CB's The Sunless Citadel v3.5

[CanadienneBacon]

Meepo shakes his head sadly at Elyan as if dismayed that Elyan isn't omniscent. "Kobold guards clan. Like Meepo," the little creature gestures to himself, but allows maybe two extra inches in height, "but with metal sticks make ugly to goblins." In a flash of uncharacteristic boldness, Meepo darts out from behind Grotz and briskly moves toward the Karl, Kiaphas, and the door. "Meepo open! Big shiny elf warrior not!" The scaly little kobold shoots a look of downright disdain at Kiaphas. And stretches out a clawed paw toward the door.

 

[hafrogman]

Karl immediately reaches out to grab the creature as it goes for the door. He does not need Meepo's assistance in seeing "bounders"

"Stop."

[sblock=ooc]touch attack +4, grapple +4[/sblock]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

The crafty little kobold squeaks as Karl extends a lanky palm to grab him and quickly scoots away from both the half-orc and elf. With a look of supreme suspicion at Karl, Meepo hunches down in a crouch in the middle of the room, his eyes locked on the door in the northwest corner.

All goes still for a short moment then what must be a wooden bar behind the door can be heard being shoved aside. The door cracks open and the tip of a spear juts out three inches into the room. Karl, on the alert and at the door listening, hears the scuffling of many small sets of bare feet from within the room beyond the door. Soft yipping of a particularly high-pitched variety is heard, followed by a quick yap then silence for a bare second before what sounds like all the world to be a fisticuff inside the room. The door is quickly slammed shut as the fight inside continues.

Elyan hears, [sblock] "Oi! Big shinies in dragon room! Little rat make nice with big shinies! Meepo stew! Meepo stew!" This ruckus is followed by a female voice yipping, "Goblin cause trouble, not Meepo! We make big shinies fight gobbos, get Calcryx back." A male kobold voice from inside the room disagrees and yips, "Meepo stew!" At this point, it sounds to Elyan's ear like the female slaps the dissenting male, and then a wrestling match ensues.[/sblock]

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grotzkoshter

What's going on in there?!
The big warrior says angrily
More of those lizards, we are wasting too much time in here, I say finish them off and take this one as a ransom and a guide.
He turns to Elyan
Make it clear to the lizard that if he tries to escape, he'll be one with my armor spikes
With that Grotz takes out a rope and ties it to the creature.

 

[hafrogman]

Karl steps back from the door as it cracks open. When it closes again, he gladly herds Meepo to Grotz for securing and holds his blade out at the ready, waiting for the door to spring open once more. He looks to Elyan for advice, waiting on word of what lies beyond.

"Attack?"

 

[Boddynock]

Elyan chuckles as the dominant female voice starts to 'persuade' the more vengeful males behind the door. He says to the others, "The guards want the big shinies - that's us - to make Meepo stew. The women of the clan say the trouble is not Meepo's fault but the goblins. They are the ones who stole Calcryx."

He pauses and addresses their prisoner.
[sblock=Draconic]"Meepo, is Calcryx the name of the dragon?"[/sblock] On receiving confirmation, he nods and says, "Calcryx is the dragon. The females are suggesting that we get it back from the gobbos."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

The door flies open and a second creature akin to Meepo steps out and stops short in the doorway. The new kobold has skin more yellow than orange, but the claws, horn nubs, and tail are the same, as is the height. With a pearly white egg tucked under one arm, the yellow kobold starts to speak in the same yipping language as Meepo. The creature seems greatly agitated but is careful not to mee the direct gaze of the "big shinies" in the room. As the kobold yips for a bit, it points at itself, then yips some more. Finally, looking around the room at the party, the kobold starts to stroke the egg it holds.

In slightly better Draconic than Meepo, the kobold yips, [sblock]"Meepo for stew pot, bring these fierce ones down in us'n hole. Meepo lose dragon, now Meepo bring in elveses and thick legs!" The kobold starts to cluck at Meepo. "Yusadrayl make Meepo stew! But Drindix," and here the kobold points to herself, "fix it for Meepo. Meepo get big shinies to find Calcryx, clan no eat Meepo stew! Big shinies beat back gobbos, maybe Drindix even make nice wife for Meepo." The kobold strokes the egg she holds and begins to look unabashedly at the companions.[/sblock]

Those with darkvision can peer into the room's open doorway and see that a knot of perhaps 15 kobolds is clustered in a gaggle in one corner. The creatures look piteable and cower in fear at the half-orcs, human, and elf. Two kobolds with small spears flank the doorway and stand behind the yellow kobold that is currently yipping from the doorway. Both of the spear-wielding kobolds shrink away from Karl and Kiaphas in fear.

 

[hafrogman]

Karl peers into the room, frowning as he seeks out any danger. Seeing only more cowering wretches, he shakes his head in disgust. That's it?

"Bounders?"

He shakes his head again and sheathes his blade. These things aren't worth fighting. He waves at the new arrival while looking at Elyan.

"Ask about children."

He reaches up to take his hat off and scratches idly at his hair while he waits.

 

[Boddynock]

Elyan grins to himself. It was as he thought: the female was the real power in that room.

He translates for the others. "Meepo is in big trouble for losing the dragon, and now they think he also brought us here. A certain failure in logic, I know but then I don't think logic is a strong point for these creatures."

"It sounds like the leader is called Yusdrayl. This Yusdrayl will certainly order Meepo to be stewed, unless he can convince us to defeat the gobs. And the one speaking with us now, called Drindix, has even offered to find a wife for Meepo, if this can be resolved to their satisfaction."

The bard grins again, and adds, "Everybody happy - except the goblins ... and us. Logic may not be their strong point but you've got to admire their optimism!"

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grotzkoshter

Dragon you say, and what shall we get if we kill some goblins and find a wyrm?
Grotzkoshter says and pulls the rope to get his new captive close enough
I say we shall ransom the lizard and kill goblins for a fair amount of wealth, let us go and speak to this Yusdarel or whatever her name is