Rupert wakes up with a yawn and stretches his limbs, then stands up slowly and deliberately. "Bit better, but still sore," he says in reaction to his body's stiffness.
In the morning Agnar will use a channel energy to improve the overall health of the group (including the kobolds).
"Ah' guess you'll be rejoinin' your kin later today," Rupert tells the kobolds as they begin moving about the camp. "Ah' certainly hope ya'll appreciate the work we did for yeh' back down in that cave - those mites were nasty buggers."
"Ah' guess you'll be rejoinin' your kin later today," Rupert tells the kobolds as they begin moving about the camp. "Ah' certainly hope ya'll appreciate the work we did for yeh' back down in that cave - those mites sure were nasty buggers."
Treshiell continues to talk with the kobolds. It almost sounds like she's conducting an interregation.
"ווי טוט ער טאָן דעם? צי איר וויסן אַז שאַרפּטאָאָטה טוט גאָרנישט?"
How does he do this? Do you know that Sharptooth does nothing?
Later she seeks up Agnar. "What causes a kobold to turn yellow and die?"
"I pondered that myself when we were first told of it. I could think of no disease or infection that would cause it. There is a disease found in warmer climes, known as yellow fever, that can cause jaundice. I don't think it would affect the kobolds the same way. The yellowing is of the skin and eyes. These kobolds are scaly. That sort of material would not yellow if it were jaundice," Agnar declares as he smooths his beard with his fingers. He stares absently into the distance for a time, pondering the query.
"Were I to hazard a guess, I'd say it is some sort of curse, magical in nature. Either that, or the yellow color has nothing to do with their dying, much in the same way as the painted mark on a diseased tree has nothing to do with it being cut down; it simply marks the tree so the woodcutter knows which one to cull."
The kobolds look at Treshiell with confusion. "אני לא יודע. בבוקר הוא שאמאן רב עוצמה. השן שארפ להגן עלינו מפני קללה!" Mikmek says.
"Mikmek no know. Tartuk am powerful shaman. Sharptooth protect us from curse!"
You begin making your way back toward the kobold caves, the sun shining brightly after the day spent in the subterannean mites' lair.
Ready to move on
"A magical curse. Are there any other?" Treshiell says with a flat expression. "I guess we will have to ask Taruk how it works when we next meet him."
"I've heard many a curse leave the tongues of men with no ill effect, save a loss of respect from those around them. 'Tis the magic that makes them effective."
With Mikmek and Yakpik leading you, you easily retrace your steps and return to the kobold caves. As you get closer, the two kobolds seem to start fidgeting and looking around frequently, seeming nervous about returning home.
Before sunset, though, you've returned to the former Oaktop Silver Mine that the reptilian creatures call home. A guard is again stationed at the front near the caged mite but he lets you pass as Mikmek and Yakpik indicate you're OK.
"איר ויסקומען באַזאָרגט. ביסט איר יקספּעקטינג אַ אַמבוש? אָדער אַ קללה?" Treshiell comments the kobolds actions. "וועט ניט שאַרפּטאָאָטה באַשיצן איר פון וואס?"
You seem worried. Are you expecting an ambush? Or a curse?
Won't Sharptooth protect you from that?
Treshiell walks up to the caged mite as the group reaches the kobold stronghold. "I wonder if we could use these for something", she murmurs and runs her hand across the bars.
"Surely they're just the nasty lil' creatures we've been seein', nothin' more." Rupert still seems a bit moody about his run in with the mites and their centipedes.
"Aye. Best be rid of the things. Not sure why they're keeping this one around."
Agnar looks around at the group, then at their kobold guides.
"Treshiell, is there a problem? I'd have thought these two would be happier to be home."
"הוא ואני מאוד מתכוון. אני מודאג מה הוא יעשה לי בגלל שאני לא הצלת שן חדה ללא עזרה," Mikmek replies.
"Tartuk am very mean. Mikmek am worried what he will do because Mikmek am no rescuing sharp tooth without help."
The mite hisses at you as you approach his cage.
