A=Abighail B=Gharuk C=Ghorgath D=Ghorza
k=starving kobold (AC12 HP5)
K=halforc woman (AC13 HP15)
s=Squinty
X=barred door

"Children!" the halforc yells. "Put down your knives and be quiet!" She has a commanding presence - to the kobolds at least. They hunker down low, skittering and withdrawing cautiously to surround her. She seems genuinely concerned for the little lizards, even going as far as to hug a pair to her sides as she stares daggers at the invading party. "We're just trying to survive. If we could, we'd be long gone from this accursed city. Don't you see how starved these children are? We are prisoners here! And now you come to kill us!"

The kobolds growl, but the halforc shushes them down. "We have no way to leave this place. So if you want, you can... butcher us right here where we stand." She sniffles.

Abighail finds this woman hard to believe.  She treated the kobolds as if they were her children, an arrangement that they'd probably only agree to so long as she kept feeding them.  It didn't make sense that they'd want to stay here in the slums, and the bodies hanging from the walls were creeping Abighail out.

"Prisoners, what do you mean?  You were the ones locking yourselves in a moment ago.  Who is keeping you here?  I think it's time you filled your bellies and then hit the road.  Head west and keep going until you find green fields and slow rabbits."  Abighail glowers at the kobolds in her way as she forces herself toward the cooking pot.  Its contents smelled good but she wasn't going to eat any for fear of it containing dwarf meat.

"VRRTANAI'SH!" she calls to the outside, "Get in here!  Lunch's ready!"

Action: Intimidate
13:59, Today: Abighail rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  intimidate.
Start Position: G15 move to I18 if the others get out of the way
AC13 9hp

Ghorza continues to run to the back side of the building, pulling up short when she hears Abighail's voice.  Axe at the ready she rests outside the building listening to the conversation.

OOC:
ACTION: Run around the building, double action
START:  H21
FINISH:  E16

Ghorgath forces his way through and pushes past the kobold at J14. Emphasizing by pointing his glaive to the east, he barks "All kobolds outside now. We are going to escort you and all your brothers out of the town to safety and food. Line up outside like good little soldiers to be issued your lunch. Ghorgath's order to move outside is backed up by a sturdy grip on his glaive, and almost anticipation to use it. "Do as we say".

Move: L14-w-2w-w-I14. Double movement cost moving through kobold at J14.
Skill: Intimidate 14.
Readied attack: Attack closest enemy if hostilities recommence, hits AC 15 and does 15 damage.
Opportunity attack: If hostilities recommence and an OA is available, hits AC 16 and does 15 damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:01, Thu 05 Nov 2015.

Gharuk is actually rather touched by the womans motherly sentiment and it shows clearly on his face as his scowl drops and the hint of a smirk appears. As the kobolds cower and scutter around his feet to get to their "mother", he chuckles and bends to pat one on the head "Hehehe. I don't wanna butcher you or your children ma'am. Sorry about our, uh, entrance; can't be sure about these things and better safe than sorry. Is this everyone? The city's got a price on lizard heads and we wouldn't want no-one left behind...uh, right guys?" His forehead creased in uncertainty as he looked to his brother and sisters.

A=Abighail B=Gharuk C=Ghorgath D=Ghorza
k=starving kobold (AC12 HP5)
K=halforc woman (AC13 HP15)
O=halforc (AC13 HP15)
s=Squinty
X=barred door
*=cauldron. yum yum!

The kobolds move aside to let Abighail have whatever spot she wants. After all, she's big and scary and looks more than a bit like their matron. One kobold even reaches out to touch Abi's leg reverently.

The halforcish woman gives a short laugh in reply to Abi's accusations. The tone of her voice is calmer now. It seems there won't be a bloodbath right away, and that seems to be enough to take the edge of panic off her.

"There's the poison river to the north, the wall with its archers to the east, the rope guild to the south, and Norris' gang along with Boss' guards to the west. None of them will let us pass. You think we want to be here? This wretched ruin in the middle of more ruins. No... if we could, we would have run away."

Turning to Gharuk, she smiles. The expression on her face almost seductive. After all, Gharuk is masculine as they come, and the woman is obviously attracted to him at first glance.

"That's... okay. We can help the poor little guy out from beneath the door. The bones will heal in no time. Kobolds are tough little critters, you know. More gristle than bone." She flashes him another smile, toying with a lock of her hair. "Yes, if the damn archers didn't poke us full of arrows we'd have bought passage out through the docks a long time ago."

