Zirren glanced at the two kobolds near the back.
"The two Kobolds near the object are slaves! They're planning to retreat."
Sadly Zirren's spell once again does not seem to have any affect upon the kobolds.
Belladonna prepares to shoot a kobold
- Is not in melee with an ally of Belladonna's
- Is not protected by cover
- Is not either of the slave kobolds
Caine took a short leap off the steps over Art's head, driving his fist downward as he landed.
Round 2
Belladonna sets herself up for a nasty crossbow attack while Caine moves passed Art and crushes the skull of another kobold with his bare fists!
Round 3
One of the kobold slaves lets out a cry of fear as yet another of the warriors falls! He starts moving towards the western door as he shouts to his slave-companion. "Kibbo nos debemus currere! De Andrea-rumpuntur utres et occidere nos quoque." He shakily begins to reload his sling, nearly dropping the stone...
Bold May Post
Pink –
Art –
Ruhk –
Red – 12 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Green – 5 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Purple –
Blue –
Belladona –
Yellow – 13 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Caine –
Zirren –
"Non omnino, et vivet anima vestra etiam dedendi liberabitur!"
Ruhk levels Bethany for a might two handed overhead chop against the warrior in front of him (Blue I guess?).
Caine swung a backhand at the remaining Kobold warrior.
Nathaniel tries to keep his eyes focused on the enemy nearby, but he can't help but notice the commotion going on behind the cover
What's going on, are they going for help?
but the distraction throws his swing completely off.
"Well, we'll just have to see won't we? Seems like they are undecided at the moment.
Let's just see if they are smart enough to surrender."
Round 3
The kobold warrior continues his ineffective assault and tries to skewer Ruhk. He then shouts over his shoulder. "Pinkskin iacet! Alioquin interficiemus te, in omnibus! Et pugnabit pro timidis intercessere!"
The other slave still hiding behind the stone looks between the lone warrior and his companion. He rushes over to where he friend is near the doorway and reloads his sling...
Just as the lone warrior finishes his shouting, Caine steps forward and crushes his head with a vicious backhanded swing!
Bold May Post
Pink –
Art –
Ruhk –
Red – 12 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Green – 5 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Purple –
Blue – 12 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Belladona –
Yellow – 13 DMG (Unconscious, Dying)
Caine –
Zirren –
Belladonna scoots behind the next wall and levels her crossbow to fire at the kobold (pink) if it tries to flee or tries to attack.
"Omnino non pugnaverimus qui non repugnaret. Ergo et vivere ad deditionem."
Concluding that perhaps these Kobolds were some strange Draconic variant that were more resilient to enchantment magic, Zirren took a deep breath and calmed himself down before speaking to them.
" Wux ocuir svabol shinaltic ekess nomenes arytissi batobot stand seanf udoka. sia kiabil renthisjic truly vur ihk shio di udoka. yth realize batobot wux re siliti vur tira ti choose ekess qe nymuer. yth geou ti levnim wux shar ergriff sjek wux oupil vhira dout jirai irral."
With the last of the kobold warriors dead one of the slaves drops his sling and starts to run down the hallway; however, a very well placed crossbow bolt by Belladonna suddenly sprouts from between his shoulder-blades and the reptilian creature falls face first onto the hard stones. The remaining slave stares in shock at his fallen friend. "Jarrdreg!" He drops his sling, and then falls to the ground into a fetal position. "Non occiditis, Kibbo! Quaeso, non placent occiditis, Kibbo!"
"Someone want to see if "Jarrdreg" can be saved? Might keep "Kibbo over there happier."
Ruhk then walks over to Kibbo, and though he keeps Bethany in hand, he keeps her away.
"Mitescere, indicavit tibi. Nos non te occidit. Ita in deditionem te salvum te.
Ok sed nos postulo vestri auxilium?"
But we will need your help ok?"
Caine tapped the kobold slave with the healing wand.
