Instant, incandescent rage flickers across Fssst's face, and is instantly smothered. "Fine. Come speak to our bard." the immolator scrapes a claw through the ash, breaking the barrier, then slinks deeper into the new room.
Grick, unlike Sees and Fsst, your INT is less than 10, which kind of hurts the idea that you're multi-lingual.
I'll allow you to know the Common tongue, especially because your speech was cool, but I'll need an in-universe explanation from you first - otherwise, it'll be in Broken Common, and your finer details will be lost on the dwarf.
When the others ruin her cover, Sees steps forward, walking into the trapped area as if she weren't carefully avoiding the triggering mechanisms. The dagger is sheathed, but she holds Gorlaug's Wrath in a relaxed grip. Standing just out of Close range, she crosses her arms and speaks in a Frank and deliberate tone. "You don't need to hide the fact that you're stalling for time. We're not here to end your lives unless you're working for Krondor- blood feud, as you may understand. Are you sure you've got executive power in your group? Is there someone we should wait for? Whom do you serve? I'm only asking because you look a little uncomfortable. What are you really feeling right now? All we want is to leave here with our lives. I'm sure you'd like the same. How can I get you to leave us in peace?" Her words run together in a melody of elocution that at once softens the tension in the hall and opens a wide vulnerability in her own heart. Unbeknownst to Sees, calling upon the arts in this concentration bends the air like heat rising, and makes it clear to those around her that what is spoken at this negotiation table is truth, pure and simple.
Grick, unlike Sees and Fsst, your INT is less than 10, which kind of hurts the idea that you're multi-lingual.
I'll allow you to know the Common tongue, especially because your speech was cool, but I'll need an in-universe explanation from you first - otherwise, it'll be in Broken Common, and your finer details will be lost on the dwarf.
Grick steps into the view of the dwarf, "Listen dwarf," Grick says and then pointing to himself add, "Grick not dead, Grick kill necromancer, Grick seek revenge, Grick in hurry, what you want? No slow Grick. Tell fast. Talk talk to Sees-Death. Trade maybe." Grick turns and looks towards Sees-Death bellowing "Sees-Death, parley with this dwarf, he wants something we may have and we want information he may know."
With his speech completed, Grick slips into the shadows to once more argue with the upset spirits.
You misunderstood my post, Sees. I just wanted that one clarifying question answered first, about what details you were looking for, before I went on to answer the rest of your questions. I'm sorry that I misrepresented my intention to give you information regarding your crit roll. That'll be a wall of text I'll be posting this afternoon. I never intend to cheat any of my players; it's Rules-As-Written in Dungeon World that the DM is the players' biggest fan, and I follow that rule!
Thunk thump?. Thunk asks Sees
What here is not what is appears to be?
The dwarf is hiding his true intentions for his party being here. Also...there's something unusual next to you in the darkness...some kind of stone latch?
What should I be on the lookout for?
Beware dwarven treachery. They know architecture famously well, and even now could be rigging up insurance traps of their own on the ground floor.
What here is useful or valuable to me?
Pulling on the stone latch next to you in the mausoleum reveals a tunnel that leads to a ladder leading upward. You notice this as Fssst is making his proclamation, then step forward to speak.
------------------------------------------
You give your speech after Fssst gives his. After your speech concludes, Grick reinforces your authority as best he can with his broken Common.
The dwarf sneers a little bit at Fssst's invitation. "'Step into my parlor,' eh? You must think Dwarves are really stupid for you to make me an offer like that. I'll be staying here, where there's no traps to trigger, thank you very much."
His chuckling is brought to an end by Sees-Death staring him levelly in the eye. Her frankness and openness elicits a similar response in the normally taciturn dwarf, unexpected even to him.
"We serve no Lord but our company leader, Axel - not even Krondor, though we have no desire to be on his bad side. Axel makes deals to better our position, but keeps the details close to the chest. And I'm uncomfortable... because I've never parlayed with kobolds before. You lot are normally the type to shoot first and ask questions later. I just have to hope that you are smart enough to realize we've got your only exit covered. As for leaving you in peace..." the dwarf smiles, exposing some of his slightly yellowed teeth. He's got to be a smoker, based on the look. "We're peaceful adventurers. If you say you want no trouble, we want no trouble with you. You got here first, you killed the necromancer...the spoils are yours."
