Following the same methods as before, the group begin to descend once more. The hole in the building gets slowly smaller and smaller as their surroundings get darker and darker.
Ten floors lower, the draconic has quietened but the sounds of moving and cawing below does not cease. There is an abundance of moisture in the air being carried upward by the breeze that ascends through the hole and upward, it becomes apparent how and why these stalagmites have formed. Another large bird creature is propelled upward past the group, it's speed enhanced by a whoosh of air. The group see this time a glimpse of three or four kobolds on the back of the feathered creature, they escape.
Five more floors lower, the hole in the middle becomes only 20ft wide, stalagmites surrounding it have grown bigger than the ones higher up. The shuffling seems to have stopped but the bird noises persist. The group see a large disc shaped crystal plugging the hole one floor below them, it is hinged on the opposite side and a contraption of ropes and pulleys attached to it...
As the group descend to the last floor, level with the plug, they find a small encampment, mould and moss covering the corners of this large room, barrels and crates stacked up, a few lighting crystals on sticks surround a few bed rolls. On the wall a large symbolic raven has been painted using something thick and sticky which has blackened long ago. Opposite them an arch in the crystal wall betrays nothing but darkness in the other room, but from this arch the birds can be heard cawing and scuffling. "This is feeling like trap" Griff whispers.
"Cause entering the kobold and wraith infested building seemed safe?" Sam replies.
Sam isn't sure entirely what the goal here is but he does feel like Griff, that there is a trap here. Or at least a bunch of kobolds waiting to spring into action. Best then to get right to it, he figures. How best to get the kobolds to do something? Sam walks up to this plug thing, embiggens and then swings his maul at the plug hoping to shatter or dislodge it or something...
Vin lands and summons Neferox to his side, and his eyes then fix on the darkness beyond the archway. He motions towards it and Neferox pads a little closer.
"Well we were looking for a way to get to the kobolds home, and surely we can assume that is where they are going on those birds. Surely we just requisition one and be on our way?", he suggests.
Elthana looks around trying to take it all in and make sense of it all. While Sam checks out the plug, she also peeks around the arch, attempting to be quiet about it..
As soon as Muir spots the raven he walks over to it and takes a look. He wonders if this raven has to do with the Raven Queen and the souls of the dead....Upon looking at the sybol Muir raises an eyebrow and speaks to the group
"I know Sam seems intent on springing the trap so to say but does anyone here speak draconic? This symbol is a raven which we all know is the symbol of the Raven Queen..goddess of death....the one Morris works for, well embodies really with his siblings. The Raven Queen and Nectyran despise each other. It is curious that this symbol is here....perhaps these Kobolds are followers of the Raven Queen and will help us since their nemisis would be the other kobolds who worship Nectyran..."
While Sam hammers away at the crystal, Gewyn eyes the machinery connecting to the hinges, and looks for a more elegant way through the apparent trapdoor.
The others start taking a good look around the place, as Sam begins to move around the large stalagmites attempting to get a good position to strike at the plug from.
Muir lifts his torch to observe the raven marking on the wall and gives it a good sniff.
Elthana, along with Vin and Nef, creeps closer to the archway, though apparently whatever is hidden in there is obscured even by normal dark vision.
A sudden deep and sharp vibration pierces everyone's chest before they realise that their ears are ringing at the intensity of the smack that Sam delivers to the plug with his first strike, not a scratch. Sam realigns and hefts his maul above his head smacking down again as people watch and brace themselves for the impact... (22 to hit, for 22 Magical bludgeoning dam)
"Stop!" a male and aged voice rings out from the other side of the archway but it comes too late as the ringing drowns him out and this time cracks spread from the point of impact. Sam steps back reactively as a sliver of now loosened crystal is caught by the draft below and goes shooting up into the air, missing his head by a couple of inches. wind is now escaping the plug and rushing upward with a loud whooshing sound
"itheki!!... Nivara?" the voice calls out, first in a draconic tongue and obviously not directed at the party, and secondly in a exclamation of disbelief.
"amid astahi shio.
tailuen wer aesthyr!"
