"Well I wouldn't go that far Akula. There are plenty of types of pets and slaves that cages work wonderfully for. You just have to make sure It's not something that will grow to out power you.",Mal'kolenth replies to Akula.
Not accustomed to "Drow ways of thinking," Blitz looks at Mal'kolenth a bit sideways.
"How how did you feel your cage suited you sir? I bet to your conception not so well...I'm not the smartest egg, but it seems to me that if one can be relegated to the condition you were, and still make that statement, your society must have bondage so ingrained in it, that you are able to be fettered, and still totally lack any empathy with those you so casually say belong as such. Creatures of all stature are meant to be free...to fly!"
He turns away and mutters...
"Try and cage me and see what you get!"
Kessai bites her tongue - her meaningful look to Mal'kolenth seems not to have found fertile ground in which to grow.
The drow has a point - life is never so simple. Perhaps I am not meant to be imprisoned. But is a leash or cage the same? Are we not caged by our ways of thinking?
The wyrdworker thrusts such philosophical notions aside in the face of nearby confrontation, wishing she had more time in which to ensorcel a mending for her spear.
Akula stared flatly at the dark elf. "Nothing belongs as a slave. Power does not change that."
"We should talk on the move."Mal'kolenth suggests
He then continues the philosophical debate buy asking with genuine curiosity,"How do your people deal with criminals, prisoners, and political rivals then? Besides killing them of course."
Meepo stares off toward the other kobolds as the sounds of fighting escalate. "Strange indeed that the fighting is like this..."
You work your way back around to the northeast, past the sealed door you failed to open and the first dried up fountain. The door to the first goblin barrier is once again closed. Akula carefully checks it and begins sneaking forward. The first barrier is still unguarded and the goblin bodies are still where you left them. But from here, you can clearly hear the sound of at least 2 goblin voices coming from the second barrier.
From here, the sounds of fighting in the kobold areas have died off but worry is still evident on Meepo's face. Borux also remains in your company.
"My people are orcs. Enemies are killed and eaten. Captives have the opportunity to prove themselves in the fighting pits and join the Clan, or die." Akula said simply as he began heading toward the sounds of fighting.
Kessai gives a pointed look at Borux after the orc speaks.
"Be you enemy or be you captive? Decide wisely."
Julio listens to all of this drama and decides to stay out of it.
"These people live a very different lifestyle than I am used to."
"I agree with the drow. Let's keep moving."
For the last few minutes, Borux has been anxiously scratching his arms, to the extent that he has broken the skin in a few places. Once Kessai's question is translated, he says "CAPTIVE!". Realizing that was louder than he intended, he whispers "captive captive".
"Akula I hear goblins and I am still badly wounded. Can Gozreh grant supernatural healing by chance?",Mal'kolenth asks quietly.
"Not today." Akula grunted.
Blitz scratches his chin with his non-scizored hand,
"Criminals and political rivals arguably bring it upon themselves, I suppose. I mean, criminals have the choice of their actions-though those at the bottom of the system are more or less forced in too many situations lest they and their own fail to survive. But in turn, it is a system built on the desperation of the masses from the highest to the lowest common denominator which feeds and maintains an institution of authority built to keep societies from falling into anarchy...a vicious self-predatory cycle indeed! And. I imagine anyone who seeks and attains the political influence to purvey and capitalize on said system opens themselves up to their own arena of backstabbing and usurping of power and title."
He turns to Mal'kolenth,
"But you sir, called out pets and slaves specifically-as if something bought and kept for an owner's whim, free labor..." he grits his teeth "...or experimentation, should be considered inconsequential to those circumstantially fettered thusly."
Blitz's eye narrow and he raises his scizore to make a point,
"My parents took great pains to keep me out of the Sylph pits of Ta'Gima and away from The Separation...and they paid with their lives! I will be damned by the gods themselves if I ever allow that beast to cage me or take the air from my being! He will have to kill me to do it!"
Kessai's eyes rise fractionally in response to Blitz' diatribe on the perils of a class system and attendant legal, penal, political and magisterial ramifications. They widen slightly more as the sylph becomes more animated and passionate.
A thinker as well as a fighter, she muses.
Akula didn't even try to follow Blitz's rambling. It sounded like overly complicated nonsense to him. The kind of thing a follower of Abadar would come up with.
The end though, death before bondage, that Akula understood. He supposed it didn't matter what winding path Blitz took to get to his conclusion, as long as the conclusion was right.
Akula's grunted agreement was about as deep as his sociopolitical musings got.
