Rescue Mission, part 2
Log Info
- Title: Rescue Mission, part 2
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Dax, Seyardu, Aryia, Culix
- Place: The forests of Alexandros
- Time: Sunday, July 11, 2021, 2:34 PM
- Summary: Seyardu and Dax negotiate with Loci to take them to her leader, while a whole lot of Kobolds look on. Jinks has vanished, a couple of the party turn back to update the Explorer's guild on what they've learned so far. Reinforcements are sent, in the form of Culix and Aryia, who join up with the other pair as they head off the road. Loci leads them through the defensive traps to the Kobold camp where they meet the tribunal, or 'three-butts' as she calls them. The three leaders are a redscale, Rekki, a greenscale, Gillagoon, and a bluescale, Blubbs. The adventurers ask about the other adventurers, and after some squabbling Gillagoon explains. The Kobold camp is made up of exiles from Uskvuthadjupr, a formerly human town that sunk into the swamp after Uskvutha ordered the local garter-snake kobolds to sap it. Uskvutha hasn't been seen in ten years, but left a Witch-Queen of Thul in charge. The tri-colour Kobolds arrived a year ago and attempted to oust her, were succeeding when a young green dragon arrived, threw it's support behind the Witch-Queen, and was determined to bring Kobolds back to the proper old-ways. The villagers most loyal to Rekki, Gilla and Blubbs left with them, and are defending travellers on the road from the other villagers, as well as local bandit groups. There is a Sith'Makar Knight, working with the Dragon of the Lake, training the bandit Kobolds in tactics. Into this mess the four high level adventurers went, roughly a week ago, and haven't been seen. The Rescuers are pointed in their last known direction, and wished good luck.
- Encounters:
- (4) CR XP Traps, 2d8, DC20 Spot/Disable/Reflex
- (3) CR1 XP200 Kobolds, Neutral, (Loci, Corr, Jak)
- (3) CR5 XP Elite Kobolds, Neutral (Rekki, Blubbs, Gillagoon)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-= Dax 5'0" 110 Lb Human Female A 5' tall red haired human with piercings and tats. Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a tired look about her. Culix 3'2" 36 Lb Goblin Female Beady-eyed goblin female in leathers and hood. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Loci Kobold Female A competent road guard leader Corr Kobold Female A lazy road guard Jak Kobold Male A lazy road guard Rekki Kobold Female A hot tempered red-scale, Exile Tribunal Leader Gillagoon Kobold Female A green-scale, Exile Tribunal Leader Blubbs Kobold Male A blue-scale, with goggles, Exile Tribunal Leader -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
"Food!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Gimme!" The other two Kobolds immediately grab for the jerky and start biting at it. "Quit it!" The first one, the tradespeaking spear-leaner hisses angrily, and loudly.
The hiss is a loud trilling noise. The Sith'Makar in the party recognize it as a sort of frustrated curse noise. It's good for getting attention, and it carries.
Then it echoes. It doesn't usually do that. The echo is two more Kobolds, roughly twenty feet away, standing up out of the scrub. One of them whistle-trills the alarm noise. Another twenty feet away, on the bridge, another pair pops out. Another trilling. Another pair stand up.
Like a row of toppling Dominoes in reverse, two pairs of Kobolds stand, and stand, and stand. Across the bridge. Down the road. Around the corner. The corner which is three hundred feet away. The trilling can be heard through the trees.
That's a whole lot of Kobolds.
"Ooops," says the tradespeaker, grinning very awkwardly at Seyardu. Then, "Yess. Don't kills. Four Adventurers come, talk me, I take leaders."
Now
The gnome is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps captured, perhaps swept down the river.
All three kobolds grin awkwardly up at the adventurers. The ones lining the road turn to watch.
