"I agree... if we can free him, I'm sure he'd be grateful... we might gain an ally."
We shouldn't be waiting much longer to head out. I fear time is running out for the two survivors, if it hasn't already! Zarrick picks up the sunrod from the floor where it was left, kneels before the queen of the Dragon Throne Clan. Thank you your majesty for your help. Trust that we will do whatever is necessary to return Calcryiax to you and your clan.
Klor seem to be almost memorizing the map. as he listens.
I be fightin' kobolds and goblins most a me life...sorry meepo...from what I can see, and what i know there be two ways in.
this entrance here be a direct route to the common area we can take the whole tribe at once in a frontal assult, my kinda fight, but dem gobbers be sneaky ones an they can take advantage of dat.
He indcates a second entrance near Meepo's training room.
dis way probably passes through som a Gutash's shrines this will give the advantage of picking off the perimeter and allows for quick strikes on the goblin chief.
He indiactes another room This area could prove a good defensive position just in case.
If we be a full comapny a Dwarven warriors I'd be sayin the frontal assualt, but considerin what we got I think it best to take the second route.
Klor seem more interested in destroying the entire tribe than any rescue mission.
Oh, best mention that this here defesive position... one way in and no way out except ta be pushed to the lower levels. I fer one don't intend ta be pushed back by goblins
"For what it's worth, we need to be smart about this... A direct fight will only end in our deaths. We need to take away their advantages in whatever way we can." Alrick pauses, thinking.
"We need to rescue this cleric. Without the aid of the divine, the Goblins are weakened. We need to find this dragon, and rally the kobolds behind Meepo. With more on our side, their advantage of numbers is less of an issue."
"Lastly, if we can find some way to kill their leader, they will be a broken force. Goblins aren't known for their spine nor their intellect. Without a leader they would be in chaos..."
Alrick shrugs.
"Or at least that's what they'd do in the stories."
"I think Alrick has the right of it, we need to approach this without a direct open battle, which we would most likely lose. Klor's assessment of us is pretty much spot on. We are NOT a company of dwarven warriors and will do best picking off small groups of defenders at a time. Maybe even gaining allies along the way if we can free the wyrmling and the cleric as we go."
Nods in agreement.
"Certainly no argument from me," The halfling says actually relieved to hear the others talking of avoiding a full frontal assault.
During the discussion, the party realizes they have been going for about 5 hours now and hunger starts to creep in.
The group quickly breaks out rations and while discussing the upcoming assault enjoy a meal of trail rations. Agreeing to take the longer but less direct path, the group heads out.
Grommund nods in agreement with the others' assessment of the situation and take up his position at the point of the group. "Meepo, ah'd thank ye kindly ter tell meh whar all the treps are. Doan want ter fall inta anoother pit!"
After lunch, the party, Meepo included head back through his room and to the North Eastern Door, following a hall to where it narrows as it bends southwards and back to the east before coming to a door, which according to Meepo's map, has an empty unguarded room beyond.
When asked about Traps Meepo says Of Course. I dont want to fall in any either
He stops you from entering and points out the tracks through the dust saying You can see they came through here
Survival:
Notice alot of others rolling for both, thought id give it a whirl. Perception
Most of the group nods as Meepo points out the footprints except Grommund who looks closer.
"Were they runnin' from you lad?" Grommund asks Meepo.
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Turning to look at Grommund, the lithe Kobold blinks his reptillian eyes rapidly and stares hard into Grommunds eyes and his voice wavers as he says huh? uh...no. what makes you say they were running...and from me? I wouldn't have hurt them.
Ekan eyes the rations, "We're going to have to find food on the way eventually."
"I'm sure we'll be able to find something. The goblins no doubt have stores enough to sustain us. Perhaps the kobolds will trade after we've rescued their dragon!"
Rescued a dragon Alrick think again, and can't help but laugh.
"I'm not sure I'd want to eat what goblins eat... are you sure it would even be safe? I think I'd rather trade with the kobolds if it came down to it. It's a good thing I can purify food and drink if need be."
Tae smiles at the others, glad she can contribute perhaps more than just the creation of water.
"That's a right handy knack there, Tae." The halfling is relieved. Frankly, goblin food sounds like it NEEDS purifying.
