"Where is the pick up point?"

OOC - Do we know how much gold was in the chest before it was stolen?

You do not know how much gold/coin was in the chest. You do know that you would be paid from the contents of it, 5 gp in Knott and 5 more in Traksing, so at least 40 just to cover the initial party's pay.

The kobold relaxes just a slight bit more on Portia's words.

"We are told when shipments are coming through with coin. We take the coin " you notice he doesn't say steal, for whatever that is worth... "though, you may have made that harder" the kobold says looking past you at the bodies. "We get the coins. We take our share. I glit them. We get rich!"

"You promise," the kobold looks at each one of you, "you leave. No more killing. We show you where the pickup is if you like. You can follow them or wait. Gold probably gone. We just take and put most outside. We just take ours. Five coins" and he looks at that bowl of liquid metal gold. "Not much, but I make us lots!"

"Promise no more killing!"

"Promise?"

"I don't know what to say to that, but can't fault a group for trying to survive. You help us get our job done I promise I won't kill another kobold that isn't trying to kill me " Dragen says with a snort

With a privileged background, Gelidus struggles to truly understand. However, at this point they're too tired to care more than getting the job done.

"Fine. Show us where it is, Kobold." Gelidus puts their mace away. "Put away your vial, weapon and anything else deadly. Then we have deal."

The kobold lowers the vial and puts away his weapon, nodding in agreement, "follow" it says, walking past Gelidus and down the hall.

Your led through the room containing cages of small animals and tanks full of all types of crawling bugs and insects. Passing through and turning down another corridor, you step into what was once a grand chamber. A rotted carpet stretches across the cracked floor, dulled to the color of ash. Four pillars rise around the room’s center, each carved with scenes of dwarven warriors locked in battle with orcs, goblins, and towering giants. Faded but fierce, the engravings tell of ancient conflicts. The air smells faintly of wild animals, and you catch quick glimpses—small, twitching shapes darting between shadows: rodent-like creatures, watching, waiting.

You follow him through the room and ascend a narrow staircase, emerging through a pair of heavy double doors. Weather-worn and expertly concealed, they vanish into the surrounding stone and ivy swallowed long ago by nature’s quiet reclamation. The air is fresh and still.

A short distance ahead stands a moss-covered boulder, its rounded bulk perched on the fringe of the woods, no more than a hundred feet from the road.

Once above ground, he stops and turns to you.

"We watch the road for carts and merchants who camp for the night. We sneak in, we steal coins, only coins, we come back. We take 5 coins, we Goldglit them, and put the rest in a bag and put them behind that stone. It's a good deal for Kobolds. We don't hurt anyone. Just want coins. Sometimes he tells us when a cart is coming through, like yours, so we know."

He circles the stone and shrugs. "The bag is gone. The collector has already come and taken it."

He looks at you, waiting to see if there is anything else before he returns to no doubt determine the amount of damage you have caused him and his 'operation'.

"You said 'he tells us when a cart is coming', who is 'he'?"

"We do not know his name, but he is a noble blood, a dragonborn" he says, and you can hear the respect in his voice.

Quote from AugustForever >>

"We do not know his name, but he is a noble blood, a dragonborn" he says, and you can hear the respect in his voice.

 "This dragonborn carry a sword, and have a symbol that's a yellow eye with sun rays coming off it?" *Dragen asks directly*

"Sword, yes. Symbol no" he offers, "When we met, he had armor, he had sword, he had shield ...But he is born of the dragon" and the kobold gives a quick bow, to whom is your guess, but you know enough about kobolds to know that they revere dragons, considering themselves distant kin of them. 

"He is smart. He is strong."

The kobold poses for a second and looks at you all, then points down the road. "Your camp, not far. Our Deal good?" as it takes a step back towards the doors you all came out of. It is non-threatening, but seems eager to leave this situation.

"Even without the symbol it may be the dragonborn that was present when we got the job." 

Dragen says, the annoyance clear on his face

"So we're just the fall guys?"

"I think we need to have a word with him!"

You leave the kobold, and he quickly disappears, back through the doors, closing them behind him.

You follow the road in the direction back towards where your camp was, and after 10 minutes, the road curves and your camp site comes into view. The wagon and the horses are nowhere to be seen. Leaning against a tree trunk are the two Gnomes, Leo and Cleo.

As you approach, they jump to their feet. Leo pulls out a dagger and Cleo a small knife. Leo has a gash above his eye, dried blood on his cheek.

They look at you wearily, unsure what to do.

Portia walks towards them, hands held out to show they are empty. "Let me guess, our 'leader' attacked you and took the wagon?"

"Dorai" Cleo says, and spits into the dirt. "Shortly after you left, he packed up camp, ready to leave. We asked what he was doing, and he didn't answer. Eventually we pressed him, and he punched my brother in the face. Sent him sprawling to the dirt. I was shocked! I had all types of things to call him, but well, my brother needed my help, and he is a dragon guy, in armor, with a sword..."

She goes quiet for a bit, Leo smiles at her, "Nothing you... Nothing we could have done."

"Maybe, but I was angry, see, so I picked up a rock and threw it at him, as he drove away with the wagon, and our horses. Smacked him hard in the shoulder it did, but he kept on moving. Something flew off him though. This..." she holds up a small item you would recognize as a scale from a dragonborn.

"Look!" she says and scratches a rock against it, "Gold comes off right away! it's red underneath! Dorai was pretending to be gold, he is a red one."

She hands you the scale to examine.

"Anyways, what's next? If we start walking now, we can get to Knott by nightfall. 'Cept that is where Dorai went. Or we can head back to Rimet Falls, that will take longer, and we probably won't get paid."

"Plus, we lost our cart" Leo says and puts his hand over the bump on his head, now a deep purple.

"We go get that which is ours, and that which is yours. Don't care what color, crest, or creed he's under. You don't cross people like that and get away with it. Left the kobolds to fend for themselves too. Greedy bastard."

Dragen scans the area for any other belongings that may have been left before they all head out

Dragen doesn't notice anything else; the camp site is clean. The Gnomes get up, "Thank you for coming back" Cleo says, "and for not being on his side" Leo adds.

"So, onward to Knott then? By foot, we should get there by supper. Barring any distractions of course..."