I would like to use those rolls in the first round yes.
We're going to need an acrobatics check.
Acrobatics (Jig Dancin'):
And the Dwarf steps in a pool of lizard blood, sliding awkwardly into the nearest wall, crashing through it to discover a hidden passage.
Gilgar's charge leaves one kobold reeling while the elves each drop a kobold with an arrow. Perrin does a terrible job of sneaking up on the speaker, but manages to look very menacing, regardless.
The speaker screeches in fear and runs to stand behind the two unharmed kobolds, who ready their spears, but look very much like they would rather be somewhere else right now, eyes darting back and forth.
The speaker raises his hands in surrender and, speaking very quickly, "Not us, not us! We not take children, it cursed king - he be death of us all!" He says something else to his remaining warriors.
The staggered kobold before Gilgar, who never had a chance to pick up his spear, kicks it away before stepping away from it and the dwarf and raises his hands. The two remaining warriors look at each other uncertainly, but they also drop theirs and raise their hands, still looking like they could run at any time.
Laucian strolls forward, looking very nonchalant and at-ease, and looks at Nox and Gilgar, a question in his eyes. More kobold fodder?
Gilgar sneers disdainfully at the now unarmed kobolds for a couple of seconds, then...
"Where be yer blasted king, then? An' how's I surpose tuh know it ain't yuh?"
Gilgar's knuckles, angry white as his hands squeeze the axe handle tighter, pop and crunch seemingly in their own anticipation of further bloodshed.
Intimidate:
Sense Motive:
Nox will move carefully along to the left of the doorway taking the path Perrin did until he is behind the wolf with is bow in hand.
Sense Motive
Nox growls out
More to the point, what good are you to us if you would stand by and let your cursed king take children for sacrifice?
as he raises his bow to point at the forehead of the cowering 'leader'
With both hands held before him in a feeble shield against the druid's missile and eyes on the ground, the blue-scaled kobold answers, anger in his voice, "What would you have us do? Five young warriors and a priest's assistant against the best warriors the tribe has? The king would not even need to bloody his blade. All we could do was speak in secret - as we were doing here - and watch for an opportunity. And here you are. Take the children, we do not wish to have them - they will only bring strife on our tribe. Kill the king and his lackeys, but leave those that do not fight - we will build our tribe anew without that treacherous cur and his gold-hungry wife on the throne."
With an arrow nocked, Graymoon moves up next to Nox and whispers.
Laucian comes into the room further, waving the children and others forward now that the combat appears to be stopped. "Our healing is limited. You will have to take care of your own."
The bluescale nods, but does not move. He looks at Nox, "Allies for now? May I tend to them?" He gestures to the two kobolds that are bleeding out on the floor.
Nox lowers his arrow so the head points towards the ground in front of the kobolds.
If your word is good, you and and the others who do not fight against us will not be harmed by our steel. I am Nox La'Athvanna, Druid of these woods, and all those will live peaceably within them are welcome to do so. What can you tell us of the king and the children?
The kobold shakes his head, "No harm, no fight."
He moves to each of his fallen allies, find them breathing - barely in once case - and casts a simple spell that stops their bleeding. The remaining injured kobold gets his wounds bound.
"These three will be unable to assist us. Maybe they will be safe here long enough for us to heal them later." He whispers in Draconic to the wounded one, who nods and - carefully - takes up his spear and moves to the back of the room. The unhurt kobolds each take up an unconscious ally and move them to the back of the room. While they do this, the spokeskobold turns his attention back to the druid's question.
"The king is a murderer and a bully. He is incompetent and careless. But he is strong and ruthless, and so he survives. He killed all of his hatchmates - eighteen good kobolds - some in direct combat, most through less obvious means - until only he remained when their father died and left him throne. Maybe he killed his father, too. His grandfather was a good leader. Times were good for the Truescales then. His issue was less interested in leading a tribe than in giving orders. And their last descendant has only eyes for power, paid for with the blood of his own people." The little reptilian's voice quivers with rage as he speaks.
"After he took the throne, he wasted many of the tribe on looking for stupid yellow metal. Still, he made them look more as more died. When the very shadows of the mines began to attack and dry up his warriors like old leaves, we came up to where the dwarves used to be."
"We are not safe here, we must move farther from the creeping shadows and things that are not-dead. So many Truescales have died here... The old mad shaman stood at the feast and declared, 'When the Doomed King sits the Throne, our great tribe merk-merks its last! To save our people, wash our troubles from the crown with the blood of pink-skin-spawn!' And Merlokrep our king sent his warriors into the woods to find pink-skin children. Uh, human children."
"The king is that way, but his warriors guard the cauldron. You must take care. He is insane, but his warriors still follow him faithfully." His gesture indicates the north doors to the room.
Looking at the dwarf, he adds, "They are my brothers, but you will kill many kobolds if they do not kill you first. They will not surrender because they believe in their king. I surrendered because I do not."
"Then ye get tuh live... Now where be the cauldron?"
"Through those doors."
The halfling speaks up at this point. "Yes, but we need to go into the smoky room to rescue one of the children. We came through the cauldron shaft, but panicked and went the wrong way when we heard our pursuers. Something grabbed one of the boys, but we fled to try and get help."