Crossing the room with caution and haste, the group opens the next door. They know from Meepo's information that the next room is also unoccupied and holds an ancient dry fountain and an Iron Door that Noone has been able to open, with no lock.
Indeed that is exactly what presents itself to the group as the door is open. The Iron Door sits in archway to the left. No Lock is apparent on the outside, nor a door knob or latch. The embossed relief of Death, complete with scythe stands out on the door's face. Some Reddish Tiles stand out along the top of the archway, placed as such to resemble words in 'Draconic', though from this vantage point they are unreadable.
The dried fountain to the right, has a basin surrounding a statue of a Dragon. The basin is old and worn. The interior cracked and dry with patches of a thin scum thick in recesses.
The light from Zarricks sunrod shines out of the chamber and into an area that must have been some sort of cloister, with doors leading into chambers left and right after a T-intersection that, from Meepo's map goes into the Goblin Territory. The cloisters are the Rat-Dens of Guthash. Tae, Ekan, Grommund, and Klor can see beyond the cloister to a duplicate room to this one with another dry fountain and a statue of a dragon. Partially open pit traps, that have been locked into disrepair can be seen in a couple places on the floor.
Meepo points down that way and says Beyond the fountain down their is Guthash, and the remains of The Half-Breed Huntsman
"Don't feck me about lad, or ah'll be wearin' your skin fer a g-string befer ye know whaut hit ye. What aint ye tellin' us?" Grommund replies sternly to Meepo, looking his straight in the eye.
Klor looks to Grommund Grommund? ain't I supposed ta be tha one that be untrustin' looks like yer catchin on, you make a fine Kragsson one day
Lets be checkin dat Iron door
Eklan, if I hoist you up on my shoulders could you try and read what it says above the door
Meepo looked back and forth between the two dwarves, then around at the others....before carefully answering, his voice going up an octave from its normal squeaky voice to practically shrill. I didn't do nuthin. I was huntin. They came charging in poicking a fight with the Bounders The Knight swinging that magic sword of his. 'Course Calryax breathed on em through the bars near as I heard. Reinforcements was quick to arrive, and they ran down the hall we passed through. Their leader fell to the Bounders Blades though before they got too far. Once they had left Dragonsthrone territory, no one gave chase though. We weren't likin we had been forced to kill one. Queen Yusdrayl asked me to check their tracks when I got back and I saw where'd theyd gone. Saw The Huntsman running into Guthash' lair...He never came out. I'm sorry. I didn't have nuthin to do with it. I didn't want you to get mad an attack us, and have you get killed too. Queen Yusdrayl didn't even have to use her magic. She has his ring on a chain around her neck and his silver dagger as a prize. Please don't me mad
The words had come pouring out of his mouth like a torrent..and you could see the relief plain as day on his face that he'd gotten it off his chest, but now there was worry...and he backed into the wall, half expecting to have to fight.
"Ekan, if I hoist you up on my shoulders could you try and read what it says above the door?"
"I can certainly give it a try," The halfling nods, his hunger for knowledge overwhelming his nervousness about a possible tumble.
But then the kobold confesses...
Meepo looked back and forth between the two dwarves, then around at the others....before carefully answering, his voice going up an octave from its normal squeaky voice to practically shrill. I didn't do nuthin. I was huntin. They came charging in poicking a fight with the Bounders The Knight swinging that magic sword of his. 'Course Calryax breathed on em through the bars near as I heard. Reinforcements was quick to arrive, and they ran down the hall we passed through. Their leader fell to the Bounders Blades though before they got too far. Once they had left Dragonsthrone territory, no one gave chase though. We weren't likin we had been forced to kill one. Queen Yusdrayl asked me to check their tracks when I got back and I saw where'd theyd gone. Saw The Huntsman running into Guthash' lair...He never came out. I'm sorry. I didn't have nuthin to do with it. I didn't want you to get mad an attack us, and have you get killed too. Queen Yusdrayl didn't even have to use her magic. She has his ring on a chain around her neck and his silver dagger as a prize. Please don't me mad
The words had come pouring out of his mouth like a torrent..and you could see the relief plain as day on his face that he'd gotten it off his chest, but now there was worry...and he backed into the wall, half expecting to have to fight.
