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Abaos will attempt to communicate with Nakpik, in her new role as one of the official finders of the Sootscale Tribe. He offers her a handwritten letter to Happs, Kressel, and Oleg explaining who the kobolds are, what they are looking for, and clear instructions to help them in any way they can. In the letter, he'll also explain what the party has been up to, and promises to come visit as soon as possible. He'll then sign on the bottom.
Bright Awn and Ozzy go to speak with the mite. It's shouting at them as soon as they're in earshot.
"Lookit here! Ickle li'l kobolds found some big ol' apefolk to help them kill themselves! Now don't that just warm yer heart!" The ugly blue fey is mostly head, and its enormous eyes bulge from its head with rage. It spits while it talks, and seems almost frothing with forcibly constrained fury.
It's cage is full of spiderwebs, but that isn't enough to stop the flies and other flying insects from trying their hardest just to be near the fey creature. A hive of wasps have even built a nest in one corner. The mite snatches a butterfly out of the air and rolls out between its fingers. Dropping the remains of the insect on the ground, the mite leaps up and rattles the wooden bars of its prison.
"Lemme out of here so's I can kill you! I'll kill you deader than you've ever bin killed before!"
Ozzy approaches the caged fey creature with a sympathetic smile on her face. Mr. Blinky keeps a cautious distance behind her while a second, new creature sits draped around her neck.
Mr. Winky looks like a distant cousin of Mr. Blinky. Though much smaller, he has the same big eyes and tiny nose at the end of a long, slender body covered in brown and grey fur that tapers seamlessly into a thin, whip-like tail. His forelimbs are large, membranous wings. They look like oversized hands with translucent webbing between spindly fingers with bulbous joints. His hindlimbs are much smaller, and are located nearly at the end of his tail. They are similar in shape, but have slightly thicker fingers with less webbing, making them useful for grasping small objects.
As she approaches the cage, Ozzy evaluates its construction, trying to figure out how to open it without getting too close to the gross webs and insects.
Coming to stand outside the cage, just too far away for the mite to reach out and grab her, she crouches down resting her folded arms on her knees, and her chin on her arms as she looks the mite right in the eyes. Hi. I'm Ozzy. What's your name?
Pausing to let the mite respond, she continues. Listen [name, assuming he gives one], I hear you and your people have been fighting with the kobolds here for a while now. Turns out, they were being manipulated by their shaman, but he wasn't really a kobold at all. He was a gnome in disguise, who was tricking the kobolds into fighting you.
My friends and I killed him and all of his followers and took over control of the tribe.
There's nobody left who wants to fight with your people, so you win! My friends and I want to go with you, back to your home, and tell everyone the good news. After that, we want destroy the false god you guys stole from them and form an alliance with you to conquer or kill any other enemies you have, so we can unite this region, and no more of your people have to die. Does that sound good to you, [name]?
The mite is suprised at Ozzy's mastery of it's language. "Who taught you speakin' mite, apefolk? I's is Novus Spiderhill."
Despite Ozzy's best efforts, she utterly fails to calm the mite. "So the kobolds dun wanna fight, huh? Fine with me! I'll gut them, and any apefolk what that's their friend! If them's standing still for it, so much's the easier! Lemme out of this cage, so's I can make you bleed real slow!" The mite shoves a hand through the bars and points at Ozarra dramatically. "Loyal bug friends! Kill the apefolk!"
The wasps that were buzzing around the mite's prison suddenly fly out of it, dive bombing and stinging Ozzy. Spiders, centipedes, and armadillidiidae come swarming out of the cage, likely to meet a swift end at Ozzy's boots. (There aren't enough of them to be dangerous.)
The mite throws back it's head and laughs while it's minions rush to their doom. That's what mites do, when they have minions to order around.
Once Ozzy and her own minions have crushed or chased off all of the insects (which I'm assuming from your description that I don't need to roll for), thereby removing the mite's ability to control them, she continues, now standing and looking down on him. I'm sorry you feel that way, Novus. My friends and I were hoping that your people could be reasonable, and that you personally could rise to power among them as our emissary.
As she continues, she maintains a matter-of-fact tone that says "this isn't a threat, I'm just sharing information that might interest you about how things are going to be from now on." If you won't listen to reason, you will have to die. She shrugs. If your people won't listen to reason, they will die as well. The Stolen Lands belong to us now. Those who join us will prosper, those who refuse will meet the same fate as your "minions" here. She lifts her foot and points to the bottom of her boot. The choice is yours. You can choose to die, or you can choose to prosper under our rule.
Ozzy picks up a nearby torch. She holds it casually, but makes it clear that she needs only touch it to the highly flammable webs that fill Novus's cage to set it alight, burning the mite alive. What's it going to be? She asks, with a smile.