The kobolds exchange worried glances at the news. "A not-dead lives in the smoke. The tribe, even the warriors, stay away. You will have to go to the cauldron first - the smoky room lies to the side of it."
The halfling nods in agreement.
Graymoon scowls, "How many and do they know we are here?"
The kobold shrugs, "We had no idea their wer pink... er, humans down here. Maybe they heard when you attacked. There should be no more than this." He holds up six clawed digits, "But watch out for the Claw. He will be greater warrior. I can try to put them at ease if you want to surprise them. If you think they are expecting you."
Lead the way, and perhaps you can have the glory of the hero and lead the rebuilding of your clan when the king is gone.
He looks at the druid for a moment and then at his two able-bodied allies.
They look doubtful, but they each take up an unconscious ally and head down the hallway past the children and the former slaves. The wounded one slowly follows, pausing to rest often and carrying the spears for all five.
Gilgar looks on the edge of rampage, but manages to keep silent and mostly under control, though it's clear he's itching to speed up their progress.
Seeing his followers safely leaving, the bluescale nods at the dwarf."I know - the children must be unharmed. Or more like you will come to destroy the Truescales. We must hurry."
He moves to the door leading toward the cauldron. "If they heard you, I will allay their suspicions. I will tell them that I was told that one of the children was seen going into the smoke. If they send someone to retrieve the child, you will have fewer to fight. If they do not..." He indicates the double doors, "I will raise both hands like this so you can launch your attack when you will." The motion he shows is a very human-like shrug.
"Is that acceptable?"
Graymoon looks skeptical, but says nothing as the kobold speaks. When he's done, however, he readies his bow and points out, "We will need light to see in there. Will the guards have torches?"
"Ah. I forget that about you people."
Murmurring softly, he chants a couple of notes and touches one of the bones hanging from his oversized ear. Wryly, he adds, "Please try not to shoot at the light, OK?"
Initiative:
The kobold, complete with glowing earring, checks to see that no one will be visible as he opens the door, then opens it and strides through with purpose. He leaves it standing open a few inches. Beyond, you can see a short hall that ends in a room with an odd contraption of chains and pulleys supporting a large cooking cauldron. A pair of kobolds stand on either side of the cauldron and visibly relax when they recognize the visitor.
As he enters, the kobold says something in their language.
Two more kobolds cautiously peer out of the cauldron before climbing out. The large stewpot swings slightly as they climb out. Another voice hisses something angrily at them from out of sight left of the hall. All five of the visible kobolds turn and look, apparently at their commander.
The two begin to scamper back into the pot while the other two stand rigid once again. The infiltrator kobold moves around to the other side of the cauldron, opposite the door, and turns to face the unseen figure in the corner.
Nox initiative
and since Perrin was beside Nox when the conversation started and has not been told otherwise, he will have come along with Nox.
Perrin initiative.
Looking to see if the others are ready, Graymoon sees the kobold caster draw the attention of the guards away from the door, draws his curved blade, and stealthily moves through the doors and up the hall.
Gilgar creeps forward, trying hard to be quiet about it, though his entire body is tensed in the anticipation of chaotic combat. Sweat has begun to bead on his bald head, and it runs down his upper body in a hundred tiny rivulets.
Stealth:
Knuckles whitening as his grip tightens around the axe handle, Gilgar grins maliciously as they creep closer to the opening.
Nox Stealth
Perrin Stealth
Nox will advance, hands at the ready to draw whichever of his weapons fits the situation they are about to encounter.
Perrin will follow Nox's lead down the hall.
As Graymoon moves silent as a ghost into the room, he points at his chest and toward the corner where the unseen speaker seems to be. As he steps around the corner, sword raised, there is a shout of surprise in Draconic, drawing the eyes of the standing guards away from the distraction caused by the caster.
Perrin's rate of movement is enough that he can reach any of the kobolds in the room; Nox can reach any of the visible kobolds or follow Graymoon; Gilgar can reach a point where he threatens any of the visible guards.
Perrin will launch himself at #4
bite attack
bite damage
trip attack
Nox will move against #1
rapier slash
rapier damage
Gilgar stomps into the room with a bellow, and also tries to disassemble Kobold #1...
2-handed Dwarven Waraxe Attack:
Dwarven Waraxe 2-handed damage:
Gilgar stomps into the room with a bellow, and also tries to disassemble Kobold #1...
2-handed Dwarven Waraxe Attack:
Dwarven Waraxe 2-handed damage:
He glares around to lay his bulging eyes on the as yet unseen lizard.
Nox will raise his bow and fire at kobold 1, rather than rushing into the room.
bow attack
arrow damage
Kobolds #2 and #3 struggle to get upright in the kettle as it gently swings, and each takes a stab at their respective closest foe. Kobold #4 tries to stab the wolf from his prone position.
Kobold #2 successfully hits Gilgar for 5 points while Kobold #3 does not hit as solidly, only doing 1 point of damage to the wolf. Kobold #4 is completely ineffective from his spot squealing on the floor.
Graymoon continues his step around the corner with a wide slashing cut from his blade. The leader, having not acted, is still flat-footed.
Unfortunately, the ranger's aim is off because the corner is deeper than he realizes and he misses his target completely.