Khepri of the Dawn |
Khepri thinks for a moment, "I am shielded by Saranrae from getting infected, but I do have some skill to help others overcome the disease if someone else does get infected. And maybe there are healer kits and wolfsbane in the caravan supplies."
Dolgrym Sharpaxe |
Now that we have taken the camp, I think fortifying until everyone is satisfied should be up first. If the others want, though, we could do a quick jaunt into the mine, while the rest of the dwarves dig in.
Cynara |
I'm for continuing fortification, and maybe taking our pet jackalwere out on a hunting trip. Did Sangvit ever say anything about plans for ongoing resupply from Solku?
Cynara |
Any call for securing the trade road, then?
We won't bring the gnoll into the camp, or let it see anyone other than the five party members who fought it. When it wakes up, Cynara will start by seeing if it understands Common or Undercommon.
Feigr Roarrgun |
"Not a bad idea Bethik. I think I will. And if Frekra doesn't know what we want to know, you'll be talking to someone less friendly than me."
Feigr walks over to the corpses and sees about finding a female gnoll corpse (hoping there is only one). He kneels over it and calls to the spirits to bring back the gnoll's soul, beginning with the same question about the type of rocks the gnolls come to get from the mine.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Feigr finds that the spirit of the gnoll is harder to draw out and it takes a pure force of will to bind it to service, making the Magrim-ite sweat with tension. Frekra speak with the same stilted understanding of common and replies "Black rocks from ground, we give life in trade... Burnt Arm not kill them while rocks come."
Dolgrym Sharpaxe |
Dolgrym says nothing and watches the scene play out. He had become intrigued with Feigr's ability to communicate with things that had passed on. He quietly sat and watched the oracle work.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
The ghostly spirit grins evilly as Feigr asks "Many many spears dwarf-thing. The tide of Lamashtu will swallow your number without thought."
Dolgrym Sharpaxe |
Knowledge Religion 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Dolgrym jumps in, hearing something he definitely did not like. "The Tide of Lamashtu...I'd bet good gold that means that likely some of the gnolls are "either more or less" than gnolls - gnolls altered through some unholy bastardry or natural creatures warped into monstrous form. If we have to fight them, it'll be much tougher than the regular gnolls we have routed so far," he whispers to the others.
Padrym Steelribs |
"A warning well worth the knowing, but is it an immediate threat? Eventually these Burning Arm will come for us, but by then I hope we are in the mine. At this point we are between two foes, we need to find the most defensible place and then begin our campaign to conquer the mine. Once we've done that we can work on these Burning Arm. Unless you feel we need to take them on first in order to make the route safe for the caravan?"
Padrym is clearly uneasy at this idea, preferring to go into the mines as soon as possible. You notice him stroking the handle of his axe as he says these things.
Cynara |
Knowledge (Religion) check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Cynara nods in agreement at Dolgrym's explanation. "I've heard the same thing.
"How long does it take for gnolls to come to the mine from Burnt Arm?"
Cynara |
Cynara switches to Dwarven from Common, and does not look at Bethik as she speaks. (Apart from speaking the language with a Katapeshi accent and far too little accent on the gutturals, she seems to have picked up the basics pretty well.) "At first I was thinking to send the captive back with an ultimatum, but what the spirit told us changed my mind. We need as much time as we can get before their spears are at us, and as much doubt in their minds about the forces arrayed against them as possible. Though if we send him back, he'll take two days to get to Burnt Arm; let's say they immediately send forces that are twice as fast as a gnoll, or things that can fly. He's seen five of us. Padrym, you're the military dwarf--if one of your scouts came back with a report like that, how much of your forces would you commit in an attack? And how much fortification can we finish in two days?"
Padrym Steelribs |
"Standard doctrine is to assault with three times your foes numbers, unless you're dealing with dwarves. Then it's best to send your entire army. They'll know how many it took to kill the camp here, they won't send back less than everything they have if they've any brains in their furry backsides."
Padrym spits to the side before eyeing the captive grimly.
"We're best to kill this one now before it escapes and warns the others. No sense taking chances."
Cynara |
"Remember what you all told me about how the mine gnolls looked and acted? Not very professional, mostly not well-organized. I don't think the eastern gnolls are going to be surprised that a small band was able to put paid to them. Let's see."
She switches back to Common and turns her attention back to the captive. "Bethik! What were mine gnolls like?"
Feigr Roarrgun |
Feigr shudders from the more difficult task of questioning the unfriendly gnoll spirit and has a drink while waiting for Bethik to answer Cynara. Black rocks that they're willing to give lives in trade for? What does that mean? What could these be?
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Knowledge (Engineering) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Bethik's eyes narrow as you talk in Dwarven...
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
...getting concerned at the nuances in your expressions "Why me tell... what you do to Bethik after talk?"
Feigr doesn't know of the black rocks specifically, but is aware of some minerals that can have a tangible effect on what they are near or worked into. A knowledge history might help...
Khepri of the Dawn |
"Standard doctrine is to assault with three times your foes numbers, unless you're dealing with dwarves. Then it's best to send your entire army. They'll know how many it took to kill the camp here, they won't send back less than everything they have if they've any brains in their furry backsides."
"Padrym is right. Gnolls will always want the odds in their favor. I would expect they would only attack if they thought they had superior numbers and were assured, in their minds at least, of victory."
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Bethik's life is ended with a perfunctory swipe of an axe, and the group makes their way back to the ruined fort that lies at the mouth of the mine. Gaelthrin and Stonebrow meet you on arrival and nod a grim satisfaction that the gnolls have been ended.
Assume you fill them in on all discussed?
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
At the words of the party, Stonebrow's facade in particular hardens and returns to a sense of stoic grimness. He nods sagely at your words and offers "We need to focus on building up the fort, for assault from either within or without... but that is what dwarves are made for. We will make this fort a bastion which the gnolls will break upon like water on rock." pausing a few moments to consider before continuing "But it is now ever key that we get more understanding of what politics and powers are at play within the mines. I would ask you to be our eyes and ears in that regard... would you accept that honor?... and that burden?"
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4