Well... f&$~, the big man says.
Ky releases the tension on his bowstring and brings the weapon down to his side.
"Well this is a little unexpected. Do any of you speak the creature's tongue?"
The two adults kobolds look desperately at Kymil. "We speak hooman speech! We can understand!"
Osseus pokes his head around the doorframe and cocks an eyebrow in surprise. They seem to have this under control...
Stepping back he brings his lamp out from under his cloak, motioning for Ariade to watch back the way they came and Aiden to watch the way they were headed.
If you're okay with this old friend, I think I see a windfall here...
Lets talk deal little one and maybe everyone is happy eh? Savvy?
Osseus pokes his head around the doorframe and cocks an eyebrow in surprise. They seem to have this under control...
Stepping back he brings his lamp out from under his cloak, motioning for Ariade to watch back the way they came and Aiden to watch the way they were headed.
Ariadne Beornsdottir is still on guard, despite the relatively low threat the creatures posed. She nods when one of the adventurers she was guarding, motioned for her to watch for threats. She nodded and focused.
Felder lurks in the back of the group behind the warriors, leaning on his staff but keeping his words of magic in mind just in case.
Lets talk deal little one and maybe everyone is happy eh? Savvy?
Tell us what you know about this place and draw us a map in the dirt and dust here, he says sheathing his sword and squatting down.
Ky searches the room while the others talk to the kobold occupants.
Search:
The kobolds stay well out of the elf's way as he searches the room. The only thing of worth that he finds is a small broken bowl being held by one of the kobld children, containing an assortment of square copper coins, most likely of dwarven minting.
The kobolds eye everyone suspciously, especially Gildreak, who draws their particular attention, but seem willing to negotiate with Knuckles.
"We tell you about High Queen Palace, you let us go, yes?" they plead.
Yes IF you promise to attack no people on your way to a new lair and promise not warn any here of our coming.
Ky leaves the money to the kobolds...they probably have nothing else of any worth. He listens as the lead creature tells about the palace.
The two adult kobolds nod furiously at Knuckles. "Yes! Yes! We promisss! We promiss!," as they begin grabbing their few belongings to evacuate.
”Good to know that I haven’t fallen in with a band of hooligans who steal pennies from children.”
Hold on there Stretch! Happy to let you and yours walk with the promise but how about you make with the news about who and what is here and sketching out a map here eh?
The kobolds describe having seen groups of goblins and hobgoblins about whom they avoided by hiding in this room. The kobolds did not progress very far into the dungeon, and claim that the next two rooms south of them are empty and look like they were storerooms of some kind. They say they were going to leave the next day if you hadn't gotten there, as this place makes them nervous and there are too many others about.
Gobbos are little bastards... and a reasonable threat. Hobs? Big buggers... and on par to most soldiers.
Form up lads... and lasses, that was a pretty good entry. Let's see if we can do it again. Get back the way we were and move on.
After giving the group a chance to reorganise he pushes on down the corridor and motions for Gildreak to join him.
Well, come on... do you want to live forever?
The kobold family greatfully grabs their few meager belongings and bolts past you out the door, turning north and presumably head toward the entrance of the dungeon. Having finished searching the room and finding nothing else of interest, you head back out into the corridor yourself a few minutes later, torches and lanterns in hand. Ahead to the south you can see two more doorways on the eastern side of the hallway and fourty feet past that the corridor seems to end in a t-intersection.
As you are moving south, Kymil's elven eyes spot something very odd. A portion of the western corridor wall just south of the room you just exited has a slightly different texture from the rest of the wall. Upon closer inspection, he notices a minute seam in the wall, leading him to believe that this section of wall might contain a hidden door.
"Friends gather round. Notice the change in the color of these stones and the slight seams running around this area....I believe I have located a secret door. Prepare and I shall open it!"
The elf waits until the party is ready, then he trips the hidden latch and opens the secret door.
Kymil opens the door, which swings aside with only the barest of sounds, revealing a short 15'-long passage and staircase going down that ends in another closed door similar to the one he just opened.
With the rest of the group in tow, Ky opens this next door and lets his infravision inform him of what is beyond the portal.
That door opens much like the one you just came through, and it is clear that it is also meant to be hidden from the other side. On the far side, Kymil finds yet another corridor running north-south. Its northern terminus is a door about 10 feet away, while to the south he sees a door on the other side of the corridor (heading west). At the edge of his vision, he can see that beyond that the corridor goes up a staircase and continues south. No obvious sounds can be heard and the passageway looks otherwise empty.
Lead the way Kymil and take Gildreak as back up... we'll follow up about 60 behind, and trust i your ability to see in the dark.
Ky moves cautiously down the passageway heading north to the door. He listens at the door to see if anyone or thing might be in the room.
Listen:
Felder rises from leaning against his staff and falls back into the group's traveling dynamic.
Kymil listens at the door and can hear the movement of air on the far side.
Quietly, Ky opens the door enough to look around in the space beyond.
Osseus does his best to keep his section of the party in order while keeping his eyes open for anything his demihuman companions may have missed.
Osseus and Kymil peek into the room beyond the door and discover that it is shaped like a natural cave rather than the smooth, regular stone of the rest of the dungeon. Wind whistles through this chamber, carrying with it a musty animal smell.
As the group moves in, they can see that the cave continues both to the north and west. The northerly spur turns east after 20 feet, and it is from this direction that Kymil and Osseus hear movement and occasionaly a high whine.
The cavern's western wall contains two stone doors, after which the room turns south and ends in a staircase going down.
The Mercenary brings the rest of the group into the room and says quietly, Fan out, quietly, and check this place out... .
”There’s something moving in the northeast spur, sounds like an animal. Ariadne, watch those doors; Aiden and Barnabas, with us.” Waving his companions to follow, Osseus heads northwards to investigate the noises with a slow, measured step as quietly as he can.