Sunless Citadel (IC)

[Gorgon_Heap]

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Ok. I'm sure the DM is going to block me here, if for no other reason but taking more than one round to do this, but as the only other option seems to be killing one or both of these NPCs, I'm going to go for a grand gesture and probably get killed, but at least it's in character and better than staring at a door.

Abashed at Serra's shared frustration, Oren thumps the door with her toe and turns back toward the hallway. What kind of mythical godlike creature doesn't speak common? Stupid dragon.

She brushes past Serra, bluntly saying, "Translate for me." She steps next to Emlyn and hunches just enough to look the little dragon in the eyes, only a foot away. Empty hands held up in front of her, she tries to look at non-threatening as possible. "Hey," she says firmly but in a contrite tone, "There are other things here for us to fight. Do you wanna kill one kobold in revenge, or help out and piss them all off by leaving this place with us?

"Just put up with that guy," she says, pointing down the hall, "and I promise by the Silver Flame I'll get you out of here.

"If I get out of here," she mutters.

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Diplomacy + Action point

(1d20+6)[11] + (1d6)[3]

[Jopustopin]

As the sounds of Fix and Meepo's departure grow quieter Emlyn quickly releases the white dragon in a way that clearly shows to the creature that he was subdued, again, and is being released.

The white dragon, although severely beaten at this point, reacts quickly whipping his head around leaving a trail of cool white frost in the air, and for half a second he looks like he's going to blast the half-elf with his breath weapon. But the rage leaves his eyes when he see's how outnumbered he is and the look on his face is replaced with a passive aggression. He's clearly upset at the way he's been treated. Oren the look on the small dragon's face seems to be wounded pride. You've humiliated him and he doesn't appear pleased with his situation.

He sits there in silence thinking on Oren's words translated to him by Serra. He holds him self up low and he avoids eye contact as he speaks in slow carefully chosen draconic, "Si surrender. svabol tir wux tuor de ve."

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I surrender. What do you want from me.

[King Tius]

Sojan squats down to look the dragon in the eyes more easily. "We want your help. I need to find my kin and they're somewhere down here. If we need to kill every Goblin and Kobold down here, so be it, but this one" he points at Meepo "has earned our trust and saved our lives. If you give him the chance, I think he will help you too, all previous aggressiveness aside. Will you assist us in clearing this place? I promise if you help us we'll help you find your freedom."

Diplomacy: (1d20+9)[17]

[Jopustopin]

The dragon looks between Serra and Sojan as she translates Sojan's words. His bloodied and smashed face has reveals a bruised face and the scar given to him by Meepo has re-opened and bleeds slowly. He's beat up and saddened but all signs of anger seem to have dissipated from his face.


"Tyyra'liyehu ziunchch niichba wunraty ziehuhuunyhu Sojan'x pohuydrniihumy; gounchch kypochunramy.. lieanpoi gounchch goypoychtymy? Un raydr nionhudr Liiibay... drytyean." His eyes seem to squint as if thinking hard before he says the last word. The dragon cracks a smile at his comment.

Draconic

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"Don'moar will help find warrior Sojan's brothers; kill goblins.. maybe kill kobolds? I not hurt Meepo... today."

Clarity

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Meepo and Fix have departed the area.

[King Tius]

Sojan smiles and offers his hand to the dragon, not particularly caring if the dragon understands the gesture or not.

"Put her there, little guy. If you want to go after the kobolds once we find my kin I'll be happy to help. Warrior Sojan, I like the sound of that."

He gets up and dusts himself off. "Let's go talk to Meepo and make sure he's on board as well. The sooner we clear up this blood feud the sooner we can get back to our task."

Sojan will head out of the room to talk to Fix. "Alright my little friend, we've convinced the dragon to work with us and to try not to kill you. Can you promise to do the same? I won't lie, he wants to kill your clan, but for now we can focus on these goblins. What say you, Meeps?"