Sees, as he mentions spoils you see him glance in Grick's direction in the darkness, for a split second, before refocusing on you.
He holds his hands up in a peaceful gesture, finger off the trigger of his crossbow. "I'll...just be going back to make my report then...be at peace, kobolds..." he begins to back up toward the stairs, looking a bit cagey. He looks like he's expecting you to break the parlay and attack.
Sees-Death gestures for Thunk and Hegh to keep an eye on the Dwarf as she walks back to have a private word with Fssst. "There is a ladder in that alcove leading up- either to the level above, or out. If we move quickly, we can at least head off this scout, and possibly get out to their mounts while they wait for us to take the only exit they know about. They want something from Grick... I don't know what. If that scout makes it back to this Axel, we lose our advantage. I defer to your judgement here."
To Thunk she says, "To thump with one's back to a wall is a good way to get thumped."
Fssst nods, and speaks in their native tongue. "We have learned all we can from the stone-born. Take the ladder, cut him off, then cut him down. Beware their traps."
He stares down the retreating dwarf, claws clenching repeatedly.
Thunk pulls the latch and races up he ladder
The dwarf looks rather disconcerted as the kobolds melt silently into the shadows beyond the firelight, allowing him to leave. He takes the steps up at a sedate pace at first, then begins picking up the pace the higher he gets...
Thunk, the escape ladder takes you up and up...and up and up and up, climbing in utter darkness. It's damp and hot in the hatch, and your club is almost too big to fit, forcing you to climb using only your feet and one hand and use your other hand to drag your club up behind you. You have to climb steadily for about 3 or 4 solid minutes to reach the top. There's no exit to the ladder except at the very top - a hatch that opens upward. Pushing it opens you up to the outside world...you emerge atop the temple roof, not far from the main entrance. Not far from you, you can hear the occasional dry scratching of insectoid wings scraping against each other - the Aqir mounts the dwarves rode in on, left at the temple entrance. You can't see them and they can't see you from where you are. As you emerge from the dank undercroft of the temple into the open air, you're struck by the still-ashen skies. Rain is falling, with ash in every raindrop...a wind has picked up out of the east, blowing across your scales. What do you do?
Thunk makes a count of how many mounts there are. Then he tries to guess what the best way to get down to start splatting bugs is.
Hegh and Shieldbearer follow Thunk up the ladder.
One...two...three......
It takes some effort and concentration, but you're eventually able to work your way up to 7. There are 7 sentient bug-mounts down below.
From where you are, you would be endangering yourself tremendously by simply jumping down, though you could always attempt it. There's a rough wall on the side of the temple near to the front entrance that you could use to scramble down on.
By the time he finishes counting he turns to Hegh.
Thunk want splat bugs. What think?
I know nothing of these creatures. Could we mount them? Perhaps we should wait for the others.
Dumb bugs, think and talk, try to thump Thunk. Thunk like splat them.
The dirge lags behind, stopping to gather her things and repack her gear. She urges the others on, but makes sure she is the last one up the ladder.
As the gadgeteer passes her, she stops him. "Smoog, what would it take to collapse the temple? Would a blast from Gorlaug's Wrath and your Steamwoofer, amplified by the vertical escape tunnel, have a chance to trigger a collapse?"
"Fssst, what do you think if I remain inside and following him up? I can distract them and make them think we are coming after them. The rest of you can then attack from outside and hopefully catch them off guard from behind. I can shoot quite a ways with this thing (patting Magno-Ray) and can harass them from the shadows. If they come after me, we still have these traps set up and I can use this escape hatch to catch up to you."
Thunk wait bit. Need show gift of All-Eat. All-Eat let Thunk splat bug. Want learn?
He says to Hegh
You're certainly able to try whatever cool idea comes into your head, Sees. I personally quite like the idea of using the escape hatch as an amplifying chamber to shake the temple apart. I don't think Smoog could do it...maybe DJ Smoogy could, though. Not sure...