Area Overview -Each row/col 20' * trees 'scrub .clear ~water kkkkkkkkkkkkk************ ------------\k*********** kkkkkkkkkkkk|k*********** Tree ***********k|k*********** Line '''''''''''k|k''''''''''' '''''''''''k|k''''''''''' Scrub ''''''''''.k|k.''''''~~~~ ''''''~~~~k~|~~k~~~~~~~~~~ ''''~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~ River ~~~~~~~~~~K~|~K~~~~~''''' ~~~~~'''''.k|k.'''''''''' ~~'''''''''K|k''''''''''' ''''''''''''X'''''''''''' ************|************ ************|************ ************\------------ Road *************************
There's a slow whistle that comes from Dax as she sees other kobolds popping up in the distance. She looks over at her fellows and grins a bit, "Well, if that ain't a bite outta my ass." With that she shakes her head a little and then turns back to the kobolds, "Seems like ya got a lotta friends fer sure. Now, we're lookin' fer a small group of folk, like us, an' as it were ain't 'ere ta kill no one. At least not yet. You seen anyone like that? Probably lookin' a lot like us, maybe not me so much, ain't none too sure of their exact look... but, tall folk, weapons, armor, probably doin' some important business an' the like." She rattles off as she continues to move up, though at no expedient pace.
The silver sith-makar blinks, immediately a bit more on edge. She wasn't sure if that was the explanation for their prior relaxation or not. "I am sorry, but I do not have enough food for everyone here on me." She replies, glancing to all those who made themselves apparent. "This is a lot of guards to fend off the bandits you told me about. It must be a serious problem." "I already asked them about the group before, and they agreed to take us to their leader, who they were sent to before." She adds to Dax. "Your leader, who are they, in that case? So we may be prepared to meet them. They will cause us no trouble, yes?" <draconic>
"Ohhhh..." Dax offers to Seyardu, squinting some and trying to listen in on what's being said. She has no clue, since, well, it's in Draconic and she looks around, "Food fer all these folks? That -is- a lotta food. I mean, we could go huntin' or somethin'... though I'm sure we could jus' as easily take care of this 'ere bandit problem fer them." Reaching up she scratches at the side of her head and then, confusion bristling her furrowed brows, "Wasn't that why we were 'ere ta begin wit'? I'm gettin' all jumbled up in the head. There was that right tenant who was lookin' fer one thing, the shorter fella, an' now these folks." She shrugs and waves forward, "Seems yer on top of it, I'll jus' go where ya point me. Safer tha' way."
The Kobold in front, which seems to be the leader of sorts, stays put as Dax moves up. There isn't too much room to move closer without danger of being right on top of it, which would involve sharing a space with it and its spear. Also can't small people hide under larger ones? Something find out later.
It seems to be having trouble with the fast spoke tradespeak and is organizing some reply. It hisses something to the others without taking its eyes off Dax, "How long ago the others?"
"Longtime!" "Yes, Long." The other Kobolds both hiss a reply. <draconic>
"Thought was sevenday or eightday." <draconic>
"That long." "Yes. Lots long." <draconic>
"That is not long! Last year long." It's arguing with the other two now. <draconic>
"Before yesterday long. Yes. Everyone knows." The other two stand firm in their hissing. <draconic>
"Yes." The Kobold in front says, straining to make eye contact with Dax. Then, draconic, glorious draconic is spoken again by Seyardu and she replies, in tradespeak, "Yes. Have... Three-butt leaders. I take them. Take you."
"I believe it was around a week now, that is what we are told. Still a while for someone to be missing. Perhaps they ran into trouble with the bandits." She replies. The rest of what food she had was removed from the bag, enough for a handful of others to have something to eat at least. "Please do not fight me over it. But we will meet with them, I think."
"Ok. Come on." The Kobold waves, turns and walks up the road. It calls back, "Corr, you in charge. Jak keep Corr awake."
"Ok Loci." <draconic>
The Kobold moves fast for its size, naturally following into a semi-run. As it passes the other Kobolds standing beside the road, they watch her, then the party pass, then lie down in the grass again. These watchers aren't as well equipped, spears, slings and some leather harnesses seem to be their entire loadout. They also don't hold their spears as confidently. Pair after pair vanish into the grass as Loci moves over the bridge, up the road and around the corner.
A quick conference among the party before they leave decides that Landau and Rocky will return to Alexandria to provide a partial update, then catch up if possible. Along the way they pass some reinforcements, who are updated: 'Friendly Kobolds', and encouraged to hurry. The reinforcements are directed to follow up the road, and told to hiss, "Loci!" loudly now and then. That should work. Yup.
Jinks doesn't resurface.
The path through the woods
It's some time around the bend that Loci stops. She waves at the remaining vigilent Kobolds and they all drop back into their hiding places, like a long sinusous snake vanishing into the distance.
