Red stays on his horse and seems very calm <common> "Ah a sentry, we must be here. Don't spook them Cael." Red surveys the scene looking for any sign that the sentry is calming down, <draconic>"Mikmek, is everything okay?"
Forces a smile "No spooking, just looking at the countryside." after saying this he visibly tries to relax but he still scans the hillside.
Mikmek gives a quick nod before hurrying forward to talk to the sentry. One doesn't need to know draconic to get the gist of their conversation. From the gestures and tone it seems apparent that the sentry I'd concerned about the idea of humans being here, while Mikmek is obviously trying to explain that he has brought you to return the idol. This news seems to quickly work a change in the sentry as he begins to hurriedly becon you to follow him into the mine. He is even careful to point out the pit traps set at the entrance so that you might avoid them.
Cain dismounts almost lazily. He looks around the area and tries to get an idea of what they are in for. As his attention returns to the excited kobolds, he asks the others in low voice that won't carry. "How far in do you think we should go? Or would you prefer to have them come out to us?"
dismounts as well. "If we going in I'll take the end of the line. Go ahead all you negotiators." Waits for the rest of the party to follow the kobolds.
Acalon dismounts and says, quietly, "As long as we're not planning on betraying their trust and slaughtering them after we make our deal, I see no problem with going in. They certainly seem more interested in getting the idol back than trying to kill us and take it." With that, he ties up Shade and waits for the procession to head off down the mine.
Adriana dismounts warily, keeping her eyes on the kobolds as well as the caves around her as she enters. It's nothing personal, she doesn't trust anyone.
As the sentry and Mikmek lead you deeper into the caverns, more kobolds seem to materialize around you until a small crowd of them is following along, chattering excitedly to each other. No doubt the rumor of what you bring is spreading like wildfire through the tribe. Still, there is no sign of impending violence, and no look of anything but curiosity from their faces.
Past the entrance, you come into a series of very tight corridors, much like the mite caves only cleaner and with solid stone walls rather than earth. As you finally squeeze through these, you turn down another tunnel, passing through the first chamber.
The walls of this cave have been smeared with what appears to be charcoal and blood to depict multiple representations in red and black of a looming, sharp-toothed reptilian devil. Two low stone tables sit in the middle of the room, one of which is stained with blood.
Neither Mikmek nor the sentry pause here, however, hurrying you through another small tunnel and into another, larger chamber.
The air in this large cave feels warm and close, thick with a reptilian stink mixed with smoke and burnt meat. Numerous beds of furs lie scattered throughout the room amid smoldering cook fires, 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.
Here, your guides stop as an obviously important kobold strides forward with a frown on his face. His words sound obviously smiler to the sentry's as he interrogated Mikmek outside, asking who you are and why he has brought you here.
While the chief is interrogating Mikmek Cael looks around the room and mutters under his breath in common "Hope you all were right would hate to try to fight my way out of here." His fingers on his free hand twich now and then and anyone that knows him would probably be thinking he really wants to go draw a arrow if only for his peace of mind.
Knowledge: Religion
Cain isn't very trusting either, but the opportunity to examine the halls and perhaps avoid a war keep him from fingering his crossbow. But he takes mental notes on the layout and numbers of the kobolds he sees. He whispers back to Cael,"While I'm not as confident as Acalon, I think we've got a good chance of leaving on pleasant terms so long as we reach some kind of agreement. Kobolds have a code of conduct that they stick to, even if it's a little twisted."
Red looks around, now looking significantly less calm than before, but he seems to be keeping it together. Even Edi has stopped drooling, and seems a little concerned. <common>"Yeah... let's tread carefully..."
Even Acalon seems less sure of his previous comments surrounded by this many kobolds. He says quietly "I had no idea there would be so many down here..."
Mikmek quickly explains the situation to the chieftain giving all of you a chance to take stock of the situation. Surrounded by twelve kobolds in all, not to mention the chief himself, fighting may not be the best idea. Still, if it comes to it, how much harder could it be than the mite's you destroyed?
As the chief gets the gist of what Mikmek has to say, he quickly turns to whoever Mikmek indicated had the idol. "You have the idol. Give it to me," he states in common.
