"This one stopped fighting, yes.  Once that one knocked them down for good," Krunch says, indicating that Katernin was the one to finish them off. "Her glowing, floating weapon, it did the job...."

     Krunch gets up with a grunt and is happy to follow Kelnan despite his injuries.  Checking in with Berry from time to time, Krunch is happy to assist Kelnan with their attempts to track the last target.  "You want this one not dead?"

Krunch helps Kelnan examine the tracks in the melting sleet. Survival advantage roll: 12

Kelnan makes his pitch to get the missing guy to surrender (assuming he's within earshot). Persuasion check (helped by Krunch's intimidating presence and comments):  14

The tracks vanish into an area of scrub and gravel, dotted with larger boulders but free of snow or slush. A fog is beginning to roll in, and the clouds continue to darken. You're not sure where the guy went.

But then a voice calls out from somewhere behind the small boulders to the west. "Look, you don't want my head. I'm just a hired hand. I don't worship whatever creepy thing these crazy people do. I'm just a hired sword." You can tell by his voice that he is exhausted - more so, even, than Krunch or Katernin. "But I do know where there's a whole lot of treasure hidden. Ten thousand gold. Maybe we can make a deal?"

You still see nothing. The moors are empty. But then you hear the soft crunch of gravel behind a medium-sized boulder maybe thirty-five feet from you.

Krunch, Kelnan, and Katernin listen to the hidden man's offer, as wisps of winter fog chase each other across the cold moors. The man remains completely out of sight, his voice coming from a location somewhere in the scramble of small boulders several dozen feet to your west. Berry reports see nothing from above.

Meanwhile, back at the stairwell and unaware of the events hundreds of feet away, Kavana the Guard tries to negotiate with Molo on her own terms:  Take all their valuables, in exchange for their lives and passage to the mainland. 

What do you want to do next?

Kelnan lowers his rod to the ground, leaning on it like a cane. "What do you think my friends? I'm sure our shipmates would appreciate an extra reward after this debacle of a voyage."

     Krunch holds his flail low, but it remains at the ready.  He leans in towards Kelnan and whispers "I just want off island.  Gold would be good once I am, but gold don't spend until I am..."  Krunch then shrugs and waits for the two others to decide.  He is outnumbered and hoping they can get him off the island, he's not quite assuming he is one of them to make decisions yet.

Quote from cbaer8 >>

Kelnan lands, joining Katernin and Krunch at the boulder as they stand over Ozymandius' fallen body. Berry circles far overhead, watching for signs of the missing cultist.

Meanwhile, back at the staircase, Kavana makes her case to Molo. "You came here and robbed us, killed the survivors. There weren't many of us left. You can keep what's left - there's not much. A few coins, some blades, some of our gear, some fish stew. You can have it all in exchange for passage to the Styes or anywhere on the mainland."

 “We didn’t come here for stuff, and it seems like we could just… ya know… take it. Why should I bother with taking you, too?” Molo shrugs. 

Kavana looks Molo in the eye. "I can fight," she says, with some steel in her voice. "I can sail. I can protect a ship. I can earn my passage. Take us with you and we will protect you and guide your way. These waters are treacherous."

-----

Meanwhile, out of earshot of his comrade, the invisible swordsman in the rocks continues his own line of persuasion with Krunch, Kelnan, and Katernin. "A deal," he repeats. "Get me off this stupid rock and away from these crazies, and I'll tell you where you can find the treasure. Ten thousand gold, they said."

"Come out so we can actually talk to you," Katernin says.

Molo ponders Kavana. “We have been going through a lot of sailors lately… alright, you’re hired. Now show us all the best treasure.” 

     Krunch follows up Katernin’s request that the hidden cultist come out of Jodi g by adding “We not looking to kill.  We just do t want to be killed.  Truce is good, yes?”

"We're actually talking! Let's talk for a while," says the invisible man to Katernin. He seems distinctly out of breath, but remains hidden. To Krunch, he adds, "I don't want to kill anyone, either. Truce, yes, I agree. Truce is good. I'm just a sellsword. These crazy folks hired me a few months back. I have no need to fight. You already killed my paymaster. No more pay."

"Look, my name is Bayleaf. I'm from the Styes. I'm also unemployed, evidently, if you have any work." 

The stones clatter again behind the boulder.

"So how about I give you a hot tip, and you give me passage to the mainland. Ten thousand gold, they said. Or maybe I can help, and we can negotiate a split. What do you say?" He continues to breathe heavily.

------

Meanwhile, back at the stairwell, Molo tries to read the guard, Kavana, but finds her affect too flat to interpret. She also seems suspicious of Molo's cavalier change of attitude. "There ain't much here, but if you're serious, I'll protect your ship in exchange for my health and freedom and whatever meager possessions you want." She peers over his shoulder. "What happened to Ozymandius and Bayleaf?"

     "There three of us here," Krunch says slowly.  Patiently.  "One of you.  We win if this gets into a fight.  If we wanted that, we would do that already.  You not coming out make friends nervous.  They think you planning something.  So come out.  Talk like people.  We just want off island.  We bring you.  We want no more fight.  But we nervous.  You hiding makes us more nervous, yes?"

Molo shrugs. “Pretty sure they’re dead, but I don’t know which one is which.” 

"Me not hiding makes me more nervous," replies Bayleaf. "So let's make a deal first, huh? You'll get me to the mainland in one piece, then I'll tell you where the treasure lay. Deal? If you make that pledge I'll come out. Where's your boat, by the way?"

----

Kavana looks away from Molo, defeated, her face blank. She points down the stairwell. "I think Ogmund and Bayleaf had a little gold in their rooms. Watch out – the door is rigged with a crossbow."

Molo leaves Kavana in the capable hands of Dain, and heads in to find treasure, wary of the traps he’d seen before

     “Do not care about gold, just want off island. Their boat needs fixes. That why they approach you.  No fixing boat while people who attacked are hiding. Deal is you come out. Help fix boat. We all leave, all happy.  Or you stay hidden, you make us think you will attack from hiding, so we must hunt you down til dead.  So which deal for you? Come out and help us all leave as friends, or stay hidden and we death enemies?  Choose now,” Krunch insist.  Maybe it’s his newness to this language but it seems a simple decision to him.

     Meanwhile, unable to help Krunch get an actual location for the foe, Berry has gotten distracted flying off looking for small prey to catch and snack upon.

Kelnan

"Mister Krunch, I think the deal is fair. I didn't come here for piracy, but if indeed there is no one left who knows or cares about this treasure, we may as well. Of course Bayleaf, we expect you will surrender your weapons and magical implements and lead the way."

"I come out of hiding, I give you my sword and bow, help you fix your boat, you give me passage to the mainland. I keep my life; I keep my freedom. That's the deal? We're agreed?" exclaims the invisible man to Krunch, Katernin and Kelnan.

--------

Meanwhile, Molo reenters the cellar. The door is rigged with a crude, hidden crossbow trap, but forearmed with knowledge of it by Kavana, he is able to easily bypass and disarm it.

Molo checks to the east first. The jerks retreated that way before, bound to be treasure that way