"Okay. Going secret path. I show you the traps. You obey or trap smack, ok? You all tall so if I say duck low, duck low."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Aryia, Culix you can pose in. <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "DC10 Reflex saves all, unless you don't want to obey Loci, then the DC will be higher." GAME: Dax rolls reflex: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Dax says, "Re-roll..." GAME: Dax rolls reflex: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Seyardu rolls reflex: (12)+1: 13 GAME: Aryia rolls reflex: (10)+9: 19
Seyardu says, "Am I forgetting something?"
Flashback to Jinks flailing in the river.
She can't think of anything. It'll be all right.
Aryia was one of the reinforcements, her having needing to do some more risky work considering her recent expenses. The leather wraps on her arms still felt weird. Regardless. She wasn't sure how to pronounce 'click'. Like, click her tongue? She could do that. Wasn't very loud.
The mul comes jogging up the road to catch up with the others, her clicking her tongue on every third step.
Culix was the other reinforcement, having run into Aryia at the guild while looking for jobs, and decided to tag along. She's practically sprinting along to keep up with the Mul's jogging pace, but she is keeping up regardless. Gobbers are surprisngly quick like that, all the better to surprise folks after all. "Friendly Kobolds? Wonder if that whitescale has been out adopting more of 'em." she muses to Aryia as she runs along next to her, slowing her pace as the others come into sight.
The Kobold guide nods as the two reinforcements join up. She heads into the underbrush off the side of the road, towards the deep woods, "Follow, obey warns."
"Step here. Step this rock. Don't step this rock. Left side path. Right side. Step, wait, step on. Duck here. Duck very low here." The little Kobold's instructions keep coming. There don't appear to be any traps. Once in a while, possibly there's a spider-web that might be a trip line. A few times, things like hanging logs full of spikes are visible once they are passed.
It's not too difficult, with her directions.
The draconic is way over Dax's head, which is funny because she's supposed to be ducking. She is listening, and squinting, like if she were to just squint hard enough she'd understand what everyone was saying. This doesn't really work, and she's starting to talk, "Duck? Are we walkin' or huntin'?" There's really a long pause, perhaps longer than should exist as she's looking around and even reaching a moment for her bow. It wouldn't be the first job she was on that gets derailed by mundane tasks to help out citizens of the world. The directions, though, get her back focused and she hops or ducks where she's being told to, and nods her head. She crawls, ducks, skips, whatever is needed to avoid traps and their triggers.
GAME: Culix rolls reflex: (2)+7: 9 <OOC> Culix has trapfinding. GAME: Culix rolls perception: (19)+8: 27 (Trapfinding DC20) GAME: Culix rolls disable device: (19)+10: 29 (Find the trap DC20)
"Yeah, yeah, I see 'em see e-" *click* Culix is cut off as she is so distracted complaining about having the traps she's already spotted pointed out, that she steps on one. She freezes, and then looks down. "Uh, just a sec. Needa tie my laces." she says then, kneeling down, she reaches around behind her to find her toolkit, and she pulls out a tensioner and wire cutter. She winds the tensioner around one side of the tripwire connected to the switch she just stepped on, cuts the wire, and then pegs the other end of the tensioner down. Hoping that no one noticed her quick fix, she jogs to catch up with the party- hands in her back pockets.
Wait, which rock was Loci pointing to? They all sort of blurred together. It was hard to see everything she was stepping on, and on more than one occasion it was mostly luck. But thankfully, they were able to get by with the directions.
"This is very dangerous for passerbies, and it may cause more issues if someone was to get injured or worse by them." The silverscale warns after nearly stepping on a line before a glint of sunlight through the canopy revealed it. "I understand that surprise is important with traps, but if something were to happen, others would be forced to take action."
Now with the group, Aryia quietly and diligently follows the leader. This kind of work wasn't too bad. And she didn't have anything to add to the conversation, since she couldn't understand half of it from the silverscale. A job where she didn't have to talk! Splendid!
"Don't want visitors." Loci looks back at Seyardu, leaning this way and that to see past the others. She continues with her warnings and directions.
Originally the path might have been made by animals. It winds around the trees without a clear purpose or direction, heading roughly towards the river. The terrain developes a slope and and the path turns into a wooded valley. Almost a canyon. It's clearly inhabited. The ground slopes down to at the lowest point between V cliffs, that are low at the top and gradually grow taller to the point as the ground sinks.