"oh my," Ekan scowls, "Meepo, do you think the queen could be convinced to turn the ring and dagger back over?"
Don know. She's awful proud of em. Maybe when the Gobbers are gone and Calcryiax is back she might be willin to part with em for a price....or a better prize from the Gobbers
he said honestly and forthright.
"That would be good, as we need those items to return to his family. It is only right to do so, and I hope we can make the queen see that, especially after we return you Cacryiax back to you. In the meantime though, it is not something we need worry about... we have much more to do here before that becomes an issue."
Zarrick helps Ekan get on his shoulders so he can make out the Draconic tiles.
Grommund nods, satisfied with the explanation.
"Channel good, open the way"? Odd."
"I hope that doesn't mean we need a cleric who can channel good energy, as I don't think we have such a person among us. I can heal a little, but that's not the same thing."
I am studying to be a cleric, but it doesn't help us right now
Meepo looks back and forth at the two dwarves. We not gonna fight? I hope not.
"No choice then, but to press on toward Guthash, I say." Alrick says. He grips the mace he borrowed and grits his teeth.
The worst is yet to come...
"Ah hope we don' fight too lad. On ter Guthash's place, lets find the remains."
"Yes, let's press on."
Ekan nods, follows and decides to cast detect magic now and then.
Ekan casts magic in the room before the advance and glances around and is surprised to see both the door and the dry fountain glow under his gaze.
Even as Ekan stood examining the fountain's magic after having done the same to the doorway; the group moved forward to the T intersection. Straight led to Guthash's lair, to the left the Goblins...
Meepo whispered Guthash is The Mother Rat, She's as big as a Riding Lizard. She's always guarded by many of her young. Since The King of Rats has arrived, she as been more bold in her attacks.
Ekan sighs and follows, "Not sure, but that fountain might be healing magic. The door has even stronger magic, but I'm not sure what sort..."
Cautiously the group crosses the intersection and into the Cloisters, moving forward to the first set of doorways, Alrick peeks into the cracked door to his left as Grommund peeks into the cracked door to his right.
Alrick can see a nest, but no resident, that is not true for the cell Grommund peeked into, where he saw a large Rat manuevering toward the cracked door.
Even as he pushed the door the remainder of the way in while readying his weapon several other large rats poked their heads through other cracked doors in the hall....
Klor stuck in the back of the group and seein Alrick up front
Dang it, protect the Ale. Klor yells as he manuvers to the front of the group trying to interpose himself between ant rats and the Ale-bearer.
Seeing the rats, Alrick bites back a shout of revulsion. He grips his mace, but rather than charge one, he readies to attack the first to approach.
"Your priorities are quite odd, Master Kragsson" Alrick says with a grin.
Ekan backs up and fires a crossbow bolt at one.
Tae readies to send a bolt of eldritch energy at the first rat to actually come out into the open.
Grommund also readies his axe should any come within his reach.
Klor pushed through his friends, axe at the ready pausing ready to strike.
When the rat came within striking distance his axe arced out, the furry opponent dodged easily around it, though he sliced a few hairs from it's back.
Alrick too prepared himself, mace in hand as the rat approached he swung and missed, his swing a little too high.
Mysabel flapping on his shoulder as he tried to load his crossbow ready to fire when one became visible. Ekans bolt clatters noisily against the wall breaking its tip.
As the first rat peaked its way out and began to creep down the hallway, Tae Raised both of her arms and pointed at it and the ray all had come to associate with her lanced out at the rat blasting its body back down the hall.
Grommund taking advantage of the Rats not having the initiative, sliced outward at the one just inside the room, hacks the rat in twain
Meepo readied an arrow from behind Grommund and as the rats advanced he fired and lost his arrow to the hallway wall.
Zarrick stood ready to heal if needed.
The two remaining rats stalked quickly down the hall, avoiding an axe and a mace swing. The first attacked Klor Its jaws narrowly missing.
The second launched itself at the unarmored Alrick receiving an attack from Klor born of opportunity as it passed which cut its head off before it passed leaving The bearer of the beer unharmed.
Round 2
AC: 14. Touch 14. Flat Footed: 11. HP: Dead, Dead, I4-5/5, Dead. FO:+3, Ref: +5, Will: +1. CMD: 12/16 vs Trip