IndyPendant's Sunless Citadel

[IndyPendant]

Lehko is the only one remaining in the hall as the rest of the party enters the room. He listens at the northern door, and then at the southern stone door, but hears nothing from the other side of either one. Meanwhile, Heirmund examines the runes covering the walls, realizing they're a bastardized, barbaric form of High Draconic, spelling out various versions of the phrase "Here there be dragons!"

As Heirmund reads the crude runes, Jair, Kuma, and Ydyr approach the whimpering figure, with Jerek providing cover for them. A small form huddles underneath a filthy green blanket. It's quickly apparent the form can't be one of the two Hucreles--even before the whimpering abruptly stops and a small, scaled head pokes out from underneath it. Its glowing red eyes widen when it sees the four of you bearing down on it weapons at the ready, and it scrambles off the bench and flees! Jerek almost shoots at it, but stops when the thing doesn't get far, instead crashing clumsily to the floor as its legs get trapped in the blanket. It curls into a fetal ball and keens loudly in abject terror, its thin scaly arms covering its head and its entangled legs still moving as if trying to run.

You find yourself gazing down at a kobold, cowering pathetically on the floor before you.

 

[JimAde]

Jerek makes a strangled noise as he looks back out the door to check on Lehko. He hisses at the others, "Quiet that thing down!"

 

[Mithran]

Heirmund seeing he'll be much more useful with the kobold than reading a phrase over again moves a bit closer to the kobold and begins to speak in draconic "Calm down, there is no need to be afraid" Heirmund motions the others to back away from the creature.

 

[Voadam]

Jair nods at Heirmund and will motion the others back while the gnome talks in the lizard language to the scaled humanoid, adopting a less threatening posture with the others.

[ooc aid another on diplomacy by making things seem less threatening?]

 

[Shayuri]

Kuma sighs and raises his sword.

"I might have known. They breed like rats in the dark caverns of the earth. One's no threat, but there'll be more, as sure as dragons have wings...."

His intended action is interrupted by Heirmund's urging. Kuma lowers his sword with a querying expression, but doesn't back away.

"There isn't?"

With a roll of his eyes, Kuma sheathes his sword, but looks ready to grab the kobold any second if it doesn't calm down, or if it tries to run again.

(readying action to grapple the little blighter if it keeps making noise, or tries to flee)

 

[IndyPendant]

The kobold stops whimpering and stops trying to run, carefully looking out at you through its arms. Its eyes narrow and it bares its sharp teeth in reflexive loathing at the sight of Heirmund looking down at it, and begins to speak in rapid draconic.

~ihavemanyfriendsandtheywillbecominganysecondvilestonelovingtricksterthiefandthenyouwilldiepainfullyflayedalivenoseeyesearscutoutslowlythoughimightbeabletosaveyouifyourreallynicetomeanddonttorturemekillmeoranythingsosurren~

It stops midsyllable and takes a deep breath, presumably to rattle on some more--but it suddenly begins hacking and coughing, by the looks of it trying to cough out one of its own lungs.

Now that you've had a bit of time to look at the thing, you see it is scarred all over its body with slashes and burns, as if it has been mauled repeatedly by savage beasts, and then charred by flames.

 

[Mithran]

Once more in draconic "Torture you?, no. Kill you?... well the thought crossed my mind but perhaps you could give us some information?. Do you speak the common tongue, Kobold?" Heirmund looks thoroughly displeased but resolved to do his duty to the party.

Heirmund speaks to Jair in common "It claims it has friends and that they will torture us etcetera unless we are kind to him, you seem to have claimed the position of party leader so I commit the matter to your judgement."

 

[Voadam]

Jair looks at the gnome, back at the kobold and then can't help himself, he laughs. "Those were threats and not cries for mercy or aid? I really can't tell scalyfolk body language or intonation. OK ignore that for now. Tell the lad we are looking for some humans. Ask him if he knows or has heard anything about any humans coming down here. Also tell him we understood there were goblins down here and ask if he can tell us about them."

 

[Shayuri]

Kuma grumbles and looks around.

"Unlikely this one can tell us much. His scars. He has been bullied and abused. He must be of very low rank among his people. That he was here alone means he may even be an exile."

He stalks away from the kobold, though an observer would note that he keeps himself between it and its potential escape route. He pauses to squint at the scribbles on the wall.

"This room may be a place of punishment. What do these scratches mean?"

 

[Voadam]

Jair continues "Tell him I am a druid who is interested in finding the other humans and getting around here. If he provides us with information and acts as a guide I will use my druidic magic to heal him."