Elisa has it.
Alaric drags the bugbear back towards the others muffling his cries by applying pressure around its neck. Elisa rejoins the group and sees Alaric with the bugbear. She seems a bit confused having had some run ins with bugbears at Fire-Ax's camp before this side venture and knows bugbears are sneaky and light footed and also harder to surprise. They are also stronger than how this bugbear is squirming around.
Elisa will very quietly mention this to the others.
Szordrin looks on as the others grab the bugbear. He lets his eyes wonder around the area looking for danger. As his eyes fall back on the bugbear, he enacts his ability to detect magic.
Szordrin detects magic on the grappled bugbear and after Alaric chokes him unconscious Szordrin focuses his arcane skills to the source of the magic and removes an iron circlet from the bugbear who instantly changes into the form of a thin human male. A cursory inspection of the man reveals tattoos on his arms most of you working in the criminal realm recognize as the markings The Darkwind Gang- infiltrators and con artists and scammers who live by stealing valuables from an area and then leave before anyone notices anything odd. In addition to the circlet (which a Spellcraft check reveals to be like a hat of disguise) the man has a set of MW thieves tools and a magical +1 short sword.
Szordrin sees the magical aura around the bugbear and attempts to determin what spell it is.
He then sees that change in the bugbear after the circlet is remove, he has a good idea what item that is but wishes to confirm it.
He then picks up the shortsword to determine the properties of that item.
Saulric examines the circlet before smiling. Well now, this presents some opportunities.
As the group looks over the items in question the other bugbears and ogres are battling the haphazard fire and seem to be controlling it enough to put it down in a couple of rounds...
Saulric grabs the circlet and puts it on trying to transform into the same goblin the other was disguised as.
Now that is a nice trick...
Saulric puts the circlet on and focuses on looking just like a bugbear as close as he can remember to the other one. The rest are surprised at his transformation.
I'm gonna sneak in while they're distracted. See what I can find out. Saulric moves towards the camp.
Saulric moves into the camp behind the other humanoids after they finish putting down the fire.
The others drag the unconcious form behind the north-eastern most tent to hide him and then watch to see if Saulric dies or lives...
Saulric is able to get closer to the loot piles and sees there is some treasure mixed in with the other amounts of mundane items.
As Saulric sneaks into the camp, Szordrin scans that area in front of him to see what magics are in camp.
Szordrin detects an abundance of magic in the camp but he is too far to focus on any one magic in particular.
As Saulric is looking around the other bugbears come back after fighting the fire and speak to him...
there is magic all over the place. I am not able to determine the types yet or where it is coming from.
Saulric nods
One of the bugbears seems incensed at Saulric and continues to talk to him... getting only more nods...he then switches to a different language that Saulric does not know but recognizes the change in dialect...he points to the northern most pile and shoves Saulric in that direction.
I walk over to it.
Saulric walks over to the large pile and looks it over. The pile seems like an ordinary pile of trinkets and such, mostly tin and brass items one would find raiding in rural areas plus odd items only ogres would seem to cherish like a polished ash walking stick with a large tooth at the end, or a dented brass serving platter. Saulric begins to figure out which stuff is for the ogres and which stuff is loot for the deceivers when he spots a nice ornate box. Checking the box he discovers it is locked but jingles as if coins are inside. Apparently the other bugbear wanted Saulric to ensure this treasure was still present.
Alaric just watches from his hidden location, waiting for the results of Saulric's deception to come to fruition, or for another lone target to present itself that he can try to eliminate without much risk.
Elisa is watching for now. "The fire certainly drew their attention, but no sign of our target? Should we set another and try for the main tent?"
I will be back in a few
Szordrin steps back from the group and removes a piece of Gum Arabic from a pouch on his belt. He plucks an eyelash from his left eyelid and encases it in the material component. Moving his arms around in arcane gestures, his voice takes on an odd tone as he recites words of arcane nature. Once he completes the spell he disappears from sight.
Szordrin walks towards the camp. His innate ability to detect magic is still activated and as he comes to an aura, he stares and studies the magic. He makes sure that he does not disturb any aura and tries his best to figure out what magic is flowing around the area.