"פארוואס וואָלט ער טאָן אַז? ער האט שוין מקריב עטלעכע קאָבאָלדס צו ענשור אַז שאַרפּטאָאָטה מאכט עס היים, טוט ער זאָרג ווי עס איז אומגעקערט? צי איר ווילן צו פירן די סטאַטוע?", Treshiell says to Mikmek with the hint of a reassuring smile on her face. "יעדער וועג, איר זענט וועגן צו געפינען אויס. וועט איר פירן די וועג?" she asks and gestures to the entrance.
Why would he do that? He has already sacrificed some kobolds to ensure that Sharptooth makes it home, does he care how it is returned? Do you want to carry the statue?
Either way, you are about to find out. Will you lead the way?
The kobolds look at each other, head cocked in what appears to be their version of a shrug, for a moment, then lead you into their cave. They again lead you past the pits and around to the southeast. At the end of the tunnel, they look back at you, to see where you want to go.
"Do you have something you require before we present Sharptooth to their leader?" she asks everyone and no one all while keeping her eyes fixed on the two kobolds.
"איר זאָל נעמען אונדז צו אייער פירער צו קריק שאַרפּטאָאָטה. אָדער טאָן איר האָבן עפּעס אַנדערש אין גייַסט?" Treshiell says and gazes deep into their eyes.
You should take us to your leader to return Sharptooth. Or do you have something else in mind?
"I'm ready. Let's be done with it."
As the two kobolds seem to hesitate, Orin asks "What seems to be the problem?"
The two kobolds lead you to the left, to the large chamber that appears to be the main living quarters (as you remember from your first visit here, numerous beds of furs lie scattered throughout the room amid smoldering cookfires, while to the south, a ten-foot-wide alcove contains a large mound of furs framed by dozens of sticks on which are mounted the skulls of many birds and small animals, all smeared with ash).
A group of kobolds in the room look up as you approach, several chirping excitedly to each other in draconic as they recognize Mikmek. Your two kobold companions step to the side as they approach Chief Sootscale, leaving you face to face with the black-scaled leader of the tribe.
"Take us to 'em," Rupert says, "Let's give 'em their statue and get back to the fort for some hard earned rest."
Treshiell stares at the kobold chief for a moment, then pulls out the status of Sharptooth. "This is yours, and will guard over you," she says, her eyes locked on the reptilian figure.
Sootscale holds the statue in his hands with a fierce look of concentration, as if he were making a particularly difficult decision. Finally, he shrieks in triumph, holds the statue over his head, and then smashes it down onto the ground, shattering it. The other kobolds in the room, and Treshiell, freeze in shock.
"You free us," says the chief, a frantic grin on his snout, "Many thanks from Sootscales. Now you come kill bad kobold with us."
Looking from the chieftain to his companions a smile breaks out on Orin's face "Finally, something I can understand!"
"Then enlighten me, as I seem a bit slow on the uptake today," says Agnar. "What 'bad kobold'?"
Orin looks at Agnar uncomprehendingly until a light seems to go on behind is violet eyes. "It seems from what i've been able to piece together from the snippets of conversation that there is a power struggle going on between the chief and the shaman. Everyone is afraid of Tartuk because they believe that if they cross him he will have them sacrificed to Sharptooth to help alleviate the curse."
Comprehension lights in Agnar's eyes. "Oh! So they'd like us to to take out their shaman who is sacrificing his own people to an infernal idol. I'd be honored. Lead the way, chief."
Treshiell looks at the ruin that was Sharptooth. "I told you it was not magical", she says in a distant tone. "He should have used something magical to control the tribe", she continues before following the kobold leader to confront the shaman Taruk.
"How do you think Taruk will take this?" she asks the group as they march.
"My guess is 'not well.' Depending on his abilities, courage, and confidence, he'll either try to kill us, flee, or beg for his life. I'm hoping for one of the latter two. We've done a lot of fighting in the last day already."
"Well that doesn't sound all that fair," Rupert intervenes. "Who's the 'bad kobold,' then, their shaman - Tartuk?"
The chief leads the group, Mikmek, Yakpik and several other kobolds south to the shaman's quarters, where the purple-scaled kobold appears to be waiting to see what the disturbance is.
