spacehulkster
First Post
As the small group takes their leave of the kobold matriarch, their little friend Meepo runs up to Pudge.
“Meepo come too!” he implores, looking sorrowfully into Pudge’s eyes.
Pudge clances back towards the Matriarch, who is scowling menacingly at Meepo. “Take him, he is worthless!” she exclaims.
The group again bow and take their leave. They glance at each other with wondering looks, while Meepo scrambles up ahead to get his gear.
Thalez breaks the silence, “What was that about?”
“I didn’t think anything of it before,” Elric explains, “but you know the room that Meepo keeps the dragon caged up in, the room we enter to get here? The cage was empty and Meepo wasn’t around! When he gets back we should ask him what happened.”
Meepo returns with light crossbow, short spear and a small pack. He looks eager and excited to be with the group.
“Meepo, we noticed the cage for Calcryx was empty and Yusdrayl seemed MIGHTY angry with you. What has happened?” Valen inquires.
“After Meepo’s friend left last time, goblins from below come up and attack kobolds. Goblins kill Meepo’s Calcryx and one hand of kobolds. Meepo’s queen mad at Meepo, she say Meepo worthless to not defend tribe better with dragon. Meepo now bottom of rope in tribe. Meepo empty tribe waste!” Meepo reflects.
Pudge walks over and pats the kobold on the head, “Does Meepo want to stay with Pudge?”
Meepo nods happily, “Meepo like fanged human. He always nice to Meepo. Meepo want to stay with new friends.”
“Looks like you got a new pet Pudge,” Thalez exclaims.
“Let’s head down and see if we can repay those gobbo’s for killing your pet, Meepo,” Elric petitions.
The five head down to the area below. It is eerily quite. They search the area, that they had cleared during the last visit, a little more thoroughly. The only thing they discover is that the bodies are gone and the place has been picked up and is still being used. Not feeling strong enough to confront a large group of goblins, they backtrack from there to the entrance to this level, and investigate the only other exit to the south. It leads to a hall that has been torn by a past earthquake. After looking down both sides of the fissure, they continue down the hall. It ends at a door, which Elric checks for traps and opens.
Inside is a slim pedestal of rusted iron with an upright dragon upon it. The walls have mosaic tiles, some of which have fallen and shattered. Inside the gaping mouth of the dragon is an empty tray.
“This appears to be some sort of shrine,” Elric points out. He investigates the statue first. “There’s nothing of value or hidden compartments on this statue.”
All three elves look for secret doors, while Pudge and Meepo gape at the statue.
“This would be a good place to rest,” Elric again points out.
“I admit to being a little tired. We’ve done a lot of walking today. I haven’t walked this much since my first hunt.” Thalez sighs.
“You mean the hunt you broke your bow on!?” Valen jokes. “Your father wasn’t too pleased with you.”
“Hey! That rabbit scarred the wood right out of this elf!” Thalez exclaims.
Pudge spikes the door and the group jokes and rest the night in the shrine. Above they hear sounds of distant thunder and assume that the storm has finally arrived above. They wake a few hours later, refreshed.
**************
Carthax wakes the little ones up early the next morning. “I believe we should get an early start. Your friends never arrived last night,” he informs the three.
“Well, it was pretty bad last night. It was hard to rest,” says Felix. “I’m sure they found a safe place to rest.”
“None the less, I have a bad feeling about today,” Carthax says prophetically.
They gear up and eat a quick lunch, which Milo resents. The trip to the ravine was long and muddy. Except for Felix, who flew the entire way. Upon reaching the citadel they too head straight for the kobold sector and approach the matriarch, with Vern as interpreter.
“What is it now!” she blurts. “Yesterday the others of your group came to me and said they would take care of the stranger below. Then he kidnaps 2 of my guards this morning and leaves a note saying “You will now serve me or be destroyed!”. I am at an end with you all.”
“Our humble apologies, Queen. We have not meant to upset you.” Vern says, in his most diplomatic voice.
“UPSET!” she cries. To which her guards tense and point their crossbows at the party more menacingly.
“I am beyond upset. You will either make good your promise or I shall deliver you to him myself!”
Vern whispers out the side of his mouth, “She’s a little upset.”
“Ya think!” quips Carthax.
“We should begin graciously backing out of here.” Vern replies.
“So our friends were here yesterday and you haven’t seen them since?” Vern ask of Yusdrayl.
“Yes, we have not seen them since,” she respond. “And I hope never to again” she thinks to herself.
“We can take them,” the pixie whispers.
“Now is not the time,” Milo reminds.