Szordrin casts invisibility and spends the minutes casting detect magic upon anything that looks suspicious. He determines that of the bugbears, all but one radiates the same magic found on the beaten human disguised as a bugbear from earlier. The Ogres have no magic on them nor does the remaining bugbear that seems to be in charge.
Saulric knows he wont be able to keep this bluff up of impersonating a bugbear for this criminal group much longer as they seem curious why he is not acting like normal.
Moving back to the others that are waiting.
There is not much more time. I am going to try something and hope that is works. I will dispel the disguise magic on one of the bugbears. My wish is for this to create chaos and start some infighting. I will be down by the south end of camp.
He waits for a few moments as the others decide how best to act in the coming seconds.
Szordrin manages to dispel the magic concealing the disguise of the green bugbear and the humanoid reverts back into the form of a normal human. The two other bugbears close to him rush over to him to try and provide any aid to him as the man gasps in horror at what occurred...
The Ogres start scratching their heads at what they just saw happen and the purple bugbear starts yelling in goblin at the now human male to his front... everyone is in a frenzy of yelling...
Szordrin smiles broadly, not that anyone notice this. He Move a few feet over to make sure that he is not in the same spot as before. Enacting another ability, Szordrin creates dark purple glow that surrounds and outlines some of the bugbears.
The purple bugbear strides over to the human and pushes him down while drawing his great axe. The frightened human starts to crawl away as the brown and orange bugbears try to stop the purple bugbear from swinging his axe. The Teal bugbear tells Saulric in the common tongue "We have to stop him from killing Tomin!" and urges Saulric to intervene. The ogres just stand there looking confused. As all this is happening a pale glow surrounds the green, brown and orange bugbears to everyone's surprise.
Saulric quickly makes up his mind and charges the purple bugbear.
for now, Alaric just watches to see how this plays out, still a little unsure of exactly what's happening here. Maybe the bugbears or whatever they are, will just kill each other off.
Elisa also keep watching, ready with a bomb if things start going against us. She's starting to think the Purple Bugbear is our target.
Szordrin smiles even wider as he sees the chaos that is breaking out.
He uses another ability on the Ogre and tries to bring them into the fight.
The Bugbears that are surrounded in a pale glow are traitors and are plotting against you. Might I suggest you kill them, just the ones in the pale glow. Oh and please enjoy yourself.
Szordrin smiles even wider as he sees the chaos that is breaking out.
He uses another ability on the Ogre and tries to bring them into the fight.
The Bugbears that are surrounded in a pale glow are traitors and are plotting against you. Might I suggest you kill them, just the ones in the pale glow. Oh and please enjoy yourself.
The red ogre starts to wave his hand near his ear as if bothered by some insect buzzing.
The purple bugbear takes a hit from Saulric and snarls in goblin at the disguised man...
Alaric:
Elisa:
Szordrin:
Rythian:
Saulric:
Bugbears?:
BBB:
And the campsite erupts into chaos...
1st RND
Alaric, Saulric, Elisa, Szordrin
Bugbears?
Purple Bugbear
Alaric delays as he watches the action, waiting for total chaos to erupt.
Szordrin speaks as loudly as he can to make sure he is heard by Saulric.
oh let them fight all on their own. They do not need our help.
I hope he gets out of there before it gets to chaotic.
He then Levitates straight up in the air.
1st RND
Alaric (delays), Saulric, Elisa, Szordrin (Levitates and shouts)
Bugbears?
Purple Bugbear
Saulric pulls away and moves into the forest opposite the rest of his party.
Szordrin watches with amusement. Wondering what will come of this little affair...
Saulric decides to let the bugbears fight it out amongst themselves first and moves out of combat range while still disguised as a bugbear.
Elisa waits patiently hoping for an opening to exploit.
The 'minion' bugbears try to hold the purple bugbear down but are having a hard time of it, as if they are unused to combat or dont have the strength for it. The purple bugbear is fighting them off tooth and nail drawing blood on the brown one.