Of course Thumpbrother. What would you have me do?
See bug? Jump on bug. Bug go splat.
Thunk moves to the edge and prepares.
"Yes, Smoog, draw them into the temple. Let this place be their trap instead of ours. I will begin work to make cutting off the ladder exit possible if we require it. Bring down this ruin, Smoog. Bury them in the stone they so love."
Fssst begins to pile flammable material at the base of the secret ladder, dribbling a little oil from ancient lanterns onto it. If the dwarves attempt to chase us, maybe we can use the ladder passage as a chimney and suck all the remaining air out of their collapsing tomb...
Grick stops his argument with the aggrieved spirit of Padler when he says what's happening. Giving a shrug, he clambers up the ladder and then arriving on the roof looks around at the situation, we're kobolds, we fight inside, why in the world did we come up here, besides I don't care much for heights... Despite his misgivings he grabs the skull of Azder and begins to whisper to it.
One brow arched, Sees looks to Smoog. "I can't guarantee you'll have a chance to escape if you're taking the long way out. With the temple crumbling, they'll be headed to the entrance as soon as they sense the collapse. There could be as many as five of them, and along with their mounts, they outnumber us. They aren't coming back down. They're waiting for us to come up..." Seeing that she isn't making a solid point, she huffs in frustration. "I don't like saying this kind of thing, but you're not quite cut out for working alone, Smoog. Chance does not often smile upon you, and we're frequently pulling you back from the jaws of failure. We won't be there, and my horn doesn't penetrate stone."
Hegh nods with the utmost seriousness at Thunk's plan.
Thunk begins messing with his fancy cloak and his sash doing...well doing something.
"I would hate to see this ancient place destroyed if we did not know for sure they would be caught in it. I found my way out of Moontower. I can find my way out of this. Just don't knock this place over until we know they will be buried in it".
-
Smoog grabs his things and heads off after the dwarf.
Insubordinate whelp... Shaking her head, Sees helps Flung and Pork up the ladder and motions to Fssst to follow. "I'm going last, so I can try to trigger the collapse from the top. We'll try to wait for Smoog..."
"Yessss, yesss, this should be plenty," says the immolator and he piles on a few more scraps of shattered wood. "Perhaps you are correct and the young one will not be slain by the dwarves. I admire your optimism. I do not share it."
Fssst begins to climb as quickly as he is able.
There is a sudden crack in the dirge's carefully curated facade and she laughs, low and predatory. "As long as we are of one mind on the matter. I might have known from you, but I can never be too careful."
Smoog knows how to move thru the belly of the earth. He is most at home in the rock.
Dwarves only think they are masters of mountains but Smoog knows Kobolds are the true kings of the undercities.
-
Sliding along silently, Smoog listens for the dwarf ahead of him.
Smoog ascends the spiral ramp and follows until he sees or hears the dwarven adventuring party ahead, wary of any new additions the dwarves left as traps for them.
-
Bring this temple down? Ha, it will take more than a toot on her horn to topple this ancient structure.
It IS a little worse for wear after the nearby eruption but the structure is still sound. The builders knew how to set this up to last.
-
Having a busy day at work, expect an update later on.
thunk monkeys about with his cloak attempting to make wings to assist his drop. It looks terrible and will work terribly as well
DEX defy danger Thunk charges and leaps to the air and makes his way directly onto the head of one of the bugs
con defy danger. Thunk tenses and flexes in exactly the right way to tough out his landing and take minimal damage
Thunk splat bug! he says as big matter flies everywhere
Hegh watches Thunk jump off the temple roof. But ... the others ... He glances over at the ladder, hoping to see the other kobolds filing out, and then turns back to watch Thunk engage the bugs.
Hegh curses, sighs, and breathes ice at the three bugs farthest away from Thunk.
Hegh will then drop down near Thunk, and take up a defense posture.