A first there seems to be only an open area with a cook-fire. Longer observation reveals lean-to shelters clustered near the base of trees, even a few tents. There are ropes in the trees, tied very high near the top and attaching to the rockface at the bottom of the V. Like spokes of a wheel. Way up each of the attachment trees, there's a perch for a Kobold and a basket of something.
Down at the bottom of the V, there's an entrance into the cliffs. In the clearing in front of it some things are going on. Mostly, Kobolds lying in sunny spots. A few are cooking. A bunch are watching younglings run about in the brush, which is unusual. Generally Kobolds don't leave their nests.
Loci leads the way down, calling out, "Rekki! Gilla! Blubs! Adventurers!" <draconic>
"Go down." Loci waves everyone forward. Down below, the three most laying about Kobolds jump up. A redscale, a greenscale and a bluescale. "What they want?" The redscale shouts back.
"I understand, but it is not just about not wanting visitors. If something happens, people will come looking, especially from unecessary harm being involved. Your wishes to be left alone will have the opposite effect if the territory is not properly recognized." The silverscale warns back, not threatening, so much as concerned. They continued on until they reached the clearing, and Seyardu took a step forward.
"I will translate as necessary for us. They are asking what we need here." She says back to the group that had formed, before turning to the three. "Peace on your nests, this one is named Seyardu, and comes with a group looking for more information about a previous group that was brought here to speak with you, of four adventurers." <draconic>
Culix scratches her head as Seyardu and the Kobolds converse in Draconic, and she looks over to Aryia, "Don't s'pose you got a clue what they're saying?" she wonders. But then Seyardu offers to translate, and she offers a thumbs up. "Sounds good. Don't s'pose either of you know what these adventurers are meant to look like?" she wonders. "Flier at the guild was pretty sparse on details."
Following behind the others, Dax just kind of waves a moment to Culix and Aryia and then looks back in the direction that she's going. She pulls out some jerky and starts chewing on that for the moment, her claws being put away a long while back, but they are still pretty much strapped onto her arms always. "Can ya translate that we're 'ere lookin' fer some group of folks before? That'd be good, I ain't none too sure if we've gotten an answer jus' yet 'bout all that." She looks around for a moment and then back to Seyardu, "That'd be the best, gotta figure that out 'fore we go off doin' anything else."
Aryia looks about the small village of kobolds, her scratching her head. Never had she seen something like this before. Were there really this many kobolds so close to Alexandria? Well, it was safer than most places, that was for certain.
She did seem to be a little frustrated as a lot was being discussed, though to her it was nothing more than growls, clicks, and hisses. She nods and crosses her arms, moving downward as indicated.
The elf shakes her head at Culix. "I don't know any dragon tongue. Can't try and learn it either, can't growl." <Handspeech>
"More and more coming. Should have kill them." The redscale hisses something angrily. The bluescale puts a hand on the red's shoulder, shaking its head, "Rekki, no."
'I speak trade." The greenscaled one hisses in draconic, stepping in front of the other two. It points at itself, switches to tradespeak, "Gillagoon," then the other two, "That Rekki, that Blubbs." It finishes with a wave at the camp in general, "Kobolds of Uskvuthadjupr."
There are three upright logs nearby, which could serve as chairs. The greenscale jumps up on it to get some more height as it faces the adventurers. The other camp Kobolds keep doing their various things. Much like the earlier ones on the road, these have a more subtle scale colouration which resembles a garter snake, a forest green, with some yellow and browns.
"Four come speak. Yes. What your four look like?"
The redheaded human chews on her jerky, looking around. It takes her a moment to even realize the little kobolds start to talk in Tradespeak and she can make out what they are saying. With a smile on her lips, Dax nods her head, "Yes, finally, we're gettin' somewhere." Though, there's a question and she furrows her brows, back to Seyardu, "Do ya recall what the fella said they look like?"
"-skkv-t-dj-pfptft," Aryia attempts to repeat, but gets tongue tied. She nods towards the introduced kobolds, but she puts her hands in her pockets and rests on her back foot.
