Katya squints. What in the First Vault are the--
Her eyes go wide then she gropes around behind her, snagging Anton's robes and jerking the poor man down with her as she goes down into a crouch.
Everybody down! she hisses.
She waves to Cuddles and Harsk, pantomimes that she's seen four small creatures and that she wants the dwarf and orc to look over toward the treeline, and when that doesn't work, she drags Anton behind her in an awkward duck-waddle to the others.
Over there, she says, as quietly as she can. Kobolds, I think. They're small and scaly, anyway. Your eyes will see better in this light than mine, she adds as she indicates Harsk and Cuddles.
So...what now? Four kobolds are hardly an army, but do we want to get involved with a kobold tribe when we're already trying to find the bandits? We could just wait until they go away, come back later.
OR WE COULD SAY HI! AND GIVE THEM HUGS. says Cuddles is his best imitation of a quiet voice.
Harsk scratches his beard, "I might be with Cuddles on this. Kobolds are cowardly, we capture a couple they might know where to find our wayward bandits..."
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Katya opens her mouth to say something, then pauses for a moment while she thinks.
Is there a reason why we have to assume they mean us harm? she says eventually. I spent my life in the city, so the only kobold I've ever seen before today is a drawing in a book, but we're all interlopers here. This is their home. Do we have a right to attack or detain them? Maybe we could parley first, find out if they know anything about the bandits. The kobold language is based on Draconic, isn't it? Maybe I could talk to them.
HUGS! Cuddles starts clapping.
Katya looks at Cuddles in alarm. Shoosh! They might hear us!
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As everyone crouches down, you seem fairly sure that everyone was being stealthy enough that they could not be seen.
And then, four lizard like creatures heard a word that they could not quite understand, but it immediately snapped their attention in the direction of the group.
------------Round 1------------ FIGHT!
Init Order:
Katya
Anton
Cuddles
Kobolds
Harsk
All four of the scaly lizard creatures are preparing weapons, which look to be a spear, and what looks to be a sling.
Cuddles strides forward, arms outstretched. HI! I CUDDLES AND I LIKE WARM HUGS!
Katya puts her face in her hands for a moment, then takes a deep breath.
I hate improvising.
Katya stands up from her crouch and draws her bow, nocking an arrow but not drawing yet. In Draconic, she attempts to defuse the situation.
ישנם ארבעה מאיתנו, ואנחנו חמושים טובים יותר. נא לא לירות. אנחנו צריכים קצת עזרה. אולי נוכל לעזור גם לך.
Quickly, she adds in Common: Cuddles, wait. Let's try talking first. Hugs later, maybe.
- Move action: move toward the kobolds, draw shortbow.
- Standard action: attempt to talk the kobolds down. Speaking might be a free action but I think in this case Katya needs to concentrate.
Somewhat distracted by Katya's manhandling, Anton doesn't notice the kobolds until they're pointed out - and barely has time to take in the situation before weapons are being readied. "אנחנו מחפשים אחרים - יותר רכים עורות, שאינם רצויים כאן. הריב שלנו הוא לא איתך, דרקון-בני דודים," he calls, nodding to Katya and raising his hands. No need to openly display a so-called mastery of the arcane arts just yet, mmm?
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The four small creatures stop for a moment, heads twitching this way and that, as both Anton and Katya speak. They take a few moments and look at each other, speaking in an extremely fast harsh dialect.
Unfortunately, neither of you are able to follow the conversation. Even Anton, with his considerable Linguistics skill, is unable to glean much mainly due to the excessive speed at which they are speaking.
Harsk stands shield at the ready with his hammer in hand, This is a bit ridiculous. Kobolds are lizard rats that steal...but I won't attack them if they won't attack us....
Cuddles just stands before the group of walking lizards with his arms held wide and his mouth in a huge, toothy grin.
Katya follows suit, readying an attack should the kobolds become hostile.
She gently attempts to break into the kobolds' conversation.
