Hegio will follow the group as well, staying a bit behind for safety.
The half-drow rushes behind, not wanting to attack as the rest seem to be more defensive. But she doesn't stow her bow
Everyone follows the kobolds.
While drawing further back about 10 feet into what looks like an entrance to a larger portion of the cave, Sesserak retorts to Moss-Finger's complaint: "Why won't they just leave?!"
She adds something to her subordinates in draconic.
They respond they do not want to die like Niknik and Assak.
She ignores this argument and turns back around to shoot at Rill.
But the arrow bounces off her shield harmlessly.
Round 5
---> Varrus Lebeda | HP 8/9 | Init + 4; Per +10 (+11 traps), low-light vision | AC 17 T 14 FF 13 | CMD 14, CMB +1 | Fort +1 Ref +6 Will +1 (+2 vs enchantments) | Immune Sleep | Status: delayed action (may change initiative)
Sahvi Copper-Scales | HP 11/11 |Init +2; Perc +5 | AC 15 T 15 FF 13 | CMB +4, CMD 19 | Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2 |
Kobold 3 | HP 5/5 | Init +1; Per +5, darkvision 60 ft. | AC 15, T12, FF 14 | CMD 10, CMB -1 | Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -1
Kobold 4 | HP 5/5 | Init +1; Per +5, darkvision 60 ft. | AC 15, T12, FF 14 | CMD 10, CMB -1 | Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -1
Moss-Fingers de'Morcaine | HP 12/12 | Init -1; Perc +3, low-light vision | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMD 16, CMB +1 | Fort +3, Ref -1, Will +2 (+2 vs enchantment) | Immune Sleep
Haelin | HP 12/12 | Init +6; Per +8, low-light vision | AC 17 T 14 FF 13 | CMD 17, CMB +4 | Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2 (+2 vs Enchant) | Immune Sleep
Rill Ozeanschild | HP 6/11 | Init +1, Perc +3 | AC 24 (18) T 11 FF 23(17) (+4 vs ranged) | CMD 12, CMB +2 | Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3 | Resist Cold 1 | Status: Shield of Faith, Total Defense
Feathers (hawk familiar) | HP 4/4 | Init +3; Perc +14, low-light vision | AC 16 T 15 FF 13 | CMD 9, CMB +1 | Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Varrus stows his dagger and sap.
Sahvi moves up a bit, but the natural hallway is now almost comically crowded. Hopefully there are no firebombs...
Hey, it understands me!
You, kobolds, we were sent in here by the town above, to find out what happened. This is their land. You are the intruders.
Lay down you weapons and let us talk this out.
Sahvi moves forward but remains behind Rill, and Varrus stows his weapons for now.
The goblins move beside Sesserak and ready their spears, anticipating your arrival.
Moss-Fingers attempts to call them to diplomacy.
Healing will try to get as much natural cover from the awaiting kobolds, her bow is ready, but until there is no more room for the attempted diplomacy, she will hold her own attacks
"Aye," Rill tries to follow up on Moss-Fingers's attempt at diplomacy, "We had no idea thou wert still below the tower when we entered."
"Let us lower our weapons and talk this out."
Hegio simply walks forward a little bit, placing himself between Moss-Fingers and Varrus.
For those who can see into the room where the kobolds now stand, Sesserak moves back behind a rock in the middle of the room, obscuring the lower half of her body, but allowing her to use her bow. This she holds nocked, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
Sesserak seems to speak a moment before she replies in Common. "Liar! We do not intrude! You say you here for Hunclay. If Hunclay sent you, you know he ask us to come! It was an accident! If you work for town, you *know* he want tower to fall! Just... not on top of him."
She speaks low to her compatriots, whispering in Draconic.
Sesserak says to the two kobolds, "We will be punished for our mistake unless we bring Chief Sootscale treasure. I thought we could kill them for it, but they caught us too soon, and the shield-woman is hard to hit. But now, now we have learned they are cowards, afraid to fight even though they stole Niknik and Assak's lives. Maybe if we demand treasure, they will leave us alone and it will be safe for us to return home."
They speak back and forth rapidly as they try to agree upon what to ask for.
