Just as the first kobold pops up, it's greeted by a domineering display from Gaskar, as they lock eyes for several moments. Try as it might to return a menacing glare, the little kobold winces, and turns to strike at Sereia with diminished confidence. Even as it lands a nick in her side, she can see that it's more desperate than proactively aggressive.
Mei growls as she keeps watch on the two prone kobolds, ready to tear them apart at the slight sign of trying to rise up.
Pinesong circles around the crowd towards the stairs, and Ki Chin sends a globule of acid right at the kobold in front of Sereia. It burns a hole in it's neck, exposing bone just before it drops for good.
Frightened and desperate the remaining two kobolds pop up in place, startling the nearby Pathfinders, but presenting an opening to them...
As soon as she sees blue try to stand up Mei lunges at the kobold, fangs bared and ready to tear it apart!
Lomo descends upon one of the kobolds, tearing it up enough to put it down again permanently. The other watches in horror, while taking suffering the fangs of Mei, before retaliating at Lomo.
It just gets a nick into Lomo before backing away from its aggressors carefully.
Lomo (-2)
Croak
Sereia (-10)
Gaskar
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong (-1)
--------
Green (-4; prone)
The lone kobold seems to pale at the display, and freezes in-place. You're not sure if it would knows what to do at all, it's so stunned at the bleak and final outlook.
Ki Chin puts the last kobold out of its misery and a calm settles over the area of the ruined temple.
The miners being to holler and weep in a sort of cathartic, relieved outburst that they will be freed and actually get to return home. It doesn't last long and you get to work removing their bonds and helping to wipe away their sacrificial paint.
Now that things aren't moving so fast you notice that a satchel bearing the Glyph of the Open Road, the insignia of the Pathfinder Society, leans against the defaced altar.
It is the only trace of Venture-Captain Nieford Sharrowsmith. Within are spoiled rations, an elixer of vision, and one of his field notes (see slide 15).
As you study the note, the miners start to pipe up in the background, with a distinct, grizzled voice taking the lead.
Hey! Did you hear us? We must leave now. Take that satchel with you. Soon this place will be swarming with hundreds more of the kobolds who live in the area! There is no doubt that they picked up on the chaos, if they weren't already planning to attend this ceremony! If that weren't enough, a dragon does lead this tribe. It won't appreciate our newfound freedom and will not hesitate to extinguish all non-kobolds in the valley. We must make haste.
The miners start down the path instantly, and the Pathfinders follow behind shortly. The miners stop off at their dig site for only ten minutes to pick up what spare equipment they can carry with them on the last leg of the trip. The rest of the return is uneventful, and when the gates of Fort Bandu come into view they begin to cheer their unlikely return. Despite the exhaustion of having slogged through the hot, arid Bandu hills they pick up speed at the end to embrace friends and loved ones awaiting them at the fort. They may yet rebuild their business, but that is secondary for now. The Pathfinder take in the eruption of joy resulting from their work for several minutes, smiling, before finally heading off to Praetor Sylien's office to make a full report...
As you enter the office, you find the elven general standing in the corner behind his desk looking over some papers. His weathered face looks up and immediately looks piqued with interest at what you might report.
He sets the papers down on his desk, and scans the lot of you.
I... don't see Sharrowsmith with you. You couldn't convince him to return? What of the kobold raiders? Are the miners okay?
He looks at each of you in turn, expectantly.
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"We found the miners. We were able to rescue some of them and bring them back. We were unfortunately too late to save the others. Of Sharrowsmith we found only his bag." Ki Chin says as he presents the bag.
"We will need to talk to the miners to find out what they know of Sharrowsmith's fate. We also had to kill the kobolds holding the miners captive. They were going to be used in a ritual of some sort."
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Croak nods sadly. "Yeah. There was undead at the mine! We saved some people there but there were also lots of people we were too late to save. That's sad! We followed the captive miners trail to a kobold ritual and they were about to sacrifice them just like Ki Chin said! We tried to talk them down but it didn't work. I am so sorry we couldn't do more..."
Hmm, indeed. I believe they were likely emboldened by their numbers. Perhaps they expected reinforcements sooner? It is good you got out of there when you could. Truly, you have rewarded my trust in you Pathfinders. Perhaps I was quick to judge the Society for the recent kobold unrest. You have struck a blow against the kobolds, which tells them that Fort Bandu will not take these raids lying down. More than that, you brought back more of the miners alive that I would have expected you to.
He smiles in appreciation at your efforts, but reverts to a frown as he glances at the journal.
Only his journal you say, may I see that?
So, he was indeed exploring the Dwarven settlement, Ashkurhall. Then... he heads into the Mwangi expanse in search of the Krihirik.
His eyes light up and he looks to Croak.
I know these! A tribe of Grippli in the Kaava Lands. It is Northwest of the Bandu hills. A member of the tribe visits several times a year to barter for goods and gems. They left only yesterday morning.
His expression darkens a little as he continues.
Asmersanus Valacosti, the Aspis agent, abruptly wrapped up his business at the fort and departed in the same direction only a few hours later. I take it you won't be staying long...
If the Pathfinders are to find the Krihirik and track down Sharrowsmith--especially if they want to get there ahead of the Aspis Consortium--they must make haste for the Kaava Lands!
To be continued...