OOC: Since it's been over 24 hours, I'll assume that Gruun is also paying to enter. 9 silver pieces have been removed from each players inventory.
Fargim Investigation:5
"Excellent, excellent," Lek-Lek wrings his hands and motions you to follow him. Inside of the cave's entrance, the mine is massive; dozens of kobolds can be seen mining veins in the main tunnel, and you see hundreds more moving carts into offshooting tunnels while you walk with Lek-Lek, who more than fills you in on the mine's operations. Fargim examines the kobolds as you travel, but is unable to determine if any of their appearances are magical in nature.
"The first visitors, you are, since the six goblins who arrived an hour ago. Very ugly, one was. Found the dragon, we did, when something killed an orc," Lek-Lek scratches his head, as if trying to remember. "Not great with details, Lek-Lek. Anyway, dragons ourselves kobolds are, so took care of the dragon we did. Recuperating now, it is. It does not talk much, but sell him on the exhibit, I did. Dragon sits, and kobolds mine a hoard! The art of the deal, it is, and why unelected union president for life, I am. Mice on a stick?" Lek-Lek comes to a stop at a poorly built stand, where a bored kobold worker meekly offers you roasted mice on sticks.
Therien, realizing that to be a kobold is to have a peculiar-sounding name and to speak of oneself in the third person, assumes the part. After accepting the offer for some roasted mice, Therien tries out his new kobold voice. "Goblins? Glub not like them. Very poor manners they have. Glub thought only kobolds see dragon."
Hox nods, understanding the very familiar language. "Hox see...Lek-Lek part of clan? Know of Snug? Hox and Snug meet before, but Hox lose Snug. And the dragon is hurt...Is cave dragon's nest?"
Gruun is still trying to get use to not having a thick coat of fur and continues to poke and pull at the skin on his arms as they walk, barely paying attention to their surroundings.
"Goblins pay double," Lek-Lek says with another tap of his head. "Fee, it is, for being so ugly. This Snug I do not know. Many, many miners we have, you see."
The mouse meat has no real taste when Therien tries it out, but is cooked thoroughly and not entirely unpleasant.
Lek-Lek continues down the tunnel, providing even more detail. "The Union's Local 312, this is--" he is interrupted by a few kobolds within earshot who shout, "The Fightin' Owlbears!" as if on cue.
"--but actually only one of few, we are. Wanted it to seem more vast, I did, and 3, 1, and 2 are numbers most kobold's know. "The Dragon Babies" we were originally, but Owlbears Lek-Lek draws best, so changed, we did. Nobody messes with the Union. Protected are any kobolds who join. Not like those gnome-lickers from the Sword Coast. Local 213--" he is once again interrupted by some kobold miners loading a cart nearby, who shout, "The Fightin' Owlbears!"
"--moves over 14 tons of rock per tenday. Up 14 percent, is the gem collection for the dragon hoard. Brings in much needed trade goods, the dragon does; tools, rope, poisons for traps...even traded some orcs for very shiny arrows, we did. In 1476 DR, construction began. The third largest independent, evil-aligned mining operation in the North when complete, we will be. No slaves, too. Bad for business, slaves are. Attracts Reavers, slaves do. Take jobs from hard working kobolds, slaves do. Contract with goblins, drow, orcs, and lizardfolk, we do, and to some off-the-books clients we even sell. Rhymes with "penny barrows", it does. Shhh. No Longhunt orcs do we sell to though; too uptight, they are. Had a problem with bandits, we did, and so precious ruby of ours had to move from dragon's chamber to undisclosed location, it did. Don't usually keep valuables on the premises, do we; a secret vault for that, we have," he regales.
"Ah! Close enough now, we are. Important business does Lek-Lek have, and be off I must. Straight ahead from here, it is. You enjoy your view of the dragon, we hope," he bows, and turns back to the entrance, swishing his robe.
Ahead of you are two straight paths on ledges 20 feet apart, separated by a massive chasm. One is 20 feet higher than the other, and both are 20 feet wide with rickety, mismatched mining carts on rails. The ledges are crawling with close to a hundred kobold miners.
