The party’s second round of attacks fella the creature, which falls to the ground in a mess of tentacles and grey matter. Nox remains paralyzed for a moment before starting to move again, offering the group thanks for the rescue.
The kobolds look on in awe; the Underdark intruder that so terrified them killed with minimal trouble. Coming out of the fear, they look at each other and resume their loud whispering before addressing the party.
”You come deeper? Talk to Trex and make deal? Dark shinys for town help?
The kobolds nod and lead you further into the mine, stopping briefly to crawl underneath a tripwire 2ft off the ground. It's easily avoided with their warning. They lead you into a twisting, sloping tunnel that you are sure goes deeper underground. The tunnel's downward slope ends where it opens into the central shaft. A wooden walkway extends from this opening and then runs westward to another tunnel in the rock. In front of you, a large bucket, a horizontal variant of the lift you took earlier, dangles from a taut rope stretching southward across the shaft, connected to another wooden platform on the other side. Looking up from this chamber, you can see the bridge you crossed on the first level of the mine, as well as a trio of kobolds hanging on the bottom of it, sawing away to reduce that bridge's integrity.
Grek and Smol lead you to the dusty tunnel on this side. Within are three skittish kobolds. One of them carries a leather satchel and wears a fake pair of dragon wings made of thin wood and tattered white cloth. This kobold immediately puts his hands up, then takes on a more confident stance when he sees the two kobolds leading your group. He speaks in perfect common,
"You haven't hurt them. So you understand that we mean you no harm? My name is Trex, and I'm in charge of the pack here. We are so terribly sorry about the situation up above. There was a mess with a yeti and we were forced to take refuge, my clan and I, and scaring off the miners was necessary in the moment. Are you open to some... parlay about the situation?"
Additionally, for whoever wants to:
DC 10 History Check
The fine leather satchel Trex carries looks oddly familiar. You feel like you've seen another satchel of that exact make and style recently, in Ravisin's hideout.
He steps up to examine the shards. "Oh, ch-. This. I've seen some of it down here. Surprised you would ask about this instead of the gemstones, but if that's what the town actually values, who am I to argue? The everlasting winter has made it unsafe for our kind out there. Please, we only want a a place to stay so we can keep out of this horrible weather. We won't cause trouble and we can work. Termalaine would be richer for having us, and you could be too. I've seen this material down here. I'd be happy to show you where if you can speak to the town on our behalf after. They don't need to know what you've pocketed down here, and if some kobolds ruined one little mining vein, that will be written off as kobolds being kobolds."
Morkeleb says, “Well I, for one, wouldn’t mind getting my hands on a few gemstones. Could come in handy later. Also, Mr Trex, it seems there were several wizards who were interested in the mines, and not necessarily for the gems. Would you happen to know what it was that might interest them?”
He grins at your response. “Oh yes, there was a mean one with a pet gargoyle down here not long ago. They’re the reason we started setting up traps. None of you look burnt, so I suppose you saw them in time. I digress. There was a type of pink gemstone. I don’t know much about them I’m afraid, but the ones the gargoyle mined out were glowing pink with sharp edges. The wizard would hold them to her forehead and focus before tossing them away. I assume she got fed up with her search because she left without any of them.”
Barnabus: Trex seems sincere in his desires, and the info he’s offering appears to be in good faith.
Morkeleb: One of the other kobolds comes up to you, offering a small shard of pink gemstone. “She broke this. Makes fun buzz near ear.” If you hold it up to your head, you do hear a faint buzz, kind of like white noise or radio static.
Trex turns back to Barnabus. “Some black metal? I’m sure it has a fine purpose for a craftsman, but I don’t see what makes it any more useful than say, iron. I suppose a show of good faith is in order here. There’s a small vein of it on the other side of the chasm. We’ve left this lift perfectly intact for our own use. It should easily carry one of you at a time if you wish to examine it. The gargoyle woman did not see fit to cross; I believe she had some schedule to keep. You’ll find what you want near the skull protruding from the south wall. My companions found it while playing with the mining tools. Whatever it was is very dead, but it still scares them.”
To the full group he says, “We’ve been fairly accommodating, I think. Once you’re done with your investigation, so you promise to take me back to have a conversation with whoever it is that can approve our stay in Termalaine?”
Morkeleb didn't really pay attention to what Trex was saying, as he concentrates and examines the pink buzzing gemstone, trying to divine what its purpose might be.
You study the broken crystal and come to 3 conclusions, in order:
1. Nobody other than you reacts when you hold the crystal. The noise isn’t entering your ear; it’s going directly into your mind.
2. This white noise is emptiness. The purpose of these gems is to store something, a saying, a memory, a madness, a scene. You’re getting white noise in your head because this crystal, or the larger crystal it was part of, is empty.
