"I wonder... Someone, provide me a rope."
Liam will tie the rope to his net, one end of the rope to each opposing corner of the net, and use it in an attempt to "loop" the net around the bulging leather sack and pull the rope to drag it off the disgusting pile towards him.
Val stays back as Eli moves up to the prisoner. "Careful. Something isn't right here." She looks into the darkness for anything unusual.
Does anyone speak goblin?
The sack is full of rotten fruit and vegetables. The goblin looks both a bit frightened and a bit defiant.
Valena, those bonds look authentic.
Liam frowns at the stinky bag contents, "Shoot. Was hoping that was another trap and there was something valuable in the sack."
Liam unties the rope from the net, giving it back to Eli, then spends a bit of time refolding then net then looks about to see how he could be of help to the others.
He guides one of the lights into the alcove with the (goblin? kobold?) while keeping the others within the 10ft space needed.
"What's it's story?"
It speaks in halting Taldan (Common). “Hey! You look like you’re changing things ‘round here! I’ve suffered enough at Chief Roaghaz’s stupid whims. I’ll help you!”
"I'm Nighttail, and I'm not from around here. My tribe was destroyed by a band of heartless, murdering gnomes and I took refuge here. But now I've learned the Blood Vows are a bunch of spineless, sniveling worms who'll do whatever stupid thing their chief Roaghaz tells them."
She looks to Eli to see if she's just going to kill the kobold out of anger for all their kind. "We don't like this kobold king either. Tell us more about him."
Hearing the exchange, Liam scrutinizes the captive.
"Not sure Eli's gonna like this..."
Valena believes that this kobold truly hates Chief Roaghaz and is disdainful of the Blood Vow tribe.
"Roaghaz is a fool, a sorcerer who bends the minds of the tribe. He got involved with that human wizard and everything went downhill from there."
"I know these caverns. I know the traps and the safe ways. I know who's who. Free me and I'll help you defeat Roaghaz. With me in charge, I swear you'll never be troubled by the Blood Vow again!"
Liam ponders, Well, that confirms what we thought, the wizard was employing or using the kobolds with the shovels. But why?
"How many are in the tribe? And if we help, you and the tribe will need to clear out of this entire area, the mines. We don't like you too close to the people of Belhaim. I think as long as you agre to lead your tribe away, we might come to an arrangement."
Remembering the pit and his near death, Liam is very disposed to having a guide to avoid traps, he look at the others to see if they agree, and to Eli hopefully... whispering, "You could certainly keep this one close to keep control, right?"
"What more can you tell us about this human wizard?"
The kobold shakes its head. "The wizard's name was Hunclay. He wanted some digging done. That's all I know. He wanted it done in secret, so I knew the humans would be against it. Involving the tribe was stupid."
Liam ponders, Well, that confirms what we thought, the wizard was employing or using the kobolds with the shovels. But why?
"How many are in the tribe? And if we help, you and the tribe will need to clear out of this entire area, the mines. We don't like you too close to the people of Belhaim. I think as long as you agre to lead your tribe away, we might come to an arrangement."close to keep control, right?"[/b][/i]
"Good. Now untie me before they come back. Revenge is a dish best served right away, before your enemy can plan for it!"
Remembering the pit and his near death, Liam is very disposed to having a guide to avoid traps, he look at the others to see if they agree, and to Eli hopefully... whispering, "You could certainly keep this one close to keep control, right?"
Whispering back, she replies "I hope so... but I think it is worth the risk."
"Umm, cover me, I guess? Unless the others disagree, Liam moves to untie the kobold, but asks one more time before loosening anything, "You side-stepped my question, how many are in your tribe?"
If he answers with a number, Liam unties him, "We seem to want the same thing, but you have not really done anything for us to trust you, so whether you like it or not, Eli here, will be the one to ensure you don't try to run off or sabotage us - and just so you know, she has a real mean streak."
He is unsure if he can trust the number, but what other options are there?
"Eli's going to be just behind you, watching your every move, bow or blade at your back... and the rest of us not that far behind. Lead the way."
Val nods in agreement that the kobold should be freed. "Let's go. We really need your tribe to leave the area. What did the wizard have you digging for?"
"Umm, cover me, I guess? Unless the others disagree, Liam moves to untie the kobold, but asks one more time before loosening anything, "You side-stepped my question, how many are in your tribe?"
The kobold shrugs as best it can in the bonds. "That's a dayworld question. A...a tribe's worth? Maybe two handfuls for each of you? A bit more?"
Liam thinks that math may not be the kobold's strong suit.