After conferring with her subordinates, Sesserak says to the rest of you, "You too afraid to fight? We need treasure to take back to tribe. You give us 100 gold or good, pretty jewels, and we go home through the north passage. Never return, we swear! But-" she pulls her bowstring all the way out, ready to fire.
"Sesserak is no coward. I will die before surrender!"
Round 6
Current turn----> Varrus Lebeda | HP 9/9 | Init + 4; Per +10 (+11 traps), low-light vision | AC 17 T 14 FF 13 | CMD 14, CMB +1 | Fort +1 Ref +6 Will +1 (+2 vs enchantments) | Immune Sleep |
Sahvi Copper-Scales | HP 11/11 |Init +2; Perc +5 | AC 15 T 15 FF 13 | CMB +4, CMD 19 | Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2 |
Kobold 3 | HP 5/5 | Init +1; Per +5, darkvision 60 ft. | AC 15, T12, FF 14 | CMD 10, CMB -1 | Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -1
Kobold 4 | HP 5/5 | Init +1; Per +5, darkvision 60 ft. | AC 15, T12, FF 14 | CMD 10, CMB -1 | Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -1
Moss-Fingers de'Morcaine | HP 12/12 | Init -1; Perc +3, low-light vision | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMD 16, CMB +1 | Fort +3, Ref -1, Will +2 (+2 vs enchantment) | Immune Sleep
Haelin | HP 12/12 | Init +6; Per +8, low-light vision | AC 17 T 14 FF 13 | CMD 17, CMB +4 | Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2 (+2 vs Enchant) | Immune Sleep
Rill Ozeanschild | HP 6/11 | Init +1, Perc +3 | AC 18 T 11 FF 17 | CMD 12, CMB +2 | Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3 | Resist Cold 1 |
Feathers (hawk familiar) | HP 4/4 | Init +3; Perc +14, low-light vision | AC 16 T 15 FF 13 | CMD 9, CMB +1 | Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Varrus draws his bow and moves up.
Sahvi rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Such are the foibles of draconic arrogance.
"If Hunclay got himself killed, then that's on him. Nobody else got hurt. So you haven't done anything wrong. So there's nothing going on here worth dying over." Sahvi calls out in draconic. "And are you certain your friends are prepared to die for you and their dead master?"
If the 'bold is speaking the truth, then this is all rather silly.
While Sahvi's answer makes sense, no one replies.
The two kobolds with spears merely ready their weapons at the opening to the chamber they stand in.
"I do not believe thou art in any position to be making demands at this juncture. Surrender now, and explain thine motives for being here and what truly happened to this tower and we may be able to aid thee."
"At the very least, do not be so quick to throw the lives of thou and thine away when thou hast already lost so many."
Sesserak spins words swiftly, but she doesn't have a natural gift of the gab. She is likely a soldier or scout and not a charismatic leader. While you probably haven't interacted with kobolds often, and thus reading their body language isn't that easy, you can catch a number of catches and wavers as she speaks. She hesitates at certain points like she is making something up on the spot, and she is clearly caught off guard by the fact you want to speak at all. However, she wraps her hesitations and likely falsehoods around things she definitely believes to be true as well.
What you can be certain is true:
- *Something* was an accident. But was it Hunclay's death?
- She believes Hunclay wanted the tower to fall
- She does not believe you work for Hunclay or are here to help him
- She absolutely does intend to leave peacefully if you give her treasure. Indeed, she seems rather desperate on this last note.
- She intends to kill you if you do not give her treasure.
- She has no intention whatsoever of surrendering--at least at the moment--and is a breath away from releasing her arrow.
What is a lie or at least seems fishy:
- She has little respect for Hunclay; when she mentions his "accidental" death by the collapsing tower she is amused by it.
- Indeed, she probably doesn't work for Hunclay at all and was here for another reason. (But she clearly knows who he is.)
What you sense about what she is feeling:
- Again, she is desperate for the treasure she asks for.
- Related to this, there is something she is afraid of--far more than of you--something that is making her nervous, desperate, and looking for a fight. This is more evident when she is whispering in Draconic to her compatriots; you hear an increase of breathing that suggests there is something she is scared of.
