Still chuckling Anga drops his pack on the ground. Placing all his weapons, excepting a single dagger, by his pack he disrobes and makes his way back to the rope bridge. Noting the curious glances he explains himself. "I reckon we'll be needing those ropes in the future... They're not gonna loose themselves and waltz over the river now are they? I may need you to pull me back across once they're free." With this the Half-Elf sprints back across the rope to the other side.
Reaching the other side he swiftly slices the ropes from their mooring.
Tossing one rope out into the river to be pulled across, he ties the other around his waist and dives into the current.
Beginning to sink a bit he grabs the rope and starts pulling himself the rest of the way.
Reaching the far bank he unties himself and tosses the rope end to Wraith. Taking a leg of his trousers he wipes down the dagger and sheaths it once satisfied of it's dryness. Clothing himself he dons his armor and pack and asks the group:
"So, where to now?"
"Shall we proceed south?"
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The land hereabouts has more low hills than the lands yesterday and the day before: nothing too steep, they don't even block vision really. The grass in pretty constantly 3 feet high, and the soil is rocky. A solitary Sycamore tree dominates the landscape and can be easily seen from miles away.
You are slowly making your way toward the old tree as you explore the surrounding lands. Before long, you get the keenest sense that you are being watched: hunted.
Wraith had the oddest sense that something was tracking them. A little worried, he drew his bow and checked his surroundings.
Seeing the archers unease Anga sniffs the air. Placing his hand on the hilt of his rapier he does a slow turn scanning the surrounding countryside.
Eddric draws his weapon on attempts to be perceptive.
"Watch the grass. The kobolds are small, and used that tactic before."
Thaegrin pulls out a scroll of Mage Armor.
Taking a cue from the wizard, Anga drops to the ground and disappears in the grass.
Wraith lowers his voice and talks to his party.
"A man believes that we are being stalked from below. There is something beneath us... and it's coming for us. Suggestions?"
"Perhaps we should, I don't know, stab the ground?"
"A man is assuming there's a tunnel of sorts below us, there MUST be for this creature to be stalking us, whether they are digging as they go or it was already premade, I do not know. Can we spear a hole into the ground, and then send forth some sort of: liquid, fire, smoke, acid, etc in order to drive this creature above ground?"
Eddric stands firm waiting for the beast.
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This could be anything really, but given the way it seems to be hunting, Goblins, Kobolds, and Bulletes come to mind. (You may read the entry on each)
Give me a survival check on the pattern and frequency of the moving dirt. You may have a party member do it for you and describe what the see.
Kobolds make the most sense, but goblins are reckless enough that it could be sport for them. If a bullette is stalking you, you are all surely dead...
"Kobolds are the most likely, or goblins, but there are fouler things than these that burrow in the earth..."
The wizard shifts his stance as he studies the patterns.
"A dozen of these, whatever they are. Let us make for the tree. Its deep roots might hinder their pursuit."
"Well that sounds like a plan." The thief makes a dash towards the tree in question. Drawing his rapier as he runs. Upon reaching it, he leaps up to the lower branches and half jumps half climbs his way up.
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Anga bolts! Before he can go 5 strides however, the ground opens around him and his companions!
All at once and for 15 feet on either side, the earth falls away. Anga is able to roll as he hits the tunnel floor.
Wraith is also able to land gracefully while the others bite the dust, quite literally. As they scan from the shock of the trap, the companions see dozens of Kobolds running from side tunnels to surround them.
PARTY
AVERAGE:11.2
KOBOLDS
AVERGAGE:12.65
On the little buggers come, the foremost drawing for shortswords and the rear brandishing longspears. The press in and attack!
AND
AND
"pok! yth intend thric trespass! visp udoka wer purpose di dout lowd, mobi zklaen qe vi baclax!"
Audrey lays on her back, careful not to move too fast.
Anga looks at the slashes on his arms and legs. Spitting on the ground he glares at his tormentors, but does nothing.
"Your race is pathetic, you pretend to be blood of dragon yet you fight like wormkin" Eddric readies himself for death.
OOC: Hold Action
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One of the bigger spearmen answers Thaegrin.
"Anda tahi pada kehormatan Kobold!Anda tidak menghormati darah naga! Kembaliapi kepada kami warna sebenar anda dan Tartuk berkata darah anda akan membuat kita kuat. Anda mesti mati untuk slights anda saya katakan, tetapi Skalaketua jelaga akan membuat keputusan. Kami akan membawa anda kepadanya, datang secara senyap-senyap, atau lain."
