Temerith sheathes his weapon and begins to root around in his pack. He pulls out his length of silk rope, showing it to the others. He looks to Arumil, frowning slightly. "Horrible plan. They'll be furious."
He then moves to tie up the two unconscious kobolds.
Arumil helps Temerith tie them up, making sure they cant escape easily.
"I know about kobolds, judging by your reactions you do not. There was little danger. We outnumbered them and kobolds are normally weak, they are aware of that. For all their posturing they would not attack first in such a case."
He takes a moment to dust himself off when he is done. Thinking what silly band fate had placed him in, this was the stolen lands in the river kingdoms. Wild and with its own set of laws, he had not come unknowingly of the way of things here.
"Well while you discuss, I will get what we came for. One must keep their objective in sight after all."
Picking up moon radishes, he tosses the unsuitable ones to the side until he has enough.
Bydar sighs at something, and also helps pick up radishes, trying to explain "Arumil, we all saw the condition the kobolds were in. Again, we are asking you to not be so rash in the future or make snap judgements on all our behalf. If you cannot, or for pride's sake WILL not comprehend that, you will find troubles of your own making arising. We need teamwork. Now, that said," he speaks up so all may hear him," do any of you think we should check out this tree they wanted to lead us to? It maybe be a trap, or threat, but that might be another reason to clear it out eventually and make it safer. And should we have our new prisoners lead us there? "
"Returning them is probably best," the red-coated tiefling speaks up, though not very loudly. He nods once to Bydar, before moving to lift the two creatures up by their rope bonds. Temerith attempts to shake them a little to wake them up, but he puts a little too much force into it, causing them to fly around on each end of the rope. Realizing he's just going to cause them to vomit, the Inquisitor stops, looking embarrassed. "I say we go."
Arumil shakes his head at the man.
"I think your lack of knowledge is a dangerous thing. Both concerning this land and me. It is your lack of comprehension that leads you to make a judgement of me and my actions. You say they were no threat yet a moment ago I was accused of endangering the group. No blood has been spilled, some information gained thru converse, and two creatures who may very well know the reason behind the recent kobold clashes have been captured. Would any of this have come to pass without my actions. You could have come across them without the ability to speak with them, at best they would flee and at worst attacked. Etheir outcome is a lost compared to now."
He takes a long breath, giving the sense of a parent explaining something to a child that does not understand.
"I would suggest that you remember what I said when we first met. I bring knowledge and experience. My choices are netheir rash or random, one should not judge others by their own ways of thought. More so when they are not of the same race, that is something you must learn."
He says his peace. Concerning the tree he keeps silent for the moment.
Raxus gives Bydar a silent look that speaks volumes about what he thinks of the conversation.
"Wasn't any danger now. But now there will be danger later. Two got away."
Another elf who talks too much. Maybe if we're lucky he'll last as long as the last two.
Bydar shakes his head at the elf, "it's obvious we are speaking at each other not to, whatever our intent." A nod to Raxus, "So, Raxus, what do you think we should do? with the two we have."
The two kobolds wake up and begin thrashing as they try to escape their bonds.
Lifting the two flailing kobolds to where he can see them, Temerith shakes off his hood. He looks the two creatures in the eyes, the look on his face dead serious. "Talk. Tell us where they are going."
"Unless they speak common, they won't understand your questions. You may want Arumil to translate if if he's still willing." Bydar reminds.
"True it was not an immediate danger Arumil, but If the tribe found out it would be a lot of kobolds to deal with, that's the danger part.
Every action has a consequence, and yours could start a war with a few local tribes of Kobolds."
Temerith nods at Bydar's words, and turns to Arumil, holding the restrained kobolds out to him. "Tell them." The tiefling begins looking the little things over, trying to recall what he knows about them.
Bydar glances over the kobolds wondering if they wear any signs of faith, be it amulets or tattoos.
And, for that matter, if there are signs of a hierarchy at all similar to human nobles.He very much doubts it.
Arumil gives a sigh. They still knew so little.
"It would be dangerous for the kobolds to think a small group of people were weak and moving about the land. Lure them to a location and ambush them with numbers would make more sense. War over the fate of two, they would lose far more. They are not that simple minded and less we forget they are currently in their own war, which I would guess is costing them enough lives as is."
Seemed reasoning was in sort supply, the biggest one seems to be the most rational or disinterested of the former group. At Temerith's request he translates while speaking his own words.
"Oh if you do not tell us then I guess we will just take you to the tree you mentioned. I wonder how you will fare?"
The kobolds shrink back from Temerith's gaze, and look at Arumil as he speaks. When he's finished, both sit up eagerly, rapidly responding in their language.
Bydar states "No religious symbols that I recognize on any of them."
Arumil thinks for a moment on his information. Turning to the others he translates.
"I would advise we let them lead us. But not to let them go until we reach the location. I would think this is agreeable, should I make the offer?"
Bydar looks pleased by something, then considers the suggestion, and turns to the others, "While Arumil and I clearly do not agree on everything, I think this suggestion is prudent."
Temerith nods, letting the two kobolds reach the ground, still holding on to the rope. His sharp look at the little humanoids says more than any words he could muster, even if they could understand the tiefling.
Raxus shrugs at Bydar's question, clearly content to let the elf make the choices regarding the Kobolds. "Too late now. It is done. He speaks with them, let him speak."
Looking to the elf pointedly, the giant man says. "In the future, if he chooses to make choices without us, we will make choices without him."
Arumil turns back to the kobolds, disregarding the big mans look.
"We will let you go once we get to the tree. I would like to know more about this deerman you speak of and this recent trouble with your tribe. News has spread, surely the sootscale tribe is not in the wrong are they?"
