The Vystera Jewels

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia drags the first tied-up kobold over to the second one, making sure to walk only where the party and kobolds have stepped. She searches and ties up the second kobold as the first (Take 20 on search for 28), places them several feet away from each other, and steps back.

While waiting for them to come to, she inspects the spears and slings. They're obviously too small for her, something a human child would wield. The thought is disquieting.

(OOC: Natalia has the two spears and two slings. What else did she find on the three kobolds she searched?)

[Athedia]

"I will help her question them, I learned the language in my studies. But what should we ask?" Mithril looked at the two dead kobolds still collapsed on the ground. "Maybe we should move the bodies, I don't think they would be willing to talk while staring at the dead."

Mithril knelt down beside the kobold she had killed. She spoke to the body in its own tongue (OCC: Draconic)"I will remember you."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia nods and says, "Trapmaster kobolds, guarding dragon gems? Why here? And other traps?"

She closes her eyes as Mithril addresses the kobold and says, "Won't forget."

[Cavelcade]

Kurt cleans off his axe carefully, then nods once that's done, leaving the others their own time to come to terms with what they've done. He hadn't coped much better the first time the caravan he was helping to guard was attacked on the way down from the dwarven mountains and can't blame them for pale faces. He doesn't know what he could say to help either though so, instead, as soon as the suggestion is made he goes over and picks up the two dead Kobolds and carries them away.

He goes back down the tunnel to the door they came in and places their bodies down before returning to the others, careful to clean any blood off before stepping into the light.

Spoiler

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His path:
D5(Pick up Kobold)-D4-D3(Pick up Kobold)-D4-E4-F4-G4-H4-K4-L4. Returns to where he was then.

[achinca]

Miriam's face is somber. "It is their first kill. Poor girls. They do not know. It does not really get easier. And they do not know how much it hurts when you lose on of yours ....."

A tear appears on her left cheek. She wipes it away and in a voice that she wants strong but is still broken, she says "Ask them what are they protecting? what is on the other side? Why did they attack us?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia gives Miriam a curious look, but doesn't say anything other then, "Yes." She leans in to Mithril and says, "Help. Not good at..."

While waiting for the kobolds to wake up, Natalia waves over Shiny and shows him the spears and slings with an inquiring look.

(OOC: Other than the spears and slings, were the kobolds carrying anything on them that could be found with a DC 28 search?)

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - First Room

Nothing is found on kobolds aside from their weapons, dirty, brown and red armor, and a small copper necklace around Kobold Red 2. There appears to have been a jewel in the center of the necklace, but it has been pried out.

As the party looks around the room without the stress of combat, they notice a stone lever, similar to the one they pulled with a rope earlier, on the wall behind them (in square E6).

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Don't touch," Natalia says to Shiny before looking back at the copper necklace with a frown. There's too much to think about, so she verbalizes her tumultuous thoughts, muttering, "Dragon gems, gemless necklace, kobolds in Aquatos Shrine, kobolds speak Draconic..."

When the kobolds wake up, Natalia says to them, in Draconic, "Trapmaster kobolds, here. Why?"

[achinca]

While Natalia speaks with the kobolds, Miriam approaches Shiny and whispers in his ear "Dear Shark Master, Halfling Lawyer and overall ruler of your universe, I think that once our new friends are done gathering information, you should pull that lever. I would like to see their reaction. They have to learn to be cautious but not to be afraid of everything."

She waits for the gnome reply as she thinks "Calric, am I doing it right? Are you proud of me? Is it my time to rejoin you?"

[Athedia]

Mithril looked at the at the necklace to see if she she recognized the design (Knowledge (History) (1d20+4)[20]).

When the kobolds wake up she asks them in Draconic "Do you know the this place well?"

[Admiral]

While Natalia speaks with the kobolds, Miriam approaches Shiny and whispers in his ear "Dear Shark Master, Halfling Lawyer and overall ruler of your universe, I think that once our new friends are done gathering information, you should pull that lever. I would like to see their reaction. They have to learn to be cautious but not to be afraid of everything."
[/COLOR]"

Shiny looks offended. "Why would I do such a thing? Would it not betray our new teammates' trust?"

Actually, Shiny had been about to pull the lever, but it's against his nature to do what's expected of him.

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - First Room

The copper necklace does not bring anything historic to Mithril's mind. It is devoid of designs or words, and the only markings appear to be random scratches. If it's a language, it's none she's ever seen.

Natalia sits patiently in front of the two kobolds until they wake. After about a minute, on slowly begins to come from its slumber. It wakes peacefully. The scaly kobold goes to stretch its arms, but finds itself tied by a rope and goes into a panic. Its partner is awoken in the struggle and wakes as well. The two shriek and wiggle in their bindings. They finally realize their captivity and yield their fight.