"We do not mean any harm. We will leave you be afterwards." Seyardu quickly replies, before continuing. "If that is the case, I will not need to translate. But yes, it was a group of four, adventurers. The person did not tell us what they looked like, likely due to not caring, but it was mentioned in the report. Two humans, and two elves, one lighter skinned, and one closer in skin tone I believe to the one with me here." She continues, gesturing to Aryia. "One was armed and wore metal armor, one of the humans, while the other had leather armor on instead, with a bow and arrow amongst other weapons. The two elves were both magic users, the dawn elf a cleric in chainmail, and the other a wizard. Do you remember what happened when you met with them?"
Culix peers about the camp while Seyardu goes through the diplomatic side of things, her hands remaining in her pockets as she bounces on her heels a bit. Eventually she looks over towards Aryia and snickers a bit at her getting tongue tied, "Dangerous if I do that." she says, and shows off her pointy chompers. For the most part, though, she remains quiet while Seyardu acts as their defacto diplomat.
The red and blue Kobolds end up sitting on the upright logs. The red simple sits, the blue drags their chair-log over and sits beside the red.
The greenscale, Gillagoon, remains standing and replies, "They talk lots. Very threatening. Tell us stop banditing. We not. They tell us they extra goody good-guys we have to tell them all the things. They make promises, we tell them."
The greenscale looks over the assembled adventurers, sniffing in their general direction, "We tell them everything. They go off to kill the dragon."
A garterscale Kobold emerges from the cave, dripping wet. It carries a rock over to a small rock wall, looks around for a good spot and places it.
GAME: Culix rolls knowledge/local: (19)+9: 28
There are no dragons local to Alexandria, but there was one nearby around 10 years ago. A black dragon named Uskvutha.
Dax is chewing on jerky when the comment about the dragon pops in and she coughs, then coughs some more, till she can spit out her jerky. She looks over, "Dragon?" She sputters out a bit and then looks around, "How big of a dragon ya got 'ere? Like, a coupla you..." Pointing at the kobolds, "Or more like a few dozen of you or so? Bigger? Size of a ship or so? Jus' roundabout..."
Aryia's attention sharpens a bit at the mention of the dragon, but she doesn't comment, letting Seyardu do the talking.
Culix scratches her head a bit as they start talking about a dragon. "Definitely a dragon, not a drake, or a wyvern?" She asks then, finally joining in the conversation with the one who speaks trade. "Only, I don't reckon there's been any dragons round here in... ohh, a good ten years or so. What color is this dragon of yours?" she asks. "Black one?"
"Yes, it does not seem that you are causing trouble at the bridge, despite what others claim. I believe you on that matter." Seyardu agrees with a shake of her head. Explains why the commander from earlier was so unhelpful in their inquiries, most likely. Though mention of the dragon made them stand on end just a bit. "The previous group was much better equipped and experienced than us, it explains why they did not return if that is the case. Whatever size dragon, it was likely big enough to be a problem for them if there is one."
She turns her attention to the kobold that was ferrying stones out of the cave, and back to the three leaders. "What are you doing with the cave here, by the way? Clearing it out for some purpose?"
The wet Kobold, now without rock, turns and goes back into the cave.
Gillagoon stares at Dax, then waves its hands, holding them out and making squeezing motions at the group of adventurers, "Squeeze all you together. Bigger than that. Not much bigger.'"
"Bored now!" The redscale hisses suddenly, and points at Culix, "why we telling anything? They weak! I could take that one." <draconic>
"Rekki, we're not fighting. No. Let Gilla handle it." The bluescale hums, looking around nervously, petting at the redscale, "Calm down."
'Yes. Dragon. I know what dragon is' Gilla says, looking at Culix. At Seyardu's question, she turns and looks at the cave entrance. 'Cave is very small. Very small. Need defensive wall.'
This suggests it's a very new nest. The wall looks fresh, incomplete, and not very high. Work isn't going terribly fast, however.
The green's tail twitches, "Rekki want fight your green one. I tell you about Uskvuthadjupr and lake dragon if you promise you extra goody good. Or you beat Rekki but not badly."
"Could be a young one. There was a black dragon around here, bout 10 years ago. Called Uskvutha. Maybe it laid an egg, or whatever dragons do." Culix informs the other adventurers. And then she raises her eyebrows, looking between the one speaking trade and Rekki. "What? No. Why does he want to fight?" she asks then, flatly refusing the challenge entirely without shame. "And what does extra goody good mean?" she wonders. "We just wanna get those folks off your land and back to the city, is all, so cut us some slack would you?"
