"Do you need a hand?"
she is wearing Brown pants, a white short sleeved shirt, a brown bodice that assists her figure, a brown vest, and good boots.
Rough draft
The enormous man who knelt in front of her seemed flummoxed. After a moment, prompted by the othe woman's words, he simply extended his hand and offered the woman in the box a hand up.
His fingers were nearly as big around as her wrists.
"They certainly do grow them big down here," the young woman comments as she accepts the enormous man's hand and allows him to help her out of the cramped confines of the chest, flashing both he and the tall woman a friendly smile of appreciation to show that she means no offense by her comment.
"My name is Arianna. Arianna Silvermane," the young woman responds to Bydar's introduction. "So you say you're surveyors with a charter. Does it look something like this?" she asks as she reaches back into the chest to retrieve a partially torn parchment bearing the seal of the Swordlords of Restov. "Sounds like we're here in the Stolen Lands for the same purpose. But I'm sorry, I think I must've misheard that last bit - did you say you're also here to rescue a kobold?" she asks, her voice suddenly turning icy with hostility.
"Yes, that's true.
and there is a story behind it."
Arumil says nothing. Only watching the exchange while keeping alert. After a few moments he thinks it wise to point out their current state.
"At the risk of sounding rude, you are all aware we are in a mite lair and they know of us. A good deal of haste would be suggested less we find our selves with more traps and surprises to deal with. Standing around getting to know one another is not adviseable."
Picking up on the former captive's feelings about their would be allies.
"We have an accord with the kobold clan of sorts. I intend to see it thru. If you have issues with kobolds I suggest you keep them to yourself, their draconic chief is not to be crossed. Seeing as these mites are all thats left of a greater colony that did just that. I am sure you can understand the scope of that statement."
"Yes, this does involve mending a ...diplomatic incident we had with said dragon's adopted kobold tribe. The missing kobold, and half the treasure we find here, is the means to that." Bydar says with a slight glance to the elf, "And while we don't mean to rush you, Arumil's point about haste has some merit."
Temerith shoots awkward glances towards the woman who stepped out of the chest, before nodding vaguely in her direction. He turns around again, eyes focused on the northern exit of the tunnel.
The tiefling man's tail seems to be swaying nervously behind him, and though none of them can see it, his left hand squeezes the pommel of his weapon.
"I'll be more than happy to help you put an end to this mite nest. Just give me a moment to gather what's left of my belongings," Arianna says, picking up the few items strewn within the chest - a well-worn backpack, a scarf, and an empty wrist sheath. "The mites took my weapons. I don't suppose any of you have a dagger you could spare?"
"As for the kobolds - we'll deal with that problem when we're done here. I definitely want to have a word with this dragon of yours. Those little purple-scaled menaces slaughtered an entire caravan of people bearing exploration charters from the Swordlords, and traded me to the mites. So you may need to ask yourselves - where do you loyalties lie? With the authorities who granted your charters? Or with the kobold vermin who - unprovoked I might add - murdered a group of innocent fellow explorers?"
Arumil gives the woman a cynical look.
"I suppose then that every human we run into is a bandit. Or maybe every halfling is nothing more then a thief or slave. Kobolds come in a number of colorations and even those that share the same coloration do not belong to a single clan. You have not even considered these things and already assume that the clan we are dealing with is the same that attacked you. If they had a trading relationship then why would they seek to wipe out the mites. In turn for killing those of their clan no less. I suggest you do not make baseless accusations."
He wondered if such a person should have remained in the box. Was it that simple reason was a rarity.
"Be nice." Raxus rumbled.
Temerith rolls his eyes, pulling his morningstar from its place on his belt. He shifts his grip to the base of the head of the weapon while walking over to Arianna, offering it to her.
"Will this do?", the Inquisitor asks, not quite meeting her eyes as he speaks.
Bydar listens to Arianna's accusations and grows thoughtful. Arumil's comments fly back, but it is Raxus who he most agrees with.
"Arianna, we'll find out more about if these are the same kobolds that attacked your caravan... if that is the case, said dragon may indeed have some explaining to do BUT given the imbalance of power at the time, I still urge diplomacy. That said, I'm sorry for the tragic loss no matter WHAT tribe did it."