Fargim perked up at the mention of undisclosed location and secret vault. Once Lek-Lek moves away from the group and possibly around the closest corner, Fargim casts Message to him, saying "They are important, tell them more about the secret vault."
And then Mold Earth to draw the shape of the gem on the cave ceiling right above the heads of our group.
Gruun has happily been spectating the inside of the cave, feeling comfortable inside even with his shrunken stature. He peers forward trying to determine which path would have the best footing if things turn south.
Therien is mildly surprised to see such a large-scale and organized operation. Aware that his fellow spellcaster is up to something, Therien continues to munch on the roasted mice while he waits to see the effects of Fargim's trickery.
After a few seconds, Lek-Lek turns back and approaches you once more. A look of shock crosses his face as he spots the new shape cut into the stone above your heads.
"Above you there! See it, do you? Surely a sign, this is. Gifted, I am, and not the first sign this is that something special you may be. Please, continue on. Truly, at the sight of the dragon wonders await you!" he exclaims.
With that, he turns back on his heels and walks back in the direction he came.
"Surely a sign indeed,"chuckles Therien to himself. Then, discarding the stick on which the roasted mice were skewered, Therien turns and walks over the higher of the two paths that are separated by the chasm. As he walks along the ledge he does his best to examine the mining carts and kobold miners for anything that might seem out of the ordinary.
Both paths appear passable and in fact are currently being traversed by many kobold miners. Therien and Gruun note that three traps have been set along the walkway of the lower ledge, 100 feet apart. They are set off of the cart tracks, and the kobold miners walking along the ledge are simply moving around them.
Fargim is so very pleased with himself that he almost gets left behind as others move forward. For now he's following and trying to think up new tricks.
Fargim just hands over a gold piece and nods.
Just out of curiosity - do any of the other kobolds look "magical" as well? In similar ways that this group just became kobolds?
OOC: Since it's been over 24 hours, I'll assume that Gruun is also paying to enter. 9 silver pieces have been removed from each players inventory.
Fargim Investigation: 5
"Excellent, excellent," Lek-Lek wrings his hands and motions you to follow him. Inside of the cave's entrance, the mine is massive; dozens of kobolds can be seen mining veins in the main tunnel, and you see hundreds more moving carts into offshooting tunnels while you walk with Lek-Lek, who more than fills you in on the mine's operations. Fargim examines the kobolds as you travel, but is unable to determine if any of their appearances are magical in nature.
"The first visitors, you are, since the six goblins who arrived an hour ago. Very ugly, one was. Found the dragon, we did, when something killed an orc," Lek-Lek scratches his head, as if trying to remember. "Not great with details, Lek-Lek. Anyway, dragons ourselves kobolds are, so took care of the dragon we did. Recuperating now, it is. It does not talk much, but sell him on the exhibit, I did. Dragon sits, and kobolds mine a hoard! The art of the deal, it is, and why unelected union president for life, I am. Mice on a stick?" Lek-Lek comes to a stop at a poorly built stand, where a bored kobold worker meekly offers you roasted mice on sticks.
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Therien, realizing that to be a kobold is to have a peculiar-sounding name and to speak of oneself in the third person, assumes the part. After accepting the offer for some roasted mice, Therien tries out his new kobold voice. "Goblins? Glub not like them. Very poor manners they have. Glub thought only kobolds see dragon."
Hox nods, understanding the very familiar language. "Hox see...Lek-Lek part of clan? Know of Snug? Hox and Snug meet before, but Hox lose Snug. And the dragon is hurt...Is cave dragon's nest?"
Fargim has a brilliant idea of pretending to be deaf or mute or deaf-mute, he hasn't decided yet. That should be fun, right?!
He's just going to follow the others and not talk.
Gruun is still trying to get use to not having a thick coat of fur and continues to poke and pull at the skin on his arms as they walk, barely paying attention to their surroundings.
"Goblins pay double," Lek-Lek says with another tap of his head. "Fee, it is, for being so ugly. This Snug I do not know. Many, many miners we have, you see."
The mouse meat has no real taste when Therien tries it out, but is cooked thoroughly and not entirely unpleasant.
