TikChik's insect-like proboscis detects the scent of the kobold and realizes that this fellow was in the prison briefly before their escape attempt. This reptile is no ordinary kobold. He smells.... cleaner than the others,
"This one's the dragon's right-hand squeak, he is" the thri-kreen observes,
"He's no ordinary lackey."[sblock=Nature]
1d20+14+2(Cumulative bonus)+1 Individual Advantage= 36 (almost a crit, but not quite).[/sblock]
"You overheard what I said, everything about the history of this island. Tell me what of it you know? For right now, I am on a mission from Wer Grovisv to take your head and the head of your masters. Tell me what is really going on here, and I'll spare your life."
Amid the threats, and the questions, this simple statement seems to make the reptile's eyes flash from confusion to comprehension. Then it smiles slyly,
"I caresss not about my life." It hisses. It actually becomes less afraid, in fact, it appears as though it is becoming amused,
"But I tellss you anyway, becaussss I thinkssss you are misssssstaken." A hint of a smile crosses the kobold's long muzzle and it attempts what appears to be a sly wink,
"Yesssss. I lisssstensss to you ssspeak. Your 'goddesssss'" it lifts its claws and flexes them to resemble quotation marks when it says this,
"Issss a liar! 'Coursssss all dragonssss lie. Jusssst sssssome doessss it for gain, and otherssss jusssst to be mean.
"Iguyo Di Wer Grovisv missssleadss you. But sssssshe's trickssssy with half-truthssss. Wer Vhisar not drivesss Iguyo Di Wer Grovisv's mother from her home. Grovisvi Daariv and her ssssissster Lpuul Bakina killssss Wer Whisar'sss father while Wer Vhisar isss sssstill an egg. Wer Vhisar essscapesss. The ssssissstersss ssstill live in Rioc Parvel. Masster wantsss it back." The kobold's head jerks up as if it just remembered something it forgot,
"Ooooh. Dwarfssses! Dwarfssses fightssss when Wer Vhisar'ssss father takesss Rioc Parvel." The reptile shakes its head as if the story is getting muddled in its tiny mind,
"Wasssss long ago. Great-grandfather tellssss grandfather the ssstory. Grandfather tellsss Father. Father tellssss me.
"Now, today." The kobold's eyes now become more lucid in certainty,
"Sssssshear comessss with dwarf and human. Dwarf issss king of Rioc Parvel, wizard ssssays. Wer Vhisar assssksss for prooof, and Ssssshear spillssss human'ssss blood to sssshow human'ssss memoriesssss. Memoriesssss sssshow that dwarf hassssss chip from Moonssstone! Wer Vhisar keepssss dwarf for quesssstioning and killlssss Ssssshear. Then masssster eatsss human.
The kobold looks up at Gensai snapping out of its reverie,
"Your friendsss are alive. Wer Vhisar isss curioussss why they came. He sssssaved your wissszrd from death to find out who you are. He waitssss for you." The kobold points through the tapestry,
"The dragonman fell down the East sssschute to the river. He'ssss been ssswept out to sssea!"
Then the kobold turns to Sheng and Tikchik,
"You are the onessss he hired. If you had ssstayed in your ssscell, you might have been treated better." He laughs pointing at their wounds from the skirmish in the prison,
"Wer Vhisar wassss keeeping you for a tassssk."
[sblock=Skill Challenge Round 2]
[sblock=Round 1 Results]
Congratulations! You've earned yourselves some bonuses for next round!
Gensai:
History - 23, 2 Points
Sheng:
Bluff - 23, 2 Points
Tikchik:
Nature - 36, 3 Points
Riardon:
Arcana - 25, 2 Points
Fenwick:
Diplomacy - 23, 2 Points
Note: Repeating the same skill multiple rounds in a row imposes a cumulative -2 penalty.
Round Total:
11 Points:
2 Victory Points
[/sblock]Skill challenge total:
6 Victory Points: Strategic Advantage
[/sblock]
GM: | Congratulations! You have successfully completed the skill challenge and earned a strategic advantage: The kobold, who happens to be of some rank among the others here, offers an audience with Wer Vhisar and the promise of not being attacked on the way. | |
The kobold steps up to the tapestry and pulls it aside to reveal the entrance to what once must have been the opulent throne room for some sylvan lord. Enormous gargoyles stand guard at the entrance, and ornate columns support an intricately sculpted ceiling. The party's new reptilian guide beckons the group to follow. The promise of a kobold is not one to be accepted lightly, but upon its insistence the group feels that this creature is acting out of curiosity rather than malice.
Through the curtain, picking its way a little too carefully to be direct, the kobold leads them around a corner, past the dais and throne of the great chamber and through a gaping hole that has been torn in the rear wall of the throne room that reveals a cavernous chamber of a much less finished appearance. From through the hole, still at some distance, the party hears a cacophonous sound, like the howling of the wind, or a thousand stones being smashed upon one another.
The smell of ozone quickly dissipates and the reek of rotting flesh attacks the party's senses as they approach the hole in the wall. Stacks of dead bodies and armor once occupied, but now ownerless, lie in heap after heap throughout the chamber beyond.
The grotto is dimly lit by brazers of incense that seem to compliment, rather than suppress the stench.
The thundering noise grows as the party passes through the opening and appears to be issuing from a large hole in the floor at the chamber's. Looking through reveals an overhead view of an underground river where other kobolds can be seen milling around. It appears that a boat has just landed on one side of the river and goods are being unloaded. The sound of the water's rush is too loud to make out voices.
Turning their attention, again, to the cave in which they stand, the party sees, against the far wall, a mountain of treasure, the likes of which they have never seen before in their lives. In front of the enormous cache lies the unconscious form of Mervin.
"Wait here," the kobold snickers,
"Touch nothing! I getsss massster" Then it runs off through the opening through which the party entered as though it is relieved in not having to remain in the chamber. [sblock=Big Picture Map]
[/sblock][sblock=Local Map]
[/sblock]
GM: | Please RP your characters actions, thoughts, suspicions, conjectures, etc... for two rounds while you wait for Wer Vhisar. | |