Arell stood up rubbing his limbs getting the blood flowing after giving Rolf a long hug.

Nomerendal clung to his leg for a second before moving to interrogate the now awake Kobhold who was bound in a rope way to big for his body.

On the ground arrayed in front of Fidget who had dismounted to pull the Kobolds gear from him was a full suit of finely crafted dwarven plate armor. an enchanted dwarven waraxe, a finely crafted shortsword that the kobold carried, and a healing potion. plus 12 gold pieces the kobold had on his body.

The lithe Kobold looked at the surrounding group and his predicament and heard the gnomes voice...very convincing...and he said Gurtlekep scout for Truescales. His Greatness King Merlokrep ask of Gurtlkep to watch for invaders to Truescale Territory and tell him. Gurtlekep saw you sneak sneaking and waited but couldnt get through. Now Gurtlekep a failure.

Map: https://imgur.com/YgN6rPB


Combat Summary


Arell AC:16(T-11/FF-15)CMD:16 HP:19/13 FO:+6 RE:+3 WL:+4
2nd Paladin Human Male Lay on Hands 1d6 3xd

Rolf  Guard Dog AC:15(T-12/FF-13) CMD:15(19 vs Trip) HP:17/15 FO:+5 RE:+5 WL:+1
Medium Animal (mastiff) Tenacious- +4 vs Will saves if tracking for magics utilized vs it.

Nomerendal - Male Gnome - Bard 1st / Fighter (Lore Warden) 1st
AC:17 (T-14/FF-14)  -  CMD:12  -  HP:18/18  -  FO:+4 RE:+5 WL:+1
Defensive Training: +4 dodge vs monsters (giant subtype)
Illusion Resistance: +2 save bonus vs illusion spells & effects.

Fidget AC:12(T-12/FF-11)CMD:+12 HP:15/15 FO:+3 RE:+3 WL:+3
2nd Sorcerer Fey Bloodline Gnome Female

Smoke Riding Dog AC:15(T-12/FF-13) CMD:15(19 vs Trip) HP:17/17 FO:+5 RE:+5 WL:+1
Medium Animal

Dorak AC:18(T-10/FF-18) CMD:12 HP:17/14 FO:+6 RE:+1 WL:+7
2nd Cleric Dwarf Male defenses: +2 vs poison,spells, and spell-like abilities,+2 to remove negative levels, +4 CMD vs bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground,
+4 dodge bonus to AC vs giant subtype, Channel Energy 1d6 4x/day.

Sara AC:16(T:12/FF:14)CMD:16 HP:23/19 FO:+5 RE:+2 WL:+1
Human Female, 1st Barbarian/1st Oracle (dual cursed) defenses: misfortune, possessed (roll twice on saves vs. possession or domination)
+4 strength and dex, +2 AC (from dex) +2 will, unable to cast spells while raging (7/6 rounds per day)

Tainien AC:15 (T-13/FF-13) CMD:15 HP:11/11 FO:+0 RE:+6 WL:+1
2nd Rogue [Scout] Elf Male.  Elven blood.
Saves: +2 racial save vs Enchantment spells and effects. Immune to Sleep spells.

Kibbo AC:14 (T-13/FF-12)CMD:10 HP:10/10 FO:+1 RE:+2 WL:+2
1st Expert Kobold Male

Jarrdreg AC:13(T-12/FF-12)CMD:9 HP:6/6 FO:+0 RE:+1 WL:+4
1st Adept Kobold Male

Gurtelkep *Bound* AC:15(T-15/FF-12)CMD:13 HP:20/1 FO:+1 RE:+6 WL:+1
2nd Rogue Kobold Male Evasion

"Yes, definitely a failure," Sara growled, annoyed at the little sneak.

"Now what? Which way? West? East? North? I'm no tracker. Which seems to have the most traffic?"

Dorak looks over the dwarven manufactured items and says "these will make fine additions to our combat power. I, unfortunately,  cannot use either one." He used his knowledge to verify masterwork quality.

Appraise 21 on d20+3 (23 vs armor).

Arell finally let's his dog go and gets to business.

He leaves the interrogation to the others and turns to examine the leftovers from the cube.

Wonder if the plate armor would fit...

Ok Mr I like to sneak up and stab peole in the back. If you don't tell me everything about this place, I'm going to shoot you in the face with another ball of force and kill you where you stand. First question where are the children kept and whats the fastest way to get there.

"We're not invaders... we don't know much of the Truescales nor King Merlokrep. But yes, you are a failure. I can think of a way to redeem yourself however. The best way to protect the tribe is to not mess around with us. If we can get the children being held by the tribe, out of here quickly and quietly, you'll have saved the Truescales and will earn the gratitude of your King..."