He may as well keep the kobolds talking, if only to keep them at ease.
Temerith holds on to the rope, allowing the kobolds a little bit of slack. He looks to Arumil, "This is all the freedom they get for now."
Raxus looks to Bydar and rumbles "Staglord."
The kobolds watch eagerly as the group discusses matters, even holding their tiny clawed hands out to make it easy for you to cut their bonds. But at Teremith's look, they quickly pull their hands back. When the tiefling looks away, both kobolds mutter soft hisses at him, being careful to make sure he neither sees nor hears them.
They perk up when Arumil speaks with them, but their shoulders slump as he finishes his part of the conversation. They look at each other for a long time before one speaks:
The other one nods and reaches forward slightly:
Arumil looks at them for a moment.
"As long as your well behaved you will be treated well. We would not starve you so no worries there."
He takes out one of his rations giving it to the kobolds.
"So tell me more of this new chief and recent events? Was the old chief not a good one?"
Raxus looks to Bydar and rumbles "Staglord."
"It all seems to circle back to him," Bydar nods to Raxus as the elf and kobolds converse.
The kobolds smack their lips as Arumil hands over the rations. They quickly stash the food about their bodies, and in seconds, everyone loses sight of the packages.
They look back at Arumil as he asks his questions.
He shrugs, "Is good deal. Already beat mites and take their home. Having more eggs in home tunnels. New chief smart and powerful, call tribe Sootscales now to honor new Chief."
Raxus looks to Bydar and rumbles "Staglord.""It all seems to circle back to him," Bydar nods to Raxus as the elf and kobolds converse.
"So it would seem"
Raxus looks to Bydar and rumbles "Staglord."
Temerith almost growls at the name. Have I found the one, already? His hand squeezes tight around the ropes restraining the kobolds, though they likely don't even notice it. The tiefling pulls his hood back up, and the hand returns to the hilt of his weapon, squeezing the familiar leather grip. He tries to put on a calm expression, not wanting to intimidate the kobolds when they seemed to be cooperating with the elf.
Arumil takes the new information in, still too vague.
"Is the new chief a kobold, I mean black scaled kobolds are not that rare after all. I would think for you to give him such a name he would need to be really something. How big and strong is he, not as big as me or any of the others right?"
Thoughts went thru his mind about this chief. Best to know what they would be dealing with.
Both kobolds shake their heads in the negative. One responds and points toward Raxus.
He stops speaking and looks at Arumil. His eyes look downward, then back to the elf as the little creature raises both arms to indicate the entire group. In a softer voice, he speaks again:
Arumil knew it, of all the suspects he thought a dragon was the last one he wanted to confirm. Still better to cross check it with his own knowledge.
Arumil excuses himself from the kobolds for a moment catching up with the rest of the group. He tells them about his talks with the kobold.
"So it seems this staglord you know is the deerman, which gives us a fair location of his base along with the information of a stronghold. I would guess a castle or fortress made of stone by their words. Along with the strong possibility of a black dragon with control of a kobold tribe near by. I would suggest we tred carefully, any dragon is not to be crossed. They are prideful creatures, best not to be insulted which is easier then you may think. I would also suggest we come to some sort of understanding with Sootscale, otherwise it could become a great problem indeed. One beyond our ability to deal with I might add."
The dragon did not seem unreasonable, the kobolds did not seem to fear their chief. Still more information was needed.
"Are you sure it's a dragon and not a Tatzlwyrm.
As I still recall my mother's story of beating one bare handed,
but then again she did some other crazy things."
Arumil shakes his head.
"I doubt it, they have very different physical characteristics. Kobolds know a good deal about draconic species to tell them apart. I think they would confuse it with a land wyrm before a dragon."
Bydar raises a brow, "If the Sootscale truly do have a dragon on their side, they have a lot more power than I think any of us anticipated. People of Brevoy should know that as well as anyone given history. Of course, the kobolds could be lying, but it's an interesting choice of a lie if so. I prefer not to war with an entire tribe of kobolds even if they DON'T have a dragon. The question is, if they really do, how much of a risk would it be to talk to it?"
"I think if we go the diplomatic route we should teach the most diplomatic one of us, Draconic."
Arumil gives them a look.
"Draconic can not be learned over night and using broken draconic would be a grave even deadly insult. Most dragons know other languages, some even make a point of learning many. So I would not be too concerned on that point. Speaking with the dragon will not be a problem so long as you show, in its eyes, the proper form and respect."
He considers things for a moment.
"I would be concerned with the price of the dragon, any peaceful agreement will no doubt require a tribute of some kind. I would warn you that dragons do not take well to rejection of any kind. So an agreement must be reached or the dragon may very well attack us. This is all based on it being a black dragon, different dragon types tend to have different behaviors."
"Then I ask what are the general behaviors of the various common types of dragon?"
Arumil shakes his head.
"That would take days to explain in detail. There is also the fact that individual characteristics come into play. You can only draw so much from generalizations, exceptions exist which can and should bring reconsiderations to the subject matter. I am simply offering suggestions, a good rule of thumb is to treat a dragon like a high born noble. They are majestic beings of power and they know it. Some are kind and noble while others are entitled tyrants, regardless they are all dangerous and not to be trifled with."
"Since this dragon is a potential neighbor to us,
I think it might be good manners to introduce ourselves."
Temerith nods at Bridgette's suggestion, but he does not looks particularly enthusiastic about it. "But need to be cautious," he warns, not needing to have ever met a dragon to know full-well they're not to be trifled with.
"Then let us risk it and pay our respects And yes, dear Shelyn, Temerith is right. Let us be cautious as we do so."
Raxus nods and waits.