Valgrim keeps his distance while the others get close to the kobold....
Kinn reads the creature's eyes, wary rather than trusting for once.
Kinn detects no evil in Nighttail; he slices her bonds as he tells the party.
Prove myself? she says scrambling to her feet. Oh, absolutely! I can aid you in reaching Chief Roaghaz, and if you can take the "chief" part away, I can take over the Blood Vows and make sure they never ever ever bother the longl...er, humans...again.
Nighttail looks about the chamber, avoiding the sight of the pile as much as possible, then continues. Um...I do need some help freeing my friend Hak, though, as well. Anything you find along the way or where Hak is, I'll gladly let you have!
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Mordenaar doesn't trust the kobold (he doesn't trust anyone really.) He awaits the verdict from Kinn's penetrating gaze before responding, "We've been cutting through kobolds like they were grain to harvest. Fighting them all will drain us. I'll entertain diplomacy, but I'm no diplomat."
He nods towards Achmed, "I'm also not one to continue on without spell to go with our blades. If our magic users can't help, then I suggest we rest... somewhere safe."
Nighttail considers Kinn's question. He might be. I don't exactly know. She reaches up and grabs the bag sitting atop the refuse pile, clutching it tightly despite its offending odor and coatings. She continues as she moves over to the southwestern tunnel of the cave, before which stands a stout wooden gate. Usually Hak can take care of himself, she says, fumbling desperately with the gate, but that's partly because I'm around.
Valgrim watches the kobold advance after being freed, but since Kinn did not detect any evil in the creature, the half elf is inclined to allow some level of trust...
"I do not like entering an area I do not know with a questionable ally at the front leading us somewhere we are unfamiliar with...is this how we want to proceed?"
Yes, yes! Nighttail nods emphatically while working at a different part of the gate. Rest and fresh eyes after! Just as soon as I rescue Hak! He's right down this tunnel!
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Kinn relaxes slightly. "Easy, Nighttail," he hushes, a gentleness in his voice the others have not heard before. "No need for us to get killed rushing in alone. My companions need rest--but they will join the fight in the morning. Can I convince you to wait?"
Kinn's tongue begins to swell a little in his mouth. He isn't used to talking this much.
"OK then, Achmed stay behind me as we continue." Valgrim tells the sorcerer and follows the path behind Kinn.
Endar follows as well, ready to fight.
Nighttail simply shakes her head and scrambles over the top of the gate. With a sigh, Kinn unlatches it and follows along behind the kobold down a low, winding tunnel. At the end is another gate like the one at the entry to the tunnel, which Nighttail also climbs over. The cave beyond has a twelve-foot ceiling, with dozens of well-chewed deer bones lying scattered about the cave.
Hak! cries Nighttail, running forward and throwing her arms around a bipedal dinosaur with a mouth filled with sharp teeth and short, powerful arms that end in sharp claws!
Nighttail happily hops onto Hak's back as though she were born there and hugs the allosaurus' neck again. Hak is okay! So, we can rest now! she says with a wide smile.
Valgrim would prefer to sleep outside under the stars and the sky.
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"thank you. I'll take final watch. I also learned a lot today about the nature of men and kobolds. I have much think about. "
-Posted with Wayfinder
The night passes uneventfully, with the slight exception of allosaurus snores.
Nighttail will gladly direct you about the kobold lair, though she insists on staying in the back with Hak to let our new friends be heroic!
She lets you know that the other tunnel from the chamber in which she was held leads to a hole that drops into the lair itself.
"I'm all for either, my dear friend. I would think in this case, diplomacy would be the better option, though."
With Nighttail's directions, the party follows the narrow, cramped tunnel into a cave with a thick layer of straw covering the floor. Its northern end hooks around a corner to the east, out of sight.
Over there! Nighttail says, pointing toward the cave's turn. That's where the hole going down is!
Valgrim spends his watch turn sharpening his arrows...
Once day breaks and the group returns with Nighttail Valgrim asks him "What can we expect to find or encounter down the hole?"
Kobolds, of course! Nighttail says, before realizing Valgrim wants her to be a little more specific. Well, there's Churgri, who is from the Hangtooth tribe off to the northwest. She usurped Jakkol as the Bloody Vow spiritual leader when she arrived. And Chief Roaghaz the Caustic, of course. Plus the tribe itself.
Nighttail scratches her head a moment at Achmed's question. More than this many, she says, holding up all ten of her fingers.
All I want out of this is to see Chief Roaghaz fall, and to stop leading the Bloody Vow tribe down a path of destruction. I am tired of seeing kobolds die at Chief Roaghaz's whims.
Nighttail thinks a moment, then continues with a toothy grin. Too much bloodshed for the Bloody Vows! She seems pleased at her own turn of phrase. I will take over the Bloody Vows and lead them elsewhere, make sure they never bother the humans of your town Belhaim again!
Valgrim puts his arrows back in his quiver, packs his belongings, grabs his bow and announces he is ready to move..."Lead the way friend Nighttail"
"Yes, yes, we'll exercise... what's it called? Restraint, right? Yeah, we'll do that. I guess..." Endar looks to be itching to stab a few more kobolds after their earlier fight.
As Endar espouses foreign words like "restraint," he fails to notice the trip line as he rounds the corner where the cave turns east, and a trio of spring-loaded darts launch toward him!