If he answers with a number, Liam unties him, "We seem to want the same thing, but you have not really done anything for us to trust you, so whether you like it or not, Eli here, will be the one to ensure you don't try to run off or sabotage us - and just so you know, she has a real mean streak."
He is unsure if he can trust the number, but what other options are there?
"Eli's going to be just behind you, watching your every move, bow or blade at your back... and the rest of us not that far behind. Lead the way."
"We should get my friend, Hak. Hak is loyal." She points to the southwest tunnel.
Val nods in agreement that the kobold should be freed. "Let's go. We really need your tribe to leave the area. What did the wizard have you digging for?"
"Don't know. Maybe Roaghaz knows, but I doubt it. He had one specific place he wanted dug out, though."
Thorny frowns but does not verbalize any opinion about releasing the Kobold. Instead, he grips the haft of his glaive tighter.
Before untying her -- "Nighttail, I don't doubt these were yours. What do they do?"
After her answer, whispering, Val, do you know anything about potions or wands? How to figure out their properties? We should verify them, whatever Nighttail here says."
Nighttail eyes Liam suspiciously, then shrugs. "They're mine. They keep me strong and let me go about unseen. I survived the death of one tribe, but I don't plan to let this one die - just its chief. Give me my magic, half-human, and I will deliver Roaghaz to you. I will lead the tribe to a better place far from humans."
Liam eyes the monster with similar suspicion...
Quietly to the others, "She sounds sincere, but sounding sincere may not be enough, we are not exactly at our best right now. Thorny is still weakened, my arcane abilities all but gone. It may be that we would have to give her all her things to GET that 100% alliance with her, but we're taking the chance of fully outfitting her with exactly what she needs to defeat us if she turned. I have no decision I am confident with here."
Val checks out the potions and wands while the other's speak with the kobold.
Valena learns that the items are: two potions of cure light wounds, a potion of invisibility, a wand of cure light wounds (17 charges), a wand
of entangle (12 charges), +1 leather armor, and a masterwork spear.
"Come on, come on," says Nighttail impatiently. "Others will be here soon."
So what now?
"No, no! Its mine!" says Nighttail, pointing to her gear. "You are being heroes or thiefs? Help each other, not steal!"
"I'll keep the potion of invisibility, and the wand of entangle until we are done, and I think Eli wants to hold on to the spear. You can wear your armor, and hold on to the curing potions and the curing wands. We aren't thieves, but we don't exactly trust you. I give you my word I'll give you back the wand and the potion after we defeat the leader and you are ready to move on." Val offers to hand back about half of the items.
"I'll not face the bloody Blood Vow tribe without a weapon!" says Nighttail. Give me my spear. And I'll not go without Hak. He's my friend, and he's in there."[/b] She points southwest, past the cage bars.
To the east, Thorny finds only rock and shadow.
To the southeast is a tunnel barred with a wooden gate.
To the southwest is another tunnel curving to the east.
"Fine but you go first." She'll indicate they should hand over the weapon, and moves to the bars to see if she can see Hak with her Darkvision.
"Hak is a dragon. Sort of." Nighttail takes her weapon and moves to the bars, untying the cords that bind the bars.
"Hak! Hak! Come!"
From the darkness emerges a waist-sized creature with a long tail and a head full of teeth.
The creature snuffles the air, regarding you with animal impassivity. The sense of menace is heavy in the air until Nighttail puts her hand on Hak's huge head. "It's okay, Hak. Friends."
"He'll be okay. We go now, yes?"
Liam trusts the judgment of Val is this case, "Yes, I think we've got this settled, let's go..."
Nighttail and Hak lead the way east, through a long tunnel that curves around to the left. "No guards here, but you be quiet," whispers Nighttail. "Sounds carry."
At last she leads you to a longer cavern. A thick layer of straw covers the floor of this cave. The cave’s northern end hooks around a corner to the east, and is out of sight from the south.
"Trap here," says Nighttail, pointing to where the cavern is narrowest. "I can fix it, but you walk careful."
She reaches down into the straw and ties something down with a hidden rope. "Walk on left," she says.
Colcille can make out that Nighttail just disarmed some sort of spike trap or possibly a dart trap - kobold lairs are said to be filled with such traps.
Just around the corner is a sinkhole leading down into the earth. A rope suspended from a rickety wooden frame leads down into the depths.
"We go down," says Nighttail.
"So... Hak stays here, then, right?" Liam was awash with wonder at the friendship the two have until he realized that big lizard could be deadly to them.
Liam keeps guiding the dancing lights along their path unless there is pushback from other party members, and will go down the rope whenever it is apparent his turn comes.
"No. Hak slides."