מה אתה אומר? האם אנו יכולים לעזור אחד לשני?
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After a few moments of very intense speaking, the kobolds start hissing and turn to face the group. Their eyes have started glowing a very soft red, and they whip their slings into action, loosing them.
They loose their stones, two of them aiming for Harsk, one for Cuddles and one at Katya. The ones firing at Katya and Cuddles horribly miss, not even coming close to hitting them. The two that aimed for Harsk are a bit closer to target, but the stones bounce haplessly off his armor. This makes them a bit more nervous, as they are now clutching their spears and looking at them very cautiously, almost as if they are trying to determine what their next move should be.
See what I mean? I'm ending this...
The warpriest charges at the nearest one, bringing his hammer down on whichever one is in his way...
Katya growls in frustration.
It's called a language barrier for a reason! she says as she throws her bow aside in favour of her shortsword. And I would prefer it if we didn't murder them all!
She charges one of the other kobolds and tries to hit it with the pommel of her sword.
Cuddles looks confused at the mention of murder. He just wanted a hug! He goes for the one Hark and Katya had left alone and scoops him up in a hug that left only his head and tail visible.
As the volley of stones flies at the party, despite none aiming at him, Anton throws up his hands, releasing the magic he'd been holding and surrounding himself with a shimmering field that warps the very air around him.
Taking a moment to breathe, he assesses the situation. Cuddles had grabbed one of the kobolds; Katya and Harsk were attacking the other two. Smoothing down the front of his robes, he strides forward, throwing a hand before him, fingers fanned. A word flies from his lips, and a cone of light in nauseatingly bright colours flashes before him.
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As the party moves into position, Harsk caves in the head of the kobold he swings at. The one Katya strikes looks like he is about to fall over and pass out, and Cuddles gets a big hug on a very small lizard rat.
Any of the small creatures that might have been able to act, however, lose that capacity when they see the shinies in the air, and immediately pass out.
Katya turns to Anton with a bemused look on her face.
That certainly seems to have done the trick, she says. Thank you.
She sheathes her shortsword and retrieves her bow, then sets to tying up any kobolds that remain alive.
Cuddles, can you put that one down gently, and then help me with these knots please? You're much stronger than I am. Harsk, maybe you can collect their weapons.
Harsk snorts and offers a sour face to the human but does as he is asked, As a dwarf I shouldn't sully my hands with such ridiculousness. I pity the fool who thinks this sort of thing would make a decent weapon... Harsk goes out of his way to mangle one of the spears to make his point. Throwing what he finds in a pile he gestures in irritation, Now we have kindling.
Cuddles puts the kobold down in the standing position and he promptly collapses. Cuddles looks puzzled and repeatedly tries to stand the unconscious lizard up only to have it fall again.
Anton returns Katya's look with a faint smile. "It doesn't always work out so fortuitously," he begins, glancing at the four unconscious kobolds. Before he can continue his train of thought, he's interrupted by the sound of something hitting the ground. Repeatedly. Having been given no commands, he stares, somewhat transfixed, at Cuddles' Sisyphean task of standing up an unconscious kobold.
Harks offers a look over at Katya, Well now they are mostly dead or slightly alive. But not awake. What do you want to do now?
I don't mind about the weapons, Katya says. I'm more interested in making sure they don't have something to hand to stab us with when they come around.
She sees to tying the kobolds up.
Speaking of which, when they do, we should ask them whether they know anything about the bandits, and where they come from as well. Banditry--regardless of the cause--won't be tolerated. But if there's some sort of problem that's causing them to attack outsiders, then maybe we can solve that problem and save everyone some trouble.
She settles in to wait for the kobolds to wake up.
I suppose, Harsk, that asking you to heal them up would be a bridge too far?
Harks looks at Katya and nods with slight amusement, Yup.
The warpriest takes the opportunity to make whatever makeshift camp they can and settle in for the kobolds to wake up.
