Zokon agrees with Durgan and then follows.... then he stops "hmmm... I do not think we should follow, he is not worth that much trouble. I am willing to leave him to the wilds for now. Only 2 of us should not march into the den of whatever is over there, especially in the dark."
Scarlet isn't sure what to make of it, but she does see Chief Sootscale. So she sheathes her sword, walks up to him and bends her knee.
shrieks the kobold gesturing at Scarlet.
Durgan shrugs. "Very well, Zokon. Let us rejoin the others."
Serena sheathes her weapon as well but absolutely refuses to bow to kobolds.
Victoria rolls her eyes and focuses on the red grumpy kobold hoping to resolve this without bloodshed.
THIS is why no one trusts them.
Victoria and her allies may have heard of a 'conniption' but probably have never seen one until now. The kobold visibly shakes with some unnamed emotion that lies somewhere between homicidal rage, abject hatred, and fear.
There is a general uptick in the amount of snarling and spear-pointing in the crowd of kobolds.
The kobold's pointing finger moves toward Victoria.
"Wa' HoH wa'DIch!" growls the kobold.
Erevenywg makes a strange distressed-looking face while making a chopping motion with one hand just below her tiny chin.
Durgan shrugs. "Very well, Zokon. Let us rejoin the others."
Durgan wavers between a point halfway across the river and to the near shore again until finally two-thirds of the hunting party decide to rejoin the rest of the party.
Meanwhile, back at the ambush site, after a long awkward pause following Chatchit's proselytizing.
"SoHvaD Hab." says Vexset, the other black kobold, to Alia while admiring the elf's skin.
Erevenywg makes a strange distressed-looking face while making a chopping motion with one hand just below her tiny chin.
"So what, this ain't working?" Scarlet stands back up. "Hey Victoria. What's the plan here? Those red kobolds seem even angrier than before."
Illthir looks around in confusion as her companions start to leave. "So we're out?" Now admittedly she wasn't that eager to ride onto a field of bones - especially not alone - but it seemed a bit ... anticlimactic. Ah well. She turned around her horse to follow them.
Durgan, Illthir, and Zokon head back to rendezvous with the others. Meanwhile there is one last chance to avoid slaughter at the meeting of the kobold chieftains.
Meanwhile, back at the ambush site.
"Qatlh Dochmey nach vaj tIn YAP?" asks Vexset.
"Grruff, Vexset, Wwej wutlh nI' 'Iw'e' Ilthuliak je jubbe' yu' yIv ghu'vam." interjects Chatchit.
"GhaH ghob'e' 'u' 'ej ghob'e' chenmoH tetlh luch tugh ghaq ghaH Ilthuliak WOOF HajmoHbogh! 'Etlh 'IH ghotvam'e'." continues the kobold cleric admiring Alia's sword.
"The she-elf must be fattened up and an list must be made of the items that she will soon contribute to dread Ilthuliak's treasure horde! This is a beautiful sword." continues the kobold cleric admiring Alia's sword.
"What are they on about now?"
"Well-." and there begins a rapid-fire explanation of all that had been said by both sides along with imitations of all the various speakers.
Scarlet nods along with the madness. "Huh. So they think Alia is a sacrifice? Maybe we can use this to our advantage. But... uh... I'm bad at this."
Scarlet nods along with the madness. "Huh. So they think Alia is a sacrifice?"
Having picked up that Scarlet and a few others speak Sylvan along their ride, she replies in a language she hopes the kobolds don't understand.
Serena looks puzzled at the use of Sylvan.
Picking up on the nervousness of the kobolds, Serena speaks up. "We mean you no harm," she says slowly and pronouncedly.
At the Kobold meeting of chiefs - sense motive (hunch)
Scarlet replies to Victoria, then follows Serena's lead. She approaches, drops her longsword, and then raises her hands in surrender, still holding her torch.
It's worth a shot.
"vaj laH jIyaj lugh DaSov'a'?", Alia finally responds, having focused on the kids before and making sure they are fine.
"'ej 'e' nab vItu' qIy'amo pagh ghIq."
One hand in her pocked, Alia feels power surge back into her as she recalls one of her spells utilizing her magical pearl.
Without looking away from the two Kobolds, she calmly continues in common:"I will not be given as sacrifice, and my blade will have no other master."
She turns to Vexset, seemingly wanting to say something, but stopping herself from talking.
Being smooth would be an insult in their tongue, but it sounded...somehow admiring. Best not to interpret things wrongly.
"You do know that I can understand you, right?" Alia finally responds, having focused on the kids before and making sure they are fine.
"And I cannot say that I find your plan desirable."
Serena looks puzzled at the use of Sylvan.
Picking up on the nervousness of the kobolds, Serena speaks up. "We mean you no harm," she says slowly and pronouncedly.
Chief Sootscale takes a deep breath. King Merlokrep licks his lips in anticipation of Victoria's dead and a fox dinner. The other Chieftains look at each other in confusion. The small army of kobold warriors stand ready to kill at the first suspicious move.
"vaj laH jIyaj lugh DaSov'a'?", Alia finally responds, having focused on the kids before and making sure they are fine.
"'ej 'e' nab vItu' qIy'amo pagh ghIq."
One hand in her pocked, Alia feels power surge back into her as she recalls one of her spells utilizing her magical pearl.
