Kingmaker Chapter I: Stolen Lands (ChaosLord29)

[DaedalusMkV]

Tharas closes his eyes for a moment, thinking. "Kobolds. Hmm. I've encountered them before; stubborn and clever, but weak. They mostly fight for territory with the Goblin runts, rarely bother surface-dwellers." He considers Talo's proposal for a moment. "Possible, but dangerous. Kobolds may seem cowardly, but I've seen them fight to the death more than once when pressed. They certainly never seemed inclined to surrender to my people." He watches the reptillian figures intently. "I have no preference. Attack or let them be, I will support either decision."

[Moranica]

Renna seems annoyed at the sight of the kobolds. She grumbles something about the little creatures, which isn't very flattering.

"These must be the things, the birds told me about. Their upsetting the balance locally, but I doubt theirs a whole clan nearby. .... I could try and talk them, charm their leader and they might help us. Then again, it's a tricky bit of business which would give away our moment of surprise."

"... and should the need arise, I'll create a dense fog to lose them in. We've just started on our journey, and should avoid any harm."

[King Tius]

Sprig stands ready to throw. "Go and talk to them if you want. If things go south, run back to us and I'll cover your retreat. We can lure them into an ambush! It will be....fascinating."

[Down Comforter]

Kit adjusts her armor and steps forward, "I'll go have a word with them, though if you four wouldn't mind covering me from the cover of the wood. I'm sure I can keep out of trouble, but I wouldn't mind somewhere to run." She winks at Sprig, "especially from your bombs little bright-hair."

With that, she loops her strung bow under her arm and starts towards the lizards.

[Moranica]

Renna covers her eyes as Kit starts out towards the kobolds.

Didn't he hear me? Well, this can only go wrong or worse.....

She waits and gets ready to hex them.

[Sriseru]

Rashka nods. "I agree, they could be of use to us. But if things turn out for the worse, I won't hesitate to end them."

She waits and watches Kit.

[ChaosLord29]

As Kit makes her way towards the reptilian creatures, bow unslung, she can make out that they seem to be in a fine mood, which at least bodes well. You can also make out more clearly the bundles they have under their arms which appear to be full of some sort of leafy fruit or vegetable. Suddenly, they all go quite silent as Kit steps into view in front of them, the kobolds hold in place staring out at the paladin clutching tightly at their spears and baskets.

Renna & Sprig

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The two of you can make out the Kobold's Draconic dialect and that they appear to be talking about delicious treats or tasties of some kind, which would be what they are carrying under their arms.

[Down Comforter]

Kit raises a hand in greeting and tries to act non-threatening. She raises her holy symbol, she greets them in common, trying dwarven, elven, or orcish of that doesn't work. "Hello to you, I'm a traveller in these parts and I was hoping for your assistance. Do you know much about this area?" She keeps her distance from the group of lizard-folk.

Diplomacy

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(1d20+7)[27]

[ChaosLord29]

The kobolds stop dead in their tracks, nearly stumbling over one another as Kit appears along the trail, apparently too involved in their own revelry to notice or expect anything along the way. Tripping and toppling over one another, they fumble between trying to recover the baskets they have dropped and clutching at weapons, which is likely what gives Kit time to make her overtures. While some of the kobolds are still trying to extricate themselves, the one at the head of the column perks up his eyes and arches his brow, apparently understanding enough common for Kit to get through to him.

He barks out in raspy draconic at the others to be quiet as he rises, spear in hand, edging closer to the paladin. "Traveler, yes? Not hunter, not trapper? Not here for radishes?" he takes a moment to point towards the bushels of baskets and sure enough, Kit can plainly see them to be stacked full of spicy radishes. Apparently the kobolds have been gorging themselves on the tasty treats as the leader's breath is ripe with them even from this distance.

[Down Comforter]

"Not hunter, not trapper. Not here for radishes," she says with a smile. "You look like a knowledgeable, wise sort. I've heard that there is a camp of humans or others like them around here other than the the fort. Would you tell me about them? They seem the type that might want to steal your radishes and I wouldn't want that to happen to good types like yourself."

[ChaosLord29]

The various kobolds look and chatter amongst themselves for a moment before the leader looks pointedly at Kit and hefts his spear while munching on a radish, seemingly mulling it all over in his mind. "Humans not problem. Humans not dare challenge Sootscale tribe!" The others take a moment to give a murmur of agreement, spewing out chunks of radish in a slightly muffled cheer. "Mites are problem, they no end of problems!" Again rhubarb of assent is heard.

[King Tius]

Sprig watches (and waits) intently, bomb at the ready.