[Gorgon_Heap]

Oren silently watched Sojan recede down the hall and then turns back to he dragon thoughtfully. She slowly and gently cleans the creature's wound, murmuring prayers as she does so.

She waits for a plan to come together.

[RaggedAngel]

Fix touches Sojan's shoulder, getting his attention for a moment. Her face shows concern. "I believe Meepo should stay behind, if we can convince him. He is brave, and has some magical power, but he has nearly died twice in the past day, and he has come to harm many more times than that. I am picking up on Draconic as best I can, but I still cannot properly talk to him to explain why his remaining is a good idea. It is frustrating, Sojan."

[King Tius]

Sojan can't help but smile at Fix. "Easy there, Mother Hen. We've all come a bit too close to death down here. We'll give him the option but if he wants to come with us I won't turn him down. There's fight in him, even for a Kobold, and I admire him for that."

I am assuming that Serra is willing to join Sojan and help translate, so my previous post doesn't make much sense if that isn't the case....

[RaggedAngel]

Fix frowns at Sojan, but she doesn't respond, instead looking to Meepo. She does, in fact, look rather concerned for his well-being.

[Goldfly]

Emlyn frowns as he watches the dragon, playing with one of his slightly-pointed ears absent-mindedly. After a moment, he looks over at Serra. "Serra? Do you think you could... apologize to him for me? I feel bad for needing to wrestle with him."

[Gorgon_Heap]

"Emlyn," Oren says with simmering annoyance, "we already talked the thing down. Apologize and you just make us look weak. We have to be strong to get through this and if ... it thinks we're not why in Dolurrh would it help us?"

[Jopustopin]

Serra, Fix, Meepo, Sojan

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While Sojan and Fix are speaking Meepo seems to fix Serra with a cold stare that seems to unnerve Serra. Clearing her throat she responds awkwardly to Sojan, "Meepo isn't here to help us on our quest remember? I doubt this is going to work, before he left he told the queen that he would find the dragon and bring it back or die trying. Nothing about that tells me that he'll continue along with us on our journey."

*Serra has not translated anything yet to Meepo.

Don'Moar, Oren, Emlyn, Sir Erky

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The dragon lets Oren clean his wounds although he watches her with a wary eye.

Sir Erky says, "It's the weak who are the cruelest because it take strength to do the right thing in the face of adversity." Erky shrugs and continues, "How old do you guys think this dragon is? It's amazing that he is so capable at such a young age. His breath weapon will come in handy if we have to fight an army in a small corridor. We'll just have to protect him; he's weak in a close fight."

[King Tius]

Sojan frowns as he looks at the kobold, cupping his chin and rubbing the stubble on his face. "As much as I like him, we've got bigger fish to fry. We'll string him along as long as we can and when the time comes he'll just have to deal with it. Serra, mind translating this bit for me?"

"Meepo, this dragon is going to help us kill the rest of the goblins. Once we've taken care of them, we'll bring the dragon back to your tribe. You can either come with us or wait in the forge room until we've killed the rest of them. If you come with us, you can't give the dragon any trouble or it won't help us and we'll just have to tie it up. Carrying the dragon around is going to be a pain and it will be more useful to us if it is fighting. I promise nothing bad will happen to it."

Bluff Check: (1d20+10)[29]

[Great Reverend]

... "Serra? Do you think you could... apologize to him for me? I feel bad for needing to wrestle with him."

"Emlyn ... [an apology would] just make us look weak. We have to be strong to get through this and if ... it thinks we're not, why in Dolurrh would it help us?"

Serra stands up from kneeling near the dragon and dusts off her legs. "I think Oren's right. Best to save apologies for when we finally part ways."

"Alright my little friend, we've convinced the dragon to work with us and to try not to kill you. Can you promise to do the same? I won't lie, he wants to kill your clan, but for now we can focus on these goblins. What say you, Meeps?"

