Thistle, you reach for the necklace, but he moves his head quickly to the side. He says to you "What I do with my prisoners if of no concern for you. If you let me go, I will tell you where you can find this human, and even this gnome's mother...maybe she'll still be in one piece. Who knows..."
"I don't think we are interested in letting you go, yet. But we might leave you alive," Thistle says. "Maybe if what you say is true, we'll let you go then."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem calls Raddunth over, walking toward the barbarian, out of earshot of the kobold. "Radish, that kobold knows things about where Yokini's family, her mother, her sister, were taken. It doesn't want to tell us those things. We need to know those things. Want to frighten it so much that it tells us those things? I'll help. You pretend to get very angry at it, intimidate it, act like you're going to do great violence to it. I will make you even scarier with some magic. Deal?"
If Raddunth agrees, Lem will accompany him back in front of the kobold, and on approach, cast minor illusion to make first some creepy whispers appear to emanate just behind and to either side of the kobold's head. Then he'll cast again, and a low animal, unearthly growl emanates from just in front of Raddunth. He'll cast again and the image of the kobold's bloody severed head appears, floating without movement right in front of its real head. If he has a chance to cast again while Raddunth is intimidating the kobold, he will choose an instance where the barbarian is still for a few seconds and cause the image of a pair of long, twisted, scary black horns to seem to appear poised and protruding from his head, ending the spell if Raddunth moves.
The aim is for the kobold to get deeply unnerved at the barbarian, and, given the fact it wants to leave safely and evidently values his life, might start cooperating. Functionally I assume this is just a very elaborate help action on Raddunth's intimidation roll, but feel free to tell me to try something else!
(If this doesn't work, Lem is quite happy to drop the kobold.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Raddunth cracks his knuckles, then stretches his arms, before walking over to the kobold. Leaning over, his face is close enough to the kobold to smell his barbarian-breath.
He speaks calmly but forcefully. "Kobold robe-wearer, you have imprisoned innocents. For that, you will be restrained. But those people you have captured have not committed crimes. Those people must go free! Their lives should not be bound by the shackles you have created..."
The kobold is at first puzzled, that there is no threat of violence. But it realizes in terror that Raddunth is planning on lecturing it on freedom and the evils of slavery, maybe for hours. Raddunth is just getting into it. There is no sign that Raddunth will ever stop his speech-making...
Intimidation rolls:
9 Don't know if he has Help or not, but I will include a second one just in case: 11
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
With Lem casting several illusions to aid in Raddunth's approach, and as he leans over, breathing on the tiny kobold and begins to lecture him on freedom, you see his will begin to break. Raddunth continues speaking on freedom and the evils of slavery, and it just flies in the face of everything this kobold has been doing, but the words are sinking in, and the kobold realizes this could go on and on....he is broken...
He says to anyone listening: Enough, enough! What do you want to know!? The human? I have no loyalty to him, only to Tiamat! His name is Armos Kamroth. His ancestors owned this manor, abandoned after the war with the orcs. They had always worshipped dragons, Tiamat, and had always wanted one, and they were experimenters. Armos found a few dragon eggs on an expedition in the North, one of them about to hatch a while back. He barely escaped with his life and the eggs, but the one hatched on the way back to Fallcrest, and Armos hid it in the subterranean rooms of his manor - as much afraid of it as he was in awe. He never truly understood the dragon, I think. He just wanted one for so long, he didnt know what to do once he had one. Armos continues his experiments, trying to breed a humanoid with some of the extract of the dragon or the eggs. If he can get it to work, he thinks he can gain the power of the dragon, but in his human form. He is misled. He should be worshipping Tiamat, not his own ego. He and his cult friends think they can become human-dragons and usurp even Tiamat's throne, but they cannot. They underestimate the great Tiamat!
The dragon's aura called to my clan, and we made our way here. We reached an arrangement with Armos - we stay here outside of town, ambush anyone coming through, bring all the gold and equipment to him as well as any surviving humanoid, and in turn he lets us worship at the feet of the great Froststorm.