"I see you have returned," he says in common, upon seeing you. "And brought a ruckus with you. Have you rescued Sharptooth, as you promised, sparing this tribe from the curse?"
A large raven hops back and forth on his shoulder, glaring balefully at you and letting out a loud "CAW!"
Treshiell calmly returns Tartuk's gaze. "Chief Soothscale brought us. I think he has something to say to you. I belive it has been decided that Sharptooth is not needed to protect this tribe from the curse", she sums up the situation. "I am curious to what your reaction will be. Agnar hopes that you will flee or beg for your life", she says and points to Agnar.
On the way to the Shaman's cave Orin will string his bow and knock an arrow, preparing for the shaman to do anything other than surrender.
Attack roll:
Damage:
Agnar simply stands behind Treshiell looking menacing, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.
"Fie! A curse on you, and this stupid tribe," the shaman yells, again in common, quickly pulling a wand from a belt pouch. He speaks a word in a language only Edrukk recognizes, and two purple bursts of arcane energy fly out, one hitting Yakpik, who cries out and the other slamming into Rupert and sending a burst of pain through his body.
As you struggle to react, the purple-scaled kobold quickly casts again, and disappears from sight.
Initiatives
Agnar casts a spell, Erastil's power spreading to bolster his allies in the room. Then he moves to the entrance to the cave, attempting to bodily block any exit from the room.
Round #1:
Initiative: 10
Armor class: 16; T: 13; FF: 13
Hit points: 24/24
Condition:
Frustrated that the shaman disappeared before he could take his shot, Orin switches targets and aims to the kobold's familiar.
"Come out, come out, Wherever you are."
Attack roll:
Damage:
Treshiell stands calmly by as the shaman throws his spells and the room erupts in battle. "You did not get your wish", she informs Agnar. Thaal climbs up her arm and settles on her shoulder and across her neck as the witch starts moving her other arm back and forth like a rolling wave.
Tartuk: 23
Rupert: 20
Edrukk: 17
Agnar: 13
Kobolds: 13
Orin: 10
Treshiell: 2
Rupert looks around wildly for the kobold shaman but can't find any trace of him. He pulls his longbow out, nocking an arrow in preparation.
Edrukk grunts in annoyance, muttering a curse about kobolds speaking gnomish and kobolds in common, as he pulls his light crossbow. "Anyone see him?" he asks.
Agnar's spell bathes everyone in a warm light, causing several of the kobolds to chirp in surprise, patting themselves as they look for the cause for this strange feeling of blessedness.
Orin looses an arrow at the raven, which squawks in anger as the shaft whizzes by the black bird, a feather fluttering free in its wake.
Treshiell's spell has no apparent effect, though one hapless kobold was apparently too close and collapses in a heap.
Top of Round 2
As you all scan for the shaman, the raven suddenly darts through the tunnel at the back of the cave.
Rupert perception:
Edrukk perception:
Round 2
Rupert launches an arrow after the raven, if it's still within range when he's ready.
Attack Raven (if possible)
damage
Agnar remains at the ready near the tunnel he's guarding.
"We might want to split up. Either the bird's following its master, or he's using it as a diversion."
Orin will nod at Agnar's words as he knocks another arrow and follows the bird down the back tunnel. "He might be invisible but he'll still leave tracks."
"I'll wait here, I haven't got the energy for a chase, and I should probably stick around Agnar in case anything worse happens."
Tartuk: 23
Rupert: 20
Edrukk: 17
Agnar: 13
Kobolds: 13
Orin: 10
Treshiell: 2
Rupert's arrow flies wide of the fleeing raven as Orin begins trying to track the kobold shaman. He thinks he has a trail, leading out the tunnel to the east, when suddenly the other group of kobolds rush past him, obliterating any chance of making sure where he went.
The tunnel leads several hundred yards before ending at a wall of hanging roots and leaves that obscure an exit out of the side of the hill.
As Orin ducks out and looks around, he sees a half-dozen kobolds furiously stomping around the area, looking for signs of the now missing shaman.