Smiles a politely if a bit strained "Ok Red, go ahead and negotiate already!"
Red will also try to think of anything he might know about this religion, in case it might by useful in the diplomatic discussion:
Knowledge Religion:
Red nods calmly at Cael, and begins speaking with the chief
Diplomacy:
Diplomacy help check:
Cain adds a few comment here and there as Red the discussions take place; including a few personal asides to Red in whispered Celestial as he doubts the Kobolds can understand it even if he is overheard.
"Hail oh chief <insert pleasantries>, greetings from the Swordlords <more fluff here>, we are a band of adventures who are <summaries charter, leaving out anything that sounds like wholesale slaughter of the inhabitance>. We were purging a burrow of our common enemy the Mites, when we found Mikmek in a state of great distress, and the remains of others of his party. He told us of your missing statue, and we liberated it from the throne room of their tick-riding chieftain, after dispatching him and his minions. We bring you the statue as a gesture of good will, and in hopes we can open negotiations for the future of our respective peoples. It is our sincere hope <elbows Cael if need be> that we can live at peace as we settle the neighboring areas, and all the more that we can enter into a mutually prosperous agreement between our people. <Present statue> <Wait for any response from the chief> <Hopefully enter into a long boring discussion about territories, borders, enemies, natural resources, mutual protection agreements, possible representation in government, mention the missing ring in hopes they might have it, etc, etc>"
Glares at Red for a second and then remembers to smile and stops playing with the bowstring.
Acalon does his best to help Red convince the kobold leader, especially on the points of peaceful coexistence and mutual protection.
Diplomacy (Aid Another):
Blah blah blah... 'bring you the statue'... Blah blah blah...
The chief seems completely uninterested, or possibly he doesn't understand the bulk of what Red says. But as soon as he holds out the idol, the kobold snatches it out of the summoner's hands, completely and blatantly ignoring the rest of what he has to say as he gazes at the statue with an expression of one who is making a serious and difficult decision.
Finally, with a triumphant shout that shatters whatever line of thought Red might have still been on, he hurtles it onto the stone floor of cavern, shattering the idol into dozens of pieces.
The other kobolds in the room freeze in shock while Chief Sootscale, a frantic grin on his snout, turns to the deliverers. "Thank you, for freeing us from this curse that new shaman had brought to us. Please, come and help to kill usurper." He gives a toothy and energetically encouraging grin.
Breaks into a feral grin "We help you kill him and you don't attack civilized persons above ground without talking to us first agreed?" turns to Edi "Maybe you can have a snack, kobal shaman sound good?
Cain only marginally stifles a bark of laughter. (in Elven) "There you go Cael. Kobold Diplomacy at it's best!" While he doesn't speak Draconic (yet) Cain is able to get the gist of what Cael is saying.
Grins "Well Red wasn't getting anywhere and this way we can feed Edi."
Chief Sootscale looks over to Cael and breaks in a feral grin of his own. "Sootscale tribe is already in debt to you for breaking curse and for destroying enemies," he continues in draconic. "We will not attack humans. But we talk details after. Come... Time to kill shaman who try to ruin Sootscale tribe."
With that he bounds off, the other kobolds hooting and hollering behind him. It seems like they've been waiting for a chance to do this for some time, only their fear of the curse keeping them in check.
They hurry through a short series of tunnels, and crowd into another room.
The walls of this cavern are decorated by a rickety wooden frame formed from clean-cut branches lashed together with gut and twine. Banners cut from two-foot-wide strips of old blankets and horse hides hang from floor to ceiling, covering much of the walls. The sloppily painted banners bear dozens of primitive icons and mystic symbols. A large cauldron filled with bubbling red liquid boils in the center of the room.
The 'battle' is short. The shaman, a peculiarly purple shaded kobold, is taken by surprise by the level of vitriol, and with or without your help, he is quickly slain.
"I certainly wasn't expecting that to be part of the negotiations. See if you can find out what that was all about, if you can, Red" Acalon says quietly after the "fight" is over.