- This fear ties into her refusal to surrender. There is something she'd rather die than face.
- When you mention the lost lives of the other two kobolds, she does not care about them.
- She feels confident she can defeat you and thinks fighting you is to her advantage.
- You insisting on talking to her is annoying her and making her less likely to be cooperative.
In summary:
If you want to avoid a fight, the easiest route will be giving her the treasure; that you are certain she will agree to in good faith.
Otherwise, you'll need to make her more scared of you than she is of whatever it is that's making her nervous.
Or you'll need to accept that this is going to get violent again sooner rather than later.
Varrus doesn't understand Draconic, and finds the party awfully forgiving considering that the monsters nearly killed Hegio.
But, Sahvi and Rill are talking, so he does not draw back his bow.
We are certainly not paying you to leave.
You are not making any sense Kobold.
Why would the town want their tower to fall?
Why was Hunclay down here if trying to make the tower fall?
What are you doing here?
Why did you attack us here on town property?
Varrus doesn't understand Draconic, and finds the party awfully forgiving considering that the monsters nearly killed Hegio.
But, Sahvi and Rill are talking, so he does not draw back his bow.
"She seemeth fairly desperate for treasure. Perhaps these kobolds hath been coerced into this situation via threat by a third party. Willing to fight to the death to avoid any potential consequences for not acquiring the treasure they art after," Rill whispers her thoughts to the group, "And I believe she hath been untruthful regarding her affiliation with the late Hunclay... But whether or not they intended to kill him I am uncertain."
"They art willing to leave without further conflict should we spare some treasure. I believe some of what was held within Sarvo's vault should suffice. But I know thou wouldst like to enact vengeance for their hostility. The Dawnflower's teachings request that her knights attempt to redeem those on the path to evil, not that I believe simply handing over treasure will accomplish this. Whatever thou think is the best course of action, I shall lendeth mine aid."
She listens to the explanation, still not sure what the main consensus will be, she does still hold her bow. She simply motions that if the word is given, she will once again rain arrows on the foe
"They try to kill us, then ask for money to leave us alone? Sounds like extortion.
I say no.
I would let them leave without vengeance, but I will not pay them to leave."
Hegio's senses somehow sharpen amidst all this pain and he hears what the kobold says to her subordinates. He waits until Rill finishes speaking to add the context he knows.
"Rill is correct. She mentioned possibly being punished by "Chief Roaghaz" if they do not bring treasure back. They also think we are cowards."
Hegio looks down and his trembling hand on his still-bleeding wound betrayed him. "I'm also willing to let them leave, but no payments. We've got nothing and I don't know what we would tell the people of Belhaim. I'm not against mercy, at all, but this Chief Roaghaz probably wouldn't be willing to stand down like this and if he keeps attacking the town, we'll have to fight her again."
Hegio knew, however, he was in no condition to fight by himself. He advocated for his opinion and fell silent, still aching.
Sesserak hears Rill's and Moss-Finger's lengthy attempts to reason with her, and further discussion and murmurings between all of the party members. She also definitely hears Moss-Fingers refuse to give her treasure.
As such, she screams in anger. "BY DAHAK, you do not stop talking!!! You worse than Nighttail the Stupid! If choice is die or hear you talk and talk and TALK... I CHOOSE DIE!!"
Tired of waiting, Sesserak leaves her more cautious position, moving back into the open so she can shoots into the tunnel at the one person unobstructed in her line of sight, which is Haelin.
Unfortunately, her temper causes her to aim recklessly, and the arrow hits the earthen tunnel wall and breaks.
Tunnels by the Witch's Tower Dungeon, North End, After Combat
Unfortunately, despite the peaceful intentions of some members of the party, the kobolds commit to fighting you, however frustrating and nonsensical that seems to some of you.
The two spear-and-sling wielding kobolds quickly fall, joining their brethren in death. Still Sesserak fights tooth and nail, but her talents as an archer are her primary strength. With the other kobolds out of the way, you easily push toward her, corner her in melee where she struggles to defend herself. You wound her enough that, finally faced with death, she drops her weapon and raises her hands in surrender.