Lek-Lek continues down the tunnel, providing even more detail. "The Union's Local 312, this is--" he is interrupted by a few kobolds within earshot who shout, "The Fightin' Owlbears!" as if on cue.
"--but actually only one of few, we are. Wanted it to seem more vast, I did, and 3, 1, and 2 are numbers most kobold's know. "The Dragon Babies" we were originally, but Owlbears Lek-Lek draws best, so changed, we did. Nobody messes with the Union. Protected are any kobolds who join. Not like those gnome-lickers from the Sword Coast. Local 213--" he is once again interrupted by some kobold miners loading a cart nearby, who shout, "The Fightin' Owlbears!"
"--moves over 14 tons of rock per tenday. Up 14 percent, is the gem collection for the dragon hoard. Brings in much needed trade goods, the dragon does; tools, rope, poisons for traps...even traded some orcs for very shiny arrows, we did. In 1476 DR, construction began. The third largest independent, evil-aligned mining operation in the North when complete, we will be. No slaves, too. Bad for business, slaves are. Attracts Reavers, slaves do. Take jobs from hard working kobolds, slaves do. Contract with goblins, drow, orcs, and lizardfolk, we do, and to some off-the-books clients we even sell. Rhymes with "penny barrows", it does. Shhh. No Longhunt orcs do we sell to though; too uptight, they are. Had a problem with bandits, we did, and so precious ruby of ours had to move from dragon's chamber to undisclosed location, it did. Don't usually keep valuables on the premises, do we; a secret vault for that, we have," he regales.
"Ah! Close enough now, we are. Important business does Lek-Lek have, and be off I must. Straight ahead from here, it is. You enjoy your view of the dragon, we hope," he bows, and turns back to the entrance, swishing his robe.
Ahead of you are two straight paths on ledges 20 feet apart, separated by a massive chasm. One is 20 feet higher than the other, and both are 20 feet wide with rickety, mismatched mining carts on rails. The ledges are crawling with close to a hundred kobold miners.
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Fargim perked up at the mention of undisclosed location and secret vault. Once Lek-Lek moves away from the group and possibly around the closest corner, Fargim casts Message to him, saying "They are important, tell them more about the secret vault."
And then Mold Earth to draw the shape of the gem on the cave ceiling right above the heads of our group.
And then wait.. :)
Gruun has happily been spectating the inside of the cave, feeling comfortable inside even with his shrunken stature. He peers forward trying to determine which path would have the best footing if things turn south.
Therien is mildly surprised to see such a large-scale and organized operation. Aware that his fellow spellcaster is up to something, Therien continues to munch on the roasted mice while he waits to see the effects of Fargim's trickery.
After a few seconds, Lek-Lek turns back and approaches you once more. A look of shock crosses his face as he spots the new shape cut into the stone above your heads.
"Above you there! See it, do you? Surely a sign, this is. Gifted, I am, and not the first sign this is that something special you may be. Please, continue on. Truly, at the sight of the dragon wonders await you!" he exclaims.
With that, he turns back on his heels and walks back in the direction he came.
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"Surely a sign indeed," chuckles Therien to himself. Then, discarding the stick on which the roasted mice were skewered, Therien turns and walks over the higher of the two paths that are separated by the chasm. As he walks along the ledge he does his best to examine the mining carts and kobold miners for anything that might seem out of the ordinary.
Both paths appear passable and in fact are currently being traversed by many kobold miners. Therien and Gruun note that three traps have been set along the walkway of the lower ledge, 100 feet apart. They are set off of the cart tracks, and the kobold miners walking along the ledge are simply moving around them.
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Fargim is so very pleased with himself that he almost gets left behind as others move forward. For now he's following and trying to think up new tricks.
Noticing the traps on the lower levels, Gruun will attempt to focus on their path and try to spot any traps ahead of them.
Perception: 9
OOC: Which ledge is everybody taking, lower or higher? The traps on the lower ledge are easily avoided now that you know their location.
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Fargim is following Therien
Therien opts for the lower ledge.
I would like to stay on the top level.
Hox goes for top.