At whatever point in Red's monologue the chief erupts into idol smashing, Red gets stuck mid-word, mouth agape, as he watches the kobolds bounding off. He follows behind the group, still slightly in shock. After the fight is over, and at Acalon's comment, he snaps out of it. All the pieces seem to be connecting in Red's mind, as he speaks to the chief again.
<in Draconic>
"Chief Sootscale, who was this shaman? <wait for reply> What was he doing to your tribe? <wait for reply> I had no idea how much of a help returning the idol would be to you."
Shakes his head at the politicking.
<in draconic>
"What my long winded companion is trying to get across is that yes we have helped with a particularly annoying issue for your tribe and can help you in the future if we can have an agreement to live together. Many of our people, humans along with probably a smattering of other civilized races, are going to be moving in to the area. We would like to set up an agreement between us as to land use and make sure there are no accidents on either side. The second thing we have been looking for is a ring that was stolen from a friend by bandits and in turn stolen by those mites. We were hoping you had recovered it and we can negotiate it's return as well.
Grins at Red.
<In common>
"I really think he is a get to the point kind of chief!"
Cain facepalms as Redd loses his mind in shock. He whispers none to quietly in Adriana's ear. "Ok, I think we need to give Redd here a few courses in nobility politics. If he is really going to be our diplomat, I think we need to beat him into submission, err, condition first." Le Sigh.
Red glowers at Cael for a bit. He then turns back to the chief with a question of his own, as though a nagging question needed to be answered, and with hesitation and a bit of embarrassment, Red asks, "Chief, would you like the intruder's body disposed of, or do you have plans for it?" And eager Edi awaits the answer.
Cain looks up in alarm at the last comment. He smacks Redd across the back of the head. "Bad idea, really bad idea."
Chief Sootscale listens as he absently licks the dead kobold's blood off of his spear. "Chief bad for tribe. Bring bad idol. You can take anything from him, as our thanks." Catching Cael's comments he thinks for a few moments. "Ring is probably in bag with the rest of loot taken from mites. You can take. For peace... If you do not bother Sootscale clan, than we not bother humans. Perhaps, we help each other become more powerful."
"Redd, please wait till everyone LEAVES before giving Edi the go ahead."
Red rubs the back of his head, and waves his hand in Cain's direction, "Chief we'll remove that corpse from your den, so it doesn't stink up the place."
Red turns to Edi, with a glance at Cain, "When we're done talking with the chief, please carry that thing for us."
Red turns back to the chief, taking a look at the silver veins and pointing them out as he talks, "Chief, I see you have metal running through the walls of your cave. Are you actively mining it?"
The chief glances at the veins and nods slightly. "We try. Not have good tools for getting metal out." He seems to catch on to what he believes Red is suggesting. "You give us good tools, other things we need, we give you shiny metal."
Red smiles warmly, "That precisely what I was hoping for, and a way, as you suggested, of making each other more powerful. We are a ways from our base, and it will take time to get digging tools, but we will bring you what you need next time we head this way. What kind of things would you like in exchange for the metal?"
Quietly speaks to Cain in elven with a chuckle "Guess Red is getting it back together on the negotiating front. Though I approve, thought he might have lost it with Edi and his soon to be snack."
Cain comments back to Cael in Elven, "But, now we know that when he gets shocked, he completely loses his mind. So long as it doesn't get us killed, we could so have some fun with that." and Cain grins evilly.
The negotiations a to the exact nature of the relations between the humans and the kobolds doesn't take long. They aren't a complicated race. As long as the humans leave them alone, and provide a buffer from any other surface races that might want to do them harm, the kobolds will focus their efforts on the mining of the silver. That silver in turn they will sell to the humans for food and supplies that they cannot get themselves. In the end, everyone wins. Assuming the peace stays intact.
The chief is more than willing to let the surface dwellers take the body of the shaman, as well as the sack they had taken from the mites. This doesn't amount to much, but at least Eddi gets a good meal. In all you get, a wand of magic missile (CL 3rd 28 charges), a small masterwork cold iron sickle, bracers of armor +1, and a personal journal. In addition the leather bag contains 321 sp, 249 gp, 13 pp, a plain brass wedding ring set with a single pearl, and a pouch containing a single dose of dust of illusion.