"Just a thought but shouldn't someone say a few words over Nim's fallen comrade, just in case?" Leo asks.
"Just a thought but shouldn't someone say a few words over Nim's fallen comrade, just in case?" Leo asks.
"We killed him," Mirth mutters. "I doubt he'll be appreciating hollow words from any of us."
"Just a thought but shouldn't someone say a few words over Nim's fallen comrade, just in case?" Leo asks."We killed him," Mirth mutters. "I doubt he'll be appreciating hollow words from any of us."
"I was thinking to make sure he doesn't come back if you know what I mean?" Leo sighs wondering why he didn't think of using the fallen gnome as a shield for Snaggletooth then remembers the other gnome was present at the time and then relents.
"I make sure he not come back." Snaggletooth says as he heads towards the dead gnome. He pulls out his shortsword and raises it as if to chop off the corpse's head. "We stick head in one chest and rest of body in other. Then he not come back."
"I make sure he not come back." Snaggletooth says as he heads towards the dead gnome. He pulls out his shortsword and raises it as if to chop off the corpse's head. "We stick head in one chest and rest of body in other. Then he not come back."
"Snaggletooth, if we must prevent the dead from rising, let us use the power of Selune."
Quietly intercepting the kobold, Cronin incinerates the remains of the gnome.
"I believe Leo is correct. The singing kobolds sound as though Kneebiter is alive and well somewhere."
Snaggletooth's face lights up for the first time all day. "Let's go then, and find out if singing is Kneebiter." He is quite animated as he leaves the chamber and heads for the stairs up.
Up the next flight of stairs you go, lead by Snaggletooth. As Tervinwerd said, this floor is a kitchen with a refectory to one side. Apart from a fire and a man in a dirty apron downing a restorative pint of something, there is nobody else visible. As the party enter, he looks at you with loathing.
"If it's about lunch, you can forget it. I've had enough. Cook it yourself. I'm quitting."
"If it's about lunch, you can forget it. I've had enough. Cook it yourself. I'm quitting."
Mirth returns the glance with all the scorn a child of a bastard, hated race can muster. "Tell us what waits above, and thee shall not be cooked like the creepers," she rasps, conjuring a fistful of sulfurous flames.
"GRRRRRrrrrr" the moon elf looks down at his stomach "Hmmm, he's right it is lunh time.
"What do got around this place to eat"
"Don't flash flames a me young lady. If you're going to play with fire, do something useful with it. If you want food," he adds to Brujo, "there's bacon and some bread."
He clutches the jug protectively to himself. "There's no ale. Get lunch and go away."
It's pretty clear that he's both drunk and upset. "And keep that kobold away from me," he adds, catching sight of Snaggletooth and sounding near to tears.
"Bacon... Bread what more could I need." Brujo smiles at the though of a sandwich "What seems be the matter? You look rather upset?"
"Don't worry about the kobold, he's about about as vicious an Cormyrian Terrier"
"Kobolds in the kitchen..."
The man shudders at some bad memory. "I'm an artist. I'm known for my way with pastry... now look at me. A wreck."
Standing up, he puts an arm around Brujo's shoulder and pulls him close, breathing unlovely ale fumes over the moonelf.
"You're sensitive. You'll understand. A man's got his pride. I can't work in these conditions. They send kobolds to help me. Kobolds!. And then, then ..." - the next words emerge in a sort of sob, "when I send up a dish of cinnamon whirls upstairs, some snarky smartarse comes down and tells me - My. Dough. Is. Heavy. And. He. Has. Stomachache!"
He gazes with tear-filled eyes at Brujo. "I ask you, does that sound right to you?"
"Not at all" the moon elf shakes his head sadly. "Kobolds are things of few talents and pastry making just does not seem to be one of them. Take our 'friend' over there since he tagged along he's... ummm..."
Brujo strains his mind to find something useful to say about the rat-lizard "He's handy with traps..."
"Tell why is a man of your cooking talents down here?"
Fairwind sighs at yet another bizarre occurance an at her companion's diplomacy methods.
"Because I was told I'd be cooking for the White Lady herself. A permanent job. I didn't know she was dead."
The man snuffles blearily. "It's not so much the kobolds. Some of them try. It's the insults I can't stomach. He had a nasty tongue in his head. And the threats. Said he'd barbecue me on my own spit. I'm not denying it upset me."
"So who's this guy with the insults?"
"Called himself Devlin and says he's Thoran's right hand man. You're a good sort. You're my friend. Have a drink."
"Devlin, huh" Brujo gets a dark look on his face "I've met his type before."
"Tell you what, um" the scowl fades for a moment as he scrathes his head, "I didn't even ask you name. Mines Brujo"
He waits for cooks response....
"Lets share a drink, and I'll go up there and teach him a few manners."
"You're a real pal Brujo. Just call me Cheffie." Breathing more fumes over Brujo, he stumbles over to the kitchen area and gets another tankard.
"Here you go pal. Drink to pastry and the end of insults."
"CHEERS"
Cheffie raises his tankard, drinks deeply and lands snoring on the table.