"The accident that happen here today mean I cannot return to my tribe and live. But if you let me flee, I tell you where my tribe lives. You can demand answers from Chief Roaghaz himself. Here, here, I give you powerful healing potion too. To show..." she searches for the words in Taldane " ... Good faith."
Ultimately, upon conferring with one another, you agree to Sesserak's terms. She is relentlessly stubborn about not giving you any more information, even at risk of her life. You let her leave with her belongings, but before then, she is true to her word: she gives you a potion of cure moderate wounds (any examinations prove this to be true) and she describes in detail--speaking in Draconic to Hegio and Sahvi to ensure her directions are clear--the location of the Blood Vow tribe to the northeast, near an old flooded quarry that once belonged to the town. She says that the tunnel to the north leads to a passage that will take them near the quarry, where they can either go to the kobold lair or return back to town (the quarry is about a quarter mile from the Witch's Tower).
None of you have any sense she is lying to you about the location of the tribe. Indeed, perhaps she hopes her chances of survival are better if you distract her tribe.
Sesserak herself flees through said tunnel, though you have a sense you will not see her again.
You examine the four remaining kobold bodies. Their poorly made leather armor is ruined from the fight, but you find the following items that are still of use:
Four Small-sized slings
Four Small-sized spears
Four Small-sized miner's picks
Coinage, once pooled together, adding up to 60 gp
Potion/oil of pass without trace (CL 1)
2 potions of resistance (CL 1)
You can guess you've been down here long enough, about an hour and a half has passed beyond sunset. It will be dark outside, but not terribly late just yet.
You could follow the northern tunnel to see where it leads. From the sounds of Sesserak's description, you can easily find the quarry road from there to return to the town.
Or you can return through the dungeon. The only creature left in the dungeon is the automaton, which will continue to allow you to pass so long as you bear the Canteclure seal. The several-hundred pound automaton cannot, however, be manhandled, and will turn hostile should you attempt to to try to pick it up or force it to go with you.
The chests full of coin still remain in the treasury, but are safely locked behind the cage and you have the only keys. Whether you retrieve them now or later is up to you.
Whatever direction you choose, you can be certain Lady Devy is eager to hear what you have learned and will want to know of Hunclay's fate.
Hegio carefully listens to Sesserak's explanation and tries to convey it as precisely as possible to the rest of the group. When the kobold leaves and the tension dissipates, Hegio feels the ache all over his body.
"We have concluded what we set out to do. Chief Roaghaz probably holds more answers regarding Hunclay, but he is dead. And..." he groans from the pain "I'm hurt and..." he points to the corridor where he dropped the grease "...that was my last resort."
"Aye, I do not believe we art in any condition to investigate the kobolds at the quarry at the moment. Best to return to town to report our findings and regain our strength."
Irritated by the kobolds actions and the lack of answers, Moss-Fingers remains silent. However, he does take another look at Hegio's wound.
Hegio starts breathing a bit easier and the pain on his head, that he got by hitting the floor unconscious, lessens. He nods to Moss-fingers and sincerely says "Thank you!"
"We should avoid going after a target when we ourselves are in ill condition, not to mention the area and the target are both unknown to us. Underground the hazards become even more deadly if you go in unprepared"
The party watches Sesserak flee through the north tunnels, but does not follow. Seeing they've found all they could find, they wend their way back through the dungeon, the only slowdown being retraversing the way along the very narrow walkway past the acid pit. When you decide to retrieve the treasure chests later, the party may need to consider ways to bridge this section for easier transit.
At last, they climb into the open air in the ruins of the tower, cool spring night air tasting sweet after the 200 year old dust down below. During the time you explored the dungeon, someone has stabilized the "ramp" of rubble you climbed up to get into the tower with some wooden planks and well-placed stones, so getting out is much easier than going in was--and will be easier in the future. The kobold corpses have been removed.
As you descend, you see Constable Hodd sitting and snoozing at the base of the tower. The noise of your arrival wakes him, and he says perfunctorily that Lady Devy is expecting your report immediately, and urges you to go to her manor even though it is nighttime. He will continue to guard the tower from any kobolds who might arrive later, he says.