This second draconic shout from the man seems like more of an order, then suddenly the ringing in people's ears is replaced by the rustling of shadows, as several kobolds apparate apparently using the same method of teleportation that Elthana has the ability to employ.
Two flank Sam flying at his eye level and begin slashing at him with spears.
The first slashes out twice, (17 to hit, 7 piercing. 19 to hit, 7 piercing)
as does the second kobold, screaming as it lunges, (21 to hit, 8 piercing. 23 NAT to hit, 9 piercing).
Three kobolds, come rushing out of hiding places and swing spears in the faces of;
Elthana, (17 to hit, 6 piercing. 20 to hit 7 piercing)
Neferox (20 to hit, 9 piercing. 10 to hit, miss)
and Vin (23 NAT to hit, 10 piercing. 19 to hit, 3 piercing)
The last three, kobolds apparate to the south west of the group, apparently keeping their distances, bit these kobolds are not armed woth spears, but mage staffs. They summon chromatic bolts and send them flying off toward.
Gewyn (17 to hit, 11 lightning damage)
Muir (13 to hit, 9 fire damage)
and griff (23 to hit, 10 acid damage)
In this sudden whirlwind of a surprise attack griff gets knocked pit of the air and comes crashing down next to Sam, the Aarakocra is bloodied but still alive and ready to fight.
"HOLD or I shall finish shattering this thing!" Sam bellows out and readies another attack with his maul upon it... But holds it until any of his people are attacked again.
"Ughh" Elthana cries out as she is speared by one of the kobolds. But she too holds her hands up and looks towards the archway as that was the last place she heard it, "Wait, did you say Nivara?"
She does ready an attack if any of them attempt to hit her again.
Vin grunts in pain as the kobold appears his before, and his immediate instinct is to retaliate.
When Muir, Sam and Elthana call for hostilities to end he pauses just as he is about to release a psychic stab to the one that hit him.
Neferox either didn’t get the message or didn’t care as she bares her fangs and is about to lunge towards the one that attacked Vin, ignoring her own assailant. But she doesn’t actually lunge, remaining coiled for the moment, emitting a low growl. She looks eager to be released from whatever is holding her back.
"what is being wrong with you all? These are wretched kobolds" Griff yells out as he draws his long bow, his arrow tips dripping with the Mornlyf poison and fires at both kobolds surrounding Sam, the kobold to the north of Sam takes an arrow to the shoulder and screams out as it begins to lose colour in it's scales, uts insides writhing from the poison. The second arrow misses it's target spectacularly, getting caught in the updraft from the plug and shattering against the ceiling.
" ti majak svern, yth shilta ti hawg nomeno goawy!" Shouts the male voice from the darkness, in a grating draconic drawl, and it becomes apparent that the kobolds will not cease and are about to all attack once more.
Muir's face changes from one of peace to one of horror and panic as Griff attacks. Muir has and wants nothing to do with the politics of this realm and watching Griff strike out despite everyone's protests disappoints and fills Muir with sadness. "Stop this insanity! We need answers and discussions not death! They don't seem to be followers of Nectyran!" Seeing his words have no effect, Muir pulls his hood up and hides in plain sight. He will not let Griff die but he will not help him kill these Kobolds unless his companions are being overwhelmed. He holds his attack to see what his friends do.
Sam’s condition to act is not triggered by Griff’s betrayal of the group, so the Half-Orc’s maul trembles with strain and anticipation but does not swing…
Once a kobold does attack any but Griff, however, it is unleashed with the inevitability of Muir asking questions, swinging out unwanted and unasked for but inevitable nonetheless…
Maul Attack vs Nearest Kobold if they attack: 17 to hit for 22 bludgeoning damage…
(believe ya only get 1 held action so that’ll do it for Sam…)
Vin agrees with Muir and is not at all happy with Griff right now, but he also recognises that the kobolds are not going to stop. For all he knows they don't even understand what Muir is saying as he asks for a dialogue. He also knows he can't take many more hits. And so he releaes the psychic stab.
"I don't think they understand you, Muir"
Vin turn details in below spoiler:
Reaction: Cast Mind Sliver on kobold that attacked him. DC16 Int Save or take 7 [psychic] damage and subtract d4 from next save before end of Vin's next turn.