Kibbo finally looks up from his fetal position, but shies away when he spots Bethany. He throws himself protectively over his fallen friend, though, when he spots Greyson approaching with the wand... Only to gasp in wonder and fright when Jarrdreg suddenly coughs and wakes with a sputter of breath.
Jarrdreg looks at his friend and speaks weakly. "Kibbo, mortui sumus?" He then spots all the Pinkskins and screams in fear, trying to back away until Kibbo can calm him down.
"Nulla mi amice! Vivamus et duxit me et vos a mortuis."
"Quid faciemus iam?"
Kibbo looks at Jarrdreg for a moment and all the Pinkskins before speaking in poor Taldan (Common). "We must serve them! They new masters now. They Great Liberators!"
Jarrdreg looks at the dead kobold warriors and then his friend before a smile cracks his bloodstained lips. "Yes! This good idea, Kibbo. You always have best ideas. I no want die like them."
The two kobolds look at Ruhk and Caine, waiting for some directive. "How we help you, Great Liberator Blackaxe?"
"No, my friend! They let me live and brought you back from the dead."
"What do we do now?"
Ruhk grins and shrugs his shoulders.
"And to think there are people who say mercy is a weakness."
Kneeling down to get face to face with the kobolds, Ruhk scratches his chin for a moment.
"Listen, we came here to find a couple of human children. We saw tracks that indicated that they have been taken here.
What do you know about it?"
Kibbo and Jarrdreg listen intently, but then frown over the word 'children'. They look at each other intently and then Kibbo's eyes widen as he finally thinks he understands that word. He leans to whisper to Jarrdreg, who rocks back on his heels and nods. Kibbo looks over his shoulder towards the dark hallway and then leans in close to Ruhk. "Yes, we know the pink-skinned blood bags for King! They dragged to tunnels." He points down. "King One-Eye---" Jarrdreg suddenly flinches and shakes his head, but Kibbo does not relent. "No need be frightened, Jarrdreg. They protect us now! Merlokrep is fool! Kibbo make a better King than One-Eye. He want sacrifice Bloodbags to ward off bad juju." Kibbo shakes his head. "He-Who-Forgets-More-Than-You-or-He-Knows had vision that only way to save Truescale tribe from bad juju that shiny good-good brought us." He glares at the nearby, relatively, huge slab of obsidian. "What else you want to know, Great Liberator Blackaxe?"
Ruhk frowns a bit, his gamble had paid off. He had asked if they had seen the children, without revealing they already knew they were taken by Kobolds.
Clearly these two were not holding back.
But the news were not at all pleasant...
"Soooo...the children are below? How far down does these tunnels go?
And you said they were to be sacrificed? When is that supposed to take place?"
Great, things have just become a lot more urgent...
Kibbo and Jarrdreg nod vigorously at the first question. "Tunnels just go down. We no know how far. Oh yes!" They share a look at the last question and shrug. "Not know. He-Who-Forgets-More-Than-You-or-He-Knows and One-Eye know, not slaves. Kibbo think likely soon. One of Bloodba--- children was feisty. She had warrior look in eyes and scared Kibbo and Jarrdreg!" Jarrdreg nods with eyes wide.
Jarrdreg lets Kibbo do most of the talking, but then he remembers something and squeals with joy to be able to share something with their new bosses, particularly Ruhk. "Supreme Sparkaxe! Maybe you know the Knife-ear and Tiny Pinkskin?"
Knife ear? And elf? And tiny but not a child? An halfling or gnome?
"So we don't have much time..."
Turning to Jarrdreg, Ruhk waves a hand airily.
"Tell me more about the Knife-ear and tiny pinkskin. They didn't come together with the children I take it? And you didn't hear any names?"
Should I say sorry for shooting him? But he was going to flee and alert others. Am I actually sorry? Well, yes... but I had a good reason! Ahggggggggg
With a guilty and embarrassed demeanor, Belladonna taps Ruhk on the shoulder and whispers "Hey, when you have a moment, can you tell them I'm sorry for... shooting them?"