"A. I didn't quite understand what you meant could you try that again. B. You and Akula should sneak up to the wall and see if you cant catch the goblins by suprise. Julio, Kessai, and I will bach you up."
Akula crouched and headed forward, already doing exactly what Mal had suggested.
Akula creeps up to the corner. There remains signs of the party's earlier battle including blood stains and at least one goblin body. The makeshift barrier that Akula knocked over remains partially demolished (mechanically it is no longer difficult terrain but could provide a small cover bonus). On the other side of the barrier are two goblins speaking animatedly and gesturing roughly in the direction of the kobold halls.
Meanwhile, back with the rest of the group...
Mal'kolenth signals for Akula to hold. He then asks Borux quietly,"You think you can get them to surrender? We may yet be willing to spare them."
Wary of the potential for Borux to give away their position, Blitz nonetheless awaits his response
Julio also watches Borux.
Julio pulls out his dagger and taps the goblin on the shoulder. He gives the goblin the univerals sign for silence and then runs his finger over his throat to get his point across.
Kessai sees the men notice something about Borux, and Julio's imperative to the goblin. She provides her own advice to the goblin.
"Food or friend?"
The goblin whips its head around in all directions at all of these big people surrounding it. "But but but why would they surrender? They don't know you...I don't think I could convince them that you are a bigger threat than Durrn."
Borux clearly looks like he would rather be just about anywhere else than where he is right now.
If Meepo wasn't so worried about the ongoing fight in the kobold caves, he would be enjoying watching the goblin squirm. His eyes settle on the goblin and he says in Goblin, "Now that my big friends have your attention, maybe you could also tell us where my dragon is."
Borux looks even more miserable if that is possible. "The dragon was a mistake. The one that took it, could not control it and now it has its own lair. You must have passed it before you attacked my group."
Blitzz glowers at the goblin
"So, you know where the dragon's lair is? If so, you need to take us to it!"
"You will not have to deal directly with her yourself-that is our business. It seems we have already passed it...? If that is truly the case, do we waste our efforts going deeper at this moment?"
Mal'Kolenth snaps twice and says,"Blitz, he can do that later. If diplomacy is not an option we need to kill the goblins baring our path."
He then points to the wall and tells Blitz,"As one of the less mortally wounded members of our group, I would appreciate it if you went to support Akulas initial strike." He is clearly trying to fight the urge to make an order of his request.
The goblin shakes his head and whispers. "No no. It is ahead of us now. It was behind you when you fought me."
Blitz shakes his head, realizing lingering morning fog has skewed his bearings as to where they actually are in respects to the layout of where they've been. Satisfied that the present goblins are, in fact, barring the path they are intending to take, he smirks at the drow and flicks a quick sarcastic salute.
"Yes sah!"
He attempts to join Akula in his subtle venture up to the incoming front line-ready to charge in if needed.
Keeping quiet, Akula set his picks to work, sliding to the side to let Julio get close enough to help out.
As he worked he listened carefully at the door.
Keeping a watchful eye on the goblin, Kessai languidly follows Blitz, the cat Mouf weaving between her legs. Their time apart has kept their movements out of sync, and the wyrdworker trips on her familiar who yowls at his human.
Akula creeps along the wall towards the goblins. As you do, you remember the fight you had in here yesterday with a larger group of goblins. A yell breaks you out of your reminiscences and just when you think you've been spotted, you realize the goblins are actually yelling at each other. Not known for being especially restrained or perceptive, the goblins have begun vehemently arguing with each other. You arrive at the door leading onward and manage to time opening the door with the moment one of the goblins pushes the other to the ground. It seems things are escalating. You quickly make it out of the guard area and arrive at the door you previously marked with chalk
Kessai follows the half-orc forward and reaches the broken down half-wall with her familiar. Your step over the wall lands right on your familiar however. The cat yowls and scampers forward. Your head turns towards the quarreling goblins in time to see one land a solid punch to the other's groin. You manage to make it out of the room and join Akula at the door.
As the party assembles around the door you notice a few things. The dragon's head carving on the door at eye level is still the most striking thing about all of the citadel design in this area. Also, Akula's chalk marking is still in place and apparently undisturbed. The door itself is locked but that proves no challenge for Akula. While working he notices that the handle is still cold. Listening at the door, Akula can make out sounds of movement inside but nothing else of note. Opening the door, the party is met with a blast of cold air.