The two kobolds speak in draconic. Their voices sounds like their cries - high-pitched, sharp yipping.
"We're always here! Many of us, our brothers and sisters!"
"This is our home! We live in the walls and bathe in the waters of our gods!"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia blinks in confusion. "How many? How long? ...What gods?" She points to the pressure plate and lever. "Made by your hands?"

At some point she leans in to Mithril and Shiny (if he's also participating in the interrogation) and whispers, in Common, "Why send us here to find kobolds? Keepers of the dragon gems?"

[Admiral]

Shiny stays quiet as Natalia interrogates the kobolds. He looks oddly impassive, with none of his usual charm and enthusiasm apparent.

"Let's see what he says."

[achinca]

Miriam smiles at Shiny.

"I forgot, you are Shiny Trustworthy, Halfling Lawyer!"

She shakes her head and wait for the questioning to be done.

She kneels, closes her eyes and starts praying.

[Hefty Lefty]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - First Room

The kobolds growl in return. "Many years of nests. None can count my brothers and sisters in this temple of ours. You'd best leave now before-"
Its companion interrupts, "What gods? What gods!?" The two howl in laughter before the second reptilian spits on Natalia. It lands just below her eye. Its very warm. "You idiot!"
"You fool!"
"The gods give us the sun and the rain!"
"The grass and the air!"
"Do you not know these things!?"
The pair erupts in cackling, abrasive laughter once again.

[Admiral]

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - First Room

The kobolds growl in return. "Many years of nests. None can count my brothers and sisters in this temple of ours. You'd best leave now before-"
Its companion interrupts, "What gods? What gods!?" The two howl in laughter before the second reptilian spits on Natalia. It lands just below her eye. Its very warm. "You idiot!"
"You fool!"
"The gods give us the sun and the rain!"
"The grass and the air!"
"Do you not know these things!?"
The pair erupts in cackling, abrasive laughter once again.

Shiny's eyes flash with fury upon hearing this. He turns toward the others and says in a low voice, in Common, "No one talks to our people that way."

He takes a knee next to the kobolds. His face bears no similarity to the charming, carefree Shiny the party usually sees. Instead, he displays an unusual intensity. "My name is Shiny Darkmind," he says gravely to the kobolds. "I am a torturer and executioner."

"You may recognize me as the one who put you to sleep during the battle. You may think that was an act of mercy. Let me assure you that is not the case. The dwarf's blade and human's magic, the actions that killed your friends- that was mercy. I kept you alive for my own purposes.

"I practice the darkest forms of enchantment and mind-controlling magic. This kind of magic could leave you trapped in a personal Hell of eternal torment. The kind of magic that could make your forget your entire identity and leave you living the rest of your life like an animal in the wilderness."

"So when my kind friend asks you questions... you answer them. Or I get to work.

Spoiler

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Bluff check: [roll0]
Intimidate check: [roll1]

I think Shiny deserves a circumstance bonus on the Intimidate check since they have the kobolds tied up (and Shiny was the one who put them that way). He might even deserve a circumstance bonus on the Bluff check since he's so accustomed to telling stories about himself, but I'll leave that to your judgment.

[Admiral]

Spoiler

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Bluff and Intimidate check didn't register in the last post, so here they are:

Bluff: (1d20+7)[24]
Intimidate: (1d20+3)[9]

ETA: Rats; I knew Shiny should have taken a few more ranks in Intimidate. (Still, the kobolds have only 1 hit dice and have -1 Wisdom, so I just have to beat a 1d20 opposed check. Perhaps the circumstance bonus could put me over the edge.)

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia flicks the spittle off her cheek and glares at the kobolds with a curled lip and narrowed eyes. She has half a mind to string the kobolds up and interrogate them while they're swinging upside down by their ankles, but her train of thought is derailed by an uncharacteristically severe Shiny.

When he finishes, the only sound Natalia can make is a sort of strangled "glrck." Nevertheless, she nods at Shiny and leans in closer to the kobolds, saying in Draconic, "You saw the axe. Gods' names? And," she points at the lever and pressure plate, "Made by your hands?"

Natalia had encountered kobolds once before, a traveling mechanic of sorts who had taught her Draconic in the first place, so she could read the blueprints of the traps and mechanisms that he had built. These kobolds are much nastier. She supposes it's to be expected, as they did kill two of their kin, but the way they treat her still leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.

