The Vystera Jewels

[Admiral]

Shiny's voice comes wafting weakly up from the pit. "Not even a scratch!" Even his considerable skill at lying can't cover the immense pain in his voice.

The gnome grasps weakly at the rope that Natalia lowered, every movement agony. "Just taking a rest. Tell you what, why don't you go ahead and get me out on the way back?" he says, only half-joking. Finally he grabs hold and tries to climbs out.

Spoiler

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Climb check: (1d20-2)[17]

[Admiral]

Shiny looks at the snickering kobolds, then turns to Mithril. He flashes a light, self-aware smile. "Where's Shiny Darkmind when you need him?"

After thinking on it for a moment, he shrugs. "No more surprises." Before Mithril can stop him, he spins and casts charm person on one of the kobolds.

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Kobold gets a DC 15 Will save.

[achinca]

When Shiny is off the pit, Miriam puts her hand on his hand. "Oh St. Cuthbert, please help me heal this valiant gnome victim of the treachery of an evil race ...."

His wounds heal somewhat.

Spoiler

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(1d8+1)[4]
Drop Endure elements in favor of instantaneous casting of Cure Light Wounds on Shiny.

[Athedia]

(OCC: Common) Mithril shouted at Shiny "How could you! Disgusting twists only corrupt magic. Let the weak have a chance to defend themselves."

She looked across the pit, watching the struggle in the kobolds mind. She realized Miriam and Shiny were stuck with her on the other side, with no way across but jumping. Realizing what Miriam said she sputtered "Is attempting to break someones will valiant? He is more cowardly than those kobolds."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"...Tricksters punished," Natalia says into her legs. "How long will the mask stay?"

She curls up tighter into herself.

[Cavelcade]

Kurt puts on hand on Natalia's shoulder awkwardly, just for a second. "Not your fault. My foot pushed the plate after all. He's out and all will be well."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Nuts Bolts," she says. "Clank go the gears. If not that, then what?"

(OOC: If we've all agreed to place the kobold in the pit?)

She also says, quietly but loud enough for anyone close to hear, "...Spends a night in the box."

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - Second Room

The kobolds roar in laughter, but a wallop from Nuts straightens them out long enough to catch Shiny's glare.

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Kobold's Will Save - (1d20-1)[12]

The louder of the kobolds sudden goes very silent. His body is limp but upright.
"Ack!" His buddy shakes him, stricken by fear, "What'd you do to him? Stop!" He shakes his friend, who doesn't respond with anything but dead, rolling eyes. He doesn't see Natalia's second punch coming, or the butt from the back of Kurt's axe. The scaly minion collapses to the ground face first. A small trickle of blood stains the ground as the party ties the last kobold up and lowers it into the pit. Shiny is surprised to find, however, that the pressure plate is firmly in place in the floor.

[CoffeeIncluded]

As the first kobold stands slack-jawed, Natalia smacks the second kobold--the one who spit in her face--upside the head again, hard enough to knock it unconscious. She looks up at the others, her shoulders hunched over in poorly disguised humiliation and disgust at her failure. She holds up the unconscious kobold by its wrists and says, "Mercy? Blade or pit or what?"

After the second kobold is placed into the pit (OOC: He's still bound), Natalia finally looks at the group, at Shiny's half-healed bruises which Miriam's magic couldn't quite eliminate.

"...I..."

[achinca]

Miriam is glad that the unconscious kobold is lowered in the pit.

When the plate does not reset, she tells Shiny "Halfling Lawyer and Spirit Master of the Kobolds, how about you ask our new found friend how to reset the trap?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia stares at the pit, hoping and failing to drive out the thought of missing that trap how did she miss it stupid failure Nuts from her head until...

"Fall down deep," she says as she stares into the pit. Then freezes and says, again, "Fall down deep."

She turns to the charmed kobold and says, in Draconic, "Dive in deep, hold your breath, or prepare to face a watery death. Meaning?"

[Admiral]

Shiny softly puts his arm on Natalia, comforting her. "You have nothing to be sorry about. We would all be lost without you." His smile is untouched by pain or worry. "Now, let's get to saying hello to our new friend!"

The time shortly after a charm person spell, especially on an enemy, is a delicate one. The subject's brain is filled with contradictions it cannot easily resolve, and it grasps out desperately for any explanation for its confusion. Shiny has a lot of practice with these critical moments.

He steps towards the kobold in a friendly and unthreatening manner. "You know, don't you look familiar? I think we've met before! It's me, Shiny Scalebuddy, official liason of the Kobold-Gnome Alliance (and part-time direwolf whisperer)! We met back in that festival of Kurtulmak a few years ago, and you told that wonderful joke- oh, I'm so certain it was you!- about the party of dwarves that got lost in the woods..."

