Waedin, really angry about almost being killed, stomps towards the one she sees.
And gets retribution. Someone get that last lizard before we get swarmed!
Waedin crushes the cornered Kobold under her hammer, and the poor creature crumples into a bloody heap.
Stepnik sends a welcoming gift after the retreating kobold.
"No need to let him warn others or our presence".
Bombs Away
Alchemist Fire
+1 Persistent, +1 Splash
Ustemir rushes after the scaly.
Sebastian grimaces at the retreating kobold. The Bard puts on his big boy pants!
He casts Warp Step to allow his halfling legs to Stride 60' in the direction of the retreating kobold.
He then lowers his already held Wand of Manifold Missiles at the back of said retreating kobold!
The Bard winks at the group staring incredulously at the halfling.
Yes. Yes. I'm no Gandalf.
Sebastian (guiltily) Seeks the missing kobold.
Sebastien hears the sound of footsteps running down the hall to the left.
Obahi continues to hit the creature preventing him from moving north.
◆ Flurry (black?), ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike
Wolf Jaw +9 / +5 / +1
| Damage
Wolf Jaw +9 / +5 / +1
| Damage
Wolf Jaw +9 / +5 / +1
| Damage
Wolf Jaw +9 / +5 / +1
| Damage
Ustemir runs around the corner and can see the fleeing kobold running down the western hall just 10 feet ahead of him.
Instead of giving chase, Ascaede takes a look around her. She sees the walls of the room are covered in detailed carvings depicting dwarves toiling in mines and over forges. The area around the broken obelisk is strewn with obsidian rubble and broken tools. There is a faint orange glow and a warmth coming from the next room over to the east. Strange echoing noises of bubbling, dripping, scurrying, whispering, skittering, and screaming can be heard resounding throughout the stone masonry halls. The dead kobold miner immediately nearest to her wears leather armor and carried a light pick, but has no other significant belongings.
◆ Stride: Stepnik hurries after Ustemir.
◆ Raise Shield
The fleeing kobold continues sprinting down the dark hallway. With his ability to see in the dark, Ustemir can see the kobold turn north at another intersection.
"They're too fast. Fall back to the stairs?" Ustemir stops running and looks to the rest of the team. "We'll get them later."
Sebastian sends an unfriendly finger toward the fleeing kobold, before nodding to Ustemir and retreating back to the chamber.
Regroup, Refocus and recharge before pursuing.
As the kobold turns another dark corner, the three pursuers decide to turn back and regroup instead. Soon after, some sounds of confused shouting can be heard echoing down the dark corridors.
The dead kobolds don't carry much other than spears x4, picks x1, leather armor x5, and slings x4.
There's also a functional net currently being weighed down by a sizeable chunk of obsidian.
From here theres a room to the east with an orange glow and warmth, there's the room to the north filled with some sort of mist, and there's also a passage to the west.
A few of you are injured.
What's the plan?
Grah, we need to prepare if we're going to get attacked. We need to make sure we don't get jumped from the side. I'll check out the East, someone else check the West!
Waedin moves towards the glow in the East, after picking up all her stuff and with Shield Raised to see what's in the room.
Sebastian nods to Waedin's suggestion. The Bard also Raises his Shield, as he hears to the East....
Ascaede frowns, possibly due to her own injuries.
”I like this plan not at all. Admittedly, it is mine own abstinence from violence that allowed this creature to escape - I tried reason rather than wrath. Still, it has escaped and likely goes to rouse fellows. In their lair.”
Ascaede thinks further.
”And again, it is also partially on my shoulder that the blame rests for our further investigation of this lower level - when Stepnik and Sebastien at least would rather we return to civilisation. But still, again, here we are.”
The acolyte throws her hands out in distress.
”But I can in no honesty counsel further exploration under these conditions. Let us repair to the upper level, make firm our place, heal our wounds, and deal knowingly and thus prepared with whatever erupts from below, that we have thus foolishly stirred.”
"I'm sure we'll be fine. They're probably just miners." Ustemir attempts to reassure Ascaede.
Hearing the shouting from the halls, Ustemir reaches for his bandolier and takes two potions from it. He offers one to Ascaede, and one to Waedin.
Then, he pulls out his off-hand blade.
"If we're about to be attacked, I would suggest fidning a bottleneck. Who knows how many will be coming."
Ascaede nods in mute acceptance and thanks Ustemir as she takes the proffered libation.
”Well, they either rush to quench our existence, or they ready traps and fortifications. I still say moving further in when they know we come and can prepare the lay of their..abode is foolish.”
If nothing jumps at hear from the east. Waedin suggests Fine, let's stand with the back to the stairs, so we can back away if need be.
Ustemir shrugs. "Your call." He stored the offered potion on his belt again, and calls Kolek to step into formation. He keeps both blades out, just in case.
"So we wait here?"
"Here are some elixers that might help".
"Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait and rest. Are we sure that they won't summon assistance and find us on the upper level"?
Sebastien peeks down the western corridor. He sees it ends in a set of double doors. it also intersects with another hallway leading north.
Waedin steps to the east and finds a large stone chamber, at the center of which lies a deep pit filled with molten slag and boiling blood that casts a hellish red gleam on the surrounding walls. Three narrow chutes open up in the ceiling above the pit. The air is oppressively hot and thick with ash and soot.
The scene is off putting and discomforting.