He pulls a key out of his pocket, and throws in on the ground at Thistle's feet
There is a secret door behind you, it will lead you to Armos. He wouldnt let us be seen in town, but his ancestors had a tunnel from here to Armos' manor in the city. Your mother and a few other humanoids are there. I know not if she still lives.
“Knock it out and tie it up,” Thistle says, turning to help Yokini before realizing she needs no help. “Oh, one moment,” she turns back and takes the necklace from the kobold. “You won’t need this, the human won’t be in any condition to give you any more gifts.”
”Zashier, we should bring it along, we may need its story once we are in town.”
”Yokini, what about the rest of your family? If we are heading back to town this way, they shouldn’t wait for us here.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
“We tied up the horses outside the manor, remember. We can get Yokini’s family outside and they can ride horses to get back home. Maybe via another route, since those tieflings might be back at that checkpoint?”
Lem starts muttering to himself, conflicted about pressing on through the tunnel to Aroma’ house, or accompanying the gnomes to safety. He is also trying to remember what he saw of the house when he went there invisible the night before to spy on who came and went.
In his broken state, Thistle easily grabs the necklace and jerks it down. It pulls the kobold to the floor on his knees as the necklace breaks free from his neck. The actual necklace part breaks and the pieces fall to the floor, but Thistle is left with the golden pendant, thin round band with the shape of a dragon fused to it.
Yokini pulls back and investigates the walls behind Thistle. In the NorthWest corner of the room, there is a loose rock that, when pulled out, reveals a keyhole that looks to fit the key that the kobold threw to the ground.
Zashier, are you mentally ready to move on, perhaps carrying a kobold back to town?
Lem, you havent been to Armos Kamroth's estate. You went to the Moon Valley Inn (spying on Serim and the Tieflings across the Moon River to the North West). You and Zashier would know where Armos Kamroth's house is - in Upper Fallcrest, to the East, right on the ridge overlooking Lower Fallcrest - though neither of you have been inside. Zashier has been there to pay rent, but not inside.
When called for, Zashier is slow to respond. It takes a second call to even get the elephantine man's notice, and prompt him to come out from the alcove. At some point he had taken to bandage up at least some of his injuries and removing the spear from his ear, though it did little change how roughed up he seemed to be. Nevertheless, once the part about carrying the kobold at least got repeated, he slowly nodded, and wrapped up the kobold in his trunk; presumably after someone bound and knocked them out.
"... So, hey, I'm not gonna pretend to know all that's happened in the past few minutes over here, 'cause I don't and that would be rather foolish, but I see you all found a new hole. My question is, if it leads to the uh Frostrom that our muscle challenged adversaries mentioned before, and if so, might we at least stop here for a breather? Or even better yet, consider we are all quite beaten to the nine, we, uh...."Zashier trails off there as once still vacant eyes focused on Yokini for a second, and a memory played in mind.
"Just a short rest then, as it does folk little good if we perish before doing any good. Also, not that I'm particularly fond of the idea, but it is safe to assume we'll informing the others at least of the end goal being in sight." He said, offering a weak but reassuring smile.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Yokini blinks a couple times at Zashier while she thinks and then waves her hand in a "come here" gesture while heading toward the stairs. "Follow me." She heads up the stairs toward where they found her family members. Once in the room with them, she begins looking around for three tiny items such as broken pieces of cage or rubble.
(Raddunth also likes the idea of an hour's rest. Wherever the group wants to camp out.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Yokini begins fiddling with the pieces of cage, using bits of this and that from her glove. When finished, she holds them up to show Zashier (who I hope did follow her up). "These will each record a short amount of sound that can then be replayed over and over. Short," she stresses. "Two of them, I would suggest you use to give directions to your farm. The third can be an explanation to your sister as so who they are and why they're there. That is, if you're OK with sending them to your farm. It's the safest place I know in Fallcrest." She stops talking, but her eyes speak volumes as she waits, hoping the loxodon will agree.
Confused, Zashier looked between Yokini and the cages, before slowly nodding as if he understood. "While that is technically true, for all points and purposes, not counting some of the usual stuff the farms in general have to deal with of course, I suppose I can try to be of assistance there... That is, I'd like to, being of kindly sort. But as you've probably noticed, conciseness isn't exactly my strong suit." Zashier admits with an awkward smile.