Temerith rolls his eyes, pulling his morningstar from its place on his belt. He shifts his grip to the base of the head of the weapon while walking over to Arianna, offering it to her.
"Will this do?", the Inquisitor asks, not quite meeting her eyes as he speaks.
"Why, yes. Thank you, sir," Arianna says, accepting the proffered weapon from the hooded man with a friendly smile.
"For someone who only seconds ago counseled action over speech, you certainly seem willing to spend enough time to voice your opinions and dismiss my own, Master Elf," Arianna replies to Arumil. "I have no desire to argue with my rescuers, and you certainly raise valid points. I'll be the first to admit that my experience with the evidently numerous kobold tribes of the Greenbelt with which you are so familiar has been limited at best. It's only been a little over a month since I left Restov, and I've spent most of that time locked up in that chest - that is, except for when the mites would take me out for their torture sessions."
And if your kobolds were trade partners with the mites, why would they seek to 'wipe out the mites' now? Certainly the mites are not in possession of anything of value in this place that a dragon might covet; nothing for which said dragon might send a party of threatening adventurers to eradicate the mites so that said dragon might gain it for itself. And certainly said dragon would not send said threatening adventurers on such a mission in order to weaken or eliminate them as well. No, I certainly don't see the possibility of two birds being killed with one stone in this situation."
"But regardless of what your dragon wants, I currently desire nothing more than to eliminate each and every mite in this nest and their verminous pets along with them. For let me assure you, I can personally attest that these mites are thoroughly and unabashedly evil. If your dragon's pet kobolds do not have purple scales, then I have no quarrel with it or with them, and I will even thank it for unintentionally facilitating my rescue. If your kobolds do have purple scales, then our discussion - while diplomatic - will be of a different nature entirely."
"Black," Temerith states, nodding shallowly to the woman, before returning to his spot at the back of the group. His eyes stay trained on the northern pass, still fearing more mites coming to attack.
"I'm sorry?" Arianna asks the hooded man.
"They are called the sootscale tribe in fact," Bydar nods in agreement with Temerith, "Let's continue on if you're ready, Arianna."
"Ah! So you're saying that your kobolds do not have purple scales? Well, there you go, Master Elf!" Arianna exclaims, nodding her thanks to Temerith and Bydar before turning a friendly smile toward Arumil. "An entire argument put to rest by one simple piece of information that could have been easily shared at the outset before either of us had to get on our high-horse. My apologies to you, your dragon, and your kobolds for my earlier, clearly baseless assumptions."
"Now, let's go kill some mites!" Arianna says fiercely with a fox-like grin, hefting her borrowed morningstar.
Arumil cant help himself, he puts a hand over his face to stop himself at laughing at the nonesense the woman speaks. After a moment of controlling himself he shakes his head.
"Oh my you are even more ignorant then I thought. Sootscale as is his common name is threated by nothing for a great deal of miles. The mites, ourselves, and even the trading post along with the recent garrasion is no threat to him. He could kill us all with no danger to his person."
Regaining his composure.
"We should move on. This seems pointless and a waste of time."
He guessed it was the physiological damage of being enslaved. Then again it was to be expected. The stolen lands were not kind to the foolish.
"Now, let's go kill some mites!" Arianna says fiercely with a fox-like grin, hefting her borrowed morningstar.
"Your enthusiasm borders on the contagious," Bydar admits with a smile, as he readies his own weapons again as the group readies to move on in a similar formation as before. "Later on I can tell you more on our journeys so far, and how we came into this odd mission in more detail."
"That's a story I look forward to hearing."
"I'd be delighted, I'm no tale spinner by trade, and some of it you might guess for yourself, but it will pass the time in the quieter hours. Are you a collector of tales?"
Temerith draws his sword once again, ready to move on.
Raxus gives Arumil a flat look before turning around toasted the next are of the cave.
this is going to get worse before it gets better.
Bydar is moving forward with the group
The next tunnel is much more natural that the ones you have previously traveled through. Obviously, the original miners did not stay long enough to fully expand and reinforce this tunnel.
