Perrik examines the TEK items, the voices in his head making things clearer to him.
"Yeah, I can setup some traps to keep people away. Are we staying then?"
Good as place as any, better than some.
I have one more channel available today, gather round and I'll use it.
The gun shop proves too tempting to leave and despite the rotting carrion thrown about, this more subterranean hideout feels more comfortable than the Aerie. After Kricker sends out his last burst of healing energy, Jeji looks at setting traps on the entrance while Perrik examines the grenade. Kricker and Drahlneep get busy in the gun lab trying to repair firearms.
Perrik spots a zigzag on the button of this grenade. It must be an arc grenade that gives off an electrical blast.
Kricker starts by trying to rebuild his musket.
He then works on stabilizing the two shoddy pistols that Drahlneep picked up:
Having much more success with those.
Drahlneep plays assistant to Kricker, deferring to his superior expertise. Only the knowledge that the work they are putting in will result in better weapons keeps him focused.
Kricker finds that his musket is totaled. It may take much work and time to attempt to rebuild it from scratch. Over the next day, the kobolds have better success with the janky pistols repairing two if them for use.
I think it is time to go back and check on the Rat folk. They had some idea on how we could get some explosives to blow up some stuff.
Drahlneep nods slowly. "Grab anything portable of value, break the rest."
"It seems a waste to leave this place unoccupied. Maybe the rats will want it" Jeji said with a shrug.
Though a clever idea and certainly many of the furry vermin that the ratfolk resemble appear in the now quiet lair to gnaw at the cannibals' gruesome scraps, Jeji thinks that this hideous place would likely not hold much interest for their civilized allies. Additionally, it is probably too close to Hellion's base as becomes obvious when heavy pounding is heard on the front door of the hideout. A gravely voice shouts, "SMILERS, COME OUT!"
Drahlneep snickers. "Time to set an ambush. Nice of them to come to us..." He checks his gear and glances around. "Let's get ready."
Kricker moves towards the front entrance and readies to cast spells to buff himself before wading in with his greatsword.
Scrambling up to the door, Jeji looked for a way to see through it. She looked down low at the bottom of the door to see if she could see underneath it. Then she stood back up and tried to see if she could see through a key hole or other opening in the door itself.
She moved quickly as she scurried about the door, but the longer it took, the more frustrated she became. It didn't take very long at all, but to Jeji it seemed like forever. Seconds became minutes and eventually she drew a bomb flask out of her bandolier and readied to throw it at the door itself.
Jeji only catches a glimpse of perhaps a half-dozen surface orcs through the crack between the doors.
Once everyone is set in place ready to act, Kricker will parlay with the orcs outside by yelling through the door.
Smilers don't live here anymore, what do you want?
Kricker's question just results in more pounding on the doors. "Who is that? Those kobolds? We've got an offer for you. Open up."
"We need a name...'those kobolds' is not going to scare Scrapwall," grumbles Drahlbeep as he finds a position with cover that is close to the door. He braces one pistol on top of his shield and waits.
"We can hear you fine from here. What's this offer you speak of? Speak quickly or be gone."
The half-orc sneers, "Hellion has been watching you. You have slain Birdfood and Marrow. You have proved your Scrapworth. Hellion is impressed. He is offering you a chance to join the Lords of Rust. You are invited to fight in the Scrapwall Arena. If you win, you will receive great honor! If you lose, you will be dead!"
The green scaled barbarian thinks for a moment. "As much fun as that would be, it sounds like a waste of resources, and it would mean we're out in the open before our enemies," he whispers.
Draconic It may be a way to get into see what is going on without having to fight our entire way in. But I agree, it does leave us in the open for treachery.
"We should do it. We can't stay here, we know that. We're vastly outnumbered and have no escape route. You are right that we'll be exposed, but fighting in the open where everyone can see our strength may be preferable to being trapped like rats in a cage."
"Then we show them we are not to be messed with. Perhaps if the arena fights draw the gangs out, we can try to get the rats to raid one of the weaker ones while they're distracted."
Perrik grins at Drahlneep's plan. "I agree. So we accept their offer?"
The surface orc looks surprised when the kobolds open the door and accept his offer. He wears breastplate and a heavy spiked gauntlet encases one hand. His tusks jut as he grins. "You are certainly bolder than any kobolds I've ever met." He shakes his head in disbelief eyeballing the four other orcs in the group. "I wouldn't believe you'd destroyed the Smilers if Hellion hadn't told me so. We'll be waiting at the Arena tomorrow night and see how you do against Helskarg."
"Ask him the rules," Drahlneep says as he keeps his shield high and pistol ready. "And who Helskarg is."
"Only one rule - the survivor wins. I guess you'll see who Helskarg is tomorrow..." Snickering, the half-orcs depart.
Once they're gone, Perrik's grin widens. "Helskarg is Hellion's pit boss, so I think he's the pinkskin who runs the Arena. We'd better see what we can find out about him before the fight."
Let's ask the Rats. They should know something. Or maybe that elf pinkskin.
Perrik leads the party back to Whiskifiss and the others. "Watch for an ambush. I don't trust Hellion's lackeys."
The kobold warband travels back through the narrow passages made by the piles of trash without incident. Finally, they see the hidden entrance to the ratfolk's domain. Carefully looking about, they see no evidence of the enemy and when they knock on the panel, they are quickly beckoned in. The guards lead the way back to Redtooth and Whiskifiss who looks happy to see you and excitedly asks how everything went.
"We killed the Smilers and their hobgoblin leader, then rested in their lair. A half-orc came to us a little while ago and offered us a chance to fight in the arena against Helskarg. I know Helskarg is one of Hellion's servitors. What else can you tell us about it?"
Redtooth nods. "The Arena is a favorite ploy of Hellion. Potential enemies are either killed or join his ranks."
Whiskifiss joins in. "Tk-Tk. Helskarg is the Pit Boss, a fierce and cunning she-troll who runs the Arena. She will be a dangerous foe! Tk-TK!"
"What normally fights in this arena?"
"What normally fights in this arena?"
"Tk. Anyone who wants to join Hellion's gang or anyone who wants to. Tk-Tk. Smilers, some ratfolk, the chokey things, half-orcs, there are a pair of ogres that fight sometimes and even Helskarg if she's interested. Tk-Tk."
"We need an escape plan." Visions of standing on top of a hill of bodies made of kobold enemies delights Drahlneep, but he remains wary of being cornered.
Let me plan my spells for tomorrow assuming that the Troll will be the deadliest foe we will face. It sounds like fire would be a good thing to have, also if you have some way of weakening the thing that will probably help us against it. Jeji you are going to probably be busy between the wand of enfeeblement and your grenades. Drahlneep you and I probably need to keep the troll away from Jeji while she burns it down... If worse comes to worse I will prepare a Hold Person, but that is likely to be frowned upon in an Arena.
Redtooth nods, "Do you have fire weapons? I am afraid that we have none to offer, but at least I do not think there are any rules against spells in the Arena. I am wondering if there may be more weapons stashed at Receiver that I mentioned earlier. There is still time tonight to strike there and explore the area for TEK. Whiskifiss can guide you there quickly."
Whiskifiss does not look enthusiastic about the mission, "TK-TK! B-B-But the B-b-big C-cat!"
Perrik grins. "You get us to that place, and we will deal with the 'Cat.' It is one more way that we will weaken Hellion."
"Is it worth the risk? We do not want to go to the arena with broken arms..."
"It is if they have laser weapons we can use. And we still need a name..."
"It is if they have laser weapons we can use. And we still need a name..."