"'sides, I'm not sure you could explain how this doo-hickey is s'pose to work enough for someone of my standing to use it right proper. But, not to worry, my Sis knows I'm a fairly good judge of character. So, if you want to do the recording and the what not, and as she has a sharper memory for voices than me, she'll accept them. I can give you the directions for you to trim down at your discretion as well."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Yokini doesn't argue, and goes along with Zashier's revised plan. After the three small talking objects have been prepared, Yokini escorts the prisoners out to the horses and Gomol and sends them on their way to Zashier's farm. She assures her family she will find her mother and sister and bring them to the farm as quickly as possible. Once they're on their way, she returns to where the others are resting.
Zashier gives very wordy instructions for how to get back to his farm, which Yokini then condenses into 6 seconds...speaking very fast...into these mundane items. She then escorts the prisoners back up through the passages, avoiding the traps as she goes. Her family is in awe of Yokini's adventuring prowess, and is just so excited to see her.
Once outside, she shows them how to use the infused items, tapping them, to hear the message she recorded with direction, and tells them to give the other to Zashier's sister at the farm.
Yokini then carefully makes her way back down into the tunnels, meeting back up with the others in the grand chamber, the hooded kobold still there (not knocked out or wrapped up in Zashier's trunk yet since Zashier was with Yokini)
The freed captives are on their way back to town - you hope that those fake guards have left their post on the road and that they will be safe as they travel. They still have the makeshift weapons you left with them earlier. The party has gathered yet again, deciding what to do next. You have all taken a short rest, you have a key and a secret door, and an emotionally defeated kobold sorcerer.
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Thistle dex 3 vs kobold dex 4
Thistle, you reach for the necklace, but he moves his head quickly to the side. He says to you "What I do with my prisoners if of no concern for you. If you let me go, I will tell you where you can find this human, and even this gnome's mother...maybe she'll still be in one piece. Who knows..."
"I don't think we are interested in letting you go, yet. But we might leave you alive," Thistle says. "Maybe if what you say is true, we'll let you go then."
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem calls Raddunth over, walking toward the barbarian, out of earshot of the kobold. "Radish, that kobold knows things about where Yokini's family, her mother, her sister, were taken. It doesn't want to tell us those things. We need to know those things. Want to frighten it so much that it tells us those things? I'll help. You pretend to get very angry at it, intimidate it, act like you're going to do great violence to it. I will make you even scarier with some magic. Deal?"
If Raddunth agrees, Lem will accompany him back in front of the kobold, and on approach, cast minor illusion to make first some creepy whispers appear to emanate just behind and to either side of the kobold's head. Then he'll cast again, and a low animal, unearthly growl emanates from just in front of Raddunth. He'll cast again and the image of the kobold's bloody severed head appears, floating without movement right in front of its real head. If he has a chance to cast again while Raddunth is intimidating the kobold, he will choose an instance where the barbarian is still for a few seconds and cause the image of a pair of long, twisted, scary black horns to seem to appear poised and protruding from his head, ending the spell if Raddunth moves.
The aim is for the kobold to get deeply unnerved at the barbarian, and, given the fact it wants to leave safely and evidently values his life, might start cooperating. Functionally I assume this is just a very elaborate help action on Raddunth's intimidation roll, but feel free to tell me to try something else!
(If this doesn't work, Lem is quite happy to drop the kobold.)
Raddunth cracks his knuckles, then stretches his arms, before walking over to the kobold. Leaning over, his face is close enough to the kobold to smell his barbarian-breath.
He speaks calmly but forcefully. "Kobold robe-wearer, you have imprisoned innocents. For that, you will be restrained. But those people you have captured have not committed crimes. Those people must go free! Their lives should not be bound by the shackles you have created..."
The kobold is at first puzzled, that there is no threat of violence. But it realizes in terror that Raddunth is planning on lecturing it on freedom and the evils of slavery, maybe for hours. Raddunth is just getting into it. There is no sign that Raddunth will ever stop his speech-making...
