Breena, the female vole looks perplexed, as much as a vole can, but takes the letter and scampers off.

Soar, the kobold is not at all friendly.  He looks annoyed that he has to speak to you.  After your comment:  "The humans kept all the best food" it snorts at looks at you in disdain.  You are human.  Go with the humans, over there.  This is for kobolds.  Dragon people here.  

If you want to attempt to continue the conversation, make a Persuasion check (or deception or intimidation, if that's what you're trying).  Otherwise, you can nod and walk along, as you say.  You can also make an Insight check, if you wish.

Soar will try to keep charming the kobold (persuasion: 12), using the same line of questions and admitting that she might look a bit like a human but her ears and her ability to speak draconic belie the fact she's friends if dragonkin.

She won't push too far and if he's still not having it, she'll nod respectfully and move along toward the main tent area.

Soar, the kobold scowls at you, and continues eating, pointedly ignoring you.

You move on, continuing into the centre of the kobold camp, a tall figure with a spider on its shoulder and a shorter figure that might look like a kobold from a distance, but doesn't look much like one close up, especially to other kobolds.

You get to what seems to be the middle of the camp, and you see two of the kobolds you travelled with, sitting and playing dice at the side of a small dying campfire.

4

They don't seem to notice you, and continue their game.  You see a handful more kobolds here and there; some are keeping a wary eye on you, but none seem overtly hostile or interested in making friends.  

Having entered more fully into the kobold camp, you suspect that your initial estimate was probably correct, and there are around eighty kobolds here.

Soar, after getting a decent headcount, will look at Breena when she can get her attention and raise her eyebrows questioningly and then look to the other camp. She doesn't want to push her luck so she'll start to move to the main road to the other camp, waiting for either Badger or Spiderspeth to pull on a hand or tap a shoulder as a signal to stop.

Btw she will encourage the spider to keep a low profile and hide away on her shoulder near a fold of her hood, or by a strap of her pack. Last thing she wants is someone to see an obvious spider and try to hit it or sweep it off.

Jalt, please make another Perception check.

(I assume still at disadvantage)

3

Jalt, you don't see or hear anything in particular.

Soar and Breena (with SpiderElspeth perched somewhere inconspicuous on Soar), you make your way down the main road through the camp, headed towards the next area of tents.

20

You pass by one or two groups of humans, half-elves and kobolds moving along the path.  People seem to be relaxed, confident that they are safe, and in good spirits.  Nevertheless, these are mercenaries and cultists, not the friendliest of folk.

About half way to the camp, a group of four humanoids is passing by you on the path; three humans and a half-orc, wearing the battered leathers you've come to associate with the hired mercenaries rather than dedicated cultists.  One of them stops to look at Soar, a little bleary-eyed.  

6

Hey, you.  You, you, you.  You... were on the raid, right?  I remember... anyways, good fun eh?  We got a... heap o' gold.  Whatcha get, eh?

It's clear that he's very drunk.

Jalt starts to become a bit anxious because he can't see or hear much going on. He's away from his group and isnt sure if they are safe or not. He sits with his back against the wagon and takes a piece of jerky out of his bag and starts to eat. He looks up into the sky, but he can not see any stars. There is only darkness. Keep me in your arms, Bahamut.

Breena will pull her hood further forward as the drunk man inspects them, throwing a slur into her voice as well and holding up her flask. "Got this, but iss mine. Could spare you a drink, I suppose, in exchange for a story or two." 

Jalt, you hear a voice, high-pitched but soft, speaking draconic not far from you.  Strange to appeal to the platinum one, in such a place.  What brings you here, brother?

Breena, the human who spoke shakes his head.  Nah, got plenty... plenty o' good stuff, and more back at the camp.  Stories, stories, stories.  We got a lovely gold bracelet from a halfling hole.  Had to threaten the kiddies to get it, but the little buggers through it up from the cellar, with all their gold.  Mondath took the bracelet, o' course, but we kept the gold, eh lads?  There's a loud cheer from two of the others, while the last makes a half-hearted shushing noise before bursting into laughter. 

The man who spoke to you looks at you, and seems to do a double-take.  You... you a halfling then? 

Jalt immediately looks around for the source of the voice he just heard. Responding back in draconic. He guides my hand wherever I be. I am resting here for the night, I do believe I've lost my way. And hope I can get out in the morning and make a go of finding my way back.

Jalt, make a Deception check.

2

7

You're a terrible liar, brother.  I saw those folks arrive and you with your cart not long behind them.  I'm guessing there's people in that group who don't belong, people you're waiting for.  In which case, you're in a similar position to myself.  Now, I'm gonna come over next to you, so we can talk quietly and not risk any attention from up there, so just you keep your hands and your weapons to yourself.  If I know anything about dragonborn like you, you're blind as a human in the night.  

A few moments later, you hear the sound of something moving quietly nearby, and a small figure becomes just visible, taking a seat on the grass next to you.

Talking I can do. Similar position you say? Jalt just holds out a piece of jerky to the new arrival on the scene.

Soar will reply, "agh, we weren't as lucky as that!" and she'll spit a curse in draconic. "Actually we got delayed on our way out of town and then joined a group of kobolds on the way into camp. Just got back. What'd we miss? I don't like coming back into camp blind like this. I see you've got plenty to drink. Couple silvers to the chap who can tell me what's been going on here since this morning, and a couple gold if it's true and interesting. Happy to tell you what Greenest's morning and the road back was like, all for free."

(Have we heard the name Mondath before? I didn't think we did but maybe we missed it...)

(Persuasion if needed: 23)

(Will let Breena handle the question about being a halfling!)

Breena wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. "Nah, not a halfling. Just short!" she exclaims, then bursts out laughing as if that was the greatest joke she's ever told. 

2

Breena, you see the men join in the laughter.  Man, you are short, little lady.  But I'm gonna bet you're... (hic)... mean with it, am I right?  The others laugh harder.

Nah, you can keep your silver, the man says to Soar.  If you've been travelling with kobolds, you've had a hard enough day - better save that for the drinks.  Nothing much been going on except drinking and counting.  We've been doing the drinking, and the dragon lads have been doing the counting.  They looked happy enough with the spoils from Greenest - we should've hit there weeks ago.  Anyway, I got a debt to collect, so I'll see you ladies around.

With that, the group of men stagger on along the road, and you continue towards the next group of tents.

(No, you've never heard the name 'Mondath' before. 

You are now approaching another group of tents.  It's a similar layout to the last one - several tents clustered around a central circle with a campfire and a few people sitting around.  You are still on the outskirts of the group of tents.  You don't see anyone nearby, but there are some people near the campfire; they are almost all human and dressed in the familiar leather armour of the mercenaries.  You can enter and approach the campfire if you wish, or circle round the tents, or just continue along the main middle road.

You can make a Perception check to assess the number of tents or people here, if you want.