Squinty pushes through the assembled kobolds, already drooling. "Food! Foood!" Some of the other kobolds look at the little runt funny. Whatever happened with him, they ask themselves.

Ghorgath's barking almost moves the kobolds to leave their caretaker behind. But they yip softly and look at the halforcish woman instead. They're not attacking, however.

Ghorza practically runs into a big halforc fellow approaching at a dead sprint from the west. A sack with groceries discarded somewhere behind him. "Mila!" he yells. "Mila! Are you okay?" A greataxe glimmers in his hands, an expression of panic on his face. "What did you do to her!" he screams at Ghorza as he runs towards her full tilt.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:40, Thu 05 Nov 2015.

"Alright, it seems like everyone has calmed down. So I think if we carry on with that trend, we can work something out."

Lowering his glaive, he gestures with his thumb to himself "My name is Ghorgath, and we've been sent in here to 'get rid' of the kobold's. However safely escorting the lot of you out of the area still qualifies as 'getting rid'. Can you ask these little chaps to line up outside so we can give them lunch in an orderly fashion, because I think a few of them are going to pass out if they don't eat something soon."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:36, Thu 05 Nov 2015.

Seeing her becoming flirtatious, Gharuk puffed himself up and flexed his arms for the womans appreciation; the cloth of his shirt straining against his mighty thews. Then, when she mentioned the flattened kobold, a guilty look crept across the open-book of his face and he spun on his heel suddenly, already moving toward the de-hinged door. "Uh, oops, yeah. Sorry little fella" he said, lifting the rotting wood carefully and peering underneath. Once he was sure he wouldn't damage the kobold further, he slung his shield across his back with a shrug of his shoulder and picked up the door with both hands.

He was just picking his way carefully over the little unconscious form on the floor to lean the door back up against the frame when he spotted the big male outside running toward his sister, shouting. His hackles went up immediately and he growled low before stepping out and heaving the door into the path of the approaching half-orc. "Hey you! He challenged Leave her alone! You got beef? Come take a slice! You and me!" Gharuk stood tall, threw his shield and his weapons to the ground, opening his arms wide and beckoning with his fingers in the time-honoured invitation to brawl.

OOC: Not sure how much of the above you'll let fly, GM; there's quite a lot there and the Male half-orc is quite close. If you'd prefer I reign it back a little or go into combat rounds, just shout and I'll edit. I've rolled some dice, but there's by no means any need to use any of them.

Move: to F15
-12:11, Today: Gharuk rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  Attack roll / Athletics to throw door.
-12:11, Today: Gharuk rolled 16 using 1d20+3.  Intimidation to Challenge.
-12:13, Today: Gharuk rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  Athletics to resist and/or make Grapple.

As an aside; I've always wanted to use "mighty thews" in a sentence!

Abighail hears the commotion outside and watches Gharuk haul his meaty thews out the door in response, and figures the boys will work it out the way they do.  Surrounded by hungry kobolds, she tries to keep her cool as she spoons out a bowl of stew for Squinty.  "I don't think we're going to be able to get them to line up, Gorgath," she says, "I'll be lucky if I don't lose a finger handing out lunch."  She recognizes that being master of the food is how the matron keeps control of the kobolds, and is quick to insinuate herself into that position.  She spoons out bowl after bowl carefully making sure that each recipient knows who they're getting their lunch from.

While she does this, she prods Mila for information.  "So this rope guild to the south, why are they called that?  Big business making ropes around here?  Do they have a nicer place than this that you'd rather stay in?  If the boys outside don't kill each other, they might prove tougher than a bunch of hemp-twisters can handle.  What kind of members does Norris' gang have?  Who's the Boss?"

Hearing the noise outside, ghorgath calls out "Ghorza, block the doorway and don't let him in if he's armed!"

Taking a step into the door and pulling her shield into the ready; "Whoa their big feller, we are just talking.  Lower your axe or blood will be spilled."


OOC:
ACTION: step into doorway and ready weapon
START:  E16
FINISH:  F15

Ghorgath raises a meaty fist, and extends his index finger, pointing to the door to the east.

"Kobolds, OUT!"

Action: Intimidation skill use 17.
Move: No move.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:42, Sun 08 Nov 2015.

The situation winds down after this, after the charding half-orc realizes that his sister is in no great danger.

Mila, on her part, clings to Gharuk, probes his massive muscles, and chirps flirtatiously while tryingto andwer Abighail's questions while her brother glares over the edge of his axe at her sister's newest conquest.