2d6
Sorry bout, for different game
Smoog follows the dwarven thief up the stairs to the main level. He has to pause a few times, ensuring the small, bearded rogue doesn't hear him coming. When he reaches the top of the stairs, the blue-scaled kobold hesitates by the entryway to the main temple, scanning the ground and the doorway for traps. Sure enough, pressure plates have been hidden in the dust on the floor. Simple enough to not step on them.
Beyond the doorway, the dwarves have already set to work creating a barricade against possible invasion from below. You can see dwarven heavy crossbows wielded by two dwarven fighters positioned to fire against the door leading up from below. You can peek at them, but to emerge from beyond the doorway much beyond that would allow you to be seen by the guards.
The remaining 4 are seated around a campfire beyond the guards. They're being debriefed by the scout they sent ahead, but their words are unintelligible from where you are - you'd need to get closer to hear what they're talking about specifically. What do you do?
Meanwhile, the rest of the kobold party climbs to the roof of the temple quickly, making good time. Even as Smoog is examining the traps beyond the doorframe, the last kobold up the ladder, Fssst, is emerging into the ashen skies up above.
As Sees-Death, Grick, Pork, Flung and Fssst emerge at the top of the ladder, they're just in time to see Thunk jump off the roof. The crazed kobold shouts in fury as he lands on one of the Aqir mounts. The bugs all shriek in surprise, their wings rattling as the disquieted mounts scatter all around. They weren't tied down, because they didn't need to be, but they were resting 3 on one side and 4 on the other from the temple entrance. Thunk lands on the nearest bug on the 4 side, plunking right into the dwarf's saddle (which happens to fit him decently well, though there's no accomodation for your tail).
The Aqir immediately begins to buck the kobold off, but he's able to hold on tight to the creature's dorsal horn! What do you all do next?
As Thunk is doing his mechanical bull rider impression, Hegh decides to follow him off. No Shieldbearer present, as the demi-kobold isn't insane enough to follow you off the rooftop. The Dragon Mage's breath freezes the ground in a wide area around the group of 3 bugs, rooting them in place - and prevent him from making a smooth landing. Rather than dropping to his feet on dry earth, Hegh lands on ice, and immediately slips, granting himself a -1 to his next roll. Unfortunately, Hegh, that means you do not gain 1 Hold to defend, you mark an XP, and the three immobilized bugs are all within striking range of you when you land, prone, on the ground. They all lift up their front pincers and bring them down at once on your location, what do you do?
Fssst will not participate in this particular madness if there's any choice in the matter. He begins to look around for a safer, and above all slower method of leaving the roof. He knows he needs to stay up there to fling fire down the shaft if needed, but there's no reason not to plot out his escape ahead of time.
There's a safer, slower way off the temple roof that you're able to find quite readily. Shieldbearer is already cautiously picking his way down.
As Smoog peeks out from the main entrance he hears the wild commotion caused by Thunk and Hegh entering into melee with the big bugs.
Deducing that the dwarves are still expecting an attack from the temple entrance proper, Smoog intends to give every impression that this is still happening.
-
First Smoog attacks the scout with a few well-aimed metal slugs from Magno-ray...Thwack, Thwack, Thud...
-
Next Smoog steps back into safety from the crossbows and lays a cloud of steam out thru the main entrance to cover the "attack"...
-
-
Finally, he triggers the pressure-plate traps by tossing some dungeon trash onto them causing as much noise as possible.
-
"Hey, what the...!?!?" in a higher voice...
"Ow, my leg!" in a gruff lower voice..
"I'm stuck, help me!" in a screechy whine.
Hegh finds himself face down on the ice, and grins. My element!
He digs his claws into the ice above his head and hauls down as hard as he can, aiming to slide underneath one of the frozen bugs and out of their reach.
As he slides, Hegh rolls onto his back and drags his sword across the bug's belly, gently tickling it (apparently).
In mid-air, the metallic bullets from Smoog's railgun burst with arcane energy. Overhead, Sees stumbles and catches herself on the edge of the escape hatch. Her claws itch with an unfamiliar sensation.
Do you roll for the extra damage from Arcane Arts? sorry.
If you do that is good because it will increase the final number.