Serra does not translate, but instead says to Sojan:

"Meepo isn't here to help us on our quest remember? I doubt this is going to work, before he left he told the queen that he would find the dragon and bring it back or die trying. Nothing about that tells me that he'll continue along with us on our journey."

"Meepo, this dragon is going to help us kill the rest of the goblins. Once we've taken care of them, we'll bring the dragon back to your tribe. You can either come with us or wait in the forge room until we've killed the rest of them. If you come with us, you can't give the dragon any trouble or it won't help us and we'll just have to tie it up. Carrying the dragon around is going to be a pain and it will be more useful to us if it is fighting. I promise nothing bad will happen to it."[/COLOR]
Bluff Check: [roll0]

Serra translates for Meepo into Draconic. "Zii niefii e bahuypochili. Ihuli, anyonhu tyhuekyra unmy fiihuan etyibadr edr wunknidrunrak lieraan wyimy, myy chyrak emy drniian tyyra'dr kidr e rayymyi ehuyonraty niunmy lionjijichi. Nii ifiira ywwihuity dry niichba onmy wunraty yonhu liunmymyunrak baiybachi unw zii chidr niunli gounchch kypochunramy; ziniunstni, nii myiilimy xonundri stebaepochi yw gounchchunrak lieraan unw zii liegoi myonhui drniian tyyra'dr... lionjijichi niunli. Zii stera'dr niefii anyon eraty nii drhuanunrak dry gounchch iestni ydrniihu drnii ziniychi drunlii yhu ichmyi ray yrai kidrmy ziniedr drniian zieradr. Myy, tyy anyon zieradr dry stylii echyrak ziundrni onmy dry liegoi myonhui yonhu iraty yw drnii poehukeunra unmy stylibachidrity? Anyon'chch niefii dry raydr poiedr Don'm...Calcryx tyonhuunrak drniunmy baehudr yw drnii liunmymyunyra. Yhu, anyon stera mydrean niihui onradrunch zii stylibachidri drnii xonimydr. Un tyyra'dr drniunrago dranunrak onba drnii tyhuekyra eraty tyhuekkunrak niunli ziundrni onmy unmy kyunrak dry liegoi yonhu viypo eraan iemyunihu. Eraty, zii stera'dr niefii niunli tyyunrak drnii myelii drniunrak dry anyon, iundrniihu."

Draconic Translation:

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Serra translates for Meepo into Draconic. "We have a problem. Erm, your dragon is very adept at fighting many foes, so long as they don't get a noose around his muzzle. He even offered to help us find our missing people if we let him kill goblins; which, he seems quite capable of killing many if we make sure they don't... muzzle him. We can't have you and he trying to kill each other the whole time or else no one gets what they want. So, do you want to come along with us to make sure our end of the bargain is completed? You'll have to not beat Don'm...Calcryx during this part of the mission. Or, you can stay here until we complete the quest. I don't think tying up the dragon and dragging him with us is going to make our job any easier. And, we can't have him doing the same thing to you, either."

[RaggedAngel]

Praise Krom, we can get rollin'.

[Jopustopin]

Serra begins speaking quickly to Meepo in draconic and the it's unclean whether the tension in the room clears up or not. Meepo's face doesn't give out much other than the occasional eye blink. When Serra finishes speaking Meepo replies back to her in draconic, "Un zieundr niihui eraty niybai ziehuli poytyunimy huidronhura stchera'my tyhuekyra ziniira tyyrai onmyunrak undr."

[Gorgon_Heap]

Oren tries, unsuccessfully, to appear completely calm as the back and forth continues with Serra at the center. She bites her lip and taps her foot and generally fidgets as she listens to the woman and two lizards negotiate in their strange tongue.

She gives the dragon a weak, momentary smile and says quietly to Emlyn, "So I guess this is what politics is like in the Five Nations. Everyone hating each other working together and pretending they don't. No wonder the place is so corrupt.

It's a lot easier to tell the winner of a knife fight." She appears thoughtful and somber as she awaits a resolution.

