Aren stands watch as the others find what they can.
"So what's next? A lava rock massage! Seriously seems more like a spa then a goblin home. Well once you get past the rats that is" she says with a giggle as she looks at the others ready to love on from there.
Fargus takes some steam burns, but laughs them off.
"Those things were likely heating water for underground baths."
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There being nothing else of interest in the room, you turn to the door at the end of the corridor. The door being unlocked, you ease it open to reveal crudely executed symbols and glyphs, scribed in bright green dye, decorating this large and irregularly shaped crumbling chamber. A large pit in the center shows evidence of a recent fire. A metallic cage in the middle of the southern wall contains a gaping hole and stands empty.
A small wooden bench draped with green cloth is next to the cage, and several small objects rest on it. A bedroll lies near the wooden bench, and the sound of whimpering comes from inside it.
Fyird moves to the quivering, whimpering bedroll, steps to the end of it and waits for the others to enter the room. Once they do he'll whip the bedroll off whatever it conceals.
Fargus moves up as well.
Joxi walks in with grace as she smiles looking around. Hearing the Whimpering she frowns and looks to the two scouts Fargus and Fyird, she points to the Bedroll with a raised brow and wonders what exactly she was supposed to do here and if she needed to be ready to shoot whatever was underneath.
Fargus gives him a soft kick to get his attention.
Aren steps forward and crouch somewhat near Meepo. ”Now what is a kobold doing here in a goblin hide out? ”
"Little lizard man, I do not have time for your foolishness. Start answering our questions..." Fargus slams his axe into the ground near the Kobold to emphasize his point.
"A KOBOLD!" She gasps remembering that they are the little evil creatures that steal Gnomish children in the night."Kill it!"
Jaynie walks up to the small creature and kneels down as she gets beside it.
"Ah.. you're scaring the poor little kitty. It's ok kitty, no one will hurt you. Why are you here with all these nasty goblins?"
She strokes the little reptile like it were indeed a cat as she speaks to it.
Fyird steps back a little confused as the others talk about him being in a Goblin lair. Thinking this might be some kind of ruse, as he knows he's fought nothing but Orcs in here, Fyird waits to see where the conversation goes.
He might be useful if we can get him to cooperate. Maybe we can bargain with him to provide us information as to the layout of the caves.
"Awww! Poor kitty, don't be sad. I will take care of you!"
Jaynie looks up to the others with big eyes and a trembling lip.
"Can we keep him? Please? I will take care of him and feed him and everything....please!"
All the time she is talking she continues to stroke the kobold like it were some sort of pet.
Using her telepathy, Jaynie contacts the kobold. In a deep, demonic-like voice she speaks with the creature.
"Why do you cower here? I can see you and will protect you through my servant, but you must tell me why you are here and what has happened, or she will turn you over to the bloodthirsty dwarf, elf and gnome. Decide NOW!"
"The question remains... Meepo. What are you doing down here? Perhaps if you help us... we can help you. Do you know the area down here"?
Persuasion
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"Meepo is keeper of dragon for tribe. Tribe is very angry with Meepo because nasty goblinses steal our dragon. Meepo take you to meet Yusdrayl, our leader, if you make nice. You get safe passage, if you promise to make nice. Maybe if you promise to rescue dragon, Yusdrayl make nice to you, answer questions."
"Wait we are gonna trust him! Its a KOBOLD!" She says angry and her brow furrowed as she stomps her foot and glares.
"FINE" She says knowing the history of these wretched creatures and what they have done to Gnomes!!!
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With a resigned sigh, Meepo stands and warily moves forward, leading you through a maze of doors and corridors. On occasion, he calls out a word in Draconic. "It big password," he explains. "Others no attack if you know password."
Eventually, you come into a great hall. A double row of relief-carved marble columns march the length of this long, large hall. The worn carvings depict entwining dragons. You proceed down the hall, being watched by several pairs of eyes, and kobolds fall into step behind your party as you go.
A short throne stands near the west wall, constructed of fallen bits of masonry stacked against an old altar. On the top of the altar sit a variety of small items. The portion of the altar that serves as the throne's back features a carving of a rearing dragon. A metallic key is held firmly in the dragon's open jaws.