[Down Comforter]

"I'm sure the might of the Sootscales is known far and wide, but surely you could tell me about these humans around here. The bandits who attack others? I would hear more about these horrible little mites too if it pleases you."

[ChaosLord29]

The little Kobold proceed to tell Kit (through occasional bites of radish) all about the various hunters and trappers that the mighty Sootscale tribe has scared off or seized furs and goods from, with no small amount of embellishment. He also spends a good long time enumerating the evils of the mites who live in the giant old Sycamore tree far too the west of here, but it isn't until pressed that he mentions anything about 'Stagbandits'.

"Stagbandits too scare of Sootscales to move against us" he reports, "They keep to themselves or bother other puny humans they have camp not too far from here, maybe day's travel thattaway . . . " He indicates a southward direction. "Not too big though, dozen humans at most. No match for Sootscale tribe! . . . if not for Mite problem . . ."

[Down Comforter]

"Tell you what. I would help the mighty Sootscale tribe with their mite problem if the would help me out later, especially with these Stagbandits that you've frightened away. Sound like a good idea?"

[ChaosLord29]

The Sootscale kobold mulls the offer over for a moment, casually munching on a radish as if it's helping the tins cogs in his head to turn. "Deal!" He exclaims, before handing Kit a radish, apparently as a token of their new accord. "You go to sootscale lair, look for me their, or say Nakpik sent you." He marks down on your map the location of the tribe's home apparently some ways to the south of where you are now, and on the western side of the Greenbelt. Nakpik indicates the caverns to be an old mine of some kind, nearby the Shrike river. He advises however agaisnt heading straight there, as the Old Sycamore which the Mites inhabit lies directly in the way, and instead indicates a roundabout route following the Thorn River.

The Sootscale's Caverns looks to be at least three or four days travel from your current location, generally follows the same trail the Bandits seemed to be taking towards the Thorn River.

[Down Comforter]

"Thank you for the gift, I will see you again when your mites are taken care of. Travel well." With that, Kit turns back up the path towards the concealed party, map in hand.

[DaedalusMkV]

Tharas watches the exchange with blatant bemusement written on his posture and what little of his face is visible. He can't help but whisper commentary to the others hanging back from the discussion. "Hngrk. From a war of the radishes to alliance with the cave-lizards against ugly little fairies. It seems our grand Non-priest Kit has chosen to involve us in small troubles." He chuckles for a moment. "Well, allies are better than enemies and I came well-prepared to kill fairies." He raises his voice from its usual quiet gravelly timbre to a louder rasp. "Have you concluded your negotiations, then, Not-Priest Kit? The more ground we cover today, the easier it will be to follow the bandits' trail."

[Down Comforter]

"Aye. If we kill these wee mites for them, some kind of fae, then they will help us with the bandits in the area." She unrolls her map and indicates the location marked, "It seems this is where the little kobolds lair, two or three days south, with the mites located in an old sycamore between here and there. He also mentioned that the bandits we are after are located about a days travel to the southwest."

With that, she rolls up her map and nods to the scouts, "You're our eyes and ears out here, let's get going."

[Moranica]

Renna rubs her eyes a bit in disbelief. Before standing up and approaches Kit.

"Wow, I'm impressed. I sure am glad you stepped in to do the talking. That could have gone worse in so many ways. You can do all the talking from now on." Renna says with a smile.

"You do know what mites are, do you? I've never heard of them, but if it's a problem for a kobold tribe..... I've heard such tribes can number anywhere from ten to several hundred.... Still, it's nice to have cease-fire with them until they realise we're not taking care of the mites."

[ChaosLord29]

Following Kit's negotiation with the Kobolds of the Sootscale tribe, the evening has deepened into night and the strain of the days march through the wilderness has begun to be felt by the group assembled. Their is a nearby glade which should make for a decent campsite, but it lies somewhat off the trail beaten by the bandits, a trail that grows colder with every hour.

The Kobold's best description of the locations of their home and the Mites nest however does give you the ability to place some new markers on your map, from what you can tell, they seem only another days journey or so, and along the same path indicated by the bandits trail.

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[Moranica]

Renna stands there, looking at the others. Hands on her sides and elbows out.

"So, what's the plan. Want to go mite hunting, or do we move straight for the bandits. If we move on the bandits now, we still have the element of surprise, while if we kill the mites first, we'll have kobold allies. Or might have...

I say we move straight for the bandits. I'm sure there is more work to do here, and surprise beats unruly allies by a long shot, in my book anyway."

