His attention drawn he looks over at the pair. He did not know what tribe they came from but it seemed they were lacking in knowledge of their own people. Speaking in draconic.
"I find it less distasteful to speak in their language then having those without draconic blood speak our language. If you can not be bothered to learn theirs then why would they learn ours. Concerning kobolds and humans, our numbers can match and easily exceed theirs. We reproduce faster and more efficiently, but we do not suffer weakness like they do. So our death rate is higher. Do not let your pride and ego blind you, the demons will use it against you. Tarendelev did not hold such weakness and yet she fell. Unless you claim to be greater then she, remember that. If you do make such a claim then take your pride with you and go at it alone. I will not abandon the softskins, if the crusade could be won with such divisions in the ranks. Then it would not have lasted as long as it has, or cost so much in blood. Dragon blood as well if you have not forgotten."
He did not like remembering the fallen silver dragon but he was not one to hide from uncomfortable truths. Learn from your mistakes and move on, Apsu had done well in teaching him that.
Gunnarrex shrugs. "I do not propose abandoning them. I just see no point in coddling them." The bloodrager hands out the silver scales, giving one to each of the other kobolds. "We should move forward. There is only one way out of here." Gunnarrex moves to the exit to the cave, motioning for the others to come with him.
"Of course I understand their language, I just refuse to speak it unless I have to. It makes my mouth hurt, and I sound stupid," Gunnarrex comments, slowing inching out of the cavern. "C'mon! How can you guys just stand around blabbing after what happened up there?"
Aardiac continues to try and calm down, before finally getting to the point she understands everyone again.
Dra'zaak finishes cutting the maggots into meat and storing it as the other kobolds continue their lengthy debate about speaking Draconic or Common and blah-blah blah. "You guys talk too much, I agree with him." He jerks his head towards Gunnarrex. "If you're going to continue your debate, I'm going to go scout the cavern to make sure we don't run into anything dangerous with our handicapped in tow. Scouting was my job before this disaster happened. If you'll give me a minute, I'll be right back and let you know what I find so we can move on."
And with that, he crouches down and quietly moves ahead of the rest of the group, scouting.
well, talking is the only thing I'm good at...
"Yeah, ok."
Horgus turns away to not have to see Dra'zaak tasting the meat of the giant maggots, which tastes very similar to that of normal maggots aside from a lack of texture and crunch. It doesn't seem that the creatures were tainted by the Abyss, but while they're far more edible than kobolds, they're still not nearly as tasty as rat or ptarmigan.
Anevia repeats her name in a friendly tone as Aardiac helps to retrieve the piece of wood she'd been trying to reach, "Thank you. But I'm really not a man." She sets to whittling away at the piece of wood with a knife to keep her mind off the pain as Malzii splints her leg, there being plenty of rags to tie around the splints and broken limb on account of the tragic loss of life during the cave-in that brought you all down here. She soon has a passable walking stick and a leg that she can drag along with some modicum of safety. "I must admit I had never thought of your kind as being charitable or valiant, and that was ill of me, so please accept my apologies. My wife is going to have such an 'I told you so' for me if... if she's still alive... if we can find her... if..."
"If, if, if! We need to get moving now if we're going to make it to the surface in any reasonable amount of time." Horgus offers Anevia a hand in standing up, his accusation put aside for the moment, "You and the elf can't move fast, and we have no idea how to reach the surface, so the going will be slow anyway. Your leg is splinted, he has a walking stick, and I... well... let's head out, yes?"
As you all discuss the situation in Draconic among yourselves, it becomes quickly apparent that none of the three soft-skins can speak or understand the language, and Aravashnial eventually speaks up to say, "I do appreciate that you're willing to help lead us to the surface, and I can only guess how deep we may have fallen, likely seventy or eighty feet given how much I ache as though I fell a short distance. However, it is difficult to lend counsel when we can't even understand what is being said."
As Dra'zaak sneaks along the southern edge of the cavern, he comes to a narrow tunnel leading east, and can just barely make out that the tunnel appears to widen into another, smaller cavern after a short distance.
Ixen simply rolled his eyes. They start bickering then start running when they don't get their way. Finally having someone else to scout with he keeps his crossbow ready moving onward.
"It wasn't much of something you could provide council on, I'd think. Anyway, he... And apparently him too, are going ahead to scout."
Taalik searches among the fallen bodies lost beneath the stone, searching for any supplies or weapons that can be recovered.