While Ozzy’s interrogation happens, Iorskan brings his Ten Commandments to Chief Sootscale. He is quite happy to have someone to handle the day to day operations of rulership, for already the crown is a heavy (if very satisfying) burden. It is much easier, and more fun, to have someone else do the hard work!
"It's gonna be! It's gonna be!" the mite begs nonsensically. "Don't cook me!" it adds, clarifying what it means a little.
Chief Sootscale is pretty happy with the the ten laws, he wasn't planning on doing any of those things anyways. Well, besides number nine, but who's to know? He especially likes number four, he thinks that's a good and important rule. Except ... "Whadja mean misusing your name? You mean, like, mispronouncing it?"
Glad to hear it! Your people will regard you as their savior! She says this with a smile, but the clear but unspoken implication is that he almost just got them all killed. I'll just go see if my friends are ready to go, then we'll take you back to them. Ozzy goes to tell the rest of the party the good news, and gather them up so they can head out. Mr. Blinky stays, staring menacingly at the caged mite.
”Oh, that. That means don’t make up new rules and say that I said them. You can say that you said them, just don’t say that I did. So long as what you do doesn’t break any of the others, I probably won’t care.”
The morning dawns grey and dismal. Like Chief Sootscale thought, it started raining in the night and will likely continue through the day. It's been roughly a week since you left Oleg's Trading Post, and the party is likely running low on food and other supplies, but the kobolds are more then happy to resupply you.
The kobolds wish the party well as they set off across the sodden Kanelands to peacefully or violently make peace with the mites. Chief Sootscale has some parting words. "The Mites live in a big dead tree, up that way. They have some giant bugs in there, big enough to swallow a kobold whole! No one steps foot in there without skeletons to distract the bugs, but ever since Tartuk died the skeletons haven't stopped digging. I think they're doing the last thing Tartuk told them too. Good luck in there."
Mr. Winky flies ahead of the group, stealthily scouting the path ahead of them for dangers.
Seeing the mite act the way it did, Awn is all for transporting it in the cage.
Spiderhill reluctantly sulks in the middle of the group, as you march through the rain. In the hilly Kanelands, the trees aren't nearly thick enough to provide any sort of cover from the precipitation, but fortunately its more drizzling than pouring, at least for the moment.
Mr. Winky flies wide circles around the slow moving land bound party, trapped on the ground as they are. He keeps an eye out for possible dangers while he does so, checking in with Ozzy regularly.
Thus it is Mr. Winky that sees the bear.
For it's part, the bear doesn't seem to notice Mr. Winky flying high overhead. It's just walking along, keeping it's head down, minding its own business. It isn't being particularly threatening, but there's a menace intrinsic to outweighing a party of five intrepid cartographers. The term "apex predator" means a lot more in a world with dragons and magical beasts, but if Galorian is anything like Earth, the Grizzly bear has a reputation bordering on fantastic, it's a creature made as much of folklore as blood or flesh.
Iorskan turned his head up. Bears. No big deal. Not to a dragon! He decided to ignore it. And not just because it could easily eat him...
Awn likewise ignore the majestic creature, ready to act if Guthruc gets hungry for bear.
"bear? Guthruc stronger than bear!"
Guthruc increases his speed and marches straight toward the bear with conviction and bloodlust in his eyes.
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Abaos coughs. "Hey, Guthruc!" he calls. "Ozzy was just telling me about this bigger bear, really, really, huge, bear, right over that way." He points in the opposite direction of the bear. "Weren't you, Ozzy? Gotta be at least twice as big, maybe three times, the size of that other one. You want to prove who's stronger? You should go after that one, yes you should! Right?" He slowly looks around to his teammates.
Ozzy isn't particularly afraid of the bear, but doesn't see any reason they need to kill it either, so long as they can avoid being ambushed. The idea of playing a trick on the gruff orc appeals to her, though. She smiles conspiratorially at Abaos's lie, adding Yup. Two of 'em, actually.
Surprised at the sudden inventiveness of Abaos and Ozara, Awn stands by, waiting to see if the orc falls for the diversion.
Fate will out!
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Guthruc grins as he continues to march toward the bear
"they next. This bear for practice"
When Guthruc was almost at the peak of the hill, he stops, realizing the magnitude of his mistake. He almost risked his life. He almost ... forgot to eat a bird today! He realizes this error and immediately jumps into action, locating and destroying the nearest avian he could get his hands on
While munching on the bird, guthruc begins walking alongside the party once more
"what Guthruc doing again?"
He shrugs, assuming it was something trivial. He proceeds to walk alongside the party as though nothing had happened.
Spiderhill gets increasingly agitated as you walk toward where he insists the mite's home is. He was hoping you'd attack or get attacked by something or other and give him a chance to escape, but he has eyes on him and bodies around him all the way.