Intimidation rolls:
9 Don't know if he has Help or not, but I will include a second one just in case: 11
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
With Lem casting several illusions to aid in Raddunth's approach, and as he leans over, breathing on the tiny kobold and begins to lecture him on freedom, you see his will begin to break. Raddunth continues speaking on freedom and the evils of slavery, and it just flies in the face of everything this kobold has been doing, but the words are sinking in, and the kobold realizes this could go on and on....he is broken...
He says to anyone listening: Enough, enough! What do you want to know!? The human? I have no loyalty to him, only to Tiamat! His name is Armos Kamroth. His ancestors owned this manor, abandoned after the war with the orcs. They had always worshipped dragons, Tiamat, and had always wanted one, and they were experimenters. Armos found a few dragon eggs on an expedition in the North, one of them about to hatch a while back. He barely escaped with his life and the eggs, but the one hatched on the way back to Fallcrest, and Armos hid it in the subterranean rooms of his manor - as much afraid of it as he was in awe. He never truly understood the dragon, I think. He just wanted one for so long, he didnt know what to do once he had one. Armos continues his experiments, trying to breed a humanoid with some of the extract of the dragon or the eggs. If he can get it to work, he thinks he can gain the power of the dragon, but in his human form. He is misled. He should be worshipping Tiamat, not his own ego. He and his cult friends think they can become human-dragons and usurp even Tiamat's throne, but they cannot. They underestimate the great Tiamat!
The dragon's aura called to my clan, and we made our way here. We reached an arrangement with Armos - we stay here outside of town, ambush anyone coming through, bring all the gold and equipment to him as well as any surviving humanoid, and in turn he lets us worship at the feet of the great Froststorm.
He pulls a key out of his pocket, and throws in on the ground at Thistle's feet
There is a secret door behind you, it will lead you to Armos. He wouldnt let us be seen in town, but his ancestors had a tunnel from here to Armos' manor in the city. Your mother and a few other humanoids are there. I know not if she still lives.
After hearing of the secret door, Yokini begins searching "behind Thistle" for the secret door.
Investigation: 18
“Knock it out and tie it up,” Thistle says, turning to help Yokini before realizing she needs no help. “Oh, one moment,” she turns back and takes the necklace from the kobold. “You won’t need this, the human won’t be in any condition to give you any more gifts.”
”Zashier, we should bring it along, we may need its story once we are in town.”
”Yokini, what about the rest of your family? If we are heading back to town this way, they shouldn’t wait for us here.”
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
“We tied up the horses outside the manor, remember. We can get Yokini’s family outside and they can ride horses to get back home. Maybe via another route, since those tieflings might be back at that checkpoint?”
Lem starts muttering to himself, conflicted about pressing on through the tunnel to Aroma’ house, or accompanying the gnomes to safety. He is also trying to remember what he saw of the house when he went there invisible the night before to spy on who came and went.
In his broken state, Thistle easily grabs the necklace and jerks it down. It pulls the kobold to the floor on his knees as the necklace breaks free from his neck. The actual necklace part breaks and the pieces fall to the floor, but Thistle is left with the golden pendant, thin round band with the shape of a dragon fused to it.
Yokini pulls back and investigates the walls behind Thistle. In the NorthWest corner of the room, there is a loose rock that, when pulled out, reveals a keyhole that looks to fit the key that the kobold threw to the ground.
Zashier, are you mentally ready to move on, perhaps carrying a kobold back to town?
Lem, you havent been to Armos Kamroth's estate. You went to the Moon Valley Inn (spying on Serim and the Tieflings across the Moon River to the North West). You and Zashier would know where Armos Kamroth's house is - in Upper Fallcrest, to the East, right on the ridge overlooking Lower Fallcrest - though neither of you have been inside. Zashier has been there to pay rent, but not inside.
When called for, Zashier is slow to respond. It takes a second call to even get the elephantine man's notice, and prompt him to come out from the alcove. At some point he had taken to bandage up at least some of his injuries and removing the spear from his ear, though it did little change how roughed up he seemed to be. Nevertheless, once the part about carrying the kobold at least got repeated, he slowly nodded, and wrapped up the kobold in his trunk; presumably after someone bound and knocked them out.