3. A whole crystal, with a stored memory, would play that memory in your head, if you focused on it like this.
Barnabus decides he wants to see the Chardalyn. He examines the lift confirming it is of sound construction and will hold his weight. If satisfied he takes it to its destination.
Barnabus, you find the lift is indeed quite stable. It looks like you're meant to have somebody work a wheel to send you across, though you could also easily pull yourself along using the overhead rope. Nox steps up to work the wheel and send you across.
To the southern route is a small chamber containing only two things of note. A fossilized skull juts out of the east wall of this small cave, five feet off the ground. The skull has larger than normal eye sockets, a curious ridge between the eyes, nothing that would pass for a nose, and four small holes where one would expect to see teeth. It is only partially exposed, with the rock near it suggesting the kobolds found it in the last 48 hours. Along the wall beneath it is a thin vein of chardalyn. It's not much, but you'd wager there's 4 pounds of the stuff stretching along the wall of the chamber.
To the east is a cavern filled with sparkling geodes, presumably the "shinys" the kobolds tried offering you. The gems are partially exposed in places, sticking out from the walls like glassy shards. The floor rises near the eastern wall, leaving a natural ridge with stone ramps leading upward on either end.
Morkeleb, you can cross a few moments after Barnabus. The bucket only holds one person at a time, but the gap is so narrow that it takes just a moment to send it each way. You can spend some time mining geodes since you brought the pickaxe down. It takes about an hour to get a gem worth 10 gold. Because you spent some time examining the pink shards the kobold presented you, you also catch, upon passing it, a faint glimpse of pink coming from within the skull on the wall.
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Morkeleb attempts to cleave the floating brain in half with his sword
14 to hit, 10 damage
He calls over his shoulder at the kobolds, “Never fear, little cousins, we will vanquish this monster and keep your family safe!”
Barnabus swings Fife at the creature.
Attack:23
Damage:5
**This Space for Rent**
The party’s second round of attacks fella the creature, which falls to the ground in a mess of tentacles and grey matter. Nox remains paralyzed for a moment before starting to move again, offering the group thanks for the rescue.
The kobolds look on in awe; the Underdark intruder that so terrified them killed with minimal trouble. Coming out of the fear, they look at each other and resume their loud whispering before addressing the party.
”You come deeper? Talk to Trex and make deal? Dark shinys for town help?
Aye, stones for help." says Barnabus.
**This Space for Rent**
The kobolds nod and lead you further into the mine, stopping briefly to crawl underneath a tripwire 2ft off the ground. It's easily avoided with their warning. They lead you into a twisting, sloping tunnel that you are sure goes deeper underground. The tunnel's downward slope ends where it opens into the central shaft. A wooden walkway extends from this opening and then runs westward to another tunnel in the rock. In front of you, a large bucket, a horizontal variant of the lift you took earlier, dangles from a taut rope stretching southward across the shaft, connected to another wooden platform on the other side. Looking up from this chamber, you can see the bridge you crossed on the first level of the mine, as well as a trio of kobolds hanging on the bottom of it, sawing away to reduce that bridge's integrity.
Grek and Smol lead you to the dusty tunnel on this side. Within are three skittish kobolds. One of them carries a leather satchel and wears a fake pair of dragon wings made of thin wood and tattered white cloth. This kobold immediately puts his hands up, then takes on a more confident stance when he sees the two kobolds leading your group. He speaks in perfect common,
"You haven't hurt them. So you understand that we mean you no harm? My name is Trex, and I'm in charge of the pack here. We are so terribly sorry about the situation up above. There was a mess with a yeti and we were forced to take refuge, my clan and I, and scaring off the miners was necessary in the moment. Are you open to some... parlay about the situation?"
Additionally, for whoever wants to:
DC 10 History Check
The fine leather satchel Trex carries looks oddly familiar. You feel like you've seen another satchel of that exact make and style recently, in Ravisin's hideout.
Barnabus unwraps the Chardalyn and shows them to Trex before stowing them way.
"Parlay is good. What do you know of stones like these and tell us what has been hqppening"
**This Space for Rent**
He steps up to examine the shards. "Oh, ch-. This. I've seen some of it down here. Surprised you would ask about this instead of the gemstones, but if that's what the town actually values, who am I to argue? The everlasting winter has made it unsafe for our kind out there. Please, we only want a a place to stay so we can keep out of this horrible weather. We won't cause trouble and we can work. Termalaine would be richer for having us, and you could be too. I've seen this material down here. I'd be happy to show you where if you can speak to the town on our behalf after. They don't need to know what you've pocketed down here, and if some kobolds ruined one little mining vein, that will be written off as kobolds being kobolds."