You take a bit of a detour to avoid the bear, but Spiderhill knows this area enough to do so without fear of getting lost. Mr. Winky flying overhead keeps him from leading you into dangerous territory which he tries once or twice.
As you walk, you note some shrubbery growing atop a distant hill. It's mostly dead, but there are some leafy patches. Before long, the distant hill is a nearer hill, and then a hill that you're climbing, and then you realize that there wasn't any shrubbery on the hill at all. There were just some extraordinarily tall trees, most of them leafless and bare, on the hill behind it.
You continue walking.
Somewhat out of breath, you make it to the hill with the trees, but as you were climbing it became apparent that this hill didn't have any trees either. In fact, since the mound you're standing on is taller than it's nearest neighbor's, you can see that the trees are both much taller than you initially thought, and very far away.
An hour and a half after that realization, you realize it's all just one tree.
Judging by the seed pods that stick to your shoes, forming a second sole thicker than the first, and the grey, peeling bark the wind has scattered further even than it's branches stretch, those with Kn. Nature would say this is a sycamore tree . . . if it wasn't one hundred and twenty meters tall. (394 feet) With no other trees capable of crowding it, it's branches stretch nearly as far horizontally.
Spiderhill leads you strait towards the tree. The grey bark, decaying leaf, and seedpod carpet gets thicker (and stickier) as you get closer to the trunk. Before long you're wading through the stuff, and it's sticking to your legs. Ozyy is happy to have her long boots, because the sappy mess is covered in spiders. Not fun. Everyone takes a break to tuck their pants into their shoes.
Looking around, you can't see any obvious evidence of mite habitation, no huts or holes or anything. But Spiderhill said this was the place to go, and isn't moving at all.
There are two mites mostly concealed by the bark and decaying leaves, elbowing each other and drawing weapons.
EDIT
You are in marching order with Spiderhill in the middle, forty feet away from the mites who have their backs to the tree trunk (which is two squares across.).
Ozzy is blissfully unaware of the mites concealed ahead, and Mr. Blinky is momentarily distracted by trying to scrape the seed pod gunk from his paws. Mr. Winky, however, continues to scout ahead. As the huge tree's canopy grows lower and denser, he begins to flit from branch to branch, concealing himself as he looks for dangers. Everyone is surprised when the tiny eidolon alights on Ozzy's shoulder and whispers in her ear.
Ozzy stops in her tracks, staying far enough back to avoid being ambushed (out of charging range) and looks in the direction Mr. Winky indicates. She plants the blunt end of her spear on the ground, standing upright in a strong but non-threatening stance. Hello, friends! she calls. We have one of your people with us, Novus Spiderhill. We've come to return him to you, and to parley with your leaders about your war with the kobolds and the future of your tribe. We want to offer you an alliance, and to usher in an era of great prosperity for your people!
If the check fails by 5 or less, the subject does not accept the deal but may, at the DM's option, present a counter-offer that would push the deal up one place on the risk-vs.-reward list.
Those of you who couldn't see the mites from so far away (read: everyone who isn't an eidolon) are suprised by a mite poking it's head out above the leaves. "I dunno who you are, butcha gonna hafta leave all your stabbity weapons here on the ground, if you wanna talk to King Grabbles," the guard informs Ozzy.
They want us to leave our weapons. Actually, he said "stabbity weapons", so slashing and bludgeoning weapons might be ok?
Guthruc will take the "stabity" portion of the request for granted and keep his weapon.
Awn is amazed by the party's surroundings, having never encountered such magnificent growing things before. He tries to contain his base level elation, and get serious. Being told he must part from T'lass brings the harsh to his native buzz in double quick time.
"How can we be sure they won't just take our weapons and then attack, or just steal them generally? This is not a wise move. Granted, we are still fairly capable, but nevertheless, I will not forsake T'lass." Awn waves the curved blade in the air as if to make his point. Err, slash. Um. Something.
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Abaos always has four starknives on him at all times- two tucked into sheaths on his belt, two tucked into his wrists via a wrist sheath. At Ozzy's instructions, he calmly picks up the starknives in his belt, and slides them into the ground. He calls out to any in the surrounding area "These are real expensive knives, here- I want them back when we return. So no touchy." He then shrugs his shoulders and turns to the rest of the group.
Like I'm going into hostile territory unarmed- ha!
Iorskan merely stands tall and proud. Looking (he hopes) very aloof.
We are reasonable people, and our friend Novus tells us that you are reasonable as well, so let us compromise. My orcish and, um, tree? companions carry weapons that they don't actually know how to use, but to which they have strong emotional attachments, and from which they can't bare to be parted. If the rest of us agree to relinquish our weapons, would it be alright if they hold on to theirs?