[Great Reverend]

Serra's face looked stern, but pleased and gave Meepo a nod, "Very well." She then motioned to Sojan that it was time to leave. "Meepo said that he'd stay in the forge room and wait for us to return... hopefully alive, with the clan's dragon when we're done using it."

She waited until she was clear of Meepo's earshot before continuing. "I get the feeling he doesn't expect us to live. And, that he only wants us for help getting the dragon." She looked right in Sojan's eyes. "He's not going to just wait in the room. We should expect much resistance."

[King Tius]

Sojan looks at Serra before glancing at Meepo. "Should we tie him up? If he does run and tell his tribe, well, we'll have to deal with that when we get there. I wonder if we could jam the mechanism to keep him locked in there. Fix, do you think it could be done?"

[Goldfly]

Emlyn nods at Oren, watching the conversation take place. "It has been for some time. Ideally, we could get to a point the Nations could join together without such troublesome politics."

[Gorgon_Heap]

The priestess sniffs. "An' I'm a mermaid."

[RaggedAngel]

Fix inspects the doors for a moment or two before shaking her head softly. "If it is doable, it is beyond my ability. I could try, but it would take a good deal of time, and these doors were made by an artificer with far more than my level of ability. I doubt I could jam them in a way that didn't make them extremely hard to reopen."

[Jopustopin]

When Fix begins to inspect the door Meepo's eyes suddenly begin to dart back and forth between her and Serra.

[King Tius]

Sojan is growing increasingly frustrated. "Fine, tell Meepo to wait in here while we go kill the goblins. If he goes and gets his tribe we'll just kill them, too. It's time to get a move on."

[RaggedAngel]

Fix crosses her arms, her stone and metal brow knitting for a moment in thought. Finally, she sighs, despite her lack of lungs. "I dislike the idea, but Sojan is right. We made a contract, and we need to fulfill it. Not to mention the fact that those humans should not be left with the goblins any longer than possible; and if we are going to find nothing but remains, I have no qualms with wiping out the aggressors. They have displayed both violence and a lack of willingness to parley; there is no moral quandary there.

Fighting Meepo's people is more distasteful, but again I must agree with Sojan; if we are put in the situation where we much pick sides, I will always choose to defend myself and my allies. I will not attack them, but I will defend myself with lethal force if necessary. If Meepo will not aid us, he needs to stay out of our way."

[Jopustopin]

With some hesitation the group gives Meepo one last look before moving out. The small guy who you all have grown so close to's face is unreadable and it's not known what he plans on doing. You all leave him in the blue glow of the forge room and press on down the hall, stepping over a dire rat's corpse, through the room with caltrops strewn about and step casually over the crenellations.

As you approach the target practice room the sound of Erky talking can be heard and as you step over the second crenellations you can tell that he's speaking as if to a child, stories of the silver flame and the heroes of Thrane.

"... then Tira Miron, a paladin most pure of heart, joined with the Flame. Only then could we hear the good and true words spoken to us mortals." Sir Erky could be heard saying.

It was clear that the sound of armor approaching ended his story early and as you rounded the corner the small weary gnome slowly stood back up.

The badly bruised and terribly scarred white dragon looked carefully at each one of you and looked beyond as if expecting to see the small kobold. When it became apparent that the small kobold was not coming he seemed to relax slightly.

"The young dragon has experienced nothing but horror since he was born. And as we fight the depraved I fear that he will continue to experience nothing but fighting and bloodshed. Still, his breath weapon is much like a silver flame. I take it as a sign that he was meant to fight along side us." Sir Erky said calmly.

"When we fight the tribe, hold. Let the dragon get a shot with his breath weapon before rushing to meet your opponent. I believe he cannot use his breath weapon again immediately. Once engaged in melee his opportunities to assist us will be limited so let him get that first shot." Sir Erky explained. His voice was always calm and firm and it's clear to you that he has a confident and firm grasp on commanding troops into battle.