You s@!# on Kobold honor! You disrespect the dragon blood! Fireback told us your true colors and Tartuk says your blood will make us strong. You must die for your slights I say, but Chief Sootscale will decide. We will take you to him, come quietly, or else.
Thaegrin remains on the ground, careful not to provoke the tense Kobolds.
"yth re strangers ekess dout customs. wux re filki vur fair ekess dronilnr udoka ekess dout rimem sootscale, vur yth geou confn quietly."
He addresses his companions.
"Gentlemen, Audrey, they will take us to their chief, and we must cooperate for the time being. It is my hope to arrange some kind of agreement with these folk that will be mutual beneficial, despite our setbacks."
When the Kobolds lift their weapons, Thaegrin will slowly stand.
"If you think this is the wisest course of action, wizard."
"You get me to that chief and I'll gut him if things turn sour." Eddric gently pushes the spear tips off and attempts to stand. He had a mere thought that the little dragons might be able to understand him, but he didn't retain the idea for very long.
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The kobolds force you all to kneel where you are blindfolded. Next, you are made to crawl in dank earthen tunnels for what seems like hours until finally the cramped spaces open up and you can tell you're in a larger space. You are told that you are not permitted to speak unless spoken to and you are not allowed to try to stand.
Each of you feel a spear point between your shoulder blades and your blindfolds are removed.
You see no less than 50 kobolds in a small cavern. The ceilings are no more than 4 feet high so standing would be a challenge even if you were permitted to do so.
As the light adjusts, you can make out that most of these kobolds possess black scales though a handful have red. Directly in front of you, separated by a schism maybe 40 feet deep, are two kobold chieftains: one black and one red. The black on speaks.
"Saya Ketua Sootscale, Secarabesar-besaran Naga Berkepala Empat. Anda berdiri dituduh mengancam pembunuhan beramai-ramai orang saya dan membunuh pahlawan-pahlawan Ketua Fireback. Apa kata anda dalam pembelaan kamu?"
I am Chief Sootscale, Grandscale of the Four Headed Wyrmling. You stand accused of threatening the genocide of my people and of the murder of Chief Fireback's warriors. What say you in your defense?
Grandscale is something between a king and our president. The Four Headed Wyrmling is the name for the alliance between the red, black, blue, and green scaled kobolds in the area.
Squaring his shoulders, Thaegrin does his best to project for all to hear.
"rimem sootscale, yth re grateful ihk dout audience.
dout ways re ti hesi ways, vur hesi misunderstanding majaka uthwix ekess fisandreth. likewise, wer charir arytissi showed udoka jennu disrespect ios knowing. hesi gewjlei, dijalftow ekess hesi ways, jahen justified.
shar yth stand tenpiswo ekess account ihk astahi ilrigani. dout cirau tepoha repeatedly xurwka coi clear wux siofme yth re plythu vur ti xihuuliup di gebalam, sjerit jaka wux relgr udoka xihuuliup aurthon ekess anyui ekess dout laws? si resent wer disrespect ekess sia iejir, vur jacida," Thaegrin nods to Anga, "wer iejir di wer irral treskri, vur batobot di sia kiabili." He nods to Eddric, "ir svaust tlusha lae aroden huena tira, vi mere mablik," he nods to Wraith and Audrey, "vur nomenes svaust parentage harkens de lands di sjach vur ixen. wux shilta ti expect lyriki ekess tekilek dout Vs'shtak heritage sjek wux geou ti recognize wer schakri bloodlines di dout neighbors."
"“i jikahshi dout xiekivi vur hesini re sva fault, vur yth confna searching persvek charisic di harktir batobot xuut. si geou nurti tor ihk preah, shar si geou tor ihk vin nif dasek. jennu stories si tepoha nymuera di wer tilabil darastrixi, vur wer enlightenment astahii attained. coi ui truly inspiring. vur wux folk, re versvesh vur united. ihk batobot, si envy wux.”
“listen ekess svabol si yenta: imagine ir di wux tepohaic vi cha'sidel di radish, vur voga tepohaic vi brace di conies. sjek wux trade, shio ui bensvelk –the trade ui fair. shar sjek trian iaco ekess klae svabol astahii tepoha ekess mix vi stew, ti ergriff mrith asta bellies qe gloma, shar wer bellies di asta vraktor lae algbo. nomeno idol, wer trade ui desta vur wer svihelen ui stronger. krarir mrith udoka geou ti weatonan dout iejir. persvek ywrats, coi shows wer naam di dout tilabil kin. wux tir ti relgr wer radishes plythu ihk ti tasting hefoc conies.