"Jarrdreg not know much. They brought to tunnels, um," He looks at Kibbo before staring at his fingers and counting. "Fifteen?" Kibbo screws up his face, which makes him look like he's snarling, while he thinks along with his friend. "Seventeen?" Jarrdreg nods. "Yes, seventeen foods ago! No, they no come with children. Tiny pinkskin call Knife-ear 'Tie'. Jarrdreg not know what that mean. Knife-ear call Tiny Pinkskin 'Tommy'. Jarrdreg hear them talking once about escape! Jarrdreg tell Dark Talons. Dark Talons beat Knife-ear and Tiny bad."
Jarrdreg turns to look at Belladonna when she approaches and hears her apology. "Jarrdreg accepts Tiny Pinkskin apology. You new name, Ultimate Hidden Shooter!" He grins at his impromptu naming skills.
Ruhk grins and tousles Bella's hair.
"See? Good sports they are. But of course they would be, since you are the fearsome "Ultimate Hidden Shooter"!"
Wonder if they call gnomes different than halflings? Otherwise we have an elf possibly named Tie and a halfling named Tommy captured as well...
"Ok, Kibbo, Jarrdreg. One more question then, what can you tell us about this level of the...ruins?
Any traps, monsters or natural hazards we should watch out for?"
What was that?
Nathaniel steps forward looking at the small reptilians
Did you say, one of them was called Tommy and he was small, like me?
What can you tell us about this Dark Talon? is this another one of your kind, or something else?
Caine was torn. On one hand, liberating slaves was good. On the other hand, they were wasting time. If there was a sacrifice planned, that meant the kids weren't already meals. That was good.
"Ask when the sacrifice will happen." he said.
"Bella, can you keep watch at the corner while Ruhk and Art talk to these two?"
"They didn't know, it seems the only one that do is the king and his...seer?"
"So, as soon as they answer the questions about the layout, I guess we'll plough on ahead."
"Lots of all those. But flying dwarf ghost is worst up here. Many Truescale warriors fall to him."
"Yes, 'Tie' call Tiny Pinkskin 'Tommy'. He small like you." Jarrdreg stops and looks closer at Art for a few moments. "You have same eyes."
Kibbo steps in. "Dark Talon are elite warriors of Truescale! Not know when sacrifice. If Kibbo had guess, after big meal tonight. Big party for King One-Eye and Vreggma (Only-One-Allowed-to-Nag-Nag-His-Greatness). That why we get dragged up here for big shiny good-good."
"Jeez! We better get a move on now, we don't have much time.
Kibbo, Jarrdreg, you stay in the middle.
If you see us approaching a place you know are trapped or so, sing out.
Come on people, we got to get going!"
Nathaniel seems to struggle with his thoughts for a moment, then shifts his weight, tightens his grip on his weapon, being sure to store the guard of the blade in his belt, and then says
We must rescue the children first, but I 'm not leaving until I find Tommy. I'll be where you tell me to be.
Kibbo points west. "We come this way, no see ghost this time. Warrior make us run quickly though." He points north. "Some zappy lizards that way. We don't go that way." He then points towards east and the glow. "Not know what that way. We never come that way."
"Are there other slaves?" Caine asked
"So, we got one path with angry lizards, one path where there might be a ghost, and one path that is unknown...
Hard choice really..."
"Then again, the path with the ghost MUST lead in the right direction, we don't know about the other paths."
Another, ghost? Like the ones in the woods?
Nathaniel steps forward
we can do this, we've done it before.
Belladonna reloads her crossbow. "Ready when you are."
"Are. There. Other. Slaves?" Caine asked slower.
"Yes, Great Liberator Neck Cracker! Only few now."
"If we run into otehr slaves, it's your job to get them to join you. If they use slings on us, we'll fight back, and we might not be able to bring 'em back to life. We're going to kill pretty much everyone we come across down here until we get to Tommy and the other pinkskins, unless they stop fighting like you did."
"Oh, and if you want to grab your slings and hang out with Great Liberator Hidden Shooter there, you might be able to get some payback against the folks who have kept you enslaved."