1st RND
Alaric (delays), Saulric, Elisa, Szordrin (Levitates and shouts)
Bugbears-surround the purple bugbear trying to grapple him down
Purple Bugbear- fights the group trying to grapple him
That was my plan as well. :)
The lead bugbear manages to wrap his fingers around the throat of the changed-back-to-human bugbear just before the spell wears off. The man screams as he is being choked and then changes back to a bugbear disguise. The others begin pulling the leaders arms off of the choking man to no avail. After a few moments the choking man (green bugbear) stops moving and falls down to the ground. This enrages the teal bugbear who draws a dagger and stabs at the purple bugbear as they others now try to stop the teal bugbear from killing the purple bugbear. The flurry of chaos continues until the brown bugbear falls with his throat ripped out, the orange bugbear falls with a cracked skull the purple bugbear stumbles off with a dagger to his throat and then falls down in the nearby fire, and the teal bugbear falls down with his innards hanging out from a nasty wound...
Szordrin keeps himself up in the air as the bugbears erupt in chaos. His smile goes unseen as he remains invisible. When one the first bugbear falls Szordrin listens for others to come and join in the fight, but no one enters to help the lead bugbear. As each bugbear infiltrator falls to the ground, Szordrin levitates the circlet up in the air just above the body. As the last bugbear falls to the ground, Szordrin speaks up just loud enough for the ogres to hear him.
Where is the creature that leads the Bloody Klaws, Where is Krakash! I wish to speak to him in regards to the human spies that have infiltrated his ranks. Where is he!!!
Where is Gargar then. Is he now the leader of The Bloody Klaws.
Where is she. I will speak with her now....
Szordrins voice speaks towards the Ogres as he constantly moves himself up and down to make it hard for them to judge where he is.
It seems the bugbear leadership is in question for now. Where do you stand. Do you wish to live and serve or die here and now.
The group watches the ogres watch the bugbears kill each other off with the last bugbear being Krakash who is slain by Saulric at the end of the battle. It was mostly a mecy killing as the humanoid had suffered numerous wounds and could barely stand... hardly the example of leadership strength the wild tribes would follow.
Szordrin discovers Krakash and the female Gargar had a falling out a few days ago over the bugbears in Krakash's personal guard (who are now all dead) and Krakash slew her and let the ogres eat her. This happened a few days ago. The ogres mutter about leaving this tribe and finding another.
Taking the time to scour the camp the group discovers disguise circlets for each of them, plus hoarded treasure the robber humans had collected.
Szordrin listens as the ogres explains what has happened. In the middle of the conversation he levitates down to the ground. He walks over to the closest human spy and as the ogres grumble to themselves he picks up one of the circlets. He kneels down by it and places it in his belt pouch. He then moves back to the area behind the tents. Here goes nothing...
Placing the circlet on his head he changes his features to that of
black-furred bugbear wielding an ax of flames. The bugbear warlord Sakkarot. He walks back to his starting position. After a few heartbeats that seem to lodge in his throat, Szordrin lets his Invisibility spell end. As he starts to dispel the spell he starts to talk as he walks towards the ogres as they talk of leaving.
You wish to leave this tribe to find another one.
The spell dissipates and his knew form comes into view.
Growling out a curse as he spits on the old bugbear leader. Szordrin shows confidence as he walks to the center of the encampment and glancing at his companions.
I sent word many times to this...piece of Kobold S&!*. I had to come and see for myself why he refuse to join me. I can see that he was weak and stupid enough to allow these men to infiltrate his ranks. He was betrayed by his own personal guards.
Looking from the dead bugbears to the ogres.
You can leave if that is what you want...or
He lets that last word hang in the air for a few seconds.
The Bloody Klaws tribe is no more. I am the leader of all that was this tribe. I am! Do you understand that. You gather all that were of that tribe and bring them and yourselves to my army and we march to war! I give you steel weapons, food and treasure beyond what this idiot could offer.
He kicks the dead bugbear.
You show up tomorrow and be welcomed into my army. The Fire Axe Army!!