Taalik snorts, then finishes, "If we are to succeed, we must espouse the values of honor, valor, justice, compassion. Arrogance will lead to only folly. Yes, they are of a different nature, and two are wounded, but that does not make them weak. Like us, they survived the fall, perhaps they too were chosen by Apsu. They may be the key to our own salvation."
Looking back toward the humans, "My apologies, we are all on edge and just as you might revert to your native tongue, so too have we. Terendelev was more than an individual, she was an ideal to aspire to, as though an incarnation of our Lord, Apsu. To see her fall was a deep blow to all of us. But every war claims some of its heroes, and thus Terendelev will be honored as such." He pauses for a moment in solemn respect. Now we venture to the surface, to join with the rest of the Crusaders. We welcome any assistance each of you can give. Anevia, will you be able to conjure that light again, or will you need torches of some sort? As for departing,a pair of my kin have gone ahead to scout the possible routes. When they return we shall proceed."
Dra'zaak is rather surprised to see one of the other kobolds sneak forward with him, and although he appears about to argue against it, he notes how stealthy the gold-scale is, and keeps his mouth shut, and nods. Silently, he points at Ixen, points at his own eyes, then points to the other side of the cavern, hoping he gets the point across for Ixen to go scout the other side of the cavern to cover more ground. If the gold-scale doesn't get the message, he shrugs and continues forward silently, his bow out, regardless if Ixen is behind him or scouting the other end of the cavern.
Ixen gets the message, it was basic for scouts. He takes the other route, his senses as sharp as his movements were smooth and silent. He remembered his old tribe, the many dangers of the deep they faced and avoided. Even some they were allied with, while he did not think much of their morality or lack there of. They were indeed much of what the kobold race could become and the what the softskins did not think them to be. He shakes his head, they wasted away in a different kind of weakness. He would do better and hopefully others as well once the proper path was open. This was the beginning perhaps.
"don't think we really have food. I don't, anwyay. Nor any weapons sized for them."
With Ixen checking one side of the cavern and him the other, Dra'zaak moves silently into the tunnel, hoping it isn't unstable from the quakes. Provided theres nothing in the tunnel of interest or that might want to eat him, he continues to the edge of it to examine the next cavern.
Gunnarex waits for the scouts by the entrance to the spider cave. He replies to the elf in Taldane, showing off his common for the first time, "Ssorry, huuuman tongue makes me mouth hurt. Ssoundsss like dire rat farting through pig stomach. Can't expressss all thoughts good."
Dra'zaak: The tunnel is just large enough for the big soft-skins to squeeze through, but much more accommodating for kobolds. It opens up into a smaller and rather quite empty cavern, the ceiling of which is a narrow fissure yawning up beyond the range of your darkvision. There is rubble on the ground, and as you look around, you see the strap of a backpack hanging off of a stone ledge about fourteen feet from the ground. The rock surfface is rather smooth, almost slippery, but you might be able to climb up and retrieve the bag, which likely fell from the surface just like you did. On the far side of the cavern, there's another tunnel leading further into the Kenabres underground.
Ixen Edar: The tunnel opens up into a smaller cavern that appears to have once served as a campsite or lair. A torn bedroll lies next to a crude firepit filled with long-cold ashes. A trash heap of bones, broken equipment, and rubble lies just past the abandoned campsite. You can just barely make out a few long feelers sticking out of the trash heap, likely indicating more giant insects laying in hiding.
Everyone Else: Taalik scrambles around the pile of rubble, but the only 'food' he can find is the bodies of those who died, which might be a bit much for the soft-skins to stomach. Even Horgus and the seemingly taciturn Aravashnial appear quite moved when he brings up Terendelev and speaks so highly of her. Anevia admits she can only conjure a light spell twice more before needing rest, but that it should last half an hour each casting. "I don't know how long it will take for us to find our way out, but with any luck that shall suffice or we'll find something else. At worst, well... the light isn't benefiting Aravashnial, I suppose Horgus and I can suffer as he does."
The elf then speaks up and says, "Your companions are scouting the way ahead, which is good. The rest of you, what experience have you with fighting demons and the like? There is no telling what we might encounter down here, and while in the past I gave no credit to rumors of creatures living beneath Kenabres, I think we had best be wary just in case." He begins prodding the ground as he tries to slowly make his way towards Dra'zaak and Ixen Edar, as if leading the way, but Anevia limps over and takes his hand, saying, "I'll act as Aravashnial's eyes for as long as my light holds out. If my memory serves, he's a Riftwarden, and we just might benefit from his experience if we do run into demons, blind or not."