The mites see right through you. "What come there's nuthin keepin' ya from givin' them sword and stick to someone what knows how to use 'em?" one of the mites queries. The other mite shakes his head. Someone just called him a reasonable people for the first time ever and now his partner's trying to mess it up for him! "Let it go, Geophry," he begs.
With no small amount of murmuring, Geophry does.
The mites believe that neither Guthruc nor Awn are trained with their weapons.
Looking at Guthruc in awe, Iorskan thought Imagine What he could do if he knew how to use that! It was a horrifying thought. And poor Awn! If he remembered he’d have to hire his friend a tutor. He would have made a note of it, but being bereft of paper or pen meant that he’d have to trust his memory...
Awn bows low, making like a sentient sycamore - which does exactly nothing but make him look edible.
Your new mitish guard shows you the concealed entrance to the mites' subterranean lair; concealed by the gnarled roots of the tree is a shaft that grows dark before you can see the bottom . . . except you all have darkvision! So you can see that it reaches the ground roughly two body lengths from the surface. The side of the shaft that is the tree has hand and footholds carved into it; the athletics DC is 5 and you're in no rush so feel free to take ten. You are, however, likely unnerved by the spiders, spiders everywhere. They're crawling all over the walls and floor of the lair, everywhere you go. Whenever you accidently step on one, making a crunchy sound, the mites with you turn and glare, though they don't say anything.
One of the mites remains on the surface, the other (and Spiderhill) descend with you.
Welcome to R1! You'll be passing through quite a few rooms of dungeon crawl monster killing except without the monster killing, so bear with me. I'll be putting each room in spoilers to make the post easier to scroll past later.
R1. Prank Workshop
Three crude, wooden workbenches occupy the center of this room, their tops strewn with various tiny tools, metal and wooden hardware, and blocks of wood.
The mites use this odd workshop to design prank devices, but with their new war against the Sootscales, they’ve taken to making pranks of a more lethal nature. To date, only seven mites have been killed in these risky modifications. The slope to the southwest quickly becomes a 30-foot-deep shaft that drops into area R3—it’s a DC 5 Climb check to scale this shaft, the walls of which are thick with hanging roots. The slope to the northeast leads to the junction between the exit shaft and the 20-foot-long tunnel leading to R2. Creatures: A pair of mites, Dingetooth and Uurch, scurry about the room engaged in a strange competition using a new device they’ve built. Using a miniature catapult rigged out of bones and branches, the two take turns firing caltrops at one another’s open mouth. The goal is to see who can get the most caltrops into the other’s mouth before they run out of caltrops—since each mite swallows the caltrop when a hit is scored, they’re running out relatively quickly. Since the caltrops are not made of cold iron, swallowing them doesn’t hurt the mites—it does kind of tickle, though. When they see the PCs, Dingetooth shrieks and charges to fight in melee, while Uurch uses the caltrop tosser to throw caltrops. This attack resolves as a +0 ranged attack that inflicts only 1 point of damage on a hit. After the first hit, Uurch realizes how ineffectual the tactic is and flees down to area R3 to warn the others.
Except ignore the parts where they attack you. Instead, Geophry the suspicious mite (he has a name so he gets to reoccur, that's conservation of detail for you) explains the situation and how the treefolk and the green apefolk aren't as dangerous as they look because they don't know how to use their weapons. Dingetooth and Uurch follow behind you to see the King, excited at all of the excitement.
R3. Chamber of Torment
Anyone approaching this room automatically hears high-pitched cries of terror from the room’s unfortunate occupant.
The walls of this egg-shaped cavern are obscured by thick tangles of long, pallid roots. To the east, the chamber opens into a wide, root-filled chasm.
Creatures: A group of six mites are joyously tormenting a captured Sootscale kobold—one of four black-scaled kobolds who have been tied into the roots along the wall. The other three already hang limply by their bonds, dead from the mites’ torment. The last kobold shrieks in pain as the six mites take turns poking it with sharp sticks— each shriek eliciting a fresh wave of giggles and cheers from the mites.
The spiders here seem unusually thick, as if they're drawn by the kobold's pain.
The mites turn and look as your now quite large group enters, "Who'tha hell're they, Geophry?" one, clearly annoyed at being interrupted, asks.
Map of the locations you've been to will be up in the campaign info presently.
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Awn sees the terrible scene of torture and whispers to Iorskan.
"You might request I swap places with this prisoner. I am sure they will tire of their sports when they realise I am a tree within their roots..."
”That kobold is mine! MINE! Tell them to give the kobold to me! If not I will eat-murder everything here!” Flaring with anger Iorskan slapped his tail on the ground and started stomping towards his captured subject.