Neferox has no thought process beyond, it twitched, pouncing in on the kobld in front of Vin and trying to clamp her jaws down upon it.
Neferox turn details in below spoiler:
Reaction: Multiattack kobold that hit Vin Bite 1: To Hit: 10+4=14, Damage: 6+4+3=13 [piercing]. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Bite 2: To Hit: 7+4=11, Damage: 1+4+3=8 [piercing]. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
As the kobolds react to their orders, the one south of Sam lunges out at him once more. (13 to hit, miss. 19 to hit, 7 piercing)
This provokes Sam to react swinging his maul down he crushes the kobold and bloodies it in one swing.
Vin's mind sliver rips through the kobold that attacked him causing it to scream out a reptilian rattle as Neferox's bites both fail to grip the creature enough to do damage.
Both of the kobold mages to the south west of Gewyn hear his words and begin giggling uncontrollably, then they both tap their feet excitedly and run head long into eachother collapsing to the floor.
Elthana caught off guard by the voice mentioning her 'sister' does not react to anything going on around her.
Then the rest of the kobolds attack.
The kobold that Vin attacked retaliates, stabbing at him, (19 to hit, 2 piercing. 7 to hit, miss)
The second stabs at Neferox (11 to hit, miss. 8 to hit, miss)
Whilst the last kobold warrior launches its spear over at Griff (21 to hit, 2 piercing) and catches him in his bad wing.
The non giggling kobold mage mutters a spell and summons forth a fog cloud which encases Vin, Neferox and Muir specifically.
As Muir shouts out his insistence for things to stop, the male voice rings out once more, "We are not followers of Nectyran, but I believe she is. NIVARA! COME HERE!" the words laced with magic threaten to over come Elthana's senses, (cast dominate person DC 17 Wis save)
Vin ducks and is only grazed by the attacks of the kobold before the fog appears. He hears the voice ring out and notes that he was wrong, they do speak common, and they have mistaken Elthana for Nivara. His friend was in danger, they all were, and he has had enough of getting hurt.
Action: Use ring of spell storing to cast wither and bloom at 3rd level. Targeted on the point in the middle of himself, Neferox, Elthana and the three kobolds. Each kobold must make a DC16 Con Save (one with -1d4 for mind sliver) or take 11 [necrotic] damage. on save take 5 [necrotic] damage. Vin uses one hit die to heal (1+5)*2=12 hit points (doubled due to periapt of wound closure)
Neferox snarls as the fog cloud engulfs her, and bites out at where the kobold had been.
Neferox turn details in below spoiler:
Action: Multiattack kobold that hit Vin at disadvantage due to fog cloud Bite 1: To Hit: 7+4=11, (miss) Bite 2: To Hit: 8+4=12, (miss)
Elthana, almost stunned by the mention of her sisters name and the frustration that Griff continues to fight even after we call out a ceasefire... hears the words call to her and is unable to resist.
She walks steadily towards the dark archway, not looking back.
Muir hearing the voice and the man mistaking Elthana as her previous self, decides to follow the voice into the next room. He figures his friends can handle a few kobolds while he tries to sort this mess out.
Muir begins walking to the room and sees Elthana mindlessly walking towards the room. He suspects the voice has done somehting to her. He gets into the room still with his hood up hiding from whoever is there watching Elthana move toward the man. He unveils himself and casts dispel magic (19 rolled)on Elthana.
"Stop this madness....She is not who you think she is. She is Elthana, a clone of your sister, Nivara. Elthana is her own person despite what your mother and Sergor tried to make her. She does not follow Nectyran just as you do not, as I suspected. Now call of the Kobolds so we may discuss this misunderstanding. We will take care of the guard out there if he does not stop.....Now what say you? Oh where are my manners...I am Muir, a Keeper of the Woods, perhaps you have heard of us before you were stuck in this world?"
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Following the same methods as before, the group begin to descend once more. The hole in the building gets slowly smaller and smaller as their surroundings get darker and darker.