Horgus mentions that he has some skill with a rapier if one can be found, but that his own is probably lost in the rubble or still somewhere on the surface, as he lost hold of it in the earthquake. He does have a waterskin filled with wine however, and insists that he can subsist on that until the surface is found. Anevia has a short sword and bow, and is sure she could use either if needed despite the condition of her leg. She has no rations of her own, but says that she's gone without food or water for days in the past. Aravashnial simply takes the position that, "We shall surely find our way out long before food or drink are a problem, so let us make haste!"
Dra'zaak scratches his scaley chin upon seeing the backpack and after examining the slippery ledge. Knowing he isn't much of a climber, he instead pulls out his rope and ties the end of it to a grappling arrow he pulls out of one of his quivers. Satisfied its secure, he moves a bit closer, knocks the arrow, takes aim, and launches it at the backpack. His aim is spot on as the grappling arrow lands on the backpack and, with a quick tug from Dra'zaak, hooks it. Carefully, he then slowly pulls on the rope to cause the backpack to fall off the ledge and tumble down onto the floor, where he then continues to reel in the backpack with his rope.
Once he pulls it all the way to him, he unhooks his arrow and quickly examines the backpack to make sure it isn't some crazy kobold-trapped backpack, then opens it.
>
"I guess we should, get going then, as soon as we get a report. Or sooner, if need be."
He knew better then to take on an unknown enemy alone if he could avoid it. Still he would not make a amateur mistake like rushing back to the others. He takes his time and carefully retreats back towards the others. Keeping his crossbow ready, just in case. After all a well placed bolt is more detrimental then a fleeing backside.
Once he returns to the others.
"I have found an old campsite. I would have checked it out more thoroughly but it had a trash pile with feelers sticking out. No doubt more vermin enjoying themselves, but I could not get a good look so no guess as to the kind. Has the black kobold returned yet?"
"more vermin? That can't be good... I haven't seen him."
Aardiac looks around for the kobold, but doesn't notice anything.
Gunnarrex waits by the exit to the spider cave, listening to the other gold scale's report. Can't understand a thing these monkeys say.
Dra'zaak is able to hook the backpack with his grappling arrow and tug it down to the cavern floor. While at first it seems a miracle that nothing inside is broken, it quickly becomes evident that the backpack is quite expertly crafted, with internal padding and custom-designed to sit easily on the shoulders, unlike the more mundane sort. Inside, there's enough trail rations to feed a person for ten days, some flint and steel, a set of caltrops, two flasks filled with liquid , a bundle of twelve arrows, and two potions: one a simple glass vial with a cork stopper containing an amber liquid, and the other made of green glass and shaped like a bloated shield embossed with the holy symbol of Iomedae, containing a perfectly clear liquid.
Ixen Edar manages to extricate himself from the northern cave without rousing whatever creatures are hiding in the trash pile, and upon announcing his findings, Aravashnial says, "It's long been suspected that the foul influence of the Abyss has been seeping into Mendev in spite of the Wardstones. No doubt there are any number of insects and vermin that have been bloated far beyond their normal size down here in the dark places beneath Kenabres."
Once briefed in draconic, Gunnarrex says, "Sounds like more food!" and hefts his hammer eagerly. "Let's go get it," he suggests.
Dra'zaak nods to himself, lifts up the heavy human-sized backpack filled with goodies, and quickly retreats as stealthily as he can back to group.
----
Dra'zaak appears to the others with a large backpack hefted in his arms, quite obviously struggling with the heavy weight. He places it down, relieved to have dropped the load and opens it. "Found a lost backpack from a soft-skin." He begins to take everything out and lay it near the backpack, listing off what he found. When he gets to the potions he opens them to take a whif, hoping to identify them via smell. "The bag and its contents are made for larger soft-skins, I can't carry it and stay quick and quiet at the same time. The food should be enough to last us Kobolds twenty days or so, though with the big-folk with us it'll go faster."
"As far as where the tunnel leads, it continues past where I found the backpack and opens into another tunnel. Couldn't see where it went and carry the backpack at the same time. I can go check if you guys want."
Ixen informed the black kobold about what he had already reported to the others.
Dra'zaak manages to identify the two vials as containing potions of healing and restoration, respectively.
"well, it's good to have supplies if we wind up down here for a while."
She looks in the direction of the place where vermin are supposedly located.
"you think we could sneak up on them?
"Dra'zaak." He answers the purple-scale curtly, then turns to Aardiac. "Ixen and I can sneak up on them easily enough, perhaps we should take first shot then allow everyone else to charge in after? Otherwise, we can try to move in quietly and ambush them, though if the soft-skins follow us, it would likely ruin the ambush." He scratches his scaly chin in thought.