The physically mute elf tries again. "-skv-th-j-... -skv-th-jpthpfff-." How does one even /make/ those sounds? She shakes her head and looks down at the short folk discussing a challenge, a brow raised high.
"Well, I feel like we've got enough information." Dax mentions, as she looks around, swigging from a flask for a moment. Then she asks, "You all agree? We've gotta figure out what happened to the other adventurin' group, then deal with whatever else. A dragon only as big as all of us don't sound terrible, once fought an' ogre quite a bit bigger'n that."
"We do not wish to fight you, yes." Seyardu says as she looks between the three Kobolds. "So this is a new settlement I am assuming, in that case. I promise that the group I am with are good people. Our task in the area is to determine what happened to the previous group, but personally, I wish to make sure that this new area will not come to harm while being established. Anything that you are willing to share with us about Uskvuthadjupr would be appreciated."
Though, she turns to Dax, and shakes her head. "I am not sure about that Dax. When I say the other group was better prepared, I mean, much, much better prepared."
"Dragons lay eggs." The greenscale assures, nodding its head in the redscale's direction. "She. Rekki female. Blubbs male. She been sleeping all day, wants fight something."
"Tell him I'll kick him right in the bomb!" Rekki taunts some more, looking eagerly at Culix. The bluescale, Blubbs, attempts to placate her some more, "Rekki, Goblins aren'd made of bombs." <draconic>
"Every gobbo I seen blows up!" She counters. <draconic>
"Shut up Rekki! I talking." The greenscale hisses, standing taller. The other kobolds of the camp are looking in the general direction of this, but don't seem ready to respond. Their squabbling younglings hold their attention almost as much as these adults. Gilla stares at Seyardu for a long moment, clearly assessing her. She's already figured some of it out. "Okay."
"Uskvutha leave, long longtime ago. Leave Witch-Queen in charge, she rule Uskvuthadjupr. We show up, four season ago." Gilla points at herself, and the red and bluescale, "Try get Witch-Queen out. Try make proper, like Alex proper. Stop Kobolds banditing. Try trade."
"We winning, then Dragon of the Lake show up. Bring a rider too. Dragon say, Witch-Queen right, it taking Uskvutha place, in charge. Chase us out, make Kobolds bandit again." She waves at the camp again, "these come with. Ones on road too, come with. Exiles. All Kobolds from Uskvuthadjupr. Some banditing for Witch-Queen, some with us, stopping them, bring them here."
Finally, she sits on the log, glances at the red and bluescale, "We try get rid of Dragon of the Lake. Too tough. Heroes come, say they do it. We send them to where they find the dragon, other kobolds. You following understand?"
"There's a witch now?!" Dax questions, and furrows her brows, she shaking her head some at that idea and then looks back to the others, "I was fine wit' the dragon. Teeth, claws, tail, I understand all of that there things. But, a witch? We'll be eatin' one another by day's end if we don't go in prepared fer that." And she has her eyes a bit more wide, but takes another bite from her jerky, staring off in the distance, perhaps imagining all the terrible things witches can do.
"Reckon dragons can do magic, too." Culix says to Dax then, but looks back to the others as they seem to argue about whether she's meant to fight this random stranger or not. She pulls her hands out of her pockets and puts them on her hips instead. "Alright, so, they went to fight the dragon, and the witch, and probably got their asses handed to them. So now we're meant to go find them and drag their asses home, is that the gist of it?" she wonders. "Provided the dragon isn't gnawing on their bones as we speak, I reckon we can manage that."
"So you came to the area afterwards, but were driven out. Banditry is not the solution, you are correct in that matter." The sith-makar nods. "If you are wishing to try trade in the future, I am sure that something can be arranged. Though such discussions are for another time, I feel, but I am willing to do what I can to assist with that. Yes, we are to find the previous group, or failing that, their bodies, and failing that, the location of them. Is there anything else you can tell us about this Witch-Queen? You said they were left behind by the dragon, which was for several years. And this dragon, is it Uskvutha, or another?"
Aryia blows a gout of air out and rubs at her face. This was getting complicated fast. A dragon and a witch. If well equipped people didn't come back from that, what good were they going to do?