[Down Comforter]

"I agree that haste is needed, but it might be best to deal with the mites first. They're a threat to everyone in the region if they can worry a kobold tribe and it's along the route we are following towards the bandits. I'd rather surprise the mites than the bandits anyhow, fae of any sort tend to be a greater danger than most mortals."

[Sriseru]

"I agree with Kit." Rashka finally speaks up after silently observing Kit's diplomatic prowess. "In the long term it could be for the better to deal with these Mites and potentially gain some allies."

[DaedalusMkV]

Tharas stands back, watching the debate for a moment. He waits until the others are finished, his quiet rasp barely audible over the wind through the leaves. "A risk, abandoning this mission. We leave the post-keepers open to retaliation and ensure that the brigands will be actively searching for us and ready for a fight. Better to finish off a wounded enemy than give him time to recover and plan to kill you. These mites, and the little lizard-men as well, will not be nearly so active a danger." He does not hazard his own preference on the matter, seemingly content to advise of the dangers for now.

[King Tius]

Sprig Fizzlewiz

The crazy little gnome shrugs her shoulders at the conversation. "One was or another, we've got to clean this place up. The mites sound fascinating, but I don't like the idea of the bandits coming after us."

[ChaosLord29]

The Sootscales having departed, the party's discussion on how to proceed drags on into the night, and the moon rises to provide no small amount of illumination despite the canopy of trees. The starlight reveals much of the clearing in which the explorers carry on, but the shade of the foliage renders the underbrush a near impenetrable inky blackness. With no torches lit and no other sources of light, the sudden onset of rustling throughout the outlying edges of the clearing, accompanied by substantially louder and more ominous croaking noises than any normal frog has a right to make draws the attention of Rashka and Thoras as a quartet of hunched shadowy figures make their hostile intentions clear!

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Combat begins, surprise round first, check the OOC for initiative order.

The clearing is 50ft in diameter (easy ground), and you are gathered in the center approximately 25ft from the treeline and foliage (Dense Brush, bushes, the like). The game trail which lead you here and by which the kobolds left lies to the north, and another trail, presently clear heads southeast.

[DaedalusMkV]

Tharas' head snaps up at the strange croaking sound, immediately turning towards the quartet of grotesque creatures. His shout is remarkably clear, displaying little of the painful-sounding rasp you've come to expect, though it is deep and strangely inflected. "Ambush, right flank! Rally to arms!" In a smooth motion he rips one of his nasty-looking throwing disks from its loop and hurls it at one of the creatures while his other hand draws one of his shortswords from its sheath, after which he drops into a low defensive stance.

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Move action to draw a shortsword, and if the creatures are more than 20 feet away move to within 20 feet of them, Standard to throw a Shuriken. Since Tharas won initiative, they should be flat-footed.

Attack: (1d20+2)[6]
Damage: (1d2+1)[3] plus (1d6)[1] Sneak Attack

Edit: Blech, failure. Oh well.

Summary:

HP: 8/10

AC17, FF13, Touch 14
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2

[ChaosLord29]

Tharas's shurkien embeds itself in the tree trunk not far from where one of the stooped, warty creatures has emerged into the clearing, but the creature is unharmed and unphased, even as his fellow beasties encircle the right flank of the Greenland explorers. Wielding crude studded clubs of wood and bone they swing their overly long arms over their heads and croak in a most unseemly fashion, that rings in your ears and raises the hair on the back of your neck.

The monster 2nd from the right, closest to Tharas moves into melee combat with the darkly wrapped scoundrel, but the clumsy swing of his makeshift morningstar is only effective in leaving a deep imprint in the soft ground at Tharas's feat.

The monster on the far right takes a few strides towards his fellow nasty engaging Tharas, circling around to place himself between Tharas and the rest of his allies and then with a sickening swelling of it's throat, opens its mouth to let it's long, thick sticky tongue fire out with unnatural force, affixing itself to Tharas's right shoulder with a *squelch*.

The remaining two creatures charge the remaining distance towards the explorers, swinging their weapons at Rashka and Renna inflicting some heavy bruises upon the Orc and Changeling.

OOC:

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No damage for Tharas, but with the tongue affixed to you, you may not move more than 10ft from the 1st Monster, and suffer a -2 to AC.

Rashka receives 4 Damage.

Renna receives 3 Damage.

[Moranica]

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Knowledge checks on these things.
Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+5)[16]
Knowledge (Nature) (1d20+5)[24]
Knowledge (Religion) (1d20+5)[17]

Renna quickly steps back after getting hit, her furious temper lighting up behind her eyes.

"CURSE you, you little ... whatever you are called!! SLEEP!!"

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5 ft. step back and hex on the one that hit her. DC 15 will save or 1 rnd of sleep.