Snaggletooth sides up to Fairwind and says low to her, "That twice. If Bru-jo keep insulting me, we see how good fighter he is. I not dumb. People not like kobolds. I know. They think kobolds weak and stupid. But we have pride too. This time, his words help. Drunk man think kobolds nasty, think maybe Snaggletooth like others. But Bru-jo be careful. He not that strong. I like you. You and Cro-nin are my friends. Nice Fire Lady was too. Bru-jo different. Mean. I lose temper soon."
He glares at Brujo for a second and then begins to search the area.
Catching the rat-lizards glare, Brujo stares back. It's almost as if he's trying to ignite the thing.
Rev
The rat-lizard focus shifts and Brujo goes about making some lunch. "Brandy and a sandwich... I thought today would be a total loss"
Catching the rat-lizards glare, Brujo stares back. It's almost as if he's trying to ignite the thing.
The rat-lizard focus shifts and Brujo goes about making some lunch. "Brandy and a sandwich... I thought today would be a total loss"
"Devlin again...hmm... good point may as well see whats' available to eat and drink whilst we're here," Leo shrugs wondering what has got into Brujo.
Snaggletooth and Leo rummage happily in the kitchen while Cheffie snores on oblivious. You find plentiful supplies of bread flour, some eggs, a big chunk of bacon, a rib of beef ready for the oven, vegetables of various types, sugar flowers, spices and some milk that's doing its best to turn into yoghurt. The despised cinnamon buns sit on one of the tables. The usual cooking implements are available and you can make a decent meal with no particular trouble.
There is a little ale left, but Cheffie undoubtedly has most of that inside him. Despite his complaints about the kobold helpers, they left the place tidy.
Snaggletooth and Leo rummage happily in the kitchen while Cheffie snores on oblivious. You find plentiful supplies of bread flour, some eggs, a big chunk of bacon, a rib of beef ready for the oven, vegetables of various types, sugar flowers, spices and some milk that's doing its best to turn into yoghurt. The despised cinnamon buns sit on one of the tables. The usual cooking implements are available and you can make a decent meal with no particular trouble.
There is a little ale left, but Cheffie undoubtedly has most of that inside him. Despite his complaints about the kobold helpers, they left the place tidy.
"I was never much of a cook, but lets see what I can rustle up," Leo mutters as he tries to cook a half decent meal for everyone.
"Hey who fancies the cinnamon bun? could one of you keep an eye out after all they do need to eat up there, this would make a great place to ambush them once we got the chef safely out of harms way of course," Leo nods before returning the his task at hand.
Leo manages to construct an edible meal for the party. It's not haute cuisine by any means, but it's nourishing and nobody will get food poisoning.
Leo manages to construct an edible meal for the party. It's not haute cuisine by any means, but it's nourishing and nobody will get food poisoning.
Cronin joins the others in a convivial meal (or as convivial as any group containing Snaggletooth and Brujo is likely to be).
[quote=]Cronin joins the others in a convivial meal (or as convivial as any group containing Snaggletooth and Brujo is likely to be).
Cronin joins the others in a convivial meal (or as convivial as any group containing Snaggletooth and Brujo is likely to be).
Mirth leans against the chamber's outer wall, ostensibly to keep a watch out for trespassers from above. Within moments though, she is wrapped up in close examination of the Sceptre.
There is a little ale left, but Cheffie undoubtedly has most of that inside him. Despite his complaints about the kobold helpers, they left the place tidy.
Sitting back the moon elf enjoys his meal and what little drink there is left "Why is the ale always gone"
After eating Brujo goes about cleaning up any mess he may have left.
"So shall we go chat with Devlin"
"A chat it is then. Let's go."
Mirth's interest in the sceptre completely overrides any attempt she may have been making to keep a watch on the stairway leading up.
"Le-o, thanks for sandwich. Now we are stronger and ready to rescue Kneebiter. Bacon was good, bread was good...." His voice trails off as he prepares to leave. He stays close to Cronin, instead of taking his usual place in front.
Cronin
The tiefling absently toys with the powerful sceptre, her thoughts troubled.
The last person who had given her gifts (gifts that she had done so little to earn) was the Old Man, a lifetime away, in Luskan. He had gifted her with so much, and then been stolen away, hunted and murdered in his bed before she realized the value of what he had given, before she could truly thank him...
Mirth shakes her head angrily, her face hard and cold. Her tail twitches with agitation as she follows Cronin up the narrow stairs.
Snaggletooth
"Devlin is a mercenary who was trying to recapture Brujo and take him back to Thay. We met him just outside Spellgard and his escape is not good news. He's got no cause to love us. Nor we him.
Fairwind says meaningfully to Snaggletooth, "Don't worry, little buddy, I'm to feelin' that bluemagic elf there is gonna have more than he bargained fer if he tangles with yer."
She looks over at the others, and says half to herself and half to Snaggletooth (out of earshot of Brujo), "I don't like bullys, 'specially them as should know better."
You ascend the stairs, leaving the alluring smell of bacon sandwiches and the happy snores of Cheffie behind you.
At the top you are greeted by the familiar and most unwelcome sight of an ettercap and a dark creeper, both fully prepared for your arrival. As Brujo emerges into the room, the creeper stabs at him viciously, but the blow glances off the moonelf's armour.
From behind the walls to the right (i.e. on the southern edge) Caine and Brujo can hear strident singing.