Though, there /was/ a tiny part of her that wanted to walk away from this to be able to claim that she decked a dragon in the face and lived to tell about it.
"Dragon of the Lake, is green dragon." Gillagoon says, pointing at herself, "similar looking scales. Not sure does magic."
The greenscale seems uncertain, thoughtful, "Has magic. Something wrong with it. Witch-Queen, she have magic. Priestess of Thul."
The redscale spits on the ground.
Gillagoon continues, "has the Kobolds of Uskvuthadjupr. Has one of you people training. Squads. How be good bandits." She nods at Seyardu. "So, lots Kobolds, a Rider, Witch-Queen of Thul, Dragon of the Lake. Kobolds and Rider up the road."
"Uskvuthadjupr, two ways get there. Follow river to lake. Swim lake around penisula. Town in the swamp. Other way, go back road towards Alex, walk hour. Is overgrown turn off road, follow, also goes Uskvuthadjupr. Kobolds, Witch-Queen and green dragon there."
"Tell the other group both this. They say Ok, go into the woods."
And there it is, a witch-dragon and a witch-queen. Dax is shaking her head, chewing on jerky. SHe has nothing to say. Her eyes are wide open, she's concerned, her brows are high keeping those eyelids from shutting, and she's mostly staring at the ground. Then she takes another swig from her flask, before another longer pull.
Those directions, that's the location and how to get to 'Bright Hope'. Bright Hope was a human-moslty small town on a lake in the swamp. Ten years ago, overnight, it sank into the swamp. The survivors said they had heard digging noises in their basements but didn't understand. Kobolds had opened up a huge sinkhole that swallowed the whole place. No one lives there, and the signs have been painted over 'Sunken Hope'.
Culix ponders that again, tilting her head back and closing her eyes as she goes over the directions in her head. After a while, she opens her eyes again and then says, "Sappers." out of the blue. "There used to be a town there, Bright Hope. Got sunk a few years back by Kobold sappers digging out the foundations. Been abandoned ever since, middle of a swamp."
Great. Crazy god following witch, a dragon, bad kobolds being trained by someone. This was starting to turn out to be something Thurid or Cryo would be suited for. Not...
Aryia looks to the group.
... them. The elf wrings her hands, metal plates from the cestus softly clinking together.
"Green dragon, acid breath, I believe, though you say something may have happened to it. And a priestess, of Thul. Alongside someone riding the dragon, and someone training those still there. The mention of sappers made her shake her head, before she continues. If the kobolds were willing to change, she was willing to listen and understand. It may have been another group to begin with. "I do not know if swimming there is the best option for us, as we will need to be able to make a retreat quickly if necessary. Did you catch the name of the one who was training them? The guard at the bridge, they mentioned someone named Celia the snake."
There was a pause, as the silverscale looked down to their stomach for a moment, and sighs.
"Poison derived from a green dragon in some way. That would explain the efficacy of what those bandits had on their blades."
Taking in a deep breath, Dax lets it out slowly, then another inward breath. When she's gotten her nearly visible beating heart under control she looks up, "Alright. So, we get there, look around, see if we kin find these adventurin' folks. Best ta go the same way they did, ta track 'em easier. Then... then we avoid this 'ere queen of witches, an'er pet, ta the best of our abilities. Drag out some corpses, an' go get some gold an' drinks, be done fer the week." She nods her head, and huffs out a moment, into a tiny gruntish kind of sound.
"Not Sssnake Sseelia," Gillagoon shakes her head. The name makes the red and bluescale perk up, and she explains further, "She lead softskin bandits group. We keeping her off road, for now. Lots Kobolds. Rider is Night something."
"Hiss Growl." The redscale says, seemingly able to follow part of the tradespeak. The blue shakes his head, "Roar Hiss Hiss Rainbow.." <draconic>
The greenscale nods, "Yes, I think. Not seen Dragon of the Lake use breath weapon. Rider has Swiftclaw."
She fixes her eyes on Seyardu's, staring up at the larger scale-kin, "Was same Kobolds, sap, make Uskvuthadjupr for Uskvutha. Following bad gods. Following bad dragon. Following bad leader." There's something there, regret and anger. The greenscale glances at the other two then faces the adventurers once more.
