Kalim does calisthenics with his spear, not yet willing to give away his true sorcerous nature.
"Stay on your guard, everyone. If I had to guess, the priest is waiting for any long term magic to expire before seeing us. I would expect treachery from him, and most likely undead. If we can, stir hard and fast at the priest, who knows what kind of magic he wields."
Karnog speaks quietly in common, hoping the goblins are too far to really hear.
Singing slowly with Aurora Felicitas prepares for the confrontation.
Desmond nonchalantly whistles a tune, hands in his pockets as his eyes swivel around.
This cave is guarded at all times by 1 goblin cleric and 8 goblin fighters.
The western edge of the chamber is open and faces out to the lake. One rowboat is tied to a stone dock that juts off this side of the cave. A 10 ft. high natural rock platform stands in the southwestern portion of the cave. Two rope ladders are hung on the north and east faces of the platform, allowing for easy access to its top, although both ladders are pulled up now since you re in the cavern.
You can tell these are narrow winding passages slope down at a dramatic angle of nearly 30 degrees away from the docking area. As well, these passages appear damp and littered with loose stones.
Around the 7th hour of waiting small retinue of hobgoblins approach carrying chest. The place it carefully on the ground. One goblin steps up and speaks, "Greatin' from the Almight Lord Tribitz, he send gold for job done better than others did." With that the chest is opened and sure enough it is piled to the top with gold. "Lord Tribitz much generous, he give you 12,000 shiny golds. One thousand for each head of fearsome hydra." He pauses and lets one of you inspect the chest to ensure it is in fact gold.
"Almighty Lord Tribitz has special requesty befores yous git to meets him, yous need to be worthy of second special task."
"What is the task your master asks? Another minion of the witch goddess to dispatch? Some other dangerous foe to vanquish?"
Felicitas it is gold and quick assessment after digging into the chest is it contains 12,000 coins...but then goblins did count it out so it may be slightly off. :-)
"Yesssss, yesss you be smart! Another intruder dark elvies sneaky up and got themselves caughtsies in a cave. Locks themselvies in with magic, yous go and kilz them alls but one, that ones yous bring backs for Lord Tribitz. Yous do that then Tribitz see you."
"Child's play."
"Theyz be sneaky and bring cursed magic into these sacred halls." He lifts both hands upward. To emphasize his dislike he spits on the ground.
"Dark Elves? And just what kind of magic do they bring? Balls of fire? Summoned beasts of the outer planes? Gigantic forms of doom? What about their weaponry and numbers? Dozens? Scores?"
"Yes...yes bad magic blinded an acolyte, walls of fire and balls fo fire, but we kiltz one and theys only gots fouries left. Foul worshipers of spiders" He groans.
You all can gather they have some form of rogue by his description along with a cleric and wizard or sorcerer.
Kalim sighs. "Where are they? My spear yearns for ichor."
"That is most helpful, goblin. And how about the sealing of the cave? Was that also done with magic, or by something like a cave in?"
"Theys sealed the doors with magic." He points you towards one of the tunnels that slopes downward.
You come to a door.
Once out of goblin earshot, Kalim says "We should first find out if they have any relation to our allies. Bring them in on the plan. I fear no goblinoid, but no battle has been lost due to too much firepower. Which is what I call the abstract concept of dealt damage, after that most famous arcane destructive spell, the fireball."
"My thoughts exactly, Kalim. Especially since the goblin chief wants a drow alive, that plays into a ploy where we bring another caster into the fight right under the nose of out foe. Now we just have to convince the drow we are not their trueenemies."
"We could never be so lucky as our unexpected drow matron and her close party be the very trapped dark elves we seek, I fear. Felicitas, it may be wise to start drafting excuses to the drowess if these drow force our hand."
The group has their whispered comments creating a quick plan to see if the drow will potentially work with them. Unfortunately, you are facing a door what are you going to do?
"Des? Can you crack the door, or do we need a more forcible entry?"
DMPC Desmond:
Desmond looks a the door gives a few tsk tsk and sighs,
He realizes the door has an arcane lock on it.
His deft fingers unravels the lock.
"Well...who's first?"
"No worries, I will think of a few!"
Grung marches through first
diplomacy aid
(Same for Intimidate if that's Felicitas choice)
When the door opens Grung notices the complex webs by the door, limiting access. There's a voice, "Speak your intentions." The voice is cool, lacking emotion.
Right now:
Karnog 21
Grung 18 (which will be +2 on the assist)
Felicitas
Malcolm
Des
Kalim
Tapping a few notes Felicitas uses the rhytmus to smile and speak.