As the fight ended and the conversation had gone on, Zirren's focus had shifted. He'd been intrigued by what the Kobolds had been talking about. This 'shiny good good' stone. Without waiting he had slung off his pack, pulling out a bowl his water-skin, a rag, and his soap. He'd quickly set to getting the rag soapy and began cleaning off the small obelisk.
"Wait, before we go." Zirren said, before bending over to look at the strange obelisk the Kobolds had uncovered.
"I know we don't have much time... but this could be important. These Kobolds, seem to fear it." As he spoke, he began deciphering what he could on the rock.
While the others interrogate the kobold slaves, Zirren takes some time to piece together the broken obsidian and translates the message as the following:
“…Toil is the only true path to Salvation. Those who will not work shall have their blood boiled in the Dark Furnace for all time… there is no decadent paradise awaiting us after death, as our corrupt forefathers claimed, only industrious labor in Droskar’s Forge awaits the faithful,
this great work is its own reward… the unfaithful, they will serve in the end, their blood and bones shall stoke the fires of our industry… the world will burn to the glory of Droskar.”
The two slaves nod eagerly at Caine's suggestion and quickly retrieve their slings. They offer sharp-toothed grins to let the others know there are ready!
What does it mean by Dark Furnace? Droskar's promised afterlife perhaps? Worker... no Toiler would be a better term for the industrious labor. Faithless are fuel for the fire?
Zirren's eyes glowed white with power as he closely examined the reconstructed obelisk.
Is your 'bad juju' the work of notable magic or simply faith magic and superstition?
Zirren looks over to Kibbo and Jarrdreg. "This Dwarven Ghost you speak of. Is this the 'bad juju' that this stone brought about?"
Zirren eyes the various tools laying about the room.
Would the ghost of an angry Dwarven follower of Droskar let us pass unmolested if we were to be parading as workers for his masters dark design?
"This is just a hunch, but we might want to all pick up some tools if we do head the way they came from. The ghost didn't appear when they came through but that may not hold true for us later."
"Also, what can the two of you tell us of Vreggma, 'He-Who-Forgets-More-Than-You-or-He-Who-Knows' and Chief One-Eye? Are the three of them simply unique and strong themselves? Or do they hold objects of power that make them stronger? How many other warriors, these elite dark Talons serve them?"
"Good questions, but let's walk and talk.
Information is good, but we are pressed for time.
Zirren, you stick with Kibbo and Jarrdreg while the rest of us guard you."
"Kibbo, Jarrdreg, why don't you carry the tools? They are your tools after all."
The obelisk radiates no magical aura. Kibbo shakes his head. "No, the shiny good-good for Vreggma. She look to use to look at self. We no ever see bad juju. Friend say bad juju a darky-shade that suck life from kobold! Dwarf ghost here for long time. Bad juju down below in tunnels. Kibbo never go there!"
Kibbo and Jarrdreg quickly rush to follow Ruhk's commands and return shortly thereafter, overloaded with tools and supplies. They look like they are having a difficult time carrying it all, but they say nothing. The two kobolds converse simultaneously about the aforementioned kobolds. "Vreggma just One-Eye consort. Other than being pretty, she nothing special. One-Eye has the Crown of Kobold King, gives him right to be king and big axe he say hates Pinkskins like Supreme Sparkaxe and Grand Liberator Neck Cracker! He like casty spells make him big and strong! He-Who-Forgets-More-Than-You-or-He-Who-Knows is a casty-caster like you, Knife-ear. Not know how many Dark Talon, but me think lots."
The party forms up and starts off down the now illuminated western hallway. You can see a hallway leading towards the north and a set of doors at the far end.
Zirren nodded as the two Kobolds answered his questions. "Hmm, I'd considered the possibility the 'bad juju' would be that ghost. Alright then, that dispels any illusions about the Obelisk." As they mentioned the bit about the axe that hates pinkskins, Zirren paled a little.
They call me knife-ear, but they don't realize that I am part human as well. Perhaps King One-eye won't either.
He shook off the feeling of worry and focused on what he could deal with now. "What are behind those doors?"