With directions to the manor from Hodd, you head southward past the cemetery toward the river. The silhouette of the large Devy manor rises before you after passing around a stable and large grazing field. A brick walkway leads to the front door, and a wide gravel path leads around the side of the manor, presumably to the kitchen entrance.
"Can anyone do anything more for Hegio's injuries?"
"Thank you, Varrus, but nothing that one or two good nights of sleep can't deal with." Hegio tries not to worry the group, already feeling like the weak link.
He limps his way outside the collapsed tower and points towards Devy Manor "We should report anyway."
He starts the hand motion to knock on the door to the mansion, but steps midway. "Someone more presentable than me should do this" he walks to the back of the group, to hide how his clothes have dried blood on them.
"I would go, but I've been barred from places like that before. And I don't want to seem like one to try and force my way in" she laughs
"I feel Lady Devy would forgive our less than proper appearances, given she hath asked to see us immediately after our trek through the dungeon," Rill assures Hegio as she steps up to take his place.
Extending her arm, she raps on the door with a gauntlet-clad hand.
A few moments after Rill raps on the door, the door opens, revealing a middle-aged, balding human in servant's livery. The frown on his face suggests he is a bit disgruntled by something--your late arrival? Your appearance? But he says nothing, simply looking you over.
"Six of you? Yes, I presume you are the... adventurers the Baroness hired. She is expecting you."
He ushers you indoors and asks your names. The interior front hall is as well crafted and expensive as you might expect from a place like this, though most furnishings and decor are, if not properly antique, on the older side of things. Ahead of you, a grand stairway leads to the upper floors. Hanging from the stairway's central landing, so that it greets all guests who enter, is a large painting of what appears to be a younger Lady Devy standing next to a handsome blonde nobleman. Several doors from the hallway you stand in lead in all directions.
The butler guides you toward one of those doors, to the left of the stairs. "Dame Rill, Magister Aeminus, Goodman de'Morcaine, Goodman Lebeda, Goodwoman Haelin, Goodwoman Sahvi, to see you about the tower."
He opens the door to let you through. Inside is a large, oak-paneled study; the back of the wall is lined with bookshelves filled to overcapacity. Lady Devy sits at a large wooden desk covered in well-organized stacks of papers, ledgers, and books. A settee faces the desk for her guests to sit and speak to her, although probably no more than three of you can fit. Two more upholstered chairs sit in a corner near the door on either side of a side table to create a small "conversation nook."
Devy waves to you to come in, and then calls to her butler. "Cargan, another chair." She pauses, looking at the disheveled state of some of you. "And brandy prepared with restorative, please." He bows stiffly and leaves.
Despite her requesting another chair, she indicates you can sit or stand as you prefer. "I'm terribly sorry some of you appear to be injured. Are you all right? What happened? Did you find Hunclay?"
As you speak, a footman enters and leaves a chair so all six of you can find a seat if you wish. While you speak with Lady Devy, the butler returns with a bottle of brandy and offers each of you a small glass. In addition to tasting very nice, you find any pain you feel easing, and the inflammation in your wounds reduces.
She was pleasantly surprised at the cordial greeting and introduction she recieved. She wasn't going to say so aloud, but it was a rather new feeling of acceptance
Varrus knows his way around a respectable household. He dusts himself off as best as he can before entering, follows all the proper courtesies, accepts the brandy and sips it slowly, and will stand in the back until all who choose to be are seated.
Moss-Fingers takes a seat and a brandy gratefully.
Yes, unfortunately.
It appears that Hunclay was a victim of his own misfortune. A stone to the skull in the tower collapse.
According to the kobold we questioned, Hunclay was working with them to bring about the tower collapse.
...
...
So we had reached a point where it seemed most important to regroup and bring you up to speed on our findings so far.
Hegio agreed with Rill, but felt relieved she took the initiative.
Hegio was raised in Taldor, so none of the usual expected pleasantries were unknown to him, but still he was never too good at it. He hoped his state would help explain away any awkwardness and it seemed to work.
He sipped the brandy, a first for him, and felt the warmth soothing him. Otherwise he just stayed put while Moss-Fingers reported what happened.