As you proceed, small striations of fungus begin appearing on the rock face, and the air gradually becomes more humid. The fungal growths cover more and more of the rock face as the tunnel continues. Ahead, you see the tunnel opening into a rough area, and from what you can hear, there is some feature with fast-moving water inside the room.
Temerith moves forward slowly, weapon still drawn. His eyes sweep the tunnel ahead, desperately searching for any sign of danger.
Bydar wipes his brow at the growing humidity.
she whispers
"Sounds like there's mites ahead in the room, screaming,
I think we should proceed quietly."
Temerith nods, moving quietly as he is able.
Bydar moves as quietly as he can, though he's not very good at it...
:
That said, his footing seems good so far.
Arumil takes his time moving carefully but keeping ready for an attack.
"I'd be delighted, I'm no tale spinner by trade, and some of it you might guess for yourself, but it will pass the time in the quieter hours. Are you a collector of tales?"
"I've been known to spin a yarn or two, and I love listening to other people's stories," Arianna whispers in response to Bydar's question. "When we're through here I'll buy you all drinks and you can tell me how you wound up in the Greenbelt."
"This type of fungus is typically found in dark and humid locations. It's not dangerous, but it signifies that a large quantity of water is nearby," Arianna advises, pointing out the fungal growths covering more and more of the rock face as the tunnel continues.
"Sounds like there's mites ahead in the room, screaming, I think we should proceed quietly."
Ariann nods silently to acknowledge Bridgette's warning, and proceeds forward as quietly as possible.
The group quietly sneaks up to the edge of the tunnel and looks into the chamber beyond. The entire floor is covered in the same fungus as the tunnel, creating a lush dark carpet throughout the room.
A wide channel of water flows from east to west, then proceeds over a ledge, creating a waterfall and the source of the noise. The water crashes into a large pool below, though from your vantage point, you cannot tell how far it falls.
On the far side of the water, a mite sits upon a large mushroom that has been carved into a shape resembling a chair. Beside this mite, a massive chitinous creature lays on the ground.
In front of the mite on the chair, five other mites stand on the ground, shouting and pointing back toward the tunnel in which you're hiding. The one in the chair appears to be arguing with the group. Several boxes and chests can be seen in a pile behind the mushroom chair.
DC 17: The giant tick is able to drain vital body fluids when it bites a creature (Con damage). When it bites, it also tries to grab its victim. Finally, giant ticks typically carry a disease called Red Ache that can sap a victim's strength if left untreated.
Temerith relates what he knows about the giant tick to the rest of the party in a quiet but stuttering voice. Once that is done, he begins to move toward the gathered mites carefully and as silently as he can manage.
Arumil studies the creature. He whispers to the others, giving them the information he knew.
"I am in favor of a stealthy approach. I only have two of my more powerful spells remaining. After those are used up I wont be much use, I am currently without a ranged weapon."
He did not think it needed to be said that he would not get in melee range unless he was forced into that position in order to save his life.
Bydar is following Teremith's lead, and nods at the warning about the tick hoping to at least close the gap, he moves with crossbow ready.
From her vantage point, Arianna studies the mite leader in an effort to read his lips and determine what he is saying to his underlings.
Unable to clearly discern what the mite leader is saying, Arianna attempts to move to the water's edge as stealthily as possible, taking cover behind any available obstructions between her and the mites as she does so.
As the group begins moving forward, one of the mites turns around and points at the tunnel, then gapes wide-mouthed as he sees the form of Teremith slowly moving toward him. With a scream, the mite begins jumping up and down, alerting all of his allies.
-----
Arianna, you can't quite make out what he's saying, mainly because he's flailing his arms around and it's difficult to actually see him clearly.
Let's roll initiative, and please let me know what you would like to do in the first round of combat. Everyone who moved forward is 10 feet from the water's edge, so 30 total from the mites and giant tick.
I'll post a map tonight.
Temerith flinches hard as he realizes he's been spotted. Not wasting a second, he begins incanting a spell, gesturing strongly with his left hand before touching his chest. A wave of force seems to appear around him, shimmering slightly.