Between Felicitas, Malcolm, Grung, and Karnog's diplomacy you come across as not immediately hostile, but the webs still block your entry. "Your not goblinoid scum, that's a treat." the voice sardonically states. "So what's your intentions?"
"As strange as it sounds, we are adventurers from the surface. Our recent intent in this goblin town has been to destabilize the ruling vase of Orcus worshippers while potentially freeing a segment of human and other race slaves. If it helps you to believe us, we have communicated with Xil'etha the cleric. She recommended a course of action based on misdirection and division of forces."
Karnog slowly draws out his everfull mug and allows it to full with ale, pulling off a healthy fraught before continuing.
"Before I go further, are any of you in need of food, water, or healing? We are not here to engage in combat, rather to cultivate an alliance of possible."
Rawwrrrrr Death to ALLLLLL Grung shouts while putting his ax away.
Wait...not death to all...what is it...oh we come in peace.
The drow chuckle at Grung's comments and dismiss the web so that the group can enter the cave. Still wary they make sure there is some space between the two positions when you enter the cavern.
"So you've met Xil'etha?" Some what skeptical. "Who was she aligned with and what was her recommendations? How is it that you've come to search us out?"
"Food would be good." the aid offered. There are four drow in the cave and they are introduced as: Zerna (female cleric), Filtau (male fighter), Teran (female wizard), and Vertek (male rogue). The men are quiet now, while the female do the talking.
She eyes everyone in the conversation. "If you choose instead to meet the Captain of the Guard, he'll probably make an equally bold suggestion to weaken his nemesis, Tribitz, the goblin cleric of Orcus, in the city."
"Of course. Please eat, drink, let us discuss our mutually beneficial futures."
Karnog pulls out rations for the drow, followed up with water created via orison.
"When we last spoke, Xil'etha seemed to be aligned against the Orcus temple and its cleric Tribitz. She spoke relatively favorably about the Captain of the Guard. I would not presume to say where her 'true' allegiance really lies."
"As to our current mission; we performed a task for Tribitz in order to secure an audience, hopefully to eliminate him and his top henchmen. His second request was for your assassination. He wanted one of you alive, for interrogation, I presume. We would prefer not to aid him in this, so that leads us to the present."
"You presume correctly...it would be shame to have to kill you." He smirks. "so what do you have in mind and what are your plays? Certainly you aren't beholding to a bunch of goblinoids. What do you get out of it?"
"In Rappan Athuk I seek power to fight off the Elder gods. I also seek allies. Drow are more intelligent than goblins, and better suited to make this place what it could be."
What do we get out of it? Grung whispers to Meat'd[
"Well, there is the small matter of gold, which our goblin 'benefactor' has so kindly provided. Secondly, the lives of the slaves, currently lost in the Slave Pits. Spent toiling towards some fiendish purpose no doubt. Finally, allies and friends in the underworld who are not ravening demon-worshipping goblins. Chaos is such a dangerous thing."
"We are still working on our final move here. Seeing as how you four seem reasonable and relatively accomondating, is there perhaps any intelligence you'd like to share regarding Tribitz or his retinue? I feel he is the linchpin upon which this ecclesiarchy turns; his removal should render the goblins into their normally belligerent groups. Then we can strike out to the surface with the freed slaves."
"Well holy man, we may be able to work together to cause some unrest. Our goddess may not see eye-to-eye with you, but we certainly are not Orcus lovers, and you offer a bit of fun to boot." She smirks. "We knew you were coming because Teran can see magically."
would tell you she can cast arcane eye.
"That Purbok and his hobgolbin horde are fanatics...Purbok is also a fighter priest of Orcus." She spits. "Killing Tribitz will be difficult, he is very powerful, and he has crazed followers. So any attack on him you'll need to be able to seal off the area to keep aid out." She lets that sink in. "Freeing a bunch of slaves means a slow departure and easy picking for the chasers."
"The enemy of my enemy." Desmond says with a small smirk. Beyond that he keeps his mouth shout. Him talking here would be almost as disastrous as Malcolm.
"Well, I can produce a wall of stone, tomorrow. I can also produce a silence effect, which when combined with Grungsdi's martial skills should help with their spellcasting. If we can get the four of you, the 7 of us, and any assistance I can summon, we may have a chance. The aftermath could prove difficult to deal with, unless we could convince the surviving goblins we are their bosses now. At least, in the immediate sense."
"Eleven against numerous spellcasters and hordes of fodder. I suppose it beats just sitting here working out an escape plan. Now we need to try to figure out a location or three where we can have this encounter. What did you have to do when you can in here...what did they want besides our deaths." She looks to the other quieter ones, "Any of you archers?