Mounted and stuffed animal heads adorn the walls. The mounting job is sloppy, and the assortment of heads includes cattle, rats, and other not particularly impressive specimens. However, a few grisly trophies share the wall with the animals, including a couple of kobold visages. Smashed and broken cabinets and small tables litter the periphery of the room,
mute victims of some sort of rampage. A rusted iron spike stands askew in the center of the room, trailing a broken chain. Thin patches of ice coat sections of the walls, floor, and debris.
Meepo cries out, "Calcryx!" and moves to the front of the party, entering the room. A shape comes crawling out from under a table, materializing into a relatively small, white dragonling. It sniffs a few times, eyes squinted. A low growl begins to grow in its throat as it crouches down on its hind legs.
"Calcryx?", Meepo says.
Round 1
With a snarl, the wyrmling breaks into a run, jaws snapping it charges right at Meepo.
Round 1
Those bolded below may act.
Calcryx
Akula
Blitz
Mal'kolenth
Julio
Kessai
Meepo - 1 damage
"It seems your dragon does not want to go home, sir. You better sort this out with her quickly if you value her existence!"
Blitz weaves through his friends and to the rear of the dragon, hoping his nimble qualities save him from the incoming reactionary attack. It still being a recovery mission until defined otherwise, he tries to deliver a non-lethal strike.
Whiffing miserably!
Kessai's eyes widen as the "beloved" dragonling seems hellfrost-bent on munching on the devout Meepo. The witch debates the relative merits of havign Calcryx devour zmeepo, then instinctively reaches out toward the beast and at first whispers, then hoarsely moans a droning song, coaxing the dragonling to pause in its toothy entree ministrations...
Stand Action: Cast beguiling gift -
Mal'kolenth quickly drinks the other red potion he had.
The dragon was young, and had clearly been treated miserably in it's short life. Akula felt sympathy for it. A dragon was a dragon though, and dangerous no matter how small. He was not skilled with words, nor did he know if the dragon was rational enough to listen anyway.
Then he put his bow away in it's case on his back.
Julio is surprised at the sight of the dragon but quickly realizes that Meepo's pet is angry at being locked up in the is room.
"Calm down Calcryx. We are here to free you from your captors and take you home.
Meepo ducks and dodges out of the way of the dragonling's claws. "Calcryx! You liked it much better in your cage. I know you did." He looks over his shoulder and says, "Relax, companions, let me just try this...it always used to work when she was in her cage...Be careful, Blitz..."
Blitz Krieg instantly slumps to the ground, asleep .
Calcryx shakes her head as the slumber tries to overtake her defenses. She then roars at Meepo.
Meepo's only response is, "Friends. We may have a problem."
Round 2
Calcryx bellows again in anger and unleashes a cone shaped jet of cold air at Meepo. Fortunately for the party, the doorway shields Kessai and Mal (and Borux) from the blast.
Perhaps ready for the blast, all three party members scatter just in time to dodge most of the blast.
Round 2
Those bolded below may act.
Calcryx
Akula
Blitz - prone and snoring
Mal'kolenth
Julio
Kessai
Meepo - 3 damage
Akula drew his axe and brought it down, but his desire not to hurt the dragon badly caused him to miss.
Between the growling sounds of the wyrmling and the rage in its eyes, the spell either can't be heard or has very little effect. It continues its assault on Meepo unabated.
Julio charges into the room and attempts to roll past the wyrmling and get to Blitz.
Blocked by the large orc in the doorway, Kessai remembers her charge. The commotion in the room is the perfect chaos a prisoner might need to make a run for it. She levels her longspear at the goblin and reminds him to stay exactly where he is.
Readied Action: Shishkaboblin.
Mal'kolenth dances through the battlefield to stand to the dragons right and stabs at it with his rapier.
The party breaks into activity trying to slip past the dragon's guard.
Julio slides past Akula and Meepo, and comes face to face with the beast. It is only a couple of feet long but the scales glint in the light and its claws are surprisingly long close up. In fact, their size throws off his timing just enough that he doesn't anticipate the dragon's teeth as they flash towards the rogue.
Julio spots the jaws just in time, however he can't get out of the way in time.
Standing outside the room, Kessai has Borux totally intimidated. The goblin is not really moving so much as it is crouching in fear of Calcryx and trying to use the door frame for as much cover as possible.
Mal'kolenth follows Julio in and goes to work with his rapier on the distracted dragon, leaving a deep puncture along its flank.
Round 2
Those bolded below may act.
Calcryx - 6 damage
Akula
Blitz - prone and snoring
Mal'kolenth
Julio
Kessai
Meepo - 3 damage
Akula stepped in and swung his axe again.