Ten floors lower, the draconic has quietened but the sounds of moving and cawing below does not cease. There is an abundance of moisture in the air being carried upward by the breeze that ascends through the hole and upward, it becomes apparent how and why these stalagmites have formed. Another large bird creature is propelled upward past the group, it's speed enhanced by a whoosh of air. The group see this time a glimpse of three or four kobolds on the back of the feathered creature, they escape.
Five more floors lower, the hole in the middle becomes only 20ft wide, stalagmites surrounding it have grown bigger than the ones higher up. The shuffling seems to have stopped but the bird noises persist. The group see a large disc shaped crystal plugging the hole one floor below them, it is hinged on the opposite side and a contraption of ropes and pulleys attached to it...
As the group descend to the last floor, level with the plug, they find a small encampment, mould and moss covering the corners of this large room, barrels and crates stacked up, a few lighting crystals on sticks surround a few bed rolls. On the wall a large symbolic raven has been painted using something thick and sticky which has blackened long ago. Opposite them an arch in the crystal wall betrays nothing but darkness in the other room, but from this arch the birds can be heard cawing and scuffling. "This is feeling like trap" Griff whispers.
All else is quiet, for now.
"Cause entering the kobold and wraith infested building seemed safe?" Sam replies.
Sam isn't sure entirely what the goal here is but he does feel like Griff, that there is a trap here. Or at least a bunch of kobolds waiting to spring into action. Best then to get right to it, he figures. How best to get the kobolds to do something? Sam walks up to this plug thing, embiggens and then swings his maul at the plug hoping to shatter or dislodge it or something...
Vin lands and summons Neferox to his side, and his eyes then fix on the darkness beyond the archway. He motions towards it and Neferox pads a little closer.
"Well we were looking for a way to get to the kobolds home, and surely we can assume that is where they are going on those birds. Surely we just requisition one and be on our way?", he suggests.
Elthana looks around trying to take it all in and make sense of it all. While Sam checks out the plug, she also peeks around the arch, attempting to be quiet about it..
As soon as Muir spots the raven he walks over to it and takes a look. He wonders if this raven has to do with the Raven Queen and the souls of the dead....Upon looking at the sybol Muir raises an eyebrow and speaks to the group
"I know Sam seems intent on springing the trap so to say but does anyone here speak draconic? This symbol is a raven which we all know is the symbol of the Raven Queen..goddess of death....the one Morris works for, well embodies really with his siblings. The Raven Queen and Nectyran despise each other. It is curious that this symbol is here....perhaps these Kobolds are followers of the Raven Queen and will help us since their nemisis would be the other kobolds who worship Nectyran..."
While Sam hammers away at the crystal, Gewyn eyes the machinery connecting to the hinges, and looks for a more elegant way through the apparent trapdoor.
Investigation: 10
The others start taking a good look around the place, as Sam begins to move around the large stalagmites attempting to get a good position to strike at the plug from.
Muir lifts his torch to observe the raven marking on the wall and gives it a good sniff.
Elthana, along with Vin and Nef, creeps closer to the archway, though apparently whatever is hidden in there is obscured even by normal dark vision.
A sudden deep and sharp vibration pierces everyone's chest before they realise that their ears are ringing at the intensity of the smack that Sam delivers to the plug with his first strike, not a scratch. Sam realigns and hefts his maul above his head smacking down again as people watch and brace themselves for the impact... (22 to hit, for 22 Magical bludgeoning dam)
"Stop!" a male and aged voice rings out from the other side of the archway but it comes too late as the ringing drowns him out and this time cracks spread from the point of impact. Sam steps back reactively as a sliver of now loosened crystal is caught by the draft below and goes shooting up into the air, missing his head by a couple of inches. wind is now escaping the plug and rushing upward with a loud whooshing sound
"itheki!!... Nivara?" the voice calls out, first in a draconic tongue and obviously not directed at the party, and secondly in a exclamation of disbelief.
"amid astahi shio.
tailuen wer aesthyr!"
This second draconic shout from the man seems like more of an order, then suddenly the ringing in people's ears is replaced by the rustling of shadows, as several kobolds apparate apparently using the same method of teleportation that Elthana has the ability to employ.
Two flank Sam flying at his eye level and begin slashing at him with spears.