"Uh? No, nobody actually lives in the rope guild apart from something big that eats everyone who enters. The guild has dozens of narrow winding passageways. The rope guild took their name seriously, heh. The dragonflight put them out of business, however.

"Norris the Gray is the boss of the Well. Also the boss of the Greeters. He hates anyone not on his payroll. A territorial bastard. I guess having his daughter kidnapped will do that to you, hehe.

"He has a few dozen kobolds, some gnolls, and a big beastie he uses to keep the others in check.

"Nobody knos who the Boss is. When he does appear, he has a shitload of guards around him. Some say it's all an illusion and that he's actually a maedar. Others, say he's a demon. Eh. Doesn't matter anyways.

The kobolds line up for the meal in a surprisingly orderly way, each with a wooden bowl and spoon. Soon enough everything is filled with the sounds of slurping, chewing and burping. Abi doesn't lose any fingers, even though it's a close call several times.

The poor kobold from beneath the door is saved just in time, and spoon-fed. It yips happily through all the bandages that make him look like a mummy.

Meanwhile, the big halforc eyes Ghorza and estimates his chances at winning her over. After all, she exudes confidence and strength, and her hips seem quite childbearing as well.

So, what are you going to do with this motley crew?

Gharuk was lapping up the attention Mila was heaping on him. When she mentioned "something big" in the Rope Guild, his ears pricked up. "Sounds like the Guild might be a good place to hole up; lots of twisty passages means easy to defend. If the city can get supplies there, it could be a place to call home." He turned to his brother "What d'you think bro? Fancy carving out a bit of territory for ourselves and our new friends? Sounds like we get to go monster hunting in the deal too!" The grin on his face was wide, but there was a pleading look in his eyes; Gharuk was clearly taken with this little crew and it didn't look like he wanted to abandon them to their fate.

"Yeah, the rope guild sounds perfect for your needs, and maybe the city will pay a bounty on the monster that lurks within," Abighail says enthusiastically.  "Should we go now or rest first?"

Now that the kobolds lined up and did as they were told, Ghorgath was a lot calmer. He even quietly gave 'snickers' one of his ration packs as a reward.

He turns to the male half-orc and says, "How many other groups are out there. Do you think you could contact them and talk them into all moving in one pack when we clear a path out of here?"

Turning to his brother when he mentions something big, Ghorgath nods "So if I get this right, the rope guild 'would' be a good place to camp if it wasn't for something big and nasty. Right, then lets get a war party together and take the thing out. I think I know a dwarf who can help with some extra muscle."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:54, Thu 12 Nov 2015.

"Not a chance!" Ghorza belches out before she backhands the orc that is eyeing her.  "I belong to no one."

Settling the issue at hand she then turns toward her brothers; "Agreed let us get to this rope guild and set up shop."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:57, Fri 13 Nov 2015.

"Sounds like a scouting mission is called for. Mad dog McCracken here can show us the way",  he says as he gestures toward the half orc male.

Gharuk grinned "Scouting missions it is. Don't hurt to know what we're grapplin' with. Dunno about this Dwarf you's on about, though; who is he and is he gonna want a cut of the loot?" Gharuk's brow got increasingly furrowed as he spoke, his cognitive abilities reaching their peak as he tried to think of any objections he might have about the dwarf his brother mentioned "Is he any good in a fight, for starts?"

Carefully taking off his chain mail, he folds it up and puts it in his pack. Standing up and stretching, he waves for the half orc male to follow him. "Come on buddy, time to put the little fellas through some post lunch drill."

Ghorgath will put them through simple drills like standing in formation, responding to simple instructions and marching around. He will also get the as yet unnamed half orc to learn how to order them around.

While her brothers work and drill the kobolds, Ghorza will tend to the wounds and injuries from those in the fight and the inevitable ones earned during training.

Whilst his brother drilled the kobolds, Gharuk spent the time with Mila; chatting idly and doing any odd chores she told him to. He seemed somewhat unperturbed by the grisly "pantry" hanging on the walls and set to work lifting them down and preparing the bodies for travel; to him it was all just meat now.

Abighail was surprised that Gharuk was taking the bodies down.  "What are you going to do with those?" she asked.

Well...I'm packing them up. Gharuk said as he was stuffing a dismembered corpse into a sack It's just meat now, isn't it?" With his sisters question, he suddenly wasn't so sure. "No-one said anything before, so I thought it was ok" His attitude became a little defensive "The little guys just chowed down on it, right? You served them. Seems only right that we take what provisions we can before the city can send something...better."

"You're going to eat... him?" she says with a look of disgust on her face.