Its the End of the World (as we know it)

Thistle also looks up and at the others. "Oh, and don't come north of a line from the entrance. They've trapped a lot of the tiles on the floor. I'll come show you a way through," she finishes, looking into the cage.

As we're looking around, can we get an inventory of what is in the cages? Or should we actively visit them one by one?

He looks to Zashier, and says "What you...want them for? They...nothing. They...sacrifice and...experiment for...human...oh (and here he smirks) food for Froststorm."

Thistle, the cage you are next is a stack of three crates. The one on the bottom has a dead body in it, but the one in the middle and the one on top have live humanoid figures in them. But they are cramped. its hard to see exactly what they are. Without opening the cages, it would be difficult for you to see what is in each one. not things, just people of different sizes, shapes, and races forced into these cramped cages.

Since combat is over, you have a chance now to take in the room. I will elaborate on my earlier description:

Before you is a room of death and decay. The crafting in this room is beyond the skill of the tunneling kobolds. Whoever owned this place before had a secret life down here. The kobolds, however, have made very good use of the space. They have taken advantage of the sacrificial alter to the NorthWest of the room, though from where you are, you cannot make out which god the alter is to. There are stone coffins here, perhaps of the previous owners family? but they are in varying stages of decay. There is a door off to the NorthEast, though you cant see where it leads. Of course there is also the door near Zashier that is open, where the kobolds were hiding. Inside smells yucky, and Zashier can probably see a few extra crates in there, as well as random destroyed bags and tools - likely storage for items used to care for the burial area, or in ceremonies around the altar.

Along the walls are alcoves with finely crafted knights, in full plate from what you can tell, but you cant make out all the details.

Thistle, of course, has warned you that the floor is trapped in some way, and to not come further into the room.

The cages that you see are full of humanoid shapes, some alive, some not. There are 9 stacks of crates, and each stack has 2 or 3 crates in it. There are 23 total crates, and only about 2/3 of them have live creatures in them (so we will say 16 captives total). The others have dead bodies in them, and some of the crates are broken.

The captives are still calling out for you to rescue them, though the sound has softened some since the kobolds have been dealt with.

How are the cages secured shut?

Thistle, the cages are shut and secured by locks. From what you can tell:

The doors are a full side of the cage.

They are secured with a lock, and the door has been placed in such a way so it cant be opened from the front. So any of the bottom ones has been positioned so the door is on the top, and the next cage put on top to keep the door closed by counterpressure. Any of the top cages have been placed in such a way so as the door is facing down, again so the other cage can help keep the door shut.

The cage is made of metal, but it is old.

Lem peers down at the kobold in front of Zashier, still not really even seeing the cages. He's focused on the kobold. "You and your brethren are too weak to have intercepted a shipment containing dragon scales, I assume?"

He also half-turns in the direction of Thistle and says, "could you mark where the traps are so we can see them, with some ashes, or chalk or some of sand, or ink?"

The kobold brightens when he hears the word dragon, but then realizes what you are asking, and replys: Dragon scales? You want ...skin me ...take my scales?

"It was someone, very powerful -- maybe too powerful for you to handle -- carrying the skin of a very big dragon that had died. Very powerful, large dragon. Not like you."

(OOC: he's a charmer!)

He replies There used to be... more of us...before you came. We take... many things...sometimes with help...sometimes, just us...

"Is Froststorm a dragon too? Did they live here before you came?"

Raddunth wants the captives out of the cages ("The humanoids must be free!"), especially with his history. But only when it is safe.

Thistle says there are traps. Raddunth will wait until they are dealt with, or if someone says what to do to help.

In reply to Lem, the kobold says "He is young...but he..will grow. He callled...to us...we found him here...and we...worship" He says that last bit reverently. "We give...and give. We take...to give to Froststorm. The human...helps us, so long as we...help him"

Raddunth is chomping at the bit. With his background, he wants to free those in captivity, but right now...he must wait...and its eating at him!

"Does anyone have one of those things? Chalk? Sand? Ink?" Thistle will examine one of the trapped tiles to try to figure out what happens if they are triggered. And then to figure out if they reset automatically, or if they are then exhausted and have to be reset by industrious kobolds.

Roll: 11. Add 6 for Perception, add 0 for Investigation (not her strong suit).

Edit: oops.

Thistle, you know that they are triggers, but you cannot exactly tell what they trigger. You know its weight triggered, but thats about it.

Thistle comes back to the group. "The triggers are pretty robust, that's how the kobolds could run over them without setting them off." She looks at the crew. "Maybe Yokini is light enough to not set them off, but the rest of us would for sure. I can mark them if we have something to mark them with."

“I have sand and ink, only a little bit - for writing. Let me see if we can find a burned out torch or some debris that we can use to mark the tiles you see. Do you want me to help you try to disarm one? Maybe shove something underneath so they get stuck? Also we should tie up those kobolds, and what’s inside those cages. Excuse me? In there? What’s your name? How did you get in there? What’s going on here? Can we get you out?”

“Here,” Thistle guides Yokini back to the entrance, and the cage there (E14). “This tile in front of it (F14) is trapped, don’t step on it  But we should be able to work this cage without any danger “

Does this cage/set of cages have someone in them?

Without even looking away from the kobold, Zashier fishes out some chalk from his pack and holds for someone to grab. He would help... He wanted to help more directly, that is to say. But, since making the connection that Frostorm was a dragon -- a young one, but a dragon all the same -- the elephantine man became lost in thought. Only the stench of death both around and the blanket nastiness of the room next door seem to keep him lucid. "In a minute, now, in a minute." Zashier said, waving Lem again off if he had started to try and tie up the kobolds again. Though the limb is easy to evade, as he still dared not look away from the sole conscious kobold. "This one named Zashier? What is your name? What helping human's name? Where he and dragon, Frostrom at?"

Lem, unless you are shouting across the room, the humanoids in the cages cant hear you. You could definitely help Thistle with the traps!

Thistle, the stack of cages at E14 - there are 2 cages. The bottom one has a small humanoid trapped in it. The top cage has a medium sized humanoid, dead, and the weight of the body is keeping the cage closed on the bottom on. The cages are only about 3 feet by 3 feet square. The bodies that are in them are tight, even the dead ones . The closer you get, you realize the smell gets stronger, and the body in the top cage is not moving like some of the others.

Zashier, (Dex Save 6) manages to reach into his pack and pull out some chalk without getting stung by his new pet scorpions.