Survival :  22

Kane and Petmailer, you two can see that the footprints appear to be a mix of human, kobold and trained reptiles'. Many of the beasts’ pawprints seem to be deeper on the retreat than they were on the approach march. 

Petmailer points out the footprints to the rest of the party and says "Do you recall seeing them carry off anything?  What could be so heavy that their footprints are sinking lower on leaving the town?  Were they looting Greenest?  In the heat of the moment I didn't see anything like that...."

Gunra crouches low, examining the footprints that were pointed out.

"Dragons desire two things.  Wealth and meat.  Tiamat and her children are. . . particularly rapacious.  I am certain they are bringing plunder or captives back."

One of the kobolds mentioned dragon eggs, I know not how heavy they are but I suppose they are larger than normal eggs. On the other hand I doubt there would be any in the Greenest.

While you follow the trail and discuss the possible significance of the deeper pawprints, you find that the trail guides towards a more rugged region where steep-sided, rocky plateaus replace the gently rolling hills. The land between the plateaus is largely flat, broken only by outcroppings and wandering streams in steep-sided gullies.

Following the trail, you find that a set of kobold's footsprints diverge from the trail here, returning to the hills. Looking over to that direction, you see a thin cloud of smoke coming from a near-by place hidden between the hill bushes.

Petmailer sees the footprints of the Kobolds and calls a halt, crouches down.  “I feel that we ought to investigate this first, what do you think?  A lookout spot?  Keep an eye out for kobold traps.”  He puts one stick in the ground at this point of divergence and puts two cuts into the top of it with his knife as a marker, but out of the way.  

"Could be." Harmony crouches next to Petmailer, peering towards the bushes for any movement and listening for voices. "Might be a good idea to dispose of them before they can get a warning out to the rest of the camp."

Perception: 12

Yes, we do no need any enemies behind out backs or anyone alerting the camp before we arrive.

Petmailer nods, pulling out his long bow and readying an arrow.  “Let me sneak ahead, follow shortly after me.”  He starts to follow the trail of the kobold feet, a hunter stalking his prey.  

Kane stays quiet. He really misses Leyding. But he nods in agreement with Petmailer’s plan. He crouches down and waits for his signal. 

As you approach the place, you see that the smoke is coming from a low spot between the surrounding hills, where tall boulders have rolled into a loose jumble. A few bushes grow around it, but its otherwise fairly easy to sneak up there.

The smoke is coming from a cooking fire where a group of eight kobolds are roasting two hens. They have weapons in their belts, but they are so concentrated in getting their meal done that they're completely unaware of your presence.

Petmailer backs out of sight and sends a message to Kane, Nurm and Harmony “Group of 8 Kobolds cooking.  Looks like lookout post.  Need someone to cast a spell and damage all of them at once.”  He pulls out an arrow and gets it ready, ready to cover and shoot any kobold that comes this way.

"I don't have anything that'll get multiple at once," Harmony whispers to Kane and Nurm, staying crouched where she is. "One of you want to take this?"

Gunra remains crouched near the trail, a few yards behind Kane, Nurm, and Harmony.  He sees them whispering among themselves and shrugs, keeping an eye behind them.  This was open terrain, and he was not a fan.

Neither have I, Shall we repeat our mind trick? Maybe we may make them fight each other this time.

“I do,” Kane says. “I can hit them with Burning Hands or Arms of Hadar. But you can’t be in the way or you get hit too.” This is the first time Kane has spoken for a while. 

While you all discuss a plan, the kobolds still remain blissfully unaware they are being watched. They wait for their meal to get done until they get impatient, after which they pull the half-cooked meat from the fire and start to eat.

Talking with their mouth full, they continue to chat between them. Those of you who know Draconic get to hear and understand a few bits from their conversation:

Kane knows Draconic, so he hears their bickering. “They are upset with the way things have turned out. They mentioned a Halfing, which I first assumed was Milo, but it could have been one of Cyanwrath’s prisoners.” Kane watches them further. “What’s the plan?”

"Here's the plan.  Kane and I will go up first, the rest of you give us a 4-5 second head start, then rush up.  Kane I will shoot the furthest kobold from us and surprise them, get them to turn away from us.  That is when you will step forward and burn them all up with burning flames out of your hands.  I've seen this before and I think we could catch most all of them.  The rest of you are the mop up crew to finish them off.  What do you think?  If anyone else has a better idea please speak up, but quickly and quietly."  Petmailer  whispers this to all, then readies his bow and prepares himself if everyone agrees.