"他们只是错误不是吗？为什么我们要如此谨慎？" Gunnarrex asks.
Taalik nods to his returning kinsmen. "Dalvaran and I can carry the recovered supplies, I would not want to hamper any of the wounded surface dwellers more. Still, the issue exists that they depend on light to travel, and that one's magics are limited. Dra'zaak, were there any torches in the bag, or perhaps a lantern? If not, let us take fabric from the fallen and make torches with any broken weapons in the rubble." Turning toward Gunnarrex, "And I agree, let's get the vermin, despite the elf's confidence, who knows how long it will take to reunite with the Crusader army. I will be ready to charge in behind Dra'zaak, though do we know how many infest the space?"
He speaks in draconic for everyone.
"I only saw one, but it was big. I mean eat one of us big. Which is why caution is advisable, not to mention we don't know how many dangers we will encounter. I would take a easy fight at any chance, we may not be so lucky in the future. It's pointless to expand our strength unless necessary."
Horgus eagerly volunteers to carry the backpack, boring that it would be unfair to have a cripple or blind man set with such a task. It's somewhat doubtful the rations would last a big man like Horgus a full week, let alone the ten days they ought to, but he's unlikely to allow any harm to come to the food supplies, and he's reliant on the group for light and safety. Amazingly, Anevia and Aravashnial manage to refrain from making any rude comments, though Aravashnial does point out cheerfully, "Well, a day or two of food isn't much, but it does mean we can focus on reaching the surface. Rations are especially good because a cooking fire down here might make the air too foul to breathe."
With much of the conversation taking place in Draconic, the soft-skins are unable to participate meaningfully, but so far they don't seem especially useful anyway. Hopefully the fat one is genuine in his offer of a substantial reward for being escorted to the surface.
Offering a prayer for their lost souls, Taalik and Davlaran pull what they can the buried dead to fashion torches from.
Taalik walks to Horgus, "Thank you for your offer. I was going to secure the bag to my companion and mount Davlaran, though if you want to carry it, protecting our food stuffs, it would be appreciated."
Turning back to his kin, "Who will carry the potions Dra'zaak found? I do not think leaving them in the bag with our wards will be the most advantageous."
"I'm not sure how much you understood, but there is a potential threat up ahead. We're tryi to figure out how to deal with it."
Aardiac addresses the humans before turning back, listening to tactics the group may have in mind.
Ixen places a clawed hand on his face. He had forgotten sense he never used them.
"Sorry I just remembered I have some torches. Their just useless for me concerning light, don't know why that elf packed them for me. I guess I can't blame him now."
He retrieves one from his pack and hands it over after lighting it.
Gunnarrex nods, getting tired of all the discussion. Warriors act, not talk. They need someone to lead them into action or they will sit here blabbering all day like a bunch of dull-scale old matrons. He says, "跟着我来," and heads off towards the bug cavern. He holds his hammer ready as he goes.
Aardiac grumbles and follows after.
Taalik smirks at Ixen's forgetfulness and Gunnarrex's impatience, That one has fire in his heart, hope he knows how to hold it in check when necessary.. "Ixen, guess the fall scrambled your head a bit, though I don't mind not having to loot the fallen crusaders... And give the potion to Gunnarrex then, I will get by alright."
Turning to the humans, "Follow behind us a ways, keep us just at the edge of your light, that way we can deal with threats without you getting into harm's way. Sound good?"
Looking back across the grand chamber, Taalik offers a prayer to Apsu for the souls of the fallen, then climbs into his saddle on Davlaran's back and hoists his lance from its baldric. "Now, let's skewer this bug...
Taalik and Davlaran search for signs of other sentient beings as they travel.
Unfortunately, in his eagerness to bring the fight to whatever creatures Ixen Edar had found, Gunnarrex disturbs the insects from their hiding and they emerge from the large trash heap. The two creatures which emerge are massive cockroaches, each larger than any of you, perhaps slightly bigger than even the fat soft-skin.
/ 6 = 17.5
They make threatening hissing noises and flap their insectile wings menacingly, then advance towards Gunnarrex, though only one manages to attack.
The cockroach can't seem to figure out where to bite Gunnarrex that isn't covered in armor, but still hisses loud and menacingly.
Aardiac get's very, very nervous.
"biow! Biow! Llk id nt biow!"
Nonetheless, she starts guesturing like mad, trying to direct what's going on wordlessly.