The bound Kobold looked at Nomerendal and back and forth at Arell who was carefully adjusting straps on the armor and Sasha standing there talking to herself and at Dorak who was scowling down at him....and the dogs...and then said simply Too Late. No way to stop them. They are to be sacrificed to stop curse placed on Truescales. He-Who-Forgets-More-Than-He-Knows has decreed 5 younglings of the pinkskins must be sacrificed to wash the Crown with their innocent blood and end the curse.

When and where speak now worm!

Arell sets down the Armor he was fiddling with and stalks over to the Kobold, hoping his added presence would help scare the answers out of this little monster.

Nomerendal's face seemed to lose all its color as the revelation sunk in. "This much, much worse than we thought. It wasn't just these kids wandering off and getting themselves into trouble, they're going to be... Oh! but we must save them!" It took a few moments for the gnome to regain his composure.

"Tell us of this curse. Perhaps we may be able to solve the matter for the Truescales and thus rescue the children by removing the need for their... for the reason they've been taken."

Dorak holds up the axe. "You would disgrace the temple grounds of a dwarven God with such evil deeds?? A curse is the least of your worries" The dwarf growls as the sharp edge of the blade touches against the kobold's knees.

If a Kobold Scale could pale, Gurtlekep's did as he answered quickly. When King Merlokrep took throne, His Chief Egg Layer Vregmma went to put crown on his head, she tripped and poked his eye out with Crown. Kobold Blood on Crown caused Curse. since then Truescales have had bad things happen. Jekkajak says only blood of 5 young pinks skins can wash crown and remove curse.

"We'll just have to find somewhere else to stick the crown. Which way is Merlokrap?"

"And who is Jekkajak?"

Jekkajak is the wisest of Kobolds. The Shaman of The Truescales. King Merlokrep told him consult the ancestors and find a way to remove the curse, or Jekkajak's life would be forfeit. and then he pointed down the hall the way the cube had come.

We can't let it go it will just sneak up on use again, and I don't want to take him with us. so do we tie the creature up or kill him ?

"I think he's telling us the truth," Nomerendal said quietly. He was torn as to what they should do. He certainly understood the risks of leaving the kobold alive, but his good heart, though a bit chaotic at times, seemed to convince him that letting their would-be assassin alive would be the right course to take. "Let's bind him."

"I want you to listen closely to me," Nom said to their captor. "We'll allow you to live. See them?" He pointed to the others kobolds. "We're not down here to kill anyone or take territory or steal food. We're here to bring back the children of our village. Don't try to escape. We'll free you when we return. With luck, we can help the Truescales with their curse. If the King and his advisor try to attack us, we must defend ourselves... you musn't try to escape and warn them. Do you understand? Will you agree not to try to escape?"

"I can't kill a defenseless creature," Sara announced. "Not even a kobold. Give him his knife and let him fight, or we tie him here."

OOC: Are there shackles the slaves had or something that we can restrain him with?

Although he needs killing for back stabbing Sara I agree killing him when he's unarmed would be wrong. So bind him quickly and lets begone we have children to save. Fidget starts to walk away, She pauses a few feet away and turns back. If I see you any where inside, I promise you I'll kill you very very slowly.

Gurtlkep looked at them and said softly. Please dont leave me tied up here. Something will find me and eat me. Gurtlekep has room upstairs. leave me there. I will stay til you come back

"Seems like a bad idea," she shook her head and replied to her group.

"Who knows what he's got hiding in his room. Now that the cube is chopped up, the most dangerous thing down here is him."

Dorak says "Sarah, ye've two strong fists. Tie him up, knock him out, and let's be on our way."

"We could always demand his word, like we did with the first werewolf." Arell posits.

And then he remembers that most of the folks here weren't there for the first werewolf...and that he made that deal expecting the werewolf to renege on it.

"Nevermind..." he grumbles, "Whatever we do, let's do it now...the kids don't have time for this."

Sara took Dorak's advice.

OOC: How's that work in game mechanics? Tie him up then unarmed beatdown with nonlethal damage? Or can we just fluff it :-)

While Sara tended to the dirty work, Nomerendal approached the other kobolds which had formerly been prisoners. "Do you believe us that we won't hurt you if you don't interfere with what we're trying to do? We've kept our word so far haven't we? We must move quickly now to find the children which the Truescales have captured. What shall we do with you?" He placed his hands on his hips as if considering.

"Perhaps you should go now, flee this place, or, if that sounds too frightening, you can go with us when we return, but in the meantime you must keep watch over this one that tried to kill us with sneakery..."


OOC: Nom's hoping to lead them to the idea of guarding our new prisoner, but make it their idea... Diplomacy (Oratory): Nomerendal Tunespinner rolled 25