“while yth stand tenpiswo, mobi re lpuulilt injustices batobot zhaan erekess nomenoi lands unchecked. svanoa kiarf weatonan tepoha nomenoi stag drehlniki heaped shafaer dout xiekivi? origato udoka prove hesi tiichi ekess wux vur clax svern wer cep di filkiati, vur dronilnr wer yobolat di nomenoi dishonorable ekess dout gribkoanic.”
“Your ways are not our ways, and our misunderstanding gave birth to offense. Likewise, the red warriors showed us great disrespect without knowing. Our actions, according to our ways, were justified.
“But we stand here to account for them anyways. Your kind have repeatedly made it clear you think we are weak and not worthy of alliance, yet now you call us worthy enough to answer to your laws? I resent the disrespect to my blood, and his,” he nods to Anga, “the blood of the First World, and that of my companions.” He nods to Eddric, “One who began as Aroden once did, a mere mortal,” he nods to Wraith and Audrey, “and those who parentage harkens from lands of shadow and fire. You cannot expect others to respect your draconic heritage if you will not recognize the noble bloodlines of your neighbors.”
“I believe your people and ours are at fault, and we came searching in hopes of righting that wrong. I will never ask for compassion, but I will ask for an open ear. Great stories I have heard of the elder dragons, and the enlightenment they attained. It is truly inspiring. And you folk, are strong and united. For that, I envy you.”
“Listen to what I say: Imagine one of you has a handful of radish, and another has a brace of conies. If you trade, all is good –the trade is fair. But if both agree to use what they have to mix a stew, not only with their bellies be filled, but the bellies of their children as well. This way, the trade is better and the family is stronger. Treating with us will not dishonor your blood. In fact, it shows the wisdom of your elder kin. You do not call the radishes weak for not tasting like conies.
“While we stand here, there are fouler injustices that run through these lands unchecked. How much dishonor have these Stag bandits heaped on your people? Let us prove our honor to you and take up the task of justice, and bring the flesh of these dishonorable to your feasts.”
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The kobold chiefs exchange hushed whispers. Shortly, they nod and Sootscale speaks.
"Anda mungkin mempunyai peluang untuk membuktikan diri anda kepada kaum kerabat naga. Menyerahkan bukti kematian ini Tuhan Rusa DAN menghapuskan rakyat skala hama: musuh kita yang purba. Adakah ini kuasa anda sendiri dan kita boleh menerima anda sebagai kawan. Untuk membuktikan niat baik anda, seorang wanita harus tinggal bersama kami sehingga tugas anda dilakukan. Adakah ini boleh diterima?"
You may have a chance to prove yourself to the dragon kin. Deliver proof of this Deer God's demise AND rid the scale folk of the mites: our ancient enemy. Do this of your own power and we can accept you as friends. To prove your good faith, the woman should stay with us until your task is done. Is this acceptable?
Mites...
Thaegrin nods an apologetic bow. "jaciv ui zi jathila ekess udoka. si zklaen discuss nomeno mrith sia kiabili. geou si tepoha dout lex jaciv geou ti qe ill-treated? geou jaciv tepoha adequate waphir oium?"
Eddric plays the part dealt to him, to which ignorance defines his role in this encounter. He has a passion for not carrying about the lesser races. Even common elves and dwarfs, Eddric treats with an immoral code of conduct. But, for creatures like kobolds and goblins he has little to no respect for them, and would rather die then treat them as an equal. "I am above this way of negotiations, I have the gift of speech and these worms should speak the common tongue. If they do intend on taking up a role in this land, it would be required of them to speak our language before anything else were possible."
"hrmmmmmmmmm," he lets out a long sigh, clearly notifying everyone that he grows tired of the situation.
Thaegrin turns to the others, making certain he has Audrey's attention before speaking. "If a peace is to be arranged, we must leave Audrey with them until we destroy the Stag Lord and his lot, along with the old enemies of these kobolds, the mites. In truth, I do not expect the mite problem to be too difficult. It might even be fun for you, Eddric. Audrey, the chief assures me you will be fed and not harmed during your stay. I believe this is the closest we will get to walking out of here alive. What say each of you?"
Audrey signs for Thaegrin to repeat what he said, because she could not have understood him correctly.
She looks incredulous.
Looking at the wizard,"We are really going to abandon her? I'd rather die fighting then leave someone behind." Eddric has had an eye for Audrey since they first met, and wished more from her then her clothing would allow. But, leaving someone to their fate as a prisoner was beyond him.
"Unacceptable, I'll stay in the brawds place if were settled on abandoning someone."