Lady Devy sighs at Moss-Fingers' suggesting, based on the kobolds' testimony, that Hunclay conspired to collapse the tower, but does not appear surprised. She listens intently to the description of your explorations, and is surprised to hear of how intact some of the old Canteclure traps and secrets were.
When Moss-Fingers finishes the account, she nods at all of you. "First things first," she says, pulling a large leather purse out of a drawer and hands it to Moss-Fingers, since he was the one doing the speaking. "Your payment for a job well done. Tomorrow morning, I'll ask Constables Hodd and Mull to help you get the treasure chests out of the dungeon, and see if I can persuade some member of the woodworkers guild to help stabilize any tricky areas. It should go without saying, but the treasure you found is yours to keep; it sounds like you certainly earned it. Now..."
She spreads her hands. "First, thank you for persisting, despite numerous obstacles, in finding Hunclay. And for attempting to reason with the kobolds." Lady Devy shakes her head. "I do not know what to think of the possibility that he hired the kobolds--but it is true: he wanted the tower razed. He and I fought over it on several occasions--he felt it was an eyesore and 'blocked his view of the sky.' You'll notice there's no trees around his mansion either. I refused to allow him to do anything to the tower--it was all we had left of Belhaim Castle, even if the Canteclures perverted its noble history. And..." She sighs, looking downward. "It was where my husband died. He was quite the history buff and wanted to explore it. He was on an upper story and the floor gave way. We retrieved his... his body and buried it properly in the family crypt, but I began to think of the tower as his memorial monument. Silly of me, I know," she looks away, embarrassed at sharing such sentiment, and she takes a moment to steel her expression. "Anyway, I had not told you of my quarrel with Hunclay as I did not want you to jump to conclusions that I might have unduly influenced. Perhaps my own prejudices against him, however, appear to be justified. Still..." She begins searching through her papers as she begins speaking.
"Something still doesn't seem right to me. We'd quarreled over the tower for years, but he'd never threatened to take matters into his own hands--and I never suspected he would, strange and stubborn as he was. Why now? And why engage the kobolds to do it? He was an experienced wizard, he likely could have arranged other means to do it and still made it look like an accident. Also, if the kobolds worked for Hunclay, why did one get killed by the trap at Hunclay's doorstep? Wouldn't they have known about the trap if they were in his service? Something isn't right."
Lady Devy shakes her head. She places a map on the desk before her, facing you so you can see it. "Anyway, no matter what, you found hostile kobolds equipped with mining picks--obviously they made the tower collapse. Whether they did it to help or harm Hunclay, they remain responsible for that sabotage... and of manslaughter and attempted murder. So with that, I would like to ask of you another favor..."
She points to the map, which shows Belhaim and the Dragonfen to the northwest. "Between this and your interrogation of the kobold leader, you should be able to find their lair near the old quarry. The tribe moved in ages ago, even before Hunclay did, but always left us alone and we them. Now they have attacked our home. You are obviously capable, and the bulk of our constabulary will still be gone for some time. I'd like to ask you to find their lair and... well, deal with the kobolds. I have confidence you'll try to avoid fighting if you can, but in the end, all I want is a guarantee the Blood Vow tribe will trouble Belhaim no more. I trust you will find the best way to attain that goal--and that if you need to retreat, I will find no fault in that either. Succeed and I shall pay you in a dozen of these..." She opens a box on her desk and produces a large, beautifully cut amethyst. Varrus, experienced in his field, can guess it is somewhere between 75 and 125 gp in value. She puts the amethyst away. "If you can confirm why they attacked the tower, all the better."
Lady Devy then slides the map over to you. "Keep this. I don't expect you to run off and go to the lair right now, of course. You undoubtedly need to rest and resupply--and get those chests you found. But I would see the kobolds dealt with before they decide to tunnel under any of the rest of the town and attack, so I'd hope you'd not tarry long. Will you do it?"
Lady Devy, let me discuss the proposal with compatriots and we will give you an answer in the morning.
Addressing the rest of the group when alone...
I know none of us had originally planned to spend much time in this town. However, this seems to be something that needs doing and I don't think the local constables are quite up to the task. I am for helping Lady Devy in this. What do you folks think?