Narnabus turns to confirm with the others. Huddles up and whispers.
"Aye, what do we think? What questions do we want answered? Whatever we do remember, this Chardalyn can be dangerous in the wrong hands."
**This Space for Rent**
"Agreed. But we need to move forward." Jar says
D&D since 1984
(History 8)
Morkeleb says, “Well I, for one, wouldn’t mind getting my hands on a few gemstones. Could come in handy later. Also, Mr Trex, it seems there were several wizards who were interested in the mines, and not necessarily for the gems. Would you happen to know what it was that might interest them?”
He grins at your response. “Oh yes, there was a mean one with a pet gargoyle down here not long ago. They’re the reason we started setting up traps. None of you look burnt, so I suppose you saw them in time. I digress. There was a type of pink gemstone. I don’t know much about them I’m afraid, but the ones the gargoyle mined out were glowing pink with sharp edges. The wizard would hold them to her forehead and focus before tossing them away. I assume she got fed up with her search because she left without any of them.”
Morkeleb is perplexed by this.
"I don't suppose we could find one of those gems? I'd like to see for myself."
"So do you know what those shards are that I showed you?" asks Barnabus.
Insight to see if Trex is being honest or if he is withholding information. (6)
**This Space for Rent**
Barnabus: Trex seems sincere in his desires, and the info he’s offering appears to be in good faith.
Morkeleb: One of the other kobolds comes up to you, offering a small shard of pink gemstone. “She broke this. Makes fun buzz near ear.” If you hold it up to your head, you do hear a faint buzz, kind of like white noise or radio static.
Trex turns back to Barnabus. “Some black metal? I’m sure it has a fine purpose for a craftsman, but I don’t see what makes it any more useful than say, iron. I suppose a show of good faith is in order here. There’s a small vein of it on the other side of the chasm. We’ve left this lift perfectly intact for our own use. It should easily carry one of you at a time if you wish to examine it. The gargoyle woman did not see fit to cross; I believe she had some schedule to keep. You’ll find what you want near the skull protruding from the south wall. My companions found it while playing with the mining tools. Whatever it was is very dead, but it still scares them.”
To the full group he says, “We’ve been fairly accommodating, I think. Once you’re done with your investigation, so you promise to take me back to have a conversation with whoever it is that can approve our stay in Termalaine?”
Morkeleb didn't really pay attention to what Trex was saying, as he concentrates and examines the pink buzzing gemstone, trying to divine what its purpose might be.
Arcana check if applicable 19 (rolled a 20)
You study the broken crystal and come to 3 conclusions, in order:
1. Nobody other than you reacts when you hold the crystal. The noise isn’t entering your ear; it’s going directly into your mind.
2. This white noise is emptiness. The purpose of these gems is to store something, a saying, a memory, a madness, a scene. You’re getting white noise in your head because this crystal, or the larger crystal it was part of, is empty.
3. A whole crystal, with a stored memory, would play that memory in your head, if you focused on it like this.
Barnabus decides he wants to see the Chardalyn. He examines the lift confirming it is of sound construction and will hold his weight. If satisfied he takes it to its destination.
**This Space for Rent**
Barnabus, you find the lift is indeed quite stable. It looks like you're meant to have somebody work a wheel to send you across, though you could also easily pull yourself along using the overhead rope. Nox steps up to work the wheel and send you across.
To the southern route is a small chamber containing only two things of note. A fossilized skull juts out of the east wall of this small cave, five feet off the ground. The skull has larger than normal eye sockets, a curious ridge between the eyes, nothing that would pass for a nose, and four small holes where one would expect to see teeth. It is only partially exposed, with the rock near it suggesting the kobolds found it in the last 48 hours. Along the wall beneath it is a thin vein of chardalyn. It's not much, but you'd wager there's 4 pounds of the stuff stretching along the wall of the chamber.
To the east is a cavern filled with sparkling geodes, presumably the "shinys" the kobolds tried offering you. The gems are partially exposed in places, sticking out from the walls like glassy shards. The floor rises near the eastern wall, leaving a natural ridge with stone ramps leading upward on either end.
Morkeleb wants to follow Barnabus across
Getting out the pick axe he borrowed, he would like to try his hand at mining the geodes. In all honesty he wants a souvenir.
Morkeleb, you can cross a few moments after Barnabus. The bucket only holds one person at a time, but the gap is so narrow that it takes just a moment to send it each way. You can spend some time mining geodes since you brought the pickaxe down. It takes about an hour to get a gem worth 10 gold. Because you spent some time examining the pink shards the kobold presented you, you also catch, upon passing it, a faint glimpse of pink coming from within the skull on the wall.