[Hefty Lefty]

Spoiler

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OOC: Shiny's Intimidate check - Yes, you do receive a bonus on your check for that fine bit of roleplaying. I hate when a player's good job is ruined by a dice roll. On the same note, I hate when players say "I bluff to get past the guard" and roll a d20. What do you say??

Shrine of Aquatos - First Floor - First Room

The pair shuts up quickly. The straighten up in their bindings and their eyes spread wide.
"Gah! Yes sir!"
"Okay okay!"

Natalia resumes her questioning. A drop of water falls from the ceiling/wall corner behind the kobolds.

"Kurtulmak!"
"God of all kobolds!"
"Have mercy on us Kurtulmak!"
"Ack! Yes! Mercy!"

Natalia shakes the two back to sanity with her second question.

"Not MY hands..."
"Not mine either, no, not ours."
"But our brothers."
"Yes, we built them! To keep you out!"
"This is our place! Why do you come in here, kill our kind, and torture us for eternity?"
"What did WE do?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia bites her lip and looks down. She really doesn't have a good answer to their last two questions. She mulls over their statements to see if they're lying, though she doubts it.

Sense Motive: (d20+5)[13]

In either case she says to the kobolds, "Didn't know you were here. Answer us for safety." then calls over the rest of the group and whispers, "Why send us here?"

[Admiral]

Natalia bites her lip and looks down. She really doesn't have a good answer to their last two questions. She mulls over their statements to see if they're lying, though she doubts it.

Sense Motive: [roll0]

In either case she says to the kobolds, "Didn't know you were here. Answer us for safety." then calls over the rest of the group and whispers, "Why send us here?"

"What are you guarding?" asks Shiny, coldly.

[achinca]

When Miriam hears Shiny threatening the Kobolds, she stops her praying and rise to her feet.

She goes stand behind the kobolds looking at Shiny menacingly. She is not sure if the gnome is lying or a real psychopath but she will not take the chance.

" I will not be involved with torture or experiment. I will do all I can to prevent arms to be done to the kobolds."

She addresses Shiny "Be careful of your words little man. They might bite you back...........""

She searches her memories to see if Kurtulmak rings any bell.

Spoiler

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knowledge Religion: (1d20+1)[11]

She tells Natalia: "Tell them that we do not want them any harm. We just want to go inside to fin some information and let them be.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia frowns and nods. She spends several minutes moving her mouth silently until she finally speaks, pointing to Mithril and saying, "Broken necklace, where's the parts?" She then turns to the rest of the group and says, "Hero robbers, still robbers but also heroes. Trapmaster kobolds...Dangerous. But why here?" She points at the two bound kobolds. "Foxes lead us through the foxes' den. Carrot or stick. Freedom and safety or..." She trails off, pointing to her rapier and Kurt's axe.

Natalia hangs her head, hoping that she was able to properly tease out and communicate the chaos in her mind. It makes perfect sense to her...

[achinca]

Miriam looks deeply in Natalia's eyes "Natalia, I will never accept the killing of a bound and harmless enemy. It would be murder."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Miriam looks deeply in Natalia's eyes "Natalia, I will never accept the killing of a bound and harmless enemy. It would be murder."

Natalia nods, somehow managing to look Miriam in the eye. She doesn't feel any better about the prospect either, but... "One chance. More than they gave us...Bound foxes still bite."

[achinca]

Natalia nods, somehow managing to look Miriam in the eye. She doesn't feel any better about the prospect either, but... "One chance. More than they gave us...Bound foxes still bite."

Miriam puts her warm smile on her face. "I know Natalia. If the roles were reversed, they would not hesitate to murder us or even eat us. But that is why they are an evil race. We are good. We do protect life, even the one of evil races. If you start behaving like your enemy, you become your enemy and are not better than him. And remember that to them, we are the invaders and they are defending their home. It is not easy being good and doing the right thing every time. Trust me, I know that. But I also know that there is no otherway. "

[CoffeeIncluded]

She closes her eyes. "Not all bad...Hope they like carrots." Natalia thinks Miriam is reluctantly agreeing with her plan, but she's not quite sure.

[Admiral]

Shiny stands up and turns his back on the kobolds, a bit of his usual childish grin creeping back into his face.

"Bringing a kobold as a captive would hardly endear us to his friends," he says. "But what if we instead brought him as a willing friend and ally? I know just the spell."

[achinca]

She closes her eyes. "Not all bad...Hope they like carrots." Natalia thinks Miriam is reluctantly agreeing with her plan, but she's not quite sure.

Miriam looks at Natalia with a puzzled look on her face. "I am pretty sure that they are meat eaters, not vegetarians." She has little understanding of Natalia's plan.