Without looking away from the two Kobolds, she calmly continues in common:"I will not be given as sacrifice, and my blade will have no other master."
She turns to Vexset, seemingly wanting to say something, but stopping herself from talking.
Being smooth would be an insult in their tongue, but it sounded...somehow admiring. Best not to interpret things wrongly.
"Of course I know you can hear my words." Chatchit blusters. "I mean--those ears. Still, it is the greatest honor a non-Sootscale can attain. So, are you sure?"
Vexset blinks twice. It is a sign that she is trying to process all of the verbal information being passed among the three.
"Where are the others?" he asks of anyone there? Trying to ascertain where the other group that has gone off are.
"They said they were moving on to the outpost."
"Well we should all go there as well. We want to get to that shelter as soon as possible."
"Are there any extra horses?"
"No, we walk. But your siblings can ride on my horse.", Alia answers Byron, then welcomes the pursuit group:"No luck, I take it? Welcome back!"
Then she turns back to the Kobolds:"Yes, I am certain I would like to not be sacrificed. How about you? Would that not be a great honor as well? You could try to sacrifice each other in ritual combat. The winner would surely gain Ilthuliak blessing-"
"No, no luck." Illthir confirms with a sigh. "But maybe, gods willing, Sneeg simply fell and broke his neck. A pity on the horse though. Mph. How have things gone here? Are you children okay?"
"Lets get going then and try and catch up, gods know these lands are dangerous enough without splitting up." he then rides in the direction of the outpost
"Let me know what you want me to do, Alia. I will follow your lead. I think these are the kobolds who tried to use their magic on me? I will be happy to kill them if needed, as long as we can keep the children safe. Or I trust that you know what you are doing if you parley with them."
Durgan says this (in Common) pretty matter-of-fact.
"Aye, they are those very same. But I am pretty certain it wouldn't look good in the negotiations if we kill them. I think there is a pressing need to return the Benzen children home. There's a good number of farmers to the lands west of Olegs. Used to these harsh lands. Their...mayor, one Samuel Renault, is unlikely to remain idle in the face of Kobolds kidnapping children. They will suspect one or two tribes behind this, and almost certainly feel that they can stand up to them. I may be wrong, but my guess is he assembled those able-bodied man he can and may have formed a rescue team able to take on a tribe of Kobolds. Technically that may add to our leverage by proofing my earlier point of a revenge strike, but I fear if it comes to serious blows, people will die."
She looks at the two that kept her company, then adds:"Mostly Kobolds. And I suspect nobody would want that."
"We should probably re-gather rather than letting ourselves get ambushed piecemeal and then take the kids home. Kobolds are just to good at getting the drop on us to allow ourselves to be at less than full awareness and strength." he replies
I'm not going to just roll over and die from some damn kobolds after all I've been through! Swallowing her pride and doing her best to suppress a growl, Victoria asks, "Mikmek... is there any way we can smooth over this situation? Is there a way you can assure them that we are here to help? We seem to be doing everything wrong in their eyes because we do not understand your ways."
I'm not going to just roll over and die from some damn kobolds after all I've been through! Swallowing her pride and doing her best to suppress a growl, Victoria asks, "Mikmek... is there any way we can smooth over this situation? Is there a way you can assure them that we are here to help? We seem to be doing everything wrong in their eyes because we do not understand your ways."
Alia listens to Zokon, then responds:"I doubt the Kobold Warchiefs will stand by idly while we collectively return with the Kids. I don't think joining up with the others and then leaving for even a couple hours to return them home will be a good option."
She turns to Byron:"Do you think you could take your siblings home by yourself from here, with three horses to ride? Your sister is...what...20 or so? She should be able to handle a bow just in case."
"I can give some spare weapons, darts, mace, spiked fist, arrows to help you." showing he likes Alia's idea by contributing.
Mikmek looks like he is about to speak when an arrow flies out of the darkness and strikes one of the chiefs. The kobold shrieks and collapses. A few more arrows follow striking kobolds all around the area. At the same time a couple of human soldiers dozen soldiers rise from the tall grasses and attack the kobold warriors from behind. One immediately falls through what must have been a concealed pit and by the scream seems likely to never come out again.
Pandemonium ensues. The angry red kobold chieftain turns his warriors upon the few Sootscale warriors in attendance causing some confusion in the ranks as the two chieftains clash. A whole line of kobolds advancing on Victoria disappear in an explosion of violet eldritch fire. The rain of arrows continues to fall on the kobolds all around Scarlet with eerie accuracy.
Finally, the kobolds break. many find gaps in the line of advancing human soldiers and make for the high grass concealing Abadar knows what traps others seem to be massing behind the ruins of the old cart, but as the encircling men will soon realize the cart also covers a wide burrow the depths of which cannot be seen with a light.
|
"You there." an imperious woman's voice reaches Scarlet's ear. "Are you not the bodyguard of Alia of Kyonin?" The woman is an a tall, slender elf dressed all in black, with long blue-violet hair that falls in single line of perfect ringlets down her back. The woman is is carrying one of the most beautiful glaives you have ever seen.
Coming up behind her is an other elf, a man with long straight blonde hair, and cold blue eyes. He carries a longbow, and is dressed like a huntsman.