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Harsk sets about the makings of a campsite, which given that the kobolds had started doing so themselves, you have a fire going, and a rather good spot to work with.
The kobolds eventually come to, and they squirm and struggle, again in that lightning quick tongue they chitter back and forth, though Katya and Anton would quickly come to the conclusion that they feel most of it is gibberish.
A quick search of them reveals four small spears, slings and sling stones. Each one of them is wearing a small suit of leather armor, not in the greatest condition. You also find a small pouch on each, finding a total of:
22 copper pieces and 11 silver pieces.
"This is growing tiresome," Anton mutters, shaking his head at the kobolds. He clutches the amulet resting at his sternum, concealing the green stone in one narrow palm, muttering a few arcane syllables.
Harks grunts at the wizard Aye. and moves to pull his axe until he sees the wizard cast a spell. The dwarf bobs his head as though to say "oh we can do it that way" and stands aside...
Katya waits for the babble to die down a little before she speaks in Draconic.
You can see we're more powerful than you are. Attacking us was not very smart. You have one more chance, but this time I'm not going to ask nicely. If you answer my questions honestly, I'll consider letting you go again. If you try to escape or if you don't answer my questions, then I will let my friend Harsk here ask the questions with the edge of his axe.
She pauses for a moment.
First, have you heard of any men in this area who wear one of these? She pulls out the stag head amulet they found on the bandit leader. And if you have, do you know where they are?
Second, why did you attack us? We aren't your enemies. We are just travellers.
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Anton would quickly catch onto their babbling, though the speed and the inane speech they are using is quite quick and difficult to follow.
The kobolds are talking among themselves as how to figure out the best way to claw or bite off the ropes that they are in, and who exactly would make the best meal first. They particularly think that Harsk should be eaten first.
Also, the speed and inane nature of their speech is so difficult to follow, take one point of non lethal damage, from the ensuing headache that is about to set in.
The kobolds, seem to be looking at each of the party members in turn, and they all seem to look at Harsk just a little bit longer than the rest of them.
Clutching his head and cursing his idea, Anton relays the information to the others. "It seems our scaly friends here are considering escaping by chewing through their ropes. I would suggest we bind their jaws shut, if we plan on keeping them any longer. They also seem to think you should be eaten first," he adds to Harsk with a raised eyebrow.
"In short, they're hopeless. They demonstrate little desire to respond to our line of questioning, and have outlived their usefulness. As for what we do with them now..." He shrugs his narrow shoulders. "I leave that to those more equipped to deal with them. I think I need a cup of tea," he mutters, massaging his temples.
To Anton's comment Harsk nods, The only good idea they've had. I'm sure I would be delicious Harsk snorts at the thought and tugs at his beard, THAT said it may be we need to put these little buggers out of their misery. Trying to eat us if they get lose, I don't see we have any choice...
Cuddles godless with some grass while the short people talk.
Katya pinches her temples.
Look, she says to the kobolds. You can choose. Number one, we execute you--kill you--as bandits. Number two, you talk to us and maybe we let you go back to your clutch-brothers and clutch-sisters. Which is it?
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The Kobolds half listen to Katya, and don't seem to be hiding their desire to try and work their way out of their bonds.
The light is starting to fade, sunset being about half an hour off at this point in the day. Still plenty of light to try and find a place to rest.
A sad look comes over Katya's face as she listens to the kobolds gibbering. She sighs, and draws her shortsword.
What's wrong with them, do you think, Harsk? Have their brains been somehow scrambled and they don't understand language any more?
Katya works her way down the line of kobold captives, clubbing them all back to unconsciousness.
She turns to the others. So, are we agreed? We will execute these four as bandits?
Then we can spend some time burying them, setting up a camp, the usual.
"Agreed," Anton mutters, still rubbing his temples. Why did his studies not teach him how to remove a headache?
Harsk nods his affirmation of the plan and pulls his hammer...