Harmony had heard everyone, nodding back. "I'm ready!" she happily said back to them all. She would have also shared her rations with anyone if needed. So she followed everyone, seeing the Kobold and hearing them as she nodded. "Yes, we came all the way from Ruskivek to explore Turmaether, having heard all the wondrous tales about it." she said back with a friendly smile.

(EDIT: Of course posted at the same time as Neo.)

OOC: Removed 3 days of rations from Abraxas's inventory and 2 days of rations from Harmony's inventory to split the difference.

"Good, that is good! We are the Iron Claw. We guard the entrance. You may explore as long as you would like, but you must pay the charge. There are six of you, yes? That will be 60 gold pieces to enter. You can leash your horses in that tent over there," the kobold grins. 

In the tents around you even more kobolds can be seen shuffling beyond the tent flaps. Based on the size of them, there could be as many as 50 kobolds housed within this little tent city.

Mro Jus Bir leans forward and mutters, "They charge 10 gold pieces a head, it seems. I have enough gold to pay for Mro Jus Bur and I, if that is what we are to do."

Insight: 20

Simeon studies the kobold who speaks for a moment and then replies, "Greetings to the Iron Claw! Your price seems fair, but please allow my companions and I a moment to discuss our intent."

Moving out of earshot of any kobolds, Simeon says to the group, "What say you? I have little trust for these creatures."

"Ten gold a person seems unreasonable - diplomacy has occasionally been in my wheelhouse. I can certainly talk to them", Garu states.

"Hmm," Abraxas says. "We should talk. There are so many! Lots of them." He pulls one of his books back out of his bag and flips to a page in the back. "Never hurts to review," he says to himself.

Harmony had heard the others, thinking. "I could talk to them too, though we shouldn't start any trouble. There is a lot of them and considering all the rumors and tales about this place, this many guards would make sense." she then said back to everyone.

"Kobolds are greedy, and the greedy are rarely honest," muses Simeon. "Talk to them, Garu, and let's see what comes of it. Allow me to help you in your persuasiveness..."

Casting Guidance, Simeon utters a few words and quickly draws a quick pattern in the air with his index finger while touching Garu's shoulder with his free hand.

(Stealth, if needed to hide/disguise the casting of the cantrip from the kobold horde:4)

For Simeon:

The kobold frowns at Simeon's obvious use of magic, but waits patiently while you discuss the matter.

"It's possible also," Abraxas whispers to Garu, "That they might be a source of information. What do they know about the place? Have they explored it at all? Sights and sounds? Who's returned from exploring it?"

Garu, nods in agreement with Abraxas and approaches the guard with coin in hand, enough to cover the group. In a persuasive tone, she asks, "May the light shine upon you. I would certainly appreciate any information you might have - we're new in the area and you seem like the person who knows what's going on in this area or knows people who do." She puts her hand on his shoulder lightly.

Persuasion + Guidance: 10 + 3

The kobold eyes the coin in Garu's hand as if counting it from a distance, but it backs away from her approach, and the other kobolds around it draw their weapons, stepping forward to form a protective ring.

"No tricks!" the kobold shouts. "We honest clan. We tell you all we know of ruins, yes, but coin comes first and you honest. No magic tricks! You want devious, try Blood Tusk or Skunk Tongue, they guard when our watch done."

Garu hands the gold over, smiling. “All I was asking for. I’m just a warm and touchy person. No tricks. Forgive me.” She smiles sincerely at each of the gathered guards. 

The kobold snags the coins, and the others lower their weapons, some sheathing them entirely once the first counts them out and nods.

"You can enter now. There are many strange things below. This place strange, tricky, magics in places. Many people go down there, some come back unhappy, some not come back at all. Everybody say different things they see, but danger seems to be old lady. Do not trust old lady! People come back unhappy they say they trust old lady," the kobold answers, and the clan parts ways, allowing the party a clear path to the entryway guarded by the statues.

Beyond the statues, the large wooden front door has been busted open, no longer on hinges that once held it.

Mro Jus Bir steps up behind Garu, placing his hand upon her shoulder, and hands her twenty gold pieces of his own. "Sometimes it is better to avoid confrontation. Your generosity will be noted in my song, but I will not let it be sung that the great bard Mro Jus Bir allows the beautiful women to pay for him!" he says with a wry smile.

OOC: Removed 40 gp from Garu's inventory. If you are splitting it up further, just let me know.

"I shall pay my way, Garu," says Simeon as he hands the paladin ten gold coins. "Thank you."

After tethering his horse as directed by the kobolds, Simeon approaches the apparent leader of the Iron Claw. "There will be sixty more gold for you if our horses remain safe during our absence. And I thank you for the warning about the old lady." 

Looking at Garu, Harmony, and Abraxas, Simeon nods to indicate he's ready for Turmaether. 

Abraxas will pay Garu as well.

He unloads his books from the saddlebags and fills his satchels with them. He knows he hasn't really been in this world for long, but Abraxas would mentally consult all the history he has of Turmaether and this realm generally for references to an old lady who betrays. Perhaps there is a myth or legend he has heard?

Harmony watched as Garu talked with the Kobold who told them of strange things and magic here, that the danger seems to be an old lady and not to trust her. Why would an old lady not be trustworthy? She would have paid Garu as well and tethered her horse Snow like the others, hoping that she will be safe and still here when they get back. Once everyone is ready, she would lead the way into Turmaether with a smile.

The kobold's eyes light up at Simeon's offer. "Yes, yes, of course, yes, your horses will be safe. Very safe! I will have more guards than usual in the stable until you come back," he says, helping to tie their leads to the makeshift stable, which is more of a crude tent than a true stable.

The scent of ozone lingers in the area, drifting from beyond Turmaether's massive gates. The entryway is a long staircase, descending into the depths of the citadel, lined with large 3-foot by 5-foot green bricks. The brick construction continues into the first room beyond the staircase.

Twenty feet to a side, the room holds one wooden door, closed at the opposite end. The ozone in the air is mixed with the faint smell of ash here, and in the center of the room is a large monstrosity, three beasts in one; most of its body resembles a tremendous lion, but attached to its mane and lion's head are two others, that of a dragon and a goat. Its wings and tail also resembles a dragon's, though they are currently curled up against itself as it sleeps.

Abraxas will cast Mage Armor as silently as possible.

Garu looks around to each member of the party, urging with a silent gesture to keep any noises down. She motions for the party to skirt the edge of the room and slowly begins to move along the periphery of the room toward the door.

Simeon casts his Guidance spell and, with shield in hand follows Garu around the room's perimeter. (Stealth: 6)