The sounds of kobold shouting seem to simmer down, although strange noises continue to be heard echoing down the subterranean halls, confusing the ears.
Nothing immediately tries to kill you. Yet.
The group decides to pull back to the stairs, in case a hasty retreat is necessary. You've stumbled into a kobold lair (formerly a dwarven temple?), and who knows what the reptilians are up to, besides allying with wargs and (allegedly) abducting lumberjacks.
You may likely feel your heart pounding in your throat as you wait in anticipation to see how the kobolds will respond to your sudden intrusion. Perhaps, after a minute or two or three passes, your shoulders start to relax a little, you start to drop your guard, you begin thinking what's for lunch? When suddenly, a voice shouts out from somewhere in the darkness:
Sebastian listens to the potential onslaught of Draconicians.
Perhaps in their haste, they trigger all their own traps.
The Halfling then shrugs.
Probably should have pursued them.
The Bard then readies for the hoard.....
Ascaede waits on the stairs in trepidation for Waedin et al to return. A self-conscious grin grows across her face as they emerge from the east and west.
She listens as Stepnik speaks and is insure of how to answer. When the harsh words of the dragons course toward them the Yolanite listens intently, head cocked to one side the better to hear.
”They ask in the name of one Merlokrep what we do here, what do we intend. How should I answer them? They name us intruders, so best we be careful how we reply - we have slain some of their number already, though in truth, this was, before their arrival, a dwarven holding.”
Tell the little ba... beings that we seek our friends who came this way before... that's the whole reason we're here yeah? All the people we've been searchin' for seem to have gone down these stairs.
Ustemir offers a gesture of uncertainty. "Well... Potentially."
Sebastian begins offering Ascaede a bit of Competence.
Inspire Competence
Tell them to take us to their leader.
Stepnik pushes his spectacles back further on his nose, and nods in agreement to Ascaede.
"Indeed. It seems that someone wants to parley. Kind of refreshing as everyone else had seemed intent on dying trying to fight us. I say we tell them we have no quarrel with them. If they are typical perhaps offering a gift might please them. We can't fight everything here".
If we're going anywhere, I'm going to need somone to spend a few minutes patching me up before we go.
Stepnik will nod and support Ascaede as she addresses the voice from beyond.
Diplomacy (To Aid).
Ascaede listens to each of her companions in turn. There is no great consensus, but that they seek safety and information, in either of which rests no surety. She nods, and taking a moment to think of the right, best terms, calls out to the distant voice, her own voice loud and strange-seeming to herself as the tongue of dragons rings out and away.
”Akê mod fel Merlokrep! Esh vor dringgün el kar tan vish tel! Esh borẽ atalen skir kilgn shara zet! Tima žo shtala oper….tima oken żet. Modě vun tandar Merlokrep.”
After a moment of silence, a black-scaled Kobold wearing purple robes steps out of the shadows, around the broken obelisk, and into the light. An albino rat rides on his shoulders, and he is followed by five Kobold warriors, plus the runaway Miner, who the warriors seem to have subdued and restrained.
The lead Kobold speaks:
The subdued miner shouts:
The black-scaled Kobold glances disdainfully over his shoulder and the warriors throw the miner to the ground.
He continues:
Ascaede nods reverently to Kerrdremak, and holds a staying hand up while she translates.
”This one is Kerrdremak, evidently an exile or outcast or otherwise now not loyal to Merlokrep. He says there is a shaft yonder, and an elevator/platform goes down to Merlekrep’s lair. He offers this miner, who remains loyal to Merlokrep and accuses Kerrdremak of being a traitor, as some sort of bargain…to leave Kerrdremak and his followers unmolested…”
Ascaede remembers an important detail.
”Kerrdremak says the elevator is trapped and will only hold one of us “bigfolk” at a time. Or, I imagine, perhaps Sebastien and the miner, should we take him…her? as a guide below…I will attempt to offer items or gold to this Kerrdremak in return for further information…
Then Ascaede addresses Kerrdremak.
”Honored Kerrdremak. Forgive our intrusion and lack of knowledge of thee. We could barter items or gold in exchange for information if it is in your power to give such…”
Ascaede bows again…
Yeah would be good to know of other traps and what else may be living down there. Waedin says, cleaning off the splatters of gore from the head of her hammer with meaningful glances at the black scaled Kobold.
Kerrdremak nods and seems to be waiting curiously to see how much gold you are willing to part with.
Sebastian stands silently still staring straight up....
"Any stairs, by chance? Or do these critters fully trust mechanical contraptions?" Ustemir seems baffled. "We have a bear, you know."
After carefully laying out the items on offer and displaying the handful of gold on an open palm, Ascaede relays Ustemir’s question to Kerrdremak… and asks if the wise and powerful Kerrdremak might divulge more information - specifically the nature of the trap on the elevator, and then basic layout of the below level (in terms of what is in the North, what is in the South etc and where is Merlokrep, where would prisoners be etc; and special pets or threats, approximate numbers of Merlokrep’s forces…
Kerrdremak inspects the offerings and nods in satisfaction. As his disciples gather the items, the prisoner grumbles:
Kerrdremak seems unphased.
He points down the western corridor:
"Once you get down the elevator, go north, then left, right, left, and left, and you'll find Merlokrep's throne room. You can't miss it."
Kerrdremak pushes forth the prisoner:
He gestures to the slain bodies.
With that, Kerrdremak leads his followers up the stairs, leaving you with a prisoner to do as you wish.