it so it flanks with Rask.
"You should have kept your word and left, betrayers" the enraged dwarf tells the manticores as he continues to pound on the one in front of him, hitting it twice.
Kurag calmly plucks a pair of arrows from his quiver. We gave you a chance to act honorably and and help us as your rescues. Instead you chose folly and death.
Kurag releases the pair of arrows at the most wounded one trying to bring it down quickly.
Point blank precise rapid shot for
Second shot for
BB Begins casting a spell while Kurag hits the wounded one with an arrow.
Bormann hits the manticore in front of him.
But he is unable to bring Torag's Edge to bear.
Rask puts down the manticore in front of him.
The other manticore will attack Bormann.
|
|
Summon Monster 2 completes, and an Air Elemental appears behind Greta. Flanking with her, it strikes at the manticore.
Meanwhile, BB pulls out his crossbow and lines up a shot.
"Ya got greedy. Should have left when we gave you mercy."
Point blank precise rapid shot for
Second shot for
BB's elemental slams the manticore while his bolt misses.
Both of Kurag's shots hit the manticore.
Greta swings again at the treacherous manticore! for damage plus fire!
Even with the flanking, Greta misses with her mace.
Rask continues to wail on the giant in front of him, but only hitting it once.
|
|
The Air Elemental continues its assault and flanks with Greta.
BB flicks another Acid Dart at the foolish beast.
Rask severely hurts the manticore but it still stands. BB's elemental slams the creature, but BB misses.
Kurag sighs as another set of arrows fly from his bow into the creature. Why must it all end in violence and death? They never listen to reason or give themselves a chance at life. They choose violence and death over freedom. Oh well...
Rapid precise point blank shot for
Crit confirm for
Second shot for
Greta sighs. "The important thing is they CHOOSE. We cannot take away that choice for them. They must have the option."
for damage plus fire damage!
Kurag's first shot puts the manticore down. Inside the cage you find a huge wedding dress-a giantsized, gem-encrusted silk gown, is draped like a tablecloth over a large oaken desk inside the cage.
Under the gown and on the desk you find a letter and its apparent response, which is crumbled up into a ball.
There is also a detailed inventory of Grenseldek’s dowry, and besides cataloging the items found in this room, the list includes several items from Uskroth’s tomb beneath Trunau as future additions to the dowry: most notably, Uskroth’s armor, Uskroth’s hammer, and something called “Uskroth’s rock.”
Lastly, a parchment map shows the location of a secluded valley in the Mindspin Mountains south of Belkzen. “My future with Volstus starts here” is scrawled on the back of the map in Giant.
Grenseldek’s dowry consists of the following, scattered among the chests, crates, and loose piles of coins outside the cage:
A book of love poems written in Giant worth 25 gp;
A marble bust of a stone giant (actually the giant god Minderhal) worth 100 gp;
A woven 25-footsquare carpet depicting two giants making love worth 125gp;
A polished, giant-sized drinking horn made from a mammoth’s tusk worth 150 gp;
A macabre necklace made from petrified human and elf ears;
A series of 12 framed drawings or proportion studies of different giants (cave giant, ogre, hill giant, marsh giant, stone giant, ettin,
frost giant, tomb giant, fire giant, ash giant, cloud giant, and storm giant), each worth 50 gp;
A gem-encrusted scabbard for a Huge falcata worth 200 gp;
A bronze statue of a fierce storm giant riding a dragon worth 150 gp;
5 pp,
147 gp,
103 sp,
976 cp.
After looking at the letter and response, Rask says "well. Looks like the next place we have to go after we finish clearing out this fortress."
"Kurag, which way should we go in here?"
"Greta, before we go on, do you have any healings remaining from Bolka?"
knowledge geography as well Menderhall's Valley
knowledge local Volstus
knowledge local USkroth
Kurag looks at the rug and the necklace with disgust. Someone toss them into the first firepit we find. I might get sick just looking at that thing. The necklace is revolting as well. The rest we can pack out once if we have the space to take it with us.
Kurag then moves over across the room to inspect the other set of doors that he guesses leads to a set of stairs.
perception vs traps (and trapspotter rogue talent) etc +2 orcs, +1 traps, +2 stonework
If everything seems clear then he will open the door. If the steps go up he will creep forward quietly as he goes. If they go down then he will back track a bit to the other set of doors (K29) and proceed to open them up.
I am thinking to clear out this level first and not go down at all. As of right now I don't think anyone in the courtyard or the surrounding area knows that we are hear. If we can stay above everyone and not get noticed we have a good chance of really making this first push count.
stealth
Opening the doors you see that a low fence surrounds a rectangular opening in this room’s floor. A winch, a frayed rope, several rusted buckets, and three large water jugs sit next to the fence.
Kurag notices that the floor around the well is in danger of collapse.
Kurag reports back to the others. Both paths from here lead down. The room over here has a winch and open floor to raise and lower items to this second level. No other exits are seen from there. The floor is really weak as well so I would not recommend heading that way. We can either head downstairs now or try and go around staying up on this level. In order to do that though we will have to leave the confines and head outside where we can be seen. I would prefer to maintain out of sight and not proceed out till this building is clear. That way nothing can get behind us and cut us off. Let’s go back to where the manticore sure and head down that way.
If no one objects then Kurag will head that way.
Stealth
"That sounds good to me" responds Rask, as he grips Agrimmosh tighter and gets behind Kurag.
As Kurag starts to head down the stairs, he hears a guttural chant coming from the room below.
Kurag motions for Rask and Bormann to move up front. Same as last time fellows but perhaps a spellcaster as well. I get the door and you pile in.