"Other heroes don't want our help. Think is trap. Think even if not trap, maybe Kobold in exile camp tell they secrets. Say they go without." Gillagoon stands up, nodding at Dax's words and confirming Aryia's thoughts, "Don't fight. That bad idea. You not as tough as them. Looking, that be okay, if you careful."
The greenscale glances at her friends again, then offers, "You want help, we come. The four of us."
Culix nods along with Dax's assessment, "Sounds like a plan." she offers, and then looks back to Aryia, who she hasn't failed to spot fidgeting. "We see the dragon, we run for it, right?" she says, offering a grin to the Mul. "So, figure the longer we leave it, the worse they'll smell when we find 'em, so lets get going?" she suggests.
"Not all dragons are good, it is true. Or perhaps twisted to not be." The silverscale sighs. It was hard to believe, but she knew not all were good. "If we find them, yes, we should not stay and fight. And while we would appreciate the assistance most likely, It may be dangerous if we are found, and I will not downplay my own shortcomings around moving carefully. I would not wish to put you, or your tribe at risk unecessarily."
Aryia shudders a sigh, and nods at Culix and looks ready to get it over with. "Run. Yes. I don't want to be fly food, let alone dragon food." <Handspeech>
The elf rolls her shoulders and readies herself for a trek.
"These don't want us come either," Gillagoon hisses at the other two.
"Well we got stay here, lead tribe." The redscale retorts, "so that good."
"Yes. The others need us lying on our belly, sunning and drink. They can't figure that out without us." The bluescale says, an unusual edge to his voice. "Thought you wanted fight, Rekki. We going watch more Heroes go off, not come back?"
"Not stupid fight." Rekki snorts, laughing, "They don't need us, I don't need help them."
The bluescale looks between the two, at the red and the green. He rubs at his eyes and adjusts his goggles. "Okay, but I don't feel good about it. We're the heroes."
Gillagoon watches the exchange, then nods, 'Okay. We show you out the traps and direction they leave.'
She hops off her log, heads through the party. The other two trail her as if on strings. 'Let's Go.' <draconic>
Aryia tightens up the straps on her cestus and sighs, her falling in line with the small scale. Hopefully this didn't turn out bad in the end. What was that human thing that they do? Oh, right.
She raps her knuckles against a passing tree.
Following everyone else out, Dax sees Aryia knocking on wood, "Oh, good idea." She offers and raps her knuckles on the same tree...
GAME: Seyardu rolls diplomacy: (13)+9: 22
"I was not saying that we did not wish for you to come, just that it would be dangerous, and if I were to be discovered, I would put you at risk along with everyone else." The sith-makar replies quickly. "We would welcome your assistance if you are willing, but would not force it. And leaders are just as important, I know this well. I will leave the decision up to you, though. Regardless, we will appreciate your assistance out of here. And thank you for everything you were willing to share with us." <draconic>
map
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mj0xpd2a8ap"
'Homework
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yaednyAjI
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I believe we're getting near Culix's hard stop, and so endposes or almost endposes might be in order. Also, the kobolds have presented 2 choices, roughly, which is 'go up the road and look at the ambush' or 'go to Uskvuthadjupr and look around'. There's also 'try to track them through the woods' as well as the more simple 'wander around the woods and see what happens'. Go back with the info is kind of an option, although you were ask to lay eyes and confirm. So far you've just got Kobold heresay, might not be considered reliable back in good Old Alexandria. So, i would like to know which option interests you most."
<OOC> Culix says, "I think we were agreed on basically trying to follow in the previous party's footsteps?"
<OOC> Culix says, "Yeah, same here. Saying 'lets head out' feels like a good stopping point for me."
<OOC> Aryia says, "Same, aryia is on "follow the leader" mode with that last one"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Sorry, back. Yeah, I think course of action would be to follow the previous parties route in some form, and go from there."
Dax pages: This upcoming Thursday 6pm EST I'll be able to play again. Next weekend gets tricksy, but I'll know more when I get closer.
Aryia pages: I'm not sure what part of your pose you feel bad about, it all looks fine
Long distance to Aryia: Cryosanthia winks, "... The Rider's name is Night... something. Knight Rider. Also, Bad Dragon."
From afar, Aryia facepalm
Long distance to Aryia: Cryosanthia tailswishes.