Area Map

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[RaggedAngel]

Fix runs through her supplies as the group makes its way back to Sir Erky and the dragon, both to ensure that her mental tally is accurate and to keep her mind off of Meepo and his potential betrayal. She puts away her used scroll-paper, saving the raw material to be reused later.

"Alright, I have remaining to me two flasks of acid, a single infusion, and scrolls of Entangle, Obscuring Mist, Feather Fall, Knock, Endure Elements, Bless Weapon, Lessor Vigor, and Invisibility." She lists the spells off without any particular inflection, though her mind is clearly running over the options.

"Of that list, only Obscuring Mist, Bless Weapon, Lesser Vigor, and Invisibility will be of any use in a fight. Entangle can be a very powerful spell, but there is no foliage here to make use of; if only there were weeds amongst the stone, I could hold down a large number of goblins.

The Invisibility spell will last about a minute or so, but it will vanish as soon as the target makes an aggressive or offensive action, including the casting of a dangerous spell or using a breath weapon. It would, however, grant the attacker a large measure of surprise, and potentially superior positioning that could not otherwise be achieved.

The Bless Weapon spell is mostly useful against demonic or diabolic creatures, not goblins, but it would grant the wielder of the blessed weapon an edge against any magical foes that are objectively morally evil. It only works on melee weapons.

Obscuring Mist will work best to cover a retreat. I hope it is not required. Lessor Vigor is a healing spell, obviously, and I will save it for the end of the fight. I will use my last infusion to make my crossbow Goblinbane, which will hopefully be the best course of action. It will, however, mean that I will need to focus on goblinoid foes, and that I will be taking a ranged role in this upcoming fight.

Sojan will receive the Bless Weapon spell, unless anyone objects, and I believe that our new draconic ally would benefit most from the Invisibility spell, if he so consents. Serra, would you mind translating my intention to make him invisible, and the fact that it would only afford him a single unhindered attack?"

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Hot-diggity-damn did I miss being verbose. I've really missed Fix.

[King Tius]

Sojan nods respectfully towards Ser Erky. Truth be told, he thought the man was more than a little strange at first, but much like the other two small-sized add-ons to the party, he was beginning to grow on the Deneith mercenary. "A solid strategy, Ser. From the way you talk it sounds like you've seen your fair share of fighting. When we're out of this rat-infested maze I'd love to buy you a drink and pull a few yarns out of you."

Turning to his mechanical bride-to-be, Sojan gives Fix a pat on the shoulder and a wink. "Works for me. You may want to hang on to that invisibility spell, just in case. If we run into another sticky spot like with those skeletons a few moments of invisibility could help turn the tide back in our favor."

Sojan strides forward to F8 and bows slightly, pointing his arms towards the door at F 9/10 and looking at the psycrystal. "After you, I insist."

[Gorgon_Heap]

For a moment Oren pauses in concern as the gnome seems to talk to himself and wonders if he's gone stir crazy. When he stands and the tiny lizard come into view, she wonders if he's gone just plain crazy.

Well, he's not new to the faith - maybe he feels word of the Flame transcends language. She wasn't about to discount the possibility, but now was not the time for philosophising.

She watches the ever-polite Sojan usher the strange little crystal creature into the next room and gets Fix's attention. "Acid flasks? Somethin' to keep in mind - I've seen boarders tie'em to arrows and bolts and shoot'em into the masts. It cuts the lines without setting fire to the whole ship. Just a ... tactical thought for you."

She shrugs and walks on.

[Jopustopin]

Sir Erky smiles at Sojan before speaking, "I think I've forgotten what wine taste like." His smile slowley fades away before he walks over to a broken bench where an ancient, burned, crumbling parchment lays delicately on top. Next to it is a unsealed scroll case carved of bone carrying an inscription. "I began searching the room but Don'Moar took some... offense to my actions. Any idea what the scroll says?" He says to Serra.