Shiny speaks quickly but softly, carefully introducing subtle details that the spell can pick up on and turn into faint false memories. His manner gives the impression of someone who genuinely values and desires the kobold's approval and friendship, and who hopes to be worth the kobold's friendship in return. Shiny knows the spell will do the rest of the work.

[Hefty Lefty]

The kobold remains still, looking forward with his blank stare. "Oh yes." Its face grows a large, terrifying smile, made all the more unsettling by the rest of his face not changing. He doesn't even look at the gnome when he says "Hello Friend." in complete monotone.

"The shrine is built under a waterfall. To see our Great Mother you must swim. Our path is long and wet."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia shudders at the kobold's eerie grin and monotone. She justifies it by saying better this than dead, but it doesn't shake her moral qualms. Still, she takes a deep breath and says in Draconic, "...Swim where? Great Mother who?"

[achinca]

Miriam looks at Shiny.

"Shiny the Halfling Lawyer, can you have your new found friend lead the way and disable any traps on the way?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia is already brushing past the group, carefully inspecting the floor, walls, and door for any traps, triple-checking everything (Take 20 on search for a 28 on the rest of the corridor and the door). As she works, something about the spell comes to her. There's no way this could last forever. She looks at Shiny and says, "Tick tock?"

[Athedia]

Natalia is right, how long does this spell of yours last Shiny? Mithril was feeling slightly embarrassed about her outburst, but annoyance still permeated her voice. She had not wanted the group to see her so angry, after all they were the only protection she had right now, and the quirks had grown on her.

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - Second Room

"Swim to her room. Her horde. I assume that's why you invaded here. Our Great Mother is not a kobold, like us. She is a dragon. We call her mother not for her age, but because she is our ancestor."

Natalia does not find any traps in the places she has searched.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia's hand freezes on the door. Slowly, she turns around and faces the rest of the group. Her wide eyes take up nearly her entire face. Natalia tries to speak but the only thing that comes out of her mouth is, "D...Dr...Gllllrrkkkk..."

[Admiral]

If Shiny is bothered by the kobold's eerie mannerisms, he doesn't show it. "Tell us, friend, are there any traps that lie ahead of us? Or other guards?"

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - Second Room

"Yes of course. Why do you think I'm here?"

[Admiral]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - Second Room

"Yes of course. Why do you think I'm here?"

Can you tell us where the traps and the guards are?

[achinca]

Miriam waits, not understanding a word that Shiny and the kobold are saying.

[Athedia]

Mithril figured she may as well make the best of the situation and asked Shiny "Does he only listen to you? Can you ask him if there is a safe resting spot further in, where we will not be found?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia hasn't heard anything beyond the "Great Mother" part, at which point she finally somehow manages to gasp out, "Great Mother Dragon!"

The kobold's comments on further traps then registers, and she looks at Miriam as if to say "I told you so."

[CoffeeIncluded]

At some point, Natalia calms down enough to ask the kobold, "How deep to swim? To find the path?" And go the other way, she adds mentally.

Also, she motions towards the door, as if asking if she should open it.

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - Second Room

"There are more traps. More guards. I can lead you through." When Shiny translates Mithril's question, he continues, "The next room is safe. There should be nothing inside to harm you." Finally, he responds to Natalia. "The water changes depths throughout our rooms. There is a way around, but you will not fit. Perhaps him," the kobold points a finger to Shiny, "but not the rest of you. And yes the door is safe to open. Pull the lever."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Taking a deep breath, Natalia pulls the lever and opens the door. It's a relief, not having to worry about traps like this, especially when she failed so massively just moments ago. Moments...How many before the spell ends and she's on her own again? Natalia looks at Shiny and asks, "Tick tock?"

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - Third Room

The door slowly rolls down. This time, it reveals a small room. Directly in front of you is a stone wheel, painted blue. The wheel has grooves to aid in turning parallel to the wall. To the right of the wheel, a five-foot section of the floor is a dark blue stone. This section of flooring has a peculiar design. An intricate design of a squid is emblazoned on the dark blue. Near the wall, there is a half-foot section missing from the floor. The design of the squid and the markings around it seem to indicate the section missing from the floor was intended, or at least that it was missing when the design was created. To the left of the wheel is another stone door, identical to the last two.

At the back of the pack, Mithril and Miriam leap across the pit trap.

Spoiler

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[Cavelcade]

Kurt looks around curiously, waiting for Natalia to check if there's any traps - or for their new friend to tell them. He's guessing they're going to have to swim though, looking at the squid and the bit missing, it all just makes him a bit nervous.