A female kobold is seated upon the throne, flanked by two tough-looking kobolds (as kobolds go). Meepo kneels and bows before the figure.
"Meepo," she speaks, her eyes narrowing. "Why have you brought these intruders here?"
"Great Yusdrayl," the kobold responds meekly, "Meepo is thinking that they can get Calcryx back for us."
The female kobold looks intrigued. "Is Meepo right? Have you come to rescue dragon from nasty goblinses?"
Fargus secures his weapons and follows the Dragonman. Upon reaching the great hall, Fargus snorts when Meepo says "Great Yusdrayl" but holds his tongue.
Instead, he pulls his lockable mug off his belt, unlocks it, and begins drinking. It's clearly a time limit for those who want to talk to the Kobolds to do so, before he says anything.
"We might have interest in helping you... if you can help us in return. Grant us safe passage, and help in finding our way, and we'll help you with what you want..."
JOxi grinds her teeth with her face clenched in anger as her right foot taps with nearly unearthly speed. Kobolds where not to be trusted but killed. They are the great evil of all gnomes and here she was in a party seeking to use the little Clan killers in this mission!!!
Fyird places a steadying hand on Joxi's shoulder when he notices her mood. He leans down and whispers reassuring words in her ear.
Don't worry. I don't trust them either, but the knowledge they possess might keep one of us alive. We're not making life long friends, just have a common objective at the moment.
Jaynie stays close to the little kobold that brought them here. Seeing Joxi's anger, she also whispers to the gnome.
"It's ok...I won't let the kitties hurt you or any of us!"
Aren follows behind silently. Keeping his keen eyes open for falsehoods or ambushes from the kobolds or other less obvious things. He merely views the kobolds as tools for what he wants to achieve.
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An agreement seemingly reached, Yusdrayl dismisses the group and Meepo leads them on a walk through the kobold-occupied territory. In small numbers, kobolds are hardly a threat to experienced adventurers, but there must be dozens of the reptilian creatures lairing here. You pass through rooms unfamiliar to you and it occurs to you that you might never find your back on your own. As you go, Meepo continues calling out in Draconic. Finally, he leads you to a door in a chamber filled only with rat droppings.
"This be door to goblinses territory," he says, matter-of-factly. "Corridor beyond be filled with caltrops."
"Just wear boots and you'll be fine." guffaws Fargus as he opens the door.
Aren looks doubtfully down the cooridor. ”The goblins we were following went this way? It seems they would still be traversing the way if that were the case. Is there another way?”
"They are probably over the wall." She looks at the others as she rubs her little chin."Wait does anyone have a broom? We could sweep the Caltrops away!"
"That's quite a bit of Dwarven thinking lass." says Fargus as he takes off his cloak "but no one bothers with carrying 'brooms' in mines."
Using the heavy fabric, Fargus sweeps a path through the walkway.
"I could have jury-rigged something like a metal sheet attached to a pole with a leather edge to push them away"She says before she watches Fargus push stuff away and shakes her head.
'Also it was A GNOME idea first' She says with a playful bit of sticking her tongue out before she follows notching another arrow just incase
Giving a shrill scream of anger, outrage or surprise (it's hard to tell with Jaynie), the young warlock casts a bolt of energy at the goblin archers.
Eldritch Blast:
Damage:
"No!" Fyird shouts seeing his stalwart companion fall. He quickly draws, notches, and fires an arrow at the gob on the left.
Bow
Arrow
Jodi begins a soft soprano aria and points at Fargus.
Fargus snorts and then sits upright quicker than should be possible.
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Joxi's arrow sinks deeply into the chest of the rightmost goblin, causing it to falter, but not fall. Jaynie finishes the creature with her eldritch blast, even as Fyird puts an arrow into the eye of the other archer. Both fall behind the wall without further comment. Joxi heals Fargus, who sits bolt upright.
Aren moves forward down the hall, shield at the ready to check the other side of the barricade.
Fyird follows Arendyl bow at the ready.