Caves of the Kobold Slave Masters

Vakas takes out his flower and looks at it gently, then carefully stows it in his pouch again.  He wanders over next to Dealuri and sits down, saying “Okay, I’m game.  Let’s play.  Do something to kill the time…”. He looks around from time to time, wishing that Rachus and Ember would hurry along.

Dealuri you lay out your cards and after a moment several goblins come wandering over. One of them with half an ear missing sits crossed legged in front of you and slaps the dusty ground.

"I will play." he barks out the words in common. Vakas you join the pair.

Skirtch the goblins are not overly interested in the berries. However, they snatch up the acorn cud greedily. (Thannadol take advantage on your roll)

Several minutes pass and there is no sign of your goblin friends returning. 

Persuasion Nat-20 
Total: 20

Oh good. Three is better then two. You remember the rules, right? Without pause, she then reviews the rules to Vakas and the goblin and starts dealing cards. Dealuri keeps up a steady chatter of nonsense and stories from her time as a guard to Persuade (16) the goblin that they are friendly. 

Thannadol for reasons unknown your wide smile and calming words have a marked effect in the surrounding goblins and many of them begin to wander over, still wary but not unfriendly, to watch the card game. Dealuri (with a 16) the card game is a hit with the locals and you soon find yourself inundated with eager players.

Skritch it occurs to you that almost an hour has passed by now and Rachus and Ember have nor returned.

Skritch will casually roll up and, if there are wagers involved in the game he will, you know, help the goblins a little bit. A little bit.

He'll trot around on Sunhill behind Vakas and Dealuri, taking surreptitious glances over their shoulders to see their hands. Then, if the goblins are making unwise bets, he'll (and this is behind his comrades' backs) Skritch will shake his head or nod or whatever to help their hosts not lose everything to his worthy allies. 

For Skritch, fleecing our hosts seems like a bad idea, so he just wants to soften the edges... 

(OOC: Just saw the DM post, will add the following...)  

Skritch mentally messages his comrades so their card-playing opponents don't think he's conspiring with them during their game, "Er, they've been gone some time. Our goblin travelling companions, I mean. Should we check on them, perchance?"  

For a change, Dealuri is not playing for coin, so she doesn't mind Skritch helping the goblins and even winks at him a few times when she makes a poor decision. Or at least that is what she will say when she just throws in her final hand and says in a little bit of a huff, Fine, just keep the gold coin! As the goblins grin and Vakas laughs at her, she stands up and looks around to see that as usual, Skritch is correct that their companions had not returned. Say, you card-counters, any idea where would our friends have gone? 

Dealuri you question the goblins regarding the location of your companions and one of them points further into the village.

"They go see Mother Migragal." they explain in broken common.

"You wait here." says another.

It is clear that the goblins do not want you all wandering further into their village, but it has been over an hour now and now word has come back to you.

Vakas steps forward in that direction and aims his thoughts that way, grasping a little piece of copper wire he sends a message, trying to reach them with his mind.  "Are you okay?  Everything alright?"

If there are goblins headed into the village, Dealuri will wait patiently. If none seem to be moving, then she will stand up and start moving into the village, while continuing her stream of card talk. "You see, Barnabas Bombast was able to get out of the boiling vat of water just in time because a big bubble carried him away!" is her current topic. In case you are not familiar with Barnabas, he is the protagonist of the bedtime stories that Dealuri's mother would make up to get the hyperactive child to sleep. Dealuri remembers little from school but everything and then some that Barnabas did. Dealuri is counting on the stories and her Persuasion (16) to get her into the village, if needed. 

Vakas there is silence for a moment and then from Rachas, "...erm we are having a spot of bother over here. We might be... a while."

Dealuri you go marching forward with a stream of panicked goblins crowding all around you. Their reactions range from confused right through to terrified. None of them try to touch or harm you however.

The rest of you watch she marches forward, mobbed by a crowd of utterly bamboozled goblins. Do you follow?

Skritch wheels Sunhill around and heads in the direction of Vakas and Dealuri. He messages them both to learn if they know what's going on. 

Presuming that Vakas passes on the message from Rachus, Skritch will rear up Sunhill like the heroic steed he is and brandish Club Smack Time in Shillelagh mode, not trying to hit anybody, more as a beacon of shining hope, then he'll scream out loud in high pitched Ratatosk, "Fear not, my most worthy of comrades, we, er, we come!"  

Then he messages Vakas and Dealuri, asking "Er, charge...?"

Vakas looks over at Skritch and shrugs his shoulders, walking forward to follow Dealuri.  

Skritch picks up the pace on Sunhill, almost to a trot. He wants to make sure Rachus is alright.

You all make your way to the heart of the goblin village, where you are met with a strange sight. Rachus and Ember are kneeling on the ground facing a tall goblin female. Both of your friends are naked as the day they were born and their wrists and ankles are bound by what appear to be brambles. The strange female who is tall enough to be a short human has her hands raised to the sky and in he left hand is a dagger dripping with blood.

Her eyes widen as you approach, surrounded by your goblin entourage.

Dealuri stops mid-sentence and stares in amazement at the sight. Umm, sorry to barge in but what in the name of all that is Gronk is going on here? 

Skritch checks to see if their companions are grievously wounded. If they are okay he'll hold off. But if either are bloodied or worse he'll cast Healing Word.

Thannadol steps forward "What is going on here?"

Skritch roll for perception.

Thannadol you words ring out into the sudden silence. 

Rachus shuffles round on his knees, hiding "little Rachus" behind his bramble bound hands, "It's not what it looks like!" he calls out.

"What the..." Vakas feels as lost as the others as he tries to sort out what is happening.  He nearly reaches for an arrow, but holds, watching what comes next - getting ready to act quickly if need be.