The first slashes out twice, (17 to hit, 7 piercing. 19 to hit, 7 piercing)
as does the second kobold, screaming as it lunges, (21 to hit, 8 piercing. 23 NAT to hit, 9 piercing).
Three kobolds, come rushing out of hiding places and swing spears in the faces of;
Elthana, (17 to hit, 6 piercing. 20 to hit 7 piercing)
Neferox (20 to hit, 9 piercing. 10 to hit, miss)
and Vin (23 NAT to hit, 10 piercing. 19 to hit, 3 piercing)
The last three, kobolds apparate to the south west of the group, apparently keeping their distances, bit these kobolds are not armed woth spears, but mage staffs. They summon chromatic bolts and send them flying off toward.
Gewyn (17 to hit, 11 lightning damage)
Muir (13 to hit, 9 fire damage)
and griff (23 to hit, 10 acid damage)
In this sudden whirlwind of a surprise attack griff gets knocked pit of the air and comes crashing down next to Sam, the Aarakocra is bloodied but still alive and ready to fight.
EVERYONE IS UP!
Muir deflects the fire hurled at him and throws his hands up and yells "Stop! We mean no harm! Stop! Let us talk before more blood is spilled!"
"HOLD or I shall finish shattering this thing!" Sam bellows out and readies another attack with his maul upon it... But holds it until any of his people are attacked again.
"Ughh" Elthana cries out as she is speared by one of the kobolds. But she too holds her hands up and looks towards the archway as that was the last place she heard it, "Wait, did you say Nivara?"
She does ready an attack if any of them attempt to hit her again.
"Ow, ****!" Gewyn says, adding to the diplomatic exchange.
Held action: nathair's mischief to catch the two to the west/southwest
Vin grunts in pain as the kobold appears his before, and his immediate instinct is to retaliate.
When Muir, Sam and Elthana call for hostilities to end he pauses just as he is about to release a psychic stab to the one that hit him.
Neferox either didn’t get the message or didn’t care as she bares her fangs and is about to lunge towards the one that attacked Vin, ignoring her own assailant. But she doesn’t actually lunge, remaining coiled for the moment, emitting a low growl. She looks eager to be released from whatever is holding her back.
Vin: ready mind sliver against kobold who hit him
Neferox: ready Bite multi attack against the kobold that hit Vin
"what is being wrong with you all? These are wretched kobolds" Griff yells out as he draws his long bow, his arrow tips dripping with the Mornlyf poison and fires at both kobolds surrounding Sam, the kobold to the north of Sam takes an arrow to the shoulder and screams out as it begins to lose colour in it's scales, uts insides writhing from the poison. The second arrow misses it's target spectacularly, getting caught in the updraft from the plug and shattering against the ceiling.
" ti majak svern, yth shilta ti hawg nomeno goawy!" Shouts the male voice from the darkness, in a grating draconic drawl, and it becomes apparent that the kobolds will not cease and are about to all attack once more.
Muir's face changes from one of peace to one of horror and panic as Griff attacks. Muir has and wants nothing to do with the politics of this realm and watching Griff strike out despite everyone's protests disappoints and fills Muir with sadness. "Stop this insanity! We need answers and discussions not death! They don't seem to be followers of Nectyran!" Seeing his words have no effect, Muir pulls his hood up and hides in plain sight. He will not let Griff die but he will not help him kill these Kobolds unless his companions are being overwhelmed. He holds his attack to see what his friends do.
Sam’s condition to act is not triggered by Griff’s betrayal of the group, so the Half-Orc’s maul trembles with strain and anticipation but does not swing…
Once a kobold does attack any but Griff, however, it is unleashed with the inevitability of Muir asking questions, swinging out unwanted and unasked for but inevitable nonetheless…
Maul Attack vs Nearest Kobold if they attack: 17 to hit for 22 bludgeoning damage…
(believe ya only get 1 held action so that’ll do it for Sam…)
Vin agrees with Muir and is not at all happy with Griff right now, but he also recognises that the kobolds are not going to stop. For all he knows they don't even understand what Muir is saying as he asks for a dialogue. He also knows he can't take many more hits. And so he releaes the psychic stab.