With much appeasing, the group heads for the entrance to the level below.
“Meepo come too!” he implores, looking sorrowfully into Pudge’s eyes.
Pudge clances back towards the Matriarch, who is scowling menacingly at Meepo. “Take him, he is worthless!” she exclaims.
The group again bow and take their leave. They glance at each other with wondering looks, while Meepo scrambles up ahead to get his gear.
Thalez breaks the silence, “What was that about?”
“I didn’t think anything of it before,” Elric explains, “but you know the room that Meepo keeps the dragon caged up in, the room we enter to get here? The cage was empty and Meepo wasn’t around! When he gets back we should ask him what happened.”
Meepo returns with light crossbow, short spear and a small pack. He looks eager and excited to be with the group.
“Meepo, we noticed the cage for Calcryx was empty and Yusdrayl seemed MIGHTY angry with you. What has happened?” Valen inquires.
“After Meepo’s friend left last time, goblins from below come up and attack kobolds. Goblins kill Meepo’s Calcryx and one hand of kobolds. Meepo’s queen mad at Meepo, she say Meepo worthless to not defend tribe better with dragon. Meepo now bottom of rope in tribe. Meepo empty tribe waste!” Meepo reflects.
Pudge walks over and pats the kobold on the head, “Does Meepo want to stay with Pudge?”
Meepo nods happily, “Meepo like fanged human. He always nice to Meepo. Meepo want to stay with new friends.”
“Looks like you got a new pet Pudge,” Thalez exclaims.
“Let’s head down and see if we can repay those gobbo’s for killing your pet, Meepo,” Elric petitions.
The five head down to the area below. It is eerily quite. They search the area, that they had cleared during the last visit, a little more thoroughly. The only thing they discover is that the bodies are gone and the place has been picked up and is still being used. Not feeling strong enough to confront a large group of goblins, they backtrack from there to the entrance to this level, and investigate the only other exit to the south. It leads to a hall that has been torn by a past earthquake. After looking down both sides of the fissure, they continue down the hall. It ends at a door, which Elric checks for traps and opens.
Inside is a slim pedestal of rusted iron with an upright dragon upon it. The walls have mosaic tiles, some of which have fallen and shattered. Inside the gaping mouth of the dragon is an empty tray.
“This appears to be some sort of shrine,” Elric points out. He investigates the statue first. “There’s nothing of value or hidden compartments on this statue.”
All three elves look for secret doors, while Pudge and Meepo gape at the statue.
“This would be a good place to rest,” Elric again points out.
“I admit to being a little tired. We’ve done a lot of walking today. I haven’t walked this much since my first hunt.” Thalez sighs.
“You mean the hunt you broke your bow on!?” Valen jokes. “Your father wasn’t too pleased with you.”
“Hey! That rabbit scarred the wood right out of this elf!” Thalez exclaims.
Pudge spikes the door and the group jokes and rest the night in the shrine. Above they hear sounds of distant thunder and assume that the storm has finally arrived above. They wake a few hours later, refreshed.
**************
Carthax wakes the little ones up early the next morning. “I believe we should get an early start. Your friends never arrived last night,” he informs the three.
“Well, it was pretty bad last night. It was hard to rest,” says Felix. “I’m sure they found a safe place to rest.”
“None the less, I have a bad feeling about today,” Carthax says prophetically.
They gear up and eat a quick lunch, which Milo resents. The trip to the ravine was long and muddy. Except for Felix, who flew the entire way. Upon reaching the citadel they too head straight for the kobold sector and approach the matriarch, with Vern as interpreter.
“What is it now!” she blurts. “Yesterday the others of your group came to me and said they would take care of the stranger below. Then he kidnaps 2 of my guards this morning and leaves a note saying “You will now serve me or be destroyed!”. I am at an end with you all.”
“Our humble apologies, Queen. We have not meant to upset you.” Vern says, in his most diplomatic voice.
“UPSET!” she cries. To which her guards tense and point their crossbows at the party more menacingly.
“I am beyond upset. You will either make good your promise or I shall deliver you to him myself!”
Vern whispers out the side of his mouth, “She’s a little upset.”
“Ya think!” quips Carthax.
“We should begin graciously backing out of here.” Vern replies.
“So our friends were here yesterday and you haven’t seen them since?” Vern ask of Yusdrayl.
“Yes, we have not seen them since,” she respond. “And I hope never to again” she thinks to herself.
“We can take them,” the pixie whispers.
“Now is not the time,” Milo reminds.
With much appeasing, the group heads for the entrance to the level below.