"... So, hey, I'm not gonna pretend to know all that's happened in the past few minutes over here, 'cause I don't and that would be rather foolish, but I see you all found a new hole. My question is, if it leads to the uh Frostrom that our muscle challenged adversaries mentioned before, and if so, might we at least stop here for a breather? Or even better yet, consider we are all quite beaten to the nine, we, uh...." Zashier trails off there as once still vacant eyes focused on Yokini for a second, and a memory played in mind.
"Just a short rest then, as it does folk little good if we perish before doing any good. Also, not that I'm particularly fond of the idea, but it is safe to assume we'll informing the others at least of the end goal being in sight." He said, offering a weak but reassuring smile.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Yokini blinks a couple times at Zashier while she thinks and then waves her hand in a "come here" gesture while heading toward the stairs. "Follow me." She heads up the stairs toward where they found her family members. Once in the room with them, she begins looking around for three tiny items such as broken pieces of cage or rubble.
Thistle will stay in the room with the secret door, and she will ask for/pick up the key that goes with it. “I’ll keep an eye here,” she says.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
(Raddunth also likes the idea of an hour's rest. Wherever the group wants to camp out.)
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Yokini you find several small pieces of broken cages
If everyone goes, Thistle will have to light a torch.
If someone has a torch. 😕Scratch that, she has a torch!
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Thistle Lem and Raddunth are left with the robed kobold. Yokini and Zashier make their way back up to the cage room.
Yokini begins fiddling with the pieces of cage, using bits of this and that from her glove. When finished, she holds them up to show Zashier (who I hope did follow her up). "These will each record a short amount of sound that can then be replayed over and over. Short," she stresses. "Two of them, I would suggest you use to give directions to your farm. The third can be an explanation to your sister as so who they are and why they're there. That is, if you're OK with sending them to your farm. It's the safest place I know in Fallcrest." She stops talking, but her eyes speak volumes as she waits, hoping the loxodon will agree.
Confused, Zashier looked between Yokini and the cages, before slowly nodding as if he understood. "While that is technically true, for all points and purposes, not counting some of the usual stuff the farms in general have to deal with of course, I suppose I can try to be of assistance there... That is, I'd like to, being of kindly sort. But as you've probably noticed, conciseness isn't exactly my strong suit." Zashier admits with an awkward smile.
"'sides, I'm not sure you could explain how this doo-hickey is s'pose to work enough for someone of my standing to use it right proper. But, not to worry, my Sis knows I'm a fairly good judge of character. So, if you want to do the recording and the what not, and as she has a sharper memory for voices than me, she'll accept them. I can give you the directions for you to trim down at your discretion as well."
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Yokini doesn't argue, and goes along with Zashier's revised plan. After the three small talking objects have been prepared, Yokini escorts the prisoners out to the horses and Gomol and sends them on their way to Zashier's farm. She assures her family she will find her mother and sister and bring them to the farm as quickly as possible. Once they're on their way, she returns to where the others are resting.
Zashier gives very wordy instructions for how to get back to his farm, which Yokini then condenses into 6 seconds...speaking very fast...into these mundane items. She then escorts the prisoners back up through the passages, avoiding the traps as she goes. Her family is in awe of Yokini's adventuring prowess, and is just so excited to see her.
Once outside, she shows them how to use the infused items, tapping them, to hear the message she recorded with direction, and tells them to give the other to Zashier's sister at the farm.
Yokini then carefully makes her way back down into the tunnels, meeting back up with the others in the grand chamber, the hooded kobold still there (not knocked out or wrapped up in Zashier's trunk yet since Zashier was with Yokini)
The freed captives are on their way back to town - you hope that those fake guards have left their post on the road and that they will be safe as they travel. They still have the makeshift weapons you left with them earlier. The party has gathered yet again, deciding what to do next. You have all taken a short rest, you have a key and a secret door, and an emotionally defeated kobold sorcerer.