"I don't think they understand you, Muir"
Vin turn details in below spoiler:
Reaction: Cast Mind Sliver on kobold that attacked him. DC16 Int Save or take 7 [psychic] damage and subtract d4 from next save before end of Vin's next turn.
Neferox has no thought process beyond, it twitched, pouncing in on the kobld in front of Vin and trying to clamp her jaws down upon it.
Neferox turn details in below spoiler:
Reaction: Multiattack kobold that hit Vin
Bite 1: To Hit: 10+4=14, Damage: 6+4+3=13 [piercing]. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Bite 2: To Hit: 7+4=11, Damage: 1+4+3=8 [piercing]. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
As the kobolds react to their orders, the one south of Sam lunges out at him once more. (13 to hit, miss. 19 to hit, 7 piercing)
This provokes Sam to react swinging his maul down he crushes the kobold and bloodies it in one swing.
Vin's mind sliver rips through the kobold that attacked him causing it to scream out a reptilian rattle as Neferox's bites both fail to grip the creature enough to do damage.
Both of the kobold mages to the south west of Gewyn hear his words and begin giggling uncontrollably, then they both tap their feet excitedly and run head long into eachother collapsing to the floor.
Elthana caught off guard by the voice mentioning her 'sister' does not react to anything going on around her.
Then the rest of the kobolds attack.
The kobold that Vin attacked retaliates, stabbing at him, (19 to hit, 2 piercing. 7 to hit, miss)
The second stabs at Neferox (11 to hit, miss. 8 to hit, miss)
Whilst the last kobold warrior launches its spear over at Griff (21 to hit, 2 piercing) and catches him in his bad wing.
The non giggling kobold mage mutters a spell and summons forth a fog cloud which encases Vin, Neferox and Muir specifically.
As Muir shouts out his insistence for things to stop, the male voice rings out once more, "We are not followers of Nectyran, but I believe she is. NIVARA! COME HERE!" the words laced with magic threaten to over come Elthana's senses, (cast dominate person DC 17 Wis save)
Vin ducks and is only grazed by the attacks of the kobold before the fog appears. He hears the voice ring out and notes that he was wrong, they do speak common, and they have mistaken Elthana for Nivara. His friend was in danger, they all were, and he has had enough of getting hurt.
He reaches into his ring of spell storing and uses it to suck the life force of the kobolds around him and invigorate himself.
Vin turn details in below spoiler:
Action: Use ring of spell storing to cast wither and bloom at 3rd level. Targeted on the point in the middle of himself, Neferox, Elthana and the three kobolds. Each kobold must make a DC16 Con Save (one with -1d4 for mind sliver) or take 11 [necrotic] damage. on save take 5 [necrotic] damage. Vin uses one hit die to heal (1+5)*2=12 hit points (doubled due to periapt of wound closure)
Neferox snarls as the fog cloud engulfs her, and bites out at where the kobold had been.
Neferox turn details in below spoiler:
Action: Multiattack kobold that hit Vin at disadvantage due to fog cloud
Bite 1: To Hit: 7+4=11, (miss)
Bite 2: To Hit: 8+4=12, (miss)
Elthana, almost stunned by the mention of her sisters name and the frustration that Griff continues to fight even after we call out a ceasefire... hears the words call to her and is unable to resist.
She walks steadily towards the dark archway, not looking back.
Muir hearing the voice and the man mistaking Elthana as her previous self, decides to follow the voice into the next room. He figures his friends can handle a few kobolds while he tries to sort this mess out.
Muir begins walking to the room and sees Elthana mindlessly walking towards the room. He suspects the voice has done somehting to her. He gets into the room still with his hood up hiding from whoever is there watching Elthana move toward the man. He unveils himself and casts dispel magic (19 rolled) on Elthana.
"Stop this madness....She is not who you think she is. She is Elthana, a clone of your sister, Nivara. Elthana is her own person despite what your mother and Sergor tried to make her. She does not follow Nectyran just as you do not, as I suspected. Now call of the Kobolds so we may discuss this misunderstanding. We will take care of the guard out there if he does not stop.....Now what say you? Oh where are my manners...I am Muir, a Keeper of the Woods, perhaps you have heard of us before you were stuck in this world?"